Updates Part 2

So on Friday December 17th we had convocation and then Saturday morning we had commencement in the BYU-Idaho center. Well I've already written about that so why bring it up again well just to give the rest of this a little context (plus I didn't mention that that week was also finals and we packed up our entire apartment in boxes so that when we loaded up the Uhaul later it would be easier)- That same Saturday that we had convocation we drove down to Utah got on a plane and wound up in California. How did we just wind up in California you ask? A stinkin awesome summer job where we worked our butts off (although not literally unfortunately) that's how! This summer (as most of you probably know) we had the opportunity to work at the Playmill Theatre in West Yellowstone MT. Well Beauty and the Beast ended up being a huge hit and so they added a few extra shows of it (which ended up included one day where we did the show three times and it is entirely possible that I may have gone a little ..... well a lot loopy that day). Anyways the point is that it was a successful summer and because we had such amazing employers who loved us all so much they flew us to California and took us to Disneyland for a couple of days before Christmas. Don't believe, neither did we but they really truly did! So if you've ever heard good things about Roger and Heidi Merrill it's true they rock.

So I wrote too many words right there for an appropriate blog post and thus- here are some pictures..... Oh yeah, did I mention that while we were there Anaheim California got the most rain that it has had in 50 years? Oh that. That is why we look the way we do, no we didn't go on a wet ride, that we just how much it was raining but the catch phrase that the group developed (out of an "i'm here and we're going to have fun gosh darn it!" attitude) was "Magic doesn't get wet"

After Disneyland we went back to Utah for Christmas and had fun celebrating Christmas Eve with my extended family at Aunt Allison's house and then Christmas day at Grandma Cole's. I love my family so much and I love being with them, even if it does end up being a crazy time (how could it not be with the Sampson nut factory present?) I love my family!

ok.... now i just have to.......... "Hello, Crazy nut speaking how may I help you?" .... hey Chris, the banana is for you...... ok I combined two stories but if that didn't make you laugh there is either something wrong with you...... or you are not a Sampson kid and you have no clue what i just wrote about!

*I started writing this blog post a long time ago and am just now getting back to it because the fifth graders shared too many germs with me and I am spending my Saturday sick in bed but what I was going to say is that: I am especially grateful now for the opportunity that we had to spend Christmas time with my family. We stayed with my grandparents and parents and it was so much fun to spend time with them all. On February 13, 2011 My amazing Grandpa Cole passed away and I will be forever grateful for the memories that I have of him and his love.

The day after Christmas we had arranged to have a "Christmas" with the Bidwell family since we were down in SLC and Benny and Katie live there too, so John and Trudy came down. Well the night before we were texting figuring out when we were meeting, etc. and Benny joked about meeting at the hospital because Joe was going to be an uncle (p.s. Katie was 8 months pregnant). Well we thought no way! She's got almost another month to go! Well wouldn't you know it the next morning she had baby Samantha and we ended up meeting at the hospital! She's a cutie though so I'll forgive her for coming early (and Katie will celebrate! although a dec. 26th birthday does complicate things in the future...).

-4........ why should that be an important number to know? Well that's how cold it was the day that Joe and I moved out of our apartment in Rexburg, mind you it had warmed up from the night before when we had been cleaning. Our front door was a metal fire code door, and it was one of the things that we were supposed to clean for the white glove checkout before they release you (or any of your deposit). So the night before we left I was trying to clean the door. You would think that this would be a simple feat given the fact that I had a Mr. Clean magic eraser. Well in that crazy, absurd, ridiculous, painfully cold Rexburg weather that was not the case. The moment the cleaner hit the door it instantainiously froze and formed frozen droplets of cleaning solution on the door. After trying a few other things i finally decided that there was only one solution. Mission terminated. The next day during our checkout the manager wanted me to try cleaning it again. I showed her what happened and we both gave up. It should be noted that they were incredibly impressed with the super clean bathroom- Joe managed to completely get rid of the toilet ring that always manages to be present in a rental. Ta Da!

still not up to date but closer!