Traditions: When is it Time to Change? by Sandy Coughlin The Reluctant Entertainer I’ve been reading articles and stories about how other women minimize the stress of the holidays. Even television shows hit on this, sharing simple timesaving tips and ideas. Wrapped up in all of the hub-bub of the […]

by Jean Tracy NW Writer KidsDiscuss.com Discover how this mother gets her children to share their thoughts and feelings.  My cousin, Ann, is an expert at getting her kids to talk. Because they confide in her she is able to guide them. What is Ann’s secret?

Obesity Epidemic Threatens Fido, Fluffy, Too By Health Day News THURSDAY, Nov. 25 (HealthDay News) — Before sharing your Thanksgiving leftovers with your pampered pets, take note: The obesity epidemic in the United States is enlarging cats and dogs, not just their over-fed owners. Overweight pets are a serious health […]

Below is a consumer alert that has gone viral and has been confirmed by Snopes (read here): Please read and be advised during your shopping: BEST BUY ALERT: If you purchase something from Wal-Mart, Sears, etc. And you return the item with the receipt, they will give you your money […]

By Evergreen, Oregon writer I saw this video on USA Today on a pediatrician who quieted a crying bay within seconds. They way he does it makes you scratch your head in disbelief (watch the video). His answer is to make babies sleep on their sides. Yet, letting babies sleep […]

“Balcony Girls” Extend Love to the Poor:  Pillowcase Dresses for Africa! By Sandy Coughlin Oregon author, blogger, entertainer Reluctant Entertainer     The poor do not need our compassion or our pity; they need our help. – Mother Teresa   Last week my friend Jeannie opened her home again to the Balcony […]

By Erika Weisensee, Oregon Writer The National Retail Federation reports that 138 million people plan to hit the stores on Friday. Black Friday has become the Super Bowl of shopping days. You can bet that a whole lot of people will spend a whole bunch of money at the big […]

(Almost) Giving in to the Madness By Jen Rouse The Short Years Oregon Blog Every year, for the past couple of years, I have written a grouchy post about how Christmas is encroaching on Thanksgiving’s territory. About how people put up their Christmas lights earlier and earlier, how stores push […]

by Brittanie Oregon Mom Cupcake Kisses ‘n’ Crumbs   The new year is fast approaching..  and I am NOT ready! One of our goals for the year is reducing/eliminating our debt. We have been following the Dave Ramsey plan (although I haven’t been very good lately) and it is working, slowly but […]

Computer Imaging Adds to ‘Nose Job’ Satisfaction by Health Day News Computer imaging software gives patients a fairly good idea of how they’ll look after a “nose job,” and the majority value the preview process, a new study finds.  The “morphing” software, used by plastic surgeons since the 1990s, appears […]