Month: February 2022

Posted in Let's look

Let’s Look

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello! It’s already the second Wednesday of the month which means Shay and Erika are hosting Let’s Look.

In January we looked at:

  • How you organize for the new year

This month’s topic is: What you eat in a week.

A few things:

I typically incorporate Intermittent Fasting into my routine. That means, I just drink my coffee (with a splash of creamer or a Mini Moo) and then don’t break my fast until lunchtime. I’ve done this pretty consistently for about four years.

I always pack my lunch for school. Always. In twenty years of teaching, I’ve only purchased school lunch when they are serving the Thanksgiving meal. That’s it. To be honest, sometimes I hate packing my lunch, but I know it’s the healthier option and the quickest considering how short lunch is for teachers! I try to make a lunch on Sunday that I can get a couple days out of during the week as well.

I also typically have an afternoon snack whether it’s a protein shake, popcorn, or something else pretty simple. Sometimes, I will have another quick snack (like a smoothie, a few pretzels, etc.) when I get home if I know dinner will be late.

I make dinner at home Sunday-Thursday. I try really hard to make at least two dinners that will provide leftovers. I almost always make something Sunday that can roll into Monday because Mondays are our busiest nights and Mondays are just Mondays sometimes too!

Lastly, I usually do have some kind of sweet treat after dinner. Typically, that will be a cookie, or 70 calorie brownie, or a Built bar.

What I Eat in a Week:

I planned ahead and tried to track what I ate last week. I will say the beginning of the week seems like light eating for me. haha. Monday-Wednesday last week was when I worked late at school and was very busy during the school day. On Monday, I didn’t eat lunch until 3:00, so I feel like the first few days of the week weren’t super typical. Also, we ended up more leftovers than normal (even from takeout), so I ended up repeating some meals for lunch and other dinners.

Also, I didn’t track breakfast because that’s always just coffee with some creamer.

Monday:

Lunch: I made Amy’s Greek bowls and some strawberries.

Snack: Protein shake…this is one of my faves.

Dinner: I had Shay’s Turkey Tortilla Soup waiting for us in the slow cooker when I got home at 7:00.

Dessert: a Fiber One brownie.

Tuesday:

Lunch: same as Monday (Greek bowls) + green grapes

Snack: Skinny Pop

Dinner: leftover soup from Monday

Dessert: about 10 hershey kisses! 😑

Wednesday:

Lunch: Turkey Tortilla Soup (not sure why we had so much left!) and green grapes

Snack: PB & J smoothie

Dinner: Baked chicken, bagged Caesar salad, fruit

Dessert: a Mint Brownie Built Bar Bite (try saying that ten times fast!). I’m new to trying these, but I like them.

Thursday:

Lunch: We were home due to weather, so I had time to make chicken quesadillas for myself and the kids. I also had an apple.

Snack: mini peppers and TJ Buffalo chicken dip (one of my faves!) and then pretzels later.

Dinner: Since it was a cold rainy / snow day, we had brinner which hit the spot! I had strawberries and turkey sausage with my pancakes.

Dessert: I had a glass of red wine while watching Ozark with Travis.

Friday:

Lunch: Again, we were home due to the weather (Travis too), so I made a “Valentine’s Day” lunch.

Snack: veggie, pretzels and hummus

Dinner:

Travis and I had reservations at Bella Cafe for an early Valentine’s Day dinner. I ordered the chicken which came with Brussel sprouts and mashed potatoes. I took home half of the whole meal.

Dessert: We stopped at a favorite place for a glass of wine before heading home.

Saturday:

Breakfast: Proud of myself for saying no to the donuts Travis picked up.

Lunch: I had leftover baked chicken from Wednesday night, an apple, and some Lays potato chips.

Dinner: We had dinner out again with some of Trav’s co-workers and clients. I got the steak medallions, roasted potatoes, and broccoli.

Dessert: two Girl Scout cookies (ugh! but yum!)

Sunday:

Lunch: tortilla wrap with turkey, cheese, veggies, & mustard, an apple, and some pretzels. (I also went ahead and made a couple of wraps to take to school Monday and Tuesday.)

Dinner:

I actually didn’t cook because we were busy and everyone wanted random things. I ended up finishing up my chicken from Friday night, making a quick salad of arugula, feta, salt/pepper, and a squeeze of lemon, and some strawberries.

Dessert: I had made Shay‘s Valentine’s Chex Treats, so I enjoyed one of those for dessert.

So, that’s what I eat in a week! While we usually get take out or go out on Friday and Saturday evenings, it’s unusual that I went to two nice restaurants in one week. I think I made good meal choices, but I also had a bit more wine than usual given the eating out, Valentine’s Day celebration, and I love a snowy evening with a glass of red wine.

What’s one of your favorite “go to” recipes for lunch or dinner? I’d love to add to my rotation!

Thanks so much for reading,

Posted in Gift Ideas, Holidays

Valentines Day Ideas

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Well, with Valentine’s Day less than a week away, today I’m sharing with you a few Valentine’s Day ideas.

I’ve shared before that Travis and I typically make a point to go out to dinner around Valentine’s Day, and then we exchange cards. We don’t go over the top, but it’s nice to set aside some time of the two of us. We were able to go out to dinner on Friday while the kids had plans with friends.

Once we had kids, I started doing a bit more for them. When they were little, we’d do crafts or color pictures, they would have Valentine’s Day parties at school, and I’d get them a box of candy as a sweet treat. Through the years, I started buying cookies from local cookie decorators and pick up a few gifts as well.

I shared my Valentine’s Day decor post last week, but here are a few food, dessert, and gift ideas.

Breakfast:

For breakfast, heart shaped pancakes are always fun. I’ve also made cinnamon rolls and then added pink and red sprinkles. At the grocery store on Sunday, they were out of cinnamon rolls. I was trying to plan ahead for breakfast this weekend. I guess I will have to check back later in the week.

Lunch:

This was the first year that I did a Valentine’s Day lunch. I loved Andrea’s lunch idea, and I planned ahead a bit knowing that we may not have school at the end of the week last week. So, when I went to the store to pick up some items we might need during the ice storm, I had a few lunch ideas in mind.

Since Valentine’s Day is on a Monday this year, and Mondays tend to be our busiest evenings, I thought we could have some family time a bit early (even Travis was home on Friday), and I put out a platter with lunch bites and candy.

We had:

  • PB & J heart shaped sandwiches
  • Chomps
  • Apples
  • Pretzels (and hummus)
  • Strawberries
  • Carrots (and Ranch dressing)
  • Pretzels with peanut butter
  • Turkey sliders

For sweet treats, I included:

  • Conversation hearts
  • Gummy X’s and O’s from Trader Joe’s
  • Birthday Cake Granola

I kept the table simple with a few decor items I already had out and put out cute paper plates and napkins for everyone to serve themselves.

The last few years when Valentine’s Day was on a the weekend, I made a point to make a special dinner.

We’ve also done “Dinner of Favorites” which included bacon cheeseburgers, tacos, and mac and cheese.

One year, I also attempted a heart shaped pizza!

Sweet Treats:

Trader Joe’s always has a great selection for every holiday season.

I picked up the gummy X’s and O’s as well as some jelly bean hearts the last time I was there. Also, I found the Safe + Fair brand and Kroger and the Birthday Cake granola is a family favorite.

Over the weekend, I made Shay’s Valentine’s Chex Treats.

They were a big hit with the family.

Gifts:

I keep things pretty simple and buy a few items I know the kids will enjoy, but maybe something that they also “need” (like a book! 😆)

For Hadley:

  • I remember loving Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, and I hope that Hadley will too.
  • I saw this bracelet in a Nordstrom ad, and thought it would be perfect for Hadley.

For Hayden:

  • I thought this book looked perfect for Hayden. He’s my reader, and I know he loves basketball. This book of letters looks to have great advice, and may be perfect for Hayden.
  • Travis ordered this reusable tournament bracket for Christmas. He thought it was clipboard size, but really it’s poster sized! haha I think Hayden can hang it in the basement by his basketball hoop and keep up with the bracket during March Madness.

I also picked up a sweatshirt, candy, and some cookies for both of them.

Valentine’s Day Card:

Every year, I get a card printed from Shutterfly to send to our immediate family. So many family members send the kids cards, so I want to send them something as well. I usually get ten cards for about $15.

2021
2020

Do you have any Valentine’s Day traditions? Let me know!

{this post contains Amazon affiliate links…}

Posted in Weekend Top 5

Hello Monday

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello! Well, we’ve finally thawed out here in Kentucky, and I do think that most of this week looks like we should have some normal temps and weather. We really need a regular week…I feel like the whole month of January we were out of sorts.

I’m linking up with Holly and Sarah for Hello Monday….

…to share my Weekend Wrap Up.

Well, Friday was an actual, old-fashioned snow day. Since we knew in advance that we had the day off, I was able to sleep in a bit. I woke up at 8:00!

Thankfully, we didn’t get as much as ice as they predicted, but we sure got enough to make everything messy. We also got a bit of snow on top of the ice.

I started watching The Woman in the House… and I think it’s pretty good!

I worked out and then took advantage of the fact that everyone was home (even Trav) and made a Valentine’s Day themed lunch.

I had to get caught up on a few hours of schoolwork…and then I took a two hour nap! I started to read my book and could barely keep my eyes open. I’m telling you…last week and my late work days caught up with me.

I’ve shared before that Travis and I usually try to go out to dinner around Valentine’s Day, and we did so on Friday night. I had made a reservation at Bella Cafe a couple of weeks ago, and then the kids both had plans, so our date night worked out.

On Saturday morning, Hayden two early basketball games.

After his game, I ran a few errands. I had a Target pick up and then I stopped in my favorite bookstore, Joseph Beth, for a few things.

Then, I picked up a couple of books that were on hold at the library and went to the UPS store for an Amazon return.

When I got home, I was so excited because my first ever Antique Candle Co order had arrived. I took advantage of their 40% off sale and ordered four candles. I immediately lit the Vanilla Bean, and it’s so good.

I watched a bit of the Olympics while the kids worked on their book projects. They had three choices for their project, and I swear they chose the most difficult one!

Then, it was time to shower and head out to dinner. Travis had some clients in town, and we met them (and a few of his co-workers) out at Honeywood for dinner.

Dinner out two nights in a row…who am I?!

Once we got home, I watched more Olympics and headed to bed pretty early for a Saturday night!

I slept in a bit again. I drank my coffee and watched an episode of the The Rookie ( love that show!) Then, the rest of the day was “go, go, go!” We went to church, and I came home for a quick lunch before going to my hair appointment.

I came home and had just enough time to make Shay‘s Valentine’s Chex Treats. They were quick to make, no bake, and delish.

While I was at my hair appointment, Hadley went to youth group and Hayden had basketball practice. I met Travis and Hayden at his basketball game.

I decided not to do grocery pick up this week because I’d heard (and seen on the news) how picked over everything was due to the ice storm. So, I took my list with what we needed for dinners this week and a few other things, and headed to Kroger. Things were definitely more in stock than they were at the end of the week!

I came home, and we all had different leftovers for dinner. The kids finished up their projects and vocab assignment while I worked on this post. I love watching the Olympics, so I’m ending the evening watching skiing, skating and whatever else is on!

I hope you had a great weekend. Thanks so much for reading.

Posted in Friday Favorites, Kids

Friday Favorites {#99}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello! Well, this week was definitely different. Monday-Wednesday I was in charge of our Extended School Services program for tutoring and credit recovery after school. That meant I didn’t get home from school most days until 7:00.

Then, we had an NTI day yesterday due to the incoming ice storm. All day, we got tons of cold rain, and no ice. That being said, the temps went below freezing after dinner, so freezing rain and sleet began to tap on the windows. Snow may even round out the storm.

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

With the hectic pace of life lately, I’m trying to acknowledge the small favorites in each day. So here we go…

Friday:

We’ve had quite the winter and last Friday evening we got the prettiest snowfall.

Saturday:

Hayden had a basketball game on Saturday, and it was a close one! His team came out on top, and they were excited to get the win.

Sunday:

We are still trying to bounce back from the Chiefs loss on Sunday (and it’s a little rough living so close to Bengals territory! 🤪). That being said, Homer was in the football spirit on Sunday!

…and I still say we have the cutest Chiefs fans.

I hope they have lots of memories cheering fro KC sports together!

Monday:

I was really bringing my “A game” at the beginning of the week, and made Shay’s Turkey Tortilla Soup in the slow cooker. I didn’t get home from school until 7, so it was nice to have this delicious soup waiting for us for dinner.

Tuesday:

On Tuesday, the kids brought home their Honor Roll certificates for last quarter. We’re really proud of their effort!

Hayden’s was all crumpled in his backpack which is a step above last quarter when he threw it away rather than show me the certificate. Hadley’s was nice and neat in her binder which is about the only things she has organized.

Wednesday:

How sweet is this photo? Hadley was so excited because she gets to help at cousin Layla’s dance class this semester. Hadley said her favorite part was that the little kids just randomly come up and give hugs!

Thursday:

After three long days of work, I was happy to have a low key day at home for NTI. Even better was finding my Girl Scout cookie order on my doorstep in the afternoon.

This is the first year in six years that Hadley didn’t sell cookies. I’m happy to support the other troops, and we all have our favorite cookies.

The new cookie this year is the Adventureful cookie. It’s so good.

Favorite Kid Quote(s):

Both the kids had their funny moments this week.

Favorite Hayden Quotes:

  • Upon hearing the Tom Brady news, Hayden said, “Well, it’s time. He’s basically dad’s age and playing with 25 year olds!” When I said it must be hard to walk away from the game after so many years, Hayden continued with, “See ya, Tom! Mom, do you know how many times Tom has broken my heart?!”

Also, last Saturday, Travis was out of town and Hadley was at a friend’s for the night.

  • Hayden was saying goodnight to Homer and he said, “Mom, I read somewhere that dogs sometimes yawn when they are stressed.” I said, “Oh really?” He followed up with, “Homer yawns around Hadley a lot.” 🤣

Hadley Quote:

Hadley is always more helpful to Hayden than he is to her. She offered to get him dessert one evening this week.

  • As she handed him his bowl of ice cream, she said, “Here you go peasant.” 😆 That must be a vocab word this week!

Favorite Mom Meme:

This made me laugh out loud. There are so many nights I don’t want to cook dinner, but I do so anyway.

Between chain supply issues and our ongoing winter weather, the grocery store has been hit or miss. I’m so happy if there are at least substitutions!

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:

How about this sweet snow day pic from 2013?

Weekly Recap:

I had a few posts this week including the books I read in January, a few Amazon purchases, and my Valentine’s Day decor.

What I’ve Been Reading
PRime Purchases
Valentine’s DAy Decor

To wrap up today’s post…my favorites for today include that fact that we have a good old fashioned snow day and the Olympics start!

I hope wherever you are, that you stay safe and warm! See you back here on Monday.

Thanks so much for reading.

Posted in Holidays, Home Decor

Valentine’s Day Decor

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello! We’re home today due to the impending ice storm. The kids have an ortho appointment and then we will be inside for the foreseeable future.

It’s a perfect time for me to share with you some of my Valentine’s Day decor. I don’t go overboard with decorations, but I love to add a few things here and there around the house.

Outside:

I change my garden flag with the seasons, and the heart door hanger is one of my favorites!

I add this simple X O X O banner to the mantle every year.

It’s a cute little festive touch along with the wooden love sign.

The Hershey Kisses don’t last long in our house, but I refill the heart jar a few times. My friend made me the wooden heart sign a few years ago, and the conversation hearts are another family fave in the pink bowl.

The gold X O X O and white ceramic heart are TJ Maxx finds from a few years ago.

That’s about it for the Valentine’s Day decor.

Mix, Match, Move Things Around

Mid-September is when I put up fall decor followed by Christmas decorations. Every January I try to remember where my regular decorations go! I even take pictures, but then fail to look at them. I do kind of like moving things around until everything is “just right.”

I’ve tried to use what I have rather than purchase new when decorating. I’ve seen some decorate with a wooden tray to hold their cooking utensils. My friend gave us this personalized cutting board for our tenth wedding wedding anniversary in 2015. I use it often for charcuterie, but I thought it was the perfect touch for this corner of my kitchen.

I’ve had the “T” and “J” for years, and moved them to this little corner of our built in. Usually, I have a candle there, but decided I wanted these on display for now.

I also like changing out this frame of the kids. Usually, it includes a precious photo of them at the beach a few years ago. That being said, I will rotate seasonal photos as well to freshen up the frame.

If I buy something, even an inexpensive piece, I try to use it for a variety of seasons. I bought these these metal risers at Hobby Lobby in the fall, and have already used them to hold pumpkins and pinecones. I moved them to mantle and found these topiaries at TJ Maxx. I love the pop of green with spring right around the corner.

Lastly, I’m about to play “musical” wall art with a few pieces. I’ve had a family photo on this wall for years, but wanted something a little bigger for the space. This wooden arch has been on a wall in our office, and I’ve just propped it on our entry table for now. I actually purchased another one (on the half off week), and may hang both together somewhere. I need Travis for hanging things…otherwise, we end up with lots of holes in the wall!

I’m happy with how everything is put back together now that the big holidays are are over. I always feel better once I declutter after the first of the year, and I always feel like the house looks so much brighter once I get everything back in the right place.

See you back here tomorrow for Friday Favorites. In the meantime, I’m going to hunker down at home.

The governor declared a state of emergency, and this was Trader Joe’s last night:

No bread, no dairy, no produce, no freezer items, oh my!

Stay warm and cozy,

Posted in Amazon

Prime Purchases: February 2022

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello! Happy February 1st! I have a few Amazon items to share and am linking up with Tanya to do so.

My recent Amazon finds:

This Neoprene bag was a birthday gift from my mom. So, while I didn’t purchase it, I did suggest it to her! I’ve used it a few times for school as well as to pack when I know I have a busy weekend. I also used it to carry my personal belongings and cosmetics when we went to Cincinnati for the night in early January. I plan on using it more in the spring and summer when I’m headed to the kids’ track meets and activities. I love the cute pattern, and it’s great quality!

Hadley needed some new rain boots, and I had ordered her some Sperry’s on sale for Christmas, but they didn’t fit. When I went to order another size, the price had gone way up, so Hadley found these instead. They are so cute, and perfect for rainy days; she’s even worn them on snowy days when we are out running errands. If only she was a size 9…then, we could share! She’s almost there.

I technically purchased this mattress topper at the end of December with some Christmas money, but I wanted to use it for a bit before sharing. We’ve had our mattress for quite some time, and probably need a new one. A friend mentioned buying a pillow top mattress topper, and I’m so glad she did.

This one is a dream! It has 18,000 four and a half star reviews, so I felt good about buying it. It’s not too soft, but it’s just enough to really help our really old (and firm!) mattress.

I had actually suggested this as a practical Christmas gift for the kids, and my mom each got them one for their double beds. We all are all overdue for new mattresses, and these quilted toppers will help extend the mattress life a bit.

Lastly, with Valentine’s Day right around the corner, I thought this sweater looked fun! It arrived, and I loved the quality and design, but wasn’t sure if it was right for me.

….but, I tried it on again (excuse the wrinkles on the sweater) with denim and wedges and I do think I really like it! I also ordered it in gray with a white heart, but I’m still waiting on it to come in. Then, I will keep one and return the other.

I had a pretty “light” Amazon month. Of these four, two were bought in late December, and one was a gift! I’m still going to try and slow my Amazon roll for February as well. I know Travis will really appreciate that! haha

I hope your week is off to a great start.

{this post contains Amazon affiliate links…}