I’m be fully honest and say that at this early date the weekly mailings have been just as much for me as for him. We all know it (all meaning Bluejr, Bluedad, & me), and assume it will run it’s course and slow down as I adjust. Right now I still need to feel relevant. He can buy most of these things for himself, but I need something to do. It will run it’s course over the first few months. Weekly mailings will become cards, packages will become monthly. It’s a process. I’m okay with that. </p>
<p>FWIW, I don’t call him, or do other ‘vicey’ things…I guess we all have our own road of letting go. The USPS is benefitting from mine. For the most part I feel it’s fairly harmless.</p>
<p>Have been out of pocket the last 4 days. Had a business related trip which went well. Not nearly as exciting as Shaws it’l travels, yet fine for us…</p>
<p>Spoke with kiddo yesterday and all seems well. Kiddo is developing a routine for keeping up with work etc. Has done a laundrey as needed–clothing and towels—I suggested that those sheets get laundered… :rolleyes:</p>
<p>Kiddo was sick last Wed even/Thursday–from the description it sounded like a touch of food poisoning…came on shortly after lunch and ill feeling built all day till being sick that evening…Possibly a stomach virus that snuck up on kiddo. All over and kiddo was feeling much better by the time we connected last night–</p>
<p>No care packages here per se–just some bilingual dictionaries and verb conjugation books etc…a few chocolates with it–I do know when the package was picked up from PO box because I got a message thanking me for the chocolates—
I think that kiddo hasn’t quite gotten thenhang of going by the PO Box to pick up the package slip and then picking up the package etc…quickly.
while kiddo has time during the day to keep up with work load, and has very demanding academics (says heavy work load/reasonably challenging) and heavy sport commitment–between that meals/rest…the little “errands” like the PO Box are pretty low priority.</p>
<p>On shipping cookies–
In college many moons ago–moms shipped cookies in plastics bags–put in a box…
The box was filled with popcorn (the kind you pop/eat).
The popcorn absorbed the humidity and cushioned the cookies in shipment.
They came via regular mail… arrived intact and crispy. </p>
<p>So slow shipping and inexpensive popcorn will get your baked good there in great shape.</p>
<p>D called (again) last night- not quite sure why as we had already skyped earlier in the day. But I guess she was excited because she realized that with this semester’s classes she met ALL of her distribution requirements (some classes meet multiple requirements) so she says she can take all ecology classes next semester. </p>
<p>It is so nice to see her excited about science again. I had thought that the place that shall not be named worked/bored it out of her. I love seeing her enthusiasm for learning again. I am totally holding my tongue though; it is hard not to step in and give advice when I see her enthusiasm/interest causing her sooo much more time and effort (e.g. she has to do a midterm paper on a language acquisition issue. She has already spent about 4 hours looking for sources on dysgraphia, and there just isn’t much. If she switched to another resource rich area it would make her life so much easier.) But she didn’t ask so I kept my mouth shut. I am proud of me.</p>
<p>**The next new student move-in Stanford University move-ins on September 20th - Just 1 day to go!
Move-in day is TOMORROW!<br>
Labor Day is past. Football season is in full bloom. The summer is gone as fall arrives this Friday. :eek:</p>
<p>[ul][li]Our last new student move-ins are the University of Oregon and the University of Southern Oregon on September 22nd which is just 3 days to go. </p>[/li]
<p>The LAST Move-in day is in 3 days. Now with just 3 days the season of move-ins is nearly complete.[/ul]</p>
<p>D has already been approached by three girls who want her to share an apartment with them next year. </p>
<p>She called yesterday that she had done the most fun thing ever. It was a totally free cupcake crawl. Students were bussed to four different cupcake shops in the city at which they received a free cupcake at every one.</p>
<p>misspie - That sounds like my kind of college!!</p>
<p>Feeling like the bad mom that didn’t send a care package yet…although I did pick up the flat-rate box from usps, some snacks and bubblewrapped the pic frame he left home (two girls painted and glazed a picture frame with the caption “best drum major ever” and put in a pic of the 3 of them with him in his drum major uniform - shortly after move-in, these girls asked for him to post a pic on FB of the frame in his dorm room - OOPS, he left it home because he was afraid it looked too girly (which it does) - so now he wants it shipped! HA!). I feel like I need more room for something homemade. Fogfog - brilliant idea with the popcorn, I’ll have to try that.</p>
DON’T!!! I really, really collect and send these things just as much as part of a healing process for me. If you’ve adjusted, or are distracted by other kids, then you don’t need this. We all have our road. Bluejr was sick for a couple of weeks which added to it my anxiety, a package and a couple of card. He forgot a t’shirt on a visit he wanted me to send…that was one package. His BFF was in town this weekend so I sent a package back with her yesterday (couldn’t resist saving $15 in postage). So that’s my excuse for three of the four packages in a month. Really, I can’t keep up this pace and he’s run out of room. This week I have a few of his friends that I’m sending packages to.</p>
<p>I do still have a 16yo at home to fuss over but he’s back in school, a sophomore and terribly self sufficient (although amazingly indulgent of his mum, just as Bluejr was ). I asked Bluedad about getting a new puppy this weekend…yea, that was a clear and resounding ‘no’. The group I volunteered with heavily while Bluejr was in hs became pretty clique-y and political so I need to find something new. I’m still hoping for the puppy. :)</p>
<p>Happy Monday to all. Good luck to the last of our launchers!!</p>
<p>Wow. I feel like I have been off the planet for several weeks. To catch you all up…We moved in D to Lawrence University (early, for tennis). It was nice to move her in way before her roommate moved in. No matter how big you think the dorm room is going to be, 3 adults and stuff in the room is better than 6 (or 5) adults and chaotic stuff. D settled in quickly, but tennis started right up - 2 a day practices and all meals together. Coach is devoted to the concept of teambuilding. Report is the 14 girls on the team are like a family and (amazingly) there is no drama between them! D loves it and it was wonderful for us to know that she had instant friends and instant involvement.</p>
<p>A week and a half later, S drove himself to senior year at Beloit College. I was stressed until he made it through the Chicago traffic. Several days later, H and I drove up to take the rest of S’s stuff. Spent a day or two enjoying the area and seeing the senior digs - quite palatial compared to freshman dorms. He has wonderful suite mates and seems to know everyone in town. Just got to keep on him for career/future planning.</p>
<p>Then went on to visit D and experience Welcome Week. Lawrence does a great job of everything - they are very organized. Got to see some tennis practice, take D to dinner, meet the new roommate (just moving in) and get a few items for D that she needed. Enjoyed seeing the class of 2015 get their class photo taken! So nice to see how happy she is and how she has found a niche in her new world. Benefit of going to a college where no one knows her - she has a clean slate. So the “shy” girl of high school and before, has vanished and this more outgoing, confident young woman has taken her place! What more can I ask? We spent a couple of days there and then came home to our “officially” empty nest.</p>
<p>While I miss them terribly, I know they are happy and feel they are in the right places. They have friends/support system and are pleased with their career/class direction. H and I are adapting well. I am having trouble cooking for 2 and remembering what time it is, since D isn’t coming home after school. Life is good.</p>
<p>I’ve enjoyed catching up with you all. Best wishes to our new launchers! Condolences to those who have had sadnesses and loss. Cheers to the parents with rising college searchers. Safe travels to our voyagers out there!</p>
<p>We have a flat rate box on the counter in the kitchen that is slowly accumulating things that should go out to D1. When it’s full, I’ll toss in the cookies that are in the freezer and send it on its way. So that’s not really a care package, more a necessities and odds and ends package. So different than camp care packages, which “had” to be sent at the rate of one a week Or Else. </p>
<p>On the other hand…every year for Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur I make a challah that’s loaded with honey, and an apple cake that is especially moist and long-keeping. I might just make another apple cake and ship that out, a la Proust’s madelines. The challah, I fear, will go stale too quickly.</p>
This weekend we went puppy shopping. H fell in love with a corgi and I liked the pug. We came home without one. It has been years since we had a dog. I am just not sure if I am ready for it.</p>
<p>I’m really being selfish on the puppy front. We have a wonderful pup, Bluedog, who is 10yo 70lbs of love. She loves little ones (as do I). I was thinking a much smaller version (like the 10-15lb variety). Oh well.</p>
<p>On the puppy front, I think that by the time our youngest is ready to go off to college (in another 8 years) we will be ready not to be tied down, and a puppy does tie you down. It is harder/more expensive to travel if you have a pet that you either need to arrange to take with you, or arrange to have cared for in your absence.</p>
<p>For my friends that observe Jewish holidays, hoping you can help me out. Bluejr’s roommate it Jewish and seems to be keeping pretty close to his faith in school (attending services Friday nights, etc.). He will be visiting over fall break. What do I need to know as far as preparing meals to make sure he’s comfortable here? I think the Sabbath is the only meal he eats Kosher (I’ll verify this with Bluejr). He’s such a great kid and I know I could ask him…I’m just afraid out of being polite he would tell me not to bother with anything special. That’s silly if I’m cooking anyway! Thanks for your help everyone! :)</p>
<p>Regarding being tied down with puppies mathmom, I agree. That’s why I know it’s kind of now or never…we have a sophomore so a puppy would be far more independent by the time that he launches in three years (could be left for an afternoon). A small one is easier to board and can go lots of places with you. My mom finally got a pup when she was retired because everyone in her community has dogs. It is a consideration though.</p>
<p>Yup! I am concerned about traveling too. If we have a puppy now then what we’re going to do with it next month during parent weekend. I have two coworkers that their dogs died when they were on vacation.
Cookies/Snacks-I am not a baker at all. S loves those Cliff bars. It costs him $2 for one at campus and he eats it to tie him over on Tue and Thur since he does not have time for lunch. Target has it for sale now-7 bars in a box for $5. Time to stock up.</p>
<p>BI, if he only keeps kosher on Friday just don’t serve milk with meat and if you do serve meat get it from the kosher butcher. Don’t serve any shellfish, either. If you buy anything to serve that is packaged or in a can just make sure it has the U or K on the label. Most every product from national companies are regular kosher. kosher for Passover is a whole other ballgame. </p>
<p>I don’t keep kosher but have friends who do and they often don’t keep it when eating out.</p>
<p>blue, that’s really kind of you! If BlueJr’s roomie is eating in the dining hall, he’s not keeping so kosher that you’d need to worry about getting products that are approved for use in a Kosher kitchen (the “OU” or similar mark that emilybee mentions). </p>
<p>Ask the young man specific questions. Say that you could serve vegetarian food, or meals that don’t mix meat with milk, or that you can buy kosher meat. Be aware that kosher meat is $$$, so don’t offer that option unless you are really willing to pay for it. If you’re near a Trader Joe’s, they often sell kosher chicken. That’ll be more expensive than regular chicken, but it does taste better. Or go for Hebrew National hot dogs.</p>
<p>He will be with us for Yom Kippur (I’m not sure if he’ll also be fasting…this I will find out). Even if he ‘slacks’ now and again I would want to offer things in keeping with his faith and tradition during such a holy day. Plus what fun for my family to learn! We eat a lot of pasta and love tortellini alfredo. I’ll see if I can adapt my recipe to ensure it’s kosher. I really appreciate your responses. We have a TJ’s about a half hour away so getting the kosher chicken would also be an option. Thanks! I knew I could count on everyone!</p>
<p>If I didn’t have my two little doggies - Havanese, hypoallergenic non-shedding 10-30 lb type clowns, I don’t know what I’d do. PM me if you want more info, but with the circus around this house - they are about the only thing to bring a smile to my face lately.</p>
For the most part I feel it’s fairly harmless.</p>
We eat a lot of pasta and love tortellini alfredo. I’ll see if I can adapt my recipe to ensure it’s kosher. I really appreciate your responses. We have a TJ’s about a half hour away so getting the kosher chicken would also be an option. Thanks! I knew I could count on everyone!</p>