KAHEALANI'S SUMMER VACATION COMES TO AN AWESOME AND BEAUTIFUL ENDING IN KEAUKAHA, HILO, HAWAI'I!!!

THE DAY IS STILL YOUNG AND YET WE STILL HAVE MORE THINGS TO GET DONE AND TO MENTION THE DAY AFTER IS KAHEALANI'S 1ST DAY OF SCHOOL!!!  I'M A HARD DRIVEN FATHER AND WILL PUSH WHEN IT'S NEEDED TO GET THINGS DONE.  LETS SEE HERE:

SCHOOL CLOTHES - CHECK

SCHOOL SUPPLIES - CHECK

GO SWIMMING AT THE BEACH - CHECK

8:00PM BEDTIME - CHECK

AWWWRITE!!!

WAIPA 

CRASHED OUT IN AIEA, HAWAI'I AT GRANDMA'S!!!

SO HERE'S THE SCHEDULE SO FAR:  AT 6AM SATURDAY MORNING BETHEL, ALASKA TIME, KAHEALANI AND I ARE AWAKE GETTING READY TO CATCH THE FIRST FLIGHT OUT TO ANCHORAGE, ALASKA.  WE LAND IN ANCHORAGE AT 11AM DUE TO A DELAY BUT AT 2PM WE JUMP ONTO ANOTHER FLIGHT TO O'AHU HAWAI'I WHICH IS ROUGHLY AROUND 5-6 HOURS.  WE LAND IN O'AHU, HAWAI'I AT 8:30PM ALASKA TIME AND GET QUICK DINNER BITE AND HEAD OVER TO GRANDMA'S BECAUSE THE NEXT FLIGHT OUT  TO HILO, HAWAI'I IS 5:55AM WITH A "CHECK IN" NO LATER THAN 5:00AM WHICH MEANS THAT WE HAVE TO WAKE UP AROUND 4:00AM TO GET READY!!!  TOTAL SLEEP HOURS SINCE BETHEL, ALASKA = COUPLE HOURS HERE AND THERE.


JET LAGGED TO DEATH, BUT KAHEALANI AND I ARRIVED IN HILO, HAWAI'I AT 6:45AM AND HEADED STRAIGHT  TO THE FAMOUS "KEN'S HOUSE OF PANCAKES" FOR BREAKFAST.  WHAT A TRIP!!!


AWWWRITE!!!


WAIPA

LANDING IN O'AHU, HAWAI'I!!!

HAWAI'I HAS GROWN INTO SOMETHING THAT I CANNOT IMAGINED POSSIBLE.  THE ISLANDS ARE GETTING CROWDED BY THE HOUR.  AMAZINGLY HAWAI'I ARE STILL ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE ALL THESE WANTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.  30 YEARS AGO, LOOKING OVER THE SAME AREAS IN THE VIDEOS WOULD SHOW MORE PLANTATION FIELDS AND LESS CONCRETE JUNGLES AND HIGHWAYS.

OTHER THAN THAT, KAHEALANI IS ONE MORE TRIP AWAY FROM HER NEW HOME IN HILO, HAWAI'I.

AWWWRITE!!!

WAIPA 

KAHEALANI LEAVES ALASKA - ALOHA OE, ALASKA!!!

KAHEALANI LEAVING BETHEL, ALASKA FOR GOOD TO GO LIVE AND STUDY AT HILO, HAWAI'I. 

KAHEALANI LEAVING ANCHORAGE, ALASKA.  NEXT STOP IS HONOLULU, HAWAI'I FOR AN OVERNIGHT STAY WITH GRANDMA NEVADA THEN ONTO HILO, HAWAI'I!!!

AWWWRITE!!!

WAIPA

FINAL GOODBYES!!!

THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL COMING AND SAYING ONE MORE LAST "GOODBYE" TO KAHEALANI BEFORE LEAVING THE NEXT DAY IN THE MORNING.  I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER THESE MOMENTS FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE!!!

I LOVE YOU ALL FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART.  MY ALOHA GOES OUT TO ALL OF YOU!!!

AWWWRITE!!!

WAIPA

KAHEALANI'S LAST SLEEP-OVER BEFORE SHE LEAVES FOR HILO, HAWAI'I.

AS THE DAYS ARE TICKING DOWN, KAHEALANI SPENDS SOME TIMES WITH SOME OF HER BEST FRIENDS BEFORE SHE LEAVES FOR HILO, HAWAI'I IN A FEW DAYS.  SHE'S BEEN HAVING SLUMBER SLEEPOVERS INCLUDING PIZZAS, ICE CREAMS, SLEEPING IN TENTS, WATCHING CARTOONS, AND BUBBLE BATHS!!!

AWWWRITE!!!

WAIPA

RARE UKULELE MOMENTS WITH BRADA KA'IWA.

A FEW RARE PICTURES OF ME AND KA'IWA PLAYING THE UKULELES AND SINGING SOME SONGS AFTER MY DAUGHTER, KAHEALANI'S FAREWELL PARTY ENDED.  

A LONG TIME AGO WHEN I LOST MY UKULELE OUT OF FOOLISHNESS, I SWORE UPON MYSELF THAT I WILL NEVER PLAY AGAIN AS I FELT I WASN'T WORTHY TO PLAY AGAIN FOR BEING SO CARELESS WITH LOSING SUCH A PRECIOUS GIFT THAT MY MOM BOUGHT FOR MY GRADUATION GIFT AFTER HIGH SCHOOL.

STILL TO THIS DAY, IT HAUNTS ME EVERY TIME I PICK UP AN UKULELE.  THE FEAR IS SO HUGE AND THE REGRETS EVEN WORST.

16 YEARS LATER OUT OF NOWHERE, CAME A FRIEND & BRADA WHO'S NAME IS "KA'IWA FREITAS".  THIS GUY SOMEHOW GOT ME FEELING THE HOPES OF POSSIBLY COMING BACK AGAIN, TO PLAY THE UKULELE ONCE AGAIN WITH PRIDE AND RECLAIM WHAT THOUGHT I ONCE LOST.

DON'T LET GO OF ME EASILY, HAWAIIAN!!!

AWWWRITE!!!

WAIPA

KAHEALANI'S FAREWELL PARTY AT THE BETHEL, ALASKA'S LIONS CLUB. (AWESOME TURNOUT!!!)

WOW!!! WHAT AN AMAZING PARTY IT TURNED OUT TO BE. NEVER THIS MUCH HAVE I TRIED TO HOLD BACK MY TEARS IN FRONT OF SO MANY PEOPLE. FIRST OFF, AMAZINGLY SOMEONE COUNTED 103 PEOPLE ATTENDED INCLUDING CHILDREN!!! THE FOODS (KALBI RIBS, TERIYAKI CHICKENS, CHICKEN SATAY, ASSORTED FLAVORED MEATBALLS, HOTDOGS FOR THE KIDS, ITALIAN SAUSAGES, VARIOUS SALADS & DESSERTS, BAKED SALMON & SALMON STRIPS) WERE BREAKING PEOPLE’S MOUTH LEFTS AND RIGHTS!!!



FIRST I WANT TO THANK KA’IWA FREITAS, JOEY VALADEZ, & STEVE GENTLE FOR PREPPING AND COOKING. I ALSO WANT TO THANK RYAN, BRIAN, NEVADA, KA’IWA JR, & KEKOA FOR TRANSPORTING, SETTING UP, BREAKING DOWN, AND CLEANING UP AFTERWARDS. ANOTHER SPECIAL THANKS GOES OUT TO MICHAEL & KATHY TURNER FOR OPENING UP THE LIONS CLUB FOR OUR CONVEINCE. THANK YOU LOUISE RUSSELL & BRUCE CLAYPOOL FOR KEEPING THE CHILDREN SAFE & ENTERTAINED WITH YOUR ANIMAL BALLONS, PINATA BASHINGS, TOYS GIVE AWAYS, ETC.


ANOTHER ROUND OF THANKS TO RODNEY THOMAS AND OTHERS NAMES I’VE FORGOTTENED FOR MAKING SURE THE FOODS WERE PROPERLY ARRANGED AND ALL BEING SERVED AND REPLACED WITH OTHER DISHES WHEN NEEDED. BRUCE PERRY FOR BRINGING THE USUAL SWEET TREATS FOR ALL OF us TO ENJOY!!!


AND I MUST GIVE ONE MORE THANKS TO JOEY VALADEZ FOR MAKING AN AWESOME “SCOOBY DOO” CAKE FOR KAHEALANI AND IT WAS VERY DELICIOUS!!!


TO ALL THOSE THAT I’VE FORGOT TO MENTION, FORGIVE ME AS YOU AND I KNOW WHAT A BIG DIFFERENCE YOU’VE MADE THAT DAY FOR KAHEALANI AND I.


LOVE ALWAYS & AWWWRITE!!!


WAIPA & KAHEALANI

KAHEALANI GETS A HEARING TEST.

KAHEALANI GETS  HER HEARING TEST AS THIS IS THE LAST TEST SHE GETS DONE BEFORE MOVING TO HILO, HAWAI'I.  HER HEARING IS PERFECT ACCORDING TO THE AUDIOLOGIST.  SO NOW I KNOW THAT SHE HAS SELECTIVE HEARING.

AWWWRITE!!!

WAIPA

HUGE U.S. AIRFORCE FREIGHT PLANE TAKING OFF AT BETHEL, ALASKA AIRPORT!!!

ALOHA EVERYONE!!!

WHILE HANGING OUT AT THE BETHEL BEANS CAFE, I COULDN'T HELP BUT NOTICED THIS COOL & HUGE PLANE PLANE FROM U.S. AIR FORCE.  WISH I COULD RIDE THIS PLANE AND DO A "H.A.L.O." JUMP OFF THE REAR RAMP OF THE PLANE!!!

AWESOME!!!

AWWWRITE!!!

WAIPA

A DAY AT THE BETHEL BEANS CAFE!!!

TODAY WAS FUN HANGING OUT WITH GENTLE & JP.  BUSINESS WAS STEADY AND I DECIDED TO MAKE A MUSIC VIDEO OF WHAT ITS LIKE TO WORK A TYPICAL DAY AT THE BETHEL BEANS CAFE!!!

AWWWRITE!!!

WAIPA

ONOLICIOUS FILIPINO FOODS IN BETHEL, ALASKA!!!

I WILL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO EAT LOCAL HAWAI'I FOODS WHEREVER I GO.  AND I GIVE MY ALOHA TO THE "WATERS OHANA" FOR COOKING FILIPINO FOOD RECENTLY AND INVITING ME OVER TO EAT!!!

CHICKEN ADOBO, LUMPIA, PANCIT, RICE!!!

AHHHHHHHHHHH, "BROKE DA MOUT" ACTION.

AWWWRITE!!!

WAIPA

WHY I FLY THIS PARTICULAR FLAG - THE KANAKA MAOLI FLAG.

The Kanaka Maoli ("true people" in the Hawaiian language) flag is sometimes said to be the original flag of the Kingdom of Hawaii. To some, this flag symbolizes the Native Hawaiians since the present Hawaiian flag, a hybrid of British and American symbolism, evokes images of colonialism. The colors are red-green-yellow, said to have been Kamehameha’s personal flag, and reintroduced by Kamehameha III. The central design is also present in the official coat of arms of the Kingdom of Hawai'i.


At the center of the flag is a green shield bearing a coat of arms of the kanaka maoli, made up of the royal kahili, the original Hawaiian royal standard. Crossing this kahili are two paddles, representing both voyaging traditions of Hawaiians, and Kamehameha's Law of the Splintered Paddle. There are nine stripes unlike the eight striped flag of the present State of Hawaii. Each stripe represents one of the inhabited Hawaiian islands. They are Hawaii Island, Maui, Kahoolawe, Lanai, Molokai, Oahu, Kauai, Niihau, and Nihoa. According to this flag's promoters, the green in the flag represents the maka 'ainana (commoners), the land and goodness; the red represents the landed konohiki (middle class), genealogy and strength; and the yellow represents the aliʻi, spirituality and alertness to danger. Other flags have been proposed, and interpretations of colors, but even leaders of the Hawaiian sovereignty movement often use the current state flag, since it was in effect after 1843.




SO NOW EVERYONE KNOWS WHY I PROUDLY DISPLAY THE REAL HAWAIIAN FLAG THAT WAS PUT TOGETHER BY THE HAWAIIAN PEOPLE FOR THE HAWAIIAN PEOPLE WAY BEFORE WE HAD ANY OUTSIDERS INFLUENCES.

AWWWRITE!!!

WAIPA