Registry take 3: the "fun" stuff (and a weekly update)

Having after considering kitchen gear and regular household items, it was time to consider the "fun stuff."

Since before we were officially engaged, Calvin has wanted to register at Crate and Barrel. While I like the store quite a bit, Calvin really likes it. And after registering at our other places, we had not yet seen everyday place settings (dishes and flatware) that we liked.

After all, our current dishes are a mix of china that Calvin got at a huge yard sale for $4 (a real hodgepodge- think 11 plates, 3 bowls, 12 cups and saucers, 7 smaller plates in a really ugly pattern) and a set of dishes my grandmother got on clearance at Marc's when I was graduating college. Our flatware? A current mix of spoons, knives and forks with fake wood handles and various utensils permanently borrowed from our undergrad dining hall and the various college houses in which we lived.

A not great picture of Calvin's yard sale china from here.

We've been thinking that it's time for a bit of an upgrade. So off to Crate and Barrel we went.

The people at Crate and Barrel were friendly and helpful when we needed help, but for the most part we were left on our own, which works for us. After much debate between us, Calvin acquiesced and we did not put square plates on our registry. (Seriously. This was a months-long debate. Calvin wanted square, white dishes. While I would have preferred colorful round dishes, I was willing to get white, so long as they were round. Square dinner plates strike me as being a bit too trendy, and as I have mentioned before, once I decide on something, I have it forever.)

Here are the compromise plates:

Aspen Dishes

It was a compromise, and Calvin did put a square serving platter or two on the registry:

Entree Square Platter

Rectangle Large Plate

We also registered for flatware, glasses, and smaller kitchen items, as well as other serving dishes (and an ice bucket! How much easier hosting parties will be!). Overall, we've been pretty happy with Crate and Barrel; the online registry is much easier to use than Macy's or Williams-Sonoma, and the selection is pretty decent.

I am curious, though, to find out if anyone else had a situation similar to our square/round plate debate. What compromises did you make with your partner about what to put on the registry?

(Weekly exercise update: I did at home strength training one day, ran once, and swam once. Not great, but I've got great aspirations for this upcoming week- and my pants are starting to fit the tiniest bit looser. How are you doing?)