From Smiles to Stitches

On September 4, 2020 By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn mom life, special needs child, special needs parenting24 Comments

This week started off with Wyatt’s first day of kindergarten, homeschool style! We had laughs and learning, and my hope is to foster a school year full of wonder and curiosity.

Our week went awry midweek though – early Wednesday morning Wyatt started throwing up at about 3 a.m. I don’t talk much here about some of the medical things Wyatt deals with, but one thing he has is a shunt that regulates the fluid in his brain. He has had it since he was one month old, and has never had a revision, which apparently is pretty unusual for a child to go this long without needing one. Well, one sign that the shunt is malfunctioning is repeated vomiting with no discernible other reason. After he vomited three times, we gathered him up and packed a bag and headed to the ER, crossing our fingers it was nothing. It ended up being a shunt malfunction, which was discovered very quickly by the amazing staff at the hospital. Within hours, Wyatt was in surgery, then in recovery. Within 24 hours Wyatt was home recovering. It has been a whirlwind of emotion and this momma is tired. We both slept in today, and he is now watching Mickey Mouse and eating Fruit Loops while I sip coffee and type this up. Billy is taking today off and is on a little walk and we plan on taking it easy today, but the hospital expects Wyatt to be able to resume his normal life activities probably by Sunday, maybe just with more breaks.

The resilience of my child is amazing. His tenacity and strength of will, which can be a test on normal days, is his power during times like this. He is a little groggier than usual, but otherwise happy to watching his cartoons and singing along.

Currently..September

On September 2, 2020September 4, 2020 By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized18 Comments

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

Didn’t I just write my August post? Sure feels like it. And yet, here we are in September already. Time is moving so weird this year.

Appreciating: my family – despite still distancing from them, we are still strong and united. We continue to support each other, and work as a community as much as we can. How we do it is a little different than normal, but we are working out ways. My brother and my mom have bubbled, as my brother and his wife work full time and my niece is going to be homeschooled, so my mom is on the job. My brother is helping my mother out in her home when something goes wrong, and if he needs to know how to do it, he calls my husband, who is usually the fix-it person. In return, I am coordinating all of my niece’s homeschooling, pulling together the lessons and resources and curriculum, and we are even having chat meetings to discuss materials needed for the weeks ahead and what the lessons will be covering. We are a team! And because I am me, I have given a name to our school – James Herriot Primary. I didn’t know how Wyatt’s transcripts would look in the future with our homeschool year, and I wanted to have a name in case it was needed. I am new to this whole thing! And I want to give a shout out to my dad as well – he lives farther away but has helped in his own ways. He and my stepmom drove an hour and half to drop off McDonalds to Billy and I at the hospital then turn around and head back home.

Anticipating: The changing of the seasons, from summer to autumn. These past weeks have been muggy and damp and hot, and I have not enjoyed them. I can feel fall in the air, and have even spotted evidence of it in the leaves on the trees and the ripening of the pumpkins growing in our garden. I am looking forward to jeans and boots and warm drinks on chilly nights, cozy mysteries, backyard fires, and more hikes in the woods.

Collecting: Random nature bits – hopefully by the time this post goes up my husband will have hung my awesome printer tray turned shelf for all of our little finds: acorns, rocks, an almost perfect yet empty robin’s egg, a blue jay feather, chestnuts.. whatever strikes our fancy and fits in our pockets for the most part. I am also building quite a collection of family/parenting/education type books! Some standout favorites are The Call of the Wild and Free, Awaking Wonder: Opening Your Child’s Heart to the Beauty of Learning, and Adventuring Together: How to Create Connections and Make Lasting Memories with Your Kids.

Starting: School! My son started kindergarten this week here at home. A different situation and beginning than we had ever imagined, but that is ok. We can do this! We are also working on some room redos – repainting the family room and freshening it up, and completely overhauling the office. And our house is not the only one getting a new look and a refresher – Harry our gecko is getting new digs this week too! We have been doing a lot of research and she will hopefully soon be enjoying her new bioactive enclosure! We are just waiting on everything to arrive! It will be bigger and have a much nicer atmosphere and substrate.

Finishing: Old projects! My hubby finally hung the shelves in my son’s room that I’ve been wanting him to hang for quite some time. Otherwise not too much – we are starting more right now than finishing anything.

How about you guys? Anything you are appreciating, anticipating, collecting, starting or finishing?

Book Review: The Conjurer

On September 1, 2020 By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn book review5 Comments

Goodreads Summary:

Sidra didn’t murder her husband. Yet even a jinni can’t wish away a wrongful imprisonment. Determined to prove her innocence, she returns to her adopted home—a French village renowned for its perfume witches—with her friends Elena and Yvette by her side. Here is where Sidra’s true destiny awaits, but danger also lurks in the village’s narrow lanes.

On her trail is Jamra, another jinni, who’s after more than revenge for the murder of his brother. He also seeks vengeance for the indignities inflicted on jinn by mortals over the centuries. When he learns of an ancient relic capable of unleashing chaos on the world, and that the weapon is in the hands of his murderous sister-in-law, he vows to destroy Sidra to get it.

Relying on a sisterhood of magic, a mysteriously faithful dog, and a second-rate sorcerer, Sidra defends herself using the village’s greatest asset: its perfume. It’s as beguiling a lure as it is a formidable shield. But is it enough for Sidra to protect herself and those she loves from powers yet to be released?

My thoughts:

This third installment in the Vine Witch series did not disappoint. I loved the first two, The Vine Witch and The Glamourist, and I have to be honest, this one might be my favorite of all three. No, wait..maybe it was The Vine Witch. Or maybe, The Glamourist. It is hard to say! I loved them all!

This book made me yearn for a place I have never been, with its descriptions of desert winds and the perfumed scents, such a sensory journey. And I absolutely loved getting to know the character of Sidra more; of the three characters, she is the most mysterious. We finally get to learn her backstory, what really happened to land her in jail, where she came from, and more about the jinni itself.

We see different sides to this hot tempered character- emotions such as vulnerability, fear, loyalty, and even fondness for Yvette. It was also nice to catch up with Yvette, and see how she was adjusting to her newfound ancestry and powers, and also with Elena who we started the series with. I love how their fates have been intertwined and how their shared experiences together has bound them to each other.

This book contains so much, witches and jinni and fairies and powerful, evocative descriptions; romance and danger, evil villains and brave allies. It was a fantastic read, and the very definition of the expression that reading takes you places.

I loved this book and I hope to read more from this author in the future! Thank you to NetGalley and to 47th North publishing for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

My Sunday-Monday Post

On August 30, 2020August 31, 2020 By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized25 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 took an unplanned break last week – from everything it seems like. Wyatt and I were super lazy. The weather was horrid and humid, and we didn’t want to go outside. We seemed to have lost motivation for everything. Friday night though I had a socially distance social gathering my friends, despite the stormy weather. We just gathered in the garage, all spread out, with the garage door open. It was a good time. Finally, today, the weather is much cooler, and we might have our mojo back. Just a little. We went for a family hike in the woods, the first in months, then had a little picnic.

Read Last Week:

I really enjoyed this third book in the Vine Witch series! This book focused on Sidra the fiery jinn, her past, and the new danger facing her – as well as Elena and Yvette, who have found themselves entangled in each other’s fates it seems at every turn. Review soon.

Reading this Week:

I can’t decide between these two. As for Maniac, I am sure this book will freak me out but having been to Bath, MI on a brief visit while my husband interviewed for a job there, I have been curious to know what happened there. While my husband was at his interview, I explored the town which is pretty small, and saw the memorial that stands at the site of this tragedy. And Southern Book Club – well, that might be the winner in this race. I have wanted to read it for a while now! We will see which grabs me more while reading. UPDATE: I started Southern Book Club and was sucked in…it’s riveting and I think scares me more than Maniac would have!! Terrifying but so good!

Watching:

Father Brown, Teenage Bounty Hunters, and we are also rewatching Parks and Rec. I find myself saying “literally” a lot more right now..

And that is about it from where I am sitting! Wyatt’s first day of Kindergarten homeschool is Monday – I am looking forward to it!

My Sunday-Monday Post!

On August 23, 2020 By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized36 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

Last week was our last week of our summer homeschooling sessions. It was a good week! We started one of Wyatt’s ancestry weeks where we learn about the places his family comes from, and our first stop was Hawaii! Billy is Hawaiian and I felt like it was a good week to end the summer learning on. Otherwise, our week was just a week – nothing super exciting happening around here. We have been spending our weekends working around the house, just puttering around. We have been working on little projects, like this soap we made!

Read Last Week:

Finished up the last bit of 100 Things to do in a Forest and posted my review. I also read Enduring Spirits, which is the newest in the Witches of Palmetto Point series I began and devoured at the beginning of the pandemic.

Reading this Week:

I am super excited to begin this one! I have loved the first two in the series and have high expectations for this third installment in The Vine Witch series.

Posted Last Week:

Homeschooling Summer Edition: Hawaii

Friday Favorites, Artist Series: Potters!

Book Review: 100 Things to do in a Forest

Watching:

We are still watching Father Brown and finishing up The Umbrella Academy. We added Wild Bill and Teenage Bounty Hunters to our watchlists though to start as soon as we finish up. Wild Bill is on Britbox and stars Rob Lowe in a British series – should be fun!

That’s all from here this week – stay safe everyone!

Homeschooling, Summer Edition: Hawaii!

On August 22, 2020 By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn homeschooling5 Comments

Our final week of summer homeschooling! I wanted to end our summer session with something fun – and also meaningful. This week, Hawaii week, was the first of our Heritage Weeks that we are going to start working on this year, that focus on Wyatt’s ancestry – and what better way to end the summer with a week “in” Hawaii.

Billy’s grandmother, so Wyatt’s great-grandmother, was a born and raised Hawaiian, and so was her family for as far back as you can go. Wyatt and I talked about how Hawaii is a chain of Islands in the Pacific Ocean, read about Hawaiian legends, gods, and goddesses, talked about the native plants and vegetation (including pineapples and coconuts of course, with a tasting!), surfing, volcanoes, geckos (although not like our gecko), sea turtles, and listened to Hawaiian music, especially ukulele music. Wyatt liked Elvis’ version the best. He learned Hawaiian words, like aloha, ohana, and mahalo, designed his own surfboards, and made a grass crown. We also talked about the importance of tattoos in the Hawaiian culture, and gave this little tough guy a few temporary ones.

Resources Used:

Coconut Learning Pack and Mini-Hawaiian Adventure from The Masterpiece Studio

Volcanoes Unit Study – Stephanie Hathaway Designs

Books Read:

Tell Me a Tattoo Story || Hi’aka Battles the Wind || Maui Hooks the Islands ||Maui Slows the Sun || Pele Finds a Home || Hina || The Magic Ukulele || Secrets of the Seashore || Nerdy Babies Ocean || Ohana Means Family

We of course also watched Lilo and Stitch, Moana, and a Disney short called Lava, which was adorable!

It was a great way to end our summer session! Next week we have a vacation week, as we rest up for his first week of homeschool kindergarten! (wish me luck!)

Friday Favorites, Artists Series: Potters!

On August 21, 2020August 21, 2020 By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn artist review5 Comments

I have a serious love of pottery – I love the sustainability, the artistry, the idea that I am actually using something that is not only functional but beautiful as well. Every Christmas there is a Potter’s Market that I love to explore and buy gifts at- I don’t know if it will happen this year unfortunately, so thank goodness for the internet and online shopping! I already have quite a few favorite artists and I am constantly shoving my phone in Billy’s face and exclaiming “Billy! Look at this! Isn’t this awesome?” while he sort of chuckles at my enthusiasm. He is used to me after over twenty years together. Anyway, I wanted to share a few of my favorites!

I LOVE everything that Tara and Matt from Pitch Pine Pottery design. Their creations sell out so quickly online and I never seem to catch the restocks in time… maybe tonight I will get lucky since they are restocking TODAY at 8 pm EST in their Etsy store. If you are interested set an alarm, things go fast! They do have a high price tag but I think the price reflects the amount of work and love and artistry that goes into each piece. I am totally coveting these fox mugs!!

https://www.instagram.com/p/CDutYIdFSDr/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

I also really love Lochbroom Pottery! This potter is from Scotland, and her designs reflect her love for her homeland and it’s wildlife. Highland cattle and rabbits and thistles and puffins – so perfect! I have a thistle tattoo in honor of my Scottish grandmother, and have her china tea set with a thistle pattern that I use for special occasions. I love this little thistle plate! You can find her store here.

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Next up is Earth and Empathy Ceramics. I love nature and am a little boho eclectic and this shop is chock-full of items that I love. I love the minimalist style but also the wonderful designs – the moons and rainbows and the planter that says Mother Earth… love them all. But it is these little guys that really make me smile! You can find Earth and Empathy Ceramics here.

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Callahan Ceramics is another that sells out before you can snap your fingers – and you can certainly see why if you scroll their Instagram feed. The colorways are simply gorgeous! I had such a difficult time deciding which photo to use on this post – everything is just so darn beautiful! And I love their slogan of “One of a kind pieces for everyday.” They have a range of products, from pins to watering cans to mugs to wall hangings and more. Their next restock is the 23rd so if you like their stuff, set a reminder! You can find their store here.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B9CojJBglzC/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

This next one is a local favorite, for over 100 years. Pewabic Pottery in Detroit is an historic landmark, and they do so much for the ceramic community. I love dropping in and picking up gifts for myself or others, and I also used to go to their special events, like the garden party. They weren’t able to have one in person this year, but hopefully next year will be better for us all! Find them here – they have so much to explore on their site! Also, shout out to Two James pictured below as well – they are a Detroit distillery that was extremely active in helping the city and community during the height of the pandemic in Detroit. Pre-Wyatt you could find Billy and I and friends gathered around their bar, enjoying a few cocktails on the weekends.

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And I can’t end this without mentioning my own personal favorite, my talented mother-in-law. She makes amazing pieces and is so creative – and lucky for me, I am gifted with them all the time!

Book Review: 100 Things to do in a Forest

On August 19, 2020August 19, 2020 By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn book review13 Comments

Publisher Summary:

In an age when people are in search of new and more fulfilling experiences to replace screens and bring families together, this book explores 100 ways to connect with nature and discover the benefits of forest fun. From bushcraft activities like whittling and firelighting to spiritual pursuits like forest bathing and meditation, forest educator Jennifer Davis has brought together activities for people of all ages, helping them to connect with their forests and woodlands, while discovering the healing and restorative benefits of a life lived outdoors.

My Thoughts:

I found this book to be such a fun read, full of great suggestions and ideas! I originally started reading this as an e-galley but I could only get it to load on my phone, and I really don’t like reading on my phone. I had read enough of it however, that I knew I wanted to add it to our family’s collection of nature books – so I ordered it. I am so glad that I did. This book will be one to return to for new ideas throughout the seasons!

A few favorites: A dice-rolling walk, the silence of twenty things, leaf pinning, and a wishing tree. There were a few ideas in the book as well, that did not necessarily need to be done in a forest, just outside. I was happy to see that we already do a few of them, such as wassailing our apple tree in the winter and canopy gazing, one of my favorite lazy Sunday picnic day activities.

Sometimes with list books, I find that there are more suggestions for things I would never do or try than I would actually do. This is not the case with this book though – there were more ideas that I want to try than not, although there are a few I will skip.

This book is also gorgeously illustrated! I am so happy that I splurged on a physical copy as I loved flipping through and looking at the illustrations. They are dreamy and beautiful!

This is a fun book, and definitely a book for those looking for a few more ideas for outside time – which I think many people are doing right now. I could see having our family take turns picking a random number on the weekends and opening the book to reveal our adventure for the day. Overall, a great addition to your home library!

Thank you to NetGalley and Laurence King Publishing for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review!

My Sunday-Monday Post

On August 16, 2020August 16, 2020 By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized27 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

The weather here last week was super gross, and Wyatt and I had to stay in more than we usually do. We did have a picnic lunch on my mom’s lawn one day, visiting my mom (socially distanced) and then I had a socially distanced night at my friend Kelly’s. But really, it was a pretty slow week around here! I did get one of my big book orders in that I had placed for Wyatt’s school year, which was super exciting for me. It took me back to when I worked in the school library and all of our orders would start showing up – just on a much smaller scale.

Read Last Week:

Mary Stewart is a go to author for me, and this one was no different. Love revisiting her every so often.

Reading this Week:

I had started this a few weeks ago, but I was reading an egalley version and for some reason I could only read it on my phone, which was annoying. I had read enough of it though to know I wanted it, so I ordered it. I will finish reading it this week – I am so excited! This book is gorgeous by the way. Review soon.

Posted Last Week:

Mini-Post: A Morning in the Country

Mini-Post: What’s Growing On?

Homeschooling, Summer Edition: Space

Watching:

We are watching a few things – The Umbrella Academy, Evil Genius, and Father Brown. Evil Genius is insane. My brother had told me to watch it a while ago, and we are just getting to it. It takes place in Erie, PA, a place that some of my extended family has lived, so I was intrigued just by that alone.

That’s about it on my end. Stay safe everyone!

Homeschool, Summer Ed: Space

On August 15, 2020August 15, 2020 By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn homeschooling11 Comments

This was a great unit – we covered a brief overview of Earth, the Moon, constellations, and space exploration, and it was really fun. This was our second to last week of our summer homeschool – we are going to have one more week then we will be off for a week before we start Wyatt’s first day of Kindergarten!

I think constellation day was our favorite. We started by looking at the Skyview App on my phone, laying on the floor of his darkened bedroom, seeing where the constellations were in the sky. We talked about how we couldn’t see them since it was daytime, and how when the sun went down then we would be able to see them. I dug out his Uncle Goose constellation blocks that we got him a million years ago, and he had a blast building tall towers with them after we looked at some of the constellations. We ended by playing a game of Night Sky dominoes. They weren’t really dominoes though, more like heavy cardboard shaped liked dominoes with illustrations on it. They were pretty cool.

Wyatt also made his own constellations – he chose a house and snail lol. I drew them out and he put the stars on.

We read about Vincent Van Gogh, and Wyatt painted his own version of Starry Night. He also painted a moon, using a foil ball as a stamp, and did an Earth lacing activity. It all looks so pretty hanging in our den. We have one project left, and we are waiting until tonight to do it as a family – an Oreo moon phase activity. Anything that involves Oreos, I am there for.