Do Day 2017

This past weekend Derrick and I found ourselves with nothing on the calendar until Sunday evening at 5:00. This has happened maybe zero times ever! Derrick's suggestion was to make it a productive day and just get stuff done.

He was seriously speaking my love language there. I'm a doer and I always have been. In college, my two co-captains dubbed me as the doer for their ideas. They came up with the plan/idea and I made it happen. Derrick is less of a doer than I am. We have a pretty good system going at our house but it was seriously the most amazing idea and thoughtful suggestion ever. He knew that I would love it. A full day of both of us getting crap done around the house.

We dubbed it Do Day and I hope we have more!

Do Day 2017 consisted of:

Laundry- all of it including putting it away
Putting all of our luggage away (from Hawaii....seriously)
Walking Crosby to get breakfast
Him mowing the lawn while I finished mulching
Taking a huge load to the dump- craft room clean out and recent furniture delivery boxes
A trip to Lowes (for more mulch and screws)
Installing the new shelf in dining room (post coming soon)
Making all the guest beds (Jack and friends stayed last week so all the sheets were washed)
Writing an offer
Signing up for our childbirth class
Calling the warranty on our fridge
Labeling all the discs for our team party

It's funny because our house doesn't look too much cleaner but I guess that makes sense because we didn't really clean. We just did all these nagging little things that needed to be done.

Happy Do Day! I hope you Do Day too!

Kitchen Explosion

I had a total DIY fail a couple weeks ago. I have wanted to change out the light fixtures in our house for a while. They are all super basic and part of the builder's lighting packages so everything looks super generic. I think light fixtures are an easy way to make your house look more custom without a huge expense. 

I say easy but we've been here for almost three years and this is only the second one we've switched out. I have my eye on the dining room next so we'll see how long before I tackle that one. 

Here's the original kitchen light. 

It was fine but I think it was too small for the space and really kind of boring. I found a couple options that I really liked but this corner is already pretty busy with the painted chairs, copper curtain rods, and patterned curtains so I decided we better stay pretty simple.

I ordered a simple linen drum shade from West Elm and it sat in the box in our dining room for about a month. When we got back from Hawaii I found the motivation to install it. Installing light fixtures really isn't that hard. Like wires to like wires and make sure it's grounded. Except when I flipped our electricity back on....boom! I sprinted to the breaker box to turn it off and unscrewed the fixture...I was pretty nervous there was an active fire in the ceiling. Luckily it was just a bunch of smoldering wires and some black burn marks.

As a realtor, I have a good relationship with an electrician and they squeezed me in at 8:30 the next morning. The electrician had it up in 30 minutes and he told me I had done everything right except a few stray pieces of wire were touching each other that shouldn't have been. He just told me to make sure I get the entire exposed wire covered and/or electric taped next time.

Live and learn. I'm going to attempt the dining room on my own although I might make sure Derrick is home this time. I really like how the drum looks in the kitchen though. It's really substantial and neutral enough to live with everything else going on.

If I hadn't had to pay for the electrician this would have been a $150 upgrade...not bad for a fixture that size in my opinion!

The Baby Update

It's still crazy to think I'm having a baby. We are so excited but it hasn't always felt real up to this point. This morning was the first time I woke up and really felt like I had a bump although most people probably wouldn't notice so I think it will start to feel more real with each passing week. For now though, I'm trying really hard to cherish this time as just the two of us because after November it will never be just the two of us again.  I figured I'd do this first big update and answer all of the FAQ's I'm getting and then I'll just check in weekly or so with a quick update. 

How Far along are you? 
We're 15 weeks and 5 days today although Derrick argues we might be 16 weeks today. I don't think the accuracy matters all that much. We flip to the next week sometime between Monday and Wednesday each week. 

What's your due date? 
November 1 according to the doctor but the ultrasound is measuring October 29 which is why Derrick counts it two days ahead. I think November is a great month for a birthday and I like the fact that it will be opposite of all of the other big events on the Marcey calendar. April, May, and June all have Derrick and my birthday and our anniversary almost exactly a month apart so something to celebrate in November will be nice.  If I could choose, I'd avoid the Halloween birthday but I know I'll be ready for him/her to be born by that time. October 27 is my Dad's birthday so that's a good date too!

When did you find out? 
February 15 is the day I got the first positive test. I remember showing Derrick and he, very gently, said: "Honey....I think there are supposed to be two lines." I'd known for over a week but could not get a positive test so I knew there were two lines, even if it was faint. He was a true believer two days later when I got a darker line.

What's the family think?
They are all super excited! Derrick's mom almost fainted in her chair and my mom couldn't stop staring at my stomach. Both families have been super supportive and excited....it's been fun to update them along the way and watch them be so happy about it.

How big is it?
Apparently we're the size of an eclaire, yellow canary, box of crayons, avocado, navel orange, or an apple. So...who knows?  Somewhere in that range.

Am I showing yet?
Yes but not that most people would notice. Derrick has been saying he can't tell....lier...and one of my best friends Alison has said yes, you definitely are, but not much. So, I think so but I don't wear a lot of tight clothes and I don't think anyone else would know at this point. This week was the first time I could feel something when I slept on my stomach and this morning was really the first morning that I woke up and really had a bump laying down. Derrick couldn't deny that one.

Symptoms?
I'm so sorry to everybody out there who have had crappy pregnancies! I've felt almost 100% normal the whole way through. Not a single twinge of nausea. No food aversions, although sometimes I just don't want to smell something anymore. I don't even think I've been very tired. If I sit down on the couch in the afternoon I could definitely nap but that's not really new. I do think my sense of smell is heightened a bit and there was one week were I got full really quickly but seriously, so far, it's been very easy for me.

Cravings?
I guess cheese? Although I've always loved cheese. Alison opened our fridge and burst out laughing because we have every style of cheese you can imagine in there right now. I guess that's a craving but it's not something I have to have so I'm not sure how to classify it. I've been looking for fried pickles this past week and I'll be excited when I find them but, again, if I don't get them I'll be fine. Is that how cravings work? I don't know.

Exercise?
No more frisbee :( Just because I can't control other people on the field and accidents happen. I've been walking a lot and playing pickleball at least a couple times a week. I plan to play pickleball for as long as I can.

Maternity Clothes?
Not yet but I got the sweetest package in the mail from my older brother Jay. He went shopping for me and sent me a whole basic wardrobe so I'll have plenty to choose from when I need them.  It was so unexpected and definitely a highlight of my pregnancy so far.

Sleep?
Fine for now...except my dreams are crazy.

Gender?
Yes...we're finding out at the end of May. I've had 3 gender dreams and they have all been inconclusive. I have no idea and not really a guess even.

What have we done to get ready?
NOTHING! Seriously...I thought I'd kick it into gear and want to knock everything out and get organized quickly but we haven't done a thing. We know what room will be the nursery so that's a start, right? Derrick has looked at a couple reviews/consumer reports for cribs, strollers, and car seats but we both feel like we have plenty of time. Registering is totally overwhelming...I've thrown a few things on it. The first thing I registered for was a pair of baby earphones so I can yell at my high school kids from the sidelines without waking him/her up. Priorities people!

Ok...that's a lot and probably really boring! Here's the latest picture but this was almost 8 weeks ago so picture this canary sized and that's where we're at now.

Last Hawaii Days

On one of our last days in Hawaii we finally checked off a trip bucket list item that I had. Drink something delicious out of a pineapple! I tried to get one at the resort and they didn't offer anything like that so we improvised and made our own at the house. 

We also finally caught a good sunset outside our house. The clouds had been blocking our view for most of the week but they finally cleared for one of our last nights.

We also saw a pretty sweet rainbow right in our backyard.  It clearly didn't photograph well but you can see it if you squint.

I didn't get many pictures of one of my favorite activities and that's because we were in a kayak for most of it. We booked a guided kayak tour to a hidden waterfall and it was so nice. The weather was so perfect, the hike was pretty, and it culminated with a swim at the bottom of a waterfall.

It was cold but not nearly as cold as the first waterfall we swam in. It felt good after a long kayak trip. 

On our next to last day we ventured to the other side of Kauai to the Waimea Canyon. It was a long drive but it was so worth it and so beautiful!

See the tiny waterfall in the distance?

 

 

Here's some perspective for you. Do you see that white dot just left of center? That's a helicopter!! Look how tiny it is!!!

We had a red-eye home which was pretty brutal. It meant we had a full day to kill before we had to board a series of flights. We traveled for a full 24 hours after we had been up all day. The last day we found a resort on the beach and borrowed some of their beach chairs and read all day. It was beautiful and the perfect way to chill on our last day.

Jay asked us if Hawaii is worth all the hype and Derrick and I both agree that it is. My two pieces of advice are go for a long time and splurge a little on your accommodations. We went for 17 days and that was our best decision. We felt so relaxed and we weren't thinking about how soon we had to go home.  We definitely splurged a bit on our housing but it made the trip feel so much more luxurious and special. You don't have to go crazy here but I think it really puts you in vacation mode if you're waking up in a place that feels a little more special than your average hotel.

I can't believe the Hawaii posts are done! Now it's on to a few house updates and baby, baby, baby!

Kauai Hikes

We did two pretty great hikes in Kauai. The first was called the Sleeping Giant and Derrick and I did a solo day trip to hike this one. It wasn't too strenuous for the most part although we did feel like we were rock climbing in two areas. 

 

It was mostly switch backs all the way to the top. When we got to the end there was an option to go a little farther for better views. It was a straight up rock scramble and probably my favorite part of the hike.

The views were different than our other hikes because we were looking out over a populated area but they were still gorgeous and worth every mile.

The other big hike we did was the Kalalau Trail and the Hanakapi'ai waterfall trail.

We Joel, Cat, and the boys went with us for the first mile and then Derrick and I ventured on alone to the falls. It was an 8 mile hike round trip but it was probably the least strenuous elevation wise. The only rough part was the uphill at the very end...brutal.

The second half of the trail included a lot of stream crossings which was pretty fun. We brought both chacos and hiking shoes so we switched back and forth throughout the hike. As we got closer to the waterfall there were some rock scrambles which is always fun.

The waterfall was amazing! It was huge and loud! There was a pool at the bottom that Derrick and I weren't planning on swimming in but then this family convinced us that it wasn't that cold. They were CRAZY! It was absolutely freezing! We made it underneath the falls and then swam back quick!

Derrick did stay in for a picture for me.

Here's a video of this last hike where you get to witness our swimming indecision!

This was definitely a highlight of the trip and our favorite hike!

Golden Cinco de Marcey

Today is our golden anniversary! Married for 5 years on 5/5. It has completely flown by and I feel like we've accomplished a lot in those 5 years. We're both in jobs we enjoy, we're homeowners, we bought two new (to us) cars, have a thriving 8.5 year old dog, and a baby on the way. Life's about to get a lot more hectic and hopefully a whole lot sweeter but I think I'll use this time between May and November to really soak up our last months of just being the two of us. I don't want to rush it. 

Happy Anniversary Derrick! Thanks for spoiling me every day! I'm the luckiest girl in the world!

Week Two in Kauai

We spent over two weeks in Hawaii and it was amazing!! The travel days are so brutal, I highly suggest taking that long so you get to really relax and have time to explore. My second recommendation is find somewhere nice to stay. We splurged on an amazing house with breathtaking views. I think it was totally worth it.

This is the view from the backyard. The sun set right over that right hand jut of land so we got a view every night....well, when the clouds cooperated.

Dinner spot because why would you ever eat inside here!

I don't think I got a picture of the gazebo but it was hidden in the back of the yard with a fire pit, comfy couches, and a perfect view onto the ocean.

The location worked out really well for us. The beach that you can see from the house is where the boys ended up at the end of every day because the boogie boarding was crazy. Derrick and I went down once and I got about four waves in before Derrick decided it wasn't safe. It was probably a good call....the waves were 15 feet tall....not much of an exaggeration, and Derrick ended up snapping the boogie board in half on one of his rides. 

We found a really cool, rocky hike that was pretty close to the house for our first day there. 

 

This part was kind of like the blow hole...it was a hollowed out area in the rock and the ocean would rise from below and fill it.

This was about the point the rest of the family headed back and Derrick and I ventured on for a little ways.  Walking along the lava rock was really cool because there were areas that were really shallow and then deeper areas but they all had fish and other life in them. There were a lot of crabs but I could never grab one on camera before they ran off.

This was the best part! This huge valley was cut into the rock and the ocean would rise and crash into it. It was very cool. I captured it on video so you could see it.

Kauai had a lot more hiking and adventuring! More posts to come!