"Low" - Flo Rida

Back in freshmen year I made these friends Kristie and Shelby. We lived next to each other in the dorms and I'm pretty sure that I spend more time in their dorm than I did in mine. Well we have stayed friends through the years. I don't think we see each other as much as I would like but I'll take what we can get. So Shelby went and found herself a boy and now got married. She had her bridal shower right before break and so it was fun to be together one last time.

So by now you might be familiar with my other traditions of Kristie and Shelby. I have spent a lot of times in their beds. Freshmen year I would always take naps on Shelby's bed and then we created Lava Lauren with Kristie's comforter. So every chance I get when I go back to their apartment I have to get pictures again. Kind of like last December when Liz came to visit. So I just had to get my pictures again for nostalgia reasons.

Good times, good times.

"You Make Me Smile" - Uncle Kracker

I have been very fortunate to have Rachel just living downstairs from me. We spend a lot of time in each other's apartments. There have actually been a couple of times where we go to each other's apartment looking for each other and then we find them in the other one. So I have also been very fortunate to get to know Rachel's apartment. They are all super cute and fun. Her roommate Kanani asked me to take roommate pictures for them and I kindly obliged. So one Sunday after church we got all bundled up and took some pictures! We took some inside and then I made them go outside and freeze :)

 This one makes me laugh so hard. One because they are all trying to sign the alphabet and two their roommate liz in on her phone. She was on her phone for more than half the pictures. I finally made Brynn take her phone away from her.

Awww I love you guys!!

"Gravity" - Coldplay

So it has come to my attention that I need to play catch up on my blog. Which I have known about but I have been avoiding. I think I have been on my computer like three times over break haha. But this morning I decided was a good morning to post so be prepared for a few posts this morning on things from the last couple months.

This post is pictures from when I took the Mills Family pictures. If you wanna see a lot of them go see them here.

The ones I chose to post aren't necessarily the best ones but they are some of my favorites :)

 This one is just adorable.

 Rachel being the most awesome Aunt and photography assistant, brought M&M's for Tucker to keep him smiling.

 Love love love this picture of Halle.

 This is just one of the view throwing pictures of Sheldon and Tucker.

Tucker does this adorable monster thing with Halle to get her to smile. In came in handy a lot!

"Voldemort's End" - Harry Potter & Deathly Hallows Part 2

A current status of sorts.

My current facebook status:

Finished off my seventh horcrux...I mean final. They felt like horcruxes though...every time I took one a piece of my soul died.

Yes I am finished. 7 finals later. I only got 2.5 hours of sleep last night. It's been stressful. The tests have been ridiculous. Like the one I was complaining about on Tuesday? Please tell me the difference between use/implement and competence/competency. Both options for the same question. This proves nothing that I actually learned about the method you're questioning me about. But I should stop focusing negatively and focus on the fact that I'm done and survived to tell the tale.

As of right now I am sitting on the couch, wrapped up in my comforter watching Christmas VHSs that I haven't watched in years because we don't have a working VCR. I feel happy of myself. Life is good. Life is great. Life is wonderful.

And it is officially Christmas break and I don't have to think about school for another 3 weeks. I get to see my familia tomorrow and then Brandon and Anna and sweet adorable Jackson are coming on MONDAY! And Rachel gets to spend the weekend with us! Man life is good again. I am normal again. Thank goodness.

Happy Christmas.

"Angry All The Time" - Tim McGraw

I would just like to give you all a Public Service Announcement.

Notice:

If you ever want your students to like you especially after the class has ended and you're in the middle of finals, stressed exhausted emotional and all ranges of the spectrum, do NOT and I mean DO NOT add this to the top of your study guide. 

If you know this study guide you will do well on the test.  So…KNOW THIS STUDY GUIDE WELL.  I tried to make these questions as difficult as possible, which means they are tricky.  Take your time and think things through.  You should be fine.  I’d say good luck but you won’t need it if you know this study guide.

The last thing I am thinking right now are happy thoughts about you and this class. And rest assured if I do horribly on this test the world will know. Oh the whole world will hear my screams of horror. 

AND WHY THE CRAP WOULD YOU TRY AND MAKE YOUR FINAL AS DIFFICULT AS POSSIBLE?!!?! This proves nothing about what I've learned. Kudos for you for feeling validated for being able to write a difficult exam. Excuse me while I go back to smothering myself in 12 flipping pages of notes.  

"Simple Gifts" - Mormon Tabernacle Choir

I'm blogging with the hope that this keeps me away in class. I only have to wake up for my 8 o'clock class 3 more times. I can do this. I can do this. I can do this. Every time this class rolls around I sleep in longer and longer before getting out of bed. Thank goodness I haven't been doing this my whole college experience. Es no bueno.

Obviously this is a little overdue but the way I see it we should be Thankful all year round not just around November. So anywho my apartment decided to have a thankful wall where we wrote the things that we were thankful for.

One of the biggest things I was thankful for this year was for the FIRST TIME EVER I didn't have to worry about weather when driving to and from Utah. It was sunny, warm, clear. NO SNOW. After it messed up my entire week last year I feel like it was repaying me this year. But I am seriously so grateful that we had great weather. I didn't spend the whole week worrying about what the drive was going to be like.

Being back from Thanksgiving is fun. I only have 7 more days of classes including day left. I have a total of 7 finals but I took one yesterday, 98%, and so I only have 6 left. This week everyone has been complaining about no motivation and not wanting to do anything and I didn't really feel that since I haven't really had to do any assignments. Until last night when I had to take a quiz. And then I understood. But once again I have no homework so weird so I guess I should start studying for finals? Or I could just keep all caught up on my sleep now that way I'll be well rested for finals :)

"Prelude in G Minor" - Sergei Rachmaninoff

So I have been spending a lot this semester with this guy.  He's Russian. You've probably heard of him. He's name is Sergei.  Last name of Rachmaninoff. The time I would have spent with a boyfriend this semester I spent with him. I broke up with Rachmaninoff last night.  I decided that I needed a break from him for a while. I don't know if it was a mutual agreement but it was for the best.

I picked to do a Rachmaninoff piece this semester without fully knowing what I was getting myself into.
Rachmaninoff has some crazy large hands and I have crazy small hands. 

But somehow I was able to pull it off in my recital yesterday.  I can't play the piece to tempo but I am pretty dang happy with how it turned out. If you wanna listen to it I uploaded it to youtube so watch it here

I have loved being able to spend as much time as I have on the piano this semester. Even though I was doing it for a grade I'm lucky that I got to spend my time on something that I love.

"Live Like You Believe" - EFY 2006

Within the next five days before Thanksgiving I have 2 labs, 2 tests, a piano recital, a reunion dinner on Sunday, 2 quizzes and laundry and I'm probably forgetting about something else that I need to do. I am so upset that I won't be able to make it home to do all of my laundry *sigh* Rightfully so I am having a hard time focusing. Especially today since I have no classes. Which would seem like an awesome thing right because then I have all this time to be productive right? Well no. Because I don't really have to leave the apartment until later tonight to go practice piano and so then I just have this lazy personae and feeling of wanting to sleep all day. I would probably clean the apartment but surprisingly enough it's pretty clean right now.


So what is this blog post really about? I haven't decided yet. I figured as I started typing something would come to me. I've had lots of ideas for posts and just haven't quite decided which one to tell you about yet. Soooo let's go with...President Monson! President Monson came and did devotional a couple of weeks ago. Last time he came to BYU for devo was the day that Dallin was flying in from his mission so I was in a car on my way to the airport. But this year I had no classes before devo so I got to go early and get some awesome seats!!

Because we were sitting off the the side the light was hitting him just right that made him look all white in the pictures.

President Monson gave an awesome talk. And my favorite thing he said, along with probably everyone else at BYU, was when he quoted The Lion King.

"You are more than what you have become. Remember who you are."

How blessed I am to be at BYU where I can go and see the prophet and apostles in person :)

"I'll Be Missing You" - Puff Daddy

Life is good. 

Life is great.

Life is wonderful. 

These last couples of weeks have been pretty amazing. yes I'm still alive. Life has just been good. Even though I have no idea what I am doing post-graduation next April I'm not gonna worry about it. Why should I waste my time worrying about the future instead of enjoying the day I am living? 

The subtitle of the blog says "Living life with no regrets". I went on a blind date and we went out for chinese, and that is a story that I am not going to be sharing tonight :),  this weekend and my fortune said this:

It made me smile to think that this fortune could not have been any better for me. I can honestly say that since adapting this life motto I have no regrets. I may not have been happy with everything that has ever happened with me. But I know that for some reason it needed to happen and there was something for me to learn from it. 

On a less serious note Diane and I had a crazy night on Sunday. She kept asking me if I was writing down everything we were saying but sadly I was not. The only thing I can remember is "I do not talk to the devil." 

On a sadder note Vocal Point is no longer on The Sing Off. ok I am about to go on a short rant here and then I'll stop. But then again this is my blog so I can say whatever I want. Here are my issues with VP being out of the show. 

1. Vocal Point has been at the TOP from the BEGINNING. They deserved to make it to the TOP 3. 
2. Their worst performance was when they sang I'll Be Missing You because THEY WERE SINGING A TRIBUTE TO BEN'S DAD WHO HAD JUST, seriously just, PASSED AWAY. ARE THE JUDGES HEARTLESS?!! THEY HAVE EVERY REASON TO BE EMOTIONAL. Good gravy even I was getting emotional watching that performance. If you wanna watch it clicky here 
3. When Shawn said last night that sometimes "emotion can override perfection". He wasn't saying that a few weeks ago. (Thanks Diane for pointing that out.)
4. Along with that, up till last night that was the first time that Vocal Point received any real critisim. 
5. I have a problem with shows like these in the way that the point of the show is for groups to take a piece of music and make it THEIR OWN. Change it, recreate it to be something awesome and amazing. So when a group decides to do a Whitney Houston song (a few weeks ago) and was NOT able to pull it off but did not get any criticism about it then that's just stupid. BUT when Vocal Point takes a song and MAKES IT THEIR OWN, you know how they do every week because you know the whole time on the show the judges have been talking about how every group needs to create their own sound which Vocal Point ALREADY has, and then all of a sudden the judges start telling them it's not like the original and then KICK THEM OFF. **NEWSFLASH** THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO DO. 

Okay I'll leave it at that. I could go on but I'll save you from an even longer rant. I've come to terms about what has happened even if I don't think it's fair and the whole show is all about politics. But I will now be a devoted Pentatonix's fan. And if they don't win then I have no hope in America.

On a happier note I made an awesome dinner for Rachel and I tonight. Parmesan Chicken Bake with noodles and peas. It wouldn't be a cousin dinner without peas.  :)

"Not Over You" - Gavin DeGraw

We only have 18 days left of classes this semester.  I can't believe that I am almost done with my last fall semester!

Some things I will miss about BYU:
Sitting in the WILK and listening to random people sit down to the piano and start playing. Today I heard music from Tangled, Zelda, Super Smash Brothers and Phantom of the Opera.
Being on campus when billions of little kids are on field trips here.
      Just now a bunch of kids walked through the Wilk and one said "There are so many laptops!! They're all   on laptops!!"
The HFAC. Man that place is awesome.  I love sitting there or walking through a hallway and hearing 10 different instruments.
Starting class with prayer.
Hearing the bell tower play awesome music.
Divine Comedy.
Dance classes. I have no idea why I did not start these classes earlier in my college career.


and a bunch of other things which I can't think of because the nagging thought of working on my paper keeps entering my mind.  Guess I'll have to be nostalgic later.

"The Beauty of Your Dreams" - Joan Szymko

"I will make a prayer.  I will make a prayer to ask what I can do,
I will make a prayer to ask for courage to follow the light as it is given to me.
You gain courage and strength every time you look fear in the face.
You gain strength you gain courage and strength,
You gain courage and confidence every time that you are forced to look fear in the face.
You must do the thing you think you cannot do.
I will make a prayer.
Life must be lived! Life must be lived.
Cast out fear, we must cast out fear and face the unknown,
Face the unknown with courage and integrity and a high heart.

You must do the thing you think you cannot do.
I will make a prayer
Believe in your dreams, believe in the beauty of your dreams
The future belongs to those who dream,
To those who do believe in the beauty of their dreams."
-adapted from the words of Eleanor Roosevelt

"Wavin Flag" - K'naan

Favorite quotes from tonight:

Diane - "I think I am developing a mental disorder."
Lauren - [bahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah]
Diane - "That isn't funny!!!"

Lauren - "Guess what class I just registered for?!"
Diane - "Frog!"

Diane - "Breaking my back...my heart?...my foot?"

Diane - "The back of my knee is ridiculous.....ly itchy!!"

Diane - "I just realized that this is the class that we will ever take together. Maybe when we are older we will live near each other and we can take a pregnancy class together!"
Lauren - "I thought you were gonna say pregnancy test."

Diane has no idea that I am typing up pretty much everything that she is saying right now. She thinks I am studying for my midterm that is in less than 7 hours.

Diane - "Don't lie to me Lauren!"

Diane - "That's never happened before."

[printer makes noises]
Diane - "The commies are coming."
Lauren - "What do the commies have to do with my printer?"
Diane - "What does your printer have to do with the commies?"

"Young, Wild and Free" - Snoop Dog

So while I was home over the weekend it just happened to be homecoming and everyone just happened to get sick. BUT, but Kaleen was healthy enough to go out Saturday night, and to take pictures that afternoon. So here are some of my favs.

That would be my assistant Rachel's hand.

My beautiful assistance!

trying to keep the shoes from sinking in the mud, my awesome mommy!

one of my most favs

model!

I love this one too

This dress pretty much screams Kaleen.

Gor-gas!

I call this sexy leg pictures. Also another fav.

Yes this is blurry on purpose. bokeh!

"I Got You" - Leona Lewis

Three years ago I was a little freshmen. Of course by this time I was already pro because I went summer semester so while everyone else was struggling through midterms I knew what to do. This really has nothing to do with the story I'm about to share. It was also around the time that I met Diane. I won't share that story because only the few and privileged are allowed to hear it. For personal reasons. Well after we became friends and I had acquired a candle and candle warmer, Diane thought it would be cool to start dipping things in the wax.

Exhibit A 

yes I still have that pen...I have no idea why. Also she got really excited and tried to create her own candle, I thought I could find it to take a picture but I have no idea where it's at.
I was not a fan of this. Especially when wax got INSIDE of my favorite pencil. Then I was really not a fan.

So for the last THREE years I have had to deal with the fact that I couldn't put lead into my pencil. And then today I was determined, because I lost my other favorite pencil, such a tragedy, that I would remove the wax and give my pencil life again!

I started looking for something that I could stick into my pencil without getting stuck because there was already lead stuck in the wax. I thought tweezers would work but alas. Then I had a brilliant remembrance that I had a needle and thread!! So I sat there and very carefully was able to remove the wax around the lead while still keeping it in one piece. I removed the wax chunks at a time until it was all out. Then I went in with tissue and cleaned the inside. And the good news is my pencil is in recovery and should be back to normal today.

Man maybe I should become a surgeon! haha so not happening.

On another happy note, I am totally rocking the fishtail today which I did myself!

Also this is my 200th post!

"Faster" - Matt Nathanson

It's been raining since yesterday but today it's 35 degrees outside. So naturally everyone is crying snow on Facebook but I've been studying in the loving room and I haven't seen any snow.

When I was walking to class yesterday I saw all these cool things which would be super awesome to take pictures of but I am no where willing to bust my camera out in the rain. BUT now with my super awesome iPhone I can take cool pictures awesomely under the comfort of my umbrella.

"Piano Man" - Billy Joel

Today has been a great day. Usually Wednesday's are kind if crummy because I have my first class at 8 and then I get out of my last class at 9 and then I practice piano for an hour. But like I said it's been a great day. Here are some pics that I took after playing tonight.

"Edge of Glory" - Lady GaGa

I love Jon Schmidt. I have for years. In the last little while he's been doing a lot with his cellist Steven Nelson. Some of my favs are (click on it to watch on youtube), Love Story meets Viva la Vida, Bring Him Home and Rock Meets Rachmaninoff just to name a few.

Well today I found this little gem of brothers playing a cover and they are just so dang cute! I thought they did a super good job!

"Circle of Life" - The Lion King soundtrack

I am bored in class. This is the result of that boredom. Maybe I'll challenge myself to do a picture a day with my phone? Or with my camera. It has been far too long since I've taken pictures.

"Pumped Up Kicks" - Foster the People

I am really tired. I hope that by blogging it will keep me awake in class. Especially since I have another class after this one which is even longer. I know it's worth it to have crazy monday and wednesday's but I don't feel like that on Monday.

we're watching some grad student made video on aphasia. it doesn't have very good editing or pretty background music. it's kind of boring I'm not gonna lie. 

I start registering for Winter classes in a few weeks. My last time. Oh yeah it's official. I graduate april 20th! Right now I am too tired to right a super exciting speech about graduation. Moving on.

so pretty much my favorite part of conference was hearing that they are rebuilding the Provo tabernacle and upgrading it to a temple. yeah that was pretty much the most awesome part of conference. I admit I slept through more than I would have liked but oh well. Sometimes I feel like you can only do so much to keep yourself awake. Like right now. If I had a pillow or even a blanket I would be out.

the leaves are changing and I am getting dang excited about that. I think I might take a drive up provo canyon sometime soon and take pictures. fall is my favorite in utah.

oh yeah and I got an iphone. w0000t. favorite apps thus far: fruit ninja, instagram, words with friends and gospel library. love having all the scriptures and pretty much everything church related right there.

now I thought I would share some pics. these were all taken from le iphone.

rachel and I at conference 

 cupcakes that I decorated

 a quote that I like from April conference.

"Addicted" - Simple Plan

I have a disease. All I can think about is Harry Potter. Mostly due to the fact that Pottermore is coming out and I am DYING for my email. Clicky here to get a nice description from the wonderful Rachel. My disease causes me to relate everything back to Harry Potter even if in the slightest way it doesn't.

Like the other night my roommate was talking to me about the World Cup. I seriously thought she was talking about Quidditch until I stopped to really think about it.

Or last Saturday when I was at work I burned my arm on a pan that had just come out of the oven. I really have no idea how it happened since I didn't burn myself once over the summer. Anyway it was in the shape of a triangle. First thought? The Deathly Hallows.

And the other day I was in the HFAC, which really stands for Hogwarts Fine Arts Center, and I went into the bathroom. I wish I had had my camera. But there was one stall that had a restroom close sign in front of the toilet. First thing I thought of? They're just putting that sign up to keep the muggles from entering the Ministry of Magic.

My name is Lauren Trout and I am addicted to Harry Potter.

I am not ashamed.

"Larger Than Life" - Backstreet Boys

This is why my summer was amazing. Most of the editing was done by yours truly on a mac no less :)

"Your Body is a Wonderland" - John Mayer

So if you haven't figured it out by now, I love anatomy. It's actually quite ironic that I love it considering how long I dreaded taking the class before hand but that's not important now. Anywhoo there's this thing called the 100 Hour Board and they answer questions. It's run by BYU students and it is all anonymous. Well someone asked a question about if the ward was a body what parts would be which organs and such. I found it absolutely hilarious. Clicky here to enjoy.

"Fabulous" - HSM3

So I'm pretty spoiled here at BYU. Especially when it comes to playing the piano. The HFAC (fine arts center) is full of practice rooms with Steinway's. And I get to play them every day. It is going to be a rude awakening come next April when I go from playing on a Steinway to not having anything to play on at all. But I'm not gonna worry about that till I get there.

"Over My Head" - The Fray

It's always a strange concept when you come back to school after your freshmen year and you know that all of the guys your age are gone and you're suddenly surrounding by guys that a few years older than you. It's an even stranger concept when your friends get back from their missions and then come back to school. I am graduating and they are just barely beginning their schooling. I suddenly feel so old.

"All I Do Is Win" - T-Pain

I can't believe it's been a month since I've blogged last. My bad. A lot has happen within a few short weeks! Bear with me as the post will be longish.

I finished work at Aspen Grove. The summer was awesome and I've made a lot of good friends. We spent the last 48 hours trying to break as many rules as possible...hehe. So we decided to go swimming after hours and then sneak into the dining hall and have a slumber party. And I may have done laundry in the kitchen...hehe. So overall the summer was great. Of course there was drama but that's what happens when you are friends with you ward members, roommates and coworkers. Whatever happened at AG stays at AG.

Now I am all moved into my new, well old, apartment. I am in my same bed for the 3rd time in a row!!

School started and.....I applied for....GRADUATION! So folks it is official, well not 100% but almost, on April 20, 2012 my 22nd birthday I will become a BYU Alumina. I will be receiving a BS in Communication Disorders and a minor in Music. So pretty much the whole weekend is gonna be a party. Who knows maybe I'll even get married that weekend. bahahahaha just kidding. really.

So this semester I am taking 8 classes. But before you start freaking out wondering how on earth I am going to manage that many classes...let me tell you what I'm taking:

Hearing Test and Measures - pretty cool class. I had to read 108 pages yesterday and then take a 30 question quiz. But I succeeded. We get to learn how to perform hearing tests and even practice giving them on a computer program. Supes exciting.

Social Dance - I've always wanted to take a dance class at BYU and decided to take this one with the lovely Rachel. We have a Niel Patrick Harris look alike in the class. I danced with him and he flexed his arm. I tried not to laugh. He's a freshmen.

Bowling - Yeah this class is pretty much awesome. I'm taking it with Diane and all we do is bowl. Love it.

Medical Speech Pathology - I'm excited for this class since it's more focused on what I like; anatomy stuff. So far we have talked about TBIs and watched a horrific video of a car accident. Very exciting.

Music Fundamentals - I've been to this class once. There are like 3 guys from Vocal Point in it. We went over the notes on the staff. So pretty much easy theory class.

Professional Practices - We get to learn all the jazz about grad school and what it's like to be a professional SLP. Super interesting and informative.

Piano - Yup I'm taking private lessons this semester and I am super excited. I got to pick my own music so this semester I am doing a Baroque and Romantic piece. I really wanted to do a Rachmaninoff but I wasn't sure if I would be able to pull it off but I'm going for it! Let me tell you I was super giddy and excited when my teacher said I could do it. Rachel and Diane will be my witnesses. I am also playing a piece by Handel.

Basic Conducting - I'm pretty much a geek when it comes to conducting. I find myself conducting songs all the time except now I get to learn how to conduct choirs. AWESOME. My teacher is pretty cool. We get to have tea and crumpets every week before class starts.

So I am pretty stoked for this semester. Excited for this wonderful three day weekend. My roommates are amazingly awesome. I have always been blessed in the roommate department and for that I am eternally grateful. oooooooooooooo. Anyway...I'm hoping to keep up better with the blogging and keeping you all updated on my wonderful, exciting life. Huzzah.

"A Gift of Thistle" - Braveheart

So I decided that since I spend most of my time just sitting here while the guys are practicing on the piano and cello that I would bring my computer and blog a bit. I went and took some more pictures this weekend. I think i might actually be getting tired of taking pictures of leaves haha. I just need go do some hiking and get a little change in scenery.