This One’s for the Girls

A few posts ago I wrote about the Book Wild At Heart, in it we learn what makes a boy a boy. I am now reading the book titled Captivating which is the same authors about what makes a girl a girl. While I don’t agree with everything (like their take on Eve for instance), it has given me some food for thought. They suggest that women need three things: to be romanced, to have an irreplaceable role in a great adventure, and a beauty to unveil. As I first began to read I thought that it didn’t really apply to me because I have never been a real “girly girl”. As a child I planned to be a fighter pilot in the air force (I think that was inspired by Top Gun)! However, as I read on I find that in all honesty I really, deeply want all of these things! So as I take a peek at my life I have to send kudos to the hubby for a life time (almost) of doing a pretty good job at romancing me. Last week he sent me 35 roses on my 35th birthday and visited with me while he took me for a surprise pedicure (my toes look smashing)….However with that said I have to admit the other two are kind of nagging at me. I mean don’t get me wrong I walk on the wild side all of the time. Just last week I put a pair of running socks on that are labeled for the right and left feet on the wrong feet and I seriously left them that way. And, just moments ago I poured myself a bowl of raisin bran and it was all flakes and I had to use my Macgyver instincts and rustle me up some raisins….Bottom line, I am having a hard time seeing my sock pairing, diaper changing, taxi driving life in the light of an adventure. Now there are some who would argue that raising 6 boys qualifies, but today I crave something big! As for the beauty thing, me, myself and I have fought about this since the beginning of time. I am about as captivating as the back of a macaroni and cheese box! So girls what do you think? Are these really the three needs that we have as women? I have to say that in those moments before I fall unconscious from a long day (if I’m not in the middle of beating myself up over what a terrible mother I am), my dreams tend to fall into these categories every time…an unexpected surprise date, riding on a moped from village to village in Haiti with my handsome husband curing disease (OK in this dream we have some medical skills), and being invited to a ball and looking beautiful (a little unrealistic here-hubby is 14 inches taller than me and neither one of us can even dance the hokey pokey)….What about you? Romance, shared adventure and beauty, are you feeling it? The picture is of Lyndon and I after we ran a New Years Eve Race together....for the full story go back to February 2008. That was romantic, a shared adventure and nothing makes me feel more beautiful than a hard run!

"I'm Not An Angel, I'm A Cowboy"

Last night Micah was snuggled in dad's arms and dad says "your an angel" to which my three year old responds "I'm not an angel, I'm a cowboy!" I liked that. I think that is true of my life too....When I think of angel's I think clouds, all in white, quiet and harps. When I think of a cowboy I think of utility, dressed to get the job done, maybe a little electric guitar and much noisier! My life is noisy with the exception of this moment, which to tell you the truth is a little odd. So just a few things in random order....
First off my oldest baby (yes he is still my baby) turned 12 last week. He was ordained a deacon in the aaronic priesthood, rode his bike 50 miles to complete his cycling merit badge and the doctor confirmed that he is now exactly the same height as his mother. How I love this kid!
Second, Friant baby number 6 is two months old and we are crazy about him. He has a very strange schedule but he is just starting to smile at us so we don't care.
Third, we are now 2 months post baby and you know what that means, running is all a go again. Woohoo! I have been at it for around a month and a half and while I am certainly not breaking any records for speed I am doing it and that makes me happy! I am also hitting all the Zumba classes I can because that is a super good time. I am sure you would all like to join me. Heck, I can't imagine anything funnier than a middle age woman with 0 coordination jamming out to Britney Spears, come and just watch me make a fool of myself, you can get your workout by laughing! Here's my theory. You have three types at these classes...(1) Looks great, knows how to dance, should be in a rock video. (2) A little unsure so they go at it half hearted not wanting to make fools of themselves, barely breaks a sweat (3) No idea what they are doing, but there to work up a sweat and so they throw themselves into it anyway! I happily fit into category #3. I don't know what I am doing but I throw myself into it anyway and grin the whole time.
This by the way is my new motto on life: I have no idea what I am doing, but it's awesome so I am going to throw myself into it anyway and grin the whole time! COWBOY UP!

The Boy Becomes A Man

I just finished reading a book called Wild at Heart. It's all about men and what they need to be men. I felt this was an important read for me since I am not a man, married to a man and raising six potential men. This read came at just the right time as I was confronted with a biggie this morning. In the book we are told that men need three things: A battle to fight, a beauty to rescue and an adventure to live. I have one boy who is working very hard on becoming a man and is doing a mighty fine job. Kyle will be 12 next month and he has done a lot of growing over the last year. Yes, I mean size wise (he wears a size 11 in men's shoes now), but I mean all the other ways as well. This summer he went with dad and the scouts on a week long 50 mile hike, he went with our county commissioner to the Utah Republican convention, he took on the project of mowing a sweet lady's lawn in our ward each week (and this isn't a city lawn...it's huge) and he has worked along side dad with all of the projects dad has had going this summer (and with Lyndon there is no half way). So back to this morning....My son woke up and informed me that he had one more thing to do to get his Star rank in scouting. He said he needed to hike 20 miles and that he would be doing that today. I immediately said no way and began to list all of the reasons why that was not a good idea (I would list them for you, but you are mom's you know what I am talking about). He calmly told me to check with dad, that this was all worked out. You know the movie Father of the Bride where she tells her dad she is getting married and he pictures this little 6 year old in pig tails? This is what I see sometimes with my big boy. I saw it this morning, a little freckle faced 6 year old who loves Power Rangers saying, "Mom I am hiking 20 miles today alone I should be home around dinner time." Lyndon keeps telling me that this is how a boy becomes a man and my greatest wish is that these boys become like that man so I need to trust him. I put gobs of sunscreen on him and plopped that hat on him that I bought for him when he was 6 (so big then, barely covered his head this time), and tried to act cool. He has the IPOD and was looking forward to a day of listening to Glen Beck's Book of Common Sense and conference talks. He will stop half way in Annabella and grandma will make him lunch and fuss over him and then he will come home. I feel myself wanting to give that lecture so many times given to me that used to make me so mad, "love them to pieces because before you know it they will be grown up and you will remember this as the best time of your life."