It’s funny how much time we spend as people thinking about what’s going on our dishes — are Nathan and I the only ones who catch ourselves planning weekends around what food we’re going to eat? I didn’t realize it until recently, but it’s been almost 7 years since I’ve actually thought about the dishes themselves, which makes me that much more excited for the new set I just bought from Walmart.

Alright, let’s rewind to when Nathan and I had just gotten married (yes, still planning weekends around food). I bought dishes from a brand called The Pioneer Woman specifically for this open shelving unit my dad had built us. The design stood out for me almost as much as the price — they were pieces I wanted to show off, but also fit within the “can I fill my gas tank all the way up?” budget we were operating with. On more than one occasion, people have assumed they were some sort of heirloom passed down to us when we got married. (If I had known I could claim them as my Mama’s dishes, I might’ve run with that a bit.)

Okay, back to now (still with me?): we still have those dishes from Walmart, by The Pioneer Woman, that I bought 7 years ago and brought back home in my barely functioning 2000 Honda Accord. Nathan has a problem with randomly breaking dishes in the most absurd ways possible, but these pieces have survived despite his best efforts, which speaks to their quality and durability.

I didn’t realize I had some sort of nostalgic connection to these dishes, but ordering a new set this week reminded me of not only how beautiful these pieces are, but also how long they’ve been part of our lives. (I mean they survived a snail mail trip from Atlanta to New York, not bad!) Trust me when I say finding dishes at this price point that can stay with you the better part of a decade is not common.

Today’s post is sponsored by Walmart