Cozumel and Progresso // Adventures with MEH

Okay, so in my last post, I said that cruising was the life and it definitely is. However, I do wish we could have had a longer period of time to stay at our destinations. Especially Cozumel! I am the type of person who wants to see all the things and eat all the foods. But, to have had just a few hours at each place, I think we had a pretty good experience at both destinations.

Cozumel:

OH MY IT IS BEAUTIFUL! We had not booked an excursion for this island, so when we got off the ship we talked to a few of the tourist guides and found our destination for the day. We went to Buccanos Beach Club and ya'll...it was what I imagine paradise to look like. We walked in the entrance to the private beach and literally all you could see was sand, crystal blue waters, and palm trees. There was a restaurant, a beach with enough layout chairs to hold the army, a pool, a massage and spa center, a rock climbing wall, a snorkeling adventure, tequila tours, and lots lots more. For $30, we paid for our transportation to and from, snorkeling, and access to the private beach and pool.

While we were at the beach club, we laid on the beach, swam in the ocean, swam in the pool, ate at the restaurant (which was amazing!), and tried out the snorkeling adventure. And an adventure it was! A little advice...if you plan on snorkeling, you first need to make sure you are okay with/capable of: a.) having fish and other sea creatures swim right up next to you, b.) breathing out of your mouth, c.) swimming. You see, we did not think this through very well. Emily hates animals of all kinds. I cannot breathe out of my mouth to save my life. Heather cannot swim. I am sure we looked like dumb, dumb, and dumber out there. I imagine it was quite hilarious for anyone who was watching.

Progreso:

Okay, so this destination did not have the same beauty that Cozumel had. However, it was beautiful in a different way. We booked an excursion while we were in Progreso and ya'll...it was a snorkeling excursion! Again, we did not think this whole excursion through when we booked it...We were slightly distraught at the thought of snorkeling all day after our previous days experience. We rode a bus for two hours to the caverns where we were going to be snorkeling in at a little Mayan village. Our guide took us to the first spot where we were to snorkel and I almost backed out. To get into the cavern, we had to walk down steep steps into this hole in the ground. Looking from the outside, I had no idea what to expect to find on the other side of that hole. But it was beautiful! The water was shallow and crystal clear and there were no fish! This was the perfect snorkeling conditions for us.

We went to two different caverns to snorkel and explore. After snorkeling, we had homemade Mexican food waiting for us. We were able to watch the ladies hand-make the tortillas. The food was delicious!

We had a great time at both of our destinations! We are already planning our next getaway. What are some of your favorite excursions that you have been on?

Cruising Carnival Triumph // Adventures with MEH

Y'all...cruising is the LIFE! I loved every single minute of it! Unlimited food and drink. Unlimited ice cream and dessert. And tons of live entertainment and fun! I think we ate four or five FULL meals a day. There was every kind of food you could possibly want available on the ship! My personal favorite was the cheeseburger. I don't think I have ever had a cheeseburger that good! We literally had one every. single. day. right before we would get ready for dinner. At dinner, we were able to choose from a variety of options of food and we tried just about everything-even ox tongue! Our waiters were hilarious! I apologize for the blurry picture, but this is an accurate description of how our dinner was every night. They kept us laughing!

There was a ton of live entertainment on the ship. The dancers put on several shows, many of which had live music. And there was at least one or two comedy shows every night. Rob Little (pictured below) was one of the comedians and he was absolutely hilarious! One night, a magician performed and it blew my mind...it was awesome!

Being on the ship itself was so relaxing. There were tons of lay out chairs available and the baristas were constantly at our service-checking to make sure we were okay and bringing us drinks. It was so nice being able to kick back and relax and enjoy the ride.

I was amazed at the view! Looking out over the ship, all you could see was the bluest water for miles and miles. I will never look at the color blue the same again after this trip! All the different shades of the ocean were absolutely beautiful. And the sunset...YA'LL! I have never seen a sunset more beautiful! (Pictures do not do justice.)

Our room was very nice, to my surprise. I was expecting a tiny room with an even smaller bathroom and hardly any space to move around, and a tiny little port hole window. Our room consisted of two beds and a couch that pulled out into a third bed. We had all the counter space three girls could possibly need and plenty of room to all get ready. And instead of the tiny port hole I had expected, we had a pretty large window. And that was the best sleep I have ever had! The room was super dark at night and the swaying of the ship rocked me like a little baby!

The ship itself was very complicated to navigate around. I promise you, we got lost going to dinner every night. Every. Single. Night. Not one time did we find our dining room easily. (According to Emily, a very frequent cruiser, this ship had the worst layout of any that she had ever been on before.) We spent a lot of time on the elevators trying to find everything. (Disclaimer: we got on the elevator one night, took a few pictures, talked for awhile, then started wondering why the elevator wasn't moving. Apparently you have to push a button if you want to go somewhere.) The pools on board were very, very small so they were always super crowded. I don't think it would been very enjoyable for anyone who had small children who would have wanted to be in the pool all the time. Next time, we will definitely cruise on a different ship.

I half way expected for at least one of us to get sea sick and I was really afraid it would be me. I get car sick super easy so I wasn't too sure about how I would feel on the ship for five days. We had plenty of medicine just in case, but luckily none of us got sick.

I had the best time cruising with my girls. It was so laid back, relaxed and drama free. It was a much needed girls getaway and an escape from reality for awhile. We are definitely planning another cruise in the near future.

Where have you cruised and what is your favorite cruise line?

New Orleans // Adventures with MEH

Since the cruise was leaving from the port in New Orleans, we decided to drive down the day before the ship left and experience New Orleans life for a day. We headed out at 5 on Friday morning and got to New Orleans around lunch time.

We booked a room at InterContinental New Orleans through Groupon. The hotel was located about two blocks from the French Quarter, so we were in walking distance of just about everything we could possibly want to see. The room was very, VERY nice and cozy! Our total for the room was right at $150, so split three ways, it wasn't too bad of a deal. 

After getting ready, we headed out to explore. We took off toward the French Quarter and stopped at all the cute little shops along the way! There is a Lush Cosmetics right on Royal street and all three of us were in handmade cosmetic heaven! 

We stopped at Gumbo Shop for a late lunch/early dinner. Now, I have never had cajun food before this trip, so I wasn't too sure about it but I was determined to try something new so I ordered the Creole Combination Platter. It included Shrimp Creole, Jambalaya, and Crawfish Etouffee...DELICIOUS! The restaurant was so cute and the service was outstanding! If you are looking for a quick place to grab some lunch while visiting NOLA, I highly recommend trying Gumbo Shop.

We made our way to the French Quarter after lunch and I absolutely loved it! The buildings were beautiful and as soon as we got there, we could hear the live jazz music playing on the street. I felt like I was walking into a movie scene. The artwork that filled the street was so unique and beautiful! And there were palm readers every where you turned (We didn't get our palms read...even though I really wanted to. Emily said it was of the devil and wouldn't let me.)! It was everything I had hoped it would be!

For dessert, we stopped by Cafe du Monde to try the beignets and they did not disappoint! The cafe itself was very crowded, but to get the full experience we found a table and sat down right in the middle of the chaos and enjoyed our delicious deep fried donuts.

After dessert we made our way back to the hotel and crashed for the night. For breakfast the next morning, we walked down to Cafe Beignet and devoured a delicious belgian waffle and, of course, some more beignets. The cafe was super crowded but we lucked up and got a seat inside.

When we got off the ship, we came back to Cafe Beignet for lunch. A friend had told us to try the muffalettas, so we did and it was so good! This time, we sat in the little seating area right outside the cafe. While we were eating our yummy lunch, we also got some free entertainment. A man was playing and singing right outside the gate. Again, I felt like I was in a movie. It was so cool.

New Orleans is definitely one of my favorite cities. Since we were only there for one day, I know that we did not get to experience the entirety of NOLA so I definitely plan to return for a longer amount of time. If you have been to New Orleans, what are some of your favorite things to do? What are some of your favorite places to eat? 

Nicaragua

In one month I will be returning to Nicaragua with my church family. Ya'll...I am so blessed to get to go on this trip. When we started planning this trip I did not think I was going to be able to go. I had just quit my job and was not able to afford the trip nor did I have enough time to raise money by the time we were going to buy tickets.

I was not the only one in this situation. Two of my very close friends were not going to be able to go, and if I somehow came up with the money to go, only one of my parents were going to be able to go (because, you know, my parents are a little overprotective and they just can't stand the thought of me traveling to a foreign country without one of them tagging along).

One thing led to another and the date for us to purchase tickets got pushed back A WHOLE MONTH! That left me one single month to raise money to go on this mission trip. A dear friend of mine (who was also not able to afford the expenses of the trip due to being a broke as a joke college kid, like me) and I hosted two paint parties at my church, sold sheets, and sold t-shirts, and the outpouring of love we felt from our friends and family was so humbling. 

I also had two people who are very dear to my heart contribute to my mission trip with very generous donations. These people donated this money out of the goodness of their heart solely for me to get my feet on the ground in Nicaragua and spread God's love. All along I had been questioning if God wanted me to go on this trip or not and when I received these donations, I could do nothing but cry because that was a clear sign to me that God wanted me there. 

My trip was paid for in full by people who bought sheets, bought shirts, attended paint parties, and made donations and for that I am forever grateful. There are no amount of words that can describe how blessed I am to have people in my life who support and encourage me the way these people do.

NOT ONLY am I getting to go to Nicaragua, but BOTH of my very good friends are getting to go, as well as BOTH of my parents!! 

GOD IS SO GOOD!

In exactly one month I will have my feet on the ground in this country that has a huge part of my heart. Our current plans are to host a VBS, feed the villages, and have one on one time with families where we distribute necessities and talk to them about God and His love for them. I am so PUMPED to see what God has in store for us this time. 

I pray that I get to see and love on all of my babies that I have grown to love so much over previous trips. I pray that God will use us and that we will lead people to Him. I pray that through the people on this team, the people of Nicaragua will feel an outpouring of Jesus' love. 

Please be in prayer for me and the rest of the team as we prepare for this journey! Our team could still use donations of flip flops, shorts, t-shirts, hygiene items, ramen noodles, and plastic bowls. Most of all...PRAY, PRAY, PRAY!! 

Favorite Things // May Edition

Okay, to be honest...I stole this blog idea from my sister over at Our Alabama Life. But I figured I would also share with you a few of my favorite things right now.

First of all, for the past few months, I have been OBSESSING over lipsticks. Every color, every shade, every brand. I have tried them all. I literally love every color. If black wouldn't completely clash with my pale skin, I would definitely be wearing that color. My favorite lipstick brand that I am loving right now is by Gerard Cosmetics. They are liquid lipsticks that are super soft and long lasting. Like, really long lasting. I can put it on in the morning, and it will still be on my lips by that night. I have been lusting after the purple shades lately, so when I saw that Gerard was offering these lippies for 3 for $35, I had to snatch up my favorites. These are ecstasy, iced mocha, and serenity. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE. (I am not a fan of selfies...but I tried just taking a picture of my lips and that was just plain awkward.) 

These Musee bath bombs are awesome. I love a good bubble bath. These bath bombs are all different scents and have different purposes. They are hand pressed with natural ingredients, and contain therapeutic aromas and soothing oils that are refreshing to the body and healing to the skin. They turn your water different colors AND they contain prizes inside of them. How cute are these little egg-shaped bombs I got for Easter? Shop local and pick up a few bath bombs at Elamar Skin Science. 

Another lipstick brand that I am loving is Tarte. I have two shades by this brand and I love them both. One is a more nude color called Namaste. I use this color when I am having a plain-Jane makeup day and just need to add a little color to my lips. The other color I have from Tarte is called Hangry. It is more of a pink-y color. This color was a little bit too bright for me at first, but the more I have played around with it, the more I like it. This brand feels so soft on my lips and it is super long lasting too!

Okay, I promise I am not a beauty expert...BUT I do love makeup and all things beauty and I will try just about anything. My skin is HORRIBLE. Literally, I break out all the time and even when my face is clear, I still have tiny bumps along the surface of my skin. I also have those annoying blackheads around my T-zone. So my life is a never ending cycle of trying new products to get rid of acne. Lately, I have been digging on face masks. My two favorites though, is the YouthMud by GlamGlow and my own personal concoction using charcoal pills and glue! The GlamGlow mask helps with all of the tiny bumps along the surface of my face. I have not bought the full size jar simply because it is $70 and I wanted to make sure I liked it before I invested that much money into it. So, this super nice lady at the makeup counter gave me a small sample tube. I have been able to get 4 masks out of the tiny sample bottle and it has amazed me EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. This stuff is GOLD! Now the charcoal and glue mask...I took a few capsules of charcoal, opened them up, and sprinkled them into a bowl. Added some elmers glue, just enough to have a good consistency, and then took an old makeup brush and applied the mask along the T-zone. I would let it dry a little, then apply some more...the thicker the mask, the better. When I finally felt like I had enough on my face, I watched it dry and I could literally see the blackheads backing out of my pores. It was CRAZY! I even got mom and Hannah to try the charcoal mask with me. (Pictures included solely for your entertainment.)

What are some of your favorite things, beauty product or not?

Currently at the Hall House

The entire West clan has moved in with us while they are building a new house. So, the house is overflowing with all the things. People, blankets, shoes, toys, opened drinks, dirty dishes, but the most important thing...LOVE!

Lets break it down...

10...The number of animals we have recently added to the farm. 6 Chicks, 4 Ducks.

9...The number of people living under one roof. Me, Justin, Courtney, Kyndall, Libby, Jase, Hannah, Mom, and Dad!

8...The number of vehicles in the driveway.

7...The number of gallons of milk in the fridge, and this barely last us through the week!

6...The number of pairs of shoes laying at the door.

5...The number of people brushing their teeth in my bathroom. (Jase was included in this, but you can't see him!)

4...The number of dogs running around outside and barking all night long. FYI...it is impossible to get a picture of four dogs at the same time!

3...The number of refrigerators we have at my house. All running. All stocked full. One stocked full of nothing but Mt. Dew because they are that addicted.

2...The number of little girls who are currently asleep in my bed.

1...The sweet, sweet baby who has all the rest of the people in this house wrapped around his little finger.

Ya'll...this house is nothing short of chaotic. But I love every single minute of it. I love getting to spend time with my sweet nieces and nephew every day. I love getting to snuggle up on the couch with the whole family and watch movies. I love sitting down at the table with all of my people every night for supper. I have decided that we just need to build a bigger house so we can all stay together all the time.

I love this life.

Hiking Adventures // Sipsey Wilderness

Let me start this off by saying that I am not a professional hiker. This is not something that I do regularly. And now, since I have hiked Sipsey Wilderness, I understand why so many people get lost in the woods...

Wednesday morning, Trey and I had planned to go hiking with two of our friends. We loaded up our backpack with snacks and a few drinks, guns, knives, and everything that we thought was a necessity. Mine and Treys backpack contained: 1 gator-aide, 1 bottle of water, 1 pack of zebra cakes, 1 bag of Sour Cream and Cheddar chips, 1 pack of beef jerky, 1 pack of cheese and crackers, and 1 pistol. So off we go on our fun little adventure through the woods at 11:30 that morning. Before starting on the first trail, on the Mount Hope side of Sipsey Wilderness, we stopped and looked at the map to plan out our route. We planned for a 3-4 mile hike and to be out of the woods and back home in time for church by 5:30 that night.

NOPE!!! That didn't happen.

We stopped at a few very pretty spots along the way and snapped lots of pictures. The boys loved the picture taking most of all...NOT! But just look at how beautiful the water was!! 

Around the third hour of our hiking adventure we start jokingly discussing what we would do if we got lost and had to stay in the woods overnight. 

On the fourth hour, we were determined that we, in fact, were lost. We had, also, all drank every last drop of the drinks that we had brought. And then low and behold, as we are walking along this trail, we hear a hog grunt. YA'LL...I just knew this was how I was going to die. I thought, "Great! Not only are we lost in the middle of nowhere, but now we are going to get chased by WILD HOGS!" Trey starts getting out his gun, and Dakota is reaching for his knife...all while I am finding the quickest route up the nearest tree. Luckily, the giant hog (and her three babies) just watched us for a minute, then turned and walked the other way.

We keep on trucking until we find a good spot to stop and rest. At this point we had been walking through the woods without seeing a single human for about two hours. It was also getting close to church time and I knew my mother and Treys mother would both be in an all out panic mode if we did not contact them soon. BUT THERE IS NO CELL SERVICE WHEN YOU ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WOODS. I just knew they were going to get together and create a huge search party and it was going to be all over the news..."FOUR TWENTY YEAR OLDS LOST IN BANKHEAD". How embarrassing would that have been?

Finally, around 6:45, we found a gravel road that led up what seemed like the Bankhead version of Mount Everest. When we reached the top, there was a map there. There were cars there...but not our truck.. The little 'You Are Here" star showed that we were on the COMPLETE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE WOODS. We literally had no idea where we were nor did we know how we were going to get back to our truck. Thankfully, I kept walking down the road and got enough service to call my mom and dad, and send them my location so they could come get us. 

Around 7:45, mom and dad came to our rescue with a cooler full of waters and snacks. Then, it took us about another hour and a half to find Trey's truck! Whew! We were exhausted...and very, very hungry. After a quick Sonic run, we were all home safe and finally in the bed by midnight.

Once we got in the truck, the health app on my phone showed that we had walked 15 miles. And ya'll...I could definitely tell the next morning. I was sore in places that I did not know could ever be sore.

Even though we got lost, we had a great time. We laughed the whole way home about the whole situation. The water and sights along the trails were absolutely beautiful, as was the big waterfall. I plan on going hiking again in the future, but next time we will definitely be more prepared!! :)

Here are a few of the pictures we took along the way.