Parkes and Recreation: anniversary

This was saved as a draft from a long time ago. I figured I might as well publish it now!

Things we have done this past year:
Moved twice (Our studio apartment on Center Street, and now Wymount)
Bought a car from Mason's grandparents
Practiced the guitar together
Run 3 half marathons
Gone on vacation to Vernal, Utah, where we camped for the first time together!
Spent Christmas at the Waite plantation and Thanksgiving with the Parkes family
Made our first Christmas music video together!
Stumbled upon Strom Thurmond's hometown and his very own house (on our way back from our honeymoon)
Been to the beach in South Carolina
Gone on bike rides that are over 10 miles long! (A major feat for Bri)
Bought car insurance and renter's insurance (so grown up of us)
Mason dyed my hair red!
I got a drastic haircut
We filed taxes together

Hooray for one year!

On February 20 Mason and I celebrated out 6 month anniversary! We didn't have school because it was presidents day, so we had an entire day to relax and celebrate! It was so fabulous. We stayed up really late the night before watching The Office, just because we could, and then we slept in a little the next day. I really wanted to go for a 6 mile run, and we did it by the Provo River. It was really nice to have that time to reflect on these past 6 months with Mason. At times it's been a little hard and stressful but it is oh so worth it. There is no one else I would rather spend a day with than him. He is the best thing that ever happened to me and I love him so much!

After our run we headed over to Michael's so that I could get some painting supplies. Painting is something that I have wanted to learn to do for as long as I can remember. Mason is so supportive. In fact, its kind of funny but when we first started dating Mason asked me if I was an artist. When I said I could barely draw a stick figure, he was slightly shocked because he had just assumed that I was an artist because certain aspects of my personality. I thought it was highly flattering!
Anyway, we went to Michaels and I got a few brushes and colors of paint, and Mason surprised me at the last second by sticking a real life easel in our buggy! He is so great and I felt so fancy. I'm currently working on my first painting now!

Following our fun trip to Michael's, we went home and it was only 4:30 but we were both starving so we decided to go out to dinner. Mason put on his cute green button-up shirt and told me that where we were going for dinner was going to be a surprise. I love surprises, and I love it when Mason does sweet things like get dressed up for dates and open my car door. I know he doesn't do those things because society expects him to, he does it because he really loves me. It's so sweet and so flattering.
We went to Olive Garden! It was my first time going there and it did NOT disappoint. Our waiter was a little weird, but it was SO NICE to go out to a nice restaurant and just be together and eat delicious food with unlimited bread sticks ;)

After that we came home and watched Netflix to our hearts content. It was lovely.

It was a perfect day. We did so many wonderful things and most of all it was just fun to get to spend so much quality time together. Mason is my favorite person ever and I am so happy we get to build our lives together. 6 months may only be a short time in the grand scheme of things, but it is a big deal for us. I look forward to celebrating years and years of marriage with him in the future.

Here's a few great memories from our first 6 months I've loved having with my sweetheart:

Getting hitched, obviously!

Running my first half marathon!

That one time he DYED MY HAIR for me! He is so brave. This was also the day I cut his hair for the first time and it actually turned out ok. I'm glad he was there for me when he dyed my hair because I may or may not have bawled my eyes out in the shower afterward and been in dire need of emotional support ;)

Making this little gem:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emBY-u0qvGw