Tag: Detroit

Friday Morning Coffee Catch Up

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized12 Comments

Hello everyone! After a few hot weeks after a false fall, we had a cool night last night. There was an actual chill in the air, and it was glorious. We stayed outside until the fairy lights came on then headed inside where we made sure all the windows were open. This morning I was practically freezing making coffee in my kitchen! I of course loved it before retreating back to my bed with my hot cup of coffee. It is cooling on my nightstand as I type!

We have been having a good time around here – in school, and out of school. Last weekend we woke up and headed down to Toledo early on Saturday morning to meet my cousin and his family at the Muddy Maumee Book Festival. Well, we really met Mike’s wife Michelle, and their three boys, because Mike was working there. With Wyatt added, there was big boy energy happening! My cousin Mike is the Chief Engagement and Enterprise Officer (a title I just looked up because I knew he was some sort of administrator there but I didn’t know what) and I am so proud of him. Anyway, we will get back to that part in a minute. Let’s start with the book festival.

The festival was all independent authors from around the area – some even as far away as Grand Haven Michigan and southern Indiana! This was the first year that it was held at the Glass City Riverwalk in Toledo, which seemed like a perfect place to have it. They all had their books on display, and were happy to answer any questions the kids had. My cousin’s oldest boy is also a bookworm and asked the authors great questions about the books. Michelle and I were lucky to get out of there with only a few purchases each! Billy ordered a set of dragon books for Wyatt from Ryan Null, a clean fantasy author based out of Indiana, called The Flare Chronicles, and I picked up a book for myself from Michigan author Mark Love, who writes romance! I bought an early copy of a collection of short stories by various authors, including Love, called Inkspell’s Enchanted Holidays. After we shopped and chatted and I gathered bookmark business cards from every author, we had a nice lunch at the restaurant there, called The Garden by Poco Piatti. They had the best pizza, seriously.

After we ate, my cousin gave us a guided tour (using an 8 person golf cart which Wyatt thought was awesome) around Glass City. We hit all the major attractions of this 70 acre park. It has a 7 mile loop around the river with a 1,000 foot long trail (The Ribbon) for ice skating in the winter – and they even provide skating sleds for the disabled community, and cute little huts for fires and s’mores and whatever when you need a break, which you can reserve. We saw it all – the mural, the field of histories, which was my favorite. They are a field of glass orbs, and each one has a laser engraved image from a member of the Toledo community, that relates to their own personal history. Then each one has a code that can be looked up online to read more about the object. It is really well done and intricate, and ties it personally to the area. I absolutely loved it. History and art and community connection!! We saw the slag ladles, which is something Billy and I are familiar with living in an area with lots of steel mills, the kayaking cove and even some sites that are soon to come, such as a place to camp! It was really amazing, and for some reason I never put it together that it is called the Glass city because of all the glass manufacturing that happens/happened there, by companies like Libby and Corning.

We had a great time and headed happily home, full of books and history and moments with family.

Billy and I were having a big day Saturday, because we also went on our first date in like a year. I had bought tickets for an Edgar Allan Poe speakeasy all the way back in August and the day had come! Billy’s mom came over to watch Wyatt for us, and we made our way to another big city on the river, this one north – Detroit, of course.

So, this event was four readings from Poe, each one preceded by a drink pertaining to that reading. It was amazing. It was run by just six people, from start to finish, the drinks, the serving of the drinks, the readings, and it was all done so smoothly. When you get there, you are directed to a waiting room, that has drinks and just a few snacks, and tables. My cousin had been to this performance a few days before, and tipped me off that you can wait in line at about fifteen minutes to start, which we did. When they opened their doors five minutes later, we were among the first to find our seats – center stage, second row. Perfection. Then there is the intro, the first drink was served, and the first performance began. And that continued for the next 90 minutes. I did not drink all of my four drinks, I would have fallen over or died or something. So I drank about a quarter of each drink, so that I could taste it and enjoy it but still have the ability to watch the performance, try the other drinks, and not be a puddle on the floor when it ended. No need to get all messy. The performers did a phenomenal job setting the mood and atmosphere, and delivered a magical performance. I was spellbound! They did readings from The Pit and the Pendulum, The Fall of the House of Usher, Annabel Lee (I love it!) and Cask of Amontillado. It is hard to pick my favorite, so I won’t!

Sunday we spent just relaxing and resetting for the week, which I greatly needed. Then most of this week we spent schooling, therapy, and other just life things, except for Tuesday. Tuesday we met my brother and the Hurricane at the Henry Ford Museum. We had a great time, walking around, hanging out with the kids, putting Wyatt’s little flat George Washington places, until it happened. Wyatt threw up. He still occasionally has nausea from his meds and it got him on Tuesday. He threw up however, right in front of the lunch counter where I was paying, in a restaurant with a bunch of people eating. It was one of those horrid moments, where you feel terrible for your kid but also want the floor to swallow you up. My brother was there thankfully to lend a hand, cleaning Wyatt up for me so I could clean myself up, as I took the brunt of it and then I took my kiddo home. He napped for about 30 minutes and woke up perfectly fine. It was just not a great meds morning. We are having a redo next week, when we go to a different museum with Devin and Hurricane girl.

And Marsha, those pumpkins made me think of you!

And that is it for today! I hope that whatever you do today, you do something that makes you smile.

Wednesday Morning Coffee Catch Up: Birthday Boy

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized19 Comments

Hello everyone! It is a sunshiney morning here today, although we do have some severe weather on the radar for tonight. We are also having Mermaid Girl over tonight! She is coming for dinner and then we are going to hang out – I am going to teach her embroidery. I think she is going to come over once a week for dinner, we have missed her! We will also work on our family tree some too, per her request. I am looking forward to it.

So the big thing around here lately has been Wyatt’s birthday! Double digits for this kid! It is so hard to believe sometimes – time has flown. I feel like it was yesterday he was born. I am planning to share our story about his birth this month. It just feels time, and maybe it will help someone who stumbles on my blog. March is also cerebral palsy awareness month, so it is all sort of fits.

Anyway, Wyatt turned ten Sunday! We had a celebration the three of us, and he is having a big party this weekend. We haven’t done a big party in years but we felt like we needed to this year, for many reasons. I am all nervous about it but it will be ok. However, Sunday was a blast! We had a slow morning, Wyatt opened a few little gifts (he is my kid – his favorite was the scented markers), and then around noonish we rolled out. We had a big day planned! We had originally planned to go to the zoo, but the temps stayed solidly in the teens, so we pivoted.

First stop, the Detroit Dye House! This is a tie dye place in Detroit, and my friend Kelly goes here all the time and has told me over and over to take Wyatt. Well, we did on Sunday. We did the drop in sessions, instead of a class, and it was so fun. The woman working was sweet and nice too – she explained what we needed to do, made sure the tub was low enough for Wyatt, and then it was time to begin!

That place was really cool. I want to go back and make something myself! They have a lot of different things to make, from tshirts to scarves to wraps to headbands. If you take a class, then you also make a pair of socks, that the Dye House provides, and then they donate the socks to the unhoused population in Detroit. They are having a peace sign design class in April that I want to go to. I want a headband and I don’t know what else.

Wyatt had a great time doing this, and so did Billy and I. He chose a spiral design because it reminded him of a snail. Of course.

After we finished here and had our saturated and wet shirt safely stowed in a special bag to take home with us, we headed to our next stop. We were all a little peckish so we stopped in at Mexicantown Bakery to choose a little something. Billy and I each got a ham and cheese empanada, Wyatt chose an M&M cookie, and then we picked up a few extras for the next day while we were at it. That big gigundo cookie tasted like a churro and was delicious! We ate it over the last few days.

We had reservations for an early dinner but we still had a few hours before it was time to go there, so we went to an old favorite – Belle Isle. And we hit all the attractions! They are all free to the public, so we just made our way around the island stopping at them all. It was a really fun way to spend those few hours!

We explored the Conservatory, which has recently reopened after being updated and restored, the Aquarium (the oldest one in the United States!). It was so refreshing to see all the green plants, and even the citrus trees with their oranges and lemons. It was jam packed in the conservatory since it recently reopened, and everyone is flocking there so we sort of were in the shuffle along and look mode with everyone there. but it was still nice. The aquarium was busy but not as full so that was a little better. They had a scavenger hunt for kids and at the end Wyatt got to pick a sticker. He chose an otter and then wanted me to wear it so I did.

After we visited these two, we went through the recently redone Nature Center. They have been doing a lot of work on the island and it shows. The nature center looks really cool! I actually didn’t get any pictures here, we were just busy looking around and playing with the exhibits.

By the time we left here, it was time to go to our reservation at JoJo’s Shake Bar, near Comerica. I was super excited about this place. It looked like it was going to be an awesome place for a kid, full of music and big giant shakes! I was so glad that we had made reservations, even at such an early time (4:00) because it was PACKED! Like literally parents and kids and strollers everywhere, out the door, inside… it was a bit overwhelming for me, who gets a bit of sensory overload! However, I knew that Wyatt was going to love it. And he did! Everything there was huge – the sandwiches, the shakes, the drinks – it was crazy. It is a bit pricey, but since everything was giant and we knew that we were all splitting a giant shake for dessert, Billy and I split a sandwich and Wyatt got a grilled cheese and fries. Billy and I split the Clevelander and it was freaking awesome! We also sort of shared an adult beverage. It was mostly mine though as he was driving. I saw it on the menu and I had to order it, out of nostalgia for the name. The Blueberry “Gin and Juice.” This place is crazy y’all. It is kid friendly but also, has drinks. It was also huge so I was nervous to drink it all, so I only drank about half, with Billy taking a few sips. It was delicious.

Then the grand finale! The shake, the whole reason I chose JoJo’s. Wyatt chose the Birthday shake, of course. This thing had a huge full size cookie, a giant cake ball, and cotton candy, in addition to cotton candy (he was not a fan). Even with the three of us sharing it (Billy again only having a bite or two) we couldn’t complete it, and we took the cookie and cake ball home, minus a few bites from Wyatt. It was fantastic though.

After this totally hedonistic type meal, we finally headed home. And we were all ready for it. We were exhausted by the time we rolled through the door! We all sort of found our little places in the den and decompressed. Wyatt was quietly drawing with his new markers, and Billy and I vegged on our phones. It was a very full, very fun day, in celebration of our little guy – who I guess is now a bit bigger guy.

And that is part one of Wyatt’s birthday story this week! Saturday is his party. Wish me luck!! Oh, I forgot to share a picture of his finished shirt! I think it looks really cool!

Whatever you do today, try to do something that makes you smile my friends!

Wednesday Morning Coffee Catch Up

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized21 Comments

Hello everyone! This might be a long post today, so you may want to put the kettle on or refill your cup, and settle in. I just have so much to share! We have had the final culminations of a lot of big projects, plus some other fun (and not so fun!) things going on as well. Well, you will see.

First up – the ramp!!! Billy and a bunch of our friends and family have been working hard all summer to build this ramp for Wyatt, and on Saturday, they came so close to it being completely done. It is for the most part, done. It is useable and complete – we just need railings for our own wild child to be out there. I don’t need this kid zooming off the side! However, it is done and can be used with supervision and assistance right now. This was such a huge and major accomplishment, and I am so thankful to all of the people who contributed and to Billy of course for having the ability and knowledge and talent to do it.

Please ignore the state of the rest of our yard. It was very neglected this summer while this was happening. The ramp is very long, to accommodate the pitch dropping at the appropriate rate. The other option would have been lots of bends and turns and Billy thought this would be a better way for kiddo. Since it is so long though, we added an extra few feet to make the deck part wider and we are turning that into an outdoor play spot for Wyatt, complete with a wheel up painting easel that one of our friends is making him! This is going to be such a huge thing for Wyatt. He can get out into his own backyard, play, have some independence. I am feeling so grateful for this gift!

So that was Billy’s project done – I had one of my own that I had been working on all summer. Cub Scouts! I have to say getting this pack up and running from scratch was more complex than I had anticipated – but it was 100% worth it. More than worth it actually, especially after seeing all the kids, our scouts, playing together and having such a good time at our first meeting. Yep, we had our first meeting! It was just big smiles, on kids and on parents, and that warmed my heart. The kids learned about some of the pack laws and the oath, we gave them their t-shirts and handbooks, they made a keychain lanyard with a bead for every quality (a scout is kind, etc), and they played a get to know each other game, that was low pressure. Instead of being forced to speak or come up with something on the spot, which would have been hard for some of our kiddos, we gave them all paddles that said “Me too!” and when someone named something they liked, like spaghetti or books, they would raise their paddles! It was a good way to show them how they are the same. Also, Wild Child was there and having her own good time, racing around the church social hall. You can see her little head there, next to Wyatt and his grandma.

I mentioned that not all of our happenings were happy! Somewhere in between scouts and home, Wyatt managed to get stung by something. He never said anything or cried, so we didn’t know. At around noon the next day though, I looked down at his hand, which was super red and swollen, and about passed out. We ended up taking him to the ER since he had cellulitis last year. The doctor did not think it was cellulitis, he thought that it was just the normal reaction to a sting, but did prescribe antibiotics just in case, along with zyrtec and hydrocortisone cream. The next day his hand looked perfect – just in time to meet the Detroit Tigers!

Our scouts had the opportunity to meet the Tigers, in a “Kids Take the Field” event! One of our parents arranged it, and it was so cool. The kids were able to go on the field, meet a player, get their game ball, and their names were even up on the scoreboard, in the positions that they were in. It was really cool! Wyatt got to meet the catcher, and hang out at home plate. It was really amazing opportunity, and something they will never forget!

It was his first MLB game too; I told him not many people get to go on the field and meet a player their first time there!

Our last few weeks have been a whirlwind and now Wyatt is dealing with a cold, which has not been fun. Rest will do us both good! Then it will be back to a full school day and our fall activities!

And that is it from me today! Whatever you do today, do something that makes you smile – even if it is just taking five minutes to yourself to relax.

Wednesday Morning Coffee Catch Up

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Coffee Catch UP, Michigan8 Comments

Hello everyone! I am one tired mama this morning! I keep telling myself I can rest after such and such – and then something else comes up! Lol. Oh well – all too soon we will be deep into winter and not doing anything at all really, so it’s best to get out there and let Wyatt experience as much as possible while we can (and have some myself too)

Last Friday, we kicked off our school season with a field trip to The Henry Ford Museum. Wyatt is starting a big prehistoric unit in science this fall, and I love to try to find a field trip at the beginning of the year that correlates with something we are going to learn about. Lucky for me, we were able to squeak in under the wire for the Dinosaurs exhibit at the museum, two days before it was set to end. I am glad we made it, because we both had a really good time.

The artist who created these, John Payne, welded the metal and steel together to create these huge sculptures. Wyatt and I also talked about this, how art doesn’t have to just be paintings or sketches, it can be these enormous dinosaurs made out of steel, fire and heat. The exhibit is called Dinosaurs in Motion, and it is interactive. Half of the dinosaurs could be moved and manipulated using old fashioned pulley systems, and we could pull ropes, levers, spin wheels -there were all sorts of different ways to activate the pulleys. And let me tell you, those dinosaurs were heavy! Wyatt and I would be pulling or pushing together and sometimes I had to put my whole weight behind it. There was just one dinosaur I couldn’t really budge, and a young twentysomething man asked if we needed some extra oomph! I said yes and he helped Wyatt get that dinosaur really moving!

The other half of the dinosaurs were activated by computer, and you can see Wyatt at the controls in the one photo. All of they exhibits you could press buttons and make the dinosaurs roar, and flash lights like lightning and play storm sound effects; the computer versions you could do that plus use controls to move them around. It was really really cool, and I felt like we were in the movie Jurassic Park. Wyatt could not get over how big that T-Rex was, and kept giving it the side eye. He was a little skeptical of it at first.

The exhibit was a fantastic way to kick off school and I was so glad that we went.

On Saturday, Wyatt had like the perfect Wyatt day. Billy and I also very much enjoyed ourselves, especially the autumn weather that we were having! We took a drive out to Grosse Pointe Park, to a children’s bookstore named Coreanders. It was so whimsical, adorable, and I wanted to spend hours in there. It was not very big, but just big enough. The walls are covered in beautiful murals, including the entire elevator shaft. The elevator to the second floor has a window in the door, so that as you go up or down, you can view a mural on the way. It is spectacularly done. I was also so happy that they were wheelchair accessible!

There is also a cafe/ice cream shop in the back, and we of course had to pop in for coffee and cookies which we ate in the courtyard. It felt like we were in New Orleans, with the wrought iron, the brickwork, the garden. Tucked in and hidden about the garden were little garden statuary, little animals reading or just hiding, and we enjoyed looking at them all and picking our favorites. Also – the cookie was delicious, and was made at a nearby boulangerie, name LeRouge. Wyatt picked out a book, I picked out a book, and also grabbed a few cute bookmarks. I love them – they are designed by Ingrid Press and they are beautiful! I should never have looked up that website because now I want everything!

We walked around the cute little area, wandered through a farmers market that was just closing up but I still managed to buy a bag of loose tea from Outer Realm teas. I bought the Royal Tea and we are going to brew a pot up over the weekend.

When we went home, we painted as we had not managed to fit art in over during the week. Wyatt is studying Charley Harper for a few weeks and I wanted to fit in the first lesson. Then we had game night! I think all three of us crashed out that night!

Sunday was much more relaxed. I went to church in the morning, then we hung out at home for the afternoon, just relaxing and doing whatever. Dinner was an adventure though. We were planning on watching The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel for Comfy Cozy Cinema that evening, so we thought it would be fun to get Indian food as well. And goodness, I am so glad that we did. It was fantastic. We ordered from a place called Charminar Biryani House in Detroit and it was delicious. We couldn’t decide what to get, everything looked amazing, so we ordered Butter Chicken and Tandoori chicken, and split it with some buttered naan bread (Wyatt had a different dinner although he seriously missed out).

Needless to say, it was a very packed weekend. This week though, is a much slower pace right now. School, and finishing up some errands and projects for scouts tomorrow night – it will be our first meeting! I am super nervous about it! Tonight I still need to make game paddles for a game we are playing, and put together the little beaded keychain kits for every kit, that they are going to make while learning about the pack laws. (Be kind, etc) Wish us luck everyone!

Here are a few photos from the roll!

And that is it from me today! I hope you all have a wonderful day and do something today that makes you smile!

Birthday at the Brasserie!

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Detroit23 Comments

In Detroit at the corner of Grand River and Washington, nestled into the stunning Book Tower building, is the gem that is Le Supreme.

It was a Saturday morning, just in time for brunch, when we headed downtown in nicer clothes than normal, for Billy’s birthday brunch. Billy loves all things French, and I thought it would be fun to surprise him with a special meal for his birthday. We don’t usually make a fuss over our birthdays, but this year, I wanted to make a fuss over my hard working husband.

We chose to valet park since parking can be difficult in that area and we had Wyatt’s wheelchair to consider as well, then made our way through the French blue doors into the colorful lobby of Le Supreme. The hosts were both so sweet, with the male host complimenting my rabbit necklace and the woman being very helpful in finding just the right table. When I made our reservation, I had mentioned it was Billy’s birthday and that we had a wheelchair user so they were prepared for us. They wished Billy a happy birthday and directed us to our table.

I was busy looking all around but trying not to look like a rube who never goes anywhere, but I couldn’t help it. I felt like I wandered into the movie Amelie, which is one of my favorite movies and I was taking it all in. So was Wyatt – his head was on a swivel on our way to the table as well.

It wasn’t too busy yet in the room we sat in, although the front section was bustling and filled with chatter. The color palette of the design and the architectural details of both rooms were absolutely gorgeous – I loved both areas. The sage green, the tiled floor, the wood details of the front room, to the wood and mirrors of the room that we were in both transported Billy and I to another place, reminding us of vacations in New Orleans (we have never been to France but we have been to New Orleans many times!). The waitress offered us a choice of sparkling water or regular – Billy and I chose sparkling, Wyatt the regular. Then we perused the menu.

So I am not the most adventurous eater, but I knew I wanted to explore a bit more than my usual orders at places. I didn’t go wild, but I did order something different than my norm – Eggs Benedict. I wavered between a few things, the Omlette Francais, the Baguette Jambon Beurre et Brie, the Salade Nicoise, or… something safer. I went for slightly safer but out of my comfort zone since I am not a sauces person. Wyatt ordered the pancakes and bacon, and then Billy plumped for the Croque Madame. I also ordered a glass of wine. When in a Parisian-inspired restaurant, why not?

Those pancakes were bigger than Wyatt!

Everything was delicious! Seriously, the best thing I have eaten all year. We were just about filled to the brim with goodness when the waitress told us that she hoped we had saved some room, because they were going to bring Billy out a complimentary Creme Brulee for his birthday. How did they know that is his favorite?


Billy was nice and shared. It was safe to say Wyatt enjoyed his first experience with Creme Brulee…

After we ate we took a quick walk through the lobby of Book Tower, while we waited for the car to be pulled around. It was gorgeous, and we loved the giant window into part of the kitchen.

I want to give a shout out to the valet team here. They were so thoughtful and accommodating, making sure to park so that it was easier to load the wheelchair, offering to actually load the wheelchair, holding the doors open for all three of us.. they were just very good at their job and sort of made the outing feel even more like a dream.

Billy absolutely loved his birthday brunch, and we loved making a bit of special over him. He doesn’t get that very much and he deserves it way more often.

We had a fantastic time, and would 100% go back again. We definitely want to go back for dinner one night, perhaps a date night, although Wyatt behaved perfectly and I was so proud of him.

Overall, this experience was amazing, every last bit of it.

The Details

Le Supreme is located at 1265 Washington Blvd Detroit, MI 48226 and they are open for brunch and dinner on the weekends, and from 4-10 during the week. If you go, I highly recommend the valet service, although there is a parking garage directly across the street, but honestly you might end up paying the same amount. I also recommend making a reservation.

As for accessibility, they were very accommodating with Wyatt. They do have outdoor seating, but not much of it is shaded and if shade is important, keep that in mind. (it is for us)

I also want to just add that we got a little postcard when we left with our bill, of The Supremes, and I loved that touch of Detroit. Full circle.

The Nutcracker Immersive

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Detroit, family friendly, holiday13 Comments

We have been on the go these past few days!

I declared last Wednesday Wyatt’s last day of school until the first week of January, and since then we have been just doing all the Christmas.

Thursday afternoon my dad, Wyatt, and I went to the Nutcracker Immersive Experience in Detroit. My dad and I are “get there early” people so we left at like 11:50 for a show that started at 1 and was an easy 20 minute drive. I was all parked in the parking garage at 12:10 and we both looked at each other and were like, “Well, we have some time before it starts”. I wandered to the street to see how far we were from the venue – which ended up being 250 feet so good on me for choosing a close parking garage. (The Detroit Opera House garage was a good choice but pricey at $20. There is also a lot on the other side of the venue that is gated and $10) So we listened to some Christmas music for a bit then decided to walk down and see if we could get in early. I was guessing we could because it was a Thursday afternoon before school was out for the day or for the holidays. And we could! It was in an old Detroit building with stairs up to the door, but they had a clearly visible sign pointing to where we could access ADA entry. It was a little old elevator that my dad told Wyatt had been around since the time of Lincoln but it did the job.

The doors opened, and we were the first people there! Or only people? We could hear the music all around us as soon as the doors opened and Wyatt was getting pretty excited! We got all checked in – Wyatt had a premium ticket where he received an ornament and my dad and I had basic tickets, because we wanted Wyatt to get the special treatment. There were four ornaments to choose from, and Wyatt picked the Mouse King. This was not surprising to me – Wyatt always picks the animal choice if there is one.

It looks pretty cute hanging on our tree!

Once checked in we were scooted across the hall, the source of the music. There were drapes across the doorway and the staff held them open for us as we entered the room (which was completely empty!). We were all awestruck. Seriously. We walked in at the perfect time – the projections and VR and the music were at a crescendo, a blizzard was swirling all around us, and we were absolutely immersed in the scene. It was pretty amazing honestly. Wyatt kept exclaiming “Whoa! Whoa!!” and laughing. Exactly what I wanted!


This reel is a composite of different moments – I didn’t want to add too many videos and drive you all crazy!

We spent about 20 minutes alone in that first room which was awesome. Then we decided to check out the ballroom upstairs.

This room was huge! And still very empty as you can see. It was actually so big that Wyatt wanted to wheel around everywhere and explore the space more than watch the show, but that is exactly why I chose this immersive version. He loves the music of the Nutcracker but there is no way he would ever sit through a full production of it. A 30 minute immersive was perfect.

We were in the ballroom for the end of the show, and we weren’t quite ready to leave. As there were not tons of people and no one waiting, we chose to go back down to the first room to see the snowstorm again before leaving. It was still just as magical!

Best photo of the three of us of the bunch that were taken. Lol. Oh well. We had a fantastic time, and would for sure do it again. It was a a great day of music and magical memory making, a very special day spent with my dad and my child.

The Details:

The Immersive Nutcracker in Detroit is at the Lighthouse ArtSpace on Grand River, right by the Opera House. They have a few different ticket packages to choose from, with the most basic ticket starting at $29.99. Parking was easy during the day, but it did look like there were multiple lots scattered all around. This area services Comerica Park, The Opera House, and Ford Field so it is a pretty main area of Detroit.

There are a few benches scattered around the rooms for seating, but I think if you go during a busy time, it might be difficult to grab one. I am not sure how close they pack people in, so if you have the ability to go during a less busy time like we did I would suggest it. Also, this could be very overstimulating and cause sensory overload for those who are sensitive to it. It is immersive, and they don’t kid around with that claim. There are even sensory warning signs on display. Wyatt and my dad are both sensory seeker type people, where I am..not. I was find with it but afterwards I definitely felt the need to decompress in a quiet space. So keep that in mind.

ADA Thoughts:

I was happy with the accommodations made for wheelchairs and those with mobility issues. The clearly visible sign directing us to the elevator entrance, the staff was also very friendly and made a point to tell us that the ballroom had tons of space to move about. I don’t know how it would be if it were crowded but with a light attendance it was perfect. I also would ask about epilepsy warnings if photosensitive epilepsy is an issue, at least for the Nutcracker Experience, as the scenes moved quick and there was some flashing. And of course the sensory warnings as well. Overall though, this was a very easy and fun trip out for us all! I would 100% go again!

Franken Fest

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Detroit5 Comments

My husband is more of a social animal than I am, and for the duration of COVID, has been locked down pretty tight due to our son’s different needs. I know he has been missing the liveliness of being somewhere that has high energy, people, things to see… so Saturday left the house early, masked up, and went to Franken Fest.

Franken Fest has apparently been around, but this is the first time it was in the Detroit area. We are huge Halloween fans and love monsters and cryptids and spooky stuff so we thought this event would be pretty neat to check out! Bonus – it was on the site of Fort Wayne in Detroit, which has been around as a fort since the War of 1812, and was used by the military until as “recently” as Vietnam. My dad actually shipped out from Fort Wayne. Now however, it is a series of crumbling buildings that historic preservationists are trying to save. We are going to go again one weekend when it is not a festival, the grounds deserve their own post..

Back to Franken Fest. I learned about it through the reptile rescue group Saving Scales Reptile Rescue. I want to adopt a rescue tortoise sometime this winter and was doing some research – in particular, I wanted to see a Russian Tortoise in person to get an idea of their size. Saving Scales was doing on the spot adoptions (I did not give in to temptation and adopt a tortoise…this weekend at least) so we headed there first. I enjoyed talking all things reptile with the volunteers and meeting their adoptable animals – leopard geckos, snakes, tortoises…all so cute! They also do educational outreach to schools and parties so I met their educational assistant, a blue tongued skink named Emma. I have never seen one in person like that and I was surprised at how big it was! I

After checking out the animals, we walked around the festival, perusing the art and creations. Since we were there at the time it opened, 11 am, we were really the only ones walking around, which was nice. Everything was scary, horror themed which was different from what we usually do. It was a fun change! I found a few really cool booths and creators! I did not buy anything, only stickers from an artist whose store is called Monsterologist. He had stickers and patches and posters based on legends like the Loch Ness Monster, Mothman, Sasquatch – it was fun! Wyatt picked out a mothman sticker, I chose a Loch Ness Monster sticker, and we bought a mothman sticker for my brother’s family, since this summer they vacationed in the area that legend derives from. (Not intentionally) There were also a few things I have never heard of – what is the story behind that frog, I wonder?

We also really liked this booth. Artist Jess Sheeran creates these adorable little critters! We are thinking of maybe gifting some at Christmas time, they are so cute! There was one with a mushroom themed headband that was cute, and also the little “nuggets” are so squishable!

Artist Stephanie Ellis really captured my attention though, with her more nature based art. She had prints and t-shirts, and I loved that she will reuse vintage t-shirts or t-shirts that are thrifted to screenprint on. Can you see why she caught my attention?

Finally, the art at the Gnarled Barnacle was definitely worth stopping in for a chat. They make “electric art” which I had not heard of but Billy had. They somehow use electricity to burn the wood, like a lightning strike in my mind but I am sure it is not that dramatic. Billy just told me they are passing an electrical current through the wood so I don’t think I was that far off. And how perfect was their booth for an event called Franken Fest!

After about an hour of wandering around, it started filling up so we decided it was time for us to go. We had seen everything anyway so we were ready. It was nice to do something different though and now I feel like I am really ready for fall!

Winter Hikes

On 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.

It was a beautiful walk, almost magical near the marshy spots and the cattails.

And what better way to end a cold walk in the snow and ice than with hot chocolate and car snacks?

A Day at the Detroit Parade Company

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized14 Comments

On Saturday one of my childhood dreams came true! I have always loved the Detroit Thanksgiving Day Parade and have all these memories of watching it with my brother, and now my own family. So when we got the opportunity to tour the Detroit Parade Company as part of a group that Wyatt belongs to, I quickly RSVPd. At the start it was more exciting for me, but I knew once we got there that Wyatt would love it too! Billy who is not a parade lover, even enjoyed himself!

We were greeted by larger than life Sesame Street characters – including two of Wyatt’s favorites, Cookie Monster and Elmo!

We learned that the Parade has been running continuously from the 1920s, except for the two years we were in WWII, when there was a shortage of materials. The warehouse itself was used to make Howitzers, which was weird to think about as we walked around! There is a permanent staff of 14 people, and then 2000 volunteers!

We walked through the construction areas first, that were reserved for sculpture and carpentry, before we got to the giant floats. And they were huge! Seriously so big. I think we were all a little in awe of the craftsmanship and size and scale of the floats that we saw.

Two of our favorites – The “Up North” float, and the Detroit Zoo! We also saw the brand new Ford Motor Company float which is amazing, but we are not allowed to talk about it or post photos. They want a big reveal at the parade! That one was Billy’s favorite of the day too. It was pretty cool!!

The big heads are always so fun during the parade! There is a Bob Seger one, which makes sense! But then someone had a sense of humor because the Henry Ford head was next to Walter Reuther. LOL. Our tour guide and full time staff member told us that the laundry for the parade takes until April to get finished!! Yikes!!!

We also really loved this dinosaur float!! It is retired unfortunately, so we won’t see it again, but I loved being able to see all the details up close! So fun. Also pictured is part of the Wayne State University float. And then of course my boy who was getting a little sleepy!

We finished up at Santa’s sleigh, which really put me in the Christmas spirit! I guess Santa no longer gets out of the sleigh as he gets mobbed, but gets out onto a platform and the mayor climbs up to him.

This was definitely something that we probably will never have the chance to do again, and it was such a good time. I learned a lot, and saw a lot, including the smile on my kiddo’s face during this whole event. I can’t wait for the parade now to see these things in action!

Do you like a parade?

Closing the door on April

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized7 Comments

April was for the most part, a cold and rainy month. But it is a new month, and a new moon, so here is to hoping that April Showers do bring May flowers, because I am so ready for those lovely colors to be popping up everywhere!

Last weekend was the last weekend in April, and we spent the majority of it outside. The first nice weather really this spring and we were making the most of it. Saturday we spent messing about in our small garden, trying to get things ready for planting, and admiring our new blueberry bushes and cherry tree that we planted. Midway through the day we took a break to drive into the city for a bike garage sale at Back Alley Bikes, which is a non-profit that works on bikes with kids and volunteers fix up bikes that people donate which they then sell cheaply to raise money for their mission. They also will give a free bike to any kid over the age of 5! The last Saturday of the month they have a garage sale where they sell off some of their fixed up bikes and my husband who is a bike nut wanted to go take a look at the bikes. So we did, although I was not really super interested as I am not a great bicyclist. So, it was to my surprise that I fell totally in love with an old bike from the 70s, a Sears and Roebuck Free Spirit, red. My husband had attached our bike rack just in case, so we paid our $50 and headed home. It was getting a little cold and dark by this time so I didn’t get a chance to try it out, but I am looking forward to giving it a whirl. Although, that might be a while…

Sunday we got up early and decided to visit Belle Isle. The sun was shining, and everything was almost technicolor in it’s beauty. We drove around, then got out to look at the conservatory, the gardens, and the koi pond (which freaked me out- did I mention I am weirdly afraid of fish?) I took a billion photos, one of which the Belle Isle Conservatory actually shared on their own Instagram page, which was pretty cool!

These were all taken around the koi pond. In all the times we have visited, we have never walked around in here!

After we had explored to our heart’s content, enjoying the beautiful tulips everywhere, we got back into our car to visit my mom for her birthday. We had a lovely visit complete with ice cream cake, and then as we were getting in the car to go home, I had a bit of an accident. I was putting stuff in the back of the Jeep, and when I shut the back hatch door, which swings up, I forgot the bike rack was still attached. And slammed it down on top of my head. It was instant searing pain, and an instant enormous goose egg on my forehead that my husband wouldn’t even let me look at. We went to the ER where they decided I was ok, but told me as I left that it was going to get really ugly…and they were so so so right. Even as I sit here now typing this 6 days later, I still have two black eyes, a bump on my head, and bruising down my cheeks to my mouth. I spent most of my week laying as low as I could, taking care of Wyatt but not doing much else. For a few days I couldn’t even really read due to swelling, although ice packs every twenty minutes one day took care of most of that. (thank goodness for moms who will take care of your kiddo so you can put ice on your eyes) I’m feeling and looking a lot better, but it was not an experience I ever want to repeat again! So a little PSA for you all: when you take the bike off the bike rack of your car, take the bike rack off too, if you are not someone who uses it a lot!

How about you all? How did you spend your last days in April?