My perfect first date...
I don't have any really big opinions and it depends on how well you know the person. But I think a first date should be in a small group.
I think the entire date shouldn't be centered around talking. That can be very ucomfortable. But then again, not being able to talk at all kind of defeats the purpose of a date.
So, here's my idea:
Go to dinner or grab dessert.
Play board games with a few other "first date" couples.
If it goes well, ask for a second within a couple days!
I think the second is when to focus on really getting to know each other.

There are some of my random dating thoughts, though I've kind of stopped caring about that sort of thing..... :)

 ...and it feels so good!
You may now call my Lindsay Patterson, B.S.
Just kidding. That sounds terrible.

Like I said, this is gonna take a while....

Here is a picture of pizza:
Because that is what we ate tonight!
I am too lazy to take a picture of the real thing.

Tom made it :)

That's how long I worked today.
I didn't sit down for 11 hours.

But I did make $110 in tips!

So, I'm finally getting started. And I do this because I have a picture of myself to post!

...from a crazy cat lady and a luchador.

Our cat is pretty cool. She brings us presents every day! Here are the beauties she's been leaving for us.



Oh Opie, thank you for loving us so much.

We went to Round-Up this year. It was a really short trip (too short) but still fun. The posse consisted of Tom and I and his parents. Sometimes it also included Miranda. That, of course, was the best part.
It was so nice to be back in Pendleton just relaxing and enjoying the festivities. We walked around downtown, went to the Rodeo and Happy Canyon, and took Miranda on the feris wheel (I don't know how to spell that). I was so afraid she was going to try jumping out or something, but she just sat on Tom's lap the whole time.
Man, I love that girl with a kind of love I've never felt before.
I didn't take any pictures, but we met up with my friend Jenny at the rodeo and here's one I took with her camera. It kinda counts.

Jenny and her boyfriend Martin.

Here's a picture from climbing the Grande Teton at the beginning of August. This was at the Lower Saddle. It was freezing!

Isn't funny how people tell you all about marriage before you get married? And isn't it funny how you think "I'm not stupid. I can be married." therefore, you don't really listen?

And then, you're married. And then you realize that you should have listened.
maybe that's just me.

I never thought about how hard it would be to combine two lives together. I always thought that meant compromise and telling someone where you are all the time (like with your parents). But it is very literal. We are trying to SMOOSH two lives together, and it makes for one very busy combined life.

The 7-week break between Spring and Fall semester used to be time for me to go back to Oregon, spend time with family, and save up some money working at Subway. That was pretty much it.
But, now I have a home to take care of, a husband studying for the DAT, and some sort of family reunion every weekend.

Oh how the Spice Girls mislead me.

At the beginning of August we had a great time going home (Pendleton) for my cousin Jordan's wedding. Here is the wedding party:






I loved the colors. So fun! We each wore different colored salt water sandals with matching shirts.







And here is a picture of the "brinca brinca" (jump house) provided for "babysitting"

Here are some highlights from the last 6 months (it makes me feel "caught up").



We honeymooned at the Oregon coast (with only a disposable camera),














We did humanitarian dental work in Guatemala,










I got my very own kitty (photo compliments of Allison Olesen),











And we moved to St. Anthony, Idaho to finish schooling (pictured here is a little friend trying to hide in our bathtub. He was not harmed.)







I know more than that has happened but these seem to be the only things I took pictures of. Newlywed life is such an adventure!

That is what brings us to this blog today. Tom and I were married January 22, 2010 in the Twin Falls, Idaho LDS temple.
To make it REALLY official, we now have this blog.