<p>Between AP exams, band concerts, banquets, competitions, and awards ceremony, this is going to be one crazy May!</p>
<p>@momfromme - Congratulations on Columbia EA! Just a few more weeks, and the senioritis will be behind us, thank goodness!</p>
<p>Wow! @Minnymom - That’s awesome on the scholarships! Would be so thrilled for D to receive that!</p>
<p>I had to look up what Jack Rogers shoes were. Did I get it right? They’re just fancy flip flops?</p>
<p>
That made my morning. :)</p>
<p>I had never heard of Jack Rogers either - why do they need to be “broken in”? We are in N California and I have found 1 store in entire SF Bay Area that (supposedly) carries some Lilly Pulitzer, so my D and I are going there this weekend to at least have her try on some styles and see what she likes and what size she would wear. Then, she can perhaps snag some dresses off of Ebay, etc. </p>
<p>It’s fun to watch her style evolve from sweatshirts/tshirts and jeans to the preppy look. I got her a monogram necklace once she decided on her school (UT-Austin) and she said the kids just stared at it when she wore it to school!</p>
<p>I had to look up Jack Rogers too. I can tell you all about tevas and keens and my favorites, chacos. </p>
<p>@Minnymom – </p>
<p>Just put on Spock ears and wear a John 3:16 tee shirt and you will likely be released from the jury pool. </p>
<p>I asked my daughter if she heard Lilly Pulitzer and surprisingly she did. She said that they’re bright and flowery.</p>
<p>Interestingly my daughter got annoyed when I kept telling her that Cornell is too preppy. She disagreed and told me that it’s not that different from her school. I guess, I’m too old to really know what kids are wearing these days.</p>
<p>@asleepathewheel- LOL!
It’s a pretty tame bunch here today. 
</p>
<p>@ordinarylives – yes, just fancy flip flops! @Gigem86 – they are constructed of fairly stiff leather, so they need a bit of a break-in period, at least in my opinion. Girls here wore them for middle school graduations. I confess that I haven’t been paying attention to trends lately, so will have to keep my eyes open once this rain ends. Toms were worn a lot last year, but a very different look.</p>
<p>Someone mentioned the Vineyard Vines outlet earlier. When they have a special promo, their prices are great. They will sometimes run BOGO free for women’s clothing or buy two ties, get one free. Otherwise, the outlet stores’ regular prices are often not as good as the seasonal sales run by the retail stores, also available on-line. Once the summer sale is marked down to an additional 25% off sale, time to pounce! I wear the Vineyard Vines men’s flip flops as they are wider and more comfortable than the women’s, and they make them in pink and red, etc.</p>
<p>RE: Lilly—I liked the clothing more fifteen years ago. It seems to have gotten a bit more dressy and more pieces require dry cleaning. Have gravitated to VV for simple cotton skirts or Capris. </p>
<p>For anyone looking for flat-front khakis for tall, thin boys (32/36)…I have had the best luck at Old Navy on-line. I have never been an Old Navy shopper, but last year’s growth spurt had me ordering khakis from a few different places. Best fit, look, price from Old Navy. They also send emails promoting 30 or 40% off, bringing the khakis down to $16/pair. </p>
<p>OK—sorry to have derailed this thread entirely to shopping. I seem to know more about shopping than launching a student to college. My attempts at diversifying his wardrobe have been rebuffed so I will just wait for him to decide if he needs to mix it up once he hits campus.</p>
<p>@ ct1417- Yes, Old Navy tall has been a godsend for my boys. They both have great luck finding 32x36 slim fits there. Inexpensive and nice!</p>
<p>Those “fancy flip flops” aren’t cheap – and you still have to break them in? I think we’re on to something in the NW with our Birkies, Keens and Chacos! My personal favorite is Naot - Israeli brand and are the most comfortable shoes on the planet!</p>
<p>We are having the same scheduling problem. Mostly one teacher is assigning a presentation to be given on senior trip day. DS talked with him but this teacher and DS have a tumultuous relationship at best. </p>
<p>Palm trees of Turks and Caicos were fun for a mid-winter image, but time for a different photo. Niagara Falls taken during our college road trip. A favorite highlight. Who knew it’d be so awesome?! Glad we called an audible the day before and took a 3-hour side trip to see the Falls. First time for me and D.</p>
<p>Great news @Seattle_mom! And @ordinarylives, I’d be fuming too. Apparently there is no senior night at Spygirl’s school but rather a senior assembly that they make the rest of the school sit through. From what I hear it is quite a lengthy production and parents are welcome but not invited. </p>
<p>Had to google both Jack Roger & Vineyard Vines. VV reminds me of Orange County, California circa 1984. :)</p>
<p>Oh my goodness you are right about Vineyard Vines. I had to google it too. Except it’s my high school (in Maine) circa 1981. The whale polos! Oh, man, I was mercilessly teased because I did NOT have the whale print turtleneck underneath the monogram sweater over wide-wale cords with a whale-embroidered belt. Shudder.</p>
<p>We’re a Keens and Birks family here. And T-shirts and hoodies from ThinkGeek or Snorg Tees. And we aren’t even Pacific Northwest.</p>
<p>Am I the last one off of the ship? </p>
<p>DS has finally decided on…the University of Notre Dame! </p>
<p>It was last night at dinner. Today he wore the knit Fighting Irish hat that DH bought him when we took him to an overnight visit several weeks ago. He is all excited to try out for the marching band and get his football tickets. Priorities, right? I think socially this will be a great place for him and hopefully the honors program will be a great place for him academically.</p>
<p>I have been a scramble of emotions. He had some great choices so it is hard to decline a lot of them but the final schools all seemed to be so different (but with some interesting threads that seemed to make sense why he chose them). I learned a lot during this process and many things that I would do differently but with a kid who is basically undecided about major, I think the whole process was sort of a journey of discovery.</p>
<p>Ironically he picked an EA school which if he had decided at that time he could have avoided applying to about 12 more schools-aahhhh! And all of those interviews for nearly every school but ND! The irony. Oh well, I am sure it builds character, right?</p>
<p>I can’t believe how much there is to do after accepting the offer. Yikes! About all I could do today is get hotel reservations for move in/orientation and that felt like an accomplishment. Hooray for everyone who already has their rooms decked out and footwear ordered! You amaze me!</p>
<p>Hold on there @Mrspepper, not so fast! Lol we haven’t picked out anything of any interest tbh. Just your basic desk lamp, towels, shower caddy, sheets, etc… Nothing that would be considered of interest! Especially not to an 18 yo girl. LOLOL she did point out a pair of Hunter rain boots that she wants. The cheap ones that we buy always fall apart. </p>
<p>Oh yes, we did make it to Talbots today for a new suit. They had a nice 30% off sale and I have a Talbots credit card which I hardly ever use. A catalog happened to arrive yesterday and she loved the suit. So that will be for those events where she needs to look ultra polished.</p>
<p>Congratulations, @Mrspepper! Sounds like your son is excited now that the decision is made. I think 4beardolls is maybe the winner of the margarita machine?</p>
<p>The students here are wearing their college tee-shirts tomorrow in honor of May 1. What fun!!</p>
<p>Let’s hope I don’t find it in a ball in her dorm room during parents weekend!!!</p>