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Posted in Me

New Year, Same Me.

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello from snowy Kentucky!

Well, I feel with the start of the year, I usually “reintroduce” myself via a blog post whether it’s a link up topic or just a post I plan on writing.

Anyway, every year, I seem to have a few more readers which I appreciate so much. If you’ve read ten posts or one hundred, there still might be some gaps in what you know about me, and I always feel like I should re-explain the blog title for new readers.

My Share Our Lives post from last year is a quick way to get to know me with a few other posts linked as well.

So…here are a few things about me:

Missouri to Kentucky:

I was born and raised in a suburb of Kansas City and then attended the University of Missouri in Columbia for college. So, I’m a loyal Chiefs and Royals fan. In my senior year of college, I met Trav, who was working in the same athletic office as me. Working in college athletics was Trav’s real job while I was just working part time to earn money before and during student teaching.

Anyway, he eventually decided that he wanted to get in the horse business. He’s from Louisville, but went to school at UK, so he settled back in Lexington and started his work in the horse business. I moved to Lexington a year later. We got engaged right before I left KC, and then I found a teaching job just outside of Lexington.

So, my blog title is mesh of the “Show Me” state Missouri where I’m from and the “sweet tea” reference of the south.

Family:

We’re in the stage of life where life is centered around the kids and their activities. We’re typically shuttling them to and from whatever sport they need to go to. It’s nice when we are all home. Teenagers –they like their rooms –haha…sometimes, we’re all home and in our separate areas, but it’s nice to spend time together when we can.

Travis:

It’s hard to believe but Trav and I will celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary this summer. Where has the time gone?

I joke that he’s stayed the same, and I’m the one who’s changed a bit throughout our years together. He’s just the steady, hard-working, likable guy that I met 23 years ago. I know I have good qualities too (haha)—but I was just younger when we started dating and I’ve certainly changed a bit from my 20’s to 30’s to now mid (wow!) 40’s.

I never would have imagined that I would have moved away from Missouri, but that “risk” has paid off. We have a blessed life.

4. Reading:

I’d say my #1 hobby (besides watching my kids’ activities and this blog) is reading. I love to read, and will take my Kindle anywhere. For years, I would usually read one actual book and then have one book on my Kindle, but in the past year, my Kindle has become my go to. On vacations this past year, I’ve only taken my Kindle to read.

Anyway, I don’t think a day goes by that I don’t read at least a few pages. There’s nothing better than starting and/or finishing a great book.

5. Teaching:

This year is my 23rd year in high school education. I taught for a year outside of Columbia Missouri, and then I taught a year at a school in KC when I decided to move back home. Then, I moved to Kentucky and taught for 12 years at a more rural school outside of Lexington. This is my 9th year at my current school, and I assume it’s where I will finish my career.

When I moved to my current school, my kids were in 1st grade. I remember thinking that this will be the school they’d go to one day, and this year we’re there together. Seeing them and their friends at school has been surprisingly meaningful for me. I do have some of their friends in my advanced class which was more of an adjustment for me than the students. haha

After this year, I have seven to ten years left just depending on my retirement. I have two Missouri years and then I was .7 for three years when the kids were little to spend more time with them. So, I get paid for my 23 years experience, but to get full retirement, I may have to stick it out closer to the ten years than the seven years, if that makes sense. It’s still quite a ways off, but wow!…it is crazy to at least even have retirement on my radar.

So, that’s a bit about me. I hope I didn’t bore you! haha

We’re off again today thanks to the snow/ice we got Sunday/Monday. My street is a bus stop street, and it’s still snow covered, so who knows if we will go tomorrow or Friday. So far, we’ve had “traditional” snow days as it’s at the start of the semester, and I’m afraid many elementary teachers hadn’t seen Chromebooks home yet. Also, we still have quite a few areas without power.

I have no clue what this means for us in regards to making these days up. We’ve relied on NTI (non-traditional instruction) the past five years without many traditional snow days. Anyway, there’s nothing I can do about the weather, and we have more snow on the way this weekend! I do love a snow day, but I also feel ready to get back to school. I like to space the snow days out if possible. But, I’ll enjoy the time off while I have it.

Thanks for reading,

Posted in Amazon

Prime Purchases – January 2025

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello!

Well, I had good intentions of sharing this post yesterday, but the weekend got the best of me.

We had a lot of harsh winter weather Sunday and Monday. We got about six inches of snow on Sunday followed by ice. Yesterday was another blustery day with additional snow. The kids did make the most of it going sledding with friends both days.

As of now, we’re out of school today and tomorrow. Yesterday was a teacher work day that got canceled. I never thought we’d have an extended winter break, yet here we are!

I was bummed when Tanya announced she was discontinuing her monthly Prime Purchases link up, but I still plan on sharing my purchases once a month…most likely on the first Monday. That just makes for easy blog planning.

Well, I have quite a few purchases, some of which were purchased in November. I just held off sharing them because I didn’t want to ruin any gifts for family!

Gifts:

When I was with my dad in July to help him after his knee surgery, I noticed that he really could use some new dish towels. He never asks for anything, so I just “book marked” that idea for Christmas.

I got him this pack of six kitchen towels. They are thick, great quality, and come in a variety of color combos.

He changes his sheets once a week, but only has one pair of sheets. So, I got him this set. Now, they aren’t his “My Pillow” brand that he loves, but these are great quality and had over 363,000 reviews, so I felt like they were a safe bet.

The Major gives his seal of approval!

My Gma requested a tumbler, and I got her this pretty light purple one by Owala. I’ve seen lots of people using this brand now.

Hadley needed a new winter coat, and this one was on her wish list. It’s puffer coat but not too thick. It seems like it’s a popular option on Amazon, and it comes in a variety of colors.

I put this face wash in Hayden’s stocking. To my knowledge, he is actually using it. haha.

Both kids needed new winter gloves, so I got Hayden the black ones, and Hadley got the gray ones. These were supposed to go in their stockings, but they were the one thing that didn’t fit..and they both came in slim boxes, so I just wrapped them for them to open.

Trav got an Apple watch recently and didn’t like the band. So, I bought him this pack, and it’s just what he wanted. This was a good stocking stuffer for him.

My brother came over a few weeks ago, and he was wearing these joggers. I needed one more gift for Trav and thought he’d like them. They come in a variety of colors. Trav has already worn his new pair a few times.

Have I mentioned Trav is hard to buy for?…and he always asks for the most basic things. He wanted a cotton long sleeve t-shirt, and one day after school, the kids and I went to Dick’s Sporting Goods to look for one. There wasn’t a single plan basic long-sleeved cotton T-shirt to be found!

Well, “OG” Russell Athletics and Amazon saved the day. Can’t beat the less than $9 price on these shirts. He was a good guy this year, so I sprung and bought him two different colors! haha

Trav’s mom needed a suggestion, and again, he had asked for a basic gray sweatshirt. I had seen some at Old Navy, but then I realized sending her one via Amazon would probably just be a lot easier for all.

Hane’s saves the day with a less than $12 basic!

I’d never seen the Stanley beer Stein, but I figured Travis would get some use out of it.

Other:

Last year, I got these same flats in black, and I still wear them all the time. I have two pairs of tan flats that I rarely wear, so I bought this pair that I knew I’d wear to replace those two. I’ve added them to my donation pile now that I have this pair.

My black ones are my usual size 9, but the tan 9 was too tight. I guess they fit, but I wasn’t convinced that I wouldn’t get a blister. So, I returned them and ordered the 9.5, and they fit much better.

These are truly a great flat that come in many colors. I have my eye on the leopard to replace my Walmart leopard pair that I’ve had for years.

We got this power strip for Trav’s side of the bed. He needed an easier way to charge his phone…and he can plug his watch in there too.

We throw a blanket on the bed for if/when Homer hops up there to sleep. We’ve used the same one for years, and it has holes in it. I’ve gotten a couple of these blankets in the past for the living room, so I picked up a light color one for our bed to replace Homer’s old one. This is a great blanket for $12!

Like most January’s, I try and take an Amazon break. That being said, I ordered a coat for Hayden that arrived just in time for all the snowfall. These teens, they hardly wear coats, so I never know they’ve outgrown one until the temps drop and snow falls. (Hayden’s coat was $50 when I ordered it…I’m assuming the price went up thanks to the winter storms sweeping the country!)

What have you “primed” lately?

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

Posted in Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#239}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

Well, all good things must come to an end. I feel like I just shared a Friday Favorites post saying I was ready for break. Now, the two weeks are up, and it’s almost time to face reality.

I’m linking up with Andrea for this week’s Friday Favorites.

Here are a few favorites from the week:

Well, we’ve had a pretty low-key week with not a lot of action. Honestly, that’s my first favorite…but that also means I don’t have a ton to share.

While in KC, my Gma gave me this candle snuffer that my great great grandfather made. It’s the perfect addition to my living room tray.

I have two new ornaments to add to my tree. My Gma made this one…

…and my mom gave me this one. It’s a light from the Plaza Christmas lights.

Hadley was back in action playing in a scrimmage with her new volleyball team. They were fun to watch, and I know they’ll only get better.

We spent New Year’s Eve with friends at a progressive dinner. It’s always a good time and great way to end the year.

We drew words again, and I got purpose, commitment, and faith as my focus for the year.

One of my Christmas gifts was the word search calendar.

I’ve started every day with a puzzle. I’ve always loved word searches.

Favorite Kid Quote:

Travis went to the grocery store on Sunday and told me he planned dinners for the week.

Later, Hayden opened the cabinet and said,“Dad, why did you buy protein spaghetti?” 🤣 Travis is consistently “new year, new me” most Januarys!

Favorite Mom Meme:

Back to school next week! Honestly, even I’m out of whack. I’ve been going to bed close to 11 and not getting up until 8-9!

Weekly Recap:

I’ve had some of my favorite “end of year” posts this week:

Christmas Recap
2024 books
2024 Recap
Bible Plans

I’m supposed to head back to school on Monday and the kids on Tuesday. If we get the predicted weather that’s expected for Sunday/Monday, I’m not sure any of us will be back to school until at least Wednesday. We’ll see.

Stay warm,

Posted in Inspiration

Year of Bible Plans

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Thursday!

Unfortunately, this week seems to be flying by!

Last December, I was scrolling Pinterest and saw a December Bible Study, so I used that to guide my Bible reading for that month.

A Season of Advent was a meaningful way to reflect on the reason for the season, so I used this one in December 2023.

I often use the Bible app to read the verse of the day, but after doing the December focus, I decided to find more Bible studies for every month of 2024.

I’m sharing those with you today!

January:

New Beginnings seemed like a great way to start off the year.

February:

The Love of God was perfect for February.

March:

Increasing My Faith was the focus this month.

April:

While April wasn’t an anxious month, Overcoming Anxiety verses are good for me to know.

May:

Being Redeemed was the focus in May.

June:

The Joy of the Lord for June.

July:

Holding Unto God’s Promises for July.

August:

Bravery was a good focus as we headed back to school (haha!)

September:

Gripping God’s Word in September.

October:

Finding Refuge in God in October.

November:

Thankfulness was the focus for November.

December:

Joy was the focus for December, and so many of the verses included the word “joy” which was fun to find.

When I started, I used this SOAP Bible Study Journal. I used a couple of these journals before finding…

…this “little book” (but it’s a regular size…a bit smaller than the journal above) from Callie Danielle this summer.

(old pic with my cereal, but for size reference)

I don’t see it on the site now, and that might be because it’s a July-June journal. That being said, this little journal is so cute too. This “church notes” journal looks sweet as well.

I used these pens to write the verse each day.

I continued using the original journal to bubble in my progress each day. I put a cute sticker on each month as I finished.

It was really rewarding to know that I read consistently throughout the year.

I’m not sure my Bible plan for this year. For sure, I will use the Bible app for my daily verse, or I might find some other Bible studies on Pinterest.

This is my plan for January:

A few years ago, I read the entire Bible, and that felt like such a meaningful accomplishment. I’m pretty private with my faith, and I feel like I’m a student of Christianity. The teacher in me knows the way to learn is to read…and reflect. Having a focused section to read and reflect on each day is what’s worked for me as I’ve continued to grow in my faith based knowledge. We love our church and our church family, and we’re grateful to have that part of our life over the last few years.

As we say when we send emails with ideas at school…”trash or treasure!”

Posted in Blog challenge, Everyday Life, Other

Year in Review 2024

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy January 1st!

With the first day of the new year, I’m looking back on 2024 to share my “year in review.” These years seem to fly by, and it’s always fun to look back on all we did!

January:

I tend to take less pictures in January than any other month! It’s typically a slow month for us which is why January is a favorite month of mine.

We started off January thinking about my “words of the year” from our New Year’s Eve night dinner. Faith, forgiveness, growth…good focus for the year.

Another reason I love January…it’s my birthday month!

We had our first snow day in January which means I made snowman pancakes, per tradition.

“Snow pretty” haha

February:

The kids had their third cotollion dance in February. “Malibu Mingle” was semi-formal attire.

Trav and the kids went to Florida to cheer on our nephew as he ran an Olympic qualifying race.

I stayed home and my friend helped put the finishing touches on Hadley’s “room refresh” by putting up the wallpaper.

The Chiefs won the Super Bowl, and of course we were excited about that! I don’t want to jinx it, but we have our party prep down!

Of course, we celebrated Valentine’s Day.

Hayden’s 8th grade basketball season wrapped up. His time as a “baller” was officially over…another middle school milestone.

March:

We went to the Bailey Zimmerman concert in Cinci. This was the kids’ first concert, and he put on a great show.

We celebrated St. Patrick’s Day with corned beef, cabbage, and Irish soda bread.

Hadley had fun playing volleyball during club season.

April:

We celebrated Easter at the beginning of April…

…and then headed to Washington, DC for spring break. We had a fun few days touring the nation’s capitol.

We had one extra day of spring break thanks to the solar eclipse.

Hayden went to Louisville to run in the Eastern Relays meet.

Both kids had lots of track meets.

Trav and I went to Keeneland for the afternoon.

The kids dressed in more formal attire for their final cotollion dance.

Hayden ran in the Dream Mile in Louisville which was the top 15 8th graders in Kentucky.

While Hayden was running, Hadley was at the 8th grade dance with her friends.

May:

Travis and I went to the Oaks races with friends.

We celebrated Mother’s Day by going to church and then out to brunch.

Hadley’s club volleyball season wrapped up and they finished runner up in the tournament.

The 8th grade track season finished with both the city and state meets. Hayden holds the school record for the 800, 1600 and 3200 times and Hadley’s relay team holds the school record in three relays. The city and state meets were a perfect way to end their middle school running careers.

With the end of middle school came 8th grade graduation. The students had a wonderful celebration and then we went out to dinner.

The next day, they kids had a fun pool party with all of their friends.

June:

We were so happy to be out of school by June. We headed to KC for a few days. We went to the Royals game, and they had a huge come back win. It was nice seeing family and kicking off our summer that way.

Hadley went to camp and had the best time.

We celebrated Trav for Father’s Day.

Then, it was time for our trip to the Pacific Northwest…Oregon and Washington. We went to the Olympic Track Trials, saw the Oregon coast, stayed at a resort and toured Seattle. It was a trip we’ll always remember.

While in Oregon, Trav and I celebrated our 19th wedding anniversary.

July:

After a couple of days home, I went to KC to help dad after his knee surgery the first week of July. The kids celebrated the 4th as Hayden ran a 10k, and then Trav and the kids went to our spot to watch the fireworks.

When I got home, we celebrated Trav’s birthday.

Hayden had fun at running camp.

I spent a lot of time at the pool!

We celebrated Trav’s mom’s 75th birthday.

Hadley had volleyball tryouts, and was excited to make the team.

August:

Volleyball and cross country commitments cranked up. The kids had meets and games.

We all prepped to go back to school…

I tweaked our back to school breakfast/brinner to dinner at Ihop…and none of us were mad about that new tradition.

The kids started high school, and I started my 23rd year of education!

Trav and I went to the Larry Fleet concert in Lexington…on a school night!!

September:

By September, Hadley was in the thick of volleyball season.

Her team had a fun weekend in Tennessee at a tournament. Their freshman team placed high in the JV bracket, so it was a fun and rewarding experience.

Hayden ran Varsity in many competitive meets.

The kids went to more Kentucky football games then Travis and I did. haha

At the end of September, we had bad storms and lost one of our favorite front yard trees.

October:

We started October in 30A on fall break with our friends. This was the third year, and we love this tradition. We’re so lucky to have these friends and families to go on this vacation with year after year.

The KC Royals made it to the playoffs and were fun to watch!

Hayden ran an awesome race in the city meet. Trav was getting over Covid, so he watched from a distance, but I got a pic with Hayden! (Then, it was my turn for Covid.)

Screenshot

Trav and I were able to go to Keeneland one afternoon which is one of my favorite fall traditions.

The leaves changed our our remaining tree, and I got one of my fave pics of the year!

Right before Halloween, the kids carved their pumpkins per tradition.

November:

Hayden ran another great race in the state meet. He won a freshman award at the end of season banquet.

Hadley had her volleyball banquet, and earned an award too.

We’re proud of all that the kids accomplished in their first high school seasons, and they had a lot of fun with their teammates.

The kids turned 15!! How is that possible?

We celebrated Thanksgiving in Louisville.

Then, we headed to Charlotte for Hayden to run in the Foot Locker South Regional race. We’d never been to Charlotte, and it was a fun city to explore for a couple of days.

December:

In December, we did all the holiday things.

We celebrated Christmas a couple of days early, and then…

…we headed to KC for a few days to see family there!

Now, we have a little less than a week before school starts back, so we’re taking the time to relax but also be productive before heading back to the hustle and bustle of life.

Today’s the fresh start of a new year, and I hope 2025 is a great one for all!

Posted in Books and Shows

December Books & Top 5 books for 2024

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Happy New Year’s Eve! Where did 2024 go?

I’m cutting it close with it being the last day of the year, but one of my favorite posts to write is this one…

I had a pretty good year of reading. I think some of the best books that I read were at the start of the year. Unfortunately, there were some months where I only got one book read, but I always look forward to the next book after finishing one.

December Books:

This month was a little different December reading month for me. I usually try to read only Christmas books, but when the month started off with a couple of books becoming available, I decided to start the month off with those before transitioning to holiday reads.

This month I read:

{As always, book summaries are from Goodreads…}

Ina Garten, Be Ready When Luck Happens:

Summary:

Here, for the first time, Ina Garten presents an intimate, entertaining, and inspiring account of her remarkable journey. Ina’s gift is to make everything look easy, yet all her accomplishments have been the result of hard work, audacious choices, and exquisite attention to detail. In her unmistakable voice (no one tells a story like Ina), she brings her past and her process to life in a high-spirited and no-holds-barred memoir that chronicles decades of personal challenges, adventures (and misadventures) and unexpected career twists, all delivered with her signature combination of playfulness and purpose.

From a difficult childhood to meeting the love of her life, Jeffrey, and marrying him while still in college, from a boring bureaucratic job in Washington, D.C., to answering an ad for a specialty food store in the Hamptons, from the owner of one Barefoot Contessa shop to author of bestselling cookbooks and celebrated television host, Ina has blazed her own trail and, in the meantime, taught millions of people how to cook and entertain. Now, she invites them to come closer to experience her story in vivid detail and to share the important life lessons she learned along the way: do what you love because if you love it you’ll be really good at it, swing for the fences, and always Be Ready When the Luck Happens.

Quick Thoughts:

I could not have loved this book more. It was so interesting to read about Ina’s life –her difficult childhood, her time at the White House, how she is a self-made businesswoman and more! I loved reading the Jeffery stories too. They only thing that would have made this book “better” is if I had listened to the audio book, but that wasn’t available at my library.

Rating:

Leanne Morgan, What in the World?!:

Summary:

From dealing with your mean teenage daughter to rebelling against the latest diet trend, America’s newest standup sensation packs a hilarious punch with her real talk about what it’s like to be a regular woman today. For a long time, no one pulling the strings in the comedy world thought that an over-fifty woman from rural Tennessee could make it in the industry. But Leanne Morgan has defied the odds, reaching millions with her musings on menopause, Weight Watchers, and her opposites-attract relationship with her husband, Chuck. In her charming, Southern-accented voice, Morgan brings readers inside her quest to find her calling after so many years trying to figure out what that meant. Along the way, she discusses everything from growing up as a butcher’s daughter, to her strategy for landing a husband with health insurance, to the glories of aging and the comfort of wearing big old grannie panties. Equal parts warm and hilarious, this book is a must-read by one of comedy’s rising stars—reminding you that every time life leaves you asking, “What in the world?”, something good is going to come out of it someday.

Quick Thoughts:

I love Leanne Morgan. She’s sooo funny. I love following her on Instagram, and I would love to see one of her comedy shows one day. She was actually in Lexington this fall, but we were about of town. Like Ina’s book, I loved hearing Leanne’s story — her ups and downs in life, starting her family, and her journey to becoming a comedian who finally “made it” in her 50’s. She’s so funny…and listening to the book made it even better!

Rating:

Home Sweet Christmas:

Summary:

Until Camryn Neff can return to her “real” life in Chicago, she’s in Wishing Tree to care for her twin sisters. She’s not looking for forever love, not here. But handsome hotelier Jake Crane is a temptation she can’t resist, so she suggests they pair up for the season. No golden rings, no broken hearts. At his side, she sees her hometown through Christmas-colored eyes. The cheer is cheerier, the joy more joyful. She thought she had put her future on hold…but maybe her real life was here all along, waiting for her to come home.

New in town, River Best is charmed by Wishing Tree’s homespun traditions and warmhearted people. When she’s crowned Snow Queen, she’s honored but wary. Dylan Tucker, her king, seems like the stuff of sugarplum dreams, but she can’t shake the feeling that he’s hiding something big. As they perform their “royal” duties—tasting cookies, lighting trees—Dylan’s good humor and melty kisses draw her to the brink of love. But she can’t let herself fall until she uncovers his secret, even if her lack of faith means losing him forever.

Quick Thoughts:

This is book 2 in the Wishing Tree series. I believe I read the first book, The Christmas Wedding Guest, last December. The town of Wishing Tree is the perfect setting for these books. The four main characters were fun to follow along, and all the Wishing Tree/Christmas touches made for a great book to read in December.

Rating:

Bright Lights, Big Christmas:

Summary:

When fall rolls around, it’s time for Kerry Tolliver to leave her family’s Christmas tree farm in the mountains of North Carolina for the wilds of New York City to help her gruff older brother & his dog, Queenie, sell the trees at the family stand on a corner in Greenwich Village. Sharing a tiny vintage camper and experiencing Manhattan for the first time, Kerry’s ready to try to carve out a new corner for herself.

In the weeks leading into Christmas, Kerry quickly becomes close with the charming neighbors who live near their stand. When an elderly neighbor goes missing, Kerry will need to combine her country know-how with her newly acquired New York knowledge to protect the new friends she’s come to think of as family.

And complicating everything is Patrick, a single dad raising his adorable, dragon-loving son Austin on this quirky block. Kerry and Patrick’s chemistry is undeniable, but what chance does this holiday romance really have?

Quick Thoughts:

I’m not trying to be dramatic, but this is one of the best Christmas books I’ve read in a long time. Sometimes with “lighter” reads, I read quickly, but with this one, I read every word and was hooked from the first page. I liked the setting being in New York as most of these kinds of books are set in a small town. The other thing I liked about this book was that there were so many characters…but not too many. Again, in many fiction books, there are just a couple of characters. This is a great Christmas read!

Rating:

It’s rare that I think a holiday romance book is five stars, but that’s what I rate this one.

Recap of 2024 Books:

This year my goal was to read 40 books which has been my goal the past few years. I started the year off strong reading some of my favorite books of the year. The summer is always a great time to read, but then once school started, I had less time to read…and some of the books I read weren’t my favorites. No matter how many books I read in a year, reading is still one of my favorite hobbies, and I always have a book on my Kindle to read whenever I have time to do so.

I read 35 books in 2024:

Here are my Goodreads stats:

  • 35 books read
  • 11,923 pages read
  • The shortest book I read was What in the World?! with 240 pages
  • The longest book I read was All the Light We Cannot See with 544 pages
  • Average book length in 2024 …340 pages

My 2024 Reads:

Another year of reading in some of my favorite places:

I enjoyed making the book trackers and share what I’d read on Instagram.

xr:d:DAGBHb6HEgY:4,j:1941474876823857025,t:24033121

The books I read this year:

January:

  • The Last Love Note
  • All the Light We Cannot See

February:

  • The Berry Pickers
  • Class

March:

  • The Frozen River
  • John Stamos: If You Would Have Told Me
  • The Heiress

April:

  • The Women
  • None of this is True
  • Killers of the Flower Moon

May:

  • Darling Girls
  • Mama Love
  • A Beautiful, Terrible Thing

June:

In June, I listened to my very first audio books…

  • After Annie
  • The Last Lifeboat
  • This Summer Will Be Different
  • The Summer of Songbirds
  • Birdie & Harlow (audio book)
  • The Office BFFs (audio book)

July:

  • The Darlings
  • A Hundred Summers
  • The Boys in the Boat
  • The Summer Pact
  • Greenlights (Matthew McConaughey – audio book)
  • Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing (Matthew Perry- audio book)

August:

  • Swan Song (and summer reading recap)

September:

  • The Secret Book of Flora Lea

October:

  • The Girls in the Garden
  • She’s Not Sorry

November:

  • The House in the Pines

December:

  • Ina Garten’s Be Ready When Luck Happens
  • Leanne Morgan’s What in the World?
  • Home Sweet Christmas
  • Bright Lights, Big Christmas

Top 5 Books of 2024:

With the books I loved, it’s pretty obvious my two favorite genres are “history fiction” and “memoirs.”

Before I share my Top 5 reads of 2024, these books deserve honorable mention recognition.

Here are they are in the order that I read them:

  • Berry Pickers
  • Killers of the Flower Moon
  • The Many Lives of Mama Love
  • The Summer of Songbirds
  • The Boys in the Boat
  • What in the World?

Here are my top 5 reads of 2024…

Frozen River:

I read this book thanks to Shay’s book club.

The Last Lifeboat:

I’d had this library book on my shelf for quite some time. I’d forgotten about it, so I returned it, but then found the book to download to my Kindle. I wish I hadn’t waited so long to read it.

Ina Garten’s Be Ready When Luck Happens:

I love Ina. I need that on a bumper sticker.

The Women:

The library wait list was long for this one, and I know why! I couldn’t put this book down.

All the Light We Cannot See:

This is the #1 book I read this year. Again, I love historical fiction, and this was a gripping, serious, and inspiring novel. I started 2024 off right reading this book in January.

I highly recommend it as well as the series on Netflix. It was SO good as well.

Previous Top 5 Books:

2023
2022
2021
2020
2019

What was the best book you read this year?

Posted in Holidays, Seasonal

Hello Monday! – Christmas Recap

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Monday!

I hope you had a wonderful weekend. A week from today, I’ll be headed back to school…but let’s not be negative, shall we?!

I feel like my two week break has been broken into two parts. The first part was all about the holidays and this week will be about having a bit more time to relax and accomplish some things on my to do list like tidying up and going through closets!

I’m linking up with the Hello Monday ladies to share about all our Christmas fun the past week or so.

Before we get started, I’m linking Friday’s post which was my…

…this is one of my favorite posts to write, but it posted late. I had scheduled last week’s posts ahead of time, and I apparently set the date for Saturday. Anyway, for me, it’s a fun look back on the year.

Now, on to Christmas…

Going all the way back to Friday, December 20th. This was our last day of school before break. Hadley and friends had their Secret Santa party that evening to kick off break, and they had lots of fun.

On Saturday I was feeling the Christmas “time crunch,” and made time to watch one of my favorite movies…The Holiday.

Sunday (the 22nd) was our Christmas morning for our family of four. In true teen fashion, the kids slept in a bit. Hayden was up first at 9:15, and went and woke Hadley up. I remember the days of telling them not to leave their rooms before 6:30! haha

Ready to open gifts.

Per tradition, they picked out gifts for each other:

My favorite gift was this necklace from Trav and the kids. It’s the kids’ birthstone.

Travis is always creative with the present tags…

Then it was stocking time, Homer got some treats in his stocking.

We said Homer looks like he’s smiling 😆

Hayden was excited for his new golf clubs and Hadley loves her new Dandy sweatshirt. (I think these sweatshirts were the #1 request from most teen girls)

That morning, I watched another favorite movie that I always watch around Christmas…While You Were Sleeping.

While we had breakfast and hung out, I used the simmer pot ingredients from one of my students. The house smelled delish!

That afternoon, my brother and his family came over, so the kids could swap gifts. While they were also going to KC for Christmas, we didn’t want to haul so many gifts back and forth.

We hung out the rest of the afternoon, and then Travis fixed steaks that one of his clients sent for our Christmas dinner.

Instead of pulling out the Christmas China (that I love), I just kept it simple with the plates from Target that I’ve had for years.

On the 23rd, we went to Louisville for Trav’s family Christmas. All the cousins are getting older, and some live out of state, but they all made it back to Louisville for Christmas.

On Christmas Eve, we continued our Christmas journey and drove to KC. Our first stop before hitting the road was Starbucks, of course. The cold brew with peppermint foam is my fave of the holiday this season.

We made good time to KC and got to my mom’s house after our seven+ hour drive. We had a few minutes to rest, and then everyone showered and got ready for Christmas Eve.

We got a good family pic!

We made our way to my dad’s cousin’s house who always hosts Christmas Eve. We hadn’t seen the Major in a few months, so it was nice to see him and our extended family.

That’s usually a late night for us after a long day, so we were ready for bed that night back at my mom’s house. The kids slept in a bit and then we had Christmas morning at my mom’s.

I got a gift from a blog reader! One of my mom’s friends reads my blog, saw this book and thought of me! So sweet. Thanks, Ann.

Then, while we lounged around, we (mostly me) watched…

…before breakfast.

My mom had baked and decorated cute cookies… (Hadley helped her make another batch later in the week)

Then, we went to my dad’s house for the afternoon. The Chiefs were playing, and won.

My dad had cinnamon rolls for us from a favorite bakery. They hit the spot.

On the 26th, we went to my Gma’s house to make waffle cookies. The kids have gotten used to making them on the 100+ year old waffle iron.

Success!

Almost too good to eat…almost…

That evening Trav, the kids, and I went to see the Plaza lights.

We hadn’t taken them there for quite a few years.

We walked around for a bit and popped in a couple of shops.

Then, we headed back towards where my parents live, and had dinner.

One of my Christmas gifts from my mom this year was an actual light from the Plaza lights. I put it on my tree as soon as we got home this weekend.

My Plaza pics don’t do it justice, but I’ve shared this professional photo before…

The Plaza lights are just a neat KC tradition, and I remember going to see them plenty of times when I was a kid.

My brother and his family got to KC that evening, and then on the 27th, we hung out with them a bit and just had a low key day.

I always make Shay‘s Peppermint Mocha Bunt Cake, but decided to make it in KC rather than for our earlier Christmas meal in Lex.

I figured more people could enjoy it that way…

That evening, we went to my Gma’s house for Christmas with her and my aunt and uncle.

We snapped a few pics.

It was a really nice evening. After that, we headed to see the Magic Tree to cap off our time in KC.

It’s just another neat little KC tradition.

The kids and GG.

My mom with my brother and me.

Glow up moment for Hadley! haha

…I apparently lied to my kids at my Gma’s house when I said those would be the last photos…

…of course, we needed one more family pic.

We headed back to my mom’s house after the Magic Tree and started to pack up as we were heading back to Lex the next day. I actually “hit a holiday wall” and was asleep almost as soon as we got back to my mom’s.

We had such a great week in Lex, Lou, and KC with friends and family. My goal yesterday was to not leave the house and stay in my pj’s all day. I, in fact, met that goal! I watched You’ve Got Mail (another fave I watch around the holidays), unpacked, did laundry, placed a grocery delivery order, so we had breakfast, lunch and dinner options, and even got a little nap in. While I’m always sad to leave my KC family, it was nice to be home and get my life together a bit yesterday. haha

The blogging world is often quiet this week, but I still have more favorite posts to share…like the books I read this year, including my top 5 faves…and a recap of 2024!

I hope you’ll come back!

Posted in Blog challenge, Friday Favorites

2024 Blogging Recap and Fave Posts

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

Well, it’s hard to believe that the Christmas season is over. I hope you had a great holiday.

As the year wraps up, I always like to share my favorite posts that I wrote in the year.

I’m linking up with Andrea for Friday Favorites…the last one of 2024!

Here’s my 2024 blogging recap.

A few stats from this year:

  • Posts: 242
  • Total words: 161K
  • Average words per post: 661
  • Best day: Friday, Best hour: 8 am
  • Most popular day: is still March 14, 2023 with 931 views

I’ve been blogging for over five years, and it is still such a fun hobby for me. This year, I’ve felt like I had a little bit less time to blog, but I made it work.

Some all time stats include:

  • Views: 475, 923
  • Visitors: 125, 931
  • Posts published: 1,186
  • Countries: At least one person in 118 countries has read one of posts. After the United States and Canada, I have quite a few views from Japan. Who knew I was so popular in Japan?!?

As I say every year, I’m not “here for the numbers.” This is just a fun hobby for me, a way to capture memories from year to year, and share my thoughts. It is fun to see the numbers grow a bit from year to year…even how many posts I write and the word count.

I appreciate every like, comment, and read. Truly, thank you!

A few thoughts first:

Well, a couple of years ago, I shared my top 10 favorite posts. Last year, it was my top 20 favorite posts…and this year, we’re up to 25! I need to learn to edit a bit…sorry for that!

I enjoyed starting 2024 off with the WordPress Bloganuary Challenge again.

I also did a November Gratitude Challenge too. I like blogging on smaller topics and sharing my thoughts that way.

I started linking up with Joyce for the Wednesday Hodgepodge posts when I could. It’s always fun finding a new link up.

I also enjoyed continuing co-hosting the Share Our Lives link up with some of my favorite bloggers.

We’ll be back in 2025!

Favorite posts from 2024:

1.

One of the “Bloganuary” topics was to write about colleges I attended.

2.

Pinterest ideas are always fun.

3.

Our February Share Our Lives post was about how we met significant other.

4.

I loved sharing all about Hadley’s bedroom refresh early in the year.

5.

Hadley shared a post with her favorite skincare products which was fun to read!

6.

In March, I hit a blog milestone writing my 1,000th blog post.

7.

We had so much fun in Washington, D.C. in April. I had a few posts recapping our spring break trip.

8.

This Thursday Thoughts post… if you would have told me…was a fun reflective post.

9.

In April, I wrapped up my fun “ABC of” series writing about spring.

10.

At the end of the school year, I had fun reflecting on the kids’ middle school years and then shared about the last few days of school.

11.

This summer, I really enjoyed my “Summer Sunday” series, including the one I wrote about self-care.

12.

Our trip to Oregon for the Olympic Trials will go down as one of our favorite family vacations. It was truly a great trip filled with memories.

I wrote five posts recapping our time in the Pacific Northwest.

13.

I did a few “Throwback Thursday” posts this summer too. I loved the one reminiscing about summer reading through the years.

14.

Another “Summer Sunday” post was summer craft ideas for kids. It was a fun post that was reminiscent of how I used to spend my summers with the kids.

15.

Another sweet Throwback Thursday post was when I shared about the summer of 2010. I loved that summer with the kids!

16.

In August, I had a couple of “Teacher Talk” posts…the first one, I shared about the first week of school (including before and after the students arrived)

17.

Then, I had another Teacher Talk post specifically about my schedule this year.

18.

The September Monthly Musing topic was all about fall things including back to school. I love writing about fall, so this was a fun post to put together!

19.

We’ve enjoyed fall break on 30A for the past three years. I always love writing that vacay recap.

20.

I did two “day in the life” posts recently, but they were “hour by hour” for a weekday and a weekend day. I love reading and writing those kinds of posts, so this was a different way to capture those days.

21.

I was scrolling Instagram, and saw this graphic for a Gratitude Challenge, and decided to blog every single day in November!

22.

I always enjoy recapping the kids’ birthday, and this year they turned 15! that was definitely worthy of a Friday Favorites post.

23.

Hayden ran in the Foot Locker South region race after Thanksgiving. We’d never been to Charlotte, NC, so it was fun to recap our time there as well as Hayden’s running season.

24.

I pretty much kept everything the same as last year for Christmas decorations, but I did share a few new Christmas decor touches for this year.

25.

One of my favorite traditions is baking Christmas cookies, and this year we baked cookies with my brother’s family which was even more fun.

I also love sharing the books I read this year and a recap of our year, and I will have those posts next week! While the last couple weeks of the year are typically “quiet” in the blogging world, I have more time to blog and always have post that I want to share at the end of the year.

It’s been another great year of blogging, and again, thanks so much for reading!

Posted in Holidays

Merry Christmas 2024

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

I just wanted to stop by and quickly say….

Thanks to all of you who read and comment on my posts. It’s been fun getting to “know” some of my readers, and I always appreciate the kind comments.

I hope you have a wonderful Christmas!

From my family to yours…

…we’re wishing you a happy and healthy holiday season.

I know the Christmas season can be a difficult time for some. Even for those who “have it all” or “have it all together,” it can be a stressful time. I know a few people spending their first Christmas without a loved one, and my heart aches for them.

I hope to be back later in the week to share my favorites posts of the year.

Again, Merry Christmas,

Posted in Memes

Monday Memes

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Monday!

I can actually add “happy” in front of Monday because it’s Christmas break for us.

I know we still have one more Monday in December, but I wanted to share some funny holiday memes before Christmas.

Here are some memes that made me laugh this month:

Truly, if I can make it happen, I’m in my PJs by 6:00 in December!

Thankfully, I’m not in this predicament, but it made me laugh!

(Sometimes) guilty:

‘Tis the season!

I usually do laundry on the weekend, but I’ve really been slacking. Now, the kids tell me they’ve run out of socks or underwear, and I realize I need to throw a load in the wash!

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a helpful elf?!

I sent this one to a friend because it sounded like something her husband would jokingly say to her. We laughed.

I’m truly at a loss… I feel like I constantly need tech support! (AKA: Hadley!)

This one isn’t a holiday meme, but I’m not sure I’ve related more to a meme than this one:

I found $1 in my winter coat pocket just this week!

It’s definitely a January “problem” at this point although I did make a goal to have my inbox taken care of by 3:00 last Friday!

My kids probably feel the same way about having a November birthday as I feel about having a January one! (Although, I can honestly say that I’ve never been “short changed” but having a birthday a few weeks after Christmas.)

Holiday memes hit different!