I had two different kitchens in college, though I probably ought not to count those as they weren't entirely mine. I had to share them. Then the five kitchens I had when I lived in Venezuela as a missionary might not count as mine either, as I shared them with other missionaries or the families we resided with. Wait--there was one place in Barquisimeto that was our kitchen and ours alone. So that one counts.
Then five kitchens since we've been married---and now for the next, and hopefully last, kitchen. Number 6.
This is my oldest daughter's first kitchen as well. There are two kitchens in the home we're getting. She will have one downstairs in her area and we will have ours upstairs. She's so thrilled! And so am I. She's already purchased one thing for her kitchen--a small ceramic jug with some kitchen utensils. Sadly, this is all she's accumulated thus far.
Which makes me think that I too am woefully lacking in kitchen stuff as well. Hubby and I sat down and made a huge list of things we're going to have to buy for our new place. The list was mighty and the list was long. We haven't had new cookware since we married, nearly 25 years ago. It's waaaaaay past time. Any recommendations? What kind do you like the best, or wish YOU had in YOUR kitchen?
I've also decided something else. When we married, lo these many years ago, there were wedding showers. An embarrassment of riches were gifted to us by my husband's family and friends. So when we started out our life together, we had our everyday dishes (I'd collected them as I was growing up), we had our semi-formal dishes, and we had our fine china.
The everyday dishes we used was a lovely set of stoneware. Sadly, they have not lasted all these years, all these children, all these oops-I-dropped-somethings. The semi-formal stuff, seen below, HAS survived. Mostly because we hardly ever use them.
Pretty, huh? Well, ok. It was the 80's. I liked pink. It's not what I'd choose today but they're still cute. We have decided to make these our everyday dishes. Time is fleeting and life is short. Why hold out on the pretty stuff until a special occasion? All of life should be treated like a special occasion.
As for our Fine China.....It's gorgeous and we might just use it for Sunday dinners from now on. Just because.
It's Noritake and it's called Virtue. So beautiful. See?
So there you have it. My 6th (or 13th) kitchen and what I plan on doing with it. My daughter's first kitchen. I wonder what kind of dishes she will choose? I'm sure there will be much borrowing going on between the two kitchens. Either way, I hope that she uses the 'good stuff' and doesn't let it sit in a hutch for years, as I have done. The good stuff shouldn't be hidden. I hope I can teach her that now.
How exciting on moving into your new house. Packing up and moving is no fun, but once you are all settled in, it's so great to be in your new place.
ReplyDeleteWhat nice dinnerware. I much prefer the old dinnerware to today's because they are much better quality and last longer.
I think the best way to find dinnerware is to search online and read the reviews. You can also ask friends and see what they have. Like I know the Lee's moved into their renovated house about 3 years ago and they have new and nice dinnerware.
What beautiful china. My mom has the same exact china pattern, but she doesn't have the cups. She was given some of the dishes for her wedding and then a couple years ago, she started collecting them. Now she has a lot more. Sometimes we use the china, but usually during the holidays, we use the china that was once my grandmas.
We have never used our fine china we were given as wedding gifts. I love it, but the kids were too young before. I guess I could use it now, so maybe this Christmas I will, for the very first time. :)
ReplyDeleteI definitely think your girls are old enough now! Don't wait. I love setting a beautiful table.... it's like art. LOVE it!
ReplyDeleteWe've used our china a time or two. Mostly Christmas and Easter.
ReplyDeleteAt the rate we go through them, our pots and pans have mostly been of the "cheap" variety. The kind where the lid doesn't ever fit again, after it's been dropped. (And sometimes after being handled roughly while washing.) Our cheapest frying pan caught fire and melted.
We do have nice things packed up and waiting for us when we return home. Until I'm out of the army, though, it's thrift store specials and whatever wal-mart has to fill in the gaps.