Beach Beauties!

We're taking our annual vacation in Myrtle Beach, SC after skipping a year last year. Today was another scorcher here in the South (Jodi--stay in Minnesota!) so we opted for a pool morning and then went to the beach after dinner.

I love going to the beach at this time of day because it's cooler, less crowded, and the lighting is much better for pictures!  As you can see, little one picked up right where we left off last year and is loving the ocean and (unfortunately) the sand.  

I'm sparing you the sand eating photos and instead you just get to see cuteness and beauty in this post!

Josi was content to dig in the sand while her little sister whooped it up in the surf.

I think at this point she was wishing she had her suit.

Another beautiful Josephine (middle name, though).

Yup!  We're pretty excited to be at the beach for this week!

More to come...

Lovin' the Stuff of Summer 2012

If you've been on my blog and read any of my previous summer posts, you're probably surprised by the title of this one.  I tend to whine talk about how much I don't like the heat of summer and usually have my "How many days until Fall?" countdown going by now.

However, this summer I've decided to trade my "Fall is the Most Fabulous" mantra for a bit of "Summer Lovin'" attitude as I channel my "All things Summer" friend, Adeye, in order to do this right. So, here are a few things I'm lovin' about summer so far...

1) Watching Michael play formal baseball for the first time and having the time of his life.

It doesn't hurt when the first team you're on wins the Championship Game by a score of 10-0! Way to go REDS!!!

And it only gets sweeter for me watching my husband coach his youngest son as he's done for the eldest in years past.  What a guy!

2) Having my eldest help the youngest acclimate to her first time in the pool this season.

She started off a bit tentative this year but was quickly back in her mermaid mode which included screaming, "That's not fair!" when I made her come out after a few HOURS!

3) Seeing the relationship between these 2 cousins grow stronger and funnier.  I absolutely love hanging around these 2 because they are hilarious together and I always end up wishing I had some popcorn and milk duds to go with the 'show'. ha ha ha (that's for you Jessica).

Helping Nonna make dough-balls.  See, I told you they were funny!

Nonna thinks so too!  And she even put up with them for 2 weeks before I got there!  What a woman!!!

4) Finding the beauty in this doll-baby!  Isn't she gorgeous? (And goofy too--the best combination out there in my opinion!)

It's not often I can get Josi to pose for some pictures so I was thrilled that she was in the mood for a fun photo shoot before church up in PA.

5) Spending some time with my Mom as she celebrated her 75th birthday, and...

...seeing her smile more often after a very difficult year.

6) Having time to cool off in the pool when the temperatures get hot.

7) Hanging out with cousins...

And just some good old horsing around!

8) But mostly I'm enjoying and appreciating the slower pace that is a big part of loving Summer!

So how about you?  What are you loving about Summer? 

Oh, and in case you were wondering...there are only 82 days until Fall!!!  WOO HOO!!! (Sorry Adeye--I just un-channeled you for a minute there)

I have spent the last 1.5hrs. trying to figure out why the comment prompt is missing on this blog post.  I haven't changed any settings and I went back and checked and all comment settings are correct.  If any of you have any advice on how to fix this, please e-mail me at kpfarf@nc.rr.com

Thanks! (Because I know at least 20 people have tried to comment. Har-dee-har-har-har!)

Organic Consequences

Nadia has a thing for eating grass...and sand...and mulch..and other organic material. I even had her tested for Pica, but apparently her love of eating non-food materials is not related to a vitamin deficiency.

We have tried various and asundry discipline tactics to get her to stop, but it seems she is bound and determined to act as if she's part bovine! 

So, once again I tried the, "Let's just let her eat her fill of grass and then maybe she'll get sick of it" technique to see if perhaps the 54th time is the charm.

Ahh...yes...I'm sensing a bit of discomfort with that last mouthful...



...which then led to some major gagging.  As I'm monitoring carefully I'm hoping that perhaps this will impress upon my little "cow" just how nasty this habit is.

Surely this cry of complete and total disgust over what she's just ingested will be marked indelibly in my little one's memory!!!  I'm feeling as if my little experiment has finally yielded it's desired result!  Woo Hoo!!!

Ummm...I guess we're going to have to look into the possibility of replacing all of our grass, mulch, sand, and stone surfaces with lots of cement.

(Adorable hairdo courtesy of my niece, Jessica)



From Fatherless to a Family!

Two years ago on this very day, I walked into this tiny courtroom to tell a judge why we wanted to make Nadia a part of our family.

He agreed, and so shortly after, we watched this little girl walk out of her 'home' for the last 2.5years into the arms of our family.

Two years later she is celebrating not only her 2nd year with us, but also her 2nd Father's Day with an earthly father who has promised to love and take care of her to the best of his ability.

I thought it would be appropriate since Nadia's 2nd Gotcha Day Anniversary fell on Father's Day this year, that  i would re-print something Jim wrote while we were in Ukraine.  It was his one and only 'guest' blog post and it was one God gave him in the middle of the night in our hotel in Zaporozhye.

I hope it touches you the way it did me 2 years ago, and again today when I re-read it:

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

A FATHER'S LOVE, FEBRUARY 11, 1998

“Send me Lord” she answered as she gazed into the eyes of the one whose way she would prepare, “she is so precious and beautiful. I can show him what he cannot now see.”


“He fears what he does not understand.”

“You promise that you will not ask of anyone more than you will equip them to give” she replied as her eagerness continued to grow.

“The world will not always look at you with love and acceptance because in their eyes you will be different.”

“Nor did they you Lord.”

“Yes my angel, you speak of the truth.”

“Then may I go Lord? May I be the one to prepare his heart?”

“Oh precious one, I would want no other. You will look into the faces of many in need and love them all. But, you will choose only the one I have shown you. You will point to her and call her by name ’Nadia’. Now go and show him how much I love him.”

“Thank you Lord”

(written by Josi and Nadia's earthly father)

Happy Father's Day 2012!!!

Wordless Wednesday

Christmas 2011 in Pictures