popcornandpandas, Author at Popcorn and Pandas

Shakeology Super Sampler!

Have you been wondering about what the heck is the dealio with this Shakeology “stuff” I have been drinking? Are you in need of getting your health and nutrition back on track?

Since I am not yet cleared to get back into exercise just yet, I am going to switch it up this month and run a group based on nutrition and Shakeology! If you have been curious and you are interested in trying out a sampler before making a full monthly investment, then you are a perfect candidate for this group!

I will have all 6 flavors available to ship and try out along with some of my favorite recipes to go along with each flavor. You can also feel free to try out your own recipes and share them with the group.

Why Shakeology? Because it’s a great way to get in all your vitamins, nutrients, and super foods each day. It’s been known to boost your immune system, curb those sweet tooth cravings, lower cholesterol, improve digestion, increase energy levels, help with weight loss, strengthen your hair, skin, and nails…and so much more.

Not only will I be sharing Shakeology recipes in this group, but I will also provide recipes for nutritious meals and tips for healthy, clean eating (because you definitely should not be drinking ALL of your meals!)

Shakeology veterans who are interested in learning new recipes and sharing with the group are also welcome to join!

The group will begin Monday September 21, and I wanted to make sure to give everyone enough time to get their Sampler Packets before starting.

COMMENT below if you want in or MESSAGE me for more information on how to get started, get your sampler pack, and join the group!

Have a great week everyone!

XO,

Gina

Monday Musings on Motherhood

As I sit here on Monday afternoon watching both of my boys sleep soundly, I reflect on how grateful I am for this moment. A few years ago, my world came crashing down with the loss of our Little Peanut. I was deeply saddened and I could not picture a life as I know it now. Our Little Monkey, Nico, saved us by coming into the world two years ago with his big bright eyes, stubborn nature, and fiercely sweet charm. He turned our world upside down showing us what it means to have unconditional love. Of course there are plenty of challenges that come with parenthood, but with those challenges there is also accomplishment, happiness, a sense of pride, and complete, utter adoration. I have had the utmost pleasure watching my son grow into a little toddler, and cannot believe he just passed his 2nd birthday on Saturday. The time has flown by. I still remember him lying on my chest for a cuddle, or when he looked like a tiny speck on the big white chair in his nursery. He has always been interested in music and the alphabet since I can remember. Zack would play him songs on the guitar every morning to calm him to sleep. He was able to listen through long books at a young age, and has enjoyed any challenge brought to the table. He was quick to pick up letters, numbers, colors, shapes, animals, and more. His memory is more impeccable than my own, and he will randomly spit things out of his mouth that I didn’t even realize he was paying attention to. I am constantly amazed by his intelligence on a daily basis, and I love his ability to communicate with us. He has always been super sweet with other people and with his stuffed animals…always loving and cuddly. He has a sense of adventure like his father and is always interested in going for a hike, a bike ride, a trip to the beach, or anything else that is new and exciting. He loves to explore the world around him and has full trust in myself and my husband that we aren’t going to steer him wrong. If we are excited, then he is excited. I’m not going to lie and say my child is perfect, and there have been no toddler tantrums and fits. There have been plenty! But I know that is him growing and trying to find his independence. I feel incredibly lucky to have enjoyed Nico’s presence in our lives for these past two years.

On this day, I also think about the fact that today is Luca’s due date…my second baby, who was brought into our lives only one week and one day ago, and again we are flipped upside down with love. I look at him and am reminded how tiny Nico once was and how fast these little guys grow. Luca is so small and so dependent. Since I already know now what unconditional feels like, it was easy to look at Luca and fall in love instantly without knowing another thing about him. I also know that love will grow each and every day as I get to know him better.

I look at my husband, and I feel full. To see this little world and this little family we have created for ourselves makes me feel so blessed. Of course, it doesn’t take away the crazy. There will be days when I will be insane trying to take care of two screaming children, and I will get emotional, and it will be hard. I know this. But right now as I am sitting here watching them peacefully sleep, I can think well and good enough to know that all that crazy is worth it for the amount of love my heart holds.

Some of you may have seen this video over on my Facebook page, but if not, I just had to share this moment of Nico and Luca meeting for the first time. It steals my heart and makes me so proud to be their mama.

Wishing you all a great week!

XO,

Gina

What Does YOUR Office Look Like?

When my company folded last September, I started a bit of soul searching to figure out what my next move would be in my career. Should I find a new position in advertising and production? Should I branch out and try something new in the fashion world? It was scary, but I realized it could be a blessing in disguise that I would be able to start a new path for myself and my family. I now had a child, and a few months later found myself pregnant with another. I decided that late hours and a long commute on the subway were no longer realistic for my lifestyle. I wanted something that wouldn’t keep me away from my children each and every day. I wanted something that I could do on my own, while making my own hours. I wanted to take care of my kids, but I also wanted to contribute financially to my family.

I stumbled upon the Beachbody Coaching Opportunity through a fellow fashion blogger that I followed, and entered a world that I never believed possible. It all started because I wanted to get back to feeling my healthy, active self again, but I realized it could be so much more.

I now have a career that:
-I am able to create my own schedule and hours
-Gives me the opportunity to do something I am passionate about
-Encourages me to live a healthy lifestyle
-Enables me to help others reach their goals on a daily basis
-Give me the chance to spend time more with my kids and husband
-Allows me to be creative
-Has introduced me to an amazing team of people to work alongside
-Allows me the FREEDOM to work from anywhere (as you can see from my “office” photos from the past 8 months)

Have you wondered what it might be like to be a fitness coach? I would love to invite you to join me and Team SPARK / Team PIVOT as we open the curtain and share a bit about what it is like to be on our team. Our 3 Day Sneak Peek Open House will begin on MONDAY AUGUST 24TH.

I promise it will be worth your while, and who knows, it could be the decision that changes your life and gives you the freedom you have always wanted.

If you a hard working, go-getter who is interested in learning more, please comment below and fill out this application to save your spot in the group!

https://pandpfitness.wufoo.com/forms/team-spark/

Hope you all have a great weekend!

XO,

Gina

Family Maternity Shoot With Misa*Me

I am absolutely incredibly lucky and grateful to have a first cousin and bestie who is an impeccable photographer! Marisa Crider of Misa*Me Photography snapped these photos of my little growing family during our larger family reunion back in the month of June when I was 30 weeks pregnant. It was a hot summer day, and somehow she was able to capture some great shots even with a cranky toddler. It started to rain a bit during the shoot, and then all of the sudden, the sun peeked out. I’m telling you, she is a miracle worker! I love the way she is able to capture the light. She took so many more fabulous photos for us, and it’s going to be a tough decision as to which ones end up on the walls of our home! These were some of my favorites that captured all (almost) four of us. Now, here, at 38 weeks, I cannot even believe that we are about to meet our little guy here soon!

Wearing – Dress: Betsey Johnson (borrowed from a friend – found a Size 4 for sale on Etsy!) / Heels: Cynthia Vincent / Necklace: Vintage via Etsy / Watch: Betsey Johnson / Bracelet: Stella & Dot

On Nico – Dress Shirt: Carters Just One You / Shorts: Old Navy (similar)

On Zack – Dress Shirt: H&M / Pants: GAP

Thanks again to Marisa for taking these wonderful photos! We will cherish them forever in our home. If you missed our last maternity shoot with Misa*Me, or want to take a trip back down memory lane from two years ago, you can view those photos here.

Heading to the doc as we speak for two appointments today. A little nervous about what they are going to say! Bags are packed just in case we don’t come back, but hoping they let baby come on his own when he is ready 😉

Hope you all have a great day!

XO,

Gina

{35} Lately

Lately I’ve been…

reading Been reading a bunch of books at once these days. Tag teaming a business book and a fun book. Just finished Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook. It’s a great read for anyone who works in the social media industry or just has a general interest in social media. I am also reading House Rules by Jodi Picoult as something lighter and non-business related for summertime. And lastly, planning on beginning to read Start With Why by Simon Sinek this week about how great leaders inspire people to take action.

writing Thank you cards for everyone who attended Nico’s 2nd Birthday Party and for those who have showered our 2nd baby boy with goodies as well. We are very lucky to have such great family and friends.

listening Inspirational Podcasts. Here is a good list for entrepreneurs. Do you have a good one to add to the list?

thinking I can’t believe it’s almost time to have this baby! And that I am going to be surrounded by BOYS!

smelling BBQ Chicken my hubby made for dinner. So delish!

watching The Real Housewives of Orange County and New York. Yes. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Hey, every girl needs a little trashy TV downtime.

wishing For a smooth labor and delivery. And for my water to break at home or at the hospital and not in some crazy public place.

hoping That being said…hoping that baby comes before they decide I need to be induced like my last pregnancy! Grow baby, grow!

wearing Leggings, maternity shorts, stretchy tanks and maternity tops, maxi dresses. Anything that isn’t extremely hot to wear and that I can still walk around in. There is a reason you haven’t seen a fashion post up lately haha…there’s not much to report these days! Comfort is key to maternity survival in this heat!

loving My new redecorated and cleaned out office space in my sunroom. Looking for more prints to hang and still need to install the knobs on the desk (which came today, yay!), and some curtains, but I am excited!

wanting To try some recipes in the new cookbook, FIXATE, by Autumn Calabrese! They look so good!

needing To keep walking! Exercise is getting a little tougher these days as I hit the 38 week mark of my pregnancy yesterday, but trying to keep things moving, and hopefully that will help this baby arrive soon.

feeling Like I have to pee constantly. TMI? Sorry, just keepin’ it real over here.

craving Chocolate. Chocolate. More Chocolate. If you know me, you know I generally crave fruitier desserts, but for some reason, I am all about that chocolate in the past couple weeks. Baby has a sweet tooth!

clicking Through Etsy for office wall art

HAPPY TUESDAY!

What have you been up to lately?

XO,

Gina

Back to School – Back to Basics Challenge

As hard as it is to believe, the summer is almost over, and it’s back to school time soon (or back to working hard for many of us). Vacation mode is nearing a close, and it’s time to get back to business and back to the basics.

Starting with our health and fitness! Had one too many ice cream cones this past August? I know I did. (I’m blaming the baby!) Shrugged off that last morning run because of the heat? Whew! I don’t blame you!

Let’s start FRESH in September!

If the kids are heading to back school, maybe it’s time for mom to spend that extra time to devote to herself? If you are ending travel plans and getting back into the grind at work, maybe it’s the perfect time to get into a better health and fitness routine?

Starting Tuesday September 8th, I am going to be hosting both a 21 Day Fix Challenge & a Mixed Program Group Challenge to get back into gear! It begins the day after Labor Day Weekend ends, which is perfect timing after all the celebrations and boozing I know many of you will partake in. Hey, and maybe even I will too if this baby gets here in time! 😉 Haha.

It will be perfect timing to kick off the fall season and feel healthy again!

The Challenge will include:
-A DVD Fitness Program of Your Choice (which I will help you to choose based on your likes/goals/needs) – most programs are 30 min per day!
-Nutrition Plan
-30 Meals of Shakeology (which is a super healthy drink packed with vitamins, nutrients, and super foods)
-A Spot in my Monthly Health & Fitness Support Group
-Personal Coaching (as much motivation as you need)
-30 Day Trial of Beachbody on Demand (where you can stream workouts via wifi and try out other programs)

Who’s with me?

COMMENT below with your e-mail address or e-mail me at gina.notes26 {at} gmail.com if you would like to chat more!

Let’s make it a great week everyone! 🙂

XO,

Gina

Turning Two With Turtle Power

We celebrated Nico’s 2nd Birthday a little early this year due to the fact that his birthday is two days away from my due date. So as not to add any additional stress or a possible last minute cancelation, we decided a month in advance would be appropriate to make sure he got to have his cake and eat it too. We settled on a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle theme…not because he watches the shows, because to be honest, the only thing he pretty much watches is Sesame Street…but I thought it was cool, and he was really excited about the turtles when I bought him a TMNT t-shirt one time. So there you have it. Two = Turtle Power for the win. He seemed to get into the theme, so I think it worked out well. I had a lot of fun crafting a few things in advance for the party. My husband might disagree as he had the task of crafting 12 turtle masks of out felt, which we then failed to photograph. Sorry, honey. They looked great! And apparently some of the kids are even still wearing them at home, I swear! It was a beautiful day with friends and even some family was able to come up for it (namely Nico’s godfather, which was awesome!) The kids had a pool and a water table to keep them occupied, and the parents had food and supervising children in the pool and at the water table to keep them occupied. The best part is that Nico was in a great mood the entire day, and I could tell he really enjoyed himself having everyone over to celebrate. He even asked us to sing “Happy Birthday” to him again privately later on during the party. It was kind of adorable. We are so grateful to everyone who came out and showered him with love on this special day!

*Cake from Betty Bakery*

Now he still has a couple more weeks until his ACTUAL 2nd Birthday, so pending on my labor schedule, you will probably get a sappier birthday post around then. 😉

Hit the 37 week mark yesterday, and we made tons of headway on the house over the weekend including a new office space for Mama. SCORE! We are pretty much ready for baby’s arrival when he is!

Hope you are all enjoying the week so far. Make it a good one!

XO,

Gina

Weekend Vibes

Top: H&M / Pants: Motherhood Maternity / Pineapple Shoes: Brickyard Buffalo / Head Scarf: American Apparel

*Photos taken at 35 weeks pregnant*

The hubby took me out on a date night to celebrate my 31st Birthday two weekends ago. We headed to the movies to check out the new flick, Southpaw, (which was totally worth it btw!) and ended with dinner at Bijan’s in Brooklyn. With my growing bump, I wanted to keep my look casual and comfortable for our night out, so I donned this black and white combo. Added the pineapple sneaks for a little pop 😉

This coming weekend, we are hopefully going to get the finishing touches done with the house and prepping for new baby’s arrival. We have moved and reorganized most of the furniture, but we still need to install the car seat, bust out all the old baby gear, put together the new crib, and get things set up so we can relax until he makes he grand entrance. I seriously cannot believe I will be full term (37 weeks) on Monday. These last few weeks are seriously FLYING.

Hope you all have a Happy Friday and a great weekend!

XO,

Gina

Discala Gala

A few weeks ago, we were fortunate enough to spend good times with great friends at the Discala Wedding watching the beautiful couple, Nick and Alie, tie the knot. The outdoor ceremony was just gorgeous with the sun going down, we enjoyed the amazing food, and danced the night away. Yes, even me with my prego belly. Congratulations to the happy couple! Wishing you a lifetime of love and happiness together!

What a night to remember!!!

This past weekend we celebrated my son’s 2nd Birthday about a month early (because my due date is 2 days after his REAL birthday), and we had a blast. I will be sharing photos from the event soon, so stay tuned. I hit 36 weeks of my pregnancy on Monday, and we are headed to the doc today for our check up to see how things are going. Cue the psycho nesting mode right about now as we need to get this house organized and ready STAT.

Hope you are all having a great week!

XO,

GIna

7 Day Push Up Challenge

It might be the end of summer, but there is one work out that you can take with you ANYWHERE! On the beach at vacation, on your office floor, in your living room, Saturday in the park…no matter where you go…you can take your PUSH UPS with you!

Join me on Monday August 10th for a FREE 7 Day Push Up Challenge! Strengthen and tone that upper body with one simple exercise each day for a week. I promise you are stronger than you think!

I will share proper techniques, and no matter what your skill level or athletic ability, you should be able to participate. I will also be sharing modifications for beginners, and for the advanced, there will be tips for making your push ups more challenging. Our push ups will increase each day and we will motivate each other to get through the week one day at a time.

So who is ready to PUSH YOURSELF?!?!?!

Comment below with your email address for more info or email me at gina.notes26@gmail.com to get in on the challenge 🙂

Hope you are having a great week!

XO,

Gina