Thanksgiving & an Early Christmas Celebration 2016

Last year was a Bowler Christmas and a Grimes Thanksgiving. My mom planned a fun getaway trip to Flagstaff so we could all stay in a cabin together. There is now a total of 15 of us Grimes (including the babies)! Sadly Chelsea, Carter and Maverick couldn't make it because Maverick was just a couple weeks old. Much too little to make that long of a trip! We missed them but it was best they stayed in Orlando! Mom also got tickets to a NorthPole Christmas experience event that she thought was the Polar Express train. We were all a little sad about it, but then it turned out to be really fun and great for the little boys, even if Emerson caused some trouble here and there! Robby and I got to Flagstaff Tuesday night after a 5 hour drive. When we pulled into the driveway William came out to meet us, it was adorable, and so freezing! We spent Tuesday through Thursday night eating delicious food, and cuddling around the fire because the heat was not working on the main floor. I brought toys from work which Emerson and William loved (from the little girls I work with who have Autism). I snuggled Brooke and Camila constantly, they are getting cuter and have the sweetest smiles! Wednesday we went to the Grand Canyon because Kelsey had never been (she had been to the Great Wall of China though...haha). Robby and I drove with them and loved talking with William and getting Brooke to smile. We watched Frozen too, it had been a while since I had seen it, let alone watched a movie in a car! I felt like (and looked like) a little kid again!
We snapped a few pictures once we got to the Grand Canyon, it was really cold and pretty busy, so it was a quick trip. We also needed to be back in time for the NorthPole Experience. Every time I have seen the Grand Canyon (I think this was my 6th time? Maybe 7th?) I feel like I am looking at a picture. Even being there and experiencing it is so surreal. It is always breath-taking!

We took family pictures for our Christmas card on the back porch, which turned out perfect. It was freezing but I think we still got some great pictures even with 4 littles! When it was mine and Robby's turn I accidentally sat on his hand, and I completely lost it... I could not stop laughing! It was embarrassing how I couldn't stop laughing! We went on a few short walks around the cabin to explore and look at horses.

Rochelle and Eric left Friday morning, and we drove to Gilbert to spend a little more time with family. We said goodbye to them on Thursday night and then went to sleep with Joe and Kelsey at her parents house. The trip felt so quick! Especially our time with Rochelle and Eric just felt too short! 

In Gilbert we got more quality time with Kelsey, Joe, William and Brooke. I went Black Friday shopping with Kelsey while Robby played volleyball for 5 hours with his friends. It was an exhausting day, but super fun. I don't know how Kelsey shops with two kids by herself normally. It was even tricky with two of us! Later I got to go over to the Wyeths and spend time with Naomi, Emily, and Diana. I almost got teary-eyed walking into the Wyeths house, so many incredible memories were made there! We made Italian soda and joked and laughed. I miss those girls! We went outside and got all caught up on each other's life. Robby stayed inside and talked to Nick for awhile, those sweet boys gave us lots of girl time. We each shared the latest and greatest news, school and work, dating for Emily :) But it was the first time in a while that I had talked or gotten updated about Diana. She and Jake got a dog, and so she talked about how the dog had helped them become more responsible. It was interesting, she has just gotten harder to talk to since she and Jake got back together. But other than that, it was super fun to be back together again! 

The trip went too quickly, that is for sure. We were sad to head back home and start studying for finals. But that meant Christmas was just around the corner too!