How To Celebrate National Puzzle Day

How to celebrate National Puzzle Day?
 
Puzzles could very well be the American obsession. You can find crossword puzzles in every newspaper. The New York Times Sunday crossword puzzle is legendary.
 
People who love working puzzles love to celebrate this day. There is no evidence of how this day began or who started it.
 
Celebrate National Puzzle Day: You can chose from crosswords, number puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, word search, brain-teasers, etc.
 
Get crossword puzzle books at the dollar store and hand them out to your family, co-workers and friends. Maybe even a RAOK.
 
Challenge co-workers to complete the New York Time Daily crossword puzzle.
Buy a jigsaw puzzle, at least a 1,000 piece, and challenge your family to finish it be a certain time.
 
Have a family game night and play Scrabble.
 
Donate your used jigsaw puzzles to local hospitals or local shelters.
 
 
 

National Corn Chip Day

I just love these off the wall holidays.

I absolutely love corn chips, a snack food of cornmeal either fried or baked. I love the aroma and flavor of roasted corn. Typically they are seasoned with salt. Be very careful of the salt though.

C.E. Doolin entered a cafe in San Antonio, TX in 1932 and purchased a bag of corn chips. Later he discovered the manufacturer of the chips wanted to sell his business. Mr. Doolin purchased the recipe for $100 and began to sell Fritos Corn Chips from his Model T Ford. The rest is history!

To celebrate this holiday enjoy some corn chips with:

Easy Guacamole

Salsa

Nachos

Taco Salad

Frito Pie

National Blueberry Pancake Day

How in the world can you improve on pancakes? Just throw a few blueberries into the batter and you've added color and antioxidants.

Not to mention how great they'll taste.

By adding blueberries to your pancakes you get more than the extra sweetness in each bite. You'll be getting antioxidants, vitamin C and you'll be helping your digestion out.

Pancakes are usually topped with a slice of butter and drizzled with syrup before biting into them. OMGosh!!! I can't wait. YUMMY!!

Whether you have blueberry pancakes for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, I hope you have a great National Blueberry Pancake Day!

Enjoy this pancake recipe from diabeticlivingonline.com


BLUEBERRY FACT:

For those of you watching your carbs, did you know that 50 blueberries (2 oz) have only 10 carbs? It's true.

National Kazoo Day.

No one loves a kazoo more than a parent who's just picked his or her kid up from a birthday party. Oh wow, they gave you a kazoo? And you want to play it the whole drive home? And all night while I make dinner? Let's just hope that kazoo doesn't accidentally get thrown out the window!

The kazoo was invented in Macon, GA in the 1840's. American's got their first look at the Kazoo at the Georgia State Fair in 1852.

This year will be the 162nd birthday of the Kazoo. There is a USA Campaign in the works to make the Kazoo America's National Instrument.

Chocolate Cake Day is today.

Chocolate lovers UNITE!!!

Prepare to indulge yourself.

Today gives you the OK to treat yourself to your favorite chocolate cake.

This, unfortunately, has not been declared a national holiday by Congress but, it is a day that chocolate lovers will gladly celebrate.

The 3 objectives of today are to bake a chocolate cake, decorate it and then eat it.  Of course if you're to busy then eating some cake will do.  Yummy!!!

I was unable to find any information as to who created this day or even the origin.  This leads me to believe it was created by a bakery or a card company.

Oh well, however it came about whose gonna argue with chocolate. :-)

Enjoy.

National Have Fun At Work Day

It's Friday and today is "National Have Fun At Work Day" Here are some suggestions to help your day be more fun and to help you and your co-workers have a great day!

1. If appropriate at your work place, bring up the "National Have Fun At Work Day" idea to your co-workers. Maybe folks could join in to bring snacks. Or maybe they'd even have other ideas to add.

2. Wear something a little offbeat to work. People will think you're nuts - or just having a great day. Hopefully it will get the comments started. Perhaps everyone could dress a little offbeat.

3. If you have a small office - or a small department, little gifts are always a great way to begin the day.

4. Food always seems to be a hit around the job site.

5. A white elephant gift exchange is always fun.

6. If your group likes to party together, perhaps you'd rather save your fun until after work . Someone may offer their home or apartment and others join in with food, drinks and games.

7. Many of us may have work-at-home jobs. This national day of fun does NOT exclude you. If you work at home, email a couple of your good clients and share some fun.

If your work keeps you very busy - just sharing a smile and a few fun words can cheer up most everyone.

Keep this appropriate. Yes, we all have work gripes. Today with so many companies downsizing, or heaping more work on fewer people, or just doing all they can to stay in the black - a day with a little fun added can help you keep your sanity.

It’s never to early to order your Valentine their Valentines flowers

 
 

It's never to early to order flower's for Valentine's Day.

If you order now you'll have 1 less thing to worry about.

Let me help you get that early start.

 
 
 

Today is Nat'l Peanut Butter Day

You might like peanut butter in candy, cookies, as a sandwich, or straight from the jar, January 24th is your day to celebrate your favorite form of Peanut Butter. Smooth or crunchy, January 24th is National Peanut Butter Day.

But, where did peanut butter come from? Who invented it? Let us find out. Some of the answers may surprise you. And then, how about a few recipes for our favorite food?

A Little History of the Peanut and Peanut Butter 

Believe it or not peanut butter was not invented by Dr George Washington Carver. Let us go back in time a bit. Peanuts can be traced back as far as 950 BC and are originally from South America. The Incas used peanuts and made them into a paste-like substance.

Peanuts were transported from South America to Africa by early explorers of the new world. Through trade they were introduced to Spain. The Spanish used them in trade with their American colonies. Peanuts were not commercially grown as a crop until around 1818 in North Carolina and later in Virginia about the early to mid 1840's.

Dr George Washington Carver comes into the peanut picture during his research to assist the South's economy after the American Civil War. Devastated by the war and years of cotton and tobacco farming the soil had become depleted. Dr Carver was able to convince southern farmers to follow his suggestions to plant crops other than cotton and tobacco. By planting peanuts and other crops the region was able to begin to recover economically.

Dr Carver did discover three hundred uses for peanuts. Peanut butter was just one of those uses. He began encouraging the many uses of peanut products including, peanut butter, in 1880. But, Dr Carver did not patent peanut butter because he believed food products were gifts from God.

A patent was not issued for peanut butter until 1895. The patent was issued to Dr. John Harvey Kellogg for the "Process of Preparing Nut Meal". His nut meal used peanuts. Dr Kellogg had been serving peanut butter to his patients at his Battle Creek Sanitarium.

Joseph Lambert, who worked for Dr. Kellogg, created and began selling his own hand-operated peanut butter grinder in 1896. The first nut cookbook was published in 1899 by his wife, Almeta Lambert and was called "The Complete Guide to Nut Cookery".

A physician in St Louis, Dr. Ambrose Straub, used peanut butter as a method for providing toothless elderly with protein. He invented and patented a peanut butter making machine in 1903.

Today is National Pie Day.........Get Your Pie On!!!

National Pie Day was created by the American Pie Council.  

 
 

What's your favorite Pie?

SUPER BOWL XLVI.......HERE WE COME!!!!!

We will be buying a new TV for this game.

Wow what a game today, well at least the second half. We missed the first half due to an electrical power outage. It came back on just in time for the second half. I was biting my nails all through the second half. Sitting on the edge of my seat all I could do was pray that the "GIANTS" would win. Then OVERTIME, dang I hate overtime. In the end our Giants didn't let us down, 20-17, sorry SF fans they fought a darn good fight.

Superbowl is Sunday February 5th. The NFC champion New York Giants will square off with the AFC champion New England Patriots....de ja vue. Let's hope we repeat 2007.

Kickoff for Superbowl XLVI, the first Superbowl to ever be played in Indianapolis, is scheduled for 6:25 p.m. EST, February 5, 2012. The game will be televised on NBC and streamed at NBC.com for computers and via Verizon Wireless's NFL Mobile app.

Today is Nat'l Hugging Day......Give Someone a Hug

Today, January 21st, is Nat'l Hugging Day. This day was created in 1986 by Rev. Zaborney of Caro, Michigan. Rev. Zaborney created this Holiday to help people show more emotion in public. He felt people were embarrassed to show affection in public and hoped Nat'l Hugging Day would change people's embarrassment.

You celebrate this Holiday by hugging a family member, friend or stranger. Hugging has mental and physical benefits as well.

Hugging can:

•      Build a good immune system
•      Decrease the risk of heart disease
•      Helps curb appetite
•      Cost nothing
•      Decreases levels of the stress hormone Cortisol in women
•      Be essential for psychological and physical development
•      Make you feel good

Fun Fact:

http://www.nationalhuggingday.com

•      Recognizes the most huggable people each year
•      You can nominate "The Most Huggable People" of the year

Remember To Pray Everyday

Remember To Pray Everyday

 My boyfriend found the below today.  His  mom had sent it to him when she was alive.

  He looks at finding these directions as  spiritual words of inspiration sent by his  mom.  They spoke almost everyday and had  spiritual conversations often.    



Direction to God's House 

Make a Right onto "Believeth Blvd."  Keep straight through the first Green light, which is Jesus Christ.

Stay on "Believeth Blvd." until you reach the "Bridge of Faith", which is over troubled water.  When you get off the bridge, make a Right turn.

You are on the "King's Highway" - Heaven-bound.  Keep going for three miles:  One for the Father, One for the Son, and One for the Holy Ghost.  Then exit off onto "Grace Blvd."

Continue on "Grace Blvd"  to "Gospel Lane" then make a right.  Keep Straight and then make another right.  Keep straight and then make another Right on "Prayer Blvd."

As you go on your way, Yield Not to the traffic on "Temptation Ave."  Also, avoid "Sin Street" because it is a DEAD END.

Pass up "Envy Drive" and "Have Avenue".  Also, pass "Hypocrisy Street", "Gossiping Lane", and "Backbiting Blvd".

But you have to go down "Long Suffering Lane", "Persecution Blvd", and "Trials and Tribulations Ave."  But that's alright because "Victory Blvd." is straight ahead!

AMEN

Nothing beats a failure but a try - (Thanks Mama)

Losing weight and getting healthy is typically every one's New Year's resolution, I know it's mine. 

Sometimes it's easier said then done. We start out with good intentions and somewhere along the line we falter.  Not because we're weak, because we're bored.  

This is the year I want everyone to make their resolution happen.  If it's boring change it.  If it's to difficult start slow and take baby steps.  

It's all up to you.  Only you can change what needs to be changed.  

Take the bull by the horns and lead him in the direction of health and happiness. 

You know you can do it.

Today is Elvis' Birthday.....HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELVIS!

Born Elvis Aron Presley on January 8, 1935 in Tupelo, Mississippi to Vernon and Gladys Presley.  Elvis had a twin brother, Jessie Garon, who was stillborn. In 1948 Elvis and his parents moved to Memphis, Tennessee where Elvis graduated high school in 1953.

Elvis was drafted into the Army on March 24th, 1958.  He was released on leave just a few months later to tend to his ailing mother who passed the day after he arrived home.
 
Later being stationed to Germany he met Priscilla Beaulieu on September 13, 1959 at a casual party at his off base home in Bad Nauheim, Germany.

In March of 1962, at 16 years old, Elvis brought Priscilla to Los Angeles for a visit.  In 1963 Priscilla moved to the United states to be with Elvis.  He enrolled her in a Catholic High School.

In 1966 Elvis proposed to Priscilla with a 3 1/2 carat diamond ring. Elvis and Priscilla married on May 1, 1967 in Las Vegas at the Aladdin Hotel in Milton Prell's suite followed by a honeymoon in Palms Springs for a few days.  Elvis was 32 years old and Priscilla was 21 years old when they married.

On February 1, 1968 Lisa Marie Presley was born in Memphis, Tennessee.

After 5 years of marriage Elvis and Priscilla separated in August of 1972.  On January 8, 1973 Elvis filed for divorce giving Priscilla custody of Lisa Marie.

Elvis passed on August 16, 1977 at his home Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee, at the age of 42. The official cause of Elvis' death was recorded as cardiac arrhythmia but he apparently had an overdose of prescription drugs.
 
 
 

Let's get started

If you're like me your New Year's resolution is to lose weight. For some reason I keep telling myself I'll start tomorrow.  Well if I don't start now tomorrow will never come.

I have a friend who went on a diet and lost 72 lbs. It wasn't immediate but it was fast, 5 months. She lost it by good old diet and exercise.

She chose an exercise that was fun and would not get boring.

She did it all with  The Firm: Express (With Fitness Guide and 4-Day Kick Start Plan)

Power through the excuses!  Start now.

January holidays and events

The New Year starts another yearly holiday and event cycle.  There are holidays or events every day in the US and around the world.  I will highlight a few of interest below. 


January's flower is the Carnation. 



HOLIDAYS/EVENTS
January 1 - New Year’s Day 

January 2 - Rose Bowl game 

January 5 - National Bird day 

January 8 - Elvis’ Birthday 

January 10 - National Cut your Energy Day  

January 10 - 13  -  CES in Las Vegas

January 13 - Friday the 13th  (for all you suspicious folks)

January 14 - Organize Your Home Day 

January 16 - Martin Luther King Day  (celebrated)

January 19 - Nat'l Popcorn Day,   Women’s Healthy Weight Day 

January 21 - National Hugging Day 

January 23 - Chinese New Year,   National Pie Day (YUMMY :-))

January 24 - National Peanut Butter Day 

January 27 - Chocolate Cake Day 

January 29 - National Puzzle Day 


There are quite a few more.  I chose the holidays or events I thought were important and/or fun.  


Enjoy everyone.  

Things will change

Since my blog is so new I wanted everyone to understand the template will change with each Holiday.


I'm mentioning this because I don't want you to think you have come to the wrong blog.


Christmas and New Year's are over and the next Holiday is St. Valentines day, hence the pink.

Enjoy my blog.  I love feedback so please let me know if there is information you'd like me to add or delete.  

Send some flowers to someone you care about

There is no right or wrong time to send flowers.

Sending flowers is a beautiful gesture letting someone know you care about them.

 Technology has made ordering flowers online so simple you can order them for every occasion.

Send someone you care about a New Year's bouquet today.

NEW YEAR.....2012

The New Year is another chance to start fresh, make resolutions and try new things. Our hopes are high and our intentions good.


Our resolutions should be reasonable and in the short term obtainable but require some effort. Once you have reached your initial short term goal, set another.


Now is the time to make the commitment. Resolutions serve as excellent tools to keep you focused, organized and motivated.


Create a plan of action to achieve your goal. Putting it to pen and paper can be very beneficial.


If you find yourself straying or have already strayed, don't give up! Accept it and move on. We all stumble.


Be patient! Have you heard "Good things come to those who wait"? It takes hard work and dedication no matter what the goal is you're trying to achieve.


Good luck and let me know how you're doing.  


Happy New Year Everyone!!