brooklyn Archives - Popcorn and Pandas

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

NYC-versary: A Decade

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Wow. A decade. 10 years. July 3, 2007 we embarked on a crazy new journey of life. I left everything and everyone I knew and loved (except one) back in Maryland and moved to New York City. The Big Apple. Without a job. To chase my dreams. To discover myself. To pursue a career. To build a relationship. To be more independent.

We honestly thought it would last a couple years. We would experience something new and different. Get a great job to put on the resume. Live it up in one of the biggest cities in the world. Eat all the food. Have all the incredible experiences.

There were lots of trips on the Bolt Bus back to Maryland in those early days. We are both such family/friend oriented people and we never wanted to miss ANYTHING. So we were on that bus sometimes twice a month for different events and celebrations.

Two years passed and we realized we had not even scratched the surface of this city. There was no way we were leaving anytime soon. No matter that we lived in a 350 square foot one bedroom apartment with no laundry or dishwasher in a 4th floor walk up. We didn’t care. This was where we were supposed to be.

Part of the excitement of this city was the endless possibilities…so much to do…so much to see…so much opportunity…new restaurants going up daily, the theatre, the nights of dancing, the history, the people, the culture. We learned so much and we were never bored. There was always another adventure around the corner. So five years passed…then 7…now…today is 10.

NYC Engagement

Engagement photos by Misa Me Photography 2010

Throughout this past decade, we have had lots of visitors to give us great excuses to explore our city. We have made many friends (reconnected with some old and made some new). I spent 7 years working in the advertising/animation industry learning SO much about production and creativity and how things work behind the scenes. I was able to travel and work with two amazing people that will forever remain in my life as we shared so much together. I feel very grateful to have had this experience and it was WAY more than just “something to add to my resume” that’s for darn sure.

I played on many soccer teams, had girl’s nights on the Upper East Side, tried my hand at club promoting (which although it was fun turned out not to be my thing ;-)), I lived through the majority of my 20’s here, did rooftop yoga, coached high school girl’s soccer, made a whole crew of neighborhood mom friends in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn that I swear I would have lost my sanity without during those early months of maternity leave when I didn’t have a clue as to what I was doing.

My other half explored SO many different career options and ultimately paved such an incredible path for himself. I am truly inspired by his passion, work ethic and confidence every day. He also threw one of the BEST parties/events I have ever been to in the city (shout out to the Electric Moon Dance! ;-))

We celebrated an engagement, planned a wedding, got married, moved to Brooklyn, got a car (see ya later Bolt Bus!), started this blog, had two beautiful babies, I discovered a new career in online health + fitness where I am truly finding my purpose…all while living in this amazing city. We realized how much time we could actually spend at the beach in the summertime without driving too far. We’re actually sending our oldest child to SCHOOl in the NYC school system this fall, so it feels even crazier to know that we are now really raising kids here.

It’s crazy how many twists and turns, highs and lows, experiences and life changing monumental moments we have had since living in this incredible city. I literally still cannot believe that it’s been a full decade since we made this crazy-turned-amazing decision to move our lives here.

I am grateful for the most supportive, kind, hard working, adventurous, loving partner that has been here with me through it all. Zack, baby, I can believe it, but CHEERS to 10 years in New York City!

Looking forward to continuing our countless adventures and creating many more memories with you and our family. <3

Photo by Senshi Photography 2017

This holiday weekend will always have a special meaning for me on top of it being the Birthday of America. It’s basically the birth of our New York life together.

Wishing you all a wonderful holiday weekend! Keep safe. Sending love and happy times to you and your families today. We are off to Hershey Park for the day to chase some thrills and meet up with my brother in law, sister in law, nephew and niece! No matter how long we stay in NY, we will always make time for the fam. <3

XO,

Gina

Feeling Like Fall

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Top: J. Crew Factory – sold out but other colors here / Hat: J. Crew Factory / Denim: AG Jeans / Booties: Target / Lip: MAC Rebel

Friday night post whoooo! Maybe some of you are as lame as me and able to read this tonight…maybe not 😉 Either way, hopefully you get a chance to check it out at some point over the weekend haha.

I took these photos last weekend when it was truly starting to feel like fall and then we had a week of 80 degree weather!!!! LOL! Go figure! I scored this J. Crew top and hat over at the Factory outlet on summer vacation, and was excited to finally bust them out.

You may have gotten a glimpse of my crazy week over on Facebook, but things are looking up and trying to focus on the positive. Last weekend we had good friends in town and took them up to Bear Mountain for an awesome fall hike. We made it to the top, and I was incredibly impressed that my 3 year old did 95% of the hike himself! I carried the baby on my back which was an extra workout, and we had a great time catching up while enjoying the great outdoors. Tomorrow we are on the road to Maryland to reunite and celebrate a dear friend who has a baby on the way.

In other news, I have the BIGGEST popcorn and pandas giveaway of the YEAR coming up which I will announce here on MONDAY!!!! So make sure you come on back to see what it’s all about! 🙂

Happy Weekend!

XO,

Gina

P.S. I need a haircut. Any good ideas? Throw them my way! 😉

I Need Coffee

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I Need Coffee Tee: Target / Black Denim: ZARA (old) – also like these / Booties: H&M (old ) – similar here / Lip: MAC Up the Amp

Seems this is my mantra these days between two kiddos, working from home, keeping up with my fitness, household obligations, and somewhat of a social life, but hey…I would rather be busy than bored right? I honestly wouldn’t have it any other way. Ok fine, maybe I would get just a liiiiiiittle more sleep 😉 But we’ll get there.

Hope you all are enjoying this Wednesday! Hoping to head out to enjoy the sunshine we are finally getting in NYC this week!

Make it a great day!

XO,

Gina

Sparkly Season

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Sparkly Tank: Forever 21 (old) – similar / White Blazer: Target (old) – similar / Leggings: Target – similar / Ankle Booties: H&M – similar / Hat: Habit (boutique in Brooklyn) / Lip: MAC Rebel

‘Tis the season of SPARKLE!!!! This was supposed to be my New Year’s Eve outfit, but I got excited and wore it on Christmas Eve instead. I planned on wearing my red dress, but decided I wanted to feel a little more casual…but not TOO casual. So I managed to dress up black leggings with nothing else other than a little sparkle, blazer, and a hat. And who knew my aunt would be bringing hats for each one of the gals at the party for a “funny hat” photo?! Guess I had a sixth sense or something…

Christmas was a blast as usual with lots of family craziness, keeping kids up late, some crankiness, tons of presents, cookies galore, and much much more. We had a great time…I wish it hadn’t felt like such a rush through it all. Nico really enjoyed himself and it was amazing just seeing all the excitement in his eyes. Oh how I love the magic of Christmas! Luca slept through most of the excitement of his 1st Christmas, but he was mostly his smiley self when awake (except when we kept him up past bedtime LOL.)

This week I am hoping to relax a little more, see some more family and friends, get back into a workout routine, ramp up some work time…and maybe even get a little date night or something. It’s hard with two kids, but we’re trying!

Hope you are all enjoying this wonderful holiday season!

XO,

Gina

Transformation Tuesday: 21 Day Fix Round 2

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Transformation Tuesday!

During my 2nd Round of the 21 Day Fix I lost 2 more pounds and 5.25 more inches. So from Day 1 to Day 42, I lost a total of 6 lbs and 12 inches.

It may not seem like much in terms of weight, but my photos show that you can’t just go by the scale! You can really see a difference (at least I think so) in the before/after shots. I can also definitely feel things have changed in the way my clothes fit. Those pre-pregnancy jeans are now feeling comfortable and not so super tight.

My journey is not over, but I am making progress and that’s what counts! It took me 9 months to carry that little baby to term, and it has only been 3 months postpartum. So I am feeling good and happy and strong with where I am today.

I indulged a little more than I had planned over the Thanksgiving holiday, but hey…that’s also part of why I’m working so hard right? To enjoy! Plus Round 3 started yesterday, and I am back on track for the month of December! Going to be hard to fight off some of those holiday temptations, but the best part about this plan is that it allows some treats! 🙂

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend. I am SO incredibly grateful and thankful for my family and friends. I am also thankful for all of you lovely readers who keep coming back here each day. Wishing you a wonderful holiday season!

XO,

Gina

Fall Fever

Plaid Button Down: Old Navy / Sweater: Target / Denim: Rag and Bone / Booties: Target / Necklace: H&M / Watch: Michael Kors / Bracelets: Tory Burch, Stella & Sparkle / Earrings: Stella & Dot

Hey gang! I know it’s been awhile since I’ve done a fashion post. Trust me, it’s not because I haven’t wanted to! It’s just that with working at home with two little ones these days, it’s hard enough to get DRESSED in clothing outside of athletic wear let alone have the time to have PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE that I got dressed haha. But alas, a wonderful friend of mine recently moved to NYC with her fiance, and they made the trek out to Brooklyn to see us for brunch this past weekend. I decided this was a great opportunity to, you know…put on real clothes, swipe on some makeup, and actually blow dry my hair for once! 😉 Not that she cared how I looked when I showed up, but it’s the little things people, it’s the little things! So, thank you Tissy! It was a gorgeous fall day for a neighborhood stroll, and we ended the evening with Halloween festivities later that night!

This week is going to be a crazy one as we are leaving for Maryland on Wednesday night to spend the weekend there celebrating one of my BFF’s getting married! So excited for our first night out without the kids since Luca was born, although also slightly anxious…even though I know they will be in good hands with family. Going to do my best to stay on track with Round 2 of the 21 Day Fix this week as well amidst the craziness.

Hope you are all starting this week off right!

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

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