The Latta Family

Jeez I suck at this!  I keep getting further and further behind!!! Oh well, on Friday 11/8 I was grateful for the end of the week.  Last week was a real stinker.  I hated everything. I was in a rotten mood.  And I was sick of myself.  Also- I was grateful that Alexa's friend called and asked if she could spend the night.  That meant I could go to Senior Night at the Varsity Football game without Alexa.  She would have been utterly MISERABLE.  It was sooooo cold.  I was bundled up and had hand warmers and I was still freezing.  I was also grateful my rice bag, which is basically a piece of fabric sewn into a tube that is filled with rice.  I heat it up and put it on my feet in the winter time.  It keeps my feet so toasty warm.  Saturday 11/9 I took my kids shopping.  I hate shopping (this is sounding super grateful).  I hate crowds.  Andrew hates shopping.  He's a HUGE pill . . .  normally....

Day #5: I am thankful that I got to spend some time with Alexa's Girl Scout Troop.  We spent the meeting planning what to buy for our Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes. I was so thrilled with them.  They were focused and engaged and thoughtful in the items they wanted to put in each box.  I thought they would want to stick with the 5-9 year old girl range, but they wanted to do a box for the 2-4 year olds and the 10-14 year olds.  I loved the way they worked together and thought about what girls from other countries might like and might need.  It was refreshing- especially since earlier in the day my high school students were threatening to crush my soul with their apathy.  Day #6: I am thankful for my co-workers.  They have been really helping me out this week.  I've overbooked myself, and made some mistakes due to arrogance.  They helped me clean up my mistakes without a complaint! Day #7: I am thankful I got to go with Alexa's cla...

Today I am thankful for two things that I couldn't choose between: 1. Honeycrisp Apples.  They're my FAVORITE apples.  FAV.OR.ITE!!!!  They're so crispy, and sweetly tart.  I love their texture.  (Granny Smith apples have a texture that is too . . . squeaky.  Does that make sense?  When I take a bite of a Granny Smith apple, my teeth literally squeak on the apple peel.  It's a very unpleasant sensation and I don't like it. But peeling apples is so much work. Gah! The troubles I face.  Some women are walking 5 miles to bring moderately fresh water to their families, and I don't like to peel apples.  Clearly I have it rough y'all.) 2. Surprisingly, I am thankful for Andrew nagging me. Since he's done with baseball for a bit, we decided to start back swimming as a conditioning method for the spring, and so he nagged me until we went.  Thank goodness.  I was working myself into a total tizzy.  I made a mistake at school, an...

I am thankful I had the desire to meal prep my lunches for the week. I didn't last week, and I ate: cereal one day for lunch, Boars Head Buffalo Chicken slices wrapped around a cheese stick, pb&j, and leftovers.  I was going to eat overnight oats for lunch one day, but instead of putting them in the fridge the night before, I put them in my lunch bag and left them on the kitchen counter.  I was super depressed . . . thus the cereal for lunch.  What do I have fixed?  oooooh, it's one of my FAVORITE lunches!!!!  Buffalo chicken burgers  , roasted sweet potatoes, and a small salad (also- my salad rocks the hiz-ous!  It's spinach with dried cranberries, candied pecans, a raspberry vinaigrette, and goat cheese crumbles.)  It's a delicious lunch and full of health. 

This is going to be a strange one to be thankful for, but hopefully you understand.  Doug's been out of town since Tuesday at the crack of dawn.  While I don't want him to be gone forever, I do like that I sometimes get my bed all to myself.   I watched Christmas movies on Hallmark and LifeTime and no one was around to give me a hard time about how they're cheesy or how it's NOT CHRISTMAS TIME!  It was GLORIOUS!  I slept with all the blankets on the bed last night, and no one moved them so they were hanging half on the bed and half off (which I can't stand! I can literally feel the covers moving when they're 1/2 on and 1/2 off!!!!).  Or complained that I had too many blankets on the bed. Now with all that being said, I'm super thankful he'll be back tonight so that I can sleep on my left side again, which is the side I like to sleep on, but if I sleep on my left side, my back is to my bedroom door.  If my back is to the bedroom door, I can't s...

I think I'll jump on the 30 days of Gratitude bandwagon, so here goes: #1 I'm thankful for spending quality time with my kids one on one.  Last night Andrew and I  tried a new to us restaurant and then came home and piled up on the couch under blankets and watched Star Wars Empire Strikes Back  at his request.  It was a perfect way to end a fun, but crazy week at school.  (It was Homecoming and Halloween . . . all in one week!!!!)  That one on one time is a good reminder me that not only do I love my kids, but I like my kids. 

Today in my senior English class, the guidance counselors came in and we helped all of the kids fill out their Common College Application.  I remember these kids when they were freshman.  Back then they were goofy and silly.  Today, they're a little more mature, and way more fun.  Wasn't it just, like . . . last year they were freshman?!  If it goes this fast for me- with students . . . what will it be like for my own kid?  My own freshman that my email inbox is inundated with- just this weekend: information from CollegeBoard on taking the PSAT and SAT.  I also got an email from a local college offering information on baseball Showcase Camps, and a flyer on the recruiting process for college athletes. How is this little kid that's a whole head taller than me, and stands in my kitchen and pretends to pitch in the World Series on the regular- getting email about his post secondary life?! I've been missing this kid lately.  I mean- yes, he goes to ...

Sometimes parents like to brag on their kids like: All A's!!  Or Terrific Kid!!  Or Raised Money for Charity!!! Not me. I like to keep it real.  I'm bragging about Alexa tonight, but it's not about your typical bragging things.  She's growing up and getting so brave. The other night we were were sitting on the couch watching Sister Act  and suddenly she says, "Ugh.  There's a moth flying around."  Sure enough.  There WAS a moth.  She calmly got up, got a tissue, and captured it, and threw it away.  I was stunned.  Two years ago- around this time she completely freaked over the teeniest bug in the world, in the shower with her.  Tonight, she didn't even blink her eye.  I would have reacted more than she did!  (Although- that's not saying a whole lot, as critters of any variety tend to make me excitable). Tonight we had yet another completely calm reaction.  She had gone into the bathroom to take a shower, a...

I have the cutest group of Freshman this year.  I love them almost more than my Freshman group from 2 years ago.  And that group was my favorite group- since the year before them!!!  Do you see a pattern?  One of my favorite things to do with high school students, is to tell really dumb jokes and laugh and laugh at their reaction.  I mean- they want to laugh a little bit; but at the same time, it's just so dang bad they're really in horror over how I can make such bad jokes.  Today was the best worst joke ever.  We are reading The Odyssey .  And the main character has just met a cyclops, defeated him, insulted him, and stolen a few sheep to top it all off.  As we're reading the story, and I'm re-capping what all has happened, I said, "He made a baaaddd choice stealing those sheep!"  There was silence.  And then . . . "Latta! That was the WORST joke!"  I paused, and said, "You mean . . . a . . . baaaadd joke?"  ...

On Sunday, Alexa and I were in the mood to do some crafting.  It had been awhile since we'd done anything, and I think we both needed to do some artistic out-letting.  I had no plans or real intentions when I went into the craft closet, but I remembered I had seen a lady do some cute fabric coasters, on Pinterest, and I looked through my fabric and discovered I had some leftover painter's cloth.  I love that fabric because it's easy to work with, and can easily be embellished. So here's what I saw on Pinterest. Here's my version: Aren't they just the cutest little punkin coasters?!!!

Alexa has always been a pretty good sleeper.  When she was colicky- no matter how bad the day was, she would still go to bed easily and sleep fine.  When she was a temperamental toddler, there was  comfort knowing- she may be driving me to the bring of insanity, but she'll go to bed.  She was one of those kids that would tell me she was ready to go to bed.  What a pleasant surprise that my high maintenance, temperamental girl- was a good sleeper! Andrew was the kid that I would jolt awake to find him staring at me, when he was in early elementary school.  Or there was about a 3 month period where he slept on a pallet beside the bed, when he was about 3 years old.  When he was an infant it took me 45 minutes to get him to the sweet spot where I could lay him down and he'd stay asleep in his crib.  In the last few months, Alexa has come in to see me to tell me she's had a bad dream, more than she has in the previous 3 years- maybe even 4 years....

The other night Alexa said, as I was saying "Good night" and tucking her in to go to sleep, that she had crumbs in her bed because she ate a graham cracker in her bed earlier.  I said, "oooh- that's a bummer.  We'll wash your sheets, until then . . . have a crummy sleep!!!"  And then I laughed all the way down the hall because my jokes are so hilarious. So I just went into take her sheets off her TWIN sized bed, but first I had to remove the following items: 10 Beanie Boos (stuffed animals). 3 stuffed animals that can also be pillows 3 fleece blankets: 1 is a unicorn snuggly fleece blanket.  The other 2 are intended to be throw blankets.  (FYI- she has a comforter as well).  Please keep in mind we live in North Carolina that is having record high temperatures and it's like living in the jungle.  Granted we have a/c, but . . . 1 body pillow 2 regular bed pillows 2 journals 1 flashlight 2 bracelets 5 books 1 finger puppet 1 eraser 1 small s...

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 af...

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 an...

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!...

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...

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 i...

Saturday night I was watching tv in bed, and suddenly I became aware of this weird noise.  It was like, "tap.  taptaptaptap.  tap tap.  tap.      tap.  taptaptaptaptaptap.  tap tap.  tap."  I kept hearing it.  I told Doug.  Doug rolled his eyes.  "Yeah.  I heard it the other night, but I didn't tell you because I knew you'd be a freak about it."  Frankly- I was unsure what annoyed me most about that comment: the fact he assumed I'd be a freak (there have been some moments in the past that I may have blown unexplained events out of proportion, but this is totally different!!!), or is it the fact that he's KNOWN ABOUT THE UNEXPLAINED NOISE AND DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!!!!!  As we watched Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2  I could not stop being aware of that tapping.  Doug rolled his eyes.  "It's nothing." "Yes.  But WHAT IS IT if it's nothing?!"  He shrugged.  If he's shrug...

One of my favorite things to do, is to make up lyrics to songs- with my own lyrics.  Generally, they're massively inappropriate, so I don't do it very often, plus my family finds my renditions annoying.  They complain endlessly when I make up my own lyrics.  Well my family is wrong, my lyrics are HILARIOUS! This week, has been one ginormous car ride with breaks in the middle.  I've been running Alexa to horse back riding camp, and errands, and Andrew to his job, and to the baseball field, and there's been several well-visits thrown in there.  I have literally put 400 miles on my car this week alone- driving within my county.  Do you remember that Proclaimers Song from the 90's, "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" ?  Well . . . here's a Kate Remake of that song: When I wake up, well I know I'm gonna be, I'm gonna be the mom who's driving a taxi cab When I go out, yeah I know we're running late and  I'm gonna have to hurry to get ...

I'm feeling a little emotional today. I took Alexa to horseback riding camp today.  This is the first time she and I have been apart this entire summer.  But that's not why I'm feeling emotional. When I got back from dropping her off, I pretty much begged Andrew to spend time with me, running errands today.  He hates running errands.  But he and I have not gotten a lot of time together this summer.  I'm not super cool, so ....   I had to really make him a deal he couldn't refuse.  Luckily I know my son's love language: food.  I told him if he'd come with me, I would take him to lunch wherever he wanted.  But that's not my I'm feeling emotional either. After our errands and lunch, I took him to work.  That's why I'm feeling emotional. I went to bed last night- and he was that small.  When I woke up this morning, Doug took him to his first day of daycare: By the time 3pm rolled around, I had this young man getting...

I got sun burnt today.  I forgot sunscreen when Alexa and I went to Andrew's baseball game, and then again when we went to the pool.  I keep sunscreen in my pool bag, so I never forget it.  However- because of Doug- I took the sunscreen out of my pool bag.  It's his fault. See- it goes like that.  In the summer time- Doug is super boring.  He does not do a good job entertaining me.  He's what we refer to as, a "Twelve Month Employee," which means he does not have the summers off, like a typical teacher.  The school system has summer hours of Monday- Thursday 7:30- 5:30.  He leaves in the morning- when it's my quiet time and there's still no talking to me.  And when he comes home, he's been around people all day and wants to have his quiet time.  While I hate that he wants his quiet time- I get it. I need quiet time when I get home from school too.  However, while I get it- it doesn't mean I like that he doesn't entertain me...

Every summer, I have an annual big purge. I start with the kid's rooms, and we clean out clothes that no longer fit.  Then we do toys/books/memorabilia.  Last summer Andrew was struggling with it.  Everything I asked about: what about this book? He'd respond: "It's sentimental. It stays."  Thankfully I watched those shows with people who wanted to clean out their houses, and then had a garage sale, and then had those freshly cleaned out rooms redecorated. . . what was that show called?!  Anyway- I am like a professional cleaner-outer- so I could totally handle Andrew and all of his sentimental items.  (It was actually quite hilarious, he was getting so frustrated with me, and finally he yells, "MOM!  The only thing not sentimental in this room, is YOU!"  True that, buddy.  But we came to agreements and the other day when I started on Alexa's room, he said, "It sucks when you're doing it, but it really does feel better when you're done....

Y'all I LOVE LOVE LOVE garlic.  The heavenly scent of onions and mushrooms sauteing in olive oil and fresh garlic?!  I might love that smell more than chocolate- but not more than freshly bathed babies.  It's close though.  Back in the days when I was a religious watcher of Food Network, I remember the Barefoot Contessa made chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic and I thought it sounded pretty doggone delicious! Way back when I was a baby cook, and just beginning adulthood, I thought cooking with garlic meant using garlic powder.  It's actually worse than that. I thought I was supposed to use garlic salt powder.  WHAT!?  Good news. I started watching Food Network, and I learned that's not cool.  It's not what the real chefs use.  And I like to do the right thing.  Not to say that garlic powder doesn't have its place, frankly sometimes it does.  I love it in my homemade Taco Seasoning and my Pork Rub. For years I used "fresh" minced ...

Alexa and I drove from the Charlotte area up to my brother and sister in law's house up near Philadelphia this week.  I was a little nervous because . . . this is going to sound dumb, but that was the longest trip I'd driven without another adult.  If I got tired, I had no one to hand the driving over to.  I had to stay awake and alert for what turned out to be 9+ hours.  That's not a big deal except . . . I fall asleep all the time in the car!  Sometimes- I'll take 2 naps in the car!  I wasn't worried about driving in the infamous Washington DC traffic. I wasn't worried about paying tolls (although- I should have been- I forgot I was going to need cash for them! Thankfully I remembered before I got to one). I was worried I would get drowsy.  So I made a plan. I had plenty of snacking foods and drinks (although- not too many because even though I LOVED being able to stop and go to the bathroom whenever I wanted- as opposed to when Doug drives and i...

Yikes- it's been a month since my last post!  So much for my New Years Resolution.  I'll get back to regularly blogging now.  The end of this school year has been one of the most exhausting, in a long time. I don't know why.  I told my mother at one point recently that I am too tired to even feel Mom Guilt.  Y'all.  That's pretty stinkin' tired, when I don't even feel bad that I am not trying to feed my family until after 7:30 and then they just get cheese and crackers because that's all I feel like attempting (also they're capable of fixing more- but they are also too tired to do more).  However- we have made it.  Alexa made it through her first state standardized testing without throwing up in the trashcan that she sleeps in her bed with regularly.  Andrew is officially a high school student.  I just finished year 21 of teaching.  I got a certificate today for years of service, and I said, "How can that be?! I'm just 29!!!!!"...