Blessings from Heaven

Today our sweet Lucy Marie was blessed.  She wore her sister Abigail's blessing dress because we couldn't find just the right one.  Abby was thrilled. My sister Jennifer was able to be there to represent my family and to share the special day with one of her namesakes.  She's so great, she has two neices with her middle name. 

 

We had a great brunch after the blessing and Grandma and Grandpa Gibb, Uncle Ben, Aunt Stacey, Aunt Jennifer, and Aunt Mary Jeane came to join in the day.  It was a sweet, peaceful day and I know that we have been blessed so much to have Heavenly Father share four of His daughters with us.  

Lucy was blessed to be healthy and strong and bring peace into our home.  That has already been the case.  Remember you sweet children today and the day you held them in your arms and loved them. 

To all of my family who couldn't be there, we missed you and love you and felt the love of all who have come and gone before us.  We are not alone in this journey!

Motherhood...

What a great way to lead into our great news and special pictures. I had a 12 week ultrasound yesterday and our cute baby #4 is looking healthy and strong; strong heartbeat, healthy spine and active already.  I'm farther along than I thought, so it looks like 13 weeks and a few days.  I'll take any days that get me closer to the next trimester. 

I get asked constantly if I want a boy, and I have to admit that after yesterday I was really hoping to have a chance to have a little boy in our home, but it made me so upset when the interesting ultrasound technician predicted a girl and I was sad. (Who can tell at week 12 anyway?) What's the big deal anyway? What is wrong with having four girls, like it's a disappointment to have four beautiful girls.  So if I do have another sweet Gibb girl, be very happy for me, because it's a miracle every time a baby comes to someone, and especially after going through what we do to bring them here.   Besides, who would be unhappy having any child with this man?

I've just felt sick most of the time, but last week had a reprieve for 6 whole days in a row.  I guess my house really needed to be cleaned.  I also prayed for a glimmer of hope to come to me, and that was Heavenly Father's way of showing me that answer to my prayer.  I also had a chance to get away this weekend and spend some time in the mountains with some friends. I had a great time and laughed so hard it made me younger.  I keep thinking about that when this week I feel like I'm going to pass out and throw up for two days in a row.  It didn't help that Sydney didn't feel well and we spent yesterday afternoon at the toilet, but I was given a great deal of strength and stomach power to take care of her.  She's fine, but it was an interesting day being a pregnant mommy.

I'm grateful for the sweet miracles that have happened. I was diagnosed with blood clots a few weeks ago and they are getting better.  I have a husband who loves me enough to take over in the house and wait on me when I'm not feeling well, when he knows that all I want to be doing is blessing my family and home.  I'm so used to being able to accomplish so much in a day.  It's been humbling to take a seat and really try to enjoy the chance to take naps and move at a slower pace.

I keep up my movement. I have a treadmill next to the couch, so I try to get at least 20-30 minutes of walking each day.  It's taken a shift in my thinking to put myself in a baby producing mode for my body rather than a weight release mode.  It's amazing watching this body become ready to hold a child and give birth.

I just picked a pint of beautiful raspberries from my garden, 3 acorn squashes, a melon, tomatoes and zucchini.  I am blessed with bounty.   I am thankful to be alive and experiencing the good along with the challenging things in life. 

Mother's Day....Boy does Heavenly Father love me!

I find it amazing that on a day we remember mother's I felt like Heavenly Father was sending His only little moments to tell me how much he loves me.  I'm blessed to be a mother to three beautiful, smart, and kind girls.  They are not perfect, but neither is there mother.  Nonetheless, God still loves me and knows I'm doing the best with what I have at the moment.  I pray my children will overlook the imperfections and remember my love.

I'll try to describe the beautiful moment as best I can.....I woke up with the sunrise, which I LOVE to do and made my way down to the patio in the back. I sat smelling the beautiful petunias Spencer bought me and read the Bible about Moses instructing the children of Israel to "Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God"(Deuteronomy 8:11).  All I could think about what how blessed I was to be sitting on a beautiful day and learning about the blessings of following the Lord.

My family eventually woke up and I looked up to see Spencer's face.....

Who couldn't melt looking at that face?

 The girls came and brought me the gifts they made at school...they were great.

 They played follow the leader and giggled and laughed and brought me joy.

 We were able to go up to Spencer's parents house in evening and see the new Gibb girl and share in another mother's joy of being a mother the second time.  My sweet sister-in-law just came home from the hospital and we were glad to see her home.  She'd been through a lot and had earned her title of motherhood these last few weeks.

But it all comes down to this.....

It is in those sweet moments where you hold the gifts of heaven and remember how much Heavenly Father loves His children, so much He sent His son, even Jesus Christ to save our souls and redeem us from death.  Such mercy, such love! It is mercy and love that make it possible to continue each day as a mother. 

Happy Mother's Day!

I wrote a mother's day song in February....hope you enjoy it. 

A Sister, A Mother, A Friend

Words and Tune by Julie Gibb

Yogurt Muffins from the Red Checker Book!

I had some fun making a healthier version of muffins from the red checker cookbook this morning for breakfast.

Here's what I used:

Blueberry- Orange Yogurt Muffins:

1/2 c. applesauce
1/2 c. maple syrup (real maple syrup doesn't have corn syrup)
1 egg beaten or 2 egg whites
2 tsp. orange peel
8- oz. plain fat free yogurt
6 tbsp. of organic cold mill flax seed
2 tbps. canola/olive oil
1 tsp. vanilla
10 drops of Stevia Extract (Berry Flavor)
5-6 drops of Stevia Extract (Orange Flavor)
_____________________________________
1 c. All-Purpose Flour
3/4 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. Oats
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1 c. blueberries

Mix first 10 ingredients (wet) until blended in a medium bowl.  Mix last 5 ingredients  (Dry) in a separate bowl until blended.  Mix dry ingredients into the wet only until blended.  Don't over mix, it will make them tough.  Fold in blueberries with a spatula.  Put mixture into 12 regular sized lined muffin tins with 1/4 c. measuring cup and bake 15 minutes at 400 degrees F.  They will be golden brown on top and bouncy if touched when done.

Goes well with: Fresh squeezed orange-grapefruit juice and scrambled egg whites or scrabbled tofu.

What I learned: Yet again, it's fun to play with recipes. If you don't have what a recipe calls for, or just want to make it healthier, it can still taste good. The kids gobbled them up, so they must have tasted good. I had two today and enjoyed every bite.  Here are some tips to remember.

Flour - use wheat in part or in place of white flour.  Wheat does bake differently in a recipe, so keep that in mind when you are playing with it.
Oil - You can use a little.  The original recipe called for 1/3 c. oil.  I used applesauce, flax seed and little bit of oil instead and it cut calories and fat content and added moisture.
Eggs - You can always substitute eggs with flax seed meal, or egg whites.  Take the yoke out and take the cholesterol with it. It's pretty simple.  1 whole egg = 2 egg whites / 1 egg = 1 tbsp. flax seed meal and 3 tbsp. water.
Milk or yogurt - you can substitute any full or low fat product with fat free.  You don't need the saturated fat anyway and it's still as creamy.  I've been playing with tofu and soy/rice milk substitutes to eat less dairy.
Sugar- as always, it sugar that gives us that rise and fall and is SOOO addictive.  If you don't believe me, cut it out for a day or two and see how irritable and tired you can become.  Maple syrup is still sugary, but doesn't have the same drop. Brown rice syrup is sweet as well, and just know that honey changes structure when heated, so keep to local honey and just for taste!  I've learned a lot about sugar and keep learning. I use Stevia in small amounts. I used the extracts to sweeten the yogurt because the original called for low fat orange yogurt with LOTS of sugar.  Bananas are a great way to sweeten a recipe, especially those brown ones you might throw away.  Use them instead of putting them in the garbage and give moisture and flavor to a good baking recipe. I've used them in cookies too.


Listen to your body and try new things.  You never know when you are going to come across the very thing that suits your body and your health. 

Sisters - Faith, Hope and Charity

I am such a symbolic person. I was sharing a scripture with my children this morning in Alma 7:24 - 

"And see that ye have faith, hope and charity, and then ye will always abound in good works."

Phoebe said she really likes those dolls at Christmas time that say Faith, Hope and Charity.  I sat and looked at my girls and realized that they are my own version of faith, hope and charity.

Faith:

When I was pregnant with Abby,  I had come complications that without slowing down, quitting school, and going on bed rest, would have been really dangerous for my sweet little baby girl.  I always wanted to finish school, so quitting was really hard, but I went forth with faith and I have been blessed with more than I could have seen.  She believes with out seeing the end. I have faith that I will some day finish my education, but for now, I know that in showing faith in God's plan for me and not my own, I have been blessed by a great gift, my Abigail!

Hope:

It took a great deal of hope during my pregnancy with Phoebe. I had a very energetic two year old, and a husband who worked and went to school at the same time, not unlike many women.  But, that same company that paid for school went belly up and Spencer lost his job two months before Phoebe was born.  He went back to school full time, we lived as best we could, and had hope in the plan of our Heavenly Father.   The faith that strengthened us with Abigail carried us once again.  I started to have contractions about 3 months early.  I went on bed rest again and hoped for the best.  Phoebe did come early.... 4 weeks, just in time to be considered early, not premature, and just in time for the last month of insurance to cover her pregnancy.  We have hope in Christ and our Heavenly Father's plan, and we also have our tiny, Phoebe Sue, a sign of Hope.

Charity:

While pregnant with Sydney Jane,  I experienced a great deal of the true love of Christ.  My sweet husband nurtured me, my friends served me, and I went through quite a few surgeries that helped me understand a little of what our Savior might have gone through.  It is during her life so far, that I have learned a great deal about Charity, and what it means to truly love someone the way Christ loves them. Born in love and continuing to love, Sydney has an incredible ability to give you hugs and loves just when you need them. She loved to cuddle, and she has bound our family in the bonds of charity, the pure love of Christ.   Our sweet Sydney Jane!

The Three Sisters - Faith, Hope and Charity

I happened upon a picture and article of the three sisters in Oregon.  They are faith, hope and charity.  I spent the first twenty years of my life in Oregon, and consider myself, "Made in Oregon."  I loved to look for these mountains, far away in the skyline.  It was kind of a thing to see if you could see them through the clouds, or rain, but they were always there.  Our own faith, hope, and charity are clouded by the events of life, and we may not see the "events" that assist Heavenly Father in teaching us these things until the clouds have lifted and the sun shines.  It is then we lift up our heads and look for our "mountains."  I had forgotten their names and reminded once more, with a sweet God breeze, that faith, hope and charity stand supreme.  They are three sisters, standing strong and supporting the other.  Without them, the future would look dim, boring, and without beauty.  I am thankful for the chance to CONTINUE to gain a testimony of the power of these principles.  I desire to abound in good works all my life and follow what God would have me do.

Time for YOU: Week Eleven

Time for YOU:
Week 11

OUR LAST WEEK! In deciding where you are going to take your health and what habits to make keep these things in mind.  The key is to change your mind and make a plan.  When our mind and motivation are in the picture, we have greater chances of success.  What is holding you back from experiencing the life you desire?  What is holding you back from FEELING great about yourself?  What are the thoughts that keep you making the same choices and habits over and over again?  Maybe it's lack of knowledge, lack of experience, or just plain not knowing where to put all the knowledge to work.  This is when we must stop and listen!  We have the answers inside of us.  We know what we SHOULD eat.  We know that we SHOULD exercise and move our bodies.  We also know that we SHOULD love ourselves.  God loves us, so how do we use that love to bless our lives and the lives of others?  We look inside....... yes, there it is again.  By looking inside I mean listening to our bodies, our minds, and the voice of God.  I've been looking inside this week and finding where my path in my journey will take me this next phase of my life and counseling with God.  Take TIME FOR YOU this week and appreciate the priceless gift we have to communicate with our Father in Heaven through His son, Jesus Christ, through prayer.

Features:Thought and Articles:
Weekly Goals:
Weekly Nutrition Tip:
Weekly Workout Tip
Weekly Song:

Thought and Articles:
Read a good article this week to keep you motivated on your path.
 
LDS General Conference April 2010

Jillian Michaels: setting-goals

Flylady.net

Weekly Goals:Exercise and Nutrition: Make goals for your next 90 days
Knowledge: Lesson 14 "Help and Helping"
Emotion: Share what you've learned
Home: Time for Sunday Worship
Spirit: Focus on Callings

Weekly Nutrition Tip:
Protein French Toast/Pancakes/ Applesauce/Yogurt  : Add a scoop of your favorite protein powder to your favorite recipes and get that extra boost that will keep you fuller longer and feeling satisfied. 

Also, don't forget your protein shake after you workout.  You will feed your muscles after your workout for a longer period of fat burning!!! This is a GREAT tip.

Weekly Workout Tip:
Intensity, Variety and Consistency......need I say more.  You know what these are.  See what needs a pick me up in your workout and get on it.  Grab a buddy and take a class, or get an extra Interval in your normal cardio.  For me it was shoveling wet snow at 7am after spin class Tuesday morning of Spring Break.  Thank you Mother Nature!  Give it a try.  You'll be so happy you did.

Weekly Song:

Love One Another (sung by Julie Gibb)

Time for YOU: Week 10

Time for YOU:
Week 10

Only two more weeks and I'll finish up this section of Time for you.  I have enjoyed this experience. I am going to work on my next 3 month goals.  So these next two weeks we are going to focus on getting you feeling comfortable on your own.  As you do this, you will be confident and continue on your journey to health.  Next week with focus on surrounding yourself with a support system and making your intentions for the next 3 months. 

Features:
 Thought and Articles:
Weekly Goals:
Weekly Recipe:
Weekly Workout Tip
Weekly Song:

Thought and Articles:
A Solemn Responsibility to Love and Care for Each Other

Weekly Goals:Exercise: Write down your workouts in your journal
Nutrition: Pick a focus from our past goals
Knowledge: Lesson 13/ Chapter 17 Habits of Health - SLEEP
Emotion: Give yourself a pat on the back
Home: Free Up Your Saturday
Spirit: Hold Hands with Spouse (or loved ones - show affection)

Weekly Recipe:

Brown Rice Pilaf in Crock Pot:
I tried this one on a Sunday afternoon- very satisfying and very tasty1 cup brown rice
2 cups chicken broth
1 tbsp. Olive Oil
2/3 cup onion
2 cloves garlic
1-2 tbsp. fresh parsley
1 c. - 1 3/4 c. mushrooms
1/2 tsp. pepper

Put all in the crock pot on high for a few hours and than reduce to low for 3 more. 


Weekly Workout Tip:
Take your workout to the next level.  Add 30 seconds of High Intensity intervals after every weight exercise.  Not enough?  Make it one minute HII's.  Push your intensity during cardio training every 5-10 minutes for 30 seconds.  You can you anything for 30 seconds! Make sure you come down to a steady pace after 30 second intervals and give yourself a chance to recover, BUT DON'T STOP!


Weekly Song: Home Can Be A Heaven On Earth