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Benched

Seven people. Six chairs.

A few months ago, Joel decided high chairs are for babies. He conveniently forgot he is a baby. Every meal time resembled an amateur rodeo, with Joel bucking in the high chair like he was bustin’ a wiley bronco. Even seasoned rodeo clowns like hubby and I couldn’t keep our buckaroo contained. We began allowing him to sit at the table, which immediately displaced one person. Sometimes he sat in my lap, but that often meant spending mealtimes shooing his hands from my plate.

Often, hubby ended up standing to eat, or we would eat around the folding tables and the romantic glow of the TV. This produced a lot of guilt because we were always proud of our record of eating together around an actual table every night.

We decided when we moved we would somehow solve this situation, and we have. With benches.

The eat-in area of the kitchen easily accomodates our table-for-six, but a table that seats eight would be too tight. We have formal dining room that would be roomy enough, but it is carpeted and therefore vulnerable to staining.

Over the weekend, hubby went to a furniture store and bought two benches that match our table. The idea of sitting at a glorified indoor picnic table depresses me, so I have only allowed one to enter the house. The other is in the garage. I know someday, as the kids grow, the other bench will have to come inside.

I suppose it is a small price to pay to maintain the family table.

10 comments to Benched

  • holly

    yeah…the bench. We have one and while I like it now, I didnt at first. It was fleeting though, because with 8 people trying to fit around the 6 person table wasnt working at all. Something about the math not quite adding up…ha ha. Except now, we have an 8 person in the kitchen and a 6 person in the dining room (with carpet) thats only for adults should we ever have company.

  • I think benches are supercool, myself. I don’t have any, but I like the farmhouse/feed the hands kind of idea. On the other hand, I can imagine a lot of sliding and a few rear ends ending up on the floor with kids involved.

  • BTW, I did not realize you have five children! Now I admire you even more! (I have four brothers, and I would never wear the cute dresses my mom sewed me. She was so disappointed.)

  • mopsy

    I think the farmhouse look can be really nice looking—if done skillfully. My idea of decorating farmhouse style would be to tack up chickenwire and buy ceramic roosters from Hobby Lobby. My kitchen/eating area is going to have a vintage 1940’s/50’s look when done. June Cleaver liked picnics, I am sure, but not in her kitchen.

    I am getting accustomed to the bench. It has caused a few accidents, namely slippery Joel sailing off the end.

    My daughter is cursed with a mom who sews ineptly, because she would actually wear the cutesy little dresses if I could crank them out. She is HyperGirly, probably in an effort to separate from the pack of boys.

  • hamster

    I like benches too. So impressed that you’ve actually decided to decorate via a theme. No idea how you have time for that. Our idea of decorating is — we like that color, we like that piece of furniture, ta-dah, it’s decorated. But I admire people who have a vision. I guess you are an artist.

  • Who ever set the standard for putting carpet in the dining room was an idiot. Probably the same guy who thought laundry rooms should be small and located downstairs where the laundry isn’t, and kitchens should only have two drawers, and cabinets should have soffits (instead of cabinetry that goes to the ceiling). I could keep going…

  • I say–whatever works is great. I wouldn’t be upset about it.

  • At least you are all SITTING and eating together 🙂 Like you say – a small price

  • Amy

    We have benches in both our formal dining room and eat-in kitchen area. You get used to it, and it comes in handy when little ones come over. We can squeeze about 6 bums on our 6 foot bench.

  • We have benches, too. We had enough chairs for all of us, but they began to fall apart. The cost of replacing them or repairing them (the table was custom made and is a little taller than normal making normal chairs too short, so we’d have to have custom made chairs) was too high, so we made benches. Love ’em. So easy to have guests or add children!

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