Tuesday Morning Coffee Catch Up!

On July 25, 2023 By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Coffee Catch UP12 Comments

Good morning everyone!! I have almost finished my first cup of coffee already, and am getting ready for my second! Little man decided to get up super early!

Speaking of Wyatt, if you have been reading here, then you know we have been battling some health issues with him this month. He seems to be on the upswing, fingers crossed and all the prayers please that we continue on this path.

Last Wednesday I did have the opportunity to go to outdoor yoga in the park in my city. I can’t tell you how absolutely refreshed I felt afterwards. The night was beautiful, warm but not too warm, breezy, with swallows chittering overhead. I could have just stayed on my mat all night but I did have to go home. Lol. And yep, I totally wore my Agatha Christie t-shirt. I 100% needed this after the time we have been having! I was planning going this week but it is going to be close to 100 degrees Wednesday so I think I will skip it… otherwise I will melt and pass out probably. I’m not an outdoors heat kind of person.

This weekend we were able to get out a little bit more, and we had such a nice weekend. A slow paced one, which I love.

Wyatt has been asking to ride the train at Greenfield Village for WEEKS, and we finally had the chance to go and ride it on Saturday. He was ecstatic. We rode it all the way around twice, and he would have been ok with us doing it all day, honestly, but it was time to get him home after twice around. One day I think I am going to take him and pay for the all day ride pass and we will go on all of the transportation options that day. The antique cars, the horse and carriages, the train, the carousel. He will love it. We did have a few extra moments, so we took a quick little zip around the makers area, where all the potters, weavers, artists are.

Later that night, we went to my brother’s for an impromptu cookout, where I got to hold Tiny Bebe the whole night practically and chat with my niece Mermaid Girl, who I have been missing! She was having us solve the mystery of the smashed mushroom, and my Detective name is now Detective Sapphire, in case anyone wants to hire me.

The next morning I took my mom to church. We started going again a few weeks ago, and that also has been so good for my soul and spirit. It is a nice quiet time between my mother and I as well, just the two of us. And although it felt super weird, I couldn’t resist snapping this quick photo before services of this window. The stained glass is beautiful.

Later that afternoon, we took a ride and then ended up taking refuge from an incoming storm at the nature center at the Metropark we were traveling through. Wyatt was very happy about this unscheduled stop!

I was happy because I had forgotten they had a whole huge display full of information about the Wyandot tribe, and learning about a local tribe is part of our history curriculum this fall. So I was pretty excited!

And here are some just random little photos of the past few weeks..

That last picture of Wyatt and the framed map – my friend Kelly was out shopping and spotted this treasure and she knew I would love it. She didn’t even know that Wyatt absolutely loves learning about all the state birds! It is so perfect for us, and is the sweetest gift!!

And now, I am off to grab that second cup I mentioned! I hope you are all doing well, and staying safe. This weather is wild!

A Full Father’s Day: Classic Cars and a Picnic

On June 21, 2023June 23, 2023 By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Detroit, family10 Comments

We had a very vintage Father’s Day. Every year on Father’s Day, Greenfield Village has a Motor Muster, and is jam packed full of classic cars, vintage style refreshments, and historic re-enactments. We have been going for a few years now, and this year by far was the absolute busiest we have seen it. There were also three times the cars on display as well!

I took fifty billion photos but I will refrain from sharing all of them – I really took a million. We all had favorites though, and favorite areas! Billy loves all things VW and they had so many this year. Our favorite was a 1977 Camper Van that has been in the same family since 1981. Wyatt wanted to get in it so bad – he is apparently a new fan of them as well. They would be pretty cool to tool around in! One of my friends in high school had an orange one and I didn’t appreciate how neat it was until much later. The green one pictured is the one that has been owned by the same family since 1981 – it is even the perfect color!

This year Hagerty Driver’s Club had old Broncos on display, and they were a huge draw, especially since the new Broncos are out. This is the Motor City all, so we are all about cars here. I dream about owning a vintage Bronco, they are so awesome and massive.

I settled for a polaroid of my guys posing in front of it.

Wyatt and I both also liked this crazy looking van. It was so super glittery and colorful how could you not like it? Wyatt also wanted to get in there and play too. Apparently we need some sort of van.

We all loved the historic re-enactments – they were all CCC and Forest Service related, so of course we did. Billy and I love that whole era so it was really neat to walk around the CCC encampment, and meet the women of the “She-she-she”. I loved that they were teaching women real skills so that they could get jobs, things like refinishing furniture and sewing. Eleanor Roosevelt did not like women being left out of the opportunities that were presented by the CCC so she started her camps for women to learn these skills. There were also “Forest Rangers” from the 40s. During the war, these men were usually out managing timber for the war efforts.

However Wyatt’s favorite moment of our time there? Meeting the pack horse librarian who gave him a library card. Prepare for us to go exploring a new rabbit hole together!

Ok and finally, the Vernors truck!! Vernors is the ginger ale choice in Detroit. It is the cure all you know. It can heal any ailment! And look at that mischievous looking imp on the logo.

Ok last photos just for fun…

We left after lunch and headed home for a quick little nap. After nap, Billy wanted to go to our favorite picnic spot, where we like to just go and relax and enjoy the shade and breeze that we always get there.

It was a very full, outdoors kind of day and was completely wonderful!

Tuesday Morning Coffee Catch Up

On May 2, 2023May 2, 2023 By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Coffee Catch UP18 Comments

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

So much happened in the past week!

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

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

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

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

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

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

Greenfield Village – Late October

On October 27, 2021October 27, 2021 By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn family friendly14 Comments

Saturday morning we woke up determined to have some family fun time. It’s been all work all the time around here lately, and we all needed a break. We tossed a few ideas around before deciding on Greenfield Village. We got there as the gates were opening, the day was overcast, and we pretty much had the whole place to ourselves which was awesome.

I love visiting this time of year. I love fall and Halloween, as you all know, and the Village is all dressed up in vintage Halloween decorations, as well as some spooky ones too. They do Halloween Nights there, with candy and live performances, but to be honest, we prefer it like this. Empty. Without the fanfare and other people. Plus, we can actually see everything rather than be part of a huge crowd in the dark. We did that once and while it was fun, we like visiting on our own terms more.

We walked around the farm, greeting all the animals who were enjoying their breakfasts al fresco. The horses, John and Wilbur, were on their way to plow up the fields and we gave them a quick wave as they went off to work.

We walked around the “town” area, by the Wright Brothers house, closed up refreshment stands, and creepy decorations.

And made our way across the spooky covered bridge, making ghostly ooos and boos as we walked through…

These scarecrows were terrifying. I stepped in close for a photo, and and had the weirdest feeling they were watching me back. I freaked myself out, imagining one would leap off its post at me, and after snapping the picture, raced back to Billy and Wyatt.

We toured around the homes, and headed back over the bridge, not knowing the scariest monster was still to come…

Such scary!!!

Needless to say, Wyatt had fun! And so did we! (I look like a crazy person…I was helping make scary noises with Wyatt…lol)

I love this time of the year at the village! I am so happy that this year they extended the length of the visiting season for members through November. I see some mornings there in our future for a few more weeks at least!

Late Summer at the Village

On September 9, 2021 By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn family, mom life7 Comments

Last Friday I met my sister-in-law and niece at Greenfield Village for an early morning visit. I love it there so much, and as Wyatt and I ease into school, I hope to work some mornings there in to our schedule more often. But, this visit was just for fun, a last little vestige of summer before Dino Girl started school.

We couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful morning either – not too hot or chilly, and the sun was shining and the sky was so blue. Perfect really. I had my wagon for Wyatt, and my niece wanted to ride in there with him too, so my SIL and I took turns pulling it around while we walked and chatted. And admired all of the gardens!

We made sure to stop and visit at our favorite houses, the Cotswold Cottage and the Dagget Farmhouse. I always joke if the world went sideways for real I would move in to the Cottage at the Village. It’s a real cottage too, moved here stone by stone from England.

And this farmhouse, I love everything about it. When we were there they had the interpreters inside making dye from flowers and spinning wool. The kids were enthralled with the spinning wheel; Wyatt kept asking to do it, while Dino Girl had lots of good questions about the process.

From here we wandered into the last, big garden. The kids were good sports but were starting to fade a bit by this time. And they were ready for the ice cream we promised them. We still had about twenty minutes before the frozen custard opened though, since it wasn’t even 11 am yet, so we rolled up into the garden. I love a late summer garden. I feel like the flowers are throwing all their colors at us, their last final hurrah before they completely fade away in the fall. Like look at me, look at me! So we did.

Finally, finally, it was time for frozen custard!

This little building is so sweet, isn’t it?

We got our treats, ate them up, and by this time, it was time to head home. I had my eye doctor appointment that afternoon so I needed to get back and get ready, yuck. It was a very relaxing way to end the week though, and we had the best time.

Hello June!

On June 1, 2021 By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized8 Comments

Hello June! Hello summer! I know it is not officially summer yet, but to me June is always the start of summer.

We spent the long weekend fully embracing the season as much as we could. Our Friday plans were rained out – we had a ton of rain and it was cold to boot – so instead of the zoo we bought a bunch of crafts and new paints and hung out at the table just painting and creating. However, Saturday and the rest of the weekend was gorgeous and we took full advantage.

Saturday we had reservations for one of our favorite places to visit, Greenfield Village. We didn’t get to go last year so it was so nice to be back! It was a beautiful morning, sunny and mild, the perfect kind of day to walk around the village and ride the train.

On Sunday we headed downtown. We stopped in at Astoria Bakery, another favorite that we haven’t been to in a year. Wyatt and I waited in the car while Billy ran in and picked up some surprise goodies to eat when we got to our next destination, Belle Isle. Just as Billy was coming out a mounted police officer came clip-clopping down the street and kindly stopped for a photo. Wyatt was not super enthused – the horse kind of freaked him out, although he was a sweet and handsome boy named Ivan.

Loaded up with a box full of goodies, we headed further into the city to Belle Isle. We had forgotten all about the Detroit Grand Prix, and to our surprise they had started setting up for it. They didn’t have it last year but this year things are back in full swing. One crazy sort of neat thing is they set up a week or so before the race and people visiting the island can just drive around the course. So we tootled around it in our Subaru feeling cool before finding a place to park and eat our car goodies. Billy picked out a lot, apparently he felt we needed to make up for all those lost weekends. A piece of torte cake to share, a lemon muffin, and chocolate chip cookies.. we ate all of it except the muffin. The cookies were amazing!

Monday was Memorial Day and we always spend it with my dad. My dad served in the Marines and did two tours in Vietnam, and lost friends and platoon members while there, and while we all remember those who served, I know that his perspective is different. I think spending the day with his grandchildren makes it a little easier.

We had a great time all together. It was the first time that we had been to his house since last Christmas, and it was more than nice to be with each other again. I got to hug my dad for the first time in a year! The kids had a blast, and we spent practically the whole day outside, trading being with the kids, and chatting with the family. There was so much food and so much catching up to do. The day flew by and it was time to go home before we knew it.

I feel like we gave May a good send off, and we are looking forward to the summer!

Date Night: Ragtime Street Fair and Motor Muster

On September 19, 2019September 19, 2019 By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn date night, family, Uncategorized9 Comments

It was a spur of the moment type thing, this date night, and sometimes those are the very best kind. Greenfield Village was having its annual Ragtime Street Fair and we were having dinner with my mom who lives nearby, so it was so easy to ask her to watch the little man for us for just a quick few hours out.

I have always wanted to go to the Ragtime Street Fair and this was the first time we managed to get there for it. It was super cool to see people dressed in period clothing for the 20s, strolling in and out of the street fair tents full of food and drink. It was another motor muster, with old cars lining the streets but this time, the ages of the cars were limited from early 1900 to the ’30s, and nothing “newer” than that. The village was open late for this event, and we got there just as people were leaving, probably having been there for hours already during the day. My brother had gone earlier in the day and said that it was packed, so we weren’t sure what to expect. We had a little bit of a hard time finding a parking spot, but once inside it wasn’t bad at all.

It was one of my favorite weather nights – cool, moody, clouds in the distance threatening rain, yet still summery with no humidity. We were able to walk around comfortably, checking out all the cars and chatting with the owners. We ambled a bit, bought drinks, and noticed everyone lining up on the curbs to watch the twilight parade of cars, so took our own seat on the side and peacefully watched the cars drive by for a little bit, sipping our drinks, comparing favorites, just existing side by side for a bit, easily. When we finished our beverages, we scrambled across the street between cars to check this one out – we had never seen anything like it before!

This car is so cool! It can drive in thirty feet of snow, and the owner said that he had taken it out in the snow many times – why not, he said, and really, if I had this I would take it out too! He couldn’t drive it in to the village like that but brought it in on a truck. It is a 1929 Closed Cab Model A Ford Pickup with a super Snow Bird Snowmobile attachment. According to the guy, and his sign. It was used for mail delivery, and I am assuming lots of other purposes too. I think I need one of these to handle our Michigan winters! Lol. And of course the buffalo plaid clothing hanging there – I am a sucker for buffalo plaid anything.

We chatted with the owner for a bit then wandered off to the garden, one of my favorite spots in the village. It was a great time to go, and now at the end of the year the blooms are fading but there were some plants bearing fruit, like tiny ornamental eggplants that looked like pumpkins! I am definitely adding that to my garden next year! We were on a slow roll tour of the village, so we took a seat in the garden watching the sun begin to set.

We sat for a few minutes, taking it all in, chatting with other people strolling through the garden, guessing what the different plants were, before setting off and catching up with the parade on the other side of the village. A man in an old Ford truck offered us a lift to sit on his hay bales in back, and we almost took it, but chose to keep walking, although, it would have been fun. The clouds started to really roll in and we had a feeling it was going to start to rain and wanting to beat the crowd out, we started heading toward the exit, slowly making our way there.

I had my head in the clouds, the sky was so dramatic and beautiful. It was one of those times I itched for my camera, not just my cell phone camera. I put my camera away a few years ago, as I felt I was missing moments, trying to capture them. I wanted to be fully present and not just the person behind the lens. I will probably pick it up again at some point, but not just yet, unless I go out and solo shoot.

The night was low key, mellow, and last minute. And we had a wonderful time together; we were able to talk and listen to each other, something that we don’t actually always get to do, with Wyatt around. Lol. It was one of those nights that was easy and simple and didn’t need to be a big thing to have fun.

Father’s Day Motor Muster

On June 27, 2019June 27, 2019 By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn day in the life, family, family friendly, Uncategorized4 Comments

Father’s Day morning was awful. Rainy, cold, gray. But we were undeterred by the bad weather, and tucked ourselves into our rain gear and continued on with our plan for the day!

Greenfield Village was having its annual “Motor Muster”, where people from all over drive their classic cars to the village and show them off. I have to admit, I am not super into cars. But Billy is, and it was Father’s Day, so there we were. He’s a good guy and a great father so whatever he wanted, it was his day. There was one thing I did want to do though, and that was ride the train. A month ago my stepfather passed away, and he was a huge train enthusiast, and I wanted us to take a ride on the steam train around the village, in memory of him on Father’s Day. So we made that our first stop – it was a good way to stay out of the rain too. It was actually pretty atmospheric in the rain, with the thick steam wrapping around the sides of the train. Wyatt loved it, and Jerry would have too.

When our ride ended, the rain pretty much had too, luckily. We wandered about looking at the cars, and I found that I was actually really interested this time. Lol. Call it my summer of retro, I guess! We saw some really cool vehicles though, and we had the village pretty much to ourselves for a while, due to the morning’s rain.

Those wood paneled cars are really cool looking! Billy loved all the International Harvesters, which I guess are very rare. There were three at the Motor Muster, one of which was a wagon type version, which Billy had never seen and was super excited about. I was more of a fan of the Vernor’s truck, so classic Michigan! I also liked this one:

2019-06-26 (10)

We were excited to see the Tin Can Tourists had a few people there too!

After we had walked around and checked out all the cars, we checked out the rest of the sights! This year the village had added in vintage era music shows, food stalls, and living history type exhibits, if you could call them that. I thought these ladies looked amazing and so very retro cool, working on their Victory Garden.