Our first heavy snow storm 12-19-08 "White Christmas"

WHITE CHRISTMAS Tree covered branches in our yard. BEAUTIFUL !

But will it last for Christmas?

On Friday, December 19th,2008 we got our first heavy snowstorm. It was so beautiful with its pristine fresh pure whiteness and the tree covered branches. It started about 2:30pm and it came down thick and fast and furiously; in no time the roads became hazardous to drive because of poor visibility.

We were in Warwick shopping when we decided we better head home, what normally would take 20 minutes took us 50 minutes. By Saturday, with the continued snow the compilation for northern Rhode Island and Lincoln where we live was approx 12 -15 inches deep.

My husband tried to get the snowblower to start but as you can imagine it did not run and we needed to shovel to get out. The main roads were decent but not clear to the asphalt.

" We thought this would last and we would have a White Christmas" Unfortunataely this major storm a week before Christmas did not last.The temperature rose to high 50's and 60 degrees and it rained and washed all the snow away. That right! The snow was washed away and on Christmas eve and Christmas 2008 There was no snow.

Christmas Edition of Getting to Know You

Welcome to the Christmas edition of getting to know your blogging friends.


Copy this blog post and then post it on your blog with the changes in answers so that they apply to you......HAPPY HOLIDAYS
Thanks Kelly, this was fun!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? wrapping paper

2. Real tree or Artificial? artifical pre-lighted 7ft blue spruce

3. When do you put up the tree? Usually middle of December

4. When do you take the tree down? Until January 6th, Epiphany-Little Christmas and my paternal grandfather's Voo-Voo's birthday

5. Do you like eggnog? only when I could drink Kahlua Coffee Liqueur

6. Favorite gift received as a child? my phonograph suitcase that played 45's

7. Hardest person to buy for? Used to be my mother "May she rest in peace, she is so missed daily"

8. Easiest person to buy for? my husband "He loves anything green"

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Vintage white porcelain 15 piece set from Avon 1980's

10.Do you send cards or email cards? both "Special cards to relatives"

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? clothes, "I like to select my own styles"

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? 1954 White Christmas With Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? all year long always shopping with Christmas in mind

14. Ever recycled a Christmas present? always the ones I never would use "I hate to see a gift go to waste"

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Christmas cookies and peppermint candy canes

16. Lights on the tree? yes, white, clear (outside decorations multi colors)

17. Favorite Christmas song? Silver Bells

8. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Would love to go to Anderson, SC.but this year will stay in RI and visit relatives. I also love to drive around and look at decorations in upper class neighborhoods

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner/Donder, Blitzen, and Rudolph.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? a beautidul handcrafted angel made and given to me by my daughter-in law, Victoria about 10 years ago before she married my first born son, John Michael

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Always Christmas morning 7-ish and the tradition of going to midnight mass at the cathedral in Providence

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Rudeness in stores, pushing shoving and the dis-courteous drivers with parking spots

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? handmade from my sons over the years when they were in school and ornaments collected on trips

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Turkey and ham at my sister, Maureen and brothert-in-law, Carl's house (tradition)

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? peace and good will amd hugs and kisses from loved ones "I have never been a materialistic stuff person" I love giving

26. Who is most likely to respond to this? Jenny , Maureen and Vicky

27. Who is least likely to respond to this? Debbie and Kelly who have already done theirs
"Enjoyed this :)

Christmas 1974

My FIRST Blog Award

I was given this MOST BEAUTIFUL award from MY SWEET Daughter-in-law , Victoria in South Carolina @ 2lilpumpkins
Thanks Vicky:)
Now to follow tradition....I am to give it up to other people that I think have beautiful blogs! There are so many fabulous blogs that the first that come to mind are the following:
Theresa @ sentimental journal
Rhondi @ rose-colored glasses
Patty @ Old Lady Lincoln
Nancy @ Southern Lady
BTW,
I love 2 lilpumpkins, but this award has been given. I will cherish this first award especially since I have a passion for butterflies.

Wordless Thursday

Guess who?

1948 age 7

HAPPY TURKEY DAY to all of my blog friends

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Join Avon for only $10.00

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Day 2 Oct-11-08 in RI cont......

A favorite place of ours to enjoy the Narragansett Bay and have a Iggy famous dough boy is Iggys at Oakland Beach in Warwick, RI. We decided to take the boys there to enjoy this treat and clam cakes and chowder and fish and chips. Nolan loved everything but Braydon only wanted the fries with ketchup and he did like the dough boy. I brought along their sippy drinks as well as gold fish, raisins and crackers.
They enjoyed the nautical theme playground and watching the seagulls swoop in for food and collecting shells to take home. Nolan wanted me to reassure him that there were no crabs. This was an exhausing day for all of us.

See below the slide two exhausted little boys who had so much fun.

Day 2 Nolan and Braydon at Toys R Us in SAttleboro, Ma

After having breakfast on their new Alphabet placemats. We dressed and went to Toy R Us for a Thomas the Train celebration. We arrived at the location in the store and sat to wait for the storyteller, Sandra to arrive. When she arrived she gave the children crayons, cards and Thomas the Train and all his friends pictures to color. She told the children to sit on the mat and play with the trains.






Here are some photos that show Nolan and Braydon attentiveness and great interest.

Sheer delight and super fantastic excitement.........

.......................the arrival of our South Carolina Corbett Family
John Michael Corbett and Victoria Hann Corbett
Nolan Bryce Corbett and Braydon Pierce Corbett

FYI:

For those who do not know, our first born son, John Michael , relocated to Clemson, South Carolina in 1995 to attend Clemson University to work on his graduate studies.He was convinced by my now, daughter-in-law, Victoria Hann, while attending UMass in Amherst, MA that he could save much money by moving in with her family in Anderson, SC and going to Clemson. The decision was made and he left for SC. In our hearts we knew how much he would be missed but we also knew that once they were married and had children we would be very very far far away, actually 19 hours by car. They were married on May 20, 2000 and gave us our first grandson, Nolan Bryce on August 6, 2004 and our second grandson, Braydon Pierce on April 20, 2006. Due to the distance and finances we do not get to see them as often as we would have liked to,

SO what a wonderful time we had with these precious, active lovable boys when they arrived in RI on October 9, 2008 and stayed until October 15, 2008. We were asked to take care of them for 3 days while they went to New Hampshire to be in a wedding for a roommate from UMass, Doug Hanson.

OF COURSE, WITHOUT A DOUBT WE SAID "YES, YES, YES"

OUR HEARTS WERE FILLED WITH EXCITEMENT THAT WE COULD HAVE 3 DAYS OF QUALITY TIME WITH THE BOYS, SPENT TAKING THEM PLACES, PLAYING WITH THEM, LAUGHING AND LOVING THEM, SO PRICELESS.........

Since we accomplished so much in 3 days this post will consist of several additional posts and many photos, including the days when John Michael and Vicky returned from NH.

DAY ONE- Friday OCTOBER 10, 2008

We were heading to Slater Park in Pawtucket, RI (only 15 minutes from where we live in Lincoln, RI)The boys woke up early like 7:30am had breakfast on their new place mats of counting numbers with pictures, so we could have a breakfast with a number lesson. They loved playing and counting. They helped pack their backpacks with toys and raisins and goldfishes, few cars and their sippy drinks filled with water/apple juice(50-50).

Nolan especially loved the park amd playground, but Braydon wanted to just watch the children and his brother while he remained very close to GRANDMA.

There were animals to see in the petting zoo and Halloween decorations, both scary and beautiful, sculptures and pumpkins

Braydon didnot want to have his picture taken, SOMETIMES, this was a time he tried to hide his face.

What fun it is to attend a College Alumni Home Coming

Upon arrival we saw the festive autumn displays and the volunteer workers in their tee shirts.
The banners were hung and the campus looked like an Octoberfest.

Attended my annual Alumni Homecoming at Rhode Island College in Providence today with John. Mark and Buddy. "Boy" does 1966 and 1972 seem so long ago. I loved my college years I had 2 majors, Education and Art. As we arrived there were so many people and cars we parked near the new softball field behind the Library. There were tents set up along the mall area of the campus where there were sponsor booths and activities for the children and adults. This sign directed us to fabulous all you could eat barbeque feast. I picked up our complimentary alumni tickets and had our hands stamped so we could get our food. There were the standard hot dogs and hamburgers and vegi burgers (which was good) and all the trimmings and oreo cookies, Lorna Doones, chocolate chip, potato chips and plenty of cans of soda and bottles of water. Seconds and thirds allowed.

Mark and I had so much fun at the pumpkin painting table. We were given a pumpkin and told to have FUN.

As the time passed quickly, it was cleanup time and time to leave. What memories we created today and now we have 2 little pumpkins for my 2 lil pumpkins, Nolan and Braydon who will be arriving shortly to Rhode Island (October 9th) to stay with Grandma Kathleen, Poppy John, Uncle Mark and Buddy while their Mommy and Daddy go to New Hampshire for a Umass friend's wedding.