Always About The Weather...

You know what they say about Chicago. 

If you don't like the weather, wait fifteen minutes....

One thing about Chicago, you can never predict what the weather will be from minute to minute.

For instance, yesterday we had beautiful sunny 84 degrees.  was the perfect summer to be here.

When I woke up yesterday morning you could hardly see anything outside.

The fog was so thick that everything was just white, also it was 

pretty chilly at barely 56 degrees.  At 2:34 it has not really warmed up that

much but the skies are now blue as can be and it looks beautiful again.

Unfortunately, it is going to get cold again tonight.

According to the forecast for the rest of the week, 

the weather sure is going to be fluctuating quite a bit.  

As both Arvid and I commented, when we live in Florida we never 

pay attention to what the weather will be.  We know it will always be sunny 

and hot.  Here in Chicago, you never know what to expect.

Have a good day all and as Arvid just said,
"it's going to be a beautiful day"
The warm up is coming (hopefully)!!

I think that’s how Chicago got started. 

A bunch of people in New York said, 

‘Gee, I’m enjoying the crime and the poverty,

 but it just isn’t cold enough. Let’s go west...

~Nadiya~

Observation...

I am strong because I know my weaknesses. I am wise because I've been foolish.

 I give in because I've tasted loneliness I smile because I've known sadness... 

I come from a family of strong, determined and capable women. 

 Our role model is our mother.  My very first memory of her and, 

I see a woman who never complained, who no matter what life threw at her,

 she was always ready to receive the challenge, and challenge it was.

From a very young girl I always knew it was my moms strength that held us grounded.  

My mom did not have an easy life, but she never let it show. 

 She was always there for us and always there when we needed her.

I thought that life was a harsh at times for me.  I thought it was unusually difficult at times,

 but even so I managed to pull trough and to face another day.  

Today even with difficulties I know I have a good life 

and I know that I can face whatever it throws my way.

  Arvid, Brutus and I will and can do it.  

Yes, I thought of me as brave.

I have four sisters.  As with everyone they also face challenges daily. 

 More so because they have kids and I know that being a parent is not the easiest thing in the world.  Nothing is predictable and when you least expect it life throws you a curve ball.

Seeing the way my sisters handle life makes me admire them everyday more and more. Not having kids is like living on easy street.  My nieces and nephews age ranges from 5 to 20.  Not easy judging by what I hear.  The stories my sisters tell are enough to make me a nervous wreck, but like parents they handle every crisis in stride and most times never let it overwhelm them.

Yes, they are the brave and courageous ones.  The ones with the strength.
The ones who daily face the unexpected and are always there when their child needs comfort,
love or just someone to listen and not judge.   Being a parent is not always easy.
I watch and learn from them and from my friends with kids,
but I also know that the rewards are one of a kind.
I know they would not have it any other way,
 but boy does it always have to be so challenging?

To all the parents out there who make it seem so easy, you are every child's hero.

As a girl I am weak, as a woman I am strong, 
and determined to never bow my head to wrong... 

~Nadiya~

Style Mistakes That Age You...

Beauty is being the best possible version of yourself inside and out...

Just read this and thought it was pretty informing so I thought of sharing with all of you.

Changing up your look through fashion and beauty choices is fun, but there are some mistakes we all make that actually cause us to look OLDER we are. Uh-oh, no one wants that!  Here are some tips from The Thread, host Rachel Perry that will shave years off.

Dark lipstick - Deep shades make any surface look smaller, and that includes lips. Opt for a brighter color and/or a hint of gloss--it will make your pucker seem fuller and more youthful.

Too-sleek hairstyles - This can make your face look drawn and emphasize every pore, wrinkle, and imperfection. Try a more textured, looser option--a loosely pulled-back 'do takes five years off your face! Also, keep in mind that helmet-headed updos can be disastrously aging. Stay away from too-voluminous bouffants.

Over-concealing dark circles - We're all guilty of this one, guys. We want to hide those bags and under eye circles, and sometimes we get carried away. Take it down a notch with a light concealer, applied with a brush only to the dark spots--not the WHOLE under eye.

Cakey foundation - Heavy foundation sticks to and emphasizes wrinkles. Who wants that? Choose a tinted moisturizer instead. Once applied, take a damp sponge to noticeably wrinkled areas. It will remove any excess foundation!

Lower lash mascara - This packs a double aging whammy by bringing attention to crows feet and making eyes appear smaller and more tired. Instead, curl only your top lashes and apply the blackest mascara you can find--it will bring out the whites of your eyes while making them look bigger.

Short necklaces - Chokers are a bad move as they bring attention to your neck--an area that begins to show aging early on. Bring the focus down with a long necklace which will elongate both your neck and your figure for an all-around slimming effect!

All I can say is, do what feels comfortable.  Not because an "expert" tells you this is right or wrong means you have to listen.  Using a little commons sense and some good judgement is sometimes all we need.  Wishing you a good day and why not "play" around a bit as I did with some makeup and judge for yourself and see what works for you! 
Remember, people will stare, make it worth their while.

Everything has its beauty, but not everyone sees it.
Beauty is a self confidence directly applied to the face...

~Nadiya~

Father's Day....

I am not ashamed to say that no man I ever met was my father's equal, 

and I never loved any other man as much...

Daddy thank you for all you do for us.

Thank you for always being there.

Because of you, I know am a good, kind, 

compassionate, determined, strong and capable person.

All I know is that I am a lucky girl.

My dad was always my hero.

Today he is my inspiration to be all I can be and to never give up.

My dad is no quitter and he made sure his five daughters aren't either.

Dad you taught me the love of a father. In your arms I was always safe. 

You taught me selflessness. To you I am forever grateful. I love you dad.

Sometimes the poorest man leaves his children the richest inheritance...

~Nadiya~ 

Nirvana Kimberly... Kimsy

Some people are special cause of what they say or what they do,

 but you are special to me because of  who you are in my life, 

and the way you care and treat others. 

Just by being you,  you've made all the difference...

 Kimsy was born in Puerto Rico in 1997.  She is 16 years old today and just like Reshma, I look at her and I don't know where the years have gone by.  Time is going by too fast. We last saw Kimsy in December of last year and seeing the beautiful young lady she is today made me realize that I am a very lucky aunt.  I have beautiful nieces who are both wonderful inside and from outside and who love me.

Kimmy grew up Bilingual.  Now she is also fluent in French and I think she has picked up some additional languages due to all the international travelling she has been doing.  

Kimsy is growing up in a circle that one only reads about in magazines, yet she is grounded, kindhearted and always there to help out.  To know Kimsy is to love her.  She is soft spoken and a fierce defender of her brother J.  She is my little celebrity jet-setter niece.  Just thinking of her and I smile.

I remember one year when visiting them in Puerto Rico, she insisted we go to the Care Bear Shop and get ourselves a care Bear.  She already had a huge collection, but just seeing her so excited made me get caught up in the moment.  So we both walked out of there with new care Bears and a big smile.  Today Brutus enjoys playing with my Care Bear:)

Thinking about her makes me long to see her, J and my sister.  All my nieces and nephews are SMART!, but there is something about the girls that take them to another level.  Kimsy is no exception.  She excells in everything.  If there is something that needs to be done, guess who is volunteering?  

Sometimes her mom has to plead with her to not volunteer to do everything.  So far not sure it is working.  This summer Kimsy will be doing a camp/study at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.  Boy time does go by fast.  

still have my
lil' mysulf

Combined with her modelling, school, social and volunteer work it's a miracle she has time for much more. 

I love you Kimsy and I will always be here for anything you ever need.
I know there is nothing that if you decide to do you can't.
You are unique and special and the world is an open book.

Happy Birthday and we hope we can see you all soon.

There will always be people in your life  tell you U can't.  
Look them in the eyes and say WATCH me!

~Nadiya~

Early Riser..

Everyday is a gift, but the longer you wait to open it the smaller it gets.

Good Morning All...

Brutus has not had a very comfortable night. 

 He has been awake most of it and even though both Arvid and I did sleep,

 I have been awake with him since 4am.

It is very nice to wake up to a beautiful morning and a beautiful sunrise

 and to be able to take care of Brutus.

This morning it was easier giving him his medicine because I caught him by surprise. 

 I am happy to say that he drank some water and has been eating fairly well (though messy).

Friday is always a good day and it looks to be a beautiful one.  Yesterday was an extremely windy and fairly cold day as you can see by my wild hair, but perfect for all the walking we had to do before picking Brutus up.  Arvid and I visited the pawn shop where Hardcore Pawn Chicago is filmed.  

Hardcore Pawn Chicago

The owners asked if we would like to be in their show.  You never know...

In the meantime, we have our apartment listed.  Maybe will treat Arvid to lunch at 

PF Changs...one of our favorite places.

Have a great day everyone and never forget to be thankful for what you have.

Enjoy and practice kindness.

Every day’s a perfect gift of time for us to use.

Hours waiting to be filled in any way we choose.

Each morning brings a quiet hope that rises with the sun.

Each evening brings the sweet content that comes with work well done.

Don’t worry,

Be Happy!

~Nadiya~

Not Happy...

Happiness is not the absence of problems, it's the ability to deal with them...

As of last night 8pm Brutus had no food because today he had to be at the vet's office for 8am to have some tests done.  Here in Chicago just like in Florida all he seems to be doing is going to the vet.  We hope with these new tests being done today, we will find out what is going on and how we can treat him.

Exactly at 8pm last night he wanted food.  He was just standing looking at Arvid waiting for him to follow and take him to his foodies.  Did not happen.  As usual it just made us sad to see him looking so "depressed"  Brutus knows how to manipulate us really well and it really works.  He has us doing exactly what he wants and manages to make us want to do his bidding.  Strange creatures our pets.  We love them to death and we hurt for them just as we hurt for any of our loved ones.

After we did not get out of bed at 5am, Brutus cried and cried.  Arvid not being a morning person just looks at him and says, "shh shh go back to sleep now like a good little boy"  Well, that sure didn't stop him.  From then on Brutus was running all over us and jumping on the headboard just willing us to get up and feed him.

I got up and immediately he dragged me to where his food should be.  Well I almost (almost) gave in, but because I know what could happen I just looked at him picked him up and tried to soothe him.

Soon it was time to get Arvid up.  Not easy because he is NOT a morning person.  After that we got Brutus put him in his carrier and to the vet we go.  Brutus sees the taxi and starts to cry.  Not sure how much more of this he can handle.  Seems that all he does is go to vet after vet.  This is now our fifth trip with Brutus in a taxi to the vet.

Now we wait.  To kill some time we plan on heading out until it's time to go and pick

Brutus up and bring him home.  Yes, when we left him we were both sad.

Coming home to an empty home is strange. 

On a cherry note.  The Chicago Blackhawks, (hockey team) won the first game 

against the Boston Bruins last night in the third overtime.  Boy was that a tense game. 

Hope they win because the last time they won, 2010 the city of Chicago partied for a week!

GO HAWKS!!!!!

It's not always trying to fix something broken,
it's always about starting all over and
creating something better.
Happiness is a journey, not a destination...

~Nadiya~

Settling In...

Don't be afraid to start over, it's a new chance to rebuild what you want.

Everything happens for a reason...

The Blues Festival is over.  It was a good time and though the days started out cold it always seemed to warm up during the day for the festival.  Made us happy and we were able to enjoy it much better.  We saw some new artists who were really very good and a few we already knew, and they did not disappoint.  Overall it was good and knowing it will be our last one as Chicagoans made it bittersweet.

Now it's back to taking care of business and two things on our mind.  Get treatment for Brutus and list our apartment for sale.  So far, Brutus has already been to the vet three times.  Yesterday he was there to have his blood taken so that when he goes back o Thursday they will have a better idea as to what is going on and how to treat him.  That is what we hope.  

Brutus is being so very good, but he really does not like being in a taxi.  Both Arvid and I are with him so that seems to take some of his stress away.  Today as he was having blood drawn, we heard this scream.  Both Arvid and I looked at each other and simultaneously said, "awww it's Brutus"  Yes, Brutus is a screamer, but just like a kid as soon as the needle prick is over so are his screams.

Next thing on our agenda is selling our apartment.  Traumatic because we have to keep it spotless and we have to just put most of Brutus' things away.  He does not like this so we are hoping it sells fast, but that we can stay until the end of summer.

It's listed and now have to be prepared to show it at any given moment.  Not ideal, but it is doable.  

What better way to end the afternoon by having a nice and relaxing time at the hot tub.  Brutus also had a moment with his dada.  He just jumped up on Arvid's lap and stayed there for quite a long time.  Both of them had a good time.
Wishing you a good day and remember, life is too short to wait..

And they lived happily ever after...

~Nadiya~

Different Views...

There will always be someone else with a different view than you.

 I appreciate them and would never say that they are wrong. 

I hope that they would give me that courtesy also...

We all have different views on things.  That's what makes this world such
an interesting place.  I can definitely say Arvid and I see things differently quite often.

When it comes to having a positive outlook in life two people stand out right away.
Arvid and our niece Danielle.

Arvid at times is so always positive that I sometimes suspect he just lives in this fantasy world,

but I know better.  He always sees possibilities rather than the negative.  Danielle is the 

same.  Nothing fazes her.  Just about to graduate from high school and she is already 

a force all on her own.  Just listening to her puts me in awe.

I am not a negative person, but unlike Arvid I am realistic.  I like to talk 

about things whereas he would rather "pretend" all is good.  I like

to confront issues, where he thinks that if you leave it alone then the 

"problem" goes away.  He claims this is because he is positive.  maybe he has a point.

Guess we are all different in how we view things.  I have learnt in life if you
talk things out, it does not necessarily make you a negative person.
Arvid feels that if you ignore it it will fix itself...

Wonder who is right here?

One who is too insistent on his own views, 
finds few to agree with him..

~Nadiya~

When A Pet Dies...

                                      No heaven will not ever Heaven be. Unless my cats/pets are there to welcome me..

love

Saw this now a few times on different friends postings and it touched me the first time as it has all the other times.  It goes like this:

Our 14-year-old dog Abbey died last month. The day after she passed away my 4-year-old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey. She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her. I told her
that I thought we could so, and she dictated these words:

Dear God,

Will you please take care of my dog? She died yesterday and is with you in heaven. I miss her very much. I am happy that you let me have her as my dog even though she got sick.

I hope you will play with her. She likes to swim and play with balls. I am sending a picture of her so when you see her you will know that she is my dog. I really miss her.  Love, Meredith

my sister, her family and their doggie Jaxen

We put the letter in an envelope with a picture of Abbey and Meredith and addressed it to God/Heaven. We put our return address on it. Then Meredith pasted several stamps on the front of the envelope because she said it would take lots of stamps to get the letter all the way to heaven. That afternoon she dropped it into the letter box at the post office. A few days later, she asked if God had gotten the letter yet. I told her that I thought He had.

Yesterday, there was a package wrapped in gold paper on our front porch addressed, 'To Meredith' in an unfamiliar hand. Meredith opened it. Inside was a book by Mr. Rogers called, 'When a Pet Dies.' Taped to the inside front cover was the letter we had written to God in its opened envelope. On the opposite page was the picture of Abbey and Meredith and this note:

My sister and family with their doggie Tex

Dear Meredith,

Abbey arrived safely in heaven. Having the picture was a big help and I recognized her right away.

Abbey isn't sick anymore. Her spirit is here with me just like it stays in your heart. Abbey loved being your dog. Since we don't need our bodies in heaven, I don't have any pockets to keep your picture in so I am sending it back to you in this little book for you to keep and have something to remember Abbey by.

another sister's doggie..Dexter

Thank you for the beautiful letter and thank your mother for helping you write it and sending it to me. What a wonderful mother you have. I picked her especially for you. I send my blessings every day and remember that I love you very much. By the way, I'm easy to find. I am wherever there is love.

Love, God

My sisters and I have been fortunate to have grown up with pets.  My parents always had a German Shepperd and from the time we were little we knew what it was to love and care of someone else.  When our pet died we always said never again, but then another doggie would attach to our affections and we were again smitten.  Having a pet is a wonderful experience I would highly recommend.

then we were four girls and our dog Rajah..

Now we are all grown up with families of our own and a pet.  We are the lucky ones.

Our pets are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.

Death ends a life, not a relationship...

~Nadiya~