Engagement Pictures

These pictures were taken by Abbey Kyhl from AK Studio & Design. 

They were so much fun, even though it was so early in the morning. 

akstudiodesign.com

being engaged.

Being engaged is great. It's so fun having a fiance and wearing a gorgeous ring on my finger. It's fun planning a wedding and looking for places to live. It's exciting to have showers and recieve household items and decide on room colors. Going through the temple is amazing and it was incredible to have both of our families there together. 

BUT

Driving 40 minutes just to see my man is not fun.

Saying goodbye to him every night is the worst.

Good thing there is only 10 days left until this cutie is mine forever. 

I can't wait to be his Mrs. 

the engagaement.

loooooooong post, coming right up.
........
finals were over, so tay planned a celebratory dinner for 'end of finals/associates degree' for the monday after. i drove up to farmington, & hung out there until our 'reservations'. before we could go to the restaurant, tay told me he wanted to show me an art project we could do for our wedding, at a barn down the street from his house. i didn't think this was weird at all because we had been there before & had been working on lots of other projects together. we go into the barn and he opens the door to the back room, & it looks like this:

i was so shocked & it looked so incredibly pretty in there. there were a bunch of things we (he) had made for us hanging on the walls, music playing, candles, lights, & delicious take out chinese food packed in a picnic basket! of course he made everything perfect and amazing- he's so awesome. i still wasn't really thinking we were going to get engaged this night because he had been dropping hints it would be the next week, & my sister was out of town & i kind of thought she would be there for some reason. 

we hung out in the barn for a while, which i was perfectly happy with & didn't want to leave. (come to find out he kept trying to stall so everyone could get there). we slow danced, read our temple letter, & tay goofed off making mustaches and eating the fake candles.... which is exactly why i love him. 

then we went outside to the front of the barn, & he had some chinese lanterns we were going to light off. he knew i had always wanted to do that, so he had this part planned out for a while, & everyone knew but me. it drove me a little nuts not to know his grand plan. but i'm glad i didn't. ;)

......

the lanterns completely failed. of course right when we started doing them the wind picks up & right when we thought one was going to fly, the would crash, & burn the field below us. we went to try it one more time, & he said we had to make wishes on them, so he asked me what i would wish for. i said i wish they would fly. (good one kels, so not the right answer). as he's lighting the lantern, he said he would wish that i would marry him. & right there, he whips out the ring and is on one knee. i asked him if this was 'for real'. {he had fake asked me so many times i just wanted to be sure!}. i said yes, and when he put the ring on my finger flashes start going off & our families start piling out from the bottom of the barn. my mom & sister were there {straight from the airport- hence the stalling} & his sisters and mom too. it was so unreal & completely amazing! he made everything so nice & planned everything out so well. i could not ask for a more perfect engagement.

{a picture could never do justice to the incredible ring he picked out- i had never seen it like this in rose gold, & it could not be more perfect.}

i can't wait to spend forever with this boy.
i love you so much tay.
xoxo

the story of us.

it didn't happen over night. it wasn't love at first sight. it wasn't a typical fairytale where the boy and girl fall madly in love through true love's first kiss.

 a lot of things had to happen and fall into place to get us to where we are today. some good and some not so good, but i wouldn't take back or change a single one. as our relationship has grown over the past few months, it has been made very clear to me just how much my Heavenly Father loves me and has a plan for me. everything that happened between taylor and me happened for a reason. even such little things i didn't ever think would be linked to him- so many things make sense now. this has been one of the most spiritual, amazing experiences of my life & i have never been happier. sometimes i can't believe i get to marry this boy and be with him forever. this is all so much better than i ever could have imagined. he is my best friend & treats me like gold. he's the funniest, most caring, hard working, happy person i have ever met. i feel so extremely blessed and grateful to Heavenly Father for bringing us together & allowing us to be together forever. 

that's the best kind of fairytale of all.

i think it's safe to say

jaxson likes taylor more than he likes me.

which is fine. because i mean, who wouldn't?

(ps. guatemala is the worst place in the world. it stole my boyfriend and allows no communication which is torture. not to be dramatic or anything, but it's true. longest week of my life and it's only tuesday.)

just when i think things can't get any better

they do. 

seriously- everyday this boy does something that makes me love him even more. 

like yesterday, for instance, this sweet boy knew i was feeling stressed with school, so he drove to provo & brought me these shoes:

then he let me have time to do my homework & took me out to pf changs. 

obviously he knows exactly how to make my day.

& luckily he has fantastic style & can pick out cute things. 

holy cow i am one lucky girl.

living on the edge.

sometimes we go tagging our names around town. i know, we're totally rebels. 

but i mean, what am i supposed to do? 

i just want everyone around to know how stinkin' much i love this boy.

& if this doesn't do it, i don't know what will- nothing says 'i love you' quite like graffiti does. 

i cannot get enough of...

who drove all the way to provo just so he could surprise me by making heart-shaped waffles early on Valentines morning.

& also bring me the cutest presents ever. he knows me so well.

oh, & bring me the most perfect flowers in the world. 

{daises, my favorite.}

to celebrate we went to the mat kearney concert on monday, 

& he took me to dinner & the vow on valentines day.

he sure knows how to win my heart.

yeah, he's a keeper.

all i know is...

 

everything happens for a reason.

2011 was good to me.

i fell in love with my two adorable baby nieces

i loved the times when i lived with these two crazies

i drove all the way to cali & back with my roommates without dying

i said goodbye to my best friends for two years

i sent letters & packages sent around the world

i realized two years isn't forever & the boys do come home

i visited the temple often

i got to go to Australia- a dream come true

i planked & nannied with my best friend during the summer

i traveled to new york for my very first time with 2 of my best friends

i saw Wicked on broadway sitting on the front

i left my teenage years & turned the big 2-0

i had some great experiences & learned some valuable lessons

i watched friends fall in love & get married

i went to my beloved birth state of Arizona two times

i completed my second & third semester of college

i completely enjoyed my job & these two kids

i absolutely loved being an aunt

i learned all the bumps & trials in life will only make you stronger

i found out it's possible to stay best friends, even when we're all at different schools & in different states

i gained a greater love & appreciation for my family

my 2011 was one of first, trials, happiness, love, & learning. it was a great year & i'm grateful for every experience i was given.

{i read this today, & i loved it. this one's for you.}

i hope & wish that your 2012 is filled with magic & dreams. i hope it's laced with constant madness that is good. i hope that you kiss someone who thinks you're amazing & wonderful. & please don't forget to create something beautiful, be it by an instrument, a song, or a pencil/paintbrush. i also hope that at some point, you surprise even yourself.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2012... bring it on.