see ya later 2012.

This is my official good-bye post to 2012. It has been a pretty solid year, thankfully with more ups than downs and countless blessings. We are grateful for everyone and everything we have. Here's to welcoming 2013 with open arms and looking forward to what the year has in store for us! Have fun celebrating and Happy New Year!

the last wedding (of 2012!)

We survived another whirlwind wedding weekend with all of our friends and it was another awesome time together. The ceremony took place at a beautiful old Catholic church and the reception was held at an equally beautiful ballroom venue. It was perfect for a winter wedding and everything looked amazing. Especially my hubs while he was all decked out in his tux being an usher and sang the couple's first dance song. The reception was an absolute blast full of dancing, drinks and desserts. It was incredible. The drive home wasn't too bad either...especially coming home to watch the Vikings game and their big win to send them into playoffs! Whoo whoo, go Vikes! Now we are just looking forward to celebrating New Year's and having a few more days of vacation before work and school start up again!

all the girls dolled up and ready for the wedding!

enjoying a cocktail hour drink with the hubs before he sings!

Friday Funnies - 12.28

Yes, it is another Friday Funny AND the last one of the year!!!! Before I get to the funnies, I have an announcement to make: today marks the three year anniversary when Jordan and I started dating! Who knew that three years ago when he overheard me complaining in the Dance Marathon office and three nights of studying together for finals would lead to the life we now have together?! And this afternoon we are heading to Chicago for our friend Kev and Mandi's wedding, another DM couple! Jordan is an usher and singing their first dance song plus we get to see a lot of friends all reunited so it should be a fun weekend together! I hope everyone has a fun and relaxing weekend after the holiday madness and rush of the season....or if you are traveling somewhere for New Year's Eve, have a great weekend celebrating and safe travels!

loving life pool side...

hating life airport terminal side...

Here's something funny...in less than six hours, we went through a 75 DEGREE TEMPERATURE CHANGE...

    

  

                      

too bad I wasn't feeling this good and ready to paarrrrrrty on our flights back home!

But this scene (and movie as a whole!) never gets old!

Life At Sea on the Carnival Destiny!

our first official Cruise picture!
all aboard the Carnival Destiny!

Carnival cruise line, you did it again. I went on a cruise 10ish years ago with my family and remembered having an awesome time and fun running around on the boat with my brother and sister and touring the islands with my family. I knew when Jordan and I booked our cruise that we would (obviously!) have a completely different trip but still the same amazing and rewarding experience. And we definitely did just that! I have told several people since our trip that if you're looking for a VERY budget-friendly and cost-effective vacation that includes a lot of EVERYTHING, then a cruise is the perfect choice! We couldn't have been happier with our vacation because we got the combination of perfect sunny skies and weather every day mixed with warm temperatures, fun adventure excursions, the beach, the ocean and countless views, funny entertainment and delicious food! It really was the best decision for us and a wonderful vacation to celebrate our marriage and escape from the world for awhile after a stressful semester!

Anyway! Back to the actual cruise itself to sum up our honeymoon recaps...not that I want to admit that our trip is over and I am out of things to talk about from the trip (but not really...I just don't want to keep boring you all, ha!) but we do have plenty of other things coming up and happening soon that I will be blogging on! The first day of the cruise we got through security super fast and were on board before we knew it with a drink in hand so vacation had officially started!

full shot of the top deck with the Miami skyline as we were leaving the port

ready for vacation to start!

We spent the afternoon touring the boat and checking out all of the hang out zones and where we would be spending our week. We unpacked our bag in our room, got settled in and then headed to the top deck to enjoy some drinks, dancing and celebrate setting sail! We roamed through the casino which turned out to be torture for Jordan each time but at least the one time we sat down to play, we won $30 and walked away so it paid off! We went to a comedy show and "game show mania" the first night then after dinner, headed back to the top deck to finish the night off by watching The Notebook on the big seaside theater. Yay for chick flick night and a husband who actually likes chick flicks!

our room...we picked it ourselves because of 11

Jordan loving the Christmas decorations!

"it wasn't over....it still isn't over!!"
one of the best chick flicks around!

The next day, we had a day at sea which meant a day spent in the sun while napping, reading and straight up relaxing with not a single worry in the world! It was perfect weather with clear skies. I can't say it enough how perfect the weather was all week while we were on vacation! Since it was Sunday, that meant NFL Sunday Football games so when the boat announced they would be showing two games on the big screen, Jordan was pretty stoked for that. Seriously, laying out AND watching football?! Sign me up! It was also the fancy formal night at dinner so after a day of sun, we got to dress up for the evening and enjoy feeling elegant! We went to another entertainment show then watched the football game and called it a night since we knew we had an early morning the next day with our stop in Jamaica! 

first day at sea!

dessert with a view!

prime time Sunday football

elegant night before dinner!
Merry Christmas from The Easton's on the cruise!

one of our many towel animals...
we loved seeing what our room steward made up for us each night!

one of my favorite pictures of us together from the trip.
love you Mr. E

The next two days were our days at the islands which left us with one full day at sea on Wednesday before we made it back to the mainland. Surprisingly, the week did not fly by which we were both pleasantly surprised about because I thought for sure the week was going to fly by in the blink of an eye. We spent our last full day at sea by getting in everything that we had been wanting to do throughout the week! We bought our photos along with a Carnival shot glass and a big fin Christmas ornament to commemorate our special trip together! Of course the day wouldn't have been complete without a couple of hours laying out in the sun so we did that as well to get a few more rays in before heading home to the cold winter weather! Since it was so close to the holidays, the boat was all decorated for Christmas with fancy trees and wreaths/garland every where which was beautiful! The last night they had a big holiday show and played ELF and White Christmas on the sea side theater. It was the perfect way to end the last night on our cruise and get us back in the holiday spirit to head home for Christmas! 

hanging out before dinner!
isn't that dress the most perfect dress for a cruise and sunny vacation?!
Thanks Gordmans for the great deal!

posing with Long Neck

another towel animal....we at first kept calling it a puppy
but now looking at it, I think it's supposed to be a pig!

lazy night in after our past two days of adventure!

snuggling with the puppy towel and pretending it was Paisley!

the path our ship took...it is crazy to think how far away we actually were
and that we went all the way around Cuba!

last full day....

why do all good things have to come to an end?! 

now that's love. 

Elf!!!! my all time favorite Christmas movie
while on vacation...perfect!

last morning so it was time to enjoy one last delicious breakfast
and mimosa before saying goodbye to the boat! 

good bye cruise! We loved you!

And there it is...our whole vacation! We had the trip of a lifetime and are so grateful and thankful for the help of my family especially along with several other family members and friends who helped to send us on this trip! It was a beyond amazing experience that we got to share with one another and I think proof that we could handle being on The Amazing Race together as a team (that is, if Janelle let's Jordan be my teammate although I would happily take either of them as my teammate even though I'm sure the two of them together would dominate...is there anyway we can do a team of three?!!) Anyway! We loved every minute of it and are happy to still have a golden tan and enough memories and pictures to last us a lifetime. Here's to many more amazing vacations in the future for us...and possibly the kids if we decide to be that crazy and let them join us! We already would love to go on another cruise with some couples so that I can enjoy laying out and some fruity drinks with the girls while Jordan and the guys enjoy some beers and gambling in the casino! All in all, it was an incredible nine days and I couldn't have asked for a better vacation with a more perfect husband to spend it with! 

6x6 Miles of Beauty: Grand Cayman Island

That's how big the whole island of Grand Cayman is. 6 miles by 6 miles. And it is pure beauty and amazingness that is for sure. When we got to the island, there wasn't a big port for the boat to dock up at so we got to board a smaller tender boat to take us to shore. We could see the bottom of the ocean and some coral and fish already just on the short ride in so I knew we were in for one memorable day. There were four other cruise ships ported at the island so when we first got off, it was sort of chaotic with a mass amount of people trying to find their excursions and tour groups but thankfully, we found our group quickly. We had about half an hour before leaving on our excursion so we just took in the beauty, sights, sounds and smells of the island...then before we knew it, we were walking towards the shore line to board the boat to cruise around the island and do some parasailing!

To start with, the two guys that took us out on the boat to parasail were both rockstars. One was from Australia and we aren't sure where the other one was from but he definitely had some sort of accent...and he is dating a girl from Ankeny, IA! We were amazed at what a small world it really is especially when we found out two of the other parasailers were also from Iowa, about twenty minutes away from where we live! Anyway, so we took off and were cruising around the shoreline and it was awesome being able to see the beach, the coral, the resorts and enjoy the sun and breeze all at the same time. The two Iowa boys went first and it was scary watching them because I didn't realize how high we actually would be released so I was nervous but excited! Next thing I knew, we were getting life jackets on and our harnesses straped up and ready to go.... The boat driver said that when we were being brought back in he could dip in either "small, medium, big or surprise" and of course Jordan wanted to say surprise but I was too chicken and shouted, "SMALL!!!!" The guys both laughed and said, "yeah we will see what you get..." Not exactly what I wanted to hear right before taking off because right after that, they released the rope! We were quickly lifted off the back of the boat and flying backwards up into the sky. The first word that comes to mind when I think about our parasailing experience is peaceful. We had ten minutes sailing high in the sky completely to ourselves and separate from the world! It was so peaceful and relaxing mixed with amazing views and breathtaking sights...I wish we could relive that moment again and again! It was truly incredible and we loved every minute of it. Once we were being brought back down, I was nervous at how much we were going to get dipped and finally, we hit the water only to our knees so it was actually pretty refreshing! BUT, I'm glad we didn't get dipped any further than that! After we sailed, three other groups went so we got to enjoy some more time cruising around on the boat before heading to the beach...

Once we got to the beach, we knew it was going to be tough to leave. Nearly impossible actually because it was pure heaven. The beach was the softest, brightest, whitest sand I have ever seen and the first white sand beach Jordan had ever been on. Paired with the blue and turquoise water, it made us feel like we were on a beach that you would see in a travel magazine. Which would be true since Grand Cayman is ranked and known for being one of the most beautiful islands and 7-Mile Beach, the one we were on, is one of the world's most beautiful beaches. And it definitely deserves that title! We spent the rest of the afternoon laying out and soaking up the sun on the beach while enjoying the peacefulness of the island life and each other's company. The sand never felt hot and the water was the perfect temperature to swim in and cool off in. We walked all the way down the beach before heading back to the port then walked through the town back to the main shopping area and ship. We felt 100x safer walking around here than we did in Jamaica...it is clear that Grand Cayman is a pretty wealthy country and one where people move to live there or have vacation homes. While waiting to board the boat, Jordan and I discussed what we would do if we stayed on the island forever...first things first, I said we would need to get a way for Paisley to join us! Then Jordan said he would work with the parasailing crew and other water activity companies. I decided I would open a craft shop and sell crafty handmade items to all of the tourists. I think that would be quite the life to say the least! Well I have done more than enough talking so I will let the pictures bring my words to life...

Welcome to Grand Cayman Island! 

water and coral on the tender boat ride to the island

arghh matey!

up next to parasail!

all hooked up and ready to go!

and we are off!

we were really up there and far away!

one of the crew guys took pictures for us and this one makes me laugh every time!

kissing and sailing high in the sky together :)

the dip! 

first things first at the beach...writing in the sand!
notice our rings on our "ring fingers"?!
Thanks Pinterest for the photo idea!

a perfect day at 7 Mile Beach

"we should be on a Ray Ban commercial"
-Jordan

my Mrs. towel and ring

my Mr. with his ring and towel
(thanks Mom for the special towels...we loved them!)

Hi Husband :)

this is the life.

We are already looking forward to the day when we can return to Grand Cayman Island...or at least another island and location that ranks just as high up there in beauty, adventure, relaxation and everything! It was the most perfect day and weather that we got and it was so hard to leave the island! We couldn't have asked for a more relaxing and fun day to spend together away from the world!

Merry Christmas from The Easton's!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!! 

Merry Christmas from The Easton's! We hope you have a wonderful day celebrating this special time of year and are surrounded by family and friends. Jordan and I are lucky to be celebrating with his family and I am thankful to have my family only a phone call away. Santa even found us this morning in Cedar Rapids so we are excited to watch some new movies and spend the day lounging, eating good food and relaxing with everyone! May your day be warm and filled with memories, love and laughter. :)

Welcome to Jamaica, mon!

Welcome To Ocho Rios!
see it in the bushes?!

After loving up a day in the sun by having a day at sea, we arrived at Ocho Rios, Jamaica for our first port. We were both pretty pumped for this stop because we were going ziplining through the canopy of the rainforest! I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous but I definitely was scared! Our group was taken by bus throughout the Jamaica country side and we drove right along the coast the whole time. On one side we had the view of the ocean which was beautiful and on the other side, we had the view of the mountain and rainforest area which was also a beautiful view. Jordan and I felt very sheltered because we knew Jamaica was a poor country but we didn't realize just how poor it really is until visiting there. We saw kids walking barefoot through gravel and on the side of the roads wearing nothing but scraps of clothes and they were all skin and bones. We saw some kids playing with rocks and sticks but still laughing and smiling with one another. There were huts and 3-sided "houses" throughout the countryside and a lot of run down looking areas. It was clear that people live there but it was hard to imagine how they live there. Seeing all of that made us feel very fortunate for everything we have in our own lives and made us take a step back to realize, we really do have it all and there are countless more people who have little to nothing or are worse off than us. It was a real eye-opener that's for sure...

We drove to St. Ann's and it was about a thirty minute bus ride. Once we got to the mountain, we met the ziplining crew who got all us suited up and in the gear so we were ready to zipline. We rode up a little higher in the mountain then hiked through the rainforest until we got to the first landing to start the ziplining. There were 8 totals lines and one rappel line we went down. In total, it was a 4 hour tour but it went by super fast and was a huge thrill! There were some sorority girls, an older couple and another couple around our age that made up our group for the afternoon so we had all sorts of age ranges and a good mix of guys and girls. After the initial line, all my fears were gone and it was nothing but soaring and taking in all the sights and sounds after that! It was an amazing feeling to be going over some waterfalls and some beautiful flowers and wildlife. Thankfully, we didn't see any snakes or anything but lots of vibrant colors and cool sounds! It was a once in a lifetime experience and I'm so thankful we decided to pull the trigger and go for it! 

see that pole in the middle? That's where we drove up to and hiked to for the start of our ziplining adventure!

country side driving along Jamaica

geared up and ready to go!

weeee! here we go!!!

look, one handed!

half way done!
taking a break on one of the landing piers

walking back to the boat and had to stop to pose under this sign....

across from the beach!
we didn't want to pay just to go stand on the beach so we enjoyed it from afar!

Jordan posing with the boat

The Carnival Destiny in all her glory ported at Ocho Rios!

We decided that if we were to ever go back to Jamaica that it would definitely have to be at an all-inclusive resort. Once we got out around the little shop areas, it was pretty shady and lots of people approached us trying to get us to buy anything and everything. It was pretty alarming and not really our style so we happily went back to the ship to eat some lunch and lounge since there was only an hour left until we set sail again anyway. Ziplining was incredible and I would highly recommend it to anyone who ever has the opportunity to do it! It was a rush and exhilarating all at once and left us feeling pumped up...I said we are one step closer now to being able to get on The Amazing Race after ziplining! 

Well, it's Christmas Eve (day) right now so that means it is time for me to shower and get some stuff packed so we can head to Jordan's parents for Christmas! We aren't fully celebrating until the 26th because his sister works tomorrow and I work the morning of the 26th but we will get some family time in now anyway... What would Christmas be without family anyway?! We are really looking forward to our yearly Christmas tradition of watching The Polar Express tonight and hopefully Santa finds us tomorrow morning in Cedar Rapids! I hope you all have a wonderful and very Merry Christmas! Enjoy all of the family time together! I'm really missing mine right now and wish I could see them all tomorrow or later this week.... but hopefully it is sooner than later when we are all reunited again! Until then, I'm sending lots of love and Christmas spirit to them all!