Month: December 2021

Posted in Everyday Life

2021: Year in Review

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello! Can you believe that 2021 is almost over? Much like 2020, some months seemed to crawl by while others were a blur. I guess, really, that’s life in general. Of course, 2020 and 2021 have been full of ups, downs, masks, and an ongoing worldwide pandemic.

That being said, this is another favorite post of the year. Now, it’s a long one, but I love looking back on all that we’ve done this year. Also, it’s great to have a year full of memories all in one place!

After two years of doing these reviews, I finally got smart, and started this post last January. I just added to it each month in order to share it today!

Here’s a look back at 2021.

January:

To kick off the new year, Girl Scout cookie sales began for Hadley.

We still weren’t back to school, and my kids attended a pod of students two days a week. Before heading back to school in January of 2021, they had a pod roller skating party where I lived my best 80’s life, Hadley got the hang of skating, and Hayden gripped the side of the rink the entire time.

Hadley started phase two of braces.

We celebrated my birthday.

I was able to get Covid shot #1.

…and we had the first snow of the season.

February:

To kick off February, unfortunately, our Chiefs lost in the Super Bowl.

We celebrated Valetine’s Day with dinner, as a family, at home.

I got Covid shot #2…which kicked my tail!

We had lots more snow and ice off and on for two weeks!

Cookie sales wrapped up, and Hadley sold so many boxes!

March:

Finally, in March, we were headed back to school which meant the kids’ time at the pod wrapped up.

We had our first day of in person learning in over a year on March 3, 2021.

Hayden’s team won the winter season basketball championship.

Hayden made the big switch to wearing contacts.

Hadley had her first ever dance competition.

April:

In April, we spent Spring Break at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville.

We had our first ever Top Golf experience while in Nashville.

Baseball started for Hayden.

We celebrated Easter.

Travis and I were able to spend an afternoon at Keeneland.

Baseball continued…

With 2020-21 being a very different school year, 5th grade photos were taken once we got back to in person learning.

Hadley had her second dance competition of the season.

May:

May was a blessed and busy month.

It started with a the third and final dance competition of the season in Gatlinburg, TN.

We celebrated Mother’s Day.

My mom and Gma visited, and we celebrated my mom’s birthday.

The kids’ made the decision to be baptized…

…and had 5th grade graduation!

June:

We started off the summer with Hadley’s dance recital, and..

tons of baseball for Hayden. He had so much fun playing with his summer team.

Hayden also attended baseball camp, and he loved it.

We celebrated Travis on Father’s Day!

…and took a vacation in Isle of Palms, SC.

July:

In July, we celebrated the 4th, and…

…then we celebrated Trav’s brithday.

Hadley went to camp, and lived her best life with so many new friends!

Hayden enjoyed golf camp while she was gone…

…and baseball continued…

Swim team finished up in mid-July.

August

In August, we started all the back to school prep, and Travis and I spent a few days in California.

The kids started middle school!

Hayden continued to play baseball with this fun crew:

Photos by Chet White

The kids also had dance and cross country tryouts for school.

September

In early September, Hadley’s time as a Girl Scout wrapped up.

Baseball finished up, and Hayden won the Sportsmanship award for his team.

I decorated for fall which is one of my favorite things to do.

We attended a few UK football games.

Middle school cross country was in full swing.

Unfortunately, September ended with Covid for Trav and the kids.

October

We were able to visit the pumpkin patch.

School cross country wrapped up with the state meet.

One of my college friends visited, and we were able to make it out to Keeneland.

Hadley had her first middle school dance team performance.

Hayden spent lots of time on the basketball court.

We ended the month with GG (and Gma) visiting for Halloween.

November

November started off with a photo session for Hayden with his talented photographer uncle. (Hayden had missed xc school photos when he was out with Covid.)

Hayden White. Photos by Chet White

Hayden ran his first club race of the season…

…and continued playing basketball.

The twins turned T W E L V E !

We travelled to KC for Thanksgiving, and we had a great time with family.

We also bumped into Santa while at Union Station in KC.

December:

December began with us picking out our Christmas tree.

I put out some of my favorite Christmas decorations.

We attended a few Christmas parties.

Hayden started winter basketball with Trav as an assistant coach on the team.

Hadley had her Winter Showcase for her dance studio.

Hayden finished up his club running season at at USATF National race in sloppy conditions!

My mom visited and baked cookies with the kids.

We sent out Christmas cards.

Hayden tried out and made the middle school basketball team.

Good luck balloons from sweet friends

The kids got their first vaccine at the beginning of break.

We celebrated Christmas at home.

The second half of break was spent relaxing, organizing, working on science fair projects, playing with friends, seeing the Spider-Man movie, shopping at the mall, and a few other activities…like going for a hike at the Red River Gorge yesterday.

What a year! 2020 was so hard. We didn’t know what to expect with 2021. Honestly, 2021 was pretty difficult too, but of course, we had so many wonderful times as well.

I continue to count my blessings while wishing time sure would slow down.

I’m glad we still have a few days of break. I’m not sure why, but we don’t go back until Tuesday! We’ll take a few more days of no alarms, catching up on shows, and a few other fun activities planned before getting back into our normal (super hectic) routine.

Leaving off with a laugh…

I hope everyone has a wonderful NYE and a great start to 2022.

See you back here on Monday.

Posted in Books and Shows

December Books +TOP 5 Books of 2021

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello! Today is one of my favorite posts of the year. I’m sharing my Christmas reads in December as well as the Top 5 books that I read in 2021.

roseclearfield.com

To me, there’s nothing better than a good book. With the hustle and bustle of each day, I try to find some quiet time to read. It’s a gift to find that time and so special to find a book that I enjoy.

December Books:

As with the past couple of years, I read Christmas books in December. I really enjoy doing this, and I think reading these types of books helps me appreciate the holiday season.

This month I read:

{As always, book summaries are from Goodreads…}

Per usual, I’m sharing the summary, but as far as the “quick comments” are concerned, really, I enjoyed all the books I read this month. They are all 4 or 5 stars! I do think my order of preference would have to be: The Holiday Swap followed by The Twelve Dates of Christmas and then A Nantucket Christmas.

A Nantucket Christmas:

Summary:

Holidays on this Massachusetts island are nothing short of magical, from the jolly decorations on the Brant Point lighthouse to the much anticipated Christmas Stroll, in which merrymakers promenade through quaint streets adorned with Yuletide cheer. The season’s wonderful traditions are much loved by Nicole Somerset, new to Nantucket and recently married to a handsome former attorney. Their home is already full of enticing scents of pine, baking spices, and homemade pie.
 
But the warm, festive mood is soon tempered by Nicole’s chilly stepdaughter, Kennedy, who arrives without a hint of holiday spirit. Determined to keep her stepmother at arms’ length—or, better yet, out of the picture altogether—Kennedy schemes to sabotage Nicole’s holiday preparations. Nicole, however, is not about to let anyone or anything tarnish her first Christmas with her new husband.
 
Nancy Thayer’s wonderful tale reminds us that this is the season of miracles. Before the gifts are unwrapped, surprise visitors appear, and holiday joy comes to all, both naughty and nice.

Rating:

The Holiday Swap:

Summary:

When chef Charlie Goodwin gets hit on the head on the L.A. set of her reality baking show, she loses a lot more than consciousness; she also loses her ability to taste and smell–both critical to her success as show judge. Meanwhile, Charlie’s identical twin, Cass, is frantically trying to hold her own life together back in their quaint mountain hometown while running the family’s bustling bakery and dealing with her ex, who won’t get the memo that they’re over.

With only days until Christmas, a desperate Charlie asks Cass to do something they haven’t done since they were kids: switch places. Looking for her own escape from reality, Cass agrees. But temporarily trading lives proves more complicated than they imagined, especially when rugged firefighter Jake Greenman and gorgeous physician’s assistant Miguel Rodriguez are thrown into the mix. Will the twins’ identity swap be a recipe for disaster, or does it have all the right ingredients for getting their lives back on track?

Rating:

The 12 Dates of Christmas :

Summary:

When it comes to relationships, thirty-four-year-old Kate Turner is ready to say “Bah, humbug.” The sleepy town of Blexford, England, isn’t exactly brimming with prospects, and anyway, Kate’s found fulfillment in her career as a designer, and in her delicious side job baking for her old friend Matt’s neighborhood café. But then her best friend signs her up for a dating agency that promises to help singles find love before the holidays. Twenty-three days until Christmas. Twelve dates with twelve different men. The odds must finally be in her favor . . . right?

Yet with each new date more disastrous than the one before–and the whole town keeping tabs on her misadventures–Kate must remind herself that sometimes love, like mistletoe, shows up where it’s least expected. And maybe, just maybe, it’s been right under her nose all along. . . .

Rating:

Recap of Books 2021:

This year, felt like a weird reading year. I did read so many good books…It’s more that I think I spent so much of this year feeling tired. There were nights that I couldn’t even keep my eyes open or the school day was so crazy that I just wanted to watch mindless TV instead of sitting down with a book.

That being said, reading is still one of my favorite past times, and I still enjoy having an ongoing “to be read” list!

My 2021 Reads:

January:

  • American Dirt
  • Make Life Beautiful
  • What Happens in Paradise
  • Piece of My Heart

February:

  • The Lies that Bind
  • A Hope More Powerful than the Sea
  • Troubles in Paradise

March:

  • We Were the Lucky Ones
  • Layla
  • The Giver of Stars

April:

  • The Push
  • Firefly Lane
  • Little Disasters

May:

  • The Wife Upstairs
  • The Hurricane Sisters
  • Where the Red Fern Grows

June:

  • Good Apple
  • The Good Sister
  • Girls of Summer
  • The Last Thing He Told Me
  • Here’s to Us

July:

  • Open Book
  • We Were Liars
  • The Cave Dwellers
  • The Summer House
  • Malibu Rising

August:

  • Local Woman Missing
  • Golden Girl
  • The Four Winds

September:

  • Yoga Pant Nation

October:

  • The Wrong Family
  • One Day You’ll Thank Me
  • Of Mice and Men

November:

  • Not a Happy Family
  • Christmas in Peachtree Bluff
  • The Girls in the Stilt House

December:

  • A Nantucket Christmas
  • The Holiday Swap
  • The Twelve Dates of Christmas

Top 5 books of 2021:

I really had a hard time choosing some of my Top 5 books because quite a few stood out to me on my initial list.

Before I share my Top 5 reads of 2021, these deserve honorable mention recognition:

Here are my 5 favorite reads of 2021 in the order I read them…

American Dirt:

I started off 2021 with this (after light hearted Christmas books, I typically want to read something more serious in nature). I could not put this book down. I was on the edge of seat the entire time. This book had violence, tension, difficult decisions, and so much more. I guess I was reading this entire book thinking about myself as a mom. I can’t imagine what Lydia experienced on a daily basis while trying, above all, to keep her son safe and start a new life for them.

We Were the Lucky Ones:

This was another powerful read. I don’t typically read historical fiction, but this book hooked me from the first page. Set in Poland in 1939, I was immediately invested in what would happen to each member of the Kura family. This was a book of strength, of hope, of loss, and of survival.

The Giver of Stars:

My mom recommended this book to me, and I can’t believe I waited so long to read it. This was another historical fiction novel, set in Kentucky during the Great Depression, I loved getting to know this fierce group of women. Margery leads the pack horse librarians, and this book isn’t without sadness and strength, heartbreak and triumph.

Malibu Rising:

Those who read Malibu Rising seemed to either love it or hate it. I was clearly “Team Love It.” I read this book in July, and it was the perfect summer read. What’s not to love about California in the ’80s? The Riva siblings were all so different, and I love how the plot moved between the past and the present. This was a quick read for me, and one that I would definitely recommend.

The Girls in the Stilt House:

Well, The Girls in the Stilt House sure was a pleasant surprise. I hadn’t even heard of this book until Shay and Erika shared it on their podcast. It was available at my library, and I was excited to dive in. This story is set in Mississippi in the 1920s. I loved reading from the point of view of both Matilda and Ada. As I said in my November review, “This book had the loneliness of Crawdads, the heartache of Four Winds, the solidarity of The Giver of Stars, and the empowerment of all.” And I meant it 😉

This year…

This was the first year that I used the Good reads app to track what I read. I set a goal to read 40 books, and, well…that’s exactly how many I read!

I think I will set a similar goal for 2022. I never want reading to feel like a chore or something I have to do. Reading about three books a month is a good pace for me, knowing that I will probably read more in the summer months.

roseclearfield.com

Previous Top 5 Books:

In case you’re interested, here are my Top 5 books posts from the last two years.

2019
2020

I have one more post for 2021. I’m taking a look back on 2 0 2 1, and I will share that on Friday. Only a few more days until 2 0 2 2! That’s so hard to believe.

We’ve been having a great break. I’ve enjoyed sleeping in a bit, catching up on shows and movies, reading, and just having a more easy going schedule!

See you back here on Friday!

Posted in Holidays

Christmas Recap

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Monday! I love a Monday with still over a week left of break!

Today, I’m sharing some of our break so far as well as our Christmas.

On Monday evening, Travis and I attended my school’s holiday party. While we were there, the kids decorated their gingerbread houses with the sitter.

Tuesday was cookie baking day. We usually bake two cookies: Peanut Butter Blossoms and Chocolate (Peppermint) Crinkle cookies. Sometimes, we will also do sugar cookies, but we decided to just stick with these two recipes.

The chocolate cookie dough has to go in the freezer for a bit, so Hadley and I made that dough while Hayden was at basketball training. Then, when Hayden got home, he helped me make the peanut butter cookie dough, and we baked all the cookies.

Both kids like to help, so it simplifies things (*read: less fighting) if I make one type of cookie with each kid. That being said, all hands on deck for the Kisses!

Both cookies turned out perfectly.

On Wednesday, cousins came over, so I baked gingerbread cookies ahead of time and the kids decorated them.

Our elf has been up to a bit of fun this past week. The kids loved the cookies he left, and they had fun searching for the candy canes he scattered around the house.

Homer has been really good with Red this year except for one time when he got him! So, Red thought it would be best to hang out in the Mason jar! The kids loved the lottery tickets he left (but, no winners!), and of course we needed reindeer food (oatmeal + glitter) so Santa could find our house.

We had our Louisville Christmas on the 23rd. The kids loved their gifts…

and cousin time.

Christmas Eve morning was pretty low key. I had some time to finish wrapping gifts, and then I baked the cake I make every year: Shay’s Chocolate Peppermint Mocha Bundt Cake.

It’s a family favorite!

Then, we went to my brother’s house for a cousin Christmas. The kids exchanged gifts, and…

we enjoyed a few Spritz cookies that my brother’s family made (another family tradition!)

My kids usually exchange their gifts on Christmas Eve before bed. That being said, I had a feeling we were going to have a late night, so they exchanged gifts Christmas Eve afternoon once we got home from my brother’s house.

Last weekend, we all had lunch out and then I took Hayden to pick out Hadley’s gifts while Travis took Hadley to get Hayden a gift. It’s always so fun to see what they choose for each other.

Hayden and I went to Buff City Soap, and he picked out a few things for her. Then, he said we should go to Joseph Beth (a local bookstore…and one of his favorite places. haha) JB does have so much more than books! He was excited to find this stuffed dog that he said looked just like Homer!

Hadley picked out Nike shorts and a shirt for Hayden as well as the Jordan magazine that I told her he had his eye on it at the bookstore.

We had Christmas Eve dinner before church. We had salmon, Bob Evans mashed potatoes and bacon wrapped green beans.

Before Christmas Eve service, we took a couple of pics:

Our church looked so pretty…

…and my favorite part is Silent Night.

After the Christmas Eve service, we stopped by our friends’ house for some apps and drinks. They were having an open house for neighbors and friends. It was nice to see everyone and hang out for a bit.

Then, we put cookies and milk out for Santa along with a few carrots for the reindeer. (We will do this until they graduate high school, right?!)

Per tradition, the kids stayed up too late, and I had to force them to *finally* go to bed.

We set the presents out and headed to bed close to midnight!

Hadley told me she was going to set an alarm to wake them at 7:30, so I set one for 7:00, so I could be up and have a few minutes of peace and quiet.

They woke right around 7:30. We opened presents while Red watched from the tree, per tradition.

The #1 thing on Hadley’s list was a pink cowgirl hat. Hayden asked for a UK basketball jersey and Kobe’s Mamba Mentality book. Both were very pleased on Christmas morning, and I love that their wish lists are pretty simple.

Then, it was stocking time which is everyone’s favorite part.

I wish I could say the rest of the day was super relaxing because we did stay home all day, but the day still somehow passed by quickly. From breakfast, to gift assembly, clean up, organizing, family phone calls and more, we were pretty busy…but a good kind of busy.

The weather was so mild that the kids actually played outside with friends most of the afternoon.

Finally, Christmas night, I watched A Christmas Story per tradition.

Yesterday, we eased into the day, but then we spent over three hours purging and organizing drawers, closets, and the kids’ bedrooms.

Travis reminded me that we didn’t have our traditional Christmas morning mimosas. So…I treated myself to one yesterday afternoon as a reward for all the cleaning and organizing I did. #treatyoself

Then, I watched the Chiefs vs the Steelers game while Hayden and Travis went to a local high school basketball game.

We’ve had a really great first week of break, and we had a wonderful Christmas as well. It has been different being home so much, but we’ve had a good mix of productivity and a bit of relaxing.

This Week:

I plan on posting two more times this week:

On Wednesday, I will share the books I read in December as well as my Top 5 books of 2021:

Then, on Friday, I’m going to take a look back at 2021…

I hope you had a very Merry Christmas and the happiest of holidays.

Posted in Holidays

Merry Christmas

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Happy Wednesday! With only a few days until Christmas, I wanted to take this opportunity to wish you all Happy Holidays and a Merry Christmas.

I tried and tried to find a time to snap my kids’ photos for a card, and the best I could do was asking them to put on some nice clothes, sit, and smile in the hotel lobby over Thanksgiving.

Not too shabby for a spur of the moment photo sesh:

Of course, Hayden and Hadley were insistent that Homer make the annual Christmas card too! Well, he wasn’t at the hotel with us, so we took a quick photo once we returned home from our KC Thanksgiving.

Again, this was the best we could do because Homer refused to get near the tree in the living room. So, on the sun room couch, kind of near the tree is the best we could get.

I think the cards turned out great.

front

I was pleased that we got an impromptu family Thanksgiving photo, and that the kids ran into Santa at Union Station. We were able to add a few informal photos to the back of the card.

back

I believe that I shared last year that I typically order two cards. I purchase one set from Shutterfly on Cyber Monday, and then I also print some at Walgreens. I love making two cards because I always have a hard time choosing just one template.

Also, it’s time consuming (but worth it!) to send cards, so I love being able to get started sending cards while waiting on the Shutterfly order that typically takes longer to arrive.

2021 card #2

Bonus Holiday Photos:

I shared this photo that I ordered from Narci a few weeks ago…

…but I also ordered this one to have out during the holiday season:

These photos are so sweet and special. I will certainly cherish them for years to come.

Also, Homer is excited for Santa Paws 🐾

I know that the holiday season is such a special time for so many, but for others it can be a very difficult time as well. Trav has recently lost a special member of his family, and I know they aren’t the only ones who’ve lost a loved one. Also, with the recent devastation from the tornadoes here, so many are starting over and rebuilding their lives while mourning lives lost.

My thoughts and prayers are with those who have experienced loss and sadness making this a difficult holiday season.

We’re staying home this year, and while I know I will enjoy a slower pace these next few days, I’m certainly missing my KC family.

I’m taking the rest of the week off to spend time with my family, but I plan on posting a few times next week.

Please know how grateful I am for this community.

From my family to yours, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Posted in Me

2021 Blogging Recap

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Today, I’m taking a look back at my blog for 2021.

Blogging is just a hobby for me. It’s something I do for myself. When I started this blog in August of 2019, I didn’t know what to expect. Along the way, I’ve “met” so many new people, and I appreciate all the love and support from my readers.

I feel like I’ve found a groove with blogging. I like sitting down each month and planning my posts with pencil/paper. I always write down the link ups, and then fill in the blanks for other days with my monthly posts like Monday Memes and What I’ve Been Reading. I enjoy coming up with my own topics, but I also love writing on the same topic as others but with my own thoughts to share.

When I started out, I blogged three days a week. During Covid, I had a bit more time, and was blogging five days a week most weeks. This school year, I definitely needed to slow down a bit, but I didn’t want to give up on writing. So, four days a week tends to be an achievable goal for me.

This year, I’ve “stretched” myself a bit, and I’ve enjoyed being a part of the Not Just a Mom link up and becoming an Amazon Associate. Thank you so much for your support!

Stats:

It’s definitely not about the numbers for me. I joked when I first started the blog that I figured it may just be my mom who reads it! That being said, I find it interesting to see how things have progressed throughout the years. From the number of posts I write, to views, and interest in certain posts, I just think it’s neat to look at occasionally.

As of yesterday…

  • I wrote 197 posts (with a few more planned before the year ends)
  • 61, 478 views in 2021a
  • 18, 516 visitors in 2021
  • September 2021 has the highest viewership with 5.8k views.

I realize some bloggers get that many views in a week (or a day!), but it’s just fun to see the growth from year to year. Last year, I had 41,000 views from 16,000 visitors.

It still blows my mind that people read, comment, and/or “like” my posts. haha

My most read categories are:

  • Holidays
  • Friday Favorites
  • Clothes
  • Let’s Look
  • Amazon

Commenters:

I appreciate all who read my posts, but the following are my top commenters.

I think it’s so interesting that they have blogs of their own!

  • Amy (Coffee and Cocktails at the Casa)
  • Holly (Pink Lady)
  • Sarah (Sunshine and Books)
  • Joanne (My Slices of Life)
  • Lauren (Don’t Mind Our Mess)

You should definitely check out their blogs too if you aren’t already doing so.

Top 10 posts:

My favorite posts I’ve written this year…

I’m a pretty reflective person, and I just like to take a few moments to look back on the posts and stats from the year. As I continue to grow as a blogger, I’d love to know what topics you are interested in reading about, and I can try to to plan accordingly. So…feel free to let me know!

As always, thanks so much reading. I truly appreciate this special community!

See you back here tomorrow for one more post this week.

Posted in Memes

Monday Memes

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello! How was your weekend? We had a great one. I’d been wanting a peppermint shake from Chick-fil-a, but hadn’t gotten one yet this season. So, we started off break with me picking up the kids and a couple of their friends after school. We headed to CFA for a treat. It was fun hearing the kids talk about all the middle school things, and they were definitely excited for break.

Friday night, we celebrated a close friend’s 40th birthday. We all had a great time.

Saturday started with a basketball game for Hayden. Then, the four of us went out to lunch and then split up to let the kids pick out their gifts for each other. I took Hayden, and Travis took Hadley. I love this tradition, and it is always fun to see what they pick out for each other.

Sunday, I was up before everyone else, and enjoyed my quiet time.

Then, we went to church, I ran a few errands, and then I got some time at home to relax and wrap presents while Travis took the kids to Louisville for the afternoon.

This morning, I was excited to not set an alarm and to be able to ease into the day. #itsthelittlethings

How in the world is it already only five days until Christmas?! Before this month wraps up, I wanted to share some of my favorite memes with you!

1.

Y’all, one night last week at 9:30 I was so tired and wanted to go to bed. I opened my spice cabinet to put something away and couldn’t handle how unorganized it was. I’d been needing to purge it for some time. Not even ten minutes later with fifteen expired (hello! 2014!) spices in the trash, and it was a whole new cabinet! I slept really great after that 😉

2.

Hmmm…who could this be about? #rhymeswithmaiden

3.

My morning time before the rest of the house wakes up is some of the best time of the day for me.

4.

I feel seen.

A few holiday memes…

5.

I wrap most of my presents while in the basement. No matter how organized I try to be, I swear I have to come upstairs at least twice for scissors, a marker, or tape!

6.

Haha! The kids each have a Trader Joe’s advent calendar, and they enjoy their morning chocolate. Thankfully, I can show some restraint.

7.

For some reason, all last week, I would wake up about a half hour before my alarm. I swear my brain would just turn on thinking of everything I needed to do that day.

8.

I’m forever sitting there doing the math trying to figure out if it’s worth it to buy something else in order to get the free shipping. Thankfully, with Amazon, I don’t have to do that kind of math. #freeshippingforever

9.

Speaking of shipping…

…and, I don’t want to jinx anything, but I haven’t experienced many delays in what I’ve ordered.

10.

This one just made me chuckle. It’s so easy to get stressed out this time of the year. I’ve been trying just take each day as it comes and enjoy this holiday season as much as I can.

and…

as of Friday at 3:30, everything officially became a “January” problem 🤣

I hope these memes started your week off with a laugh or two.

We don’t have much to do today, so I hope to finish wrapping presents. I plan on posting tomorrow and Wednesday, so be sure to come back!

Take care,

Posted in Friday Favorites, Holidays, Kids

Friday Favorites {#94}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Friday! Well, we made it to the end of the week!

Today is the best kind of Friday…the last day of school before a two week break!

I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.

The kids both had a very busy Saturday last weekend. Hayden had his last club cross country race of the season, and Hadley’s dance studio had their Winter Showcase.

I missed Hadley’s first performance trying to get to Hayden’s cross country meet, but I was able to make it to her second performance. My mom was in town, and was able to see both her grand daughters’ performances.

Hadley performed in both a ballet and competition jazz routine.

Hayden was supposed to run at 11:00, but the race got pushed back to 12:30 due to the storms. I thought I could watch Hayden run, and then make it to Hadley’s second performance, so I tried to do both. Well, it’s a forty-five minute drive, and Travis warned me about the long line of traffic to park. Right as I reached the mile long line of cars, it started to rain again. Travis texted me that the race got pushed back again to 1:15. So, I drove all that way just to turn around in order to make it to Hadley’s performance.

This was a USATF National race with top runners from throughout the country…and these were the running conditions:

While I know Hayden didn’t finish where he wanted to, he still ran a great race. He gave it his all which is all we can ask for from our kids.

My mom was visiting, and brought the kids these hot chocolate bombs which, of course, were a favorite.

Then, they helped her bake cookies. This is definitely a favorite Christmas tradition.

On Sunday, my brother and sister-in-law hosted us for an early Christmas dinner.

The kids were excited to open some gifts! My mom was able to stay a couple of extra days and help with school drop off, pick up, schoolwork, and was able to see my nephew’s Christmas performance too.

Homer welcoming us home is always a favorite. He’s been such a good boy this year with the trees and ornaments.

Wednesday night, we were able to carry on with another favorite tradition. We drove through the Southern Lights at the Horse Park. I love this tradition, and it was the perfect night to see the lights.

Red has been back in action at our house…

He hasn’t been getting into too much trouble.

Hayden brought home this ornament he made in art class. The wooden Santa belt is the perfect addition to our tree.

Usually, I share a “favorite mom meme,” but this one seems fitting right now as a teacher:

Weekly Recap:

I was a busy bee blogger this week. There are my posts:

NJAM: Holiday Movies
Day in the Life on Insta
Holiday Home tour
This or that: Christmas Edition

What are your plans this weekend? Hayden has a basketball game, I have a friend’s birthday party, and we hope to make time to let the kids shop for their gifts for each other!

Thanks so much for reading,

Posted in Holidays, This and That

This or That: Christmas Edition

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello! I’ve shared a few This or That posts, and I think they are a fun, quick way to share thoughts on a topic. Shay recently shared her This or That for Christmas on Instagram, and here are my responses too!

  • Fake Tree or Real Tree: We used to have an artificial tree for years, but have gotten a real tree for the last few years. I do love having a real tree as our main tree in the living room.

…but I love having a smaller artificial tree in the sun room and our bedroom to enjoy for a bit longer than a real tree lasts.

  • White Elephant or Secret Santa: Why is it that both of these options stress me out? I swear I’m a fun person. 😆 I guess I just feel like it’s one more thing to do / gift to buy when the time comes. I do think if I had to choose, I prefer Secret Santa because at least then you give and get something you’d probably actually want.
  • Egg nog or Hot cocoa: I love egg nog in December. I’m not a big cocoa person…but Hadley sure is! Hayden prefers egg nog. Sweet story: when the kids were little, my dad started calling egg nog “Christmas milk,” and it’s stuck! Also, my kids prefer the AE brand, and we don’t get that in Lexington. So, my brother bought a few at Thanksgiving, and put them in a cooler to bring back to Lex. Then, my mom brought a few cartons when she visited last week. So, Hayden has been so happy to have some extra “Christmas milk” on hand.
  • The Grinch or Elf: ahhh! I love the Grinch story, but prefer the Elf movie.
  • Mariah Carey or Michael Buble: Well, 1997 me would have been blasting a Mariah Carey CD in my car this time of the year, but the 40+ year old me definitely loves Michael Buble.
  • Black Friday or Cyber Monday: Hands down, I’m a Cyber Monday girl. I’ve never understood why people Black Friday shop. It’s too much pressure, too hectic, and too crowded! I love to make a list and be ready to go on Cyber Monday for probably 70% of my shopping. Then, I enjoy taking my time while out and about in December to choose other gifts when I have more time to do so.
  • Christmas Day or Christmas Eve: I think I’m more of a Christmas Day person. While I love the traditions of Christmas Eve, Christmas Day has a slower pace to it and a bit more time to relax.
Christmas Eve service is a favorite
…as is Christmas dinner
  • Ugly Sweater or Matching PJs: I love pjs! It’s always fun seeing my kids in their Christmas pjs excited for Santa. I hope as they get older, they will still continue this tradition in some way.
  • Giving Gifts or Getting Gifts: I definitely enjoy giving more than receiving! It’s always fun to see someone open a gift you think they’ll like.
  • Eating treats or Baking treats: BOTH?!? I do have quite the sweet tooth, so I enjoy eating treats, but I also love baking them. The kids and I bake some cookies with family this time of the year which is fun.

So, that’s a wrap on those topics! What about you? What are your preferences?

I can’t believe we only have two more school day until break. I can’t wait to not set an alarm and have some time to actually wrap gifts, bake cookies, and have a little extra time to relax.

See you back here tomorrow for Friday Favorites.

Posted in Holidays, Home Decor

Happy Holidays Home Tour

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

‘Tis the season for reds, green, and sparkly. Well, at least that’s what you’ll see at my house.

This is the first year I didn’t decorate until after December 1st. I typically try to have my house decorated the Sunday before Thanksgiving, but with the kids’ birthday that weekend and then holiday travel, I just didn’t get it done until the first weekend in December.

My holiday decor tends to stay the same year to year, but I tend to always pick up at least one or two new things to add to our home. These posts are a way for me to share how I’ve decorated, but they also help me remember where I put things each year.

Come on in…

Outside:

For the second year in a row, I purchased two strands of garland from Trader Joe’s. I have no clue if it actually helps but I take a spray bottle of water and midst them every couple of days hoping they will stay green until December 26th 😉

I love my door hanger from a local artist, the Rudolph pillow covers are from Etsy years ago, and the light up trees fit pretty perfectly in the planters I keep out year round. I also add bows and a few pieces of leftover greenery to the planters.

Travis puts lights in the bushes which are a nice finishing touch for the front.

Front Hall:

This area pretty much stays the same year to year. Next year, I may find something to replace the light up tree…it can be glitchy.

Our elf left the bow on our new mirror, and I forgot to take it down. I kind of like the added touch.

I add a few holiday touches to our built in’s.

I love this tall Santa, and I found him the perfect spot on the living room fire place.

I’ve had the same pillows and blanket for quite a few years. Next year, I may find one to replace the “Peace” pillow because a red pillow and Homer hair aren’t a great combo.

I always love decorating the tray on the coffee table. I have quite a few trays and tend to move them around. I light this candle every morning while I have my quiet time.

I gave Travis a hard time about the size of our tree, but I really do love it. The snowflake pillow, picture of the kids under the tree at a month old, and a few packages (Amazon boxes I wrapped a few years ago) round out this corner of our home.

I added a few festive touches to the top of the cabinet in the office.

My Gma made this winter shadow box for me as one of my Christmas gifts. This week, I found a perfect spot for it on our desk.

The view from the kitchen to the office is a fave of mine. I added a few holiday pieces to this tray on the island as well.

A friend made me this sign a few years ago, and I love displaying it every year.

I shared in a previous posts that Hayden was insistent that we find a place for the village my Gma gave me years ago. I can’t believe I didn’t think of the buffet sooner. It’s perfect there.

This glass dome sits here almost year round. In the fall, I fill it with pumpkins, and for Christmas, I fill it with ornaments.

The small wreath with ribbon was a last minute addition to the tobacco basket. The wreath typically sits on my candle holder, but I wasn’t using it right now. I just tied it to the basket with a leftover piece of ribbon, and it was the perfect touch.

I always swap out my china for Christmas plates, and the angel can hold a tea light; I’ve had it for years.

Here’s the village lit up at night:

I purchased new garland for the mantle last year, and I’m still pleased with it.

Last year, one of our stocking holders broke, so this year, I decided to just use command hooks. I also moved the stockings to either side, and I like that the fireplace looks less cluttered.

I loved decorating this tray on our kitchen table. I kept it simple with this lantern, some ornaments, and these red berry boxwoods. I only purchased two new things this year. These boxwoods for $5 each at Target and a new pillow for the chair in the kitchen.

I love setting the table with my Target plates that I’ve had for a few years.

Here’s the new pillow I picked up at Michaels.

My mom gave me this cute “Merry and Bright” Plaza lights art, and I love it in our kitchen hutch. I also added a few trees and a favorite snow globe. My Gma painted the tree next to the snow globe years ago, so it’s also one of my favorite pieces to put out each year.

This is the second year I’ve decorated the sunroom. The tree and slip covers were purchased last year.

A few trees and a seasonal candle are perfect for this tray.

In our room, I have one of my cashmere pencil trees and a crock that I add a candle to at night. Both are from Michael’s.

One more peek at our living room tree. She gives off quite the glow in the morning and nighttime hours.

It’s so much work, but I’m always happy when I get everything in the right place. Also, as I wrote this post, I realized that so many of the pieces I put out each year are from (or made by) family. That makes this time of the year extra special.

Next year, I’m seriously considering decorating in early November. I love my fall decorations as well, so I tend to keep them out as long as possible. November is a hectic month for me, but I do think it would be worth it to have fall decor out in September and October, and then have more time to appreciate the Christmas touches in November and December. We’ll see!

I will say that I always love a fresh start in January, and it’s nice having everything back in its place. That being said, I will also enjoy the twinkle of the lights and the cozy decorations for as long as possible.

Happy Holidays from our house to yours!

Posted in Everyday Life

Day in the Life…on Insta!

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello!

I love Day in the Life posts. Today, due to being short on time, I thought I’d try to share in “real time” on Instagram as much as I can today.

…so follow along if you’d like! (@showmeandsweettea)!

As far as the rest of the week goes, I hope to share:

  • Christmas decorations
  • This or That: Holiday Edition
  • Friday Favorites

I hope your week is off to a great start.

“See” you later on the ‘gram today.