The truth is that before kids, I was never super into Valentine’s Day, even though my husband has been my valentine for well over a decade worth of February’s.  It’s just that between both of us working on the holiday, or traveling (we used to escape the cold a lot around President’s Day weekend), and committing to going out the night before or after to beat the crowds (sad, but true, ha!) we never focused a ton on the actual day.  Enter kids, and I am now stringing heart banners across the dining room table that has strawberry jam sandwiches and M&M popcorn all over it, and putting love notes in their school lunches throughout the month.  (See last year’s semi-homemade Valentine’s Day lunch HERE). These girls of mine have turned me into someone who loves the unofficial, official love day, and I find myself searching high and low for all the heart outfits I can find.  Whether you are spending this holiday snuggled up at home, out for date night, or just looking to get a little festive with a pop of pink, I found some Valentine’s Day outfit inspiration for any way you plan to celebrate.

1.  Love this lip-print blouse with ruffle sleeves.

2.  Ultimate vintage vibes in a soft tee that I would wear year-round.

3.  The cutest heart pajama set, perfect for movie night at home, and under $30!

4.  Loving this tee for all the single ladies.

5.  These skinny, lace-up jogger pants would fit my plans perfectly, which currently consist of school drop-off and pick-up.  😉

6.  This affordable lace number only looks expensive.

7.  Cheeky, graphic tees like this one never get old.

8.  A relaxed silhouette sweater in a pretty magenta pink, that looks so cozy and is under $50!

Happy Monday!

xo gina 

One topic I get asked a lot about is my morning beauty routine.  And since I don’t wear much makeup, I’m always surprised by it, but I think what it comes down to is the fact that women really want a regimen that’s fast, super fast!, (especially if you’re a mom of young kids) and women really want to achieve a natural look.  I will preface this post by saying that I am the furthest thing from a makeup expert.  I rarely change up my products, because the truth is, when I find something I really love, or a product that really works for my skin, I stick with it.  For a long, long time.  And again, I tend to use so few products.  But here goes!  I start out everyday with this moisturizer and once that has set in, I smooth on this sunscreen.  Yes, even in the dead of winter.  I am a sunscreen fanatic because I thrive on the sunshine and would much rather lather up with SPF than stay indoors.  I have been using this CC Cream for just over a year now, and I love how little is needed, the fact that it offers additional sun protection, and the attention to anti-aging that’s given with a boost of omega-3.  I use the light to medium shade and it sort of blends into my skin.  Using my finger, I dab three dime-sized dots of this cheek tint in an upward diagonal line from the apple of my cheek to the corner of my eye and tap into my skin until it settles and gives my face what looks like a natural glow.  I have read so much about favorite mascaras out there, but I keep coming back to this one.  It is my tried and true.  And I literally cannot leave the house without it, if it is the only single product I use.  Otherwise, I promise, you will not know if I am awake or still sleeping.  😉  If there are any dark spots or blemishes that need a little hiding, I use this foundation as a concealer.  A little goes a long way and the shade I love is ‘honey.’  Fun fact, this foundation was listed as one of the items Jennifer Anniston carries in her makeup bag, though this was forever ago, and found in an article in a women’s magazine that I cannot for the life of me remember (Shape?, InStyle?, Allure?).  All I know is that I have been a big fan of hers forever and whether or not she actually carried this beauty product in her bag, it was enough for me and have used it ever since.  I have linked all products in the content, but have also listed them (in the order in which I use them) below.  Just click to shop!

• moisturizer: OLAY regenerist whip 
• everyday sunscreen: SUPERGOOP! unseen sunscreen SPF 40
• cc cream: SUPERGOOP! SPF 35 daily correct cc cream (in light-medium)
• cheek tint: SUPERGOOP! perk up! lip and cheek treat SPF 40 
• mascara: BENEFIT they’re real! lengthening & volumizing mascara
• concealer (technically a foundation, but I use it as a concealer): BENEFIT hello flawless! powder foundation in ‘honey’

Happy Sunday!

xo gina

{Highway 70, New Mexico}

{Las Cruces, New Mexico}

{Orogrande, New Mexico}

{Orogrande, New Mexico}

{New Mexico}

{Ruidoso, New Mexico}

{Ruidoso, New Mexico}

{El Paso, Texas}

{El Paso, Texas}

{El Paso, Texas}

{El Paso, Texas}

{El Paso, Texas}

Over the holidays, we spent some time with family out west and got the chance to travel a bit along the way.  One of my favorite things about heading out that way is all of the beautiful landscape and how different it is from anything we see back home.  And those Texas sunsets are hard to beat.  The unobstructed views, those city lights, dusk there truly never disappoints.  I tend to snap photos of the scenery and rarely take photos of the girls while on the road because I am so caught up in watching them play in a new place.  Some of my favorites are actually the ones I’ve taken from inside the car, not wanting to miss the bit of sky just before the sun sinks, without even opening the window for fear of the colors running together too quickly.  Here are a few snippets of our travel through West Texas and Southern New Mexico.

Here’s to hoping for more travel in the new year!

xo gina 

We are currently tucked away in West Texas, which may be one of the few places safe from the arctic freeze effecting the rest of the country, and our home in the northeast.  But I know when we return, it will be sweater weather almost indefinitely.  So, I’ve been scouring the internet for layers of coziness to keep me warm.  There are so many good, and affordable choices to pick from, and here are a few of my current favorites for this new month, all from my go-to, one-stop online shop, Nordstrom.

1. I have been eyeing this crisp, winter white turtleneck for a while now.

2. A super plush sweater in possibly my favorite shade of the season.  And those ruffled sleeves 🙂

3. Another velvety sweater with a funnel neck, which I love.

4. This cozy gray sweater goes with everything from dark to light denim, to black leggings.

5. A bit pricier than my other picks, but I would take this rustic textured sweater in both ivory and mauve!

6. All the fleece goodness in a fun, buffalo check print.  Just add a fire and a good book.

7.  Pretty much all you could want in a sweater cardigan: lightweight, pockets, long in length, and currently 50% off!  I would wear this around the house, out running errands, under bulky coats and over thin turtleneck tees, like this one.

8.  I love everything off-the-shoulder and my sweaters are no exception.

9. The v-neck on this sweater balances out the relaxed fit, and I love a super long sleeve.

10.  Love this slouchy, waffle-knit pullover in terracotta.

Keep warm!

xo gina