Our One Room Schoolhouse ~

Sometimes things happen in life, (and at school), that none of us plan for, nor do we ever wish for. So after 3 years of too many incidents, that weren't minor, but odd and extreme, we jumped the public school ship. I know we are probably jinxed, and it's not the norm, but for us...it was too much! I found myself relaying the joke about the kid that said to his Dr., " it hurts when I do this", the Dr. replies, "then don't do that!" So, I stopped doing it...

So now we have a One Room Schoolhouse in our home. The boys love it! And as the Teacher, I can say...The students are smart, willing and adorable ;-) So I'm one Happy Teacher!

Here are some pictures of our classroom. It was already a Western themed Game Room, so we moved a few pieces of furniture around, added a table, bench and also some maps and "school room" wall art. I actually like the western feel of the room. It makes me excited about getting back to basics and helping my boys learn to love learning again.

The inspiration for this room, I pinned in Pinterest. I loved the feel of the table and benches. Still on the hunt for the benches, but for now what we have works well and it is comfortable. I'm still wishing for wood floors...someday!

I turned the coffee table/ottoman into another area to rest and read, by our world map & Texas flag.

Note the photo above the fireplace: Albert Einstein. I don't know why, but it makes me giggle. This is their reading nook inside the "Mercantile". The other side of the "Mercantile" has shelves with more books and games. I painted that fireplace 10 years ago and our little Westie Bridgette, 6 years ago. We are hopefully getting another little Westie this Winter and it will again be relative.

The pictures are of my Grandfather , who has since passed, in his one room schoolhouse in the front row and to the right of him, the little girl with the bob, was his sister. This one room schoolhouse in Owatanna, Minnesota , much like Laura Ingalls in Walnut Grove, Minnesota. I had to make them a part of our room.

"The Teacher's Desk" ~ I love this spot for lesson planning and monthly activities.

Sorry it's blurry~ this holds all the teaching materials & supplies. The cork-board and chalkboard help keep me organized.

E=MC2 & Pi = 3.14..... Framed on the pub height table too.

Our Art Center~

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I was a huge fan of Little House on the Prarie...{hellllooo, I had the lunch box, LOL! } I felt it was fitting to hang up my prize possession of Laura Ingalls Wilder's picture and handwriting on an envelope, in the room too.

 

The picture above is the first day of school. Thanks for stopping by. I hope to eventually take pictures with a real camera & not my phone, heehee! So to a Happier School year, Cooler weather...Soon, and more decorating deals & finds!




So as Always...Happy Decorating & Happy Back to School!

 

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Summer Update & Boys Room Makeover

Pheeew!!!! This was a big Summer with lots of changes to our family.

As I have told you in the LONG AGO past, { it feels like forever since I've blogged...Sorry!}, I have been battling a systemic infection...not fun. Good news is my hair is growing back and eyelashes too. Who knew how much I would miss those things and really appreciate them when they came back! The vacation we took to Santa Fe, helped the healing if nothing else less stress. It was a great cultural lesson and I LOVE art and lucky for me, so do my guys!

Then, my Miss Bridgette, our Westie dog suddenly passed away. Wow, was that tough. She was such a light in our family, she is dearly missed.

Then, after a 4th battle with our school district over the summer, and having a very regrettable encounter with a teacher that obviously believes in negative thinking, I made the VERY tough decision to jump the public school ship & homeschool both my boys.

I told you it was a Big Summer with lots of changes.....

So, now I have finished our first school day and can't believe how smoothly it went and how receptive they were to me teaching them. We shall see how long the honeymoon lasts. I just keep saying, "I'm cautiously optimistic!". I will post pictures of our "school room" soon. It was our game room, but with a few adjustments it's now a place of learning.

So, in between the drama and loss of our pet, I decided the boys needed a fresh start in their rooms for the new year. Ironically, this was before I decided to Homeschool.

Landen, my 10 year old, had a Colorado: camping, fishing theme. He is my collector of all things interesting. Nothing in particular, just "things". So I wanted to showcase his love of antiques & collectibles.

I had two dress Naval officer uniforms of my Grandfathers and hung one on an old lamp base with a hanger of which I removed the hook and replaced with a curtain rod finial to give it a finished look for display. I found old prints of bugs and used a chalkboard I made from a cabinet door to draw the Union Jack on for a European touch. The bed I got for $100 and Army blanket was from Aunt Heather. The wall color I luckily remembered after 10 years and a few coats later, the mural was gone and "Turtle Dove" was the perfect color for a collectors backdrop.

{A blurry photo, but I wanted to show the civil war gun my Grandpa gave me because he knew my love forhistory & the Civil War. It found a great home in this room.}

Excuse the burrrrrr.....

I found this old coke bottle carrier and picked it up for $5.00 and it turned out to be the perfect collection display case. He can change out or rotate the collection as he collects or changes his mind.

Preston, my 11 almost 12 year old (going on 50), had the "Cowboy Room", I have pictures of it in other posts. I luckily had the paint and painted over the train I painted almost 10 years ago, and the stage coach. I left the rest of the mural beacause it reminded me of a sepia toned map. The picture below is before I moved the uniform. But, I love the bell, globe and rolled up maps. The game of risk was a perfect prop too!

I added the history of the Navy posters I had of my Grandfather's and the military Westie General and a few other Naval touches including photos of his Grandfather in his Navy uniform and his Great Grandfather in his Navy uniform too. It turned out to be a perfect reflection of Preston's love of history and the Navy. I hung the other Navy colored, Naval uniform of his Great Grandfather's in here too and my husbands Daisy gun from when he was a kid.

 

 

I hope you like the pictures, even though it is extremely obvious I need to use an actual camera besides my phone! Ugh!

But, my boys loved the change and so did my budget. Preston's was only the cost of two frames, 50% off at Hobby Lobby and Landen's the bed and the bug science looking poster off of Etsy for around $30 and one gallon of paint.

Here's to a Happier School Year, Better Pictures, More Blogging & Cooler Weather in the Fall!! And as Always... Happy Decorating!

 

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