Being a father isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, as dads, both real and syndicated, have found out through the years. It’s Father’s Day on June 19^th, and what better way to celebrate than to take a look at some of history’s famous, not-so-famous and downright infamous fathers. 

A.A. Milne.  While the author one of the most beloved children’s book series of all times did indeed write the ‘Winnie the Pooh’ stories for his son, he bristled at the thought of being considered a children’s author.

Dr. Benjamin Spock.  The man who was considered the foremost authority on how to raise children had a cool and distant relationship with his two sons, Mike and John.

George Washington.  Our first president, Washington is often called the ‘Father of Our Country.’ Ironically, though he was hardly chaste in his personal affairs, he never had any children of his own.

John Muir.  The man who many consider the forefather of the modern conservationist movement would often take his two daughters on long camping excursion into the wilderness.

Emperor Constantine.  Not every dad is father of the year material, and Emperor Constantine was no exception. He had his son and likely heir Crispus murdered and the boy’s mother killed two days later.

Charles Darwin.  When he wasn’t sailing to the Galapagos or working on The Origin of Species, the naturalist was spending time with his wife and 10 children, who later remembered him as a loving storyteller who took interest in their lives and encouraged their freedom.

Happy Father’s Day to all the great dads out there.

Think going outside to play is just for kids? Think again. It’s warm and sunny and the summer is full of great possibilities. Here are some fitness ideas the whole family can get into:

Spend a week at a national park or forest. You can hike, swim, mountain bike— the choices are endless. The family that plays together stays together, so they say. So why not take a family class? Most locations offer tons of classes to choose from, whether it be karate or swimming, skating or boating. NOTE: If you are over 62, disabled, in the military OR in the 4th grade, you can get a free or reduced pass for all National Parks and Federal Recreation areas here.

Even in the olden days, families needed something to do. Try to recreate the days of yore with old-time games like graces and hoop rolling. If you don’t want to invest in a premade kit, you can find everything you need to play for just a few dollars at your local hardware store. Or how about starting a family water battle? Part of the fun is choosing your weapons, and after that… let the games begin!

If the outdoors just isn’t your family’s thing, don’t give up hope. Instead, plan a mall scavenger hunt. Make a list of items, send everybody out to take a picture of their assigned item with their cell phones and then return to the starting point as quickly as possible.

Active vacations make for unforgettable memories and can help family’s bond. No one will remember that lunch at the beach, but they won’t forget the hike up the canyon or winning that epic water battle.

Happy summer!

Ahhh, doughnuts!  You don’t have to be Homer Simpson to appreciate all their sweet and tasty varieties. Whether enjoyed with a cup of coffee or just on their own, doughnuts are an indispensable part of breakfast for many people throughout the world.

If you didn’t know, June 5th is National Doughnut Day. That’s right — a full day to enjoy all that doughtnutty goodness!

It wasn’t all cream-filled sunshine and cinnamon-swirled delight when Doughnut Day got its start, though.

The event was set up by the Salvation Army in Chicago, and the first observance was in 1938 during the dark days of the Great Depression. It was intended to both feed the hungry and honor the ‘doughnut dollies', women who’d volunteered on the front lines of World War I to provide baked goods for the troops. 

With the help of the Red Cross, the ‘dollies’ went on to serve in the Second World War as well. To this day, National Doughnut Day is still a big fundraiser for the Salvation Army’s efforts.

That’s right, whether it’s a Boston Kreme or a chocolate éclair frosted with sprinkles, eating your doughnut is not only tasty, it’s also patriotic. 

Even better, National Doughnut Day isn’t the only day of the year you can celebrate your love of doughnuts. There’s also International Jelly-Filled Doughnut Day on June 8th, National Cream-Filled Doughnut Day on September 14 and even Buy a Doughnut Day, which occurs on October 30th.

If those days are too few and far between for you, here are some great recipes you can try at home.

The sun is shining and your boom box is cranking out some good tunes. The grill is sizzling, wafting the smell of cooking hamburgers and hotdogs through the neighborhood. Just toss in a few cold brews and you might as well be in a beer commercial. 

Good times.

The official start of summer is absolutely a time for fun, but it’s really not the reason why we’re given a three-day weekend to enjoy the sun. 

Memorial Day is instead a day for remembering those who died while serving in the country's Armed Forces. It began as Decoration Day in 1868, when an organization of Union veterans set it as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the war dead with flowers. 

While observance of Memorial Day has fallen off over the years, there are still some large activities going on, including the National Memorial Day Parade, and the Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Rally.

Set on Constitution Avenue in the nation’s capital, the parade draws over 250,000 people. Meanwhile Rolling Thunder tries to live up to its name as upwards of 90,000 motorcyclists descend on the city to honor POWs and MIAs.

If you’d prefer a quieter weekend, you can still observe Memorial Day by flying a flag at half mast, visiting a veterans’ cemetery to lay some flowers down or by wearing a red poppy.    

So enjoy your day— drink a brew or two, grill up some burgers or just enjoy the weather— but take a moment to remember those who gave their lives to make it possible.    

Gluten

Wanted: for not being trendy and for being in foods with too many carbohydrates

Description: a family of proteins found in grains like wheat, rye, spelt and barley.

Why has poor gluten been singled out for such disdain? 

If you suffer from celiac disease, or even if you’re gluten sensitive, you have good reason to avoid gluten. Celiac disease, caused by an abnormal immune response to gluten, can damage the lining of the small intestine. Symptoms of celiac disease include diarrhea, anemia, unexplained weight loss, bone pain, and severe skin rash.

For the majority of the population though, gluten is far from the dangerous criminal some make it out to be.

Since many of the foods normally associated with gluten such as bread and pastries are high in carbohydrates, it’s become trendy of late to go on a gluten-free diet.

Unfortunately, this diet not only denies a person the ability to eat many popular foods (modern science has yet to produce a decent gluten-free pizza crust), but the many whole grains that contain gluten also have vitamins and minerals, such as B vitamins and iron, as well as fiber.

In short, gluten has been given a bad rap lately. If you suffer from celiac disease, you’ll consider it Public Enemy Number #1 with good reason. For the rest of the world, gluten is about as innocuous as the wheat bread it’s in.

“Time to hit the pool,” you say, eyeing the pristine blue surface of the newly opened pool. 

“You need to wait,” your friend says. “You just downed that cheeseburger. You’re not supposed to go swimming for least an hour.”

When it comes to swimming, that’s about the only safety tip most of us remember. And sadly, that’s one safety tip that’s been disproven. Here are some that actually work so you can enjoy your sun and fun:

Bring some company.  Swimming with a friend is not only more fun, it’s safer. Don’t allow anyone to swim alone.

Stay hydrated.  Even though you’re surrounded by tons of wet water, you can dehydrate quickly in the sun and surf.

Spit it out!  The fresh water you’re swimming in might not be so fresh and could contain harmful bacteria if ingested. Pool water is full of chlorine and other chemicals

Check the water depth.  The American Red Cross recommends 9 feet as a minimum depth for diving or jumping.

Protect your skin.  Even if you’re not the type to burn readily, limit the amount of direct sunlight you receive between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. and wear sunscreen with a protection factor of at least 15.

Look for lifeguards.  And no, not because you’re afraid they’ll come around to spoil your fun. Lifeguards are your last and best line of defense if something goes wrong.

With a little common sense safety, you can enjoy swimming all summer. So grab your towel and your sun block and dive right in!