My Desk(s)

Andrea at Heritage Academy had a cute post showing her not-so-organized desk space, laughing about some of the random items found there. She encouraged her readers to post their own pictures so we could laugh together. I think I've been pretty "real" on this blog, so hopefully I won't be disappointing anyone in revealing just how imperfect I am!

My desk has actually multiplied over the last several months. When I got my new laptop in August, I moved my workstation over to the nearby craft table because we still had the desktop on the desk. The desktop is all but dead, just waiting for me to transfer some files. Meanwhile, Grandma (Marc's mom) and Grandpa (my dad) got the kids a new laptop for Christmas, so until I get rid of the desktop I've set up a card table for the kids to use for their computer. Got that? So... triple the desk space and triple the clutter!

Here's a quick tour:

1. That clock still hasn't been changed from daylight savings last fall. If I get up there to change it though, I won't be able to ignore all the dust, printer paper, Webkinz codes, and the baton I have stashed up there.

2. That's the all-but-dead computer that needs to find a new home. Think of all the space I will be able to fill once it's gone!

3. No, it's not a dead animal. Just the cattails from our nature study a few weeks ago.

4. My workspace. Some of the random objects you'll find here: my old cell phone, my mother-in-law's earring that I still need to get in the mail, neat-looking software handed down from my sister-in-law that I can't get to work on either of our new computers, a stack of water colors Grace painted, the basement plans I still haven't blogged about, a Little House on the Prairie book I mentioned in my last post because I wanted to make sure I was right about that reference, and a very sharp piece of wood that broke off our Math U See block holder.

5. The card table/temporary workspace for the kids. The stack of children's choir music from the Christmas program is sitting there. It had been sitting on the desk, but I finally decided it was time to put the music away. I must have got distracted. {sigh} And even I can't explain why there's a toddler beach hat sitting on the table. I'm a little embarrassed about all the library books under the table. I actually have a great system for storing library books, but these are special books for our Around the World fair next week that wouldn't fit in our normal library book spot. What better place than the floor?

6. Ah yes, I have such a great system for filing our completed lesson plans -- that's the one from two weeks ago on top of the Handbook for Nature Study, under the table, next to the Sunday School posters Grace brought home this week that I have no idea where to put.

7. Anna's workspace. As you can tell, I am training her well.

What to do with an extra hour every day...

Isn't it the dream of every mom -- more time in the day? Thanks to my wonderful husband, as of Saturday, I now have an extra hour in my day! He installed our Christmas present to each other.

Okay, so it's probably not the most sentimental gift we've given each other over the years, but I haven't been this excited about a new appliance... ever. I have been without a dishwasher for about two years, and really it wasn't much of a dishwasher before it died. But we kept putting off buying a new one because there always seemed to be something more important to spend our money on.

Besides, if Ma Ingalls can wash her own dishes by hand, I should be able to as well. When I'm trying to be practical I often think of Ma Ingalls -- deep down I really wish I had grown up on the prairie, I just don't think I would have been very good at it.

But see, here's the difference. They didn't have dishes. In Little House on the Prairie we learn that Laura and Mary had to share a tin cup when they made their move from the big woods . My kids would rather die before having to share a cup. Sometimes Ryne even gets grossed out if Grace's cup is too close to his cup. Ma Ingalls would probably faint if she saw how many cups we have.

Oh, I know, some people really do live without dishwashers just fine. Apparently, I'm just not one of them, so I finally gave in to my husband's pleading. And I love it! I don't even need to rinse before putting the dishes in!!!

So now I have a whole extra hour (or more) added to my day!!! Sadly, I really need an extra 24, but this will do for now. What should I do with that hour? Hmmm... maybe I could finally be consistent with blogging. Or clean the laundy room. Or sort through old photos. Or come up with some neat projects for the kids workboxes. Or work on the basement project. Or...

Now I'm starting to get depressed. Why does an hour seem so long when you're washing dishes, but so short when you you're trying to figure out how to fill it?

What would you do with an extra hour in your day?

"How Shall the Young Direct Their Way?"

Yesterday in church, we sang a hymn that is pretty new to me, and I just love the lyrics (and the tune).  I thought it was the perfect prayer to start up another week of homeschooling.  {Oh, Lord, if they learn nothing else this week, let them grow in their understanding of Your Word.}

How Shall the Young Direct Their Way?

How shall the young direct their way?

What light shall be their perfect guide?

Your Word, O Lord, will safely lead,

If in its wisdom they confide.

Sincerely I have sought you, Lord,

O let me not from you depart;

To know your will and keep from sin

Your Word I cherish in my heart.

O blessed Lord, teach me your law,

Your righteous judgments I declare;

Your testimonies make me glad,

For they are wealth beyond compare.

Upon your precepts and your ways

My heart will meditate with awe;

Your Word shall be my chief delight,

And I will not forget your law.

The Psalter, 1912

tune used in the Trinity Hymnal

Outdoor Hour Challenge: Winter Series #2

I have shared before what I love (and don't love) about our school room -- at least from inside.  But one of the best features of our school room is the black walnut tree that sits right outside our window.   It is not a big tree, so its top branches are at the same level as our second-story classroom.   On windy days its branches will even tap the window right next to where our computer sits.  Not only does it give our classroom a treehouse feel, but it provides a great learning opportunity.  When we want to check the progress of spring buds, all we have to do is look out the window.  It's also a favorite stop for birds, so I try to keep the camera on the windowsill for special moments, like this:

Cedar Waxwing

Or like last Friday when our tree was covered with beautiful spiky frost:

Our tree was not quite so dramatic today, but we enjoyed taking a closer look at it during our nature study.  Ryne and Grace each completed a notebook page for the Outdoor Hour Challenge and made a bark rubbing.

We looked at the path of a vine that climbed to the top branches last summer, and even pulled down a small portion of the vine.  I cut a couple of small branches to inspect the buds, and we will keep them in water inside to see if the buds open.  After a quick internet search, we learned that the black walnut has a distinctive honeycomb shaped pith, so I sliced off the end of our branch to see for ourselves.

Another thing we learned is that the wood is very valuable, so I decided if the kids don't get college scholarships, we can just cut down all the black walnut trees in our yard.  Kidding!

My Yard

Darcy at lwm3b is asking readers to share the view from their window.  The snow has slowly been melting away for a week now, and look what we found!



The red sled we haven't seen since Christmas! The kids forgot to put it away before the next round of snow storms.  It's in a shadier area of the yard, so it's actually surrounded by brownish green grass.

Go visit Darcy to share what's outside your window!