Ode to my Dining Table

When Stephen and I moved into our house almost exactly 4 years ago, we didn't have quite enough furniture to fill the space.  Luckily for us, Stephen's parents were moving at the same time and were getting almost all new furniture for their new house which also serves as a model home for their custom home business (I'd be a bad daughter-in-law if I didn't pass the info along ; ).  They lovingly gave Stephen and I their old dining room table, chairs and a matching piece to go with it (I don't even know what you would call it, it's like a cabinet which can house a small office, but I just use it for storage).  It's the perfect table for our space and as much as I thought I would never use a formal dining room, now I know I wouldn't want to live in a house without one and wouldn't have become the cook I am without the space to entertain.

This is when we first moved into our house, can't believe it has been almost four years!

There's Kyla and Beckham, 2008!  This is how the table normally looks.  It's the catchall for my stuff, Stephen's stuff and always has my bag hanging on that chair.

Here is Kyla Skyping with aunt Kim as she opens her birthday presents from Kim.

Dressed up girly and fun for Kyla's 3rd birthday party.

(With matching 'piece' in background)

Ready for lunch at Colby's birthday party.

And a Cinco de Mayo dinner party.

One of the very best evenings spent at this table.

There are so many memories of dinner with friends, family, birthday parties and dinner parties.  We can easily fit 10 people around the table and have squeezed in more.  I think of New Year's Eve, Easter, special anniversary meals, saturday morning breakfast, our friends and families.  Now that I think of it, I'm not sure I'll ever be able to get rid of this table!  Funny how I don't feel the same about our couches.

But the reason I'm really here is to show you THIS!

Well not really this chair, though it is a good BEFORE picture...

don't forget the hunter green, circa 1992...

THIS!  The after!

I've been dying to loose the green vinyl and finally found the perfect pattern and color to take the any design that might be in my home in another direction, and I loooove it!

Now I just need to replace the heinous burgundy curtains in the dining room.

I've been eyeballing this blue and white pattern at JoAnn's Fabrics for awhile and when the fabric was 50% off I jumped on it and went to snatch it up, when I got there, it was really 60% off!  Yeah!  It may or may not be 'dry clean only' but if it gets dirty to the point a wet wipe, or even steam cleaner can't do the job, I figure if I Stephen can put it on, then I Stephen can replace it!  I'm not scared of my two kids, maybe Stephen, but not the kids.  Well, Colby is still pretty little... I'm definitely not afraid of Kyla, she's a girl after my neat and tidy heart : )