A couple of weeks ago, Will had a really bad day. I can't remember what happened, but it was the kind of day where it seems like everything is going wrong and nothing will make it better. I couldn't think of what to do for him and then I got an idea. I was going to make a "Jennifer" cake. Jennifer is a friend of ours from Alabama whom we met through church and Amy. For a while, she was selling her wonderful cakes and we had them for a few birthdays, and also at the coffee shop and they are just amazing! I looked up a recipe online for strawberry cake with cream cheese frosting, set out to the grocery store and came home. Baylee was at gymnastics, so Cody and I made it. It was a bundt cake. The frosting was a little drippy. It didn't have the complete magic of Jennifer's cakes, but it was soooooooo goood. And it really made Will feel all better.

I seem to almost always forget to take a picture until after we have devoured good food, but here's is some of it.

Happy fruit

We are all trying to eat more healthy after really enjoying lots of goodies over the holidays and at the same time I am desperately trying to become more fun. I'm not the most creative person and it's a challenge for me to step out of my boringness and do something different. So in order to make eating fruit more fun, I have been making "Happy Fruit" for the kids. Okay, it's pretty simple for most people, but not for me. As far as getting them to eat fruit, it makes a big difference. Baylee loves it and Cody still says "Do I have to eat kiwi?", but he tries it. It's a little step toward me becoming more fun!

Painting, painting, painting

We are very fortunate to be renting from a family who doesn't mind us painting and we started first with Baylee's room, followed by the master bedroom, Cody's room and the school/playroom. It wasn't so bad, because there was only a flat coat of paint on the walls already, and the green frog tape is something we couldn't live without. Now the house feels more like home.

Baylee's room

The master bedroom

Cody's Room

...and the School/Play Room

Cody turns 6!! January 28, 2009.

I'm so excited for my little boy, but so sad too that he is already 6 years old. Where has the time gone? He is my intense boy--he definitely lets us all know when he's not happy. And he is hilarious a lot of the time, making us all laugh! He is super shy around people that he doesn't know and clings to us for support when meeting new adults. He's so much like me in so many ways. Easily irritated, sensitive to clothing, frustrated when people don't understand what he's saying, talks non-stop for hours, and doesn't like to get too close to people. I love him so terribly much and am so grateful that we have him.

It's been sad this year, starting all over again and celebrating birthdays and holidays without family or friends, but fortunately we had our new friends from across the street at Cody's birthday. He has a great friend Jack who is also in Kindergarten, and we love him and his sister Katie. And we also are so glad to have his parents as our new friends--William and Claudia. They are from Birmingham and I think that is another reason we like them so much.

To my sweet Cody, I wish you so many more amazing years. I can't wait to see what good things God will do in your life. You have brought great joy to Daddy, Baylee and me!

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