DD going off to College, Oh My!

Do you have a child, or I guess I should say young adult, going off to college?  It is overwhelming, right?

Between housing (ouch) and tuition, that is enough to push you over, but since you have no control over those costs, nothing to do.  But then you add in all the little extra's, bedding, kitchen supplies, toiletries, cleaning supplies, food... and the list goes on and on!

Oy, I just may need a drink, as Martina McBride would say ")

Back in January I posted about how DD had already shopped and found her bedding.  Check it out Here

That was great to find.  And in November we had scored the $3 mixer, toaster and sandwich maker at Target's after Thanksgiving sale.  ( never again at 4 am!)

Now it was on to dishes, cups, toiletries, storage and the list goes on!  Just recently Target had their summer clearance on their cool summer items.  Melamine plates and glasses would be great for a dorm I figured and if you could get them at 50% off even better.  I usually am looking for the plates to add to my melamine plate collection to use for BBQ's.  Sale started when we were on vacation, but we were able to get some plates and cups along with hangers and food storage that was on sale that week.



I have a few bins in the garage that are storing this stuff until she moves in the end of August.  Still waiting to find out her roommates, so they can divy up the big items.  Don't need 4 tv;s or 4 brooms, etc.  So now I am trying to stock up on her fav toiletries.  Watching sales and using coupons really helps.  Plus watching the sales on school supplies as well.  And now Borders with there close out sale.  OY!

Anyone have great tips for stocking up on all the things for college life???

Have a great weekend,

Laura

Bodie

I'm baack!  Yes we returned from 10 days in the beautiful Eastern Sierra's in California!  Wonderful!  I will post a bunch of pics later, but first I wanted to tell you about a little town!

Bodie, is a gold mining town about 10 miles off the 395 in the Eastern Sierra's.  Gold was found there in 1859 by a man named Bodey, they changed the spelling when naming the town.  By 1879 there were 10,000 people and 65 saloons!  In 1962 it was made a state park and has been left in 'arrested decay' since then!  This means that all the buildings are locked and you can look through windows and screens to see what remains!  It is very interesting.

While DD and DH were looking at all the old buildings, I was looking at all the old artifacts!  Boy what a treasure trove!  Please excuse the pics they were taken with the lens right up against the glass.

This is the marker that talks about the founding of Bodie.  It is really a cool story!

This is the inside of the church!  Look at those 'schoolhouse' lights!  and the beadboard paneling!

This is the outside of the church.  It is so amazing that these buildings are still standing.  I guess it is because of the cold dry winters, it preserves the wood!

This was just inside a shack!  Look at those tin panels!  I know Donna at Funky Junk Interiors would have a field day with them!  There was so much cool stuff!

Most houses had 10-12 ft ceilings, and look at the awesome moldings!  Plus the old wallpaper!  Oy!

Isn't this a cool old blue stove!  I think this was a saloon at one time, but the blue stove just caught my eye!.

I believe this was a store.  Look at the tin ceiling and the 'schoolhouse' light again!  So many treasures to be found!

Look the cool insulators we all are crazy about in there original usage!  They were all over the place.

I loved how this pic turned out.  I believe that this was an old wherehouse, but I love the old iron doors!
















Here is the old mine.  During its heyday they pulled out $30 million in gold and silver!!!  Yes I said Million!

 

The operated the mine till around 1941, but it was never like it was in the 1870's.  My inlaws remember coming here before it was a state park and you could just walk through everything!  Hope you enjoyed the tour of Bodie!  Lots of cool architecture and artifacts to see!

Have a great day!

Laura

Happy 4th of July!

As we celebrate our countries birthday, I hope you take a moment and remember those that have given their lives for our freedom.  A few months ago DD and I watched as a funeral procession went by with a fallen local hero.  He was only 19, younger than DS and just a baby.  His brother was in DD's class so this sort of touched home.  We watched the fire truck with the flag hanging from the ladder, the motorcycles that escorted the family and most of all we cried, well I did!  These are just babies we are sending over to secure our freedom.  Babies.   

Have a great 4th!  We are off to the Sierra's, hopefully to catch a bunch of fish!  I will post pics later.

In memory!

Here is a pic of my grandfather, Andrew M. Strang, today July 3 would have been his 112 birthday!

He was in the navy during WWI and I just love this pic of him.  Glad DH got to know him, wished my kids would have but he passed away in 1981.

This is my Dad John T. Phillips.  He was in the Air Force in the 50's.  This is my Mom's favorite pic of him.  He passed just last year.

Love the old pics, but miss the people!  I know they are watching down on us everyday.

See you soon,

Laura

Silver Lake Resort in the Eastern Sierra's!

Yes this is one of our favorite places on earth!  We started bringing the kids up here in 1989 and DH has been coming up since he was a little tike.  Silver Lake is in the June Lake Loop which is just north of Mammoth.

With views like this how could you not be enthralled!  We come up for the fishing, but let me tell you it can be relaxing as well.  Silver Lake Resort has been around since 1916.  Here is a link to their website:  Silver
We have stayed in the cabins, rented a trailer that met us at the trailer park, camped in the campground, we have done it all!  The campground is state run, and you can camp right next to Rush Creek, which runs from Silver Lake to Grant Lake.  Great fishing is to be had there. 
Here are some pics of my kids over the years:

Last year we took my Mom up for the first time and she became a bonified, fisherwoman.  It was a lot of fun and I talked about it here.  This year it is just the 3 of us, this is the only request DD had before going off to college.  DS has to work and isn't able to come.  We leave next week and will be gone for 10 days.  I can't wait.  If you ever get the chance to visit or stay at Silver it will be a memorable time!

Toodles,

Laura

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Graduation

Well it has happened, my baby has graduated!  Last night amongst 5000 people and 800 plus graduates, yes it was crazy! 

There's my girl!  I am not going to cry!  Actually I didn't, but when I see this pic I do well up!

Here is a pic from the evening, at the end when you think the kids are going to sing the Alma Mater, they break out in a flash mob!  It was awesome.

Four years ago this was the pic I took, DS was graduating High School and DD was graduating 8th grade.

I took it between graduations.  Hers was in the morning, and his was in the evening.  Last night I took this pic, before her graduation, 4 years later.

She is off to university in the fall and he is still plugging away at his future.  I am so proud!
OK, now I am going to cry.

Have a great day.

Laura

Flags!

Have you started decorating for the 4th yet?  Since we are leaving for the Sierras on the 4th I started early!  Put up my Banner from last year and my USA from last year has been hanging all year!  Here is a close up of that:

So when I saw Melody over at Craft Butt, don't you just love that name!, had done a cool flag, see here I was inspired to do the same!  I have a wonderful neighbor George who is a cabinet builder.  He is in his 70's and is always out working on something.  The neighbors call him 'The Mayor' cause he knows everyone!  Well I went over and asked if he had a few pieces of scrap wood.  Told him I would make him a flag too!  First I did like Melody and whitewashed the wood.  Then I measured out my stripes, yes they are wider in places, do you know what .82 is? and taped off to spray paint red.

Then the hunt for star stickers!  Geesh no one had them finally found some at Staples that were perfect, 180 for $2.49.  That is all I spent on these as I had the rest of the goodies.  Once I got my 50 stars down I got out my blue paint. and painted.  Sadly one of my stars didn't make it so I improvised and added one on the side.

See it on the left?  This is after peeling off the stars with a small paring knife and then distressing and staining.  I then gave them a quick coat of spray on poly, probably could use another coat, but I was so excited to get it up!  And here she is :

Don't you just love it!  Here is a shot from further away.

And a shot of the whole yard.

Our house is one of the ones you see as you drive into the housing tract!  I am hoping George will hang his on his gate to the right.  Now I wonder if he has more scraps of wood???

Toodles,

Laura

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