Beverage Alternatives to Diet Soda

It is a common misconception that diet sodas will help people lose weight. While the drinks may not contain sugar, the sugar substitute is not much better. In fact, it can lead some to think that they might not be contributing to obesity by drinking a diet soda. Forbes Living TV offers some beverage alternatives which are better for us.

Drink water. It is a natural hydrator. It is usually free or sold in bottles at a very low price. It is portable, can be recapped to prevent spilling when moving and can be flavored.

Sugar-free juices are another good alternative. Some contain extra vitamins and minerals to improve overall health. And most do not cost too much. They are usually sold in boxes or small cartons.

Green tea comes in a several forms and different taste varieties to please most taste buds. Drink it cold from a can or bottle, or make it hot and add honey to naturally sweeten it up.

Sparkling flavored water will give carbonated beverage lovers the bubbly they desire with no added artificial ingredients. Tonic water flavored with strawberry slices and lemon or lime adds flavor and zip to the drink.

As the weather becomes cooler and heaters come on, familykenkel recommends readers stay hydrated all year long.  Kick the diet soda addiction out in the cold with the above ideas or tell us yours.

Family Travel Reminders

Many families will travel out of town for the holidays. Some will take the roads and some will go by air. No matter which way you and your family travel, Forbes Living TV shares some reminders to keep handy.

Who will take care of the house, mail and family pets while you are away? Now is the time to reserve the best caretakers for these valuable assets. Be sure to add some buffer time to the schedule to allow for delayed flights or heavy traffic congestion. Add an extra day to the schedule, if needed. Make a list of what needs to be done daily.

Families who are taking flights out of town should consider downloading movies on tablets or digital devices a week or more before the flight departs. Sometimes the download is slow even on a fast connection.  The same applies for adding apps and especially those related for travel.

If special meals, such as a gluten-free one, are needed for family members, place that request when reserving the flight and seats. If the reservation is already made, call the airline and add the request well in advance of the flight.

familykenkel also suggests checking the baggage restrictions for all connecting flights. Your checked suitcase may be too big and heavy for the regional airline connection to the destination point. Know before you go.

With a little advance planning, a family holiday trip can go smoothly. Why leave some things to chance?

How to Gripe and Get What You Want

Call it complaining, griping of kvetching. There is a certain way to do it and pretty much get what you want. familykenkel learns (and has tried) to complain the right way.  If griping about what you didn’t get or did get that’s not right didn’t get you anywhere, try some of the useful suggestions below from an etiquette expert.

Step back and ask yourself if you have a legitimate complaint. Or are you really having a bad day and want a little validation? Is it really worth it to complain? If so, please do let the other party try to rectify the problem before pummeling the person with barrage of bad words.

Use the right avenue to file a grievance. Social media accounts are the most public way of letting a business or company know they wronged you. And most businesses have social media accounts. Be firm, be polite and state the problem. If no result is produced, write to the CEO with your complaint. Be patient.

Avoid using foul language or to making threats. Most people do not feel they can have a rational conversation with someone who seems to want nothing more than to trash and bash. Be courteous and resist any urges to name-call.

familykenkel also knows that it’s nice to get a good review. If a business or company has resolved the issue, or has provided service that is better than expected, let them know. After all, we all need to hear kind words.

Get Spooked

Americais a big country and in it are some very haunted hotels, hospitals and houses. Familykenkel shares some of the coolest and probably most scary places to visit on or before Halloween. Hang on to someone.

Trans-Alleghany Lunatic Asylum, Weston, VA– Take someone strong with you to hold onto as this former state hospital is still be home to hundreds of patients who lived and died there. Some of them come back to visit.  Brave souls can stay overnight with an experienced ghost hunter.

Villisca Ax Murder House, Villisca, Iowa

Several people were killed in this house including some children. Visitors to the house reported spontaneous instances of hearing children's voices, falling lamps, moving ladders and flying objects. Sound like fun? Have at it.

The Marshall House, Savannah, Ga.

This is a somewhat fun and odd place to stay in the beautiful city. It once served as a Union hospital during the Civil War. Some guests who have stayed there reported waking up with an outstretched arm as if a nurse was taking their pulse. And be sure to check if your travel partner is in bed with you. Water faucets turn on spontaneously.

Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast, Fall River, Mass.

Once the home of Lizzie Borden, this historic old house is now a B&B. Borden was accused of killing her sleeping father and stepmother with an ax. People believe their spirits as well as Ms. Borden’s haunt the house. The B&B owners serve the same breakfast the Borden’s ate in an effort to lure them back. Believe it or not.

Familykenkel invites readers to share any other haunted houses, hospitals, business, theaters or any other location where the souls of those who have passed on come back to check on things.

Reveals Extra Special Pumpkins for Halloween

There are the carved pumpkins that moms and dads create to decorate the outdoors on Halloween. And then there are the extra special ones which fancy celebrities. familykenkel shares some cool ways to make a pumpkin look like Harry Potter, a sports star or a monster, and more.

There are pumpkin carving kits that give anyone the ability to carve a pumpkin so it looks like someone famous. And there are people who grow pumpkins to look like well-known monsters. Whichever way one decides to go, it will please both kids and adults during the special time of the year to find that they’re looking for.

In case one wants a pumpkin that is grown to resemble Frankenstein, there is a farmer in Ventura, California who grows pumpkins to look like Frankenstein. His gourds are called “Pumpkinsteins” and they sell between $75.00 and $125.00 dollars. We’re not sure if he ships them or not. We doubt it since there is no website for the “Pumpkinsteins”. But if you live in the vicinity, why not check it out?

familykenkel also suggests visiting local arts and crafts stores to find stencils to use at home for both drawing and carving.  Below are a few more websites where fans can download stencils to use.

Have a ghoulishly fun time finding what you need to make Halloween a scream. 

Good Habits for Working Out

Many people work out to feel better, get healthy, and gain more strength. And it doesn’t really matter if it’s a one hour power workout in the gym or a ten minute video done in the living room. It just feels good. familykenkel shares some good habits for people who work out – alone or with others.

Hungry? Grab a protein snack on the way to the gym or from the fridge if working out at home. Don’t ignore grumbling stomachs. Exercising on an empty belly can breakdown muscle tissue – which is counteractive to why people workout in the first place. One good habit to keep in mind is the closer to workout time you are – the more simple the meal or snack. Eat a banana, a piece of cheese and some fruit. Even a small bowl of cereal will give you added fuel to start and finish the workout.

Using the equipment at the gym? Take your own sanitizing hand wipes or spray and bring your own water bottle. Wipe or spray the handles, knocks and anything else your hands touch before using the machine. Dry it well with a paper towel. No one wants to put their hands on someone else’s sweat. Make your own flavored water at home with water, lemon, lime, mint, and orange slices, add ice, cover and shake. Avoid using the water fountains.

In a rush to get to spin class on time? Leave a little earlier and avoid speeding to the class.

If working out at home, familykenkel learned the hard way to move free weights out of the way when done using them. One accidental toe stubbing resulted in a week’s worth of limping. Choose a time when no one is home to work out. Or carve time out for yourself by taking a power walk around the area. This is your time. Make it work for you.

Side Road Trip Weirdness

We know school started and the big family vacations have more or less slowed to a halt. But, the holidays are around the corner and so are road trips to visit the relatives. familykenkel encourages readers to take a little side trip to these crazy, quirky roadside attractions.

The Rain Barrel, ArtisanMuseum, Islamorada, FL – Located at Mile Marker 86.7 in the Florida Keys is easily seen by the giant lobster in the front. The site has great gift shops, a vegetarian restaurant and is generally a good place to stop and stretch before heading further south in US 1 or before getting on the 18 mile stretch if heading north.

Carhenge, Allliance, Nebraska – This is the Stonehengeversion but with cars. Thirty-eight vintage (read old) cars were used to make it.

Red Wood Forest, Klamath, CA – The giant Tree of Mystery are pretty cool when one thinks about how they grew that way.

Lucy the Elephant, Margate, New Jersey – The six story elephant is pretty cool to walk through if heading to the any of the Jerseyshores for a family reunion.

The familykenkel wants to know if readers know of any other weird road stops across the country. America is a very large country and we are sure there are other places people know about which are just plain fun, quirky, or odd. Please feel free to share with others.

Why One Size is Not the Same across Name Brands

What’s in a size, anyway? Why are clothing sizes so different when they are the same? Familykenkel wants to know why one size is not the same across names brands.

If a woman were to walk into a department store and try on three pairs of jeans all in the same size, would they all fit the same? No, they would not. Many clothing manufacturers and designers use their own sizing specifications as a marketing ploy. If a size 12 from Lucky Brand fits great, a size 12 from Levi’s may not. 

An average women’s size 12 can vary as much as 1 to 3 inches in the waist of jeans, and to 3 inches in the hips. This is why it is important to find the right size in the right clothing line and stick to it. Sizing standards are specific to the brand and not to the standard size itself. Familykenkel knows that most of us have a favorite brand of jeans and know which size fits us best. We tend to be loyal to those, but occasionally want something a little jazzier for evenings out. This is when it pays to take the time to try on different brands.  Find one or two that fit and look the best and grab a few pairs in different washes. You’re good to go then.

Bridal Fashion Trends

Many married women have a love-hate affair with shopping for a wedding dress or gown. It is a rite of passage to shop the bridal magazines for the most beautiful dress and to visit all the bridal shops in the area for one that fits great and is not going to break the wedding budget. And now there is a new avenue for getting that awesome, perfect dress or gown and without going broke. Familykenkel details to latest bridal trend.

What if an engaged woman walked into a posh bridal salon and walked out with the ideal wedding gown – and paid less than five grand for it? This is exactly what can happen if the gown is rented and not bought, and is the best new bridal trend. Top wedding dress designer creations from Jenny Yoo, Nicole Miller, and Badgley Mischka, among others, can be found online at e-retailers like Little White Dress, Rent the Runway and Borrowing Magnolia. Familykenkel believes renting a wedding gown is a great idea for older brides or for ones who wish to spend more of the bridal budget on other things such as the cake, flowers, food or music.  A girl can still wear her dream dress and have her cake and eat it too.

How to Get Through Security Lines Faster

If there is one thing than can derail the happiness we feel when flying out of town for a vacation, it is having to wait in airport security lines.  Those who travel frequently know the frustration of watching someone who doesn’t know how to breeze through security take off shoes, empty pockets, take off belts and remove digital devices from bags. Familykenkel shares details on how to get through security faster.

It pays to pay for the TSA PreCheck program. For only $85, a frequent passenger can skip all the above for five years. Skip the long regular security line and head straight into the short PreCheck line. Breeze through and get to your gate.

International frequent travelers can sign up for the Global Entry program (only a little more than PreCheck). This speeds up the process when re-entering the U.S. from an international origination point. Both PreCheck and Global Entry require the fee and some other documentation, plus an interview with Homeland Security.

Know what to leave at home: cigarette lighters, lighters shaped like guns, anything that resembles a grenade, large jars of creams, lotions, and other thicker substances.

Familykenkel also reminds readers that the full body scanners take a cookie cutter image of the body now. There are no more scanners which show what appeared to be a naked body image.

If paying for faster security is not something one wants to do, this is what to do before getting to the security stand: empty all pockets of any items, remove shoes and hold them in your hand, do not wear a belt, take off your jacket, take out laptops and tablets, and take out the baggie with personal care items. All of these things have to go in the bins and be run through the X-ray machines. Lessen the load (and bins needed) by packing the rest in an under the seat bag. You can always take out what you want after clearing security. Fly through security faster and with less stress.

How to Deal with Internet Trolls

Internet trolls are people who specifically set out to harass, threaten, insult, offend and cause harm to another person’s life, livelihood and reputation. They pop up everywhere people meet online to communicate, socialize, view videos and discuss the hot topics of the day. And it can be hard to deal with them when it seems there are so many of them. Familykenkel offers advice on how to deal with Internet trolls and other online pests.

Americans take their right to free speech seriously. Some abuse that privilege by going online to purposely wreak havoc in someone else’s life. If we think about it, we all take risks on the Internet when we use social media to catch up with the people in our lives and share remarkable stories. Then, along comes someone we’ve never met who feels they can post something negative and hurtful about us. And we feel like there is nothing we can do.

Dealing with Internet trolls takes time, patience and confidence. Readers who find they are being bothered by trolls and harassers have some options: block the user on the social platform, report the user to the website or social platform, and block the user on cell phones. Familykenkel believes that we all have the power to rid negativity from our lives. Here is a thought to keep in mind: “If people are trying to bring you down, it only means that you are above them”. ~ Unknown

Checks Out Apps to Zap Cyber-Bullies

School is back in session around the country and with it comes the cyber-bullies who think they can hide behind social media accounts and unaware adults. So what can kids who are being bullied and their parents do? Familykenkel shares information on the latest technology and apps which has the power to stop cyber-bullies.

The pain of a child who is being harassed, threatened and bullied online by classmates or other kids now has the opportunity and power to put and end to it. New technology is available and is a good deterrent against online bullying.

But first, nearly 15 percent of students in the 9^thto 12^th grades have experienced cyber bullying, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2013 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System. These kids are twice as likely to commit suicide too.

A smart phone app just released called STOP It gives children the option to take a screenshot of a harassing post, picture or text, and send it anonymously to a trusted adult. This is a very popular feature among teens who want to help but fear retaliation.

We Heart It is a site which allows users to post photos but allows no comments. It is also very popular with teens because of the no commenting feature. For parents who want to know when a cyber-bully posts something negative about their child, there is Metlife’s Defender identity protection program, which offers a service that monitors a child’s online accounts for abusive content and sends alerts to their parents.Familykenkel believes this is a good solution for parents who are a little behind on all the social platforms around.

Children and parents should also know what to do if a cyber-bully is present in their lives:

• Take a screenshot of the image, text message or social post. Be sure to get the user’s name and date the threat is posted or sent.
• Block the bully’s phone number, unfriend them on Facebook, block them on Twitter and Instagram.
• Report bullies, including those under age 18, to the website, their parents and the school.
• Kids should feel comfortable to tell an adult. Any adult they know whom they think will help: a parent, an aunt or uncle, a teacher, school counselor, religious leader like a pastor or rabbi, coach, or after-school mentor to name quite a few.

It takes courage to report someone who is cyber-bullying. When parents and kids do it together, it is less scary.

The Powerball is Yours – Now What?

It is hard to resist playing the lottery and powerball lottery when the jackpots are high. Now let’s image that you wake up Sunday morning and check your tickets to see if you won and learn that you won it all. Now what?

Keep in mind that about 70 percent of lottery winners end up broke. We are assuming you filled out the back of the tickets and contacted the state lottery to let them know you won.

• Make copies of the ticket and secure it in a safe place.
• Ask friends and relatives for the name of a good financial advisor. This person should not be someone who will agree with you about investments of charitable giving.
• Start making investment so you will be paid every month until the day you die. If not, it is likely you might spend all of your money on yourself and everyone else before making the life change to the other side.
• Take time to think about what you want to do with all that money. Generally speaking, younger winners spend it all and soon are back to living paycheck to paycheck. Older winners do not. Familykenkel suggests talking it over with a trusted person in your life. Write the plan down.
• Be careful. Don’t trust everyone you know who suddenly wants to be your new best friend/financial advisor.
• Find something meaningful to do with your life. Go overseas and volunteer. Stay in the States and volunteer. Buy land and start your own private dog park.

Coming Craze of Membership Dog Parks

There are dog parks and then there are the spiffy membership dog parks. These are cropping across the East Coast and soon may be coming to open green spaces near you. Familykenkel takes a look at what these elite walk and play parks have to offer.

In New York City and a few other places, people are buying unused land and turning it into a great place for dogs to walk, run, play and socialize. For a fee. These are membership only parks where dogs are screened to see if they have been socialized and to see if they are aggressive. Perhaps the pet owners should be screened also.  They are paying the fees – which can be as low as $25 per year to $425 a year – to have a private space where they know the other dogs and pet owners. While some of the parks have steep fees, which cover all of expenses they put into it, like insurance and waste removal, other parks are not charging the pet owners for them.

Familykenkel knows that every dog park, whether it is run by the city or privately, will have its share of pet owners who let the dogs run around without any supervision and those who do not pick up after their pets. These members are asked to leave and their membership is revoked. We want to know: would you pay for a private dog park or rather use a free city park?

What to Do with Coffee Grounds

Coffee can be used for many things such as waking up in the morning, baking and for beauty treatments. Familykenkel shares a few more with readers.

Beauty items with caffeinated coffee grounds are making the rounds in products both pricey and affordable. In fact, homemade beauty elixirs can be made at home easily and for free. It just depends on what the consumer wants. From leg creams to the indulgence of facials, there are an abundance of ideas one can try with coffee grounds.

Face -- Mix coffee grounds with a little olive oil. Let sit overnight and use the next day as a facial scrub.

Legs, Arms, Belly -- Mix up an anti-cellulite mix for legs, bellies and arms: one cup coffee grounds, half cup of white or brown sugar, one cup coconut oil. After mixing, and later washing your body, massage the mix into skins and then rinse off with warm water.

Hair – Cover the shower drain with something to prevent coffee grounds from clogging the pipes. Mix coffee grounds into hair conditioner and massage into the hair and scalp. Rinse.  

These are all great ideas for reusing coffee grounds. If you have a favorite yourself, Familykenkel would love to hear what they are.  

How Often We Wash These Things?

There are specific types of people who feel the need to wash sheets, windows, carpets, their blue jeans and other things as often as possible. Familykenkel offers some ideas from home keeping guides about when to wash some of the most standard items in the house.

Sheets -- Wash once a week or once every two weeks. Use hot water and dry on high heat to kill germs. Jeans -- Wash every four to five wears or else they get faded and worn. Turn them inside out before tossing in the washer and let them hang dry.

Bras -- Every three to four wears rotating them every day. The elastic in them needs to relax and reshape before wearing it again.Your hair -- Every other day is the rule. Although, most of us wash it every day.

Ovens -- Twice a year if not the self cleaning kind. But wait, who doesn't have a self cleaning oven these days?

Dishwashers -- Clean every month using one of the brand name cleaners or pour white vinegar into a dishwasher safe cup, set upright on the top rack and run one cycle.

Bed Pillows -- Every three to six months toss pillows in the washing machine on gentle cycle and use hot water. Run the rinse cycle twice. Toss in the dryer with two tennis balls on low heat. It takes two hours to dry two polyester filled standard size pillows.

The Familykenkel also recommends washing the family dog only when it needs it. Do the old sniff test. If the pooch is dirty from running in the mud, wash it outside.

Tips for Air Travelers You May Not Know

Sometimes the quickest way to get from one place to another is to fly. And sometimes, luggage does not make it with you to the final destination. Familykenkel offers tips for air travelers that might not be known.

The flight was relatively stress-free and might we say –relaxing.  All of the luggage seems to be out and on the carousel at the destination airport. The carousel spins around and around and there is no sight of your luggage. When it seems there is nothing else coming out and that all of the bags are claimed, what is a traveler to do?

Before Leaving Home

Make a copy of a business card or print your name, hotel name or name of destination address on paper and attach it inside the suitcase. Luggage tags can and have been removed.

Pack medication, valuables and two changes of clothes in a bag to place over the seat. If the larger bag is lost or misrouted, at least you have clean clothes.

Install an app that tracks bags.

At the destination airport:

Before leaving, visit the lost and found office for the airline that brought you here. Ask to make a claim because your bag is lost or has been misrouted. Make note of the airline rep you spoke with, date and time, and then email the airline directly with this information.

Familykenkel knows that sometimes bags are misrouted and not truly lost. But in any case, find and speak to an airline employee about the missing bag. Be honest on the claim about the content worth. 

Remedies for Thinning Hair

Nothing can be more shocking than having to clean the hair off of the drain every other day and realizing it is yours. It leaves us wondering how we can stop what seems like the sudden mass exodus of our pride and joy.

Familykenkel learns how to fight the agony of thinning hair with some suggestions from health experts.

Eat more food with zinc, protein, iron and vitamin B12. These are leafy greens, lean meat, nuts, beans and fish. There are many easy recipes for all of the above.

Give your scalp a massage. Don’t just stand in the shower, shampoo and rinse. Really massage your scalp which increases blood flow and helps the shampoo do a better job on your hair.

Lessen the amount of styling products being used. This especially important for people that color their hair and use blow dryers, straightening irons or other implements. 

Visit a health food store and buy a supplement that helps hair grow. There are a few on the shelves.

Get a check up from the doctor to see if there are any deficiencies in the blood as this is sometimes where hair loss can stem from.

Familykenkel suggests relaxing more. Stress can cause hair to fall out. Try meditation, yoga (it’s doing good things for combat veterans), and rhythmic breathing.

If nothing works, talk to a doctor or dermatologist to see if there is something else to be done.

Finding a Goldmine in the Public Library

We are midway through the summer. What can families do together that is affordable and fun? Where can they go to find something to do when the weather is not cooperating? Familykenkel suggests finding a goldmine at the public library.

Almost every city in the country has a public library. Some have shortened days but are nonetheless still open. Inside – a world of family entertainment can be found.

Many local libraries offer discounted tickets to local museums. Grab tickets for everyone and go exploring in another time and place.

Rent a movie or two that everyone will enjoy. Recent flicks are on the shelves as well as the oldies.

Search for ancestors, dig through old family records and photographs and find something new not known. Some libraries have telescopes in which members can use to gaze into the sky and see what’s there. Explore this new world.

Audio books are great to take on long road trips. They are also fun to listen to at home. Familykenkel suggests renting an classic and having a discussion about the characters and plot.

Sort through the variety of self-published magazines libraries have to offer for interesting topics. A favorite subject is pets and another is crafting. Pick up a flyer with groups meeting there or scan the list of classes offered. There are so many fun things in the local library. Why not see what they have to offer today?

Save Money on Back to School Needs

You know it’s almost time to go back to school when the sales start, discount codes arrive in email and school uniforms are on store racks. Familykenkel shares some tips on how to save money on back to school needs.

Shop early. Even if the school district has not sent out a list of needed supplies for the year, hit the discount stores early for the widest variety and the best prices.  Stock up.

If your state offers a tax-free weekend on school supplies, wait until then to stock up.

Do your kids need some cool new duds to start the school year? Go online and check out some of the fashion resale stores like thredup.com and moxiejean.com. Cool styles can be found for less than the department or boutique stores charge.

TheFamilykenkel also uses smart phone apps for favorite stores to find special sales, coupons and discount codes for back to school items.  

True fashionistas though will find creative ways to re-purpose clothing from previous seasons. Fashion is evolving and will come full circle with some modifications. Take advantage of scarves, hats, leggings and other ways to turn some cast-offs into something very cool. There are a myriad of ways to save money on back to school needs. Use all of them!