baby, Family, Favorite Things, FItness, pregnant

Fit Pregnancy

August 15, 2018August 15, 2018 GabbingGinger

Fitness is one of my favorite ways to implement self care into my life especially during pregnancy. I also have a little obsession with workout clothes. When I saw this tank from Fit & Flirty I knew I needed it in my life. Thanks to Fit & Flirty for gifting me such a fun product!

I really love this shirt because while I know I can’t enjoy rosé right now but yoga and wine on Sundays are some of my favorite way to unwind and get ready for the week. Also, check out this awesome article of 8 reasons to include champagne into your life because it explains how a little bit of bubbles can benefit your health! I really am looking forward to being able to enjoy a glass of wine and some yoga… I know it is still a bit a way but it is something that I really do enjoy and can’t wait to start getting back into getting my body into shape and enjoying a little treat every once in awhile!

Fit&Flirty has so many great merchandise options! They were so kind to give me a code for 15% off it is SWEATPINK6. Seriously SO many cute tops with fun sayings!

For those of you who have been following my pregnancy I wanted to let you know some of my favorite you tubers for at home pregnancy workouts! Perfect for some namaste on your Sunday or any day of the week! Seriously, these workouts are perfect for busy moms because they are short and sweet but keep you moving!

I love that they have so many options from yoga, to cardio to kickboxing! It helps keep things interesting which I for sure need during my workouts! Check out my two favorites below:

@bodyfitbyamy

Body Fit by Amy Pregnancy Playlist

@moretonic

TonicPregnancy Yoga Playlist

What are some of your favorite fitness clothes and what are your favorite online workout programs?

XOXO Gabbing Ginger

baby, Favorite Things, pregnant

How we chose our baby girls name!

August 13, 2018August 13, 2018 GabbingGinger

Hello everyone!

If you didn’t know we announced our sweet baby girls name; Annabelle Jeanne. Check out the video when we revealed the name!

I have gotten some questions on how we chose her name. For starters for those of you that don’t know our son is named after his dad and grandad but his nickname is Tripp (because he is a third). When we found out we were pregnant I actually went through my ancestry.com page and looked at all of the names in my family that were “A” names. I wanted to have at least one of the names be something from my family. Also, just an FYI I love names that can have nicknames!

The First Name

Through my research and once we knew we were having a girl I had found that my great grandmothers name was “Anabel” and immediately loved it! I mentioned the name to my husband and he loved it too. However, we kind of felt like hey that was too easy… so we went through a ton of other names seeing if they fit…. but in the end we came back to the name Anabel. We both however, wanted to spell it differently. After some talking we decided on Annabelle and I loved all the nickname possibilities!

The Middle Name

For a middle name we knew we would some how incorporate my mom’s name; she passed away about 6 years ago. We went back and forth on using Jeanne or Marie but in the end thought it would be fun to use the name “Jeanne” pronounced “Jean” [FYI my mom pronounced her name “Jean-ie”]. Jean is actually my husbands mom’s middle name and was her mom’s middle name too. So it worked out that it actually is a family name from both sides!

So there it is… how we chose the baby name. I won’t lie it was really hard and it took us awhile before we finally had a name and we went back and forth for awhile.

PS Did you have a hard time with baby names? Also, would y’all like to see a “top ten” names list video?

XOXO Gabbing Ginger

baby, Family, Favorite Things, pregnant, Uncategorized

3D Ultrasound| Little Brother sees sister for the first time in 3D!

August 7, 2018August 7, 2018 GabbingGinger

A couple weeks ago Mark, Tripp, my in-laws and myself went to have a 3D Ultrasound of baby Annabelle (name reveal video here). This was my first time ever experiencing a 3D ultrasound and I want to thank Hello Baby for hosting my family to this wonderful experience.

Family of 4 — HelloBaby First Family Photo

My first pregnancy I didn’t think I “needed” a 3D ultrasound. This pregnancy I wanted to do a few special things because so many things are different the second time around (like I totally forget to do weekly belly shots). That’s where the 3D ultrasound came in. After this experience though I would recommend anyone to do this during pregnancy. You get SO much more time to see your little one then in the typical doctors office ultrasound. All in all we were there for almost an hour and the majority of the time we were getting to see baby!

I loved that if the baby wasn’t cooperating that they build in time for you to walk around and drink some juice. If that still doesn’t work you can reschedule once for free! Another thing I absolutely loved is how family friendly they were. They engaged with the whole gamily and let Tripp get up close and personal!

Everyone was welcome and they were SO accommodating to my two year old. They had a play basket, let him sit with me and even let him press buttons on the ultrasound machine (I mean that is every two year olds dream, right?!).

Future doctor? — Tripp Playing on the Ultrasound Machine

Some odds and ends if you are local to Fort Worth Area and want to visit Hello Baby.

Pricing:

Heartbeat Experience: $50
Gender Experience: $75
3D/4D Bonding Experience: $130
3D/4D Total Experience: $190

Add on’s:

CD with all images from Ultrasound $10
USB with all images from Ultrasound $15
Small Heartbeat Bear $25
Large Heartbeat Bear $35

Regular vs. 3D ultrasound — Sweet Annabelle

I absolutely loved visiting Hello Baby and they were so sweet during the whole experience. It is something that I will cherish for the rest of my life and would tell anyone it is a must do during pregnancy!

Did you have a 3D ultrasound during pregnancy?

XOXO Gabbing Ginger

Family, Favorite Things, Gabbing Girls, Maternity/ Pregnancy, pregnant

Self Care

August 2, 2018August 2, 2018 GabbingGinger

I am so excited to be collaborating with my friend Meg again for this post on self care! We have been instafriends and have collaborated on a “red head” post in the past. This time we are both bringing you our take on self care. After you read below make sure to head over to her post and tell her I sent you!

Self Care. You hear it talked about especially in the mom world. I think that is because self care techniques are constantly changing and evolving based on our life situations. You add a kid or two (or three or four), you move, you get a new job, or your schedule changes…. All of those things cause a seismic shift and you have to reevaluation how you execute your self care. A perfect balance is always the goal but I think a HAPPY balance is what is important.

Personally, lately I have had to scale down working out because of my pregnancy and so to replace it every few weeks I am heading in for a mani or a pedi. It helps keep me relaxed and it is something that is a treat. I also have enjoyed some time reading and watching a few netflix shows. I am doing this all knowing that in a few short months a new baby will be here and my self care routine will have to change. Taking a little extra self care time during these months is hopefully setting me up for a positive mental health level as we shift into a new normal.

There are so many different ways to fulfill your self care needs. It can be hard to get the ball rolling [especially if you are a newer mom #momguilt]. But I promise it is so worth it not only for you but for your family. Self care can be done in as little as 10-15 minutes but that time can do so much for your mental and physical health.

I think the very first piece of self care advice I have is once your child is on a good schedule getting up before them is so imperative. Even if it is to just lay in bed and check social media. It is so nice not to feel rushed into getting up and getting the ball rolling. Some other Ideas on self care include:

Read a book

Workout (even small at home workouts get those good endorphins going)

Take a Bath

Pamper yourself… get a mani, your hair down, something that makes YOU feel beautiful

Have a glass of your favorite drink

Enjoy a cup of coffee HOT before the kiddos wake up

Enjoy time with friends WITHOUT the kid (s).

Taking care of yourself will help make sure you are functioning as your best self. Whether you are a mom or not taking time for yourself in our “go, go, go” world is important for your mental and physical wellness. I love that people are finally talking about it because I know that I need to constant reminder to take care of myself and not just those around me!

What are you favorite strategies for self care?

PS Make sure to head over to Instagram and follow Meg and don’t forget to head on over to her blog post on self care!

Family, Favorite Things, Food

Soli Meal Delivery Review

July 16, 2018July 17, 2018 GabbingGinger

I don’t know about you all but as a work at home mom I am ALWAYS looking for easy but healthy meal solutions. I can easily get burnt out making the same few things over and over again.

When Soli came across my radar I was so intrigued about their program. They kindly sent me over several different meals and snacks to try out and share with y’all!

I love that Soli provides healthy food that is convenient so you can stay on track with your personal nutrition goals. I really love how the meals are color coded by protein. They also offer dietary options for those who may need/want them (like carb conscious, diary free, gluten free, paleo, sodium conscious, spicy, vegan, vegetarian and whole30).

I’m obsessed with how easy these containers are to grab and go. Easy heating instructions and the nutritional information is easy to find! My favorite thing is that this is a meal service with so little ‘prep’ involved. You can have your meal ready to eat in less than 5 minutes. Which is PERFECT for a busy mom!

Soli has weekly delivery options available. Pick Monday or Thursday to ship. They have a three day lead time to ensure fresh shipping! Also, to ensure freshness, they only ship to locations that their shipping partners can reach within one to two days.

If you are loving what you are hearing head over to Soli and use discount code Gabbingginger for $20 off.

PS So far my favorites are the baked ziti, brownies and the blueberry stack pack!

XOXO,

Gabbing Ginger

baby, Family, Favorite Things, Maternity/ Pregnancy, vlog

Pregnancy Update: Weeks 20-24

June 26, 2018June 26, 2018 GabbingGinger

baby, Family, Fashion, Favorite Things, Things I Love

Pathway Pack Diaper Bag

June 19, 2018June 19, 2018 GabbingGinger

Please note this post may contain affiliate links.

Y’all know I love a good diaper bag backpack and as a working mom I always want one with dual functions. One of the features I have been looking for is a bag that has a separate laptop pocket. I am always on the go with my laptop since I “work from home”. This diaper bag is the perfect combo because it has the perfect amount of space for my work and personal items with plenty of room to spare for items for my toddler (and soon to be newborn baby). Thanks to Petunia Pickle Bottom for gifting me this awesome Pathway Pack.

Another bonus of this bag is that it is coated canvas. I love the canvas look but it isn’t duper durable however, this coating is stain resistant and helps keep the fabric from snagging. This bag also has several color options to fit every personality. I really loved this classic black and white because I felt it would go so well with my wardrobe.

Some of the other features I am loving are the roomy interior with 2 open pockets and 1 snap-close laptop pocket and the exterior pockets, detachable cross body strap… give me ALL the pockets so we can stay organized!

Here are some of the other wonderful features that Petunia Pickle Bottom highlights:

2 side exterior bottle pockets
2 open front pockets, 1 zippered front pocket
The canvas pack’s front flap secures with a snap closure
Zippered mesh pocket under flap
Removable, water-resistant and washable baby changing pad
PPB-monogrammed wipes case
Genuine leather trim, stamped logo, premium antique copper-colored metal hardware
This coated cotton canvas diaper bag has woven backpack straps, grab handle and detachable cross-body strap

I seriously have gotten compliments every time I have used this bag so far! It makes a great pool bag too since it can keep you organized but keeps things dry!

Outfit details:

David Yurman Bracelet #1

David Yurman Bracelet #2

Seriously, this diaper bag is the working moms dream because you can easily separate all of your kids items from your personal work items with plenty of extra space. The pocket system keeps you organized and makes for easy transfer if you need to just grab your items out so you can drop the kiddo off! This diaper bag can work so perfectly for both the working mom and the SAHM!

XOXO Gabbing Ginger

Favorite Things, Maternity/ Pregnancy, parenting, Things I Love

Amazon Wish List

June 12, 2018 GabbingGinger

Please note this post may contain affiliate links.

Hi everyone! I don’t know about you but Amazon is one of the best things to come into my life. We are so lucky to have so many items to choose from at just the click of a button.

I also love that you can make wish lists for different occasions so when you think of something you can add it there in the moment… because I definitely have mom brain and if I don’t do it then I will never remember what my idea was!

One of my favorite features is that influencers can make a public list to share with their tribes. So today I wanted to share with you what is on my wish list. It is an array of items for my family, myself and my house.

I love when I see gift ideas for others I can just add them to my list automatically and that helps me price check too! I also love that so many products have reviews right there so if it is on the cheaper side (especially clothes) you can really see how they may fit or the quality!

Check out whats on my list and let me know what you have to order too!

What are your must haves from Amazon?

XOXO Gabbing Ginger

baby, Fashion, Favorite Things

Eloise and Lolo Diaper Bag Overview

June 5, 2018June 5, 2018 GabbingGinger

Please note this post may contain affiliate links.

During my first pregnancy/ and into new motherhood I never really found a “perfect” diaper bag. I think I am just one of those ladies that needs bags for different occasions (amiright?!). I got a fawn dupe and reviewed when I had my first son. That bag was great for on the go to hold diapers, wipes, snacks and a few of my things but I found that over time as he got older it was hard to fit everything he needed for Parent’s Day Out.

I began looking for a little more accommodating bag for when have two kids (thank goodness T’s “needs” take up less space these days). I asked around an a lot of moms recommend the Eloise bag. Check out a quick video of all of the fun features of this bag!

I love how many color options this bag comes in and the price point is so great!

I am really excited to be able to store so many things for baby and still be able to fit a few diapers and snacks for Tripp. I have found have THESE zipper bags to keep things organized has really helped with one kiddo and I plan to do the same for two. Plus, it makes it easier when you only are traveling with one or need to switch bag types.

I am looking forward to trying out a few diapers bags for both one kiddo and two and letting you all know what I am loving!

What is your favorite diaper bag?

XOXO Gabbing Ginger