Hello, Hello! I know it’s been a while since you’ve heard from me, but I wanted to share something very special with you today! Don’t worry, it’s not a course or anything like that! Cue the relieved sighs.
A very, very special lady that is near and dear to my heart is sharing a Pagan children’s book she’s written, and I wanted to tell you about it. It’s pretty difficult to find specifically Pagan kids books so, with a little witchling myself, I was pretty interested in her book, Stardust.
It’s based on a song we sing on Wednesday nights during our Circle, Enchantica (every Wednesday night at 6pm CST on FB) and is a beautiful and wonderful creation story. The illustrations are cute and cartoony, perfect for kids, and were created by rising artist, John Lollar!
As Ginger has written herself: “This is the enchanting story of Creation as the Little Goddess sits in the Time Before Time, in the Dark Before Dark. She holds out her hand and there is only one tiny, sparkling mote of Stardust! With illustrations that are completely enchanting, generations of children will cherish this book and the timeless story it tells! Perfect for parents to read at bedtime – and great for kids to read on their own, too!”
I hope you enjoy Stardust as much as we are going to! I can’t wait to add it to our bookshelf and our rotation of bedtime stories! 🙂
Alright so I wrote this back in October and it’s taken me this long to pay it. Why? Honestly, I was afraid of the shit talking backlash I’d get from people. Let’s all just go into this with mutual respect and understanding that we all have our own opinions and plans for childrearing, okay? Sweet. Let’s do this.
There’s this bizarre idea in our culture that children don’t have the right to be considered real people. That they shouldn’t get a say in what happens to them and that they don’t have rights over their bodies. I don’t know where that came from but it is so bizarre to me.
Like… No, my kid does not get a say in what time she goes to bed because for her age and developmental stage that is what is appropriate and what has proven for her to be best for her general well-being during the course of the day. However, even in things where she doesn’t get much of a choice, I still give her as much say in it as possible. I take her feelings and thoughts into consideration.
I let her make decisions where I’m able to because if kids aren’t given the chance to learn how to make good decisions then they never figure out how to, and then they start adulthood out with the expectation that they should be able to do these things because they are adults when nobody ever bothered to teach them how.
For example, my daughter had to change occupational therapists a few months ago from the one that she’d been seeing for many many months. Her new OT is good but my daughter just didn’t take to the change and has been very resistant to the therapies since. So much so that not much therapy gets done. After her last appointment she told me that she didn’t want to do OT anymore and I thought about it and was like, “you know, maybe you’re right. Maybe it is time to take a little bit of a break.”
Taking her thoughts, opinions, and considerations into mind instead of just saying, “no this is what’s good for you you’re going to do it whether you like it or not” allowed me to see the situation from her perspective. And from the perspective of her desperately frustrated OT.
Bless you, Autumn.
Our kids are people. We are not raising children, we are raising adults, right? We don’t want them to still be children when they go out into the world, we want them to be healthy in mind, emotion, and body as adults. But if we don’t give them those opportunities, then we fail as parents in our ultimate goal: to raise them to be established adults.
I know this has been a bit of a ramble so thanks for sitting through it with me.
So Little Maxwell is always asking if she can download this new game or that new app. I’m pretty particular about what kinds of games I won’t let her play. For example, I don’t let her play the “match-three” style of games like Bejeweled or Candy Crush. Is Bejeweled even still a thing?
She got an ad for another game in one of the apps she was playing one day and begged me to download it. I checked it out and agreed but under one stipulation: she only played with me. I wasn’t entirely comfortable with the fact that it’s a sort of social game that doesn’t have the option of offline play. The game is called PK XD.
Hopping in to the game, I was blasted with the neon and sheer… Well. Childishness. It definitely is made with it’s target audience in mind. It’s bright and accentuated with catchy music and sound effects. There are regular community events and an arcade of mini games that allows each player the opportunity to collect in-game currencies without having to spend real money. In fact there are quite a few opportunities to do so which I was rather pleased with. The game has admins that regularly run my paces through the two floating islands that the PKXD universe consists of.
As for communicating with other players, there are predetermined, pre-selected scripts and responses, even Emojis with sound effects like laughing or crying, that the player can select but speaking freely with players one-on-one outside of that doesn’t seem like an option that is commonly used if even available. I found myself put at ease a little more by this realization. Little Maxwell isn’t really reading fluently yet but I doubt it will be a long. I like knowing that anyone she might become friendly with in-game is relegated to the many, though very PG, communications.
We took the opportunity to catch a photo op at one of the murals during Pet Week! Both of us are supporting pets from the Halloween update. Little Maxwell has an Alibrije spirit cat and I have a spooky Ghost Horse! 👻
The more I played with her, the more I’ve come to really enjoy the game itself. What I love the most though is the fun and engaging quality time that I get to spend with my daughter now, doing something that we both really enjoy together! As a gaming family, we are all often enjoying the latest video game, table top or board game. But, though they may enter set with other family members like when I play Diablo with my sisters and Dad and Minecraft with my brother and bestie hetero life partner, those don’t always necessarily include little Maxwell or her dad. So it’s always nice when we have a game that we can play together especially when it’s one that she so adamantly enjoys.
It’s very easy to add each other 2 your friends list and once you are linked as friends, the game gives you the opportunity to jump in to the servers that your online friend is playing from so you can literally play together. We have had a very big time helping each other decorate our houses and bouncing around the parkour Pet Week course. Visiting other people’s homes to see how they’ve decorated as well. The game boasts a sort of trophy/achievement system by way of stickers that can be collected from literally anywhere and anything. Today, I unlocked a hidden sticker no I received by drinking milk 10 separate days. Another I got from adding items to my house or even finding hidden pets throughout the world.
While it isn’t the most graphically complex game I’ve ever played, I can definitely recommend PK XD or anyone looking for something to do with their kids that don’t be mind-numbingly dull. There is no end to different events, achievements, and fun things to do when you’re spending time with the people you love.
What do you think? Are you going to give PK XD a try with your little ones anytime soon? Let me know what you think in the comments!
Little Maxwell choosing her card of the day after seeing me do it. But she couldn’t pick just one! There were way too many pretty ones! So she picked a whole stack! The card decks featured are the Everyday Witch Oracle, the Everyday Witch Tarot, the Halloween Oracle (that’s the black cat card you can see next to her hand), and last but certainly not least, the Isis Oracle deck.
These are all personal favorites of mine that I certainly recommend, especially if you’re looking for a deck that really speaks to you. These all use imagery that’s fairly easy to understand and conceptualize and out of all of the decks that I’ve seen and used over the years, these have my favorite imagery of all, especially the Halloween Oracle and the Everyday Witch Oracle. 10 out of 10 definitely recommend! 🙂
Straight from our special correspondent in our very own Heartlake City in the Garage, here is our coverage of the matrimonial ceremony of the Lego year!
Special Correspondent Little Maxwell, reporting from this beautiful scene of wedding bliss! A guest’s official word from the experience: “Meow!” -Lavender Kitty‘Dearly beloved we are gathered here today to piece these two minifigures, Emma’s Mom and Emma’s Dad(official names according to LD) together in blocky matrimony.’What a beautiful bouquet!A beautiful ceremony for a beautiful couple! What a great turnout! All of the pets have lined the walkway to give their best to the newlyweds!
We hope you’ve enjoyed this first edition of the Heartlake City Herald! Please join us again next week to see what’s the brick deal in our Lego city here at home! Here to give you the big connect, this has been your hostess with the mostest, signing off!
We were walking to my mother’s home just the net street over after two weeks of zero contact. Both of us were practically frothing to see our family.
We were all so close. ‘The Maxwell Clan’, as a college history professor had joked during roll call when my mum, sister, and I all shared his class together. My family was so accustomed to seeing one another regularly. It was completely normal to get surprise visits and drop ins just to hang out or say hello or even to just bring some treat or another by. Simply because we had been thinking about them.
We loved one another completely and the quarantines had been wearing on us all. Little Maxwell was over the moon to see her Nana but that fact certainly didn’t stop her from taking her sweet. freaking. time getting there. She stopped for every little flower or ditch. Every blade of grass.
My patience had worn rapidly thin.
‘But why?’ I thought suddenly, ‘Why am I in such a hurry? Why am I getting aggravated right now?’
It wasn’t as if we were on a time crunch or had anywhere in particular to be. There were no appointments this afternoon and no particular rush to get back home. The day was our oyster, so why? It took me only a moment or two of quiet contemplation, watching my daughter slide down the side of a driveway embankment as if she were on the jungle gym, before the answer started to reveal itself to me.
Our motivations as children and adults are inherently different.
As a child, we are simply along for the journey, taking the world as it comes. They are in the passenger seat of the car, watching and enjoying the beautiful scenery as it goes by rather than the driver, having to navigate the twisting and often treacherous road ahead.
As grown-ups were so focused on the end goal. Getting from one place to the next, doing what we needs to be done and completely the task so we can move on to the next, then the next, in perpetuity.
But she embraces the adventure of the journey. Step-stepping back and forth across the ditch and stopping to pick wildflowers and interesting rocks, little finds that may or may not make it back into the house with us. To stop as I pointed out the sneaky poison ivy and observing it’s almost hand-shaped leaves. Little light up tennis shoes sparked with every jump and determined step as she danced and explored the road ahead.
Her little face lights up with every new discovery and challenge undertaken. When had we as adults lost that? At what point in life did we stop jumping into challenges or reaching out towards discovery with all of the curiosity of a puppy in a pet store? When had we compressed our spirits? Tucked in the edges of ourselves and made ourselves smaller, more dense as a result?
And who had we done it for?
Sometimes we get low, Sometimes we get down, There are nights when I just Want to lay on the ground.
And not get back up, The thought makes me sick When I think of all the things I’d miss out on if I did.
We all reach a point Where the fight gets old And it’s hard to hang onto Those things you have and hold
Like where’s my point North The direction that I head? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not wishing I was-
Well, you get the idea But as the battles wear on, At times, I look down At the ground that I’m upon,
And wish that I could sleep For just a thousand years or so To rest and to dream To sleep and to slow
All of the stresses That impresses Upon my mind, They need addressing
It’s relentless, All this pressure, Quarantined With too much leisure.
With all the doubts news spitting out People screwing up their thoughts Breathing in the “truths”, Smog from clickbait bots
Until there are so many fears To clammer in your brain Media voices in your head Pouring down like acid rain.
Eroding holes Into the hearts of Man, Wearing away our foundations Breaking them down to just sand.
Seeing my own eroding curiosity mirrored back in opposite brought a sort of sickened realization and, in response, a determination. I never wanted to lose my love of learning, of discovery, exploration, of play.
Giving her a grin, I whistled over to her. Those beloved ocean eyes turned on me with an ansering smile.
“Race you!”
With Peace and Passion (and every growing curiosity!)
So obviously these are from before my isolation. We are still quarantining in our home since I am on immunosuppressants (and had a pretty shitty immune system before anyways). I did want to bring you guys another of these photographic glimpses into our day to day though. They are so much fun and I always hope that our activities might inspire some of you as well! So with further ado, here’s a look into our life.
We watched the sunset together from our driveway! Have your littles noticed that the sun is setting later and later now? Tell them why!
Backyard camp out day? Yes please! Little Maxwell is having some quiet time in the tent here after a long day of play. On top of the homesteading farm we’ve begun in our spacious backyard, the yard is also fenced in so there’s a lot less worry when it comes to just letting her play and social distancing.
An unlucky cousin had to come stay with us for a bit one day from Murfreesboro (about an hour away from us!). But Little Maxwell and K-Bug are the best of friends! We all enjoyed some quality snuggle time while watching Charlie Brown! 🙂
Who can have any education when there hasn’t been a baking soda and vinegar volcano involved? After reading one of her favorite books about Pete the Cat and his supercool science fair volcano, how could we resist? We used some leftover Easter Egg dying kits to make colorful, glittery volcanoes after sprinkler play! Pro-tip: Do these before the sprinkler!
We explored Google’s VR animals! This was so much fun! Here she is pretending to be asleep while a creepy croc comes and does a sneak! 😉
We drew a frog and caterpillar we saw in the bushes this day! Have your child draw what they see in nature. Not only does it make them aware of the world around them but fine motor skills are crucial for learning good penmanship!We found a caterpillar and made a little habitat for it so we could learn about their growth. I can’t wait to see it become a pupa! Did you know that they actually liquify in there?!Peek-a-boo!
Snuggs with my kittay on a bad health day. Push through and keep moving. Rest when you need it. There is nothing shameful in knowing when you can’t go any further.
Hello, hello, everyone! Wow, this has been one calamity after crisis after insanity lately, hasn’t it? I won’t lie, it has been a struggle. For a lot of people all over the world. I’m hearing now of the spread of COVID to places like Sweden and Russia, of the hunger and despair that are running rampant. There have been some really beautiful shows of humanity lately too though and it’s those that I try to really hold to as much as possible.
I haven’t been writing as much lately. Some of you may know that I recently took my small potted planting style and expanded it into a full scale ‘tiny farm’ in my backyard. We’re lucky enough to have a spacious, fenced yard that has plenty of room for growing (though terribly clay soil). It’s taken up a great bulk of my time getting the beds established and seeds started while also giving Little Maxwell the attention and educations she deserves.
But it’s been so rewarding.
Playing with the VR animals on Google. Little Maxwell had a blast!
I feel good, even when I’m tired out from digging up beds and I even managed to DIY an old, unused dog run into a swing for Little Maxwell that she has been entirely in love with. I’ve been delivering books to houses with kids along my street, leaving them in their mailboxes to give them something to do (all sanitized, of course!). They can leave the old book when they’re done to trade it in for a new one or leave a different book of their own if they like it! Again, all sanitized before they come in the house!
Little Maxwell and I have spent our days in the yard, reading more both together and separately. I’ve picked up a really interesting book recently called Shamanism As A Spiritual Practice For Daily Life by Tom Cowan (a pretty ironic name if you ask me). I keep busy. I do what I can for my family when I can. I help my neighbors as much as I can where possible. That’s how we’re getting by in this time.
This flatbread turned out so moist and soft! Yuuuummmm!
A few of my nighbors and I have begun to trade one another for things we may need. Eggs for a blackberry bushling. Spare wire fencing for a dozen farm-laid eggs. Homemade bread for a pumpkin plant. All while keeping our distance, naturally, but it’s really amazed me how things like this just naturally developed.
I don’t really know what I have coming down the pipeline right now. My head is in a bit of a weird place and my heart is somewhere unknown. I’ve been having trouble finding that same passion for things that I usually have and it’s been kind of devastating, if I’m honest. So I’ve been reading a lot. I’ve taken up Minecraft a bit more lately too and that’s something i want to write a little more on soon. Talk about extra cool stuff.
But my heart has just been in a strange place and I don’t know how to find my passion again. Perhaps some meditation. Perhaps some prayer or even more exercise. Either way, I’ll bring you along for the ride!
Where are you emotionally right now? How are you feeling? How is this nightmare affecting you and how do you get through your toughest days? Give me some tips!
Little Journeys Everywhere 