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{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

{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

{30} Lately…

*Just a note on this photo. My boys spent the day together at the grocery store on Sunday so I could get some work done. I received this text message while they were gone! Nothing better than knowing my baby is happy and smiling while he is away from me 🙂 Okay, now onto the rest of the post…

Lately I’ve been…

reading The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy. Great for any entrepreneur or entrepreneur in the making.

writing Down my goals for 2015. 1) Get fit and stay healthy. 2) Start a successful business as a Beachbody Fitness Coach. What’s this, you ask? We basically motivate and help others achieve their fitness goals. Happy to share more information with whoever is interested. Please feel free to e-mail or message me! 3) Travel more. So far I have been keeping up with my workouts and doing my best to motivate the challengers I have in my groups thus far. I also have a trip to Tulum, Mexico on the books, so here we go 2015! Bring it on!

listening I’m still singing Christmas music in my head. Is that weird?

thinking As I sit here in my neighborhood cafe working, I have run into three moms I know, and I am so grateful to have such a wonderful community here.

smelling Not much right now. It seems my cold has returned and I’m currently stuffy and drinking loads of hot tea.

watching Maleficent. As an avid Disney fan, this was a must see for me! I was very much impressed with the animation and graphics, and I enjoyed the switch on the storyline from the traditional Sleeping Beauty! It reminded me of the show Wicked in that regard.

wishing Upon a star.

hoping For warmer weather. Oh wait, it’s only January…sigh.

wearing My new Panda sweater. Unfortunately this one is sold out, but this vintage sweater from the 80’s is pretty darn amazing. I’m also wearing a heavy scarf, because this coffee shop I’m in is FREEZING.

loving My new snow boots from my mother-in-law. Thank God for them, because I have already needed to wear them twice this year.

laughing At these doorbell notes from Moms. I can’t believe I haven’t resorted to one of these notes yet! This is real life!

wanting A massage. These workouts are no joke!

needing To go through photos from Nico’s first year and pull out his monthly chair photos to put in a frame. This has been on my to-do list since he turned 1 (he’s now 16.5 months old), and I still haven’t gotten to it. This week is the week!

feeling Sick at the moment. And a bit tired. But happy I still got my workout in this morning.

craving Caffeine.

clicking Through photos of Tulum, Mexico and dreaming of our paradise vacation that is only 43 days away.

What have you been up to lately?

XO,

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.

{29} Lately…

Lately I’ve been…

reading Just started The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, and so far it has my attention.

writing I have been writing a ton lately. A few opportunities have arisen lately in the writing world, and it’s all very exciting! I’m not quite ready to share yet, but keep a look out in the next month!

listening Love this song, Stay, by tyDi featuring Dia Frampton (Frank Pole Remix)

thinking We had a lovely Friendsgiving dinner at our house the other night. We decided to do a sit down and all write things we are thankful for about each other. We also had a new addition to the crew this year as my friend brought her newborn baby. I am very thankful for my NYC Upper East side loves.

smelling (and eating) lots of pumpkin pie! Mmmm.

watching The hubby and I watched 12 Years A Slave over the weekend. It was an incredible film, and also extremely heartbreaking. I was pretty much in tears the entire time.

wishing Everyone safe travels and a Happy Thanksgiving!

hoping That all my little soccer students enjoyed our session! We had our last class of the season yesterday. It was a lot of fun, and it was definitely a learning experience coaching such young children (ages 2-5) !

wearing Lots of plaid and aztec prints this fall.

loving At how quickly Nico is picking up new words. He is like a little parrot right now just copying everything we say. It’s super adorable, but I realize I also need to start watching my potty mouth!

laughing At Weird Things All BFFs do.

wanting To find some time to edit my personal photos. I am super back-logged! Maybe I will get a chance over the break, although that is probably wishful thinking.

needing To get packing. We are heading back to Maryland for the holiday, and excited to see family and friends.

feeling Motivated.

craving What else? Thankgiving food. Turkey, stuffing, corn, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie. All the essentials.

clicking Through family photos to try and pick one for the holiday card this year.

What have you been up to lately?

Hope you all enjoy the holiday week!

XO,

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.

{28} Lately…

Lately I’ve been…

reading I Am Hutterite by Mary Ann Kirby. An inside peek into the life into a Hutterite community (similar to Amish), leaving the community, adapting to the English world, and trying to reclaim a heritage.

writing A practice schedule for today’s soccer class this afternoon. Since I have some free time on my hands these days and there was desire for a soccer class in the neighborhood, I have spent the last few weeks obtaining a permit from the Prospect Park office, and my class is now ready to go! We had our first one last week, and seemed to go well, so my assistant, Nico, and I are looking forward to the next 8 weeks of soccer fun.

listening To a lot of kid’s music. Luckily, we have amazing bands like The Dad Beats around here which makes listening to kid’s music (somewhat) bearable.

thinking About the next steps I want to take career-wise. Soccer class is great, my Poshmark closet is selling well, and I love spending time with my little Nico, but still craving something a little more creative in my life on the job front (that – full disclosure – can also bring in a little more cash for the family). I have a few ideas in mind, but still researching and will see what might come about.

smelling I can still smell those apple cider donuts in my mind that we ate at Stakey’s Farm on Sunday. Mmmmazing.

watching I FINALLY watched The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. I was a big fan of the series, but wasn’t able to get to the movie theatre when this one was released. It was everything I thought it would be.

wishing Congratulations to Nico’s former nanny who just presented the world with a brand new baby girl last night! So happy for her, and can’t wait to meet that baby!

hoping To find some time to carve the amazing pumpkins we got from the patch. I always say I want to carve, and then I rarely get around to it.

wearing My new custom made Guilty Jean bracelet given to me as a gift from a dear friend. The coordinates are from the place where we originally met. Love love love it!

loving The fact that our neighborhood is currently the set of the newest Steven Spielberg movie starring Tom Hanks. He’s pretty much my favorite actor. And I got to see him on set yesterday which was pretty damn amazing. The film is also starring a friend of mine who I met on an airplane, who at the time was a soap opera actor and asked me to rehearse lines with him on the plane. Although, I was incredibly embarrassed, I obliged because he was so nice. He’s now making movies with Spielberg and Tom Hanks. Way to make it big Billy Magnussen! Can’t wait to see you rock out this film.

laughing At how my son continuously manages to outsmart me.

wanting A date night for the hubby and I in the near future. It’s been too long!

needing To figure out what I am going to be wearing to the black-tie optional wedding we are invited to this weekend! And needing to figure out what Nico will be wearing as well. Looking forward to seeing my cousin walk down that aisle!

feeling So proud of my little guy who took his first steps this weekend! He took even more yesterday, and this mama is going to be in big trouble soon!

craving Candy corn. I’m still wondering why we only eat this one month out of the year.

clicking Away on career research. Thinking of making a switch up. We shall see!

What have you been up to lately?

Hope you are all having a fantastic week!

XO,

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.

{27} Lately…

Lately I’ve been…

reading Finished beachy read, Another Piece of My Heart, by Jane Green. Nothing groundbreaking, but a decent vacation read.

writing A deposition for a court date. I’m a witness! Don’t get too excited, it’s just traffic court…

listening To lots of upbeat music, because Friday I returned to the gym after a 20 month hiatus. And I actually went again on Monday, and went for a run this morning. Hoping to keep this momentum going, because I’m already feeling more energized (apart from my sore limbs).

thinking That we had a really great time last Sunday at the Industry City Dance Party in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. Zack was eager to go, and I was a little worried that we would be “those people” bringing a baby into an entirely inappropriate situation, but I was happy to find all sorts of kids and babies rockin’ out on the dance floor with the best of them. It was definitely a party. And not a kid’s party. But the fact that kids were welcomed and deemed appropriate there was pretty cool. Nico (not surprisingly) loved it, and our little fam had a really great time getting our dance on.

smelling My fav scent, Light Blue.

watching All the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge videos. I was a little annoyed by them at first…people dousing themselves so they didn’t have to donate…didn’t make a lot of sense to me. But after reading this blog post, I have a new perspective.

wishing Nico an early Happy 1st Birthday! He is turning ONE on Friday. I just can’t believe it.

hoping That I can get my act together this week for a party planning extravaganza. And by extravaganza, I mean myself, a glass of wine, my living room, and some DIY crafting.

wearing In the photo above I’m wearing my new ModCloth dress that I got at their 70% off sale! It’s sold out, but check out some of their other sale dresses here. Did I mention I was able to go shopping this weekend…ALONE? It was kind of amazing.

loving My new haircut (also seen in photo above) from the amazing Tim Dueñas. Feels so much lighter and loving having some layers again.

laughing At this adorable friendship on Daily Laughs.

wanting The summer to stick around a little longer. I’m not ready for the beach days to end…

needing To start checking some more things off my bucket list. And as I’m looking at it…thinking about making some edits.

feeling Incredibly nervous as today is Nico’s first day with his new nanny and new playmate. We are going to miss our old one so much, and it’s going to be a tough transition week for all of us, but I’m hoping he will adjust quickly.

craving These sweet cinnamon oven roasted peaches. Thinking this is just the recipe I need for the peaches in our yard this year.

clicking Looking for a few sweet new baby gifts for little ones on the way.

What have you been up to lately?

Hope you are all having a fantastic week!

XO,

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.

Insta-Snaps from New Hampshire

We spent Memorial Day Weekend up in New Hampshire near the Wolfeboro area and Lake Winniepesaukee. While it was rainy and cold a lot of the time, we did manage to get some sunshine and some great hikes in. We stayed on Lower Beech Pond overlooking the water in a fantastic lake house with good friends. We drank wine, cooked delicious meals together, played games, explored the town of Wolfeboro, and took in some stunning views. If you follow me on Instagram, you may have already seen a lot of these, but here are a few snaps from our trip.

Nico reading a story at the lake house with my bestie, Erin

Penny Candy Shop in Wolfeboro, NH

Yes, I think I will have some wine this vacation! Oops!

Snuggling my baby at Camp Beech in Tuftonboro, NH

Taking a break for lunch on the Italian Trail on Mt. Shaw…that one’s for you Pops!

My two happy guys!

Mountain Selfie on the top of Mt. Shaw

So proud of Nico on his 1st hike ever! He was a champ in his Beco Gemini Carrier.

Cairn aka Rock Tower

On the top of the White Ledge Loop Trail in the White Mountain National Forest

Standing on the top!

Continuing on the trail loop

Such a stunning view!

Some other places we visited that aren’t photographed here:

1. El Centenario: Delicious Mexican fare – We loved the fresh homemade chips and salsa, chile relleno, and chicken enchiladas they had to offer. The staff was very friendly, and we would definitely go back here.

2. Downtown Grille: We came here for coffee and enjoyed their lattes so much, we came back again on the way to drop our friends off at the airport! I enjoyed both the Blueberry Cobbler latte and the Milky Way. Yum! If we go back, I would like to try their breakfast as well.

3. Sandy Martin Art Gallery: We had a lovely conversation with owner and artist, Sandy. She is an extremely talented artist in multiple mediums including oil paints, watercolors, photography, & more. She loves music and hosts parties within the gallery featuring local musicians on the in-house piano and guitar. She also knows all the town gossip and Jimmy’s Fallon’s whereabouts when he comes to town. Definitely a nice stop in!

4. Sprout’s: Featuring lots of children’s toys, clothing, and gifts.

5. Details: Great little boutique stop for gifts and accessories. Also have an adorable dress selection. I walked away with a dainty little flower crown that I love!

6. Jake’s Seafood: Enjoyed steamers, haddock, chowder, and lots of other yummy seafood here! Outdoor seating is nice as well.

7. Castle in the Clouds: A beautiful stop with a beautiful view. It was rainy and we were hungry, so we didn’t end up doing the tour, but we did have some lunch (I had a lobster roll…drool!) at the Carriage House.

We had such a great time on our trip, despite the inclement weather. I’m glad we were able to get two great days of hiking in, but I think next summer if we go back to New England, we will try for the 4th of July weekend again so it will be warm enough to jump in that lake!

Hope you are all having a great week!

XO,

Gina

{21} Lately…

Lately I’ve been…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

wanting Spring to arrive. Sooner rather than later please!

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

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

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

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

What have you been up to lately?

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

Have a happy one ya’ll!

Love,

Gina

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

{20} Lately…

Lately I’ve been…

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

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

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

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

smelling Leftover gingerbread coffee from the holidays.

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

wishing That I could be in two places at once.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What have you been up to lately?

Have a happy one!

Love,

Gina

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