Our Honeymoon!

Ben and I had a VERY low-key honeymoon, which I was totally fine with because who needs a big fancy get-a-way when just being in your own apartment together and being together is new, exciting and entertaining enough. Apparently, it was VERY exciting because believe it or not (and this is the one I kick myself and vent to Ben most about), we do not have ONE picture of that ENTIRE week! Our honeymoon, first week as a married couple, our bed and breakfast getaway to Providence Inn-all those special things-NOTHING!!! (insert whatever newlywed joke you like here)

Being as I had no pictures I will share most of the week through writing and the few pictures I have in this post will be ones that I shamelessly stole from the internet, as well as others from later times in our married journey together when we went back to re-live our memories there at those places

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Ben and I took a week and a half off of work to simply be together and relax after all of the wedding planning and then the actual event had come to a happy and successful close. I LOVED being with him with no curfews or goodbyes or any interruptions of any kind-we even turned our phones off. So it was like we were the only two that existed-for that week anyway. We.loved.it.

From sunrise to sunset it was all about just me and my Ben. (The pictures above were the GORGEOUS views we enjoyed while out driving or sitting on our balcony at our apartment while talking and being together- (f you know me, you know how much I LOVE the sky-by FAR my favorite part of nature).

 Our 1st apartment was pretty humble, but at $450 a month including all utilities, views like this, and a nice open floor plan that was good for entertaining-VERY important, not to mention the glorious fact that it had 2 closets in the only master bedroom -it was our own little safe haven in the world and we could not have been any happier.

I still remember how much I LOVED waking up next to Ben every morning. Sleeping next to him every night was another story as he is a total cuddler and I like to sprawl out in my own space-especially in the summer-it is HOT! (I am NOT one of those girls that gets cold easily) I may or may not have called my mother at the end of the week telling her I needed to come home to catch up on sleep, because I was not getting a wink between letting Ben hold me while waiting for the opportunity for him to fall into a deep enough sleep that I could sneak away, just to have him grab me and hold me all the closer, while invading my side of the bed even further. I love him though so the sleepless nights were worth it (This seems to be a ritual with the boys I love and share a home with-Jayden as a newborn, Caleb as the whining puppy-good thing they are all so cute and fun to be with-and totally worth it). Ben and I have since worked out a system to meet both our needs. We cuddle and talk in bed for a bit then I stretch out and fall asleep and he cuddles with the body pillow(I call it his “girlfriend” or “night mistress”-although I must admit I am becoming more of a snuggler myself, and I think Ben prefers cuddling with me a bit more the his “night mistress”-at least he had better!

It was is so much fun to have a place all our own to just be together. (Don’t mind the crazy hair on the left-I had not tamed done it for the day yet and it is very curly and crazy naturally). It was fun to wake up and get ready alongside one another each day. Ben also liked taking really random pictures of me while I would get ready.

Most people say the beginning of marriage is hard as far as adjusting as such…I didn’t really notice (other than adjusting to sharing my space with a major cuddler at night-that was the only hard part), because I was too busy being excited about and enjoying living with my best friend. I think it helps that we are best friends and also how long we have known one another really helped with that. Having to share my space did have its perks though, like having my wardrobe get bigger with tons of comfy, good-smelling guy clothes to wear-my FAVORITE! (I think I still wear Ben’s clothes more often than my own and our laundry proves it-I can’t help myself, I LOVE wearing his clothes-I am wearing his sweat pants and one of his big t-shirts as we speak-point proven)

The morning after our wedding night we lay in bed just basking in the fact that we were now married and our life would now completely involve one another. Though I was out of bed pretty excitedly when I remembered all the gifts waiting for us in the front room (remember my whole "Christmas-loving-thing", well same story here. I LOVE opening gifts-who doesn't?). It took us literally hours to get through all of them and notate who gave us what for our thank you cards. We felt SO loved and everyone’s cards were so sweet! Ben and I kept saying things like "Wow, this is taking forever!" and "Holy cow! There are more hiding under the couch". We did not mind, however, since the only thing on our schedule was still a few days away-the following Tuesday when we had a reservation for Providence Inn (A PERFECT wedding gift from my parent's-might I add). We lounged, cuddled, watched movies, made and ate yummy food together-in OUR kitchen!,  talked and just enjoyed being together. I was grateful that after months of busy wedding business while juggling life, it wasn't a rush to finish the reception, to rush to the airport, to rush to some exotic location that we probably would not fully enjoy much of anything because of being plenty content just the two of us in some hotel room (TMI?-sorry, but it is the truth). We decided to save the BIG travels and trips for later anniversaries and just bask in the simple things and save our money because, why go extreme when the simple is just as new and exciting? I am now excitedly expecting and planning out those bigger trips just so you know, Ben.

The funniest story of our “wedding week” as we called it, was skipping out on our own ward and sneaking into another ward on the Sunday 2 days after we were married. I still remember my Mom telling me how awkward it was as she assumed everyone’s first thought when her and my Dad went to their ward for the first time just to have everyone sweetly ask, “So, when were you married?” and my Mom and Dad awkwardly replying, “Oh, yesterday”. Remembering my Mom telling me of the awkwardness of it all and wanting to avoid that whole “we were just married and it was obvious there was a big new connection taking place now in our relationship-which we believe only to be right in a married relationship would be pretty obvious to anyone who asked us when we were married” scenario. The fact that it went from being seen as sinful to a blessing and encouraged after a quick ceremony, made it all still a little new and awkward (maybe there is some benefit to leaving town for a honeymoon after all-no one knows you or will remember you there). Being the “silly blushing newlyweds” that we were we found a church house in town and hid in the back. Looking back now, I am aware of my silliness, but back then it was just the only thing that made us me comfortable. A little pathetic-I know, but I was a bit of a blushing bride…

These pictures were taken months later…just to give you an idea…

We enjoyed another day in OUR apartment and then headed to Providence (near Logan) to the Providence Inn Bed and Breakfast. After relaxing for a  few days, we were excited to get out together. Ben even let me blast my Celine Dion and sing through the entire canyon (I LOVE driving in the car, blasting my music, while singing at the top of my lungs). I still remember how good it felt to have the kind of love and story I had always dreamt about and enjoyed in her songs come to life. She has been my all time FAVORITE singer since I was about 10. For the first time in my life love and putting myself out there was finally worth it and felt so good-nothing short of a miracle if you ask me.

Not too long later (the nice thing about a close honeymoon spot) we arrived at our honeymoon getaway destination. I still remember thinking how beautiful and romantic of a location and setting Providence Inn was (thanks again Mom and Dad for starting the tradition-they go almost every year around Christmas time together and I can see why they love it so. Ben and I have already been back twice in the almost 5 years we have been married).

We stayed in the New Orleans Room and it was to-die-for elegant! It has such an ambiance about it. The pictures below definitely say it all:

We enjoyed Café Sabor (a yummy Mexican restaurant converted from an old train station) with special discounts for staying at Providence Inn that evening. Can’t beat good food and a great deal!

 

After arriving back at our room at the Inn, we relaxed and enjoyed movies in bed (the Illusionist and the Robin Hood with Kevin Costner as well as a few others), accompanied with LOTS of their famous chocolate chip cookies and cuddling, and of course loving baths as I do, I really LOVED relaxing in the majestic jetted tub!!!  The next morning we slept in and woke up to a scrumptious breakfast in bed!

After checking out we met up with Neil and Janette Lyman-a couple that served in Ben’s mission. We laughed and visited in their beautiful home for a while before they treated us out to lunch. It was so fun to get to know them and Ben’s mission experience as they reminisced over memories and stories. It was fun to hear about a chapter in his life I did not know much about. They sure seemed to love Ben and I definitely knew why! He is such an amazing, kind, compassionate and good person. I remember feeling so lucky that I got to be his and this sweet couple made sure to keep reminding me of that fact in case I forgot-not that I could!

We had some fun on the town after spending time with the Lymans before heading back home for a few more leisurely days before normal life had to pick back up-unfortunately. First we hit up Firehouse Pizza for a yummy lunch and of course fazooki’s and then headed to the mall for a little shopping. It.was.perfect.

The wedding and honeymoon were romantic and a success and started the core theme of our life together as husband and wife. Our beginnings as an “official” married couple up next!