Blog Feed

Posted in Holidays

Christmas Recap

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello!

I hope you had a very merry Christmas! Ours was really good, and today I’m recapping how we wrapped up the Christmas season.

Also, this month, I didn’t get a share a memes post, so I’ve sprinkled a few holiday memes in today’s recap…for a few laughs.

On Friday afternoon, we delivered the toys and food boxes to five Operation Secret Santa families.

We were assigned families in a specific zip code, so deliveries only took about an hour. The kids (and Trav, when needed), put the gifts on the porches, knocked and then hopped in the car.

The kids had a good time with this, and it was a meaningful experience that I hope we can participate in again next year.

On Friday night, Travis and I went out to dinner with my brother and sister-in-law. Once we got home, the cousins exchanged gifts. It was a nice evening.

On Saturday, we headed to Louisville around 1:00 for Christmas Eve Eve at Trav’s mom’s house. There’s always lots of food, the kids play games, and then we open gifts. It’s a long day with lots of people, but it’s always a good time.

Since we weren’t heading to KC, we were back in Lex by noon on Christmas Eve. I baked Shay’s Peppermint Mocha Bundt cake while Trav prepped prime rib for dinner.

We ate dinner…

…before heading to Christmas Eve service at church. It’s always a beautiful service ending with Silent Night by candlelight. After that, we went to our friend’s house for a bit and were home by around 10.

I was starting to feel run down with a cold, so I headed to bed once we got home. The kids went to bed not too far after, but Travis was up late putting together a few things…

Courtesy of my dad, Hayden got a new bike, and we got Hadley a new desk/makeup table for her bedroom.

I was up around 7:30. While I was fairly confident the kids would sleep in, I wasn’t sure how long, and I had a few Christmas things to finish up.

Then, I did get some quiet time by the tree before the kids woke up. Hayden was up first at 9:15, and he woke up Hadley.

While this meme is relatable, I did just keep most everything unopened in boxes until I could wrap it. I think I wrapped more presents than usual this year because once they were wrapped, I could put them by the tree and the kids would have a harder time sneaking a peek!

We had a really nice morning. Hadley was excited for her “room refresh” that my friend helped put together, and Hayden was really excited for his new shoes.

Travis strikes again with the gift tags…haha

My very favorite gift was this one. Hadley did the wrapping:

…and inside the three packages were the best gifts ever. Of course, I cried.

I’m sure you’ve picked up on this, but Hadley’s easier to get a natural pic of whereas, Hayden is more hesitant…so I pick and choose when I bug him for a photo.

Anyway, Trav’s brother is a phenomenal photographer, and Travis and the kids went to his house last week for this photo session. I knew they were going there, but obviously didn’t know why. Hayden definitely didn’t leave the house in that button down shirt! Anyway, I can’t wait to find a place for these once I get all the Christmas decor put away.

Homer had a great Christmas day too!

After we face timed with KC family, we had brunch (Krusteaz cinnamon coffee cake and Sausage Hashbrown Breakfast casserole) and then Homer and I watched the Chiefs game. Unfortunately, they lost, but it was nice to have downtime at home to just relax.

Unfortunately, on Christmas, I started to feel worse, and knew my cold was turning into a sinus infection.

We all just hung out most of the day, and then we ended the evening watching National Lampoon Christmas Vacation before heading to bed.

We’re on a every other year rotation for going out of town, and it’s always hard not seeing family on Christmas day. We appreciate the extra time at home, but it still feels odd not seeing my family.

Overall, I’d say we had a really good Christmas season filled with lots of activities, traditions, baking, and more.

I went to the doctor yesterday, and got a prescription, so hopefully I will be better soon.

This week, I’m still hoping to share the books I read this year as well as a blogging recap to finish up 2023!

I hope you have a great day,

Posted in Friday Favorites, Holidays

Friday Favorites {#188}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

How was your week? Ours was a good one, and we’ve started out break just as busy as when we are in school. Hayden has had basketball, Hadley has had volleyball, and we’re trying to squeeze in last minute holiday fun before we run out of time to do so!

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

This is Friday Favorites: Festive Edition!

Here are some favorites from the week:

This is my first ever Pink Lily purchase…how cute is Hadley’s “Merry” sweatshirt?

Over the weekend, my Life in Lilac candle arrived. The gold Holiday Dreams candle is so pretty and festive.

Hadley and friends started off break having the best afternoon on Wednesday. There are close to twenty girls who are all really good friends. One of the moms is a SAINT and organized an afternoon with pizza for lunch, a Secret Santa gift exchange, and then ice skating!

What a sweet group of girls!

They had the best afternoon.

Hadley and I baked our last batch of Christmas cookies yesterday afternoon. Once she got home from volleyball, we made Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle cookies.

They turned out perfectly.

(Hayden and Travis were in Louisville for most of the day at the UK/UL basketball practice before the big rivalry game last night.)

This sweet memory from 2014 popped up…Hayden told me he was wrapping gifts for kids who weren’t getting lots of presents. Such a sweet sentiment…

…and yesterday afternoon, we participated in Operation Secret Santa. We’d never done this before, but you sign up for a shift to shop for kids from the donated items and then deliver the presents.

No photo evidence, but Travis and Hayden were there too; they shopped for two of our five families before Hayden headed to basketball practice.

Let me tell you who is a really great shopper: Hadley White!

She was so good about prioritizing what each kid should receive and keeping it all organized.

We’ll deliver to the five families today.

Last night, after the Kentucky game was over, we *finally* made it to the horse park for Southern Lights.

I think this is the 19th year that we’ve gone to see the lights.

Social Media Faves:

Tis the season for all things festive…

This bookshelf looks right up my alley!

Y’all, this is what my Instagram search looks like. I get sucked into cookie decorating videos…haha.

That being said, I stumbled upon “The Folding Lady” (@thefoldinglady) on Instagram, and her reels are mesmerizing. Check her out!

Favorite Mom Meme:

Relatable….and now I’m sharing my Christmas cards on the blog (see below) before friends and family get them in the mail. I’m just getting it done however I can.

Weekly Recap:

Here are my posts from the week:

Weekend Top 5
2023 Workouts
The ABC’s of Winter

Merry Christmas!

I feel like a theme this year, but especially these past couple of months, has been living day to day and doing my best to get accomplished whatever I can whenever I have time to do so.

Apparently, that “lifestyle” is now applying to my Christmas cards…that finally arrived…yesterday. (*sigh*)

So, I will be working on getting those out today…and I guess most will receive them by December 26. It’s the thought that counts, right?

That being said,

Merry Christmas…

…from my family to yours…

I know the holidays aren’t joyous for all. My thoughts and prayers are with those who are sad, sick, anxious, and/or struggling this season.

I have some posts planned for next week, so see you then!

As always, thank you for reading…and Merry Christmas.

Posted in Holidays

The ABC’s of Winter

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy first day of winter!

So far this year, I’ve shared the ABC’s of summer and autumn, so of course I had to continue this series with…

I know I’m in the minority, but winter is one of my favorite seasons. I love when it gets dark early, I get a couple of months of the twinkle of Christmas tree lights, the start of the new year, my birthday, and even the chance of a snow day!

Here’s my ABC list for winter:

A- activities:

Hayden starts playing basketball and Hadley will continue with volleyball this winter.

B- boots:

I love my fuzzy boots, and we always have to make sure the kids have a pair of snow boots that fit!

C- Christmas (and cookies):

‘Tis the season for all things Christmas and cookie baking.

D- December:

December is a busy month, but it’s always filled with lots of fun. From Christmas parties, to traditions, to baking cookies, and more, it’s a great way to wrap up a year!

E- Eve: Christmas and NYE

Christmas Eve is one of my favorite days. If we are home, we go to the candlelight service at church. If we are in KC, we are with family. For NYE the past couple of years, we’ve been with friends which is a fun way to ring in a new year.

F-football, fireplace, and flannel pjs:

We’ve been spoiled with the Chiefs in the Super Bowl the past couple of years, and college football bowl games are fun to watch as we cheer for the CATS and the tigers.

Fireplace:

I love when it’s fireplace season!

Flannel pjs:

I don’t do flannel sheets, but I love flannel pjs in the winter.

G- gloves:

Of course, we need gloves for playing out in the snow.

H- hot chocolate:

Hadley loves hot chocolate; a couple of years ago, her friend hosted a hot chocolate bar!

I- ice skating/ice:

Ice skating is a fun winter activity. Hadley and her friends went yesterday.

Of course, ice is no fun to drive in and it can wreak havoc, but it’s pretty to look at on the trees.

J-January birthday:

January is one of my favorite months…maybe because it’s my birthday month?

K- Kids playing outside:

We are fortunate to live in a neighborhood with so many great kids who are all friends. On a snow day, they will definitely be out and about together.

L-lights:

Christmas tree lights….nothing better!

…and other festive lights!

M- (Christmas) music:

Hadley loves the “Holly channel” on XM radio.

N-New Year’s Eve and day:

Happy New Year!

O-ornaments:

One of my favorite traditions is putting ornaments on the tree.

P-Peppermint: ice cream and Bundt cake:

I still haven’t had a Chick-fil-A peppermint milkshake this season, but I did pick up some peppermint ice cream at the store this week.

I always make Shay’s peppermint mocha Bundt cake for Christmas Eve dessert.

Q- quiet:

I love the quiet that comes with a pretty snow…and a snow day! I also feel like January is a quiet month after the two busy months of November and December.

R- resolution:

While I don’t necessarily make a resolution for the new year, it’s a good time for a fresh start and getting back on track.

S- snowman pancakes:

A snow day tradition!

T- three day weekends: MLK and Presidents’ Day

Even after having a couple weeks off at Christmas, I still look forward to the three day weekends that come in January and February.

U- unwrapping gifts:

While I don’t love wrapping gifts, I do enjoy watching others open theirs. Giving is so much more fun than receiving.

V- Valentine’s Day:

While we don’t do a ton for Valentine’s Day, Travis and I exchange cards and go out to dinner at some point. We always give the kids a few things and send family members Valentine’s Day cards.

W- winter weather watch/warning:

I truly love watching our local weather guy when there’s the possibility for winter weather. Chris Bailey is a snow day hype guy for sure! In KC, I remember watching meteorologist Gary Lezak be so excited for snow!

X- eXtra days off, snow days:

Sorry for being redundant…but I love snow and snow days. The kids and Homer do too!

Y- yummy treats: hot chocolate, Christmas cookies

Calories don’t count in the winter and during Christmas. haha

Z- ZZZ (sleep): no alarm and sleeping in on break.

I’m on day two of break, and while I’m not sleeping in super late, it’s nice to wake up on my own and ease into the day.

This was a fun post, but admittedly a few letters were hard for me to immediately come up with an idea. Oh well!

Happy winter!

Posted in Health and Fitness

Bodi

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Wednesday!

It’s my first day of break, and I’m ready for a couple of weeks of no alarm waking me up or bells telling me which class period it is!

I know it’s not yet Christmas, but as the year wraps up, I always like to share a few blog posts looking back on the year. In the next couple of weeks, I will share a blog recap, books I read this year, and a look back at 2023.

Today, I’m starting with a look back on my fitness routine this year.

Before I begin, here are some relatable truths:

I’ve shared a Not Just a Mom post last year about “Workout Places,” and most of it was about how much I like the Beachbody workouts.

While I will be the first to admit that I’m not the most physically fit, I do know there are benefits (obviously) from working out. I also know that I don’t always have a ton of time, so Bodi (formerly Beachbody) has been the best answer for me. Even when I don’t want to workout, I know that I always feel better afterwards. Also, the fact that I can workout in my basement with minimal equipment while streaming workouts on my TV via the Bodi app makes working out pretty convenient most days. And…I’ve used the app on my phone to do cardio workouts while out of town (since I don’t always have access to weights when I’m not at home)

Also, I love that most workouts are 30-40 minutes.

These are the workouts I completed this year:

  • I started the year finishing Morning Meltdown 100. This program, with 100 days of workouts, felt like a big commitment, and towards the end, I did skip some of the core and yoga style workouts. I did like the workouts though.
  • Then I did LIIFT 4 which I enjoyed. This workout program definitely focused on lifting weights.
  • Job 1 is my favorite workout find of the year. The workouts are only 20 minutes long, and they are good workouts that will make you sweat. I still do some of them now when I am limited on time.
  • Fire and Flow was a fun mix of cardio and weights (Fire) and Pilates (Flow). I really didn’t think I would like the “flow” workouts, but I did!
  • Sweat and Sculpt was a surprise to me because I loved it. This felt like barre work (focus on small muscles) that included weights and some dance movements. I truly would never do this type of class in a studio…because I would feel self-conscious of my dance moves (or lack thereof!), but I really enjoyed this program.
  • Sure Thing was another great program. I’ve also completed Muscle Burns Fat (MBF) and MBF Advanced with Megan Davies, and she’s one of my favorite Bodi instructors.
  • I’ve also completed most of the Get Strong with Kelsey Heenan workouts, but those haven’t been my favorite.
  • When in between programs, I liked searching the workout library and picking and choosing different workouts to try.

Recently, I’ve turned back to 21 Day Fix which I think will always be my favorite workout program. Also, due to a hectic schedule recently, the Job 1 twenty minute workouts have come in handy.

With Bodi, you can search by instructor, but they also have categories such as:

  • Weight loss
  • Strength & muscle
  • Lean & sculpted
  • Kickboxing
  • Barre & Pilates
  • Mobility & recovery
  • Meditation
  • Dance
  • Low-impact
  • Pre & post-natal

You can also search for workouts by your favorite instructor(s).

I even earned this badge recently:

Hayden and Hadley like to go to the gym, and Travis will usually take them to lift weights and do agility training. I do like going to the gym when I can to use the elliptical.

Recently, I started doing a program called TRIM. It’s similar to Faster Way to Fat Loss and LEAN that I’ve done int he past.

Right after fall break, I decided to sign up for a seven week round. I just wanted to get back on track, and not put off making mindful food choices until January. I knew having a coach to hold me accountable would make a huge difference in getting through November and December.

I’m glad I joined when I did. After the first round, I didn’t lose much weight…which I’ve noticed being more difficult to do once I turned 40. That being said, I did lose quite a few inches, and I’m glad that they remind you to take before/after pics because the scale definitely doesn’t tell the full story.

After the seven week round, my coach wasn’t doing another round until the new year, but she did continue with her VIP rounds, so I signed up for that to get me through December. Like the other programs, we intermittent fast, track macros in an app and have two low carb days and two low calorie days, and have a workout plan. With the workouts, I used the TRIM ones but mixed in Bodi workouts too.

My coach did “12 days of December” with prizes just for submitting our nutrition for the day, and in those 12 days, I won two prizes: a milk frother and electrolyte powder packets. My coach even texted me the other day because I’d forgotten to post a couple days. I appreciated the accountability without the pressure.

I can definitely say I haven’t been 100% in December with my eating, but I’m still tracking, drinking water, getting workouts in when I can, and following the eating plan. I know I’m doing better just doing what I can with this program as opposed to just “winging it” through December.

Anyway, I can be critical of myself, but I like looking back on the year to see what all I’ve accomplished. Something is definitely better than nothing…and I feel like I’ve done a lot of “somethings” this year!

What’s your favorite workout routine?

Posted in Weekend Top 5

Weekend Top 5

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Monday!

How was your weekend? I’m linking up with Sarah and Holly for Hello Monday…

…to share my Weekend Top 5.

Here’s what we were up to this weekend:

On Friday night, Travis and I went to our friends’ Christmas party. It was so good to hang out and see so many of our friends. It was a fun and festive evening.

I was able to get organized this weekend and get some gift wrapping accomplished as well. Also, as of Friday, I think I’m finished Christmas shopping. Yay! Now, I just have to wait for the last few gifts to trickle in.

I had a few minutes here and there to read this weekend, and I’m really enjoying this book:

Hayden had a basketball tournament this weekend. He had two games on Saturday and three games on Sunday. Between games on Saturday, they boys and families hung out at a local restaurant. It was nice to let the kids relax, and the parents got to hang out and chat.

On Sunday, the team made it to the championship game of their bracket. They came up short, but they were still fun to watch play.

After a hectic Sunday, we were still able to make it to our church’s Christmas pageant. A couple of the kids’ friends were in it, so we wanted to support them. Then, there was a church Christmas dinner which was delish.

It was a great way to wrap up our busy and festive weekend.

What was the best part of your weekend?

Two more days of school…I think I can, I think I can…

Posted in Friday Favorites, Kids

Friday Favorites {#187}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

This was our last full week before break, but we still have a couple of days next week. It’s really been messing with me that break doesn’t start after school today!

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

Here are some favorites from the week:

We tried a new pizza place last Friday night before heading to my school’s basketball game. The pizza was really good, and the kids had fun playing a couple of rounds of skee ball before we headed to the game.

Last Saturday, Hayden had his final cross country race of club season in Louisville. We were thankful the rain held off until right after the race, but I’ve never seen a race with so many runners. Hayden had a pretty good race considering there were over 450 runners.

Now, Hayden has a couple weeks of rest before basketball and indoor track start. Out of curiosity, I asked Hayden how many miles he ran in 2023, and he said 930! He’s on an app with other runners (kind of like social media for runners, I guess) where they track their mileage and encourage each other.

Anyway, we’re proud of all that he’s accomplished these past few months.

Then, I “raced” back to Lexington to help Hadley get ready for cotillion.

Hayden and Travis got home with about thirty minutes to spare as Hayden was going to cotillion too. While I don’t think cotillion was Hayden’s favorite activity of the week, I sure loved seeing the kids dressed up and looking nice.

(Also, Travis is the real MVP driving all over town finding clothes that fit Hayden last week! haha)

This dance was a more formal dance, and the theme was “Glitter and Gold Gala.”

We went to a friend’s house beforehand, so the girls could finish getting ready together. Then, most of the 8th graders from the kids’ school met up at a restaurant before the dance. The kids had a room to themselves, and they ate and hung out before the dance. The parents hung out for a bit too before heading home (and then back to pick the kids up at 10:30!) Saturday was a long day and a late night for all, but we enjoyed it.

On Sunday, Hadley and I baked some cookies.

Per tradition, we made Peanut Butter Blossoms, and we tried our hand at Cornflake Wreaths too. They were both delish. I think we might make the peanut butter cookies again because they didn’t last long at our house. This weekend, we might make them and the Chocolate Crinkle cookies we usually make.

Do you like my new mug? Landyn had a few seasonal things for sale, and I couldn’t resist.

Favorite Kid Quote:

Hadley was trying to persuade me about something, and I told her I would talk to Travis. She said, “Mom, everybody knows that moms are the man of the house” 😆 haha! #whereisthelie

Favorite Mom Meme:

LOL

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:

Oh my. Look at these cuties by the tree in 2010. I loved those little jammies…

…they had their names on their bottoms!

Weekly Recap:

Here are my posts from the week, including a couple of fun linkups and a stroll down memory lane:

NJAM
LEt’s Look
Ornaments

What are your weekend plans? We have some holiday fun and basketball on tap. Thankfully, I don’t have to get up early tomorrow, and I’m so excited about that.

See you back here on Monday!

Posted in Holidays

Ornaments and Memories

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Thursday!

I always enjoy getting the mail this time of the year because of all of the festive holiday cards we receive and packages with gifts I’ve ordered (that I can check off my list!). This year, one of my packages that arrived is a gift I gave myself…

I think I shared in a previous post that last year, I decided to make a few ornaments with the kids’ pictures that we’d used for holiday cards or their pics with Santa through the years. I used Shutterfly which is my typical “go to” for holiday items, but the over $30 for shipping stopped me in my tracks!

This year, when I got on Shutterfly to click around for cards, I saw the ornaments still in my cart. I decided to go ahead and finish this project because the ornaments were half off again, and the total price meant free shipping! I did put a year on each side of some ornaments. Other years, the kids were too cute in their holiday outfits and Santa pics, that I had to add both.

Anyway, the ornaments arrived this week, and I decided to put them on the tree in our bedroom. They are so cute.

A look at the ornaments:

I’ve had the first ornament since 2009. That Christmas, with two one month olds, I really leaned in to online shopping, and we gave these ornaments to family members.

2010- The kids would barely sit still for a photo under the tree.

2011 – We contained them in a laundry basket while Hadley hugged Hayden. (awe!)

2012 – The kids sat by the tree before we headed to Trav’s work Christmas party.

2013– I think Pinterest became all the rage (for me?) in 2013. Christmas lights on the kids in their Christmas pjs by the “Merry and Bright” sign…why not?

2014-My brother snapped this pic of the kids with his fancy camera. Hayden is missing his bottom two teeth.

2015- Again, my brother took the pic of the kids on the left, and then this was the first year of visiting the really fun Santa at our favorite place.

2016- I took the kids’ pic (with my phone) this year…Hayden was out playing football with friends, and came in the house with a fat lip right before we left for these photos. The red blanket they are sitting on is still in our living room during the holiday season. We saw Santa again that year, and I remember him guessing which kid was the naughty one…and he guessed Hayden. haha

2017- Sweet moments with the same Santa and then our friend hosted a kids’ Christmas party, and the Santa who was there was so sweet. The kids looked at him with such innocence in their eyes. So precious.

2018- We went to “Cookies with Santa” at our club, and the kids had a great time. Ms. Claus was there too!

2019– I’m glad we got one last visit with our favorite Santa because, as we all know, the next couple of Christmases looked a bit different…and my kids “aged” out of some of the special traditions of Christmas.

2020- Our club hosted a visit with Santa…outside… in 2020. I remember that we almost didn’t go, but I’m so glad that we did. I think the kids were just obliging for me, but it was a fun visit, and they still got cookies out of seeing Santa.

2021- We went to KC for Thanksgiving in 2021, and we made a visit to Union Station. Santa was there! Even though the kids were older, it was still a fun surprise to see him.

For 2022, I used a family beach photo for our card…

…but I might add it to an ornament with a photo from this year because it’s fun looking back on the kids through the years.

I’m so glad I went ahead and had these ornaments made. I know I will look forward to putting them on the tree every year.

Moms of littles: learn from me…and go ahead and order the ornaments every year rather than play “catch up” when your kids are 14!

Posted in Let's look

Let’s Look

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Wednesday!

It’s the last Let’s Look of 2023, so of course I’m linking up with Shay and Erika.

This year, we’ve looked at:

  • Scheduling/organizing a busy family in January
  • What’s in your medicine cabinet in February
  • Favorite Amazon finds in March
  • I skipped April because we had pet peeves as a topic for May’s Not Just a Mom post, so I saved those ideas for this post.
  • Around May’s link up, I shared a “Day in the Life” post, so that ended up including most of my morning routine.
  • Best travel tips in June
  • No post for me in July
  • In August, I discussed worst habits in a blog challenge post.
  • Our evening routine in September
  • I skipped October because I’d already shared a post about fears for the blog challenge.
  • Stocking stuffers in November.

This month’s topic is our top comforts in life.

Well, this should be easy! I’m all about being comfy!

This time of the year, a cozy comfort is the glow of the Christmas tree.

I can’t start my day without coffee, and that first cup definitely starts the day off right.

I love a candle all year long.

Pjs and slippers are top comforts for me. What does it say about me that I care more about what pjs I buy than what I wear to school?! haha

I love a blanket while watching tv or reading…and I still can’t live without my weighted blanket on my bed.

Books and my Kindle also provide me with comfort. There’s nothing better than getting “lost” in a good book.

Sweatshirts and leggings are my most comfortable “go to” outfit.

My favorite part of my day is getting home from school, and putting on comfy clothes.

These things have me ready for another “comfort” in life…a snow day!

What about you? What are your top comforts?

Posted in Not Just a Mom

Not Just a Mom

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Monday!

I hope you had a great weekend. Ours was extra fun…we went to my school’s basketball game on Friday night, Hayden had a race on Saturday, the kids had cotillion dance on Saturday night, and Hadley and I baked cookies yesterday.

It’s time for the last Not Just a Mom link up of 2023!

This year we’ve discussed:

This month’s topic is…favorite books/series.

It’s no secret that I love to read. As a matter of fact, I’ve had less time to read over the past couple of months than I have in years…and I’ve kind of felt in a funk not having reading as part of my routine.

One of my favorite blog posts to write every year is when I share my top five books of the year. I’ve had lots of favorites through the years…

I don’t read a lot of series, but the first thing that popped in my mind given this time of the year is Elin Hilderbrand’s Winter Street series. It’s one of my faves!

2024:

Just a little FYI – for 2024, we’re continuing this link up, but we’re changing the name to Share Our Lives.

We hope you’ll continue to join us, either by linking up or reading, these posts on the second Monday of the month. Our first link up for 2024 will be January 8th, so mark your calendars!

So, what’s one of your favorite series? I do have a shelf on Goodreads for “series,” so I can those suggestions to my list.

Thanks so much for reading the Not Just a Mom posts throughthe years; they are some of my favorite to write.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter
https://fresh.inlinkz.com/js/widget/load.js?id=c0efdbe6b4add43dd7ef
Posted in Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#186}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

TGIF! How was your week? We had a good one, and I feel like it went by pretty quickly.

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

Here are a few favorite from the week:

I mentioned in Monday’s post that Travis and Hayden were in Tallahassee over the weekend for an AAU race. Last week, Travis kept saying, “Looks like it’s going to be rainy in Florida.” Well, “rainy” was an understatement. It rained the entire time they were there, and Hayden ran his race in a monsoon.

Hadley and I tuned in via the computer…

He’s number 1197!

Travis did his best to send a few pics and videos…and the rain was just crazy.

Hayden was so happy because he earned his first “All American” medal by placing in the top 25. His team placed third.

When I picked them up from the airport on Sunday, he was all smiles…and as soon as he got in the car, he put his medal on. haha

While the guys were gone, Hadley and I had a slow Saturday morning. I watched the first episode of season 6 of The Crown.

Hadley worked on her science project, and we went to the mall.

Saturday night, we went to the Taylor Swift Eras tour movie. When I had checked the theaters earlier in the week, there weren’t any show times. We were so happy when we saw the movies times for Saturday.

Wow! I’m definitely not a “Swiftie,” but what a concert. We’ll definitely watch it again when it can be streamed.

On Tuesday, all of the freshmen went to a career expo put on by the district. I was one of the chaperones and had no clue we were riding nice buses to the expo. We were only gone a couple of hours, but it was a fun change of pace for the day.

Tis the season! My flat panel is festive this holiday season.

Sometimes when I’m shopping for others, I end up buying something for myself…but it’s usually because I stumble upon a good deal! I love this Pureology shampoo and conditioner, and they had this “Hydrate Holiday Gift Set” and it was a great deal.

Favorite Foods:

I tried two new recipes this week, and they were a hit!

We had Stuffed Bell Pepper casserole on Sunday with leftovers on Monday. It was a hit with the fam.

On Tuesday, I made Salsa Verde Chicken, and it was another favorite.

Favorite Mom Meme:

LOL….this!

Flashback Friday:

I probably share this every year, but Hadley was in the NICU for two weeks after the kids were born. The memory of her joining us at home and our first pic as a family of four always pops up in my Facebook memories.

I texted Hadley this pic on Monday (12/4), and she asked why she had to stay in the hospital…and then her reply was, “Well look at me now!”

Not Just a Mom:

We have our final Not Just a Mom link up of 2023 on Monday…and the topic is favorite books/series.

We’d love to have you join us!

Weekly Recap:

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

Prime purchases
Currently
Holiday Home Tour

What are your weekend plans?

We have nothing tonight, so I hope to start wrapping presents! Saturday is action packed with a cross country race and cotillion.

See you back here on Monday!