Look at me! I'm Blogging!

I know. It's been a while. To say things have been hectic would be a slight understatement. So I will do my best to catch y'all up.

Owen's one. Sigh. I don't know how that happened, or where this past year's gone, but he's officially one, heck, technically he's 13 months now. He has 8 teeth, and has a double ear infection. He's on antibiotics for that last part. He's smiley and happy and funny for the most part. Today he did all of the motions for the Itsy Bitsy Spider and it was truly delightful. He's the most precious baby I've ever known. He knows just when you need a cuddle. He knows how to make you laugh, and knows exactly which buttons to push to make you mad. He's adorable and such a blessing to my family. And he's pretty cute too!
I took some family pictures, and my friend Dana took some of the whole family a few weeks ago for our Christmas Card. They turned out amazingly. Who knew you could get my three kids to cooperate for pictures!
Here's Owen's solo shot

Here's a messy faced photo of his teeth! (After breakfast, hence the messy face/shirt)

And one of him eating his homemade birthday cupcake. So yummy.

He's not walking yet. Which, honestly, is a bit surprising. I'm not complaining, just surprised. He's doing the standing thing, and not holding on to anything, so I know it's coming. But I've been saying that for months now :)

It's been a mild winter so far. We've had one day of snow. And the boys were really excited about it. It was the kind of snow I can deal with. There in the morning and melted off, mostly, by the next day.

Julian is doing so so so well in Kindergarten. His teacher, that we LOVE by the way, told us at his conference that he's reading at a C-D level, and they want them at E by the end of kindergarten. He's on track to do that in the next month! Smartypants. He loves school, loves his teacher, and loves girls. Every day, or almost, he's talking about a new girl. The one he talks about the most is a girl that rides his bus home, named Kendra. She's always giving him notes and yesterday it was a heart shaped bead. Things are getting serious. He's still a fun kid. And extremely intense and emotional boy. He keeps me on my toes that's for sure. He's a builder. He loves to build and create, with legos, crayons, markers, blocks, it really doesn't matter what, he's a creator.

He's still a picky as heck eater. But he's growing, which is what matters. He's almost out of 5T pants, but can still easily wear the shirts. Big feet still, and still really picky about clothes.




Gabriel is still so sweet and caring. Though today he was kind of a punk before nap. He's still a good sharer, and Miss Kassandra, his new teacher, told me that he was a chatterbox. Something we've known for ages, but he was always too shy to talk at preschool before. Not this year though! He's known to randomly bust out with an "I love you" Or "This makes Jesus' heart so happy" for absolutely no reason at all. His best friend is a boy named Nathan. And he love love loves Spiderman.


He loves to be big. And if I try to call him Julian's little brother he gets mighty mad. He's a big kid he tells me. He's hilarious and kind and sweet and I'm so lucky to have him.




he likes me





And that's where we're at.

Red Lipstick Trials

I'm on a mission. To find the perfect shade of red lipstick. Now I know what you're thinking. Red lipstick? Is she 79? No. I'm not, 28 thank you very much. It's a glam look, and one that pulls the whole thing together. My goal, and hope, is that by finding the perfect shade of red lipstick that I'll be able to put it on my lips and instantly look like I've gotten ready.

I've had numerous people tell me about this shade. So up first we have MAC Russian Red. Last night I went to the Valley West mall with two shades in mind. Russian Red and Ruby Woo (Thanks Jennie!) After trying both on my hand (which is easily 4 shades darker than my Cullen white face) we both agreed that Russian Red was more complimentary and I did it. I took the plunge. Tried on my first shade of Red Lipstick. My other goal for this trial is to have a collection of wonderful go-to shades of red. I kind of want to display them all nicely on a spice rack like I've seen others do in Pinterest, except with something way more collectible than lipstick tubes.

So here we go. Photo proof of the Red Lipstick Trial.

My Before. (Now note there is no other makeup on my face. The whole purpose of the perfect shade of Red, for me, is to be able to do this one thing and instantly feel put together. Would it look better if I had eye make up on? Obviously. But that's not the purpose for me.)


The goods (Russian Red Matte Lipstick and Cherry Liner)


End Result.


So what do you think? Do you think Russian Red fills it's purpose in my life? I feel like it instantly improved my look, and I don't feel quite as homely. And that my friends is a very good thing.

On The Quest

I have a mission. And I need your help.

The perfect {true} red lipstick.

I've heard many, many suggestions.

MAC Russian Red
NARS Red Lizard
Amway/Artistry Rouge
Amway/Artistry Stunning
Avon Poppy Love
Avon Red Karat

My goal is to find THE most amazing red lipstick to compliment my pale skin.

Do you have another favorite red lipstick that's not listed above? I am going to try these out and have you vote on which one is THE one for me!

Sketch post and run

I launched my new website. I kind of love it. A lot.
www.christiapalizziphotography.com.
I'm giving away a FREE session on my blog! Check it out!
FREE SESSION INFO .

My kids are cute and funny and smart. And Julian's in kindergarten. Gabe starts preschool tomorrow, and Owen, is :sigh: 10 months old!

Barry's in Philadelphia taking boards today! It's all coming to an end. Our MedSchool journey. And I kinda can't wait for the new chapter in my life!

It's a GIRL!

Meet Lucy "LuLu" Hermoine Palizzi. She was born June 25, 2011. She's a chocolate lab, and is sooo adorable! We all love her, except for those needle like puppy teeth! This is a dream come true for me! You can see here that I've been wanting a chocolate lab FOR.EV.ER. She's super sweet, and so adorable!

Thursday-July 21, 2011

Also known as the best day of my boys' life.

So as you may or may not know, Barry broke his arm. It wasn't a bad break. No cast needed. (He fractured his radial head, if you're curious). Only a soft cast for a week + splint. Then splint for another week, and light duty for another 2. Those 4 weeks are long gone, but his arm just isn't back to 100%. One thing that the boys have missed terribly, desperately, their favorite game. Blanket monster. They ask to play it daily. Really? Barry just goes under the blanket and the boys jump on him and attack him. They? Love it! Thursday, Barry thought his arm was better enough to play it again.
Pure joy


Owen's wondering what the heezy is going on




So happy that my boys' favorite tradition is back! But the only ones happier than me, THE BOYS!

Reasons Why I Suck At Blogging

I'll give you a hint. There are 3 of them.

Reason #1

My big boy. He's going to kindergarten in less than a month. I'm trying to soak him up. Before he goes to school. Before he's officially a kid. He's been really sweet this summer, for the most part. He's super smart and is so excited to be learning every.day.all.day. And I'm a little excited for the break. He's still obsessed with Legos. He loves to play them with Gabe. They're BFF and it's darling to watch. I'm a little nervous, to be perfectly honest, for Julian to go to school for Gabe's sake. He's super into Star Wars. The other day, he asked if he could be a boxer when he grows up. I said, yes, of course, but I have no idea where that came from. He's an amazingly bright kid. So smart and determined, and seriously has the best memory ever. Last week he had bubble camp, which was super fun for him!

Reason #2

Gabe. My sweet Gabe. He's three. And anyone that has had or has a three year old knows what I'm talking about. He's the most considerate kid ever. Such a good sharer. He loves his big brother so much. He's starting to like Owen more and more, now that Owen is doing stuff. He likes Legos, Phineaus and Ferb, and following Julian around. He's obsessed with puppies, and repeatedly asks for one, daily.

Reason #3

He's 8 months old already. And so incredibly determined. Not only is he a full fledged crawler. He's pulling up and standing on EVERY.THING. Yesterday, in fact, he even let go of the couch and me and balanced there for a second. Wait a minute. Isn't he a newborn, born just yesterday? He eats pretty much any solid that is put in front of him. The exceptions being green beans and peas. And let's face it, who could blame him. They're not the most amazing veggies ever. He loves sweet potatoes, carrots, all fruits. He's so sweet and snuggly. The other night before I put him to bed, he was crawling all over me. He crawled over to me and gave me not one, but two slobbery baby kisses. To say that he makes me swoon hardcore would be the understatement of the century.

I'm so incredibly blessed to be their mother. Somedays I wonder how I got so lucky and why they got such a shaft. I've been busy hanging with my boys. Trying to get my photography assignment done. Finishing the LOST series, which was ZOMG AMAZING. Just busy. Blogging has taken a back burner. And that's ok.

Graduate, Ford, and Dodge

Ahhh! My first born son is officially a kindergartener. He graduated from preschool earlier this week. It was heartbreaking, adorable, and crazy all at the same time. It's really hard for me to believe that he's already school aged. I don't know how I'm going to do August 17, when he actually starts kindergarten1

My graduate


With his favorite teachers :)


We've had some good weather lately, so we've been definitely taking advantage of it. Playing outside, and hanging out with friends on the porch.
My boys and their BFF


Mr. Serious. This picture makes me laugh because he's SO not serious, ever. He's ALWAYS smiling. Except when I have the camera.




We said goodbye to a dear friend yesterday. After 4 1/2 years, it was time. Bye, Bye, Dora the Ford Explorer. You had a good run.


We said hello to a new friend. A friend that will be with us for years, and years to come. A 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan. I'm in love. So are the boys, including Barry. I never, ever thought I'd be a mini-van girl, but man, oh man. I totally am!





I also put up some more prints in the etsy shop. Check them out! Good stuff :)

Help Lori?

I'm posting this in hopes that someone out here will read this, and be inspire to help.

Barry's cousin (so my cousin too) was diagnosed with breast cancer. It's an aggressive form, and she's already undergoing treatment for this.

She's 30 years old, and has five kids.

Here's her website. Donate if you can. Keep them in your prayers. Everything helps.
The Sorens

Innocent!!!

Yesterday was our cardiologist appointment, along with a few other appointments.

First we took the boys back into the hallway, they spied dum dum lollipops, and stickers. I kid you not, Gabe said, "Oh they have treats here. It's not so bad."

We went into a room, I was so glad they didn't split them up, and first Julian got a chest x-ray, while Gabe got an EKG. Julian did SO great for the x-ray cooperated, and was really hoping to see his own bones. He was also pretty excited to see Gabe's heartbeat on the EKG machine. Gabe, however, did not like the whole EKG process. The sticky things, the leads going everywhere. He was a little freaked out. And he DID.NOT.WANT.TO.SEE.HIS.BONES. So I took him back for the x-ray, and he did such a good job!! Followed instructions and tried his best not to wiggle. He too was excited, though, to see Julian's heartbeat on the EKG machine. I think it helps that during Sacrament meeting on Sunday Barry was drawing the heartbeat picture.



After that, the boys got to pick a TREASURE out of the TREASURE CHEST. Dude. Sticky hands FOR THE WIN! We then went into the room to wait for the cardiologist. Turns out, it was the same guy that taught the pediatric cardiology for DMU! He was so nice, and so good with the boys, and listened to their heartbeats for a while before he said that Julian's murmur was totally innocent, and he is discharged! Booyah! Gabe's too is innocent, but since he's had it since such a young age, he wants him back in a year just to make sure it hasn't changed, but that he'll probably be discharged in a year! Booyah again! So relieved. So excited. Such a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. Prayers were answered, my boys are healthy!

Speaking of healthy. Owen had his 6 month appointment yesterday. He is weighing 20 lbs 11.5 oz and 28 inches tall! He's 93% for both. His head is measuring 99% (again, not entirely surprised, it's those Palizzi genes!) He looked really good, and is developing right on for his age. He was way madder when the doctor was trying to look in his ears, than he was when he got his shots! Such a little trooper.

Boys + Dirt

We started our 'garden' this year. Probably late, but whateves. We are definitely not relying on this as our sole source of food. Last year we had a big garden, and it failed, or I failed or something. In my defense, it was hard to be weeding being in my 3rd trimester.

Anyhoots, this time we're just growing things that are relatively easy, and will be easy to visualize the growth.

Here you have it. Our garden, for now. Once they get bigger we'll obviously transfer them to our little garden plot.

Pumpkins, pumpkins, sunflowers, sunflowers, and (for me) cilantro.


I'm really not sure when he grew up. But he's certainly not a baby any more.


They weren't too excited about me taking pictures. But they're cute.


Wish us luck! I hope that we are able to grow some sunflowers this year, and get some big pumpkins for the fall! And please, oh, please, let my cilantro thrive. I'm sick of spending money on Cilantro every week!

Fine Art-What?!

So I have all of these pictures on my computer. Seriously, a lot. And I had no idea what to do with them, how to share them, or if I even wanted to.

Well as it turns out, I DO want to. I want to share them with everyone. So they're for sale.

In my Etsy.

Lola Cate

If you see something in the shop, and use the coupon code BLOGGER it will get you 10% off!

My baby boy!

He's 6 months old. 1/2 a year. .5 How in the world did it happen so fast?

We go next week for his 6 month appointment, on the 11th. It's going to be a super busy day full of doctors appointments and procedures for all of my boys (stay with me, I'll fill you in.)

For his 1/2 birthday, Owen got to eat sweet potatoes! And to say that he loved them would be an understatement. He chowed down! It's a good thing I bought a rather large sweet potato for him.

He's now rolling EVERYWHERE. And starting to scoot. Folks, my baby, is semi-mobile. And it's breaking my heart!

He's laughy, at Julian or Gabriel. He tolerates me, but they're definitely his favorites.

He's moved solidly, into 6-12 month clothes. I still squeeze his fatness into 3-6 month onesies once in a while, mostly because we don't have any 6-12 long sleeves, and it's pointless to buy them at this point.

Sleep has become a sore subject for me lately. He's been really super, duper snotty, and not sleeping well. I can't really blame him, I suck at sleep when I'm congested. But it's getting old having to wake up a million times, or sleep in the recliner. It's one thing when a baby is a newborn, they're expected to wake up and eat, and snuggle, and get changed. But once they consistently demonstrate the ability to sleep solidly, and then stop? Whoa man. It's like getting hit by a truck, or so I think.

Here's the ONE good shot we got from his 6 month shoot. He was not feeling a photo shoot, and was crabby and snotty, and drooly (obviously.) Still no teeth!



Now about the 11th.

First a little back story. Gabe's always had a heart murmur. We were told it was an innocent murmur, and shouldn't have any impact on his life. Julian? Never once has any one said that they've heard a murmur, except when he was first, first, first born, like within 24 hours, and by the time we left the hospital it was gone. Super common for newBs. Anyway, at the boys 3 & 5 year appointments, the doctor heard Gabe's, obviously, and also heard a faint one in Julian. Now it's probably nothing. But on the 11th, both boys are scheduled for echocardiograms. I explained to them that they were going to get an ultrasound (I actually said, "Remember how we got to see Baby Owen in mommy's tummy? They're going to use the same machine, to take pictures of your heart! How cool is that?"), and that it was going to be cool. But I'm still a little freaked. So I could really use some prayers to calm down, and that everything is going to be ok.

Thanks!

We're Back.

So uhm, it's almost been a MONTH since my last blog post! OY!

WE're back, in Iowa, and adjusting well to our 'real life' :)

Owen has been starting the night in his crib, every night, and then at about 2 he gets cold or lonely and comes to bed with us. We love him. And it's so hard to believe he's almost SIX months old! He's a rolling machine, still toothless, and FULL of baby germs.




I had Julian's parent teacher conferences yesterday. He's doing really well, and totally ready for Kindergarten! Sigh, when did my first baby get SO big? He's really smart, and still loves Legos, and building. He keeps telling me he is going to be a builder like Grandpa Bob. He's a sweet boy, most of the time ;)



Gabriel is as sweet as ever. So sharing and caring, and nice. He's so abnormal that way, for a three year old. He's always giving me hugs and kisses, or running inside from the backyard (yay for sunny days) and just saying "I love you Mommy." He literally makes me swoon.



I did a total of five family photo shoots while I was in Washington. It was so much fun. I'm getting excited to expand my clientele in Iowa, and eager to finish my classes! If you're interested in a family shoot for a discounted rate (in Iowa) email me Christia.palizzi.photography@gmail.com and I'll hook you up!

I also started selling Scentsy. My little sister is a consultant, and I really love the product, so I decided to start selling it too! My website for that is Christia's Scentsy. Right now there's an "Introduction to Scentsy" party up on my site. If you purchase from that party, your name will be entered to win a warmer and bar of your choice! Awesome!

Where has the time gone?

My baby turned FIVE months today. It's so hard to believe. He's such a sweet boy. On Saturday, after a week of some gooey looking eyes when he woke up, he spiked a fever. It was low-grade, 99.4 but still. After the eye goo, we weren't taking any chances. So we brought him to our old pediatrician (shout out to Evergreen Children's Clinic) at their after-hours clinic on Saturday afternoon. The sweet, smiley boy was diagnosed with a double ear infection. Honestly, after dealing with Gabriel's frequent ear infections, I was a little shocked that this was the diagnosis. Owen never stopped smiling, his fever was SO low (compared to Gabe's 103 ear infection temp), and was just totally normal, minus the gooey eye. After 2 days of antibiotics, he's 100% back to normal, and smiling even more! And laughing so much. He loves him some grandma and grandpa.

I've failed in my goal of making a shirt for every month. I just didn't have access to a sewing machine. :( I guess 11/12 months isn't soooo bad. We had a little photo shoot on the couch today. He was SO hammy.



I will eat the couch. Watch me.




Hambone!


Love his little hands & his tiny birthmark



His new skillz. He loves to blow bubbles, and make funny noises that are constantly making his big brothers laugh.


Baby's trying to eat me!


At 5 month he weighs about 18 lbs. He CAN roll, but rarely does. He is ALMOST sitting up on his own, well he technically can, but then falls over after not very long. He wears 3-6 month clothes, but they're getting small, so we're moving into the 6-9 which are still pretty big. He sleeps through the night 5 nights out of 7. I just gave him some oatmeal over this past weekend and he wasn't super convinced, so I'm going to hold off again. He just seemed so interested in our food, that I thought he was ready, but I guess not. He's still the most delightful baby I've ever had the pleasure of raising.

My New Love.

So awhile back, my BFF Stacy Jacobsen posted on Facebook about a concert for a happy music artist. Those of you that know me, know that I LOVE Lisa Loeb. I've loved her since I first heard the song Stay. I also quite enjoy music that makes me happy, and bubbly, and whimsical, and just positive. Enter Mindy Gledhill.

It just so happened that we would be in town for the concert, so I wrote Stace that I wanted to go! It was to be a double date. Then Barry said he didn't REALLY want to go. Brad so graciously said that he would stay home with their kids so Stace and I could have a date. And then? Stacy got the plague. She was too sick to go. Luckily my little sister said she would go, never, ever even hearing of the singer. She actually really enjoyed the concert though! So score one for the happy music person.

We went to Mexican for dinner, and man. Iowa just doesn't do Mexican like Washington.

The BEST Chips & Salsa ever.




This picture makes me HUNGRY!


My sister-(Everyone comment on how much we look alike, she just LOVES to hear that.)



Me & the new hair the day-of


How can you not like someone that plays the keytar? I mean seriously.


I'm seriously inspired by Mindy's lyrics. One of my favorite songs is All About Your Heart. Check her out. Become a fan of hers on Facebook Here. It's super rare to go to a concert and have the singer's voice sound EXACTLY like or better than you hear on the CD! She's amazing, adorable, humble and kind.