Ribbon Day

Lets celebrate Ribbon - The different color strands of thin material that we use to decorate gifts and other crafty things!

I learned how to curl ribbon from my Aunt Cathy. Whenever there was a present to be wrapped she would pull out her ribbon, scissors, and her ribbon shredder. We would tie the ribbon around the present and then add more strands of ribbon. We would then use her ribbon shredder to make skinner pieces of ribbon. We would then use the scissors to curl the ribbon. Because of my Aunt, I love to add ribbon to gifts. It makes it more special, and surprisingly, not many people enjoy adding ribbons to their gifts. I love it! I can make it whatever colors I want, and it is almost relaxing!

So lets pull out that ribbon and have some fun!

Erin

   Reeses & Blossom

Camera Day

As you can tell, I love cameras and I love taking photos. So today is all about the love of camera's!

Every year since 4th grade I have went to choir camp the week of the 4th of July. When I first started going I remember bringing disposable cameras. My parents would pack me at least 3 or 4 and I would use up all the photos less than half way through the week. When I got older I got a digital point and shoot camera for Christmas. I used it all the time. I went to a Michigan football game with my dad. At half time my dad was joking around and asked me "So how many photos have you taken? 150?". I looked at my camera and replied "278 so far". He was flabbergasted!

So get out and get those cameras working. Just don't be like me and accidentally drop it in water or have it get hit by a baseball!

Erin
   Reeses & Blossom

Backyard Campout Day

When I was in girl scouts we did a lot of camping. I remember my troop leader telling us how we were suppose to go camping out in the wilderness where there were no bathrooms. She said forget it. So instead we pitched tents in her backyard and would go inside to use the restroom. We would also make a fire and roast marshmallows, sandwiches, and my troops favorite - banana boats. What is a banana boat? It is when you take a banana and cut a slit down the middle of it. You then add mini marshmallows, chocolate chips, peanut butter, and whatever else you want to throw in. You then wrap it in tin foil and stick it over the fire. It is delicious!

Camping is a lot of fun, and you don't have to go to a specific location. Just go to your backyard, pitch a tent, and you can create your own fun camping memories!

Erin
   Reeses & Blossom

Sunglasses Day

Whats a better way to protect your eyes then to wear sunglasses on a sunny day?

Growing up I never wore sunglasses. Primarily because they made me nauseous every time I put them on. My eye doctor thought that it was just because I was wearing sunglasses that were not actually prescription glasses. When I bought a new pair of glasses we took my old ones and got them tinted to see if that would help. . . . it didn't. My doctor doesn't know why this happens, but the same thing happens to my mom too. Every time I have to get a new pair of glasses my eye doctor tries to get me to buy the transition lenses. I refuse. I would really not like to throw up that I go into the sun!

So if you aren't like me and get sick from sunglasses, then go wear them!

Erin

   Reeses & Blossom

National Chocolate Pudding Day

Mmmm. Chocolate Pudding. Who wouldn't want to have a big scoop of that for dessert! Well today you can because it is national chocolate pudding day!

I think that the best chocolate pudding is the ones that you get either at the school cafeteria, or at choir camp (I have a feeling both are the same). I'm not sure why, but the pudding tastes so wonderful that it makes me want to go up for many extra helpings. I don't eat too much pudding otherwise. Every now and then I might be craving a pudding, so I will buy one of the instant chocolate puddings from our local grocery store, and make it for my own enjoyment. Sure, it's not as good as cafeteria pudding, but it isn't bad! It's chocolate! Who doesn't like chocolate?!? (Other than my sister. . . .)

So lets go get some chocolate pudding!

Erin
   Reeses & Blossom

Color TV Day

Next week, all new - in color! That was a big thing back in the 60's when color televisions where first coming out. So lets celebrate being able to watch television in color.

I always liked older shows. I would watch I love Lucy, Gilligan's Island and the Addams Family. One of my favorite shows though is Dark Shadows. My dad got me hooked on the show on accident when he was flipping through on the television and happened across the re-runs on the SciFi channel. He had me and my brother watch an episode, not realizing that it would get me hooked. I now have almost the entire series (1225 episodes) on dvd. It's always fun to watch some of the episodes from the late 1960's. One episode would be in black and white while the next would be in color. In the ending credits there would be a voice over that would say what was going to be on tv next week - in color! It always made me laugh. But color tv really hasn't been around as long as we think it has been.

So lets celebrate tv and all of the colors that we can watch it in!

Erin
   Reeses & Blossom

Drivers Ed Day

What time of year is it? You got it! It's the time of year where the teenagers are learning how to drive! So put on your seat belts and hold on for dear life!

My dad was a drivers ed teacher. He had me go through drivers ed as soon as I was old enough (which was 14 years and 8 months old). He wanted to have as much time in the car with me as possible before I turned 16 and could get a permit to drive by myself. I remember when I took my drivers test. My dad had to come with me and the person giving the test. During the test we had to pass a horse and buggy, stop for j-walkers, and got stopped by the train. When the test was over the "tester" was going over how I did. I remember her saying that "that was the best test that I have seen in almost two years". . . Meanwhile my dad is saying "Oh, well she didn't come to a complete stop here, and she could have done . . ." DAD BE QUIET!!!

Even though my dad saw flaws I still passed with flying colors!

So be careful out on the roads! There are newbies learning how to drive!

Erin
   Reeses & Blossom

National Pink Day

Today is all about the color pink! So what all can we do with the color pink? Here are a few fun things to give a try:

- Wear a pink shirt

- Make a pink toga out of a pink sheet

- "Accidentally" throw a red shirt in the wash with all white clothing.

- Make pink ribbons or bows

- Take pictures of everything that you find that has the color pink

- Only write with a pink writing utensil

- See how many shades of pink you can name (Ex: Light pink, pink, magenta)

- Paint your nails pink

- Only talk to people who are wearing pink.

Happy National Pink Day!

Erin

   Reeses & Blossom

Toliet Paper Day

Today is dedicated to the paper that helps to keep us clean - Toliet Paper!

There are many different brands of toilet paper. It comes in thick, thin, quilted, etc. I remember as a kid that I always wanted to use toilet paper to wrap myself up and become a "mummy". I never did it in fear of getting in trouble for using all the toilet paper. But there are quite a few things that you can do with toilet paper. Here are a few:

- Become a mummy

- Vandalise someones house (I Don't recommend this one!)

- Clog someones toliet

- Great for dogs to shred

- Use as bowling pins

- Use as measuring tape

There is so much that you can do with toilet paper! So lets get out use it!

Erin
   Reeses & Blossom

Fathers Day

Today is all about our fathers and how they helped us become the people that they are today.

I get a lot of traits from my dad. My hair (which is a good thing), my ability to yell, my love of ketchup, as well as my need to be to places not just on time, but super early. My dad was my life teacher, but also my literal teacher. He was my gym teacher when I was in elementary school. I remember going to school extra early with him and he would let me turn on all of the lights in the gym. I thought that was the coolest thing. I had to go back behind the stage, and climb up on a counter to flip 3 or 4 switches. Once again, it was awesome. If he didn't have any grading that he had to do we would walk around the school building for a half and hour and he would give me math problems to answer.

I am so grateful to have a dad who cares for me and one that I can always turn to. Sure, we get mad at each other from time to time, but isn't that what families are for?

So Happy Fathers Day to all the dads out there!

Erin
   Reeses & Blossom

National Skateboarding Day

I never tried to get on a skateboard until high school. There was no reason why I didn't, other than I didn't have a skateboard. I had a bicycle, scooter, and rollerblades, but I never had a skateboard. I remember thinking to myself that if I got a skateboard I would probably end up injuring myself by falling off it or running into something. I am somewhat of a klutz. I got stitches in my head when I was younger for playing ring around the rosy. . . we all fell down and I hit my head on the windowsill. Then in high school I fell off my scooter and got stitches in my leg. I also broke my arm - twice. Once falling off the monkey bars at school and another time falling out of a tree. Thus the reason why I never had the urge to try and learn how to ride a skateboard!

So for those of you that can skateboard, then today is your day! For the rest of us, we can enjoy other people skateboarding!

Erin

   Reeses & Blossom

National Flip Flop Day

What better way to celebrate the start of summer than to put away our tennis shoes and pull out our flip flops!?

As a kid I never enjoyed flip flops. I was pretty active, and I couldn't run in flip flops. They would usually end up falling off, or I would hit my toe on something hard and make it bleed. It wasn't until I got older that I didn't mind flip flops. They definitely make it a lot easier at the beach because you don't have to worry about getting sand in your tennis shoes. They also come in many different colors and styles. Compared to tennis shoes, it is also much easier to make your own pair of flip flops that suit you and your personality.

So lets celebrate the start of summer by getting on those flip flops!

Erin
   Reeses & Blossom

National Pocket Change Day

If you where to take out everything in your pocket what would you find? An old receipt? Lent? Chapstick? Wallet? A good chunk of the time though we will have some coins, or change in our pockets. What would happen if everyday you took that extra change and saved it in it's own piggy bank? After a while it will add up!

As a kid I loved piggy banks. My favorite was the ones that looked like giant crayons. I had a purple crayon bank that I put all my extra change in. Most of it was just penny's and nickels - but they add up after time! I remember pouring out all of the change and counting it out. I would divide the coins so there were separate piles for pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, half dollars, and dollar coins. I would then make stacks of 1 dollars. After all of my hard work, counting out almost 50 dollars worth of coins I would take all of the coins and put them back in my bank.

So start saving your pocket change! It will start to add up!

Erin
   Reeses & Blossom

Eat Your Veggies Day

Vegetables are good for us. It is recommended that we get 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables every day!

I know as a kid that I never liked to eat my vegetables. I still do not eat enough vegetables as an adult, although I do eat slightly more than I use to. Carrots have always been my favorite. My brother and I were always opposite when it came to carrots. I loved them cooked, while he liked them raw. My mom had to alternate between cooking the carrots and not for dinners so that we would both eat them. I would also eat peas, although not like my brother who would mix them in with his mac and cheese. For the most part though, I always had a hard time with veggies. To me it seemed as though I was eating grass. I never enjoyed the taste or the texture of most veggies. If a salad was put in front of me I wouldn't actually eat the veggies, I would eat the cheese and the croutons.

So lets go eat some veggies, and if your like me, just keep trying to eat them. I've been told that I will learn to love them someday!

Erin
   Reeses & Blossom

Garage Clean Up Day

Do you have a garage? Is it full of tools, yard supplies, sports equipment, or other random things? Well today is the day to clean it up and get rid of the things that you don't need or don't use!

Not going to lie. My garage is a mess. I only put my car in my garage during the winter. The rest of the year my garage is filled with random things. I have a ping pong table that I got from my grandmother, which is always a lot of fun to play. I have my lawn mower, mulch that needs to go out, weed killer, my bicycles, a treadmill, and gardening tools. Then I also have the things that I need to get rid of, such as the bale of hay that I got last October, and an old tv screen that I have never used.

So if you have a garage, take the time to clean it up!

Erin
   Reeses & Blossom

Smile Power Day

Other peoples attitude can affect our own attitudes. I know that when I come into work and one of my co-workers are angry or upset I can sometimes get more irritated than usual. On the flip side, if my co-worker comes in and is in a good mood, it usually makes me happier too!

One thing that I've learned not only from my mom, but from working in retail, is to "kill them with kindness." What does this mean exactly? This means that if you have someone who is upset about something, don't fight or get angry back. It usually makes the situation worse. Instead, try to be as polite as possible. Keeping a positive attitude and a smile go so much further than being angry. Even if your not talking to someone who is upset, still smile and usually they will smile back. Smiles are like yawns - they can be contagious!

So lets go use our Smile Power!

Erin

   Reeses & Blossom

Duck Tape Day

Yes, there is an actual holiday dedicated to Duck Tape - the colorful adhesive that is used for many different purposes.

Duck tape orginally started out as a gray color and was used to help tape things togeather. Through the years it has expanded not only in colors and designs, but in how we use it. There are currently books dedicated to crafts that you can make with duck tape. I have made bows and a wallet out of duck tape, but there have been others who have made purses, ties, pants, coat, and even prom dresses out of duck tape. TV shows such as Project Runway have even done full episodes where everything made must be made out of duck tape. It is amazing to see some of the things that peoples imagination can create!

If you can make things out of duck tape - great! Lets get to it! If not, just look up "duck tape crafts" and you will be able to see the hundreds of thousands of things that people have made out of duck tape!

Have fun!

Erin
   Reeses & Blossom

National Sewing Machine Day

Before sewing machines people use to sew everything together by hand. Our clothes where made by hand, our blankets, and many other things that are made out of material. It took a lot of time and energy.  By using sewing machines, the time spent making clothes and other things decreased tremendously.

My family is a family of quilters. My mom taught me how to use a sewing machine when I was in 3rd grade. In 4th grade I used that skill to make 'Backpack Bears' for market day. That was a day in which all of the 4th graders in the school would set up stand in their classroom and sell something that they had made. I made little toy bears. The following year was when I started my first quilt and finished about a year later. I remember that I thought that it took forever to make that first quilt. I think back now and realize that if we didn't have a sewing machine, that it would have taken me years to finish that quilt - if I even finished it!

So thank you to the people who made the sewing machine!

Erin

   Reeses & Blossom

Egg Day

What came first? The chicken or the egg? Who cares?! Today is all about the eggs that chickens produce!

I have never been a huge fan of eggs. I will eat them if they are baked into stuff (such as cake), but I won't eat scrambled eggs or any form that eggs that are just eggs with nothing else. I remember back when I first started to try and lose weight, I decided to go on a really stupid diet. I don't remember what the diet was called, but all you ate was egg whites and tuna. Why I decided to give this a try I have no idea. Expecially since I don't like eggs or tuna. I remember that it took me a half an hour just to eat half a can of tuna. It was horrible. Now I did lose almost 10 pounds that week, but I was so hungry I gorged on food and gained it all back a week later. It was after that I decided to go for a lifestyle change and join Weight Watchers.

So if you like eggs, then go eat some! If you don't lets go find a way to enjoy eggs, such as throwing them or drawing funny faces on them with sharpies!

Have fun!

Erin
   Reeses & Blossom

Corn on the Cob Day

I remember corn on the cob as being one of my brothers favorite meals as a kid when we were growing up. My mom would buy some corn on the cob at a little farm on her way home from work. When she got home we would help her peel the husk and she would cook them. My brother always ate at least 3 or 4. He would eat them so fast that you would think that he was in a corn on the cob eating contest!

I, on the other hand, never truly loved corn on the cob. Sure, I will eat it, but it's not something that I loved. My family blamed it on the fact that I hated how it got stuck in my braces. Although that is true, I have found that the strings have always gotten stuck in my teeth - even before 5 years of braces. I do love the Native American decorative corn on the cob though! It always comes in such a variety of pretty colors!

So lets go get some corn on the cob!

Erin

   Reeses & Blossom

The Great Outdoors Day

Today is all about going out into nature and enjoying all of the things it gives us.

I truly enjoy going into nature. I remember when I was in high school my science teacher gave us a project. For this project we had to go into nature for 4 hours and observe/take notes of what we saw, smelled, heard, etc. I chose to go to our local state park. It was in the fall and the leaves were gorgeous! I took a ton of photos of the trees, bugs, lotus leaf pods, frogs, and a few small animals (rabbits and squirrels). It was one of the few school assignments that I would have done on my own without it having to be given to us for a grade (although I did pass that project with flying colors!).

So get out there and enjoy nature!

Erin

   Reeses & Blossom

Lose Your Marbles Day

Have you ever said "ahhh! I'm losing my marbles?!?" Well then this is the holiday for you. It's not just about losing literal marbles. It's about when you get in those moods where you feel like the world is crumbling around you, or you are losing your mind.

I sometimes feel like this when I am trying to do too many things at once. It could be because I am at work and I am trying to juggle between my classes, customers, dogs, and other job related activities. It could also be when I am just completely forgetting what I just did. For example, someone could come up to the register and I will ask them if they have our savings card. I will scan it, and then ask again if they have our savings card. I will then proceed to ask them a third time before their transaction is complete. That is when I know, that I need a nap because I am losing my marbles.

So go find your marbles!

Erin

   Reeses & Blossom

Best Friend Day

Happy Best Friends Day! It's a day dedicated to celebrating your friendship with your closest friend!

So how do we celebrate this day? Here are a few ideas:

- If possible, spend the day or do something fun with your friend.

- Look threw photos of you and your friend.

- Send a message to your friend or give them a call.

- Send your friend a homemade gift or card.

- Do whatever it is that your do with your best friend!

So go spend some time with your best friend!

Erin
   Reeses & Blossom

VHS Tape Day

Pull out your old VCR player! It is VHS day!

When I was younger we didn't have DVD or Blue Ray. It was all VHS tapes. I remember with VHS tapes that after a certain period of time or after quite a bit of use, the tape would start to get fuzzy or hard to hear it in certain areas. I know when I was growing up I loved to record things off the TV and onto VHS tapes. I had over 50 VHS tapes with hundreds of hours of Dark Shadows on it. I remember that Dark Shadows re-runs would play on the Sci-Fi channel every day for an hour. I would record the hour, and then when I got home from school would go and watch them. For some reason the volume would be normal for the first 35 minutes and then the last 25 minutes the volume would become very low to were even when I turned the volume all the way up I still couldn't hear it very well. This went on for almost a year before we got a new VCR player.

So pull out those old VHS or go buy some at a garage sale for 10 cents each!

Erin
   Reeses & Blossom

National Yo-yo day

Can you walk the dog? Travel around the world? Well get out your yo-yo's and give it a try! It's National Yo-yo day!

I remember when I was in elementary school yo-yo's where the most popular thing. We would bring them to school and play with them all through recess and lunch. We would teach each other all sort of tricks and show off our bedazzled or light up yo-yo's. It got to a point that our school actually banned yo-yo's for an entire year because people where hitting each other with yo-yos and actually getting into fights over their yo-yo's. Who knew that yo-yo's where something that people would fight about?

So go learn how to use a yo-yo!

Erin
   Reeses & Blossom

National Doughnut Day

Mmmm. Who doesn't love doughnuts? They come in so many different styles and tastes! Regular, chocolate, frosted, boston cream, vanilla cream, apple fritters - you name it!

So lets learn some fun facts about doughnuts!

- The U.S. alone makes over 10 billion doughnuts per year.

- The original name for doughnuts were "oily cakes"

- The first doughnut machine was made in the 1920's in New York.

- The holes in the doughnuts help to make the doughnut cook evenly.

- The biggest doughnut ever made was 16 feet long and 16 inches tall!

- Dunkin Doughnuts sells the most doughnuts of any business world wide.

So go get a doughnut!

Erin
   Reeses & Blossom

Cheese Day

Woot woot! One of my favorite foods has it's own holiday! It is Cheese Day!

Cheese is one thing that I absolutely love in almost any form (other than moldy). It could be string cheese, shredded cheese, block, or sliced. It is wonderful! A few years back I lived with one of my friends. She thought that I was the strangest person because I could eat an entire block of velveeta cheese without anything to go with it. No crackers, no bread, just the cheese. Is that really so strange? It is just so good! Almost all of my favorite meals has cheese in it; Ravioli, grilled cheese, pizza. It is all delicious!

So go out an enjoy some cheese! If you don't like cheese or are lactose intolerant, then go out and get a Cheese Head to wear (I'm sure you Packers fans probably have a few!)

Erin
   Reeses & Blossom

National Running Day

Thats right lady's and gentlemen. It's a day dedicated to running! This is where we move our legs faster than walking!

I have never been a huge fan of running until the past couple of years. I found an app on my phone called a C25K. What is that you might ask? A C25K stands for a Couch potato to (2) a 5k (or being able to run 30 minutes straight). You only have to do the app three times a week, for a half an hour. It starts you off the first week alternating between walking and jogging for short periods of time. Each week it bumps up the running until you get to week 8, which is being able to run for the full 30 minutes. The first week or two was painful. But by the last week, I was actually craving to get on the treadmill and run. If you would have told me that I would like to run I would have laughed in your face.

So get out and run!

Erin
   Reeses & Blossom

Dentist Day

Today is all about the men and women who help us take care of our teeth!

I'm not going to lie. Going to the dentist is one of my least favorite things. This is mainly due to the fact that I absolutely hate having my mouth numb. I would rather take ten shots in my arm then have the feeling of being numb for 5 hours. I don't get cavities too often, but when I do I always ask for no novicane. My dentist always tries to pursued me otherwise, but I would rather take 10 minutes of pain over 5 hours of feeling like I'm drooling. I know that I am not the only one who doesn't enjoy the dentist. But the dentist really does help. With out them, most of us would not have our real teeth by the time we were in our 40s. They help us not only keep our teeth, but also can help warn us about other health issues that we might be having based on our gums and teeth.

So make sure that you keep up on your checkups and annual teeth cleaning! We don't like them - but it is worth it in the long run!

Erin
   Reeses & Blossom

Dare Day

"I double dog dare you to . . . "

Today is all about dares, or making a challenge to another person. Now this is different than D.A.R.E. day which is in October.

I remember as a kid, we would dare each other to do random things. It usually contained something dangerous or stupid that we would later regret. We would dare each other to climb a tree, ring a strangers doorbell, or make a prank call. Thankfully though, dares don't have to be all about pranks. We can dare someone to become healthier, not procrasinate, walk the dogs, or do their homework. It is all about challengeing others and if we are challenged, following through with those dares.

So I dare you to make a dare today!

Erin
   Reeses & Blossom