Monday, January 12, 2009

Homemaker Monday: How I Cheat With My Fruit Bowl

Welcome to...


Thank you for joining us! If you're new to this carnival and would like to enter your post, please check HERE for the rules and regs. (By the way, if you have been featured on Homemaker Monday in the past, your name is on my left sidebar. Check it out!)

YOURS: This week's "YOURS" goes to Marilyn over at Merry Misadventures of a Matriarcal Madwoman. Is that an awesome blog name or what? Marilyn shows us her "before" and "after" food storage space and it is awe-inspiring. Take a look...


I don't know about you, but when I saw her photos, I definitely wanted to go and clean out a closet and put in some buckets o' wheat! Her "fruit room", as she calls it, is a Mormon Mama's dream.

And not only does does she show us her amazing food storage tackle, she gives some great tips on where to store food if you happen to be in a tight spot, spacially speaking. For her entire post, click HERE. Thank you so much, Marilyn, for your addition to Homemaker Monday. You've made my world a better place today! Oh, and don't forget to take the "I Was Featured" button on my left sidebar if you would like!

MINE: There are some things in life that just irk me. Things like when the kids say they're finished with the dishes, but they don't rinse out the sink, or when the pillows on my couch aren't the way I left them after an all-boy wrestling match, or when I've just swept the floor and a well-meaning soul brings in a load of wood for one of the fire places and leaves a track of wood chunks all over the floor. One other thing that irks me is having a beautiful bowl filled with fruit, like this...


...and having the kids eat all of the fruit, which was why it was put there by the way, and being left with an empty bowl on the table with remnants of Chiquita banana stickers, dried leaves and, for some reason, various sizes of unidentifiable crumbs.

But alas! I have found a way to solve this problem. Here, let me show you my filled apple bowl (as seen above) and my filled orange bowl...



A bowl like this can be decimated at my house in less than two days. But here, look at the ingenius method I have discovered to keep my fruit bowls looking full and appetizing after the kids have ingested all of their contents...



Yes! It's fake fruit! I just put in in the bottom of the bowl, then top it with real fruit, as show in the first three photos, and no one is the wiser. Except for the kids, of course. Sometimes they become a little disappointed when going to the fruit bowl only to find fake fruit. And sometimes, the younger ones even become a little confused and this can happen...


(note six-year-old teeth marks)

All I have to say is that when company comes over and sees these beauties, it is worth any minor problems that may occur. What do you think? I am too shallow? Would you cause confusion in your children's lives because you want your kitchen to look great for company? Let me know. I would really like to know.

OURS: Okay, it's your turn! Thank you for those you of you who have already linked up and I look forward to reading all of your posts in the quiet hours of the night. Have a great Homemaker Monday!



I apologize if Mr. Linky is down. Hopefully they'll be able to fix the problem on their end soon. Please feel free to add you URL in the comments section.

If you liked this post and would like to join me here on a regular basis via email or other reader, please...
Subscribe

(You'll be helping to pay for at least one of the nine kid's college tuition.)
OR... bookmark or share this post by clicking the little beauty below... Thank you for your visit!

14 comments:

Bobbi Jo Nichols said...

I have enjoyed reading your blog and love the idea of sharing our homemaking skills (do or don'ts)
It is sadly slowly becoming a lost art. Keep up the great work. Hugs, Bobbi Jo

Jenn said...

I soooo sympathize with the computer problems. Mine was down for nearly two weeks due to a broken power cord. I thought the replacement would NEVER arrive! Hang in there!

CompleteLee Blogger said...

LOL You aren't shallow. You are funny. It is great to find ways to fix things that irk us. I love it.

Anonymous said...

I have a bowl of imitation fruit that tricks people all the time...it looks so darn real. I then have a 3 tier fruit stand that I put fruit in for my family. So the bowl on the table always looks fresh and replenished :)

Good Good idea Jen!

Anonymous said...

Hi, I really enjoy your blog, that's the first time I post a comment though.
I put my link in the carnival, my post is about home made cleaning product, hope it is useful.
Elodie

Globe Trotters said...

My mom did the same thing- and it was always a hoot when friends would come over and discover our fake fruit. One of my friend's thought for years we always had the prettiest, most unique fruit; when he discovered only a handful was real, he was so bummed out! But it works wonders.

Marilyn said...

Thanks so much for featuring me-wow, I feel special! I do have a question though-even though my organizing skills may be top-notch, I can't figure out how to put the "I was featured" button on my blog (I know how to put it on the side) I was going to put it on a new post and well, uh, I don't know how to do that! Any help???

Mom2my10 @ 11th Heaven said...

Hi Marilyn!
Sure I can help. In order to put the button on your sidebar, just copy the code right under the button on my left sidebar, then go to your gadgets section on your customize Blogger page, find the add HTML button, and paste it there. Let me know if that doesn't help and I'll try to be more clear. Great to meet you!

Mom2my10 @ 11th Heaven said...

Hi Marilyn!
Sure I can help. In order to put the button on your sidebar, just copy the code right under the button on my left sidebar, then go to your gadgets section on your customize Blogger page, find the add HTML button, and paste it there. Let me know if that doesn't help and I'll try to be more clear. Great to meet you!

Lewis Family said...

But how do you know when to go to the store? I think the bowls are pretty full or empty, but great idea if you prefer them to have something.

Jennifer @ Her Southern Charm said...

Now THAT is one awesome and original idea!!! Love it!

Kelli said...

Darling, I would just have all fake fruit... how awful is that??

annies home said...

thanks so much for holding this carnival where so many ideas inspire others

Carla said...

funny! Your bowls are so pretty:) Great idea! And just think of the fun memory making ("yea, MY mom puts fake fruit with the real stuff so you never know") fake-out going on:)