jgalvinwhite

Tuesday Talk: Evening Routine

Posted on January 20, 2026January 28, 2026 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Tuesday!

Let me tell you that I knew I was thankful to have yesterday off, but I really did need the day to get my life together. Thankfully, I started the day by sleeping in a bit, but then I placed my Kroger order, ran a few errands, did laundry and more.

One of the WordPress suggested topics was night time routine, and I love seeing how people spend their day and routines that they have. That being said, I decided to focus my evening routine as well.

Once I get home from school, I always check the mail, let Homer out, and unpack my lunch bag.

If I can, I try to give myself a few minutes to decompress. I usually set a 20-30 minute timer where I let myself scroll social media, read a book or even shut my eyes for a few minutes.

After that, I check on anything I need to do for dinner. Some days, dinner is already in the slow cooker, other times I might chop ingredients or double check that I have what I need for dinner when the time comes.

Then, I typically workout if I’m going to.

Most of the time I workout in the basement, but other times, I go to the gym or go for a walk.

Of course, times look differently now than they did even a couple of months ago. My days of picking up kids isn’t completely over, but most of the time, Hadley is using my car to drive to volleyball and Hayden gets a ride home from track. Some days, they are at track together, and I get a ride home from school from a friend. Who knew the quest of finding a good used car would take so long?

Anyway, after my workout, I make dinner. The fall and spring tend to be more hectic with evening activities, but right now, we all typically eat dinner together most days. I appreciate that Travis always cleans up dinner since I usually cook it.

After dinner, I usually check on the kids with whatever they need to do…some evenings, they are still at practice but other times, we talk about school things like upcoming tests and even just talking about logistics for the next day.

Then, I usually finish up my blog post for the next day if I’m writing one.

Once I put my computer away, I take a shower and do my evening skincare.

Then, I settle in on the couch for a bit. I try to do my daily word search, watch a show, read blogs, or read a book. During this time, I will also put away laundry, pack my lunch, etc. if needed.

I head to bed around 10:00 most days. After brushing my teeth, I always put on some lip balm and hand cream.

I typically read for a few minutes before going to bed by 10:45.

Obviously, every evening varies in some way, but this is a pretty typical evening routine right now.

What’s a part of your routine that’s important to you?

Inspiration

Monday Memo

Posted on January 19, 2026January 18, 2026 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Monday! How was your weekend? I spent most of mine in Ohio with Hadley for her first club volleyball tournament of the season. Overall, they played really well and had fun. New team, new season, so they are still getting to know each other and play together, but they did make it to the gold bracket on Sunday.

Did you catch my weekend posts? On Saturday, I blogged about the gifts I received for my birthday, and yesterday, I shared a “fun keep 3” post.

Today, I’m sharing a few of my favorite Instagram accounts to follow.

Many of my favorite accounts are teachers, and a few I actually found on Tik Tok, but then followed them on Instagram last year when there was the possibility of TT going away.

A few years ago, I shared some favorite teachers to follow, and now I’m adding more to the list!

Ashley Jones’s tag line is “teacher by day, server by night, mom of seven 24/7” and I love following along on her school days, Aldi trips, shifts at On the Border, and life with her kids. Her TT account took off last year, and she’s so humbled and appreciative of her followers.

Mrs. Miller is a 4th grade math teacher, and her husband is in the country music band Deltona. I especially love when she shares her Thursday after school videos. That’s the day she stays after to get caught up and plan for the week ahead. She and her husband did just buy a new house, and I love when she shares the updates and how she’s organizing and styling her new home.

Carly Barrett is an interventionist at an elementary school in Louisville. She’s also a colon cancer survivor. Her videos are a little bit of everything from morning routine, iced coffee, skin care, and how she spends her time at school.

Athena is just the sweetest! I believe she’s an admin/instructional coach at an elementary school. She has twin boys who are in college, and their family seems so lovely. She shares her perspective as an “empty nest mom” and has so many cute outfit ideas.

Kristen Friend is a first grade teacher in Arizona, and her “get dressed with me” videos are what usually pop up in my feed. She also shares school stuff as well. She seems fun and spunky!

Gabs and Anna are middle school teacher besties. They always share their “teacher outfit of the day” (that’s their tagline usually), and I bet they are the best middle school teachers.

KK is a new account that I follow. Her “heels in the hall” account popped up in my feed recently. It seems that she had a couple of videos go viral because now she is introducing herself a bit for new followers. She’s a high school principal, and I’m so impressed by her daily outfits….so professional!

Other accounts I’ve been loving even if they aren’t teachers. haha!

Brittany Young is so fun! She has the best personality and always wears such bold and bright colors. You can tell that she dresses to fit her bright and bubbly personality!

I appreciate Carly Heasley’s account because she’s “midsized/curvy,” and it’s so nice seeing clothes on a body type I can relate to. She seems so sweet and genuine as well.

Regan is so sweet, and I just love her house decor and her clothing style. Her daughter sometimes shares her outfits, and she is just too cute too.

Bobbi with the Eye is one that I started to follow about a year and a half ago, and I think she was close to hitting 10,000 followers at that point. Now, she is close to 150,000 followers and quit her day job to focus on being an influencer full time. She has two girls and the cutest dog named Tiny. I love when she shares her “day in the life” reels, and she shares so many great outfits too.

Have you seen Stoop in the City?! This couple decorates their NYC stoop for the holidays, and people can stop by for photos. It’s truly amazing how they decorate from holiday to holiday.

I hope you have a great Monday. After being gone all weekend, my “to do” list is quite long!

Blog challenge

Bloganuary 1.18.26: Keep 3

Posted on January 18, 2026January 16, 2026 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Sunday!

I love Sundays, but even more so with no school on Monday. I’m stopping by for a quick Sunday Bloganuary post.

I saw this graphic on social media, and I always like thinking about what I would keep when I see these different graphics…(I think this one was tied to Seint makeup since one of them is the 3D foundation)…

There are a lot of great ideas on here, but for me, I think I’d keep:

Books: You know I love to read!
Coffee: The best way to start my day.
Free Shipping: I appreciate Amazon Prime and all that can be on my door step in a day or two.

What about you? Which three would you keep?

I hope you’re having a great weekend.

Gift Ideas, Me

Bloganuary 1.17.26: Birthday Gifts

Posted on January 17, 2026January 16, 2026 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Saturday!

I’m a girl who has always loved her birthday. I think that’s why I’ve always tried to make my kids feel special on their birthday. That being said, I don’t need a lot of attention…it’s just that it’s nice feeling appreciated and celebrated.

I always say that for my birthday all I need is a card and a cookie cake. Truly, I have everything I need, so these two things are literally the icing on the cake.

Knowing that my birthday was on a Wednesday and Trav had a meeting to go to and then later the CATS were playing, I was fine with going out out to dinner on the weekend and then having a low-key night at home on my birthday.

Sunday, we went to Jeff Ruby’s and had a nice dinner.

Wednesday morning when I got to school, I had a lovely present on my desk. Leaning into my love of the icon glasses, how great is this candle?

I received a couple of other cards throughout the day…

…and two of my friends got me this sweatshirt. Y’all, I swear I don’t drink Diet Coke that often, but apparently it’s my identity. haha!

When I got home, my mailbox was full of lovely cards from my mom, Gma, and aunt. They made these, and I always love receiving them.

My dad always tries to find a Snoopy card, and this one plays music.

Trav’s mom also sent me a card, and when my brother and his family came over, my niece gave me a homemade card. She’s very into making cards and notes lately.

My friend stopped by before dinner to drop off a gift from her and a couple of friends…these are the softest PJs, and I’ve worn them every night since receiving them.

Wednesday night, Trav and the kids gave me their card. The bubble letters game remains strong!

They also gave me a Frost Buddy for fountain/iced drinks and a “warmie” sweatshirt that’s fleece lined. I wasn’t expecting either of these things, so they were a birthday bonus!

My brother and his family came over, and they gave me these cute heart icon glasses. I have so many fun glasses to drink beverages out of now!

Then, it was cookie cake time!

It was a great birthday, and I felt the love! (Thanks for the birthday wishes on the blog too…I appreciate it!)

Friday Favorites, Holidays, Me

Friday Favorites {#288}

Posted on January 16, 2026January 15, 2026 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

Shew! We’ve almost made it to the weekend. We had a good week, but I felt so tired all week…and a little run down. The cold weather is back, and it certainly feels like winter.

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

Here are my favorites from the week:

I’ve seen others share these Drizzilicious rice cakes, but I think they are mostly at Sam’s/Costco? Anyway, when I was at TJ Maxx last week, I saw them in the snack aisle, so I bought a box. They’ve been a great “sweet treat” to pack with my lunch this week.

Amy shared about this hydration brand, and I spotted a little three pack at Target last weekend. She suggested mixing with Fresca. I had the watermelon flavor this week, and it was so good…very refreshing.

Wednesday was my birthday, and we went out to dinner on Sunday night. Jeff Ruby’s “spoiled” me again with my name on the menu.

Trav and Hayden split a steak, Hadley ordered the salmon, and I got sushi.

Why do my babies look so grown up?!

When it’s your birthday (or any other celebration), you get dessert and a photo. Besides the cupcake, we ordered cheesecake and creme brulee.

I’ve been trying to “refresh” a few spaces, and I saw these candle sticks (tall and short) at Target that I couldn’t pass up. I thought they were just my style and a fun mix and match. I also updated a couple of frames in the house including the one on the kitchen buffet that I found at TJ Maxx.

I feel like we’re back to being all over the place as far as schedules are concerned and with the kids being able to drive themselves, we’re not all together after school very often. We all went home at the same time on Monday which was nice.

Wednesday evening, we celebrated my birthday and I opened a few gifts, and then my brother and his family came over for cookie cake.

It was a nice evening, and we had the UK basketball game on one TV and the Mizzou game on the other. Both teams came out on the winning side.

Favorite Mom Meme:

This meme definitely fits one of my kids more than the other…but it rings true.

Weekly Recap:

I’m on a January blogging streak…

I hope you have a wonderful weekend. I hope to blog over the weekend too, so see you then!

Kids, Throwback Thursday

Throwback Thursday: January 2010

Posted on January 15, 2026January 15, 2026 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Thursday!

Today, I’m starting a new series since I look back on this blog as a kind of scrapbook/snapshot of my family’s lives and activities.

I didn’t start blogging until 2019, so there are many years that aren’t captured fully. This year, I think I’m going to try and write Throwback Thursday posts focusing on an entire year…

…starting with January 2010. Honestly, I guess these posts will focus mostly on the kids, but I think it will be nice to have some sweet memories in one place.

The kids were born in November 2009, and so much of those first couple of months is a blur. ha!

The kids were born a few weeks early, and Hadley was in the NICU for a couple of weeks. That, coupled with the fact that they were born in late fall/ early winter and we didn’t want to risk them getting sick, I stayed home for almost 18 weeks with them.

Honestly, being a stay at home mom to twin babies was hard…with a capital H. More than once, I told Travis I was going back to to school the next day! That being said, I’m glad we stuck it out, and things did get a bit easier/more predictable once they slept through the night (at around 10 weeks, I think), and we got Hadley’s acid reflux and Colic under control.

Here’s a look back on a few favorite pictures during that time. (I took way less pics back then!)

These outfits were a fave and had the little animals on the bottom. Precious.

I know in the pic above that both kids look serious, but Hadley looked serious for the first year of her life. Now, she is the easiest going kid, but man oh man was she a tough baby. Like I said above, she had acid reflux and Colic which had her in a tizzy most of the time. We’d hold her and massage between her little eyebrows trying to get her to relax. Hayden was so chill, and I was grateful that I had at least one easy baby.

The babies spent a lot of time in their Boppy’s! I would often prop them on the couch and hold bottles for them at the same time.

I remember buying these little monogrammed onsies off Etsy, and they were a fave. I think I still have them somewhere.

Believe it or not, I actually remember the day I took this pic. My mom was coming to visit, and the weather was bad. Trav had to drive to Cincinnati to get her, and I got the kids dressed, so they’d be ready to see GG.

They spent lots of time on the play mat. Hadley hated, hated, hated being on her back.

We had lots of time to hang out for photo shoots. Notice that Hadley is on her stomach…truly the only way she was happy for months on end.

Trav’s brother took these pics, and I love that they are in black and white. Again, we had lofty goals for a little photo shoot, but Hadley fussed and fussed, so we could only really take any when they were on their stomachs and eventually sleeping.

Hadley on the right with her paci (AKA our life saver)

It really was a difficult phase, but it was a sweet one as well.

Let's look

Let’s Look

Posted on January 14, 2026January 14, 2026 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Wednesday!

Well, January is chugging right along.

It’s already the second Wednesday of the month, so I’m linking up with Shay and Erika for the first Let’s Look of 2026.

The first topic of the year is …things we outsource without regret.

Groceries:

I immediately thought about how helpful it is that I do grocery pick up and delivery.

The number one thing I outsource is groceries. I’ve done grocery pick up for probably twelve years now, and I can’t even remember what it’s like to be at the store for hours. Of course, it still takes me time to meal plan, make a list, and order, but it’s so nice pulling up and having my order placed in my car. Trav or myself still end up going to Kroger at some point in the week for a few things, so oftentimes, that’s when I pick up produce that I’m picky about or anything we’ve forgotten. I find that now I enjoy shopping a bit more when I do have to go into the store. I also enjoy shopping other stores like Trader Joe’s and Aldi because I don’t really have a list or a plan when I go there.

Also, I’m now going on my second year subscription of Kroger delivery, and it’s been so helpful. I typically use it two to three times a month if I need to have a few things to start the week or make Sunday dinner. Other times, I schedule a mid-week delivery to get us to the weekend.

House cleaning:

Another thing we outsource is having the house cleaned. We have someone clean the house every other week which is such a treat. While it does take some effort to pick up to prep the house to be cleaned, there’s no better feeling than coming home to a clean house.

Yard work:

We used to have someone mow the grass, but now we have Hayden. haha!

Homer:

Trav (& sometimes the rest of us) walk him, but if he needs a bath and a trim, we take him to a groomer.

Teens:

I’m currently outsourcing my teen drivers to run a few errands for me, including Kroger and Target pick ups. Hadley is really good at this, and Hayden has been helpful going to pick up food we’ve ordered for lunch or dinner.

School work…mostly math:

Speaking of teens, we’re thankful to have a few hands on deck to help with math if/when needed. It’s the one subject I literally haven’t been able to help the kids with since 4th grade…& Trav knows when to step away too. Haha

Christmas cards:

One thing I don’t outsource but think of doing every year is when I order Christmas cards, it would be nice if they could be addressed and sent straight from the source. It just seems like an added expense that I don’t feel like paying in the already expensive month of December. If you have any tips/tricks for cutting down on the time it takes to address envelopes, please let me know!

Well, today is my birthday, and I’m off to school to spend it with a hundred teens! haha

I know it will be a great day.

Tuesday Talk

Tuesday Talk: Icon Glasses

Posted on January 13, 2026January 12, 2026 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Tuesday! Yesterday was fine, but it felt like the longest day…like how is today only Tuesday?!

Today’s Tuesday Talk is a bit random, but I’m sharing about my new fave obsession: icon glasses…and a little tip that Amy shared with me.

I first saw icon glasses in the fall when, I believe, it was Anthropology had a few with ghosts and pumpkins. Then, they started popping up everywhere, but seemed like some were more expensive or hard to find.

Flash forward to Christmastime, and I was at Target, and saw a few cute ones, and I bought the Christmas tree and gingerbread man. Not too long after that, I was”kicking myself” for not getting at least one more because they were then sold out.

Amy shared that she saw some at World Market, so I went there and got the holly and candy cane glasses.

They’ve been fun to use to drink my iced coffee, but I’ve also used them for other beverages too.

Here’s my current line up :

Christmas themed…

Valentine’s themed…(one from Target and one from World Market)…

…and this cute flower one that I got at World Market to use in the spring.

These glasses have now become my entire personality! haha

Remember in the 80’s when McDonald’s had drinking glasses you could collect?…I feel like this is my version of that.

You know I’ll continue to check back and maybe add one more for summertime and then I definitely want to round out my collection and get a couple of cute ones for the fall.

Amy also shared, via an Instagram reel, that Yeti lids fit on icon glasses. Say what?!

It’s true!

Now, disclaimer ….I’m finding that some of the glasses are bigger/wider which means the lid doesn’t fit snugly. The lids I got don’t seem to work on my holly, gingerbread or tree glasses…but they fit perfectly on the others? Anyway, I still think it’s fun because I can take the icon glasses on the go if I want.

Have a great day!

Amazon, Not Just a Mom

Share Our Lives: January 2026

Posted on January 12, 2026January 11, 2026 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Monday!

How was your weekend? Overall, ours was good. I tried to savor a little downtime because the next couple of weekends will be busy.

Did you catch my posts on Saturday and Sunday? It’s been nice having a little more time to blog lately.

Anyway, it’s already the second Monday of the month, and I’m co-hosting the Share Our Lives link up with some of my favorite bloggers.

We’re kicking off 2026 with the topic…ways to stay warm in the winter.

Well, I’m going to focus on staying warm inside because if it’s too cold, I don’t plan on being outside. haha

Here are a few things that came to mind:

I have been an iced coffee girl lately, but I do still love a warm cup of coffee to start my day.

We don’t turn on the fireplace very often, but we will when it’s really cold outside. I know lighting a candle won’t keep me warm, but it can make us feel cozy…which is warm adjacent in my opinion.

I love a soft blanket to keep me warm. These blankets were one of my Christmas gifts, and they’ve been a great replacement for the ones we had in the living room. Bonus- Hadley received a towel warmer as one of her gifts, and we can use it for blankets too!

I would say wearing a robe can help keep you warm, but I only wear a robe after a shower/before I’m getting ready. That being said, I love flannel pjs in the winter! My faves the past couple of years are Walmart’s Joyspun brand.

You’ll catch me in a sweatshirt or fuzzy, Sherpa pullover as often as possible!

I’ve very particular about socks and don’t like wearing them unless I have shoes on. I hate for my feet to be hot and only wear ankle or no show socks. It has to be really cold for me to put socks on at bedtime, but I do have some cute fuzzy socks to keep me warm if needed. I prefer the kind that are no-slip #thisisover40haha

My fave slippers that I’ve had for years aren’t available anymore, but these seem similar in style and Memory Foam detail.

How do you stay warm in the winter? Our temps were warm the past couple of weeks, but we got a little bit of snow yesterday. I think we’re in for a colder week ahead.

Next month, we’re talking about binge worthy shows!

Have a great Monday!

Blog challenge

January Bucket List- Bloganuary 1.11.26

Posted on January 11, 2026January 11, 2026 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Sunday!

I hope the weekend has been treating you well.

Pinterest is kind of like Target to me. When I go to Target, Target tells me what I need to buy. Sometimes, when I get on Pinterest, ideas pop up for things to write. haha!

We’re not quite to the halfway point of January, so I think it’s not too late to share some January bucket list ideas.

I saw this list, and realized that I’ve already done a few of these…

{c/o http://www.mustlovelists.com}

Make a homemade soup, make a batch of chili: I love soup and chili season. We have soup at least once a week November-March.
Try a new hobby: I finished cross-stitching a few ornaments, and I still have one to go…and a couple other little projects too. This is a fun hobby that I’ve picked up again.
Set goals: My main goal for January is to stay consistent with working out…and be mindful of what I’m eating. Starting this week, I’m going to go back to tracking in My Fitness Pal.
Try a new type of workout: I went to Solid Core for the first time after Christmas, and I went to another class yesterday. I felt less like a fish out of water yesterday!
Create a 30 day workout calendar: I haven’t really done this, but I am planning my workouts out every week and will continue with the Bodi program I’ve been doing.
Work on a home improvement project: We aren’t doing anything major right now, but I have “refreshed” a few things…new pillow covers, new picture frames, etc.
Declutter your closet: Well, my closet isn’t in horrible shape, but I should go through it. That being said, I went into the new year having purged almost every other part of the house (kitchen cabinets, island, office cabinet, etc)
Make a reading list: I always have a reading list going. After reading “lighter” holiday reads in December, it’s been nice to read a few “meatier” books to start the new year.
After Christmas shopping sale: I did hit up a few after Christmas sales. I picked up a cute Christmas pillow for 60% off at World Market.
Watch a winter movie: I was able to watch a few favorites over break.
Read a productivity/self-improvement book: I picked up a book at a bookstore on fall break, and I hope to start reading it soon.
Get cozy socks/slippers: We’ve had warm temps, but it will be colder this week…which means I will get out my cozy socks.
Organize a bookshelf: We have lots of shelves in our basement, and I put my books down there. On a whim, I decided to organize them by color, and I love it.

With still a couple weeks left in January, I hope to cross a few more of these off my list.

Have you completed any of these ideas?

Have a great Sunday!