Elf on the Shelf. Am I the only one who thinks they're creepy? I'm making Reindeer Cookies to take to Zoe's class party- follow along if you need a ridiculously simple cookie recipe. Ohio State's offering something wonderful for stressed-out students during finals- a cooked bacon vending machine. You heard me. The amazing Washington County sheriff's deputy who delivered a baby on the side of the road got to meet and cuddle brand-new Bella Kay over the weekend- we'll tell you the story. Definitely something good!

Happy Friday! What would you take if your husband could drag you 300 years into the past? I kept up with the argument that maybe my cellphone would work some some time-space continuum, but... Another Whisper Challenge, which we fail at spectacularly. Our Shop Locally Legend is a goddess: Rebecca Segars Skin Care. The most nurturing experience of your month. There's a couple of U Med students who are collecting unused medical supplies for desperately struggling communities. What do YOU have lying around?

Sick of your packages getting stolen right off your porch before you can make it home from work? Amazon.com's rolling out gigantic yellow lockers to store your packages so you can pick them up on the way home. But there's many more brilliant ways to crush the porch pirates before they can swipe your stuff. Also! Why have A Christmas Tree when you can have a GROVE of Christmas Trees? Check out of DIY video. Epic IKEA pranks... Smell-O-Vision on your cellphone? And meet our latest "Shop Locally" Legend from Perfectly Posh.

So here's the challenge: with all the retail madness, how do we teach our kids empathy and generosity during the holidays? Fortunately, we have Dr. Julie Hanks with some really good advice. We're introducing our new "Shop Locally For The Holidays" legend- Michelle Brooks with customized "12 Days of Christmas" gift packs! And what happens when pediatricians go above and beyond the call of duty to SWALLOW tiny toys to see what happens when your kiddo does it. Highly...uh... illuminating.

What are your holiday traditions? One of our favorites is the Christmas Tree Memory String- the bottom disc of each year's tree attached to a ribbon. It's so fun to count through the years and remember all the highlights. What's your favorite ritual during this time of year? Also, meet our new "Shop Locally" friend- Kathy Cushman of Utah DIY Weddings, one of the smartest businesswomen I know.

We're kicking off "Shop Locally" this week- introducing you to local businesses, services and creative types like authors Linda Rawson, Jason Woodland and Tim Rowberry. We all want our kids to be smarter than US, right? Welcome to the new children's book "Blockchain Adventure" series, "Toshi To The Moon," the first in our "Shop Locally" push for the holidays. Happy Cyber Monday! You can order "Toshi To The Moon" here: https://blockchain-adventures.com/

Erin and Zoe make Hot Chocolate Truffle Cupcakes today, and they're totally Pinterest-worthy! A new study from Oxford University is projecting what drivers intend to do in their cars once the self-driving feature is perfected. I was thinking taking a nap. I wasn't even close.

Remember the Tell Me Something Good story about the homeless gentleman who spent his last $20 to help a woman stranded on the freeway? The story went viral, they raised $400,000 for him on GoFund Me? It's the worst ending you can possibly imagine.🙄

The Todd is now obsessed with Pinterest and somehow takes it as a personal challenge to produce clever things. Today's DIY is place settings for your fancy Thanksgiving table. Plus- the sweetest story of love and kindness from a West Jordan police officer... and Thanksgiving dinner is on Bruno Mars this year- 24,000 dinners.

Technically, with Thanksgiving only 8 days away, we're in the "No Turkey Zone" until the big day. But The Todd was dying to try Cajun-Stuffed Turkey Wings. If you don't have a massive crowd coming over, this is perfect! I had no idea turkey wings were this gigantic... Also, why intermittent fasting might make us finally lose all our excess weight for good, and the incredible story of a California nurse- with a white Toyota truck that ended up looking like a toasted marshmallow- who kept driving back into the wildfire area to save patients from his hospital. All the feels, seriously.

Oh, the joys of public education… where parents are still facing $1,000 bills from the school for their kiddos. I just got the most random bill from Zachie’s high school today. Let’s discuss. There’s a cool new eatery that requires you to dine alone. And silently. And it’s got a waiting list 3 months long! And A Tell Me Something Good where Snapchat and 12 minutes were enough to save a woman’s life