The Latta Family

I'm gonna brag on Alexa for just a second.  I recently became very aware of this trait of hers, and in this day and age . . . it's actually rare and pretty praise worthy. She is amazing at: taking a boring situation and not being bored or miserable. The other day we went out to dinner.  We were sitting at our table and no one had cell phones or technology out.  I am pretty strict about that for Andrew and I.  (Obviously- as Doug is his own adult self- he can make his own rules.  But he follows along with the cell phone rule).  I noticed a family with a young child- still sitting in the high chair, soooooo 18 month-ish?  The parents had an iPhone propped up against a water glass, and the child was watching a cartoon.  The entire meal.  Now- there were most likely factors I am not aware of- so I'm trying to not be judgmental, but I won't lie that infuriates me.  (and therefore I am obviously being judgmental).  I ate with toddlers. I get it.  In fact- when Alexa was y

I got a little behind on posts- sorry!  See, if I get out of my usual life routine . . . I am thrown off for a week or better while I try to get back to my structured and rigid life.  Last weekend Alexa and I went camping (in a cabin) with her Girl Scout troop.  This has been an annual spring activity for the last 3 years.  One that she and her troop LOVE.  I do too- to be honest.  I love her troop. I love the moms.  My favorite part of the camping is being outside for an entire day.  I LOVE to be outside.  Anyway- we leave Saturday morning, and I'm home Sunday around lunch time.  NOT THAT LONG.  24 hours (well- maybe 26-27 hours).  Certainly not long enough that I'm thrown off for a week.  What could possibly throw me off for a week?!!!!!  I don't know people.  I don't know.  When I stress out, I require my "little" routine even more.  One small glitch and I'm done.  Just done.  The trouble is . . . no one else in my house respects the routine. My gue

I said I would post every week,and doggone it . . . I will try. I mean . . . it's March and I'm still working towards this New Years Resolution to post weekly.  This is the longest I've ever maintained a New Years Resolution!!!! 1. I'm reading a book: The Tatooist of Auschwitz : by Heather Morris.  It's good.  It's a Holocaust survival- love story. It's a true story.  The author is retelling it, after interviewing the main character.  I have read Night  by Elie Wiesel about 1 million times and LOVE it (also a Holocaust survival story).  It's such an amazingly well written book.  I mean- if I counted up- I've easily read Night more than 20 times, and I still find something new every time I read it.  Last semester, I was co-teaching with another teacher that has a lot of Holocaust knowledge, and reading the book with him- and his knowledge of the Holocaust brought about so many more things I didn't know or hadn't thought of.  Anyway- back to

Hello darkness, my old friend . . . . We have a visitor.  Usually I love these visitors, but I have discovered I love these visitors a good 20 feet from my house.  Considering we live in a small town- we actually have a wide variety of creatures that live in and around our yard.  We have a hawk family that I love to watch.  Last year there was a murder of crows living in the woods across the street, and occasionally the crows and the hawk would have a rumble.  That was some pretty entertaining stuff.  I hope the crows don't come back.  #1 they're kind of annoying with all that cawing, and #2 I think they were bullying the hawk.  Frankly- the hawk is a way cooler bird than crows.  They seem more dignified.  I think crows were bringing down our property value with their ruffian lifestyle.  We have a fox that also lives around our yard.  He's okay- except when he calls out . . . that sound is discomforting.  I do enjoy watching him scamper through the backyard though.  A

Thank goodness we had a half day with students, so that teachers could stay and have professional development- it meant we got to jet out of school at 3:00pm and get home and work in the yard before it rains . . . yet.  again.  (insert MAJOR eye roll!)  Andrew mowed, Doug weed eated, and I weeded/picked up sticks/de-pooped the yard. While we were doing all of this stuff, Doug would periodically try to communicate with Andrew or I.  The trouble is- he would be across the yard, using hand motions to try to communicate.  I can't hear you, or understand your hand motions, dear.  I just nod and pretend I understand (who am I kidding?  I do that even when I could hear and understand him.) Alexa and I decided to have a little fun re-enacting how we see Doug's attempt at communicating through hand motions: This is how Doug tells Andrew to go back, do it again This is how Doug tells Andrew to blow the grass clippings towards the middle of the yard This is how Doug tells