I love coffee, anyone who follows me on Instagram knows my love for coffee and espresso runs deep, deep I tell ya!!  I honestly must say, without coffee in the morning, I would be a literal walking zombie unable to complete my work and function normally.  It's natural considering I don't get nearly enough sleep which is something I'm working on, but I digress.  This is about coffee and how much I love it and this literal gem of  a place tucked away in Hawai'i Kai, less than a mile away from my home.  I must confess, I don't go here as much as I wish I could but if you're ever in the area, you must check this place out!!

It's located right on the water, overlooking the marina.  Indoors is a real beautiful, clean, and beachy themed decor with wood floors that gives an overwhelming sense of relaxation. It's a quiet and relaxing scene both inside and out.  They have a nice seating area overlooking the water where you can feel the ocean breeze run through your hair ever so gently as the sun caresses your skin.  If the decor and location wasn't enough to entice you to check this coffee house out, you have to try the coffee.  It's an always delicious, never burnt heaven on earth kind of taste that soothes as you drink and gives you a burst of energy when you need it.

Here's some info about Island Brew Coffeehouse:

Island Brew Coffeehouse is a local coffee shop in Hawai'i Kai independently owned by four East O'ahu residents serving premium coffee and healthy food choices with a focus on fresh, local and organic products. Island Brew Coffeehouse uses organic Milk in all our espresso drinks and coffee beverages and offers organic rice, almond, cocounut and soy as alternatives. Along with the espresso drinks and shakes, Island Brew Coffeehouse also offers Acai bowls and smoothies.

Breakfast offerings are served all day and include freshly baked pastry, locally baked bagels, waffles, breakfast bagel and croissant sandwiches. The lunch menu at Island Brew Coffeehouse includes made to order oven roasted sandwiches made with Naked Cow Dairy butter in a variety of bread, meat and cheese combinations as well as flat-bread pizzas.

Enjoy a variety of Hawaii grown, Fair Trade and Shade Grown coffees from around the world – including Jamaica, Sumatra, Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Kenya on a table with amazing waterfront views of the marina .  Island Brew Coffeehouse is partnering with local schools, businesses and nonprofit organizations to promote community service and environmental sustainability. Island Brew Coffeehouse allows guest the option of ceramic mugs and glassware or compostable cups made from corn. 

I mean, just reading that, how could you not like this place?  Here are some quick pictures that I took with my iPhone while waiting for my lavender latte on Saturday.

My niece Alohilani got her hands on my phone the other day while she was at the house.  She's a rather smart nearly 3 year old. She figured out how to get my camera app open and took a ton of photos of herself eating organic dark chocolate almonds that I gave her while I was working on business figures for a couple minutes as she watched Shirley Temple on my other computer in my office.

I knew she was playing with my phone but didn't notice the photos until I was looking through my phone album today.  I love discovering those unexpected, accidental selfies that kids take.  These are some of my faves.  She's my darling girl, that one.  You have no idea.  She's like a little mini-me with some Filipino blood thrown in from her mama.  She has my feet and my spicy personality.  Seeing the unmitigated joy in her face gives me the most overwhelming sense of satisfaction.

It is with a heavy heart that I write this post tonight.  Why, why do such needlessly tragic acts of violence happen?  Why?  Today I picked my son up from school and explained to him that there was an attack in Boston at the marathon where two explosive devices went off and at least 2 people died and dozens were injured.  I explained to him how a little boy, only 8 years of age was one of those killed in the blast and that the police have not found the person responsible for this act of terrorism yet... He asked me why?  Why something like this happens, why people shoot schools or blow up other people... I looked at him with no real answer because such violence baffles me as well.  I looked in to his brown eyes and told him,"because there is a lot of evil in the world and a lot of people who do evil - just because they want to".

The last 5 months have been filled with questions and general bewilderment for my son because now that he's eleven, he is now old enough to know and understand how serious all the events, the fighting and the needless acts of violence in the news are.  He's slowly becoming more aware that true evil, true misery, true loss exists in this fallen world we live in and it's really hard for me to watch him come to these realizations.  I worked so very hard to shelter my boy, to protect him from the evils of this world but now that he's getting older, he's reading news papers and watching the news now more than ever because they discuss current events in his class.  He's coming to the realization that the world is full of people who commit heinous acts of evil without reason and I see a little part of his innocence get chipped away little by little.

As a mother, it's my job to protect him but also to allow him to know what's going on the world and how it affects him.  He's not a baby anymore, no matter how much I'd like to freeze time and keep him small, he will continue to grow and God willing, will become a wonderful man someday.  I have to equip him with the knowledge and skills necessary to cope in this world and to deal with the needless violence in this world without losing hope.  Despite all the evil and hate that exists, God is still with us and we need to keep our eyes on Him.  I don't know what I'd do without Jesus. I know not all of you share my beliefs and I'm not trying to push them on you, I'm just sharing what I believe and how that faith in God gets me through horrific days like today.  The hardest part about being a parent is letting go and allowing your child to make their own decisions as they mature into young adults, hoping and praying they'll make the right decisions all the while knowing you can't make those decisions for them.  Free will.  We are God's children and though He loves us, He will never push himself on us or force us to follow Him. He wants us to love Him freely just as I want my son to love me freely but we all have to make that choice for ourselves because God gave us free will and it can be used for good and for evil.  I just have to try my best to be a good daughter to God.

Man today I was so worried and saddened when I heard the news.  I prayed when I found out what happened and immediately started to have sort of a panic attack because people near and dear to me live in Boston and I couldn't reach any of them.  Turns out that due to the chaos, phone service was patchy at best. I just thank God that those I love are safe.  I pray for all those who were killed and injured and pray that the guilty parties who thrust this violence on the great city of Boston are caught and put to justice.

Such needless violence, needless tragedy.  If only people could be decent and not hurt others for some sick sort of gratification...  Signs of the times I suppose.  It's just so heartbreaking to see such suffering.

I hope you are all safe and well.  Take those moments to embrace those you love even closer and thank God for every second of life because none of us knows when it will be our last.  If you don't have anyone to embrace, if you feel unloved and alone... know that you are not alone, that you are so loved by God, even if you don't believe in Him.  I'm sending virtual hugs your way and if you need someone to talk to, a friendly ear to listen...I'm here.  You are loved, you are worthy, you are precious so don't discount your value in this world.  ***** ME SENDING BIG HUGS YOUR WAY *****

I pray for the people of Boston, for the victims and their families and for the law enforcement; may they find the guilty parties and bring them to justice.

Love and Aloha to all of you,

*Update as of 10:39 am Hawaii Standard time, there were 3 explosions, the police discovered two other possible bomb devices and the police are confirming it was a bombing.  

I just read the news that there were 2 explosions at the Boston Marathon.  This just troubled my heart so much. I urge you to pray for all those involved.  As of 10 am HST, there are 2 casualties and at least 23 were injured.  I have great love for the city of Boston and tons of wonderful memories there... Why would anyone do such a thing?  There is no clear answer as to who did it, why they did it or how they did it.  All we know is there are a lot of people injured and multiple casualties.  According to several news sources, these were small explosions but in spaces that had a lot of people.

Marathon officials are speculating that these explosions were caused by bombs though the police have yet to confirm.

My thoughts and prayers to those injured and killed and their families.  Such needless violence.  Just breaks my heart. Sitting here with a heavy heart and a baffled mind.


via Hawaii News Now:

Hawaii News Now - KGMB and KHNL

(RNN) - Two explosions happened near the finish line of the Boston Marathon at about 2:45 p.m. ET Monday, nearly three hours after the first of the event's winners crossed.

The Boston Globe reported on Twitter that police planned a controlled explosion near the area where the first two took place, and they are using K-9s in a search. Officials said they were finding "secondary devices" in the area and pleading with people to go home, according to one Globe reporter.

Jackie Bruno, a reporter for New England Cable News, tweeted there were "horrific" injuries at the site of the blast, including people with limbs missing.

Spectators for the race, held annually on Patriots Day, were rushed to medical tents for treatment following the blasts. CNN reported four people have been taken to the emergency room at Massachusetts General Hospital and at least six were injured.

WBZ reported one of the explosions happened near the viewing stands on Boylston Street, and there were multiple injured people. Smoke could be seen rising feet from the marked finish line.

Reuters stated via Twitter a spokesman for the marathon said the headquarters have been locked down. A CNN producer reported members of the crowd were injured when a pair of explosions happened, and medics are on the scene giving assistance.

Josh Cox, the U.S. 50K record holder, tweeted for people not to go near the finish line after explosions along with a picture from near the scene. The Lenox Hotel, located a block from the site, has also been evacuated.

via ABC News:

3:55 pm ET: Police set off controlled explosion in Boston. Third explosion hear.

3:54 pm ET: Marathon’s website tracking runners who completed the race, here

CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS FROM THE SCENE

3:43 pm ET:  Trauma nurse tells ABC News that the race’s medical tent has become a makeshift morgue. Dealing with injuries including severed limbs and children with severe burns.

3:41 pm ET: Eyewitness Hayden Cary describes a “hectic, crazy scene.” Heard explosion go off within seconds of each other near a car, steps from finish line.

CLICK HERE  FOR LIVE STREAMING COVERAGE AT THE SCENE

3:34 pm ET: Police bomb squads sweep area looking for suspicious packages.

3:29 pm ET: Massachusetts General Hospital confirms at least 4 injured taken there.

CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE

3:25 pm  ET:  Police warning people in area to avoid trash cans.

3:15 pm ET:  Boston Police Department says two explosions on Boyleston street near the finish line of the Boston Marathon.  Police,  fire and bomb squad responding. The number of injuries is unknown. The cause is unknown.

The two explosions took place around 3pm,  within second of each other. The first runners in the marathon crossed the finish line around noon.

When Alaka'i does really well, when he works hard, when he puts a lot of effort into accomplishing something- there is little he can't do.  That's true with almost everyone, really.  If we all put 100% into the things we do whether it's work or family, how much better would our lives, nay, the world be?  Mind boggling stuff guys... Anyhow, Alaka'i woke up yesterday early and was especially eager for something and I was expecting him to be... He did get all A's and 2 B's on his report card and he worked really hard for it and I love rewarding him for hard work.

A little praise, a little fun, a little self-esteem building, and a lot of smiles can make a child feel so good about themselves that they have the urge to try hard at everything they do.  I like to give Alaka'i positive feedback as much as possible because it's so important for him to know he's worthy, he's competent and he's capable. He gets corrected when he does wrong but it must be balanced out when he does well otherwise, why bother trying right?

Well, one of his rewards for working so hard was a surprise lunch at his favorite place to eat, Hana Sushi.  In Hawai'i, raw fish is a staple and we love it.  My son has a deep love for sushi, it's a comfort to him and now that I'm working so much, we don't get to eat out very often so this was an especially nice treat for him. I think it was more of an "icing on the cake" type situation though because he was really looking forward to camping at the beach with my brother and his family.  My boy loves the beach so much and my brother loves spending time with him.  It's some much needed guy time that my boy doesn't get enough of because he doesn't have a dad- perils of being a single mother...  It's been a pretty stinkin' good weekend for my Alaka'i.  To first see a movie with grandpa, that alone time with the ultimate alpha male in his life and then follow up with some sushi, some allowance, some football cards and some camping- pretty sweet if you ask me!

Back to the sushi.  It was a rather impromptu affair, unplanned and last minute- those surprises are sometimes the best though aren't they?  We were out running errands and I asked him on the fly, what about Hana Sushi, you think we have time?  And the surprised expression on his face filled my heart with joy.  Simple things...simple that give him joy make my life all the more enjoyable.  So we went in to a just opened, almost empty restaurant and sat in the booth with a conveyor belt of fresh sushi going round and round.

Most of the pictures are of the sushi I ate as he demolished his before I could snap an iPhone picture.
As you can see from the demolished remains above, my son had a spam roll, a few tamago (egg) sushi plates and some chicken karaage (fried chicken).  He was very happy as you can see, the surprise made his day all the more enjoyable and seeing such a happy smile on his face gives me a deep sense of purpose in my life.

It's so wonderful to have just mommy and me time with my boy, even though he's growing into a young man just reaching into his pre-teen years *cringes*.  We so often have my nieces with us when we eat out because on my days off, they're usually around because my brother and sister in law work on the weekends. It was nice to have some quiet mommy and Alaka'i time before I sent him off to camp with his uncle and cousins while I spent the better part of the afternoon catching up on paperwork and chores.

Gosh, I love my son. Thank you God for blessing me with him.  More than I could ever ask for.

This is one of the songs I sang to him the last couple of years and sometimes still do when he's laying in bed after saying his prayers.  He's still so innocent, so much my baby still and I treasure every moment because before I know it, he'll be too cool and so into his friends and being a big man that he won't have time to let me cuddle up to him and sing him a lullaby.

You mamas will love this tune by Mindy Gledhill called Hourglass. Although it's about a little boy, you could really apply it to little girls too.  It's a soothing and precious song that I know you'll enjoy as much as I do.


Aloha,

Jean

Just a quick bit of a post..nothing long or pretentious... just a virtual "hi" to all of you, my lovely friends.  Alaka'i just got home from camping with his uncle about a half hour ago and we are all ready to go to church.  

Going to church really just gives me such a reset.  Though we read our Bible every day, being around other Christians and spending time in fellowship and worship is like food for my soul.  Singing out to the Lord and giving Him praise and watching my son grow in his relationship and love for God is the best feeling in the world. 

Happy Sunday to you all!! I hope you have a chance to just relax and enjoy the beauty that surrounds us, especially in spring.  Beauty is relative though- it's one of those things that isn't universal.  There's beauty in the obvious like the flower photos above and then there's beauty in the wrinkles in the face of a woman who's lived a long, full life juxtapose to her vibrant eyes shining with wisdom and knowledge that you can only hope to someday have.  God created us all beautifully and uniquely.  

You are beautiful, whether you believe it or not. I just want you to know that. YOU are loved and worthy and capable and extraordinary, even if you live an ordinary life.  You matter.  Don't let the drama of this world get you down.  Have hop and faith and know that you are so loved.  

Aloha,
Jean

Saturday was just your average, ordinary day.  I actually got to sleep in an hour or so later than my normal wake up time which was a much needed and refreshing break for me.  One of the benefits of having a pre-teen is that they're able to wake up, get ready and make their own breakfast with ease.  By the time I woke up, Alaka'i had his bed made, his room tidy-d, his face washed, teeth brushed and he was dressed for the day.  He's an exceptional boy but usually not so eager to clean his room....

Right away I knew he had a plan.  Well, it's only natural that he be expecting something from me, he did get all A's and 2 B's on his report card, and boy he worked hard for them.  He's living proof that a teacher can truly make the difference in a child's grades and self esteem.  To go from mostly C's and a few D's in the 4th grade with notes from the teacher saying "he doesn't focus" or "are you sure the doctor said he doesn't have ADD?" (typical lazy public school teacher trying to deflect her deficiencies onto a child and diagnosing them without a doctor or an actual expert opinion)... to now getting all A's and 2-3 B's... really makes you realize how much a teacher can affect the attitude and excellence of a student.

I actually had Alaka'i tested for ADD and ADHD and learning disabilities last year because his lazy teacher was always saying he and 8/23 of the kids in her class had attention problems.  No, I think when over a third of your class is having issues, it's more about the teacher than it is the students.  Anyhow, doctors and specialists told me he was fine, normal, smart even and that they didn't understand why the teacher would say such things....  Needless to say, the Department of Education (DOE) in Hawai'i has some major kinks to work out.

Fourth grade wasn't Alaka'i's best year.  Fifth grade, however, has proven to be an amazing turn around for my sweet boy.  He went from being what his teacher called "introverted and scared to answer" at the beginning of the year to "excited to participate and hard working".  The confidence that Alaka'i's terrible 4th grade teacher had stripped from him and his classmates was finally starting to come back.  It gave me such gratification and relief to see my son excited to learn again.  He's gotten rave reviews from his amazing teacher and nearly straight A's every single quarter with notes saying he's consistently providing quality work and participating in group discussions with ease and efficiency.

I was the proudest mommy in the world to read that on his report card Thursday.  It was a sort of validation in knowing that my boy was just fine all along and let me tell you, I loved running in to his old 4th grade teacher at Safeway.  When she asked how he was doing with that snide little look on her face, I loved saying "as a matter of fact, I just got his report card" and pulling it out like a golden ticket from my purse and letting her see it and watching the color sink out of her face and her eyes get big as her jaw dropped ever so slightly.  She even had the gall to ask if I had him in special tutoring...no ma'am... he just has a teacher who actually likes his job and does it well.

In fact, if we're being perfectly honest here, I never appreciated her condescending attitude.  When he was in her class, she would insinuate that if he had ADD or ADHD, it was his fault or something he should be ashamed of and punished for.  No child deserves that, especially not ones who actually suffer from such things.  That's one of the main reasons so many kids today struggle and give up, because teachers like my son's 4th grade teacher cut them down before they even had a chance to try.  I'm thankful he doesn't have any of those challenges, although who wouldn't get bored to death in a class with a teacher who spent the majority of the day cutting you and your classmates down?

A group of us parents complained and the oh so efficient and diligent [note the sarcasm] DOE said they would follow up with her and never did.  Unions- not so good when children's futures are at stake.  Let's just say that when he was done with 4th grade, we both cheered when we got in the car and celebrated with ice cream like it was a birthday we waited so long to celebrate.  I saw such joy in my boy's face the day he was done with her class and as a mama, it made me so happy and sad for him because just imagining how terrible she made him and his classmates feel, imagining how bad it must have been to illicit such a joyous response, made me cringe.

When he started 5th grade, I went in with worry and low expectations but was pleasantly surprised that his teacher loves his job and puts the children's interests first.  Hearing how he was once berated as a kid and thought he could never be good at math because of a bad teacher and how that experience motivated him to encourage his students was really so refreshing.  He allows them to talk out loud, discuss how they came up with their answers and if the answers are wrong, they discuss at which point they went wrong so they truly understand how to do it right.  The orientation was like a choir in angels singing a melodious "ahhhh" at once.  When I went to my first parent teacher conference and his teacher said "good, that means I'm doing my job well because you parents are my bosses", I was so shocked I swear I had to literally grab my lower jaw off the table and lift it up to my face.  That's the kind of attitude a teacher should have.

Hey, I'm not saying all teachers are lazy but it's those that are that ruin it for the truly good teachers out there.  I don't understand how or why a person would take a job as an educator if they hated it or didn't have a passion for it.  The contrast between my son's 4th grade teacher and his 5th grade is so vastly different, it astounds me.  To see a teacher care about his students is something I shouldn't be so shocked to see.  It should be the norm but isn't... And hey, I'm sure there are a ton of bratty, disrespectful kids out there but they shouldn't be discarded and thrown away any more than a kid with a disability.  It's all about attitude and approach and let me tell you, I thank God every day for my son's 5th grade teacher... Oh what a difference a year makes!

Have any of you mama's had bad experiences with teachers?  Were you the victim of a bad teacher growing up?  I know I had a few and like I told Alaka'i, you have to cope and adapt even in the worst situations but man, imagine a world where every teacher loved the job and did it right.... The potential of excellence for the youth of the world... Teachers really shape a student's life and they could change the world if there were fewere lazy ones and more amazing ones.

Share your stories and experiences with me!!  Have a Blessed Sunday!

Aloha,

Jean