Tag: reading

My Sunday-Monday Post

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized29 Comments

My Sunday Post is hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer

Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date

Hello everyone! Our week was full of school last week, and catching up on some things. It was a good busy. I loved getting caught up around home honestly. Getting things reorganized, moving stuff around. However, I went to bed at night exhausted and zonked out before I could even fathom reading.

I did finish one book though!

I had been very curious about Arden’s writing for kids, as I loved The Bear and the Nightingale. I have to say, I was just as much caught up in her middle grade as I was her adult fiction. I am looking forward to reading the next in this series, although that probably won’t be until January.

Reading This Week:

I just love this cover. And the sound of the book as well! I am reading in between stitching right now, when I get time. I am working on a few embroidered gifts, so I need to make sure I spend time on that as well. I just need two of me I think! Or, to be ok with never sleeping. Lol.

Posted Last Week:

Top Ten Tuesday – Books with Rabbits on the Cover

Comfy Cozy Cinema – Bringing Up Baby

Friday Morning Coffee Catch Up – Halloween and Anniversary Chatter

Holiday Gift Guide – Cozy Fantasy Edition

Watching:

We are still watching the same old things here. The Great Pottery Throw Down and What We Do in the Shadows. We love them both!

We also only have two weeks left in our Comfy Cozy Cinema movie watching with Lisa at Boondock Ramblings! This week we are watching and talking about The Grand Budapest Hotel, and next week is our watch party for Chocolat! If you are interested the watch party and chat (all text on discord) in on November 17th at 7 pm EST. I plan on surrounding myself with some good chocolate candy to nibble on, some red wine, a comfy blanket, and my cozy bed for the watch.

And that is it from my corner of Michigan today! How are you all doing?

Top Ten Tuesday- Books with Rabbits on the Cover

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized65 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

Today’s Prompt: Covers with [Item] on the Cover (You choose the item! It can be anything at all.)

Hello everyone!! I had a hard choosing this week – foxes or rabbits? I love them both and knew I wanted to pick one of them. Rabbits won out in the end, since my favorite book is Watership Down.

And because of that, it will lead the list!

I love this edition of Watership Down! I actually am asking Billy for it for Christmas. It is a tradition that he buys me a new copy for either my birthday or Christmas and this is the one that my heart is set on this year.

I absolutely loved The White Hare by Jane Johnson. It really set me in mind of a book written by Mary Stewart or Barbara Michaels, two of my favorites.

Our Crooked Hearts and Bunny were both bizarre and weird but I loved them both. Bunny especially felt like some crazy strange trip! Why are rabbits featured so heavily in horror novels and thrillers? Are they scary?

Speaking of horror and rabbits, I had to include Winterset Hollow. I never quite made it through this book but I need to try again. Although it is scary!!

Rabbit Hill I read a while ago, but I remember thinking it was a very good read and I am planning on reading it with Wyatt this spring, along with the next one on the list, The Remarkable Rescue at Milkweed Meadow.

I could not make this list without including these three – The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, The Velveteen Rabbit, and The Penderwicks. I love all three of them! The Velveteen Rabbit though makes me sob, and it made me cry even as a little girl. I never wanted to make my toys feel bad after that. And can someone tell me what a Skin Horse is because it sounds terrifying.

And a bonus eleventh book!

I absolutely love John Lewis-Stempel and this book was no exception. Hands down, he is one of my favorite nature writers.

And there we have it! All of my favorite books with rabbits on the cover!

My Weekend Post

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized46 Comments

My Sunday Post is hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer

Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date

Hello everyone! We had a pretty good week last week – we love Halloween over here, especially Wyatt. I loved seeing him so happy and enjoying himself with his cousins! He wanted to be a snail this year, so Billy and I put on our thinking caps and made this kid a snail costume.

As for reading, it was dismal around here. I don’t think I read at all, all week, until yesterday when I got a chance to read for about fifteen minutes. This week, I am going with some easier reads, two middle grades from my November TBR. One is for my patreon book club that I am in and the other because it is written by the author of The Bear and the Nightingale and I am so curious about how she writes for kids.

Small Spaces || The Whisperwicks

Posted Last Week:

Top Ten Tuesday: Spooky Middle Grade

Comfy Cozy Cinema: Practical Magic

Hello November

Watching:

Billy and I are deep in the world of pottery right now, watching The Great Pottery Throw Down. We are also watching What We Do in the Shadows as well. (Team Nandor!) We usually fall into bed wiped out at the end of the night, and I do embroidery while we are watching tv, so we have been sort of watching things that are easy to watch.

We are also watching our Comfy Cozy Cinema movies! We only have a few weeks left (then we start Comfy Cozy Christmas) and we watched a few Hitchcock films in October, then leveled off with Practical Magic. Now we are heading back into definite comfy cozy watches, with tonight’s movie Skylark. Then we just have the Grand Budapest Hotel, and our final watch Chocolat. We are actually having a watch party for Chocolat, where we all press Play together on November 17th and then chat over on our discord, The Dames. (no video chat so don’t worry about being in your pajamas!) Edit: Skylark wasn’t available streaming so we watched Bringing Up Baby!

And that is about it for today! I hope you are all doing well!!

My Sunday- Monday Post

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized30 Comments

My Sunday Post is hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer

Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date

Hello everyone! I hope everyone is doing well today! I am tired this morning but doing pretty good otherwise. It’s a morning I am grateful for coffee that is for sure.

This is a short post from me today!

Read Last Week:

I loved both of these books! The Haunting of Aveline Jones was a fun Middle Grade, that was actually pretty spooky. It was extremely atmospheric and young Aveline reminds me of a young me. Lol. A Dark and Secret Magic was such a good read as well. I think it is the perfect Halloween read, with lots of autumn goodness tucked in as well as witches and ghosts and a big bad villain, and a romantic hero. Yep, I loved it.

Reading This Week:

Version 1.0.0

This week I am settling in with an old comfort read of mine, Witch by Barbara Michaels, and a new to me author, Bee Littlefield. I won a giveaway on Instagram for this book from Bee, and it came with some cute stickers, tea, a journal, and coffee as well! I am looking forward to both of these reads this week.

Posted:

Top Ten Tuesday: How My Reading Habits Have Changed

Comfy Cozy Cinema: Dial M for Murder

Friday Morning Coffee Catch Up

Watching:

Nothing too different or exciting here, other than our movies for Comfy Cozy Cinema that I am doing with Lisa at Boondock Ramblings. We watched Dial M for Murder last week which was amazing, and this week we are watching Practical Magic. The post goes up Thursday! If you are watching or following along and posting, this week is wild card week – so free choice of movie, or you can watch Practical Magic as well! I wanted to add too, that our last movie is Chocolat, and we will be doing a “watch party” – basically we will all hit play at the same time, and chat on discord. (so you don’t have to worry about being on video in your jammies!)

Billy and I have also been watching What We Do In the Shadows which cracks us up, as well as The Great Pottery Throw Down. Now I am trying to convince Billy to build a kiln in the backyard. Who will win? Lol.

Top Ten Tuesday: How My Reading Habits Have Changed

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized46 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

Hello everyone! Today’s prompt is about how my reading habits have changed through the years. I am not sure I will get to ten but we will see how I do!

First, probably the biggest change of all – the number of books I read a week. Before I had Wyatt, I could read 2 or 3 books a week. Now I am lucky if I can read 1! I would spend whole weekends reading all day sometimes.

Second, the amount of books I would buy for myself has changed as well since before and after motherhood. Now I buy way more books for Wyatt, and maybe one a month for myself. I always used the library like crazy, but now the majority of the books that I read come from the library first. Then if I love it I buy it or add it to my wishlist. I used to buy a lot more books for myself a month. I don’t mind though honestly, I feel like now when I do buy a book I appreciate it more.

What I read has changed through the years too. I used to read more fantasy, romantasy , historical fiction, and horror, while now I read more thriller, mystery, and middle grade. I still read every the other genres that I used to, but just less of those and more of others. I feel like I cycle through phases of reading and what I like to read. Does everyone do this?

Hmm what else..

Oh! I used to read right before bed, sometimes for hours. I can’t do that now, I will just fall asleep immediately!

I still take a book with me wherever I go – now though I usually have my book and Wyatt’s book too. He loves books just as much as I do.

I also listen to audiobooks occasionally now, which I never really did. I like to listen while I stitch or clean.

I have also started annotating and highlighting and underlining in my books. I have my little setup next to my bed, and have a highlighter and one of my favorite fine point cat pens in my purse, along with some book tag things for when I am out as well. I like to match the stickers to the cover too.

I loan my books out more freely now too. Before they were all my precious and now I feel like passing them on so others can read them is more important to me.

And I think that is it! How have your reading habits changed?

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Was Assigned to Read in School

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized45 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

This week’s prompt is: Books I Was Assigned to Read in School

This is a fun look back at high school and college!

The Jungle and Animal Farm were both assigned in high school and they both were pretty mind-blowing to my 16 year old self. The Jungle actually turned me into a vegetarian, from like 18 until recently. So it is safe to say it made a huge impact on me!

Frankenstein was a college read, and probably one of my favorites. I absolutely loved it, and found it so very sad as well, the loneliness of the monster.

The Great Gatsby took me to wild parties, the glitz and glam of the roaring twenties, dancing, and what looks like freedom and happiness. But the reader begins to see through this to the classism and lack of compassion and caring. It is still a favorite classic of mine. I am going to stop saying this because I feel like I will just keep repeating myself.

Their Eyes Were Watching God is an amazing book where we watch the main character learn to find herself and her voice. And the book that made me terrified of rabies. Plus there is a character named Tea Cake which I loved when I first read it in college. His character was not the greatest but his name was.

Beloved is a story that haunts you, and I am not trying to make a joke. I think this book and story is one that stays with you, the trauma and fear of the characters in a world of slavery that drives people to do things they would not do under normal circumstances.

Annie on My Mind is a book I read way back when in college, in my children’s lit class. It stands out as the very first LGTBQ book I have ever read, and also because it introduced the Cloisters to me.

The Metamorphosis by Kafka is one I feel like I read in high school and in college, and I liked it both times. It was so crazy but it is possibly the only existential book I really understood in school.

In high school I was introduced to The Canterbury Tales, and I just loved them. I loved discovering all the characters stories. Another one I should go back and reread.

I had to take sooo many Shakespeare classes in school, and of all the plays that I read, Hamlet was my favorite.

And that wraps it up for me today! What were you assigned in school that stood out to you?

My Sunday-Monday Post

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Comfy Cozy Cinema32 Comments

My Sunday Post is hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer

Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date

Hello everyone! Last week was so fun! We took a little mini-trip to Cleveland/Cuyahoga Valley National Park and we had a blast! I can’t wait to tell you about it all this week! As I suspected, I didn’t read – like at all. Except for maybe 10 pages before breakfast yesterday. I plan on making up for it this week though!

Read Last Week:

This book was lovely. It is so full of life, the good and the bad, the sad and the happy, and I really felt like I was living in this little community, sharing in their lives.

Reading This Week:

So, my post looks the same as last week. I did start Berries and Bones, and wow is it heavy on the cozy right away. This old bear has a pretty good setup! I am looking forward to reading more of it today.

Listening:

Last week, I wasn’t sure I liked this story. This week, I am here to tell you that I am really enjoying it! I am glad that I stuck with it. It is so cute and very fall vibes.

Posted Last Week:

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Read or Avoided Because of the Hype

Hello October – and a Comfy Cozy Giveaway!

Comfy Cozy Cinema: Kiki’s Delivery Service

Watching:

We are still watching The Pottery Throw Down. I admit, I am addicted. I am learning so much though from it! We went to the Cleveland Art Museum yesterday and as we wandered through, reading about some of the items that were ceramic or china or what have you, I understood the process that went into making them. It was amazing to see pots made in the 700s, and realize that the same processes (more or less) created them. The same shapes still exist. Billy and I were marveling at all the pieces with our newfound knowledge.

We of course are watching our Comfy Cozy Cinema movies that we are watching with Lisa at Boondock Ramblings, and Deb from Readerbuzz is also participating with us! Yay! Last week we watched and posted about Kiki’s Delivery Service; this week we are watching the 1945 version of Blithe Spirit and will post about it Thursday! We are also having a giveaway – you can enter here if you are interested!

And that is about it from here! I hope you are all doing well!

My Sunday-Monday Post

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized28 Comments

My Sunday Post is hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer

Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date

Hello everyone! It’s been slow around here, which was fine by me. I hope though that everyone who had to face down Helene has minimal damage. She was fierce looking.

Read Last Week:

Last week I read The Girl in White which was actually a little spooky for a kids book! This one was spookier than the other I have read by Currie, What Lives in the Woods. It was a good read for the season (without actually being too scary).

I also started Twilight Garden on Friday morning. I had forgotten I wanted to read this until I saw it on Rebecca’s TBR! Darn it. My TBR is just too crazy. Like everyone’s is, I am sure. Lol.

Reading This Week:

I will finish up The Twilight Garden, and then start another from my list. Right now I am not sure which direction I will pivot, but I feel I am leaning towards light and easy. Perhaps Berries and Bones, it look so deliciously fall. I also plan on starting The Whisperwicks, which is my book club book for the Patreon group I am part of for Alexandra Roselyn.

We are going away this weekend and so I hope to have some good reading time. It’s like that old saying though, “No one is more optimistic than a mother who takes books on the family vacation”.

I am also listening to an audiobook while I embroider. Right now I am listening to The Pumpkin Spice Cafe to see what all the hype is about. It has been compared to Stars Hollow and the Gilmore Girls which I love and have watched a million times over – and unpopular opinion coming, but I am not too excited about this book so far. It is too much like Gilmore Girls. I haven’t listened to much but it seems more like it is really just Lorelai Gilmore all over but this time she runs a cafe. The character talks a lot and talks fast, she drinks a lot of coffee – I don’t know. I guess I wanted the feel and or even a reimagining, but this is too on the nose. Does that make sense?

Posted Last Week:

A Few Whimsical Halloween Picks

Comfy Cozy Cinema: Ladies in Lavender

Friday Morning Coffee Catch Up

Watching:

We are busily watching our Comfy Cozy Cinema movies; last week was Ladies in Lavender, and tonight’s feature is Kiki’s Delivery Service. Comfy Cozy Cinema is something Lisa from Boondock Ramblings and I started together and every year is so much fun! You are all invited to watch and post along with us.

Billy and I are also watching What We Do in the Shadows, as well as The Great Pottery Throwdown.

Also – I wanted to add that Lisa and I will be posting about our Comfy Cozy Care Package giveaway on Wednesday! We have lots of goodies we will be sending to someone to get all cozy with this fall!

And that is about it from here! I hope you are all doing well!

Friday Morning Coffee Catch Up

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Coffee Catch UP24 Comments

Hello everyone!! I am so grateful for coffee this week. I am running on coffee and peanut butter toast this week – I have just been so busy! I am trying to prep for school and for Cub Scouts while also making sure Wyatt enjoys the last few weeks of summer.

One thing that happened – Wyatt got a hair cut!!

Our neighbor works at a barber shop and she did such a great job! I absolutely love it, and Wyatt does too. The barbershop is very swanky and Wyatt felt like a big shot in there among the adults.

He got it just in time for his cousin Mermaid Girl’s birthday party too. She had a cosmic bowling party and it was a blast. I had to laugh – it’s like no matter what, you can count on bowling shoes to always look exactly the same as they did decades ago.

I also got to bowl – and it was pretty sad. Lol. I came in last, tying with Chrissy’s mom. (Chrissy is my SIL) We were both not wonderful at bowling. I even took bowling in college as one of one PE credits! I remember Billy and I would have to practice bowling every week so that I could show improvement in class. We didn’t have to be good, just show that we got better. It was a stretch but I did it. Our practice sessions became just an excuse to get together with all of our friends every week, who also joined us at the bowling alley.

We also had our second Cub Scout committee meeting. The committee is made up of family and friends but it is still nerve wracking to me because I am the person who needs to run it and do like 90% of the talking. Right now we are still getting everything made all official, collecting applications and dues and signatures and learning the ropes of the big fundraiser that is starting, the popcorn sale, as well as planning the first meeting which is at the beginning of September, and the first outing, which is a few days after. It will be so fun once we get through all of this red tape, and can really get started.

We have our council meetings at the rowing club in our town, and it is such a great spot, right on the river and bonus, adult beverages that are very inexpensive.

I’m really cramming because of course all of this starts at the same time – school, Scouts, and then to throw a big wrench in there, Wyatt has a three day EEG at the hospital right in that same week. At least I guess we will get it all out of the way at once!

Of course we went to the library and got ice cream this week! Our favorite ice cream place closed for the season on Thursday so we had to make sure to get in before they shut down. So one day we went to the library, checked out a mass of books, and hung out on the giant porch reading for a bit before going to get ice cream. Then we went the very next day and got ice cream with my dad as well!

Wyatt and I both loved sitting on the big porch. It is so high up and set so far back from the road that it felt like we were just in our own bubble or our own little world. Wyatt really enjoyed people watching and wheeling around out there too. Can I just move into the library? Wyatt and I decided that would be a super cool place to live.

Looking forward to fall, which is right around the corner, I am busy making plans for field trips and little mini-vacations, for Halloween and scouts. I am also planning out my fall TBR (we will see how I do – I am not great at sticking to the plan), and all the comfy cozy bloggy stuff that Lisa from Boondock Ramblings and I do together. This year we are even having a little giveaway in October and I am really excited about it!! And speaking of comfy cozy fall things, this is our fall movie line up and dates, if you want to watch or post along with us! The dates listed are the dates that our posts will go up! I think we have a fantastic list and I am really looking forward to just slowing down this fall.

And now just some randoms from the camera roll!

Have a great weekend everyone, and I hope you do something that makes you smile!

My Sunday-Monday Post

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized45 Comments

My Sunday Post is hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer

Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date

Hello everyone! I hope you are all doing well! It’s crazy to think we are eleven days into August already. This summer is flying by! I can feel autumn in the air this weekend; we had the windows open all day yesterday and it was wonderful. It has just been so muggy all summer that we haven’t really been able to do that, so it was nice to air everything all out!

I didn’t read much last week. I spent a lot of the week working on school or Cub Scout stuff. We are getting so close to September and then it will be go time! When I finally took a break I usually worked on my embroidery. I finished my cat and plants piece, and started a new one for fall! Wyatt’s been playing from sun up until sundown these days too, which is good. I love to see him getting involved in things and playing. I can’t wait for Billy to finish the wheelchair ramp so that we can have easier access to outside!

Reading This Week:

I did start both of these last week and I am enjoying them both quite a bit! I am hoping to finish them this week.

Posted Last Week:

Birthday at the Brasserie!

Top Ten Tuesday: Series Books

Wednesday Morning Coffee Catch Up

Back to School Basics: Homeschool Edition

Watching:

We are watching The Great British Sewing Bee at night when we finally collapse into bed. It is one of those calming shows, just like the Bake-Off. I usually watch a bit of YouTube too, when I first get into bed and start sewing. The people in my rotation these days are Randi Lynn Reed, Kristina at With Love, Kristina , and Ahya’s Cottage. So many online accounts everywhere are already introducing fall content which seems premature to me, but I get it. I am ready for the coziness of fall too.

And that’s it from me today! Enjoy your week everyone!