The table full of awesome

Because we moved and pulled the older girls out of the school that they know and love, and we are only leasing a house for now, we felt that homeschooling the kids would make sense.  I hate the idea of starting them in school, again, only to pull them out, again.  It just seems unstable and I don't like unstable.

I had to laugh because when we started telling people we were homeschooling up here, they seemed most worried about my children's social lives.  One particular incident was particularly memorable.  "But what about the social aspect?" she asked.  "Well, I'm pretty anti-social, aren't I?"  I said with a smile.  We both laughed because we both know that I'm kind of the opposite of anti-social.  And being able to pull that off with a laugh was awesome.

In the planning stages of this whole event, I began to realize that my biggest challenge was going to be the 25 pound bulldozer that runs around the house all day, minus a nap.

We call him Carsten.  We love him.  But just so you know, boys are strange creatures.  Constantly running around and tearing things out and throwing them in a pile in the middle of any room he happens to be in, and then stomping on them.  Or jumping off of it.  Or maybe even just leaving it there for his sister to find so she'll burst into tears.

Anyway, he was pegged as my biggest challenge.  And I needed a solution. Something that he couldn't reach or climb on top of.  I decided I needed a bar-height table. 

The husband is pretty handy, so I put the request in with him.  After mulling it over, he thought it would be something he could build for us to make our lives easier.

So he collected the necessary lumber and other supplies, and the necessary helpers.

He found his necessary tools in the pile of boxes and crap out in the shop, and went to work.

The farther they got into the project, the more hope I had.

Carsten took it upon himself to constantly move the tape measures around.  There were two of them, but did dad EVER have one within reach when he went to reach for one?  My money is on "no."

Our 10' long counter top with a lovely lip on the back so stuff doesn't fall behind it and get lost forever.  Huge bonus there.

And did I mention that it's TEN FEET LONG???   I'm pretty excited about that.

"You are really taking my picture?  Don't do that."  But he's so cute!

And he will sword fight with the 25 pound bulldozer that comes at him with an empty paper towel roll stuck on his hand! 

For the record, I'm pretty thrifty and prefer function over looks.  I realized the other day that I re-use things ALL THE TIME, as I was cutting the top off a Priority mailing box so my kids could have a place to contain all their papers.  Not pretty (like you see in all those crafty blogs of people who seem to have more time in the day than I do), but it sure is functional!

With that said, isn't this thing GORGEOUS!! 

We stayed up late a couple nights and primed and painted it.  And then Brent screwed a 2x4 to the wall and installed a (very raw) shelf for the computer and the printer. 

I must say, I love the color the kids picked.  And I love that we painted the base with chalkboard paint. 

I think I prefer handing the 25 pound bulldozer a piece of chalk and telling him to write on the table over finding him with a pen/pencil/marker writing on the wall/floor/counter/etc. It's too late for some of those writing utensil/surface combinations, but one can hope.

Look at these happy, beautiful school girls at their awesome table! 

I cannot get them away from this table.  It calls their names in their sleep.  They love this space and it's constantly full of numerous projects and such.  I love that it's the space for just that and nothing else. 

And the functional chalk board should be pretty fun. 

Now, if I can get the bulldozer to cooperate and let me do my part in the homeschooling adventure, I'd have it made.  We're still working on that.  But the table is tall on awesome (haha) and I think we are going to be able to make it through.