jgalvinwhite

Friday Favorites {#84}

Posted on September 24, 2021September 23, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday! I’m so glad that it’s Friday. This week turned out to be more than I expected it to be, so I’m jumping right in to this week’s Friday Favorites.

Here’s a peek at some favorites from the week.

Favorite Pic:

Well, even though the Chiefs lost in a heart breaker Sunday night, my favorite pic from the week is still sweet Homer in his Chiefs scarf!

Favorite Moment:

My favorite moment from the week has to do with all things fall. I finally got a few touches of fall throughout the house, and I’m pleased with how everything turned out.

One of my favorite decorations is still my light up pumpkin that I got at Michael’s last year. I loved it so much that I purchased a second one for our bedroom last year too. This year, I picked up the small autumn berry wreath to add to my pedestal with fall candle.

I tried something different with the kitchen table this year with a new runner, some new cute pedestals from Hobby Lobby and pumpkins from Trader Joe’s.

My front porch is coming right along.

This year, I picked up mums from Trader Joe’s because I couldn’t resist the great price, and they were in cute baskets!

I also ordered the big mums in the planters from the kids’ school, and they arrived this week as well. Lastly, my front porch pillows that I ordered off Etsy seven years ago, needed to be tossed. I ordered this four pack of pillow covers from Amazon and used two for the porch and two for my sun room chairs.

Favorite Kid Quote:

My kids got in trouble earlier this week for not meeting my bedtime curfew for them. After a couple of days of no Xbox, Hayden said, “Mom, the punishment doesn’t really fit the crime.” I laughed and asked where he heard that saying. He said his social studies teacher says that sometimes! Good to know he’s listening at school.

Favorite Clothing Item:

Did you seem my Walmart post this week? So many favorite clothing items that I’m wearing on repeat, especially the crew neck sweatshirts!

Favorite Food:

With the cooler temps this week, I made two of our favorite meals for dinner: Pizza Pork Chops and Shay’s Chicken Tortilla Soup.

Favorite Trader Joe’s Find:

Lauren shared about her Trader Joe’s candles. In all my years going into Trader Joe’s, I’ve never known they had candles. When I went there last week for some of their mini pumpkins and gourds, I asked one of the employees if they had any candles…and she pointed me in the right direction. The Honeycrisp Apple was the only one they had in stock; I picked up two! Y’all, it smells so good!

Favorite Fall Quotes:

I love these quotes:

Just my favorite ways to think about fall!

Favorite Mom Meme:

My Gma sent me this, and I laughed…and can relate!

And this…I feel this one deeply.

Another Fave:

After three rainy days, yesterday was beautiful, and I was able to get out for a walk. I needed the fresh air.

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:

How about this memory from 2011? They look so alike in this pic….I’m either bribing them with a snack, or they might be looking at me like I’m a moron. #itstartedyoung

Weekly Recap:

I had three posts this week! I recapped the weekend, shared our Fall Fun List, as well as What I’ve been Wearing (all from Walmart).

Weekend Top 5

Fall Fun List

What I Wore Wednesday

What are your plans for the weekend? We have a cross country meet on tap and not much else. Remember when I said that last weekend, but ended up super busy? I think this week I actually do mean that we don’t have as much going on…and I’m here for it.

Thanks so much for reading,

{this post contains Amazon affiliate links…}

Clothes

What I Wore Wednesday (Walmart Edition)

Posted on September 22, 2021September 21, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Hello! How’s your week going? We are chugging right along. The temps have cooled off and it’s been pretty rainy, so I’ve been able to wear some of my new favorite Walmart finds.

I’ve never done a What I Wore post, but I realized that I have some recent purchases…all from Walmart over the past couple of months…so I’m sharing those today.

What I Wore Wednesday from Walmart

I think it was about a year ago that I realized Walmart has really stepped up their game. They have so many cute options at (obviously) affordable prices.

I’ve already shared this sleeveless v-neck dress that I purchased for only $9! I’ve paired it with one of my favorite light weight cardigans and sneakers as well as without the cardigan and sandals.

I had a Walmart return, and saw this crewneck that was hard to resist! I love the autumn gold color. It’s perfect for fall, and a great MIZZOU color 😉

I wore it to school one day last week with a tank underneath, my favorite white denim jeans, and my favorite Amazon sandals.

I loved it so much that I also bought it in the leopard print too. The under $12 price tag is hard to resist, and the top comes in over ten colors!

I paired it with some new jeans that Ashley shared recently. I wear sandals as long as possible, and wore my favorite rose gold Amazon Birk dupes.

Honestly, I’m not sure the last time I bought a pair of jeans that weren’t skinny jeans. I thought the distressing on these were fun and liked the cut hem. I guess flares are kind of back in style!?

Lastly, I was in need of a new in between seasons jacket…one that isn’t too heavy or too light. I saw this one, and loved the quilted pattern and hood! It arrived and is perfect for the cooler temps. I like that I can wear it to school or after a work out! (Mine is soft silver, but it comes in a variety of colors!)

(please excuse my spotty mirror!)

Honestly, I’ve been really impressed with Walmart lately. They are bringing their “A” game! I mostly order online because that’s easier for me, but they seem to have lots of items in stock in the stores as well!

Thanks for reading my first WIW (Walmart) post!

I’m taking some time to get caught up with life, but I hope to share Friday Favorites on Friday.

Take care,

{this post contains Amazon affiliate links…}

Everyday Life, Holidays

Tuesday Talk

Posted on September 21, 2021September 20, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Hello! Well, yesterday was a soggy day with cooler temps, and it actually felt like fall! That kind of weather is perfect for my post today! Since it’s the third Tuesday of the month, I’m linking up with Ashley and Erika for this month’s Tuesday Talk.

This is me…

Fall is my favorite time of the year! From the cooler temps to the leaves on the trees changing to it getting dark earlier (I know, I’m weird!) to sweater weather and more, I just love fall.

I follows @ashton.creates on Instagram, and I’ve shared some of her graphics in previous posts. The fall bucket list stopped me in my tracks. So many fun things in one spot!

Today, I’m sharing my family’s Fall Fun List. Now to be clear, I made the list…They will have to go along for the fun!

UK football games and tailgating: We are already off to a good start on this one. We went to the MU/UK game a couple of weeks ago, and we’ll go to other games as we can. Travis and Hayden usually go to most of the UK football games….Hadley likes the tailgating part!
Pumpkin Patch: That’s one of my favorite traditions, and I’m sure we will find a Saturday to go in October. The kids always pick out their pumpkins to carve and we snag a pack (or two!) of the apple cider donuts.
Halloween and pumpkin carving: The kids are getting older, but they still have a couple years left of trick-or-treating. I’m not sure what they will be this year, but Hadley mentioned being and angel and devil with a friend or be a cow girl. Hayden will probably throw on a sports uniform and call it a day. We always carve pumpkins and sometimes do so with our neighbors. Again, my kids are getting older (#sigh), but the carving tradition will carry on somehow.
Fire pit/s’mores: The kids had this on their summer list, but we never got to it. An autumn fire pit sounds like a better idea to me anyway.
Visit Ginkgo tree lane: Last year, since we were still doing virtual school, we took a recess break to walk down a road here in Lexington that looks like the yellow brick road once the leaves fall. I hope to by there again this year.
Bake pumpkin desserts: Pumpkin pie, pumpkin snickerdoodles, pumpkin muffins and more! Can’t wait.
Hike: Honestly, our weekends are so busy and I’m not yet sure of our fall break plans (if any), but I love a hike on a cool autumn day when the leaves are changing colors. I guess time will tell if we get this one done or not.
Make chili: My kids (especially Hadley) could eat chili every day! It’s one of my favorite things to make because it’s such a great comfort food and the leftovers are even better.

There are other things we like to do like check out the carved pumpkins at Transy, see the horses race at Keeneland, go to Oktoberfest and more! Hopefully, we can make most of these things happen.

Before I go, here are some of my favorite fall photos:

What are some things you like to do in the fall?

See you back here tomorrow!

Weekend Top 5

Posted on September 20, 2021September 20, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Hello! How was your weekend? Ours was a good one. I swear I always underestimate how much we have going on. If you talked to me on Friday, I would have said, “On Saturday, we only have a cross country meet and then not much on Sunday.” Well, I didn’t sit down all of Saturday. It was a just a “go, go, go” kind of day, and then Sunday I was really productive around the house and getting things in order for the week.

I’m not sure when I will catch a break, but I feel like I need one. Here’s a recap of our weekend with The Weekend Top 5.

When I say a highlight of my weekend was getting pumpkins, you’ll see how crazy I am this time of the year. I forgot my lunch Friday, so I stopped in Kroger to pick up a salad. As I walked into the grocery store, I saw they had the stackable “fantasy” pumpkins that I buy every year from my favorite garden center. These were really reasonably priced, so I went ahead and picked up a few.

I had always planned to go to my favorite spot after school, and still went there to pick up a couple of smaller pumpkins. The kids joined me since I had picked them up from school. Last year, there was apparently a pumpkin shortage, so my favorite place was pretty sparse. They were back in action this year!

I was happy to see that they had quite the variety of fantasy pumpkins, gourds, mini pumpkins, squash and more!

Then after I got everything put out on the porch Saturday afternoon, I went to Trader Joe’s for a few things for lunches and then bought a few extra mini pumpkins and mums at Trader Joe’s. I usually get mums from Trav’s work, but couldn’t pass up the mums in the cute baskets.

It’s sort of embarrassing how pumpkin obsessed I am but a mid-September Saturday is my black Friday 🤣 I’m not 100% finished with my front porch, but how about this cute moment on my front porch table?! I found this little stand and Hobby Lobby. It’s perfect for holding a cute little white pumpkin for the next couple of months!

Another highlight from the weekend was Hayden’s cross country meet. One of the kids’ friends came to cheer him on.

I won’t sugarcoat it…it was a difficult course on a hot day. He put forth his best effort. He was a little down after the race, but everyone ran a little slower and and rose to the challenge.

Hopefully, the temps will finally cool off and these runners can catch a break this week.

After the race, Hayden went and played in a golf match…and loved every second of that.

Hayden picked up dinner with a friend after golf, and Travis worked all day and wanted to stay in on Saturday night and have leftovers. Honestly, I wanted to as well, but Hadley wanted to go out on the town. She and I grabbed a quick dinner at one of our local spots. She caught me up on all the details of middle school, and then we all hung out the rest of the night with a decent bedtime. I swear that dinner on Saturday night was the first time I sat down!

I was up pretty early on Sunday morning, and decided to light my fall candle and finish my book. I didn’t get very far with my indoor fall decor, but the candle had me in the fall spirit!

I finished Yoga Pant Nation which was the third book in the Class Mom series. I still think the first book was my fave, but this one was great too and provided a lot of laughs.

A couple more Sunday highlights included church and Sunday Night football.

Per tradition, Homer let me dress him in the appropriate Chiefs attire. He’s become such a good boy! (besides the fact he’s not supposed to be up on that couch!)

He could be the official mascout of the Chiefs…Homer (AKA: MaHomer!)

For fun, here he is in September 2019 and September 2020.

I finished this before knowing the outcome of the game! I hope the Chiefs didn’t disappoint me. (*update: just woke up to the score 😩…thankfully, Homer still looks cute in his scarf)

So, there’s a peek at our weekend. I hope you have a great week. The temps are finally going to cool off a bit, and I’m here for it! See you back here tomorrow for Tuesday Talk.

Linking up with Heather and others…

Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#83}

Posted on September 17, 2021September 16, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Hey, hey, it’s Friday! We made it to the weekend. How was your week? We had a good one. This is the time of the year where Travis is very busy with work, so I’ve been extra busy taking the kids here, there and everywhere. It was a pretty normal week, but the kids also had an orthodontist appointment and Homer needed an allergy shot, so I felt like I was just driving from place to place!

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

Favorite Moment:

Hayden’s baseball team celebrated their season last Friday night. Even though we have a couple of tournaments left, they wanted to take advantage of the nice weather, and one of the coaches has a pool in his backyard! The boys ran around and then ate before meeting a pitcher on UK’s baseball team. Alex Degan is also the FCA representative for the the baseball team. He spoke to the kids about his sports career as well as his faith journey. Then, the coaches handed out trophies and awards before they had dessert and an evening swim!

Hayden’s team has been playing with the acronym SAFE in mind. Sportsmanship, Attitude, Fun, and Effort. We are so proud of Hayden because his coaches voted for him to receive the sportsmanship award. Hayden has had so much fun with this team, and any of them could have received that award. What a blessing that Hayden’s coaches saw that attribute in him and celebrated it.

We had a great night hanging out with the team and their families!

Favorite Pic:

I shared in yesterday’s post about Hadley’s troop wrapping up their Girl Scout careers on Sunday. It’s so sweet to see them all together. We all feel like these years have gone by in a blink. The girls deserved to be celebrated, and we had lots of fun doing so while reminiscing about all that they’ve accomplished through the years.

Favorite Food:

I made a quick trip to Trader Joe’s for a few things, and two of my fall favorites were in stock: pumpkin bagels and pumpkin cream cheese. Hadley loves the combo too.

Favorite Kid Quote:

We went to the UK/MU football game on Saturday. Dang it. My beloved Tigers were down early. After I said, “Ugh” Hadley said, “Well, be glad you’re sitting by me… I don’t understand football at all!” 😂 My Tigers made a comeback to tie it up late, but fell to the CATS in the end. I was happy that at least it was a close game!

Favorite Activity:

The UK/MU game was a favorite activity this week. After not being able to attend any games last year, we felt like we hadn’t been to Kroger Field in forever. We’ve been tail gaiting with the same friends, in the same spot for years. Some friends we see often anyway, but others we only see at the games.

I was outnumbered in my MIZZOU shirt…surrounded by CATS fans.

The kids had lots of fun before the game at the CAT walk. Later, Hayden and friends ran into a couple of basketball players, and Hadley took their pic!

Hayden was a crazy CATS fan in the game, and Hadley met up with her friend after the first quarter.

It was a beautiful night for some football. If only my Tigers could have won…

Favorite Mom Meme:

Two words: middle. school. 😅

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

On Wednesday, Travis and I celebrated twenty years of being together. We went on our first day on September 15, 2001. We went for a run on the MKT Trail in Columbia, Missouri followed by dinner at Bambinos.

Where has the time gone?!

Weekly Recap:

I had a few posts this week: our Not Just a Mom link up, a day in the life post, and a walk down memory lane for Hadley and her Girl Scout troop.

Not Just a Mom: Morning Routine

Day in the Life

Girl Scouts WRap Up

What do you have on tap for the weekend? We have a busy Saturday with not much on Sunday. I’ll take it!

See you back here on Monday.

Kids

Girl Scouts Wrap Up

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

Well, a chapter of Hadley’s life has come to a close. We celebrated Troop 2299 on Sunday. It was a bittersweet evening with this amazing group of girls as this chapter of their lives closes. I’m not going to lie, I figured I’d be a bit emotional, and I was. (I waited until I got home to shed the tears) I feel like I blinked and the whole troop went from little chubby cheeked girls with toothless grins to young ladies with who’ve blossomed right before our eyes.

The girls were blessed with an amazing leader, and wonderful co-leaders throughout the years. Hadley and crew have camped, learned about nature, cleaned up local parks, baked treats for a local cancer center, attended COSI, sold cookies, gone on outdoor adventures, met with other troops, and so much more.

I will always remember going on a walk with Hadley as a kindergartener. She was home sick with a croupy cough, so we went for a walk to get some fresh air. She told me her friends were joining a Girl Scout troop and she was interested. I said, “Hadley I’m not sure if I can handle one more activity.” She said, “Well, mom, I can!” I should have known better than to try to talk Hadley out of doing something she had her mind set on. I’m so thankful for her decision to join her troop. She’s learned so much and made memories (and friendships to last a lifetime!)

I made friends too! Some of “my people” (AKA: the mom gang) I met because of Girl Scouts. Truly, our girls brought us together. We’ve had fun through the years helping, going on field trips, organizing cookie orders and more. I know these ladies will be in my life forever.

Bridging Ceremony:

On Sunday, we met at a nearby park which is where we’ve had a few activities through the years. The girls enjoyed pizza, drinks, and cupcakes while hanging out for a bit. We were able to get a few photos and the girls looked through the photo albums their leaders made for them.

It was such a thoughtful gift, and I plan on printing some more photos to add to it. That way, Hadley will have so many Girl Scout memories all in one place.

Each girl walked across the bridge one more time as their leader said their name. That tradition was a sweet way to close the Girl Scout chapter.

Memory Lane:

At the end of first grade, the girls bridged from Daisies to Brownies.

At the end of third grade, they bridged from Brownies to Juniors.

And then one more bridging ceremony to complete Junior scouts.

I can’t get over how the years have flown by and what wonderful young ladies they have become:

Here they are with their awesome leaders:

And this one is my favorite pic:

It’s from Breakfast with the Babes (baby animals) at Shaker Village in April 2017….you know, back when they’d let us make them match in cute shirts!

Through the years…

Here are some of their field trips and activities over the past six years.

Fun at the orchard:

These moms slept on the floor of a nature center for one night…haha

Have you ever tried to sleep with a stuffed wolf staring at you?!

Tea party time:

Every Girl Scout needs to master the bow and arrow…

The dads took them to the Girl Scout night baseball game (while the moms stayed home, drank some wine and watched Troop Beverly Hills!)

…and the girls were recognized at a volleyball game…

Ice skating and pizza to celebrate the holidays.

The girls dropped off gifts they’d collected for Shriner’s Children’s hospital.

They also learned about having a healthy mind and body while doing yoga.

The girls took over the capitol! (Frankfort, Ky)

…and attended COSI in March of 2020…right before the world shut down.

Cookie Time:

Cookie sales through the years have been so much fun. One mom volunteered to pick up cookie orders, organize the orders, and collect money. She’s a saint! We couldn’t have done it without her.

The girls had fun selling cookies at Kroger. The first year, they had the fun cookie costumes.

Hadley surpassed her cookie goal each year! We are so appreciative of all who supported her.

One final look:

from Daisies…

to Brownies…

…to Junior Girl Scouts

I did Girl Scouts until my troop leader moved in the 4th grade. I’ve told Hadley before that there aren’t very many who can say they were in the Girl Scouts for six years. I’m proud of her commitment to her troop and know that she will look back fondly on these years.

~Girl Scout Law

I will do my best to be honest and fair, friendly and helpful,

considerate and caring, courageous and strong,

and responsible for what I say and do, and to respect myself and others,

respect authority, use resources wisely,

make the world a better place,

and be a sister to every Girl Scout

I will do my best to be honest and fair, friendly and helpful.

These girls have done just that For six years, they’ve learned so much, shared amazing experiences, grown as individuals and impacted our community in such a special way. They will most certainly continue to make the world a better place.

Everyday Life

Day in the Life

Posted on September 14, 2021September 13, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Hello! It’s been a few months since I’ve shared a Day in the Life post. Now that we are in a back to school routine, I thought it would be fun to share what a pretty typical day looks like for me.

Here’s a peek at last Tuesday…(September 7th!)

I will say this day started off on the wrong foot for me. Tuesdays are supposed to be a morning when I wake up thirty minutes early, and get my workout in. Well, the night before, I slept horribly. From a stuffy nose and Homer randomly barking, I just didn’t sleep well. The 5:40 alarm went off, and I just hit snooze…twice! I got up at my regular (non-workout morning) alarm…6:10.

I got my cup of coffee, lit a candle, watched the news, and read some of my favorite blogs.

At 6:50, I went and washed my face and applied my serum and moisturizer.

Then, I made my breakfast and packed my lunch before waking up the kids around 7:30. I made their breakfasts before helping Hadley pack her lunch.

Then, I made the bed per usual!

I got dressed.

Then, we left for school. I dropped the kids off before heading to my school.

When I got to school, I caught up on emails, planned my day, scheduled student appointments and made copies.

Then, the day became a blur. I had a meeting, helped many students, ate my lunch (forgot to take a photo), made a couple of phone calls, met with students in the afternoon, and then had a few minutes for my afternoon snack while I caught up on paperwork. Then, I met with a few students during 6th hour before wrapping up my school day.

Before picking the kids up from school, I swung by Target to pick up a drive up order. (Hadley needed black leggings for dance practice that started the next day.)

I picked up the kids before heading to…

Kroger. Now, it’s pretty random that I had a Tuesday Kroger pick up, but I didn’t do a great job of taking advantage of Labor Day weekend and having an extra day to get chores accomplished. Target and Kroger pickup saved the day!

Once we got home, the kids helped me unpack and put up the groceries.

Then, I had about thirty minutes before we had to leave for Hayden’s cross country meet. So, I worked on my blog post for the next day.

Then, we headed to the cross country meet. Hayden and his team did an awesome job!

We got home around 7:45 and had a quick dinner of rotisserie chicken (thanks, Kroger!), Bob Evans mashed potatoes (thanks, Bob!), and fruit. That part of the evening was such a blur that I didn’t get any photos.

After dinner, we discussed the kids’ assignments, due dates, upcoming tests, etc. before everyone showered.

After my shower, I applied all my nighttime face products.

Then, I settled in for an episode of House Hunters while enjoying a piece of cheesecake from Trader Joe’s. I’d bought the cheesecake over the weekend, and it was so good. I’d never had one from Trader Joe’s.

Then, it was time to brush teeth and convince the kids to go to bed. Most nights, they end up tucking me in! 😂

I read my book for about twenty minutes while getting my Homer snuggles in.

Then, it was lights out around 10:15 which is pretty typical for me.

So that’s a little look at our day last week. I always love reading these kinds of posts, but it’s always hard for me to remember to take photos throughout the day!

I hope your week is off to a great start!

Not Just a Mom

Not Just a Mom: Morning Routine

Posted on September 13, 2021September 12, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Monday! Shew…we had a busy weekend, but so fun. I’ll share more later in the week, but Friday night Hayden’s baseball team had their end of the season party (even though the season isn’t over) Then, on Saturday, we stopped by a friend’s football game before heading to Hayden’s cross country meet. Then, we went to the UK/MU football game. My Tigers lost, but it was a good one. Sunday was spent at the baseball field and then with Hadley’s Girl Scout troop! Literally, we had zero downtime, and I’m feeling it!

Today, I’m co-hosting the Not Just a Mom link up with these awesome bloggers:

This month’s topic is: Morning Routine.

My morning routine is pretty simple: coffee and quiet time with an occasional workout.

I wake up at 6:10 if I’m not doing a morning workout. Typically, on Tuesday and Friday mornings, I set my alarm for 5:40 and go to my basement for a Beachbody workout. Otherwise, I sleep in a little later, pour myself a cup of coffee, watch the news and read my favorite blogs.

I shower at night, but in the morning, I make sure to wash my face, and apply daily moisturizer. I eat a light breakfast, brush my teeth, and then do makeup and hair.

I’ve seen a post on Instagram about the order people do those morning tasks. I do my makeup, then I do my hair, and then I get dressed. I’ve always done it that way!

I wake the kids around 7:15, and get them a quick breakfast before I go and get dressed.

Travis or I always make the bed. I’ve shared that that’s a non-negotiable chore in our house for us and the kids. Everyone has to to make the bed.

Unfortunately, my routine Monday-Friday is typically rushing to pack a lunch and fussing at my kids to move faster while getting ready 😉

I’m typically out the door by 7:45 before arriving at school around 8:00.

So, that’s my morning routine. I feel like I’m forgetting something. 😆

Next month’s topic is how we handle busy nights. My answer will probably be a plan and some prayers! 😂

I hope you have a great Monday. Make sure to check out the other ladies’ posts too!

Clothes, Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#82}

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

Hello and Happy Friday! How was your week? Overall, we had a good one. It’s always nice when the week starts off with no work/school on Monday!

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

Favorite Moment:

Hayden has been running for the middle school cross country team. Hayden is definitely running with the big boys…there’s quite the difference in some 6th graders vs some 8th graders! Last Saturday, Hayden ran his first ever 4K (2.4 miles). You may remember that Travis was the kids’ coach for 4th and 5th grades at their elementary school. This is Hadley’s first year not running since she wants to focus on dance, so Travis has been helping Hayden on his off days and during the meets. I know he was so proud of Hayden’s effort. He was the second 6th grader to cross the finish line!

Favorite Clothing Item:

I was clicking around on Walmart looking for this jacket that someone had shared, and purchased this dress on a whim to get free shipping. #math

I wore it the other day to school, and love it. It’s perfect for spring, summer, transition to fall…and it’s only $9!

Favorite Food(s):

Hadley woke up at 10:00 on Sunday and requested IHOP for breakfast. It was a dreary and cool day, and IHOP actually sounded good. We got a round of crepes, pancakes, and French Toast. It definitely hit the spot!

Also, I picked up these frittatas at Trader Joe’s last week, and they are so good. There are two in the box, but I’ve just had one with some fruit a couple of mornings this week. I will definitely buy them again.

Other Faves:

Hayden’s been loving golf, and his first match was last Saturday. He was on a team with two friends, and they scrimmaged another group of three. I hope my kids always have fun in whatever they do, but golf is certainly more recreational for him, and it’s nice to see him just go out and play.

Hayden usually has a weekday race as well as a Saturday race. The weekday races are 3k, and Hayden ran a minute faster than last week’s 3k. While the weather was warm, it wasn’t 98 degrees like in previous weeks. Also, I can tell he’s finding his groove and feeling more confident.

Homer under the kitchen table is a favorite from the week. I moved the basement rug up and put it under the kitchen table, so I think he likes a softer place to rest!

Favorite Mom Meme:

My kids definitely ask for less things now, so my years of saying “No” must be paying off.

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

With the big MU vs UK this weekend, this flashback from 2012 is timely. My kids (especially Hayden) bleed blue now, but at least they were Tiger fans for a while.

Weekly Recap:

This week I shared my (many) Amazon purchases, some of the shows and podcasts I’ve been enjoying as well as how I meal plan. Here are the posts in case you missed one:

Prime Purchases

Watching and Listening

Meal Planning

Also, Monday is our Not Just a Mom link up….

This month’s topic is morning routine. We’d love to have you join us!

Lastly, I’d be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the anniversary of 9/11 tomorrow. The world feels so heavy right now. There are times I feel anxious and sad. I remember feeling that way twenty years ago as well. The years may pass by, but I will never forget that day, how I felt, and the ones who lost their lives when the unimaginable happened.

See you back here on Monday,

Let's look, Meals and Recipes

(Let’s Look) Meal Planning

Posted on September 9, 2021September 8, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Well, this four day week has apparently gotten me all messed up! I was off on my days and shared my posts on the wrong days (insert hand on forehead emjoi!)

Yesterday, Shay and Erika shared Let’s Look: Meal Planning, and I’m doing so today. #betterlatethannever

I was a girl who always needed a plan before I was ever a working mom with two very busy kids who most definitely needs a plan because…

There are mornings that my kids wake up and ask me what’s for dinner!

Meal Planning:

Here’s a little look at my process:

I have a paper calendar on the fridge where I write down all of our weekly activities. I sit down on Saturday night or Sunday to write those activities out and then I plan the meals accordingly.
Then, I make my grocery list before placing my Clicklist order. I can’t live without Clicklist. Sometimes, if I can’t figure out what I want to make, Travis just tells me he will go to the store mid-week for whatever we need. I act like I can’t go to the grocery store more than once in a week! 😂 . Honestly, for years, I did Clicklist pick up and that was it. As the kids have gotten busier and I can’t always plan the whole week, I will do grocery pick up on Sunday and then go to the store Thursday if we need something for dinner that night or if they were out of stock on something during my weekend pick up.

For me, Clicklist pick up is usually Sunday afternoon. Occasionally, I will do Monday pick up after school. If I do that, sometimes I will run to Kroger for whatever ingredients we need for Sunday night dinner.
I do try to cook Monday-Thursday, and my general plan is to make something on Sunday with leftovers for Monday. Mondays just seem to be the hardest day of the week, so I like not having to think about what to make for dinner. Then, Tuesday is either a slow cooker meal or we do rotisserie chicken with Bob Evans mashed potatoes and fruit (That’s what we had for dinner Tuesday night). For Wednesday, I often make a pasta that will make enough leftovers for Thursday night. Both Wednesday and Thursday dinners, I will serve with salad, broccoli, or green beans.
Like I said, once we went back to school in March and our lives started to be busier again, I at least plan for Sunday-Wednesday, and then pop into Kroger or Fresh Market for Thursday dinner if needed along with a few fresh items like strawberries or other fruit that we might want for the weekend. I’ve noticed I don’t dread going into the store if I know that it’s only for a few things.

Other Thoughts:

It’s easier to double up recipes in winter for things like soups, chili, and casseroles.
We grill a lot in the summer which is nice to only have to think about quick side dishes like baked beans, pasta salad, and watermelon.
I always forget about breakfast for dinner. We did that recently, and everyone was so excited for dinner.
I go to Trader Joe’s every other week or so. I might go once a week in the fall and winter when there are more seasonal faves that we might want more often. There’s not really anything that I buy at Trader Joe’s that I’d also buy at Kroger. For example, I typically get produce at Kroger and not at Trader Joe’s (unless we are out of something at the time). I go to TJ for Trader Joe’s only items like buffalo chicken dip, Chomps, my favorite Havarti/dill cheese, pumpkin bagels, and more!

If I can get organized, I prefer grocery pickup on Saturday. I’d love to get to the point where I pick up on Friday after school! I’d really be on top of my life if I could do that!
At least once a month, I try to just buy what we need for dinner that week. That forces the kids to finish up whatever chips we have on hand, eat the two yogurts that are left in the fridge, etc.
I’m not great about meal prepping for breakfast, but I did make an egg casserole a couple of weeks ago, and it was so nice to have on hand throughout the week. I tend to eat the same kinds of things for lunch or have leftovers from dinner the night before.
I do try to make one new recipe a week. I tend to do a really good job of this starting in January. I pin a lot of things on Pinterest and tell myself that if I have the time to do that, then I should make sure to try one new recipe a week.
I use my slow cooker at least once a week and even more so in the fall and winter months.
I have an Instant Pot and do use it but more so in the fall and winter months. If I had to choose, though, the slow cooker is my favorite!

What about you? How do you meal plan? I really enjoyed reading so many posts yesterday about how others meal plan. It’s amazing to me that those who meal plan/prep do so a bit differently.

I’ll be back tomorrow for Friday Favorites. I’ve lost track of time this week, but I definitely know that tomorrow is Friday!