Big Island - Part 2

What a fantastic trip we had to the Big Island.     The warm Hawaiian breezes,  yummy eats, ocean to play in, wonderful resort which made it so easy with two little kids.   It was really wonderful!   We had our difficult parenting moments almost every day, as the behavior from the girls got worse as the week went on.  I am not sure what that was all about.   Still even on some hellish moments of girls fighting, rolling around on the ground at a local Hawaiian Farmers Market......still we are in HAWAII!!!    Granted, I am sure we left some really fine impressions with the locals who always seem to be staring at us as my girls were screaming, and throwing tantrums in public.    But hey, whose kids are perfect all the time?  Not mine.  And now the people of the Big Island are all too familiar with them. 

Sunset at A' Bay.   Maddy sticking her feet in very nervously.

Dad and Makena playing at the Kids Pool.

The girls loved playing in the pools each day.  We got both of them in the ocean a few times with smiles.  Maddy was a bit more nervous about the ocean, but definitely wanted to try it.  Makena went without hesitation.    Initially they had issues with sand on their feet in and in their shoes, but by the end of the trip they got over it.

More pool fun.

Playing Hide and Seek at a playground we found

Lots of gorgeous flowers, which I enjoyed so much.  
But had no time to photograph any more than this lovely Hibiscus.

All decorated for Christmas already

Two cute girls giving big hugs in their new Hawaiian dresses

Hula Show.  Maddy loved this and was so mesmerized by it.

 We took in a couple Hula Shows at a nearby shopping village.   I was surprised at how much Madelyn liked it.   The first time she saw the Hula Dancers she was immediately mesmerized.  She couldn't get close enough and just loved it.  We ended up staying for the whole show.  It ran late, so Michael took Makena back since she was melting down for bedtime.   Madelyn and I walked back to the condo after the show.   She loved every minute of it.  The walk back to the condo wasn't too long, but very dark.  At one point some car headlights lit up the sidewalk only to reveal way too many cockroaches all over the path.   Most definitely something I didn't need to see.  I decided the dark was just fine.

Looking back at the resort area in A' Bay, from a boat tour we took.
One of four volcanoes on the Big Island, in the background.

Dolphins!!  

 The last day we took a short glass-bottom boat ride from our beach.   It was free for the girls, and so convenient for us.   I didn't expect to see much but a few fish.    We got very lucky and came upon a large pod of dolphins playing nearby.  They were all around the boat, jumping and playing.   How lucky is that?   A couple even swam underneath the boat and up front hear the bow.  It was amazing!

More Dolphins...not sharks.

Michael took off one morning and went diving for a 1/2 day.   Lucky guy with a very nice wife, eh?   He had a great time with much to see.  We both would take turns and snorkel out front in A'Bay, home to many turtles.    So wonderful to be snorkeling along and come upon a big Turtle underneath you! 

Playing in the kid pool with a new friend, making a volcano!

Mama Love

 It was a great trip for traveling with two girls ages 2 and 4 years old.   The flight back was much easier.  Many kids on board and much more understanding crowd.  No grumpy old men around me.  The girls did really well on the flight back and Makena even took a nap.  It was wonderful, but not too anxious to get on a plane with the girls anytime soon.  However, next trip I believe will be to see a certain mouse.... in California.   I'm sure that hint is not hard to figure out.