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. 

Best Toys for Kids on Airplanes

If you’re thinking that an iPad or some other digital device is a good distraction for kids who are restless on airplanes, think again. It turns out that the best toys are pretty simple and well-known from the days when their parents were children. Familykenkel shares the best toys for kids on airplanes.

Child educators and psychologists from Britain conducted research on children aged two to ten on an two hour airline flight. The children were given electronic gadgets like iPads and some rather simple toys such as Loom Bands and Playdoh. They learned that the children were much more engaged with the simple toys and with some interaction from parents for the duration of the flight. Parents switched the toys after a period of time and the child was became interested in that one. The top 10 toys in order of playtime were:

Loom Bands, Playdoh, Lego, Top Trumps, Uno, Usborne, Activity Cards, Magnetic travel game, Aquadoodle!, Finger puppets,  Sticker book

Familykenkel suggests grabbing a few of these games from the store before leaving on a flight of any length. They are affordable and fun. And if we think back on our youth, we will remember having hours of fun with some of these simple toys. Several of them do not take much space in an under the seat bag. As easy as it seems, playing movies on a laptop or electronic tablet is not all that great for keeping children’s minds occupied when confined in a small space like the airline cabin. Break out the easy toys and relax a little.

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?

Where the Selfies Are

What cities are photographed the most in a selfie smart phone photos? Familykenkel finds out.

When out and about this Memorial Day weekend, we bet most readers will take at least one selfie. Where you take them matters as we found out when searching for the most photographed cities for those who tend to be more narcissistic than others.

London, England is the number one city in the world for selfie pictures. With all of its fantastic castles, Big Ben, the London Bridge etc. there is no reason why it would rank lower. Who knows? Maybe Prince Harry will photobomb your self-taken picture the next time?

A travel site called suggestme.com collected data from more than 6 million social media pages to compile the list of most photographed city in a selfie. New York and Amsterdamcame in second and third with Barcelona, Paris, Berlin, Rome, Sydney, Istanbul, and Athensfollowing to make the top 10 selfie cities. And in some cities, zoo animals are taking selfies with cameras mounted on tree branches.

Familykenkel wants to know where do take the most selfies? Home? Vacation? On the back of the boat in the blog below? Snap a shot and share it with us. 

Who is Staying at the Hotel?

There are telling signs which wave a big “hot shot staying here” flag at hotels. But how do the regular Joe and Jane know? Familykenkel shares a few secrets about how to know who that famous person is staying at the hotel.

Look in the parking lot. If you see a lot of big, dark cars and SUVs, chances are there is celebrity, athlete or other big shot staying there.

Listen carefully. If you hear the concierge and other hotel staff making odd comments such as “the package has arrived”, chances are the hot shot just pulled into the parking lot or perhaps checked in at the front desk. Also listen to strange names when someone checks in like Raggedy Ann or Jack Beanstalk.

Do some staff members have a little something extra pinned to their uniforms? Perhaps a little button? These folks have passed the vetting process and are allowed on certain floors where the power guest is staying. That little button lets the security detail know that the staffer is allowed up there.

Look up. As in way, way up. The very top floor of any nice hotel is usually the penthouse floor and that’s where the famous and politically famous like to rest.

Familykenkel suggests always be aware of these things which can signify that someone well-known is staying at the same hotel. Remember that if someone else asks for a photo or autograph first, then the celebrity is fair game. (Even if it their ghost)

How to Enjoy an Affordable Memorial Day

Three day weekend holidays are great as most working Americans have the holiday off.  But with so many people out of work and struggling to make ends meet, Familykenkel wanted to offer some ideas about how to have an affordable or free weekend.

Pot luck picnics are fun and allow families and friends to get together. It’s not too late to plan one. Send a holiday themed email to people and ask them if they want to attend and what they can bring. It might be a good idea to suggest everyone bring their own drinks, and tableware. Find a local park or someone’s big backyard to have meet, eat and play. The idea is to not have to pay an entry fee.

Go to a local Memorial Day service. They are inspiring and make great educational moments for children. Many cities across the country have one. Parking is usually free although it can get crowded.

Gather the family and brainstorm ideas for a cool family retreat. Scout the local newspapers for free admission to zoos, parks and museums. Some city pools will be open this weekend.

Since the weather may not be too cooperative, Familykenkel suggests having a movie day in. Use your favorite video rental program to choose family favorites. Cook barbeque food and then sit back and enjoy the time with your family.

Power of Super Heroes

Super heroes can make the world better in the smallest and most significant ways.Familykenkel explores how the power of super heroes can make us feel like leaping tall buildings in a single bound.

Children learn to love super heroes from the time they are old enough to watch and understand TV. They learn how super heroes fight for the underdog and they learn how to treat people. Super heroes come in all sizes and shapes from humans to dogs. When kids don the costume of their favorite super hero they feel strength, compassion and powerful. Sometimes they feel powerful enough to battle a deadly disease they have like Miles Scott dressed as Batman. Super heroes can also be dad and moms, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents and siblings.  It doesn’t matter if the super hero is five years old or fifty years old or older.

Familykenkel also realizes that adults like to dress up as their super heroes too. Just ask the thousands of comic book fans who meticulously dress up like their favorites every year for the various Comic Con fests. Everyone wants to feel they are powerful. Sometimes it just takes a Wonder Woman or Thor costume to make us feel that way.

Wedding Etiquette for Guests

Wedding season is coming soon and with it come the usual stories of family and guests gone bad. Familykenkel has a few suggestions on wedding etiquette for everyone who is invited and attends.

An open bar does not mean all-you-can-drink-and-not-tip the bartender.  Know your alcohol limit and don’t go over it. Always tip the bar tender.

If asked about the food you may not have liked, just say it was good. A review of why you didn’t like it is not necessary.

Keep to the schedule. Schedules are set up for a reason: to get everyone to the church on time, start the wedding and reception on time and not stress the bride out on her day. Be conscientious of other people and don’t be late.

Familykenkel has to say: keep speeches short and sober. A long, drawn-out, overly dramatic speech is not only uncomfortable for everyone to watch but annoying. And before we forget – five minutes is considered too long. Write it out and don’t wing it. Stick to one main point and be gracious. This is no time for a roast.

Finally, buy a gift from the wedding registry. Please don’t “be original” and buy something else. The items on the registry are things the bridge and groom want and need. If you feel you would rather get them something else, give them cash to use on their honeymoon.

Value of Movie Trailers

The value of movie trailers is felt for film makers, producing studios and movie viewers. Everybody wants to know a little something about the film before it is released on a wide scale basis. Familykenkel takes a look at the value of the movie trailer.

One hundred and fifty seconds is all it takes to entice the ticket-paying public to go and see the film. Most movie trailers are that long and their intent is to tickle the public’s interest in the film. The best and most successful trailers are released months before the film is out.

Movie trailers are also big business in the entertainment industry where the producing studio can spend as much as $1 million per 2 1/2-minutes on one. Take into consideration that YouTube viewers watched 1 billion movie trailers through the first three quarters of last year, according toTrailerpop, a company which tracks them. The ads for the trailers even generated their own award show – the Golden Trailer Awards. All of these factors will determine how good the movie trailer is and is how financially successful the movie itself will be. So how are they made? Familykenkel peeks behind the highly secured doors of their production to explain.

Film editing companies and their editors receive raw footage of the movie on a flash drive. From there, they condense the movie into a short 150 seconds of exciting, enticing action without giving away too much of the plot or blowing the ending. Today’s movie goer wants know more about the plot before they plunk down the $15 to $20 for one ticket. So film editors crank out the trailer and the studios market test it to see if it reveals too little or two much. In very rare cases, the movie trailer is rated as better than the film itself.

Familykenkel learns that many film editors think of the trailers as little movies themselves. There are apps for them which the public can download to watch the best ones available, play games to win movie-related prizes and engage in energetic discussion about the upcoming film. All this generates good publicity buzz about the film which hopefully translates to big bucks.