<p>The list is great.That's just how it is!
Nothing is finer than having the kids home.But there are little hints they are growing up, becoming more independent, severing ties. It's good, but sad . There are shocks for parents too. The best thing to do is make some memories, capture the moment before they are off and out again!</p>
<p>Hey repeat. Thanks for that number 8 :). Believe it or not, although ancient, I remember like it was yesterday, how I felt at that age. There is truth in what you write, and I try to follow most of these rules.</p>
<p>i got home for break thursday afternoon and return jan 3rd. that's 3 weeks and change.</p>
<p>i'm ready to go back already.</p>
<p>Patient-
You took the words right out of my mouth! It is wonderful to have #1 s. home. He sat with me late last night (early this morning) discussing posts on CC that I shared with him (about his school). He has such a great perspective on life these days. Mature and philosophical (but alas, as Repeat said, messy!). We are having to make some tough decisions about his dog, who is in failing health. It is powerful talking adult to adult. I am really glad he's home.. and hope he is not itching to go back already. We are taking a family trip to the Bahamas, where he will be old enough to partake in the casinos and bars. that too will be weird... but fun.</p>
<p>Our daughter will be home from Wellesley in a few days. She doesn't go back until the end of January, so it will be a long break. We are looking forward to a quiet Christmas, and then she will head to California to spend a week with her roommate's family. They have graciously offered to let her experience the Rose Bowl Parade, game, Disney and a lot of California holiday treats. We have asked her roomie to visit us this summer where she will get to see the Smoky Mountains and lakes for the first time.
Most of her friends attended schools in the south, so they are already home and the phone is already ringing here. It will be so good to have her home. We have a huge "Welcome Home (her name)" sign ready to hang above the garage door, so it will be the first thing she sees upon arrival!</p>
<p>Almost forgot-- Number 2 s. has finals this week he is a HS freshman.-- today's exam is an advanced Geom/Algebra/Trig class that # 1 son had with the same teacher. I could overhear #1 s. exlaining some concepts to #2 s. and helping him study. That made my day....</p>
<p>We try to offer our home for at least one gathering of the hs friends. That way we get to see them all! (including our own).</p>
<p>KJOFKW--another mom and I organized such a gathering at Thanksgiving--for the "band of friends" AND their parents (and sibs who wanted to come). It was on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, in the late afternoon early evening, and it was wonderful--I highly recommend it. The kids had a good time together as they always do (they almost travel as a wolf pack, it seems, moving together from one activity/location to another), and the parents did too. Now whenever I run into one of them we reminisce about what a great time it was. I highly recommend it!</p>
<p>Patient...Great idea!!! May try that one over the next break ;-)</p>
<p>We did that too over Thanksgiving but it was just the kids. It was the first time they had seen one another since August.</p>
<p>patient - it is funny how college kids travel in packs. The other night my mom was trying to locate me for some reason (i forget what she wanted) and my cell phone was off (dead batter ;) ), and i wasn't in the apartment.. so she tried calling my roommates... none of them answered, so she called my work... nobody answered there (i work at my best friends house..) and finally when she got ahold of me she was like yeah.. i figured all 8 of you guys were out together somewhere when I couldn't get ahold of any of you :)</p>
<p>Duaghter came home on the 8th(seems like it has been longer) Maybe it's because her suitcase is still in the middle of the living room floor and hasn't made it upstairs yet. She still stays up most of the night, hopefully she will turn her body clock areound wile she is at home. The dog is ignoring her it's been raining for the past few days and she misses her friends. But that has not stopped her from shopping</p>
<p>S doesn't come home till Dec 22 -- his college actually has some finals scheduled Dec 23 and, rumor has it, except for the kindness of some profs, even Dec. 24. Of course, he'll have no time to shop -- or at least I hope he'll take no time to shop. He asked what we wanted and, being a mom and feeling the pressure of finals more than he seems to be, I told him what we really, really wanted was stuff from the student store.:) He already gave me a great gift when he called to say his first jazz concert went well because a lot of his friends came. He said, since his was the first group to play, his friends didn't stick around to hear the REALLY good players, and so are under the misapprehension that he is amazing. Still smiling over the bounce in his voice. </p>
<p>He'll be home till mid-January, long after a lot of his friends have headed back, I suspect. So I don't expect to see much of him until the end of the break.</p>
<p>As my daughter's college life has evolved I am finding the lengthy winter break to be the one that I can most dependably plan a family vacation around. During the summer months there are student internships and jobs that are often difficult to take a break from. I am still finding it odd to take our "summer" vacation in January.</p>
<p>Where are you going for your "summer" winter vacation?
Did your daughter find internships through school? Any tips? (realize that is the topic for a different thread, or maybe you could contact me directly.)</p>
<p>to sac - i don't know how all colleges are, but i know at my school they put out a flier handout to all of the students that lists companies that have internships.. in one of my classes this semester another prof came in and told us about two internships that he wanted to give to two kids in our class.. they really do a good job of getting us internships out here. I interned this past summer and i learned so much and had such a great time and experience that i'm thinking of working there again next summer.</p>
<p>Thanks, fendergirl. Sounds as if your school does a great job.</p>
<p>mine just got in. he's off to friends house, who just got into dream school (HYP). Unfortunately, his room and bath still destroyed by hurricane, so nothing looks the same.</p>
<p>Oldest (Sr) came home today with dirty laundry and a nasty sinus infection. Had to go to doctor and get meds. Youngest (Fr) comes home Wednesday - hopefully not sick, although he's been stressed out about finals so I figure by the weekend he will be sick....I get to "mother" them. :)</p>
<p>D comes home tomorrow night from Evergreen. Then on Saturday, she's off to Hawaii for 5 days with a friend who goes to school in PA. Two 19 year olds in Honolulu. She's so proud that it's her savings from the summer job paying for this vacation, her first non-family trip.</p>