Friday, August 30, 2013

Summertime Summertime

Nothing is better than hanging out with your cousins in the summer.

Well.  Nothing except eating watermelons.

Yeah.  That too. 


And playing with the doggies.

Yeah.  That too.

All those things done together is the best!

I suppose playing games on your cellphone inside is equally fun to a teenager.


:)

Thursday, August 29, 2013

I Have A Middle Schooler

I have a middle schooler.

Okay.  I've *had* a middle schooler.

Just now, I have a new middle schooler and I don't have a elementary schooler.

Which was news to Ken.  Or he just forgot. 

     Ken:  When did they change the open house to Thursday?
 
     Me:  They didn't.
 
     Ken:  Yes they did.  It was on the sign outside the school.
 
     Me:  Are you talking about the elementary school?  That *is* on Thursday.

     Ken:  Oops.
 
     Me:  Um.  Neveemind.  I will take Owen to open house.
 
     Ken:  SCORE.
 
     Me:  LOL

So off we go to middle school open house.  Me, Owen and his friend Ky.  Yes.  He took his BFF with him even though he is going to a different school.


The most traumatic event of the day was trying to open up his locker.  His first combination?  00-0-00.  Yeah.  That one didn't work.  Neither did the next two lockers that he tried.  The fourth was finally a charm.

Talk about traumatizing a kid who is already nervous about starting middle school.  LOL!


Of course, he forgot his schedule and I forgot a pen so I had to wing it.  Thank goodness I had taken a picture of his schedule with my cell phone.  Yeah.  We totally rock like that.  lol

 
So gone are the days of FFES.  Hello teenage drama. 
 
Yay?

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Happy 14th Birthday Shane

Shane wanted to have two friends over for his birthday.

Two.

Girls.

No boys.

He truly *is* 14.  Stupid hormones.  lol!

He was distraught about having to go to marching band practice all day "on his birthday!".  He got a birthday present when it was  only 76 degrees outside!


He got the cake that he wanted.  A yummy red velvet cake. 


It's too bad that he doesn't take his role as center of attention as the birthday boy seriously.  LOL!


Cream soda for his birthday.  He's so spoiled!


And in a "WTF" present of the night...a Pocket Chainsaw from his grandparents Joan and Darrel.  I didn't even know that existed!


His friends, Am*berly and Er*n.


Of course, Owen had to get in on the pictures.  Because that's what pain in the butt little brothers do.  In front of teenage girls especially.  Go Owen!  LOL
 
 
Happy 14th birthday!  You're finally taller than me.  Woot!

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

I Have A 14 Year Old

I have a 14 year old.

14 YEAR OLD.

I have a high schooler.

A HIGH SCHOOLER. 


Shane turned 14 the other day.  In the last 6 months, he has grown at least 6 inches.  He is now taller than me.  That's not really a milestone, since I'm all of 5 3/4.  The 3/4 is important people!  That's not important milestone.  For him, he's now as tall as his 12 year old cousin, Sheldon.


THAT is a milestone.  lol

He's definitely developed his own personality and I'm super proud of the young man that he is becoming.  Although I could do without his passive aggressivness nature sometimes, I love that he is such an independent thinker and doesn't care what the crowd does. 

He's just like his dad in many ways, including his love of debating politics and religion.  I don't like it but he and Ken can debate and talk about those issues for hours.  I always thought that he would be a follower but really, he stands up for his beliefs.

And just what are those beliefs?  Well.  They're a bit different than most 14 year olds.

 He believes in no judgment. 

He believes that people should be able to live their lives how they wish as long as it doesn't interfer with others. 

He's very passionate about gay marriage and really doesn't understand why gay people can't marry.  He's adamant about that and has no problem telling people that his peers, adults or anyone that says otherwise. 

He enjoys talking about world politics and is knowledgable about them. 

He loves to play Minecraft.

He loves to google chat with his friends.

And text them.  Apparently a lot of girls are texting him now.  I'm thinking about cutting them all.  lol

He says he is an aethiest.  I think that he's agnostic.  He is so science minded that it's hard for him to wrap his head around something that can't be seen or touched or proven one way or the other.

He loves music and spends a lot of time listening to pandora.  He especially loves harder alternative rock but lately has been listening to bands like Chicago because he enjoys the different instruments.

He likes to watch TV series with his dad.  They watch Dr. Who, The Family Guy (ugh...hate that one), Sherlock Holmes, Parenthood and others that I can't even stay in the same room with him because they are too scary like Supernatural. 

He is in his first year of marching band and he's loving it.  Even "hell week" as they call the summer practice week that ran from 8-5.  They got lucky because it was a uncharacteristically cool week with temps in the mid 70's.  He didn't want to do marching band.  This was the one thing that I insisted that he try.  And he's glad that he did.  So am I.

He wants to study physics and engineering in college.  At Virginia Tech. 

And he's smart enough to do it!

He hasn't quite learned the fine art of listening during a discussion.  Hopefully that will come with time.

All in all, he's a great kid that is passionate what he's passionate about and I can't wait to see where life takes him.  <3>

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Teenage Boys...Sheesh

Teenage boys are so stupid. Shane and his friends were throwing rocks or something at cars today from the backyard. This is the second time we've had this discussion with him about why it's stupid.  
 
The first time this happened, a few weeks ago, we caught him and his stupid friends setting bottles on the road for cars to run over and then sitting there watching the cars hit it.  Shane came running in and said that people were yelling at them for no reason.  Ken called BS on him and said that he had seen a bunch of bottles in the neighbors woods the day before and said that he knew that they were putting the bottles out in the road for the cars to run over.  Shane looked so surprised that Ken figured it out.  I was to frankly.  Ken said that he was a teenage boy once. 

And then there was the other day where I looked out into the backyard at my friend's dog sticking her nose through a missing fence plank at the very busy road behind our house.  I about had a heart attack.  Thank God she came when I called her.  I asked Shane about it and he said it just happened the day before.  Ken and I went back there to look at it and Ken noticed a brick there.  When we came back in, Shane denied knowing what happened to the board.  (I don't know.  It just fell off.)  Ken called *cough* bulls&*t *cough* on him and said...come on Shane.  I know you were throwing it at the fence.  Shane confessed.  (I was impressed that Ken figured it out.  He said that he was a teenage boy once and that's what he would have done.  I swear I don't think like a boy!)   
 
I was just taking a picture of my friend's doggy under the trampoline at the time.  That's when I noticed it.
 
 
Like I said.
 
Teenage boys are stupid. Big ole MEH.

Sunday, August 4, 2013

What Does A Heart Good

Mary Mayken is visiting this week for "Aunt Kem Camp" since Sheldon is in Brevard, NC at Camp Rock Bridge.  One of today's activities is wiffle ball.  I looked out in the front yard and saw Owen helping her learn how to bat.


Once upon a time, he wanted nothing to do with his baby cousin. Now it's a different story. I love to see him helping Mary Mayken and being so kind to her. 

You know what does a heart good?  That does a heart good.  :)

Friday, August 2, 2013

Ensuring The Love

Mary Mayken:  Sheldon's going to love me forever.

Me:  Oh. How do you know that?

Mary Mayken:  Because I bought her a birthday present and she's going to love it!

Me:  Well.  That's one way to ensure someone loves you.

LOL!