January 27th - February 2nd

Monday   - Big A had her speech and language assessment today. 2 hours of reading pictures and creating sentences...
Tuesday - We were out and about today and Big A saw a homeless man with a cat...thankfully we had another "homeless kit gift "(kits contain: socks, mitts, soap & washcloth, toothbrush & toothpaste, chocolate bar, granola bar, apple sauce & juice box, spoon & napkin) in the car - so we all got out , talked to the man, pet the cat, and gave him the gift...As we walk away - Big A says "that felt really good"  :)  glad I have a daughter with a super generous heart!!

PE:
lots of walking.
play hide & seek
bean bag toss
hopscotch
Exercise DVDs
Air hockey with mommy
Tried playing pool & ping pong with 11 year old cousin
Lots of running around in cousins big yard.

Math:
2 pages of subtraction in workbook
playing hide & seek...counting...
Played computer game: Dreambox
2 pages of addition in workbook
1 page filling in numbers on clock
4 pages in math workbook (subtraction)

Reading:
Big A was challanged to read a passage of scripture for her sunday school group. we practiced a lot and she did fantastic!  Psalm 65:3
Played computer game : Reading Eggs
Big A read outloud:  Ponies & Horses
Reading Eggs Website (hours)
more hours of Reading Eggs website
I love how she is trying to read signs on buildings as we drive by, and posters up in the house - I have been adding Bible Verses to the wall for her to read.

Writing:
Started a new workbook - to do writing on her own.  Kumon ages 6- 8 my book of Sentences. (she enjoyed it and there was no fighting)
2 pages in her writing sentence book
4 pages in her writing sentences book
4 pages in her writing sentences book

Science:
Visited Petsmart & explored the fish, reptiles & small animals.
Visited another pet store (by play Abby) - visited the 2 new kittens & ferret & hamsters.
Talked about taking care of animals.

Socials:
Learning about Canada
Listened to Music by Micheal Mitchell about Canada
Learning about the Maple Leaf,  Ottawa capitol of Canada, Parilment building
Learning " O Cananda"
We went to the Abbotsford Visitors center to look for more adventures.
Big A got a map of the fraser valley so we can plan out our adventures and where they are located.

Music:
Listened to Shaw - Kids music channel while doing school work
Learning "O Canada"
Listened to the sound track to Gnomeo & Juliette in the car
Listened to Super Why CD

Art:
Coloring in Canada coloring book
Always drawing & coloring

Drama:
I think we are good in this subject - going to focus on other areas for now.

Home Ec:
Big A vaccumed her bedroom
Big A changed her little sisters diaper...all on her own choosing :)
Big A has been regularly helping to clear the table after each meal
Big A helped with laundry
Helped sort items for garbage, thrift store, and selling
She is very interested in helping her little sister toilet train and put on clean diapers...
I have a little mommy running around the house - very cute and I am taking advantage of all the help.
Big A has been helping grocery shop & get items off shelves

January 20 - 26th

This week our focus is on reading and writing.

PE:
Horse Therapy - riding the horse
Dancing
Excercise DVDs
Long walk
Gym play at Kids club

Math:
Dreambox math  - almost completed dreambox grade 1  math. (several hours)
Addition & Subtraction workbook 5 pages
Math workbook, shapes,  time, subtraction...9pages

Reading:
Big A read the Dick & Jane Treasury (193 pages) to Little A and myself :)
Starfall.com  12:00 pm- 1:30 pm
Phonics work book - blends...Br, and Ch
Reading Eggs website - many hours :)

Writing:
Phonics workbook - Blends... Br, and Ch
Phonics workbook

Science:
Played with magnets
Horse Therapy
Hours of Wild Kratts on computer
Played with buckets of ice cubes - learning about cold, and melting
We made sensory bags to play with

Socials:
Horse Therapy - learning how to care and ride a horse like a rancher does.
Listening to her new Canada CD by Michael Mitchell

Music:
Listening to her new Canada CD by Michael Mitchell
Borrowed several new CDs from the library...Motown, Kids Bop, Kids World Music...

Art:
We made sensory bags with bags, hair gel, buttons, and fancy duct tape :)
There is always drawing & coloring going on in this house ...
Made bracelets with pipecleaners & beads

Drama - I think we are good in  this subject - going to focus on other areas for now.
I had 2 little ladybugs put on a show for me on Tuesday. Very cute :)

Home Ec:
Big A is learning that it is important to wash her hands after blowing her nose. Wash the germs away to stay healthy.
Big A has also learned to sing her ABC's while washing her hands so she washes long enough.
Horse Therapy
-cleaning up after it, - cleaning & brushing & feeding it, 
Wednesday - Big A helped sort dirty laundry, put in washer & dryer, & fold and  put away clean laundry :)
Big A is learning to set & clear the table for meals
Learn restaraunt etiquette at Olive Garden

JANUARY 13 - 19

Janurary 13th - 19th
Horse Therapy began today...INCREDIBLE!!!!
Big A  started her 1.5 time there mucking stalls (picking up horse poop)
Then she brushed the house and cleaned its feet.
She started to learn what different pieces are that are used for a horse.
This time she learned about Stirrups, Saddle, Horn, and The Sinch.
She has learned that to make the horse walk she needs to say: Walk on
To make the horse stop she says: Whoa
She spent a few minutes watching some horses do some running & jumping.
Then it was her turn to get on and ride.
The girl was in HEAVEN!!!

PE
Horse therapy & riding (Monday)
1 hour Occupational Therapy Time (Tuesday)
Lots of walking
Indoor dance & yoga DVDs

READING & WRITING
Big A read me all her popcorn sight words (monday)
20 mins of electronic phonics game (monday) - (in car)
20 mins of electronic phonigs game (tues) - (in car)
6 pages in Phonics workbook, beginning sounds, ending sounds. (tues)
1 page in phonics word search book -    (tues)

MATH
Dreambox math (monday 8:50am - 9:45am)
2 pages in Addition & Subtraction work book (Tues)
Dreambox math (tuesday 1:40pm - 2:15pm)
Math workbooks

SOCIALS
Listen to new CD about Canada
Our calendar about children around the world

SCIENCE
learning to care for a horse, mucking stalls, (monday)
Watch Magic School Bus x2 episodes
Play Wild Kratts games on computer  x several hours

ART
Drawing, coloring, cutting, gluing

DRAMA
See the play Annie - at the Chilliwack cultural center (Saturday)
Played telephone Simon Says with grandma (Tuesday)

MUSIC
Praise & worship time in Sunday school and church (Sunday)
We listen & sing to LOTS of music while driving in car, or just sitting and working quietly at home.
Attended the Annie Musical / Play at the Chilliwack Cultural Center.

HCE
learning to care for a horse, mucking stalls, (Monday)
helping mommy do the laundry (sunday)
clear the table (tuesday)

Happy New Year - Jan 6 - 12

Happy New Year.  With all the changes going on in this household   - my biggest goal - is to get through with as little stress as possible...To not keep the stress on me - but to let God do what He wants to do.

My girls are both VERY picky eaters and one specialist believes it is due to sensory processing disorder and possibly with Big A's low muscle tone - there may be some things she just can't chew...
Then over the holidays - my husband was diagnosed with diabetes...which has thrown me for a loop because I am the cook in the house...now I need to try and keep the food diabetic friendly and picky kid friendly  - this is not an easy task. It took me hours to shop the other week due to reading EVERY lable.

Assessment number 1 for Big A - came back and she has Sensory Processing Disorder, and Developmental Coordination Delay. She also received a score of 8% in connecting what she sees with her eyes to what her brain interprets (creating delays in reading, writing, and learning difficulties).




PE
-Childrens Praise & Worship DVD - singing & dancing
-Bean Bag toss game in hallway
-walk to mill lake to play and walk back (hour & half)
-2.5 hours at Play Abby
-Hopscotch
-Crab walks
-Crawling Tag

MATH:
-Dreambox learning
-Princess addition and subtraction workbook (6 pages)
-Math workbook (adding money, counting by 2, 5, 10) (6pages)
-Princess addition and subtraction workbook (4 pages)
-Princess addition & subtraction workbook (6 pages)
-Dreambox learning

READING & WRITING
Big A read us: Mittens (I can read book)
Popcorn sight words (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday)
Word search puzzle books
Spelling work book
Spelling "test"  - using popcorn sight words

SCIENCE:
Magic Shcool Bus Website (30mins)
Is it light or heavy?
Do all living things grow?
Do you look like your parents?
Do all living things reproduce?
What does it taste like?
What body parts does a plant have?
What makes it grow?
Can you find the seeds?
Sid the science kid  - TV show

SOCIALS:
Calendar - Memory Verse Calendar from The Global Bible for Children
-Uganda
-Africa - giraffes

Music:
-Sunday School - worship time
-Church Service - worship time
-Childrens Praise & Worship DVD  - singing & dancing

Drama:
The girls both put on a play for me on Thursday. About ladybugs & Princesses.

Social Time with Peers:
-Sunday School

Art:
LOTS of drawing & coloring done this week

Wednesday was Big A Psycho-Ed Assessment.
She is about 5 hours of printing, drawing, reading, and answering questions.
She fought the Dr. with the reading but more the writing!  We get daily fights when reading and writing happen!

Dec 30th - Jan 5th

Taking advantage of Big A enjoying school and some of her new books - doing school even through the holidays.

PE:
Playing catch with new beanbags
Running, hopping, jumping, skipping, crawling
Bean Bag play:
     throwing (trying to throw into a target) - one thing that was OT recommended
     hopping
Lifting weights
Play telephone Simon Says with grandma :)

Math:
Dream box math games
Math workbook
   - count by 2's
   - count by ones with pennies
   - organizing tens & ones
Started learning about coins. Pennies, Nickles & Dimes. 
   - counting
   - sorting
   - adding

Socials:
   - we started another calendar that is about children around the world. the calendar talks about different countries, animals & food & children around the world.
- Monday we listened and danced to Bollywood music (talked about India)

Science:
   We started a new work book that Big A got for Christmas.  Grades K - 2
   - label body parts
   - eyes & sight
   - ears / hearing  / sounds
   - nose & smells (smells she likes and doesnt like)

Art:
Big A has been given a lot of new art supplies to help her fine motor skills and has been very busy drawing & cutting, glueing & taping.
She has new triangle crayons & triangle pencil crayons. We also have switched her markers for the thick smelly markers to help with sensory too.
For printing she is now using the thick pencils to help with developing the proper pencil grip.
(all of these are part of OT therapy suggestion)

Music:
   - Tuesday we listened and danced to Bollywood music  (talked about India)
   - Wednesday we listened to Rock N Roll
   - Thurday we listened to Oldies
   - Sang Songs to grandma on the telephone

On Tuesday Big A was given an old school desk with a slanted desktop. Its not a big slant - but we are going to try it out. The slanted table top( part of OT therapy suggestion) to help with strengthing her wrist / hand muscles & making printing easier on her body.

Home Ec / Life skills:
With a new year comes some new chores...
Big A has started being in charge of ensuring all coats & shoes are put away, clearing the table, vaccuming the floor (part of OT therapy suggestion), and will be starting washing our large patio window (part of OT therapy suggestion).

Friday afternoon my husband & I  meet with the people who did Assessment #1, to go through it and talk about what it all means and how to help Big A.