"My soul is full of longing for the secret of the sea, and the heart of the great ocean sends a thrilling pulse through me." – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Our names are like the first identifier we’re ever given. Unless your mine and Mr Kisby’s child. In that case you get your name three days later.
Names often have meaning. Even when we started picking our own handles for IM and email as teenagers, there was thought that went into those names. I’m guessing I thought dicaprio_cutie was somehow going to get Leo to fall in love with me. Spoiler: He didn’t. Fact: We’ve never met.
Every moniker we have says something about ourselves or “our brand” to use popular context. Just from The Great Kaysby you can tell I love The Great Gatsby. You could also infer that I think I’m pretty great. 🤣
So today when I found out I have to rename one of my social media pages to fit new standards, I was unsure of what to think. What do I want to convey? What am I okay with for at least 60 days? What will be catchy without inducing eye rolls?
There’s a lot to a name!
Anyone else get anxiety when coming up handles? Is it just me?
Photo by Du039bVu039e Gu039bRCIu039b on Pexels.com
10:44 at night and I find myself thinking about sushi. Makes me think that maybe I shouldn’t have already declared tomorrow an “at home day.” It would be so fun to have a sushi lunch! Maybe a bento box with it… If not tomorrow, then what about the next day? I start to think things like maybe sushi after church on Thursday morning would be good. After all, I’ll already be out. It’s just 30 minutes in the wrong direction to get sushi.
I’ll sleep on it.
Spoiler, I’m 95% most likely not going to get sushi either day.
It’s not that I don’t really want the sushi. Trust me, if there is an opportunity to eat sushi, I’m going to have at least a Tuna Roll. Perhaps even a California Roll, Cucumber Roll, or Thai Roll too! But I don’t need the sushi.
If we are always giving into our wants – like if we really go get sushi each time we want it – what are we illustrating about our willpower and want versus need to our children? Mr Kisby and I have really been attempting to stress to LilKsby the importance of whether a want for something is fleeting (aka forgotten by morning) or an actual want that is worth waiting for. We’ve tried to stress this to him when it comes to things like picking out toys and food to eat (especially going out versus staying in). What we’ve found is that often times the things we want are only wants for a brief time period. Then after we get it we find ourselves thinking “Why did we put money, time, energy, effort, etc into said item?”
With LilKsby we often discuss how much joy something will bring him along with a need versus a want. Oftentimes when I talk about these things with him, I reflect on my own things that I sometimes mislabel as a need like the sushi. Like I tell him, I need water, food (see maybe I do need sushi), oxygen, shelter, clothes, exercise, and good hygiene. Pretty much everything else is a want. Of course wants have their place! If someone offered me a legit free trip to the Bahamas just because I don’t need it doesn’t mean I wouldn’t go. Plus wanting things gives us goals, and our wants don’t have to be materialistic. For example, this month I want to complete a Digital Marketing course to help improve our businesses. I also want to be able to do 15 in-person skin care consults. These wants are not bad at all, and they have the possibility to be way more beneficial than wanting something like a box of crayons when I already have some!
Like anything with parenting, discussing wants versus needs is a work in progress. It also takes a lot of strength because I believe all of us would 100% get everything our kids ever asked for if it possible and reasonable. No offense, I’m never buying LilKsby his own pony. I barely like scooping cat litter. I am not cleaning pony poop!
11:00…maybe I should go to bed and see if I still want sushi in the morning!
Which fictional world would be the most fun to vacation in?
I love pondering this question. There are so many fictional worlds that contain factors that make them appealing, but all of them seem to have problems. For example, Middle Earth seems fun to a degree. Hobbiton looks calm and full of kindness, and Rivendell is breathtaking. However, if you find yourself in the wrong place, you have to deal with orcs and uruks. Not fun. Likewise Isla Nublar is a thrilling concept when the dinosaurs aren’t breaking out and eating people (and each other). If you can get past that, then you might just love the lush nature. Even a place as charming as Oz isn’t without problems. Sure Munchkinland is cute, but in the book the Emerald City was a sham. Plus, in the book you had to deal with wolves and desserts in addition to witches and winged monkeys. Suffice to say, I can’t really think of a fictional world I’d want to live in as they all have their problems. Plus, I really like my world with my people, pets, and bed.
I haven’t blogged in a month and a half. I’ve had the intention to pause and post, but somehow the minutes, hours, days, and weeks have slipped passed me. When I look back over our calendar, I can tell that we’ve been blessed to have a full schedule. Yet at the same time, I find myself thinking: where did the time go?
Can you relate?
I would love to say that I have missed out on connecting with my readers because I have had something MAJOR, something EARTH SHATTERING, something GINORMOUS happening. Reality is I have spent a lot of evenings participating in summer reading challenges, playing Duolingo and Minecraft, and re-watching favorite shows.
Can you relate to me now?
I have spent a good portion of the time as Mama Taxi shuttling LilKsby around to different activities like swim lessons and summer reading. I have also spent a great deal of time going through parts of our house and purging unneeded items. I’ve also done my best to make the schedule as easy as possible on Mr. Kisby as he’s working to complete his Masters program.
If you’re a mama and wife, I know you’re starting to relate to me!
I’ve also been volunteering and working on publishing my next novel. “Maple Frost” is almost complete, and fingers crossed will be out within the next four days! ❤ I’m also ramping up for the school year to begin and having a plethora of ideas for projects to tackle next.
Can you relate?
What have you been up to the last few weeks? I bet I can relate!
XOXO,
The Great Kaysby
“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately…”
The older I get, the more I understand what Thoreau was implying when he wrote about his time at Walden Pond. Admittedly, I would have a difficult time adopting his practices of simplicity, but I understand the yearning to be around nature, pursue things that bring genuine joy, and declutter. Plus, if I have a friend who will let me build a cabin on their land for free, then that sounds cool too! Let’s say we don’t have a buddy with a lake and some woods or the carpentry skills to build our own house. Can we still live like Thoreau?
Maybe.
It wouldn’t be easy, but it would be possible to live with less material things. Likewise, it would be possible to unplug from technology and do things the archaic way with pen and paper. Plus, how much happier would you be if you daily took time to pursue your passions and purpose? Perhaps the world would be a more peaceful place!
I love this question! Officially, the answer to this question is no. However, it is highly likely that the answer is yes because of not going to have injuries checked. Back in our LARP days, I likely broke two – possibly three – fingers on my left hand. Since I knew that if they were broken, they would likely just be taped together, I just did that myself. I also might have fractured or broken my wrist roller skating as a kid. At the very least it was likely sprained because it hurt for a week. I’m no stranger to minor hurts and sprains!
As Miss Congeniality taught us “April 25 is the perfect date because it’s not too hot or cold, so all you need is a light jacket.” Oh wait…the question wasn’t describe your perfect date! It said describe your favorite type of weather.
Weather is fascinating, and I find that I love all different types of it and cannot choose one favorite. For example, I love snowy weather especially when I can sit inside with a warm beverage next to our fake fireplace and watch out the window. I love feeling like I’m somewhere between inside of a snow globe and in a Hallmark movie. I also love stormy weather! Let me preface this by saying I do not like tornadoes. However, there is nothing like watching a thunderstorm move across an open field or playing outside in a warm summer storm. Plus, I’m a big fan of sleeping while it’s storming or raining heavily. The sounds can be very comforting! Finally, I love sunny weather that’s perfect for outdoor activities like gardening, golf, hiking, and water activities. This weather leads to a lot of family fun!
The weather I’m not a fan of? Wind warnings, sleet, and ice storms. Those have all led to some not fun times!!
Since we began homeschooling LilKsby when he was three, I have heard a lot of different misconceptions about what it means to homeschool. Today, I saw some that really take the cake. I kept thinking about these throughout the day, and though I know the people who were commenting on this particular post will never see my blog, I want to bust a few myths about homeschooling.
Myth #1 – Homeschool students don’t learn science. Let’s start with the one that left me the most shocked. I understand that there are some people that teach science with a non-secular world view. However, most families we know who homeschool including ourselves either use a science curriculum, piece their own together, or do a combo of both (what we do). He’s only 6, but LilKsby has learned about the solar system, dinosaurs, a variety of animals, various ecosystems, plants (including having to grow some), the water cycle, and more. He enjoys science so much that this morning (a Saturday morning) he woke us up and asked us to read about The Big Bang. We have also done more science experiments than I can count!
Myth #2 – Homeschool students can’t learn because their parents aren’t college educated and/or teachers. Let me count the ways that I can bust this myth! First of all, most curriculums for homeschool are designed in a way that anyone can teach the child(ren) no matter their educational or occupational background. Two, within our homeschool community, many of the parents are former teachers myself included. Additionally, many of the homeschool parents I know have at least one college degree. In our house, we have two parents with five degrees between us. I’m not usually one to brag about our levels of education, but sometimes I like to remind people that, “Yes, I am qualified to teach LilKsby” and “Yes, Mr. Kisby is qualified to teach LilKsby.”
Myth #3 – Homeschool students never get any socialization. Actually, LilKsby gets socialization with a variety of ages across a multitude of settings. First of all, we are part of a homeschool group. We have events multiple times a year. Guess what they include? Socialization! We also have opportunities to participate in a plethora of events at the library, gyms, and stores. Along this same line, LilKsby has no problem interacting with adults in settings that are going to benefit him as an adult. He can order his own food in a restaurant; he can talk with the bank teller or cashier at the grocery. He also knows how to ask for assistance in a store if we can’t find something.
Myth #4 – Homeschool students never go on field trips. Off the top of my head, this school year alone we’ve had eight field trips. They’ve been science, history, and performance arts related. Hey, look! There’s science showing up again!
“Lose yourself in the music the moment, you own it, you better never let it go.”
I can’t be the only one who saw this prompt and thought of those song lyrics, right? (Side note LilKsby hates when I end questions to him with “right?”) But sometimes I do lose myself in the music that I’m listening to. Music is powerful! I can hear a song lyric and be mentally teleported back to a moment when that song lyric was significant. Song lyrics remind me of events, people, places, etc. Hearing a song lyric often leads to trips down memory lane. Just yesterday, “Walking in Memphis” was playing in a restaurant, and I immediately thought back to a cousin’s funeral. The connection between music and our minds is hauntingly beautiful.
I am also prone to losing myself in my writing. I did a writing retreat at the beginning of the month, and I was enamored by how much I could sit and write with intentional, focused time. I’m not sure exactly how many chapters I cranked out, but it was a lot. I am super excited for this Hallmark-esque romance to get published soon!
I have also been known to get lost in things that our entertaining. Last weekend, I binged episodes of Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief. I couldn’t believe that I literally sat there and watched five episodes. That’s not something I do! Just today, I got caught up playing Minecraft. I’ve been getting lost in video games since like 1988. When it’s Countdown to Christmas season, I get lost in Hallmark movies. There’s just something calming about knowing there is going to be a happening.
Now it’s time to get lost in writing my next chapter!
If I could only ever share one piece of advice when it comes to raising children, it would be this: LET THEM BE BORED! As a parent myself, I know that this tidbit is going to be met with protest, complaining, perhaps a little crying (from both of you lol), and grumpiness. However, it is important to stay strong and provide your child(ren) the opportunity to be bored.
Why?
Think back to your own childhood when you were bored. Those times of boredom taught you a lot of lessons. One, they taught you independence. Times of boredom allowed you to figure out on your own how to find things to do and learn what you were interested in. Two, they taught you how to be creative. The moments you are bored are the moments that a paper bag becomes a toy or a cardboard box becomes a house! Finally, the moments of boredom taught us how to survive without being entertained 24/7. Kids (even my own) struggle with learning to entertain themselves because they never have to. All of this is why I’m working on allowing LilKsby to be bored. It’ll benefit him in the long run!
In a fast paced, almost always connected world, the most important lesson is to stop and watch the animals. Today, we seized the day, and we went to the zoo instead of doing our typical homeschool day. One of the best parts of the day was when we sat and ate snacks while watching the lions and giraffes! Watching them filled me with such a sense of calm and peace. The feeling was enhanced by the warm sun on my face, gentle breeze blowing through the trees, and the refreshing sent of outside air. It was one of those feelings that served to remind me of the importance of slowing down and being present in the little moments. During this crazy time of year, I think we could all use a moment to stop and watch the animals!
If you would have asked me this question as a teenager, I probably would have made a comment about how brands don’t matter. Now as an adult, there are a lot of areas where I would still agree with this. However, as I have become more knowledgeable about issues that matter to me, my stance on brands has changed a bit. I will openly share with people who ask about brands/companies that I no longer support because of their social responsibility, environmental issues, etc. I also share that I fully realize that the companies do not feel a dent in their profits from my choice to not use them, but I feel that my peaceful protest (channeling Thoreau, Ghandi, and King) provides me with a clean heart. Is it a perfect plan? No. Especially given a world where it is hard to truly know what a brand stands for as available information can have inconsistencies. I also do my best to not judge those who are willing to spend their dollars with brands that I do not utilize.
So what do I utilize? I like Letters & Lore! letterslore.com I’ve worked with them on a few publications. I also love #mymklife and the brand that I am creating with thegreatkaysby on Instagram. For our homeschooling (though our values do not 100% align), I love Sonlight and Abeka. In this case, I use what doesn’t align with our beliefs as a learning opportunity. For craft/art supplies, I go to Michael’s. Whenever possible I prefer to support local brands/businesses.
Everyone has the same number of minutes in a day: 1,440. The way those minutes are spent varies from person to person, but one thing always seems to remain constant. There never seems to be enough time in the day for everything that a person wants to do. However, with infinite time, I could think of a few things I would do more!
Paint – I love painting, but when I sit down to do it, I want at least two solid hours of painting time.
Scrapbooking – I love looking at pictures and making precious pages of our best memories. I also enjoy scrapbook competitions!
Writing – Really working on doing this more. I really want to finish my second non-fiction book soon, and the topic seems very pertinent.
Video Games – Since I was five, I have loved playing video games. I will 100% own up to the being that adult who loves to game.
Puzzles – I love compelting puzzles! Once I start one, I become hooked on completing it. We have stayed up until 3 in the morning completing puzzles before!
Traveling – I love to travel! If time (and money) were infinite, this is where I would be.
Sewing – I love to sew, but again I need bigger time blocks to do it!
Exercise – I would love to spend more time walking, doing yoga, and swimming!
Working – I work what most would consider “side hustles” and more time (and energy) would be great for these!
Studying – I love learning! With more time, I would take a lot more free courses online or watch more instructional videos.
Improve my piano skills and learn guitar!
It’s hard to work all of these into your schedule when you also homeschool and enjoy being involved in community activities! Maybe I should give up sleep, LOL!
When I started this blog in 2018, my idea was to make a blog about travel and food. I like to fancy myself a “foodie” and “travel lover” with big hopes that someone will pay me to eat and travel in exchange for my opinions. That hasn’t happened yet! Cruise lines, I’m looking at you!!! LOL Though the direction of my blog has changed over the years, my love of food has not!
So what are my favorite types of foods? Let me break it down!
Comfort Foods – Pizza, French Fries, Bread Products with Butter
Cold Weather – Chili, French Onion Soup, Tomato Soup with croutons and parmesan cheese
Craving Salty – Chips – especially sour cream and onion or ones that I can dip in ranch
Condiments – Ranch and mayo
Italian – Pasta with olive oil and parmesan cheese, breadsticks, pizza
Chinese – Egg drop soup, fried rice, various chicken dishes
Hibachi – rice, sushi
Fast Food – Zaxby’s (because they are consistent no matter where we go)
Carryout Pizza – Casey’s Taco Pizza and Cheesesticks, Domino’s
Now do you see why I originally started a food blog? Now I’m hungry!
Daily prompts are interesting. The questions are often simultaneously simple and thought provoking. Someone’s answer might simply be a single word like “sleep”; someone’s answer might be items from their daily to do list. Another person may have something fun planned with friends, family, church, or a civic group. I definitely first thought of all the things on my to do list, but then I started to realize that each of those things is teaching a bigger lesson to LilKsby. What do I mean?
Wash the dishes – shows that we place value on a clean home and taking care of our things.
Promote our businesses – shows dedication to our respective crafts while also showing that we understand work is necessary to make our dreams come true
Responding to business and personal messages – shows that we value the relationships we are building and value positive communication
Follow up to an event today – shows the importance of following up on your new contacts to begin building relationships
Looking over lessons and resetting for the next school day – shows that we value learning while also wanting to be organized and prepared
Likewise, Mr Kisby will be doing schoolwork this evening. This shows our little one the value of pursuing educational opportunities to further your career and improve your skills. All of this goes to show that when it comes to those around us often what is caught has a bigger impact that what is taught. But for now…I’m having some wings this evening!
The Great Kaysby 