2blue

I've been wondering about that whole move to campus too, gladmom. We might end up being one of those families that just sticks the kid on a plane. Tickets from here are so darn expensive, and I just read an article about fares rising which we expected would be happening. I would love, love, love to go with him, but we'll see.

cottonwood, hope the financial aid stuff has gone well. At least it only goes to one school this year! Thanks for the chives. They're perfect for the cottage cheese in my fridge. I container garden and grow herbs, owlice. They are so expensive at the store, plus oftentimes I won't find what I want. My snow tires are still on too, mountains. acme, I'm glad to hear your son is narrowing in on a choice. esobay and copter, glad your kids made their decisions. kitkat, have the FA people given you a time by which you will hear from them? I feel badly you and your son are having to wait so long to get the info.

lindz126

spent the afternoon in Borders checking out travel books on Virginia--planning a family vacation along with visiting Wash and Lee--(my son was there for the competition so I never saw it--although he's sure he's going he still wants me to see it) I was bowled over with the beauty of the area -- became truly excited about the visit and realized how wonderful an opportunity it is all around including exploring the natural world--

good luck kit kat -- fingers crossed

are you guys ready for the pina coladas I just blended, fresh pineapple wedges included...(no snow tires here--85 here and sunny)

mythmom

oh lindz: So exciting. Yes, this kids kick us into new worlds. It's wonderful.

I'm a freak for natural beauty too.

lindz126

mythmom you really have a way with words but more importantly you really "get" the essence of the post-- fellow freak

2forcollege

Hi all!

Looks like a busy day in the v-lounge. Thank for the pina colada!!!

copter, love how you found out about the school!!!

We had a busy day today. D had a Dr. appt. in the morning, followed by last minute prom dress shopping. Yes, I totally botched the alterations on the dress she had planned to wear (one she had extracted from the murky depths of sisters closet, but really loved). So we went to a trendy, but dependable boutique and had a blast trying on dresses. She looked amazing in everything, so it was almost as hard to pick the prom dress as it was the school!

So she's been dropped at the pre-party and all of them will be back her for the post prom party. Owlice, sure you don't want to go into the catering business??? I need to look up a recipe for French Toast casserole before we go out to finally break bread!!! No more matzah for another year!!! Yippeee!!!

Meanwhile, at dinner last night D went on and on about a first year seminar she plans to take. She so excited about the subject matter and what she read about the prof. My H just sat there and listened...then let out a big, mournful sigh. Without me doing or saying a thing, D is blitzing him without realizing it!

mythmom

Wow. 2forcollege: Your strategy worked! D gets her prom and (fingers crossed) her school. Way to go.

Enjoy the prom night.

cottonwood513

My son was not too happy about doing Fafsa/CSS together...ah, togetherness! We have hit submit on both of them, whoosh.

owlice

In for just a minute, but will be back later this evening.

lindz, for you: Lexington, Virginia Bed and Breakfast in the Shenandoah Valley
Stayed there this winter, in the James Clark room on a drive back from Tennessee. Lexington is a very interesting little burg, and is certainly in a beautiful spot. We didn't have a lot of time to explore, but enjoyed what we did explore a great deal.

I'll grab a pina colada when I return; I have to run to the store for a few things. I'm hoping to make English muffins from scratch for breakfast, plus we are out of milk, plus we need a package of English muffins Just In Case.

gladmom, instead of your son throwing away stuff at the end of the school year, he could donate it to a shelter or other such place. In fact, if the school doesn't already have some type of donation scheme arranged, perhaps your son could be the driving force behind getting one arranged. A local charity to set up donation boxes around campus, maybe staff some of the locations, with trash dumpsters handy-by. I could see that being a real benefit to everyone involved. (While helping a friend move out of his college apartment, we had to throw out an amazing array of things, which just crushed us to have to do, but time didn't allow otherwise.)

cotton, thanks for the chives! We will put them to good use here!

2blue, one of the reasons I was yanking stuff out was to make room for basil. We have no basil in this little garden, and want lots, so I'm cutting back stuff I have there just to have something there. (We have the best-smelling yard waste in the neighborhood! )

2for, no catering biz; my apologies! (I'm way too lazy, believe me!)

French toast casserole? Sounds good to me!! I will sometimes bake oatmeal maple bread specifically for making French toast. This is a dark whole wheat bread with maple syrup as the sugar source for the yeast.

Good for your D! I hope she has a splendid time at the prom, and I hope your H realizes he's lost before he even starts.

mythmom, I'm reminded somehow that I have a couple of great titles for books I would like to write someday. Now all I need is the interior text.

LIMOMOF2

2forcollege - did you really buy your D's dress the day of the prom? You are so brave.............lol! D is going to her BF's prom in June, and we bought the dress and brought it in to be altered about a month ago! I hope she has a great time - and good for her, getting a headstart on the Blitz!

cottonwood - speaking of financial aid, have you been reading the thread about entitlements? It's a real eye-opener! The other similar FA threads are also stirring up a little ruckus, but that one is something! I want to respond, but a few of the less-compassionate posters have left me speechless!

LIMOMOF2

lindz - I have been trying to get D to look into W & L. You'll have to keep us posted about how your son likes the school once he's there. Have a great trip. We may be heading down that way ourselves at some point over the summer.

2forcollege and owlice - a few months ago, I found a recipe online for french toast casserole that was stuffed with cheesecake! Can you imagine just how decadent that was? I'll see if I can find it again and then post it for you.

cottonwood513

I try and tiptoe out where people are being rude...things they would never say in person or if they knew the person well. I have been particularly put off by the attacks on hs seniors, they have enough to deal with! Sorry about the dangling participle.

gladmom

I've been reading the entitlements thread and finally had to jump in today. I didn't try to address any of the specific posts, but just had my say about the original poster's comments. This isn't the kind of thing you usually hear from people when they are talking to you face to face. The anonymity of the board makes it easier to express negative opinions.

cottonwood513

Ditto.

My son is taking me to campus dining, gotta go.

mountains

The entitlement and similar threads are bringing out the best and worst in people. I started reading them but then I got a little disenchanted and disappointed - by attacks, counter-attacks, etc. As they always say, never talk about religion and money. And yes, the anonymity of the board does make it easy for people to "say" things they would otherwise not say face to face. Sigh.

2forcollege - Glad your D had her say before your H! The website allrecipes has an excellent French Toast casserole; I usually make it for brunch when I have company.

Yes - S has told me to mail the Colby YES card on ... April 30, Wednesday. I hardly had any labor pains for this kid and I pushed for an entire 15 minutes before he popped out, but I think he is making up for it now. He was a grouch today but I did manage to get him to come with me and choose new phones.

mythmom

Hm. I have a randomly inserted post -- a list of all the antidepressants in the world in tiny blue letters. Is the internet god telling me something?

Re that thread -- I don't get why people worry about other people. We can only do the best with our own circumstances. And people get so riled up about some "little guy" and not the big guns who control the system.

I have never gotten it.

One year one of my students, a lovely minority girl, was the first of her race to be named Valedictorian. I had the honor of being mentioned in her speech. People made the nastiest comments. She was attending school on complete FA and people sneering said, "At least the money wasn't wasted on this one like on all the others." Huh? People don't resent some rich development kid spend all his time doing blow and coasting on daddy's money. No, let's blame the struggling single mother.

I am happy that all of us have found some way to get our kids through college, either because we're lucky or enterprising enough to have the means, or through need based aid, or through merit aid the student has earned in a different way, or because the kid attends the state flagship that her parents can just afford.

Sheesh.