New Year, New Me

So it is almost 2009....

I am ready to leave 2008 behind, although I think 2008 was a pretty good year for me....

My sweet Nicholas came home from Afghanistan! The blessing I was waiting for!

I spent New Years in Oregon with my best friend Briana!

I learned that I will become an Aunt to a sweet baby girl in 2009!

I got to witness two of my very best friends in the Celebration of Marriage!

I myself, got the best gift of 2008, a marriage proposal from my dear Nicholas!

I got straight A's for the first time in my life! What a semester it was! I am finally one semester closer to becoming a teacher!

I continued to get unconditional love from my family!



I was blessed this year with love, family, friends, health, and happiness. I thank God everyday for giving me strength and courage to continue to better myself and the people around me!

Here's to 2009.... It will begin with meeting my sweet Niece Addison, and then my Wedding to my Prince... I believe this will be a wonderful new year!

Christmas 2008

We had an amazing Christmas in the White Mountains of Arizona!!
I love spending time with my family at our cabin! Its a little glimps of heaven
I cherish every moment I can spend with my family! I am truly blessed!





I hope everyone had a great Christmas!! I am looking forward
To 2009!!

24th Birthday....

( He can never take a serious picture!!)
( making a wish!)
It was my loves Birthday on Friday!! We celebrated with Friends and Family!! It was the 5th Birthday I have spent with Nick....what an Honor!!


Here's to 90 more babe!!!!xoxo

Random talk...

( The bridesmaid dress in black)

So I am officially done with this Semester!! Oh man it was a tough one! I think I did really well though!
I will finally have some "me" time. I am excited to get last minute wedding stuff done! Our wedding is in just a little over 2 months! I am beyond excited to get married!
I have had multiple dreams lately about the wedding...one was really good, the other not so good. It was one of those dreams where I wasn't ready in time and nobody was there to help me get ready, and I had to walk out in my dress but nothing else was done! I think I just want everything to be perfect, I must have been thinking too hard about it that night before bed!

My best friend Briana In Oregon got her brides maid dress yesterday. She sent me a picture of her in the dress and it is wayy cute! when we went to pick out the dress it was in black, so it was hard to imagine what it would look like Pink! My girls are going to look beautiful! The place my girls in AZ got their dresses seem to push the date back each time I call to see if they have come in yet....its becoming really frustrating!

This post is really random I know.......

Lets see what else is going on...
My sweet baby Niece will be here soon! I am beyond excited! My sister-in-law is Due January 21st, but they say she will probably come a week early....so she will be here soon!! I can't wait to meet Addison! My brother is going to be an amazing dad! They are going to be such a sweet family!

Christmas is in less than two weeks! Yay!! I love this time of year!! I met Nick 5 years ago around Christmas time! It brings back sweet memories!

Celebrating Jesus's Birthday and remembering him is the best time of year!

Now I am off to target....my favorite place!!!!

Taking a break....

I officially only have 3 days of class left this semester....YAY!! I will be done with all papers and Finals on Dec. 9th! This has been the hardest semester of my life!!!

The unfortunate part of all this...I have to stop blogging until all my school work is done!

One week from tomorrow, I will be a whole different woman...school has sucked all the life out of me...but soon I will be back to myself.....once finals are over!

Wish me luck for the next week.......I'm going to need it!!

I am so THANKFUL

Thanksgiving is tomorrow! I love thanksgiving! I love that I can be in a room full of everything I am thankful for! Dad, siblings, Aunt, Uncles, Cousins, Soon to be hubby! My heart is so complete for a whole entire day....I love it! I have a lot to be thankful for this year! 2008 has been good to me! I have been so busy with school work that I have not had time to do what I have really wanted to do....WRITE NICK A LETTER....silly you may think, but I think it is a well deserved letter. You see last year this time, Nick was in Afghanistan. He had been there for about 10 months at this point, and on Thanksgiving last year my sweet Nicholas was drinking pedialyte(yes the drink for babies) for his Thanksgiving meal. IT BROKE MY HEART!! I still remeber his sad, shaky voice over the phone, never surprisingly telling me how much he loved me and to have a great Thanksgiving and that he was so thankful for me! It was a really sad thanksgiving! Are you wondering yet why he was drinking pedialyte? Well a long story short Nick got Malaria while he was in Afghanistan. I believe the entire long story is in an old post...if you are that interested in knowing! So this time exactly last year I was worried sick about my love. I was thousands and thousands of miles away from him, and thought he had died...literally died...I thought I would never hear his voice again...I did not know for sure he had Malaria until after a week of no communication with him ( and we talked everyday before this) (unless there was a blackout), so needless to say, in my heart I knew he had Malaria, but when I didnt hear his sweet voice, I wasnt convinced yet! So my main point of this post is to say how Thankful I am for him! I am thankful for his health, his safety, and his presence!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING.....I know I will be spending every moment with my sweet love! Eating lots of good food (making up for last years pedialyte).

" He who thanks with the lips Thanks but in part; The full, the true Thanksgiving comes from the heart."
J.A. Shedd

ohh what a weekend it will be!!!

Its that time of the month again.....(NO, not what you are thinking!)

Nick left for drill this weekend! If you dont know what drill is...well let me tell you!

Nick is in the Arizona Army National Guard and once a month he has training...and that would be drill!

Welll he left today...until sunday...I know I know its not that long...but I hate spending any time away from him. He was gone in Afghanistan for over a year, and I never again want to be away from him, for any amount of time!!!

well....my weekend will be full of studying!!! yay!! have a beautiful weekend!!

Happy Veterans Day!

Today is Veterans Day! I am very thankful for all the brave men and women out there who have sacrificed their lives, both past and present for our wonderful Country! I have my very own Veteran and I am more thankful than ever to call him my own! Thank you baby for all your sacrifices you have done to keep me and the rest of my fellow Americans safe! I pray that every man and women who are fighting overseas or anywhere, for a safe and healthy return!

“ Home of the FREE, because of the BRAVE”

It was a nice, productive, relaxing weekend!

Nick and I had a very productive weekend! I have been extremely busy with school that I have not even had a moment to think about wedding stuff! But this weekend we registered for gifts at Target and Bed Bath and Beyond, made an appointment to go look at chair covers, mailed all deposits we needed to get out, and the most fun of all...we picked out our wedding rings! It was actually a lot of fun! I found one that matched my ring perfectly, and seeing a ring on Nicks finger was so attractive! I love seeing men with wedding rings. I always picture in my head what their wives are like...kinda weird I know, but when you see a guy with a ring on, you think this guy is devoted to his wife ( as long as I hope he is). I just love when a guy is proud to wear his wedding ring! Anyways....

I had a Spa day with the girls in my family today! It was amazing! It was a little bridal shower for me! how nice is that? My great Aunt is in town from Kansas, so we celebrated a little early, with a pamper day! I got a wonderful Sweedish Massage, something I needed so badly. School has been stressing me out so bad, that it was nice to let go of all worries for a while. My Aunts, Cousins, Sister and Sister-in-law were all there. We all got massages, layed out by the pool, ate lunch by the pool, had a little celebration for my upcoming wedding, my cousins 40th birthday and my great Aunts 75th birthday! We has so much fun! Such a nice girls day at the Spa! I know my mom was there with us enjoying it too..:) I came home so relaxed!

My wonderful soon to be husband bought me a new laptop tonight! Mine broke on me two weeks ago, and I have to have one with school, since most of my classes are online, so we went to Best Buy tonight and found a good deal on this laptop! I am very excited! I would post pictures of the wonderful spa day today, but I do not have any pictures on this computer yet!

Last thing....I need to dedicate myself to running. I am giving my word tonight that my training starts tomorrow! I plan on blogging for 30 days starting tomorrow to keep myself reliable. I am running in the PF Changs Rock and Roll 1/2 marathon in January, and have barley started training! and I dont run! but I want to be a runner so bad! So here is my word blogging world: I will start my training tomorrow, and I will dedicate myself to running for at least 30 days, and will blog everyday to keep myself on track! Okay I said it! and now I need to do it! Keep me reliable!!!

Happy Sunday Everyone! Hope you had a great weekend!


"Running is a big question mark that's there each and every day. It asks you, 'Are you going to be a wimp or are you going to be strong today?'"

- Peter Maher, Irish-Canadian Olympian and sub-2:12 marathoner

Election Day 2008

Today was election day! I love that as a Women and an American I was able to vote! Having that kind of freedom is amazing. Although I did not vote for Obama, I am happy for him. McCain had my vote, and believe he would have been a great President, but now we have to trust in Obama and move forward as a Country! I hope the future holds something better than we all know!

I wish I had more to say....but I really don't. I was at school all day long today! That can't be very exciting to hear about!

I am getting so excited for our wedding! little less than 4 months I will be a married woman! whoohooo!

I hope everyone one had a beautiful Fall day! All I can say is I am sleepy and my bed is calling my name!!! goodnight!

Tea Parties...and Siblings

(My sister, Brother, Mom and Me!)

It was a sad day today for my family...My great Aunt Connie died today. I like to think that my mom greeted her today and had a tea party! I can not wait to spend eternity in Heaven with God, and have a tea party with my mamma! Bliss!

On a lighter note...I just wanted to talk about my siblings for a second! I have the best two siblings anybody could ask for! I am the youngest of three, the baby! I am lucky enough to have a brother and a sister! We are all two years apart, so pretty close in age! I had a sister to be my best friend and playing companion, and a brother to watch teenage mutant ninja turtles with, and cry when he would hurt me or tease me ( and then later on defend him when he got the "do we need to send you to military school" talk from the parents!) It is hard to believe how time has flown. My sister has been married for going on 3 years, and my brother just got married and is having a baby!!! I am blessed to have them in my life, and can't wait for all the new memories we make as adults, starting families and moving foward in life!

Nick and I are leaving for Las Vegas in the morning for a wedding! Ill post pictures when we get back! Hope everyone has a great weeked!

"To the outside world we all grow old. But not to brothers and sisters. We know each other as we always were. We know each other's hearts. We share private family jokes. We remember family feuds and secrets, family griefs and joys. We live outside the touch of time."

~Clara Ortega

Just Keep going....

I just needed to give myself a little pep talk....Keep going...It will all be worth it in the end!

"When we are motivated by goals that have deep meaning, by dreams that need completion, by pure love that needs expressing, then we truly live life" ~Greg Anderson

Wishing I was sitting on a beach....

Today is Monday......

Nothing too exciting happened! I got to spend the morning with Nick! that is exciting....to me at least.

I attempted to make a good dinner....it didn't work out so well....I also baked some cookies...and they are gross! 

Goal(s) of the week: Find a new cookie recipe (any suggestions would be highly appreciated), Start my Marathon training ( should have started that a while ago), and finish painting my kitchen wall (most likely wont happen, just being realistic)

I hope everybody has a good week!

" If you can imagine it, you can achieve it; if you can dream it, you can become it."

~ Willaim Arthur Ward

Blogs, Inspiration and Love

My dad and Me!

I have to write for a minute about a new blog that I have been reading. Let me go back a couple weeks ago.....

I was sitting on my couch watching the news when the news anchor guy on the t.v. spoke of a Mesa couple that were in a plane crash back in August(they survived, but have sustained critical burns). He mentioned that the Wife (Stephanie) had a blog called nieniedialogues (http://www.nieniedialogues.blogspot.com) and I immediately went to KPHO.com to find the blog. I ended up not being able to find it, but just googled the name instead and found it. I told Nick what I was doing, and at first just thought I was a dork for trying to find a blog of someone that I did not even know. When I finally found it, I could not stop reading it. IT....IS...AMAZING! Because she has been in the hospital since August, none of posts are new, but people have been going back into her posts and reposting their favorite ones. I am warning you now....if you want something that will take up a lot of your time (very well worth it) then I recommend reading her blog. The way Stephanie writes (yes I am calling her by her name, because once you read, you too will feel like you know her personally) She has this vibe about her that just makes you want to keep reading. She has 4 children and what seems to be a wonderful Husband. I honestly fell in love with this family. The kind of mother and wife she seems to be is very inspirational. 

You can ask my family the impact she has had on me. I do not even know this women, but she has inspired me to cook (ask Nick, he loves the new me), I have painted my Kitchen a bright color, I am making lists of things I want to do in my life, and WILL achieve them! I can not wait to become a wife and a mother, so I can have the love and patience like she does. You may think I am crazy for thinking all of this, just because of a blog that I read, but once you do, you will understand!...all I can say is, the health of this couple(and their family) are in my every day prayers.

Anyways......I do not have much to update about....I have been so busy with school, I can barley keep up with myself. I am proud that I have come this far, and have worked really hard. I had midterms last week and did very well, So I can be proud of that!

Our wedding is coming so soon! only about 4 months until the BIG day! February will be here before we know it! I can not wait to be Mrs. Nicholas Mallaire..., and for him to be my hunky hubby! I got my BEAUTIFUL dress (at least I think it is) last month...it is my DREAM dress! and everything else seems to be falling into place...one step at a time. Planning a wedding and going to school full time, and working is not an easy task, but I am doing the best that I can. Hopefully I can get Nick to go with me and register this weekend ( we probably should have done that a while ago). We are thinking Bed bath and Beyond, and Target....I always find things there I want! And go pick out our wedding bands (as in rings, not a musical band, as Nick thought I was referring too)!

I am spending this evening at my dads! I love my dad! I can not even express the love I have for that man! He is simply the easiest person to love! but my aunt and uncle from Colorado are here, so I am going to go spend the evening with them....Ill post pics later of my night! 

Oh and to my love, Nicholas......who is at work right now.....I miss your face and love you ohh so much!

My Sweet Momma!

I don't really want to make this long...because it will end up making me cry..but I just want to celebrate my moms life today! She died two years ago today. I can not believe it has been that long. I had my emotional break down last night, so I am trying to be strong today! She would want me to be strong! I loved my mom more than anything in this world, and strive to make her proud everyday! Today I am celebrating HER!!! she was AMAZING!!! I can't wait to be a mom, just like her someday! I know she is looking down on all of us, smiling and proud of what my family has accomplished, because of the unbelievable strength she gives us! Today is for HER!! and I intend to live everyday in honor of her!!! I love you momma!!

Exciting times!!!

We have officially set a wedding date!!!!.....February 28th 2009! We couldnt be any more excited! I cant wait to marry my best friend! He truly will be an amazing husband and I cant wait for all the years ahead of us! I have gotten so much of the planning done already! I wanted as much done before I started school as possible, knowing my semester was going to be so busy.... and it already is! All I can really say is how happy I am, and how blessed I feel right now with the family I have and the friends that support me! ohh and another exciting event coming up.......I am going be to an aunt!!! My brother is having a baby! and its a Girl!!! I am sooo excited for him and Melissa! and im double excited to be an aunt!!! anyways exciting times coming......!!!

We're Engaged!!!

We are finally getting married!!! yay! We just went to Hawaii on June, 27th-July4th, and it was amazing!!! We went to Maui, and stayed at a wonderful hotel that was right on the ocean! Our room was just seconds away from the sand! Everything you can imagine Maui to be, it is! It was soo relaxing, the weather was perfect, and we did so many fun things! We went to a Luau, went on a boat to go snorkling, went up to waterfalls, swam in the ocean, layed out on the beach, swam in the pool, ate great food, went to a winery! I reccomend maui to Everybody!!!

The most important part of the trip.....we got ENGAGED!!! it was perfect! Nick planned it out so well! He took me on a 3 hour drive up to waterfalls and hiking trails, he ordered us a picnic, and we got there just at lunch time! We ended up walking off the trail a little bit and found this perfect area where nobody was, and it was right on a cliff overlooking the ocean. While I was taking pictures of this amazing area, Nick was behind me trying to get my ring out of his pocket. As I turned around, he hugged me and told me how much he loved me, then he grabbed my hand, and got down on his knee, right them my heart was going a hundred miles an hour, and he of course said all the right things, and put this amazing ring on my finger! It was truly a magical moment! We then started eating our wonderful picnic and enjoyed being together! after we ate we walked to the waterfalls and swam in the pools under the waterfall, it was sooo beautiful! after a couple hours we started to head back home for the Luau we had planned that night! I am so lucky to have a man in my life like Nick! He made our entire Hawaii trip amazing! I can not wait to spend the rest of my life with this amazing man!!!

Four Fun Friday Facts.....

Here are some random facts about me!

I probably have more stomach issues than anbody you will ever meet. Pretty much anything and everything hurts my stomach. I just found out last October that I am lactose intolerant, and let me tell you how hard that is. I LOVE cheese, ice cream, coffee drinks, all the good stuff, and now I cant have it :(


I am the youngest of three children, my siblings would probably tell you that I am the spoiled one, but I think we all got our fair share of everything! I really do have the best brother and sister in the world!


I have really flexible fingers. I guess you would call them double jointed, but I can bend them back really far...kinda weird I know!


I have been with Nick for going on 5 years, and I couldnt be happier. He has gotten me through the worst times of my life and he still gives me hope for the future. I am very lucky to have him as my other half!

He's Home!!!

This is The Homecoming video of when Nick and his guys(and girls) came home! It was a really emotional, sureal time! This moment is when you realize everything was worth it, and that we both made it to the end!!! :)

People were putting there signs right in front of me...i was getting frustrated..lol

But to explain.....when the doors opened the airplane was straight ahead and the guys were all walking out of the plane (just in case you couldn't tell what you were looking at) and all lined up were bikers that were holding American flags.

He's almost home......

So, I think for the first time in over a year, I can say that Nick is almost finally home for good! He has been gone Since March of last year, and came home in December from Afghanistan, and then since then hes been back and forth from Fort Hauchuca, and now hes in North Carlolina. I am just so ready for him to be home for good! I cant wait to have life feel a little normal again. I have a whole new perspective on life and love. I appreciate things more than ever before, and Nick and I's relationship is stronger than ever, we now know we can get through anything! I have been so blessed by Nick and could never ask for a better man in my life!

Hard times....its a long one

I have to talk a little about what happend the last 2 years of my life. Many people know the hardships that me and my family have gone through, but I would like to talk more about it. On September 26th 2006, my best friend in the entire world, my momma, passed away. It was THE hardest day of my entire life, and forever will be. She died from Multiple Myeloma (a blood cancer) and to this day, still find myself not believing that she is gone, but knowing that my life is in Gods hands and that all of that happend for some reason. From that day on, and I still have days where I feel so empty, but having the amazing family that I do have, I always know tomorrow will be a better day. I miss her more than anything, and will forever live my life in honor of her, and do all I can to make her proud. So all of that happenend in September of 2006, and that October I found out that Nick would be leaving for Afghanistan in January. I thought my entire world was crashing down on me, I had just lost my mom, and now Nick who is my biggest supporter and comforter would be leaving me soon for 15 months. The next couple months went by way too fast. In November Nick took me on a trip to Oregon (where I used to live). We went to the Oregon Coast and stayed at the beach house my family and I always stayed at when we went there. We had an amazing time, just spending quality time together that we knew we woudnt have for a long time once he left. We took walks on the beach, ate at great restuarants, slept in, cooked, and just had a great time. He had told me the night before we left, that he had been debating on asking me to marry him while we were there, but didnt want me to be dissapointed at the end of our trip when he didnt(I had thought he was maybe going to), he explained to me that he didnt want to ask me just becuase he was leaving, and wanted to be there for all the excitement after the proposal. He was soo right. I loved him more after he told me that, becuase he cares so much. He wants to be a part of everything with me. How could I argue with that? Hes amazing! anyways..... My best friend got married that December and Nick and I were the maid of honor and best man...what an honor, but knowing that in 2 weeks Nick would be leaving, it was such a bitter sweet time of my life. We had an amazing new years together and just cherished every moment we had together.
Then January 6th 2007 came. Nick had to leave really early that morning, and I felt like I was in a movie. We all stood in the parking lot of the stadium for what seemed like forever, and then had to say goodbye and go into the stadium for a ceremony. The whole time I was crying. I could see Nick from a far but thought I was not going to see him again before he left. Well once the ceremony was over, all the soldiers had to get onto the buses. There was bus after bus lined up in the parking lot, and people were all over the place. If you were able to find your soldier you could say goodbye again, and I was frantic running around trying to find Nick, well I never did until he had gotten on the bus. I finally found the bus he was on. I talked to him on the phone while he was sitting there and I was standing outside the bus. I felt so helpless...I just wanted one more hug, but I guess after that I would have wanted another one. The buses finally pulled away and my life was shattered. I was SO proud of him, but selfishly soo sad he was leaving. 15 months away from the man that I had been with for 3 years sounded like torture.I worried about him everyday. Well to make a long story short. He was in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, and was doing great things while he was there. He made friends with the little kids there, bonded with the other guys he was with, and at one point won a medal for making a great decision in a scary situation. He had 3 scary situations while he was there, one was having an IED (exlposive device) thrown at their convoy, the other once was him having to shoot at a car that was coming at them and the last one was getting malaria. It was Thanksgiving day and I had gotten a message from Nick saying he wasnt feeling too good, and had been throwing up for a week or two, but was just resting and drinking pedilyte for his thanksgiving meal. I was so sad thinking he was by himself ,sick on thanksgiving day. I had gone over to Nicks house that morning to give his little brother a birthday gift and was talking to his mom, and I told her that in my heart I had a feeling that he had malaria, but didnt want to make it a big deal if not. So a couple days after that go by and I didnt hear from him, ( side note, we talked everyday while he was gone, so not talking to him freaked me out) almost 5 days went by and I had not talked to him, and at this point I was a mess, I had no idea if he was okay, of he had gotten hurt, or worse was dead. So many things were runnig through my head. I think I went through almost 2 calling cards in those 5 days just trying to get ahold of him. Finally on day 5 of not talking to him, a guy answered the phone and told me that Nick was sick and was with the doctors right then so he couldnt talk, I asket the guy if he was okay, and he said yes, he was just having flu like symptoms and would call me later, well a few more days go by and I still dont hear from him, I at least knew he was a live, but had no idea how sick he was. Well finally Nicks mom got a email and some phone calls from a seargant telling us that Nick had been airlifted to another hospital in Afghanistan, he was on oxygen, had a 105 degree temperature, had trouble breathing, and was so out of it. Now the next day, I finally get a phone call from a guy that had just visited Nick in the hospital and told me that he was doing good, he was walking around and laughing, so that was good, but I had still not heard his voice for myself. Finally about 2 hours later my phone rings and it was Nick, he sounded good, but weak. I was so relieved and scared at the same time. He said all the right things to make me feel better, and was getting really good care where he was, so I felt better about everything. Anyways to make a long story short he got sent to Germany after that because they did not have the proper medicine for Malaria in afghanistan. He was in Germany for a week, and then they sent him home to Arizona for bed rest. It was a blessing in diguise. He had gotten so sick, but got to come home for Christmas, my one gift I wanted more than anything, but never imagined getting it! So he is home now, its been wonderful having him back home, safe and healthy. I feel so privaleged to be a part of his life and to say that I have a true life hero. He did great things while he was there and now he is home to do even more wonderful things. We will be getting married sooner than later now that he is home, so stay tuned.....you never know when it could happen...:)

I have to vent for a second....

Okay....so Im sure every girl at some point in their lives has gone to get their hair done and you dont like it right? well I usually go to the same lady that I have gone to for like 4 years and always does a great job, well she couldnt get me in at the beginning of the week, and the impatient person that I am, called an old place that I went to, that always charges wayyy to much and I never like it that much, but can always get you in that day kinda place. So i go there, get my hair done, they dont dry it cuz its another gazillion dollars just to blow dry it, so i get in my car look in the mirror and FREAK out! it looks horrible. It looks like the guy put some bleach on the top of my head and sent me on my way. I have orange...yes let me say it again orange pieces in the front of my hair, and no matter what way i part my hair, you can see the outgrow underneath it. It looks HORRIBlE!!! and i payed $92 bucks for this horrible hair job!!! so I called my hair lady that I always go to, and she could get me in today...so I have an appointment at 1:30 today...i should have just waited in the beginning....cuz now i get to go spend more money to get it fixed!!! I know what you are thinking, i should just go back to the place and tell them I dont like it...well I dont want to, I dont trust anybody there and I dont want the same guy to do it either, so Im going to call them and tell them I am unhappy with them, and that Im never going back there, but I trust my hair lady wayy more than them to fix it......lesson learned!!!! anyways... Im done venting...wish me luck, hopefully my hair lady can fix it!! Im putting a picture up of what it looks like...the picture doesnt even do justice...

Im new at this

This is going to be short.....im new at this whole blogging thing, but I thought I would give it a try...Im going to bed now, but i will continue tomorrow...