My sweet tea-loving friends

On Saturday I had the privilege of being the guest at not one but two special events with some dear friends. In the afternoon, I attended a Birthday Tea given in honor of my friend Krista, who will turn 40 on Thanksgiving Day. We all met at Spoons in downtown Newnan, which isn't a traditional tearoom but does host teas for groups by appointment. The tea fare was delicious and nicely presented, but the company was what made this tea so fun. I got to visit with some old friends I haven't seen in a while (Hi Tammy! Hi Misty!), and I so enjoyed how we all went around the room telling how we got to know Krista and what a blessing she and her family have been in our lives. One woman there said it was so special because you normally have to be at a funeral to hear these sorts of things. I'm so glad I was able to be part of such a wonderful afternoon honoring such a lovely friend. And typical of Krista, she gave all of *us* a gift to thank us for attending her tea. It was this great tea mug bearing the words "Love One Another! I John 3:23" which she tells us is a line of tableware now carried by You're Invited, the stationery shop in downtown Senoia. It's located right next door to my friend's shop, so I'll be visiting there soon.




That evening, I was the guest of my friend Ashly when her church, Bethlehem Baptist, hosted its annual Christmas Traditions dinner. Unfortunately I got held up doing some Christmas shopping and didn't get there as soon as I'd hoped, so I didn't get to scope out all the tables like I usually do. But as usual, Ashly's table was gorgeous, and she had a cheery red and green theme this year. The tea had just been poured, and when Ashly said "Sweet tea, right?" it occurred to me that a good friend knows how you take your tea! (I can tell you that Ashly is very sweet, but she likes her tea unsweet.)

The treat from Ashly this year was an elegant box of homemade chocolates, both of which she said are "candy bar" recipes courtesy of Paula Deen. I assumed this meant they both had a ton of butter in them? Yes, she confirmed, and yummy isn't *even* the word for these things. The bars are homemade Kit Kat bars, and the balls taste just like Mounds candy bars! (I accidentally turned my box of treats upside down in transit, so please know that the bars did not have crumbs on them when Ashly presented them. She makes delicious baked goods that are also known for being the most absolutely perfect looking treats you've ever had.) Ashly said one of the recipes came from the Food Network website and another came from Paula Deen Magazine. I can only tell you that there are few things in life more agreeable than sipping hot tea from a new tea mug and noshing on chocolates from a friend. Life is indeed sweet!