<p>40 days till move in for DS! Everytime I think we are almost finished shopping another item gets added to the list.</p>
<p>I love the cupcake idea instead of a cake. I have to put that note on the calendar. We have ordered from Cheryl’s Cookies before and the recipients always rave about the taste. That may be an option to look into.</p>
<p>Yesterday our church had a special recognition for my DS best friend who left this morning for Marine boot camp. I think I cried almost as much as his mom. It was one of those moments when I just kept flashing to years before when I had to remind them that it “was 2am and they WERE going to church in the morning regardless of how late they stayed up playing video games” and getting phone calls from his mom asking if her child was coming home at all this weekend or living with me. It was touching to see the 2 of them take a minute alone to say thier final good-byes with a manly handshake and hug. But I could see on their faces that they are both getting anxious about the paths they are taking.</p>
<p>EmmyBet I was thinking about you zesting and squeezing key limes. :eek: Key lime pie is my kids pie of choice. But squeezing juice out of them is royal pain. Per advise from our own Novelisto I buy key lime juice now.</p>
<p>Hope to talk to kiddo sometime today–it has been about 2 weeks. </p>
<p>The U sent an intro letter to the parents–and we now know what kiddos land line phone number will be in the suite. I had forgotten about that and that the kids need a phone etc for it. Ha!</p>
<p>Interesting that the grades are sent to parents 6-8 weeks after the end of the term…IF kiddo agrees. Sure I knew that after 18, the “privacey” thing kicks in…still 6-8 weeks…By then they are back at school and at mid terms again! In this digital age, why on earth does it take 6-8 weeks. Thats just plain silly.</p>
<p>The letter goes on to mention some “parent” events on move in weekend…38 days for us…</p>
<p>Oh, momofzach - for some reason I am just in tears thinking of this goodbye with your DS and his BFF. These transitions are really hitting home. </p>
<p>We are at orientation now. I dropped Bluejr off this morning and as we walked towards the beautiful old building I realized I needed to say goodbye. It was a very odd feeling walking away. They didn’t have a parents meeting at the same time which I found disconcerting. It would be nice to give the patents the letting go speech when we let go, not the next day. We literally have nothing scheduled until a reception at 4. I found a shady spot on the lawn…which is just about heaven and sat for a long time. Now I just miss my boy and am resisting the urge to text ‘I love you’. He knows. He’s fine.</p>
<p>Wish me social strength at this reception. I don’t do well at these things…I’d feel much better if were you guys!!! :)</p>
<p>Hello, everybody. Very poignant thinking this is Ss last summer at home and that I should be treasuring every second but after a fairly quiet 4 years he has suddenly turned into a party animal and I hardly ever see him. He did get dorm assignment and roommates names a few days ago and then in todays post was nice welcome folder addressed to Ss family which contained information for parents re move-in, parents weekend, parents handbook etc. His set up includes a common room but I am leaving it completely up to him and roomies to furnish it. Way back in the early 70s when my three roommates and I had a common room , we sorted it out by ourselves. I remember night raids on a building site to get bricks and boards for bookcases and pallets which we covered in cushions for seating. Our one extravagance was buying a square yard of Marimekko fabric which we pinned to the wall. It took me years to realize that room was one of the most beautiful Ive ever lived in exposed brick, fireplace with 1636 carved above it, looking out at trees. Youth is definitely wasted on the young. SamSon will also have a kitchen which I think a tremendous luxury. My contribution will be writing down his favourite recipes. So far the only one he has requested is brownie in a mug which can be done in a microwave.</p>
<p>D2 is halfway through Cadet Basic Training at West Point, and she seems to be confident that she can survive three more weeks. We have received seven precious letters from her, a short ten-minute phone call about ten days ago and a longer call yesterday. The greatest injustice she ranted about had to do with her friends who hadn’t written her! (So…if your child has a friend at a service academy, encourage him/her to write!) DH and I have each written her a letter every day she’s been gone, and she actually asked us to combine our letters in one envelope and send them every other day so as not to draw attention to herself! She will have a new squad leader starting today, and she is nervous that he will be more demanding. For those of you worrying about bedding, D2 was issued 2 mattress covers, 1 pillow, 3 pillowcases, 6 sheets, 1 gray blanket and 1 comforter on R Day! </p>
<p>Reading over the many, many pages I hadn’t read till today, I was touched by birth, death, anniversaries, birthdays, beloved books and movies. Each day is a gift.</p>
<p>Oh wow, phb mom, 7 letters! Id be grateful to get 7 letters in the whole first year! Youve got a great D there. And about the bedding how long is that supposed to last? I mean, the 6 sheets is that 3 top sheets, 3 bottom sheets? I was planning on sending S with one bottom sheet and one duvet cover, thereby forcing him to do laundry or live in filth. His choice. And two mattess covers! Im going to have to re-think the shopping list.</p>
<p>Dropped S off at camp yesterday. He’s gone for three weeks and H is out of town, so it is just D and I for this week. Too bad I can’t take some time off from work! But we are planning on hitting the stores, doing some shopping, getting a pedicure - mom/daughter bonding! </p>
<p>kinder - hugs to you. I don’t handle new things very well, so I can sympathize. BTW, we drove past kinderhook yesterday - you should have seen D’s face when I told her I <em>knew</em> someone who lived there!</p>
<p>D and I did do a round of shopping last Sat. She found a comforter she liked and then as we were headed out the store, found sheets that matched. The sheets were Microfiber sheets (100% polyester). They were actually put out on a display bed and felt very soft and comfortable. But I am not sure how they will hold up - anyone here use these microfiber sheets?</p>
<p>phbmom - sounds like you have a great D - love that she writes to you so frequently.</p>
<p>I have read every post but not posted much. I agree about most things Harry Potter, our kids have grown up with the HP gang, even if they didn’t pay much attention, it was still part of the culture. I was afraid that my d might miss seeing this last movie in the theatre, it would have been the only one not seen in a theatre if she had missed it. She is a counselor at a Girl Scout camp and not coming home much. She did text me on Saturday and said the counselors went together on Friday night after the campers left. I was so relieved she didn’t miss that one last piece of the Harry Potter mania.</p>
<p>Another topic I have not seen discussed here on CC. Do kids going off to college keep their high school nicknames? My D started at a new high school in a new state for 10th grade and was immediately given a new nickname at cross country practice, even before school started. All of the kids and some of the teachers call her by this nickname and some of the kids act like they don’t know what her real name is. Her new roommate now knows her hs nickname because d has it on her FB page. </p>
<p>Do kids generally keep their nicknames or give them up at transition times like this? D’s is not a bad nickname, sort of cute actually, just not very professional for when talking with a professor about research or an internship possibility.</p>
<p>HI PHB Mom…
Sending you great love and hugs for your lovely DD and her continued success.
Our kiddo has a classmate who is at Annapolis.
Can I guess that access to Fb is limited and a written letter is better than a digital one?</p>
<p>Interesting about the bedding issued the first day. That is pretty helpful really.
A friend has decided to issue their student (going to a large private) the same allowance the cadets get…
helps keep perspective on things.</p>
<p>Much love and appreciate to you and your family.
fogfog and family</p>
<p>bajamm, kids often change their nicknames at transition time, sometimes unintentionally and sometimes intentionally. One of ShawD’s friends moved to to start 8th grade, I think, and the teachers introduced her to the kids by her first (very normal name) and were using it and not by her distinctive middle name (by which she went through middle school and which was a great nickname). So, she decided it was easier to keep using her first name. I had used an abbreviated version of my name but at some point, went back to the full name (I think when I finished grad school). Friends from earlier eras still use the nickname. ShawWife’s family and friends from HS call her by a nickname. Professionally and with most friends here she goes by her full name – she thought it would be better to use that name professionally. She did that when she went to professional school.</p>
<p>in gray/black. See posts #675/676 for history. BI had sheets show pinholes after one washing. I don’t know if she had blue or gray, but I washed the ones I have (gray) and no holes! Yea! Could have been the run of fabric and I got lucky or maybe it was the fabric in the other color? Anyway DS is happy because he really liked that set and I warned him it might not work out, but told him I’d wash them and see what happened before giving up on it.</p>
<p>PHB-Tell your DD that we all think she is quite amazing! I know she will shine at West Point!</p>
<p>My DS2 is off at scout camp this week and the house sure is quiet. DS1 isn’t feeling well, so that adds to the quiet, since he’s sleeping a lot and not doing much else. Shades of things to come, I’m sure. I try not to think about it too much, but we are all going to miss DS1 when he’s off to college. He’s the first out of the nest, so it’s new to us.</p>
<p>BI–glad your DS is off enjoying orientation. I hope you have bumped into other parents wandering around and found some to “hang” with. I did that at DS’s admit weekend and it sure was nicer than wandering around alone. Hope the mixer went well–they can be awkward!</p>
<p>Bajamm, I tried to change from a nickname to my full name when I went to boarding school, but the school had heard my parents call me by the nickname at interviews and decided for me that I would be more comfortable continuing with that name So I didn’t manage to start using my proper name until University.</p>
<p>I would say 99% of the people we know do not know my DH’s birth name. He is from the South and has a common Southern nickname. We even get formal invitations using his nickname. DS has many affectionate names only known to his family. For sure those will stay home with us.</p>
<p>Welcome to Loveneweng</p>
<p>Thanks for the directions, mamom</p>
<p>Our journey to BBB was a success today. Biggest conundrum was over the toilet brush & holder. DS tested them all. Selected the Oxo that will do the job w/out my son haven’t to touch anything yucky. The brush head also has a place to drain not just sit in yuck. Second biggest discussion was about mattress topper and mattress pad. Picked the Laura Ashley for both. Seems like it will work. We’ll pick up everything in Boston. Such a great system. Next stop Office Max. I’ll have them ship everything to arrive when we do - no charge if over $50. Starting to lay out everything on DR table. My men are acting much better than expected.</p>
<p>phbmom - thanks for the update! I’ve thought about your D often since she left, hoping that all is well for her and it sounds as if it is. </p>
<p>D and I also braved the Container Store college night madness last night. We went earlier in the afternoon to scope out what we wanted (and where it was) so we were in and out in twenty minutes. Of course, I got all the way home and realized I had left my phone on the table at the restaurant we ate at while waiting for the store to reopen so I had to go back. </p>
<p>I think we are getting really close to being done with the shopping (and my debit and credit cards are happy to hear it). We still have just a couple of things she wants to discss with her roommate, if they ever release that info. She is still waiting to find out if she was selected for an early move-in program (the selected kids move in a day early and then help everyone else move in) but that will only affect the start and end dates of our trip.</p>
<p>Blueiguana - I’m with you. Just finished the adult only mixer at ds’ registration. Wish I was meeting up with a few of you guys instead. Ds is in the dorm tonight and during one of the programs I was getting a bit teary but I bit my lip and thought of something else to get my mind off it. This is not easy.</p>
<p>I was really doing fine until I realized this morning that I drop off D 4 weeks from Saturday. So much left to do and I just want time to slowwwww downnnnn!!! I got teary at the gym when someone started talking to me about her leaving!</p>
<p>I am back from six days of a leadership conference for my sorority/work and feel so far behind. After I catch up on sleep, I will go back to last Monday and see what I have missed.</p>
<p>The conference made me very proud of the women who are leading our chapter across the country. And a little nervous about my socially timid (where girls are concerned) son interacting with college women in a few weeks. They all seem so much more mature. Maybe it’s the clothes and makeup?</p>
<p>DS2’s best friend is taking the Calculus CLEP test tomorrow. Apparently, no one in the IB Math HL class got above a 4. Going to take some time for the school to adjust to IB testing, I guess.</p>
<p>On Saturday morning, I’m driving to my mother’s with DS2 and four friends, towing our jet ski. We will spend the night there and then drive 11 hours to my mother’s lake cottage in Michigan. I’ve rented a cabin for the kids and me up the road from my mom, while DS1, wife and grandson (driving in another car on Thursday), will be with my mother. </p>
<p>It’s our favorite place on earth and I’m grateful that my mother can enjoy it again this summer. I’ve promised him for three years that he could bring “friends” the summer before college. I hadn’t realy envisioned four friends, but, oh well, it will be an adventure with lots of memories.</p>
<p>If I can stay awake, I will go back and read what has happened in our lovely group. Four weeks from Wednesday is move-in day!</p>
<p>Hi gang! I’ve skipped a couple of pages but am glad that we’ve slowed down a tad so it won’t take me so long to catch up. I went to Washington DC this past weekend with my youngest son,that’s my rising college freshman, and his girlfriend. He had not been since he was a pre-schooler and it just seemed like a place he should see. His GF came along because they’ve recently realized that their days together are numbered. I got a room at an Omni hotel through priceline and we left Saturday and came back early this evening. For a big planner like myself, it was a big deal not to map everything out in advance. The biggest downside was not getting a Capital tour due to time constraints. </p>
<p>We had a good time visiting museums, walking (and walking…) and eating out. Stopped at the Cryptographic Museum [National</a> Cryptologic Museum - NSA/CSS](<a href=“http://www.nsa.gov/about/cryptologic_heritage/museum/]National”>National Security Agency | About NSA Mission) on the way home and both kids really liked it. His GF has a strong geeky side too. I’ll try to post some shutterfly pictures soon. Off to bed to catch up on some of that sleep I missed sharing a bed with his GF. Queen beds are really not big enough for two people that don’t want to touch!</p>
<p>blueiguana, best of luck. While relaxing in-between scheduled sessions, we met a couple, with whom we have become friendly (not yet friends). Very inspiring people. We suggested to ShawSon that he and their son had something in common, and they did the reverse. We gave them each the other’s contact information. Nothing happened until parents weekend when we ran into the father and son and went out to dinner with them. They will be roommates starting in September (junior year). So, you might meet somebody fun or interesting while sitting under a tree.</p>
So I didn’t manage to start using my proper name until University.</p>