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!

Tuesday Morning Coffee Catch Up

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Coffee Catch UP18 Comments

Hello everyone! Our percolator died and so we are currently just using the Keurig. Keurig coffee means Newman’s Own coffee, which is quite tasty. And I definitely need it this morning, it is rainy and chilly!

So much happened in the past week!

So Jeanie at Marmalade Gypsy has told me in the past about a music camp for special needs children at MSU, called RicStar which is an all-inclusive day camp that lasts three days, all about music and musical expression and music therapy for the attendees. Then it all culminates in a StarShow on the last day that family and friends can attend! I have always wanted to sign Wyatt up for it, but the timing was never right. Well, this year it was! I am extremely excited about this adventure my little guy and I will be taking together; it’s a hike from our house but not terrible. My plan is to drive there and back one day, then the next stay up there. Billy will join us after work and stay over as well, and just work from the room until Wyatt’s concert. I have all the reservations made. Kiddo is going to have a blast. Music is his favorite thing in the whole world, besides books and painting, and the one thing that neither Billy nor I are good at (well out of those three). So this will be an awesome experience for him!

This camp was created by Judy Winter, whose son Eric had cerebral palsy just like Wy-guy. Judy and her husband are huge advocates for the special needs community, and Judy is an author and speaker for individuals who are differently abled. Cindy Edgerton , the Director of the CMS Musical Therapy Services, is their partner in this endeavor, and she is the woman I have been corresponding with. She has been extremely helpful and friendly, and has even offered to help me find regular music therapy services for Wyatt closer to home!

We also went visited Greenfield Village for the first time this season! It is one of our favorite places, even when it is chilly and damp (is that our only weather these days?) We have a membership and I try to take it advantage of it as much as possible during the summer, even if we go just to walk around and ride the train and eat frozen custard, and skip the actual historical bits. Although, I do always stop and visit all the gardens.

All my favorite spots! I also made sure we stopped in at the house that George Washington Carver grew up in, since Wyatt studied him a few weeks ago. The walls are made of wood planks from each state tree, which since we talk about different state trees every week, I thought would be mildly interesting to show Wyatt. I took special pains to find South Carolina, since we did SC last week, and Indiana, since we are learning about Indiana this week, to show Wyatt. And as you might imagine, he was not super impressed, or interested. LOL. He did very much enjoy his giant chocolate chip cookie though.

Billy was also excited this past week. His isopod dreams are coming true! I have no idea why he is so enthused about fancy roly-bugs, but..he is. And Wyatt thinks they are pretty neat to watch so I guess this is a new thing at our house. For those of you who have not heard, isopods are a niche little hobby. People keep them as pets and also raise them and sell them for others to either keep as pets or to put into their terrariums as “clean up crews” to help keep the terrarium healthy and clean. Billy plans to add our isopods, once they grow in number, to our lizard tanks and also sell them on the side. But first, the colonies needs to grow. He currently has three different kinds – and let me tell you, there are SO MANY different kinds. It is unbelievable how many! The prices range from very cheap to very expensive (not Billy’s, just in general). There is a type called the Rubber Ducky isopod, which generally costs $200 for 6. 6 roly poly bugs y’all! I guess I don’t have to understand, just accept that Billy is into this and if it makes him happy, it does me as well. Billy’s isopods are Dairy Cows, A. Gestroi, and his new ones, Panda Kings (The Herd, The Horde, and The Sleuth, as Billy refers to them). Frankly, as far as pets or a hobby goes, they are fairly easy to maintain. Just some dirt and wood and leaves and vegetable scraps, and a damp side and dry side. I also think there is a clay ball thing drainage layer too. I am not thrilled that right now they are living in my office, but we are still working on the best spot for them to permanently live.

And, I think I will leave off here! My coffee cup is empty and I should probably get ready to start our school day! Have a good one everyone!

My Sunday-Monday Post

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn books and reading36 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

Hello everyone! We had a pretty big week last week, lots of happenings and big decisions and fun things too! Wyatt and I finally have gotten back on track with our schedule. We have had a crazy two months and it was so nice to get back fully into our routine. Just in time for us to go on a mini-trip this weekend! We are heading to Indiana to see the wolves at Wolf Park. This was supposed to be Wyatt’s birthday gift but he was in the hospital so we rescheduled. I mentioned last week that I had started making journals through Amazon’s self-publishing program and I made a special one for our upcoming trip (as well as the rest of our trips throughout the rest of the year). It arrives today and I am anxious to get started writing in it. I am excited about our trip too, I think Wyatt will really love it!

I have not quite figured out all the logistics of selling these yet. Lol. They are available on Amazon but I haven’t been able to master how to show the interior pages on the Amazon page quite yet; however I have been making these informational type things that I post on the Fox & Firth Facebook and Instagram pages that do show the interior pages. The storefront itself is here.

Read Last Week:

Shady Hollow is so cute!!! I am not quite done with it but I should be today or tomorrow. I really love it. I mean, any book that references Watership Down in the little blurb I had to read, and while it is nothing like Watership Down, really, except for talking animals, it is a great book all on its own. I also finished listening to Braiding Sweetgrass. I loved the book when I read it a few years ago and loved it even more listening to it being read by Kimmerer. I highly recommend it, whether you read it or listen.

Reading This Week:

I know going into this week that I am not going to have too much time to read so I am choosing my books accordingly. The Wild and Free Family is a shorter book that I can take my time reading, picking it up here and there, probably while Wyatt is in physical therapy and speech. I LOVED the Call of the Wild and Free by Arment so I am excited to start this one. And then The Moth Keeper just looks beautiful. It is a middle grade graphic novel and I look forward to relaxing with it at night. (plus I love Luna Moths!)

Posted Last Week:

Book Review: The White Hare

The Spring of Cary Grant: An Affair to Remember

Wonderful Watership Down Covers

Watched Last Week:

In TV, we watched When Calls the Heart, which Billy is truly such a sport for watching with me. We also watched a few Murdoch Mysteries, and then last night the newest episode of Brokenwood Mysteries. Brokenwood is seriously one of my favorite shows. I am also waiting very impatiently for new episodes of Hotel Portofino (the first season was amazing!) and Beyond Paradise, although that last one I feel like I will be waiting for a while sadly.

We of course also watched An Affair to Remember. This week our Cary Grant film of the week is Holiday! I have heard good things about that one and I am looking forward to it!

And that is about it from our around here today! I hope all is well in your world!

Wonderful Watership Down Book Covers

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn books and reading5 Comments

Last Friday, I mentioned I want to start collecting different copies of Watership Down. There are just so many out there! Billy got me a really cool one last year for Mother’s Day, and I asked him that if he was going to get me something this year, to maybe make it another version, to add to my collection. There are just so many to choose from! They also range in price, greatly in some cases! I found most of these on used book sites so you know I sent a few to Billy to peruse, you know, just in cases.

This 40th Anniversary Edition from Thrift Books ($7.00)

This Puffin Edition on Amazon ($24.19)

This edition found on AbeBooks ($13.55)

Another copy found on AbeBooks ($3.55)

This next one I am totally in love with but it is spendy!! This is the lowest price I found..

Ebay ($57.46)

This beautiful graphic novel on Amazon ($31.50)

Then this bad boy…. the creme de la creme…

A SIGNED FIRST ILLUSTRATED EDITION! Abe Books, only…. $1,249.35.

And there you have it! Obviously since most of these are available on thrift/used sites, the availability and prices may change.

Which is your favorite?

The Spring of Cary Grant: An Affair to Remember

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized15 Comments

So when Lisa at Boondock Ramblings told me she was going to do a Spring of Cary Grant, I knew I wanted in on it. She introduced me to the legend that is Grant last fall, and I am woefully behind on his films. So I am tagging along on her journey, posting along with her as well.

This week’s feature: An Affair to Remember

Oh please don’t kill me internet but I was not a super fan of this one! I know this is a classic tearjerker, romantic film but.. it was hard for me to get past some things!

I feel like this is such a famous movie that I don’t need to do a recap, but real quicklike, Grant plays a player, he likes women and dates them all. Sometimes all at once. Well, he gets engaged and goes on a cruise and meets Kerr, who is also in a relationship, but the two of them being otherwise connected to other people doesn’t deter Nick (is his name always Nick in movies?) from working his wiles upon Terry (Kerr), who does refuse his advances, although she is very drawn to him.

Anyway, she meets his sweet grandma (I guess I am doing a recap), she learns he yearns to paint as his secret passion, he learns she can sing. It is on this visit that they realize they love each other, however since they have other entanglements they make a deal – they will go back to their lives, decide what it is they really want, and if they decide that what they want is the other person, they will meet New Years Eve on top of the Empire State Building.

So anyway, NYE rolls around and Nick is waiting. Terry is on her way to their rendezvous and happiness is in sight – until she is plowed by a car in front and becomes paralyzed from the waist down.

This is where the movie loses me. And I tried not to let my own emotions interfere here but it was hard to separate. Kerr is not a lesser woman or person because she is in a wheelchair! I realize sentiments and things were different then but this was a hard plotline to swallow as the parent of a child in a wheelchair. I never, ever want him to feel like he is not good enough for someone to love. And I know this is just a movie, but the whole thing bothered me.

So the end – which makes everyone cry and made me throw hands. So Nickie finds Terry after she visits his gallery and he learns of a woman who looked like the woman in the painting but this woman was in a wheelchair. He barges into her apartment (because no one locked doors back then) and puts two and two together, and then he rushes to her side with declarations and questions, why didn’t you tell me? Why couldn’t it have been me? kind of things. And they reconcile and embrace and Terry says “Don’t worry, darling. If you can paint, l can walk. Anything can happen, don’t you think?” I mean, sure maybe. I don’t want to take that away from her. But, does it matter if she doesn’t? Billy chose to interpret that as his paintings of her will allow her to walk, like through art but not physically.

And yes, I am being overly reactive and emotional about this. I am normally not. I am not one for going back and revising things to meet modern beliefs and standards- I like to take those moments as learning opportunities, or to look back and think look how far we have come (sometimes). But I guess I also don’t need to get weepy over something that actually made me feel sad for a much different reason.

I don’t want to take away how far things have come for the disabled community either, by getting too up in arms. This was just too close to my mama bear heartstrings. I can see how it would be a beautiful, teary moment in the 50s, and even now. So if you loved it and were teary then I see nothing wrong with your reaction! I think that is the typical, normal response. Mine was just influenced by my own emotions this time around. So please don’t feel like if you did love this movie and wept over the ending that I am being critical of you. I am not. Really, truly, I mean that. We all just view life through a different lens and for me my lens was a little clouded. This was just not my favorite, although the acting range was incredible. It just wasn’t my Grant movie. So far that is still To Catch a Thief (with Houseboat a close second).

For Lisa’s post, click here!

Next up – Holiday!

Book Review: The White Hare

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn book review9 Comments

Publisher Summary:

In a valley steeped in legend lies an abandoned house where Edens may be lost, found and remade…

The White Valley in the far west of Cornwall cuts deeply through bluebell woods down to the sea. The house above the beach has lain neglected since the war. It comes with a reputation, which is why Mila and her mother Magda acquire it so cheaply in the fateful summer of 1954.

Magda plans to restore the house to its former glory: the venue for glittering parties, where the rich and celebrated gathered for bracing walks by day and sumptuous cocktails by night. Mila’s ambitions, meanwhile, are much less grand; she dreams of creating a safe haven for herself, and a happy home for her little girl, Janey.

The White Valley comes with a long, eventful history, laced with tall tales. Locals say that a white hare may be seen running through the woods there; to some she’s an ill omen, to others a blessing. Feeling fragile and broken-hearted, Mila is in need of as many blessings as she can get. But will this place provide the fresh start she so desperately needs?

My Thoughts:

I could not get enough of this book. I love books that feel heavy with mystery and history and folklore, that are atmospheric and surprising. This book had all of that, PLUS rabbits! Ok so not like rabbits running around being super cute but sort of maybe ominous and curious most of the book because you are not quite sure what the heck is going on but you know, just know, something is afoot, and the white hare totally has something to do with it.

The story is set in Cornwall, in a house that has a mysterious past, and not a good one from what new owner Mila can surmise. No one will really tell her just what happened there, just that it is a “cursed place”. But hopeful Mila, who just wants a whimsical, safe, loving childhood for her daughter, Janey, has high hope for their new home. Not as high of hopes as her own mother however, Magda, who plans on turning the house into a ritzy high end inn for travelers. Janey, for her perspective, instantly takes to the house and particularly the land, and runs a bit wild and free, which I loved.

This is one of those books I don’t want to get into much detail or talk too much about – I think there is just too much to spoil for a reader.

I will say that it reading it reminded me so much of reading a book by Barbara Michaels or Mary Stewart, which is high praise from me because I love those two authors. There is a timelessness about it, a quietness despite the unease that grows as the book moves along. I wanted to pull on my wellies and explore the bluebell woods, the beach, learn about the turbulent history of the area (oh, I can do that one) along with these characters. I want to sit in the kitchen with Keziah and Ariadne, ramble the hills with Jack. It was one of those books guys, where you just fall right into that world, and then when it is over, you are left feeling a little lost because you are not there anymore.

This book is definitely one of my favorite reads this year so far. I look forward to rereading it again and again!

My Sunday-Monday Post

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn books and reading36 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

Hello everyone! We had a very quiet week around here, and so far, a pretty quiet weekend. It’s been nice actually. I’ve been working on a new enterprise along with Billy, making journals that I sell over on Amazon through their self-publishing service, and I have been enjoying working on them whenever I can catch a moment. So far I have made camping and caregiver and medical journals to take to doctor’s appointments, as well as a line of nature journals that Wyatt designed the covers for. It’s been really fun!

I’ve also been making my final decisions on the curriculum that Wyatt and I are going to use next year. It is one of my favorite things to do! I’ve been toying with an idea of a YouTube channel to talk about homeschooling, and homeschooling a special needs child, our crazy life and adventures, but…I don’t know if I would feel comfortable being in front of a camera like that. I prefer being behind the scenes and behind the camera, but I feel like I get so much out of the YouTube channels I watch, information wise, that I wonder if I have something to offer with our experiences as Wyatt’s parents and how we all choose to live. It would also offer an opportunity for more conversation with other families like ours and opportunities to learn from. I don’t know though. And here I am just blathering on this morning, I guess I couldn’t wait for my coffee catch up day.

Let’s get to the books!!

Read Last Week:

So last week I ended up starting The White Hare and I absolutely am in love with it. I am not quite finished yet but I will finish today or tomorrow. It reminds me of a Barbara Michaels or Mary Stewart book and they are two of my favorite authors to read! I have also been listening to Braiding Sweetgrass. I read it a few years ago but there is something very special about listening to it as well. Robin Wall Kimmerer reads it herself and that adds such a lovely additional dimension, her words in her voice. I definitely recommend listening to it.

Wyatt and I FINALLY finished The Wild Robot. We had some big pauses in our nightly reading with his surgeries even though we tried a few times, but we finally got off that island. I do like that book and Roz and Brightbill but if you have a sensitive child I would recommend reading it yourself first to see if it will bother them.

Reading This Week:

I keep seeing so much about this Shady Hollow series that I am going to give it a go. I think I tried once before but didn’t end up reading it. And Wyatt and I have started Heartwood Hollow book 3, Better Together as our before bed read. I guess both of us are all about anthropomorphism.

Posted Last Week:

Wednesday Morning Coffee Catch Up

The Spring of Cary Grant: My Favorite Wife

Book Review: Watership Down

Watching and Listening:

We have been watching When Calls the Heart (Billy, you are such a good guy), and The Brokenwood Mysteries. I am so excited Brokenwood has a new season, I just love that show. Then Lisa from Boondock Ramblings mentioned that Newhart is on Amazon and when Billy told me he had NEVER EVER watched it, we had to add it to our line up. We watch it when we need to watch something quick and funny because Bob Newhart always cracks me up with his deadpan delivery. I remember watching it when I was real little kid with my mom and dad – just like Wyatt does now. I wonder if he will grow up wanting to live in New England in an old home in a small town, sort of like I did? I am pretty sure Newhart influenced me (but better Newhart than Dallas which I also watched with my mom…)

We also watched My Favorite Wife as part of our Spring of Cary Grant.

I haven’t been listening to podcasts since I have been listening to Braiding Sweetgrass.

Musically, we generally ask Alexa to play Classic 70s Folk, and that is our go-to. Although I always always skip Joni Mitchell because her voice is beautiful but sounds so mournful to me, and also that Cat’s in the Cradle song that always makes me want to sob.

And that is it from around here! What is going on in your world?

Book Review: Watership Down

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn book review9 Comments

I have to admit right off the bat here, that I lied in the title of this post. This is not really a review of Watership Down, per se, but more of a collection of quotes I love, and some thoughts I have on it. But not a review of the book itself. I will start with the publisher’s summary though!

Summary:

A phenomenal worldwide bestseller for over thirty years, Richard Adams’s Watership Down is a timeless classic and one of the most beloved novels of all time. Set in England’s Downs, a once idyllic rural landscape, this stirring tale of adventure, courage and survival follows a band of very special creatures on their flight from the intrusion of man and the certain destruction of their home. Led by a stouthearted pair of friends, they journey forth from their native Sandleford Warren through the harrowing trials posed by predators and adversaries, to a mysterious promised land and a more perfect society.

My Thoughts:

I get asked all the time why I love this book so much. I don’t actually have a great answer – it just speaks to me, I never get tired of it, and every reading I find something new to think about or a different way of looking at our world. I love how this band of rabbits works together, are loyal to each other, trust each other. And there is something to be said for that, especially in this world we live in. This book gives me hope, it gives me the warm feels, and, at times yes, it scares me with its violence or situations. It is a book of freedom, with characters full of wisdom, chutzpah, honor, cleverness, feyness. Characters who are leaders and storytellers and dreamers, inventors and fighters and goofs. I have a new favorite every time I finish reading it. This time around I was all about Blackberry.

Richard Adams began spinning the tales of the Sandleford Warren, Hazel, Fiver, Bigwig, and all the rest as a means of entertaining his daughters on car rides. He began putting the stories to paper and from there, Watership Down was introduced to the rest of us. Adams builds a full world, one full of myth and folklore, and even the language of rabbits, called Lapine, appropriately enough. I have read this book so often that sometimes I slip a word of Lapine into conversation here and there like a weirdo, probably, but I do it. I have been known to say Fu Inlé, or Silflay hraka, u embleer rah. Because I am not a super nerd or anything.

For many people, the only introduction they ever have had to this masterpiece is the cartoon movie from 1978, which yes, is nightmare fuel if you watched it as a little tiny kid expecting fun and fluffy bunnies. Umm, like me. I was three in 1978 and probably watched this around that time and yes, it freaked me the heck out. But I never forgot it, and a few years later picked up my first copy..the one that looks like this.

I read my first copy so often that it became tattered and worn and eventually fell to pieces. So my parents got me another one, same cover. Which also later became so well read it no longer could be read. I now currently have the one pictured at the top, and another very fancy one that Billy bought me for Mother’s Day last year. I am on a mission to collect different copies now, and keep one for reading to pieces. I realized I could just get a digital copy (and wow, I totally should!) but there is something about this book that I most definitely want to hold in my hands. This year I also listened to the audiobook narrated by Peter Capaldi, and I could not recommend it enough. The life he brings to these rabbits, the personalities are alive – it was magnificent.

My copy is currently full of underlined quotes, thoughts, notes, coffee spills (yep, I am not a pristine book reader). It is a collection of me within the confines of the book. Most quotes that I love are the most famous ones, but there is a reason that those particular phrases are so famous and loved. Let me share!

“There’s terrible evil in the world.”

It comes from men,” said Holly. “All other elil do what they have to do and Frith moves them as he moves us. They live on the earth and they need food. Men will never rest till they’ve spoiled the earth and destroyed the animals.”

“Animals don’t behave like men,’ he said. ‘If they have to fight, they fight; and if they have to kill they kill. But they don’t sit down and set their wits to work to devise ways of spoiling other creatures’ lives and hurting them. They have dignity and animality.”

This next one is a top favorite..

“Many human beings say that they enjoy the winter, but what they really enjoy is feeling proof against it.”

“…what is, is what must be.”

Ok last one, I could go on forever.

“To come to the end of a time of anxiety and fear! To feel the cloud that hung over us lift and disperse—the cloud that dulled the heart and made happiness no more than a memory! This at least is one joy that must have been known by almost every living creature.”

Have you read this? What did you think?

The Spring of Cary Grant: My Favorite Wife

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn the spring of cary grant10 Comments

So when Lisa at Boondock Ramblings told me she was going to do a Spring of Cary Grant, I knew I wanted in on it. She introduced me to the legend that is Grant last fall, and I am woefully behind on his films. So I am tagging along on her journey, posting along with her as well. I missed last week but I am back this week with My Favorite Wife!

This movie was so fun. It was so crazy and far-fetched and I well, I loved that. I mean, a woman is stranded on an island for SEVEN years? And then comes home and is perfectly perfect like she never left, no trauma, she looks great, and is just boom ready to resume her life? I loved that. Lol. However, her loyal and loving husband who waited for her and mourned her and looked for all that long time had just happened to have her declared dead and was remarried the very morning she returns. What are the odds? Like seriously, what are the odds?

This movie was a total romp. Grant, as Nick Arden, found himself with two wives, Ellen the wife who has returned from the dead basically, and Bianca, his new wife, who I felt sort of sorry for. Ellen makes her return known to him the night of his wedding, and instead of having a heart to heart with Bianca immediately, he strings her along a while. Properly, with no hanky -panky but still, it wasn’t very thoughtful or brave of him to let her just languish around really confused.

As for Ellen, Billy laughed and said there was no way in this world that I would have handled the situation with as much mirth, giggles, or grace. And he is completely 100% right. I would have given him .5 seconds to get up there and start explaining. I wouldn’t want him to hurt the new wife, but things would have been discussed, then and there.

It also comes to light that Ellen was not alone on her island. In fact, she was shipwrecked on the island with a real studmuffin, and they called each other Adam and Eve. Now, Steven (Adam) admits they did nothing that was reproachful so they don’t need to feel any regret for anything that happened on the island, but Nick is a wee bit skeptical, simply because this guy is super fit, athletic, and handsome. I must admit, I wanted to know way more about the time on the island but we never learned anything. Darn it.

Oh, I should mention that Ellen and Nick had children who were wee little kids when she was “drowned” so there are children to consider here as well. Ellen did not tell them right away, and I agree with that choice. That needed some finesse as it could have been traumatic. Thank goodness though the kids just overheard and were excited, and decided to pull their mom’s leg about it for a few minutes.

It ends at Nick’s mountain house (I wish I had a separate mountain house!) that was gorgeous. All wood and stone. Sigh. Anyway, there was some sort of nonsense happening with Nick not being sure how to handle things publicly with her return and a cruise he might take and wanting her to stay at this mountain house but then he didn’t want to actually leave her there and wanted to resume his marriage. So he ended up staying and I hated the last ten minutes and the end.

Overall, I really enjoyed this totally silly movie. Grant’s eyebrows did a lot of work in this movie, and were super expressive. He could have given Dwayne Johnson a run for his money as the People’s Eyebrow back in the day.

Have you watched this one? What do you think?

Lisa always includes cool trivia and backstory with her posts (I mean, she was a journalist before staying home to homeschool her kids). You can find her post here!

Feel free to join in if you wish! Our next movie is none other than An Affair to Remember!

Wednesday Morning Coffee Catch Up

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized12 Comments

Hello everyone!

I want to thank everyone who read and commented on my post. You guys were all so supportive, and made me feel like I wasn’t alone. So thank you for trusting me with your own stories and experiences, and for just in general making me feel so much better. You guys are wonderful!!

As for that, I am feeling much better. I have some twinges here and there of worrying about my blood pressure but that is a normal level of anxiety for me after I come through a time like I did with it. And thankfully the Xanax is taking the edge off until I am fully confident that my medicine is working. But my last reading was fantastic so I have no reason at this time to believe that it wouldn’t be. I think that the excess serotonin that was causing my issues has dissipated as well, as I was only on that increased dose two weeks. Two weeks all, and that is all it took to make things go very very awry! But I am doing much better, I am back to bustling around the house, working on projects, fixing things up, making stuff. I am giving Wyatt and I a prolonged homeschool break to enjoy spring, and we will pick back up again next month and go through summer. We are not hot weather people anyway, and will be hiding in the air conditioning more then anyway. It makes sense for us to take our break in spring when we can be outside more. We are however, going to continue reading and we are about to start a super fun Wind in the Willows unit study.

Over the weekend we actually went and did some things! On Saturday we went to my very favorite pet store, Lou’s in Grosse Pointe Woods. I feel like they are just a very responsible pet store, that they care about the well being of their animals, and it is even part of their mission statement as they state they are a place “where we’ve been crafting a culture of kindness through responsible pet ownership since 1970! Education, Community and Happy pets are what we do!” The staff is amazing and is so knowledgeable. I did not leave with another creature though, aren’t you proud of me? Lol. I was greatly tempted by a black rabbit with long ears that I desperately wanted – I even had a name picked out, Blackavar (from Watership Down, of course). However, I am so reluctant to get a rabbit although I want one so bad. I think I might have allergies to the timothy hay, etc. so I don’t want to adopt one and then find out, so.. I will have to just wistfully pet them at stores.

We saw so many fun animals though!

The teeny tiny bebe turtles were so adorable, as was that teensy little snake baby. Unfortunately that snake baby gets huge so that is another no go for me. If they stayed like 6 inches long that’d be cool. Lol.

We did drop some cash there though. I was upgrading Applejack’s enclosure because she has outgrown her current tank. It was a good size while she was a baby but now that she is an adult crestie she was cramped. My Harry passed away from a genetic defect over the winter, breaking my heart, and his ginormous tank had sat empty for months, and I finally was ready to clean it all out and turn half of it into a home for Applejack. I am going to use the other half for another crestie, but we are not ready to add to our creature menagerie yet. Billy had a piece of plexiglass cut to divide it, then we added a drainage layer, her substrate, and all her decor and plants. She had fun exploring her new space! I still need to add more plants and cork bark but we are off to a good start.

Billy however left with some new friends. Bugs. Isopods to be exact. Apparently you can get all kinds, ranging from pretty inexpensive to very very expensive (like 5 for $200!). We of course did not buy those. You use them as clean up crews in bioactive tanks like we have for our lizards, and you can breed them and sell them. So Billy is growing his “horde” as he calls it, to add to Applejack’s new house and then to ultimately sell. It’s his project so I don’t know much about it honestly, I just know he tends to them very lovingly. Lol. We bought a version called Armadillidium gestroi, and they get sort of biggish for an isopod (roly polys to the rest of us) and are yellow and black.

That literally took us all day Saturday, to build these terrariums, shop, and move Applejack.

Sunday we had a birthday party for one of Wyatt’s little cousins! T. had a party at a painting place and it was so cool – T. and J. are pictured below but from behind out of respect for their parents wishes. There was a painting session, pizza, popcorn, and lots and lots of kids screaming along to baby shark while popping balloons. It was way overstimulating for me! It was a bit overwhelming for Wyatt too, but he did have a good time popping balloons and using the swing. And of course, eating his cupcake.

Kiddo had a blast!

I have spent this week cleaning, sorting, I made new spring soap, and made reservations for a trip up north with my dad/stepmom/nephew, brother/SIL/ and the two girls they have (Mermaid Girl and baby E), the three of us, and two dogs. Let me tell you, that was a juggle to find the right amount of beds, that allowed pets, was on water, the right price, and fit everyone’s schedules, annnnd late in the season to find rentals. I finally did it! Want to see where we are going?

I am super excited!!

And I will leave on that happy note. Again, thank you everyone for all of your kind words, they were like warm virtual hugs and helped me a lot.

My Sunday-Monday Post

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized23 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

I had a very rough week last week y’all, on a very personal level. I blogged about it yesterday in a very vulnerable coffee catch up post. I didn’t read too much anything last week, but, I did listen to an audiobook. And uh, it was quite the audiobook!

Read Last Week:

If you are a regular here, you know the types of books I read. I read a lot of cozy type books, cozy fantasy, middle grade, nature books. Easy reads. Light reads. I don’t usually delve into the world of romance too often but I have been known to on occasion. And I was having a rough week last week and thought, this looks absolutely adorable and I loved Alexis from Schitt’s Creek and I love seaside tales, so I was like, I’m going to do it! And 90% of this book was cute and sweet and I absolutely adored it. But I am not used to spiciness in my books, and I am not a prude, but..

and

I totally laugh at myself. I was just not prepared you guys! If you are a person who doesn’t mind a spice level of 5/5 and some salty language, then I recommend this one. The story was adorable, the character growth and arc was a fun read and the reader of the audiobook did a fantastic job. However, if you are not into the spice, skip this one.

Reading This Week:

I have a few books that I am going to start and see which one lands. These are the main contenders though.

Posted Last Week:

The only post I wrote last week is my coffee chat.

Watched:

Again, we are boring here. When I am stressed I have comfort fall backs and my husband has been kind enough to watch When Calls the Heart with me every single night. We started all over again at the beginning. I forgot what a jerk Henry was in the beginning. Dang! I love him in the newer seasons. He has a bit of mischief about him that I like.

And that is it from around here! I wish you all a happy and safe week!