The Silver Lining

I am recovering from my third sickness in three weeks. I swear - this month has had it in for me from day one! AND - this has been an expensive month. One that has broken the record books for us. All that money we had set aside for our vacations? G.O.N.E. In its place? New brakes, a fixed furnace, and a new water tank. Good riddance, January 2012...

One of the main reasons I am able to not completely freak about the whole money thing is this little man:

Cutest little tax deduction ever.

Taxes are done, and the news is good. We'll be ok. And, we'll get to go on our trips this year (the boys and I head to Massachusetts in May, we have a Kovall-family trip to Wildwood in July, a Spargal-family trip to Myrtle Beach in August, and an all-family trip to Disney in November - it's going to be an awesome year once we get out of this blasted month...). And, we'll be able to afford groceries. Life is good.

Back to Jackson - he has had a few firsts this week: a french fry and a pancake. He enjoyed both, thank you very much. He also learned how to make VERY loud raspberry sounds (which sound a lot like some other noises that come from a different end of his body...) AND he discovered a love for pulling the ceiling fan strings, just like his big brother. Great.

Very cute, despite the whole WVU thing.

Popcorn and Papa - what could be better?

It's been a crazy week all-around. AJ had district choir, so he was out of town for a few days. His parents came to Kovall-sit, which was great. They took Ethan for a few nights, too. The house was...quiet. While we enjoy the occasional quiet evening, he was gone for 3; too many. It felt like a ghost town in here. It was nice to be able to give Jack some undivided attention, though. Grandma enjoyed that, too. Ethan isn't too jealous of Jack when it comes to just AJ and I, but grandparents are an entirely different story...