My Daughter, The Chef.

Lindsay just loves loves loves to cook, bake, whip, stir, puree, or chop( with a butter-knife of course) anything in the kitchen with me. Most of the time, this little hobby of hers is so fun! Sometimes, as all mothers know, I can do without all the "help". If I am in the kitchen, most likely she is right there with me helping

with whatever job I give her. The older she gets, the more she has gotten to do and the more she loves cooking! One of our favorite things to do together is watch "the cooking channel" as she calls it (The Food Network). Her absolute favorite show is Iron Chef. I have always liked how much she enjoys being in the kitchen, but lately it seems to have reached new heights. Luckily she hasn't ever tried to do anything by herself or without

permission, but she has taken to reading cookbooks! She loves going through Cooks Illustrated or Cook's Country (and who can blame her???)looking at all the pictures, trying to decide what she would like us to try out. This is really fun to watch, but for the past three night these magazines are what she wants for her bedtime books! That seems a little crazy to me! She is supposed to be keeping track of the books she reads everyday for school... what I am supposed to write down? Cooks Country "How to Frost a Cake" (this is the article we read tonight). It's only been 3 nights now, but I think tomorrow I will encourage a little Fancy Nancy.

Sydney!

Logan just LOVES this little girl! He is so funny

because for a long time he wouldn't ever admit to liking anyone else. We'd try to talk him into liking more than just one person "Well, you like.... so and so...." and he'd yell, "No! I love Sydney!" He named his hippopotamus after her and if you ever want to make him the happiest little boy ever just tell him "Sydney's coming over." When she does comes over.... LOOK OUT!! You can hear the screaming and excitement no matter where you are in the house. It is so cute and so fun! He has loved her for the past year or so and still thinks the world of her! And who can blame him? She is pretty dang adorable!

Brandon

Many of you know the struggle that Brandon has had in school which began in Kindergarten. In Kindergarten he struggled with his teacher. As a consequence of this Brandon just HATED school!!! He got in trouble almost everyday at school and then again at home. When I volunteered once and saw it was his teacher who didn't understand Brandon, didn't trust Brandon and blamed him for things he didn't mean to do, he quit getting in trouble at home. This helped a little bit, but he still really didn't like going to school. The next year started and 1st grade was good behavior-wise. His teacher was AWESOME!! She totally loved Brandon and didn't let his energy bother her. She was able to help him like school and feel good about being there, but he was still behind in reading. We practiced and practiced and practiced and he improved slowly and steadily but never "caught up". 2nd grade wasn't horrible, but he did get in trouble a lot for his behavior. I would hear parents freak out about how their kid got a warning or their first infraction and think to myself, "Oh please! I would be grateful if my son got his first infraction in March!" (He probably had at least 7-8 by then. On the bright side he always always told us when it happened). In addition he was still behind in his reading. I have always loved my Brandon and always thought he was one of the most awesome kids ever. I knew he was smart and that he was a good boy, but for some reason struggled in school. I tried to stay positive, but every Parent Teacher Conference was more discouraging than encouraging. Well Wednesday I had Parent Teacher Conference and needless to say I was pretty nervous! When I got there, the first thing his teacher told me was, "I just love Brandon." His teachers all have said this (excepting his Kindergarten one... I'm telling you they really didn't get along) so I wasn't getting my hopes up. Then she told me how Brandon is such a hard worker giving 110% to everything he does. She told me that he has such a positive and excited attitude about school which she loves! She said that if she ever needs something done quickly, correctly, and efficiently she knows she can ask Brandon. When she told me Brandon was doing really well in all subjects and was right on grade level for reading..... I got a little choked up. I was so embarrassed, but honestly I couldn't have been prouder than I was at that moment! I told her it had been a long journey with him and I was so glad that he seems to have turned a corner. It was the best Parent Teacher Conference ever!!!! It just goes to show.... don't give up. Even if it takes forever consistency will eventually pay off!

***********************************************************************************

Last night Brandon was saying good-bye to his friends. They were on their bikes and he was running along side them. He said he was looking down at his feet and "they were a blur I was going so fast!" Unfortunately while admiring how fast he was he didn't see the big ole' garbage can in front of him and ran right into it! That explains the eyeshadow. :)

**************************************************************************************

These are some drawings Brandon did in art. He said he watched a video that taught him how to draw these cartoon characters. He drew these when he got home. Pretty good, huh?

Hinges

Today in class the teacher commented on how wiggly everyone was. Lindsay raised her hand and said, "I know a song to get the wiggles out." The teacher asked Lindsay to come up and show the class her song so she did. She told everyone they needed to stand up and get room to move around which they all did. When everyone was ready, this is the song she tried to teach her class.......

I can't believe she was so brave and did this!!! She did tell me later that "my tummy felt a little nervous when I was up in front of my class" I told her I didn't blame her one bit!!! She's such a funny girl!

6 months

I am completely shocked that Sophie is already 6 months! She is growing up so fast it's almost sad! She can sit up pretty much all by herself, we just need to pad the area around her because she still falls every so often. Her brothers are the very best at making her laugh and getting her to laugh is getting easier, although she still can be very stingy with talking and laughing. She loves her baths, and loves to watch herself in the mirror while I comb her hair. Sophie sucks in her index finger and middle finger. She loves rattles and keys and her doll. We just love her to pieces!