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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,

Day in the Life

Day in the Life: A Typical Day for Me

Posted on March 26, 2020May 16, 2020 by jgalvinwhite

Happy Thursday. How has your week been? Thank goodness we’ve had some beautiful weather lately. We’ve all been getting some fresh air on the regular!

Day in the Life posts are some of my favorites to read of other bloggers. I just always think it’s interesting what others are up to, and thought I’d give it a try.

In January when I planned out some of my blog ideas, I thought I’d try a Day in the Life post. I chose a random day in the spring, the summer, and the fall to track what I do in the day! So, this post is about what I did on Tuesday of this week.

First things first, y’all, it was difficult to remember to take pics all day long! Also, this originally would have been a day that included school, kids’ activities, and most likely an errand or two. I thought I’d still go ahead with this post …it’s just a lot of time at home! But…we were busy! (Also, I feel like my subtitle is misleading…this probably isn’t a typical day—but I guess it is typical for right now!)

I woke up a little after 7:00. It’s been nice not setting an alarm, and 7:00 is still sleeping in for me!

While the kids slept, I spent some time drinking my coffee, reading my favorite blogs, watching the news, and then I finished an episode of The Crown that I had started the day before.

Hayden woke up around 9:00 and got some Homer snuggles in. Around 9:15, I woke Hadley up and then made them breakfast. Waffles…two ways!

Then, I made my bed. (Fun fact: I (or Travis) always make the bed.) It’s a must for me. I feel like the sheets get dirty if we don’t make it! I also force the kids to make their beds too!

While the kids had some free time, I took some time for some self-care. Sunless tanner and a quick facial with my at-home steamer.

Then, the kids got dressed, made their beds, and brushed their teeth. Not only is a schedule important for us, I also want the kids to keep up the routine of their basic chores. While they did those things, I made a snack tray for them to eat while doing their 30 minutes of math.

I started using the snack tray this week just as a way to ensure we’d still have food by mid-week! There’s a mix of what each kid likes and what they both like as to minimize conflict. Yes, conflict over snacks is apparently a thing at our house! 😉

They did their online math…

and I worked on a blog post and then did my 100 back lunges for the exercise challenge I’m trying to keep up with! (Real talk: I may not survive 100 burpees on Friday!)

After math, the kids did their daily chore which was hanging up and putting up their clean laundry. That’s a typical Tuesday chore for them anyway.

Then, we headed outside to try Slammo for the first time. Red, our elf, left it for them on Christmas morning. They had lots of fun and even played again with Travis once he got home from work.

Thanks to the snacks and having lots of fun outside, we didn’t have lunch until 1:15. So, the kids watched a little tv while I made us lunch.

Then, from 2:15-3:00, we all read.

I had picked up Easter cookies to decorate from Maddie’s Cookie Co., so we did that while watching the 3:00 home safari that the Cincinnati Zoo streams live daily on their Facebook page.

We learned all about red pandas!

The kids headed back outside while I did my at home workout. Tuesdays are full body workouts which are my fave!

I had a few minutes of downtime, and I watched an episode of 30 Minute Meals before tuning in to the governor’s daily briefing! The 5:00 briefing has become a part of my routine!

Then, the kids hopped on a Zoom conference with some of their friends. Really, it was Hayden and a few friends, but Hadley and Homer wanted in on the 4th grade gossip too!

We eventually got to dinner around 7:00. Breakfast for dinner is always a family favorite. Pancakes, hash browns, and bacon were on the menu. Travis and Hadley did most of the cooking! We decided to skip the eggs and just have the other parts of the meal.

After dinner, everyone took their showers, Hadley showed me her dance performance, and I watched a bit of the news.

Then, we played Taco, Cat, Goat, Cheese, Pizza. The kids love this game.

After the game, the kids brushed their teeth, and I ordered a few Easter gifts for them online.

Then, I immediately thought about returning them (the presents, not the kids) when the kids continued to find every excuse not to go to bed. #whyisbedtimesohardsomedays

With them finally in bed, I poured myself a glass of wine, read my book for a bit and went to bed around …

So, that’s a little day in the life around here! See you back here tomorrow for my March What I’ve been Reading post!

Take care,

What's up Wednesday

What’s Up Wednesday

Posted on March 25, 2020May 16, 2020 by jgalvinwhite

It’s the last Wednesday of the month, so it’s time to link up with Sheaffer and Shay for March’s What’s Up Wednesday.

To say the month of March has been crazy would be an understatement, of course! In these times of uncertainty, I continue to look for what I know to be normal with a daily routine…which includes reading blogs and writing my own. I look forward to this light-hearted corner of the internet now more than ever!

I hope this post finds you happy and healthy.

WHAT WE ARE EATING THIS WEEK:

Sunday – I made this Instant Pot Lazy Lasagna recipe. I’ve made it before, and my whole family loves it. I served it with rolls and roasted broccoli (I just drizzle extra virgin olive oil on the broccoli and sprinkle salt, pepper, and Trader Joe’s Everything but the Bagel seasoning on it and roast for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees–since that’s what the rolls were baking on)

**also, I can never find the small lasagna noodles, so I just use rotini.

**and–I’m sure you can make this recipe without an Instant Pot. You’d just have a few more dishes with one pot to cook pasta and another to brown the ground beef, etc.

Monday – leftovers with bagged side salad.

Tuesday – Breakfast for dinner! Eggs, bacon, pancakes, and hash browns.

Wednesday- Baked chicken, Bob Evans mashed potatoes, and fruit.

Thursday – leftover chicken with cheesy broccoli and fruit.

Friday and Saturday- We’ll support local restaurants and order carry out dinner.

WHAT I’M REMINISCING ABOUT:

Easter. I’m afraid Easter will look very different for us this year. Worse case, we can still dye eggs and do an egg hunt…even if it’s not with extended family.

WHAT I’M LOVING:

Trying to look on the bright side…I’m loving not setting an alarm lately! 🙂

Also, Nordstrom was having a huge site wide sale last week with 25% off. I had a gift card to use, and I had a few things on my “wish” list. I was happy to purchase them with the 25% off offer!

I love Nordstrom’s Zella leggings. I purchased the hat and flip flops while dreaming of summer. Landyn shared the hat recently. Also, last year, I ordered same flip flops in tan. I wore them a ton, so I thought I’d get another pair. Also, I rarely buy kids clothes from Nordstrom, but I knew Hayden would love these Nike shorts. I purchased two pairs: one for now and one for his Easter basket.

Last year, I purchased this sunless tanner from one of my friends who sells Rodan + Fields. I love it. It provides a subtle tan and is easy to apply.

I received this steamer for Christmas from my mom (I gave her the idea :), but I haven’t had time to use it until now.

Yesterday, I took the time for some self-care, and use the tanner and gave myself a ten minute facial!

I’m not trying to be on the other side of this pandemic pale with wrinkly skin!! 😉

WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO:

Well, we are definitely spending a lot of time together! Also, the downtime means more time for reading, movie watching, and walking around the neighborhood.

And, like most parents, we are working on a home “school” routine!

We even had time to decorate cookies thanks to Maddie at Maddie’s Cookie Co.

WHAT I’M DREADING:

Honestly, just the uncertainty of not knowing how long the social distancing will go on…(and on, and on)

WHAT I’M WORKING ON:

You mean besides keeping my kids busy and keeping my sanity? haha

Well, I’m working on future blog posts. I’m also making an effort to give myself grace during these days at home. While I’m a home body and don’t mind being at home, we all may need a little space from time to time. Or there may be a day where my kids are on electronics more than they should be…and I’m reminding myself that it’s all going to be ok!

WHAT I’M EXCITED ABOUT:

Have you heard of Wall Pops? I follow Michelle (@ellerydesigns) on Instagram. She’s made drastic changes to her laundry room, bathroom, and mantle using Wallpops wallpaper and floor tiles.

I’ve ordered the Shiplap Peel and Stick Wallpaper to do an accent wall in our master bedroom. We haven’t even updated the wall paint in our master, so I hope to do both over our extended time off.

WHAT I’M WATCHING/READING:

I’m currently reading The Secret to Southern Charm which is the second book in the Peachtree Bluff series. I will share about my other three books I’ve recently read in this Friday’s What I’ve been Reading post.

We’ve had more time for movie watching lately. We’ve watched My Girl, Stand by Me, and The Little Giants in the past week.

I’ve also started watching The Crown again on Netflix. I’m a few episodes into Season 2. I also love The Rookie on ABC, and I’ve been getting caught up on that.

I’ve been watching American Idol this season. I’d been wanting to find a show the whole family can watch, and I love the judging trio of Luke, Katy, and Lionel!

Lastly, I tune in every day at 5:00 for Governor Beshear’s daily COVID-19 news conference. Honestly, the updates have become a part of my routine and a candid way to receive information without feeling overwhelmed. It’s a time to be together with #TeamKentucky

If you are in Kentucky, then you’ll understand the meme below. 😉

WHAT I’M LISTENING TO:

At the moment, the sound of our grass being mowed! The first cut of the season was long overdue!

WHAT I’M WEARING:

Well, you know what they say…”Dress for the job you want, not the job you have…” Well, I’d say I’m currently trying to dress for both. So…I ordered these pjs from Target. They should be here early next week!

WHAT I’M DOING THIS WEEKEND:

I’m sure more quality time with my fam! If the weather cooperates, maybe we can drive somewhere to go on a hike. We definitely need a change of scenery!

WHAT I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH:

Hopefully some sense of normalcy? Or at least maybe we will feel more at ease with this at home routine by then? Also, maybe we will know what the end of the school future holds? Although, I suspect I already know that answer…#sigh

AND…

I feel like this post is a lot of life should have been ….but instead it’s…So, I hope the post isn’t taken in a negative light. It’s just such an adjustment to this new (hopefully short-lived) normal. Taking the stricter steps to curtail this virus are certainly necessary, and I continue to count my blessings while engaging in social distancing!

I’m also taking this time to try to blog a bit more often. Tomorrow, I have my FIRST EVER “Day in the Life” post and Friday I will have my “What I’ve been Reading” post for March. This means another “first….” for me… F I V E days of blogging in a week. I don’t think this will be the new normal, but while I have the time (and can think of content), I may try to post more than my normal three days a week.

Here are Monday and Tuesday’s posts:

Weekend Top 5

Home “School”

Don’t forget to check out the other ladies’ posts! What’s Up Wednesday posts are always some of my favorites to read.

Thanks for reading!

School

Home “School”

Posted on March 24, 2020May 16, 2020 by jgalvinwhite

Home “School” #fortheloveoflearning #andprayIkeepmysanity

Well, we are one week into this home school situation, so I thought I’d check in and share what we’ve been doing and hope to do during this extended time off.

First things first. Y’all, just because I’m a teacher, doesn’t mean this home school life is for me! This is a big adjustment for all of us. Also, I’m continuing to work on finding the balance of accomplishing learning with having the kids play outside and even have some independent time.

My kids were sent home with books and their chrome books. They can use the chrome books for their online math and reading learning.

Also, I don’t feel like I need to come up with grand ideas as the kids’ teachers have provided the school work. I just thought since we have a bit of extra time on our hands, I could incorporate things the kids would like to do anyway….or activities we don’t typically have time to do. #nowwehaveallthetime

For me, (and the kids!) a schedule and a routine are important. My kids are going to bed just a bit later, but then they are also sleeping in. Instead of being in bed by 9, I’ve let them start getting ready for bed at that time and then lights out by 9:30. Thankfully, my kids have always been good sleepers and will sleep in as late as needed for them to feel rested. Of course, on a regular schedule, I’m more strict about it. And, actually, I don’t feel like we are too far off course of our normal routine.

So, I’ve basically told them that once they wake up they have an hour to have breakfast and do whatever they’d like (watch tv, text with friends, play xbox, etc). Then, the schedule begins…

Get dressed, brush teeth, make bed
Read for 30 minutes (me too!)
Play outside if possible/play inside (Legos, drawing, etc)
Lunch
Math for 30 minutes
1 hour free time
Chore
Snack
Other learning (all the ideas I’m sharing below)
More independent play (or hopefully play outside)

Again, I’ve seen lots of schedules with specific times, but I’m just going with more of an order of events structure.

Hadley decided to type the schedule out (I think a few of her friends have done this) to keep in her room.

Or this schedule may work for you. 🤣

Math/Science

Hadley had given Hayden this crystal kit for Christmas. So, we took the time to put it together last week. We found it at Michaels. *disclaimer: so far, nothing is growing! haha Probably user error.

Update: the crystals did grow! Took about 10 days or so.

We’ve also taken the time to bake a few treats. Hadley’s pretty independent with baking. She’s really good at reading the directions, measuring, mixing, etc. Baking counts as math and science, right?

Art

I’ve shared about these Sticker by Number books before, and they’ve come in handy for a little break in the academic learning. I even ordered myself one a few months ago.

Here are a few sticker books we’ve ordered in the past.

Zoo animals

Unicorns and MAgic

Beautiful bugs

I read Andrea’s blog faithfully, and she always has really great educational ideas. She’s a middle school math teacher, but she also has a super creative side, so I love seeing what ideas she has to offer.

On Friday, we did this watercolor art project based on art by Wassily Kandinsky. Real talk: I’ve never heard of this artist! Well, maybe I learned about him in my college art history class twenty years ago?? Anyway, Andrea included three videos in the lesson. My kids watched all three and really enjoyed them and learned from them. Also, my kids also said their art teacher had taught them about Wassily Kandinsky. Yeah for prior knowledge 😉

Wassily Kandinsky lesson

After watching the videos, I drew the lines on the paper. Together, we found circular objects around the house and traced them using pencil. Then, they traced them using crayons and then used water colors to paint. From start to finish, this probably took us 45 minutes to an hour. It was a great way to spend our Friday afternoon.

I also saw people post on Facebook about Mo Willems, children’s author and illustrator, who is posting a Lunch Doodles series each day. The kids were excited to watch his episodes because they know his books. Plus, Hayden especially, loves to draw.

Also, in an effort to support local small businesses, I bought Easter cookies from Maddie’s Cookie Co. for us to decorate this week. We love these cookies and want to support her business.

Social Studies

When I was tidying up my classroom last week, I found these books. I’ve had them forever as I’ve used them for years with some of my struggling high school readers. They are high interest, lower leveled reading. Thankfully, my kids are skilled readers, and these books are perfect for them to learn a bit more about these regions and topics.

The regional books have short passages about travel, folklore, environment, culture, people, and pastimes. After reading a passage from the book, I’ve just had the kids share with each other about what they read or write down three things they remember from the reading. They could also draw a picture or a map if they wanted to include some art in their learning. They aren’t reading the whole book in one sitting; they are just choosing the chapter that interests them.

I also picked up a few of the graphic novels in my room as well.

Experiences

Again, I’ve seen posts about various virtual field trips and online resources.

Zoos and Aquariums with safaris, live cams, and virtual tours-Cincinnati Zoo, Georgia Aquarium, Monterey Bay Aquarium, San Diego Zoo, and more!
There are museums with self-guided tours – Smithsonian, Van Gogh Museum, The Museum of Modern Art, among others!
International landmarks like Buckingham Palace, the Galapagos Islands, the Great Wall of China, and the Great Barrier Reef in Australia with videos and virtual tours.
Theater, Film, Symphonies, and Operas live streaming recorded performances and music.

Of course, I haven’t checked all of these out, but I plan on using this link as a resource for some of our “other learning” time.

Hadley watched the daily 3:00 Facebook Live of the Cincinnati Zoo yesterday. The focus of the live was showcasing Kris and Remus, a cheetah and her companion dog! She really enjoyed watching it.

World Famous Sites

Also, the kids don’t know how lucky they are. Travis took them to the horse farm this past weekend to check out some of the baby horses!!

“Recess”

We’ve had lots of rainy weather recently, but thankfully, with each day, there’s been a break in the rain. The kids have ridden bikes, played basketball, had batting practice with the hitting net, walked Homer and gone for runs around the block.

We haven’t done it yet, but I know we can use side walk chalk to draw or even play Hop Scotch!

Also, maybe we can take a “field trip” and go for a hike soon.

Amy at Coffee and Cocktails at the Casa also had some awesome ideas! I love the idea about driving around and playing I Spy.

A Few Funnies

I wanted to leave you with a few laughs during these uncertain times. I hope these provide a giggle or two.

Real talk: Hayden and Hadley may want to schedule an appointment with their counselor for a schedule change due to a mean teacher 😉

Are my kids probably still spending too much time on electronics? Yes. Do they still grumble at me when I ask them to brush their teeth? Yes. Also, you wouldn’t believe the number of times I have to ask Hayden to change out of his pajama pants in a day! Simply put, implementing a schedule and providing a bit of a routine is good for all of us…even if some days I feel like we get nothing accomplished 😂

Also, I do try to be “present” in the learning with them. Except for math. I do my chores during math time 😉 I just mean that when they are reading, I read. If they do an art project, I do one too. Also, I make a point to go outside with them for a bike ride or a walk.

I’m going to try to keep this routine over the next couple of weeks. Starting April 6, the kids will have more online learning, so I may adjust the schedule if needed.

Please share your ideas. How are you keeping your crew busy ?

I hope your week is off to a great start!

Take care,

Weekend Top 5

Posted on March 23, 2020May 16, 2020 by jgalvinwhite

Happy Monday! How was your weekend? Ours was very low key which I assume is how it is for most of us these days!

I have a calendar (paper/pencil) that I use to plan out blogging ideas. Well, a Weekend Top 5 post is what I had scheduled for today. I didn’t really think about changing topics, but I did stop to think, “I wonder what I will be able to post about…” My Weekend Top 5 posts usually include kids’ activities, family visits, Trader Joe runs, etc. That being said, I decided to embrace the simplicity of our activities and how we are spending our days during this time of social distancing. If anything, that’s what this time has forced me to do. Stop and appreciate what I have and now I have the time to pause and take it all in. I’d say that’s quite the blessing.

Here’s a little of what we’ve been up to!

Drive thru lunches. Who doesn’t love a Cherry Limeade from Sonic?!

Time to actually make lunch! haha I made a snack plate for Sunday’s lunch.

Time outside! I live in a pretty active neighborhood, but it’s amazing to see so many more people out and about (but, of course, keeping their distance!) walking dogs, or just getting fresh air.

The kids found time to play outside, and we even went for a bike ride Friday afternoon. (Yes, y’all, I’m starting this Weekend Top 5 post with Friday afternoon activities 😉

Arts and crafts. I plan to share more about our watercolor sesh tomorrow, but here’s a peek at an awesome idea I got from Andrea.

I spent time in my Sticker by Numbers book. The kids have a couple of these books which I’ve found on Amazon. I bought myself one a few months ago. I find the sticker book activities relaxing, and I always love the final outcome.

I decided to put up Easter decorations. I don’t usually put out much, but I love an Easter Bunny here and there.

It is difficult to think that Easter most likely won’t be celebrated in church this year, and it may just be the four of us out for an egg hunt, but I thought the decorations could help us get in the spirit a bit.

This weekend, I finished a book, Small Great Things, and started new one,The Secret to Southern Charm. Also, about two summers ago, I watched season 1 of The Crown. I enjoyed it, but just didn’t find the time to watch season 2 (and now there’s a season 3!) Anyway, I watched a few episodes of season 2 this weekend, and I can’t wait to watch more!

Other thoughts…

As we navigate this time of uncertainty, I’m having a hard time slowing down. It’s really taking me some time to downshift and pause. I’m so used to be on the go.

With that, comes time for reflection. So, some things for which I am thankful: sunshine and fresh air, online church, extra time with my family, a warm home with food to eat, and my family and friends —even if we can’t all be together right now.

I hope this post finds you happy and well, and I hope you have a great week.

See you back here tomorrow!

Take care,

Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#20}

Posted on March 20, 2020August 20, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Happy Friday. Well, we made it through a very different kind of week. I went to school two days while working from home the other two days. We started getting into somewhat of a “home schooling” routine. Full disclosure: still trying to find the balance in it all while navigating these uncharted waters.

I’m still finding the joy in keeping a blogging routine. Who knows…maybe I will be able to blog more than just three times a week with the extra downtime? That being said, not much action going on around here, so I’m afraid I may run out of content! Let me know if you have any suggestions.

Like usual, I’m linking up with Andrea, Narci, and Erika. (**These ladies may have altered their blogging schedules, but feel free to check out their blogs and posts too!)

Favorite Kid Quote

Hadley is kind of known for being excessive. For example, pouring a large amount of orange juice only to drink a few sips. Or filling her bowl the the brim with ice cream and eating it all…(of course!) but then I have to remind her that dessert every night shouldn’t be supersized. Or wearing 7 scrunchies on her wrist at once (I let this one slide! 😉

The other night, she was getting herself some ice cream, and I asked her to put a few scoops in a bowl for me. When she brought me the bowl and showed me her bowl, it was the correct amount a dessert should be!

She said, “I’ve been making the perfect size scoops of ice cream lately. I’m so good that I could work at Baskin Robbins!” haha

Another sweet moment…Not necessarily a quote, but Hadley’s Girl Scout meeting was canceled. Her leader invited everyone to meet via the Zoom app. They had about a half hour meeting, and it was so good for all their sweet little souls. They talked about missing school and each other as well as other thoughts and feelings about our current situation. Thank goodness for technology during these trying and isolating times.

Favorite Pic

Well, I never got to Dairy Queen for Homer’s birthday ice cream…but I did remember we had these individual vanilla party cups in our freezer. So, we lit a candle for the Homster and let him have his ice cream.

Favorite Clothing Item

Currently…my pjs during this work from home situation! Although, I have made it a point to work out or go for a walk every day this week.

Favorite Food

I usually do grocery pick up, but last Saturday I had lots of time on my hands. I was afraid if I placed on online order, I’d get the text saying many things were out of stock. So, I wandered the aisles for essentials and easy meals.

Travis makes this pasta every once in awhile. We had it on Monday night with leftovers for Tuesday.

Ingredients:

Pasta
Marinara Sauce
Red pepper
Green pepper
Turkey sausage (or whatever kind you like)
Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

Boil the pasta according to directions.
Dice the peppers and saute in olive oil until soft. **I also had garlic on hand, so we diced a few cloves and let it cook with the peppers.
Cut sausage into small rounds, and brown with the peppers.
Then, add in the sauce and heat until warm.
Add the sauce mixture to drained cooked pasta.
Serve in bowls and garnish with grated or shredded parm!

Also, I’m making the baked chicken recipe on Sunday that I shared in Monday’s post.

Favorite Moment

My dad was able to visit for a few days. It’s always good to see him. Literally, the day he arrived is when they announced churches and schools should close. Otherwise, he probably wouldn’t have made the trip right now. Unfortunately, we had a visit from my mom and grandma soon that has to be rescheduled.

He always wants a pic of him with the kids in birth order 😉 on the steps of my front porch.

The past couple of years he has chosen to visit this time of the year to enjoy the corned beef and cabbage I always make. So, we gave him the You are Special plate for our Sunday St. Patrick’s Day dinner.

Favorite Activities

Well, our normal school, dance, and baseball activities are on hold for now.

But….we are getting the hang of online learning. The kids were on their chrome books, and Homer wanted an education too 😉

Favorite Mom Meme(s)

Oh…the coronavirus memes have been on point. We have to laugh, so we don’t cry (or go crazy!), don’t we?!

Spoiler alert: I was the teacher, and Hayden and Hadley were the students!

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

As always, thank goodness for Facebook memories. These two pics popped up recently. I love the pic of Hayden in Trav’s old “Travis” shirt, and I clearly remember the day I took this pic of Hadley. She was in the 2nd grade, and I had just picked her up from after school care. She’s not really a “girly” girl in regards to clothing, but she was rocking the pink on this day!

Make sure to check out my other posts from this week 🙂 I mean, what else do you have to do? (just kidding!)

Monday Meals

Transformation Tuesday: our kitchen

Watching & reading

As always, thank you for reading. It’s such an unprecedented time right now, and keeping a routine and some light hearted blogging has helped me keep a sense of normalcy.

We are all in this together, y’all. ❤️

Have a great weekend.

Books and Shows

Watching & Reading

Posted on March 18, 2020May 16, 2020 by jgalvinwhite

Happy Wednesday, y’all. We are trying to get in our new routine of a little bit of home school while I work from home as well this week. I’m at least making sure my kids read, practice math, and complete at least one other assignment as well each day. And…we are trying to get some fresh air when the weather allows!

So, since we are home pretty much 24/7, I thought I’d share some of the books I plan in reading as well as some of the shows I hope to watch on Netflix.

On Friday, I headed to the library after school to pick up two books I had on hold. As I walked into the library, I saw the sign that said they were closing at 6:00 until at least April 6. So, I picked up my on hold books and wandered the aisles looking for books that interested me. To be honest, it had been forever since I just casually hung out at the library! I usually place holds for books online and just go pick up the books when they are available.

The librarian helped me find a book I was looking for and said, “Honey, you know you can get up to 50 books? You might as well grab as many as you can!” So. I. Did. 😉

On my Kindle, I’m currently reading Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult.

Also, one of my friends shared on Facebook a post from author Colleen Hoover. The post said (in part), “I think authors will be hurting the least when it comes to the financial impact this is going to have on the world. Because when people are stuck at home with nothing to do, boredom sets in and people buy ebooks. But I don’t want you guys to buy mine right now. Save all the bucks you can until we have a better grasp on how this will financially impact our households…”

She went on to say that for eligible books she has on Amazon, she enrolled them for free five days on those select titles.

The five days may be up soon, but the titles that are free for ebooks are: Verity, (which is SO good–I read it last summer in about two days!), Too Late, Hopeless, and Never Never series.

I’ve read All Your Perfects, It Ends with Us, and Verity by her. I’ve been wanting to read Regretting You and it was only $1.99 when I downloaded it on Monday!

I’ve had quite the Netflix list for some time. Shows friends have recommended or ideas from blogs that I’ve read. My list includes:

The Stranger
The Pharmacist
Murder Mystery
The Keepers
Unbelievable
The Innocent Man

Also, I believe that season 3 of Ozark is out now. Travis and I watch that show together, and I bet he’d love the above shows too!

Over the weekend, we completed a puzzle with my brother and sister-in-law. I will be honest, I’m not a huge fan of puzzles (mostly because I feel like we have to finish it…can’t just leave it and work on it over a few days haha), but I thought it would something fun to do since we were laying low. For Valentine’s Day, I bought this cereal puzzle for Hadley off of Amazon. It took us about an hour and a half to complete it. Although, we ended up losing two pieces along the way! (My brother found them the next day)

This puzzle should arrive today! 500 pieces will keep us busy.

So, these are just a few of the ways that I will be keeping busy with this forced time off.

Do you have any good book or Netflix recommendations? If so, let me know!

Thanks so much for reading. I hope you are having a great week.

Take care,

Home Updates

Transformation Tuesday: Kitchen Update

Posted on March 17, 2020May 16, 2020 by jgalvinwhite

Happy Tuesday! And…Happy St. Patrick’s Day. We “celebrated” on Sunday with corned beef, cabbage, and Irish Soda Bread. I may give the kids Lucky Charms for breakfast and call it a day 😉

This is my third Transformation Tuesday post in regards to the updates we’ve done on our house. The first post was about the basement bathroom renovation and then my second post was about our living room/office area.

As I’ve stated previously, if HGTV and Pinterest didn’t exist, I never would have had the “vision” of what our home could be, and I never would have given it at chance.

In my last post, I mentioned how we turned the formal living room into our main living space. Then, we used the dining room for a bit before turning it into an office area. Those rooms connect to the kitchen area.

The previous owners used part of the kitchen space for their kitchen and the other half of the space for their informal living area.

After living in the house for only a few days, we had the room doorways widened. Then, we tackled the floors. Again, I mentioned before that under the carpet in the formal living and dining space, there were unfinished floors. So, we ripped up the carpet in the kitchen and informal living room to find sub floors. We had wood laid, and then stained everything the same stain color.

Before:

The kitchen is big and the cabinets are great quality. Also, the counter tops were a light colored Corian material, and we were pleased with them. What were we not so pleased with? Uh…the carpet in the kitchen! To be fair, the carpet was immaculate. An older couple had lived in the house before us…but carpet with four-year-old twins was not a good combo upon moving in! I also didn’t love the fact there was a ceiling fan so close to where I’d be cooking. We actually moved the ceiling fan to our living room! Win win.

After:

The island with built in shelves was always a dream of mine. I loved picking out the granite (sticking with my color scheme of gray!), and the kids eat breakfast at the island every morning. We don’t have a pantry, but we do have tons of cabinet space, so we are lucky in that regard. The oven was the first appliance we swapped out…but only after it went kaput after living here about a year. Then, we needed more room in the fridge, so we purchased that next after about two years. The dishwasher and microwave are high quality, so we’ve left them as is for now, but will probably get new ones at some point. I also dream of a new sink and gas stove. I’m hoping to cross those things off the list sometime in the near future.

We also added recessed lighting throughout the kitchen. The only light that was in that entire space was the light from the ceiling fan at each end of the room and some under cabinet lighting.

Before:

After:

Travis painted the paneling white as a quick fix. Then, he used Pavilion Beige on the walls which is what we painted our walls in our former house before putting it up for sale. Also, there’s the cut out that looks into the living room.

Right when the kids started kindergarten, I put up the fishing line and clothes pins for them to hang their favorite school work. It’s so weird to think there’s only about one more year of elementary work to hang up on my Pinterest project!

The view from the kitchen into the office space. I love the light fixture in the office. There was a chandelier there when we used that space as a dining room.

Cabinets and Back splash Updates:

I like to make things as pretty as possible as soon as possible. One thing I was very proud of is that we lived in the house awhile before making some decisions. We’d lived in our house about a year before we decided to paint the cabinets. I debated between a gray or white for the cabinets. At the time, the back splash was an off white tile. While I knew we’d change it at some point, I just didn’t know when. Also, with the white paneling, I was afraid the whites wouldn’t match or it would be too much white. So, we went with a gray color. After much debate, (why are grays so difficult?!), we chose Sherwin Williams Light French Gray.

This picture of before and after popped up on my Facebook memories recently. What perfect timing! You can see the colors we were thinking about in the cabinets on the left.

Two men painted the cabinets in a few days, so it was a pretty painless process (after we got the paint color chosen! 😉 Then, of course, we needed new drawer pulls and knobs. (Knobs aren’t on yet in the “after” photo.)

I think about six months after we got the cabinets painted, we had the back splash updated. Our neighbor installed it for us and was tedious with choosing tiles that would be a good combo of colors. Not too many white tiles vs. too many gray tiles! Balance.

Before

Again, the owners before us, used this space as their informal living room. It’s where we put our farmhouse table when we had it built.

After:

We love the farmhouse table and bench that a local craftsman built. I bought the chairs on Joss & Main.

Cross back chairs

upholstered chairs

There was a heavy sliding glass door that leads out to the sun room. Another one of the first changes we made was getting French doors which made a pretty dramatic difference for this area of the house

Fireplace Before:

The fire place as another part of the house we “lived with” for awhile. We weren’t sure if we should paint it or not. After living here about a year, Travis painted it as we thought it would lighten up the kitchen even more. We’d heard that painting brick can be difficult and take multiple coats, but he didn’t have any issues and had the project completed quickly.

Fireplace After:

We get a lot of great natural light coming in from the sun room, and adding the gray paint made this area even lighter.

Still the kitchen, but another angle. The previous owners had a built in shelf for their television at this end of the kitchen.

Also, we had a gallery wall in the living room of our previous home, so I added some of my favorite pictures to this wall within a few months of us moving in.

I like the mix of modern furniture with antiques in this space. The cabinet on the left is a family heirloom that my dad gave to me. We added it to our kitchen about a year ago after I visited KC and then rented a small U-Haul to bring it back.

We purchased the accent cabinet from Ashley furniture a couple of years ago when there was a sale going on. I’d never had a place to showcase the China we got as a wedding gift (and never use ;). I also use that space to safely house some of the kids’ pottery projects throughout the years.

Accent Cabinet

I really do love that we are able to utilize all the space in our house. In our old house, even now with two kids, I know we still would have wasted space. Of course, sometimes I wish we had bigger bedrooms and bigger closets, but the main living areas have been pretty perfect for us. It’s been fun scratch my creative itch and make decisions a long the way for our home.

I continue to be thankful that Travis found this house and pestered me until we went to look at it 😉 Plus, if you haven’t noticed, Travis likes to tackle projects…especially those that have to do with painting!

I hope you are having a great week. Thanks for reading, y’all.

Meals and Recipes

Monday Meals: Baked Chicken

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

Happy Monday! I hope this post finds you healthy and well.

It’s a weird start to the week. Last week, our governor said that schools in the state should close starting today until after our spring break (which is the week of March 30-April 3). So, we have three weeks off (possibly more!) starting today.

At this point, I’d like to continue my regular blog posting schedule, but, of course, please know I never want to seem insensitive to what is going on in our country.

Keeping a routine is important to me in times of uncertainty, and blogging is definitely a light-hearted part of my life.

Of course, thoughts and prayers for those who have been affected by this virus.

In the meantime, I’m going to continue to wash my hands and to practice social distancing the best that I can !

Today, I thought I’d share one of my favorite meals. My dad gave me this recipe years ago. Not only is it tasty, but we always get two meals out of it as well.

Ingredients

2 eggs
1 Tblsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp. dried thyme
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
bread crumbs (I do a Panko/bread crumb mix to make the crust crispier)
Package of chicken thighs (The reason I seem to get two meals out of this is because I can never find a chicken thigh package with less than 12 pieces of meat!)

Instructions:

Remove skin of chicken thighs if necessary. The package I get is skinless.
In a dish or bowl, put the eggs, mustard, thyme, salt, and pepper and mix together.
In another dish or bowl, put the bread crumbs (or bread crumb / Panko mix)
Dip the chicken in the wet ingredients and then the dry ingredients.
Place on a wire rack on top of a baking pan (I always spray the wire rack with cooking spray)
Spray the top of the chicken with cooking spray.
Bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes.
Enjoy!
*I usually use the wire rack, BUT I’ve also just placed them on a baking sheet. If I do that, I usually flip the chicken halfway through to ensure it won’t stick to the pan.

Wet and dry ingredients ready to go.

In the oven…

Ready to eat!

I served the chicken with microwave Bob Evans mashed potatoes and bagged Ceasar salad. Easy dinner on a week night!

I hope we can find peace and calm in this time of uncertainty.

Thanks for reading today’s post, and I hope you enjoy this meal.

Friday Favorites, Homer

Friday Favorites {#19}: Happy Birthday, Homer

Posted on March 13, 2020August 20, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

For this edition of Friday Favorites, I’m celebrating Homer turning O N E!

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

I’ve previously posted about getting Homer being a highlight of our summer! Also, I wrote a post about Homer at his six month milestone.

Two of my favorite things are birthdays and Homer, so here’s a little Happy Birthday tribute to Homer.

Of course, we don’t know Homer’s actual birthday because we adopted him from Tails of Hope OH. He was listed as possibly being 12 weeks old, but after the first vet visit, he thought Homer was closer to 10 weeks old. So, based off that, his birthday would be around mid-March. Dogs in our family get a vanilla ice cream from Dairy Queen on their birthday, so we will get Homer one this weekend! Then, in the future, we may just celebrate his “gotcha” date of June 8.

Homer: month by month

My friend Natalie got a Golden Retriever pup a few months before we got Homer. She had the idea of monthly pics based off of the @goldenpeanutpupper account on Instagram. I loved the idea (and remember: I treat Homer like the third child I never had!), so I took monthly pics as well. Homer will pose instantly for a treat, so the monthly pics weren’t too hard to take. It was so fun to watch him grow this year!!

Months 3-7 (month 6-7 amazes me how much taller he got!)

Homer’s DNA Results

I wrote a post about Homer’s DNA results here, so check that out if you’d like. We were looking for a lab mix, and that’s what we got! Even the first time our vet saw him, he mentioned he thought Homer had some Husky in him…and he does. His break down is:

25% American Staffordshire Terrier
25% Great Pyrenees
25% Labrador Retriever
12.5% Chow Chow
12.5% Husky

Hobbies:

Since we got Homer, I’ve joked about his “hobbies.” They include, but are not limited to:

chasing his tail, trying to catch lightning bugs, chewing shoe laces, licking dirty dishes in the dishwasher, unlocking his kennel while he’s inside of it, stealing food off of the counter, licking lotion off my legs, running full speed onto the couch, licking the shower door, chewing (and destroying!) the remote control, licking icing off of a cookie cake, chewing up stuffed animals, getting into the outside garbage and littering the backyard, playing in the mud, dragging the toilet paper down the hall, destroying Trav’s wallet (x2!), tearing up school work, running around in the snow, dumping his water bowl over and bringing the empty bowl to us, taking receipts out of jacket pockets and tearing them up, destroying baseball hats, eating a tub of Parmesan cheese, and giving us KISSES (I had to end on a positive note!) #homerisahandful #buthecute

Homer by the Numbers…

years old: 1(ish)
Pounds weighed: 55
# months in our family: 9
# of nicknames: 4 (probably more!): Homster, Biscuit, Pooks, Sweets
# of dead birds he’s brought into the house: 3
# of breeds in his genetic makeup: 5
# of scarves he wears to be stylish: 7
# of things that have been #Homered: too many to count
# of hearts who love him: 4 #wehearthomer

Fave Pics of Homer

Our Dogs are Our Family

My love for pups runs deep. The greatest gift my parents gave my brother and me was showing us what a dog can add to a family. Growing up, we had a German Shepherd named Maggie and then a couple years after she passed away, we got a Doberman named Jake. They were such an important part of our home and taught us about unconditional love, responsibility, and unwavering loyalty.

While we currently heart Homer, we’ve loved two other pups in our family as well. After our one year anniversary, I tricked Travis into thinking that the standard one year anniversary gift was a dog! We didn’t have kids yet, but we knew Boxers were great with kids. We got Shiloh in August of 2006. In the spring of 2008, I convinced Travis that Shiloh needed a friend…We stuck with the Boxer breed, and we got Scout!

Shiloh and Scout meant the world to us…when both of them passed (Scout in April 2018 and Shiloh in March of 2019), I thought about all the times they were there for us. Their unconditional love helped us through some tough times, and, in general, they brought such joy to our lives.

I’m not sure what they would think of Homer. Scout would probably enjoy playing with him, and Shiloh would probably have had zero tolerance for him 😉 (She was known for her rested B face!)

We miss them fiercely, but Homer has helped our hearts heal.

“A dog is the only thing on Earth that loves you more that he loves himself.”

–Josh Billings

#truth

Happy birthday, Homer! There’s a vanilla ice cream pup cup headed your way this weekend!

Thanks for reading today’s Friday Favorites post. We sure do love Homer, and he certainly is a favorite of ours…especially when he’s behaving…or sleeping (He’s so cute when he’s sleeping!)

Have a great weekend! See you back here on Monday for a favorite recipe of mine!