The shortest month of the year seems to have gone by in a flash. I thought of doing a fun fact research as to why does February have only 28 days? Here’s what I learned….

It’s the Romans’ fault. Our modern calendar is loosely based on their old, confusing one. Though records on the Roman calendar are sparse and sketchy, legend has it that Romulus, the first king of Rome, devised a 10-month lunar calendar that began at the spring equinox in March and ended with December. It is unclear whether there were any official months between December and March, but it’s likely they were left off because the wintertime wasn’t important for the harvest.

The second king of Rome, Numa Pompilius, decided to make the calendar more accurate by syncing it up with the actual lunar year—which is about 354 days long. Numa tacked on two months—January and February—after December to account for the new days.

The new months each had 28 days. But that didn’t sit well with Numa because even numbers were considered bad luck at the time. So, he added a day on to January, giving the year an odd-numbered 355 days. No one knows why February was left with 28 and remained an unlucky month. It may be related to the fact that Romans honored the dead and performed rites of purification in February. (The word februare means “to purify” in the dialect of the ancient Sabine tribe.)

I will not think of February as an unlucky month but rather a month filled with love, aging gracefully and making timeless memories.

Cheers,

Renate

It’s February and Valentine’s is in the air and so is love and chocolates. I like adding extra affection by making chocolate hearts for my friends and family.

Decadent Chocolate Hearts

1 packet (10 ounce) Ghirardelli Chocolate Dark Melting Wafers

candy wrappers

1 teaspoon orange liqueur (optional)

heart shaped mold

Place the wafers in a top pan of a double boiler over low heat. Stir constantly until smooth and melted. Do not allow water to boil. Remove from heat and stir in orange liqueur if using. Carefully fill the molds. Refrigerate for 1 hour, until firm. Turn mold upside down and tap out the hearts. Wrap in individual wrappers. Place in candy boxes or cello bags and tie with Valentine’s ribbon.

I’m always researching fashion and great places to find them. I stumbled upon this link and wanted to share with you some of the best places for women over 40 to shop. Listed are quite a few of my personal favorites - White House Black Market, Nordstrom, JCrew, JJill, Talbots, Zara .

www.wardrobeoxygen.com/2016/01/best-clothing-retailers-women-over-40.html

familypix FFF.jpeg — family

*time and tide wait for no one*

Fun Activities can Strengthen Your Family Bond

A strong family bond creates happiness and security for each family member. When kids are bored, they may exhibit behavioral problems which cause parents to discipline them. This takes away from the happiness and feelings of security kids should have. If you do fun things with your kids that have elements of education hidden in them, everyone is happy.

Parents feel like they’re doing a good job raising kids who will become good people. Kids feel nurtured and cared for when their parents take time to be with them. Parents are the leaders of the family unit and it’s their responsibility to ensure bonding. It may not be easy with hectic lives but it’s essential to ensure a good foundation for healthy minded children. There are many fun family bonding activities that can bring a family together.

For example, building a family tree will give each member of the family a sense of identity as you learn where you came from. Building a family tree can be a daunting task for just one person so doing it together makes it easier. Start off by finding a template that allows you to easily add family members as you find them. Give each family member a task they’re responsible for. If you have older kids, get them to do some research online.

For a family that is involved with individual activities, sitting down for dinner is important. Taking the time to enjoy food together while you touch base should be a nightly activity if possible.

You have the opportunity to talk about the details of your day. It allows you to find out on a daily basis what’s happening in school and social activities with your kids. Cooking together or cleaning up after dinner is good practice also. Getting your children to contribute to some of the domestic duties of the house will teach them about work ethic and responsibilities. It’s the little things that make a big difference. Enjoy time and build strong bonds with your family.