Happy Happy Days ~

It’s Better to See Something Once Than

 to Hear About It a Thousand Times....

Christmas on Las Olas.  Beautiful decorations everywhere.

Beautiful Lauderdale By The Sea.

Fort Lauderdale Beach

Lauderdale By The Sea:

It feels a lot like Christmas.

The days are still on the cooler side, but the

 sun is shining and everything looks beautiful  The

 palm trees are swaying and the birds are singing.

  It's that most wonderful time of the year.

Happy Thursday everyone.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

~Nadiya~

A Cold Front Here ~

Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take, 

but by every moment that takes your breath away...

Temperatures dropped just a little last night, and by 

now you can imagine how cold we were.  Arvid and I 

joked that what we call cold is just a summer day 

in Norway.  That's how NOT a Viking he is.

After we got home both of us were chilled to the bone.

  After a hot shower it was time for Arvid's specialty.  

Yes, he's very good at making hot chocolate.

South Florida you just don't know what to expect from people.

Yesterday I read something "interesting" and both 

Arvid and I were pretty shocked.  Still pretty unbelievable.

And here we thought we were in a pretty safe area.  Oh well.

  It is what it is. Either you take it or you leave it.

The day is slowly warming up.  A good sign. 

 Wishing everyone a happy day. If you have the chance 

to make people happy, just do it.  Sometimes people

 are struggling silently.  Maybe, your act of 

kindness can make their day.

You can't wait around for something

 to become good, it either is, or isn't...

~Nadiya~

Happy Times ~

We make a living by what we get. 

We make a life by what we give...

This morning we woke up to cooler temperatures. 

 It was in the 50's.  You can imagine how freaked out Arvid was.  

Though he had things to do, he said he was not leaving

 home until it warmed up.  Well it did not warm

up that much so he did have to go out.

The above temperatures are warmer that what 

we are experiencing today.  The good thing is that it 

only lasts for a little wile and before you know it, 

it's warm again.  That's Florida living for you.

Yesterday I had a great time with Liliana.  We went 

out for lunch and before you knew it we were out for 

almost 4 hours.  Just talking and enjoying a good meal.

Right now it's more soccer time.  Arvid and 

Sniff are both relaxing while watching the game.  It's 

warming up quite nicely right now, Arvid still thinks

 it's cold.  After the game Arvid and I will head out to 

do a little shopping.  It's Christmas time after all.

Wishing everyone a beautiful day.  It's a magical time of the year.

And in the end, it's not the years in 

your life that count. It's the life in your years...

~Nadiya~

New Day ~ New Week ~

Mistakes are a part of being human. Appreciate 

your mistakes for what they are: precious life 

lessons that can only be learned the hard way... 

Starting the week with beautiful and positive vibes. 

 It is that time of the year.  The magical season is here 

and I am loving all of it. So much to be grateful for.

I love where we are.  So much to see and do, or just simple walks.

  The sights are one of a kind and makes us happy.  Always.

The Las Olas area is going through a change

 with so many new establishments opening.  There 

is also tons of buildings everywhere.  Will be 

interesting to see when it's all built out.

Taking time to enjoy the simple things in life is what we do.

I love to walk and just check out the scenery, maybe 

stop at a cafe or pub and enjoy a little something.  

Sunday dinners are relaxing and always good. 

 It's quality time just for us.  Because during

 the week life does get pretty hectic for us.

December has started nice and warm with a little coolness 

in the air.  Perfect.  Arvid is always amazed that he's in

 shorts, and we're sitting eating outdoors at restaurants.

Happy Monday to all and let's not forget to deal 

with the faults of others as gently as your own.

If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.

 If you want to be happy, practice compassion...     

~Nadiya~

Sunday Vibes ~

New month, new day, new date, new chapter, 

new page, new wishes!  Welcome December...

What is so special about December?  Every month is special, 

but come December it's Christmas.  A magical time of the 

year, and the best reason for it being special is because 

December 25th is my mom's birthday.  If ever there 

was an angel here on earth.  It's our mother.

Last night Arvid and I went to the Guitar Hotel, 

The Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood.  We went to see 

Lynyrd Skynyrd in concert.  I was just excited to see the 

hotel and what all the talk was about.  The concert was a

 plus. Let's say I was not too trilled with what we saw.

The hotel itself is just amazing.  A magnificent

 structure.  Everything is beautifully done.  Very impressive. 

 Now we don't need to go to Las Vegas if we want to go

 to a casino.  It's pretty, but I was a little disappointed.

No matter what or where, Arvid and I always

 have a good time. We walked around the entire place, saw 

lots of cool stuff.  Lots of gambling and tons of slot machines.

  If you want to do Vegas, all you have to do is step into the casino 

here in Hollywood.  Personally I will take Vegas any day.

Wishing everyone a beautiful month of December.  

It has stared out with a positive vibe and let's hope

 it continues.  Happy Sunday and always remember

 that kindness is free.  Happy day to all of you.

To get up each morning with the resolve to be
 happy is to set our own conditions to the events of 
each day. To do this is to condition circumstances
 instead of being conditioned by them...

~Nadiya~

Hello Beautiful Day ~

Without leaps of imagination or dreaming, we lose 

the excitement of possibilities.  Dreams get you into

 the future and add excitement into the present...

Today will be the first time going to check out the 

guitar shaped hotel at Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood.

  Can't wait.  I have been keeping an eye on this hotel 

for a long time and finally the day is here. 

Making it even more special we will be seeing 

Lynyrd Skynyrd live in concert.  Yes, it is going to be 

a very good evening and I am all ready for it.

This guitar-shaped hotel soars 450 feet into the sky,

 an extravagant glass structure that no one can miss.

The Seminole Hard Rock & Casino’s audacious, $1.5 billion 

expansion is commanding the attention of commuters on 

highways, passengers aboard planes and residents near 

and far who’ve watched it rise the past two years.

And we get to hear the band play a favorite of ours.

SWEET HOME ALABAMA

To all a great day.  I am excited about everything today.

Sweet  home Alabama where the skies are so blue.

Sweet home Alabama, Lord I'm coming home to you...

~Nadiya~

Black Friday ~

Happiness is not in money, but in shopping...

And just like that Black Friday is here again. 

 Time to trample your buddies just so that you 

can get that TV set at a discounted price.

  Ahhh the joys of the holidays.

Black Friday is not actually a holiday, 

but most non-retail employers give their 

employees the day off, increasing the 

number of potential shoppers. 

It has routinely been the busiest shopping

 day of the year since 2005, although news

 reports, which at that time were inaccurate, 

have described it as the busiest shopping day 

of the year for a much longer period of time.

I know what we will be doing.  Absolutely nothing, 

that is as far as getting trampled in the stores.

  For the last week I have been online trying to buy stuff. 

 Can you believe that I have so far not come up

 with anything I want or need?  So not right.

Happy shopping all.  Just try not to harm each other.

Shopping is a woman thing.  It's a contact sport like

 football.  Women enjoy the scrimmage, the noisy crowds,

 the danger of being trampled to death, and 

the ecstasy of the purchase....

~Nadiya~

Happy Thanksgiving ~

If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, 
"thank you," that would suffice...Thanksgiving is the 
holiday of peace, the celebration of work and the simple life,
a true folk-festival that speaks the poetry of the turn of the
 seasons, the beauty of seedtime and harvest, the ripe product 
of the year - and the deep, deep connection of all things with God...

Thanksgiving is a time to share and spend with your loved ones.  

It's time to take a moment and give thanks for all the goodness

 and blessings in your life.  I believe that giving thanks

 and being grateful is something we do everyday. 

I am grateful for so much.  Though life has not
always been a bed of roses, I know that I am truly blessed
 because i am surrounded by love and kindness.  I also
 know that i am a good person and I always try to
do whatever it is to make others happy.

For now wishing you all a good day and don't forget, as we express our

 gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to
 utter words, but to live by them"  Happy Thanksgiving to all. 
 Be safe, enjoy and yes put on those few extra pounds...

Let us remember that, as much has been given us, 
much will be expected from us, and that true homage comes from
 the heart as well as from the lips, and shows itself in deeds...

~Nadiya~

What Are You Grateful For Today? ~

To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant,

 to enact gratitude is generous and noble,

 but to live gratitude is to touch Heaven...

Thanksgiving is one of the most well-known American 

holidays. Every year on the fourth Thursday in November,

 people gather with friends and family to eat delicious

 food and be grateful for what they have in life.

It’s a celebration that has been around for centuries, 

with many families even having their own special 

traditions related to Thanksgiving. 

A lot of Americans have memories and 

emotions related to these special holidays, and 

we each celebrate in our own way and in our 

own way we express our gratitude.

During the Holidays I miss my family even more.

  Memories of my childhood keeps flashing through me.  

Beautiful memories of a happy family.

Happy Thanksgiving to all my friends, family,

 and to big hug to my Branson family.  I miss you all,

 and I know that you are well cared for, but when the 

holidays are here, I think of you all a little more often, 

and I smile for you have shown me the true

 meaning of gratitude and kindness.

Showing gratitude is one of the simplest yet most 

powerful things humans can do for each other...

~Nadiya~

A Good Day ~

How beautiful a day can be when kindness touches it...

Someone is being very good from now until Christmas,

 because Santa knows if you are bad or good, and when

 you want something really bad why take chances.

That being said, it's not gonna happen because it is too

 much work for Arvid to be good, and that's in a good way.

Today we have what's called Light Up The Beach.  

Our favorite Snowman is back in town.

I can feel Christmas and Thanksgiving is not even done.

Wishing everyone a day to remember and celebrate.

Gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart 

and not in the mind.  Be kind. Be thoughtful. 

Be genuine. But most of all be grateful...

~Nadiya~