Mar 28, 2017

AN AFFORDABLE TRAVEL GUIDE TO PUERTO RICO



Hi there. Yup Puerto Rico again, but all for a good cause.
I've had a lot of people ask me questions about traveling to Puerto Rico, and what there is to do there! I feel like Puerto Rico is this little hidden gem, whats NOT to do there. But we all know how I feel about that place. :) So I've put together a little guide on how WE did it. I'm no expert. If anyone else has any alternatives or more options I would love to hear about them!! Comment or message me and we can plan our next trip together. :) 

WHERE TO STAY

There are a lot of friendly cute towns right outside of Old San Juan and in my opinion that is the PLACE to be!! I believe we stayed in Condado both times we have been there and found AMAZING deals on AirBNB both times. I would recommend saving your money on where you are staying and splurge on an awesome excursion!! You don't wanna hang around in your room anyway when there is so much to do! It feels totally safe there and we never had any sketchy moments, it's fun to get out at night and walk around the town there is always so much going on and allllways yummy little dessert places.

HOW TO GET AROUND

Now I don't know if this is necessarily the BEST way to do it but I would recommend renting a car. You are going to want to be able to GET OUT AND AROUND AND SEE THE PLACE. You don't want to be restricted to Uber or taxis just because a lot of the attractions are a good amount of driving away. You won't want to be limited trust me. Especially when you can split the cost with a friend. Thats my next bit of advice, go with friends! 

LOL GO WITH FRIENDS

Traveling in groups saves money just in the fact that you get to split room and the car rental fee. :) Plus now you have someone to trade off taking pictures of each other. ;)

GO ON AN EXCURSION

HOLY MOLY. I have been on the most amazing excursions in Puerto Rico. We found a company called Rocaliza on trip advisor and have now been on two different excursions with them and I recommend them 100%. The guides are super friendly and knowledgeable! You have the option of choosing between different adventures with them and we have loved both that we've been on!
The first one we did back in October was the more moderate option they take you up in the rainforest which is emaculate (i'm a nerd for all the greenery it totally gets to me) you are hiking up through the river, rock climbing and trekking in the beauty then you get to repel down an 80+ ft waterfall, and then zipline the rest of the way down the mountain.
The higher adventure option took us again trekking up through a river and then repelling down multiple waterfalls that were 80+ ft, cliff jumping, going down natural rock slides, swimming and hiking!!
The guides feed you lunch afterwards and you get a taste of some authentic Puerto Rican grub which you've obviously got to try at least once while you are there! SO FUN. I have the most amazing memories from these excursions. Do it. Also if these don't fit your desires, there are SO many options on trip advisor. If you like getting out in nature I'm sure there is SOMETHING that will make you happy! 



SEE THE CAVERNS
Puerto Rico is known for having some incredible ancient caves. You get to learn the history as you walk through them and GOSH so pretty. 

HANG OUT IN OLD SAN JUAN

AHHH CUTEST EVERRRRR. Old San Juan has me ALL heart-eyed! The streets are lined with colorful buildings and cobblestone and it took me right back to when I was in Rome, Italy! Walk up and down all the streets, stop in the shops, get some ice-cream! And TAKE A MILLION PICTURES! haha It's a photographers dream! 


















EAT WHATEVER YOU WANT

There are SO many yummy authentic restaurants to choose from right in Old San Juan. Either more casual OR on the fancy end so your options are not limited at all! Plus if you are feelin super casual FOOD TRUCKS FOR THE WIN. There are grocery stores super accessible so what we like to do is go load up on some fruit, granola bars, water bottles, cereal, milk and other breakfast and snack options. That way we are saving on breakfast or lunch and then just go out for dinner or sometimes lunch and dinner! Your options are definitely not limited when it comes to the eats. Are you feeling an American experience? They have pretty much every popular chain (including our fav Cheesecake Factory yum) just a quick drive away in surrounding towns. OR obviously lots of yummy authentic options as well. All I know is you won't starve.  


VISIT THE FORTS

The old Forts that are in Old San Juan are only $10 a person to get in BOTH forts and your ticket will last you a couple days so you aren't rushed and can take it all in!! I found it so fascinating to walk through them and read up on some of the history. They are the original forts where Spain first fortified Puerto Rico before the U.S. took over. Plus so many more opportunities for great pictures. 


Can we please all take a moment to appreciate the Instagram husband featured in the above picture ;)


EL YUNQUE RAIN FOREST

Are you kidding me?? The only rainforest in the "U.S." No brainer!!! Again... greenery guys!! SO BEAUTIFUL. So many different hiking options. You could easily spend your entire day going on multiple hikes to waterfalls and outlook points.

BIOLUMINESCENT BAY

"Biobays are rare ecosystems that occur when microscopic organisms called dinoflagellates thrive in numbers large enough (and under the right conditions) to produce a glow-in-the-dark effect when they are stirred to action -- say, by a fish, paddle, or human arm. And when they glow, so does anything that comes in contact with them."

Glowing algae... yes please. But CHECK YOUR MOON PHASE CALENDAR. Because you can only see the light during certain phases of the moon.

LIGHTHOUSES

If you are up for a bit of a road trip there are light houses lining the coast of Puerto Rico. It's quite a bit of a drive from Old San Juan and we didn't get around to it but it sure sounded dreamy.. sigh.





Also booked our flights for our next trip and we are currently making our itinerary!!
Going somewhere I've wanted to go for a while now and headed back to stop by another one of my favorite places evvvvvvvvver :)








Mar 26, 2017

HOW TO KICK BUTT AT MARRIAGE


LOL!?!?! Just kidding, I don't have all the answers or maybe even any answers but two and half years later and I LOVE being married to Jordan and despite it sometimes being hard I'm feeling pretty on top of the world with him by my side.


Hmm... so so many thoughts. I thought for sure I would have posted SO many more things on this blog while living out here but dang time just goes by so fast.
But I do feel like I have so much to share!! I have daily thoughts of all these little lessons and ah-ha moments that I want to remember so hopefully either between this space and my personal leather journal I can preserve some of these thoughts.  (PS Is anyone else ever writing in your journal and wish you had an emoji to enter in? Just me?? What has the world come to!)



First things first... A couple weeks ago we went HOME to my favorite little Farmington Utah for a week to attend my beautiful little sister's wedding. Wow. What an amazing event. Let me just tell you everything went perfect and I don't think my sister could have asked for a better day! Everything was beautiful and joyous and lovely. Just the way she likes things.  Many thanks to my AMAZING mother who somehow manages to pull off the impossible. INCLUDING creating every flower arrangement and bouquet on display at the wedding- which she has never done before but you'd think was her profession. STUNNING.


But besides the wedding being perfect being home was. so. easy. And when I say it was so easy it made me realize that you know what, I have done hard things out here! Don't let the pictures on Instagram fool you "salt on my skin and sand in my hair" isn't always what it's cracked up to be.



Of the many this is one of my favorite lessons I have learned/ am learning: Jord and I have KICKED BUTT at our marriage out here. I've mentioned my thoughts on this a little before but no matter how much I LOVE and adore my wonderful husband it has been difficult to
 work together
 live together
 BE together 24/7.
It's not even the being together part that gets tricky, to be honest I could be glued to the guy for the rest of eternity and not have any issues with it. It's the managing together and making decisions TOGETHER that affect other people. Whew. Talk about compromise. Props to all you married/ co-business owners out there. But the reason I say we've kicked butt at it is because we have had to work that much harder at making our relationship and marriage special. That even though we are together ALL the time we still have to find ways to set time aside for a special date night, or still BE excited to be together and to make the other person excited to be with you! Haha dang we have had to go from completely disagreeing with each other on a decision at the store and having the stresses of a job and come home, leave that at work and be a normal married couple who are excited to see each other after work! That takes work! And I think without even realizing it we have been working extra hard at our marriage just in these little ways. And we've been growing. We've gotten more invested in the other's hobbies and interests, have learned how to be the only other person you get to vent to AND cuddle in the same night.

Being at home eliminated the extra stresses and strains we had on us and with those gone... I could SEE the growth we had made together. Everything was effortless, our love was SO effortless. Everything was EASY. I'm not naive enough to be implying that when we move home and are "comfortable" that life and marriage is always going to be easy. (HELLO buying 2 new cars, finding a home, getting jobs!!!*^!*) But I do KNOW that because of challenges we have worked through we are now stronger and more prepared to face the difficulties that might come in the future.
 And for that I am so grateful. 
My point is working hard PAYS OFF.
Working hard at those things that are dear and important to you are even that much MORE worth it.
Allowing yourself to get out of your comfort zone and welcome difficulties WILL help you grow.
And even if things are tough, give yourself some credit!!! I'm not saying every day is easy breezy but it feels good to look at each other and say, "Hey good job at us doing this life thing together." Cause how do you even prepare for this honestly?! Say it even on a not so good day because if you're like me even on the not so good days you are still trying. We're figuring it out and we've got each other and that's what matters. And what fun it is! How do you work hard? Just don't give up. Knowing you are with someone who is as invested as you are at not giving up really takes the cake.



Hope everyone has had a good Sunday! Grateful to be married, it rocks. Grateful for the experiences i'm having. Grateful for a supporting loving doting husband.
Grateful for CONFERENCE. Watched the women's broadcast last night, it was incredible. So looking forward to next weekend! :)


Enjoy some pics of my mammas GORGEOUS flower creations and some snaps from our time visiting Utah.













I HAVE THE BEST DAD IN THE WORLD!!!!











Mar 5, 2017

PUERTO RICO: my favorite place in the world



Maybe it's because I've been cooped up on a little teeny island for 6 months, or maybe because I haven't really been all that many places in the world or MAYBE Puerto Rico is just simply the best?? 

Seriously all I can say is, it is my favorite. & for many more reasons than one. 
It has been a fun little escape thats just a hop skip and a step away from St. Thomas.
Flights are cheap, oh so convenient. 
Why is it my favorite? Because I feel like it is ALL my other favorite places in the world wrapped into one. It has a good mix of everything to keep your senses alert. 
The quaint streets of Old San Juan feel like Italy, the ocean is beautiful and you are in the caribbean so there's that, it has the only rainforest in the "us" and is sooooo rad to hike around, tons of excursion options for the extremists and to fit all your outdoorsy needs, the Old Forts have so much history and amazing architecture, everyone is soooo nice and customer service is a thing!! (Trust me there are places where it is not a thing.) You can drive to the amazing caverns PLUS after all that you can go to the mall and cheesecake factory after your day because it's so modernized.
So there. It's my fav. 
Really though, we've had so much fun every time we've gone and have come away with the best memories and wishing we had MORE time because there are still things that we haven't checked off our Puerto Rico to-do list. 

Here is a PHOTO DUMP because there are just oh so many. 
And I think my official Puerto Rico travel guide will be posted soon! :) Because yes i'm that excited about this place and I really want to share the goodness.