Honeymoonin' it!

We went to San Francisco for our honeymoon. Here are a bunch of snapshots from our trip. We had a blast! Our hotel was a couple blocks from the Fisherman's Wharf. We nearly ate out San Francisco's supply of clam chowder in sourdough bread bowls. Good stuff!

Me on the famous Cable Car

Us and the San Francisco skyline.

We took a cruise out into the bay just on a little fishing boat. We went under the Golden Gate Bridge and around Alcatraz island. The wind was blowing making it a very cold, wet ride. Luckily they provided a rubber lined blanket to keep us a little warmer and drier.

The most dangerous prisoner of Alcatraz...Scary :-)

Me with a view. That is Ghiradelli Square above my left shoulder. Super good chocolate!

We rented a car and drove out to Oakland where we were able to attend the Oakland Temple. It is beautifully located on top of a hill with a view of Oakland. And if of course has palm trees. Sure don't see that as part of the landscape at any of the Utah temples!

This is the plane that carried us home. In Argentina when we flew from Buenos Aires to Neuquen we actually stepped from the ground to the plane, but I thought that was just because it was Argentina. Look here. They do crazy things like that in California too. The plane looks a lot smaller from this angle - oh wait...it was a small plane!

Part of the whole adventure of the honeymoon was the security checks at the airport. My boarding pass was bought and my new married name was put on it, not the name that was still on my I.D. We explained to all the checker people that we had just been married, and we even had our marriage license with us to prove it. They had to make sure I wasn't some crazy person trying to break onto the airplane so I had to go through "special" security. At both airports, after we explained why my ticket didn't match my I.D. the person shouted out, loudly, at the other security person who would come over and look through my carry on. I had to stand in this plastic box thing and then, without warning, air was puffed at me from all angles. I was told later that they analyze the dust and things that come off my body to make sure I didn't have anything suspiscious on me. That was fun!

The Wedding...

We were married March 10th, 2007 in the Bountiful Temple. It was a magical day, and one that we had anticipated for at least 5 years. We (and when I say "we" here, I mean "I") chose purple as our color. All shades of purple. Brett liked the idea of a Weber State purple, I liked the idea of a more subdued purple. Needless to say, I won. It was wonderful. And once again...pictures that Amy took. She's good!

This is our wedding party: Carrie, Landon, Jon, Aaron,

Bryan and Kirsten. Good, fun times...running through

soggy grass bare-footed!

Bridal Fun...

Amy, my very talented sister, was my photographer for my bridals as well as the wedding. Another piece of advice...don't try to take pictures in a short-sleeved wedding dress in the middle of winter in Northern Utah. That was freezing! But very fun. A couple weeks before my wedding, Amy, Kirsten and I drove down to St. George to hang out with Carrie and take more pictures...in the sunshine this time. I absolutely loved how the red rock worked as a backdrop. Very pretty! And amazingly enough, the red dirt didn't make my dress dirty. Cool. Once again I'm stealing pictures from Amy to add character to this blog!

The Engagement...

(Amy took this picture for our announcement)

Brett proposed December 31st, 2006 as we were returning from Idaho after a companion's homecoming. We were going along enjoying the drive and Brett says he is getting tired of driving and wanted to pull off the freeway and go through a neighborhood for a change of scenery. I told him I would drive for him and we could just continue along, but he didn't like that idea. We ended up driving up the North Ogden Divide where he pulled off at a little overlook spot. He told me he wanted to get out of the car to look at the view. I told him to go for it but that I was perfectly happy in my warm car looking at the sights and that he would be getting out by himself-I wasn't going to join him. He was quite crushed and practically demanded that I get out into the freezing coldness with him. So I did...and not very enthusiastically either! I made some comment about how all the orange city lights were boring and could we please get back in the car now? Instead Brett started talking about how much he loved me and wanted me to be in his life forever (it was a very sweet bit, but I was freezing cold, looking at orange lights...try to see it from my point of view!). He finished his speech and then we just stood there. I didn't know it, but he was waiting for a car to pass. I just thought the moment was over, and wanted back in the car! As I turned to get back in, he got on his knee and asked if I would marry him. Next thing you have to understand...he had tricked me only one week earlier by making me think he was proposing, and he really wasn't, plus I really didn't think he had had time to get a ring. I thought this was just another trick. I was wrong, but didn't know it. So when he asked his question I laughed and said "Oh, yeah right!". He stayed on his knee and then I noticed that his hand was extended toward me and that he had something in it. I hadn't noticed before because of the dark. I realized it was real...and said "yes". That's my version of the tale. He would, no doubt, change it a little and make me look like a real mean person!

The front of our announcement - Amy snapped the shot and designed the card.

A brief history...

We met our Junior year at Northridge High in our LDS Seminary class (free advertisement for Seminary: who knows who you'll meet when you attend Seminary, it could be your future spouse!). We didn't have our first date until that summer (year 2000) and went on a few dates after that one. In May 2001 we became official "boyfriend/girlfriend" after the infamous "So...does this mean that you're my girlfriend?".

In July 2004, I (Crystal), received my mission call to the Neuquen Argentina Mission. I was to enter the MTC September 22nd. Brett turned in his papers later than I did and I thought for sure I wouldn't know where he was going before I was already tucked away in the MTC. The Friday before I left, Brett got a phone call from his Stake Pres. He was told he had been called to the Osorno Chile Mission and would need to be in the MTC in 2 weeks. Hence...the reason we were in the MTC together! We saw each other occaisonally and would greet with a handshake and a smile. We created our own secret hand signs and more than likely drove our companions crazy. It was fun - a grand adventure...but I don't recommend being in the MTC at the same time as your boyfriend/girlfriend!

The Neuquen Argentina mission is the very south of Argentina and the Osorno Chile mission is the very south of Chile. If you know you're geography you know that they are next-mountain-neighbors. At one point Brett and I were only a mountain range away from each other (a very large mountain range, but that's a small detail!). We both thoroughly enjoyed our missions and the countries we served in. It was incredibly amazing for both of us. I came home March 3rd, 2006 and Brett made it home October 13th, 2006 - minus all his luggage. We still haven't seen it.

We have no pictures of all this...it happened before we had the convenience of a digital camera! You'll just have to believe me.