"I don't know why you say goodbye, i say hello"

well, this is it.

the last blog post for a while.

i enter the mtc this wednesday.

am i excited?

yes.

am i nervous?

yes.

will i survive?

yes.

this past week my family was in town.

it was so fun to be together one last time before i left.

and it was fun to have them there to hear my talk.

most important, it was wonderful to go through the temple as a family.

is this goodbye? i suppose it is for now.

but don't worry.

i will be back.

quality time

what do you do when your mom is gone to europe for two weeks

and its just you and your dad?

well, you spend some good quality time together.

we went to beautiful palouse falls.

and then we went camping

and did some fishing while we were there...

and yes - we both caught a fish!!

on our ride home, we passed several old barns.

check out the cool fence that surrounds this one!

lions and tigers and bears... oh my!!

this last weekend, we decided to go to the zoo.

don't worry, i was definably happier than this guy.

sometimes, i just like to sun bathe and snooze.

and other days, i just want to strut my stuff.

i love to explore.

and i like to look pretty.

and someday, my name will be on this tree.

you can count on it.

InDiAnA

for those of you out there who actually like to keep up with my blog,

this has probably been long awaited.

your patience is finally about to be rewarded.

here is a summary of what i have been doing this last month.

my favorite kids in the whole world! thanks for an awesome month!

here is the cutest ever baby boy!

william (aka) will (aka) george

thanks to my awesome idea - we tie dyed shirts for our fhe activity!

and everyone had a blast!

i taught ivin how to make a paper hat. and then of course i had to make some for the twins.

ivin is the cowboy surrounded by pirates. =)

one saturday i took all of the kids to wonderlab

(a mini version of the pacific science center).

it was a fun adventure!

the girls on easter sunday!

we went to the zoo and had a fun day!

josh got a hold of a camera, and wanted to take a picture of the giraffes.

cute!

just wanted everyone to see the fact that we saw a turtle.

not just any turtle. an australian turtle!

...what a day for a day dream...

today i have been dreaming.
dreaming of...

italy
washington
california
oregon
australia

almost time for me to hit the road again.
am i ready to leave indiana?
good question.

but one thing is certain.
i am ready to travel again!

just another rainy day

this weekend has been full of surprises, and rain.

rain, lightening and thunder.
tornado warnings.
yes please.

but it is spring, so could we get a break

and get some sunshine?

everything is turning pretty and green.
flowers are starting to bloom.
and the bumble bees are coming out.

we have been very busy this weekend, despite the rain.
making easter nests, dying eggs, eating candy.
could it get any better?

spending easter with little kids is the best.
their faces light up
they eat waay to much candy
and have so much fun.
i even got to join in the easter egg hunt!

happy easter....
happy spring.........
happy rainy weather!

WeLcOmE to the world BaBy BoY!!

as many know by now, my sister has had her baby!
he is two weeks old today and as cute as ever!
his name is william - but goes by will.
(i secretly still call him george...=)

he is your typical baby boy.
eats. sleeps. cries.
but loves to be held.
when he is awake and happy,
it is the most precious thing in the world.

he will now sometimes take a pacifier.
and is great at taking baths.
he knows exactly when his momma leaves the house,
and knows to cry so that i will pick him up.

the kids all love him.
they get excited when he waves.
and they even help throw away dirty diapers!

basically, what i'm trying to say is...
welcome to the world baby boy!
you are adorable and we all love you!

waiting for the baby...

what do you do while you wait for the baby with four crazies?

1.) you make paper hats
2.) you play the BEAN GAME!!
3.) you learn how to play the Wii and become pro at tennis
4.) you cook dinner, make cookies, granola... anything yummy to eat.
5.) you watch Tangled about once a day with lucy and josh
6.) you search for and kill ANTS!!
7.) and then you wait.... and wait.... and wait....

will today be the day? what is your vote?
i say.... YES! its about time.

.my new best friend.

i would like to introduce all of you to my new best friend.

a new member of the family.

who happens to live in my backyard.

ARCHIMEDES!

and i might have bought a owl mug...

and named him archimedes too.

Be CrEaTiVe. Be JeAlOuS.

be creative.

when you have time at home.

and nothing to do.

be creative.

this is how i've spent the last several

months of my life.

be jealous.

i finished the coolest/hardest ever beatles puzzle.

was it worth it? MOST DEFINATLY!

i re-experience my italy trip as i scrapbook it daily.

here are my awesome pillowcases

(middle one was for dad for his birthday)

and it is my pleasure to introduce you to...

mantis (from kung foo panda)

and petri (from the land before time)

my new valentines day

plate.

and i have been baking like no other.

this is lemon meringue pie (perfect the first time!)

and i make homemade bread at least once a week...

don't you just wish you had all the free time that i have?

it's ok.

you can go ahead and be jealous now.

FoReVeR SuNsHiNe

road trips seem to make me happy.

i am convinced that i was born to travel.

my most recent road trip was to utah.

i was able to see old friends and roommates.

i was able to wander around the mall and take fun pictures.

but most important, i went through the temple for the first time.

with the ones i love. my family.

life is good.

life

i think that its officially safe to say that i have a life again. well, not really, but i do have a job. my first job ever. doing soil testing. so yes, i get to get dressed up and look like a geek everyday. lab coat, goggles, and gloves, the whole package. can i at least say that i make a very cute geek? chemistry may not be my life profession, but it will do for now. and one plus - there is a very handsome guy that works there too.

*AuStRaLiA*

FuN FaCtS AbOuT AuStRaLiA

- Australia was the second country to give women the vote.

- In 1954, Bob Hawke was immortalised by the Guinness Book of Records for sculling 2.5 pints of beer in 11 seconds. Bob later became the Prime Minister of Australia.

- Swimming - In 1838 it was declared illegal to swim at public beaches during the day! This law was enforced until 1902.

- Australia's first police force was a band of 12 of the most well behaved Convicts.

- In 2007, it was estimated that 22 per cent of living Australians had a convict ancestor.

- Emus and kangaroos cannot walk backwards, and are on the Australian coat of arms for that reason.

- When a specimen of the platypus was first sent to England, it was believed the Australians had played a joke by sewing the bill of a duck onto a rat.

- Australia is the sixth largest country in the world. It's about the same size as the 48 mainland states of the USA and 50 per cent larger than Europe, but has the lowest population density in the world - only two people per square kilometre.

Australian inventions...

- Australians invented notepads (1902)

- aspirin (1915)

- the pacemaker (1926)

-penicillin (1940)

-the Hills Hoist clothesline (1946)

- the plastic disposable syringe (1949)

- the wine cask (1965)

- the bionic ear (1978)

- dual-flush toilet flush (1980)

- anti-counterfeiting technology for banknotes (1992)

- long-wearing contact lenses (1999).

the waiting game

the waiting game. doesnt everybody just love to play it? waiting for final semester grades. waiting for a boy to call. waiting for vacation. waiting for a surprise. in my case - waiting for a mission call.

checking the internet every hour for grades. sitting by the phone, waiting for that call. looking at pictures of all of the wonderful places you could be, but your not. hoping for something new, exciting, and random to happen. in my case - dad walking out to the mailbox through the snow every day, me watching from the window. looking for that big white envelope in his hands.

i was making cookies, a new recipe. dad had just checked the mail and said it hadnt come, and i thought that it would never come. next thing i know, i am getting poked by something, and i turn around and see a big white envelope... to sister brooke baker.

and we all know what happens after this - we get everyone on the phone. i tear open the envelope, read where i'm going and shout "i'm going where i wanted to go!!!" of course, no one had any clue, because i hadnt read where i was going out loud. AUSTRALIA MELBOURNE MISSION. and i think everyone is a little surprised.

why? why would they be surprised? first of all, no one guessed anywhere even close to autsralia for me. they all guessed in the states. for good reasons too. all the missionaries in our stake are either in the U.S. or in South America. and here i am, going to AUSTRALIA!!

to say i am excited is an understatement. i cant be more thrilled or happy about my call. foreign. english speaking. perfect. only down side to my call - i dont leave till june 22nd.

and that my friends, is what we call karma... i rushed to get my papers in before we left for our trip back east, i put my ready date in february, and i decided to not go to school this winter. of course i would get my call soon after my ready date. right? boy was i wrong. i have a 6 month wait. stuck in moses lake. what am i going to do? i have no idea. only time will tell...