jgalvinwhite

Share Our Lives: July 2024

Posted on July 8, 2024July 8, 2024 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Monday!

I’m not trying to be negative, but I only have four more Mondays (counting today!) until I go back to school. I swear summer feels shorter and shorter every year.

Did you catch my posts on Saturday and Sunday? My Saturday post was all about our time in Eugene, OR at the Olympic track trials. It was such a special part of our trip. Sunday, I shared a few pics from our 4th of July…I was in KC while the kids and Trav were at home in Lex.

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

So far this year, we’ve discussed:

Introductions and jobs you’ve had in January
How we met our significant others in February
5 items you can’t live without in March
Favorite make up and hair products in April
5 favorite and least favorite foods in May
Foods to make for someone else in June

This month’s topic is…day in the life: summer edition.

Well, I’m glad that I looked ahead at this topic because I decided to go ahead a document a day a couple of weeks ago knowing we were about to go out of town for vacation, and then I’d be in KC for a week. I wanted to choose a somewhat “normal” day when we are home.

Honestly, we’ve yet to have two days a like this summer which can be both good and bad.

Anyway, here’s a peek at Tuesday, June 18th.

I got up at 7:30 but forgot to screenshot the time. I did so around 8:30.

After I got up, I settled in my with “dream team” team of eye gels and coffee.

Hayden has been here….

He ate some coffee cake before his run.

Knowing we were about to be gone, I wanted to make sure my Kindle was loaded up with good books:

Of course I made my bed…

…started some laundry…

…and did my morning skincare routine.

Around 9:00 is when the HVAC guys arrived. This was the day we were getting our new a/c and furnace.

Just in time! It had “cooled off” to 82 that morning.

Hayden was prepping for his run while Homer and I snuggled.

Then, I went to unload the dishwasher only to realize that Trav had unloaded it before work… but he did it wrong…(haha!)

There…that’s better 🤣 To me, I don’t care where the forks and spoons go (although, they should go side by side)…the butter knives have to go to the far left…at least that’s what I think!

I looked outside and realized that Hayden was still home. He takes forever to get started…and was out front warming up.

I didn’t have to go to school for summer school this day, but I did have some stipends to approve. I grabbed a second cup of coffee and did that.

While I was at my computer, I decided to go ahead and work on the next day’s blog post.

Around 10:00, I put on a little makeup, finished getting ready for the day, tidied up and changed out the laundry.

~~Sleeping Beauty~~, Hadley was still sleeping at 10:30, so I woke her up.

Then, I took Hayden to his doctor’s appointment.

Once we were finished with that, I dropped Hayden at home and filled up my tumbler with water.

I had a 12:00 dentist appointment for my six month cleaning. Fun fact about me is that I never had a cavity until I was thirty years old…and then I had two! I got them right after I had the kids. I’ve never had another cavity since! Another fun fact about me is that I love going to the dentist to have my teeth cleaned.

How cute is their summer tree?

I was home around 1:00 and had lunch. I still love a little plate of snacks for lunch in the summer.

Then, I walked around the house and fussed at my kids to pick up up their ish!

Around 1:45, Hadley and I picked up my niece for our 2:00 nail appointments. I wanted to get a pedicure before vacation, and I usually let Hadley get a manicure before vacay too. Layla had a birthday in late May, and I hadn’t gotten her a present yet, so she tagged along for a mani too!

Then, of course we had to get ice cream…

…and see Layla’s updated room!

As I got home around 3:30, the a/c guys were finishing up.

Hadley said our new thermostat is “bougie” because it has the time on it haha

I found Homer was cooling off in the sun room.

I decided to have a little snack and watch some tv in the basement. During the summer, I find myself watching King of Queens, 227, Golden Girls and other shows from my childhood. It’s a great way to pass the time. Sometimes I doze off if needed too!

I lounged for about an hour before finally getting my workout in around 6:00. I almost didn’t “press play,” but I’m glad that I did.

Then, I put dinner in the oven. I decided to do something easy and make a store bought quiche for dinner.

While it baked, I read for a bit.

Then, I picked up Hadley and her friends from pool party at 7.

Since the house was still hot, I enjoyed dinner out in the sun room, and Homer kept me company.

After dinner, I always get the coffee pot ready for the next day…even in the summer.

I still hadn’t gotten in my Bible study for the day, so I did that.

Then, I showered and did my PM skincare routine.

Around 9:00, Travis and I watched the first episode of Presumed Innocent on Apple TV. We were hooked…but tired…

…so we went on to bed. I had the Royals game on in the background as I read my book.

I read and watched TV for a bit before going to bed close to 11:00.

In the summer, 11:00 seems to be my typical bedtime instead of 10:00 during the school year. It’s nice to stay up about an hour later and sleep in about an hour later.

So, that was a summer day for us! Some days, I’ve been at school for a few hours, taken the kids to other appointments or activities, gone to the pool, ran errands and more. I guess I just try to make the most of each day and have a mix of productivity and downtime.

Next month we’re discussing least favorite activities. We hope you’ll join us.

I love reading “day in the life” posts, so I can’t wait to read other bloggers’ posts today.

Have a great start to your week!

Holidays

Summer Sundays #5

Posted on July 7, 2024July 6, 2024 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Sunday!!

I’ve enjoyed these Sunday posts this summer because I seem to have a bit more time on the weekend in the summer to get these written.

Well, it would be unnatural of me not to do a 4th of July recap, so that’s what’s happening today.

4th of July used to look more like this:

or this:

This year was definitely a different kind of 4th of July. I was in KC with my dad after his knee surgery (I’m head home today), so Trav and the kids were left on their own. haha!

Like last year, Hayden ran the Bluegrass 10,000. He stuck with his uncle for the race. Here’s a pic at the starting line:

Hadley sent me an “action shot.” She was really thrilled to be at a race at 7am!

They just hung out the rest of the day, went to the pool, and grilled out. Hadley ended up hanging with some friends before Travis played chauffeur and took the girls (and Hayden) to our favorite spot for fireworks.

I did miss seeing a big fireworks display this year. The 4th is one of my favorite holidays.

Again, Hadley provided a few pics!

‘Merica, y’all!

While they didn’t have my traditional red, white and blue waffles, I think they survived the holiday without me.

On the 4th, I did go to my aunt’s house for dinner, so I was able to see my mom, Gma and uncle. We had pork chops, watermelon, and “Corn Jumble.” As I was eating the jumble, I was conflicted because I loved it but just knew there was mayo in it…and you know how I feel about mayo. My aunt told me there was just a bit in it (and sour cream), but truly…it was so good. I even had seconds.

She said the recipe is from a cookbook called Beyond Parsley.

Here it is:

My mom made this cute s’mores dessert, and I thought it was for our 4th of July dinner….but it was for her monthly dinner with her neighbors.

She has Hershey’s chocolate on the bottom and then layered marshmallows (some of which she rolled in colored sugar) and then you just bake for a bit to melt it…and dip with graham crackers.

We did have key lime pie for dessert at my aunt’s, so I wasn’t too upset…but…

…I pouted just enough that she made me a small version of the s’mores for my dessert Friday night at her house.

I’ve spent this week binging America’s Sweethearts on Netflix. Is there anything more American than the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders? haha

Today, I’m headed home. My dad is about a week out from knee surgery, and definitely in better spirits.

I just counted, and in the past 16 days, I’ve slept in my bed two nights. I’m ready to be home and find some kind of routine for the rest of July.

Also, I can’t end this post without giving a “happy birthday” shout out to Trav. Today is his birthday.

He’s been holding down the fort this week which I’m sure he’s done with ease (and apparently without eating many of the meals I planned out for them. haha!)

Hopefully, we can celebrate him a bit tomorrow.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend, and come back tomorrow for our monthly Share Our Lives link up.

Travel

PNW Vacay Part 2: Eugene and Olympic Trials

Posted on July 6, 2024July 6, 2024 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Saturday!

After posting sporadically lately, I’m trying to find my blogging groove. I had time to do it, so I’m picking up where I left off yesterday and sharing part 2 of our trip today.

As I said in yesterday’s post, this vacation was planned because of the track and field Olympic Trials at the University of Oregon. Travis had been to Eugene once before when our nephew had a race years ago, and he knew Hayward Field is a special place.

Of course, both my kids run track and follow quite a few athletes, so this was really special for them.

Travis did the best he could choosing two days with races that the kids would specifically want to see. He chose Sunday because of Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone was slated to run the 400m, but she decided to focus on 400m hurdles which ended up being a different night. We still got to see many amazing races including Noah Lyles in the 100 and a few University of Kentucky athletes compete as well. Keaton Daniel is an outstanding UK pole vaulter, and he came in 4th and was named an alternate.

There was a fun area behind the track with photo ops, the merch tent, food, and a stage where the top three athletes would go for Q&A after the races/events.

Welcome to Track Town!

Hadley signed the (cardboard) “Olympic Torch,” which she thought was so neat.

We made our way to our seats which were on the second level, and we had an amazing view.

The weather was amazing too!

There’s Noah Lyles in the red after his 100m run:

Sunday night, we saw: men’s pole vault, men’s 100m semi and final, women’s 800m semi-final, men’s 400m semi, women’s 400m final, among other events.

Afterwards, we snapped a couple of pics…

…and then a lovely woman asked if I wanted to hop in a pic…which I appreciated 🙂

Afterwards, the kids wanted to go down a level to see some athletes. Sunday night they got selfies with Fred Kerley (men’s 100m) and Noah Lyles (men’s 100 and 200m) and then Monday night with Allie Wilson and Juliette Whittaker (both women’s 800m).

Going into these races, I didn’t realize how accessible these athletes would be after the races. It’s super cool that the kids saw so many of their idols up close!

After the races, we walked around a bit and then made our way to catch our Uber back to the house.

We were hungry, and Travis went out of find some food while the kids hung out in the hot tub.

Then, it was bedtime.

The next day was Monday, June 24 which was our 19th wedding anniversary. Travis is known for his bubble letter cards, and he tries to be artistic. Of course, this is my name looking like Hayward Field track. haha

Travis and Hayden left for Hayden’s workout, and when they got back, I woke up Hadley and we went to “Pre’s Rock,” which is where Steve Prefontaine died. If you aren’t familiar with him, he was an amazing distance runner from the University of Oregon who ran in the 1972 Olympics. At the age of 24, he died in a car accident near the university.

Runners leave items at the rock. Hayden meant to bring a medal or racing bib but forgot. I’m glad we went and visited this memorial.

After that, we made our way to the University of Oregon bookstore. Everyone wanted to get a shirt or sweatshirt, and I love a university bookstore. What we saw of the campus was really pretty.

Hadley loves a mascot!

Then, Hayden wanted to see the football field. We figured it would be pretty locked up, and it was, but he was able to get a peek at the indoor football facility.

Then, we went back to the house for a bit, before getting ready for night two of the Olympic Trials. We decided to leave early and get some dinner beforehand. We drove instead of taking an Uber, and we ate at Wild Duck which is a popular place near campus.

Then, we walked over to the field, and the kids watched some of the athletes on the warm-up track.

On Monday night, our seats were on the first level near the finish line which was so cool.

Hayden was so excited to watch the men’s 1500. The men’s 400, women’s 800 and women’s 5 k were also exciting. We also paid close attention to the women’s high jump as University of Kentucky’s Charity Hufnagel was jumping, and she won gold. The men’s long jump was right in front of us too.

Monday night, we were able to watch: men’s 110m hurdles, women’s high jump final, men’s long jump final, men’s 1500m (Hayden was so excited!), men’s 400m final (one of the finalists was 16 year old Quincy Wilson!), women’s 5000m (such an intense finish!), and the women’s 800m final (with a heart-breaking trip up by Athing Mu!). It was such a great night of racing, and we were so close to the action!

After the races, the kids wanted to go back over to the area they went the previous night where the athletes enter/exit the track. We stayed put and told them to meet us back in our seats. We got a text that included my mom asking if GG had seen them on TV. She looked back on the track coverage, and lo and behold…there were the kids on TV right behind Mike Tirico. haha

We finally caught up with the kids after their time on TV. haha

We had to get a pic in their Oregon/Olympics merch. I joked that the only thing faster than the men’s 110m hurdles that night was Hadley finding the merch tent!

Afterwards, we got ice cream while Travis went to pick up Chipolte. Both nights, most things were closing around the time the trials were over…at least where we were staying.

We headed back to the house, ate, relaxed and went to bed.

On Tuesday morning, Hayden went for a run, and then we packed up the car. We had breakfast at the highly recommended Pancake House. While we ate our delicious breakfast, we spotted Noah Lyles with his mom, then Travis noticed Michael Johnson (who famously wore his gold spikes for the 200m race in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics) in a booth. On our way out, we spotted distance runner Craig Engles who Hayden looks up to. It was quite the place to be!

Before we left Eugene, Travis asked Hadley if she wanted to go to the Nike store as he’d taken Hayden the day before. As we walked up to the store, one of the employees asked the kids if they wanted to try to “Nike Experience” they were putting on that day. They signed in, were given the latest Nikes and then got to run down about 20m. When they were at the beginning of the “track,” they announced their name, blew smoke and said, “runner, take your mark!” and then as they ran, one of the employees snapped professional (ish) photos that could be sent to my phone.

They had a good time doing that.

After the Nike store, we got in the car and drove a couple of hours to Rockaway Beach, Oregon. We had the cutest house, steps away from the beach.

So, that’s a recap our the second part of our trip. It was a very memorable experience that we all loved. Honestly, I loved everything we did on this trip, but so far, when people have asked my favorite part, the Olympic Trials were definitely it.

Friday Favorites, Travel

Friday Faves {#214}: PNW Vacay Part 1: Portland

Posted on July 5, 2024July 4, 2024 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday.

I hope you had a wonderful 4th of July.

Like I said on Monday, July days just hit different. As Friday is already rolling around, I’m trying to savor these summer days!

As always, I’m linking up with Erika and Andrea (assuming they are hosting today) for this week’s Friday Favorites.

Well, one of my favorite things to do is to see new places, and Travis planned a really fun and different vacation for us, and I’m going to share a part 1 of this trip when we were in Portland.

This vacation began because of my family’s love of track and field…and the Olympic trials were being held in Eugene, Oregon. Travis took that idea and ran with it planning a little bit of everything: Olympic trials, outdoors time, hikes, beach time, and city sight-seeing. While I’m not trying to drag out these posts, we did visit Portland, Eugene, Rockaway Beach (and other cute towns), Olympic National Park, and Seattle. So, I could see this vacay recap being quite a few parts.

My apologies in advance, but I do think of these posts as a scrapbook of sorts. Anyway, here we go!

So, we were supposed to leave on Saturday, June 22, but about a month before our trip, they changed our flight which made us have a seven hour (or so) layover in Dallas. So, when Travis got online, he was able to schedule better flights on Friday, June 21. By going this route, we still had a layover and would still be arriving late, but at least the layover was quick, and then we’d have a bonus day in Portland that we weren’t necessarily going to have. We knew we could use this day to sleep in and do whatever we wanted.

As we pulled out of our driveway to head to Cincinnati, Travis got the text that our 7:30 PM flight got pushed to 8:30. We went ahead with the hour and 15 minute drive and made a stop for an actual dinner at Cheddars since we knew that would be our last meal of the day. We did leave at 8:30, but in Denver, our quick layover turned into a delay. Originally, we should have landed in Portland at 11:00 PM (PST), but instead we landed at midnight (PST).

Honestly, I guess not bad overall. We rented a car, drove to the hotel, and fell asleep at 2:00 am…that’s 5:00 am EST (woof!).

Travis always gets up early, but he likes to get the lay of the land…and honestly, I’m grateful for that. I woke up at 9, and we got the kids up around 10.

We got ready and walked to breakfast at Grits and Gravy. We were ready to fill up on some good food. We had all the good stuff: bacon, eggs, French toast, biscuits, gravy and more!

After that, we went back to the hotel and got ready for the day. Travis had found some hiking trails about 45 minutes away on “Waterfall Alley.”

The first waterfall was Latourell Falls, and it was so pretty.

A kind lady offered to take our pic. The kids had so much fun exploring.

Then, we got back in the car and drove a bit to another stop, the Vista House, and this was the view with the Columbia River down below.

We got back in the car and drove to another stop: Bridal Veil Falls. At this stop, we did quite a bit of walking…

…and the kids were more adventurous. “Hi, mom!”

Then, we made our way to “Horsetail Falls,” and that was a very pretty way to end our waterfall trek.

Hayden jokingly said, “I’m in my hiking era!” haha

Of course, Travis can find a brewery anywhere, and Oregon has many great ones. The good thing about breweries is they tend to have great menus, so the kids were happy.

We stopped at Thunder Island Brewing, and this was our view:

We got a table looking at the beautiful scenery. We had a few apps, and then the kids walked to get ice cream.

After that, we drove about forty minutes back to the hotel, rested, and showered before going to dinner. Of course, we were tired, so I was thankful for the early dinner.

We walked to Midtown Beer Garden because Travis had read about their food trucks. The weather was so nice, and it was great that there were so many options. Hadley got shrimp fried rice, Hayden and Travis got burgers, and I got some sushi. We all thought our food hit the spot.

Then, we walked back to the hotel, watched TV and went to bed by 10.

Sunday morning, Travis and Hayden got up early to drive to Beaverton, Oregon, so that Hayden could get his workout in at the Nike Headquarters. The Michael Johnson track is there…

Hayden had a great workout, and a fun experience. He can be a boy of few words, but he smiled as he told me about the track and how it’s built in the woods.

While Travis and Hayden were gone, I hit up the hotel gym to get on the elliptical since I knew we’d be in the car driving to Eugene for quite some time. Then, Hadley and I walked over to Starbucks.

Once we all got back to the hotel, we walked to the famous Voodoo Doughnuts. There was a short line, and we went ahead and picked up extra donuts for Monday morning too. I got the “Homer” which had strawberry frosting and was delish!

We walked back to the hotel, showered and packed up to head to Eugene.

We stayed at the Dossier Hotel, and it was beautiful and very convenient to places for us to walk to.

Before we left the hotel, Hayden mentioned that parts of Stand By Me were filmed in Brownsville, Oregon. Travis had looked on the map, and it was basically on the way. We drove about an hour and a half and arrived. We parked the car by Carlson’s, and walked around. Hayden was so excited. We even walked into a store that was filled with pictures from the filming. The ladies were so kind, and they even took us to the crosswalk where the put a penny every year as a nod to when Vern finds a penny.

After we left that store, we walked past the Coca-Cola sign, and then on to the bridge.

This was a cute little pit-stop in a sleepy, cute town. I was glad that Hayden added that to our agenda.

We drove about another hour and a half to Eugene. Travis found a cute house (duplex) for us to stay in. The owners were right next door and really nice.

This is where we stayed for our two nights in Eugene:

We got unpacked, and went to a nearby pizza place for an early dinner. After dinner, Hadley and I checked out a few stores while Travis and Hayden went to the grocery store. It was nice knowing we had a fridge and appliances for a couple of nights.

Then, we came back to the house to change and head to Hayward Field for the Olympic Track and Field Trials.

I will pick up there next time…Eugene was a cute college town, and the kids and Trav were so excited to be there. Me too…but as we all know, I’m the only non-runner in the family. haha!

Share Our Lives:

We have our monthly link up on Monday, and of course we hope you’ll join us.

This month’s topic is…day in the life: summer edition. I always love sharing and reading day in the life posts, so I can’t wait to read what others have to share on Monday.

Weekly Recap:

I had a couple of posts this week:

Prime Purchases

June Workouts

Speaking of posts, I might try to get part 2 of our vacay posted tomorrow as well as a Summer Sunday post on Sunday. We’ll see. I’ve had a bit more downtime this week because I’ve been in KC helping my dad after his knee surgery. He’s kept me busy too…haha…but not as much as being home, running errands, taking the kids places, etc.

Anyway, I hope you have a great Friday and a wonderful weekend!

Health and Fitness

Workout Diaries: June 2024

Posted on July 3, 2024July 3, 2024 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Wednesday!

Well, before we get too far into June, I want to share my workouts.

I’m proud of my effort in June for being such a busy (summer!) month for us. This month’s workouts include a mix of Bodi as well as some of our days on vacation where we went for hikes or days I got lots of steps in!

Here’s my Bodi tracker for June:

Here are my workouts this month:

June 2: Sure Thing: Lower Body Power

June 3: Bomb Body: Power Punch (This was a new workout I stumbled upon, and boy was it tough!)

June 4: Sure Thing: Hybrid Strength Circuit
June 5: 45 minute walk while in KC
June 6: 45 minute walk while in KC
June 10: Job 1: Start Strong: Shoulders, Arms and Glutes

June 11: Sure Thing: Combination Strength
June 12: Sure Thing: Strength and Stability
June 15: Fire and Flow: Lower Body Fire 1

June 18: Job 1: Start Strong: Shoulders, Arms and Glutes (As I was doing this workout, I was thinking, “This seems familiar,” and I realized I did it the week before. Oh well.)
June 19: 21 Day Fix Extreme: The Fix Challenge. Let me just say this was one of the hardest workouts I’ve ever done. Each round we’d learn a new move and then continue to add it to the rotation. This was non-stop for the 30 minutes. I’ve completed the entire 21 Day Fix Extreme program a few years ago, and I don’t remember that one!!

June 20: Sure Thing: Power Strength Circuit
June 21: 21 Day Fix: Dirty 30. (This was the day we were leaving for vacation, and since I didn’t know what to expect for vacation workouts, I wanted to get one in before we left. I’m glad that I did.)
June 22: Busy day in Portland, including some hikes on “Waterfall Alley.” What a pretty way to get my steps in.

June 23: I did the elliptical for 30 minutes at the hotel gym, and then that day I got 15,000 steps in thanks to the elliptical and sightseeing.
June 24: Thanks to sightseeing in Eugene and walking around during the Olympic Trials, I got 10,000 steps.

June 27: I got over 10,000 steps in on this day, most of which thanks to a hike in a rain forest in Olympic National Park.

June 28: We had a full day of sightseeing in Seattle, including going to Pike’s Place Market and the Space Needle. I got in over 12,000 steps, and I was tuckered out!

Overall, I’m glad I made a point to be active wherever I was. I started the month visiting family in Kansas City, and we ended the month being gone for eight days visiting Oregon and Washington.

I’m halfway through the year, and I’ve logged 92 official workouts (either Bodi, the gym, hikes, or getting my steps in.) So, 92 workouts in 181 days = 51%…I’m happy to be a smidge over my 50% goal. (I think my math is “mathing.”)

I’m just doing the best that I can. I hope to have a more regular July before the hustle and bustle of back to school starts in August.

I should have a post on Friday, and I hope you have a great 4th of July.

Amazon

Prime Purchases

Posted on July 1, 2024June 30, 2024 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Monday! I hope you had a great weekend. We got home late Saturday night, and then spent most of the day yesterday trying to get our lives organized. Well, I did while Trav cut the grass and did other things around the house…the kids went to the pool. haha!

Also…Happy July 1st.

Well, July 1st stings a little bit. For us, it’s definitely the midway point of summer. I hate to sound pessimistic, but once July rolls around, I tend to start thinking about school and all I need to do…and I feel the start of the school year closing in on us. June was such a busy month that I am hoping to relax a bit the next few weeks.

Since it’s the first Monday of the month, I’m joining Tanya to share my Prime Purchases this month.

I did feel this way for most of June:

Here are my purchases this month:

I showed Hadley this tank at the beginning of summer, and she ordered it in pink. She loved it so much, and the price was so good, that we ordered it in light blue as well. She has one similar “designer” tank, and this one is very similar (or at least similar enough!) and perfect for her in the summer.

While scrolling Instagram, Hadley saw these shorts. Again, they are similar to a pricier pair she has, so I said we’d give them a try. She loved them so much that she got them in pink and navy. They come in SO many colors.

I shared this short sleeved henley last month, and I ordered it in pink as well. It’s definitely over-sized, so my true size gives the over-sized fit to wear with leggings.

I really wanted a new pair of white denim jeans. I only have one other pair that I’ve had for years. Some years they fit, and some years they don’t. haha!

I did size up one in these which I feel like I have to do in white jeans, but I really love these. They have a cuff at the bottom and are stretchy.

I wanted to try the layered necklace trend and thought this rose gold one with my initial was cute. I’ve been wearing it consistently for a couple of weeks with my other regular necklace, and I love it.

This romper is SO cute. I bought it thinking I’d wear it on vacation, but I never did. That being said, I’ve worn it otherwise, and it’s very comfy and cute. I can even see myself wearing it to school…probably with one of my favorite cardigans.

While I still use these eye gels daily, I still also love these gold ones. I bought another pack of them, so I could take some with me on our vacation. I put a few packs in the fridge everywhere we stayed, and they were just easier to pack than the jar of the other ones.

I still enjoy using my Seint make-up, but I was intrigued by this liquid blush, and I really like it!

We got Travis this acupressure mat as one of his Father’s Day gifts. As suspected, the kids have used it too!

So, those were my purchases this month. Knowing that I might buy a few things for back to school in August, and coming off a vacation, I hope to have a lighter spending month overall in July…including Amazon…but we’ll see!

I hope to post pretty regularly this week, and even start recapping our trip, but I will just see what I have time to get accomplished.

Have a great day,

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

Friday Favorites, Travel

Friday Favorites {#213}

Posted on June 28, 2024June 28, 2024 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

We’ve had our best week of summer exploring Oregon and Washington. It’s been a really memorable trip where we’ve done a lot, but also had a little bit of downtime.

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

Well, we’ve had a busy week full of favorites.

I’m sure I will recap our trip, but here’s the quick run down:

We flew into Portland, Oregon and spent some time there…

…then on to Eugene, Oregon for two nights of the Olympic track trials…

…then we spent two days Rockaway Beach, Oregon in the cutest little house steps away from the water.

Our first day there looked more like this with fairly warm temps…

Our second day was definitely more of what I thought the weather might be like…overcast and blustery.

I still enjoyed my coffee on the beach…

…before we left and checked out nearby Cannon Beach…recognize Haystack Rock?

Highway 101 was so pretty to travel. We pulled over on a couple of the viewpoints, and the pictures don’t do them justice.

Yesterday, we traveled to Olympic National Park…

…where we stayed at a cute little resort.

…with these views….

…and we’re wrapping up our trip in Seattle before we fly home.

It’s been an amazing trip to remember. Besides seeing so much, crazy enough, I’ve enjoyed the road tripping hours in the car looking out the window and spending time together.

Favorite Mom Meme:

Oohhh the accuracy of this!!

Weekly Recap:

I liked keeping a pretty consistent blogging schedule this week. The end of the month always has some of my favorite posts:

Summer Sunday #4

Monday Memes

June Books

We’re headed home, and I will fill you in with the details of our trip soon!

Have a great weekend,

Books and Shows

What I’ve Been Reading: June 2024

Posted on June 26, 2024July 6, 2024 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy book day!

This month, I definitely found my reading groove and for the first time ever I listened to a couple of books.

It felt really nice to have so many books downloaded on my Kindle that I was excited to read.

Here are the books I read this month:

{As always, book summaries are from Goodreads…}

After Annie:

Summary:

When Annie Brown dies suddenly, her husband, her four young children and her closest friend are left to struggle without the woman who centered their lives. Bill Brown finds himself overwhelmed, and Annie’s best friend Annemarie is lost to old bad habits without Annie’s support. It is Annie’s daughter, Ali, forced to try to care for her younger brothers and even her father, who manages to maintain some semblance of their former lives for them all, and who confronts the complicated truths of adulthood.

Yet over the course of the next year, while Annie looms large in their memories, all three are able to grow, to change, even to become stronger and more sure of themselves. The enduring power Annie gave to those who loved her is the power to love, and to go on without her.

Quick Thoughts:

This book was sad, but beautiful and inspirational as well. I liked how it was organized by season following the year of Annie’s death.

Rating:

3.5 stars

The Last Life Boat:

Summary:

1940, Kent : Alice King is not brave or daring—she’s happiest finding adventure through the safe pages of books. But times of war demand courage, and as the threat of German invasion looms, a plane crash near her home awakens a strength in Alice she’d long forgotten. Determined to do her part, she finds a role perfectly suited to her experience as a schoolteacher—to help evacuate Britain’s children overseas.

1940, London : Lily Nichols once dreamed of using her mathematical talents for more than tabulating the cost of groceries, but life, and love, charted her a different course. With two lively children and a loving husband, Lily’s humble home is her world, until war tears everything asunder. With her husband gone and bombs raining down, Lily is faced with an impossible keep her son and daughter close, knowing she may not be able to protect them, or enroll them in a risky evacuation scheme, where safety awaits so very far away.

When a Nazi U-boat torpedoes the S. S. Carlisle carrying a ship of children to Canada, a single lifeboat is left adrift in the storm-tossed Atlantic. Alice and Lily, strangers to each other—one on land, the other at sea—will quickly become one another’s very best hope as their lives are fatefully entwined.

Quick Thoughts:

Oh my word! I loved this book. Of course, you know I love historical fiction, but the premise of this one hooked me from the beginning. There were tense, heart-warming, sweet, sad and hopeful moments throughout the plot. I loved that it was inspired by a true story, and this was a page turner for me.

I really appreciated the historical note at the end as it just shared so much insight, explanation, and meaning.

Here are a few of my favorite quotes:

The gift of reading, a love of books, was something she would have forever, could take with her wherever she went.
Speaking about the ocean – Water has a memory, Alice, a soul.…and it knows the way home. It remembers.
…Because she knows that even in the profound sadness of death, there will always – must always – be a place for the astonishing, enduring beauty of life.

Rating:

This Summer Will Be Different:

Summary:

This summer they’ll keep their promise. This summer they won’t give into temptation. This summer will be different.

Lucy is the tourist vacationing at a beach house on Prince Edward Island. Felix is the local who shows her a very good time. The only problem: Lucy doesn’t know he’s her best friend’s younger brother. Lucy and Felix’s chemistry is unreal, but the list of reasons why they need to stay away from each other is long, and they vow to never repeat that electric night again.

It’s easier said than done.

Each year, Lucy escapes to PEI for a big breath of coastal air, fresh oysters and crisp vinho verde with her best friend, Bridget. Every visit begins with a long walk on the beach, beneath soaring red cliffs and a golden sun. And every visit, Lucy promises herself she won’t wind up in Felix’s bed. Again.

If Lucy can’t help being drawn to Felix, at least she’s always kept her heart out of it.

When Bridget suddenly flees Toronto a week before her wedding, Lucy drops everything to follow her to the island. Her mission is to help Bridget through her crisis and resist the one man she’s never been able to. But Felix’s sparkling eyes and flirty quips have been replaced with something new, and Lucy’s beginning to wonder just how safe her heart truly is.

Quick Thoughts:

I’ve read the other two summer books by Fortune, and this one was similar to those in regards to setting, plot elements, and “R rated” scenes. It was organized by present day and flashback and the story came together bit by bit. It’s definitely a summer book for sure.

Rating:

3.5 stars

Summer of Songbirds:

Summary:

Four women come together to save the summer camp that changed their lives and rediscover themselves in the process.

Nearly thirty years ago, in the wake of a personal tragedy, June Moore bought Camp Holly Springs and turned it into a thriving summer haven for girls. But now, June is in danger of losing the place she has sacrificed everything for, and begins to realize how much she has used the camp to avoid facing difficulties in her life.

June’s niece, Daphne, met her two best friends, Lanier and Mary Stuart, during a fateful summer at camp. They’ve all helped each other through hard things, from heartbreak and loss to substance abuse and unplanned pregnancy, and the three are inseparable even in their thirties. But when attorney Daphne is confronted with a relationship from her past—and a confidential issue at work becomes personal—she is faced with an impossible choice.

Lanier, meanwhile, is struggling with tough decisions of her own. After a run-in with an old flame, she is torn between the commitment she made to her fiancé and the one she made to her first love. And when a big secret comes to light, she finds herself at odds with her best friend…and risks losing the person she loves most.

But in spite of their personal problems, nothing is more important to these songbirds than Camp Holly Springs. When the women learn their childhood oasis is in danger of closing, they band together to save it, sending them on a journey that promises to open the next chapters in their lives.

Quick Thoughts:

I loved this book! I’ve read quite a few books by Woodson Harvey including the entire Peachtree Bluff series, and while I enjoyed all of those books, this one is my favorite.

I think the camp setting immediately reminded me of my love for The Parent Trap, and my mind kept thinking of that movie. I enjoyed the three main characters equally, and their friendship was so special.

A few fave quotes:

“…because she knows that even in the profound sadness of death, there will always – must always- be a place for the astonishing, enduring beauty of life.
“Just like every year, every phase of our life had its seasons. Cold ones, windy ones, sunny ones, warm ones. We could not choose which part we were living; we could not predict how our future would play out.

This is definitely a perfect book to read in the summer.

Rating:

Birdie & Harlow:

Summary:

The funny and poignant story of one woman’s wonderfully codependent relationship with her dog – and what he taught her about chosen family and the reward of motherhood. Birdie & Harlow is the story of a baby and a dog. But motherhood is never quite that simple. In Taylor Wolfe’s case, it’s a long, zigzagging and winding road. Meant to be a last-minute anniversary gift for her then boyfriend (and now husband), the highly-energetic and loud-mouthed Vizla puppy named Harlow turns out to be the best snap decision twenty-year-old Taylor ever makes—and the beginning of the most epic friendship she ever has. As Wolfe’s resistance to 9-5’s and traditional adulthood grows, Harlow becomes the perfect companion for her eccentricities in a world that thrives on conformity. Wolfe’s twenties—full of pitfalls and surprises, sad days and silver linings—led her to the realization that life is too short to spend your days in a crate (or a cubicle), that parks are meant to be enjoyed, and most importantly, she wants to be a mom. But really, isn’t she one already? A charming and touching memoir, Birdie & Harlow is a tribute to the many expressions of modern motherhood, to both human and fur babies alike. Taylor’s story reminds all of us that life will surprise you and that families should come in every shape and size.

Quick Thoughts:

If you are on Instagram, then you probably follow Taylor (@thedailytay). She is so funny! Her Instagram reels just crack me up. Anyway, I remember when she shared that her beloved dog passed away, and then later sharing about her book. I think she linked it to Audible, so I bought it. I listened to it off and on over the past month, and finished it on my car ride to KC a few weeks ago.

I really enjoyed Taylor reading it and truly hearing her voice as she shared about her life, upbringing, career, Harlow, becoming a mom and more. She even shared Harlow’s internal dialogue which was endearing and sweet.

Anyway, I thought it was a good book, and it was a great one for me to listen to as my first audio book.

Rating:

The Office BFFs:

Summary:

An intimate, behind-the-scenes, richly illustrated celebration of beloved The Office co-stars Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey’s friendship, and an insiders’ view of Pam Beesly, Angela Martin, and the iconic TV show. Featuring many of their never-before-seen photos. Receptionist Pam Beesly and accountant Angela Martin had very little in common when they toiled together at Scranton’s Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. But, in reality, the two bonded in their very first days on set and, over the nine seasons of the series’ run, built a friendship that transcended the show and continues to this day. Sharing everything from what it was like in the early days as the show struggled to gain traction, to walking their first red carpet—plus exclusive stories on the making of milestone episodes and how their lives changed when they became moms— The Office BFFs is full of the same warm and friendly tone Jenna and Angela have brought to their Office Ladies podcast.

Quick Thoughts:

I’ve watched quite a few episodes of The Office, but I’m not a huge super fan. I think both Jenna and Angela are so funny. So, since I knew I had a car ride back to KC with time to kill, I downloaded it from the library Libby app.

I really enjoyed this insight and background info. It was fun hearing them narrate this and hearing their relationship in real life. I’ve listened to some of their podcast episodes too, and I’m assuming there’s some overlap, but overall, I thought it was light-hearted and heart-warming.

Rating:

Summer Reading Update:

I was able to read a couple of summer books this month!

Read: This Summer Will Be Different and The Summer of Songbirds
Ready to Read: On Fire Island, The Comeback Summer, and The Darlings
On library wait list: A Hundred Summers
Not out yet: The Summer Pact, Swan Song , A Happier Life (just recently released)

I think July will be another good reading month for me. Thanks to listening to some books, I’m back on track with my Goodreads Reading Challenge goal of 40 books. I’m up to 19/40 books that I hope to read this year.

What have you been reading lately?

Memes

Monday Memes

Posted on June 24, 2024June 23, 2024 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Monday! How is this the last Monday in June?! How?!

Well, besides being the last Monday in June, it’s also my wedding anniversary with Travis.

N I N E T E E N years. Wow. I’m not sure where the time has gone, but I appreciate the time more year after year.

Also, did you catch my Sunday post all about some of my favorite travel items?

Well, you know I like to share a few funnies every month, so here are a few that “stopped my scroll” on Insta, and made me laugh.

1.

Listen, you’ve been warned:

haha

2.

Truly, the heat does me in quicker than it used to!

3.

I really do…and even more so in the summer…when I know I have some extra time to savor it.

4.

I saw this one and got to thinking…I didn’t even start drinking coffee until a couple of years after the kids were born…I think. I’m not sure how I survived the lack of sleep without it, but we didn’t get our first coffee pot until a couple of years after the kids were born.

Hadley and friends like to go to Starbucks, but they definitely don’t get coffee…yet.

5.

#math

6.

Ooof…that’s right…especially for the new HVAC unit we just purchased!

7.

8.

The older I get, the more this one is true…haha!

Just let me do the bare minimum and be a good person!

9.

This one literally made me LOL. I love seeing people charge for car payments, Costco and more!

10.

Me…especially before I’ve had my coffee.

I hope these started your week off with a laugh!

Come back on Wednesday when I’m sharing the books I read this month…your girl was on a roll with her reading.

Amazon, Seasonal, Travel

Summer Sundays #4

Posted on June 23, 2024June 21, 2024 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Sunday!

I hope you are having a great weekend.

‘Tis the season for travel! I’m keeping up with my Summer Sunday series to share some of my favorite travel items.

Here are a few of my “go to” items when we travel:

These TSA approved travel bottles are perfect for lotion, shampoo, conditioner, and more.

I bought them two years ago when we went to Mexico, and we still use them.

I bought these clear bags with handles for the same trip, and again, we still use them. We put various things in them including snacks, toiletries, chargers and more.

Hadley loves these cute toiletry bags for a a variety of her needs.

You know I love my packing cubes. I’ve shared them many times before, and we have them in blue, teal, and gray.

You know I don’t leave home without my eye gels! I have been using these, but I still love these gold ones…and they are probably easier to travel with as I can take a few packs with me rather than the jar.

I actually purchased this pack of toothbrushes when I started my Invisalign journey, but they have come in very handy for travel. Everyone in my family has one, and they know which one is their color of toothbrush.

This travel mirror with LED lights comes in handy.

I’m new to these sponges, but I love them. I brought a few with us on our trip to Washington, DC, and I use them at home as well. I liked packing things that when I use them, I throw them away which means I come home with less than I packed!

I bought this belt bag last year, and it’s still one I use especially when we travel. It holds quite a bit, and since it’s a cross body, it’s easy to wear and not have to carry or keep up with it.

This mini speaker isn’t a “must have” for travel, but I got it for Hadley last year (maybe for her birthday?), and it comes in handy for listening to music at the beach or hanging out.

I gave Travis this charging strip in his Christmas stocking a couple of years ago, and it’s great because you can charge so many things at once.

One of the first times we actually used it was spring of 2023 when our power went out. We went to my brother’s house a couple of time to charge everything, and we can do so when we plugged in this charging strip.