LP Baby

Dont laugh at my poor attempt to write a sonnet. It is interesting what is on my mind right now though… hmm… someone must be jealous that their family is in Lake Powell right now!!!!! I hope you are having a blast! Love you family!! 

Sonnet

There is happiness when I look around

Feeling butterflies cause summer is near

Everyone smiling as the sun shines down

The annual time for Powell is here

Friends and family surround me now

The water glistens and the rocks glow bright

Wakeboard time, my father will now allow

I wish this could forever be my sight

Hot wind teases my hair as I whisk by

Finding my courage to make the big jump

Towards the wake I get ready to fly

Humbly I smile, I know others I trump

I just don’t ever want to say goodbye

Lets live here forever so I can fly

There have been way too many good memories at Lake Powell! This is my happy place! 

A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes

I just woke up from a crazy dream. Let me tell you about my awesome Sunday first though.

I have been blessed to work in the Primary while I have been here. I say blessed because I honestly believe it was a blessing. I don't think I believed it was a blessing at first, it was hard, but now I can look back and see how much I have grown by getting to know these children. This is part of the Primary in the Peckham ward. We have to take an hour tube ride to get to church each week. Church is a lot different then what I am used to. At first I was hesitant to the change. I kept thinking, "this isn't right, this isn't how it is done…" and so on. The first week there we were called into the bishops office and given assignments. Mine was in the Primary. We went to the leaders of the primary and they dumped everything on us! We were supposed to have the lesson for next week, sing time, and sharing time. I was so overwhelmed and a little bitter. I look back now and I am sad that I ever complained. It was hard to try and prepare a lesson and sing time and sharing time for all these rowdy kids. It was hard when I just wanted to play while I was here in London and not prepare a lesson. It was hard to feel dumped on. It was hard when the kids were jumping off the walls and wouldn't listen. It was all hard! I struggled at first but each week it got better. This week was my last week and I honestly shed a tear while I was saying goodbye to the kids. They all came and gave me big hugs and told me to come back and visit. They all sat so reverently through my lesson about the Holy Ghost and they made me really feel the Spirit today through their simple, pure, testimonies. I can't believe I ever had a bad attitude about this! Today was so much fun and I think these kids have made just as much of an impact on me as hopefully I did on them. I love these kids in the Peckham ward and I really do hope that one day maybe I can come back and visit and see what they are all up to. I am so grateful to be a part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I am so grateful that I got to serve in the Primary while here in London! Sometimes I think we all need to strive to be a little more like a cute little child. A little bit more trusting, eager to help, loving, simple, pure, and Christlike. The children seem to have it all figured out. 

Now onto my dream! I came straight home from church and took a nap. We never get sleep here in London! Well I just woke up from sleeping and I had the best dream ever!! My friend, Annie, discovered some crazy gravity thing in one part of London. I was part of the group that discovered it and it started to be a big deal. We got contacted by all these scientists and TV shows and stuff. We were taken out to do all these experiments by the gravity thing all the time. We were shooting a TV special one day about our discovery when all of the sudden the door across the room flings open. Annie's mom comes running out and attacks her. I waited a few seconds and no one else came out. I thought that maybe they could only afford Annie's mom to fly over because she discovered the gravity thing. Well I thought wrong. Next comes my wonderful mother sprinting like a crazy woman through the door! (this is so awesome because this so would happen!) She was so excited to see me that she ran right past me! I had to sprint past her to tackle her and hug her! I was crying because I was so excited :) All the other girls mom's came out and then came a group of other people. I see my Dad and Squid and Steph come running out next. Then it doesn't stop there! Granny and Papa come out and then Bobby and Janae. Then Blake and Carson and cute little Meg. It was perfect. Then we all sat there as one big happy family and we talked about my London trip, we talked about the grab-game, we talked about the bag Easter egg hunt, we talked about summer BBQ's, we talked about swim basketball games, we talked about video games and James Bond 007 night fire. We just talked about memories and everything. I was so happy. Then in my dream I found out that since everyone got free airfare over here that my whole family was coming on the Disney Cruise with us! I was so excited. Then I woke up…. It was fun while it lasted I guess. BUT it got me to thinking. What truly makes us happy? Family. I am SO grateful for mine. I honestly have the best 2 parents I could ever ask for. They have always been there for me through everything. They aren't just my parents anymore, but they are my best friends. I turn to them for everything and they seriously are the perfect example to me. I hope that one day I can be half as cool as them. Then there are my awesome sisters. I love them so much and I can't wait to see them. I have missed them so much while I have been here. There have been so many times that inside jokes have come up and I turn to someone to tell them and no one would get it. Only my sisters would. I need them here to tell them all the funny things that happen to me in London! I am so glad that we aren't little anymore and fight over stupid Barbies or TV shows. They are my best friends and I would do absolutely anything for them. Then I was thinking a little bit more, and dreams reflect what my heart truly wants. Right? My happy place would be to be surrounded by my family and the people that are closest to me. I love my Grandparents and my AWESOME (crazy, silly, jello-aunt, teasing, cute, perfect examples, swim basketball loser, grab-game joke) aunt and uncle. Bobby and Janae have always been there for me and have always been such great examples as well. I love their family and I absolutely love hanging out with them. I always look forward to family gatherings where I get to see all of my favorite people. (even though sometimes my grandma doesn't think I enjoy it because I am on my phone, sorry grandma.) I love my grandparents and even though Granny and Papa would never really come out to London, it made me really happy in my dream to see them. I am excited to go visit them at their house this summer! Maybe we can watch a few sunsets from your driveway. That is my favorite. But I really do LOVE these people more than anything. Thanks for always being so stinkin awesome! I don't know why I got so lucky. I have the best family in this whole entire world! I can't wait to see all of you! xoxoxox

P.S. Happy Fathers Day!! Take a look below and you will notice that my dad is a STUD! Don't be jealous, not everyone can have as much swag as he does… Love you dad! 

Stud ran Ragnar... multiple times! 

 .

Stud catches his own fish!

Forget Ragnar, this stud runs marathons!

Stud is my forever gluten free buddy! 

Stud is just such a STUD!! Look at this Weber State All American Football SWAG!! 

Love you so much dad and thanks for giving me this opportunity to study abroad in London! I can't wait to see you soon! I need some of your swag to rub off on me ;) 

Sunday, June 15th, 2014

Best Weekend EVER!!!!

We decided to take a day trip to Brighton, England on Friday and it was probably one of the best days of my life. Actually this weekend was the best weekend of my life!! The pier and the whole town seemed like it was straight out of a movie. 

This is the cute pier. Behind this sign is the carnival. With crazy sketchy rides!!! 

But first we went kayaking. Caroline had looked up a place where we could rent kayaks for an hour. It was a blast kayaking around the ocean with my besties! Of course we took tons of pictures but here are just a few. We decided the "name" of our kayaking "team" is the Brighton Water Slayers!!

Our game faces

After kayaking we all just relaxed on the beach for awhile. It felt so good to get a little bit of a sun tan. For the first time it felt like summer! I have been used to the overcast, rainy weather in London. The sunshine felt magical! 

Our group with the pier in the background

Carnival fun!

I love these girls! From left to right, McKenna, Me, Annie, Sheridan, Monica, Caroline, Chunie, and Courtney. 

After laying out in the sun we went and walked around the cute beach shops for awhile and then we headed over to the pier. It was only 10 pounds for unlimited rides! We all rode rides for hours and had a blast! We could walk on every ride with no wait! It was so much fun! Like a movie! We all laughed until our stomachs hurt, if they didn't already hurt from the crazy rides haha! 

Walking around on the boardwalk

On the bumper cars!

Pier with Mckenna 

Boardwalk with Annie

 Courtney, Annie, McKenna and I all got matching friendship bracelets so we can always remember the day we went to the magical Brighton Pier together!

I had such a great day at the beach and the carnival with my friends! Here is a link to a youtube video Rachel made about our fun day! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OPVdTyuTXk&feature=youtu.be

The day before we went to Les Mis. Thursday night, and it was amazing! The play was really good. I don't think I loved it as much as some of the other girls but I was really glad I went to see it!

 Our group at the play! 

We met the main guy after the play was over! He was super nice and trying to talk to us but both me and Hailee just kept smiling for the picture instead of talking to him. Afterwards we were kicking ourselves in the butt for not talking to him hahah. We are idiots…. 

And then… Saturday night… was ONE DIRECTION!!!! It was AMAZING!!! Seriously another one of my best nights ever! It was 1D at Wembley Stadium. Their home! I loved every second of it and they did such a great job! I felt like a little kid and a groupie but I had so much fun! 5 Seconds of Summer opened for them and I love them too! :) 

 Wembley Stadium!!!

 One Direction!!!!!!!!!

 One of the best concerts ever! Courtney, McKenna, and Annie were on the floor in front of me and they made signs that said "we are from Utah" and "90,000 miles 4 u 1D." They got on the jumbotron with their signs! It was so funny! Kristin, Lizzie, and Jacqueline were also with me at the concert. We all partied like we were teenagers and had a blast!!! 

Abbey Road, Cliffs of Dover, Canterbury, and Greenwich

There is so much going on all of the time that I can barely post half of it! Here is some catch up from the last few days. 

We went to visit Abbey Road and it was so much fun! It took a few tries to get the perfect picture, but I think we finally got it. Just like the Beatles! In this picture it is Annie, Me, McKenna, and Madie. They are all so great! I am so glad I have made so many fun friends here in London! 

"And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make" -The Beatles

Abbey Road

Abbey Road Remixed!!! 

The next day we took a day trip to the Cliffs of Dover. We got to lookout to them and we got to visit Henry II Dover Castle while we were there too! 

Cliffs of Dover!! 

Looking out over the Cliffs

Henry II castle at Cliffs of Dover 

Another Dover Castle picture!

St. Augustine Abbey and Canterbury Cathedral was the next stop of the day. We loved the ruins of St. Augustine Abbey. As you can tell we had a lot of fun posing on the ruins. 

Too much FUN

Next we went to the Canterbury Cathedral we got to tour the Cathedral. We also got to attend Evensong at the Cathedral that night. I had a lot of fun and thought that it was so interesting to watch how other religions worship. 

This is the Canterbury Cathedral 

We also got to go to Greenwich where we saw the Prime Meridian and where the time starts and also we saw Greenwich University which is where the new Thor was filmed, hence the Thor picture below.

THOR!

0 degrees longitude. 

Our boat ride over to Greenwich. 

I have had such a fun week! I am sad that my study abroad is near the end. Now we are cramming everything in that we want to do. Tonight I am going to Les Mis! I hope it is as good as everyone says it is. Well cheerio! xoxo