April 4th~

He who has health has hope and he who has hope has everything...

 April is a busy month as far as doctors appointments go.

  This is the month I do all my rechecks.  I am sure everything

 will be fine, but when you've had cancer you have to

 be very careful and do all your follow ups 🎀

April is also a month of many birthdays in our family.  

Most importantly Sniff's.  Sniff is turning 9 years old this year.

  We have had him for eight of those nine.  I cannot imagine

 not having Sniff in our lives.  Also this month mom

 and dad's celebrate another anniversary 🎉

Arvid and I went to see Kung Fu Panda a few days ago.

  Have to say I was a bit disappointed.  As Arvid said,  "no 

more Kung Fu Panda movies for us"  I'm ok with that.

Arvid and I also continue to enjoy beautiful walks and 

good weather.  Flowers are blooming everywhere and my little

 squirrels and birds are coming out for foodies.  Life is good.

A healthy outside starts from the inside...

~Nadiya~

The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year ~

 It only takes a moment to say thank you, but your  
thoughtfulness will be remembered a long time... 

The Christmas feeling is always so much better when

 one is surrounded by happy people, music and all things 

Christmas.  We had a really good time walking around

 The Landings.  Enjoying the Christmas spirit. 

 It is definitely a very beautiful spot.

It was a very cold day, and by the time we were done walking

 my hands were frozen.  But I got to enjoy the sights and to

 take a few pictures.  Just that alone made up for the cold.

Unlike Arvid, I am very much more prepared for the cold. 

 He does not have the right clothes, and refuses to get them.  

Too bad because there will be many a cold days coming ⛄.  I am 

prepared.  My feet are nice and warm and I have warm jackets.

Last year we celebrated Christmas in Puerto Rico. 

 What a wonderful time that was.  Spent with my sister,

 Kimsy and J.  2019 we celebrated in Tampa, Florida, with my

 parents, sisters, nieces and nephews.  This year we

 celebrate on our own, here in Branson, MO.

It's always better with family, at the same time we always 

make the best of whatever life throws at us.  I have Arvid 

and Sniff.  All I need for Christmas and any given time.

Winding down.  One waits for Christmas all year 

long, and it suddenly comes and goes in a flash.

It's not how much we give but 
how much love we put into giving...

~Nadiya~

Sunday Vibes ~

Happiness is letting go of  what you think

your life is supposed to look like...

After a very good dinner at our favorite restaurant, Arvid

said to me, "want to go for a drive by the beach?"  Of course I said yes.

  My favorite Pina Coladas are at Aruba's Beach Cafe.  As we

 got closer, the road was blocked off.  Huge Super Bowl Party

 going on.  Every restaurant was fully booked.  

Arvid saw I was a little disappointed so he said, let's just 

continue driving on A1A.  We cruised along Fort Lauderdale Beach, 

and believe it or not, everything was super quiet there.  There 

was tons of parking and the beach was empty.  No big parties 

that I noticed going on.  Was a relaxing outing. 

So every day we make plans on what we would like to do. 

 Everyday Arvid tells me that we have to live more.  To enjoy life.  

As he puts it, "we have worked hard our entire lives.  It's time 

we reap the benefits."  How can I disagree with his logic?

The rest of the evening we will be watching The Super Bowl.

 As always my favorite part is the halftime entertainment and the cool ads.

Hope everyone has had a great day so far.  Let's go Patriots!

Nobody who ever gave his best regretted it...

~Nadiya~

Birthdays...Nirvana's and Sachin's...

Birthdays give us the opportunities to stop and 

appreciate all the little things we have been blessed with...

Today we celebrate 2 birthdays in our family.  My sister Nirvana's and my nephew Sachin's.

Nirvana is sister number 3 of 5 girls.  Mother of Kimsy and J.  My niece and nephew.

Here they are.  Many years ago, but somehow it always seems not that long ago.

They live in Puerto Rico and though I don't see them that often I always have
 them in my heart.  J am Kimsy are now in college.  Away from home.

Nirvana today on your birthday I just want you to know that a day does not go by

without me thinking of you, loving you and missing you.  For you and all my other 

sisters nothing is too much to ask for.  I only wish we were closer especially today.

From a little girl she was always a beauty.  Today she is even more beautiful, but 
the beauty is not only from the outside.  The woman she is is exceptional.  I am 
happy and fortunate to have her as my sister and my friend. Though 
distance may separate us, I always carry her in my heart..

You know the saying, you can kid the world, but not your sister. She is wiser than

 her years and she is my sister and my friend.  I love you and that is forever.

Sachin was born just just two days after 9-11.  Today the little boy born during one of the 

worst times for the US turns 13.  He is all boy.  There is no sport that he will not play.

As a little boy we were fortunate to have him and all his family live close to us in 

Florida.  Those days are forever cherished by me and are part of memories that will

never leave me.  Sachin like all my nieces and nephews holds a very special place in my heart.

From very little he knew how to relax and find a comfy spot.  In Florida that

was his favorite spot to sit and watch TV or play games.  I miss that face.

Sachin and I many years ago in his Florida home.  Wish I could also

spend the day with you Sachin.  I love you so much and uncle Arvid always
 remembers all the good times we have had together.  

  Little Sachin is on his way to manhood.  Have no idea where and how time has gone
 by so fast. One day he was little today he is a big boy and as he told his uncle
 Arvid, he plays soccer and uncle Arvid called him the next Messi.

Little Sachin is no longer little.  He's now a 14 years old. 
Happy birthday to my sister and my nephew.

To my sister Nirvana, Count the age, not the wrinkles you have. 
Count the blessings and the wonderful experience not the
 mistakes you have made.  Love you both.

May your birthday and every day be filled with the warmth of sunshine, 

the happiness of smiles, the sounds of laughter,

 the feeling of love and the sharing of good cheer....

~Nadiya~

Baby's Birthday...

First we had each other.  Then we had you.  Now we have everything...

Brutus...the apple of my eye.  Today our little kitty turns 9.

All I can say is that the day Brutus entered our lives, it became so much better.

Arvid has learnt the meaning of patience and of saying I love you to a kitty.

If you were to ask Arvid, he would tell you that Brutus has changed him.  Brutus has

made him a better person.  The Arvid I met and the Arvid I know after Brutus came into our

 lives are completely different.  I like the Arvid that became a better person because of Brutus.

Brutus's first year with us as pictured from the above pictures, was a learning process

for him and Arvid.  I have had kitties before, 5 to be exact so for me it was just heaven sent

being able to have another.  It took some convincing, but soon Arvid gave in to the idea

 and we have never looked back.  Brutus was the best thing to happen to our lives!

They say a baby is born with a need to be loved - and never outgrows it.  Well the

 same applies to our Brutus.  He is more human that kitty and all he wants is to be loved by us.

Happiness for us is a home where Brutus is, and where we hear little feet following

 us around all the time.  Happiness is watching Brutus cuddle up 

with Arvid and Arvid having a big smile on his face. 

 Happiness is having Brutus and Arvid to love and cherishing them forever.

This being said I am happy.  I have everything I need right 

next to me and I'm always grateful.

Happy birthday Brutus.  You have made life so much more interesting and we love you
 forever.  Dada and I hope you can be with us forever, but we will be happy to take whatever
 comes.  We promise to love you forever and to be with you through it all.  You are our baby.

Brutus, you have filled a place in our hearts that we never knew was empty...

~Mama and Dada~

Birthdays...Nirvana's and Sachin's

Birthdays give us the opportunities to stop and 

appreciate all the little things we have been blessed with...

Today we celebrate 2 birthdays in our family.  My sister Nirvana's and my nephew Sachin's.

Nirvana is sister number 3 of 5 girls.  Mother of Kimsy and J.  My niece and nephew.

Here they are.  Many years ago, but somehow it always seem not that long ago.

They live in Puerto Rico and though I don't see them that often I always have them in my heart..

Nirvana today on your birthday I just want you to know that a day does not go by

without me thinking of you, loving you and missing you.  For you and all my other 

sisters nothing is too much to ask for.  I only wish we were closer especially today.

From a little girl she was always a beauty.  Today she is even more beautiful, but the beauty 

is not only from the outside.  The woman she is is exceptional.  I am happy and fortunate

 to have her as my sister and my friend. Though distance may separate us, 

I always carry her in my heart..

You know the saying, you can kid the world, but not your sister. She is wiser than

 her years and she is my sister and my friend.  I love you and that is forever.

Sachin was born just just two days after 9-11.  Today the little boy born during one of the 

worst times for the US turns 13.  He is all boy.  There is no sport that he will not play.

As a little boy we were fortunate to have him and all his family live close to us in 

Florida.  Those days are forever cherished by me and are part of memories that will

never leave me.  Sachin like all my nieces and nephews holds a very special place in my heart.

From very little he knew how to relax and find a comfy spot.  In Florida that 

was his favorite spot to sit and watch TV or play games.  I miss that face.

Sachin and I many years ago in his Florida home.  Wish I could also

spend the day with you Sachin.  I love you so much and uncle Arvid always remembers

all the good times we have had together.  At 8;15 this morning we called him and and
we both
spoke to him.  The first thing I noticed was the voice change.  Little Sachin is on
his way to manhood.  Have no idea where and how time has gone by so fast.
One day he was little today he is a big boy and as he told his uncle Arvid,
he plays soccer and uncle Arvid called him the next Messi.

Little Sachin is no longer little.  He's now a 13 year old teenager.
Happy birthday to my sister and my nephew.

To my sister Nirvana,
Count the age, not the wrinkles you have. Count the blessings and 
the wonderful experience not the mistakes you have made.  Love you both.

May your birthday and every day be filled with the warmth of sunshine, 

the happiness of smiles, the sounds of laughter,

 the feeling of love and the sharing of good cheer....

~Nadiya~

Thursday....

The simple things are also the most extraordinary things,

and only the wise can see them...

With the rain came a perfect sunrise.  Good morning to a new day!

We have been quite lucky lately.  Though we have been having rain everyday,

most of it has been early early in the mornings so by the time we are ready

to head out and do whatever needs to be done the rain is gone and we are left 

with just a beautiful day.  Won't lie, it is VERY hot and extremely humid.

This morning I woke up smiling.  I was thinking of something someone said to me.

Just three words and for some reason I find them to be extremely heart-

warming.  We were talking about children and she said to me, "he loves me"

this was in reference to a little boy who just loves her to death.  For some reason 

I keep thinking of these three words and as far as I a concerned they mean

more than all the gold, diamonds and money in the world.  All I know is

that she is a lucky girl because when a child loves you you know you 

have done something right.

At that moment it reminded me of my nieces and nephews.  I know without

doubt that they also love me, and of course they know that I will love them for 

always!  I think that when a person can say that so and so loves them 

that in itself is a great accomplishment, especially when those that love them are kids.

We may not have all have children of our own, but we have the love of the 

little ones around us and in our case, we also have the love our our kitties. 

Wishing you all a beautiful day and remember, wisdom never ages.

The art of being happy lies in the power of extracting 

happiness from common things...

~Nadiya~