We had our traditional family New Years blow out once again.
Sushi and fireworks with the family. Cousins and siblings of all ages laughing and letting go of one year to welcome in the next.
May 2018 bring us all peace and happiness.
Tag Archives: tribe
The last word
I come from a pretty competitive family – game nights were pretty serious events and although I hadn’t planned on it, this is a trait to have passed onto my children. And we can turn anything into a competition.
Tonight it was who has the last word with the boy and I. We were about to watch a tv show together and we ended up in a “game” of who has the last word.
It went on for over an hour. After several distractions and false promises I finally won (the boy insists he did, but it’s my blog so it ends my way).
These small moments of giggles make for big happiness
The Last Jedi
We had our annual cousin Star Wars night this evening. Every year for the last few years my cousin and her family have given me and the kids tickets as our Christmas present and we all go together to IMAX. Our almost adult boys have been playing, enjoying, and loving Star Wars since they were in diapers.
I won’t spoil it, but I thought it was a really funny movie.
The take away line for me was this:
I’ve been working in that direction but it’s time to eradicate the evil force from our lives.
Cousin time. Star Wars time. Happiness time.
Soul sister laughs
For the first time in what seems like a really, really long time I had some quality time with my soul sister.
I needed a couple of hours of laughing and catching up.
I need my girlfriends. They’re an important part of the tribe. I’m so grateful for her.
Happiness.
Finding the magic
Christmas at the ranch has always been a magical day for me. The traditions that I enjoyed as a child are the same ones I enjoy sharing with my kids now and I consider myself so fortunate that we have had generations of giggles in the same yard doing the same things with the same people.
This morning I wasn’t feeling overly Christmasy – it’s been a weird year, a weird start to Christmas, and I was just feeling weird in general. I had this sad feeling that I was going to miss the magic of Christmas this year.
After lunch I had a little nap (which, let’s face it makes everything better always) and the kids came and announced it was time to toboggan with their cousins. It was -25 with the windchill, but out we went.
And the magic came back. One of our traditions is having crazy toboggan fun, freezing, laughing, getting covered in snow, and getting out and doing that changed everything.
The magic stayed for the rest of the day. It was there as I went out and played with my pony. It shone through as one of my cousins stopped by with Grandma’s special sauce for us to enjoy with our dessert – I had decided not to make it this year and it felt weird going without so it certainly enhanced the meal.
This year we were truly blessed. This year because of a few different circumstances we had the opportunity to make sure the focus of Christmas was on our family and loved ones, not on the things we received. I think through my faith, walking this spiritual journey, it is becoming more and more clear that love is the answer to every question. Today we lived in love, and that is happiness.
Merry Christmas!!
The sauce!! and the saucy kids!!
The wall of cheese
The boy and I went out and did our Christmas food shopping at the Italian Centre – our food version of Disneyland.
I mean who doesn’t love a wall of cheese?
Whatever else that needed to get done shopping wise isn’t getting done. Now it’s family time for the next couple of days.
Happiness
Snowball fight in the parking lot
I took my kids and niece on our annual Christmas shopping much too close to Christmas run today. We were lucky and I managed to park the snow covered car in the underground garage so it could thaw.
As we got out of the car my niece grabbed snow from the top of the car and threw it at me. This erupted into a full out 4 person snowball fight in the parkade.
Silly, happy, crazy moments. Happiness.
Strawberry jam and Murchies, John Denver and Star Wars
We all know that things don’t bring happiness, that it has to come from your heart. Sometimes though, things can trigger memories that do bring happiness and those should be cherished.
I started the morning with a cup of Murchie’s tea and some homemade strawberry jam. The Murchie’s takes me back to my childhood and time spent in Victoria, of sitting at the table with loved ones and sharing laughs, of love shared with my family. The strawberry jam brings memories of my dad. I used to “help” him when I was younger, and the last couple of years before he died I actually was here at jamming time and I really helped him, those are good memories.
Tonight we decorated our tree and listened to John Denver and the Muppets which is a childhood tradition of mine. The Star Wars lights lit up the background which has become a tradition with my kids, and we laughed and reminisced about certain ornaments as they were put on the tree. So many traditions, new and old, are made at this time of the year.
Happinesds
Where do you go for peace?
Peace. It’s a powerful word at anytime, but it’s one that is used a lot at this time of the year. How do you find peace? Where do you go for peace?
I felt our pastor explained it really well yesterday. To find peace first we must look upward and secure our connection to God, to our Source, to the Divine. Then we must build peace within ourselves. Once we have done that we can extend our peace outwards into the world.
I have been guilty of ignoring my connection to God with the thinking that “he has big shoulders, he’ll always be there, so he can handle the fact that I’m mad as f*ck at him.”
Turns out it doesn’t necessarily work that way.
So – the question I had to ask myself is where do you go for peace?
My soul connection has always been a horse. Before I knew about connecting, before I knew about meditation, before I knew people spent a lifetime trying to find God; I was out on the back of my horse riding through fields in complete alignment. It takes a bit more work now but it still is my easiest line of connection.
I always come back a much happier person. Today my girl looked at me while she was cuddled with her therapy cat Abu and said he’s your Abu. He makes you feel safe and loved.
That horse is happiness.
Do not let your heart be troubled
Sit on Santa’s knee
It was Christmas Party time at the Hall tonight for the first time in years. Some of my best memories are of singing for Santa with my family at the hall. It’s a tradition that has gone on for generations and came back after a 10 year hiatus.
We need our family, our community. It’s essential that we remember that this is what it’s all about – sharing love and laughter
