Family trips, ahhhh the memories. I remember the trips we took as children and how much fun they were. Being with Mommy and Daddy, my sisters (even though we were probably fighting), and enjoying our trips together were some great times. There is something about family bonding that just makes me all giddy inside. Maybe it’s partly because we were always somewhere fun and exciting, Disney World, the beach, grandma and grandpas house, but overall, it’s just a good family memory. When John and I booked our first family trip, we were quite excited for Ivy to take her first plan ride. I, of course had anxiety, reading every blog and article I could about how to NOT have a screaming baby on the plane, which I was terrified about, because I know I have been soooo annoyed with THAT screaming kid on the plane. But thankfully, Ivy wasn’t THAT baby, and we weren’t THOSE parents. We did JUST fine :) It made it a lot easier that it was a direct flight (best thing ever), straight from Sioux Falls to Phoenix. Little Ivy got some ooo’s and ahhhh’s because she did so well! Slept for most of it and then played for a while. Thank goodness. Fewf.

We stayed at the Fairmont Princess in Scottsdale. It was incredible. Pools, bars, 5 star restaurants, golf courses, walking trails, shops, everything in one place. We had a perfect location for our room, so while Ivy took her morning nap, John and I brought the monitor down to the pool and hottub with our Starbucks latte to soak in the water. SO NICE. We even brought Ivy down one morning to take a dip. Oops, she had to go in with her diaper, buuuut oh well. She wasn’t so sure about the water, it was funny!

The resort had a Christmas special so they had over a million lights around the resort and they even had a choo choo train to take peole around on the walking paths to see the lights at night. The kid in me HAD to do it. I LOVED it. Ivy loved it until it put her to sleep halfway :) Ha, but I really enjoyed it. We also got to meet Santa!

We had to go out and see the sights one day. We ended up hiking Camelback Mountain. With how inquisitive Ivy is, she LOVED looking at the views! We turned her facing forward halfway into the hike in the Baby Bjorn so she could see everything. John was a mountain man in that thing. He got some studly looks from other hikers as he was hiking with a baby. Way to go, dude.

Check out those views. Poor Ivy needed some sunglasses. Oops

Pit stop up at the top to nurse

We also did a bunch of shopping (too much to fit in our suitcases, of course), eating DELICIOUS food, and we had some nice nights around a fire at the resort with a bottle of wine. Pretttty relaxing. Goal met, check.

Enjoying a brewski under the heat lamp with Christmas Carols in the background at Bar North. Ivy just dooozed off under that nice warm heat lamp while Mommy and Daddy enjoyed a beer, or two, or three, and a glass of wine :) Oh and they have THE BEST BRUSCHETTA – it had prosciutto and asparagus on it. To die for.

This was maybe the best. It was raining out and somehow we scored this delightful spot – Real wood fire, snuggles with Daddy, and a bottle of wine. Amore, amore.