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{21} Lately…

Lately I’ve been…

reading The seventh and final Harry Potter book! I know it has taken me awhile to get through them all, but they are totally magical and worth it!

writing Tons and tons of e-mails for work including invites to our events and follow up from past events.

listening Patsy Cline. Nico’s new favorite lullabies. I know my Grandpa is with us when I sing to him at bedtime.

thinking That last week was insane. Zack went to San Francisco on Tuesday. I had three days of back to back meetings with a client in town, and then Nico and I flew out to meet Zack in San Fran on Friday. That’s right…I flew across the country with a baby…solo…into a three hour time change…this section should be titled not thinking. However, I am proud to say, we made it, and it was all worth it!

smelling Swiss Apple tea. Apparently it’s good for skin support. But I just love the way tastes and how it keeps me warm on these freezing cold nights.

watching Finally saw The DaVinci Code. The book was definitely better, but Tom Hanks is one of my favorite actors, so I’m glad I finally saw it.

wishing That I had invested in snow boots this winter. Who knew we would be getting pounded with this much snow? I would have gotten this pair.

hoping That my husband has a Happy 33rd Birthday today! We love you.

wearing Coats, coats, and more coats. Thankfully, I have invested in some outerwear the past few years. Definitely came in handy this winter.

loving Nico’s curiosity! He’s fascinated with the alphabet, and always stops whatever he is doing when we start spelling something to give us his complete attention. He’s also obsessed with his daddy’s guitar playing, and it’s a sure bet to stop him from fussing. It’s so awesome to see him start to notice the world around him.

laughing I’m constantly laughing with Nico every day. The sound of his laugh makes me so happy that I laugh right along with him.

wanting Spring to arrive. Sooner rather than later please!

needing To pay the bills and do laundry tonight. Meh.

feeling Happy. Although the past few months have had their ups and downs, I feel happy knowing that I have such a warm and loving family to be with each day or talk to on the phone or online each night. My family is my happy place.

craving Warmer weather! I can’t say it enough!

clicking Through VRBO to check out places in New Hampshire for a weekend summer getaway with friends. Can’t wait!

What have you been up to lately?

I’m including an extra special picture in honor of the hubby’s birthday today. Doesn’t this just pull at the heart strings? Thanks to you, Zack, for being the best Papa in the world! Hope you have an amazing day. XOXO.

Have a happy one ya’ll!

Love,

Gina

***I was inspired by Tina of Like Ordinary Life to create this post, and she was inspired by Lauren of siddathornton, who started The Sunday Currently.

{20} Lately…

Lately I’ve been…

reading Catching up on some magazines a bit. Unfortunately, the trains have been super crowded since I have been back to work, leaving me to stand the entire time and making it difficult to get that reading done that I was hoping.

writing E-mails, reel run lists, and finally getting back to writing blog posts again.

listening Old school hip-hop has been making it’s way onto my car radio. Backspin anyone?

thinking About booking that flight to San Francisco for the end of February, that Zack and I had an awesome much needed date night over the weekend, and that there is a ton of snow outside!

smelling Leftover gingerbread coffee from the holidays.

watching Teen Mom 2 came back this week…woot woot! I have also been keeping up with the new season of The Bachelor. Go ahead and judge me.

wishing That I could be in two places at once.

hoping Our dear friend recovers from an accident he had recently. It was super scary, and we are hoping he returns to good health soon.

wearing My new high waisted skinny jeans from Rag & Bone. Did I mention, I’m back to my old size again? Can you tell I’m excited? BTW…just because you go back to your old size after baby doesn’t mean you go back to your old body. I may be able to fit into the jeans, but I’m definitely a bit squishier these days (hence the high waisted) haha. Birth really takes a toll on you, but it was obviously worth it, and honestly, I’m not really stressing too much about it at this point. Maybe once bikini season is on the horizon I will be feeling differently…I’ve also been wearing this tartan scarf to keep warm in the snow.

loving That Nico is learning so much these days! He’s growing and changing so quickly right before my very eyes. Sitting up and rolling over all within a week span!

laughing At this photo of my husband. He is speaking at an upcoming conference in San Francisco (hence why I am thinking of booking a ticket there), and they chose this photo out of all the ones on the internet for his speaker profile. Just look for the guy who looks like the biggest douchebag, and you will find him. Sorry hunny, you know I love you, but this photo is ridiculous. It had us rolling the other night! Luckily, he is a good sport and he hasn’t asked them to take it down, because he thinks it’s kinda funny. Gotta love his sense of humor.

wanting Some hot chocolate with marshmallows. Yes, I’m five years old.

needing To prepare myself for my first 5 hour car trip alone with the baby. God help me.

feeling Already feeling the pull of being a working mom. I’m leaving work too early and getting home too late. Feels like you aren’t good enough at either job and the guilt starts setting in. I guess that’s just par for the course.

craving More time! So much to do, so little time!

clicking Through Pinterest and design blogs for inspiration on how to redecorate our sunroom. Trying to capitalize on an unfortunate situation by using this as an opportunity to start fresh, purge, and redesign the room.

What have you been up to lately?

Have a happy one!

Love,

Gina

***I was inspired by Tina of Like Ordinary Life to create this post, and she was inspired by Lauren of siddathornton, who started The Sunday Currently.

{19} Lately…

Lately I’ve been…

reading A little here. A little there. Chapter here. Magazine article there.

writing Finished up my Christmas cards over the weekend, and sent them out this week!

listening Christmas music…duh.

thinking I can’t believe the year is almost over, my maternity leave is coming to an end, and it’s almost time to go back to work. Bittersweet.

smelling Roasted pork in the oven.

watching Vanderpump Rules (cringing as I write this, because it’s so trashy).

wishing Everyone a Happy Holiday season and safe travels!

hoping That all my holiday gifts I ordered arrive in time and ship properly to my parent’s house.

wearing This tartan jacket, a gift from my aunt from last year’s Christmas.

loving That Nico is now sleeping through the night. I didn’t mind waking up once a night to feed him (he really is a great sleeper), but the two hour scream-fest before bedtime was not working. I now feel like a human being again since we aren’t fighting to put him to sleep every single night anymore.

laughing At this Xmas Jammies video. An interesting take on the holiday card, and also a smart way to plug the new family business.

wanting To get rid of this cough. Have been sick for about a week now, and can’t seem to shake it.

needing To pack for our holiday trip to Maryland.

feeling SO excited for Nico’s first Christmas with my crazy, lovable family.

craving Some new jeans.

clicking Through photos that I need to edit.

What have you been up to lately?

Have a happy one ya’ll!

Love,

Gina

***I was inspired by Tina of Like Ordinary Life to create this post, and she was inspired by Lauren of siddathornton, who started The Sunday Currently.

Glitzy Glam

Nothing says holiday season like a little glitter and gold! While in Maryland last week, we were able to get out and about to a few holiday parties both with and without our little one. This particular night I was dressed up for our annual friends potluck dinner that is now going six years strong! We had a great trip, and I’m excited for all the festivities coming up this month!

Photos by: Zack Notes / Edited by: Myself

Jacket: StyleMint / Top: Urban Outfitters (old) / Pants: Motherhood / Shoes: Dolce Vita – similar / Bag: Rebecca Minkoff – similar in rose gold / Butterfly Ring: nOir / Watch: Betsey Johnson (old) – also love this one / Necklace: Family Heirloom / Hoop Earrings: Gifted / Lip: Smashbox Maven

{18} Lately…

Lately I’ve been…

reading Attempting to read the 6th Harry Potter Book. It tough to get a lot of reading done without my hour long subway commutes, but trying to enjoy a chapter here and there when I can.

writing Questions to ask potential nannies. We are starting our interviews this Wednesday. Excited to find someone great for our little guy, but sad this means I will be spending a lot more time away from him when I go back to work.

listening Frank Sinatra. Nico just loves him!

thinking I am happy the weather looks nice for this week! Makes taking those walks around the neighborhood so much more enjoyable!

smelling Blueberry coffee. It sounds kinda gross, but trust me, it’s awesome!

watching Teen Mom. Makes me so glad I have a stable, loving husband, a good job, a nice home, and lots of family support. I could not imagine being a mom at their age.

wishing That time didn’t go so fast. My little guy is growing up too quickly already.

hoping To go for another run this week. This past weekend I went out for my first run since getting pregnant and having a baby. I stayed active by walking, but hadn’t run in probably over a year! I suddenly got to the urge to get back out there, so I went for a 2 mile run, and it felt great! (despite now being sore haha). Hoping I can keep it up and at least get a run or two mixed in with my walking every week.

wearing My typical mom gear of activewear. Although, I actually did get to wear real clothes yesterday for a mini trip to Manhattan for a mani/pedi with a friend.

loving The crockpot that my Grandma bought for us. We tried it out this weekend, and made two awesome dishes: White Bean Chicken Chili and Carnitas Tacos. I love being able to prep a meal quickly in the morning, let it sit all day, and come home to an amazing meal with leftovers! Yum!

laughing At the @HonestToddler Twitter feed I just discovered yesterday. Cracking me up!

wanting My Christmas cards to arrive! Maybe it’s the fact that I now have a little guy this Christmas season, but I am extra giddy and excited this year.

needing Christmas lists from my peoples. I am ready to start shopping already! Send ’em over…you know who you are.

feeling Happy that we were able to go to Florida and spend time with my parents and Grandma. It was really great for them to spend that quality time with Nico, and it was nice for Zack and I to get some alone time as well.

craving Some snuggle time with my nephew, Nathan. It’s been too long since I’ve seen him…is it Thanksgiving yet?

clicking Through weeks worth of blogs that I am behind on.

What have you been up to lately?

Hope you all had a great weekend! Enjoy your week ahead!

Love,

Gina

***I was inspired by Tina of Like Ordinary Life to create this post, and she was inspired by Lauren of siddathornton, who started The Sunday Currently.

A Formal Affair

The Notes clan took our first family trip down to Maryland two weekends ago to celebrate the nuptials of our dear friends, Teri and Charlie. It was a beautiful weekend to celebrate a beautiful couple. The bride looked absolutely stunning, and she carried the most unique and amazing bouquet I have ever seen! Made completely of brooches, many of them were passed down from her family members to add to this masterpiece. The best part is that she can save this bouquet forever in it’s original form. I could see it making a beautiful decorative piece for their future dining or living room. Her lace dress was exquisite, and her cathedral veil was perfect considering their wedding was held at the Baltimore Cathedral. Teri and I have been friends since high school, and I was lucky enough to be chosen as a bridesmaid to stand up with her on her special day. My only regret with these photos is that I was unable to capture anything from the ceremony, since I was in the wedding. Typically, if I’m in the bridal party, my husband will play second shooter to capture photos of the ceremony, but he was on baby duty and was unable to play photographer. I am looking forward to seeing their professional photos, because that cathedral was just phenomenal. During the reception, our little one stayed with my mother-in-law at the hotel, and we are very thankful to have had our first adult night out since having a baby. It was also great to catch up with so many of my best friends all at once. Congrats to Teri and Charlie! Wishing you both lots of love and happiness for many many years to come.

Hope you are all having a great week so far!

XO,

Gina

{17} Lately…

Lately I’ve been…

reading What to Expect The First Year by Sandee Hathaway, Arlene Eisenberg, and Heidi Murkoff. Rather than read the entire book all the way through right away, I have decided to read each month as we are all going through it as a family. So far I have finished the first month, and I’m starting on month 2.

writing Well, Nico’s birth announcement cards just came in the mail today, so I am super excited to address and send them out!

listening The Coffee House station on XM Radio has been a top contender for most played the past few weeks. It’s soothing and Nico falls asleep in the car to it.

thinking I can’t believe we survived our first weekend trip to Maryland as a family! Although it was extremely stressful at some points, everything ended up working out well and the bottom line is we did it.

smelling Pumpkin Spice coffee…mmm…

watching Million Dollar Listing LA. My husband used to be a real estate agent, so this is one of the few shows he will actually watch with me.

wishing A lifetime of happiness to my friends Teri and Charlie! They are the reason we went down to Maryland. We celebrated their wedding, and it was phenomenal. What an amazing couple. I am so happy for them!

hoping To survive my first 48 hours as a single parent while Zack goes to Chicago to present at a conference. Hopefully it will be nice outside and Nico and I can take some walks together.

wearing Got dolled up this past weekend for my friend Teri’s wedding, and man did it feel good! Hair, makeup, mani, pedi, a sexy bridesmaid dress…the works. It felt good to be pampered again after rocking sweats for so many weeks!

loving The fact that I have amazing friends and family. While on our first trip as a family, there were some bumps with the weather, traffic, fire alarms in the hotel, etc. I am so lucky to have had my friends and family to help us out on our first trip. From helping me carry diaper bags, driving my car, watching my little boy, holding him during dinner so we could eat, and more. I know I am super lucky to have such wonderful, trustworthy people in my life.

laughing Every time Nico farts, I think it’s the most hilarious thing. What am I, 5?

wanting My bags to unpack themselves.

needing Snuggles from my little boy. I just can’t get enough!

feeling Sleepy sleepy. While we had a great weekend, it was a bit crazy trying to figure out our new normal. Did I mention the fire alarm going off in the hotel? TWICE.

craving These over-the-knee boots by Sam Edelman.

clicking Through photos to try and figure out which ones I want to frame and hang up in the apartment.

What have you been up to lately?

Hope everyone had a nice long weekend! Hope you all have a great week ahead!

Love,

Gina

***I was inspired by Tina of Like Ordinary Life to create this post, and she was inspired by Lauren of siddathornton, who started The Sunday Currently.

Hester Street Fair

IMG_0054_Layers_v1 — Guilty Jean Jewelry

I’m so happy I finally made it down to the Hester Street Fair this past Saturday to see my favorite ladies from Guilty Jean Jewelry. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but I certainly liked what I found. A small, highly curated, outdoor market, the Hester Street Fair, located on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, is full of unique jewelry, vintage clothing, pop up shops, and delicious food. I browsed each artist’s collection and sampled a few of the different dining options. I scored fabulous bracelets from both Guilty Jean as well as Stella and Sparkle Jewelry that I have already donned this week. I enjoyed the margarita pizza from Ludlow, and a Red Velvet Cream Cheese Ice Cream Sandwich (I’m not joking; this actually exists) from Melt Bakery. I’m drooling just thinking back to how amazing it tasted. Overall, I would say this was a trip worth making! Their summertime night market runs every Saturday through the end of August from 12pm-10pm and features live music and fabulous DJs…because who doesn’t love dancing while shopping? If you don’t make it there before the end of August, the fair will still be running through the end of October every Saturday with daytime hours. I definitely recommend checking it out!

IMG_0061_Layers_v1 — Proud owners, designers, and hand-crafters of Guilty Jean

It’s been a bit of a crazy week here…personally, I heard some horrible news about an old high school friend and hometown neighbor of mine, so that has been a bit rough. Work has been crazy as our new employee started yesterday, and I’ve been busy training while still trying to get my work done. We met our third and final pediatrician yesterday, and I think we have come to a conclusion about a doc for our little guy. I hit the 37 week mark (FULL TERM!) yesterday which is a major milestone! We completed the nursery over the weekend, my hospital bag is packed, and we are ready to go when Little Monkey is! So things have been a bit nuts, and my head is spinning a little, but trying to keep my sanity as much as possible.

Hope you all are having a good week so far!

XO,

Gina

{14} Lately…

Lately I’ve been…

reading Just finished The Sh!t No One Tells You: A Guide to Surviving Your Baby’s First Year by Dawn Dais. I’m not sure whether or not it was a good idea or a bad idea to read this book. It was quite terrifying, although I suppose I am grateful for the dose of reality and preparations. Just started reading Maine by J. Courtney Sullivan. Stumbled across it last week while browsing at Barnes and Noble and figured I would read it since I went to Maine this summer. It’s more of a beach read about family summer drama.

writing Well technically, I haven’t started yet, because my apartment has been a disaster zone since the baby shower, and I haven’t even been able to sit on the couch. HOWEVER, I plan on starting to write out some thank you notes this weekend for all of the lovely gifts we received from our family and friends.

listening I think I am late on this song, but I heard it a few weeks ago, and honestly it reminds me of my grandfather who always used to say, “You’re gonna miss me when I’m gone.” Ain’t that the truth, Grandpa. The song is Cups by Anna Kendrick from the movie Pitch Perfect.

thinking That every time I think my belly can’t possibly get any bigger…I wake up, and it’s bigger.

smelling The Victoria’s Secret Dream Angels Heavenly that I put on this morning.

watching The Challenge: Rivals II. I know it’s ridiculous that I still follow these shows, but I just can’t get enough of the drama that unfolds with every new season of a challenge. I also constantly wonder how I would measure up in these challenges. Something tells me I would give those girls a run for their money.

wishing That I could fly out to Missouri to celebrate my friend’s Cris and Kate’s big day this weekend! This is the second big wedding we have missed this year, and it’s definitely a bummer to not be there, even though I know it’s for a good reason. Wishing Cris and Kate a magical day and lots of love!

hoping To make a lot of progress on our little boy’s room this weekend. I’m really excited for my vision of how it will look when it’s finished, but it’s a long process to get there! I’m hoping we can get a good chunk done this weekend. Am I in nesting mode perhaps?

wearing Mint green shorts and a gray and orange striped top (different color here), both from Motherhood Maternity.

loving The maternity session photos that Misa*Me Photography took for us! She gave us a little sneak peek, and I am so excited to share them with you all in the next couple of weeks. She did a wonderful job, as always. Stay tuned!

laughing At this rendition of Ice Ice Baby that my co-worker shared with me earlier this week. Props to the editor for stringing together 280 movies worth of clips to create this.

wanting To swing by the Hester Street Fair on the Lower East Side this weekend. My friends, Nicole and Maria, have a booth this summer for their handcrafted jewelry company, Guilty Jean, who you may remember from these previous posts. (Spring Has Sprung, Preppy With a Twist, Spiked & Studded, and Boho Spring). Looking forward to checking out their latest line!

needing Water, water, water. Hydration is key for this prego mama.

feeling Alien-like movements coming from my belly. He’s kicking and squirming more and more every day. I swear, it’s the weirdest feeling ever that something is alive and moving inside of you! But it’s also pretty cool.

craving Watermelon. Nothing like this delicious fresh fruit on a hot summer day.

clicking Through resume after resume. Trying to find someone to fill in for me at work while I’m away. I think we are getting close to making a decision!

What have you been up to lately?

Happy Friday! Hope you all have a great weekend!

Love,

Gina

***I was inspired by Tina of Like Ordinary Life to create this post, and she was inspired by Lauren of siddathornton, who started The Sunday Currently.

A Summer Shower

Recently, the matrons of honor along with the bridesmaids (myself included) and close family threw a beautiful wedding shower for our dear friend Teri that was all about the details. Starting with the “guestbook” above made out of a Jenga game, the delicious mimosa bar with fresh fruit, customized “Rome” (her future new last name) gift bags for the guests, handcrafted custom made gifts, and carefully designed centerpieces, this shower definitely showed both creativity and care in every aspect of the event. All of the bridesmaids are currently married, and Teri was involved with each one of our weddings. This was truly our chance to give back to her and show her how much we appreciate having her in our lives. A custom slide show was designed with photos of her and her fiancé and their loved ones, and we also played a little game where we interviewed her fiancé, Charlie, on camera to see how many questions they could answer the same. It was a great time, and we hope that Teri enjoyed being showered with love on her special day. The countdown to the wedding in October is getting close, and I am definitely getting excited to see these two tie the knot!