New Blog!

It has been a joy blogging with all of you and look forward to continuing to do so in the future! I'm excited to announce that I (along with my new husband!) have moved to:

nathanandlaurenquinn.blogspot.com

See you there! Happy blogging!

Update

Wow, I just looked over my last couple of posts and realized I have been majorly slacking. I think I am more keenly aware of this right now, as opposed to other times of the year. You see, right now is finals week. Finals week consists of LOTS of studying, which means one has to find a proportionate amount of distractions to keep oneself sane through it all. Among these distractions are blogs.

I find great joy in checking blogs- learning what's new in people's lives: seeing pics of their latest vacation, hearing a funny story to make me laugh out loud, or reading about their last days as a Freshman (for example ;) ). I am so thankful for these blogs for providing me with entertainment through these long studious days! I need to give back! So, here I am... with a better post for those of you distracted by blogs. Happy studying :)

Unfortunately I don't have a funny story for you. Rather, I'd like to report on VITA. VITA is the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program that I oversee at BYU. I've mentioned it before, but just to recap: volunteers (in our case they're the students at BYU) work with the United Way and the IRS to provide free tax preparation services for low income individual in the school and in the community. Historically we have been one of the largest sites in the country and THE largest site among university sponsored sites.

This year was no different. With the help of more than 100 volunteers, we ran a lab open 40 hours a week and prepared more than 2000 returns over the course of 7 weeks. This resulted in a couple of interesting statistics: In those 2000 returns we were able to give:

• More than $350,000 in education credits
• More than $500,000 in Earned Income Credit (EIC)
• AND more than $4,000,000 in total refunds!

That is amazing! To think that most of the people we serve are BYU students and all of that money is just going right back into our community here in Provo.

I love the opportunity VITA provides me with to serve. Now, being in the leadership of the program, I don't get as many chances to actually prepare returns and interact with the taxpayers. However, the last week of VITA I did. It was a fantastic experience that served as a final reminder of the service I can provide in doing taxes. I prepared the tax return of a young couple, only married within the last year, both still semesters away from graduating. As I finished up their return and informed him of the amount of his refund (several thousands of dollars largely due to education credits) the husband bowed his head and simply said, "That is such a blessing." He went on to tell me that he was not expecting any money back at all, and that he had been worrying about how to pay some upcoming bills. He told me this was an answer to their prayers.

I love that! I love being part of those life changing moments for people! I'm so thankful for my experience with VITA. It truly has been one of the more meaningful experiences of my college career.

The Directors of VITA 2011

Ryan, Lauren, Helen, Coulson, Chad

Amazing, amazing people. Thank you for all of your service!

Here's to many more individual tax returns in the future... with slightly higher incomes to work with :)

2 Down 2 to Go!

Final #2: Taxation of Partnerships. Check!

My last tax final... completed, done, finished!

Forever!

Ok... not counting the CPA Exam...

You are Special

So, over the last week I've been receiving little gifts and notes from anonymous givers. Everything from my favorite peanut butter bars to cadbury eggs and flowers. Each has been accompanied by a card of some sort, letting me know someone's thinking of me, or that I am loved. Well, most have been anonymous- others not so much (thanks Heather and Vale :) ). It's meant a lot knowing someone cares, I just want to know who! It's driving me crazy that I can't write you all thank you notes! So, if you happen to be friends that read my blog, please know that I am thankful. Thank you for the love and support this past week.

6 days!!!!

I love to see the Temple...

Today

One Down

I took the last test for Individual Taxation today.

One class down, three to go.

Canyoneering

Last weekend we took a trip to Hanksville, Utah for a little canyoneering trip. Nate's brother-in-law said it was the final test I needed to pass before entering the family. The trip was fondly named "Lauren's induction into the Quinn Family." Thanks guys.

Shannon was a sweetheart and decided to brave the canyons with the Quinn men and me. Look at us in our tent! Which, we set up (and took down) by ourselves, by the way. Nate was so impressed- really. He didn't know I possessed that skill.

The canyons we went through were SUPER narrow. Did I mention that? In case you can't visualize "SUPER narrow" I've included the picture below:

The group (top to bottom): Aaron, McKay, Dallin, Nathan, and Shannon

Now, normally, in canyoneering, one would go down the canyon, using harnesses and ropes, repelling down. Well, not with the Quinn men. They've done this canyon numerous times, and decided to try going up it this time. Here's a picture of one pass we had to cross. This maneuver is called a "chimney" and I think it's one of the scariest things I've ever done.

Above: Shan, so happy to be canyoneering for the first time.

Below: another gaping crevasse we had to find a way to cross. Keep in mind that most people do this while roped in to a rope and anchor. Shan traversed it by counterbalancing her weight on the canyon walls with her shoulders and feet. You can see Nate's hand spotting her below.

Maybe this gives a little better perspective of how high up she was and how brave she consequently had to be:

After watching her cross that way, I elected this method instead:

Thanks Nate :)

All in all it was a fantastic trip! So... if it's alright with you, Aaron, I'll go ahead with plans to join the family! ... with hopes of many more canyoneering trips in the future!

Groomals

Last weekend we took our groomals at the Garden Park Ward (bridals, but with the groom there too). Thanks to our fantastic photographer for some amazing photos (and he didn't even post some of my personal favorites!) We had a ton of fun during this shoot. Getting all dressed up made the wedding feel so much closer!

Click here to see a few of them!

Shout out for VITA

Looking back, I've realized my blog has somewhat misrepresented my life recently. Yes, I do spend a fair amount planning, thinking about, and looking forward to our wedding, but I also am in school full time and am managing the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Lab on campus- both of which I love.

Right now I'm taking the final two tax classes for my Master's emphasis (Individual Tax and Partnership Taxation) as well as my final General University Education class (Humanities) and my last General Business Education class (Business Law). ... ok I'm realizing after listing that last class that I need to qualify my statement above. I love preparing taxes without reservation. I love classes at school with reservations... Business Law has kinda been the bain of my existence in the Marriott School of Business. I'm counting down the days for that one to be over. My other classes, however, especially Individual Tax, I am truly enjoying.

VITA is truly a highlight of my experience in school. It has influenced my chosen career path! I have been a volunteer in the lab for the past four years- all throughout my accounting education- and have managed the lab for the past two years. Through it I've come to love preparing taxes for individuals. Preparing someone's taxes is such a personal experience- so many aspects of their life are reflected in an individual's taxes. I appreciate the trust both friends and strangers place in me to prepare their taxes. I love helping people do something that they otherwise wouldn't be able to do for themselves.

One month!!

We get married in one month from today! Wahoo! It can't come fast enough!

Park City Photo Shoot

Last weekend when Nate was in town we took our official engagement pictures with our wedding photographer. Here's the link to his blog so you can check them out!

PC Engagements (click here)

Completed Family

My future brother in law returned home from his mission in Finland this past week... meaning I finally got to meet the last member of Nate's family! Welcome home Dallin!

Elder Dallin Quinn, McKay (younger brother), Paul (dad)

Nate wasn't arriving until the next day, so I met up with the Quinn family and rode with them to the airport. Upon arrival Dallin greeted each family member in turn with a hug. Once he got to me, however, he stuck out his hand. No hugs for this young lady, he said! Not part of the family yet ;) Thanks to Grandpa Arave for taking care of the introductions for us... introducing me as an investigator!

Engaged

If your first thought upon reading the title of this post was something along the lines of, "Lauren has GOT to get more creative with her titles... they're all the same!" then you were wrong! This title is NOT the same, but rather completely different. Although I have talked quite a bit about our engagement recently, this is not about MY engagement.

Friday night, my younger sister, Robyn, got engaged to Andrew Yenchick! We are so excited for them to be married in the Salt Lake Temple in June!

Congratulations!

Robyn and Andrew

Valentine's Dance 2011

300 Questions

Nathan and I have been reading this book:

And I recommend it. For everyone! Ok, especially for engaged couples or recently married couples. The book is comprised of 300 questions (obviously) tailored to LDS couples and is divided into six categories- things like finances, past relationships, and future hopes and dreams. Nathan and I started answering questions from it during the time we were making the marriage decision and have loved finishing it up throughout our engagement. I've enjoyed the book for two reasons. First, it's helped me get to know Nathan deeper than I ever could comprehend before. And second, and just as valuable as the first, I've gotten to know myself better! It forces me to come up with opinions and learn how to voice them! If two people in a marriage partnership are going to be able to come to conclusions on any sort of decisions, they better learn first how to have opinions, and second how to reconcile those opinions with the other's.

It is interesting to note that although many of the questions inherently come up in dating, many are questions we had never even thought to ask each other! The book provides a safe environment to ask hard questions and address seemingly hard issues- issues that not only might come up in marriage, but invariably will come up in marriage. If you do choose to make this book part of your relationship, I hope it has as much of a positive impact for you as it has for us.

NO MORE SCHOOL PLEASE!

I knew this day would come. The day that I wished school was over. Here it is. Nothings has changed, per say, in my circumstance- same long distance engagement, same classes, same pending (ever closer!) wedding date. I've made a conscious effort up until this point to try and enjoy my education and make the most of it all the way until the end. Well, today I'm impatient.

Happy Valentine's Day!

So, Nate and I celebrated Valentine's Day last weekend... or so I thought... I got a call bright and early this morning from my sweet fiance. It went something like this:

"Lauren, will you be my Valentine?"

"Of course!"

"There's one condition... you have to move out here and live with me."

"Ok, I can do that. Can you take my word for it for now? I'm not going to be able to move out for a couple of weeks..."

"Perfect. I just need you out here by April 30th... to use the tickets I just bought for the San Francisco Ballet!"

What a romantic of a fiance I have! So here's to our first date as a married couple in SF on our first weekend in the city.

BUT... that's not the only celebration of the holiday we had today. Nate received a package at work today! Surprise!!

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Engaged in San Francisco

This weekend was my first time back to San Francisco since we were engaged. Nate and I spent the weekend out there together, celebrating Valentine's Day and trying out the "city life" together. We took every opportunity to ride public transportation, eat amazing (and new!) food, hang out with other young couples in the ward, and explore the city together.

Every weekend Nate and I spend together is always packed to the brim full of plans. Since our time together is limited, we always try to maximize it- wedding plans, SF life plans, and most importantly spending time with each other. One of our favorite experiences of the weekend (I'll spare you ALL of our favorite experiences) was taking engagement pictures with Brad and Danielle (a cute couple just starting their career in SF... in our ward... and also my cousins...) in downtown SF. They were so generous to spend their Saturday afternoon with us and photographing us! Some of our favorites are below:

You have the classic trolley pics... (the question is: "hold on" for what?? Is that trying to have a deeper meaning here??)

...the Bay Bridge and beautiful bay...

...City shots

The Muni Bus

And then this one- just because I think it's funny:

You know it's Finals Week When...

• You get to school at 6:45 am and you don't get the first parking spot in the lot
• You justify eating an entire Magleby's chocolate cake all by yourself (ok, it was half a cake, but if I'd had a whole one I probably would have justified that too)
• You eat the same thing every night for dinner because you purposely made leftovers on Sunday to last you throughout the week

Let the fun begin! The good news is, this is my second-to-last finals week ever! I only have 6 more finals in my entire college experience!

How Do I Love Thee?