Is Your Child's Booster Seat Safe?

Booster seats are meant to improve the fit of a vehicle's safety belt so it fits properly on a young child thus protecting him/her from injuries in car crashes. However, a new study by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) determined that some booster seats may not provide the proper restraints for injury protection in a vehicle accident.

Out 41 seats tested by IIHS, 13 did not receive recommendations from the institute. These 13 include the following:

Not recommended:

• Safety Angel Ride Ryte backless
• Cosco/Dorel (Eddie Bauer) Summit
• Graco CarGo Zephyr
• Evenflo Big Kid Confidence
• Cosco/Dorel Traveler
• Compass B505
• Compass B510
• Evenflo Generations
• Dorel/Safety 1st (Eddie Bauer) Prospect
• Cosco Highback Booster
• Cosco/Dorel Alpha Omega
• Evenflo Chase Comfort Touch
• Safety 1st/Dorel Intera

To read more and find out if your booster seat is on the "best bet" list, go to the IIHS Web site.
For proper seat belt fit, go here.

Hawaii's Booster Seat Law:

As parents and care givers, we know that Hawaii has a booster seat law that requires children between the ages of four through seven to ride in booster seats. Your child is exempt if he/she is over 4'9" or if your rear seats have has "lap only" seat belts. According to Hawaii's Department of Transportation's Web site, a child "should be restrained in a booster seat until they are big enough to fit in an adult seat belt (approximately 80 lbs. and 4’9’’ tall)."

Help keep our keiki safe.

Finding Peace in Your Day

Yesterday my daughter and I attended the 2008 Peace Day Ceremony at the State Convention Center. My daughter and her school mates had the opportunity to perform songs that they had learned in music class. It was a meaningful ceremony with motivational and touching speeches and wonderful performances.

Leaving after the beautiful candle light ceremony, I felt uplifted and inspired to living a more peaceful life - until I encountered the drive home. "Peace" after all, is a more than just happy thinking. Peace means accepting the things that you cannot change, courage and optimism in the things that you can change, hopefulness, promise, potential, desires, dreams, aspirations, harmony, goodwill, friendship, kindness, unity, concern, generosity...

and for me particularly...
...healthy family
...happy kids
...being safe
...a beautiful day
...a good night's sleep
...clean clothes

Hopefully, in my own little ways, I can spread peace. Maybe I'll start by dealing with traffic in a more benevolent way.

What does peace mean to you?

Fresh Strawberry Mochi

I've been baby-sitting Maddie. She lives next door. She is so young and full of innocent exuberance and energy that she sometimes gets herself in trouble. She often spills her water, potties in the wrong place, tosses her toys out of reach and gets tangled up in all sort of things. Maddie is adorable! Now what does Maddie have to do with Fresh Strawberry Mochi?

Well, in a nice gesture of appreciation for my baby (doggie) sitting stint, Maddie's owner brought over some Fresh Strawberry Mochi made by Saturday Grandma's. As you can see from the photo, the strawberry centered Daifuku mochi is just very pretty when sliced in half.

Haven't eaten breakfast yet, I was quite excited to receive the mochi. I took a huge bite out of it and was not too sure whether I liked it or not. I loved the read bean filling but the strawberry was a little bit tart. I expected the taste of sweet mochi ice cream...mmmmm...now that's a thought! Does anyone make strawberry ice cream with azuki bean filling mochi? Anyhow, I realized that I had just brushed my teeth so maybe the minty toothpaste was distorting the flavor. Naturally, I needed another bite. The second bite, a good combination of both strawberry and red bean, was a little better but still minty-ish. I ate the whole thing anyway.

Of course, before writing this post, I needed to sample another mochi. This time, not expecting the flavor of strawberry ice cream and hoping not to taste mint toothpaste, the culinary experience was much more pleasant. The tarty sweetness is actually quite addicting. There are two more mochi's left but because my kids helped with the baby-sitting, I should be nice and save these for my helpers.

Saturday Grandma's Fresh Strawberry Mochi is located at 98-718 Moanalua Road Unit #A18 just west of Kaahumanu Street in Pearl City on the island of Oahu. Mochi is available for pick up on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 12:00-5:00 pm and Saturday/Sunday from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. Orders must be placed 2 days in advance but walk-in purchases are welcome. Other flavors and products available. Phone: 808 484-0052.
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From Wikipedia: Daifukumochi or Daifuku (literally "great luck"), is a Japanese confection consisting of a small round mochi (glutinous rice cake) stuffed with sweet filling, most commonly anko, sweetened red bean paste made from azuki beans.

Rediscover Makiki! Sunset in the Park

Have you spent time in Makiki lately? Makiki is a beautiful oasis in the center of urban Honolulu and the Office of Representative Della Au Delatti is working in partnership with the City & County of Honolulu and the Friends of the Makiki Library to reintroduce you to Makiki with a 2 day celebration.

This celebration is called "Rediscover Makiki! Sunset in the Park". It happens on July 24, 4 pm to 10 pm and July 26, 10 am to 10 pm at Makiki District Park. This event will be full of ono food, local entertainment, movies in the park, activities for keiki and adults as well as farmers and crafters marketplaces. No admission will be charged!

Featured activities include:

• Makiki Community Library Tours to celebrate the re-opening of the Makiki library.
• Honolulu Sustainability Fair to learn more about technological advances and what Hawaii is doing in the area of energy and sustainability.
• Hui O Makiki's Citizens' Resource Center: Makiki's citizen action group will help you navigate the governments many services.
• Keiki Activity Center for art activities, including a coloring contest, face-painting, and so
  much more!
• Recreational Park Activities including a basketball tournament and a synchronized swimming performance.
• Entertainment: Storytellers, magicians, clowns, and musicians.

The goal of Rediscover Makiki is to share the vision for a better greener future and re-introduce residents to the newly renovated Makiki Community Library while building awareness about all the wonderful programs and facilities available at Makiki Park.

Thank you to Rediscover Makiki coordinator, Ms. B. Fo, for sharing this wonderful information with us. fo@capitol.hawaii.gov
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p.s. Also visit http://noodlefo.etsy.com for "jewelry with just the right amount of sparkle"

Summer Reading Program at Hawaii's Public Libraries

Here is a wonderful, FREE and educational opportunity available to everyone this summer. It's the 2008 Summer Reading Program located at all Hawaii Public Libraries. From now until July 12, 2008, children, teens and adults are encouraged to visit your community library and sign up for the reading program. Read one book a week and receive a fun gift. Infant and toddlers can participate by having an adult read to them.

Here is a list of what you can win:

• Infant/Toddler and Children prizes -- Pro Bowl Disposable Cameras; Quaker Chewy 90 Calorie Bars; Diamond Bakery Animal Crackers; Catch the Reading Bug pencils and tattoos; Keiki's First Board books; Doorhangers and Stickers; Refracto and Rubber Rulers; Protractors.
• Teen -- Gel Writer Pens; Mechanical Pencils; Twister Stick Erasers; Nature Valley Chewy Trail Mix bars.
• Adult -- sign up for prize drawings.

This statewide reading enrichment program is sponsored by the Friends of the Library of Hawaii, National Football League Charities, McDonald's Restaurants of Hawaii, First Insurance Company of Hawaii, Diamond Bakery, and the University of Hawaii Outreach College's Statewide Cultural Extension Program.

For more information, please visit http://librarieshawaii.org/ and also check out the other library services available to you.

Mommy Care

Yesterday at the doctor's office, I noticed a lot of women bringing kids in for an appointment or accompanying an elderly family member. I, too, was running around and bringing in my child for a doctor's visit after picking up another one early from school. Sometimes mommies get so busy caring for our family that we forget to take care of our own health. We get our dose of morning coffee and off we go! I wanted to let you know of a free magazine subscription issued by Kapiolani Medical Center announcing the lastest in women's health issues. Read about weight management, healthy recipes, doctor check-ups and get a listing of classes that include skin care & beauty, excercise, massage, stress management and more. Some of the classes are free while others require a small registration and/or supply fee.

You can get your subscription here at http://www.kapiolaniwoman.org/ or by calling 535-7000.

Find time to take care of yourself...

Having a Green Summer

If you are looking for a fun Eco-Adventure activity for your child this summer, consider the Green House's EcoExplorer Adventure Club. The Green House is located at 224 Pakohana St. in Pauoa Valley and was started in 2004 by Betty Gearen. During the year, Betty offers classes to adults and children teaching everyone about earth conservation through projects that include worm composting, creating solar ovens, butterfly gardens and more.

We are lucky that this year the Green House is offering this fun summer program that includes

...five fun-filled weeks of hands-on environmental education that will inspire within students an ethic of stewardship for the world around them. The EcoExplorer Adventure Club is geared for children ages 5 through 12. They will spend each week exploring a range of topics designed to give students an appreciation for their environment and an awareness of their impact. Each week covers a new theme, and weekly enrollment options are available if families choose not to take the full five- week course. Our Green House teachers will create a safe learning community with a maximum of 15 children per session: a ratio of five children per teacher. Hands-on learning projects include planting a garden, building a solar oven, making a compost pile, building a wormery, making art using recycled items, and more! Join the fun this summer at The Green House!

Program dates: June 17 - July 17
Program days: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
Program hours: 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Ages: 5 - 12 years

For more information, please contact: thehawaiigreenhouse@hawaiiantel.net

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