Books

So the two mommies that I have spent the most time with from my MOPS group like to read, and occassionally they will talk about the books they've read recently.  I couldn't exactly add to the conversation because I don't normally read just for fun. 

I didn't even read the books I was supposed to read in high school unless we read them together in class.  Well, I do remember reading one outside of school which was for my biology class called "The Hot Zone."  I read it all in one weekend while sitting outside on the toolbox of my mom's old grey truck.  And actually which I was at the book store this past week, I noticed that "The Hot Zone" is still on the reading list.  I know I read parts of "Jurassic Park", but I relied alot on my friends hoping they had read it, which Kate normally did and she would tell me the jist of what happened.  Thank you, Kate.  I know that wasn't very nice of me.  Please forgive me.  Of course I had seen the movie, but our teacher was very good at picking questions that had nothing to do with the movie, and as a teacher, I would do the same thing.  Well, I might give one question from the movie just to give those nonreaders a few points and not a total zero as a grade.

Anyways, I decided to start reading and I have enjoyed it to my surprise!  I absolutely love Nicolas Sparks, which I loved from the moment I read "A Walk to Remember" way back when.  (Okay, so in college I did read a few books.)  I also read the "Notebook" before it became a movie.  It's pretty awesome to read a book and then see it come to life in a movie.  Other Nicolas Sparks books I read are "The Choice", "The Wedding", "The Lucky One", and part of "Message in a Bottle."  I only read part of it because one day at Texas A&M I had long wait in-between classes, so I went to the library and just sat and read until it was time to go to my next class.  I never saw that movie, because I assumed it was boring, but I may be wrong.  Oh, and I've also read "Nights in Rodunthe".  And all the ones that eventually became movies, I read them first long before the movie was out.  For a while I thought, "Oh this one is probably going to become a movie since I read it."

For the ones that haven't become movies, I try to imagine who I would cast as the actors and actresses for the characters.  For example, the book "The Lucky One" is about a marine who finds a picture on the ground of an American girl.  No one claims the photo so he keeps it in his pocket during his deployment.  He survives many combat attacks so his best friend Victor tells him that it must be his lucky charm, and that he needs to find the girl when he returns home to thank her for keeping him safe.  Well, a lot happens but he does go on a journey to try to find her.  So here are the characters:  The marine is Justin from Brothers and Sisters.  The girl in the picture is Rebecca from Brothers and Sisters.  Victor is Fez off of That 70s show.  There are other characters that I've assigned roles to, but I don't want to tell you too much in case you want to read the book.

Currently I am reading "Water for Elephants".  I haven't seen the movie, but I remember the previews which showed the movie to be very glamourus.  Well, the book doesn't start out so glamorous, and if the movie is anything like the book I would hope it's rated R for "racey"!  This auther leaves no details out.  But so far it is a really good story and easy to follow.  I'm excited and curious to see the movie after I finish reading it.  Lindsey Williams read it a few months ago and she told me it was really good and that I should read it, but I wasn't a reader a few months ago.  If only I had read it a few months ago we could have talked about at her party. 

So right now I read in my free time, when I should be cleaning the house or making party pacs for my mom. But the dishes can always wait, right?

Independence Day 2011

I love the 4th of July!  I enjoy the parades, food, and fireworks.  Ever since I was little my family has always attended the Round Top 4th of July Parade. 

I used to ride on the back of my grandpa's tractor, and once all my cousins and I made a float for the parade.  We were all dressed as cotton pickers and pulled by a tractor of course.  Matt and I met at the parade one year because he was asked to drive one of my grandpa's tractors in the parade.

And two years ago, Matt and I found out we were pregnant with Brazos on the 4th of July.

The past few years we have been riding in my father-in-law's antique cars.  Last year, Brazos was miserably hot.  We had to cover him in cold rags just keep him cool.  This year he did a lot better.  He looked out the window with mommy and waved at all the parade goers.  He even sat on daddy's lap and help drive for a while.

Now after the parade is a different story.  We had a grouchy boy on our hands that wanted to be independent and have nothing to do with grown-ups.  Actually, he was really grouchy in the morning because we gave him oatmeal and he wanted an orange.

Here's last year's parade:

Here's this year's parade:

Our nephew, Cody

Our nephew, Cullen at his first parade





On great-grandpa's tractor

In the evenings we like going to Washington on the Brazos for the fireworks show.  This year we saw the laser light show, which was just as good as fireworks and lasted about the same amount of time.  Brazos did okay, but he wanted to push his stroller instead of sit in it, and he didn't want to sit on the lawn to listen to the music before the laser light show.  We let him walk around until he noticed and girl with a hot dog.  We walked up to her and slowly got closer and closer hoping she would share.  So then we held him down and he threw a fit.  It was a bit embarassing, but luckily the music was loud enough that not many people could hear him.  He did great during the laser show.

Here's last year's Washington-on-the-Brazos:

Here's this year's Washington-on-the-Brazos:

Independence Hall

At the Brazos River Overlook

The wheel kept him occupied for a while during the music.

Swimming

This summer Brazos has been enjoying the water.  Of course he's only gone swimming in kiddi pools, but a little one has to start somewhere.  He's had fun swimming at friends' homes, a birthday party, and in our yard.  Next Tuesday he's going to the Blue Bell Aquatic Center for the first time with my Girl Scout troop.  That should be fun!  On July 11th he starts Water Babies class and we're excited!  He'll be in class with his friend, Natalie.  I wouldn't have signed him up, but I finally found a swimdress that I feel comfortable wearing in public, so it's all good.  Here's his swimming adventures:

Playing with Audrie

Swimming at Jake's birthday party

Playing with Daddy

Grandpa's Truck

This afternoon my dad came over for a visit.  As soon as he hopped out of his truck, Brazos made a mad dash towards him.  Brazos does this to everyone and they usually think he's coming to greet them, until they see him run right past them!  He makes a mad dash for their driver seat.  Brazos absolutely loves steering wheels!  And he pushes and pulls every knob he can get his hands on.  It was a sweet moment to watch Brazos play with his Grandpa in his truck.

At the Park with Emma

Friday morning I got a text from my friend Alaina asking if we wanted to go to the park in the evening to ride the carousel.  I quickly agreed to go, because I'm getting so tired of being at home ALL THE TIME!  During the summer school is out so I 'm not substitute teaching.  My MOPS group doesn't meet in the summer, so that leaves us at home A LOT.  Any chance we get to go play with someone is a blessing.

We met Alaina, her mom, and her daughter, Emma, at the carousel around 6:45 in the evening.  Emma loved riding the horses, but Brazos wasn't enjoying it.  He rather sit on the benches and just watch others.  After a few rounds up and down, Emma said that she wanted to sit by Brazos.  Now I was sitting right next to them so I couldn't snatch a photo, but the next few moments were priceless.  Emma stretched her arms out and squeezed Brazos in a big hug.  Then she grabbed his face and planted a big wet kiss right onto his lips!  Brazos just sat in amazement.

The two kiddos also played on the play structures and both loved the slides.  Brazos even got into the hugging mood and gave another little girl that walked up to him and big hug and he flashed his pearly whites at her.  She just looked confused.  Emma and Brazos shared a few rides down the tunnel slide and got stuck in the middle.  We would yell, "Where are you?" and Emma replied, "We're right here!"  Some how she managed to push the two of them all the way to the bottom.  Once she even pushed Brazos right off the end and he did a nose dive into the dirt.

Alaina was a smart mommy and thought ahead to bring some snacks.  Emma and Brazos enjoyed juice boxes and fruit snacks together.  They even went for a walk holding hands (another moment my camera didn't catch).

We stayed at the park until 9:15, which probably isn't too safe, but it was a fantabulous evening!

Oh, and Alaina's mom even brought me three jars of her homemade pickles!  I'm craving pickles and green olives!  Yum yum!

Sharing the Big Brother News

When you find out that you're going to be adding a new member to the family, you want to tell everyone in a memorable way.  Matt and I had known we were expecting a baby for four weeks, but the first doctor's visit didn't go as planned.  I had thought that I was eight weeks along, but the doctor had said that I was only four weeks.  The dates just didn't match up and the visit ended with, "Come back and see me in two weeks."   So two weeks later I was prepared for bad news, but after sitting in the doctors office for over an hour because he had an emergency at the hospital, then finally talking to him and going to the hospital for an ultrasound, finally it was all good news.  The ultrasound found our little bean and it measured right at eight weeks.  I even heard it's heartbeat, so I know it's really in there!

It was finally time to tell the good news to our family and friends!  I bought Brazos a t-shirt that said, "Arg! I'm the big brother, matey!"  So we dressed him in the shirt and whisked him off to visit his grandparents.

First we visited Matt's parents.  Nana was the first to see Brazos.  She shared a hug with him and showed him the "tick-tock" (a clock that he loves to listen to the ticking and bells ringing).  Then she read his shirt and thought nothing of it.  I glanced at Matt and he was holding back laughs.  Then I said, "Mrs. Supak, didn't you just read Brazos's shirt?"  She said, "Yeah."  I gave her a blank stare and then finally it clicked!  A smile came across her face and she said, "Oh!  Are you trying to tell me something?"  I was like, "Yes!"  She said that she thought that I had bought the shirt for my nephew, but it was too small I let Brazos wear it.

A few minutes later we visited Popo in the garage.  Nana said, "Matt's here.  Didn't you call him to help move the bath tub?"  (They are remodeling their bathroom and needed help moving the clawfoot tub.)  Popo looked a little confused, but went along with it.  Matt and Popo moved the bath tub, and then Nana told Popo to look at Brazos shirt.  Popo's eyes lit up and said, "That's a good reason to go eat Chinese food together!" 

So it was all good in the Supak household and we enjoyed dinner at the Chinese Buffet.

Now it was time to visit my parents which was a whirlwind of a trip.  We drove by my dad's work and he was still not back from driving his big truck.  Then we drove to church where my mom was supposed to be and it was empty.  We finally found her at Green Grain.  I called her and said that Brazos and I were coming to see her.  She thought we were coming to help her work, but she knew something was up when Matt came with us.  Brazos was sound asleep from a full stomach of Chinese food.  I said, "Brazos has something to show you, but he's sleeping."  She said, "Did he bump his head?"  I said, "No."  She then pried Brazos off of Matt and read his shirt.  Her smile showed her excitement!

Next we had to find my dad, so we tried his work place one last time and luckily he was there.  We drove up and rolled down the window and he said, "What are doing driving around this late?"  (It was nine o'clock at night.)  I said, "We are looking for you!"  My dad said, "Yeah right."  I said, "No, really!  We have something to show you."  Then I showed him the picture of the ultrasound.  He had a smile on his face.  We talked for a few minutes and told us "Congratulations" right before we left.  It was sweet.

To tell the news to other family and friends, we mailed a picture of Brazos wearing his shirt to them.  There was no way we could tell everyone in person!  Of course, we even shared the news on Facebook to make sure everyone was covered!

That's our little bean!

Ready to share the big brother news!

Showing Nana some love.

Oh!  Brazos enjoys opening and closing doors.
So he walked into Nana's bathroom and shut the door.
Nana said, "I hope he doesn't lock himself in."
Then we heard the lock turn!
Matt was trying to coach Brazos into unlocking the door.
Luckily he was only in there for about a minute.
Otherwise Nana would have had a room covered in
toilet paper and water from the toilet.

She's excited and she hasn't even seen the shirt yet.

Brazos has no clue what's going on.

Baby #2 is due around January 29th.  Only 7 months to go!

Girl Scout Family Picnic

This past Tuesday a few of the families from my Girl Scout troop met at Hohlt Park for a picnic.  The kids had a great time playing volleyball and feeding the ducks. 

The ducks were super excited to see the kids and they loved the bread.  There was a whole lot of quacking going on!  And did you know geese have teeth!?  You're better off throwing the bread to them instead of trying to hand feed.  There were a few bitten fingers that afternoon.

One moment I won't forget is when Elena was feeding the ducks a piece of pizza.  She held out a whole piece of pizza and before she knew it a goose came up and grabbed the whole piece out of her hands.  I asked her, "Why didn't you tear it into pieces?"  Her response was, "I thought he would just nibble off a piece and share with the other!"

Brazos and his daddy playing at the park

The ducks rushed to the kids as soon as they saw the bread!

Kelsey feeding the ducks

Elena feeding the ducks

Cierra feeding the ducks