Cheryl Knapp Carbini

Hi everyone...it’s Sat. morn and I haven’t been on this site in quite awhile. Life! It is great to read your messages and know that you are still going back and forth. Maureen I just looked at your pics. Michael was so handsome for his prom. What is he doing now? and the photos from the picnic are nice-I am still sorry I missed that AND seeing you Lisa. A post holiday get together would be really nice, let’s see if I can get my act together to be there.

I am working on Christmas cookies and pastries and hope to be selling some. figures crossed. Hope your Thanksgiving was yummy-haven’t eaten that much in years I think. I am still feeling it!

Have a great weekend-look for that first snow tonight-maybe not too much-we’ll see. Cristian has a soccer game at 9 am! tomorrow in Homedell-wherever that is-let’s pray the temp goes up a bit-ha ha.

Love you all! I’ll try to get on here more often...cheryl

Thomas J. Cornine

Cheryl,

Holmdel, you are about 10 miles away from me. wish I knew earlier how was game?

Christopher played in Cherry Hill Last night in the Snow I will post a picture for you. Hope to see all soon, Merry Christmas

Liz Kopf Mazur

Checking in. 6 inches of BEAUTIFUL fluffy snow here on the 5th!

I'm up for a post-holiday get together whenever! =D

Liz Kopf Mazur

One particular Christmas season a long time ago, Santa was getting ready for his annual trip ... but there were problems everywhere. Four of his elves got sick, and the trainee elves did not produce the toys as fast as the regular ones so Santa was beginning to feel the pressure of being behind schedule.
Then Mrs. Claus told Santa that her mom was coming to visit. This stressed Santa even more. When he went to harness the reindeer, he found that three of them were about to give birth and two had jumped the fence and were out, heaven knows where. More stress.

Then when he began to load the sleigh one of the boards cracked and the toy bag fell to the ground and scattered the toys. So, frustrated, Santa went into the house for a cup of coffee and a shot of whiskey.

When he went to the cupboard, he discovered that the elves had hid the liquor and there was nothing to drink. In his frustration, he accidentally dropped the coffee pot and it broke into hundreds of little pieces all over the kitchen floor. He went to get the broom and found that mice had eaten the straw it was made from. Just then the doorbell rang and Santa cussed on his way to the door.

He opened the door and there was a little angel with a great big Christmas tree. The angel said, very cheerfully, "Merry Christmas Santa. Isn't it just a lovely day? I have a beautiful tree for you. Isn't it just a lovely tree? Where would you like me to stick it?"

Thus began the tradition of the little angel on top of the Christmas tree.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! =D

Greg Marion

Merry Christmas everybody. I hope a lot of the class got to have a white Christmas, and I wish you and your families have a happy New Year. Mele Kalikimaka!

Weggy

(ps: good one Liz)

Lisa Coppola

Greg, Happy New Year to you and Rose and your extended family. Hope you are well. Any big plans for the New Year?

Greg Marion

Lisa,
Thanks, and yes - I do have big plans for this new year. So big that they were kind of overwhelming. So I divided them up into a lot of smaller plans. However, this was not enough, so I then decided each small plan should be subdivided into categories of maybe-plans and definite-plans, afterward dividing those into groups of major and minor micro-plans (I think I invented that word just this moment).
After all this I realized it would be easier to manage this complicated mess if I just consolidated everything into one big plan. I've hired a group of consultants to help me sort through all the small categories and groups in an attempt to find out what the original big plan was, and we're getting close to....

I forget - what was the question again?



Greg

Lisa Coppola

Weggie, uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, you have a fine but complicated mind! Always remember to have a Plan B lest the previous plan or plans big and small (or "micro" as you will) should fail.
Love ya, Lisa

Deborah Kozak Martin

Liz,

Your story was too funny! Love it!

Greg,

What???????????

To all my classmates near and far; Happy 2010!

Cheryl Knapp Carbini

Greg you are too funny, must be that volcanic air swirling around you. How’s the weather? or maybe I don’t really want to know...lol when are you and Rose coming back? Wish we could all get together again. I got an annual renewal reminder for our website. While I have not been too faithful with my attendance here, I love you all and don’t want to close this wonderful tool so I need to renew and maybe I will be able to get back here to kick it up a notch and stir others to use it more frequently. Heck now we have competition with Facebook, which I still have not had time to set up. For all of you who have requested me as a friend-thank you and at some point I will join the group!

Tom, Cristian just came back from Orlando where he did the 3v3 World Championship tournament. Alas, they lost all games, but it was a lot of fun maybe that is why they did so well! Maybe next year we can get there with him. I can’t remember how they did against Holmdel. It is usually a tight game.

I am posting a recent cake I made-two times...this is truely a labor of love!

Ciao all! Be well!

-Cheryl

Liz Kopf Mazur

Poopping by to say hello! Y'all be sure to tell me how turning 50 goes! =D

Here's a little funny for your enjoyment!

WILL I LIVE TO BE 80?
Some times you just have to ask yourself "Will I live to be 80?"

I recently chose a new primary care physician. After two visits and exhaustive lab tests, he said I was doing "fairly well" for my age.

A little concerned about that comment, I couldn't resist asking him,"Do you think I'll live to be 80?"

He asked, "Do you smoke tobacco or drink alcoholic beverages?" "No," I replied. "I don't do drugs, either."

Then he asked, "Do you eat rib-eye steaks and barbecued ribs?" I said, "No, my other doctor said that all red meat is unhealthy!"

"Do you spend a lot of time in the sun, like playing golf, boating, fishing or relaxing on the beach?" "No, I don't," I said.

He asked, "Do you gamble, drive fast cars, or have a lot of sex?" "No," I said. "I don't do any of those things."

Then he looked at me and asked, "Then why do you give a shit?"

Thomas J. Cornine

Greg and Anna,

Let us know if everything is OK. Anna had the Earthquake and Greg is getting the Tsunami.

Lets us know.

Tom

Greg Marion

I'm pretty ok. The tsunami alarms have gone off four times so far this morning. The wave is due to hit at around 11 am, and my wife wants us to drive up to the top of the volcano to be super safe, so I might - to make her feel better (plus it's fun going there).

Hope Anna's safe.

Deborah Kozak Martin

So glad to hear all is well Greg (at east I hope it still is!) And hopefully we will hear from Anna that all is well! Such a scary day for alot of people!

How is the snow in Jersey? We've had a record snowfall this winter down in hotLanta...a whopping 3 inches!!!! I feel for y'all and know you are so tired of winter!

Anyone up for a roadtrip down to Atlanta in April?????? Let me know..........would love to see everyone! Ton is game...Lisa??? Liz? Carol? Bez? Diana? etc...!

Lisa Coppola

All,and especially Greg, good to see that we still know how to come together when we need to. I have been worried about Anna all day and will try to send her a message, which without power, I doubt that she will get but I'll try. I Googled her location and it seems to be about 400 miles north of Santiago which I think means she is too close for comfort though I believe the quake was to the South of her. Greg, the last report I heard said the Tsunami warnings were over for you now and I hope that is accurate! I am thinking, visualizing calm calm water!!!
Deb, I maybe could entertain the thought of a quick trip. Unbelievably, I have a good friend from grammar school who also lives in Peach Tree City in the Preserves, that must be close to you. ( I owe you a note,...been meaning to write and will do so soon) Stay well. Any and all of you in NJ, stay away from the snow shovels...it's bad for the heart (seriously)and back...especially for men.
Tom, what the he--- with the car. Any word on it?????
xoxo Lisa

Deborah Kozak Martin

LISA-

No way! The Preserve???? That is right next door to my neighborhood! OMG! That would be so great....I mentioned a road trip for the Jerseyans but of course it would be absolutely awesome to see you too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anna Kowalski Villalon

Hello: We are all fine. Thanks for your concern. I am so glad Greg is okay. The earthquake was felt here but we do not have damage. It was very stong and lasted a long time. The Santiago airport is closed- we have a friend visiting on Monday. She is suposed to write an article on La Serena for a magizine, but I don't know how she will come from Equador.
I think gas and other supplies will be short for a while. We are just so thankful to be safe.
peace,
Anna

Deborah Kozak Martin

So glad to hear you are safe Anna! Our prayers are with you!

Cheryl Knapp Carbini

I am so happy to know that Greg and Anna, you are both safe. I am talking to you Anna, but I couldn’t help envisioning those devastating waves coming your way too, Greg. I hope everything is still okay. ...and with everyone else too. This has been a crazy year for severe weather.

Lisa, how is your weather? Miss the snow? Think it’s time for you to come back. Debbie, have you had any snow? My father just moved to S. Carolina. He said they had 6 inches, but it melted quickly.

Think it might be time for a move...in more ways than one!!

I have been busy with baking, but also with college stuff. Driving to Vermont on Friday to look at our second to last school. In the meantime, we are waiting for the news about fin aid and the last schools Vittoria applied to. This is really stressful!

Anyone enjoy the Olympics? I love watching the winter ones especially.

Be good out there!

Cheryl

Deborah Kozak Martin

Cheryl - we have had a record breaking 3 inches of snow this winter....more than the total accummulation for the 9 winters we have been here! We are definitely ready for spring...the daffodils are starting to come up! Hope everyone in the northeast has stayed safe with all the crazy weather you have had.

I feel your pain Cheryl with the college search/financial aid apps/etc! I am so glad we are done with that part for now with our oldest. She is thrilled to be at the Univ of Georgia which was her first choice. Hopefully she will keep her grades up so we don't lose the Hope Scholarship! For those of you unfamiliar with the Hope, it is funded by the lottery program,and applies to GA state residents. If students graduate H.S. with at least a 3.5 average in core classes, they qualify for the scholarship which pays tuition at state colleges and universities. But they have to keep a 3.0 once they get to college or you lose it. So far so good with us...but you never know...as y'all remember one bad class can send your GPA plummeting. What is your daughter's first choice of schools to go to Cheryl?? Good luck with everything!

Anna Kowalski Villalon

Hi Everybody-
Thanks for your warm responses to the tragedy in Chile. Seems like everyone is having weird weather conditions this year. I hope you all are safe.

Cheryl- I feel your pain- I remember the headache of financial aid forms and the stress of the whole application process. Best wishes to Vittoria so that she will make a good choice.

Debbie- thanks for thinking of me.

Please continue to pray for hope for some poor people who are really devasted.

Our visitor who is a journalist is stuck in Kito, Equator and will be here 10 days late so her work trip is reduced to 4 days.
Please continue to pray for hope for some poor people who are really devasted.

Cheryl Knapp Carbini

We will keep praying Anna. I hope Chile can rebuild the broken as soon as possible...including the lives affected by this disaster. Haiti, like New Orleans will need years, and it is so hard to think about the lives destroyed by this travesty.

I wish we had HOPE here Deb! Sounds like a great deal to me. We have been looking into scholarships, but there is so much to weed through and I feel we are a bit behind. Vittoria was offered a 50,000.00 merit scholarship to Albright College in Pa. I thought it was a miracle. We went to look at it. the people seem super. She does not have a good feeling about it. I am frustrated. Her first choices now are Stonehill C in Mass and Loyola Maryland. She doesn’t know if she is accepted to Loyola yet. She was also accepted at Montclair State which we still have to see and Quinnipiac in Ct. This weekend we are driving to Burlington, Vt to visit St. Michael’s. They have not yet sent her an acceptance either. So we still wait, wonder, investigate, apply, hold our breaths, and DO A LOT AF PRAYING!!

Stay tuned...xxoo
Cheryl

Deborah Kozak Martin

Cheryl-

Whatever happens, wherever Vittoria is accepted, be comforted in knowing that God will place her in the best place for her. UGA was not my choice for Christina at all, we really liked Auburn best. But now with almost a year under her belt, she has so much in her favor. UGA has an incredible psychology program, she can use the HOPE scholarship, (not valid in Alabama) and we can see now that UGA IS the place for her to be. She is so happy and content there, and thats what matters. You want Vittoria to be happy. The money issues will resolve themselves somehow if its an expensive school (we figured we'd be eating mac n cheese alot if she went to Auburn). And if worse comes to worse, there are plenty of loans available to her. Even though we don't like the thought of saddling our kids with a "house payment without a house", you will do what you have to do! You will all be in my prayers for an easy decision making process for Vittoria!

Snow flurries here today n Peachtree City GA! Wild wild winter for sure! Atlanta hasn't seen this much snow in 10 years!

Maureen Farrell

Lisa,
Thanks for sharing the beautiful picture of Noah. My thoughts and prayers are with you during this sad and difficult time. May your special memories of Noah help to comfort you. He was very lucky to have you in his life.

Anna and Greg,
Thinking of you and your neighbors and glad to hear that you are fine. The people of Chile are in my prayers.

Debbie and Cheryl,
Yes, let's meet up and celebrate in the South! There might even be a nice college campus to visit along the way.

Maureen Bezold Como

Condolences to Rich Hettinger and his family on the passing of his Mom. My prayers and thoughts are with you Rich.