Today is...
Jump for Jelly Beans Day!

Today, we encourage candy-lovers everywhere to jump for joy and show your appreciation for jelly beans. These tiny candies evolved from an ancient confection called “Turkish delight,” which was one of the earliest forms of hard candy. Our modern-day jelly beans gained popularity during the American Civil War. A candy company in Boston began marketing jelly beans as the perfect treat to send to soldiers, and soon everyone was hooked. One of the most famous jelly bean fans is President Ronald Reagan. He served them at his inauguration!
To celebrate National Jump for Jelly Beans Day, treat yourself to a delicious handful of jelly beans. Jump for joy when you stumble upon your favorite flavor!

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July is National Grilling Month & National Ice Cream Month

images and text courtesy of MyPunchbowl.com" -- http://www.mypunchbowl.com/

History for July 31 1498 - Christopher Columbus, on his third voyage to the Western Hemisphere, arrived at the island of Trinidad. 1790 - The first U.S. patent was issued to Samuel Hopkins for his process for making potash and pearl ashes. The substance was used in fertilizer. 1948 - U.S. President Truman helped dedicate New York International Airport (later John F. Kennedy International Airport) at Idlewild Field. 1964 - The American space probe Ranger 7 transmitted pictures of the moon's surface. 1971 - Men rode in a vehicle on the moon for the first time in a lunar rover vehicle (LRV). 1991 - U.S. President Bush and Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev signed the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty. ______________________________________________________ "For of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these: ‘It might have been!’" --Hohn Greenleaf Whittier

Today is...
National Cheesecake Day!

Cheesecake is a rich, decadent dessert made with cream cheese, eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Add a crumbly graham cracker crust and a fruit topping for the ultimate cheesecake experience!
There are dozens of different cheesecake varieties. Some of the most popular flavors are strawberry, key lime, and peanut butter cup. There are also many styles of cheesecake. Different countries (and even cities) have their own version of this classic dessert.
To celebrate National Cheesecake Day, grab a slice of your favorite cheesecake from your local bakery! Remember to keep an eye out for special cheesecake deals and giveaways in honor of the occasion.

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Today is also National Father-in-law Day

July is National Grilling Month & National Ice Cream Month

images and text courtesy of MyPunchbowl.com" -- http://www.mypunchbowl.com/

History for July 30 1619 - The first representative assembly in America convened in Jamestown, VA. 1942 - Frank Sinatra recorded the last of 90 recordings with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. 1942 - The WAVES were created by legislation signed by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The members of the Women's Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service were a part of the U.S. Navy. 1965 - U.S. President Johnson signed into law the Medicare bill. It went into effect the following year. 1998 - A group of Ohio machine-shop workers (who call themselves the Lucky 13) won the $295.7 million Powerball jackpot. It was the largest-ever American lottery. ______________________________________________________ "The life of every man is a diary in which he means to write one story, and writes another; and his humblest hour is when he compares the volume as it is with what he hoped to make it." --James M. Barrie

Today is...
National Lasagna Day!

Break out mom’s famous recipe—it’s National Lasagna Day! This delicious Italian dish is usually made with layers of flat pasta sheets, tomato sauce, and cheese, but there are dozens of different variations. Some popular additions are meat, vegetables, and Béchamel sauce.
People have been eating noodles for at least 4,000 years, but culinary historians disagree over when and where the first pasta dish originated. We do know that tomatoes are a "New World" food, which means pasta and tomato dishes (like lasagna) have only been around since the 16th century.
To celebrate National Lasagna Day, bake a big pan of lasagna. Grab a bottle of red wine and invite some friends over to enjoy a fun, family-style dinner!

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July is National Grilling Month & National Ice Cream Month

images and text courtesy of MyPunchbowl.com" -- http://www.mypunchbowl.com/

History for July 29 1950 - Disney's adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's "Treasure Island" was released. 1957 - The International Atomic Energy Agency was established. 1958 - The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was authorized by the U.S. Congress. 1961 - Dick Clark premiered his summer stage show, the Dick Clark Caravan of Stars, at the Steel Pier in Atlantic City. 1965 - The Beatles film "Help!" premiered in London. 1983 - Steve Garvey of the Los Angeles Dodgers set the National League consecutive game record at 1,207. ______________________________________________________ "Imagination is more important than knowledge." --Albert Einstein

Today is...
All or Nothing Day!

 How does one observe this unique occasion? The answer to this question is different for everyone, but one thing is certain—this is not a holiday to be taken lightly.
All or Nothing Day is a time to take risks and live on the edge. Live like today is your last day on earth and let your inner daredevil shine. Be sure to make peace with your enemies, spend time with your loved ones, and do something you've always wanted to do.
Try something new, seek an adventure, and give this day all you’ve got. All or Nothing Day only happens once a year, so don’t hold back!

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National Coffee Milkshake Day & System Administrator Appreciation Day

July is National Grilling Month & National Ice Cream Month

This week is National Zoo Keeper Week

images and text courtesy of MyPunchbowl.com" -- http://www.mypunchbowl.com/

History for July 26 1775 - A postal system was established by the 2nd Continental Congress of the United States. The first Postmaster General was Benjamin Franklin. 1945 - Winston Churchill resigned as Britain's prime minister. 1947 - U.S. President Truman signed The National Security Act. The act created The National Security Council, the Department of Defense, the Central Intelligence Agency and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. 1948 - Babe Ruth was seen by the public for the last time, when he attended the New York City premiere of the motion picture, "The Babe Ruth Story". 1968 - John Lennon and Paul McCartney completed the song "Hey Jude." 1984 - The Prince movie "Purple Rain" premiered in Hollywood, CA. 1999 - 1,500 pieces of Marilyn Monroe's personal items went on display at Christie's in New York, NY. The items went on sale later in 1999. ______________________________________________________ "Justice is the only worship. Ignorance is the only slavery. Happiness is the only good. The time to be good is now. The place to be happy is here. The way to be happy is to make other people so." --Robert G. Ingersoll

Today is...
National Hot Fudge Sundae Day!

A sundae is the perfect treat to enjoy on a summer night. The cold ice cream paired with a warm, chocolate topping is one of the most delicious combinations known to man. Add some nuts, whipped cream, and cherries on top and you’ve got yourself a world-famous dessert!
The Guinness Book of World Records has documented several record-setting sundaes. For example, the most expensive sundae can be ordered at Serendipity 3 in New York City for the hefty sum of $1000. In 2009, the Kids Club in Brunswick, Georgia created the world’s longest sundae. It measured over 130 feet long!
To celebrate National Hot Fudge Sundae Day, you don’t have to go to such great lengths. Just treat yourself to a scrumptious hot fudge sundae with all of your favorite toppings!

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July is National Grilling Month & National Ice Cream Month

This week is National Zoo Keeper Week

images and text courtesy of MyPunchbowl.com" -- http://www.mypunchbowl.com/

History for July 25 1564 - Maximillian II became emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. 1799 - Napoleon Bonaparte defeated the Ottomans at Aboukir, Egypt. 1850 - Gold was discovered in the Rogue River in Oregon. 1907 - Korea became a protectorate of Japan. 1946 - The U.S. detonated an atomic bomb at Bikini Atoll in the Pacific. It was the first underwater test of the device. 1946 - Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis staged their first show as a team at Club 500 in Atlantic City, NJ. 1978 - Louise Joy Brown, the first test-tube baby, was born in Oldham, England. She had been conceived through in-vitro fertilization. ______________________________________________________ "In spite of illness, even of the archenemy, sorrow, one can remain alive long past the usual date of disintegration if one is unafraid of change, insatiable in intellectual curiosity, interested in big things, and happy in small ways." --Edith Wharton

Today is...
Cousins Day!

This day is dedicated to the wonderful people who helped us endure all our family get-togethers and holidays. They were there to keep us company at the “kids table,” and for some of us, they were the siblings we never had.
Do you ever get confused by all the different types of cousins? There are first cousins, first cousins once or twice removed, second cousins, second cousins once or twice removed, and on and on! Here’s a handy cousins tree graph showing all of the different relationships.
Cousins Day is the perfect opportunity to thank your cousins for all that they do for you. To celebrate the occasion, find some time to chat over the phone and catch up, or make plans to spend the day together!

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Today is also Amelia Earhart Day & National Tequila Day

July is National Grilling Month & National Ice Cream Month

This week is National Zoo Keeper Week

images and text courtesy of MyPunchbowl.com" -- http://www.mypunchbowl.com/

History for July 24 1847 - Mormon leader Brigham Young and his followers arrived in the valley of the Great Salt Lake in present-day Utah. 1933 - U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt gave his fourth "Fireside Chat." 1969 - The Apollo 11 astronauts splashed down safely in the Pacific Ocean. 1978 - The movie "Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," starring Peter Frampton and the Bee Gees, opened in New York City, NY. 1987 - Hulda Crooks, at 91 years of age, climbed Mt. Fuji. Hulda became the oldest person to climb Japan’s highest peak. ______________________________________________________ "The majority prove their worth by keeping busy. A busy life is the nearest thing to a purposeful life." --Eric Hoffer

Today is...
National Hot Dog Day!

Today is National Hot Dog Day! Hot dogs are one of the most iconic American foods. No cookout or baseball game would be complete without a delicious hot dog served on a bun and covered in ketchup, mustard, onions, relish, or chili.
Hot dogs (which are also known as frankfurters, franks, wieners, dogs, and red hots) have been around since the late 1800s. Today, the National Hot Dog & Sausage Council estimates that Americans consume 20 billion hot dogs a year!
To celebrate National Hot Dog Day, cook up some hot dogs for dinner tonight. Invite some friends over for an impromptu cookout and celebrate this yummy all-American favorite.

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July is National Grilling Month & National Ice Cream Month

This week is National Zoo Keeper Week

images and text courtesy of MyPunchbowl.com" -- http://www.mypunchbowl.com/

History for July 23 1715 - The first lighthouse in America was authorized for construction at Little Brewster Island, Massachusetts. 1827 - The first swimming school in the U.S. opened in Boston, MA. 1829 - William Burt patented the typographer, which was the first typewriter. 1904 - The ice cream cone was invented by Charles E. Menches during the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis, MO. 1938 - The first federal game preserve was approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The area was 2,000 acres in Utah. 1945 - The first passenger train observation car was placed in service by the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad. ______________________________________________________ "Here is the test to find whether your mission on earth is finished: If you’re alive, it isn’t." --Richard Bach

Today is...
Hammock Day!

Picture this: it's mid-July, the sun shines and you rest on a hammock, completely relaxed. This is the essence of Hammock Day.
Today’s reason to celebrate reminds us to slow down, breathe easy and enjoy these beautiful summer months. Though its exact origins are unknown, it is said that hammocks originated hundreds of years ago in South America. Allegedly, the journals of Christopher Columbus provide the first documentation of the hammock. However, some sources attribute this invention to the Ancient Greeks. One thing is for sure—hammocks have always been symbols of leisure.
Today, take a few minutes to sit back and unwind on a hammock. Don’t have one? No problem! Just grab some sturdy fabric and rope—you can make yourself one in no time. Happy Hammock Day!

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July is National Grilling Month & National Ice Cream Month

images and text courtesy of MyPunchbowl.com" -- http://www.mypunchbowl.com/

History for July 22 1926 - Babe Ruth caught a baseball at Mitchell Field in New York. The ball had been dropped from an airplane flying at 250 feet. 1975 - Confederate General Robert E. Lee had his U.S. citizenship restored by the U.S. Congress. 2000 - Astronomers at the University of Arizona announced that they had found a 17th moon orbiting Jupiter. ______________________________________________________ "Be patient with all that is unresolved in your heart, and try to love the questions themselves. Do not seek for the answers that cannot be given, for you wouldn't be able to live with them, and the point is to live everything. Live the questions now, and perhaps without knowing it, you will live along someday into the answers." --Rainer Maria Rilke

Today is...
National Daiquiri Day!

The daiquiri is a rum-based cocktail invented by an American mining engineer named Jennings Cox. Legend has it that Cox created the first daiquiri in the early 1900s after he ran out of gin at a small bar in Santiago, Cuba. 
The original daiquiri recipe called for white rum, lime juice, and sugar. According to another legend, Ernest Hemingway inspired the creation of the frozen variety at El Floridita in Havana in the 1940s. The bartender’s name was Constantino Ribalaigua and he is often considered the true creator of the daiquiri. Today, there are dozens of daiquiri flavors and varieties!
To celebrate National Daiquiri Day, share a round of these delicious cocktails with your friends! Mix them up at home or look out for drink specials at your local bar. Cheers!

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July is National Grilling Month & National Ice Cream Month

This week is National Ventriloquism Week & National Zoo Keeper Week

images and text courtesy of MyPunchbowl.com" -- http://www.mypunchbowl.com/

History for July 19 1799 - The Rosetta Stone, a tablet with hieroglyphic translations into Greek, was found in Egypt. 1939 - Dr. Roy P. Scholz became the first surgeon to use fiberglass sutures. 1946 - Marilyn Monroe acted in her first screen test. 1980 - Billy Joel earned his first gold record with "It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me." 1985 - Christa McAuliffe of New Hampshire was chosen to be the first schoolteacher to ride aboard the space shuttle. She died with six others when the Challenger exploded the following year. ______________________________________________________ "There is more to life than increasing its speed." --Mahatma Gandhi

Today is...
National Caviar Day!

Today is National Caviar Day! Caviar is processed, salted fish roe (otherwise known as fish eggs). The eggs are tiny, round, and usually black in color, but there are also orange and red varieties. Although it may seem like a slightly odd thing to eat, caviar was once reserved strictly for royalty. Today, it is still considered a delicacy all over the world.
Many people use the term “caviar” to describe any kind of fish egg, but true caviar must come from sturgeon—a group of about 25 species of fish. Some examples of sturgeon are beluga, osetra, and sevruga. These particular fish produce some of the finest varieties of caviar in the world.
Caviar is quite salty so it is usually enjoyed plain, but it can also be used to garnish certain dishes. If you’re feeling adventurous, try some today! You can usually find caviar at specialty food stores. Otherwise, just head to a local seafood restaurant or grill a nice piece of fish to celebrate National Caviar Day. Bon appétit!

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July is National Grilling Month & National Ice Cream Month

This week is National Ventriloquism Week & National Zoo Keeper Week

images and text courtesy of MyPunchbowl.com" -- http://www.mypunchbowl.com/

History for July 18 1743 - "The New York Weekly Journal" published the first half-page newspaper ad. 1927 - Ty Cobb set a major league baseball record by getting his 4,000th career hit. He hit 4,191 before he retired in 1928. 1936 - The first Oscar Meyer Wienermobile rolled out of General Body Company’s factory in Chicago, IL. 1960 - Hank Ballard and the Midnighters released "The Twist." The song didn't become a hit until later in the year when Chubby Checker covered it. ______________________________________________________  "It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the triumph of great achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those timid souls who know neither victory or defeat." --Theodore Roosevelt

Today is...
Yellow Pig Day!

You're probably wondering, "What the heck is Yellow Pig Day?" This unique celebration dates back to the 1960s when two math students at Princeton were given an assignment to analyze the properties of the number 17. Thinking about the number 17 for so long drove them a bit nuts, (as you can imagine), so they came up with the idea of a mythical yellow pig. The yellow pig had seventeen toes, seventeen teeth, seventeen eyelashes, etc.
Today, mathematicians in colleges and universities all across the country celebrate Yellow Pig Day by eating Yellow Pig Cake and singing Yellow Pig Carols (seriously, we couldn't make this stuff up). And of course, the festivities always take place on the 17th day of July.
This is not a holiday for weak imaginations, so let yours run wild! In honor of Yellow Pig Day, host a Yellow Pig Parade, exchange Yellow Pig Gifts, or come up with your own wacky way to celebrate. Enjoy!

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Today is also Peach Ice Cream Day

July is National Grilling Month & National Ice Cream Month

This week is National Ventriloquism Week & National Zoo Keeper Week

images and text courtesy of MyPunchbowl.com" -- http://www.mypunchbowl.com/

History for July 17 1815 - Napoleon Bonaparte surrendered to the British at Rochefort, France. 1821 - Spain ceded Florida to the U.S. 1867 - Harvard School of Dental Medicine was established in Boston, MA. It was the first dental school in the U.S. 1941 - The longest hitting streak in baseball history ended when the Cleveland Indians pitchers held New York Yankee Joe DiMaggio hitless for the first time in 57 games. 1955 - Disneyland opened in Anaheim, CA. ______________________________________________________ "Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude." --Dennis Waitley

Today is...
National Corn Fritters Day!

Corn fritters are savory bites of fried or baked corn batter—a mixture made with corn, egg, flour, milk, and melted butter. These treats can be eaten alone, served as a side, or enjoyed with a topping like syrup, powdered sugar, or jam.
Although corn fritters originated in the South, many other cultures have come up with similar dishes. For example, in Asia “pakoras” are a popular snack. This dish is made with vegetables dipped in batter that are then deep-fried.
To celebrate National Corn Fritters Day, head to your local Southern-style restaurant or grab your frying pan to cook up some homemade fritters!

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Today is also National Personal Chef Day

July is National Grilling Month & National Ice Cream Month

This week is National Zoo Keeper Week

images and text courtesy of MyPunchbowl.com" -- http://www.mypunchbowl.com/

History for July 16 1790 - The District of Columbia, or Washington, DC, was established as the permanent seat of the United States Government. 1912 - Bradley A. Fiske patented the airplane torpedo. 1940 - Adolf Hitler ordered the preparations to begin on the invasion of England, known as Operation Sea Lion. 1945 - The United States detonated the first atomic bomb in a test at Alamogordo, NM. 1951 - J.D. Salinger's novel, "The Catcher in the Rye," was first published. 1981 - After 23 years with the name Datsun, executives of Nissan changed the name of their cars to Nissan. ______________________________________________________ "Pleasure is, and must remain, a side-effect or by-product, and is destroyed or spoiled to the degree to which it is made an end in itself." --Victor Frankl