Aly and May Day

My May Day Girl

Real Pink Plumeria Lei and Ponytail

Waiting to dance "He Mele No Lilo"

(which if you heard it...you'd recognize from Lilo & Stitch...that is...if you have small children!)

Pink Plumeria Lei and Purple/White Crown Flower Lei (with Ti Leaf)

Hand-picked and Handmade by me, the mom

I apologize for the lack of quality and clarity in the following video but you get the idea.

Aly is, of course, generally dead center.

Vocal 1 (Overlapping):

Mahalo nui ia ke ali`i wahine

`O Lili`ulani `o ka wo hi ku

Ka pipio mai o ke anuenue na waiho'o lu'u a halikeole'e

E nana na maka i ke ao malama mai

Hawai`i akea i Kaua`i

Vocal 2 (Overlapping):

Ke Kuini o Hawai`i

Ku i ka moku i ke Kalaunu

Na hana a ke aloha Ma`alo

Ana i ka ua lana malie

I ka lani malama ho`ike

Mai ana la i ka nani

`O Kalakaua he inoa

`O ka pua mae`ole i ka la

Ka pua maila i ka mauna

I ke kuahiwi o Mauna Kea

Ke 'amaila i Kilauea

Malamalama i wahine kapu

A ka luna o Uweka huna

I ka pali kapu oKa`auea

Ea mai ke ali`i kia manu

Ua wehi ka hulu o kamamo

Ka pua nani a`o Hawai`i

'O Kalakaua he inoa

'O Kalakauai he inoa

`O ka pua mae`ole i ka la

Ka pua maila i ka mauna

I ke kuahiwi o Mauna Kea

Ke`a mai la i Kilauea

Malamalama i Wahinekapu

A ka luna o Uwekahuna

I ka pali kapu o Ka`auea

Vocal 1 (Overlapping):

Mahalo nui ia Ke Ali`i wahine

`O Lili`ulani wo ka `o hi ku

Vocal 2 (Overlapping):

Ke Kuini o Hawai`i

Ku i ka moku i ke Kalaunu

Ea mai ke ali`i kia manu

Ua wehi i ka hulu o ka mamo

Ka pua nani a`o Hawai`i

`O Kalakaua he inoa

He Inoa No Kalani Kalakaua — kulele!

May Day Lesson

Kalaheo May Day Court 2008

King Kalawaia and Queen Tobey, Ladies in Waiting and Kahili Bearers

Since its beginnings in 1927, May Day has become a huge occasion in Hawaii that there is even a pageant where a Lei Day queen is coroneted along with her court.

Representing Kaho'olawe...the Kindergarten class

The first of May, however, has a unique and very special significance to the people of Hawaii. "May Day is Lei Day" in Hawaii. Its sole purpose is to engage in random acts of kindness and sharing, and to celebrate the Aloha spirit.

Princesses and Kahili Bearers representing the islands of Moloka'i (green), Ni'ihau (white), Hawai'i (orange), and Maui (pink)

Representing Lana'i....Second Grade

A lei symbolizes, love, support, and friendship. Longstanding tradition in Hawaii has made May 1st a special day for the people of Hawaii. The Territory of Hawaii observed its first "May Day is Lei Day" celebration on May 1, 1928. There were many festivities and competitions that exhibited lei made of flowers from the different islands. In addition, many schools held elaborate programs throughout the islands.

This tradition has continued for many years in Hawaii. In 1929, Governor Farrington signed a Lei Day proclamation urging the citizens of Hawaii to "observe the day and honor the traditions of Hawaii-nei by wearing and displaying lei." Many schools celebrate this day by holding pageants where students honor the many cultures and traditions of Hawaii. Students commonly elect a May Day court, commemorating Hawaii's royal heritage, that consists of two representatives who wear flowers and colored Aloha attire representative and customary for each of the eight major islands of Hawaii.

King Kalawaia's Court

Mama Evie

Happy long weekend to all my Canadian family and friends. Enjoy the cottage if you have found yourself at it. Is there good clean water yet? Does Victoria Beach have a new water plant?

Just a short blurb to give you a peek at my paintings. For those of you who did not know that I enjoy painting...you've learned a new thing today. I first started oil painting through the Leisure Guide in Elmwood (before Ben was born) and though I 'enjoyed' painting the White Shell week after week after week(my instructor had a thing for rock, water and evergreens), I found it really didn't rock my boat. After a couple of years, I gave away my easel, threw out my dried out oils, and I switched to watercolors and attended classes in Transcona as well as in Charleswood, but found them so frustrating as it is such a chemically challenging art. I eventually gave it up as I am such a linear thinker and it just wasn't working out for me. The timing was just too tricky!

So then I moved to Kauai and I bumped into Evelyn Ritter, hereafter known as Mama Evie, (http://www.evelynritter.com/) ...a super talented oil painter in portraiture. She offered to teach me in oils. For months I didn't give it a second thought and then I realized that I really liked Evelyn. One day she was transforming the nursery with a full room mural and I offered to help with some of the easier painting. She looked at my work and with a sparkle in her eye, said "Go get a canvas, turpentine, these 6 or 7 brushes and these oil colors...WE are gonna paint!" I was so excited!! Evelyn has not only become a good friend but she and her husband, Harry, have also become our island parents. Not only do I have a great instructor but I have a new mom!!

I am thrilled to tell you that my camera is back and so far working much better than I anticipated. You are in for a treat!

Here are some of the very recent fruits of my labour after giving up oils some 13 years ago!

Tropical Heliconia

Red Anthurium

Red and Green Ti Leaf

Black & White Anthurium

I have a few more paintings (not shown) on the go and at present, the B&W Heliconia still needs a bit more work but it is coming along. Mama Evie if you read this...I need your input!

Love to you all and have a great restful weekend!

Finally............

Once again, the camera is in the repair center in Indiana and I am lost to provide you with exciting photos of everyday Kauai living. Things are going well on all aspects of personal and church life with the Bullers.

First things first, I hear there has been a rumour floating around in Winnipeg that Ben has had a relapse. Completely untrue, false, lies....all lies I tell you. Ben is doing just fine. Great in fact.
Ben continues to make steps in the right direction and is more verbal about his love for us. It is wonderful to hear several times a day, "Mom, I love you". That has been non-existent in the past. This morning, I crawled out of bed and onto the couch with a cozy blankie when Ben chirped "How are you, Mom?" I just about fell off the couch! We've been trying an Auditory Stimulus for the past 2 weeks to help him build up a toleration to background and unexpected noises. I've been waiting to see if there are drastic changes (I was hoping for immediate social interaction with peers...dreamily) but I'll take the sudden interest in my well-being!

Alyson is loving island life although we've seemingly been having problems getting our children to the beach. How can these be blood relatives of ours? Ed and I love the beach...and yet these sweet children turn into kicking and screaming monsters everytime we talk about going to the beach. Maybe this stage will too pass. Alyson just continues to do very well in school and recently placed 2nd in the Martin Luther King Peace Poem Contest. A representative flew in from Maui to recognize her and the other recipients.

And by the way she STILL sucks her thumb!! How do I cure this incurable and wretched habit?

Laurie is continuing to oil paint but greatly misses her island mom/art instructor, Mama Evie, who flew back to Illinois for the rest of the year. Mama Evie winters here in Kalaheo and summers in Illinois. We miss you Harry and Ev!! Hope the dentist in Mexico successfully fixed your teeth after your fall! While I am on the missing theme, we really miss our friends Mark and Megan who left Lawai, Kauai to return home to California. Our weekends are not the same without you!

Ed continues to be very busy with church offering a Keystone Discipling Seminar to a group of people at Kalaheo Missionary this weekend and next. We have 2 interns from Bethel College in Indiana for 3 months here to help the pastor and to help them discover their area of ministry. I am praying that they will be a great asset to the staff and to the church body while they are here.

I am hoping to have some exciting news for you in the near future. We have something in the works that's been brewing for awhile and i'm hoping to share some news in the next week or two. Nobody's pregnant so we'll just put that to rest right away.