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...