Hawaiian word of the week

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Hoku-(ho-koo)- Star

The alphabet contains 12 letters: 5 vowels (a, e, i, o, u) and 7 consonants (h, k, l, m, n, p, w). To simplify pronunciation, sound consonants as in English and break up words so they are easy to say (ie- Humuhumunukunukuapua’a would be pronounced humu-humu-nuku-nuku-apu-a-a)

Pronounce vowels as follows:

a - a in above; e - e in set; i - ee in see; o - o in some; u - oo in moon.

Pronounce vowels marked by a glottal stop (`) quickly ie- o`o sounds like oh-oh! in English.

Stress rising dipthongs (ae, ai, ao, au, oi, ou, eu, ei) on the first letter and end with a short e, i, o or u. ie- oi sounds like oy in soy, ending with a short “i”.

Remembering our sweet baby girl…

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This is one of my favorite pictures of our baby girl.  We’d left abruptly after dinner only to come home and see she decided to “help” us with the box.  She shrunk down low because she was sure she was in trouble but we couldn’t help but burst into laughter.  Who could be mad at that sight??

It was a year ago today we had to make the ultimate sacrifice due to her failing health and send our baby to heaven.  It was the hardest decision we’ve ever had to make but we know there was no quality of life anymore and she was in pain that could no longer be managed by medication.  We miss her so much every day.  If you’ve ever owned a Toy Fox Terrier or a terrier of any kind, you know of their boundless energy and they rarely show pain.  They stay active until the end.  We got 14 1/2 years of love, comedy, kisses and hugs, playtime, barking, snuggling, a nurse when we were sick, a comedian on down days and a little baby that appreciated any time you spent with her whether you were playing or she was laying beside you.

We miss her in every way imaginable and her loss is still so fresh a year later.   She was our baby.  So for those of you lucky enough to still have your furbabies, give them an extra hug tonight or play with their favorite toys because there are some of us who would do anything for one more day with our little sweeties. 

Aloha Aisha, you are loved, thought of and missed every second of every day.

Aloha Friday Recipe: Tropical Fruit and Pasta Salad

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Ingredients

3 cups cooked fusilli or rotelle (pasta)
Macadamia-Papaya Seed Dressing (see below)
1 cup cubed fresh pineapple
1 cup sliced strawberries
1 small papaya, peeled, seeded, and cubed
1 kiwi, peeled and sliced
Red leaf lettuce

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta and 1/4 cup of Macadamia-Papaya Seed Dressing; toss gently to coat. Cover and chill for 1 hour. When ready to serve, add fresh fruits and desired amount of the Macadamia-Papaya Seed Dressing. Serve on lettuce leaves. Makes 8 servings.

Macadamia-Papaya Seed Dressing
In a food processor or blender, add 1/2 small Maui onion and 1 tablespoon papaya seeds; chop, using a pulsing action. Add 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 cup tarragon vinegar; blend well. Continue to blend, gradually adding 1/2 cup macadamia nut oil in a slow steady stream. Makes 1 cup.

Recipe courtesy Food Consultants of Hawaii

Remembering Iniki

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It’s been 16 years today since Hurricane Iniki devastated the island of Kauai.  If you visit the island today, you’d never know the hardship this island faced except for the ruins of the famous Coco Palms hotel. 

Click here to see one person’s first hand pictures of what it was like to be on the island after Iniki struck.

For the keiki…

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Your kids love Disney characters? Here’s a great link to some coloring pages from Disney to keep the keiki occupied!

Hawaii for visitors with disabilities

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For travelers with disabilities, finding facilities and activities that can accommodate you can be challenging.  Luckily there is a great resource for those looking to visit Hawaii that allows you to get the information you might have to search multiple sites for all in one place.  You can search by island to get phone numbers and websites that can answer any questions that may arise.

Click here to be directed to this invaluable resource and begin planning your visit to the islands today!

Hawaiian word of the week

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Humuhumunukunukuapua’a- (hoomoo-hoomoo-nookoo-nookoo-apoo-ah-ah)- Hawaii’s state fish, triggerfish

The alphabet contains 12 letters: 5 vowels (a, e, i, o, u) and 7 consonants (h, k, l, m, n, p, w). To simplify pronunciation, sound consonants as in English and break up words so they are easy to say (ie- Humuhumunukunukuapua’a would be pronounced humu-humu-nuku-nuku-apu-a-a)

Pronounce vowels as follows:

a - a in above; e - e in set; i - ee in see; o - o in some; u - oo in moon.

Pronounce vowels marked by a glottal stop (`) quickly ie- o`o sounds like oh-oh! in English.

Stress rising dipthongs (ae, ai, ao, au, oi, ou, eu, ei) on the first letter and end with a short e, i, o or u. ie- oi sounds like oy in soy, ending with a short “i”.

Aloha Friday Recipe: Arare Cookie Crunch

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Ingredients

3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup margarine
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 2/3 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups crushed arare (Japanese rice crackers)

Instructions

Preheat electric oven to 325 F. In large bowl of electric mixer, cream butter, margarine, and sugar. Add flour and vanilla; mix well. Stir in arare. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets and flatten slightly. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 5 dozen cookies.

Recipe courtesy HECO

Support the Warriors no matter where you are!

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There’s nothing I love more than showing my support for the Hawaii Warriors and I do that by visiting their UH Rainbowtique online.  They have all kinds of great apparel, spirit items, kids apparel and tons of great ways to support your Hawaii Warriors.  From football to volleyball, basketball and baseball, you can find the item for you.  Whether you live in the islands, moved from the islands or discovered the Warriors for the first time last year when they made their way to the Sugar Bowl after their historic season, the UH Rainbowtique has something for every Warrior fan!

A sweet treat from the Big Island

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On the Big Island of Hawaii there awaits a sweet treat waiting to be discovered.  Big Island Bees Natural and Organic Hawaiian Honey “employs” thousands of bees to make uniquely Hawaiian honey.  From Organic ‘Ohi’a Lehua Blossom to Macadamia Nut Blossom and Organic Wilelaiki Blossom, these jars of goodness all have distinct tastes and textures. The ‘Ohi’a Lehua Blossom is said to have a light and delicate flavor, thick and creamy texture and light golden color. The Macadamia Nut Blossom an “ambrosial” and subtly spicy flavor, smooth and viscous texture, and a light amber color and the Wilelaiki Blossom a floral and nutty flavor, velvety texture and an amber color. You can buy them separately in different quantities or a variety pack to try them all.

Their website is also a great source of information about bees that you may not have known. Some of the things we thought were interesting was 4,000 bees together weigh only one pound, they can fly up to 12 mph and they are known to raid other hives and steal honey. These are a few of the interesting facts you can learn including the “bee dance.”

So stop on over and visit Big Island Bees Natural and Organic Hawaiian Honey.

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