The Latta Family

My parents are going to Great Britain- or England- not sure which in a few weeks.  My mother wrote me an email musing about the difference between England and Great Britain.  She said she was sure I had never considered the difference, but she was wrong! The day before The Royal Wedding, our neighbor, The Brit (as we semi-affectionately and privately refer to him), hung a flag that was white with a big red X on it. I thought it was the Swedish flag, Doug said it was the English flag. Needless to say- this is us- so there was some trash talking as both of us were absolutely certain we were right (the trouble with being know it alls- is sometimes we clash over who is the most right). Unfortunately I had to concede Doug was right, the neighbor's flag was the English flag.  It hurt my heart a bit to admit I was wrong, but I got over it.  I must confess, I am very envious of my neighbors.  Here's why.  Their weekend spring and summer mornings.  They have a pool that is beautiful

Did you know one of my favorite movies- ever- is "When Harry Met Sally?"   I just love how they start as friends and eventually progress to more.  I love the conversations they share along the way, and of course I love the diner scene because . . . well she proved him wrong.  And quite honestly, the woman's lib in me still thrives and I love when women prove men wrong.  However, I love Sally Albright (the Sally- in "When Harry Met Sally.")  I love the way she orders.  She likes things on the side.  Chocolate sauce on the side- so the cake doesn't get soggy.  Ice Cream on the side of apple pie.  I like things on the side too- that way I can make restaurant food- taste the way I want it.  I think Alexa is like Sally Albright.  I don't know if she likes things on the side or not, but I can tell you that she likes things the way she likes them.  For example- when it comes to drinks.  She either likes ice ice cold water- or cool water with a splash of app

Andrew gets in the car after school yesterday and says, "Look what I learned in school today!"  Thankfully I had taken my camera to my school- so I was able to video what valuable lesson he learned. 

I should warn you, today’s post might be sappy.   I am not typically a sap.   It generally only happens to me around child birth and the Special Olympics.   Since I am not pregnant, I guess today’s sappiness can only be because I went to the Special Olympics yesterday.   I’ll tell ya, there is absolutely NOTHING like watching kids smile like those kids smile.   I have this one student that while we were training she refused to walk fast, throw far, or work hard.   According to her dad she was so excited about the Special Olympics, according to us- she could not have cared less.   Until she got there yesterday.   Then we discovered that she could run fast- so fast she won her division!   And the smile she smiled while she stood on the medal stand was beautiful!    There’s absolutely NOTHING like watching “regular” kids relax and enjoy being with the athletes.   I cannot put into words how I know this, but kids who are pain in the rear ends in the hallways, classrooms, and around their f

Today I go to pick up my beautiful girl and her teachers tell me a tale that is so . . . utterly believable. Apparently Alexa has determined which of the other babies in her room are mobile and which are not.  The immobile ones she preys on like a cat.  She watches them, and as soon as they have a toy that looks even mildly interesting . . . she crawls over, snatches it up, and crawls away fast! The one particular boy that she likes to torment, has just accepted defeat at the hands of Alexa and as soon as she swoops in- he just lets her have it.  Her teachers said, "It's actually pretty funny and we laugh every time."  For some reason this brings about a memory.  Did you know my parents knicknamed me The Pugilist when I was in elementary school?  I am pretty sure it was not out of pride for their hot headed daughter.  See, there was this boy who lived down the street from me, he had a much worse knickname- by the entire neighborhood- "John, John Rat."  Wel

I have a not so nice confession to make.  I don't like to play with Andrew.  Before you judge me as a mean and horrible mother- let me try to justify myself.  When you go to "play" with Andrew, you're not actually playing, you stand there for 20 years waiting for the game to actually start while he makes 20,000 rules.  I know my parents are reading this and nodding their heads right now, and thinking, "She speaks the truth.  Andrew does make a LOT of rules."  Tonight is a perfect example.  We were outside after dinner.  Doug is sitting on the swing, and Alexa (in the backpack) and I are standing off to the side of it and Andrew is up on the new and improved playset and says, "I want to throw the football."  So I say, "Ok- I will."  Andrew says, "No I mean, I want to throw the football with someone who can catch good."  Huh.  Fine then.  I see how it is!  (I am pretty sure the first opportunity I get, I will make sure the nerf

We had a strange dinner tonight- in that Doug and I sat down to eat- and no kids were at the table with us!  Nope- we weren't at a restaurant,  and it was only 5:45pm.  It was just a strange dinner at home.  Alexa ate a little before us and Andrew wasn't hungry until hours later.  So while we were sitting there- just the two of us- with Alexa crawling under the table and finding pieces of Andrew's apple from lunch (GROSSSS!!!!), and Andrew was outside, we decided to talk about Andrew's upcoming birthday.  The big question: What are we going to get him?!!!  So Doug throws out some of his ideas: a four wheeler, a mini dirt bike, and hey- he's getting close to the age where he can get a bb gun.  I wish I could put into words my mental responses to this, but there aren't really words to "What the hell?!  Seriously?!  And while we're at it, let's get him a machete and a boa constrictor."  I was thinking more along the lines of a non montorized bike

One of my favorite things to do, is to watch my children think through a problem.  I could do it for hours. I love their facial expressions. I love to watch the way their hands move.  I love to watch them try a new technique to whatever it is they're trying to figure out.  Lately I particularly love to watch Alexa, because it's all so new to her.   Tonight she was playing with her wooden stacking rings.  She was concentrating so hard.  Her little brow was furrowed as she grasped the ring and the dowel.  She'd tilt the dowel towards her.  Then let it sit level.  Then she'd try the ring, holding the edge of the ring and then trying to hold it with her finger in the hole.  Isn't it just amazing how 10 month olds can problem solve?

So today my little friend Andrew and I got a warning.  Not from the police officer (I don't get warnings from them, they just give me tickets.  Like going 15 mph over the speed limit once a year is speeding or something!)  No, I mean Andrew got a warning of consequences and I got a warning of what is to come.  As we were getting in the car today, I thought I had misplaced something and Andrew said in response to my searching- "Stu . . . " and then didn't finish the statement.  So I locate what I misplaced, get in the car, get it started and start to back out and Andrew says, "Mommy, what would you do if I called you stupid?"  Holy Smokes?!  What?!!!  I think I have once mentioned how many thoughts can race through my brain in a split second- this was one of those moments.  Some of the thoughts I had were:  when did my son- who still thinks I am cool sometimes- start to think "stupid" and "mommy" in the same sentence?!  I cannot put in

I went into this weekend with a long, unreasonable list of things I would get done.  I knew when I made the mental list, I would never accomplish it all, but here's how it looked: 1. make video of students getting ready for the Special Needs Prom 2. create their homework assignment for the week 3. make the weekly newspaper 4. do other school work 5. get the ironing finished and put the ironing board away 6. update my Moodle page 7. finish the laundry 8. clean up the kitchen 9. clean the floors 10. clean the bathrooms 11. make the grocery list and go to the grocery store 12. fix dinners 13. repot indoor plants that need to be repotted 14. finish planting my annuals 15. mow the lawn 16. print out pictures so that I can finally have a few of Alexa up along with all of Andrew's (what can I say- she's the second kid!!) 17. relax 18. make a new recipe of brownies 19. fill in mentor logs 20. exercise So, did I get half of that stuff done?  No.  But I did hang

I don't know if you're aware of this, but Andrew has given us many troubles over clothes.  He has very clear/rigid ideas of what's "cool" to wear and what's not.  I pray that Alexa is not quite as opinionated- because girls have way more options than boys.  So, the other morning I had to leave early because my "class" (aka the classroom assistant and myself) were providing breakfast for the teachers at my school for Teacher Appreciation Week.  While I am setting up the food, my phone rings and it's Doug.  When I see his number I feel a wave of panic because Doug and I do not talk to each other during the day, unless something is wrong.  I've only been gone 20 minutes, how can something already be wrong?!  Here's a script of the convesation: Me: Hello?  Doug: CAN ANDREW WEAR FLIP FLOPS TO SCHOOL?!  (in a very exasperated tone)  Me: (feeling very relieved nothing is wrong, but feeling bad that Doug is having to deal with a fashing crisi

This is a post for my friends with boys that are 4 and younger.  Brace yourselves ladies.  Your sons seem darling and sweet and cute and wonderful, but something happens to them when they go to kindergarten.  I am not exactly sure why and it doesn't hapen right away, but eventually they will turn into . . . BOYS!!!!  And you will sigh and roll your eyes at their silliness. Things they might do . . . 1.  They may or may not try to hit the ceiling fan with their nerf sword 2. They may or may not try to turn the tv on with said nerf sword 3.  They may or may not throw their dirty socks onto the top shelf of their bookshelf 4. They may or may not randomly walk up behind you, beat you on the back with their fists and announce "I'm massaging you!"  (remember the "Friends" episode where Monica thought she was a good masseuse and everyone cringed when she touched them?  His "massages" will feel very similar to that.) 5. They may or may not walk up t

In honor of Mother's Day, I'll admit that today's post was inspired by my very own mother (she's inspired other posts, but like the true spoiled, oldest child I am- I will continue to take credit for them)! I was talking about the plans for summer- and I said something about how I like my kids to be me with as much as possible, but then they make me totally crazy at the same time.  And my wise ole' mom said, "Yes- motherhood is conflicting like that."  And in about a span of 2 seconds a thousand examples of motherhood being conflicting ran through my mind.  Example #1 (don't worry- I am not going to give all 1,00 examples- that would take forever!!!!) Right after I had Andrew, I enjoyed a summer at home with him and then as soon as school started back, so did I.  There was a LOT of crying- on my part.  I felt HORRIBLE leaving my beautiful baby at daycare!  But (here's the conflicting part) I felt horrible- ENJOYING being back at work!!!!  How

I remember when I was a little kid that my mother could fall asleep at the drop of a hat for like 10 minutes and talk about what a great nap she had had.  I remember thinking- "WHY does she have to nap?!"  or "Jeez, there she goes again!" or when I was a teenager and a little keener on the whole nap thing, "That was a nap?!" She likes to tell a story about how one evening she had put my sister and I in the bath together and she remembers waking up because my sister or I were saying, "Mommy, can we get out now?  The water is cold."  Periodically throughout my adulthood I have thought back on those "naps" still thinking how weird she must have been.   Then I had chilren.  Then I discovered the exhaustion that can suddenly overtake you, without warning.  You'll be sitting there- say at the kitchen table.  Your children will be eating an afternoon snack: one in a chair, the other in a high chair.  They'll be talking, squealing, and