LOVE

So I realized that I skipped all the story and all the details about mine and Dimitriy's story. So what better time than now to catch up. We met last summer in our student ward and lived less than a block from each other. We met at the ward opening social when I went to stand with my roommate who was talking to him and his roommate. The next week I gave him a ride home from our ward FHE, went on our first date that Wednesday, and spent almost everyday together since. We met each other's families late that summer and by February we were engaged! (Click here for our engagement story). I've posted some pictures from our dating(click here), but never posted our engagement photos. We had two wonderful shoots, one with Heather Neeley from NewStart Photography (I used to work for her in Vegas) and another with my sister and brother-in-law from Bird on a Wire Photography.

Bird on a Wire shoot:

NewStart Photography shoot:

Freedom Celebrations

This 4th of July was great, we got to experience TWO parades! and seeing as this is only my second year really seeing one, I was very excited. We joined our good friends Ryan and Kathy and their family up in Bountiful for Addi's birthday where he had a tent city! it was so awesome! 7 tents: each with its own delight: a pillow fight tent, filled with nothing but pillows, blankets, and all things squishy; another filled with balloons, one for eating, one for movies, one with paper to shred and play in, one for presents and one for eating... what else do you need? a pina? cake? ice cream? a bubble machine? -- don't you worry, they were all there too... this party was brilliant!- I'd totally do that for my 23rd birthday!

We got to sleep over in one of the tents because the next morning we hit up our first parade near Bountiful. This one, not so much about the floats as it is an advertisement for all the local politicians and businesses, but there was lots of candy! and a few school bands, so really what else do you need? Then after the parade the whole town goes down the street for more festivities. They had several food booths (I got a philly cheesesteak while Dima went with the tacos and a frozen banana) They had some local entertainment and blow-up slides and jump houses for the kids along with a lady that would make balloon animals and swords for the kids.

After that we saw the new Robin Hood! I felt like it was similar to most movies in that genre, and it reminded me of King Arthur the way it was filmed, but it was really good: great cinematography, good acting, and really good music.

We then wrapped up the night with the most amazing firework show I have ever seen! We went to a golf course between Bountiful and SLC and you just took chairs and blankets and sat wherever you wanted!!! that's right, right on the golf course! They also had food booths and live bands, etc. that we visited, but then sat on the opposite side of the course near a pond with little duckies. We ran around with the kids and played until the show, where the whole time it could have easily been the finale, that's how good it was! -- Thanks Ryan and Kathy for letting us hang out with you! We had so much fun!

The festivities continued on Monday when Dima and I went up Provo Canyon for a morning hike/walk. (early morning people, so don't mind my haggard-ness)

Then we made it home (barely, every street to our apt was blocked off by policemen) in time for our SECOND PARADE!!!! woo! We got really good seats even though we got there 5 mins before it started and got to see some awesome floats!

along with some performing groups-- gymnasts, clowns, island dancers, bagpipers, and plenty of high school bands.

-- This parade, not so much about the candy, but totally awesome! It was amazing to think that this day exactly one year ago I went with Dima to my first parade. It was fun to see where a year has taken us.

from last year:

to this year:

So happy 4th everyone! This year I really felt the gravity of this holiday and all it represents, and though our nation is far from perfect I feel so blessed to live here.

Bingo Bango's

I did it! I faced my fear, and actually did it. I now have bangs.

This is something I have been thinking about doing for... probably a few years, but I always chicken out, or make excuses such as:

- I'll have to do my hair everyday (which I definitely don't do currently)

- What do I do when I do my hair curly?

- What happens when I get sweaty and my bangs get wet and then they wave/curl?

- I'll have to get hair cuts regularly to keep them looking good (which would be a burden, to give you an idea, I get my haircut about once a year, maybe year and a half...)

-I'll look like a completely different person.

I haven't had bangs since I was a little girl, and that was in the 90's so naturally they looked a little something like this: The glamourous Saved By The Bell feathered look.

And if, say, hypothetically speaking, I woke up late, and didn't have time to do my bangs, they'd end up looking like this...

and then who would take me seriously?

And besides, could I really be trusted with bangs? Last time I had them I wondered what I'd look like without bangs so I cut them right off at the hairline. True Story, click here for all the hairy details.

In addition, I didn't know what kind of bangs I wanted:

Blunt and thick?

Shaggy?

Swoop?

Finally, I settled on this look:

and this is how it turned out:

What do ya think?