Assortment

Yep, It's Florida

It's exciting when your whole family is crowded anxiously around Daddy's laptop, listening to the monotone count-down to the lift-off of the Discovery space shuttle and watching the amazing on-screen sight of the initial ignition of the forces that harness enough power to thrust this ship into space.  

It's even more exciting when, seconds later, Daddy says, "Let's go, let's go!" and every body in your family jumps up, tears outside like their butts are on fire, and looks to the northern sky, leaving the laptop and NASA's monotone voices talking to no one.  

And then you see it, there through the trees, like a white-hot torch searing through evenings' dusk.

All up and down the street, neighbors begin coming out their front doors, onto their front lawns and into the street, pointing and shouting, "There it is!"  just like you.   Kids are running and jumping like it's the Fourth of July.

  

It's like that. 

Only more exciting. 

And not so loud. 

   

It's a quick celebration, though.  Short and sweet.  Because by this time, the shuttle is traveling at nearly 7000 miles per hour. 

Then it's gone.  

And all you see is the glint of the sun on the separated fuel tanks as they fall toward their ocean grave, and the contrail as it expands and fluffs, the post script of an astronaut's day.  

Yep, it's Florida.

  

It's All In The Details {3}

 

 

Hello, there!

How about a rare Saturday post at Assortment?  I couldn't leave you wondering for the whole weekend about the last of the Big Project details!

Let's start today with the bookcase wall. 

 

These bookcases are the fabulous Billy bookcases from Ikea.  We used three of them.  The doors are sold separately, and you can mount them wherever you want them on the bookcase.  

I wanted most of the shelves to be open and easily accessible, but there are those things that are better kept behind doors, and one set of doors in the middle worked perfectly for that. 

 

Art supplies, math manipulatives, scissor cans, and pencil boxes have a home out of sight. 

   

I try to take advantage of the space on the inside of doors as well.  Here, a binder clip hangs a map and other posters within easy reach for lessons.  Command Products (are they by 3M?) makes these hooks that come in all shapes and sizes, and when you're ready to remove them, they come off without damaging the surface they are stuck to (just like they say!).  

Let's move on to the table wall.

   

Can I just say how much I enjoy having a table in here? 

Because of this, I rarely use our dining table for anything but eating!  Considering the size of this room (10 x 12), one workspace for all three boys has been the best use of space.  I've also found that learning with the boys at a table has made it easier to help them with their progress (and their handwriting!). 

 

The table and chairs also came from Ikea.  I chose legs for the table that are adjustable, so I can grow the height of the table with the boys.  My Tool Man cut off the chair legs, reducing their height by 2 inches.  Now they are boy-size!   This new table is long enough that it can accommodate four when I roll my desk chair over and sit between the guys for our learning time.

Oh, did I mention that those chairs are so very comfy?  Those at Ikea know what they're doing with furniture design!

 

Opposite from the table sits my desk, where I've sat and written, telling and showing all the details of our Big Project. 

Thanks for coming by for a look!

Enjoy your weekend!

It's All In The Details {2}

 

Remember these? 

Have you been wondering where, exactly, they fit into the Big Project?

Let me show you!

 

Here you'll remember the shoe organizer on the inside of the closet door.  All those pockets hold craft supplies and do-dads that get jumbled together if they are stuck in a drawer. 

 

Now, let's take a closer look. 

 

Do you see what I see? 

Let's go even closer still.

   

There they are!  

Stitched to each pocket, the round tags help the boys (and me) remember where to find what we're looking for, and where it belongs when we're done. 

Since we're in the closet, let's look around in there.

      

Inside the closet, you can see plastic drawers to the right.  These are two sets of three drawers, stacked.  They weren't made to be stacked, but nobody said I couldn't, so I smiled and stacked 'em!

In the lower drawers are puzzles, playdough, and other self-directed play things for the five-year-old boy to stay busy with while I'm teaching his big brothers.  There is also a drawer of construction paper arranged by color.  One drawer is full of paper towel tubes, egg cartons, etc. for craft projects, while another drawer holds homeschool catalogs.  The top drawer contains envelopes, cardstock, and other stationery items.  Above the top drawer are two clear totes that hold fabric.  Atop the fabric boxes are two trays, one holds yarn and crochet thread, the other holds patterns.

Like most others, this closet has the standard closet shelf that runs its entire length.  Sitting on this shelf is a long wooden case of three drawers.  I found this at Goodwill a while back, and it works great for thread, ribbon, and buttons.  On top of this case of drawers is my sewing kit and sewing books, along with a basket waiting to hold whatever I might need it to!  

 

To the left of the wooden case of drawers, is a larger clear tote for more fabric!  The back wall of the closet is a perfect place to hang large paper and poster board by binder clips.  No more mangled corners on our big paper!

In the left side of the closet is:

   

The printer!  I know I already showed you this, but it's just so nice to have it out of sight!  The printer sits atop another set of three plastic drawers.  These hold mama craft supplies, gift wrap/tissue paper/ribbon, and photos that are waiting (and waiting, and waiting) to be put into photo albums.  There is space between the drawers and the wall for my paper cutter and large mailing envelopes.

 

The three-drawer stack that the printer sits on is held off the floor by a shelf, and there's just enough room under the shelf for my sewing machine and camera bag--two things I want to have handy.

My, I love this closet!

Up next, even more details from around the room!

Stay tuned!