Books, Screens, and In-Betweens (and some Soup too)

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized

Hello everyone! I am linking up with Deb at Readerbuzz,  Kathryn at Book Date, and  Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

Hi all!! We are all getting over our ick. It is apparently the trendy new virus of 2025! I don’t usually go for trends too often and yeah, this one could have passed us by. Cough, laryngitis, headache, and I took the tests and negative so that is good at least. Just a gross virus. I am feeling better though thank goodness. I have got to get moving on Christmas! Which I dove into yesterday. I did so much! I shopped, I cleaned, I baked cookies, I watched holiday movies. I am a mom with a mission over here!

Books:

As for books, I haven’t been able to read. My mind is just going too hard to be able to focus on reading. I am guessing that I am done with reading for the year at this point, and will probably write my wrap up post soon. However, Billy, Wyatt, and I started listening to Greenglass House on audio together via Spotify last night. I have read it and I love it. I was planning on reading it to Wyatt this break, but my voice is not going to allow that, so I am letting audiobooks do it, and now it is a fun family affair.

Screens:

We have been watching a lot of movies over here. I did a round up of some of the Hallmark Christmas movies we have watched lately, and since that post we have watched two more movies, one Hallmark, one not. We aren’t watching our traditional movies until, well probably starting today! We watched Oh. What. Fun with Michelle Pfeiffer and we really loved it. I asked Billy if he had ever imagined seeing a movie where Michelle Pfeiffer was married to Dennis Leary and he was like absolutely not. I had to laugh, because me either. We also watched A Biltmore Christmas, which we both liked as well. Out of all the Hallmark movies we have watched this month, that one is our favorite so far. I liked the call back to the 40s, the jargon, the transatlantic accents. And it was just so beautiful, shot at the Biltmore, one of the places in the US I would most love to go. Sigh. A room with three fireplaces? What a scene that was!

I have also been watching Morgan Long, a vlogger on YouTube with Wyatt. She is doing a Vlogmas and posting everyday and Wyatt and I watch every night. She is just so pleasant and cheery!

Posted Last Week:

Top Ten Tuesday: My Winter TBR

My Favorite Quotes From Every Book I Read This Year: Part 3

Comfy Cozy Christmas: Make It Hallmark For Me

The In-Betweens:

Wyatt has been kicking butt at therapy. I am so proud of him for enduring all he has been through this year. I hate that he has to be so strong, but he handles it so well, better than most adults would most of the time.

I am almost done with Christmas shopping, and wrapping. While Wyatt paints, I wrap a few gifts. I need to do his gifts still, but everyone else is wrapped. Woohoo! I just ordered a bunch of cookies and treats to make a gift basket up for the staff of the senior living complex where my mom lives. She receives some extra services and I wanted to give them something from her. I need to get something to put it all in still though! At this point, Billy and I need to get the house ready for Christmas dinner, as we are hosting (eek), and get the roast that we are making, and finish up the baking. And stocking stuffers, we need stocking stuffers. I also need a gift idea for my dad. He always is adamant that I not get him anything, but I always get him a little something. I just never know what. He doesn’t really have hobbies – he is a man of his generation, he just sort of likes to do work around the house. And flashlights. I guess I could get him a flashlight? Ugh. I don’t know.

I didn’t get a chance to put up Soup and Story Saturday yesterday, but I do have the linky up for anyone to use whenever you would like to post along! I will not be posting this upcoming Saturday at all, we are doing Christmas at my dad’s that day.

I made a crock pot chicken and dumpling soup the other day, and it was one of those hearty type meals that just warm you up. A comfort food. It was soooo good. And I really really need to remember to buy carrots.

I am going to share my story tomorrow, as part of Comfy Cozy Christmas.

And that is it for me today! I hope to be bopping around visiting all of you soon!

33 thoughts on “Books, Screens, and In-Betweens (and some Soup too)”

  2. Good for Wyatt handling the therapy so well. Kids are so resilient while I would be whining about it. You have some great movies there for holiday fun.

    Sorry to hear about the illness. There is a flu going around and i am super paranoid when I have to go to the store. Glad you all are feeling better. Loving the sound of the slow cooker chicken and dumplings.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  3. joyweesemoll's avatar joyweesemoll

    I’m glad that you’re feeling better in time to enjoy the preparations ahead of Christmas. I finished wrapping gifts yesterday. We aren’t sure when we’ll meet the new great-nephew and give gifts to his older siblings, but it might be a last-minute invitation given the chaos. So, now I’m ready!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  5. It’s so busy with children and so fun. It’s great you are listening to audiobooks. My daughter and I are almost finished with the Murderbot Diaries. As for a gift for your dad, maybe batteries. Everyone needs them. Or home cooked meal preps? I always make bigger batches of soup now so I can freeze half.

    Have a wonderful family holiday time!

    Anne – Books of My Heart   This is my <a href=”https://booksofmyheart.net/2025/12/14/sunday-post-14-December-2025/”>Sunday Post</a>

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  9. marsha57's avatar marsha57

    I’m glad you’re all feeling better now. Flu is so awful especially when it hangs around. I haven’t baked any cookies yet…maybe tomorrow. I have, however, made a huge dent in my wrapping. I’ve been wrapping all the easy ones first…you know the ones…they are in boxes that are regular sized. Then, I have to dig out the boxes to wrap the clothing items…yes, we are at that stage where most want clothes. It’s not near as much fun as buying toys. Mike is terrible to buy for…I always get him a really nice cologne. He does love smelling good! I love the Biltmore! We went there the very first time with my mom when my kids were younger. We have been back a time or two. I could live in Asheville because it’s got the best boho vibe, and it’s close to the Biltmore. I hope, someday, you get to go!

    Happy Christmas Week, Erin, Billy, and Wyatt!

    https://marshainthemiddle.com/

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thank you Marsha. It’s been yuck over here!! For a while we sounded like a TB ward with all the coughing.

      Today I have baking coconut tarts on my list. I want Wyatt and Billy to help, since they are a family recipe. 🙂 We have little E. who is two, and we can buy all the toys for her. Now Wyatt and L. are more into other things, and it is sort of weird!! These pre-teens are tough man!

      Oo nice! Billy likes a good cologne too. He has been trying to find a replacement for his favorite that they stopped making though and has been unsuccessful.

      We will definitely get to Asheville, hopefully in the next few years. I am so nervous about taking Wyatt more than 3-4 hours away right now but I need to get over that. I am working on it though! I want him to see more of the world than a 4 hour radius around Detroit. Lol. I think as long as I know there is a good hospital nearby I will be comfortable. I want to go to Asheville for just that vibe! And for the Biltmore. And Rebecca @thefarmwifereads lives near there and I could meet her too!

      Like

      Reply

      1. Definitely ❤ 😀 Asheville is one of our favorite places – the mountains are my happy place and Asheville is a couple hours away so we try to get over there regularrrrly. Especially now that I’ve discovered AirBnB, LOL!

        Liked by 1 person

  10. handmade by amalia's avatar handmade by amalia

    I liked A Biltmore Christmas as well! And just watched another Kristoffer Polaha film – A Grand Ole Opry Christmas – which has a similar vibe (but fewer fireplaces). Happy holidays,

    Amalia

    xo

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  11. oliviabeck1's avatar oliviabeck1

    Way to go, Wyatt! I’m glad you are all improving from the “trendy new virus.” Ha! My husband and I listen to audiobooks together. It’s a great way to read together. Merry Christmas!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  12. Wow — You finished a lot as a mom on a mission despite getting over illness. Kudos. Hope you feel better. Those Christmas movies are so necessary right now … just a good way to chill … I might be watching one day lol. Glad Wyatt is doing well with PT … Hope you all have a Merry Christmas.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Lol thanks Susan!! I feel so behind. My husband took some time off work this week though so he is going to help out so I feel less overwhelmed. Phew.

      Ending the night with our Christmas movies has been very healing for my illness. Or so I am telling my husband. Lolol.

      Merry Christmas!

      Like

      Reply

  13. I’m so glad y’all loved A Biltmore Christmas 😀 We will definitely be chatting when y’all get to plan a trip 😉

    Go Wyatt! ❤

    What about those gloves with flashlights built in? I keep getting ads for those on YT, and they do look cool for doing projects in tight places. We got my dad a selection of beanies (he always loses his) and touchscreen gloves, and some grilling rub spice mixes, haha

    Here’s my first ever Soup link! 😀

    Soup season – the Farm Wife Reads

    Yay for Christmas week! Here’s wishing everyone stays well, and is able to enjoy a calm and joyous – and delicious – holiday week 😀

    Like

    Reply

  15. Dads are hard to shop for! One thing I was considering for my dad was a pair of gloves that have little flashlights in the index fingers. I think he would get a lot of use out of those, as he does lots of work around the house. Maybe it would be perfect for your flashlight loving dad!

    So sorry to hear you have been ill. It’s really going around! Hopefully you will all be fully recovered by Christmas.

    Like

    Reply

  16. Looks like you’ve been watching some good movies lately and enjoying some nice familly time despite all the yucky stuff.

    I didn’t have time for a Soup and Story post this Saturday either and probably won’t this coming Saturday but I will jump in again in January.

    Glad you got the sickness out of your system before Christmas at least!

    I’ve been watching The Dollhouse Lady. That’s not her name but I keep forgetting the name of her blog. Ha! She has a lot of relaxing videos all of the time but especially this time of year.

    Like

    Reply

Leave a reply to shelleyrae @ Book'd Out Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.