Our Week with Progress in the School Room

This week, we tackled the school room.  With only 2 weeks of summer left, I'm starting to feel the urgency.

Our classroom needed to be configured a little differently for 3 students than for 2.

We've been talking about moving the second computer out of the school room for a while now, and finally, we did it.  After taking down the computer and the table that it was on, we turned the long table sideways.

Without the baby cage set up, it looks quite spacious in here!  (I moved the play yard while we rearranged things and vacuumed, but it's set up again now.)

I got started on copying first quarter lesson plans, and worked on my binder for the school year.  I even printed some worksheets for the first couple of weeks of school.

In fact, I was so into it, that I got Jack and Hannah together for their first lesson in their spelling books!

Hannah thought it was pretty cool, and Jack was more like, "What the heck, Mom?"  But I explained that with the Little Ones here, and some extra chaos we have going on in our world right now, we probably wouldn't hit a full day of school every day once school starts, so I'd like to store up a little in advance.  We actually did a second lesson today.

I got a little fancy with one of our Small Guests' hair one day this week.  I think I'm going to start making bows by the 3s instead of in pairs.  They pull them out and toss them when I'm not looking!

They tend to squabble when they're both in "the cage" but sometimes I need them confined for a bit.  Fortunately, we have plenty of interesting toys around here.  The stacking pegs are still a favorite.  One of the girls can stack quite a few pegs together.  I think it helps that we put them away after they're done with them, and then they don't see them again for a few days.

This week we hit 7 weeks with our Special Visitors.  They're very sweet, and I'm enjoying them immensely.  I will miss them when they go (probably late Sept.).

This week Paul also started a building project.

This poor room was designed as a dining room.  But our family is big, and our table is big, and we decided to dine in the great room.  We turned the "dining room" into an office for Paul.

Well, now it's getting a new incarnation.  Paul got one side all walled off in a single day, which is awesome, so I'm not trying to keep the toddlers out of an active construction zone.  We have a gate up at the other entrance to the room, so that side of the wall won't need to be finished as urgently.

And yes, that's Sam, napping in the front room after getting home from 4 days of football camp.

What about Katie?  What has she been doing while Jack and Hannah are working on spelling?  Well, I got out the Fundanoodle letter building magnets and let her play with those for a bit.  Here, she's making K for Katie.  These are great fine motor practice because the strong magnets require a bit of work to remove from the magnet board.

I got a chance to get out with some friends for a Mom's Night Out, and came home feeling refreshed.  Laughter really is good medicine.  Only one week left until school starts!  Uniforms bought, backpack washed, homeschool materials purchased, supplies stocked up on...  I think we're just about ready.

And no, I haven't forgotten about our Big News of last week (believe me, it's very much on my mind!).  I'll be sharing with you in a matter of hours, I promise.


This post may be linked up at these linky parties.

Thanks for clicking for us!