Papa Mac and Nana's Orange Gulfstream.
Being first time parents, Mom and Dad decided to accompany the Hardings to Jackson Lake for a camping trip when I was two weeks old. Of course I didn't mind . . . I just slept in my little orange life jacket while the family played on the water, but my parents didn't understand why all the other campers were making such a big fuss. My life on the lake progressed nicely after that.
I found this picture of Mom and me on Jackson Lake. Obviously this isn't the Orange Gulfstream but my cousins' Grandparent's boat.
There were many times when Dad strapped me into the yellow-trainer-skis and threw me overboard, as I screamed and attempted to kick the skis off. "You can't get back in the boat until you've skied," Dad would tell me. Bribes were also involved. "If you ski you can get a new Barbie. Do you want a Barbie?" the adults would clamor. My aversion to the water didn't last long. Soon I was pouting if someone got to ski before me.
In 2000, Mom and Dad decided it was time to get a boat of our own and I was thrilled.
This is the first day we took the Chaparral out on the lake. Yes I'm wearing sweats, I had a fever that day. The Chaparral has been the best boat. It's been our baby.
But the past few years I've been bugging the parents for an inboard because it has a smaller wake for skiing as well as the added bonus of wake surfing. So, upon my return from London Mom and I went to work on Dad, because we know that Dad needs a lot of thinking time before a big purchase. I got online and designed my own boats, printing them out and placing them strategically around the house. When the boat show rolled around I grabbed my "boats" and dragged Dad around to the salesmen, letting the professionals do their work. But Dad's a salesman and knows the ploys. Mom and I never gave up. I began slipping my boat printouts under Dad's pillow so that he could "sleep on it" and the boat catalogs under the bathroom door for a little light reading. Dad wanted a new boat just as much as the rest of us but he had to be convinced that it was the logical and economical thing to do! To our delight Dad began searching for boats too. And I began to hope, this just might actually happen!!!
As the weeks past my hope began to fail. We couldn't find exactly what we were looking for and then there was the issue of money. Two Saturdays ago Dad and I were up skiing at Snowbird and Dad carefully told me that we would probably end up waiting a year or two before getting a new boat. Although I was sad, I understood, times are harder and we didn't want to settle. Later that day we were on the Tram and Dad got a phone call from a Malibu dealer in Texas who might have the boat we were looking for but I never heard anything further, I kind of backed-off the not-so-subtle reminders to protect myself when the boat thing didn't pan out.
The Sunday of General Conference we were watching Conference in the basement as a family. As the morning session ended and we got up to find some lunch Dad told us he had something for us. He disappeared into his office and reappeared with a gift-wrapped box for us kids to open. The three of us sat on the floor and I watched as Nate ripped the wrapping paper off and lifted the lid of the box to reveal a piece of paper that said: "Happy . . ." followed by a list of all the holidays for the rest of the year. But what really caught my eye was this picture underneath . . .
I thought Mom and Dad were playing a mean joke on us. I looked at the books underneath the picture in confusion but Dad said, "Those are just there to weigh the box down." I looked up at him and realized that it was no joke and I jumped to my feet and threw my arms around him as I burst into tears.
You know those clips on Funniest Home Videos where the little five-year-old boy bursts into tears upon opening his new game system?
. . .Ya, I had one of those moments. . . .
After I hugged Dad I ran to Mom and cried some more as the family stared at me in bewilderment. I was totally convinced that a boat was not in the cards for this year so I was more than surprised.
I will miss the Chaparral, it has brought us a lot of fun and many adventures, but I know it's going to a great home (my cousins) and we will get to see it at least once a year at Powell. I can't wait to see our new baby, the Malibu, in a couple of weeks . . . stay posted for more info and pics as we rock out the summer on the lake!
It was obvious that people just weren't ready for meat. People stared. I didn't mind. A few brave ones got up the courage to comment: "Your outfit is . . . um . . . (awkward pause while the girl tried to find the right word and then she just settles for) fun." I smiled and thanked her laughing inwardly because, honestly, I'm not a huge fashion risk taker but these people were looking at me like I had gone mad. I love to dress up but most of my pieces are classic.
Again, I got stares. As I was leaving a class a couple girls began snickering as I walked past. "Nice outfit . . ." they laughed. I just smiled and rolled my eyes.
Katie Holmes in shorts with tights. So, my shorts weren't quite this short, I had to go to work and then down to BYU . . . I chose a pair of city shorts (definition: city short = tailored shorts) and paired them with black tights and open-toed, patent leather red heels.
Despite the controversy over open-toed shoes with tights, I like the look . . . as long as the tights are opaque and there is no seem at the toe of the tights.
Right next door, huge, and beautiful. I loved going to the park and pretending to read while really watching adorable families wander and play.
I can't even explain to you how much I love this place. There is just something about the fountains, the statues, the traffic, the museum, Big Ben in the background (which, in this picture is covered by the spray of the fountain) . . . the list could go on and on. 
The best walk ever, especially at night.
A view of the 
The first Cathedral I ever visited. I was enchanted. But I didn't know if I was enchanted by the cathedral or by being in England at last, until I visited it a second time with the program. I 
Since I was young my parents have told be about Westminster Abbey where "a bunch of famous people were buried in the walls and floors" and I had this image in my mind. It wasn't as dark and mysterious as I expected and I loved it even more than I thought I would. Don't miss Poet's Corner!
Known as "Sin-
"Come 
The Temple is beautiful, the grounds are British, and the Spirit is amazing.
I visited the National Gallery the most out of the many art galleries I saw on the program . . . can you tell I loved it? 
Nate and my Dad went to the Cabinet War Rooms when the family was in London (the girls visited the V&A fashion exhibit). After we met back up, Nate just raved about how awesome the War Rooms were . . . strange for my museum hating brother, but he was right. When I visited the museum with the program it kept us entertained for hours. 
It was so interesting to learn about the emigrants of the UK, it's part of my history. But the museum held so much more, like the slavery exhibition, I felt a special 
I wish I had known about this museum when my family was in London. My brother would have loved it. I didn't have much time to explore this museum but the parts I did see were amazing. They have actually built trenches in the basement so people can understand the "trench experience" of WWI. They also have an amazing exhibit on WWII that brought me to tears. I walked into the exhibit on modern warfare/
Every time I visited the British Museum my feet ached by the time I left. But where else can you see so many world treasures?
It's home!
Make sure you pronounce it with a long a, like ah, you'll sound like a tourist if you don't. Bath was great . . . from Roman history to Jane 
The reason I fell in love with Wales. In my head I still see Wales as rugged, mystical, and enchanting. And the people are amazing, very unlike the reserved Londoners.
Charming. Home of the 
Probably the most beautiful gardens I have ever seen, actually, not probably, they are the most beautiful gardens I have ever seen. This is how I imagine the Garden of Eden.
This was awesome!!! When we showed up at the coal mine we thought we were just going to see a museum about how important the coal industry was for Wales (a little miscommunication between the professors and the students) it turned out that it was much cooler. They took all batteries from us, which included cameras, watches, cell phones, etc. . . . they didn't want any sparks/fires down there. They they hooked us up with a helmet (light included) and a special battery pack to make the light on top work. Then they loaded us up into a tiny coal-shaft elevator and lowered us 200+ feet under the ground. The tour was amazing, and we got to see how dark it really is down there with no lights on. The excitement really happened as our tour group stopped for a moment to listen to our guide. As he was talking, a few of us heard some singing down a side tunnel so a couple girls went to investigate while two of us waited outside the tunnel. When the two investigators returned we realized the group had moved on and we didn't know which way they went. So we were lost deep underground for about a minute until our tour guide came and found us. Nice.
One of the wonders of the world. There's really not much you can do here other than looking at the amazing formation, but it is worth the trip. You are so close to the 
I actually liked Blenheim palace better than Windsor Castle, it had more character, plus grounds you could explore. This is where Winston Churchill was born and has connections to the Spencer family (you know, Princess Diana?).
This is my one exception to the "UK only" rule. I LOVE this painting. It's a large painting, over four square meters. When you see the painting from a distance you see a huge mass of white with only a grey line across the top, it isn't until you get closer you notice the skier. It is a commanding painting and immediately stuck with me.
This painting reminded me of one of my "homes," Jackson Lake. I would walk past it in the National Gallery whenever I could because I could just feel the glass under my ski.
This is one of my favorite scenes in real life. So to see it in painting made it one of favorites.
Like Turner, I love pretty much anything from Rembrandt. I just love the dark, mysterious backgrounds and the lighting surrounding the figures of the works.
At the end of the semester we had a section on modern art. Some of it I loved, other parts were interesting but I wasn't drawn to the pieces. I was just picky. But the modern art pieces that I really loved were the ones that experimented with color and texture, such as Rothko.
I was in awe of this play. I was a WWII story about a boy and his horse in the war, but it wasn't the story that was so amazing. It was the production. The play used life-sized horse puppets. It took three men to control the puppets and the horses looked so real with all the right mannerisms, ear movements, tail flicks, head tossing, etc.
Before I went to see this play in London I hadn't heard any of the music and I didn't know the story line at all. I know, my friends said that it was a sin too. I ended up loving it!
Shakespeare is so much better when performed. Plus, David Tennant . . . need I say more?
I hadn't heard of this play before London. But it was hilarious, plus we saw it as groundlings in the Globe!
The best natural frozen yogart in the world! One of their slogans: Snogging is Good for You!
The best Gelato we found in London. The workers came to know the BYU students.
Yes, by the end of the program I was tired of traveling for an hour and a half only to get to the church building a half hour early, but the Saints of London are nothing but amazing. Our ward was held in a primary school, Sacrament meeting was held in the gym, Relief Society was held in the cafiteria amongst the High School Musical posters telling the kids to eat their food. I spent most of my time upstairs in the music room with the primary. The kids were adorable.
From everything Harry Potter, such as Platform 9 3/4, to movie premiers, street fairs, etc. we never got bored.
