Hello December!

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized

Hello everyone! It’s December, the last month of the year – already! Didn’t we just have New Year’s? This year certainly flew by. I will be doing a look back later, but for now, I want to just look forward to this month.

I talk a lot about slowing down, enjoying the quiet of this month, as it gets darker so much earlier, drawing us all in, indoors and maybe also, drawing us in for some more introspective thoughts, reflection, spiritual and otherwise. It is the month of the Quiet Full Moon, at least in the Kid’s Moon Club my son is in, and I can see why it was called that. We are drawing in, quieting ourselves and our spirits. (January is also known as the Quiet Moon, but Wyatt likes the alternate version of course, of the Wolf Moon).

The last few days winter has arrived fast and furious with very low temperatures here in the Mitten state. Some cities in Michigan have received up to 23 inches of snow already! Today we actually have a terrible weather forecast, that has low to zero visibility, snow squalls, flash freezes, and arctic temps but then we are back to normal in a few days. I am just keeping my fingers crossed that we don’t get all that. I like winter and snow but I don’t want anything crazy!!

I love to be outside in the cold, the crunch of the snow underfoot. It is just so refreshing and invigorating. I feel like it just sweeps through me and clears out anything negative hanging around. And to me, one of my favorite places to be is in the cold winter woods at night (but with Billy, not alone). We always go on an owl prowl every winter and it is one of my favorite things, walking through the woods with Billy and our friends the interpreters and other people excited about seeing little screech owls. There is something indescribable about waiting there silently, waiting for the owl to call back to let us know it is there. They have silent flight so you will never hear them fly in, but if you keep your eyes on the horizon at the right time, you might catch a glimpse of one.

I am being mindful this year to not overload us with too many activities- I want to do just enough. Just that right amount of going out, of seeing the lights and being a part of festivities, but also time at home spent baking and making and watching Christmas movies. All those good old nostalgic kids movies, Mickey’s Christmas Carol, Emmett Otter’s Jug Band Christmas (a personal favorite of mine), A Muppet Christmas Carol, Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas – they just bring all the feels. And of course some just for Billy and I too, like the Man Who Invented Christmas or Chevy Chase’s Christmas Vacation.

We are also listening to Father Christmas by Tolkien together every night, as well as reading from the All Creation Waits Advent book. It is all so very peaceful in my soul, with this.

We decorated for Christmas the other day, and put our tree up. I have shared this before, but our tree is special to me. The year Wyatt was born was rough. He was born 6 weeks early, with health complications and spent 6 weeks in the NICU. When he came home, it was also a lot, with a little preemie who didn’t want to eat. He was just a tiny guy! Billy missed a lot of work and we will forever be grateful to his work who understood and allowed him to miss when he had to. It was a costly year, and when Christmas rolled around, we realized we didn’t have a tree. Then our guardian angel, a friend of our family named Faye, who I had known since I was a baby, sent us a card with a little extra in it, and told us to use it for Wyatt’s Christmas. We were able to buy some gifts for him, and a tree. She passed away soon after that, and the world lost a great light with her passing. But whenever I bring that tree out and put it up, I am reminded of Faye, and her kindness and compassion. And her laugh, her big laugh that could fill a room. She was a very special woman.

And I need to wipe these tears now.

I haven’t taken many photos yet, because I am not quite done decorating. I hope to finish up this weekend.

And, I think I am going to wrap this up for tonight, and start making dinner.

Stay safe everyone! And whatever you do tonight, do something that makes you smile.

25 thoughts on “Hello December!”

  1. I love this post, Erin. I loved hearing about Faye and her kind gift after Wyatt was born. I can see why the tree is so very special to you. Your holiday plan sounds just lovely. Fun family movies, time together. Just the way it should be. Hope this storm doesn’t materialize as much as they think! Stay cozy!

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  2. marsha57's avatar marsha57

    Your winter plan is such a nice one. The one thing I don’t like about winter is itchy skin. I forget to put lotion on my legs, and then they drive me crazy until I put some on! I think an owl prowl would be lots of fun. I love seeing hawks in the sky, but I usually just see crows. Your Faye sounds like quite the wonderful person. I have so many Christmas decorations, and I’ve been thinking about getting rid of some of it. But, I’m not sure my daughter or daughter-in-law would want it. It takes me at least three days to decorate.

    https://marshainthemiddle.com/

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    1. Ugh yuck I don’t like that either! I try to remember as well and don’t always succeed!

      Crows are cool! You should totally try to make friends with them!

      Faye was awesome. She was also my first boss. She was the vice president of a major banking firm (?) and she hired me for the summer. I remember she asked me to make some phone calls and I told her I was too nervous so she did it. LOL. I did get better by the end of the summer. She was the easiest nicest boss ever.

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  4. Sending you a hug, your memory of Faye sounds really very sweet.

    I hate winter personally. It’s not so much the cold although that can play a part sometimes, but not even as a child did I like snow. I was often sick – which didn’t have to do with the snow, but it didn’t help as no one knew what the problem was at the time – and maybe that’s why I have hardly any good memories connected with it.
    I’m very much a fall and rain girl 🙂

    Cat
    https://catswire.blogspot.com/

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    1. Thank you Cat. She was an amazing woman.

      Being sick all winter would definitely make me not like winters as well! The only thing I dislike about winter is the lack of color around here. I think that is why I fill my house with it!

      I love fall and rain too! I am not a fan of summer though.

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  5. What a lovely story about Faye and your tree! I think your winter plans sound charming and lovely. We’re going through difficult times here so it’s cheering and instructive to hear about other people’s different months. No snow here, though – we had some in November and that might be it, you never know!

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      1. Thank you so much. We have two declining elders in my parents-in-law, really tricky to deal with both. Fingers crossed, they are going into respite care for 2 weeks at the end of the year and if they like the place and it has spaces they may move in, which will be a big relief … apart from the issue of financing it all. But they will be safe for the meantime.

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  6. A Kid’s Moon Club sounds like so much fun! What a great way to get together and learn.

    That is a lot of snow! Thankfully it doesn’t start hitting us that early in Missouri.

    Your description oh how to spend December sounds perfect? I hope we all get to do that. Thank you for sharing the sweet story of Faye. It’s so nice that the tree brings back such sweet memories.

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    1. It was a neat find! It really does provide a really unique framework for the kids to learn about the moon and then each month they learn about different things going on in nature at that time, and read books, do crafts. So much. It is really cool.

      It is crazy! We don’t have that but some of those cities got that much in one day. It was wild.

      And thank you Carla. 🙂

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  10. Faye sounds like an extraordinary woman. Not many people help in such a meaningful and special way. This month I’m focusing on going slowly and taking care of myself and enjoying small things. I always end up spread so thin this time of year and I’m not doing that anymore. Happy December.

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  11. That story of Faye is so sweet. I’ve seen your tree and I just love it. It is super cozy…and I’m not just saying that!

    I would love to hear and see the owls but I’m not sure I would love to have to walk in the snow to do it! Yuck!

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  12. This blog post exudes such a lovely sense of tranquility and reflection, especially as we approach the end of the year. I love how you bring in personal stories and experiences that add a heartfelt touch to the season. Your description of the winter woods and the owl prowl are so vivid and captivating. It truly feels like a peaceful journey through your words. As you prepare to finish decorating and make dinner, I’m curious to know: what are some of your favorite winter traditions that you look forward to each year?

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