Crazy Country Corn...

there's something new in Haleiwa...

roasted corn!

We  love corn on the cob.  

This is the best...

sweet, perfected cooked and big!

We usually just cook our corn the regular way, by boiling it in water.

This corn is roasted

a whole new flavor.  I loved it.

Hubby and I have been known to just eat corn and fruit for dinner.

I can hardly wait for the next time to have this corn, it was that good!

Done...

the Animal Research Project is done!

Starts in January with the kids choosing their animal.  Then doing research and

taking notes/answering questions about their animal.

Those notes are then written into different sections.

Once those notes have been edited, the students then start

typing and editing.

then they illustrate

in between all of that, there are some students that start making a paper mache

model of their animal.  We had a parent volunteer come in and help with that

and Miss Debbie did the messy part outside

the models have been painted and the final touches have been done.

signatures collected, pages checked and rechecked, 

done, done, done!!!

this whole project is done at school.

During this whole process we do Language Arts that has to do with animals.

Close Reading passages about animals.

it's a long process for sure!

the packets are shipped off and in about a month, we receive bound book.  If

everyone in the class signs the permission form, the kids get their book for free!

It's a long 6 weeks, but so worth it in the end.

Recycle Beauty...

last year the "Kokua Foundation" had a bottle cap recycling project.

the school that had the most plastic bottle caps won a concert by Jack Johnson.

Waialua didn't win last year, but we were determined to win this year.

So all during the summer and into the beginning the caps were being

collected.

Before the holidays we found out that Kokua Foundation wasn't going to 

be holding the the bottle cap contest. (I still think it's weird that they aren't

doing it, you'd think that someone or some company could foot the

bill to have these caps shipped to the mainland ,where they are then re-cycled).

Anyway, what to do with all these caps?

A very talented teacher and her enrichment academy have taken the

saying "lemonade out of lemons" to a beautiful end...

this beautiful mural on the side of one of the portables is made

entirely out of those bottle caps!

great job Green Thumb Academy!

Animal Research Project...

almost on the home stretch so to speak of the Animal Research Project 

in A-9.

It's so much work for everyone involved.

Deciding what animal they want to research.

Taking notes.

Writing and editing the paper.

Typing the paper (yes kids do it)

so much work...

illustrating the pages

Part of the project is to make a papermache animal form of their animal.

this in itself is a project!

thank goodness for parent volunteers!

Miss Debbie has been helping with the papermache everyday.  

Next we're painting.

This afternoon we printed out the pages with the illustrations.

The packets have a deadline to be sent off to the publisher for binding, so

we may have a few days leeway if the weather will stay warm enough to dry the forms.

Lets hope these "Student Treasures" will be something everyone treasures

forever!

Coming Home...

Saturday was a beautiful day.

Coming home from hula, I came down snake road.

the view was so pretty, especially after all the VOG, and rain that we'd had the week before.

coming down snake road is different than coming down Kam Hiway.

Kam Hiway gives a view of more of the North Shore.

Snake Road just has a view of Waialua and home...

even after all of these years and seeing the view, it

never, ever gets old.

Oh The Girls Came Back...

the Adams ohana came back to the 'hood for a visit and what better

reason to have a party!

They moved to Washington state in July (we were gone, so I didn't have to say good-bye),

and this was the first visit back to Hawaii for them.

They were the first people to move onto the street to have children, nine years

ago the girls were so little.

Now I look at them and they're young women.

such good girls.

it was like they never had left.

We were saying that this party was one just like it used to be.

I'm glad that the crazy weather that we had on Friday night/Saturday was gone

by the time the party started and I got back from town.

Still miss them terribly, but glad to see that they're doing so well.

they'll always be "the girls"

Locked Down...

yesterday the school day started with a "lock-down" because

of police activity in the area.

 as parents dropped kids off at school they were met in the front

and were told of the situation.  Most parents took their kids home

with them.  The bus riders, walkers and those that chose to

stay were kept in the cafeteria until the teachers went down

to escort them to the classes.

there were lots of police on campus, and helicopters.

the gates to the upper stairwells were locked as were

all the classroom doors.

Every year there is a "lockdown " practice drill, so the kids

now what to do.  No opening of doors, windows closed, etc.

The kids were great!  We ended up with 10 ( a few came after

the all-clear was given).  We spent the whole day working

on our animal reports.  

We were actually "locked down" for about an hour.  I think the people

that were on social media were more "freaked out" than those of us

that were locked safely in the classrooms.  We kept things as "normal" as 

possible for the kids and they were great!

Never a dull moment it seems.

Congrats to the staff of Waialua Elementary for a job well done.

Only In Hawaii...

A9 went on a field trip to the train in Ewa last month.

I got a frantic call from Arlette...3 kids had forgotten to bring their lunch and

no time to call the parents.

Could I please go up to Paalakai Market and grab spam musubis for them?

I got enough for them and met the kids as they were getting ready to

board the bus.

Lucky that Paalakai was open (and not a Tuesday) and  I could grab them

something.

Lucky that local kids are more than happy to eat a couple of musubi for lunch.

Another Aloha...

the other evening I attended the funeral of this classy lady...

it was a true celebration of Cindy's life and how she made

a difference in the lives of not only the students that she taught, but also

her friends and loving family.

Home Sweet Home, Again...

we got home last night from a very chilly Christmas in California.

glad to be home.

Polar Express Comes To A9...

Last week we did Close Reading with my very favorite book,

"The Polar Express".

Our homework packet, spelling and Language Arts was all about

the book.

I was surprised how many kids hadn't seen the book or even the movie, so

it was extra special for them.

When we finished on Friday, each of them got their own bell.

I brought in my own Christmas bell and let them ring it.

During the movie we made hot cocoa (you have to have it right?).

Kids were just enthralled with the movie.

After the movie we discussed it and I was surprised how many of them

got the message and said that they just loved it. 

Believe

Market Day...

yesterday was "Market Day" at Waialua Elementary.

Market Day is held a couple of times a year.  Students can earn "micro money"  (fake)

for good behavior, etc during school. They can then use the micro money to play games

or buy donated treats.

 Grade levels, academies and clubs can sell

items as a fund raiser.  In the past 2nd grade has sold; cotton candy, shave ice, nail

painting, etc.  Yesterday they sold pudding cups and musubi rice. Its great because

families are invited, so it's a real carnival going on!

One of the best fund raisers yesterday, was what the 6th grade did...purchase a piece of duct

tape to tape Mr. Moore (the principal) to the wall.  It was great and I'm sure

they made a lot of money!  The line was so long!

(thanks Kerilynn Pollock and Heidi Luarca for the photos)

I love the look on Reef's face...priceless!

The money made by groups during Market Day is always put to good use.

Buses for field trips have doubled in cost over the last couple of years.

Some groups use the money to help defray the cost of camp, etc.

The kids love Market Day and so the the parents that come.

People Forget...

that there are actually people who live in these areas that

tourist flock to. 

(mahalo Dale Yoshizu for the photo)

this is another "no parking" sign that was probably put up by 

residents who got sick of people blocking their driveways or walking through

their yards.

Like the signs that went up at Laniakea, I think that residents have just 

had enough of it.  

Some people can be so rude.  Like the lady that wouldn't listen to the

security guard that was telling her she couldn't trespass onto private

property to get a photo.

I know that people on vacation just get so excited and forget that there are 

actually people that live right there.

Oh Christmas Tree...

Sunday after church hubby and I went to our storage unit and got our

Christmas decorations out.  We were there with a lot of other folks doing the same

thing, which just goes to prove...my next life, I'm going to own a storage

facility in Hawaii! Money maker for sure!

In previous years, the Adams girls that lived across the street from

us always came over and put the tree skirt down for us, since it involved

climbing around on the floor.  This year hubby had to do it (after saying we 

didn't really need it).

I started collecting the "Honolulu City Lights" ornaments years ago. Every

year there is a different theme to them and this year it was the

Hokule'a and the World Wide Voyage.  I think this is one of

my favorites.

We have a lot of these glass ornaments that are so pretty

sparkle in the lights.

palm trees and surfers are some of my favorites

 we still have 1 ornament from our very first Christmas tree

in Corona del Mar, 48 Christmases ago.

the gold paint inside is chipped and it's not very shiny, but

we love it just the same.

here she is all completed.  

love this tall, thin tree.  Just the right size!

still put garland on our tree (just gave up the tinsel when we moved here)

We don't have a real tree anymore...it's just too hot and besides we aren't actually

here on Christmas so this is much easier not to worry about a dry tree.

As soon as we got her up and turned out the lights, it felt like Christmas!

Mele Kalikimaka

Kaamooloa Road Thanksgiving, 9th Edition...

 Thanksgiving 2014

started with the hubby doing his turkey with

his special, family recipe stuffing.

He decided this year to use the Japanese bread we use

everyday (won't be using it again, he said it was too stiff. Gotta stay

with the cheap stuff).

our next door neighbors, the Watanabes hosted

it again and as always it was spectacular.

This year was a little different because several families, the Adams

and the Cuas both moved away.

Christine's table is always so pretty and festive.

The autumn colored tulips were so pretty.

our fabulous host and hostess, Steve & Christine

every pacesetting had homemade lilikoi fudge she had made.

one of 3 tables that was loaded with food

So Thankful for such wonderful friends and neighbors.

They're the reason this Thanksgiving was so nice.

North Shore Alarm Clock...

Seriously,  these guys are the worst!

We've got three on our street now and they're so annoying, I've

about had it with them.

One of them can't seem to figure out what time it is...12, 1 or 2, he starts

right outside our house.

There are a couple of neighbors on our street that leave for work

a little after 4 am...I can't imagine what time they go to bed.

I've figured out that if I go to bed early, I can actually get some uninterrupted sleep

before the roosters start.

We had had this big of a problem before, until our crazy

neighbors started FEEDING the crazy things!  

So now when anyone (local boys) try to catch them, they run right

under the "crazies" house.  

I've tried to explain to some of the new people...DO NOT FEED THEM.

They're dirty and carry diseases.  We've always had a few hens

running around, but once you have roosters that stay, you end up with

all (24 last count) chicks.

I loved it the other morning when it was raining because, no roosters !

They were silent...

the perfect morning to stay in bed!

Kawailoa Dump Residents...

sometimes when hubby goes to the dump,

I go along for the ride.

We usually go early evening and we've seen this group

of pigs that come out to eat.

The first time we saw them, they were really small.

Now this one is close to 100 pounds it seems.

we think that somebody (probably the dump security guard) is 

putting some extra fat on them for a special occasion.

Only in Hawaii...

Halloween in A-9

we did a close reading lesson on spiders, so

what better craft project was something to do with spiders.

The kids made some webs using marble painting and

cutting and accordian folding

these spooky spiders helped A-9 get into the Halloween mood

so on Halloween after the "Friday tests", the kids

are going to finish their torn paper pumpkins to go

along with the story "Pumpkins, Pumpkins"