<p>thanks everyone.
I just read it aloud 3 times. It is about 4 minutes. I bought 2 new dresses for my D. One is white with black and the other is black with white. We are now ready.</p>
<p>Unfortunately S2 and I did not go to the Wes summer sendoff last night. I just had too much to do. I sent an email to the hostess and she kindly responded. Maybe some of the moms can get together another time. I did really want to go.</p>
<p>FAP - I understand the mentality of S and H. I was happy to move in on the regular day bit this go earlier thing makes me realize I have three less days to do stuff.</p>
<p>thinking of you sewemma.</p>
<p>zm- yes the ISBN is exact, but keep in mind that sometimes sellers list a book with a “close” ISBN (which they shouldn’t do, but they do it anyway.) I have received an older edition of a Bio book that way. And even though Amazon? says they won’t take international editions sometimes you see them listed under the regular ISBN. Also if they book is supposed to contain a CD or other extras, I look for that to be explicitly stated in the description. I personally also tend to buy from individuals and not large book sellers to get a description which is more speicifc. For example, I would prefer “some of the pages are bent” to “may contain light highlighting” but that is just me. People can also be very loose with the condition choices, so I zero in more on the actual descriptions. Just my 2c having done this for seven years so far…</p>
<p>My D will just be getting back from camp by the time you first kids are leaving.</p>
<p>FAP - My list, or at least the one for my son, is in time segments. So the first list was “things to be done by July 1”. The second list was “things to be done by August 1” The third list will be “things to be done before we leave on vacation on August 28”. But no one gets to see the next list in advance but me. So they just look at the tasks at hand and they have a deadline. Seems to be working around our house (ok, S didn’t take the July 1 deadline seriously enough - but he is extremely sensitive to maternal disappointment, so I don’t think that will be happening again).</p>
<p>DS completed his online counseling required to get his student loan. It was good for him to see what his responsibilities are. Since it’s an unsubsidized loan, the 6.8% interest starts accruing immediately. I reminded him that if he gets a job, he can use the money to pay off the loan so he won’t have the debt when he graduates. Lo and behold, today he sent off his resume to a place in Austin! I don’t think he’ll get this job for various reasons, but I was pleased that he’s thinking responsibly. It wasn’t absolutely necessary for us to ask him to take on the loan, but we wanted him to feel vested in his education and I think it’s working!</p>
<p>Thanks for the info Jackie!</p>
<p>Sewemma, it’s good to see you. I’ve been thinking of you. I do hope that there’s another get together. You and your D deserve a happy experience.</p>
<p>Oh, I forgot to mention a conversation with DD, aged 12, while we were on our trip. “Mom, I’d really like to come out to Arizona to look at colleges.” “Really? You think you’d like to go to school out here?” “Oh, no, I just want to take a trip back here again because I like it so much!” LOL, she’s already out-thinking me.</p>
<p>Tango91…son off to Yale</p>
<p>Hey there tango!!</p>
<p>sewemma, I admire you so much for giving your sister’s eulogy, my thoughts are with during this very sad time, I can’t begin to fathom your pain.</p>
<p>sewemma, all of our thoughts and prayers are with you. Your niece is so lucky to have you to help her through this. (((HUGS)))</p>
<p>We are blissfully weeks away from move-in, slowly but surely getting it done. ML, ds will do the online counseling thing tonight, before he goes to dinner with friends. After that, the next deadline is on me. I fear I may have lost part of his seven-page health form. YIKES!</p>
<p>hi tango… congrats to your son!</p>
<p>Good luck finding the health form pages, YDS! I’ve been losing things lately, so I can hardly get too upset at DS when he does!</p>
<p> {{{{sewemma}}}} </p>
<p>Hugs, sewemma. Keeping you in my thoughts during this difficult time. Also thinking of your niece and your mom - they’re so lucky to have you to help them get through this.</p>
<p>t_c - you got some great suggestions about where to donate your old books. I know my friend who teaches at a parochial school in Queens was thrilled when I offered her several bags of my kids’ old books last year, and she recently asked me whether I had any more books to donate. I do, but they’re for older kids. </p>
<p>Thanks to all for the clean-up tips. Now to get D started! Ironically, my S decided that he needed to clean out and organize his room today. He threw out 3 or 4 garbage bags full of ? He also gave me a bag of sweatshirts from Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, most of them never worn. Just wondering - should I donate those? D saved all of hers, but it may be time to get rid of them as well.</p>
<p>LIMOM, are bar mitzvah sweatshirts a tradition? Serious question – I have no idea.</p>
<p>Around here it was either sweatshirts, tshirts, or scrubs given as party favors to the guests. My kids tended to use theirs as sleeping attire.</p>
<p>REally? What’s on the sweatshirt? The bar mitvzah boy’s name? Scrubs would be awesome!</p>
<p>YDS - not sure what they do in other places, but in NY they generally give sweatshirts (or t-shirts, shorts, sweatpants, sports bags, etc.) as party favors. They’re generally labeled with the Bar/Bat Mitvah child’s name, the date of the party, and something about the theme of the party. Neither of my kids was big on wearing them for two reasons - 1) they felt sorry for the kids who weren’t invited to the parties and didn’t want them to feel left out, and 2) they don’t necessarily want to wear clothes labeled with their friends’ names. D wears them when she sleeps or works out. S never wears them at all. The tradition has been for the kids to wear the sweatshirt (or whatever) to school on the Monday following the party. Also a problem if there’s more than one party over the weekend (a common occurrence) - whose shirt to wear?</p>
<p>ETA: Neither of my kids ever got scrubs. :(</p>
<p>My S attended a bar mitzvah where a hired “artist” would create a quick, special design for your t-shirt … adults included. So, for example, as I was a treasurer, mine came back with the de riguer dollar signs on it, along with my name. S’s had a male figure playing soccer and his name.</p>
<p>:cool: 
</p>