Happy Birthday, Sir Henry Royce!

Today is the birthday of Sir Henry Royce, car designer and manufacturer who co-founded, with C.S.Rolls the Rolls-Royce motor company. Henry was born in 1863 in Alwalton, Huntingdonshire where his family ran a flour mill. In 1884 Henry began an electric fittings company, and began making cars in 1901. In 1904 Henry began his partnership with Charles Rolls, and the first Rolls-Royce was made.

Celebrate Henry's birthday today with some car-themed crafts! Older children can make cereal box cars or model cars. Younger kids can do some colouring pages
or make a car puppet.

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Las Vegas UK Mums March Family Outing - Spring Brit Picnic

Spring is here, let's get together for a Brit Spring Picnic! Sunday, March 28th will be 77* in lovely Las Vegas, so find the footie, bring some boiled eggs and parcels, get the kiddies in the car and you're off!

Events are open to members and potentital members of LVUK Mums. For event location or additional information, contact me at the address on the right side of the screen.

Image credit: (The Guardian)

English Football League Formed 1888

England has a long history with football. Kings from Edward II, Edward III, Henry IV, Edward IV, Henry VII and Henry VIII passed proclamations banning football, as it was believed that young men should spend their time preparing for battle rather than playing games. Over time, as football continued to grow in popularity, teams became more and more professional. The first of these, the English Football League, was formed by Aston Villa's director William McGregor today in 1888. The season started a few months later with 12 clubs - six from Lancashire (Preston North End, Accrington, Blackburn Rovers, Burnley, Bolton Wanderers and Everton) and six from the Midlands (Aston Villa, Derby County, Notts County, Stoke, West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers). The first winner of the league title was Preston. Some of the beginning rules were the same as today, each team played the other in two matches, one at home and one away.

Celebrate football in your house today - you can enjoy the great Spring weather we are having and kick around the ball. If you feel like staying inside, try a few crafts such as this football pillow, Franky Football buddy, or a frisbee football. Bigger kids can do a football crossword puzzle or word search. Finish it off with some football cookies!

Image credit: (Spartacus Educational)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Nearly 12% of Americans report being of Irish descent, but all Americans will be celebrating today! St Patrick's Day is arguably the most-celebrated tradition from across the pond in the United States. St Patrick was a Roman Britain who was kidnapped by Irish raiders and transported to Ireland as a slave. After his escape, he became a priest and was determined to convert the Irish to Christianity. The symbolic 3-leaved clover was believed to have been used by St Patrick to teach the Irish about the Holy Trinity.

Celebrate St Patrick's Day today by making a paper plate shamrock, pot of gold or handprint rainbow. Older children can practice some Irish slang or do a word search. Finish the day by making some Irish soda bread, corned beef and cabbage and oatmeal cookies!

Image credit: (Sarah Snodgrass)

Happy Mothering Sunday!

The tradition of Mothering Sunday is believed to have begun in the 16th century, when people would visit their mother church, which meant that most mothers would see their children on this day. Historians also believe that servants were given the day off, so that they could visit with their mothers. As Europe became more secularized, the holiday became more associated with appreciating mothers than visiting the Mother Church. Children would pick wild flowers along the way to give them to the church or their mothers.

Many traditional cakes are eaten for Mothering Sunday. Modern celebrations include the Simnel cake or Mothering Sunday Buns with raisins and butter icing. I can't find a recipe for these, so if you have one, please post in comments below! In Northern England and Scotland, carlings are eaten.

Make mum feel special today with a coffee filter paper bouquet or younger children can make a handprint heart. A personally decorated card and breakfast in bed will make her feel special too!

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Planet Uranus Discovered: 1781

While standing in his backyard in Bath, German born Frederick William Herschel discovered an object in the sky which he believed at first was a star or a comet. As Herschel continued to observe and make calculations, he determined the object had a circular orbit and called his discovery the 'Georgian Star', after King George III. Eventually the planet was known as Uranus. In 1782, he was appointed as the King's Astronomer and moved to Datchet. In addition to his work as an astronomer, Herschel was a musician and composer.

Celebrate the heavens today by making an origami star or do some space coloring. Older children can make a solar system hanging mobile and read some facts about all of the planets.

Image credit: (Bryn Mawr)

Penny Loaf Day

Today is Penny Loaf Day. This holiday originated in the 17th century in Newark, Nottingham, when a man named Hercules Clay dreamt for three nights in a row that his house would burn down. He moved his family out on March 11th and shortly thereafter, his house was burned down during the English Civil War. To give thanks for his unbelievable luck, he created a fund of £100 to buy Penny Loaves of bread, boots and shoes for the poor each year on the 11th of March. To get the bread, the poor had to listen to a sermon first. Although the funds are gone to give bread today, the sermon is still delivered in Newark.

To celebrate, watch a video on making bread and then try some of these family-friendly bread recipes . In the spirit of the day, make an extra loaf of bread and donate it to a local shelter. Older children can make bread dough beads and talk about how grains keep us healthy, while younger children can play with bread themed items in a sensory table or tub, such as oats, corn, barley, measuring cups, funnels and spoons or play Bread Basket Upset.

Image Credit: (Moonimama's Memoirs)