High FIVE for Friday!

Oh Friday. Thank goodness you are here. You took FOREVER to get here this week. Let's get on with my 5 best things from this week:

Had my wedding shower on Saturday. Still lovin' how adorable my cake was!

Itchin' to get my kitchen ready! Makes me smile when I think that in less than 50 days I'll be married!

10 DAYS LEFT OF SCHOOL! Shout it from the rooftops! I love my job and this year has DEFINITELY reignited my passion for teaching. But my little ones have been together since Pre-K and it's time for them to go their separate ways!

It's fun receiving my RSVPs, but this one from my uncle takes the cake. I laughed so hard when I saw it!

Finally, it's a three day weekend! Heading up to Savannah to spend time with future in-laws. J and I have gone to Georgia every Memorial Day weekend since we began dating. Last year, our trip got cut short because of Tropical Storm Bonnie. Here's to hoping I can just lay by the pool and relax!

As always, linking up with Lauren!

Feeling blessed...

So I woke up Saturday in the grumpiest of moods. I still couldn't shake the horrible feeling I had because of a parent on Friday who basically called me a monster and told me her dear daughter was SCARED of me. Even though I proved that wrong, it still hurt.

I couldn't find my phone and I had to rush to get ready for my shower. I picked up my future mother-in-law and headed to the location.

My maid of honor and mother did a WONDERFUL job. It was so simple and laid back and EXACTLY the afternoon I needed.

That was my cake. Isn't it the CUTEST cake you've seen? I loved it and so did everyone else.

When I got home later that night, I unpacked all the gifts from my car.

Everything's piled in a corner of my parents' living room. Looking at all of this makes me almost cry. I feel very lucky to feel so cared about. Plus it makes me excited to set up my new place with J. :)

On Monday, we got our first RSVP!

It's been so fun coming home everyday and getting some more! Even if people can't come, still neat knowing they received an invitation to our wedding!

Funny how things always work out!

My Happy List

I know everyone else is doing it, but today's topic really made me realize just now that I need to focus on the GOOD in my life.

Plus, whenever I'm annoyed, I can always look back at this list and smile! So without further fanfare, Nilda's Happy List!

This guy. I get to marry this guy in less than 60 days! CRAZY! I adore him and it sounds completely cheesy to say, but I know he will always be there for me. No matter what.

My family. My immediate family is AMAZING but my extended family is just as wonderful. And with the exception of my dear grandpa, they are ALL coming for my wedding. From Puerto Rico. Not cheap yo!

One of the best decisions EVER was adopting this little one! She brings a smile to my face at minimum once a day!

Source: bookfessions.tumblr.com via Nilda on Pinterest

 Reading. No matter what I'm going through, books take me somewhere magical and freeing. I sound like a complete NERD but hey that's who I am.

Even though it can be a stressor, I love my job. Mostly for moments like today where my kiddos were completely ENTHRALLED in watching these two squirrels chase each other around the huge trees in our courtyard.

Source: fromfatty2fit.tumblr.com via Nilda on Pinterest

Who'd thought the GYM would make it to my happy list? Not only is it a place where I get to see on of my newest favorite people, but also it just makes me feel better. Even at 5 a.m.

Clothes. Whether I'm buying them for me or for someone else, new clothes make me happy. Silly? Maybe. But I've learned to not buy when I'm feeling down.

Not sure when or how this started but pretty nail polish is my thing. Maybe from all the compliments I get now? Plus it's just straight up FUN to change colors.

FOOTBALL. Going to the Jaguars Rookie Camp last week was a TOTAL tease. September needs to get here ASAP.

Cooking and baking. I love following a recipe or twisting one and making it my own. I especially love doing this for other people. I think it's the Latin in me. :)

Any of these things make it on your happy list? What would go on your own happy list?

Trying to act the way I want to feel...

I finished reading The Happiness Project a few weeks ago. I've been trying SUPER hard to live to the mantra "Act the way that you want to feel!"

But life is making it difficult. In particular, work is making it difficult. I pour my heart and soul into my job and my team. I feel like I do A LOT for them. So it really upsets me when I see someone not do the same. Or when I see someone NOT want to be a team player but act like they do. Kids need to see adults coming together working for the greater good but some don't seem to see it that way. I'm a big believer that ALL first graders are my students and that I not only do I need to keep an eye on them and make sure they are behaving but that I need to show all that I care. Not just my own. But some people don't feel the way that I do. So I need to just let it go and focus on what's RIGHT. 

Like how I love the majority of the people I work with. Or how I'm getting married in 60 days (SAY WHAT???!) Or how my cat can make me smile no matter what:

That would be her new bed apparently?

So anyways. Just needed to vent for a sec. I feel the need to be like Dory and instead of saying "Just keep swimming!" tell myself "Life's good, let it go! Life's good, let it go!"

Anyone else ever have days like today???

Lightning and Loss

Yea, so I completely stink at this whole blogging every day thing. But hey this challenge has made me post twice now in one week, so that's a successful point right??

Today's topic is Things you're most afraid of. My immediate answer? Lightning.

When I was 10 and on the Safety Patrol trip to Washington D.C., we were caught in a MASSIVE electrical storm. Bolts of lightning EVERYWHERE. Right after watching a documentary at the Smithsonian about the effects of lightning. Ironic, right? I was deathly afraid of this and it's really an unfortunate fear to have being a citizen of the so-called Sunshine State. Storms can get CRAAZY up in here. Luckily, I'm not as scared as I once was, but I will flinch when I see a bolt.

My parents are a lot older than most of my friend's parents and I get this sick pit in my stomach when I think of either one of them not being here anymore. I hear my dad's cough get worse and worse and honestly it makes me want to cry. Whenever I get those feelings, I try and just appreciate the now. The fact they are both still here is something I want to cherish.

So those are my two major fears. One that's kinda silly and one that's kinda not. What are your fears?

Friends...

I've been seeing everyone on my bloglovin' feed do this blog everyday in May challenge and I really wanted to participate. But life keeps happening. Like Friday, I went out with one of my girlfriends. She had a super tough day and needed a mega-girls night out! And yesterday, I hung out with the little bro for the first time in AGES and went and watched the Mayweather-Guerrero fight (which was so anti-climatic!)

But when I saw the theme for today, I knew I had to attempt to write something! Today's theme is blogger friends. When I started this whole bloggy adventure, I had no idea I'd make friends out of it. I just thought it would be a way to get my thoughts out there, ya know? But I do consider these two ladies friends:

Caitlin from A Day in the Life



If you have never read any of Caitlin's blog posts, you are missing out! Girl is HILARIOUS and I absolutely love the way her personality shines through her posts. We have a ridiculous amount of stuff in common, including a shared obsession with all things Loft, and she's honestly one of the sweetest people I've ever "met". She and her husband are expecting their first child AND closing on their first house and I feel just as excited for them as I do any of my friends here in Florida. Only bummer is that Houston is uber far away from Jacksonville. So go check her out.

Lourdes from Love is Life.

Love is Life

Lourdes was the very first person I chose to follow in this blog world and she was my very first follower. She used to live in Gainesville but moved out to Arizona with her boyfriend. Lourdes is someone else whose genuineness shines through her posts. I always enjoy when her posts appear on my feed and when an email from her appears in my inbox. Many, many times reading her blog posts I think " Wow, I totally agree with that!" If you've never read her blog, go! Like now!

So thanks blog world. Without you I would have never meet these two cool chicks!