Base Life

Military life is pretty different than I'm used to.  Everything seems to be based off your rank or your husbands rank.  Random forms that we fill out ask for the rank or sometimes the command.  I didn't even know these things until I got here.  Everything also has to be done through the sponsor, or Bob.  I couldn't even sign up for a library card.

We all stayed on base for a couple days just getting used to things.  When we did venture off I had to get a pass so I could get back on.  In fact one time I left base without my pass or Bob and he had to come meet me off base with my pass so I could get back on.  It was a strange feeling to be stuck on the outside.

Here is Tucker testing out the headsets at the Nex.  If you want to buy anything non food is will most likely be from there.  I spent hours online trying to buy kids clothes only to find out they wouldn't ship to me.

One exciting thing about staying in the lodge is the food money we get.  Because Bob has such a big family, while living in the lodge we get over $200 a day to spend on food.  We have to turn in receipts and we can't keep any extra money.  So pretty much every day we go out to eat and then go to the grocery store and buy all the expensive food items we never buy.  It is so fun!  The kids love it too.  We are normally pretty stingy with what we spend so this is a real treat!

Our lives have been ruled by the bus schedule.  It comes about every 40 minutes and makes a big loop around base.  Mornings and nights there is one that goes the other direction making things much easier.  So all our grocery trips need to be based off when the bus can pick us up, and we can only buy what we can carry on the bus.  

After church on Sunday someone was very nice and offered us a ride home, not a small task considering we take up 7 seats.  But I was talking to someone who lives right near the Lodge and she said you have to either leave church a couple minutes early to catch the bus or wait around for about 30 minutes.  I'm sure we will end up waiting because I can't see me going around to all the kids primary classes pulling them out 5 minutes early every week.

It has been an adjustment for the kids to get used to the bus.  There has been lots of fighting over seats.  I keep trying to teach them to be quiet on the bus.  We have also missed stops and sometimes pushed the button letting the driver know we wanted off when we didn't' really want to get off.  That's happened more than once and it is always embarrassing and not always the kids fault.

 There are tons of playgrounds on base.  I think every living tower has one.  They are pretty cool too, and not ones that the kids are used to.  I think I've been to over 10 already.