Jasper did pretty well on our direct flight to Kona, Hawaii considering it was six hours long. It sure felt good to hit the beach, as Rick demonostrates with his "we're finally in Hawaii" dance.
Our rental house was located in a small gated community with the beach directly behind the houses across the street from us. We had ocean views from our house, but the other houses had the real waterfront property.
We merely had to walk across the street and down a sandy path between houses to get to our beach. It had the most perfect cove where the kids could play.
Jasper loved playing on the beach with a shovel and bucket.
He also apparently didn't mind sand in his mouth. Yuk.
This floaty that we bought for him was perfect and he loved it. The sun canopy really helped keep him as pale as he was when we left Seattle.
Shannon, Christy and Michelle taking a self-portrait.
A beautiful Hawaiian sunset.
DAY 3
The Eagan family joined us as we visited another kid-friendly beach called the Energy Lab. It was a calm shallow cove which, according to Jasper, had great scoop-worthy sand.
Maddy giving Jasper one of many kisses.
Jasper's not too sure what to think of it.
Jasper: "How about another one, Hot Lips?"
Maddy: "Men!"
We had a four planned dinners at home which we each took a turn preparing. Shannon and Laura set the bar high with awesome marinated grilled chicken, veggies and corn on the cob. Of course, we had constant Mai Tai's flowing, too.
Jasper showing Maddy a thing or two on the piano.
Another gorgeous sunset photo taken from our beach.
DAY 4
We took a roadtrip to the north end of the island, via the cattle ranching town of Waimea at 2,600 feet, then looped back down the Kohala Coast. 
The girls at a lookout over the Kohala Coast.
The diversity of plants on the Big Island is incredible; cactus on the side of the road in the Kohala Mountains.
Lilikoi, more commonly known as passion fruit, also grows just off the road.
An idyllic lookout point with Maui in the background.
Modeling hats in the Hawaiian "cowtown" of Waimea.
Group lunch at the Bamboo House in the town of Hawi. A whimsical restaurant with neon palm trees, palapas with faux silk brocade decorations...
...and a see-through acrylic and seashell toilet seat!
Rick posing with a local; Jasper hanging out in the backpack.
Jasper enjoying his first ice cream cone, coconut flavored.
Auntie Shannon preferred to get mango shaved ice.
What's the end of a day without another great sunset photo?
Day 5
We decided to take another group roadtrip. So we strapped the kids in their carseats again and headed out for the 12-hour trek around the island to see Pele, Goddess of Fire, at the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
But before leaving, Maddy was determined to teach Jasper to walk on his own so she gave him a helping hand.
Shannon and Christy pause for a photo op.
The girls (Christy, Laura, Dorie, Michelle and Shannon).
Finally, the magnificent view of the Kilauea crater! What do you mean you can't see it?
Girls on a walk near the steam vents. Fortunately, today didn't smell like sulfur.
Some of the most interesting plants are in the volcano park. This is a giant tree fern which only grows on the island of Hawaii.
The Lehua flower is the official flower of the Big Island. As a tree, it can grow up to 80 feet tall or can be a low shrub with red leaves growing in recent lava flows.
Christy and Laura on a walk in search of exotic wildlife.
Huh, speak of the devil.
Connected to the main caldera is the smaller crater of Kilauea Iki.
Several years ago, Rick and Christy hiked a trail that begins up at the Visitor Center, climbs down through the forest into the large Kilauea crater, continues past the Pu'u Pua'i cinder cone into the small Kilauea Iki crater, and back up the ridge to the Thurston Lava tube. It was a long, hot hike but worth every minute.
Here are some hikers crossing the small crater (see the middle of this photo).
Rick found a volcano urchin which are indigenous to the island.
After a very long day being strapped into a car seat, with some minor meltdown towards the end, Underpants Boy was overjoyed to be back home with his blue blanket and Charlie Bear.
Day 6
Every morning Maddy and Jasper played out on the lanai. This end table had become their Clubhouse.
While we checked out some petroglyphs in the area, Jasper carried his sand shovel. I guess you never know when you might need to dig something.
Green sea turtles.
The group headed across the street to the beach for family photos.
Maddy looks darling in her summer beach dress.
Sean playing some Jimi Hendrix on the ukelele.
Daddy and Popo wading in the cove.
Jasper loved the pool and some night swimming was just what he needed.
Yeah, it's a flower...you got a problem with that??
When someone doesn't want to go to sleep, watching some monster truck racing on Speed Vision always helps to relax. Yes, our son is crazy for anything with wheels.
Day 7
Getting smooched by Maddy again.
It's the Skipper and Gillegan.
We stopped at a great local fruit stand where we picked up a banaguana (tasted like a fruit salad of pineapple, coconut, banana and passion fruit all in one ), some rose apples (a combination of perfume and pear) and some lilikoi lemonade.
A mongoose running across the road; now we've officially seen and done everything mentioned in the book.
Jasper and Maddy sans bathing suits checking each other out.
Hmmm, still looking.
A final group dinner at the Kona Brewing Company.
"Here's to a long friendship."
Maddy fell asleep before the fireworks even began.
View of 4th of July fireworks from our beach. What a great way to end a great vacation.
But before leaving, Maddy was determined to teach Jasper to walk on his own so she gave him a helping hand.
A quick stop at Akaka Falls State Park to see the 442 foot falls.
Shannon and Christy pause for a photo op.
The girls (Christy, Laura, Dorie, Michelle and Shannon).
Jasper decided he could do a much better job driving than Daddy. (Mommy thinks so, too.)
Finally, the magnificent view of the Kilauea crater! What do you mean you can't see it?
Well, behind all that vog (volcanic smog) which has been produced due to volcanic activity this past spring, you could see that the enormous crater is almost 3 miles wide and absolutely barren. It's amazing to see such a giant hole in the landscape.
Girls on a walk near the steam vents. Fortunately, today didn't smell like sulfur.
Some of the most interesting plants are in the volcano park. This is a giant tree fern which only grows on the island of Hawaii.
The Lehua flower is the official flower of the Big Island. As a tree, it can grow up to 80 feet tall or can be a low shrub with red leaves growing in recent lava flows.
Christy and Laura on a walk in search of exotic wildlife.
Huh, speak of the devil.
Inside the Thurston Lava Tube.
Connected to the main caldera is the smaller crater of Kilauea Iki.
Several years ago, Rick and Christy hiked a trail that begins up at the Visitor Center, climbs down through the forest into the large Kilauea crater, continues past the Pu'u Pua'i cinder cone into the small Kilauea Iki crater, and back up the ridge to the Thurston Lava tube. It was a long, hot hike but worth every minute.
Here are some hikers crossing the small crater (see the middle of this photo).
Rick found a volcano urchin which are indigenous to the island.
After a very long day being strapped into a car seat, with some minor meltdown towards the end, Underpants Boy was overjoyed to be back home with his blue blanket and Charlie Bear.
Day 6
Every morning Maddy and Jasper played out on the lanai. This end table had become their Clubhouse.
While we checked out some petroglyphs in the area, Jasper carried his sand shovel. I guess you never know when you might need to dig something.
Green sea turtles.
The group headed across the street to the beach for family photos.
Maddy looks darling in her summer beach dress.
The Aho Family: Richard, Dorie and Aiden.
Sean playing some Jimi Hendrix on the ukelele.
Daddy and Popo wading in the cove.
Jasper loved the pool and some night swimming was just what he needed.
Yeah, it's a flower...you got a problem with that??
When someone doesn't want to go to sleep, watching some monster truck racing on Speed Vision always helps to relax. Yes, our son is crazy for anything with wheels.
Day 7
Morning on the lanai with Auntie Shannon.
Getting smooched by Maddy again.
It's the Skipper and Gillegan.
We stopped at a great local fruit stand where we picked up a banaguana (tasted like a fruit salad of pineapple, coconut, banana and passion fruit all in one ), some rose apples (a combination of perfume and pear) and some lilikoi lemonade.
Day 8 (Happy July 4th)
Uncle Sean on the lanai reading to the kids from "Mongoose, Mongoose, Stop! Don't Run".
A mongoose running across the road; now we've officially seen and done everything mentioned in the book.
Jasper and Maddy sans bathing suits checking each other out.
Hmmm, still looking.
A final group dinner at the Kona Brewing Company.
"Here's to a long friendship."
Maddy fell asleep before the fireworks even began.
View of 4th of July fireworks from our beach. What a great way to end a great vacation.
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