martha's cupcakes

Martha Stewart's Cupcake book is out this week! I already pre-ordered mine. I hope to try some out this summer. Get your copy June 2!

a real life bambi

I just have to share this! This is just a little reminder to me how much more different living in NC is. Today while the students were out at recess, we got a little visitor. This elderly man who hunts rabbits came by to show us what his Beagles found today....this cute little deer! So precious. The man said he'd been hunting for almost 75 years and this had never happened to him! Too cute!!!! *No worries, he was going to return the deer and look for his family.*



:)

Warm Vanilla Sugar Wallflower

I've been in our first home for almost 2 years now. And I think I've tried every candle brand, type, smell, yet seem to never find the perfect scent that I want to purchase again. I usually tend to lean towards clean scents. But that has never really stopped me. I'd try anything just to find one staple scent that I can dedicate in buying in bulk. Because of my mother, I've learned to put a wall scent in every room of my house. And a candle in the kitchen and living room. I love coming home to a good smelling house. But who doesn't, right!?

However, the moment has come! This may sound silly, but I just had to share that I have found the one I truly love.....Bath and Body Works Warm Vanilla Sugar! I love the wallflowers because I've learned that they don't give off an overbearing scent. Just a light and soft scent that I can live with. And there is something light and sweet about Warm Vanilla Sugar, yet a clean scent too! Its perfect!

And beginning June 1, the Wallflowers will go on sale for $5 each! That's a $7.50 savings. Time to stock up ladies! Warm Vanilla Sugar will please you....enjoy!!!

Official Domain Name

It's official guys! We've settled into a real "home" on the internet. So, welcome to www.nestinginnc.com! It was so simple, too! I was able to do it right through Blogger. ($10 for a year.) From what I understand, everything gets redirected to our new home. Everything should be working for everyone in about 3 days. But, just in case, please edit your favorites! Thanks guys!

On another note, today I was surprised by our neighbors with fresh cut roses right at our door step! Another reason why living in NC is so wonderful. Yes, we trust our neighbors. Yes, they get our mail for us when we travel. Yes, they welcomed us with cookies and gifts when we first moved in! And today, our neighbor's across the street presented us with roses from their garden. So pretty!


Pretty awesome, huh? :)

Blog Award

Wow! When I started this blog about 2 years ago, I really thought it would be just my cousin Melissa and my parents who would read it. Now, not only do more of my friends and family read it, I have NEW friends, or more like "Blog Sisters" who also care what I am up to! I always see these pretty and well deserved blog rewards on some of my favorite blogs. Now, I have my very own! I feel like I am officially part of a blog community! My warm hearted thanks to Johanna at JL Family and Eli at Living, Loving, and Everthing in Between!


The Rules
1) Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link.
2) Pass the award on to other blogs that you have discovered.

I want to pass it along to the following blogs:
1. My cousin Meli at Roodboi Productions My cousin is the very best! She is the one who inspired me to blog. Her blog is filled with her opinions, but most importantly, her ventures on going back to school and fulfilling her dreams at video productions, etc. She is EXTREMELY, EXTREMELY, funny, too! She is a sweet person, with a BIG heart and I am not just saying that because she is like my sister! :)
2. Dalia at Blossoming Dalia Dalia is a dear friend of mine. She began blogging when she got engaged and used it to vent and share wedding information. She is now a newlywed and has just purchased their first home. She is a busy teacher like I am and I am sure she will soon pick up her blog soon!
3. Nicky at Je t'aime Nicky and Andy are recent newlyweds! We go way back to working together at a local elementary school after school care during college! They met there and are now married! She began blogging about their wedding plans and their honeymoon. Nicky is a creative jewel, as well as her husband, to say the least! I love them dearly!
4. Melissa at Mind My Beeswax What can I saw about Melissa, or Melz, because that is what I call her. She is one of my friends closest to my heart! She has always been the fashionable and creative one. She knows what she likes and always has passion for whatever it is! She is new blogger, so keep an eye on this one. It's sure to please!

Congrats ladies! :)

On another note. Will YOU watch the newest season of The Bachelorette after The Bachelor fiasco last season? Will you let yourself go there, again?! I don't know...we'll see if I have the energy to stay up that late! This happens to me every season! grrr!

Dining room set....I found the "one"!

I am a little too excited about something. And when that happens, I know I have made up my mind. What am I referring to? A Dining Room set!

I know, so corny right? But seriously, this has been a process for me. Living near High Point, NC (The furniture capital of the world) I've seen my fair share of dining room furniture for the past 2 years almost. And I have seen a few I've liked, but nothing that yelled "THAT'S IT!" to me. I've been hesitant to purchase any one that I liked because I want it to be something that is timeless and that I can keep forever. Is that too much to ask? Maybe so, especially being on a budget and not wanting to go into debt over the thing.

So, we've been patient. And I want to unveil the one I have fallen head over heels for to you. While on our trip to Alabama, the girls and myself went shopping. My best friend Jackie and I stumbled upon it at the Macy's. It is Bernhardt Furniture piece made for Martha Stewart and Macys. To me it yells perfect. There is something traditional, yet, modern that I find so perfect about it. I am that kind of girl that likes that style combination. I've collected a few pictures of it in different settings, including the pictures I took of it when I fell in love.

Bernhardt Furniture for Martha Stewart: East Hampton Lilly Pond Collection





Anyways, it is on the pricey side. But I've located a store in Hickory, NC that sells wholesale and they have the China in stock for wholesale price! Ronnie will call this week to find out some more about it's condition (it was on display in a Macys). We hope to see it this weekend. So, there is hope, but I just have to be patient to get every piece at the right price. Living in NC might just be the hope I need to purchase the dining room set of my dreams! Yay!!!!

In the meantime, I think I will be placing one of these in our guestroom. Any donations towards our dining room will be greatly appreciated! LOL!



Tell me what you think!

busy, busy, busy

My mami and me.
We've been so busy lately! Sorry, I haven't blogged in over a week.

We were in Miami Mother's Day weekend. We had such a wonderful time, like always. We shared some special moments with the family. A sunny and warm (no, wait, HOT!) Saturday in the pool and a lovely dinner with mom. She showed me how to set a table "Martha Stewart" style....with the China, water+ wine goblets, and chilled perrier water pitcher out. Yeah, all out! And my stepdad's dinner, yum! On Sunday, it was with Dad. I visited my Tita Zoila and then we went to have an early dinner at Joe's Stone Crab! Pictures soon. I promise!

Ronnie had to get on an early morning flight from Miami to travel for business. I hopped on the plane for home in NC on Monday. We haven't seen each-other since we were both in Miami.

I've kept myself busy since Ronnie is away, of course. I do not like being home alone. I am still not used to it and I don't think I ever will be. So, I've kept busy at school (especially since our NC state tests are next week...super stressed, btw!) I want to re-paint our master bedroom, so I've gone to Lowes several times to pick up some paint samples. I've had dinner with friends and I shopped at the Teacher store to pick up a few things for next year using some PTA funds. And prime time TV has worn me out, too. (DWTS, Idol, Ugly Betty, etc)

BTW, I do love the phone calls my mom and dad give me while he's away. Especially my dad's at night right before I go to bed. :) So sweet. Puts me at ease hearing their voices.

Ronnie gets in tomorrow. And I am counting the hours. I complain how he's always attached to my hip. But I am the same exact way! I guess it is called being 'newlyweds'! :)

teacher appreciation week!

I teach 5th grade. It is extremely stressful and, most of all, exhausting!

Teaching is hard work and it is easy to forget about the little things and what its all about with the many responsibilities and demands that are expected from me on a daily basis. Not only from parents, superintendents, principals, the state ,etc.... but most of all, from each one of my students. All are different and have different needs. And I am only ONE person. I must do this not during an appointment every 6 months, or an hour consultation. I must meet their needs EVERY DAY, for 7 hours, for 10 months out of the year. Yeah..talk about pressure!

Teaching is the most rewarding job. No one can argue that. I make a difference. I know this is true. But so easily forget with the demands and responsibilities. (mom, counselor, lawyer, nurse, tutor, mediator, advocate, teacher...you get the picture!)

So, with that said I want to acknowledge that this is National Teacher Appreciation Week. My students have SPOILED me with chocolate, flowers, fruit, notes and hugs every day this week. They are so thoughtful. I love it and I wanted to share this poster one of my students created for me.

This totally moved me because of the student who wrote it. He has struggled this year and has shown so much improvement. I know I made a difference!

HAPPY TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK!

our family's tiger woods

My brother Danny has been playing Golf since his teen years. He has a big passion for it and is very good at it, too! He loves to compete against my dad, my brother Mike, my Godfather Andresito and anyone in my family who is willing to get out on the course. Danny has worked at the golf course for several years. And guess what he does when he's not working? You guessed it, he's GOLFING! (Is that a right golf term, anyway?)
This is Danny playing golf. This picture was used in a Johnson and Wales University ad. He attended JWU for a little while.

Just recently Danny signed up for the Golf Channel Amateur Tour. So, far he's played in 4 tournaments (including one at Walt Disney World) and has won the top 4 spots in the competition! I know, amazing! But even more amazing is that he won his first tournament this past weekend!!! I know, crazy awesome!!! Click Here for his current stats.

I just wanted to brag. Danny has so much talent. And I am glad he's fulfilling his dream and working at something that is so hard. I love him so much. He's even influenced little golfers in our new generation of brothers, Nick and Fernando! HOW AWESOME IS THAT!?
My dad with my little brother, Fernando.

My littlest brother, Nick! Look at him go!!!!! How cute is he?!

FAMILY IS THE MOST WONDERFUL THING! And God has blessed us with an awesome one!

WAR WITH THE MACHINES

wash+dry+repeat=HATE!!!!

To add to the hate, today it was war between those machines and I. This has been an issue ever since we bought the house. But I was just not having it today.

This is the problem... unfortunately, I can't wash a heavy load because when I do, THAT MACHINE leaks water. EVERYWHERE! So, it is very frustrating when I do have several loads to wash and not enough time to do it. Today, I thought I didn't put THAT big of a load of clothes in the washer, but apparently I did because the water was not enough for the load to clean it thoroughly. So, I had to wash it again. I wanted to try the heavy load setting once more (I NEVER LEARN MY LESSON), and when I did, it leaked water everywhere! And while I was trying to sink the clothes into the water, I chipped a nail!! GRRRR!!! I WAS SO MAD AT THAT POINT! Total meltdown.....

I had to take out the dry/wet vacuum and pull THOSE MACHINES back to clean up the mess. While I did that, I must have pushed a button or something because the dryer was not drying!!!!! I had had it. Ronnie came to the rescue. And he was able to fix it. UGH!!!

We haven't really had anyone come look at them. Maybe we should. I really want to buy new ones. But we can't right now. I have dealt with them for almost 2 years now. But enough is enough.

I do want to make the laundry room my next project. Maybe it can make doing the laundry a little more joyful. I have been wanting to paint the walls and I finally found the perfect color. Martha Stewart Sea Glass Blue. It is almost like a light blue/green. Its like that signature Martha color. Here are some inspirations:



I purchased this rug to throw in there. I have the brown version in my bathroom and I love it so much.


Here is my laundry room. I want to find some good shelving at the Container Store, as well as a convertible drying rack. I want to also throw in some baskets for neater storage. I am hoping to make this a summer project. :) This is how I've made peace with THOSE MACHINES. I am kinda excited to get started!



Let me also throw in that my wonderful hubby got me these to make my day a little brighter....
He is the BEST. This I know....