Popcorn Book Club: 2020 Book Reviews

Welp, 2020 hit all of us like an unexpected ton of bricks. Between trying to stay safe and healthy with the COVID-19 pandemic, transitioning to school at home/homeschool, running a health + fitness business from home, focusing on important movements like Black Lives Matter, trying to keep my family happy and myself mentally sane…it.was.a.YEAR. For the most part, all is okay. We are safe, healthy, thriving…we have jobs. We have truly tried to be grateful and appreciate what we DO have this year, and it’s forced us to look inward at what is most important and WHO is most important. We have done our best to control what we can control and live for those silver linings.

My blog was obviously not a huge priority in the last year. It kinda fell off the wayside when everything hit the fan. In the mode of survival, it just didn’t seem essential, and something had to give.

But a year later, we are still here in this pandemic, still doing school at home, still running a business from home, and trying to do all the things, but I’ve been truly missing this space. I started this blog over 8 years ago as a creative outlet, and this year I want to get back to that. I want to keep this space as a place to fuel that creative spark and passion and to feel excited again. When everything else in life seems overwhelming, I want to have that comfy space to come back to. For you to come back to.

It might look a little different around here. While my love of fashion started this blog, these days I’m living in sweats and I’m not going out to the stores to try things on. But I hope to continue to use this space as a place to relate, create, inspire, and provide value to you as a reader on a variety of topics from mom life, food, creative projects, fitness, health, fashion, books, travel (when we can), entrepreneurial life, and more.

While, I didn’t have much time to blog last year, I DID have time to read. Having the kids home day in and day out, we spent a lot of time reading, and it was also a bit of an escape for me when the world got too crazy and overwhelming. Anyone else feel that way? Like, this world is too crazy right now. Lemme just dive into a different world for a bit! I guess it’s better than diving into the wine bottle, though I did my fair share of that in 2020 also. What can I say? I’m human.

People always ask how I have time to read? But it’s really just like anything else that I would make time for. I make time to work out, to eat healthy, watch a favorite show, work my business…and just the same I PRIORITIZE time to read. Whether it’s just 10-15 minutes a busy day…or I don’t move off of the couch for 2 hours on a weekend evening (I know, I’m super wild and fun these days haha), I make sure I fit it in, because it brings me joy. For those hoping to read more this year, I suggest starting with a small daily goal and make it a habit…pretty soon it will be routine.

OKAY….without further ado…I know I have a problem with talking (and in this case, writing) way too much…in 2019, I didn’t quite make my goal of 26 books, but THIS past year, I slayed my goal out of the park at 36. Much of that likely had to do with the fact that homeschool life came into the picture this last year, so I read a lot of children’s literature with my kids along with my own novels. I share all of my books as I read them on my Instagram page saved in my highlight reel and also using the hashtag #popcornbookclub if you care to keep up throughout the year…but here is my yearly recap from 2020!

Fiction

Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate

I really loved this book! It was recommended (and loaned) to me by my grandmother who is a very avid reader, and I’m so grateful! While I have it in the fiction section because things have been changed, this book was based on a true story and a scandalous history of which I’d been unaware. It was an incredibly heart-wrenching book at times, especially reading as a mom. The fact that some terrible things happened to children and families under the guise of something good is horrifying and sad. I liked how the author wrote the story as a back and forth present and past narrative with different narrators leaving you wanting to learn more about what happened to the characters in the story and uncover the mystery of what would become of their future. I highly recommend this book!

A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult

Jodi Picoult never ever disappoints and this one lived up to the expectation for me. I love how she can take such difficult/heavy topics and offer each varying lens and perspective, always giving you a view to see the other side of what you may believe. That said, it was a little difficult for me to follow with the backward timeline format chosen. There were a lot of characters, and I found myself getting lost over who was who and the order of events, especially during the first half of the book. It did all come together though in the end along with a few twists!

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

This book was amazing! This work of historical fiction explores race through two unforgettable characters, twins Stella and Desiree Vignes. It is a story about family bonds, sisterhood, motherhood, about trying to fit in, racism, identity, and love. The novel does a great job of depicting lots of separate worlds and then colliding them into one seamlessly. I definitely recommend. I believe this book will be adapted for the screen, and you can bet I’ll be watching.

It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover

Wow. Wow. Wow. This one came out of nowhere. A friend of mine recommended this book to me ages ago (thanks, Kathy!), and it’s been on my list, but I hadn’t picked it up until this year. I am SO glad I did. This is the kind of book that every woman should read. It was extremely powerful. It was about love and strength and making difficult decisions. How making the right decision isn’t always as easy as it might seem from the outside. It’s not at all what I expected it to be, but that was kind of the best part about it. I highly recommend this book, and now I’m wanting to track down every Colleen Hoover novel I can find.

Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

I really enjoyed this book! It was juicy, sexy, romantic, political, royal, happy, sad, all of the above. It covers topics of race, bisexuality, US politics, immigration, family, and more. Ultimately, the book celebrates being unafraid to be your authentic self and love triumphing over anything else.

Now Is Everything by Amy Giles

This YA novel was written by the wife of a friend I used to work with in the animation world! I had been wanting to read it for awhile, and I’m SO glad I read it this year! This was a very moving story involving many serious topics such as child abuse, physical/emotional abuse, self harm, death, family, teenage romance, sex, secrets, and more. This book was emotional and sad at times, but also showed love and strength through powerful characters. It reminded me of the Colleen Hoover novel I read but with younger characters and for a younger audience. I definitely recommend this one.

The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware

I have pretty much enjoyed everything I’ve read from Ms. Ware, and this was no different! It started out a bit slow, but by the middle, I was racing to the end to see what was going to happen! It was dark, creepy, and eerie and kept me entertained with lots of little twists and reveals in the 2nd half of the book. I enjoyed the main character and her tarot cards! In a Dark, Dark Wood still remains my fav I’ve read from this author, but this one was worth a read!

Someone We Know by Shari Lapena

Shari Lapena knows how to write a thriller! This book was entertaining, suspenseful, mysterious and keeps you guessing. Lapena always has you wondering about your neighbors after you read her books! This one involved a teenage break-in. I enjoyed this one, and if you like her style, you will like this one too, though An Unwanted Guest is still probably my favorite from her!

Watching You by Lisa Jewell

This was an easy read that totally sucked you in. I loved the way all the characters and plot twisted into each other. It kept me on my toes the whole time and made me want to keep reading. This was my first book by this author, and it was not my last! I also read, Then She Was Gone by the same author over the summer and it was also an excellent read. I would pick up anything by this author after reading these two!

Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty

If you enjoy this author, you will enjoy this book as well! I also read The Husband’s Secret this year from this author and enjoyed both of these books as well as the majority of others I’ve read from her. She always creates a story that is captivating and develops interesting characters.

Never Tell by Lisa Gardner

This was a new thriller author for me, and I very much enjoyed her style! I love a good murder mystery, and this book kept me engaged and excited to keep reading. The story was action-packed, the characters were dynamic, and I would absolutely read more from this author!

Home Before Dark by Riley Sager

This was my first Sager novel, and I really enjoyed it! It was creepy, spooky, ghostly, mysterious, thrilling, and dark. I enjoyed the main character, and I had a lot of fun unpacking the secrets along the way to discover the truth of this haunting tale!

The Wives by Tarryn Fisher

I read this book in 3 days. I don’t want to give anything away, so I won’t go into too much detail, but do you ever have one of those books where you were disappointed by the end or certain reveals, but you enjoyed the experience of reading the book so much?? I had problems with many of the plot twists and didn’t love the end, but I truly couldn’t put the book down and the writing style was totally gripping and had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. For me, it was worth the experience of reading, but be prepared to finish it feeling disappointed with how it turned out!

The Castaways by Elin Hilderbrand

This is one of my favorite authors for a beach read or a snow day. Easy to read and always fun. Lots of interesting characters with interwoven stories, secrets, and drama. This one was a bit of a mystery as well, and I couldn’t wait to find out what had happened to two of the main characters. Groundbreaking literature? Not so much. But a quick, fun read? Absolutely.

A Land Remembered by Patrick D. Smith

This one is out of my “typical” novels I gravitate toward, but you know I’m always open to reading and learning new things! We did a Native People homeschool unit study (and I will share the book we read for that later), and this book was recommended as an adult selection to go along with the children’s study. It was a longer read, but I really enjoyed it! I would call this historical fiction as it takes place in the Florida swamp in the 1800s. It starts with wild cattle roaming, and as the years roll on, the land transforms and the people transform over time. It’s both happy and sad to watch both the land and society change. It discusses themes of strength, family, friendship, the environment, nature, race (white, black, and Native relationships), survival, hard work, and more. I enjoyed the raw, authenticity of the characters during this time period as well. It was not a fast paced book by any means, but it was educational and enlightening for me, and I’m glad I took the time to read it.

These were all on my list to read for personal development and I got to 3/5 last year (the 3 on top). The other two will happen in 2021, but wanted to share them all here.

Nonfiction/Personal Development/Memoir

Educated by Tara Westover

Wowwww. This memoir was one of my favorites that I read this past year. Do yourself a favor and find a copy of this book! I snagged it from the library right before quarantine started having no idea what exactly I was getting into. This book gives you ALL the feels. At times it’s shocking and gut wrenching, but you are always curious and you are truly rooting for the author the entire time. Such a brace memoir of a young girl trapped in an “alternate” society/family growing up and discovering how she fits within all of it. An incredible read.

Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth

I really liked this book! I originally bought this book for me, but I found it even more useful as a parent who wants to raise children with grit as the author’s passion and research into grit and children really shines through! I definitely recommend this book to any parent or anyone looking to follow a passion in their lives!

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark Manson

I read this book at peak quarantine, and it was definitely what I needed. Stressing out during the chaos was doing nothing to serve me, or anyone else quite frankly. I only had a certain amount of f*cks to give on any given day, and they had to be used wisely! This book isn’t really about giving zeros f*cks, but more about saving them for what truly matter. About dropping all the crap that doesn’t light you up and focusing in on what means the most. The world slowing down while the craziness swept through last year made us all take another look at our values and priorities. This book didn’t really offer anything GROUNDBREAKING for me, but there were a TON of great REMINDERS right when I needed to hear them the most. I was definitely glad I picked it up.

The Power of Your Subconscious Mind by Joseph Murphy

I thought this book had a lot of great ideas and I loved the overall theme that your mind and thoughts basically control everything in your life. I enjoyed and I’m glad I picked it up. However, it felt a little repetitive at times and it was a slow read for me. I always got something out of it when I read it, but I wasn’t always super excited to pick it up, so it was sort of a sign that I liked it okay, but didn’t love it.

Act Like a Success, Think Like a Success by Steve Harvey

Early on in my coaching career, a fellow coach shared such an inspiring video by Steve Harvey that changed the trajectory of her life, so when I saw this book sitting in the Little Free Library in my neighborhood, I had to grab it. Because he’s such a funny guy, I wasn’t sure how serious I could take it, but if you read Steve’s story, he really put in SO much hard work and effort and belief and GRIT to get to where he is today. His book didn’t really offer anything new for me, but I found it very inspiring and I love that he offered some action steps to reach your goals.

The Secret Joy of Hygge: A Practical Guide to Cultivating Happiness in the Everyday by Alexandra Amarotico

I was so excited to read this book by friend and fellow blogger Alex! We met back in 2012 in my early blogging days, and we even met and did a shoot together in my neighborhood. How cute is she? Anyway, now she is a published AUTHOR, how cool is that? She spent a of time in Denmark as an exchange student and the idea of hygge they practice there sparked her to write this book! With the crazy pandemic this last year, this book really resonated with me. Of course, we couldn’t take action on all of her suggestions (like inviting and hosting people over for a meal), BUT it helped to appreciated the little things and find joy in the simplicity of say, lighting a candle or reading a book with a hot cup of tea. It also helped to find the joy in the mundane day to day as well, create better connections with my family, and find or create joy in the space we inhabit. I think she has some wonderful ideas and it helped to reframe my mindset during a difficult year!

Love Warrior and Untamed by Glennon Doyle

Oh yes yes and more yes. If you haven’t read any Glennon yet, you are missing out!!!!!! I would start with Love Warrior first as you may not appreciate it as much if you skip ahead to Untamed as her journey will continue to grow and change, and I liked reading in order of her growth. I absolutely LOVE how Glennon shares stories. She is so raw and speaks her truth so very bravely. She goes through some PAIN and UGLY stuff, and at times it’s tough to read, but she does not turn away from any of it. In Love Warrior she is still in throes of her journey and figuring things out, and by Untamed you really feel like she has found herself and where she is supposed to be. (I never read Carry On, Warrior btw but I don’t feel like I missed out by not reading it, though who knows.) Her story is so very powerful and inspiring. It makes you reflect on your own life and inspires home and courage to be brave as your own authentic self. Highly recommend both of these memoirs.

Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi

In my journey toward keeping up the fight toward achieving an antiracist society, I picked up this book, and it’s definitely one of the best I’ve read this entire year. We obviously have a giant problem in our country that isn’t going to have a resolution right away. It’s going to take systemic change to undo an entire evolution of racism throughout history. We may not have all the answers, and many of us (myself included) have been way too quiet in the past, but the very least we can do going forward is to educate ourselves and continue to do better than we have before. I loved this book because Reynolds breaks down Kendi’s original history book and expresses his remixed “not history book” almost as if he is a young college professor speaking right to you in engaging, conversational language. He takes complex ideas and make them simple to understand. He shares missing pieces to the America story that never showed up in history class at school, while simultaneous inspiring hope for a brighter future. He keeps you engaged the entire time, I learned a ton, and I couldn’t put it down. It’s perfect for young adults as well as older adults and it was a terrific read. Also, fun fact for my Maryland friends, like me, Reynolds also grew up in PG County.

Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

It took awhile to formulate some words after reading this one. It wasn’t really meant for my eyes to read. It was a letter to the author’s teenage son. It was as if I was peeking into an alternate world that was literally in my backyard – PG County, DC, Baltimore, MD, NYC – all places I have spent a majority of my life – yet an entirely different view. It was so beautifully written and heartfelt and gut wrenching and uncomfortable and wonderful at the same time. I won’t lie, after reading, I dug in deeper through the interwebs to dissect the passages, because I felt like I might not be intelligent enough to grasp all the meaning, and I wanted to make sure not to miss a thing. This is not the type of book that is straightforward to the point with historical facts and hope for the future. In fact, I’m not sure the author left it on a hopeful note. But what he did do was bare his soul and his experiences authentically and bravely with his son. Anyone who picks this up will not be able to deny the power of this book.

Plan Your Year: Homeschool Planning for Purpose and Peace by Pam Barnhill

Last year, I did something I NEVER ever anticipated or expected I would do in my life. I sent in a withdrawal letter to withdraw my kids from public school with a Letter of Intent to Homeschool my children. WHAT? 2020 you have really outdone yourself!!! A few weeks later, I ended up re-enrolling my oldest back in a new public school which he would attend remotely, but I had already dove in deep into homeschool life with this book and the research that came along with it, and I am forever changed. We have very much adapted a homeschool lifestyle this past year, minus the fact that we wish could have some more social opportunities, and this book played a HUUUUUGE role in my ability, knowledge, resources, and confidence to get me there. This books breaks down what homeschooling truly is, the different options available, how homeschooling can be very individualized and how to plan a year that works for your WHOLE family. She also includes a lot of her own helpful printables you can copy to actually execute your plan going forward. After reading this, I had such great grasp on the steps I needed to take to move forward with our homeschool plan and what life had thrown at us. And I actually felt EXCITED about it! This book (along with some very encouraging friends) allowed me to sideline my fear about this new experience and take on the challenge with enthusiasm.

The Brave Learner: Finding Everyday Magic in Homeschool, Learning, and Life by Julie Bogart

I absolutely LOVED this book!!! I would recommend this to any parent regardless of whether or not you’re homeschooling, because our children are ALWAYS learning with us in every aspect of life! This book helped me to realize that our children are constantly learning and that WE can actually learn from them too. It gave me the power to let go of some things and embrace this crazy chaotic year and find the joy in it. It boosted my confidence as a homeschool mom and allowed me to understand how to cultivate curious and creative learners and thinkers. How we don’t always have to follow the “plan” and sometimes the best lessons are the ones that weren’t planned. I loved Julie’s stories and the way she writes. She also has some incredible ideas and strong novel-based curriculum that we have incorporated into our daily lives and routine that have truly been magical and essential to our homeschool experience. I am ever so grateful for this book!

I included two adult books in the photo above that I discussed previously, because while they were personal development for me, they were essential to our homeschool journey and ultimately the children’s literature chosen for our read alouds.

Children’s Literature

(These are all books I did as read alouds with my children that I wanted to include for the parents I have reading this post, and also because most of them are excellent reads even as adults!)

A Wolf Called Wander by Rosanne Parry

We absolutely LOVED this book! This was the first novel we read as we were dipping our toes into homeschooling this summer. The story is told through the eyes of a wolf named Swift, who was an extremely brave and likable character. This novel is based on a true story of a real wolf in Oregon who was separated from his pack and tells of his journey to survive. The writing was beautiful and descriptive with amazing depictions of nature. The illustrations by Monica Armino were also stunning. The story was adventurous, full of courage and bravery. We also learned a ton of about wolves and the Pacific Northwest area. Both my 7 and 5 year old loved it as did I. It might be our favorite so far.

Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White

While I had watched the movie as a child a million times, I don’t think I ever read this book as a child! We read this novel together and did our first Brave Writer Dart study along with it, and it went so well! My kids fell in love with the characters, and we had so much fun with it…creating artwork together, discussing the story, taking little quizzes, learning about the anatomy of spiders, and we even had our first ever “Book Party” to celebrate when we finished. You wouldn’t even know that I have arachnophobia HAHA! After the book, we also watched the newer version of the movie which everyone enjoyed! Definitely recommend this classic!

The Wild Robot by Peter Brown

This was another read we absolutely loved! Roz was such an amazing character and I love how this novel infused nature with technology. It’s an action-packed story of survival, friendship, parenthood, and adventure. We also loved and tried to recreate the beautiful artwork in this one. When we finished this one, we had a wild nature robot electronic dance party which the boys were obsessed with, and they cannot WAIT to read the sequel together.

Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry

We read this book along with our Biomes and Ecosystems Unit Study (created by Jodi Mockabee that we LOVED and I HIGHLY recommend). While we loved the unit study, I will say that we LIKED this book. We enjoyed the story, the characters, and learning about wild ponies, but I think the chapters just read a little slower for us and it was harder to keep their engaged attention. They may have been on the young side for this one, but it just wasn’t quite as adventurous as the last few we read to keep them excited to open the book each day.

Finn Family Moomintroll by Tove Jansson

These characters were super adorable!! We loved this little magical world! This was a fun, interesting book about a magic hat that transforms things when they are put inside. The illustrations were delightful and we had fun drawing the characters on their clouds. It did read a little slow for us, maybe because it’s been translated from Swedish to English, and I found myself trying to push through some of the chapters. But we did have a magical little party afterwards complete with pancakes, so all in all, it was a win!

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (#2) by J.K. Rowling

I read the entire Harry Potter series on my own some years back, but it’s been even more fun reading it to my oldest! (My middle guy isn’t super hooked yet, but every now and then he will listen in too) We had a lot of fun reading this one over the summer outside in my parent’s hammock. From flying cars, transformations, and giant spider attacks, and finale twist, we loved all of Harry’s wild adventures in this book, and we’re currently reading the third!

Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes

I actually read this one on my own as I think my boys were too young for it right now, but I am absolutely saving it for when they get a little older (middle school perhaps) as it’s an excellent and very important read. This is a fictional middle-grade novel that tells the story of a twelve year old black boy who is shot by a white police officer who mistakes his toy gun for a real one. Through the book, the boy is a ghost who can see his family and the aftermath of how his death has affected everyone, including the community. He meets the ghost of Emmett Till as well as the daughter of the police officer…the only living person who can see him. The book was very well done, telling the thoughts and feelings of many different characters in the story, and it’s a completely relevant read in regard to everything that has happened this last year.

The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich

This book went along with out Native People unit study by Jodi Mockabee, and we really enjoyed it! I never realized how much my 2 year old had been listening to these read alouds until he started running around the house saying “Omakayas, Omakayas,” the main character’s name. It tells the story of a 7 year old girl from the Ojibwa tribe and her family. At times, it was depressing and sad…discussing the smallpox outbreak and how it negatively affected family members was a little difficult, especially while going through the COVID-19 pandemic, but overall, I’m glad we read this. It’s part of history and culture and ultimately I felt it was important and educational for all of us. If you are a fan of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House series, I think you will definitely appreciate this novel (and maybe the whole series perhaps) viewing this time period in history from a different lens.

Cookbooks

It’s rare that I buy a cookbook, so you know if I invest in one, it better be good! Haha. With all the cooking this last year, we were craving some new ideas, and these didn’t disappoint!

Just the Good Stuff by Rachel Mansfield

I followed Rachel on Instagram and she just makes healthy food look and taste SO delicious! Her food always includes healthier swaps/options for ingredients, and love that her recipes are ones that fuel, yet never leave you feeling deprived! Many of her recipes are also gluten free or paleo friendly if that’s your jam. When I saw she had a cookbook coming out, I had to have it! My fav recipe so far is her Enchilada Pie! The roasted turmeric carrot fries are also delish, and. she makes some yummy desserts too. You can also find more of her recipes on her blog https://rachlmansfield.com/.

Magnolia Table (Vol 2) by Joanna Gaines

As I’m writing this, I’m realizing this whole time I didn’t realize there were two volumes of this cookbook! I thought I had the original, and didn’t know I actually had the second one! Whoops! Haha! Now I’m curious about the first one as this one has to do with gathering and we didn’t do much of that the last year LOL! That said, it’s a beautiful book with a huge selection of recipes and includes how to make a lot of things from scratch. That honestly terrifies me a little, but the kid’s have been enjoying baking with me lately so who knows, maybe I will get inspired! This is more of a classic style cookbook as opposed to an overly healthy one, but it makes me excited to have some delicious options for when we’re able to host people to come over again!

Quick Prep Paleo by Mary Smith

This book was at the top of my Christmas list this year, and I was so excited to get it and support my friend, Mary! Mary is also a University of Maryland grad (go Terps!) and she runs an amazing blog called Mary’s Whole Life which she started after her diagnosis with Celiac Disease. Her recipes are all gluten free, paleo, and many are Whole 30. They are also QUICK, easy (she’s a mom of 3 also!) and delicious. Some of my favorites include her sheet pan sausage recipes, cashew chicken green bean stir fry, and baja fish taco bowl. You will absolutely find some incredible go-to recipes in her book to throw into your weekly rotation.

If you’re still here…you must really love books like me! Thanks for sticking around, and I hope these reviews were helpful! I’ve already put a dent into my 2021 reading goal, and can’t wait to share with you.

What do you think…I post updates regularly on The Gram, but do you like the yearly recap here, or would you prefer more frequent updates on the blog as well?

Lastly…while my list is already a mile high, I ALWAYS have room for more recommendations! Please share some of your favorite reads in the last year so we can all add them to our lists! 🙂

XO + Happy Reading!

Gina

Popcorn Book Club: 2019 Book Reviews

I have always loved to read, and last year, I really enjoyed putting together a list of some of my favorite books of all time. In the past year, I vowed to keep you guys informed with the books I’m reading, and I have continued to do so over on my Instagram page with the hashtag #popcornbookclub. If you have a read a book you love, please join in on the fun and use this hashtag when you post so we can all stay informed and add new reads to our lists!

While I will always share my books over on Instagram, I plan to do a yearly recap over here on the blog. I didn’t quite make my goal of reading 26 books this past year, but I added 20 more to my “read” list! Without further ado, here are my book reviews from 2019!

Personal Development

  1. Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert
    • I don’t give 5 stars very often, but this book earned it! This book really spoke to my heart and helped me to view creativity in a new light. It was a very inspiring read, and I definitely recommend it.
  2. Girl, Stop Apologizing by Rachel Hollis
    • I just love Rachel’s voice. She speaks to me in a way I can truly understand, and her stories make me feel as if she is reading my mind and putting it on paper. A definite must-read for any #momboss or career mom trying to balance it all.
  3. Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin
    • This was a really inspiring read for those wanting to take on leadership roles. They take strategies from SEAL training and leading and bring it into the corporate world to help create high-performance teams. This book will definitely help you to level up your leadership skills.
  4. Build to Last by Keith Callahan
    • A must-read for anyone in the network marketing business. It discusses pushing past your limiting beliefs, leadership, developing a team of leaders, and how to create time and financial freedom in your life.
  5. Rising Strong by Brene Brown
    • We all go through struggles in our lives, and this book is all about owning our stories and getting back up. Brene Brown never ceases to amaze me with her research and theory and real-life examples. This book will challenge you to think about your own story and how you can achieve deeper meaning in your life.
  6. The Power of Significance by John C. Maxwell
    • I have never met a John C. Maxwell book I didn’t like or that didn’t help me in some way. This man is genius. Read everything he writes and listen to everything he speaks.
  7. The Obstacle is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph by Ryan Holiday
    • I liked the idea of this book, but the historical examples were just a little dry for me. I gained a few key concepts from this book, but I was a little bored.
  8. Leave Your Mark by Aliza Licht
    • This book was well written and would have been helpful for me if I had read it starting out earlier in my career (out of college) and if I was currently following a corporate career path. It “missed the mark” for me personally, because I just couldn’t really relate with where I am today.

Other Non-fiction

  1. Body Love: Live in Balance, Weigh What You Want, and Free Yourself from Food Drama Forever by Kelly LeVeque
    • This was an awesome book and was really in line with the way I currently eat and the meal plans I follow with the Ultimate Portion Fix and 2B Mindset with Beachbody. As a holistic healthcare expert, I was curious about what Kelly had to say about nutrition and how it compared to what I currently do. I was pleased to find many similarities (for example, the fad diets don’t work, and it’s about creating that healthy lifestyle and choosing food that fuels you and makes you feel GOOD!) and she has some really delicious recipes and ideas. It’s great for anyone who might have an unhealthy relationship with food and looking to free themselves from that mentality.

Fiction

  1. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
    • I highly recommend this book! It took awhile to get into it, but once you’re in it, you can’t stop reading. I loved the characterization, the setting, the writing, and the overall story. So beautifully written!
  2. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
    • This was definitely a good read! It had a ton of hype, so I think I went into it with over-expectation. I enjoyed it and would recommend it, but I didn’t get that “WOW, holy smokes, must-read amazing vibe” while reading it. The storyline was interesting though, and I enjoyed the characters and the relationships between the characters the most.
  3. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
    • This classic novel completely floored me! It gave me “Hunger Games” vibes in the sense that it was like this “what if-alternate disturbing reality world” but in a totally different kind of way. It’s a frightening and powerful read. I originally wanted to read it, because I wanted to watch the series, and I always like reading the books first. Glad I read it, and I look forward to watching the series.
  4. An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen
    • This author duo is one of my absolute FAVORITES! Their thrillers are so absolutely captivating that once you start reading, they draw you in and keep you turning the pages to find out what is coming next. I loved their first book, The Wife Between Us, and now this one. I can’t wait until their next one comes out.
  5. The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn
    • This book also came with a lot of hype, and I really enjoyed reading this thriller, but it was also totally predictable for me. All in all, it was a good novel and I would recommend it, but it would have been more fun if I hadn’t figured out all the twists and turns.
  6. An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena
    • I really enjoyed this murder mystery!!! I read Lapena’s booked “The Couple Next Door” and “A Stranger in the House” and enjoyed them, but I think this one is my favorite so far! I loved the character development and the ideas of them all being stranded in the hotel together like a murder mystery dinner party in the snow. A definite page turner!
  7. Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan
    • I know this was all the rage, and I wanted to read the book before seeing the movie, but I have to admit, I was underwhelmed. It was OK, but to be frank, the characters just kind of annoyed me a lot, and I couldn’t handle all of the brattiness haha. It just seemed like the whole book was about a lot of really unimportant stuff. Which I guess was to be expected. I just didn’t think the story was all that great. The one thing I found interesting was the history of Singapore that was woven in, because I didn’t really know much about that part of the world.
  8. China Rich Girlfriend by Kevin Kwan
    • I decided to give the series another chance even after the first underwhelming book, because I was genuinely interested in finding out what happened in the love story of the main two characters. I actually enjoyed this book better than the first! So I’m actually glad i kept reading! However, I’m not sure I will read the third unless someone convinces me otherwise.
  9. Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty
    • I really enjoyed Big Little Lies and What Alice Forgot by this author, so I thought I would give this newer one a try. WOW. It was WEIRD. Haha. Moriarty is a great story teller, and I originally liked the health and wellness retreat premise, because that is right up my alley, but the book got pretty weird pretty quick and it just got too unrealistic for me. If you like her books and her storytelling, you may enjoy it though!
  10. When Life Gives you Lululemons by Lauren Weisberger
    • This continuation of The Devil Wears Prada was a good, suburban Connecticut, gossipy novel! I enjoyed it. It wasn’t life altering, but if you have a trip coming up and want something easy and fun for the beach or plane, this is a good one!
  11. A Dress for the Wicked by Autumn Krause (Young Adult)
    • This is a debut novel from one of my Insta-friends! The story depicts a fashion competition set in the Victorian era in a fictional town/city. Autumn is a beautiful writer, and I enjoyed reading her book!

Okay, all my professional bookworm friends!!! What were your favorite reads of 2019? What do I need to add to my 2020 list?

Please share in the comments!

Hope you are enjoying the 3-day weekend celebrating MLK, and I hope you are finding some extra time to cozy up with a book and get some extra reading in with this colder weather!

XO,

Gina

{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!

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HAPPY SATURDAY!

What are you up to on this summer weekend?

What have you been up to lately?

XO,

Gina

{45} Lately…

So you guys, it may seem like I have skipped a few Lately posts, but the last few I have done LIVE over on my Facebook page…42, 43, 44…so this is the first written one I’ve done in awhile!!! Excited to be back in action with this one since it’s one of the blog favorites and also one of my personal favs….

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Lately I’ve been…

reading  So many things you guys! I recently finished Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod which has been LIFE CHANGING and I absolutely recommend it to EVERYONE. Expert Secrets by Russell Brunson which was AMAZING for any entrepreneur or anyone pursuing a side hustle and Into the Water by Paula Hawkins (author of The Girl on the Train) which I have to say was good, but not as good as The Girl on the Train. I then read The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena in about 24 hours. Couldn’t put it down. I just had to find out what was going to happen next. I am also re-reading The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy along with my current challenge group.

 writing  Not a whole lot, but still striving for my daily 5 minute journal habit that I started up in January of this year. I will absolutely re-up for 2018.

listening  I’m going to embarrassingly admit that I am enjoying the Hipster Yoga playlist on iTunes during my Miracle Morning.

thinking About how awesome my Challengers who are rocking CLEAN WEEK are doing! Seriously! They are crushing it.

smelling  Broccoli. Yep. Roasted broccoli was happening when I was writing this post.

watching  Grey’s Anatomy. Still obsessed.

wearing  These amazing new leggings from the new Target athletic line, Joy Lab.

exercising You guys…I’m on Day 47/56 of Insanity Max 30…a program I tried once 2 years ago and swore I would NEVER do it, because it was too freakin’ hard and it way way to hardcore cardio and guess what…I’m almost done.

feeling  Kinda badass about post above.

wanting  Someone to cook for me right now, because I’m hungry but don’t feel like cooking. Should have prepped better, dang it.

needing Hot coffee.

loving  All of the adventures I’ve been taking with my boys this week…zoo, museums, etc. Feeling like I am getting a great balance of break time, coach/work life, and mom life with our new routine this school year.

wishing Luca could get over the hump of tears at school drop off. I felt like we were doing well and now it seems like things are going backward. He also recently is having trouble going to sleep on his own and I feel like it’s all related. That being said…his experience in school is definitely showing in other aspects of life…at a music class we went to yesterday he was really involved and participatory whereas in the past he would have clung to me the whole time. Baby steps.

hoping  That all of the costume items I ordered for Halloween will actually come before Halloween lol.

craving  Wine.

clicking  Around about a few things I am interested in doing and learning in terms of health and fitness and taking things to the next level. Yoga teacher training? Mind Body Green nutrition program? Podcasting? Organizing a Wellness Retreat? Thinking long-term here and not TOMORROW by any means, because let’s face it, I’m already crazy-busy. But always good to do research and advance ourselves when we can!

following Amanda Bella – her blog is super cute and I just love her hair and make-up video tutorials!

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HAPPY FRIDAY!

Are you celebrating Halloween this weekend? Dressing up? Or that’s just for kids?

What have you been up to lately?

XO,

Gina

Feeling Free

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Dress: Free People via Trunk Club (now 40% off!) / Shoes: Kelly + Katie via DSW (now on sale!) / Lip: MAC Impassioned

This dress is another that I scored with my last Trunk Club and my amazing stylist Megan. I wore it to a baby shower while in Maryland a couple weeks ago, but I also think it’s perfect for a date night in the city. These shoes are EVERYTHING and wore them that whole weekend. Surprisingly pretty comfortable for high heels!

I titled this post “Feeling Free” originally because this dress is from Free People, but after thinking more about it, there is a lot more behind the title and how I’m feeling right now. The boys are getting into their routine at school, and I’m getting into my new routine as their mama and as the CEO of my business…both this blog and my health + fitness coaching…which really, it all sort of combines to just really trying to inspire as many people as possible to live happier + healthier whether that’s by exercising, eating clean, taking time for yourself, feeling comfortable in your clothes and in your own skin, etc. With the boys being in school for a bit, I’m getting a little more free time to myself to really dive into this passion during normal day time hours, and I’m LOVING it.

I’ve been practicing the Miracle Morning which is a book by Hal Elrod, and it’s been completely life changing. I have been starting my day with meditation, visualization, reading personal development, journaling, and of course exercise. It’s literally the most perfect way to start the day, and it really sets the tone and my mood going forward. It also allows me to feel less stressed about things I have “to-do” during the day, and I feel that when I’m with my kids, I can really be more present with them and in the moment.

And not to bring down the moment, since I love keeping things positive over here, but I am feeling incredible sad in light of the recent shooting that happened in Las Vegas. Unfortunately, the “freedom” of owning guns has allowed so many people to lose their own freedom and even their lives. My own dear friends were supposed to be at the concert, and ended up not going, thank God. I have never been a fan of guns and I feel that by having them, violence is just perpetuated. If you want to help support the end of gun violence, Everytown is a great movement to support.

And whatever else you can do to spread love and positivity in this world, please keep doing that! The world needs you. <3

Make it a great day everyone!

XO,

Gina

{41} Lately…

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Lately I’ve been…

reading  The 15 Invaluable Laws of Leadership by John Maxwell.  Also finished Better Than Before by Gretchen RubinBoth 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!!! 🙂

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HAPPY MONDAY!

What have you been up to lately?

XO,

Gina

{40} Lately…

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Lately I’ve been…

reading  I’ve read a lot since my last Lately… post! Some of my favorites include Girl on a Train by Paula Hawkins (finally read it!), Me Before You by Jojo Moyes, You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero and No Excuses! by Brian Tracy.

writing  A workout calendar and agenda for my Lipstick + Lunges Challenge that starts TOMORROW! So excited. There’s still time to join, so feel free to comment below if you want to be included.

listening  You may think this song is terrible, but I don’t care. I love it anyway. 

thinking About how excited I am for my littlest guy who just started learning how to walk!!! If you haven’t seen the video yet, you can check it out here on my Instagram page.

smelling  The amazing food from the coffee spot I am currently sitting at writing this post. That’s right…I’m at a coffee shop…ALONE! #amazing

watching  Not much these days, but still Orange is the New Black when I’m folding laundry or need a break.

wearing  Jeans and a tank top or tee. My fav go-to uniform these days. My Mama Bird tee above can be found here along with some others you might enjoy.

exercising Been beasting out lately with Hammer + Chisel, which is mostly weights. Whew! Not so used to the constant weight lifting and the longer workout times (I’m used to getting it done in 30 minutes over here!), but after 2 weeks down I am feeling pretty strong!!! I think I’m even ready to bump up the weights a bit.

feeling  Uneasy about the recent explosion that went down yesterday in Chelsea (NYC).

wanting  Time to slow down. My boys are getting too big too quick.

needing  To decide what I am going to pack for my upcoming coach’s trip to Sundance, Utah!!! My coach is setting up a professional photo shoot for each Diamond member of our team! And of course, out of the whole trip, we are in a tizzy about what to WEAR! LOL! Typical…

loving  The hilarious and imaginative stories my 3 year old has been coming up with lately. Everything from traveling to different states by train, to being eaten by bears! He cracks me up and I love hearing what he will come up with next!

wishing  That I brought headphones to this coffee shop. But honestly. I’m not complaining. Because remember? I’m at a coffee shop…ALONE.

hoping  That I can find the Califia Farms Pumpkin Spice Latte at my local Target. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE be there! I must try it.

craving  The Farmer’s Biscuit with egg, kale, and cheese at this coffee shop I’m sitting in…oh wait…craving satisfied. I’ll work that off tomorrow. 😉

clicking  Over on the fall trends at my favorite go-to mama/baby/kid deal shop, Brickyard Buffalo. Obsessed with the “Sharing is Caring” tee!

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HAPPY SUNDAY!

What have you been up to lately?

XO,

Gina

{39} Lately…

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Lately I’ve been…

reading  A lot faster than I had been! LOL! I recently finished The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo. Part of me wants to immediately start tidying every single inch of my apartment, and the other part of me is experience extreme anxiety at the thought of going through her process! I am also reading Balancing in Heels by Kristin Cavallari and I have to say I am enjoying it! We have a lot in common in terms of being moms, trying to live a healthy lifestyle with fitness and food, an interest in fashion yet realizing that being busy moms we have to be more practical and other things have become more important than mani/pedis and putting on a full face of makeup every day. (although it IS a nice treat to do so!) Lastly I am reading the 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman with my husband. We thought it would be a good idea to figure out what each of our love languages are and then to read about them individually to see how we can make sure we are on the same page. If you don’t know what love language you are speaking, take the quiz here! Btw…Kristin Cavallari and her husband read this book too! LOL!

writing  This blog post, e-mails, and coach welcome posts on my team page!

listening  Okay, I know I posted this on Facebook the other day, but I am completely obsessed with “Lost Boys” by Ruth B. right now. OH and Nico is requesting “My Name is NO” by Meghan Trainor on repeat.

thinking About my upcoming free challenge group that I am going to host this month. Excited to share soon!

smelling  A pumpkin spice candle. Yes, in the spring. Does that mean I’m NOT basic? 😉

watching  Orange is the New Black. And Teen Mom 2. Yup. True story.

wearing  My J. Crew jammies. So cozy!

feeling  Excited that this Mother’s Day I will be a Mama of TWO! 🙂 Feeling very blessed!

wanting  The hubby to come home! He is out of town again and I am missing him big time.

needing  To book my flight to Nashville for this July!!! I am so excited to go see my fellow team of coaches, get inspired and grow my business! It was such a blast and such a great learning experience last year. I am pumped to go again.

loving  The new Tony Horton 22 Min Hard Corps workout program. Granted I’m only on Day 3, but it’s simple and it’s quick! The boot camp style exercise moves are a total body workout and seems to be effective so far!

wishing  For sunny days. I have had enough of this gloomy, rainy stuff! bring me some sunshine please!

hoping  To find some pretty new dresses to wear for wedding season! We have THREE weddings coming up this June!

craving  Fresh fruit! My favorite time of year is approaching, where all the best fruits come out to play. Some of my favorites are watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, blueberries, and who am I kidding…I love it all…

clicking  For Mother’s Day gifts for all my favorite Mamas out there 🙂 What is your favorite place to shop for this holiday?

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HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

What have you been up to lately?

XO,

Gina

P.S. The mug is from Francesca’s. It’s sold out, but I also love this one 😉 #likeaboss

{37} Lately…

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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.

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HAPPY THURSDAY!

What have you been up to lately?

XO,

Gina

{36} Lately…

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Lately I’ve been…

reading  Creativity Inc. by Ed Catmull, the co-founder of Pixar on creativity and inspiration in business. It’s one that I have wanted to read for awhile having worked in the animation industry for 8 years. Now with running my own business, I figured it would be a good read.

writing  Content for my next team call I am leading for my coaches on time management. So many people ask how the heck I have time to do everything that I do…I am no magic fairy. I have the same amount of time as everyone else. Some days I have it together…and some days I am a crazy person. It’s all about prioritizing, making the most of your time, and nixing things in life that are huge time wasters!

listening  To the rain falling down on my window pane…and also, the laundry machine.

thinking About the holidays. Can’t believe it’s all right around the corner. Although it can be stressful at times, it’s definitely my most favorite time of the year.

smelling  You don’t want to know…but I have two kids in diapers at home…so take a wild guess. (GROSS, Gina!) I know, but that is my life 😉

watching  I don’t watch a ton of TV anymore, but I do allow myself a bit here and there. I have been watching Orange is the New Black on Netflix, and I am a fan!

wishing  A lifetime of happiness for my BFF who got married last weekend. And for my cousin who is saying “I do” on Saturday.

hoping  For sunshine tomorrow.

wearing  Another pair of jeans from my pre-pregnancy closet. SCORE! Loving this 21 Day Fix! Also a flowy top, striped cardigan, and red rainboots.

loving  This personalized bar necklace from Brickyard Buffalo. Thinking about this as an updated “Mommy Necklace” to have both of my boys close to my heart.

wanting  A raincoat. I can’t believe I have lived in NYC for over 8 years now, and have never owned a raincoat. What is wrong with me? What do you all think of this one?

needing  Some hot tea with honey. It’s feeling like fall today.

feeling  Energized. Healthy. Strong.

craving  Something sweet. Hence why it’s time to go make that hot tea with honey.

clicking  Through some healthy recipes and yoga moves for my upcoming Namaste November Free Challenge. There is still time to join if you are interested! Let me know in the comments below.

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HAPPY TUESDAY!

What have you been up to lately?

XO,

Gina