Diving

Well, I haven't been able to get out too much since I was certified to SCUBA dive but I hope that changes in the not too distant future... also, I just got a dive camera. It's nothing fancy but it does allow me to take digital photos under water so I thought I'd post some of my inaugural shots. I was still figuring out how to use it so I didn't get a whole lot of great pictures but there were a few that I liked so here they are, if for no other reason than to get my sister-in-law Sarah and brother-in-law Jared to cross the Pacific and come dive with me.

The first place I have pictures of is called Horse Shoe. It's about a 100 yard or so snorkel from the beach and then it just drops off to over 170 ft. I know a few crazy kids who wanted to see just how deep it was, when they got to 170 they turned around but said it would have probably bottomed out at about 200 ft. For those not in the know 120 - 130 feet is about as deep as they recommend you go.

There are a lot of bright, little blue fish around the island that I am a big fan of.

And here is a shot from about 60 ft below. Like I said, I'm still getting used to the camera.

I had a bit more photographic success at the second dive site of the day, Toilet Bowl, about a two minute walk from where our cars were parked for Horse Shoe. It's a bit of a perilous walk to this entry site down some lava rock, you just have to watch where you're stepping and choose your path carefully. If there are any scouts out there looking for an Eagle project, building steps down to Toilet Bowl on Okinawa would be a great one! You have to be careful here because the site is right below a fisherman hut and I guess if you get too close they like to throw rocks at you. We didn't have any issues though.

Every dive I've done here I have seen a sea snake. Here's one next to one of those blue fish.

Here's a fish posing for the camera.

This is Duane and Will, two of the three guys I was diving with.

There was a school of trumpet fish just below the surface where we exited the water.

Toilet Bowl is a good place to dive.

The Best Part of Christmas (2)

More silliness...
Admiration (nice floor Grandie!)...

Friends...
Games...
Memories... (wrong end Grandma!)

And Piratey Things...?

The Best Part of Christmas

The kisses...

hugs...
stories...
silliness...

(and hitting Uncle Jared of course) :)

PreChristmas through Christmas Day

Christmas comes but once a year... and usually so does decorating the tree. Coryn got to help a little this year, though he couldn't quite get the hooks to cooperate. We broke two ornaments, but neither was really his fault surprisingly. Of course, we had to take the tree down about three days later so we could put some carpet in (yay!) and redecorate it but it was worth it.
Coryn got to see a variety of Santa's this year, three different people (Torii tree lighting, Army/Navy football game (go army beat navy) and Boise mall) and a Pipeman Santa. The pipeman is the 505th mascot and stands near the front gate year round, but apparently someone long ago made him a santa suit and now he gets to dress up at Christmas and has his own humvee sleigh and pipe reindeer.
As most of you know, we went to Boise for Christmas, and though I don't have any pictures from the plane ride, we obviously survived the trip. One of Coryn's favorite things to do at Grandma's house was play instruments, he got to play the piano, flute, saxaphone, and trombone. (Fittingly he got a harmonica for Christmas from Uncle Aaron which he adores and plays pretty well now).

Here Coryn's showing off his newest bedtime duds, his Christmas Eve gift, while playing his favorite game at Grandie's house: throw the ball down the stairs so G-pop has to chase it. Also in the picture is Bindy, cat that thinks everyone is a climbing tree.

Christmas morning! Coryn marvels at the ornaments on the tree... look down Coryn, its more exciting there! He did good for all the excitement of the day, but he did have to quit unwrapping presents after a whiles. Who needs more presents when there is already so much to play with? Thank you everyone for the fun new toys!