College Visit #6 - SVSU

Still a couple more visits, we took Nick the farthest north he's been into Michigan to Saginaw Valley State University. He had a free day from school since underclassmen were testing, so we used it for a campus visit. Beautiful campus on a perfect fall afternoon, their Engineering facility was a little smaller than others but sufficient, and dormitories with privacy were really the differentiator. (Of course they sell the campus with their dining options, which admittedly were impressive.) It's a smaller school of roughly 7,500 students, and a little newer, est. 1963, so nicer facilities in some respects. You can walk the entire campus from indoor walkways, which is nice in the winter. Their transfer program is more transparent, which helps with us living so close to MCCC. Ended with what felt like a hard sales push, but Nick and I feel it's worth consideration, a top-three pick so far.

We seem to be far along the application process now, having submitted applications to two schools, and already receiving an acceptance letter from WMU. We'll go into the winter still maneuvering all of the financial websites, but the picture is getting clearer, and Nick is clearly excited by the possibilities. In all, we've got lots of good options.

Also a first for both Brandi and Nick, we had lunch in Frankenmuth, to experience the famous chicken dinner. It did not disappoint. Then a nice walk outdoors for chocolate and cheese, and a long ride home.

A few pics here.

Summer 2024

I do appreciate that Nick seems unphased by peer pressure. His mother called him a loser for not going to Krepp's Apple Orchard with us, and he just shrugged it off with an 'OK' and wandered back up to his laptop. It's AI that gets him all worked up, just the mention of an AI tool and he starts cursing, which isn't good because it's going to be a part of his future, there's no avoiding it. If he can just figure out his left from his right, that will help.

We filled the summer with something nearly every weekend:
I saw some great classics at the Radwood car show at Hart Plaza one weekend with Donny, and a stop at Grandma Bob's pizza.
Railroad Camp wasn't what we expected, outdoors in the rain and the cold, so Nick cozied up with his mother at the Holiday Inn up the road. So much for roughing it.
Nick and I stopped into the Flags/Veteran's Car Show in Sylvania for a second year, and walked the show with Kim. The vehicles are getting familiar now from around the area.  Nick parked his Cavalier inside the show, next to a Boss 302. The photo is next to Kim's Hummer H1 with her and Eleannora.
We applied the blacktop sealer onto Grandpa's driveway, and got the pool covered with less than five minutes remaining in the summer (we pulled the cover and the leaves fell minutes later.)

Nick has a good parking spot in the SFS lot after doing our homework last year, he drives in about 3-4 days a week.
And I enjoyed a couple of afternoons with my office colleagues, one at Alan's house where I played in the sandbox with the kids, and the Tigers Game to watch Tarik Skubal pitch, one of the few losses for the team which ran off a 31-11 record to end the season, their best ball in a decade.

Nick and I are trying to get back into a workout routine, and started back to the YMCA at least one evening a week.  We're picking up my old routine again, although he runs while I swim.  Brandi has been walking, but pinched her shoulder or arm, and complained she now that she, 'can't pitch out of the dog pen.'

Pics here.