Kathy Landin

The Elf on the Shelf—whether you find him cute, annoying or somewhere in between, he's everywhere these days, making the holiday season even more complicated for parents. We did a little investigating on this elusive creature that has become a phenomenon, and discovered a few things we didn't expect.

The school buses are running again, and the kids are out of the house. Finally. With the end of the far-too-long summer break, this return to school days can leave you with a little extra time on your hands during the day, right? Well, maybe not too much, but your daily schedule should ease up a bit, so now what do you do? You get back on the Internet, that’s what.

As Memorial Day opens the gate to summer, we all begin to plan our outdoor activities. Most of us will find a reason to get outside for the long weekend and enjoy food, friends, family and some delicious beverages. And really, it wouldn’t be a summer holiday without some grilling.

We all like to share our opinions and “likes” all over the internet, so the geniuses at Pinterest created a way for us to just clip, collect and post the things we see and love, and then share those seemingly interesting things with anyone who’s…well, interested.

It’s rare to see five generations of a family get together, so when six generations can hang out it has to be documented. That’s exactly what happened when Mollie Wood turned 111-years-old at the end of April.

It’s just about the sweetest thing when your husband and kids give you a beautiful bouquet of flowers for Mother’s Day. A thoughtful husband will get them from a store. A thoughtful kid will get them from your yard. Either way, the sentiment is adorable and always well received.

This may surprise you, based on some of the decisions you have made while under the influence, but new research says it’s alcohol makes you smarter.

It makes sense that the masses should decide who has had an influence over them. Perhaps this is the theory behind TIME Magazine’s recent release of its 200-name ballot for its yearly list of the world’s 100 most influential people. A list that includes a variety of well-known people, with both positive and negative personas.

It’s been 75 years since Amelia Earhart disappeared in the South Pacific, but researchers have gotten a new lead in the case. A photo that was taken only three months after her disappearance could hold an important clue to where she is.

If you filed your taxes electronically, you may be wondering where your refund is. And, if you visited the IRS website’s “Where’s my refund?” page, you may have been given an error message that says the IRS has no information about your return.

The king cake is a traditional Mardi Gras food. It is usually a ring-shaped pastry, sometimes filled with cheese or jelly and sprinkled with the colors of Mardi Gras. It began as an Epiphany treat, celebrating the arrival of the Three Wise Men to the stable where Jesus was born. Oh, and it’s delicious.

As we approach Valentine’s Day and the season of love, a lot of couples get the urge to take that big step toward marriage. But before your eyes well up with tears of joy and sweetness, you must do the math. Based on the law of percentages, not all of these proposals can possibly go well.