Cole's first birthday

Well, first party. We painted wooden train whistles and ate hot dogs. Then the kids played on the new slip and slide and the sprinkler. After everyone was freezing, we ate the train cupcakes and opened presents. Cole has wonderful friends who helped him celebrate. We can hardly believe he is 5!

Cole's cake and cookies

A wonderful friend and I decorated goodies for Cole's birthday party. We frosted the cupcake cake and painted the cookies. It was a great lesson (and Amy and I had fun, too). If anyone doesn't know, when Cole turned 5, he got to have his first friend party, so we were planning for his buddies. Pictures on that will be next. In the evening, after we decorated (Tuesday), I came down with a 104.4° fever and a sinus infection that wiped me out until Sunday afternoon.

Our new family member

Introducing Mila (long I sound). Avery picked her out yesterday from a litter of kittens her teacher's cat had. She is a sweet little girl, she even snuggled up next to me today, and warmed me up- by peeing on my lap. She'll figure it out quickly. Avery is in love with her and hopefully it will help Avery miss Cortez a little less. He disappeared over a year ago, but Avery still cries for him.