Swap Meet at the Aloha Stadium

Have you started Christmas shopping?  It's not quite Thanksgiving and usually I take one holiday at a time but this year I decided to get as much shopping out of the way in November as possible.

I always do some Christmas shopping at the Aloha Stadium.  I once overhead a vendor say people who live here go to the stadium when they have visitors from off-island and at Christmastime and I know that's true for me.

The term 'swap meet' makes me think of a community garage sale, but the vast majority of the items at this one are new.  There are a lot of different types of things available at the stadium swap meet and over the years I feel like I've bought at least one of every type of item they have.

This is the perfect place to shop to buy Hawaiiana type things for friends off-island and prices are better than in Waikiki.  But don't think it's only tourist stuff for sale here because there's a lot more to buy than that.  Items for sale include: Hawaii t-shirts, aloha wear, sunglasses, board shorts, hats, prints of photos and paintings, beach towels, luggage, bags of all sizes and styles, baskets, handicraft items, quilts, cheap plastic toys (my kids always want to spend their money on these), musical instruments, jewelry, hair accessories, and the list goes on.

For those of you who are more visual, here's a list in picture form:

And one last picture, the aloha wear outfits I got at the swap meet for my kids to wear for Christmas last year.

The vendors are positioned in a circle around the stadium so you get a bit of exercise while you shop.  I always take a stroller and I use it for keeping my wandering daughter with me and for giving my son a ride when he gets tired of walking.  

Speaking of kids, mine usually enjoy going to the swap meet.  It's a great place for them to spend their pocket money because a lot of things are available in their price range.  My son has bought toys, necklaces, wooden bookmarks and a bunch of other things there.  When they get tired I can motivate them to keep going with the promise of fresh sliced fruit or shave ice which are both available there.

Happy shopping!  Some of the vendors will bargain with you, so happy bargaining too!

Do it yourself on Oahu

Location:  Aloha Stadium, 99-500 Sale Lake Blvd, Honolulu, HI 96818

Hours:  Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 8am to 3pm  (They usually have extended days and/or hours during the holidays but I'm not finding those anywhere right now.)

Cost:  $1 admission for ages 11 and older

Parking:  After you come in the entrance there is a parking lot immediately to the left, there is parking all around the perimeter of the stadium, and there is a big parking lot near the front side of the stadium.

Facilities:  There are restrooms at a couple locations around the stadium.  

Other:  Although there is some food for sale there I always take snacks for my kids.  I would also recommend taking water bottles and an umbrella and wearing a hat and/or sunscreen, especially in the summer when it gets really hot there.

More info:  Official webpage for the Aloha Stadium Swap Meet and Marketplace

Matson the Mouse - A Brand New Book

We love books in our house.  I started buying children's books before I even had children.  I don't know if it's because we've read to them often and surrounded them with books or if it's just how they are wired, but our kids are both book lovers.  So when asked if I would like a copy of Duncan O'Brien's brand new book Matson the Mouse I said, "Yes, please!"

The book is set in the early 1900s when many visitors to Hawaii arrived by ship.  The story follows a mouse named Matson on his trans-Pacific adventure on board a big white cruise ship.  It's a fun story full of adventure and discovery and teaches a bit about Hawaii's history and culture along the way.

When I think of Matson ships I think of container ships bringing us everything from toilet paper to cars to Christmas trees from the Mainland and other ports.  It wasn't until I read this book that I learned they used to also have passenger ships.  I think I need to read O'Brien's coffee table book, The White Ships, to learn more about them.

As for this children's book, I tested it out on my kids and they both enjoyed it.  My son sat down and read the whole thing to himself as soon as I showed it to him and my daughter has been asking to have it reread to her since the first time through.  

Books are available for sale at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, Native Books and online at matsonthemouse.com.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary advance copy of this book so I could review it here.  However I was not required to express any particular opinion of this book and the views written here are my own.

Back to School Shopping

This week I pulled out the school supply list and went shopping.  We were spared this ordeal last year so this was my first experience of shopping for school supplies as a parent.

We started at Target because we happened to be there picking up some photos.  The school supply section was surprisingly empty and we got quite a few things on our list crossed off.

Sadly I couldn't find journal style composition books or boxes of crayons with only 16 crayons at Target so we were not done.  They DID have rulers and you can see my son using his to sword fight with his unarmed sister.  It was time to head to the checkout counter!

The next day I had a bit of kid-free time and I used it to head to Fisher Hawaii.  I came across the cast and crew of Hawaii Five-0 filming on the street corner next to the store.  Brilliant timing, filming next to Fisher Hawaii during the back to school shopping rush but thankfully they didn't slow traffic down too much in spite of Alex O'Laughlin/Steve McGarrett standing by the side of the road wearing a tank top.

There was a parking attendant in the Fisher Hawaii lot and I was happy to find a spot right away.  Even when it's not the back to school rush their lot gets busy.  The store wasn't as crowded as I had feared, and I even had the crayon section almost to myself.

But then I realized that there was a designated school supply section in the front of the store and that's where most of the shoppers were.  It got busier the longer I was there, but I was able to get what I needed and found short lines at the registers in the front when I went to check out.

At both stores I found it entertaining to eavesdrop on my fellow shoppers as we all struggled to figure out what a "portfolio folder" was or to find the box of crayons with the number of crayons inside to match the specifications from our child's school.  Some lists were a bit vague and others seemed overly specific.  Are the teachers trying to drive us crazy?  Do they think they're providing a fun end of summer scavenger hunt activity for us?

I think someone could start a successful business by providing a school supply shopping service.  For a small fee they could take your list and do all the shopping for you.  Would you pay someone to do that?

When school starts I'll find out how well I did on the school supply scavenger hunt.  I won't be too surprised if I'm at Fisher Hawaii, Target or another store purchasing a different size glue stick or another type of folder in a few weeks.

On a final note, I thought the prices at Fisher Hawaii were a little better than those at Target.  I especially liked the boxes of 24 Crayola crayons for 25 cents and the boxes of Crayola markers for $1.  I bought the limit on both of those items to use at home and to give away.

So have you shopped for school supplies yet or are you waiting 'til the last minute?  What's your favorite place to find everything on your list?  I still need to get a lunch box and a couple other things, so share your wisdom with me and the rest of our online ohana.

Related Link:  Blog post on Fisher Hawaii

Savers: Thrift Shoppers' Paradise

Some friends who used to live here came back to Hawaii for a visit and Savers was on the top of their list of places to go while they were here.  I am not a thrift shopping expert but apparently it's that great of a store.

Savers sells household goods, books, toys, accessories, shoes and lots of clothes.  The clothes are well organized by style, size and even color.  They have clothing from swimwear to coats and everything in between.  

It's a great place to shop before a trip to a colder climate.  You'll spend less than you would at mainstream stores and you can find winter items year round, not just when retailers decide they are in season.

Savers is also a great place to get children's clothes.  It seems that a number of thrift stores no longer carry children's items so I'm glad for a place to not only shop but also donate items my children have outgrown or no longer use.

Speaking of donating, the Kalihi Savers supports the United Cerebral Palsy Association of Hawaii Foundation and the Waipahu Savers supports the Friends of National Kidney Foundation of Hawaii.  When you donate items you get a receipt to use for a tax deduction and a coupon for $3 off a purchase of $10 or more.  You can call them to find out about a donation pick-up at your home or you can take donations directly to the store.

As far as prices go, keep an eye on the tags because the prices vary from item to item.  Some are a great deal, others aren't quite as good.  Also take note of the color of the price tag.  Each day a certain color of tags are 50% off.  Check with an employee or on the bulletin board by the entrance to find the sale color of the day.  

On a recent shopping trip I kept track of my purchases.  I bought 2 shirts for my daughter, 7 pairs of long pants, 4 shirts and 1 coat for my son, 6 shirts, 3 pairs of shorts and 1 pair of capri pants for myself and, thanks to their good prices and a 20% off coupon I had earned through their punch-card system, I only spent $94.

Happy shopping and happy saving!

Do it yourself on Oahu
Location:
Savers Kalihi is at 1505 Dillingham Blvd. #1, Honolulu, Hawaii
Savers Waipahu is at 94-300 Farrington Hwy., Waipahu, Hawaii
Directions:  Find your nearest store and view a map and directions at this Find a Savers Store Link
Hours:  Mondays-Saturdays 9am to9pm; Sundays 10am to 6pm
Parking:  Parking lots at both locations.  The Kalihi parking lot has a 2 hour limit, not sure about Waipahu.
Facilities:  At the Kalhi location there are dressing rooms for trying on clothes.  There is also a restroom (that often has a long line) in the back.  I haven't been to the Waipahu store in years so I am not sure of their facilities but I would guess they are similar.
Other:  They take cash and credit cards.  Not sure about checks, I haven't asked.
More info:  Savers Kalihi  808-842-0061; Savers Waipahu 808-671-0071

Bath and Body Works in Hawaii

Bath and Body Works is open for business here in Hawaii!  I saw it with my very own eyes this week.  The store opened at the beginning of this month and is located in the Ala Moana Center near Macy's.  Happy shopping!

Do it yourself on Oahu

Location:  On Level 2 near Macy's in the Ala Moana Center, 1450 Ala Moana Boulevard, Honolulu, HI  96814

Hours:  Mon-Sat 9:30am to 9pm; Sun 10am to 7pm

Online:  Bath & Body Works Hawaii

Phone Number:  808-946-8020

Book Recommendation: Swimming with Humuhumu

Took my girl to the dentist for her first visit today (she did great - proud Mom moment) and while we were in the waiting room before her appointment she picked up the book "Swimming with Humuhumu" by Ron Hirschi and asked me to read it to her.  I hadn't seen this book before but it is cute and well done.  A fun way to learn about the life in the ocean surrounding Hawaii.  It has text on each page that tells about a different type of animal life (turtles, whales, fish, birds) and then some lift the flap sections with more information for older readers.  There are also flaps to lift on each page that are written as cards visiting children send home to their grandmother telling them more about their trip to Hawaii.  I think we need to add this book to our home library!

Tropical Farms: The Macadamia Nut Farm Outlet

After driving by it many times over the years we finally visited Tropical Farms, the Macadamia Nut Farm Outlet near the town of Ka'a'awa.  It's a beautiful spot with lots of trees and a country feel.  There were chickens wandering around behind the store and our girl loved running around with them.

There was also a basket of macadamia nuts still in their shell that you could crack open yourself using a stump and rock there.  That was a hit with the kids, and we all enjoyed eating the opened nuts.

Inside they have free coffee and lots of samples of macadamia nuts, both plain and flavored.  They have a nice selection of edible and non-edible souvenirs for sale, and we bought a few things to send to friends and a few to eat ourselves.

Tour buses stop here so it can get a little crowded inside when a couple buses are there at the same time, but that didn't bother us.  The shop has an open air feel to it and you can tell they've put time and energy into decorating and maintaining it.

To see the rest of the grounds, including a fish pond and several movie sets, we went on the Ali'i Tour they offer, but that deserves its own blog post, so check back later for that.  UPDATE: Here's the link to my Ali'i Tour blog post.

Do it yourself on Oahu
Location:  49-227 Kamehameha Hwy #A, Kaneohe, HI  96744
Directions:
• From Kaneohe, head NW on the Kahekili Hwy.  After the juncture with the 830 (where the Hygenic Market is on the corner) this will become the Kamehameha Hwy. and you will continue on it for just under 5 miles.  The turn for Tropical Farms will be on your right.  It is tucked in the trees and is off the road a little bit but is marked with a sign.  If by chance you get to Kualoa Regional Park or Kualoa Ranch you have gone too far.
• If you are coming SE on the Kamehameha Hwy from the north shore, Tropical Farms will be on your left, shortly after you pass Kualoa Ranch and Kualoa Regional Park.
Parking:  Free parking right out front in their parking lot.
Hours:  9:30am to 5pm daily
Cost:  Free entrance, free coffee and free macadamia nut samples.  Numerous items available for purchase.  The Ali'i Tour (which I will be blogging about soon) has a separate fee.
Other:  This makes a great pit stop for kids since you can get snacks and they have nice clean bathrooms too.
On the web:  Tropical Farms of Hawaii, A.K.A. The Mac Nut Farm

Bed Bath & Beyond in Hawaii

Bed Bath & Beyond has snuck on island.  I doubt they were trying to be sneaky but I missed any hype or fanfare accompanying their opening.  I was afraid I was out of touch so I checked around and found out I'm not the only who hadn't heard the news of their arrival.

If you're one of the (many) ones who haven't heard, let me be the first to tell you we have our very own Bed Bath & Beyond here on Oahu.

Their marketing department may be lacking, but the store is great.  Welcome to choices, choices, choices and one-stop shopping for things for your home.  Now there's no need to drive from Sears to Ross to Walmart to Target and back again to decorate a bathroom or stock a kitchen or update your picture frames.

Need kitchen gadgets?

How about towels?

And the list goes on.  I don't ever want Hawaii to become the Mainland, but I don't mind when some of the conveniences of the Mainland find us.  Happy shopping!

Do it yourself on Oahu:

Location:  98-145 Kaonohi Street, Aiea, HI  96701

In other words, it's off Kam Hwy. in Pearl City, behind Anna Miller's where Circuit City used to be.

Hours:  Sunday 9am to 8pm, Monday-Saturday 9am to 9pm

Coupons:  Here's a link about Bed Bath & Beyond Coupons.  I hear they often accept original coupons even after they have expired.

And a question for my Hawaii readers.  Did you know we have a Bed Bath & Beyond?  When and how did you hear about it?

Lei Stands at Honolulu Airport

When I meet visitors at the airport I like greeting them with flower leis.  I stop at the airport lei stands and buy leis there.  When my parents came to visit last week my kids and I made our traditional stop before picking them up.

I often let my kids pick which leis to buy (within my target price range).  My boy always has to check out several of the stands before deciding on a purchase.  It's pretty cute, unless I'm in a hurry.

I like to see the variety of leis and watch them being made.  When we stopped in last week one of the lei sellers was making this beautiful haku lei (a lei worn around the head like a garland).

To appreciate the fragrance of the leis you will have to check this place out yourself.  The tuberose and plumeria leis smell especially wonderful.

Do it yourself on Oahu:

Directions:  The lei stands are well marked when you drive to the airport.  Head towards arrivals until you see the sign for the lei stands on your left.

Hours:  Each lei stand has its own hours, but from talking to one of the vendors it sounds like you should have no problem purchasing a lei as early as 6am and as late as 10pm.

Parking:  Free parking directly in front of the lei sellers.

Prices:  Better than your local drugstore or grocery store.  Prices range from $5 to $20 or so.  Some vendors will bargain with you, especially if you are buying multiple leis.

Many people like to buy leis in Chinatown, but for me the convenience of the airport lei stands is hard to beat.  We stop here for leis for special occasions like graduations and birthdays too.


To see lots of great photos from around the world, check out Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

Farmers' Market in Kailua

On Thursday mornings my favorite place to be is the Farmers' Market in Kailua.  For awhile this didn't fit into our weekly routine but when our schedule changed up at the beginning of the year I made sure the Farmers' Market made it back on the list.

Kailua's Thursday morning Farmers' Market, not to be confused with the evening Farmers' Market in Kailua, is my favorite place to get fresh fruit and vegetables.  Most of the items are locally grown and fresh from the farm and the prices are generally better than the grocery store.

I have my favorite vendors for certain items.  The papaya man who offers my boy a job after watching him carefully select and then help carry our papayas, the banana guy who often gives my girl a free banana to eat while we're shopping, etc.  Most weeks I buy papayas, apple bananas, tomatoes, cucumbers, green onions and bell peppers.  Depending on my menu or mood for the week I might also buy lettuce, okra, eggplant, pineapple, plantains, beets or even breadfruit.  Fresh fish are often available as well.

The market has a small town feel to it and if you've lived here for any length of time you'll probably see someone you know.  And how could you not be inspired to eat more vegetables when you get to see them like this?

Do it yourself on Oahu:

• Time:  9-10AM on Thursdays
• Location:  The morning Farmers' Market is located behind the Kailua fire station in a parking lot along S. Kainalu Drive.
• Directions: Heading makai (toward the ocean) on Kuulei Road, turn right onto S Kainalu Drive.  The Famers' Market will be on your right.
• Parking:  Along the street or in the nearby neighborhoods.
• Vendors accept cash only.
• A tip from me: The vendors all have plastic bags but I prefer to take my own bag.  Less to throw away when I get home and easier to carry one big bag than give small ones.
• A second tip from me:  The market begins promptly at 9 AM with the sound of a horn.  If you want to be sure to get fresh cut flowers then you might consider getting there early and getting a number so when the horn blows you can grab your flowers before they're all gone.  If you're going with kids though, I recommend going a little later, say 9:15, to avoid the mad rush that is the first few minutes of the market.  But don't go too late, by about 9:45 the vendors start packing up to head to their next market.
• Check this link for more information on the People's Open Market, including times and locations of other markets around Oahu.


I am happy to share that this post was included in Homespun Honolulu's Blog Carnival.  Visit Homespun Honolulu to see the entire Carnival of Rainbow Colors, October's carnival theme.

Toys 'R Us

My girl is having a birthday soon so the kids and I headed to Toys 'R Us to look at tricycles.  Gotta love the age where you can take your kid with you to shop for their gift and they are none the wiser!  :)

I have mixed feelings about Toys 'R Us.  On the one hand, a great place to see lots of selection and variety at once but on the other hand, total sensory overload!!  And that is for me, can't imagine what it must be like for kids!  Although as I kid I remember I loved that store, but now I leave feeling overwhelmed and a bit dizzy.  Oh, and tired.  I think subconsciously I feel like I am fighting advertising, consumerism, materialism and other 'isms the whole time I am in the store, with the fear that if I let my guard down my home will be overwhelmed with stuff and I'll spend all my days picking up toys.  Oh the drama!

When we didn't find exactly what we were looking for at Toys 'R Us we headed over to Target.  The prices seemed much better there to me, so do some price comparison before you purchase.  As for me, I didn't find the perfect tricycle so the birthday shopping isn't over.  Makes me tired just thinking about it!

Do it Yourself:

For directions and other info to Toys 'R Us on Oahu, click here. 

Fisher Hawaii

This ugly unassuming warehouse is the home to my new favorite store!  I can't believe it took me so long to discover it.  I lived here YEARS before even hearing about it, and when someone did mention it they failed to really tell me about it and months went by before I bothered to stop in.  What a mistake!  I want to save my Oahu readers from that same sadness so I am going to SHOUT about what a great place this is!!  If you're not on Oahu, keep reading anyway.  This will be part trip down memory lane, part self revelation and who knows what else.  Here goes:

I was intrigued with the store from the moment I stepped in it, but I truly fell in love when I came across the pens.  Boxes and boxes of pens in every color and style AND they're not all packaged in plastic.  You can pick one up and take it for a test drive on the nearest scrap of paper - just like the olden days.

Ah yes, the olden days.  As a kid, my favorite store was probably Modern Stationary.  If the internet can be trusted it's still making young children smile on the island of Saipan.  (Well the nerdy organized ones anyway.)  I remember their boxes of pens, their notepads, their Tripp Trapps -- no wait, that's a high chair...what were they called...Trapper Keepers, that's it!  Remember Trapper Keeper binders?  Do they still have those?  Ah yes, I LOVED going to Modern Stationary for back to school shopping.  I've always had a thing for office supplies for some reason.  When other kids were playing house, I was playing office.

So back to Fisher Hawaii.  It looks almost as warehouse-like on the inside as it does on the outside and has long aisles filled with office supplies and every other random thing you could imagine.  I truly mean every other random thing.  Gift bags, lots of office furniture, cleaning supplies, tools, backpacks, children's workbooks, arts & craft supplies, shell leis - you name it, they probably have it.

I went in to get a couple binders and came out with: two binders, a set of binder tab dividers, a portable 3-hole punch, stickers, (and here's where it starts getting more random) smiley face magnets, (and even more) a kitchen sponge, two children's outdoor folding chairs, and a package of 100 wooden chopsticks.  Tell me, where else could you find all of those things under one roof besides in a mall?  Oh, and every item has its own individual price tag!  Mind boggling really.

Side note: If your child is an escape artist, be warned that their shopping carts don't have any means for buckling your child in.  I had to keep a hand around my girl's ankle while I shopped.

The store is filled with employees in blue shirts so it's easy to find someone to ask for help/directions as you navigate the place.  That said, some of the employees are better at their job than others.  One young man told me he thought they were out of printer paper.  Out?!  A little searching and I found an ENTIRE AISLE of printer paper - every color and thickness you could hope for.  So although an employee will be easy to find, it may be a little harder to find a competent one.  Keep asking!

Their selection is pretty impressive and not for the indecisive.  Looking for some wire for your next project?  What color would you like?  Want a paint brush?  What size and style?  Watercolor paper?  Bound or not?  What size?

Shopping is much more fun at this store than at any big box office supply store.  Sure, some of the merchandise might be a bit dusty, but shopping here is an adventure.  Fun times, great selection and good prices too!  Parenthood has come between me and my office-supply-loving, organized self, but I have hope that with enough trips to Fisher Hawaii I'll be able to find a pen when I need one and something besides the back of an envelope to write on.

Do it yourself:

•  Here's their webpage.  It even includes a directory so you know what aisle to find certain items on.

• They have two locations, I've only been to the one on Cooke Street.

• Parking is in a lot next to the store.  It's often full but if you wait a few minutes a spot will usually open up.  There's also metered street parking.

• Check out your Midweek for sale fliers from the store.

Disclaimer:  I have no affiliation with Fisher Hawaii, in spite of the fact that Fisher used to be my last name.  I just love me a good office supply store and had to share.  

Kailua Farmers' Market

This week we went to Kailua's Thursday night Farmers' Market.  It's held in the parking garage near Longs and Pier 1 Imports; not the most picturesque setting but at least they don't have to worry about the weather.  The farmers' market isn't that big but they have quite a variety of things for sale including fresh salsa, fresh bread, specialty ice cream, cut flowers and orchid plants.

The fresh produce is my favorite part.  There is a Thursday morning market that has more but when I can't make it to that one the vendors at the evening market have most of what I want.  This week I got a bunch of herbs, bananas, tomatoes, long beans, Japanese eggplant, Manoa lettuce, papayas and probably a couple other things I am forgetting.  

Since it was suppertime and dinner wasn't ready and waiting at home we decided to just have supper at the farmers' market.  We started with fresh bread and roasted corn and then got a couple plate lunches with different curries to share.  Oh, and we broke into our chips and fresh salsa.  We were all full by the end!

Do it yourself on Oahu:

• As I mentioned, the Kailua Thursday Night market is held in the parking garage behind Longs and Pier 1 Imports.  There is parking in the garage and in the adjacent lot behind Macy's.
• The market runs from 5:00 - 7:30 PM, but there's more selection of produce towards the beginning of that time.
• There are a number of vendors selling different plate lunches.  Most meals seemed to cost around $8.
• I always take a stroller for my girl.  It can get a little crowded, but even with a stroller you can get around most of the time.
• If you don't have cash, there are ATM machines along the sidewalk next to Pier 1.

Waikele Outlets

It was time to get some new pants for my boy. For girls it's okay when their pants get too short. I guess there is an in between length that is a little awkward where it looks like they're outgrowing them, but wait a couple months and if they still fit at the waist they can be added back into the wardrobe as capris. For boys that trick just doesn't work. So I took the kids to Waikele for a little shopping this week.

I don't think either of them considered it a fun adventure, but my boy now has PJs that fit and long pants to replace the ones that were turning into capris. My girl didn't need anything but I did buy hair bows to go with all the awesome hand-me-down clothes that are overflowing from her dresser.

I used to be able to do marathon shopping at outlet malls but now with two kids tagging along two or three stores is about the limit. This time I went to Carter's and OshKosh. The mall also has Children's Place, Gymboree and Tommy Hilfiger Kids outlet stores. Maybe I'll get to those next time I go. And one of these days I may even leave the kids home and buy some clothes for me!

Do it yourself on Oahu

Location:  94-790 Lumiaina Street, Waipahu, Hawaii  96797
Directions:  Take the H1 west heading towards Kapolei.  After the H1-H2 merge, take the Waikele/Waipahu exit (exit 7).  At the end of the off-ramp take a right onto Paiwa Street.  At the signal, take a right onto Lumiaina Street.  At the first signal on Lumiaina Street take a left into the outlets.
Hours:  Regular stores hours are Mondays-Saturdays from 9am to 9pm and Sundays from 10am to 6pm. Check their webpage for extended holiday hours.  They are closed on Christmas.
Parking:  Free parking located both in front of the mall and behind the mall.
Facilities:  Drinking fountains and bathrooms located in two locations at opposite corners of the mall.  One is in the back section of the mall next to Saks Fifth Ave. Off 5th and the other is in one of the front sections near the Converse store.
Other:  Not much to eat within walking distance, so I take snacks for the kids when I go. Also, if you take some coins you can use the coin-operated ride-on toys as a bribe, er... I mean reward. :)

More info:  Check out the homepage for Waikele Premium Outlets to get a complete list of stores.

Happy shopping!

Operation Christmas Child

Today we went on an adventure to Price Busters. No, this wasn't just me dragging my kids along as I ran my errands, it was an intentional outing. A few weeks ago I got excited about Operation Christmas Child (OCC) as a way to help my children experience the true meaning of Christmas, learn about giving, help them think about the less fortunate, and all that important stuff.

I don't know about you, but I have found it challenging to find ways to engage my children in service projects that are meaningful to them. Many hands-on projects just aren't suited to toddlers and preschoolers and financial contributions are too abstract for them to really understand.

Doing the OCC project with my kids turned out even better than I expected. Granted, my girl is too little to have a clue about any of it, but my boy really got into it! I told him we were going to pack one box for a boy his age and one for a girl his sister's age. That was key. It put a face on this project in a way and made it something he could really relate to.

When we got to Price Busters he was ready to go! He was full of ideas and suggestions of what we should buy and I was the one following him through the store much of the time. I offered some guidance here and there, "We have enough toys, now we need some craft supplies" and things like that, but I figure he knows better than I do what a 4 year old boy would like and so I followed his lead on a lot of things and left many of the final decisions up to him.

Here is what we ended up with to send to a boy:

When we got home my boy continued to be interested in the project and he helped get everything wrapped and ready to put into the shoe boxes.

Unfortunately we got a little too enthusiastic in our shopping and our stuff won't fit into the boxes we had. I think we're going to have to upgrade to bigger shoe boxes and maybe leave out a couple of items.

Operation Christmas Child is definitely going to be a yearly tradition for our family. Kids helping kids, what better way to teach my children about service?!

Not only was my boy excited about buying new things for another child, but when we finished this project he said he was going to go through his room and find stuff to give away to kids who don't have as much. Before I knew it he had a big pile in the living room. I got him to keep his trash can and told him he had to keep his fan, but there are still a number of things he wants to give away. OCC requires that all items in the shoe boxes be new, so I need to find another charity to donate these gently used items to. I'd like something more specific/personal than Goodwill or Salvation Army. Any suggestions?

More Info/Do it Yourself:

What is Operation Christmas Child?

OCC is a project that distributes shoe boxes filled with gifts to children facing hardships, primarily in developing countries. It is coordinated by an organization called Samaritan's Purse. OCC lets you specify the gender and age range of the child you have packed a box for.

If you want to get involved with this project there's still time but you have to act right away! Filled shoe boxes are being collected now through the 23rd (Monday!). Sorry for the late notice, I'll try to give more of a heads-up next year.

Head to the official website for Operation Christmas Child for more information including guidelines for what to pack in your box, drop-off locations, and the chance to pay for shipping online so that you can find out what country your box gets sent to.

Aloha Stadium Swap Meet

As I mentioned in my last post, we have friends from the Mainland in town and the Aloha Stadium swap meet was on their 'to do' list this week. I've always enjoyed the swap meet so we met up with them there on Wednesday morning.

Although it's called a 'swap meet,' most of the vendors sell new items. You can buy t-shirts, Aloha wear for children and adults, baskets, bags, luggage, artwork, children's toys, jewelry and all sorts of other things there. It's the best place for visitors to pick up souvenirs at a great price and a good place for those of us who live here to Christmas shop for friends and relatives on the Mainland. And no matter how often I go, I always find things to buy for myself.

In all honesty, this outing was more for me than for my kids, but they had a really good time too. My stroller-bound girl (no way I was going to try to keep track of her wanderings there) enjoyed the snacks I took for her as she people watched. She also had fun playing the toy ukulele and trying on the sandals that our friends bought. My boy had $10 in spending money that was burning a hole in his pocket and he bought a necklace, bracelet, sword and a fan. He was MOST upset when we had to leave before he had spent his last $3.

We also bought and enjoyed some snacks along the way. We had fresh watermelon and then purchased coconuts to drink and eat from this gentleman.

Do it yourself:

No reason for me to reinvent the wheel. Head to the official website of the Aloha Stadium Swap Meet for all the info. you need about how to get there, when they're open, etc.

Oh, but they won't tell you that it can be beastly hot and you'll be in the sun a lot. We try to go early and always take water, sun screen and hats with us.

Riding the Rail

Anticipating another wet day left behind by Hurricane Felicia, I planned a rainy day activity with the kids today. Pearlridge Mall is divided into two separate sections and there's a monorail that runs between them. In the past I've always just walked between the two buildings to get some exercise and save some pennies, but I thought the kids would enjoy the ride and it would be cheap entertainment out of the rain.

Wouldn't you know it, today was sunny and beautiful! I guess I should have known better than to put any faith in the weather forecast (as mentioned previously). Anyway, I decided to stick with the same plan and we did our rainy day outing on a sunny day. Here's just how sunny and beautiful it was today:

For being such a simple adventure the kids really liked it and had fun. We rode the monorail from the 'Downtown' part of the mall to 'Uptown' where we did a little shopping, ate pretzels and then rode it back to 'Downtown.'

Oh, and it was/is an even cheaper adventure than I thought - 50 cents each way and kids under 5 are free!