Debe Maxwell, CRS is hosting the ActiveRain Challenge the month titled "Thankful Thoughts:  ActiveRain's November Thanksgiving Gratitude Challenge".  This has been an easy challenge for me in the past, because I have MUCH to be grateful for.  For this challenge we get to write one blog per week for this month.   For my first blog in this challenge I wrote about how "Grateful I am To Be Able To Enjoy Gorgeous Fall Colors Every Year".   My second blog was on the Forever Gratitude I have for those who have helped me succeed in my career.  The third blog was on how thankful I am for my church.  This fourth blog is on how grateful I am for how God has blessed me a special gorgeous little girl in my life.This amazing blessing in my life was born nine years ago on July 13, and brought a specia... 11/27/2023

Happy Thanksgiving 2023!I hope that everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving tomorrow.   Do not let the day go by without taking a few minutes to truly give thanks for all you have been blessed with, and if possible take the opportunity to be a blessing to someone else.  Today should not only be a day of giving thanks in word, but in giving thanks in deed as well.Happy Thanksgiving From My House To Yours. 11/22/2023

Debe Maxwell, CRS is hosting the ActiveRain Challenge the month titled "Thankful Thoughts:  ActiveRain's November Thanksgiving Gratitude Challenge".  This has been an easy challenge for me in the past, because I have MUCH to be grateful for.  For this challenge we get to write one blog per week for this month.   For my first blog in this challenge I wrote about how "Grateful I am To Be Able To Enjoy Gorgeous Fall Colors Every Year".   For this second blog it will be focused on the gratitude I have for those who have helped me succeed in my career. First and foremost the number one factor in the success of my business, has been my faith and reliance on God to see me through whatever comes my way.  From the very first day in my sales career, God has been a part of it.  My faith that God w... 11/13/2023

Tomorrow is Veterans Day 2023, A Day To Honor Our Veterans, and our Men and Women who are serving in our Armed Forces.I hope that everyone takes a moment out of there day to say thank you to either a Veteran they know, or one of the Men and Women presently serving.  It only takes a minute to do this, but the impact and meaning it has on the one you say thank you to is greater than you can imagine. Those who have served our country did so willingly and without expectation of anything in return.  They did it for the honor of serving the land of opportunity, and to secure the freedoms we enjoy.Many restaurants throughout the Country will be honoring our Veterans with free meals, and discounts.  So let us join all the organization who are honoring our Veterans today and show our appreciatio... 11/10/2023

Debe Maxwell, CRS is hosting the ActiveRain Challenge the month titled "Thankful Thoughts:  ActiveRain's November Thanksgiving Gratitude Challenge".  This has been an easy challenge for me in the past, because I have MUCH to be gratitude for.  For this challenge we get to write one blog per week for this month.   My first blog is about the beautiful season that is about to come to an end here in Connecticut, and its gorgeous Fall colors.  This first blog is a particularly easy one, because I am  about to wrap up on my "Progression Of Fall Colors In Middletown, CT for 2023. We are so blessed here in New England to enjoy the Fall leaf colors each and every year.  This gorgeous time of the year only last about 1-2 weeks every year, and I am grateful for whatever time we have to enjoy it, e... 11/04/2023

Fall Has arrived once again in Connecticut, which means it is time for me to begin my Progression Of Fall Colors series I started eleven years ago.  This is a series I hoped to continue for many years, and have been able to do so far, though this year may prove to be a little challenging. The first two years the pictures were of a farm which is only about a minute walk from my house.  Nine years ago I decided to change the location for the 2014 Progression Of Fall Color Series to a lake about 5 minutes from my house on RT17.  I tried that location for two years, but the colors were not as good as I expected them to be.  So seven years ago I decided to change locations again to a site at Lyman's Orchards in Middlefield, CT.  But once again that site did not produce the colors I had hoped... 11/04/2023

Leanne Smith and Endre Barath, Jr are hosting this months ActiveRain Challenge. They are challenging us to share two of our candy tidbits (knowledge) we have been treated to from other members and add their "knowledge tidbit Trick or Treat to our goodie bag".  For me the two knowledge tidbits that I have gleamed as a member of ActiveRain is the Boston RainCamp , and from the Queen of ActiveRain, my good friend Lenn Harley.I attended my first and only RainCamp in 2010, in Boston, MA.  I drove up there with Ed Silva and Valerie Osterhoudt, which is an adventure all its own.  This RainCamp was taught by Ben Kinney, and I think Ed would back me up in saying RainCamp was full of valuable information on how to get the most mileage out of our blogging. Ben kept things going quickly, and presen... 10/29/2023

Fall Has arrived once again in Connecticut, which means it is time for me to begin my Progression Of Fall Colors series I started eleven years ago.  This is a series I hoped to continue for many years, and have been able to do so far, though this year may prove to be a little challenging. The first two years the pictures were of a farm which is only about a minute walk from my house.  Nine years ago I decided to change the location for the 2014 Progression Of Fall Color Series to a lake about 5 minutes from my house on RT17.  I tried that location for two years, but the colors were not as good as I expected them to be.  So seven years ago I decided to change locations again to a site at Lyman's Orchards in Middlefield, CT.  But once again that site did not produce the colors I had hope... 10/28/2023

Fall Has arrived once again in Connecticut, which means it is time for me to begin my Progression Of Fall Colors series I started eleven years ago.  This is a series I hoped to continue for many years, and have been able to do so far, though this year may prove to be a little challenging. The first two years the pictures were of a farm which is only about a minute walk from my house.  Nine years ago I decided to change the location for the 2014 Progression Of Fall Color Series to a lake about 5 minutes from my house on RT17.  I tried that location for two years, but the colors were not as good as I expected them to be.  So seven years ago I decided to change locations again to a site at Lyman's Orchards in Middlefield, CT.  But once again that site did not produce the colors I had hope... 10/21/2023

Fall Has arrived once again in Connecticut, which means it is time for me to begin my Progression Of Fall Colors series I started eleven years ago.  This is a series I hoped to continue for many years, and have been able to do so far, though this year may prove to be a little challenging. The first two years the pictures were of a farm which is only about a minute walk from my house.  Nine years ago I decided to change the location for the 2014 Progression Of Fall Color Series to a lake about 5 minutes from my house on RT17.  I tried that location for two years, but the colors were not as good as I expected them to be.  So seven years ago I decided to change locations again to a site at Lyman's Orchards in Middlefield, CT.  But once again that site did not produce the colors I had hope... 10/14/2023

Fall Has arrived once again in Connecticut, which means it is time for me to begin my Progression Of Fall Colors series I started eleven years ago.  This is a series I hoped to continue for many years, and have been able to do so far, though this year may prove to be a little challenging. The first two years the pictures were of a farm which is only about a minute walk from my house.  Nine years ago I decided to change the location for the 2014 Progression Of Fall Color Series to a lake about 5 minutes from my house on RT17.  I tried that location for two years, but the colors were not as good as I expected them to be.  So seven years ago I decided to change locations again to a site at Lyman's Orchards in Middlefield, CT.  But once again that site did not produce the colors I had hope... 10/07/2023

This month Dr. Paula McDonald and Kathy Streib are hosting the September ActiveRain Challenge titled "Let's Get Serious About Writing a Blog Series."  Through my 17 plus years of writing blogs on ActiveRain I have written many series of blogs.  My most notable series of blogs is one I write yearly on the progression of the Fall Colors here in Connecticut.  However, this months challenge only requires a series of 3 blogs, so I have decided to write about my three most favorite mortgage transactions as a Loan Originator.The Third favorite mortgage experience I have chosen is very special because of the Borrower and her family's situation.  It was not an easy loan, in fact it is one of the loans that I have worked the hardest on in order to get it approved. There was not only a lot of work... 09/30/2023

This month Dr. Paula McDonald and Kathy Streib are hosting the September ActiveRain Challenge titled "Let's Get Serious About Writing a Blog Series."  Through my 17 plus years of writing blogs on ActiveRain I have written many series of blogs.  My most notable series of blogs is one I write yearly on the progression of the Fall Colors here in Connecticut.  However, this months challenge only requires a series of 3 blogs, so I have decided to write about my three most favorite mortgage experiences as a Loan Originator.My Second favorite mortgage experience I have chosen is a loan I did for a young couple who went to school with my oldest son Matthew  from kindergarten through High School.  Just like the first blog in this challenge "My First Memorable Mortgage Experience", it will be ver... 09/30/2023

This month Dr. Paula McDonald and Kathy Streib are hosting the September ActiveRain Challenge titled "Let's Get Serious About Writing a Blog Series."  Through my 17 plus years of writing blogs on ActiveRain I have written many series of blogs.  My most notable series of blogs is one I write yearly on the progression of the Fall Colors here in Connecticut.  However, this months challenge only requires a series of 3 blogs, so I have decided to write about my three most favorite mortgage experiences as a Loan Originator.The first favorite mortgage experience I have chosen is the very first mortgage I did as a Loan Originator.  This transaction was a special experience for many reasons, and an experience I will never forget.  When I became a Loan Originator I had to go through an initial tr... 09/30/2023

I have shared what I remember most about 9/11 before, and have made a commitment to share this memory each and every year on September 11, so today once again I am fulfilling that commitment with this blog.September 11, 2001 is a day I will never forget!  It is a day forever imprinted on my heart and mind.   September 11, 2001 is a day each of us has a special reason why this day will forever be remembered.  September 11, 2001 is a day we will not only forever remember the vicious attack on our country, but also a day to honor those who lost there lives.  It is a day for us to reflect on the memories, and thoughts which went through our mines as the events of September 11, 2001 unfolded 20 years ago. Below is my special memory of that day, it is an event which hit close to home, and wil... 09/11/2023

Labor Day this year is a bright, sunny day, which means a great day for all the Labor Day plans that have been made.  For me the only thing I have planned for today is to just get some much needed extra sleep and rest, after a long drive back from my vacation. Normally we plan on having the family over and putting some food on the grill.  But this year is just my wife and I, so we are just going to put a couple of nice thick filet mignons on the grill and enjoy them together. I hope that each and everyone of you spend this Labor Day doing what you enjoy, you have earned it.  Whatever you do make sure this is a safe and happy Holiday for you and your family!!! Happy Labor Day 2023!!! 09/04/2023

Margaret Rome and John Meussner are hosting this months ActiveRain Challenge titled "What Makes You Exceptional?".  This should be an easy challenge, but for many reasons it is not an easy challenge for me.  Besides not liking to talk about myself, I do not know of anyone who does not think they do an exceptional job, even if they clearly do not.  For me, whether I am exceptional or not needs to be show in actions and not words, or at the very least stated by others.  I could post a blog with many of the great reviews I have received, but I do not think that would be worthy of an ActiveRain Monthly Challenge.  While I will not make glowing statements about myself in my submission to this challenge, I will state what I strive to do each and everyday for my clients.Several years ago I ask... 07/28/2023

This Family Fun Night on Main Street, Downtown Middletown, CT has something for everyone in the family regardless of their age. There is: The best Italian Ice anywhere which everyone will love. Performances by very talented young performers. Live music, and Who does not like unique toys. Anyone who is in or planning to be near Middletown, CT needs to make their calendar for July 25th, 5:00 - 8:00, and not miss this evening of great family fun.  07/14/2023

Happy 4th of July 2023 to all my ActiveRain friends.  Tomorrow is the 4th of July and my wife and I will be spending a quiet and relaxing.  No partying, no picnicking, just relaxing.  Normally we go to RI for a cookout with family.  But this year because the 4th of July falls on a Tuesday, we had our family 4th of July cookout in RI on Sunday.  So this 4th of July will just be my wife and myself, and we are just going to put some ribs on the grill, and enjoy a day of doing nothing.Hopefully all of you will have a happy 4th of July, and get to spend quality time with your family and friends, or just sit back and relax like my wife and I are doing this year.   Whatever you do, I hope you do it in a safe way.  We want the 4th of July to be a day of celebration, and not a day of regrets.Hap... 07/03/2023

The Middletown, CT Farmers Market are underway and will be held every Friday from now through October 27th. on the South Green which is located off of Main Street. One of my favorite things about Summer is all of the Farmers Markets in the area, and the Middletown Farmers Market is one of the better ones in my area.  The Middletown Farmers Market offers up a variety of local grown fruits and vegetables, as well as home made baked goods music, had-crafted items, and even a storytime. It is impossible to go to the Middletown Farmers Market and not purchase more than originally planned, because everything their just looks so good.I would encourage all those in the area to stop by the Middletown, CT Farmers Market, and to bring extra money, because you will most likely not be able to resist... 06/30/2023