Hawaii part II (I know I'm a slacker)

Okay here is the recap of the rest of the trip.

Here is Kent picking a fresh pineapple out of the neighbor's garden. The sweet woman gave us 4 sweet, dripping, delicious white pineapples while we were there (it takes 18 months to grow one).

Here is Bubby with one of the ripe, but very little pineapples.
Hawaiian graffiti is so neat. They make names, words and pictures with white coral. It stands out against the black lava rock. It was pretty cool. My sister-in-law made a big "Idaho" on the rocks, Kent and I just did a D and K for our kids.
This beach was pretty cool. There were huge cement breakers along the shore line. The water was so, so blue and the waves were crashing into the wall. It just looked really neat.

This in on the Hilo side of the island where everything is greener. I couldn't believe how lush and beautiful everything is. This was a waterfall on one side of the road. On the other side.....
was this view of the ocean. Seriously, isn't this what paradise looks like?
Bubby was a pretty good trooper for the trip. I LOVED my ERGO for the trip, it kept him pretty happy. Here we are on the trek to Akaka Falls.
These falls were spectacular. I really can't describe how graceful and beautiful they were. The air in the forest around is very highly perfumed from all the orchids and other flowers (but it didn't give me a headache like perfume and scented things usually do). It was all just breathtaking.
After our adventures, we stopped for lunch at an old neighbor's home. Kent and Bubby found a fantastic place for the perfect nap.
I just thought the scale of all the vegetation was interesting. These leaves are WAY bigger than Bubby (and that was a small plant)
Here is Kent out on the lava flows. I thought it was interesting that coconut trees were growing right out of the hard lava.
I was so excited to see a sea turtle close up. They are so cool. They are much bigger than I thought and just such neat creatures. This was definitely a highlight for me.
Here is Bubby and I at the black sands/turtle beach.
Bubby LOVED the sand. He loved to jump in it, squish his toes in it and of course, eat it by the fist full (we did try to stop him). He especially loved to eat the beautiful black sand.

Okay so the next few pics are just gratuitous pictures of my cute baby on the beach.

(Awww, just sitting here looking at the pictures makes me ache and want to go back.) Bubby was just so cute playing in the sand. Here he is at our last time on our favorite little beach.
And the reason we came. Here is Dan and Kay at the Kona Hawaii Temple. We are so proud of them and the work they are doing. One of the highlights that I don't have pictures of is going to church there. The people were amazing, so warm and friendly. I can see why Dan and Kay have loved their time on the Big Island.