Oh, who are the people in your neighborhood,
In your neighborhood, in your neighborhood.
Say who are the people in your neighborhood,
The people that you meet each day?

I‘m sure you all remember that song, that was made famous by the Muppet’s. It’s a great song that children can sing along to. Throughout the song the muppet’s skillfully highlighted different people that we all meet (the postman, the brave fireman, etc.) in our neighborhood. As a child I loved singing that song.

Today, I was out for my morning walk with our dog, and as usual I found myself thinking about a number of things. I find my morning walk is one time of the day, where I have enough space to think, meditate and pray. I love the walks, especially in Spring, when the sun is up earlier than the dark winter mornings. Every day another bird joins others in song, green returns to the landscape palate and the chill in the air seems to lift day-by-day. It truly is a time of awakening.

As I walked through my neighborhood this morning, waving to those on their way to work (or otherwise), I began to think about my neighbors and how blessed our family is to live in such an extraordinary community. I’m not sure if our neighborhood is unique or not but it certainly feels like it is. Just this weekend many of the neighborhood kids gathered together to play a huge game of man tracker. The kids had all their contraptions, toys, nerf guns and the like out and ready for action. At one point I found my son and a few other boys making their own bow and arrow. I was amazed at how far they could actually fly. Their imaginations were running wild and kids were everywhere.

In our neighborhood we also like to get together to eat. So, on any given weekend you can be sure that one family will open their doors and invite everyone in, simply to relax and enjoy each others company.

In a nutshell… I really like our neighborhood and so this morning, with a smile on my face, I found myself singing ‘The People In Your Neighborhood’ and it felt good. I hope you have people in your neighborhood that you have connected with. If not, can I encourage you to take advantage of this lovely Spring weather and enjoy each other. If you have kids, encourage them to get outside and play, challenge them to let their imagination take over and to involve some of the neighbor kids in a game (this is better than any computer game can offer). Life is to short to stay boxed up in our homes and for us Canadians who are saying good-bye to winter, it’s time spread our wings and enjoy the season ahead of us.

As I sign off I ask, “Who Are the People in Your Neighborhood’?

Susan xo

Okay friends today I had the best lunch and thought I’d share a few quick recipes with you. Today’s lunch was a bean salad on a bed of spinach. The bean salad was super simple and it looked like this
It was simply divine, very filling and extremely satisfying.

Bean Salad Recipe
1 Can Bean Medley (or you can just make your own but be creative get some garbanzo’s, kidney, navy, pinto…go to town with the beans)
Red Onion sliced (however much you want. It really adds to the flavour so don’t be shy)

Dressing:
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Balsamic
A splash of lemon juice or the juice of half a real lemon or lime
A sprinkle of salt

Now, fill your bowl with a bed of lettuce and put your bean salad on top… It’s a meal for everyone, my kids gobbled it down last night. Also, the bean salad is great on day two, all the flavours mix together and it is simply divine.

Another salad dressing recipe that our family LOVES…. Make this with a spinach, chinese cabbage, tomato, red onion, cucumber, orange pieces, feta cheese and nuts (if there are no allergies. almonds or roasted pecans are perfect). My family craves this salad.

Dressing:
4 Tbsp Lime juice
4 Tbsp Orange Juice (or whatever you have on hand)
1 Tbsp Curry Powder
Salt & Pepper to taste
1/2 Cup Olive Oil
Pinch of White Sugar

Hope you enjoy these.

Susan xo

Well friends it’s been awhile but we’re back. Lots happening for us and stax of changes so buckle your seat belts and get ready for a fun ride. We are RELAUNCHING our site and it’s going to be great. Many hands are working to make this it all happen so please BE PATIENT with us. We do the best we can.

Can’t wait to share the new in 2011 with you. Make sure you jump over to thefamilyroom for our LASAGNA Recipe. It’s amazing and very more{ish}. You’ll love it…. we promise

Susan xo

I remember as a child how I adored my Nana. She was one of my favourite people, so kind, so caring and she was always on my side. When I wasn’t allowed to get my ears pierced, Nana stepped in and they got done. When life was feeling all to hard, Nana was there with Chicken Soup and a kind word. She always shared her wisdom in the most unique way, she corrected me without me really realizing it. My Nana was a small woman {maybe 5 feet tall} but in my young and now older eyes, she was a giant. I’m sure she had her short comings, her challenges in life like the rest of us but I saw none. I saw strength, courage, wisdom and kindness. She was my Nana after all.

Nana had an interesting role in our family. She was a great support to my parents, when it came to us kids. Nana’s house was always open to us, she always welcomed us with open arms. There was always a bed ready for us, cash on hand if we needed, and she could whip up a hot meal and fill our tummies in what seemed like minutes. She played games with us, helped us with our school work, told us stories and always connected the family dots {Uncle who? How’s that person related to me?} Our Nana also served as a sounding board for us. When we thought our parents were being unreasonable, we’d ask Nana. When we felt they were being to hard on us, we’d go to Nana. Oh that poor lady. I think now of all the stuff she dealt with and how it never seemed to faze her. Our parents also used Nana in their favour.

An example of that would be the time I stole a piece of gum from the IGA {sorry Mr. and Mrs. White}. If my parents making me return to the IGA to admit my guilt and pay for the gum wasn’t enough, they then made me stand in front of Nana and tell this sweet, gentle, kind, little lady what I’d done. Of course as the years went on situations escalated from the gum incident to other things ~ thankfully not remaining in theft. Things more like bad report cards, talking back to our parents and then of course the peer pressure incidents. Getting in trouble was emotional enough on its own but the real sting came when we had to disappoint Nana. What clever parenting and discipline our parents used on all of us.

The Grandparent Effect was huge for me because as I’ve mentioned my Nana was an extraordinary person in my life. Now, as a grown woman and as a mother of three, I too have adopted the Grandparent Effect. I have seen it work wonders in our home. Most recently, our eldest was ‘caught out’ in a very minor situation that required parental intervention {a table discussion}. Following our healthy discussion I told her that going forward part of her discipline would be to call her Grandmother {my mother} and tell her what had happened and why she had found herself in ‘hot water’. At the thought of this, my daughter burst into tears. She wept saying, “No, please don’t make me do it, I never want to disappoint Grandma.” I cuddled her and said, “Well then my sweetheart, whenever you are faced with a decision or are tempted in anyway, just imagine yourself standing in-front of Grandma, telling her about it. It’s called The Grandparent Affect darling and trust me I know it works.”

Friends, never underestimate The Grandparent Effect. Adopt it as one of your tools and make it your own. Extended family is there, like my Nana to support, to love, to be a soft place to land and in some cases perhaps a simple look of disappointment from a respected Grandparent is all that is needed.

How do I even begin to write something today. I can hardly find the words to fill this space. I’m writing about something that is so close to my heart that the words are escaping me. I still find myself caught in moments of pain, even physical pain when I think of our loss. There are still days when I can melt into a puddle of tears simply by the feeling in the air or thinking about a joke I would like to share.

One year ago this week our family experienced the greatest loss we have ever walked through as a family. After coming back from staring death straight in the face, our father, Graham Taylor, died suddenly whilst walking home from a town meeting. Days earlier we had celebrated my parents 50th Anniversary and in true Taylor style, we ate, we danced, we laughed, we celebrated and we told many stories. Having been given a clear bill of health we all expected a few more good years but alas that wasn’t on the cards.

So this week, the Anniversary of my father’s death, I choose to once again celebrate the life he lived and the legacy he has left. I was and will always remain honored to be the daughter of a great leader and a phenomenal father. His legacy lives on through the lives of his wife {Isabel}, his children and grandchildren. He is talked of and remembered with great admiration, he is missed greatly but we all continue to listen to his wisdom, understanding that life is for living and that we must live it to the fullest.

Things I miss about my Dad ~ I miss his laugh, his wisdom, his morning calls that always brought a smile to my face and many others. I miss being able to ask him the hard questions, when life throws me a curve ball… because he always had a great answer. I miss his jokes and I miss spontaneously dancing with him around the kitchen. I miss him at the dining table sitting at the head, I miss seeing him crying, at the softest moment, when we are all together {he had such a tender heart}. I miss hearing my mum and him laughing together and seeing them grow old together. I miss the fires on the ice in the winter. I miss his input with my children and the grandfather that he was. I miss hearing his perspective on the world and how he could communicate the complicated and make it simple. I miss his hands, he had such beautiful hands. I miss his stories and would give anything to hear even the most repeated one again. I miss the way he loved me. Simply put I miss everything about him.

Through his life and now as he enjoys eternity, I am reminded that I need to be the best version of myself each and everyday. I need to teach my children and raise them with love and strength. I need to live with passion and on purpose and make even the saddest moments matter.

My father was a great man and this week I celebrate, knowing that he will never be forgotten and that one kiss of heaven in my life was being his daughter.

Today on RealLife Radio we had a great conversation about weight and the current crisis surrounding Teen Obesity. More teens are opting for Lap Band Surgery to help solve their weight problem. Is Lap Band the answer for teen’s across America and beyond? That’s our question and we want your response.

During our show, Morgan Lawrence, gave his 5 Simple Steps for weight loss and we have his permission to share them here. Strangely, one of the things {and we mention this a lot on RealLife Radio} missing when it comes to weight loss and weight issues is common sense {now I know I’m in trouble for saying that}. It’s true, medical weight issues aside, there is some simple common sense stuff that will help ALL OF US.

Dr. Oz has recently issued a ‘Just 10′ challenge and it’s a simple challenge for all of us to loose just 10lbs. I for one and going to join Dr. Oz and any other willing parties, I’m going to put Morgan’s 5 Steps in place, add some more exercise and see what happens.

5 Common Sense Steps for Easy Weight Loss

1). DO NOT eat anything you can get from a Drive Thru window
2). DO NOT eat anything you can order by phone
3). When you eat, it’s lean meat and vegetables
4). Replace any soda with water of 100% natural fruit juice
5). Eat NOTHING after 6pm except water and maybe {if you need it during a movie} some PLAIN Popcorn
Bonus Point:
6). Increase your physical activity by 20mins/day
Note: we are not doctors, we are simply people who have an ‘idea’ about what works and what doesn’t.

So friends, let’s try this and see what the result is. I know I’m going to struggle with #3 because already tonight we are having chicken curry, lentil curry and rice. I guess I’ll go easy on the rice.

Tune into RealLife Radio this Thursday {September 23rd} as we talk to Joel Sopp about growing up as an overweight teen and finally making the decision to have weight loss surgery. Very interesting story.

Enjoy

Susan

Today, on RealLife with Susan & Friends, we hosted Jo-Anne Seippert author of ‘Distracting the Distractions ~ Raising a Child with ADD. A Parent’s Decision to Medicate’. The show was great, Jo-Anne shared her story about being diagnosed with ADD at the late age of 22. She talked about the frustration with school and simply feeling dumb all the time. Thankfully at 22 a teacher finally suggested that perhaps Jo-Anne needed to be tested for ADD.

As a mother of two Jo-Anne watched her eldest son carefully for signs indicating that he could have ADD. Thankfully he did not and all was okay. Things changed with her second son, early on she noticed things he was doing and not doing that she could relate to. In her latest book, ‘Distracting the Distractions’ Jo-Anne shares very openly and honestly about her journey and the painful decision she and her husband made to medicate their youngest son.

I encourage you to listen to our conversation from this morning. Jo-Anne answered listeners questions and shared her story ~~ without giving to much away because we want you to buy her book ). To buy her book simply go to ‘Distracting the Distractions’. Trust me it’s a good read, whether you are raising a child with ADD or you want to learn more about it or you have people in your world with it. Jo-Anne takes you into her head and how it works and that, for me, was very insightful. I now understand better.

Below is a poem that Jo-Anne wrote after leaving the Dr’s office having just learned that she did indeed have ADD.

MIND WREKADGE by Jo-Anne Sieppert

My minds driving me crazy
with a steering wheel on both sides
and buddy in the back
just along for the ride
all trying to give directions
were going nowhere fast
with all the bloody confusion
were surely going to crash
Distance moves between us
soon I’ll be alone
the deafening silence lingers
with the insane to which I’m prone
The wreckage is not fixable
gone is my sanity
my mind departs in silence
leaving standing now just me

Steve Jobs speaking to Stanford Graduates. A great message and definitely worth the 15 minutes it takes to watch.

Here’s the link from Ted Talks: http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/steve_jobs_how_to_live_before_you_die.html

Stay Hungry and Stay Foolish!
Susan

So many blogs are dedicated to mum’s and a lot of the online conversation surrounds us, the mother’s, who are struggling to balance life, love, marriage, kids, school schedules, taxi routes, illnesses and the list goes on. Recently my husband shared something with me that really touched my heart and something I want to share with you.

Whilst driving on his own, to meet us for a camping weekend, my hubby found himself listening to a song that he’s never heard before. He shared with me that he had to pull over onto the side of the highway to allow the tears to flow. The song spoke to the core of who he is, who he desires to be and in my mind, who he already is.

My husband is a great man, he {like me} is not without flaw, however over the last 20 years of life together, I have observed him tackling and dealing with personal challenges, both great and small. He is a wonderful husband who makes my life fun, interesting and adventureous. He is an extraordinary father of three children who adore him. He is a great provider and a pillar of strength. I might add here and pay tribute to my father-in-law and how he has shown his son how to be a loving, kind, generous husband, father, son and brother. He also had the similar experience with my father whom he shared a wonderful relationship with.

I recently asked my husband why he never complains. I told him that I very rarely hear him complain about anything from a sore shoulder to financial concerns or the general stresses that life can throw your way. His response was beautiful, he simply said, “I know I don’t. What would complaining about it do?” He is so right.

I want to share the song {Lead Me by Sanctus Real} he heard that day in the car, the song that caused him to pull over and weep, the song that spoke to the heart of the man. Today, I want to dedicate this song to husbands and fathers everywhere. We know that life can be hard, that stress does find it’s way into your heart and mind.

I am forever grateful that I am on a journey with a man who is strong enough to know that he can’t do this alone.

Unfortunately I couldn’t embed the video here. Click on this link and you can watch on YouTube ~ LEAD ME by SANCTUS REAL

Susan.