jgalvinwhite

Friday Favorites {#73}

Posted on June 18, 2021August 20, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Hello! How was your week? We’ve had a great one. I worked two days, we had some pool time, the kids had dance, baseball, and swim team, and I was able to run some errands and cross some things off my “to do” list.

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

My dad visited for a few days which is always a favorite. He was able to hang with us and my brother’s family, see two of Hayden’s tournament games, take Hayden to the driving range, and we went ahead and celebrated Father’s Day.

For years, we’ve taken a front porch stairs photo (per the Major’s request!), and we always laugh because he’s the hardest one to get to smile. He always says, “I AM smiling!” This visit, he wanted the kids to “smile like Major,” and they nailed it.

Of course, I needed a smiling photo, and then my brother and I hopped in for one.

Seeing Hayden play baseball is always a favorite. He’s having so much fun with his summer team. They are a great group of boys with great coaches.

My favorite flowers, hydrangeas, are starting to bloom…

…but they are showing off at my brother’s house.

My sister-in-law made a couple of pies last weekend, and Layla couldn’t wait to dig in. The pies were delish.

Homer is always a favorite. He loves it that we are home so much in the summer.

Summer nights and just hanging around are a favorite of Hadley’s. My kids kids love to climb this tree in our yard.

Pool time with Layla was another favorite of Hadley’s this week.

Snow cones at the pool are a great way to beat the heat!

Hayden wanted to go to a new restaurant in town, so we ate there on Wednesday after baseball practice. Freddy’s with my fave…

Favorite Mom Meme:

Yep. Summer always magnifies what little control I have around here. 😆

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

Since it’s Father’s Day this weekend, I’m sharing these favorite flashback photos!

In 2013, I had the kids take these pics and framed them for Travis.

And, another flashback…the Major and me in the 80’s…

and in 2005… (Travis and I will celebrate 16 years of marriage next week…which I can’t believe!)

Living away from family can be hard. Luckily, my mom and grandma visited around Mother’s Day, and then we were able to celebrate my dad this past weekend for an early Father’s Day.

Weekly Recap:

Not Just a Mom: Quick Family Dinners

Tuesday Talk: GoodReads

Summer Fun 2021

What are some of your favorites for the week? I hope you have a great weekend. We’ll be at a baseball tournament and celebrating Travis on Sunday!

Amazon Prime Days are Monday and Tuesday, so I will be sharing some Amazon faves on Monday!

Thanks so much for reading.

Activities

Summer Fun 2021

Posted on June 16, 2021June 15, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Hello! I missed last week’s Let’s Look with Shay and Erika where everyone shared their Summer Fun Lists, so I’m sharing ours today.

When the kids were little, we didn’t belong to a pool, so I would plan something each day…and live for their afternoon naps!

Depending on the day we’d go to a park, have a picnic, go to a movie, head to the library, splash in the baby pool in the backyard, or meet friends at the YMCA pool.

A few years ago, we joined a pool, so most of our summer days are spent there. Swim team practice is in the morning, so then we often hang out for a couple of hours afterwards. A couple days a week we’ll grab lunch at the pool, other times, we come home by lunch. The kids love the pool because they are able to see friends (me too!), play basketball and volleyball as well as swim. Also, our pool has various events like snow cones, movie nights, and pool activities a few times throughout the summer.

Last summer “forced” us to find fun outside of the pool since we didn’t join due to Covid. I’d say that last summer was actually a blessing in disguise. We had a lot of time together as a family, and we picked strawberries, had time to bake, went canoeing with friends, rode bikes, and did many other activities.

Also, we have quite the crew of neighborhood kids, so it was fun to see them out and about on their bikes and playing outside most days. All of the parents were nostalgic as it reminded us of summers when we were kids.

This summer, we are back at the pool, but I asked the kids to think of a few things they’d like to do this summer.

Here’s what they came up with:

A few of the activities like going to an MLB game and dance classes have already happened (or are currently happening), so we are off to a good start.

The kids even planned their pool day yesterday to be there for the afternoon snow cones! I’m sure we will have a great summer.

What are some fun things you like to do in the summer? We’d love to add to our list!

Books and Shows, Tuesday Talk

Tuesday Talk: Good Reads

Posted on June 15, 2021June 14, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Hello! It’s Tuesday Talk with Erika and Ashley!

Today, I’m talking about books, reading, and the Goodreads app.

It’s no secret that I love to read. In 2018, I started to keep two different notes on my phone. One note was an ongoing list of books I wanted to read, and the other list was for books I read. The list of books I wanted to read continued to grow and grow. I would typically just read the last few books on the list since they were the most recent additions.

In December 2019 and December 2020, I shared my favorite books that I’d read during those years. I’ve had a few people mention the Goodreads app through the years, but I never really tried it out. I downloaded it and added some books that I’d read, but didn’t really do much more.

Then, a few friends shared about the 2020 Reading Challenge on Goodreads, and for whatever reason, that was enough to make me take some time to use the Goodreads app to set up my 2021 challenge. In January, I created various books shelves other than “Want to Read” and “Read.” I wanted to be able to get book titles based on what I wanted to read and stay organized.

I can honestly say that I’m really enjoying the app. I’m assuming I’m not utilizing all features, so please share on what else I can do besides the reading challenge and shelves.

My bookshelves include:

Bio/auto bio/memoir
Christmas/holiday
Faith based/self-help
Historical
Light reads/chick lit
Mystery/thriller/suspense
Read ASAP
Serious Reads
Summer Reads
Young adult
Started but didn’t finish

How do you organize your Goodreads book shelves? Here are some books I have for a few of these caterogies:

Bio/Auto bio/Memoir: Life in Love (Lauren Akins), He Put My Buddha in the Freezer (Karl), Blood: A Memoir (Moorer)
Lit Reads/Chick Lit: The Friendship List (Mallery), Surprise Me (Kinsella), Talk Bookish to Me (Bromley)
Mystery/Thriller/Suspense: The Night Swim (Goldin), Survive the Night (Sager), Local Woman Missing (Kubica)
Summer Reads: Big Summer (Weiner), Here’s to Us (Hilderbrand), Under the Southern Sky (Woodson Harvey)
Read ASAP: Pack Up the Moon (Higgins), We Were Liars (Lockhart), Are We There Yet? (West)

So, my “Read ASAP” category just means those seem like books I would want to read sooner rather than later, and I wanted to have a way to access that list.

I know you can follow people on Goodreads and even like/comment on what others have read or want to read. Are there any other features that I’m missing?

For the 2021 Reading Challenge, I’ve read 19 of my 40 book goal which means I’m on track since we are halfway through 2021. I’ve read a lot of great books so far this year!

I really am enjoying this app over all, and I wish I started using it sooner. I like having my books organized, and seeing what others are reading. Plus, the app helps me remember what I’ve read!

Speaking of organization, I randomly found a new app over the weekend for my blog reading.

Probably five years ago, Shay’s blog was the first blog I started reading, and now I ready quite a few throughout the week. I used to always read them on my computer, and some I would receive via email. For my blog, I use the WordPress app, and have started a few more bloggers on WP!

Anyway, I found this “My Blogs” app in the App Store, and adding blogs to it is very easy. You just get on the app, search for blogs and add them. Then, the app tells you when that blog has a new post to read. Of course, I’ve only started using it, but I like having blogs in one place to read whenever I have time.

Let me know what else I need to know about Goodreads and what books I should add to my Goodreads book shelves!

I hope your week is off to a great start!

Meals and Recipes, Not Just a Mom

Not Just a Mom: Quick Family Dinners

Posted on June 14, 2021June 14, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Hello! How was your weekend? We had a great one with my dad visiting for few days, Hayden’s baseball tournament, some pool time, and an early Father’s Day (and my brother’s birthday) celebration.

Today, I’m co-hosting with these ladies for our Not Just a Mom series.

This month’s topic is Quick Family Dinners.

I try to meal prep and make my grocery list for pick up most weekends. I like to have a plan for the week ahead. With the kids being pretty busy most evenings, almost anything I make is quick.

I turn to one of my favorite cookbooks a lot for meals all year long:

Some of my favorite recipes from Shay’s Simmers cookbook that I turn to quite often are:

The best “cooking hack” is putting chicken in the slow cooker, cover it with water, and then shred when it’s finished cooking to use for meals.

Also, when I thought of this topic, I immediately thought about sharing a few favorites from each season. Here are some pretty quick recipes my family enjoys!

Winter:

Of course, the winter months are perfect for soups and chilis!

Spring:

In the spring, we start eating lighter meals.

Salmon with roasted Brussel Sprouts or broccoli is a family fave! (I love that our Kroger has salmon that can be baked in the foil packs with spices and herbs that can be added in. The salmon is always flavorful, and the clean up is easy.)
Of course, every March I make Corned beef and cabbage & Irish Soda Bread.

Summer:

During the summer months, we grill out, and I typically make one of these side dishes, during the summer months. Fresh fruit is also an easy side dish when the weather is warm. Watermelon is definitely a summer fave!

I found this recipe on Pinterest for a Sushi Roll Bowl a few years ago. I tweaked the recipe a bit, but it’s such a healthy and refreshing meal in the summer.

Fall:

I start making hearty meals / comfort food once the weather cools down in the fall.

One recipe I always look forward to in the fall is Pumpkin Sausage Penne Pasta. I’ve had this recipe for years, and found it in a Kroger coupon pack. It’s so good.

I also make Turkey Rice soup with Thanksgiving turkey leftovers.

Other Ideas:

Other easy dinner ideas all year long include tacos, grilled cheese and tomato soup, and pork loin with a veggie or Trader Joe’s side. Like the salmon, I love the Smithfield pork that is cooked in the bag. It’s such an easy “go to” although I always forget that it takes about 45 minutes in the oven, but the clean up is easy!

Favorite Trader Joe’s Sides:

Y’all know I’m a faithful Trader Joe’s customer. While I love most everything from TJ’s, their side dishes have been my best “mom cooking hack” through the years. They have so many great options, and they are all so delicious.

Here are some of my faves: {all found in the frozen section}

Mexican Street Corn
Mushroom Risotto
Gnocchi

I love to cook, and I would say that most everything I make is a pretty quick and easy dinner! Also, I’m a big fan of leftovers, so if a recipe takes an extra bit of time to make, I always think it’s worth it for leftovers the next day!

Next month’s topic is Home Tour! I can’t wait to see a sneak peek of everyone’s homes!

Thanks so much for reading, and make sure to check out the other ladies’ posts too! I hope you have a great week.

Friday Favorites, Kids

Friday Favorites {#72}

Posted on June 11, 2021August 20, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Friday! How was your week? We had a good one! We are definitely in the summer groove. The past couple of weeks have been full on summer mode, but this week was full with more summer activities than summer “down time.”

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

It was a light blogging week for me because I was at school three days, and my kids were very active this week.

Hayden went to basketball camp with a couple of friends.

Hadley has had swim practice, and then Wednesday night, she had her first swim meet of the season. This year, she’s old enough to swim 50’s, so she has had to learn to do the flip turn and work on the endurance it takes to swim down and back.

She swam in the freestyle, the backstroke, the breaststroke, and the freestyle relay. She always has fun with her teammates, and the coaches are awesome.

Hayden has had lots of summer baseball practice. Travis scheduled a hitting lesson, and cousin Wyatt joined them.

I know my kids are getting big, but seeing their little cousins in comparison, gets me every time!

The highlights of my week have been summer school, and I had a hair appointment.

It has been so great to see students this week! Summer school is typically for credit recovery, but our district has a program that includes activities, speakers, social/emotional wellness practices, credit recovery, enrichment, and electives. Some of the electives like creative writing and gardening sound so fun! Students are at school from 9:00-1:00, so it’s been a good mix of work and then being home early afternoon to enjoy my summer.

On Tuesday, I had a hair appointment, and it was much needed. Of course, I need to get my roots touched up (hello, grays!), but my favorite part is a fresh trim!

I shared some favorites on Instagram this week:

It’s been a year since we freshened up our sunroom, and I can say in the past year, we’ve used it more than we did the first five years we lived here. It didn’t get much use in January and February, but otherwise, we spend lots of time here:

Tuesday, was our “Homerversary.” We’ve had Homer for two years. Since we don’t know his actual birthday, we celebrate on June 8th which is the day we adopted him as a pup! To celebrate, he wore his festive bowtie, and we picked him up some vanilla ice cream to enjoy.

For fun: here’s a puppy pic of Homer on the second day we had him!

My Trader Joe’s flowers typically last a couple of weeks, and last weekend, I purchased some fresh ones and put them around our house. Trader Joe’s really does have the best (and most affordable!) flowers around.

Last Saturday, I picked up a couple of candles from Bath and Body Works. Watermelon Lemonade and Fresh Cut Lilacs are perfect for summer.

Travis and I have loved Mare of Easttown. We watched quite a few episodes last weekend, and hope to watch a few more this weekend.

Favorite Clothing Item:

This Amazon dress is a favorite! I saw it on a Facebook ad a few months ago, and purchased it recently knowing we’d have a few “dress up occasions” in May and June. I’ve worn it twice, with wedges and sandals, and it’s so comfy and easy to dress up or down.

It comes in a variety of colors. It is around $40, but I love to wear dresses because I know I will wear them to church, school, and other occasions. Also, I choose dresses I know I can wear on their own, with a cardigan, with tennis shoes or sandals, and this dress definitely fits that criteria.

Boho Midi Dress

Favorite Mom Meme:

I’m forever on a quest to get my kids to throw their wrappers and trash away as well as find their way to the kitchen sink and dishwasher with their dishes!

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:

I love this 2015 photo of the kids and cousin Wyatt. That summer, I had the flower pallet on our back patio which was a fave! (Hayden lost that top snaggle tooth the next day!)

Weekly Recap:

I only had a couple of posts this week, but they were fun ones. I shared all about Hadley’s dance recital and Hayden’s last spring baseball games. Yesterday, I shared some of my favorite Etsy purchases lately.

Weekend WRap Up

Etsy Lately

Monday is our Not Just a Mom link up. The topic is Quick Family Dinner. We hope you’ll join us!

This weekend, Hayden has a baseball tournament, and I think we will grill out and maybe have time to go to the pool for a bit.

I hope you have a great weekend. See you back here on Monday!

{this post contains Amazon affiliate links…}

Gift Ideas

Etsy Lately

Posted on June 10, 2021June 9, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Hello! Y’all know I love Amazon, but I’ve shared before that I love to shop small whenever I can. Sometimes that means I pick up gifts at local business, but I also love to find gifts on Etsy. I don’t think I’ve ever been disappointed with an Etsy purchase.

Today, I’m sharing some of my recent Etsy finds that I’ve gifted for birthdays, teacher gifts, and more!

Our sitter just accepted her first teaching position, so I purchased this pencil door hanger for her graduation gift.

Pencil Door Hanger

It turned out so cute!

I’ve shared these flower pots many times, and they continue to be a favorite gift. I’ve given them as teacher and birthday gifts, and I have one on our back patio that says “home.”

Flower Pots

Teacher gift this year (and last!)

I saw this jute tote shared on Instagram, and I thought it would be the perfect gift for Hadley’s teacher.

Monogram Jute Carryall

We filled it with a couple of her favorite things, and Hadley gave it to her at the end of the school year. Her teacher actually just sent me a text with a photo of her tote at the beach. She used it to carry her towel, books, and a few other beach necessities.

One of my friends has a sweet Golden Retriever, and when I saw this sweatshirt, I knew I had to get it for her for her birthday!

Life is Golden Sweatshirt

It comes in a variety of colors, but I went ahead with the “golden” color for her golden retriever, Colby.

I wanted to get a Hadley a cross necklace for her baptism, and this was perfect. I loved the sideways cross option and feel like it’s a great option for everyday wear.

Cross Necklace

We celebrated Homer earlier in the week. Since we don’t know his actual birthday, we celebrate June 8th as our HOMERversary since that’s the day we picked him up.

Dog Birthday Bowtie

We treated him to vanilla ice cream, and he wore this bowtie for a bit! He’s such a handsome boy.

So, those are some of my recent Etsy purchases. Much like Amazon, Etsy has everything!

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

Kids, Weekend Top 5

Weekend Wrap Up

Posted on June 7, 2021June 6, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Hello! How was your weekend? I’m going to tell you all about ours while linking up with Heather at My Glittery Heart for Hello Monday! and…

my Weekend Wrap Up.

This weekend basically centered around dance, but we started Friday off with a day at the pool. It was a hot one. We went from cold, to rainy days, to finally lots of sunshine and heat on Friday. We spent about four hours at the pool after Hadley’s swim team practice, and I was able to start a new book and chat with my mom friends!

After the pool, Hadley was able to hang out with one of her friends (who used to be our neighbor), and she was so excited to reunited with her sweet friend for a couple of hours.

Friday evening, Hadley had recital practice while Hayden had a baseball game.

They lost is a close 6-7 semifinal game in the tournament for their spring season. His team grew so much this season. They went from losing the first three (maybe four?) games to winning seven straight and becoming a very competitive team for the rest of the season. They ended up second place in their division and played tough in the loss on Friday.

Summer ball continues this week.

After the game, we went out to dinner before an early bedtime. Hadley had recital practice Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evening, so she was tired and needed to rest for her big day on Saturday.

Saturday was spent at Hadley’s three dance recitals. (Well, Travis and Hayden hit up the pool for a bit, but Hadley and I were at the recital auditorium for most of the day.)

She was in all three of her studio’s recitals. At the 10:00 recital, she was in the opening number and performed in her two competition dances. After the 10:00 recital, she and I went to the mall to tackle a couple of errands and eat lunch before returning for the 2:00 show. She was only in the opening number for the 2:00 performance. We stayed to watch a few dances because our neighbor was in that recital, but we were home by 3:00 for some rest.

We headed back for the 6:00 recital where Hadley was in six dances: the opening number, her two competition dances, and then ballet, tap, and jazz. We had everything all organized, but there were a couple of very quick changes that I helped her with before rushing back to my seat. I’ve seen the competition routines quite a few times, but I loved see the ballet, tap, and jazz performances as I hadn’t seen those yet. Her ballet performance brought tears to my eyes. I’m always so amazed by her grace and rhythm….and she certainly didn’t get those two things from me!

We had lots of family at the 6:00 performance. We took up all of row H. haha

She’s had an amazing year with amazing teachers, and she has really formed a tight bond with a wonderful group of girls! It’s been a blessed dancing season for sure.

One of her friends was in the 6:00 show, and I loved watching her perform too!

{Hadley with her friend and our sweet neighbor earlier in the day!}

Lots of flowers after the show for these lovely dancers…

Dad made a pit stop at our favorite flower place…Trader Joe’s before her last recital.

We were so proud of her. A few days of practices + 10 dances, makes for a busy few days.

Hayden loved every second of being there and really wanted me to take a family photo 😉

After the recital, Hadley went to a sleepover with a few of her dance friends while Travis and I joined some friends on their patio for a couple of drinks.

Sunday was the ultimate lazy day. The weather was dreary for most of the day. Travis and I watched two episodes of our new show we are watching: Mare of Easttown.

Then, I ran to the store while Hayden and Travis went to watch the championship game for Hayden’s baseball league. Then, Travis and I watched another! episode of M of E before dinner. The kids played outside after dinner, and then it was an early bedtime for all.

Swim practice picks up again this week for Hadley, Hayden is going to basketball camp, and I have three days of summer school.

So that’s what we were up to this weekend. What about you?

I hope to post again on Thursday and Friday this week, and I’m trying to share a few photos on Instagram this week as well.

Thanks for reading. I hope you have a great weekend!

Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#71}

Posted on June 4, 2021August 20, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Friday! How was your week? We had a good one! The weather was pretty iffy with two cold and rainy days Wednesday and Thursday. That did mean we were able to get some at home chores accomplished like purge and organize the kids’ closets and dresser drawers! We had some pool time, baseball games, and dance recital practices, and it was a good week overall!

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

Favorite Show:

Have you all seen the Friends reunion?? Friday night, I was home alone and decided to purchase a month of HBO Max to watch it. While I hated spending the $15, it’s cheaper than going to a movie, I’ve been excited to see the reunion, and I may try to watch a couple other shows on HBO before canceling the subscription.

Anyway, I cried within the first few minutes. Just seeing them all enter the set one by one got me! I was about twenty minutes into it when Hadley got home and asked me to start it over! We watched the reunion together and loved it. You can tell they are all so grateful for the Friends experience (I mean, of course it kick started their careers and made the millionaires!), but that they are also friends in real life and genuinely care about each other.

It was so good! I may even watch it one more time.

Favorite Moment

Well, my favorite moment from the week was celebrating a HUGE accomplishment for our nephew. On Friday night, in his third and final attempt, he ran a 10k race in Portland, Oregon with a fast enough time (27:57) to qualify for the Olympic trials in a few weeks!

You know how I’ve shared my kids’ cross country and track stories and said, “Running is the family…” Well, I wasn’t kidding 😉…and I’ve always been clear that my kids don’t get their speed from my side of the family. 😆

Jacob’s determination and grit have been so inspiring through the years. There are so many ups and down in racing, and he never gives up! We are excited to cheer him on (from afar) in a couple weeks when he tries to qualify for the Olympics.

Favorite Food:

I’ve shared this recipe before, but I hadn’t made it in a while. So, I made enough for a couple of lunches this week, and it’s so good.

Unfortunately, Trader Joe’s doesn’t carry the Sriracha Ranch, but I found a pretty good alternative with this Hidden Valley “Secret Sauce.”

Favorite Kid Quote:

Earlier this week, Hayden was trying to convince me to get another dog and said, “But mom! Homer needs someone who speaks the same language has him!” 😂

While that’s a cute thought, it’s a “hard no” for now.

Other Favorite Activities:

Hayden’s spring season is finishing up this weekend, but his summer baseball season already started last weekend. He’s excited to be playing with a mix of new players this summer.

They had fun at their first tournament over the weekend.

I mentioned in yesterday’s post that Travis and Hayden went to the Cincinnati Reds game on Monday. Well, one of the neighbors had the highest bid in a silent auction, so it was a group of dads and sons who went to the game…in a limo and sat in a suite.

Hayden was excited to tell me all about it when they got home. He said the food was “all you can eat” in the suite which was a huge plus for him.

Also, he was excited to show me the bobble head doll that was in the suite…Mike Moustakas! Hayden loved Moose when he was on the Royals (Hayden even chose the #8 for baseball uniforms during those years because he loved Moose so much). Hayden has followed his career since he left the Royals and has been excited that Moustakas is on the Reds, so he can cheer him on a little closer to home.

Hadley and I got in some time at the pool on Monday, so that was fun. We hung out on Tuesday as well for a bit after Hadley’s swim team practice, but Wednesday and Thursday were cold and rainy.

Favorite Flowers:

I picked up peonies at Trader Joe’s last weekend, and they are my favorite.

Favorite Mom Meme(s):

I can relate fully to this:

and…

Right?! I love a good chore chart! I will say that yesterday I asked the kids to empty the dishwasher, and they did so…without having to be asked a second time…and there was no fighting! #itsasummermiracle

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

We have three dance recitals this weekend, so this recital photo from 2019 for Hadley’s hip hop performance is sweet and timely!

Weekly Recap:

Here are my posts from this week:

June Prime Purchases

Currently

May: Sentence a Day

I hope to post a few times next week, but just am uncertain with my school schedule so I’m going to try it post daily in Instagram; I hope you will follow along there 🙂 @showmeandsweettea

Have a great weekend! We have great weather, dance recitals, and baseball on tap!

Everyday Life

May: Sentence a Day

Posted on June 3, 2021June 3, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

I’ve been trying to do a Sentence a Day post every other month in 2021, and today I’m sharing what I did in May. To be honest, when I look back at the month of May, I feel like we did so much. So many things to celebrate and the busyness of activities sure made for a great month.

5.1.21

Well, the month started off with Derby day; Hadley and I traveled to Gatlinburg for her dance competition where we spent some time seeing all the sights!

5.2.21

On that Sunday, Hadley’s team did amazing at their third, and final, dance competition of the season.

5.3.21

On the evening of the 3rd, Hayden had a baseball game.

5.4.21

After school on May 4th, I made a trip to library to return The Wife Upstairs and pick up Hayden’s books that were available.

5.5.21

On Cinco de Mayo, I made a trip to Kroger to buy all the May cards that I needed: three graduation cards, one Mother’s Day card, and four birthday cards!

5.6.21

At school, I had a full day of watching AP presentations followed by an evening full of baseball!

5.7.21

Hadley had recital photos taken on May 7th.

5.8.21

The weather on Saturday, May 8th was beautiful, so I went for a walk before going to the grocery store and then celebrating our niece’s graduation with family.

5.9.21

May 9th was Mother’s Day, so we went to church, had brunch, and then I took a two hour nap!

5.10.21

Mondays were for baseball games this season, and I also purchased new cushions for our front porch chairs!

5.11.21

Travis and I met after school to buy some flowers for the back patio.

5.12.21

May 12th was cake ordering day: a bundt cake for my mom’s birthday and ice cream cake for 5th grade graduation.

5.13.21

On the 13th, the kids had field day, my mom and Gma arrived, and I attended our sitter’s graduation party!

5.14.21

Friday the 14th was busy as the kids had an equine visit at school (“field trip” that came to them), followed by Hayden’s baseball game, and then we enjoyed the bundt cake for my mom’s birthday.

5.15.21

We enjoyed a Saturday night dinner on the patio at one of our favorite restaurants for my mom’s birthday.

5.16.21

May 16th was baptism Sunday!

5.17.21

On Monday the 17th, the kids had fun at school tie dying shirts and eating pizza while I got fun mail in my school mailbox and helped with graduation practice.

5.18.21

Tuesday, May 18th was the last day of school which meant 5th grade promotion and a grilling out get together with friends.

5.19.21

I had my last day of school, attended my school’s graduation, and then went to Hayden’s baseball game.

5.20.21

The 20th was my first official day of summer; the kids went to the Cincinnati Zoo with friends while I lounged at home and then went for my monthly facial.

5.21.21

The kids enjoyed the beautiful weather while attending the UK softball game with their cousins, and Homer went to the groomer.

5.22.21

This day was a Saturday filled with errands, the grocery store, and I made time to get a pedicure.

5.23.21

We attended the baptism of our friends (twins!) and then took our kids to a nice dinner as one final celebration for the end of elementary school.

5.24.21

On the 24th, I had plenty of summer errands like getting my car washed, popping into school for a bit, and going to the library while the kids cleaned out their backpacks; then, I started a new workout program.

5.25.21

We hung out with cousin Wyatt for most of the day.

5.26.21

The pool opened, and we enjoyed most of the day there!

5.27.21

We spent some time at the pool before attending cousin Layla’s birthday party for a bit before Hadley’s dance class.

5.28.21

The 28th was a rainy day, and we spent much of it at home doing some work and chores around the house.

5.29.21

Hayden’s first summer ball tournament (pool play) was this past weekend and it was cold, windy, rainy, and only 48 degrees!

5.30.31

The baseball tournament weather was much better for day two with the sun out and 55 degrees, but that still didn’t feel like regular Memorial Day weekend weather.

We were able to get together with neighbors that evening. (oops! two sentences for May 30th!)

5.31.21

Of course, the 31st was Memorial Day; Hayden and Travis went to the Cincinnati Reds game with friends while Hadley and I went to the pool and hung out with lots of friends.

So, that’s what the month of May looked like for us! We had so much going on, so it’s nice to start the month of June without much on our (daytime) agenda.

See you back here tomorrow for Friday Favorites.

Currently

Posted on June 2, 2021June 1, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Hello! Today, I’m linking up with Anne to share this month’s Currently post. I love Currently posts because they are a fun way to share a little bit of what I’m doing (or thinking) at the moment.

Celebrating:

May was definitely the month of celebration with baptism, 5th grade graduation, and some family birthdays, but now we are celebrating summer. We are in summer mode right now and savoring an empty daytime agenda before we get busier next week with some sports camps, and I’m teaching summer school a couple days a week.

Collecting:

I’m collecting {organizing} Hadley’s dance stuff. She has recital practice the next few nights and three recitals this weekend. So, I need to get her five costumes organized along with dance shoes, bobby pins, and more!

Gifting:

We just gifted a few teacher gifts at the end of the school year. Our sitter just accepted her first teaching job, so I purchased this door hanger off Etsy.

We also gave Hadley’s teacher this cute bag from an Etsy shop.

Thinking:

I’m just thinking about my to do lists before next week’s busy schedule begins. Prepping for a new sitter, evening activities for this week, and daytime activities next week just have my mind in overdrive.

Trying:

I’m trying a new workout with the Beach Body program. I’m still loving that app, and have done a pretty good job working out at home! I started Off the Wall last week, and there are three phases with workouts five days a week. I’m on week two, and always enjoy Autumn’s workouts…and I love her modifier, Kat! They all have such great attitudes.

So, that’s just a little bit of what I’m currently thinking and doing. What have you been celebrating, collecting, gifting, thinking, and trying?

See you back here tomorrow for Sentence a Day: May.

Have a great day!