If you celebrate Christmas, you might want to check out this list of parades on island: 
http://khon2.com/2016/11/22/2016-christmas-parades-on-oahu/

The Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation offers a wide variety of extra curricular classes and programs for all ages throughout the island! Everything from arts and crafts to swimming lessons to dance, archery, sports and more!  

Online program registration for the next session of classes starts on Dec. 12th at 8:30! They often fill FAST so be sure to create an account and check out your options ahead of time and then get signed up as soon as possible after they open up registration!

Create an account here: http://parks.honolulu.gov/sdi/home.html 
Register here: http://parks.honolulu.gov/sdi/home.html

Here's just a quick note to share a few Cyber Monday deals that I've found on some of my family's favorite homeschool materials. This is not a paid advertisement and there are NO affiliate links in this blog post. I'm not sharing because it makes me money, but simply because I really think these are great materials/programs, and I love sales and discounts!  Please contact the companies directly since I don't have any insight or further information about these sales.  

I will add more if I come across new sales in the next few hours on things my family likes , so feel free to check back.  So without further ado... in reverse alphabetical order... here are the Cyber Monday deals!
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Sassafras Science Adventures - Big Sis, in particular, loves reading this fun set of novels that also teach science! (We do use this primarily as a science supplement, though they offer materials to make it a complete program too.) Right now (from November 28th to the 30th), you can get all four of the Sassafras Science novels, which are normally $15.99/each, for only $46! 

Artistic Pursuits has been enjoyed by both Big & Lil' Sis. They have often pulled it off the shelf and initiated art on their own. Plus I find it quick, easy, and still valuable. On Cyber Monday 2016 only, you can save $47.95 when you purchase any two Artistic Pursuits books on their web site, because you can then select another title for FREE. Simply place your order, then email alltheanswers@artisticpursuits.com with the title of the free book you want. (example: Free Book, Grades K-3 Book Two) Books will be shipped by Priority Mail. Art Packs and Book/Art Pack combinations do not apply.

The Women's Tennis Association is hosting a tournament November 20-27 at Patsy T. Mink Central Oahu Regional Park. Ball Kids are especially needed for Monday thru Wednesday day sessions (must be 10 years or older).

NEEDED: BALL KIDS
Applications are available at: https://hawaiitennisopen.com/volunteer/#ball-kids

Training:
1. Nov 15 - Tuesday- Ala Moana tennis courts -1201 Ala Moana----5-7 PM
2. Nov 16 – Wednesday- Kahuku Intermediate School ----------3:30 -5:30 PM
56-490 Kamehameha Hwy 
3. Nov 17 - Thursday - Patsy T. Mink Central Oahu Regional Park---5-7 PM
4. Nov 18 - Friday- Patsy T. Mink Central Oahu Regional Park---5-7 PM
5. Nov 19 Saturday - Patsy T. Mink Central Oahu Regional Park--1-4 PM ….. this is a training day along with credential and uniform distribution.

To become a ball person you need to work a minimum of 3 shifts in the first 5 days. Only the most skilled Ball Kids will be chosen for the finals starting on Friday.

Day sessions: ------- one hour before matches start- until the end of the day matches
Night sessions: ----- Report time –-5 PM until the end of the night matches.

Provided: ----------- Event Tee shirt, cap, lunch or dinner, plus 1 free Guest Pass

Ball Kids are Tennis players (10 years and up) who would love the opportunity of a life time to be on the court with professional tennis players and watch world class tennis. This experience will inspire Ball Kids to greater heights in their own tennis endeavors while developing leadership, teamwork and strong work ethic skills. This is an experience of a life time that will be remembered for many years to come and could not be duplicated in a class room. This is a fun week of tennis where the hours that are volunteered can be applied towards community service hours.

Being a ball person is one of the most exciting and best jobs of any volunteer position at any tennis tournament. Skills needed: good hand eye coordination, ability to stay focused on a task, be able to roll balls quickly and smoothly, being able to think on feet and most importantly - know the game of tennis.

Please indicate on application ALL available days or night shifts that you would like to work. The work schedules will be determined after all applications are turned in.

​Other Volunteer positions are available and can be adjusted to match the Ball Kid's schedule.

Saundra Cima---Ball Kid Coordinator ---scima760@aol.com

The Critical Thinking Co.™ is a popular, family-owned, educational publications company. They offer over 200 books and software products in a variety of subject areas, including language arts, science, math, and more.
 
Several of my veteran homeschool mom friends use and recommend their titles. They are standards-based and secular materials designed to be easy to use and aimed at improving critical thinking skills. Their website states that they guarantee better grades and higher test scores or your money back.

​Sentence Diagramming: Beginning is one among many offerings from The Critical Thinking Co.™. It’s a simply designed, straightforward, 72-page book containing 12 lessons for students in grades 3-12+. It consists of clear directions, concise information, and black & white pages without illustrations. It is meant to help teach “students how to diagram sentences so they see the underlying structure of English grammar”. This method is said to be particularly useful to visual learners.  
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The lessons in Sentence Diagramming: Beginning are:
Lesson 1: Simple Subject and Main Verb
Lesson 2: Direct Object
Lesson 3: Adjectives
Lesson 4: Adverbs Modifying Verbs
Lesson 5: Predicate Adjectives
Lesson 6: Predicate Nouns
Lesson 7: Prepositional Phrases (Adjectival)
Lesson 8: Prepositional Phrases (Adverbial)
Lesson 9: Compound Subjects
Lesson 10: Compound Predicates
Lesson 11: Compound Direct Objects
Lesson 12: Compound Predicate Adjectives and Nouns
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This paperback book’s list price at the time of this post is $12.99.

We received a paperback copy of Sentence Diagramming: Beginning. I wasn’t sure if my daughter would want to use it or not, particularly considering that it is plain and simple in appearance… but she did! Perhaps it was the short lessons and clear format. (This sounds familiar and is a lesson I learned about Lil’ Sis recently as well, so I shouldn’t be surprised. Maybe I ought to know by now that flashy and high tech - while cool, helpful, and important in today’s world - are not always a necessity for my daughters happiness or learning... and I like that… it makes things easier!)  Or maybe it was that Big Sis is, indeed, a visual learner and diagramming helps her “see” grammar. Heck, it’s helped me too! Or perhaps she enjoys it because it’s almost like solving a puzzle or disassembling a machine to see how it works, and this appeals to her mind and she gains satisfaction from it as a result. Whatever the reason, she said, “Mama, I like this book and diagramming sentences.” [<-- Not something I ever expected to hear!]

​Though Big Sis has some basic diagramming exposure, we started at lesson one just to be sure we covered everything before moving on. We then moved through the first 3 lessons in one week. After that, we slowed the pace to one lesson a week. It was easy to work it in to our weekly schedule and complimented our grammar practice. There has been a noticeable improvement in her understanding of grammar and breaking down a sentence into its parts of speech, as well as how the words work together and relate to one another. 

If you're looking for quick and straightforward lessons on beginning sentence diagramming or if your child needs a supplement for extra practice in this area of language arts, this could be the useful and inexpensive tool you need. The diagramming approach isn't for everyone, but it has helped my daughter and she likes it, so it was a win for us!
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​If you'd like to read more reviews to see what other homeschoolers thought about a variety of The Critical Thinking Co.™ products, click on the Homeschool Review Crew banner below. Reviews include more on the Sentence Diagramming: Beginning book, the Language Smarts™ Level E book, and software offerings from the "Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic Before Kindergarten!™" bundle, catering to the idea of the importance of preschool academics.

You can learn more by visiting The Critical Thinking Co.™ at their website or on social media at Facebook, Google+, and Pinterest!

Here's a potential PE opportunity: the 2017 Keiki Great Aloha Run! It's a 1.5 mile fundraising fun run around the Blaisdell Center for kids 12 & under (and their parents, school staff, and supporters). Homeschool groups have previously been able to raise funds by participating in this run event, so it might be something to look into.

The run will be on Saturday, February 18th, beginning at 8am (program starts at 7:20). 

Cost is $20 for registration before Jan. 27th or $25 until Feb 26th or $30 late registration. ($5 for kids 4 and under). Simple bagged healthy breakfast and t-shirts included in registration price.

In years past, participants were allowed to attend the GAR Expo as well (held at the Blaisdell Center that same weekend). I don't see any information about this on the Keiki GAR Run details, but hope it is the same as in the past. My kids enjoyed both the run and the expo every time we've gone!

To register: https://www.flpregister.com/236
http://www.hawaii5210.com/pages/about-the-program