A Life Happens Space

Be forewarned.  This is not my typical kinda post.  Not my style.  Not my usual topics.  I apologize, I think.  I'm a little nervous to be honest.  The last time I deviated and wrote about homeschooling I lost several readers.  So, this time I'm combining decorating and homeschooling which may be the coup de grace for this little blog.  I'm feeling a little housy this week and thought I'd let you in on some of it if you're into that kind of thing. 

Five and a half years.  It's taken that long to get this space (almost) right.  It has been through many evolutions and migrations throughout the house.  The truth is we learn all over the house, all the time, so confining our day to one room seems, uh, confining. 

But...

I dreamed about this space when we first set out well over eight years ago and lived in a tiny two bedroom apartment.  Three kids shared the master bedroom, stacked one atop the other in bunk beds and a make shift trundle.   School was everywhere.  Books, books, books. 

Not much has changed except that everywhere just got bigger. (Another story of growth in my understanding of God.  Someday).   We bought this house with the open loft upstairs intending for it to be a school room, but who was I kidding?  We were never gonna use little desks lined up around a chalkboard.  

Right after we moved in, the Navigator left for Iraq for two years. Not to worry.  He was a contractor and came home every three months or so.  Anyway, he started our bookshelves on his two week leave.  Then, he left.  He came home again and tweaked them.  Then, he left.  Oh, you get the picture.  It's tough to work hard and still try to squeeze in a little more hard work on your vacation. 

In the meantime, the room really was neglected.  No one wanted to be in it.  If it weren't for the computer, she would never have seen a soul.

Several years later.  They were done and stunning (thank you, honey!), and I've been moving furniture and spray painting like a mad woman.  She still isn't finished, but now life happens in this little one-window space.  All the way down to the oil pastels (lellows, as Little Bug calls them--nope, no idea) on the slipcover and the dragons pacing for their meals.

A little slice of our life happens space:

(Somebody please help me with my exposure issues with my camera skills)

My husband's gorgeous handiwork.  See the scorpion third shelf on the right.  Yeah.  We're trying to be friends.  If only he would stop clawing at the cage behind me while I type at night.  Also, note the lellows on the ottoman.  That red chair was in my mom's house growing up.  Love it.

                              Can you see that cute Little Bug tucked away?  There is no extra charge for cuteness.

My thrifted spray painted table next to my thrifted still-awaiting (three years)-a-proper-slipcover chair.

Some spray paint and a template from Emily at Jones Design Company transformed this frame the Archer dragged up the hill from a neighbor's trash pile.  I've trained that boy right.  Homeschool days well spent.

The girls greet you as you come up the stairs.  (again with the lighting...and the pacing)

Cute baby toes.