TGIF.

It was a rough week. I am so glad that it was a short week. I'm glad that it's finally over. Well, not completely over, but at least the work week is over. I love my job, and I think that as long as I can still say that I love my job at the end of the day, then it's going to be okay. :) Don't get me wrong, I really appreciate long weekends just as much as the next person, but for me that means that "my kids" have not been to school for that much longer and then when they do come in it will be that much more crazier. And it was crazy. I still have a few criers in my class since they all didn't start on the first day of school and some of them this was only their second week of school. Oh, and I have another one starting on Monday. One of the VERY few downfalls of my job is that all the kids do NOT start on the "first day of [official] school." So, it's harder to get on a set schedule when we are constantly [in-consistently] having a new child join my class. It means that I have to start all over again [especially since it's still so near the beginning of the school year!] in teaching them the basics of my classroom. And I have to admit, at times, it does get frustrating when you have to teach the same thing over and over again. I know that for this age, you are suppose to have repetition...over and over and over and over again and again and again. But it's hard when you are trying to help the children adjust to being away from the parents for the first time and trying to get along with people you have never seen before. And when I finally think that we are starting to get there...another child joins and I have to start at square one again. Oh okay, enough venting.

I am so proud of "my kids" Although we do have children joining our class [at what seems like] every other day, there are a few of them that are finally getting it! I have 2 that started with me during the summer, and it's so rewarding to see that they are trying to encourage and help the newer ones learn the class schedule and rules. I have awesome parents. It is always my fear that I might clash with a parent, but this year, I really like my parents and I love how they make it so easy to talk with them. One thing that I do appreciate about living here in Hawai'i is that everyone treats you like family here...and that is how the parents are. I have to remember to keep it professional, but it's so hard when parents encourage their child to give their "Aunty" [me] honi, kisses. And that is a normal thing that it took a LONG time for me to get used to. But I really do love how its so "ohana" like here. And I really like how parents don't only see me as a teacher, but an "aunty" to their keiki.

Yesterday the dustless colored chalk and chalkboard poster board arrived on my doorstop from Amazon and I was super excited to update more of my chalkboards in my class! By the time I was done getting everything I needed to get done during nap time today [a time that I really do value to get "teacher stuff" done!], I only had 20 minutes left to do whatever I wanted. So I decided to chalkboard art my door. The front and the back.

Since the chalkboard poster board on the front of my door was buckling, I decided to buy a new one that was made to be a chalkboard. I think what happened was since I bought a foam poster board and then painted the chalkboard pain on it, the moisture of the paint caused the bucking of the poster board. And so, this one that I got was the same size and is already a chalkboard, so it's flat, and so I switched the buckled one with the flat and I did a fast welcome sign for it.

And then for my door, I used the same font and just wrote and weekend greeting on it. Did I mention how much I love my chalkbaord door?! :) Except for the door knob. It gets sooo sticky and it won't turn and it get REAL hard to open! The thing is that I can't used m other door because the AC is above it and it leaks like no tomorrow and so there is like a constant waterfall coming out of the AC creating a river in front of my door. And it can get dangerous because the kids would try to run in the classroom and slip and fall because the bottom of their feet/shoes are wet. It use to be my front door, but I switched my room around when a pregnant mom (she was nearly 8 months along!) almost slipped and fell and I could NOT have that. That and children falling, I didn't care what anyone was going to say and I switched my classroom around so the back door is not the front door. The only problem was the door knob! I solved that by taping the doorknob...but then that got really frustrating when I kept having to do it because it would come undone and then we would be stuck in the classroom because it's so had to open! So, right before I left for home today, my friend and I....

...took the doorknob off! It was such and old-fashioned doorknob that it was a lot tricky to get off, but we got it off and I couldn't be more happier with my door now! :)

But  am so glad that we have two days of no school to recharge. :)

Here's to the weekend! Whoot! Whoot! :)

Late Night Nails.

When I checked my instagram when I got home from work, I saw that Passion Roots had tagged me in this nail video and a suggestion that that should be my next nail inspiration. So I decided that this would be a good time to re-design my nails and use my new nail polish that I got in my Ipsy Glam Bag this month. So here is what my nails are for the next week.

I think that they turned out very satisfying. Not a design that I would do on my own, but a interesting and easy design.

As for the Nailtini: Straight up Color Nail Lacquer; color: Mango Rita...I'm not a big fan. The color worked out with this design. (Pink and Black are my two "go-to" colors). Maybe I got a faulty bottle, but I had to put several coats (like FIVE) just so that I can get it opaque...but even so, you can see the streaks in the strokes. It also doesn't really go on that smooth either. Not a very big fan of this brand.

So here are my nails for now. 

For Bella.

So it's was way past due to redo my nails. Did you see that picture in my last post?! My nails were so "gah...!!!"...so I had asked one of the girls at my preschool what she wanted me to paint on my nails...and she said "Rainbow colors with lines. And a little bit of dots. Are you going to add glitter?" Yes, Bella-girl, I did end up adding glitter one my pinky nails.

I used a lot of colors and bottles of nail polish for this design. However, it really didn't take me all that long. It took longer for me to clean my nails than it did for me to paint them! :)

Here is my left hand. Yes, I copied some of the design from a previous design. So shoot me....or I would rather you not. :) I did it this way...the colors, so that it was too rainbow-y...and something different.

And my right hand...a little different from my left hand...but I like how it turned out. I hope Bella will like it to when I show her tomorrow. :)

"Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory."-Dr. Seuss

DIY Valentine Cards.

(So shoot me, this will be a long post! *laughs*)

This year, I am not going to be down (not that I am any other year!) that I don't have ONE special person to share the love day with...because I have several actually, and I call them my family. :) So, I decided to make the all Valentines cards and then since they so happen to be couples (My sister and her husband, Neal; My brother and his girlfriend, Amanda) I got them gift cards to go eat out and have a date with each other from me. :) But making the cards was actually fun! I have been so stressed out with life lately that I told myself that I will sit down and just relax by making my family their valentines tonight.

I am actually quite proud at how they turned out and I can't wait to give it to them!

Each one of the cards are unique and different from each other. My sisters were actually a lot of fun to make with not problems...my brothers on the other hand were a bit more challenge because I didn't want to make theirs all girlie and everything. *laughs*

I personalized a message to them on the index cards...however as you can tell since I don't want the whole world knowing what I wrote to them, I covered them with a blank card because I did want you to see the inside of the card. :)

Amanda, she collects old cameras...and so I liked this one for her! She also has this thing where she says "heart" all the time...when she is sorry or something...it's kind of cute actually! *laughs*

I think I took the longest on Kuya Neal's! I wanted him to like it, but not things that it was girlie! *laughs* I hope that I got it down though! *laughs*

I actually really love the back of Kuya Neal's!

I hope I also nailed it with this one...It was so hard to make it more "masculine!" But I can only hope my brother likes it! :)

And those are the cards that I made for them! I had fun making them and I it makes me miss the times where I actually had time to make my cards! It was a favorite hobby of mine back in the days when I actually had time to sit down and craft more! *laughs* Hopefully I'll find more time since it was a really relaxing to do!

Both couples will be going to see The Lion King broadway...and I do have to say that I am jealous...but one day, I'll be able to afford to go and see it myself. It's on my bucket list. I have heard that it was amazing and that I would absolutely fall in love with it...I will see it one day! 

I am actually going to babysit my lil DollGirl while her parents go to see the show...I know that I'll have fun with her....I always have fun with her. :) 

Hopefully tomorrow when I have my "Friendship" party with my keikis at school, they will enjoy everything that I have planned for them! :)

"They may forget you, but they will NEVER forget how you make them feel."--Anonymous

For my keiki.

This year has been so busy...I really can not believe that it's already nearly Valentine's Day...and I have a huge dilemma! At least HAD a huge dilemna...I still kind of do in a way, but whatever happens happens. So what was my dilemma?! Well, our party story closed last month (Price Busters) and so I had no idea what to get my keiki for Valentine's Day! I usually like to make treats/crafts for them for the holidays...but this Valentines Day is creeping up on me and I have no idea where to go to make something for my keiki.

It's so unfortunate that Price Busters has to closed down...I'm already miss my Dollar Store/Tree of the mainland because I see a lot of crafts/projects that I want to do...but we don't have those stores here! We don't even have Michaels! How do you survive without that craft store?! Well...at least we have Ben Franklin's...and I am a member there...and I go there plenty times...however it's super expensive there. Anyway, I had to do some fast brain storming on what to do for my keiki this year.

I still am not sure that I agree with what I'm doing...but it's for the kids...and so I went both healthy and non-healthy...candy is SO not the way to go...but I limited myself on what I got them.

I was told last minute that I might have a child walk-in on that day...and I was so not prepared for that! So I didn't want him to feel left out...so I made something for him, although I did run out of lollipops...hence the reason why the last one does not have not have a lollipop!

I used light pink tissue paper and cellophane to wrap it up and used red, pink, and purple to tie it. I then made each of my keiki a personalized card. 

I also am planning a "friendship" party for them. We're making personal pizzas...and then having carrot sticks....and since they love making fruit smoothies...I am going to bring my Magic Bullet and we're all going to make smoothies! 

Shirena also bought two really nice bubble machines and we're going to have a bubble party and we are preparing flowers for them to bring home. I hope that our keiki's know that we love them. I love all my kids so much...and I will never stop saying that it is a huge blessing to be able to work and spend time with each and everyone of them. 

"When you are hugging a child, always be the last one to let go. You never know how long they need it."-words from a Disney Princess 

Easy Bake Ravioli.

So, yesterday my housemate was prepping ahead a time a dinner she was making for her boyfriend...and the house smelled so good...and it good me missing cooking. I use to have fun cooking and baking...and then I just stopped. I don't even know why...well, I do...I'm single and it sucks cooking just for one person. But I do miss cooking for my family...baking...just making the house smell SUPER yummy...so today, I decided to try something. I'm pretty sure that some person out there in the world has tried something like this...but I remember long ago talking to my sister about this and then seeing some ideas online and so this is my take one the Easy Bake Ravioli.

First I preheated the oven to 410 degrees. I just gestimated on this actually. I actually wanted to do it on 400, however I remember in the past when I cooked with this particular oven it didn't get as hot as it said it did, so I just always add a few more degrees.

I got one bag of 5 Cheese ravioli...and I think I like this dish because I didn't even defrost or precook the ravioli! *laughs*...and since I like red sauce AND white sauce (but if I had to choose only one, I would always choose white sauce!) together, I decided to use both of them. I also decided to add green onion an cilantro. Don't ask me how much I put in there...I just like guessed. *laughs* Then I just layered the dish. One layer of uncooked ravioli...spatter some red sauce (I used Vodka Safeway Select) and some white sauce (Alfredo Safeway Select)...then I put some shredded cheese on that and then some of the cilantro and green onion mix.

I was able to do three layers of that...if you are trying this at home...just do as many layers as you want. I do this all by trial and error and by eye, I guess you can say. *laughs*

So, this is what it looked like when I was finished doing all the layers. I think that it took me less than I want to say 15 minutes...probably not even that. But it looks so yummy already!!

So I covered the whole thing in foil and set the alarm for 30 minutes. I then took the time to read. I love to read...and I feel like I rarely ever have time to read anymore! But yeah, I read...because I hate waiting...and I was already starvin' like Marvin...and so reading helped passed the time. After the 30 minutes was up...I took the foil off and then baked it for another 15 minutes and took it out of the oven.

Then the hardest part....I hate getting my tongue burned, so I set my timer for 20 and allowed it to cool for 20 minutes...again, I took this time as "me time" and read even more. I'm telling you...it really did make the time go by faster! :) Doesn't it look super yummy though?!

After 20 minutes of cooling time (which you can skip by the way if you like to burn your tongue...:)), I was able to get some...I thought that it would at least stay together more...but it didn't...but it wasn't too soupy...just very saucy and YUMMY! Oh yes, it was yummy! Very easy to make and very yummy to eat. 

And guess what?! I didn't even burn my tongue! :)