It's the Most Wonderful time of the Year!

Christmas Time at the Gibbons House

It's that time again, where I just crave a little colder weather, and some Starbucks hot chocolate at noon. The time where staying in with the kids and watching ELF sounds like the most amazing plan ever! This year has been full of blessings, and I cannot tell you how thankful  I am! This year is also bittersweet, as we only have about 6 months left before we pack our little house and move to Denver. I love this house. I really do. It will be super hard to sell it, but I know that it will make a great home for another little family. 

This house is full of warmth, and really makes you feel loved. It's not too big, or small, it's got a great little yard, awesome schools, and the best fireplace ever. I will miss this home, our first home. 

From the moment we moved in, I made it my mission to create a magical place for the Holidays. We bought this tree 4 years ago, and I went and got it on Black Friday, as my Birthday/Christmas gift, because I wanted a big tree for first little house. I loved the tree! I wanted a Narnia tree so bad! With fake snow, and twinkling lights. 

This is the last year for this tree. We may have to give it to someone else, as we are going to travel light to Denver, but before we gave him up, I decorated it with love, and nicer ornaments. You see, we where strapped for cash a few years back, so all the ornaments where handmade or from the dollar store, but I know this tree, needed some nicer things, so this year, I upgraded a few pieces to hang.

I got this cute camping ornament with the little tree on top. I got it, because I really want a vintage camper one day, and because we love camping! And by WE, I mean Steve and the kids.

I also got these little dogs. Because, I wanted some ornaments to represent our fur baby Riley.

A snowman in a mason jar, was cute, and Texan to me.

This year, I also got to display my dog nativity! My cousin Dulce gave it tome after finding in a catalog, and since I have a slight attachment to all things dogs, she thought it would be a good gift. It is, and I love it! 

This is Riley looking at me, change the ornaments on the tree. This Dog is tired of me decking the halls! 

We also have a Charlie Brown tree. This may be our Christmas tree in Denver!

The kids love their new Reindeer Jingle! They have really taken him in, and loved on him. Our Elf Buddy is still one of our favorite Christmas traditions. 

I made the kids pose with their stockings the other day, while they were caught shaking their Christmas gifts! They were guessing what we bought them! Naughty!

Did I mention this house has the best mantle?! It does! I love to decorate it for every season!

This year has shown big changes in Riley! He has really matured! He has not messed with the tree or the gifts! He's been really NICE this year!

I hope your Holiday Season is going well for you! I started so early this year, because I knew that I wanted to really enjoy the season. I always feel like I'm rushing, so this year, I wrapped, bought, and sent our Christmas cards on time. I hope to make cookies, play, and spend time with my family. 

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas!

Jazmin

Family Photos 2014

 I'm sooo happy to be able to share our family photos! 

We were able to take family photos with a very talented girl named Melissa Campos. She is new to our ward, and majored in Photography, so once we knew she was a photographer, we knew we had to book her before the Holiday rush! 

I normally like to take pictures about every 2 years, so that we get pictures of the kids, because the change and grow so fast. The thing is that family pictures are so expensive now days,  that we really do have to wait two years to take some! 

This years photos are my favorite. Melissa really made the kids smile their true, sincere smile, which is hard to do! 

I'm sharing these photos here, but hiding the ones that are going on the Christmas card!

So, I hope you like the cards once they go out! 

Jazmin

Denver is Pretty.

So, it's been a few weeks now that Steve & I went to Denver, and I swear that we had so much crammed into two days, that I really neglected taking pictures. 

But I do look forward to moving there, because it turns out that Denver is pretty. 

Like, super pretty. 

For two days we went looking for places to live that were safe, close to work, had good schools, and were affordable. We were really set on living in a town called Stapleton.

We decided that the town of  Lowry is probably where will be. Stapleton may still happen if we find a good apt to rent by owner, but as of right now, it looks like Stapleton is out of our budget. 

I sooo wanted to decide on Stapleton, but the town is almost too pretty. Like so pretty that it seemed fake looking. All of the houses and streets were like the Truman show! Just felt a little too, "Stepford Wives", but again, if we find a deal on an apt by the time we move, I will not be complaining that the town is well kept and safe you know?

The lifestyle seems so different, and it looks like being outdoors is going to be our favorite past time, because the amount of parks, and dog friendly areas is so big, that I have a feeling the kids will want to be outside 24/7.

It will be a good year. At least this is what I keep telling myself. I feel that since this is our "last stop" before getting a real job, we should really take advantage of this crazy adventurous year in a new city to really explore and live it up. Afterall, who has the opportunity to move for just one year? Don't get me wrong, I wish we were settled and in one spot, but I also see how fun this can really turn out. 

Anyway, here are some pictures of Denver! 

We went to the LDS Temple & then visited Boulder Colorado, which is really a gorgeous town! 

I loved this temple! It was surrounded by gorgeous scenery!

 OK, can we talk about the gorgeous fall trees?! Look at that color!

Stapleton is full of pretty, and new!

I didn't plan on hiking, so I was really hot and tired by this point. This is in Boulder.

Steve was so excited to go hiking! He and I were not doing great with the altitude.

I guess we will see Denver in 7 months!

Jazmin

Why the Occasional Mommy #Selfie Can be Good for the Soul.

Keep Taking Pictures...

I was 5 years old sitting next to my grandmother eating breakfast. After I had scarfed down my scrambled egg and potato plate, I would sit next to her, and would start walking my fingers towards her saggy, wrinkled arm skin or mama "flab". I would test the waters to see if it bothered her, but it didn't. I would then start jiggling her skin in my fingers. Sounds gross, but to me it was extremely comforting. This was my grandmothers arm; she was my friend, my second mom, and took great care of me. I loved her, and I would spend many days talking to her.

I loved playing in our house patio while she swept the floor of tree leaves.

"What did you use to play when you were little grandma?", I would ask. She always said the same stuff: "I had not time to play! I just had to do my chores!" I would giggle, and she would smile. This was her way of telling me it was time to do my chores. I would continue asking her things about her childhood, and then one day she said: "I used to look just like you. Skinny and short."  "You did????!!!!" I would say surprised. You see, I thought my grandmother was always that age. In my 5 year old mind, we all had roles, and my role was to play the kid and she was the squishy grandma. But then she said "The way I see you, I once looked, the way you see me, you will one day look." That stuck with me. As I got older I would rummage through her pictures, and I never found a picture of her as a little girl, or a teenager, or a young mom. Why? I kept asking her this for many years, and then she said: "Why did I need a picture of myself? I wasn't very pretty, nothing special to look at".

Really?!?! She was VERY special to look at! And she sure was pretty! Now the only pictures of her that I have are the ones that family took of her, and she looked the way I remembered. 

Well, guess what? My grandmother was right. I was going to grow up one day. Now I'm 30 years old with two kids. A cute 10 year-old boy & and a mini-me 7 year-old girl. I only have a handful of kid pictures of me because of my own insecurities - I scratched my face off of most of them one day after school because I got picked on for having a big nose.  Sadly, my kids don't get to see me the way I looked when I was their age.

Perhaps to make up for my lack of childhood pictures, I started to take selfies when I joined Instagram - the 21st century self portrait. This got me a lot of eye rolls from friends and family.

When getting together with friends and family I got lots of phrases like this thrown at me: "Here comes the selfie queen!" or "But first, let me take a selfie!" followed by a cheesy smile.

Yeah, yeah. So, I take the occasional selfie? So what! I defended myself. Yet, I felt their lighthearted judgment on me - which is fine - but I want to explain why I think the occasional selfie can actually be good for your soul.

Why? Because you usually take a picture at an important time of you life to remember that moment, or feeling.

I have taken self portraits, AKA "selfies", at times when collapsing  down on the couch after a long day of dropping the kids off at school, coming home to work, then picking up groceries, passing through the bank, preparing a meal, getting the kids, and finally coming back home and finding that my mascara is still on, and my face - although tired - looks good enough for a picture.

This is me then.

This is me when I was running around taking kids to school, when I was surviving the day, when I was still young, and when I still had little ones at home to help create more forehead wrinkles.

This is me, at a happy time, when I was learning that being a parent is hard work. Like, really hard. And that no matter what I did, and how hard I tried, I would still feel like I didn't do enough. A time I cared about my family so much that I gave my whole entire self to them. Including my dog. 

This is me at different points in life, when I got bangs that were too short, and was old enough not to care or worry too much because I had grown up enough to realize that they will grow back.

This is me with puffy eyes, with worry on my face, with anxiety over bills that looked like we couldn't pay that month.

This is me, the mom who likes herself, who wants evidence that I too was once young, and I too grew older, and earned every gray hair, wrinkle and sunspot on my skin. This is me, the daughter, the mom, and the future grandmother. Yes, the one that will have evidence to show her grandchildren that she was once their age, and that she was special to look at, and she was pretty enough for a picture.

This is me.....then. And my selfie tells, the story.

Jazmin

Canine Cake!

Yesterday was Riley's birthday, and because he is just as part as our family as is me, I decided to get him a Birthday Cake! Last year we just got him ice cream, but this year, we wanted to try that doggy bakery in McKinney, called 'Canine Cookie Company', and it was delicious! 

At least, it looked like it!

See Riley eat cake!

Canine Cake from Jazmin Gibbons on Vimeo.

Jazmin

Essential Oils: The Honest Veredict

Essential Oils: The Honest Veredict

It's been about 3 months since I first got introduced to essential oils. And the moment I heard the class, sat down to take it all in, then spent days doing my own research, spoke to Steve (the Dr. Hubs) I came to the conclusion that I wanted to really take steps towards a healthier lifestyle. Now, are essential oils magic elixirs that will get you there? The answer is yes & no.

One of the questions that was asked during the Doterra Demo was, what were our health goals. What did we want to change or improve? I really thought about that because 3 months ago, I was taking Xanax, Wellbutrin, and Zoloft for anxiety. I really didn't want to take or have that many medications, but I have ALWAYS been anxious. I remember being 8 years old and worrying about the end of the world or asteroids hitting earth. While that may sound funny, it caused me a lot of anguish. I constantly had neck stiffness from all my tense muscles! As I grew older, the worry just became part of my life. Well, about a year ago, things got BAD. I was anxious all the time. I worried about the kids and had dreams of them having some sort of deadly disease. I worried about flying (terrorists mostly) and I worried that I worried about things that are actually sort of far fetched. Finally, went to the Psychiatrist who immediately diagnosed me with Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and put me on medication. 

The medication was God sent! It changed me within weeks! I was happier, more alive!!!! Sleeping!!!!!! 

And then, about 2 months in, I started to get the side effects. I will spare you the entire spill, since it's sort of TMI. But I was starting to think that it was fine, because at least I was better. 

People, here is the thing. Medication is awesome! We are lucky to have been born in a time with medical advances, and we are able to live longer!!!! Hooray!

BUT

We are also overusing it.  The moment the Psychiatrist saw my side effects, he prescribed another medication to counter them.  That's when I knew, that I could not be on this forever, and then started to do research about what my plan B was going to be, for dealing with my anxiety.

My friend Tasha invited me to the Doterra Demo one night after I posted a question about essential oils on facebook. I had heard about 'oils' and people spoke about them like some sort of magic potion. I wanted to know more, so I went to the demo. 

The moment I saw that there were specific oils to deal with anxiety, I knew I wanted to know all about them. You see, I had a need, and there was an answer. 

I left that night without ordering, I went home, and being the skeptic that I am, I did my research. My husband, (a surgical resident) didn't really want to look into the claims. He knew how much I wanted an answer and help, so he just let me make my own opinion. 

I decided to book a class, and look into it more.  After I hosted, I ordered the cheapest kit (Essential Oils are pricey!) So, I waited a few days, and when they arrived, I started to look up ways on how to use them for my need. 

A few weeks passed, and I didn't see a difference, BUT I was only using them once in a while, and really needed to educate myself on the proper application etc.  

I decided to really start changing the way I looked at the oils. I felt the investment was big for us, and so I must get something out of them. I started using them on my kids for treating bruises, headaches, tummy aches and the like. They worked. 

Great! Now, I knew I was to wean myself off of medication, so I needed to figure out how to use them for my anxiety. I went to Google for all the answers. My consultant also helped so, it was really nice to have that aid.

Not wanting to be limited, I went on Pinterest, and started a Health and Wellness Board to 'pin' all the oil recipes I could find.

I started to put lavender oil on my pillow for sleeping, using Breathe in the shower, Deep Blue I used for any minor bruise, and Digest Zen for any stomach issue. I made them, the go-to medication. In the morning, I would get up, and sniff the Wild Orange essential oil. This oil smells nice, so part of me was just wanting to smell it! :)  

And then, it happened. I started to wake up more rested. I then had a bit more energy, and so I decided to start working out by running outside and taking my dog for a longer morning walk. Then, I was more energized. I got brave and lowered my Zoloft and Wellbutrin dosage. Then one day, I signed myself up for the gym. 

A month and a half later, and now, I'm working out everyday, five days a week. Eating CLEAN (I have NEVER eaten clean, like ever!) and lost 6 pounds and still losing weight! 

BUT best of all?! I'm no longer on medication! 

Yes, I stopped taking it!

And when I get anxious, I put on some lavender, or take a shower and add some essential oils in the shower when it starts to steam.

The other changes are the following: 

Protein Shake before my workout, and take my glass bottle of cold water for hydration to the gym, but I also add one drop of Wild Orange in there. 

 I run everyday, and also lift weights. That is a WHOLE new world for me! I use my deep blue essential oil for soreness post workouts. 

Sad day a week ago, when I came down with a cold. I didn't want it to mess with my work out, so I looked up recipes on pinterest, and went with this one, and oh, what a difference it made!

3 days after, I was over my cold! SWEET!

Continue to eat clean, and adding more oils into my food and drinks. 

So the verdict? Essential oils work. BUT you must be consistent. You won't see overnight results, at least nothing ever comes easy for me it seems! ;) But I wanted the change, I wanted it bad, and here I am 3 months later. Feeling happier, and healthier!

 Using the oils in my food seems to be most effective. I feel it cleaned out my system allowing me to avoid fatty foods. 

So, if you are on the fence about essential oils, then I hope this helped. Another thing, don't buy them if you can't afford them! But if you want them, then start saving for them! Change your habits, and reap the benefits!

It is SOOO WORTH IT! 

How have essential oils helped you out? I would love to hear testimonies!

Jazmin

Spiritual Journey: Dusting Off my Testimony

{Long Post Warning!} 

***This is a very personal, spiritual post. I will talk about my beliefs and bare testimony of Christ.  I want to share it, as I feel prompted to, and feel strongly about. This is not for everyone, and I get that. But if you feel moved by the Spirit you should follow it's instruction.*** 

Today has been a cool day. I did my visiting teaching in the morning, I worked out, I worked. I went to Target to get some stuff for the house, and decided that I was making pizza for dinner since Steve is going to be home late as he would be operating a ton. When I say, I'm making pizza, I actually just mean, 'popped' it in the oven ;)

Moving on.

I feel like my house needs A LOT of cleaning, but the kids wanted to chill. Matthew had the STARR Test today, and that has given him a lot of stress, and Olivia pretty much got her homework done early, so while looking for something to do, we went to Netflix to find a movie we would like to watch. I settled on 'The Prince of Egypt' Olivia had seen it before, but she was little, so she never finished it. Matthew was busy playing Roblox, so we went for it. 

First of all, this movie is AMAZING! The music is perfection. I had forgotten that Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey sing in the closing credits and it's beautiful. It made me think of Whitney Houston passing. I wonder if she ever repented? I wonder if she had a testimony? Those are weird thoughts after a spiritual movie and feeling. But I wondered. 

While the oven beeped, I kept thinking. What about MY testimony? What if I was a Hebrew in the times of Moses? Would I be angry at God? Would I believe? 

Then I stopped myself. 

What about the end of times?! WHAT ABOUT NOW?!

 Do I believe? and the reality is, that while we don't know the time or the day, all indications point that we are in the last of days. 

What about MY repentance? What about MY salvation? 

I have been working out to lose weight. A good thing, but not the most important. The question raised today is: How hard am I working towards my salvation?

How much service am I doing?

How many commandments have I broken?

How can I start now, to clean myself up?!

It is true that if you confess that Jesus is the Christ you will be saved. But God sent his only Begotten Son to show us the example of how we should live.I must be worthy of his presence. 

Jesus worked hard. 

He was humble. 

He did service. 

He studied the scriptures. 

He was a missionary. 

He prayed. 

HE DIED FOR ME. 

Is confessing and acknowledging that he is the Christ enough? No. God knew this, and Jesus paid MY debt. 

But, I still have my body. I have good hands, and  in the words of Lady Grantham: "I'm a woman with a brain and reasonable ability" so I should know what to do.

I should do more. 

I should pray more. 

I should testify of Christ.

 In these last days, we are all to be missionaries. We are to become 'fisherman of men' We must depend on Christ and our own abilities to bring people into the gospel. To teach them about Jesus. 

People are lost. I am lost. I have been found, and somehow manage to get lost again. 

I don't live the way I should. I'm a sinner. BUT I WILL TRY, and truly repent of my sins. 

I must walk away from the things that make me rationalize my wrong doings. 

I should walk away & not be ashamed to walk out on something that I know to be wrong. 

But I must have LOVE in my heart also. 

Jesus didn't hate. He didn't judge. 

I must pray for understanding in the things that I simply cannot understand. 

I believe in Christ. And he believes in me. 

I know I can be more like him. 

I know I can trust in him.

I want to share that with others. 

I truly know that my Redeemer lives. I feel it, and know it to be true. I know that he has re-established his church on earth. The church of Jesus Christ IS the literal church of Christ. 

I know that he speaks to his prophets like in the time of old. He has been the same then, now and will forever. 

I believe in Christ. 

Share the gospel. Testify of Jesus. Fill your home with his spirit.

The time is NOW. 

Jazmin

An Old Fashioned Easter

Easter 2014

What a fun day! Today we went over to Grandma Pate's house to celebrate Easter by doing an Easter egg hunt. The kids were super excited! They looooooove going to Grandma Pate's house! She is very good at getting everyone together and involving all the kids and adults in having fun. I'm grateful they get the opportunity to have their great grandma and build these memories. 

Also, Grandma Pate lives in the country, and the kids LOOOOOVEEEE the country! They think it's sooo much fun! Another thing thats cool about Grandma Pate is that she is like the family historian. She does genealogy for everyone and saves alllllllll the pictures of kids, grandkids, and great grandkids. She really likes to preserve things. So, today, i decided to add to her collection, by taking photos of the egg hunt. 

It's sort of fun to see Steve and his cousins reminisce about the fun they had there while growing up. It fun to see that its spilling onto this generation. 

Here are some pictures of the kids:   

It's official. Matthew is no longer a little kid :( He didn't hunt for eggs, instead, he hid them. And this is him getting ready for all the kids to come out. He had a cascaron (confetti egg) ready to be smashed in someones head! You can see his little mischievous smile ^

Poor Hailey! She got the egg cracked on her head!

Olivia, Grandpa Pate & Matthew

YES, that is Matthew ^ and I worry he will be taller than me by the end of the year!

Olivia just pulls off the vintage look! Is that you Winnie Cooper?!

I literally had 3 pieces of candy. Considering I'm addicted to chocolate, I think I did pretty good!

Dollar Spot Easter Basket!

Cheap Easter Basket

I love Easter. And I love any Holiday that requires me to gift my kids something because I love any excuse to surprise them and see their smiling faces. 

BUT I don't love spending a TON of money on things that I know will most likely end up in the trash, or make them bratty.

Yes, while I enjoy to buy things for them, and gift things, I also feel that sometimes as parents, we tend to overdo it. Every Easter I am temped to buy a HUGE Easter Basket from Costco or any other store selling them. 

I often see all the posts of people spoiling their kids with outrageous gifts. And while, I have fallen into that trap before, I have decided that Easter is a special time to reflect upon our Saviour's resurrection and not about "things."

And I'm not judging, I just decided that this is one Holiday to take it easy on the gifts. Still, I want to to make it special, so this year I decided to make my Easter Baskets. 

This is Olivia's basket (obvs.) its easy to start with her since she is still into the bunny ears and bubbles. Matthew's I'm currently working on, since he's a pre teen now, he usually likes more grown up stuff  :( (sad face) but I won't break the bank with his stuff either! I will post his when done!

Back to this basket. 

I went to Target and looked at the Dollar Spot for some goodies, and this is what I got: 

-Cardbord basket

-bunny ears, 

-carrot bubbles (2 for $1)

-Bird House project

-Pencils

Thats it. 

I figure I could dress up the basket and make it pretty! 

I painted the basket, added some tissue and glued in the shape of a flower, some paper doilies, and more stickers I had on hand.

That's that! I spent $6.50 on the entire thing, and the decor of the basket was again, stuff I had on hand. 

I think Olivia will like it, and it didn't break my bank. Also, I think she will feel special. 

What do you think? Have you gone to the Dollar Spot yet?

Jazmin

Feliz Cumpleanos Ma!

Last week was my mom birthday, and she was wanting some goodies! One of those goodies ended up being the Doterra Essential Oils trio. A few weeks back I hosted a demo night and she really wanted to purchase them, but she just didn't have it her budget, so I decided to surprise her with some of the sample size oils. 

Of course, I had to wrap them pretty for her, even if she never really cares about the wrapping. I just like doing it for special gifts. 

I gave her the oils and she seemed to like them!

My sister kept the wrapping.

It was a success.

Jazmin