La Cucaracha

Instead of watching a show, Milena decided to start the day by drawing.

Mandy was super pumped for today because we were heading to Kailua Beach Park. It is one of the nicest and also kid-friendliest beaches on the island. The only problem was that when we got there, we found out that in the past, we'd been going to Kalama Beach Park, not Kailua. Not really a problem since they are side by side and equally awesome.

The sand is as soft as can be, there's a lot of shade, the water is clear and fun for everyone.

The only knock on this beach is the wind. It is on the windward (east) side of the island, so it is constantly blowing. Of course, it's a nice breeze and ideal for magazine cover photos and videos of hair flowing.

Milena has had a blast on the islands and this beach might be her favourite so far. She chases and gets chased by the waves like a sandpiper and loves every second of it (unless she wipes out in the water...then nobody is having fun).

Milena might have the spirit of a bird, since many of them approach her quite often. Or more accurately, she leaves crumbs everywhere and the birds are onto her.

The drive to and from Kailua is breathtaking. Everything looks so green and fresh and massive.

I was so impressed by it all, as you can see.

But hey, two hands on the wheel? Not at 10 and 2, but the steering wheel is straight from an 18-wheeler so it is good enough.

On our way back, we picked up a Chocolate Haupia (coconut) Cream Pie. It immobilized the kids for one fleeting moment, which made Mandy happy.

But oh how things change so very quickly. Shortly after this decadent dessert, Leila, Ethan and I were peacefully playing Go Fish with Hawaiian fish species (tons of pronunciation fun!) when a misguided cockroach flew in and landed on the table pictured above. Ohhhhh boy. I ran out of the house, pushing women and children out of my way and am writing this on a rubber dingy en route to a different, safer island.

(no photo reference available)

Remember Leila's panic about volcanoes and tsunamis? Rowyne had seen one on the first day we got here and was already a bit skittish so this put both of them over the edge. A few days earlier, I had read that there are 18 different types of cucarachas in Hawaii, but only 3 are typically around humans. We told the kids it was a beetle, but I'm not sure it made a difference what we'd call it.

Anyway, we've never seen any out of all the times we've been here, so maybe it's just this place or that other VRBO people spray their houses more frequently. Not a big deal...aside from bedtime for the next few days.