Memorial Day 2013

Memorial Day plans abound with fun barbecues and family beach days, and there is no shortage of fun to be had in Hawaii. Here is a roundup of some of our favorites Memorial Day festivities:

15th Annual Lantern Floating Ceremony
May 27, 2013
Ala Moana Beach Park, Honolulu, Hawaii
6:00-7:30 pm.
Every year Ala Moana park fills ups with thousands of people for a beautiful and moving lantern floating ceremony. Right at sunset, more then 5,000 glowing lanterns light up the ocean at Magic Island. The lanterns are inscripted with messages to loved ones who have passed away, and prayers for a peaceful future.

Two Museums and a Royal Palace
The Bishop Museum, Honolulu Museum of Art, and Iolani Palace are offering a special deal on May 25 and 26 for just $10 admission to all three for local residents!

50th State Fair
May 24-27, various other dates
Aloha Stadium
4:00 p.m. to closing
Time for Ferris wheels and circus shows! Your children will love the games and rides provided, and you will love the price: cost is free for children under 40", and at most you will pay $5.

And let's not forget why we celebrate Memorial Day: Time for Kids offers this great explanation of the holiday:

"The holiday got started on May 30, 1868, when Union General John A. Logan declared the day an occasion to decorate the graves of Civil War soldiers. Twenty years later, the name was changed to Memorial Day. On May 11, 1950, Congress passed a resolution requesting that the President issue a proclamation calling on Americans to observe each Memorial Day as a day of prayer for permanent peace and designating a period on that day when the people of the United States might unite in prayer. President Richard M. Nixon declared Memorial Day a federal holiday in 1971. Memorial Day is now observed on the last Monday of May. It is an occasion to honor the men and women who died in all wars."

Time to Relax Moms!

You're a busy mom--chances are you run around all day taking care of your children, taking them to school, extracurricular activities, and play dates. You are a homemaker, a chef, a bookkeeper, a tutor, a chauffeur  a nurse, a peacemaker--I'm sure sometimes you think what DON'T you do. And so many of you amazing moms also work full-time, in addition to all these other duties.

Don't you think you deserve a break from all this? Well I've got some great news for you--there is a new service offered on Oahu that might just make your day a little better. Aloha Provisions saves you a trip  to the grocery store by taking online orders for groceries. Yes, you really can order your groceries from the comfort of your home (or the beach!) and not worry about dragging your kids around with you.

Go ahead and check out the website, www.alohaprovisions.com. And don't forget to use the extra time this gives you for some good old me time!

Crafty Easter Fun

Easter is right around the corner, and with it comes plenty of fun for the whole family! From Easter egg hunts to egg dyeing, Easter is the perfect time to bond with your children over cute crafts.

Here are some fun ideas taken from around the web:

Easter Bunny Flower Pot

Blogger behind the idea: Kids Fun Reviewed

Best for kids ages: 4 and up

Materials Needed: 4-6 inch clay flower pot, purple acrylic paint, paint brush, googly eyes, purple pom-pom (medium), lavender and pink cardstock, craft glue, plant or flower

Instructions: Paint the flower pot, and set it aside to dry. While the flower pot is drying, make a pair of bunny ears from the lavender card stock and two inside ears from the pink card stock. Then add the googly eyes, the pom-pom for a nose and use the permanent marker to make a mouth. Glue the ears to the front of the pot, add the plant and voila!

Egg Dyeing is also always a fun tradition, but the folks at Huffington Post have set the standard very high this year. Taking ideas from various crafters and bloggers, they have compiled 9 Egg-Dyeing Designs To Change It Up ThisYear. This is one of our favorites! 

If your sweet tooth starts calling, pull out the cookie sheets to make these adorable Funny Bunny Cookies, courtesy of Munchkin Munchies! 

We hope you have fun with these, and please let us know which one is your favorite!

Happy Aloha Friday!

Enjoy our picks for some fun weekend activities for the whole family!

Event	Date	Details	Cost	Location
Birthday Expo Hawaii	Sat February 9, 2013 10:00am to 5:00pm	Discover new birthday venues, activities, cakes, gifts and more for your keiki at the Birthday Expo Hawaii. 596-2999, birthdayexpohawaii.com	$5 adults; $1 (ages 7-17)	Neal S. Blaisdell Center 777 Ward Avenue Honolulu, HI 96814
Windward District Parent Child Fair	Sat February 9, 2013 10:00am to 1:30pm	Find out about early learning community programs and resources for your little ones. Bring the kids for hands-on activities. windwardmall.com	Free	Windward Mall Center Court 46-056 Kamehameha Hwy Kaneohe, HI 96744
A Taste of St. Patrick	Sat February 9, 2013 10:30am to 4:00pm	Head over to St. Patrick School campus for an early Mardi Gras celebration featuring food trucks and booths, amateur chefs, live entertainment, food demonstrations and a farmers' market. Bring the family for games, prizes and a kids zone. This event is a "scholarship for the kids."	Purchase scrips at school office	St. Patrick School campus 3320 Harding Avenue Honolulu, HI 96816
Ukulele Picnic in Hawaii	Sun Feb 10, 9:00am-7:00pm.	Enjoy live entertainment from Hawaii and Japan musicians, shop around for ukulele related merchandise and participate in an ukulele competition. The Ukulele Picnic in Hawaii is a family-friendly event that spreads the messages of "ohana," "peace" and "friendship. Free shuttle service from Waikiki to Kaka'ako Waterfront Park. International Ukulele Contest at the Hyatt from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. on Feb. 9 Ukulele Museum Benefit Concert at the Hilton from 5:30-9 p.m. on Feb. 9 Ukulele Picnic at Kaka'ako Waterfront Park from 9 a.m.-sunset on Feb. 10 ukulelepicnicinhawaii.org/en	Free admission to picnic; Tickets to concert cost $35 for general admission, $55 for reserved seating cocktail show and $100 for reserved seating dinner show.	Ukulele contest at Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa; Concert at Hilton Hawaiian Village's great lawn; Ukulele Picnic at Kaka’ako Waterfront Park Honolulu, HI 96813
Hawaii Watercolor Society: We Love Art	Sat February 9, 2013 11:00am to 3:00pm	Take the kids to create handmade Valentine's Day art. The Hawaii Watercolor Society painters will provide guidance to young artists.   586-9958, hawaii.gov/sfca.	Free	Hawaii State Art Museum 250 South Hotel Street Honolulu, HI

Healthy Children, Happy You

Flu season is upon us, and despite the beautiful weather Hawaii boasts even at this time of year, influenza outbreaks still occur. For children in particular, the flu is far more dangerous than the common cold. Nationwide, the 2013 flu season is shaping up to be one of the worst in the last decade, the Center for Disease Control reports, while in Hawaii, they “are actually reporting low or minimal levels of influenza.” That is good news, but precautions should still be taken to ensure your children remain healthy.

The CDC encourages you to take these simple steps to protect yourself and your family from the flu:

1. Get the flu vaccine. This is by far the best way to protect your children against influenza. “CDC recommends that everyone 6 months of age and older get a seasonal flu vaccine.”

2. Fight germs. Cover your cough and wash your hands often. Germs are everywhere, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't do our best to protect against them.

Is there anything you do in particular to keep your children healthy? Please share with us!

Teaching Gratitude in the Holiday Season

The holiday season is a wonderful time to be with family and friends, and the perfect time to teach your child gratitude for all that your family is blessed with. Whether your family celebrates Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, or all of the above, the holiday season is filled with joy, cheer and warmth and teaching your child to appreciate all they have is one of the best gifts you can give to them.

This holiday season, take time to stop with your children, and help them think about all they have to be thankful for. Family members, brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles, grandparents. Good food, friends, a roof over their heads, holiday traditions, and that new game or toy. And most importantly, be sure to tell your children how grateful you are for them! 

Merry Christmas from the Keiki Sitters Ohana!

Keiki Sitters owner hopes to send kids to college with OBAMA Hawaii license plate proceeds

Keiki Sitters owner Kathy Custer has come up with a creative way to help fund college educations for two students. She's auctioning off the world's only car with an OBAMA Hawaii license plate!

The world's only OBAMA Hawaii license plate.

As the owner of a babysitting business, helping children is always Kathy's first priority. The proceeds from the purchase of Kathy's Obama car will pay for the college education of brother and sister Katie Garren and Logan Garren.

Katie, 20 years old, is attending community college, working on a business degree and is an aspiring entrepreneur. Logan, 17 years old, is in his senior year of high school, looking forward to graduating in the spring. He aspires to be an electrical engineer, working for NASA JPL.

Kathy Custer

When Kathy heard that Katie, Logan and the Garren family are no longer able to afford their continuing education, she wanted to help. She had no intention of selling her OBAMA car, but other than her business, it's her most valuable asset, and she really wanted to help Katie and Logan. So she's auctioning her truck and transferring the world's only state of Hawaii OBAMA license plate to the highest bidder.

The highest bidder will win the car and the OBAMA Hawaii license plate. Kathy's starting the eBay auction at only 99 cents, but of course hopes to raise enough money to send Katie and Logan to college. The auction will go live on Sunday, Oct. 28 and will close on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 6.

More photos and details about the car are available on www.obamacarhawaii.com.

Kathy's OBAMA car has been making headlines. Read the coverage in the local media:

• "Truck with world's only Hawaii OBAMA license plate to be sold at auction"
• "'OBAMA Hawaii Car' Up For Bids"
• "Obama car auctioned for scholarships"