Remembering. :)

Heather did a post like this, and I thought it was a really good idea.

What I want to remember about Christmas 2010.

Christmas eve, with the whole fam damily. Aunt Karen, Gramma and Grampa, Aunt Dianne and Uncle Ron, James, my brothers, my parents, Turbo, Gizmo, Hermie, and Carter! :) We played What? and ate a LOT of food! Then I went to Carter's house and we watched Despicable Me! :)

The traditional Christmas morning wake up call - 4:30 in the am. I was back in bed by 5:15. And I got some wonderful gifts! An AMA Membership [the gift that keeps giving!], a car safety kit, a camera, and iPod speakers from the bf! He's so good to me!

The first Christmas day I spent fully away from my family. And it was a wonderful day!! Elizabeth made a delicious dinner, and it felt normal, with a lot of testosterone running around!! :)

Boxing day morning, when Viktoria - aka, my best friend in the whole wide world - texted me bright and early in the morning and said.. "Guess who came down early!!" The answer? Her. :) Made my whole day, especially since Carter had just left.

When I got to call Kaiti on her 19th birthday. She's an old fart.

When the Comets won Sugarbowl 44, for the first time since like 2002. Pathetic. But good for them!! :) Way to make us proud, boys!!

The fact that I wore flip flops on December 28. No big deal. (But I woke up this morning to about 10cm of snow. And it's freaking cold. Way to disappoint me, Mother Nature.. I thought you were gonna let us off easy this year.)

I got to talk to Elder Paxman! :) It was against his rules, and it was just over Facebook.. But we had like an intense conversation about life - for real, not just missionary life! - and it was so amazing. I feel so blessed to have such an amazing friend like him! I'm so proud of him! :)

Are we too grownup to feel a thrill
As we light the Christmas tree?
Are we immune to cookies,
Christmas cards and Christmas glee?


Are we too adult to "Ooh" and "Aah"
At the Christmas candle's glow?
Are we blasé about our gifts;
Do we shun the mistletoe?


Are we too mature for carols,
For merry or for jolly?
Do the decorations leave us cold,
The ornaments and holly?


Fat chance! We'll never grow too old
To love the Christmas magic.
A year without a Christmas
Would be boring, even tragic.


So bring it on! The candy canes,
The feasting and good cheer;
O Christmas, lovely Christmas,
You're the highlight of the year!


By Joanna Fuchs

My "Big Hunk" :)

The following is a phone conversation between me and that one boy. [He's currently in Leduc.]

Nicole: Oh, do you think you could do me a favor on your way home??
Carter: Let me guess.. Stop in Nanton at the candy store??
N: Haha! Yes!
C: Whadya want?
N: A Big Hunk!
C: Well ya, I'll be home on Thursday, but what do you want from the candy store??
N: A Big Hunk! It's just chocolately, nougaty, peanuty goodness!
C: He sounds like a real catch. Now what did you want from the candy store??
N: Carter! Listen! I NEED a Big Hunk! Cause one time Marshall discovered that if you eat them in the shower they're just the best things EVER!
C: Okay, Nicole, I told you.. I'll be home on Thursday, then we can do whatever you want in the shower. 
{At this point I was dying of embarrassment and laughter. I fell off my bed and hit my back on a bottle of lotion. It hurt. Anyways, I finally gave up on trying to convince him that a Big Hunk (the chocolate bar, not him. Although him too..) would make me the happiest creature to ever stand on the planet. He was just twisting all my words to make them apply to him lol. It's a good thing I like him so much, or I'd probably try to whoop his arse every single day!!}

this is what my christmas day looked like.

kwikly.

Christmas comes and goes. It's quick. You blink, and you miss it. But either way, when it's over.. You miss it. I had a wonderful Christmas day though! :)

Trade.

Carter left this morning. He's gone until Thursday. Bummer.

BUT!

Jessica, Viktoria, and Marshall are all here!! :)

Merpy Christmakah!

Oh, the joys of Christmas. :)

Today is Christmas eve. This, I think, is the best day of the whole Christmas season. Because it lasts all day! From the time we wake up until we go to bed is all about Christmas. Today is the day we go through all the presents and count how many we have under the tree and feel them and try to figure out what they are. This is when we open board games - and play them all night! - and pajamas, then watch The Grinch (Jim Carrey edition..) and eat appetizers and junk food. Then we go to bed at like 10 so my parents Santa can come put the presents out. And it's good we go to bed so early, because we are ALWAYS up by 3:30am. It's absolutely insane. But that's how we roll. Presents are opened and enjoyed by 6, then I'm back in bed for another 4 hours.

This year, I'm more excited than I have been before.. Mainly because I bought my parents some pretty radically awesome gifts.. And because I have honestly no clue what I'm getting! Usually I give my mom a list with one big item, and little stocking stuffers on it.. So I always know what I'm getting. But this year I gave my mom a big wish list, and I know I'm not getting everything on it.. I don't even know if I'm getting anything on it! So it'll be a surprise to say the least.

AND I finally gave Carter his present!! :) I'm kind of excited.. Cause I've had it for like a month and a half, so I just was too psyched up about it. I took it to him this morning, and he was like I'M NOT OPENING IT UNTIL TOMORROW!! and I was like fine, I don't care! (but I think he'll open it tonight.. haha) I just LOVE giving!! AND I'm going to beg him to take me to the nativity in Lethbridge tonight. :) I need a good Christmas feeling, and maybe a cup of Timmy Hoes hot chocolate supreme. It's divine. Michelle, you're definitely missing out..


All right, well I'm going to enjoy the festivities. :) Everyone have a great Christmas!! <3 I want to see a million comments and Facebook statuses and blog posts about how everyone's Christmas is!!

mistletoe and candy canes!

What? is the stupidest game ever. I just.. I hate it. 


I love getting letters, and sending letters, and giving letters, and writing letters.


Caution to all readers : Do not going grocery shopping two days before Christmas. This is the singularly dumbest thing you could ever possibly do. Unless you have a suicide wish.. Don't do it.


Also, I got a letter from Hogwarts today..

"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry 


Dear Ms. Martin,
We are regret to inform you that your application Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry has been rejected. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. 
Term begins on April 4. We await your owl by no later than February 27. 

Yours sincerely, 

Minerva McGonagall 
Deputy Headmistress"



It broke my little heart. :(

it's the most wonderful time..

of the year!

It's almost Christmas!

It's so close I can almost taste it!

Really. I'm not even exaggerating.

It tastes like eggnog, and chocolate oranges, and shortbread cookies, and turkey.

And while we're here..

It smells like cinnamon and peppermint, and cranberries.

It feels like cold toes and cheeks, but warm socks.

It looks like snow and twinkling lights and busy shoppers.

It sounds like Nat King Cole and Michael Buble and Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

It's the time when everyone comes home from school, something which I took for granted until it was all my classmates and close friends that were the ones coming home! 

It's when family spends a lot, a lot, a lot of time together.

It's when friends buy friends presents that the receiver will probably only use once or twice, then forget about it.

But it's the thought that counts.

I know it's almost Christmas because..

My mom starts playing her Christmas albums on iTunes ALL the time.

She puts out her nativities - all 18 (and those are only the ones I can see from where I'm sitting right now.. in total there's probably around 50) - and the Christmas lights go up on the house and garage and trees.

The neighbors across the street hang up their musical Christmas lights, which threaten the sanity of every person within a 3 block radius.

The parking meters in downtown Lethbridge are always plugged, because some kind soul is being generous enough to get rid of all his or her change.

The mall is open for holiday hours, and Walmart is open 24-7.

I loooooooooooooove Christmas!!

Sidenote: Carter and I started 'Twittering' yesterday.. Follow us!! :) 

Nicole - @sometimeshere23

Carter - @yankee277

We're kind of hardcore about life these days.

175

~secrets/

~stories/

~history/

~truth/

r.e.m.e.m.b.e.r [t][h][e] PAST*.

p.r.e.p.a.r.e (for) [t][h][e] FUTURE*.

l.i.v.e -in- [t][h][e] PRESENT*. 

and while we're here..

thanks for the memories, 

even though they weren't so great.

[You] were the one who held me together

when I was falling apart.

[You] ended up being the one who tore me to pieces.

Then [you] came along, and picked up the pieces.

[You] put me back together, like Humpty Dumpty.

But again, [you] left me in ruins.

I found myself, though.

A part here, a part there.

A mistake here, a stupid move there.

I found out I could do it on my own.

But then, I found {you}.

{You} didn't hold me together..

{You} gave me the strength I needed to hold myself together.

{You} didn't pick up my pieces..

{You} drew a map to help me find my own.

{You} help me, every single day, to carry on. 

Once, you told me I keep you above water.

That without me, you wouldn't be able to do what you do.

That you need me just to find the willpower to wake up every day.

And I told you that you would be fine without me.

The truth is,

I wouldn't be fine without you.

You are one of the best things that's ever happened to me. You're my love and my best friend. And every day that goes by, it seems like I discover something new about you to love. It's incredible to me how one person can make such a big difference in my life. You touch my heart in a way I never knew was possible before you. 

Thank you for holding my hand, and for kissing my cheek.

Thank you for answering my calls at 3 in the morning.

Thank you for buying me a million dinners and movie tickets.

Thank you for the last 175 days.

And thank you for all the days to come.

Sunday afternoon naps..
The Grinch..
French toast..
Apologies..

//remember when:

//remember when: i was going to go to utah? well, we didn't go.

//remember when: i dropped my phone on my face? well, i kind of have a fat lip now.

//remember when: i get 2 weeks off? well, i kind of miss taylor and madi. a lot.

//remember when: carter was sick for ever? well, i took care of him!

//remember when: i took care of carter 'cause he was sick? well, i didn't even get sick yet!

//remember when: i went and saw Tron with the sickie? well, it was amazing.

//remember when: viktoria got home from china? well, she did.

//remember when: it's christmas in a week? well, it is.

//remember when: in 10 days, me and carter will have been dating for 6 months? well yeah..6 months!

cabin fever?

you are my sunshine,

my only sunshine.

you make me happy

when skies are gray.

you'll never know, dear,

how much i love you;

please don't take

my sunshine

away.

I think Carter is an absolute deer for driving me around all day yesterday.. Even if it was in my car lol.

I miss Gina a whole lot, even though I forgot to mention her.

I'm uber jealous of the whole Palmer family and their travels to Hawaii.

I am pretty sure that when a person turns 55, they should be required to take a drivers test every 6 months. Because there are a lot of illegitimate drivers out there.. Like the lady that cut us off..

I love that Jessica is home. :)

how we roll...

for carter.

welcome to my blog. i know you've started reading it because my blog link is now a bookmark on the top of your safari when your laptop is logged in to your name, like it is right now. i'm writing this to say hi, because you may or may not have just ditched me at your house while you go home teaching? that's allowed. but the point is, i kind of feel weird just being here by myself. especially since, well, this isn't exactly my house! so i think i'm going to go home, eat some stew and buns, then i'll come back later. and maybe you'll be here! :)

ps. happy birthday to annaliesse!! :)

that was totally wicked!

Today, Nicole misses..

- the McMurray brothers. Probably the greatest teachers ever employed at RHS.
- summer.
- Hawaii.
- the sun.
- clean socks.
- when my mom used to do my laundry.
- High School Musical : RJHS grade 9 edition.
- Hawaii.
- when me and Adrian and Ethan and Marshall were inseparable.
- The Cheesecake Cafe with above mentioned boys, Sydnee, and my mom.
- Elder Paxman.
- texting David (Elder Paxman) when I was in a bad mood, and he automatically knew, and he was always able to fix me.
- Viktoria Sulz (good thing she gets home in a week!!)
- Jessica Baker (good thing she gets home tomorrow!!)
- Kaiti (good thing I get to see her in a week!!)
- my glasses.
- my lip chap.
- my Blackberry. As much as I love my iPhone..
- Hawaii.
- Show Choir trips.
- Hawaii.
- not having braces on.
- grad.
- my whole grade, actually. I saw Morgan and Gabby this week, and it made me realize how excited I am for Sugarbowl!
- Kimber.
- gel nails.
- Rockband : Beatles.
- Scamp.
- Hawaii.
- not being diabetic.
- the 30 hour famine. That was such a good night!

in a week.

I have so much to look forward to!!

On Saturday, I'm attending the CF #18 Regiment (?) Annual Christmas dinner.. Really, it's an excuse to wear nice clothes, eat nice food, and be with nice people.

On Sunday, my best friend gets home from WSU. I love her.

On Monday, my car will be fixed. Yeah, that's right, the fuel pump on my car went. :( Seriously no good..

On Wednesday, I work for the last time in 13 days.

On Thursday, I depart for Utah!! Now, I seriously can't even wait. Not only do I get to go see all my long lost (not literally) family from the US of A.. I also get to drag Carter along! :) I'm so excited to see all my cousins (Kaiti, Emily, Alyssa, Tanner, Brandon, Madison, Kylie, Zac, McKenna, Austin, baby [who's name is evading me at the present time..], Brick and Lily), and my aunts and uncles (Greg, Lorna, Jason, LeAnn, Bonnie, and Larry) and my Grandma and Grandpa! I'm also super excited to go see the lights on Temple Square for the first time, and to go to Park City, and to purchase some chocolate from The Little Chocolatiers! I also love the fact that we do white elephant gift exchanges, and we all get to sit on Santa's lap. :)

AND AND AND! Next Friday... My beautiful China Doll gets home!!!! :) <3

Making Nicole.

30 interesting facts about me.

1. My name is Nicole Pamela Martin. I'm named after my mom's mom, Pamela "Penny" Atwood. As much as I actually dislike the name Pamela, I think it's a true honor to be named after such a great woman. :) By the way, my name is Nicole. Not Nichole, or Nicky, or Niki, or Nickie, or any other assortment of names. Meagan calls me Cole, and Uncle Bryce calls me Pickle. That is all. The rest of you can - and will - call me Nicole.

2. I graduated - barely - from Raymond High School in June 2010. Jokes, I definitely passed. :) Yay!

3. I have four brothers, and two dogs. Ryan Dale, Tyler Quinn, Max Joseph, Justin Lyle, Gizmo, and Turbo (It's up to you to decide who is who).

4. I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and I love love love the gospel.

5. I currently work as a nanny for the McLaren family. I work with the two girls, Madison May and Taylor Rain. Madi is 5 and Taylor is 2. And they are just precious!

6. I spend money way too quickly.

7. I love my iPhone. A lot. Although, I occasionally wish I had waited for the iPhone 4G.. I was too impatient though.

8. I love chocolate. And cucumbers. 

9. I dislike mushrooms and tomatoes. And cheese.

10. I have the most amazing friends in the entire world.. Viktoria, Jessica, Carter, David, Myriam, Adrian, Marshall, Ethan.. I would trust any one of them with my life.

11. I love cuddling with Carter. :) I also love holding his hand. All the time.

12. I text. A lot. If I'm not texting someone.. I feel like something's wrong. Haha. But I'm a lot better than I used to be!! It used to be that if I didn't get a reply to my text in like 10 minutes, I'd either resend it, or send a different one. Now I can just chill out. Sometimes, I don't even reply to people!!

13. I love my sleep, but I tend to stay up too late.

14. I wish I knew how to wear make up for real.

15. My favorite movies of all time? The Harry Potter series, The Princess Bride, A Little Princess, John Tucker Must Die, and She's The Man!

16. I love reading. The Hunger Games is probably my newest favorite series, but I also LOVE everything by Anita Stansfield.. and JK Rowling.

17. I love jackets and shoes from the '80s and '90s.

19. I eat a lot of crap food.

20. Someday, I will own a brand spanking new, black, with leather interior BMW. Mmm..

21. I love, love, love, love Hawaii. It's the most incredible place I've ever been to.

22. I also love Paris. I've never actually been there.. But I love the idea of it. So one day I will go.

23. I want to learn how to drive a standard, ride a horse, and cook a roast beef dinner by my next birthday. 

24. My birthday is August 17, 1992, which means I will be 19 in a little more than 8 months!!

25. I have favorite cousins. Is that allowed? Meagan Cherie Pappenheim Martin Jones (whew!), and Kaitlin Maureen Atwood. :)

26. I am truly diabetic. Suck eggs.

27. I love playing the piano and singing. Not well, but I love doing it anyway.

28. I hated driving.. Until I got a new car and was forced to drive in Calgary. Now I love it. Except on bad roads.

29. Blogging and Facebook are my two favorite things to do on the internet. Also, Marshall sometimes sends me funny videos to watch on YouTube, so I like that too.

30. I'm annoying. Don't worry, I know it's true.

sidenote...

I hope you all like my new Christmas style!! :) 

Off.

Who was the last person that you pinky promised?

Carter. :) I don't remember what I promised him.. But I'm sure it was something good. 

Are you insecure?

Occasionally..

Do you judge people before getting to know them?

I try not to! But sometimes I can't help myself.

Would you fight for love?

Absolutely. I do every day. But it's okay - I'm winning. :)

 Where was the first time you ever kissed the last person you kissed?

In his car.. It was a surprise, to say the least.

 What was the last movie you watched & with who?

Humm.. It would have to be.. Maybe it was Harry Potter : The Deathly Hallows, with Carter.

 Have you ever wanted to never give up on someone but did?

I think everyone has done that at some point in their lives..

 Do you have something that belongs to someone from your past?

Nope. I tend to get rid of things that have no meaning.

 Was the last time your heart pounded like crazy for a good or bad reason?

A good reason.. I was scared to wake Carter up. Haha!

 Where did you get the pants your wearing?

Ah, well I'm wearing some Walmart yoga shorts.

 Have you ever slept on a couch with someone else?

Many, many, many times.

Have you ever kissed two people in one night?

No!

 Are promises important to you?

Usually.

Did you have a boyfriend on your birthday this year? Who?

I did. Guess who. I dare you to guess.

If you could get back in touch with one person you’ve lost touch with, who would it be?

No one.. I lost touch with them for a reason.

How would you feel if your best friend hooked up with the last person you kissed?

I'd be right up pissed. That's the only way to say it.

 When was the last time you were in a taxi?

I was in a shuttle one time in Hawaii.. and in Calgary when our trip was over.. Does that count?

How do you act under pressure?

I think I get a lot quieter. Sometimes louder, depends on the situation.

 Has anyone ever bit your lip?

Haha yeah.

100.

This is my 100th post! Just saying!


life is a beauty; admit it.
life is a game; play it.
life is an adventure; dare it.
life is life; live it.


"A box of new crayons! Now they're all pointy, lined up in order, bright and perfect. Soon they'll be a bunch of ground down, rounded, indistinguishable stumps, missing their wrappers and smudged with other colors. Sometimes life seems unbearably tragic." - Bill Watterson


"A life which does not go into action is a failure." - Arnold Toynbee


"Carpe diem! Rejoice while you are alive; enjoy the day; live life to the fullest; make the most of what you have. It is later than you think." - Horace


"Somebody should tell us, right at the start of our lives, that we are dying. Then we might live life to the limit, every minute of every day. Do it! I say. Whatever you want to do, do it now! There are only so many tomorrows." - Pope Paul Vi

nicole loves...

testimony meetings. there's always one lady (in my home ward) who gets up and talks for seriously 15 minutes. she has the best accent, and tells some fantastic stories.

when carter comes home.

wearing dresses. until the event (church, dinner, grad, etc.) is over. then i go back to hating dresses.

cute boots.

nylons / tights. black ones.

walking on ice in heels.

when neechel gets married.

when jessica comes home this week!

when viktoria gets home next week!

when christmas is almost here.

making christmas decorations.

rejecting people.

five guys burgers and fries.

making up statuses on facebook that people like!

chili and buns.

..because we all have our reasons. :)

You Always Make Me Smile - Kyle Andrews
...because you always make me smile.
Smile - Uncle Kracker
...because you make me shine like the sun, fall out of bed, sing like a bird, dizzy in the head, spin like a record, crazy on a Sunday night.
Lucky - Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat
...because I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend.
Africa - Karl Wolf
...because it was your ringtone for me on your old phone. Don't think I didn't notice!
All I Do Is Dream Of You - Michael Buble
...because you sang it to me one day.
Everything - Michael Buble
...because we love him.
Anyone Else But You - The Moldy Peaches
...because we love Juno.
A Drop In The Ocean - Ron Pope
...because you made me suffer for two weeks before you decided to date me.
Fall For You - Secondhand Serenade
...because I fall for you again, every day.
If It's Love - Train
...because if it's love, what else matters.
Got Whatever It Is - Zac Brown Band
...because I've got it.
Wouldn't It Be Nice - The Beach Boys
...because it would be so nice.
Seeing Things - Aaron Lines
...because you told me you never sing out loud, but then you sang this.
Here (In Your Arms) - Hellogoodbye
...because I like where we are, when we drive in your car.
Love's Looking Good On You - Lady Antebellum
...because love is looking good on you.
This Kiss - Faith Hill
...because I love kissing you.
Perfect - Hedley
...because I'm not perfect. And because it was the first song we ever danced to.
Two Is Better Than One - Boys Like Girls ft. Taylor Swift
...because it is.
Vanilla Twilight - Owl City
...because you hate Owl City. But the spaces between my fingers are right where yours fit perfectly.
I Want To Hold Your Hand - The Beatles
...because I got this feeling I think you'll understand.

faith in love.

Thank you, Becky, for posting this.. I will now do my own rendition.

Drum roll, please!

Hollywood's Five Hottest Males. 

Hands down.

In FIFTH place..

Johnny Depp.

JD as the legendary Captain Jack Sparrow <3

He is divine.

FOURTH..

Channing Tatum.

Personal Favorite... She's The Man... I also LOVED Dear John.

Mmm.

THIRD..

Rupert Grint.

He is the prettiest ginger boy ever.

Ronald Weasley. :)

SECOND..

Robert Downey Jr.

What a classy, classy man.

Yes, Robert Downey Jr.. You wink at me ALL you want..

FIRST.

Ryan Reynolds.

He's a god.

I'm absolutely positive.

life goes on?

Doesn't it just irk you when people change?
People you thought you knew so well?
People is too general.
When a person you thought you knew so well suddenly becomes someone totally different?


It's absolutely incredible to me how much a person can change in such a short amount of time.


One day, you're best friends. You're always together, always texting, always making jokes at each other's expense. But that's the best kind of friendship, isn't it? The kind where you can torment one another, but know it's all for fun.


The next day you wake up.. And that friend is gone. Replaced by a less fun, less involved, less friendly version of that friend.




I mean, obviously it's not that sudden.. It's a process. Gradually, a new personality forms, and soon - without even noticing it - you're left with a stranger. All that is left are the memories.


But still, you hope that the old personality will return. You wish to return to the days of corn dogs and chalk and trampolines and bike rides. You want just to be honest, just to tell them..

But that would be setting yourself up for rejection.

The only thing there is to do is to hope they're happy with the person they've become. And to you, my dear friend.. I know you're reading this.. And I hope you know that when/if you figure out you don't like who you've become.. I can help you find the old you.

*Writer's note. This post is secretly about more than one person. If you know who one of the people is.. Good for you. Keep that to yourself. 
*Another note. I am not the only one who feels this way. I know I'm not. For a fact. So don't go ahead and think I'm biased or being rude or judgmental. I just miss my friend.