him & her XXI: cruisin'

H E R:

After Curtis and I got back from our honeymoon we talked about how fun it would be to go on another cruise, but with friends. Well after a lot of planning we got to go on one for the spring break/ our one year anniversary and it was everything we wanted and more!

We went on a 4 Day Carnival Cruise to Catalina Island and Ensenada with some of our friends. We ported out of Long Beach, California.

This was only my third visit to California. So I loved hanging out in the LA and Long Beach area.

When we got on the cruise ship Curtis and I realized that it was almost the exact same ship we were on for our honeymoon. So we already knew our way around!

The first afternoon we were at sea, the second day we were in Catalina, the third day we were in Ensenada, and the last day we spent a day at sea.

In Catalina Island we rented bikes and rode all over the island, then had some amazing fish and chips.

In Ensenada we did an awesome zipline/ropes course and hung out at this flea market. There we had authentic street tacos and churros. Best day of our lives.

During our day at sea we laid out by the pool and water slides until we got sunburned. Then at night we would always go to the fancy dinners and shows.

It was such a great week! Shoutout to our waiter Nestor for teaching us how to do the gangam style and the older ladies we met in the hot tub!

TIP: If I could give anyone advice if they want to travel somewhere tropical on a budget it would be to go on a cruise. We were able to travel to Mexico without having to pay separately for flights and food. If we would have stayed at a resort it would have costed 3x as much!

This cruise we went on is a perfect way to get out of town for 4 days without breaking the bank. And we love Carnival!


H I M:

For our one year anniversary we took a trip to California and hopped on a cruise ship with some friends! We had been in Idaho all Winter so we were excited leave and be somewhere warm.

We went on a cruise for our Honeymoon and loved it so we knew we wanted to do another one. And after this last cruise we have officially dubbed ourselves "cruise people." You just can't beat the price and opportunity to go to so many different places.

I think some of my favorite parts of the trip were just being able to lay out on the deck and relax. Not having email access was amazing, I recommend everyone does that once a year especially when you work full time. 

We had a blast on Catalina Island. We rented bikes and rode everywhere. Ensenada was also amazing. We did an awesome zip line/suspension bridge course and it was sketchy. We skipped one of the bridges, because I am a pansy, but I am okay with that. We also had some of the best street tacos on Ensenada. I also bought some rip off sunglasses and no they haven't broken... yet. 

Whenever we were at sea we had a ton of stuff to do on the boat. We went to some of the game shows they have, I sang Lady Gaga at karaoke, and spent a lot of time in the "Adults only" hot tubs at the back of the boat. I also kept my cruise tradition alive of wasting my money on the claw machine filled with stacks of $100. One day I will win.

You will also be tempted by the soft serve ice cream machines on the ship. I probably averaged 3 ice cream cones a day. It is almost impossible to avoid this!

Tip: On our first cruise we did one of expeditions through the cruise line. This time we got off the ship and started talking to people to find the best option for a good price. It was cheaper and still way fun! So my advice would be to find an expedition outside of the cruise! 

We had a great time with our close friends and definitely want to do another one in the future!

Here's our cruise experience!

him & her XX: one year older, wiser

H E R:

Curtis and I just celebrated our one year anniversary! One year seems like a long time, but I still feel like we are getting the hang of this whole marriage thing.

I can honestly say that I have never been happier than having Curtis by my side this past year. Everyone says that your wedding day is the happiest day of your life and in a sense it is. But for me it's the little things that happen every day that bring me the most joy.

When I wake up to Curtis making me eggs without me having to ask. The feeling/excitement I get when I see him for the first time after a long day. The comfort of knowing that it doesn't matter how much I hog the bed at night, Curtis will always be there in the morning.

Like I said before I don't feel like we are experts on marriage by any means, but we have learned a lot over this year.

Like it's okay to have arguments. It's hard to learn how to live with a boy or to be around someone 24/7. It's not supposed to be peachy all the time. It's just important to remember that we love each other and were on the same team.

Something I think is crucial is communication! A lot of times I will expect Curtis to do things without me having to tell him. Or assume he knows what I'm talking about without me actually saying anything. (Maybe it's a girl thing) Anyway, it's important to always communicate.

Even though it's only been a year we have to make sure we don't get too comfortable. I loved when we were dating and Curtis would leave me notes all the time and take me on thoughtful dates. If you don't continue to do things like this you will get in a rut! It's hard to remember, but just because you got married doesn't mean that you stop dating.

What an amazing year it's been and I'm excited for all the years to come!



H I M:


This year literally flew by! It sounds cliche, but time really does fly when you are having fun. I have never spent so much time with one person and to say we have been doing that for over a year now seems crazy to me. 

Marriage has panned out pretty much like I thought it would. I was always kind of nervous that I would miss having my alone time, but I find myself missing Hannah every day while I am at work. It is interesting to sit here and think that now we are in charge of our own futures, finances, decisions, etc. It has been a little scary, but overall a great learning experience. Now that we are married we are on our own!

I would say that the best part about marriage is never having to worry about being myself (weird). Somehow, Hannah not only loves me through it, but acts just as weird as I do. I love knowing that some things I do, do not phase Hannah. We were meant for each other. 

Hannah has been an amazing companion to me. She has helped me become more organized with my work and life in general. She sets a great example of using time wisely and I really love that about her. Everyone says you need to marry someone who makes you a better person. She makes me a better person. We are still two different people with opinions and personalities, but like Hannah said, we are on the same team and we are working towards the same goals. 

Remembering that helps us overcome our differences. I am thankful for such a loving, determined wife. If one year was this entertaining, crazy, fun, and fast, I can't wait for the rest of forever with my wife.

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