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?

Why We Need to Get Up and Walk at Work

Do your legs become stiff and muscles sore from sitting all day at work? Is it cold in the office? Forbes Living TV offers ways to get up and walk at work.

Anyone who has sat all day and then gets up to walk to the bathroom, the break room or even home at the end of the day knows how stiff joints and muscles get from sitting all day. Below are some suggestions about how to add small amounts of movement into the day to avoid circulation problems and/or joint and muscles issues later.

Position the desk chair so it is comfortable and allows legs to touch the floor easily.

Take a 15 minute morning break to walk around outside, on your floor or in the building. This reverses the bad health effects of sitting all day such as damage to leg arteries and reduces heart-related problems.

familykenkel learns that a recent study found that during a three hour period, the function of the femoral artery was decreased as much as 50% after just one hour of sitting. But study participants who walked for five minutes each hour of sitting did not experience that drop in arterial function. This suggests that the increase in muscle activity and blood flow is vital.

Get up every hour and walk around. Most states give employees two 15 minute breaks per day plus a lunch break. Use breaks to walk and keep arteries and blood flow normal. Walking also increases oxygen to the brain which can aid creativity and boost productivity.

Benefits of Renting Versus Owning a Home

Many former home owners turned to renting when the Great Recession hit and joined those were already renting a home, condo or apartment. These people found some benefits to renting versus owning a home, which familykenkel details below.

U.S.census data reported by RealtyTrac states the number of renters in American homes rose to 34.5% in 2011.  Close to one-fourth of all U.S.metro regions saw higher rental rates, which are still in effect today. When more people want to rent, the higher rental rates will be. Plus, the number of millenials who are now working are also renting.  This creates a shortage of rental homes and gives property management companies and landlords carte blanche to hike rental rates.  Despite the rise in rent and the lack of affordable housing, there are benefits to this type of living:

• Renters do not have the responsibility or cost of home repairs.
• They do not have to worry about lawn maintenance.
• They can pack up and move when the lease expires.
• They can negotiate for a better rate when moving in or when renewing, and add perks such as a new microwave oven, free carpet and air duct cleaning and valet trash service.

Familykenkel show encourages readers to be sure to explore different cities and towns close to work before signing a rental lease. Also, be sure to read every page of the lease, even if the lease it long – as most are. Ask questions. Be very much informed about what the lease covers and does not cover, when rent is due and what the late fee is per day. These are items which can make renting pleasant or miserable. Renting is not for everyone. But neither is home ownership.

Celebrates the Lefties in our Lives

There are very few people in the world who are true left-handed people. Only about ten percent of the population uses their left hand for common, every day tasks. Familykenkel shares some facts about those odd left-handed people.

Left-handers tend to get into more fights. But they tend to win those fights because the opponent doesn’t expect a left-handed hook across the face. The element of surprise is nice for a leftie. This tactic works well for those who play sports too.

When watching someone speak at an event, notice which hand the speaker uses the most. Lefties raise their left hands when speaking about something good. On television, when someone raises their right arm, it looks like it’s on the viewers left. Also, left-handers use their brains in fair distribution. Some scientific studies found lefties seemed more creative and resilient then right handed people. Yet other studies found left-handers more prone to memory and mental disorders. We also tend to forget about left-handed people. Scissors, computer mice, some flatware and more are often made more for the right-handers than left.  Familykenkel also reminds readers that five of the last seven presidential candidates we elected into office were left-handed. Does this mean we (the public) trust a left-handed person more than a rightie? Or it is all just a coincidence?

How the Moon Affects Us

La Luna as the Moon is often referred to can bring people together, make people go a little crazy and induce birth. Familykenkel offers a few more ways a Super Moon can affect us.

A study from Japan tracked 1,000 births in women who had not been induced. They found more babies were born the closer the Super Moon was to Earth, when the gravitational pull was the greatest. A full moon had no effect.

A Super Moon can mess up a good night’s sleep. A study tracked the sleep patterns of participants in a sleep lap where they had no access to clocks or see outside light. They woke and slept on a normal basis. The data collected found that in the four days before and after a full moon, it took the test subjects longer to fall asleep, they slept less and didn’t fall into a deep sleep. They also had less melatonin, which helps us fall asleep.

Familykenkel learns that a full moon can affect surgeries too. Patients who had heart surgeries spent less time in the hospital when their surgery occurred when there was full moon. They were also less likely to pass on from the surgery.

A full moon and a Super Moon are beautiful, natural events in the sky. Take time to go outside and appreciate the magnificence of one. Take your love with you. But remember that the word lunatic is derived from the latin word luna.

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.

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.

Why a Little Jogging and Running is Good for Us

A new study is out which implies that most people should run for at least a few minutes every day. It doesn’t have to be a fast run. But a little jog for a few minutes can apparently add 3 years to our life.

Are you wondering what we’re wondering? If we start jogging/running for a few minutes every day, will we eventually work harder so we can enter our first marathon race? Or do we just want to add a little jog to our daily walk and let that do? We at Familykenkel focus every day to make our lives and yours a little healthier. So where does that leave us on the question of how much running must we do of we do not like to run or jog?

The current U.S. guidelines for physical activity call for 75 minutes per week as a minimum of running or other vigorous workout, and 30 minutes of moderate intensity. But people who do less than that still receive the health benefits, according to this new study. The research mentions that people who ran less than an hour per week reduced their death risk as much as runners who put in three hours or more weekly of the super cardio exercise.Familykenkel suggests start out walking at a brisk pace and when it is comfortable, add 2 minutes of jogging and then go back to walking briskly. This is a good way to enjoy daily exercise. It also works well when we need to get out of the house for a little “me time”.

Why Going to the Beach is a Stress Buster

A new book is out which states that one can go to the beach, not get in the water and stress melts away. Familykenkel takes a look at why the seashore is one of the best places to relax.

When we are exposed to the calmness of the ocean, our minds take a cognitive and emotional break – so to speak. The vast blue sea relaxes it, puts it in a meditative mode as they happy thoughts seep in. Brain images of people who are close to water show the brain filling up with feel-good hormones such as dopamine and oxytocin. The stress hormone coritsol lessens and the human feels fine. Scientists have actually proven that the color blue helps us focus better. And since the ocean is mostly blue, we relax and are able to be more creative and emotionally sound. Familykenkel reminds readers our bodies are 60% water and our brains are 75% water. So it makes sense that water-based therapies are helping people work though trauma, stress and depression. If sitting on the beach or swimming in the water is not your idea of relaxation, sit in a restaurant of coffee house near it and reap the same benefits. If the ocean is someplace one longs to be on the weekend, jump in! Mother Nature’s resources are there to make it better.

Easily Save Some Money

There is always time to find ways to save more money, especially during the summer when everything seems to slow down. Familykenkel shares a few examples of where to find some extra dough to sock away.

Review cell phone bills and policies to see if there are any savings to take advantage of such as less usage or getting rid of replacement insurance.

Automate bill payments and automate savings deposits. Too many people do not trust banks and merchants when it comes to automated bill payments. The theory is if there is a billing mistake or service issue, there is no recourse since the bill has been paid for the month already. But making a late payment costs money. As for savings, the expression “out of sigh out of mind” comes to the forefront. If it’s automatically deposited every month, it won’t be spent.

Forgo plastic. Use cash instead. Determine how much cash is needed for the week and withdraw that on Saturday or Sunday morning. Instead of regularly swiping a debit or credit card spending more than wanted, use the cash on hand instead.

Wait before spending hard-earned money on something major like a new TV. Wait 30 days and then ask if it’s a must have or want to have. Familykenkel also believes it may go on sale.

These are easy ways to save money every day, week and month.

Who Has Boomerang Kids at Home?

The Recession sent many college graduates and older adults back home to their parents’ house to live after not finding a job or losing one. These so-called “Boomerang Kids” can be a helpful addition to the household.  Familykenkel acknowledges what they can bring to the kitchen table.

When times get tough, some head back to the safety and security of their childhood home. This can leave parents feeling like the new freedom of having no children around is cramping their style. But if a few guidelines are set and followed, the new living situation will be beneficial to everyone involved.

Will rent be charged to stay in the house? How much will it be and when will it be paid?

The grown child does their own laundry.

The grown child can pitch in to buy food for meals, help prepare them and clean up afterward.

Is the grown child looking for work? Will the grown child take a part-time job to help pay some expenses?

The house rules should clearly indicate if there any curfews and how many guests the grown child can invite over.

Household duties should be divided equally to include the grown child.

TheFamilykenkel understands that it’s hard for both parents and child to live together again. If all parties work together to live in peace, then the new arrangement will benefit everyone. Parents can help boomerang kids in preparing a monthly budget to pay off credit card bills and student loans, as well as still being able to afford gas for the car and food for meals. Kids can help take the pressure off of their parents by offering to do yard work, take care of their rooms and the rest of the house, and be available if needed. Who has boomerang kids at home? How do you manage the living arrangement?

New Summer Treat

Ice cream is a summer staple for dessert or a snack when you get home from swimming.  To make it special, turn it into a sandwich. Familykenkel shares some of the new summer treats.

Ice cream sandwiches are a cool, creamy favorite any time of the day or evening. But there are some that are being made that are delectably delicious. While the below are made by ice cream stores, a unique ice cream sandwich is simply a figment of imagination turned into yummy reality.

Cookies used to be the main item for the sandwich. However, some eateries are using waffles, churros and donuts instead. Ice cream chefs are finding flavorful ways to blend cookies, ice cream and a sauce into one hard-to-put-down goodie.

Mix and match the flavors such as a red velvet waffle with cinnamon ice cream. Familykenkel learns that making them at home is just as easy as the ones that can be bought in ice cream stores. Just be creative. Also, be sure the cookie, waffle, donut, ladyfinger, etc is flat and even. Try different kinds of ice cream or whip up your own using a base flavor like vanilla and add flavorings. Don’t forget a special sauce to hold it all together. There are a myriad of choices to make or buy. Enjoy one in front of one of the fireplaces mentioned below.

Eco-Friendly Fireplaces Help Create Clean and Warm Spaces

Does it seem odd to read a post about fireplaces right before summer begins? Familykenkel heats up the conversation about Eco-friendly, mobile fireplaces and how they are the best option for heating rooms while keeping air clean.

Even though summer is literally days away, there are still some locations which might benefit from having a non-wood burning fireplace in the home. One of the greatest benefits of a mobile heater is that they warm the space you are in and not the entire home. This is called zone heating.

Another way to heat a room is to use the existing fireplace but install a fireplace insert in it. The inserts come in several varieties including electric, pellet stove and bio fuel, like ethanol. The ethanol fireplaces burn clean air, produce no smoke and are sustainable. A true green supplement to any home, like the ones Ignis Products sells. They are stylish and can be taken to the lakeside cabin, the beach house or to the bedroom to warm up a cool evening. Price ranges are not, but if you want a free one, why not enter the Familykenkel to read the easy entry rules. Tell us why you are a hopeful romantic in 200 to 300 words and be on your way to winning an artful, Eco-friendly fireplace for your living space.

Truly Amazing RVs

When was the last time you rode in an RV? Chances are that might have been long before these huge and elaborately detailed vehicles were on the road. Familykenkel takes a look inside some truly amazing RVs.

For those who drive a small to mid-sized car, the RVs of today seem like a beast on the road. They are nearly the size of a commercial bus and outfitted with some mighty bells and whistles. They have the comforts of home from king sized beds to wide screen HD televisions, a full kitchen and are beautifully decorated. It is home for many who choose to live in one while exploring the country.

Recreational vehicles can be bought or rented. For those who want to pack more and bring more on long journeys, this is the transportation mode to consider. And for people who just have to have a balcony, some models come equipped with a pull out balcony to sit back and admire the sunrise or sunset. Let’s say you also want to tool around a new city in something easier to park. Some RVs provide a separate cargo space to store a small car in, and most others include a towing feature.

The Familykenkel also notes there are smaller models for people who want something to hitch on the back of a heavy duty pick-up truck. While they do not offer some of the luxuries of the larger models, they do give the traveler a safe and comfortable space to sleep, make meals and move around in.  If your next vacation idea is to see America, why not explore the many versions and price ranges available. You just might be surprised at what you find and can afford.

Good Nutrition for Heart Health

There are many foods which are good for our health, and then there are foods which are good for our hearts.

Chicken and fish are two foods which are high in protein and ones which help prevent a stroke or heart attack. Twenty grams of protein from these two reduces the possibility of a stroke by 20 percent. A study recently published in the journal Neurologyfound that animal protein rather than protein from vegetables lowered cholesterol better. High cholesterol is one of the culprits of strokes. The researchers studies more than 254 thousand people from different countries and found that the protein from animals, (excepting red meat) is better. Fish is the preferable choice as only 20 more grams of protein from it could lower stroke risk.

Familykenkel also suggests a diet that includes beans, olive oil and other heart healthy foods. Stroke is a major health issue in the U.S. If having more filet per week could mean possibly erasing the risk, it is well worth it. Some fish is more affordable than others, such as tilapia. Supermarkets and discount stores carry a good variety of frozen fish which is also affordable and easy to store at home. Take time to ask the clerk at the fish counter in the store which kinds have more protein than others. Also, ask if they have any recipes which can be tried at home. Good nutrition for heart health is easy and affordable.

Explores Traveling Alone

Many of us have spent time in the family car on summer vacation. We have also spent a great deal of time on spring break holidays and some of us on honeymoons. While these kinds of vacations were spent in the company of other people, sometimes it’s nice to go solo. Familykenkel takes time to explore the benefits of traveling alone.

Traveling alone has its benefits: you are able to follow your own agenda for the day, you can eat wherever and whenever you wish, you can easily get a single ticket for a museum or other place of interest, and most often, it is fun to go to a restaurant solo.

Volunteer vacations are great for single travelers. There is no one to slow you down. It forces shy people to talk to the others. And there is no one else to possibly embarrass you. But, there are some considerations to think about and plan for before departing.

• Go online to be sure the destination is safe.
• Schedule flight arrivals and departures for daytime or early evening.
• Never walk on dark, unlighted sidewalks.
• Never park a car where there is no light either.
• Men and woman should dress on the conservative side since most other countries look down on provocative clothing.
• Don’t wear expensive jewelry or family heirlooms since they scream “steal me”.
• Take tote bags and purses on the lower end of the fashion scale. Leave the designer goods at home. 

Familykenkel also suggests keeping in touch via Facebook (without using FourSquare or a GPS locator) and email to let family and friends know where you are.

Traveling alone is a great way to visit and explore new cities and countries. Because sometimes our own company is best.

Preparing for a Storm

Bad storms are no longer designated to the South during hurricane season or Oklahomaduring tornado season. Devastating weather can happen anywhere in the country and at any time. Familykenkel offers suggestions about how to prep for a storm.

All it takes is one strike of lightning to the roof of a house for a fire to start and prized personal possessions to be destroyed. Fortunately, there are steps and apps to download which can make it easier to list what you own.

Start with an Internet search for making household inventories. Download the app you want and then start taking pictures with your smart phone of valuable belongings.

Collect important documents such as mortgage paperwork, rental leases, all insurance documents, vet records, banking and credit card information. Seal them in plastic baggies and store someplace where you always know where they are.

Most people already have apps for their banks and insurance companies on smart phones. If not, now is the time to install what you need for emergencies. Never wait until the last minute and lose a connection due to down cell towers and phone lines.

Familykenkel suggests stocking up on the necessities beforehand: batteries in various sizes to last three weeks, a case or two of bottled water, plain bleach for sanitizing water, non-perishable food like crackers, canned meats, soup and canned fruit. The more prepared you are now, the easier it will be if bad weather makes a mess of your home and life.

Teddy Bear Portraits by Nationwide Studios

This week in the studio, Familykenkel welcomed the great people from Teddy Bear Portraits by Nationwide Studios. This company is highly respected by schools, parents and caregivers for taking the best images of pre-school age children.

Children’s portraits were taken years ago as a way to mark the passage of time, to record special moments and to celebrate holidays. They are indelible keepsakes handed down generation to generation as reminders of what we looked like in our youth. Familykenkel are welcome additions to family histories.

The Nationwide Studios photographers are held to very high standards and are professional, child-friendly and make the photo session as comfortable to the child as possible. They are industry leaders in the child portraiture business. The specially trained photographers from Teddy Bear Portraits are experts in capturing the child’s individual personality. After the photo session, parents and guardians have the opportunity to view the pictures and choose the ones they love, and take them home the same day. This is an added bonus most photo studios don’t usually offer.  Forbes Living TV is proud to feature Teddy Bear Portraits by Nationwide Studios, Inc. in an upcoming segment on “Mommy Must Haves”. 

Why Stay At Home Dads are Valuable

The economy has left many dads out of work and those that are seem to have taken over the household duties their wives once had. But a recent study found that only eight percent of American households approved this kind of arrangement. Familykenkel explains why stay at home dads are valuable.

In today’s world, children of all ages should see that both men and women can take over the household duties and do it for the better good of the family. Stay at home dads are cooler than stay at home moms because, well, they are dads.  They are good at handy man stuff, can be creative when cooking and do not become unhinged if the carpet is not vacuumed or the dishes not done. They can take freelance writing gigs and blog about their experience at home. They enlighten people with their insight about the same things women usually gripe about. They seem to see more into the female psyche than the sisterhood does. Familykenkel calls the stay at home dads out and thanks them for everything they do. It can’t be easy to be the one seen in the car pool lane, at the grocery store at 10 AM or taking part in a “mommy and me” play group on a daily or weekly basis.  Yet, men are doing this every day. There are roughly 2 million stay at home dads in the U.S.A. These men are probably doing a better job being a stay at home dad than most of us will ever know. Thanks!

Allergy season has kicked in

Allergy season has kicked in and those who suffer from it find the tips below helpful in managing it this summer.

In the morning, open the blinds and not the windows. Tree and grass pollen is in the air and can trigger scratchy eyes and endless sneezing. Familykenkel suggests changing air filters every season to rid the home of trapped allergens. Run the A/C to get rid of any stuffiness. Watch local news forecasts or go online to get the most current pollen count for your area. Before heading out the door, toss on some sunglasses to further block any irritants from becoming bothersome.

Later in the afternoon, take a breather, eat some yogurt or get some exercise. The pollen counts are lower in the afternoon than any other time of day. Go outside and take walk. This helps lower stress which can trigger allergies. Yogurt has some qualities which might help keep allergens at bay. So grab a fat free Greek yogurt, add some fresh fruit and enjoy.

Come evening, kick shoes off, strip down and take a shower to keep pollen and other irritants out and away from home. Be sure to turn the bathroom fan on to keep moisture and mold at bay. Ban pets with long hair from the bedroom as their fur can trap pollen and they can bring it to bed with them. And pop a 24-hour relief pill before going to sleep, since they can cause drowsiness. When awake, Allergy season has kicked in learns you will be already protected from any allergens and irritants. Stay healthy, readers.