jgalvinwhite

Let’s Look and Hodgepodge

Posted on March 11, 2026March 11, 2026 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Wednesday. How’s the week treating you? I think the busy weekend we had has me “surviving” not “thriving.” It’s already midweek, so we’ll just keep moving right along.

Today is a double dose of blog posts!

I’m linking up with Shay and Erika for Let’s Look, but that post for me is short and sweet…

…so I’m also linking up with Joyce for her Wednesday Hodgepodge.

Starting with Let’s Look…so far this year, we’ve looked at…

Things we outsource without regret in January…
Ways we’ve turned into our parents in February (I missed out on the February post, but I’m sure I’ve turned into them in the best possible ways.)

This month, we’re looking at…favorite family vacations.

In July, one of our Share Our Lives posts was about best vacation memory. Well, I couldn’t choose just one memory, so I recapped quite a few vacations there.

One thing I’m grateful for is our fall break tradition of going to the 30A area of Florida with friends. We’ve gone the past four years and have made countless memories as a family of four but also with friends who feel like family.

Moving on to Wednesday Hodgepodge…

Here are my answers to her prompts this week:

1. Are you a naturally trusting person? Is trust built on logic or ‘gut instinct?’ Does everyone deserve a second chance?

I think I am, but I also think I’m a pretty good judge of character when trusting people.

Trust is built on a little bit of both of logic and ‘gut instinct.’ I guess the more you’re around people, the easier it is to “read” who you can trust or not. I try to find the good in people and not be jaded.

As far as deserving a second chance…depending on the situation yes, I’d say most people would deserve a second chance. Of course there’s the saying, “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me” and “Don’t let someone show you twice who they really are.”

2. ‘Beware the Ides of March’…March 15 is on the ancient Roman calendar, these words were made famous by William Shakespeare in his play Julius Caesar. Caesar was assassinated on March 15th 44 B.C. Have you read any Shakespeare? If so, do you have a favorite? Have you ever been to Rome?

Listen, you haven’t lived until you’ve tried to read Shakespeare with one hundred freshmen! Thankfully, they go into Romeo and Juliet with some foundational knowledge. We’re actually reading RJ right now…and Romeo and Juliet just got married…which always as my freshmen shaking their heads.

Reading Shakespeare is tough, so I try to mix it up for them. We read the graphic novel version (online) for Acts 1 and 2. Then, we read the full text for Act 3 with comprehension questions. I usually read the “bridge” text (shorter version) for Acts 4 and 5. With my Advanced classes, we read the full text and students even volunteer to read parts. I always sprinkle in activities to check understanding and take a deeper look into certain vocab words. One of my fellow teachers shared the Broadway play (via You Tube) with Orlando Bloom as Romeo, so we watch a little bit after each act.

When I was sixteen, I went on a two week trip to Europe with school. We went to Italy, but we didn’t go to Rome.

3. Do you like a Caesar salad? If given the choice between garden/house salad or Caesar which do you order? Anchovies or no? What’s your favorite salad dressing?

I do like Caesar salad, and if it’s on a menu, oftentimes, I will order it. No anchovies…no thanks! Overall, my favorite salad dressing is Ranch.

4. Where do you typically work (or blog if that’s easier) at home? Do you have a dedicated office space? Are you happy with the space?

At home, I typically sit on the couch or at the kitchen table to work. It just depends what I’m working on. If I need to spread out a bit, I will go to the kitchen table. We have a dedicated office space but not a full office. We use what would be our formal dining room partly for office space. It just fits our needs better.

I wrote this post back in 2020 sharing how we updated the living room and dining (office) space. The space serves our needs. Since we all have laptops, we can all kind of work wherever we choose, but it’s nice having the cabinet for storage (school supplies, envelopes, chargers, etc) and the bigger desk if we ever need more space.

5. Snow drops, daffodils, lenten roses, crocus, hyacinth, or early tulips…what’s your favorite Spring flowers?

Tulips from Trader Joe’s…

I think I buy flowers the most in the spring. I guess I’m ready to sprinkle in some color and freshness around the house after winter.

…I know they aren’t listed because they aren’t an early flower, but I love my hydrangea mug that I got last year at a local boutique. I need to bring it out into the coffee mug rotation.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

It’s almost St. Patrick’s Day which means it’s almost corned beef, cabbage and Irish soda bread time. I always host my brother’s family, and I guess time slipped away. I just texted the other day to check on their weekend plans.

Along with random thoughts…I love Irish soda bread and say every year that I wonder why I only make it once a year?!

Have a great Wednesday!

10 on the 10th, Blog challenge, Seasonal

10 on the 10th

Posted on March 10, 2026March 10, 2026 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Tuesday!

Y’all, how is it already the 10th of March?! This month is already flying by! I’m linking up with Marsha for the 10 on the the 10th link up..

This month’s prompt is…

I love this prompt because I’m so happy that spring seems to have sprung!

1. More Daylight!

Yay! for longer days and more sunshine, even though this is currently how I feel:

2. Warmer temps

I appreciate the sunshine on a 70 degree day, but I actually don’t mind a sunny cooler day either. The sun seems to shine brighter in the spring which I appreciate!

3. Walks

I definitely tend to go on more walks in the spring. The temps are perfect and I guess after the winter months, I want to get outside.

4. Fresh air/open windows

I love the fresh air in the spring. It feels like a big sigh of relief for surviving winter. We had our windows open over the weekend which was lovely. Honestly though, once things start blooming we won’t be able to do that much thanks to allergies!

5. Green grass and flowers

I love seeing the green grass in the spring. It’s a wonderful sign of hope from Mother Nature after the snow in the winter. Of course, that means we have to start mowing the grass, but that’s Hayden’s job. haha

I usually wait until Mother’s Day to put flowers on the front porch, but I also love seeing what blooms before then.

6. Keeneland

I love Keeneland in the fall, but nothing beat Keeneland in the spring!

7. Seasonal eating

I love chili and soup and anything that goes in the slow cooker, but it is nice to start having other dinner options. Just last night, Travis picked up steaks to grill, and it was nice to have some variety for our dinner. Also, we tend to start eating more vegetables and I appreciate that the fruit options tend to be better and more abundant.

Plus, we will eat on our back patio in the spring more than any other time of the year which is literally a breath of fresh air!

8. Sandals

Oh…I love being able to wear sandals as soon as possible. I usually get a pedicure around spring break, and then there is no turning back! I actually hate wearing shoes, so I wear sandals April to October. It’s almost time!

These continue to be my faves and most worn. I have had two pairs through the years, and I love them more than my Birks!

9. Baseball

I love baseball, and I’m so happy it’s baseball season. Growing up, the KC Royals were always on the TV at home, even during the many lean years. Hayden is as big of a KC Royals fan as I am, and I often have the games on at home too.

Also, this spring, I’m a baseball mom again! Hayden has decided to take a break from running/track, and he made the school’s baseball team! This has been a fun change for him, so we’ll spend lots of time at baseball games this spring.

10. Spring break

Oh! Once spring break arrives, it’s the downhill slide to summer! I always appreciate this break and feel like I need it so much more than fall break. We tend to usually go somewhere for spring break which is fun, but we’re always last minute planners.

This year, our spring break is a week later, so it does still feel like it’s forever far away. I guess I’m going to depend on warmer spring days to get me through.

Have a great day!

Not Just a Mom

Share Our Lives: March 2026

Posted on March 9, 2026March 8, 2026 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Monday!

How was your weekend? Shew! I feel like I hardly had one. We were in Louisville for most of the weekend for Hadley’s volleyball tournament. It was a fun weekend, but I told Trav that I don’t think I even turned on the TV to watch any shows or sports…I spent most of my time in the car or with thousands of people in the convention center! Between games, I did finish a book on my Kindle, and I’m almost finished listening to a book as well.

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

So far this year we’ve discussed…

Ways to stay warm in winter in January
Binge worthy shows in February

This month’s topic is…grocery list frequent buys.

My weekly meal planning, grocery list, grocery ordering are typically some of my least favorite tasks to do. Just yesterday, I spent thirty minutes of my morning thinking of a couple of dinners and ordering those ingredients for delivery along with a few other things to get us by until I can place a larger Kroger pick up order. I placed the order and then drove to Louisville. I was ecstatic when I received confirmation that my order was on the way with no substitutions!

It’s the little things.

Also – we had pizza for dinner last night. I was too tired to cook using the ingredients I’d ordered. haha

Anyway, even when I drag my feet figuring out the weekly groceries, I do remind myself how nice it is to place delivery or pick up orders. At least I don’t spend hours inside the grocery store.

Whenever I get on my Kroger app, it often looks like this…

I always start with my “favorites” and “past purchases” to get my order going…and then I fill in the blanks with what we need for breakfast, lunch and dinners along with other odds and ends.

I still use my handy dandy meal planner to track our activities, dinners for the week, and the shopping list.

Things that we always buy:

Milk (1%)
Bagels and cream cheese (Hadley’s fave breakfast)
Muffins (Hayden’s fave breakfast)
Hawaiian rolls and turkey (Hayden’s supplemental lunch most days)
I always buy Crystal Light packets for my water.
We buy lots of snack foods each week…Cheezits are a family favorite, and then the kids have requests for things like Goldfish (Hadley) and BBQ chips (Hayden).
Coffee – every week, we either need pods or ground coffee (coffee creamer we get every couple of weeks)
Yogurt and eggs are typically a weekly buy as well.
Carrots or cucumbers (to go with Ranch in lunches)
Sweet treat – usually cookies or ice cream

Bread and bananas are hit or miss. I swear if I buy those things, no one eats them…or vice versa. Protein is always on our list, but it varies depending on dinners. Sometimes, I get chicken, other times ground beef, or ground turkey…or a combo of all three. At some point during the week, Trav or I go into Kroger and pick up strawberries, grapes, and/or Cuties along with anything else we prefer to pick out ourselves. Travis also typically buys frozen fruit, almond milk, Z bars and other healthier things.

What about you? What are some of your grocery staples that you buy every week?

Friday Favorites, Kids

Friday Favorites {#293}

Posted on March 6, 2026March 6, 2026 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

How was your week? The first full week in March was certainly a good one, and I truly appreciated the warmer temps and extra daylight. I’m definitely ready for spring.

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

Here are some favorites from the week:

Saturday morning was so lovely. I went and picked up donuts for the kids to have for breakfast, and then I decided to sit outside on the front porch and read for a bit while enjoying my iced coffee.

Saturday night, Hadley went to the Sadie Hawkins dance, and had a great time. I’m very happy that we’re in the phase where all the girls just share dresses! It was nice not having to worry about finding time to find just the right dress.

Pretty in pink….

Saturday had such beautiful weather, so we spent a few minutes outside for pictures.

One of Hadley’s friends was also going to the same dance, so Hadley was extra happy about that too.

Hadley had a busy week…the dance on Saturday and then the indoor state track meet on Wednesday. Her team qualified for the 4×200 relay. Hadley ran the anchor leg…

(She only ran past me once, and I was busy encouraging her to not slow down…there was a girl right on her heels…so this is the best pic I got…)

…They won their heat and the team placed in the top 8 overall which meant they earned a medal. The girls had only run together one other time, so they were so happy to make the podium and run a 5 second PR!

My newest lunch obsession is this bowl…I was inspired by an Insta post, and it’s just Jasmine rice, edamame, ground turkey and soy sauce. I was able to get a few lunches out of this meal prep.

Book Trackers:

On Sunday, I shared my March trackers.

I still love making (and using) these. I save them in a highlight on Instagram, so feel free to use them and tag me!

Fave Spring Amazon:

With the warmer weather and sunshine, I got to thinking about a couple of my favorite Amazon tops.

I have this short sleeve top in two colors. It’s such an easy fit, and one that I wear often.

Prettygarden button down (affiliate link)

This puff short sleeved sweater is another one that I have in a couple of colors. The lightweight fabric is soft and is the perfect transitional piece for spring. This sweater is the perfect wardrobe staple.

WIHOLL short sleeve sweater (affiliate link)

Favorite Mom Meme:

Honestly, this isn’t really an issue at our house, but it did make me laugh!

Weekly Recap:

Here are my posts from the week:

Share Our Lives:

We have our monthly Share Our Lives link up on Monday. This month’s topic is…grocery list frequent buys.

We’d love to have you join us.

It’s Daylight Saving time this weekend. Honestly, I was surprised when I realized that. I know we’ve been gaining sunlight, but I didn’t know it was time to set the clocks forward an hour until the weatherman had it on the seven day forecast.

What was a favorite from your week? Have a great weekend!

Enneagram, Inspiration, Me

Thursday Thoughts

Posted on March 5, 2026March 5, 2026 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Thursday! Well, where has this week gone? I had every intention of blogging Tuesday and Wednesday, but the week has just gotten away from me.

It’s been a while since I’ve shared an Enneagram post, but I’m doing so today.

As a matter of fact, I’d saved these @mirabellecreations graphics at the start of the new year, but never finished the post until now.

My type A personality likes to be organized…I feel so much better when I’ve written things down on my calendar, made appointments, sent emails, tidied up and more.

I’m a Enneagram 5w6, and these two graphics definitely ring true as ways to organize my life.

Type 5:

Create daily and weekly routines: Yes. Say less. I thrive on routines.
Set clear work and rest boundaries with defined start and and stop times. Well, when you’re a teacher, your whole day is dictated by a bell telling you when your day and classes start and end. While there are lots of teachers who subscribe to the “I don’t work outside my contract hours,” that’s never worked for me. That being said, what’s also rarely worked for me is bringing work home. My school ends at 3:15, and we are required to stay until 3:25. Obviously, I’m in the phase of life where I often have to get to a kid’s activity, but I usually do have 20-30 minutes when I can stay after school…and I do. Anyway, my point is, I know that sometimes even staying until 4:00 allows me time to get caught up or set myself up for success the next day. Probably an unpopular opinion, but I often like to stay at school on Fridays for a bit to wrap up the week and prepare for the week ahead. I figure the weekend starts as soon as the bell rings…I might as well have some quiet time to get caught up and prepare.
Organize notes and information you actively use: Yes. I have notes on my phone with daily “to do” lists along with other lists. I always write in my school planner in pencil, so that I can erase/move plans to other days. I have a sticky note on my desk with my school “to do” for the day and I always update it and cross things off. Then, at the end of the day, I write a new sticky note for the next day.
Schedule recharge time: Well, as you know, I start the day with quiet time. Then, if possible, I give myself 20-30 minutes to decompress once I get home. I often set a timer, so that I give myself some time, but I don’t get too far off track.
Let systems help you with the world more confidently: Systems and routine are the key for me feeling like I can accomplish my tasks but also have time for myself.

Type 6:

Build calm morning and evening routines that you can rely on: Of course this applies to me. I need 45 minutes in the morning to start my day, and I always need to unwind when I get home. Plus, I like to squeeze in a workout or walk most days as well as find time to read or blog.
Create short “what matters today” list to reduce overwhelm: This for sure applies to me. Just like I keep the sticky note on my desk, the note of my phone is helpful. I have a weekly note with appointments, kids’ activities, errands, etc…and it helps me space things out but also see all that’s going on….so then I’m not overwhelmed.
Use reminders and planners and reassurance, not pressure: My planner, calendar, and reminders just help me feel like I have a handle on things which I appreciate. Sometimes, if I need a reminder for something “out of the norm,” I set an alarm or calendar reminder to help me out.
Practice trusting plans once they’re written down: Well, I don’t know about this one…I write my lesson plans in pencil. haha
Let organization bring clarity instead of more questions: Organization always provides me clarity! I feel frazzled and unfocused when things aren’t organized.

Do any of these apply to you?!

Have a great Thursday!

Amazon

Prime Purchases

Posted on March 2, 2026March 1, 2026 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Monday!

How was your weekend? We were still busy, but the kids didn’t have any games, so at least we weren’t setting any early alarms. The weather was beautiful this weekend, and it truly felt like spring.

Did you catch my weekend posts? I had a Share 4 Somethings post on Saturday and then a Hello, March one on Sunday.

Today, I’m sharing my February Amazon purchases.

As I shared in Saturday’s post, my first two purchases are some of my fave new things.

I needed new erasers for my dry erase board at school and stumbled upon these magnetic ones! They are legit! They erase the dry erase marker easily and really stick to the board.

Shay shared this silicone mat that also has a pouch for packing your hair tools. I’ve used it twice now, and it’s perfect for packing, but then also for setting my curling iron on while doing my hair in the hotel bathroom. It comes in lots of fun colors, and would be perfect for a teen’s Easter basket.

So, over break, I cleaned out my closet and got rid of quite a few t-shirts. One thing I’m lacking is casual long sleeve t-shirts, and this one has been the perfect addition to my closet. When I ordered it, I wasn’t sure if I’d wear it with leggings or not. While I can, I do think it will be more of a shirt I wear with jeans, pants, or shorts. I love the slouchy fit, the side slits, and the price! It comes in lots of colorways. Just this weekend, I wore it with my cheetah barrel jeans, and it was perfect.

Speaking of t-shirts, I have this one in light purple, and I was missing a navy t-shirt from my rotation. So, I just ordered it again in navy. It’s the perfect shirt to sleep in, wear with leggings, front tuck, etc.

Speaking of shirts, Hayden needed a blue compression shirt, so I ordered him this one. It’s just what he needed.

I’ve mentioned before that I asked for two of these Sherpa blankets (in beige) to replace the blankets we have on our living room ottomans. Well, Hadley keeps taking one to use for herself, so I ordered her a white one as one of her Valentine’s Day presents. This blanket comes in a variety of sizes and colors, but we have the 50×60 ones, and they are perfect throws.

…and speaking of blankets…when we redid Hadley’s room two years ago, I got her a quilt from Home Goods to go under her comforter. It held up ok, but it’s been pilling more and more, so I used a gift card to order her this coverlet, and I’m pleased with it. It’s lightweight, so soft, and I ordered it because I liked the ruffle detail. It’s just what she needs for an updated quilt for under her comforter. She loves layers of bedding!

I’ve seen people share the Medicube brand, so I wanted to try an overnight collagen mask. I’ve used this a few times and gotten the hang of it with each time. In the morning, you peel off the mask, so I’ve found putting a thicker layer of product on helps the peel off go easier. My skin really has had a nice glow to it after using it.

What have you “Primed” lately?

{This post contains Amazon Affiliate links. Thanks for supporting my blog.}

Inspiration, Seasonal

Hello, March

Posted on March 1, 2026March 1, 2026 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Sunday! …and Hello, happy March! It’s hard to believe we’re already in the third month of the year, but I’m thankful for a new month with the promise of sunshine, green grass and blooming flowers.

@murphys_sketches always shares these fun graphics start the month; you should check her sketches out.

Here are a few March reminders:

…and…

*side note* the graphic above makes me want a bowl of Lucky Charms. ha!

I hope March is the best month yet!

Share 4 Somethings

Posted on February 28, 2026February 27, 2026 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Saturday!

It’s the last day of February, and it’s also the last Saturday of the month, so I’m linking up with Jenn for Share 4 Somethings.

The topics typically are something we loved, something that sustained us, something we’re carrying forward from this month to the next, and something we’re making space for...but I tweaked a few to work with my current thoughts…

Something I’m loving…

Listen, I’m easy to please. It’s the little things that I’m loving right now. Every day, I write on my school white board. I actually have a double board, and for some reason I only have one eraser…and it always seems to be at the opposite end of the board that I need it.

Anyway, I bought this two pack of magnetic erasers, and I put one on each end of the board. These are great quality, and the magnetic feature is something I’m loving.

Shay shared this silicone mat for traveling with hair tools. I knew it was used to rest hair tools on when they are hot, but I didn’t realize the back side is a pouch! That’s so convenient for putting my curling iron in when I travel. I’ve already used this twice when we’ve gone out of town for volleyball, and I keep it in my travel bag. What a handy little thing that I’m loving.

Something I’m adjusting to…the kids driving. Truly, this milestone has both rocked my world and also afforded me more time on my hands…which just gives me more time to worry. haha!

My mind continues to be blown that I don’t have to pick up from practices (sometimes I still do) or even run certain errands. Honestly though, I’m happy for them to have their independence, but I’m also still holding my breath sometimes as they navigate certain routes at certain times.

Something I’m savoring… quiet time on the weekend whenever I can find it. Two weeks ago, we were in Knoxville for Hadley’s volleyball tournament. Last weekend, she had another tournament in Ohio. I was so tired that Trav told me to just hang at home with Hayden and he’d take Hadley to the tournament. I hate missing the kids’ activities, but I stayed home, and overall, it was a good decision. I savored the downtime because most of our weekends are pretty busy.

Last Sunday, I was up watching the gold medal hockey match while sipping my coffee and reading a magazine. I definitely savored that time, and I also savored my time with Hayden last weekend too. I’d had one on one time with Hadley the previous weekend…and Trav and Hadley had fun together last weekend. It all worked out.

I’m also savoring this bag of Tru Fruit! The frozen strawberries are the only Tru Fruit I like (although, I bet I’d like the frozen bananas too!). Anyway, I bought this bag at Target recently, and I ~~hide~~ stick it in the back of the freezer where the kids won’t see it. haha!

Something I’m carrying forward from this month…

…the warmer weather that we’re having at the end of February. Of course, I’m sure we still have some cold days ahead, but the warmer temps and the longer days of light mean that spring is around the corner.

This post was a fun way to start my Saturday! Now, I’m off to cross some things off my “to do” list!

Everyday Life, Friday Favorites, Monthly Moments

Friday Favorites/Monthly Moments: February 2026

Posted on February 27, 2026March 30, 2026 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

How was your week? I feel like this week flew by! It was a good week of school, and we were busy in the evenings too. I will say that my evenings did feel a bit different without watching Olympic coverage.

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

…to take a look back on February…

I feel like I just shared this:

…for being a shorter month, it did feel like a long one!

We started February how we ended January…with lots of snow and ice.

Homer loves the snow.

We tried a new restaurant, and we’ll definitely go back.

Valentine’s Day was a little different since Hadley and I were in Knoxville for volleyball. We gave the kids a couple of gifts the night before.

Knoxville, Tennessee was a fun town to visit!

Hadley had two volleyball tournaments this month…one in Knoxville and one in Ohio.

She’s having a lot of fun with her team, and they’ve made it to the silver and gold brackets after pool play.

I’m getting used to the kids driving. They’ve done a good job sharing their car. We just have to have a game plan most days with four drivers sharing three cars.

Of course, we watched as much Olympic coverage as possible…at least I did!

Hadley is excited for the upcoming Sadie Hawkins dance, and the sign she made was so cute.

We packed a lot into February…even with the start of it feeling like Groundhog Day with snow, ice, cold temps and no school!

Weekly Recap:

Here are my posts from the week:

I hope you have a happy Friday!

Inspiration, Monthly Musings

Monthly Musings

Posted on February 26, 2026February 25, 2026 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Thursday! I hope the week is treating you well.

Where did February go? Did you catch my post yesterday? I didn’t get it finished until after school, so it was published later in the day. I shared the four books I read in February.

Now, it’s time to link up with Patty on this last Thursday of the month for Monthly Musings.

This month’s topic is…ways we make our weeks easier.

I love this idea for a post, and I can’t wait to see what others share!

1. Paper planner, digital calendar or other option?

Oh…I use all the things! I will say that I rely heavily on the my calendar on my phone. That’s where I always put in appointments or even reminders to do things on certain days.

I still use a desk calendar and paper planner for school lesson planning.

At home, I have a meal planner pad on on the fridge that I use to write down dinners, evening activities and my grocery list. I’ve ordered one of these once a year for the past five years!

2. Meal planning, meal prep or wing it?

As much as I don’t enjoy it, I do meal plan. At this busy stage of life, I feel like it’s the only way to ensure we’ll eat a decent dinner! I don’t do the best job at meal prep, and for whatever reason, I choose to prep a couple lunches on Monday evening rather than the weekend if I’m doing that for the week. I do “wing” lunches sometimes, but I don’t “wing” dinners. That being said, the past couple of years, I’ve started planning dinner Sunday-Wednesday, and then hope we have leftovers for Thursday. If we don’t have leftovers, we’ll have breakfast for dinner, grilled cheese and tomato soup, or I will have some groceries delivered to make Thursday night dinner.

3. Do you choose your outfit the night before?

I do try to have an idea of what I’m going to wear before going to bed. Often times, on Monday, I wear whatever I wore to church on Sunday. I typically wear jeans on Friday. I usually have “favorite” seasonal things I want to wear, so I prioritize those week to week. It just makes it easier to have some kind of a plan.

4. Tips for managing laundry and ironing?

Honestly, laundry hasn’t ever really been a daunting task for me. When the kids were little, I’m sure I did more laundry than I do now, but I guess their clothes were smaller, so it didn’t seem like a lot. For years now, we’ve pretty much done laundry on the weekends. Hayden tends to have the most laundry which results in at least two loads. I usually toss my dirty clothes in with Hadley’s laundry. Trav tends to do his own laundry. Sometimes, the kids will start their own laundry which is nice.

For quite a few years now, the kids have put their clean clothes away. So, at least that’s a chore that’s not too much for all of us to handle.

The kids have had the same Ikea pop up laundry hampers for years. When we rearranged Hadley’s closet, she needed one that was a rectangle rather than circular, so I got her this one from Target, and it’s perfect. It fits in her closet like we need it to, and it has handles to carry it to the washer.

As far as ironing is concerned, I don’t iron. haha! We don’t tend to have too much that needs ironed, and if so, Trav does it.

5. Grocery shop…in-store or online?

As I’ve shared for years, I typically place online Kroger orders, and it’s so helpful. For almost two years now, I’ve used the delivery option as well. I probably have groceries delivered twice a month, and it’s typically a few things we need on Sunday if I’m running behind on a bigger order or a few things at the end of the week to get us to the weekend. Just this past weekend, I had to go into Kroger to pick up a prescription, and I actually did shop around for a few items which was nice.

6. Best tips for getting out the door in the morning without chaos?

Uhh…we started the year strong, and now it’s pretty chaotic! haha!

As always, getting up before the rest of the house is really helpful for me. I like to start my morning calmly.

Also, I will set an alarm for myself to start getting ready to keep me on track with time. Now, if only the kids would do the same!

7. Share your easiest dinners for crazy weeks.

The slow cooker is still the MVP for us on busy weeknights. My “go to” at least once a month is my Fiesta Chicken. It makes a ton, and it’s easy to do.

8. Best tips to keep your house organized during the week.

We always tidy up before bed. The house is at least tidy by the end of the day in order to start the day right the following morning. Also, on Sundays, I make the kids “reset” their rooms. I kind of ignore any mess until Sunday, and then clothes need to be put away, random Gatorade bottles need to be recycled and things like that.

9. Share your easiest breakfast.

I’m not a big breakfast person, but recently I’ve been using the method that Amy shared with microwaving eggs. I spray cooking spray into a glass dish, crack two eggs, and I whisk them and then add a splash of milk and some salt and pepper. After about 90 seconds in the microwave, they are ready to eat. If I can, I sprinkle some cheese on top and add some avocado. Just this week, I’ve taken the whisked eggs to school and microwaved them when I need my breakfast.

10. Share your best overall tip not covered yet.

For us, right now, communication is key. As a family, we used to talk about our week e very Sunday with upcoming events or appointments, so everyone knew what was going on. We still do that, but recently, we’ve been discussing day to day about what’s going on after school…and for some reason three cars among four drivers has seemed more complicated than two cars for four drivers. Anyway, Hadley left school one day, and I had to call her to remind her that she was my ride home! She had to turn around and come back for me. Anyway, communication has been key!

What are some of your best tips for making your week easier?