Tag Archives: Family

Be Giving Leftovers Away

I am wondering why we always give our families “leftovers”.

Our best selves are often given to those people we work with, see at the gym or in the line-up at the grocery store.

We smile.

Say a friendly hello.

Display consistent kindness and consideration.

We rarely raise our voices or yell in our workplace.

But, when we are at home, a different menu is being served.

The ‘leftovers” go to our families.

These lovely people that we have given birth to or have given birth to us.

Those people that we are placed on a family tree with.

Yup, those ones.

Can’t just erase a name off of there, can we?

The ones that get our grumpiest selves and our often complaining selves.

Those same ones that we show our ‘true’ colours to.

The ones we ignore, avoid and can’t say one kind word to or pretend to say kind words to, but it is meaningless.

The ones that we visit with and then nap for one hour on the sofa.

My journey, as I have watched my family of origin evolve over almost two years since my mom’s death, is that it is no longer okay to give my brood of boys my leftovers.

I want my family to know me the best.

My boys will get my best self.

I will give them the most smiles, the friendliest eyes and the kindest words.

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My family.

The one I chose.

Sexy Neck.

The boys I birthed.

JC, OC and CC.

8, 6, 4.

My brood of boys.

My best self.

All of my love.

All of my life.

Allowing space for them to be themselves.

Allowing myself to be me.

The full meal deal.

Me.

Be Having a House Concert with RvZ

We are living our dreams right now.

Our why is clear.

Our how and what is not.

We love it!

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For almost twenty years, Sexy Neck and I have dreamed about Rachelle Van Zanten playing live in our home or yard.  Last night it happened!  We had heard she was playing at a festival a few hours away and we asked, yup, just asked, if it was possible for her to play poolside in our yard.  Thirty of our greatest new and old friends, came to enjoy this over two hour private show with one of Canada’s best slide guitar players, either female or male.

National Geographic Explorer in Residence, Wade Davis, has said, “Rachelle Van Zanten is our voice, the muse of the north, a woman as strong and beautiful as the mountains, as fluid as the sea.  She writes songs to inspire the wind, give voice to thunder and fire the hearts of all sentient beings fighting to protect the land she loves so dearly.”

What an incredible memory it now is.

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Music.

Guitar.

Hand-crafted songs.

HIlarious stories.

Talented musician.

Gobsmacked with joy!

What an incredible night!

Be Overflowing with Disney Wonder

We had a trip of a lifetime courtesy of Sexy Neck’s grandparents(in the bottom right corner).

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We spent seven days on the Disney Wonder living the magic inspired by Walt Disney’s vision.  We had some of the happiest times as a family and the best food we have ever eaten.

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We were very fortunate to travel into Alaska to see whales and beautiful blue glaciers.

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I am truly short for words with the incredible experience.

Be Open to Feel and to the Endless Possibilities

I have had my feelings hurt many times recently.

I wasn’t sure why.

I ponder these words.

Tonight, I had an aha moment when I realized I get hurt because I am open.

I allow people to tell me about myself.

I permit them to tell me things because it is easier for them.

I have heard that if I lose more weight I will look old.

I have listened as people questioned what I eat.

I have allowed conversation about how I organize my calendar. (Yes, I have colours for each wee boy so that I can keep everyone’s schedule straight.)

I choose to continue to be open.

I choose to deeply feel.

I am no longer taking the easy road or trying to make people feel “comfortable” at the expense of my feelings.

I continue to allow and encourage people to talk about themselves.

I am learning strategies to stop people from talking about and judging me.

I realize that people are hurting deep inside and makes it hard for them to talk about themselves.

I realize that being an open person makes people uncomfortable.

I realize that my life of freedom living with endless possibilities is disconcerting for some.

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And yes, I am going to die my hair a strip of purple to show remind me of my ‘shield of faith’.  (with my stylist)

Being open.

No longer hurting.

Feeling.

All things are possible!

Glory.

Be a River, Not a Reservoir

As our household moves from one income for almost SIX years, to FIVE streams of income in the next year, we are talking about what to “do” with this ‘extra’ income.

We have been intentional and made it work so that I could stay at home raising our world’s greatest resource, our children.

We are very fortunate, that we have lived without televisions, cell phones, movies, extra cars, boats and recreational toys for the last six years.

We haven’t been trying to keep up with the Joneses.

We are the Cann’s.

And….

We “Cann” do it. (You had to know I was going to say that!)

As we move into these five different possibilities of income, we are open to how to continue to be a river with our money and not a reservoir.

Which small businesses can we support?

Who can we donate to and bless?

What activities could our boys try that we couldn’t even consider before?

It is a true blessing to not cringe anymore when the boys have a hole in one of their running shoes. (And we got ourselves five people with shoe “wants”! Here is our front closet of summer flipflops, soccer cleats, running shoes and sandals.)

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It is a great gift to be able to donate to anyone that may ask.

It is humbling to have more than we need to run our household.

May we continue to pass on these great gifts to the river that surrounds us.

The river of beautiful people in our city and around the world.

May God multiply all that we do.

With gratitude for all that we have.

With thanks for all that we can do.

With humble hearts for all the opportunities we have to share life with people.

Thanks be to God.

Be Finding Flow

Oh I want to rap this post, but my words will have to suffice. 

Flow. 

Flowing. 

Flow ‘in. 

I am in the flow. 

My flow is coming in the form of authentic communication.

Communication that is not trying to change someone by resonate WITH someone. 

Communication that flows like a piano duet.  

One part of the duet can be playing the low notes but they stay in harmony wherever they are in the song. 

The people that continue to come into my life, whether it is new or old friends, are part of this beautiful flow that exists in my life right now.  

Nothing holding me back.  

Playing notes side by side.  

Highs and lows. 

All flowing together.  

Where will you find your flow today? 

Will it be in communication?

In movement?

In music?

Alone?

Be find ‘in ya flow!

Peace out! 



Be Creating a Family 

Family? 

What does that mean for you? 

Does it trigger tears? Does it make you smile? Does it fill your heart? Does it make you want to run a mile? 

Family is a beautifully, imperfect thing.  

No mother not father is perfect.  

No family is without mistakes nor opportunities to learn.  

Family is messy.  

Family is fun.  

Here are our family rules that sit on our hallway chalkboard:  

 

Any chance we get, Sexy Neck and I help connect our boys to their cousins.  It has been incredible to watch them grow-up together.  

Hand-in-hand.  

Walking.

Jumping.  

Laughing.  

Saying “I’m sorry” and moving on. 

Back to fun!  

 

Be Boodangled by Bread

Have you ever been “boodangled”??

Scared and wanting to dangle my bread out the window.

I am a new Costco lover.

And a longtime gluten free eater.

But today I am boodangled as I looked at the expiry date on the bread that I bought.

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Should bread I bought in May not expire until September?

I am scared!

Off to dangle my bread out the window and into the garbage can.

Boodangled!