1. A method of processing instructions, the method comprising: retrieving first instruction data from an instruction memory, the first instruction data having a first instruction data length, wherein the first instruction data includes a first instruction having a first instruction size and a second instruction; storing the first instruction data in an instruction register bank that is accessible by two execution units; outputting the first instruction from the instruction register bank to one of the execution units; and after outputting the first instruction, retrieving second instruction data from the instruction memory when the first instruction size meets or exceeds an instruction fetch threshold but not retrieving the second instruction data from the instruction memory when the first instruction size is less than the instruction fetch threshold; wherein the instruction memory comprises a plurality of address words, each address word including a corresponding front edge word boundary and a corresponding back edge word boundary; wherein instructions are stored in the instruction memory; wherein a first of the instructions is aligned and has a front edge instruction boundary that corresponds to one of the front edge word boundaries or a back edge instruction boundary that corresponds to one of the back edge word boundaries; and wherein a second of the instructions is not aligned and has a front edge boundary that differs from each of the front edge word boundaries and has a back edge boundary that differs from each of the back edge word boundaries.