The Latta Family

You should know, if you don't by know, I am a weird person and I am cheap, sort of. I hate to spend money, except I will spend a bizarre amount of money on socks and hair products.  I mean- it's not really a bizarre amount- or maybe it is. I don't know.  The thing is- for someone who thinks $20 for a shirt is too much money- but thinks $15 for a pair of my favorite socks- is perfectly ok, is a bit mixed up.  I don't like to spend $20 on a shirt, but will gladly spend $30 on good conditioner.  WTH? Really?  Yes.  I'm a woman.  I make no sense.  It's my prerogative.  I am quirky.  What can I say? Alexa and I love to go to a store: Ulta.  I remember bringing her to Ulta for the first time when she was two years old.  Her hair was just starting to grow and I decided she needed good shampoo.  No department store shampoo was good enough for her hair.  For whatever reason, that particular day she also carried a pocketbook...

If you notice that I am more quiet than usual, just assume it's the only way I can prevent myself from eating crow, putting my foot in my mouth, etc.  Honestly!  Things always sound so much funnier in my head.  I rarely take into consideration, how it will actually sound coming out of my mouth, and in other people's heads. If only I would . . . I wouldn't feel the lingering twinge of embarrassment, or buy $30 conditioning masks for my hair.   Here are two prime examples. This first example, is actually funny.  I mean- I felt bad at the time, but honestly . . . it's funny.  So . . . here I was in Wal Mart looking for Nose Strips for Doug.  This is before Andrew . . . so at least 10 years ago, but possibly longer.  There was a gentleman also standing near me.  We were both intently studying the Nose Strip options.  There were many.  I was there to replace the first set I had purchased. I had purchased the wrong size.  The gen...

Let me tell you the story about this mug.  First, Doug hates this mug.  HATES it.  I feel certain he feels the same way about this mug, that the mom in "A Christmas Story" felt about that leg lamp.  I also feel sure, this mug is probably going meet its demise, accidentally, of course.  Which will bum me out.  I love it. My husband (that I love), and I went out- sans kids- to do some Christmas shopping.  We stopped by a Christian book store and received a coupon; if you spent a certain amount of money, we could receive a free mug.  Wouldn't you know- we did.  So I picked out a mug.  This mug.  This mug, that when I went to make the purchases, Doug refused to stand at the register with me, because he was embarrassed that I was buying such a lame mug.  I tried to find another mug, because it is a little silly, but honestly this one was my favorite.  I love the size of it.  It's big and chunky.  I love the handle...

I hate Christmas decorating.  There.  I said it.  Actually . . . truth be told.  I don't really like Christmas all that much.  There are parts I love.  Christmas Eve.  I like when we're sitting around all together eating our weird dinner, watching a movie together.  I like right after the kids go to bed and there is such a feeling of excitement for the next morning.  I like Christmas morning and the joy on my children's faces (especially this year- it's gonna be good!).  I like being with our families. I like 2 weeks of school off.  Yep- I added that.  I like Christmas movies and music.  I like how my house feels so cozy.  I can't wait to sing Christmas hymns or take cold walks looking at Christmas lights. I don't like the pressure. The pressure to have the best Christmas card, mailed out with our perfectly photographed and coiffed children.  I don't like the pressure of finding the perfect Christmas present. I...

Way back 8 months ago, we finalized plans to go to Disney World.  Like the genius I am, I planned for us to take our first trip, with experienced Disney friends.  I am self-aware enough to know: planning ain’t my thang- chicken wang.  Sooooo, I asked our favorite travel friends, who are experienced Disney folks, if we could tag along the next time they went.  Thankfully they said we could (besides the fact it really helped us navigate our trip, we just had a really fantastic time). My friend did a great job staying on top of me to make reservations, buy our tickets, and research rides and shows we wanted to do, so she would be able to FastPass stuff we all wanted to do.  I would NEVER have done all of that on my own.  It’s SOOOOOO overwhelming.  Before we left for Disney, we were certain that this trip was the only one we were doing.  Doug called it our Two-Fer trip: we’re one and done .  (hahahaha that Doug.  He’s so funn...

Kids.  They're a total mystery.  You think you have a handle on them, everything is going just like it should, when out of a nowhere  . . . BAM!  Crisis!!!!! I assumed Alexa would be the difficult one.  The hard one.  The one that required more parenting. And she's certainly had her moments, but frankly when it comes to discipline. . . she's not all that hard.  I just have to tell her I'm disappointed and make a sad face at her and . . . "BLAHHHHHH"  it's tears, and throwing herself down on the nearest object (or floor) and then we kiss and hug and it's over- (I am fully prepared for this to change).  Not Andrew.  His has to build and build and build and then suddenly it all has to come to a ginormous head, and I have to be Psycho Mom, with my guns blazing, handing out over- the- top, harsh punishments. Here's the situation.  For the past year we've been dealing with Andrew not applying himself like he should and could in school...

I took Alexa with me on a walk.  I had originally planned for this to be a calorie burning walk, but I hadn't spent much time with her tonight, and so I brought her with me and the dog.  If listening to Alexa talk, burned calories, I could easily eat a guilt free ice cream sundae. Here are some of her reflections, in no particular order. 1. Gracie took care of her business pretty quickly into the walk.  Alexa exclaims, "Ewwww, Gracie's poop stinks!!!"  I said, "Well, Alexa- yours does too.  So does mine."  She says, "Yeah, Dad's and Andrew's does too.  You know, everybody (big gesture to the nearby houses) in our neighborhood has poop that stinks!" 2.  "Oh no!  This rock is away from it's family!"  So she picks up the rogue rock that has gotten away from "its family" and puts it back in the drive.  A few steps further and she says, "Oh!  This rock has gotten away from its family too!"  A few steps furt...