The Latta Family

Welp, it's here.  Summer is officially over.  North Carolina is back to school tomorrow.   Alexa is super nervous as she's going to a new building with new friends (long story, but there are 2 elementary schools back to back.  For years they've been separate entities.  Now they've combined and have a primary school of K-2, and her school 3-5. She's at the "new to her" building.  With a teacher that taught her bff last year.  With several of the same specials teachers, and 13 kids she's been in school with for 4 years.  She's going to be fine.  I know she's going to be fine.  She's all kinds of worried about these new kids and new building) Anyway- to try to help her focus on the positive things, we made a list of the things we were looking forward to.  She made a list.  I made a list.  While I was working on my list- I kind of laughed to myself, because this is how I envision tomorrow going, seeing all the kids after a long summer off. 

This week is the week of teacher workdays- before students go back.  I would like to develop a name for this week, for all the teachers that are mom's (and dad's- but mostly mom's because we feel guilt way more than dad's).  I think I will call this week: MMGW (Massive Mom Guilt Week) This week is the worst for mom guilt.  The worst.  I'm literally on the fringe of a total meltdown because I'm feeling overwhelmed, and over stimulated, and like I was the suckiest of sucky parents today.  I almost burst into tears.  I don't cry.  Like- ever.  And I was about to be one dramatic, sobbing, fool:  Well, Kate if you feel so bad- why aren't you interacting with your child instead of blogging?!  That is an excellent question.  I gave myself 30 minutes to do something I really wanted to do.  Not clean up the kitchen, start laundry, make dinner.  Nope.  30 minutes- do something I really want- and then get it together and do all I need to do.  But- destress

Y'all- you should just take a minute and pray for Doug.  Here's what you should pray for: continued patience with his wife.  Pray for his sanity that I don't one day tip him over the edge.  Pray one day I will treat him with the love and respect he deserves, because he somehow got tangled up with one feisty gal.  Sometimes I feel sorry for him.  I mean- he's this sincere man, with nothing but good intentions.  He's humble and kind and sweet to me, and I'm . . . devilish and pushing the man's buttons, and busting his chops.  Here's the story- and FYI- I've been laughing to myself about this since last night.  I got my haircut yesterday.  He knew that.  But when he got home, my hair was up in a pony tail because I had gone walking.  Eventually I took it out and I am pretty sure he felt like something was different- but I didn't tell him what is different.  See, I got a very subtle inverted bob.  I LOVE it.  LOVE it!  I can't wait for it to

Do any of y'all remember/know that Toby Keith song, "As Good As I Once Was?"  It's a song all about how this guy isn't a young man anymore and can't do what he used to.  I became painfully aware of that today.   Over the weekend I was trying to figure out how to spend the last 4 days of my summer.  I wanted to go out knowing- I had fun these last 4 days and got in some good quality time with my kids before we head to school, and activities, and craziness.  I remembered at the beginning of summer a lot of people did Donut Crawls- on National Donut Day.  We LOVE donuts.  LOVE.  DONUTS.  That would be a fun thing to do!  So- today we did the donut crawl.  I kicked my own rear with it.   We had 6 places initially on our list.  We cut it down to 5 and truth be told, Alexa tapped out after 3, and I tapped out after 4.  Andrew was going strong.  We started with a local favorite: Donut House.  Ooooh those donuts are so dang good.  So. Dang. Good.  They're a

I decided to get the back to school shopping taken care of this week.  But I wanted it out of the way.  On Monday, I took Alexa to Walmart to get her school supplies.  I should have just dropped her off at the door with my debit card because that's about how much she needed me.  I pushed the cart and stood around.  I tried to show her super cool things like erasable highlighters and she sighed in exasperation at how totally ridiculous I am for showing her such frivolous things.  So then I just stood around trying to decide if I  needed  super cool things.  I restrained myself to flamingo pencils. While I watched her holding her list on her clipboard, and checking things off I became so . . .  sad?  Amazed?  Proud?  Something. I mean- she's so dang independent.  Which is great sometimes.  (Don't get me wrong- sometimes it's super annoying).  She didn't ask me where to locate the items.  To read the items.  To help her decide which item.  She didn't need me to