Where I live the schools are not very good and they take off for everything. They don’t go 180 days even without snow days and then they are out for weather related events (cold, rain, snow, ice) every year. I think it is possible that true snow days are rare and they call it virtual. But I also suspect that what counts as a virtual day is very minimal. Just enough, whatever it is, to count as a school day for official purposes. So while the days may become virtual instead of just off, what really is required is probably nothing/ close to nothing/ no penalties if not completed.

My ds school announced they are closing the college of education. My ds isn't an education major so I haven't stayed up on the details but it sounded like sophomores and up that had already declared as their major would be ok but freshman would not be able to major in education. Imagine going to college as a freshman in 2020 and all the challenges and disappointments only to have your major eliminated. Tough break. Also, some high school seniors had applied for admission intending to major in education and didn't apply anywhere else and now they are left scrambling. It isn't as if education was a small or obscure major. 😞 I made my current senior apply to more than one college even though he knows where he wants to go and he will get in with an automatic scholarship. I've learned from my older guys that you never know what might come up that you need to change direction. But I hadn't even really thought much about big majors just being eliminated.

Yeah- I totally agree that PLUS loans and private loans can easily get out of hand. I never recommend those. I also said it will still hurt to pay it. Even the $31,000 is not nothing and will still be painful. But it shouldn't destroy your life especially if you have the repayment options that the student federal loans offer. Also, many students can do it on less than the max $31,000. My kids haven't needed that much. I'm not saying loans are great but federal student loans less than $30,000 have opened doors for our family. Of course each situation is different and eyes need to be wide open. What kind of Direct Federal Student Loans require a parent to co-sign? Dh and I had them and our kids have had them and we have never had parents co-signing? I still have two kids to go so I need to make sure I understand. Is that a way to go over the federal limit? I assumed in that situation the parent would just take a PLUS loan but I guess there is probably other ways.

Right- I thought I mentioned that Parent Plus loans could get up really high and would exceed the the federal limits I was referencing for students. But I don't know anything about parents cosigning for the Direct Student Loans. I don't understand that at all. So disregard my comments. I guess I don't understand what I thought I did!

Sticking to federal loans is a decent guideline, I think. That keeps the parents from cosigning and it gives you the protections of flexible repayment options. If you end up in a low paying job, you can go into a repayment schedule that is a percentage of your income. If you get laid off of your job, you can get a forbearance for a while. During Covid, federal loan payments were suspended through the end of the year. If you become a public school teacher, you can enter the public service forgiveness program etc. There are just options that do not exist for private loans. Now, of course zero debt is better. But I think sticking to federal loan limits can keep you from getting in really deep for undergrad. Now, for grad school that is a whole different story. But the people talking about baristas with six figure debt for a sociology degree are not talking about federal loans. Parents can take PLUS loans that add up and parents can cosign private loans for undergrads but they just can't get in that deep with the undergrad federal loans. Of course it will still hurt to make payments for most people. But sticking to federal loans is not likely to destroy your life or future. Strategic use of federal loans can open opportunities. My two oldest boys have used them to have better college options than they could have without and they have come in well under the federal limit. Also, they allowed dh and I to pursue other financial goals that furthered the whole family rather than paying for college. I'd love if my kids didn't need loans but so far they have. But they still are going to do okay. I just always feel the need to point out that federal loans are not the same as private loans. Two different animals.

Two weeks ago we all of a sudden had people in our circles (including my ds and his housemates and my best friend and her dh) test positive. Those cases ranged from a symptomatic to mild cold. We had people we knew through dh’s work or parents of friends on Facebook having a harder time, including a couple hospitalized. All those cases have turned the corner, returned home, and are recovering. I am certain I must know more, because we have so many cases, I’m just not aware because they aren’t close and aren’t sharing publicly. But everyone we have been aware of is now ok it seems.

Where i live we have plenty of COVID spread in the community but everything is pretty much carrying on as normal. Schools are in with very few modifications, mega churches having full sanctuaries, sports and other high school activities still going on, etc. My 12 yo dd has been dancing at a small studio since May. She gets to dance four days a week. She got pointe shoes and decided to try tap and has been preparing for a Christmas recital coming up in two weeks. She is loving it and thriving and so happy. This is the only activity we are participating in outside the house. She wears a mask as does the teacher. She is only exposed to a total of five other students in her classes. But those kids are in school and out and about so my dd is pretty exposed. I made the decision to let her continue. I don’t have complete peace about it but it is the decision we have made. I am under no illusion it is “safe.” None of us here is high risk but I still don’t want to get it. But I know we might and I guess I’ve accepted that risk. She is having such a great year and it has brought such happiness during this time. I guess we’ll see if we get lucky and get through it without issue. It is difficult to stay home for a year when nothing else in your community is acknowledging the pandemic at all. Sigh.

My ds is pretty set on attending U of Tennessee-Knoxville. We are in state and it is a good choice for what he wants to do. It's on the expensive side of what we are comfortable with but it is doable and we agreed that he would put every effort into securing any scholarship he was eligible for. The way they do it is they send a scholarship link to fill out a scholarship application after the initial admissions application. So ds fills out the initial application. His scores are way above average and he knows he will be admitted but he has to really give his all on the application so he gets filtered into the highest potential scholarship pool. So, he lists all his activities and awards (and there are alot and no limit so takes forever). He writes the essay and the optional personal statement. He gets the required recommedation plus the one extra optional. Submits the application. Yay. that part is done. So then he gets the scholarship link. None of the info from admissions carries over or is shared so he must once again enter all the info. Writes a new scholarship essay. Really works hard because this is where he for sure wants to go and needs every penny and competitive merit is tough. He shares his essay with me, which he generally does not like to do, because this is important and it was the deal that he would try to make it as strong as possible. He goes to submit and he needs a LOR again. I think surely he can't need to get another LOR from the same teacher. He calls the admissions office and learns that he does, indeed, need to get the letter sent again because admissions doesn't share with scholarship office. Okay, then. Goes back to de prof, who is out of class recovering from surgery, who kindly sends the letter again. Okay cool. That's done. Wait...here is an email inviting him to apply to the top scholarship program. Great! This is the BIG ONE. Full tuition and fees + room and board + study abroad + he would get the state money he is entitled to for books, etc. Fantastic to get invited to apply. Essay prompt is right up his alley. Spends hours pouring over essay and making every word of the 600 word limit count. Keeps a positive attitude throughout. Hits submit, gives Mom a high five. WE ARE DONE. But wait...there's more...in his portal is another honors program application with a scholarship attached. Just announced and next year will be the first cohort. It is leadership and community engagement which he has in spades. So...here we go...hmmm...list activities and extracurriculars, two essays, another LOR (this time from someone in the community not a teacher) and now he gets to make a video pitching why they should choose him. And so it goes on and on and on... Grateful for every opportunity to better his bottom line but goodness...glad he knows where he is going, Maybe some of his competition will burn out before they get to the end...if there ever is an end!

We use ours mostly for heating up frozen stuff. Only occasionally have we used it for "real" cooking. My dd breaded and fried up some chicken cutlets once that came out really well. Mostly, it's our method for heating up junky frozen food (taquitos, cheese sticks, fries, chicken tenders). It gets heavy use for lunches and "fend for yourself" meals. All those frozen things can be made in the toaster oven but come out so much better in the air fryer. Not exactly like deep frying but much closer without the mess and fuss of frying. Cleanup varies I guess. The first one I had seemed to easily get cleaned up after every few uses. It really didn't need a clean up after every time someone made chicken tenders. We have a different model here that just seems messier all the time.

Usually I am preparing for Thanksgiving dinner all week. This year it is just the four of us who live here. We thought one adult ds and his girlfriend were going to join us but now they are not because he has Covid (he is fine, just coming to the end of his contagious period). Thinking there would be six of us but I still didn't really want to cook I got a deep friend cajun turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, and macaroni and cheese from a local restaurant. I am making stuffing, dill bread, and pumpkin pie. I can do it all tomorrow so I'm getting other things done today and just going to enjoy cooking and eating tomorrow. I will also make what my family calls "pudding dessert" but I was informed as an adult that the rest of the world calls it...umm..."teA in a pan" 😉 I'm going to make that over the weekend because ds requested it but we won't have room to eat anymore tomorrow. And no...there is no vegetable...we don't eat vegetables on holidays. LOL. I count the pumpkin pie as a vegetable!

My state has a very strong 4-H program and that would be a degree that would be applicable to becoming a 4-H agent. Not sure if that is something she is interested in but we know kids that grow up in 4-H and go to college with the intent to have a career in 4-H. Our state is one of the strongest 4-H programs nationally and there are some pretty good paying high level jobs available and many entry level program specialist and extension agent positions. I know there are other jobs within the state extension office that would use that degree as well.

We usually put the tree up Thanksgiving weekend. I normally (not this year) host a big Thanksgiving and then start on Christmas when I've put that away. I just realized the other day I don't know where to put the tree. We usually put it in the corner of the living room but that is currently my dh's office as he works from home. He could work from the basement but we have someone coming in to do some work (new drywall and flooring so a big mess) the two weeks after Thanksgiving. So we need to get through the basement work, put ourselves back together down there, move dh's office back downstairs and then we can put up the tree. It might need to stay up way past Christmas since we are putting it up so late. Which, normally I host family on New Years Day and it is too crowded with the tree so normally I get it down before that. But no big New Years this day so I guess we can leave the tree up. Two weekends ago our neighborhood went all in on Christmas. Almost half the neighborhood is already lit up which is way early. I have seen Christmas trees in the windows since October. One house had a Christmas tree and Halloween decorations on their front porch at the same time. This year, anything goes.

Personally I have learned that I really can't trust other people when they say they will be careful. People say they are being careful but still going to small parties/church without modifications/etc. They could be wrong in their risk assesment or straight up untruthful. I think I've encountered both. I also don't see people who have not been very careful so far to change their behavior now. I think people have settled into what they are comfortable with and have made all the justifications they need to. If these people are the type to hear you and lovingly adjust their behavior you have awesome relatives!

Our cases are exploding in our state and we don't make those lists. I think it is really advancing everywhere.

I thought you were going to say your dh bought the pretty light up deer but put them in a... compromising position 🙂 I have seen that a few times. I was going to say that yes that is in poor taste. By the time your got to Buddy the Elf I was relieved. I think it is fine.

I posted upthread about my ds and his housemates and my best friend and her dh. Ds is doing better. Not completely clear of symptoms yet but he says he is improving and is in good spirits. Tommorow will be a week from his positive test. Roomate zero, the first to get sick, is nearly over it he feels. He got his positive a week ago today but he had symptoms a few days before he was tested. His girlfriend, who originally tested negative, is sick now. Not sure if she got tested again but she has textbook symptoms and has been living with the guys the whole time. Roomate #4 remains totally well with a negative test. My best friend and her dh are doing okay. The dh is almost sixty and smoked for thirty years though he quit awhile ago. He has some health issues so I was worried about him. He has had symptoms but manageable and has not gotten any worse, at least, a week post positive test. My friend has had no symptoms except one night when she felt feverish for a few hours. Outside our immediate friends and family we have worse stories from acquaintances. The father of a friend is in the ICU at a local hospital. My dh has two women he works with whose families are dealing with it. In one family the parents and all three teen boys have it. The dad is hospitalized and has been for a couple weeks. Dh thinks he is about 50 yo. Another coworker of his has been caring for her boyfriend who is also late forties or early fifties. He has gone to the ER three times now. Last time he begged to be admitted but they said his oxygen levels weren't low enough. So, in the last week it is really hitting hard here. It is scary but I don't see anyone altering any behaviors and certainly no curbing of Thanksgiving plans. 😞

The more serious teachers here seem to require them. I was surprised too but we aren’t talking about competition dance type studios- the specific teachers that require them are the ones that are focused on the more serious classical training. But serious for where I am is not on par with big city training for sure!

I have definitely thought of paying someone to teach us. Probably post pandemic if I can't figure it out well enough this time. I think that is a good idea.

My 12 yo dd is in dance. When she was younger the studios she has danced with left makeup for the little ones up to the discretion of the parents but now that she is older there is more expectation of a level of stage makeup and I really don't know what I am doing. I know some of the other moms will help if needed, and I will certainly ask, but we'd like to learn so we aren't dependent on others for every performance. This is a classical ballet type situation so not heavy makeup, just what is necessary to be pretty and not washed out on stage. This teacher isn't giving a ton of specifics as this is a very scaled down pandemic performance. I'll certainly ask questions but I want to figure out what I can for myself. 1) lipstick- the instruction is for a cool red lipstick, blue undertones. I understand what this means but I sure can't look at a lipstick and be positive it is the right shade. Any recommendations for shade/ease of application/staying power/appropriate for dancers/tweens that aren't otherwise into makeup at all? 2) false eyelashes- never bought or even considered buying false eyelashes in my life. I am sure I will be all thumbs learning to use these. Tips for types/brands/ how to apply for newbies who are bad at makeup stuff? 3)neutral eyeshadow- I think I can handle this one but if anyone wants to make a suggestion I'm up for that 4)eyeliner- this is required. I'm assuming just a black eyeliner pencil will do it. Teacher said eyeliner is required but how it is used is up to the girls (upper/lower eye, wings). I am positive I would make a mess of wings but they might be required in the future so if anyone has a tip that is great. I'm not looking to spend $50 on lipstick but I don't need the cheapest things available. If spending a few extra bucks on eyelashes will mean it is easier to be successful I am all for that. But if the cheapest are just as good that is great info too. I realize I could look this up on Youtube but I just can't see myself searching through thousands of makeup tutorials looking for what I want. My dd is not into makeup. She'll happily wear it for the show and have fun getting made up but she won't want to spend hours researching it either. She is very independent, though, and the goal would be to teach her and then she can take care of herself. So trying to get her stocked with the products that she can handle and be successful with.

Hopefully more schools will loosen up those deadlines. At UTK I think the application still has to be in by the Dec deadline but you can go in and add better scores through the summer. Many of our local schools have that policy so it isn't unusual to see seniors testing all through the year. My kids were always really ready to be done testing by fall of senior year. My ds could get the top automatic scholarship with just one more point. But that's a tough score. I think he would have gotten it if he had taken it after intense prep in April but he came up a point short in July. I occasionally and annoyingly remind him he can try again but I think the moment has passed and he wouldn't improve his score if he tried again. He's trying for competitive merit. I think he's a good candidate but they just don't give very many and it is tough. Sigh.

Our state flagship changed the usual December deadline for test scores to July. You still need to apply on time but you can use test scores through the summer to increase automatic merit aid. It seems like a nice move on the part of the college to allow students the whole year to test for extra merit aid. However, it sure would stink to have testing drawn out that long for kids that were ready to test in April. 😞

My dh got a new job. He’s been trying to make a step up for at least a year now and he seemed to keep getting down to the final round of candidates and then not landing the job. He finally got one to hit. It is a significant step up so hopefully he can quit the job search for awhile. It was getting old for sure. He will, however, still be working out of the corner of my living room for another six months at least. Fortunate he has the ability to work remotely during the pandemic. I am ambivalent but my 17 yo ds was able to secure the new PlayStation 5. Apparently this was a big deal. I’m not a video game fan but he has been working and saving up for it. I am glad he got it so he can stop pursuing it and stalking the websites that were releasing it and selling out immediately.

Lots of good ideas! Im not freaking out. I think he’s going to be okay. But it is very unsettling to know he has the virus and is sick (mild as it is, thankfully) and not be able to do anything. I might be sending Thanksgiving dinner from Omaha Steaks. 🙂 primarily to make myself feel better.

That's great! Thank you!

My 22 yo ds and his housemates are holed up with Covid 😞 They are doing okay but they are having symptoms and not feeling great. Mama is feeling helpless 150 miles away. I want to have something delivered to them. They seem to have a sense of smell and taste still. I'm resisting the urge to drive 150 miles and drop something homemade on their doorstep but I'd love to do something. Anyone know of any special bakeries or restaurants that would make a delivery that might brighten their day? I know about Uber Eats and all the regular stuff I just wondered if there was something special I could do that someone familiar with the area might know that I don't. They are in the NE area of Atlanta. Brookhaven.