Well, despite everyone (except Julia) being sick for much of the last week, we've managed to have some noteworthy (to our family, anyway) things happen...and then just some non-noteworthy but cute-worthy things, anyway...

Julia (6) has some LONG hair...er...HAD some long hair...she'd become increasingly disgruntled with the washing, brushing, drying process and rarely remembered to brush her hair between washings...or at least very well...as a result, the de-tangling process could be a bit painful.  So...we had heard about the company Locks of Love that makes wigs for little girls who have lost all of their hair permanently out of donated hair.  Julia loved the idea of giving someone her extra hair...so, today, we did it...

Before... (Susanna felt the need to pose in her backwards shirt, too )

During...

After...Isn't she adorable??!?!!

She's most excited to now be able to shower without assistance for her long hair...I may be fighting her for shower time

In other news...we have a new entrepeneur in the family.  Several months ago, David (7), began collecting mini-NFL plastic helmets from a machine at Wal-mart.  You couldn't spring a Wal-mart trip on him...he had to know in advance exactly where we were going so he could have his quarters ready!  Once he had a bunch (and got some in his stocking at Christmas) he began developing a game with them.  He made himself a cardboard "field" and came up with rules and everything.   Over a couple of months he tweaked the game after playing it with his friends and Daddy until he felt ready to make it official.  He then wrote up and typed out the instructions to his game and Daddy and he made the first game board this weekend.  He took the board and instructions to his friend's house today (whose momma has the hair salon in the basement that Julia was getting her hair cut in) and MADE HIS FIRST $5 SALE!!  He was thrilled!!  He's got big plans now...

It really is a cool game...if I do say so myself ...

Moving on...have I ever mentioned how RED the dirt is here...particularly right in our front yard where grass doesn't grow so the kids find it to be a nice big digging paradise???

The front yard is now looking like Venice (as if I've been there ) with its intricate system of canals and aquaducts.  Remind me to be careful whilst mowing come spring...

Lastly, I wanted to document for my own memory's sake this little peculiarity about Sammy.  The boy does not like to drink, er, traditionally.  If you give him a cup he prefers to dump it onto the nearest surface and slurp it up like a dog.  I finally took a picture of him...this cup wasn't actually given to him...he climbed across the table to get it...but it serves the picture's purpose.  Usually I find him laying prostrate on the kitchen floor drinking away (and we all know my kitchen floor is NOT clean...even when I just mopped it!! ). 

Makes perfect sense!!