Christmas trees: Evergreen tree choices for holiday decorations | Examiner.com

Shopping for Christmas trees? Shouldn't be all that difficult, right? After all, Christmas trees are pretty much the same, aren't they? Actually there are several different evergreen trees grown for use as Christmas trees. Here is a guide to choosing Christmas trees, based on style, allergic properties, ease of decorating and cost. This author's hometown of Grand Haven, Michigan is Christmas Tree Central, so you're getting this info from the "roots"--so to speak. Starting with less expensive, here are evergreen tree choices.  Christmas trees: Evergreen tree choices for holiday decorations | Examiner.com

Walmart Savings Catcher comparison shopping app does the math, multitasks, saves money

Raise your hand if you hate buying something and then finding it cheaper elsewhere. But who has time to run between stores or comb through ads? How about a shopping app that does the math for you by comparison shopping between stores? Check out Walmart Savings Catcher. You hear a lot of people protest that they hate Walmart, for a multitude of reasons. But those shoppers protest too much--because there's one undeniable reason to shop at Walmart and that's lower every day prices. This isn't a paid advertorial--it's just common fiscal sense. You can get the same products--not just on Great Value store brand, not equivalent products--the exact brands--much cheaper at Walmart. If you buy Great Value, you save exponentially more! And now, using Walmart Savings Catcher comparison shopping app, you can be sure to get the rock bottom lowest via Walmart's price match. Here's how it works.  Walmart Savings Catcher comparison shopping app does the math, saves money | Examiner.com

Moms work more than dads: Unequal multitasking hurts parenting relationships

Moms work more than dads but enjoy it less, parenting studies have found. Men also object more if they feel forced to multitask. Busy parents handle workloads and responsibility differently and it can affect parenting relationships. How parents juggle multiple tasks may cause rifts if one deems the other "lazy" or "unsupportive." Multitasking studies asked parents to record how many tasks they were performing at one time and also how they felt about multitasking.   Moms work more than dads: Unequal multitasking hurts parenting relationships | Examiner.com

Holiday gift exchanges: Christmas gift exchange planning, gift swap party games | Examiner.com

 Do you hate holiday gift exchanges among people you don't know? The Christmas work party and extended relatives ones are the worst. What do you get someone you don't know? So some of these holiday parties are pretty lame, but you can plan better holiday gift exchanges with these easy tips and fun Christmas gift swap party games. Holiday gift exchanges: Christmas gift exchange planning, gift swap party games | Examiner.com

Free printable Day of the Dead or Dia de Los Muertos coloring pages

Dia de los Muertos is the Mexican Day of the Dead celebration. The Latino holiday is near Halloween, but is celebrated on November 1 and 2. Dia de los Muertos is similar to Halloween in that participants dress in skeleton and death-themed costumes. But the resemblance ends there. Day of the Dead is a Catholic ethno-religious festival that celebrates life after death in heaven. Here are free printable Dia de los Muertos coloring pages and skull themed patterns and crafts.   Free printable Day of the Dead or Dia de Los Muertos coloring pages

Halloween alternatives: All Saints Day party games, Bible Catholic saints games

Catholic Christian families are you looking for Halloween alternatives? Why not celebrate a Bible All Saints Day (Nov. 1) or All Saints Eve (Oct. 31)? It's the real feast behind the Halloween festivities. All Hallow's Eve was celebrated by pagans in anticipation of All Saints Day in the Catholic church. So have an All Saints Day (or eve) party: that way your kids can still participate and won't feel left out when other kids trick or treat. Or you could let kids go trick-or-treating dressed as saints. Or you could do trunk-or-treating at your church. Here are All Saints Day (or eve) party games, Bible games and Catholic saints party games.  Halloween alternatives: All Saints Day party games, Bible Catholic saints games | Examiner.com

Sweetest Day gifts: Romantic personalized presents outside the box and vase | Examiner.com

Sweetest Day is the third Saturday in October: Oct. 17, in 2015. As always with holidays, the buzz is on the best gifts for sweethearts said Fox 6 Now on Oct. 15. Stores and advertisers would have you believe romantic gift-giving is about spending big. But remember, there's a lot of competition for your gift buck. The most romantic Sweetest Day gifts are personalized presents. Stores and vendors are ripe with advice about what your sweetie supposed wants. They're sure women want gifts of chocolates, cards and flowers. (Hint, they don't). This Sweetest Day, think outside the box, envelope and vase.Sweetest Day gifts: Romantic personalized presents outside the box and vase | Examiner.com

 

Want to heal depression, relationships? Quit 'phubbing' and put the phone down

Do you want to heal depression, relationships and damaged social interaction? Quit "phubbing" and put the phone down! Glamour reported Oct. 3, that phubbing is Baylor University's term for phone snubbing. And this casual behavior is causing a world of hurt. How? Well, it's pretty obvious that people everywhere are obsessed with their cellphones, talking, texting, playing games, socializing. They interrupt, annoy and cause accidents because they can't stop checking the phone. But new research says it more than just annoying. That very communicator device that is damaging real communication. Cyber interaction by phone sabotages real-time relationships. People who can't leave their phones alone depress their partners.  Some even hide cellphones and glance on the sly, so they can pretend to be engaged when they are really texting or playing. Parents are especially prone to this kind of phubbing. For a supposedly "smart" Want to heal depression, relationships? Quit 'phubbing' and put the phone down | Examiner.com

phone, that's pretty ignorant behavior.

Windows 10 loses charms, start screen, adds classic start menu, Microsoft Edge

 Microsoft rolled out its new Windows 10 reported the Ledger August 29. And the good news is Windows 10 loses charms and the start screen. And best of all, it adds the classic start menu. Windows 10 also made a historic browser change. Gone is the old Internet Explorer and in its place is Microsoft Edge. Loss of the start menu was one of the biggest kvetches with Windows 8. Windows 8.1 promised to return the traditional start menu but didn't really. Windows 8.1 was a big, invasive update that wasn't worth the effort it took to complete. It also changed things users didn't want changed and didn't change things they did want different.Windows 10 loses charms, start screen, adds classic start menu, Microsoft Edge - Grand Rapids News | Examiner.com

School clothes for overweight children: Do's and don'ts to dress plus-size kids - Grand Rapids Holidays | Examiner.com

School clothes shopping isn't easy. Finding school clothes for overweight children can be a real nightmare. It always has been. Back in the day, kids' clothing stores didn't tippy-toe around a fat child's feelings: 14C meant "chubby" and 16H meant "husky." Not-so-chubby kids got to wear S (for slim). Thankfully, society is a little more diplomatic. So if you have bigger children, here do's and don'ts to dress plus-size kids. Actually, use these back to school clothes shopping tips for children of any size.    School clothes for overweight children: Do's and don'ts to dress plus-size kids - Grand Rapids Holidays | Examiner.com

Jeb Bush says Americans should work longer hours: More time at work says Bush

Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush says Americans should work longer hours if they want more money, reported Good Morning America July 8. This didn't land well on the ears of Americans already working many overtime hours at cut wages. It sounded like Bush was calling them lazy. Urging "work more, America" sounded to many that Bush was faulting unmotivated employees for financial struggles. Bush says his "work longer hours" comment was taken out of context.    Jeb Bush says Americans should work longer hours: More time at work says Bush - Grand Rapids News | Examiner.com

Red white and blue desserts, flag cake, patriotic party foods for 4th of July

Looking for fun red white and blue desserts and patriotic party foods for Memorial Day? Here are recipes for flag cake, RWB party foods and snacks and kid-friendly Remembrance day snacks.  Red white and blue desserts, flag cake, patriotic party foods for Memorial Day - Grand Rapids Holidays | Examiner.com

Memorial Day party games: Patriotic American history activities for kids - Grand Rapids Holidays | Examiner.com

Looking for Memorial Day party games and crafts for kids? Here are U.S. history activities and educational patriotic party games. Use these for 4th of July parties and American history lesson plans, too. Don't make games too competitive so everyone can have fun without pressure to win.Memorial Day party games: Patriotic American history activities for kids - Grand Rapids Holidays | Examiner.com

 

Graduation open house party cheap and easy: Festive budget graduation party

 May and June are busy with graduation open houses. If you have a graduating child, here's a guide to plan a graduation open house party cheap and easy. This festive budget graduation party guide has tips on purchasing, preparation, serving and clean-up tips for a perfect open house that even a busy DIY parents can enjoy!Graduation open house party cheap and easy: Festive budget graduation party - Grand Rapids Holidays | Examiner.com

Spring Break staycations: Cheap, kid-friendly mini vacations at home

 Is "summer vacation", "Spring Break"--or any break time-- an oxymoron for you? Maybe you can't afford a vacation. Are you sick of hearing about your neighbor's trip or your kids whine how "everybody" is in Hawaii-- as you repair broken windows and work overtime to cover others' vacation time? There's triple misery: too broke to play, plus resentful kids feeling deprived, plus endless work. Well, here's stuck-at-home first aid. Try these Spring Break staycations and cheap, kid-friendly mini vacations at home.  Spring Break staycations: Cheap, kid-friendly mini vacations at home

Breastfeeding in bathroom pic shows public nursing haters are real boobs - Grand Rapids News | Examiner.com

People really latched on to Tamar Shugert's "breastfeeding in bathroom" picture, said BuzzFeed March 12. The viral photo showed Shugert nursing a baby in one stall and her husband trying to eat spaghetti in another. The image milked an on-going debate and fed a new one. The on-going question is whether moms should nurse in public or in restrooms. Shugert's photos asks if they even can breastfeed in the bathroom. The photo proved that public nursing haters can be real boobs.  Breastfeeding in bathroom pic shows public nursing haters are real boobs