We made it to the long weekend and the official end of summer! As bummed as I am about my girls moving out, I do love this time of year with a little more of a schedule and structure and fun things always on the horizon to look forward to! I have so many fun ideas for fall! I’ve been in a bit of a funk lately but I can feel myself coming out of it and getting excited to decorate and work on my projects again. YEA for that. :)
Sharing a little re-cap of move in day and Ad’s dorm room! We snapped this pic above a couple of days before we took her to Texas.. last family dinner before college!
These 3. When did they grow up!?
We ended up flying with the blue bags.. we just double bagged them all to be safe and only put clothes (soft items) inside.
Move in day! Ad was so excited and her fun energy helped me feel more excited! At her dorm/college we had a check in time at 9 am and we had to be done by around 5 pm because activities start for the kids and they wanted parents to say good-bye. We knew there would be no time for last minute Target/Walmart runs to get this or that so we had to have everything ready! We made a trip to Target the night before to get some larger things we didn’t have room for on the plane and her roommate’s sweet parents let us ship some items to them because they just live an hour away from the school and were driving. That saved us!
I snapped this picture waiting in the carpool line. There were so many groups of kids out cheering as the cars pulled in! They unloaded our bags and took everything up to the room.. her bags made it to the room before we did! Quite a system.. we were impressed and it was a such a fun welcome to her new home away from home.
We met her roommate’s sweet parents and all got to work unloading clothes and opening boxes.. no time to waste! BEFORE..
{Blue Comforter Set – comes in other colors too!}
and AFTER! These cute girls picked out everything themselves and planned the whole room and they did such a good job! We didn’t finish the room before Kenny and I had to leave. The rug was backordered so her roommate’s parents brought it and the headboards and a few other things a couple of days later (seriously so grateful for them!). But we got the girls mostly set up and ready.
I heard from friends that this was the best mattress topper so we tried it and Ad is loving it even more than her bed at home.. ha.
I wish I would have taken more pics of the mess happening during set up.. stuff everywhere! We actually made the bed last so that we could set items on her bed while we were putting everything away.
I didn’t snap a pic of under her bed either! We have a dresser and a couple of these organizers underneath for clothes and extras. I also put a little rug on the floor and we pushed her drawers back against the wall so Ad is also using this spot as a quick change area too. One of the first times being so short has paid off! ;)
This cute little bed shelf is perfect to hold her phone/alarm and water at night!
We made the best use of her small closet and put shoes over the door. I forgot to get a pic of the inside of her closet but I was so grateful for the hangers I shared in this post! They were the only way to fit all of her hanging clothes.
Lunch break!
We got these cute dry erase boards for over the girls’ desks. Ad has always liked wall calendars.
{Dressers with Charging Station/Lamps}
We had these cute dressers that we planned to put in-between the two beds but because of the room layout we couldn’t put the beds side by side facing the same way so we put the dressers together between the two desks.
Snapped this before her roommate hung her calendar.. it turned out to be a cute work space for them!
{Fairy String Lights with Pictures}
Ad really wanted pictures of family and friends hanging by her bed and the command hooks were not working with me! I hung the string lights and they fell down. I hung them again and they fell again. I finally got them to stick (3rd time was a charm) so we’ll see if they last! So far Ad says we are still in business. :)
Good-byes were hard.
We each hugged her and then we all 3 just hugged and cried for a few minutes. I felt sick to my stomach walking out of that door and driving away. We had to drive to Dallas that night for an early flight home the next morning and I don’t think I stopped crying! We all 3 had a rough/sad night but the next day Ad got up and got dressed and went to every single activity and by the end of the night she had already made so many new friends.
By night 2 we were getting happy texts like this. They make me cry but happy tears! The BEST texts to get.
Also we don’t do much line dancing in San Diego.. ha.
All the FaceTime calls help so much too. Her roommate’s mom brought the headboards! :)
We flew home the next morning and had to shake off the physical/emotional exhaustion because it was time for round 2 with Ellie! She’s only 25 minutes away from us so MUCH less stressful and hard. I’m so grateful I still have her close! Snapped this pic quick loading the truck. She couldn’t leave behind these stuffed animals from friends. :)
We have been taking our time with her room. We got all of her things moved in and her bed ready quick before school started (this cute comforter set is the same set I have in my guest bedroom!). We added this bookshelf and this cute shower curtain a few days ago and are going to finish this weekend. Love that we’ll get to see El again and FaceTime Ad! It has only been one week with them both gone but wow.. I miss having them at the house. It feels so quiet! It’s definitely helping me to know that they are both off to such a great start and happy. I’m just taking things one day at a time over here. :)
There are so many good Labor Day sales going on and I’ve been working on a fun round-up post that I’ll share tomorrow! I’ll show you what I just ordered on sale too. Lots of my favorite things are marked down so we’ll talk soon. :) Thanks for all of your love and support. So many of you have reached out here or on IG with sweet encouraging messages or to say you are going through this hard stage with kids moving out too (or that you remember it well).. it means so much to me. I’m incredibly grateful to have you all in my life! Even if you’re a silent reader. We both know we’d be close friends in person. ;)
Have the best Saturday!
Hugs to you all, Erin! What a loving post. Thanks for letting us take a peek at these milestone firsts for your girls. Such an exciting time for them. You’ve given them wings to fly! What a cute dorm room once you got all done. I’m totally impressed that you were allowed to put stuff up on the walls! I think my girl could only use push pins or something like that. The closet was open, too. But she is still rooming with her roommate from freshman year, now in a townhouse with a few other girls. Success! I wish them the best for a fun, exciting and wonderful school year. Hope Kole is doing well adjusting to high school as well. Deep breath and keep moving forward. You got this! xo
Jeanne I love that your daughter is still with her roommate from freshman year! Nothing like close friends that stand the test of time. :) We couldn’t nail anything into walls but the command hooks and strips are ok (as long as they stay put.. ha!). Definitely taking deep breaths and focusing on one day at a time over here but so far everyone is off to a good start! Wishing your sweet crew the same this year! XO
I hope she has wonderful first year at Baylor! We’ll be doing this in 4 short years. Baylor University is a great school….my neighbor has family that teaches there and my cheerleading coach from college is the head coach for the acrobatics and tumbling team. I joke that that is where my youngest daughter will go because it only seems fitting since her name is Baylor. LOL. I hope all of your kiddos have a great year!
Oh love that Jennifer! Baylor is such a cute name! Would definitely be so fun if she ended up there for college! :) It makes me so happy to hear that you think it’s a great school. She is loving it so far. Thank you! xo
Addie is going to love Baylor!! We’re from Texas and my kids have several close friends who are freshmen at Baylor. (I have freshmen triplets, 2 at Texas A&M and 1 at the University of Texas.) Is she going to run the line before the football game. My daughter’s high school best friend is and she is so excited. I hope she has a great year!!
Liz she just ran the line last night and had the best time! Was sending us videos of the whole thing. :) That’s one thing we love about Baylor.. so many fun traditions! You are my hero sending triplets off to college! How are you holding up!? I love that you have them all in the same state and can see them often! I hope they have such a fun year and sending you a huge hug! XO
The pictures of you each hugging her made me choke up. I’m glad she’s adjusting quickly and making new friends. I thought Ellie was also at a far away college which you shared when she started college? I didn’t think she’s only 30 minutes away?
Thank you Debbie! I’m so happy she’s adjusting and making friends too! Ellie went to Utah to school for a year but then she switched her major and the school she was at didn’t have a program for what she wanted to do so last year she came back home and just did community college for a year at home and then applied and got in at SDSU! She’ll be there the next couple of years. :)
Erin
I know that it’s hard. Know tha5 you and your husband have done such a great job to give them wings. Enjoy this stage. It has been 19 years since my daughter graduated BU in Boston. She got married 2 years ago and I became a Noni this month. Enjoy all the stages. Life goes by toooo quickly. I miss those days
Best
Marie
Thank you so much Marie! Loved your comment. It reminded me again of how quickly it all goes by! Definitely going to try to be present and enjoy every minute. :) Huge congrats on becoming a noni! The best!! xo
Oh Erin, I can only imagine how much this pulled at your heart strings. Great job on her dorm room. Looks very nice and functional. I cried a lot when I got to the pictures of you and Kenny hugging her! I’m glad that she’s adjusting well and making new friends. My daughter decided to do online college (for now), so she’s still at home, We’re hopeful, that she will want to experience in-person college next year! Good luck to both of your girls! Sending you lots of hugs! xo
Thank you so much sweet Shari! Loved hearing from you. Ellie did a lot on-line last year too and then was ready to be in person and on campus again.. they all have their own journey. I hope your daughter has a great year! Sending a huge hug to you both! xo
I got to the pic of Ad and dad and lost it! So hard, but glad she’s settling in and making friends:)
Thank you so much Lynette! I’m so happy she’s settling in too.. she’s having the best weekend! Makes it easier on us.. at least a little. :) Thank you so much for your sweet words! xo
Erin,
That family picture is a keeper for sure! I cannot believe Kole standing next to you and being taller than you! I remember well how shortly after his birth you required scary surgery. I remember the planning of his “big boy” room in the new house and the last, “on the cusp” of pre-teen/childhood, the mini car toy with ramps and of course the pumpkin washing!
Well, this comment was supposed to be ALL about that beautiful dorm room of Ads! I just went back in time a bit with that family picture. As you would say “I’m tricky like that” ;) Anyway, I ♥ LOVE that dorm room in the blue and white! Dorm rooms are really changing! THAT is not the dorm room of my oldest nor even my youngest! It most certainly was NOT my dorm room! Maybe these dorm rooms have not fully arrived in the Northeast yet?? I bet they are happening somewhere on the East Coast though….My youngest did have a loft bed with a little built-in ladder on the side and all the stuff went under the loft bed in lockers and plastic boxes and suitcases but no way to hide it as that long bed skirt does.
What a difference! Do the girls have step stools to hop upon the beds??? You didn’t show that!
Well, the girls are off to a good start! Erin, you are now at the start of your “adult relationship” with your daughters. No longer that very pretty woman with the 2 pretty girls.
Now its 3 very pretty women. I am sure you are often mistaken for 3 sisters! Erin, you still look so fantastic!
I
Sherri! You are too kind! Thank you so much for once again brightening my day. Your trip down memory lane with Kole left me in tears! I can’t believe he is taller than me either (just shot past me this summer!). That saying about “the days are long but the years are short” is really ringing true lately. Goes by so quickly. And yes! The girls have cute ottomans for step stools! Ad’s roommate’s sweet parents brought them a couple of days later with the rug and headboards. :) I hope you are enjoying your weekend! Is it cooling off there and feeling like fall at all? You know I’m going to be living vicariously through you during this beloved season! xo
Erin, just moved my daughter in to college and don’t know how you did 2. Phew! Thinking of you as you adjust. So great that Ellie is close and you can give her a hug ❤️.
I hope she has the best year Nikki! It was definitely hard doing it all twice in a row.. we are still recovering! :) Sending a huge hug your way and thinking of you too! xo
The dorm rooms are darling. I would love to know where the blue bedding came from. I would love to purchase its for my guest room and the white pillow w/ blue polka dots. Thanks
Hi Barbara! Thank you so much! So sorry.. I forgot to add that link! I just added it in the post but I’ll link it here too. It’s so cute! :)
https://rstyle.me/+Rg3xTyeR9XFA6J3slaRc0A
Gah……I cried reading your post! I feel your pain! Can’t believe your girls are so grown up and on their own. But so happy to see that they are happy! Ran me through all the emotions of dropping my girls off at school too. Such a hard time for a parent but so rewarding to get those excited texts! Best wishes to you all :)
Oh you are the sweetest Lisa! Thank you so much. It really is such an emotional time and we still haven’t fully recovered. One minute I feel great and the next I’m tearing up in the grocery store or while I’m eating my breakfast. Definitely taking it one day at a time over here! And yes.. SO rewarding getting happy texts and seeing them doing well! I know you can relate. :) Sending a huge hug your way. I hope you are enjoying the weekend! xo
Wondering where the blue bedspread and the pillow shams can be found. Did not see a link to those.
They’re so cute!
Hi Jan! So sorry I forgot to add that! I just added it to the post but here is the link too.. it’s so cute and comes in other colors also! :)
https://rstyle.me/+Rg3xTyeR9XFA6J3slaRc0A
Wishing Ad all the best at college and for Ellie also. Kole is probably loving it, King of the Castle, I’m sure he misses his sisters.
Thank you so much Rita! Kole is definitely feeling both right now.. missing the girls but also loving all attention on him! ;)