A Midnight Tradition

Our foundation was laid in the warmth of our grandmother’s kitchen during Saturday night sleepovers and long summer breaks. As little girls, we were captivated by the grace of the women around us, always eager to join their circle. But our favorite memories were made under the cover of night.

It started with a tap on a vent.

Long before we were hosting annual tea parties, we were little girls at our grandparents' house, watching the grown-ups and waiting for our turn to sit at the table. Whether it was a Saturday night or a long, humid summer break, we lived for the moment the house went quiet.

The Midnight "All-Clear"

Our Uncle Mike was our secret accomplice. When the coast was clear and the adults were dreaming, he’d tap on the vent—our invitation to the kitchen. While our sister, Choo, rounded up the girls, Uncle Mike gathered the boys, and the real magic began.

The menu was simple but sacred:

• The Tea: Steaming and comforting.

• The Toast: Thick slices, heavy on the butter, with an extra sprinkle of sugar.

We’d sit, talk, and laugh in the golden glow of the oven light, savoring every bite of our "forbidden" feast. We prided ourselves on being experts at the cleanup, scrubbing away every crumb so we wouldn't get caught. But Grandma's wisdom was greater than our secrets. Though she’d head to church the next morning, wondering aloud where her bread and sugar had vanished to, she never once reprimanded us. Her gentle silence was her way of making sure we always had a seat at the table—and a reason to laugh together.

The Legacy Continues

While those nights at our Grandparents’ gave us our start, our hearts are forever anchored in the memory of our beloved mother, Mary "Frankie" Brown.

Our annual tea parties are a living dedication to her—a space where the women we’ve become can gather to celebrate the girls we once were. We’ve traded the midnight kitchen gathering for a beautifully set table, but the "tea and toast" heart remains unchanged. We come together to reconnect, to reflect, and to honor our Mother’s legacy by savoring the sweetness of life together.

Welcome to our table. We’ve saved a seat for you, and we’ve kept the crumbs as a memory. No secret signals required.