May 2023 – The Salty Exchange

Shari’s At-Home Gel Manicure updated

May 26, 2023by thesaltyexchangeLeave a Comment

This is still a post I reference often! People ask about my nails all the time and if they are interested in doing their own at home I always point them to this blog post. Nearly three years later I am still doing my nails the same way and I love how they turn out. Sometimes I will go a week or two between my home manicure… let’s be honest, I don’t have as much time these days with a baby in tow 🙂 Enjoy my at-home gel manicure *updated* post.

One thing I missed when quarantine started was my monthly trips to the nail salon. I got desperate right before my wedding to get my nails done and luckily I had a friend that owned a UV light and a few gel polish colors. A light pink was perfect for my COVID wedding manicure and I loved it so much that I decided to buy my own UV light and starter gel polish kit. Best. Decision. Ever. The set up paid for itself after using it twice! In truth, it costs at least $30-40 per trip to the nail salon for a gel manicure. For my home kit, I paid $60 and got the UV light AND an assortment of gel polish colors. This was indeed an investment that, for me, was worth it!
**Side note: I am the type of person who likes doing my nails. I know that this topic will not apply to everyone (Kendall HATES doing her own nails) but if you enjoy doing your nails and your kid’s nails then this post is for you.

My Gel Manicure Items (updated links 5/26/2023):

UV Light
Beetle Gel Polish Set
Nail Care Kit
Buffer

Prep your nails (clip, file, shape, trim cuticles, lightly buff nail beds, wash hands with water only)

Get gel set ready (Foundation Gel, Color Gel, and Top Coat Gel)

Cure between each coat of polish with UV Light

*My tips include: pushing back your cuticles or cleaning them up ahead of time, rough up your nail beds by using a fine grain nail file (or buffer) and then clean off the dust with just water and a towel before you do your first foundation coat. This helps the polish attach to your nail better and will reduce the risk of the gel lifting away from the nail too soon.

**Bonus, especially for kids, there is no extra dry time. 60 seconds under the light and your nails are dry!

Viola! Enjoy your cute new nails. I highly recommend watching some youtube tutorials or researching some best practices.

Kendall: Reflections on Marriage

May 19, 2023May 19, 2023by thesaltyexchangeLeave a Comment

Marrying my husband after six and a half months was the best decision of my entire life.

Before I dive into my marriage though, let me say this: not everyone should get married that quickly. Ok, that’s out of the way…

Issy and I got married at the courthouse and then only days later, moved to a whole new country. Talk about change; we have endured it in spades. Committing to Israel was one of the most sacred and intimate things I have ever done. The commitment that we have made to each other both spiritually and legally is the binding of our book that houses our story. Investing in him changed my life (for the better). It allowed me to grow my own family. Being with my husband has made me more open to change. Last month (April) marked our 7 year anniversary. I have absolutely no 7 year itch. Our love for each other is deeper than it was in 2016. Our life is more beautiful than ever. We know each other better and we prioritize each other and our children over anyone and anything else. Our binding to each other isn’t a prison but is actually the most freeing part of my life.

Not every moment has been cake. We have faced our struggles in so many different areas of our life. We cope with things differently. Issy is the “talk it out” one while I am the “leave me alone to digest” one. We have conflict. We have scary life moments. We have days where it’s hard to communicate because we are just so caught up in everything. But we always come back together because we are each other’s peace. Together, we are stronger. Together, we figure it out. Being his wife makes me happy. It’s not the only role I have but it is one of my most valuable. To love someone in all the good, bad, ugly, raw, and beautiful moments and have them love you the same way in return is humbling.

After 7 years, here’s what I know so far:
1) Court each other. Don’t stop dating and learning about one another.
2) Check your ego at the door. You aren’t the only one that matters. Marriage is humbling so be prepared to question yourself but find an even better version of yourself.
3) Don’t forget sex. It matters. A lot. Intimacy births not only babies but a deeper connection to one another.
4) Don’t be petty. There may be a lot of things that bother you sometimes but if you are going to bring everything up, you only look like you can’t handle sharing your life and like you are out to hurt your partner. Be above it.
5) Respect other couples. Don’t compare yourselves to anyone. That is dangerous to not only your own self but to the foundation of your marriage.
6) Prioritize each other. No one comes before your wife or husband (well, your kids, but you get what I am saying). Don’t allow friends or family to play games with your relationship or try and dictate anything. That’s toxic for all involved.
7) Remember that every phase of your relationship is a season. You will grow, have different responsibilities and trials, and life changes. Go through it all together.

My only regret is that I didn’t meet my husband sooner and that I spent so much time trying to figure the whole love thing out. But I met him when I was supposed to and that gives me so much peace and gratefulness for what I learned before him.

Some people call marriage nothing more than a piece of paper. If you are thinking about it that way, then yeah- you shouldn’t get married and that’s all good. Love and commitment come in different forms. With that said, I also think we are in this weird place where we shame people for getting married and/or we expect them to fail because, well, lots of marriages do. My last piece of advice is this– if you love someone, take a chance. But do it because you love that person- not because you love the idea of that person or what life could be like. Those things are important but mean nothing if you don’t fully love the person. If you are too scared, you are leaving the door open for either of you to walk away from each other. Marriage can be challenging enough- don’t make it harder.

Mothers, women, ladies… listen up!

May 11, 2023by thesaltyexchangeLeave a Comment

For ALL the women, I have a reminder for you.

Don’t wait for the perfect time to… wear the special dress, buy yourself the flowers, book the spa day, use the bath bomb you’ve been “saving”, eat the chocolate from France, light the expensive candle, use the fancy dishes, and book the trip. There will never be the right moment. There will never be the right time. Now. Now is the right time and the perfect moment.

Where is this coming from you may ask. A few months ago, I posted about my godmother and Aunt, Kory. She passed away in February and we have been slowly going through her estate. Throwing away old coupons, photos, magazines, news articles, etc and saving a few special cards, family pictures, and heirloom items. It has been an emotional and also a mind numbing process (mainly for my cousin who is the executor of her will). As I have helped, I’ve had my moments of feeling sad about the items we are tossing, thinking to myself “but she loved that” or “should we keep this” but sadly those items have little to no value to anyone else.

As we sort through her beloved trinkets, artwork, and more, I have to say, I am proud of her for doing what made her happy and NOT WAITING or caring what others thought. I love that she printed out the pictures from her vacations and savored those memories, the photobooks looked loved and cherished. I am impressed by the artwork she hung throughout her house and how she rotated it out with the seasons. As I looked at her crystal bowls, I remembered many fruit salads and parties where she actually USED them. Her closet brimming full of clothes and jewelry made me smile as I thought of how she coordinated from head to toe and was always so put together.

Let’s all learn something from Aunt Kory. Even if an item in her home meant nothing to me or anyone else… all that mattered was that it meant something to her. She wore the dress, she planned the trip, she bought the front row tickets to the theater, she wore the diamonds, she ate at the fancy restaurant, she hung the artwork, she bought herself flowers, and she didn’t wait. I smile because I look at her house and I am reminded not to wait. As I was thinking about this one of my favorite bloggers, Elise Joy, posted on Instagram almost verbatim what I was thinking. I laughed out loud at yet another sign to stop making excuses and simply ENJOY life.

With Mother’s Day this Sunday I keep getting asked what I am doing. Almost building it up for my husband to come short no matter what he plans or doesn’t plan for me, haha. Either way, I am excited simply because it’s my first year celebrating as a biological mom. I can’t think of a gift I want more than to just enjoy life and time with my husband, kids, and family. The best gift we can give ourselves is living. And wow, did my Aunt Kory know how to live. When someone goes through my estate someday, will they think the same thing? Will they smile because I did things that brought me joy? What brings you joy? What would be on your list of things to “not wait” for? I encourage you to make the list, do it now, and please don’t wait any longer.