Gina – Wholesome Homebody

Last Minute Mother’s Day Gifts

Published on May 3, 2022May 3, 2022 by GinaLeave a comment

Is it just me or did Mother’s Day really creep up this year? It may have something to do with the fact that it has been freezing here and hasn’t felt like spring at all. Whatever the case, I once again find myself scrambling at the last minute to figure out Mother’s Day gifts! If you’re in the same boat and don’t have time to hit the stores, there are fortunately some great gifts still available via Amazon Prime that can be delivered before Sunday (thank you, Amazon). I wanted to share just a few items that I think would make nice Mother’s Day gifts – things that I have either already purchased and love, or have on my wish list to purchase in the future.

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Our Half Bathroom Renovation

Published on April 26, 2022April 26, 2022 by GinaLeave a comment

One of the appeals of our home is that it’s relatively new (built less than 20 years ago), so it’s pretty low maintenance. There was nothing we had to have done prior to moving in, which was a big plus when moving with a toddler and another baby on the way. Even though the style in some areas wasn’t my taste, redecorating wasn’t a priority several years ago when we were just getting settled. But little by little, I’ve been making cosmetic changes to lighten and brighten the space and make it feel more like US!

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Easter Basket Stuffer Ideas

Published on March 23, 2022March 24, 2022 by GinaLeave a comment

In past years, I’ve always waited until the very last minute to try to scrounge up Easter goodies for the kids. Last year I didn’t even do Easter baskets because I didn’t get my act together in time. Instead, we hid plastic eggs around the house, filled with candy leftover from the last special occasion. Total mom fail! This year I vowed to plan ahead. With Easter now three and a half weeks away, I’ve purchased most of what I plan to put in the kids’ Easter baskets so that I’m not running around at the last minute again. I figured I’d share what I picked up in case anyone else is currently on the hunt for Easter basket stuffers.

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Why I Love Peloton

Published on February 7, 2022March 23, 2022 by GinaLeave a comment

From the tragic Tread accident last year to the recent negative portrayals in popular TV shows to the seemingly endless headlines hinting that the business is in danger, it seemed poor Peloton couldn’t catch a break. I’m glad to see that the tide might be changing with a possible acquisition in the works. Acquisition or not, I’m a diehard Peloton fan always and forever, so I figured I’d show them a little love (No, this is not a Peloton ad. I just love them that much).

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Almond Flour Pumpkin Banana Bread

Published on November 18, 2019January 21, 2022 by GinaLeave a comment

In all honesty, baking is not my strong suit. I much prefer cooking. I usually get good results with baking if I follow recipes to a T, but I like to experiment and make healthy modifications. Sometimes this leads to success but, more often than not, I’m left disappointed. This happened a couple of weeks ago when I attempted to make a healthified pumpkin bread with Jackson and it was a total flop. I ate a piece but wound up trashing the rest because it just wasn’t good at all. This past weekend, though, I discovered a winner! I decided to modify a banana bread recipe from Detoxinista (whose recipes I love!) and was pleasantly surprised at how good it turned out. The original recipe is already healthy so my modifications were mainly due to the ingredients I had on hand (or didn’t have, like arrowroot starch) and my desire to use up some leftover pumpkin. I didn’t have high hopes after my last baking fiasco, but the end result was a moist, flavorful banana bread (free of dairy and gluten!) that I couldn’t stop eating. David gave it two thumbs up too!

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Preschool Update! How Jackson is Doing

Published on November 14, 2019January 21, 2022 by GinaLeave a comment

Almost three months ago, David and I were gearing up for Jackson’s first day of preschool. Now that we have all had time to get used to the new normal, I wanted to share an update about how things have been going. Truthfully, the start was rough. I knew Jackson was going to be resistant after the whole summer at home with me, but I didn’t expect him to be quite as resistant as he was. Given that he had been in two different daycares (both full and part-time) since he was six months old and transitioned relatively easily there, I figured this would be a similar situation, but it wound up being much harder than I had anticipated and caused a lot of anxiety for both of us.

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Mashed Sweet Potatoes (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

Published on November 11, 2019March 23, 2022 by GinaLeave a comment

With Thanksgiving coming up in just a few weeks, I felt inspired this past weekend to whip up a batch of mashed sweet potatoes. I have no problem with white potatoes, although they often get a bad rap, but sweet potatoes pack a better nutritional punch and I find them equally delicious. They also tend to cook faster, which is always a plus in my book!

This recipe only calls for six basic ingredients: sweet potatoes, butter (I used a plant-based one), salt, cinnamon, allspice, and cayenne pepper. Because of the natural sweetness of the sweet potatoes and the flavor of the spices, you can get away with using a small amount of butter without sacrificing taste. I find that while the dish is super healthy, it doesn’t taste like it. Something about the texture of the whipped potatoes and the combination of flavors makes them taste decadent and almost dessert-like.

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Books for Kids Starting Preschool

Published on August 23, 2019March 23, 2022 by GinaLeave a comment

As I mentioned in my last post, Jackson is starting preschool this year, and it’s a big milestone! Although he has been in daycare in the past (full-time when I was working and part-time since I’ve been at home), preschool feels much different. It’s the step before starting legit school and it just makes Jackson seem so much more grown up! Not gonna lie, I’m freaking out a little bit. I know it’s going to be so great for both of us though. We just have to get through the transition!

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Jackson is Three!

Published on July 19, 2019August 23, 2019 by GinaLeave a comment

Almost a month ago (on June 24th), Jackson turned three years old. The night before his birthday, I went down the rabbit hole of looking at old pictures and videos (anyone else do that?), which of course brought on all sorts of emotions. It’s amazing to me and also kind of scary how quickly you forget the earlier phases. All I can say is thank God for cameras!

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Summer Bean Salad

Published on June 19, 2019October 4, 2019 by Gina1 Comment

I live for fresh, flavorful salads in the summer. This bean-based salad is insanely easy to throw together and doesn’t require any heat or cooking. My mom made it for Emmy’s birthday party and I loved it, so I knew I had to share it here on the blog. It makes a perfect side dish to a BBQ or picnic, especially for those who don’t eat meat, and is great on top of greens or even by itself. Don’t let the short list of ingredients fool you. This is anything but bland! Although not necessary, I recommend making this salad the day before you plan to eat it because the longer the flavors marinate, the better it tastes, in my opinion.

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