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Friday Favorites {#41}

Posted on October 9, 2020August 20, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Happy Friday! We’ve had a good, but busy, week around here! Sometimes getting back on track after a break can be difficult, but we all rallied to get it together with our schedules, school, work, and activities. I hope you’ve had a great week too!

Per usual, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for their weekly Friday Favorites post.

Here are some favorites from the week:

Favorite Food(s):

Saturday, after we returned home from Asheville, we headed to my brother’s house because my mom and Gma were visiting. My Gma made sloppy joe’s and tots for dinner. My brother made this delicious cake with apple butter and homemade icing!

I hosted Sunday night dinner with soup and cornbread. I tried a new recipe my dad shared with me where you use a box of Jiffy cornbread mix and yellow cake mix. It was delicious.

The kids (with the help of my mom and Gma) made the first pumpkin pie (for us!) of the season.

This was our dessert on Sunday night!

Also, on Sunday, I went to Trader Joe’s with my mom, Gma, and Hadley. I’d just been grocery shopping, but picked up some of our Trader Joe’s faves.

Favorite Moment(s):

Of course, my most favorite moment was having family visit. It’s hard enough having family that lives far away and then throw Covid into the mix which makes it even more difficult.

Honestly, we didn’t do much, so I don’t have any pictures except Hadley did a countdown selfie on Monday morning before they left…which meant no makeup and very tired eyes. 😊

I mentioned last week, that Hadley earned the red plate for dance, cross country, and because her teacher shared such positive thoughts about her on a phone call home.

It was Hayden’s turn for the red plate for his efforts with school and sports.

And…Hadley picked up her flute yesterday. 5th grade band starts next week, and she wanted to give the flute a try!

And after Hadley got her flute…

Hayden got…braces. And, while that’s probably not a favorite, he does have a good attitude about it all and is happy to move onto this next step of the phase 2 process.

Favorite Kid Quote:

My kids weren’t funny this week. Kidding. Kidding. I just can’t think of a specific example as I type this post.

Favorite Pic:

Still reminiscing about our Asheville trip…

but then we returned home to the leaves on the trees starting to show off!

Favorite Clothing Item:

I’ve seen all the people talking about this Aerie sweatshirt, and when I saw it was on sale, I went ahead and purchased…two! I will say I’m wearing them on repeat. I tried on the small and it fit, but I liked the over-sized fit of the medium, so I could wear it with leggings. Also, I do feel like I may be too old to shop at Aerie, but not mad about this purchase 😉

Good Vibes Oversized Quarter Zip in Light Gray Cheetah.

I also love the corded option in Mystic Mauve.

and, yes, y’all–I moved my mirror to the hallway for better light! …but I’m still headless.

Other Faves:

My mom brought this basket with her that she found after cleaning her garage. I do give her a hard time about the fact that she always brings things with her when she visits. She made this basket many moons ago…and it actually does look perfect on top of the antique cabinet (from my dad’s side of the family) in my kitchen.

This kids finally received their yearbooks from last year. The covers were so cute with their school pics on them. (I probably paid for that extra touch and have forgotten. 😂) I love looking through the yearbook as much as they do!

Hayden went to a friend’s house for school on Tuesday, so I told Hadley I’d treat her to lunch. She wanted Jason’s Deli, so we had lunch together before she headed outside for recess.

I clicked on my Netflix app to add a show to my viewing list, and saw that Hadley changed our profile pics….which she does often. It’s always funny to see what she chooses. The pic for Hayden cracks me up the most!

Favorite Mom Meme:

This of all the Mom Memes I’ve shared has to be funniest one I’ve seen! Every time I read it, I chuckle!

Friday Funny:

My mom shared this with me and then I saw it again on Facebook 😂 My love for the GG runs deep…and Dorothy’s side eye is on point!

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

This pic of Hadley in 2010 is a fave. I love Facebook memories. #thebiggerthebow…

FYI she was a very serious baby for the first year of her life. 😳

Here’s another set of faves: a flashback (2012), Hadley, picking pumpkins, and Trader Joe’s!

Speaking of pumpkins…(I feel like I’m always speaking of pumpkins)… We hope to start the weekend off right with a trip to the orchard! I see more pumpkins and apple cider donuts in my future!

Weekly Recap:

Don’t forget to check out the other ladies’ post! Have a great weekend!

Travel

Asheville Trip Recap

Posted on October 7, 2020October 10, 2020 by jgalvinwhite

So…we had a very brief fall break last week, and we decided to make a quick trip to Asheville, NC. We’ve been there quite a few times, and actually, when I got to thinking about it, we’ve gone at least once a year the past few years. Asheville is about a four hour drive for us, and we like the outdoor vibe NC has to offer. Also, Asheville is the city with the most breweries, per capita…which makes it a place Trav loves to visit.

A couple of times, Travis and I have stayed at the Red Rocker Inn in Black Mountain. Actually, the first time I ever went to Asheville (in 2004), we stayed at RRI…and all weekend long I thought Travis was going to propose. He did not. That happened a few months later in May of 2004…but that’s a tale for another time. 😉

I also booked a stay at RRI in 2013 to celebrate Trav’s birthday with a getaway for the two of us.

For Spring break 2018, we visited Asheville with the kids because Hayden wanted to go to the Biltmore. Of course, we did other activities like hike to a beautiful waterfall, but that was one of our main goals of the trip.

Last fall break, we stayed in Asheville one night before glamping with friends in Pisgah National Forest two additional nights.

Anyway, any time we visit, we check out new (to us) restaurants, breweries, and hiking trails, and we always leave planning a return trip ASAP.

Quick note…We stayed at an Airbnb that was cute and close to downtown. Every place we went—downtown, restaurants, hiking trails, etc….followed Covid protocols very closely. I don’t think I saw a single person without a mask in the 48 hours we were there. Of course, when we hiked, we just kept our masks handy if necessary, but everyone seemed to keep their distance while letting other pass and looking at the views at the top of the trail.

And…my only other mental note for a fall trip is to eat dinner earlier. We ate dinner both nights at around 7:00 which is about dark and much cooler outside. So, if we go back in the fall, I will try to remember to rally my crew for dinner at 5! 😉 During the day, with the sunshine, the weather was glorious.

Thursday:

We arrived Thursday around 2:00, found our Airbnb, and unpacked.

The kids were excited to see the bunk beds….but on both nights, Hadley slept on the bottom bunk and then Hayden slept on our floor (don’t ask 😂), and then in the other bedroom the next night.

The 3 bedroom Airbnb was so cute and super clean. I loved the bedding and couch so much that I was trying to find the brand name on the tags of the duvet and the cushions of the couch. There was only one bathroom, but we made do.

There were cute little touches around the house like the Asheville bar of soap on our bed, brochures and books for the area, and a welcome packet with info about the house and electronics.

Then we headed to Highland Brewing. We sat in the “meadow” area where there were picnic tables both in the shade and in the sunshine. I don’t have a good picture, but you can see parts of the hoops that had out for social distancing. If you wanted to picnic in the grass, you sat in the hoop on the ground or put your chairs in the hoop to maintain distance. The picnic tables had larger hoops around them, and they had bricks with a red and a green side for dirty vs clean table. The large hoop around our table was wide enough for the kids to move around a bit if they didn’t want to sit at the table. That being said, it wasn’t very crowded, we we could space out some and give them a few extra feet to roam. When you weren’t at your table, you were to wear a mask…and everyone obliged.

The weather was perfection. The kids got a coke and a lemonade while we enjoyed a beer. Hadley spotted the food trucks, so Travis took her to get something to eat. They came back with tamales and a Nutella crepe. Hayden and I weren’t mad about it! So good.

Travis also purchased a hat within the first five minutes. He didn’t pack one from the trip…and to be honest, many of his hats have been #homered! He was due for a new one.

We went back to the house to freshen up and then went to White Duck Taco for dinner. We love this place, and try to go there to eat with each visit. We’ve passed by the one downtown, but have only eaten at the one by the river. There are tons of picnic tables and the scenery is pretty!

I got one steak taco and one gyro taco. So good

After dinner, we headed to Omni Grove Park Inn for drinks and dessert. A couple of Trav’s work friends were also in Asheville, so we met up with them. The kids did a good job letting the adults have some conversation time…

while they devoured the s’mores dessert…and Hayden enjoyed looking at the wall of famous guests who had stayed at OGPI as well as the history of the resort.

Then, we went back to the house and went to bed.

Friday:

On Friday morning, we slept in a bit. I actually slept until 9:00 which was pure bliss. Then, my crazy crew decided to go for a trail run…

while I ….sipped my coffee and read The Flatshare on my Kindle.

When they got back, we got ready for the day. We decided to head to downtown Asheville, walk around a bit and find a place to eat.

We stumbled upon H&F Burger. We did eat inside because outside seating was all bar top sitting in a row. We wanted a table to sit at, so we went inside. Like the other restaurants, everyone had on masks unless sitting at their table and tables we very spaced out. Also, it wasn’t crowded for inside eating.

I got the ricotta gnocchi with bolognese sauce, and it was amazing!

The kids each got a milkshake, and I had a Diet Coke from a bottle (which Hayden thought was so funny). Travis got a burger, and both kids got the chili cheese dog. Both of them loved it so much, and let me have a bite.

Hayden loved it so much that he borrowed Trav’s phone to leave a review! 😂He’s very into reviews lately…more on that in a minute.

Then, we headed down the Blue Ridge Parkway, stopping at a couple of lookout points…

Hadley actually dozed off in the car, so it’s only Hayden in this lookout pic.

We drove to the Craggy Pinnacle Trailhead and parked. This was our view when getting out of car…

With the elevation, it was definitely cooler, so Hayden went back to the car for this jacket before we hiked. The hike was only a little over 1.5 miles round trip, but it was pretty much uphill to get to the top.

On our way to the top…

Halfway point…

View from the top. Gorgeous.

Gorgeous part 2:

We snapped a couple of photos and headed back down the trail.

Love this pic of my 3 ❤️

It’s no secret Hayden loves to golf. We haven’t been to a putt putt course in quite some time. Well, Hayden searched for putt putt places in Asheville and stumbled upon Lakeview Putt and Play. He said, “Moooommmm…they have over 100 five star reviews, and their ice cream is supposed to be amazing!”

Honestly, when he gets an idea in his head, he’s like a dog with a bone! So, we fit it into our day after the hike. I am glad we went. We had a good time…and I humbled him by beating him by turning my putting game around for the last few holes. Travis won…and Hadley came in last. Poor girl…she started off strong though!

Of note, we did get a scoop of ice cream after our round, and it is pretty good!

We went back to the house to relax for a bit before a low key pizza dinner.

Travis found All Souls Pizza, and the outside seating was so cute. The pizza was delicious as well. The kids got pepperoni, and Travis and I tried the sausage, fennel, fontina pizza…SO good!

We were pretty chilly, so we didn’t stick around long after dinner. Again, the setting was so pretty, but the temperatures definitely drop quickly when the sun goes down!

We were back to the house around 8:00, hung out, watched tv and read before 10:00 bedtime.

Saturday:

Saturday morning, we eased into the day, but were packed and out of the house around 9:45. We wanted to make a pit stop at Pisgah to see our friends who were glamping and camping.

By the time I went to make a glamping reservation, there were no more tents…which is how we ended up at the Airbnb. So, of the three families in Asheville, we stayed at a house, one family glamped, and the other family camped….like in a tent, on the ground. I’m not about that life! …but would like to try glamping again.

The kids were excited to see their friends and run around for a bit..

while the adults drank coffee and caught up.

We left Pisgah around noon and got back about 4:00 Saturday afternoon…just in time to see the Cats (lose in a heart breaker of a game), for Trav to watch the Preakness race, and to see my mom and Gma who were in town at my brother’s house.

One more day in Asheville would have been perfect, but we are always happy to get home…

Let me know if you have any Asheville questions! It’s definitely a great place to visit.

Airbnb

See you back here on Friday for this week’s Friday Favorites.

Take care,

Amazon

October Prime Purchases

Posted on October 6, 2020February 17, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Hey, hey! I’m linking up with Tanya today for her Prime Purchases link up. I love this link up so much because it’s always fun for me to see what others have purchased as well as look back on some of my fave finds of the month.

So, here’s what I Primed this month…

We have tons of water bottles, but Hayden needed one for the days they go to the pod. This collapsible one has done the trick!

If you give a mouse a cookie, y’all…

Our water bottle storage situation as driven me bonkers for quite some time. So, I searched on Amazon and found this organizer. It’s been perfect. If I had more space in my cabinets, I’d even get a second one!

Hayden’s team wears white baseball pants. One of the moms on the team told me about this laundry soap. I get his dirt and grass stains wet and then rub this soap on the stains. I’ve let the stains sit with the soap on them for anywhere from one minute to overnight…and it definitely has helped the white pants (WHY are white baseball pants even a thing for kids?! haha) look fresh and clean (enough) again!

I ran out of thank you notes and decided to get some blank ones to use for multiple occasions. These arrived quickly and are super cute.

Hadley has outgrown most of her summer pj sets. With summer ending, I didn’t want to go overboard, but this set was super cute, inexpensive, and had many five star ratings. I’m definitely going to purchase her another pair or two for the winter by this same brand.

For fall weather, I always want to be comfy and cozy. I needed a lightweight sweatshirt, so I ordered this gray one, and I love it. I’d like to get other colors some time in the future.

I also picked up this t-shirt to wear under sweatshirts and cardigans.

In the fall, I always want so badly to wear sweaters, cardigans, and sweatshirts, but it usually gets pretty warm most days through October. So, I tend to dress in layers with a t-shirt and a sweatshirt or cardigan.

This meme my mom shared with me sums up me trying to dress in September and October.

Speaking of cardigans…I’d seen many influencers share this cardigan, and I had to see what the hype was about. I already have a few cardigans, but not a navy one. This is definitely a fall fave for my wardrobe.

Have you seen this meme?

Well, it also applies to a group of 5th grade girls who have their minds set on being M&Ms for Halloween. They were hustling and had all us moms placing purchases this weekend!

Can you tell which color M&M Hadley is going to be?!

Hoodie

Tutu

socks

And then here’s Hayden…who is going to throw on a Patrick Mahomes t-shirt, some baseball pants (we don’t have football pants), some cleats and these wrist bands and look cute enough to ask for candy. 😂

So that’s what I Primed this month. Amazon continues to have my heart and my wallet.

Have you made any Amazon purchases this month?

Don’t forget to check out what Tanya (& others!) has been Priming.

Thanks so much for reading! Have a great day.

Meals and Recipes

Monday Meals: Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

Posted on October 5, 2020November 15, 2020 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Monday! Well, fall break sure seemed to fly by! Now, we are back at it this week with school and fall activities. We took a couple days and went to Asheville, NC (more about that later this week!), and it was a nice getaway. We also had family visit this weekend. My mom and Gma were here from KC for a few days.

Anyway, I try to share a recipe or two each month, and this casserole by Taryn is a new Pinterest find for me. I made this a couple of weeks ago, and the whole family enjoyed it. It’s a great low carb option as well as being delicious.

Ingredients:

6 cups shredded cooked chicken (from about 2 lb chicken) (I used Shay’s method- In the morning, I put the chicken in the slow cooker, covered it with water and cooked on low for 6 hours…and then it’s so easy to shred!)
6 oz ham cut into bite size pieces
4 oz butter melted
6 oz cream cheese softened
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp white wine (optional) (I omitted this step)
1 oz lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
5 oz Swiss cheese

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350. Put the chicken in the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish. Layer the pieces of ham on top.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer combine the melted butter, softened cream cheese, white wine (if using), mustard, lemon juice, and salt. Blend until a thick sauce forms. Spread this sauce over the chicken and ham in the baking dish.

Lay the slices of Swiss cheese on top of the sauce. Bake for 30-40 minutes until hot.

Broil it for 2 minutes at the end so the cheese gets more golden and bubbly. If you decide to do that, do not leave it unattended. It’s very easy to burn the cheese topping.

I served our casserole with Bob Evans mashed potatoes and roasted broccoli. Delish!

This is definitely a recipe that will be in our dinner rotation. Pinterest saves the day again!

I hope you have a great week.

Books and Shows

September: What I’ve Been Reading

Posted on October 1, 2020September 30, 2020 by jgalvinwhite

Happy October 1st! ….one of my most favorite days of the year. October is the real beginning of fall (in my mind) which makes it my favorite month.

Lately, I’ve been feeling “a day late and a dollar short…” and this September book review on October 1st is kind of what I’m talking about.

I do feel like I’ve had less time to read lately…and by the time my head hits the pillow, I’m out! So, I hope to get back into reading a bit more soon, but today, I’ll share with you the three books I read in September.

Wild at Heart:

Wild at Heart is the follow up to The Simple Wild which I shared about in my June What I’ve Been Reading. In Wild at Heart, Calla returns to Alaska after Jonah shows up in Toronto, and they decide to give their relationship a chance in Alaska.

The plot of this story is Calla getting acclimated to the Alaskan way of life. Jonah is a pilot, so he’s gone a lot. That leaves her home alone, trying to build relationships in the community, renovating and decorating their log cabin on a huge piece of land while also trying to grow as a couple in a new relationship.

This book, like the first, could be deemed R Rated at times. I did enjoy this book, but probably liked the first book a bit better. I felt like the plot of this one moved a little slowly at some points. That being said, there’s a third book, Forever Wild, that comes out in December, and I definitely plan on reading it as well.

In Five Years:

Listen, y’all. I’d been wanting to read In Five Years since it came out in the spring. Then, the pandemic threw everything out of whack…including the library wait list because our library closed on Friday, March 13 like so much of the world.

Anyway, the library started curbside pickup at the end of the summer, and it was finally my turn to read this book. It’s by the same author as The Dinner List which is one of my favorite books…ever.

In Five Years is about the main character, Dannie, who is asked where she sees herself in five years during an interview. Later that night, she falls asleep and wakes up in 2025 to a different life. Then, when she wakes up again, she’s back in 2020. Dannie is very career driven and settled in her life with her longtime boyfriend. The plot of the book is the next 4 1/2 years as Dannie navigates the ups and downs of life and then finds herself meeting the man that she saw when she awoke in 2025.

This isn’t your average love story. This book is pretty short and a quick read. I loved it! I don’t want to give anything away, but I wasn’t a fan of the ending…until I was. I went from “huh?” to “ohhhh,” real quick!

From Goodreads: “Brimming with joy and heartbreak, In Five Years is an unforgettable love story that reminds us of the power of loyalty, friendship, and the unpredictable nature of destiny.” Yep. Couldn’t have said it better myself.

I definitely think this will be a top read for me in 2020.

Two Can Keep a Secret:

One of my friends recommended Two Can Keep a Secret. I didn’t realize until I picked it up from the library, that it’s a teen fiction novel. I actually like to read TF sometimes, so I can give recommendations to my students! Also, I didn’t realize until I picked it up that it’s written by the same author One of Us is Lying which is another teen fiction fave of mine.

Two Can Keep a Secret is set in a small town. Ellery and Ezra end up there living with their grandmother while their mother works through some personal issues back in California. Ellery and Ezra always wondered about Echo Ridge, the town their mom, Sadie, grew up in, because their mom was always hesitant to go back.

Sadie’s sister, Sarah, went missing in 1996 and Sadie left town the next year. In October 2014, another girl is killed at Murderland, an amusement park nearby. In 2019, after Ezra and Ellery arrived in Echo Ridge, they are trying to get used to small town life. Then, there are anonymous threats that something will happen at the high school homecoming…and then, you guessed it, another girl disappears.

So, much of this book is Ezra and Ellery trying to get to the bottom of the missing girls in the community. I did enjoy this book and can certainly see why teens would like this mystery. I wasn’t necessarily on the edge of my seat trying to put together the pieces of the puzzle, but it was a good teen fiction read.

So…those are the three books I read this month. I’ve already picked up a book at the library to read this month and have downloaded a few to my Kindle as well. Now, let’s hope I can find a bit more time to read.

I’m taking tomorrow off, but I hope to be back with a blog post on Monday! I hope you have a great rest of the week and weekend.

Happy Reading!

Kids, What's up Wednesday

What’s Up Wednesday

Posted on September 30, 2020September 29, 2020 by jgalvinwhite

Happy What’s Up Wednesday! On the last Wednesday of the month, Sheaffer and Shay host a link up to share a bit about what’s going on!

I can’t believe tomorrow is October! It’s no secret that I love fall, but October is my favorite month of the year. By October, we are in a school routine (even for an odd year like this one!), the weather is turning cooler, we have fall break, we visit the pumpkin patch, and of course, there’s Halloween!

Before I get too far into dreaming about October, I first need to wrap up September! Here’s what’s happening with us!

WHAT WE ARE EATING THIS WEEK:

I’ve been a slacker…and off my meal planning game…

Sunday: Subway sandwiches in between baseball games.
Monday: Rotisserie chicken, Trader Joe’s mushroom risotto, and broccoli before the kids’ cross country meet.
Tuesday: Shay’s Sloppy Joe’s , Bob Evans mashed potatoes, and salad.
Wednesday: leftovers
Thursday-Saturday: I had hoped to make my favorite Pumpkin Sausage Penne recipe, but I may push that to next week and wing it for meals the rest of the week.

Hadley earned the Red Plate last night because her teacher called and left me a message about how hard Hadley is working in class as well as how she is being a leader and a good classmate. Makes my mama teacher heart very proud.

Also, this week, we’ve enjoyed treats that the kids made in their pod on Monday. They were put into three baking groups for an apple baking challenge. The three groups made one of the following: mini apple pies, apple turnovers, and apple monkey bread bites.

They had such a great time, and the leftovers have been amazing.

WHAT I’M REMINISCING ABOUT:

Last fall break when we went glamping . It was definitely a fun experience.

I’m also reminiscing about this sweet little troop of girls. They started off as Daisies and are now Junior Girl Scouts. They had their first meeting of the year last Friday.

WHAT I’M LOVING:

My new bar stools for my kitchen. We’d had the previous ones since we moved in six years ago, and it was time for an upgrade. I found these at At Home store, and they are two inches taller and more sturdy. Hopefully, we can get five years (or longer!) out of these too!

WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO:

I feel like a broken record, but yes, our lives revolve around our kids’ activities right now. From cross country to dance to baseball to Girl Scouts…that’s where you’ll find us. I do enjoy watching them do the things that they love even if it means early wake ups on the weekend, later bedtimes (for me!) on a weeknight, and miles on put on my car.

I’ve mentioned before that Hadley’s trying competition team this year. There will be three competitions (hopefully!) in the spring. She was excited to find this sign in our yard on Friday.

Friday evening, the kids had a cross country meet. The hosts of the events we’ve gone to have done such a wonderful job following protocols that then allow these kids to compete. I’ve been very impressed.

Hadley finished in 7th place, and Hayden had his first ever first place finish. We are so proud of both of them, and I love that Travis is coaching them.

Real talk: Trav’s family is a running family. My family is not. I always joke if you see me running, you’d better help me because that means someone is chasing me! 😉So, I guess they get their speed and agility from his side!

Friday night Hadley’s Girl Scout troop met for the first time this year. One of their fun activities was roasting marshmallows and making s’mores. It was the perfect evening for an outside meeting.

Saturday and Sunday Hayden had a baseball tournament. He pitched two of the four games over the weekend, and did an amazing job.

This team lost in the championship, but enjoyed their weekend playing ball.

Funny Hayden quote: When we arrived home very late on Sunday night from the championship game, Hayden was excited to see Homer. Homer sniffed Hayden a whole bunch, and Hayden said, “What Homer? Do I smell like a runner-up?” 😂

Then, Monday, some of the area schools put together a cross country meet here in town. We haven’t had rain in over two weeks, but Monday’s weather was the real test for these runners. They ran in wind and a light rain with cooler temps. The cooler temps were perfect for running…not so much the wind and rain. But…they persevered. Hadley placed 6th and Hayden had another 1st place finish. This was their first 3K meet of the year. The other two meets have been 1.2 miles.

WHAT I’M DREADING:

This topic always throws me off each month! I never want to sound negative. Sarcastic, yes. Negative, no. 😉

We’ve been in such a blessed position with the kids going to a pod to learn two days a week, our sitter comes over one day, and I’m with them the other two days. That being said, we haven’t had much clarification for a timeline to at least start with a hyrbid model, and I was really hoping my kids would be able to at least start going to school, even for just a couple days a week, soon. It sounds like November is our earliest option, but unfortunately, we still need the number of Covid cases to decline.

WHAT I’M WORKING ON:

Basically, I’m just over here trying to get my life together! So, that’s what I’m working on. I’m also hoping to get a blog post together for this week (hopefully tomorrow!) about the books I read in September.

WHAT I’M EXCITED ABOUT:

I’m excited about having a couple of days off starting tomorrow. It will be nice to relax, unwind…and not set an alarm for a couple of days.

WHAT I’M WATCHING/READING:

I’m almost finished reading Two Can Keep a Secret which one of my friends recommended.

Lately, I feel like I haven’t had tons of time to read or watch many shows. If I have a few minutes, I like to watch some mindless shows like Real Housewives. I only have a couple episodes left of The Home Edit on Netflix. I’ve loved watching those ladies purge and organize other people’s closets, kitchens, and homes.

WHAT I’M LISTENING TO:

I’ve been listening to random podcasts here and there, but lately, I turned back to Even the Rich podcast. This season focuses on the Chappaquiddick saga with Ted Kennedy.

WHAT I’M WEARING:

Cardigans. On Repeat. I added this Amazon cardigan to my collection recently and love it. It’s so soft and not too heavy.

Also, I’ve continued to wear my Universal Thread cardigans from Target.

WHAT I’M DOING THIS WEEKEND:

We are taking a break from all the sports action and kids’ activities. I’m hoping for a few days of relaxation and family time.

WHAT I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH:

All things October.

Thanks so much for reading. Don’t forget to check out Sheaffer and Shay’s posts too!

I hope you are having a great week!

Memes

September Monday Memes

Posted on September 28, 2020September 27, 2020 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Monday! How was your weekend? Ours was pretty much the same as last weekend with all activities involving the kids! They had a cross country meet on Friday followed by Girl Scouts for Hadley, and then Hayden had baseball the rest of the weekend…which means we did too!

Hadley was able to go to the pumpkin patch with a friend yesterday, so she was relieved of some baseball duties 😉

We are ready for our short school week this week. Fall Break for us is Thursday and Friday of this week

I thought I’d start Monday off with a laugh or two!

1.

This meme is 100% me. I can’t control my facial expressions…and I’ve really realized that during Zoom meetings. 🤣

2.

I’ve said it before but half of my motivation when getting out of bed is being so efficient with my time with work, activities, and to do lists, that I just stay focused on the ultimate goal of being back in my pjs by dinnertime!

3.

2020. Am I right? Burpees are my least favorite exercise of all time.

4.

This! So funny and sadly true.

5.

Yes. Real talk. 🤣

6.

#adulting

7.

This one makes me laugh and want to cry at the same time. School pictures from a few years ago popped up in my Facebook memories yesterday. Truly, I hope the kids are back in school soon, and I certainly hope school pics are on the school calendar!

8.

I’ve seen this saying a few times. Too funny. And…it’s almost October. We’ll blink, and it will be Halloween!

I hope these memes provide a good start to your week. Have a good one!

Take care,

Friday Favorites, Home Decor

Friday Favorites {#40}

Posted on September 25, 2020August 20, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Friday. We had a pretty great week around here. Of course, we had school, work, and activities as well as flu shot appointments, and I had a dental cleaning. I’m a weirdo who loves the dentist.

Again, the weather has really been cooperating and feeling like fall. I think we are supposed to warm up this weekend before getting cool again next week. Speaking of next week, somehow, it’s already fall break at the end of next week. The first few weeks have flown by…and we are supposed to have answers next week about school moving forward. We shall see…

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

Here are some of my favorites from the week.

First of all, I’m just so happy it’s fall which is my favorite time of the year. I saw this cute graphic, and thought I’d share. It certainly includes so many favorite fall things.

Favorite Moments:

I had a couple of favorite moments with Hayden this week. No picture, but it was just the two of us for dinner on Monday night. I’m pretty used to Travis taking Hayden where he needs to go and I tend to get Hadley to her activities. Anyway, I picked him up from baseball, and we went ahead and had dinner before I picked up Hadley. He told me all about his school day with his pod and then about baseball practice. It was just a rarity that it’s the two of us at home.

Then, yesterday morning, Hayden went to sit outside for his morning work. They were to observe their surroundings and write about what they hear, see, feel, etc. Well, I looked out the front door and just saw him out there enjoying his quiet time while journaling. So simple and sweet.

And…yoga for recess yesterday. The kids don’t know how lucky they are ❤️

Favorite Kid Quote:

Well, Tuesday was flu shot day for the kids. On the way there, Hadyen said, “Mom, you know when the nurse usually asks what medicines you are taking?” I said yes. (but was surprised he knows that’s a part of a doctor appointment routine) He said, “You’ll have to update her now that I’m taking my allergy medicine.” It was just a random Hayden thought that made me chuckle.

Then, when I woke Hadley up Wednesday morning and she said, “Mom, I just had a dream that all I ate for dinner was carrots!” Again, random but sweet.

Favorite Pic:

Since the kids were little, getting a shot means getting ice cream afterwards. Hadley ordered the unicorn “character creation” ice cream at Baskin Robbins. I swear…some days she’s 10 going on 15, and other days she’s 10 going on 5. 😂

The ice cream was super cute and came with…

the unicorn head band! 😂

Favorite Food (drink):

For years, I’ve liked a PSL from Starbucks, but a couple of years ago, someone shared that for their morning coffee, in the fall, they use their creamer and a dash of pumpkin spice. So, I typically do that now during the fall months. It’s just enough to give me the pumpkin flavor without being too creamy and heavy like the Starbucks PSL.

Favorite Porch Decorations:

Throughout the week, I continued to add decorations to my porch. I put out the pillows, door hanger, and doormat after Labor Day. Then, I added my pumpkins and a few other touches this past week.

The corn shocks were the final touch that I needed, and I picked these up at Fresh Market earlier this week!

A little front porch peek:

Give me all the pumpkins!

I clearly have zero chill when it comes to decorating my porch for fall 😀

Favorite Teacher Meme:

I saw this meme shared on Facebook. Teaching in 2020…😂

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

A couple of years ago, Hadley was with me at Home Goods and told me she needed this sign. It still sits on her bedside time! Girl Boss from day 1!

Weekly Recap:

Here are my posts from the week in case you missed one!

Don’t forget to check out the other ladies’ posts! I hope you have a great weekend.

Monthly Musings

Posted on September 24, 2020September 23, 2020 by jgalvinwhite

Hello! It’s the last Thursday of the month (How is that even possible?), so I’m linking up with Patty and Holly for their Monthly Musings link up.

This month’s topic is Halloween and Fall.

Favorite Fall Tradition:

Hands down my favorite fall tradition is going to the pumpkin patch. When the kids were little, they’d run around and play. We always snap a few photos, pick out our pumpkins to carve, and bring home lots of apple cider donuts! My fave.

Favorite Halloween Tradition:

My favorite Halloween tradition is getting together with friends, trick-or-treating, and having dinner while the kids sort all their candy! We’ve been getting together with the same core group of friends for about ten years! Through the years, we’ve added some more friends and neighbors to the mix. We always have so much fun.

Halloween this Year:

This year, hopefully Halloween will look quite similar. While scrolling Facebook, I saw a post that the CDC put out their recommended guidelines, but I haven’t read the article.

So far, Halloween hasn’t been cancelled. Fingers crossed it stays that way!

Favorite Fall Recipe:

My favorite fall recipe is Pumpkin Sausage Penne Pasta. I got the recipe years ago from a Kroger coupon packet. I think I’m going to make it next week!

Last year, due to weather, trick-or-treating was moved from Thursday to Saturday afternoon. Usually, we’d have our friends over and have chili (which we did on the Saturday night). Since we were home for Thursday night Halloween dinner last year, I made a quick and easy “spooky” dinner for the kids after seeing Andrea share about her Halloween dinner for her family.

My kids loved this! I’ll need to remember to do it one night leading up to Halloween this year.

Favorite Fall Fashion Staples:

I love fall weather. You’ll most likely find me wearing a light-weight sweatshirt with shorts or a turtleneck sweater with leggings. Those are my fall staples for sure!

Using this pic again! Used it in yesterday’s post too 😂

Favorite Halloween Costume:

I’ll admit that I’m not big on Halloween dress up as an adult…but Halloween costumes for my kids are a must (of course!) My favorite costume combo that my twins have worn was in 2013 when they went as Batman and Robin.

I clearly remember Hayden saying he wanted to be Batman…and Hadley very sweetly said, “Well, I’ll be Robin!”❤️

Every time I see this photo, I crack up at her in her mask.

Here are their other costumes through the years! I loved last year when Hayden was a Ghostbuster and Hadley was a nerd. 😂

Favorite Halloween Candy:

For me, nothing beats a miniature Snickers bar. I definitely love other chocolate candy like Twix or Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.

Hayden said his favorite candy is peanut M&Ms while Hadley says she loves Tootsie Rolls!

Favorite Family Halloween Movie:

Every year, I DVR It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, and we watch it as a family. I love that tradition.

Scary Movies. Yes or No?:

Scary movies are a hard no for me! I don’t need that stress in my life 😉

Favorite Fall Beverage:

We all love apple cider in the fall, and I love a glass of Pinot Noir on a cool fall evening.

What are some of your favorite fall traditions and foods? Next month’s topic is Thanksgiving Preview.

Don’t forget to check out the other ladies’ posts! Thanks so much for reading.

Three things

Three Things

Posted on September 23, 2020September 22, 2020 by jgalvinwhite

Hey, hey! Now that we are in the swing of things with virtual school and fall activities, I thought I’d share a little family update with what everyone has been up to recently.

I interrupted his front yard golf game for this pic!

Of course, the kids always have activities going on. For Hayden, this fall, he’s playing a short season of baseball with a new team. He knows most of the boys on the team, but this is the first season they’ve all played together. He’s also running cross country and playing the occasional round of golf (in the front and backyard or on an actual course) when time allows.
Their learning pod is reading Indian in the Cupboard. Well, Hayden liked the book so much, that he stayed up late a couple of Saturdays ago to finish it. Then, he borrowed and has already finished the second book. I’d heard of Indian in the Cupboard but didn’t know it was a series of books.
Lastly, Hayden is in a Fantasy Football league. Travis helped Hayden with the draft, and it’s funny how serious Hayden is when setting up his lineup each week. Of course, we’re over here cheering for the KC Chiefs this season, and Hayden’s FFL team, The Mahomies.

On the fall activities front, Hadley is running cross country, taking dance, and occasionally going to volleyball clinics. This year, we’ve kicked it up a notch with dance because Hadley decided she wants to try competition team. So, she’s taking ballet/tap/jazz one night and then her competition team meets once a week.
Hayden tends to be the drawer in the family, but Hadley is showing some artistic skills with her classwork. She’s enjoyed drawing for her morning work and in art class.
Fifth graders can take band, and Hadley is interested in playing the flute. Sign-ups started earlier this week, and she’s hopeful she’ll get to play the flute (back up choice: clarinet!). I think it will be a great thing for her to try!

Homer continues to enjoy having us home so much, and hasn’t destroyed any major property lately! His current hobby is finding cicadas and bringing them in the house. More than once, I’ve thought he caught a bird because those things are so big!

He’ll do anything for treat and is always on the hunt for food that’s dropped on the floor…or left on the counter. Ugh!

Good thing he’s cute.

I’m really enjoying the mix of working from school and home. I feel like my part time job is shuttling kids everywhere, but that’s mom life…and I love it. I’m continuing to blog when I can (obviously), keep up with school (both for my job and virtual for the kids), exercise as often as possible and read when I can as well.

Lastly, Travis is finishing up a busy month of work as well as coaching the kids’ cross country team.

So, that’s just a little of what’s been going on with us. I feel blessed that the weather has been so wonderful, we are in a good school/work routine, and the kids are able to socialize and burn off some energy with their activities. I mean, I’m forever tired, but it’s worth it.

I hope you are having a great week.