The Latta Family

If you live in my area, it's hard to believe that I refer to our suburb as small town. Trust me. I mean- the traffic doesn't feel small town, but it is.  It's like this: Doug is working on his 21st year teaching. All 21 years have been in the same school.  I'm working on year 19.  Twelve years have been at this school.  We live in the same community that the school we teach in is located in.  Our kids have extra curricular activities in this community.  We go to church in this same community.  We shop, eat out, and go to the doctor in this community.  It's not a completely unreasonable request that I have facetiously said I must know at least 3 generations of a family- of whoever my kids want to date. We have purposely chosen to live this way.  We love that we know our town.  Sometimes though . . . sometimes it's not always good. Say, a person takes their car to get an inspection . . . a month late.  Say that same person- was 3 m...

My first blog after weeks of silence is all about how hard my life is.  I mean- for real y'all.  I got troubles (please read this with the satire, I intend it to be!). But first- girls are so different than boys.  Or maybe, my girl is different from my boy. That's probably a more accurate statement.  See here's what happened: Alexa and I had a squabble this morning.  The black skirt she wore on Monday, wasn't clean yet (I know- what the heck?!!!  A whole day and some later, and I didn't have it washed?!  What's wrong with me?????)  Well . . . she's had a fashion crisis every morning for the last week.  I decided it was Doug's turn to deal with it- because if I had to take a guess, he doesn't even know it's been going on. (how can he not know?  Well, at the new house we have a split bedroom plan- so while he's getting ready in the morning, Alexa is clear on the other side of the house pouting/whining/ carrying on about not having clothe...

I got walloped last night by a realization: Alexa is growing up.  You're like, "Duh!  We see that in the pictures. Where have you been, Kate?!"  I don't know.  How did this happen so suddenly?! Earlier this week, I think Tuesday, I was putting Alexa to bed and as she was getting in, I said, "Where's Lovey?"  She said, "I'm not going to sleep with her, because I suck my fingers when I have her, and I'm afraid my teeth will fall out."  (Her top 2 teeth are starting to get super wiggly.  It's traumatic for her though.  Loose teeth creates a lot of drama- which makes this all the more sad).  I didn't say anything out loud, but in my head, I was like, "Yeah, right you're going to sleep without Lovey?!  Sure.  Mm-mmm."  When I went back downstairs, I got Lovey and brought it up to her, because historically she can't sleep without Lovey.  She was exhausted and she needed her sleep.  She needed Lovey- according to me...

The first week always knocks me for a loop.  It's EXHAUSTING!!!!  Why?!  I think it's several things: 1. standing all day. 2. Interacting all day. 3. Adjusting to new routines. Here are a few things from this week. 1.  I hate hate hate teaching my kids to be organized.  It requires CONSTANT reiteration.  They don't just get my brilliant plan the first day.  Their little light bulbs do not flame up with understanding, acceptance, and reverence for my brilliance.  They balk.  They gripe.  They don't want to empty their lunch boxes and put them on the counter for the next morning.  They don't want to empty out any things they don't need for the following day.  They don't want to leave their bags in a spot near the front door.  They want to leave the lunch boxes in their bags.  They want to leave the old stuff in their book bags to clutter up for another day.  They want to leave their back backs all over the ki...

My mom came to visit for a few days. She hung out with my chilruns while I went back to school. A perk of her recent retirement (although, I just want to say-I didn't ask, or insinuate- she called me & volunteered. I am no fool- I accepted).  Anyway here are a few thoughts I had while she was here: 1.  She and I flew in the house around 6:30pm one evening, and threw together our dinner. As she was at her work station and I was at mine, I thought how different cooking with a woman is. We didn't plan to work on separate recipes, but it was automatic. I didn't tell her, "Why don't you do....?" And she didn't do that with me. Somehow we never got in each other's way. Somehow it was organized, efficient, & comforting. I thought to times I've worked with my mother in law or friends. It's similar. When Doug is in the kitchen, I feel bossy, controlling, and naggy. Somehow he's always standing in the exact spot I need to be. We overlap tas...

So I thought I would do one more blog today to say, stick with me, but posting will probably spotty for the next . . . bit.  School officially starts for me tomorrow, and I just don't know what will happen. The past 2 years, the beginning of the school year has been chaotic. This year . . . fingers crossed, please don't let me jinx myself . . . well things are so far, smooth.  Chaos could happen any minute, because I forgot something super important, and it was due 2 years ago, and why the heck did I fall behind?!!!!   But right now I am not feeling chaotic. So . . . to tide us over a bit, here are a few random thoughts from my day . . . 1. Alexa got her first bee sting today.  I won't lie- I have dreaded this potential event.  She has a tendency to occasionally  react in a way that is a bit  more dramatic than is entirely necessary.  When Andrew got stung by a bee for the first time I thought he had been attacked by a mass murderer. Anyone wi...

Years ago . . . like maybe 10-15 years?  I don't know, but years ago, Doug brought some boards to our house, that came from his grandparents house.  We had reclaimed wood, before it was trendy.  It sat in a pile in a corner of the garage.  I asked what we were going to do with it, if we were ever going to do anything with it, if we could get rid of it . . . the answer was always, I don't know, and no we can't get rid of it.  Hmmm. The thing is this.  I cannot stand piles of things that aren't being used. I am not a hoarder.  I doubt I will ever be a hoarder.  Unfortunately, my kids and spouse are.  One day about 10 months ago, I became aware of the farm table trend, and the rest is history! Doug could make us a new table with the boards that were stacked in a corner in our garage.  It made me happy because the stack would go away, we would get a brilliantly cool table, and Doug would have a project.  He's always happy when I thi...