FIRST COLLEGE YEAR BEHIND US

In just one week #1 will be coming home from her first year of college. It has been a short year. It was so hard to pack the cars up last August and move her into her dorm room, but somehow we all adjusted and lived through it. She has done so well her first year of school, her grades are excellent and she has had a lot of fun. 

She is a student at UNC Chapel Hill. It is a hard school to get into. I can name more people that haven't been accepted there, than those that have. It is the first choice for so many students around here, but they most often have to go to Plan B. So in January of 08, when #1 got her acceptance letter (email), there was no doubt where she was going to go to school. As parents, we were so proud. She really worked hard during high school. She received many awards her senior year and was recognized many times. The one that I was most proud of was her being named one of the "Outstanding Seniors" of her class. Her high school is one of the largest schools in the state of NC, so to be chosen by the administration of the school to be one of fifteen to receive this honor was a big deal. 

Here are some pictures of the journey this past year....

clicking "send"

the application is on its way

leaving home

Dorm Room

Before

After

Good bye  sister

Bid day

the new pledges

She was so excited about Rush Week and about becoming a part of the greek community. UNC has some of the most picture perfect sorority houses, just like the movies. They all are the big southern white houses with columns and big front porches. #1's house is so pretty inside. She doesn't live in the house this year, but she eats six meals there a week and is there for meetings. They are spoiled........ very spoiled. They have great meals there. #1 is always calling home to let us know just what Chef Mark has cooked for them that night. Who wouldn't want to be a part of this?

#1 called me the other day, she needed me. Her pledge class was in charge of hosting a dinner party for the seniors and #1 was one of the girls in charge of decorating. The theme was "Sex and the City". She needed me to come help decorate and set things up. The center pieces for the tables were a combination of  different things. They painted shoe boxes a glossy  black, stacked them up and and tied them in a big pink bows. The other tables had glossy black shopping bags stuffed with pink and silver tissue paper. They decorated the outside of the bags with designer's names and labels. Tables were finished off with rhinestones, mini martini glasses, long strands of pearls and hot pink confetti. The floor of the house was covered with black, silver and hot pink balloons. They also wrapped the columns in the house with white lights. It was cute. They did a great job and I loved being able to help out. I am so glad UNC is just 30 minutes away. 

WEEKEND IN CHARLESTON

Charleston

We had a great time in  Charleston and I survived the drive. The Man of the House minded his driving manners and didn't force me to threaten to walk all that often. We had a lot of fun with the other families from our team. The team has a 10:00 bedtime/curfew when we are at tournaments. So once we get them all settled down, all of the parents meet in the lobby and sit around and talk. I love doing that.

We got there early enough on Friday to go out and enjoy a good dinner at a local restaurant that was near our hotel. (We stayed in Mt. Pleasant, just over the bridge from downtown Charleston.) The restaurant we ate at was on the waterway and we were able to get a table outside and watch the fishing boats come in. They had the best crab dip, so fresh!!

Our girls played their hearts out. They had four games, 2 on Saturday and 2 on Sunday. 

They made it to the championship game, but lost it 2-0. It was hot and humid on Sunday and they  played a team from Savannah. It was obvious they were acclimated to the heat a little more than our team. We haven't had enough warm days to get use to playing in it yet. Anyhow, the Savannah team had tons more energy than our girls and as a result were able to get the ball in the goal. 

so glad #1 came with us!

thinking about the game

We had 3 hours in between games each day. Just enough time to go to the battery park and have lunch under the tress and let the team rest and cool off. #1 and I walked around a few blocks just looking at the beautiful houses and courtyards. The area is called Rainbow Row because of the different colors the houses are painted. I was inspired, I went straight to the nursery Monday morning and bought way too many flowers again. 

details, details, details

This is an Inn. Look at that perfect porch!!

I would love to stay here one day.

CHARLESTON

I am busy packing this morning. We are headed to beautiful Charleston, SC for the weekend.  The bad news is that I will be spending my time on the sideline of a soccer field. #3 has a tournament, and will be playing 4 games. The good news is that we are staying near the beach, in a really cute little area near downtown Charleston and the weather is going to BEAUTIFUL. I am hoping to get to at least walk on the beach and have just one good meal at one of the great restaurants there. Usually we do everything as a team and have dinner catered into the hotel we are staying. Eating Olive Garden lasagna in Charleston doesn't really go together if you ask me. 

I hate riding in the car. This is a 4+ hour drive for us and I just get so antsy. I feel like I should be doing something. I got a new DVD recorder for my birthday. One that is compatible with my Apple. So I am planning to read the manual (dictionary size) for it. The Man of the House always has to have all of the bells and whistles and I am the one that gets stuck having to learn how to use the things he buys. :)

#3 is excited because she gets to get out of school early. #1 is coming home from Chapel Hill to go with us. #2 is staying here. There are several things going on at school tonight that she doesn't want to miss. The boys lacrosse team is undefeated and is playing a rival team tonight and the baseball team is playing at home for the last time. At first we were not going to let her stay home because we felt it was really important for the family to go to #3's tournament. She is going to be a only-lonely child in just a few short months when both of her sisters go off to college. We are trying to some special things for her.  But #2 was really bummed about missing some things during her last month of school. I felt bad about that. 

Prom is next weekend and all of the girls, I am sure, are going to have to get together this weekend to discuss all of the plans. We couldn't have #2 missing out on that!!! She is going with the cutest boy. He ask her in a really great way. She works at a restaurant as a hostess and Monday when she got to work, look what was hanging in the restaurant......

How Cute Was That?

1,000 EXCUSES

I am a bad blogger.

 I fell off the blogger wagon. 

How did I let this happen?

Life

got in the way.

So exactly what have I been doing?

Spring Break

I have not decided if it is a good or bad thing, 

but #2's and #3's Spring Breaks were not the same week this year.

I had one at home the week before Easter and one home the week after. 

So I spent a lot of time spending time with my girls and just enjoyed their company.

UNC Basketball = National Champions

It was a cool thing for #1 to experience this her first year on campus. 

Can you imagine how exciting it was to be on that campus that day and night?

#1 invited #2 to visit and go with her to the different things they had going on that afternoon.

#2 took a good friend with her and they had a ball. All of the fraternities had bands playing

and big screen TVs. (Any excuse to throw a party!!) After the Tar Heels won, the town's main street was a madhouse. The bon fires became a serious problem because it has become a tradition to celebrate by jumping over them. The campus and the town of Chapel Hill are trying to come up with ways to deal with this. Luckily my girls stayed away from this area. One funny thing: #1 saw the police and firemen greasing all of the light poles on campus and on Franklin Street (before the game) so that no one would be able to climb them. She said after the game, it was the funniest thing to see people trying to climb up the poles and slide back down. They never could figure out what the problem was.

Easter

The Easter Bunny came and left my babies some goodies!

Gone are the days of Peeps and jelly beans. 

Their baskets now have DVDs, earrings, make-up and other things girls love. 

I am ordering one next year!!!

We, went to my parent's house for dinner. They live just over an hour away. 

And I should have known, the Easter Bunny left them baskets there too!!!!

Twilight

Yep, I was bitten!

I have watched my kids read and reread these books forward and backwards, nonstop for two years.

I was reading a book that I was having trouble getting into and so I picked up 

Twilight just to see...... and that darn vampire was so addicting. 

So for the past few weeks I have been reading instead of blogging. 

Sometimes the characters in the books get a little annoying. You can definitely

tell the author was writing a story aimed towards teens, but they really pull you in.

Facebook

After complaining to my kids about all of the time they spend on Facebook,

I fell into that trap too. I heard some of my friends from high school had made pages,

so I started one. Gosh, people I haven't heard from in 20 years are all of sudden

coming out of the woodwork! (Some of them should have stayed!!!!!) But how much fun is

it to turn on the computer and see someone you went to school with sending you a message?

At first, people from all areas of my life were becoming my "friend"...neighbors, Bible Study girls, high school friends, mom's of my daughters' friends, family members. That is one of my biggest complaints I have about Facebook and young people. I am not so sure that all of this merging of our lives is such a healthy thing. I have seen too much drama happen over teenagers lives being such an open book. So, I have decided to use Facebook just a way to connect with my old school friends and not have my neighbors and family members reading all about it.  

it. 

Mr. Bubbles: AKA Trouble

He is gonna get himself into some trouble one day. 

I know we are going to come home one day and find him with his head stuck in something.

#2 got some flowers from a special someone and 

Mr. Bubbles would not leave them alone. 

At night, when we are in bed we can hear him in the kitchen pushing things around. If someone has left a glass on the counter he knocks it over. We  had a Beta Fish that lived on the kitchen counter in a vase( like the one above). Bubbles would drink as much water as he could reach and then just sit with his head in the vase staring down at Rainbow Fish. 

Rainbow Fish was never eaten for dinner, but I am positive he died from stress!!

Whew!

 It is good to be back!

FRIENDS

This "Friends" tag is from The World From My Basement.

I am so late at saying thank you......THANK YOU !! I am very appreciative, no matter how late I am. The hardest part for me is assembling my list to pass these on to. I'm gonna do it, I promise!

FINALLY SEVEN THINGS

Thanks Frau!

One of my bbf  (blog best friends), Frau, passed this award on to me way too long ago and I am finally getting to it. I am suppose to be telling you seven things that I love.  I don't know why this is so hard for me to do. I think I over analyze these things. Maybe that word "Kreativ" scares me. Maybe I am just a Bitter Betty and don't really love seven things. I don't know....... 

 So I decided to ask my family to tell me some things that they know I love or make me happy. I promised to pass them on to you no matter what they were.  (yikes!!!! I am very afraid of what their answers will be.) 

From the man of the house:

#1 I love going out to eat. 

 (Yep, he is 1000% correct. I love good food, good wine, good conversation and no dishes.  Plus, I love being waited on.) 

#2 I love getting flowers. 

(????.... Well, I love flowers and seeing that he just sent me a giant arrangement for my birthday last week, I guess I should say "I Love Getting Flowers". Truth is, I love the thought and the effort that goes into the flowers that he sends. It is nice to know you were thought about whether it was a giant arrangement or a single rose.)

From Princess #2:

#3 I LUV seeing dogs with their heads hanging out of a car window.

(She knows me so well. I really do laugh every time I see a dog sticking out of a car. I make sure everyone in my car sees it too. Have you ever seen a doggie looking all sad and hanging out of a car? Nope, and that is just my point. That has to be the most freeing feeling and almost heaven like experience for a dog. Pure BLISS! Can you imagine what I use to look like with a 180 pound Saint Bernard hanging out of my car? Cleo's jawls use to flap in the wind so hard and slobber would be everywhere. Yucky BLISS!

#4 "Wake up with Taylor" on Cosmo Radio (Sirius Satellite Radio) 

(I do listen to it everyday if I am in my car when it is on. Taylor is a young girl living in New York City and living my fantasy life. She spends 4 hours a day talking about her shopping adventures, her parents, her preppy upbringing, her favorite restaurants, her dating life and so on. She makes me laugh. Gosh, to be 20 something again.....)

#5 I love looking at wedding photography and reading wedding blogs on the computer. 

(I do.  Ha Ha.)

From Princess #1

#6 I love cute shoes.

( Well yeah, I do. You can't count on having a good hair day. You can't count on feeling right in your clothes. But you sure can count on a cute pair of shoes!!)

From Princess #3

#7 I love funky earrings.

(jeans, shirt, funky earrings and cute shoes....I am ready to go out to eat!)

Honorable Mentions: the beach, Open Houses, frogs, good posture, a true southern gentlemen, grilled fish, thunder, walking outside at dusk, my house to be clean (so so true), Bible Study, crafts, scrapbooking, being outside, beach houses and nice candles