Sooo... Last night dd announces that she invited g'ma to family weekend. De facto, that means she expects us to be there as g'ma can't/won't drive that far. We dropped middle daughter off today. There were lots of tears. 50 minute drive, she cried 3 times before we got 20 minutes. Then she was good until dh and I left and more tears. I texted her tonight and it sounds like she's had a really good evening. But the tears! Looking at family weekend, that weekend is our church's women's retreat. I was planning to go. I haven't paid money or even said anything to the organizer about reserving a space. I've gone every year except the first year. I always enjoy it. I always get closer to God, find out something important. BUT I will see her before then. There is a medallion ceremony tomorrow that I'm planning on going to, surprise her by being there. Then she will be home for Labor Day. And then 2 weekends after family weekend is fall break. And then too with all the tears, dh kept saying how we could drive down anytime she needed us. We could come down for ice cream and drive back. He's a big softy! So what would you do? Retreat which is almost tradition? Or family weekend?

A friend of dd's moved her stuff up to her school on Wednesday. The school is 45ish minutes away. She and her mom took the 40 minutes allowed in the parking lot and moved her stuff in, set up furniture, etc and then came home. Both of them. They will move what is left and the daughter in tomorrow. I've never heard of moving stuff in but not the student.

MIL came home from the hospital Tuesday. Taking her to follow-up with her PCP today. The girls are still home so can help with driving DS - his classes started this week. And my head is on straight! I'm not resenting the time MIL is taking. Both girls go back this weekend, so next week and following may get dicey with driving her and ds, but until then...

I hadn't thought about it this way, but you are right. I wrote a review on my blog (not linked in my sig) and I called it a coming of age story. I tried to not to explain it so people would still read it, but coming of age.

I'm so sorry! ((Hugs))

Oldest hasn't used one yet in her two years on campus. BUT if you go on the retreat with a campus ministry, they need one. Then I'd echo what Diana said. Not planning on sending middle with one. DS will likely take one (still 3 years) but he's a scout and I can just "see" it.

Both my girls had a 2-day orientation during the summer months. The week before school starts is fun-fun-fun. Kind of a time to get to know campus and find new friends. Middle child feels an acute need to walk campus. She's done the tour so many times, she could probably give one. But now that she knows which buildings house her classes... I have to laugh, most buildings on campuses have names of people who gave money or historic names for the older campuses. DD's science building is called just that "science building".

We dropped oldest off 2 years ago. We got her stuff into her room in one trip. (We ended up parking no where close to the dorm and dh was bound and determined not to walk more than necessary!) I made her bed. She did NOT want help unpacking. We walked over to the bookstore and got her one of those things for her college ID. The whole time we could tell she was antsy for us to leave, so we did. I don't know how long we were there, but it wasn't long. Of course, she is 15 minutes away. We noticed she needed something to put her clock on overnight and were back the next day with one. But that weekend, she would not let us take her out to eat! Sophomore year drop off, we walked her over to the bookstore to pick up books and she kicked us out. Junior year, this year I expect about the same. Move stuff in and be kicked out. Middle child moves in this year. I expect to move stuff into the dorm and then?? I don't know how much help she will want and allow. I'll key into her. She won't be up early so I expect we will take her to lunch before we leave.

Thanks ladies! Now I'm wondering, since dd is going into nursing if they will teach her the same sort of listening, all over caring thing you guys have mentioned DOs have. The school DD is going to is rural and stated on the website for the med school and the nursing school are the mission of filling in the underserved in NC, the rural populations. Time will tell!

I'm trying to figure out the differences. I find explanations like this: And this: But in terms of actually going in to the doctor, what does that mean? Part of the reason is that the college DD is going to has a medical school, but it's not an MD program it's a DO program. (Which makes sense b/c the school is trying to fill in the gaps of medical care in the rural community. Which I also found with the above.) But also I'd like to find a doctor who is more natural in their approach... Just as likely to tell me to go take this herbal for this issue as he/she is likely to say this one needs an antibiotic.

The only tip I have, you already covered. Plan more than one day. We were based in Jackson Hole and only gave Yellowstone one day. So we only did the space around Old Faithful. Beautiful and very worth it! We'd just spent 3 or 4 days on horseback and it was before my mom got her knees replaced so we rented (on-site) a wheelchair for her. So no hiking and only what you could get to with paved walk ways. Still very worth it to go. I remember on site food being expensive. Plan for theme park prices and you won't be overly surprised.

I still have a chair my grandfather caned. But no one is allowed to sit in it. I'm afraid of when it breaks. Caning is a lost art and either no one does it or it is extremely expensive to get it done. So the chair site. Grandpa died between my two oldest. I'll also never get rid of my wedding headpiece. Way before dh and I were even dating my mom asked my great aunt to make one for me before her eyesight went. She tatted. Another lost art. It was the last thing she ever tatted. I actually have pictures of her playing on the floor with one of my daughters - almost a 90 year age difference! She died a few years later. Ok, thanks guys, now I'm crying!

Wow! Two months! Son of friend got on of these for this school year. I was wondering about where you'd find out. My son isn't an eagle yet. He's also only a sophomore. I did send the link to the scoutmaster to make sure he saw it.

I was just going to add what it looks like you know - housing *may* open up a couple weeks into the semester. DD applied for housing in June - way late. As we were waiting, she remembered that last year when she worked in the housing office, they were able to place students still on the waiting list. For us, it was no big deal to wait as we live close enough she could commute. And she somehow managed to get a room already. I think they 17 yo thing is going to be the biggest deal breaker. (((HUGS)))

This happened to my school way back int he dark ages. I can't remember if they guaranteed housing or what. But yes, doubles became triples. Triples became quads. Common rooms became a bedroom for 10. The computer lab went caput and became 5 or 6 dorm rooms - imagine sleeping under the dining hall! But like I said back int he dark ages. Oldest dd has worked in housing. Interesting stories she brings home. It sounds more like at her college, they just do not have the rooms then you don't get housing. Also interesting, she didn't apply to housing until June and she got a room. (We are thrilled.) I'm not sure she is happy with where she is living, it's kind of out from where her classes are.

Here too. I've liked everything associated with middle dd's school on facebook. I'm getting lots of posts asking for people to help with freshman move-in. Another benefit is you get to move in early yourself.

Both daughters have frames that can be normal, raised, bunked or lofted. The one at State, you can do it yourself, grab a couple of guys out in the hallway, or wait for maintenance. She tends to have her bed high enough that the desk will fit under and she can barely stand up. Not quite, but almost lofted. The one at small, rural school, you have to fill out a form and have maintenance do it. That dd already filled out the form. She wants her raised high enough for storage but not bunked or lofted. Not even high enough for the desk. Just enough that she will have to jump to get in bed. But her room is a lot bigger.

Have you looked at Vionic by Orthaheel? I've had issues in the past with plantar fasciitis, so I tend toward shoes with arch support. Their flip flops are wonderful! Very spendy for flips, but wonderful.

When face timing dd while she was in Germany, I would grab whichever animal I could and hold it up to the screen. DD was always pleased. None of the animals understood it though.

I remember being the first of al my college friends on my own. Everyone was either still home waiting on a job or in grad school. Whenever they asked for advice about living on your own, I told them to never, ever run out of spaghetti and sauce. We were all runners and were used to "carbo-loading" so spaghetti was alway a thing to us. Ah the memories you brought back.

I don't remember telling dd a minimum. We are 15 minutes away though. Maybe that's why? A friend of middle dd thought we were seeing oldest every 2 weeks. Seeing her. I don't think it was that often. But we'll just haul off and text or email or whatever if we haven't heard from her in a while. While she was in Germany (last semester) we sort of fell into face-timing every Monday. I think we talked with her more often when she was 4000 miles away than when she was 10. We'll probably do the same thing with her. Middle dd is going off this year, but an hour away. I bet we'll do the same with her. Except not see her as much. Although... We can afford season tickets to middle child's football games. Not so much with oldest.

Yeah, I don't even know where the Walmart is in DD's college town. The closest Target is on the way there, about 1/2 hour. Then you know how you hear at Bd Bath and Beyond to order on-line and have it shipped to college town? Well, that BBB is the one I shop at anyway. Her college is an hour away. With nothing except a Walgreens (or similar) that we have seen, we are loading her up with shampoo, etc. AND I told her that if she runs out of stuff, she needs to give me a week's notice to get out and buy and then mail it to her. OR drive it down depending on how the weekend looks. So not like oldest, who is at college 15 minutes away AND on the way (sort of) to work and back. "Can it wait until tomorrow sweetie?" Just looked on googlemaps. The Walmart is 10 minutes and 2 towns over.

He's better today. He would not take advil! I don't know why. I know to stay ahead of the pain, but when he won't take it... I think I'll ask him today what to get for next time. Maybe he will have better answers.

One warning against the knit sheets at Target. Oldest DD has had them for 2 years. Well, 3 semesters as she was studying abroad one of those. They have pilled terribly and the elastic is stretched out. If you will only spend 2 years in the dorms, you will be probably be fine. She is going back for Jr year in the dorm and I will be replacing sheets. These are the cheap knit (t-shirt type) XL twin at Target.

DS is of no help. Food holds no interest right now. He had to go to driver's ed this afternoon (all afternoon) and he only had applesauce for lunch. I stopped and got him a frosty from Wendy's on the way. He truly started eating it to humor me. I had offered a smoothie, but it has fruit in it. As I'm dropping him off, I asked him what he wanted me to get him soft for dinner. He doesn't know. He had an "appliance" placed today so I think we don't have to worry about rubber bands anymore. But evidently from now on going to the ortho will be worse. So what are (were) your go to foods hen braces get tightened?