Gretchen Rubin Archives - Popcorn and Pandas

{41} Lately…

Lately I’ve been…

reading The 15 Invaluable Laws of Leadership by John Maxwell. Also finished Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin. Both are fantastic and I would recommend!

writing Christmas card city! Pretty much did them all weekend long. Whew!

listening To…what else? Christmas music! Pumping the Christmas jams all month long.

thinking About the fact that I haven’t started ANY shopping yet…

smelling Still rockin’ a Pumpkin Spice Yankee Candle, and loving it.

watching Watched Love Actually and The Family Stone while doing cards over the weekend. Need to get my hands on Elf and Home Alone!

wearing Sweats, sweats, and more sweats. It’s getting cold! Though, I am going out tonight! Whoo mama’s going out on a Monday! (this is kind of a big deal haha), so I will be putting on real clothes (and a hat, scarf, and gloves, bc whoa, snow on the ground.)

exercising Finished the 3 Week Yoga Retreat last month, and I’m one week in to Core de Force. I’m OBSESSED!!! The workout times are a little longer than I’m used to. I’ve been spoiled with 30 min…but these kickboxing, Muay Thai based workouts are SOOOO kick ass. I’m in love. And they are working that core!

feeling Strong, excited, cold, busy. Lots of random feelings.

wanting To go see the Christmas Lights in Dyker Heights. They are simply MAGICAL.

needing To clean my house. I’ve been good about tidying, but ugh, it really needs a good clean. It’s on the must-do list before we travel for the holidays.

loving All of the snuggles from my boys lately.

wishing That the preschool application process in NYC wasn’t feeling as difficult as applying to college. And that all the Catholic Schools weren’t shutting down. Holy moly.

hoping That we can find some great schools, and get into our top choices. We won’t know until the spring though.

craving Chocolate.

clicking Well what I need to be clicking on are website for Christmas shopping, but at this rate, I won’t make the shipping, so I better hit the stores!

ANNOUNCING!!!! – Starting this week for the rest of December, I will be doing a HOLIDAY Giveaway series on my Instagram Page!!!! I will be partnering with some amazing brands and giving away some FANTASTIC things this month, so STAY TUNED!!! My first giveaway will take place THIS Wednesday!!! Trust me, it’s going to be awesome, and you will want to win!!! 🙂

HAPPY MONDAY!

What have you been up to lately?

XO,

Gina

{38} Lately…

Live Fully

Lately I’ve been…

reading Creativity Inc. – slowly but surely.

writing Emails to plan out Luca’s upcoming Baptism. Looking forward to this amazing celebration!

listening Still listening to the “Happier” podcast by Gretchen Rubin and Elizabeth Craft. I am catching up on all the past episodes, and I am still absolutely loving it.

thinking About ideas for my next free challenge group. Any requests?

smelling Tomato sauce and garlic. Mmmm…

watching The Bachelor. GUILTY as charged.

wearing Loose, comfy layers that make it easy to nurse and run around with the babes.

feeling Super excited about our upcoming CRUISE to the Caribbean! Thank you Beachbody! So excited that I am able to treat my boys to this amazing trip 🙂

wanting To go shopping for some new resort wear! I LOVE summer clothing!

needing To stick to those workouts! This mama will be getting in a bikini soon for the first time since baby #2! Eeep!

loving How STRONG I have become since starting P90X3. It’s amazing how easily I can knock out some pushups these days. Pull-ups are still another story, but I am getting better, and I’m even knocking out new yoga poses with this program, and I only just started Block 2!

wishing To relive last Friday night’s date night! It was so wonderful to have a night out to dinner with the hubs for the first time in Brooklyn since having Luca. We have decided that date night is going to be a weekly thing for us (either at home or out…point being…quality time). So far we have stuck to it, and it’s been awesome. I think it’s so crucial to make sure to get that time with each other, especially when you have so much else going on with kids, work, etc.

hoping To find some more fun indoor activities to do with my toddler, Nico, through the rest of the winter season. I have been searching Pinterest, but if you have any fun ideas that have been a hit at your house lately, please send them along!

craving Salty snacks! Anyone have any good, healthy options?

clicking For Valentine’s Day and Birthday gifts for the hubs. It’s double whammy season over here! 😉

HAPPY TUESDAY!

What have you been up to lately?

XO,

Gina

Owl or Lark?

Owl or Lark

I have been listening to the “Happier” Podcast recently by the author of “The Happiness Project,” Gretchin Rubin and her sister Elizabeth Craft. I definitely recommend it by the way! It’s pretty awesome.

But one of the topics that came up was whether you are an Owl or a Lark? Basically…are you a night person or a morning person?

When I was a teenager, my mom would burst into my bedroom basically singing in the morning. I didn’t drink coffee back then, but I would basically grumble, roll over, tell her to leave me alone and I didn’t really feel like having a conversation for at least 30 minutes. I did not understand how she could be so happy and chipper in the morning while I was so miserable. I chalked it up to the teenage years (because what teenager doesn’t sleep in?), but even now at 31 years of age, I still grumble getting out of bed in the morning, and don’t want to talk to anyone until I have had my coffee.

On those rare days I wake up early and feel energized, I end up being super productive, and so I sometimes wish that I could be a Lark. But I think I am mostly an Owl.

I used to think that Owls could be Larks if they just went to bed earlier. It makes sense right? Well if I just went to bed earlier, then I would wake up happier? But after listening to this podcast, I’m not so sure that is the case! I have tried going to bed earlier before, and many times I end up tossing and turning and rolling around trying to sleep and just sort of lying there. And even if I do end up falling asleep earlier than normal, I generally still wake up grumbling. So I think, well maybe I should have just stayed up and got those things done I needed to do?

The world is built for Larks…people get up early to do their workouts, get the kids to school, go to work, etc. If you sleep past a certain hour you are called “lazy.” But what if you could just embrace what you really are?

I have been staying up late to get things done because it’s the only time I can find quiet. Everyone is asleep and I can just focus on one thing without any distractions. With kids it can be hard to be an Owl, because they get up so darn early! But luckily since my husband is generally a Lark and likes to go to bed early, he is usually happy to get up with the kids so I can stay up later and then sleep a little later.

Anyway, I’m not sure where I’m going with all of this except I think it’s important to figure out which one you are and then try to do your most important tasks for the day during the time when you are most productive. Ultimately that will bring you the most happiness rather than trying to fit into the mold of something you are not.

So which one are YOU? An OWL or a LARK?

Hope you are all having a great week!

XO,

Gina

{37} Lately…

photo (56)

Lately I’ve been…

reading Prayers for the Advent wreath and my new Advent calendar which was gifted to me last year.

writing I honestly wish I could say Christmas cards, but alas I am behind this year…it might be one of those “Happy New Year” card years…hopefully I can get my act together!

listening To the podcast, “Happier” by Gretchen Rubin. I loved her book “The Happiness Project” and someone recently suggested I check out her podcast. I am HOOKED!

thinking About Christmas lists and gifts. And that it’s also about time I start shopping. Eeep! What are your favorite places to shop for the holidays?

smelling Christmas cookie candles and the beautiful smell of pine from my Christmas tree. ‘Tis the season!

watching Recently watched the movie Pans Labyrinth. Weird. Just weird.

wishing You all a Happy Holiday season!!!

hoping For clear roads, clear skies, and safe travels on our road trip tomorrow.

wearing This stunning new dress from ASOS. Looking forward to wearing it for the first time at a wedding this weekend. May also be the perfect Christmas Eve dress. Since this one is out of stock, here is another beauty.

loving That the Holly station is back on Sirius/XM Radio. It’s gonna be a jolly ol’ car ride tomorrow! (My Jewish husband hates me right now…)

wanting More days in December! I have so many fun holiday traditions I want to partake in from parties to light shows, train shows, a visit to Santa, and more. It doesn’t seem like there is enough time to enjoy it all!

needing To start packing yet again. I don’t mind the traveling and the driving so much as I mind all the packing!

feeling Snuggly. Christmas jammies anyone?

craving Cookies! Here are some healthier holiday cookie options for you this year.

clicking On one of my favorite websites to shop for sweet gifts and deals.

HAPPY THURSDAY!

What have you been up to lately?

XO,

Gina

P + P Spring Closet Sale!

Hello there lovely readers!

You know when your closet gets so messy that you can’t even see the floor anymore? Things piled so high, so utterly disorganized, that you give up and just forego cleanliness and keep piling things on in heaps? No? Is that just me? Well, my closet had definitely gotten to that point, and this weekend I finally decided to do something about it with a little spring cleaning. I must admit, I have a little bit of a hoarding tendency. My husband is constantly getting on my case about throwing things away.

Zack: I mean Gi, do you really need to keep every birthday card, soccer trophy, and note you passed in 8th grade?

Me: YES HONEY I DO.

When it comes to clothing, I am not much better. I usually keep things around until they are unwearable. Clothes stick around in my closet waiting for a day when that trend will “come back in style.” I have sorority T-shirts that I don’t even wear anymore, but I cannot bear to part with because of all the memories associated. A dress that I didn’t wear all summer will sit there with the clear intent that I will wear it. Then that summer goes and passes, and the dress is still hanging by its lonely self hoping for the following summer to grace the world with it’s presence once again.

That being said, it’s tough to hoard in a two bedroom apartment with a husband and a baby. The things pile on and the clutter becomes absurd. Gretchen says de-cluttering is one of the keys to happiness, and I certainly agree that lack of clutter has eased my stress in the past.

So there you have it. On a quest to staying happy and relieving stress, I spent the weekend cleaning. And here is my first little online closet sale to show for it.

Here’s the scoop:

1) I created a Pinterest board with all the items for sale.

2) If you want to buy an item, write “Sold” in the comments section along with your PayPal email. If you don’t have a PayPal account, you can create one here.

3) Half of all proceeds will go to a Reader’s Choice charity. After you write your intent to buy an item, please cast your vote for your charity of choice. I will then randomly select a charity from the reader’s votes to make the donation.

4) Shipping is not included. All items will be sent standard USPS.

5) All items are final sale.

Happy Shopping!

XO,

Gina

{23} Lately…

Lately I’ve been…

reading The Happiness Project by Gretchin Rubin. I am two chapters in, and I’m already thinking about what I could do to be happier. I am totally with Gretchen in the fact that I am already happy…but I agree that there is no reason to not be the happiest you can possibly be. So far, it’s been pretty thought provoking, and I’ve already thought about so many little changes I could make that would add up to a big difference.

writing RSVP’s. Wedding and baby shower season has officially begun.

listening I’m guessing this will be the “song of the summer” – #SELFIE by the Chainsmokers

thinking It will be strange to celebrate Easter without my Uncle this year…at the same time, I am excited to celebrate another 1st holiday for my little man, Nico. Thoughts on painting Easter eggs vs. dyeing them this year?

smelling Garlic and onions and a sweet smelling tomato sauce. Mmm.

watching Dallas Buyer’s Club. So happy I finally got to see this Oscar Nominated film. I can’t believe how far Mathew McConoughey has come in his career. Bravo.

wishing A Happy Birthday to my {might as well be} brother-in-law, Adam. Hope you and your Mama had a great time celebrating yesterday!

hoping That my child will learn to take a nap in his crib. He’s starting to sit up in and grow out of the swing (I know, we were able to use this a lot longer than most, and it has served us well). It’s starting to get to the point where he will only nap in the stroller, and that isn’t always an option!

wearing Dresses! It’s now warm enough that I don’t have to bundle in pants every day. I love wearing free flowing dresses in the spring and summer seasons, and I am particularly loving these daytime dresses from Free People.

loving The amazing weather that we had over the weekend! We went on multiple walks, enjoyed the Brooklyn Smorgasbord, had a night out at the beer garden, and relished in the sunshine. Nico also had his first adventure in a swings last weekend, which was a ton of fun!

laughing At Nico’s current method of transportation. After a few failed attempts at crawling, he has resorted to scooting while sitting up. It’s hysterical.

wanting A pedicure. It’s almost flip flop season people, and these puppies are not ready for open-toed shoes.

needing To baby proof our apartment. You don’t realize the potential dangers of your home until you have a little one almost on the move. We ordered a few things from Amazon including these, these, and these. If anyone has any suggestions in this department, they are welcome!

feeling Very behind at photo editing. Between keeping up with work, a baby, this blog, mealtimes, and an attempted social life, my personal photos have been severely neglected. I still have to edit our family Christmas photos and ones from Nico’s Baptism. I keep setting time slots to do it, and something “more important” and time sensitive arrises.

craving Coconut sorbet. I have been cutting back a bit on dairy currently, because I think it might be having a slight impact on my babe’s digestion. I tried out almond milk for the first time, which is surprisingly decent, and coconut sorbet has become my new best friend (because a girl has to satisfy that sweet tooth).

clicking Over on the Merch website. Love these stamped necklaces, and would love to get one that says “Ditmas Park.”

What have you been up to lately?

Also, congratulations to readers, Rachel and Joyce! You have each won a $35 credit to Stella & Dot jewelry for shopping the trunk show! You have also won an additional piece at 50% off. Check your e-mail later today for details.

Hope you all have a great week!

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.

{22} Lately…

Lately I’ve been…

reading I finally finished seventh and final Harry Potter book! It took me a long time to finish the series, but it was definitely worth it, and I’m so glad I caught up with the rest of the universe. I’m currently reading a few magazines, and next on my book list is The Happiness Project by Gretchin Rubin. This book has been on my list for a long time, and I’m excited to see what it’s all about.

writing Cards. Birthdays and Babies galore!

listening I know this song has been out for awhile, but I’ve been playing Lorde’s Royals on repeat lately.

thinking Moda Operandi has taken emoticons to a whole new level. Poo on a shoe?!?! I’m shocked. Yet, I kind of think this new loafer line will sell like crazy.

smelling Pasta fagioli. I decided to make it again this year since it continues to be so cold, and we have been eating it all week. If you are interested, here is the recipe I posted from last year.

watching If you haven’t seen Resurrection yet, you must go to abc.com and watch it ASAP! I caught up on the first three episodes this week, and I am totally hooked. It reminds me a bit of The 4400, which is an old favorite of mine, and I cannot wait to see how the season progresses.

wishing My grandmother a Happy 93rd Birthday! She gained another year this past Tuesday, and she is just as spunky as ever. Love you Granny!

hoping My father-in-law has a speedy recovery from his surgery this past week. He recently broke his ankle, leading to his second surgery in a short amount of time. Poor guy. He and my mother-in-law were supposed to come visit this weekend, but we are going to have to postpone until he is feeling a bit better.

wearing Lots of layers…still. I’m ready to rid of some layers. Hopefully soon.

loving My current work and home balance. At times it is tough to be pulled in different directions, and it can feel like you I am not doing well enough at either “job”, but I honestly wouldn’t have it any other way right now. I think I have a great balance of adult time v. quality time with Nico. I am able to get dressed for the day, have adult conversations, and feel like I am making a contribution to both my company and financially at home, all while witnessing Nico’s latest achievements, taking him to music class, enjoying playdates, and watching him grow.

laughing At these 25 Absurd Texts from Mom

wanting More sleep! While Nico typically sleeps through the night (lucky us), he’s been waking up in the night recently for unknown reasons. Thinking it could possibly be teething (although I have seen nothing thus far) or just developmental changes. Regardless of the reason, the entire family is a bit lacking in the sleep department this past week.

needing To hang up the family photos that I just got and framed. I can’t believe how tiny Nico was!

feeling A very bad pain in my thumb that has migrated to part of my hand as well. I think I may have something called trigger thumb most likely due to texting. How embarrassing. Basically my thumb gets stuck in a certain position, and the only way to “unstick” it is an extremely painful POP. My joint has also changed dramatically into a painfully hard knot. I thought if I tried resting it, it may get better, but it’s only getting worse and getting in the way of normal daily activities, so I think it’s time I saw a doctor ASAP.

craving A midi skirt. I know I probably have no business wearing a midi skirt at my height, because it will probably just make me appear even shorter, but they are just so darn cute! I love this one and this one and this one…oh and this one too.

clicking Through dessert recipes to find something I can make for a party this weekend. I enjoy this cupcake recipe, but I don’t know if I am ambitious or skilled enough to take this one on, considering my last baked good came out of a box. Please let me know if you have any ~~easy~~ good dessert recipe ideas to pass along!

What have you been up to lately?

This weekend I am planning on seeing my friends at Waveborn (yes that’s me on their website rockin’ their sweet shades!) to preview their new line of sunglasses. I am super excited they will be in town and that they have included me as a guest to their trade show. We also have a possible baby/family playdate for Sunday in the mix.

Also, a quick reminder that there are two days left to shop my Stella & Dot trunk show! Shoppers will be entered to win free jewelry and pieces at 50% off.

Hope you all have a Happy 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.