Author: jgalvinwhite

Posted in Monthly Musings

Monthly Musings

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Thursday! Have I ever told you that Thursdays are my favorite day of the week? I’m still very productive on a Thursday, but then I also know that the weekend is almost here as well!

Today, I’m linking up with Patty and Holly for Monthly Musings.

This month’s topic is Back to School/Fall Planning. We are on week three of the school year and I’m always ready to think about fall, so I’m excited for today’s post!

1. Do you meal plan/prep? Favorite back to school recipe?

I meal plan more than I meal prep. I always plan our meals for the week on Saturday, so I can place my Kroger pickup order on Sunday. Sometimes Saturdays are too busy for meal planning and things get bumped a day, but I try my best to get organized before the week starts.

Actually, once Hayden is finished with baseball, my Saturdays will be more predictable. There are stretches of the school year where I do grocery pickup on Saturday which is my preference.

As far as my favorite back to school recipe, I’ve done muffins, fruit and yogurt for the kids on the first day of school. This year I started a new tradition with Back to School Brinner. This breakfast casserole was a hit.

I still had the muffins (made from a mix as well as some store bought ones), yogurt and fruit as well.

2. How do you buy and organize school supplies?

When the kids were in elementary school, we would take the school supply list and head to Walmart in early August. We’d actually make a day of it and get school supplies, back to school haircuts, and go out for lunch or ice cream.

This year I bought the supplies from their middle school. I figured with eight classes (and eight different teachers), I’d purchased the package deal, so we’d get exactly what the kids need.

After the first few days of school, Hadley had to help Hayden get all his supplies organized! haha

3. Any back to school traditions?

We have a few back to school traditions. Like I said, I used to have a Back to School Breakfast for the kids on the first day of school.

Now, it’s a Back to School Brinner.

Also, every year, I buy them a book for the grade their are in. It’s been surprisingly easy to find books for each grade. I haven’t looked for 7th or 8th grade books yet, but the elementary years were definitely easy to find.

Of course, there are back to school pictures before they leave for school.

4. Bring lunch? Buy lunch? Favorite lunchbox item?

Through they years, the kids have only bought school lunch to both of them bring a lunch and then even a mix in between. I’m always encouraging them to buy lunch because our district has free lunch for everyone…and it’s one less thing to do to pack lunches! The past couple of years they’ve mainly packed their lunch on their own if they didn’t want to buy.

This year, Hayden buys his lunch because middle school has a few more options. Hadley brings her lunch from home. She loves the Uncrustables (PBJ or Nutella) and usually brings fruit snacks, chips and either a fruit (She is very into raspberries right now) or a vegetable (like cucumbers!)

They don’t eat lunch until 1:00, so their teachers encourage them to bring a snack. Hayden loves Chomps, Hadley loves Cliff bars, and they both will bring snack packages of goldfish or Cheezits.

I always bring my lunch. Seriously, in twenty years of teaching, I’ve only bought school lunch on they day they serve their Thanksgiving meal!

5. Favorite thing about back to school then and now?

Even though I’m always sad to see summer go, it’s always good to get back on a schedule and get in a routine. I love the traditions we’ve started with breakfast/brinner, back to school photos, and more. In elementary school, I loved walking the kids to school on the first day.

6. Pumpkin spice – Hate or Love?

I used to love a pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks, but I don’t get those very often anymore. From September – November, I get by with a splash of creamer and pumpkin spice.

I love pumpkin pie and pumpkin bread.

Last fall, I made these pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies, and I can’t wait to make them again.

7. Do you decorate for fall?

I will let you be the judge of that…

Yes! Haha! I love decorating for fall…maybe even more than when I decorate for Christmas. Of course, my fall decorations are up for a couple of months, so I get to enjoy them longer.

8. How do you transition your fall wardrobe?

I wear summer dresses with a cardigan almost daily. My classroom is pretty chilly, so I like to have the cardigan layer if needed.

These are some of my favorite cardigans:

The navy one I got last fall, and I love it. It’s a bit heavier, but super soft.

The green one is one that I got a few weeks ago. It’s lightweight, so it’s perfect for the transition from summer to fall.

The pink one is one that’s in my Amazon cart right now.

All of these come in a variety of colors. So many great options!

9. Favorite fall fashion staples:

See # 8 šŸ˜‰

I also mix like to mix in lightweight short sleeve sweaters. They are a great transition piece.

I purchased these two at the end of summer before my trip to California. They are both perfect to wear with shorts, denim, or pants.

Tan sweater // Short sleeve sweatshirt

10. When does school start where you live?

We always start the second Wednesday in August. We start with a three day week, then have a four day week with no school on Friday, followed by a full week and then Labor Day. It’s nice to ease into the school year.

When I was a kid, we seemed to go Labor Day to Memorial Day. While we are usually out around Memorial Day, we are sometimes still in school until the very end of May.

So, that’s how we do back to school and plan for fall. What about you? What’s your favorite thing about fall?

I hope you are having a great week! Make sure to check out the other ladies’ posts as well!

{this post contains Amazon affiliate linksā€¦}

Posted in What's up Wednesday

What’s Up Wednesday

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello! How’s your week going? We’re off to a good, but hectic start!

Today, I’m linking up with Shay and Sheaffer for this month’s What’s Up Wednesday. I haven’t done this link up in a few months, so I’m excited to share today!

WHAT WE ARE EATING THIS WEEK:

  • Sunday- We had our neighborhood block party, and we had tacos from a local food truck!
  • Monday- I made Andrea’s Bacon Ranch Penne Pasta recipe and served it with watermelon.
  • Tuesday- Leftover pasta after the cross country meet, served with fruit!
  • Wednesday- Hadley requested salmon, so that’s on the menu for tonight. I’ll serve it with Bob Evans mashed potatoes and green beans.
  • Thursday– The slow cooker will save the day tomorrow, and I will make Shay’s meatballs over rice, and broccoli will be our side dish.
  • Friday and Saturday- We always eat out on the weekends. I love to cook, but Friday and Saturday nights I give myself a break.

WHAT I’M REMINISCING ABOUT:

Next month will mark 20 years with T-rav. We had our first date in September of 2001!

WHAT I’M WORKING ON:

I’m just continuing to keep up with our school and activities schedule. We have a mix of old and new activities, so I’m just trying to get in a groove. For example, Hayden is still playing baseball, but has cross country after school. It’s just a new routine of drop off and pick ups! We’ll get the hang of it just in time for some new activity to start.

I’m also working on being intentional with planning my workouts. I could kind of wing it during the summer, and then I eased into the school year where a quick afternoon nap would win out over a sweat sesh. Now, I’m trying to get up a couple of mornings like I did for quite a few years before March of 2020. It’s nice to get those workouts crossed off the “to do” list.

I’m still loving my Happy Planner teacher planner to keep me organized at school as well.

WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO:

School. Activities. Repeat.

As I mentioned, Hayden’s baseball team still has a few tournaments left. His cross country has started as well. He had his first meet last night!

Hadley’s ballet, tap and jazz class started this week. Competition classes started last week!

On Sunday, we did go to our pool’s Back to School Bash which was a great way to spend our Sunday afternoon. Of course, the pool is still open a couple more weeks!

WHAT I’M DREADING:

…receiving a quarantine phone call from kidsā€™ school. I mentioned in a previous post about how so many kids are having to quarantine right now if they are near someone who tests positive at school. Hopefully, the kids can remain in school!

WHAT I’M EXCITED ABOUT:

Honestly, I’m excited for the kidsā€™ middle school activities. It will be fun to see what they choose to do as far as sports and clubs. I can tell they are loving having a little more freedom in middle school.

Also, is it too early to say that I’m excited about fall? haha! Now, I just need these 90 degree days to go away!

WHAT I’M WATCHING/READING:

I watched Luke Bryan’s Dirt Road Diaries documentary over the weekend, and I thought it was really good. I’m a Luke Bryan fan. It was interesting to hear about his career, listen to what other had to say about him, and see him interact with his family. I knew he’d lost so many close loved ones, but to hear him tell his story and share his loss really left an impact on me.

I’m currently reading The Four Winds and can’t put it down.

WHAT I’M LISTENING TO:

I haven’t listened to all the seasons of Even the Rich, but I started listening to the newest season about J Lo and Ben!

I catch most of the episodes of Always Hungry. I’m a big Food Network girl, and I love hearing Bobby Flay interact with his daughter Sophie. I loved their Flay List (TV) series that was on last year.

WHAT I’M WEARING:

My new shirt from Amazon is still a fave. I’ve shared it before, but it’s still getting a lot of wear.

I loved this blue dress so much that I’ve also purchased it in gray.

You might have noticed, I had on these sandals with both outfits. We’ve been in school for two weeks, and I’ve worn these every single day! They are definitely my sandal of the summer!

Shirt // Dress // Sandals

WHAT I’M DOING THIS WEEKEND:

Well, Hayden has cross country meet on Saturday and baseball on Sunday, so I think that will take up most of our time.

WHAT I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH:

Being able to say itā€™s officially fall! Seriously, fall is my most favorite time of the year!

See you back here tomorrow for Monthly Musings and then on Friday for my favorites from the week.

Take care,

{this post contains Amazon affiliate linksā€¦}

Posted in Memes

Monday Memes

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello! How was your weekend? We had a pretty relaxing one! With not much going on, the kids definitely made up for lost pool time. They were there Friday evening with Travis, Saturday evening as a family, and then Sunday afternoon for a Back to School get together our pool hosted.

On Saturday, I did next to nothing. I had an appointment in the morning, stopped by Hayden’s cross country car wash fundraiser, came home and read my book, watched some television, and took a nap! Then, we went to the pool for a bit in the evening. It was glorious not having anything that I really felt like I had to do.

On Sunday, we went to church, went to the pool for a bit, I placed my Kroger grocery order, and then our neighborhood had their annual block party. It was a busy but great Sunday.

We’re ready to start our first five day week of the year, but first I’m starting the week off with a few laughs.

Here are some of my favorite memes of the month:

1.

Right?! I felt we blinked and it was August. Now, August is almost over!

2.

Poor August. I’m giving it a hard time, but this meme rings true for me as well. Once August 1st hit, I really had to start letting go of summer.

3.

Arg! I’ve been having to reset lots of passwords lately, and I can’t keep up.

4.

I feel seen:

5.

I can’t pass up a good bargain!

6.

Texting with Hadley be like…

7.

I felt like I dragged myself through last week. Maybe that early alarm will feel a bit easier on week three of the school year…

8.

My phone is always on silent because otherwise I’d be overstimulated with all the dinging! I’m lucky to answer a text in a timely manner let alone answer a phone call!

Can you relate to any of these memes? I hope they’ve started your week off with a laugh! I should be posting pretty frequently this week. At least, that’s the plan! I hope you have a great week.

I’m linking up with Heather (and others!) for Hello Monday as well.

Posted in Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#79}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hey! We made it to Friday! How has your week been? We’ve had a good one, but we are definitely still working on getting into a new school routine!

Honestly, last week was so nice with all the back to school enthusiasm by all, but this week has been stressful. Our Covid cases have been on the rise (much like everywhere) and many kids are being sent home to quarantine. Lots of my kids’ friends are at home at the moment, and I have held by breath all week waiting for the quarantine phone call from school. Thankfully, we made it through the week without one. (I hope I didn’t just jinx us for next week!)

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

Favorite Kid Quote:

I forgot to share this last week, but I found this note on my desk on my first day back to school. The kids had been up to school with me the week before, and Hadley left this note on my desk. I’m glad she added her last name, or I wouldn’t have known which Hadley left me this note šŸ˜‰

Also, I’m loving allll the middle school details Iā€™m getting from the kids…especially Hadley. She fills me in on every class when I pick her up from school.

(**One thing I’ve loved so far with the kids starting and ending later than my school, is that I can now usually do pick up after school. I always wished I could do that when they were younger, but now I get that opportunity most days.)

Favorite Food:

I met some friends out last weekend to hang with a friend who was in town. I always love getting together with them when we can, and the food (and friendships!) was amazing.

Last week, I treated the kids to milkshakes after school for surviving the first few days of middle school. They were surprised by the sweet treat.

Favorite Picture(s)

Hadley’s studio did head shots for their competition teams last week. These two photos were the ones I ordered and I love them. I also can’t get over how much older Hadley looks.

Favorite Moment:

Hayden used to be my most organized child…but he passed that organization baton to Hadley last year. The other night, she was getting her binders organized, and ended up helping Hayden…for a small fee. They negotiated, and $8 (one $5 and three crumpled ones) later, Hayden’s binders were as organized as Hadley’s binders.

Favorite Clothing Item:

This blouse has become a favorite of mine. Like most of my wardrobe, it’s versatile. I’ve worn it with shorts, but then paired it with my white denim (and my favorite sandals) for school on Tuesday.

Hadley saw this Rolling Stones shirt at Target a few weeks ago, and wanted it for back to school. She wore it this week, but couldn’t even tell me one song by the Stones šŸ˜‰ She paired it with the gray ruffle Amazon shorts (women’s xs) that she has in a few colors.

Other Faves:

Hadley loved the fun surprise she found in our front yard celebrating her being on her studio’s competition team again this season.

Baseball photos on repeat continue to be a favorite. Even though Hayden is now running cross country for school, he’s still playing a few more tournaments with his summer team. They got two games in last Saturday, but Sunday was rained out. These are some of my favorite pics from Saturday’s games:

Hydrangeas are my favorite flower, and we have a few bushes in our backyard. My last Trader Joe’s flowers lasted almost two weeks, but then I decided to turn to the backyard to refill my Mason jars.

Kroger is speaking my love language having mums out already. I always wait until mid-September to buy mums and decorate my front porch, but the sight of these brought a smile to my face.

We stopped by to see cousin Wyatt Wednesday night to drop of his birthday presents. Time is flying by. He turned seven yesterday.

Favorite Mom Meme:

This meme made me laugh out loud. I can’t handle the number of times I find the chips without a clip or the boxes not closed! Ugh!

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

I love this photo from 2012. The kids had come to help me set up my classroom and have lunch! Now they are big kids in middle school!

Weekly Recap:

Here are my posts from the week. I enjoyed recapping my trip to southern California with Travis. Then, I chatted about Storyworth and what a great gift it’s been for my mom. Lastly, I shared my makeup purge and reorganization which had been on my “to do” list for a few weeks!

California Recap
Tuesday TAlk: Story worth
Operation MAkeup Organization

Believe it or not, we don’t have much on tap this weekend which is very much needed. We have a break from baseball which gives me some time to get a few other things accomplished and give us all some much needed downtime. Travis is still recovering from knee surgery, but is already off crutches and back to work.

Today, I have school, but we don’t have any students. This day off is always on our calendar, but it definitely feels needed this year to regroup and catch our breath from the start of the year.

What was the highlight of your week?

See you back here on Monday!

{this post contains Amazon affiliate linksā€¦}

Posted in Health and Fitness, Self-care

Operation Makeup Reorganization

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hey there!

Let me go ahead and say that never in a million years did I ever think I’d have a blog post dedicated to makeup. But, really, the post is about makeup purging and reorganizing. Organizing is definitely up my alley. Makeup is not!

Hadley can do hair and makeup better than I can thanks to You Tube and whatever other sources she can find. I am not one of her sources šŸ˜‰ (Also, she doesn’t really wear makeup–I just mean she’s way more up to speed on the hair and makeup scene!)

A little back story: Since March, I’ve been having trouble with my eye lids. They randomly get itchy and irritated. The doctor prescribed me an ointment that helps, but occasionally I have a flair up. I noticed during the summer it wasn’t happening as often, and I don’t wear make up most days during the summer. This made me think about the last time I’ve changed out my makeup brushes and eye shadows.

I’m not proud, but this was the state of my makeup bag:

It’s technically a travel bag that I bought three years ago before going on a trip and then continued to use it. At some point, a glittery eye shadow broke, so there was glitter that would get on the brushes and the inside of the bag was a mess as well. I don’t wear very many products anyway, but some were not used much over the summer when I wear less make up.

The reason I purchased this new makeup bag (It has a few color options) was because it had the clear compartment to hold some of my daily and smaller items like nasal spray, tweezers, hair clips and more.

I purchased this pack of brushes and makeup sponges. I just needed a fresh start, and I need to make a point to clean them regularly and even switch them out every few months.

Let me tell you how novice I am with makeup. I read the little pamphlet that came with the pack that says which brush is used for what! haha

Again, I tossed my previous eye shadows, and purchased this eye shadow palette. I’m a neutral girl, so I thought these shades would work best, and I’m definitely pleased.

This is the finished, organized product:

Ahh…so much better!

I kept all my random items in the top clear compartment.

Then, a feature I hadn’t thought about that I now appreciate is the fact that I can use the loops to hold my brushes as well as my under eye corrector and concealer. That way, things stay nice and tidy.

I never thought I’d do a blog post on makeup, but honestly, tossing the old stuff, getting organized, and starting fresh is one of those chores that I dragged my feet about doing, but it feels so good to have it done. That being said, here are the linked products in case you are interested:

makeup bag // brush set // eye shadow palette

What are some of your makeup must haves? I need all the help I can get…just ask Hadley šŸ˜‚

See you back here tomorrow for Friday Favorites.

{this post contains Amazon affiliate linksā€¦}

Posted in Gift Ideas

Tuesday Talk

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello! Shew! Monday sure was a Monday. So many things to do and not enough time to do them. I can’t believe it’s already the middle of August! Today, I’m linking up with Ashley and Erika for this month’s Tuesday Talk.

Today, I’m sharing about Story Worth.

c/o storyworth.com

Have you heard about it? I’d seen the advertisements on social media and always thought it would be a great gift for family members. Story Worth, as the website says, is a way to “preserve memories, feel connected to family, and learn about relatives.”

For Mother’s Day, my brother and I split the $99 (actually $89 because I used a coupon code) and gifted it to our mom.

I knew my mom would be good at answering the weekly questions. At the end of the year, you get one hardcover book included in the price. You can also purchase additional books for siblings and other family members.

I’m able to choose the questions. They email you a couple days prior to tell you the weekā€™s question, and you can choose another question if needed. When the person responds, you get an email with their response . (My brother gets my mom’s response too because I added his email to our account when I signed up.)

So far my mom has answered:
  • What fads did you embrace while growing up? bell bottoms! (and other fads!)
  • What is one of your favorite trips that you’ve taken? She shared many!
  • What do you consider one of your greatest achievements in life? I made the cut!
  • Who are the best cooks in your family? There are lots!
  • What is one of the strangest things that has ever happened to you? It involved drinking a Diet Coke.
  • What are some of your special talents? Crafts, cross-stitching, stamping, and more!

Those are just some of the questions that she’s answered since mid-May. She does a great job adding photos to her detailed responses which make the memories even better. When the responses are shared with you via email, you can send them a thank you or add your own comment if you’d like. For example, she shared some jokes my grandpa used to tell. I remembered one that she hadn’t included, so I messaged her my response, and she added it to her post.

Her posts are so well-thought out. Some make me laugh, remember things from my childhood, and even tear up, like she she talked about my grandpa.

Some things I’ve learned about my mom:

  • She went to the intramural high jump championship as a 7th grader!
  • She was nominated (twice!) by her students for Who’s Who America’s Teachers.
  • She thinks my grandma is the best cook in the family, and I come in 2nd!
  • Silly stories with her and her best girl friends.
  • Stories from when she worked at the public library and did story time for little ones.
  • Her grandma taught her how to cross stitch and sew.
  • Advice to her grandkids, and more!

Overall, I’m so pleased with this gift. It’s always hard to think of things to buy, and experiences and ideas like a Story Worth book are definitely money well spent.

Have you used Story Worth? I save the Story Worth emails in an email folder, so I have her replies saved. That being said, of course, I can’t wait to see the finished product.

I hope your week is off to a great start!

Posted in Travel

California Recap

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello! How was your weekend? We had a good one! On Friday, Travis had knee surgery, so he took it easy all weekend while we took turns getting him whatever he needed šŸ˜‰ Hayden had baseball on Saturday, but then it was rained out on Sunday. While I love watching his team play, Sunday at home, was much needed with Travis, groceries, laundry, and just taking it easy. We were all pretty tired after our first week of school.

Today, I’m recapping our recent trip to Del Mar, California.

I have been there quite a few times, and it’s definitely one of my favorite places! Travis goes there a few times a year for work, and he often invites me to join him when he goes for work in August. I always say, “no” because it’s the weekend before school starts which is hectic within itself, but this year I decided to tag along.

I certainly have no regrets, and it was nice to get away for a few days, but it really did make the days leading up to the trip hectic to prep for back to school, and then I started school the day after we returned home.

We had a great time. Here are the details!

Wednesday:

An Uber picked us up at 4:30 AM for our 6:00 flight.

We flew to Dallas, and I will spare you the details of delays, deplaning, and changed gates, but the two hour layover turned into eight hours at DFW.

We finally landed in San Diego around 4:30, and after getting our luggage and a rental car, we drove the 25 minutes to our hotel in Del Mar. We rinsed off, got dressed, and I wanted to see the beach for a minute…

After travelling for 12+ hours and wearing a mask the entire time, I wanted some fresh air before we met some friends for dinner at…

Pamplemousse. I got the halibut, and it was delish. We were back to the hotel by 9:30. With the time change and long day of travel, we fell right asleep!

Thursday

On Thursday, I slept until 7:00, which was later than Travis did. I met him at the hotel bar for coffee and breakfast.

After breakfast, we enjoyed our coffee on the deck with an ocean view and planned out our day.

We went for a walk …

before heading to lunch at Brigantine.

This dress was one of the best things I packed! Comfy and cute!

This is a restaurant that overlooks the Del Mar racetrack, and Travis typically runs into people he knows. We both got the fish tacos and a beer!

After lunch, we headed to the beach for a couple of hours, and it was glorious.

I took a walk while Travis dozed off. By the end of this trip, I had 50+ photos of the beach and ocean on my phone…I can never get enough of the view.

Also, while beach trips with my kids have gotten easier as the years have gone by, it’s been a while since just Travis and I were at the beach. It felt so weird to grab my sunglasses, my book, and my towel and have that be all I need.

After the beach, we relaxed a bit, and then went to dinner at Market.

We actually sat at the bar, so we could watch the USA women win gold in beach volleyball!

The sushi was amazing!

Again, we were home by 9:30 and fell fast asleep!

Friday

On Friday, Travis was up very early to meet friends and clients on the back side of the track to look at horses. I slept in a bit, and then headed to the hotel bar again for breakfast.

I took my book and read while enjoying only about 1/3 of these pancakes with my coffee.

When Travis got back, we decided to drive to La Jolla which is only about 20 minutes away. We walked around and there’s an area where you can see the sea lions on the rocks, and we always go there to take in the views and see the sea lions.

We walked around a bit before going to Puesto for lunch. We split some chips and guac, and I got the shrimp tacos and cilantro rice.

On our drive home, I spotted a trail by the hotel, so while Travis napped, I went for a walk. The views were breathtaking, and I wondered what it would take to have a house on the side of a cliff with ocean views.

Ahh…

After I got back from my walk, Travis was at the pool. After a few minutes there, he was going to to the track to catch a couple of races. I went to the beach for about an hour. It’s not that the horse track isn’t my thing, but the beach in 75 degree weather is!

I hung out and …

started a new book…

before getting ready for dinner. Right before the trip, I was at Target with Hayden, and picked up this dress on a whim. It was perfect for dinner…

…with a view. A racing group from Trav’s farm hosted clients at Pacific Coast Grill. The views and the food were amazing.

We could hear the waves while enjoying champagne and seafood!

Saturday


Saturday morning, Travis was up early and at the track. When he returned, we had one more hotel breakfast before going to the beach for a couple hours.

Then it was time to pack up, and get ready for the track. Again, they were hosting clients for the races that afternoon. We arrived around 1:30 before the races started at 2:00.

Trav’s co-workers really knocked it out of the park with the attention to detail, gift baskets, food, hospitality, and more!

We were able to see other clients and friends who I usually just get to see when they come to Lex for the sales or racing. The track is so pretty and right off the ocean.

Once the races were over, we snapped a couple of selfies before leaving.

We had about an hour and a half before we needed to be at the airport, so we weren’t sure we’d have time for a nice sit down dinner. Well, we drove right past an In-N-Out Burger, and our dinner decision was made šŸ˜‰ Travis has dined there a few times, but I never have! The burger was really good!

When planning our return flight, we weighed the pros and cons of taking the Saturday red eye or early Sunday morning. With school starting back on Monday for me and since air travel is so unpredictable right now, we decided on the red eye. We arrived at the airport around 9 PM for our 11:00 flight. We returned our car, changed our clothes, checked in and had plenty of time before boarding. Once in the air, it was about 3.5 hours to Chicago, and we slept hard! We landed in Chicago at 5:30 and had a two hour layover before taking the quick flight to Lex. We were home by 10 am! I took two naps that day and went to bed early, but was glad with the decision to go ahead and get home.

It was a really great trip, nice to have time with just the two of us, and I’m glad I said, “yes,” to join him.

Hotel:

While in Del Mar, we stayed at Hotel Indigo.

It was super cute and felt very much like a California hotel.

Have you ever been to Southern California? I always say if I win the lottery, I’d moved to Charleston, SC or So Cal! I just need to cash that winning ticket!

I hope you have a great week! We are continuing to ease back into school with a four day week this week! See you back here tomorrow for Tuesday Talk.

{this post contains Amazon affiliate linksā€¦}

Posted in Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#78}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello! How was your week? We are definitely in “back to school” mode. There’s no tired like “teacher tired” at the beginning of the school year! I sat down on the couch Wednesday afternoon and accidentally fell asleep! It’s been quite the week with early wake calls and a new routine.

I’m excited to link up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.

Favorite Kid Quote:

Both of my favorite kid quotes came via my mom. She was watching my kids and took Hayden up to school to see the cross country tryout results. Hadley apparently told Hayden to act like he didn’t make the team when they walked back to her car. He did make the team, so we have another fall season full of races.

My mom gave each of the grand kids a card saying she’d treat them to ice cream during her visit. When my nephew Wyatt finished his cup of ice cream, he apparently got up to get back in line. They asked where he was going, and he said, “I have a coupon for a free cone!” haha

Favorite Pic(s):

My favorite photos of the week come from one of my favorite places…our visit to Del Mar, California. We had a great few days there, and I hope to recap the trip next week.

We had a fun afternoon at the race track.

Favorite Clothing Item(s):

Two of my favorite clothing items I took on vacation were new woven sandals and this pretty blue and white plaid dress.

When the dress arrived, it was in a bag that made me think it was a beach cover up! When I pulled it out of the bag, it felt and looked like a dress. I looked back at how it was styled in the Amazon photo, and the girl was wearing it as a dress, with wedges and a purse. I styled it similarly, and I wore it to the track. I’m so pleased with this purchase. It’s great quality, and so cute. I love the split neck hem, the button detail, and seersucker fabric.

I wore the sandals with shorts and with a different dress on a another night. They are so cute and comfy. I’ve worn them the past two days to school. These are definitely a win!

Lastly, Hadley had a “vision” for her first day of school outfit. She found this black t-shirt at Target, but couldn’t find shorts she liked. Then, she looked on Amazon and found these dark pink lines ones (women’s sizes). She’s very picky about shorts and often just wears athletic running shorts, so I was thrilled that these were school appropriate and can be dressed up or down.

As I was typing this post, I realized some of the colors are now on sale. So, we bought two more pairs since the price dropped to from $21 to $12.

Dress // Sandals // Shorts

Favorite Moment:

My favorite moment of the week was getting back to school. I’m so pleased with how the kids have transitioned to middle school which includes a whole new morning routine as well as getting the lay of the middle school land.

Favorite Food:

Our Back to School Brinner was so delish. I made my favorite breakfast casserole as well as some muffins. Yogurt and fruit rounded out the meal. I love breakfast for dinner.

Other Faves:

Trav’s brother is a sports photographer, and he took Hayden’s baseball team’s photos a couple of weeks ago as well as individual photos.

The team photos are amazing…

…and Hayden is killing me looking like a 16 year old!

Speaking of looking 16, Hadley had competition team head shots this week, and she looked so much older to me too!

We wrapped up the summer enjoying ice cream with friends after the last basketball game of summer league. (Hayden’s team came in 2nd place in the tournament!)

Favorite Mom Meme :

I miss the Olympics already, and I certainly feel like I could win gold in this regard:

Weekly Recap:

I had three other posts this week:

Not Just a Mom
Summer Fun recap
First day of school

I hope you have a great weekend! We have baseball on tap this weekend and hopefully some down time to catch up from the week! See you back here next week.

{this post contains Amazon affiliate linksā€¦}

Posted in School

All the First Day of 6th Grade Things:

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Happy Wednesday! Well, the 2021-22 school year is officially underway. We all had a great first day of school yesterday. While I always am sad to see summer wrap up, it’s always good for us to get back into a routine. Also, I was kind of ready to get the kids off to school just because this is a new phase for us with a new routine and a few nerves! I knew we’d all feel better after getting the first day under our belts.

Today, I’m sharing all the back to school things: our traditional brinner, first day of school photos, and a back to school interview with the kids.

Back to School Brinner:

Since Kindergarten, I’ve always set up the Back to School Breakfast for the kids.

With the transition to middle school, I thought I’d change things up a bit and have a Back to School Brinner. We had the brinner on Tuesday night to kick off the first day of school on Wednesday. Who doesn’t love breakfast for dinner?

I used all my usual supplies that I keep organized in a bin.

Per tradition, I ordered a book for each of them and then picked up a mini bundt cake for dessert. (Red velvet for Hadley and lemon for Hayden.)

I kept it simple for mine and Trav’s place setting just using the napkins I already had and writing our names on a name tag.

I baked the same muffins from a mix that I typically make, put out yogurt and fruit and baked one of my favorite breakfast casseroles.

Hadley helped me roll out the parchment paper that I use to wrap presents, and it can also double as a runner for the kitchen table. I meant to write a few quotes, sayings, and other school related ideas, but I forgot!

We all love breakfast for dinner, and I don’t make it enough! It’s so easy, and we had the leftover casserole for dinner last night!

First Day of School Photos:

Middle school starts way later than elementary school in our district, so it’s going to take us a few days to get the hang of “how late can we actually sleep in?” On the first day, we definitely didn’t want to run late, so the kids were up and at ’em and ready to start the day.

They had breakfast, got dressed, did their hair, (and Hayden officially has the hang of putting in his contacts on his own…just in time!), and then obliged me with a few photos.

I can’t get over how much older they look!

They both were really excited and didn’t seem nervous at all. (Also, I almost mentioned that they were unknowingly #twinning with their outfits, but I knew Hayden would change if I did mention it!)

After the photos, they grabbed their backpacks and masks, and they were ready to start the day!

I thought about them all day long. Hadley sent me an email when she was in math class. I love my emails from Hadley! For them, I was the most nervous for lunch. I remember that feeling of looking around the cafeteria and wanting to find someone you know to sit with at lunch. Obviously, they know many kids from elementary school, but a lot of their friends are on the other 6th grade team. They reported back that they have to sit with their class at lunch (for Covid tracing), and that it worked out okay.

Back to School Interview:

Hayden’s Thoughts:

  • This year, I’m excited about: having in person school.
  • By the end of the year, I want to: earn straight A’s.
  • My favorite subject is: social studies.
  • I love learning about: history.
  • I’m great at: reading.
  • My favorite school cafeteria food is: nachos.
  • If I was the principal for the day, I would: let kids do whatever they want.
  • When I grow up, I want to be: undecided.
  • The best thing about school is: lunch.
  • My first day of school was: good.

Bonus: One thing I’m looking forward to in middle school is: sports.

Hadley’s Thoughts:

  • This year, I’m excited about: changing classes during the day.
  • By the end of the year, I want to: have good grades and know my way around the school.
  • My favorite subject is: Language Arts.
  • I love learning about: foods from different cultures.
  • I’m great at: being organized.
  • My favorite school cafeteria food is: spaghetti and nachos.
  • If I was the principal for the day, I would: let the students be in charge.
  • When I grow up, I want to be: an elementary teacher.
  • The best thing about school is: meeting new friends.
  • My first day of school was: awesome.

Bonus: One thing I’m looking forward to in middle school is: having more freedom than I did in elementary school

I’m so pleased that they had a great first day, and I hope it continues for the entire year. I know middle school can provide some tough years, and I’m thankful they have each other…even if they don’t realize how lucky they are!

See you back here tomorrow for this week’s Friday Favorites.

Posted in Uncategorized

Summer Fun List (2021) Recap:

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello! I can’t believe how quickly this summer has gone! We got out on May 18th which is actually about a week early for us, so while the summer did feel a bit longer, it still flew by!

Before I get started with today’s post, the Blogiversary winner of the Target or Trader Joe’s gift card is Abbey (@aengles)! I’ve messaged you on Insta, so let me know which gift card you’d like! Thanks to everyone who commented on that post; as always, I appreciate the love!

Before we really get into back to school mode, I’m taking a look back at our Summer Fun List for 2021!

This was the list of ideas the kids gave me once school was out:

Sports Camps:

Hayden attended basketball, baseball, golf camps this summer and loved them all.

Hadley did swim team and loved it! I was proud of her for always giving her best. After not swimming last summer and moving up in age groups, she had to swim 50s which was a big adjustment.

MLB Baseball Game:

Hayden and Travis made it to a Cincinnati Reds game on Memorial Day with a group of friends!

Pool:

Both kids loved the pool. This was definitely a summer of independence and as long as one mom was there, we felt good about taking turns keeping an eye on their pool friend group and giving the kids some responsibility.

I enjoyed the pool too! I can already feel my tan fading #sigh

Baseball:

On repeat. There was no shortage of baseball this summer, and, in fact, Hayden is still playing. His team is comprised of a great group of boys. We’ve had fun watching them play together, and they’ve had a really great summer season.

Snow Cones:

The kids hit up the pool snow cone dates a few times this summer! There’s nothing better on a hot summer day than a snow cone!

Camp:

Hadley loved her camp session. She had fun with friends old and new. Camp kept her busy. She was so tired when she got home!

Summer Dance Classes:

Hadley took a pre-pointe class as well as a tricks and turns class. The sessions are just six weeks long, and Hadley likes to take the summer sessions because it’s a chance to take some classes she doesn’t take during the year.

Baking/Lemonade Pie:

Honestly, we didn’t bake much this summer, but Hadley made Lemonade Pie a couple times. It’s definitely a refreshing treat!

Vacation/Beach:

We loved our five days in Isle of Palms, SC. It’s definitely one of our favorite places to visit!

Water Balloons:

We were able to squeeze in a water balloon fight with the kids and a few of their friends last week.

They had a great time. Of course, it was boys vs. girls!

S’mores:

Believe it or not, we never got to making s’mores this summer. I have all the ingredients in the cabinet, but we just never got a fire pit going. We typically do that more in the cooler weather anyway. I’m sure we’ll make up for lost time this fall.

Go to the Lake:

Well, Hadley got to go to the lake! She had lots of fun tubing and cliff jumping with her friends. I love the lake as well and wish we could have made that happen this summer. It’s just hard to do with baseball most every weekend.

Other:

This summer, we also:

  • Tried the new milkshake place in town.
  • We went bowling for Trav’s birthday.
  • We had 4th of July fun and enjoyed the fireworks.
  • The kids went to the Cinci Zoo with friends.
  • We were able to see family, and the kids played with their cousins a few times.
  • The kids logged lots of miles on their bikes and tons of time playing with friends.
  • The kids and their friends hosted a lemonade stand or two!

When I asked the kids what was the best thing you did this summer, they said:

Hayden:

golf camp

Hadley:

movie night at the pool

For me, the best part about summer has been my kids having so much time to play with friends and neighbors. We’ve definitely been busy, but the kids have had tons of fun with their friends. There have been lots of pick up basketball games, a countless number of miles biking around the neighborhood, and tons of fun at the pool. There will still be time to play, but now it will be after school. I’ll sure miss the sounds of laughter, the giggles and conversations, as well as the ball bouncing as the sun sets. Now, these kids will have a curfew šŸ˜‰

How about this throwback from 2015? Tomorrow, these two will be starting middle school. Babies don’t keep. That’s for sure.

Iā€™m changing up the tradition and doing a back to school brinner tonight rather than a back to school breakfast tomorrow morning.

I can’t believe I start my 20th year in education tomorrow. Time certainly is flying by!

Thanks so much for reading,