Thursday, November 06, 2008

When the sink overflows

I'm so behind on the dishwashing, we had to use the fancy glasses for breakfast.

Why don't we do this more often?

30 comments:

Anonymous said...

I totally agree! Use your "good " things! I use everything I love now after more than 25 years of "saving" them...I want to enjoy them instead of having a perfect set for someone else to enjoy after I am gone!

I wish I could be there to wash those dishes for you today...

The Frugal Countess said...

I use our wedding crystal everyday. I got tired of seeing it in the china cabinet, only to come out for Christmas and Easter. I will admit that the kids are not permitted (they are young), but I use the crystal for every meal - even when drinking water throughout the day. There is something better about water from a real water goblet!

I've even implemented that philosophy with my china. I use it a few times a week now too. Who can complain about leftovers when the table is set beautifully with mommy's best china?

Layla said...

I always loved when this happened in our house when I was growing up. It wasn't often, since I was an only child (thus, my family didn't have as many dishes), but it was always SO EXCITING when we got to use the fancy glasses or dishes for no particular occasion.

Elise is so cute--she looks so very focused on holding that special glass. (As an aside, I can't believe how big she's gotten. Time really flies.)

Anonymous said...

I guess I assumed you had a dishwasher. Maybe if you can sell the pottery, you could put the profit toward getting one (if you want one, of course!) It must be hard to have a family of 5 and no dishwasher. I know we are certainly capable of hand washing dishes, but most of us are spoiled and personally this is one luxury I would hate to do without. I also agree with using the "good" stuff. I use what gives me pleasure everyday (sometimes that is everyday pottery and sometimes it is fancy china) and if a piece gets broken, well, it is just broken. I would rather leave 5 or 6 or 7 place settings that were loved than 8 or 12 perfect ones that sat in a china cabinet unused. And, if some of the good stuff has to be hand washed, then I really don't mind. I just use the dishwasher as a big drainer after I wash the china, crystal and silver and it is easy then to dry with lint free towels.

Candice said...

Precious! Your kids probably felt so 'grown up'! :)

Anonymous said...

Brenna always loves it when this happens at our house. Which makes me feel a little better about the pile of dishes:) Life with a lot of littles is tough.
Speaking of which, are you on the MOMYS list? It's a list for Mothers Of Many Young Siblings - I think you have to have 4 under 8 years old (or something like that) to post but you could join as a "read only" mommy which is what I did when I had 2. It's a wealth of ideas on everything you could think of and you can find an answer for any question you come up with:)

Miss G said...

wonderful! Kelly

Brenda@CoffeeTeaBooks said...

That is so funny because we had to do that once in awhile when both my kids were little.

Although when it was just the three of us and Stephanie was very young (her brother came along twelve years after she was born), she loved for us to use the fancy dishes.

We lived in Western Michigan at the time, where it can get dark early and always seems cloudy in Winter. We ate by candlelight quite often.

Couldn't do it with my boy, though. He kept blowing out the candles. :)

Anonymous said...

That's so cool. My kids are Neanderthals. I can't have anything nice:0

Anonymous said...

If you're anything like me, it's because we're too darned busy and wrapped up in the immediate to sometimes see beyond the usual. Thanks for the reminder that memories are made from pausing and stepping outside the usual.
Deb

Kelli said...

We did the same thing last night! Full dishwasher...full sink...get out the good china!
~Kelli

Nancy said...

It is sad that we save the "best crystal" for special occasions when we should make every day a special occasion! Maybe I'll get mine out tonight for dinner.

Unknown said...

Those pretty glasses must have made Elise feel so special! It is such a fun thing to do, even if by necessity.

Andrea said...

Meredith, I'm impressed you even had a breakfast with a new baby!! You are way ahead than I'll ever be. =)

Hyperactive Lu said...

I agree....although....those glasses probably wouldn't last with my 3 yr old.... We're still using sippy cups!

Anne Marie@Married to the Empire said...

Very cute photo!

I use a set of fine china as everyday dishes. I put it in the dishwasher, platinum band and all. I've been doing this for over a year now, and still no harm to the dishes! I figured it was better to actually use them in a normal manner than to keep them tucked away in the cupboard completely unused.

Meredith said...

You know these kids--always demanding to be fed, even at breakfast!

Sandy said...

You're right - that is the stuff your kids will remember!
Wish I could come help ya w/dishes! (and squeeze that new baby!)

Anonymous said...

I love that you used them...even if it was due to necessity!

Anonymous said...

That is the cutest picture! Nothing like a little girl drinking her morning OJ out of a gold rimmed glass, LOL

Tubo Family said...

Cute cute cute! Our dishwasher broke but we have only one set of dishes so our version is get out the coffee cups & saucers. :)

SarahJ said...

I like to use the formal dinnerware for the family every now and again. I once kept it only for "special visitors", until I heard myself use that term "special", and I wanted my family to feel special too.
It's funny, in a way, my mum used the good china in reverse. You would get the good stuff, full dinner service etcetera on your first visit, then next time the family china but still at the formal table. Next time, family china, and you help finish cooking the meal and cleaning up afterwards. Next time, take away on laps in front of the television! Mum believed that people would feel more special by NOT being given special treatment, because they were now part of the family.
Don't know if I agree, but it was certainly a different way of looking at things.

Anonymous said...

Exactly!!!
I think we get too caught up on these things breaking or not instead of making those (ironically, who ARE the most important) in our lives feel special too.

Amy said...

We don't break out the china often enough. Thanks for reminding us how good it is to use the good stuff.

Christiana said...

Isn't it fun to use the fancy stuff?! :)

v said...

I did that once and my 4 yr old boy bit d thin glass and spit a piece out of his mouth. Imagine my horror ...

elizabeth said...

That is a beautiful picture.

My husband and I were discussing that very topic today. My mom has boxed up her Christmas china to give to me and she remarked that it's barely been used. By the time she and daddy bought it he had gotten ill and was soon gone. She said it was so sad that the dishes he loved buying with her had not been enjoyed by him.

So husband and I have vowed to always use those dishes when our kids come over around the holidays.

Anonymous said...

Oh, how I sympathize! My h.s. family of 5 stay busy and dishes are a constant chore---is it my imagination, or are there always dishes to do? My sickness last week slowed me down and one of my kids tried washing dishes, but only for a few minutes! I hope things get better for you.

Ginny said...

That is good & has been known to happen in my house!

Anonymous said...

I have girlfriends who use paper plates with their families -
Can't get there yet -
we have nice stoneware and beautiful sets that I must transfer over - bringing down the 'bling' collection for weekday dining -
too chicken to let the kids get a hold on the 'real' stuff tho'...

Latrice!