Christmas 2010 Part 4: Mo' GTMO

Finally it's time to wrap it up about our GTMO holiday and final visit...We had a fun Christmas Day on the ocean. For once, not lingering on the beaches, but we rented a pontoon boat and went fishing! I can't even remember the last time I've been fishing, so I was convinced it was my first time. It was sooo fun! Here's Capt. Danno as captain of our boat with his lil assistant who was very eager to take over and drive herself.

Leyna's first time fishin. Surprisingly she didn't swing it around like a weapon

Initially I was distracted by all these jellyfish I saw swimming around the boat. Once I got over my temptation to catch one of those, I caught my first fish in just a few minutes! Then this hearty lil snapper, followed by 3 more bait fish all at once.

Armed with a bunch of bait fish we headed out to the deeper waters. Leyna had to hold on tight (actually I had to hold on tight to Leyna!)

We didn't catch anything bigger than that lil snapper. But it was still so much fun we went out again the next week. Here's Leyna helping daddy call port control before we head out...and later chillin out on the boat while we make attempt #2 to catch something...

...someone loves the camera...So here's our catch (booo) ...versus some other guys' that dayIt was a hammerhead shark!

Now back to more beaches...this place is our favorite, Glass Beach.

Leyna and daddy had a great time exploring behind the huge rocks, finding tons of tiny hermit crabs to cool stones...Her lil raisin toes had enough beach for the day haha.
The reason why I can't resist going back to Glass Beach again and again, is that it's the ideal location to collect sea glass, hence the name. My entire collection is a lot of time spent combing its sand. Hey in GTMO, it's something you have the time to do, and I find it relaxing! I have a stash of the common greens, browns, ambers, light blues, and clear pieces to ship to Oki and somehow add into our home decor. This was on a good day when the tide brought in a fresh batch of stones n glass...

It's certainly rewarding to find the most rare colored glass. I was always on a mission to find cobalt blue ones. The pieces aren't just rare, they're usually pretty small too. Yes, I think I picked up every blue speck I saw haha. But in the process I also came across pink and even lavender! New Year's Eve was spent watching back-to-back movies in the theater, and by then we just went home and knocked out. But thank goodness for the outdoor theater since it allows us to watch movies with a toddler who wants to run around every now n then. In between beach time, movies, and enjoying the galley food, the library was our other key spot to kill time. I wish I could fill Leyna's playroom with all those huge stuffed animals!We're obviously never tired of beaches..this is one of the more rocky ones, but lovely views.
Leyna loves hanging out with daddy.

Finally a family pic! =)
Farewell GTMO it was a nice final visit. Thanks for being good to my hubby and sending him back home safely!

Christmas 2010 Part 3: GTMO!

Ah nothing like finally being in the arms of daddy. We were so grateful to finally reach GTMO. Every Christmas has been pleasantly not-so-ordinary in it's own way. 2008 was spent in a practically empty townhome as we were moving out of Quantico...2009 was our first Christmas while living in a foreign country plus celebrating our newest special addition (Leyna)...and this year we spent it on the sands of Cuba. Despite Danno's deployment, it was another holiday of being together which we were so thankful for.

Escaping to Cuba's warm weather to thaw out from the chilly East Coast was just splendid. First things first...hit the beach! Leyna was ready to get started on one of her favorite things......pickin up rocks!

What's a day at a GTMO beach without one of these guys showing up?

Since the last time we visited, GTMO turned 'holiday' as much as it possibly could. Lights adorned the lamp posts along its one main road...the galley was decorated...and at the Exchange entrance you could always smell the long row of Christmas trees desperately waiting for someone to buy them. (What a contrast to being in Okinawa where people anticipate the moment live trees arrive for purchase like it's Black Friday!) The most impressive was the huge Christmas tree and a series of various light displays saturating a little hill.

We didn't have a tree this year, but this ginormous one will do!Leyna was so excited, she did a lil song n dance about the biggest Christmas tree she's ever seen.
...followed by running around the tree touching all the ornaments. They were larger than her head!

Christmas Eve was spent hanging with Danno's co-workers. It was a nice get together with food, the classic gift-exchange, and some carolers to sing along with. They had an entertaining GTMO version of the 12 days of Christmas Song that included "...5 bananaa raaats...!" And some group pics with the decked out jeep sealed the night. We know Leyna's highlight was chasing around the boss' dogs.

Christmas morning we wanted to give Leyna something to open. We tried to keep it to 'packing-friendly' gifts. It's much more fun watching her open presents this time around...especially how she constantly "wow's" at everything....more Christmas fun to follow...

Christmas 2010 Part 2: In (New York) & Out (Maryland)

While in NY, we did a lot of resting and roaming around shopping malls -- something you take for granted, but we truly miss being able to do while living in Oki! Buying things still had to be kept to the essentials (for instance things to keep us warm!) since we were still en route to GTMO. While there Leyna got to see a little bit of snow again. Thankfully we missed the huge blizzard that buried the East Coast later in that month...

...what's this stuff that keeps stickin to my feet...it's not always easy taking pics of your own kid

Mommy doesn't endure the cold very well, but Leyna seemed like she could keep stomping around in it for hours.Us 4 ladies (see Leyna? haha) We got to reunite with my niece Maria and her family. I haven't seen Maria since our wedding back in 2007!

Kuya Rudy took us on a drive through Manhattan before leaving. Had some yummy Peruvian food with Maria in Brooklyn. Leyna had fun making phone calls and taking pics with her cousin. She holds anything up to her eye and says "cheeeese!"We enjoyed all decor and lights...there were plenty (including all the city traffic!)

Our next stop before boarding the GTMO flight was back to Maryland to visit Tita Ester and family. Last time we were there was just before we first moved to Oki and when Leyna was still growing in my belly. So this visit, we each had new additions to the family -- me > Leyna, them > TJ their dog! This Labradoodle is huge! Leyna LOVED him. She'd always be on the look out for him, try to bump fists, and he's so sweet to let her poke at his big eyeballs while she says "eeeyes!"

...randoms of Leyna having fun. She would sometimes "neigh" at TJ and try to ride him thinking he's a horse haha.

The girls with their niece.

Then on our way to GTMO we went. We had to leave behind the winter clothes and repack for sunny weather, while also having things ready depending if we get stuck on the East Coast on the way back or make it to CA directly. It's amazing how many times I had to sort, un-pack, re-pack and get boxes of things ready to ship. Space bags, flat rate boxes, and anything with zippers that don't break are our friend. =) All this traveling really exercises your brain...

Christmas 2010 Part 1: Adventure to NY

We certainly didn't expect to take a 2nd trip to GTMO, but anticipating another forgiving work schedule for Danno during the holiday, it turned out to be another great time to go. Hoping to beat the holiday rush, we geared up for a Space A flight out from Okinawa early Dec and we expected to hang around CA until it was time to see Danno mid month (assuming we make it to CA). It took several attempts to leave Oki since flights were already filling up, if not canceled. So without hesitation we grabbed anything heading CONUS (Continental US). We hopped onto an 8 hr flight to Alaska, where Leyna got her first sight of real snow!...then continued onto a 6 hr flight landing in New York. Here's a few shots along the journey.

...our transportation...

...Leyna waking up to Alaska's snow, making new friends n having fun with activity tables, and admiring the impressive bear displays in the terminal...

Although it was overall a smoother flight plan than our first Space A experience (when we got stuck in Guam for several days), it was the worst circumstances to land where and when we did. We arrived in NY at midnight, during a cold snap, and landing at a particular air station that lacked facilities and had no support. The most they do is bus us to a small building nearby, unload our luggage at the curb, close the building, and we must walk a quarter mile to the base front gate to grab a taxi. So we had to tough the piercing 10 degree wind chill on a poorly lit road to the front gate (the only thing remotely walking distance). Nothing short of miserable for myself, and 4 other mothers with several infants and young children. Strollers, luggage, car seats dragging behind us while struggling to protect kids from the cold, as you can imagine, it was ugly. Eventually a kind Security Forces guy went beyond his duty and came to the rescue, made many rounds in his truck to get us little by little to the warm gate guard stand where we could wait inside for taxis.

Our entourage of women and children regrouped at the nearest 24hr diner to linger for 5 hours until the international airport opened. We parted ways, most continuing on commercial flights, while Leyna and I got picked up by relatives. So after an adventure like that, instead of making our way to the West Coast and back East again to Cuba, we decided to stick around NY and endure the cold for 2 weeks and stay with our relatives. We're so thankful to have family in so many places!

Feliz Navidad

We continue to live out of a suitcase since Danno's deployment, so this is closest we're going to get to sending out Christmas cards this year! Leyna and I have traveled from Oki to CA, then to GTMO, back to CA, back to Oki, where we moved to a new place...and finally made our way back to the states, stayed in NY, then finally arrived here in GTMO. Phew! All our spontaneous travel adventures this past year have been well worth the opportunity to see so many friends and family along the way.

Even though we lack a Christmas tree with wrapped presents, a decorated home, and the gift-giving will certainly happen...later, we're truly blessed to spend the holiday with Danno and enjoy this time together as a family on the beaches of GTMO with the iguanas. =)

Merry Christmas and best wishes for the New Year to everyone!