Honeymooners

Call me stubborn, but I really want to finish this little wedding anniversary game I started. While on vacation in Cleveland I realized this extended trip down memory lane actually had a healthy impact on my marriage. I'd recommend unabashedly responding to the game questions to any one.   

So today, I'll visit questions 12 and 14 (like how I always just edit things to fit my desires?).

12.  Honeymoon:  where'd you go?

14.  First place you lived together:  pics if you have them

Ben and I didn't have the typical definition of honeymoon: beach getaway while hungover on wedding bliss. We were married on a Saturday, and spent that night and Sunday night at the Anniversary Inn downtown SLC.  We had to head back to Logan Monday morning because Ben was enrolled in summer school classes.  He did this so we could graduate together the next Spring.  

The next weekend we flew out to Chicago (for a backyard open house in Rockton, his hometown).   

We went to the Field Museum and saw Sue.

We also went to a White Sox game with my family, who flew in for the open house.  That night we stayed in the nicest hotel room we will ever have the pleasure of staying in.  Or maybe it was just newly wed bliss, but it seemed real fancy pantsy.  

The first place we lived was a cheap-o studio apartment just off campus in Logan. We loved our young married student ward. We loved campus life as a couple, the whole experience really changes once you are married. Ben worked on law school applications and spent a week visiting different campuses he'd been accepted to. He also worked at the library. I worked at the Buckle and tutored student athletes in English and Psychology. I also did my student teaching.  

We LOVED Logan. I can't imagine any University being more picturesque than Utah State. Some things we did that first year there that I don't want to forget are: 

Rented an ORC canoe and explored the wetlands out West with Katie. We also attempted to canoe across porcupine dam for a primitive camping spot, but we tipped over instead. Can't forget that memory!

We took plenty of hikes around Hyrum and Logan canyons.  

We goofed off on campus and were involved in the students-together-ending-poverty (STEP) program

We didn't let winter weather stop us from exploring the canyons during the winter.  I miss ORC rentals.  Snowshoeing is awesome times 200.

Ben shaved himself a creepy mustache and we graduated.  Yipee!

The summer after graduation is what really felt like our honeymoon. We were kind of hobos for a few months. We didn't want to keep renting in Logan, our jobs didn't pay enough for that to really be worth it. But we definitely weren't ready to move out to DC in May. So we just bummed off our parents and lived out of our car for two months.  It was pure pleasure.  

Fishing in Canada

Smoching at Niagra Falls

Touring all around Yellowstone and Tetons backyard.

Hiking through Bear country.

And camping in the backcountry.

Don't forget, gaining 20 lbs!  I mean, visiting Great Basin's heartland. 

During our first year of marriage we also visited Zions, so we kind of joked we saw more National Parks in just a few short months then Ben had seen in his whole life.  That's what Utah living does for ya'.  It's good for the soul.