Summer Vacation....

.....comes to an end.

While I come to terms with the end of the summer, Chase, in our typical Griswald fashion, is loading the U-Haul, and preparing to drive back across the desert to home.  In the center of the country.  Gosh, I hope it goes well.

He will be leaving the lush tropical settings of the oceanside community that he has called home for the last three months.  And he will be heading straight back into the stark reality of Oklahoma, where it is about 100 degrees EVERY DAY.  And as a bonus, he will - after only a few days - return to school, where the humidity is 100 percent, most of the time.  Poor guy.  The acclimating will be hard. 

He will have to say goodbye to things like this --

And say hello to scenes like this --

 And this --

 And even this --

And get ready to go back and spend lots of hours here --

I think he is secretly looking forward to it.  Deep down, I think he has learned a lot of cool things that he is going to be able to pull out of his hat when necessary.

Don't Wanna Do It

The time is coming.  It is coming fast.  I don't want to have to say goodbye to the kids for the school year, but ready or not, here it comes.

Chase has been gone the entire summer, so he is just changing locations....

But Gant has been in and out and stayed with us multiple times during the summer, so it is like he has been here.  He is 20, and he is our baby.

This is the same picture I posted a few days ago, but you need to know about this guy.

He is very serious.  He is soft spoken.  He loves to dance.  (okay, maybe I made up the dance part.)

But he is studious, and focused on getting through school.  Can't you see it in his eyes?

Man, I hate the end of summer.......  I just don't wanna say goodbye!

Believe it or not --

I happen to have more photos of the University that might be helpful for Bon as she becomes more familiar with E's new surroundings.

Like, for instance, this could be the view from his dorm room....  it really could!

And here is our basketball coach, his name is Travis Ford.  We think we like him.  We don't agree with all of his antics, but to my knowledge, no chairs have flown. 

And the lesson here, is that you want to be sitting behind this particular goal at the end of the game, because, win or lose, the players come back and jump into the stands with the students, and they all join in singing (and they put arms on shoulders of the strangers and friends all around them) the Alma Mater, which luckily -- E learned at Camp Cowboy.  So he is good to go!

So that is what is going on in that picture.  There are at least 3 players in this picture.  The kids love this!

And then you know, we will always be there for you!  This is only part of our Stillwater contingent.  We have many others and you know many yourself!  I think it is going to be a great fit, E!

Bring your orange!!!  You are going to need it!

A few more local landmarks....

Still sharing compassion and concern for my friend who is going to soon send her firstborn off to the university.  I figured I could at least help her become familiar with some of the local landmarks.

Okay, Bon, Eskimo Joe's -- don't miss the cheese fries.  And remember, potatoes are a vegetable.

The World Headquarters..... celebrating their 35th Anniversary next week, while we go on that trip to distract you.

And this is Hall of Fame...  it is the street right in front of your boy's dorm!  Definitely the place to be on game day!!!!

The Barn is on the strip.  Seriously, they have the best cokes.  Just sayin.

I'm here for ya!

No way!

 
Today I was at Wal-Mart, which for some reason, has changed its name to Walmart, but anyway, I saw something so hideous, it had to be reported.  I knew they would do this early.  It seems earlier every year.  And technically, I saw it two days ago, but I had something more important to talk about two days ago, so I am telling you about it today.

SCHOOL SUPPLIES WERE OUT!  Not kidding.  July 1st.  Really.

I know we seem to start school early, but who the heck WANTS to buy their school supplies on July 1st?  Seriously!  Tell me!  This makes not one iota of sense.

No one was touching them.  Not one packet of paper had been lifted from the display.  Not one notebook had been removed from the shelf.  Not one pencil box had been taken from the end cap.  No one was falling for this early school supply marketing ploy.  We Walmart shoppers are wise.

If you are at Walmart, it is most likely NOT your first rodeo.  You've been there before.  You know the ropes.  You know how the self-checkout lane works.

And, if you are like me, you may have left an entire cart full of stuff right there by the check out lane once because you were irritated with the lack of check out line availability.  Just sayin'.

It is simply too dang early to have school supplies out on the shelves.  I mean honestly.  If there are actually people who want to buy their school supplies in June or July, they can go to an office supply store or something like that.  Just a suggestion.