Headed to NEW ORLEANS!

Following our NOLA

I can't believe we are actually moving to NEW ORLEANS! I have to put down in writing all my feelings about this, as this whole New Orleans job/opportunity came out of nowhere almost. It was REALLY weird, and I feel like it was inspired and we are meant to be headed there.

So, as some may know, Steve is 3 weeks away from finishing up his Pediatric Orthopedic Fellowship here in Denver, and we had been looking for our first post training job for a few months now. As you can imagine, there is a long process for a surgeon to find a position. The interviews are long, and the  job doesn't come as easy as applying to MONSTER.COM. I mean, its hard to figure things out! After being in school for 10 years, you have a plan for your career, but that doesn't always mean its going to materialize when its finally time to look for employment. For example, where we were hoping to go, isn't hiring right now, so we were left looking for other options. The biggest thing with our job search was definitely location. We wanted to go back to Dallas, or Texas and we knew that Steve wanted to work in a University/Academic setting and not in private practice. There are MANY reasons for this, but it comes down to preference.  Steve just really likes teaching and research, in fact he presented at a conference in Indiana a few months ago, as his paper was chosen to be published recently. Very proud of his hard work. :)

Ok, so back to the NOLA job. So, when looking for work, we knew we wanted to be in Texas or at least close to Dallas. We knew we could do neighboring states,  just as long as we were within a 5-7 hour drive from home. We were thinking, Oklahoma and Arkansas as options. NEVER DID WE THINK LOUISIANA.... until we went to Disney World! 

And this is how the New Orleans thing came about. Bare with me as this will sound pretty stupid/cheesy but it really all started from there. 

When we went to disney world, I reserved a hotel called Port Orleans Riverside. It's a newer resort, and it's all modeled after New Orleans/Princess and the Frog theme. I loved all the details of the hotel, even though we stayed in the SWAMP part of the hotel and not the French Quarter! haha, we are cheap! Anyway, while at the hotel I remembered that after hurricane Katrina, Steve went with our church to help clean up the city, so, while at the hotel, I began to ask Steve about what he remembers of New Orleans. At the time of the hurricane, Matthew was a baby so, I didn't really ask or knew too much about that mission trip, other than he and other members of our church went to help out one weekend. We started to talk about Louisiana, and Steve started to tell me about how hot and humid it was, and how it was total devastation. And that was that.

Days after getting back from Disney, there was a job posting in Lafayette, LA. Having been charmed by the hotel, I told Steve to apply to that job, as I thought it would be cool to live in a place with so much character and rich culture. Steve did apply for the job, but apparently the job posting was outdated and the job post was closed but had not been taken down. For some reason, I felt kind of bummed about that. I don't know why, but I did. So, that was that. 

But then a week or so later, there was a new job opening at Tulane University in NOLA, and Steve asked me if we should apply. I was thrilled! I really felt like I wanted him to apply to that job!

Steve was also interviewing in other places, but for some reason, I really, really wanted him to go to New Orleans and like it (mind you, I had never been, and I had no clue if I would even like the city) but one day as I was walking Riley (our dog), and with the stress of the job interviews, and my pregnancy hormones, I prayed about clarity in knowing where to go. For some reason, I always wanted New Orleans.

Steve was invited to interview, and he went, and liked the program, the city, and it just felt right.

Now, we just had to wait to see if we got a job offer. I wish I could say that I wasn't nervous, but I was. Job searching, interviewing, and where to go post training is no walk in the park. For us is a bigger deal, as we kind of don't have the luxury to move much anymore. Our kids are older, and they need stability. There were SO many decisions to make! I wish that I had been more patient, and in tune with what Heavenly Father was trying to tell us, because looking back, I could see so many signs that pointed to us going to New Orleans. Perhaps this won't be our forever home. Maybe we will be there a year or three, but i know that we are supposed to be there for now.

Also, when i talk about signs that lead us to New Orleans, there were MANY.  For example, Olivia started watching this movie called 'Invisible Sister' I remember she really wanted me to watch it, and when I finally sat down to watch, I realized it was set in New Orleans!

Then more signs!

Months after our Disney trip, we got an invitation to go back to the 'Bayou' in the mail, from our resort at Disney! Total disney marketing fluke, but I still think it was a sign to comfort my nervous heart at that time. Then, there was the nurse named 'Nolan' when I delivered Nolan! (we had accepted the job offer by then, but you never know, contracts can fall through etc.) She walked in, and said: "your baby and I are name twins!" She also had a fleur de lis necklace on, and I asked her if she was from New Orleans, and she said: "I'm from Mississippi, but I just got married in New Orleans 3 months ago, and my husband gifted me this necklace as a wedding present. But we both (her and her husband) go to New Orleans all the time! so weird! And finally, our baby's name sounds like NOLA. Crazy thing is, I always said, that if I had another kid and  it was a boy, I would name him Aaron, but then we actually got pregnant, and I remembered watching the movie 'Inception', and loving Christopher Nolan as the director, and I thought, I like that a lot! And now, we are moving to NOLA with a little boy named Nolan.

A few weeks ago when we went to look for a rental we really liked the vibe! This was the first time I had been to NOLA, and sure it was HELLA hot (didn't like that, much) but the hanging trees, the architecture, the FOOD! <--- the FOOD YALL! and the people (we have met some people from church and medical field already!) and it just feels good! We just need a REALLY good AC!


I forgot to mention, we watched Princess and the Frog a few days before going to New Orleans, and Olivia says: "let me get my frog prince!" I had forgotten that Olivia's crib bedding was 'Princess & the Frog' themed and she still kept her frog stuffed animal! and Princess and the Frog is set in New Orleans!... OK, that may be pushing it, but I still think it counts as a sign ;)

Proof below!

Here are some pictures we took of New Orleans when we went. I was so BLOWN away, and excited for our new city!

St Louis Cathedral was so pretty! And it felt like Mexico!

We enjoyed a 2 hour ride aboard the Natchez Steam boat! Even Nolan enjoyed it!

The French Quarter architecture is so dreamy, it felt like traveling abroad!

I love those cute hanging trees! ^ Don't even know what they are called, but I like them!

We ate po boys, chargrilled oysters, gumbo, and beignets! Olivia gladly tried it all!

^The street cars! They are just so cool! 

I want to ride a street car so I can feel like Tiana! ^

Can you tell I'm excited?!

So, what started as a random thought from a Disney hotel, has turned into a real place that we will call home soon! Some come August, visit us at the swamp! 

Jazmin

Call us WILLAGIRLS!

Olivia & I signed up to be WillaGIRLS! 

So, if you know me, you know that I'm not into selling stuff. I just don't feel like I'm good at it, and it doesn't come natural to me. BUT if you know me, you know that I'm passionate about products that can replace what you already use and are gentle on the environment. I feel that as I mature, I care more and more about the part I play in the world and what I can do to make a change for the better. 

When I had Matthew & Olivia I started to care about how I could make this world a better place for my kids. Before my kids I never cared about recycling or anything having to do with conservation. I didn't care about anything or anyone but myself, and if you are a parent, you know that life changes the moment you have a family. All of the sudden I wanted to do better! I wanted to be gentler, I wanted to teach my kids to love the earth, and to do their best in caring for it. It's crazy how having children changes the way you see the world. When Matthew was a toddler, he would always point out balloons out to me,  I remember thinking: "WOW, there are a LOT of balloons in the world!" I have never seen so many balloons in my life! The reality is that there are still MANY balloons in the world, we just don't take the time to see them. Life with a little one changes your perspective. All of the sudden, I cared to recycle, to not overuse things, I cared about the diapers my kids wore and the impact they caused on the environment. I tried to change, and I succeeded in some areas and failed in others. But we all try our best each day, and now, we do it together. 

Matthew during his: "look, balloon!" phase.

Olivia wearing flushable "g" diapers. They were pricey but gentle on the enviroment.

Crazy how pets affect you in a similar manner. Before we adopted Riley our dog, I never cared about animal rights. When we lived in San Antonio we went to Sea World, and enjoyed the water shows with the killer whales. It never occurred to me, that maybe those whales are not thriving in this unnatural environment. I never cared to know if animals at the zoo where being properly taken care of. Of course, we need Sea World and the Zoo for our children to get to see and learn about these magnificent animals that we are blessed to have in the world, but I just didn't care. Ignorance is bliss indeed. After we adopted Riley, we found out about how many dogs, rabbits, monkeys, and other animals are used for testing out cosmetics, medications, etc. I know that we are blessed with modern day medicine and cures to many diseases thanks to the sacrifice of these animals, but when it comes to the use of animals for testing something that is not really that important or necessary, such as make- up, I have a hard time justifying the torture of these innocent creatures. Did you know they blind many animals during tests for cosmetics by measuring how long chemicals burn through a rabbits cornea? Did you also know you don't need to do that, as you can now drop that same chemical into 3D tissues structures produced by human cells? But what can you do? Simple, don't purchase any product that utilizes animal testing. This also goes for household products.  After 3 years with Riley I see how animals have feelings. Feelings like you and me. They care, they hurt, they love. 

As my kids get older and approach the tween years, I now face another stage where facial cleansers and acne prevention are thing I have to start thinking about. I have looked and looked and I couldn't find gentle, natural, ethical products that I was OK with Matthew or Olivia using on their face. There are products out there that state on the label that said product is not tested on animals, BUT that doesn't mean that the company putting them out doesn't have another product line that does test on animals. So, when a friend of mine started to sell Willa products I was intrigued. What caught my eye was they claimed to NEVER test on animals, and to be gentle, using only necessary chemicals in their product to be effective, but nothing else. With more research I have found this company to do as they claim. I went as far as to calling them and asking detailed questions about their process. 

You can read about their ingredients and about the company here.

After a few doubts, and thoughts, I decided to sell the product simply to make it more accessible to others that, like me, care about the environment, want the best for their family, and care about animal rights. Will I make money? Maybe, maybe not. But in all honesty, that's not why I want to do this. I really want to make a product available to a younger generation of girls that care about their appearance far more than our generation did, and instill good values while doing it. That you don't have to sacrifice inner beauty for outer beauty. That the best way to shine, is by doing it in an honest, conscious, and ethical way. In doing this, Olivia is participating in every step. She is using the lip gloss, and trying out the lotions and really learning about the product. And Matthew is already really loving the gentle skin cleanser, because dudes need skin solutions too! 

Want to learn more about these awesome skin products? 

Head over to Olivia & my webpage here:

Willa

They have an awesome, awesome deal this month that we are already using!!!

Buy one of their 3 step kit (valued at $68 & $58 dollars) for $35! 

Choose between their 3 step daily routine or the acne 3 step! 

And guess what? Although the target market for these great products are the tweens & teens, you too can use them! Especially their tinted SPF face sunscreen! I just put that on and the lip gloss and I look put together in seconds. 

Best part?! No added chemicals only the ingredients used to make this product effective and that's it!

 This ^ sits on our entry table, I like having it ready so I can apply and go.

Be sure to check out our page to order!
www.willa.com/wg/jazmin-and-olivia

I hope you stop by our page and learn more!

Jazmin 

Fellowship Interviews: Colorado

Colorado

Here is my mood board in the event we end up moving to Colorado! I'm sure our rental will not look like this, but at least this is how my minds eye would decorated if I could!

What do you think?

Colorado Fellowship home by jazmin-gibbons featuring painted mirrors

We find out where we move on April 10th! EEKKK!

Jazmin

Fellowship Interviews: Philadelphia

Philly? 

So, Steve has been interviewing for fellowships, and so far the front runner is Philadelphia. Of course, if it was our choice, we would stick with Dallas, but the more and more he interviews, the more he realizes that things are very competitive and it's almost mandatory for him to go out of his zone of training, and learn new things. 

So, while I hate the idea of moving for JUST ONE YEAR Seriously? I have had to wrap my head around the fact that it may happen, and that it may actually be good for our family in the long run, as he is likely to get a better permanent job after that fellowship. 

As far as our decision and what we should do, it is up to the MATCH, but I try to be positive and get excited about each prospect. 

So, while looking at rental homes in Philly (to get an idea of budget) we have found a ton of row homes with brick walls, and not much square footage. But, I always like to sort of imagine how I would decorate such a different style of home in the event that we move. We will probably sale most of our stuff, except for our beds and tv. But we may need to go to IKEA to get a mini couch, as most of the rentals are no more than 800 square feet on our budget... Yeah.... 

So, here is my Row Home/ Decor Style! 

What do you think? Kinda cool huh? 

I love that the rental homes in the North East have such awesome architecture and charm! If only they didn't rent for so dang much! 

I'm going to create a style board for Denver too! This is really fun!

Jazmin

Las Vegas: AKA Pictures of Food I Ate

Las Vegas Baby!

I had an immense amount of fun at this past CHA Show! While these trade shows are a lot of work, we have made it a point to squeeze in some fun! And by fun, we mean EAT AS MUCH FOOD AS POSSIBLE! I love eating out, but we don't always do that since it gets expensive with the kids and then they don't really like eating out as they end up being picky.. Anyway, I love eating out, and so I get that pleasure while I travel to do these shows! The company I work for is very generous with us when it comes to having nice dinners. This past show, I finally met Teresa Collins. She is a designer that is very popular in the crafting industry and will do some of our embossing folder designs, along with some other exclusive products. While at CHA we met her, and her team and we made fast friends with everyone! It also turns out that Teresa was celebrating her birthday, so our CEO decided to take her out for a nice dinner along with everyone from her and our team. 

Below are some photos of random stuff, and of course photos of food! And can I just add, that it was more delicious than it looks?! Yeah, I gained weight for sure!

This is the entrance of our hotel. I love having my own room with a huge king size bed! I need to have a family getaway asap! I so wish Steve & the kids would have come!

I loved the details at Caesars Palace. I really want to go to Italy now!

The strip at night was something else! With this being my first time at Vegas, I didn't really know what to take pictures of! Everything seemed magical to me!

We did some "gambling" not really, but we did manage to lose 10 dls...

 But I won 5 dolloars on my first try of Wheel of Fortune! But lost two on some slot machines.. Yeah, I suck!

While in Vegas, my co worker was lucky enough to meet up with her mom & aunt! I love Emily, and her family! They are super sweet!

 This was the dinner for Teresa Collins. We ate so much, we were ashamed! I didn't even bother to go gluten free!

How could I, with all this food!?

Yeah, the dessert was my fave part!

Teresa Collins & me. Yes, I was sucking in my stomach after that meal!

This is Dave Tse & Emily Rudolph. Dave is our CEO. I don't think I have ever taken a picture of him, but here he is. He is like 4 years older than me! 

A picture of my last meal... before leaving Vegas. 

It was sooo good!

Jazmin

xoxo

New York Trip: Part 2

Nueva York: Parte 2

I'm finally back! Phew! Kids are out of school and I have a little bit of time to update zee blog! Here is Part 2 of my trip to NYC... Better late than never!

Below you will find pictures of my outing in NYC with the lovely Emily Rudolph! BTW she also took some AMAZING pictures of the city, so here is to hoping she sends me some, because she is very talented!

We went by the MET, and I quickly recognized seeing this theater from the moving Black Swan... CREEPY!

This is the other side of the MET. I suppose only a few days ago, celebrities had stepped foot here.. Including Kim K and her sofa fabric dress!

We ended up taking a break from our day walking, by chilling in Central Park. It turned out to be a good day!

This is actually inside MOMA. This view was gorgeous! We did MoMa before Central Park.

I loved this gold ballon, and it inspired what I will do for Matthew's bday! So stay tuned, because it's only a few days away!

All the walking prompted us to develop an appetite. We stopped at this cute little restaurant but we only had a drink since they were closing the place for a private party... BOO!

But we did get inspired by some sassy decor! 

Having failed at getting food at the previous place, we continued walking and then.... it started to RAIN! At this time we kicked it up a notch, and walked into Max Brenners! We got SOOO LUCKY! Right after walking in, it seemed the entire New York followed too. Luckily we snagged a table just in time! 

Max Brenner's is all about CHOCOLATE! And so am I, so it was a match made in HEAVEN! Emily and I split some  onion rings and chocolate ranch! SOOO GOOD!

We then split dessert! And it was FABULOUS! 

This is Emily.

This picture was taken on my last day in NYC! I had so much fun!!!



Until NEXT time! And BTW, I seriously think Steve should apply to NYC Fellowship program! I could live here for a year for sho! Plus, I would already have a JOB!
Just saying! ;)
Jazmin 

New York, New York!

New York City Trip: Part 1

///Start spreading the news
I am leaving today 
I want to be a part of it 
New York, New York!///

That was the tune in my head a few days ago. And as much as I love me a big city trip, there is nothing more wonderful that being back at home with your family!

I went to New York for the CLA Stationary Show. As some of you know, I work for a Crafting Company based out of New York, and even though, I work from home, I get the opportunity to travel to these trade shows a few times a year. 

Very THANKFUL for my mother in law who came over for 5 days, and made sure my kids (including my furry one) were taken care of. 

I also came home to a CLEAN house, courtesy of Steve! ---I'm LUCKY!---

Here are some pictures of my trip. I will post more later, I took sooo many, that this little post may be a 10 part-er!

But here are a few I took from one of my days off. I ended up staying at my friends home, and although it was a commute each morning, it was nice to be able to navigate the city with someone that knows their way around it.

We did the MoMa museum, and ate at Max Brenner's and had chocolate ranch dressing! Sounds gross, but it was sooo good! 

Here are just a few snapshots, and of my trip. Will put more detail stuff later!

I kind of loved the sign. I have been to NYC before, so it's not new, but I thought it was ironic and kind of artistic to see the homeless man laying next to it. So, I took a pic.

This is a picture of the beautiful architecture of city apartments and brownstones. I think they are classic NYC! And I'm obsessed with the look of fire escapes. I think this is in Union Square.

When I travel to places, I always think if I could live in that place. And if so, where is church? Since church is such a big part of our lives, I like to visit it and feel comforted that there is a place to be closer to God, no matter where you live and that it's familiar. So, Emily and I stopped by the LDS Church! I wanted to attend a service, but I had to work... BOO! 

This is a cute art display at MoMa. It's two huge screens with a baby elephant doing some tricks. It was very beautiful, and heartwarming.

We walked forever!!!!!!!! I was sooo tired! This is me outside of the church. And the weather  was nice this day.

I had a great time, but NYC walking is something else! We must have done 15 miles walking! No joke. We did Broadway, and some other stuff, but I will post later!

Jazmin