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Fitness Fashion

Fabletics Hoodie: Nordstrom Rack / New Balance Running Shoes: Englin’s Fine Footwear / FitBit: Amazon / Pranna Henna E.C.O. Yoga Mat: Vickery / Glass Water Bottle: Camelbak / Killing It Sports Bra: LuLu’s / Floral Sonar Capri: Athleta / Nike Tempo Shorts: REI / Nike Swoosh Tee: Nelly / Rebecca Minkoff Subway Bag: Shopbop / Strong is the New Skinny Tank: Etsy

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Now that I am working from home as a fitness coach and freelance writer, chasing around a toddler and let’s be honest…being pregnant…the days of me dressing up for work are few and far between. I’m lucky if I put real clothes on once during the week and then I normally make up for it on the weekends. But during the week, my neighborhood is pretty casual, and I’m usually running around or working from home, so comfort is key! I decided to put together a little style board of fitness fashion this Friday in honor of my laid back athletic weekly style. What piece do you like the best?

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Happy Friday! Also wishing you mamas out there a Happy Mother’s Day this weekend!

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XO,

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Gina

Bright & Sunny {With Stella & Dot Part 2}

This past weekend, our little family of three (almost four) decided to escape the city for a little fresh air in Upstate NY. We explored the town of Beacon and settled down at a nice little spot on the Hudson that we found on Airbnb in the town of Rosendale. It was a lot of fun to tour around some unfamiliar places, try new restaurants, window shop, and hike new trails. The Wallkill Valley Rail Trail was a perfect hike for a prego mama and a newly hiking toddler. Nice and flat! We had a gorgeous view of the trestle bridge right across from our place, and the town of Rosendale was only steps away. It was a lovely get-a-way and it was so nice to spend some time in the great outdoors.

Dress: Old Navy / Sun Hat: Snagged on my trip to Mexico – similar here / Shoes: Cynthia Vincent / Sunnies: Vintage / Watch: Michael Kors (now on sale) / Lip: Revlon Hydrangea / City Slim Clutch, Rebel Pendant & Ring, Bianca Earrings (can be worn multiple ways!), Wanderer Cuff, Pave Triangle Cuff, & Eden Bangle: All on loan from Stella & Dot

This is Part 2 of my Spring/Summer photo shoot with Stella & Dot. I have had my eye on this Rebel Pendant for almost a year now, and now there is also an amazing Rebel Ring to match. I am also in love with this City Slim Clutch in the metallic color. It’s super chic, and can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion.

Shop the shoot here at my online trunk show, and keep in mind that today is the LAST day to guarantee shipping for Mother’s Day! The rest of this collection is fabulous, so you will definitely want to check it out. Trust me, mom will approve! Shoppers will be entered to win free jewelry and pieces at 50% off.

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend, and I hope you get a chance to get outside today and enjoy this sunshine!

XO,

Gina

Mother’s Day Style With Stella & Dot

While I love all of my jobs…fitness coach, freelance writer, blogger, and kid’s soccer coach…being a mom is my most favorite job of all. I never knew the intense love I could feel for another human being until my little Nico came into my life. As hard as it can be sometimes as a mom, and as crazy and scatterbrained as I feel sometimes, I feel so incredibly blessed each time I look at my child. Each time he utters “mama” or “I love you,” or climbs into my bed and gives me a big sloppy kiss, I am reminded how much this little person needs me. How in these moments, I can do no wrong in his eyes. The excitement and wonder and huge smiles and laughter that he emits on a daily basis make my eyes well up with happiness and pride. He truly enjoys discovering the world, learning new things, paying attention to things I teach him, being independent, and best of all, snuggling back up with mama and papa at the end of the day.

This Mother’s Day I am doubly reminded of how lucky I am now that I have a second child on the way. Nico will have a brother by the end of the summer, and my love will only continue to grow and my heart will become even more full (hard to imagine that even being possible!) It will undoubtedly be hard. I will wonder what in the heck I have gotten myself into, how I will survive the next day, when I will be able to take a shower next, if I will ever get sleep again…but I know I will have those moments where I will look at my newborn son in my arms or I will see my two children interacting with each other sweetly, and I will just smile and melt…and that hard will be all the more worth it.

Dress: Old Navy / Pineapple Tennis Shoes: Brickyard Buffalo (sold out, but similar here) / Watch: Michael Kors – on sale! / Sunglasses: Vintage / Havana Collection Necklace & Earrings (can be worn multiple ways!), Kelly Green Fillmore Tote, Inspiration Bangle, and Cady Wrap Bracelet: All on loan from Stella & Dot

I am so incredibly excited to team up with Jessica Sigler from Stella & Dot to showcase their Summer Collection. I am hosting an Online Trunk Show of the latest and greatest pieces, and it couldn’t be better timing to have Mother’s Day right around the corner. This is the first look of two shoots with some of my favorites, including the gorgeous Havana Collection and the Kelly Green Fillmore Tote. I am also a huge fan of the personalized engravables they have to offer. Special Mother’s Day Deal on the Union Square Scarf as well ($14.99 ~~$59~~ when you spend $50.) All shoppers will be entered to win free jewelry and pieces at 50% off. Happy shopping!

Hope you are having a great week so far! And for my friends and followers in Baltimore, please stay safe. My thoughts and prayers are with everyone in Charm City.

XO,

Gina

You Wouldn’t Believe It If I Told You

“What are you wearing to Alex’s baby shower?” my sister asked.

“You wouldn’t believe it if I told you,” was my response.

Yes, I am a pregnant lady, who decided to wear a crop top two piece dress to a baby shower.

“But I promise it’s classy!” I exclaimed.

I can’t even describe to you what my sister imagined me wearing to this shower. Haha. I think I really threw her for a loop. I purchased this dress at the end of last summer season, and didn’t find the right opportunity to wear it then. Fast forward to this year, and the tags were still on. My tummy is ever growing, and this shower was pretty much my last opportunity of the year to get any wear out of this dress before I blow up like a balloon haha. Lucky for me, this bad boy has a high waisted skirt and fans out over the bump, so people could barely notice the bump, and somehow I think I actually managed to make that slight skim of midriff stay classy, even with a baby growing inside me. (I think. I hope.) Who knew?

Photos by: Mary Ann Guaragna / Edited by: Myself

Top & Skirt: Necessary Clothing (last season, but loving their selection of dresses right now) / Shoes: Sole Society (similar) / Sunnies: ModCloth / Watch: Michael Kors (now on sale!) / Bracelet: Baublebar / Earrings: Stella & Dot (similar) / Hair Curled with Sapphire 8-in-1 Curling Wand c/o: Irresistible Me (now on sale!)

I don’t know about you, but I am still waiting for the spring weather to arrive and STAY put. I’m tired of this back and forth fake out with one nice day and then back to freezing cold again. Come on SPRING! Just get here already and don’t go away! I’m sure mid-July when I am hugely pregnant, sweating, and waddling, I will regret these sentiments, but right now I am just craving that warm weather.

The father-in-law is coming up to visit tomorrow night and he is taking Zack and I to the Brooklyn Nets v. Washington Wizards basketball game. Not only am I excited to have a night out, but I have been dying to get to a Nets game, and who better to play them than my old team, the Wizards! Did you know I used to intern for them? One of the best internships I ever had. It will be awesome to see them play again from a new perspective.

Hope you are all having a great week!

XO,

Gina

{31} Lately…

Lately I’ve been…

reading Still reading The Goldfinch. Didn’t realize how long the book was! I am actually enjoying it, but I have been pretty sidetracked with reading business development books and other things. I will eventually finish it!

writing I recently started freelance writing for the new parenting blog started by Mom365. They are a newborn photography company who specializes in hospital photos. Their blog has tons of parenting tips and advice from moms across the country and is an excellent resource, especially for new parents. I am so excited to be included in this new venture! Here is one of the more recent posts I wrote about taking baby outside in the cold.

listening Went to brunch over the weekend at a piano bar and heard amazing music from Dylan Meek. We ended up getting his CD and have been playing it while cooking dinner this week. So relaxing!

thinking How much I miss Nico’s curls. I held off getting his hair cut for SO long. People thought I was crazy as his hair was growing into his eyes and all, but I just thought it was adorable. I did have to admit, things started getting out of control, so we finally decided to go for a haircut. I’m definitely missing those baby curls on my little boy!

smelling The chicken dinner my husband prepared for us last night lingering in the kitchen.

watching Just watched 127 Hours, which was nominated for an Academy Award a few years ago. What an incredible survival story. It was tough to watch at times, but I’m so glad we watched this amazing account of a man’s will to live.

wishing We were back in Mexico enjoying that warmth & sunshine once again! Although my stomach probably wishes otherwise haha.

hoping For a good doctor’s appointment this week. We are going on Thursday to check on our little baby for an anatomy scan to make sure he or she is healthy. Please send us love, prayers, and good vibes! We will also be able to find out baby’s gender VERY soon! We are hoping to do a fun reveal in the next week or two (not only for you, but for ourselves as well!), so stay tuned!

wearing GREEN! In honor of my Irish heritage. Yes, I know it’s hard to believe, but I’m actually 50% Irish. As you can see from above, Nico is celebrating too. Happy St. Paddy’s Day to all!

loving Nico uttered these words this week… “I love you Mama.” I meeeeeaaannnn this pretty much just made my entire life! I think every mom waits to hear those three little words from their child. I admit, I prompted him to say it, and right now he loves parroting everything I say, but it was absolutely amazing all the same. 🙂

wanting One of these amazingly cool cartoon bags.

needing Support for my Lenten service project! My sorority sister, Brielle, and I decided to join together to run a family supply drive for the Thorpe Residences in the Bronx, NY. They provide food & shelter to families in transition. They are in need of everything from diapers, wipes, formula, baby food, to board games & toys for family game night. We created an Amazon Wish List that will be up until April 12th for donations, and we can also accept donations in person. Brielle and I will be hand delivering the items to Thorpe after the drive. We appreciate anything you are able to donate!

feeling How proud of how productive I was yesterday. I normally hate waking up early, but decided to force myself to stay awake (and not go back to sleep), get my workout in early, eat breakfast and get a jump start on my work for the day. I have to admit, it felt amazing, and I felt like I had so much energy to get things done.

craving A green smoothie…because it is St. Patrick’s Day afterall.

clicking Through beautiful houses in Deep Creek Lake, MD. Planning a bachelorette getaway for my bestie, Meg, and should be making a final selection on a place tonight! Whoo hoo!

On a final note, I would like to wish a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my niece, Brittany! Hope you have a great day!

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.

Oscars: Red Carpet Raves

So I know it’s already Tuesday, and maybe you have already moved on, but but it took me a day to pull together my favorite Oscars Red Carpet looks. Here they are:

Rosamund Pike killing the Red Carpet in this Givenchy number.

Sienna Miller in a simple, yet glam black dress by Oscar de la Renta

Julianne Moore looking stunning in Chanel

Anna Kendrick donning Thakoon

Gwyenth Paltrow looking pretty in pastel in her Ralph & Russo Couture Gown

Dakota Johnson sporting red and bling Saint Laurent – anyone else see the uncomfortably awkward mother/daughter moment on the Red Carpet with her and her mother, Melanie Griffith?

Keira Knightly in this non-traditional boho hippie glam gown by Valentino. You may consider this one strange, but I find it oddly romantic.

Last, but CERTAINLY not the least…Lady Gaga. I could have done without the red rubbery looking gloves, however, I am going BANANAS over this Azzedine Alaia gown. It’s simply stunning. Gaga surprised me throughout the entire night with her clean, understated, natural looking makeup, and holy moly those PIPES! She did Julie Andrews proud up there, and I had tears in my eyes watching her sings a medley of songs from the Sound of Music, my most favorite movie growing up. I was completely blown away.

My other favorite Oscar moment was Graham Moore’s speech after winning “Best Adapted Screenplay” for “Imitation Game.” He stated, “I tried to commit suicide at 16 and now I’m standing here,” he said. “I would like for this moment to be for that kid out there who feels like she doesn’t fit in anywhere. You do. Stay weird. Stay different, and then when it’s your turn and you are standing on this stage please pass the same message along.” It was completely moving.

So what were your favorite Red Carpet looks? And what were your favorite Oscar moments? Would love to hear your thoughts!

XO,

Gina

Comfy Cozy

On Me: Sweater: Forever 21 / Coat: ASOS / Jeans: Paige Denim / Boots: Sears (believe it or not!) – similar / Bag: Thrifted / Hat: Gifted

On Nico: Coat: OshKosh B’gosh / Jeans: Carter’s (on clearance!) / Boots: Old Navy / Hat: Target

Last weekend we wandered around SoHo popping into art galleries and shops before heading to a playdate with friends at CitiBabes. This winter I am all about comfy cozy, and this was the perfect casual weekend outfit for me.

This week, I have been partaking in a clean eating challenge, and so far it’s been going really well. I have been making delicious smoothies, attempted to make overnight oats for the first time, made hard boiled eggs and homemade hummus in advance, and stocked my fridge with healthy snacks like yogurt, fruit, veggies, and even a little cheese. My husband has been AMAZING with helping to keep up this challenge by cooking a healthy, clean dinner for us every night. We’ve had a fish taco bowl, pork tenderloin with swiss chard and sweet potatoes, stewed chicken with zucchini, and more. I am feeling super healthy, and I am hoping I have inspired my group to feel the same this week.

On another note, my friend Shirin sent me a little sample of a microdermabrasion cleanser from Rodan & Fields to try out. As someone who doesn’t use these often, the texture was a little weird for me at first, but after rinsing it off, I couldn’t help but notice how soft my skin felt afterwards. I also really enjoyed the lip serum that she included in the package. Thanks girl!

Happy it’s Friday! My mother-in-law is coming to town today to hang out with us, and we are very excited to catch up! The hubs and I are also very excited to have a night out this weekend to celebrate Valentine’s Day. We are heading to The NoMad for the first time for a fancy date and couldn’t be more excited! Even better, we are also going to catch a flick beforehand. No, it’s not going to be your typical 50 Shades of Gray…we talked about it…but the reviews were just too bad. Instead we are taking the non-traditional route and heading to the IFC Center to see the Oscar Nominated Animated Shorts. It’s one of my favorite programs that I see every year having worked in the animation industry for so long. I wasn’t sure we were going to make it this year, but I’m happy to say we will!

Hope you all share lots of love with family and friends this weekend and enjoy the long holiday for the Presidents as well.

XO,

Gina

We Be Jammin’

Happy Tuesday everyone! So I know I am totally late to the party on this one, but after hearing so many positive things, I FINALLY decided to try out Jamberry Nails this weekend. My sorority sister, Brielle, (shout out to all the Alpha Phis out there) is a Jamberry consultant, and she was kind enough to send me a few sheets of their gorgeous designs.

For those of you who are not familiar with Jamberry, they are nail wraps that adhere to your nails, come in a variety of fabulous designs, they stay on your nails for about two weeks, and they are very cost effective! Perfect for a busy Mama who doesn’t have the time to paint her nails every week or the time/budget to have them done. I have lots of family and friends who had been raving about them, so I finally jumped on the bandwagon, and I’m pretty happy with how they turned out!

The application process was a little intimidating to me at first, but I watched a few online video tutorials including this one, which is ultimately the method I decided to use. It took me probably longer than normal for the first application because 1) It was a new process for me to learn and 2) I’m a perfectionist, but once I got a few nail wraps adhered, the rest were pretty simple to do.

I would definitely use Jamberry nails again, especially because of all the fun designs you can mix and match together. I was working from a local coffee shop yesterday, and the barista actually complimented my manicure and she thought they were painted! So I had to let her in on the Jamberry secret hehe.

If you are a Jamberry fan or would like to try them out, Brielle can help you with any other questions you may have! Thanks again Brielle for opening my eyes up to the world of Jamicures!

Hope you are all having a great week. We got pounded with snow again. It was almost worse this time, and the weathermen barely made a fuss! Naturally. Stay warm out there ya’ll!

XO,

Gina

Dusting of Snow

Aztec Blanket Wrap: c/o Moon Cats / Denim: Paige / Top: Express / Boots: Steve Madden / Earrings: Stella & Dot (on sale!) / Bracelets: Guilty Jean / Watch: Michael Kors / Lip: MAC Rebel

We had a lovely holiday weekend in Maryland with family and friends. We also experienced our first dusting of snow for the season. If this winter ends up anything like last year’s, I am going to be in serious need of some cozy, comfy clothing. I received this Aztec Blanket Wrap courtesy of Moon Cats, and it is so snuggly and warm. Not to mention the fantastic print and fringe it has going on. I plan on rockin’ this wrap all season long.

This scarf company has a killer sale going now ($20 off all orders of $50 and above) with the code BLACK20POPCORN. I wish I could fill my closet with their amazing scarves, but if I have to choose my favorites I would include this Snowy Day fair isle infinity scarf, this fabulous Polka Dance scarf, and call me old fashioned, but I love this oversized Grandma’s Favorite piece as well. If I don’t end up buying out the store for myself, I will at least pick up some gifts here this season.

On another note, I am finally taking care of this trigger thumb problem I have going on, and I have decided to get surgery tomorrow. Apparently, it shouldn’t be too difficult or long, and hopefully recovery will only be a couple weeks. The pain and popping/sticking of my thumb was getting too unbearable, and the cortisone shots worked well, but only temporarily. I’m not exactly sure how I will take care of a toddler with one hand, but thank goodness for my mother-in-law who is coming to town Wednesday night.

Hope you all had a nice Thanksgiving, and hope you are enjoying the week so far. Our Christmas tree is already up in full-force, so ’tis the season!

XO,

Gina

Neutrals in November

Trench: H&M / Sweater: Forever 21 – similar / Tank: GAP / Denim: Paige / Booties: Target / Sunnies: Vintage Kenneth Cole / Drop Earrings: Gifted

Happy Hump Day! These photos were taken on a slow weekend in the city. We meandered over to the neighborhood of Red Hook in Brooklyn for a delicious brunch at my favorite place, Home Made. Let me tell you their french toast is to die for. Also, if you are a scrambled egg person, the truffle scramble is sensational. We settled in this comfy little spot on the cozy couches and had a lovely meal with just the three of us. We then followed up brunch with a grocery trip to Fairway Market. Just a typical little Saturday for ya. Complete with the wind whipping around, a taste of winter lurking just around the corner.

Off to warmer weather tomorrow in sunny Arizona! Feel free to follow along on Instagram for updates while we are away.

XO,

Gina