Thanks Miss Mary.
I've brought Granny's afgan and I'll put on a pot of Earl Grey. I know how traumatic that empty nest thing is. Big ((HUGS)) for you.
David, here are some chocolate covered KK's!!!
"Sittin' round the Pot Belly Stove!"
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Dionne
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Re: "Sittin' round the Pot Belly Stove!"
Good morning Miss Mary,
I noticed your empty nester comment. I can certainly relate. Our daughter went away to college in '02. Which wasn't so bad as we would get to see her at least once a month. Then she did a semester in Sochi, Russia as an exchange student. That really threw us for a loop. She now lives in Memphis.....5 hours away.
We have yet to change her bedroom. It's still exactly like she left it!!
I noticed your empty nester comment. I can certainly relate. Our daughter went away to college in '02. Which wasn't so bad as we would get to see her at least once a month. Then she did a semester in Sochi, Russia as an exchange student. That really threw us for a loop. She now lives in Memphis.....5 hours away.
We have yet to change her bedroom. It's still exactly like she left it!!
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Miss Mary
Aww, thanks you two - Karan, I knew you'd understand. You seem to be about 5 to 10 years ahead of me in terms of where our daughters are in life. I can catch a glimpse of what's ahead by your wonderful stories. Dionne, thanks for your kind words as well. I can understand why are you keeping your daughter's room as she left it. Sometimes I just go in my daughters' rooms and sit on their beds. Or the dog comes in with me and she rolls around all over their beds. To smell their scent again. All I know is I could never turn their rooms into anything else! Even if they eventually move out into their own permanent homes. By then we will likely be ready to downsize. But I will always want a guest room, with each of my daughters in mind. Perhaps now, I should be saving certain reminders of theirs for this guest room? That's years away though. One of my coworkers said - be glad your husband isn't moving you to Florida! LOL So true, so true. My mom has a close friend who did that, out of respect for her husband but each time she leaves Cincinnati, she wants to spend more time with her grown children and their families. Not less. My husband seems to understand this - thank goodness. And as I remind my girls - he is nowhere near ready to retire. LOL So whew there......at least my girls have a place to visit for the weekend if they want to. Both said they are coming home for weekend visits soon. And we plan to visit each on their campuses too, over the next several months.
All in all, I think I'll do okay with this. But what hurts the most is I have had the best job in the entire world - being a mom. And on top of that, I was a stay at home mom. Oh how I loved it when they were little and around me all day long. Sure I wanted breaks every now and then, when I had little hands in mine or they were plastered to my legs, or I heard all day long - MOM, MOM, etc. - but if I could travel back in time and revisit one of those days? I would, in a heartbeat. Older parents we knew said to cherish their childhood days, because they go by so fast. At the time I wanted a NAP in the worst way. LOL And couldn't imagine they would go by so fast......until they did.
But time does march on and you can't do a darn thing about it!
So time to embrace my empty nester phase and find out who the heck this Miss Mary person is again. LOL I could take up a new craft. Or de-clutter my house finally....he he Been saying that, for years.
Next!
All in all, I think I'll do okay with this. But what hurts the most is I have had the best job in the entire world - being a mom. And on top of that, I was a stay at home mom. Oh how I loved it when they were little and around me all day long. Sure I wanted breaks every now and then, when I had little hands in mine or they were plastered to my legs, or I heard all day long - MOM, MOM, etc. - but if I could travel back in time and revisit one of those days? I would, in a heartbeat. Older parents we knew said to cherish their childhood days, because they go by so fast. At the time I wanted a NAP in the worst way. LOL And couldn't imagine they would go by so fast......until they did.
But time does march on and you can't do a darn thing about it!
So time to embrace my empty nester phase and find out who the heck this Miss Mary person is again. LOL I could take up a new craft. Or de-clutter my house finally....he he Been saying that, for years.
Next!
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Mary, you're so sweet. My daughter's were graduated from college in 1989 and 1990. Tracy is 42 and Tish is 40!!!!! I'm wayyyyy ahead of you. Now I'm glad I have extra rooms in my home when my kids come home with their kids!!LOL My oldest grandchild is 10 and both my daughters live 4 and 6 hours from me. After college they took off in their careers and didn't work close to home.
This is a good time to get in to MARY. It's a challenging time but I know you're going to find something new and exciting that will take your mind off of the empty nest.
This is a good time to get in to MARY. It's a challenging time but I know you're going to find something new and exciting that will take your mind off of the empty nest.
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Miss Mary
Wow, I was way the heck off! But I will find hobbies to keep myself busy. One craft I wouldn't mind learning is quilting, by sewing machine, not by hand. I see these beautiful quilts and think - now with a little math, sharp scissors and a good sewing machine, I could do that! Might need a class or two to get started.......but that is one craft I've always put off learning how to do.
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weathermom
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Re: "Sittin' round the Pot Belly Stove!"
Miss Mary, thanks a lot! You've got me sitting here in tears......
My oldest daughter is a junior this year and we are just getting started on that adventure of getting her into college. I am dreading it. I just can't imagine what it will be like to have them all moved out. After devoting so many years of my life to raising them, what next? Like you, I am a stay at home mom and yes, I realize if I have done my job right they will move out and on, as it should be. But boy am I not ready for that! As a kid, all I pictured for myself was to be a mom. I keep telling myself that everyone else gets through it, it can't be so bad.....
I guess I need to start finding the new "me" before they actually all leave, so I don't feel quite so lost when they go.
My oldest daughter is a junior this year and we are just getting started on that adventure of getting her into college. I am dreading it. I just can't imagine what it will be like to have them all moved out. After devoting so many years of my life to raising them, what next? Like you, I am a stay at home mom and yes, I realize if I have done my job right they will move out and on, as it should be. But boy am I not ready for that! As a kid, all I pictured for myself was to be a mom. I keep telling myself that everyone else gets through it, it can't be so bad.....
I guess I need to start finding the new "me" before they actually all leave, so I don't feel quite so lost when they go.
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weathermom, I've told this story many times but it's worth another "tell".
When my oldest daughter went to college, her sister and I drove her there, got her settled in and were driving home. My youngest daughter had to drive because I was crying so hard. She looked over at me with my piles of wet kleenex on my lap and said. "Mom, I'll be going to college in 2 years. Who will be there to drive you home? Maybe we should think about busing you home!!!"
When my oldest daughter went to college, her sister and I drove her there, got her settled in and were driving home. My youngest daughter had to drive because I was crying so hard. She looked over at me with my piles of wet kleenex on my lap and said. "Mom, I'll be going to college in 2 years. Who will be there to drive you home? Maybe we should think about busing you home!!!"
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vbhoutex
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Re: "Sittin' round the Pot Belly Stove!"
AW, Karan you do know how to reel me in!!!! Thanks!!
I guess I am the "tween" in this group. We have gone through the empty nester stage already and are now preparing one of the bedrooms for when our first grandchild visits. She is expected within a month even though she is supposed to arrive March 2ne.
We are very fortunate that both of our children and their spouses do live here in Houston. That is how our family on my wifes side has been for 35+ years. All of our nieces and nephews and their children live here and all of our kids grew up together and went to school together. We were just looking at pics the other day when getting ready for our daughters first baby shower and they were pics of our son and nephew together in pre-school!! Both are now 26(birthday one month apart), married and our nephew and his wife are expecting thier 2nd child in July. Ah, the memories-we never lose them-but we must move on from those times and build on them for the future.
Mary, thanks for reviving this thread.
I guess I am the "tween" in this group. We have gone through the empty nester stage already and are now preparing one of the bedrooms for when our first grandchild visits. She is expected within a month even though she is supposed to arrive March 2ne.
We are very fortunate that both of our children and their spouses do live here in Houston. That is how our family on my wifes side has been for 35+ years. All of our nieces and nephews and their children live here and all of our kids grew up together and went to school together. We were just looking at pics the other day when getting ready for our daughters first baby shower and they were pics of our son and nephew together in pre-school!! Both are now 26(birthday one month apart), married and our nephew and his wife are expecting thier 2nd child in July. Ah, the memories-we never lose them-but we must move on from those times and build on them for the future.
Mary, thanks for reviving this thread.
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CajunMama
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I'll be a full emptynester soon, i think.
My son moved out Feb. 2003 during his second semester of college. He lives here in lafayette. He's since graduated and has been working at a cpa firm the last 2 years.He's always been so self sufficient.
My daughter is still living at home and will be graduating in May from UL. She's been wanting to move out for a good while but my rule is if you move out you have to pay your own rent, you've got a free place to stay at home. Your choice. She is the biggest procrastinator and laziest person that i can think of. Don't get me wrong, i love her dearly but she drives me nuts. I don't go in her room and i don't wash her clothes. But her daddy will do her clothes. She's student teaching this semester and has yet to find a part time job. She has to pay for her own gas. Guess she'll be bumming rides or walking soon. And she owes me $$ for the difference in her auto insurance after her 2 wrecks that were her fault. I keep trying to make her responsible for herself but i just don't think it's happening. Like i said before i love her dearly but at times i'm so ready for her to move out.
My son moved out Feb. 2003 during his second semester of college. He lives here in lafayette. He's since graduated and has been working at a cpa firm the last 2 years.He's always been so self sufficient.
My daughter is still living at home and will be graduating in May from UL. She's been wanting to move out for a good while but my rule is if you move out you have to pay your own rent, you've got a free place to stay at home. Your choice. She is the biggest procrastinator and laziest person that i can think of. Don't get me wrong, i love her dearly but she drives me nuts. I don't go in her room and i don't wash her clothes. But her daddy will do her clothes. She's student teaching this semester and has yet to find a part time job. She has to pay for her own gas. Guess she'll be bumming rides or walking soon. And she owes me $$ for the difference in her auto insurance after her 2 wrecks that were her fault. I keep trying to make her responsible for herself but i just don't think it's happening. Like i said before i love her dearly but at times i'm so ready for her to move out.
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Miss Mary
weathermom - now you have me saying aww......my daughters' Junior years of HS were a blur of prep classes for ACT/SAT, then the actual test, then retakes if necessary, looking at so many colleges on any break that was coming up. I really got into that phase and had fun touring new colleges, dorm rooms, etc. I didn't go to college right out of high school (got married a year and half later, what in the world was I thinking? That marriage ended 8 years later.....very happily remarried though!). I did go to college for a few years after I turned 30 but by then I had a wonderful husband and a baby on the way. Still no degree but I don't mind focusing on my daughters for now. The hours and days we spent traveling to schools.....so many that we got very organized for our youngest daughter, she kept a spiral notebook and folder for handouts, notes she would write down while we were still in the car. If I had to give you any advice, it would be that - take lots of notes. Because if you were like us - we toured 3 schools over 1 spring break week - they are a blur after a while. She took notes on all sorts of things - dorm rooms (newer, older, amenities), food service, whether it was a suitcase college or not, large, small campus, walkable or not. Of course we paid attention to how expensive they were.....LOL But both my girls wanted that "right" fit. Happily both have found their fit. Their schools. Sometimes students transfer, nothing wrong with that. Both have made friends with students that have done just that. After a semester or two, they realized that particular school wasn't for them. But by their senior year of HS, they pretty much knew where they wanted to go. By then the testing was over and documented. Sent off to the school they were applying to.
Funny story though, when my oldest was applying at colleges, she woke me up one night at 2 am, asking for my credit card #. These words woke her dad up..."why do you need our credit card #?" LOL "So I can apply at colleges, I'm applying at 4!" I sat up and said - "wait a minute, that's $200"! She said, no a few were $35, not $50. Big diff. I said - I round up. Another tip, anything related to the pre-college or college phase - round up! It's always more expensive than you think it will be.
But don't let my words scare you.......college is worth it. Even though it's a huge chunk of change isn't it? LOL
David - your large extended family sounds like something out a movie or TV show. I would say enjoy these years but I know full and well you are making the most of them!
Kathy - oh do I ever hear you. My youngest is a little like your daughter, she isn't as self sufficient as her sister is either. She's getting there though. I call them baby steps. I do have to wonder though, when my girls are graduated and working full time, I won't know what to do with our "extra" money. One of them chipped a tooth and needed a root canal. $900! Her dad reminded her - in two years you would be paying for this bill, yourself or your employer would.......sure, as if people get dental ins. all the time. LOL She looked at me so shocked. I said under my breath later, don't worry, we'd help you out with an unexpected large bill like that. At least I hope her dad would! They know mom's a sucker for extra help......I just don't want to be paying their normal, monthly bills forever though.......so good luck with her Kathy.....I think you're gonna need it.
Funny story though, when my oldest was applying at colleges, she woke me up one night at 2 am, asking for my credit card #. These words woke her dad up..."why do you need our credit card #?" LOL "So I can apply at colleges, I'm applying at 4!" I sat up and said - "wait a minute, that's $200"! She said, no a few were $35, not $50. Big diff. I said - I round up. Another tip, anything related to the pre-college or college phase - round up! It's always more expensive than you think it will be.
But don't let my words scare you.......college is worth it. Even though it's a huge chunk of change isn't it? LOL
David - your large extended family sounds like something out a movie or TV show. I would say enjoy these years but I know full and well you are making the most of them!
Kathy - oh do I ever hear you. My youngest is a little like your daughter, she isn't as self sufficient as her sister is either. She's getting there though. I call them baby steps. I do have to wonder though, when my girls are graduated and working full time, I won't know what to do with our "extra" money. One of them chipped a tooth and needed a root canal. $900! Her dad reminded her - in two years you would be paying for this bill, yourself or your employer would.......sure, as if people get dental ins. all the time. LOL She looked at me so shocked. I said under my breath later, don't worry, we'd help you out with an unexpected large bill like that. At least I hope her dad would! They know mom's a sucker for extra help......I just don't want to be paying their normal, monthly bills forever though.......so good luck with her Kathy.....I think you're gonna need it.
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Miss Mary
Re: "Sittin' round the Pot Belly Stove!"
Hey all.......major winter storm brewing for the Ohio Valley!!! Woohoo!
We have one daughter south, her campus/city has an Ice Storm Warning. The other is east, she has a Winter Storm Watch (as Cincinnati does as well).
All 4 of us will be impacted by this event.
The school dist. I work for is starting the day with a 1 hour delay, since we had light snow overnight.
This is going to be a fun week at work (we get so excited if we may be off work, well doh!)! LOL I am expecting to be off work tomorrow and possibly even Wednesday. Let the SNOW DAYS begin!
Just had to share.....
We have one daughter south, her campus/city has an Ice Storm Warning. The other is east, she has a Winter Storm Watch (as Cincinnati does as well).
All 4 of us will be impacted by this event.
The school dist. I work for is starting the day with a 1 hour delay, since we had light snow overnight.
This is going to be a fun week at work (we get so excited if we may be off work, well doh!)! LOL I am expecting to be off work tomorrow and possibly even Wednesday. Let the SNOW DAYS begin!
Just had to share.....
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Start you a pot of veggie soup for that cold weather.-
Miss Mary
Thanks for the tea, rocker and afghan! Storm upgraded to Winter Storm Warning but I don't need to tell you all that - you're no doubt following this major weather event. Hey, has anyone been watching TWC tonight? Did Stephanie Abrams drink an entire pot of coffee or what? LOL She is so wired and excited, I want to tell her, take a deep breath Steph, it will be okay (we all hope). And God love him, Cantore's in Paducah, KY near the lake we've had our family reunions at all these years. Right along the Ohio River. We all know that city is going to be slammed now! The Cantore Curse!!!
I'm all set now.....cars gassed, groceries stocked up, daughters nonchalant about the storm....well, one is. She's taking it all in stride. The other just wants classes canceled but they never cancel she says....because students walk to school. Oh well......one hopefully prepared, one prepared but will be disappointed if classes are on tomorrow as usual.
Being snowbound as an empty nester does have its benefits! he he
I'm all set now.....cars gassed, groceries stocked up, daughters nonchalant about the storm....well, one is. She's taking it all in stride. The other just wants classes canceled but they never cancel she says....because students walk to school. Oh well......one hopefully prepared, one prepared but will be disappointed if classes are on tomorrow as usual.
Being snowbound as an empty nester does have its benefits! he he
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vbhoutex
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Re: "Sittin' round the Pot Belly Stove!"
Whadda ya mean by that last statement Mary? 
Everyone in the storm areas please be safe. It is getting nastier and nastier as I watch it unfold.
I've looked high and low for veggie soup, but I think someone ate the whole pot!
Oh, well I'll just have to make do with one of the stale chocolate KK's.
Certainly don't need the afghan tonight here, but I'll probably be stopping by and looking for it tomorrow or Wednesday.
BTW, has anyone seen crouton lately?
Everyone in the storm areas please be safe. It is getting nastier and nastier as I watch it unfold.
I've looked high and low for veggie soup, but I think someone ate the whole pot!
Oh, well I'll just have to make do with one of the stale chocolate KK's.
Certainly don't need the afghan tonight here, but I'll probably be stopping by and looking for it tomorrow or Wednesday.
BTW, has anyone seen crouton lately?
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Miss Mary
LOL!!! Well, this is a clean, family run message board......and BTW, hubby's already gone to work! LOL What I mainly meant was I won't have anyone home who gets bored and wants to go anywhere! My gosh I could clean, bake, nap, watch CHICK FLICK movies!!!! Possibilities are endless.....except the dog has tons of energy (she loves it when it snows), so she definitely needs a walk.
But to give you an update - I'm off work today and if wx forecasts pan out, I'll be off tomorrow too!
But to give you an update - I'm off work today and if wx forecasts pan out, I'll be off tomorrow too!
Last edited by Miss Mary on Tue Jan 27, 2009 9:22 am, edited 1 time in total.
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I think that storm might be heading my way.
South of the Burgh got hit with a little snow this morning. I live north of Pittsburgh and usually get it.
I love to stay home and "putter". Usually I cook and clean. The neighbors love it when I have a snow day. LOL
David, fresh KK's on the coffee table.
South of the Burgh got hit with a little snow this morning. I live north of Pittsburgh and usually get it.
I love to stay home and "putter". Usually I cook and clean. The neighbors love it when I have a snow day. LOL
David, fresh KK's on the coffee table.
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vbhoutex
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Re: "Sittin' round the Pot Belly Stove!"
Yum!!! Thanks Karan!
Mary, I just wanted to make sure what you were thinking!!hehehe Good answer!!
Yep this winter storm is winding up big time and could end up even affecting portions of SE TX just to my north. Karan you do need to be on the watch for this one too. It just seems to keep getting stronger and stronger. It could get all the way to the North side of Pburg too. We have a lot of members that need to be watching and/or are already being affected big time by this one. All please stay safe.
Mary, I just wanted to make sure what you were thinking!!hehehe Good answer!!
Yep this winter storm is winding up big time and could end up even affecting portions of SE TX just to my north. Karan you do need to be on the watch for this one too. It just seems to keep getting stronger and stronger. It could get all the way to the North side of Pburg too. We have a lot of members that need to be watching and/or are already being affected big time by this one. All please stay safe.
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Miss Mary
Re: "Sittin' round the Pot Belly Stove!"
Another snowday tomorrow! Got the automated phone call just after 9. I wonder if our district wants to alert parents before potential power outages? We're experiencing freezing rain right now, my street looks like a sheet of ice. Very treacherous. Even though I would love a great night's sleep, when is something like this going to happen again? So my plan is to make a cup of strong tea, curl up on the couch and watch the 10 and 11 pm local newscasts. They'll cover it completely (people tend to freak out here if it snows a few inches, this weather event is THE story of the day!).....
Night all......I think we'll retain power but it could go out. Stay safe everyone caught in the path of this storm. Heard parts of Kentucky have been declared states of emergency.
Night all......I think we'll retain power but it could go out. Stay safe everyone caught in the path of this storm. Heard parts of Kentucky have been declared states of emergency.
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