This is August? Really?!?!? That can't possibly be right! We are over half of the way through 2012; I'm two-thirds of the way through pregnancy number three; Murphy Girl is two months away from turning two; and it's been over a month since my last entry? 2012 has been a whirlwind to say the least. So, despite the fact that I have attempted several incomplete blog drafts over the past six weeks, I'm just going to scratch them all and create a summary of life with the Lewellens in these Salad Days.
Back in the spring, we began toying with the idea of moving our family to Charlotte, North Carolina: the city where my husband and I met and began the little romance that would blossom into a family and a life. Once the idea-toying became a full fledged this-is-really-gonna-happen planning, life got a little nutty. Between swim lessons and gymnastics classes and wrapping up the school year and growing a baby and just keeping up with life, I went into overdrive finding a school for the girls and an OB for me (the idea of having a third c-section with an unfamiliar doctor still scares me!) And then, came the itty bitty project of finding a home in which we could become settled in time for the girls to start school in the fall and so all of us to get somewhat comfy before the baby arrives.
After months of online searching and a weekend visit to Charlotte for a jam-packed weekend of house searching with our realtor did not yield a house that we loved, we began to consider renting for a year or so. At first the idea of renting (which we'd just done for five years in Denver), was not at all appealing to either Lindsay or me. After some evaluating, though, we decided it was actually a great idea and would relieve us from the pressure of making such a big purchase on a limited time period. In mid-June, we found the perfect rental house, and what I'd thought had been a crazy month of planning turned out to be easy compared to the month that would proceed the big move. We began pricing and arranging movers, making plans for the doggies,  and working through the logistics of the actual move. Spreadsheets were created, phone calls for connects and disconnects were made, and boxes were packed. And packed. And packed. Our move date was set for July 19, and this little idea began to feel very, very real.
On the weekend prior to our move, our dear friends, Nick and Wendy, hosted the most wonderful going away party for us. The party was a perfect break from all the packing and planning, and we were grateful that they created a place where we could say goodbye to those who'd helped to make our life complete during our years in Denver.

Nick and Wendy have such a talent for hosting;

the spread was a treat for the eyes and the taste buds!

No detail was overlooked... 

including Southern Sweet Tea.

The menu of the homemade salsas and sauces

that accompanied Lindsay's taco bar.

And, in my honor, a candy buffet 

with all of my favorite sweets.

(custom artwork by Nick)

Their backyard provided 

the perfect setting for a perfect evening.

I regret that we didn't get any pictures of all the people who made the farewell gathering so special, but needless to say, it was an evening that we'll cherish and fondly reminisce upon when thinking of our final Denver days. 

The four days following the party were full of final play dates, enjoying a few of our favorite Denver spots a final time, and generally staying out of the already packed house.  

On Monday, Murphy went to a playdate with her BFF, Edie, 

and Carter and I had a special big girls' morning at the pool.

Later that afternoon, we had a final playdate with Nick and Wendy's boys. 

This brought the first of many tears shed with each 'goodbye' over the next few days. 

Tuesday involved a playdate for Carter with Marin (Edie's big sis), a final Denver OB appointment (24 weeks) for me (yes, I cried there, too... I LOVED my doctor!) and one last trip to the pool which had been a staple of our Denver summer activities.

Wednesday began with a breakfast date with Ms. Amy and Nora who was Carter's first ever girlfriend. Lindsay and I knew from the moment we spotted sweet doe-eyed Nora Belle in the nursery at church that she and our Pookie were destined to be buds. I didn't get a picture of the event (and we missed Char Char!) but fun was had and tears, again, filled my eyes as the date ended. That afternoon, Tessa, who was our sitter for year following Murphy's birth, drove up from Colorado Springs for a final visit. 

I'll always remember Tessa's love for the girls

 and her determination (and eventual success) at getting my Murphy to take a bottle. 

Bright and early on the Thursday morning, the moving truck pulled up and the four movers came busting in like gangbusters. Fortunately I'd arranged for our sitter to keep the girls occupied elsewhere for the day, so Lindsay and I were able to finish up last minute packing as the fellas got us loaded up. The day was not stress free, but it did go fairly smoothly. (For the sake of honesty, I must interject that at around 1:30 PM, I got hit with a migraine that forced me to retreat to the darkness of an empty closet until the medicine could kick in. This, I would consider, a slight moving day glitch.) Just as the last items were being loaded into the truck, Aunt Kiki popped by for the send off. 

Just after 4:00 PM, we loaded up the car,

waved goodbye to 2670 South Pennsylvania Street,

and began the 1500 mile journey that would lead us home. 

It looks like my attempt at creating a 'summary of life' only leads us to our newest beginning. Please do try to contain your excitement as my next blog entry will provide what is sure to be an entertaining highlight reel of the Lewellen Family cross country road trip adventure! 

PS...AND, I'm only putting this in print in my own attempt at some accountability, but I'm setting a goal to write at least one blog every week ten days until the bambino arrives. Let's just say, I've been a touch hormonal lately, and I think the writing will help maintain my sanity (and that of my husband who has felt the wrath of actually using the word 'crazy' to describe his pregnant wife.)

Beating the Heat... Our Great Escape!

June in Denver caught me by surprise this year. A month that is normally comprised of warm (not hot) days and perfectly crisp evenings, featured the highest temperatures in the city's history, five consecutive days in which the temperatures soared to over 100, evenings that did not involve a cool down, and an unusual infestation of mosquitos (in our backyard, at least.)  When this unusual heat wave coincided with an annual visit from one of our favorite little friends, fun plans had to be reevaluated. (There is nothing fun about spending a day at an amusement park in 100 degree heat.)
Luckily, Lilly was visiting for two weeks, and the first week of her visit offered moderately pleasant temperatures, and allowed for several days of fun, outdoor activities.

My three girls having some backyard fun.

Turned on the backyard sprinkler 

for a late afternoon cool-down.

Post-sprinkler relaxation.

In addition to water fun in our own backyard, we also spent a 

couple afternoons at the pool.

During the first weekend of Lilly's visit, we enjoyed a cool evening 

with a backyard bonfire where we roasted marshmallows and told spooky stories.

(Murphy Girl was in bed and missed out on the fun.)

Father's Day Eve.

Murphy was fascinated by Lilly's braces on her teeth and her toes.

I would often spot this scene in the review mirror.

Following a yummy breakfast at Syrup, 

we spent a lovely morning at Observatory Park.

Carter was so happy to have a partner for her tree climbing expedition.

Lilly's visit also coincided with my 20 week ultrasound, and we all took a field trip to see glimpses of our new little love. I loved sharing this day with all my best girls (and, of course, my baby daddy.)

Carter, waiting for the ultrasound to begin;

Big Bird, sequestered, because, per Carter's diagnosis,

 he had a bad habit and may have been contagious.

It wasn't long before we were introduced to this sweet face.

(But did not preview any private parts!)

After the ultrasound, we had a yummy lunch at HBurger.

Carter was happy to provide the entertainment 

(yes, she's dancing on a table. yes, that's a pole.)

while we enjoyed a post-lunch treat in Cherry Creek.

We were all impressed with Lilly's duck tape crafting skills.

Here's Carter THRILLED with the purse Lilly made for her.

The big girls enjoyed a trip to the zoo with Nanny 

while I took Murphy to a doctor's appointment.

Lilly is such a lover of life! 

Her enthusiasm is contagious.

When the second weekend of Lilly's visit came around, we decided to take the bonfire up a notch and put up the tent for a camp out. The high temperature on that Saturday was 104, and, though we waited for things to 'cool off' before starting the fire, it was still pretty darn miserable outside. We roasted our hotdogs but had to eat them in the zipped tent to avoid being eaten alive by all the mosquitoes. 

These three had planned to sleep outside,

but when Carter 'freaked out' (her words) and began screaming,

'Get out! Quickly! Quickly' as a mosquito was nibbling on her eyelid,

they retreated to the coolness of the house.

On Sunday morning, we went to Pajama Brunch at Second Home. 

After breakfast, Carter proved that she has officially become a Colorado Tree Hugger.

This brings us to day nine of Lilly's two week visit, and to the middle of the freakish heat wave. When we got home that Sunday afternoon, I realized that, in addition to all of our run of the mill fun, we'd also been to JumpStreet, two kids' movies, and The Museum of Nature and Science to name a few excursions. After this evaluation and then my looking ahead to the following week, I decided an escape was in order!

The next morning, I tackled a few must-do tasks and packed the suitcases while Lilly made some darling little mini-cupcakes. 

Judging by my poor Pookie's eye and face, 

she definitely needed a break from those mosquitoes!

We loaded up the car and stopped for gas just a mile or so from home, and I saw this:

I knew this escape was a wise decision.

(In case you forgot, I live in Denver. Colorado. And, this is JUNE.)

In wasn't long before, Murphy Girl drifted off to dreamland,

and Carter quickly got settled with her IPad and her 'ear muffs.'

Lilly watched a movie on her IPhone, and Nanny napped. I snacked on Cheeto's Naturals and enjoyed the scenic drive to Breckenridge.

I got us all checked in and the girls hopped 

on our luggage card for a ride up to our fourth floor condo.

The weather was perfect, upper 70's, so we walked into town for an early dinner and then spent the evening at the pool and then relaxing in our room. Tuesday morning everyone slept in, that altitude is the baby whisper, and then we all headed to the Breckenridge Fun Park for a day of Colorado-ish summer fun. 

On the gondola heading up the mountain.

The only picture of me with all three. Blurry. Boo.

Since Murphy is a baby, and I'm carrying a baby, 

she and I kept ourselves entertained while the other gals

participated in some of the more adventurous activities.

Murphy is currently in the midst of a major rock obsession, 

and this spot provided her with her ideal form of entertainment.

Pookie LOVED the pony ride,

and Lilly was happy that they let her ride, too.

When Murphy resigned to the floor and basically demanded that both big girls tickle 

(Tittle! Tittle!) 

her, we decided that it was probably time for her to head back to the condo for a nap.

So stoked to get both a ball and a club in her favorite color,

but bummed when lightening cut our game short.

Waiting out the storm by the Thunder Coaster.

Love this expression when a big thunder boom 

and lightening bolt surprised them.

Lilly at the coaster's end. 

The coaster was SO FUN and even safe for the lady with the bump! I rode it twice with Carter and loved hearing my little thrill seeker shout 'Faster! Faster!' with each twist and turn. Following the afternoon storm, the temperature reading on my phone displayed a cool 66 degrees. 

My lil gymnast's favorite activity of the day. 

Despite barely making the minimum weight she ROCKED it, 

and quickly impressed onlookers with her backflip! 

Following a super fun and exhausting day, we headed back the condo where Nanny had dinner all ready. I was again reminded of the wise decision to leave Denver when I realized that after dinner, we could just leave the dishes for the next day's cleaning crew! After dinner, we headed down to the heated pool for a swim in the crisp mountain air. 

Love this happy girl!

Perfect ending to our girls' getaway!

The Murph is The Murph no matter the setting.

Her frequent lounging makes mastering the backfloat a breeze.

Keeping Warm.

Murphy Girl slept later than all of us on Wednesday morning (till 10 AM!), and we took our time checking out and heading back to the city. I would say, our mountain escape was just what we all needed to beat the Denver heat and enjoy our final few days with Lilly. When we got back to Denver, the sky was overcast and the weather was a tad cooler. Lilly had a couple final requests for her last day in Colorado including trips to her favorite toy store and an awesome candy shop. The evening was pleasant and we were able to enjoy the backyard again. (And, thanks to a tip from Pops, a mixture of vanilla and water finally seemed to keep the mosquitoes off my sweet girl!)

There it is: a synopsis, mostly of the photographic nature, of our Great Escape!

This and That

Admittedly, I'm in a bit of a funk. I've said before that I find writing cathartic, and today, though I have no real topic in mind, I just feel like writing. It would probably serve me well to engage in some sort of physical activity, like yoga or even just brisk walking, to achieve this feeling. Yet, here I sit in the center of Cherry Creek Mall, sipping a Nordy's Mocha Ice Storm and munching on strawberries, exerting energy of only the mental variety. I'll warn you: there's no rhyme, reason, or cohesive flow to what you're about to read. Here goes... 

A few months ago I ordered some amazing (amazing=super soft=super cozy=not inexpensive) sheets for our guest room. They turned out to be too small for the bed, but returning them to the online site from which I ordered them wasn't possible. They have been laying on the desk in the playroom since February as I was trying to decide what to do with them (gift them? donate them?). They are now being used as the covering to a pirate fort constructed by Carter in the backyard; at least they are being put to good use, I suppose.

I've decided that if I ever find myself with so much money that I have no idea what to do with it, I will employee a person to complete one simple task: applying self-tanner to my entire body every night before I go to bed. I so prefer to look at my usually pasty skin when it's glistening thanks to a nice coating of the gold in a bottle, but I just don't have the patience or energy to do it myself at night. Applying it during the day isn't an option, obviously: no doubt I would end up stamped with thigh-level Murphy handprints. Besides, when on earth would I be able to remain unclothed during the kiddos' waking hours for the 20 minutes it take the stuff to dry?

Why do adults tell children that something 'won't hurt' or 'doesn't hurt' when it obviously will or does? I observed a little girl getting her ears pierced (one at a time) the other day, and was disgusted at the adults- both of her parents as well as the piercing gal-telling the wailing child that the experience was not painful. As I witnessed the scene, I thought of shooting some sort of dart through each of their heads. Jerks.

Lately, all I want to eat is tomatoes/tomato based items (but, interestingly, not tomato sauce.) I'm not sure if this is a pregnancy craving or just a summer one, but I'm obsessing non-stop about caprese salad and bruschetta. I'm often disappointed when my mental idea of these mini-meals is far more tasty than the real deal. I continue to be let down with the quality and freshness of the tomatoes or the minimal amount of mozzarella. I know I should just head to Whole Foods and pick up some premium products to make my own at home... Hey! maybe the self-tanner-applier-person could keep my fridge stocked with perfectly sliced tomatoes, fragrant basil, and fresh mozzarella???

Yesterday, my mom sent me several random texts throughout the day... ranging from her thoughts on the obesity problem in American to her observations of shopping with men. I sent her a texted 'smiley face' and told her that I loved her 'stream of consciousness' texts; bet she didn't know she'd inspire me to write a blog about nothing. 

It Is Well with My Soul

The popular saying 'Confession is good for the soul,' is familiar to most folks. When I began thinking about this blog post, I did a quick Google search of the quote and discovered something interesting. The original proverb stated, 'Open confession is good for the soul.' Well, the inclusion of this single word made my intended entry all the more appropriate. How could confession be more open than when being expressed via the world wide web?
The proceeding confessions are coming from the voice of a full time stay at home Mommy of two girls, ages 4 and 19 months. I'm also 15 weeks along in my third pregnancy, and, incidentally, my husband spends the majority of the 'work week' in another state. I wish I could say that I'm managing this Mommy Business with total grace and ease, but lately this has just not been the case.
If I were Catholic, I suppose I would begin this list with, 'Forgive me, father, for I have sinned,' (at least this is what I've seen in the movies.) However, since I am not, I will just get down to the business of confession...

• I haven't cooked a real meal for my children in the past two months... Early pregnancy all day nausea + pregnancy and non-pregnancy induced exhaustion + somewhat picky eaters + not having my hubby here for dinner + my own all day long continuous snacking = A Mommy who'd prefer to go out to dinner or serve up some variety of Annie's Mac and Cheese for the kids while I dine on cereal and cookies after they are tucked in bed.
• I don't always mind when my kids are 'bad'... Of course, I'm not proud of the behavior and wish that my angels were always angels, but let's face it, when the kiddos act up there are consequences: consequences that I choose. An appropriate consequence for arguing with Mommy or pushing little sis, could be early bedtime for Carter (which, in turn, means early bedtime for Mommy.) Random acts of violence on the part of Miss Murphy could lead to some calm-down time in her crib (which leads to a 10 minute break for Mommy in which I may actually be able to check my email or even apply a bit of makeup!) 
• I often manipulate help Carter get a treat on her mind just so I can indulge... Ice cream after school, a cupcake from a local bakery, a slice of cake after dinner, something fun from the candy shop... these are all confections that I crave. However, I feel a tad less guilty about indulging when I'm doing it for the kids. I would not likely make a special trip to Whole Foods just for my most favorite angel food cake, but when my darling lil four year old comes up with the idea, how could I possibly say no?
• I sometimes have ulterior motives when I suggest a trip for penny throwing in the fountain... I've not been secretive about the fact that I do not especially enjoy many kid friendly activities. I'm lucky, though, that my girlies love a field trip to the mall and have a great time tossing pennies into the fountain. So, on a rainy day (who am I kidding? it could just as easily be a sunny day) I'll suggest this activity just so I can swing by J. Crew or Anthropologie for some mid-week retail therapy. 
• I've had a babysitter come just so I can catch up on shows on my DVR list... Look, with the kids being bonkers and the hubby being gone and the belly being, well, big, sometimes I just need a break. I don't always have errands to run or appointments to keep, but a break is needed nonetheless. Now and then on these days, I'll simply welcome the sitter and slip into my bedroom for a little me time of the television variety. To add to this confession, I am actually doing so at this very moment though blogging is taking the place of TV viewing. 

This list could go on and on and on, but I must say that I already have a nice refreshing feeling in my soul having gotten these sins off my chest. Perhaps this open confession will become a regular part of my blog.

If you'd like a place to bare your soul, feel free to use the comments section of my blog... you'll be shocked at how good it feels!