Origin of Rosh Hashana

Taken from Wikipedia

Rosh Hashanah

Rosh Hashanah (Hebrew: רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה‎, literally "head of the year") is the Jewish New Year. The Biblical name for this holiday is Yom Teruah (Hebrew: יוֹם תְּרוּעָה‎, literally "day [of] shouting/raising a noise") or the Feast of Trumpets. It is the first of the High Holy Days or יָמִים נוֹרָאִים Yamim Nora'im ("Days of Awe") which usually occur in the early autumn of the Northern Hemisphere. Rosh Hashanah is a two-day celebration, which begins on the first day of Tishrei. Tishrei is the first month of the Jewish civil year, but the seventh month of the ecclesiastical year.
The day is said to be the anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve, the first man and woman, and their first actions toward the realization of humanity's role in God's world. Rosh Hashanah customs include sounding the shofar (a hollowed-out ram's horn) and eating symbolic foods such as apples dipped in honey to evoke a "sweet new year".

For more information, click here.

Until next time!
Cherise, the Mompreneur

Origin of National Grandparents Day

Taken from Wikipedia

National Grandparents Day

National Grandparents' Day is a secular holiday celebrated in the United States since 1978 and officially recognized in a number of countries on various days of the year, either as one holiday or sometimes as a separate Grandmothers' Day and Grandfathers' Day (for the first time Grandma's Day was celebrated in Poland in 1965,^[1]see below for dates by country). One celebrates both paternal and maternal grandparents.

History[edit]

Marian McQuade of Oak Hill, West Virginia, has been recognized nationally by the United States Senate – in particular by Senators Jennings Randolph;^[2] and Robert Byrd – and by President Jimmy Carter, as the founder of National Grandparents Day. McQuade made it her goal to educate the youth in the community^{[clarification needed]} about the important contributions seniors have made throughout history. She also urged the youth to "adopt" a grandparent, not just for one day a year, but rather for a lifetime.
In 1973, Senator Jennings Randolph (D-WV) introduced a resolution to the senate to make Grandparents' Day a national holiday. West Virginia's Governor Arch Moore had proclaimed an annual Grandparents' Day for the state, at the urging of Marian McQuade. When Senator Randolph's resolution in the U.S. Senate died in committee, Marian McQuade organized supporters and began contacting governors, senators, and congressmen in all fifty states. She urged each state to proclaim their own Grandparents' Day. Within three years, she had received Grandparents' Day proclamations from forty-three states. She sent copies of the proclamations to Senator Randolph.^{[citation needed]}
In February 1977, Senator Randolph, with the concurrence of many other senators, introduced a joint resolution to the senate requesting the president to "issue annually a proclamation designating the first Sunday of September after Labor Day of each year as 'National Grandparents' Day'." Congress passed the legislation proclaiming the first Sunday after Labor Day as National Grandparents' Day and, on August 3, 1978, then-President Jimmy Carter signed the proclamation.^[3][4] The statute cites the day's purpose: "...to honor grandparents, to give grandparents an opportunity to show love for their children's children, and to help children become aware of strength, information, and guidance older people can offer".

For more information, please click here.

Until next time,
Cherise, the mompreneur

A video series for young children (Spotlight)

Caleb & Sophia

I'm starting a new feature in my blog called Spotlight. Spotlight will highlight different things in my family's life that we feel we can't live without.

So my /lo likes to watch television. But only kinda'! Maybe I should say that he likes to play and stop and glance at the television from time to time. Can you relate?

Anyway, as much as I love children's shows like Sesame Street, Peg + Cat, Super Why, etc,  that teach children. But every so often, I'd like to switch things up, especially when someone in the supermarket comments that there is a problem and you find yourself quoting a toddler cartoon!

One video series I've found that my LO LOVES is the 'Become Jehovah's Friend" series found at jw.org. You can find them here. The reason I love these so much is because it doesn't shove religion down children's throats (as some have assumed). But it teaches your children to obey their parents, forgive freely, be kind and share, say please and thank you as well as many other helpful things. There are videos, songs and activies for them.

I hope your LOs enjoy this as much as mine does.

Until next time!
Cherise, the Mompreneur

origin of Labor Day

Copied from Wikipedia:

Labor Day in the United States is a holiday celebrated on the first Monday in September. It is a celebration of the American labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of their country.

Labor Day was promoted by the Central Labor Union and the Knights of Labor, who organized the first parade in New York City. After the Haymarket Massacre, which occurred in Chicago on May 4, 1886, U.S. President Grover Cleveland feared that commemorating Labor Day on May 1 could become an opportunity to commemorate the affair. Thus, in 1887, it was established as an official holiday in September to support the Labor Day that the Knights favored.^[1]

The equivalent holiday in Canada, Labour Day, is also celebrated on the first Monday of September. In many other countries (more than 80 worldwide), "Labour Day" is synonymous with, or linked with, International Workers' Day, which is observed on May 1. 

History[edit]

In 1882, Matthew Maguire, a machinist, first proposed the holiday while serving as secretary of the CLU (Central Labor Union) of New York.^[2] Others argue that it was first proposed by Peter J. McGuire of the American Federation of Labor in May 1882,^[3] after witnessing the annual labour festival held in Toronto, Canada.^[4] Oregon was the first state to make it a holiday on February 21, 1887. By the time it became a federal holiday in 1894, thirty states officially celebrated Labor Day.^[3]

Following the deaths of a number of workers at the hands of the U.S. military and U.S. Marshals during the Pullman Strike, the United States Congress unanimously voted to approve rush legislation that made Labor Day a national holiday; President Grover Cleveland signed it into law a mere six days after the end of the strike.^[5] The September date originally chosen by the CLU of New York and observed by many of the nation's trade unions for the past several years was selected rather than the more widespreadInternational Workers' Day because Cleveland was concerned that observance of the latter would be associated with the nascent socialist and anarchist movements that, though distinct from one another, had rallied to commemorate the Haymarket Affair in International Workers' Day.^[6][7] All U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and the territories have made it a statutory holiday.

To learn more, click here.

Until next time!

Cherise, the Mompreneur

Origin of Victory Day

Taken from Wikipedia

Victory Day was a federal holiday in the United States from 1948 until 1975 and is still officially observed only in the U.S. state ofRhode Island on the second Monday of August. Originally, the official name was "Victory over Japan Day" and "V-J Day", as proclaimed by then President Harry S. Truman and was officially observed on September 2 nationwide. At some point, the name was changed to "Victory Day" in light of the modern post-war Japan emerging in economic importance. Further name changes were attempted later, but were unsuccessful, at which point, the name "Victory Day" remained the official name.

The holiday celebrates the conclusion of World War II and is related to Victory over Japan Day in the United Kingdom. It was a nationally recognized holiday from 1948 to 1975, but it has since been removed due to its reference to Japan in light of the current and good relations. Rhode Island retains the holiday in tribute to the disproportionate number of sailors it sent and lost in the Pacific front.^[1]

History[edit]

See also: World War II and Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Scene made famous byLife magazine photograph

Victory Day has commemorated the anniversary of Japan’s surrender to the Allies in 1945 which ended World War II. The atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima on August 6 and Nagasaki on August 9, and the Soviet Union’s invasion of Manchuria in the previous week led to the eventual surrender. President Truman's announcement of the surrender started mass celebrations across the United States, which was when he declared September 2 as the official "VJ Day" in 1945. In 1975, the holiday was abolished at the federal level leaving Rhode Island as the only state in the U.S. where the holiday is a legal holiday. Rhode Island has observed this day since 1948.

According to the Providence Journal, the reasons for the federal holiday being scrapped include Japan's "increasing economic might".^[2] Even Rhode Island had debates over whether to retain the state holiday, with the Rhode Island Japan Society being the force for removal of the holiday.^[2] The case was between the Japanese Americans and the U.S. veterans who fought in this particular war.^[2]

In 1975, the U.S. state of Arkansas was the last state (other than Rhode Island) to drop the holiday.^[2]  For more information, click here.

Until next time!
Cherise, the Mompreneur

Mom's Slammin' alfredo

This doesn't need much introduction. I love Alfredo. Here is my recipe! :)

Ingredients

8 oz cream cheese

12 oz evaporated milk

4 oz extra sharp cheddar

½ cup grated parmesean cheese

½ cup grated romano cheese

2 TB minced garlic

2 TB olive oil

1 cup of chicken or vegetable broth (I prefer low sodium broth)

Louisiana hot sauce to taste

Cayenne pepper to taste

Directions

Cut up the cream cheese and put into a soup pot with the broth. Heat until cheese is melted. Add the other ingredients and simmer until well blended.

Variations

- I LOVE spinach so I put ½ bag of thawed, strained spinach in. Broccoli can also be used. - This can be meatless or your choice of turkey or chicken, sausage, shrimp, etc. (If you use meat, make sure you season and cook it before you put it into the sauce.)

Until next time!
Cherise, the Mompreneur

History of Parent's Day

Taken from Wikipedia

Parents' Day   

Parents' Day is a holiday similar to a combination of Father's Day and Mother's Day.

International

The United Nations proclaimed June 1 to be the Global Day of Parents "to appreciate all parents in all parts of the world for their selfless commitment to children and their lifelong sacrifice towards nurturing this relationship".^[1] It is the same day as International Children's Day.

In the United States

In the United States, Parents' Day is held on the fourth Sunday of every July. This was established in 1994 when President Bill Clinton signed a Congressional Resolution into law (36 U.S.C. § 135) for "recognizing, uplifting, and supporting the role of parents in the rearing of children." The bill was introduced by Republican Senator Trent Lott. It was supported by members of the Unification Church which also celebrates a holiday called Parents' Day, although on a different date.^[2][3] Parents' Day is celebrated throughout the United States.^[4]

To read more, click here.

Until next time,
Cherise, the Mompreneur