Introduction Turning 30 is a milestone that demands an extraordinary celebration! For my 30th birthday, I embarked on a 5-day Carnival cruise down the Mexican Baja with three of my closest friends - Kyle, Abby, and Lexi. Since we all turned 30 within six months of each other, we were determined to make this a memorable adventure. Although our friend Rachel Moore couldn't join us due to work commitments, we each brought along our plus-ones for the ride. Day 1: Setting Sail fro

I had the pleasure of spending time in Peru with some close friends who are Peruvian. We had an exceptional, local first-hand experience.

As promised, here are my destination wedding how-tos to close out my mini-series on destination weddings. Since our wedding in June I have gotten many questions about how to plan a destination wedding. Friends saw and shared our story and have had questions about how we got it all together. Lucky for all you fiancées in planning mode— I took great notes! I truly feel like we got the most out of our destination wedding as well as our vacation to Playa Del Carmen, México. I lov

Destination weddings are oh-so trendy right now, and for good reason. Rasmus and I got married in Quintana Roo, Mexico back in June and loved everything about it. I will spill all of our logistical details at the end of this series. I want you to meet some brides who also excelled in getting their rowdy bunches across borders and into pews! I know Christy because she is the big sister of one of my best friends, Courtney Harms. Courtney and I played volleyball together in coll

Bacalar, Mexico June 4 - 9, 2019 After our wedding, we ventured south for three hours with my parents and sisters to Bacalar, Quintana Roo, Mexico. Bacalar is a town in southeastern Mexico near the Belize border. Bacalar It’s on Lake Bacalar (Laguna de Bacalar), also called the Lagoon of Seven Colors due to its incredible shades of blue and turquoise! I have never seen a lake so pristine in my entire life. And what I loved most about it was that it was freshwater. The water i

Pronounced “Wa-hak-ah" Oaxaca is known for its authentic Mexican cuisine and is considered the cultural hub of México by many. I probably ate five different types of bugs over the three days we were there, of those I remember: grasshoppers, worms, and beetles. Did you know México has over 35 million visitors per year? Tourism is one of its main sources of income. I have been to Mexico a few different times in my life. I normally visit the touristy outskirts of the countr

Puebla, Mexico Puebla is a lovely city to visit, it feels very quaint and personal. I love the Mexican people. Unlike many countries, one of the best things about visiting is that the locals love to engage with you. Tourism is valued in their country, so oftentimes locals chatted with me and endured my less than perfect Spanish, to give me recommendations and advice. So far, I’ve learned some interesting things! Puebla is considered one of the nine “pueblos magicos” or magic

My mom, sister, and I spent the last 48 hours in Mexico City. And I loved it! I was surprised by how easy the city is to get around. I recommend using Uber, it was super easy and convenient - who would have guessed! However most drivers don't speak English, so if your Spanish isn't strong you may struggle a bit. Mexico City We stayed in the center of the historic district by the zócalo, at the Zócalo Central Mexico City, which was relatively affordable for $170 a night. $17

This was the best family Christmas our family ever had away from home. I absolutely love Belize. And here are a few reasons why: flights are relatively cheap, you can use American money (exchange is 1:2), many locals speak English, and the whole country is relatively safe. We actually spent most of our time on a private island, Glover's Reef Atoll, owned by a company in Moab, Utah called Slickrock. It's super nice to have an all-inclusive trip, and I would highly recommend u