The Latta Family

I cannot explain the current phenomenon that is occurring at my house, but it needs to stop.  Like- last week.  I usually wake up around 6:15.  I do this so, I can get in a walk, and a quiet, relaxing cup of coffee before everyone gets up and starts needing something.  In all previous summers- that has worked.  Not this summer.  This summer my children wake up at 6:30.  Instead of getting later, as it usually happens, as the summer progresses, it's getting earlier!  This morning they were both up by 6:15.  By 6:30, Alexa had cried twice, because Andrew had done her chore.  Why in the world is Andrew already doing chores?!!!! It's not even 6:30!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I didn't go walk this morning. I would have been a slug- except Alexa was crying by 6:30.  I haven't even gotten out of bed.  I haven't had a cup of coffee.  She's already crying and Andrew's already doing chores.  What in the world?!!! Well, I instituted ...

Doug and I are currently renting a house in a popular subdivision, near school.  Before we moved in, we were worried.  We've heard about neighborhood drama that spills over at school.  We don't like drama.  We lived in an neighborhood for 15 years, previously.  I knew my neighbor's first name, well, a couple of them.  We waved hello.  Once we collected the mail for the man next door, and brought his garbage cans up.  They didn't go out of their way to be social, and we didn't either. Our current neighborhood is social.  That was the attraction for me, when we were looking for a place to rent.  I wanted some place where my kids could walk out the front door and find people to play with.  It has been that, exactly.  We are worried that when we move into the new house- that is not really in a neighborhood- our kids are going to be lonely and sad.  There aren't houses with kids their age, to run out and play basketball, wiff...

Alexa!!!!!!!! Alexa's messes overwhelm me.  I can't keep up with them.  They come out of no-where. I leave a room, and when I go back 10 minutes later a hurricane blew through it and left a path of naked princesses, jewelry, markers, bits of paper, My Little Pony hair accessories, random bits of Legos, and swords. Sometimes the Hurricane leaves a swath of filth behind.  This morning, Alexa and I had spent some time digging up rocks we found at a park.  As soon as we walked back in the door, I took the dog for a walk, Andrew finally decided to take a shower, and in the 10 minutes I'm out of the house . . . Alexa decided to wash the rocks in the kitchen sink.  The thing is . . . she used the last of my Bath and Body foaming Lemon Kitchen hand soap and the scrub brush I scrub dishes with.  Plus, there was a sink full of dirty dishes that now have red clay and sand all over them, and in the other side of the sink there were splatters of mud all over the cle...

Sometimes I wonder if Andrew will actually look out for Alexa.  Mostly he just seems to look for ways to aggravate the *&%^ out of her, but every now and then he indicates that he does have her back- if she needs it. I remember one time we were doing some yard work in the back yard.  Alexa was super little- like sit her on a blanket and she didn't move- little.  He was supposed to be keeping an eye on her, because I was helping Doug take a tree down.  He suddenly started screaming.  He was panicked because . . . Alexa had done some rolling and maneuvering and face planted in some dirt.  Andrew apparently thought she was going to die.  Hey kid, "Dirt Don't Hurt!"  That was the first time I was reassured that he would save her- if he had to. Another time she had somehow gotten herself in a spot, where she was pretty close to the edge of something off the ground.  Andrew freaked then too.  Freaking isn't exactly the reaction I want hi...

First, I want to write a disclaimer to my new sister in law in case she reads this . . . I had a great time at the wedding.  It was beautiful.  It was crazy fun, the food was FANTASTIC, and I should have left my kids with the gypsies, so I would have had even more fun. Getting ready for this wedding took MONTHS of preparation for one particular member of the family.  Oh, I know you all are assuming it's Alexa.  She tends to have a more high maintenance personality, so she gets the bad rap.  It was not Alexa.  See. . . while Alexa is emotional, Alexa is used to having to roll with whatever happens in the family.  You know that whole, youngest child thing.  Andrew while older, and appearing to have a more laid back personality . . . did NOT want to dress up.  He did NOT want to miss a weekend at the baseball field, away from his friends, and doing something he wasn't entirely loving.  He was never downright ugly, bratty, or unpleasant, b...

We drove up to Philadelphia last weekend for my brother's wedding.  When my brother announced the location and date and all that stuff, Doug and I were instantly fretting over the drive North.  We're Southerners that live in a small suburb of a smallish city.  Traffic to us is sitting on a 2 lane state highway, sitting through 2 lights.  (While, I am technically not a Southerner- as I was born up North- for all intensive purposes, I am a Southerner.) I tried to talk Doug into flying.  I wanted NOTHING to do with driving. I didn't want to deal with traffic, tolls, traffic, the infamous aggressive drivers, and traffic.  Doug tried to assure me "it wasn't going to be that big of a deal."  Famous last words. What we didn't take into account was, Friday ALL DAY traffic north of Richmond straight through to Philly on I-95.  It took us 2 extra hours to get through that.  My sister and brother in law were in the same boat.  Later that night,...

Well, I am done with my self imposed Facebook break.  Oh I know y'all are so thankful.  I mean- the world revolves around me, you have been sad and missing my on-line presence.  Just kidding. I don't really believe that- for the record.  It's more like I missed y'all. I just needed a break.  There was so much negativity and I was feeling bogged down by it.  But then, we went to my brother's wedding, and I saw friends and family that I don't hardly ever see, but kept in contact with through Facebook and realized . . . I need to get back on.  I missed seeing baby pictures, and the status updates and all that jazz.  I have also realized . . . I only need to check it about 1 time a month and I'm good. I wanted to offer up an explanation- as some people have wondered.  Just chock it up to- I'm a weirdo.  Since it's summer, I'll have more time to blog and I will definitely keep this up more.  Brace yourselves for the stalking that's a...