Engaged!

No, not me. My Boston best friend! Her now fiance reached out to me about 6 weeks ago to start planning this past Saturday. I went ring shopping with him to make sure he was picking everything she requested in the ring. We worked out the details for Saturday and I threw together their first engagement party that happened about an hour after they got engaged. Everything about the evening was a surprise and it was a complete success! I am so happy for my dear friend and the man she found. He is perfect for her, just as she is for him. They complement each other and have a relationship that I truly admire. My aspiration to is to have such a solid, spiritual relationship with the man I will marry one day. They are the greatest example: to see how much they love each other and love Jesus as individuals and together!

Our good friends who just got married in October were in the Boston Public Gardens snapping pictures during the actual proposal. Visit Mikhail's blog to see the photos from the exact moment and to read how Jasmine and Alex met. It's the ultimate romance.

Here are some photos and fun moments from the engagement party. Lots of love and props to my sister for helping clean, shop and set-up for the party! You're the best, D! Surprisingly enough, I didn't get a photo of the couple together at the party. Oops!

Set-up

My living room, with the pom-poms I made myself hanging from the ceiling!

My sister doing the dishes. Thank you for everything, D!

Some decor

Jasmine LOVES coffee. I made a few center-pieces filled with coffee beans and tea lights.

Mason jars, coffee beans, tea lights and flowers.

Alex double-fisting, waiting for his new fiance to get off the phone!

Getting creative. Wish I had a nice camera and some photography skills lol

Everyone enjoying the festivities

Ollie didn't know where to go or what to do. Hence his face.

Me and Jazz! Gah, she's engaged!

Friends <3

Good lord, Mikhail, smile! It's a party! :-P

Sillies :-)

The ring! Isn't it beautiful?! Princess cut, with double-diamond band, non-infinity.

Sabbatical

Hello my three followers! I took a sabbatical and didn't tell you. Truth is - it was an unplanned break. I took a temporary job in NYC for the month of November and got carried away with life down there. Met up with old friends and new friends and lots of family. It was bliss. But I'm back! And ready to dive back into telling you all about my life. Or at least the exciting parts of it anyway ;-) The below photos are random mobile uploads to catch you up on the little things that I've experienced the past few weeks. Hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving! Many prayers and blessings for each of your families. Can't wait for Christmas to get here!!!

My first real tree! This angle is also a lie. This tree is about 3 feet tall. Very Charlie Brown style. But it's mine.

This is a photo my brother Dan painted. I'm so proud of him! He's such a talented artist. It is now the background on my new phone (see below)!

I'm currently interviewing for jobs. While on an interview in Boston a few weeks ago, I went strolling around the area afterward. I found this gem of a location. Right in downtown.

That's my church! Our 'T' ads!

They are everywhere :-)

Random visit down to Philadelphia to see Michelle. We went to the Franklin Institute and experienced a CSI exhibit. It was actually really cool.

Michelle and Ben Franklin at the Franklin Institute

From a moment during my temping job in NYC. I sat for my roommates dog, Ollie, and brought him to NYC for two weeks. He got to come to work one day and he looooooved it.

My grandpa and Ollie and Thanksgiving morning <3

A little pickle ball with the cousins on Thanksgiving

Jingle Bells... question mark? They weren't sure? It WAS Jingle Bells playing. Who knows.

My dad had a BLAST with Ollie around for two weeks

When we went out for lunch and came back one day, he had done some damage, though, LOL

Merry Christmas from NY!

I call it "Dog and his City" (view from my parents condo. ya.)

My new phone! I'm so in love!!!

This is called a Hot Cocoa Tini. It's hot chocolate, baileys, and vanilla vodka in a martini glass, warmed like hot cocoa. YES.