Whew! Monday’s over! We can NOW commence feeling normal for the rest of the week! Seriously, the drive down to the kid’s house Sunday was a breeze. It was early, so traffic was light, and except for having to constantly move my visor around to block out the blinding effects of that giant, golden orb in the sky, it was beautiful! I wish I could have gotten a picture of Mount Rainier – it was STUNNING! I sure hope we can manage to get down there this summer. I haven’t been there since I was in high school. The drive back was a little more stressful, since I was heading home at the most popular time of the day for folks to head home from their weekend activities, but even then it wasn’t horrible by a lot of people’s standards. It was enough of a trek that by the time I got home I just wasn’t feeling at all creative. It is borderline now, but I’ll do my best!
The day with the kids was wonderful, of course! Baby B was in a sweet, happy mood and Grandma got to play dress-up with her and get her ready to go show off in town. She’s quite a show stopper, no matter where we go! E was great! We wandered around Target to see what toys they had, so he could give me Christmas ideas (nothing like planning ahead, right?) and he had a LOT of ideas to share! Because he was so good and didn’t beg, we went to Dairy Queen to have lunch and some ice cream. I learned that E was taught the RIGHT way to eat fries and ice cream . . . by dipping the fry into the ice cream! YUM! The salty meets sweet in a perfect combination. We ate our sandwiches first then we both blissfully dipped our fries til we sadly ate the last salty morsel. Honestly, I couldn’t even finish my small sundae, so E was quite the gentleman and finished it off for me . . . by the end his face was entirely covered in chocolate as he got his face and tongue as far into the cup as humanly possible to lick up the last remnants of sweet deliciousness. Before I handed over my cup though, I did put a taste of the ice cream on Baby B’s tongue. I wish I had had a picture of the expression that came over her face! At first she sort of made a face at the cold, then this look of “What IS this?” came over her, and she smacked her lips and opened up like a little bird wanting more. I did put one more little smear of it on her tongue – didn’t want to sugar her up when she’s not used to it – but it was so precious! After we were done getting E washed up – and it was a bit of a job, though shockingly he didn’t even get one drip on his shirt, we headed out for another adventure. E had been begging me to go to the mall – something you don’t often get from a 6 year old. He said he wanted to go see the trains! I admit to being skeptical since the only trains in our local mall are at Christmas time, but I figured I wasn’t going to tell him no over something so simple, especially since we had time to kill and I don’t get to see him all that often.
Now, so you know the back story a bit, E LOVES anything train related. He’s absolutely fascinated by them. He didn’t steer me wrong! At their little mall they have a store that is leased by a pretty incredible group of hobbyists that have spent their lives building up some amazing train displays. We walked into the space and the group of older gentlemen had been talking amongst themselves jumped into action when E walked in. He was asked if he liked trains, to which he enthusiastically said YES! He was given a paper conductors had (B was too, but it obviously didn’t fit and she wanted to chew on it more than she wanted to wear it.) Then they turned on all the different train sets in the room. E was immediately spellbound. There were trains going in all different directions, amazing little villages and an entire carnival set up! They got a chair for me to sit on with B, and I just let Ethan enjoy himself. I’m not sure who has having more fun, E. . .or the men with the trains! One of the men was talking to me about his carnival display – he’d been working on building it for about 30 years! That’s dedication! I would love to share links to websites, or information from brochures, but they didn’t have any. They are just a group of guys who love trains, and I am assuming their wives wanted the mess picked up and taken somewhere else. They’ve been going from rental space to rental space showing off their trains for free, and working on passing on the love of all things electric train related to the next generation. We will definitely be going back again, if for nothing else than to watch the joy on a 6 year old boy’s face match the joy on the faces of men of more than 80+ years. It was a beautiful sight to behold. Of course I had the benefit of watching E have fun, and had some snuggle time with B. She kept putting her little head on my shoulder and was patting my arm and hugging up close. This Grandma’s heart is filled with such happiness, can you tell?
Moments With Moose –
There are days that I wish I could have the camera on Moose all the time because there are so many moments that he has me laughing so hard I have a hard time catching my breath, and I would so love to share those moments with you! This morning I was standing outside at 5:30 in the morning while he finds the perfect spot to do his Moose business. And there, in the early morning light, Moose meets up with his first puffball (dandelion fluff). He reached out with his nose to sniff it, and must have sniffed one of the pieces up his nose because he gave a HUGE sneeze, which of course blew the fluff everywhere. He lunged forward to snap at the fluff that was flying around, to try to catch some, and ended up with it all over his face! It was stuck in his eyelashes, around his muzzle and, of course, on his tongue. There was the most confused expression on his face as he shook his head back and forth, with his tongue working at double speed to get that stuff of it . . . pretty funny. It’s that fluff covered, surprised face that I would have loved to share with you. I chuckled to myself all day thinking about that.
Celebrations from Monday – May 4th–
Bird Day – Not to be confused with National Bird Day, which is celebrated on January 5th or International Migratory Bird Day, which is observed on the second Saturday in May. (so that means we get ANOTHER day to celebrate our feathered friends NEXT week!) The truth is that people love birds. Bird watching has become a favorite hobby for millions of people. As a matter of fact some folks say that it is the MOST popular of hobbies. I’m guessing that part of this is because it can be enjoyed by anyone, no matter their age or physical abilities. Since it IS so popular, it makes sense that there would be multiple days to celebrate, but what is the difference between the three days? Bird Day- which is today- is the oldest of the days for celebrating birds. According to the U.S. Library of Congress, Bird Day was observed for the first time on May 4, 1894. It was started by Charles Almanzo Babcock, who was the superintendent of schools in Oil City, PA. By 1910, Bird Day was widely celebrated, often at the same time as Arbor Day. These two celebrations – Bird Day and Arbor Day – focused on conservation and awareness. Then we have National Bird Day, which was set up by bird activists. Their intention was for people to recognize the plight of captive birds, and to draw attention to birds being exploited by the U.S. pet industry. Organizers of this day want people to think about the conditions of birds that are held in captivity – but I must note a couple of things here: 1) to use the word “National” accurately, a holiday must be approved by an act of Congress – which this one was not and 2) though I disagree with capturing birds from the wild and stuffing them into cages, I don’t think that having birds as pets is a bad thing if the birds were born in captivity and don’t know any better – they wouldn’t survive in the wild and for anyone to say otherwise is delusional. And finally there is International Migratory Bird Day which celebrates the amazing journey that migratory birds take each year – twice a year. They travel thousands of miles between breeding grounds in North America and their winter homes in Central and South America. The organizers of this one say that this is a day to both support, and increase awareness of conservation efforts that support migratory birds. They also say that taking a field trip to the woods to look for and watch migrating birds would be a fun idea – and it would be! On each of these days, take some time to look for and watch birds. They are beautiful and quite honestly, it’s a very peaceful thing to do!
Intergalactic Star Wars Day (May The Fourth Be With You!) – A play on words is how this celebration got its start, with the creation of it being a complete fluke. In 2005 a German News TV channel N24 interview erroneously translated this famous Star Wars quote. In German “May the force be with you” was incorrectly interpreted as “We are with you on May 4th”. We do believe that if this error had not occurred that someone, somewhere would have created this day.
Watch any of the great Star Wars movies
Better still, have a Star Wars marathon, and watch two or three (or 4) of them. (shoot me now – I don’t think I could deal with that many in a row)
Get out your laser sword and practice for the next invasion from the Evil Empire.
Send a Star Wars day Ecard- of course they have them!
Have a Star Wars costume party. (Um, no)
Learn some Star Wars Trivia, there’s no shortage.
This may not be popular with some folks – and that’s OK – we all have different taste in movies. If I had to choose a space type series of movies, I’d pick Star Trek over Star Wars any day of the week. Quote honestly the Star Wars movies bore me to tears, and some parts actually annoy me. I know, probably an unpopular opinion. I have always loved R2D2 and those fluffy little guys in the forest though. You can find something good in anything!
International Firefighters Day – Firefighters dedicate their lives to the protection of life and property. Sometimes that dedication comes in the form of countless hours of volunteering – many small communities only have volunteer firefighters – and many selfless years working in the industry. In ALL cases it risks the ultimate sacrifice of a fire fighter’s life. International Firefighters Day (IFFD) is a time where the world can recognize and honor the sacrifices that firefighters make to ensure that their communities and environment are as safe as possible. It is also a day to thank them for their contributions! This is a day to remember the past firefighters who have died while serving our community or dedicated their lives to protecting the safety of us all. At the same time, we can show our support and appreciation to the firefighters world wide who continue to protect us so well throughout the year. By proudly wearing and displaying blue and red ribbons pinned together or by participating in a memorial or recognition event, we can show our gratitude to firefighters everywhere. The IFFD ribbons are linked to colors symbolic of the main elements firefighters work with – red for fire and blue for water. These colors also are internationally recognized as representing emergency service.
International Respect for Chickens Day – OK, this one is yet another bleeding heart, don’t eat meat, rage against eating chicken. While I do believe that the chicken farms where the poor birds are stuffed into small cages, stacked on top of one another for their whole lives is cruel and horrible, I don’t believe that crying out against chicken as a food source is the answer either. My personal feelings are, when possible for your budget and according to availability, buy free range organic chicken and cage free vegetarian, organic eggs. I am very fortunate to live in a place where there is a wonderful market that often has awesome buy one/get one free sales on free range whole chickens, and sometimes just packages of chicken breasts. It truly makes it more affordable, and is a great time to fill the freezer. Costco has 24 packs of cage free, organic brown eggs for not much also. If you have the ability to have your own chickens for food or eggs, that’s great! Treat them with respect, and they will give your family the gift of wonderful, healthy food. No animal should be treated badly, no matter what, and that includes chickens. God gave us animals for food, not to abuse or exploit. Healthy, happy, free range, organically fed animals will give you healthier food. Though the intent of this day was for the anti-meat agenda to be pushed, the true meaning should be to respect and appreciate the resources God gave us, and treat them accordingly.
National Candied Orange Peel Day – this one is dedicated to . . . wait for it . . . candied orange peels! hahahaha sorry – I had to laugh at this just a little. So, really, when we eat oranges we throw usually throw away the peel, right? Oh sure, sometimes we may use the zest in a recipe, but for the most part they are tossed out into the compost or the garbage. So, why would we candy it? We know it is edible, but does it taste good? Well, if you are a chef or a baker, then you know just how to use it and what sorts of foods it would be delicious in, but for the rest of us we have very likely eaten it in seasonal baked goods without even knowing it. Candied orange peels are a boiled, sliced, sugar added treat. You CAN eat them by themselves, but most often they are used in holiday cookies, snacks and fruitcake. I have done a lot of baking, but I can honestly say I have never actually used them, and I am curious as to how they would taste in something. I had intended to make something last Christmas that used them, but totally forgot. Maybe THIS Christmas?
Petite and Proud Day – One thing I can honestly say I am NOT, is petite. I do have friends who are though, so to all of my friends who are smaller than 5’4″ tall, this day is for you to be petite and proud of it! Are you tired of people making comments about your small size and calling you half pint, vertically challenged or just plain SHORT? Today is about celebrating your lack of height and all of the advantages it brings. You can squeeze into small spaces, you don’t bang your heads on low ceilings and you can fit into children’s clothing, which could actually save you money! Statistics show that short people live longer than their tall friends, and that’s worth celebrating, right? You may be surprised by how many famous petite people there are . . . these folks are all under 5’4″ tall . . . Nathalie Portman, Kylie Minogue, Michael J. Fox, Seth Green, Amy Poehler, Reese Witherspoon and Eva Longoria. I didn’t know that about some of these folks! Today celebrate being petite in any way you can.
Renewal Day – This one is a wonderful one, and each and every one of us has a reason, no matter what that reason is, to celebrate it. Whoever the person is who set this one up, they need a round of applause. This is a day of new, and old, beginnings. Things get old, they get out of sorts, and we lose touch. Sometimes we lose touch with friends, loved ones, relationships, goals, enthusiasm, or whatever it is that we have just let go by the wayside. For some reason there are just some things we let go, when we probably shouldn’t. Renewal means different things to different people. When a couple first gets married they are sure that the excitement and enthusiasm for the marriage will always be there, but as in everything in life, we settle into a routine, some of the sparkle begins to dim and responsibilities and habits settle in. Today would be a good day to renew your marriage – even married people should take some time alone, so maybe going on a weekly date – something special and out of the ordinary – could add some sparkle and something to look forward to, start interjecting romantic little overtures for each other. Something as small as a love note in the lunch box can let your spouse know that they are special to you and remind them as they go about their day. What about friendships? How many of us have said goodbye to a friend after graduation, when a move has happened, when we’ve left a job and hugged our friends goodbye and promised to keep in touch . . . and don’t? I’m horrible about that. Life gets in the way, and I’ve always had a bit of a seasonal feeling about most friendships – not all, but most. This is always set in my mind as true when they don’t contact me either. Everyone intends to keep in touch, but life, in all of its busy-ness, gets in the way, time goes by, and we just lose contact. Thank goodness for Facebook, right? How many of us have renewed friendships through social networking? I know I have, so that at least is a good thing. Maybe one thing to do today would be to think of someone you miss from your past, and try to look them up. Never know, they may have been looking for you too. You don’t have to go to great lengths to celebrate renewal day though. Your marriage or relationship could be truly exciting and new all of the time, you may be in contact with every friend you’ve ever had, so focus on something maybe not so big . . . renew your nail polish, your hair style, the arrangement of your furniture . . . there’s always something you can update in your life for this one. So Happy Renewal Day!
Celebrations from Tuesday – May 5th–
Cartoonists Day – I remember when I was little I had to wait until my father was finished with the newspaper before I could look at it. At that time, nothing in it mattered except for the comics, and I remember them as being truly funny! I loved Family Circle, Dennis the Menace and a few others. Lately, the funny seems to be gotten lost somewhere so I don’t bother any more, but back then, it was something to really look forward to – especially in the Sunday paper. Today is Cartoonists Day, which is in celebration of the very first color comic strip, published on May 5th in 1895. It was called The Yellow Kid. Gradually the comics became a staple in every newspaper in the country and that’s why we celebrate this today! Cartoonists do far more than the papers though, they do animation, greeting cards, kids books, illustration – even toy and game design are heavily saturated with the work of talented cartoonists.
Childhood Stroke Awareness Day – My first thought when I saw this day was that I had no idea babies and children had strokes. Apparently that is a very common response, which is why this day was created, to bring awareness to the issue. The stories are heart breaking, the science involved. I have linked this site for you to check out. It’s fascinating, yet so heartbreaking. I would have written more on it, but I really wanted the topic to be done properly.
Cinco de Mayo – When you think of, and celebrate, Cinco de Mayo, do you have any clue what it is you are actually celebrating? It’s an awesome day in Mexico’s history, but it would be nice if everyone who celebrates it would at least have an idea of WHY they are! It’s not just food, margaritas and more food. On May 5, 1862, the Mexican army defeated the French army at the Battle of Puebla. This single military battle dignified the defeat of a European colonial power, and was a great victory for the Mexican people. This single battle is the root of Cinco de Mayo. Many believe that this is the celebration of Mexican Independence, but it isn’t. That comes on September 16th. Cinco de Mayo has come to be more than just one battle in the history of Mexico, it has come to signify Hispanic and Mexican pride and a time to celebrate their rich culture. It is a time of song, dance, partying and in general a time to be proud of their history. As for why we celebrate it here in the U.S.? Well, we do have a large Hispanic population, but it seems it is a good reason to enjoy good food, great beverages and friends or family.
International Midwives’ Day – International Midwives Day was first celebrated on May 5, 1991. Since that time, it has been celebrated every year on May 5 and over 50 nations recognize its importance. Midwifery care is needed internationally. Midwives fill a special role in maternity care by decreasing maternal and neonatal mortality rates. Midwives honor mothers and babies, and they believe in the ability to birth without unnecessary intervention. Celebrating this day will bring more positive publicity to midwifery care that will entitle women to a larger selection of birth choices. If I could have a do-over with my kids, knowing in hindsight how simple and quick my deliveries were, I would have done it at home with a midwife. Live and learn though.
Melanoma Monday – How many of us go through life thinking that nothing bad will happen to us? Illness is for other people – we don’t have time! Truth is that nobody is exempt. For Melanoma Monday – part of Skin Cancer Awareness Month – many dermatology clinics are giving free screenings, so today would be a perfect opportunity to get checked! If that isn’t available to you, please be sure to do a self-check regularly for any unusual spots that are new, or that have been there and are changing. The reason for all of the concern? Melanoma is the most deadly form of skin cancer and instances are up by 800% in the last few decades among young women 18-39 years old, double the instances in men. Get checked, once a year, to make sure that you are OK. If you are hitting the tanning beds, STOP. Apply and reapply sun screen regularly, wear a sun hat when you’re out in the sun and pay attention to changes you see on your skin. And where is the celebration in this? Well, finding out you DON’T have melanoma is a great reason to celebrate, wouldn’t you think?
National Hoagie Day – The Hoagie sandwich goes by different names, Hoagie, Sub and Hero. This big sandwich is a regular part of many diets in America. They are eaten for lunch, dinner and even as a late night snack! It’s a perfect on-the-go meal for people who are running from one place to another. The popularity of the Hoagie sub is partly do to its versatility. It can be hot or cold, made with lunch meat, or meatballs. It can have cheese, or not, and be loaded with veggie . . . or not. Depending on the person making or eating it. What’s not to like about that?
National Teacher Day – This one is always celebrated on the Tuesday that lands on the first full week of May. I would make a lousy teacher. I know that. I don’t have the patience to deal with other people’s kids on the scale that teachers do. Face it – other people don’t discipline their kids the way that we do, and as a result most kids aren’t going to behave the way we’d probably prefer they behave. Multiply that with a whole bunch of kids, and well . . . I can honestly say that Teachers are either saints, or gluttons for punishments. At least the good ones are. There are, as in any profession, that grouping that ISN’T so good . . . but that’s another blog post for another day. Today is in honor of those teachers who work hard, are patient and deal with the kids with understanding. Keep up the good work to the awesome Teachers, whether you are teaching in school or home school, and enjoy this day that is all about you.
Oyster Day – Oysters are a shellfish, or “mollusks” found in both freshwater and saltwater. They often produce pearls, making Oyster Day a real gem. (bad pun – I know) In the ocean (or freshwater for some types), oysters sift food from the water around them. When they do this, they sometimes pick up a piece of sand or grit. If that piece of sand or grit gets lodged in the oyster’s system, the oyster reacts to the irritation by slowly secreting a substance called “nacre” around the sand. Eventually, it develops into a pearl. Do all oysters develop a pearl? No, but wouldn’t it be great to open one up to find a sparkling pearl!? Oysters are a delicacy, enjoyed by many. Some folk love oysters, especially the “upper crust”. Others find oysters to be an acquired taste. I personally have never actually eaten an oyster and would have to be starving – literally – before I’d have one. If you are so inclined, you can celebrate Oyster Day by eating oysters, Or, buy some pearls for yourself – now THAT is the best way to celebrate Oyster Day! Seattle, Washington is the world’s largest producers of cultivated pearls. They are known as the “Oyster Capital of the World”. I find that to be slightly funny, since I live about 45 minutes from Seattle and had NO idea about that.
Totally Chipotle Day – Wooooweeee! Hot one comin’ through! May 5th is Totally Chipotle Day – conveniently coinciding with Cinco de Mayo, to honor the uniquely Mexican heritage of the chipotle pepper. Chipotles are a very popular kind of smoke dried jalapeno chili that are found frequently in Mexican and Mexican-American cuisine. Today we pay tribute to this flavorful chili and cook chipotle-inclusive meals in its honor. The unique smoking process lessens the burn you may have had with other jalapenos, so maybe you won’t need to drown the flavor in water. If spicy sauces are something you appreciate, please include them in your meals today!
Revenge of the Fifth (Star Wars Sith) –
Today In History –
May 4, 1626 – Manhattan Island is sold! Indians agree to the deal in exchange for $24 in cloth & buttons.
May 4, 1878 – Phonograph is played for the first time at the Grand Opera House.
May 4,1934 – Academy of Motion Pictures is founded.
May 4, 1932 – Atlanta Penitentiary has a new resident after Al Capone is convict of income tax evasion.
May 4, 1964 – Soap operas “Another World” and “As the World Turns” premiere. (1964)
May 5, 1862 -Mexican forces under Benito Juarez defeated French troops in the Battle of Puebla. Today this battle is celebrated as Cinco de Mayo.
May 5, 1865 – North Bend, Ohio gets on the map. It’s the site of the fist US train robbery.
May 5, 1893- The New York Stock Exchange crashes, causing the “Great Panic of 1893″.
May 5, 1962 – Alan Shepard rides “Freedom 7″ to becomes 1st American in space.
Food Celebrations of the Day –
May 4 – National Orange Juice Day – The idea of drinking OJ in the morning stems from the 1920s when California and Florida fruit growers started touting the health benefits of vitamin C, a newly discovered vitamin, in their promotional campaigns. I admit I usually buy my orange juice in jugs from the refrigerator section at the store. The brand Simply Orange is delicious and often on sale. However, when we went on our Alaska cruise a few years ago I was absolutely LOVING the fresh squeezed orange juice every morning at breakfast. Absolutely DELICIOUS! Here are some recipes from www.food.com to help you enjoy the day.
Spicy Orange Juice
Orange Juice Muffins
Hot Orange Juice Sipper
Blood Orange, Plum & Grape Juice
Carrot Salad With Orange Juice
Orange Juice Cake
May 5 – Cinco de Mayo – Commemorating the defeat of the French by the Mexican militia in 1862, Cinco de Mayo remains a day of pride — and a good reason to celebrate all things Mexican.
Beef Flautas
Holy Mole Frijoles
Chicken Tostadas
Traditional Tamales
The Best-Ever Carnitas
Queso Fundido
Mexican Rice
Whew! There you have them! That’s a LOT of things to read and do! Normally we don’t celebrate Cinco de Mayo with food, but today the general consensus in our household is that tacos sound good, so there you go! I’d best get my grocery list made up. God Bless You and I’ll see you tomorrow!