<p>fogfog - What-a chicken under a brick? Please explain!</p>
<p>Fall breaks - My older son had one of these and now it looks like younger son has one too, but it’s just one Monday in October and the dorms aren’t closed so he’ll stay there. Maybe next year we’ll go up for that instead of the parents weekend because it’s a great time of year in New England - October 10. The leaves should be at their peak and winter won’t have started.</p>
<p>We too have at least a box of Pokemon cards and also some (too many) beanie babies. I may have found a home for the latter. A friend of a friend gives them to an organization that ships them to troops in the mid-east. I think the soldiers in turn give them to local children. Maybe those kids would like Pokemon cards too!</p>
<p>My older son loved the HP books but strongly dislikes the movies because he doesn’t feel they do the books justice. He’s refused to see the last two movies on that principle. Looks like young son got home in one piece last night/this morning. My Mom radar went off-line a few years ago and I no longer hear late night arrivals. I think it’s a blessing.</p>
<p>I am from the UK and lived in Edinburgh before moving to the states. About 13 years ago my mum brought me the first two books over for my xmas. My friend’s kids over the pond were raving about Harry Potter. I read them and enjoyed them and put them in the family book shelves thinking D1 who was in first grade would read them in a few years. She promptly picked them up, read them and fell in love with Harry Potter.</p>
<p>Joanna Rowling has given my D so many childhood memories. We did all the midnight book releases, even being in Edinburgh one year. She stood on Princes St outside Waterstons, below the castle to buy her book. ( That was the year JK Rowling read from the first chapter at midnight from Edinburgh castle) and then read through the night till she finished it. </p>
<p>I can remember were we bought every book and how long she took to read it. It has been fun to watch this generation grow up with the characters. She will have so many stories to tell her children.</p>
<p>My 2 D’s and our neighbors have been getting together all week, to cook dinner and then watch the movies together. 8 of them from 13 to 18 when to the midnight show together and 6 slept here after. The 2 boys went home. It seems such perfect timing for them to have spent this week together since the older 2 are leaving for college in 4 weeks.</p>
<p>I think D is sad it is over her words " It marks the end of my childhood". But from what I have heard ( she is still asleep) it was her fav movie.</p>
<p>**I have taken the first and last move-in dates for this countdown from the list on this thread. To try and list all of them would be overkill to say the least.</p>
<p>First new student move-in is the University of Georgia on August 9th. (Excludes cadet training at West Point)
Move-in day in 24 days.</p>
<p>Last new student move-in is University of Southern Oregon on September 22nd<br>
Move-in day in 68 days.**</p>
<p>If there are earlier or later move-in dates, please post them so that I can pick them up and adjust the countdown postings.</p>
<p>No HP frenzy here. S was out with GF again last night as she leaves August 2nd for her school (she plays a varsity fall sport and has to report early) and their time together this summer is dwindling quickly. DD has no real interest in HP until it comes out on TV and then she might watch it.</p>
<p>We too have found Pokemom cards and misc. Pokemon items scattered around the house (mostly in room of S) as well as a few boxes of Beanie Babies. While in the crawl space last weekend, I also found a box with a couple of Cabbage Patch dolls from much older D. She was excited to have them back for our 1 year old granddaughter. DW was just happy to have another box out of the house! :D</p>
<p>I have heard a lot of the kids in Bluejr’s class referring to the HP release as the end of their childhood. It is hitting them right as they are leaving for school and it’s all very poignant for them. It’s bittersweet I think. We will go as a family tonight…too many of us working today to go last night.</p>
<p>re:pokeman - bad memories of S asking me to play. I hated, hated, hated it. I prefered to have hm ask me dress up like a soldier (usually revolutionary or union civil war) and march around the neighborhood. fond memories.</p>
<p>Proudmom: sorry to hear your news.
Big HP fans here too. D and her friends do the HP marathon and re-read the books before each new release (book or movie). The series has given her great joy over the years and the timing is perfect for this group of kids. She prefers the books and misses the stuff that does not make it into the movies (there is a lot of stuff), but does enjoy the movies. Lots of compare/contrast discussions re: movies and books in her group.
AP scores finally arrived in snail mail yesterday. D had her scores by phone, but did not actually allow herself to “believe it” until she saw it in writing. She made National AP Scholar and will place up in 2 areas at school. D wanted to do a lower level math and language class than she qualified for, but advisor strongly advised against doing so. Not forbidden, but highly discouraged. D will have a challenging first semester despite mom’s advice, but it’s her decision.
Got the dorm she wanted and a roommate from a town we used to live in. All good news. Travel all booked for move in. One month from tomorrow and D will be launched. </p>
<p>Amanda - good luck on the interview! And if you do find a dress that makes you look 10lbs lighter and 10 years younger, please let me know! I’d like one too!</p>
<p>Big Harry Potter fans here at home. D couldn’t watch the midnight premiere since she’s at orientation (they checked and they were not allowed to go out and see it:() - so we might catch it this weekend before S heads off to camp. He really wants to see it before he goes away. And yes, it does feel like the end of their childhood days - I remember reading the first book out aloud to D - once that book was done (it took forever, especially since we had to work around S who was a toddler), she asked me very nicely if she could read the second and third by herself ! Apparently, the pace was too slow for her !</p>
<p>Thank you for the encouragement people!!! Interview went ok, although I do find it disconcerting to be interviewing for a job you have no description for, in a field you are not familiar, and interviewed by a panel of people who are experts in things you know nothing of. Given the circumstances, I think I did fine. But, now that I know what the job is, not sure I want it. HA! Ain’t that always the case? Clothing wise - I think wearing anything better than soccer mom clothes, and actually putting on some minimal makeup does take 10 lbs and 10 yrs off. Not that I am recommending it for anyone - couldn’t wait to get my shorts and tshirt back on, and scrub my face. </p>
<p>Pokemon cards we have in abundance because the fad hit at precisely the time dh was to have a business trip to Tokyo and ds made him go to the Pokemon store and get a ton of cards. Never played the game, just collected them, but we have two binders full.</p>
<p>“In my travels today, I was at Marshall’s (aka TJMaxx/aka HomeGoods) and they had a TON of the boy bed sets that I was looking for these past weeks. And - best part was, the boy stuff was actually more represented than the girls for the first time. Tommy Hilfiger, Nautica, good stuff. Might last a full four yrs.”</p>
<p>Ditto. Boychild works at Marshalls and has been putting things he wants aside for the last few weeks. When he is all finished I’ll pay for it in one fell swoop and with his 10% discount.:)</p>
<p>No HP here. Boychild was never interested in the books and he only saw the movies because his friends were going.</p>
<p>I wasn’t going to shop locally for dorm stuff figuring shipping would be prohibitive, but perhaps if I can get it cheap enough at Marshalls it will still be worth it.</p>
<p>AmandaK: When you went to TJMaxx, were there twin XL’s? Our oldest son has a Nautica comforter, etc. and it has held up really well (3 years in a dorm), so I’m thinking that would be a good choice for S2. Did you notice if they had mattress toppers? I think I need to make a trip to my local store.</p>
<p>Glad the interview went well. Bummer that it doesn’t seem to be a job that you’d like!</p>
<p>AP scores arrived. Did well enough on the English LIt and the Chemistry to receive credit. Bombed the spanish one, but that is okay b/c she will be taking language in college and didn’t need credit for it. D is happy b/c she has now met her science requirement! previously rec’d credit for ap physics)</p>
<p>There was a Quicksilver set and also the TommyHilfiger - all listed as twin xl - but check the dimensions on the back. The foam mattress toppers were eh and I wasn’t sure they were 1" or what, no notation. Seems like not memory foam but just plain foam.</p>
<p>^ This is the exact set (Nautica) I originally bought for Bluejr. I washed the sheets while getting everything ready and a ton of tiny pinholes showed up. I was really disappointed and ended up returning them to BB&B. At this point I found reviews on the BB&B site that others had the same experience with the sheets. I was surprised as all three of my boys have Nautica comforters/quilts and look nearly new after 6 years in this house.</p>
<p>AmandaK and BI: Thanks for the shopping update! I won’t assume I’ll find a mattress topper there, but maybe other bedding. Blue, thanks for the bedding review. My older son’s is not the t-shirt material and has held up well. Maybe I just need to steer clear of the t-shirt fabric?</p>
<p>We ended up with a full sized Hilfiger comforter since he’ll lift his bed and have storage underneath. We got some jersey T’shirt sheets on sale w/ a coupon from BB&B that seem to have a good review. I think I paid about $25.</p>
<p>Well for the chicken last night–I just rubbed both sides with a salf free greek seasoning and grilling according to directions below…we used that “non stick” aluminum foil wrapped around the bricks. We have a gas grill so its easy.
I will use this method to grill whole chickens and try different seasonings. It was that good!</p>
<p>Here’s an Italian inspired item…frankly, we lived in Italy for awhile and have many friends there…and have never seen Italian grill chicken under a brick even though I have read these “italian” inspired recipes…</p>
<p>RECIPE:
Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 whole chicken, back removed, split in half (easily done–my 15 yr old did it)
2 lemons, halved
2 bricks, covered in aluminum foil</p>
<p>Directions
•Combine the olive oil, lemon zest and juice, pepper flakes, salt, and pepper in a large bowl, baking dish, or sealable plastic bag. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Cover the bowl or seal the bag and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.
•Preheat a grill (you want a nice medium-low heat). Remove the chicken from the marinade and place on the grate, skin side up. Cover the grill and cook for 10 minutes, until the chicken is lightly charred. Flip the chicken over, then place a brick on top of each half so that it presses the chicken firmly and evenly against the grate. Cook for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the skin is thoroughly browned and crisp and the meat pulls away easily from the bone. (If the grill flares up, move the chicken to a collar part of the grill.) While the chicken cooks, toss on the lemon halves, cut side down, and grill until charred and juicy.
•Separate each breast from the chicken leg by making a cut right at the thigh bone. Serve each of the four pieces of chicken with a grilled lemon half.</p>
At this point I found reviews on the BB&B site that others had the same experience with the sheets. I was surprised as all three of my boys have Nautica comforters/quilts and look nearly new after 6 years in this house.</p>