This is my 10 steps back shot. You should see the close-ups I have on the new dishes Jeremy bought me as a birthday present last week. Maybe you will in January.

Back when I was a 20 year old newlywed—let’s just pause for a moment and let that statement sink in—I used plain white dishes from Target. I decorated the table a lot in those days and loved changing out placemats and tablecloths and centerpieces. It was a glorious time in the late 90’s and I had no children, okay? There were lots of blue and green checked patterns in my life. Eventually I came to embrace my profound love of COLOR and I think it was Jenni Kluver’s Fiestaware collection that gave me the nudge I needed. I have happy dishes now. Very happy. And piece by piece I add something new to my shelves. The white remains and assists me in serving larger crowds. Now, instead of placemats, I decorate a table with plates.

Jeremy ordered four happy red dinner plates and gave them to his 37 year old happy wife last week on the happiest day of the year—her birthday. He’s a keeper, that one.