BIZARRE AUGUST HOLIDAYS

AUGUST 10, 2012 - BIZARRE AUGUST HOLIDAYS 

Bizarre August Holidays is the topic of today's almanac...Queen B thought this was a funny topic, and I agree.
Who comes up with this stuff, anyway?  And is it all just commercial hype? I don't know, but here you go: 

August is...

National Catfish Month

National Golf Month

National Eye Exam Month

National Water Quality Month

Romance Awareness Month

Peach Month

Foot Health Month

August 1 is . . . . . Friendship Day and National Raspberry Cream Pie Day

August 2 is . . . . . National Ice Cream Sandwich Day

August 3 is . . . . . National Watermelon Day

August 4 is . . . . . Twins Day Festival

August 5 is . . . . . National Mustard Day

August 6 is . . . . . Wiggle Your Toes Day

August 7 is . . . . . Sea Serpent Day

August 8 is . . . . . Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbor's Porch Night

August 9 is . . . . . National Polka Festival

August 10 is . . . . Lazy Day

August 11 is . . . . Presidential Joke Day

August 12 is . . . . Middle Child's Day

August 13 is . . . . Blame Someone Else Day

August 14 is . . . . National Creamsicle Day

August 15 is . . . . National Relaxation Day and National Failures Day

August 16 is . . . . Bratwurst Festival

August 17 is . . . . National Thriftshop Day

August 18 is . . . . Bad Poetry Day

August 19 is . . . . Potato Day

August 20 is . . . . National Radio Day

August 21 is . . . . National Spumoni Day

August 22 is . . . . Be An Angel Day

August 23 is . . . . National Spongecake Day

August 24 is . . . . Knife Day

August 25 is . . . . Kiss-And-Make-Up Day

August 26 is . . . . National Cherry Popsicle Day

August 27 is . . . . Petroleum Day

August 28 is . . . . World Sauntering Day

August 29 is . . . . More Herbs, Less Salt Day

August 30 is . . . . National Toasted Marshmallow Day

August 31 is . . . . National Trail Mix Day

FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL

AUGUST 9, 2012 - FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL 

Prepare Yourself for the First Week of School

Clear your own schedule. To the extent possible, postpone business trips, volunteer meetings, and extra projects. You want to be free to help your child acclimate to the school routine and overcome the confusion or anxiety that many children experience at the start of a new school year.

Make lunches the night before school. Older children should help or make their own. Give them the option to buy lunch in school if they prefer and finances permit.

Set alarm clocks. Have school-age children set their own alarm clocks to get up in the morning. Praise them for prompt response to morning schedules and bus pickups.

Leave plenty of extra time. Make sure your child has plenty of time to get up, eat breakfast, and get to school. For very young children taking the bus, pin to their shirt or backpack an index card with pertinent information, including their teacher’s name and bus number, as well as your daytime contact information.

After school. Review with your child what to do if he or she gets home after school and you are not there. Be very specific, particularly with young children. Put a note card in their backpack with the name(s) and number(s) of a neighbor who is home during the day as well as a number where you can be reached. If you have not already done so, have your child meet neighbor contacts to reaffirm the backup support personally.

Review your child’s schoolbooks. Talk about what your child will be learning during the year. Share your enthusiasm for the subjects and your confidence in your child’s ability to master the content. Reinforce the natural progression of the learning process that occurs over the school year. Learning skills take time and repetition. Encourage your child to be patient, attentive, and positive.

Send a brief note to your child’s teacher. Let the teachers know that you are interested in getting regular feedback on how and what your child is doing in school. Be sure to attend back-to-school night and introduce yourself to the teachers. Find out how they like to communicate with parents (e.g., through notes, e-mail, or phone calls). Convey a sincere desire to be a partner with your children’s teachers to enhance their learning experience.

Familiarize yourself with the other school professionals. Make an effort to find out who it is in the school or district and can be a resource for you and your child. Learn their roles and how best to access their help if you need them. This can include the principal and front office personnel; school psychologist, counselor, and social worker; the reading specialist, speech therapist, and school nurse; and the after-school activities coordinator.

RODEO MOVIES TO GET 'ER DONE

AUGUST 8, 2012 - RODEO MOVIES TO GET 'ER DONE

RODEO LOVING AND LIVING ... GEARING UP FOR SIKESTON!

The rodeo has inspired paintings, sculptures, books and film. To get you pumped up for the chutes opening in Sikeston, here are some great movies about the rodeo living and loving.  

8 Seconds (1994)

This film was dismissed due to it's star Luke Perry, who at the time was making teenage girls’ hearts flutter in Beverly Hills, 90210. But 8 Seconds actually offers a thoughtful and  and fairly accurate biography of the late rodeo champion Lane Frost. Perry closely resembles Frost, and if you know anyone from the Sooner state, you will recognize that he nails the Oklahoma accent. Cynthia Geary is the less than powerful female lead, but Stephen Baldwin steals the show portraying Frost's friend and fellow champion Tuff Hedeman.

Junior Bonner (1972)

Junior Bonner was a departure for director Sam Peckinpah, best known for his sequences of bloody violence, and for star Steve McQueen, whose screen persona was a cocky man of action. Critics loved this story of an aging rodeo champ hoping to win one last contest, but fans of the star and director didn’t get the high-octane mayhem they had come to expect, resulting in low box office receipts. Western lovers will enjoy it for the appearances of old cowhands Ben Johnson, Dub Taylor, and Donald “Red” Barry.

Rodeo Girl (1980)

Katharine Ross in a western is like Hayley Mills in a Disney film — always worth a look, regardless of the particulars. In Rodeo Girl, based on the life of rodeo world champion Sue Pirtle, Ross plays Sammy Garrett, a cowgirl whose dedication to building the Women’s Rodeo Association threatens her marriage. Ross brings her usual authenticity to the role and is ably supported by Bo Hopkins and Candy Clark.

The Cowboy Way (1994)

Take two rodeo cowboys and deposit them in New York City on a rescue mission to find their missing friend. The classic fish-out-of-water setup in The Cowboy Way plays out well thanks to the likeability of stars Woody Harrelson and Kiefer Sutherland, and the amusing if predictable moments when their country smarts keep them one step ahead of the city dwellers. It’s worth seeing just for the interrogation scene at the Central Park Zoo.

Colorado Cowboy: The Bruce Ford Story (1994)

“I’m a cowboy. It was born in me and bred in me,” says Bruce Ford. “It’s a life I love.” This documentary follows Ford through bareback riding competitions on the rodeo circuit, showing both the thrill of the competition and the stress on a cowboy’s family when he is away from home for months at a time.

The Rounders (1965)

It’s hard to imagine that a western starring Glenn Ford and Henry Fonda would, in its original release, be relegated to the bottom of a double bill. But that was the fate of The Rounders, a highly underrated comedy-action film about two old cowhands scuffling to earn a buck in Sedona, Arizona. Legendary bronc rider Casey Tibbs appears in the film, which inspired a short-lived TV series starring Patrick Wayne.

Ruby Jean and Joe (1996)

Though Tom Selleck plays an aging rodeo star, there’s admittedly not much rodeo in this made-for-TV film. Instead, the focus is on Selleck, as Joe Wade, and his unlikely relationship with Ruby Jean (Rebekah Johnson), a young hitchhiker who hangs around after the ride is over.

The magazine to find all things cowboy and rodeo is one of my fave reads when we attend the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas...there are always copies laying around!  Check it out.

BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS

AUGUST 7, 2012 - BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS 

Before School Starts

Re-establish the bedtime and mealtime routines. Plan to re-establish the bedtime and mealtime routines (especially breakfast) at least 1 week before school starts. Prepare your child for this change by talking with your child about the benefits of school routines in terms of not becoming over tired or overwhelmed by school work and activities. Include pre-bedtime reading and household chores if these were suspended during the summer.

Turn off the TV. Encourage your child to play quiet games, do puzzles, flash cards, color, or read as early morning activities instead of watching television. This will help ease your child into the learning process and school routine. If possible, maintain this practice throughout the school year. Television is distracting for many children, and your child will arrive at school better prepared to learn each morning if he or she has engaged in less passive activities.

Visit school with your child.  If your child is young or in a new school, visit the school with your child. Meeting the teacher, locating their classroom, locker, lunchroom, etc., will help ease pre-school anxieties and also allow your child to ask questions about the new environment. Call ahead to make sure the teachers will be available to introduce themselves to your child.

Minimize clothes shopping woes. Buy only the essentials. Summer clothes are usually fine during the early fall, but be sure to have at least one pair of sturdy shoes. Check with your school to confirm dress code guidelines.

Designate and clear a place to do homework. Older children should have the option of studying in their room or a quiet area of the house. Younger children usually need an area set aside in the family room or kitchen to facilitate adult monitoring, supervision, and encouragement.

Select a spot to keep backpacks and lunch boxes. Designate a spot for your children to place their school belongings as well as a place to put important notices and information sent home for you to see. Explain that emptying their backpack each evening is part of their responsibility, even for young children.

Freeze a few easy dinners. It will be much easier on you if you have dinner prepared so that meal preparation will not add to household tensions during the first week of school.

Take care of yourself!  You need plenty of sleep as well, in order to calmly and patiently care for your child’s needs.  Eat right, go to bed early, and make sure you have all your things together at night for the next day…that way you won’t keep them waiting on you!

RECYCLE YOUR OLD BATH TOWELS

AUGUST 3, 2012 - RECYCLE YOUR OLD BATH TOWELS 

Recycle & Be Creative. Do something back for Mother Earth like this eco-friendly home-decorating craft and make a luxurious rug to enliven your bathroom. And yes, I found it on Pinterest...

Towel Bathroom Rug

Give Old Towels a Second Life as Bath Mat

Transforming towels into super-soft, eco-chic bath rugs.

How-to Instructions for this Handmade Bathroom Floor Mat

1. First, wash and dry the towels you’ll be using for your mat.

2. Decide how big you want your bath rug to be by measuring the dimensions on the floor, e.g.. in from of your shower recess, as shown here.

3. Purchase gridded matting and cut it to those dimensions. This usually sits under floor rugs to avoid slipping and is also called ‘rug canvas’ or ‘anti-slip mat’.

You will find hook-rug grid matting packaged like this:

To find a base for this rug:  Blank Latch Rug Canvas With Grid. This rug canvas measures 36”x60” is only $7.50. Or check out the first link here which gives you a whole range of mat bases.

4. Cut the towels into strips of approx. 3/4” thick, and then cut the strips into 5-6” long pieces. If you do this, you will need 2-3 old bath towels for a rug sized 18 inches by 2 feet.

5. Knot each strip along the grid, ensuring they all face the same way.

Tip: for a thick, full mat, knot along every line. For a thinner mat, knot along every other line.

It’s an easy to do project that require little concentration. . It may take you a while but it will be worth it once you’re finished with your eco-chic bathroom mat.

Budget: less than $10, and your old towels have a nice new use...it's super soft and absorbent! 

SHOP SEASONALLY

AUGUST 2, 2012 - SHOP SEASONALLY 

Shopping Seasonally

Why shop seasonally? In season fruits, vegetables, and herbs are cheaper, better tasting, picked at their peak of ripeness to get all their possible nutrients, they’re easier to find, and not trucked across the country or world saves on greenhouse gas emissions and freshness.  We were shopping at Aldi Sunday, and knew what to buy, and are enjoying some delicious produce!
   

You can shop seasonally easily at farmers markets, local grocery stores will often sell produce from local farms, or most health food stores carry local produce if a farmers market is not close to you. You can start you own garden and if you don’t have enough room in your backyard, you can always grow in containers. Garden growing in containers has gotten easier and easier over the years, There are even specific kinds of tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, and peppers perfect for container gardening and herbs are easily grown in containers. You can even join a local CSA. (Community Supported Agriculture) Normally local farmers use little or no pesticides on their farms, making it a better choice for you and your family.

Here is a list of how to shop and what to buy seasonably. Some produce may vary to your location and region. And some seasons overlap and you can find them in multiple seasons throughout the year. 

Spring:

Apricots, Asparagus, peas, strawberries, mixed greens, mint, mushrooms, leeks, lemons, artichokes, spring and green onions, parsley, spinach, root vegetables, kale, rhubarb, lettuce, grapefruit, potatoes.

Summer:

Avocados, peppers, basil, okra, peaches, cherries, blueberries, melons, garlic, carrots, figs, egg plants, zucchini, summer squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, green beans, cilantro, mangoes, lima beans, celery, nectarines, and corn.

Fall:

Broccoli, cauliflower, shallots, pumpkins, grapes, pomegranates, limes, fennel, endive, chilies, collards, cranberries, winter squash, kohlrabi, salad turnips, Swiss chard, apples.

Winter:

Beets, turnips, rutabagas, parsnips, pears, onions, horseradish, clementines, cabbage, escarole, citrus, mandarin oranges, sweet potatoes.

They all look so yummy...it's really making me hungry! lol...Enjoy!

BACK TO SCHOOL SHOPPING

AUGUST 1, 2012 - BACK TO SCHOOL SHOPPING

Here are some back to school ideas:

For the lunchbox: 

Stainless steel is in -- not for the lunchbox itself, though, just for the stuff you pack it. With the government's new ban on BPAs in baby bottles, manufacturers are taking things a step further and making thermal containers and water bottles out of sleek stainless steel. They're pricier than plastic, but they last longer, don't hold on to odors, are reusable, and won't leak toxins into a kid's lunch. 

For school supplies:

Superheroes are always big among the elementary school set, but this year they're even bigger, thanks to blockbuster movies like "The Avengers" aimed at adults and older teens. Another must-have for younger kids: Anything Angry Birds, from backpacks to notebooks to lunch boxes. For older kids, notebooks and other school supplies will be governed with glitz and glitter or animal prints in colors not normally found in nature.

For the tech-savvy:

According to data from Ebates.com, kids of all ages are clamoring for high-tech gadgets like tablet computers and smartphones, but the people who can benefit most from those devices are the college-bound. If you're heading to the dorms, a tablet computer (like an iPad) can serve as your entertainment system (streaming movies and TV shows, playing music and games, reading books via Kindle, iBooks, or Nook apps) and as an in-class learning aid (for tapping out notes or recording lectures, or even for toting around PDFs), and even for carrying around all those English Lit books they'll have to read (thank you, e-readers!). Students will still need a computer for writing papers and doing research, both of which are more difficult to do on a tablet. 

For clothing:

For girls, skinny jeans and ballerina flats are popular, and for students who have to wear school uniforms, flowered headbands are a hit, thanks to shows like "Gossip Girl." Floral prints and tribal themes are also rumored to be hot this season. For guys, retailers are counting on bright colors and classic prints -- think wide horizontal stripes and argyle patterns. But don't forget, if your child attend Cape Girardeau School District, there are stricter dress guidelines this year.  Need clothing assistance?  The district has a collection and distribution, and on July 31 and August 1 between 9 am and 4 pm, families who need help getting dress code ready can go to the Central Junior High field house on Caruthers and select clothing, free of charge. For details, visit KFVS-12 at http://www.kfvs12.com/story/19090433/cape-girardeau-school-officials-hold-clothing-drive-for-new-dress-code