We Are Here!

In Washington, that is. The drive was...surprisingly not that bad. I mean I prefer riding in my car, with 3 kids, for 25 hours, to say a root canal. But my boys were AMAZING. Seriously. They were the reason we only stopped for one night, in Billings, MT. They were the reason that we stopped for a real lunch on the way here, and a real dinner vs. just fast food. They were sooo good. Seriously the trip down exceeded my expectations. Now I'm a smidge nervous for the drive back. We plan on buying some more new DVDs so that they're entertained. This DVD player is seriously worth its weight in gold, or something else highly expensive and worth lots of moolah! It's amazing.

Excuse Owen's crazy eyes in this one. Here's how the boys rode.


We've been able to see a handful of people since getting here late Saturday night. Sunday morning we went up to visit Grandma Ann and Al and the boys. Our boys had so much fun running around and seeing the neighbor's new chickens. Sunday night, my parents had dinner ready, Thanksgiving, yum! And we were able to see Aunt Angee and Aunt Jess and Preston. It was the first time either of them had met little Owen. Sunday night, Owen was a little fevery and a lot drooly. I'm betting he's teething hard core. So I gave him his first big boy bath. He looooved it.



Tuesday afternoon the boys and I drove out to see Carly. Owen needed to meet his little BFF.
Little Linc and Owen are just one week apart. I was so bummed and jealous when Carly went into labor at 38 weeks, and I was STILL pregnant. We were due the same day. The boys are almost the exact same size, Owen's a little bigger, I think.


The bigs, her kids are almost the same age as mine, had a picnic.


Look at this smile. Such a sweet boy.


And check out Carly's view! AMAZING!


Wednesday, the boys and I ventured up to Walmart to get some supplies, groceries, and of course, Diet Dr Pepper. Then while they napped for almost 4 hours!!!!! I went to visit with my old friend Shanda. She loved on Owen, and we were able to catch up. It was so nice.

Yesterday, the boys and I went down to my old stomping grounds, the Super Mall! Tere'sh a new bouncy place that was super fun, and Julian and Gabe went up and down the slide countless times. They played so well with Oliver and Tavin, and I was shocked to see how big little Jack is. I mean, I know. He's 1 now, but wow!

There's definitely something to be said about the Pacific Northwest. I'd almost forgotten what mountains look like until we were passing through them in South Dakota. It's SO green here. But with all of the trees and green comes allergens, which most of us are suffering with.

Barry's enjoying his rotation, though not the Washington traffic. Luckily he's going opposite the flow, and not hitting it to bad. He's been seriously spoiled by this year's rotations, I think.

Julian Turns FOUR (AKA Washington Part Deux)

As you know, (or should by now) Julian is addicted to chocolate. Seriously. Chocolate was his first word. Caco is what he used to call it. So it shouldn't be a big surprise that he wanted a CHOCOLATE birthday cake.
Thank you Safeway bakery for the deliciousness.


This? This is what four looks like. (And why I gave him a bath BEFORE cake/ice cream? I don't know.)


I'm not sure what he's more excited about at this point. Fire, and blowing out the candles or cake :)


Julian and his BFF Grandma (PS Mom, he said when you come to Iowa, you have to stay here FOREVER.)


Siiiiinging


Blowing out the candles and making a wish!


We were supposed to go to the bouncy place for Julian's birthday, with his cousins, Brandon and Carter, but my kids got this random cough/cold/allergy thing, that never really went away. Annoying! So instead, we played Little Big Planet, watched movies, probably went to the store. Oh! We went to Mexican. Where Julian and Gabe had Mac & Cheese and FRENCH FRIES. At a Mexican restaurant! Who's kids are they? I do remember Gabe dipping his chips in salsa though! (That's my boy!)

Oh Thursday, the 18th, I was able to go up to Carly's house, and get my hair did.
Kind of a crazy picture. My mom took it.


My parents had an awards event to go to on Thursday night.
Look how cute! My dad won an award for his building! He actually had two buildings nominated in the same category. Now that's a Monopoly I can live with :)


Gabe LOVES to take peekurs (pictures)


Gabe attacking my mom with stickers!


And Julian and Preston watching Tom and Jerry. (Yeah the old school cartoon! They looooove it!)

Washington Trip Part One

So I've been home from Washington for 2 weeks now. That should be enough time to catch up on laundry, finish unpacking the house, get all settled in, right? Too bad it's not. I'm procrastinating, and blogging :)

So. I found out that I was officially pregnant on Monday March 1st. I knew that we were going to Washington the following Saturday, so I made plans to announce my pregnancy to my parents. I'd found these adorable Big Brother shirts at TJ Maxx for $5 each the week before. (I'm an optimist, I knew I'd be pregnant eventually...) So I bought them, and planned on the boys wearing them on the plane.

The boys did great on the two planes. The first leg was from Des Moines to Minneapolis. A nice 45 minute flight. We got there on time. It was great. Just long enough to keep them interested, and not so long that they got bored. We got off the plane, and ran to our next gate, and that was the leg I was worried about. About 4 hours. Stuck. On a plane. With my kids. So we got some cookies and drinks from the airport gift shop (Why doesn't the airport sell pepsi products? I'm not a Coke fan, anymore. And I really wanted a diet Pepsi.) and boarded our plane. The boys, amazingly enough, fell asleep right before take off. And slept for about an hour. Then they got wiggly. But it was all ok. They must have done well because a lady two rows back looked at us shocked and said, "I had no idea kids were even up here. They're good." And this cute old man said they were well behaved.

So. We landed in Seattle. Julian swore he saw Grandma's house as we were flying over the sound. And we were as far away from baggage claim as humanely possible. We rode the train, which I think was the highlight of the experience for the boys. And met my parents at baggage claim. I had tried lugging both suitcases, the stroller and my boys, but it didn't work. So we just waited.

Gabe, who is typically very shy and reserved was SO excited to see Grandma and Grandpa. He immediately started talking, which is very unlike him, but definitely welcome. Julian ran to my mom and gave her a huge hug (Dad too!)


You can see how OK Gabe is. No tears, nothing! I was proud of him!

It took a while for my parents to get the whole "Big Brother" thing. Julian even told my mom as we were walking to the car, "I'm going to have a baby sister." (I told you, he says it's a sister. And that's it.)

As soon as we got to Grandma and Grandpas, the boys went outside and played in the sandbox with Grandpa. Julian also managed to sweet talk Grandpa into some ice cream


Looks like G got some too!


We went up to Winco, where my little sister Jessica, works. We visited her for a bit, got some essentials, fruit snacks, sour patch kids, Easter candy. The usual. And then went back down to my mom's.

Saturday afternoon, my BFF Stacy, the fabulous photographer had her third baby. Ewan Jack. I'd told her that he should wait for his auntie, and she didn't like that idea. But that's exactly what he did :)

Sunday morning, Carly (My other BFF who is a fabulous hair stylist) went up to the hospital to visit her.


It's a good thing I was already pregnant at this point, or he? He would make me want another baby.

Carly and I went to Applebees, without kids. It was amazing. We were totally on a date, and shared an appetizer, buffalo wings (which seriously the thought of now, makes me want to vomit. Crazy pregnancy), a burger, which was realllllly good, and a blondie brownie for desert. (Sooo that's where the 8 lbs I gained over vacation came from.)

Then my family came down Sunday afternoon. Insert part one of the Preston/Gabe feud. They don't love each other. Preston loves Julian. Julian tolerates Preston, until he hits/pushes/punches Gabe. Then he gets all big brother.

Jess and Gabe


Cheeseball


That's all I'm going to post for Part One. Tune in for Part Two. Maybe tomorrow? I'm still uploading pictures...it's been an hour. The boys are revolting. Gabe turned off Dora. :)

PS I put up a poll. What do you think?? Boy or Girl for Palizzi #3?

Tuesday's Adventures

Today started out a little rougher than usual. Julian was having a rough time. I think he's not so used to having cousins around all the time, and having to stick up for himself and his little brother most of the time! :)

We went to Draper to meet a really sweet friend, Becky! She works for goodmama. Like an idiot, I forgot my camera in the car, and didn't take any pictures. All I can say is that she's amazingly sweet and that Julian has a major crush! (Watch out JOSH!!)

We then went to Ikea, and I totally miss having one. The nearest one is in Minneapolis, I think, so next time we need furniture, we're totally making the trip! We had a delicious lunch, where Gabriel devoured an entire cup of macaroni and cheese and a kids meatball meal! Holy moley! Julian preferred to eat a 'juicy sammich' which is one of those Uncrustables? He seriously loves them.

Becky is so sweet and bought Julian a tea set. For those of you that don't know, he has been wanting a tea set for the longest time. I have no objections to him owning/playing with a tea set, I just however, didn't want him to play with a 100% pink girly princess tea set. Something a bit more gender neutral is more my cup-o-tea. This is the tea-set she bought him.
He's seriously even more in love now! :)


Here is a picture of Julian, Gabriel and their cousin Ashley, having a 'tea party' :) Thankfully, this time the tea was fake!




After we left Ikea, we drove around Lehi. It was weird to be in Lehi, but knowing that Kristy wasn't there. We drove to the cemetery to visit her grave. I'd seen pictures of her gravestone, but never in real life.



This is a poem written by Kristy


Crazy Julian

Little G

Cute picture of Gabe and Barry


Shortly after we got to the cemetery, Julian said he had to go peepee so so so bad. So we stayed for a few minutes and then headed to Target. So recently, our portable DVD player died. When I say died, I mean that the battery, despite having been charged for at least 24 hours, will only play for less than 10 minutes before dying. So the drive over from Iowa (14 + hours of DRIVING) was a little rough. We did end up buying Bendaroos for J, which actually worked really well in the distraction department. One of Julian's cousins has this cool toy called a Leapster 2. We decided to buy this thing for Julian for the drive back. It's sitting in my trunk, just waiting for our drive home. We also got him the UP game to go with it. I like that it's educational, and will keep him busy.

After Target, we went to my favorite restaurant in the world. Now, some of you might say that Culver's is my favorite restaurant. Well it's not. Cafe Rio is by far my favorite place to eat in the entire world.
If you are ever near a Cafe Rio, please, please please, eat a pork barbacoa salad with extra cilantro lime house dressing for me!



Julian loved the kids quesadilla (how it's different from the ones I make at home, I don't know? Probably the fresh tortilla?) Anyway, he ate the whole thing!!



Poor Gabe-sacked out. He totally didn't know what he was missing.

Salt Lake City

The fam, in front of the Christus statue. Absolutely breath-taking.


The Castle, also known as, the Salt Lake City Temple. Also breathtaking! Julian was pretty convinced that Sleeping Beauty was resting peacefully at the top of the castle :)


My cool dude.


Gabriel was not so convinced. He didn't enjoy it so much.


The little crazy. So funny in his sunglasses!!



Me & the boys in front of the temple :)


Fun


I love it!

Julian being a 'skater' :) Super cute!

Trip to Utah

Gabe, playing at the park with his cousins



Bryant




Ashley






An AWESOME sign/town we found in Wyoming. Holler! ( Population 1!!!!)


The crazy boys :)