A Full Life

Sometimes there is so much in life it gets overwhelming. Work, chores, errands, events, etc. When it's so full, its weight almost physically resting on your shoulders, it's surprising what the cure is. For me it's actually when more enters, in the form of family. I was reminded of this last night, card night.

No, no...actually earlier than that. I'd just finished unpacking my office stuff in the furniture that'd arrived and was exhausted. Instead of walking my sister dropped her stuff to pick me up and take me home.

Getting home from work, the kids and I started the preparations for card night. Family arrived early and the house filled quickly. Grandma, aunts, cousins, and second cousins. Family ranging from 3 to 80 years. And as if we didn't see each other frequently, hugs were big as if we hadn't seen each other in months.

Desserts, cheese and cracker trays, drinks, pizza, and chips filled the table and counters. Chairs passed person to person around the card table. Kids ran around, under tables, over chairs, and jumped coffee tables, then through kitchen, front yard, back yard, living room, kids rooms, and back around again. Squeals, hollers, laughter, cries, discussion, and arguments filled the air.

Throughout the games the noise continued, added with competition, catching up on each other's lives, neighborhood news, community news, work news, and all the others news things that must be caught up on.

And the more noise and activity that filled the space, the quicker the stress of everyday shed from my shoulders. It reminded me that a full life isn't stressful, it's the kind of things you fill your life with that makes it stressful...or not.

Christmas Chaos

I read this great article from the blog site Fans of Being a Mom covering the different ways moms handle the holidays. The poll they included ranged from Passionate Participant down to Party Pooper. I landed just below the top at Reluctant Reveler, which surprised me as I thought I'd rank lower.

My family and friends understand that Christmas is not my favorite holiday. It's been a gradual decline in my happiness and joy of the holiday. This mainly due to society's ever greedy take on it. It probably ranks right at the bottom only above...maybe...Groundhog Day.

I don't like being a humbug and I don't remember feeling this way forever. I try not to show my disinterest in front of the kids and I think I'm successful as they are VERY excited about Santa's coming visit.

A couple years ago Hubby and I sat down together and really talked about the effects of the Christmas season and what the holiday was truly supposed to represent for us and our family. After this discussion we really scaled back and got off the advertisers imposed idea of a "good" Christmas.

Because it's not those things that make the Christmas spirit lift. In all my memories as a child, I don't remember any exact gift I was given or how expensive it was. No, nowhere in those memories was the material things.

What I remember is the energy and excitement I felt walking home from school and seeing another house in the neighborhood lit up and decorations on the lawn. I remember the uncontrollable urge to wiggle and dance when "It's Starting to Look a Lot Like Christmas" was playing in the stores.

I always remembered the laugh and playfulness of my mom and stepdad as they we decorated the tree. There was the giddiness and chaos of arriving family and the awesome sleeping party all the cousins had during the stay.

I loved to watch my Aunt Diane and mom joke and cook in the kitchen while recalling the many great memories they shared as sisters. And I always fondling remember my Grandma falling asleep at the table as she watched her daughters reminscence.

True Christmas is about family, friends, joy, gratitude, and appreciation. The happiness of being with the ones you love and hanging around the ones you like. So that's what we'll continue to focus on this year and hopefully squash my inner humbug completely.

I hope you all enjoy the true meaning of Christmas and pass those traditions down to the next generation. Many holiday cheers to you and yours from the Norris Family.

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.

Our Soundtrack

I was reading an article today about the healing powers of music and (of course) it got me thinking about what role music plays here at the Norris Ranch. For me, music has been a big part of life. Ash has also always been a big fan of music.

I grew up in a household where Saturday mornings was disco or early rock housecleaning. I'd go to sleep with the radio on. As a child I'd listen to music in my room and write more than I'd watch television. Even now, I have the music on low as I go to sleep. Music is comforting to me personally.

Looking at our household, it plays a large part there as well. My husband and I have music on as we relax, clean the house, or work on projects. My older son and daughter listen to music in their rooms as they fall asleep or when they're drawing. writing, or reading. My little boys love jumping on the coffee table and rock out to all genres of music, as their older brother and sister did when they were little.

It's a connector for us. Whether Ash and I instilled this in them or they were born with a musical muse...it is as much a part of them as us. But it doesn't only connect us; it also individualizes us.

Each older child has identified with a main genre that helps them understand and better define who they are as a person. I've seen them evolve through the types of music they listen too. My younger boys still use mommy and daddy's music to understand and perceive the world around them. Eventually they, like their older siblings, will start veering off into their own music style.

So, I guess music is the background soundtrack at our household. I'm sure it's the same in many, if not most homes. Take a break and listen to the music of you and your children...see what it tells you.

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.

Halloween Memories

Tomorrow is Halloween and as probably in your home, things have been hectic at the Norris Ranch in preparation of the festivities. Even during the hectic time, I find my nostalgia kicking into high gear. Many moments where I find myself remembering little things about Halloween past in our household.

The older kids have started picking more “mature” outfits with high scare, creepy, or gross out factors. But there was a time where they, like the little boys now, picked their hero or icon.

For about 6 years Sea Scout Boy was nothing but Batman…every year. At the time, it drove me nuts. I’d get aggravated and try to talk him into ANYTHING else. But he was devoted and when he slipped on the bat suit, you could see in his eyes the transformation into superhero…getting ready to fight crime in Gotham City (well, by way of Napa). Thinking back and loving the memory, I don’t quite remember why I spent so many frustrated hours trying to make him be something he didn’t want to be.

Drama Queen was my creative one. She had to be something different every year, and none of them linked to the previous year. Witch, cheerleader, Robin, Spider Queen…every year was a new surprise. I also argued with her, but because I wanted her to choose the costumes I remembered having as a kid. Her and I have always been polar in this area. And, of course, now I wonder why I spent so much time trying to conform her into my image.

This year is the first where Holy Terror is preparing his trick-or-treat strategy (practicing his firm “Trick or Treat” and “Thank You”). This is the first year where Super-Wy realizes what is going on and just might make it beyond a half block before his meltdown.

My memories are bittersweet as I look back on the first time we walked them around, the first time they went to the doors by themselves, the first time they walked without us.

As for this year?

I look forward to handing out the candy and waiting for the little boys to come home and tell me all about their Halloween adventure with dad.

I hope to look back fondly at the older kids milestones of trick or treating by themselves in a different neighborhood and attending their first Halloween party. I also hope they’ll come home and tell me all about their adventures too.

Ash and I are happy they are growing up, but sad they are growing up…why does parenting have to be so contradictory?

Now, I have to remember that by tomorrow I’ll be all in the events with my game face on and happy they're enjoying themselves. I’ll bring you more news and pictures on Sunday.

Happy Halloween to all our family and friends! Enjoy the memories you’re making, because you can’t make them over again!