<p>Mdemvizi -44 degrees in Tampa? What’s up with that?</p>
<p>12rmh18 - we stayed away from the luggage store on this shopping trip. Given DW’s time table we could not risk being detained by the mall guards. ;)</p>
<p>ML - I picked up a gallon of spf 50 and a paint brush for myself. With my scotch/irish heritage my pigmentation leans towards “fish-belly white”. And given the inevitable outcome, I suspect there may also be a lobster in my family tree. DW OTOH, tans nicely, and has been paying to microwave herself 2-3 times a week to establish a “base”:rolleyes:</p>
<p>Checkers - I completely agree. I’m not usually one to shoot the messenger, but somebody’s gotta pay. 20’s and windy this morning, snow flurries…</p>
<p>In COLLEGE news, S1 is getting on the road about now for the drive to the Outer Banks. Somehow I missed the fact they weren’t flying. He says no headache since Thursday, but he has not followed up on the neurologist:mad::mad: I ought to ground that…young adult. He did say he had filled the prescription just in case.</p>
<p>Did our taxes yesterday, we owe but not as much as last year. This is our first year with only <em>one</em> dependent, as S1 (college class of 2011) was entirely self-supporting and independent in 2012. Last year was the first year he filed his own taxes, previous years I had always done them for him but once he graduated college it was time for him to do it himself. We had a “fun” afternoon last Feb when he came to visit for a weekend and I showed him how to use TurboTax. He learned all sorts of stuff, like the difference between a deduction and a credit. Things I would have assumed an Economics major would know, but I guess not.</p>
<p>I started D’s taxes this morning, almost didn’t bother as I thought she made too little to file (she worked last summer as a nanny “under the table”) but decided to go thru the motions to be sure. Good thing I did - we had cashed in some of her savings bonds to pay for January’s study abroad trip, and the interest was enough that there is tax on it. Worse, because she is our dependent, it now looks like we might need to pay the tax at OUR tax rate instead of hers. Still wading thru Turbotax to see how it all turns out.</p>
<p>Snow? Uh, it’s supposed to be 73 today and 84 tomorrow! Jealous? Come to the state that celebrated its Independence Day yesterday! :D</p>
<p>Allergic reactions? I’m a pro now. Way back when my DH (pilot) told me Southwest was no longer serving peanuts because the airborne proteins were bothering those with nut allergies. My response? You’ve got to be joking! If there are people who are that sensitive then perhaps they should simply drive. (I know…real unsympathetic…I was in my early twenties so cut me a little slack.) Well, God decided to be humorous and give me the kid that’s allergic to everything! We carry EpiPens everywhere. Although he can now be in the same room as a peanut product, he used to not be able to. The school nurse and I have become great friends over the years. He’s been part of an ammuno-therapy study for the past two years and receives shots twice a week; it has done wonders! :)</p>
<p>Luggage…Well, I just got back from a week in FL with 85 middle schoolers and their parents. Each year I plan and execute two trips: 7th grade to DC/VA in the fall and 8th grade to Disney in the spring. The pace is brutal. (We walk ~8 mi/day in DC and 6 mi/day at Disney.) The walking doesn’t tire me. (I run 6 mi/day.) Keeping a smile on my face 24/7 amidst the stress, however, is exhausting. Our headmaster goes on the 7th grade trip each year so that’s added pressure. </p>
<p>Alcohol…I typically refrain. If I’m going to splurge with calories I’d rather eat them in the form of something rich and chocolate than drink them in the form of an alcoholic beverage. However, this past week I would have loved to have finished the night with a margarita swirl (sangria mixed in), but alas, alcohol is strictly prohibited on these trips. :(</p>
<p>Spring Break…This is the first year DD, DS (hs soph), and I all have the same break. DD says since everyone will be gone, she simply wants to lock herself in her apt. at school and do nothing but continue to cram for the MCAT. I’ve decided I will embark upon spring cleaning and tax prep…BORING!</p>
<p>Well, now, can we talk about something other than the bad weather, taxes, life-threatening allergies, and lost luggage? And spring cleaning? :D</p>
<p>But thanks for reminding me of a few things we need to do soon!</p>
<p>I do get to see S tonight. We’re going to see a Kurt Weill cabaret at the conservatory. Tkts were free for students so I told S we’re going. The conservatory students are fantastic performers so it should be a great evening. :)</p>
<p>Sure, mommusic. We can talk about kids that don’t call home much… I joked at church with a friend that he skypes with my son more than I do. (The friend helps with the youth groups. He’s always clicked well with kids, especially the geeky boys. This semester he’s been offering resource ideas for one of DS’s usability class projects. _</p>
<p>Can we send the PVC to southern NH where my nephew fell on the ice this morning and broke his hip! It’s pinned together and he’s going to be on crutches for a while. At least it’s not traction, but he could use some healing thoughts, poor guy.</p>
<p>And I told him, “No more sodas! Drink milk!” I suspect Coke (or MT. Dew?) has been his morning drink of choice all his adult years (and possibly earlier.)</p>
<p>Hmmm…happy thoughts. March is coming in like a lion for us, so that means a few short weeks away is ‘lamb’ weather & should sail right into spring. Now spring makes me happy !</p>
<p>D15 went through her clothes today for the cruise. It is 85 days away. Can you tell she’s a little anxious ? Her prom dress is suppose to be in about March 22, so we’ll go into the city to pick it up. We have both made a specific shopping list and planned our ‘attack’. We need specific stores, that happen to be at 3 different malls. :rolleyes: And I do need luggage. (new carry ons)!..that has something to do with Initiallaunch, right? I seem to recall a story, maybe.</p>
<p>Decided not to make dinner. No reason really, I just don’t want to.</p>
<p>Checking in here, praying that ProudNJMom has not posted any parade details! ;)</p>
<p>Jc40 Karma, huh? I have been on flights where they announced that they would not be serving peanuts because of allergies.</p>
<p>
I read that as Each year I plan to execute two parents ;)</p>
<p>
When the dog bites. When the bee stings. When Im feeling sad ;)</p>
<p>Sending healing thoughts to your nephew!</p>
<p>
Definitely an exciting game Friday night (sorry LIMOMOF2)! I believe that the FCC requires that ESPN maintain certain standards of decency, so to my knowledge I did not make it on TV (but I really didnt pay attention). I know that D2 did make it on TV. We were out and about town on Saturday morning and some people she knows mentioned that they saw her.</p>
<p>Enjoy your cruise! As one who leans toward the ecru spectrum, I literally feel your pain. ;)</p>
<p>Many thanks to S1s Quakers for defeating the Crimson on Saturday night to send the Tigers into first place! (OK, I put that sentence in hoping that 1000s of years from now an archeologist discovers it and feels the need to throw out previous assumptions about our religion, colors, and fauna). ;)</p>
<p>Combo College / Wedding News D2s friends told her how excited she must be to help plan her sisters wedding, to which she replied, You dont know my sister do you? :rolleyes:</p>
<p>We had an up-and-down visit with D2. Friday nights close victory over Harvard was an up. D2 had to do homework afterward, so we just drove her back to her dorm (so she didnt have to walk in the cold). We also talked with her friend whose mother passed away at the beginning of the fall semester. After being out last summer and this fall, she said that it was hard to get back to the expected work level. Saturday morning was pseudo b-day breakfast together (ProudNJMom PJs on Nassau St.), presents (and there was much rejoicing :)), and an obligatory Target run for needs. One of our friends baked D2 her favorite cake for her b-day, so we delivered that too. Saturday afternoon D2 had homework to do. Saturday night, we went to another basketball game the home team pulled out a win! Afterward, D2 had a minor melt down and burst into tears because of the amount of work that she has. DW started with, We have had this conversation every year since 2nd grade , But Mom, this is college, not 2nd grade and it went downhill from there. Our plan was to get on the road early this morning, so we had to leave D2 crying last night, so she could do homework tough on all of us. DW checked on her later and D2 had found some people with whom to study and they were eating b-day cake, so things had calmed down. She wanted to know if she could have breakfast with us again before we left, so this morning I picked her up and brought her back to the hotel for breakfast. She had been studying most of the night. After breakfast, she watched a little TV (something she never gets to do during the semester), we dropped her off at the library, and headed home. :(</p>
<p>mommusic…I’m so sorry to hear about your nephew. Ouch! PVCs for comfort and a relatively quick recovery!</p>
<p>COMom…I’ve been deliberating on how we can get your DS to call home/Skype; is it possible to explain that you’ve decided to host a Swedish foreign exchange student for a while? You might add that if it’s of any interest, she’s been featured in Victoria’s Secret upon occasion. :D</p>
<p>p56 and checkers…Although I love to cook, our lifestyle is so frenetic I don’t do it as often as I’d like. Is it sad that the Chinese restaurant around the corner greets us by name because we visit weekly, and they give us Christmas presents? :D</p>
<p>G#…You’re funny! I really wish I could execute the parents sometimes; they’re often worse than their teenage kids! I’m sorry your D is stressed. If it’s any consulation, I just got off the phone with a crying over-achiever myself. “(sob, sob)I have three midterms this week, a basketball game, my MCAT class, and these scholarship apps are due! I’m freaking out! My grades are going to go down this semester! (sob, sob) I’m not going to do well, and I won’t get into med school! (sob, sob) This is why I should have probably taken a gap year!” I often think dealing with the under-achiever (DS) is sometimes easier: “Have you done your homework? Are you playing games or doing your homework? Is your homework done? If your grades aren’t satisfactory, we’re taking away the car. DO YOUR HOMEWORK!!!” I’ve found eyerolls from him are much easier to take than the meltdowns from her. I can’t wait to hear tales of wedding planning. Perhaps you should entertain us with your rendition of “Say Yes to the Dress” or “My Fair Wedding”. ;)</p>
<p>Thanks jc40, for giving me some perspective on my S. He is high achieving but not super high - doesn’t seem to be driven or terribly ambitious. But does very well and is pretty self-contained. I guess I should stop stressing about the fact that he hasn’t done much applying for this summer and doesn’t really know what he’ll do after college. </p>
<p>Hope your D has a better day today (or that venting to her mom was cathartic for her, if not for you).</p>
<p>momnmusic, I’m so sorry for your nephew. That is an awful injury.</p>
<p>So guess what I saw this morning? Crocuses!! Many of them. Seems spring has decided that it will journey to Staten Island this year. Then maybe the clean-up from Sandy can really get underway.</p>
<p>crocuses? Haven’t seen any here in SW Ohio. We still had snow “flurries” falling yesterday. But today the sun is out, and I did notice that the maple tree suddenly has incipient buds on it! Can hay fever season be far behind? :D</p>
<p>And I got one of those hyacinth bulbs-in-a-vase from Kroger. It’s blossoming now and my house smells sweet. :)</p>
<p>Good afternoon! Crazy morning at work catching up from what looks like was a busy weekend. </p>
<p>Yesterday D1, S3, DH, my sister,my cousin and I took S2 (who turned 21 on Monday) to a beach bar at the base of the Santa Monica Pier that my BIL manages. Great fun was had by all. Evidently S2 is enjoying his first week of being 21 and is considering staying up in LA, at least for a few days over Spring Break. His break is not until the last week of March, but I was looking forward to having him home. He will for sure be home for Easter.</p>
<p>I have so many updates, but not enough time to write about them succinctly. (One of my all time favorite quotes is “I would have written a shorter letter, but I didn’t have enough time.” It’s attributed to Ben Franklin, Will Rogers, and Mark Twain. I don’t think the true author is really known.)</p>
<p>Anyway, we leave for London on Friday. I’m in that frantic phase at work when we try to tie up the loose ends and make a clean getaway for vacation. Crunch time. Might not be around here too much prior to departure. </p>
<p>Have a great week. And, good luck with the pending storm if you’re in its path.</p>
<p>DB, my boss says its much harder for her to give a 10 minute talk than a 30 or 45 minute talk. </p>
<p>JC40 - I hope venting to you made your D feel better. My gosh that girl has got a full plate! And go ahead and brag about your weather now… we’ll be bragging here in July and August. :p</p>
<p>Today is D’s 21st birthday. H has a business trip near her later this week so they’re planning to meet for dinner. I hope he can get out - his flight is supposed to leave Wed afternoon, and the winds in advance of this Nor’easter are supposed to be picking up about that time. </p>
<p>S sent me a picture of some junk mail he got at his apartment in NJ - addressed to MY name at his address. </p>
DW OTOH, tans nicely, and has been paying to microwave herself 2-3 times a week to establish a “base”:rolleyes:</p>
Now spring makes me happy !</p>
(but I really didnt pay attention). I know that D2 did make it on TV. We were out and about town on Saturday morning and some people she knows mentioned that they saw her.</p>
</p>