Kailua-Kona

Our first day on the big island had all our tribe a little off kilter time wise.  The east coast folks were up too early and the west coast folks were up to late the night before.  So we had a slow day where we got out and explored a little.  We headed north to the town of Kona for some lunch and to pick up a very special birthday cake. 

On our way north we stopped at the only Seahorse breeding farm in the world.  The Ocean Rider Seahorse Farm.  Here they actually breed the seahorses and the food that feeds them.  We got to taste some seaweed and hold a seahorse (actually they hold you).  Siena enjoyed touching everything she could in the fish tank.  It was a neat experience to learn more about a fish I never realized was so endangered.

A lunch at Huggos, shopping in the market and a stop at Mrs. Barry's Kona Cookies rounded out our afternoon.  Siena decided she needed a Hawaiian necklace and bracelet.  Now this might not seem like much, but it may be the first time I have seen her shop for and then insist on buying jewelry.  Since she is just three this could become an expensive habit in the future.  Luckily this was reasonably affordable and very Hawaiian.

We headed home for dinner and a birthday party  Grandpa Dan cooked steaks on the grill and we had a family birthday celebration.  The highlight of the evening was the cool castle cake (mommy is amazing, even when she isn't in her kitchen) and pretty princess decorations that mommy prepared!  Siena was the belle of the ball for the night dancing and singing along with princess songs from the new music player grandma bought her.  Balloons, streamers and cake, a great birthday celebration!