Planning Despite Disorder

It's School Room Week over at Heart of the Matter's Not Back to School Blog Hop. It's usually fun to see how others manage their homes, supplies and curriculum while they school but I have to admit that I have had pangs of jealousy looking at some of the other blogs. For one, most of our school supplies were in the dining room, which was in bad shape after the fire (translation: most everything was thrown out). We still don't have items such as a 3-hole punch or a printer, and we are camping at the house, rather than moving in. So, while the school year looms, we continue to be in finish house mode rather than get ready for school mode.

But, I decided that I'd plan anyway, even if everything is in disarray and 1/2 done. I also can't upload updated pics because my camera battery charger is nowhere to be found since we moved back home. Waiting on KB to get back to borrow hers. Regardless, here goes.....

The kitchen peninsula, where 2 bar stools currently sit. This has been a fav gathering space already, with the laptop in the corner, facing the kitchen, but visually accessible to both the dining room and living room. There is can lighting overhead and I know that we'll have kids perched here with school work, since we've had kids perched eating, reading, 'puting and writing since we got the counter tops installed .

This is similar to the desk amoir some friends gifted us with. It is a perfect homeschool mom desk because it is cavernous, with built-in cubbies and desk organizers, holding a ton of stuff while at the same time having doors to close to hide-it-all-away. I plan to put it on the wall perpendicular to the stairs (which still need finished. Imagine the dark wood floors much, much lighter because they've been sanded already) here:

Across from the wall that the desk will sit on there is a window and the front door, both leading out to the enclosed front porch. It's an awkward space because it's not really big enough for seating, the window breaks up the wall, and it all faces the stairs. But my evil plan is to build this work station and put it there:

It's Pottery Barn inspired but Ana at Knock-Off wood has plans for it, which you can see here: http://www.knock-offwood.com/2010/02/plans-bedford-project-table-top-with.html. Ana added drawers to both sides and I love the 9 cubbies on each side! Enough space for every one's current books/notebooks, etc all in one place! And it's under "Easy Plans." Love that. My thinking is this; if I can cut and hang drywall, I can build a desk, dontcha' think?

This I love - got it from http://outintheschoolhouse.blogspot.com/2010/08/where-magic-happens.html
It's from the IKEA kitchen dept. This would fit well by the window. And, of course, I'll be hanging a large white-board up with our memory work as well as posters, maps and charts with Command Hooks on either side of the window:

(sorry pic is so blurry- Memory Work includes Bible verse and Bible fact, Math, Latin & English grammar, science, geography). I rely heavily on Living Memory as well as the current curriculum we are using for Memory Work. We use a lot of Memoria Press and they have weekly lessons plans with Memory work clearly delineated).

We are just so not ready for fall. That's the bottom line. I'm most concerned about Feche-boy because imho he's been doing a man's work this summer (he corrected me the other day when I said that, "I've seen the man (Dad) work, and I'm not doing all that! So, let me stand corrected, he has been doing far more than a middle-aged mom's work, and that's good enough for me. I don't know what I would have done without his young knees and work ethic this summer, especially with KB having been gone so much-and btw, she sure does more than her fair share when she's home, too!). I'm hoping that our week in the Hills together will refresh all of us and we'll be ready to face the challenges to come!

Thanks for stopping by. I love your comments and links to blogs = )