<p>Binx, since she wants them for sledding as well, I’d really check the Outdoor store catalogues like Eastern Mountain Sports or LL Bean. I don’t know if Merrill makes a winter boot, but they make great trail shoes that look pretty good - if you’re an outdoor type, which if she’s anti-Ugg (like both my girls) she might be. EMS will probably be more expensive that Bean, but they regularly have 20% off everything sales.</p>
<p>binx - not sure what price range you’re talking about, but my D has a North Face boot that she loves. She is hard to fit - one foot almost a full size larger than the other so comfort is hard to find. Of course, the cheap stuff never fits. I got the boots at the very end of the season last year and I think it was a discontinued style because I literally found one pair on line in her size. She has Merrill clog type shoes that she loves so if they make boots, I would look at them. There are Uggs that are designed for outdoor wear but many do not know about them because we see so many of the ugly ones that are really just expensive bedroom slippers. They were never designed for outdoor wear. I would start with Zappos and do price range search.</p>
<p>Edited to add - another flip flop that is very comfy and not so expensive is Yellow Box.</p>
<p>Thanks for the suggestions. I think the EMS site must not have a full range out yet - not many there. The Lands End page has some options. I found these on the Zappos site that look like something she might like, but I never heard of this brand:</p>
<p>[Sorel</a> Waterfall® Low Lace at Zappos.com](<a href=“Sorel waterfall low lace + FREE SHIPPING | Zappos.com”>Sorel waterfall low lace + FREE SHIPPING | Zappos.com)</p>
<p>I’d kind of like something I can try on first, even if I ultimately order on line. (We wear the same size. I often am sent out to buy her shoes. She loves shoes, just hates shopping for them - except flip flops…)</p>
<p>(PS - She’s been back at school for a week now, and having a harder time adjusting than she’s had in the past. Says it’s the first time she’s not happy to be back at school. Had a fabulous summer and didn’t want it to end, and is having a hard time getting settled. Have had a couple tearful phone calls. I’m wanting to send her something in the mail, but she doesn’t “need” anything right now, and has a tiny room, so it’s hard coming up with stuff to send. Boots would be great!)</p>
<p>I used to buy my boys Sorel boots when they were little up in Boston at the Rugged Bear. They were great, an outer shell with warm liner that would pull out to dry, passed down from one to the other. The quality seemed good. The boots you linked to are really cute, too bad I don’t live in Boston anymore! </p>
<p>I have decided on the wait and see approach. I know my S will be playing ultimate frisbee or flag football on the quad on main campus at Rochester in the snow so I think some kind of winter footwear will be necessary, just not for the every day 1 block walk back and forth from the Living Center to Eastman classes. Trying them on is a must for us, very high arches and wide feet.</p>
<p>Sorel was an extremely reputable Canadian bootmaker, though they were bought out by Columbia Sportswear in 2000 and I don’t know how that has affected their quality. But it used to be that you couldn’t get better snow boots than Sorel.</p>
<p>After the typical shaky first couple of days (“OMG, I lost all my social skills”, “Everybody else is making friends”. “A lot of these kids know each other from Tanglewood and Interlachen”), we got a call today from a confident young lady who’s making tons of new friends, buying used books whenever possible, making good choices on what to eat, busting her tail to get a good work/study job, and champing at the bit to get started on her classes.</p>
<p>Mrs. 9992 and I are feeling very good about her choice of schools and that she’s really on her way to adulthood. I kinda expected it would shake out like this after a few days, but it’s really great to hear it from her.</p>
<p>Boots – I am a fan of Bogs… they keep feet warm, and dry. Plenty of room to wear wool socks for added warmth too.</p>
<p>Binx…did you find Rainbow flip flops for $10? If so…buy them. DD tells me they are $30 plus.</p>
<p>Don 9992, Glad to hear your D is happy. I am following your comments closely since this is where my D would prefer to land also.</p>
<p>Potomom…it was sunny and 85 in SF today…your dd needs to join my dd next year. We’ll talk more in a couple of weeks :)</p>
<p>Bogs - yet another brand I’ve never heard of! I am sending her all these links, trying to get her to tell me what looks good. But it’s just one more thing on her list.</p>
<p>I talked to her yesterday, and she’s feeling a little better, but still missing the summer.</p>
<p>Potomom - She’s feeling like she’ll get the best of both worlds there. She’s in a tight-knit conservatory, yet she’s already been over to the River Campus (the main U-R location) for a welcome-back fair and has full access to it.</p>
<p>The main thing is she feels very at home there after less than a week. I feeling really confident. Besides, I told her she has to stay there because I’ve already put the Eastman sticker on the back window of the car.</p>
<p>Ha Don…I think each girl made the right choice for them…best of luck to yours!</p>
<p>Checking in to report the Oberlin drop-off went well! The Orientation concert was an amazing thing to behold, including a jaw-dropping violin performance by a senior girl. Oberlin seems to be the perfect place so far for my son. He is finding everyone–both Con and college–to be friendly, collaborative and supportive. We miss him madly, but if he’s happy, we’re happy!</p>
<p>Our drop-off at Oberlin also went very well. DS was quite impressed with the spaciousness of the divided double he is in, and considers it luxury accommodation – the old-timers told him that his dorm is one of the less attractive ones at the school, but I don’t think that took away from his enjoyment of the room, which is a big improvement over boarding school. He too seems to be settling in and socializing. It helped having a bit of a head start with the Oberlin in Italy program. Classes start tomorrow, so we’ll see how that all goes.</p>
<p>I second the comment about the concert at the welcoming ceremony Tuesday night. While Finney Chapel was quite warm, the music was wonderful. DS was happy that a student played the pipe organ so we could feel the 32 foot pipes vibrate our bodies. (Pipe organ on CD is just not the same thing.)</p>
<p>We should all report in regarding how things are going in a few weeks!</p>
<p>Opera-mom: Exactly right. That’s why there are different schools.</p>
<p>Don- I’m glad to know that someone else put the school decals on their car already! I raided the conservatory bookstore and bought them, a tote bag for me (for some reason, I can never have enough totes!) a couple of key chains, a clip to hold my sunlglasses in the car… who knew they had all of these goodies for eager parents?!! D just received the rest of her belongings within the past hour and she and her room mate are busy “arranging” their food supply in pink baskets as I write this! Since there are 3 of them and 4 closets- closets there are HUGE-they are using the extra for a pantry/performance and winter coat storage spot!
Still, it’s lonely around here without her, and the pets are really missing her; her cat is a lot happier when she talks to him on the phone, otherwise, he wanders the house calling for her.
Has anyone else done the web cam and SKYPE set-up? She got everything working for me before she left, which was a big surprise, since she’s not one of those “run-after-mom-for the last bear hug- type of girls!”</p>
<p>We’re doing Skype this year and it’s great, love it! It’s really wonderful to be able to see him, even though this is his 4th year and we are used to him being away, being able to see him while we talk really makes a difference. I don’t know why we didn’t do this before, I highly recommend it!</p>
<p>How do people live without SKYPE?? We discovered it two summers ago when D went to voice camp. The phone has become obsolete - it’s either skyping or texting.</p>
<p>Maybe y’all are doing something with Skype that I missed…but we found it boring and artificial. D is more of an email gal, though. My son did enjoy skyping with his long distance girlfriend, though!</p>