Tami Vroma-Realtor Grand Rapids Rapids Homes for Sale

West Michigan has disappeared. No longer does the state look like a mitten. It is being called the Alaska syndrome. Word has it that West Michigan does still exist but it is buried under several inches feet of snow. The city's started disappearing first. It has been reported that each neighbor kept shoveling mounds of snow so high on each side of the drive that avalanches have occur ed and buried entire neighborhoods.

Ok I am going to gripe. I'm unabashedly looking for pity. Most of you who know me, know that I don't complain. WELL I AM GOING TO COMPLAIN. I am sick to death of all this snow!! I get text messages sent to my phone whenever there is a weather alert. Mostly, it is for the summer because I have a nasty habit of driving into tornadoes. But I have been getting two and three weather alerts daily for weeks. Into the late hours of the night, my phone is going off.

This is my friend on a ride yesterday in Grand Haven, MI on a full size horse - not a pony!

This video was from last week when we went to get a CHRISTmas tree. This guy slid off the driveway where the trees were at. Of course he sees us in our 4WD and thinks life is good!! So did we. We love to help people out. USUALLY we just hook on a strap and pull them out in seconds flat. NO NOT THIS TIME! It was so icy that the 4WD couldn't dig in. We had to haul him along until he got to the drive so we could force him up. It was truly comical! We did end up getting the guy out--he tried to pay us but we wouldn't take it. I'm not taking money from someone when it cost me nothing to help him.

Today, I thought about canceling an appointment to show houses to a couple for the second time. I REALLY wanted to show them houses-they sounded like such nice kids. But I REALLY didn't want to end up in the ditch either. I finally decided to take the darn 4WD and just go!! On the way I saw about 12 cars in the ditch and the finale . . .a jack knifed semi on the highway! Flippin' lovely!

If you can believe it, it gets worse! We have a big snow blower that attaches to our garden tractor. Our drive is way beyond shoveling or even using a little snow blower! It would kill it quickly, there is just too much there. Our snow blower broke . .can you believe it?!!? The belt broke! Now just a belt breaking is not a big deal. I have a husband that can fix anything and I mean anything! BUT NO PLACE ON GOD'S GREEN EARTH CAN YOU PURCHASE THE STUPID BELT RIGHT NOW!! We have to order it!

ORDER IT!! ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND? It will take 3-4 days to get it. By then, we will be buried in snow. We are suppose to get 6 more inches tonight and it is suppose to keep coming tomorrow!! Do you know how much snow we already have???!?!! Look at the pictures. That was from last week folks!! It has been snowing for 5 solid days since then!!

Ok . . you all know I am an eternal optimist so I do have to look on the bright side. This is going to be awesome for Lake Michigan. Water levels have gone down so much that people are destroying props when they put their boats in. This will really help!

The other bright side is that the schools are off for Christmas so they aren't using up a ton of snow days so they have to keep going in June. My daughter would be beside herself . . she graduates in June!

Another bright side is that it will make for an awesome blog about our local cross country skiing and sledding place. I am already forming that one in my mind and have the cam corder primed and ready. I can't wait for you all to see it!

And see I just thought of another plus . . .I can get out my cross country skis. I haven't been able to use them for two years because we haven't had enough snow. WELL WE GOT ENOUGH NOW!

Allendale, MI 12/20/08 3 feet of snow!

<This was actually posted on 12/24/08, but there were some problems with it appearing. It was recommended I delete it and repost it to see what happens . . .so here it goes! By the way we are under yet another warning . .flood warning because now the snow is melting and dense fog advisory! Enough already!>

Allendale, MI High School Presents . . . Holiday Concert 2008 by the HIgh School Choir, Chamber Choir and Band

Each year at this time I press my daughter, when is the Choir and Band Concert this year? I look forward to hearing the young voices so clear and beautiful. Of course my daughter is one of them so I probably tend to be a bit on the partial side!! Ok, a lot on the partial side!

This year was very special as it was the first year with our new Choir and Band director, Tony Bush. He did an absolutely incredible job and it was evident how proud he was of his students. So excited in fact that he broke his baton!

What also made it so special this year was that the Band, the High School Choir and the High School Chamber Choir all performed together. For those of you who are wondering what the difference is between the two choirs, the Chamber Choir is an elite group of young adults who possess superior strength with their voices. Each aspiring singer must audition to be a member of the group. My daughter has been member of the Chamber Choir for the last two years. Sadly, this will be her last year as graduation is six short months away. This year I listened with tears in my eyes realizing that my little girl has grown into a beautiful young lady.

They performed in the Ceglarek Fine Arts Center, which is an incredible facility attached to the main campus of the high school. It opened in April 2005, seating almost 800. It is a very beautiful facility which has incredible acoustics. We are so blessed to have our children attend such a wonderful school in an incredible community. I hope you enjoy the performance of the choir as much as we did!

And now I present to you . .. . .The Allendale, MI High School Band, Choir and Chamber Choir.

Jeff Foxworthy would have a field day with Coopersville, Michigan . . . especially this morning!

You've heard the stories young boys tell about how they got a bruise, a cut or any other wound. Why is it with boys, it has to be some spectacular thing that happened to them--even big boys! At Coopersville's East Elementary, 4th grader Drake is going to have a story to tell for a real long time on how he got a cut on his head! He got kicked in the head by a 6 point buck IN HIS 4TH GRADE CLASSROOM. He is completely fine, thank goodness, but this kid is going to have a story to tell until he is old. The best part is he has the proof to tell what happened. Toward the end of school yesterday, the deer crashed through a window as a 6 point buck but he left the classroom as a 3 point buck. Can you imagine how awesome it must be to this 10 year old who will have his memento for life. This is going to be a story he will be telling his grand children someday.

The kids in the classroom are all safe as the deer left almost as quickly as he came. There is plenty of glass to clean up, but the kids are going to have something to talk about for a long time. Even their teacher will have something to remember because it was her first year of teaching at Coopersville.

Ok, I have to tell you that Coopersville isn't THAT hick! This is a true story but we really do have all the regular ammenities. Things have grown so much since I was a kid. When I went to high school as a Bronco, we didn't have an Aribies, McDoanlds or Taco Bell and now we have them all plus a Burger King, Little Ceasers and several coffee cafe's. This little town has grown by leaps and bounds in the last twenty years. But it still has small town values and is an awesome community to grow up in! And . . . . it's a great place to hunt also . . .just don't do it in a fourth grade classroom!!!!

Photo courtesy of FreeFoto.com

JINGLE BELL PARADE

Grand Haven, MI December 6, 2008

It's time for a the parade. Your hosts will be, well who else would it be, Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus!!!!

Last week my husband and I were dropping off the kids for youth group and decided to venture to downtown Grand Haven, MI There is something special about the stretch of Washington in that it just so charming. We grabbed a cup of coffee at Jumpin' Java and then walked down the way a bit where we saw the festive little house designed just for Santa. I am sure there are many kids who have sat on his lap by now!!

But today is the big day!!! The parade begins at 6:00 pm but I would try to be there a little early. The funny thing about this parade is that we are in the middle of an incredible snow storm!!! Can you say, "Lake Effect Snow!" Well we got it. This morning we woke to three foot drifts around our cars. My husband is out there right now clearing the way so my daughter can go to work!!

But parades must go on!!! The parade route would be:

Franklin to Harbor Drive, Harbor Drive to Washington and Washington back to Central Park.

Once the parade gets back to Central Park,there will be the grand finale!!! The lighting of the Christmas tree!!!

It is a darn good thing the salvation army is going to be there to provide hot chocolate because I think there are going to be some major Popsicles out there. The temperature as I type this is whopping 20°. Wind shield factor is around 10° degrees. Check out the beach cam HERE. . . . . anyone want to go for a walk on the pier. . . NOT!! This is about 1/2 mile from the parade route.

I am going to admit something to all of you. THAT IS TOO DARN COLD FOR ME!! I completely admire those of you that can do it because it sure will be something to see!! I personally can't wait until it's time for the ice sculptures!!! Now that I won't miss!!

There is another "cannot miss" during the Christmas season. The light show, put on by the rotary club now, gained national attention a couple years ago. A gentlemen in my community put a light show on to music. But this is a whole other blog so keep watching for that one! Keep checking back!! Better yet just subscribe to my blog!

God Bless and Happy Holiday and STAY WARM IT'S A BLIZZARD OUT THERE!!!

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