The Latta Family

The other morning was a true example of my brain can be so  ADD sometimes. I started to do the usual routine of opening the curtains/blinds and junk like that.  I have 6 total windows that I either pull curtains open or flip the blinds.  I did 1.5 windows and then thought “Oh!  I should go to the bathroom.”  So I headed to the bathroom and thought “oh- wait- it’s cold I should start my car- so it can warm up and the windshield will be defrosted.”  sooooo I started my car.  And was like “Oh- I never finished opening the windows!”  I did 1 more window and then went to the bathroom- where I panicked because I didn't remember starting my car- so I had to look out the window and see if my car headlights were on (they were), then I opened 2 more windows and was like, “Oh gosh! I better get my school bag so I don’t forget that!!!!”  So I got my school bag.  Then I finished opening the windows.  Do I have ADD? No. You know another...

I recently heard this phrase- and it really amuses me.  What does it mean?  It's means something's bugging you, irritating you, causing you frustration, somewhat annoying.  It's grinding your gears.  You know what has really been "grinding my gears lately????"  Here are a couple of super random things:  1. We're doing a walking competition at school- with any teacher that wants to participate.  I am participating.  The app we're using to calculate our distance "grinds my gears."  It does more than grinds my gears- frankly it infuriates me!  Initially we were told it would synch with our smart watches.  It does not.  I was so pumped because last weekend I worked like a maniac in the yard and KNEW I was going to have a crapton of steps.  Guess what?!  I HAD NONE!!!!  My watch did, in fact, NOT synch with the dang app.  How disappointing.  Then Doug and I went for a walk.  He was calculating 4 tenths ...

 Well so much for being on a blogging roll.  I was consistent for about a month, and then I fall off for a month.  While I wouldn't say I was busy in January- I did have stuff I was doing.  It's been a pleasant mix of grown people things, trying to get some consistency with healthy habits, and fun.   1. Grown People Things:  I cleaned out a bunch of old bills, and I started a notebook with important information in case something happens to myself or Doug.  Things in the notebook: the contact info for our finance guy, login information to different accounts/bills/bank, copies of: birth certificates, marriage certificate, social security cards.  This whole notebook thing started because my mom has been organizing all their stuff- in case something happens to them.  At first, I was like, "Mom!!! For Pete's Sake!!! I don't want to hear about it!"  But then . . . if something happens to Doug, I have no idea how to pay most of our bills. ...

I have been doing several sewing crafts over break.  Honestly- I had almost cleaned out a good majority of my craft supplies- thinking I was done with that activity. I hadn't sewn- as part of a craft in years.  I'm not sure why I stopped.  Then one day about 2 months ago I saw a Reel that led me to more Reels and then I just decided to get the old sewing machine back out and try a few projects.  I have also been trying some hand embroidery.   I am sick and tired of Doom Scrolling through social media.  Seriously.  When I was young- Nintendo came out.  My mother declared we could not have one in our house.  She thought it was going to brainwash us- and make us stupid. I thought she was ridiculous for years.  Now I realize she was ahead of her time- and right.  Because I didn't want to sit on my couch, doom scrolling all break- I started sewing. Something that is nice about being a crafter is that- I have random supplies around. ...

The closer I get to 50 (in 3 months)- the more I am thinking about the habits I have and if I do them because I actually like them or if I do them because I am supposed  to do them.    I went swimming yesterday morning.  Somedays when I start swimming, I feel this sense of urgency to swim as fast as I can. I have this compulsion to swim fast because that's what I am supposed to do, right?  I will burn calories and hit my target heart range, and then so I can hurry up and get home.  Today I decided, "Why rush?  To go home and vacuum?  I might as well take my time."   While I swam, I thought about why I don't slow down and take my time more often.  Today's swim was lovely.  My swim boyfriend one time said, "It perfectly acceptable to have a slow pace, and swim for a longer period of time. You'll still burn calories." Except, aren't I supposed to be aiming for peak heart rate?  I mean . . .  that's what they say....

I LOVE Cinnamon Rolls.  Like . . . . LOVE. They're so comforting with their soft warm dough, and cinnamon sugar butteriness.   However- they're so stressful to make.  The whole time I am making them I am in an Armageddon is descending on my kitchen type of mind loop.   I am wasting ingredients because these stupid things will never turn out.  I am making the most gigantic mess for absolutely no reason because I'm probably gonna just have to throw everything away anyway.  Since I don't really have an internal monologue anymore- I am mumbling horrific swear words and rage sighing.  The moment I get them in their pans, it's an immediate labor and delivery type feeling of euphoria.  I do not remember the rage of potential disaster literally 60 seconds ago. I only see their perfection as they're nestled in their pans.    I have a favorite recipe.  Except it IS the MOST annoying recipe.  Everything about it is extra.  ...

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...

In all honesty- yes I post these blog posts, but I do this for two reasons: 1) remind myself of different parts of our life and 2) entertain myself and y'all.  Doug and I are in the process of surviving one of our kids first major injuries.  Yes- they've banged themselves up, had bruised wrists that required a brace, a sprained ankle that required a brace (that we frequently travel with- because while I love her . . . she clumsy), survived a fractured-ish foot.  Our kids had like 6-7 sets of tubes when they were toddlers.  Andrew's torn ACL/meniscus is a whole new . . . . everything.  This post is to help me remember.  Remember this event.  Remember where we started, so I'll be able to appreciate how far we've come. Remember the struggles, so the wins are so much sweeter.  We spent all summer with him working 2 jobs and being gone about 12 hours a day, 5 days a week.  We tried to tell him he had his whole life to work . . . he might want to h...

 I may  have told you a time or two- I am a special ed teacher.  I tend to work with students who have learning disabilities, ADHD, or Autism.  Occasionally I get to talk to the faculty and try to advocate for my kids. When that opportunity presents itself- I like to try to help teachers realize that areas where they struggle and how that feels . . . is how our students feel.  I think it helps people to be more empathetic.  I start this post- to say that I am NOT making light of the struggles that students or adults with special needs experience.  I have experienced something this morning- that made me go, "My God- how do people with special needs do this everyday?!  No wonder some of our kids behave the way they do!!!" I started exercising again.  I started back in April.  One of the women I work with- has a side gig as a certified personal trainer.  I asked her- if she would be willing to help me.  I reached out to her. ...

 I am having a hard time getting myself in the mood to go back to school.  Between my struggle to sleep without a heavy dose of melatonin and my weirdo dreams- I believe I have some nerves about the upcoming school year.  I went by school today to beg one of our front office staff to print something in color for me- so I can make a super cool bulletin board for one of our hallways.  While I was there a student that I know well was there.  He was telling me a story and I was totally cracking up.  It reminded me that over the years- kids have said some pretty dang funny things to me.   Today's story:  this young man apparently encountered another young man- who just graduated- at the grocery store.  The other young man "was bucking up" and today's young man said, "C'mon man!  Not in front of the steaks!"  I agree.  Fighting should not happen in front of steaks.  Probably keep that kind of activity to the beer aisle, or ...

 I missed out on being an evil overlord.  Well, maybe I didn't.  Maybe I needed years of being a high school teacher, a wife, and a mother to develop my manipulation tactics?  I am particularly impressed with my most recent  . . . we'll say "handling" of my family.   Many many many years ago, some friends introduced us to the game of Dominoes.  We love to play Mexican Train.   In case you've never played- the overall goal is to place all of the dominoes you selected- in a train/row- so that you have zero points.  We play this game a lot.  During Quarantine- we played every night.  We've been playing fairly frequently this summer.  The trouble is . . . some of my family is VERY competitive.  VERY.  So there's a fair amount of trash talking by those family members.  The other trouble is we have different types of strategies- and sometimes some people don't like the strategy style of others.  In order...

 My inner monologue has been real weird lately.  Weirder than even usual- sooooo that's pretty weird. There's this account I follow on Instagram.  The man is a landscaper and makes content showing him edging sidewalks and other areas.  Whenever I watch him edging, it is so soothing.  I mean- look at the before of this spot, it's all overgrown and weedy.                                                                  Now look at it!!  The edges are so straight and tidy.  How productive does this guy feel when he completes this task?!?!?! Look at this edge.  The grass is growing over the timber.  It's all scraggly and messy.   Now look!!!!!! Last one- I promise.  Look at this messy walkway!!!! And now . . . . .  There's just something about the tidiness, the acc...

 My gardening endeavors feature heavily onto this little spot of the web.  Mostly because I use this as a memory to myself of what worked at what didn't.  What I loved and what I didn't.  What I can look forward to- and what I hopefully do not repeat again.   This years garden situation has been filled with deeps lows of frustration and high levels of love and hope.  This sounds like the beginning of an epic love novel!  I am so poetic.  LOL  Anyway- let me refocus back to the garden.  To start this year- I was sooooo hopeful and CERTAIN- beyond a shadow of a doubt this was going to be my best garden year EVER.  People would stop as they drove by in amazement for this lovely patch of yard.   I began prepping last fall a full 6 months before I planted the first plant- with some top quality manure from a friend's horse barn.  I knew this manure was going to be like magic fairy dust.  It was going to be so magi...

 I have just finished my 23rd year of teaching . . . I think.  Or maybe it was 24?  I don't know- that's not the point of today's post.  The point is- I have a lot of summer's under my belt.  Enough summer's that I have a pattern.  Four stages that I go through.   Stage 1: This stage happens the day summer begins for me. I am a whirlwind of productivity.  I cannot be stopped.  It lasts approximately 2-3 weeks.  This year I ran several errands: making deliveries to the Goodwill, Spectrum to return cable equipment, and a variety of other errands I put off during the school year.  I also wrapped up several projects: getting Alexa's new desk done, my desk done, the garage cleaned, shelves hung, the baseboards wiped down, floors mopped (behind the fridge too), and light fixtures cleaned.  Every day- I am a BUSY BEE.  I have completely wiped school from my brain- and ain't no one gonna talk to me about it or think about it ...

Clearly this blog is about balance- because my last post was about bragging and this post is not.  I mentioned back in June that I had attempted to get our ice maker repaired - and did so without consulting Doug.  Lord that ice maker has haunted me.   About 2 weeks after it was repaired . . . the motor started making this horrific sound.  Doug was rather annoyed.  I did some Google searching and discovered there could possibly be an ice cube stuck in the motor/fan area, so I grabbed my hair dryer and attempted to melt the cube.  Within a few minutes the motor went back to it's normal quiet self.  All was good again in our home.  We had a working ice maker that didn't make horrendous sounds.  Doug was somewhat satisfied, and I wasn't cringing in guilt and worry that the ice maker would continue to haunt me.  Except it did. One morning a few days later- at 5AM!!!!  There it is went again.  &*%&^  What in the act...