Aggie Football 2012

So, who in their right mind would have ever guessed that the Aggies would have had such an AMAZING first year in the SEC??!!?!?!?!?!  And who would have ever guessed that Johnny Football would win a Heisman???  What an exciting season!

Aggies of all ages have been tortured with the ups and downs of Aggie football, so to savor in the success of this last year has been great.  And to look forward to (hopefully) a few more successful years is even more exciting. 

We started the year off with our new tailgate trailer.  Yep, we had to enter the new conference in style.

For whatever reason, I didn't take many pictures during the football season.  We had so much fun this year with our family and friends at the tailgates and at the games.  As one of our guests told me, "you guys are building a legacy of great memories for your kids.  They're spending this time with family and life-long friends and they will never forget it."  I never really thought of it that way, but he was right.  And I hope we're able to do this for many more years and that when Jack and Jordan go to A&M (hopefully), they will bring their friends and hang out.  Then, when they have their own families, we will continue the tradition.  By then, we may need a bigger trailer!  Or an RV spot!!!

I did manage to decent picture of us for our Christmas card.

...got the Aggie Band in the block T.

And I'll close this post with a few pics of Johnny "Football" Manziel.  Thanks, Johnny, for the memories.  Gig 'em!

So Thankful

We are extra thankful this year. We have two beautiful, healthy kids, a supportive and loving family, and careers that are rewarding. We are extra thankful that Kenny’s company has been thriving. Hard work and dedication definitely pay off! And I truly believe that when you take a leap of faith and trust in God, He will provide.

We drove into College Station on Thanksgiving-eve. After getting our tailgating spot all ready to go, we headed to Santa’s Wonderland. The kids had been so excited to drive thru and see all the lights. They had been looking forward to it all week. It did not disappoint. We went thru it two years ago, and they have changed it up quite a bit. So it was nice to see something new.

Thursday started early as we tailgated all day before the big game. We combined tailgates with some good friends and had a huge Thanksgiving feast. There were 8 deep fried turkeys with all the trimmings. It was so YUMMY!!!


We saw a few of these guys wandering around... They looked a little lost.  Apparently they don't all come together in a group.


A few hours before the game we watched Parson’s Mounted Calvary make their way to the stadium. These are the guys that set off the cannon each time the Aggies score. Then it was off to the game. The GAME! Dadgummit, the Aggies need to learn how to keep a lead!!!!! What a disappointment to lose the game with a last minute field goal. Heck, the whole season has been a disappointment. BUT, it’s on to bigger and better things for the Aggies. See ya Big 12-2-1+1-1+1.

One thing I will say about the game is how classy the Longhorn band was. They spelled out thanks aTm and played “Thanks for the Memories.” I thought this was a really nice gesture. It’s a lot nicer than some of the downright ugly comments I’ve seen/heard from a few Longhorn faithful.  I'm pretty sure they don't read my blog though.  Oh well.

Unfortunately, I didn’t see much of the second half of the game. Jordan had been fighting a tummy bug for a few days and was fine all day Thursday. As we got settled into our seats, she started complaining of a tummy ache. She eventually fell asleep after kickoff and slept thru most of the first half. So I thought we'd make it thru the game. She woke up during halftime and cried thru the bands. So, she and I left the game. I’ve got to hand it to her; she was definitely a trooper. It was a pretty long walk back to our car, but she toughed it out. We finally got back to Shari’s house, got Jordan into her PJs and she crashed.

I watched the last 5 gut-wrenching minutes by myself on the couch.

Having to bring Jordan home put everything into perspective. Kenny and I love Aggie football as much as anybody. And while the tu / A&M rivalry is huge, at the end of the day, it’s only a football game. We get caught up in rivalries and winning and sometimes forget what’s really important. People hate to admit that the two schools are more alike than different. As I left the game, I was reminded of what mattered most… and am eternally thankful for the little ones that call me Mommy.

Jordan was back to normal by Saturday. We decorated our house for Christmas on Saturday and Sunday. Yes, it takes 2 whole days!!! Why do we have so much stuff?!?!?! BUT, it sure is beautiful when it’s all up, and it deserves it's own post. :)

Kansas Game

First of all, Gig 'Em Aggies! What a big win over the weekend. Of course it was Kansas, who is known more for basketball than football, but heck, we'll take a big win any day after the season that we've had. I finally got the camera out and wanted to post some cute pics I took on Saturday. Who can resist Miss Sassy Britches!





Saturday was military appreciation day. The entire corps of cadets did a big Block T during halftime. We see this every game by the band, but it was quite impressive with all the corps on the field. That's A LOT of people! There were also several military salutes throughout the game which is one thing I love about A&M. The university never forgets the military and their sacrifice everyday to protect our freedom.


Gig 'Em!!!

October At-A-Glance

October came in with a whimper (Aggies lose to Arkansas) and out with a BANG (Halloween!). As I decorated my house for the fall and for Halloween, we watched the Aggies squander another first half lead. UGH, is all I can say. Luckily, the Aggies were back to their winning ways by beating Tech in Lubbock and Baylor at home. (Wish I could say that about the rest of the games.)

Back in SL, we were busy with our own little football star as Jackson’s flag football team played on Sunday afternoons. He has really enjoyed playing this year. He got several tackles as a rusher and even made a completed pass for a touchdown as the quarterback this past weekend. We can’t be more proud.

We also attended a family wedding this month. Congratulations again Alison and Jason! It’s always fun to see our cousins and aunts and uncles that we don’t get to see all that often. We’re all looking forward to our family Christmas in December.

October at St. Laurence means the Church Bazaar. Luckily, we were only attendees this year. Kenny has been a Bazaar chairperson the past three years and has worked his tail off prior to and during the Bazaar. This year, we had the Baylor game on Saturday and Jackson had a football game Sunday afternoon, so we were able to attend the Bazaar Sunday morning for a little while. We rode some rides, played some games and had lunch there. Then it was on to the flag football game.

The fall also means “spring cleaning” at our house. And I teamed up with my sister, sister in law and mom to have a garage sale in EC. We made a good bit of money. Money I get to spend in Canton! WOOHOO!!!

After the garage sale, we made our way to Victoria to Candace and Shelby’s baby shower. They are so cute and so excited to be parents. It was great to see the other Priesmeyers. Here’s Jackson with his cousin Justin. The shower was in a barn turned trophy room. Needless to say Jordan was terrified the first hour we were there, but eventually got used to the animals. Jackson loved it, and even got to tame a bear.

And as I mentioned in a previous post, I’ve been slammed at work. Luckily our deadline was postponed a bit (which is never good in the world of IT), but I’ve still got my head down and elbows up trying to get everything completed by the new deadline.

Kenny has been busy too. He had several successful projects go out the past few months. Owning your own business is a lot of work, but it’s very rewarding. He’s doing great and the business is growing. I’m so, so proud!

October ended the way it began in terms of Aggie football. The Aggies gave up another halftime lead to the Missouri Tigers to lose in Overtime. What a disappointment. UGH, again.

Halloween was great. Jordan and Kenny started the day on a field trip with Jordan’s school to Dewberry Farm. She was soooo excited! And Jackson was jealous of course. Then they both had Halloween parties in the afternoon. We went trick-or-treating with one of Jackson’s best buddies and his family. We had burgers and candy… LOTS OF CANDY!!!

The Beginning of the End???

The 2011 Aggie football season kicked off this past Sunday with a game against SMU. We braved 30 mph winds, courtesy of Hurricane Lee, as we tailgated and eventually made our way to the game. The kids were very excited to get back to College Station. They really have a good time tailgating and playing with the other kids at tailgates around us.

This year, our tailgating location has been moved due to the construction at Olsen Field. Our "spot" is within the construction fence, so we've had to improvise. We've no longer got the luxury of Olsen's power or indoor plumbing. Needless to say, Jordan wasn't very fond of the port-o-potties. And we learned how to adapt to generator power quickly. We also have a new addition of a tailgating trailer that one of our fellow tailgaters purchased this year.

Here's Jordan ready to walk to the stadium.

The game was a sell-out... and the largest opening day attendance. I think lots of people are pumped about this year, and it showed. Many folks are excited about this year's team. There are lots of returning starters and lots of high expectations. There's also lots of hype about the SEC. It's been a wild ride and who knows how it will all play out. Only time will tell. But it looks like this is the last season for the Aggies in the Big 12.

Jackson was really starting to get into the game, which Kenny loves. They sat and talked about the positions and the team for a while. Jordan of course got anxious after half-time. Even the sno-cone couldn't settle her down. So we left a little early to make our way back to the tailgate spot before the masses started leaving. The band was stellar as always, and the Aggies had a solid win.

We're so excited and hopeful for a great season!!!

And We're Back...

I haven't posted in a while. We've definitely been busy with very important things, but more on that in another post. The 7th was a very busy day. We had friends and family over for a Cotton Bowl watch party. The 7th was also Popo, Dana and Nick's birthday. So we celebrated that too. This is the only picture I got of the night. Popo and Dana blowing out their candles. The game didn't end as we had hoped, but we have high expectations for next year.


This past weekend was the weekend of birthday parties. We started the morning at the Stomping Grounds. The kids had a ball and barely sat still for the cake. The afternoon was spent at the ice skating rink. The kids have never been ice skating. Heck, I've only been once when I was a kid. They loved it! Jackson got behind the little walker thing and never looked back. He skated and skated and skated. Jordan liked the bumper cars. So, needless to say, I think we'll be visiting the ice rink again soon.

The night concluded celebrating our nieces 16th birthday. Yay Meghan!!! I made these cookies for the party. They turned out cute for a rush job!


And here's a nice parting shot. Let's just say that Jordan likes to help around the house... sometimes!

In Remembrance

While we are totally jazzed about this weeks game with Nebraska, we're taking a break from the mayhem to honor the fallen 12. So I am re-posting my blog post from last year...


"From the outside looking in you can't understand it.
From the inside looking out, you can't explain it."

We've attended our share of Bonfires in the past, and have the best memories of these special times. Hopefully, one day, my kids can experience an on-campus bonfire. There's nothing like it...

We remember the fallen 12 ~ November 18, 1999

Eat More Chicken... on Halloween!

Wow! What a busy weekend. Saturday was spent in College Station where we tailgated and watched the Aggies beat Tech. I was nervous about the game, but happy we came out with a win. While we were tailgating, the Chick-fil-A folks came around and brought chicken sandwiches. A few minutes later, the Chick-fil-A cow came by so we just had to have a picture with him! Wait, it's a cow, so I guess it's a girl, right??? The baseball team was recognized for winning the Big 12 Tournament last year also. Way to go Brandon!

Sunday was a busy day too. Jackson had his last flag football game of the season. His team lost, but he showed lots of improvement. For his first season, I think he did great. I forgot my camera in the car, so no pics of him hiking the ball. Thanks to everyone that came and watched. I know Jackson felt special.

After the game, we rested a little then got dressed for Trick-or-Treating!

We went over to Aunt Carla's to go with Emmanouel, Nick, Kathryn and Julia. This is the only picture I have of Jackson because he was running to keep up with the big boys.


Jordan and Julia stayed together. They were a good pair.

What a fun night!

Patriot Day in Aggieland

Since the Aggies had a bye week on Saturday, I thought I'd post about a game a couple of weeks ago. On September 11, the Aggies honored first responders at the game in honor of Patriot Day. The block ATM in the middle of the field was painted like the flag. How cool is that?

Before the game, many local first responders, including Texas Task Force One that is headquartered in College Station, lined the field from goal line to goal line.

Then we had an awesome flyover.


The band paid tribute to the armed forces as well.


One of the great things about Texas A&M is it's commitment to service. And Aggies take every opportunity to thank those who give the ultimate sacrifice and risk their lives for our safety. Gig 'Em!

Busy, Busy, Busy

So much to share, but just not enough time. I still need to post about the kids' birthday parties that were 2 weeks ago already. BUT, we're off on another adventure... Going to the second Aggie home game in as many weeks. Let's hope it's another win. GIG 'EM!!!

p.s. the picture is from last year.

Our Thanksgiving Day!

We didn't win, but we sure did have fun!!!

We spent Thanksgivng Day with family and friends tailgating before the A&M vs. tu football game. It was beautiful weather, so the kids spent the day playing all day long. We had one baked turkey, 3 deep fried turkeys, dressing, sweet potatoes, broccoli and rice casserole, green bean casserole, twice baked potatoes, 3 kinds of salad, rolls and about 9 pies and other desserts. It was unbelievable how much food we had.

Many people have asked how we tailgate and what we do and what we eat, etc. Well, it starts like this...


And then turns into this... (we have 6 tents between us)


We park around Olsen Field (the baseball field) and usually set the tents up in the grass median. But when it's wet, we have lots of sidewalk area that we can set up on. We're kind of off the beaten path, so we don't get alot of people walking through. The best part of where we tailgate is indoor plumbing! Olsen is unlocked for the day, and we are allowed to use the facilities.

A few hours before the game, we caught Parsons Mounted Calvary heading to Kyle Field.


The kids had a ball playing all day long.



Then tuckered out when we got to the game.


I don't have a pic of Jackson sleeping, but he fell asleep during the 2nd Quarter and slept until the end of the game. He even missed this!!!


Even though we didn't win, it was a great game. I have a feeling next year it may be even better!

We Will Always Remember

"From the outside looking in you can't understand it.
From the inside looking out, you can't explain it."

We've attended our share of Bonfires in the past, and have the best memories of these special times. Hopefully, one day, my kids can experience an on-campus bonfire. There's nothing like it...

We remember the fallen 12 ~ November 18, 1999

Jordan's First Aggie Game

I know the it was over a month ago, but I wanted to document Jordan's first Aggie game. I don't think she knew exactly what she was in for. The game started at 6, and Jordan refused to take a nap that day. She just played and played in the pack and play at Shari's. I got tired of waiting, so we finally went out to the tailgate. Then as we were walking to the stadium, she fell asleep on Jeff W's shoulder. Kenny and Jackson had gone early to play at the FanZone, so Jeff handed her over once we got to our seats.

She slept for a few minutes, but the flyover woke her up.


The cat nap was all she needed because she was full of energy once she woke up. Here she is clapping with the crowd. Every time the crowd would yell, she would jump up and clap.


Here's Jackson at the FanZone. He loved the blow up slides and obstacle courses.


Even though she left early with Sharla, she did pretty well for her first time. I think her favorite is the Aggie band, just like her brother.




Then Jackson fell asleep in the 3rd quarter. He starts to get bored, so we bring the iTouch with a movie, and he's all set.


The game was lots of fun, and we won too! Gig 'Em Aggies!