14 Best Gifts For Your Teen Son: Creative Presents For Boys

 Are you looking for the perfect holiday gifts for your teenage son? For some reason, many people, even #Parents, find it difficult to shop for teen boys, even though what boys want for Christmas hasn't changed much over the years. What's on their wishlist isn't a mystery, but it may surprise. Mama Santa Claus will share her top 14 #Christmas gifts for adolescent boys. But first, a caveat...   14 Best holiday Gifts For Your Teen Son: Creative Christmas Presents For Boys

Jill Duggar promotes mission fundraiser after 'Counting On' drops Derick Dillard

#Reality TV star Jill Duggar Dillard isn't letting her husband's estrangement from the #Duggars' show "Counting On" slow her. After Derick Dillard was let go from TLC over negative comments to a transgender teen, he launched a GoFundMe to raise money to support missionaries. Jill Dillard recently joined her husband in promoting a mission drive. However, the ex "19 Kids and Counting" celebrities' charity work looks very different.   Jill Duggar promotes mission fundraiser after 'Counting On' drops Derick Dillard

Halloween party ideas at home for sick kids, anti-Halloween, trick or treat alternatives

Halloween is one of most kids' top two favorite holidays. Some children plan their Trick or Treat costumes months in advance. So what happens when your child is too ill to go trick-or-treating? Or maybe you have a child with dietary restrictions or allergies? Or, what if you don't observe Halloween as a family, but don't want kids to miss out on the fun. 

Why not plan a Halloween party at home? Here are not-too-scary Halloween activities for an at-home party. Use these tips if you can't or don't want to do door-to-door trick-or-treating. These Halloween party ideas are homemade, easy, cheap (or free) and flexible. Adapt them to your needs. Anti-Halloween parents, bypass it by throwing a fun fall party. Either way, these ideas are great workarounds. 

Trick or treat indoors or have a backyard candy hunt. Kiddies too sick to go out? Maybe it's raining on Halloween? Or perhaps you live in an area that isn't kid-friendly. No problem. Hide candy around the house, apartment, patio or backyard, as you would at Easter with Easter eggs. Or skip candy and hide little toys. Children can still put their costumes on if they wish. Or let them help pass out candy. Take videos for happy family memories.

Make a mini-scary family movie. There are plenty of Halloween movies to rent, but why not make your own at home? Narrate a Halloween story or act out a play. Make silly commercials for Halloween candy to accompany your funny, not-too-scary Halloween film. Ask kids to write the script. Older kids will love playing filmmaker, makeup person, special effects gal and stunt coordinator. The sick kid can be the director and tell everyone else what to do. Make spooky sounds: rattle popcorn in an aluminum can for rain. Run the vacuum over the floor for thunder. Turn the lights on and off for lightning. Have kids incorporate their costumes into the plot.

Put on a puppet show. Here's where the recycle bin comes in handy. Children can decorate old socks, cardboard cereal boxes and paper bags as puppets. They might write their own spooky story and act it out. An overturned card table covered with a cloth makes a great puppet theater.

Check out these links for free printable Halloween crafts. Print out Halloween masks, spooky origami, kirigami (cut-paper crafts), cut and paste paper hats and toys, coloring pages, mazes, puzzles, word search, crossword, Sudoku and hidden pictures. Make an activity booklet for the sick kids. Fill a shoebox with scissors, glue stick, crayons, tape and printed craft projects. He can make "couch crafts" at home. Make cards for senior citizens.

Serve fun Halloween party treats at home! Bob for apples. Toast marshmallows over the stove. Make popcorn and cocoa. Serve donuts and cider. Make a family pizza. Decorate Halloween cookies. Invent funny monsters from cut veggies. Share some with a lonely next door neighbor or senior friend (when the sick kids are well!)

Carve your pumpkins! Here are free printable pumpkin carving stencils. Your Halloween party at home may be the most memorable ever. Your kids may demand to nix Trick or Treat and do a party every year!

Back to school shopping: Remember Operation Christmas Child and Christmas toy donations

Are you looking for a nifty charity to donate toys to this Christmas? Why not explore Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child. This group collects Christmas shoeboxes filled with with gifts for needy kids around the world. To participate, get a shoebox and fill it with toys, school supplies, articles of clothing, personal care products, candy, books and other little gifts. Drop it off at one of the locations here or mail it in.

We've been doing this as a family since it started in 1993. We shop back to school sales for pencils, glue sticks, notebooks, markers, crayons, scissors, pens, activity booklets, coloring books and craft sets.  We fill our boxes with small backpacks, cuddle toys, hair accessories, toy cars, small brush and comb, wash cloth, energy bars, powdered vitamin drink, prayer cards, jewelry, sunglasses, socks and T-shirt. Shopping sales, especially back-to-school, I was able to get all these items for about $12-$15 per box. 2017 shoe boxes are due Nov. 13 to Nov. 20 and drop-off locations are listed on the website.

Don't forget to pick up extra school supplies at back to school sales to donate to those in need. 

Josh Duggar, Anna Duggar pregnant, 'Counting On' 5th baby to heal cheating rifts

 Anna Duggar is expecting baby number 5 less than two years after her husband Josh Duggar was caught in adultery, sex addiction and child molestation. The "19 Kids and Counting" star vowed to stand by her cheating husband and says she's forgiven Josh. The couple gushed over their pregnancy and Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar are, of course, proud to add another baby to the quiver. But others are concerned that the celebrity couple is moving on too quickly and counting on pregnancy to fix their marriage. Some think Anna shouldn't move on at all and should move out.  Josh Duggar, Anna Duggar pregnant, 'Counting On' 5th baby to heal cheating rifts

'Teen Mom 2' Kailyn Lowry risky pregnancy may explain obesity after weight loss

Pregnant Kailyn Lowry defended her reticence to go public with her baby reveal -- and it's not just mystery surrounding the baby daddy. The "#Teen Mom 2" star is at high risk of miscarriage with this third child. She didn't want to go public and then lose the baby. Lowry assures everyone that she's happy to be expecting and this pregnancy was planned, though the reality TV star didn't say with whom. A high-risk pregnancy would explain Kailyn's early weight gain, after big weight loss. Common risk causes are anorexia, maternal obesity, gestational diabetes, edema and preeclampsia. All Kailyn's plastic surgery could affect gestation too.   'Teen Mom 2' Kailyn Lowry risky pregnancy may explain obesity after weight loss

Viola Davis rocks SAG Awards 'Fences' speech, stunning white gown, weight loss

The name on everyone's lips after the 2017 Screen Actors Guild Awards is Viola Davis. The "Fences" star made history, winning five SAG Awards. Davis is the first black woman to claim so many after being the first to win an Oscar for "Best Actress" on television last year. Davis won more than just an armful of statues. Her #OscarsSoWhite acceptance speech earned big respect on this touchy subject. Davis was named best dressed, too, in a gorgeous white gown which showed off weight loss and an amazing figure.  Viola Davis rocks SAG Awards 'Fences' speech, stunning white gown, weight loss

'My 600-lb Life' Cynthia Wells blames diet, weight loss fail, gastric bypass cost on doc

 610-lb Cynthia Wells had a lot of blame to dispense after weight loss fails on Season 5 of "My 600-lb Life." Most of it was aimed at Dr. Younan Nowzaradan. The single mom of 5 faulted the bariatric surgeon for her initial weight gain, which postponed gastric bypass surgery. She complained that travel costs made her eat the wrong foods. Dr. Now prescribed therapy to treat her unhealthy food relationship which Wells called "bulls--t." Now, Cynthia's ready to quit the reality show after it picked up the tab for her expensive surgery.  'My 600-lb Life' Cynthia Wells blames diet, weight loss fail, gastric bypass cost on doc