The Latta Family

 I have just finished my 23rd year of teaching . . . I think.  Or maybe it was 24?  I don't know- that's not the point of today's post.  The point is- I have a lot of summer's under my belt.  Enough summer's that I have a pattern.  Four stages that I go through.   Stage 1: This stage happens the day summer begins for me. I am a whirlwind of productivity.  I cannot be stopped.  It lasts approximately 2-3 weeks.  This year I ran several errands: making deliveries to the Goodwill, Spectrum to return cable equipment, and a variety of other errands I put off during the school year.  I also wrapped up several projects: getting Alexa's new desk done, my desk done, the garage cleaned, shelves hung, the baseboards wiped down, floors mopped (behind the fridge too), and light fixtures cleaned.  Every day- I am a BUSY BEE.  I have completely wiped school from my brain- and ain't no one gonna talk to me about it or think about it ...

Clearly this blog is about balance- because my last post was about bragging and this post is not.  I mentioned back in June that I had attempted to get our ice maker repaired - and did so without consulting Doug.  Lord that ice maker has haunted me.   About 2 weeks after it was repaired . . . the motor started making this horrific sound.  Doug was rather annoyed.  I did some Google searching and discovered there could possibly be an ice cube stuck in the motor/fan area, so I grabbed my hair dryer and attempted to melt the cube.  Within a few minutes the motor went back to it's normal quiet self.  All was good again in our home.  We had a working ice maker that didn't make horrendous sounds.  Doug was somewhat satisfied, and I wasn't cringing in guilt and worry that the ice maker would continue to haunt me.  Except it did. One morning a few days later- at 5AM!!!!  There it is went again.  &*%&^  What in the act...

 This is my blog- so I can brag, and frankly these are some things that make me pretty dang impressed with myself.  (listed in no particular order) #1- I have kept my lavender plant alive (barely) all summer so far!!!!!!  Every summer I declare THIS is the summer I will keep lavender alive and every summer it dies within a month.  This summer . . . I am going on 2 months.  I am smugly patting myself on the back right now.   #2- The other night I looked at my family and was like, "Gosh almighty I have to feed them dinner again dammit!  EVERY. NIGHT!"  I had nothing planned- so I had to make it up on the spot.  And guess what- I had everything on hand to make tacos!  What?!  What kind of house- is having ingredients to make tacos a brag- worthy event????  In my house- it's a brag worthy event.  I had the meat (that I could use from the freezer- so I am feeling very frugal), I had tomatoes from my garden, I had lettuce t...

Doug and both kids went to FFA Camp for the past week.  I stayed home.  All. By.  Myself.  IT WAS GLORIOUS!!!! Up until 2020- Doug had gone to FFA Camp every year of our married lives.  Andrew started going when he was 9 years old.  It is literally the funnest week of their lives.  Nothing I ever do- will compare to FFA Camp.  I went to the facility once, shortly after Doug and I were married.  Doug had meetings.  There were no kids there- because it was just a bunch of boring adults, sitting around, talking about boring things.  But still- I was curious and glad for a reason to get out of town.  It was BORING.  I only brought one book.  There was no cell service and no tv.  I sat in a room with a bed and a bathroom for HOURS and I was bored out of my mind, since that book was done- with approximately 2 million hours left before Doug was done with his meetings.  I vowed to never return.    This sum...