Friday, November 16, 2012
Stewart Family Night...
At Bass Pro Shops! Admit I wasn't thrilled with the idea. So while Riley and Mase looked at various guns and camouflage items, I followed them around wearing stupid hats and eating salt water taffy. Another successful evening!
The Battlefields
Last week we decided to get out and see a bit of this historical city we are in. We went to the Yorktown Farmers Market, then walked through the Revolutionary War Museum and the battlefields.
It museum was pretty cool, but it was so tiny. It took us all of fifteen minutes to see the whole thing. Needless to say, there isn't a whole lot to report there.
The battlefields are by far the coolest thing I have seen in Virginia yet. First of all, they are beautiful! We were there right at sunset so the weather was perfect and the fields were so pretty. It's crazy to think that somewhere so quiet and pretty, is the same place where so many men fought and died for our freedom.
There are these tiny trails all throughout and plaques in front of all the significant landmarks. Mason loved snuggling up in the front pack with Riley and being outside for a while. We saw redoubts 9 and 10, where the colonies overtook some significant British posts, and finished up our stroll at the spot where the British surrendered and ended the Revolutionary War. I admit I am a little bit of a history nerd, so I loved it. And Riley did too. Well spent afternoon!
It museum was pretty cool, but it was so tiny. It took us all of fifteen minutes to see the whole thing. Needless to say, there isn't a whole lot to report there.
The battlefields are by far the coolest thing I have seen in Virginia yet. First of all, they are beautiful! We were there right at sunset so the weather was perfect and the fields were so pretty. It's crazy to think that somewhere so quiet and pretty, is the same place where so many men fought and died for our freedom.
There are these tiny trails all throughout and plaques in front of all the significant landmarks. Mason loved snuggling up in the front pack with Riley and being outside for a while. We saw redoubts 9 and 10, where the colonies overtook some significant British posts, and finished up our stroll at the spot where the British surrendered and ended the Revolutionary War. I admit I am a little bit of a history nerd, so I loved it. And Riley did too. Well spent afternoon!
Monday, November 5, 2012
Coastie Update
Occasionally I try to give a brief update on our life in the Coast Guard. It's mainly because people always ask "Now what is it exactly that your husband does?" And when I answer they respond with "And what does that mean?". So without further ado, here is my attempt at answering those questions for all my avid readers... Mom? You there? Okay perfect.
Right now we are in Yorktown Virginia. Riley is attending A School to become a Boatswain's (pronounced bo-sin) Mate, which means that previously he was a Seaman, and didn't really have a specific job. He just worked wherever needed. A School lasts approximately 12 weeks (sometimes more, sometimes less depending on which job you choose), and when Riley graduates in February, he will be a BM3, or Petty Officer Stewart.
As I understand it, Boatswains Mates pretty much handle everything on the boat except the engine. When you close your eyes and picture a member of the Unites States Coast Guard on the job, you are probably picturing a Boatswains Mate. Or Ashton Kutcher jumping out of a helicopter. And to add a little trivia, The Guardian takes place at AST (Aviation Survival Technician) A School. Are you impressed with all my acronyms yet? What a Coast Guard wife I am becoming!
Another question we have been getting a lot lately is "Where will you go after A School?" And the answer is, we don't know yet. Our next station is based on two things. First, where BM3s are needed, and second, how well Riley does in the class. The Coast Guard issues a list of stations or cutters (big ships) that need Riley's job, and the first in their class gets first pick off of that list. Riley is in the top five of his class (that hottie pants genius!), so we should be able to get a station that we want. Fingers crossed! Anyway, the list will be released next week, so we should know where we are going within a couple of weeks.
I hope that wasn't too confusing... Riley really should be the one doing these kinds of posts. He is far better at explaining the whole thing than I am.
Anyway, I absolutely love being a small part of the Coast Guard family. If you had told me five years ago, or even 3, that I would be married to a military man and living out of state, I would have laughed in your face. It was just not something that was ever on my radar. But I have to say how incredibly grateful and proud I am of where Riley, Mason, and I are in our lives.
I love the Coast Guard. I love that it is so family oriented, or at least tries to be. I love how much Riley loves his job, and how great he looks in his uniform. I love that he goes to work everyday and makes a difference, and then comes home and tells me all about it. I love the community and family the Coast Guard provides. No matter where we are, there is always a group of women (and a couple men) whose spouse is out doing the same thing mine is, and we are there to support one another.
Stay tuned for news on our next station.. Pray for West Coast folks!
In the meantime, here are a few more Coastie pics!
Xoxo
Right now we are in Yorktown Virginia. Riley is attending A School to become a Boatswain's (pronounced bo-sin) Mate, which means that previously he was a Seaman, and didn't really have a specific job. He just worked wherever needed. A School lasts approximately 12 weeks (sometimes more, sometimes less depending on which job you choose), and when Riley graduates in February, he will be a BM3, or Petty Officer Stewart.
As I understand it, Boatswains Mates pretty much handle everything on the boat except the engine. When you close your eyes and picture a member of the Unites States Coast Guard on the job, you are probably picturing a Boatswains Mate. Or Ashton Kutcher jumping out of a helicopter. And to add a little trivia, The Guardian takes place at AST (Aviation Survival Technician) A School. Are you impressed with all my acronyms yet? What a Coast Guard wife I am becoming!
Another question we have been getting a lot lately is "Where will you go after A School?" And the answer is, we don't know yet. Our next station is based on two things. First, where BM3s are needed, and second, how well Riley does in the class. The Coast Guard issues a list of stations or cutters (big ships) that need Riley's job, and the first in their class gets first pick off of that list. Riley is in the top five of his class (that hottie pants genius!), so we should be able to get a station that we want. Fingers crossed! Anyway, the list will be released next week, so we should know where we are going within a couple of weeks.
I hope that wasn't too confusing... Riley really should be the one doing these kinds of posts. He is far better at explaining the whole thing than I am.
Anyway, I absolutely love being a small part of the Coast Guard family. If you had told me five years ago, or even 3, that I would be married to a military man and living out of state, I would have laughed in your face. It was just not something that was ever on my radar. But I have to say how incredibly grateful and proud I am of where Riley, Mason, and I are in our lives.
I love the Coast Guard. I love that it is so family oriented, or at least tries to be. I love how much Riley loves his job, and how great he looks in his uniform. I love that he goes to work everyday and makes a difference, and then comes home and tells me all about it. I love the community and family the Coast Guard provides. No matter where we are, there is always a group of women (and a couple men) whose spouse is out doing the same thing mine is, and we are there to support one another.
Stay tuned for news on our next station.. Pray for West Coast folks!
In the meantime, here are a few more Coastie pics!
Xoxo
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