Not the Most Relaxing Weekend...

...but a pretty productive one. 

Last weekend Carson and I took off toward Vegas to tackle some important wedding business. We had a full weekend ahead of us, but this story starts before we got there...

In Cedar City the battery light went on in my car. I didn't really think anything of it because it had gone off and on all week. I had forgotten about the light until the cruise control stopped working right before St. George. Suddenly, all of the warning lights on the dashboard came on. Luckily, we were coming up to the first St. George exit so Carson decided to get off the freeway and check things out. Almost as soon as he voiced this decision to me, the gas pedal went out - Carson pushed it but nothing happened. I was so glad he was driving at this point because I definitely would have freaked out. Carson, however, is much calmer than I am. He tactfully coasted our car through the exit and into the parking lot of a Wendy's. Almost as soon as he put the car in park all of the lights went out and we heard the engine settle into a low purr. To save the car from anymore damage we decided to turn it off. Well...thanks to the "start" button feature of my car, we couldn't turn the engine off, or get the key out. So, as the car continued to make terrible noises, we called AAA and then Land Rover. After two different tow trucks (long story) we had managed to get enough power to the car to roll down the window, turn off the car, turn it back on, and turn it off again. That was it. There was no moving it. So, the second tow truck man loaded my car onto his truck and Carson and I jumped in with the tow man. We all finished the trip down to Vegas together. Unfortunately, the keys were still in the car and the window was still down - we couldn't get enough power to the car to fix it.

Poor, poor, car. 

After we got to Vegas we managed to get enough power to the car to get the keys out, but that window was not rolling up. So...my car was left to sit outside the dealership with the window down. I prayed it would be alright. The next morning I went back down to the dealership and, to finish this story, let's just say my car is still there, I had to drive my mom's car back up to Utah, and my poor mom is stuck with the loaner. As bad as it was, I know it could have been a lot worse. 

Because of the car issues and the other wedding planning, our Saturday schedule went like this:

8:00 - haircut at Cydni's

9:00 - Land Rover dealership to drop off the keys

10:00 - meeting with Michael at the JW Marriott to see the rooms for the reception and the breakfast and to pick table linens

11:00 - meeting at Freed's bakery to pick out a cake (this included a tasting!)

12:00 - back to Land Rover to pick up the loaner car

1:00 - lunch

2:00 - quick nap

3:00 - engagements pictures with Jennie Slade Photography (I can't wait to see them!)

7:00 - meeting with the florist at Stylish Stems to pick out flowers

9:00 - dinner with the family

Yeah...exhausting day. 

On Sunday Carson and I had the opportunity to talk to the young men and women in my ward about the qualities we looked for in a husband/wife. It gave me a great chance to really think about and appreciate how Carson fits all of the characteristics I have been looking for - and it made me love him even more. 

On Sunday afternoon I got to see all of my aunts and uncles for the first time since I've been engaged. It was fun to update everyone and hear all of their ideas. I am so lucky to have so many people helping me out with this wedding. 

The trip home was a lot less eventful than the trip there (thankfully). It was fun to see my family and to get so much done for the wedding. I am super excited about how everything is coming together and I can't wait for everyone to see it!

Um...This One is Kind of a Big Deal

I'M ENGAGED!  

Yes, you read that right...Carson proposed last friday and I said yes! We are getting married in the Las Vegas LDS temple on December 18 and I couldn't be more excited. In some ways I don't know if it has completely hit me yet. It is still weird to look down at my hand and see a sparkling diamond...but I love it! Wedding planning while going to school creates some conflicts of interest, but it is still every girls dream. 

Now...I promised a detailed explanation of the proposal to a few people so I will share...

I knew that the ring was going to be done on Friday and I knew Carson had made reservations for Ruth's Chris for Friday night so I deduced that Friday was the big day. To complicate things Carson called Friday morning and said he had just talked to the ring place and it wasn't going to be ready until Monday. We both talked about how disappointed we were but we decided to go to the restaurant anyway, since we already had the reservation, and just do something else on Monday. At this point I knew there was the possibility that he was telling me this story to me to try to throw me off a little and surprise me, but I didn't want to think that 100% because of the possibility for a huge letdown. So...I went along with his story and determined (with a little difficulty I will admit) that I would be fine either way. 

We went to dinner and both had the most delicious fillets ever. They were so tender and juicy and the flavors were simple but not mild at all. I loved every minute of it. At the end of our dinner we asked the super nice manager to take a picture for us...he obliged. 

We then started to make our way home from Park City. The entire way home Carson was complaining about how tired he was and how he just wanted to go home and go to sleep. When we got to his apartment (we were driving my car so we had to drop him off) he said he was too tired to hang out any more and he would just call me in the morning. 

So that was it I thought. The night was over and I didn't have a ring. Carson was telling the truth after all...bummer. On my way back to my apartment my roommate called saying she was locked out of her car and needed a ride home. I turned around and went to pick her up but by the time I got there she said her dad had called her back and told her where the spare was so she didn't need a ride anymore. We talked for a while (which I thought was a little weird considering it was freezing outside and we were both going back to the same apartment) and then I headed back to my apartment. 

As I drove I started thinking about the weird things that had happened that night...Carson not wanting to hang out when it was only 11, my roommate needing help and then not, and her need to carry on a conversation about nothing in the freezing cold. I started to wonder if Carson could have planned all of this but I dismissed the thoughts thinking it was too complicated.  

When I opened my apartment door, to my genuine surprise, the first thing I saw was Carson. Immediately he knelt down, held out my beautiful ring, and asked me to marry him. He was shaking he was so nervous, but he calmed down a little when I said yes. Behind him was a vase of white and red roses and a heart made out of chocolates that (I learned later) my roommates had put together.  

My roommates all walked in a couple minutes later and told me how they had all been plotting the entire night all week. Carson and Britten had met up early to pass off the roses and the chocolates and Danica and Carson had been in contact all night so she knew exactly when to call and stall me. Tricky huh?

We totally forgot to take a picture of the arrangement until after I had changed but...here you go.

Whew...long story. I'm impressed if you are still with me. In the near future look for a new blog about the two of us. I am taking suggestions for names so if you have any brilliant ideas send them my way!

Halloween Decorations

Just because Halloween is probably my least favorite holiday (I hate dressing up) that doesn't mean I don't like getting into the holiday spirit. I can't take credit for this idea...its from Woman's Day...but I still wanted to share it because it's super cute. Jess and I had fun making these the other night as part of our girls night. We may have had to beg the store owners at JoAnns to let us in, but it was totally worth it!

I started with a styrofoam wreath that I wrapped in black duct tape.

Then I used a glue gun to attach the candy corn...alternating directions. (This was pretty Martha Stewart of me...it takes a little more time and effort than these pictures and directions would indicate)

Then I tied a black ribbon into a small bow and hung it up on my door. Cute huh!?!

I love it...except for the fact that people have started to pull the candy corn off of the wreath (I know they aren't falling off because halves will be left sometimes). I hate when people destroy other people's property...seriously...its not like they really want to eat these candy corn do they? I don't understand it but whatever.

I am now looking forward to the parts of Halloween that I love - haunted houses, corn mazes, and pumpkin carving. Bring on the festivities (as long as they don't involve costumes)!

26.2

Wow it takes me forever to blog these days. I apologize. 

Two weeks ago was the Top of Utah marathon in Logan. It was my first marathon...and I still haven't decided if it is going to be my last. My mom was nice enough to fly up from Vegas for the weekend so on Friday I picked her up from the airport and we drove up to Logan. We waited an insanely long time for a delicious carb-loaded dinner at Olive Garden, and mapped out the plan for my mini-fan club for the next day. 

That morning I got up ridiculously early (like seminary early) and caught a bus to a park where I caught another bus to the start of the race. The race started up a canyon, so spectators weren't allowed to be on the course until we were out of the canyon - 14 miles into the race. Meanwhile, Carson, Jess, and Drew got up super early as well and drove up from Provo just to watch me run. They even made these signs for me. Guess who made each one...

This one was Carson's...I love the outlining he did. Cute.

Jess made this one. Of course it's cute...she is the greatest.

And this one was Drew's. I love it. It comes from an old joke from when I used to run cross country.

The best friend, brother, and boyfriend ever (and best mom taking the picture). What more could a girl ask for. 

About two hours after I started running, I got to see my mini-fan club for the first time. It made me very happy, and (embarrassingly) slightly emotional.

The canyon was beautiful. The weather was beautiful. (That is me in the bright blue...number 2745...not very beautiful at this point.)  This one was at mile 14-ish. At this point I still felt great. I was loving the experience and the first half of the race had flown by.

This was around mile 17. I was a little more tired but still feeling great. I had under 10 miles to go! How could I not feel good??

This one was around mile 21. At this point I made a friend who helped me get through the toughest part of the race for me. They call it "hitting the wall." I hit it all right. Miles 21 and 22 were really hard. I wanted to stop. I wanted to fall over actually, but I couldn't. I was really so close. How many times in my life have I run 4 miles? And that was all I had left. I could do it (that's what I had to keep telling myself).

Right before the finish. I was so close...

The finish! 26.2 miles after I had started I could finally stop running. Since there were so many people at the start, I didn't actually start when the clock did so my time was 3:52:53. My goal was under 4 hours and I did it. At first I was really just happy to be done - happy to stop moving, but then I got really proud. I felt accomplished. 

I love these people for getting up really early on a Saturday and coming to support me. 

After the race it was a little difficult to walk. Or sit down. Or stand up. Forget stairs. That was a joke. A week later I was finally not sore anymore. I loved this experience. I had a lot of fun and I am proud of myself for accomplishing something that I have always wanted to do. 

I want to say thanks to everyone who supported me in this little endeavor. Thanks to my family and my friends. Thanks to everyone at the Top of Utah marathon that ran with me, even though we didn't talk or know each other, there was definitely a bond there. Thanks for all of the people running around Provo and Orem while I was training. You pushed me probably without even knowing it (and sometimes made me feel bad about myself when I wasn't going as fast as you) but mostly just gave me some company out there.   

Another marathon? Maybe in a year or so. We shall see...