Tables

Finding a table one can afford that will sit a family of 11 can be a challenge. I dreamed of a BIG oak table with tons of leaves....but we've never been willing to put out the money for "real furniture" with so many little ones in our home. We want them to love the table and not see it as a thing to be revered. ::snort::

We tried several ideas. We had Mom and Dad's oval table (with 3 leaves) for years. This worked well.....but it was narrow and eventually there were so many table settings that there was no room for food.

We've used a kitchen bar for a "buffet" ... but *I* really like having everyone sit down to PASS FOOD! ::snort::

We've received wonderful suggestions throughout the years: an old door which you can stain and add table legs to, a 6 ft chapel table, framed in tile slab with legs.....

We found our favorite solution in Alaska. We purchased two small tables. In AK we were able to have both set up as two separate seating arrangements....we mixed up various people at each table quite often and this allowed for a lot of smaller group interaction.

Our TX home here has a smaller dining area and so the tables can't be used as separate dining units. We've placed the tables end to end to seat 14.

We most often had them side by side so they resembled a square. This allowed LOTS of room for food and school books....and comfortable seating for 8. It was easy to separate them to play games.

Having been warned by several in Misawa that they couldn't fit their table in their dining room and had to put it in the living room, we KNEW we needed to downsize to one table. I'm not sure we're quite at the spot where one small table is going to work well for us. Fitting 8-9 around this table is tight (though they'll only be 7 in Japan - it's still tight). Deja has suggested we find benches before we leave. That may help. I'm currently setting up "outriggers" to the table. Yep, looks like a maze at dinner time. ::snort:: We pull bar stools over to hold drinks or salad...and I set up wooden "TV" trays at each corner to store food...and the last person to the table has to straddle the leg. ::snort::

I realized today that I DO have one last folding "co-op" table....that would certainly give us more room, though I like the wood look better. What have been some of YOUR table solutions?

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Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~ Coram Deo ~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Friday's Funny

We were at Lowes discussing how much to spend to "increase the value of our home"...you know how that goes...

"Do we need the $5.57 a foot carpet or will the $1.47 a foot do as it looks fresh, new and clean?"

"How cheap can we go on kitchen sinks (OUCH)and faucets and still look nice?"

"Well, these blinds will look much nicer and they're only $8 more per blind."

When I spotted this....



Really? Does it work this way?

"Gee, Gertrude, I like this house but can you flush a bucket of golf balls?"

Maybe you have to be in the midst of moving craze for this to seem hilarious?

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~ Coram Deo ~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Productivity.....

We worked until we dropped! OK, I'm planning to drop as soon as I post this entry. ::snort::

Hmmmm....what did we do today. Arielle and I went through the game closet - or game room - or something. We store games on big shelves in the garage...and in 7 big, black, wide Rubbermaid drawers. We threw out a lot of games with lost pieces. I packaged up puzzles and games for Salvation Army.

Mike, Jamin and Jared emptied out our storage unit. We discovered (as I suspected) 80% of it belongs to the girls. ::snort::

Arielle & I packed away all the snowmen and Lent things and put up the normal fripperies....now to figure if I should take any since I won't have an entertainment center, hutch or piano to set things on. ::snort::

Jamin discovered parts to a bed and claimed it.

Mike and I took a load of stuff over to Josiah's apartment. The boys will move into their new apartment mid-June.

Ah - Josiah DOES have something on the walls of his apartment....the family calendar I made this year. ::snort::

Mike and I went to Lowes and bought a Kitchen sink, faucet, mini-blinds, 2 toilet seats and something else..... We also discovered it may be cheaper to buy a NEW dishwasher than it is to replace the rusting racks. We priced carpet.

I called and scheduled another painter and a carpet place to give us estimates....this way we'll have two estimates of each.

We came home, ate dinner....Mike and Jared are hanging mini-blinds. Josiah was here briefly and then had to leave. Jamin's at work. The younger ones are hitting the showers after a full day of bike riding and such.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~ Coram Deo ~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Appliance Storage

I AM going to google and see what I can find out. We will NOT have an overseas TMO briefing - the packers arrive before the once a month briefing on base.

If you've stored (or heard of the correct way) freezers and fridges....pass on your expertise. I think Betsy told me to put charcoal in there. Mike is quite sure she didn't mean a bag of Kingsford.

Back to sorting.... BTW has anyone else ever taken a chunk out of their face when they were shaving their arm pit? How did I DO this????? It's not healing quickly....this means I will attend PWOC's tea tomorrow with what looks like strawberry jelly on the side of my face.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~ Coram Deo ~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Creamy Mac & Cheese (Heavenly Homemaker)

The verdict is out on this. I ate some "immediately" and it was tasty. Creamy, cheesy - needed a few more spices for my taste. I had hoped this would cure the kids from Annies Mac and Cheese and Annies Peace Pasta so I didn't add spices......timing of dinner was a bit off and by the time they tried it it resembled a cheese glob.....but it was good when I sampled it.

This is another High 5 Recipe from Heavenly Homemakers.

Creamy Mac and Cheese
2 1/2 cups whole wheat pasta
3 cups whole milk
1/2 t. sea salt
1 cup shredded cheese (I use white cheddar)

Mix pasta, milk and salt in a large sauce pan.



Cook over medium-high heat STIRRING ALMOST CONSTANTLY until the pasta is tender (10-15 minutes).

(A for unique cooking style ::snort::)



Remove from heat. Add cheese and stir until melted. Serve immediately.



*Don't give up, just when you think the whole thing is a failure - it thickens. ::snort::

If you've not checked out Heavenly Homemaker go click through her recipes. ::snort:: Click for more of my Yummy Eats (also linked in the labels under the header).

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~ Coram Deo ~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Saturday is Coming

This week everyone can write about whatever topic interests them. If you have written an entry either this week, months ago, or between now and Saturday that it in some way relates to Super Size Families....be sure to check back Saturday to link your entry.

This will make it easier for readers to find you.

I'm contemplating several theme weeks in the near future as my life moves into packing mode.....I'll post a schedule.

Need more info? Guidelines, Archives/ Purpose (you can find this any time with the labels under the header.)

It's not hard at all. You don't have to write an essay. Have you written a few thoughts that you'd like to share with new readers? I plan entries on nutrition, schooling, parenting, Bible study....really any topic at all that contains tips that would be helpful for "large" families is welcome. Join the fun!

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

Another...well...BUSY...day! ::snort::

~Gym

~Office Depot to buy envelopes for CD's that I'm selling

~Organized material that has sold

~Parish Advisory Committee

~Piano Lessons (worked on photos)

~Met with ladies buying things ...

~As I waited for dinner I FINALLY caught birds in the pond....

~Cy unexpectedly showed up as I snapped photos.... He and Jamin are on the waiting list for a 2 bedroom apartment in June, the earliest they could get one.

~Everyone was home for dinner.

~Cy headed for a play he has to attend, and took Nolan with him. I almost went with him but knew I'd fall asleep.

~Jamin bought Pendragon and we're going to watch it. It was filed by the Burns Family - a Christian film company.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.