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Posted in Delish Desserts, Not Just a Mom

Share Our Lives: October 2024

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Monday!

How was your weekend? Ours was great as we had a busy Saturday and a low-key Sunday. I think I “over did” it a bit on Saturday, but Sunday I had some time to recharge before thankfully heading back to school today. I’m glad to be feeling much better.

Anyway, it’s the second Monday of the month, so I’m co-hosting Share Our Lives with some of my favorite bloggers.

So far this year, we’ve discussed:

  • Introductions and jobs you’ve had in January
  • How we met our significant others in February
  • 5 items you can’t live without in March
  • Favorite makeup and hair products in April
  • 5 favorite and least favorite foods in May
  • Foods you make for someone else in June
  • Day in the life: summer edition in July
  • Least favorite activities in August
  • Finding peace in your day in September

This month’s topic is…sweet tooth cravings.

Well, I certainly have a sweet tooth! It’s hard for me to pass up a good sweet! That being said, I try to show restraint, but if something is seasonal, I probably won’t hold back. For example, I don’t eat breakfast, but in the fall, I love nothing more than an apple cider donut with a cup of coffee on a weekend!

At the start of the year, I shared a “12 months of desserts” post where I shared the desserts we made in 2023.

As soon as I started thinking about favorite sweets, I immediately thought of apple cider donuts…which then made me decide to organize this post by season of desserts.

So, here we go!

Fall:

As I said, above, one of my favorite fall treats are apple cider donuts.

Trader Joe’s has them for a few weeks:

….but my faves are the ones from the pumpkin patch!

This apple cider donut cake is a new fall tradition for me to bake:

Also, I love to make a pumpkin pie in the fall too. I prefer it served cold with a dollop of Cool Whip.

Winter:

I always look forward to Shay’s Peppermint Bundt cake in the winter. It’s a tradition that I make it for our Christmas dinner when we are at home.

I like cookie cake alllll year long, but we usually kick off the year with one for my birthday in January!

Spring:

Once spring arrives, I’m ready for lighter desserts like strawberry short cake.

Summer:

There’s nothing better than a scoop of ice cream on a hot day in the summer. One thing about me is I will always look at all the flavor options, but 9 times out of 10, I will get my fave…mint chocolate chip. (I also love peppermint ice cream in the winter!)

I love cheesecake, especially in the summer. Jason’s Deli has such a good slice of cheesecake, so when I can, I get one. I’ve made cheesecake a couple of times, but I haven’t perfected it. Trader Joe’s has a good one too.

All year:

What’s my favorite dessert that I could eat all year long? Homemade Rice Krispies treats. Usually, when we got to Trav’s mom’s house, she has some for me…and his sister makes them when we come to town too. Obviously, I can make them myself, and sometimes I do…but it can be dangerous to have a whole pan of them! haha

What’s your sweet tooth cravings?

Next month, our topic is: where do you shop?

We’d love to have you link up with us!

Thanks for reading,

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Posted in Friday Favorites, Kids

Friday Favorites {#228}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

How was your week? Well, ours started off ok just getting back in the groove after a week off, but Travis was sick at the start of the week, and now it’s my turn to be under the weather.

Hopefully, we’ll rally for the weekend and have a better week next week.

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

Here are some favorites from the week:

It’s hard to believe that a week ago we were headed home from one of our favorite places. I had intended to share our trip recap today, but I just didn’t have it in me to get such a large post organized, written, and published. I hope to work on in this weekend in order to share next week.

Anyway…on to this week…

I started Saturday morning at home which is always a nice place to be after a week away. Instead of a mimosa from Modica Market, I sipped my coffee out of my new mug.

While in Seaside on the last morning, I went to one of my favorite spots…the bookstore. I picked up this 30A coloring book (as well as a book, a puzzle, and a sticker for my Kindle)

It’s been relaxing coloring a few pages.

It’s been fun watching the KC Royals in the post season…something that hasn’t happen since 2015. Saturday night was so nice that we watched the game on the back patio. Unfortunately, we were losing, so I told Hayden to put on his “rally cap,” and he flipped up his hood. haha

Tuesday night, Hayden ran in the “city championship” race, and it was so beautiful outside.

Hayden had a PR, running 20 seconds faster than his last race, and he reached his goal of running under 17 minutes for a 5K. He was so happy after the race, and he placed in the top 15 in the city.

While at home yesterday, I started Nobody Wants This. I’m three episodes in, and it’s a cute and funny show.

October is one of my favorite months, so of course I love seeing graphics like this one…

…and quotes like this…

Weekly Recap:

Here are my posts from the week:

Prime Purchases
Let’s Look
Fashion Files

Share Our Lives:

We have our monthly Share Our Lives link up on Monday, and we’d love to have you join us. This month’s topic is…sweet tooth cravings.

What are your weekend plans? We have a busy Saturday, but not much on Sunday. I hope I’m able to get up and moving around soon!

Thanks for reading,

Posted in Amazon, Clothes

Fashion Files

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Thursday!

It’s been a minute since I’ve shared some outfits, so I’m linking up with Kellyann and Jill for Fashion Files.

I decided to share some of my vacation outfits, although really I was mostly in PJs or swimsuit/cover up. Then, I will share my “back to reality” back to school outfits this week.

I will link what I can as some things are old and others might not be available any more.

The first day, I was at the beach for most of the day…from noon until 6:30 sunset.

I’ve had this hat for years, and I think I got it from Nordstrom. This purple guazy dress is a dress…but I’ve turned it into a lightweight cover up, and it’s one of my faves. I got it a couple of years ago from my favorite online boutique…Shop Style Your Senses. I’ve had my sunnies for quite a while, but I just lost them this week! They are from Amazon, so I just snatched up a pair….for less that $10 thanks to an Amazon sale.

Sunset pic on Tuesday of our trip, and I was wearing the same hat and another SSYS cover up, but this one is from their label. The terry cloth material is perfect, and I love the hot pink…especially when I have a bit of a tan.

On Tuesday, we got some breakfast in Seaside, and I was wearing my new Amazon set. It’s perfect to throw on and go.

Here it is before I walked out the door. My Lululemon crossbody purse is perfect for vacay as it holds a lot, but it’s not too big. My JW hat is from an Etsy shop, SoLillyDesignCo, and I got it earlier this summer. My fave flip flops are the Haviana brand from Nordstrom.

On the last night, we went back to Seaside for dinner, and I wore another SSYS label set. It’s a lilac color, and it’s one I wear often in the summer.

This is a pic from a few months ago, but I wore this exact outfit a couple of times. I love the SSYS scallop leggings, and the over-sized v neck t-shirt is their “air fabric” which is so soft.

One night, we always go out for an adult dinner, and I wore the “Gwen” SSYS dress that I got last summer. I love the vibrant colors, but it is a dress I feel like I “should/could” only wear on vacation, so it’s the perfect dress to pack.

I forgot to take a pic that night, but I snapped one as I unpacked the other day. These strappy Target sandals are still one of my favorite pairs to wear.

A few times on vacay and also at home, I’ve been wearing my new favorite waffle knit pants, and I’ve had this shirt from Amazon since the end of summer.

Now…back to school.

On Monday, I wore these linen pants and lightweight black sweatshirt, both from Amazon that I’ve had for a while. I got so many compliments on this outfit…(and my tan), that I figured it would be a good outfit to share.

These are my other favorite pair of strappy sandals, also from Target.

On Tuesday, I wore my new favorite blouse with some old black pants from Old Navy…and the same Target strappy sandals.

Yesterday, I wore a long sleeveless black dress that I got at Target years ago with my favorite Amazon cardigan and sandals.

Reality sure has hit this week!! Both with waking up and putting on real clothes.

What’s your favorite outfit?

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

Posted in Let's look, Seasonal

Let’s Look

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Wednesday!

Wow! This week feels like it’s flying by…and it’s already the second Wednesday of the month.

I’m linking up with Shay and Erika for Let’s Look.

So far this year, we’ve looked at…

  • How we clean our closets in January
  • Little things we do every single day in February
  • What’s in our grocery cart in March
  • Our daily quiet time/prayer time in April
  • Our summer closet staples in May
  • Our summer schedule in June
  • Podcasts and shows we binge in July
  • What’s in our pantry in August (I don’t have a pantry, so I skipped that one)
  • Our quick weeknight dinners in September

This month’s topic is let’s look at..how we prep for the holiday season.

Oh…well…even when I try to prep, I don’t feel very prepared when the season comes. That being said, here are a few things I try to do.

1. Notes/Lists

I keep a note on my phone with gift ideas as I think of them throughout the year.

I also make notes of recipes for the season and activities or traditions that I want to make sure that we do.

2. Amazon list

The past couple of years, I’ve made an Amazon list that I share with my mom, sister-in-law and grandma with gift ideas for the kids and me. That way, once the items are purchased, they are taken off the list. This has been a nice way to stay organized and share ideas.

3. Decorate when you can

In 2020, on Election Day, I put up my two skinny Christmas trees. One was in the living room and the other in the sun room. My kids rolled their eyes and even ask “Why are you already putting up Christmas decor?,” but the truth is that’s a day I have time to do so….so I do.

And, thanks to this blog, when I put out the rest of the decorations, I can look back on where I put my seasonal decor, so that saves time and energy.

4. Plan ahead

Once November hits, I always find time and pencil in some of our traditions like going to the horse park lights and baking cookies. I also always write down parties and plan accordingly. That has worked well to make sure we get some family time in or know when I might have time to wrap presents.

5. Stay Organized

Like I said, I have lists for gifts, meals, and activities. I have a note on my phone of things I need to buy for the next year. For example, if I’m running low on wrapping paper, I make note of that to purchase for the next year.

Also, I get rid of seasonal items if I don’t use them to help keep some of the holiday bins organized.

I’d love to hear how you prep for the holidays; give me all the tips!

Posted in Amazon

Prime Purchases

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Monday!

Well, all good things must come to an end…it’s back to school we go after a week off for fall break!

It’s the first Monday of the month, so I’m linking up with with Tanya to share my Amazon purchases this month.

I had quite a few purchases this month:

First up is this over-sized t-shirt. It’s perfect to wear with leggings or wear as a sleep shirt.

I did a quick change after school before running off to a volleyball game.

I had this set saved on one of my Amazon lists, and I decided to order it before our fall break trip. It arrived right before we left, so I quickly tried it on and new that I loved it.

To me, it doesn’t look exactly like the Amazon pic because the sleeves (on me, at least) are regular length and don’t go past my elbows. Anyway, I wore it more than once in Florida, and it was perfect to just throw on and go. I got my normal size.

Last month, Tanya shared this blouse that I’d also seen and saved to a list. Well, once she shared it, I went ahead and ordered it. I sized up and didn’t need to, but I love it. It’s lightweight, flowy and forgiving.

I ordered these pants as something to wear year round with a tank, a t-shirt or a sweatshirt. They are so comfy and cozy, and I just love the pockets and the hem at the bottom. This is definitely something I might order in another color.

‘Tis the season for congestion and allergies. Travis ordered this “boom.boom” nasal stick three pack for the kids to use. These are great to clear up your sinuses!

You know I watch lots of volleyball games and track meets, and I’ve had the same chair for a few years, but wanted one with arms and a bigger back. An influencer I follow, @bobbiwiththeeye, shared her favorite chair when it was on sale, so I snagged it right up. It’s worth the full price too, but I was happy to get a bit of a deal.

I shared this flag in an earlier post, and it’s so cute.

It’s been the perfect update for the front yard.

Again, I ordered my “tried and true” eye mask that I use every morning. I keep them in the fridge, so they are nice and cool under my eyes. With a new pack, the first few seem to be extra drippy, but I always just rub the extra retinol on my face or neck.

Well, due to one of Hadley’s volleyball games, I had to miss one of my facial appointments. Since I missed my September dermaplane, I took matters into my own hands. These Tinkle razors were very easy to use. I think I can get a couple of touch ups out of each one. (Also, these say eyebrow razor, but they can be used on your face)

Last but not least, Hadley had one of these wallets on her phone, and has had it for a few years. It was stretched out and falling apart, so I got her another two pack before we left for our beach vacay. The last thing I needed was her losing her debit card in Florida!

I know tomorrow and Wednesday are big days for Amazon, so some of these items might even have a better price.

Happy Priming!

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

Posted in Friday Favorites, Travel

Friday Favorites {#227}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

Well, this week went by quickly. Why is it like that when you have time off? We’ve been on fall break in Florida this week, and it just went by too fast!

I hope you’ve had a great week.

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

Here are a few faves from the week:

We left Saturday morning and drove the ten hours to 30A Florida near Seaside. This is our third fall break doing this with three other families, and it’s truly become one of my most favorite weeks of the year.

We arrived at the house around 5:30, and I was able to catch the 6:30 sunset with a friend. I do hate that the sun sets so early in the fall!

We had the best week with our kids…the girls…

…and the boys.

Due to Hurricane Helene, the waters weren’t very clear the first two days. The Gulf looked more like the Atlantic Ocean, but with each passing day, the green blue water reappeared.

We had fun shopping in Seaside and grabbing breakfast or a mimosa most mornings.

We were able to catch a few sunsets this week. Honestly, the four of us weren’t on the beach together often as the kids kind of did their own thing, and Travis isn’t really a beach guy, so I was thankful to snap this sunset pic on Tuesday.

Seaside sweatshirt pic…per tradition!

Every year, I stop in the Sundog Books store and pick up a book or some other souvenir.

I loved this quote when I stopped by yesterday:

I’m sure I will do a full recap, hopefully next week, but we had a great week filled with sand, sunshine, family and friend time.

Favorite Mom Meme:

Hahaha…Hadley is like me in many ways!

One more fave:

Two afternoons this week, Tuesday and Wednesday, Hayden and I came back from the beach in time to cheer on our boys in blue. The Royals swept the Orioles and are headed the ALDS series which starts tomorrow vs. the Yankees in New York.

It’s been so fun watching them this season, and we even went to a game while in KC this summer and then we went to Cincinnati about a month ago to watch them as they beat the Reds.

Weekly Recap:

I had a couple of posts this week:

Monday Memes
September Books

What are your weekend plans? We’ll get home tonight, and then I need to spend the rest of the weekend getting my life in order! I see laundry and grocery shopping in my future as well as some downtime to watch the Royals game on Saturday.

See you back here on Monday!

Posted in Books and Shows

What I’ve Been Reading: September 2024

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Wednesday!

How is your week going? We are having a great fall break; I will share more about that later in the week.

Since September is over, I’m sharing what I read last month.

Well, unfortunately, just like in August, I only read one book in September.

{As always, book summaries are from Goodreads…}

The Secret Book of Flora Lea:

Summary:

When a woman discovers a rare book that has connections to her past, long-held secrets about her missing sister and their childhood spent in the English countryside during World War II are revealed.

In the war-torn London of 1939, fourteen-year-old Hazel and five-year-old Flora are evacuated to a rural village to escape the horrors of the Second World War. Living with the kind Bridie Aberdeen and her teenage son, Harry, in a charming stone cottage along the River Thames, Hazel fills their days with walks and games to distract her young sister, including one that she creates for her sister and her sister alone—a fairy tale about a magical land, a secret place they can escape to that is all their own.

But the unthinkable happens when young Flora suddenly vanishes while playing near the banks of the river. Shattered, Hazel blames herself for her sister’s disappearance, and she carries that guilt into adulthood as a private burden she feels she deserves.

Twenty years later, Hazel is in London, ready to move on from her job at a cozy rare bookstore to a career at Sotheby’s. With a charming boyfriend and her elegantly timeworn Bloomsbury flat, Hazel’s future seems determined. But her tidy life is turned upside down when she unwraps a package containing an illustrated book called Whisperwood and the River of Stars . Hazel never told a soul about the imaginary world she created just for Flora. Could this book hold the secrets to Flora’s disappearance? Could it be a sign that her beloved sister is still alive after all these years?

As Hazel embarks on a feverish quest, revisiting long-dormant relationships and bravely opening wounds from her past, her career and future hang in the balance. An astonishing twist ultimately reveals the truth in this transporting and refreshingly original novel about the bond between sisters, the complications of conflicted love, and the enduring magic of storytelling.

Quick Thoughts:

My mom suggested this book because she’d read it…I think for a book club…and my grandma had read it as well.

This book was a great read. I loved that it was historical fiction, it was whimsical, but there was also a sense of mystery.

Fave Quote:

“Telling stories is one of the greatest powers we possess. It’s like a dream you can fill with what you want. And the knight doesn’t always have to save the princess; sometimes she saves herself.”

Rating:

I added some reading trackers for October on Instagram. Feel free to use them to share what you are reading…and don’t forget to tag me, so I can share.

Thanks to a lot of reading and audio books in June and July, I’m only one book behind on my Goodreads reading goal for the year. Hopefully, October will be the month that I get at least two, maybe three books read!

Posted in Memes

Monday Memes

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Monday!

How was your weekend? Our weekend started off with crazy weather on Friday. Many districts called off school, but we had school and shouldn’t have been in session. There was heavy rains, winds 50+ miles per hour, schools without power and more.

Unfortunately, we had some damage to our front yard. One of the two huge trees in our yard fell over.

I will miss this view in the fall:

We still have the tree on the left, but together, they were quite the dynamic duo in the fall. So many neighbors and friends have even commented on what a bummer it is to lose that tree.

We have power, but so many in our area still haven’t had their power restored. There is so much destruction and devastation in so many areas from Florida to North Carolina. One of our favorite places, Asheville, was ravaged with flooding water.

Anyway, it’s hard to believe, but it’s the last day of September, so I’m sharing some memes that made me chuckle:

I felt like August went by so slowly, but September flew by!

Me every Monday:

This one really did make me laugh because I do save candles!

This is absolutely me:

I do this more than I’d like to admit…

Also me….

I used to be so great at parallel parking, but that is currently not my strength.

Also September…

I can’t wait for the cooler weather that October usually brings.

I hope your week is off to a great start!

Posted in Friday Favorites, Kids, Meals and Recipes

Friday Favorites {#226}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

Well, I can’t believe it, but today is our last day of school before fall break! I feel like the first couple of weeks of school moved slowly, but September sure felt like it flew by.

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

I have quite a few favorites, so here we go:

Friday, two students gave me friendship bracelets they made me. One of them is a combo of their names, and the other stands for “we need to talk” because that’s what they always say when they come and ask me a question. It was such a sweet gesture!

My brother’s family got a new pup a few weeks ago. Growing up, our family dog was a Doberman, and my brother wanted one for his family. Tucker is a handful, but he’s a cutie…especially when he’s sleeping 😉

Hayden had a meet in Louisville last Saturday, and he had another PR. The high school races are so different than the middle school ones. I’m lucky to see him once in the hundreds of runners and the races are longer which means I feel like I’m waiting forever to see him!

My dad was in town last week and got to see Hayden’s race.

Hadley had a tournament in Louisville on Saturday as well.

So, after Hayden’s race, we made our way to the tournament. The Major got to see that activity as well.

Right after the tournament ended, we hurried home. I had to wake up at 5:00 that morning, so I was ready to get home and take a quick nap before all of the Homecoming activities started.

Hadley had a couple of friends come over to get ready around 3:30. Once they were ready, I dropped them off at dinner with their group before meeting for pictures before the dance.

Hadley’s date brought her flowers, and they were so pretty.

Hadley and her friends all looked beautiful.

We continue to have good luck with finding dresses online. This was the first dress we ordered, and Hadley loved it.

Look at this crew…they all went to elementary school together, and have been friends for ten years!

Yes, Hayden is friends with the same crew…but didn’t have Homecoming on his freshman year Bingo card 😉 Once he found out it cost money for the ticket, he was out! haha (I did tell him I’d give him money for the ticket, but no dice on that offer.)

Can you believe this entire crew got a dinner reservation at the same restaurant? We reminded them to tip (at least!) 20%. 😉

They all went to the dance for a bit and then Hadley hung out with some friends after the dance. Overall, I think they had a great time.

Favorite Meal:

I’ve probably shared this recipe before, but I made One Pot Chicken Alfredo again this week, and it was a hit. One of my pet peeves is boiling water and having to wait on it to put my pasta in. I love a one pot recipe where the noodles cook in the same dish as the rest of the ingredients!

Favorite Mom Meme:

The number of times I ask kids to pick up their shoes…

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

Look at this toothless pic from 2015. My kids loved playing soccer when they were little. They were on team Force and had both scored three goals each! Confession: I’m glad the soccer years are over. I know we do club seasons in other sports, but soccer seems intense! Both kids have friends who play competitively, and it seems like a huge commitment.

Weekly Recap:

I had a few posts this week

Trader Joe’s
Day in the Life
Monthly Musings

What are your weekend plans? Well, it’s the start of fall break for us, and we are ready for it! I hope to still have a few posts next week, so I will see you then.

Posted in Monthly Musings, Seasonal

Monthly Musings

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Thursday!

How is it already the end of September? I feel like once we get through August and we are in a back to school routine, the school year really starts to fly by!

I’m linking up with Holly and Patty for this month’s Monthly Musings.

This month’s topic is…Back to School Routines, Recipes and Fall Fashion.

1. What are your best tips for getting into a fall/back to school routine?

Well, I don’t know that I’m the best one to answer this question….we kind of just “rip the Band Aid off” and go for it.

That being said, I do try to buy school supplies in late July and do other school errands a couple of weeks before we go back to school, so we aren’t scrambling once summer is over.

2. Please share your favorite fall recipes.

One of my favorite fall recipes is Pumpkin Penne Sausage Pasta, which I’ve been making for years. I found the recipe on the side of a box of Kroger pasta.

Last year, I shared a blog post with some pumpkin favorites.

3. Favorite fall fashion staples?

I’m no fashionista, but I always answer this question with the fact that I love adding cardigans to dresses in the fall. I have my favorite cardigan in three colors!

4. Favorite part of back to school this year?

This year, my favorite part has been seeing my kids and my kids’ friends in the hallway. It’s still a surprise for me to turn the corner and see a familiar face. The highlight of my day is when the kids (and their friends) come to my classroom when school is out.

5. Do you celebrate Homecoming where you are?

We do celebrate Homecoming, and our school dance was last weekend. Hadley went and had a great time with her friends.

6. Apple pie or apple cider?

Both!

It’s pretty rare that I have apple pie though…

I did grab these apple blossoms and Trader Joe’s, and they are great with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top!

I always get hot apple cider when we visit our favorite pumpkin patch!

7. Do the leaves change colors where you live? If so, when?

They do…and it depends on the temps, but I feel like the leaves peak around the middle of October, and then we have leaves on the ground by Halloween. Our front yard trees are stunning, but they don’t last long enough!

8. Favorite fall sweet treat? Do you have an recipes to share?

Apple cider donuts are my guilty pleasure in the fall! Hadley does’t like apple cider donuts…which is about the only time I wonder “how can she be my daughter?” haha

I made this cake for the first time last year, and I made it again last weekend.

Apple Cider Donut cake is delish!

9. Hayride or bonfire?

I like a fire pit when we have time to do so!

10. Movies that give you the back to school feels?

I’m not sure why, but Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Back to the Future were the first two to pop in my mind. I guess because Ferris skips school and Marty is in high school.

I loved writing this post as fall is certainly my favorite time of the year. I can’t wait for October!

Have a great fall day,