The Latta Family

We always take the dog out for one last walk of the night.  Depending on which one of us takes her- that walk happens anywhere between 9:30pm and 12:30am. The other night, Doug comes dashing in the door.  He's talking all about how this weird black cat chased him and the dog home.  He mentioned it SEVERAL times the following day.  I should probably have been more sympathetic.  I mean, Doug isn't exactly a scaredy cat (hahaha, see what I did there).  That's me.  He doesn't imagine werewolves in the bushes, or rabid animals stalking him. That's all me.  He's also not one to embellish, for the sake of a good story.  I don't do that either- for the record.  My stories are all completely accurate.  You can count on me to tell the facts, and only the facts.  (I need to make sure you know that- because the following tale is straight up for real.) You should also know three things: 1 our dog HATES cats, 2 the dog is a great big old...

Poor Doug.  I have issued 2 threats to him, within a 12 hour period. Doug and I came down with a stomach bug within minutes of one another on Tuesday.  Honestly, the timing is quite bizarre.  He dashed into one bathroom, and minutes later I dashed into the other.  Y'all that stomach bug is no fun!  However . . . I haven't had to eat one cookie in 2 days, and the ones I ate the night before I got sick were all free calories.  :-) I felt terrible.  I felt terrible physically, and I was guilt ridden.  Poor Andrew and especially Alexa. Andrew had friends I kicked him out to play with, but Alexa . . . her friends are gone this week.  She and I made a list of things we were going to do this week.  It was supposed to be a week of fun!!!! She handled it like a champ.  She was only too happy to watch Netflix for the entire morning while I recovered.  Unfortunately, later Tuesday evening we had make plans to go to our favorite colleg...

It's been almost 4 months since I have blogged!  What's the deal?!  Well, I've been struggling with this whole social media thing.  I am feeling disenchanted with it.  Well, with parts of it.  I unplugged for awhile, while I tried to get my head around it. I got rid of Facebook a few weeks ago, and then I creep back on every now and then, because I want to see your pictures and keep up with old friends, but . . . then I see why I am not on there.  Then I read a comment and I go, "Oh yeah.  That's why I don't like it."  It's been so freeing not being on it. Not being aware of people's hurt feelings or drama, that doesn't include me.  I like it.  I like not snooping to find out why so and so got upset.  It's unhealthy.  Except, I can't stop.  Realizing this, I want you to know- that I will keep up the blog, because I love doing it.  But you'll have to check it on your own.  I'm taking an extended break from the o...

Periodically throughout the elementary years Andrew has come home with common elementary aged type jokes. Like, "Mom, you say, "Shhh," and I'll say "it." They're hilarious.  I mean, I totally can't stop laughing. Hah, ha ha, haaa. . . Sometimes they get more advanced. "Mom, say "Fork" with a British accent."   Now that one did entertain us for a bit, while I demonstrated my spot on British accent. Today he said, "Mom!  Hahaha, say "Sofa King."  Well, I'm no do-do, I thought about it first. Nothing.  I couldn't think of a thing.  But . . . it obviously had something, otherwise why would I say such a ridiculous thing. Finally, after minutes of waiting for me, he says, "So . . . fa king . . . " Huh.  I see where he's going with that, but who walks around saying, "So f*^#ing." I pondered on this the rest of the ride home.  I mean, it just doesn't make sense.  We stoppe...

Alexa got some "Ivy and Bean" books for Christmas.  If you haven't read them, and you have an early elementary aged girl . . . you should!  I was rolling. We finished the first book tonight.  In the story, Bean- a little sister that is a bit of a pest- decides to get revenge on her older sister Nancy (who, at the ripe old age of 11 years old, is a bit condescending and bossy).  So Bean, and her new friend across the street, decide they're going to cast a spell on Nancy and make it so she won't be able to stop dancing . . . EVER!  In order to do so, they need worms.  Obviously, things didn't go as planned.  However there was a scene that reminded me of something I may have done to my own sister at one time.   I am thinking I was around the age of 10 or 11, which meant my sister was around the age of 5 or 6.  I had been being a bit of a brat. I don't remember what I was doing.  Probably nothing. I was probably being angelic and my m...

We have just returned from our final Christmas celebration.  I won't lie, this has been the weirdest Christmas. I thought it was just me, but my mother and mother in law, both said the same thing.  Since three of us agree, it must be true for all of you. Was it the weather?  I mean, doggone the weather is WEIRD.  Tonight, in Arkansas there are tornados.  Here in North Carolina, I haven't worn a jacket, other than my rain jacket, in weeks.  I've spent the last 2 days in flip flops- comfortably.  We've had spring-like rain storms.  I have daffodils starting to bloom!  The weather is definitely NOT Christmassy.  (We've been told that it was supposed to be a cold, snowy winter. LIES!  Although, The Weather Channel is saying that January will be colder than average and . . . is uttering the "S" word.) Was it that I have been distracted by big changes happening for our family?  Possibly.  Doug and I suddenly decided to put...

I'm telling you what . . . I've got a weird situation happening. My kids are growing up. They play for extended periods of time without needing me.  I have been been dreaming of this happening for years.  In my dreams I would do "stuff."  I would do it all by myself.  I would go to the bathroom by myself.  I would . . . I don't know.  The dream was so far away, it was hard to truly imagine.  Now it's here. On Saturday, Alexa had a friend over.  Andrew was at a friend's house.  Doug was doing Doug things and I was at a total loss of what to do with myself! I sat on the couch. I fidgeted. I walked around the house aimlessly. I hit the goody containers- a lot. I Pinterested. I Facebooked. I instagrammed. I did that all again. I was bored and I had no idea what to do with myself. Finally I remembered I was behind on "Big Bang Theory" episodes. I got caught up. I hit the goody container again. It was the most bizarre feeling. ...