Recently a friend of mine dropped her daughter at college for the first time. She shared that she left her daughter with 17 envelopes. She went on to explain that they were “open when” envelopes. For example, “Open when you don’t want cafeteria food” and inside would be a gift card to Door Dash, or… The post 16 ‘Open When’ Letters to My Adult Children appeared first on Grown and Flown ..read more

It doesn’t matter when I arrive. It doesn’t matter if we are great friends and spent Saturday night laughing for hours together, or if I have only said hello to you a few times. It doesn’t bother me if the sideline is full, packed at the best viewing spot mid-field, or the stands are filling… The post I Love the Other Parents on the Team But at Every Game I Sit Alone appeared first on Grown and Flown ..read more

This summer will be the second time I have gotten a teen off to college. I am determined to make it different. Two years ago, my daughter spent the summer (and endless Amazon orders) prepping for her first dorm room experience. She needed everything. She made a list. She watched YouTube videos that walked students… The post My Son is Going to College, This Will NOT be a Summer of Buying and Packing appeared first on Grown and Flown ..read more

Recently, I attended Mom’s Weekend hosted by my son’s fraternity. In case you aren’t familiar with the concept, Mom’s Weekend is when a bunch of boys, ages 18-22, plan(ish) and organize (sort of) a weekend of mother/son events that include eating, drinking, socializing, and (conveniently) even shopping for frat apparel. Some thoughts I had during Mom’s… The post Mom’s Weekend at College: There Really is Something About Boys and Their Mamas appeared first on Grown and Flown ..read more

It’s a whole new ballgame when you move back in with your parents at age 55. It’s temporary, yes. I am not going through a divorce; rather, my husband and I decided to relocate back to our home state after living out of state for a few years. Because of the timing, we weren’t able… The post At 55 I Moved in With My Parents and I Learned How Important it is to Say Yes appeared first on Grown and Flown ..read more

“Mom, I got asked to be someone’s roommate!” My soon-to-be-college-freshman daughter’s voice beamed. It was as if I’d been catapulted ten years into the future and she’d just received a marriage proposal. I reined in my excitement, nodding rather than speaking, while reminding myself that this was just college. “She loves blue, like me,” my daughter… The post Will You Be My College Roommate? The Age of the ‘Dormposal’ appeared first on Grown and Flown ..read more

I’m waiting for the pocket square holder to be delivered. Two days ago, I had no idea what a pocket square holder was, and now Amazon is telling me that the package containing it will be delayed. Junior prom is this Friday and there’s no time for delays so I ordered another one, with the… The post The One Item for Prom You Didn’t Know Your Son Needed appeared first on Grown and Flown ..read more

One year when my kids were little, my son asked me to drive him to the store a day before Mother’s Day. He brought his velcro SpongeBob wallet and wanted to get me a gift. I was touched.  We both loved Reese’s peanut butter cups, and I watched as he carefully counted out his money… The post Why I Don’t Wait for My Kids to Call Me on Mother’s Day appeared first on Grown and Flown ..read more

A perfect afternoon to me at 56 is sitting in my backyard with a good book, listening to the windchimes and watching the birds. I’m not expecting anyone to drive up from school or ask what’s for dinner. And dinner can be a bag of popcorn or three frozen eggrolls I pop into the microwave… The post Six Ways My World Relaxed When I Became An Empty Nester appeared first on Grown and Flown ..read more

I vividly remember standing in my kitchen, making lunch for my young children, and realizing I was singing Victor Vito as I stirred the pasta sauce. It struck me at that moment. I’m the mama. I’m THE mama! How can that be? How did I get here?   My children were probably around one and three… The post 9 Essential Truths About Being a Grandmother That I Learned from My Own Mom appeared first on Grown and Flown ..read more