Our Week and Learning Spaces

What happens when I only have two kids for the week?  Not much!  

The girls were gone to Michigan for the week and are due home tonight, so it was just the boys and I for five days.  It's been pretty quiet around here, but we managed to have some fun anyway.

We did a little school, and lot's of playing.  Owen has been busy taking care of his hermit crab.  These are the perfect pet for our "no pets" family.  They are easy and fun, allergy and stink free!

Owen is a very attentive crab owner.

I had a little time to re-think the formal dining room layout.   We are not formal dining room people, and knew this space would be a dedicated office/learning space instead.  It's open on two sides, so it's been a challenge to get it right.  

If I knew we were going to stay here forever, I would close it in and hang these beauties on both sides!  But this is not likely to be our forever home.  We could have Carrie Underwood sing "This is Our Temporary Home" here, but I won't do that to you!  

I've been learning a little about how to integrate some Montessori principles into our education plan for Ben.  He is beginning to get to the "I want to do it myself" stage, and I want to support and empower him to do things for himself.  It's not always easy for me to do this.  I like a clean space.  I am hoping to show him how to do things himself, with self control and good habits.  i.e. do one thing at a time, clean up after yourself as you go.

We shall see!  He is a tornado! 

So, anyway, I tweaked a few things and hopefully made a more child friendly "can do" space, using things we already had on hand.   The three cheap Walmart rolling kitchen carts I bought 5 years ago have served us well, in many different capacities over the years.

I took the doors off my desk, and moved Owen's desk next to mine.  I eliminated all the loud toys from Ben's space, in hopes that we can all "work" together with fewer distractions.

I've been on a purge the plastic and electronics kick.  Back to basics here.

There are a couple storage closets off this room, they help control the clutter that comes along with homeschooling.  This house has turned out to be such a blessing for our family in this season of life.  It is so live-able, and fits our needs perfectly.  Really an answer to our prayers, right down to the smallest details.  We are grateful.

Speaking of obnoxious things, I wanted to get a Ben sized chair.  Walmart to the rescue again!  I don't usually care for character themed things, but the price was right!

He loves it!  Big stuff!

While we missed the girls very much, it was a nice change of pace for a few days.  I felt like I could finally take a deep breath and enjoy a slower pace, and I know the girls had a great time visiting in Michigan.   

I am working on some fun plans for Beyond Five in a Row for January.  We will be rowing Thomas Edison Young Inventor by Sue Guthridge.  I will be posting weekly wrap ups for that, including resources used.  Can't wait!

Also in the January plans are working on the girls learning space upstairs, I will post picks after that is done.   Have a great weekend!

Corners of Our New Home

Other than having to spend many hours cleaning (bathrooms and kitchen, yuck!) a house that sat empty for almost a year, it was move in ready.

Fresh paint, wood blinds, and new carpet included.

In fact the paint color that the bank chose is almost exactly the same yellow as our previous home.  Making decorating a snap, and helping make it feel like home immediately.  The only thing we have invested in, are a few new rugs.  All the rest easily found a home

Dry bar turned therapy/craft closet.  Not crazy about all the glass, I could organize better with something different, but it's fine for now.  I'll have fun cruising pinterest for ideas. 

Front entrance.

Of course every homeschool family proudly displays their bazillion books!  Don't they?

Little nook leading the Master.  Our wedding sampler made by my Mom found a pretty little home here.  I smile every time I walk by. 

Great Room

More books!

The kitchen...I'd show you more, but it's a mess!  Same goes for the upstairs.  I'll have to save that for another day, when it's clean.   In 2020, perhaps.

We are dealing with water that has a very high iron content.  I don't really want a water softener, thinking more along the lines of a whole house water filtration system/iron removal thingamajigy.  Any thoughts?  Need to do something soon before all our rust stains have rust stains!  

Home Re-Organization Project

Our house has been in need of some major re-organization.  Adding a new child to the family has made our home seem suddenly small, and our laundry seems to have quadrupled.  I'm not sure if it was because I was just too busy, or it just never seemed like Ben was actually ever going to get here, but the nesting instinct didn't kick in until recently.   Still, I needed a plan.  And a system.  I needed space.  My laundry room is tiny.  

Then one day the stars seemed to align just right.  Marney moved.  No, not out, just across the hall.

The girls now share a room (their brilliant idea one quiet afternoon), and I have some space to work with.  

I love the idea of a family closet.  After reading this post.  And my sister having success with theirs, 

I wanted to give it a try.  Now I know we are certainly not a mega family, only slightly bigger than average, but I thought if it could work for them, it might work for us.

{Marney's old room, now our family closet/laundry sorting room}

{Clothes for all 4 kids hanging and in dresser}

The family closet idea also fits with our new chore system.  Rather than assigning a bunch of random tasks, I decided to give each child an area.   Madeline's current area is laundry.  This might sound overwhelming for an 11 year old, but both girls have been doing their own laundry for about 4 years now.  This idea came from my brilliant friend Dana, her girls learned to do their own laundry at about the age of 5.  Yes, it is agonizing watching a 5 year old "fold" a basket of laundry, it takes forever, but they can do it!  And eventually they get faster!  Knowing they have to wash it, cuts down greatly on the "I just threw it in the dirty clothes pile, because I didn't feel like hanging it up" syndrome.  

Jim and I still pitch in quite often to keep things going.  Madeline's main job is keeping a mental inventory of kids clothes, and keeping them organized.  She has embraced this new role, she likes to be in charge.

Moving the clothes freed up room in the boys closet for toys that used to be in the loft area, and a dresser that I can now use as a diaper changing station.

All off season/off size clothes are all sorted, labeled, and stored away.  Better lighting in this area is on the to-do list.

Owen's new lego area.  It's been a challenge to keep them up and off the floor.

It was a big project, but well worth it, and I knew there was nothing Jim would rather do on his vacation, than help his wife.  I'm considerate like that.