jgalvinwhite

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

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

Activities:

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

Hadley and I tested it out the first day.

The next day we let Hayden…

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

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

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

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

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

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

Trader Joe’s:

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

Homer:

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

Netflix:

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

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

Reading:

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

McConnell Springs Park:

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

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

LOL:

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

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

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

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

Books and Shows

June: What I’ve Been Reading

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

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

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

Little Fires Everywhere:

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

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

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

and…

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

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

Paper Ghosts

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

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

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

The Unhoneymooners

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

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

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

The Simple Wild

The Simple Wild was another really wonderful book.

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

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

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

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

One in a Million:

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

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

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

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

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

Happy reading!

Me, Monthly Musings

Monthly Musings and 20 Questions

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

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

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

Monthly Musings: Summer Kick Off

Lake or Beach?

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

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

Ice Tea or Lemonade?

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

Favorite Summer Vacation Memory:

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

Favorite Summer Destination:

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

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

Go To Favorite Summer Fashion Item:

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

Tank Dress

Tiered Dress

and I have three different colors of this Amazon dress…

Have You Ever Been Water Skiing or Jet Skiing?

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

Favorite Summer Movie:

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

Goonies, Grease and Sandlot also remind me of summer.

Song That Makes You Think of Summer:

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

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

Best 4th of July Story:

I don’t have a specific story, but…

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

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

Fireworks:

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

20 Questions…

with The Classy Chaos

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

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

Thanks so much for reading!

Memes

June Monday Memes

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

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

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

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

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

2020. Am I right?

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

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

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

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

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

this…

and this…

I hope these memes provided a laugh or two!

Have a great week.

Friday Favorites, Homer, Kids

Friday Favorites {#29}

Posted on June 26, 2020August 20, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Hey! Hey! We made it to Friday. As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.

Favorite Moment:

Travis and I celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary this week. We don’t usually do gifts but instead exchange cards and go out to dinner whenever we have an available sitter.

I don’t know why, but from the beginning, Travis has always written my name in bubble letters on my cards. It’s so sweet and something I like forward to. (I hope he doesn’t mind me sharing 😉 Anyway, he brought home my card and a cookie cake. Our family loves cookie cakes and usually pick one up for birthdays and other special occasions.

Sweet treat that almost looks too good to eat 😉

Which leads me to my….

Least Favorite Moment:

Homer ATE THE COOKIE CAKE!!!

Y’all, he is SO bad. (Thank goodness he’s cute)

Because I have no willpower when it comes to a cookie cake, we’d each had a small slice of cake before dinner on Thursday. The cake was covered on the counter and pushed back on the counter. After dinner, we were outside and Hadley came out to tell me about the cake. I cried.

because I love cookie cake
because I was afraid Homer was going to puke all over the house all night long.

We put him in his kennel. He tried to deny he did it, but icing on his nose was proof!

Favorite Activity:

I’m trying to incorporate at least one activity each week for the kids and I to do. I checked our forecast and Wednesday called for pretty mild temps with a high of 80 degrees.

I checked the Cincinnati Zoo’s website for details. Of course, they have new guidelines and the indoor exhibits were closed, but I knew we could at least wander around and check out the animals. The zoo actually had times with a specific number of tickets to be sold for various arrival times. I purchased tickets for the 12:30-1:00 arrival time. Of course, once you are in the zoo, I believe that you can stay as long as you’d like, but at least the arrival of guests is scattered. Also, I knew 2-2.5 hours would be all we’d need to look at the animals.

Cinci is about a 1.5 hour drive, so we left around 10:30, made a stop at Chick-Fil-A for lunch to eat in the car, and drove up to Cinci.

The weather was beautiful and we really were able to keep our distance and see most of what we would have wanted to see.

We’ve been to this zoo a few times. The last time was last year for the kids’ 3rd grade field trip. It was such a fun experience and lots of parents went, so the classes could be divided into small groups of kids. It was easier navigating this time with just my two kids 😉

We started off by seeing the Galapagos tortoises, the Red Pandas, and the Gibbons.

We made a pit stop at the Dippin Dots truck before finding the elephants. The elephants are always my fave!

Then we went to see the giraffes (another of my faves!), and the kids loved seeing the African Painted dogs (I don’t remember seeing them last time), the lions, the bald eagle and hippos.

Last stop was to see the flamingos.

Overall, we had a great day, and I was glad we made the trip up there.

Another favorite activity was dinner out with Travis last night at one of our favorite places: Carson’s Food and Drink.

Favorite Food:

Well, my favorite food should have been the cookie cake…#Imstillbitter

but…the grilled Oscar style salmon for my dinner last night was amazing 😄

And then we stopped by a new (to us) place for a nightcap.

The Kentucky Native Cafe didn’t disappoint with the atmosphere…

or the wine…😉 #roseallday

*both restaurants did amazing jobs with social distancing signs, masking wearing, and tables spread out.

Favorite Pic:

Earlier in the week when I thought Homer was still cute ;), I was looking for him and found him on top of ALL the pillows on my bed.

Favorite Kid Quote:

At dinner the other night, we were having cheeseburgers for dinner and somehow Kobe beef was brought up. Hayden asked if it was somehow connected to Kobe Bryant and we said no. Hadley then said, “People assume Taylor Swift made that one cheese.” I said, “You mean Swiss cheese?” 😂 and we all laughed. Travis asked her if she really thought it was called Swift cheese, and she said, “Maybe…. Maybe not.” 😂

During the same dinner, Hayden, who has been eating mostly soft foods because of his spacers for his braces said, “Wow. I ate that whole meal with just my front teeth!” Way to problem solve, kid! 😉

Favorite Mom Meme:

My hashtag for Hadley often is #sassysincedayone. Also, when people say how much she looks like me, I always say, “Unfortunately, for all involved, she acts like me too!”

Bonus: Flashback Friday

In June 2013, the kids each got their own rooms at our old house. They used to share one very sizable bedroom, and then we put them each into smaller bedrooms. That night, they hugged each other good night and said, “See ya later!” ❤️ Such a sweet Facebook memory.

Weekly Recap:

Here are my posts from this week!

Thanks so much for reading. I hope you have a great weekend.

Travel

Lake Tahoe

Posted on June 25, 2020June 24, 2020 by jgalvinwhite

I mentioned in my What’s Up Wednesday post that Travis and I celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary yesterday. That got me thinking about how we try to go somewhere for “milestone” anniversaries.

For our first anniversary, we went to Florida. To celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary, we went to Charleston, SC.

So thought I’d look back at our 10th wedding anniversary when we went to Lake Tahoe.

I did a Today, in my my mind, I’m in… post about our family vacation to Arizona and California two years ago.

So, today, in my mind, I’m in…Lake Tahoe.

I thought for our 10 year we may go somewhere like the Bahamas! BUT…Travis is the first to admit he likes the beach and ocean but not necessarily for a stretch of days. He prefers to explore and be a bit more active on vacation.

He mentioned Lake Tahoe, and I loved the idea. Our anniversary is in June, but we decided to take this vacation in October of 2015. At the time, the kids were in kindergarten and had a different fall break than I did. The district that I was teaching in at the time gave us a whole week for fall break. So, we thought it would be easier on my mom and gma to watch the kids while the kids were mostly in school and we could take advantage of the fact that I had a week off of school.

We left on a Tuesday afternoon and flew to Reno, NV. We arrived late, so we just stayed at a hotel that night that wasn’t too far from the airport. The next morning, we drove the scenic route to our destination of the Ritz Carlton, Lake Tahoe in Truckee, CA. (more on that later)

This first picture is one from our drive to Truckee. There were scenic pull off spots to look at the gorgeous view.

It’s amazing how different parts of the lake from different angles show various and beautiful shades of blue.

We arrived at the Ritz Carlton around lunchtime on Wednesday.

Let me just say that we aren’t fancy people. I mean, we like nice things and think through major purchases, but we rarely splurge. Travis always does our vacation planning, and I’m not mad about it. This trip was definitely a treat, and I’m pretty sure it’s the only five star hotel I’ve ever stayed in.

Of course, the grounds were beautiful and the amenities were amazing. After checking in, we walked around a bit before heading to lunch on the water.

I don’t remember where we ate for lunch that first day, but this was our view.

We went out to dinner in Truckee and came home to this delicious cake in our room. During that time, the KC Royals were in post-season play, and I remember drinking a glass of wine from our favorite winery (Anomaly) and eating this cake while watching them play on the TV in our room. #heavenonearth

On Thursday, I had booked myself a massage. I’ve had massages before, but this was certainly a treat. I met Travis back in the room afterwards, and he looked 10 years younger. I asked him where he’d been while I was gone, and he said he sat in the steam room for a bit. I’d never done that before, so I headed back to the spa and sat in the steam room for a while. I don’t know that I looked 10 years younger, but I loved it! I felt so refreshed.

Later on that Thursday, we drove a bit to the lake to stand up paddle board. This was my first SUP experience, and I loved every second. My yoga and Pilates classes paid off because I found it pretty easy to do, and I did not end up in the very chilly water!

Thursday night we ate again in Truckee. It is the sweetest little town surrounded by mountains with cute little shops and wonderful restaurants.

On Friday, I checked out that steam room again for a few minutes, and then we decided to go zip lining. I hadn’t been zip lining since Girl Scout camp in 1989, but when Travis came up with the idea, I went with it. Admittedly, I don’t like heights. That being said, this was apparently a zip line/obstacle course. My fears were definitely tested, and I asked Travis more than once why he brought me all the way to Lake Tahoe to kill me, but I persevered! I truly enjoyed the zip lining part…just not walking on the wobbly sticks 1,000 feet in the air.

I’m smiling because I didn’t know what I’d gotten myself into.

After doing some of the obstacles and telling Travis that I would not be doing the harder obstacles, I watched as he “challenged” himself on the more difficult courses. #showoff

Top photo and bottom right photo: Travis way up in the air. Also, the time I confirmed his life insurance was up to date.

Bottom left photo: Me holding on to dear life on the zip line.

After the obstacle courses, we had lunch and hiked a bit.

When we arrived back from our hike, we were reminded that we aren’t bougie as the valet drove our Ford Focus right past the high roller cars. Travis said the really rich must arrive on the weekends! 😉

For our last dinner of the trip, we ate at one of the restaurants at the hotel. It was a great way to end our little vacay.

We had to get up pretty early that Saturday morning to travel back to Kentucky, but it was a great trip overall.

With Covid and life just being different right now, our 15th anniversary kind of snuck up on us. I’m not sure if we will be able to go anywhere this summer. If so, it will most likely be in driving distance. We’ll see.

Where’s a favorite place that you’ve traveled to??

Take care,

Clothes, What's up Wednesday

What’s Up Wednesday

Posted on June 24, 2020June 23, 2020 by jgalvinwhite

It’s the last Wednesday of the month (Y’all, how is that even possible?!), so I’m linking up with Sheaffer and Shay for What’s Up Wednesday.

I have to start off by wishing my husband a Happy Anniversary!! Today is our 15th wedding anniversary. Again, y’all….How is that even possible?! He may be wondering the same thing! 😂I couldn’t do life without him and love and appreciate him more than he’ll ever know! #cheersto15years

WHAT WE ARE EATING THIS WEEK:

Sunday: I mentioned in my Father’s Day post that we had kabobs, pasta salad, watermelon, and asparagus fries for our Father’s Day menu. Then, we had lemon freezer pie for dessert.
Monday: I kept it simple and put Trader Joe’s Traditional Carnitas in the slow cooker with Trader Joe’s Salsa Verde and cooked everything on low for 4 hours. I mixed my carnitas in with one of my favorite Trader Joe’s salads: Southwestern Chopped Salad. I only used half of the salad. Travis and the kids had hard shell tacos and tortillas for their carnitas.
Tuesday: I hadn’t planned for it, but we ended up having enough carnitas for leftovers on Tuesday which was perfect because Hadley had dance and Hayden had baseball. I paired the tacos with Trader Joe’s Mexican Style Roasted Corn. (another fave!)
Wednesday: Pork loin, bagged salad, and Bob Evans Mashed Potatoes (Hadley’s fave!)
Thursday: Travis and I are going out to dinner, so the kids will have dinner at home.
Friday and Saturday: We’ll eat out (or get carry out)

WHAT I’M REMINISCING ABOUT:

Where the heck the time as gone?! We got married 15 years ago today in my hometown of Kansas City, Missouri. When I look back on these years, I always tell Travis he seems to never change (He doesn’t even age, dang it!), and I always feel like the hot mess. Any ups and downs we’ve had in life, I feel like he’s handled with grace and wisdom…and I’m just over here fumbling. Thankfully, we strike a good balance with our personalities and how we handle things. That being said, I blinked in we were wrapped up in full time careers with two very active kids. Jobs and kids are both a blessing, but we do have to continue to work to make time for each other. Thankfully, we give each other grace and are each other’s biggest supporters. It’s been a blessing to grow together as a couple, and I’m sure we’re forever a work in progress (at least I know I am! 😉 I’m very thankful every single day for Travis White!

Thanks to my dad, we had a police escort from the church to our reception.

WHAT I’M LOVING:

As you can tell from my menu this week, I made a trip to Trader Joe’s! Their peonies always stop me in my tracks. Peonies, hydrangeas, and tulips are my favorite flowers.

In the spring and summer months, I usually buy flowers once a week for a couple spots in our home.

WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO:

Baseball practice for Hayden, a dance workshop for Hadley, running errands, and just a little of this and a little of that.

WHAT I’M DREADING:

Hayden is getting his Phase 2 braces soon. I thought he was getting them yesterday, but at his appointment, they took impressions and put spacers between some of his teeth.

Phase 1 was in 2nd grade and lasted about 9 months. This time, he will have top and bottom braces as well as rods to help with his overbite. So, I’m not dreading the braces for myself (obviously), but I just know they will be a big adjustment and a bit painful at first for him. He’ll have them for about two years. Hadley is due as well but we are holding off a bit for her as his ortho work is more extensive.

WHAT I’M WORKING ON:

I’m working on drinking more water. I bought this water bottle...and it’s not small! BUT…I fill it up 2-3 times a day and am definitely drinking more water. I like that it has a handle and straw with a cap and I do find myself taking it with me wherever I go.

Also, we are working on crossing some things off of our Summer 2020 list.

WHAT I’M EXCITED ABOUT:

I’m excited to go to one of our favorite restaurants tomorrow night for dinner to celebrate our anniversary.

WHAT I’M WATCHING/READING:

I’m still binge watching Good Bones and just finished this season of Top Chef.

On Netflix, I’m still chipping away at Dead to Me and only have a few episodes left of Sweet Magnolias.

I’m close to finishing Simple Wild on my Kindle and have started One in a Million that I picked up from the library recently.

WHAT I’M LISTENING TO:

I just finished Even the Rich Season 3 which was all about Beyonce’ and Jay Z. I love this podcast!

WHAT I’M WEARING:

Target has been my main source for summer wear.

I love both of these shorts by Universal Thread because they can be casual or dressed up.

Also, this pink dress is super comfy and comes in a variety of colors. Again, it can be dressed up or down.

olive shorts

medium wash shorts

dress

WHAT I’M DOING THIS WEEKEND:

At the moment, I’m not sure. I’m happy to continue to not be too busy on the weekends! Hayden does have practice Friday-Sunday evenings, but other than that, we don’t have solid plans.

WHAT I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH:

I’m looking forward to possibly visiting family in KC next month.

Also, I love the 4th of July, so we are all looking forward to that. Last year, Hadley was away at camp on the 4th, and it just felt so different without her home. We saved sparklers for when she got home.

Also, Trav’s birthday is in July! I doubt he wants a birthday parade, but he’ll for sure get our traditional birthday cookie cake!

Thanks so much for reading today’s post! Make sure to check out the other ladies’ posts too!

Family, Kids

Summer Fun List

Posted on June 23, 2020June 22, 2020 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Tuesday!

Real talk: I’ve realized Monday is my least favorite day of the week…even in the summer. Mondays mean to do lists, grocery pick up, laundry, and more! During the school year, those are usually Sunday chores! Now, I just bump that business to Monday! I’m very happy to move on to Tuesday.

Anyway, before the summer slips away, I thought I’d have the kids write down some things they want to do this summer. Hadley’s list is on the left, Hayden’s on the right (more real talk: he was kind of grumpy when he made his list), and family items in the middle. A few of the items we’ve accomplished already, but I wanted to have a list for our entire summer.

Hadley:

Learn a new Tik Tok dance (Thankfully, this isn’t a family activity 😉
Tie Dye
Bake
Go to Bob Evans restaurant (She loves the microwave mashed potatoes I buy—she wants to see if they taste the same at the restaurant!)
Dance workshops
And more!

Hayden:

Teach Homer tricks
Take golf lessons
Baseball
Draw
Play outside
Take Hadley to camp for a week (I hate to burst his bubble, but camp has been cancelled!)
And more!

Family:

Vacation
Pick strawberries (maybe Travis can join us next time!)
Go visit family in KC
Go to the zoo
Kayak
Drive in movie
And more!

Our summer looks a bit different with less pool time this year, but we hope to make the most of it and plan some other activities.

The kids have even started a little dog walking business. They walked their first two clients yesterday.

I don’t know that anything too fun is happening today. Hayden will have to update his list because this morning he is, in fact, getting his phase 2 braces. Poor guy! Good news for him (and Hadley) is maybe we can stop for a root beer float at A&W after his appointment!

Take care,

Holidays

Father’s Day

Posted on June 22, 2020June 21, 2020 by jgalvinwhite

Hi~ I hope you had a great weekend! We tried to celebrate Travis as much as possible this weekend. Friday ended with Travis and Hayden having baseball, but on Saturday, the kids and I prepped for Father’s Day on Sunday.

Saturday evening, we headed out to dinner at one of our favorite pizza places. This was our first time eating out in Lexington since early March! We sat on the patio at Grimaldi’s and then walked around a bit. We snapped a couple of pics and then Travis and Hadley had popsicles from Steel City Pops.

They are lucky to have such a great dad!

Sunday morning, Travis woke up to a few gifts and some goodies. Hadley wrote on our chalkboard, I saw these cute (and delicious) cookies at Whole Foods and picked them up for us to enjoy, and each kid had picked out a card for Travis.

Every year I get on Pinterest and find a printable for Hayden and Hadley to fill out about Travis. Their responses have gotten more mature through the years, of course. I do miss the sweet little responses from when they were younger, but I still think it’s a cute sentiment.

Hayden and Travis had a 10:00 tee time, so I wanted to keep breakfast simple. I was going to make pancakes, but as I headed to the store on Saturday, Hadley asked me to see if I could find waffle mix. I just have a mini waffle maker, but I told her I’d look. I found some, and I’m so glad that I did. The waffles were perfect! Hadley made the waffles while Hayden fried up the bacon. Of course for Father’s Day, Travis had his breakfast on our traditional Red Plate.

After breakfast, my dad CALLED ME. He’s the only person I know who will beat you to a phone call that’s supposed to be a day about him. 😂

Hayden has been playing golf off and on since last summer. Yesterday, was his first time playing 9 holes. He was SO excited. I know Travis was too.

Boo was ready to hit the links! #Ithinkthatisagolfsaying 😉

For dinner, I picked up a few kabobs from Kroger. I got the salmon/vegetable combo as well as the steak/vegetable combo. We had watermelon, pasta salad, and I made one of our favorite side dishes: asparagus fries. We all love them, and they are so good.

For dessert, I tried Amy’s Lemon Freezer Pie recipe that she shared the other day. Hadley and I made it on Saturday to let it freeze overnight. It was so easy and so delish!

For fun, a little Flashback Father’s day photo from 2011. I love when this pic pops up in my Facebook memories. I remember taking this picture; it cracks me up every time I see it.

I hope Travis had a great day and knows how much we love and appreciate him. The kids hit the jackpot in the dad department!

Y’all, thanks so much for reading. I hope you have a great week!

Friday Favorites, Traditions

Friday Favorites {#28}

Posted on June 19, 2020August 20, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Whew! We made it to Friday. I spent so much time trying to get my life together this week that I’m exhausted 😉 I feel like this was our first full week of summer (at home) and maybe we are getting into a groove?

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

Favorite Pic:

We sure missed Homer while on vacation. This sweet face greeted us on Saturday when we got home.

Favorite Moment:

We went to Evans Orchard and picked strawberries this week. We’d never done that before, so I thought it would be fun. This is the orchard we usually go to when we pick out our pumpkins and is about a 30 minute drive from Lexington.

The orchard decides how many quarts they have available for picking and at 5:00 posts the quarts for sale ($6/quart and limit 2 per order) on their website for you to pick the next day. Some days they have more quarts for sale than other days. That being said, I set an alarm on my phone for 5:00 Monday to buy the quarts for Tuesday. I know some have mentioned when they have limited quarts they sell out quickly.

Anyway, we arrived around 11:00 on Tuesday and went in to get our purchased quarts. Once we got to the strawberry “patch” we were assigned a lane to stay in to pick our berries. While we were there, there was only one other family. We took our time picking our berries in lane 7 and then went inside to purchase their apple cider donuts. #myweakness I didn’t realize they sold the donuts year round! I was only going to get on 6 pack, but Hayden talked be into buying two packs #twistmyarm

So, I shared these photos on Facebook and had a few people comment that they’d never seen a strawberry patch like this. Like I said, this was our first time going, so I knew no different! Each column of berries spins around, so you can find the best berries. Apparently, strawberries usually grow on the ground. #Imnotafarmer

We got our $6/quart worth!

Favorite Kid Quote:

I don’t necessarily have a favorite kid quote this week, but we did go see my brother and his family for my brother’s birthday. The kids played and had a good time together. They hadn’t really played together for quite some time. It was sweet seeing them run around and have fun together.

Favorite Shows:

Some new (to me) shows I’ve been watching are: House in a Hurry, Good Bones, and Alexa & Katie.

Earlier this summer, I stumbled upon House in a Hurry. Basically, the people are on a time crunch to find a home, so it’s kind of like a quick version of House Hunters. That being said, you get to know the people and their lives a bit more. A couple of episodes had me in tears. One man grew up in a one bedroom apartment with many family members, and he was moving his family to Arizona from California to cut down on his drive time to work, so he could spend more time with this family. Two of his three kids have special needs. Once they found their home, he was in tears with appreciation and relief.

Compare that to another episode where the couple had a $1M budget to move to Florida and the wife came off cold, controlling, and out of touch with reality! So there’s a mix, but seeing that tense episode made me appreciate the even more heart warming episodes that much more.

While in Florida, I stumbled upon Good Bones. I’ve heard of it, but just never watched it. Hayden and I watched some episodes, but then when I got home, I started on Season 1. I really like it.

Lastly, Hadley has always watched Alexa & Katie on Netflix. I knew the premise and had seen that the mom on the show is Tiffani Thiessen who I love from my Saved by the Bell days! Anyway, Hadley started the last and final season, and I watched a few episodes. So, now I’ve started season 1 and Hadley’s been watching it with me. We usually just watch one episode in the morning while having coffee (for me) and breakfast (for her).

Favorite Mom Meme:

Adulting. #amIright?

This meme made me laugh out loud! Thankfully, my kids are good sleepers. In the summer, I used to always threaten Travis to be quiet while getting ready for work as to let the kids sleep as long as possible. As they’ve gotten older (and thanks to sound machines in their rooms), they seem to sleep through most anything until at least 9:00…maybe even later if I’m lucky!

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

This sweet pic popped up my Facebook memories. Isle of Palm, SC. June 2013. Obviously, the hand holding is sweet, but for whatever reason, Hayden holding the little plastic boat slays me!

Flash forward to June 2014 and I planned ahead for a cute beach pic session when we vacationed at Folly Beach, SC. The kids were bribed big time with ice cream…and I’m not ashamed of it!