The Homeschool Room

I'm a few weeks behind all the blogs about Homeschool Rooms, but then again, I was behind them on just about everything, and I'm ok with that. I tell myself, A - I just started on this journey and B - most of them are Americans, and they all go back to school earlier than us anyways. I started schooling the boys (gently) this week - a little bit of this and that, easing them (and myself) into it. So far, so good. But I do realize, whoa, this is gonna require some serious effort from me.

Along with the fact that I've always worked, and as long as I've had the boys, I've almost always gone back to part time work in the fall. It's been weird these past couple of weeks because mentally I know I'm not going back to work this fall (possibly ever); but also, it's felt so good, that I feel like someone is going to take it away from me - like "haha, just kidding, vacation is over - you've got to scramble bc you have to work afterall). So it's a cross between feeling like I'm not organized, or playing hooky.... kind of up in the air, but I'm not. This is it.

So, here's my tour of the Heaslip Homestead Academy: ( pics from last week, so I've done quite a few adjustments since we've started)

We converted the Play Room, to the School Room (though they still play in there, because my philosophy goes along with this...

“Play is the only way the highest intelligence of humankind can unfold.” Joseph Chilton Pearce

We also use the kitchen table, the back yard, the front yard and the family room, but we always start our school day in the room.

Outside of the School Room I moved a little used armoire to become my "supply cabinet"; has homeschooling resources for mom and curriculum and some extra supplies.

It also has the Dress up Coat Rack beside it. We always freak out thinking some random person is hovering in the shadows when walking by the hall.

This is what you see when you look into the room...

and when you turn around

and around.

This is the closet in the room, holds more reading books and the toys that were not lost in the "Great Purge of 2011"

Love this little antique desk that Geepa Jim and Nana Jo found for CJ - he thinks it's pretty cool to be in "school" now with his own desk.

This is our Library bag for our weekly trips.

And this is Mom Central: I do some prep here, some research and everything else needed to run the household well; it of course is in the Kitchen. J

End of Summer Checklist

So, the last official week of summer is here in Niagara. The season of fun is winding down with sunflowers, lush fruit and veggies to harvest, bright sunny but not so humid days, faster approaching crisp nights, starry skies, less bugs, crunchy foliage in the gardens, the rush to fit in those activities we MUST do because we promised, and also, there's usually a quite a bit left of the around the house "to do" list...

Here's ours:

Install Basketball net in driveway

Install flagpole

paint small table purple

paint shelf for kitchen and install

replace electrical socket in DS bathroom

Put away camping gear

Clean out the garage (again) and either garage sale or goodwill it

Assess garden cleanup needs

Put away summer toys and decor

Pull out Autumn decor bins

Finish September calendar for Home School

Finishing prepping rooms for international students

Decide on what to can for the preserve pass along party

September is just around the corner, and Labour day marks the end of another great niagara summer!

Hurray for the memories we've had and hurray for the fall fast approaching!

"Moving Days"

I write this hestitantly because I don't want a deluge of invites to come in over the next few weeks, but it must be said.

I Love helping people move.

I realized this truth this weekend helping my sister and her family move. They moved into one of our first homes, and we honestly LOVED that house. It was overflowing with memories, family gatherings, cherished pets, our first baby, my father in law's happy twilight years by the pond, just so many great times. I'm happy for them to be able to create their own memories in such a great house, making it their home. I'm also kind of selfishly happy that my boys will know the house in their own way, as their cousins house. The house had gone through quite alot of abuse since we lived in it - and as we were moving them in, it seemed to sigh a happy sigh of relief J.

To me, there's an incredible sense of community and connection helping people move. All the "stuff" that represents the life they've been building is in boxes. The new house is not just a new place, but representative of a new chapter, a fresh start, new neighbours, new hopes. How could I not love being part of the process of moving people? It's also full of energy, the friends and family that pitch in, the kids running around discovering the nooks and cranies only a child can fully appreciate. The guys using their brawn and brains to get those difficult and heavy items in through the odd shaped doors and stairways (sighJ). The ladies figuring out where things should go (at least until they begin to settle themselves and get a feel for what works/looks/feels best - but to make that transition easier - setting up the rooms, and making finding living and decor items easy to find is such a great thing! (of course the more organized the people moving are, the more pleasant this experience is). Its a day filled with laughter, frustrations, teamwork, creativity, co-operation, eating off paper plates and scrambling to find a place to sit amid the boxes - the sense of community is just so great - and I guess right now, my soul is really appreciating God's design for us to be communities, to demonstrate His life, His love, His son Jesus - and to "partake" together. I look forward to the next time I can help someone move.J

(I remember once we moved during a snowstorm - craziness, but what memories - and what great heroes who helped in spite of it.)

to top it all off, there was a golden sunset last night (supposedly it represents the perfection of all matter on any level, including that of the mind, spirit, and soul).

Here's my attempt at capturing it on the side of the highway driving home (I know, dangerous - but it was glorious) J