Tag Archives: memorial day

Free Coloring Pages for Memorial Day

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Looking for an inexpensive way to keep the little ones entertained over the Memorial Day weekend? Try some of these Memorial Day coloring pages. You can download them and print them out for free! Even “big kids” can have fun with these. Crayola.com has a coloring page that is called “Memorial Day”. It shows a picture of an American flag and an eagle, with mountains in the background. Crayola.com has a coloring page called “Color the flag of the USA”. As you may have expected, the coloring sheet has an image of an American flag for kids to color. Crayola.com … Continue reading →

An Unexpected Memorial Day

Another Memorial Day has come and gone. This year was probably one of the most different that we have ever had. While our original plans were to have extended family over, that didn’t end up working out. So my husband and I were quite disappointed. We had a large meal planned and decided to make the most of it and just enjoy the day as a family. Then my youngest son asked if his friend could come over for the BBQ. His parents didn’t have anything planned and they were just going to be spending a lazy day at home. … Continue reading →

How to Make Memorial Day a Teachable Moment

We buried my beloved grandmother last week. My five-year-old daughter and I along with hundreds of other relatives and friends gathered at Veteran’s Cemetery in Hilo, Hawaii, to pay tribute to an unbelievably remarkable woman whose life will never be forgotten. It had been almost 11 years to the day since I attended a burial at Veteran’s Cemetery. The last time we gathered en masse was to say good-bye to my grandfather. My fiercely proud Japanese-American grandfather, who risked his life to serve the United States in World War II, while some of his family members were forced to reside … Continue reading →

Lest We Forget: U.S. Troops and Families were Pioneers of International Adoption

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As we remember our servicemen and women, past and present, on this Memorial Day, it is worth noting how much the landscape of adoption in America was changed by servicemen and women. U.S. soldiers fighting in Europe, participating in the post-war occupations of Germany and Japan, and later serving in Korea, Vietnam and other Asian countries helped to familiarize their families back home with the needs of the many orphans they encountered. Although some of the armed services discouraged their personnel from adopting during their service, there are several stories about units informally taking on the cause of one or … Continue reading →

Happy Memorial Day (from our home to yours)

Are you ready to celebrate this Memorial Day? Will you be having a big BBQ party to celebrate the beginning of summer, or a quiet remembrance of those who have earned our freedom? Perhaps you will be doing a little bit of both? For my family, we tend toward the more quiet celebration, but we are also looking forward to coming together with others in our community. This morning, I really have been reflecting on those brave men and women who have made my country the wonderful place that it is. I can’t imagine how much strength, determination and dedication … Continue reading →

Memorial Day Scrapbooking

Memorial day celebrations are plenty. With parades, commemoration ceremonies, flag ceremonies and barbecues, there are many things to take photographs of. Honoring the men and women who lay their lives on the line for us, is an important part of being an American. This day is special in so many ways. When you sit down to create a layout for Memorial day, it is great to include all the photographs from the different events that you attended or celebrated. However, there is much more you can do to make your layouts reflect the true meaning of the day. Perhaps when … Continue reading →

Ready, Set, Grill—-SHRIMP

The Memorial Day holiday weekend is upon us… time to ditch the oven and fire up the grill. For the past few days I have been guest blogging in FOOD sharing some of my favorite summertime recipes, most of which can easily be prepared in the great outdoors. Over the next couple of days millions of families across the country will dust off their grills, drag them out of their garages where they have been hibernating for the winter, and tear open a package of hot dogs or hamburger meat. Both are tasty and traditional options to throw on the … Continue reading →

Frugal Memorial Day Ideas

Let’s take a little break from Paperback Swap to talk about fun weekend plans. Are you ready to celebrate Memorial Day? Face it, food is getting expensive, but you can still have a great BBQ or other fun time to celebrate without spending a fortune! Here are some ideas. Take advantage of local celebrations. Just doing a little bit of research in my area, I’ve located three Memorial Day parades, two free carnivals, a free cook out for town residents, two Memorial Day events at veterans cemeteries, and numerous pancake breakfasts. There are also other celebrations, such as a children’s … Continue reading →

Ready, Set, Grill–STEAK

Subtitle: Leftover steak? What leftover steak? The Memorial Day weekend (and the unofficial kick off to the summer season) is just a few days away—-is your grill ready for some serious action? Whether you fire up the coals (or turn on the gas) and throw on hamburgers, hotdogs, chicken or steak it seems nothing tastes as delicious as char-grilled goodness. Our family has a long-standing tradition of grilling steaks on Memorial Day. Which brings me to the subtitle of this blog and the subsequent recipes. Perhaps, we’re part lion or wolf… whatever the case may be when it comes to … Continue reading →

Spending Memorial Day at Pearl Harbor

Memorial Day is a little more than a week away and while you might have your travel plans set to embark on a weekend adventure to the beach, the woods or the lake it would behoove you take some time between your barbeques and ball games to remember what this holiday is all about. Memorial Day was set aside to honor all the men and women who have given their lives in military service to this country. The holiday began as a tribute to Union soldiers during the American Civil War. Following World War I, the observance was expanded to … Continue reading →