Tuesday Morning Coffee Catch Up

On January 17, 2023January 17, 2023 By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn day in the life8 Comments

This morning I am drinking my coffee sitting on my sofa, the skies are just beginning to lighten out the window behind me, cartoons are on the television, but I am wishing for summer mornings by the lake. I took the above picture when we were on vacation last summer up north and I am ready to go back. It was an awesome family trip, with my brother and his family and my mom, and my SIL’s mom too.

But alas, I am here. And that is ok too. My coffee is hot and delicious (Newman’s Own Sunrise Blend today) and my husband made it for me, so bonus, coffee I didn’t have to make!

I did book a small trip! Between now and the beginning of March, Wyatt has like 7 different appointments with various specialists. No fun really for any of us but just a fact of our lives. But I felt like we were going to need a break, so I booked an Airbnb and arranged for a trip with Wyatt’s interests in mind. His birthday is the first of week of March and we usually go to some sort of nature center to celebrate. Well this year we went a little bigger than the average nature center – we are going to Wolf Park in Indiana! Wyatt loves wolves so I felt like for birthday #8, we could go see a few. I also reserved a private tour just for the three of us, a golf cart to drive around in if the weather is terrible, and a spot for us at the evening howl as well. I know Wyatt will really love that part. The little town we will be staying in looks super cute too! It will give us all something to look forward to through these gray months.

So I mentioned on my blog the other day that we had a Fast Food French Fry Showdown on Saturday night at my brother’s. Billy and my niece have a french fry rivalry going, so we were determined to get to the bottom of it, and see who has the best fries around. We got fries from 6 different places – McDonald’s, Arby’s Rally’s, Wendy’s, Burger King, and White Castle. My brother picked up fries from three places, we picked up fries for the other three, then met over his house for the tasting. It was an absurd amount of fries. We got two larges from each place, and then divvied them up one restaurant at a time to everyone. Some of them were cold by the time we got to them, which didn’t help when evaluating, as they were kind of soggy, which was gross. We obviously need to work on our technique for this type of thing in the future – like maybe keep the fries or food we are not ready to eat yet in the oven on low to keep warm until it is time to eat? Anyway, that is next time.

So the votes and the verdict! I won’t give the entire breakdown, but the ultimate loser was White Castle, with Arby’s a close second for last. The White Castle fries were entirely tasteless. The Arby’s curly fries were also very disappointing – they had a very oniony taste which was very off-putting. The clear winner was McDonald’s, with all but one person (Billy) voting for them. Even I voted McDonald’s first in this challenge, when I do love Burger King better. But in this particular challenge, the McDonald’s fries were still warm and tasted better. We had a lot fun with this and are going to do this again. I think next time we are going to compare cheese bread!

Billy had also been working on a surprise for Mermaid Girl and he finally finished. He gifted it to her Saturday night and she LOVED it.

He made her her very own Explorer bag! He hand cut, hand sewed every feature, created all the bits for test tubes and tweezers and containers, planned it all out, and even purchased a little whimsical unicorn charm to decorate it because that is who Mermaid Girl is. When we asked her what she was going to collect she said “fairies”. Her plan was to catch some and bring them home to play with though, not hurt them. He is busy planning out Wyatt’s bag, and after a lot of thought, he has opted for a nature bag that is also part art bag, because that is Wyatt. Billy does such good job and is so talented.

Here is happy girl with her bag.

And it is time for a refill friends. This cup is empty!

What has been going on with you all lately?

Family Day Out at The Henry Ford Museum

On October 21, 2022October 21, 2022 By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn day in the life, Detroit, Michigan15 Comments

On Monday, Billy surprised Wyatt and I by taking a vacation day! We considered going to Greenfield Village but it was cold and then started to rain so we switched plans and went to the museum instead. Greenfield Village and The Henry Ford Museum are two parts of the same museum and we haven’t been to the actual museum in quite a long time. It was definitely time to go back. And they have a special exhibit right now, the Heroes and Villains: The Art of the Disney Costume exhibit!

We loved it. These costumes designers are so talented, with billowing dresses, perfectly tailored suits, and all the various whimsical fairy tale touches.

Billy and I couldn’t believe how tiny these actors and actresses must be to fit these wee little outfits!

We all had favorites:

Ok so I had two favorites. The costume that Julie Andrews wore as Mary Poppins, and Keira Knightley’s Sugar Plum Fairy gown. Wyatt loved the Captain Jack Sparrow costume, and Billy loved Angelina Jolie’s Maleficent dress.

After goggling over the costumes we moved on to the rest of the museum.

One of my favorite permanent exhibits is the Your Place in Time exhibit. It takes you through the different generations and highlights the different technologies and pop culture of the day. The 80s bedroom was so me. I even listened to Depeche Mode and had a moody James Dean poster. Wyatt is such a music kid – he enjoyed listening to the music of the 50s and 60s, especially The Beatles. And while I might be a Gen Xer, I think it would be really cool to live in the hippie geodesic dome. (not to be confused with the Buckminister Fuller Dymaxion House that is there which is also super cool)

I always have to go visit the William Hopson sign too. His story is so crazy, and romantic to me. Lol. He was also a bit of a looker. He has a page on the Smithsonian site as well – he was a well known and beloved pilot in his day.

Billy and Wyatt were more excited about the trains and cars – and there are so so many. Seriously. I did take this photo of the stagecoach trailer that belonged to the Lindberghs. Anne wrote her novel The Steep Ascent in it!

And in case you have wondered where certain items from history end up, check museums. They are probably there. The Henry Ford has a sort of macabre collection of items within its walls – including the car Kennedy was in that fateful day in Dallas, and also the car Reagan was in the day he was shot as well. It is strange and eerie and sad to view the Kennedy car; I wasn’t alive at the time but I have seen the footage numerous times and can picture Jackie trying to climb out the back very clearly, and it brings that day to life for me, as learning about history should, even the sad and tragic moments. The Henry Ford also has the chair Lincoln was assassinated in, and Edison’s last breath. We didn’t do the whole museum this time but we will go back. We use our membership pretty heavily, and my favorite thing about a membership is that you don’t feel you need to get everything done in one day.

And on that note, we were ready to head home, one of us with a little souvenir.

Morning Coffee Catch Up!

On May 10, 2022May 10, 2022 By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn books and reading, day in the life, Uncategorized9 Comments

I hope that all of you had a wonderful weekend, and if you celebrate Mother’s Day, I hope it was a good one.

We’ve just been caught up in the everyday over here – work, school, family, etc. My mom hasn’t been well, she was laid low by a UTI, and then her antibiotics really took the wind out of her sails, so it has been a few days of balancing letting her rest but making sure she is eating and drinking water. And in case you didn’t know it, for our ladies 65 and older, confusion is a big symptom even before anything else of an issue. (Also, ten days of antibiotics are a must! We learned that the hard way as well)

I did manage to join my friends at our favorite nursery on Saturday morning! I didn’t buy too much for outside, but I did buy a cool bonsai for my mother in law for Mother’s Day, and lots of terrarium plants to jeuje up Freddy, Harry, and Luna’s tanks. I did get a laugh out of the names of those flowers – and I have to say the Wee Bit Grumpy side seems to be flourishing.

When I got home I learned my guys had enjoyed their time together as well, stumbling on an old-timey baseball game at the park.

Billy and I putzed about with the tanks while Wyatt played outside (we were outdoors as well) and I am pleased with how they are turning out!

Sunday I wanted a slow day, after so many days of being busy. We visited our moms briefly – my mom wasn’t feeling well and Billy’s dad just had surgery – and went to the park for ice cream. I loved just laying on the blanket in the warm sun, listening to the birds, surrounded by the little spring flowers that made it seem like fairyland. Billy and Wyatt bought me an Elephant Ear plant “Mojito”, and I apparently have two more gifts coming in the mail, although I am perfectly happy with my new plant. Then Billy made dinner, salmon and brussel sprouts, rice pilaf, and brown bread. It was fantastic!

It was a lovely weekend and then we hit the ground running Monday, back to the daily again.

Today is also book launch day for my friend Lisa at Boondock Ramblings! Beauty from Ashes is her third book in the Spencer Valley Chronicles and I can’t wait to read it, as I loved the first two! It is downloaded and waiting for quiet time this afternoon.

After becoming pregnant by her abusive ex-boyfriend, 27-year-old Liz Cranmer feels trapped in a prison of shame. Now a single mother she feels like the whole town, especially her church-going parents, view her as a trashy woman with no morals. That’s not how she used to think of herself but — could they all be right? And if they think that, then what does God think of her?

Ginny Jefferies, 53, has hit a few snags of her own in life. Her husband, Stan, barely acknowledges her, her job as the town’s library director has become mundane and stagnant, and her youngest daughter is having some kind of identity crisis. Pile on the return of a former boyfriend and you have the makings of a near-midlife crisis.

You can find it here for just .99 cents!

Or, you can read the whole series for under $5 right now!

What have you all been up to lately?

Hanging in there on a tough week

On January 21, 2022 By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn day in the life20 Comments

How you all doing? Hanging in there I hope! It’s been a rough week around here for me personally. There were some things that were causing me a great deal of stress with my extended family and I was struggling a bit this week. I couldn’t read, which I hate when I can’t settle down with a book. I pushed through and got things done, with a lot of pep talks from friends and family. So this week was an odd one. We didn’t get too much besides what we needed to do done, but it was a week of small victories, which are just as good.

Harry had a recheck this week and the vet said he looks awesome! His surgical area healed perfectly, and he is looking good and did not require any further medication, although we still have to give him his appetite stimulant because he lost weight, poor guy. But otherwise he is doing well. He has the world’s tiniest carrier and everyone at the vet thought it was adorable – as did I. It has a little strap that cracks me up, like I can carry him around with me on walks or in stores or something. I had to send Harry into the vet alone per COVID rules and I do wonder if they wore him for a minute because I would have, had I been them.

I also started a new skin care routine this week. I don’t usually do much, just wash and moisturize but it has been so cold and I am over 40 so I thought I should up my game. I ordered a few different oils from Good Molecules then had to call my friend to ask her how to use them. I took notes even. So I now use squalane oil in the morning, and rose hip seed oil in the evening. I also have an ultra hydrating one that I am to use as needed, per my friend Kelly, my personal beauty guru. I am sort of a wash and go person, even with my hair so anytime I add in anything new it feels like such a big deal.

I have also been trying to organize a meal plan that is sustainable and easy to turn into a routine. In preparation for this I ordered meat from Trillium Woods Farm. We have ordered from there before and picked it up at the farm, but this time we had it delivered. It came today and it was sort of fun to go through when it came. The things that make me happy these days! Truth be told, I feel like it was a good price for the quality I know we are receiving, especially when the prices in the grocery store are pretty comparable these days. Lisa from Boondock Ramblings and I are also planning on doing a recipe swap in February to sort of mix things up and try new things. I am excited about it!

Wyatt and I also had a great week of homeschooling, after I had one day of dragging my feet over it. I plan on sharing more on that tomorrow, but we are both loving the topics we are learning about this week.

It’s been so cold here too! Not much snow but single digits that go below freezing at times. We are winter hikers but I don’t like to take Wyatt out when it is that cold out. So this weekend we are sticking around the house, baking, and working on his Valentine’s! I am part of on online “cohort” group that all use the Blossom and Root curriculum for first grade, and one of the mothers organized a Valentine exchange. She grouped interested families into “classes” of 24 and sent out the lists! We are going to make a Valentine’s box that Wyatt can put them in as they arrive, and then open them all on Valentine’s Day. I think it will be fun! Especially since Wyatt loves anything to do with mail these days.

So how are you guys? Hope all is well in your world!

The Haps’

On July 10, 2021 By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn day in the life6 Comments

It’s been quite a week! We set a lot of different things in motion to make some changes this week, shifting stuff around, making different financial changes. We also had to deal with the insurance company over a small dent in Billy’s car that happened when he was hit while parked, and make some decisions on our barely functioning ancient A/C unit. Overall, it was a busy busy week and things have been pretty good for the most part.

I am going to probably skip around a bit, timeline wise. Wyatt had his EEG on Thursday, and he did so good. He is such a trooper all the time. It was supposed to be a 48 hour EEG, where we took him in, had him hooked up, then brought him home. However, on Wednesday the hospital called and I found out that a mistake was made in scheduling and this was a 30 minute EEG in office instead. So I imagine another EEG is in our future. I’m glad we at least got something done though.

He looks a little upset in that last photo. And he was. At me. Lol. I had to take my phone back for a minute and he was not happy with me. I don’t usually ever let him play with it (last time he did he called emergency so.. never again) but for the EEG I let him watch his YouTube favorites and Sesame Street. We got the results but I can’t interpret them so I am waiting on the doctor to call. But Wyatt did such a great job. He loved showing everyone his moon shirt, and it seems a lot of people really like the moon too. Or so they told him. The tech was also wonderful, she made the whole experience so much easier for all of us.

Wednesday I went back to work! For a short time but it was still something. I work part-time for my cousin at his law practice, and it is just the two of us. During the past 18 months though, he has been working from home and I haven’t been working at all. I just couldn’t juggle all of Wyatt’s needs and extra work, especially with never knowing quite when Billy is getting home from work. But now we are slowing adding in normalcy, like work. Brian is shifting his business away from the office entirely, and we are creating an office space in his home. I am looking forward to it, I can actually take Wyatt over there with me if need be and let him play or whatever while I work. But first, we need to get it organized. And since I had to pass by a Starbucks on my way over, I of course had to stop and pick up a new favorite, the Iced Matcha Green Tea Latte. So good!

And looking at this, I really need to do something about my nails today!

Last night Billy and I went out together, without Wyatt, for the first time since COVID. Our city has a Street Art Fair every year (except last year) and Billy and I have gone almost every year without fail. It’s been a while since I have gone on a Friday night though! I didn’t really look at the art too much, I was just too busy enjoying being out again. Looking around, people watching. We got tacos and split a beer, finished walking around, and that was about it. It was a beautiful night though, and with the music and the people and sights, it felt so alive. And so did I.

It should be a pretty slow Saturday around here, Billy has to wrap up some of our business today and then tonight we are going swimming at my in-laws with my brother and the fam.

I can’t wait to share some of the things we have been doing for Italy month! Hopefully next week I get a chance to round those up.

How was your week? What has been happening?

Chit Chat Coffee Time

On May 1, 2021May 1, 2021 By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn chit chat coffee time, day in the life, special needs child17 Comments

This week was a week of reunions. On Tuesday, my little group of friends got together in person for the first time since last fall – thank goodness it is now warm enough to do so! We were down a person in our crew who couldn’t make it which was a bummer, but the three of us who were there were just talking and laughing the whole time and it filled my soul. I went home feeling so refreshed – these women are so important to me and I was so glad to be able to hang out with them again.

Then later in the week, my brother and I tore off the band-aid and got together. So, on Thursday I got to see a sight that brought tears to my eyes. My son and my niece reunited, playing and laughing and giggling together, as they played pirates and got into general mayhem together. Then, on Friday, I went and picked my mom up and we hung out. She and Wyatt had such a blast – reading books, playing on the floor, singing. I got to show her my newly remodeled office, and introduce her to our menagerie of critters. Harry even came out of his hide to see what was going on, and as a nocturnal gecko he usually sleeps during the day.

Marlow was also happy to see my mom.

This week I have also been busy looking through the new curriculum I purchased for Wyatt for next year. Can I say I am super excited about it too? There is a whole unit on rocks and minerals that I can’t wait to “dig” into with him – I even learned of two places to take him next year as little field trips as part of this unit, the Fossil Park in Sylvania, OH, which is about an hour away, and then there is another place about four hours north of us that we may plan an overnight trip around. I am genuinely looking forward to starting next year.

This actually came up when I was hanging out on Tuesday with my friends. None of them homeschool, or want to homeschool, which I get. It’s not for everyone. It is the right thing for my family though, at least right now. And we are enjoying it. My friend said something though that gave me an existential crisis for a few days though – totally well meaning, of course, she loves me, but she said she doesn’t want me to lose my identity and who I am, as I am not just a homeschool mom. I went home and have been thinking all week about just who I am. I came to the conclusion that no, I am not “just a homeschool mom” but yes, it is a big part of my identity right now. I am a mom. I love homeschooling Wyatt, and shaping his education. But the rest of me is the same – I am the same person that I always have been. My priorities might be different, but that happened when I became a mother. I’m still a reader, an animal lover, a nature enthusiast; I’m still painfully shy unless I am with people I am comfortable with, a cheerleader for those people that I love, but also very blunt and plain speaking. I’m a fixer, a problem solver. Curious, creative, with a quick temper at times that I have spent the past few years working on. I still am a daydreamer who wants a few acres of land with animals and bees and an orchard, to travel and see different places. It’s a weird thing to think about . How do we define ourselves? By our likes and dislikes? Our personality? We are more than what we do, that is for sure. My husband is more than a computer guy. One of my friends more than a respiratory therapist, another more than a stay-at-home mom. Anyway, just something I have been lightly pondering this week. Lol.

We also celebrated my mom’s birthday this week! We went to my brother’s where the kids happily played outside and the rest of us chatted and hung out. I am in love with this photo of Wyatt – he looks so happy and content here. Plus I love those overalls I bought him to play in. I got them at a work wear store online, and they are so well made. And most importantly, have reinforced back pockets which we need for our kid who scoots around on his bottom most of the time right now while we work on walking! I can’t even tell you how many pairs of pants we go through in the summer…

Anyway – I have probably rattled on enough for today. What is going on with you guys?

A Trip to the Farm

On March 30, 2021 By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn day in the life, Detroit, family friendly11 Comments

Last Saturday we took a ride out to the country. I had placed an order with Trillium Wood Farms in efforts to better support small Michigan farmers. This is better for the animals, for us, the environment – it’s really a win-win all over.

I would say local farmers but for us, a trip to the farm really is a road trip, at an hour and half drive one way. It’s a pretty drive though and this time I enjoyed seeing the suburbs, then the city, slowly turn into fields of green, dotted with animals along the highway.

We started early, picking up coffee for us and hash browns for the kiddo before hitting the road. Wyatt decided he preferred Goldfish crackers to his hash browns though. This kid and Goldfish crackers…lol.

I rarely talk about the fact that we live a mile from the Detroit River – it has been a fixture in my life for so long that I just don’t think about it. But Saturday we drove along the river for a bit, watching as the sun hit the water just so, making it glitter.

It wasn’t long before we were on the highway, heading west. It was not a bad way to start the morning, hot coffee, hash browns, the radio playing country music as we all sang along. There wasn’t much traffic since it was Saturday morning, and we just enjoyed the time together.

I had to take a photo of the Fowlerville sign. When I was attending Central Michigan, my friend and I would say “Fowlerville, already??” every time we passed through on our way back to school. It was the halfway mark, and I am not sure why we said it but I find myself thinking it when we pass it now, still. Here the landscape really begins to change from city to rural, and I kept my eyes glued to the fields around us, looking for horses and cows and hawks.

While we were en route one of the farmers emailed me that they had to change part of our order (which was ok) and to not be alarmed if we saw pigs running around when arrived, since a tree had fallen on the fenceline and they had escaped. I have to admit, it did make me a little nervous. I have a little bit of a fear of pigs, they can bite through metal and I feel like they just want to take a chunk out of me. I know this is irrational but..there you go.

We did not see any pigs on the loose however when we arrived. Wyatt was disappointed but I was quietly relieved. We were the only ones there and it works on the honor system for no contact pick up, we just grab our order from the freezer. So we took a minute to stretch our legs. We didn’t stray away from the lot so as not to trespass on the farm itself, although I did want to get closer to the cow and the turkeys I could see. We did see pigs in a pen so they must have gotten rounded up and the fence fixed. They were a little distance away though across a small field and through some trees.

We did make friends with these cuties! Farm dogs and farm cats.. I love how that tabby is guarding the deliveries like she is the postmaster or something.

I am reading a book called Sheepish right now, and the author, Catherine Friend, talks about how small farms are really the only link for people to be able to get up close and personal with farm animals these days, and how if you do not grow up near them farms are places people can go to experience that wonder. I know in talking through emails with the sisters that run this farm that they do offer little tours of the farm to interested people. I think we might take them up on that when it is safer to do so.

As we were leaving one of the farmers was coming back up the drive and we stopped to chat a few minutes about the dogs. There is something to be said about knowing where your food actually comes from, the people raising it and caring about the entire process. The sisters at Trillium take the raising of their animals very seriously and treat them with compassion, all the way until the end with a humane quick finish. After our chat, it was sadly time to turn around and head home. We watched the drive in reverse, from fields to concrete and traffic and felt like we had had quite an adventure for not quite noon. One of us even needed a nap.

The car covered in black and white swirls is a sure sign we are near home again. These are the new models of cars that haven’t been released yet and we see them all the time around here. Since they are still secret they are covered in this to disguise them although we can usually guess what they are. It’s a common sight to see around here with all the auto industry.

So, it was an interesting morning for us and one we plan on doing again soon! We didn’t order much this time but hope to do small orders once a month or so. If nothing else, we get to take a nice ride together and see some new sights!

An “Otterly” Fun Valentine’s Day

On February 18, 2021 By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn day in the life, Detroit, Valentines Day10 Comments

Valentine’s Day began with pancakes. Heart shaped pancakes with whipped cream and M&Ms, to be exact. It was a cold cold morning, and these pancakes warmed up Wyatt’s little belly while Billy and I drank tons of coffee, which was needed to keep up with our sugared up kiddo. Billy and I decided to be a little silly this year and do a theme for gifts. We don’t even usually do gifts, but this year we are celebrating everything we can. I am going to share what we got each other at the end of this post, but let me tell you our theme…

Our theme? Otters. A little unusual, but perfect for our nature loving family. And otters, while actually sort of vicious little creatures, also do something so sweet and cute – hold hands while they sleep so they don’t drift apart. And I love that so much. So, because we were all about the otters this Valentine’s Day, we had to go to the zoo and see them!

It was very cold – like 20 degrees- but sunny with blue skies, and we bundled up in many layers before hitting the road. I was still a little nervous but I wanted to go. Our plan was that if it was too cold, then we would just head home. We have a membership, since we go so often, and I love it. We feel so much more freedom with a membership, and feel we can enjoy the zoo without feeling pressured to get it all done in one day. We can just take our time and wander around, see what we want to see.

Anyway, the day was gorgeous and once we were in the sunshine, it didn’t feel that cold. I won’t share too many photos of our zoo trip, as most did not turn out, but the day was amazing. We were only there about an hour but it was perfect. We pretty much had the zoo to ourselves, most of the animals were out sunning themselves, and we had so much fun. Our first stop was the otters – who was laying in the sun enjoying himself. (or herself, I don’t really know) We ended up seeing the red pandas, the tigers, the camels, and the arctic foxes before packing it in for the morning, but it was just enough time. We had wanted to see the wolves but they are all the way in the back and we decided we would come back and see them soon.

We stopped for chicken nuggets and fries on the way home since we are fancy, and ate them in the car on the way to my mom’s. I had a few things for her, including Wyatt’s homemade Valentine.

After chatting with my mom a bit we headed home and just chilled out. Later we ordered pizza for dinner and Billy and I got a chance to use our Valentine’s gifts to each other – matching otter glasses – a whiskey glass for him (although he had cider in his that night), a wine glass for me. They are adorable! We had read Wyatt his book before we went, but we read it again – Together by Emma Dodd. Also adorable.

It was such a great day with my guys!

Chitchat Coffee Time Post

On February 13, 2021February 13, 2021 By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn day in the life, family11 Comments

I sat down this morning to type up my Homeschooling Snow post, and realized that was not what I wanted to talk about this morning. Instead I just feel like chatting over my coffee. Also not sure why there is a measuring spoon in my room…

On Monday, Wyatt returned to therapy. This was a big deal for all of us. I was completely nervous and filled with all the anxiety. Would they tell us Wyatt had lost a lot of skills over the last year? How would he be away from me? How would I be away from him? We have been joined at the hip practically for the past year, so there was sure to be some separation anxiety. I drove there, buoyed by the tough love from my friends, feeling like I just wanted to turn the car around and head home to our safe house. But, we couldn’t do that. This was important. We know to stay safe you wear a mask and keep your distance and wash your hands. These are things we can do. And then when we got there, all worry melted away. This place is familiar. These people are like family. They have known Wyatt since he was a year old and love him and care about him. They would do their best by him as they have for five years.

And surprise, they wanted me to go in! I had been told that only Wyatt would be allowed in but things have lifted in Michigan a bit and I was able to join them. I probably won’t always, since Wyatt does need to get used to being away from me again, but this time, I was glad. I could visit with his therapist, I could see what precautions they are taking first hand. And I got to see the joy Wyatt had in returning and being reunited with Stacy, whom he has known for five years. They have always been a great team. And Wyatt is so motivated right now- I am excited to see what happens and how he grows from this return. More good Wyatt news – he finally finally made the growth chart after six years! It’s been a battle, but this kid is now in the 13th percentile. His doctor did a little happy dance and so did I!

The slow evolution from sad anole to happy Dash. I wish I could have taken home all three little anoles but I couldn’t. So sad and grey in that first photo! In the second he is beginning to feel safer and happier. Then one morning I was delighted to see that Dash was green! The sign of a happy little anole.

And in case you need some happy Harry photos…

This week my dad got his second vaccine, my mom got her first, and my aunt got her second as well. I think my uncle is waiting on his second one still. My mom goes for her second shot on Wyatt’s birthday!

My cute little mommy after her shot. My brother took her – he was messing with her and told her that they got a stockboy from the back to administer the shots. Lol.

Wyatt and I had a fun week together too. We did lots of snow activities, read lots of books, painted, made Valentines, and baked some pretty terrible cookies. I mistakenly used quick oats in our oatmeal cookies instead of rolled – and it does make a difference, just saying. Billy couldn’t even identify what type of cookie we had tried to make. LOL. We haven’t been outside too much lately. The weather has been too cold for us to feel comfortable taking Wyatt out – as he is not independently mobile right now he doesn’t generate heat from expending energy so we worry about him getting too cold. We are going to try to go to the zoo tomorrow, and see a quick list of specific animals – crossing my fingers we can do it, we need some fresh air time.

How was your week?

Winter Hikes

On January 7, 2021January 7, 2021 By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn day in the life, family, nature11 Comments

We are winter hikers; we wait all year to get back out there in the cold and snow. There is just something so invigorating about being in a winter wood, the chill temps, the quiet. On New Years Day, I walked the woods alone; Wyatt had fallen asleep in the car on the way to the trail, and Billy offered to stay back so that I could wander. The only sounds I heard were those of the birds, tweeting and chirping, birds of all kinds. Robins and cardinals and blue jays, various woodpeckers – a chipmunk ran in front of me, scampering into the undergrowth. I had my eyes scanning the trees, looking for the long – eared owl that has been spotted there, but didn’t see it unfortunately. When I headed back to the car, Billy told me that he had been watching all the birds as well, from his warm cozy seat. They were simply everywhere.

We took two more hikes that week, one at our favorite trail system, just to get outside and stretch our legs, get some fresh air. The woods were quiet that day, we didn’t see a single soul, nor see any signs of life at all. The birds and the animals must have been huddled up against the cold, wondering just what we were thinking, hiking around out there.

We also trekked out to Belle Isle one morning, and took a walk around the half frozen pond. It was like being in the Arctic, but not as cold and minus the polar bears. Although I did spy some tracks in the snow on the ice; can anyone identify them? I am thinking maybe fox, but identifying tracks is something I haven’t mastered.