SPF: Load Up the Trunk with the Dishes & Drinks, We're Headed to the Babysitter's!

This week For Stuff Portrait Friday we've been dropped off at Babysitter Renee's, and told to mind our manners while Mama Kristine is playing hostess to RSG & Pissy Britches. Miss Renee asked for the following:

Favorite Alcholic Beverage

The trunk of our vehicle

A place setting of our dishes

1. Since I'm "in the family way" I don't consume much alcohol these days, but am sooo looking forward to becoming cyber-drunk on all the other oh-so-tasty beverages you all come up with. Here's my current OB-approved fav:

A Chocolate malt made with a TON of malt, Hershey's syrup, and Blue Bell Natural Vanilla Bean ice cream. Pure heaven. Lately I can't seem to get enough milk (no really, like a gallon every 3 days, for just me), so this is one more weapon in my arsenal to sate the dairy devil that's growing in my belly.

2. I don't officially have a "trunk", I have a "cargo area". Once again, I will probably get yelled at for driving one of these monstrosities, but here are my reasons. Deal. The back of the 'Burban looks like this most of the time. We've currently misplaced the lovely tri-fold, compact double stroller, so this is the one I'm stuck with for all outings, not just off-road. I love the fact that I don't have to completely break it down by taking off the wheels for it to fit, and still allow for room for other stuff. (Oh yes grasshopper, I can still fit a lot more back there!) The mesh box always has 1 diaper bag, 1 emergency supplies kit, 1 extra adult t-shirt, 2 sets of extra kid clothes, one 6'x6' beach towel, 4 hats, and 1 golf umbrella. Currently, there are 2 empty propane tanks hiding behind the box which you can't see.

(In light of recent events, I've added some extras to the standard emergency kit: water filtration tablets, solar blanket, poncho, switched from a quart to a gallon of water. I'm sure I'll keep thinking of other stuff to put in. Have you thought how you'll update yours?)

3. The dishes we use every day are pretty standard.
What I like about them is that all food looks good against the white, and the dishes look good against pretty much any placemats or table cloth. My MIL (hi, Nana!) went to a dozen different stores to complete the set of 12 for us. We've used it all day, every day for over 5 years, and have only broken 2 pieces.

These are the dishes we use for special occasions.

Our china...

My mother and grandmother's china.

If we have a really large group (more than 12) for a formal meal or celebration, then I can mix place settings of these together and they look great, kind of funky and bohemian, but still classy.

And last up is the "Family Celebration Plate".

I got this idea from a gal in our Sunday school class, and a couple of girlfriends and I went to our local paint-your-own-pottery shack and each made one for our families. If it's your birthday, or you got promoted, or learned to do something really great, this plate is yours for the meal. We've had it less than a year, and we've already used it quite a bit: the boys' & Daddy McAustin's birthdays, Mother's & Father's day, and our anniversary.

Did you play? If so, leave me a comment and go check out the babysitter's stuff to let her know you played, too. She'll leave you a really great comment, I promise! Happy Weekend. Go volunteer somewhere.