Merry Christmas!!!

Hope everyone had a beautiful Christmas and enjoyed time with family and friends!

The couple of weeks leading up to Christmas were really crazy. It all started with me getting strep (for the first time ever!) and passing it on to the 3 older kids...lovely, huh. Then, after getting them on antibiotics, Dylan develops a raging ear infection in his left ear. The doctor said she wouldn't be surprised if it ruptured...thankfully it did not. Everyone is finishing out their cycle of antibiotics and getting back to normal. Yay!

This morning was our annual Plowman Christmas Breakfast at our house so here is a picture of Mike's pull apart cake. I look forward to it every year!

ahhh books...timeless presents!

J guarding the gifts

everyone shaking up their meds!

our snowgirl from last week which Z and Ains spent an hour trying to knock down yesterday. It was pretty comical to see them take a running start across the yard and then jump on it!

Can You Believe It?!

Boy of boy! December kind of snuck up on me! I can't believe how fast this month is already flying! Shh...don't tell anyone, but I haven't done ANY Christmas shopping yet! What can I say, I work much better under pressure=)

Heard a saying the other day on the radio that if 3 gifts were good enough for Jesus, then three gifts were good enough for some lady's kids. Been thinking a lot about that because I think the true meaning of Christmas is so lost these days. I will admit, I like gifts just as much as the next person and I really LOVE seeing someones eyes light up when they open that special gift you knew they would love, but I can't help but think about all those who go without.

How much is too much and why is it never enough?"

I can't wait until the kids get a little older so we can do more things around Christmas like serving dinner at a homeless shelter or taking gifts to the children's hospital. Things like that. Just don't want the real Christmas to be lost in all the wrapping and bows, you know?!

Just wanted to share a few of those thoughts and let you know that we're still here.

Also a special thank you to all those who sent such encouraging words and prayers after my Grandpa passed away. It meant a lot to me and to my family! I have such wonderful friends and family and I just wanted you to know that!

ever wonder what sort of legacy you're leaving? i've been thinking that a lot lately and i'm not so sure i like my findings. i've gotten to the age where i've said goodbye to far more people than i've witnessed getting married. the only comfort i take in that statement is that i know where each and every one of them is right now. many of them left quite a legacy, some i missed out on getting to know better but i learned of their legacy and some never quite got a chance to leave a legacy, but their smile sticks with me.

when my Gram died back in april, i thought a lot about the times we shared and the things she taught me. she left a solid legacy and touched many lives. i have felt (and still do) a tremendous amount of guilt for the last few years when life got "too busy" and i didn't take the time to visit as often. i tried really hard not to let life "get in the way" once my Grandpa was left alone. they were just shy of their 71st anniversary when Gram passed away.

what a testament to marriage! he did ok for awhile...keeping busy and always going somewhere but we all knew he was terribly lonely.

after ending up in the hospital, making enough of a recovery to go back to his apartment only to end up back in the hospital last night, Grandpa is now in hospice and not long for this earth. i am so thankful that i was able to see him yesterday and that i could hold his hand and sit awhile with him. we didn't speak but a few words. i helped him brush his teeth and rubbed his back when it seemed as if breathing was a great effort. he would doze off here and there and would be speaking to someone...although i couldn't understand everything he said, i could tell he wasn't just talking to himself but to someone else. how i wish i would have asked him who it was he was talking to but i think i know the answer anyway and that brings me great comfort!

i don't know if we "know" each other up in heaven when we get there...in a way it is kind of sad to think that we won't really have the same relationships up there that we have here, but it is awesome to think that by the time we arrive, it won't even matter because we will be with our Lord and Saviour. the one who created us, died for us, watched over us, cried with us, laughed with us, walked with us (even when we weren't walking with Him). the one who showered us with blessings beyond our imagination, who didn't give us what we deserved but instead showed us grace and unending love! we will stand in awe of Him one day and nothing else will matter!

my grandparents were such simple and beautiful examples of a life built on a solid foundation of love and hard work. they were honest and they were loving. sure not every moment of their lives was a hallmark card, but they never let life "get in the way" of the important things.

i want to leave a legacy like that.

Grandpa isn't gone yet but i'm guessing his time is short. i miss him already but i know he's ready to go. he was a great man.

A Little Before & After

Here is what our second bathroom looked like when we moved in a little over a year ago.

And here it is today...minus a few decorative touches but fully operational/functional none-the-less!!! (I stood in the middle of the room and took pictures as I turned in a circle to the left)

So happy to have more than one bathroom for the 6 of us again!

The Friendship Bag

Over the summer I stumbled upon a blog about a bag. Those of you who don't already know, I'm a sucker for bags, purses and wallets...you might even say its an addiction. I don't think I'm to that level yet, but my husband may disagree=) This wasn't just an ordinary bag though...it was a Friendship Bag! Cindy over at http://www.rickrackandgingham.blogspot.com/ had a wonderful idea to send this bag to some very special ladies around the US, who filled it with yummy recipes, goodies, postcards from their home state, and thoughtful messages of God's love. Once each "journey" was finished, everything was packed in a box and sent to the next lady on the list then eventually back to Cindy where she would gift all the wonderful things collected along the way to a special friend who lost her husband. What a sweet idea! Sadie Mae is the name of the bag and her traveling companions ('cuz who wants to travel alone?!) are Rufus and Toto.

Jessica, Rufus, Sadie Mae, Ainsley and Toto (with the beautiful Sandia Mountains at sunset in the background)

Some places we visited were:

my mom's house

the Albuquerque Aquarium and Botanic Gardens

the grocery story (I know, how exciting...you can hardly contain yourself, right?! 'Tis a glamorous life I lead with 4 small kids!)

and the park

My mom's backyard (my brother built this pond!) She LOVES kokopellis so Sadie Mae, Rufus and Toto posed for a picture. the fish in the pond

My brother's artichokes!! Can't wait to have some=)



The Albuquerque Aquarium and Botanic Gardens, home to so many wonderful attractions:
the Heritage Farm
Butterfly Pavilion (during the summer...what a sight to see!)
Rose Garden
Miniature Train
Aquarium
Kids Castle (makes me think of the movie Honey, I Shrunk the Kids because everything is meant to make you feel as if you were tiny)
Shark Reef Cafe
Japanese Garden
and some much more!

The back of Heritage Farm
Sadie Mae inside the old farmhouse

resting in the rocker (she was, afterall, holding all of the things necessary for an outing with 4 kids! I was in the other rocker!!)

part of the Japanese Gardens

This ant in the castle tried to take Sadie Mae but thankfully my son rescued her! Can you blame the ant??? The bag is fabulous...so large with so many pockets...perfect for all your needs!!! And so full of blessings!

Snack time!

Inside the aquarium...visiting the lobsters.

The eel tank...I know this isn't an eel but I am always amazed at this huge fish.

Heading to the grocery store. Rufus wants to drive!

My daughter Jessica wanted to see how much they weighed!

Toto holding my grocery list

hanging out in the apples

helping Dylan drive the grocery cart

The park

hitching a ride with Dylan

Ainsley wrote their names in the sand...so cute how she spelled Rufus...r-o-o-f-i-s!

taking it easy on the park bench Our leg of the journey has come to an end. Sadie Mae, Rufus and Toto must get to their next destination now but we have our memories! Thank you Cindy and all the other ladies for the blessings of the Friendship Bag!

Can't Forget Fiesta

When we go to the Balloon Fiesta, we don't normally go on the opening or closing weekend but during the week instead. Waiting until later in the week is always iffy because there seems to be a pattern of bad weather towards the end of Fiesta. We picked to go Thursday morning for the Special Shapes Mass Ascension. It pretty windy that morning so none of the balloons were able to take off and many didn't even inflate. It was a bit of a bummer but still nice to see some up close and personal! The kids had fun collecting trading cards for the different balloons.

Mr. Z the Zebra

Airabelle, the Creamland Cow

Z with a Storm Trooper (Darth Vader being packed up in the background)

SHARK!!

Airabelle being inflated