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!