<p>A new car, she types longingly. Ds2 said yesterday that my 2002 Focus feels like it’s about to fall apart. Get used to it, buddy!</p>
<p>I’m super-happy because ds2 just came in and said what a great mood he’s in! Such effusiveness from a 16yo boy at 9 a.m. on a Saturday? He started cross-country training this week, and today was his third day. Up and running at 6:30 a.m. to do 3 miles of hill work, then the group took a dip in Barton Springs. Niiiiice. Then he went with his bff to eat breakfast at a local institution. So, before 9 a.m., he got a great workout, mucho endorphins, swimming with a bunch of girls and an egg sandwich and breakfast potatoes with his bff! I can see why he’s in a great mood, right? And he plans to go back to sleep now. What a life.</p>
<p>Dh and ds1 will be at my parents’ house this afternoon. They’re having a fish fry in his honor. That will make two happy boys today! Last visit before he goes back to school, unless they come down to see us. We’re not making the Farewell Tour of Texas like we did last year.</p>
<p>Fantasy football? Count me in. We could do our own league! But I have no idea how to set it up.</p>
<p>On knee problems: That’s what ended my running days many years ago. Now that I’ve started walking again, one thing I started doing last week, when my knees started creaking again with the increase in mileage, is instead of walking M-F and taking the weekend off, I’m taking a weekday off, walking Saturday, and then taking Sunday off. So, still five days of exercise, but not five days in a row. It’s really made a difference in the knee/foot achiness.</p>
<p>Hoping everyone has a great weekend, especially Laf as she prepares for this big, sad, exhilarating step for her ds.</p>
<p>Ah, we replaced our 2000 CRV last year. It hit the point on the slope where repairs were getting more and more frequent and expensive enough to think, “if we’ve gotta spend this much $$, maybe it should be on a car payment…”.</p>
<p>We have a 2011 Subaru Outback. Like it very much. Went back and forth between it and the Forester for a long time before deciding. I was able to haul S2 and Dorm Mountain home for the summer.Got a roof box as well, since our 2000 Odyssey died, too. (We had hoped to keep it limping along til S1 graduates next spring, but the transmission died and both sliding doors were broken.)</p>
<p>I haven’t been here for a loooong time, so I’m not sure if this is a list of when our sophomores go back to college. If so, my daughter’s classes start 9/19. She’ll go back on the 14th. She’s been gone all summer working as a residential camp counselor at an Easter Seals camp for the developmentally and physically disabled. Adults and children. So, she’s fortunate that she’ll be home about 6 weeks before going back to school.</p>
<p>JC40’s D; prayinglady’s D – 8/6
Parent56’s S; SWTCAT’s D – 8/10
CheckersMidwest’ S – 8/14
Tx5’s D—8/15
Lafalum84’s D – 8/18
BUandBC82’s S; 2education’s S1 --8/19
MaineLonghorn’s S, Twinmama D2, Shillyshally’s D – 8/20
RobD’s D; AL34’s S – 8/21
Twinmama D1-- 8/23
CaliforniaDancer – 8/26
Coskat’s D-- 8/27
mdemvizi, PinotNoir’s S – 8/27
DougBetsy’s S – 8/28
limabeans’s BB3, SLUMOM’s S – 8/28
jbehlend’s S – 8/29
psychmom’s D – 8/30
Yds’ ds – 9/4 (we leave the day before)
CountingDown’s S2, Mathmom’s S2 – 9/4
jackief’s D – 9/6
aliceinw’s S – 9/9
ProudNJMoms S; G#s D2 – 9/10
Tx5’s S – 9/14
FindAPlace’s S – 9/18
2leashes’ D --9/19
psychmomma’s S – 9/20
mommusic’s S – 9/21
esobay’s S – 9/22</p>
<p>mdem, thanks for the movie review. D really wants to see that movie.</p>
<p>S moved out today. (sigh) Since he’s starting out by living with his grandparents, he only took his clothes, his laptop and his golf clubs. They live 200 miles from us. We did the hug goodbye in the driveway and told him to drive safely, but I didn’t start a “We’re so proud of the young man you have become…” speech because I wouldn’t have gotten through it. Also, he may be coming home next weekend because my in-laws may come to visit to celebrate our 25th anniversary, and he might come with them. AND we’ll probably see him the following weekend, because there’s a big party at the in-law’s marina that they invite us all to attend. So a big speech seemed silly. It’s really just symbolic that he “moved out” today.</p>
<p>I was holding up really well - even when “Landslide” came on the radio - until for some unknown reason I decided to look in S’s closet. And sitting on the shelf was his teddy bear - aka “Bear.” My mom gave him that bear for Valentine’s Day when he was 9 months old - it’s black and white with a red ribbon around its neck, and had hands that sprang together and was a Hallmark “deal” when you bought so many cards. S’s comfort mechanism was to wrap Bear’s ribbon around his hand while he sucked his thumb. Bear went EVERYWHERE with us, even after the thumb-sucking stopped, until about 2nd grade. Poor thing is SO worn out - you can see the material where the fur was attached in many places, and the metal part that enabled his arms to spring together came out years ago. I had to cry a little, until I finally put Bear back on the shelf and shut the closet door.</p>
<p>(I’d had visions of building a shelf with a glass box where Bear and Froggy could be on display after both kids moved out, but since Froggy never returned from his “visit” to China… it STILL kills me that D voluntarily put him in a box and mailed him into oblivion! That’s #1 on my list of things that “I wish you’d asked me about that BEFORE…”)</p>
<p>Both kids are with the in-laws this weekend. S went to their home in NJ, where my FIL is, but D is with my MIL at their ski house in VT, helping her with some painting. D will spend the weekend with her, then head to upstate NY on Monday to spend the week with her BF’s family at their vacation home. Then she’ll be home for 12 days before we start the drive to bring her back to campus.</p>
<p>PMKjr has been on campus since June as he is a Freshman Orientation Leader and that goes until mid-August. Then we’ll pick him up for a week family vacation…yahoo! He’ll go back no later than 9/5 and classes start 9/7.</p>
<p>JC40’s D; prayinglady’s D – 8/6
Parent56’s S; SWTCAT’s D – 8/10
CheckersMidwest’ S – 8/14
Tx5’s D—8/15
Lafalum84’s D – 8/18
BUandBC82’s S; 2education’s S1 --8/19
MaineLonghorn’s S, Twinmama D2, Shillyshally’s D – 8/20
RobD’s D; AL34’s S – 8/21
Twinmama D1-- 8/23
CaliforniaDancer – 8/26
Coskat’s D-- 8/27
mdemvizi, PinotNoir’s S – 8/27
DougBetsy’s S – 8/28
limabeans’s BB3, SLUMOM’s S – 8/28
jbehlend’s S – 8/29
psychmom’s D – 8/30
Yds’ ds – 9/4 (we leave the day before)
CountingDown’s S2, Mathmom’s S2 – 9/4
jackief’s D – 9/6
pugmadkate’s S – 9/7
aliceinw’s S – 9/9
ProudNJMoms S; G#s D2 – 9/10
Tx5’s S – 9/14
FindAPlace’s S – 9/18
2leashes’ D --9/19
psychmomma’s S – 9/20
mommusic’s S – 9/21
esobay’s S – 9/22</p>
<p>Laf - Best wishes for your son’s new adventure! I hope things go ok for you this week as you go through some “end of era” mourning. </p>
<p>"That’s #1 on my list of things that “I wish you’d asked me about that BEFORE…” - So sorry to hear about Froggy’s one-way trip to China. If that is really #1 on your list, consider yourself a lucky mom indeed!</p>
<p><em>Whew</em> Done apartment shopping. Found a really ‘cute’ shower set at Kmart. 2 rugs & matching shower curtain (1 big patterened rug, 1 plain color, & curtain same pattern as rug and rings) for $15. Full sheets were also $13. No other bargains otherwise, wireless router from Best Buy, some dishes from Target… </p>
<p>D15 went to the Relay for life tonight up town. I had planned to go, but am exhausted. We have to leave by 6:10 am to be at Sylvan by 8:00. So, I’ve been up since 5:00, drove 4 hours total and wandered around all day. While I was killing time while S was at classes, I found a store that was entirely cookies. :)</p>
<p>Yum cookies, Checkers! That’s my true weakness.</p>
<p>Laf: sounds like a fine weekend after all, especially with your upcoming weekend plans to help ease you into this. You want them to leave. Or, you could cry for me, 'cuz mine tells me he doesn’t think he’ll ever leave. :eek:</p>
<p>ML: I’m with you on that. I would have a hard time with a teddy left on the shelf. Laf, why were you looking for trouble? These transitions take time.</p>
<p>pmk: vacation? What’s that??</p>
<p>Counting Down: my husband has been doing some car shopping too. Looks like we’re getting a Lexus.</p>
<p>I suspect I’ll be changing the departure date. I’m sure BB3 will be doing his “drive across the country” road trip after all. I don’t think this will save me a dime; it might even cost a lot more. But now my sister is telling me I should let him go. It’s that push-me-pull-me feeling. Sigh.</p>
<p>Laf – I hope yesterday went okay. I’m glad you’ll be seeing your S soon. That should help make the transition easier.</p>
<p>jc - Back to school this week?</p>
<p>I’m spending today reading. The CC book club book needs to be finished by tomorrow! I’ve had the book for a while, but got sidetracked by some mystery novels that take place in Hilton Head (someone had recommended them on a HH thread a while back). I really enjoyed the mysteries and they were great/easy beach reads. It was fun to know the area where the books took place. I found it very easy to visualize the stories! If anyone is interested, the author is Kathryn Wall (Bay Tanner Mysteries).</p>
<p>S2 got the best college recruiting mail ever. It was a handwritten postcard from The University of Oxford. It was from a past dean of the University of Alabama’s Honor’s College who now in England teaching in the Alabama at Oxford program. UA certainly knows how to woo a student! RobD, is this the program your D is at now?</p>
<p>I hope everyone is doing well today! Sending {{hugs}} out to all in need.</p>
<p>Good morning! We are up early to run in the 5K that benefits my sons’ Cross Country and Track team. The boys will run, I haven’t decided if I am running or walking. I walk Henry every morning, but I haven’t run since September (minus a 5K in April). </p>
<p>D1 made cookies yesterday. A new recipe, this time it was chocolate chip cookies with graham crackers, marshmallows and Hershey’s chocolate (S’mores). They looked kind of funky and I couldn’t bring myself to taste one. S3 said they were “ok”.</p>
<p>Morning All! Chocolate Chip muffins for everyone! :)</p>
<p>Thanks for the recaps and I can’t believe that the launch pad starts next week! Where did the summer go?</p>
<p>Big day here. My niece will be 5 on Tuesday so we are going to my Brother’s for the birthday bash! I’m a little concerned about my Dad, but he wants to go. He even went and got a bigger oxygen tank to take with him. I can’t wait to see my neice and nephew, I haven’t seen them since Father’s Day so it will be fun. There will also be lots of little ones and babies to hold! Have a great Sunday! Stay cool. </p>
<p>Fun weekend here so far - think I’ll avoid the tattoo/piercing thread as I just got my 7th tattoo yesterday And D1 got her 1st - it’s one she’s wanted since she was 12 and hasn’t wavered and since she paid and was of age it was her call but I think it turned out really well and isn’t crazy (a trail of paw prints on her foot). </p>
<p>We’re now under 3 weeks before she goes back so we’ll be picking up some kitchen items for her dorm apartment today and see what else she may need. Now it feels very close!</p>
<p>Thanks for the chocolate chip muffins, PNJ - yum! Have a great time at today’s birthday bash, and I’m so glad your dad wants to go and made the proper arrangements. Enjoy!</p>
<p>Checkers - a whole store devoted to cookies? Did you break down and buy a few?</p>
<p>Laf - {{Hugs}} I’m glad you’ll get to see your S a couple of times to ease your transition.</p>
<p>PMK - I’m so glad you’ll be able to spend time with your S before he returns to school.</p>
<p>Morning all! Enjoying my second lovely cup of tea following a little FB chat with D1; only 4 more nights sleeping across the pond and she’ll be home :)</p>
<p>BUandBC: YES! That is the program she’s at. Was the card from Dr. Halli? He’s awesome; D is taking his British Literature class right now. </p>
<p>Laf: Hugs to you, but don’t you know you can’t do things like look in a closet yet? Especially at stuffed animals! </p>
<p>PMK: So glad you get to see PMKjr soon!</p>
<p>Shilly: cool about the tattoos! </p>
<p>Hoping for a quiet Sunday. It’s going to be a full week, so I’m trying to catch up with a bunch of stuff today. I’m almost tempted to try ironing my pillowcases after hearing people rave about that over in the Cafe, but really who am I kidding? ;)</p>
<p>Laf, stop looking in closets. What were you thinking? I’m glad to know that you can ease through this transition by seeing your S a few more times this month. Hope that helps. </p>
<p>PMK - enjoy the family time. It’s sounds wonderful. </p>
<p>Thanks for the coffee. Have a great Sunday. </p>
</p>
And D1 got her 1st - it’s one she’s wanted since she was 12 and hasn’t wavered and since she paid and was of age it was her call but I think it turned out really well and isn’t crazy (a trail of paw prints on her foot). </p>
I’m glad to know that you can ease through this transition by seeing your S a few more times this month. Hope that helps. </p>