Inspire Your Heart With Art Day

According to National Day Calendar...

Always observed on January 31st, Inspire Your Heart With Art Day is a day to ponder how art effects your heart. Art is valued and appreciated for all sorts of reasons. 

Of the broad spectrum of art created in the world, the pieces that move us to tears or cause us to burst out in joyous laughter remain with us for a life time. Whether we are touched through music or see into an artist soul through their work, art has the power to change us, to inspire our hearts.

Inspire Your Heart with Art Day encourages us to explore the many genres of art and let it inspire us.

Not My Business - Niyi Osundari

I don't have any muslim friends. I don't even personally know anyone from the countries the ban has affected. I am in the middle - white middle class middle aged American woman. I have a white daughter, who it never occurred to me to teach what to do if stopped by the police. I never worry about her not being able to get back into the US. I have never said to her that she needs to carry her passport and papers with her at all times.

I did not march in either of the past two Saturday marches. I actually agree with some of the long term goals of the new administration. I completely agree that our representatives should seriously listen to their constituents and not just vote down party lines. "Draining the swamp" of those that don't is fine by me.

Today this ban or future bans from certain countries should not even affect me.  But you see, I am also a mom to a Guatemalan girl that we love as our own. Who is here legally on a student visa. Who I am ready to buy plane tickets for her to visit her Guatemalan sisters in  May... but now hesitate...Will one swoop of a pen prevent her from returning in time to start classes? Will her visa be revoked without any warning?   The visa that she had to interview for and provide our financial information and information from ATU, the visa we filled out papers about her family there, and her desire to return to her country. Will I have to go back on my promise I wrote in the letter to the Embassy to make sure she gets to go home once a year and keep her family relations strong, to keep her in school?

So many will read this and think I am crazy because Guatemala is not Iran...and most will not even know where Guatemala is. It is a country just south of Mexico - you know, the country that we are building a "beautiful" wall to keep them out. The one that  has been the target of hateful speeches and knee-jerk reactions lately. Well my daughter is beautiful with dark complexion, dark hair, and dark eyes - just like my Mexican friends and my other Central American friends. It is not a far jump to think the same ban will be implemented on our southern neighbors.

I came across this poem today by Niyi Osundari

They picked Akanni up one morning

Beat him soft like clay

And stuffed him down the belly

Of a waiting jeep.

What business of mine is it

So long they don’t take the yam

From my savouring mouth?

They came one night

Booted the whole house awake

And dragged Danladi out,

Then off to a lengthy absence.

What business of mine is it

So long they don’t take the yam

From my savouring mouth?

Chinwe went to work one day

Only to find her job was gone:

No query, no warning, no probe –

Just one neat sack for a stainless record.

What business of mine is it

So long they don’t take the yam

From my savouring mouth?

And then one evening

As I sat down to eat my yam

A knock on the door froze my hungry hand.

The jeep was waiting on my bewildered lawn

Waiting, waiting in its usual silence.

National Spouse Day January 26

According to National Day Calendar , National Spouses Day is observed annually on January 26th.  Dedicated to recognizing spouses everywhere, this day reminds us to take time for our spouse. From being thankful for fulfillment and security of a long-term relationship, to the boost of morale and well-being provided by spouses, there are many reasons to celebrate.   This day is a time to show your spouse that you care and appreciate all of the things that he/she does for you and for the home.  

Life gets busy and we can often take for granted how our spouse improves our life.  Pay a heartfelt thank you or compliment to the love of your life.  National Spouses Day is a non-gift giving day, so spend time together and reconnect.  Don’t forget to say, “I love you.”

National Hugging Day January 21

Every needs hugs!
According to http://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-hat-day-january-15/

The purpose for the holiday is to help everyone show more emotion in public. There is only one way you are supposed to celebrate the holiday, offer a hug to anyone and everyone you want. While National Hug Day and the Free Hugs Campaign share many similarities, there is not actual association between the two. Whether you hug a family member or a stranger, the mental and physical health benefits are the same.

OBSERVE

Give someone a big hug and use #NationalHuggingDay to post on social media.

HISTORY

The holiday was founded by Rev. Kevin Zaborney on March 29, 1986 in Caro, Michigan.

Teaching - A great way to learn

I have been teaching my daughter Jazmín some photography stuff over the past few months. On her Christmas break we spent a lot of time on Photoshop.
I can't tell you how much I learn from teaching others. I have to stop and think about what I am doing and remember the WHY of what I am doing.
I think Jazmín is going to be very good at this!!

National Hat Day January 15

How to Celebrate Hat Day

It would be impossible to list every possible use for hats here, but Hat Day is your time to really dig in deep and find out what all hats have to offer. Some of the most popular hats these days are animal hats, fuzzy animal head style hats that have long arms that dangle down to warm the ears, secure the hat to your head when tied, or just be adorable.

http://ow.ly/USNv307adWR

National Dress Up Your Pet Day

January 14 - Dress Up Your Pet Day 
http://ow.ly/wTSM307adBV
According to the Days of the Year  website Dress Up Your Pet Day is an opportunity to wow the neighbors, and to unleash the inner diva of your favorite pooch or Persian… 

Why not go the extra mile, and get the little guy or gal something to match your finest glad rags – that way you can both dress to impress and really set some trends!

Rubber Duckie Day

Today is National Rubber Duckie Day....

Rubber Ducky’s have a long and respected history in the world of children, and most of us remember having at least one as part of our collection of bath-time toys. Rubber Duckies have a clouded history, no one really knows precisely where they came from, but whether it was our own bath time or the song from Ernie from The Muppets, we all knew of them and wanted one! Rubber Duckie day is here to help us remember to appreciate this part of our childhood cleansing ritual.

More interesting facts at http://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-rubber-ducky-day-january-13/

National Whipped Cream Day January 5

There are a lot of funny days of the year, and this year I am going to bring attention to some of them through my own images.

According to the Food Reference website there are some specific properties to whipped cream

"However, there are several clues from the physical properties of cream and its ability to 'whip' (increase in volume).

1. Unpasteurized, unhomogenized cream whips much easier then pasteurized or pasteurized & homogenized cream.

2. Cream must be below 50 degrees to whip, at 50 or above it churns into butter rather than whips.

3. The whipping action must be just that - moving a whisk back and forth churns the cream, rather than whipping it and increasing its volume.

Free Newborn sessions in January

I am SO EXCITED about 2017 and the babies to come. I have so many new Baby props and backgrounds, wraps, blankets, and just plain CUTE things that I have never used before! SOOOOO, for any newborn under 2 weeks born in January - I want to give them a free session and a small package. I need to play!