New Blog

It has been forever since I've blogged. Okay, only two months but still...that's a long time. I've been busy obviously - taking finals, getting married, going on a honeymoon, celebrating christmas and new years, moving into a new apartment, taking care of a husband, and starting school again. The good news is, I am back to blogging - just not here.

The new blog is called m.f.e.o. and it is found at carsonandsamantha.blogspot.com. So if you want to read all about my new adventures with married life - and pretty much everything listed above - go there. Thanks!

Holy Cow

One month from today I will be MARRIED! I hope you are all getting ready to party :)

Engagement Pictures!

I love all of these pictures so much. There are so many great ones so I just put my absolute favorites (of today) here. But there are many more favorites if you go here. Thank you Jennie Slade for taking these. It was so fun and I can't wait to do our formals and all of the pictures on our wedding day.

Learning to Live with a Boy

Okay, so I know I'm not living with one yet, but I've started learning. My latest lesson - "How to Watch a Football Game."

Now for some background. Carson is a HUGE New York Giants fan. So, when they played the Cowboys on Monday night the other week it was a big deal. Ryan, Jess, Collin, and I all went over to Carson's apartment and I made a seven layer dip for an appetizer and then french dip sandwiches for dinner (super random I know...but some of Carson's favorites).

The Giants started out weak...but they eventually picked up steam and won. It was pretty exciting. Throughout the game I was learning about plays, and important players (I have most of the offense, some of the defense, and some key special teams players memorized, as well as the coach and the teams in the Giants conference). I also learned the proper stance to take while watching a game.  I've watched a ton of football games before but I guess laying on the couch does not show proper respect for the game. So...this is what you should do instead.

See...I got pretty good at it. And, if Carson would have taken this picture from the front, you would have seen my Giants shirt. Yep...I was even wearing team gear.

On to wedding planning news...I feel like I haven't talked about this much on here. Everything is coming together really nicely. My dress is altered, cleaned, and ready to go. I even found shoes to go with it! I picked up our invitations yesterday so Carson and I will get those addressed this weekend and stuffed sometime next week. I also got our CD of engagement pictures in the mail and I am super excited to post them here. We finally picked the one we are going to include with our announcement so we need to get a bunch of those printed.

More excitingly we have made our first purchase as a couple...we bought a mattress! There was a super great deal on the ksl classifieds so we jumped on it. We don't have an apartment for it yet, but we are looking. We also bought Carson's wedding ring. We picked it up from the store yesterday and I can't believe how excited he is about it. It's kinda cute. We also registered this past weekend. I am in love with the idea of having my own kitchen and my own items to fill it with...I can't wait!

Now we need to sell our contracts and find somewhere to live. Other than that...we only have details left to plan. So...look for your announcement in the mail soon and get ready for a party!

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...

Just Thoughts

Two weeks into my senior year...how many more to go?? Don't get me wrong, I like school, I really do. This semester is especially fun because I only have classes that deal with my major or minor. Here is the lineup...

...exercise physiology

...physiology of drug mechanisms

...pathophysiology

...qualitative and quantitative analysis

How is that for nerdy sounding? I love learning about all of these things (except the last one...that's not fun at all...just really tedious) but it is hard to get back in the mindset of studying all of the time. 

I'm caught in a weird place right now - I am ready to graduate and be done with this college thing but I feel so unprepared for the next step and way too young to have this kind of responsibility. I can't believe I have applied for graduation from BYU and for admittance to several PA schools. Now all I have to do is wait and hope for the best. 

I remember being in my reading class in 6th grade and talking about high school and college. Someone mentioned that we wouldn't graduate from high school until 2007 and then someone else (I oddly still remember exactly who) revealed that we wouldn't graduate from college until 2011. At that time 2011 seemed so far away. High school seemed like another world...but college was unfathomable. But here I am. 2007 is long gone. In a few months it will be 2011, and a few months after that I will be done. I wonder what that little 6th grade Sam would think of me now...

In other news...my marathon is a week from Saturday. Training is going very well except for one fall that resulted in a scraped up knee...oh and being sore ALL of the time. I did my 20 mile run two weeks ago and since then I have been tapering...oh how I love whoever invented the concept of tapering. They are my hero. Because I have been running so much I have been drinking a ton of water. Case in point...

Yep...that is the state of my dresser on any given day. Seven water bottles and three cups. If this were anything but water I could have a serious problem (maybe I do have a problem...laziness).

Lastly, I am an avid reader of the satirical blog "Seriously, so Blessed!" I love it. I think it's hilarious. Today TAMN (the fictional author) referenced this story on her blog. It's an interview with the actual author of SSB for the Mormon Women Project. It doesn't reveal who she is (because that would just ruin the magic) but it does have some very good insights on what it means to be a Mormon Women. I really enjoyed it and would recommend it for those of you who were bored enough to read this much of my blog entry (and anyone else of course). :)

Cedar Breaks and Bryce Canyon

A few weeks ago my family went down to Cedar City, Utah for the Shakespeare festival. As nerdy as it sounds I really do enjoy the plays and the other festival activities. This summer we got a chance to spend a day in Cedar Breaks and Bryce Canyon to do some hiking. 

First up was Cedar Breaks. 

How beautiful are these views??

The path we walked along had tons of amazing wildflowers.

   

Toward the end of the hike we found a huge pile of rocks to climb on.

Grandma Ellen and I decided to go even higher.

Next up was Bryce Canyon - which is very different from Cedar Breaks but just as beautiful.

I love the bright red rocks in the crazy formations.

One thing I do like about Utah is the variety of outdoor beauties.  It was really fun checking out some of Southern Utah's gifts with my family.

Pardon the Interruption

I have seriously been struggling with the blogging this summer. This latest break was because I didn't have a computer...but now I'm blogging from a brand new macbook pro and I love it. I sent my old macbook pro back to apple for their recycling program and got a nice little gift card to use on the purchase of this new toy. It was a pretty sweet deal but it left me without a computer for a while.

Then after the new computer situation was taken care of I got caught up in something else. Here is a hint.

Yep...moving.  I really hate moving. I don't know why I decide I need to do it every year. This year was especially difficult because I pretty much did it by myself and even though my new apartment is pretty close to the old one, loading and unloading my car by myself takes a while...especially when I have to do it multiple times. I probably have too much stuff...but I amazed myself with how much I threw out.

The living room of my new place...covered in my stuff. Sadly it got way worse than this. I couldn't even sit on my couches by the end. Luckily my roommates were all gone during my moving in process so I didn't disturb anyone with my mess. 

But it is all put away now. I hung the last things on my walls today and cleaned everything up. I like it...it's small and very much like my old room but it's me (okay maybe a little more three-years-ago-me, but still).

The new room...

     

        

These bins might be my favorite part.  They are super cute and let me store a ton of stuff under my bed without making it a million feet tall and impossible to get onto.

The new kitchen...I imagine we will decorate a little more once everyone gets here but it looks decent right now...

And the living room...without all of my crap piled into it. 

So there it is. I kinda like it and I'm excited about finishing up my BYU experience here.