The Latta Family

Okay this is gonna be a slightly controversial opinion but . . . . it's my blog and I can be controversial if I want.  I don't like the Christmas season.  Specifically, I do not like the additional mental load of the season.  I wonder often- "How I can feel more overwhelmed by the overall "more" now?" My kids are older and not needing me as much. When they were younger and I was battling them to clean up after themselves, and eat, and bathe and brush teeth, and taking them to multiple events and remember all the accessories they needed to have for those events.  I mean now . . . . I do not do any of that for Andrew.  (I am almost belligerent in my "I do not remember anything for you" as I treat him as the young adult he is.)  And Alexa is so self-sufficient I do not really have to do that for her.  Sooooo why now do I feel so overwhelmed by extra decision making????  It's probably age and frankly . . . cell phones (as trite as it may be to blam...

Way back when Doug and I first got married- I paid the bills.  Then there was a situation with the mortgage check and . . . . I declared I was no longer into that responsibility and Doug would forever be the "Bill Payer" and I would live in ignorance of our financial day to day life.   Don't go thinking I'm completely clueless.  I mean- to a degree I am.  But- I was the "Bill Filer." so I have rough ideas of how much our bills are and lived within a budget that was never fully discussed- but accepted.  (A total side story- about 3 years ago I was recommended to serve on the Volunteer Advisory Board for our bank.  Me.  ME?!?!  At that time, I didn't even know how to login to our accounts online because I forgot my password and had no idea how to proceed (I know now).  I didn't know how to pay a bill or do anything- and I was serving on this board. My family and I had a lot of good laughs about this.) Another reason I am not the "Bill Paye...

 I have a very strict morning routine that I have been doing for years.  I do not veer from this routine hardly ever because sacred things should not be altered.  My coffee is on a timer, so that it is waiting for me on school mornings when I wake up at 5am, sit in the dark drinking a big glass of water, followed by my bigger cup of coffee.  I play "Pips," "Wordle," "Connections," and solve my crossword.  At 6am I am ready to get up from the couch, hit the shower and start the day.  This routine has made the biggest difference in my morning pleasantness.   Awhile back I realized I was unable to drink the ginormous cup of coffee that I was drinking.  It was making me too full, so I started using a smaller cup.  At first, I was thrilled!  That meant I went through my coffee grounds at a slower pace.  But then I was sad that I didn't have as much to drink. Then my coffee maker started . . . . being weird.  I used a percolator...

In the faculty bathroom next door to my classroom, someone placed a Bible. It's been there so long I honestly don't even know when it showed up. Was it last month or 5 years ago? I don't know. It sits on a small table with extra paper towels, and I think there may be a small, zippered bag of feminine products there as well.   For whatever reason, I have recently become aware of it. In fact, I have realized that it is open to Psalms 89- 91. I have been keeping an eye on this- and have noticed that the pages haven't changed in at least a week. Maybe the pages have always been opened to this spot? I'm not sure.  I decided today was the day- I was going to change the page.  I opted for a scripture that offered encouragement- which seemed fitting for teachers surviving the last 10 days until Winter Break. As I turned the pages- they were very stiff and sort of stuck together- like older books can be.  As soon as I left the bathroom- literally the exact moment....

Way back at the beginning of June- this past summer- I decided I needed to get back to consistent exercising.  I had gotten away from it- and I could tell.  I was having some trouble with plantar fasciitis- and decided swimming would be a good exercise for me to do because my feet wouldn't be bothered.   I hadn't really exercised in months, and I hadn't swum laps in a super long time.  I decided I would start slow.  I mean- I could probably swim 30 laps, right?  The great thing about committing to exercising in the summer is that I can get up and go at a reasonable morning time (that is a relative term. I like to be there around 7:30- 8am.  During the school year- I would have to be there at 5am . . . . which is why I haven't been going in the morning. LOL).  So, day 1 of swimming- I was in the pool by 7:30ish.  I was aiming for 30 laps.  Slow and steady was the name of my game.   I reached 30 laps- barely.  I stood a...

 I had no idea I took a 3 year hiatus from blogging.   My last post was in 2022.  2022!!!!!!!!!!  OMG.  Since then one of my kids graduated high school AND college and got a real, grown up job.  The other kid moved up from middle school and is in high school, has a permit and I really want her to find a job so I can stop being her ATM.   Why did I take a break from blogging?  I'm not sure.  I guess I was feeling like I had nothing particularly amazing to share with the world.  And I was struggling with what I was putting out into the world.  Like- was I an over-sharer?  Was it self absorbed to think people cared?  Was I actually enhancing the world in a positive way? But lately I have been missing it.  I have had thoughts that I wanted to puzzle through.   See, I recently realized . . . I am a premium adult (as one of my kids says).  A little over a year ago- I realized I am the same age as my...