t minus 10 hours

Wow. Three long months of waiting is finally here.  I can't believe in a few hours I will be at the Missionary Training Center, waiting to start my new adventure to teach and spread this wonderful gospel.  The Lord works in mysterious ways.  I'm so grateful where I am right now, and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.  To be set apart as a missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints tonight was a surreal thing.  Although I don't necessarily feel different right now, I know I need to step up to the plate and be the best I can be for the Lord.
I would LOVE to hear from you guys!
Either write me on www.dearelder.com  (it's free while I'm in the MTC or just the price of a stamp when I'm in the field.)  or here is my address for at least three weeks, but I'm thinking it will be four.

Sister Chelsey LaVoye Baker
MTC mailbox 155
NE-OMA 1108
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604-1793

Here's to the next 18 months! Hopefully I will be able to do what the Lord needs me to do.  I pray I will be able to answer this call faithfully and honorably.

Thank you all for being so amazing!  My mission blog which will be updated with my letters is

sisterchelseybaker.blogspot.com

i loved you too much to just be your friend, so God let me be your sister

Ya know those times when you and your sister just get in a really silly, dorky, giddy mood and you both just keep laughing at(with) the other one about the most random stuff? because you  can be your absolute self around her?

When you know life can just be smiled at, 

and things really are good no matter what you're going through.

I <3 those times.

Thank you Cierra for putting up with my crazy antics. I love you so much :)

Never say Never, right?

So I NEVER thought I'd EVER do a fashion post.  I just have accepted the fact that I do not dress cute enough to warrant showing other people besides those who happen to see me on the streets.  But today I actually feel like I can share!

It's a cold, blustery day here in St. George Utah.  It's weird since oh day before yesterday it was like 90 degrees.  But i'm loving this weather! Fall is my friend. I love the colors and the cool air.  And I love that I made this outfit work.

And I take kinda awkward pictures haha.  But even though I feel a little like a pumpkin, I love this outfit.  :)

AAAND, another never say never, you know those buns that everyone is doing on top of their heads?  Someone people can pull it off, but I never even thought to try it.  But today has been a different day all around.

I know not quite on top of my head, but what ya think?  I like it.  What did we learn today? 

Never Say Never.

Just like my great granny always said.

Oh, and P.S.   I leave in 7 DAYS!

Holy Hannah.  

Have a lovely fall day!

I have the best of everything

In this Party post I really want to emphasize how grateful I am for everything in my life.  I have the best of everything!

*Spending conference Saturday with my beautiful friend Catharine, and her adorable four month old!  I just couldn't get enough of this boy! And we made pumpkin waffles, and she made this amazing salad, and we were uplifted by the prophets for our day.  Her mom was also in town so it was super neat to be able to get to know her better!  It was an awesome day and a half. 

Doesn't his smile just get ya?!

Isn't she so pretty?!?! :)  

*my moms birthday was on Thursday!  HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!  A bunch of her friends from work and I went to Red Lobster, and then to see "The Help."  Which, by the way, if you haven't read it I really recommend it!! Best book I've read in awhile.

Don't mind my hugeness that was created by leaning over ha.

* General Conference for my church was amazing.  Our church leaders are so inspired. I'm grateful I was able to watch both days of conference without work or an extra cirricular activity to get in the way. That hasn't happened in awhile.

*My brother.  I love this boy, and we don't get to hang out enough. It's crazy that he's going to be 17 in Feb.  He shouldn't be that old yet!  

*that I leave on my mission in 9 DAYS!  Everything is starting to come together, and it's amazing what the Lord can teach you if we are willing to seek and listen.

*my lovely friends. I don't know what I would do without them.

*singing for my farewell.  I haven't sang in front of anyone probably since high school, and i miss it. Hopefully i don't mess up.  

*oh yah, my farewell is on SUNDAY!!  Anyone is invited, and open house from 1030-230.  

*Thank all you readers! You guys are so amazing and I learn from you everyday.  

I finally get to be normal again!

As of 7 AM this morning I am officially done with work, and more importantly night shifts!  Sigh of relief. As much as I love my co-workers, nightshifts really mess with ya.  It will be so nice to be on a normal schedule again.  The lovely girls I work with threw me a party! We had these AMAZING pumpkin waffles with buttermilk syrup.  They seriously are to DIE for, and I'm not exaggerating. If anyone is interested I can post the recipe!  It's so simple and tastes just like fall :) So yummy.   I love these ladies, who definitely became my work family. and wish I could have gotten a pic of everyone I work with!

Quality, not Quantity

          My best friend, Kayci, and I hardly ever see each other.  We were together for two years in high school, but we were both SUPER busy, and I actually don't remember hanging out that much outside of school.  But then I moved for her senior year, and then I came back, she moved etc. etc.  It's amazing though, that our relationship only gets better, and we can see each other and it's like we never left.  I love that about us. We truly just get each other.  So when we do see each other, it is packed with fun things, and we laugh so hard, and forget about the world for awhile.

          This month she is moving to LA!  I can't wait till I get back from my mission to just spend lots of time there with her.  But she still had a lot of her stuff in Salt Lake, and her old car (she just bought a new one) was there and she needed to at least get it down to St. George to my house.  The plan was to drive up there together, and then we each drive one car home.  But I worked Saturday night, and Monday night.
 So commence the less than 24 hr road trip to Salt Lake and epic drive home :)

First pic of the trip!  I changed my face .25 secs before I took the picture so my mouth looks a little funny.  But isn't she GORGEOUS!

Haha so we're just drivin along, coming up on Beaver, UT, and the sign says #1 tasting water.  I've seen this sign I don't know how many times, and never have stopped to see if it's true! Sooo we did.  We thought there might be a stream or something, but didn't see any.  So we went into the bathroom thinking maybe the tap water? Yah, didn't work either. Oh well, we tried right? haha.

Have you guys ever looked at an Urban Outfitters magazine? Well if you haven't, you aren't missing out on much. Anywho, the models in there were in the weirdest poses, along with some pretty weird outfits.  This was Kc and our friend Cory trying to imitate.

Next we went to the PIE, which is the pizza place from heaven, seriously.  Kc and I have tons of memories there.  It's always a must when we are in SLC together.

 The walls are covered in writings of everyone that has passed through.  This was one from last year :)

 And ours. I can't believe it's still there, a lot of them get written over.

Um, did I mention I love this girl??

Then we decided to dance in the parking lot. This is awkward high school dancing reenactment.

This was just fun :)

they can't stop being models.

Haha classic..engagement pic?? lol. either way it shows our friendship. We laugh A LOT.

The ride home was very eventful. Her old car is really old and couldn't go over 65.  So the four hour drive from Salt Lake took us 7 hrs, with only a couple pit stops.  I have never had so many semis pass me.  But we kept in touch the whole ride, and it seriously was so much fun.  I couldn't have asked for a better 24 hrs with my sister.

I'm really going to miss her.  Even though we've been apart for almost our entire relationship it will be hard to not just drop a text whenever I want.

<3

Celebratin'!

I'm celebrating(late), my salt lake weekend a couple weekends ago..

I love Salt Lake City.  I moved to the U right after high school, made tons of friends and even though I had to move back, I go up there probably more than I should.  It's not that long of a drive, and I always have so much fun when I go.  not last weekend, but the one before I went up for a little last hoorah.  And basically I sucked at taking pictures.  Ugh. Sometimes I take millions, and others hardly at all.  Oh well. These are the few :)

This was right as I was pulling into the valley. It was breathtaking and this pic does it no justice.  I miss the green of Salt Lake compared to the red rock of stg.

I LOVE THESE GIRLS!  Becca on the left is my friend since high school, and I love her face off.  The one on the right is her beautiful older sister Meese, or M'Lisa.  We had a fun time at church, and this picture just makes me smile.

Braeden and I, remember him from here? we rented mountain bikes, and fit both of them in the back of his tiny car, and then biked around. It was super fun, and i realized I'm not as in shape as I thought I was lol.

Other highlights that I sure wish I had gotten pictures of.

-My good friend friend Shaun and I went to Park City and did the Alpine Slide and Coaster, and the Zip Line. It was SO MUCH FUN! Oh my goodness. I laughed so hard, and we had a grand time.  Shaun is seriously one of my favorite people, and one of the ones I first met when I lived up there.

-Ultimate Frisbee!  If you haven't played this game, you really should.  It was so much fun to get with everyone again and just play our hearts out. I will miss that.

-La Cocina.  Went there twice. Bring on the mexican food haha.

-now i don't ever watch South Park or any show like that, but it's quite funny to listen to your friends quote stuff.  I know I probbaly wouldn't laugh if I was watching the show, but for some reason when they impersonate them it's hilarious!

-Doing a session in the Salt Lake Temple.  How majestically gorgeous!

-Becca making dinner from noodles and veggies and making it amazing!

-shopping for more mission clothes.

-getting a facial and massage from Meese who is in Master Esthetician.  Amazing!

-Having heartfelt convos with my girls. I love them.

-talking with my good friend Chase.  That kid is awesome.

-sleeping 12 hrs! Aw I really don't sleep enough.

-Randomly seeing Angela at the Institute! It was soooo good to see her!

This is what I'm celebrating.  Life is so good, and I'm grateful I was able to say goodbye in person to some amazing people in my life.  :)