November

 This month started with a visit from these girls. We've been friends since 7th grade and even though we don't see each other nearly enough, when we do it's almost the same as it was 20 years ago. 

We booked a fancy room at the Palazzo and Mormon mommed it up on the Las Vegas strip. We found the secret pizza place at the Cosmo,

indulged in some gelato,

talked so much that we couldn't remember where we parked the car and watched Liz (aka White Chocolate-) get hit on by guys. 

In the interest education, we toured the Hoover Dam. 

And went "back in the day" at the Michael Jackson One Cirque Show. 

I love hanging out with these ladies, they bring out the best in me. 

Zack earned his Bear badge in Cub Scouts.

He also painted this impressive globe on a pumpkin in school. 

November was a big month because they started carrying Hi Chews candy at our Costco. We got addicted on our last trip to Idaho only to discover a shocking lack of Hi Chews in Las Vegas. (Maybe there is hope for Jack's Salsa, Grandma Sycamore's bread).

Matt's job can have some pretty good perks. The purple Jabbawokee retained the firm to represent him after an accident and comped us some tickets to a show. We loved it! We will take our boys someday, it was a really fun show. 

 This was a big school month for Zack. Here is a project he did for a book report. The assignment was to create a cereal and design a cover for it. Each side has some details about the book. He did a great job. 

Zack's a pretty shy kid so it really surprised me when he decided to run for student counsel. He ran for Historian which is a two person job, so he partnered with his friend Leo. They sent home strict instructions for campaigning (no buttons, candy, treats, all work to be done by the students).  I really appreciated that they wanted it to be student not parent driven. We went to the store and picked out poster and t shirt supplies and the two of them made their required five posters themselves. 

 When I went with them to hang them up, I was disappointed to see so many posters that were clearly made by the parents. I wish I would have taken a picture of one that was absolutely ridiculous. There was no way the girl made it unless she has a part time job at an advertising firm.  It was really frustrating to me. Zack spent an entire week campaigning which included wearing his custom t-shirts each day, recording a brief campaign video and giving speeches and shaking hands with the students during lunch. How cute! The school rents voting booths so the students go in cast an actual ballot. And the best part? He was elected to student council. 

We spent Thanksgiving in Idaho. It was the best because we had two new family members: Body

and Remi. 

We also got to hang around Krew, the cereal eating machine, 

and this little turkey.  Or should I say these turkeys? 

What a cute group of thankful kids. 

All Noah has wanted to do for the past two years to participate in a Black Friday. So we did it, kind of--we were the people out on Thursday night. We hit up Target and when he didn't find something he liked there, went to Best Buy and tried to find Wacy, 

and when he didn't find anything there, we went to Toys R Us. And that was when I remembered why I don't like Toys R Us. Check out this great deal on Disney Infinity figures. We spent forever trying to decide which sets to get only to get up to the cashier and get charged full price. What? Always read the fine print, the sale included everything but the items we picked. Yep, that's about right. Stupid Toys R Us. 

A Thanksgiving weekend bonus was going to Brigham's baptism. Dad had an issue with a cow that put him barely there on time and then had him rushing out right after so we didn't get a good picture. I did get a good picture of the giant sandwiches we ate after. Whew! 

Probably Matt's favorite part of the trip was going to the History of Guitar exhibit at the Museum of Idaho. It was really cool. 

They had the biggest  working guitar in the world, I think. 

Brigham by the air guitar (how awesome is that?)

Don't be surprised if someday we have a tv in a guitar amp. 

Besides guitar stuff there is Idaho history stuff. 

Speaking of Idaho history, Madison County is 100 years old. I know this because while I was waiting for Matt at the Quick Care (stupid kidney stones!) I came across a book about the centennial. In it was this picture of my grandpa who died before I was born. I haven't seen many pictures of him, so it was neat to find this one. 

This is the coolest bonus fry ever, and very appropriate for our stay at Grandpa's house. 

I love playing games with my family. We usually get at least one crazy game of Time's Up in before all the kids come around to watch us laugh and make fools of ourselves. Then they plead and beg to play and they aren't very good so it isn't fun anymore. Solution: Fauxcabulary. The kids had a blast playing this game and left us alone. 

I think the weather was nicer in November than it was in the spring. I was reminded again of just how beautiful Idaho is. This is the field across the road from my parent's house. 

This is West of their house...also known as the butte or "R Mountain." 

When we got back, we had a fun package--FREE guns!! Our family was chosen to test and "chat" about them.  Ben and Aidan were the lucky testers. The verdict from them is they are lots of fun, more realistic than a Nerf gun.