Looking for some new tunes to put you in a relaxing vacation mood? Look no further.
Here’s my list of music that soothes my soul. Any one of these songs instantly puts me in vacation mode and melts the stress away. I can almost smell the ocean breeze and feel the gentle ocean lapping at my feet. The only thing missing is a fruity drink. And perhaps, a handsome cabana boy (for the single gals, of course). It’s also what I listen to on my iPod during airplane turbulence when Xanax alone won’t do. They’re kind of sexy too. So share the love. P.S. Don’t forget the sunscreen.
Creation – Soul Food
La Belle Dame Sans Regrets – Chris Botti
The Look of Love – Diana Krall
Sinzing Sunset Boulevard – Moodorama
Unity – Marc Antoine
Surrender 2 Love – Ottmar Liebert
Stockholm – Avenue Blue
El Matador – Marc Antoine
Deep Skies – Kai/Ibiza Sunset/Frank Zandler
Ines – Kai/Ibiza Sunset/Frank Zandler
What are your favorite soul soothing songs?
Who's your (shower) caddy?
By now you’ve probably bought most, if not all, of the items you think your child (young adult) will need for his/her dorm room. I, on the other hand, have purchased almost nothing. (That’s going to change as soon as I finish this post. Promise!) Yes, I’m completely in denial that my baby girl (I know she’s 18!) is going off to college next month. Lalalalala. Denial.
We have the plane tickets for move-in day, but as we get closer, less and less is being said by everyone. That would make it too real. But, I am starting to get excited about the shopping part. Mini-Me and I have been talking about decorating her dorm room for years! (It’s a girl thing.) Lately, I can’t help myself when I see something cute that I think she’d like, a neon green scissor, a furry purple pillow, I have to buy it. I just can’t bring myself to do the bedding. Hard to imagine her sweet head resting on any pillow other than the one at home.
Shop Till You Drop
It’s my second time around and I thought it would be easier. It’s not. However, I have learned a few things along the way that I’ll share with you. If you’re in denial like me, or just really busy and haven’t purchased anything either, you’ll want to visit Bed, Bath & Beyond which has a detailed list of what your student will need. They even have a college finder that will provide you with an actual list of items for your particular school. So I hope you’ve been saving up those BBB coupons that come in the mail like I have!
Once you’ve scratched linens and towels off your list head on over to The Container Store for colorful, stylish bath and desk accessories, storage units and space saving closet ideas. You can view a sampling of color-coordinated dorm rooms online and there’s even a Gift Registry for the graduate. Keep in mind most dorm closets are small so you might want to consider buying plastic storage bins or drawers for under the bed to keep extra linens, sweaters, etc. FYI, Pottery Barn Dorm also has cute bedding and accessories that are pretty reasonable too.
Packing Tip: When shipping the drawers, fill them with the items you want stored so all you have to do is unpack and slip them under the bed. Also, I wash the sheets and towels before I pack, so it’s one less thing to do on move in day.
Reading Material
There are also some great books that College Boy’s high school college counselor recommended for us (me) when he was leaving the nest. I was having a hard time letting go. Maybe you are too. You might want to check them out too (all are on Amazon).
For Parents:
Letting Go: A Parent’s Guide to Understanding the College Years by Karen Levin Coburn and Madge Lawrence Treeger
When Your Kid Goes to College: A Parent’s Survival Guide by Carol Barkin
For Students:
How To Survive Your Freshman Year (Hundreds of Heads Survival Guides)
The Naked Roommate: And 107 Other Issues You Might Run Into in College by Harlan Cohen
U Chic: The College Girl’s Guide to Everything by Christie Garton
And my personal favorite for Parents of Teens:
Get Out of My Life, but First Could You Drive Me & Cheryl to the Mall: A Parent’s Guide to the New Teenager by Anthony E. Wolf
Happy reading and shopping. Hope you have an easy and painless move in!
I’d love to hear from you. Do you have any college tips or stories you’d like to share?
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The days are warm, long and sultry, and my schedule is definitely looser, but that doesn’t mean life is without stress. For the first time in two years, both kids are living at home for the summer and while there are sweet moments of bliss having all the beds filled, it isn’t without turmoil and large food bills. Add the anxiety and excitement of Mini-Me leaving for college in just a few short weeks, then top it off with the realization of our impending empty nest. Oy.
Mother hen with an empty nest?! Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. All the empty nesters I’ve spoken to have told me with a gleam in their eyes only seen in honeymooners and Mega Millions Lotto winners, tales of happy wondrous lives and freedom unthinkable in decades once the birds have left the nest. (Imagine a horde of adults running aimlessly with their arms high in the air shrieking with delight “I’m free, I’m free!”)
Frankly, after months of crying and bouts of denial, I’m now feeling a little giddy. My preoccupation with helping Mini-Me feather her new nest (a totally different experience this time around, because boys, God bless them, don’t care!) is taking my mind off the end of August when I have to move her into her dorm and say goodbye. A week later College Boy moves back to school to begin his senior year.
I know it will be tough. I have absolutely no clue what this new life will be like or how I will feel. The uncertainty used to terrify me a little, but the train is on the track and there’s no way to stop it, and I don’t want to, so I’m jumping on for the ride and bringing a bottle of champagne with me. Kleenex, too.
Do you have an empty nester story you’d like to share? Misery Bliss loves company.
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Looking for some new tunes to put you in a relaxing vacation mood? Look no further.
