This was part of our family Christmas photoshoot down on the beach last December. I was preggo with Hannah
This was our anniversary last year on the cruise boat. I really like my hair here. I also like it that we sort of match (and I have accessories!!!)
Nicole and I, February of 07. Nicole's (and mine too) first sled ride!
Nicole and me again. Same month and year above. 
Nicole and I with my Mama Pat and Pap Sam. I believe this was October of 07.My friend Jenn wanted all of her friends to post their favorite photo. I am photo crazy and there is NO WAY I can narrow it down to one. (oh....disclaimer...I have to be in the photo too, or else I'd have even more I love)
4 comments:
Hey there!
To not miss anything I might end up commenting three times right back at ya :-)
For the "Focus Points" they are really aimed at both of them. This is only what works for us, though. I took what they knew and what I was pretty sure they would be comfortable with, and added in things they already knew for reinforcement. My youngest turned 2 in January. However, even though she is young, she is there every step of the way wanting to be just like Big Sister.
For us, exposing them to really good books and gentle unit studies from HSS and BFIAR has been the key -- just exposing them to information, they make tons of connections. For phonics, I do a lot of fun and silly games but really??? That was all the Leap Frog vidoes, those are SOOOO awesome! We have Letter factory, word factory and a reading one as well as Math Circus. I need to get the word caper one -- the girls love these and within a week BOTH girls knew every sound and letter and that was when Cali was about to turn 2!
Bible stories -- Veggie tales dvds and our nightly reading out of a children's bible has them really knowing these stories. Veggie tales are awesome, and they have great cartoons on the religious network on Saturday mornings that are really fun, funny and good quality -- not cheesy at all like I would have expected lol.
LA -- both girls do narrations spontaneously -- I can't get them NOT to do narrations. As soon as the story is over they tell me about it. Jordan, my oldest, is definitely more vocal and brings it to a different level but Cali is comprehending EVERYTHING! Dictations-- Jordan started doing this on her own, so I am going with it. Cali isn't there yet but I have a very strong feeling that she will during the year, hence why I have it for both. Exposure to poetry is happening for both thru fun poems I have.
Fine Motor/PW/W -- Both girls love to cut and glue -- cali especially has loved to glue for the past year! They get exposure to this through lapbooks and notebooking projects we do with our units. While both like to cut, they are not that good at it, and I want to work on that a bit. Cali Loves to color -- will do it all day and has for at least 9 months but Jordan still could care less. She prefers to draw with a pen and while she does this rarely, the other day she drew a sun all on her own and a "roller coaster" so that was huge lol. I got Kumon coloring books for her to make sure she isn't overwhelmed with the process and she actually likes coloring that (a very small square is white in the middle of a colored picture, she just has to finish it). She has done circles and somewhat done X's for awhile now, Cali is working on circles. This is very informal!!! Both want to know how to write their letters since they can recognize them, so I hold both their hands to write their name. Mostly for Jordan, I would like to work more on tracing these, but I have a feeling cali will be trying too -- she does not want to be left out!!
Both LOVE LOVE LOVE playdough, both LOVE to cook so the butter and plastic knife skills are being worked on nightly. Pouring - they both have done this in the tub forever so I just want to take it to the kitchen for both (smaller containers)
Math/logic -- They cook nightly so we just go over measuring and fractions informally when I cut their sandwiches -- Jordan is really getting it although I am sure she don't know that! cali is doing well listening and it is much more of a delight directed thing with her - I say it aloud and if she expresses interest, I go further. It can never hurt to talk aloud and expose them to it and jump when they are interested. Grouping/adding/subtracting - we do this every week with our units using seashells, candy, pretzels, goldfish, teddy bears, all that. Both girls think it is funny because I act surprised when they take one away or add one and I make them laugh. Jordan has it more than Cali but she is hanging in there and loves it. Puzzles -- both girls love them. Skip counting -- both girls love doing this with high fives! Both girls can count to 30 and have for a long time just because we do it almost daily and have for years, in fun and silly ways. Both girls recognize the numerals too b/c I have posters in their playroom with the numbers and occasionally we point to them while counting. They can also count to ten in spanish and french and have for awhile but that is b/c we did it while learning about characters in stories who would use this AND dora and diego help a lot lol. Kai Lan teaches them a lot of Chinese! We have all counted to 100 before and I will just work on increasing their understanding and speed gently. Time -- we have a clock and watched some fun videos when we did our Cinderella unit and we talk about it often.. Also Grouchy Ladybug!! Calendar -- they got the days down with the hungry caterpillar and now we are just working on the concept of a day and a week -- we often have events on the weekend and we take out a calendar and count down to that day. Money--they know dollars that is for sure. The rest are in their Get Ready for K and First books that I reviewed for HOTM and they love those books so we have gone over it when they asked. We will just do this informally.
Art/dance/music - They both know all the instruments -- we loved Berlioz the bear and the reading rainbow dvd went to the orchestra. That plus Little Einsteins? They love it! We have tons of instruments (play) and they play daily with them on their own. We love looking at pretty pictures and painting in children's art books I get from the library and baby einstein, and on little eintstein. Cali loves this more than Jordan! Dancing we did with Sleeping beauty and have fun dance videos for toddlers -- Cali loves this and dances to every single tv show and song that comes on the radio! Jordan enjoys it but it is a whole other level with Cali, that is definitely her delight.
Science - nature -- both of them. We just observe, they bring me things they find (they both love to collect bark and flowers lol). Basic gardening -- they have a strong interest, both of them, and both love to water plants. I am the one who really needs the lessons lol. They BOTH LOVE LOVE LOVE Magic School bus and are learning so much -- so am I!!! We have almost every episode (minus 2) taped off tv and will be using it as the base of our science units for the next several years. They love easy fun experiments and seeing what will happen -- very easy stuff here. Hygiene is both and so is cooking.
Geography -- they both love looking at the globe and having me point out the states and countries. They like looking at pictures of other places and love languages. They LOVE dressing up like other places and trying the food!
SS and Civic Resp -- these are done with both informally -- delight directed. Sometimes they both are into it, sometimes just one, it depends on the topic. The siblings part is definitely both and is family relationships and both do well. they both know their address and phone number and all that thru songs. They both come wtih us for service. They both have to use manners and say please, thank you and all that.... we are still working on first time obedience with both lol.
Spanish -- Cali loves this more than Jordan. They pick it up b/c we do it with them but mostly from tv. yes, we watch tv!! I love PBS mostly but Dora, Diego, Kai Lan and Little Einsteins.. and blues clues occasionally.. have helped them learn SOO much. We watch together though and talk about it and interact. That is the key
Did that help at all?
which ones from HSS did you get? I love that site!!
Yay! Such good photos!
Hello!
I have to say, I love all the photos you posted.
I had to laugh when I seen the one of you and Nicole sledding. I thought back to when you put all of that heavy winter clothes on her and she fell over sideways. Mom and I still laugh about that. Mom & Dad both said that "poor baby" did not know what to think having all of that heavy winter clothes on. She is not use to that, she is a Florida baby.
Then when I was out sleding with you guys and the look on Nicole face, she was not happy.
I loved it when you got home and seen the beach picture. That tells it all, she prefers the beach over snow!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The picture of Hannah sucking her two fingers is so cute!!
Michele and Jeremy, God really blessed you both with two awesome kids. I love the praying you all do with them. Also the teaching you do with them whether it is abc & 1,2,3, or about Jesus.
Love & miss you all. Come up sometime and visit again.
Love, Aunt Julie
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