Who Knew Wednesday

Pet Day Who Knew!

36.5% of US households own a dog, 30.4% own cats, 3.1% own birds and 1.5% own horses. Starting a blog with a statistic like that must mean it’s pet day!

FUN FACTS AND STATISTICS

94% of pet owners say their animal pal makes them smile more than once a day.
Pet owners in the United States spent $60.28 billion on their furry friends in 2015.
Nearly 80 million U.S. households have a pet, and 42 percent of those households have more than one.
81 percent of cat owners let their cats sleep on the bed.
73 percent of dog owners let their dogs sleep on the bed.
Forty-five percent of pet owners say they occasionally (or frequently) buy presents for their animals.
- Want to make your fuzzy companion a cake on their birthday? (Of course).
- Peanut Butter Delight Doggy Cake recipe
- Coconut Honey Doggie Cake recipe
90% of pet owners say they consider their pet a member of the family.

Dogs and cats are the most common household animals, so of course, we have some fun facts about our furry friends.

Dalmatians are born without spots! They are born with plain white coats with their first spots appearing after they are 1week old.
Nine percent of dog owners will have a birthday party for their pet.
Every dog has a unique nose print with no two alike.
Dogs have about 100 different facial expressions, most of them made with the ears.
Cats have no collarbone, which is one reason they are so flexible.
Cats have over one hundred vocal sounds, while dogs have about ten!
Cats don’t typically meow at each other—that’s a communication tool reserved for their humans.
A cat’s tongue is scratchy because it’s lined with papillae—tiny elevated backwards hooks that help to hold prey in place.

THE NAME GAME

Ever ask yourself what the most popular pet names are?
For dogs…
Max, Charlie, Cooper, Buddy, and Jack are the 5 most popular male dog names.
Bella, Lucy, Daisy, Luna, and Lola are the 5 most popular female dog names.

And for cats?
Nala, Luna, Bella, Daisy and Abby are the top 5 female cat names.
Simba, Tiger, Milo, Bear and Oreo are the top 5 male cat names.

DINNER WITH YOUR DOG

Here’s what you need…

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 salmon portions SKIN ON
(1 oz per every 10 pounds your dog weighs) plus any amount you would like
1 squash
1 head of broccoli (with stem)
3 potatoes (any kind)2 carrots

For the dog portion…

Cut broccoli stem, peel carrots and cut squash. Keep the peelings as this is for your dog. Mix together and steam in rice cooker or bake in oven.
Pour 1 tablespoon olive oil on your potatoes and place them in the oven.
Pan fry salmon in 1 table spoon olive oil with skin on. Start with skin side down on the pan at a medium temp. After flipping, pull off crisp salmon skin off both pieces of salmon and place in dog bowl.
Once everything is finished cooking mix all together in dog bowl. Chop to small bitesize for ease and a cleaner floor!

For the human portion…

Cut broccoli, carrots, squash and steam in rice cooker.
Slice potato chips with a slicer. If you only have a knife, make french fries instead. Trying to cut thin potato chips by hand is not easy.
Pour 1 tablespoon olive oil on your potatoes and place them in the oven.
Pan fry salmon in 1 table spoon olive oil with skin on. Start with skin side down on the pan at a medium temp. After flipping pull off crisp salmon skin off both pieces of salmon and place in dog bowl.

PICTURE TIME!

Here’s me with my goofy pupper, Tula
And below, my first dog, Pokey!

Here’s the Rinehart family Yorkie, Belle.

This one to the left is my friend Megan’s cat, named Charlie.

This one here to the right is another one of Megan’s cats, Buttercup.

This cutie here is Mariah Kick’s (WNZR Graphic and Web Designer) dog, Oscar.

This sweetheart here is one of Lexie Merritt’s (On-Air DJ) many animals, her dog, Ringo!

Lexie also has a cat. Meet Shmonster!

This little cutie is Abbi Brown’s (On-Air DJ) doberman puppy, Riggs.

The handsome guy on the right completes the Brown’s Doberman duo, Blue.

This is Jaxon Yoder (WNZR Staff member) with his adorable Boxer dog, Star.

This is Daisy Lu, she’s Danielle Zoellner’s (On-Air DJ) little baby!

This is Cierra Strawser’s (On-Air DJ) cute pride and joy, a Great Dane by the name of Daisy.

One from when she was a baby, and one from a little more recently.

This is one of Hannah Radke’s (Afternoon Drive Co-Host) cute little cats, Uncle Sam (or Sammy for short).

This is Abby Fairless’s (WNZR Promotions Director) little puppy, Lexie!

Thanks for listening!!! Please enjoy our pictures of our pets!
-Lilly and Joe

April 11, 2018 0

Who Knew? Sloppy Joes & Uncommon Dates!

This Sunday, March 18th is National Sloppy Joe Day – celebrating one of the country’s favorite ‘loose meat’ sandwiches. The sandwich is considered to be American, but the origin of the Sloppy Joe is rumored to come from a bar and grill in Havana, Cuba named Sloppy Joe’s.

Here’s a fun recipe to consider: a Coca-Cola Sloppy Joe! Click here to see it from Genius Kitchen.

We also shared another one of the 52 Uncommon Dates from author Randy Southern.

This one is the Factory Tour Date. It’s all about learning to appreciate the craftsmanship, technology and resources used in making certain products. Psalm 139 also reminds us of the care that God took in “knitting us together.”

Thanks for listening!
-Joe

March 14, 2018 0

Who Knew? Uncommon Dates!

Last week I picked up a book at the NRB Convention called 52 Uncommon Dates by Randy Southern. Find out more here from Moody Books.

The book is an encouragement to spice up the dating life of married couples. Let’s face it, our dating life can get in a rut or be just common. The book offers some unique ideas to bring adventure, meaning and the Bible back into your dates.

The dates we shared today were:

The CEMETERY date – yes, it sounds weird, but you set the tone of this date by reading Hebrews 12:1 before you go…reminding us of the ‘saints’ that have gone before us. Visiting burial sites together can remind us of those family members and friends who have run the course before us and lived victorious lives. You want to choose a burial site that has a personal connection to one of you.

The MUSIC date – this one’s easy for most of us. Read Psalm 95:1, then pick a playlist of 5-6 songs and play those songs to each other, explaining why they have had such an impact in your lives. Then you take a road trip to a music/record store and pick a couple of romantic new or old records to share.

The GET LOST date or the “random destination” date means you pick a place you’ve never traveled to before. There are several different ways to do this, but the bottom line is that this date should be an adventure. Once you get to your destination, explore, visit the local sites and people and get to know as much as you can about it. Then share what you’ve learned with each other. The lead-in verse is Psalm 139:7.

The FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING date – this is simply trying a new routine. New restaurant, new event (ever been to a Roller Derby? A hockey game? A symphonic orchestra concert? A high school musical?). Then spend some time talking about the date and what you enjoyed most and surprised you the most. The lead-in verse is 2 Timothy 1:7

Thanks for listening!
– Joe

March 7, 2018 0

Who Knew Wednesday: Pink Day!

Today Lilly and I celebrated national Pink day – and no, not for the color! Pink day is a day dedicated to preventing, spreading awareness and ultimately stomping out bulling.

Here is what we talked about on the show!

History of Pink Day

Pink Day was established in 2007 after a pair of students, David Shepherd and Travis Price, saw one of their fellow students at Central Kings Rural High School being bullied for no other reason than that they were wearing a pink shirt. In a stroke of brilliance, these two got together and decided to show support for the student and take a stand against bullying by getting everyone at their school to wear a pink shirt the next day. Pink Day was created to stomp out all bullying and spread understanding, and it’s a concept spreading throughout the world.

According to Dr. Joel Haber, bullying expert and author of Bullyproof Your Child for Life, your child could be a victim of bullying if he/she:

Is reluctant or refuses to go to school
Clams up when you try to discuss school
Demands some sort of change in a long-standing routine, like riding the bus to school or going to the park on Saturdays
Does not want to participate in after-school activities or play with old friends
Seems hungrier than usual after school – it might be a sign that someone is stealing his lunch money or that he is unwilling to brave the cafeteria at lunchtime
Shows signs of physical distress such as headaches, stomach-aches, or nausea
Goes to the nurse in order to avoid going to class
Performance in school (grades, homework, attendance) suddenly declines
Acts sullen, angry, and frequently wants to be left alone
Uncharacteristically uses bad language
Shows marked behavior change after computer time or a phone call
Starts asking for more lunch or transportation money without a clear explanation of why it is needed
Has unexplained bruises or injuries

Is your child the bully?

While you could never imagine your own sweetie excluding or teasing a classmate, 1 out of 5 kids in grades 6-10 admits to being a bully or doing at least some “bullying” (Nansel, et al, 2001). Children know that bullying is wrong. That’s why they do it when parents aren’t around. That’s why cyberbullying has become so common (the Internet is like one huge parentless mansion). And because adults are left in the dark, they don’t often face repercussions for their actions. So they keep doing it.

Of course you don’t want to admit that your child could be a bully. But you definitely don’t want to let your child stay a bully. Look for the signs — and then find a way to check the behaviors.

Dr. Haber says that your child could be a bully if he/she:

Is exclusive – refuses to include certain kids in play or study
Persists in certain inappropriate or unpleasant behavior even after you have told him/her to stop
Is very concerned with being and staying popular
Seems intolerant of and/or shows contempt for children who are “different” or “weird”
Frequently teases or taunts other children
Constantly plays extremely aggressive video games
Hurts animals

Observes you excluding, gossiping about, or otherwise hurting others: As parents we have a tremendous influence on our children. As human beings, we all occasionally exhibit some bullying behaviors. It’s only natural and it doesn’t mean we’re bad people. But think honestly about your own behavior and then ask — do your kids also show these traits?

What do I do?

Intervene when you can
Be Proactive – Teach your kids the right way to handle bullying- “Teach them what healthy, respectful behavior looks like from another child their age. Teach them what non-healthy, disrespectful behavior looks like, too,” said Meeker.
Take charge – When dealing with a bully, Meeker says parents should move from talking with the teacher, to the principal, to the parent.

For the Bullying statistics we shared click HERE.

Thank you so much for supporting the Afternoon Drive! Hannah

February 28, 2018 0

Cherry Month Who Knew!

When it comes to fruits that remind me of summer, cherries almost always take the cake. They are sweet and never fail to take me back to a warm summers day, by the pool.

Today on the Drive, we got in the WNZR Time Machine and went to summer of 2018 courtesy of the fruit that we know and love as the cherry.

Here are some fun facts about this delicious superfruit…

There are more than 1,000 varieties of cherries in the United States, but fewer than 10 are produced commercially.
There are normally about 44 cherries to a pound.
In an average crop year, a sweet cherry tree will produce 800 cherries.
Despite the short fruiting season, Americans consume an average of 1.5 pounds of cherries each year.
Washington grows an estimated 62 percent of the nation’s sweet cherries.
Between Washington, Oregon and California, these three states produce 94 percent of America’s sweet cherries.
Michigan grows well over half of the country’s tart cherries, which are mostly used for cooking. (Still just as delicious).
Brian Krause set the record for cherry pit spitting at an annual contest in Eau Claire, Michigan in 2004, spitting the pit 93 feet. That same day, Krause spat a pit more than 100 feet in the freestyle competition, which allows for a running start.

Well, now that you know some fun facts about the fruit, you’re probably asking, what are cherries good for? Look no further for an answer.

Tart cherries have very high antioxidant activity. The activity is actually better than vitamin E and comparable to commercially available antioxidant products.
Sweet cherries contain fiber, vitamin C, carotenoids, and anthocyanin, each of which may help play a role in cancer prevention.
Tart cherries are anti-inflammatory and may help lower your risk of gout attacks and reduce pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis
Consuming tart cherry may help increase your melatonin levels and improve your sleep
Sweet cherries have a low glycemic index of 22 — lower than apricots (57), grapes (46), peaches (42), blueberries (40) or plums (39). This makes them a better snack than many other fruits, especially for diabetics.
Cherries are very high in potassium, which helps regulate heart rate and blood pressure and reduces the risk of hypertension.

It wouldn’t be the Afternoon Drive without sharing some recipies, now would it?
Let’s give you a whole 4 course meal with cherries, shall we?

Perhaps we start the meal with a salad? Maybe three?
Orzo Salad with Mustard Greens and Cherries. Yes please.
Goat cheese goes great with cherries. Let’s put that on a salad.
Goat Cheese, Cherries and Pistachio Salad.
One final salad…
Spinach Salad with a Fresh Cherry Vinaigrette

For an appetizer? Let’s start with some meatballs.
Tart Cherry Glazed Spicy Meatballs.
Another appetizer? Don’t mind if I do. How about one for Game Day?
Instant Pot Tart Cherry Chicken Wings. (I’m drooling).
One more? Sure. Can’t say no to bread, right?
Here’s a Baguette stuffed with Brie and Cherries.

Okay. Main Course. Here we go.
Cocoa Cherry Pork? SIGN ME UP.
More main courses? Okay. You asked for it.
We have to have a meal from the mayor of Flavor Town.
Guy Fieri’s Cherry Bomb Chops. (I’m drooling again).
I’ll eat anything with the word ‘sassy’ in it.
Pork Burgers with Sassy Barbecue Sauce.

OH we can’t forget the drinks.
How about a Cherry Limeade from the Pioneer Woman herself?
Another? Okay. How about a healthy alternative?
You can’t go wrong with a Frozen Fruit Smoothie showcasing cherries.

Dessert. Can’t have a meal without dessert. Right?
A Black Forrest Trifle from my girl Katie Lee.
Ever wanted to use big cooking words like ‘compote’? Here’s your chance…
Nectarine-Cherry Compote. Oh Yes.

And delicious fruits aside, we come together as a country with heavy hearts for various reasons today. We turn on the TV and can’t watch for five minutes without hearing bad news after bad news. Whatever reason your heart is heavy today, we have hope.
The devil is on the prowl. He is active in our world maybe stronger than ever right now. We as Christians are called to put on the full armor of God so that we can take our stand against the schemes of the devil. We are called to stand on the front-lines and fight as a community against this darkness. We can stand on the front-lines UNAFRAID because we know that God is standing right there by us, and He has given us the strength, the courage and the power to fight this.

We looked at the song ‘Whom Shall I Fear’ from Chris Tomlin today.
It was a song that’s been in the back of my mind since this weekend, and just some of the lyrics seem so applicable to us right now.

Though darkness fills the night
It cannot hide the light

Darkness is filling the night. It is. But it cannot hide the light.
God is the light. We are the light. We cannot be hidden.
We need to be a nation that is ON FIRE for Christ that NO DARKNESS can hide.
We can do that when we remember the next thing Chris Tomlin says…
God is crushing the enemy beneath our feet.

God goes before us. There are countless scriptures that tell us that.
God is standing behind us.

Our strength is found in the name of Jesus
For it is His name alone that can save.
He is delivering us.
He is the victory.

Here are the lyrics from the bridge that give me chills. Ah.

And nothing formed against me shall stand.
He’s telling us that WE are protected.
God is holding the whole world in His hands.
Sometimes God is silent, and it’s hard. It’s so hard.
But we can hold on to His promises.
God is FAITHFUL.
Tomlin says that line 5 times in the bridge. It’s so important.And this song isn’t just something Chris Tomlin wrote.
It’s based off the most powerful chapter in scripture. Romans 8.
Romans 8:31 says “What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” and that should be more than enough send the devil running far in the other direction.

It’s far and away time for our country to have a “War Room” moment.
A Priscilla Shirer moment.
“YOU’VE HAD YOUR WAY LONG ENOUGH. NO MORE.”
Jesus is the Lord of our house. There is no room for the devil anymore.
We need to stand up, and shout if we need to. Telling the devil to take his lies, and his schemes, and his accusations, and to get out IN. JESUS’. NAME.

Here’s the scene, if you haven’t seen it. So incredibly powerful.

It’s time we stand up and take back what is rightfully ours in Christ.

Thanks for listening!
-Lilly

February 21, 2018 0

Fun facts about Valentine’s Day

About 1 billion Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged in US each year. That’s the largest seasonal card-sending occasion of the year, next to Christmas.
Women purchase 85% of all valentines.
In order of popularity, Valentine’s Day cards are given to teachers, children, mothers, wives, sweethearts and pets.
Parents receive 1 out of every 5 valentines.
About 3% of pet owners will give Valentine’s Day gifts to their pets.
Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day are the biggest holidays for giving flowers.
Worldwide, over 50 million roses are given for Valentine’s Day each year.
California produces 60 percent of American roses, but the vast number sold on Valentine’s Day in the United States are imported, mostly from South America. Approximately 110 million roses, the majority red, will be sold and delivered within a three-day time period.
73% of people who buy flowers for Valentine’s Day are men, while only 27 percent are women.
Men buy most of the millions of boxes of candy and bouquets of flowers given on Valentine’s Day.
In the Middle Ages, young men and women drew names from a bowl to see who their valentines would be. They would wear these names on their sleeves for one week. To wear your heart on your sleeve now means that it is easy for other people to know how you are feeling.
The Italian city of Verona, where Shakespeare’s lovers Romeo and Juliet lived, receives about 1,000 letters addressed to Juliet every Valentine’s Day.
Richard Cadbury invented the first Valentines Day candy box in the late 1800s.
Alexander Graham Bell applied for his patent on the telephone, an “Improvement in Telegraphy”, on Valentine’s Day, 1876.
Amongst the earliest Valentine’s Day gifts were candies. The most common were chocolates in heart shaped boxes.c

AS PROMISED, here are the “clean” Winter Olympics-themed Valentine’s love lines you can try out on your significant other (my daughter would call these ‘Dad’ jokes):

Are you an ice skater? You’ve got a great figure.
I’m no curler, but I think I could sweep you off your feet!
Hey, are you a skiing event, ‘cause I would travel cross-country for you!
My gold medal might be shiny, but it looks like a dull penny compared to that sparkle in your eyes.
Your legs must be tired because you’ve been speed skating through my mind all night.

Thanks for listening!
– Joe

February 14, 2018 0

Who Knew? Handwriting still matters!

Today we’re exploring the value of thank you’s…and the EXTREME value of the handwritten card or note.

In our digital age, the time and effort of a handwritten note is STILL valued. Why?

John Coleman’s article in the Harvard Business Review from 2013 still resonates. Read the full article here. He shares that:

Handwritten notes mean more because they cost more, as handwritten notes convey a deeper investment in your gratitude.
Handwritten notes have permanence and have nostalgic value!

This 2017 Nancy Olsen article in Forbes also gives 5 great reasons to hand write your card. She says:

Sometimes it seems that manners are teetering on the edge of extinction, so it’s the right thing to do!
It sets you apart
Gratitude is good for the brain – we are wired to best express ourselves without electronic communication
We did a handwriting trivia question today!
“When writing on an unlined sheet of paper, what instrument can you use to ensure a straight edge and lines?”
The answer? A T-Square!

Congrats to Jennie from Howard who guessed correctly!

Thanks for listening!
– Joe and Lilly

February 7, 2018 0

Backwards Day with the Afternoon Drive!

Hello! Or, should I say goodbye? It’s Backward Day!

January 31st honors everything backward. National Backward Day is an opportunity to reverse our ways, our direction or simply our shirt. There are many ways to celebrate this fun day, so just let your imagination be your guide. This day is very popular with school-aged kids, but there is no age limit on who can participate in all of the backward fun.

Here’s a few fun ways to celebrate!

Wear your outfit backwards and if you can, talk and write backwards.
Go to bed in the morning and start working in the evening, have dinner in the morning and breakfast in the evening, and have dessert first during all your meals.
Talk to people with your back towards them. Just make sure you let them know you are celebrating Backwards Day, so they don’t think you are rude.
Say goodbye to people when you meet them, and hello when you depart.
Play a board game from the finish line to the start.

Happy National Backward Day!
Thanks for Listening!
– Lilly

January 31, 2018 0

Who Knew? Peanut Butter edition…

Today is Peanut Butter Day, so we’re sharing fun facts from the National Peanut Board.

The link to the article is HERE, but some of the highlights include:

It takes about 540 peanuts to make a 12-ounce jar of peanut butter.
By law, any product labeled “peanut butter” in the United States must be at least 90 percent peanuts
The average peanut farm in the U.S. is 100 acres.
Two peanut farmers have been elected president of the USA – Thomas Jefferson and Jimmy Carter.
There are six cities in the U.S. named Peanut: Peanut, California; Lower Peanut, Pennsylvania; Upper Peanut, Pennsylvania; Peanut, Pennsylvania, Peanut, Tennessee; and Peanut West Virginia.

Some fun peanut butter questions to ask your friends…

crunchy or creamy?
what’s your favorite jelly or jam on a PB&J?
crust-on or crust-off?
white or wheat bread with PB? Or crackers? Pretzels?

Today’s trivia question to win the Troyer’s of Apple Valley $5 certificate was:

Where was Thomas Jefferson’s peanut farm?
Answer: Monticello, Virginia

Congratulations to Erinn of Mount Vernon!