Bryan's Trip to Cuba - Part ONE

This is a disclaimer - I got all of these pictures from Bryan's
brand new camera!!  He bought it right before he came to Cuba, and
it is awesome!!  Because he granted me permission to use it whenever
I wanted to while he was here, I actually only got about 5 pictures on
MY camera the whole time he was here - so lots of these were taken by me!
The only problem tho, is his camera is so spiffy that the files are
humongous and it has taken me almost 3 hours to post these few!  I have
about 30-40 more picked out to post, so you will have to be patient,
and maybe I can finish it up over the next few days!!

The night Bryan arrived, he requested Mongolian BBQ,
so here we are!!  It was delicious and a pretty evening!!

Bryan and Ellen in line!

The iguana that frequents the NEX!

A pretty picture of seaglass at the beach!!

GTMO beauty

This is proof of Bryan's amazing camera - mine would
never take a picture like this!!  This is a type of hibiscus
in our yard that Gryffin loves to eat!!

An iguana at Phillips Dive Park

Lee and Ellen waiting for Bryan to surface from his dive class.
He was gone so long, we took him a sandwich in case he
was hungry - and that he was!!  He devoured it!!

Bryan surfaces!! (along with Irving and his 2 classmates)

Exiting the Bay in all his gear!

More to come another day!!  Stay tuned! 

Explanation! :)

Wanting to update more of Bryan's visit with pictures, but I am going to be making a scrapbook all day Wed and Thursday for my friend, Theresa Tierney that is leaving this Saturday - so I guess it will be next week or this weekend before I get to that - just wanted everyone to know!!! :)

All is well in GTMO - can't believe it is almost August already!  Where does the time go?

Ellen went night diving with the Tierney's last nite and had a good time - she said they saw the most beautiful large sea turtle!!  Oh yes, but the biggest news of all probably was that she hit a deer on the way home on Sherman out by the beaches - no real damage to the CRV but a reflector did fall off and there was a spot of blood on the front bumper.  We will kayak with Theresa this Thursday - she is trying to fit it ONE LAST everything before she leaves!!

Mom gets ready for the 2012 Olympics!

While Bryan was finishing his dive classes, I swam in a swim meet!  It was a 1000 yd meet.  I did it in a little over 25 minutes...........1000 yds = 10 laps...............got first place in my age group!! ;)  Got a big trophy......Here are a few pics............enjoy....oh yes, there was a photographer that I struck up a conversation with - he proceeded to take some pics of me and send them to me in an email!!  haha  Otherwise, I would have had no pics, since no one in my family went.

BRYAN is here!!! July 5 - July 16th, 2012

This is on the U-boat after we picked Bryan up off of Air Sunshine!!
He was only about 30 mins late, I think - we were so excited to
get him on CUBAN soil!!!

Bryan and Ellen in the car behind us!!  I had the Power of Atty
to sell this baby - which I just did yesterday - so they drove
this all around town............it sold for $550.  A true
GTMO SPECIAL!!!

The first morning Bryan was here - they went
snorkeling.........

Off they go.................It's gonna be a FUN 11 days!! :)
LOTS MORE PICS TO COME!!!

More July catch up!!! ;)

Our adored "nighthawk" sitting on her egg!!  This picture
was taken during the daylight hours - they keep their eyes
closed, so that you think they are sleeping....they also give off NO scent
and lay their egg in the middle of a field.  She must have sat on that egg
for 3 weeks - it is finally gone now.  Bryan and I went to ck it out
and we got dive bombed - so I think she had it and it is in the field
somewhere....ALSO - if only i had my camera when I ran into
her after the baby was born.  She did her injured flight imitation, and then
opened her mouth W I D E and hissed at me!!!  YIKES!!

This is precious nighthawk (haha) after she got scared and
flew away - she landed on the stone wall....and left the
egg very vulnerable!!

HAPPY 4th of JULY!!!  We got these at the celebration
that the base put on....nice fireworks show!!

Gryffin adorned them before I put them in
the trash..........

This was a card trick done by a magician at the 4th of July
show!!  He told me to pick a card, write anything I wanted
on it, then he put it back in the deck.........well, after quite a bit of
talking, etc - he pulled it out of a ZIPPED WALLET he had in his back
pocket.................how did that happen???

I literally walked out of my shoes!!  See the bottoms BOTH came off
while I was mowing!!  It felt pretty cool actually and I was going to
keep the shoe part, but I decided to throw it all away!!  :(

HAPPY 29th ANNIVERSARY!!!  I kidnapped Lee and took
a picnic to Ocean View pavillion overlooking the Bay!!

This was our view!! :)

and this was our dessert - YUMMMM!!!!  Giant chocolate
chip cookies made by SUZ!!! 

This was our company - and he was jealous that he didn't get choc
chip cookies, so he found some banyon berries from the banyon
tree!!!

Hmmmmphhhhhhhhhhh!!!!

Public Works Fish Fry Hail and Fairwell!!!

Mike and Greg fry up the fish!!

AJ is leaving............

Travis is leaving

Lt Cdr Wanger and Terie are leaving

Jim Bracken is leaving

Melynda is leaving

Josh hands over the Boot to Eduardo
It's a military thing!!  They are responsible for this boot
that is filled with concrete for their tenure.  The last guy
that had it before Josh had it stolen at the SeaBee Ball and it
went all the way to Afghanistan!!!   ahhhh - fun stuff!!

Eduardo seems proud of his new boot (filled with concrete)

Now it's time to change the Bull Ensign.....Christian hands it over
to Dan (who had the boot stolen last year - haha)....the Boot Ensign is the
newest............the Bull Ensign is the oldest (i think?)  Wonder if
Dan can responsibly take care of the Bull Ensign hat?

There we go, Dan!!  All set!

4 PWD wives  Jen, Kim, Suz and Lisa

Dan and Laura -  Baby boy Pulliam due in December!!
He will have lots of GTMO grandmommies!!!

Hey - this seemed like just a FAREWELL - not a Hale and Farewell!!  Not sure if we welcomed anyone or not??!!!

Mid July Catch Up!!

Documenting Poison Mango on Dad's ankle!! :(  Had to go
to ER for prednisone, benadryl, Xantac etc....lasted probably
3 weeks - 1 week was super bad.....

Micah, Danielle and Levi Swenson leave
the ROCK - she was our local cosmetologist
worked out of her house!!  We will miss them!!!
Levi is 8 months old here.....they moved to Japan

Hmmmm....someone who jumped off the pier for
someone else leaving!
Dressed as a penguin!!! haha

Dad washing his car.

Gator Freighter Night
L-R, Jen Conley, Kim McCord, Susan, Donna Torley
Lisa Kader, and her 2 visiting friends
FUN NITE!!!

The guys...Art Torley, Lee, Mike McCord, Greg Kader and Tony Conley

Change of Command for JTF
Awesome sight!!

A Four Star was present on stage, thus the flag.

Ellen and TJ

Mom babysits the Tierney kids!!  Lauren, Mairead and Killian
They LOVE the toolkit!! (they better, it is the only toy i have!!)

Killian loves Gryffin's house!! :)

Another Change of Command (the Base C.O.)
Kirk Hibbert leaving
JR Nettleton arriving
Beautiful ceremony!!  They flew in the Navy Band from
Jacksonville!!

Captain Kirk Hibbert - outgoing

Captain JR Nettleton -  incoming