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.

It’s common knowledge that many states have towns called Springfield, based on the number of them who thought they were the inspiration for the hometown of TV’s ‘The Simpsons,’ only to find out they weren’t. But there are other city or town names you may not have heard of, and for good reason.

Wake up. Sound the alarms. Father’s Day is on Sunday. It seems like we talk about Mother’s Day for a month before it actually happens, but Father’s Day just sneaks up on us every year. If this has happened to you and you aren’t prepared with a gift, it’s not too late.

Our pets are important to us, and a lot of times, we’ll consider whether a potential mate is a cat or dog person before we take the relationship to the next level. And, for almost everyone, whether or not your significant other gets along with your pets can be a deal breaker. But would you expect cats to be at the root of this couple’s divorce?

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.

The service men and women of our country make huge sacrifices to fight battles on our behalf and keep the freedoms we hold dear. One of those sacrifices is being away from their families and loved ones for long periods of time. The only thing that makes this sacrifice bearable for most is the incredible sweetness of coming home, even if it is only for a short leave.

It’s May and that means that soon we’ll be celebrating our Mexican heritage, much like we all celebrate our Irish heritage in March…even when we have neither. Cinco de Mayo is a great excuse to leave work early, eat tortilla chips and drink more tequila than sanity allows, but is it starting to feel just a little bit like the same old thing?

With Cinco de Mayo just around the corner, we have Mexico on the brain. Perhaps this year, instead of celebrating the day with watered-down margaritas at your local Tex-Mex chain restaurant, you should start planning that trip to Mexico you’ve always talked about taking.

Fear not, fast food aficionados — if you’re headed to London for the 2012 Olympics, you won’t have to force yourself to choke down any of bangers and mash. Instead, you’ll have a chance to eat at the world’s biggest McDonald’s. But get in line soon, because the 1,500 seat restaurant will only be open for six weeks.

Economists say we are on the road to recovery from the recession and certain indicators of financial health are on the rise, like fewer unemployment claims and wage growth. New jobs are also on the rise, but the climb is slow and, according to a new report, not all job opportunities are good ones.