A Texan Country Experience

A night at a true Texas Country Bar

We had a fun evening observing some interesting people, 

eating some greasy American food, 

playing some pool, 

listening to real country music,

we even took a twirl on the small dance floor and did some country dancing.

I had my Cowgirl boots on and loved dancing in them! :)

I personally think that they must have been made for dancing and horseback riding!  

Oh and for the record:

Mike and I beat Jean Claude at a game of pool!!!!

He did win some but was not the all around winner!

Ha ha!

A Long Awaited Big Brother Visit

Finally, it happened...

My big brother, Jean Claude and my BFF his wife Nat came to visit.

Yes, my brother married my best friend of my teens!

We met and became friends when we were 15 years old!

She married my brother when she was 19.

So awesome!

I got to keep her in my life!

Anyhow, this is the first time Jean Claude comes and visits me in the States!

I have to mention that I have always looked up to the guy my whole life, 

he has always been a good example to me. 

I didn't always know, or chose to forget, or see the mischief he got himself into as a kid and teen.

To me he was the perfect big brother.

Haha!

Anyway, I have fond memories of him playing board games with us younger siblings, 

granted he would always win - it is a major accomplishment if any of us beat him at a board game!

We played games like Rat Race, Risk, Monopoly, Hide and seek, cards...

 I would even play with him the "Tour de France" he would paint mini toy racing bikes, 

and would make tracks/parcourt in the sand and we would race them with a marbles.

 I would always often just play with him knowing I was going to lose, 

just to please him and spend time with him.

One of my favorite games, was playing tag when we were out at parks and lakes and there where Jungle Jim's around, we would play like little kids even thought we were in our late teens...

Other kids (and older kids), would watch us envious and want to join in!

He would make me laugh to the point that I would fall on the floor!

He still makes me laugh...

He would always want me to feel his leg muscles!

We would also have wrestle and tickle matches.

I hated being pinned down and tickled! 

...The elephant, the snakes, the ants!

When I turned 19 he couldn't pin me down anymore! :)

We would have swimming races, I didn't always lose in that competition!

I was fast! 

No wonder my kids are good swimmers!

He would also tease me like brothers do, but in a nice way...

Except when he would tell me all excitedly: 

"Vite viens voir!" - "Hurry, come and look!" 

 And I would come and he would show me his big turd in the toilet! 

Eventually, I learned that, if he was in the bathroom, that was always the big surprise!

He would try and gross me out, especially at the dinner table!

Another fond memory was the times spent in the car as he would take me 

to church youth socials and dances when I was old enough. 

We would drive as far as Paris, Nancy, Belgium...

Or to dances in little village around where we lived...

I would ask him questions, any questions, spiritual, historical, philosophical, about faith and God... 

And he would take the time to patiently answer, it meant a lot to me, 

and was part of building my testimony and beliefs.

I'm gratefull I had him as a big brother...

And that my kids can get to know him a bit better and see how fun he is.

At the Houston Temple

Summer Swimming Champion

As previously blogged, Amelie had an awesome summer swimming season.

Her breast stroke was out of this world.

She did very well in the championship meet and even continued to go to regionals and even State!

Her daddy took her down to Corpus Christie with Justine and Clara for the State meet.

She got 1st in both meets in breast stroke!

What a beautiful, strong little athlete!

Dive Camp and Extended Family Time in Utah

Emric got to go to Utah for a BYU diving camp for a week.

He also hang out with the Browns and my big Brother Jean-Claude and his wife Nat.

He had a lot of fun going to Saint George with them for a few days

 and visit the beautiful southern UtahNational and state parks! 

Oh... how I wish I could have been there too...

The only pictures I have of his trip are these ones Nephi emailed me.

This is the night the guys went out to eat burgers and guy food, 

with Nephi and the one precious little girl Kaelyn.

Nephi Nakata           Kaelyn Nakata         Jean-Claude Vanaquer       Emric Nakata            Danny Brown

Splash Town with Cousin Clara!

Clara came to hang out with us for a week. 

This year, since we are having a few visitors that can use some fun cooler stuff to do 

during the very hot Texas summer, 

Amelie and I got season passes for our local water park: Splash Town.

The girls had a lot of fun! 

Clara slept for 2 hours in the shade, because Amelie and her stayed up 

till like 2 am to wait for uncle Mike to come home from work. 

He has been working very long hours...

Amelie on the other hand was like the energiser bunny! 

She kept on going and going.

I went with her in the lazy river where I would try to buck her off my back 

as I was swimming like a dolphin. 

She would hold on to my swimsuit as long as she could...

I did that for what seemed like an hour! 

I definitely got my workout for the day!

Good memories!

R.A.D Self-Denfence class

I thought that taking a R.A.D self defence course would be an excellent thing for Justine and I to do.

So I signed us up at our Local County Sheriff's office.

They offer the course for free.

We went from 10am till 4pm, 2 Saturdays in a row.

The 1st Saturday was about educating us on self defence and the statistics of rape & domestic abuse, and what to do if you or someone you know is a victim.

And on being 'house' and 'street smart'.

One of the main factor of preventing abuse/aggression/abduction is your demeanor. 

You want to walk confidently, like you are saying with your body language 

"don't mess with me" "I will give you trouble".

The second Saturday was the actual learning and practicing self defence moves.

That was scary, empowering, and even a bit exhilarating!

Justine in full combat

Moi, in full combat mode, after the initial shock of being thrown backwards!
I do have to mention that it helped that I had just taken a boxing class 3 times a week for a month!
Thus the 'good stance'! :)

We rock and don't mess with us!

So when I got home I tried some of the stuff I had learned on Mike.
Unfortunately, since he is a very good wrestler, I did not get far!
The only thing I did get was frustrated!
I was totally pinned and could not move even a finger...

But hopefully, if and/or when put are in a situation where self defence is needed,
having it done a few times will help and we will be less likely to freeze.

In a couple of years, I will be taking Amelie through this course!
I have a feeling she will be a natural!

Look what the Dog brought to me!

Look at what my baby found!!!

She realy wanted to bring it home!

She carried it for at least 15mn...

This is my new/current lock screen on my phone. 

Love it!

How can she have such a cute face?
If i beleived in Reincrnation, I decided I would want to be a dog, but not any dog, my dog!
Because I know that I would be spoiled.
But for that to work, I would somehow need to be cloned too!?

Summer Horse Camp

As an incentive for all A's on her school report 

and a good school year with no 'behavior problems' like talking and not listening, 

Amelie got to go for a week long horse camp this week! 

How spoiled lucky is that?

I would have loved to do this as a little girls her age!

I was totally IN-LOVE with horses.

I did go a few times horseback riding as a teen but nothing like this!

She got to learn all about horse breeds, horse care, horse manoeuvring and riding.

And they had fun activities like painting a horse.

They also played game.

I dropped her off at 8:30 am and pick her up at 4pm.

Here, shampooing and conditioning Moe after the campers covered him with washable paint.

William and Big Boy
The white/gray horse was the one Amelie had when she took riding lessons for a month.

Here

Notice William's winter coat is totally gone...

Sky Duke 

Amelie's favorite horse.

He was very cuddly and has very pretty eyes.

He loves to be pet and is very nice.

Too bad I only have a picture of his derriere!

Moe
The very funny horse.
He likes to pee ALL the time, especially while being walked!
He always has to be in the front of any other horse, he likes to be the leader
and makes lots of funny sounds.

The stickers have the name of the horse body parts 

Showing off for the parents and siblings the skills the girls learned during the 5 day Camp.

Big Boy.
The biggest horse. The hardest to control.
He was the stubborn one.

Buster, the ranch dog who hang out with them every day.

He would lick the kids a lot and just loved hanging with them.

He would also beg for food.

San Antonio Sea World

One the 4th Of July Week-end, Mike had a couple of days off.

We needed to pick up Emric and his friend in San Antonio from his first 

EFY 'Especially For Youth' Conference.

So we decided to take the girls to Sea World.

After a hard week at work, Mike can't keep awake trying to do work during our 

dinner at Panera Bread...

We bought 4 passes to Sea World.

Mike, Justine, Amelie and I spent Thursday and Friday there having a lot of Fun.

Chloe waited for us in the free-ventilated-clean-shaded-kennels provided by the Park.

We spent a lot of time in the water park riding the rides.

We also saw a couple of shows. 

The place was very crowded.

We decided to go back when the weather is not so hot to do all the shows.

We saw the Shamu show 'One Ocean' and 'Azul'. 

Both Excellent!

While eating lunch at a restaurant on our way home on Saturday,
we tied Chloe to a tree right where we could see her.
The server gave her a bowl of water.
We put a blanket out and the kids relaxed with her after eating their meal.
The restaurant owner, after asking for permission,
took pictures of the kids so she could put them on their website to show
that it was a relaxing and family friendly place to be - just like home...
Chloe and the kids are somewhere famous on a little Texan village website! :)