What Has Jacqueline Laurita Been Up to Since the Real Housewives of New Jersey?
The wife and mom of three has kept busy since last appearing on #RHONJ.
After a bit of a break from The Real Housewives of New Jersey during Season 6, Jacqueline Laurita will be joining returning cast members Teresa Giudice and Melissa Gorga on the show for its upcoming seventh season premiering later this year.
Jacqueline was briefly featured last season of RHONJ, but even that wrapped in the fall of 2014, so it's been a long time since we visited the Garden State and had a good catch-up sesh with the wife and mother of three. And, as we all know, a lot can happen in a year, especially when you're a RHONJ cast member. So even though we haven't really seen Jacqueline on RHONJ in a while, she has been extremely busy with her family and career.
1. She Was on Manzo'd with Children
Though Jacqueline didn't show up too much on the last season of RHONJ, we did see her quite a bit during the first two seasons of Manzo'd with Children, especially during preparations for Lauren Manzo's wedding last season, which Jacqueline was also attended. Remember, Caroline Manzo is Jacqueline's sister-in-law, so of course she would want to be present during her family's major life moments.
2. She Wrote a Book
Long before she was on RHONJ, Jacqueline was working as a cosmetologist. Now she's putting all of the beauty expertise she has gained over the past 20 years into an upcoming book called Get It!: A Beauty, Style, and Wellness Guide to Getting Your “It” Together co-written by Jené Luciani. The book will help you live your healthiest life with advice on your relationships, fitness, and mental wellbeing. Get It! hits shelves May 24, but you can pre-order the book on Amazon and Barnes & Noble's website now.
3. Her Son Nicholas Is Making Progress Every Day
Jacqueline and Chris Laurita's son Nicholas was diagnosed with autism in 2012. Though it has been challenging to deal with, as we've seen on RHONJ, it sounds like he continues to make progress every day, whether it's learning how to draw people, asking his big sister Ashlee Holmes to open the door, reading, riding a bike, or making eye contact. Jacqueline has been proud of him every step of the way.
4. She's Raising Awareness for Autism
Following Nicholas' diagnosis, Jacqueline has dedicated herself to raising autism awareness online and working with organizations such as Generation Rescue, which helps families affected by autism spectrum disorders and whose president is Jenny McCarthy.
5. Her Son CJ Is All Grown Up
Jacqueline and Chris' older son CJ was a youngster when we first met him on RHONJ. But CJ is now in the seventh grade — don't you feel old? In the time since we last saw CJ on RHONJ, he has just been doing what kids do these days: bowling, celebrating Halloween, eating junk food, and playing in the snow. But he's going to be all grown up before we know it.
6. She's Supporting Her Daughter Ashlee's Dreams
We've seen Jacqueline and her oldest child Ashlee go through their share of ups and downs on RHONJ. However, the two seem to be in a very good place these days. Ashlee turned 25 years old at the end of November, and she's been pursuing a career as a makeup artist. Jacqueline has even been Ashlee's guinea pig to practice some of her special effects makeup skills. Now that's love.
7. She Has Faced Some Challenges
Jacqueline and Chris' Franklin Lakes home was put in foreclosure after the couple had put it on the market in January 2014, NJ.com reported last June. The news of this came after Jacqueline and Chris had talked about living a more modest lifestyle on RHONJ. The couple also grabbed some headlines for a legal battle involving Chris' now-bankrupt clothing company Signature Apparel. Hopefully, Jacqueline and Chris are in a good place this season of RHONJ.
8. She Still Hangs Out with Kathy Wakile and Rosie Pierri
Scroll through Jacqueline's Instagram feed, and you'll often find a few familiar faces, including RHONJ alum Kathy Wakile, her husband Rich Wakile, and her sister Rosie Pierri. The next time they all hang out, we'd love to be invited, just saying.
9. She Interviewed a Fellow Bravoleb
Jacqueline appeared on the show Healthy Lifestyle with Eraldo as a co-host last October and interviewed fellow Bravoleb Dr. Paul Nassif about his skincare line. We wonder if Jacqueline picked up any tips on entering the health and wellness space from the good doctor?
We can't wait to see Jacqueline's return to RHONJ. Get a glimpse of what you can expect from the upcoming season, below.
