Girlfriend's Day and Other Fun, Weird and Interesting August Observances

Hey Y'all:

As you can tell I took the month of July OFF!!! I had so much going on that I didn't make any time to write consistently. Now that things have settled in both my personal and professional life I'M BACK!

What better way to start off August then to share the array of interesting and often bizarre observances for the month. Today August 1st is Girlfriends Day, here is a full list of observances by month, week and day from www.brownielocks.com. Which one(s) will you celebrate/participate in?

August Observances

American Adventures Month
American Artists Appreciation Month
American Indian Heritage Month   (See also November)
American History Essay Contest (8/1 - 12/15)
Black Business Month
Cataract Awareness Month
Celery, Fennel and Cactus Month
Children's Eye Health & Safety Month
Children's Vision & Learning Month
Get Ready for Kindergarten Month
Golf Month
Happiness Happens Month
Motor Sports Awareness Month
National Catfish Month Link
National Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Awareness Month
National Goat Cheese Month
National Immunization Awareness Month
National Panini Month
National Minority Donor Awareness Month
National Spinal Muscular Atrophy Awareness Month
National Runaway Prevention Month
National Truancy Prevention Month
National Water Quality Month
National Win With Civility Month
Neurosurgery Outreach Month
Orange and Papaya Month
Psoriasis Awareness Month
What Will Be Your Legacy Month

 August Weekly Observances
*International Clown Week: 1-7
*Simplify Your Life Week: 1-7
*World Breastfeeding Week: 1-7
National Farmers' Market Week: 4-10
Old Fiddler's Week: 4-10
*Rock for Life Week: 4-7
Assistance Dog Week: 4-10  Link (Second Week That Starts on the First Sunday)
Knights of Columbus Family Week: 4-10
National Resurrect Romance Week: 4-10 (2nd  Full Week)
Exercise With Your Child Week: 4-10
National Fraud Awareness Week: 4-10
(This is sponsored by the FCC and has to do with phone & mail fraud.)
Single Working Women's Week: 4-10 Link (Week always has the 4th in it)
Exhibitor Appreciation Week: 5-9
Intimate Apparel Week: 5-9
National Bargain Hunting Week: 5-11  (First Mon.-Sun Week)
Psychic Week: 5-9  (First full week)
Sturgis Rally: 5-11
National Hobo Week: 8-11
Elvis Week: 10-16
Feeding Pets of the Homeless Week: 11-17   (Always 2nd Week)
Weird Contest Week: 11-17 (Second Week)
*National Aviation Week: 15-21  (Always week of Orville Wright's Birthday on  19th)
Little League Baseball World Series: 18-24
Minority Enterprise Development Week: 18-24
*Be Kind To Humankind Week: 25-31
National Safe at Home Week: 26-30 (Last M-F Week)

August Daily Observance 
NOTE:  An * in front of the day means that the observance is on the same date every year regardless of the day it falls on.
*Girlfriend's Day: 1
*Lughnasa - 1
*National Minority Donor Awareness Day: 1
*Respect For Parents: 1
*Rounds Resounding Day: 1
*Spiderman Day: 1
*US Air Force Day: 1
*World Wide Web Day: 1
*World Scout Scarf Day: 1
International Beer Day: 2
*India Pale Ale Beer Day: 2
Satchmo Days: 2-4
Braham Pie Day: 3 (First Friday)
International Tree Climbing Days: 3-7  Link  (First Weekend)
National Mustard Day: 3 (First Saturday)
* Watermelon Day: 3
*Coast Guard Day: 4
*National Chocolate Chip Day: 4
*Single Working Women's Day: 4
*Social Security Day: 4
Friendship Day: 4 (First Sunday)
National Doll Day: 4  (First Sunday)
National Kids' Day: 4 (First Sunday)
Sister's Day: 4 (First Sunday)
Assistance Dog Day: 5   (Monday of Assistance Dog Week)
*International Beer Day: 5
*National Oyster Day: 5
*National Underwear Day: 5
*Hiroshima Day: 6
*National Fresh Breath (Halitosis)  Day: 6
National Root Beer Float Day: 6   (See also August 19.)
National Night Out: 6 (First Tuesday)
*Lighthouse Day: 7
*Particularly Preposterous Packaging Day: 7
*Professional Speakers Day: 7
*Purple Heart Day: 7
*Dalek Day: 8
Eid-Al Fitr: 8
*The Date to Create: 8
*Happiness Happens Day: 8
*Odie Day: 8 (Garfield's pal)
*Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbor's Porch Night: 8
Kool-Aid Day: 9-11  (Always 2nd weekend)
*International Day of The World's Indigenous People: 9
*Veep Day: 9
Worldwide Art Day: 9
*National Duran Duran Appreciation Day: 10
National Garage Sale Day: 10 (2nd Saturday)
*Skyscraper Appreciation Day: 10
*Smithsonian Day: 10
*S'mores Day: 10
*Ingersoll Day: 11
*IBM PC Day: 12
*International Youth Day: 12
*Sewing Machine Day: 12
*Vinyl Record Day: 12
*International Lefthander's Day: 13
*National Navajo Code Talkers Day: 14
*V-J Day: 14
*Best Friends Day: 15
*Chauvin Day: 15
*National Relaxation Day: 15
Hug Your Boss Day: 16   (3rd Friday)
*Joe Miller's Joke Day: 16
Men's Grooming Day: 16  (3rd Friday)
*National Airborne Day: 16
International Geocaching Day: 17 (3rd Saturday)
International Homeless Animals Day: 17 (Third Saturday)
*Meaning of "Is" Day: 17
*National Thrift Shop Day: 17
*Bad Poetry Day: 18
*Birth Control Pills Day: 18
God's Preeminence Day: 18  (Third Sunday)
*Mail Order Catalog Day: 18
*Serendipity Day: 18
(World) Daffodil Day: 18
*Aviation Day: 19
* "Black Cow" Root Beer Float Day: 19
 *World Humanitarian Day: 19 Link  (Different than Humanitarian Day on 1/15)
Cupcake Day: 19   (Third Monday)
Earth Over Shoot Day or Ecological Debt Day: 21
National Medical Dosimetrist Day: 21   (Third Wednesday)
*Poet's Day: 21
*Senior Citizen's Day: 21
*Southern Hemisphere Hoodie Hoo Day: 22
*Be An Angel Day: 22
*Day For The Remembrance of The Slave Trade & Its Abolition: 23
*Valentino Day: 23
*Pluto Demoted Day: 24
*Vesuvius Day: 24
William Wilberforce Day: 24
*National Waffle Day: 24 Link
International Bat Night: 24-25  (Last Full Weekend)
*Founders Day: 25  (National Park Service)
Go Topless Day: 25 Link  (Last Sunday)
*Kiss and Make Up Day: 25
*National Second-hand Wardrobe Day: 25
*National Whiskey Sour Day: 25 Link  (Also observed on 29th)
*National Dog Day: 26
*Women's Equality Day: 26
*Slow Art Day: 27 Link
*The Duchess Who Wasn't Day: 27
*Race Your Mouse Around the Icons Day: 28
*Radio Commercials Day: 28
*Crackers Over The Keyboard Day: 28
*According to Hoyle Day: 29
*Individual Rights Day: 29
*International Day Against Nuclear Tests: 29
*More Herbs, Less Salt Day: 29
*National Sarcoidosis Awareness Day: 29
*National Whiskey Sour Day: 29   (Also observed on 25th)
XIV Paralympics Games: 29-9/9
*National Holistic Pet Day: 30
*National Toasted Marshmallow Day: 30
Franchise Appreciation Day: 31 (Saturday of Labor Day weekend)
*Love Litigating Lawyers Day: 31

Until next time...
MUAH!

The Truth About Heat Stoke

Hey Y'all

Today is National Heat Stoke day. I know summertime is winding down but the hot weather might be around for a little longer. I just watched this video and it REALLY messed me up.


Source: Upworthy.com

This reenactment got me to the heart so I knew I had to share it.
As a mom I know how preoccupied we can be when running errands and often times we forget lots of things.  I've been guilty of moving to fast and almost left a kid in the car buckled into their car seat. ALMOST. If you've read my blog you know that my husband has locked the twins in the car before but that was a accident. We have never left our kids in the car intentionally. Running into the store real quick, take your kid with you, just dropping something in the mailbox, don't leave that baby (or pet) in the car. A simple inconvenience can divert a lifetime of pain.

Here are some valuable facts about heatstroke that you need to know. Please share this information with your loved ones and be sure to check the backseat before you leave your car.

National Sunglasses Day: June 27th

Hey Y'all,

In honor of National Sunglasses Day I share this picture of the 3 Little Brown's with you.

What do Chinese judges of the 12th century and modern poker players on TV have in common? Both groups have used sunglasses to hide the emotions in their eyes.

"For centuries, Chinese judges had routinely worn smoke-colored quartz lenses to conceal their eye expressions in court," according to Idea Finder. Sam Foster is credited with elevating sunglasses to their current status as a fashion accessory. He began selling his Foster Grant sunglasses in Atlantic City in 1929.

Today we use sunglasses to protect our eyes from harmful UV rays. We also wear them because they look cool. Various movie icons have relied on sunglasses to achieve their look. Consider Audrey Hepburn in "Breakfast at Tiffany's," Tom Cruise in "Risky Business," and Arnold Schwarzenegger in "The Terminator."
[Source:Yahoo!]

Until next time...
MUAH!

Throw Back Thursday: The twins

Hey Folks,

Just want to say thank you to who ever came up with posting pictures for Throwback Thursday's. As I searched my Facebook account I came across some great pictures of my children that reminded me how far we've come. The below picture is of the twins sitting in their infant carriers. I don't remember how my husband every carried both of them around but he did.


Now they are big 5 year olds. Time really flies when you are having fun.

Hope you are enjoying your day.
Until next time...
MUAH!

Summer Fun 2013 - Daddy School

Hey Y'all,

Last year this time I was unemployed and the twins reaped the benefits of Mommy being home. Although I didn't have much money I made the most of our days together with Mommy School in the morning and fun field trips in the afternoon. We visited Imagine That Children's Museum, Turtle Back Zoo, Scribbles in the Mall and took a few day trips to visit some of my stay at home mom friends. They loved every single moment of my unemployment and their private time with me.

This year however I'll be making my way to work everyday except Friday and Daddy will be working from home. I took a hint from my good friend Tara over at The Young Mommy Life and have set up a nice schedule for the Three Little Browns who won't be going to summer camp and only visiting Nana for a few weeks.

Monday - Friday

• 10:00 - Noon 
• Daddy School. - It is imperative to keep those little minds going during the summer. Daddy School will consist of reading comprehension, math and social studies for Erick and Penmanship, learning their address, basic math, site words and coloring inside the lines for the twins. Crafts will also be apart of daddy school. Mommy will check everything when she gets home in the evening. Tasks will be done both on and offline. We have access to very good educational sites and we'll make use of them for all age groups. Our top 3 online sites are 
• http://www.abcya.com/ 
• http://www.ixl.com/
• http://www.abcmouse.com/  
• Noon - 1:00 pm 
• Lunch
• 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm 
• Free play (snack will fit in here somewhere)
• 3:00 pm -4:00 pm
• Reading Circle - Summer reading guide for all age groups can be found here

On field trip days the schedule will be adjusted depending on the field trip location. If it's a late afternoon trip then Daddy School be still be in session.

Here are some of the places I will encourage him to take them.

• NYC Zoo's (Bronx, Queens, Central Park, Prospect Park & The NY Aquarium) 
• Summer Movie Express at Regal Cinemas 
• Water Park - He can pick one.
• Library - There is always something going on there.

How is your summer with the kiddies shaping up? Anybody going to summer school or camp? I'm always open to ideas so please share in the comments section.

Until next time...

MAUH!

Love/Avon Army of Women: Going Beyond a Cure

Hey Y'all,

Each year, 19,000 new cases of breast cancer occur among African American women. That’s 19,000 too many.

I don't know about you but my family has been severely affected by breast cancer. Two of my aunts were taken from me way to soon due to the disease. I know that I carry the gene and am prepared to have my first mammogram next year (I'll be 39) and I make sure to give myself breast exams at least once a week. I have three beautiful children to care for and a fantastic husband to love until we are old and gray. I will not become a victim of this horrible disease. So when I heard about the Love/Avon Army of Women project I knew I had to participate.

According to the American Cancer Society, our five-year survival rate of breast cancer is 77%, compared to white women's rate of 90%. African American women are more likely to develop breast cancer at a younger age, and we tend to develop more aggressive tumors, which are harder and more expensive to treat.
Enter Dr. Kathleen Arcaro from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. She studies breast cancer by studying breastmilk, which is full of breast cells key in figuring out how breast cancer develops. Over the past ten years she's worked to improve our understanding of breast cancer risk, and her findings may lead to new screening, prevention and treatment strategies.

The problem? Black women are underrepresented in the research. As a result, findings that work for white women or women with less aggressive forms of breast cancer, don’t work for the majority of black women grappling with the disease.

To ensure her findings are applicable to women of all races, she has been working to recruit African American women for the Love/Avon Army of Women, a project aiming to recruit one million women to sign up to participate in breast cancer research (if they choose to do so). By signing up, participants will receive an email newsletter with breast cancer research opportunities. Some research is as simple as a questionnaire or a phone interview.

Having African American women well represented in the breast cancer research is key, for her research and many others.’ So Dr. Arcaro hopes black women will sign up for the Army of Women (and be sure to select “breast milk study” in the drop down menu to help track the impact).
You can learn more about Dr. Arcaro’s work, and see if you or other women you know might qualify for one of her studies, at the website of the UMass Breastmilk Lab, and follow the lab on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Please sign up today!
Until next time...
MUAH!

No More Juice Boxes!!!

Hey Y'all,

I just read an article that made me sick to my stomach! We've all at some point given our children juice boxes or pouches. They are quick, easy and most times mess free. After reading the below article from ChildrensMD I have banned my children from consuming these death traps (strong words I know). Please inform all of your loved ones about the risks of tainted juice boxes and pouches. This doctor also makes a VERY good point. Children don't need to drink juice. It's pure sugar most times (even though the packaging says less sugar), and it's not good for their teeth or health. The best alternative to juice boxes is WATER!!! If they want something with flavor, infuse your water with fresh fruit. I've been seeing pictures all over instagram with fruit infused water here is a site that lists some pretty good recipes. Lets keep our families healthy, begin today!

Source: ChildrensMD

A patient came to my ER after noticing green slime coming up the straw from her Juicy Juice box. Her mom cut open the box – and brought her straight to the doctor.  Here’s what we found in the unexpired juice box:

 
Her juice box was full of mold—green slime that lined the edges of the box.   Apparently moldy juice boxes and juice pouches (such as those made by Capri Sun) are nothing new.  If even a tiny bit of air gets into the container molds can grow.  Air can get into a juice box through a hole that’s so small you can’t see it, and it doesn’t cause leaking.  Such a tiny puncture also permits the sugars in the juice to ferment, turning the product into a form of alcohol.

Juicy Juice and many other kid’s juice products are made without preservatives, permitting mold to grow even more easily.

The good news for my patient is that moldy, fermented juice is usually not very dangerous to drink.  An upset stomach and a totally grossed out mom are the most common complications.

But I recommended she cut out the juice, anyway.  Why?  Because juice is so full of sugar and calories that some have called it a gateway drug.  Sugar ingestion can actually cause release of natural opiates (really).  Opiate release stimulates the desire for other sweets and junk food.  High salt and high fat foods can also trigger release of pleasure-inducing opiates.  This is why so many people binge on ice cream, potato chips, and other favorite junk foods like Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.

The more sugar-laden juice your kids drink, the more opiates flood their system, and the more they will beg for another juice box.  After drinking all those calories and stimulating their sweet tooth, chances are your kids won’t be interested in dinner.   Some high sugar, high fat, high salt food might sound good, though.  Sound familiar?

Too much fruit juice can also cause tooth decay, diarrhea, and flatulence.  There are plenty of other healthy foods that contain the vitamins your kids need, and without the high sugar and calories.   Kids just don’t need juice. 

The American Academy of Pediatrics offers this guidance regarding kids and fruit juice.

• Juice should not be introduced into the diet of infants before 6 months of age, unless directed by your physician.  Occasionally small amounts of fruit juice may be recommended as a treatment for constipation.
• In children ages 6 months -6 years, fruit juice offers no nutritional benefit over whole fruit.  Whole fruits also provide fiber and other nutrients.
• If you do let your kids drink fruit juice, do not allow your child to carry a sippy cup, bottle or box of juice throughout the day.  Intake of fruit juice should be limited to 4 to 6 oz/d for children 1 to 6 years old. For children 7 to 18 years old, juice intake should be limited to 8 to 12 oz or 2 servings per day.
• Never serve your kids unpasteurized juice.
• These recommendations are for 100% fruit juice, which differs from juice drinks.  Fruit drinks often provide little to no nutritional benefit.

OK, I admit it, I’ve bought juice boxes for birthday parties and soccer games.  They are convenient, they keep kids happy, and they’re probably healthier than soda.  But you just can’t tell from looking at a juice box if it is moldy—you won’t know until you start drinking, and sometimes you won’t know until you get to the bottom… So as for my family, we’re going back to the cooler of ice water for soccer games.  If the kids complain, we’ll hand out good snacks.

Sincere thanks to the patient and her mother who permitted the photography of their juice box and gave permission for the publication of this story.

Until next time...
MUAH!