How To Increase Home Value by 15-20% in One Week

Many people are asking about the renovation I posted on Instagram two weeks ago. In case you missed it, we added a bedroom to our home while we were away at Hawaii. We figured we might as well upgrade our home and increase our home value by 15-20% while away. With the second baby due November, our three-bedroom home could use a fourth. Mike works from home and we wanted each of our kids to have their own room while they are young and in different developmental stages. While that may sound frivolous to some, let me share why this is a good financial move for growing families who have the ability to make it happen.

The Previous Layout

When the house was built, the stairs leading to the second floor opened up a a 9 ft x 11 ft loft space. On the right is a hallway leading to three bedrooms. At the end of the hallway is a split. The master bedroom is on the left and two adjunct bedrooms are on the right. The guest bathroom is also to the right, making it easily accessible to both bedrooms.

Remember, this is a new build in Orange County, CA. The rooms are small. The smallest of them measured 10 ft x 10 ft. Despite the tiny space, the builders thought it would be best to include walk-in-closets in each room. Up until this point, we were using one of the bedrooms as Mike’s office since he works-from-home two days a week to be with Casey. It also doubles as a guest room. The other bedroom is Casey’s room. The loft was supposed to be a family room/play room upstairs.

However, as Casey became more mobile and active the loft became less safe. It faced the stairs which Casey always ran to. So we put up a baby gate. But now he can shake the baby gate so hard that it opens or comes off the wall. And nothing stops a kid from getting what they want. So we had to do what I was trying to avoid: build a play pen in our living room downstairs which is much more safe. And when we play upstairs, we keep him in his room, thereby making the loft space empty and unused. So we made it useful.

The New Layout

With the arrival of baby number two in November, we decided a better configuration would be to keep the kids rooms down the hallway away from the stairs. A single small baby gate can guard the hallway, which is more stable than our 72-inch baby gate. By adding a wall to the loft, we have made it into a private office space and guest room. At least this way, the kids won’t be bothering dad down the hallway when he works-from-home. Also, our guests can have some privacy without having to tip-toe around the house after 7 pm since they have their own wing. The last two times we had guests over, Casey woke up crying when they closed their bedroom door.

The Specs of the Project

Putting a wall up is surprisingly easy. It took one guy five days to do. We sent him a picture of what we wanted it to look like, and left the rest up to him. I hired him two weeks before our trip, and managed the project remotely from Hawaii. It was affordable. He charged us $2,200 and I paid him $2,500 for getting the project done in a short time-frame while we were on vacation. (I didn’t want Casey to be around the dust.) And he painted the wall and cleaned up the house afterwards too.

The Financial Benefits of Our House Project

Adding a fourth bedroom to the home increases home value by 15-20%. We purchased our home on September 20, 2023 at $1,075,000. This has the potential to increase our home value by $150,000. The total cost of the project was $2,500 with gratuity. At the same time, this allows our family to grow comfortable without moving. Moving homes can be costly, with a hefty fee going to realtors and taxes. At the current mortgage interest rate, it saved us money to stay at our current place.

Another financial benefit is that it gives Mike the space to work from home, thereby giving us the flexible lifestyle we intended with small children. We made a commitment to always have one parent home with the child at all times. We do this by taking turns being in office throughout the week. It’s a non-negotiable that would otherwise affect our incomes if we didn’t have the extra work-from-home space.

At the end of the day, there are plenty of things one can spend on in a home. Many of them do not add to the home’s value. But this one is a project with many financial benefits for us. I understand the layout was already ideal for a fourth bedroom. And we had the financial means and great timing to take on this project. Not everyone is so lucky. But if you have the option and ability to do so, I highly recommend considering adding a bedroom to your home. My friend is doing it by adding an ADU in their yard. Their parents are moving in to help with their kids, who are due to arrive in December. That’s another great financial investment! They save on childcare and can return to work after their leave.

Photo by Alexandra Gorn on Unsplash

Travel Guide to Oahu, HI

Summer is Relentless

Summer is relentless for mothers. I feel it, and I’m not even alone in motherhood. I have the help of a nanny and four amazing grandparents. My sister and brother have been in town two weeks in a row. I work part-time, 20 hours a week. And still, I feel the waves. I see fellow moms juggling jobs, summer break, daycare, summer activities, camps, and multiple children. And I think, Oh gosh, someone help them. Someone help me, too, but I don’t have the worst of it. Motherhood is hard, and there are some days where I feel the breaking point, yet push through somehow.

This summer has been a whirlwind of very high highs and low lows. I’ve watched Casey blossom into the most beautiful, energetic, and happy boy. He runs on the grass and plays in the sand. The sun colors his skin and his smile is so bright. But I’ve also watched him suffer way too many accidents and falls. He has slammed his face into cement once or twice, chipped a tooth that I am afraid will need to be extracted, fallen down the stairs and hit the banister, and had multiple knots on his forehead. I’ve felt helpless in trying to protect my toddler, and thrown money at solutions that haven’t 100% worked.

Physically, my body is exhausted – beat up from chasing, catching, and carrying while trying to grow a second. Emotionally, I am at my furthest limits. I can’t handle another stressful situation. And mentally, I am a puddle. There is no more gas in reserve but the body goes further than the mind so somehow I keep moving. Some days I feel like screaming but I know if I do, I will never stop. Other days, I think about checking myself in a mental asylum but I’m scared once I do, I will never want to leave. Imagine the safety of a mental asylum? The peace and quiet is all too enticing. Mothers around the world are probably silently nodding their head in agreement.

At times like these, I go back to previous writings before motherhood. I remind myself that simple matters. Focusing on the things that bring me joy like a rainbow on the tile floor or Casey’s fleeting grins remind me that there is beauty in all this. Like I said, the highest of highs are present in the summer time too. The waves can come too fast, unrelenting when they crash, but like all waves they pass. And as surfers say, when you are at the peak point of a wave and you can see a birds-eye-view of the beach in front of you and it’s like being in heaven.

Hang on mamas. I see you. I feel you. Summer is coming to an end and not long after, we will be sitting in our peace and quiet, looking around at our silent home missing the chaos and hanging onto our memories.

Our 15 Month Old’s Trip to Legoland

When I posted our trip to Legoland on Instagram, I got a lot of mamas wondering if their 1 year old toddler would enjoy it. I had the same reservation before we went. After going, I truly believe that Legoland is THE perfect Southern California theme park for 1 year olds! Casey enjoyed his time there much more than at Disneyland, Seaworld, or the Long Beach Aquarium. He loved seeing the colorful buildings, blocky characters, and ride the fun rides. As a parent, I had more fun navigating the less crowded streets. And I wasn’t stressed out about ride queues and managing my time. We pretty much lined up for most rides and got on the next round. We stayed from opening to close, and it was a wonderful day! Here was what we did!

The park opens at 10am. Which means we didn’t have to leave our home so early. We headed to Legoland around 9am and the drive down was nicer than the drive up to Disneyland (traffic-wise).

When we got there, we went straight for ride Ninjago – the only long-wait-ride that Casey could go on. While that was fun for us adults (we went with my grandparents and sister), the imagery and sounds were a bit much for Casey. I wouldn’t recommend taking kiddos there until maybe 3 years old.

After that, we went to the Ferrari Lego Build and Race. My parents, sister and Mike had a blast building race cars to race down the tracks. Around this time, Casey got tired so it was a perfect time for me to put him down for a nap while the adults had fun messing with legos. I placed him in his Vista Cruz stroller (which we take to ALL theme parks and use as a bag carrier) along with our handy portable sound machine.

While Casey took an hour-long nap, my family and I walked around Miniland! It was so nice to leisurely walk with relatives, obsess over the cute details, and point out familiar landmarks that we have been to before. I personally greatly enjoyed this part of Legoland. So creative and cute! I don’t think toddlers would have the attention span to walk through this part of the park, but it is a great place to sit down on park benches and eat a snack or dessert during your toddler’s nap time.

When Casey woke up, we headed to Knight’s Smokehouse for a BBQ lunch. This was a great place for families and toddlers. Firstly, the food is cafeteria style, which means you can share sides with your family members and grab little bits of everything for everyone. Picky toddlers can try a little bit of everything until they find something they like. For Casey, this was a side of mac and cheese and bread roll!

The eating area was outdoors. Even on a summer day it wasn’t too hot with the covered benches. As a toddler mom, I prefer outdoor dining so that Casey has things to look at. And honestly, the chances of him sitting still for a long time is slim. After he decided he had enough to eat, the adults took turns walking with him around the north end of the park, where there was face painting, a shop, and carnival games. He loved walking up to the Lego models in the area and waving hi.

After this, we continued our counter-clockwise loop around the park. We walked through Lego Factory Museum and Adventurer’s Club. In Fun Town, Casey loved riding Legoland Express! He was all smiles with Lolo and Lola as me and Mike ran around the track waving hi at multiple spots. He went twice in a row and honestly, he would have probably loved to go more times! This area also has a great playground for little ones, but since it isn’t shaded, we decided not to stay. Next time, we might hit this area up in the morning when there is less sun.

Over in Lego Movie World, there is a splash pad that kids loved to run around in. If you are doing this part of the park, I would recommend bringing water shoes and a spare change of clothes. Also a towel as the kids get incredibly soaked. We didn’t bring any of that, but I know that Casey loves water parks! In this area, there is also the Carousel. Casey has gone on plenty of carousels before. So now he just sits patiently as the ride starts and looks around calmly when the horse goes up and down.

Casey had the most fun in Dino Valley! He got to ride a boat with Aunt Dee on Explorer River Quest. Then he enjoyed driving a Jeep at the Little Dino Trail. He always had an affinity for steering wheels. His face was glowing as he spun it left and right (don’t worry, the wheel doesn’t drive the car). In this area, he even played a carnival game! It was a fishing game and Casey got to hold a net and catch some fish. We took home a small dino stuffy as a souvenir for his efforts.

While he took his second nap, the adults ate ice cream and perused the Lego shops. We walked over to the other end of the park and chit chatted until Casey woke up. Then we rode on Cargo Ace, an intense plane ride that Mike could barely fit in, and Pharaoh’s Revenge. On the walk back to Legoland Movie World, we finished our rides off with Coastal Cruise. A perfect slow ride on a river in the late afternoon!

We lined up at Legoland Movie World for the 7pm parade at around 6:30 pm. We scored a spot in the front row, and the adults got snacks to eat while we waited. My sister walked Casey around the water splash pad area, which was turned off in preparation for the parade. He chased bubbles from other kids bubble machines and ran around. Definitely watch your kids at this time, as a few toddler crashed in the middle of the lawn – it was not pretty. My sister never let go of Casey’s hand.

I was worried Casey would dislike the parade because it was crowded and loud. However, getting front-row seats helped!! He LOVED the parade. He was dancing and clapping. We got a video of him begging to go on-stage to dance with the stage dancers! It was the best ending to a happy day.

As a parent, I enjoyed this trip. It was stress-free, and extremely fun for Casey. I tell all my mom friends that I would choose Legoland for a 15 month old over Disneyland ANY DAY. Plus, they are only free to go to Legoland until 2 years old, whereas they are free to go to Disneyland until 3 years old. I would save the annual pass to Disney for a later age group and prioritize taking the kids to Legoland while they are really young.

A Weekend Trip to Coeur D’Alene, Idaho

We went to Coeur D’Alene, Idaho early in the summer to visit Mike’s aunt’s family home. If you never heard of Coeur D’Alene before, it is a small town next to a beautiful lake. It is a great summer get-away destination for those with small children. Downtown had all of the quaint shops that you would expect, as well as mom-and-pop eateries and restaurants. There were plenty of activities for our 13-month old son that we also well-enjoyed as adults. We spent a lot of time outdoors. There are hikes, beaches, boat rides, water sports, parks and playgrounds. I wanted to share with you guys a few favorite spots and activities on our weekend trip.

Hike Tubbs Hill

Tubbs Hill is a 2.0 mile loop trail that is considered an easy-hike. It took us less than an hour to complete at a leisure pace. We had a 13 month old toddler with us, and took plenty of water breaks. The hike has epic views of the lake, so we also stopped to admire the views. We watched seaplanes take off from the lake, boats driving around, and teenagers out for summer jumping off the cliffs. We saw a lot of young families, teens, and dogs. There was hardly any shade so definitely wear sunscreen. And there were plenty of turn-outs in case you wanted to stray off the loop path and hike up towards the top of the hill. If we didn’t have Casey, we definitely would have! Mike’s sister ended up going back a day later to hike one of the trailheads up the hill.

Take the Kids to McEun Park

This was probably the best part of our trip. We were at this park every day. As parents to a 13-month old who loved to run around, we needed a safe place for him to play. McEun Park is epic and huge! There is a splash pad that Casey greatly enjoyed. Bring swimsuits and an extra pair of clothes as your kids will surely not want to miss out on the splash pad. I also highly recommend these water shoes, which were grippy enough that we weren’t afraid of him falling on the cement. And there is no shade, so sun screen is also a must.

For parents, there is a McEun Bakery that opens early right in front of the park. And the Coeur D’Alene public library is also right there. Feel free to grab a pastry, coffee and a book and just sit on a park bench while your child enjoys. We spent hours at this park, and would do it again in a heartbeat. It was beautiful to watch Casey enjoy a vacation this thoroughly.

Go Out on the Lake

Mike’s aunt owns a boat so we decided to go out on the lake for a day. It was Casey’s first boat trip and we were not sure how he would do. He wasn’t scared of the speed, and he loved walking around the boat eating chips, fruit, and sandwiches. The life-vest wasn’t comfortable, but safety first. And the sun must’ve taken it out of him because he eventually passed out after landing on the dock. If we didn’t have Casey, we would have gone wake surfing. Mike’s sister and uncle went out one morning to paddleboard which would have been nice too. I can’t wait until Casey is older and we can do those sorts of activities with him one day.

Fuel Up at Evan’s Brothers Coffee

My favorite coffee stop was Evan’s Brothers Coffee. It is on the main street of Downtown Coeur D’Alene, about a block from McEun Park. Their extensive pour-over menu delivers! The coffee shop also makes in-house hand pies and whole pies – both savory and sweet. Casey dug into his right away. We were there every day.

Grab lunch at Back Pocket Bakery

Back pocket bakery serves San Fran style bread. We got a seeded loaf which we used to make sandwiches for the boat ride. We really good pizza and meatball marinade sandwiches for lunch as well. Artisan loaves in a small town is hard to find. My only con was that they open very late for a bakery, which is uncommon. So this is more of a late morning or lunch spot to me.

Eat at Crafted Taphouse Brewery

Really hip brewery, with great food and even better service. Dining is indoor and outdoor, with bar seating at well. They catered very well to our one year old, seating us outdoors where he can walk around. They also took his order first so that his food came out first. This prevented fussiness and a melt-down. It also allowed us to take turns with him once the adult meals arrived. The food was stellar, although I can’t attest to the alcohol. And it was at the end of the downtown strip which gave us better chance for parking.

Cool Down with Panhandle Cone and Coffee

Mike and I went out on a date one night while his dad and sister baby sat Casey. On our date, we went to Panhandle Cone and Coffee which isn’t anywhere walkable from Downtown Coeur D’Alene. But it is worth the drive for their unique ice cream flavors. I got the Orange & Dark Chocolate Freckles flavor while Mike went for a Bourbon Butter ice cream. Amazing!

Shop Manna

Manna is advertised as a jewelry store but they had all sorts of home goods, clothing, and accessories there. I fell in love with table linens, skin care products and framed artwork. I ended up buying a summer rattan sunhat as a souvenir. I also purchased some Crane Baby blankets from the kids corner. My aunt was looking at a cute diamond ring for herself. And my SIL purchased natural soap and lip balm.

And if you want to get there with points, here are my top 3 credit cards to travel hack with.

Chase Business Ink Preferred Credit Card
American Express Gold Personal Credit Card
Southwest Rapid Rewards Business Credit Card

I hope you enjoy your weekend vacation at Coeur D’Alene! In August, we are off to Oahu, Hawaii! Find out how we got FREE flights for a family of three to Oahu, Hawaii here.

Reclaiming Early Mornings in Motherhood

I had just recently started feeling better after passing my first trimester with baby number two. The nausea is gone, and I am getting my energy back. For the few six months, I have been too fatigued to do much of what I used to. I traded writing for a few more winks of sleep before Casey woke up. I traded reading for gentle yoga classes before bed. And we hired a cleaner to do all the cleaning. But last week, I started to feel slightly more me. And I wanted to get back on the ball.

So I enlisted Mike to be my accountability buddy. We made a pact to wake up an hour earlier each day to give to ourselves. That means waking up at 5:30 am so I could write and so he could go to the gym or run. After a week of doing that, we both feel so much better! I have always loved mornings, and it feels good to reclaim mornings in motherhood. Actually, it feels especially important to do so. It gave me a way to give to myself before daily responsibilities asked of me. I took what I needed before tending to anyone else. Which ironically alloved me to give my all for the rest of the day. I highly recommend it to mamas everywhere.

So what do I do with my early mornings?

Well, I can tell you what I don’t do. All those responsibilities, just ignore them completely. There will be plenty of time to make that call to your mom. You can find time to fold laundry. The dinner will get made. The early mornings are for me. Gone are the days of side-hustling in the morning. Although if you are interested in that, I’ve written about all the ways I’ve made money before the day starts. It’s a reversion to slow, intentional early mornings for me.

Whether it be doing something I love, or relaxing into some peace and quiet. Each morning I make a nice cup of coffee. I either sit down to write or read. Sometimes, I just sit there and reflect with the kitchen sliding door open. I can hear the swallows stirring in their nests, and see the sun rise. Morning light seeps in allowing with the dewy air. Just having pure silence as a mom is a wonderful thing.

In life, I believe in seasons. This particular one is a balancing act. Refinement is a constant struggle, as I try to be a present parent, doting partner, understanding clinician, and a calm, relaxed pregnant lady. Some days it seems impossible, whereas other days wonderfully fall into place. All I can say is that reprieve in the early morning hours in motherhood makes a huge difference.

Photo by Tim Foster on Unsplash

How We Booked Free Flights for A Family of Three to Hawaii

Every few months, I get this insane itch to travel somewhere new. We just got back from our trip to Couer D’Alene in June but the travel bug is strong. And with a toddler in tow and number two on the way, our list of ideal places to go is quite short.

This go-around, Mike and I decided we wanted a babymoon. Well, if you can call it that when you have a very active human being running around. We thought about leaving Casey behind with Lolo and Lola, but then we felt like, “This is going to be the last trip, just the three of us!”. It seems like a silly thought, considering he is only 14 months old. Our family of three era is so short-lived, so we decided to commemorate it by bringing him along. (Much to our potential regret later).

And wowee, we’ve done it again! We secured free flights for our family of three to Hawaii by travel hacking with credit cards. If you want to know how, this is the post for you.

Travel Hacking

I have written so many posts about travel hacking. In our 7 years of marriage, Mike and I have visited ten countries and countless places around the US for nearly FREE. We use credit card rewards points to book flights and sometimes hotels. For the sake of not being too repetitive, I am just going to list my previous posts on travel hacking here.

How to Get Free Flights for a Family of Three to Hawaii

Some people say travel-hacking isn’t worth it these days but I would like to push back on that. We still managed to get free flights for a family of three to Hawaii using travel hacking. The normal cost of these flights was $1,800 total for the family. I would consider that decent savings! And we did it by opening one credit card: American Express Gold Personal Credit Card . Right now as of July 2024, you can get an extra 30,000 rewards points by using my referral link for a whopping sign-up bonus of 90,000 rewards points. That is 50% MORE POINTS.

All you do for travel hacking is sign up for credit cards to receive their massive sign-up bonus. You have to hit a minimum spend within a particular timeline. In American Express Gold’s case, it is $6k in 3 months. If you think that’s difficult to do, maybe you’d want to check out my post: Ways to Meet Credit Card Minimum Spend to Earn Sign Up Bonus Faster Without Spending More Money. There are a lot of tricks you can use to get to such a big number. The important thing is to not miss the deadline. The sign-up bonus points is the only thing that makes opening new credit cards worth it. I particularly like American Express Gold because it gives 4x the points on groceries and dining out. That is the majority of the spending we do on a daily basis.

I just wanted to take a minute to share our number one travel hacking trick: We open credit cards before a planned large spend. For example, buying a new home, renovating a home, welcoming a baby into the family, going on another trip, or the holidays are all great times to open a credit card. You just put those big ticket items on there in order to reach your minimum spend quicker. Then you and your family of three can go to Hawaii!

We are so excited because we used one person’s Amex points to pay for our Hawaii trip. Next summer, we plan to use the other person’s Amex points to fly our family of four to Europe (babe flies for free). How does gamifying travel sound to you?

My Capsule Wardrobe As a Toddler Mom

I first wrote about capsule wardrobes in 2018. This space and I have touted simple living for years. A capsule wardrobe of high-quality items that I adore has helped me save money, time, and effort. It is one of the best things I did to simplify my life. I buy less clothes and avoid decision fatigue as I decide what to wear each day. Why? Because I love whatever I throw on. And I am not faced with a million options.

Of course, over the years, my capsule wardrobe has evolved slightly. I figure I’d spend a few moments describing my current capsule wardrobe as a toddler mom. But first, a few words on creating a capsule wardrobe as a toddler mom.

I buy clothes that I know will last many years, even after daily use. Nowadays, I dress more for comfort and movement with a toddler to tend to. Our active life has us outdoors on walks, at the park, and running errands. At home, I am frequently baking or cooking in the kitchen or sitting on the living room rug playing. I am a fan of layers, as well as neutral colors. I frequently wear black, tan, or beige. You will find that I stick to brands that define my style. My current favorites are Jenni Kayne, New Balance, and J. Hannah. Accessory brands I am in love with right now include Emme Parsons for shoes and BaoBao or Massimo Dutti for bags.

My Capsule Wardrobe as a Toddler Mom

Side note: This does not include my office attire which consists of Black Figs Scrubs. Nor does it include other basics such as sleepwear, swimwear, and workout clothes. It is NOT, by any means, all the clothes I own. This short list includes my everyday outfits that I wear 90% of the time I am not at work, or asleep, or working out.

Clothes

Accessories

Sun Hats like this JK Canvas Hat
Baseball Caps – mostly from coffee shops we frequent
Emme Parsons Silver Napa Sandal
New Balance Sneakers – I own three!
BaoBao Handbag
BaoBao Shoulder Bag
J Hannah Signet Ring
J Hannah Bracelet
J Hannah Loop Earrings x 4
J Hannah Cigar Band

As you can see, I prioritize function these days over style. My jewelry isn’t the type to get caught, my canvas hat can be thrown at the bottom of a stroller, and I am wearing sneakers more than I ever have in my entire life. I have also never been a dress type of gal, but they are quite easy to throw on. You can run in the right dress, go to the bathroom in a jiffy, and go from day to night without an outfit change. So I guess I am changed in motherhood in that regard.

What do you like to wear as a toddler mom?