National Chocolate Ice Cream Day

This summer in addition to outings,
summer day camps, and swimming lessons.
I thought it would be fun to celebrate
random national and international observance days.
We received a calendar from Oriental Trading Co.
that lists random national and international observance days throughout the year.

We celebrated "International Waffle Day" on March 25 and,

Yesterday we celebrated "National Chocolate Ice Cream Day" at Baskin Robbins.

When the cashier at the store asked how she could help us I asked,

"We're celebrating National Chocolate Ice Cream Day, are you?"

She'd never heard of it before.

Neither had I but it was fun to celebrate.

Madenlyn and I had chocolate ice cream

but Owen and Clara had vanilla and strawberry.

We look forward to celebrating these days in the near future.

June 11 Hug Day

June 17 Eat Your Vegetables Day

June 29 Camera Day

July 7 National Macaroni Day

July 20 National Lollipop Day

Aug 13 International Lefthanders Day

Aug 16 National Tell A Joke Day

Sep 13 International Chocolate Day

Sep 19 Talk Like a Pirate Day

Here are some websites if you're interested in more:

(funny how many observance days center around food)

American Food Holidays

National Observances

International Holidays

(the Oriental Trading Co. calendar has even more random days like "Thread the Needle Day" if you'd like me to email you their list leave a post)

It Pays To Read

Last summer we went on lots of outings.
We also had fun with a great idea
we got from my cousin-in-law’s cousin
The Great Scotts - Interactive Literature,
reading a book with the children and then doing an activity
or outing that corresponds with the book.

These are some of the books we read:

(We talked about how the different colored waters tasted the same.

We are all the same on the inside. We are all children of God.)

(The kids painted the house with water, just like Kelly and Carl.)

(We measured the kids' room and drew a floor plan of it.)

At the end of the summer I learned

it “pays” to do the summer reading program.

Through our county library reading program,

my kids each received a free cookie on a stick.

I thought I would be thoughtful and buy one for my hubby.

We selected one and she rang it up…$6.50!

We bought him an undecorated chocolate chip cookie

off-the-stick instead, $1.50.

So get out there and take advantage of

your local library's Summer Reading Program!