The Mother Of Frankenstein and other Happenings

I remember back in the day when I carefully blogged my every thought racing to the computer to share it with cyber space just certain you were all breathlessly waiting to hear what I was thinking about next...Either one of two things has happened. Either I haven't had a thought in months or life with 6 boys managed to get even crazier...I can honestly say my mind is trying hard to have thoughts and I will just be on the verge of understanding the theory of relativity when I need to change a diaper or this week give my 13 year old a shower...So maybe it is a little of both.
So here is catching up the latest thoughts and happening in random order.
-A week and a half ago Lyndon took the boys ice fishing (home with one kid is like something so wonderful I can't explain it). Grayson called Kyle a sissy and Kyle took off after him, I am certain to participate in some peaceful conflict resolution and fell, hard. He landed full on his elbow and long story short managed to crack it in half in 3 different spots. He had surgery in St. George where 3 long screws were put in to hold my little Frankenstein together. He is healing nicely and is such a trooper it's almost annoying.
-The boys stayed with mom and Aunt Jen and they had the joy of caring for a baby recovering from an ear infection, a four year old Micah that got so sick mom had to take him to the Dr. to get a shot for an ear infection and a 7 year old Grayson who coughed all day and all night without ceasing...ahh... families what would you do without them?
-I have been thinking incessantly about the universe, spurred on by a PBS special with Stephen Hawking, is it to late to become a physicist? Also do you think that it matters that even now I still can't remember my 9s times tables?
-I think I want to be a librarian when I grow up or somehow spend all my days helping people fall in love with books...I am not really sure how to make that happen and at the rate I am going I'm not sure I really will grow up, but a physicist librarian sounds like a good match don't you think?
-I decided I wanted to be a Hemingway fan so I started reading my second book (I mean we have all already read The Old Man and the Sea thanks to high school English) so I began The Sun Also Rises....54 pages in and here's the thing...if you can get over the cussing (which I hate) you basically meet a bunch of lazy people who do nothing of true value for the world and spend their days in the pursuit of entertainment...though it has been against my personal creed I have decided that particular Hemingway book is not going to get finished...Anyone have a love for Hemingway and a suggestion of a book that might convince me you are right?
-Running and Zumba continue to be my out and I am addicted to both. I attended a Zumba dance thing the other night that was one kids celebration of his 24th birthday. The place was packed with half dressed teens that were bouncing off the walls like a kids with ADHD on Kool Aid. When we started they were dancing hard and laughing theirselves silly. The party was supposed to last for three hours. Two hours in and these kids were beat. I had to laugh when they quit early saying "two hours is a long time." I am comforted with the thought that us old folks may not have the enthusiasm of the hare but like the turtle I would have kept going if the dancing hadn't stopped!
-And last but not last night...last night at Zumba I got as close to a girl as possible without invading her private space so I could read the tattoo on her back...it said "I wasn't sent here to blend in." I had to laugh and cheer the sentiment (if not the tattoo). I think what I love most about it is she had to be about 17 and I wanted to give here a hug for getting that already.
And so dear readers, if I have any left, or any of you that made it all the way through this, may I say here's to not blending in and living your own life the way it is supposed to be lived.
PS. As usual this post contains random pictures of my kids because like all mom's I believe them to be the most beautiful art work in creation.

Teenagers...

I am getting accustomed to life with a teen. We have all the normal things going on. Constant eating, a zit, a smell that would rival the smelliest thing ever, being able to visibly see the growth in him (especially his feet), eye rolling, arguing...you know teenagers. When his friends come they eat like it is their last meal and hot dogs, pizza and ice cream go in and out of here like you wouldn't believe! I am accustomed to feeding his friends, they are welcome here. We have made it clear that we want him to feel comfortable inviting whomever to our home and we will make them feel welcome. He tested that by his choice of "friends" yesterday. As previously mentioned my son loves politics (vote for him in 2036) and he is very actively involved. He is a big supporter of Cherilyn Eager ever since she ran for senator. This year she is running for congress and Kyle invited her to come to Sevier county and she consented. He has been so excited preparing for her coming. Two nights ago we found that would include having her come here for dinner...umm...hot dogs and Doritos prospective congresswoman? After some conversation we banished our children, sans Kyle of course, to grandma's for dinner. I borrowed a table cloth and cloth napkins from my neighbor, heaven knows I don't own things like that! Anyway long story short it was a success. She, of course, was lovely and gracious and Kyle and her had a fantastic political chat including her asking him to be the county coordinator for her campaign...teenagers, next time you openly tell your kids to invite whomever they want you might want to think about what that might mean!

13 Amazing Years

13 years and where has the time gone! You showed up and changed everything, most of the time I have had no idea what I am doing, but boy have I loved figuring it out with you. So here it is, and though you will roll your eyes (careful they might get stuck that way), a tribute to my son a week after his 13th birthday...You were so tiny when you were born and grandma nicknamed you "bird lips" I called you "bugaboo" (for some reason you don't like that anymore). You fit right in dad's big hand pretty comfortably. You cried constantly (even when you were sleeping). You are passionate about EVERYTHING. When you were 6 you were dead set determined to be a composer (much to grandpa Friant's chagrin), but went on to become an amazing pianist and violinist often writing your own music. You have a strong sense of justice and fair play. When you were young this meant that if people got in your way "watch out!" For example a boy in our neighborhood was beating up on your cousin and so you stabbed him with a fork, fortunately as you grew older (about 8) you channeled that anger into government and then and there decided that you would become the president of the united states. You haven't wavered from that and now we have to silence the conversations about politics for our own sakes! You and I can really be two peas in a pod and our idea of a good time is a nice dinner and hours and hours and hours and...well, you get my point in a book store. This year you started high school at Williamsburg Academy and are tearing up the scene at this amazing school. You really surprised us though when you joined the basketball team, who would have thought that my little musician, politician, book worm would also become an athlete. When you were 7 you made a goal to get your Boy Scout eagle at 12, you were disappointed in yourself when you finished the project the weekend of your 13th birthday. You are happy and loud all of the time...you sing at the top of your lungs (that goes for yelling as well), you adore BYU and look forward to being a student there and graduating from law school there. Just this year you got taller than your old mom (which let's face it isn't a big deal), but by taller I mean 4 inches taller. You now have bigger feet than your dad at a size 12, if you catch up with your feet you will be a giant! You know what is right and you live it with all of your heart. You are a gift from heaven and I am honored to be your mom. Happy 13 years my boy, I love you!