Month: April 2024

Posted in Kids

Cotillion Recap

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello!

Well, the kids had their last cotillion dance of the year, and it’s hard to believe we are in a season of “lasts’ for middle school. I received a couple of cotillion questions, and I thought it would be nice to have all the dances and memories in one post, so that’s what’s on tap for today.

The kids have friends and neighbors a couple of years older, so over the past few years, I’ve seen the cotillion pictures without really knowing what it is.

Every school submits names of interested 8th graders to the Lexington Cotillion Club coordinator who then sends invitations to those on the list. If you receive an invite, you of course don’t have to go…and that’s probably would have been Hayden’s preference. haha

There’s a total fee for cotillion dances whether you go to one dance or all four dances. Students receive an invite in the mail for every dance, and RSVP if they can’t come to that dance. There is a theme for every dance, and two of the dances are informal and the other two are more formal. For the formal dances, boys are supposed to wear ties, but can even wear suits or tuxes, and the girls are supposed to wear long dresses.

As you can see from the photos I share, the kids seem to follow the dress code loosely.

For each dance, the kids check in and get a name tag and dance card. The dance card has eight lines on it, and for five of the dances, there are names written in. Then, there are “girl’s choice,” boy’s choice,” and “everyone’s choice” written on the other lines.

Most of the time, the kids dance whenever they want, but there are eight dances on the dance card, and when those are announced, the girls are supposed to go to the part of the ballroom based on their last name, and the boy comes to find them to dance. Let’s just say that I think it’s pretty rare for that part of the dance etiquette to actually happen.

When I talk to others who went to cotillion five years ago or twenty years ago, it seems that this dance as always been at the same hotel and most of the kids socialize more than dance. haha

All of the dances are from 7:30 -10:30 which is such an odd time…and the hotel isn’t close to our house. We always carpooled which was nice, but after dropping kids off (and usually a pit-stop at McDonald’s for food and ice cream), it was 11:30 before everyone got home.

They have light snacks and punch for the kids and there are a few parent chaperones for each dance to help the club coordinator.

With cotillion, to my knowledge, there’s not really an etiquette class, but Lexington does have something called Halls School of Dance for 6th graders. Halls takes place once a week over a couple of months. It’s definitely more formal with girls wearing gloves and tights, and boys have to wear coat and tie. The kids learn different dances and etiquette and then there is a dance at the end where parents can come watch.

Halls is quite a Lexington tradition, but my kids didn’t participate when they in the 6th grade because it was on Thursday nights when Hadley had her competition dance classes, and I didn’t force Hayden to do it. Hadley really wanted to, and I would have let her if it was just a couple of weeks, but Halls was around eight sessions I think.

I’m guessing when Lexington Cotillion Club started, it was probably more formal than it is now.

Anyway, cotillion is something that I’m glad the kids did…even if one of my kids was more excited about it than the other.

Here’s a look back on cotillion season:

Harvest Moon:

The first dance was in October, and it was informal. That day, Hayden had the state cross country meet, and then he wanted to go to the UK football game, so only Hadley went.

She got together with friends to get ready, and I stopped by to see her before they left for the dance. They spent a couple of hours getting ready, had some snacks, and were a bundle of nerves when they left.

When Hadley got to the dance, she texted me that she didn’t know anyone on the dance card…which I replied, “That’s the point!” haha

Of all the dances, I know this one was the most awkward as the kids got the “lay of the land” and figured out how cotillion worked. Overall, she had lots of fun.

Glitter and Gold Gala:

This was the first “formal” of the dances. Hayden had a cross country meet in Louisville that day, so we were gone for most of the day.

Once we got home, I took Hadley to get her hair trimmed, and she got it curled too.

The kids let me snap a quick pic that I ended up using last minute as our Christmas card.

Then, we met at a friend’s house to hang out a bit while the girls finished getting ready. Then, we carpooled to dinner. Since this was a more “formal” dance and we knew many of the kids would be busier in the spring with baseball, soccer, etc., we went ahead and reserved a room at a nearby restaurant for the kids to hang out and eat beforehand. There were about 30 kids.

The parents hung out too until it was time for the kids to go to the dance.

It was nice hanging out with parents for a bit during a busy holiday season.

Overall, the kids had a great time, but they seemed to stay pretty much with their friend groups.

Malibu Mingle:

The February cotillion theme was “Malibu Mingle.” The boys took the less formal theme and ran with it …wearing shorts and Hawaiian shirts.

My friend picked up Hayden and took him and her son to meet up with the rest of the boys for dinner.

Again, the girls met at a friend’s house to finish getting ready together while the moms had some appetizers and a glass of wine.

They added leis to their outfits for the Hawaiian/Malibu theme.

This dance, the kids really seemed to branch out from their friend groups. Hadley gave me all the details when they got home…but mostly about new kids that they met from nearby schools.

Belles and Bowties:

This past Saturday was the fourth and final cotillion dance. This time, the girls got ready at our house. I got a few snacks for them to eat while they got ready.

Like the December dance, we reserved a room at the same restaurant for the kids to eat before the dance.

Before we left, I quickly got a couple of pics of the kids. Hadley’s dress was my favorite one she wore from all four dances.

My mom got some individual pics of them which I appreciated.

The girls…so pretty in their spring colored dresses.

Friends for life.

A group pic before we left, and then a girl group and whole group photo at the restaurant. The boys are tough to wrangle!

After the kids went to the dance, the moms hung out for a bit for a drink and some appetizers.

When the kids got home around 11:00, Hadley filled me in that it was the most fun dance. It seemed like they got lots of pictures with friends that they’d made from other schools and some of their dance partners. Sounds like Hayden even had a good time 😉

While Hadley was into the cotillion activities more than Hayden, he did make the most of it and had fun. I know they will remember their cotillion experience, and this has been a fun 8th grade tradition for them.

May will be a busy month for us as they wrap up their 8th grade track season, have an 8th grade dance and 8th grade promotion. The middle school years have flown by!

Posted in Memes

Monday Memes

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Monday!

How was your weekend? Just like last weekend, we were busy from start to finish…and mama needs a break!

The kids had a track meet on Friday, and we didn’t get home until late. On Saturday, Hadley played a couple of volleyball games, and then both kids had the final cotillion dance of the season which meant another late night.

Tis the season for “all the things!”

Since April is wrapping up, I’m sharing some memes that made me laugh this month:

1.

As you know I get up early, but at this point in the school year, I’m definitely pushing it to the limit being on time for school.

2.

This one just made me chuckle:

3.

Relatable: (haha)

4.

For real!

5.

Current situation:

6.

Tell me it’s the end of the school year without telling me it’s the end of the school year:

7.

This one really made me laugh out loud:

8.

*Sigh* we’ve had a few car repairs, Homer’s vet check up which is always costly, and then we just had to get a new grill and a new dryer.

I hope these start your week off with a laugh!

It’s another busy week around here, but I hope to have a few posts this week.

Posted in Friday Favorites, Kids

Friday Favorites {#204}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

How was your week? Ours was good, but I think the end of the school year fatigue is setting in!

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

Here are some favorites from the week:

Track meets!

Friday night, Hayden ran in a very competitive mile race in Louisville during the Eastern Relays meet.

Hayden came in 3rd with a PR for the mile.

Since I wasn’t there, and Travis is too busy cheering/coaching him, I loved seeing some professional photos of the race.

Hayden sent me this pic which made me smile.

While Travis was with Hayden in Louisville, Hadley was running in a meet in Lexington. She ran the 400 and had a PR as well as the 4×200 which had a state qualifying time. The Friday night track meets can go past 10:00, so we were happy she was finished running by 8:30.

On Monday night, she ran the 100m dash for the first time ever, and won her heat and came in 3rd overall. She was happy with that run.

Over the weekend, she had a volleyball tournament. Her coach had her play libero for the first time, and Hadley was excited for that opportunity. She typically plays back row, but the libero can be subbed in and out with more freedom and gets to play a bit more.

Her team saw some tough competition, but still made it to the gold bracket. They had a fun weekend.

I saw this on Facebook, and loved it. What a cute idea for a book display this time of the year.

My trusty slow cooker that I’ve had for years had to be replaced. The insert cracked quite a while ago, but it was finally time for a new one. I ordered this one for Drew Barrymore’s Walmart line, and so far I like it.

I drink a few protein shakes a week, and I usually stick with the Premier Protein brand. We’ve tried Core Power recently, and the kids like it too. Honestly, the chocolate tastes like chocolate milk…so good, so we ordered a couple of packs from Amazon since our Kroger doesn’t always have it.

Travis and I were able to get to Keeneland yesterday afternoon which was nice. The temps were cool, but the sun was shining…and he “broke even” on the day which is a win in my book. 😆

Remember the Lego flowers I gave Hadley for Valentine’s Day because she thought they’d be cute in her room?! Turns out…Hadley doesn’t like putting the Lego flowers together. My mom saved the day. The bouquet turned out really cute.

Favorite Mom Meme:

Well, this one doesn’t make me laugh…but it is relatable. *sigh*

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:

This pic from 2014 has always been a fave. Hadley having no boundaries…and Hayden wishing she had some!

Weekly Recap:

Here are my posts from the week in case you missed one:

ABC’s of Spring
Wednesday hodgePodge
Monthly Musings

What’s been the best part of your week? See you back here on Monday!

Posted in Monthly Musings

Monthly Musings

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Thursday!

Where has the month of April gone? I always love Patty and Holly’s Monthly Musing link up answering questions on a given topic.

This month’s topic is “all things spring.”

I’ve shared before that spring isn’t really a season on my radar. By spring, I’m just ready to skip to summer!

That being said…

1. Favorite thing about spring?

More sunshine! I do appreciate when it stays lighter longer, the weather warms up and the grass turns green.

I love track season with the kids. Truly, until the kids started middle school, I never thought much about track. It’s really turned into a family affair with Travis helping coach the kids, the kids running, and I bring snacks and cheer from the sideline.

Something else I really love is that the kids run different events. Hayden loves distance, and Hadley runs the shorter races.

I also love spring break. One of the things I like about spring break is that we have some time at home, and we usually try to spend a few days somewhere nearby but also new to us. This year, we had a longer trip to DC, but we still had some days at home.

…and another favorite is spring traditions….

2. What are your spring traditions?

Keeneland in the spring is one of my favorite traditions. Oaks/Derby time is really special too.

3. Favorite spring outfits?

After spring break, I’m all about wearing dresses when I can…

…and cardigans. I have this one in three colors, and it’s still my all time fave.

4. Favorite springtime meal?

I like when we grill out in the spring…the summer too, but it’s hotter outside then. Side dishes for dinner seem easier in the spring….veggies, fresh fruit, pasta salad, and baked beans are easy and our faves.

My kids always request these “asparagus fries,” and we all love them.

5. Spring rain…love or loathe?

I love rain anytime of the year. Of course, days and days of rain isn’t ideal, but I like a cozy afternoon rain where I can watch a movie or read a book. If it’s not raining too hard, I like to sit on my front porch and read a book while it rains.

6. Favorite spring flower?

Peonies! I love when I can find these at Trader Joe’s.

7. Do you get seasonal allergies? Remedies please!

Yes! Everyone in my family has them. When I first moved to Kentucky twenty years ago, I kept getting sinus infections because of my allergies. I still get sinus infections, but now I’m pretty good about using nasal spray and allergy medicine year round.

8. Favorite springtime beverage?

I’m kind of boring in the beverage department. I like a glass of white wine, but once the weather warms up, I will start drinking White Claws or Trulys.

Trader Joe’s has the Rose’ “Simpler Wines” which are refreshing as well.

9. Do you change your home decor for spring?

I decorate for Easter…

…and then I change out of a few things after Easter for Keeneland and Oaks/Derby.

I also put out fresh flowers whenever I can…

…and switch my candle to light, fresh, seasonal scents.

10. Lemon meringue pie or strawberry shortcake?

Strawberry shortcake all the way!

These questions definitely have me in the mood for spring. Thankfully, our weather has been pretty nice the past couple of weeks!

This time of the year, it’s crazy to think that the next time I write a Monthly Musings post, school will be out for the summer!

Posted in Hodgepodge, This and That

Wednesday Hodgepodge 4.24.24

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Wednesday!

Last week, Sarah linked up with Joyce for her weekly “Wednesday Hodgepodge” series, and I thought it looked like a fun post to write!

For the first time, I’m linking up with Joyce to share my answers.

1. When did you last have cancelled plans? Were you happy about that or disappointed?

Me:

Also me:

Off the top of my head, I can’t think of a recent time we’ve had cancelled plans. That being said, some of that is our schedule and just knowing if we want to do something, we probably have to make it work.

Depending on what’s going on, determines if I’m happy or sad about cancelled plans. haha

Over spring break, we had tentative plans to go to Keeneland, but a family matter came up that took precedence which was totally understandable.

2. On a scale of 1-10 how much of a planner are you?

I’m a level 10 planner….and I have all the things to keep me organized. I use the phone on my calendar, I have a calendar on the fridge with weekly activities and dinners, I have my school planner and school calendar, and then we use the Cozi app as a family.

I guess these things are both about having a plan and staying organized. For being in a busy stage of life, we need to have most days, weeks, and meals planned out.

That being said, I don’t enjoy planning vacations, and usually tag Travis as “it” for planning those things.

3. Do you have a menu plan for the week? If so, tell us one or two things that are on it.

This is what I use for the calendar on our fridge. I write down our meals for the week, kids’ activities, appointments, and the grocery list. I’ve purchased this magnetic meal planner three or four times. I like that it has the days of the week and a shopping list all on one pad.

This week, we’re having:

  • Sunday – chicken pot pie and bagged salad. I knew we were having a busy day with volleyball, so I wanted something quick and simple for dinner.
  • Monday – shredded BBQ chicken sandwiches, baked potatoes, and fruit. The chicken was just in the slow cooker with chopped red onion, BBQ sauce and some Italian dressing. I cooked it on low for six hours. Again, we had a busy evening with a track meet, so I wanted something ready for when we got home.
  • Tuesday – I made this Cheesy Taco Pasta, and we will have it with green beans.
  • Wednesday – Leftover taco pasta after the track meet.
  • Thursday – TBD – but either grilled cheese and tomato soup or taco pizza.

4. The Hodgepodge lands on National Bucket List Day. Do you have a bucket list? Is it written down or just in your head? What is one thing on your bucket list? If you don’t have a list, what is one thing you’d add to a list if you did?

I don’t really have a bucket list, so nothing is written down. Honestly, I don’t have activities that I really want to do…I don’t feel the need to jump out of an airplane or hike Mt. Everest. There are some places I’d like to go and things I’d like to see. At the top of my list is that I hope to go to Nantucket one day.

5. Rain buckets, a drop in the bucket, couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket, sweat buckets, cry buckets…which ‘bucket’ idiom applies to your life in some way currently?

“Couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket” could definitely apply to me. I can’t carry a tune to save my life. I will sign along (quietly) to the radio in the car, and I love to watch American Idol, but that’s about it as far as singing in concerned.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

It’s hard to believe, but including today, we just have 24 days left of school.

What’s even harder to believe is that we’ll be celebrating the kids with their 8th grade promotion/graduation…and I feel like they just started middle school!

How it started:

How it’s going:

This was a fun post! I hope to share more “hodgepodge” thoughts now that I know about this link up.

Which “bucket” idiom applies to you right now?

Posted in Blog challenge

ABC’s of Spring

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Monday!

Well, spring is officially “springing” and in the past year, I’ve shared the ABC’s of summer, fall, and winter. So, of course, I have to wrap up this series with one more post…the ABC’s of spring!

A-April: While March is the beginning of spring, April always feels more like spring to me.

B-basketball and baseball: March Madness and opening day for baseball are big spring time events.

C-chirping: birds! In the spring, we have chirping birds outside our window as alarm clocks. If only they knew which day was Saturday!

D- dances: There are so many dances in the spring. My kids have their last cotillion dance soon, and then in May, they have an 8th grade dance for their school.

Of course, the high school students have prom.

E- Easter: Easter is a great way to kick off spring. It’s one of my favorite holidays.

F-flowers and ferns:

In March and April, I start buying flowers at Trader Joe’s. Mother’s Day weekend is when we plant flowers in the porch planters and hang ferns on the front porch.

G- graduation: The countdown is on for 8th grade graduation for my kids.

I feel like they just graduated from 5th grade…

…and of course high school students have their graduation too.

H- hats (Oaks/Derby)

In April and May, Oaks and Derby fashion include hats and fascinators.

I- ice cream: Well, we eat ice cream year round, but in the spring, the kids will bike to get ice cream, and it’s a treat we turn to more often.

J- Jokes (for April Fool’s Day): I’m always thankful when we are on spring break and not at school for April Fool’s Day. We have enough jokes year round. haha

K- Keeneland: The spring meet at Keeneland is one of my favorite times of the year. We love to get out there a time or two each meet.

L-leaves on the trees: The green leaves start to grow and the trees fill out.

M-Mother’s Day: I always love Mother’s Day as we usually go to church and out to lunch. Then, we spruce up the yard and plant flowers.

N- nest: Every year we get a nest in one of the ferns on the front porch. I always have to check it before watering, and I’m always sad on the day I check the nest, and it’s empty.

O- Oaks: We love going to Oaks on the first Friday in May. What a special tradition in the Bluegrass State.

P- patio dinners: We just ate outside last weekend, and it was perfect. I like when we are able to grill out because it’s an easy dinner, and it’s nice to just relax for a bit.

Q-quiet: …mornings on the front porch and evenings on the patio.

R-rain and rainbows:

April showers bring May flowers!

…Even better when we spot a rainbow after the rain.

S- St. Patrick’s Day and spring break:

We all look forward to St. Patrick’s Day and our traditional meal.

We usually do a “low key” spring break trip for a few days not too far from home. This year, we took a bigger trip to DC.

T-track season: Track season is a family affair. Travis helps with the training, the kids run, and I cheer from the sidelines. I love that both kids do this sport together…but do different events.

U-umbrella: for when it rains…

V-Vernal Equinox – The first day of spring in March.

W- warmer weather: While springtime weather can be hit or miss, we know there are more warm days than not and summer will be here before we know it.

X- eXtra daylight hours: Amen!

Y-yard work: Last year was Hayden’s first year mowing our lawn. So far this year, he and Travis have taken turns.

Z– ZZZ: …needing more sleep because of all of the sports and end of the year activities.

Ok, some of these I had to make work, but this was a fun way to wrap up this series. I’m ready for consistent springlike temps and then summer!

What’s your favorite part about spring?

Posted in Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#203}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

This week, I feel like we’ve gotten into more of a routine which has been nice, but we all definitely have school-itis…and are ready for the weekend.

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

Here are some favorites from the week:

The kids’ track season is finally in full swing.

Last Friday night, the kids had their first meet (after the first two modified meets were cancelled) in the cold temps! I had to wear my heaviest winter coat and gloves most of the time!

Per tradition, I got a quick pic before we headed to the meet.

What a night. They ran four races. Hayden had two PR’s and state qualifying times in the 1600 and 800. Hadley ran the 200 and 400 and had a PR and state qualifying time in the 400.

Hadley and I left before Hayden’s last race because it was getting late and she had a volleyball tournament the next morning.

At an invitational meet, the top three athletes in each event get medals. The kids got them earlier this week. Hadley was 3rd in both of her events, and was excited to show me her medals. Hayden’s medals are in the bottom of his backpack, I’m sure.

Hadley’s volleyball team played well this past weekend.

They played on Saturday and Sunday and ended up the runners up in the gold bracket. We still have a few tournaments left, but this club season is close to wrapping up.

The highlight of my weekend was going to my friend Sarah’s wedding. It was so nice to be reunited with friends and celebrate Sarah and her new husband on their big day.

The difference in weather in less than 24 hours was incredible. It was a beautiful day filled with sunshine.

Hadley and Sarah’s daughter have been friends since birth. Their birthdays are five days apart, and they grew up going to the same sitter until they started school.

The boys were busy, so we had a girls’ day at the wedding.

After Hadley’s volleyball games on Sunday, she went to Rupp Arena with friends for the press conference for the new UK basketball coach, Mark Pope. She had a good time.

We had more track this week with beautiful weather on Monday and Wednesday for their meets.

Hadley ran the anchor leg of the 4×100, and they ran a qualifying time for state and were close to breaking the school record.

Needless to say, we’ve had fun watching them run, and the season has just started.

On Wednesday, the kids had their annual checkups. Since they were little, we’ve always gone for ice cream afterwards. They didn’t let me forget this treat.

Last night, Hayden’s coach had the basketball banquet to wrap up the season. While the season has been over for a bit and a few couldn’t make it, it was nice to celebrate the boys one more time.

They ended up in the gym hooping it up at the end, but did let us get one more pic. These boys are a special group for the coach because his first year was as their 6th grade coach, and now he’s the head coach.

Favorite Mom Meme:

Y’all, this week has been hard. While we are in a good routine, we are tired in the morning.

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:

On the left, was the first track meet of the kids’ 6th grade season. Of course they are older and look different, but obviously Hayden has changed quite a bit! They’ve grown into those jackets.

Weekly Recap:

After a slow start to the week, I had a couple of posts towards the end:

DC Part 3
Thursday Thoughts

What are your weekend plans? We have more track and volleyball on the schedule, but I am thankful that we don’t have to wake up super early tomorrow.

Thanks for reading,

Posted in Thursday Thoughts

Thursday Thoughts

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello! It’s been a while since I’ve done a Thursday Thoughts post…

…and after reading John Stamos’ memoir…

I got to thinking about the title and…if you would have told me.

Here are a few if you would have told me thoughts from my life.

1. Moving away from KC

If you would have told me…that I’d move away from my hometown…

My homebody tendencies started young and run deep. I didn’t even want to leave home for college. I stayed home my first year, and then went to Columbia to MU for my sophomore year. Some people want to move away from their hometown for various reasons, but I never felt that way. I truly always thought I’d move back to KC and live there forever.

When people ask what brought me to Kentucky, I always say, “I was young, dumb, and in love.” Now, that’s not to take anything away from Travis and our relationship, but how many times are you 24 with nothing really tying you down, so that you can take a leap of faith? Today, Travis could get the job offer of a lifetime now, and I really think I would hesitate to move anywhere besides where we are. This is our home, but I do say that the word “home” is complicated for me. I feel “at home” in KC and in Lexington.

Also, guess I’ve always been pretty practical…and when Travis wanted to branch out of working in college athletics, and get into the horse business, the horses are in Kentucky. I could teach anywhere.

Obviously, things work out how they are supposed to, and we have a very blessed life, but it would be nice to be close to family.

A few KC/MO memories through the years…

2. Twins

If you would have told me…that I’d have twins, I think I’d be speechless. In fact, I was speechless when I found out. haha

Never in a million years would I have guessed that I would have twins. Thankfully, we knew pretty early on, so we had lots of time to prepare. Also, it’s kind of amazing that Travis and I each ended up with a little “mini me.”

Having twins is really special for us as parents, and I am grateful that my kids are boy/girl twins, so it’s easy not to compare them really. My kids have been different from day one, and it’s amazing to see their personalities stay pretty consistent through the years.

They are very lucky to have each other, and I hope they realize that. I do think Hayden could work on appreciating his sister a bit more… but she does know how to drive him crazy. 😉

I think it’s special that they have their own friends, but those friend groups overlap. I hope that continues into high school, so they can keep each other in check.

I think it’s been fun for them (whether they will admit it or not) that they’ve had a couple of classes together this year.

Also, as busy as they are with their activities, and they each have their own interests, it’s really special during track season that they have that in common. That being said, true to their strengths and their personalities, Hayden runs the distance events, and Hadley runs the shorter distance events.

3. Blog

If you would have told me…that I’d have a blog, I might have believed you. 😉

I guess for being a pretty private person, it’s a contradiction that I share so much about my life. I am more of an introvert who is forced to be extroverted.

When the kids were babies, I remember someone suggesting blogging as a new stream of income for some…so that would be have 2010 or so. Who knows…had I figured out how to start a blog then, maybe this gig would have become lucrative. haha

That being said, I blog because I like to write. It’s my outlet, a way to have my voice heard, and a way to capture the moments in life.

As the kids have gotten older, I’ve tried to respect their privacy a bit more although they are pretty indifferent about what I write.

I’m really grateful to have this space as a scrapbook of the past few years; I truly wish I’d started blogging sooner.

Thoughts:

This was a fun topic to write about. Like most things, I’m really grateful that my if you would have told me examples are pretty light-hearted and not serious. I know many people have been faced with health issues, deaths, and other challenges in life that are much more serious.

What about you…

What’s your “If you would have told me?” moment?

Posted in Travel

DC Part 3

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello!

How is your week going? I didn’t mean to take a short blogging break, but last weekend was busy from beginning until end, and Monday night the kids had a track meet. So, I just couldn’t find the time to write anything.

Anyway, I’ve shared parts one and two of our spring break trip to Washington, DC, and today I’m sharing the final part.

Wednesday:

Wednesday was the rainiest day of our time in Washington, DC, but we still had things to see, so we didn’t let that stop us.

When we were ready in the morning, it wasn’t raining, so we decided to get going.

We stopped in the hotel lobby for a quick Starbucks breakfast before walking to the Metro.

We were “pros” at Metro riding by this point 🙂

As soon as we exited the Metro and went up the stairs, we were met with a cold rain. The kids pooled together $8 cash to buy an umbrella from a guy selling them by the Metro.

(FYI – We’d brought a golf umbrella, but I’m not sure why Travis continued to leave it at the hotel!)

We headed straight to the…

…World War II memorial.

It was a really pretty memorial, and we took our time walking around it.

When I went to DC with my mom and brother in 2004, there was a kiosk where you could look up WW2 soldiers. I tried to find it again, but…it is twenty years later and 2024, so now, there was a QR code to scan that takes you to the website registry.

I looked up my dad’s uncles and showed their pictures to the kids. They thought that was really neat.

The cold rain was more than a mist at this point, but we were close to the cherry blossoms at the Jefferson Memorial.

Even though it was an overcast and rainy day, we were glad they were still in bloom.

The Jefferson Memorial in the distance:

Hadley took this pic:

…and this one…influencer in the wild 😆

Then, we started our walk to the American History Museum…and it was BeReal time, and this was Hadley’s post for the day. She sent me the silly selfie.

We all enjoyed a couple of hours in the American History Museum.

I loved the First Ladies exhibit…

…with the White House China. Then, we learned about the different wars and the Medal of Honor.

We spotted Dorothy’s ruby red slippers…

…and the Rockford Peaches! I love the movie A League of Their Own.

Travis checked out the beer display.

Hadley played Prince’s guitar, and we saw Archie Bunker’s chair and all about Micky Mouse Clubhouse.

Of course, Hayden loved seeing Muhammad Ali’s robe and Michael Jordan’s jersey.

The Star Spangled Banner exhibit was neat, and we were in awe of the original flag (but no pictures allowed in the exhibit)

Once we wrapped up at the museum, I’d hoped we could go to the National Archives, but it was still raining, and everyone was hungry. We still had Georgetown University on our list, so we rode the Metro…

…back to our hotel because the kids knew there was a Chipolte next door. At first, Travis and I tried to convince them to try somewhere new, but honestly, they’d been troopers, and it was raining pretty hard…and Chipotle makes everyone happy.

After we ate, we headed to the hotel to get our car, and we drove over to Georgetown University…

…because of course Hadley’s souvenir was a hooded sweatshirt. Hayden got a t-shirt.

We didn’t see much of the campus, but it looked pretty!

We went back to the hotel for a couple of hours to warm up, shower, and rest.

Travis and Hayden had big plans to go to the Wizards vs Lakers NBA game, so they left around 6:00 to ride the Metro there.

Hadley and I left about 6:30, and drove back to Georgetown to meet friends at Founding Fathers Fishers & Bakers.

Our good friends (Hadley’s bestie) were also in DC for spring break, so we made plans to meet up with them while Travis and Hayden were at the game.

Hadley had salmon (her fave) which was the special, and I had a Caesar salad.

Travis sent me this pic to tell me they’d made it:

…but Hayden worked his way closer to the action. haha

After dinner, the girls wanted ice cream, (of course they did!), so we walked to a nearby place.

Then, we drove back to our hotel around 9:30, and Hadley took this pic out our window:

We started to tidy up and pack and Travis and Hayden got back a little after 10.

Thursday:

Well, we had big plans for Thursday before we left, but the only real thing we accomplished was that Hadley was able to get an acai bowl from the nearby place she’d been eyeing since we got there!

Our plan was to go to Arlington Cemetery before heading home, but when we got there, there was a line a mile(s!) long. We parked, got out, and contemplated waiting, but we would have been in line for hours. I’m not sure if it was the fact that it was spring break or if because the weather was finally beautiful…or if that’s normal, but I was bummed we couldn’t make that happen.

We stopped in Charlottesville for lunch, but it was blustery and raining there, so we skipped Monticello (again!…I knew that would happen). We ended up driving through snow in West Virginia which was so crazy.

We got home around 9:00, and the next day was pretty cold and dreary at home. That gave us time to sleep in, do laundry, unpack, and be lazy.

Overall, it was a really great trip, and I’m so glad we made it happen. I was impressed with DC and how clean it was and how safe we felt there.

I do wish we’d planned a little better on a few things. I knew we’d need to get Holocaust and Air and Space tickets in advance, but I wasn’t really on top of that. So, if we ever get back there, we’d like to prioritize those two things and see Arlington Cemetery. Somehow, we missed the Vietnam Memorial, and I wished we’d seen that as well.

Anyway, I think the kids really enjoyed it, and will have great memories of our time in DC. Let me know if you have any questions about our trip.

Posted in Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#202}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

TGIF! We survived the first week back after break. Of course, it helped that we didn’t have school on Monday! We did have a good week, but it was a rainy one around here.

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

Here are some favorites from the week:

Monday was the Solar Eclipse day, and it was nice to have one more day of break. I guess because of the eclipse, we didn’t have school. One of Hadley’s best friends had her birthday party that day, and these girls had lunch while viewing the eclipse and then enjoying some cake! I think they had a great time.

Meanwhile…Hayden and I kept checking out the eclipse as the sun dodged in and out of the clouds. We were finally able to catch the eclipse a couple of times. Our area was at 96% coverage, and it was neat to see.

I saw this meme on Monday, and it made me laugh!

Hayden was “bored” the other day and organized our fridge. He sent this pic to our family group text:

Of course, I appreciate the effort, but I told him to maybe check out his bedroom too. haha

Also, please don’t judge the White Claw/Truly inventory. Most of these are from last summer. haha

He even unpacked my favorite snacks!

One of the things on my spring break “to do” list was to watch We Were the Lucky Ones on Hulu. I loved the book, and it was one of my Top 5 reads in 2021.

The series is so good, and I’m caught up on the episodes. There are two more to go I think.

Before our DC trip, I bought some new tennis shoes. My back was starting to bother me a bit, and when that happens, I usually realize that my tennis shoes are over a year old. I can say after logging many miles walking around DC and doing some at home workouts this week, I really do like these shoes.

I got mine at DSW, but I couldn’t find them on the website, but found them on the New Balance site.

It’s track season, and I was hoping to be able to say that the kids out running on the track is a favorite but… the first meet was supposed to be on Wednesday, and it was rained out. Yesterday was supposed to be the second meet of the season, but it was also rained out.

Fingers crossed the rain moves out by tonight’s invitational meet.

Favorite Mom Meme:

When they take out the trash without me asking, I know something is up! haha

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:

I feel like I went my whole life without ever hearing about a solar eclipse, but my kids have experienced two in a matter of seven years.

The 2017 solar eclipse was spent making crafts and hanging with friends after school was called off.

No crafts for the 2024 eclipse although now I’m realizing that was a missed opportunity!

Weekly Recap:

I had a full week of posting:

Share Our Lives
DC Recap part 1
Let’s Look
DC Recap Part 2

What are your weekend plans? Besides track on the calendar, Hadley has a volleyball tournament this weekend, and we have a wedding to attend. Thankfully, I think the sun is actually going to shine this weekend.

Thanks for reading,