Happiness Happens Day (Aug 8)

Pay It Forward 

Today is the kickoff to the 31 Types of Happiness at KB. It is a campaign we're doing to help raise awareness and hopefully, some money for a very worthy nonprofit - The Juniper Fund 

Up until July 1^st, I did not know about the Secret Society of Happy People or that August 8^th is Happiness Happens Day started in 1999, then later in 2000, due to popular demand, was extended to Happiness Happens Month (August).  

I thought of the documentary film Happy, also known as The Happy Movie by director Roko Belic. For me, it goes hand-in-hand, doing something good always makes me happy. Do good, feel good, repeat. So if I could help raise awareness and money for Nepal, my goal is accomplished.

Every day I'll be posting on our social media a type of happiness with information on The Juniper Fund and its founders. KB is pledging 5% of our Aug 8th sales, so join us, you can make a direct donation on their website.

http://blog.eddiebauer.com/2015/04/28/nepal-earthquake-updates-on-eddie-bauer-guides-david-morton-dave-hahn-and-melissa-arnot/

Linda Nguyen

Kitayama Brothers

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New Year at Auntie Heidi

Akemashite Omedato!! (Happy New Year)

As usual the Kitayama family New Year’s celebration was at Auntie Heidi.  

Each year you can expect about the same things.  

There will be mochi making in the kitchen.  

On the dessert table will be blue finger Jell-O, rice crispy treats made to look like sushi, 

a rainbow sherbet punch and snicker doodles.  

There will be Japanese stuff to eat: 

ozone, nishime, kampyo, gobo, kazunoko, tsukemono, etc…all great.  

We will watch college bowl games, 

meet new boyfriends, 

occasionally hold a new baby, 

and talk about stuff we haven’t covered the 3 or 4 other times 

we have seen each other during the holiday season.    

Clockwise: Kyle, Naomi, Barbara, Mark and Grace

(Mochi Making Group)

Cousin Kyle, Cousin Naomi, Cousin Barbara, Cousin Mark and Grace.

Mochi is eaten on New Year’s Day because…I don’t really know why, but it is sticky and can be hazardous.  

News Flash: This year, 9 Japanese died from chocking on mochi.

Left to Right: Uncle Ted, Mom Kimiko, Auntie Martha and Auntie Heidi

(The 4 Elders) 

Uncle Ted (one of the brothers), Mom (Kimiko, who is Ray’s wife), Auntie Martha (the brothers' youngest sister), and Auntie Heidi (Tom’s wife and Dave's mom)

This table represents about 350 years of advice.  You’ll be glad to know they're still giving a lot of advice.

(Dave and Emi)

Cousin Dave, a new Grandfather with baby Emi.  

A picture says a 1000 words..

Left to right: Grace, Karen, Robert and Maya

(My family) 

Grace, Karen, Robert and Maya 

Happy New Year from KB and our family.

RHK  

Kitayama Brothers

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Norman Kawauchi: Hawaiian Gardenia Grower

A Life of Farming

I was in Honolulu last week to visit customers and deliver Christmas greens.  While I was there I visited Norman Kawauchi an 89 year old gardenia and tropical flower grower from Waimanalo.  My favorite people in the flower business are growers.  I can sell flowers and read financial statements, but I don’t grow.  My father and uncles were growers, and that was the strength of Kitayama Brothers.  I am dependent on good growers and I try to understand what makes a successful grower.  Therefore I visit top flower farms and try to learn as much as possible.  I especially love to visit the growers who are innovative and passionate about what they do.

Norman shared with me his love for growing gardenias, but the bigger lesson was hearing about his life as a farmer.  It wasn’t an easy life, but I don’t think he would trade it for any other.  

Please take a look at this 2 minute video of Norman.  I wish I had more of his life on video, but I do plan to go back and “talk story” a little more.  

RHK

Kitayama Brothers

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