Happy 2020🎉 Manuia le Tausaga Fou!!

Hello and Talofa!!
Its been so crazy chaotic here but I hope you've all had a blast during Kerisimasi festivities!
I know I did and I'm still trying to recover...😊
Now, I'm counting down till the New Year folks!!!
I am ready and excited for 2020!!! 😃 - New adventures and experiences!!!
Wishing you & your aiga all the best for the remainder of 2019 💕
Stay blessed🙏
~h

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Color Day🖍 Aso Lanu

Greetings Lovelies!! 😊
It has been awhile since I've posted 😐 I apologize but I am in my busy season at work.
Additionally, we have resumed A'oga Samoa in our neck of the woods and it has been very exciting working with the kids 😃
Speaking of seasons, this time of year is the prettiest in the Mid-West. The leaves start to change color and sunsets are remarkable 🍂
Today just happens to be National Color Day 💙💚💜💓 -
Colors can affect our moods and the way we feel at any given time. Studies have shown us how certain colors have a warming effect, others are more calm etc. I just cant imagine a world without color.
I believe it to be true because bright colors make me smile no matter how stressed I feel 😍
So I have here some coloring worksheets for the kids - let the young artists express themselves while you explore the use of color in your life😊
💙💚💜💓💛

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Faamalositino - Fitness Day 🏋

😍 Hello everyone!
I am quite late in posting this because yesterday was National Women's Health and Fitness Day 💪
but I hope you can forgive me especially since we should be concerned about fitness and health year-round 👌
At any rate - here are our vocabulary words dedicated not just to women but to men and children - all age/size 😊
I am taking advantage of the warm weather ☀ by exercising outdoors 🏃-
meanwhile, it is fall sports time so its been soccer/volleyball mom duty for me 🏐⚽
I hope you find this post helpful in reminding the kiddos how important it is to stay healthy
Ma ia to'aga e faamalositino 🏋💃


Share your favorite work-out routine or something you like to do with the kids 👍



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Holy Guacamole! - Oka Oka Avoka 🥑!!

Oka oka it's been awhile since I've posted 👀 sorry about that - life happens 😛
But I wanted to post today because it is National Guacamole Day -
a fa'asamoa…. Oka oka o Avoka!! 😁
Avoka/Avocado is my FAVORITE fruit to eat!! Avoka is also the main ingredient for guacamole.
I eat an avocado once or twice a week because of its nutritious content. It is SO good for you!

Check your local area for vendors that offer free supplies of guacamole today 😋

And while you're at it, here's a worksheet for the kiddos - 

Enjoy guacamole or a nice yummy slice of avoka 😋 🥑

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👪 Celebrate Middle Child Day💝 😏

 😌 Talofa Lava!!

I just wanted to stop by and give a shout-out to all my middle-child(ren) peeps out there 😊
Today is OUR day!! click ↠  National Middle Child Day ↞
There are many attributes or roles assigned to a middle child (or middle children).
One I like to emphasize is independence - At least that was my unique characteristic 😏
We're pretty good at figuring things out. We're not burdened with responsibility like the ulumatua or eldest and not babied like the ui'i or youngest.
By the time we've entered the world, our parents are no longer new-hovering parents and they've already learned to just let us explore and discover the world on our own.
Hence, our independent streak 💃
Of course, I love you - no matter which order you are 😉
but today - give a middle child a big hug 🤗 and kiss 😘  and let them know how special they are.

I have here some old worksheets but still great reminders for the kiddos - terms for family members and where they fall on the family tree 🌳
Malo,
😗
~h

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😊👵 Dear Mama...👩💕

😊👵Today is National Gorgeous Grandmother's Day. 👩💕
For those of you lucky enough to still have your grandmothers around, I envy you! 🙏
I miss my dearest grandmother with every passing day....😩
but she still lives in my treasured memories...💝
I have👉 here 👈 some worksheets for the young un's to help celebrate Mama….😊 👪
Let's honor the special matriarch of the family and let kiddos give Al♥fas to Mama today...💟

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📚Summer Reading🌞 👓

😎 YAY! I've been working hard 🙌…. maybe the warm weather gave me energy ☀ 💪
But I am here to post our summer sight read words for the kiddos...👏 📖 
Yes I know it's summer but that is no excuse!
My 6 year old has homework too 😒 but it is only to keep their minds fresh and active 😀
they will benefit in the end and will thank you for it 😉👍
Why not print ⟾these⟽, take them to the beach ♒ so you can work on it there?
                            💭
Just a thought 😏°

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⛱Summer Counting - Numera 🌞 le sama 🏖

💖 🀧 Greetings!! 😎

If I haven't mentioned this before, I'll say it now. Summer is my FAV🌞RITE time of year!!⛱
I was born in Iuni/June so maybe that's why I L💜VE summer months 🏖
Geminis are also direct tropical signs according to the astrological chart 😊 💗 ♊
And lastly, I was born on an island where it is hot year round 💖🏝
So now that I'm in my element, I do what I do best in the warm months -
I go to the beach and lay near the water 🌊 👌😴
There's an irresistible pull of the waves that is overpowering and mesmerizing...I dont even jump in (Lake Michigan is fresh water, I'm a salt-water kinda gal 🏊 )
- I just sit on the sand and stare at the glistening waves.
Besides, summer months in the Mid-west only last a few weeks 😟.
Then its back to cold and blistering snow ⛄
So here I have for you some summer-inspired worksheets.
I have created some previously and you can find them ⇨here ⇦
and I haven't been too productive lately.
I'm busy being a beach bum 😎⛱
💋,
~h

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💮 Happy Samoan Language Week 😊 👏

 Just wanted to say:

And I've added some pages here from my book -😊-

if you want a copy, they are available 👉 here 👈

Find the complete book 👉 here 👈 😊

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Its a Niu- Day 🌴😊

Hello there world!! Happy niu - Day 😏
Today is National Coconut Day! 😊 Click ⇢ here ⇠ for more about this day.
Because I'm a Pacific Islander, I have GOT to celebrate this day!! 💃
Samoans call the coconut tree or niu (pronounced nee-oo or new) the "Tree of Life". 🌴
There is no part of the tree that is unused and we've managed to utilize everything from the bark to the leaf to the seed.  
It literally provides everything you could think of to survive: shelter, clothing, food, utensils and so forth.
I chuckle every time a new article is released about the health benefits of coconut or coconut oil because we've already discovered this centuries ago. 😏
So in honor of this day, I share some niu worksheets for the kiddos 😛 - yes, I'm enjoying the play on words!
But I hope they will learn the benefits of the coconut tree which has sustained our people through time.
To cap it off, I share a recipe of one of our family favorites → coconut bread or falaoa popo 🍞
So, sip on a nice cold niu and enjoy coconut day 😊
Soifua,
~h

popo on beach 🌴- Tutuila Island, American Samoa

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🌍 Roma, Italia, Atenai, Eleni ✈ Rome & Athens

😊 Buongiorno & Καλημέρα (kalimera) - Talofa!
I recently returned from a trip to Europe specifically Rome, Italy and Athens, Greece. 
What an amazing experience!! ☺
Definitely a must-see for everyone 👀
There is so much history and beautiful art, sculptures and structures created by brilliant individuals.
I cannot recount every single detail but my favorites include:
Eating gelato 🍧, drinking espresso 🍵, Pompeii 🌋, Mycenae, Sorrento, eating pizza from Naples (original creators of the pizza) 🍕, Trevi Fountain ⛲, Sistine Chapel, meeting a Samoan priest and 2 nuns at the Vatican 👭🙏, Olympia, Athens and last but not least dipping in the Mediterranean Sea 🌊 - I've posted some pics to share 😊
Click on the hyperlinks to learn more about that side of the world 🌍
So I apologize I've been behind on posting - I have here a worksheet for the kiddos ↣
Faitau faa-roma or count in roman numerals 😌
It was hot out there 🌞 but I've soaked up all the sun 😎 and enjoyed every minute of it 😍
Back at the ranch, it is 60° and raining ☔ 😣

⇸Ruins at Mycenae, Greece ⇷

⇸Parthenon ⇷ - Temple dedicated to the Goddess Athena

⇸Temple of Zeus in Olympia, Greece ⇷ - site of 1 of the 7 ancient wonders of the world

⇸View of Rome, Italy from the top of the Spanish Steps ⇷

FYI: Countless movies film from this beautiful location include: Guy Ritchie's Man from Uncle, Roman Holiday starring Audrey Hepburn and more ⛲

⇸Pompeii ruins with Mt Vesuvius in the background ⇷

⇸Inside the Ampitheatre popularly known as the Colosseum ⇷

⇸Trevi Fountain⇷ - Fountain at the junction of 3 roads (tre vie) that supplied water to ancient Rome in 19 BC

St. Peter's Square - large plaza located directly in front of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City

⇸Sorrento⇷ - This was my favorite stop. Sorrento is known for their lemons and it is an adorable seaside Italian town near Naples. The lure of the water made me feel right at home 😊

Listen to the sound of water lapping on sand here → Saoluafata, Samoa...very nostalgic and soothing to the soul....

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