Wedding Pictures

You can see pictures of wedding and receptions, more than you could ever want to see, by going here: http://picasaweb.google.com/aliciafantastica

The First Six Months of Marriage

Tom and I have not been good about updating our blog. I guess we figured if you know us, you know what we're doing. Or you are friends on Facebook and get our little status updates all the time.

But I guess it's time to check in again and document our life together.

Actually we've been married nearly seven months, and I can't think of a happier time in my life! We have the most fun together. In October, we started doing things to the house, like painting the interior in cheerful shades of yellow and cream. One of my mission companions, Jennifer Dunn, is an interior designer, and she came up and helped us pick out colors and come up with a plan. It's looking pretty cute, and we just have a few more touches like curtains in some areas and furniture refinishing in others. It helps to have a small house!

In November we enjoyed Thanksgiving up at our friends' the Weinbergs, along with my parents who came to visit. December was very busy; we had Christmas with my parents in Salem, and for New Year's we went to Seattle Center to see the fireworks. In December we also both got callings at church. Tom is in the Elder's Quorum presidency, and I'm the Young Women's president. There are only three girls that come to church, so the job is pretty easy. They are also really nice girls and I'm having fun getting to know them.

During late winter and early spring nothing too exciting has happened. We are enjoying getting to know each other better and figuring out how our marriage works. Pretty much I feel like the luckiest girl in the world. Tom does so many nice things for me, and is always willing to help out. I've realized how much I dislike folding and putting away laundry. It seems I always have a basket of clean laundry on my bedroom floor, because I hate putting it away. Lucky me, he has become Captain Laundry! He is also Captain Bathroom and Captain Take Out the Trash. This is awesome! I tend to keep things tidy around the house, and do the grocery shopping and cooking. Tom can cook though, and often makes yummy things, I'm just a faster and more efficient cook, and most of the time we have to run somewhere after dinner so it's faster if I do it. Right this moment he's making Jambalaya for us, however!

Tom and I have lots to talk about and love going out and having fun together. We go on date nights to see movies or go ice skating, and we often go to the gym together. We're really looking forward to warmer weather and camping and hiking and other outdoor fun. In a couple of weeks, we're going to Orlando. I have a conference for work there, and Tom's going to to join me after it's over so we can go to Universal Studios, one of the Disney parks, and generally have a fabulous time in the sunshine. Tom's grandpa, aunt and uncle also live there, so we'll spend some time with them. We are so excited!

We are looking forward to doing things to the outside of our property as well. First off, we got a trampoline for the back yard! I have loved trampolines ever since I was a kid, and I always wanted one. We found one on Craig's list for $50, and so with some tools and elbow grease, we were able to put it up. It's just starting to get nice outside now, so we're going out more often to bounce around on it.

Another project we're beginning work on is terracing our front yard. We have a steeply sloped hill in the front yard, and it's covered in grass. It's hard to mow and looks terrible, and is pretty much wasted space. We want to cut in three terraces, and fill them with rich soil so we can use the space as a vegetable garden. It gets the most sun out of the rest of the property as well, so it will be perfect. But it's a huge, huge project. To save money we are making the walls out of broken concrete, so we've been driving all over Seattle in borrowed pick-ups to score as much broken sidewalk, driveway, and patio concrete that we can. We should start digging this week.

We are enjoying the adventure that life brings us, and hope to post more on our adventures soon!

Wedded Bliss

We got married on September 6th in the Portland Temple, following a whirlwind couple of weeks where there was so much to do, other weddings

to attend, friends in town, etc etc! But it was all worth it. The night before the wedding we had a reception in Salem at the home of family friends Neil and Dianne Lathen. It was a lovely little reception with incredibly delicious cake and lots of friends and family.

The next morning Tom and I, and our parents, were at the temple at 10 am. I wore the sari I bought in India to the temple. Inside, we changed into white clothes, and were sealed at 11 am with many of our close friends and family in attendance. It was beautiful. We all cried.

After the temple we took pictures, which was pretty chaotic! Then we had lunch before Tom and I left for our honeymoon. The honeymoon was a big surprise for me (Alicia), Tom had planned it all out ahead of time and didn't tell me where we were going. We wound up driving to Olympia (I napped the entire 2 hours), spending the night at an amazing historic bed and breakfast there, http://www.swantowninn.com/, then the next morning we drove to Port Angeles and took the ferry to Victoria. We stayed in Victoria for a few days, and had fun going hiking, to the Butchart Gardens, kayaking and biking, and having dinner with our friends Betty-Ann and Graham who live there. It was fantastic, and a wonderful surprise!! The weather couldn't have been better, either, it was sunny every day!

The next Friday we had our reception in Seattle. It was pretty big and lots of fun, we even had a pinata! Tom and I enjoyed talking to all our friends, dancing, and having a great time. We are so grateful to everyone who helped us out and those who came and celebrated with us.

Now we are back at home and settling in to normal life. Look forward to more pics and videos of the receptions and wedding coming soon.

Tom's Tale

For those of you who may not know who I am, here is a little about me!

It was a cold December night... OK that may be too much. I was born and grew up in Seattle. I left Seattle go to study Musical Theatre at BYU in Provo, Utah. I took a short break from my college education to get a broader learning as a missionary in Spain. I lived for two years in the northern part of Spain (Bilbao, Pamplona, El Ferrol in Galicia, and other places) and loved the opportunity to learn from their deep culture and share my beliefs.

When I came back I was determined to finish my college degree. I found it funny, though, that I didn't take any theatre jobs over the summer, but instead came home to Seattle to work and save money.

Enter Alicia.

It was through a couple mutual friends that we ended up meeting and initially getting to know each other. As Alicia mentioned, one of our first outings was to see the movie Chicken Run. I still remember how much fun we all had that evening, even if I was clueless to Alicia's affections. My other recollection of "Chapter One" was our trip to the University of Washington Medical Center to see the art. What a creative and fun date! The experience stuck with me.

That summer came to an end and I needed to shop for clothes for the coming school year. I was done dressing like a recently returned missionary! I needed clothing that was stylish and made me look good! I needed a beautiful girl to help me pick them out, but she had to be one that I trusted. Yeah, you can see where this is going. I asked Alicia to come shopping with me. Not only did I have a lot of fun, but she helped me pick out some of my most favorite clothes. My roommate kept wanting to borrow the jacket that she helped me purchase. I was ready to hit BYU dressed to kill!

I could talk about all the years living in the Single Mormon Mecca and how I just didn't find "the one" but that would be redundant and boring. Needless to say, I did finish my college degree - a BFA in Music Dance Theatre! What next...? Things didn't work out the way that I thought they would. Even with going to New York City and performing in several shows across the world (thanks Young Ambassadors!) I just couldn't find the missing part of my life. Theatre just didn't fill me in the way that I thought it should.

I found myself in Provo again (I know, I know! What was I thinking?!) and things were not what I wanted them to be. I came home for Thanksgiving and was reminded just how much I love it here in Seattle. A few months later I decided to move back to Seattle for a new start. After selling a house in Utah that I had to fix up, I came back to my home town!

I came back to Seattle not knowing too many people, but found out that Alicia was in the church congregation that I would be attending. It would be nice to see a familiar face, but I wondered if it would be awkward at all. We had not talked in quite some time and I didn't know who she was anymore nor did she know me after all that I had been through. It would be a fresh start, as it were.

Alicia was the bold one, initially. She was turning 30 (something that I was dreading) and she was having so much fun doing it! She invited me to her party but I had had a long day at work and just declined. I didn't want to just leave it at that. I suggested that we do something else to celebrate her new found joy of thirty-dom. She suggested a hike.

Chapter Two

I think back on that hike and I realize just how important it was. Again, I was feeling a bit shy and non-committal but something inside me said, "Tom, what are you doing? Go and have fun! What are you going to lose?" So I finally got it! I went on the hike and we had so much fun! I really got to know Alicia on that hike and I think we both realized that the chemistry that had always been there was still there, but there was more. We both had matured and grown and experienced life and it just made us that much better. I changed that day. I knew that what I had always been seeking was within reach. I realized that I've never had more fun with anyone than what I had with Alicia. The best part is that I continue to have that feeling daily!

The rest is, as they say, history!

What does chapter three hold...?

How We Met

Of course everyone wants to know how we met, right!

Well, it started back in the summer of 2000. Alicia was living the happy single life in Seattle, living with room mates, hanging out with friends, and finishing her degree at UW. Tom was in Provo at BYU, but came back home to his parents' place for the summer. Tom's best friend, Beren McKay, was friends with Alicia and some of her friends. So they all kind of hung out and ran around together.

Alicia was almost immediately smitten with Tom's good looks, quick smile, and friendly nature. Tom, on the other hand...well... (this post is written by Alicia so it's a little one-sided!)

One of the first outings Alicia and Tom remember going on together was to see the movie "Chicken Run" with a bunch of friends. Before-hand, they went to Burger King and bought kid's meals that included toys from the movie. Alicia got a cup and plate set that she still uses today. It has chickens on it. During the movie, Alicia made sure to sit next to Tom, and to share some popcorn with him...yeah, didn't work...

Throughout the summer Tom and Alicia did various things together with friends, but never really did much alone. During subsequent breaks at Christmas and the summer of 2001, they continued to hang out and be friends, and Alicia continued to have a crush on Tom. And Tom continued to be elusive and wishy-washy about his feelings. They had one official date during that time, they went to the UW Medical Center hospital to look at the art. There is surprisingly good art there, and it's free to look at!

At one point, poor Alicia, frustrated with Tom's flirtations without action, finally said, "Tom, if you like me, will you tell me?" And Tom said, "sure, of course!" and that was the end of that.

In the meantime, they went their separate ways, Tom finishing his degree at BYU, and Alicia going on her mission.

Thus closed what Tom and Alicia call "Chapter One."

In 2007, Tom decided to return to Seattle and stay put. Alicia was already back in Seattle, living her fabulous single life, doing things like going sky-diving for her 30th birthday. Suddenly, Tom showed up again in her church congregation. "Oh fantastic!" Alicia thought, "this dork I used to have a crush on is back in town, reminding me that I'm still single!"

Well. He was still single too...

Alicia and Tom had their second date on September 1, 2007, when they went for a long hike up by Snoqualmie Pass. They talked and talked about all that had happened in their lives since they had last spent time together. And they both realized that they had even more in common now than they used to.

Thus began "Chapter Two."

They dated throughout the fall, and on one memorable day in December, Tom said to Alicia, "Um, you asked me to tell you if I liked you, and, well, I like you!"

The rest involves lots of cutsie stuff that makes their friends sick. But basically, realizing that they had something solid, something special, and really REALLY enjoyed spending time together, Tom and Alicia decided to tie the knot!

Our House!

Tom and Alicia bought a house together right after they got engaged back in April. It's a cute little 2 bedroom place in West Seattle. It's small, but it's been updated with new windows, roof, floors, and siding. And it's on a big lot with a fenced yard. It's within walking distance to grocery stores, restaurants, and Target!

We know it seems a little crazy to buy a house right away, but Tom already owned a house in Utah, and Alicia was already in the market to buy her own place before they started dating. The market started to take a little dip, interest rates were good, and we got a good deal!

Registry

Some folks have asked us if we have a bridal registry. We are registered at Target, Macy's, and Home Depot.