Author: jgalvinwhite

Posted in Kids, School

Middle School Memories

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello!

Well, a week from today, it will officially be summer for us.

How is middle school already over for my two?

While they still have a few more days, they turn in their Chromebooks today which means it’s pretty much fun and games the next couple of days.

You know I like a recap, so I thought it would be fun to have all of the middle school memories in one place.

Here’s a stroll down memory lane.

6th grade:

The week before school started, the kids went to the 6th grade orientation week. They were very nervous, but the nerves eased up with each passing day.

I think this was a three day session, and on the last day, they picked up their schedules. There were two sixth grade teams, and the counselor said they always put twins on the same team, but not in the same classes. Well, a lot of their friends were on the other team, and my mama heart was very nervous for them. That being said, they were kind of forced out of their shell and did a good job making new friends….and that orientation definitely helped them feel comfortable at a new school.

Notice the mask around Hayden’s neck…They started the school year wearing masks.

First day of 6th grade:

They look like babies!!

Hayden started the school year on the cross county team. It’s crazy to think that while he loved running, we didn’t know what to expect as he started running with middle school runners.

In late September, Travis ended up with Covid. Then, Hayden had it followed by Hadley. They all ended up being home for around ten days…remember all the Covid regulations?!? Right before our fall break in early October, the kids went back to school.

Since Hayden missed his school cross country pics, my brother-in-law took some of Hayden, and they turned out amazing.

Hadley made the dance team and started going to Young Life/Wyldlife which has been an amazing group for her.

In the winter, Hayden made the basketball team.

The 6th grade team ended up runner-up in the district tournament which was a amazing because they had a tough start to the season.

We survived our first middle school science fair projects.

On March 16, 2022, they finally went to school without a mask…and sent me the selfie smiles to prove it.

Track started after spring break.

In the state meet, they both ran the 4×800 relay.

They accomplished a lot and had so much fun. I also realized how much I enjoyed track meets. Track is such a mix of kids and such a variety of events that I think it’s one of the best sports for a student athlete.

May 25, 2022 was the last day of 6th grade. We They officially survived the first year of middle school.

At the end of the year, they obliged with an end of 6th grade interview for me.

7th:

In 7th grade, they didn’t get their schedules until the first day of school…and were surprised to find that they had gym class together. haha

In 7th grade, foreign language begins, and Hayden chose Spanish while Hadley chose French.

Hadley joined Student Council and continued with Wydlife.

Hayden started cross country, and Travis became the coach.

My brother-in-law took the team pics, and he got another good one of Hayden.



Hayden had a great season, and it was fun watching Travis and Hayden together.

In October of 7th grade year, Hadley got her braces off…

….and tried out for the volleyball team. A group of her friends decided they wanted to play, and they all made the team.

We had so much fun watching them play, and I think they surprised themselves with how good they were.

The girls finally got to experience a school dance! In January of 7th grade, the school organized a school wide dance (mixer) with music and games.

I worked the check in table, and the girls were so nervous when they checked in. I just think they didn’t know what to expect.

Hayden opted to go to a basketball game with his friends instead of go to the dance. Are we surprised?!?!

They completed another science fair project.

In January, the 7th grade basketball season started for Hayden….

…and he got his braces off!

They both went to the 7th grade Valentine’s Day dance. Again, Hadley was excited, and Hayden was hesitant. Hadley pretty much drags him through life. haha

Track started in the spring.

In 6th grade, Hadley ran the 800 and 400….but by 7th grade, she really upped her speed and started running the 200 (as well as the 400).

Hayden continued running the 1600 as well as the 3200 and 800.

In the state meet, Hadley ran the 400, Hayden ran the mile, and they both ran a couple of relays.

I wrote a 7th grade recap post at the end of the year.

The last day of school was May 26, 2023.

Hadley went to Wyldlife camp last summer, and she loved every minute.

8th:

While they are never super excited for school to start, at least they knew they were “top dogs,” and there weren’t any nerves.

They were in the same gym class again as well as the same Language Arts class. Oh…the stories I get to hear…(mostly, Hadley filling me in on Hayden and his friends’ shenanigans!)

Like all the other years, Hayden (and Travis) had cross country in the fall…and another great pic thanks to my brother-in-law.

Hayden ended up winning the end of season county cross country meet, and we were so happy for him.

He had a strong showing at the state meet placing in the top 10.

The kids always attended sporting events throughout middle school, but it seemed like they didn’t want to miss anything in 8th grade. They had fun supporting their friends.

Hadley had another fun season of volleyball.

We had 8th grade night!

In January, Hayden started his 8th grade basketball season.

Of course, the season concluded with an 8th grade night for him.

I do feel like these seasons went by in a blink.

This year, they went to the cotillion dances. I loved hearing a recap of each dance.

With each passing dance, they were less nervous.

And, of course, they’ve had one more track season.

The season is wrapping up, but they’ve accomplished their goals this year. They’ve both improved on their times, they’ve qualified for state in events that they’ve been working on, and Hayden won the district 1600 and 3200 races last week while Hadley’s 4×400 relay team is one of the top in the state.

Hayden also ran in the Dream Mile a couple of weeks ago which was a major goal for him during his 8th grade season.

While he was doing that, Hadley was at the 8th grade dance. Of course, she had lots of fun.

The state meet is up next.

School Pics:

I’ve shared these before, but the difference in the kids’ pictures from year to year blows my mind.

Some other thoughts:

I know I share a lot about sports and what they accomplish, but they’ve accomplished a lot in academics too. I firmly believe that the middle school years are a time to prepare for high school….and we’ve had struggles and celebrations.

They’ve had to learn study habits, time management, how to advocate for themselves and many other life skills.

While they know hard work pays off in athletics, they’ve learned that same lesson in academics. They’ve been on the honor roll every quarter, tried various elective classes, joined clubs, and more.

Overall, I think they will look back on their middle school years with some fond memories. I remind them that the middle school years can be really tough for some kids, and while it hasn’t been smooth sailing for them all the time, they really have learned lessons, grown, matured, made decisions, and formed friendships.

I’m thankful for the teachers and coaches who have championed and supported the kids through the years.

Now people are asking me if the kids are ready for high school and my response has been that it’s more about the fact that they are over middle school! (and very ready for summer)

Next week, they have their 8th grade promotion ceremony and a pool party with friends.

Then, it will officially be summer!

Posted in Clothes

Summer Sandals

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Wednesday.

I swear with a week left of school, this feels like the longest end of the school year…but I’m already in “sandal mode,” so I’m happy about that.

I saw on reel on Instagram that @laurenebown shared about the five types of sandals you need in your summer rotation, and I thought “that would be a fun blog topic!”

So here we go:

Now, she only shares five total sandals, but I’m sharing my faves in each category. Some of these sandals I’ve shared previously, but I’ve added a few new ones to the mix this spring…and will continue to wear them in the summer.

Everyday Sandals:

These “big buckle” Birkenstocks are my favorites. I bought them two summers ago, and they are the first sandals I pull from my closet.

I’ve shared these double buckle sandals many times. Hadley has them in white, and I have them in rose gold. I’ve had them for almost three years, and honestly, I wear these just as much as the Birks from Nordstrom.

(FYI: I went up one full size from a 9 to a 10). They are currently 40% off with a lightning deal (60,000 4.5 star reviews!)

Skinny:

Ok…two years ago, I fell in love with a skinny sandal thanks to a pair Amy shared. I have that pair from Amazon that are no longer in stock, so when I saw these at Target about a month ago, I snagged them right up!

They are just the same as my Amazon ones that I’ve worn so much that it’s time for a new pair. These are perfect and the price tag is less than $13!

I also snagged these at Target. While they are obviously similar to the ones above, I love the little buckle detail, and they have a Memory Foam insole, so they are also comfy. I wear these to school more than any other sandal.

I wore them on Mother’s Day, and love that they are nice, but not too dressy.

Dressy:

I love these braided heels that I got from Amazon a couple of years ago. While I do wear them often (because I don’t dress up often), they are comfy and easy to throw on.

I don’t have a wide foot, but I did get a 9.5W after ordering the 9 and feeling like it was too tight.

I wore them to Oaks this year.

I love a wedge sandal even though I always hate having to buckle them. I got these wedges from Old Navy last year, and they are so comfy. I love the padded bow because it’s soft on the top of my foot. These aren’t in stock anymore, but…

…how cute are these Espadrille wedges? They seem to be “the” wedge for Old Navy this summer…even highlighted as a customer favorite. They come in a few colors too.

Chunky:

These slides are great for summer…I mostly wear them for yard work or to the pool, but I love that they are cute and funtional.

They have almost 65,000 four star ratings.

Special:

These gold slides stopped me in my tracks when I saw them at Old Navy this spring. The shiny gold color and cute knot make for a fun little sandal. They are currently on clearance for less than $10 with limited sizes left…but if you are a 7, 8, or 9, you are in luck.

(I did size up one full size)

I’ve already worn them many times including to my friend’s outdoor wedding.

…and to school a few times.

Also,

While I’m sharing sandals…

I have these Havaianas in rose gold and silver, and I’ve had them for years. Last year, one of my rose gold ones broke, so I just bought a new pair yesterday. They are a great summer/pool sandal.

I ordered these slides last year, and they are comfy. I did size up one full size. These are less than $15, and there are so many colors from which to choose. I did size up one full size on these.

I know, I know…I have a lot of sandals, but I truly do wear them from April until early October. Also, I wear lots of dresses to school in the spring and late summer/early fall months, and I almost always wear sandals.

Instagram Reel:

I showed Hadley Lauren’s shoe reel, and she said she could help me make one using the same audio. So, I will post my five favorite summer sandals this morning on my @showmeandsweettea Instagram account. Admittedly, I’m not great about posting on Insta much, but I appreciate Hadley’s help. She’s a great assistant; maybe if I get a 1,000 views on my reel I will pay her $10 😉 Go check it out and show it some love with a heart or a comment. We’d appreciate it.

Our temps are already feeling like summer…which I will be ok with once we are out of school!

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

Posted in Memes

May Memes

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello!

Well, my plan was to share my monthly Monday Memes post, but the weekend got away from me.

This must have happened at some other point in my blogging “career” because I already had this “May Memes” graphic.

Since next Monday is Memorial Day, I wanted to go ahead and share a few favorite memes for the month.

This month, many of the memes are school related:

Me in math:

Tis the season!

This one isn’t directed at either of my children but…

Bahahaha! Well, both my kids do have “A’s” in their names…but thankfully, they also have some A’s on their report cards too.

Oh I miss the field trip days! Field trips and naps are wasted on kids.

This one literally made me laugh out loud!

This could definitely be relatable at my house:

A couple other memes that made me laugh:

I always say I love going to the dentist, and this is another reason why:

I am literally the worst about asking someone’s name, and then it just goes in one ear and out the other.

We literally have the worst microwave for this. Our microwave is a couple of years old, and after it was installed and I used it the first time, I really wished we could have done a “test drive” on the microwave before purchasing it. I swear it only gives you ten seconds before it beeps at you again to open the door.

While these memes made me chuckle, it’s been a sad couple of weeks.

Honestly, this time of the year is hard, but in my school community, it’s been compounded by the loss of two wonderful students both within a week of each other. It’s been difficult at school and a somber way to end the year.

Hug your kids tight.

Posted in Friday Favorites, Kids

Friday Favorites {#207}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

Fridays in May just hit different. I feel like we’re crawling to the finish line of the school year!

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

Here are some favorites from the week:

The 8th grade dance!

Y’all, I know. I know. I’ve shared lots of dance photos this year, but those were the four cotillion dances. Friday night’s 8th grade dance is the only school dance of the year.

Friday night, Hadley & Co. were ready to mingle with their classmates. The theme was “Vegas” hence the “little black dress” attire. Of course, kids could wear whatever they wanted, but these girls leaned in to black dresses.

I still had store credit, so Hadley got another cute dress from Hello Molly.

They danced the night away, got Chick-fil-A on the way home, and had a great time.

Meanwhile…

Travis and I were with Hayden at a track meet in Louisville. Hayden ran in the “Dream Mile” which is a race with the top 16 middle school milers in the state.

It was a beautiful evening to watch him run.

He has gotten to know most of these guys over the past couple of years from cross country and track. It’s neat to see them chat beforehand, run together, and support each other, while exhausted, at the end of the race.

It was a fast race and the pace was pushed; Hayden had a 4 second PR…4:48 mile.

Mother’s Day was great! After a busy Friday night and Saturday, Sunday was a bit more low-key. I appreciated the gifts, the family time, and then sunshine!

I’m loving my new candles for spring. I think Summer Rose Bud is my favorite.

Favorite Mom Meme:

This has been an issue for quite some time. haha

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:

The end of the school year means field day in elementary schools. I used to love that day.

When I was in the 4th grade, I was on crutches at the end of the year, and couldn’t participate in field day. I was so bummed.

The past few years, my kids have had the middle school version of field day. At least they’ve been able to get outside and have fun for a bit with their friends. They also usually sign years book on that day which is fun.

Flashback to elementary field day.

Weekly Recap:

Here are my posts from the week:

Share Our Lives
Mother’s Day Recap
Wednesday Hodgepodge

What are your weekend plans?

These two have a track meet. I ordered their individual track pics, and when I opened my email, the photographer had also made one of them together!

Hadley has her last volleyball tournament this weekend, and otherwise, we might get outside if the weather allows!

I hope you have a great weekend,

Posted in This and That

Wednesday Hodgepodge 5.15.24

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Wednesday!

I enjoyed linking up with Joyce a couple of weeks ago, so I’m doing so again today for Wednesday Hodgepodge:

Let’s get started answering this week’s questions.

1. What impresses you?

Manners. Literally…that’s the first thing that popped in my mind. When I see someone hold the door for another person, when I hear a “yes, ma’am,” or when I hear a “please” or “thank you,” I really take notice. It’s not that I think that many don’t have manners these days, but sometimes it does feel that way.

I really hope I’m raising kids who will do the right thing and be polite and respectful.

2. Where are you in the family birth order? Do you fit the stereotype of that particular slot? In what way?

I think I’m the pretty typical first born. I very much have a “type A” personality and always wanted to do the right thing, please others, and make my parents proud.

My brother is 3.5 years younger than me, and we are close, but have different personalities. As a younger sibling, he’s more easy going than I am.

3. What motivates you more – a reward or a consequence?

Oh…this is a good question.

I never really had to have consequences as a kid. Not that I was perfect…I did get grounded occasionally, but I was always pretty intrinsically motivated, and I still am. Again, I always wanted to make others proud, and I think that turned into wanting to make myself proud…and now I want to make good choices so my kids are proud of me.

That being said, as an adult, you can reward yourself…and sometimes, I do go through McDonald’s for a Diet Coke after making it through a hard day or buying myself something if I feel like I’ve accomplished a lot. I used to buy myself something at the end of every school year as a reward for making it through the year. haha! It was usually a purse I wanted, a pair of sandals for the summer, or one year I bought my Kindle. Now, I usually treat myself to an end of school pedicure which feels like a reward.

4. May 14th is National Buttermilk Biscuit Day. Do you like biscuits? Make your own? Grab one for breakfast at a drive-thru now and then? Which drive-thru makes the one you like best? What do you like to put on a biscuit? What’s your favorite food or dish that calls for buttermilk?

I do like biscuits, but I don’t make them very often. The Bisquick “just add water” package is a life saver for making quick biscuits.

7 Up biscuits are easy and delish!

I think Chick-fil-A chicken minis are good, but it’s pretty rare for us to go to CFA for breakfast.

We do have a couple of biscuit places in Lexington, and they are good.

Biscuits and gravy are not one of my faves, but Trav’s mom is known for her biscuits and gravy. There is a restaurant here that we go to pretty often for breakfast, and Hadley always orders the biscuits and gravy…and eats the gravy with a spoon!

The only dish I make that calls for buttermilk is my Irish Soda Bread that I make at St. Patrick’s Day.

5. Are there any weddings on your summer calendar? What’s your favorite part of a wedding/wedding reception?

We don’t have any weddings on our summer calendar. It is crazy to think there was a time in our life when all we did was go to weddings. One year, when we’d first started dating, Travis was in six weddings in one year!

This spring, one of my best friends got married, and it was a lovely backyard wedding.

We have a niece and a nephew that have recently gotten engaged, so my answer might be different if I was answering this same question for summer 2025.

My favorite part of a reception is seeing the bride and groom’s first dance.

When we got married in June 2025, I let Travis pick out the song as a surprise for the first dance. He chose “Someone Like You,” and I joked it was because at that time, Ashley Judd was around a lot more as a Kentucky fan…attending the basketball games…and she was in a movie by the same name.

Anyway, it’s a sweet song, so I appreciated the sentiment.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Last week was Teacher Appreciation Week, and I saw memes like this floating around:

While it makes me chuckle, and honestly I don’t think much about the pay…I knew what I was signing up for…but, yes, if we need an appreciation week, it probably means we spend most of the year feeling underappreciated!

I did feel the love last week. Our PTSA, admin, and local businesses did spoil us. We got ice cream one day, and then two days I didn’t have to pack a lunch…that made me so happy…especially at the end of the school year when I’m over packing lunches.

This was a fun post to write; I love having topics where I can just write the first thing that comes to mind.

Posted in Holidays, Me

Mother’s Day Recap

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Tuesday!

I know many of my readers are moms, but I also know that Mother’s Day (and Father’s Day) can be very difficult for some.

When those days roll around, I truly do also think about those who are sad on those days. I’ve been the woman wanting to be a mom, and I’ve also been the mom really grateful for her three-year-old twins, but sad after a miscarriage. You just never know what people are going through or what they’ve experienced.

I’m really grateful for the thought and care that my kids and Travis show me on Mother’s Day. We have a few traditions which I appreciate, but I do miss the days of hand print gifts and snuggles.

This year, I slept in a bit (we all did), and I woke up to flowers, a card, and a gift.

Travis picked up Panera bagels, so we had those before heading to church. We joined our church five years ago on Mother’s Day. Life can get busy, but I appreciate when we have time to go to church, especially on Mother’s Day.

Recently, our church started doing name tags, and Hadley wanted to write my name tag:

How sweet, right?

After church, we came home for a bit. I noticed the two hanging ferns on the front porch. That’s my traditional gift which I really appreciate. I keep the ferns on the porch until Labor Day weekend. Every year, we seem to end up with a nest of baby birds in one of the ferns. I love that my Mother’s Day gift ends up being a spot for a mother to care for her babies until it’s time for them to spread their wings and fly. (I’m not ready for that actual symbolism of my own birds flying the nest yet!)

We got a quick pic (another tradition/miracle!)

We wanted to go somewhere for lunch where we could sit outside. We’d never been to the Burl Brewery, but it was really nice. They had the garage doors open, the sun was shining, the Kentucky baseball game was on, and they had flowers for moms!

I ordered the avocado toast, and it was delish.

The kids played pool for a bit…

…while Trav had a beer, and I enjoyed a grapefruit mimosa….served by one of my former students!

We were there for a couple of hours, and then we came home. I put my flowers in a vase and set up my NEW KINDLE! Thankfully, that was a seamless process. I’ve had my other Kindle for six or seven years, and it wasn’t holding a charge for very long and was slow to download. I had told Travis I wanted a new one, but that I’d get one this summer. I was pleasantly surprised!

Then, I sat on the front porch and called my mom. We’d sent her flowers, and I’m glad she enjoyed them.

Travis had moved the TV out to the back patio to finish watching the UK baseball game. So, after I hung up with my mom, I decided to go out back and finish my book.

The Many Lives of Mama Love was so good…very inspirational.

Then it was time for dinner. Travis grilled steaks, Hayden put the asparagus in the oven, and Hadley was in charge of the (mircowave) Bob Evans mashed potatoes. When she asked me to stir them at the midway point, I said, “No ma’am!”…and she said with exasperation, “Being a mom is SO HARD!” 😆

We had dinner on the patio. I forgot to snap a pic, but here’s an old photo….which was probably my Mother’s Day dinner last year. haha

Hadley had volleyball, so I took her. Then, when I came home, I decided to do a few of my “mom responsibilities” that I’d neglected throughout the day. I made a grocery list, swapped out the laundry and then tidied up a bit.

I picked Hadley up around 9:15, and we ended the day with ice cream!

Overall, it was a really great Mother’s Day. I saw so many friends sharing their kids’ high school prom pics this weekend, and a few have graduation coming up soon. It was hard for me not to think the next four years are going to fly by. Ok, enough about that. I think I will live in denial for a bit longer 😉

I hope your week is off to a great start.

Posted in Not Just a Mom

Share Our Lives: May 2024

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Monday!

How was your weekend? Ours was pretty good, and the weather was amazing.

I hope everyone had a great Mother’s Day. We all slept in, went to church and then brunch, and then spent time outside for the rest of the day.

It’s time for our monthly Share Our Lives 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

This month’s topic is…5 favorite and least favorite foods. I’m not sure why this post was so hard for me to write….maybe because I’m not too picky, so I guess I like most food and don’t dislike many foods?

Top 5 favorite foods:

So many great foods to choose from, but I narrowed my list down to these five:

  • Chips and queso: the best part about going to a Mexican restaurant (I love a good salsa too!)
  • Macaroni and cheese: Hadley gets her love of mac and cheese from me. I don’t make it very often, but I love homemade macaroni and cheese. This recipe is a little effort, but it’s oh so good!
  • Gnocchi: If we are at an Italian restaurant and gnocchi is on the menu, I will order it!
  • Green bean casserole: Well, I don’t think I had green bean casserole until moving to Kentucky and attending Trav’s family get togethers. I always think of green been casserole for Thanksgiving and Easter, but I try to make it a couple of other times throughout the year. The crunchy fried onions on top are the “chef’s kiss.”
  • Mint chocolate chip ice cream: My favorite ice cream flavor of all time.
  • Bonus: I love sushi. Now, I don’t eat all fish. I don’t love tuna, for example, but I will eat salmon, yellowtail, shrimp, crab and more.

I’m sure I’m forgetting so many great foods, but those were the first ones to pop in my head!

Top 5 least favorite foods:

Oh…I do have a few least favorite foods:

  • Mayo: Absolutely not. I’ve never liked mayo and never will. If a recipes calls for mayo, I ain’t making it. I don’t even know if my kids have ever had mayo since we don’t have it at home.
  • Yogurt: I want to like yogurt so badly…I know it’s a great source of protein and an easy breakfast, but I just can’t do it. I was always proud of myself as a mom that my kids liked mayo when they were little. They still like it, but don’t ask me to buy it often.
  • Tomato: I don’t like tomatoes. They don’t taste like much to me and the juice is too runny. Again, I don’t know that my kids have had many tomatoes besides salsa.
  • Oysters: I know many people don’t like oysters, but Travis and Hayden do. When we go on vacay, Hadley and I hate it when they want to hit up the oyster happy hour.
  • Pimento cheese: I know it’s a southern thing, so I guess I didn’t grow up eating it. I tried it once, and I just can’t do it.

Coleslaw was another food that came to mind as one I don’t like.

Next month, our topic is also about food…but it’s foods to make for someone else.

I can’t wait to see what others share for favorites and least favorite foods. I’m sure there are some I could have added to both lists but forgot.

After today, only one more Monday of the school year…I think I can, I think I can!

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Posted in Friday Favorites, Traditions

Friday Favorites {#206}: Kentucky Oaks

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

Wow! This week feels like it flew by. Honestly, we had less going on in the evenings thanks to some rain, but this week still really seemed like a quick one.

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

Well, I never got around to sharing about the Kentucky Oaks races last Friday, so that’s what today’s blog post is all about!

It’s definitely a favorite tradition.

In true Jen fashion, I like to wait until the last minute to figure out what I’m going to wear.

By now, I have a few fascinators in my collection (and a friend who is always willing to share what she has), but I picked up this bright pink one at Macys on Thursday. My dress is the “Tatum” from Shop Style Your Senses, and my purse and heels are Amazon.

A quick selfie before my friends picked me up.

Travis always goes to the Thurby (Thursday before Derby) races, so he’s already in Louisville.

We met up with him and headed to Churchill Downs. I was very nervous about the weather because our seats were at the first turn and not covered! There were some showers throughout the day, but it ended up being overcast more than rainy.

Midway through the day, there is a “survivors walk” for the Breast Cancer survivors, and pink is definitely the color theme for Oaks.

The “Lily” is the drink of the Kentucky Oaks.

My friend Megan!

Overcast skies and a sloppy track!

After a few races, we walked around a bit and got a bite to eat. After Covid, the food and drinks are all inclusive with the ticket which makes everything so convenient.

We found a covered seating area because it started to rain a bit. Then, we walked around a bit more.

The new paddock area is amazing. We walked around up top…

I didn’t get a picture on my own, but ESPN shared this one on Facebook. The paddock area is really pretty!

After that, we met up with some friends and then made our way to a covered box. One thing about Travis is that he will always figure things out, and he found us some seating where we would for sure stay dry.

We watched the rest of the races, and had a few more drinks and food. They had cheesecake on a stick…but I forgot to get a pic! It was so good.

We snapped a group pic…

…before I placed a bet on Gin Gin in the Kentucky Oaks.

She did not win (win!).

After that race, it was time to head home. We knew traffic would be crazy, and we needed to get home to check on the kids.

The main rain happened right as we were leaving…enough so that Megan and I pulled out our ponchos for the walk to the car. Every year, we get pretty lucky with parking as one of Trav’s clients owns a parking lot right by the track, but it’s still a bit of a walk. This was the first year, I brought some sandals to wear when not wearing heels, and I’m glad I did. I wore my sandals for the walk to and from the car, and that made all the difference in the world.

I wish that I’d gotten a pic of us wearing our ponchos. haha

We navigated traffic and made it home around 8:00. After we checked on the kids, the four of us went out to dinner which was nice. Then, we were ready to be home and go to bed.

I’ve been to Oaks off and on through the years, but I think this was my fourth Oaks in a row. It’s a fun tradition that I’m glad we make happen.

Derby:

Derby on Saturday was so low-key that I don’t even have any photos.

Did you see the photo finish though? What a race!

We took it easy most of Saturday which was so nice. Trav’s boss called with two tickets to Derby, but we were so tired (and besides Thursday and Friday, Travis was in Louisville on Wednesday too). Also, Hayden had a race, so we made the decision to stay home.

Travis watched the races, placed a few bets and made some work calls throughout the day.

After Hayden’s race, we headed to our friends’ house as they hosted a little neighborhood get together.

Overall, it was a low-key day which was very much needed after a long Friday.

Per usual, my mom hosted her Kentucky Derby party back in KC, and had quite the turn out. She’s collected some cute Derby decorations through the years. The pics are always fun to see with the winners and their money and the losers with their loser cups. haha

Oaks and Derby are definitely fun traditions here in the Bluegrass State!

Share Our Lives:

On Monday, we have our monthly Share Our Lives post. This month’s topic is “5 Favorite and Least Favorite Foods.” We’d love to have you join us.

Weekly Recap:

Here are my posts from the week:

Prime Purchases
Teacher Talk Tuesday
Let’s Look

What are your weekend plans?

We have a busy Friday night, but then not too much going on tomorrow. Sunday is Mother’s Day, and I’m hoping we can go to church and maybe out for lunch.

As always…

I hope you have a great weekend.

Posted in Amazon, Clothes, Let's look

Let’s Look

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Wednesday!

I had to double check the calendar that today is actually the second Wednesday of the month.

I’m linking up with Shay and Erika for Let’s Look.

So far this year this year, we’ve looked at:

  • How we clean our closets in January
  • Little things we do every single day in February
  • What’s in our grocery cart in March
  • Our daily quiet time/prayer time in April.

This month’s topic is let’s look…our summer closet staples.

Sandals:

After spring break, as long as the sun is out (no matter the temp!), I’m probably wearing sandals.

These Birks continue to be my fave! I bought them two summers ago, and they continue to be the first sandal I turn to time and time again.

I have some faves from Amazon too.

The rose gold double buckle sandals are another “go to” pair for me. Hadley has them in white.

The pink comfort slides I mostly wear when it’s raining, to the pool, or out in the yard.

These gold sandals are perfect to wear with dresses and easy to pack.

*I did size up one size on all three of these.

If you need dressier sandal, I bought these two years ago, and they are comfy for a heel. (I went up half a size on these.)

I wore them to the Kentucky Oaks last Friday.

Last week, I was at Target, and saw these strappy sandals. I have a pair that I got from Amazon a couple of years ago, and I love them, but they aren’t in stock anymore. These are just like them, so I snagged them right up, and was excited for the price! (20% off right now, and just under $11) I’ve worn them twice this week, and they pass the “teacher test” for footwear.

Light weight sets, dresses, and rompers:

SSYS continues to be a favorite place of mine to shop. Their crepe two piece set from last summer is perfect. You can wear the top or shorts with other pieces, the fabric is so light, and it’s an easy “throw on and go” set.

Last week, they released the spring version, and I can’t wait for it to get here. I think the price on this is a little higher, but I know I will wear it so much.

Dresses are easy to wear in the hot days of summer. A couple of years ago, I made one of our hall closets, my dress closet. That’s how many dresses I have and love.

While I’m still not “sold” that a romper is my most flattering look, I did get this one last summer, and wore it quite a bit.

Belt bags:

As you can tell from the pics above, this belt bag/cross body purse was one of my faves for being out and about in the summer.

I also love this one too, and have had it for a couple of years.

Leggings and tanks:

Again, SSYS has many of my favorite tanks and leggings, but I do have some favorite leggings and tanks from Amazon too.

Hat:

I often wear a ball cap in the summer, but this hat from Nordstrom is one of my faves.

I bought it in 2020, so it doesn’t seem to be in stock, but this one and this one look pretty similar!

I even take it with me on vacation.

This hat or visor are usually in my pool bag.

Swimsuits:

I have a couple of favorite swimsuits from Amazon. This one shoulder was new this year for fall break, and I LOVE it. I also still turn to this swimsuit (I have two patterns) that I’ve had for three years. Both come in so many colors and patterns.

Cover ups:

These three swim cover ups continue to be my faves:

My absolute favorite is this blue one that I also have in navy. The other two are a little thicker and longer, but also great.

Shorts:

I honestly don’t wear a ton of shorts in the summer, but I do have a couple of denim pairs, and I turn to this black pair from SSYS time and time again. I think SSYS is sharing this year’s version of the shorts next week.

So those are my summer closet staples.

Once I’m out of school, I’m typically in my pjs, athleisure, or a swimsuit/cover up. Oh…I can’t wait for summer days…and to be tan again!

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

Posted in School, Tuesday Talk

Teacher Talk Tuesday

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Tuesday!

Well, as the school year winds down, I wanted to get in at least one more “Teacher Talk Tuesday” for the year.

…via…Talking About it Tuesdays with Joanne.

This was a WordPress prompt a while back, and it had me taking a trip down memory lane…

Look at me in 2002 in my classroom my first year teaching…that’s a big ol’ computer, printer, and floppy disk holder!

Through the years, technology has really changed how we teach. All of my classrooms from my first fifteen years of teaching still had an overhead projector.

My first few years, the kids mostly learned a from textbooks and worksheets.

My previous school was in a smaller district, and they did incorporate more technology before a lot of the larger districts. After my first couple of years at that school, they added on to their building, and my classroom was in the new wing. My classroom had an electronic (Smart) whiteboard that I used pretty often. Also, students had chromebooks before the Covid days.

Now, I’m in a larger district, and through the years, most of the classrooms had the Smart boards, and then last year, we all got interactive flat panels, and it’s another thing to learn!

I still love my regular white board, and still write on it most days.

During Covid, most (all?) districts became 1:1 with technology, and we all became acquainted with Zoom.

We still have some meetings and professional development opportunities on Zoom. Today, I actually have a PD on our new textbooks via Zoom.

Because of their computers, students have easy access to be able to type their papers, do research, and turn in assignments.

Many online resources include:

  • Canvas
  • Google: classroom, docs, and slides
  • Online textbook (I still have a class set in my room which is my preferred method. That being said, at least online is available for students who are absent or who didn’t finish a class assignment) Another thing I appreciate about online textbooks is that students can use the “read” feature to have the text read to them. Honestly, as a teacher, I appreciate that feature…especially when reading Shakespeare!!
  • No Red Ink – checks for plagarism
  • Students can easily access and check their grades (even though they don’t do that often)
  • Email to correspond with teachers

There are so many benefits to what we have thanks to technology that help keep our kids engaged.

Unfortunately, students feel like they have to be entertained all the time. As a teacher, we can plan engaging lessons thanks to sites like:

  • IXL
  • Blooket
  • Newsela
  • Kahoot
  • Nearpod
  • Flipgrid
  • Quizlet

There are also downfalls to technology, and students being off task because of chromebooks. Don’t even get me started on AI!

Post Covid, many teachers still relied on online learning, but now I’m seeing most teachers split the difference and have some online assignments and some paper assignments.

Overall, teachers do spend less time having to make copies these days which is nice.

I’m still “old school” when it comes to planning. I look forward to buying my new desk calendar and lesson plan book every year. The past couple of years I’ve used Happy Planner stickers to spruce up my calendar pages.

Looking back on my 22 years in education, many things have changed. I think I started teaching right as technology (computers, anyway) started being classrooms.

My first couple of years teaching, I still received a phone call via the phone tree for a snow day. Of course, for years, that information has been on the news, but now we all receive automated phone calls and texts…even the students.

We now have digital hall and tardy passes, there are cameras all throughout the building, we can document parent contacts easily, submit paperwork and so much more now that we have greater technology. As teachers, we can share resources easier as well.

Students now take the ACT and other standardized tests online.

I run my school’s after school tutoring, and just this month, stipends became electronic. I used to lose about thirty minutes every other Friday tracking down paper stipends, getting them signed, scanned and submitted. Now, I can approve everything in a few clicks.

Honestly, most everything I listed is just the “tip of the technology in education iceberg.”

I do think that technology has many benefits in education and technology sure has changed my job. In some ways it’s made it easier, and in other ways, we have other battles now because of it. (Like AI, don’t even get me started on cellphones). I have at least eight more years left in education, and I’m sure more changes in technology will come. They’ll have to continue to “teach this old dog new tricks!”

I like when topics turn in to a “stroll down memory lane.”