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Three Things + A Bit of My Routine

Posted on April 9, 2020May 15, 2020 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Thursday! It’s been awhile since I’ve shared a little bit about what we’ve all (individually) been up to, so here’s a Three Things update as well as my self-care routine that I’ve made a focus for myself lately.

Please pardon Hayden’s dirty shirt. He’d just finished a round of backyard golf.

Hayden begged and begged for an Xbox for the past couple of years. Last year, I told him he’d need to save money to purchase an Xbox if he wanted one, and he did so last November. Who knew that five months later that Xbox sure would come in handy?! We still try to limit technology, but he’s been having fun playing a little bit each day as a way to “play” with his friends.
Hayden has also become tech savvy with Zoom. A few days a week, some of his friends (thanks to one of the moms!) Zoom and see each other and chat for awhile. It warms my heart to hear them chatting and laughing (even if they are probably telling fart jokes!)
Hayden is definitely still a voracious reader. He was assigned to read two books for school (Hoot and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) and did so in a couple of days. He also likes to re-read books which I think is so awesome. Of course, he also loves watching Lego Masters and episodes of Garfield on Netflix to balance out the book to tv ratio 😉
Bonus: I’ve said it in a previous post, but Hayden has been very content at home these past couple of weeks. He’s quite the homebody and seems to be adjusting well to this new, for now, “normal.”

Like Hayden, Hadley begged and begged for an Ipod Touch. She also had to save money to buy her Ipod Touch and did so last November as well. Again, we limit the time she’s on it, but thank goodness for Kids Messenger because that way my social butterfly can keep up with her friends. It’s really been a great way for them to communicate!
Hadley still loves to bake and is pretty independent while doing so. We’ve baked cookies and brownies recently. Baking is definitely a fun (and delicious) way to pass the time!
Hadley’s dance teachers have been posting videos of their recital routines for practicing. I’m glad that Hadley has been able to keep up with dance during the time off. That being said, she can find the beat in any tune…so lots of improv dancing going on around here.We’re still hopeful there will be a recital…just most likely at a later date.
Bonus: Hadley’s done a great job adjusting to being home, but she is the extrovert who likes to socialize. I know she misses her friends fiercely, and she, more than Hayden, has realized some of the fun they are missing out on (or will miss out on) at school like an April field trip, field day, and other fun activities.

Travis has always been a “doer.” So, having this forced time to slow down, while good, is definitely an adjustment for him. He still keeps busy and goes to work a couple times a week, does yard work (which he actually does enjoy–just doesn’t usually have time for in the spring and summer), and finds other odds and end projects around the house to complete. Of course, Travis finds time for a daily run as well as takes Homer for walks. They log a lot of time together. 😂
I’m continuing to try to find a groove with working from home while helping the kids with their work. Like Travis, it took me awhile to get used to this slower pace, but I’ve realized it’s not often that I have time to do so many things I love like read, catch up on a tv show, workout, and nap—sometimes all in one day! Of course, now that school has started back this week, I’m very busy during the day, but still love the downtime in the evenings.
Newsflash: Homer is still a HANDFUL!! He’s a sweet as he can be, but man, he gets into everything. Just recently, he’s eaten two wireless computer mice, two kitchen dish brushes, the lid to my Swig mug (I was SO mad!), a painting brush, and some molasses cookies from Trader Joe’s! I will say I know he loves having us home…and the kids sure do love spending this extra time with him. They hug on him most of the day and fight about whose bed he should hop in while they do schoolwork!

Similar yet Different Routine

During these uncertain times, I cling to what I can control…which is some of my daily routine. Some things I’m doing for myself include:

I continue to wake up before the kids. I’m usually up by 7:00 to sip my coffee in silence while reading my favorite blogs , checking my phone, and watching the news (sporadically!). For school, I work 8-11 and 12-3:30. The kids both have their class Google meetings at 10:00 each day. So, I get my “me” time in and get some work accomplished before they wake up.
During my “me” time, I always light a Bath and Body Works candle, as well as some other candles in the living room. It sets a calm start to my day.
Since March 16th, I’ve made it a goal to go for a daily walk on top of my at home workouts. Usually the walks are on my own and I listen to a podcast…but sometimes it’s just Travis, Homer and me, and sometimes it’s a family walk. Once or twice a week, we’ve been going on family bike rides…I let that count as my walk. The fresh air and sunshine always does a body good.
I try to work out 4-5 days a week. Thankfully, I’m pretty used to working out at home…but I do miss going to the gym to use the bike and the elliptical.
Real talk: there are days I don’t even put makeup on…but some days I do..and notice I feel a bit better. I continue my routine of washing my face and using toner and moisturizer. As I’ve mentioned before, at least once a week I do a gel mask and another day of the week do a charcoal mask. Also, I’ve been making Facial Friday a thing and busting out my facial steamer. I’m also continuing my weekly at home manicures (just painting my nails ;)) and also change my toe polish every once in awhile. Also, sunless tanner has become my new best friend! Trying to give my legs some life 😉
Also, it’s important to keep things light for my kids. I don’t want them feeling stressed or anxious during these unprecedented times. I answer their questions, but they haven’t had many…and keeping them in some kind of routine has been important. Starting online school this week has helped solidify the routine that will likely carry us into summer. Also, in addition to learning, I try to incorporate other fun activities like crafts or baking to break up the days.
That being said, as a family we are spending uninterrupted time together that we probably won’t get again. So we’ve been going on family bike rides, walks, watching movies together, playing puzzles, etc.

So, that’s just a little update about each of us. See you back here tomorrow for Friday Favorites (Kids Q&A edition!)

Take care,

Holidays, Let's look

Let’s Look – Easter at Your House

Posted on April 8, 2020May 15, 2020 by jgalvinwhite

It’s time for another Let’s Look link up with Shay and Erika; make sure you check out their posts too.

Well, needless to say, Easter will look a bit different this year. I’m actually thankful this post came around when it did to remind me of some of the traditions and activities that I still do have control over right now.

Here’s a look at what we typically do for Easter.

Well, of course, the kids have to wear cute Easter outfits every year. Shhh! Don’t tell them, but I’ll probably ask them to put on some nice clothes this year to at least get the cute Easter pic. Plus, I’d hate to miss out on the tradition of fussing at Hayden because he doesn’t want to wear nice pants! 😉

Here are some Easter outfit pics through the years.

2010 is just the sweetest. First Easter (and they shared their candy with me!)

2011, 2012, 2013 (Sunglasses were all the rage then), 2014 (Hayden should be smiling bigger because it must have been warm enough for him to wear shorts!)

2015, 2016, 2017 (Poor Hayden was sick—we took the pic before Hadley had Travis left for family Easter), 2018 – braces 🙂

When I was kid, we always dyed Easter eggs, and left them for the Easter Bunny to hide. Then, my brother and I would search for them throughout the house. We do the same now with Hayden and Hadley.

Here are some pics of the egg dyeing through the years.

Only within the past year and a half have we found our church home…so a new tradition for us is the pancake breakfast and egg hunt at church. Also, attending Easter service has become a new favorite and important part of our family tradition. It’s difficult that Easter does look so different this year, but we will make the most of it.

Pancake breakfast and egg hunt at church with cousins last year.

Before bed, we leave the eggs out for EB to hide as well as some carrots if we have some (and a cookie or two!)

In the morning, the kids see what the Easter Bunny has left them and search around the house for the eggs.

I try to make a special breakfast on Easter morning. Cinnamon rolls, a breakfast casserole, etc. One year I made these cinnamon sugar bunny rolls for Easter breakfast.

After church, we head to Elizabethtown for Trav’s side of the family get together. The kids are always excited to see their cousins. Travis has a very big family with plenty of cousins, himself!

So that’s a look at Easter at our house…

Next month’s topic is Let’s Look At…Your Weekend. Why do I have the feeling my post will be about how my weekdays and weekends look quite similar these days?! I’m hoping we are somewhat back to normal very very soon.

Thanks for reading!

Life Lately

Posted on April 7, 2020May 15, 2020 by jgalvinwhite

Hello! We are getting back in the groove of school and work (the at home edition) this week. I thought I’d share some of out activities from “spring break” in this Life Lately post.

I thought I’d start with a laugh. This meme below had me chuckling with the Oregon Trail reference.

Scavenger Hunts

Hadley actually had the idea for an indoor scavenger hunt. I started to look on Pinterest, but she put one together herself based off some that she had seen.

Of course, this activity didn’t take long and I had to set some rules (no running in the house, no pushing each other, …my kids are both very competitive…especially with each other…haha), but they had fun. Home base was the couch, so first one with their item and on the couch won the round. For the record, Hadley won 8-7!

After that activity, I thought it would be fun to do a (non-competitive) outdoor scavenger hunt. Again Pinterest has lots of ideas, but that evening I so happened to see Jen Reed post this (a re-share) on Insta Stories.

Hadley started to write it out, and I helped her finish the list up. We wanted to put it on a clipboard as we walked through the neighborhood. So, last week the kids and I took about thirty minutes to just walk through the neighborhood and see what we could find. We found most everything—even Christmas lights. We never found a license plate that spelled a word or a camper in the driveway. We had fun and got fresh air at the same time.

April Fools Day

Hadley brough her “A” game to April Fools Day! She tricked Hayden by offering him the last sips of my Diet Coke, but she had put soy sauce in the bottle instead! Then, she put Vaseline on his door. Her third prank was she offered him two “mint” Oreos filled with toothpaste. He doesn’t like mint Oreos, so he declined…and also realized what day it was!

I’m no good at pranks, but I tried to help him out. She didn’t fall for apple cider in her apple juice, but he did make a comeback filling her pillow case with baseballs and then freezing her toothbrush overnight. So, the morning of April 2, she had the frozen toothbrush surprise!

Outside Activities

Hayden “played” golf a bit in the backyard. He really started liking golf last summer, but then other sports kind of took over as usual, so it was fun for him to get back at it. We learned our lesson last summer after he broke a neighbor’s window; now he uses plastic golf balls in the yard! Also, I cracked up because he used one of our decorative 4th of July flags for one of his holes!

The kids ride their bikes pretty often, but we’ve tried to go on at least one bike ride as a family each week.

We use our fire pit pretty often in the spring and fall (and sometimes in the summer). Who doesn’t love s’mores?! 🙂

Hayden helped Travis with some yard work on Saturday. Real talk: the yard work came about as a punishment, but Hayden ended up having a good attitude and being quite helpful. Hayden and Travis ended up playing catch in the yard afterwards.

We woke up to a sweet surprise yesterday morning. We were “egged”! Unfortunately, I didn’t realize until around 11am, and some of the chocolate had melted in the eggs we found. This was definitely a fun (and sweet!) treat.

School

Last week, the kids had some trial runs with Google Meet with their teachers and classmates. I went in to wake Hadley (early for her—at 8:40) on Friday for her 9:00 meeting to find her still getting her beauty sleep!

Homer wanted in on the 4th grade meeting!

Arts and Crafts

This craft popped up on my Pinterest feed. When I clicked on it, it just sent me to Google, so I winged the project! It’s probably a craft I would have planned when the kids were younger, but Hadley loves to paint, and we have plenty of eggs (cartons) on hand.

I just used good scissors to cut the bottom of the carton into three flowers. Then I snipped around the edges and cut in the “V” for each flower to make the “petals” better. Then, Hadley and I each painted a flower. I have cute straws in a jar on our kitchen table, so we each grabbed one and I taped them on the flowers for the stem.

Finished product:

I put them out to freshen up the sun room…and then realized they’d probably get attacked by Homer sitting out there that low and unattended! So, I moved them inside. This would be a cute craft to leave on a neighbor’s doorstep or stick in a pot of real flowers as an addition.

Homer

I honestly think Homer loves having us home so much! He continues to keep us on our toes…and Saturday he got in trouble because he pulled the box of Trader Joe’s Molasses Cookies off the counter and ate at least 7 of them!

So, that’s a bit of what we’ve been up to lately. While it wasn’t the Spring Break we envisioned, I’d say we definitely made the most of it. That being said,…

More real talk, y’all: Some days are difficult. I feel like we are all ok being at home (well, Hayden and I are…Travis struggles with having time on his hands, and Hadley misses socializing with her friends), but I just feel like there are times when our best sides aren’t showing…whether we are stressed, anxious, tired, missing friends, etc., I just feel that it’s a rarity for all of us to be on the same page and bringing our best attitudes to the table at the same time.

So, these activities have been fun and some of them we wouldn’t necessarily do but for the fact we have this extra time on our hands, but we are still navigating these waters every day. I do love that most days I’ve done all the things I love in one day: reading, watching a show, working out, napping! BUT my kids get sent to their rooms every once in awhile; heck, I send myself to my room just to get through the next half hour.

Thankfully, the weather continues to be in our favor, and I do feel like this new school routine will continue to provide the structure that we need. The kids love seeing their classmates and teacher in their daily Google meetings, so that brings some sense of normalcy to their lives.

I know we’ll look back on this time and cherish the extra time at home, the extra time together, and the extra slow pace that is being forced on us, but some days are difficult juggling all the hats all the time.

See you back here tomorrow for the Let’s Look (at Easter at your house) link up with Shay and Erika.

Take care,

Projects

New Paint Project

Posted on April 6, 2020May 16, 2020 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Monday. With some extra time on my hands, I recently tackled another quick chalk paint project minus the actual chalk paint.

As I’ve mentioned before, I went through a phase of buying more traditional furniture, most of which was dark wood. This console table has been a basement piece in both our previous and current home. It didn’t bother me how it was, but I knew I could use the Limewash Glaze to freshen it up a bit.

Before:

Hadley helped me move the table into the garage, so I could paint it.

Now, Limewash glaze is usually a top coat after painting with chalk paint. But, I didn’t have a color I wanted to commit to, and have used only the Limewash in the past.

I started by wiping down the table with a dry cloth to get rid of the dust bunnies. Then, I used a paint brush to paint on a coat of glaze.

Vertical pic: Limewash Glaze; Top pic: ready to be painted; Bottom pic: one coat of glaze

I wasn’t sure how many coats would be needed, and to be honest, some purplish undertones appeared after just one coat. So, I decided to paint one more coat of the Limewash Glaze on all parts of the table.

Then, I put a coat of Sealing Wax only on the top of the table. Again, I’ve painted pieces before and skipped that final step, but I went ahead and did it this time.

After:

The table is back to it’s original spot. The whole project took about two hours. I did let everything dry overnight before moving the table from the garage to the basement again.

Closeup of the Limewash Glazed brushstrokes.

I snapped this pic a couple of days later when more natural light was shining in the basement.

That’s it! A pretty easy project from start to finish. The Limewash Glaze updates this piece I already had and makes it more my style!

Check out my previous Chalk Paint post if you missed it last time.

I’m off to home school a couple of kiddos while working from home! Wish me luck!

Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#21}:

Posted on April 3, 2020August 20, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Hello! Well, today is our last day of “Spring Break.” We’ve had a pretty good week at home. We had a couple of dreary days, so I gave us permission to be a bit lazier than usual…which pretty much ensured I was able to finish a great book and wrap up Season 2 of The Crown 😉

Virtual school starts on Monday, so we will be starting a bit of a new routine while I also work from home as well.

As always, for Friday Favorites, I’m linking up with Narci, Erika, and Andrea, so make sure to check our their posts too!

Favorite Pic:

We purchased these #TeamKentucky hats from our friends. With a donation being made to the #TeamKentucky fund for each hat sold, it was just another way to support our community during this time.

Favorite Kid Quote:

Hayden had a couple of funny quotes this week!

Of course, a 4th grade rite of passage is receiving and playing the recorder in music class. This week, Hayden pulled his recorder out of his back pack and tried to play Hot Cross Buns. After a few squeaky tries, he said, “Yikes! I’m rusty. I haven’t played in awhile!” (He also says the recorder is the reason he has an A- in music right now!) 😉

Another funny Hayden quote….I’m getting caught up on seasons of The Crown. I was watching the last episode of Season 2, and Elizabeth and Philip were having a heart to heart. She said that any marriage presents challenges let alone challenges with the structure of their marriage. Hayden said, “Challenges?! That’s why I’m never getting married!” 😂

Favorite Clothing Item:

I’m loving the joggers and Hanes sweatshirt that I mentioned in my Amazon Lately post from this week. Not only am I loving those items, I’m also living in them right now! #momiformonrepeat

Favorite Food:

I actually cooked a couple of favorites this week. We had Bev’s Simple Chicken Pasta Soup which provided us with dinner for Monday and Tuesday. Then, I made my brother’s stuffed peppers recipe. The whole family loves stuffed peppers, and we had them for dinner Wednesday and Thursday.

And, bonus—we made Easy Peanut Butter Cookies that lasted less than a day in our house!

Favorite Moment:

In times like these, it’s been so nice to see communities, cities, states, and the country come together with a sense of solidarity. With that, comes so many visible sights of kindness. From signs my kids made for the teacher parade, to kindness rocks, and the chalk the walk movement, there is certainly a sense of unity even when we have to stay six feet apart.

Our neighborhood had signs of beauty everywhere!

Besides at least doing reading and math every day, I’ve tried to plan at least one other thing for us to do. Sometimes it’s a bike ride, other times baking cookies, maybe watching the Cincinnati Zoo Home Safari, or doing some kind of craft.

On Monday, we did our own Chalk Your Walk project in our driveway. The kids were big help in taping the driveway, and we all used sidewalk chalk to complete the project. From start to finish, it took about an hour and a half; the kids were impressed with the final product! I was too! 🙂

Favorite Mom Meme :

Three weeks into social distancing…I will take whatever laughs I can get.

Other Favorites:

Of course with some extra time on my hands, I’ve been able to read a bit more, listen to some podcasts, and even watch a movie or two…

I started listening to the Even the Rich podcast. I think it’s fairly new. I’ve listened to the first three episodes which are all about the Royal Family! I’ve always had interest in the Royals, but I seem to be on a roll while listening to this podcast, getting caught up on The Crown and even reading the American Royals book last month! –

Just yesterday, I finished reading Regretting You, and I loved it!

On Tuesday, Travis mentioned that Call of the Wild could be purchased to stream on Amazon. So, Tuesday night, we popped popcorn, purchased the movie, and all watched it together. It was so good! Of course, it brought a tear to my eye, too!

Bonus: Flashback Friday

As always, Facebook memories continue to slay me. These pics popped up recently.

The kids were four months old here, and we’d taken them to KC to see my family. We were packing up to head home, and I propped the kids up in their suitcases and sent this pic to Travis who had already headed back to Lex.

This pic collage always cracks me up. We’d received these hand me down onesies from another set of twins. I love the pic of both kids as Hadley’s clinging to Hayden as if she never wants to let him go. Story of his life! She’s always up in his business!

Fun fact: Hadley was a hot mess the first nine months of her life. Hayden was the easy going baby and she was super serious and suuuuper fussy all of the time. Now, she’s the easy going one and he’s a bit more intense (Type A, schedule oriented, etc…apple doesn’t fall far from that tree.)

I hope this week has treated you well! As always, thanks for reading.

Take care,

Delish Desserts

Easy Peanut Butter Cookies

Posted on April 2, 2020May 16, 2020 by jgalvinwhite

Last week, I was talking to my Gma on the phone, and she mentioned an easy peanut butter cookie recipe. The next day, as I was digging through my recipe card box, way in the back, I found a recipe that I had for “Magical Peanut Butter Cookies.” Like her recipe, it only had four ingredients! The kids and I made these on Tuesday, and they were so good.

Ingredients:

1 c. peanut creamy peanut butter
1 c. sugar (I believe the recipe my Gma had seen used brown sugar; I used white granulated sugar) **You’ll need a bit more sugar for the tops of the cookies.
1 egg (Make sure you have two small people who will fight over cracking the one egg…)<insert eye roll>
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350*
Grease large baking sheet (we ended up using two cookie sheets)
In mixing bowl, combine peanut butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla extract.
Stir well with spoon.
Roll dough into balls (walnut size) and place balls of dough on the baking sheet.
With a fork, criss cross the tops of the cookies.
Sprinkle the tops with sugar.
Bake for 12 minutes.
Remove from oven and sprinkle with a bit more sugar.
Cool slightly before removing from pan.
Enjoy!

Guess how long our 20 cookies lasted?!? Ugh. Quarantine 15 may be a real thing!

See you back here tomorrow for Friday Favorites.

Happy baking,

Amazon

April Prime Purchases

Posted on April 1, 2020February 17, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Happy Wednesday. Also, Happy April 1st! I hope this week is treating you well. I know it continues to be very different for all of us, but I do feel like we are kind of in a routine at this point. BUT…I still continue to not know what day it is! 😉

Amazon has continued to come in clutch for me with Easter basket ideas, comfy clothes, and activities for the kids…So, I thought I’d share a few recent purchases.

That being said, I know times are tough, and many aren’t spending frivolously, so please don’t take this post in a negative light.

A couple of weeks ago when I realized the only sense of normalcy I may have over Easter is what I put in the kids’ baskets, I went ahead and ordered a few things. Also, for me, in these times, I want to feel comfortable. So, a few clothing options that are very reasonably priced and great quality did the trick for me. Self-care is important for me to keep my mind right. Whether it’s painting my nails, washing my face, or applying eye masks a few times a week, I feel so much better. Lastly, I continue to search for ideas to keep education a priority in my kids’ minds, and can always find items on Amazon.

Also of note: Amazon is prioritizing shipping for essential items, so of course, there may be a delay on some items. That being said, I did find that items with a delivery date of mid to late April, have either already arrived or are on their way. I’m sure it depends on the product and location.

Current Status:

A few recent purchases:

Y’all, I think I learned a new trick. If you click on the picture, I think (I hope!) it takes you directly to the product rather than when I hyperlinked it in the past. I just thought I’d try a new feature (and maybe check that off my blogging Professional Growth Plan 😉 …man, I must miss school!)

Shay shared this crossword book last week on her blog. The kids have completed a couple now, and I’m just using it as a supplemental resource and as a way to keep them busy for a few minutes while I make lunch.

Hadley is quite the dancer, and this band popped up on my Amazon feed. I thought she’d enjoy it and will be perfect for an Easter gift.

I actually saw this Snow in a Jar at Target awhile ago and made note of it as an idea for Hayden’s Easter basket. As you know, Amazon has everything, so I went ahead and purchased it with my other list of Easter items.

Sheaffer shared about the next two items on her Amazon Haul last week. Both items looked right up my alley and appeared to be a good “momiform” while spending much time at home. I do feel better if I go ahead and get dressed each day (even if I don’t so until 11:00 ;). These items have made me feel put together while also comfortable and ready to tackle the day.

These pants are giving me life. Seriously, I love them so much. They are light weight, my favorite jogger style, and so comfortable.

I bought this sweatshirt in the light pink color. At less than $9, I figured “why not?” I wasn’t disappointed at all. It’s good quality (Hanes must know what they are doing! ;)), light weight, and cozy.

Lastly, I’ve had this long sleeve shirt for awhile. I bought it in blue after Amanda posted about it in a Friday Favorites post a bit ago. Again, the quality is great, and it fits just how I like shirts to fit…not too tight and not too loose. I see that there are also short sleeve and sleeveless options too which I will keep in mind for the future.

Lastly, I’ve been using these gold eye masks for quite some time. I only use them a couple of days a week on my tired eyes, so the pack lasts me a couple of months. Again, with self-care, I wash my face, apply toner, and moisturizers morning and night. Then, I usually do a couple of face masks a week (charcoal and gel) and then add in these eye masks when I feel like I need them.

I hope you are having a great week and getting outside to enjoy some fresh air. I know that always helps me feel a bit better! Thanks for reading.

Take care,

Home Updates

Transformation Tuesday: The Basement

Posted on March 31, 2020May 16, 2020 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Tuesday! For this Transformation Tuesday, I thought I’d share about how we updated our basement. I’ve also shared posts about the basement bathroom, our living room/office area, and our kitchen space as well.

So, even with the updates, to me, the basement is still the basement. I just mean it’s still the space where clothes stay until they are folded, school work goes until I have time to sort it, Christmas decorations still pile up until we have time to deal with them, etc. That being said, by painting the paneling, changing out the flooring, and adding some recessed lighting, the space is certainly brighter.

After living in our house for a few months, Travis and I (mostly Travis) painted the paneling one of our shades of gray.

The original beige carpet on the stairs had seen better days. So, we had it ripped up and we hired someone to sand and stain the stairs. They were beautiful, and we left them as is for awhile. The problem was that we come and go from the basement as we have a raised ranch home. So, the stairs were pretty noisy. So, Travis painted the backs of the steps (and the walls leading down to the basement), and then we chose carpet for a runner. It’s definitely quieter as we go up and and down the stairs daily, and I love the pattern of the carpet that we chose from a local carpet store.

Then, a few months later, we had the flooring changed out. Our neighbors (who are our friends!) had the same flooring. It’s difficult for me to make decisions sometimes, so I love when I just see something I like that will work. The flooring is from Lowes, and it is Allen+Roth Weathered Oak. We went with the laminate flooring in case the basement ever floods, and it’s a high traffic area; we come and go through the basement multiple times a day.

The basement bathroom that we had remodeled is to the left off the basement stairs landing

About two years ago, Travis decided to paint the bookshelves, and we rearranged the furniture (and got rid of our tv stand) to make the space work even better for us. Travis loves (or at least really doesn’t mind) painting. This was quite a project while sanding the shelves, painting multiple coats of white, mounting the tv, hiding the wires, etc. He did have a “vision” though and even chose the Weathered Hardwood Planks for the backdrop of the tv.

Here are some before and afters of the actual space. I only had two basement pics from the listing.

Before:

After:

FYI: the pole from the picture above is still there; it’s to the left of the couch and just not pictured. Also, real talk: I tidied up for y’all. 😉

Before:

I’m not sure what, if anything, the previous owners used in the space where we put the tv. I always felt like a pull down map would have gone there. haha

After:

We really do hang out down here often whether it’s watching a movie, Hayden playing Xbox or Hadley perfecting a dance routine. In our old house, we barely used the finished basement. We may have used it more as the kids got older, but in this house, we are kind of “forced” to use the basement as it’s where our secondary tv is and we’ve made it as cozy as possible. One aspect of our house I continue to like is that we don’t have any unwasted space. (Of course, at times, I wish we had a few extra square inches though!)

This is the area behind the couch. After we had our farmhouse table built for the kitchen, we put our previous kitchen table down here. We actually do use it a bit. If we have friends and family over, the kids come eat down here, I use the table space to wrap gifts, and the kids even do projects and crafts at the table.

We keep games and art supplies in this area. Also, Kristy Wicks shared this very affordable indoor/outdoor rug in her Insta Stories about a year ago. I wanted to break up the floor space, and I ordered it. I love it; it’s been perfect for this area.

On the other side of the basement, we have a bedroom area set up. Since my family lives out of town, we usually have visitors at least six times a year.

We (I) kind of struggle with this space. I feel like it is warm and inviting…it’s just that we’ve toyed with a few ideas and are unsure of what to do. To the left of the bed is the door to the garage. So we’ve thought about putting a wall up where you enter from the garage as there’s another door that can lead to the stairs to go upstairs. Also, we’ve thought about putting up two walls (on either side of the bed) as there’s a vent, a ceiling light, a closet, and electrical outlets, so it could be a small bedroom. I just always worry it would make the basement feel too small if we put walls up.

I honestly think the best option is to purchase a Murphy bed, so we can just pull it down when needed. Anyway, we haven’t made that kind of investment a priority. And, the space does work…that part is just a bit awkward, in my opinion.

This is the view from the garage as you enter the basement.

So, that’s the basement space. We’ve chipped away at updates down there along the way. I am glad we’ve made it a homey and cozy space as we do have guests somewhat often, and we do spend time down there more than I ever thought we would!

I hope you are having a great week.

Take care,

Memes

March Monday Memes

Posted on March 30, 2020May 16, 2020 by jgalvinwhite

Happy Monday! How was your weekend?? Thankfully, the weather was beautiful, so we could get out in the fresh air! I’ve taken the time to go for a daily walk, the kids have played outside, and Travis did some yard work.

Well, today is the day we were to hop on a plane for NYC. Sigh. But…lots of us had to put our plans on hold, and obviously it’s the least we can do in order to stay healthy and do our part in knocking out this pandemic.

So, after today’s meme post, I wasn’t going to post the rest of the week since we’d be out of town..but now, I think I will just keep chugging along with blog posts this week.

Because we all need a laugh or two, I thought I’d share some funny memes.

Yep. Don’t know how to play chess. And don’t know how to navigate this “new normal.”

The rearrangement of the grocery story meme takes on all new meaning with people and their “shop til they drop” attitude. On a bright note, I did spot about ten packages of toilet paper at Kroger yesterday. That’s the most TP I’ve seen on the shelves in a month.

To be honest, I’ve always been the type to turn down the radio…for any reason. haha

This one made me laugh out loud. I’m wondering how many relationships are being tested these days 😉

Truth! Also, I’ve been having the craziest dreams lately—and remembering them. The dreams aren’t scary (or I guess they’d be called nightmares!), but just the most random stuff…like being in line to play golf at a golf course….and also having dinner with Queen Elizabeth!

This one is how I felt last Friday. This week is technically Spring Break, but I’m sure we will keep up with 30 minutes of math and 30 minutes of reading each day. It’s the least the kids can do!

Well, that’s it for this month’s memes! I hope you have a great week.

Thanks for reading,

Books and Shows

March: What I’ve Been Reading

Posted on March 27, 2020May 16, 2020 by jgalvinwhite

Happy Friday, y’all! It’s the last Friday of the month, so I thought I’d share the books I’ve read over the last month or so! I definitely feel like I’m bouncing back from my “February Reading Funk.” Of course, with a little more time on my hands, I’m reading a bit more…BUT I’m also making it a priority to read more. When my kids are completing their daily 30 minutes of reading, I read too (plus other times in the day as well).

So…here are the four books I’ve read recently.

American Royals

I touched on this book in a previous post (before I had finished reading it)…

In this twist on history, the US won the revolution and Washington became king. Set in modern day, Princess Beatrice is being prepped for the throne. Of course, I’ve been watching The Crown and the parallel to that bit of history added meaning to this story. I enjoyed the characters, the plot, and it was an easy read, for sure.

I think this book is technically “young adult,” but I loved it. The sequel, Majesty, comes out this fall; I can’t wait to read it too.

The Broken Girls

The story is set in Vermont with chapters taking place in 1950 and 2014. There is a girls’ home called Idlewild where girls who aren’t wanted or who are trouble makers are sent back in 1950. In the 2014 setting, journalist Fiona Sheridan is investigating the details surrounding her sister’s death twenty years earlier. Her sister’s body was found near Idelwild. When renovations begin on the property in 2014, it has Fiona wanting to learn more and put together the pieces of two different puzzles.

Small Great Things

Small Great Things was a book centered around the themes of hate and racism. The main character, Ruth, is an African American labor and delivery nurse. She cares for a newborn whose parents (Turk and Brittany Bauer) are white supremacists and don’t want Ruth caring for their child. Ruth ends up being arrested and put on trial after an emergency with the baby.

It took me some time to get into the book at first as it was difficult for me to connect with that level of hate. The title is in reference to quote from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., “If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way.”

With the trial, Ruth’s relationship with her son, and the story line with the Bauers, this is certainly a story with many layers.

Another quote I loved from the book was, “Freedom is the fragile neck of a daffodil, after the longest of winters. It’s the sound of your voice, without anyone drowning you out. It’s having the grace to say yes, and more important, the right to say no. At the heart of freedom, hope beats: a pulse of possibility.” Freedom is another underlying theme throughout the book, and of course, freedom means something different to each character.

Again, it was a slow start for me, but I did end up enjoying this book, and it’s certainly one I will never forget.

The Secret to Southern Charm

After reading Small Great Things, I needed a lighter read. The Secret to Southern Charm is the second book in the Peachtree Bluff Series. I read the first book, Slightly South of Simple last summer and loved it.

The book picks up where the first one left off with the three sisters, Sloane, Caroline, and Emerson in a small coastal town in the south. Sloane’s husband is a POW, Caroline and her have had marital issues, and Emerson is an actress trying to figure out her next steps in life and in her career. The three girls are very close with their mother, Ansley, who is caring for her own aging mother.

Of course, there are family secrets, times of strife, and a close connection between these southern ladies.

The Secret to Southern Charm was a quick read that left me wanting to visit the south, hang out with some of my closest girlfriends, and sip a cocktail while sitting on a porch swing! I can’t wait to read the third book in the series The Southern Side of Paradise.

(**Side note: Kristy Woodson Harvey commented on my What’s Up Wednesday post, and it feels like the biggest high five of my life! Go check out the Peachtree Bluff Series. You’ll enjoy it!)

Well, that’s a wrap on what I’ve been reading and the month of March. I saw this meme yesterday, and it made me laugh!

I do feel like we got into a routine this week while continuing to find the balance between work, play, and social distancing! I will say that the highlight of this week was yesterday when the kids’ school had a Teacher Parade through the neighborhood. It was a beautiful day and a beautiful thing to see those teachers smiling, waving, and missing their kids…May have brought a tear or two to my eye!

I hope you have a great weekend. See you back here on Monday for a funnies with some March memes!

Take care,