CTO Class in Conway

I have got so much to catch up on, but just haven't had the time or desire really to sit down and blog!! I promise I'll get it all on here eventually though.

I'll start off with my CTO (Communications Training Officer) class that Teresa and I went to last Wednesday-Friday in Conway AR. I ended up having to work until 2 am again last Monday night and then Tuesday I spent doing laundry and packing both myself and Grace up for our week. I didn't work at all Tuesday because I had so much to get done. I met Teresa at the pd at 6 Tuesday night after dropping Grace off with Mom. Teresa and I set out for Conway and Mom and Graced headed for Granny's house.

We made it to our hotel without any problems and were able to get settled in and into bed, however, neither one of us slept at all that night. Needless to say we were exhausted when we got up at 6 IN THE MORNING to get ready for class. Let me just remind you that T and I both work evening shift and although I'm usually up with Grace around 7:30 or 8 my mind doesn't usually have to be working until later. We drug all day long! The class was absolutely wonderful though! We had an amazing amazing teacher, Tracy Ertl, who is from Green Bay, WI. She even came complete with the northern accent! She was hilarious and made the class so much fun. She's the one in the picture above with me and T.

This picture was taken in the car Tuesday night on our way to Conway. I will admit that I was a little apprehensive of the class because you just don't ever know how it's going to go for 3 whole days. I'll say that I'm re-energized and enthused about training again at work. I was starting to get a little rigid about it and losing the desire, but now having taken this class I've learned some great new techniques and approaches to training that will make it better for both myself and my trainee!

Tracy, being from way up north, had never had REAL BBQ until her first visit to Arkansas last September and she instantly fell in love! The class we took, along with several others, are put on through the APCO (Association of Public Safety Communications Officials), and they are a mostly non-profit organization so Trace actually has to pay for all of her expenses any time she travels somewhere to teach a class. She is truly passionate about teaching and what she does and she told us that's the reason she does it! She is also holds a full time position at her agency in Green Bay as a dispatcher so she also practices what she preaches! I could go on and on and on about her, but I'll stop! Anyways, back to the BBQ! She told us Thursday about an hour before lunch that she had to have some BBQ and that a bunch of them were going to eat at Whole Hog Cafe if anyone else wanted to join. Oh yum! They have some of the best BBQ ever and there's one here in Fayetteville in Fiesta Square and another one in Bentonville, but I'm not sure exactly where. So, out of the 29 people in class, I'm pretty sure that 22 of us all ate together and it was really neat. Tracy got her BBQ ribs and she happened to be wearing a white shirt that day so she fixed herself up a make shift bib out of paper towels and dug in! She was hilarious! She also told us that she absolutely loves Arkansas and ever since her first visit in September she's signed up for every class here!

Ok, moving on. If I counted correctly there were 14 different agencies represented at the class and Bentonville PD and Tallahassee FL PD were 2 of them. Teresa and I made great friends with those girls! Thursday night we went out to eat at Outback with Chelsea, Ronya, Maria (all from Bentonville) Connie, and Casey (from Tallahassee) and we laughed so hard and had such a great time! After dinner we all headed back to Chelsea's room at the hotel to study for our test Friday.

Teresa, myself, and Ronya studying hard! Ha! Ok, in all reality, we really did study and all passed our test with flying colors!! We are all now certified communications training officers! Yay for us!!!

As much as I truly enjoyed the class and new experience, I was ready to be back home in my own bed and more than ready to see my hubby and kiddos!

Like I said, I've got so much more to share with you guys...just not now! I've gotta go take a shower to get ready for work!!