Our First Week of Homeschool {With a School Room Tour!}

Hey Friends!

Last week was the official start of our 2015 – 2016 school year!  Autumn is officially in Jr. high: 6th grade (Seriously?  How did that happen?), and Alexis began grade 3.  Where has the time gone?

We started the day after Labor Day.  I had to be flexible with our start time since it was the same day my son and his friends left to head back to their military base at Camp Lejeune, and they didn’t leave until 12 noon; but hey, better late than never.

Here’s a view of one wall in our newly decorated school room.

This room is rather small and when we brought the house I wasn’t quite sure what it would be used for.  It’s been used for everything from a bedroom to a personal office to a sitting room.  It’s right off our kitchen, yet too small to be used as a dining area.  It’s also a walk through to our backyard.

I finished redecorating it just in the nick-of-time for the year to begin.  I thought it needed a minor face lift (especially to add some excitement for the new year) so we replaced a very short shelf that only hung over my desk (with the black chair) with long shelves that now stretch clear across the wall.

Last year, a large world map hung on the part of the wall with no shelf, which didn’t allow for us to get much use of the wall – so I thought it prudent to replace the map with shelves since we only consulted the map occasionally.  The new shelves now allow me to display all of my mommy books (that I read on “mommy time,” which translates into one chapter a month, or year!), as well as the girls’ soccer trophies and medals.

Here’s a view of Alexis’ side of the desk…

Here’s a view of Autumn’s side…

About two years ago I got rid of real furniture – real wood, that is – and replaced it with these Ikea table tops because they made the room more functional in that they accommodated both of the girls.  You don’t  know what pain is until you have to give away “real (wood) furniture” for particle board or compressed wood, but it seemed to just make sense, and more than a year later, I’m still pleased with my decision.  The desks are sturdy and wipe clean of the many pen, marker, pencil and crayon marks that adorn it from time to time.

I also got their really cool swivel chairs from Ikea as well.  Though I was hesitant about whether or not they would hold up with my girls constantly spinning in them (Aah – the sheer excitement that accompanied chairs that spin!), they have held up well, too!

Here’s my mommy, assistant principal, teacher, chief cook and bottle washer, disciplinarian, boo-boo kisser, and “Oh, Lord help me!” desk…

I also purchased my desk at Ikea.  Mine is smaller, but taller – the height being very important because it doesn’t allow Alexis’ books or garbage (to my left) to roll over to my desk.  It also sits higher than their desk, which subliminally suggests that I’m the boss, the Big (wo)Man on campus, and that I will squish them like a bug if they get out of hand.  Sort of. :0)

Here’s a view of the opposite wall in the school room.  It’s still quite disorganized, but then again, that’s just life!

This wall is where we keep our paper, paint, old or future curriculum, arts and crafts, the girls “busy boxes” (the two red bins) which have activities for them to do when they are “bored” or finish an assignment early, and apparently, our iron and even some small tools because small spaces always double duty!

There are several educational posters hanging above our desks.

And if you think they are too high to be of any use, think again.  I’ve had to consult them on several occasions, especially the “parts of speech” poster, which comes in particularly handy when helping Autumn with her “Easy Grammar” text, which turns out to be not so easy for this momma.

Here they are at work…

Looks like I have a day dreamer on my hands. :o)

We just pulled the air conditioner out of the window and what a difference it makes to behold God’s wonderful creation!  So, today, I’m thanking God for windows that allow us to see trees blowing and squirrels and birds at play.

***Holla Back!***

We’re off to a good start, how about you?  Have your kids begun school yet?  Are you still waiting on books to arrive?  Already pulling out your hair?  Do tell (and we’ll laugh and cry together). :o)