Hello and welcome!
I'm assuming since you recently got a new Windows 8 PC, you're getting a bit lost with the apps opening off the Desktop when you open a picture or music file? Simple fix, go to Start, and just type in default programs. Hit enter, and hit Set your program defaults. You can change it so you can use Windows Photo Viewer over the Photos app and such.
The apps, like Bing Weather, News, Finance, ect., run in the new metro, immersive UI model. This can't be changed.
It's also real easy to make the Start Screen even more useful than it is now. If you open up File Explorer, or Computer, you can go to a folder, Library, hard drive, program .exe shortcut, or a Control Panel subcategory, you can then right click and hit Pin to Start. A new tile will appear on Start, then you (or your wife) can click and drag around to where ever is best.
This is my Start Screen, it has all the File Explorer locations I need, the Desktop programs, and apps. Pretty handy!