Seeing Halloween threw children’s eyes.

It has been an interesting journey being taken back to being a child by my children. Halloween is much more fun when you are a young child. We have been talking about going out for the last week; our son wants every night to be Halloween. Our daughter has been practicing her “Trick or Treat” technique. She takes any bag she can find and fallows me around the house saying, “Trick or Treat” and holds the bag up expecting me to put candy into it. She is only two, has got the idea and is trying to milk it for all it is worth. I have to laugh each time she does it, but I am also quick to explain that it is not Halloween yet.

For the first time we are in a house and can actually get into decorating for Halloween. We went shopping with our kids and picked up some small Halloween decorations for the house. All our windows have those plastic cling pictures. We made bats, spiders and pumpkins out of craft paper and they are all over our walls. For the first time we made a real jack-o-lantern. Every year before we would just colour the pumpkin. This year we coloured the pumpkin for a week and then today we carved it.

It was a great fun. I don’t remember ever making a jack-o-lantern when I was a kid. My kids kept talking about it, so we decided it was time to make one. Our son was excited about it until he realised he had to put his hand into the pumpkin, and get pumpkin guts on his hands. Our daughter was in there pulling as many pumpkin guts out as she could with her little hands and then had to wash them and back to the pumpkin again. Once we got our son to try and clean the pumpkin he was ok. Fun was had by all. Both kids watched in fascination as Daddy cut a face into the pumpkin and Mom took the seeds out of the pumpkin guts. We toasted the seeds, but the only one who will eat them is our son.

We put a candle into the jack-o-lantern and our kids started asking if it was a birthday and tried to blow the candle out. They had to put their faces right up to the nose of the jack-o-lantern and blow. They could not blow it out, but they sure tried. It was funny to watch. Once it got dark we put the jack-o-lantern in our living room and turned out the lights. All of a sudden the jack-o-lantern went from fun to wow for the kids.

The kids have known what they want to go out as on Halloween for the last month. Our son will be a knight, and our daughter wants to be a dragon but we do have a few other costumes just in case she does the same thing as she did last year. She was already to be a dragon right up to the point of putting on the costume just before going trick or treating. She ended up as Pikachu because it was the only other costume we had that fit her.

I am not sure if it is more fun to be a kid at Halloween or a parent. It has been a lot of fun seeing how much the kids are getting into the holiday. They are so excited; I hope it does not rain. We are dressing them warm, taking the bus to the street we have always gone to. It is only one little street but every one on the street participates in Halloween. All the houses are decorated and the people love to see little kids dressed up. For the last two years people went out and bought little pumpkins for our son because he loves them. The first year he did Halloween he kept trying to take every ones pumpkins, so they remembered and had little ones for him to put in his bag. It is a little out of our way now that we have moved but I would not even think of not going to this street for Halloween.

I hope every one out there gets as much fun and joy out of Halloween as our kids and we are.

Humour: When right is not right

I was explaining to my son how to properly carry an umbrella when not using it. I spent some time explaining about keeping the point down. No using it to point or poke at things, like his sister or using it as a sword. I figured he understood but just wanted to make sure. So I asked him, “where do you point your umbrella?” He quickly responded with “Down”. So I said “right”. Only to get this look from him that said,” what do you want down or right?” It made me think of all the other times using the word right leads to confusion and mayhem.

We have all had or heard these or similar conversations on road trips.

In the car:
“So I turn left?”
“Right”
“Right, so I have to turn right?”
“NO Left”
“But you just said RIGHT!”

At a rest stop:
“I did not get us lost, you gave the wrong directions. I asked if we turned left, and you said right. It is not my fault we in the wrong place!”

Then you have other questions that lead to some confusion.

“So the engagement ring goes on the left hand?”
“Right”

“So I am seating every one on the left side?”
“You are right, you are seating the grooms friends and family”
Only to get,
“Why are you seating the grooms family on the brides side? The left side is for the grooms family”
“But you said I was seating people on the right!”

“So I need to print this report?”
“Right”
“So I have to write the report?”
“Well yes you do have to write it, it has to be your work not some one else’s!”

Next time you find your self in a situation like this find the humour in it. It happens to all of us, and it is better to laugh at it then argue over it. And start using the words “you are correct”.

It is that time of year again, time to help others

So it is that time of the year again. Thanksgiving is over in Canada and soon to be in the States. We are all starting on putting that average 11 lbs between now and Christmas. We are starting to get ready for Halloween but thinking about Christmas. It is also the time we start to think about those who do not have. It is the time for people to step up and help other celebrate Christmas. It is the time we start putting things into the food bank box and soon the toy boxes will show up in all the malls.

So what can we do? What effect can one person have on the ever-growing tide of people in need? I think of it this way, if one person helps even just a little it is better then no one helping at all. If we all do a little a lot gets done, a lot is given. So it may feel like you are not doing much by adding a can or bag to the food bank box, but you are because it all adds up. If no one gives though, even a little bit, lots of people will go with out.

I know that with the gas prices so high, all prices have gone up. It is hard enough at times to pay for what you need let alone buy stuff for other people. Well there is one thing we can do. When there is an item on sale, by ONE extra and put it into the food bank box. If we do that every time we shop it is not going to hit us so hard in the pocket book and it helps people out.

I keep an eye out all year for toy sales. Some times I can find them at 75% to 90% of at Zellers clearance tables. I buy them when they are on sale and then store them till Christmas. That way I can still afford to put some thing new and nice in to the mall or the police station, or radio station toy boxes when money is really tight for me.

It is stress full trying to buy things for your own family at Thanksgiving and Christmas let alone trying to buy for other people’s kids. However, I can not help thinking that no matter how hard or bad it can get for us, there is always some one else more in need. I cannot help but think of the kids who have nothing to open on Christmas day and no Christmas dinner and how it would feel to be that child’s parent. Having to look at my kids face when there is nothing (or very, very little) for them to open Christmas day. Knowing that I don’t have the money to buy the gifts my child asked Santa for, let alone special food for Christmas dinner. If we all do what little we can, we can make a difference for some one else.

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving and a turkey pizza recipe

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving.

May every one find some thing to be thankful for in their lives!

I am thankful that:
We are in a new home, are healthy and together, with room to actually have guests over.
Our cupboards are full even though our bank account is not.
We survived a long weekend with two big meals, and hyper kids because we had guests over.
The butcher at the grocery story was willing to cut up a turkey so we could buy one of the breasts. That way we could afford to have turkey this year – even though the one breast was $14.00.
The turkey was not over cooked, nor was it dry. It was perfect for the first time.

So what to do with all that left over turkey? Well we came up with a recipe a few years ago for turkey pizza.
You get a shell (or make one)
Use ranch dressing (or tomato sauce if you like) on the shell
Add the leftovers onto the shell then cover with cheese.
I like it with turkey, stuffing and a bit of cranberry sauce, not every one likes it with cranberry sauce though. We some times add whatever vegetables we had left over, though not potatoes.

Most times it ends up ranch dressing, turkey, stuffing and cheese.

We love it so much we would take some of the turkey and stuffing and freeze it so we could make the pizza other times.

The Magic Cauldron October 2007

The Magic Cauldron
Newsletter of http://www.medievalmagic.ca/

October Newsletter


What is new with Medieval Magic.

All right everyone here it is.

Our “Halloween Spooktacular - All Hollows Eve Celebration”

Look for some great sales and fabulous new items over the next month for Halloween. Costumes, Ornaments, and anything scary we can come up with.

It is time to fright for the scariest ideas of the season. I have some suede left from the festivals and will be making some new items for our costume section. Along with some heavier leather for some scary new accents. We will also be bringing in some items for accessories to go with them. So keep an eye on our Garb and Costume section.

We do have a few custom orders for the holidays, but still have room for a few more.

As our goal is to bring our Customers the highest quality and variety we would be happy to hear from our readers about any items they would like to have available. Please click Here to let us know.

Featured Products

Smoky Black Glass Skull Earrings
Smoky Black Glass Skull Earrings. Hypoallergenic earring hooks. Earrings hang 4 cm’s. Skulls are 1.5 cm x 1 cm x 1 cm. Please see our necklaces if you are interested in a matched set, as I have also used this skull for necklaces.

Red Leather Pentagram / Pentacle Necklace
Handcrafted Large Red Waxed Leather Pentagram / Pentacle Necklace. The pendant is drawn, cut burned, painted and waxed by hand. The pendant is 5.5 cm x 5.5 cm x .4 cm. The cord is 19 inches or 48 cm.Like a Christian cross, the pentagram tends to be the religious symbol of the Pagan religions. It encompasses elemental beliefs and is one of the strongest protective amulets ever "designed". The Pentagram dates back thousands of years to pre-Babylonian Sumer, roughly about 3500 BC. Many religions have once used this symbol; the Jewish people saw it as a symbol of the Five Books of Moses, and Christians once used it as a protective amulet. According to Heather Child's Christian Symbols, Ancient and Modern, the pentagram is a symbol of the five senses. Also, when the letters S, A, L, V, and S are inscribed in the points, the pentagram is a symbol of health. It has been called such things as the Druid's Foot and the Witches' Star. The Druzee, descendents of exiles from Fatimid Dynasty-ruled Egypt also keep a five-colour pentagram as their symbol. The pentagram appears on the shield of Sir Gawain in the 14th Century poem, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. In the poem the five lines of the star are given multiple meanings: they represent the five senses, five fingers, the five wounds of Christ, the five joys that Mary had of Jesus (the Annunciation, the Nativity, the Resurrection, the Ascension and the Assumption), and the five virtues of knighthood which Gawain hopes to embody: frankness, fellowship, purity, courtesy and compassion. It would seem as though the Pentacle is gaining a new meaning in Modern-day Paganism, in that it is seen as a unifying symbol of the Pagan community. In modern day Witch Craft, the Pentacle tends to be used more than the pentagram. Each point of the Pentagram traditionally represents one of the five metaphysical elements of the ancients. The pentagram represents Spirit ruling over the four elements. The Pentacle is simply a pentagram with a circle around it. This symbolizes eternity, totality, and unity. It emphasizes the interconnectivity of all of the elements. The direct and indirect relation of one element to the other. Spirit (At the topmost point) - Represents the All and the Divine Air (East): Intellect, Imagination, Knowledge, Mental Powers, Vision, Psychic Powers, Wisdom (Upper left hand corner) - Represents Intelligence and the Arts Earth (North): Money, Prosperity, Fertility, Healing, Employment, The Body, Foundation, Strength (Lower left hand corner) - Represents Stability and Physical Endurance Fire (South): Will, Vitality, Passion, Lust, Courage, Strength, Exorcism, Protection, Health (Lower right hand corner) - Represents Courage and Daring Water (West): Emotion, Intuition, Compassion, Sleep, Meditation, Purification, Prophetic


Principles Of Wicca - Vivianne Crowley
Wicca is the religion of Witchcraft or Wisecraft. It is based on the spirituality of our ancestors - a worship of Goddess, God and the natural universe - in a form meaningful to women and men today. Wicca is a magical path witch empowers us to grow, change and heal. It is a harmony with the universe, others and ourselves.This introductory guide explains:Witchcraft ancient and modernthe Divine as Goddess and Godveneration of Naturemagic and spellcraftcreating ritualwhere to find out more.


Special Promotions

We have placed all children’s costumes at 50% off. And for the rest of the month keep an eye on our “Sales” category for any others prices that may “drop” dead.

Monthly Coupon

Because we will be doing sales over the next three months for the holidays. We will not be issuing coupons

Contest Winner

Aug.-Sept. Contest - We would like to Congratulate RENEE for winning our Aug.-Sept. Contest. The contest prize was a $10 Certificate to our site.


Our current contest for a $10.00 gift certificate will run from Oct. 1st till October 31st, 2007.You must find this picture to enter. Just tell us the day and what the sku # is.

Festivals

Festival Season is over.

Articles


Pentacle, Pentagram – Anonymous Submission

Like a Christian cross, the pentagram tends to be the religious symbol of the Pagan religions. It encompasses elemental beliefs and is one of the strongest protective amulets ever "designed". The Pentagram dates back thousands of years to pre-Babylonian Sumer, roughly about 3500 BC. Many religions have once used this symbol; the Jewish people saw it as a symbol of the Five Books of Moses, and Christians once used it as a protective amulet. According to Heather Child's Christian Symbols, Ancient and Modern, the pentagram is a symbol of the five senses. Also, when the letters S, A, L, V, and S are inscribed in the points, the pentagram is a symbol of health. It has been called such things as the Druid's Foot and the Witches' Star. The Druzee, descendents of exiles from Fatimid Dynasty-ruled Egypt also keep a five-colored pentagram as their symbol.

The pentagram appears on the shield of Sir Gawain in the 14th Century poem, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. In the poem the five lines of the star are given multiple meanings: they represent the five senses, five fingers, the five wounds of Christ, the five joys that Mary had of Jesus (the Annunciation, the Nativity, the Resurrection, the Ascension and the Assumption), and the five virtues of knighthood which Gawain hopes to embody: frankness, fellowship, purity, courtesy and compassion. It would seem as though the Pentacle is gaining a new meaning in Modern-day Paganism, in that it is seen as a unifying symbol of the Pagan community. In modern day Witch Craft, the Pentacle tends to be used more than the pentagram.

Each point of the Pentagram traditionally represents one of the five metaphysical elements of the ancients. The pentagram represents Spirit ruling over the four elements. The Pentacle is simply a pentagram with a circle around it. This symbolizes eternity, totality, and unity. It emphasizes the interconnectivity of all of the elements. The direct and indirect relation of one element to the other.

Spirit (At the topmost point) - Represents the All and the Divine

Air (East): Intellect, Imagination, Knowledge, Mental Powers, Vision, Psychic Powers, Wisdom (Upper left hand corner) - Represents Intelligence and the Arts

Earth (North): Money, Prosperity, Fertility, Healing, Employment, The Body, Foundation, Strength (Lower left hand corner) - Represents Stability and Physical Endurance

Fire (South): Will, Vitality, Passion, Lust, Courage, Strength, Exorcism, Protection, Health (Lower right hand corner) - Represents Courage and Daring

Water (West): Emotion, Intuition, Compassion, Sleep, Meditation, Purification, Prophetic Dreams, Healing, Love, Friendships, Fidelity (Upper right hand corner) - Represents Emotions and Intuition.

The Circle (Around the Star) - Represents the God-Goddess it refracts and reflects all Light, bringing to the wearer Intelligence, Universal Wisdom, and Protection.


If you would like to submit an article, question or Business Ad for the newsletter, we welcome your submission. Please see the Newsletter section on our site for submission deadlines and conditions.

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Medieval Magic

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BABY FALL

We are walking home with our two kids today. The two year old comes out with, “BABY FALL!” What? What baby fall? We stop and look around to see what she is talking about. Don’t see any baby. Wait a second, is that a baby climbing out of some bushes. Yes it is. We are by a row of town houses and the baby is crawling/climbing out of a bush by the front steps of one of the town houses.

Ok where did this baby come from? And where are the parents? Look around, no adults around. Could the baby have come from the house he was in front of? James goes and helps the baby up and then bangs on the door. A young lady opens the door, and James asked, “Are you missing some thing?” and then points down to the baby. Her response as she dragged, not picked up, the baby into the house, “How did that happen?” She yanked the kid in by the arm and shut the door on James face. No “Thank you for returning my child” or any thing.

James looked into the window. They had a table up against the window, and had cut the screen so the cat could go in and out. The baby must have climbed the table and crawled out the window and fell into the bush. The lady did not even know her kid was gone. Any one could have taken him, or he could have crawled to the street just a few feet away. He was so small no one would have seen him in time to stop. This was such a dangerous thing to happen and she did not even notice. Some how I don’t think they are going to make any changes to make sure this does not happen again.

It is a good thing our “baby” saw her baby fall. We could have walked by and never seen the baby if we had not been looking for one. The baby was too small to talk and there was nothing to let any one know where this kid came from. If we had walked by who knows where that baby would have crawled to or ended up. Not that we would, but we could have walked away with that baby, no one the wiser.

I just don’t get this lady though. Some strange guy bangs on your door with your baby, what would you do? Me, I would be trying to find out how he got my baby in the first place, not closing a door in his face.