{spontaneous luncheon}

About a week and a half ago, Seneca started casually talking about having a picnic with her little girlfriends. I'm not certain how it happened exactly, but somehow this fleeting thought of a picnic turned into a formal "little ladies luncheon" at our house on Saturday. "Just for fun," Seneca got all dressed up and enjoyed a beautiful luncheon with 4 of her cute little friends - some new and some that she has known since she was born. All week, Seneca and I planned the luncheon.....from the place settings and table decorations to the luncheon favors, and the menu to the "after-luncheon-manicures." I've never seen a little girl more excited for a lunch with her friends. Seneca is so grown-up sometimes....I forget that she's only 6.

On the menu for the luncheon, were miniature sandwiches (cucumber, peanut butter and jelly, and peanut butter and honey), chocolate-dipped strawberries, pears, plums and Pringles. Unlike many little ones, Seneca wanted to plan, prepare and HELP do EVERYTHING for her luncheon. She was such an amazing little helper....writing our shopping list (she was VERY specific about everything that she wanted for the lunch. It was so cute.), going shopping for everything, making the sandwiches (including inserting all of the party picks....green for cucumber sandwiches, red for peanut butter and jelly and yellow for peanut butter and honey), dipping the strawberries, setting the table, etc.






When the little girls arrived, they immediately gathered around the table for lunch. They were so adorable....with such good manners. Seneca immediately led the group of little girlfriends in some of the cutest conversations about what they all felt they were good at, what they liked to do, what they liked about each other, etc. etc. Oh my heart....it was such a happy and proud Mama moment.





After lunch, we cleared the table and started on our post-luncheon manicures. Each of the girls picked out a nail color and nail art. It was such a blast. They felt so pampered and special. So much fun to provide that opportunity for them - a special day, for special little girls. It felt as if I had an extra dose of Heaven in my home all afternoon.



While the little girls were "luncheoning" and "manicuring," Kaden was hanging out with his friend whose little sister had come to the luncheon. They grew up together in our old neighborhood (where Chas still lives) and have been friends LITERALLY since birth. She and her little sister have always been some of my favorite of their little friends. They are so amazingly polite and such a pleasure to have in our home. Having them here reminded me how much I have missed having them over to play.



Although we never really intended this "picnic" to develop into a formal luncheon, I am so grateful that it did. Seeing how special Seneca felt to have such a beautiful get together with her girlfriends "just for fun" and "just because she IS so very special," and not simply because it was her birthday or for any other "official" reason, was priceless. She was GLOWING all week and all day on Saturday. And being able to pamper these beautiful little girls for a few hours was an absolute pleasure.

I am so grateful that my little ones have such good friends. What a true blessing that is. What an honor it was for me to be able to show MY gratitude for them, and show my little girl just how special SHE is to me. It was such a fabulous day and a raging success, that I am fairly certain this will not be our last "spontaneous luncheon." ;-)