Optalis Health & Rehabilitation of Three Rivers

07/24/2025

Cousins are fun to be with – they are almost like your siblings, but you don’t have to share all your prized possessions with them all the time. Celebrate them on Cousins Day, an annual celebration of the special bond you share with your cousins.

Give your cousins a big hug to celebrate Cousins Day.

Celebrated every year on July 24, the unofficial holiday is also sometimes known as National Cousins Day.

Shared Ancestors
In general, cousins are relatives with whom we share an ancestor, though in many cultures the term is commonly used to refer to the children of our aunts and uncles. In genealogy, which is the study of families and their history, a relationship between cousins - two people who have a common ancestor - is named after which generation they belong to.

The Many Different Types of Cousins
When cousins are from the same generation, they are known as first, second or third cousins. For example, first cousins are children of siblings - your uncle and aunt's children will be your first cousins. The children of first cousins are second cousins, and the children of second cousins are third cousins.

On the other hand, when two people are not from the same generation, their relationship is described by adding the word removed. First cousin once removed, for example, is used to describe the relationship between a person and the children of his or her first cousin - your first cousin's child will be your first cousin once removed. First cousin once removed can also be used to refer to a parent's first cousin.

Confused? One easy way to remember is that once removed means that there is a separation of one generation between the two relatives. Twice removed means there are two generations between them. The same logic applies to other degrees of cousinhood.

How to Celebrate?
Send a note or message to your cousins wishing them a happy Cousins Day. Tell them that you love them and you care about them.
If you live close to your cousins, why not get together with them and their families and do something fun?
If your cousins live far away, you could video chat with them or talk to them over the phone.
Did You Know.....that a genogram is a type of a family tree that includes medical, hereditary, and psychological information about the members of the family?

07/24/2025

Yesterday we celebrated
National Vanilla Ice Cream Day
😋🍦

07/23/2025

Can not ask for better weather for Cookies and Punch on the porch 😋 😀

07/22/2025

Vanilla Ice Cream Day !!!! July 23
Recognizable Flavor
Vanilla is a flavoring that comes from the pods of the fruit of the vanilla orchid. A native plant of Mexico, vanilla was unknown to the world outside Central America until the late 1600s. Today, it is one of the world's most recognized flavors. The expression, plain vanilla, is used to refer to something that is commonplace and does not have any special or distinguishing characteristics.

Vanilla Ice Cream Day is also sometimes known as National Vanilla Ice Cream Day in the US.

How to Celebrate?
Do we need to say anything else other than it's Vanilla Ice Cream Day! Eat as much ice cream as you can possibly eat.
Having pancakes for breakfast? Add a dollop of vanilla ice cream with it. Brownies for dinner? Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Smoothies for an after workout snack? Add a few scoops of vanilla ice cream. Well, you get our point.
Did You Know…
…that vanilla is thought to be the world's second most expensive spice? The most expensive spice in the world is saffron.

07/16/2025

National Corn Fritter Day
These bright crispy morsels make great additions to summer barbecues and backyard gatherings. The main ingredients include corn, meal, egg, milk, and butter. While they may have originated in the south, corn fritters can easily be changed up with peppers, onions, or herbs to give them regional and seasonal flair.

When paired with other vegetables and a pan-fried fish filet, corn fritters added to a lightly toasted bun create a unique fish sandwich. Don't look at corn fritters as just a side dish, but a functional part of a complete meal.

Make your fritters small, and they become appetizers. When there's a bumper crop of sweet corn, be sure to freeze some for a taste of summer during the winter. These corn fritters will brighten up a gloomy, cold day.

07/15/2025

07/14/2025

Gummi Worm Day Tuesday July 15th
Gummi Worm Day celebrates and honors these chewy and yummy creepy crawly sweet treats.
Remember gummi worms? Yes, those delicious sour and sweet candies of your childhood that resembled worms? Remember how you ate them by the fistful just to gross out other adults? Well, now you can do that again once a year on Gummi Worm Day.

German Origins
Gummi worms are gelatin-based candies that look like colorful worms. They were first created and marketed by German candy company, Trolli, and are just one of the many gummi candies available in the market.

The first gummi (or gummy) candies were created in 1922 by another German candy company called Haribo. These were in the shape of bears and are now popularly known around the world as gummi bears.

How to Celebrate?
Treat yourself with a big bag of gummi worm candies.
Bring gummi worms to work and share them with your co-workers.
Learn how to make them at home from scratch.
Did You Know.....that the word gummi comes from the German word gummi, meaning rubber?

07/12/2025

Activities was baking up some treats.

07/12/2025

Happy NATIONAL Blueberry Muffins Day

07/11/2025

NATIONAL BLUEBERRY MUFFIN DAY (we added a recipe for you at the bottom)

While enjoying a delicious blueberry muffin, consider the powerhouse the blueberry is. This once wild berry became domesticated during the early 1900s thanks to the observations of Elizabeth Coleman White and the research of Dr. Frederick V. Coville. Before their efforts, wild blueberries were never successfully transplanted and raised in any farming operation for personal or commercial production. The only way to enjoy fresh blueberries was to seek them out where they grew naturally.
Today we can enjoy the abundant potassium, vitamin C and B6, and other health benefits of the blueberry much more readily than they did 120 years ago. We bake them into muffins and eat them by the handfuls.
HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL BLUEBERRY MUFFIN DAY
While celebrating the day, be sure to make a few for co-workers and family, too. It's not a celebration if you don't share. It is America's favorite muffin after all.
If you don't bake, be sure to stop by your favorite bakery and pick up a few. Give them a shout out, too.
Blueberry Muffins

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 30 minutes

Total Prep: 45 minutesServings: 12 muffins

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
2 1/2 cups blueberries

Glaze
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons lemon juice

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease muffin tin or line with paper muffin cups.

In a medium bowl, beat together softened butter and sugar until creamy. Add one egg at a time, mixing well.

Stir in baking powder, salt, and vanilla.

Incorporate flour and milk alternately, stirring just enough to combine making sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl

07/05/2025

We LOVE surprises.
Cami (HR) and Becca (AC), surprised the staff with a little cookout for the 4th. HAPPY 4TH OF JULY.

07/03/2025

National Compliment Your Mirror Day is observed annually on July 3rd. It's a day dedicated to practicing self-compassion and positive self-talk by complimenting your reflection in the mirror, according to the National Day Calendar. The day encourages people to counteract negative self-talk and build confidence by acknowledging their positive qualities and strengths, says Checkable Health.
Key aspects of National Compliment Your Mirror Day:
Purpose:
To foster self-acceptance and positive self-perception by focusing on positive attributes.
How to celebrate:
Take a moment to look in the mirror and offer a genuine compliment to yourself. It can be about your appearance, personality, or accomplishments.
Benefits:
Positive self-talk can improve mental well-being and build confidence, according to Michigan Psychological Care.