The Latta Family

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. ...

Poor old Andrew.  He has eczema.  Has had it since he was 3 years old.  He suddenly turned up with this crazy, itchy rash all over his forearms.  I used to cut the foot off of children's socks, and put the other part on his arms- and secure them there with electrical tape (it's super cheap!)  Every night before he'd go to bed, I SLATHER his arms with A&D to heal up the red, scabby spots, cover it with the socks and secure them with the electrical tape.  Weeks of that not working, I took him to the pediatrician, who had no thoughts, but recommended us to a dermatologist.  The first dermatologist, briefly looked at him and told me he had bed bugs.  I was furious.  Really?  Don't you think the rest of us would have them??  What kind of house does she think I run???  The next dermatologist said eczema. We did allergy testing to make sure it wasn't some type of allergy.  I don't remember doing food allergies.  I just r...