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Mother’s Day Recap

Posted on May 14, 2024May 13, 2024 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Tuesday!

I know many of my readers are moms, but I also know that Mother’s Day (and Father’s Day) can be very difficult for some.

When those days roll around, I truly do also think about those who are sad on those days. I’ve been the woman wanting to be a mom, and I’ve also been the mom really grateful for her three-year-old twins, but sad after a miscarriage. You just never know what people are going through or what they’ve experienced.

I’m really grateful for the thought and care that my kids and Travis show me on Mother’s Day. We have a few traditions which I appreciate, but I do miss the days of hand print gifts and snuggles.

This year, I slept in a bit (we all did), and I woke up to flowers, a card, and a gift.

Travis picked up Panera bagels, so we had those before heading to church. We joined our church five years ago on Mother’s Day. Life can get busy, but I appreciate when we have time to go to church, especially on Mother’s Day.

Recently, our church started doing name tags, and Hadley wanted to write my name tag:

How sweet, right?

After church, we came home for a bit. I noticed the two hanging ferns on the front porch. That’s my traditional gift which I really appreciate. I keep the ferns on the porch until Labor Day weekend. Every year, we seem to end up with a nest of baby birds in one of the ferns. I love that my Mother’s Day gift ends up being a spot for a mother to care for her babies until it’s time for them to spread their wings and fly. (I’m not ready for that actual symbolism of my own birds flying the nest yet!)

We got a quick pic (another tradition/miracle!)

We wanted to go somewhere for lunch where we could sit outside. We’d never been to the Burl Brewery, but it was really nice. They had the garage doors open, the sun was shining, the Kentucky baseball game was on, and they had flowers for moms!

I ordered the avocado toast, and it was delish.

The kids played pool for a bit…

…while Trav had a beer, and I enjoyed a grapefruit mimosa….served by one of my former students!

We were there for a couple of hours, and then we came home. I put my flowers in a vase and set up my NEW KINDLE! Thankfully, that was a seamless process. I’ve had my other Kindle for six or seven years, and it wasn’t holding a charge for very long and was slow to download. I had told Travis I wanted a new one, but that I’d get one this summer. I was pleasantly surprised!

Then, I sat on the front porch and called my mom. We’d sent her flowers, and I’m glad she enjoyed them.

Travis had moved the TV out to the back patio to finish watching the UK baseball game. So, after I hung up with my mom, I decided to go out back and finish my book.

The Many Lives of Mama Love was so good…very inspirational.

Then it was time for dinner. Travis grilled steaks, Hayden put the asparagus in the oven, and Hadley was in charge of the (mircowave) Bob Evans mashed potatoes. When she asked me to stir them at the midway point, I said, “No ma’am!”…and she said with exasperation, “Being a mom is SO HARD!” 😆

We had dinner on the patio. I forgot to snap a pic, but here’s an old photo….which was probably my Mother’s Day dinner last year. haha

Hadley had volleyball, so I took her. Then, when I came home, I decided to do a few of my “mom responsibilities” that I’d neglected throughout the day. I made a grocery list, swapped out the laundry and then tidied up a bit.

I picked Hadley up around 9:15, and we ended the day with ice cream!

Overall, it was a really great Mother’s Day. I saw so many friends sharing their kids’ high school prom pics this weekend, and a few have graduation coming up soon. It was hard for me not to think the next four years are going to fly by. Ok, enough about that. I think I will live in denial for a bit longer 😉

I hope your week is off to a great start.

Not Just a Mom

Share Our Lives: May 2024

Posted on May 13, 2024May 13, 2024 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Monday!

How was your weekend? Ours was pretty good, and the weather was amazing.

I hope everyone had a great Mother’s Day. We all slept in, went to church and then brunch, and then spent time outside for the rest of the day.

It’s time for our monthly Share Our Lives link up 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 make up and hair products in April

This month’s topic is…5 favorite and least favorite foods. I’m not sure why this post was so hard for me to write….maybe because I’m not too picky, so I guess I like most food and don’t dislike many foods?

Top 5 favorite foods:

So many great foods to choose from, but I narrowed my list down to these five:

Chips and queso: the best part about going to a Mexican restaurant (I love a good salsa too!)
Macaroni and cheese: Hadley gets her love of mac and cheese from me. I don’t make it very often, but I love homemade macaroni and cheese. This recipe is a little effort, but it’s oh so good!
Gnocchi: If we are at an Italian restaurant and gnocchi is on the menu, I will order it!
Green bean casserole: Well, I don’t think I had green bean casserole until moving to Kentucky and attending Trav’s family get togethers. I always think of green been casserole for Thanksgiving and Easter, but I try to make it a couple of other times throughout the year. The crunchy fried onions on top are the “chef’s kiss.”
Mint chocolate chip ice cream: My favorite ice cream flavor of all time.
Bonus: I love sushi. Now, I don’t eat all fish. I don’t love tuna, for example, but I will eat salmon, yellowtail, shrimp, crab and more.

I’m sure I’m forgetting so many great foods, but those were the first ones to pop in my head!

Top 5 least favorite foods:

Oh…I do have a few least favorite foods:

Mayo: Absolutely not. I’ve never liked mayo and never will. If a recipes calls for mayo, I ain’t making it. I don’t even know if my kids have ever had mayo since we don’t have it at home.
Yogurt: I want to like yogurt so badly…I know it’s a great source of protein and an easy breakfast, but I just can’t do it. I was always proud of myself as a mom that my kids liked mayo when they were little. They still like it, but don’t ask me to buy it often.
Tomato: I don’t like tomatoes. They don’t taste like much to me and the juice is too runny. Again, I don’t know that my kids have had many tomatoes besides salsa.
Oysters: I know many people don’t like oysters, but Travis and Hayden do. When we go on vacay, Hadley and I hate it when they want to hit up the oyster happy hour.
Pimento cheese: I know it’s a southern thing, so I guess I didn’t grow up eating it. I tried it once, and I just can’t do it.

Coleslaw was another food that came to mind as one I don’t like.

Next month, our topic is also about food…but it’s foods to make for someone else.

I can’t wait to see what others share for favorites and least favorite foods. I’m sure there are some I could have added to both lists but forgot.

After today, only one more Monday of the school year…I think I can, I think I can!

Friday Favorites, Traditions

Friday Favorites {#206}: Kentucky Oaks

Posted on May 10, 2024May 10, 2024 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

Wow! This week feels like it flew by. Honestly, we had less going on in the evenings thanks to some rain, but this week still really seemed like a quick one.

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

Well, I never got around to sharing about the Kentucky Oaks races last Friday, so that’s what today’s blog post is all about!

It’s definitely a favorite tradition.

In true Jen fashion, I like to wait until the last minute to figure out what I’m going to wear.

By now, I have a few fascinators in my collection (and a friend who is always willing to share what she has), but I picked up this bright pink one at Macys on Thursday. My dress is the “Tatum” from Shop Style Your Senses, and my purse and heels are Amazon.

A quick selfie before my friends picked me up.

Travis always goes to the Thurby (Thursday before Derby) races, so he’s already in Louisville.

We met up with him and headed to Churchill Downs. I was very nervous about the weather because our seats were at the first turn and not covered! There were some showers throughout the day, but it ended up being overcast more than rainy.

Midway through the day, there is a “survivors walk” for the Breast Cancer survivors, and pink is definitely the color theme for Oaks.

The “Lily” is the drink of the Kentucky Oaks.

My friend Megan!

Overcast skies and a sloppy track!

After a few races, we walked around a bit and got a bite to eat. After Covid, the food and drinks are all inclusive with the ticket which makes everything so convenient.

We found a covered seating area because it started to rain a bit. Then, we walked around a bit more.

The new paddock area is amazing. We walked around up top…

I didn’t get a picture on my own, but ESPN shared this one on Facebook. The paddock area is really pretty!

After that, we met up with some friends and then made our way to a covered box. One thing about Travis is that he will always figure things out, and he found us some seating where we would for sure stay dry.

We watched the rest of the races, and had a few more drinks and food. They had cheesecake on a stick…but I forgot to get a pic! It was so good.

We snapped a group pic…

…before I placed a bet on Gin Gin in the Kentucky Oaks.

She did not win (win!).

After that race, it was time to head home. We knew traffic would be crazy, and we needed to get home to check on the kids.

The main rain happened right as we were leaving…enough so that Megan and I pulled out our ponchos for the walk to the car. Every year, we get pretty lucky with parking as one of Trav’s clients owns a parking lot right by the track, but it’s still a bit of a walk. This was the first year, I brought some sandals to wear when not wearing heels, and I’m glad I did. I wore my sandals for the walk to and from the car, and that made all the difference in the world.

I wish that I’d gotten a pic of us wearing our ponchos. haha

We navigated traffic and made it home around 8:00. After we checked on the kids, the four of us went out to dinner which was nice. Then, we were ready to be home and go to bed.

I’ve been to Oaks off and on through the years, but I think this was my fourth Oaks in a row. It’s a fun tradition that I’m glad we make happen.

Derby:

Derby on Saturday was so low-key that I don’t even have any photos.

Did you see the photo finish though? What a race!

We took it easy most of Saturday which was so nice. Trav’s boss called with two tickets to Derby, but we were so tired (and besides Thursday and Friday, Travis was in Louisville on Wednesday too). Also, Hayden had a race, so we made the decision to stay home.

Travis watched the races, placed a few bets and made some work calls throughout the day.

After Hayden’s race, we headed to our friends’ house as they hosted a little neighborhood get together.

Overall, it was a low-key day which was very much needed after a long Friday.

Per usual, my mom hosted her Kentucky Derby party back in KC, and had quite the turn out. She’s collected some cute Derby decorations through the years. The pics are always fun to see with the winners and their money and the losers with their loser cups. haha

Oaks and Derby are definitely fun traditions here in the Bluegrass State!

Share Our Lives:

On Monday, we have our monthly Share Our Lives post. This month’s topic is “5 Favorite and Least Favorite Foods.” We’d love to have you join us.

Weekly Recap:

Here are my posts from the week:

Prime Purchases

Teacher Talk Tuesday

Let’s Look

What are your weekend plans?

We have a busy Friday night, but then not too much going on tomorrow. Sunday is Mother’s Day, and I’m hoping we can go to church and maybe out for lunch.

As always…

I hope you have a great weekend.

Amazon, Clothes, Let's look

Let’s Look

Posted on May 8, 2024May 7, 2024 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Wednesday!

I had to double check the calendar that today is actually the second Wednesday of the month.

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

So far this year 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.

This month’s topic is let’s look…our summer closet staples.

Sandals:

After spring break, as long as the sun is out (no matter the temp!), I’m probably wearing sandals.

These Birks continue to be my fave! I bought them two summers ago, and they continue to be the first sandal I turn to time and time again.

I have some faves from Amazon too.

The rose gold double buckle sandals are another “go to” pair for me. Hadley has them in white.

The pink comfort slides I mostly wear when it’s raining, to the pool, or out in the yard.

These gold sandals are perfect to wear with dresses and easy to pack.

*I did size up one size on all three of these.

If you need dressier sandal, I bought these two years ago, and they are comfy for a heel. (I went up half a size on these.)

I wore them to the Kentucky Oaks last Friday.

Last week, I was at Target, and saw these strappy sandals. I have a pair that I got from Amazon a couple of years ago, and I love them, but they aren’t in stock anymore. These are just like them, so I snagged them right up, and was excited for the price! (20% off right now, and just under $11) I’ve worn them twice this week, and they pass the “teacher test” for footwear.

Light weight sets, dresses, and rompers:

SSYS continues to be a favorite place of mine to shop. Their crepe two piece set from last summer is perfect. You can wear the top or shorts with other pieces, the fabric is so light, and it’s an easy “throw on and go” set.

Last week, they released the spring version, and I can’t wait for it to get here. I think the price on this is a little higher, but I know I will wear it so much.

Dresses are easy to wear in the hot days of summer. A couple of years ago, I made one of our hall closets, my dress closet. That’s how many dresses I have and love.

While I’m still not “sold” that a romper is my most flattering look, I did get this one last summer, and wore it quite a bit.

Belt bags:

As you can tell from the pics above, this belt bag/cross body purse was one of my faves for being out and about in the summer.

I also love this one too, and have had it for a couple of years.

Leggings and tanks:

Again, SSYS has many of my favorite tanks and leggings, but I do have some favorite leggings and tanks from Amazon too.

Hat:

I often wear a ball cap in the summer, but this hat from Nordstrom is one of my faves.

I bought it in 2020, so it doesn’t seem to be in stock, but this one and this one look pretty similar!

I even take it with me on vacation.

This hat or visor are usually in my pool bag.

Swimsuits:

I have a couple of favorite swimsuits from Amazon. This one shoulder was new this year for fall break, and I LOVE it. I also still turn to this swimsuit (I have two patterns) that I’ve had for three years. Both come in so many colors and patterns.

Cover ups:

These three swim cover ups continue to be my faves:

My absolute favorite is this blue one that I also have in navy. The other two are a little thicker and longer, but also great.

Shorts:

I honestly don’t wear a ton of shorts in the summer, but I do have a couple of denim pairs, and I turn to this black pair from SSYS time and time again. I think SSYS is sharing this year’s version of the shorts next week.

So those are my summer closet staples.

Once I’m out of school, I’m typically in my pjs, athleisure, or a swimsuit/cover up. Oh…I can’t wait for summer days…and to be tan again!

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

School, Tuesday Talk

Teacher Talk Tuesday

Posted on May 7, 2024May 6, 2024 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Tuesday!

Well, as the school year winds down, I wanted to get in at least one more “Teacher Talk Tuesday” for the year.

…via…Talking About it Tuesdays with Joanne.

This was a WordPress prompt a while back, and it had me taking a trip down memory lane…

Look at me in 2002 in my classroom my first year teaching…that’s a big ol’ computer, printer, and floppy disk holder!

Through the years, technology has really changed how we teach. All of my classrooms from my first fifteen years of teaching still had an overhead projector.

My first few years, the kids mostly learned a from textbooks and worksheets.

My previous school was in a smaller district, and they did incorporate more technology before a lot of the larger districts. After my first couple of years at that school, they added on to their building, and my classroom was in the new wing. My classroom had an electronic (Smart) whiteboard that I used pretty often. Also, students had chromebooks before the Covid days.

Now, I’m in a larger district, and through the years, most of the classrooms had the Smart boards, and then last year, we all got interactive flat panels, and it’s another thing to learn!

I still love my regular white board, and still write on it most days.

During Covid, most (all?) districts became 1:1 with technology, and we all became acquainted with Zoom.

We still have some meetings and professional development opportunities on Zoom. Today, I actually have a PD on our new textbooks via Zoom.

Because of their computers, students have easy access to be able to type their papers, do research, and turn in assignments.

Many online resources include:

Canvas
Google: classroom, docs, and slides
Online textbook (I still have a class set in my room which is my preferred method. That being said, at least online is available for students who are absent or who didn’t finish a class assignment) Another thing I appreciate about online textbooks is that students can use the “read” feature to have the text read to them. Honestly, as a teacher, I appreciate that feature…especially when reading Shakespeare!!
No Red Ink – checks for plagarism
Students can easily access and check their grades (even though they don’t do that often)
Email to correspond with teachers

There are so many benefits to what we have thanks to technology that help keep our kids engaged.

Unfortunately, students feel like they have to be entertained all the time. As a teacher, we can plan engaging lessons thanks to sites like:

IXL
Blooket
Newsela
Kahoot
Nearpod
Flipgrid
Quizlet

There are also downfalls to technology, and students being off task because of chromebooks. Don’t even get me started on AI!

Post Covid, many teachers still relied on online learning, but now I’m seeing most teachers split the difference and have some online assignments and some paper assignments.

Overall, teachers do spend less time having to make copies these days which is nice.

I’m still “old school” when it comes to planning. I look forward to buying my new desk calendar and lesson plan book every year. The past couple of years I’ve used Happy Planner stickers to spruce up my calendar pages.

Looking back on my 22 years in education, many things have changed. I think I started teaching right as technology (computers, anyway) started being classrooms.

My first couple of years teaching, I still received a phone call via the phone tree for a snow day. Of course, for years, that information has been on the news, but now we all receive automated phone calls and texts…even the students.

We now have digital hall and tardy passes, there are cameras all throughout the building, we can document parent contacts easily, submit paperwork and so much more now that we have greater technology. As teachers, we can share resources easier as well.

Students now take the ACT and other standardized tests online.

I run my school’s after school tutoring, and just this month, stipends became electronic. I used to lose about thirty minutes every other Friday tracking down paper stipends, getting them signed, scanned and submitted. Now, I can approve everything in a few clicks.

Honestly, most everything I listed is just the “tip of the technology in education iceberg.”

I do think that technology has many benefits in education and technology sure has changed my job. In some ways it’s made it easier, and in other ways, we have other battles now because of it. (Like AI, don’t even get me started on cellphones). I have at least eight more years left in education, and I’m sure more changes in technology will come. They’ll have to continue to “teach this old dog new tricks!”

I like when topics turn in to a “stroll down memory lane.”

Amazon

Prime Purchases

Posted on May 6, 2024May 5, 2024 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Monday!

How was your weekend? We had a good one…mostly centered around the Kentucky Oaks and Derby festivities taking place…more on that later in the weel.

Today, I’m linking up with Tanya to share about my Amazon purchases this month.

Here are my purchases this month:

Well, this jacket was actually purchased last month before our trip to Washington, DC, but I wanted to wear it before sharing. I have a longer rain coat from Target that I’ve had for years, but for our trip, I wanted a light-weight jacket that was waterproof to wear with pants/jeans.

This one is cute, and I like that it has the drawstring to cinch at the waist if you want.

After we finished putting Hadley’s cabinet together, I thought a candle would be cute to add a little glow to her room. We only used one from this three pack, but it’s been a good touch to her room, and the remote comes in handy.

We all like this Core Power protein shake, so Travis bought two packs of the chocolate because Amazon had a better price than Kroger.

I saw Tina (@to_mimishousewego) share this scrub stick for black heads/pores, and I thought it would be good for the kids to try. Hayden’s been using it a bit, and anything to get him to take care of his skin is a win in my book.

When I got my pedicure a few weeks ago, I chose Arigato from Tokyo. Thankfully, my pedicures tend to last a while, but I wanted to have it in case I needed to touch up my pedicure which I just did over the weekend.

I’m still using this sunless tanner (Hadley too) that I’ve been using for almost two years…

…but I bought a new mitt for application.

I misplaced a pair of my sunglasses, and I thought this pair was cute. I’ve worn them a few times, and Hadley approves! They are currently 50% off on a lightning deal.

Admittedly, I have quite a few purses, but they are mostly cross body or clutches. I know how it is at Oaks trying to navigate crowds, holding on to things like the racing form or a drink, so I wanted a purse that was still small, but that I could put on my wrist if need be.

This one is pretty, is super soft, and big enough to hold just what I need.

(FYI- I bought these heels two years ago, and they are pretty comfy. I did size up a half size)

So those are my purchases this month…per usual, a little bit of everything!

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

Books and Shows, Friday Favorites, Kids

Friday Favorites {#205}

Posted on May 3, 2024May 3, 2024 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

How was your week? We had amazing weather, but I feel like the temps heated up quickly! It was nice to be outside a bit more, go for walks, and enjoy some time on my front porch.

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

Here are some favorites from the week:

Well, I know I share about track every week, but this really is a fun season (of track…and of life), and I can’t say enough how much I love that track is the one thing they both still do.

Friday night, I got this sweet pic of Hadley cheering Hayden on as he ran the 3200, finishing with a state qualifying time.

Don’t get me wrong…there are many times they don’t get along, but I do think they encourage each other more often than not.

Hadley has had her eye on the prize trying to run a state qualifying time in the 200m, and she’s accomplished that the past couple of meets.

Friday night was a late one, but my mom got this pic of the kids after the meet, and I think it’s a good one!

The last cotillion dance was a fun one! Hadley’s dress was my favorite one she’s worn so far. It’s the “fun is calling” dress from Hello Molly, and it comes in a variety of colors.

The moms of the girls in this group have shared some dress stories…some dresses never arriving, wrong material, not what they ordered, etc.

Thankfully, for these dances, we’ve had lots of luck from Hello Molly and Lulus. (FYI for returns, Lulus will give you a full refund if return within the window of time…but Hello Molly only does store credit. Believe me, I learned that the hard way. haha)

I stopped by Aldi’s for a few snacks, and this “charcuterie party platter” was a hit.

My mom came to visit last week, and we celebrated her birthday a bit early. I was going to order a bundt cake, but I thought an ice cream cake from Baskin Robbins sounded good.

It was pretty and tasted delish.

Smiles and ready for cake…

I shared some new book trackers and added them to my Instagram highlight.

These have been a fun and creative outlet for me.

Feel free to use them to share what you are reading! Tag me if you do. 🙂

Here are a couple that I made for this month:

How cute is my SSYS dress?

I ordered this in early spring, and I was excited to wear it yesterday now that the weather is warmer. It’s the “Taylor” dress, and while sizes do seem limited, there are a few colors. I wear my typical size large, so I think they do a great job running true to size with what they design.

Favorite Mom Meme:

Honestly, I am surprised that I don’t feel like we have more laundry than we do. Sunday continues to be laundry day, and everyone usually has one load. One thing that still is an issue is getting the laundry put away! The kids put their own clothes away, but tend to be on their own timelines for that. haha!

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:

I’m sure I share this every year, but the week of Derby is big around here…even at school…especially elementary schools.

The kids made these hats in kindergarten, and were so excited to show them to me when they got home.

Weekly Recap:

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

What are your weekend plans?

We have a slight break from sports this weekend, but today is the Kentucky Oaks, and tomorrow is the “most exciting two minutes in sports” is when the Kentucky Derby horses “run for the roses.”

Have a great weekend.

Health and Fitness

Workout Diaries: April 2024

Posted on May 2, 2024May 1, 2024 by jgalvinwhite

Hello!

Well, I kept track of another month of workouts which has continued to be some motivation for me to “push play” or go for a walk at least half of the days in the month.

This month started with lots of steps in DC, and I continued on with my Bodi workouts while incorporating shorter workouts on busier evenings when the kids had track meets.

Here’s my Bodi tracker for April:

Here are my workouts this month:

April 1: Our first day in DC, and I got in about 10,000 steps. I know some people get that many as a daily average, but my average is more around 7,000, so I will count 10k as a workout.

April 2: DC day 2 was the most walking we did, and I got over 18,000 steps in.

April 3: DC day 3 was also busy, and I walked over 12,000 steps.

April 6: 21 Day Fix: Lower Fix

April 8: Fire and Flow: Restorative Flow

My back was hurting, so I did Pilates, and it felt really good to stretch.

April 9: Fire and Flow: Cardio Fire 2
April 10: Sure Thing: Endurance Strength

April 11: Job 1: Start Strong: Shoulders, Arms, and Glutes

April 16: 21 Day Fix: Cardio Fix
April 18: Job 1: Finish Stronger: Arms, Shoulders, and Legs
April 20: Fire and Flow: Lower Body Fire 2
April 22: Job 1: Build and Burn: Glutes, Arms, and Core
April 23: 21 Day Fix: Dirty 30 (*one of my fave workouts!)
April 24: I went for a walk.
April 27: Fire and Flow: Lower Body Fire 2
April 29: I didn’t have time to workout before the kids’ track meet, but I did go for a walk when we got home. I was tired, but decided to get to 10,000 steps, and I’m glad that I did.
April 30: Job 1: 20 Minute Sweat Session (I really didn’t want to workout on Tuesday. I came home from school with a headache, so I pushed my workout to 8:00…after dinner. I never workout after dinner, but I knew the rest of the week might be crazy, and to get a workout, even a short one, in while I could.)

I was able to color in 16 of the 30 blocks in April. While I know I had a few walking days instead of workout days, at least I kept my body moving. Now that it gets darker a bit later, I feel like I will try to go for a short walk when I can if I need to get a few more steps for the day.

Books and Shows

What I’ve Been Reading: April 2024

Posted on May 1, 2024April 30, 2024 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy May 1st!

I’m kicking off the month sharing the books that I read in April. After a slow start to 2024, I’ve had a couple of months of my average of reading three books. This month, I loved two of them, and thought one was ok.

{As always, book summaries are from Goodreads…}

The Women:

Summary:

An intimate portrait of coming of age in a dangerous time and an epic tale of a nation divided.

Women can be heroes. When twenty-year-old nursing student Frances “Frankie” McGrath hears these words, it is a revelation. Raised in the sun-drenched, idyllic world of Southern California and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing. But in 1965, the world is changing, and she suddenly dares to imagine a different future for herself. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path.

As green and inexperienced as the men sent to Vietnam to fight, Frankie is over- whelmed by the chaos and destruction of war. Each day is a gamble of life and death, hope and betrayal; friendships run deep and can be shattered in an instant. In war, she meets—and becomes one of—the lucky, the brave, the broken, and the lost.

But war is just the beginning for Frankie and her veteran friends. The real battle lies in coming home to a changed and divided America, to angry protesters, and to a country that wants to forget Vietnam.

The Women is the story of one woman gone to war, but it shines a light on all women who put themselves in harm’s way and whose sacrifice and commitment to their country has too often been forgotten. A novel about deep friendships and bold patriotism, The Women is a richly drawn story with a memorable heroine whose idealism and courage under fire will come to define an era.

Quick Thoughts:

This book is pretty popular, and I can certainly see why, as it was heartbreaking, inspiring, uplifting, and beautiful. Honestly, I don’t know that I’ve read anything set during the Vietnam War. Of course, with war, we think of the soldiers, but I’d never thought about other heroes of war…the doctors and nurses tending to and trying to keep the wounded soldiers alive. Even more heartbreaking was thinking about the PTSD that these women suffered while having their emotions and concerns brushed aside.

Some quotes that stood out to me:

In reference to the women not being seen for the work they were doing

“The world changes for me, Frances. For women, it stays pretty much the same.”

In a letter to Frances from her mother:

“I imagine it would feel wonderful to be good at something that mattered. That is something that too many of the women of my generation didn’t consider. With love, Your mother”

Rating:

I bet this book will be in my top 5 for 2024!

None of This is True:

Summary:

Celebrating her forty-fifth birthday at her local pub, popular podcaster Alix Summers crosses paths with an unassuming woman called Josie Fair. Josie, it turns out, is also celebrating her forty-fifth birthday. They are, in fact, birthday twins.

A few days later, Alix and Josie bump into each other again, this time outside Alix’s children’s school. Josie has been listening to Alix’s podcasts and thinks she might be an interesting subject for her series. She is, she tells Alix, on the cusp of great changes in her life.

Josie’s life appears to be strange and complicated, and although Alix finds her unsettling, she can’t quite resist the temptation to keep making the podcast. Slowly she starts to realise that Josie has been hiding some very dark secrets, and before she knows it, Josie has inveigled her way into Alix’s life—and into her home.

But, as quickly as she arrived, Josie disappears. Only then does Alix discover that Josie has left a terrible and terrifying legacy in her wake, and that Alix has become the subject of her own true crime podcast, with her life and her family’s lives under mortal threat.

Quick Thoughts:

I’ve read and liked Lisa Jewell books in the past, but this book was just odd to me. Of course, it is a psychological thriller…but I just didn’t enjoy the characters and I thought some of the plot was disturbing. I did want to keep reading to see the lies unfold and clarified, but it was just a book that felt odd and flat to me.

Rating:

3.5 stars, to be fair.

The Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI:

Summary:

In the 1920s, the richest people per capita in the world were members of the Osage Nation in Oklahoma. After oil was discovered beneath their land, the Osage rode in chauffeured automobiles, built mansions, and sent their children to study in Europe.

Then, one by one, the Osage began to be killed off. The family of an Osage woman, Mollie Burkhart, became a prime target. One of her relatives was shot. Another was poisoned. And this was just the beginning, as more and more Osage were dying under mysterious circumstances, and many of those who dared to investigate the killings were themselves murdered.

As the death toll rose, the newly created FBI took up the case, and the young director, J. Edgar Hoover, turned to a former Texas Ranger named Tom White to try to unravel the mystery. White put together an undercover team, including a Native American agent who infiltrated the region, and together with the Osage began to expose one of the most chilling conspiracies in American history.

Quick Thoughts:

I’d heard quite a bit of hype in regards to this movie, so when my friend let me borrow the book, I was interested in reading it. From the first page, I was hooked. What the members of the Osage nation went through was so heartbreaking, but the making of the FBI was so interesting. The book also had so many pictures, and it was neat to put faces to the names.

I’m torn on if I want to watch the movie or not, but the book is definitely one that I will always remember…and for sure another top read in 2024.

Rating:

It’s hard to believe, but I’m going to start working on my summer reading list. Some books I usually want to read in the summer don’t come out until mid-summer or have long library wait lists, so I want to prioritize and get organized for my summer reading!

Do you have any summer reading recommendations?

Kids

Cotillion Recap

Posted on April 30, 2024April 29, 2024 by jgalvinwhite

Hello!

Well, the kids had their last cotillion dance of the year, and it’s hard to believe we are in a season of “lasts’ for middle school. I received a couple of cotillion questions, and I thought it would be nice to have all the dances and memories in one post, so that’s what’s on tap for today.

The kids have friends and neighbors a couple of years older, so over the past few years, I’ve seen the cotillion pictures without really knowing what it is.

Every school submits names of interested 8th graders to the Lexington Cotillion Club coordinator who then sends invitations to those on the list. If you receive an invite, you of course don’t have to go…and that’s probably would have been Hayden’s preference. haha

There’s a total fee for cotillion dances whether you go to one dance or all four dances. Students receive an invite in the mail for every dance, and RSVP if they can’t come to that dance. There is a theme for every dance, and two of the dances are informal and the other two are more formal. For the formal dances, boys are supposed to wear ties, but can even wear suits or tuxes, and the girls are supposed to wear long dresses.

As you can see from the photos I share, the kids seem to follow the dress code loosely.

For each dance, the kids check in and get a name tag and dance card. The dance card has eight lines on it, and for five of the dances, there are names written in. Then, there are “girl’s choice,” boy’s choice,” and “everyone’s choice” written on the other lines.

Most of the time, the kids dance whenever they want, but there are eight dances on the dance card, and when those are announced, the girls are supposed to go to the part of the ballroom based on their last name, and the boy comes to find them to dance. Let’s just say that I think it’s pretty rare for that part of the dance etiquette to actually happen.

When I talk to others who went to cotillion five years ago or twenty years ago, it seems that this dance as always been at the same hotel and most of the kids socialize more than dance. haha

All of the dances are from 7:30 -10:30 which is such an odd time…and the hotel isn’t close to our house. We always carpooled which was nice, but after dropping kids off (and usually a pit-stop at McDonald’s for food and ice cream), it was 11:30 before everyone got home.

They have light snacks and punch for the kids and there are a few parent chaperones for each dance to help the club coordinator.

With cotillion, to my knowledge, there’s not really an etiquette class, but Lexington does have something called Halls School of Dance for 6th graders. Halls takes place once a week over a couple of months. It’s definitely more formal with girls wearing gloves and tights, and boys have to wear coat and tie. The kids learn different dances and etiquette and then there is a dance at the end where parents can come watch.

Halls is quite a Lexington tradition, but my kids didn’t participate when they in the 6th grade because it was on Thursday nights when Hadley had her competition dance classes, and I didn’t force Hayden to do it. Hadley really wanted to, and I would have let her if it was just a couple of weeks, but Halls was around eight sessions I think.

I’m guessing when Lexington Cotillion Club started, it was probably more formal than it is now.

Anyway, cotillion is something that I’m glad the kids did…even if one of my kids was more excited about it than the other.

Here’s a look back on cotillion season:

Harvest Moon:

The first dance was in October, and it was informal. That day, Hayden had the state cross country meet, and then he wanted to go to the UK football game, so only Hadley went.

She got together with friends to get ready, and I stopped by to see her before they left for the dance. They spent a couple of hours getting ready, had some snacks, and were a bundle of nerves when they left.

When Hadley got to the dance, she texted me that she didn’t know anyone on the dance card…which I replied, “That’s the point!” haha

Of all the dances, I know this one was the most awkward as the kids got the “lay of the land” and figured out how cotillion worked. Overall, she had lots of fun.

Glitter and Gold Gala:

This was the first “formal” of the dances. Hayden had a cross country meet in Louisville that day, so we were gone for most of the day.

Once we got home, I took Hadley to get her hair trimmed, and she got it curled too.

The kids let me snap a quick pic that I ended up using last minute as our Christmas card.

Then, we met at a friend’s house to hang out a bit while the girls finished getting ready. Then, we carpooled to dinner. Since this was a more “formal” dance and we knew many of the kids would be busier in the spring with baseball, soccer, etc., we went ahead and reserved a room at a nearby restaurant for the kids to hang out and eat beforehand. There were about 30 kids.

The parents hung out too until it was time for the kids to go to the dance.

It was nice hanging out with parents for a bit during a busy holiday season.

Overall, the kids had a great time, but they seemed to stay pretty much with their friend groups.

Malibu Mingle:

The February cotillion theme was “Malibu Mingle.” The boys took the less formal theme and ran with it …wearing shorts and Hawaiian shirts.

My friend picked up Hayden and took him and her son to meet up with the rest of the boys for dinner.

Again, the girls met at a friend’s house to finish getting ready together while the moms had some appetizers and a glass of wine.

They added leis to their outfits for the Hawaiian/Malibu theme.

This dance, the kids really seemed to branch out from their friend groups. Hadley gave me all the details when they got home…but mostly about new kids that they met from nearby schools.

Belles and Bowties:

This past Saturday was the fourth and final cotillion dance. This time, the girls got ready at our house. I got a few snacks for them to eat while they got ready.

Like the December dance, we reserved a room at the same restaurant for the kids to eat before the dance.

Before we left, I quickly got a couple of pics of the kids. Hadley’s dress was my favorite one she wore from all four dances.

My mom got some individual pics of them which I appreciated.

The girls…so pretty in their spring colored dresses.

Friends for life.

A group pic before we left, and then a girl group and whole group photo at the restaurant. The boys are tough to wrangle!

After the kids went to the dance, the moms hung out for a bit for a drink and some appetizers.

When the kids got home around 11:00, Hadley filled me in that it was the most fun dance. It seemed like they got lots of pictures with friends that they’d made from other schools and some of their dance partners. Sounds like Hayden even had a good time 😉

While Hadley was into the cotillion activities more than Hayden, he did make the most of it and had fun. I know they will remember their cotillion experience, and this has been a fun 8th grade tradition for them.

May will be a busy month for us as they wrap up their 8th grade track season, have an 8th grade dance and 8th grade promotion. The middle school years have flown by!