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Posted in Three things

Three Things

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello! It’s almost the weekend. I can tell you that I feel like I’m barely hanging on this week.

Anyway…

I try to do a “Three Things” post each “season,” but it looks like I skipped summer…my last Three Things post was in May!

Here’s what’s going on with each of us lately:

  1. Sports: Now that school cross country is finished, Hayden has started club season which will go into early December. This was such a fun season to watch Hayden improve with each race. He hasn’t had the best luck at the state meet the past two years (last year, he was still getting over Covid, and this year, he’d hurt his leg). I know next year he’s hoping to have a solid season as an 8th grader. I can’t believe that next year will be the last year of middle school running. He’s also playing rec basketball to prep for middle school basketball in December as well.
  2. Cooking: I have to give Hayden credit…he’s mastered making grilled cheese and quesadilla. He figured those two dishes out over the summer. This semester he has Life Essentials, so maybe he’ll add to his cooking rotation.
  3. School: In 7th grade, students choose a foreign language, and Hayden chose Spanish. I think he’s enjoying it so far. Last Friday was “Heritage Day” at school, and the students in Spanish class had presentations, there was food to eat, and guest speakers in the gym. Hayden and his group earned 100%, so they were happy about that. Muy bueno!
  1. Sports/Activities: Like last year, Hadley’s doing all the things. She’s still taking studio dance as well as competition. This year, one of her classes is lyrical, and she’s loving it. This has been Hadley’s first week of volleyball practice, and she’s excited for this season. She’s also on Student Council this year, and they are busy planning the Haunted House that’s coming up soon.
  2. Life update: Hadley’s loving not having her braces. She does have to wear clear (like Invisalign) retainers for now, and she’s kept up with them so far. She said she’s most excited to bite into an apple now that she doesn’t have braces which I thought was a funny rite of passage.
  3. School: Hadley chose French as her foreign language this year, and is enjoying it. She dreams of going to see the Eiffel Tower one day which is why she chose French over Spanish. haha
  1. Travis is finished coaching the middle school cross country, but now he’s the Lexington area coach for club season. He’s got a good group of runners. I don’t know how he does it all, but he enjoys it. He’s also very busy with work because the Breeder’s Cup is in Lexington this year, and he’s also preparing for a sale next week as well as the November sales.
  2. I just finished phase 1 of my Invisalign. Of course, I didn’t know what to expect, but so far so good. After my first 30 weeks, they took off my attachments and rescanned me. I have an appointment next month to get my new set of trays. So, right now, it’s weird to actually not have the trays in my mouth 24/7. I just sleep in my week 30 trays at night. How many more phases will I have? I’m not sure, but all along, my treatment plan was 18-24 months. And…this week has been extra busy because I’ve been giving the ACT at school the past couple of days. I feel like I haven’t really been in a regular routine at school, but I’m happy to help however is needed at school.
  3. Homer – Nothing really to report with Homer besides the fact I do think he’s continuing to mature. It’s nice to leave him out in the house when we are gone…He’s living his best life taking naps and guarding the house. We love him a lot.

So…that’s just a bit about what we are up to. We are entering our most hectic time of the year as Travis is busy with work, the kids have their birthday soon, and of course, we have the holidays coming up too! Now, we’ve added volleyball and club running to our plates.

I hope you are having a great week. See you back here tomorrow for Friday Favorites.

Posted in Travel

Fall Break in Florida Part 2

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Happy Wednesday!

Well, we had snow flurries yesterday which is a far cry from 80 degree temps and the salt water we got to experience on Fall Break.

Last week, I shared part 1 of our trip, and today I’m recapping the last couple of days.

Wednesday:

On Wednesday, we all had a slow start to the day, and people kind of did their own thing. Some of the moms went shopping and took the girls. I stayed back and read on the screened in porch while drinking my coffee.

Travis took Hayden to the pool for his exercises and stretching.

Then, Travis worked from the house the rest of day as some of the others did as well. I guess this was the point of vacay where we had to put the fun aside and get caught up on work. haha

Then, some of us had some beach time. The girls (Hadley & Co.) spent most of the day at the pool.

The weather could not have been more perfect. I enjoyed my book and my Truly and continued to work on my tan. On this day, I kind of joked about how fun it was vacationing with my family (I was the only one at the beach. haha)

I headed back to the house around 3:00 to shower and rest. Then, it was the “parents night out” for dinner. All the kids hung at the house, and we ordered pizza for them.

We had dinner reservation at Old Florida Fish House. They couldn’t seat all 12 of us together, so we split up with a guys table and a girls table.

The setting was beautiful, and the food was delicious.

On our way out, we were able to get a group pic. It turned out so great!

Then, we went back to the house and enjoyed music by the fire. (Not everyone is lucky enough to travel with a talented musician and his guitar!)

Thursday:

Thursday morning was another slow one. Since it was our last day of vacay, we all knew it was our last day to relax.

Most of us eventually headed to the beach. We all wanted to maximize our time there since it was the last day.

Poor Hayden spent most of his time on the couch (or in the pool doing his exercises)

Hadley joined me on the beach. After a day at the pool the day before, the girls were ready to have fun in the sun and the sand.

Since we knew we’d have to start packing up that night and wanted to spend as much time on the beach as possible, we all headed back to the house late afternoon to freshen up and have a late lunch instead of going out to dinner. All the families kind of did their own thing. My family headed in to Seaside to go to Great Southern.

Travis and Hayden wanted one more round of oysters.

We got the calamari app, and I got a salad. Then, we enjoyed ice cream at It’s Heavenly afterwards.

Then, we went back to the house. The kids ran around and played a bit before heading to the beach for one more sunset.

We (all the moms) wanted *casual* family photos, and we made it all work.

We took turns snapping pics of each family. I love how ours turned out. (Some things do get easier with time!)

Hadley took a pic of Travis and me…

The kids gave me a few more smiles…

…before we snapped all the different combos of group kid photos. haha

Love this crew:

The girls, boys, and the oldest girls…

…and then the best pic of all. Thank goodness for a timer on the phone! (We were missing one family, but I love this pic so much.)

Then, we sat down for the last few minutes and enjoyed a beverage while watching the sunset.

It was a good one! Nothing beats a beach sunset.

We stayed until dark, and then headed back to the house. We still hadn’t made S’mores, so that was on the agenda for the last night.

Then, we all started packing up to make the morning easier before heading to bed.

Friday:

We were all up and at ’em pretty early. I did enjoy one more cup of coffee on the porch before helping clean out the fridge, tidying up the house, and doing a walk through to make sure nothing was left behind. It was all hands on deck (You should have seen the carriage house after a few days with four girls!), but we got it done.

Everyone was on the road by 9. It was quite the drive home. We hit traffic in Nashville, so it was almost an eleven hour drive back. The good thing is the kids were so tired, the slept quite a bit.

I think we all felt like we could have used one more beach day, but it was nice to have the whole weekend to unpack, do laundry, get groceries, and prep for the week ahead.

This trip couldn’t have gone any better. I think it helps that the kids are all at a great traveling age that also provided flexibility for all. If a kid didn’t want to stay at the beach, they could stay at the house. The parents were able to go out one night, all the families could hang, or we could all just do our own thing.

We’ve been blessed with amazing friendships with amazing families. It’s so nice that when the kids became friends, the parents all became friends too. I know this is a vacation (and photos!) that we’ll remember fondly and hope to do again in the future.

Thanks for following along. Now, don’t mind me…I’m off to find my winter coat. Brrr!

Posted in Holidays, Traditions

Pumpkin Patch Time

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hey there! On Sunday, we went to the pumpkin patch which is one of my favorite days of the year.

Simon Holland cracks me up, and his pumpkin patch quotes are the best. On Sunday, we kept it pretty simple…no corn mazes, hay rides or sign purchasing happened, but we did have a great time.

We used to spend hours at the pumpkin patch letting the kids run around, go down the slides, pet the animals, jump on the inflatables, and more. That being said, right around Covid time, they probably aged out of those things anyway. So, the past couple of years have been more about enjoying the scenery on the drive there, walking around a bit, buying all the seasonal snacks, picking out carving pumpkins and heading home.

We go to Evans Orchard in Georgetown. This is the same place where we picked strawberries a couple of summers ago.

The weather was overcast (I remember going so many times when the kids were little and sweating in the hot temps!), and the temps were pretty cool. We actually had a few raindrops fall on us during out time there.

Can’t beat this sight:

The front porch is always so festive and cute.

There were a few raindrops right as we arrived, so we headed inside for our favorite snacks. We picked up some apple cider donuts, Hayden got a cold apple cider while the rest of us got hot apple cider, and then Travis always falls for the “buy 2, get 1 free” fudge. So, we wandered around the store a bit and then purchased our items.

My favorite part is looking at all the different kinds of pumpkins.

Hadley saw the muted colored pumpkins in the top left photo and said they were my “vibe.” She’s not wrong!

Every year, they always organize the pumpkins in different ways which is always so fun to see.

I was tempted, but I didn’t pick up any more pumpkins for the porch!

This carved pumpkin caught my eye:

The kids obliged for a photo by one of the set ups they had…

Then, they picked out their pumpkins to carve.

We paid for the pumpkins, walked around a bit more, and then headed home!

So it was a quick trip, but I still enjoy this tradition so much.

Then, I immediately inhaled two donuts when I get home 😂 and relaxed the rest of the afternoon.

Through the years…

I’ve shared this collage before, and I still love it so much. Travis and I have actually gone to the pumpkin patch every year we’ve been married. So, of course when we had the kids, we had to continue the tradition. (or at least that’s what I told him…😂)

Here they are in 2010–2018:

2019

2020

2021

and… this year…2022.

(Hadley’s getting a lot of wear out of her pumpkin sweatshirt I got her last year.)

Other Favorite Memories

In 2015, I went with the kids on their kindergarten field trip to Boyd’s Orchard. I loved going with them, seeing them run around, learn, hang with their friends, and pick pumpkins.

In 2016, Hadley’s Daisy troop went to Evan’s Orchard, and that’s when we made the shift as a family and started going there. It’s a little more spread out than Boyd’s, and when it’s crowded, that really makes a difference.

(Speaking of getting wear out of a shirt…clearly, I had a pumpkin patch outfit in 2015 and 2016. Actually, I still own that plaid Old Navy flannel. It’s a fave, for sure.)

I feel like we are so busy, but I told the kids and Travis that the pumpkin patch in October and Christmas lights at the Kentucky Horse Park in December are two traditions I want to make happen for as many years as possible! Even if we have to squeeze in a time to make that happen, I’m going to do it.

What’s your favorite fall tradition?

Posted in Meals and Recipes, Weekend Top 5

Weekend Top 5

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Monday! I hope you had a great weekend. Ours sure seemed to go by so quickly.

Today, I’m linking up with Sarah and Holly for Hello Monday…

to tell you about my:

Here’s a peek at our weekend:

It’s probably a lame #1, but the fact that I was able to come home straight after school on a Friday with no errands or other things to do was a highlight of my day. I was home by 3:45 and had time to workout, tidy up, and get ready for the weekend. The kids had an after school activity, and I picked them up at 5:30. While we were out, we went ahead and picked up dinner to eat at home. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to watch a movie as a family because Travis worked really late. Instead, the kids and I ate dinner and watched a few episodes of The Goldbergs. We’re almost caught up with last season. Anyway, it was just a great way to start the weekend.

The weather on Saturday was perfection, and there were touches of fall everywhere.

I had a few minutes to eat lunch after running some errands and decided to sit out on the front porch and get some fresh air. I had the best fall view.

It was the state cross country meet in Paris, Kentucky on Saturday. Travis had a long day because his 6th graders ran in the morning, and then the 7th and 8th graders ran in the afternoon.

Hayden hurt his IT band while playing on the beach, and he’d been to PT and stretching all week. He didn’t feel 100%, but he felt good enough to run. While Hayden was disappointed with his finish, he still had a PR for the 4k and scored points for his team. The boys finished in the top 10 in the state which is so amazing. They’ve worked so hard, and Travis has done a fantastic job training them this season. I’ve loved watching Travis coach Hayden and the team. We had a fantastic group of 8th grade boys that we’ll miss next year! Overall, it was an amazing season.

Hayden will continue to rehab his injury and run in the post season with Travis as one of his coaches. (More on that, I’m sure as that season gets going!)

We made it to the pumpkin patch yesterday. The weather was overcast, but we headed there right after church and beat the rain. The kids went straight to get hot apple cider and apple cider donuts.

Then, they picked out their carving pumpkins before we headed home.

I remember when we used to spend hours at the pumpkin patch, so they could run around and do all the activities. Now, we probably spend more time in the car getting there than wandering around, but I’m still glad we can make this tradition happen.

Besides the memories, the second best part of the pumpkin patch is picking up the apple cider donuts. Ugh…I had two yesterday, but they were worth it. Back on track today!

This week, I’m trying three new recipes, so I thought I’d go ahead and share those too!

  • Amy inspired me with her lasagna cups. I used to make an appetizer (recipe courtesy of a friend) that used wonton wrappers, and thought I’d give a new recipe a try. I found this Muffin Tin Lasagna Cup recipe on Pinterest, and we had it last night for dinner. They were delish!
  • I saw this soup recipe on Instagram, and I’m going to make it tonight or tomorrow.
  • On Wednesday, I’m going to make Andrea’s One Pot Bow Tie Pasta recipe.

This week’s meal planning feels a little “carb heavy,” but ’tis the fall season.

How was your weekend? Let me know a highlight! Also, what are you eating this week?

I hope you have a good one!

Posted in Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#131}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Friday!

This week was a good one, but re-entry after a week off for break was quite the adjustment. Besides school, work, and regular evening commitments, I just felt like we had a few extra things thrown in like early Student Council meetings and flu shot appointments.

Anyway, TGIF…and I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.

Favorite Moment:

Tuesday was a BIG day around here. Hadley got her last set of braces off! This second phase was supposed to be about two years, and she finished up three months early.

I love that smile!

Progress through the years…phase one start and finish and phase two start and finish.

A win for me…I’ve finished my first round (30 weeks) of Invisalign. One thing I didn’t think I’d ever have in common with my almost teenagers is having ortho appointments at the same time. Here we are headed to our appointments Tuesday morning.

I get my next set of trays in about a month…and fingers crossed…Hayden will be finished with braces the first of the year.

Favorite Clothes:

I had a couple favorites from my recent Stitch Fix order. I’ve been using Stitch Fix for probably five years or so. I get four shipments a year. I usually keep one to two things per box. My stylist over the past year or so is Narci, and I love what she picks out for me.

Something that SF has started doing the past year or so is sending an email in advance suggesting a few pieces they are putting in your box, and you say yes or no.

When I saw this knit jacket, I thought it would be great as a nicer outerwear option for fall and winter. I was trying on a few things for Keeneland, and thought I’d see how the coat looked with one of my dresses. I really love it.

There were two pairs of mid rise jeans in my order, and when I put on these “girl friend” jeans, I really liked them. I wasn’t sure if they were “age appropriate” for me, (read: am I too old to have holes in my jeans?), but when I showed them to Hadley, she approved and said they were “giving.” That’s a good thing, BTW.

I have Stitch Fix referral link (every customer does) if you are interested in trying it out.

Favorite Foods:

I went to Trader Joe’s for fruit, and came home with this pumpkin brioche bread (and the fruit)…and it’s delish! Hadley’s been having a slice for breakfast, and I’ve had it for a snack a time or two. Yummy.

I had Amy’s Dorito salad for lunch three times this week. Easy to prep and so good.

Other Faves:

My big blue crew are a fave. They were dressed and ready for the cooler temps. (Hayden is an example of how middle school boys dress even when the temps dip below 50…he did take a sweatshirt) for the football game last weekend. Another fave…while they were gone, I had the house to myself. haha!

Hadley had a big week! Besides getting her braces off, she also made the school volleyball team. Tryouts were on Tuesday, so she earned the red plate for dinner. When I put her dinner on the plate, she said she hadn’t made the team yet. I reminded her it was about the effort and not the outcome. After not playing much since before Covid and with many girls trying out, she was nervous. That being said, she felt good about her tryout…which is all she could ask for.

She’s excited to get back on the court this season, and we can’t wait to watch.

Ok –this is a random favorite, but do you follow Brunch with Babs on Instagram? She’s so much fun, and she shares tips pretty often. She mentioned that most washers have a delayed start, so to check it out and use that as a way to start laundry when needed. Our washer is a couple of years old, so I figured it would have that feature. Well, I checked…and it did! I don’t like running the washer or dryer when we aren’t home, so this will be a good way to throw laundry in and set the start for the early morning or afternoon.

Favorite Mom Meme:

hashtag: that mom life

Bonus Fave…Flashback Friday:

With Hadley back on the volleyball court again, here’s a pic of her at a skills session a few years ago. Seems like a lifetime ago.

Weekly Recap:

Here are my posts this week in case you missed one!

Not Just a Mom
This or That: Fall
Let’s Look
Fall Break Vacay: Part 1

What do you have on tap this weekend? I’m really hoping for a quiet night at home watching a movie with the fam. We’ve done a pretty good job watching a movie a month together this year. Then, Saturday is state cross country. Fingers crossed, I think Hayden’s leg is much better. Not sure if we’ll get there, but I was hoping to get to the pumpkin patch this weekend too. We’ll see!

Thanks so much for reading!

Posted in Travel

Fall Break in Florida Part 1

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello!

I can’t believe we’ve almost been home from the beach for a week, and I’m just getting around to sharing about the first few days of our trip.

Like I shared last week, it felt odd prepping for our trip as we weren’t sure the exact track of Hurricane Ian. Florida saw a lot of devastation, but the hurricane didn’t make it to the 30A/Destin area.

30A is a “hot spot” for vacations for the southern states. We have lots of friends who go there many times a year. I believe there are direct flights if not from Lexington, from nearby cities. That being said, most of the time, I think people drive. It’s about a ten hour trip. Travis and I had been there once before with friends many years ago. I’m sure we’d go there more if we didn’t have Siesta Key as our main Florida vacation spot thanks to Trav’s family.

Anyway, here’s a bit about the first few days of our trip…

Saturday:

We were sharing a house with three other families, and we couldn’t check in until Sunday. It ended up that Kentucky was playing Old Miss at noon that day, so many of our friends left early in the morning to get to our pit stop of Birmingham, AL by game time. Hayden had a cross country meet, so while many families left in the morning, we didn’t leave until about 2 pm. We arrived in Birmingham around 8:00 and just hung out. We were all the same hotel, so the kids got together, and the adults hung out too. We just got carry out dinner and watched football on tv before going to bed.

Sunday:

Since we still had about 3.5 hours left of the drive, we all wanted to leave by 9:00. Everyone was up and having breakfast before packing up for the rest of the drive. Who doesn’t love a “free” breakfast?

We hit the road, and arrived in the 30A area around 1:00. We were traveling with two families who were pretty familiar with the area as they’d vacationed there quite a few times. They suggested Hurricane Oyster Bar and Grill for lunch, and that’s where we all met up.

I had the lobster tacos, and they were so good. They kids ate and were able to walk around a bit while the adults chatted and ate. Hayden and Travis got their first oysters of the trip.

We were guaranteed check in to the house by 5:00, but just as we were getting into our cars around 3:00, they texted that the house was ready. Perfect timing!

One of the moms ordered groceries for delivery between 3:00 and 5:00. The Instacart person was in the driveway as we arrived. Again, perfect timing!

The house was pretty big and so charming. It was nestled in a neighborhood about 1/2 a mile from the beach, and the neighborhood had two pools…one of which was only a few steps from our house.

The screened in front porch was my favorite part!

We all got settled in our rooms, unpacked groceries, and got organized. There was a carriage house above the garage, and it had a king bed and two twin beds. The four girls got it. It was funny because Hadley kept calling it the “out house” at first. I told her it was a far cry from an out house. Throughout the week, they called it the “other” house, the “back” house, and eventually the “she shed.” They definitely had a good spot!

Our house also had a golf cart, so a couple of trips on that to get everyone there, and we were at the beach by 4:00.

We all sat around while kids played.

Then once we realized how early the sun would be setting (6:30!), we decided to grab some drinks from the house to enjoy while we watched the sun set. I ordered these cups from a Lexington girl (@cupsoncochran) and brought them for us to use on the trip.

I love a beach sunset. I try hard not to miss one while on vacay!

Of course, we had to have some sunset pics on the first night.

Then, we headed back to the house for dinner. I’m so glad we had made the plan to grill out at home. We were back from the beach around 6:45, and had dinner around 7:30. The kids played games, and the Chiefs were on tv. We all hung out, and I think most were in bed around 10.

Monday:

We eased into the morning with people waking at various times. Before we left for the trip, the moms made a tentative breakfast plan. Of course, we bought cereal, but then we also planned for pancakes, sausage biscuits, omelets and more. We spaced those out throughout the week.

We had coffee on the screened in porch before the moms walked on the beach. There were two other families nearby that we hung out with as well.

When we got back from our walk, everyone packed up to head to beach for the day.

First full day at the beach, and everyone enjoyed it!

The kids caught all kinds of things: crabs, snakes, fish. We even saw lots of jelly fish.

In Seaside square, the moms hit up an early happy hour…

…while the girls walked around, shopped, and got ice cream.

We made it back in time to load up and head to the beach for sunset.

The moms got a pic:

…as did the daughters. Any guesses on what the girls bought while we were at happy hour? haha

This is one of those photos (both photos, actually) that I think we’ll treasure forever.

Are you even a “tween” if you aren’t doing Tik Tok dances by the ocean?

We enjoyed the sunset before heading back to the house.

Again, it was a full day at the beach, so I’m glad we planned ahead for tacos at home. Even better, someone had the good call to put the taco meat in the slow cooker. Dinner was basically ready when we got back.

Then, most of the kids settled in for Hocus Pocus 2.

It was a great day.

Tuesday:

I had coffee on the front porch before the moms biked to Modica Market for mimosas and breakfast. The mimosas were a great way to start the day. Also, I caved and bought a Seaside sweatshirt too. Hadley gets her love of sweatshirts from me!

Travis drove some of the kids up to the market on the golf cart to pick up breakfast, so we saw them for a few minutes as well.

Once we got back, we packed up and headed to the beach.

I’m glad we got this family pic because that’s about the last time Hayden was at the beach. He’d hurt his leg the day before playing football on the beach (strained a muscle, I guess), so he laid low at the house or did stretches or exercises in the pool the other days.

The beach was never super crowded, and on this day, the water was hardly moving!

I read my book and enjoyed the sunshine.

I went back to the house mid-afternoon to check on Hayden and see what the kids were up to. Then, I took an afternoon nap on screened in porch. It was lovely.

The guys (and Hayden) went out for happy hour and oysters.

For dinner, we met up with the two other families at the Hub (which I think is also called The Big Chill now). This was the perfect place for dinner because it’s all outside, there was a movie playing, and there were many food options.

After a few hours there, we headed back to the house. Again, the kids played for a bit, and we all hung out. We ended up turning on The Addams Family which we all hadn’t seen in forever.

We had a great start to our vacay….I will share the last couple of days next week!

See you back here tomorrow for Friday Favorites.

Posted in Holidays, Let's look

Let’s Look

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello! How is your week going so far? We’re having a good one. The weather has been perfection…cool mornings and sunny days. It’s definitely feeling like October around here.

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

So far this year, we’ve looked at:

  • How you organize for the new year in January.
  • What you eat in a week in February.
  • Your faves from high school/college in March. (I didn’t have a post that month.)
  • How you plan/do date nights in April.
  • Your hometown in May.
  • Go-to summer lunches in June.
  • How you keep healthy in July.
  • How you do ‘every day’ cleaning in August. (I didn’t have a post that month.)
  • Organize your closet in September

This month’s topic is: select your Halloween costumes.

I feel like I’ve done some variation of this post the past couple of years…

That being said, I think our Halloween days are about over (and the days of little cute costumes are definitely over), so these posts are always a fun little trip down memory lane for me.

As far as how we select Halloween costumes, it’s really just about the kids. I haven’t worn a Halloween costume in years. We haven’t had any adult Halloween parties since before we had kids, I think. Also, we’ve never done family costumes because I am not that creative! I do love to see what others think of, but that’s never been a priority for me.

Anyway, here’s a little look at the kids’ costumes through the years.

2010:

The kids were 11 months old for their first Halloween, and I went with pretty “simple” and “classic” costumes for my nearly one year olds. What’s cuter than a pumpkin and a skeleton?

2011:

Leading up to this Halloween, I remember a conversation about how the kids should be m&m’s since we called them H&H. My mom made these m&m costumes for them which were cute and easy.

2012:

This Halloween, the kids were almost two…and so began the years of them choosing what they wanted to be. What little boy didn’t want to be a fireman and little girl, a princess?

2013:

I’ve shared before, but this was my favorite year. Hayden wanted to be Batman, and Hadley actually said, “I’ll be Robin!” Every time I look at this photo, her little mask on her chubby cheeks kills me.

2014:

This was the first year in our new house, and we moved in a few weeks before Halloween. I remember that it was a hectic time, but the kids were very confident in what they wanted to be. Hayden was still in the super hero phase, and Frozen was all the rage at the time. Hadley wanted to be Elsa, of course.

2015:

Target was a life saver for costumes. They kids were excited to find a ninja and a pink power ranger costume in the Halloween section.

2016:

In 2016, Hadley was a bee while Hayden was Luke Skywalker.

Hadley learned to read just in time to scroll my phone for costume ideas. When she said, “let’s get buzzed” and showed me a photo of a woman in a bee costume, there was no turning back. 😂Hadley saw that adult bee costume and remembered that she had a hand me down black and yellow costume from her cousin. We bought the tights and made the headband. It turned out so cute.

Hayden loved that his light saber glowed in the dark!

2017:

Looking back, this was another favorite costume year. After the Royals won the World Series in 2015, Hayden because a huge Mike Moustakas fan. This costume was easy to put together because we already had everything we needed! Hadley decided she wanted to be Super Woman which was super cute.

2018:

This was the year Hayden returned to playing soccer, so he wanted to be Ronaldo. Hadley told me she wanted to be “an 80’s girl!” and thankfully, Amazon had everything we needed.

2019:

In 4th grade, there were lots of Ghostbusters. Hayden loved having the inflatable Proton Pack (not pictured). Hadley was so cute as a nerd. She asked if I would bring home a dictionary or thesaurus from school!

2020:

The kids were still able to trick-or-treat in 2020 even with Covid going one. Hadley and a group of friends were m&m’s while Hayden dressed as another idol of his…Patrick Mahomes.

2021:

Ahh…the first year of middle school. It’s an awkward time where some people think you are too old to trick-or-treat and others don’t mind. Hadley and a group of friends all wore different animal onsies. Honestly, I loved this as an idea because Hadley continued to wear them in the colder months as pjs.

Hayden had a last minute decision to be Happy Gilmore. The idea came about at some point thanks to Hadley and Travis. Hayden was really into golfing at the time. Travis and Hadley even found the plaid Vineyard Vines shirt at a consignment store for him that looked like the one Adam Sandler wore in the movie. It was a funny costume idea, and he went along with it. I didn’t let him carry the golf club around while trick-or-treating!

Sigh, I can’t believe the little kid costume years are over. Even more, they kids basically trick-or-treated on their own last year. The adults got together for a bit, but I was actually home in time to hand out some candy just as it was getting dark outside.

What are you favorite Halloween costumes that you had growing up?

Here I am in 1980 something as a cheerleader…-and my Care Bear brother stole one of my pom poms!

Thanks so much for reading!

Posted in This and That

This or That: Fall Edition

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello! It’s been a minute since I’ve done a This or That post, and when I saw this one on Insta (courtesy of @booktalketc), I thought it would be a fun one to share.

  • Falling rain or crackling fireplace: both? Both are the coziest options, but if I had to choose, I would go with falling rain for fall and save the fireplace for winter!
  • Spooky Fall or Cozy Fall: I always want September to be cozy even though it’s still so hot. October can be spooky while November start the coziness leading up to Christmas.
  • Carve or Paint Pumpkins: We always carve. I remember carving pumpkins even when I was in high school. I hope my kids let me carry on that tradition until then as well.
  • Corn Maze or Haunted House: uh…neither? If I had to choose, I’d say corn maze. I don’t want the scariness of a haunted house. My heart…and bladder can’t take it 😆
  • Pumpkin Spice or cinnamon: I think my recent Pumpkin Everything post can answer that the best! I love pumpkin spice especially when we are talking about muffins and pies! I made the Trader Joe muffins this weekend. So good.
  • Bonfire or Fireplace: No way to a bonfire. Too smoky. I love a fire in the fire place while the kids love a to roast marshmallows over the fire pit out back.
  • Black Friday or Cyber Monday: Cyber Monday. Amen. I think I went Black Friday shopping once…in 2003. I definitely had less people to buy for then, and clearly I was younger with more energy. That being said, it was solo shopping which I much prefer. Anyway, I’d say since 2009 when the kids were only a month old and I needed to buy presents for family, I started buying an online and became Cyber Monday girl.
  • Witches or Vampires: Witches are fun…vampires are too creepy for me.
  • Soup or Chili: Kind of like “falling rain” or “crackling fireplace,” I love both. That being said, I can choose soup for fall and chili for winter if needed.

Speaking of soup and chili, I’ve already made chili twice this fall.

Major’s Chili
Chicken Chili

I’ve also already made a favorite soup:

Bev’s Chicken Pasta Soup

Another favorite soup is: Shay’s

Chicken Tortilla Soup

It’s so good. I think the secret ingredient is the Ranch Style Beans.

I’ll re-share the graphic on Insta. Let me know your answers. I hope your week is off to a great start.

Posted in Not Just a Mom

Not Just a Mom: Hosting Tips

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello! How was your weekend? After arriving back late Friday night, we spent the rest of the weekend unpacking and doing laundry. I also went and got my car washed and went to the grocery store because we were out of everything. The kids and Trav did go to the UK game on Saturday night. We went from 80 degree beach temps to much cooler weather, and while I miss the beach, I’m ready for full on fall mode.

It’s the second Monday of the month, so I’m co-hosting our monthly link up with some of my favorite bloggers:

So far this year we’ve discussed:

  • Favorite bloggers in January
  • Day in the life in February
  • Reading habits in March
  • What’s for lunch in April
  • Go to gift ideas in May
  • Dream travel locations in June
  • Family food traditions in July
  • Binge watching shows in August
  • Favorite workout places in September

This month’s topic is: hosting tips.

Well, I don’t think I’ve really hosted guests (besides family who come to visit) since before Covid.

If we host, it’s usually very casual and typically in fall or summer. Our house is on the smaller side, so I prefer hosting when I know the weather is nice enough for kids to play outside and for adults to sit on the patio as much as possible. In the fall, it’s easy to make a pot of chili which was my “go to” for all the years we hosted Halloween. In the summer, it’s so nice to grill out and let the kids make s’mores in the fire pit.

Here are a few of my tips:

  • Make lists: I try and stay organized and plan ahead before hosting. I may run errands or prepare what I can in the days leading up to having people over.
  • Let people help: This is still a weakness of mine. I’m not good at asking for help, but I’ve learned to let others bring side dishes, desserts, and drinks.
  • Light candles: No matter the time of the year, I always have a few candles lit. That provides a cozy atmosphere during the cooler times of the year and keeps the bugs away in the summer.
  • Prep beforehand: Travis is big help with this. He’ll clean the house or sweep the patio in the days before people come over. If I need extra tables or seating, I get those items out the day before. Of course, if I can cook or bake in the days leading up to hosting friends, I do that as well.
  • Buy paper products for easy clean up: As much as I’d love to host with dinnerware, it’s easier for clean up with the kids to use paper plates, bowls, silverware, and napkins. Also, I always make sure to have a marker for kids to write their names on their cups. Now, when I’ve hosted small Thanksgiving or Christmas meals, I definitely use nice plates and glasses.
  • Buy what you can: Sometimes store bought desserts are the answer to a time crunch. Also, everyone loves a Fazoli’s bread stick to go with home made spaghetti.
  • Have a drop zone for purses, coats, and shoes: When people arrive, I want them to know where they can put their coats and purses if needed…which is usually Hadley’s bed. Also, if kids take their shoes off, I show them which closet to put them in, so Homer doesn’t run off with one.

I do feel like my kids (and therefore, their parents) are so busy that we don’t get together in large groups as much as we used to. That being said, sometimes, we spend an evening at the pool with friends in the summer or the moms have a glass of wine after a school event. Also, my neighbors are good about casually getting together when we can.

Anyway, I certainly hope for more opportunities to host in the near future.

What about you? What are some of your best hosting tips?

If you have a blog, we hope you’ll link up! Also, next month’s topic is: the internet made me buy it…

After a week off, re-entry is going to be rough. I’m sure it will take us a couple of days to get back in the groove of school and activities. I hope you have a great week!

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Posted in Friday Favorites, Travel

Friday Favorites {#130}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello!

How was your week? We had a great one because it was Fall Break and we had so much fun in the sun.

Well, I can’t believe it, but it’s the last day of our Fall Break. We went to the Destin area of Florida with a few other families, and we had such a great time. Honestly, I couldn’t have imagined a better trip.

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

It felt odd moving forward with our planned trip as all eyes were on Hurricane Ian in the days before our break. There was so much destruction and devastation in so many parts of Florida, including our usual vacay spot of Siesta Key.

Amazingly, Hurricane Ian didn’t make it to the Destin/30A area.

I’m sure I will give a more detailed recap, but…

…here are a few favorite photos from our week in Santa Rosa:

While a couple more days would have been nice, we’re all ready for our own beds and can’t wait to see Homer. Truly, it was a great time with great friends. So many memories were made, and it was such a blessing to get away for a bit.

Not Just a Mom:

Wow! Monday is already the second Monday of the month which means it’s time for our monthly link up. We’d love to have you join us.

This month’s topic is: how we host.

Honestly, it’s been a minute since I’ve hosted for a party or get together. Let me know what tips you have!

Weekly Recap:

Even while on vacay, I had a few posts this week:

Pumpkin Everything
Prime Purchases
Fall Front Porch

What are your weekend plans? We will be unpacking and prepping for the week ahead with a few activities on tap as well.

See you back here on Monday for Not Just a Mom.