Popsicle Stick Bottle and Pom-Pom Bottle

I don't have a picture of Hannah putting the popsicle sticks in the water bottle but she loved this activity. Little Hands, Big Work used paper clips but I used popsicle sticks because I did not want Hannah to stick them in her mouth.

Hannah also enjoyed putting pom-poms in an bottle.

I got these ideas from Little Hands, Big Work. Caden was not interested in the new activities for long but Hannah enjoyed both of them.

Potty Training update

This weekend Caden went number 2 in the potty twice.  Yeahhhhh!  What progress!!!!!  I am really amazed how he's doing because I totally would have thought he would refuse the rest of his life!  lol

Creation Day 1

Could not get this picture to rotate either...ug!  We are still focusing on Creation for our Bible Lessons.  Today I read from The Children's Illustrated Bible.  We talked about on the first day God created light.  So we made a suns and glued them on the number one, Caden insisted on lots of suns!

Highlights Top Secret Adventures- Australia

I did not take any pictures when we were doing this lesson because I did it right before nap time.  My best friend Elsie introduced me to Highlights magazines.  I remember them as a child but did not realize how much more they have now.  They have High-Five magazine, which is for ages 2-6.  They also have another magazine which is the one I am talking about called Top Secret Adventures.  Click on the link and it will give you a description of what Top Secret Adventures are http://www.highlights.com/mt/product_story/about_top_secret_adventures.jsp.  

It is for ages 7-12.  Caden and I do it together and really modify it.  I figured he would not be interested at all but he really is, and I really wanted a way to introduce Geography and this is a great way of doing so.  Some of the things I have to do and he just watches and the rest I ask him all sort of questions and have him circle things and so on.  If you would like to try it, you can get it for free and just pay for shipping.  Check it out!

We have also already done some of the activities in High-Five and really enjoy it as well.  I may order the Highlights magazine too and just modify just like the Top Secret Adventures.  Love it!!!!!

A for Apple

I cut an apple in half and had Caden stamp on the letter A.  Got this idea from Preschool by Stormie.

Sand Art number 0 and 2

Number 0 (sorry I could not get it to rotate)

Pouring sand

Number 2 sand art.

The 0, 1, and 2 number coloring pages were supposed to be used for the sand art.  The number 1 was used for Creation Day number 1.  Oops!  Don't remember were I got this idea from!  

Jump Frog Jump- Froggy Paper bag Puppet

The froggy puppet lesson was from Bo's Itty-Bitty Bookworm curriculum but I got the froggy cut out from here.  Caden enjoyed making the puppet, but was very upset because we could not play with it right away.

Jump Frog Jump-Five Green Speckled Frogs with Blocks

In concentration!

Then we did it with cars too!

I forgot to print out the frog props from The Itty-Bitty Bookworm curriculum and Caden was really into playing with his blocks at the moment in time so we used ducks.  We sang "Five Green and Speckled Frogs" and had the ducks (frogs) jump off of their log (Leggo log).    

Jump Frog Jump- Froggy Painting

Hannah's first time painting! :))))

Fishing for Letters

It was soooo hot today and the kids were getting cabin fever.  So I got the pool out and decided we would fish for letters.  Hannah just wanted to reach for the letter and chew on it.  lol For Caden we fished with a small net and what ever letter we caught I had him call it out!

The Three Little Fish and the Big Bad Shark-Shark Food

Shark Food- First I printed out a shark and taped it on a bucket to pretend it was the sharks mouth.  Then I printed numbered fish.  Caden had to go fishing and pull out a fish.  Then he had to tell me what was the number on the fish and if he was right he got to feed the fish.  

The Three Little Fish and the Big Bad Shark-Seashell Prints

Spanish- 0, 1, 2, and 3

Today for Spanish we got a ruler and pointed to each of the numbers and said it in Spanish.  Caden got a little carried away with the pointing...but we had a good time!lol

Creation Lesson- God Created Land and Plants

We are still focusing on the Creation Workbook from ABC Jesus Loves Me.  With this worksheet we discussed how God created Land and Plants.  The instructions for this worksheet were different that what we did.  Caden wanted to use paint.  So I had him dot paint all the apples in the tree.  

Five Little Sharks Swimming in the Sea- Fill the Fish Bowl

Fill the Fish Bowl- Caden was not too interested in the activity.  I cut, print, and laminated each of the fish bowls 1-5 and had Caden put the correct amount of fish in the numbered fish bowl.  He just wanted to put all the fish in one bowl and not count them out.  

Five Little Sharks Swimming in the Sea- Color March

This activity was really cute!  Both kids were involved also!:)  (Didn't have a picture of Hannah) 

Color March- I cut circles out of different colors of construction paper (red, green, yellow, blue, purple, black, brown, and orange).  I stapled each circle to a drinking straw.  I explained to Caden and Hannah that we are going to sing a song called the Color March, and listen for the their flag color to be called.  I told the kids to stand up and march around waving their flag when the hear their color.  

Color March

(to the tun of "The Ants Go Marching)

The (reds) go marching all around.

Hurrah, Hurrah!

The (reds) go marching all around.

Hurrah, Hurrah!

The (reds) go marching all around;

Then they stop to wave their flags around.

All the (reds) go marching around and around;

Then they stop and sit down.

Boom, Boom, Boom!

The Three Little Fish and the Big Bad Shark-Sorting and Counting Seashells

Sorting and Counting Seashells-  We counted and sorted the seashells into a muffin pan.  This activity worked out great because Hannah was able to join us.  She loved taking the shells out of the pan and then putting them back in the bowl.

Potty Training Update

I told Caden that when we got back from vacation we would practice tee-teeing in the potty.  Well today is day 3 and WOW I am very impressed with his progress.  Read below about our game plan.  

Our game plan:  I have left Caden with just a t-shirt on for the past 3 days.  It works very well for him because he can visually see when he tee-tees.  He then knows that it is time to go potty. Yes, there is a lot of cleaning at first (we have wood floor so it is very easy to clean), by day 2 he tee-tee a very little amount on the floor and knew it was time to finish on the potty.  Today, which is day 3 he is wearing his underwear and now understands the need to go and goes to the potty before he tee-tees.  I am also using a free potty chart.  Everytime he tee-tees in the potty he gets a sticker on the chart.  After 5 stickers he gets a prize.

I have only gone two places in the last 3 days.  For our 1st day of potty training we went to Grandparents house and he did not want to potty there so we wore a diaper.  Day 2 we went to the library and he wore a diaper but as soon as we got home we took off his diaper.  Day 3 we went to Target to get him his prize and he did not want to wear a diaper he wanted to wear underwear.  Yeahhh!  So now is the hard part...bowel training.

I hope this helps for anyone that is potty training or thinking about potty training.  I have not pushed him, I actually kind of leave him (not stressing him out) alone and let him do it on his time (I think that is why it works well to not wear any underwear or diaper at home).  I just leave the potty out in the living room so he can see it (along with his potty training chart).      

Spanish- 0, 1, 2, and 3

For learning spanish I showed Caden number flashcards and we also used this online game.

Magnetic Circles

With this activity we talked about circles and also about magnets.  I gave Caden a few objects to see if they would stick to the magnets.

Circle spin Art

Circle spin art was very fun for both kids.  I love when things work out that way!:)  I got this idea from Preschool by Stormie.  With this project we talked about circles and also sung "It's a Circle"

Name Sticks

I found this lesson from Preschool by Stormie.  I put Caden's, Mommy's, Daddy's, and Hannah's name on a stick.  We threw them up in the air and Caden had to find his name.  He defiantly enjoyed throwing them in the air.

Creation Lesson- God Created Light, Water, Sky and Air

I figured now is a great time to add Bible lessons in our curriculum.  I tried a while back but couldn't find a lesson that Caden could do and understand.  Now I found one.  I got this worksheet from ABC Jesus Loves Me.

Number 0,1,2

We placed bugs on all the 0's we saw.

I went in the kitchen to get something and came back and Caden had drawn the number 0....Mommy was so proud!

Today we are focusing on the number 0 and I put numbers on a calendar and had Caden place bugs on all the zeros he saw.  

Mommy School on Vacation! Three Little Fish and the Big Bad Shark

We made a seaweed house.  One of the fish in the book made their house out of seaweed.

Play-doe fun with fish and scissors.

I came up with this one on my own.  I printed out a map of The Gulf of Mexico and had Caden glue fish pictures in the water.

Coloring the water on the map.

We even had a little Mommy School on vacation!  He kept asking me for some activities so I brought some just in case.  Sure enough he did all of them.

What a Great Vacation!!!

Nonna and little Miss Diva!

Daddy and Caden

Hannah trying to swim like her big brother!

Caden floating on his back!

I swear this kid jumped off the side at least 100 times.  So full of energy!!! :)

Me and my kiddos!

Paw-Paw and Caden

Paw-Paw and Caden

Hannah playing peek-a-boo in the cabinets.

Our view!

The best park every in downtown Corpus Christi.

They loved playing on the balcony. 

Family Picture:)

As Caden would say, "Biggggggg Shark"!

They stood and watched the shark for about 20 minutes!

Caden could not decide if he wanted to touch the hermit crab.

I love this picture...the whole time we were at The Aquarium she just pointed at everything. :)

Still looking at the sharks!

We had such a great time on our vacation to Corpus Christi!  The last few vacations we have been on have been so much work for me and my husband, it is like we needed a vacation from our vacation.  Having the kids so close together makes vacations a little tough right now.  I do have to say this vacation was I hope a beginning to many more fun ones like this one.  

I have so many great pictures it was so hard to chose my favorites.  I hope you enjoy!!!