I’m a little bit nostalgic that Fall will start in a few weeks. Such a wonderful Summer we had.

We’ve gone to Delaware for hubby’s niece’s graduation party. Then we stayed home for quality family time. Then we went to Florida for quality time with my in-laws. While in Florida, we attended Hubby’s High School Reunion. Then we came back to Alabama and moved to another house, still rent-and-utilities free inside the military campus where hubby works. Not to mention Baby Mark’s Christening and Matthew’s 4th Birthday. Then the next thing we know, summer break is over!

I’m a little bit sad that some of our plans did not push through. We didn’t go to Disney World as we have previously planned. We’ve also missed a get-together with a friend before her deployment in the Middle East because of schedule conflicts. Sigh! But then there is always next time.

I am so happy with our move to a bigger house. I especially like the bigger space and Matthew’s playroom the most. This time whenever I clean the house, it actually stays clean for a longer time, since Matthew and his mess stays in the playroom and not everywhere else. Too bad hubby didn’t enjoy much of the house since by the time we were settling in, he had to be back to work.

The school campus now has a few cadets already. In a couple or more days, more cadets will be excited or not coming back to school. I can only hope that they will especially be good to hubby, and not give him extra stress this school year. But, I know, as hubby keeps telling me, in the reality of a military school, there is always at least one defiant cadet.

I’m looking forward to going back to our routine and a calm cool Fall!

This is our 2nd year living in a military school. School is ending in a few days. Yes, we have survived living around pre-teen and teenage boys.

The graduation for the 20 or so cadets will be in a couple of days. This school year is mostly laid back. There are more cadets but they are better behaved most of the time in my perspective anyway.We miss hubby so much this school year though, for he only had one day-off in a week and didn’t have a few weekends-off, like last year.

Yesterday night was Senior Prank’s Night. On Senior’s Prank night, they can do whatever they want without repercussions. Hubby woke me up to show me what the Seniors did. They set up the cafeteria tables and chair outside, so they had a outdoor breakfast. And they placed a table setting up the roof. I am still wondering how they did that.

It just dawned on me that I know only a few cadets ever since we started here; and most of them are graduating this year. My heart goes out to the graduating class with great hope and warm wishes as they move on, reach their dreams and pursue great lives for themselves.

My regular day in a military school goes like this …

At pass 7:00 a.m., from our bedroom, I can hear the cadets walking pass our apartment talking, just random talking, or singing their marching chants.

And then I get up. Sometimes I catch hubby bringing us breakfast from the cafeteria. Most of the time, I’d just see the packed breakfast on top of the stove.

At 8:00 a.m., their marching chants goes louder as they go to the school building.

At 10:00 a.m., or at about that time, on hubby’s not-a-busy day, he comes home and say ‘hi’, play with Matthew and the baby. If Matthew lets him, he’ll take a quick nap.

By 12:30, we’ll see the cadets come out of the school building! It’s time for lunch. Since the winter, we haven’t really came out to join them for lunch. We haven’t picked up lunch. Lunch is usually brought by hubby.

At 3:00 p.m. or so, the school grounds will be crowded with cadets doing their activities, quad, practices or just bouncing around everywhere. We are usually indoors, and out of their way.

Dinner time is almost always hard not to notice. There is always commotion before and after dinnertime.

At 7:00 p.m. it’s quiet time – they call it the study hall, when everyone is expected to be studying! Who knows exactly what the cadets are doing in the quiet of their rooms. But at this point, hubby enjoys the quiet time, sitting by office and trying to finish up his work of the day. Earlier this school year, Matthew would join him in his office for a few minutes to give mommy some quiet time too.

On a regular 8:30 p.m., in good weather, the cadets goes down to do PT (physical training). There will be yellings outside, push-ups or what-not, more running around …

By about 9:00 p.m. or so, from our living room, we would be hearing hubby yelling out for ‘cellphones’. It’s time to turn in the cellphones. At first, this grabs Matthew’s attention, and would get him run over to his daddy’s office. Later on, we learned to ignore the yelling and whatever’s going on. Even the baby don’t get bothered by the outside noises activities anymore.

I have been meaning to post about busy last Saturday. School’s Military Day here! It’s like field demonstration, alumnae homecoming, parent’s day, open campus, evening dance – all in one day.

The highlights were when the parade, when the cadets were all presented in the white uniform, and in the evening – the sword drill that opened the dance. Hubby and I attended the evening dance but mostly separately, for hubby was there on a work capacity. I was with Lori and her girls.

For Matthew, the highlight was bouncing at the Space Walk (inflatable playhouse). He was there from morning til afternoon and didn’t show any signs that he is unable to keep up with the bigger kids.

All photos are taken on May 2, 2009. Most photos are taken by me. Those that have me in it are taken by Lori.

Bouncy Fun at the Space Walk

Bouncy Fun at the Space Walk

Watching the Field Demonstration

At the parade

By the helicopter Exhibit

At the parade

At the parade

In our evening attire.

The Sword Drill Team

This is hubby taken when he was 17-years old during his training in the US Army. He served during the Gulf War in the early ’90s and had gone to various parts of the world for different missions. He recently just retired after 23-years in the Army Infantry. Unfortunately, I met him and we got married during the later part of his service so I didn’t get to witness so much action. But then I’m just glad that I met him at all.

He continues his service by providing mentorship to students as a Tactical Officer in a military school here in Alabama. And he still gets to wear his military uniforms.

Today, Hubby and the school’s marching drill team are on their way to a parade in celebration of the Veteran’s Day. They are all dresssed up in their formal military uniform including Hubby. Buckles and shoes are all shiny and bright. And they are even wearing white gloves. They all look sharp and patriotic.

Related Posts:

• Military Boarding School, What Not To Blog
• Army Strong, Retirement

Hubby, Hanging by the Rope

I mentioned before that I wasn’t going to blog about the school and the students. I’m going to make an exemption this time. They had a rappelling training today. These are a few of those time I get to see hubby in action. Hubby and Sgt. T facilitated the training , while the students took their turns. They looked like they are having fun walking down the wall and hanging by the rope. Well maybe except for a few who cried trying to do it.

And I had fun taking photos and I am just happy how the photos turned out. The blue sky and the wonderful fall-y background just made them picture perfect.

All photos are taken November 8, 2008. Click photo to enlarge photo.

And it’s a perfect day for Matthew and me. It’s sunny but windy and cool. I would rather sit on the picnic chair hubby got for us and just watch the events of the day, but Matthew had other things in mind. He’d rather run around the grounds and explore. So when I was finally tired calling out to him, I gave in. We walked around the campus and took more photos of Matthew this time.

All photos are taken November 8, 2008. Click photo to enlarge photo.

Related Posts:

• Military Boarding School, What Not To Blog

Marching Time, Hubby and the students

If I have to blog about everything that has been happening around here, then I will be bloggiing a lot more than I am blogging right now. I don’t mean those that Matthew are up to or what we ate every meal. I mean all those happening with the people around us, pertaining hubby’s job and the students under his charge, because there’s always something going on.

I have mentioned before that we live in an apartment within the campus of a military boarding school for boys. Hubby likes his job and that is to take care of 20 or more boys in their teens, who are sent here to study and whose families are far away. He takes care of them in a military fashion. Most of these students have difficulty concentrating on their studies for varied reason when they were in a traditional school, so their parents sent them here hoping that the military way of handling their kids can somehow keep them in track.

As you can imagine, most of these kids are not too willing to be here, far away from the comforts of their homes. For them there are no TVs on weekdays, strict curfew and regulations to follow, tons of school activities and very low tolerance and appropriate discipline to every bad behavior. But even with all these, boys will be boys! Somehow they still manage to keep hubby busy in a not-so-positive light. Their little mischiefs that are silly stupid and sometimes funny to heavy serious misbehavior are always dealt with. And that is when hubby’s job becomes a lot more interesting and blog worthy. Hubby doesnt’ have to tell me anything. All I need is to see a variation in his routine or a few more calls than usual to know that something’s up. Actually he very seldom tells me anything, but the little he tells me, understandably, with no details and no particulars and with my limited observation, are still - blog worthy but what I can’t blog about.

What I can blog though is that in the little interaction Matthew and I have with these students, they have been respectful to me and Matthew. Sometimes the friendly ones nod or smile and greet me and a big wave ‘Hi’ for Matthew. They open the door for us at the cafeteria. And they don’t talk as loud as when they are just with each other when Matthew and I are around.

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The photo above was taken by Lori. Lori, thanks for the cool photo!