Hair, hair, hair, and more hair...

So my hair has always been the really, really dark (almost black) color, and I've been seriously thinking about doing something different with it. I kind of want it to be lighter. Some people tell me I should do highlights. I just have never done anything with it before, and I don't want to do anything that I might regret. Like, what happens when I go get it colored, then my hair starts growing, then I have a head of half blonde and half brown? Oh, well, I guess at that point I would go and get it re-colored. Is that really such a good idea? I really want some insight from some people who have had this kind of experience with hair.


Now, there is also another option. There is this stuff called "Sun-In" (http://www.sun-in.com/) which, of course, your really only supposed to use while bathing in the sun. It turns you hair lighter with the use of heat. But some people have said that it works just as good with a hair dryer. So, I'm wondering if maybe I can naturally do it this way, without regretting much. But the problem I do have with this stuff is, if it's so wonderful, why hasn't everybody heard about it and used it? Most people I talk to have never even heard of it. I guess it's something I could just try. Heres my hair now:

Heres kind of what I would like:

...or if highlights:

Soooo what do you think???

Hannah