Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Rayli sends this out to Aunty Jamie!

Rayli knows Aunty Jamie loves Black Eyed Peas!
Skip to around 2:13 and see Aiyanna showing her support in the background lol!

Sunday, September 19, 2010

been a long time coming ...

life has been crazy.
crazy in all aspects.

new house. new internship.
new exciting chapters.
new perspectives on life and love.

crazy can be CRAZY
but it can also be an insanely great thing.

if life were mundane, would we grow as individuals?
would we appreciate love and kindness if we never experienced heartache and pain first?

so I am learning to embrace my trials and tribulations.
i will stop calling them obstacles but rather opportunities to learn something about myself.
although it is unreasonable to believe i will always be able to smile when the goings get tough ...
i will no longer wallow in a pity pool and allow grief to sway or consume me.

i won't allow myself to believe the hype.
i will just allow myself to love and accept me.

i've made mistakes.
i haven't lived up everyone's expectations or standards.
yes, i have room to grow.
but i refuse to punish myself for not growing fast enough.
i am who i am.
i am learning to love me for me.

i truly believe that once i love myself,
trust my heart,
speak my truths ...
everything else will fall into place.
just like it was meant to be.

my mindset is changing.
i used to think, "hey, if i only did this, this, and that ... things would have been better."
"if only i were skinnier, prettier, smarter ... they would be happy."
but no, i don't have the power to control someone's happiness.
that is their journey
and i am only in control of mine.




sending out much love ...
everyone in the world deserves to know that they are loved, appreciated, and supported!



Friday, June 18, 2010

Boo Mr. Plaque!

Once upon a time, there was a Mommy who thought it would be a great idea to schedule everyone's annual dental cleaning appointments on the same day.

"Yay, only one trip to town and we can knock these appointments outta here!"
(how would I ever survive living anywhere else ... "to town" is only a 15 minute - 1 hour drive here, totally dependent on traffic ... *ah, stuck in my Salt Lake to Pearl City bubble*)

Nice day ... smooth traffic ... open parking stall ...
"I'm such an awesome planner," says the Mommy.


Daddy's presence was of course requested.
What a smart Mommy ... she knew she may need some backup and someone to read books/entertain between her snapping pictures and getting her teeth cleaned.


But of course, Daddy doesn't read books as great as Mommy ...
and although Jydon was thoroughly pleased, Rayli was less than impressed.


So Daddy put the book down ...
the tween pulled out her ipod ...


Jazzy built a lego Mommy ...
and hungry Rayli decided to munch on plastic ...


Continuing with tradition,
Jazzy drew Miss Ellen, the sweetest dental hygienist, a picture for her wall ...


and hung it up to her picture from last year's annual visit.


Rayli pretended she was a scared princess ...


but we all know she loves the dentist ...


and those cool shades she gets to wear :)


not to mention the wicked cool glove balloon she gets to make!

Three hours at the dentist office, four hungry kiddos, two pooped parents ...
and three return visits scheduled. Jydon and Mommy have cavities :(
Eek!

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Rawr ... I Need a Pedi!

About a year ago, I gave up going to the nail salon.
Why?
Lack of time.
Saving money.
Working on growing my natural nails.

But I really miss getting pedicures and I KNOW I will be making a pedi-trip very soon! The nice thing is that the hubs enjoys going with me ... he says it's the only time he can get away with another woman rubbing his feet and hands and not get in trouble ;)

So we will probably be spending some QT at a nail salon in the near future. Woop woop, can't wait!

In the mean time, I picked up some new polishes at Sephora on Saturday. The pink shade is "Arm Candy" and the brown shade is "Rumba Romance"
both by Sephora by OPI.


And although I didn't follow a specific tutorial, I was inspired by youtube as always!
Once my facebook status said something like, "went on youtube to listen to some old school R&B songs and four hours later, here I am watching tutorials on how to do nails."
I got a lot of LOLs but if they only knew ... dead serious!

There are many tremendously talented people out there, all willing to share their knowledge.
check them out! I swear I could watch youtube for days.

Eek, so here goes my un-pedicured feet.
Took about 10 minutes. I love fun & fast things.
Maybe my Jordans will get some shoe closet time this week ...
feeling like rockin' some open-toed shoes now :)


The Sally Hansen nail art pen (in black) made drawing the squiggle outlines easy peasy. It is also good for making dots; however, the dotting tool is my favorite tool for this purpose.
I got the SH products at a local Target and a set of dotting tools off eBay. All pretty inexpensive, useful, and fun!

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Oishii!

Oishii = Yummy in Japanese
Kanpai's Sports Bar is the home of deliciousness!
I swear we will find every reason to celebrate and eat at Kanpai's ...
this time we were celebrating Anna's birthday :)

I would have gotten pictures of her awesome Red Velvet white chocolate cake, the lychee alcoholic beverages, the extra crispy fried gizzards, and the ono ahi belly BUT I was too busy eating lol! Oops!

How dare I disregard the golden "picture first, eat after" rule of dining out in the facebook/blog era!


*wafu steak*


*garlic fries*


*spicy garlic chicken & fried rice*


*fried rice with scrambled eggs*


*kim chee edamame*

Now if I could only enjoy walking on the treadmill as much as Rayli does ...


Story behind this picture:
I got tired of the kids goofing off on the treadmill so I said, "If you get on the treadmill, you must have on sneakers, you may not play around with the speed control, and you must walk for at least 15 minutes without getting off."
When I came back, Rayli was walking the treadmill and reading her animal book. Guess she shut me up huh?!

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Should Have Been Studying ...

but spent Mothers' Day lounging at Scott's Pool on Pearl Harbor instead :)
(you know you're at a military pool when there's a big carrier in the every picture)


The last two months have been tough ones ...
and therefore, lack of blog posts.
It is crazy to think how much your life can change overnight (for better or worse)
but I think that is what makes us such resilient beings!
It's our ability to bounce back, triumph over adversity, and move forward.

With finals week almost in the bag ...
it is time to celebrate and
I am sooooooooo ready for that!

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

The Joy of Food


Okay, yeah so I'm suppose to be on a diet.
And yeah, it is true...
the only thing I can control is the distance between by hand and my mouth. (gee thanks Doc)

But oh phooey, I am a sucker for a good meal.
What is even better? A good meal with great company!

Mom brought home Vietnamese food from BaLe. Yum!


Mmmmm Summer Rolls [shrimp & tofu]
I love the peanut sauce it comes with but it was also another perfect occasion to bust out my Pietro's dressing too!



The sandwiches were the bomb!
I love the crunchy freshness of the carrots, cucumbers, & daikon.
Vegetables never looked or tasted so good. Delish!


My lunch dates, Mom & Grandpa K.
See his tray? He likes his meals a certain way and it usually involves about five bowls, Ensure, and a cup of coffee. After almost 95 years, I guess you know what you like and stick with it.
I don't blame him, its always interesting to see what he's eating and if you are Rayli (his 4-yo buddy) ... sit next to him and pick out of all his bowls.

and later that night ...

Did I ever mention my "tween" wanting to be a pastry chef?
The upside: She likes to try new recipes.
The downside: The aren't usually good for my diet or my cholesterol
but they do make me happy ... verrrrrry happy :)


Aiyanna's cinnamon rolls waiting to rise.


Aiyanna's cinnamon rolls waiting to be devoured.


Hope your day is just as sweet as those rolls are up there!




Monday, March 29, 2010

Mom & YouTube

My Mom discovering the joys of YouTube (thanks to her grandkids!)



fyi: here's the link they showed her
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2MgG-wkWe0

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Child Labor? Say What?

Thought it might be fun to show you my current stamping process ...

location: dining table & kitchen counter
(I should have took a picture of the unhappy husband ... what? hammering is not music to your ears? oh really?)


some handy tools: sharpie, 2 lb. "drilling" hammer, double stick tape
Jason also gifted me a metal-ish plank that was building infrastructure in its previous life (I think). It is the most awesome thing to stamp on ever. Goes to show you, tools can be created from all kinds of found objects!

A good heavy hammer is also a must. It makes the job a lot easier and it gives you a nice workout too! Can you imagine me with one nice super-toned arm? Ha!


Yes, I train them young.
This is my baby, Rayli, dapping away. Look Mom, I don't even have to look! I have to say her rates are cheap. I miss being a kid and thinking Skittles were currency. I once gave her $5 for helping me and she said, "I can't eat paper. I quit."


Action shot.
And look, no dress code required.
Show up to work in Dora Explorer pjs. You don't even have to comb your hair :) I'm such a super boss right?!


This is another employee of the month.
This is my Jazzy-Cakes, busy concentrating on the details.
I usually like to use Patina Gel to darken the stamped images but good ol' Sharpie can do the trick especially if you are short on time!

Time to polish away with a Sunshine cloth!
Go Jazzy Go!
She was thrilled since yellow is her favorite color ...
I must say, she is a gem to work with and she likes to get paid in Pokemon cards :)


Another must have ... a TUMBLER!
It's like a magic machine.
Dirty stuff goes in and shiny goodness comes out.
No extra work required and all I use is some Dawn dish washing liquid and maybe a few sprays of Quik-Brite. I've had this tumbler in my stash back when my kids wanted to tumble rocks.
If it ever dies, I'm gifting myself a Lortone tumbler.
I've heard they are the best of the best and they last a long time.


Making jewelry is fun ...
but making jewelry with your kiddos & people you love ... AWESOME!

For me, it isn't always about the finished piece, many times I find meaning and worth just through the process itself.
Hey, kind of like life right?


Thursday, March 18, 2010

Gooooo Hawks!


Jydon is a mini-me version of my hubs.
Sports, video games, & girls.

For the past few years, James has volunteered to coach the kids' teams & its been a great bonding experience for the kids, giving them extra Daddy time.


We usually host the end-of-season party for Jydon's team at our house. This year, I thought it would be cute to make custom favors for the kids.

Here's a peep at the finished goody bag.
I forgot to pick up ribbon, so we had to use pink curling ribbon to tie the bags. We told the kids that we chose pink because it was Coach J's favorite color :)


I cropped the team pictures and added font using Photoshop. I picked up the photo key chains at Long's Drugs (on sale for a little over $1).


I stamped copper blanks and wire wrapped them to copper key chains. Doesn't the copper look just like lil' basketballs?
Considering I haven't stamped in over a year,
the project went smoothly except for the basketball stamp ...
what a headache but after some practice, I got a teensy bit better.

It's funny how you convince yourself,
"Hmmmm, this project will take a couple hours."
Ha! After the stamping, doming, sanding, polishing, tumbling,
and wire wrapping ... woooooo weeeeee.

At the same time, it also reminded me how fun stamping is!
Been a stampin' fool lately :)

The party was fun. James always knows how to throw a party ...
and get everyone soaked with water balloons.
(which is why I never have pics!)
I don't know who has more fun, the kids or the parents!

Football season, here we come!

*****

Also wanted to share the lunch Aiyanna made me today.


a lemon pepper chicken, tofu, and Manoa lettuce salad
topped with bacon bits & Pietro's Sesame Miso dressing.
YUM!


Pietro's ... affectionately referred to as the "crack of salad dressings."
Sesame Miso, Soy Sauce, and Ginger are my favorites ...
and I'm bummed I can't find them at the commissary!
If they aren't in your dressing aisle, look in the Asian section (made in Japan).

Also, decided to dress up the blog using a free background from shabbyblogs.com
Awesome & easy to use! Will play around more when I have some free time.

until next time,
be well blogworld.


Monday, March 15, 2010

Cuff 'Um Dan-O



Finally got some creative juice flowing and
oooh, oooh, oooh it feels good
!
Another perk of working at a bead store ...
getting to clock out early and take a workshop!

(It's hard to call it work because I'm surrounded by friends & I ♥ what I do!)
*If you are going to get a job, I highly recommend doing something you enjoy :)

So here it goes ...
*My Skull Cuffcake*

Technique: Rolling mill
(think super sized pasta machine made for metal)
Material: Sterling Silver 18gauge Sheet

Shout out to Cupcake Jamie who bought me a skull punch!
She's awesome & my jewelry yoda.



Out of all jewelry mediums,
I have to say working with metal is one of my favorites.


Why???
1. I'm lazy and I like immediate gratification.
With wire, I don't have to worry about sewing in loose ends, crimping, or any other "finishing" techniques. Whew! I'm not saying metal=cakewalk but it sure beats having a tangled mess of thread (yes, speaking from experience here.)***

2. Metal can be forgiving.
Sand it, texture it, tumble it.
Magically turn those errors into design elements.


3. I love the look & feel of it.
For me, metal can be simple & sleek or it can be intricate & delicate.
It can be dressed up or dressed down.
Lately, I've been into layers of chain, multiple bangles, & lots of charms. Sounds fun? You betcha!

[Metal = sterling silver, fine silver, gold-filled, copper, brass, etc.]


I'm thinking, I may oxidize it and use a steel brush to give it a grungy/industrial look but we'll see. I'll post pics if I do.

Well, this project got me going again and I am ready to make more!!!

It made me feel like I could be creative again ... and not suck at it!
I was feeling pretty uncreative & suck-tastic lately
but this was a perfect pick-me-up.
A total "create without boundaries" type of project. Yay!

If you are interested, check it out here :)
I would love to see ya there!


*disclaimer: I still love needle & thread, crimping, and finishing ... Just not when I'm lazy or on days that start with the letters T or S.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Grandpa K in the house!

Note to self: breathe and enjoy every lil' bit of life
(and blog about it ... my poor neglected blog, I haven't forgotten you.)

Thrilled I was able to capture this moment ...
My hubs gave my 95-year old Grandpa a 'hawk and got him to throw up the deuces.
(I've never seen Granpda K so happy before!)


Just a reminder that even when you are feeling like crap ...
find a reason to smile.


Thursday, January 7, 2010

Bangs = Asian

It's funny how something as simple as bangs can make you look different.

Ever since I cut my bangs short, people have been commenting:
"Wow, you look so Asian now!"
Is that a compliment?
Did I not look my half-Japanese/half-Okinawan self before?
Cracks me up but I love it.

I think I will google some new hair inspiration.
Part of me wants to chop it for something new but my long hair is my security blanket.
Just not ready to let it go yet.
Holler if you have any new hair ideas :)


Sayonara ♥

p.s. eye shadow strike is overrrrrr. maybe I will also start wearing another color besides black this year.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Rock the Decade*


Hope everyone had a wonderful & SAFE time celebrating the New Year!
I got a couple of neat shots before my pink camera died.
I guess it had enough of 2009 too ;)


Last year, Jydon & Aiyanna thought it would be fun to have a "who can come up with the neatest sparkler routine" contest. Well, Jydon was jammin' with his sparklers, fancy dance moves, behind the back action ... little did he know, his (brand new, fresh out of the mailbox) jacket was on fire. There he was still dancing his little heart out while his back was smokin'. Eek! The look on his face was classic and no worries, the only thing toasted was his jacket!

So I'm happy to report that everyone survived this year unscathed.


I've decided there will be no *official* New Year's Resolutions for '10 because enlightenment, personal success, and growth are not achieved or defined by a specific date. Therefore, I will continue to add to my "to-do/to-enjoy/to-become" list.
Hopefully, I can check-off the list faster than I can add on.

here's a peep:
hug my kids. listen with my heart.
sew myself a clutch purse.
exercise 3x week minimum.
limit caffeine consumption.
go to Sin City.
knit something.
study holistic approaches to asthma control.
sleep at least six hours a night.
use loving words.

I bought a cute book that I scribble random thoughts, feelings, designs, etc. It has been a great way to get some of that mind clutter out and on to paper.