popcornandpandas, Author at Popcorn and Pandas

Americana

Dress: Borrowed from Tommy Hilfiger / Clutch: Jonathan Adler via Navette (consignment) / Shoes: Sole Society / Sunglasses: ModCloth / Earrings: Stella & Dot (similar) / Watch: Michael Kors / Bracelet: Baublebar / Lip: Lancome Red Haute

Nothing says July and summertime like a red, white, and blue Tommy Hilfiger maxi dress. Perfectly patriotic, this Americana cocktail dress was perfect for the July wedding we attended a couple weeks back. While it is not from the maternity section, the stretch of elastic around the middle of the empire waist allowed me to pull off this look at about 33 weeks pregnant. It can be tough to find wedding attire when you are in your third trimester, so thank goodness for good friends who work in fashion for allowing me a night to borrow this beauty!

I paired the dress with blue suede pumps that I received for my birthday a couple years back and this unique Jonathan Adler clutch I scored at the consignment shop, Navette, on a trip to Annapolis last fall.

We had a lovely evening at the outdoor ceremony and enjoyed dinner and dancing with friends while celebrating a beautiful couple at a stunning country club in Long Island. With a toddler at home and another babe on the way, we definitely do not take these nights out for granted, and we have come to appreciate them very much!

This past weekend, I celebrated my 31st Birthday with my boys getting in two awesome beach days, two yummy dinners, a movie, some shopping, and a little quality family relaxing time. Today I hit the 35th week of my pregnancy. Can’t believe how fast things are flying. Baby will be here before we know it!

Hope you all have a great week!

XO,

Gina

CIZE it UP

It’s FINALLY hereeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!! I feel as if I have been waiting for months for this program to come out!

I have been practicing in my living room, and I was able to actually experience this program in person at our annual Coach’s Summit in Nashville this past week. The creator, Shaun T., was there leading thousands of us in a choreographed hip-hop dance routine. With the music blasting, a huge smile on my face, and a big ‘ole prego belly, I was ready to go!

If you are the type of person who sees working out as a chore, something you dread, or as punishment and you are the kind of person who just wants to have some FUN…then CIZE is definitely for you. Even if you don’t really know what the heck you are doing, it’s such a blast the entire time, and before you know it, you are done and drenched in sweat. You won’t even realize how much you have exercised, because you were having way to much fun to notice!

I snagged my copy at Summit along with a bunch of other CIZE gear (because I just couldn’t contain myself quite frankly), and I am hoping to get in some of these routines before Baby #2 makes his appearance! I would love to have at least 5 people join me on this 30 day dance party starting August 3rd. Please email me at gina.notes26 {at} gmail.com if you want to join or for more information. I promise you won’t regret it!

And now for the grand finale…a video of myself (in the black) and two of my teammates CIZE-ing it up on the dance floor at Summit. Keep in mind I am 34 weeks pregnant people! Try not to laugh TOO hard! (although I know it might be hard to contain yourself). I have to say, I was happy for the song choice Shaun T. PG Chillin’ (those of you I grew up with know what I am talking about!)

[wpvideo YnM7V2mW]

So what do you think? Who wants to CIZE it up with me this August?

All in all, Nashville was a blast! I am trying to process everything that happened over the last few days…all the amazing things I learned not only for my business, but for my life. We heard so many transformation stories (physical, mental, emotional, and financial ones alike) that were incredibly inspiring, and this week I am going to try and go through everything I learned and break it down piece by piece and apply it to my every day life. What an incredible decision that was to attend, and with such incredible people!

As eye-opening as it was, I am happy to be home with my boys in New York, and back to my (almost) normal routine today. Hope you all have a fantastic week!

XO,

Gina

Finger Lake Adventures

Wanted to share some of my insta-photos from our time at the Finger Lakes over the 4th of July weekend. We went with the best of friends and this was an area that none of had explored before. We like to check out a new lake spot each year, so this was the next one on the list!

The first pic is our first night on Seneca Lake. So serene!

Cheers to our first night on the lake! (with sparkling cider for the pregos)

Because my workouts come with me wherever I go 😉 Hooray for Beachbody on Demand!

Hiking at Watkins Glen State Park. We honestly did not even know this was minutes away from our lake house. We stumbled upon it, and couldn’t have gotten luckier. This is seriously a MUST see place to visit. It was absolutely stunning!

Hiking with our friend Rai Rai in the woods.

Just breathtaking.

Boys trip out on the lake.

All dressed up for a dinner date with the crew. Heading to Hazelnut Kitchen, which was SUPERB farm to table freshness, by the way.

My 4th of July morning breakfast.

Gettin’ down on that watermelon. That’s my boy!

Spent the holiday at the Americana Vineyards (on the Cayuga Wine Trail) for their 4th of July Celebration complete with wine and beer (for those who could partake), BBQ, ice cream, 6 live bands, a dance floor, and an awesome firework show.

Last day on the lake.

Overall, it was a trip full of both adventure and relaxation. We love our annual lake trip, and next year we will actually have THREE kids joining us at the lake, which is crazy to believe! (My bff Erin is pregnant too!) Nothing better than being pregnant with your best friend 🙂

Hope you are all having a great week so far. Guess where I am going tomorrow? NASHVILLE! Whoo hoo! I cannot wait!

XO,

Gina

{34} Lately…

Lately I’ve been…

reading Caught up on some Health Magazine at the beach yesterday. Love their tips for healthy eating and exercise.

writing Lots of e-mails, and catch up on blog posts before heading out to NASHVILLE on Thursday! if anybody has any good recommendations for while I’m out there, please let me know!

listening The Coffee Shop (Ch. 31) on Sirius XM Radio. Puts Nico to sleep every time and he loves it.

thinking That I need to get things together before this new baby arrives. I am 33 weeks today. Holy guacamole! I delivered at 38 weeks with my first babe, so it’s crazy to think that it’s less than 2 months before we will be a family of FOUR.

smelling The yummy mocha that I treated myself to this morning.

watching Finally saw the movie, Wild, starring Reese Witherspoon. The movie is based on the book by Cheryl Strayed with the same title. Being an outdoorsy person, I was a huge fan of the book as it depicted a woman hiking the Pacific Crest Trail for 3 months. I thought the movie did a decent job of portraying the book, but I definitely preferred the book over the movie. Although, I must say that is generally the case with me!

wishing A very Happy Birthday to one of my favorite people in the world, Erin, who we spent the 4th of July weekend with at Seneca Lake. Her bday was yesterday, and I know it’s going to be an amazing year for her! Love you butt buddie!

hoping For the internet to keep working. I have wasted a ton of time today hopping from cafe to cafe around the neighborhood and it’s like the internet is not working anywhere!?!?! What in the world is going on? Came back home and hoping it will stay on here so I can actually get some work done today!

wearing Living in lots of dresses, maxis and flip flops on these hot summer days. Whew!

loving Speaking of these hot summer days, I actually love them…because that means BEACH TIME! Since we won’t be able to attend our family vacay to the OBX this year, I am going to try to soak up as much local beach time as possible this summer!

wanting More space in my apartment! We are going to be doing lots of furniture rearranging in the next few weeks to make room for our new little roommate. Why do such tiny humans need so many things? lol.

needing To finish planning Nico’s 2nd Birthday Party. We need to have it early this year, because his birthday is two days away from my due date. So I finally picked a date and ordered the cake. Now it’s time to figure out the food and decor. I seriously cannot believe he is going to be TWO.

feeling SUPER excited for my upcoming trip to NASHVILLE for the Beachbody Coaches Summit! Excited to finally meet my team in person and for all the amazing events, workouts, and trainings that I get to be a part of. I’m sure it’s going to be an incredible experience that I will never forget.

craving All the sleep I can get. Starting to get a little more tired again in this last trimester. Trying to get as much sleep as possible, because I know there are some all-nighters coming up in the near future again. Yikes!

clicking On this adorable blog by Amaris, both mama and fashionista. Her outfits are chic yet casual, and her baby girl is sucha doll!

Hope you all have a great week! I started off my morning with a Banana Chia Pudding breakfast, a Turbo Jam workout, and a walk around the neighborhood. Time to buckle down now and get crackin’.

HAPPY MONDAY!

What have you been up to lately?

XO,

Gina

Seneca Summer

Dress: Target / Sandals: Dolce Vita (sold out, but similar here) / Earrings: Stella & Dot (similar here) / Sunglasses: Vintage / Watch: Michael Kors / Bracelet: Baublebar / Lip: Revlon Hydrangea

As I mentioned yesterday, we spent the Fourth of July Weekend up at Seneca Lake with some close friends. I have more photos of our adventures to share later, but first I wanted to share the outfit I wore on our nice dinner out to Hazelnut Kitchen. It was about a 30 minute drive from our house, but totally worth it as it was completely delicious farm to table freshness and goodness. I would definitely recommend it if you are ever in the Ithaca area.

Today I am heading to the beach/aquarium with my little guy today. Trying to soak up as much one on one time as humanly possible with this little fellow before our family grows at the end of the summer and I’m trying to balance being a mama of two.

Hope you all have a fantastic weekend!

XO,

Gina

Meant to Be

We attended the wedding of this beautiful couple in Upstate NY/Bronx a few weeks ago. I went to high school with the groom, Marcin, and we continued along similar paths heading to the University of Maryland for college, and eventually New York City in our early 20s. It was so nice to have a friendly face from home when we (my now husband and I) first moved to the Big Apple. We didn’t know how long we would stay, but it’s crazy to think we all just came upon our 8th anniversary here. I was so honored Marcin and his fiancé (and now wife), Dana, asked me to be a part of their ceremony by doing a reading at the church. I couldn’t have been happier to support this couple as they spoke their vows on that beautiful day. Not only have I remained close with Marcin and his family throughout the years, but it’s been a blessing getting to know Dana as well as Dana’s incredible family. To see two amazing families unite is truly a wonderful thing. Marcin and Dana make each other so exceptionally happy and you can just tell from these photos how much they light up when they are around each other. From day one, I could tell these two had a strong bond, and I know they will continue to be blessed and happy together for many many years to come. Congratulations Marcin and Dee…you are truly meant to be!

These photos bring me back! What a great day and night it was…and you can truly see the love!

Hope you are all having a great week. I have been playing a lot of catch up…both with work and with home life (laundry, grocery shopping, etc. – you know all the fun stuff). We got back on Monday from a trip to the Finger Lakes for the 4th of July holiday. We spent some time on Seneca Lake, in the Ithaca area near Cayuga lake, and exploring around the outdoors. I have a lot more to share from our trip, so stay tuned to the next couple posts to view our adventures!

Make it a great one!

XO,

Gina

Summa Summa Summatime

Summa Summa Summatime!

It’s mid-summer and I am looking for 5 more women who want to commit to the next 3 weeks of healthy eating and fitness! There is still time to feel confident in that summer bikini, at that summer wedding, or at your family reunion, ladies. It all starts with you and your decision to change and make a difference both by being active and making smart choices in the kitchen.

My next round of the 21 Day Fix is starting up on July 13th, and I would love to help you reach your goals! It will include:

-A DIFFERENT workout each day of the week to keep things interesting
-An EASY to follow nutrition plan complete with portion control containers to map out what you should be eating each day
-30 MEALS of Shakeology – a super healthy drink packed with vitamins, nutrients, and super foods
-MYSELF as your personal coach and motivator
-3 week SUPPORT group full of other challengers like yourself where we will share inspiration, motivation, tips, recipes, etc.

Don’t let a busy schedule hold you back from making a change! Some of my best challengers with the most rockin’ results are busy moms, busy professionals, and have full plates. *30 min a day is only 2% of your day and anyone can make time for this program if they are ready to make a change.*

COMMENT below with your e-mail address if you would like to join the party or if you would like more information. You can also e-mail me at gina.notes26 {at} gmail.com if you want in!

Make it a good one!

XO,

Gina

Easy Breezy

Tribal Palazzo Pants: Target (sold out, but similar here) / Tank: Old Navy / Sandals: Dolce Vita (sold out but similar here) / Sunnies: Vintage Kenneth Cole / Necklace: c/o Stella & Dot /Earrings: c/o Stella & Dot / Bracelets: Guilty Jean, Stella & Sparkle, Vintage / Watch: Michael Kors / Lip Gloss: Smashbox Savvy

Can you believe today marks 31 weeks of pregnancy! WOWZA!!! The 2nd half has been flying right by! I delivered at 38 weeks the first time around, so I am starting to get a little nervous about everything we have left to do before baby’s arrival? Now you might be thinking, what could they possibly have to do? They already have everything they need, and they are even having another boy! Well, trust me when you live in a small Brooklyn apartment, you need to figure out how you are going to go from fitting a family of three to a family of four! Haha. We spent this past weekend getting our TV mounted on the fireplace so that we can eventually get rid of our entertainment center to make room for the rocking/glider chair that we will have to move OUT of the nursery (through the window, because it won’t fit through the door mind you), so that we can then fit crib #2 into the nursery. Whew! Just thinking about it makes me exhausted already.

I found the most comfy palazzo pants at Target during the spring time, and as soon as I saw that stretchy waistband, I thought they would be perfect during my pregnancy. I could not have been more spot on! At 31 weeks, these (non-maternity) pants fit me with room to spare! And they are SO incredibly comfortable!

We are gearing up for a 4th of July trip to Seneca Lake this Thursday…but not before I check in with the baby doc on Wednesday. Fingers crossed for a good appointment and a good trip to come!

Make it a great week everyone!

XO,

Gina

Summer Sweat Sesh

Can’t believe it’s almost JULY! This summer is flying by already. School is officially out and I know many of us are prepping for family vacations. Whoo hoo!

Starting July 6, I’m hosting a little Summer Sweat Sesh, because a dip in the pool always feels more refreshing after a nice workout right? Not to mention feeling even more fabulous in that swimsuit. 🙂

Most of the workouts are 30 min per day and are combined with a healthy eating plan. Our group will provide support and motivation each day along with workout tips, nutrition information, and yummy summer recipes.

So what do you say? Who’s in for a little sweat sesh this summer?

COMMENT below with your contact information or email me at gina.notes26 {at} gmail.com.

Cheers to Summer!

XO,

Gina

Help Wanted!

During my 7 years working in production and advertising as an agent for animation studios, I spent a lot of time watching other people create things. I always wished I could create more myself, which led to the creation of Popcorn and Pandas…an outlet for my personal style, travel, adventures, motherhood, lifestyle, food, fun…and now also fitness.

Fitness has always been a part of my life as I played soccer and basketball growing up, trained for half marathons and triathlon post college, and now as a health & fitness coach it plays an even bigger role. Running my own business has allowed me to reach a new creative potential that I never thought possible. I am able to create fresh content daily, create exciting challenges for my clients, and I’m inspired to create new recipes for healthy eating. I am also able to make a difference in people’s live each and every day.

Some of my recent challengers have said:

“I’m totally aware of how much stronger I’ve gotten and how much energy I have. Still more work to do, but loving the motivating results.”

“Today is Day 14 for me, and I can’t believe the difference! I can’t wait to see what Day 21 looks like. Thank you!”

“I am sleeping better, fitting into a size down, and although I have been doing the modified version of the exercises, I am improving every day. My mindset is more positive, and I definitely have more energy!”

Now, THAT is what it’s all about. I love making a difference in people’s lives and seeing them so positive and happy about the changes they are making not only to their bodies but to their minds and spirit as well.

Are you someone that likes making a difference too?

Because I am looking for 5 people to train for my next Coach Apprenticeship!!!!

If you are someone who is:
-Driven
-Motivated
-Passionate
-Creative
-A Team Player
-Looking for something MORE?

Then I would love to consider you for a position on Team SPARK! If you are interested and this sounds like something you would be interested in doing either full or part time, then please fill out this application below and I will contact you with more information!

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

XO,

Gina