Marlene Pellegrini REALTOR® ERA REALTY PROs - Eastern Connecticut

Click on the envelope to open your card:

I sincerely wish you all a very happy holiday, no matter what you celebrate at this time of year. I truly hope that 2009 brings wonderful things your way! God bless you!!!

Respectfully,

~~~

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About the Author:

Marlene is a licensed Realtor for the Dan Sperduto Home Selling Team of Eastern CT. Please feel free to contact Marlene to find out more about the UNIQUE and successful marketing systems used by this award winning team of Realtors. To find real estate listings including homes for sale, search for properties from our agency AND from the MLS at www.dansperduto.com.

ERA REALTY PROs

170 Flanders Road ~ Niantic, CT 06357 ~ (860) 886-7000 x121

Direct (860) 884-6169 ~ Fax (860) 691-5011

Who doesn't love getting a beautifully wrapped present???? Someone actually took the time to wrap a present for YOU:

• With a box
• And wrapping paper
• Using scissors and tape
• While carefully selecting a matching bow
• And has attached a gift tag with YOUR name on it.

How sweet it is! But let's face it, there isn't a whole lot of time left to buy this present if you plan to do this for someone this Christmas.

At this point in the game, the answer to this is:

GIFT CARDS!!!!

Yeah, I know, this is not the most personal present to give. Again, there are only a few days left to get gifts AND the shelves at the stores are picked over and the crowds are unbearable with last minute procrastinators in a panic, loafing around in the stores.

So here is my advise:

Go directly to Walmart, Walgreens or CVS what ever store in your area has that 'wall' of gift cards to every place imaginable. Select your choice of gift cards for each recipient. Then walk over to the wrapping paper and pick out the nicest paper you see and don't forget the boxes, bows and gift tags too.

Now, go over to the candy aisle and grab a few bags of individually wrapped chocolates. The good ones though, don't be cheap on your chocolates. (I like Hershey Kisses or Lindt Chocolates).

You'll be in and out of the store in 15 minutes!

The next step is to go home and put on some Christmas carols and WRAP THOSE GIFT CARDS!!! And add a handful of chocolates into the boxes. Wrapping these so called 'impersonal' gift cards will make the present more personal this way. It will show that you actually took the time and put some thought in to the presentation of your gift.... And who can resist a few chocolates.

Now GO! DO IT! Let me know how this works out for you!!!

~~~

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About the Author:

Marlene is a licensed Realtor for the Dan Sperduto Home Selling Team of Eastern CT. Please feel free to contact Marlene to find out more about the UNIQUE and successful marketing systems used by this award winning team of Realtors. To find real estate listings including homes for sale, search for properties from our agency AND from the MLS at www.dansperduto.com.

ERA REALTY PROs

170 Flanders Road ~ Niantic, CT 06357 ~ (860) 886-7000 x121

Direct (860) 884-6169 ~ Fax (860) 691-5011

Copyright © 2008 Marlene Pellegrini, All Rights Reserved

If there was a night, this was the night. If there was a room, this was the room.

I had the opportunity to volunteer last night at the EXTREME MAKEOVER: HOME EDITION building project for the deserving Girard Family of Voluntown, CT. It was the BIG push to get this project done. At first I washed windows, and did a few odd tasks. I went upstairs to find my friend and poked into the bedroom of Hannah Girard, age 7. I heard the sweet words come out of the mouth of one of the people on the design team. He said he needed a group of volunteers to decorate this bedroom and I was ready, willing and able. Then this design team member just let us to go to work.

This task could only bring out the inner child in the wonderful and cooperative group of volunteers that I had the opportunity to work with. There was no time to waste... We worked together and got the job done. We unwrapped and steamed every piece of bedding that was used to go on this child's new bed. We all thoughtfully contemplated about how the bedding would displayed. The layering of the the many colorful sheets, blankets, pillows and comforter were done with such thought and pride... At one point there were 6 people making this bed with the hope that it looked as if professional designers did the job. Our collaberative efforts were like a well oiled machine.

We cooperatively hung all of the new clothing in the beautifully designed closet for this special little girl. We propped and arranged the array of the new toys and books that the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition project provided. We displayed beautiful new jewelry, that all little girls wish for, in a lovely new jewelry box. We put furniture together, and painstakingly placed stuffed animals, lamps and flower arrangements throughout this room...

With hope that our efforts would bring joy to this child's heart and soul when she 1st walks into her new bedroom at the MOVE THAT BUS reveal that takes place this afternoon.

We walked away with a great sense of teamwork and pride. We did not even find out what each other's names are ... For that was not our focus. What we did do was to promise to look out for each other at the big celebration this evening that wraps this special event in Eastern CT.

Although I don't know what your names are yet ladies, you are all very special to me. WE DONE GOOD!

By the way, the theme for this little girls room is: Snowflakes!

~~~

About the Author:

Marlene is a licensed Realtor for the Dan Sperduto Home Selling Team of Eastern CT. Please feel free to contact Marlene to find out more about the UNIQUE and successful marketing systems used by this award winning team of Realtors. To find real estate listings including homes for sale, search for properties from our agency AND from the MLS at www.dansperduto.com.

SUBSCRIBE TO MY BLOG by Email

ERA REALTY PROs

170 Flanders Road ~ Niantic, CT 06357 ~ (860) 886-7000 x121

106 Westcott Road ~ Danielson, CT 06239 ~ (860) 779-1943 x121

Direct (860) 884-6169 ~ Fax (860) 691-5011

For more info:

The Girard Family of Voluntown, CT gets a new home from EXTREME MAKEOVER: HOME EDITION!!

~~~

Copyright © 2009 Marlene Pellegrini, All Rights Reserved

First, let me preface this post by saying

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU AND YOURS!

Okay cheerful people of the holiday season.... Many of you have your holiday tree up and bedazzled with your beautiful decorations by now.

I WANT TO SEE THEM!

I know that if you are into the whole decorating thing, you take pride in your holiday decorating creations and MANY of you will take a few pictures of your holiday tree.

I also know that putting up a tree can be a painful experience. (But it is worth it in the end).

• Like when that stump just won't fit into the tree stand.
• Or when you can't quite get the tree to stand up straight.
• How about when you are trimming the bottom branches and you cut just one too many off and your tree looks like it belongs to Charlie Brown.
• Oh... and when only half the strand of lights work.

Anyway...

Here is my 2008 holiday tree picture.

Now upload your holiday tree picture in the comments below. Give me your BEST SHOT! I don't care if the tree is real, fake, silver, gold, white, or blue. I want to see them all!!!!

If you don't have a tree...Take a picture of your wreath on the front door or your poinsettia plant. Show me how you decorate.

If Christmas is not your thing, show me what is?? Hanukkah? Kwanzaa? Something else?? Got lights??? Are they twinkling gleefully outside your home? Show me pictures of them!

Let's have some fun showing off our pictures! In this world of electronic communication, it is easy to share. I may not be able to drive by your home to see the lights that are carefully displayed or I may not be able to attend your holiday party to see your tree (or more importantly... you), BUT I am here and I want to admire your decorations so UPLOAD THEM NOW!

I'll be waiting with Christmas carols playing in the background and I'll be enjoying a cup of eggnog...

CHEERS!

Can you tell.... I LOVE this time of year!!!

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Finally, the name of the family can be revealed to the public. No more secrets!

Girard Family photo

Carol (mom) and children - Adam age 17, Jacqueline age 15, Lucas age 11, and Hannah age 7

The Girard family of Voluntown, CT have had some devastating things happen to them in the past few years. It all began when Thom Girard lost his job at Pfizer of Groton, CT. The family had fallen behind in their mortgage payments since he lost his job. Then their home at 100 Preston City Road (Route 165) in Voluntown caught on fire in August of 2007. Since they were homeless due to the fire, the family had to live in a camper parked in their backyard through the cold winter months and into the summer of 2008.

Since the mortgate payments on the house were behind the mortgage company kept the insurance check from the fire so Thom, Carol and their family were unable to fix the burned house and foreclosure was ahead.

The most devastating part of the Girard's story is on a hot day in June of this year, some of the family members went for a swim at Green Falls Pond in the CT's Pachaug State Forest. Thom Girard age 45, and son Marc Girard age 18 both drowned that day. Carol Girard and her other children have lost their dear loved ones to this terrible swimming accident and are still homeless.

The people of Voluntown and the surrounding Eastern CT area have rallied to help this family. Over this past summer, the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate in Griswold, CT made a video application for the Girard Family and submitted it to Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.

Well it worked! Ty Pennington is here!

He'll be screaming in his very familiar raspy voice to get this house built.

The old & burned house will be demolished. I drove by the site this morning and saw an "official" crew wearing black jumpsuits with the logo "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" on their chests.

There were backhoes, bulldozers, dump trucks and CT state police lurking.

If you plan to travel out that way in the next week or so, please note that a section of Route 165 in Voluntown will be closed off while the new home is built. There will be detours at Route 201 to Route 138 in Griswold, CT.

Here is more about the house:

• The new house will be built in 106 hours from start to finish.
• This house will be energy efficient or 'green.'
• The house will be over 3,000 square feet, it will have 5 bedrooms.

And:

• There will be a shuttle bus to the site so people take a ride in and be observers of the building process. A canned food donation to the United Way is payment to take this shuttle.
• There will also be a blood drive and a toy drive on site.

Also:

• The MOVE THAT BUS reveal will be December 11th (if everything stays on schedule).
• The show will air on ABC on February 8th, 2009.

UPDATE

• The family will be going to Disney World while this new home is built.
• ALL Spectators and Non-Trades Volunteers MUST park at LOT 10 ON THE FOXWOODS RESORT AND CASINO property in Ledyard to catch a Shuttle to the build location.

Here is another post I wrote earlier today about this:

TODAY'S THE DAY... EXTREME MAKEOVER: HOME EDITION IS BUILDING A HOME FOR A VERY LUCKY FAMILY in Eastern CT!

Stay Tuned for more about this event...

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~~~

About the Author:

Marlene is a licensed Realtor for the Dan Sperduto Home Selling Team of Eastern CT. Please feel free to contact Marlene to find out more about the UNIQUE and successful marketing systems used by this award winning team of Realtors. To find real estate listings including homes for sale, search for properties from our agency AND from the MLS at www.dansperduto.com.

ERA REALTY PROs

170 Flanders Road ~ Niantic, CT 06357 ~ (860) 886-7000 x121

106 Westcott Road ~ Danielson, CT 06239 ~ (860) 779-1943 x121

Direct (860) 884-6169 ~ Fax (860) 691-5011

Copyright © Marlene Pellegrini, All Rights Reserved.

~~~

Girard Family photo courtesy of the Aaron Flaum Multimedia/Online Editor Norwich Bulletin. Permission to post this photo in this blog has been granted.