jgalvinwhite

Let’s Look

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

Hello and happy Wednesday!

Well, January is chugging right along.

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

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

Groceries:

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

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

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

House cleaning:

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

Yard work:

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

Homer:

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

Teens:

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

School work…mostly math:

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

Christmas cards:

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

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

I know it will be a great day.

Tuesday Talk

Tuesday Talk: Icon Glasses

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here’s my current line up :

Christmas themed…

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

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

These glasses have now become my entire personality! haha

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

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

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

It’s true!

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

Have a great day!

Share Our Lives: January 2026

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

Hello and happy Monday!

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

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

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

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

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

Here are a few things that came to mind:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Have a great Monday!

Blog challenge

January Bucket List- Bloganuary 1.11.26

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

Hello and happy Sunday!

I hope the weekend has been treating you well.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Have you completed any of these ideas?

Have a great Sunday!

10 on the 10th, Blog challenge

10 on the 10th

Posted on January 10, 2026January 9, 2026 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Saturday!

I hope your weekend is off to a great start.

When I shared that I’m trying to blog every day in January, Joanne suggested Marsha‘s 10 on the 10th link up…I’ve never participated, so I’m excited to do so today.

This month’s prompt is…

When I first saw this prompt, I thought it would be difficult to do…and it kind of was hard to come up with ideas. I guess this is the opposite of a resolution! haha I gave it my best shot…

Here are 10 things I won’t be doing in 2026:

Eat more fiber: For years, I’ve tracked my protein off and on as I know that’s important for weight loss, but now I’m hearing more and more about fiber. I know fiber has its benefits, but I don’t know if I can track one more thing. That being said, one of my “go to” ideas for lunch on low carb days are “Carb Balance” tortillas…and it’s always surprising to me to see that they have 17 grams of fiber!
Read books that are longer than 300 (or so) pages (or listen to super long audio books): When I’m reading on my Kindle, I guess I don’t really know how long a book is until I download it, but 300-350 pages is what holds my attention span. (Even better if it’s a shorter book) I’ve also noticed when checking out audiobooks on Libby, I like to see that a book is nine or less hours in listening length. I often listen to a book on 1.5 or 1.75 speed, but if a book is longer than nine hours, I don’t know if I will have time to finish it in the two week window that I get to check it out.
Quit scrolling before bed: I know that it’s bad for our brains to scroll phones or read a Kindle, but I do both of those things and I rarely have trouble falling asleep. At this point, those moments tend to be some of the only ones I have for mindless activities.
Walking 10,000 steps: Listen, I’m not mad at that idea and there are days I get 10,000 steps, but a more realistic goal for me is 7,500 steps in a day. Most days I leave school with 5,000 steps, so evening activities and workouts typically get me to 7,500. That being said, since the workout program I typically do is 25 minutes, I usually try to walk outside or on my walking pad for 15 minutes after the workout. At that point, I’ve definitely gotten to my 7,500 goal (or more!), but attempting to get 10,000 steps in every day would make me feel like a failure.
Give up on the Chiefs and the Royals: Us Chiefs fans are in uncharted water this season without the Chiefs in the playoffs. I hate that Mahomes is injured and Kelce might retire, but I have to hope that next year will be better. When you are also a KC Royals fan, you also always hope the next year will be better.
Clean up my Gmail: Why do I have so many unread emails and very little storage? I can’t keep up! It’s very unlike my type A personality to have over 200 unread emails on my phone (my personal email…not my school email), and even Trav will do a double-take and make a comment about my out of control inbox. A few years ago, “something had to give,” and apparently it was my Gmail inbox!
Watch Stranger Things: I have nothing against this show, and I know it’s been on for years, but I feel like it’s all I’m hearing about and I just don’t have interest in watching it…which leads me to…
Learning Mahjong: This is also all the rage, and I just don’t think it’s something I’m interested in. Mostly, I think I feel this way because it seems like there are a lot of rules. haha! I will never say never about Mahj, but as of right now, it’s a no for me.
Wear long or chunky socks: I have some fuzzy, cozy fleece socks, but I can’t do the athletic or chunky socks over leggings. I’m a below ankle sock girl through and through.
Drink energy drinks: I’ve always been a “no energy drink” girl especially when “energy drink” meant Monster. haha! Now, there are so many options with many cute cans to tempt you…Alani, Bloom, Celsius, etc. Occasionally, I will have an afternoon coffee and I love a Diet Coke, but I don’t even drink those very often.

This turned out to be such a fun topic!

Friday Favorites, Gift Ideas

Friday Favorites {#287}

Posted on January 9, 2026January 9, 2026 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

Shew! We made it to the weekend. As much as I dragged my feet going back to school, it’s been good to get back into a routine…and it’s been nice seeing my students again.

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

Today, I’m sharing a few favorite Christmas gifts I received.

First and foremost, I don’t need anything, but of course I appreciate all that I received. I give some ideas, but I also have some very thoughtful family members 🙂

I had seen this “I love Diet Coke” sweatshirt at Old Navy, and never purchased it. So, I suggested it to my mom and Gma as an idea, and my Gma got it for me. Honestly, I’d forgotten about it, so once I opened that gift, I immediately put it on. I’ve worn it to school, and so many students commented on how much they like it. Compliments from teens? Can you believe it?

My Gma also gave me some Betty White stamps. I loved using them to send out our Christmas cards this year.

I try to be practical with gift requests sometimes too…I knew we needed a couple new blankets for the living room, so I suggested these Sherpa ones as an idea. My mom got me two, one for each ottoman, and oh my…they are better than I expected.

I’ve never felt one of the popular Lola blankets, and I’m guessing those blankets are heavier, but these are oh so soft and seem like they’d be similar to that brand. Hadley has already claimed one as hers….which is now a constant battle! haha

I give these a 10/10 rating!

My mom is really good about finding perfect random gifts (and I don’t mean “random” in a bad way…I mean it in a thoughtful way)…anyway, she got me some pencils with my name on them! Also, they are “left handed” pencils…meaning when you hold them, the name faces that direction.

These are perfect for school, and I won’t be sharing them with my students. haha

I also got some of my favorite eye gels from her too. I’ve already used up this whole pack since Christmas.

I suggested this fleece when my mother-in-law needed gift ideas, and I have zero regrets. I’ve already worn it quite a few times. It’s the perfect thing to just throw on with leggings, but I’ve also worn it with jeans too.

My niece made some of the girls in the family a few things…like this pretty key chain…

…and this bookmark. I love both so much.

Trav has always been a good gift giver, but having a teen girl really has worked out to my benefit in the gift receiving department.

As I’ve mentioned before, I’m loving my new tennis shoes…

Trav and Hadley spent some time in Sephora choosing a few perfumes they thought I’d like. So far, I’ve loved all three.

Hadley went to one of my favorite boutiques and picked out these pretty gold hoop earrings for me. I wear these stud earrings nearly every day, but I’d suggested a pair of hoops because sometimes I do change things up, especially if I’m dressing up a bit.

Truly, I felt the love this holiday season.

Mom Meme:

Tuesday was tough for the kids, but we made it!

Bonus Fave: Go Tigers!

I’m not very popular in my house this week. My MIZZOU Tigers came to Lexington to play the CATS…and they won! Trav and Hayden went to the game, and they came home kind of grumpy! I was invited too, but I had a hair appointment that had me getting home right at game time. Honestly, I don’t love a hostile environment anyway…haha!

I’m proud to be a Tiger!

Weekly Recap:

I’ve kept up my (self-induced) Bloganuary challenge of blogging every day in January.

January

Organization

Prime Purchases

Day in the Life: Winter Break

Currently

Healthy Teacher Challenge

Share Our Lives:

We have our first Share Our Lives link up of 2026 on Monday!

Our topic is – Ways to Stay Warm in the Winter. Well, we’ve had temps in the 60’s the past ten days, so it’s been pretty easy to stay warm! Anyway, I’m looking forward to the link up, and we hope you’ll join us.

I’m ready to have a great Friday at school and then have some down time this weekend. After this weekend, I feel like we get pretty busy with kids’ activities.

I hope to continue blogging this weekend, so see you back here then!

Blog challenge, Health and Fitness, Inspiration

Healthy Teacher Challenge

Posted on January 8, 2026January 7, 2026 by jgalvinwhite

Hello! We made it to Thursday! After three days of setting an alarm, I think I’m getting back on track and adjusted to school life.

Speaking of back on track, January is always a good time to get back on track, but I don’t want to make resolutions or lofty goals that end up making me feel like a failure.

I think it’s fun to find little “mini challenges” or short workout programs that I can kind of “chip away at” to make progress.

I shared in yesterday’s post that I like the Bodi widget that I’ve recently added to my phone to see my weekly workout progress. This only tracks when I do a Bodi workout, but it’s still been pretty motivating.

I follow @followkristenfriend on Instagram…she’s a fun, sassy, elementary teacher who also has a “Healthy Teacher Tribe” channel on Instagram.

She shared this little challenge with a fun graphic to kick start going back to school. I love that it incorporates other things besides fitness.

That being said, I worked out 21 days in December, and I want to keep that progress going. I also want to get back to having some “quiet time” either with a devotional or the Headspace app. Of course, sleep and water are important too!

Here’s my progress so far this week:

(She shared on the channel that she realizes she needs to update the graphic to include the toggles for Friday. haha)

My mom got me a subscription to Headspace, and I’ve spent a few minutes most days with “mindful mediation.” I’d like to do this before the day starts, but realistically, I’ve had more time in the evening.

Mallory (@mallory_fitzsimmons_) shared about the devotional she’s using this year, and I thought it would be a good way for me to set aside a few minutes every day to have some quiet time.

I have a couple of these tumblers, and they are definitely the way I get in my water intake. I typically drink at least two a day.

The Bodi workout I started in December is 25 Minute Speed Train. I’ve done other workouts by Joel Freeman, and this program is definitely the most like what I prefer for a workout. They are tough but efficient workouts. I appreciate that I can complete them in the comfort of my basement. haha

I still love my SSYS leggings, but these Hanes 7/8 length leggings that I purchased a couple of months ago have been my “go to” lately. They are buttery soft and stay put!

I have a couple of these workout tops, and they are my preference. For me, I like the muscle cut style, and the length is perfect.

For Christmas, Trav and the kids got me new tennis shoes, per my request. I knew Trav would know what brand would be best, and Hadley picked out the pretty color way. I didn’t realize how much I needed a new pair of shoes for walking and workout.

With going back to school, it’s easy to just want to come home and relax…and I do!…but I also wanted to keep up the commitment I made in December and even regroup and prioritize other goals too.

I have to remind myself…progress not perfection.

Currently

Posted on January 7, 2026January 6, 2026 by jgalvinwhite

Hello Wednesday! It’s already the middle of the week. I had a great day back to school with students yesterday, but your girl is Tired with a capital T!

It’s the first Wednesday of the month so I’m linking up with Amy as she has taken over the Currently reins.

The Currently topics are: loving, resolving, planning, eating/drinking, watching/reading…

I’m loving…

My Christmas gifts, including new tennis shoes (Trav suggested Brooks, and Hadley found the cute color way)…

….and Hadley and Trav apparently spent a bit of time in Sephora because I said I needed some perfume. Hadley chose these three:

Guccia Flora
Prada Paradoxe
Burberry Her

I also have these two scents from Dime, and I love them too.

I’m loving the glow of my remaining Christmas decor…but let’s call it “winter decor.” I like to keep these trees (and my skinny tree in the bedroom) up for a couple more weeks. I will say that the 60 degree temps don’t really make it feel like winter right now!

I’m resolving…

To keep up my workouts. I didn’t have the best October and November, so I recommitted myself in November to getting in at least four workouts a week and having 7500 steps every day. I’ve kept up with at least four workouts as well as the step count most days. I’m doing a Bodi program that I’m really liking, so that’s motivated me to keep moving. These workouts are around 25 minutes, so I’ve been doing that and then walking on my walking pad (or outside) for 15-20 minutes.

I also realized Bodi has a widget, and it’s been pretty motivating to see my workouts as the app tracks them.

I’m also resolving to read 40 books again this year…

2025 was a great year of reading.

I’m also keeping my 2026 words in mind. These are the ones I drew from the pot on New Year’s Eve.

I’m planning…

We’re back on track with meal planning after a couple of weeks of winging it! Honestly, we didn’t eat many dinners out over break, but we just had more lazy “eat whatever you want/can find” dinners. My kids were requesting actual meals by the end of break. I guess I was a lazy mom when it came to cooking the past couple of weeks.

This meal plan/shopping list continues to be my fave. I’ve used this same one for years.

Also, Trav cooked a couple of meals over the weekend. It’s pretty rare that we don’t order dinner out on Friday/Saturday, so I appreciated his effort! haha

On Monday, I made this Easy Salsa Verde Chicken on Monday, and everyone gave it a 10/10! Hadley said it was better than Chipolte! That’s definitely a compliment. I served it with rice and black beans, and I even took some for lunch yesterday.

I’m eating/drinking:

Well, I was eating “snack plates” for lunch over break which is my favorite.

I made chili last night even though it hasn’t been super cold outside. I’d like the temps to drop a bit, so I can really lean into soup and chili season.

Are you tired of me talking about iced coffee yet? haha

Truthfully, I’ve always drank iced coffee from Starbucks occasionally through the years, but recently, I’ve started having it in the morning (and then taking a cup of hot coffee to school in my travel mug)

I’ve tried Dunkin Donuts a few times recently too.

I do pat myself on the back because I do a great job of drinking at least two 40 oz tumblers every day. I never felt like I drank too much Diet Coke, but I’d say in the past couple of years, I drink far less…maybe one a week?…and I stick with water after my coffee.

I’m watching/reading…

Over break, I watched a lot of favorite holiday movies like Home Alone, A Christmas Story, and The Holiday.

After Christmas, I made sure to watch a few other fave movies of mine (that I tend to always watch over break)…

and…

I’m almost finished with season 2 of Nobody Wants This…

My mom suggested The Pitt, and I’ve watched a couple of episodes. It reminds me of when I loved watching ER.

I still love to watch Golden Girls, but Designing Women has been when I’ve turned to recently to watch before bed.

I’m reading The Wedding People; I’m halfway through it, and I’m really enjoying it.

I just started Before Dorothy on my Kindle, and I can tell I’m going to love it!

I’m starting my 2026 reading off strong.

Yesterday, I read the UpFront magazine with my students. They had some good conversations about some of the articles. It was a good way to ease back into learning!

So, that’s what I’m Currently up to.

Thanks, Amy, for hosting!

Day in the Life

Day in the Life: Winter Break

Posted on January 6, 2026January 5, 2026 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Tuesday!

Well, I made it through my teacher work day, and now I’m ready to see my students! The routine will be good for all of us…at least that’s what I always tell myself.

It’s been a long time since I’ve shared a day in the life post, so I captured last Friday on one of my last days of break!

Homer woke me early, and unfortunately Trav was out of town, so I had to be the one to let him out! Truly, sleeping until almost 8:00 is amazing, but I felt like I was run down and fighting off a cold, so I did go back to bed once Homer came back in the house.

Around 9:00, I woke up again, and decided to try a few minutes on the Headspace app. My mom bought me a subscription for a year. “Five Mindful Minutes” sounds like a good way to start the day.

Out of bed at 9:15! What more could I ask for before having to resume setting an early alarm on Monday?

One habit I started in 2025 and will continue in 2026 is drinking water before coffee, so most mornings, I drink water and read a few favorite blogs.

When I got up to get my coffee, I realized if I was going to do Bloganuary, I probably needed to write down a few ideas. I’m a paper/pencil girl for blog planning content.

Then, it was breakfast and coffee time. I don’t usually eat breakfast, but I do on break. It’s almost like a nice little treat. I guess I should put up my festive icon glasses, but I’ve still been loving my iced coffee. Also, Hadley got a towel warmer for Christmas, and I used it to warm up my blankets last week. It’s the little things!

I watched the third hour of the Today show. The crew was “sending off” Sheinelle as she’s now going to co-host with Jenna. I got a little teary-eyed as Sheinelle has had a very difficult year losing her husband to cancer. She’s a sweet soul, and I’m sure this next step is a blessing for her and her family.

Of course, I played my daily Bejeweled Blitz.

Another day, and I completed my daily word search.

Then, it was time to get going with the day. My morning skincare:

…and of course I made the bed.

I got dressed for a couple of errands. These leggings and cardigan are my “go to” lately. *Peep* my new sneaks…I love them so much.

I stopped by Dunkin for a coffee (one last winter break treat!) before running errands.

I went to Target for a quick pickup…I’d ordered a few baskets for organization.

I listened to The Wedding People as I ran my errands. I’m also reading the book, but since the audio was also available, I’m doing both.

I went to Home Goods to look for a new paper towel holder, and got distracted by these canisters….which I did, in fact, purchase.

Then, I went to World Market (again!…I haven’t been there in years, and now I’ve gone a few times in the past month)…anyway, I was curious about their after season Christmas items…

Again, I was distracted — how cute are these crocks and baking sheet pans?

…and these little croissant and farfalle plates?!

Well, I showed restraint and only left with a new pillow that was marked down 60%.

Then, I went to Micheal’s because I needed a couple of frames. Two years ago, Trav gave me pics of the kids, but one of the frames cracked, and I wanted something bigger. This is the same frame I have in the bathroom, so I picked up two more.

Then, my afternoon took an unexpected turn. As I was driving to Michael’s, it sounded like I had a flat tire. I pulled over and checked it out, but nothing stood out. After Michael’s, I drove home a way that I knew passed a tire store if needed, and I did keep hearing the noise. So, I stopped in and the nice guy looked at my tires, and immediately saw a huge screw on the inside. So, I spent about 45 minutes at the tire store while they patched my tire.

I’d like to blame one of the teen drivers in my house, but I guess I must have run over something during one of my errands?! Thankfully, it was an inexpensive fix.

Then, once home, I did laundry…

…and put the pics in frames.

Finally, I ate lunch at 3:00. I was hungry!

Homer joined me! haha

He’s the biggest beggar, and honestly, he’s hard to say no to!

Then, it was rest time…and I read for a bit.

Finally, I gathered all the Christmas decor. This was the main thing I wanted to accomplish on Friday, and I was dragging my feet about it! I’m glad I rallied to gather up everything.

I sat and worked on my ornament for a bit until Trav and Hayden were ready to leave…

…for a basketball game.

We were there most of the evening, and I finally had dinner…leftover Chipolte at 8:30…and the Nutcrackers were my company this time!

Then, I showered and did my evening skincare.

I watched a couple of episodes of Nobody Wants This….

…while enjoying a “hold the cone” from Trader Joe’s. I never feel guilty about this little treat. haha

Hadley was at a movie, but once she got home at 11, I headed to bed.

Goodnight!

The only thing I didn’t accomplish on Friday was getting a workout in, but I feel like I made the most of my last day off.

Have a great Tuesday!

Amazon

Prime Purchases

Posted on January 5, 2026January 4, 2026 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Monday!

Did you hear that? It’s the sound of my alarm going off…and back to reality. All good things must come to an end!

Did you catch post weekend posts? (I kicked off “Bloganuary” by sharing posts on Saturday and Sunday)

It’s the first Monday of the month, so I’m sharing some of my recent Amazon purchases.

This is a bit of a “super-sized” post since I bought a few gifts on Amazon, and a few were purchased in November.

Gifts:

As I shared in yesterday’s post, my family members usually end up with one pretty practical gift from me, and I got Trav this hat organizer. This set of two is stackable, but he is using one, and I’m now using the other one!

Hayden usually just throws his golf shoes in the car when we go out of town, and I thought this bag would be the perfect solution. Besides holding the shoes, there are spots to hold golf balls and golf tees too.

On Hadley’s wish list was a sunrise alarm clock. The original one she asked for didn’t have a sound machine, so we returned it for this option. So far, it’s Hadley approved, but the true test will come tomorrow when she can use the sunrise feature to wake up at 6:45!!

Hadley has limited storage for her curling iron, beach waver, straightener, etc, so I got her this travel bag for her to use to hold the items she’s not using, but she can also use it for travel.

I put this pack of solid cologne in Hayden’s stocking. I thought it would be a good way to introduce him to cologne without him spraying too much! haha

All four smell really good!

I’ve seen these tissue tubes for the car, so I gave one to my Grandma. I plan on getting one for the kids when they get a car too.

Hadley:

Hadley was looking for an outfit to wear for Christmas Eve service. While she does have lots of clothes, most of them are leggings, sweatshirts, and summer dresses.

This satin skirt was perfect….

As was this cute bow sweater.

Me:

As I’ve shared previously, I found this ornament kit at World Market. There are six patterns, but three ornaments. I found the same kit on Amazon, so I can complete the other three patterns. I only have one more to go. These have been so fun to do.

I enjoyed doing the daily word search last year. Trav and the kids found me the 2025 daily word search at a local bookstore. That same bookstore didn’t seem to have one for 2026, so I purchased this one. I’m off to a good start with it!

I got this cardigan in red last December, and I wore it quite a bit. I knew I’d wear a more neutral color even more, so I purchased it again in the “camel” color. I’ve already worn it so much in the past month to school and even with leggings after a workout or to run errands. I sized down one and it’s the perfect over-sized fit without being too baggy.

Refresh:

I gave up years ago having nicer pillows on our living room couch. Homer hops of there, so I found that having washable slipcover pillows is the way to go. I wash them occasionally, but I also like to replace them about once a year. For under $10, I figure that’s a pretty good deal.

I had a few things to wash, including my nylon crossbody purse, so I picked up a pack of mesh laundry bags to use. They worked out perfectly for washing my purse.

Restock:

I still like using this half-caff coffee and typically order a bag once a month. I use decaf pods too, but this does the trick for my morning pot of coffee that I make for Trav and me.

Well, it’s time to head back to work…and I’ve told myself that I could wait until Monday to regroup on all the things…so it’s time to pay the piper!

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