Author: Erin @ Cracker Crumb Life

I try to create a culture of celebration in our home. For life, for the little things, for wonder and for whimsy. I try to find the beauty around us and teach my son Wyatt to find it, and appreciate it and love it as well. We are a homeschool family, and we love it. We love the freedom it gives us to explore a topic or idea more deeply, and I like that I can adjust our schedule around Wyatt’s other needs. Wyatt has cerebral palsy and epilepsy, and his week often has therapy, doctor’s appointments, naps peppered throughout which would make a traditional school schedule difficult. He is also an asynchronous learner, and I love that I can tailor learning to where Wyatt is at that moment. We have a house full of animals and will probably add more because we like a zoo. We have one cat, Miso, who is a rescue. She is 14 years old and my little floofy girl. We also have one leopard gecko, Luna, a pictus gecko named Harlow, a pacman frog named Freddy, and two crested geckos, Applejack and Oliver. We love all of our little friends! My husband Billy, Wyatt, and I are all curious, creative, stubborn humans which makes for some fun times around here. We love the outdoors, except we are not made for high temps so we retreat inside when the temps start to soar. We are nature lovers through and through. We are trying to downsize our lives too, to live more simply, to buy things that last and eat real food from small local farmers. (and of course Goldfish crackers) We live seasonally and are always up for adventure. We love books and reading, and can be found at the library at least once a week!

Trip to the Pumpkin Patch

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn autumn, day in the life, family, family friendly, Michigan15 Comments

One of our most beloved family traditions every year is our trip to the pumpkin patch and orchard. We have been doing it since I was a little girl, when we would go with my cousin and follow it up with chili for dinner and cake to celebrate my uncle’s birthday. This year, it almost didn’t happen, for obvious reasons. But the kids have been studying pumpkins all week and we needed to find a way we felt comfortable going, if possible.

So we did! Billy, Devin, and Chrissy took a day off of work for our “field trip” this year, we got up early so we could arrive right when it opened, and we chose to go one of our favorite orchards, one that is a favorite because it is just about the pumpkins there. No rigmarole or fair like atmosphere – just an orchard, pumpkins, and for adults, a hard cider tasting room, where they make the cider onsite. We didn’t do any tasting this year but we definitely bought some to go.

We pulled up around the same time almost exactly, and headed off through the grounds, which we had all to ourselves. We kept our masks on, as good practice for the kids, and my mom as well, and maintained our distances although it was just us.

Well, us and this dog. He was with us our whole excursion and didn’t stray too far from my niece’s side. He lives there and decided to hang out with us.

It was an absolutely glorious morning – sunny, warm, a bit crisp. The perfect day for our adventure. We messed about in the orchard, laughed about our dog friend and honorary group member – we are the James Herriot Primary school after all..

Then we headed to the store area to shop for our gourds and pumpkins and all the good things. All the pumpkins were really up there so no picking through the patch for one but that is ok, much easier to lug them the two feet back to the car then all that way. We did have to run in to pay and to pick up our cider, and I also added a jar of honey from their hives to my order.

And the dog’s name turned out to be “Greater”. All Creatures Great and Small, anyone?

Happy Fall everyone!

Spooky, Creepy, Dark and Twisty – My October Podcast List

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Podcasts30 Comments

The closer it gets to Halloween, the more ghost stories I need in my life. The weather has been gray and gloomy, inspiring me to snuggle up with a cup of tea when I get the opportunity, and listen to a chilling tale. I started listening to True Crime after a long hiatus from it, and this month added in spooky stories about haunted places..

Let’s begin, shall we?

Haunted Places is my favorite – I listen to this pretty much everyday, while Wyatt is sleeping. Greg Polcyn has a wonderfully pleasant voice to listen to, even when his stories are not. I love that this podcast is a blend of storytelling followed up with history – you get a nice mix. I am also enjoying the Urban Legends included as well. My fave episode so far: The Pine Barrens, about the Jersey Devil.

I just started listening to this one, and I love it. The Grave Talks is a different format from Haunted Places – it is all interview style, which gives it a totally different feel. I have only listened to a few so far, but I’m hooked. But be prepared – every episode has two parts and to hear the second part you need to be a patron of their Patreon! I’ve been curious enough to consider it! Favorite episode so far: Eloise, which is about the asylum that used to be here in my county, about twenty miles away from where I live, and that generations of teenagers have illegally explored in their youth at one time or another. I know for a fact that my brother and his friends stumbled into the Potter’s Field one night…

Updated to add: My curiousity got the better of me and I signed up as Grave Keeper patron so I could listen to the Part 2 episodes! Well worth the $5 in my opinion!

Lore is an old favorite of mine, I’ve been listening for years. Lore is a nonfiction spooky podcast that takes a look at the darker side of history, and Mahnke always does a great job delivering the story. Also a tv series on Amazon! Favorite Episode: Black Stockings

And since we are talking about dark histories, we might as well talk about Dark Histories the podcast. Another podcast new to my lineup this month, I am enjoying podcaster Ben’s renditions of some of humanity’s darkest moments and strange happenings. Favorite episode so far: I haven’t listened to enough yet to choose

And now we start to veer into more of true crime tales. Unsolved Murders is exactly what it sounds like. It is performed by an ensemble cast which is kind of neat, considering the horrible tales they are telling. My favorite episode: Edgar Allen Poe: A Rigged Murder, about the mysterious death of Poe. Their theory about rabies is very compelling!

Redhanded is my favorite true crime pod right now. I love Hannah and Suruthi’s respectful handling of each case, and they have just the right amount of banter. I am even a patron of their Patreon. And they have begun adding in ghost stories in their special Redhaunted episodes. My Favorite Episode: Glensheen

I am imagining by next month the creepy tales will have run their course with me, but they are perfect for this time of year, if this is something that you are interested in. I know it is not everyone’s cup of tea! And it is not always mine either – but some days, I need a side of spooky with my cup of tea. And with that being said, Wyatt is off to nap and I am about to have that tea and scary story for the morning..

My Sunday-Monday Post (a day early this time)

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized17 Comments

My Sunday Post is hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer
Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date

It was a busy busy week around here. So many doctor appointments and conversations with insurance companies – ugh. I got my flu and pneumonia shots this week too, so another box checked on my list. It was a week really, of busy work like that, getting stuff done – I guess we really are like squirrels over here, getting ready for winter. Making bread, collecting seeds from the garden, cleaning and rearranging – my husband is getting ready to paint our family room and I am really excited about that. It gets so dark in there in the winter that the lighter paint color is going to make a huge difference. So, lots of preparations happening around here.

Read Last Week:

Oh my gosh, I loved this book! I think it really explores relationships, especially in families, in a very unique way… I would put this on my list of one of the best I have read all year.

Reading This Week:

I am really excited to read this! I feel like I have been waiting to read it for such a long time. Yay!!!

Posted Last Week:

Mini-Post: Feeling Squirrely for Chestnuts

Book Review: Return to Virgin River

Watching:

The Great British Bake Off, Father Brown again since we apparently love that show, Sherlock, and Victorian Farm. And then starting next week we are going to start watching all of our spooky Halloween favorites, starting with the Legend of Sleepy Hollow – both the Disney cartoon and the version starring Johnny Depp.

And that is it from our corner of the world. Stay safe everyone!

Book Review: Return to Virgin River by Robyn Carr

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn book review11 Comments

From the Publisher:

Kaylee Sloan’s home in Southern California is full of wonderful memories of the woman who raised her. But the memories are prolonging her grief over her mother’s recent death. A successful author, Kaylee hoped she could pour herself into her work. Instead she has terrible writer’s block and a looming deadline.

Determined to escape distractions and avoid the holiday season, Kaylee borrows a cabin in Virgin River. She knows the isolation will help her writing, and as she drives north through the mountains and the majestic redwoods, she immediately feels inspired. Until she arrives at a building that has just gone up in flames. Devastated, she heads to Jack’s Bar to plan her next steps. The local watering hole is the heart of the town, and once she crosses the threshold, she’s surprised to be embraced by people who are more than willing to help a friend—or a stranger—in need.

Kaylee’s world is expanding in ways she never dreamed possible. And when she rescues a kitten followed by a dog with a litter of puppies, she finds her heart opening up to the animals who need her. And then there’s the dog trainer who knows exactly how to help her. As the holidays approach, Kaylee’s dread turns to wonder. Because there’s no better place to spend Christmas than Virgin River.

My thoughts:

I had never read a Virgin River book before this one, but I am familiar with the setting and characters thanks to the Netflix tv series, which I binged earlier this year. So picking this up and reading felt like visiting old friends, although I should read the books too.

This book centers on Kaylee, who is grieving terribly for her mother. She and her mom were very close, best friends, and Kaylee is struggling with her grief and sadness. She has a book deadline due, and finds herself too distracted by her memories of her mother in her home to be able to work, so she takes the advice of friends and heads off to find some space to write, away from the barrage of memories. And the mountains and the town of Virgin River are the perfect spot to find this space. Until she arrives and finds the house she was planning on finding that peace and quiet, destroyed by fire. Luckily the people of Virgin River are helpful and kind, and Jack and Mel, who feature prominently in the tv series, give her a bed for the night.

Unfortunately, Jack has family coming to town and Kaylee can’t stay there for long – after looking at a few places, she learns of a guest house owned by an artist and dog trainer, Landry. She is a bit nervous at first, due to a paralyzing fear of dogs, but between the house being perfect and Landry (also being perfect) assuring her that she will be safe, she moves in.

And from here, the real healing and story begins. Kaylee finds so much more than she was bargaining for when the story began, and the reader just finds so much happy. There are the usual small hurdles that the characters need to conquer, and also the large one of Kaylee’s grief, but this book really is the happiest of happy books.

I picked this up after a particularly stressful month in a particularly stressful year, and it was a wonderful distraction that took my mind off of things. If you are looking for something easy with a HEA, full of warm characters and kindness, this book is for you!

Thank you to Little Bird Publicity for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review!

Mini-Post: Feeling Squirrely for Chestnuts

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn autumn, Detroit, family friendly9 Comments

Last Sunday was a gorgeous autumn day. The light was perfect, the trees were on fire, it was warm but not too warm, it had just enough crisp in the air to make you know that fall has arrived. In short, perfect. My favorite kind of day. I was happy too, because we had planned a small new-to-us adventure – chestnut foraging! I am calling it foraging although it was more like collecting at a chestnut farm, which I didn’t even realize was a thing. But foraging sounds better to me, so I am going with it.

When we arrived, I was surprised to see the place was hopping! Getting chestnuts is serious business – people were leaving with pounds and pounds of them. These are the type of chestnuts you can eat – the type that grow in our neighborhoods, the Horse Chestnut are toxic and inedible. These are the sweet English variety, the kind you hear about in old Victorian stories, or even stories from your own father who grew up in the sixties and has memories of buying roasted chestnuts from a cart and enjoying them. We had sort of anticipated just grabbing a pound or two and then figuring something out after, we were going for the experience and to enjoy the day out together doing something new and outdoors. This figures importantly later, you will see why.

Despite it being busy, I was so happy to see everyone had a mask on, and was distanced. The only place that was crowded was the roasting area, where Farmer Mike was showing people how to roast their own chestnuts, and it seemed like the people crowded around it were usually family groups. We skipped that part anyway, but for the most part, everyone had masks on and was staying well over six feet apart. We sanitized a bucket and headed out to the stand of chestnut trees, and got to work.

We were scrambling around on the ground like squirrels, gathering nuts, going from tree to tree, to pile to pile, exclaiming over the shiny conkers. Lots of getting up and kneeling back down, crawling about, throwing the chestnuts into the bucket as we went. It was a workout for my thighs as well, which were a bit sore the next day… and Billy even had Wyatt strapped to his back in the backpack carrier, so he had a bit more of a workout even. They were a good team though.

Once we filled our bucket up halfway, we decided we had enough, considering we had no idea what we were going to do with them anyway. Roast them for sure. But then maybe cake, like Rowan’s on the Bake Off? Soup? We tossed ideas back and forth as we walked back to the front to pay. I decided to stand in line (which was outside so bonus) while Billy and Wyatt went back to the car.

I waited patiently and then overheard the cashier tell the person in front of me some alarming news – they only took cash or check, and the nearest ATM was miles away. Guess who didn’t have any cash or checks on them? Yep me. I sadly had to dump my bucket out under the trees, consoling myself as I went that some people were going to find the piles and be excited over the jackpots they were finding. I walked back to the car, slightly disappointed, and informed Billy and Wyatt that the good memories of our adventure were to be the only things going home with us.. good thing at least that was the objective. Although, some chestnuts would have been nice too. We decided to consider this a scouting mission, and that we would return next year having learned two things: the first, bring cash. Second, bring work gloves, those sea urchin like protective seed casings are prickly!!

So, we went home empty-handed but at least it had been a good time. And Michigan was at its best, all lit up for fall.

My Sunday-Monday Post! (a day late)

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized26 Comments

My Sunday Post is hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer
Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date

We had a pretty good week! We studied bears, we spent some lazy time on a blanket in the park under the trees, and we went to a Chestnut farm on Sunday which was a new experience for us! I have also slowly started one of my projects, adding plants into our home… I am notoriously a bad plant mom so fingers crossed for our Persia (Persian Shield). This one is from my sister-in-law Chrissy – it is so big, I love it!

Read Last Week:

Two very different but very good books! I have just a bit left in Help the Witch but I hope to finish it sometime today. We have an appointment at the neurosurgeon today though, so that will be a big chunk of the day. I think I can still do it though! Reviews upcoming this week for Return to Virgin River and next week for Help the Witch.

Reading this Week:

This has been on my TBR for a long time and I am looking forward to finally reading it!

Posted Last Week:

Homeschooling: Bears!

Currently…October

Watching:

We decided it was way past time to watch Sherlock, so we decided that will be our Saturday night television. (we are super exciting) We are also watching The Great British Baking Show, and Victorian Farm (on Amazon). I think we are going to start Outlander this week though.. I have been holding off until the fall and it feels sufficiently enough like fall to start the new season. Jamie Fraser has always been the bar I set my bookish crushes by….lolol. Wyatt is watching lots of Pete the Cat and Scout and Daisy still, as well as Molly of Denali. I have to admit I was really excited about the new season of Molly too!

And that is about it from my life right now – stay safe everyone.

Homeschooling: Bears!

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn autumn, homeschooling10 Comments

This was a pretty good week! In addition to our regular curriculum, we added in a small bear study, and we had a lot of fun. Some weeks work out better than others, and this was a good one!

We started the week by reading We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, and learning about different types of bears. Wyatt’s favorite is the American Black Bear, and I am partial to the Moon Bear. My niece and mom were doing the same study and Dinogirl said her favorite bear is the Spirit Bear while my mom liked the pandas. We also went on a “bear hunt” around our house, playing hide and seek with a toy bear. We discussed the anatomy of a bear (the basics) and created our own bears out of playdough.

Midweek we talked about hibernation, read some books, and made a little bear in a den scene. It was also a gorgeous if a wee bit windy fall day so we took school on the road to the park, where we worked on science.

Today we are going to finish up with some fun stuff, like participating in Fat Bear Week by voting for our family favorite, and then if the clouds cooperate, looking for Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, the bears in the sky tonight!

Next week we are doing a mini-study based on ravens and Edgar Allen Poe… should be fun with kindergartners lol! But I found a few resources to make it more their speed- I just felt it would be fun for October! Or at least, appropriate. Lol.

Resource Round-Up:

Fiddlesticks Education – Bears of the World

Fiddlesticks Eductation – Bearly Awake Journal Pages

Join the Bear Hunt Activity Pages (designed to go with We’re Going on a Bear Hunt)

Books Read:

This section contains Amazon Affiliate links

Bear Make Den || Welcome Home, Bear || Sneeze, Big Bear, Sneeze || Bear Snores On || We’re Going on a Bear Hunt

Videos Watched:

Bear Snores On

Black Bear: Animal Facts for Kids

And I rented We’re Going on a Bear Hunt from Amazon

If you are interested in the National Parks Fat Bear Week, you can find it here! If you do check it out, let me know which bear you voted for! Update: This challenge is over but you can still check out the participants!

Currently…October

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized28 Comments

Currently.. is hosted every month by Anne in Residence.

If I thought August flew by, I wasn’t ready for September. The last Currently post, I was actually sitting in my son’s hospital room post-surgery. The rest of the month was a bit of a blur. But, we can only keep moving forward – the story of 2020 for us. October is my favorite month in all the year and while it will be different for us this year, we can still get in our autumn hikes!

Anyway, on to the prompts!

Admiring: The terrariums I am seeing on Pinterest! I have plans to create a few myself this winter, to keep the feeling of green and life going throughout the cold and dark winter and wow, I have seen some amazing ones! There are seriously so many inspiring, creative terrariums out there – with snails, with mushrooms, with flowers, with succulents, some whimsical, and even some that are Star Wars themed.

Moss and Fence || Ewok and Endor Terrarium || African Violet

Making: Bread, soup and other cozy recipe favorites, lists, lesson plans, and grocery pick up orders, and fun October spooky plans to watch scary movies and read ghost stories…

Going: To park and picnic dates, socially distanced wine nights with my friends, and back to the woods and wild for our hikes

Scheduling: Medical appointments, homeschool field trips to the pumpkin patch and apple orchard, a family yet socially distanced Halloween Trunk or Treat or at least a bonfire with my brother and his family

Wishing: I am sure the same as everyone…

My Sunday-Monday Post

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized22 Comments
My Sunday Post is hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer
Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date

This past week was another low-key week. I did spend A LOT of time on the phone with doctors and insurance companies, and Wyatt had two appointments as well, so it was a big medical week around here. Friday and Saturday we got a chance to relax finally. Friday Wyatt and my niece Dinogirl had nature class together at the park where we hiked and searched for squirrels, then Saturday Billy and I and Wyatt took a hike together at a new trail system that just opened near us. It’s always fun to hike a new route!

Read Last Week/Reading This Week:

Not a thing. My reading was all off, which is just how it has been this year. It’s a new week though, and I am trying two different books to see if that helps.

I started Return to Virgin River and so far I am enjoying it! I am also planning on starting Help the Witch; I love Tom Cox and this looks appropriately spooky for the season. Anyone else follow him on Instagram by the way? It’s a great account full of humor and cats and countrysides.

Posted Last Week:

Homeschooling: Acorns and Squirrels

Goodbye September

Watching and Listening:

We watched and enjoyed Queens of Mystery on Acorn – I was bummed it was so short of a series. I guess there is going to be a second season, but it is on hold due to COVID. Like much of 2020. We also found an old favorite Victorian Farmhouse on there too, and started rewatching it as well. We began a few things to sample and decide what we are going to binge next – Vera, Maigret, Outer Banks on Netflix, The Moonstone (2016), and Emily in Paris on Netflix for something lighthearted. I think we are going to stick with Emily in Paris and The Moonstone. Finally, we watched Enola Holmes for our movie night, which was cuter than we expected but good.

I am still listening to a million podcasts, with Redhanded and Casefile getting the most playtime, followed up by Homemaker Chic. I hope to add in some ghost story/haunted pods this month, so if anyone knows any, let me know in the comments! Wyatt has been listening to a few podcasts as well – Earth Rangers is his favorite, but we also listen to Classical Kids Storytime and Storynory.

And that is it for us! My thoughts are with all of you now, with the current state of this world in turmoil, that you are staying safe.

Homeschooling: Acorns and Squirrels!

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn homeschooling7 Comments

I was super excited about this study! I am such a fall person and this felt very autumn to me. Plus, squirrels are cute, except when they eat my pumpkins that have been growing for months.

We did take things a little slower than usual this week, but Wyatt and I both seem to do better when our days have structure so we did do work, just more spread out throughout the day. We started the week with acorns and ended with squirrels, which was a fun progression. We learned about the parts of an acorn, the life cycle of an oak, and he made this cute little tissue acorn. Later we talked all about the different types of squirrels in our area, colored a picture of his favorite (the flying squirrel), learned about their habitats and diet and looked at their fluffy tails and pointy ears. My niece loved the red squirrels for their big ear tufts actually – they are pretty darn cute! My favorite were the fox squirrels though. We also took a short little hike through the woods, spotting squirrels and their nests. I found a little wood sprite too!

With Blossom and Root, we studied the letter I, read from Frog and Toad all year, and did some nature lessons around trees – and squirrels!

Billy always loves the evolution of the learning area through the week – it changes from start to finish and this week I tried to capture the different stages. In one you can see the game that we played this week too – one of my friend’s had given Wyatt this game when he came home from the hospital, and it fit so perfectly with our lesson plans this week!

So the resource roundup!

Resources and Printables

Squirrel Lap book and activities – Homeschoolshare.com

Acorn Anatomy – KinderPapery

Squirrel and Autumn Printables – Natural Beach Living

Fall Math and Literacy Packet – The Moffatt Girls

Books We Read

(This section contains Amazon Affiliate links)

Full disclosure: we only did a picture walk through the Chester Raccoon book, as it is about death and loss which I was not ready to discuss this week. However, if you need or are looking for a book on this topic for kids, this is a fantastic one.

Chester Raccoon and the Acorn Full of Memories || Little Acorn || Because of an Acorn

Extras

(This section contains Amazon Affiliate links)

Wooden Acorn Lacing Toy

Sneaky Snacky Squirrel Game

Next week we move on to bears!