Harry Potter Archives - Popcorn and Pandas

{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.

{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.

{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.

{6} Lately…

Lately I’ve been…

reading Still reading Book 5 in the Harry Potter series…I can’t seem to stop falling asleep on the subway lately, which is cutting into my reading time.

writing Been taking lots of notes in my photography class. Weird to be using a notebook and a pen again.

listening Of course the Maryland girl has to listen to a little country every now and then. This song is a bit of a morbid love ballad by The Band Perry, and I can’t get enough of it. Check out “Better Dig Two.”

thinking About my spiritual self. It seems this is the time of year that I tend to look inside my soul. Today is Ash Wednesday (if you didn’t already notice from the photo above), which is the start of the Lenten season. It makes me think about what I can do to be a better person, and what I can do to help others.

smelling Citrus tea that my boss has been brewing daily in the office.

watching Still on my “Race to the Oscars,” and I have seen all but two films now that have been nominated for Best Picture! I have to say, there has not been one that I have disliked so far. Last night was Lincoln to celebrate Lincoln’s Birthday. It was a fantastic film, and I have a feeling it just might take gold at the Oscar’s.

wishing My butt buddie, Erin, a speedy recovery as she is undergoing Lasik eye surgery today. Love you Munchkin!

hoping For warmer weather on the horizon. I’m pretty much done with cold and snow. Unfortunately, I do not think I am going to get my wish just yet…

wearing My “Hi” “Bye” heart sweater with leggings and combat boots.

loving The genius behind Oreo during the Super Bowl a couple weeks ago. Did anyone see that Twitter ad during the blackout? Pure genius.

laughing At my husband and neighbors this past weekend as they attempted to invent a live version of “Frogger” with this Makey Makey invention kit. Just picture a grown man with 4 children jumping up and down around the room Dance Dance Revolution style while listening to techno music.

wanting The doctors to come to a diagnosis for my Uncle, so he can start getting the treatment he probably needs. He has been at Hopkins for awhile now undergoing tons of tests. Love you Uncle Johnny.

needing Rest. It’s been a busy couple of weeks. While I love keeping myself busy most of the time, I am looking forward to a little downtime at some point.

feeling Optimistic. I will leave it at that.

craving This shade of MAC lipstick – Rebel – Did you know MAC recycles? If you return 6 empty MAC products, you can get a free lipstick! I think I just may…yay!

clicking I have been click click clicking away on my camera since I started my photography class a couple weeks ago. So far, I have already learned a lot, and I am looking forward to learning even more.

What have you been up to lately?

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.

{5} Lately…

Meg Gi — My friend Meg and me over the weekend at OxCart Tavern in my ‘hood.

Lately I’ve been…

reading Onto Book 5 of the Harry Potter series. Making my way…

writing Some e-mails to folks in the advertising community.

listening Another hit from one of my favorite collaborators, David Guetta and Sia. Check out “She Wolf (Falling to Pieces).”

thinking That is it very frigid out there!!! Brr…hat, gloves, and a scarf are a must in this weather.

smelling Yankee Candle “Soft Blanket.” My new favorite scent.

watching My boss and I are currently partaking in a “Race to the Oscars.” Our goal is to watch all of the films nominated for Best Picture before the big event. So far, I have seen two out of nine.

wishing That I hadn’t caught this cold over the weekend. I spent my entire day off yesterday sick on the couch. Hence my lack of a blog post yesterday. Today, I am still sick and working from home.

hoping That we can plan another girl’s weekend soon, because that one was SO MUCH FUN! (minus the whole catching a cold from my cousin part)

wearing Pajamas.

loving Michelle Obama’s Inauguration outfit. Way to go Thom Brown.

laughing At this hilarious video “How to Dance When You’re High on Life.” It totally reminds me of all my favorite guy friends when we go to Dewey Beach. Thanks to my friend Trey for sharing this.

wanting To be able to breathe out of my nose.

needing To get a lot of work done from home today, because we have a client coming into town tomorrow.

feeling Extremely tired. No matter how much sleep I get, I can’t seem to get enough. Also, feeling very stuffy.

craving This Rebecca Minkoff Mini M.A.C.

clicking I was featured on another leg wear website called Fashion Legwear for my ivory polka dot tights. I was included with a group of bloggers for best leg wear of the week. Scroll down about halfway, and you will find my pic.

What have you been up to lately?

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.

{4} Lately…

Lately I’ve been…

reading I took a little reading break over the holidays with all the craziness, but now that I’m back to the Big Apple and doing my daily subway commute again, I have started Book 4 of the Harry Potter series.

writing Yesterday and today, I have been catching up on writing e-mails since I have been away on holiday. Still have a few more to go, but I’m getting there!

listening Was recently introduced to this a cappella version of Taylor Swift’s “I Knew You Were Trouble” performed by Walk Off the Earth feat. KRNFX. Pure genius. Thanks for sending this to me Krissy!

thinking About taking my Christmas tree down this weekend. Are the holidays really over?

smelling Lolita Lempicka perfume that I put on this morning. A musky floral vanilla scent that is sensual and romantic.

wishing My friend Erin all the best on her move back to Connecticut from the Big Apple. Good luck on your new venture with grad school. You will be missed, but you better come visit!

hoping That all my family and friends are starting off 2013 on a happy note!

wearing Lots of black. Black peplum top from StyleMint with military blazer from Macy’s over top. Black skinny jeans from ZARA with my new Steve Madden studded combat boots. Swoon! Pops of pink from my Barami necklace and American Eagle beanie (thanks Meg!) Lastly, my new black military style winter coat that I got from the hubby for Christmas from ASOS. Obsessed!

loving That I just got back to work yesterday, and it’s already the weekend today.

wanting To see Les Mis this weekend. Yes, that must happen.

needing To get back in shape. I know, I know. It’s the new year and everyone has these fitness resolutions. So sue me if I want to jump onto that bandwagon. The holidays were fun, but now my pants are too tight.

feeling Excited for the possibilities that 2013 brings! We already have a few weddings on the books, some travel ideas (thinking Arizona!), a photography class scheduled, and (shocker!) even some relaxation time in the next few weeks with no bi-monthly trips to Maryland. Sorry fam/friends, it’s your turn to come visit US!

clicking Researching through different animation company reels and catching up on e-mails and my favorite blogs.

What have you been up to lately?

Happy Friday!

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.

{3} Lately…

Lately I’ve been…

reading Just finished Gone Girl, by Gillian Flynn this week. Holy intensity! I would definitely recommend. Also read the December issue of Health magazine. Hoping I actually listen to what I read and start eating a bit healthier and getting back into my work out ways. I’ve been a slacker. Back to the reading…trying to decide the next book to open…I think I am going to go back to the Harry Potter series now that I got the last four books from my sister-in-law. Nothing like a little magic around Christmastime.

writing Still writing my Christmas cards! Luckily, I was able to get most of them out this week. However, I miscounted how many I needed, so those of you at the beginning of the alphabet (I went backwards this year) might be a bit delayed! Oops!

listening Cazzette’s Beam Me Up. Nothing like a little alien take-over causing a city to erupt in dancing. This one’s for you Charles.

thinking About the Christmas shopping that I still have left to do.

smelling Christmas Cookie candle by Yankee Candle. Also loving the Warm Woolen Mittens scent.

wishing That my tummy would stop hurting! Stayed home from work yesterday mehhh.

hoping That the bridesmaid dress I pick up tomorrow for my cousin’s wedding fits me like a glove. Naturally being of my short stature, I needed some alterations. 😉

wearing Lots of layers. Although it hasn’t been incredibly cold so far this winter, I am forever frozen, and layers are a must in this city. Today I’m wearing black leggings with a blue tank. Black and white sweater overtop, with another multicolored sweater wrap over that. Topped off with my bright yellow winter coat and Steve Madden boots.

loving That the sun is shining right now! A lot better than the rain we have had as of late. Also loving that we are having some visitors this weekend. And a maid is coming to clean before they get here, so I don’t have to tear my hair out. Loving loving loving.

wanting World peace. Yes, that would be nice.

needing Constant reapplication of hand cream. The cold weather seems to dry my hands up so quickly! Right now I am using Simply Clean from ULTA.

feeling You ever have one of those moments when you just want to cry and you don’t really know why? Well that was me yesterday. Maybe it was a combo of being sick, stressed, hormones, who knows. But just broke down. Sad panda! For no obvious reason. I think it was just one of those days. Luckily, today I am in much better spirits, and looking forward to seeing friends this weekend.

clicking Through all the advertising trades this morning for news in the ad world.

What have you been up to lately?

Happy Friday!

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.