All right, all right, all RIGHT...

I can't believe the amount of crap being flung at me for not updating this thing. It's not that I haven't thought about it, it's just that I have had very little to report. So now you're about to get a bunch of useless information because there's a whole bunch of COM-plainers how there who won't leave me alone. :) I'm going to be hopping from topic to topic here for awhile so do try to keep up...

Topic #1: Christmas

As usual, Christmas was completely amazing and I have to say, it astounds me how much my feelings toward the holiday change each year. I'm sure we all remember when it was all about the presents, but I find myself caring less and less about that part each year. Finally, this year I can officially say that I really couldn't have cared less what was under the tree for me. It was heaven spending time with my amazing family and getting a break from life in general. It's much easier to explain the morning in pictures, so I'll commence with that...

This was our Christmas Tree on Christmas morning

Our parents got fed up with the stocking idea a few years ago, so now they just give us sacks of junk food

A very festive Emily showing us her new socks and gift cards to various clothing stores

AJ modeling with his new tool set. The thing weighed about three tons.

One of the best parts of Christmas! Mmmm...

So as you can see, my Christmas was wonderful. Now on to topic #2...

Topic #2: A Truly Stellar Gift for my Parents...

One of the things I've learned over the years is that for a gift to reach "stellar" quality for my mother, it requires that you give of yourself. My siblings and I have tried several different things over the years, but I think this year we may have topped them all. As many of you know, my sisters and I love to sing. My dad has been requesting a CD from us for years and we've been blowing him off for just about the same amount of time. Finally, this year we decided to bow to his wishes. It was really hard because we had to record it without my parents finding out, so we did it either when they weren't home or at my sister Kristin's house (I have studio software on my laptop, although it would have been SO much cooler if we had been able to record it in a real studio). 

In addition to the CD, we put together a 3-DVD set of slideshows of the 27 years my parents have been married. One slideshow per year. It took FOREVER, but it was so cool when it was done. We ended up with nearly three hours worth of slideshows of pictures, ranging from my parents' engagement to the present day. It was really cool to see all of us grow up with a dang good soundtrack behind it. Anyway, we were all pretty proud of our work. 

Now, if these two marvelous gifts weren't enough, we decided to torture my parents a little at the same time. You see, as we were growing up, my parents liked to jazz things up a little on Christmas morning. Sometimes they would send us on scavenger hunts for our gifts, leaving clues in different parts of the house. Sometimes they would give us an envelope of Monopoly money and tell us to choose between that or whatever was behind "Door Number One" which was, of course, our present. One year, because they felt bad about giving us so many gift cards, they hid them inside boxes full of food storage items to make the present-opening experience more enjoyable. Yeah. In honor of these bursts of creativity, we decided to turn the tables on them this year and employ EVERY SINGLE torture device they had used on us over the years. Here are some pictures of the experience...

 

My parents opening a box packed full of the heaviest textbooks I could find. One of which contained "Clue #1" of their Christmas Scavenger Hunt.

Reading Clue #2

Reading Clue #3

Reading Clue #4

Reading Clue #5

Dad searching, in the wrong place mind you, for Clue #6

Reading Clue #6

Dad finding Gift #1 (the CD)

They cried when they opened it...in our mushy family, that's how you know your gift-giving has been a success.

Taped to the CD was an envelope with $5 of Monopoly money and a note that said they could have that or whatever was behind "Door Number One". Obviously they chose Door Number One. Here's Dad opening it and finding Gift #2 (the DVD set).

They cried again...it was awesome.

All right, so enough on my gift-giving genius, let's move on to Topic #3...

Topic #3: Ode to Brett

As many of you know, one of the best parts of Christmas is talking to any missionary siblings you may have at that time. It was no different for me this year. My brother Brett has been serving in London, England for over a year and a half and we got to talk to him for an hour or so on Christmas morning. The kid is such an inspiration to me. It's a major blessing to have a little brother who is such a spiritual giant. His attitude never ceases to amaze me. Even though he is in an extremely difficult mission, he always finds something positive to report. I love him so much and I'm so grateful for his example. He'll be home in roughly five months...I can't wait! In honor of the awesome dude, I'm going to post some mish pictures of him. Don't worry, not very many...

Displaying his remarkable study habits

What a handsome guy! I love 'im!

Topic #4: Ode to Emily

I have a little sister. Alright, most of you are aware of this, but you may not be aware that she is also unbelievably talented. Seriously. It makes me sick. When I was in eighth grade, I was still trying to figure out how to apply mascara and work a curling iron. Emily has moved on to bigger and better things. She is currently in Riverton Arts Council's Seussical the Musical. Not only this, but she has a lead role. She's THIRTEEN. Just to bring this into perspective for ya, every other lead cast member in the production is in high school, some are even in college. In fact, her counterpart in the second cast (the two casts trade off performance nights) is also in high school. So I just want to take this opportunity to say...MY SISTER IS AWESOME. Here's her cast photo, the one that will go in the program next to her bio (yes, she gets a bio...bro-ther).

What a cutie...

Topic #5: Back to School

All I have to say about this is "blah". You'd think the fact that this is my last semester of college EVER would appease me or something, but I'm so graduate-school-trunky that if it were my last week I'd still be complaining. 

The worst part by far is having to work in groups. Don't get me wrong, I have AMAZING people in my groups (Caroline) but it takes so much effort to make a group successful at school. Effort I do not have the energy to put in at this point. And the fact that my group has to get up and give a 25-minute presentation on the healthcare industry this week when we've only met together twice does not improve my outlook much. But I'm attempting to make this semester my best ever. Let's just hope it doesn't kill me off, I think my parents would be really irritated at having to pay off my student loans for me.

Topic #6: The CPA Exam

Alright, I'm going to come straight out and admit that nothing, nothing terrifies me as much as sitting for this bloody exam. It has been well-established that Lauren has an overt fear of failure, but failing at a game of Parcheesi is a little different than failing the CPA Exam.

I've had five intense years of school to prepare for this, plus an extensive review course coming up this summer, and I still don't see any possible way to emerge victorious. Judging from the level of celebration that goes on when someone passes this stupid thing, I'm guessing it's a little hard or something. Anyway, it didn't hit me until very recently that the CPA Exam is no longer some vague mirage in my future, it is now very real and very definite. Oh, help.

Topic #7: Reflections of Christ

I figured this was a good one to end on. About a week ago, my Mom and I sat down and watched this DVD called "Reflections of Christ". It's a documentary about a photographer named Mark Mabry who did an exhibit based solely on the life of Christ. He had actors pose as Christ and the apostles and so on and took the most amazing pictures I've ever seen! Below is a sample (and I really hope I don't get in trouble for posting this)...

There's also an amazing soundtrack that you can get on iTunes. I guess you can also get a book with the pictures in it at Deseret Book. Anyway, I'd really recommend getting the DVD from the library or even buying it, because it's fascinating and the pictures are beautiful. I honestly don't think I've ever seen a more touching depiction of the Savior's life, especially with the soundtrack behind it. 

Okay, this is officially the longest post EVER. For all of you who flung rhetorical manure my way, I hope you're satisfied. This took me the better part of an afternoon to put together. Anyway, it gives you a bit of an idea of where I've been and what I've been up to for the past month and a half. In any case, it officially fills my blogging quota for at least another three months...till graduation, perhaps?