Wednesday, March 4, 2009

A Family Table

Did you grow up in house that dinner was always on the table at 5 (or 6) and there were no excuses not to be there? That's how it was for me. Mom always had dinner ready at 5 and she better not have to yell for you from the porch...you should know what time dinner is!

Growing up with 5 kids in the family, dinner was usually a loud and messy undertaking. But it was a lot of fun too! Dad did nightly quizzes, usually history or geography. I always felt sorry for my friends or boyfriends that were not prepared for the question and answer session over a plate of lasagna. We always chatted {and bickered} about whatever or whoever was on our mind that day. And you ALWAYS cleaned your plate!

I believe those nightly dinners kept us all close and out of trouble...well only a little less trouble in my case! I have continued this practice with my kids. Dinner at 5. Sharp! We try not to even schedule any evening activities that might interfere with our time together. It's still easy while the kids are little but my mom held it together as we got older. I will try too.

Now...every family needs a good table to gather around and I have got one! I bought it from my old neighbor. He was having a garage sale the day we were moving out! What luck! It belonged to my neighbor's grandparents and he became teary eyed when he talked about the Thanksgiving dinners held around this table. I assured him it would be used often and well loved.


It came with 6 chairs upholstered in the most lovely shade of gold! (I finally found the exact fabric I wanted today online to reupholster!) There are 4 {yes, 4} leaves! Great for seating extras.


I also has drop down leaves when you need the space. This photo still has 3 leaves in, but the table actually gets really small. I wonder why they don't make such versatile pieces anymore?

Here is a better look at the chair. I love the color and age of the wood, the shape, the everything. Ok...the gold has to go! Give me time! But they are comfortable and sturdy.
Oops! Is it broken? These old chairs occasionally need some TLC.

Hubby to the rescue! All fixed!
Dinner tonight? There's room!

4 comments:

  1. Yes I know all too well about the dinner on time thing growing up. But I was already home because I was the one making the dinner. Fun Fun!! But yes we actually got a new awesome table and 8 chair set when I was young and it was really sturdy and had 3 leaves and hello unheard of but 8 chairs. Wow!! I loved it and it of course made many memories in my heart and mind. Well, I just became the owner of that set that I had so many bday cakes, unforgetful laughs, many friends/boyfriends had dinner around that table too. I was so giddy the day we went to pick it up from my neice's house, who inherited it from her mom, who inherited it from my parents. I am so happy to have it my home now having dinner w/my kids and hubby making new memories and sharing the ones from when I was a kid. Gotta love it. Thanks for sharing your blog. I love reading it.

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  2. We eat at 5 too! At least they aren't gold vinyl! LOl! Jen

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  3. Great table! We always eat together and I remember doing that as a kid, too! I love it!
    ~Kim

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  4. Hi Jenny ! Its good to be back too. i was missing for all of about two hours till my husband came home..hehe. All is well now and Im ready to get paint on my hands !

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