jgalvinwhite

Posted on July 10, 2020July 9, 2020 by jgalvinwhite

Happy Friday! For some reason, this week seemed to fly by! As usual, I’m linking up with Erika and Andrea for this week’s Friday Favorites post.

Favorite Kid Quote:

Hayden was on a roll this week.

On Sunday, we met some of Trav’s family for an early dinner. We got home around 6:30. At 7:00 Hayden asked me what was for dinner, and I told him we’d already had dinner. He said, “Well, I need a second dinner. Dinner 1 didn’t ‘qualify.'” haha

Then…

On Monday, Travis took Hayden to his haircut place for a much needed trim. At dinner, Hayden was telling me all about it. He loved it because they washed his hair and had a television. He said, “I enjoyed the experience. By the way…only men can go there!” 😂😂I guess he’s a man now!

Favorite Moment:

In the afternoons, Hadley and I have been reading a bit of Love Does: for kids. It’s been sweet seeing her take interest in the book, tell me her thoughts and ask me questions.

Favorite Day:

Tuesday was Trav’s birthday! So, of course that was our favorite day this week. We got him a few gifts and a cake.

When I shared a couple pics on social media, more than one person asked where the cookie cake was! They know me so well. 😉 I was just trying to be practical when I went into Kroger for the few things I needed (rather than take a trip to the mall to Great American Cookie), and looked at their options. There was one pitiful cookie cake, but Hadley noticed this chocolate one with buttercream frosting. It’s no cookie cake, but it was delicious.

I love this pic of my fave 3.

We grilled out and kept it simple for dinner and shared the cake with Trav’s brother and his boys.

Favorite Food / Snack:

I’m late to the Dot’s Pretzel game. I picked these up the other day at Kroger, and the family plowed through the bag in less than two days. I picked up another bag with my Clicklist order and told everyone to pace themselves!!

Other Favorites:

When Hadley went with me to Kroger to get a cake and cards, she wanted to try the S’mores Frappuccino from Starbucks. It was one of the items on the Summer 2020 Fun list. She enjoyed it, and let me try it too.

Speaking of the Summer 2020 list…Hayden wanted to draw and color more this summer. He’s been doing so almost daily.

Another favorite?! When Hayden gets a haircut! Always so cute…

Hayden begged me to bring Homer to his game last night. Since Hayden had a big ortho appointment yesterday and a very sore mouth, I obliged. Homer made a *brief* appearance for a couple of innings before I benched him (took him home!)😂

Favorite Mom Memes:

Y’all, this makes me laugh and cry at the same time 😉

And this one…😂

Bonus Favorite: Flashback Friday

This pics from July 2013 popped up in my Facebook memories. We were in KC visiting family and my cousin took these pics of the kids. I actually have them on canvas and they hang on our gallery wall.

Weekly Recap:

Here are my posts from this week:

Don’t forget to check out the other ladies’ posts! Have a great weekend.

Day in the Life

Posted on July 9, 2020July 8, 2020 by jgalvinwhite

I wrote my first ever Day in the Life post in March. I had chosen a March date at the beginning of the year not knowing that March would be when the world flipped upside down. After that post, I decided to look on my calendar for a summer date and settled on Thursday, July 2nd. When I chose that date, I had a feeling life wouldn’t be back to “normal,” and that definitely turned out to be true.

Honestly though, this could be a pretty typical summer day except in years past, we probably would have spent a huge chunk on time at the pool.

Here’s what last Thursday looked like:

In the summer, I usually wake up between 7-8, and that held true on this day too.

While waiting for the coffee to be ready, I scrolled Facebook and Instagram.

I saw this and “shared” it on Facebook. The night before, Hadley went to bed in tears worried about the upcoming school year. While we still don’t have answers, last week, there was major talk about options, a survey for parents and teachers to fill out, and lots of opinions from everyone and their neighbor.

Hadley is like me…holds sad feelings in until we can’t anymore. She felt overwhelmed with everything she had been hearing and just wants to have “the best 5th grade year ever.”

So, when I saw this post, it just really hit home.

The kids were actually up by 8:30 which is very unlike them…haha. BUT…they were up and excited because it was the first morning they were feeding the neighbor’s cat while they were out of town.

I spent a little time reading my favorite blogs and drinking my coffee before…

going with the kids to meet Smokie. Since it was the first morning feeding Smokie, I just wanted to make sure the kids knew what to do. Otherwise, they went on their own. They are at the perfect age to cat sit!

Then, around 9:45, it was time to make my bed (which I do every single day!)

Then, I got dressed, washed my face, answered some emails, and checked on the kids for breakfast.

After that, I drank my Slim and got my workout in. Hayden even joined me for a bit 😉

Around 11:15, I helped the kids with whatever assignments they had questions about in their daily workbooks. Real Talk: Hayden hates me for making them do this. They do about two days of pages M-F which takes them about 20 minutes. So, he can hate me as much as he wants as long as he remembers how to do long division when school starts back!

Then, I headed to Kroger for a few things that I’d forgotten in my weekly Clicklist order.

Around 12:30, I ate lunch and then worked on my Friday blog post from 12:45-1:30.

After that, I actually had time to chill in the pool. I sat in the cool water and read a book for almost two hours! Hadley joined me for a bit.

Hayden hung out inside because he said he had a headache. After the pool, I checked my emails and then watched tv with Hayden for a bit. Then, it was time for him to get ready for his first baseball game of the season. I filled up his water bottle while he got dressed.

Y’all, those 5:30 games are hot ones!

Hayden was the starting pitcher, and it was such a close game. He ended up hitting a walk off double to drive in a runner and win the game! They were so excited to get their first W.

I love watching him play baseball. When he pitches, I’m a pretty nervous mama, but what I’ve learned over the past couple of years is my nerves are for nothing! For being pretty quiet and introverted, he feels confident on the mound. During the first inning, his coach gave him a few pointers on when to release the ball, and with those adjustments, I could see his confidence grow while pitching in the following innings.

We tell Hayden all the time that being a great teammate, being coachable, and always trying your best is what matters. Kids learn so many life skills through athletics and extra-curricular activities, which is why I put up with these crazy schedules we have 😉

Look at that sweet smile!

I love that Travis helps coach Hayden’s team. It’s good for the both of them!

Game ball for Boo!

He may now be referring to his left arm as his “money maker” and requesting Icy Hot after every game 😂…but we will keep him humble.

The game wasn’t over until after 7:30, so we made a quick stop at Drakes for dinner. I had never tried their teriyaki chicken rice bowl, and it was so good.

Then, we all came home, showered and relaxed. I read a bit on my Kindle.

Then, Hadley asked to watch one episode of Alexa and Katie, so we watched that together.

And…I could barely keep my eyes open, so by 10:00, it was lights out for all of us.

These posts are always fun to do…but it’s so hard for me to remember to take pics! I hope to do one of these posts again in the fall.

Thanks for reading!

Kids, Three things

Three Things

Posted on July 8, 2020July 8, 2020 by jgalvinwhite

Hello! It’s been a minute since I’ve written a Three Things post about what we’ve individually been up to, so I thought I’d give a little update for today’s post.

I’ve mentioned before that Hayden started reading the first Harry Potter book with his teacher this year during her afternoon read loud. Once they finished the first book, she moved on to the second book with anyone who was interested in continuing with the afternoon read aloud. Hayden already had the first book, but then I purchased the second and third books from Amazon for him. He finished the third book very quickly on his own and wanted me to purchase the fourth book. My mom has the entire series, and we will see her soon, so I told him to just wait for her books. I bet he will finish the series this summer at the rate he reads!

2. Baseball is back, baby! Hayden’s excited to be back on the ball field with his teammates again. They have a few games this week, and are getting back in the baseball groove. I love seeing Boo play ball!

3. I know bike sales sky rocketed during quarantine 😉 but so did actual bike riding by Hayden! He learned to ride a bike quite a few years ago, but after a bike accident a couple summers ago, he seriously refused to ride a bike…so much so, that we sold his bike in a garage sale. Last summer, he got back into riding his bike (maybe because so many neighborhood kids ride their bikes around?). Once he got tired of borrowing Hadley’s pink bike, we got a hand-me-down bike from a friend. He and Hadley, along with other neighborhood friends, are on the bikes so often which is great!

4. Bonus: I’m not sure if there is anyone more excited about Patrick Mahomes sealing the deal to be a Chief for the next 10 years than Hayden! He’s definitely a #Mahomie

Hadley is all about various hairstyles. She’s mastered the top knot, rocks a side pony tail, and now loves to put her hair up in “space buns.” I know nothing about hairstyles and even less about makeup, so she’s figuring this all out on her own. She’s quite the fashionista (with a side of tomboy!)

2. I’ve always said that Hadley needs a hobby. She doesn’t love to read like Hayden does or when they were little, she wouldn’t sit for hours and build Legos like Hayden would. Sis is always on the move! When people would ask for gift ideas, I’d always say, “I don’t know. Girlfriend still needs a hobby!” When she does find something to do, it usually involves some kind of mess.

Now that she’s old enough to gather supplies and clean up her messes, I let her do what she wants (most of the time.) In the past month, she’s tie dyed a shirt and socks with her friends, made a lava lamp (thanks to You Tube) and, my favorite, she made a lovely hand scrub (made of sugar, coconut oil, and lemon) for the guest bathroom. I am impressed with her creations…and even more impressed when I don’t have to clean up the mess!

3. Hadley has completed a few dance camps at her regular dance studio this summer. While she’s often dancing around the house, it’s been good for her to be with her instructors in person and see her dance friends.

Since sleep away camp was canceled this summer, they refunded our money, but gave the option of sending a “virtual camp box” filled with some activities, a t-shirt, water bottle, journal and more. Hadley’s working on some of the activities here and there.

4. Bonus: Hadley and I have been reading Love Does: for kids together and the kids’ church group has just gotten started meeting (via Zoom) to discuss. It’s such a great book with life lessons tied together with biblical stories and references. The chapters are so short and include pictures which keeps her attention and provides more meaning and opportunity for connection and discussion.

Homer is still ornery and enjoys hanging out in the inflatable pool. His scratching, from his possible grass allergy, has gotten so much better and his little paws are less pink now.

2. Travis celebrated a birthday yesterday! Of course, he’s always busy with work and now baseball as he helps coach Hayden’s team.

3. As for me, I’ve enjoyed being able to blog almost daily. I also spend time keeping the kids busy. I’ve tried to plan an activity (like hiking, going to the zoo, and canoeing) at least once a week; we really are in a good summer groove. I also continue to work a bit this summer as students turn in work to me for credit recovery, so I check my email daily and spend time looking over the submitted work.

Needless to say, summer of 2020 is definitely different, but we continue to enjoy our time as a family while also seeking comfort in some sense of normalcy with baseball, eating out a bit, and seeing friends as we can while remaining socially distant.

See you back here tomorrow for my second ever Day in the Life post.

Amazon

Amazon Lately

Posted on July 7, 2020 by jgalvinwhite

Of course I’ve made some Amazon purchases over the past month, so I thought I’d link up with Tanya again for her Prime Purchases post.

Y’all, Amazon Prime continues to be the real MVP. From clothes to water bottles to an inflatable pool, Amazon has it all. Here are a few of my recent Amazon purchases.

I’ve made it a goal this summer to drink more water, and this water bottle had done the trick. Hadley says it’s somehow embarrassing, but I love it 😉 I fill it up at least twice a day to get in my daily water goal.

My dad usually buys me a big Nest candle for Christmas. For Father’s Day, I thought I’d get him one that has a summery scent. I didn’t even know Amazon had Nest candles, but he received it the next day, so I was very happy with that purchase!

I’ve shared this pool in the past. Since we didn’t join our club pool this summer, I purchased this inflatable pool. It’s done the trick for keeping us cool. I use it the most, and Travis hates that there will be a big patch of dead grass in our backyard, but it’s been a good solution for this atypical 2020 summer.

And because the kids need to earn their keep…pool skimmer…to get the random leaves out before taking a dip.

I tend to only wear stud earrings. I also tend to lose earrings under a dresser, down the shower drain, or out in the yard. This is why I can’t have nice things. Anyway, I recently purchased these earrings and love them.

Shay shared this visor in one of her posts. I love wearing ball caps and have worn visors in the past. I love that these are plain, and I can keep my hair up high off my neck in the hot days of summer. I’ve purchased this visor in a couple more colors too!

Homer “needed” a larger patriotic bandana just in time for the 4th. Amazon….for the win!

The BEST Amazon purchase of the month (and maybe even the year) were these water shoes. After seeing them on social media, I saved them to one of my Amazon lists. After reading the info for our canoe trip, they mentioned wearing close toed shoes, and I remembered I had saved these. They were perfect for our canoe trip last Friday, and I know that I will wear them during the summer when we go for walks or hikes because I won’t have to wear socks and my feet can breathe!

I bought one more thing recently but it’s a gift for Trav’s birthday, which is today. So I will share it next month as I don’t want to give it away just yet.

Here are the other link up dates for Tanya’s Prime Purchases posts. Make sure to check out her post too.

Have a great Tuesday. Thanks so much for reading.

Activities, Holidays, Weekend Top 5

Weekend Top 5

Posted on July 6, 2020July 5, 2020 by jgalvinwhite

Happy Monday! How was your 4th of July weekend? We were busy. I’m so tired! Thankfully, this week we don’t have much going on besides a couple of ball games.

I thought I’d do a little Top 5 recap of our busy weekend.

Canoeing:

We are adventurous, y’all. We started our holiday weekend on Friday canoeing. Kayak/canoeing was one of the activities we had on our Summer 2020 Fun list!

We went with a few friends and got our canoes from Canoe Kentucky in Frankfort. While I was excited, I was a little hesitant because I didn’t know what to expect. Long story short, about four years ago we had a tense and sometimes scary creek tubing experience in North Carolina. I figured a canoe is more substantial and the kids are older, so the canoe trip should be fine…and it was! It’s a great outdoor and socially distant activity. Win win.

We all met to get our life jackets, instructions, and canoes and then we rode on the bus (while wearing masks) to the entry point on Elkhorn Creek. Then, we canoed back which was about 6 miles and took us about 3 hours. We did stop 3 times to let the kids swim and to kind of regroup. Altogether, we had 11 people in 5 canoes and 1 kayak….and we all stayed together! Of course, it was a hot day, but on the water, it was fine. There was shade and the water was cool.

When the instructor dropped us off he said we may see turtles, a bald eagle, deer, and more. We did see the bald eagle, deer, and even a little water snake.

There were a few rapid points that we could easily navigate and there were even times I wished the water would move more! 😂

The adults sat in the back of the canoes to steer while the kids paddled (adults paddled too)—but definitely needed to be in the back to steer.

We really had a great time, and I definitely hope to go again (or make this a summer tradition!)

They enjoyed swimming more than paddling 😉

After we canoed, we headed to one of our favorite spots for dinner…Wallace Station. It’s the perfect spot with picnic tables and shade…and easy to social distance from other diners.

I got the shrimp wrap with orzo side and it was so good!

Festive Food:

I ordered some red, white, and blue cookies from a local baker, L’oven Cookies, and picked those up on Friday. We enjoyed them throughout the weekend.

On Saturday, we had our traditional red, white and blue waffles. This year, Hadley made the waffles using a mix and our mini waffle iron. (I usually just use frozen waffles and the toaster ;). She’s become a big help in the kitchen. I put the toppings on!

4th of July:

We actually did have a relaxing day with not much on our plate on Saturday. We lounged around, watched tv, the kids biked with friends, I hung out and read in our pool and that was about it…until it was time for dinner.

The kids did oblige with a red, white, and blue outfit pic with Homer and his new scarf.

He’s good at posing for pics if he knows he’ll get a treat.

Then we grilled out with another family in our neighborhood. The kids see each other pretty often these days to ride bikes and know they can play but to keep some space, and we keep up with the hand washing, of course.

After dinner, we set off a few fireworks before heading home to go to our favorite fireworks viewing location.

Sparklers are my fave.

The 30 minute fireworks display from a local country club did not disappoint.

Then, we came home, set off a few more fireworks (I had just bought a few things at Kroger) and then we headed to bed.

Netflix:

Friday night after we returned home from canoeing, I was exhausted. By 8:00, I was showered and in bed. I turned on Netflix, and The Babysitters Club popped up. I had forgotten that they were doing a series on the books. I swear, as a kid, I read every single one. I remember going to the book store to buy the books one at a time as they were released.

Hadley’s only read a few of them, and enjoys them. I knew she’d love the show and was excited to watch a couple of episodes, so we did. Then, we watched a couple more episodes throughout the weekend.

The show is an updated version that touches on modern topics while also including plot elements from the books.

Sunday:

Sunday was a lazy day mixed with a bit of productivity. We changed all the bedsheets and I made my grocery order for the week.

Hadley and I watched a couple more episodes of the BSC. I snuggled with Homer while the kids played outside.

Then, we met some of Trav’s family at The Stave for an early dinner.

Sunday ended with showers and early bedtimes for everyone. I’ve tried to make Sunday nights a good time to reset for the kids (& myself!)

Tomorrow is Trav’s birthday, so we have more celebrating to do tomorrow.

I hope you have a great week.

Friday Favorites, Holidays

Friday (4th of July) Favorites

Posted on July 3, 2020July 2, 2020 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Friday! Even though this has been a “different” kind of summer with some extra downtime at home, I’m still looking forward to this extended holiday weekend.

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

With it being 4th of July weekend, I thought I’d share some of our favorite 4th of July traditions. The 4th has always been one of my favorite holidays.

Red, White, and Blue

I don’t know how many years I have left (this is probably it ;), but I make sure the kids have some form of red, white and blue to wear. I usually look in their closet first to see what they already have, but, of course, places like Old Navy and Target always have cute options for very reasonable prices.

Breakfast:

For as long as I can remember, I’ve made red, white, and blue waffles. It’s as simple as throwing a frozen waffle in the toaster and then topping it with whipped cream, strawberries and blueberries.

For Father’s Day, Hadley wanted to make Travis waffles from a mix using our mini waffle maker. So…we may do that again for tomorrow’s breakfast.

Homer:

Last year, I bought Homer a red, white, and blue scarf. When I put it on him for Memorial Day this year, it was a bit tight. I ordered him a new one from Amazon to wear tomorrow.

Outside Decorations:

I don’t really have anything for inside my home for the 4th, but I always put little flags in our planters and by the front porch. Then, I switch out my usual garden flag for my American flag.

Sparklers and Fireworks:

Some years we are on vacation, but the years we are home, I pick up a few sparklers, snap its, smoke bombs, etc. I definitely keep it simple and pretty kid friendly. I’m not trying to scare the neighbors!

I do love the sparklers at night! So fun and festive.

Then, when in Lex, we head to our favorite spot to watch one of the country club’s fireworks. It’s always an awesome display and in a pretty convenient location.

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

This is one of my favorite family pics from 4th of July 2015. We were settled in and ready to watch our favorite fireworks.

Weekly Recap:

Memes

Monthly Musings and 20 Questions

What I’ve Been Reading

Life Lately

Don’t forget to check out the other ladies’ posts too! I hope you have a wonderful and safe holiday weekend!

Life Lately

Posted on July 2, 2020July 1, 2020 by jgalvinwhite

We’ve been walking the the fine line of busy but not too busy…so I thought I’d share a little of what we’ve been up to.

Activities:

We’ve definitely been enjoying our new family sized inflatable pool 😉 Since we decided not to join our club pool this summer, I knew we had to have something. A couple of afternoons in this confirmed that all I need is a little water, the sunshine, and a book. It will do for now and hopefully next summer will look a little more “normal.”

Hadley and I tested it out the first day.

The next day we let Hayden…

and Homer join us! Fingers crossed the pool won’t get #Homered this summer.

Homer hopped right in (whether we wanted him to or not), and then just hung out. I was impressed he wasn’t super crazy. The day before, he kept running laps around it before jumping in, so I was legit concerned he was going to pop it.

That being said, he barely pays any attention to it now, so maybe the novelty has worn off.

Also, there’s been lots of bike riding for the neighborhood kids lately!

Travis and Hayden have been busy with baseball….lots of practices and the first game is tonight.

The kids decided they wanted to start a dog walking business. They even made some flyers and have a couple of steady clients. They are splitting the money they earn.

Trader Joe’s:

Last weekend, I made another quick trip to Trader Joe’s for only some flowers and a watermelon. I wanted to get more peonies before they go out of season.

Homer:

Poor Homer has been scratching for a couple of weeks. The vet said we could give him Benadryl, and that did help his overall itching. BUT…he kept scratching and licking his back paws to the point where they were pink and raw. So, we made an appointment with the vet who thinks he may have a grass allergy. So, he received an allergy shot, and we’ll see if he needs another in the future. I’m still hoping it was a fluke.

Netflix:

On Netflix, I’ve been watching season 2 of Dead to Me and only have a few episodes left.

Travis and I started watching All-American. It has a Friday Night Lights/90210 vibe, and the first few episodes are pretty good. I didn’t realize it’s been on the CW…and after reading that, I feel like the show does seem like one that would be on that channel.

Reading:

My blog post yesterday was about what I read in June. I also started Our Little Lies, and so far, it’s SO good.

McConnell Springs Park:

Yesterday, the kids and I went to McConnell Springs Park here in Lexington. I’d never been before and figured it would be a good outside activity. There were a few trails, and we wandered around for about an hour and a half. We saw the Blue Hole, the Boils, and the Wetland Pond among other things. We went around 10:30 before it got too hot, but the shaded trails and overcast day definitely helped make for a pleasant experience.

Afterwards, we headed the the Distillery District to eat pizza at Goodfellas. I knew that would be a good spot to eat because of the outside patio. What I didn’t know was what a great lunch special they have! For $7, you get a huge slice of pizza, a drink, and a choice of bread stick or cookie (both are huge!)

LOL:

Just to end on a funny note…The other day, Hadley showed me yet another Tik Tok dance she’d learned.

Hayden is over it…He looked right at me and said, “Mom, if Hadley becomes a professional Tik Tok-er would you still be proud of her ?” 😂

It just made me laugh. Hadley’s always on 100…and Hayden is more like me…very low energy 😉

Anyway, that’s a look at our Life…Lately. See you back here tomorrow for Friday Favorites: 4th of July edition.

Books and Shows

June: What I’ve Been Reading

Posted on July 1, 2020June 30, 2020 by jgalvinwhite

Happy July 1st!! Some days, the summer seems to move at a snail’s pace, and other days, summer feels like it’s flying by!

I read 4 books this month and really enjoyed three of the four! The other one was just ok.

Little Fires Everywhere:

So, this book had been on my list for a while, but there was always a hold at the library. Then, I decided to watch the miniseries on Hulu and loved it. My Gma said she really enjoyed the book, and the Kindle version finally became available.

Anyway, I really did love this book. I honestly do think I liked the book more than the miniseries, but I did feel like miniseries did the book justice.

Quick Good Reads recap: “… riveting novel that traces the intertwined fates of the picture-perfect Richardson family and the enigmatic mother and daughter who upend their lives.”

and…

“Little Fires Everywhere explores the weight of secrets, the nature of art and identity, and the ferocious pull of motherhood–and the danger of believing that following the rules can avert disaster.”

This book may definitely be one of my top reads of 2020.

Paper Ghosts

Paper Ghosts was a pretty quick read due to the short chapters and suspenseful plot.

The narrator’s sister was killed many years ago, and she’s convinced that Carl, a celebrated photographer, was the one who killed her sister. Carl is living in a home for those with dementia and she convinces him to take a road trip with her through their state of Texas. On the journey, she’s hoping to find answers and possibly even a confession from Carl.

While I thought the book was ok, it just didn’t hold my attention like most suspense novels do. The flashback parts of the story captured my attention more than when they were on their road trip.

The Unhoneymooners

The Unhoneymooners was a fantastic book that I read in a couple of days.

After her newlywed twin sister Ami and husband get sick, Olive goes on their honeymoon with the best man, Ethan, who she sees as her enemy. Since her sister won the all expenses paid honeymoon, Olive and Ethan have to pose as Ami and her new husband. Olive always considers herself the unlucky one compared to Ami, but hopes that her luck has turned with a new job and dream vacation.

This was a very cute and quick read…but just FYI: There were a few “R-ish” rated scenese.

The Simple Wild

The Simple Wild was another really wonderful book.

The main character, Calla, was born in Alaska, but Calla and her mother left for Toronto when she was young. Through the years, Calla lost touch with her dad, Wren, who remained in Alaska until one day, many years later, she received a phone call prompting her to go visit her dad in Alaska.

She’s a fish out of water in Alaska. While she adjusts to the frontier, she’s met with challenges, difficult relationships, and the uncertain future for herself and her dad.

This book tugged at my heartstrings and brought a tear to my eye more than once. After finishing the book, I immediately downloaded the sequel: Wild at Heart. I can’t wait to read it this month!

Well, y’all, after having this post mostly written, I did finish one more book…

One in a Million:

This was the book I picked up at curbside pick up from the library a couple of weeks ago. One in a Million was a sweet and quick read. The main character, Annie, owns a digital marketing agency. Annie has given up on love and ends up placing a bet with the ad agency across the hall that she can get 20,000 followers on Instagram in a month for anyone they choose.

Dr. Samuel Page walks in the coffee shop just as they make the bet. His character reminded me of Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory. Once Annie gets to know Sam, she realizes he’s in the midst of a breakup, so she tells him she will help him win back his girlfriend.

When Annie asks him what he’ll say when he sees his ex, he replies, “I’m going to tell her that I love her and I miss her…And then tell her she needs to stop being so ridiculous and that I need my hay fever medicine. I’m not paying for another prescription, they’re exorbitant these days. Also, I very much miss my cat.” haha See…very Sheldon-like.

Anyway, her quest to win the bet allows her to get to know Sam even better. While the plot was pretty predictable, I loved the London setting and the British vernacular.

So there’s a little look at what I read in the month of June.

Happy reading!

Me, Monthly Musings

Monthly Musings and 20 Questions

Posted on June 30, 2020June 29, 2020 by jgalvinwhite

Well, today is a two blog posts in one kind of day. I wanted to link up with Holly for her Monthly Musings post last week, but I already had my Lake Tahoe post planned.

Then, over the weekend, I saw Trista post about her 20 Questions link up, and just thought I’d put both ideas together for one post.

Monthly Musings: Summer Kick Off

Lake or Beach?

I’m definitely a beach person, but I certainly love the lake too. I grew up going to The Lake of the Ozarks, and we sometimes are able to live the lake life in Kentucky every once in a while.

That being said, there’s nothing like an ocean view or a beach sunset. So, if I had to choose, I’d say I’m a beach person.

Ice Tea or Lemonade?

I don’t drink either very often, so it’s probably a tie. Both beverages are very refreshing.

Favorite Summer Vacation Memory:

Well, I just love a vacation with my family. Thankfully, as the years have gone on, going on a vacation with the kids actually now feels like a vacation 😉 Anyway, the first thing that popped into my mind was last year’s vacation to Siesta Key because Hadley and I went the first few days just the two of us. Hayden had baseball games, so he and Travis arrived a few days later. Of course, we were happy when the guys arrived, but it was just a nice couple of days with Hadley that I hadn’t planned on when we planned the trip.

Favorite Summer Destination:

Siesta Key, Florida is typically our “go to” spot.

But….we also love South Carolina. Last time we went was fall break 2018, but we usually get to SC every couple of years.

Go To Favorite Summer Fashion Item:

Honestly, if I’m at home, I’m in comfy clothes. That being said, I do like easy, flowy dresses in the summer. I love these two Target dresses…

Tank Dress

Tiered Dress

and I have three different colors of this Amazon dress…

Have You Ever Been Water Skiing or Jet Skiing?

I have done both, but it’s been a long time!

Favorite Summer Movie:

Dirty Dancing and Parent Trap were the first movies to pop in my mind! The Parent Trap is my favorite movie of all time. Also, a few years ago, we went to Lake Lure in NC and saw where some of Dirty Dancing was filmed.

Goonies, Grease and Sandlot also remind me of summer.

Song That Makes You Think of Summer:

I’m the worst at knowing songs and who sings what but…School’s Out for the Summer is always played on the last day of school 😉 and then Summertime (DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince) always reminds me of middle school and high school.

Lately, on Instagram Stories, Sunshine and Summertime (Faith Hill), Summertime (Kenny Chesney) pop up as good summer song choices.

Best 4th of July Story:

I don’t have a specific story, but…

I’ve always loved the 4th of July. I remember as a kid spending time with extended family, grilling out, and watching fireworks.

I always wanted to get engaged or get married on the 4th. I thought it would be fun to have sparklers and a few fireworks at the reception. I don’t think I ever told Travis this plan…as we got engaged in May 2004. 😉

Fireworks:

We are definitely fireworks on the 4th type of people. I love a good fireworks display and we have a great tradition of where we watch fireworks in Lexington.

20 Questions…

with The Classy Chaos

1. Introvert or extrovert? Introvert …for sure…
2. Favorite movie? The Parent Trap (1961)
3. Arrive early or late? Arrive a few minutes late…but not too late
4. Last book you read? The Simple Wild
5. Favorite holiday? Thanksgiving (followed by the 4th of July)
6. Pet peeve? Slurping
7. Food you refuse to eat? Mayo!!!!!
8. Favorite fast food chain? Chick-fil-A
9. How do you keep fit? Well—“keep fit” is misleading 😉 I’m forever a work in progress but I like going for walks, Pilates, full body weight workouts, and HIIT workouts
10. Morning person or night owl? Well, I’d say morning person…but I’m a morning person in the sense that I like 45 minutes of silence and not talking to anyone while I sip my coffee.
11. Favorite drink? Coffee (wine and diet coke are close runner ups)
12. Irrational fear? Falling (I hate heights)
13. Go to snack? Cheezits
14. Strongest sense? Hearing. My students (and my kids) are always amazed at what I can hear from across the room.
15. Fictional place you’d like to visit? This one stumped me…I’m not sure.
16. Kindle or actual book? Actual book (but Kindle sure does come in handy!)
17. Last movie you went to see? I honestly think it was Frozen II with Hadley back in December?
18. Favorite season? Autumn!!
19. Beach or mountains? I really want to say a tie! Beach in the summer, mountains in fall.
20. Favorite cereal? Lucky Charms

Whoa! If you made it to the end of this post, you learned a lot about me 😉

Thanks so much for reading!

Memes

June Monday Memes

Posted on June 29, 2020June 28, 2020 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Monday! We had a pretty low key weekend with some very soggy and overcast weather. I did a few things around the house as well as did some laundry and got my grocery shopping for the week completed. Thankfully, that means my Monday “to do” list has a lot less things on it!

I couldn’t let the month of June wrap up without sharing some of my favorite memes that I’ve seen the past few weeks.

This first meme made me laugh. I’m definitely a texter vs. being a talker.

I do this so often that I’m afraid to admit it. Usually, I’m trying to remember two things at a time and then completely forget both!

2020. Am I right?

When this meme popped up as I was scrolling Facebook, and literally laughed out loud. Poor Travis 😉

Since we are on month 4(ish) of being home pretty consistently, I did have to have a little sit down with the kids to remind them dishes go in the dishwasher rather than staying in the sink. I also told them to clean up one mess (hello, Hadley!) before starting another. Additionally, dirty underwear does not belong on the floor. And for the love of all things holy, please hang up your wet towel!

Speaking of kids…but really….There have been quite a few 10:00 (or later) bedtimes lately, and Hayden now knows to turn on my sound machine on his way to bed 😉

My mom friend group text included this meme the other day. #truth

With still no answers about the start of the school year, I know my teacher friends can relate with these last two memes…

this…

and this…

I hope these memes provided a laugh or two!

Have a great week.