boy mom Archives - Page 2 of 3 - Popcorn and Pandas

{46} Lately…

It’s been a long time since I have written one of these posts, but I have missed them and they were a crowd favorite, so I want to bring them back over here to the blog! And what better time than when I’m sitting here at 39 weeks and 5 days pregnant patiently (not-so-patiently) waiting for this 3rd baby to arrive. Am I right?

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Lately I’ve been…

reading Reading all the things you guys. A couple that I want to highlight that I finished recently are Real Food for Pregnancy by Lily Nichols. Such great insight and research into optimal nutrition for us preggo mamas. Aside from her incredible nutrition info, she also touches on food myths, exercise, and the 4th trimester. Highly recommend this one! The next book I loved recently was Stranger in the House. I finished it in less than 2 days as I couldn’t put this thriller down! Shari Lapena, author of The Couple Next Door, wrote this one which was a huge hit, and I actually think I liked this book even better! I am also currently reading The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer. Definitely a great read, but also super heavy, so I am taking this one at one chapter per day so I can soak it all in. And lastly, I just picked up Amy Schumer’s book from the library last week, The Girl With the Lower Back Tattoo, which is already to be proving to be a hilarious read.

writing Thank you notes from the boy’s bday and baby gifts, and I recently wrote a Baby Mama’s Hospital Bag Checklist that I posted on this here blog if you haven’t seen it yet!

listening Mixing it up between chill music to relax and dance music to try and dance this baby out. Loving Drake, “In My Feelings” right now. Super original, I know.

thinking About my mama who is driving up to NY right now from MD to come help out with the boys until the baby arrives and beyond. Super thankful!

smelling The coffee I am drinking…a dark roast from Roatan (off the coast of Honduras) brought to us as a gift from my mother-in-law after her recent trip and made with the French Press. Mmm.

watching Hubs and I have been watching Mad Men together which is a nice throwback to my advertising background. We are currently on Season 4 and loving it. I am also pumped about the new seasons of both Orange is the New Black and Shameless that just arrived recently on Netflix.

wearing At this point at 39 weeks pregnant, anything that still fits and is comfortable to move in. That mostly means maternity leggings or maxi dresses. I did buy these cute slip on shoes on sale from Old Navy for the fall though.

exercising Right now I’m lucky if I get a couple workouts and some walks in each week. It’s mostly yoga, light weights with holds, or dance aside from walking. Just trying to move a bit to get this baby out already!!! He doesn’t seem to want to budge though.

feeling Achy all over and just SUPER ready. This is my longest pregnancy yet. Baby #1 came out with an early induction at 38 weeks and Baby #2 came out at 39 weeks due to water break. This is also going to be my largest child at birth (by far I imagine at this point), so he is just feeling super heavy in there and wearing me down big time. Chasing two other kiddos around is a task on it’s own as well!

wanting This baby to be born. I mean, I think that’s obvious by now, no? Haha.

needing Today to be the day. Need I say it again? Okay, fine, I’ll give you something else. If baby doesn’t come today, we have been needing to hang up some wall art and family photos in the house that are way overdue. Including some from our recently family photo shoot with Tyler Lyons, which I will hopefully get around to sharing here soon! So that may be a potential project while we are waiting around.

loving How sweet my older boys have been in anticipation of the new baby. They are constantly giving me belly rubs and kisses, telling me how they are going to hold and help with their new little brother, and even more importantly, they have been playing so nicely together this summer (for the most part) to allow me some rest and work time when I need it. I honestly feel very lucky for them!

wishing For a smooth, quick, painless (hah!) delivery, and my sweet babe to be in my arms soon.

hoping For some nice weather today so we can get the boys outside to play with their new little pool they got for their birthdays. And maybe I could also go into labor…

craving ALL the ice cream.

clicking Around for back-to-school sales for clothes in the next size up for Nico. Old Navy has some great deals going on right now. Also looking around for some post partum wardrobe items. Totally getting sick of all the maternity gear!

following Been loving following Lauren McBride lately, a Connecticut based life and style blogger. She recently became a mama of 3, so she has lots of great mom tips, shopping tips (especially for post partum), and beautiful home posts. Her blog is fantastic, but I also just love following her on Instagram for her daily updates and stories!

HAPPY SATURDAY!

What are you up to on this summer weekend?

What have you been up to lately?

XO,

Gina

Baby Mama’s Hospital Bag Checklist

Baby Mama's Hospital Bag Checklist

As I hit 37 weeks on Monday with my 3rd pregnancy, I realize maybe I’ve been a liiiiiitle too lax this time around! We enjoyed vacation, and then upon returning home, I have been frantically realizing that we might not have as much time as we think we do, and being full term, who knows when this baby will arrive! Along with trying to get bunk beds set up for Nico and Luca, I am also planning their 5th and 3rd Birthday Party, running my health + fitness coaching business, and trying to survive a hot summer home as a stay at home working mama with two kids 24/7 home from school.

I still have yet to pack my bag even after making this checklist…I think that will be the first thing I do after hitting POST on this! But do as I say, and not as I do, right? 😉 Haha. I would recommend having this bag packed by 36 weeks at the latest, because you honestly just never know!!! At least the essentials.

While this checklist may seem quite large…know that I am a serial over-packer. You’re like, ok….WHY am I reading this post then? This is supposed to be HELPFUL! Haha, but hear me out. Everyone has different needs and necessities, and I also got some feedback from many of you that was fantastic…so I do include quite a bit to make sure I covered most of the bases. That said, if I mentioned EVERYTHING that people suggested, then it would become too overwhelming. So I included many of the things that I found useful and a few additions that I know others have truly found useful in past pregnancies.

I will highlight some of my FAVORITES and MUST-HAVES for ME…and then I have included an overall checklist that you can feel free to print out. I included a section at the bottom in case you want to add some things that I didn’t find necessary that you may want to bring.

I hope this is helpful for many of you new mamas out there! Or even any 2nd or 3rd or beyond time mamas, because through the craziness of labor and delivery, sometimes it’s hard to remember back when!

Okay so here we go:

THE HIGHLIGHTS:

1. Footwear: I absolutely recommend a pair of your own non-skid socks as they make you wear them in the hospital so you don’t slip, and the ones they give you are pretty terrible. I just bought this pair from Kindred Bravely. Many people also love to have a pair of slippers. I didn’t really find I needed them having all August babies, but if you are a slipper gal, these are a nice pair. I DO recommend bringing flip flops, because you will want to take a shower at some point post-partum, and you will NOT want to put your bare feet in that shower. I also wore my flip flops coming home, so they were essential!

2. Hair Ties/Head Band: I definitely wanted something to pull my hair back after a long time in the delivery room, so a hair tie was essential for me! A headband can also be a good idea. No need to get fancy here. I picked mine up from a local drug store. Post partum, I needed a brush/comb for after a shower. Some people take the time to blow dry their hair if that’s your thing and makes you feel like a human afterwards, but I threw mine up in a top knot personally and called it a day.

3. Make Up: This is what DOES make me feel more like a human. Haha. Post partum after showering, I definitely wanted to freshen up, especially before it was time to go home and see my mom and family (not that they cared, but again, makes ME feel better!) So I plan to bring this BB cream, powder, under eye concealer, blush, eyeliner, mascara, and lipstick. I will also bring CHAPSTICK for labor and delivery, which definitely should not be forgotten as your lips will get super dry with all the hospital air and all the heavy breathing.

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4. Nursing Bra: Comfort is KEY. Something I can sleep in as well as wear all day and comfortably nurse in and then go home in. I think I’m going to purchase these. (certain colors are also on sale now!) Will let you know how I like them! I may also bring a stretchier, comfy sports bra or bralette.

5. Robe: I stayed in the hospital gown almost the whole time with my first baby, and wished I had brought a robe, so the 2nd time I brought a comfy one that I got for free from Ulta along with a purchase. So much more comfortable that time around! Here is another one from Victoria’s Secret that looks cozy.

6. Motherlove Nipple Cream + Breast Pads: Not gonna lie. Nursing hurt like a B*TCH for me for the first couple weeks after having BOTH babies. Motherlove Nipple Cream was my savior and the only thing that made them feel better and heal. I applied it literally every time after I nursed, and will absolutely do it again. Breast pads are also a good idea as your milk may start to come in and leakage is no fun. I like these reusable ones that you can wash and use again, but also use and love these disposable ones from Lansinoh as well.

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7. Herbal Perineal Spray: I have never used this before, but I have read about them on a few different blogs, and it sounds like I have been missing out and that it’s super helpful with recovery and pain after birth, so I plan to get some of this Earth Mama ASAP to add to my bag!

8. Comfy Clothes: I plan to pack some comfy clothes all around…a couple days worth of tops, pants, (most likely my maternity leggings or something similar) in dark colors, pajamas or something to sleep in, and then something to go home in. Nothing fancy. Comfort is KEY.

9. Pillow + Nursing Pillow: It’s nice to have some comforts from home, so I always brought my own pillow to try and sleep as much as I could since I was so exhausted during and after giving birth! I also found a nursing pillow to be really helpful for breastfeeding, and I used my Boppy every time!

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10. Towel: Hospital towels are the WORST and ridiculously small. It will feel SO amazing to dry off with a soft, comfortable towel from home after your first post partum shower.

11. Cell Phone + Charger: This is kind of an obvious, because who doesn’t go anywhere without their phones these days. But one thing you may want to add is a portable charger or an extension cord to your list, because oftentimes the plugs can be so far away from the beds and it’s a pain to have the phone so far away while charging.

12. Camera: I always brought my DSLR camera to take some photos before and after delivery and for those early moments in the hospital. Sure, you can use your phone, and I will likely take phone pics also, but I will absolutely bring my camera to capture some precious moments. Make sure to bring your camera FULLY charged, so you don’t have to worry about bringing chargers…and also make sure your SD card is IN your camera! I can’t tell you the number of times I have brought my camera out to shoot something and then realized my SD card was in my computer or somewhere else.

13. Toiletries: These will be different for everyone, but I plan to bring shampoo, conditioner, a little hair de-frizz product, soap, face wash, face wipes, face oil/moisturizer, body lotion, deodorant, toothbrush, and toothpaste.

14. Snacks + Water Bottle: You may or may not be allowed to eat in the delivery room, but either way, you will want some snacks for the next couple days. Hospital food is mediocre at best and you will be STARVING. I also always try to scope out the local food in the neighborhood of the hospital, so I can send hubby out on a food run! Trust me, he is MORE than willing to oblige as he doesn’t want that hospital food either! Haha. Many of you suggested bringing your own water bottle to the hospital because you either didn’t like the cups provided or they were too small and you had to keep refilling. I don’t remember water being an issue for me, but wanted to include it here and will pack one this time just in case since it’s a new hospital for me.

15. Clothes for Baby: You will definitely want some onesies for the baby while you’re in the hospital. I always hated the clothing they had them in at the hospital the first time, so the second time I brought my own clothes. And then something for them to go home in. I usually just chose a cute sleep and play with a baby hat to match. Bonus if the outfit has built-in anti-scratch mittens, because the separate ones always fell off my babies hands.

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16. Swaddle Sleep Sack: 2 kiddos down and I still can’t properly swaddle using a blanket, so I will bring our Halo Sleep Sack for baby, so I don’t need to call a nurse every time I need to swaddle!

17. Car Seat Installed: Make sure you have your car seat installed now just in case so you are ready when it’s GO time! I remember feeling like our babies were SO tiny in those things, and I just couldn’t quite believe they were going to let us take them home!

18. Gifts for Nurses/Staff: I have never actually done this before, but I have read it on a few other blogs and it seems like a really nice gesture to at least give them some cards with a nice note and maybe a sweet treat.

If you have older siblings in the house, it’s also a nice idea to bring them a gift or a goodie bag from “from the baby.” Since the baby will be getting so much of the attention, it will be nice for them to feel the extra love coming from baby! Since all my boys are August babies, I plan on having the new baby give them Birthday presents when he arrives!

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There are some other things on the printable list for you to go through, but these were some that I really used, needed, or enjoyed having there! Can’t believe we will be doing this again soon! Okay…time for me to go pack now!

Your printable checklist is below. Happy packing and congrats on your sweet babe on the way!

XO,

Gina

Baby Mama’s Hospital Bag Checklist

Isabel Maternity

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I haven’t gotten around to shooting or posting as many maternity outfit photos this pregnancy…which I guess comes with the territory of 3rd child, huh? A little harder to plan when you have two other young kiddos and your hubby is your photographer haha. I HAVE been trying to post as much as I can over on Instagram Stories for you all to keep you in the loop since it’s less time consuming, so make sure you are following me over there if you aren’t already!

These were taken at 31 weeks pregnant on our family trip to Upstate NY. We spent the weekend doing a flat hike along the trestle in Rosendale, NY, and we found a waterfall swimming hole nearby to cool off in the summer heat. We had a great trip, and the boys LOVED staying in a hotel room. I promise it wasn’t that exciting of a hotel, but they were pumped, regardless.

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Dress: Isabel Maternity by Ingrid + Isabel for Target (now on clearance!) / Sandals: Halogen – sold out, but have seen some listing for them on Poshmark / Sunnies: Vintage / Earrings: Forever 21 / Leather Wrap Bracelet: Tory Burch – similar

Now at 36 weeks pregnant today, we are in the final stretches of this pregnancy. We returned from a 10 day vacation to Cape May, NJ and Rehoboth, DE with both family and friends, and had an incredible time. We are now hunkered down at home trying to get everything prepared for our new little boy’s arrival and get all of the other things done that need to be done before he gets here.

Yesterday, I spent lots of time planning Nico and Luca’s Birthday party which will be a few weeks early due to baby’s arrival date. We are doing a fire engine theme this year on their request, so I dove into the world of Pinterest for some ideas.

I also dove into bunk bed hunting yesterday and we settled on this white one from Birch Lane which is currently on sale. I also found mattresses, bedding, etc to go along with it, and I’m really excited for a fresh little renovation to the boys room. They are just as excited, and I’m hoping to get all the craziness out of their system with the new bunk bed addition before baby arrives so I can pay CLOSE attention, and you know…make sure they don’t jump off the bed or anything nuts.

Along with prepping for baby, I am also prepping for a brand new Challenge Group to launch on August 6th! Our currently July Groups are going well – both my “Feel Fly in July” group and the new “LIIFT4 Test Group Launch.” My challengers are kicking booty and getting great results already! They are also really loving the 4 day workout schedule with 3 rest days on our new program! Please reach out if you want to jump in with us for our next round!

Happy Monday everyone! It’s time for me to get my own workout in…yes, still trying to move as much as I can here at week 36 (without overdoing it of course – listening to your body is KEY!) And then the boys and I are going to try and figure out how else we are going to tackle this rainy day.

Chat soon!

XO,

Gina

A Folly Good Time

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Hooded Sweatshirt Dress: HiHo (on sale!) via The Skinny Dip boutique in Charleston / Sneakers: Converse / Heart Sunnies: Amazon – similar

I discovered the cutest boutique while in Charleston…adorable shopping downstairs, coffee upstairs…and I had to snag this beachy throw over while it still fit! Hah! Made of 100% cotton terry, this hooded sweatshirt dress is so comfy-cozy + perfect for those spring and fall beach days or a chillier summer evening during beach season. It fit over the bump with a little room for growth even in the XS, so I had to scoop it up! It’s currently on sale, so bump or not, grab it while you can!

These photos are from our last day in Charleston…we spent it on Folly Beach, which was a ton of fun…perfect weather, perfect scenery. Honestly, couldn’t have been a better way to end the trip!

Fast forward to yesterday…it was a crazy one running around getting my shattered iPhone fixed, but the weather was GORGEOUS, so I was pretty much on Cloud 9. Call me basic, but the sunshine TOTALLY makes my day! Lots of outdoor time to make up for all the rain…

Also hit 27 weeks this week! This pregnancy is going so fast!

Make it a good one!

XO,

Gina

Baby Notes #3 Reveal

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Oh my gosh, you guys. The reveal day is finally here!!! I have been waiting to share (and find out myself) for so long! Lemme tell you, holding onto that envelope for 2 weeks while Zack was out of town was not easy! Haha. But our props finally arrived, Zack came home, and Saturday was go time. We headed to Prospect Park with Tyler Lyons on Saturday evening around sunset to capture our reveal and our reactions along with the news. It was a beautiful evening, and we are so happy for our little Baby Notes on the way!

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Your guesses on Facebook and Instagram massively skewed toward girl. I honestly went back and forth each trimester thinking something different. Of course, I found this soccer ball reveal prop on Etsy, and I just HAD to use it being a soccer player and now that my boys love the sport as well. My neighbor was the first one to find out since she purchased the soccer ball for me to use for this shoot. Okay…keep scrolling to find out if you guessed it right!!!

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It’s a BOY!!!! Another Brother! #boysonlyclub

Oh my gosh. You should have seen poor little Nico’s face. He was CERTAIN it was going to be pink, and he was in SUCH a state of shock. I felt a little bad that we hyped up this reveal a little too much, because apparently he really got into it! He was hoping for a sister…That said, one day later, and he was back to being super excited again about his little baby on the way!

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So I had an extra ball ordered, because I wasn’t sure how easy they were going to be to break open, and I was a little nervous myself or one of the kids would break it before we actually got to take our photos! LOL. I will say that this thing was STURDY as a rock. I had to kick is really hard (and my foot actually hurt haha), so I don’t think buying two was necessary. But that said, we had an extra one, so we let Nico throw it down to take a few more photos once we knew we were having a little BOY! It took him about 4 throws before he could get it to break, but he finally got it!

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The official sonogram pic that the sono tech had put in an envelope for me. Yup. No doubt about that anatomy haha.

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Can’t believe I’m gonna be a #boymom for life!!! Wow! Another little monkey will be joining this crazy crew in August!

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Thank you Tyler Lyons for capturing this special family moment for us! It was so much fun!

Tyler also snagged a video for us from his phone, and I edited a little something together as well if you want to watch the action.

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Thank you all for your patience! I know I was driving some of you crazy making you all wait this long to find out haha. One person even said they thought we were having twins because of all the hype hahaha. NO. I guess I have always just loved a big production. 😉

To see the reveals we did in the past for Nico and Luca you can check them out here (Nico’s) and here (Luca’s).

Thanks for all the love and I feel so incredibly blessed right now! <3 <3 <3

Wishing you all a wonderful week!

XO,

Gina

Thirteen Journeys

Today I am honored to share my story as part of the Thirteen Fit Apparel 13 Journeys campaign!!

My story is about an athlete. It’s about motherhood. It’s about challenges. It’s about entrepreneurship. It’s about hard work. It’s about priorities. It’s about putting your mind to something and accomplishing it.

I hope that something within my journey can connect or resonate with you today. We are all on our own journey toward becoming our #ultimateself, and I continue to work on mine every single day.

Thank you to Paige Festa for including me on this project, to the 12 other inspiring individuals who are also sharing their journeys in these next few weeks, and to Jocelyn Bold Photography for capturing the photos from this shoot.

Full story can found over at Thirteen Fit Apparel! Hope you can check it out!

Happy Monday!

XO,

Gina

Black is Boss

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Dress: Tobi – now on sale! / Jacket: Goodnight Macaroon – similar here and here / Over-the-Knee Boots: ALDO – similar – also love these / Earrings: Forever 21 / Lip: MAC Dark Side

While I LOVE pops of color and mixing in lots of color to my wardrobe, there is always something super comforting to me about basic black. Maybe, it’s the New Yorker in me, but I gravitate toward black frequently, especially in the winter time. Black is just classic, and will never go out of style. I scored these over-the-knee boots on sale after Christmas of LAST year, and had been keeping my eye open for the perfect dress to wear them with. I saw this one from Tobi with the open V-back, and had to snag it! A little bit sexy, a little bit chic, and a little bit badass with the boots, no? The top knot with the drop earrings finish the classic look…and since it’s still winter…a quilted moto jacket so I don’t freeze. The day we shot this, we actually had weather that was creeping into the 60s which is crazy for a New York winter!

This week I hit the 12 week mark of my pregnancy! Yay! Hoping to come out of that 1st trimester fog soon, though been suffering with some headaches as of late, which are typical for me during pregnancy when my hormones are going crazy. We’ve also been dealing with an insane 4 year old this week. Not sure if it’s lack of sleep or if something deeper is going on, but it’s been impossible to get through to him. Mamas can you relate? I thought 3 was a tough age and 4 was honestly getting better for us. So I’m hoping this is just an off week for him, because it’s really been out of hand with pretty much everything. My 2 year old is dabbling in potty training, and he’s doing okay, but there’s also some stress that goes along with cleaning up pee off your floor every 20 minutes. LOL. #momlife

My February Challenge Group started up on Monday, and these gals are off to the races! Their progress in January was AMAZING, and I am so very proud at how hard they worked! We have lots continuing on with their goals, and some new faces just starting out with us as well! I decided I’m going to jump into a program called PiYo, which is a pilates/yoga based program that focuses on stretch, strength, cardio, and core. I did this same program when I was pregnant with Luca, and it was fantastic, so I’m going to dive in again so that I have something I can stick to this month and stay motivated to keep moving with my growing babe.

I have so many ideas and posts in the works for this blog in the next few weeks and also some exciting projects I’m working on, so stay tuned for what’s to come! Hope you have an incredible week!

XO,

Gina

Moto Magic

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Moto Leggings: Tobi (on sale!) / Coat: ZARA – similar here and here / Sweater: Madewell via Trunk Club – sold out but loving this color / Booties: H&M / Scarf: Gifted – also like this one / Sunnies: Brickyard Buffalo

Moto leggings are all the rage this season, and I have to say I am jumping on this train full force and loving it. I got my first pair from Trunk Club in an olive green, so when I saw these black babies from Tobi I HAD to have them in my closet! As a New Yorker, black is a go-to color in my wardrobe, and these will basically go with ANYTHING, so I was super excited to snag them. I just love the detail on the front of the thigh, and the zips down the size give them a little edge. They are super comfortable and the material is flattering, stretchy, and forgiving. I can pretty much guarantee these are going to get a lot of wear from me this season and beyond. Added bonus…these are currently on sale for 50% off.

This puffer coat from ZARA is also on heavy rotation this winter as 1) it’s WARM…and let’s be honest…that is a high priority for me in outerwear right now! I am not a cold weather loving gal, so staying bundled up is key. And 2) it’s a cuter puffer coat than most with the faux fur hood and leopard lining. It can be tough to make a warm puffer coat look cute, but I think ZARA did well.

This olive sweater from Madewell is SUPER comfy, and I’m sad the color is unavailable, but I do also love this one and I promise it’s warm!

I want to thank you all SO much for all your love and warm wishes for our big announcement we made yesterday!!! We got so much love over on Facebook and Instagram, and I cannot say enough how grateful I am to have such an incredibly wonderful community, family, and friends. THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart. We feel so blessed to be welcoming a 3rd child into our family, and we are excited for all the adventures this new chapter will bring!

I’m also excited to my experiences with you this time around when it comes to health, exercise, fashion, mom life and more!

Hope you’re all having an amazing week!

XO,

Gina

2017 in Review

View More: http://karenskaptures.pass.us/notes

WOW! I can’t believe 2017 is coming to a close. It’s been a year of personal growth, adventure, travel, family moments, and so much more. I learned a lot, and have come up with some exciting ideas to take with me into 2018. I plan to jump even more outside of my comfort zone this upcoming year, and see where the wind blows.

I want to thank each and every one of you this past year for supporting me on this journey…for reading this blog, for joining one of my health + fitness Challenge Groups, for commenting on a Facebook post, direct messaging me on Instagram, watching my IG Stories, giving me all of your advice and feedback on outfit choices or motherhood woes or workouts…or just telling me that you are inspired by a post or that you can relate. It truly means SO much to me. I started this blog and my brand really as a creative outlet a few years ago, but it’s turned into an incredible community which I am so grateful for. So THANK YOU for your continued support, and I hope you continue to take the journey with me in 2018!

Below is a look back at some of my favorite memories and experiences of 2017:

Zack and I finally went on a “Paint Night” Date and we loved it

I was obsessed with smoothie bowls:

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I learned a ton about gut health + drank lots of kombucha (I did a LIVE @ 9 Episode on this which you can find on my Facebook page, but I promise to create a blog post on this for 2018 so it’s in written form):

Boys both fell in love with soccer just like their mama:

Helped hundreds of Challengers get on track with their nutrition with these amazing portion control containers:

Little sis got engaged and asked the entire fam to be in the wedding 🙂 :

Zack and I had a week-long road trip together to Asheville (thanks Mom + Dad!):

I was able to take the family on an all-expenses paid trip to Punta Cana with Beachbody as a reward trip for my work with the company. To say they had a blast would be an understatement:

I developed a passion for nut butters lol 😉

Hubby and I did the Ultimate Reset Challenge Plant Based Cleanse program and we learned so much about our bodies, our eating habits, and made many tweaks and changes to our habits going forward (again, I owe you all a full synopsis of this experience in blog post form…coming at you in 2018!):

Went to the Dave Matthews Concert with the fam:

Spent many summer days at the NY Beaches + riding the rides at Coney Island:

Took Nico on his first roller coaster ride at Hershey Park with the family:

Celebrated our 10 Year NYC Anniversary:

NYC Engagement

Went to Rhode Island with the hubs to watch one of my best friends walk down the aisle:

Went to NOLA for my 3rd Beachbody Summit with my amazing team. We continue to grow, and I love training each new person how to become a #boss and build businesses that give them happier, healthier, more fulfilled lives:

Completed multiple workout programs including Shift Shop, T25, Insanity Max 30, and 3 Week Yoga Retreat:

Celebrated my sister’s Bachelorette Weekend in VA Beach rooftop style:

Luca got his 1st haircut:

Nico turned 4 and Luca turned 2 with a Construction themed Birthday Party:

My challengers got amazing results with their fitness + nutrition:

Christie Transformation

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We went on family vacation to Cape May:

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and the OBX:

Nico started his first year of “real” school through the NYC DOE and is loving Pre-K. Luca started a 2’s playschool co-op, and it was a bit of a transition at first, but he seems to be enjoying it now:

We threw at Rainbow Sprinkle Themed Bridal Shower for my sister:

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My little sis and her high school sweetheart finally tied the knot after 13 years:

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Took the boys on their first-ever camping trip this fall with good friends:

Had an epic Halloween dressing up like The Wizard of Oz characters:

Did ALL the the holiday things to celebrate the season (and enjoyed my most favorite/stressful time of the year):

Welp!!!!

That is a WRAP. Wow. What.a.year.

It’s been a good one full of fantastic memories. Thanks again for your continued support of popcorn and pandas. I appreciate you all SO much. More than you know.

I wish all of you an incredible New Year!!! I cannot wait to see what 2018 has in store.

XO,

Gina

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Chunkiest Knit

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Chunky Sweater: Free People via Trunk Club (now on SUPER SALE!) / Denim: Rag & Bone / Booties: Target / Sunnies: Brickyard Buffalo / Earrings: J. Crew – similar / Lip: L’Oreal Nature’s Blush

I have to admit, I’m not typically a Black Friday shopper. I know, I know. Like, really?! WHY NOT?! But, because we travel each year along with two kiddos, we are constantly running around and trying to spend time with as many family members and friends that we can…going out shopping just honestly never makes it on the list when compared to that quality time. But I do know a good sale when I see one. And I got a tip from one of my BFFs last night that this chunky knit sweater I just bought went on a supa dupa sale for Black Friday, so I figured I better share it with ya’ll before it’s completely sold out!

This is not only the chunkiest sweater I have ever owned, but it’s also insanely comfortable and snuggly. I wore it last night to Thanksgiving and my little niece could not get enough cuddles. Hehe. I think I will wear it all the time around her for the snuggles alone!

I love this color for fall and it will be on HEAVY rotation this season during the colder months for sure. And FYI, if you are interested in trying out Trunk Club, I can introduce you to my amazing stylist. Just let me know!

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday!!! I am so very grateful for my family, friends, health, my amazing health/fitness community with Beachbody, being with loved ones around the holidays, my new morning routine that I started during the school week this past September, holiday drinks from Starbucks as a special treat, my new comfy sweaters, and so much more.

What are you grateful for this year? And where are you doing your Black Friday or Cyber Monday shopping?

XOXO,

Gina