The "Home" in Homeschool

Two years ago, we bought our first house - a cozy, cottage-style house in the same neighborhood where we had had an apartment for 13 years.  Frankly, I thought we'd never move out of the apartment.  It had high ceilings, two bathrooms and two bedrooms, the large master having been converted (via a loft bed) into a studio, office, bedroom combo.  We were very Japanese in our use of space.

My husband's studio set up in the old apartment

Sleeping loft and office in the same room

The house isn't that much bigger, but it does have a separate space for my husband's studio, a back patio, big enough for a table and a fire pit and no downstairs neighbors to complain about Liam's love of jumping (unless you count the possum family in the crawl space).  It also has a back sunroom that we've converted into a gym with a large punching bag, a small trampoline and TRX bands -  all things that had been shoved into various corners of our old apartment.

At around 1400 sq. feet, It's small enough to take care of easily, with just enough spaces for each of us to be able to retreat away from each other - which is of the utmost importance.  We all work at home.  We are ALL at home all day.  Together.  We would have undertaken this adventure with or without the house, but I am good and truly grateful that we have that little bit of space.

When people are thinking about homeschooling, they may have some sort of picture in their minds about lessons around the diningroom table, but our version of school is very, very mobile.  Lessons happen in every room and outside.  Any given lesson can last up to an hour - a pretty intense period - even when it's enjoyable.  For Liam (and for us), it's crucial that we have our own "break rooms."

Besides the constant search for new programs and experiences, we've been tending to the long-neglected outside of our house, painting, planning landscaping and other little projects.

House before  

House after paint job - awaiting new landscaping

We've also had the chance to go to summer movie openings, visit with friends and play on the street with very cool neighbors (who have been very patient and kind with us regarding the scary lawn).  

We're fully settling into our lives here and it's both hard work, and extremly liberating at the same time.

We have to make sure not to lose the whole summer to projects.  Gotta make time for at least one more trip to one of Liam's favorite places.

  Surf's Up!