Ringing in 2011

Hubby and I aren't big time New Years celebrators. I know, usually our big family celebrate pretty good on holidays. New Years just hasn't been a big one for either of us growing up and we kind of carried on the tradition. However, this year we decided to at least do a little fun something with just us.

So, the Norris Ranch rung in New Years with a front room slumber party. Hubby went and got treats and snacks then set up the airbed for us. The teenagers piled onto the couch and the little guys made a toddler nest on the ground out of all the blankets.

Over pizza, taquitos, salad, and sodas we watched movies until 11 pm. At 11 we turned to watch the celebration on television. And at midnight --the toddlers already asleep -- we all wished each other a happy New Year.

I don't know what's in store for us in 2011. The last few years have been a pretty mixed bag, but overall the kids are healthy, our marriage in going strong, and we have work and a roof under our heads. All the other struggles in life will come and go, with new things replacing them. As long as we continue handling them together I think everything will be okay and the bumps will be manageable. (Crossing fingers.)

Hope you all have a happy 2011 from the Norris'!

Sunday Relaxation

Last day of the holiday vacation. Tomorrow it's back to reality. It was such a wonderful week. I'd upload the photos, but Holy Terror accidentally broke our camera earlier in the week and we had to use a disposable...so, I'll post them once we get them back from the processing center (ha ha, as soon as I get them TO the processing center). It also means Hubby and I are shopping around for a new digital camera.

We spent two wonderful days in Bodega Bay. Then we had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family. To read about that, visit the Desert Breeze blog where I did a Thanksgiving Guest Blog. Friday and Saturday were all about hanging with my crew.

Tonight we put up the Christmas decorations and begin the last days of 2010. My nostalgia is in full gear, so prepare for the yearly sappy blog posts to start hitting...sorry y'all.

Catching Up

Wow! Has it been that long since I've last posted? Don't get us wrong, we haven't been doing nothing. I think the problem is, we've been doing too much. As this is semi my memory bucket, I think I'll catch up on what we've been up too.

Let's see. We had Super Wy's birthday party which was lots of fun. Of course, it had to be a dinosaur themed party so I made a Dinosaur Valley cake with volcano and all. He was in the limelight and loving it.



I helped host a baby shower for an awesome friend and baked the shower cake. It was loads of fun hanging out with woman, talking about babies, and just watching the excitement of a soon-to-be new mother.



Then this last week was all about Halloween preparations. Costume finalizing, candy purchasing, pumpkin carving. Friday I went with Hubby and the boys to Holy Terror's Kindergarten Halloween party. They were so silly playing fun games, doing crafts and walking a costume parade.



And then next thing we knew, it was Halloween. Drama Queen was a Psycho Clown Nurse, Parkour Boy was a Dead Car Victim, Holy Terror was Optimus Prime, and Super Wy was Sheriff Woody.

Phew! What a couple of weeks!




I think now that we've started the holiday season it's going to be a little hectic for the next couple months. As you all know, my favorite holiday is coming up...Thanksgiving.

But before we dive into that busy stuff, Hubby and I will probably take the kids to the beach for one last relaxing day before it all kicks off.

Fireworks Fun

It was a day of building excitement as the kids waited for evening. Probably the only evening they've looked forward to since Christmas.

We packed the suburban with chairs and blankets, backpacks with snacks and water, and the vehicle DVD player with Kung Fu Panda. Finally, it was time. The kids managed to keep their shoes on in the excitement and we piled in and drove down to the Bell Products parking lot.








Right on the other side of the building were the fairgrounds, where they light off the fireworks every year. It's a tradition, and I always get nostalgic sitting there by the railroad tracks, across from the river and downtown.

Lined up were cars full of other middle-class families. In the center kids played soccer, twirled sparklers, and threw poppers. Parents watched all the kids as their own and glare down any vehicles coming in too fast.

The ultimate community family.

The night sky came to life with the first pink and green explosions, quieting all four kids who looked up in amazement and joy as twinkles sprinkled down from above . The booms echoed off the valley walls and back. Smoky black powder- like smell filled the air.

I love Fourth of July. The sense of pride, community, and family are always strong and it's the only time a whole parking lot of people "oh" and "ah" at the same time...well, almost. There's always the "drunk guy" in the crowd making a butt out of himself until the family shuffles him to the car.

...but that's part of the atmosphere as well...

Hope all my American friends had a great 4th of July!

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.

Thanksgiving

The heat of summer starts to cool. Blooms birthed in spring begin to die. Days shorten. There's a sharpness to the air that tells of Mother Earth closing shop to sleep for the winter.

Families migrate their activities in doors. The BBQ is packed away and the oven becomes the star once again with homey recipes of stews and casseroles.

Everything about autumn identifies with heart, home, and love. This is the perfect time to give thanks for everything you've been blessed with in life. Whether it's being able to provide for your family in the hard times of today. Or the family and friends that make up your circle of life. It's also a great time to miss and remember those who are no longer physically here.

Fall is the perfect setting for Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving asks nothing from you other than to be with the ones who care and love you. They may not understand you, but they'll accept you as you.

You go. You bring a dish. That's it, that's the minimum requirement. How hard is that? How demanding? And what do you get in return? A day with your family and friends, laughing and hugging, eating and drinking, sometimes a few sentimental tears...and remembering.

Remembering there's more to life than work, pay, and success. Remembering that 90% of your stresses are umimportant in the big picture.

It always goes too fast for me. There is so much that I get only glimpses of moments to retain. children's giggles, laughing snorts, traditional "incident" stories, mash potato smiles, messy pie faces, the many times of "I love you". There's also the hug and a cry over Grandpa Norris. A sadness of my brother and his kids who are too far away. Regret that kids are just a little big bigger and there's no stopping or slowing the process.

No, Thanksgiving asks for nothing more than to remember. Remember who you are, where you came from, and with who you're traveling through life.

So happy Thanksgiving to all our family and friends. Please remember you are loved and needed and we look forward to the lifetime journey together.

Ghouls, Goblins, and Super Hero's...Oh My!

Instead of a LONG blog post about our 2009 Halloween I created a storybook instead. I hope you all enjoy it.