Look what I did!

Today, a girlfriend at the office turned 30, so I made this:

Happy Birthday Lindsay!

Fantasy Football

I was so excited Tuesday because our fantasy football league posted our drafts.  I am in a league that does an auto draft, so we do not take turns picking players.  I was extremely happy because I got Aaron Rodgers! I wanted him so bad.  I have been playing in this league for the past 4 or 5 years for fun with some friends who live all over the country.  Last year Luther joined us and this year Lindsay will be playing with us.

I hope with Aaron, I can do really well this year. Last year was not so good for me.  In the past, the highest I finished was second and that was so amazing.  I hope to have another year like that! I get so excited on game day watching the NFL Red Zone.  I also get a little stressed when I have to make my weekly lineup, but I just remind myself, it's just a game and it's just for fun.  But, It sure is nice to end the season with Bragging Rights! Oh, and my team name is Nadda Clue :).

First day of 10th Grade

Monday was Ryan's first day of 10th grade and his first day in a new school. College Station opened a new High School this year. He impressed me because he said he wanted to be at school by 7:30.  He was up, ready and bright eyed and bushy tailed.  He even asked me when I would be ready so we could leave.  I told him not to worry, I would get him there on time.

We left and I was a little worried about traffic, but it turned out amazing!  I go the opposite way of last year and miss 2 school zones that were always packed.  There is barley any traffic at his school and it is so easy to get out and get onto Wellborn Road.  In fact, I have been getting to work so early that I have to kill time before I am allowed to clock in.

Ryan walks home from school and the walk is only 10-15 minutes tops, so that works out nice for him.  Last year he had to ride the bus or sit around waiting on Luther or I to get off of work.

He said he likes his classes and teachers, but he is a little worried about Spanish class.  I told him not to worry and that I could help him.  I took 2 years in High School and 2 years in college.  He asked me if I was sure I could help because "Mom, hasn't it been over 10 years since you took Spanish?"  I said it will come back to me and I remember quite a bit.  In fact, this morning I helped him learn a sentence in Spanish to say in class to get some extra credit. Yo tango pero negro- I have a black dog. Yay me!  I think he was impressed actually.

There was one hiccup with wrestling.  They told him he needed a physical by Friday or he was off the team and he and some other boys were not allowed to practice and had to sit out in the hallway during athletics.  We got that straightened out with his Coach and they are transferring his physical from Consol because they are good for 2 years.  We filled out the rest of his paperwork last night and he should be good to go today for practice.  

I can't wait to see him tonight to ask him about wrestling practice and how Spanish went!  I think it is going to be another great year for him!

10th Grade Orientation

On Wednesday, the 15th Ryan and I attended his orientation for 10th Grade.  It was a long afternoon, but exciting.  First, we met in the auditorium and broke into groups.  Our group took a tour of the school first.  Let me rephrase that, we took a partial tour of the school. CSHS is the largest high school in the state of Texas (building wise).  One part of the building is 4 stories tall and the other is 3.  Needless to say, we went up and down and up and down and up...  It was a stair master workout for me! Thursday, my calves were a little sore.

Next, our group went back to the auditorium to hear the principle speak.  He gave us the expectations and rules.  Ryan was a little bummed when he found out he can't wear his OU lanyard. Then our group went to pick up school ID's.  Once we got through that line we were taken to another room to get in SEVERAL lines to turn in all sorts of paperwork.

Once we finished all those lines, we were led to ANOTHER line to get Ryan's schedule.  Then MORE lines.... Pre-paid for lunches, got the most important CSHS window decal for my car and so on.  We still had one MONSTER line left after these... books!  It was the longest of them all and it didn't help that their computers went down and they had to do everything manually.  

It was very exciting. His new school is amazing!

Ryan and I are in this picture that was posted to CSHS' Facebook site.  We are at the Food Services table. I am in a red shirt and Ryan is standing next to me in all white.

A Very Sad Day in Aggieland

Today was a sad day because a constable was shot and killed while serving eviction papers to a man in College Station.  It happened in a neighborhood a few blocks away from where I work.  Another officer was shot in the leg and two others were injured by shrapnel.  A 43 year old man was killed and another woman was shot and is in critical condition at the hospital.  The gunman was firing a semi-automatic weapon at the police and the others for about a 30-minute period.  The police shot him and he later died, he was 35 years old.

It is not my place to judge and what he did was not acceptable.  I just wonder sometimes what it is that make people do senseless things and they feel the only option is to hurt innocent people.  Just like the shooting in Colorado, this was just senseless.  In fact any outright killing spree or even killing of one other human being is senseless.  I just don't understand why people think killing other innocent people is the only answer.

This officer had a wife and children.  I don't know the story on the other resident, but the rumor on the woman is that she was here helping her daughter move in for school.  I cried tears today and my heart was broken for these families. I will be praying for all the families that lost a loved one, all the families that have injured family members and all of our police officers in the community because they are all hurting tonight and will be for some time to come.

This is the timeline from CSPD:

Fidelity Street Shooting Timeline

Posted Date: 8/17/2012 2:30 PM

Since Monday, Aug. 13 College Station Police Department officers and investigators, along with investigators from multiple other agencies have been working around the clock in an effort to gather information and evidence in this case.
The College Station Police Department has been assisted by the following agencies during the initial call and the subsequent investigation: Bryan Police Department, Brazos County Sheriff's Office, Texas A&M University Police Department, Brazos County Constable Offices, City of College Station Marshall's Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Texas Department of Public Safety Highway Patrol Division, Texas DPS Emergency Management, Texas DPS State Crash Team, Texas DPS Aircraft Section, Texas Ranger Company A, Texas Ranger Company B, and Texas Ranger Company F.
As a result of the continued investigation, the following timeline of events has been determined. Note that the times provided are approximate times.
12:11 p.m.- First 911 call received. Caller advised that an officer had just been shot and he thought that his girlfriend (Holdsworth) had been shot also. Numerous 911 calls were received including a call reporting that Northcliffe had been shot.

• Holdsworth was shot as she pulled her vehicle into a driveway in the 600 block of Highlands.
• Northcliffe was next to a parked vehicle in the 600 block of Highlands when he was shot.
• Witnesses also told police that the suspect approached Constable Bachmann, after shooting him and removed his duty weapon from his gun belt.
• During this same time period a civilian in the 600 block of Highlands fired 5-6 rounds from a small caliber handgun towards the suspect.

12:14 p.m.- First officers arrive on scene and approach from Maryem Street. They immediately come under fire from the suspect.
12:18 p.m.- Additional units begin arriving and set up a perimeter.

• Shortly after arriving on scene Officer Oehlke was shot in the calf by the suspect.

12:28 p.m.- Two officers arrive at Park Place and Fidelity. Using a patrol vehicle as cover they attempt to reach Holdsworth and Northcliffe.
12:30 p.m.- Two SWAT officers arrive on scene and formulate a react plan.
12:35 p.m.- Suspect is shot and secured by CSPD officers.
Between 12:14 and 12:35 p.m. the following incidents occurred:

• The suspect continually fires rounds at officers from his front porch.
• The suspect retreats into his house between rounds of fire.
• Several firearms were recovered from the suspect's house including Constable Bachmann's service weapon. It does not appear that Constable Bachmann's weapon had been fired. The suspects weapons are described as follows:
• Dragunov 7.62x54 semi-automatic sniper rifle
• SA vz. 58 7.62 mm assault rifle
• 40 caliber Glock Model 35 pistol
• Mosin-Nagant bolt-action rifle
• In excess of 65 rounds were fired by the suspect during the incident.
• The number of rounds fired by law enforcement officers are still being determined.

School Shopping

This weekend was full of school shopping for Ryan. On Saturday, we went to JC Penny here in town because I got a text they were having a huge clearance sale.  We decided to go this weekend because next weekend is the tax free weekend in Texas and there was no way we wanted to fight the crowds. Plus, we thought we could get to the stuff before it was all picked through.  We found several shorts marked down to $10.00 and several that Ryan liked.  I never buy anything for Ryan if he is not with me because he is super picky!  He also went up a pant size, so that was good to know.

Sunday morning, we decided to drive to Houston to go to the outlet mall.  Luther wanted to get there when it opened to hopefully miss some of the crowd and the heat.  We did really good there too.  We found several shirts on clearance and on sale and he got 2 hoodies for the price of one.  We were not really looking for hoodies, but we could not pass up the great price and we knew he would wear them.  They were also Under Armor brand, so that made the deal even sweeter!

The only thing we have left to buy are his shoes for school, running shoes for practice and wrestling shoes.  We have a little time on the wrestling stuff because they don't start competing until November.  We will probably get them in September or early October so he can break them in.

Tooth Nightmare!

Friday night was a looooong night to say the least.  Ryan's mouth was so sore, he just could not get relief.  He even developed a fever which had me worried.  He was so upset and in pain he asked if he could sleep with me.  I told him to sleep on the couch and then he would be close to my room if he needed anything.  He woke me up several times during the night begging for more pain meds, but there was one time he was too early and I told him I couldn't give him anymore for another hour.  Well, an hour later he woke me up and he asked for Nyquil instead of pain meds.  I gave him some and that finally did the trick an put him to sleep.  We both did not wake up till almost 10:00 the next morning.  When he woke up he had no more pain and no more fever.  His top lip was swollen and his gums above the tooth that hurt had a huge bruise.    He felt much better, but was dizzy, so I got some food in him and he took it easy for the next few hours and was fine after that.  Boy what an experience!

Poor Ryan!

This week has been kind of traumatic for Ryan. First, there was his missing wallet, then today he had to have an emergency dental appointment.  He was scheduled to have his teeth cleaned next Thursday, but yesterday he told us that his front tooth was killing him and he woke up 3 times during the night.  I called the dentist and they happened to be able to fit him in this morning.  We spent 3 1/2 hours at the dentist office this morning.  The appointment began at 8:00 and he got his teeth cleaned, but then we had to wait around to see the dentist and get the tooth that was hurting so bad filled.  Ryan has been doped up on Tylenol and Advil for the past two days, so I hope this will do the tick and he will have some relief finally!

Ryan's Missing Wallet

When I got home from jury duty yesterday, Ryan was asking me if I had seen his wallet.  I knew I had seen him with it when I gave him his allowance the last time, but other than that I had no clue.  He is very careful about keeping it in the same place and he only takes it on him when we are going somewhere and he is buying something.


We checked the kitchen and living room, both cars and his room.  We even had him bring down all his dirty clothes and Luther and I went through them one by one to see if they were in a pocket somewhere. No such luck! We even called a few places we went in the past week to see if it was turned in. Again, no such luck.


My heart was broken for him because he had saved some allowance money and he has been doing some extra jobs to earn a little cash here and there.  All I can say is it is one of those hard lessons in life and he will just have to learn from it.  


Well, I called our bank and asked about minor checking accounts for Ryan and they have them, so it looks like we will be visiting our bank on Saturday morning and he will get his first bank account!

Jury Duty

On August 1st, I had jury duty in the afternoon beginning at 1:00.  I went to work in the morning, then took my lunch and headed to the courthouse. I have been to jury duty before, but they never got to the questioning of the jurors because the defendant decided to settle and we were all dismissed.  That day there were also 200 people there for the case.


This was completely different, there were only 28 people to select from, so chances were high to be selected.  It was a DWI case and I had no idea the defendant would be present through out the selection process.


The first couple of hours, the prosecutor spoke to us and asked questions.  We were given about a 10-15 minute break and then the defendant's attorney asked some more questions. I think I was let go because they asked if we were related to anyone in current or past law enforcement.  And of course, my father in law had a long career in College Station. The jury was picked right before 5:00 and the rest of us were dismissed.  Judge Locke stopped me on the way out of the courtroom and asked me to say hello to Luther, my father in law.


I don't mind jury duty and I thought the whole thing was interesting. I really enjoyed it and I don't even think I would mind being picked.  That's just the political science major coming out in me. Haha!