THANKSGIVING 2017

For some strange reason we decided to make a chicken pot pie from scratch the day before Thanksgiving.  I guess it doesn't sound all that crazy except earlier that day was spent doing baseboards all downstairs and a white wash project.  Not sure what we were thinking, but after a long day of work a warm savory home cooked meal was delicious.  

The next morning I prepped a side dish we were making while we watched the Macy's Day Parade. 

Then it was off to Shawn's parents house.  Reece napped most of the time in our trailer thats parked at their house.  Once she woke she devoured some charcoal grilled turkey and loved it.  We were both shocked at how much she ate.  Later it was off to see other family.  We had such a good time visiting that I didn't even take my phone out, hence no photos.  We made it home about 10pm I'd say that's a sign of a good time. 

Reece finally built up the courage to pose next to Santa and the teddy bear set up at Nana and Papa's.

The next day was the annual Christmas movie with cousins.  This year the kids had custom pj's and we sat outside around the fire while watching Home Alone (does this movie ever get old? No, the correct answer is no) on the projector. 

VETERANS WEEKEND

After a few full hook up trips we were ready for some boon docking.  We took advantage of the long holiday weekend and decided to head up to our spot in Payson.  The roads are no longer maintained which I think deters a lot of people from going as there were plenty of great spots.  This was also the first trip we had our razor which changes the level of fun for us! 

We didn't have the best spot there for sunsets because the trees were so much more dense.  We didn't mind it was just as beautiful.  Shawn's parents met us there with their RV.  The older girls went with them to some of the local lakes for some fishing.

Lots of razor rides were had...

Like usual Reece fell asleep with every ride.  This time she had a nose rest. LOL

 

We came across a camping site that had trash thrown all over the place.  It was really frustrating and disappointing to see.  We don't want one of our favorite camping spots shut down or permit only.  The silver lining was the learning experience instilled in our children. 

The last morning we were there Shawn and I were desperate for just a few more minutes of sleep.  I finally got myself out from under the warm covers to see this.  Ava crawled into the pack n play to be with Reece.  Such a sweet sister. 

When it was time to head home we casually got packed up and tried to enjoy the views just a little bit longer.  Unfortunately, there were problems with the truck and we couldn't go over 25mph.  So we were parked in this parking lot (one of the look out views) for a few hours while Shawn tried to trouble shoot the problem.   A few people stopped to offer help or water, there are still some good people in the world.  Shawn eventually made the decision to drive and see what happens.  We made it to the Auto Zone in Payson and had them figure out what code caused the check engine light to come on.  He figured out what he thought was the problem, but there was very little we could do about it at that point.  Not to mention the repair was in the thousands, ugh!  We headed home while I was on edge hoping the truck wasn't going to get us home safely and we would be stranded on the side of the highway with three kids and a dog.  Can't imagine the tow bill either.  Thankfully we did make it home safely and got the truck in for warranty repair the next day. 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Meet our peacock, cheerleader, and Harley Quinn

We were anxiously anticipating how Reece would do this Halloween.  She was not a let down her love for candy, or sweets in general, is real!  Reece was a trooper!  She loved the candy and wasn't shy.  She would tell people "you're welcome" after receiving candy sometimes she said thank you but it was the cutest and she stole the hearts of so many neighbors. 

We have such a fun neighborhood during the holidays.  One of our neighbors set up a legit haunted house in their driveway.  It was the coolest and over the top in the most perfect way.  All it took was one turn of the corner and Reece saw a giant spider and I was holding her the rest of the way.  As we entered they had a code name for the older kids inside so they knew youngins' were coming and to turn down the scary a notch.  I'd be lying if I didn't jump a time or two.  So fun!!!

Reece continued her dressing up for the following week, until the costumes finally got put away.

She put this one together herself. LOL.

PRESCOTT, AZ

I had the idea of heading to Prescott for some festive small town events none of us had been before.  I figured we could do a day trip, but Shawn thought we should stay I mean why not.  So we searched for a full hook up spot because we loved it so much.  We found a site Point of Rocks not far from downtown.  Shawn's parents joined us with their RV and eventually Stacy and her family came too.  The best part of the stay was the park and the lake, beautiful views! 

The pumpkin festival was nothing special we didn't stay too long and headed to see some parts of downtown and grab some lunch before Reece's naptime. 

Here's the view from our spot. 

The girls loved the park and the candy most.  I can't say we would be anxious to go back to Prescott, but I'd be willing to give it another chance if the opportunity came up.

PAGE, AZ

I've had Page on my radar of travel destinations for years, but especially the past year.  Shawn was hesitant and wasn't crazy about the idea.  I was insistent though and it ended up being one of the best trips we've ever had!  We even extended our stay one extra night because we just weren't ready to go home. 

We had the trip planned for about 6 months or so and well, life happens and half of us got the stomach flu and we weren't sure what that would mean for our travel.  Fortunately, we were well enough to not delay or cancel and we were on our way.  This was the longest trip we've done pulling the trailer and as a family of 5.  We were pleasantly surprised how well Reece did, well on the way there, we won't talk about the drive home. 

Page isn't the cutest town I've seen but the scenic views made up for it!  We were lucky enough to get a spot with a water view plus mountains on one side.  We only had one neighbor the entire time, bonus!  This was also our first full hook up experience and its safe to say we LOVED it!  Boon docking is amazing and has its own perks for sure, but with a family staying for a week this was the only way to go! 

This sidewalk was next to our spot so the girls rode their bikes most of the day with friends they met.  While at night we watched the sun fall behind the mountain. 

Like any trip we take we made sure to have a few days of just hanging out and relaxing.  Other days we went down to the beach and of course bought over priced ice cream treats. 

The sand was so soft and the water was so blue.  I couldn't get over how beautiful it was. 

We passed the Glen Canyon Dam Bridge heading to our campground so we had to stop by.  They had a museum too that we all enjoyed. 

Then it was off to see the infamous Horseshoe Bend.  Shawn wasn't a huge fan of the heights or the walk there as he was carrying Reece, thanks babe! There is no barrier at all so it can be intimidating to most.  The views are incredible though.  It was difficult to get decent pictures and there were a ton of people.  If you wanted a more secluded experience you could have walked to the outer edges where there were less people, but because we had the kiddos with us we decided not to. 

Also, another tip.  Bring a selfie stick!

We enjoyed some really good food, met camping neighbor friends who are from Chandler and also have twins (cool!), stared at the mountains for hours, endless drinks, walks, and fires at night. 

We of course couldn't leave without experiencing Antelope Canyon.  After all that was one of the big reasons I chose this destination.  Apparently the tours book fast because we barely got a slot time and it was during Reece's nap time.  Not Ideal, whoops!  We still managed to enjoy it, but I carried her most of the way.  I did plenty of research before going.  The upper canyon is more popular and flat through the entire canyon which is more kid friendly and the only option for us.  Next trip I hope to go see the lower canyon.  When we got there we checked in, they separated us into groups and we loaded up in these trucks to head to the entrance of the canyon. 

After a dusty and bumpy ride we made it to the entrance.  There were SO many people and its difficult, not impossible, to get pictures without other people in them.  Our guide was a native and she was awesome.  She didn't tell us about a ton of the history, but she made sure we got great photos and even asked people to move from time to time, LOL she was great!  Even though there are so many people the most beautiful pictures are of looking up.  So I can add sore neck to dead arm after the end.  Okay, I'll stop complaining.

We took about 50 pictures and they are each beautiful.  This experience was definitely our favorite and a highlight of the trip. 

We also went down to the marina and checked out the house boats that we hope to rent for a week some time.  The only regret we have was not going out on the water at all.  We were contemplating doing a boat tour to see rainbow bridge and a few others spots along the way, but the tour was about 7 hours long, umm with three kids one being a toddler yeah no thanks!  We thought about renting a boat as an option too although throughout the year when the tide is low walking to the bridge is inevitable.  Maybe next time.  I would also consider renting kayaks and exploring horseshoe bend from the water.  As you can see there is still so much more we would like to do in Page so it will without a doubt be on our list of trips in the near future. 

This trip was one to write home about!  We had the BEST time!