Bring Hawaii Home: Books for Toddlers

Even before we decided to move to Maui we knew it would be a big part of our lives. My husband had lived on the island for over a decade and his mother still did. When we found out we were pregnant we decided to do a Hawaiian themed nursery, part of that was putting together a children's library. We collected lots of books for our daughter that involved Hawaii and Hawaiian culture. Today I'm going to recommend the 5 that she still enjoys regularly 4yrs on.

The first book she really took a shine to was Keiki Counting 1-2-3 even when she was really small she responded to the simple rhymes. This book is an excellent introduction to Hawaiian vocabulary.

The next book she loved (to the point she over enthusiastically destroyed it and we had to tape it back together) was Absolutely Awesome Island Animals . This is an adorable book seemingly written by a baby on Maui's North shore. It has bright big pictures of Hawaii's unique animals with their names in English and Hawaiian along with an easy phonetic pronunciation for those long Hawaiian words. Our favorite is the Nananana Makaki'i or Happy Face Spider. 

 

The next book she loved was Down at the Beach this is a really cute book all about the activities one might see and enjoy on Hawaii's many beaches. It can be read normally, but my daughter preferres it when we sing the words to the tune of The Wheels on the Bus. 

As she got a little older we decided to add in some more Hawaiian vocabulary and she latched on to Mo'o's Colors. This book is full of bright vibrant colors and follows the adventures of a Mo'o (thats the Hawaiian word for Gecko) around the island. It teaches the colors in booth Hawaiian and English as well as some other small Hawaiian words for the things found around us everyday here in the islands. 

 

The last book I'm going to recommend is by far her absolute favorite. We went a long time where it had to be read every night and we still come back to it frequently. The book is Goodnight Hawaiian Moon . It is well written with really beautiful artwork and comes with a lovely CD that contains a Hawaiian language version of the classic Brahms Lullaby. 

 

Thats it for this week, I hope everyone enjoyed their holidays and that the new year is treating you right, Until next time Aloha from Maui.

My Obsession: Scented Candles and Wax Melts

I love scented candles and wax melts, like really love them. Much to my husbands frustration I tend to buy them in large quantities whenever I find them on sale. Living on a remote tropical island makes finding them locally a challenge so thank goodness for the internet. Today I'm going to share with you some scents to bring a tropical atmosphere to your home, and then later in the blog I'll share the scents I'm currently obsessing over.

Leeward Lagoon 

 This is described as a serene and tropical mixture of water lily, flowering tonka and pink grapefruit with a splash of coconut water, to me it is bright light and watery and makes me think of the beach early on a warm morning. 

Hibiscus Java 

 

This one is described as an intricate blend of the blooming white florals of jasmine and orange blossom mixed with rich espresso beans. It was warm, comforting and reminds me of drinking my coffee on my balcony when the plumaria tree is in bloom. 

Bali Island Spice 

 

This one is full of soft island fruits, papya, guava, banana with an undercurrent of pineapple, coconut, and a hint of cinnamon. Its a warm and heady scent. 

Wild Island Fruit 

 

This one is like a bowl of tropical fruit salad, full of pineapple, kiwi, dragon fruit, and mango. 

Coconut Bay 

 

This one is truly tropical mix of green island palm and coconut milk. Think Pina Colada at your favorite beach bar. 

Pink Sands 

This one is mix of bright citrus, spicy vanilla, and tropical florals. It makes me think of a walk down the beach at sunset. 

That brings us to the conclusion of our tropical scents today, now on to my current obsessions. The first four are from an amazing little shop based in Minneapolis Minnesota called Frostbeard Studio. Their scents come in both wax tart and candle forms.

Sassenach 

A mixture of lavender, basil, thyme, and herbs. It was inspired by the Outlander series and makes me think of a sun drenched herb garden, fresh, green, spicy and calming. 

Bookstore 

 

This one is described as the scent of a bookstore with timber, driftwood, coffee and leather. It is right on the money. It is fresh, clean, both cool and warm at the same time with a hint of coffee in the air and reminiscent of getting lost among the shelves and discovering new favorites. 

Sherlock's Study 

 

This one is a mix of sweet pipe tobacco, cherry wood, and fresh rain. It was warm, heady, enveloping, with a hint of intrigue. Like the man himself this leaves you dazed and wanting more. 

Oxford Library 

 

This one is oakmoss, amber, sandalwood, a hint of tobacco and leather. It is fresh, cool, full of knowledge. Like browsing rows in an underused section on a cool afternoon, it is truly the scent of a large library. 

This last scent I'm obsessing over is by Colonial Candle. I received a scent sample of it months before it was released and knew I had to have it. It was well worth the wait. 

Tobacco and Honey 

 

This is described as a mixture of tobacco leaf, amber, white patchouli, carnation, and honey. It is deep, dark, sweet  and intoxicating. It makes me think of dark raw honey and a warm fire. 

Well that's it for this post. You can be sure that many people on my gift list this year will be receiving some of these. Hope you enjoyed, until next time. Aloha from Maui.