A Saturday

• Stumble out to the front room...fighting sleep to reach the much needed caffeine and to fix breakfast for kids (two of which have been up since before the sun)
• Getting 5 human beings ready to run errands and arguing with two of them who don't want to go
• Drop off gun and sunglasses to Dad at work because he forgot them
• Grocery store with 4 kids and a two page list...fully confirming the need to those apple strudels I picked up at the entrance as I try to catch all the "stuff" the little boys tried to sneak in throughout the store (which included two kids books, toothpaste, chips, and oddly enough hand sanitizer)
• Home and unloading of suburban full of groceries while arguing with the teenagers to move faster than one bag every 5 minutes and to stop Super Wy from twirling with his open drink on the lawn AND Holy Terror from attacking people with the loose branch he found
• Drama Queen's friend over for science fair preparations where they had to "test" the experiment in the backyard patio, thereby spewing globbing baking soda and vinegar all over the glass top where it dried to a nice hard cement texture
• Nap time for little boys and Mommy's only 30 minutes of quiet
• House cleaning a.k.a General duty by Mommy for kids to pick up their things strewn all over the house
• Backyard BBQ preparations for Hubby and his fishing buddies to cook up recent victories and share fishing stories
• Fighting the hose away from Holy Terror when he was spraying Daddy's friends
• Catching Holy Terror as he ran through the house unwinding blue and red party streamers he found in hall closet
• Collapsing into bed and leaving Hubby and friends outside laughing and talking, daughter and her friend (who was only supposed to stay for 3 hours but ended up spending the night) giggling in the front room, and my son who was pissed because he had to let the girls alone and go draw in his room, and two boys who were passed out in their beds from a full day's toddler work

Just another Saturday at the Norris house.

Over the Top...What? Me?

I must thank my writing friend and all-around funny guy, Spammy, for awarding me the "Over the Top" Blog award. I love that kid! As part of the award I am to answer the following questions and then nominate five bloggers the award

Your cell phone: Nonexistent

Your hair: On my head

Your mother: Groovy lady
Your father: Mysterious
Your favorite food: Mexican food
Your dream last night: Scandalous...dreamed I got all the laundry done AND put away
Your favorite drink: Coca Cola
Your dream goal: To be one of those wrinkly old bikini ladies on a beach with cheap books and margaritas
What room are you in: Bedroom
Your hobby: Sky-diving and saving the world (oh wait...that might have been the dream)

Your fear: Alien Abduction
Where do you see yourself in six years: Six years?? I can't see six days from now!
Where were you last night: You can't prove anything

Something you aren't: Graceful
Muffins: Baked = yummy but Topping jeans = shivers
Wish list item: A week long cruise with my hubby
Where did you grow up: Wouldn't you like to know
Last thing you did: Typed "Wouldn't you like to know"
What are you wearing: I take the 5th
Your TV: Can read my mind
Your pets: Are my babies (and a little crazy)
Your friends: Are for life (and a little crazy)
Your life: Chaotic, loud, and perfect (and a little crazy)
Your mood: A little crazy (heehee)
Missing someone: I don't remember...I'm sure I left someone someplace...hmmmm
Vehicle: Goes grrrrrrrrrr, unless they need a tune -up and then they go rumble, rumble, grrr...
Something you aren't wearing: Wouldn't you like to know
Your favorite store: Bookstore
Your favorite color: Blue or green, or blue-green, or green-blue...or bleen...or grue
When was the last time you laughed: I'm still laughing
Last time you cried: I'm still crying (it happens)
Your best friend: Hubby (I know, cliche...but it's true. We're bonded through geekdom)

One place you go to over and over: The bathroom..and the older I get, the more I go
Facebook: Addict
Favorite place to eat: My Mexican or Pizza joints

Okay...so now to nominate five of my blogging buddies. Spreading the love that Spammy kicked off.

• Yunaleska and her blog Nayu's Realm
• Laura Scarlett and her Self-Titled blog
• Liana Brooks and her Self-Titled blog
• Elisabeth and her blog Elisabeth's Adventures in the Written World
• Sam's family blog Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys

Thanks again Spam...you rock!!!

A Friends Pain

A good friend of mine just found out her sister has metastatic breast cancer in the bones. My heart broke as I read those words and the emotions behind them. I’m a family member who suffered the loss of someone from a form of metastatic cancer. The grief is inexpressible. There is no encouragement, consoling, or action adequate enough.

All the memories from the past flood in and sharpen the clenching hurt inside you. The smallest weaves of your relationship with them become beacons of awareness throughout your day. The small three-minute calls, the nit-picky disagreements, the hugs and loving gestures that in a normal day wouldn’t have given you a second thought. Now it all is so important and hold so much meaning. The minuscule layers all those small traits and actions make up a thick and important part of your life.

The strength and loyalty of my friend is amazing. The next several months will be a test of that strength. As her friend I wish so much to be by her side but the physical distance is too great for that. Instead, I hope she knows and feels the endless emotional and spiritual support from my family and me.

I love you, sweetie and will be here whenever you need me. Call whenever, email as needed. I’ll be there for you. We will be thinking of you constantly and love you all.

2010 Wishes

2009 is drawing to an end with mere hours left. Sitting in my living room and waiting for dinner to burn (it's the inevitable result of my cooking) I'm thinking about 2010.

For the most part, I don't see too much difference. I'll wake up tomorrow, most likely just as grouchy as any other day. I'll make breakfast for the toddlers and wait for my teenagers to wake up. Gobble down masses of caffeine to get going.

But like everyone else I have ambiguous thoughts for 2010 resolutions. I've scanned through the norms of losing weight, eating better, learning how to cook...and that's about where I started to laugh.

I don't like to cook, so why should I spend miserable hours trying to be better at it? I don't want to go to the gerbil machine that's the gym, I'm happy enough with my body. And eating better? Okay, with my love of fast food eating better wouldn't be too bad.

There are more realistic and reasonable wishes for 2010. Ones that make sense in our household, for our family and friends:

• My children have another year of health and happiness
• The relationship with hubby remains strong (it's work and not something to take for granted)
• No major tragedies occur (car accidents, broken bones...hostile alien invasion)
• That I show enough gratitude and love to family and friends

There, those are my 2010 wishes for the Norris Ranch. I hope all the best for you and yours in the coming year and may all your wishes come true.