Posted on January 28, 2023January 27, 2023 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Saturday!

Guess what happened yesterday? I got up, poured myself a cup of coffee, sat down on the couch…only to hear my phone vibrating. It was our school district calling at 6:15 to tell us we have a snow day. I looked outside and saw no snow and pretty dry streets. Well, apparently, the northside of town was a disaster with icy roads, wrecks, and stalled traffic on the interstate.

I’m not sure if we’ll have to make this day up or not, and I kind of hate to have a snow day with no snow, but that’s what we got.

Anyway…

Today, I’m trying something new! I’m linking up with Jennifer (Overflowing with Thankfulness) for her monthly Saturday link up: Share 4 Somethings

Every month, we are sharing what we are loving, reading, learning, and eating.

Loving:

I am loving this quilted pullover from my favorite boutique, Shop Style Your Senses. I love how it can be worn multiple ways. It comes in three colors, and I think they are all sold out for now, but this shop is one that I love.

Reading:

Just finished reading Remarkably Bright Creatures, and it was SO good. It could be a top read in 2023. I didn’t want it to end.

I also started reading Carrie Soto is Back, and I think I’m really going to like it.

I will share my January books next week.

Also, I shared that I’m going try to do this A to Z challenge this year. Well, I’m now realizing maybe I’m supposed to read books in ABC order? I’m not. I’m such a rebel. I just thought it would be fun to fill this in as the year goes on. As I have some spaces left, I will have to be more intentional with my titles, I guess. It’s just something different to do.

Learning:

This girl has become quite the baker. She has certainly learned how to bake all kinds of things including cakes. One of my friends and her (grown up) daughter baked a cake each month of 2022. Hadley and I are stealing that idea for this year.

With January almost over, we baked on our day off yesterday. Hadley did 90% of the work! This chocolate chip cake was so good.

Eating:

…well, now I’m eating cake 😂 but…

for the past month, I’ve subscribed to a meal plan that has been so convenient. Every Friday, Elizabeth posts a meal plan for the week with one new recipe. She tends to follow the Faster Way plan, and while I don’t necessarily do that, I still intermittent fast and have been trying to clean up my eating. I usually end up using two lunch ideas and two dinner idea each week, but they’ve been so simple, and I love that I truly don’t have to think about what we are going to eat.

Also, I have lots of cookbooks I use, Pinterest, and recipes from bloggers, but I had just gotten to the point where meal planning and making a grocery list were the last thing I wanted to do. So, I’m paying $15 a month for a few months just to get some ideas and get me through the start of the new year.

This was such a fun link up. I’m going try to remember to join Jennifer every month.

I hope wherever you are that you are staying warm!

Friday Favorites, Me

Friday Favorites {#143}

Posted on January 27, 2023January 27, 2023 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Friday!

How was your week? Ours was pretty good. I feel like we are finally back in a pretty good routine after break…it always takes a few weeks to get back on track.

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

Y’all, for the first time ever, on a Friday, I don’t have much to share. I mean, we did things…but I didn’t really document. Hadley tried out for a club volleyball team and is excited about her team.

Hayden had his first 7th grade basketball game, but I only took a few pics and they are mostly blurry. Oh well. I try to just enjoy the game most of the time anyway.

I thought I’d do something a little different and share some of my favorites.

I feel like this month I’ve shared a bit more about only me thanks to the Bloganuary challenge and my other blog post topics…so let’s keep that going, I guess.

I saw this on Pinterest and thought it looked fun!

Favorite gum: I don’t chew gum.
Favorite candy or treat: My sweet tooth is a real problem. I love a mini snickers or scoop of ice cream.
Favorite emoji: I feel like this one is pretty much on brand for my life right now: 🫠
Favorite color: My house is mostly gray, cream, and hints of light turquoise
Favorite ice cream: Mint Chocolate Chip (and peppermint during the holidays)
Favorite breakfast: cream of wheat
Favorite store or brand: Besides Amazon, I love Target.
Favorite season: FALL!
Favorite dinner: pasta!
Favorite dessert: Rice Krispie treat
Favorite sport: I love watching most sports…college basketball and NFL are usually my top two. I love watching Hadley play volleyball. I love watching Hayden run. I love having an MLB (KC Royals if I can) game on in the background while at home.
Favorite activity: reading (and napping. haha)
Favorite way to spend a Saturday: not waking up to an alarm, watching my kids play a sport or activity, spending time at home
Favorite song: Luke Combs’ Going, going, gone
Favorite subject: English (obviously)
Favorite magazine: People
Favorite book: too many to count!
Favorite band or music: country
Favorite flower: peonies or hydreangeas
Favorite team or player: Chiefs
Favorite restaurant: y’all…I love Jason’s Deli for something quick. As far as a family restaurant, I love Puccini’s, and for a nicer restaurant, I love OBC Kitchen and Carson’s. (all local places)
Favorite place(s): San Diego, CA, Siesta Key, FL, and Charleston, SC
Favorite movie: The Parent Trip (original)
Favorite game: Wheel of Fortune on tv, but as a family I like most any game except Taco, Goat, Cat, Pizza

What are some of your favorites?

Favorite Mom Meme:

Relatable, right?

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:

2014 …the first time the kids went sledding. We had that red saucer until last year…it was the best on the snow…until one of them ran over a big rock! #bigkidsdoingtricks

Weekly Recap:

I’m on a roll posting in January thanks to Bloganuary.

What are your weekend plans? We have no real plans tonight or tomorrow night. Hayden has a race on Sunday, and then we’ll cheer on the Chiefs. Let’s hope Mahomes’ ankle holds up. #fingerscrossed

I will have a post tomorrow too. I’m joining the Share 4 Somethings link up, and then I might as well share a Bloganuary post on Sunday to round out the month.

Thanks so much for reading.

Monthly Musings

Posted on January 26, 2023January 28, 2023 by jgalvinwhite

Hello!

I can’t believe it’s already the end of the first month of 2023! I’m so happy that Holly and Patty are continuing their Monthly Musings link up, and I’m joining them today.

This month’s topic is: beating the winter blues…

1. Something you do for yourself to beat the winter blues

With it getting darker earlier, it’s tempting for me to come home and put my pjs on! That being said, I try to keep my routine as normal as possible. When I get home, I usually give myself a few minutes and then go ahead and get my workout in.

Also, last week, for instance, the temps were so mild. After my workouts, I walked for about twenty minutes and enjoyed the sunshine while I could.

2. Something you do for your family to bring joy in the winter

Ever since the kids were little, I make snowman pancakes on the first snow day…and I still do. I just checked my stock to make sure I have pancakes and other good stuff if/when we ever get measurable snow! and…

…I try to make Valentine’s Day fun. I always pick up a few things for the kids…

…and the past couple of years, I’ve made a little Valentine’s Day lunch at some point in February.

Travis and I usually go to dinner, just the two of us, one evening around Valentine’s Day.

3. Favorite cozy items

I love an oversized sweatshirt and leggings or pj pants.

Cozy socks and/or slippers are a must! These are my new fave slippers:

…as well as my new boots. These have been perfect to wear with the colder temps!

4. Winter exercise habits or practices

I keep everything pretty much the same which means Beachbody workouts in my basement. That being said, we tend to have a few more free Saturdays in the winter (cross country, football games, etc. take up time in the fall), so I try to take advantage of that time and go to the gym on Saturdays that I have the chance.

5. Do you practice journaling or mediation?

I write this blog. haha

That’s about it. I do always try to start the day with some quiet time, and even at night before I go to sleep, I just try to calm my brain with a few quiet minutes.

6. Do you light candles or use essential oils?

I always have a candle burning if we are home. Lighting a candle is one of the first things I do when I wake up and same when I walk in the door!

7. Bedtime rituals to promote quality sleep

Y’all! I’m a high maintenance sleeper! I started using a weighted blanket a few years ago, and it’s hard to sleep without it. I’ve been using a sound machine since the kids were little. (When they were babies, they had a sound machine in their room that I could always hear through the monitor…so when I quit using the monitor, I missed the the white noise sound. So, that meant we needed one for our room.) Any app I’ve found isn’t the same, so we bring at least one sound machine with us when we travel if we can.

And…the real MVP…an Olly melatonin. The package says you can take two, but just one is all I need. I only occasionally use these, but they are legit.

8. Morning habits that help me prepare for a good day

Quiet and coffee to start my day. If I had to wake up to an alarm and hit the ground running, I wouldn’t feel ready for the day. One day during the kids early elementary years, I forgot to set an alarm. We all woke up late, had to rush to get to school, and I clearly remember feeling so frantic all day. (which I didn’t like one bit!)

I also try to know what I’m going to wear the next day, so I don’t have to think much about that. Some days I have my lunch made the night before…and some days I don’t. Obviously, it helps if I do.

9. Favorite way to spend days off in the winter?

I love a snow day!

There have been a few times when major winter weather has hit and Travis has been home. He likes to try and be productive, and I have to remind him that’s not what a snow day is about. haha

Now, there have been times when we’ve had a stretch of days off, and then we are eventually productive.

Of course, the kids love to play in the snow which is probably their favorite way to spend a winter day. We have such a great group of neighborhood friends, and they all end up getting together to sled, play in the snow and run around. Of course, that’s gotten easier on me as the kids have gotten older! Now, they bundle themselves up and head out to play…checking in when they can.

Our school plan this year is a mix of snow days and online learning days which is what we did last year too. I think that’s a good compromise considering we are 1:1 with technology, and the kids don’t have to get online with teachers. No one wants to be in school past May 31. I can promise you that!

As I’ve mentioned before, January and February tend to be slower months, so I do try to build in time on the weekend to read, watch a movie, nap, and whatever else I feel like doing. After the hustle and bustle of November and December, I feel like I deserve it.

10. Favorite winter themed movie

Well, in December, I think of Home Alone, A Christmas Story, and The Holiday.

When kids were little, we watched Frozen more times that I can count.

In the winter, I also think of Serendipity (the first movie Travis and I ever saw in a movie theater together) and Cool Runnings. That’s a family fave for sure.

This was such a fun topic to think about. It’s an unpopular opinion, but I love winter.

Have a great day!

Clothes

WIWW

Posted on January 25, 2023January 24, 2023 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Wednesday.

We’ve continued to have pretty mild temps until Sunday, and then it’s really been feeling like January…but without the snow. *sigh*

It’s been a while since I’ve shared my outfits, so that’s what I’m doing today.

I started to track what I wore Wednesday to Wednesday. Most days, I’d remember to snap a photo with just a bit of daylight left. *sigh* not a fashion blogger!

Wednesday:

Looking back, Wednesday was about my only “pop” of color for the week. Hello winter wardrobe, I guess.

I picked up this pink Free Assembly popover at Walmart in the fall. I paired it with my joggers and new Shu Shop sneaks. This was a very casual Wednesday because it was a testing day.

Thursday:

On Thursday, I wore my black and white Target flannel with skinny pants and boots that I got at Nordstrom years ago.

Friday:

On Friday, I had to support the Chiefs with my Etsy sweatshirt that I got last year. I wore my favorite Loft jeans and Shu Shop shoes.

Saturday:

I was so tired on Saturday morning. To Hayden’s game, I just wore black leggings, an old sweatshirt, and my new Amazon boots (Ugg dupes) that my Gma got me for my birthday. I love them!

…and like a typical Saturday that is hair washing day, I wore a ball cap until after my workout.

That afternoon, I put my Chiefs sweatshirt back on for the game!

Sunday:

On Sunday, I wore an older Amazon dress with one of my favorite Amazon cardigans to church. I wore my brown Target booties too.

Then, it was back to leggings and sweatshirt for the rest of the cold and dreary Sunday.

Monday:

I knew Monday was going to be a long day. Besides school, I knew we’d be at Hayden’s basketball game most of the evening. So, I wanted to be comfortable both at school and after school. I wore black skinny pants, a gray H&M sweater, and my favorite leopard flats (Walmart clearance). I’ve had all of these pieces for years.

Tuesday:

Yesterday, I wore black pants that I got at Target last year with a light blue sweater that I believe was from a Stitch Fix order last year. Again, I wore my leopard flats.

This week’s worth of outfits feels a little “meh.” I kind of feel like I’m in a fashion rut, but not really wanting to buy anything new. This was probably the first Christmas that I didn’t really get any clothes and then didn’t shop for clothes after Christmas. (I guess I do enough of that year round!)

Skinny pants and sweaters are kind of my winter “go to,” but I feel like I usually wear more than gray and black! haha I guess gray really is my color.

{This post contains Amazon affiliate links…Thank you for supporting my blog!}

Blog challenge, Me, School

Teacher Talk Tuesday

Posted on January 24, 2023January 25, 2023 by jgalvinwhite

Hello! I hope your week is off to a great start.

Confession: Instagram is my favorite form of social media. Instagram stories are what suck me in …and sometimes reels.

Anyway, over the past year or so, I’ve started to follow a few educators who are mostly English teachers, and today I’m sharing a few of my faves to follow.

Momfessionals:

@momfessionals:

I read Andrea’s blog every day and have for years. She’s a busy mom of three, and a middle school math teacher at a Christian school in McKinney, Tx. On both her blog and social media, she shares about her life, her family, her home, and her classroom. She occasionally shares lesson ideas, teacher tips, and classroom organization. She will share “Doodle Town” coloring pages too! Both her blog, and her Instagram are fun to follow!

Update: Coincidentally, Andrea has a Teacher Tuesday post up today too!

Educator Andrea:

(@educator_andrea)

I’ve been following Andrea for about a year. She’s a public high school English teacher in the San Diego area. Her reels are so fun…she often shares classroom scenarios and how they differ at the elementary, middle, and high school level. She’s so sarcastic which I can appreciate, but it’s evident that she cares so much about her students and is creative in providing them with a variety of learning opportunities. I actually earned my last PD hour this year when I joined her online session, and heard her chat about “Connection and Culture in Secondary ELA.”

Her website has digital resources and merch. She’s even on Cameo! Anyway, I always enjoy her stories and teaching advice that she shares with her followers.

My Teacher Face

@myteacherface

Dr. I is a hoot! She’s been an English teacher for 30+ years. Her reels as “teacher 1” and “teacher 2” are so funny. She says she’s been both teachers at some point, and I can probably say the same! She also has the coolest light up board behind her when she shares the reels. She put a strip of LED lights in between the border and uses the remote to make the board different colors. I just thought that was a fun idea.

The Daring English Teacher

@thedaringenglishteacher

Christina is a HS English and Journalism teacher. She shares so many great lesson ideas like engaging end of novel activities, goal setting, prepping for a sub (her sub binder is 100!), and writing tasks.

Laurencella

@laurencella

I just recently started following this account, but Lauren is a History teacher, and her reels are so funny…especially the “Gen Z Teaches History” ones.

The Caffeinated Class

@thecaffeinatedclass

Marie is another high school English teacher, and I’ve only been following her for a little bit. She also shares resources like bellringers and other units too.

I want to check out her “Brave New Teaching” podcast next.

Cool Miss P

@cool.missp

I started following Miss Phillips when I saw her reel (which was really popular) of her 2nd graders arriving to school, and she has them look in the mirror share their affirmations. She has so much energy and makes learning so fun for her kids too! My kids would have loved being in her class!

Also…

While I’m on the topic of teaching…one of the WordPress Bloganuary prompts is: What was your dream job as a child?

Long story short…I always wanted to be a teacher. Literally…no other backup plan.

When I was a kid, I would often play school. I always loved setting up my “classroom,” lining up my stuffed animals and Barbies as my students, and writing on a chalkboard.

I remember when I was old enough to help my mom grade papers. She’d hand me a red pen and let me grade spelling tests and worksheets.

My mom taught 7th grade Language Arts for 31 years, and she spent many of them in the classroom next to one of her best friends who was a Reading teacher. They would slide open the divider wall, and co-teach when they could. Besides wanting to be an English teacher, because of them, I knew I also wanted to help students in reading. I now have a Master’s in Literacy and a Reading Specialist degree.

Also, I always had wonderful teachers, but especially amazing English teachers. There wasn’t an English teacher I didn’t enjoy in both middle school and high school. I even remember my 9th grade English teacher who was hard core! She had us all memorize every preposition and then we each had to stand up in front of the class and recite them in alphabetical order. I’m sure most of my classmates can’t say the same, but that paid off for me in the long run. haha

Anyway, I was one of the only people I knew who didn’t change their major in college. I even have college friends who majored in Education, but left the profession after a few years. Honestly, I can’t say I blame them. I had those same thoughts a few times in my early teaching career….and I do think it’s a more difficult profession now for many reasons. It really is a rewarding profession, and thankfully, I’ve been really happy in the classroom with my intervention work the past few years. This is my 21st year and while I’m not counting down, I don’t think you’ll see me in the classroom past year 30…but we’ll see.

What was your dream job as a child?

Weekend Top 5

Hello Monday

Posted on January 23, 2023January 22, 2023 by jgalvinwhite

Hello! Shew! I feel like the weekend flew by. Overall, it was a good one, and I’m linking up with Holly and Sarah for a little weekend recap and Hello Monday.

This weekend, I did continue with the Bloganuary challenge. On Saturday, I wrote about what color I thought fit my personality, and on Sunday, I wrote about my name as well as how we decided on the kids’ names. I’m really loving the WordPress suggestions for writing prompts. Surprisingly, they have been some of my favorite to write.

Here’s a recap of our weekend:

Right after school, I went and visited my friend who recently adopted a baby girl. It was such a nice visit getting caught up and meeting the sweetest baby.

After getting the kids where they needed to be, I decided to run a few errands, so I wouldn’t have to do that on Saturday.

I went to Bath & Body to pick up a couple of hand soaps, but when I walked, they had a cart of “tester” candles that were 75% off. I couldn’t resist. Obviously, they just have the plain label, but they smell so good…and were only $3.75 each. I also snagged a three wick candle since they were $10 off. It will be perfect for spring.

After that, I decided to pop into Trader Joe’s to pick up a few things. I’ve been going there to get most of our fruit and veggies.

I forgot to take a TJ pic, but my cart looked pretty similar to this old photo.

As I was leaving, I realized the kids and Travis had already had dinner, so I stopped and picked myself up a sandwich to eat when I got home.

I *finally* got got home around 6:45, and I finished up my Clicklist order and then ate my dinner. Then, I picked Hayden up from basketball practice. Once I was home, I put on my pjs and relaxed the rest of the evening. I watched a few episodes of Abbott Elementary with Travis before heading to bed.

On Saturday, I was up around 7:30, but I tried to go back to sleep. I was so tired. I finally got up and decided to write my Saturday post.

Then, I had a couple of cups of coffee before heading to Hayden’s basketball scrimmage. Hadley and some of Hayden’s friends wanted to go, so I picked them all up. We watched the two games before heading home.

Hadley and Travis had running practice while I dropped Hayden and friends off for a birthday party/overnight.

The timing was perfect because my Kroger pick up was ready. I’ve stayed committed to Saturday (rather than Sunday) pick up this year, and it’s made a world of difference having that taken care of earlier in the weekend. That being said, the past couple of weeks, I’m the only one home after grocery pick up…I need to plan that part better, so I have some help! haha

Then, I had the other half of my sandwich for lunch and watched UK game.

I still had a tub of “regular” decor that I hadn’t put out after taking down Christmas decorations, so I did that.

It was cold, but the sun was shining, so I decided go for a walk as my workout.

With Hayden in Louisville at Top Golf and Hadley at Activate Games with her friends, it was just Travis and me at my brother’s house for the Chiefs game.

*Side note* These kids keep us busy, but it dawned on me that it’s becoming more frequent that Travis and I end up being kid free on a Saturday night. That happened in the blink of an eye!

*Sigh* Mahomes with the high ankle sprain…glad for a win, but not sure about next week’s matchup with the Bengals. That being said, we had fun watching the game with my brother and his family.

We got home around 8:00, I showered, got into pjs, and then read while watching football before going to bed.

I was up around 7:30 and definitely needed some coffee. It’s my favorite time of the day though! I seem to watch the Food Network on Sunday mornings. I love watching cooking shows.

I had to wake Hadley and then it was time to get ready for church. After church, we tried a (new?) lunch spot: Which Wich and we got a carry out order. I tried the “Grinder” (salami, pepperoni, provolone) but got it as a salad. It was good.

Once we got home, Hayden and Hadley both had lots of school work to catch up on.

Then, I finished putting the house back in order. I’d been dragging my feet but it really didn’t take long.

This year, I didn’t take pics of where things usually go when I took them down in September because I decided once January arrived, I wanted to move some things around. I kind of just “shopped” my house and moved things around until they looked right (to me).

Two of my favorite spots I styled are in the living room:

…and the kitchen:

It’s nice now that everything is put back where it belongs. Next weekend, I will probably put out my Valentine’s Day stuff, but that’s very minimal.

Hadley was busy with volleyball all afternoon and evening, and Hayden and Travis were gone most of the afternoon too.

I started stuffing 400 envelopes because it’s time for me to mail letters for our credit recovery session that I’m in charge of at school. I did that for a bit and watched a couple episodes of Dream Home Makeover on Netflix.

Then I ran to TJ Maxx to look for a picture frame…found one and some fuzzy socks too!

I stuffed more envelopes, worked on this blog post, and watched football.

Then we had dinner and got ready for the week. I was able to read a bit before bed.

I’m really hoping we get some snow soon. You know I don’t mind winter, but that’s because I want some snow!

What was the best part of your weekend?

Blog challenge, Me

Bloganuary 1.22.23

Posted on January 22, 2023January 22, 2023 by jgalvinwhite

Hello!

I noticed on my WordPress home page, they have “daily writing prompts” — I don’t think this is the same as Bloganuary because these are different than the daily suggested topic emails.

Anyway, one of them was: write about your first name: its meaning, significance, etymology, etc., so that’s what I’m doing today!

I know a bit about my name, but for a “refresher,” I hit up babynames.com

My dad chose both my name and my brother’s name.

Well, “Jennifer” is currently #493 in U.S. births. Guess what number it was in 1980? …#1. (and for few years after that) When I was younger, I would occasionally wish my name wasn’t Jennifer since there were always a few in class with me. My dad would say, “Well, how was I supposed to know in January of 1980, it would be #1 for the year!” 😂

He chose my brother’s name, Connor, after reading the book Trinity. At least Connor was a more uncommon name. It didn’t become more popular until later.

In 21 years teaching, I’m pretty sure I’ve never had a Jennifer in class, so clearly it has fallen off in popularity.

In high school, my friends started calling me Jen, and that kind of stuck with most. A few family members still call me Jennifer and so do people I don’t know. And…I’m Jen with one ‘n.’ I figured if I was going to shorten it, might has well have the one ‘n.’

some other facts:

Origin: English
Meaning: fair, soft
Jennifer is originally a Cornish version of Gwynhwyfar
**I just learned that the name became more popular after the main character in the novel and movie Love Story in 1970.
Famous Jennifers: Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer Garner, Jennifer Aniston

While I’m talking names…

*update* after reading this post, my dad called to provide a few edits 😂 Apparently, he liked the Celtic version of Jennifer which means: white wave. *My bad.

Naming your kids can be difficult and even more so when you are a teacher. There are definitely names that Travis suggested that were an immediate “no” because of a kid I had in class.

Honestly, I didn’t really have a list of names I liked before I got pregnant. The only name I really thought we might use was Harper. I love that name, and it’s a nod to the great Harper Lee. Travis said, “no.” I was annoyed.

Once we found out we were having twins, I did have a few combos in mind: Cooper and Carter if we had two boys, but I also liked the name Hayden…and liked the combo of Hayden and Cooper. Travis loved the name Addison, and I liked Ainsley. He was kind of iffy about Ainsley, but I think he would have gone with it. (As you can see, Travis almost had stronger opinions than I did about names!)

At around 14 weeks, we found out the twins were boy/girl and for a couple of months, we really thought we were going to go with Cooper and Addison. I remember that people had opinions which surprised me. I’ve never really thought twice about what others name their kids.

Anyway, the summer of 2009, I started watching a reality show called “Southern Belles Louisville,” and there was a girl on there named Hadley. I’d never heard that name before, and she was a sweet girl. I just mean if she was an antagonist on the show, I probably wouldn’t have liked the name. I mentioned that name to Travis and he liked it but wasn’t all in. I told him to watch the show for a bit, and he ended up liking it.

Then, we decided to double down on the H’s…and go with Hayden and Hadley. Again, I remember people wondering about the name “Hadley,” but I really liked it.

The kids’ middle names were easy…we used both of our dads’ middle names. Hayden is Hayden Joseph after my dad, and Hadley is Hadley Rae after Trav’s dad.

So that’s how their names came to be!

I can’t imagine them being anything other than Hayden and Hadley now.

Anyway, I just thought that was an interesting topic to share…and now I have a little history on my name and the story of their names to look back on with this post.

What’s the meaning behind your name? Did you like your name when you were a kid?

I hope you have a great rest of your weekend!

Blog challenge, Me

Bloganuary 1.21.23

Posted on January 21, 2023January 21, 2023 by jgalvinwhite

Happy Saturday! I’m keeping up with the Bloganuary prompts…

One of the Bloganuary prompts this week was …what’s a color that fits your personality and why?

Y’all, the first thing that popped in my mind was gray. 😂

I didn’t think of gray because I’m moody…well, not moody all the time. Haha

That being said, my personality isn’t outgoing/bubbly like I think yellow would be. I’m just more mindful, cautious, conscientious. You know, gray.

I just try to blend in. I guess I could have been khaki as much as gray. I don’t need to stand out or be “loud” like bright pink or red, for example. Gray is more subtle, and I think I am too.

I’ve always just kind of hung out on the peripheral until I’m comfortable in a situation whether it’s at work or in a friend group. Once I’m comfortable, I reach out or speak up.

I feel like gray goes with everything. Gray can go with navy or khaki but it also matches bright colors too. So, I think that kind of goes with my personality. I’m adaptable and can fit in wherever…but on my own terms, I guess.

I feel like there’s a lot to “unpack” here. 😂

What about you? I think this is so interesting. What color fits your personality and why?

I hope your weekend is off to a great start.

Friday Favorites, Uncategorized

Friday Favorites {#142}

Posted on January 20, 2023January 19, 2023 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Friday! YaY for the weekend!

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

Like last week, we had a pretty slow week with not much in the evenings. That’s all about to change starting next week, but it was good while it lasted.

Anyway, here are some favorites from the week.

I stumbled upon Chris Harrison’s new podcast: The Most Dramatic Podcast, and I’ve really enjoyed the first few episodes. I used to love the Bachelor and Bachelorette and watched it pretty faithfully through the years. I haven’t watched it in a few years even before Chris left. I follow him and his fiancée on Instagram, and they seem like such a fun couple.

Anyway, the first couple of episodes were pretty serious talking about why he left the Bachelor franchise and what he’s been up to (and thinking, feeling, doing) during that time. Episode two, he brings his fiancée Lauren on, and she shares her thoughts and what they’ve been up to. Then, the third episode was mostly filled with fans calling in with questions which I really enjoyed too. It’s been a good new podcast to fill the time on my walks.

Santa put Scrabble Slam in Hayden’s stocking, and Hadley and I played it the other night. I love games that are quick and only need a couple of people. That way, we can try to play when we have a few moments. Travis joined us for a couple of rounds too. To start, you think of a four letter word and put those cards on the table. Then, you split the remaining cards amongst the other players. After everyone gets their cards, you say, “Ready, set, slam!” and start putting down cards to make other four letter words until you run out of cards. At one point, I told Hadley I felt sorry for her because she’d never beat me. Then, she beat both Travis and me the round that he played. haha

I got a new lunch idea this week, and I’m obsessed. With this meal prep, a little goes a long way, and I had enough for three lunches…and only a four day week! It’s Banza rice, romaine/arugula, chopped cucumbers, grilled chicken, edamame, and then some Asian dressing. I picked the Panera brand from Kroger. For lunch, I heated up the chicken, rice, and edamame and added it to my bowl of lettuce and cucumbers. Then, I drizzled it with the dressing. Easy, delish, and healthy.

How cute is this bag that my friend got me for my birthday? We share a love of the Golden Girls. I’m using it as pencil bag (with sticky notes, highlighter, etc) for my school bag.

I always have dry skin in January. Then, I always remember to do a better job moisturizing and feel better by February. Haha

Anyway, Amy shared this Jergens Weightless Wet Skin moisturizer a few weeks ago, and I found it at Target. You apply it before toweling off. I’ve been using it, and it’s helped my skin so much.

Favorite Kid Quote:

Remember the jar with slips of paper my kids gave me for my birthday? Everyone knows I’m not a big hugger. Of course, I hug my kids and Travis (and others!)…it’s just not my natural inclination to hug all the people. Anyway, at bed the other night, Hadley gave me a big hug and then whispered in my ear, “There are lots of these in the jar I made.” and I literally LOL’d. 😂

Favorite Mom Meme:

Why is this always the case? Lol

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

2013.

Besides Hadley’s Hello Kitty necklace and the little sticker on Hayden’s hand, I remember the kids coming home from the sitter and them thinking they were a princess and prince in their little crowns. Too cute.

Weekly Recap:

I’ve even been blogging on the weekends! I’ve enjoyed some of the Bloganuary topics along with my regular content.

Books that Changed My Life

Thursday Thoughts: It’s the Little Things

What are your weekend plans? On Saturday, we’ll be cheering for Hayden at his first basketball scrimmage of the season, and then we’ll be cheering for the Chiefs on Saturday afternoon as well. Otherwise, I have a few errands and a bit more of the house to put back together post-Christmas. Sigh — I’m still working on getting things back to “normal.”

I will probably post on Saturday and Sunday too!

As always, thanks for reading.

Inspiration, Me, Thursday Thoughts

Thursday Thoughts: It’s the little things

Posted on January 19, 2023January 19, 2023 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Thursday!

It’s time for some…

Recently, Amy shared her “best of 2023” post…and it got me thinking…

…I should try to do a better job appreciating the “little things.”

When the kids were little, we’d always ask them about the best part of their day. Unfortunately, I feel like that has fallen to the wayside. Instead, I feel like I’m always asking about grades and schoolwork. I need to be more intentional with asking them about the highs and lows of their day.

Anyway, I try to take a moment in the morning to think about the day and set good intentions. I fail a lot at this, but I remind myself that I’m trying.

It goes without saying that I’m grateful for the health of my family and friends, a lovely home, a rewarding job and more. It’s easy to think about the bigger things for which to be grateful, but there are some other “little things” that do help make life a bit easier.

One.

Cozi app.

I’ve shared about this app a few times, but it’s been a great way to keep all of my family members organized. If my kids are old enough to have phones, then they are old enough to take responsibility for due dates, test dates, and knowing their sports/dance schedules. The Cozi app has been perfect for keeping all of our family members “in the know” and on the same page.

Two.

Grocery pick up.

Kroger Clicklist continues to be a life saver for me. Groceries are still an effort, right? I have to make a list (or add to the Kroger app throughout the week), check our inventory, meal plan, place the order, pick up the order, and unpack the groceries. Thankfully, I usually get help unpacking the groceries, and at least I’m not spending an hour or more in the store every week too. Honestly, because I do grocery pick up (and have since 2015 at least!), I really don’t mind running in the store mid-week for a few things if needed.

Three.

My Kindle.

Kindle – what’s better than reading a good book? I do love to hold a book in my hands, but I also love the convenience of my Kindle. (The library’s Libby app makes it easy to check out books, and the Good Reads app makes it easy for me to track what I’ve read.)

Four.

Quiet time in the morning. This is must for me and a good way to start my day.

Five.

The scent of a good candle. It’s simply the best. I have a shelf in the hall closet with my candles, and there are quite a few that I rotate. That being said, if we are home, I’m probably burning at least one fave.

As I put up my Christmas decorations, I realized I was missing the glow of the Christmas lights. So, I ordered a set of LED flameless candles from Amazon, and they are perfect for a cozy vibe.

Six.

Picking my kids up from school. I always wished that I was able to pick them up in elementary school, but when I did, it was always more special, I guess. With our schedules now, middle school starts after the high schools start. So, that means they get out after I do. Most days, I pick the kids up from school when they don’t have sports or other activities going on. I like being the first one they see after school if I can help it.

Seven.

Sleep….and all the things that help me get a good night’s rest – I’ve loved my weighted blanket for years. Then, about a year ago, we bought mattress topper that gives the bed some extra fluff. I don’t travel without my sound machine, so of course that means I use it every night. Bonus – OLLY Sleep melatonin when needed. One gummy…that’s all I need. It’s legit.

Eight.

A cup of coffee in the morning. A few months ago, we got a Keurig and Starbucks Toasted Graham is my favorite. I look forward to that first cup of coffee every morning.

Nine.

An impromptu night with my friends. Last Friday night, I was already in my pjs, but got a text from a friend asking if a few of us wanted to come over to hang out. We all love a charcuterie tray, wine, and some good laughs, and it was a nice evening. Sometimes I feel like every hour of our lives is scheduled, so it’s nice when a night with friends comes together on a whim.

Ten.

Slippers. I am a slippers girl. I officially have three faves and these are my newest ones. They are soft, and I love that my feet don’t get hot in them.

*Some of these are modern conveniences thanks to an app. YAY 2023!

Honestly, as I got to #10, I realized I could go on an on a bit longer…goes to show that I should pay attention to “the little things” a little more often.

What’s a “little thing” in your life that you appreciate?