10 good reasons to send her flowers!

10. To remind her that you exist.
9. So she'll forget that you came 2 hours late for your last date.
8. To prevent her from dumping you for someone who will give her flowers.
7. Because you can't figure out what else to give her.
6. Sending flowers is easy – you can order them while you are watching the game.
5. She'll tell her girlfriends about it, and soon you'll gain a reputation for being a gentleman.
4. Because life is a bed of roses. Avoid being the thorn.
3. She'll expect them. Sooner or later. Better sooner.
2. It makes you happy to see her smile.
1. Because you love her!

Happy 4th of July! Celebrate Our Independence!

Independence Day, commonly known as July 4th or the Fourth of July, commemorates the Continental Congress’ adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. The document, primarily written by Thomas Jefferson, served as a formal announcement that the 13 American colonies were no longer part of the British Empire and would henceforth be free and independent states. Regarded as the birthday of the United States of America, the day is typically celebrated with parades, fireworks, ceremonies, barbecues and family gatherings.

Show your patriotism and celebrate freedom with our 4th of July wrapped flower bunches and arrangements! Perfect for the holiday festivities!

Fathers Day is June 20th!

Express your love and thanks for Dad this Sunday by sending him an arrangement that's as stylish as he is! Green plants are also the perfect way to lighten up Dad's room at home or office."

" Thanks Mom!" -- Mothers day is May 9th

The Origins of Mother's Day

Mother’s Day, Muttertag, La Festa della Mamma, Mothering Sunday, Fête des Mères, Día de las Madres...they go by many different names, but however you say it, the expression of love and appreciation is the same.

The modern version of Mother's Day with families bringing Mother's Day flowers and gifts to their moms can be traced back to seventeenth century England. Mothering Sunday was the fourth Sunday in Lent...a special day when all the strict rules about fasting and penance were put aside. Older children who were away from home learning a trade or working as servants were allowed to return home for Mothering Sunday. The family gathered for a mid-Lenten feast with Mother as the special guest. Along with a rare visit from her children, mothers were given treats of cakes and wildflower bouquets. While ‘Mothering Sunday’ is still celebrated, most now know it as Mother’s Day.
The history of Mother's Day in the rest of the world is a bit different. In the USA, the early English settlers often disapproved of the more secular holidays and the Mothering Sunday tradition never really took hold. Early attempts to have a day to honor mother's were mixed with woman's suffrage and peace movements and were not very popular.
Julia Ward Howe, who wrote the words to the Battle Hymn of the Republic, suggested the idea of an International Mother's day to celebrate peace and motherhood in 1872. There were many other women who were active with local groups holding annual Mother's Day remembrances, but most were more religious gatherings and not the holiday that we know today.
Julia Ward Howe first championed a day to celebrate peace and motherhood in 1872.

One of the women, who was working on establishing Mother's Day as a national celebration was the mother of Anna Jarvis. Mrs. Jarvis held an annual gathering, Mother’s Friendship Day, to heal the pain of the Civil War. After she died in 1905, Anna campaigned for the establishment of an official Mother’s Day to commemorate her mother.
"Miss Anna Jarvis was as good as her word. She devoted her entire life to the struggle to have Mother's Day declared a national holiday. In the spring of 1908, Anna wrote to the Superintendent of Andrew's Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virginia, where her mother had taught Sunday School classes for over 20 years. She requested that a Mother's Day service be held in honor of her mother.
Thus, the first official Mother's Day celebration was held at Andrew's Methodist Church on May 10, 1908, with 407 persons in attendance. Anna Jarvis sent 500 white carnations to the church in Grafton. One was to be worn by each son and daughter and two by each mother in attendance.
Another service was held in Philadelphia later that afternoon where Anna resided with her brother. Anna had requested that the first official service be held in Grafton, where the Jarvis family had lived so much of their lives and where her mother had served for so long as a teacher and public servant." ( Mother's Day Shrine.org)
Anna Jarvis' campaign is the reason we have a formal holiday. In 1914 President Woodrow Wilson declared that Mother’s Day should be celebrated as a national holiday on the second Sunday in May.
It didn't take very long for Mother's Day to change from a semi-religious occasion of prayers for peace and appreciation of the work and love of mothers around the world to a gifts, flowers, candy and dining out extravaganza. Anna Jarvis was actually arrested at a Mother’s Day festival while trying to stop women from selling flowers. Jarvis said “I wanted it to be a day of sentiment not profit.”
Mother's Day may not have turned out to be the holiday that Julia Ward Howe, Anna Jarvis and countless other women around the world imagined, but it is a celebration of mothers...dedicated to honoring the women who give so much to their families without asking for anything in return. Perhaps every day should be Mother's Day, but most families are too busy with everyday business to say thank you for every meal or every good night kiss.
Once every year, the world stops being busy and says thank you. Flowers, cards and gifts are just the outward signs. What mothers love most is the fact that their families really do notice all that they do and for one day every mom is queen for a day...
Happy Mother's Day!

Don't forget to say " thank you!"

ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS WEEK

Since 1952, the International Association of Administrative Professionals has honored office workers by sponsoring Administrative Professionals Week. Today, it is one of the largest workplace observances outside of employee birthdays and major holidays.In the year 2000, IAAP announced a name change for Professional Secretaries Week and Professional Secretaries Day. The names were changed to Administrative Professionals Week and Administrative Professionals Day to keep pace with changing job titles and expanding responsibilities of today’s administrative workforce. Over the years, Administrative Professionals Week has become one of the largest workplace observances. The event is celebrated worldwide, bringing together millions of people for community events, educational seminars and individual corporate activities recognizing support staff. Today, there are more than 4.1 million secretaries and administrative assistants working in the United States, according to U.S. Department of Labor statistics, and 8.9 million people working in various administrative support roles. More than 475,000 administrative professionals are employed in Canada. Millions more administrative professionals work in offices all over the world.
APW is always the last full week in April. In 2010, Administrative Professionals Week is April 18-24 with Administrative Professionals Day on Wednesday, April 21.

Easter is April 4th! Here is a little FYI

One of America's Favorite Blooming Plants
We can thank Louis Houghton, a World War I soldier, for the popularity of the Bermuda lily --better known as the Easter lily -- in this country. In 1919 he brought a suitcase full of hybrid lily bulbs to the southern coast of Oregon and gave them to family and friends to plant.
The climate there was ideal for growing this lily, a native of the Ryukyu Islands of Japan, and by 1945, over one thousand west coast growers were producing bulbs for the commercial market. Despite a sales window of only approximately two weeks each year, Easter Lilies are the fourth largest potted plant crop in the U.S., ranking among poinsettias, mums, and azaleas as America's favorite blooming plants.
Selecting the Perfect Easter Lily
Whether you plan to give plants as gifts or use them to decorate your own home, the following tips will help make your Easter Lilies keep on giving.
Two of the greatest charms of the Easter Lily are form and fragrance, so look for high quality plants that are aesthetically pleasing from all angles. Select medium to compact plants that are well balanced and proportional in size (not too tall or short). The best selection would be a plant with just one or two open or partly open blooms, and three or more unopened buds of different sizes. The ripe puffy buds will open up within a few days, while the tighter ones will bloom over the next several days.
As the flowers mature, remove the yellow anthers before the pollen starts to shed. This gives longer flower life and prevents the pollen from staining the white flowers. When a mature flower starts to wither after its prime, cut it off to make the plant more attractive while you still enjoy the fresher, newly-opened blooms.
When selecting plants, be sure to also cheek the foliage. An abundance of dark, rich green leaves are not only attractive, but a vital sign of good plant health. The foliage should appear dense and plentiful, all the way down to the soil line, a good indicator of an active, healthy root system.
Easter Lilies and Pets
According to the National Animal Poison Control Center (NAPCC), certain types of lilies can cause renal failure in cats that have ingested a portion of the lily. So, while Easter Lilies don't pose a threat to humans or other pets we recommend they be kept our ot reach of feline friends. For additional information, contact your veterinarian or visit the Animal Poison Control Center at aspca.org.
Caring For Easter Lilies
In the home, Easter Lilies prefer moderately cool temperatures. Ideal daytime temperatures are 60 to 65 degrees F., with slightly cooler temperatures at night. Avoid placing plants near drafts, and avoid exposure to excess heat or dry air from appliances, fireplaces, or heating ducts. The lily will thrive near a window in bright, indirect natural daylight, but avoid glaring, direct sunlight. Easter Lilies prefer moderately moist, well-drained soil. Water the plant thoroughly when the soil surface feels dry to the touch, but avoid over-watering. If the pot is wrapped in decorative foil, be careful not to let the plant sit in trapped, standing water.

Celebrate St Partrick's Day 2010

Dedicated to the Irish and the Irish at heart all around the world, St. Patrick's Day is celebrated in big cities and small towns all over the world. With parades, "wearing of the green,", Irish food, drink, and activities, there is much to do for old and young alike. A national holiday of Ireland, March 17th is an annual feast day which celebrates St Patrick, the most commonly recognized of the patron saints of Ireland. A time of fun celebrations, no one will be complete without wearing a green flower or 2 on their attire. Green fresh floral arrangements and green bouquets are available for all St Partrick fun and festivities! Erin go braugh! (Ireland Forever!)