March Round-Up

The month of March was a busy and fun month.  We had another group of visitors from NE and some other little happenings that kept us busy and entertained.  Here's a recap of our March days.



Gracie posed in Grandma Linda's Valentine's Day outfit to her.  She now calls it her Minnie Mouse clothes :)

Hand on the hip action

Hand on the cheek action

Uncle AJ and his friend Jared came to visit us on the tiny island at the beginning of March.  They stayed for a week because they were on spring break.  We had a blast showing them around and seeing the island life.

First day they were here, we took them to Ko'Olina.  Talk about windy!  It was chilly and breezy but Gracie was the bravest one and went in the water anyways.  She is so dang adventurous...not like me at all!

Tide is much higher than when we first came to Ko'Olina.  You used to be able to sit in sand near where Justin and Gracie are.  Now you'd be shin deep in the water.

Paradise Cove and Hidden Lagoon

Buried in the sand

We also had a few game nights.  Justin and I got smoked in poker one night...should 17 year-olds be able to out-do adults in poker??  Something is wrong here.

Gracie wanted to join in on the fun.

Justin took the boys to the Makapu'u Lighthouse Hike.  This is the same hike that Justin took Tina and Brandon on when they visited back in November.

There's the lighthouse

In the military bunker

We did another beach day where it was much warmer outside.  The boys did a bit of snorkeling and Gracie played in the sand and water.

We definitely enjoyed having the boys visit and see things that you don't normally see in Nebraska.  We hope they are able to make their way back before our time is up here!



Here's a little project I completed for Gracie.  The baby crib was a gift from Justin's great uncle and great aunt.  Their daughters and grandchildren had played with it when they were all younger.  They had asked us if we wanted it for Gracie.  We gladly accepted and it came with us to Hawaii.  Since it is an older piece, I wanted to give it an update look so I attempted my first DIY (do-it-yourself) furniture spray paint job. It was a lot more work than I expected but I think that's because I have a large growing baby in my tummy.

Sanded, taped and ready for primer

Primed

Yellow baby crib complete!

My next step for this little crib is to make a new blanket, "mattress" and pillow.  I just need to learn how to sew.  Ha it may take me a few years to have it officially complete...hopefully she still plays with it then :)



I joined a mom's group in March to try to fill up our calendar with fun things for Gracie to do while we are in Hawaii.  I get bored at home, and I know she does as well.  MOM'S Club has playgroups, beach days, field trips, and mom activities for us to join in on.  Our first outing with them was to the Discovery Center (like the Children's Museum...just not as cool.)  Even though I like the one in Omaha better, Gracie didn't notice anything different.  She had a blast!  She danced on staged, played with lights, drove a fire truck, and checked out the human body.  She loved playing doctor too!

Dancing on stage to the music

She asked me to take a picture with the nutcracker guy.  What a peach!

I actually have a picture with her head in each character because she wanted one with each person.  I liked this one the best! :)

Ahoy Matey!

Absolutely one of my favorite pictures of her.

Afterwards, we walked up to the Kaka'ako Beach Park for a picnic with some of the moms and their kids.  This was our first picnic ever.  I don't know why it has taken us so long to do a simple picnic but it has.  Gracie had so much fun and was so interested in what I packed in our lunch cooler for us.  She sat so nicely and ate her lunch like such a big girl.  Some days I look at her and can't believe how big she is and how much she has grown.  This was one of those days.

This park has a gorgeous view of the ocean and was so breezy to make it a perfect picnic spot.

Trying not to have her picture taken.

Gracie loves playing in the garage with Daddy's tools, and she also loves to randomly do burpees.  These pictures are all from the Warrior Dash Day.  Justin competed in the Warrior Dash for the first time.  Gracie and I hung out at home.  I wish we would have made it but I didn't know what to expect with a toddler and mud everywhere.  So we cheered for Daddy from home then celebrated when he got home.

Hanging out with Mommy at home

Matt and Justin after finishing the Warrior Dash

One of the muddy obstacles

The Dahdals

The Adams

Gracie: Warrior Princess

Then, I celebrated my 28th birthday on the 25th with my Hawaiian girlfriends.  They took me out to dinner and to the beach to watch the sunset.  Mexican food, cupcakes, beautiful friends and view were a perfect way to celebrate this year.  Thanks girls for everything!

Sunset at Ko'Olina

On the 26th, my actual birthday, we celebrated at home.  Gracie and Daddy made me Chocolate Chunk Brownies!  My favorite thing...chocolate, chocolate with more chocolate!

As I mentioned in my last post, my best friends, Emily and Charlie, had their baby girl on March 31st.  Here is the newly born cutie...Tenley Katherine Krebs.  So happy for you guys!

On this same day, my big bro also competed in the Guns and Hoses Boxing Challenge.  I was already pretty emotional about missing Tenley's birth and her parents and then we watched my brother fight online.  I was a nervous wreck!  It's so different watching that sport when you actually know the person behind the gloves.  It also didn't help that his opponent was ripped beyond belief and had tried out for the NFL as a linebacker.  Um, yea, let's just say thank God it ended before the first round was over.  I could barely watch it.  Yes, I even teared up because he lost and because I was so scared for him.  FYI, he did his best and we were proud of him for not backing out.  He's a fighter!  Check out the link for more info on the challenge. :)

Night before the fights...feeling like a champ :)

The weigh-in

Both of these emotional happenings were the same night as our friend Karena's birthday party.  This was our take of Corks N Canvas.  We do not have anything like this on the island so we created our own.  (Add this to the list of things Oahu doesn't have LOL)

Table set up

Painting the night away

The instructor's painting, aka, mine.

My artsy, fartsy baby girl 

Finished products!  Happy Birthday Karena!

March really flew by and we are looking forward to what April has to bring us.  So far, it's been pretty good.  Plus a few more weeks till baby boy is here!!