Chartee Chop Nails is BAAAACK!

I had the wonderful opportunity to talk to my parents today...and like it is when I talk to them I get super excited. I love talking with my parents...but I have to admit that sometimes I do get frustrated. The internet connection is usually very junk and a lot of times my parents sound like they are on the other side of a very long, long tunnel, OR they are underwater somehow. Not only that it is super choppy galore! But there are VERY rare times where the connection is a little better and we can go about 5 minutes with perfect connection and it makes me smile that I can talk to them with out feeling like I am on the cellphone commercial, "can you hear me now? how about now?! Can you hear me now?! Now? How about now?...." and so on and so forth. :)

And then there are the miraculous times where we can actually speak on SKYPE! Oh, I love modern technology! There were times when was going to school abroad and I wouldn't be able to speak to my parents for weeks and sometimes months at at time because it was super expensive and my parents didn't know how to use IM or skype. I'm glad that they finally learned. :) Today as I was speaking to them, they were talking, I was talking when all of a sudden they were like, "what happened to your nails?!" I looked at my nails and was like..."nothing, nothing is wrong with my nails, why?!" And that's when it hit me...They were not used to seeing my nails unpainted! *laughs* That really made me laugh! There use to be a time in my life where I actually had time to paint my nails! At least twice a week...oh goodness! Who has that time now?! But then It made me realize how much I did miss having my nails look all pretty...so I painted my nails.

I don't even remember the last time I painted and designed my nails! I picked an easier design just because I seriously hadn't painted my nails in FOREVER! I like them. These are my go to colors...pink, black, and white...and some sort of glitter polish (in this case, silver glitter). Polka dots and stripes are never that hard to do...and the feather/leaf....easy peasy....and so I have decided that maybe I should start painting my nails again! :) Not twice a week like before...not even once a week...but at least. maybe...hopefully, time willing?! Twice a month?! We shall see...as for now, I will enjoy my newly painted nails. :)

Cookies, painted nails, and postcards.

Last night I did something that I hadn't done in such a long time. I painted my nails. Granted it is one of my simpler designs...but it's been months since I last painted my nails! And I have to admit...I miss seeing the flash of bright colorfulness throughout the day. I've always loved to paint my nails...it has always been very therapeutic to me. Then life happened and things got busy and I didn't realize that I was going a day, week, month, monthSSSS without painting my nails. There was a time where I use to paint and design my nails twice a week! My goodness...oh those young, carefree days. *laughs*

Anyways, I was on the phone with my friend, and she mentioned that she just painted her nails the colors of her son's baseball team, since the season started again for him. And she asked me what design I had on my nails...when I said my nails were only painted clear (just because I didn't design my nails, didn't mean I didn't clean them weekly and put a clear coat over them!)...so she told me to paint my nails. So I did.

Left Hand

Right Hand.

Like I said,  simple design...yet it made me happy to see my nails painted again. I think I should start doing that again...if I have the time! *laughs*

Today was a super busy day for me. But I have to say that it was a very productive day! I got a lot of thing done...and the last thing that I wanted to get done was my postcrossing postcards. I got the notice on Saturday that one of my postcards made it to it's destination...and that makes 15 total that I had sent out and was registered, which means that I can add one more postcard to send out at a time. So, I am up to 7 postcards out at the same time. I also got a message from someone asking if I wanted to direct swap with them, and I said yes, so I had to get that postcard done and sent off!

For some reason, I was craving something sweet, preferably chocolate-y when I was preparing my desk to choose and write the postcards that I needed to send out. I try not to keep sweets in my house since I do have the "happy drawer" full of all kine candy at my work. So I tried to ignore the craving, however when I went to my school bag to get the stickers and pens that I use to write the postcards, I saw that I had placed the cookies that my brother-in-law had gotten me from Big Island in my bag and it was still there...all perfectly air-title in a bag!

So as I did my postcards, I was silently sending thankful vibes over to my brotherIL for the yummy, yummy big Island Cookies!

Oh yes, Big Island is known for their yummy, yummy cookies...and I'm so glad that he got me some! :) But I am even more glad that he's back. He had to leave for a job that he had there...and I know that my lil DollGirl missed him a lot. I know she is a "Papa's Girl"...and so it was hard that he was gone for a few days. But he is back and he brought me cookies. :)

This postcard is going to France. I would love to visit France one of these days! That would be SO cool! This person (never mentioned if s/he was a male or female or their name) can speak and write in 4 different languages! That's pretty amazing! French, English, Spanish, and Chinese! That's pretty cool! "Person" had a few request on what postcards to receive, and one was "anything about your town, country, or culture) and I feel as if surfing (even though I don't surf) is a big part of our culture here in Hawai'i and so that is why I choose this postcard for this person. I wrote a few things about myself and how I would much rather go stand-up paddleboarding...but that I do love to go swimming. I hope s/he enjoys the postcard and that its gets to them safely!

This postcard will be making it's way to a lady in China tomorrow morning. I really like this card! And I hope she does to! She had a "My list (not must)" preference of postcards and "map card" was one of them. I hope that that qualifies! I love the "old world" feel to it...:) She wanted to know a little bit about me and so I told her basically the same thing that I told the postcard going to France...I wish this card a safe journey to China!

This is one of my favorite multi-view cards from Oahu. I don't know why I like it so much...maybe because it shows more diversity than other multi-view cards that I've seen, but I hope that Laura from Italy likes it! She had messaged me a few days ago asking if I wanted to do a Direct Swap with her and I had agreed. So I sent her my address and she wrote me back Saturday night with her address and informing me that she sent me a postcard last THURSDAY!...and so I had to wait to send her a postcard on Monday. So it's going out first thing in the morning! She seems like a really nice person! She wanted a multi-view card of where I lived and so that is why I choose this one. I put a sticker that says, "Fall in love with as many things as possible" on it with some candy stickers as well. And I also drew her a flower and since she mentioned that she wanted to learn words in other language, I told her about the word "Aloha" and how it is used here on the island and it's deeper meaning. I hope she likes the card!

I did receive a message from a postcrosser in Russia saying that she was going to send me another postcard because the one that she sent me didn't get to me. I have a feeling that postcards from and to Russia are going to be slow going. I did hear back from the first postcrosser that I sent a postcard to who happened to be from Russia. He is a very nice young man who is mastering the piano...and I think that that is awesome. I had written him telling him that I had sent him a postcard 3 months ago and if he got it...and I was willing to send him another one if he didn't  get my first one. He wrote back that he would appreciate it if I did send him another one and he would send me one too. So, I think that coming and going postcards from Russia are going to take a bit longer than everyone else...but that's okay. Patience, right?! :)

Distraction, please.

I need a lot of distraction...please. I don't normally ask or even want distractions in my life, there are enough already that I don't go looking for them; they are usually constantly right there, like SQUIRREL!!! :) In less than a week my parents will be returning to the mission field in the Philippines for who knows how long...I don't even know when I will be talking to them after they leave! I don't want them to go, but I am not going to beg them to stay. They already know that I want them to stay without me asking/telling/convincing them to stay. I am not going to go against what God is impressing them in their hearts to do.

That being said, I am trying to distract myself from this empty feeling in my heart. I am painting my nails right now...

...the first part is a shimmery blue/green color. I think that I'm going to do my nails in somewhat ocean-y theme...but for right now (tonight) I will leave it like this (still need to put a clear coat onto it!) I used two colors to get it this shade. The first color was from Avon.

The second color was the Color Club 3 polish that I got from one of subscription boxes that I have and I love this shiny, shimmery color to it! I have so much nailpolish that I sometimes forget the ones that I don't use as often but I like...and this one is one of those!

So, I know that it looks pretty plain...and I don't normally do just a one color type nail...but for now, it works. I need to let it dry a bit before I attempt to go to sleep. Yes, I move around a lot...but if I tell myself NOT to move for the first 30 mins, I'm okay nail-wise....So I have to wait for a bit....

Tomorrow, IF I have time I will add more design to my nails, but for now, this is it. :)

My classroom is getting along...today we were learning about our "feeling/touch" sense and so we did bubble painting with bubble wrap. I just added the primary colors (red, blue, yellow) and told the kids to mix it around on the bubble wrap and then when they were done we pressed a white sheet of paper on it and got a print of what they did. They LOVED doing that...so that will be a project that we can do again in the future. I've done this project several times with former classes and they loved it as well...so it is a loved project. I think they turned out pretty amazing to.

Since it will be Open House for the parents tomorrow, I'm glad that I have several art pieces that I can put up that the kids did. It's always a challenge when Open House is in the beginning of the school year. But it was good though because originally we were going to have Open House a week earlier...so the 1st week of school...but it is good that we are having it tomorrow, during the 2nd week of school...so that parents can get a feel of what is happening and then ask question from there.

Speaking of Open House, I have been trying to get my classroom ready for Open House...for the most part, it is ready...it was ready the first day of school, but that there are "projects" that I have been wanting to do in my room to make it "my" room and how I want it. One thing that I was able to do was....wait. First, let me say that it was decided that a refrigerator would be put in my room. I didn't want it in my room...but it had to be in my room and so I took full advantage of it...that being said this is what I had done. 

I like how it turned out. I plan on using this several different ways...since this was the first time, I used the "Question of the Week"....and then during Circle Time I asked the what they liked...my original question was, "What are your favorite things to see?" But I changed it to something more simple...and these were their answers! I like the little magnet people because in the future I can ask question like "Who went to the beach this weekend?" and they can place their little people on either "I did not" or "I did!"....like a chart bar chart or something, but with people...so yes... I was able to get this up for Open House tomorrow.

Another thing that I have been working on was Binder Organization. I bought the 1.5" colored binders from Costco and I am going to use them for the organization of my curriculum units and the children's portfolios....I think that I've pretty good so far...but I have a lot more to do. Slowly I have been adding different activities/artwork in each binder....and I will always continue to do so...I also need to make cover pages and side titles for the binders...because right now it looks like this...

 

...so it is getting there. :) I love an organized classroom. :) 

 Well, I think that my nails are dry enough to attempt to go to sleep now...at least lay down. Goodnight!

Rainy Day.

Today was a comfort day. This is the first time in a long time that I actually do not have to work this weekend...and I just wanted today to be a lazy day filled with comfort stuff and just recollect myself. And that is what I'm doing. Just doing anything that I want to do. 

Right now I am enjoying my Ginger & Lemon tea with honey and a bowl of popcorn. I am listening to Pentatonix on youtube and I can hear the rain falling in the background. And I have to admit that I feel super relaxed at the moment and I am loving it. I think that everyone should find time for themselves just to do whatever you want to do...no obligations, no pressing matters...I know that it's hard to find times like that...but every once in a while when you can, grab it...and never take for granted those times that you can have a moment to yourself.

I did wake up early this morning...even though I knew that I could sleep in. But my body is already used to the fact that I wake up early...and so I just woke up and for some reason the first thing that I looked at was my nails.

And oh my days! How did I let this happen! Oh yeah, I've just been super busy that when I get home I was not feeling like taking off the nail polish. *laughs* That is actually it though...the only reason why I don't do my nails every day...(I do love painting my nails and coming up with different designs!) is because I do not like taking off the nail polish. *laughs* I know that I can paint my nails with elmers glue first...that way I could just peel it off...but then when I do do that, they can accidentally come of in the middle of the day...and I don't like that at all. So at like 7 in the morning I sat in front on my computer watching Netflix while I took off my nail polish and cleaned, cut, and shaped my nails. 

I knew that I wanted to do my nails pink because it is Breast Cancer Awareness month...and I wanted to do my part in supporting the cause of finding a cure. So I picked this design that is chokefull of pink and girliness. :)

You might not be able to tell, but it is an ombré effect of lighter pink going to darker pink with the "falling" effect to tie it all together. Looks super girlie and I love it. :)

I did go to church today. And I did like the sermon a lot. I might go to church more often because I really like the sermons of Jesse. I am so glad that I got to know him as friend before knowing him as a Pastor...I feel more comfortable around him because of that. He is actually Shilhi's husband...and her family is my hanai, so I do feel comfortable around them all. 

I remember him preaching a sermon similar to this one and it was a great reminder because I needed it. His catch phrase today was "Are you out of your comfort zone?" The first time I heard him speak of this topic, I was touched that I even wrote down the quotes that he used from this sermon which is why I remembered it so well. This is what he said, "Success is stepping out of your comfort zone." That's it. That simply. 

I like that a lot...because there are times in my life where I feel as if I am going no where...where I feel as if I'm a failure or not even needed. And I realize that success is not really that far away...it's just stepping out of your comfort zone. So simple to say...but it is a scary thing to do. Going to school abroad was super scary for me...but I wanted to do it because I knew that I would experience something great...and I'm glad that I stepped out of that comfort zone. Moving here to Hawai'i was definitely stepping out of my comfort zone...because California will always be my comfort zone...well, I don't know if it will "always" be...but it's high up there...but I am learning that I can "succeed" here to. It was a powerful sermon today, and I am glad that I made the decision to go to church.

I was also glad that I recieved my ipsy: glambag today. It was a good day today...and I wish that I didn't have to end...but as all days will, it will end and I will get to see what will happen tomorrow. Something exciting I hope...I do have to say that listening to this rain outside makes me a bit homesick...but it's okay because Hawai'i is starting to feel like home. 

Yep, I am looking at my nails and they super, duper, uber make me smile. :) See, I'm such a simple girl...just painting my nails makes me happy. *laughs*

Kailua SDA Church.

I went to church today at Kailua SDA Church. It's actually the church that Hawaiian Mission Acadamy Windward side is held...and so it's a very familiar church to me. I rarely go, but I'm pretty familiar with it. :) My sister and her husband actually are gone since yesterday...wait, no Thursday because this is their anniversary weekend and they went to Maui...this is their first time leaving their little daughter behind...and I know that my sister misses her baby girl a lot. 

But it's good that my parents are her so that they can help watch little DollGirl. :) I know that my DollGirl adore her Lolo, and I don't blame her because I was once a "daddy's girl" and got along well with my dad. I did get along with my mom...but not as much as my dad. Don't get me wrong! I love them equally...! But my niece with quite attached to my dad to the point where she is possessive over him and won't let me hug my daddy! *laughs* Sorry, little one...he was MY daddy first! *laughs* It's okay, at least I have learned how to share. :)

These pictures crack me up because I had asked her to smile at her Lola and she is just like me...making faces instead of smiling at the camera! *laughs* Oh my days...I love this little monkey to the moon and back and around the world a million and infinity times! She is so silly! She wore the dress that I gave her for her birthday today, so that is cool. She has my heart...and I'm super excited for her brother to come along...but for now, I will enjoy spending time with my lil DollGirl whenever I can. :)

Oh yeah, I also needed to paint my nails today...and so after a long while, I was able to come up with this quick design before I have to get ready to go to work. I wanted to write this post before I left for my Passion Roots job...but yes, I was really feeling like green...and so green it is. :) 

Fun with pink.

I needed to do my nails so bad! I hadn't done my nails in nearly two weeks...but I also knew that I needed to do them fast...because I had a lot to do before going to work. I just got home and I am so glad that I didn't have to stay too late, because I just wanted to come home already. But I am actually proud of my nails. I told myself that I was going to do my nails at 3pm...because I and to be at work at 7:pm...and I wanted to make sure that they would be dry so that I wouldn't mess them up.

I painted my nails in one of my favorite go-to design when I am in a rush...this design doesn't take more than 20 minutes to do...if that! I decided to do it in pink because it is my favorite color...and I just like this color combination of pink, black, white, and silver...and of course the silver had small glitter flakes...so it is SO me. *laughs* I speed up the drying time I sprayed hairspray on it after a few minutes of letting it dry on it's own. It really does speed up the drying process. And that was good thing because I had lost track of time and I literally finished my nails at like 6:15pm! And look at that! They didn't even get messed up. :)

Today I worked with orchids...and it has been a LONG while since I posted up one of the flower arrangements...I still like doing bouquets...but occasionally if I finish with the bouquets fast enough, I help with the center pieces. I only was able to remember to take a picture of one of the arrangements that my friend actually finished...and it's gorgeous...in person it was an amazing piece. In picture, its was kind of hard to capture the amazing colors and textures of this arrangement...but check this out...

It is just bursting with orchids! My phone was unable to capture how vivid the colors are...but trust me, it was gorgeous. :) Well, now I am just going to crawl into bed...write a little bit in my journal and then knock out. :)

Mermaid Sisters.

I forgot to mention yesterday that I met up with my friend Ashley after work. I was so good to see her. One thing that I like about this new place is that I can have my phone with me, and so texting Ash every so often really helped a lot when I would start missing her and everyone. It's going to take time getting used to everything new...but I think that I'm getting there...but for now, I was so glad that I saw Ash.

I needed to go to Ben Franklin's Craft...and so since I knew that it was just down the street from where the school is, I told her to come and meet and me we will grab something to eat before she went to go pick up her boys.

I love how at Ben Frankin's they have this area in from of the store they sell local craft and jewelry and I love looking at what they had...and guess what we saw?! We saw mermaid bangles! And so we got matching mermaid bangles! 

Of course, Ash only wears gold...as for me, I don't mind as long as I like it...and so she got a gold one and I got the copper one...and so we took a picture of it together. Dig our nails?! :)

Oh my goodness...I miss this girl already. I know for sure we need to hang out more!

Today, I had 10 kids come in. I think it's going to look like on Tuesdays and Thrusdays I will have 4 kids and on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I will have 10 kids...and so I got to meet EVERYONE today...and I have to say that I have a good, smart bunch. I do love how I can understand them when they talk! And boy, do they LOVE to talk! I love it...but one thing that I need to change is that they don't really like to sing! I so need to change that! I like to sing and so my goal is to get them to sing more. That is one thing I loved about my 2's is that I would hear them singing randomly and it is my goal to get my new kids to sing too. :)

For you Aubrey.

Rabbit! Rabbit! Well, actually my brother got me first. :) But I know that I'm going to need all the luck and prayers and positive vibes this month. I am excited. I am sad. I am filled with emotion...so what do I go and do?! I paint my nails. :) Painting my nails is like my therapy. I have no problem admitting that I am a girlie-girl and I love my nails done.

Right before I left one of my former keiki [wow, why did my heart just twist something awful when I just said that?!] gave me a huge hug...looked at my nails and told me that she wanted butterflies. She is one that sees to see if I painted my nails...EVERY DAY. She also loves to have her nails painted and she always runs to show me, and she knows that my favorite color is pink, so she is always excited to show me her pink nails. And she loves it when my nails are done in something she suggests. Her favorite thing she likes to tell me is rainbow and/or butterflies. And so these nails are for her. Plus, it's good because...butterflies represent change...and most definitely this is a change this moment in my life. 

I think that "my" lil Aubrey would love these. I need to make a point to stop by the school one day this week to show her. She would love them. I can only hope that my new kids will like my nails as well...well, they don't have too, it's more like mine and my former keikis thing anyways...but I wouldn't mind if they liked my nails too. But these nails are for my former keikis, for new beginnings, for change, for me. 

Palm Tree Nails.

Everyone and their mother knows that whenever I feel sad, anxious, happy, mad...or basically any extreme emotion, I like to paint my nails. I know that to some it seems like a "girlie" thing to do...and it is...I'm not denying that...just for me...I forces me to concentrate and stay still so that I won't mess up my nails. I have to stay focused on just my nails for the moment...breaking my focus on whatever is making me feel "extreme" at the moment. Whatever...it works for me. :)

Like I've mentioned in my previous posts, I have been dealing with a wounded heart in knowing that I'll be leaving and saying goodbye to another chapter in my life. I makes me sad that it doesn't seem as if my family does not understand how sad that this can make me seem. In another lifetime, it would of made me frustrated and angry to see my family acting as if this is nothing...the fact that I'm hurting over saying goodbye to where I work for the past couple of years. Now, it just makes me sad because I know that I can't talk to them about that...without them making me seem inadequate to control and suppress my feelings.

So, I find comfort in the small things life. Like painting my nails. My keikis love it when I paint my nails and they are always, ALWAYS excited to see when I paint my nails. I adore how there are plenty of times where they come up to me and tell me what they want to see on my nails...also, I find it very flattering when they come in with their nails painted...and they would run up to me to show me their nails in a very excited matter. Also, there were plenty times where they would tell me that they painted their nails "just like Ms. Charity." :) It makes me smile.

So, today I decided to paint my nails.

A couple days ago Mandy sent me a pin and I decided to use it as my inspiration. So these nails are done for her...but for me and my keiki at the same time. If that made any sense. :) 

I rarely ever...I don't think that I've ever actually posted my nails LIKE THIS! No polish...yes, I know that I've posted my nails when they are chipping, but this, this is something that is a first for me...at least to my knowledge of my memory. But here are my nails when I just took off the nail polish. Not TOO bad looking or stains, considering there is usually ALWAYS some kind of nail polish on my nails. 

Since I usually keep my nails well cared for grooming-wise, I didn't have that much to do in prepping my nails. I was able to cut and trim my cuticles, scrape and buff my nails and I used my favorite hand spa scrub, Mary Kay: Satin Hands; I love the feeling of how my hands feel after using Satin Hands. 

I highly recommend you to always add some sort of nail strengthener. It really helps your nails...especially if they are prone to being brittle. I am blessed that my nails aren't, but I always apply some sort of nail strengthener. It also works as a base coat...which is something that you should always use whenever you paint your nails to protect them from getting stained...also a base coat will help bond your nail polish to your nails for a lasting manicure.

My friend, Ashley, actually gave me this particular nail polish. I rarely ever just have my nails in one color...but this color makes me happy. I love bright, loud colors...and this color is both. 

I then used a make up sponge to dab on white polish as a second layer. I had totally forgotten that this bright green nail polish actually leaks onto other colors on my nails...so after awhile this white color turned into a lighter green...but it worked out. 

My third layer I also dabbed it with a make up sponge...it is a brown, golden color with flakes of glitter. I love glitter and so I chose this one particularly because it had the flakes of glitter in it.

To smooth the colors out, I painted a clear coat over it. I loved the way it was able to smooth it out and connect the colors better.

I then took my fine tip paint brush and drew a palm tree in black. I actually was tempted to keep it like this because it looked like a silhouette against the background of my nails. Maybe next time. :)

I then took another fine tip brush and added two different shades of green on my black palm trees. 

After letting it dry a little, I applied a top coat...and then some quick-drying oil on top of that so that it could quick-dry faster than normal. I really like how it turned out. 

So, it looks like this could possibly be the last design my keikis will see as their teacher. I know that I will visit them and they will see what designs I have on my nails then...but not as their teacher. 

I need to stop thinking like this. But I know that I will be able to move on. But for now...my nails. My palm tree nails...I can look at my nails and still smile.