Thanksgiving 2015.

This Thanksgiving certainly wasn't our first Thanksgiving together, it wasn't Ellisyn's first Thanksgiving, but it was a big first for our little family. This Thanksgiving break was our first time going on our very own long family road trip. We spent ten days traveling through Idaho, Utah, and Arizona admiring all the wonderful things around us that we have to be thankful for every day. 

The road trip began the Thursday afternoon before Thanksgiving when we finally got on the road. Ellisyn was perfection during the many long days of riding in the car. She happily passed the time by reading books, playing with her dolls, eating snacks, taking naps, and snuggling her newest obsession from Aunt Jessica's childhood, Lamby Sciper. Daniel and I were so impressed with how well Ellisyn did in the car that we probably could have drove straight to Arizona, but it was so much more fun to break it up and see people and places that we enjoy.

The first stop on our trip was St. George, Utah to visit Grandpa Great. It was so nice to spend the night in his beautiful home and it was so nice to have a delicious breakfast with my grandpa the following morning just like when I used to visit him as a kid. 

The final destination on day two of our travels was Mesa, Arizona, but along the way we decided to do some site seeing at the Hoover Dam. Aside from the endless 'dam' jokes, it was incredible to see a national landmark that was built so many years ago. The whole thing is pretty amazing when  you stop to think about it. 

Ellisyn has been in a toddler bed for almost a year now, but I was still a little worried about the sleeping situation on the road trip. I didn't know how well she would do sleeping in the same room as us (which she has never done, even as a newborn), let alone on the floor. My solution was to make it something exciting and special. Thanks to an awesome deal of Frozen sleeping bags at Wal*Mart, sleeping was a breeze the entire vacation. She loved sleeping in her Elsa bag, and she seemed to sleep just as well as she does at home. 

Mesa has easily become one of our favorite places to visit because Daniel's parents and brothers' families both live there now. We were able to visit for the first time last Memorial Day, but we only had a few short days to see it all. So, we were pretty excited to have nearly a week there to really enjoy everything Arizona has to offer, especially our family! Daniel and I were pretty bummed to see his parent's move away from Pocatello, but we've realized how fun it is to have a destination for holidays and special occasions. We have really fallen in love with the warm weather, restaurants, and shopping down there! We may have gone to Culver's, Chick-Fil-A, and Chipotle one too many times, and we shopping until we dropped. 

The best part of our visit, however, was being able to spend so much time with family. Ellisyn was in heaven with all of her cousins and her grandparents. The week was filled with so many fun occasions. We got to be a part of our newest niece/cousin's baby blessing, Aunt Jennie's birthday, Daniel's mom's birthday, and Thanksgiving. It was certainly a week to remember, and we are so grateful for our family and all that we have together.

Each year, the Spicer cousins pick names and exchange gifts. This year, Ellisyn's cousins gave her the perfect present. E's Aunt Jennie made the most adorable Elsa crown, and I haven a feeling we won't be taking it off for a very long time! 

The day after Thanksgiving we loaded back into the car to begin our trek home. We stopped for a few hours in Las Vegas to stretch our legs and look around the strip. Ellisyn's reactions to everything were priceless. She loved all the over-the-top decorations, the Bellagio fountains, Caesar's Palace, and the characters along the street. It was a fun little break from the car, but we were glad to be heading back to Grandpa Great's house after fighting the crowds of people all afternoon.

The final day of our Spicer family road trip was spend with Grandpa Great exploring St. George. Daniel was able to go golfing while Grandpa, Ellisyn, and I went shopping and out to lunch. That evening we all went to the St. George Children's Museum. It was absolutely adorable and I would recommend it to everyone! It was free, although they request donations, and it was well worth the two hours we spent there. It is in a two story building filled with tons of themed rooms. There was a grocery store, farm, bank, oval office, submarine, theater, and so many more. I think the adults had just as much fun as Ellisyn! We ended the night with some pizza and milkshakes before we had to head home the following day. 

We had such a fun and memorable Thanksgiving, and I can't help but feel so happy and blessed with everything around me. I'm so thankful for my sweet family, our extended family, and the gospel that gives me the ability to be with them forever.