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Mexico Recap: Part 1

Posted on July 14, 2022July 14, 2022 by jgalvinwhite

Hola!

Well, I had some time to sort through my photos and look at my notes in order to get started sharing about our vacation.

We were all so excited for this trip, and I’m glad we waited until early July. We were plenty busy in June, and now we still have some summer left after this vacation.

So, let’s get started…

Saturday:

We were up bright and early on Saturday to finish packing last minute items and hit the road for Cincinnati. Our flight actually didn’t leave until 12:30, but we left our house at 8:30. We hit up Starbucks for coffee and breakfast before starting the one hour 15 minute drive. We got our car parked and took the shuttle to check in. The line was pretty long for me to check my bag, but once it got moving, it was fine. Travis and the kids went on through security while I waited to check my bag.

I found them in terminal A, and we had a Subway sandwich while waited to board the plane.

Poor Hadley…our trip started off with some major tummy troubles for her…

…but we were excited to get on the plane.

Thankfully, everything was on time with no cancellations or delays. We were on a chartered flight, so maybe they were having less issues than the other bigger airlines?

Cincinnati to Cancun was a three hour direct flight. We all snoozed a bit, and I finished a book on my Kindle.

Hayden had the window seat and snapped this photo as we arrived:

We landed in Cancun around 3:30, and walked down the plane’s stairs directly to a tram that took us to customs. We got our passports stamped and headed to baggage claim (for just my bag *sigh*) After about twenty minutes, we got my bag and got in the chaotic line to turn in our forms for our stay in Mexico. Then we went outside to find our transportation. Nothing says vacay like a bar right by the transportation lanes. Travis snagged a beer, and we waited about 15 minutes for our van. We used a travel agent, and she set up the transportation through Nexus, and they were so efficient and helpful. We had a van all to ourselves for the 50 minute ride to …

Catalonia Grand Costa Mujeres…

(Again, with the help of our travel agent, we narrowed down our choices to Catalonia and another resort…I believe it was Dreams, but we ended up showing both to the kids for their input. Dreams seemed to have a few more things like slides and lazy river, whereas, Catalonia had the private pool). A friend of mine told us to join Facebook groups for the places we were interested in, and Travis did that. The private pool was the determining factor for the kids. Again, both seemed like good choices, but in the end, we were very happy with our decision.

This was the view right when we walked in to the lobby…and the ocean can be seen there in the distance.

While Travis checked us in, I hung with Hadley who still wasn’t feeling well, and Hayden enjoyed a welcome drink! haha

Basically, this resort had four main buildings of rooms. The bigger pool (party like pool) was between buildings 1 and 2. Between buildings 2 and 3 was 5th Avenue with restaurants, shops, and often times the nightly entertainment. Then, the family pool was between buildings 3 and 4. Because of the Facebook group, Travis knew to request building 4, and I’m so glad he did. It was the perfect spot for us.

We even got lucky to be at the far end of building 4 with only one room between us and the boardwalk to the beach.

We were in a “Privileged Grand Family Suite and Swim Up.” Besides having enough space for all of us and the private pool, “privileged” status meant we had access to a couple of restaurants that others didn’t as well as the shaded area of the beach, one hour at the spa for each adult, percent off of some items, and a few other “perks.”

This is the view as you walk in the room. It ended up that my kids took turn on the bottom bunk and then the other slept on the pull out couch. That pull out couch was an added bonus that I didn’t realize we had. There was a sliding glass door on the right with access to the private pool. There were smart tv’s in the living room and main bedroom, but we never turned them on.

As you walk in, to the left is a huge area with space to hang clothes, cubbies, fridge, etc. To the right was a really big bathroom and then the bedroom. The bedroom also had a sliding door to the patio/pool.

The room key was on a wrist band. We all had wrist bands, but at first, only Travis and I had the key on them. After a couple of days, we had the kids get the wristbands with the keys.

We got settled, and then I lost Travis. Well, I found him at the poolside bar which was right by our room. How convenient. (That bar did close around 7:00, so it was never loud). He did bring me back my first margarita of the trip. He handed it to me, and said, “I don’t think it’s skinny!” haha We later learned, if you say, “no sugar,” you got a skinnier version of the marg.

We let the kids swim for a bit….

…and then I wanted to see the beach!

The sun was setting, so we stayed a few minutes before heading to dinner.

For most restaurants, you needed a reservation for dinner, but not the buffet, so that’s where we went for dinner. When we got there, we realized there was a private room for privileged guests which was a nice touch.

The buffet was so nice, and had so many options. An overwhelming amount of options. Hayden ate all the things, and Travis and I had tacos. #wheninrome Poor Hadley could barely finish her toast.

After dinner, we walked around to get acclimated…

This is 5th Ave. where there are shops and restaurants.

We came back to the room, and Hayden swam for a bit. Hadley still wasn’t feeling well, and we all were asleep by 10.

Sunday:

Since we woke up pretty hungry, we just hit the buffet again…and that’s when I remembered how much I love a churro. Hadley woke up feeling 90% better, so we were all thankful for that.

Usually if we had the buffet for breakfast, my fave breakfast was just coffee, an egg, pineapple (and maybe a churro ;).

On the way back to the room, we realized that lizards and iguanas are all around the property. Throughout the week, we really only saw them in the morning, so we knew to be on the lookout…not that they would harm anyone…just didn’t want to step on one…or be startled.

We made our way back to the room and then went to the beach for a few hours. Travis and Hadley rented the kayaks and had a great time. Hayden and Hadley went back out for a bit too. It was a good activity for them. (Also, there was a kids club at this resort, but I think it went to age 12, and my kids were fine just hanging with us. Again, the private pool allowed them to swim while Travis took a nap or I read) Later in the trip, we found the game room…I do think the kids would have used it a bit had we found it sooner.

I started Emily Giffin’s new book…I read it in two days. Loved it.

Then, the kids wanted to check out the other pool. Now the bigger infinity pool with waterfall and a few other things was “Pool A”….but my friend who was there a couple weeks before us mentioned it as more of a “party pool”…later in afternoon…and that did seem to be true. (This pool also had activities in the morning like aerobics, games, and more) We were there until around 2:00, and it was fine. (Also, both pools closed around 8:00 every night) The kids had a great time, and then it was time to find lunch.

We ended up on 5th Ave. at a burger/pizza place. Travis and Hayden got burgers, and Hadley and I had a couple of slices of pizza.

After lunch, I went back to the room. We stopped by the bar at the family pool and got a couple of margs. They kids and Travis hung out in the family pool…and this was my view from our pool:

(peep Hadley doing a handstand. haha)

We had a 7:00 dinner reservation at the Grille. This was our view while we waited:

Travis and Hayden ordered steaks, I had the sea bass (so good! and one of the reasons we went back there a few days later), Hadley had Caesar salad and mashed potatoes. She loved every bite.

(All the restaurants had the QR code that you could scan, and then for the dinners, you always had appetizer, entrée, side, and dessert options that you ordered all at once. The “Executive” level people had a few extra menu items and a couple of extra reserved tables and an additional restaurant…I guess those are travel members/time share holders?) We never had an issue getting a reservation, but Travis stayed on top of it, and you could do your reservations two days in advance.)

After dinner, we headed to 5th Ave. for the nightly entertainment. (I will say that if you were staying in the buildings between 5th Ave, the entertainment was always over by 10:00, and some nights the entertainment was in the theater or by the lobby)

Monday : 4th of July

Monday was the 4th of July, and Travis and I got coffee at Beloved which was one of our favorite restaurants. You don’t need a reservation there, but it’s reserved for “Privileged” and “Executive” guests.

We had coffee with a view and then took the kids to the buffet (Hayden loved the buffet!) for breakfast.

The buffet was decorated in red, white, and blue which was fun…so was Hadley!

Travis had already been to the gym, so I decided to get my elliptical workout in while I actually felt like doing it.

Then, we had some beach time…

Travis and the kids went back to the “party” pool for a bit while I stayed at the beach and read my book. Of the four of us, I enjoy the beach the most. That being said, I don’t get in the water much…it’s more about the view and shade of palm trees while reading that means vacay for me.

Travis and the kids were back in the family pool chatting with a family we ended up seeing most every day. They were from San Antonio and had kids my kids’ ages. Hayden suckered Travis into buying a football, but that is what kept Hayden entertained in the pool…and they’d play with the other kids too.

While I got ready, the kids hung out in our pool before dinner.

We had 6:00 dinner reservations at the Mexican restaurant (Adelita). Needless to say, they make a good margarita and guac! I got the fajitas, and they were amazing.

After dinner, we went to the beach for about 30 minutes to watch the sun set, and snap and 4th of July family photo.

We sported our red, white, and blue in a lowkey way. 😉

Then, we went and watched the entertainment. It was USA themed with all kinds of popular songs, dance routines, and some of the dancers were dressed as Marilyn Monroe, Michael Jackson, the Statue of Liberty and more.

Around 10:00, we headed back to the room. Right as we got in our room, I heard fireworks. Hadley ran outside, and we were able to catch a short fireworks display from the resort next door. It was brief, but it made my American heart happy!

Tuesday:

We started the morning with breakfast at Beloved. And…this is where I fell in love with their version of avocado toast (avocado “tostada”).

One thing I’m glad our travel agent told us to do was bring cash…mainly ones and fives to tip the bartenders, servers and cleaning staff and others. We didn’t have a single bad experience. Every server was friendly and made every effort to get our food out to us, refill drinks, and more.

More beach time…where I finished my book.

The kids had strawberry daiquiris…

…and then the weather turned iffy. These were the only rain clouds we saw all week.

….and there are all three of my people realizing maybe they should come in!

Right as they got out of the water, it down poured. We grabbed our stuff and headed straight to the kayak rental hut. After 15 minutes, the rain moved on and we went back to Adelita’s for lunch.

Tacos on a Tuesday…is there anything better?

Between pool A and 5th Ave., there was a crepiere that Hadley was dying to try. They served ice cream too, but both kids got Nutella crepes. This place was just open during the day, and there was also a couple of food trucks there too.

I went back to the beach and started my second book of the trip while the kids and Travis went to the family pool.

When we got back to our room, this is what we found:

(I had flashbacks to our honeymoon and seeing these fun towel displays) The kids thought it was so neat!

We had dinner reservations at the hibachi place (Ayami), and we sat next to a sweet family from Chattanooga. They had four young girls!

I chose sushi as my app, and it was so good. The chef provided wonderful entertainment while cooking our meal.

Then, we hit up the theater for the entertainment. The performers sang and danced to American songs through the decades. We enjoyed it…especially Hadley!

Well, that’s the first part of our trip! We really did have a great time, and with each day, we settled in and relaxed a bit more. We also became acclimated about where things were, restaurant options, reservations and more.

Thanks for hanging with me for all the pictures and details. I never know what others may want to know…plus, I want to remember what we did.

Part 2 will be all about Isla Mujeres. It was such an amazing experience.

See you back here tomorrow!

Let’s Look

Posted on July 13, 2022August 1, 2022 by jgalvinwhite

Hello!

I think I’m finally getting back into the swing of things around here which means I’m ready to get back on track with all the things including eating and working out. Today’s blog post topic comes at the perfect time!

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.

This month’s topic is how you keep healthy.

*disclaimer:* this is not something I’m an expert on…haha

That being said, being “healthy” is something that’s always on my mind…even if I’m struggling with healthy habits. I’d say I made it through my 20’s by just working out (mostly jogging) and eating whatever I wanted. In my 30’s, I was busy chasing two kids around, and probably fell into the cliché of a tired, full time working mom of two kids. Working out was always in my routine through those years, but working out varied week to week. Some weeks, I’d work out twice and other weeks not at all and some weeks five days. During that time, I was cooking for my family and always trying to cook as healthy as possible, but also eating leftover chicken nugget or mac and cheese.

About four years ago, I finally made working out and eating better a priority. Again, I’m still not perfect, but I’ve tried to consistently work on:

Drinking more water: I still struggle with this, but hitting my water goal is always easier in the summer.
Moving my body: I’ve found I’m most successful when I can workout at home. I know some people think the exact opposite…that they have to leave the house to workout or they won’t. I feel like if I can go to my basement and complete a 30 minute Beachbody workout in my basement, then there isn’t much of an excuse not to get five workouts (which is my goal) in each week. There are times I’m really on a roll and in a routine and that means: one off day, one day where I walk, one day I go to the gym to use the elliptical, and then I do four beach body workouts (usually: one arms, one legs, one cardio, and full body (or Pilates)).
Intermittent fasting: I’ve been doing this for four or five years. I don’t eat breakfast. I break my fast at lunch time and try to stop eating by 8:00. That being said, doing anything for a long time, I guess your body may get too used to something and need a reset. So, there are periods of time where I have gone back to having a small breakfast.
Tracking what I eat: The My Fitness Pal is a great place to track macros (It seems like a lot at first, but, like anything, you get the hang of it). Since January, I’ve been consistent about tracking Weight Watchers points in the app.
Prioritizing protein: This is actually a newer idea I’ve tried in the past year or so. We need around 40 grams of protein per meal, and I try to make a conscious effort to do that when I can.
Quiet/Me time: The older I get, the more I am aware of mental health and how important it is to take care of yourself. Am I perfect at doing this every day? No. But, honestly, I can say 99% of my days start with solo quiet time drinking my coffee and getting ready for the day. When the kids were little, I started this habit. I can’t hit the ground running. I just can’t. I realized that I need to ease into the day, or I will just feel frazzled and out of whack. Hayden is much like me…needs to wind down at night and ease into the morning. Travis and Hadley are very similar and seem to be able to get up and go…and then just fall right to sleep at night.

Now, having time to workout is still a struggle with two busy kids, but having kids who are *somewhat* self-sufficient means that I can sneak in a 30 minute workout while they work on homework or take a walk before a baseball game.

Also, I try to control what I can, and I am the meal planner in our house. I really do try to make balanced meals for my kids. While they could live on snacks, I try to show them (but not harp on it) that a healthy dinner plate will have small carb, protein, fruit, veg. Of course, the difference is that my kids may double down on the mashed potatoes, and I will double down on the veggies.

Amanda Nighbert is an awesome local dietician. She’s a wealth of knowledge, and she shares so much in her Instagram stories; you should check her out. Her LEAN program is amazing as well.

Vacation Goals:

Before we left for Mexico, I set a few goals for myself and was able to pretty much stick to them…

Intermittent Fast: Half of the mornings I had breakfast and half of them I didn’t. Most of the breakfasts I did have were eggs/toast/fruit or one restaurant had avocado toast that I loved. Most nights, we had early dinner reservations which meant that I was finished eating by 7:00 most nights.
Drink water: That was easy to do considering how hot it was. Also, our room fridge was filled with bottled water and every restaurant offered it as soon as we sat down for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Track my meals: I tracked everything I ate from a snack on a the plane to hibachi dinner to a scoop of ice cream. That being said, I didn’t track what I drank. I wanted to have a couple of skinny margs or a couple of glasses of wine and not feel guilty about it.
Make healthy choices: While you only live once, I still wanted to try to eat as healthy as possible…and honestly, those were the foods I craved. A few mornings I did have one churro dipped in chocolate that was offered at the buffet (because when else will I eat a churro?!), but then again, for breakfast, I had one egg and some pineapple. I got the skinny marg in stead of a regular margarita. I ordered fish for most dinners and honestly didn’t really have sweets.
Workout three times: I made sure to workout on the Friday before we left, and then made the goal of working out Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. That being said, I wasn’t going to obsess about it. I got in elliptical workouts on Monday and Friday. Wednesday was our boat day, and that included snorkeling. I swear we swam half a mile at least. That counts as a workout. Also, I think my lowest day of steps was 5,000 and honestly, most days were 7,000+ and then over 10k on my elliptical days.

I wasn’t mad about this workout view:

Am I the healthiest I’ve ever been in my life? Probably not? But, I guess “health” is relative. Maybe I am. I’m definitely the most focused and knowledgeable about what I should eat than I ever have before, but of course, attitude and effort are important; I fall short some days. I do believe that consistency is key, and eventually you’ll see the results.

What about you? How do you stay healthy?

Travel

What I packed for vacay

Posted on July 12, 2022July 12, 2022 by jgalvinwhite

Hello!

Well, I had hoped to share part 1 of our vacation with you today, but time has just gotten away from me.

Re-entry has been hectic. Travis went to work early Sunday morning for a horse sale this week, and I’ve been unpacking, doing laundry, prepping for the kids’ activities, and more.

Funny story: I went to Walgreens early Sunday morning. When the worker said, “hello,” I responded with ,”Hola!” #oldhabitsdiehard

On Sunday, Hayden ate Ruffles chips we bought at the Cancun airport and made a turkey sandwich with turkey that was opened before we left, and we had Panera for dinner. So, I felt like I needed to get some groceries yesterday, to say the least!

Also, you know when I shared with you that I’ve taken over 700 photos of Homer since we got him three years ago? Well, I apparently love turquoise blue water just as much! So, I need to sift through my photos and get going on those posts.

I did get my suitcase unpacked yesterday (everyone else’s got unpacked Sunday along with laundry), and I decided to finally look at what I packed and make a master list/template for me to use in the future.

Like my closet re-organization post, this may be more for me than anyone else, but I know I will like having this as a reference point.

Packing (and unpacking) was a bit easier thanks to having my closet and drawers organized. It was easier for me to see what I had in order to pack. I bought a few new things, but overall, I went with most of my favorites, some of which I’ve had for months or years.

So–a little back story. I’m a chronic over-packer. That’s it. End of story. Going in to this vacay, Travis knew I’d be the only one to check a bag. This was true, but good news is I used to over-pack a large suitcase. This time, I over-packed using my new (for my birthday in January) medium sized suitcase. #babysteps.

Anyway, nothing like travelling internationally to make you want to just walk off the plane and straight to customs rather than wait a half hour for your bag putting you middle to back of the customs chaos line. (For the record, it was chaotic in Cancun and quiet (but slow to get bags) in Cincinnati.)

So, once we got home, I did what I’ve always said I wanted to do. I took out what I didn’t actually wear on vacay, and then repacked what I did use in to Hadley’s suitcase to see if I could ever actually be a carry on packer…

…and…

TA. DAAAA! (Well, I did have to sit on it to zip it, but a good amount of stuff is in there.)

The clothes on the left are what I didn’t wear, and then that’s Hadley’s suitcase.(My mom got the kids these suitcases (20 inch carry on size) for Christmas 2020, and they’ve been perfect.) Travis got me a new medium sized one from Macy’s during an after Christmas sale. #perksofJanuarybirthdayshopping

Now, real talk –a few of my shoes aren’t in there, but they weren’t ever in my suitcase. Thankfully, Hayden is a very light packer, and my few sandals were in his suitcase.

I still swear by packing cubes, but have you seen these Ziploc Space Saver bags? Travis picked up two at Home Depot, I believe. I used one for the dresses I took, and he used one as well. On the return trip home, I still used one for my dresses, and then we used the other for most of our dirty clothes (seen below)

My carry on was my Weekender bag from Target. I bought it in May; I’ve used it a few times, but this was my first time using it on a plane.

In it, I packed a beach bag, a couple of pairs of sandals, two books, my Kindle, my curling iron, two purses, three hats (beach hat, sun visor, and ball cap)and a few other random odds and ends. I told you…it holds a lot, and it wasn’t even packed to the brim.

It seems to go in and out of stock, and I think there are a couple of variations, but it’s a great bag.

Now on to the real point of this post….my checklist for future beach vacations in hopes that I can become a carryon girl.

On the plane:

I wore my long black muscle tank dress from Target that I’ve had for years along with my favorite Amazon cardigan. I also wore my faux Birks.

Essentials:

underwear, bras, sports bras, socks (I didn’t over-pack in this department)

Pajamas:

one pair of lightweight pj pants
night gown
t-shirt
pink pj set (from Target)…these have been my favorite this summer. (top // bottom)

Workout:

The gym was so nice, and I’d set a goal of working out three times, but hit the gym for the elliptical twice. That being said, on our boat day, I swear we swam half a mile on our snorkeling tour, so that counts as exercise!)

2 shorts: black and gray
black tennis skirt
2 workout tops

Tank tops:

Black
Navy
Tan

Shorts:

One black pair and one army green pair of lightweight shorts to wear with tanks.

Swim:

4 swimsuits
3 coverups (including my favorite new blue one and the green one I purchased earlier in the summer)

Dresses:

8 dresses (really seven dresses because I wore one on the plane) (I originally packed 10 dresses…I know, I know…too many!)

Shoes:

Faux Birks (I wore on the plane to and from as well as other times)
Braided heel sandals
Tennis shoes for working out
Flip flops for pool and beach
Two pairs of flat sandals (I definitely could have just brought one, but sandals are light-weight and easy to pack!)

Purses:

On the plane, I used my cross body shoulder bag purse.

These were in the Weekender bag:

Lululemon belt bag (I used this so much…when we went to breakfast, lunch, excursion, and it fit easily in the beach bag)
Favorite Amazon crossbody purse (I have it in beige, and it’s on sale!) I used this every night when we went out to dinner and to watch the entertainment in the evenings)

Hats:

I packed these in my carry on bag:

Beach hat. The one I have, I bought two years ago from Nordstrom. It’s my “go to” beach hat. (Usually on vacay, I feel like I have to wash my hair every day (which isn’t something I usually do) because of the salt water and heat. This trip, I got away with every other day because of dry shampoo, and I even wore this hat a couple of times to lunch or dinner). I don’t see mine on Nordstrom’s site, but this one looks similar.
Ball cap — I have so many, but usually bring my Patagonia one on vacay.
Sun visor – I got this one last summer and love it. It’s easy to pack because it rolls right up. Sometimes, my head gets hot when wearing my other hat, so this visor is perfect for blocking the sun and letting my head breathe. (If they makes sense?)

Makeup/Skincare:

I always pack my makeup bag, but then I usually pack one or two more other travel bags with travel size things, skin care, etc. This time, I just put everything I needed into the makeup bag, and just used one travel bag for my Dime Beauty skin care products for day and night. (We used some of other bags in this set to hold our passports, medicine, etc.) My cosmetic bag fit perfectly into the corner of the suitcase.

Plane Ride Home:

This dress came in a couple of days before we left, and I love it. I wore it to dinner one night and then on the plane ride home with a gray sweatshirt. (I usually get cold on the plane.)

….and that’s it. Well, that was still a lot, but it’s less than what I brought.

Things I packed that I didn’t wear:

3 blouse shirts/sleeveless tops
2 swimsuits
workout leggings and top
white jeans (I love white denim and will wear in the summer, but I guess I’m more of a dress person, especially on vacation)
one tank
2-3 dresses
Denim shorts
long sleeve shirt
and a couple other things, I’m sure!

Now, I know there will be quite a few who read this list and will still think I packed too much…and you are not wrong. 😆 Others, will be super impressed that I condensed my packing down to these items in my packing cubes.

Shew! It’s such an effort for me to pack that I always put it off. Honestly, more than packing, it’s the other odds and ends that leave me scatter brained (all the chargers for all the things, books, Kindle, medicine, swim goggles, etc.)

I hope to share about the first part of our trip later this week!

What are your packing tips? I clearly need to add them to my packing routine. I will thank you…and so will my family! 😂

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Meals and Recipes, Not Just a Mom, Traditions

Not Just a Mom: Family Food Traditions

Posted on July 11, 2022July 10, 2022 by jgalvinwhite

Hello! How was your weekend? We got back late Saturday night, and I’m still up to my eyeballs in laundry, suitcases, and errands. I’m going to continue to chip away at that stuff today too.

I swear…after the 4th of July, the summer just really starts to slip away. It’s already the second Monday of the month, so I’m co-hosting this fun 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

This month’s topic is: family food traditions.

Today, I’m sharing the first few food traditions of ours that immediately came to mind.

Corned beef and cabbage:

My entire family looks forward to March 17th! They know this means we get to have corned beef and cabbage as well as Irish soda bread for dinner. I’ve shared those recipes before, and here they are again!

I grew up on these dishes around the holidays, and I’m glad to have carried the tradition on for my family.

Cookie cake:

We are big cookie cake people. Honestly, I think we started having cookie cakes around the time the kids were born. I remember picking a double stuffed one up at Sam’s Club for my brother’s birthday in 2010. Then, it just became a thing we do for birthdays, anniversaries (sometimes), Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.

We always look forward to this sweet treat!

Christmas cookies:

Like many families, we make Christmas cookies every year. Again, I grew up baking cookies, and started doing that with my kids when they were little.

The kids always loved making the Hershey kiss peanut butter cookies, and when they were little, the best help they could be was peeling off the silver wrapper on the kisses. Now, they can make the cookies without any help from me!

Years ago, I added in the chocolate peppermint crinkle cookies I found on Pinterest, and those are our two main cookies. Sometimes, the kids will use cookie cutters on sugar cookies and then ice them, but we don’t do that every year like we do the other cookies.

My mom always sends us Christmas cookies, and then when we visit KC at Christmas, we make cookies as well. We make Spritz, Pfeffernusse, and Lebkuchen cookies as well as waffle cookies using the waffle iron that’s been in our family for well over 100 years.

Back to school:

Another tradition we have is our Back to School Breakfast. I started doing this when the kids were in kindergarten. I keep most of the supplies in a box and just bring them out the night before school starts. This is a fun tradition….

…that I tweaked last year. With the start of middle school, I decided to have a Back to School Brinner the night before the first day of school.

It was a success, and I think that will be the plan this year too. Honestly, it felt weird waking up on the first day already having that traditional meal over with, but it also was the perfect time for that transition.

Red plate:

Growing up we had the “You are Special” red plate. My mom served us dinner on it for anything from getting a good grade on a test to passing our driver’s test!

She gave one to us maybe four or five years ago for me to carry on the tradition with the kids.

The kids get it after report card time, after a game/performance/sports season, for being extra helpful and more.

So…those are some of our traditions. I’m sure I’m forgetting some, but those were the first to pop up in my mind!

What food traditions do you have in your family? I’d love to hear!

Next month, our topic is binge watching tv shows. Considering in binged all six seasons on Schitt’s Creek in the past month, I know that will be the first on my list!

If you have a blog, we hope you’ll link up with us. There are always so many great posts to read too!

I hope you have a wonderful Monday.

Friday Favorites, Travel

Friday Favorites {#120}

Posted on July 8, 2022July 7, 2022 by jgalvinwhite

Hello! How was your week? Ours was amazing.

We spent our time at Catalonia Grand Costa Mujeres this week, and it was a wonderful family vacay.

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

Here are some favorites from the week:

I’m sure our Mexico vacay will be its own post (or 2?), but here are some fave photos from the week.

We flew out of Cincinnati on Saturday.

A margarita within a few minutes of check in to our hotel…

We had a private pool right next to the family pool which ended up being a perfect luxury on this trip.

The beach was only a few steps away from our room.

We celebrated the 4th of July in our (low key) red, white, and blue.

Daiquiris on repeat…

Tacos…on a Tuesday!

We took a boat (& snorkeling) excursion to Isla Mujeres.

The views were breathtaking.

The water was amazing.

The kids had so much fun.

Nothing beats sunsets at the beach.

Trav’s birthday was yesterday, and we spent some time at the spa.

Then, we celebrated with a birthday dinner at the steakhouse.

Hayden really embraced the all inclusive life, Hadley loved swimming and activities, Travis enjoyed “Mexican apple juice” (cerveza!), I read three books this week, and we all have sun kissed cheeks.

As always, we loved the family time, but we are ready to be reunited with Homer.

Favorite Mom Meme:

Even on vacay … 😂

Weekly Recap:

I had a full week of posts…

Monday: 4th of July Faves
Tuesday: Prime Purchases
Wednesday: Currently Loving
Thursday: Closet Reorganization

Not Just a Mom:

We have our NJAM link up on Monday.

This month’s topic is: family food traditions. We hope you’ll link up with us!

What do you have planned this weekend? I have a feeling re-entry will be rough for us. We’ll take the weekend to get back on track with all the things.

See you back here on Monday!

Clothes, Projects

Operation Closet Reorganization

Posted on July 7, 2022July 2, 2022 by jgalvinwhite

Well, I’m not sure if this is riveting content or not, but I wanted to document my closet clean out of 2022. I’m writing this post as a reference point for me to remember to never let my closet get as bad as it did and to remember the process.

A few things about the closet situation in our house….We have lots of closets, but none of them are big.

We have a hall closet as soon as you walk in the front door. It backs up to Hadley’s closet, so they are the same…double doors with a long rod for hanging and then two long shelves above. We keep all coats in there, and it’s where I keep my hanging decorations for the front door.

We have a closet off the kitchen where we keep the dog food, appliances we don’t use often, and cleaning supplies.

We have another hall closet on our main hall that is similar in size to Hayden’s closet and the closet in our bedroom. When we first moved in, Travis actually used that hall closet as his closet, and I used the one in our bedroom.

Once we finished the basement bathroom, Travis started using that bathroom and the closet in the basement. Then, the hall closet just became and extra spot for us. It’s where I keep a few decorations, candles, Homer’s leash and toys, pool towels and pool bag, and Hadley’s dance bag. Last summer, I did move my dresses in there just to help relieve some of the congestion in my closet.

I’ve needed to do this purge for over a year. “Organize closet” was on my “to do” last summer. I just never got to it, and to be honest, it just continued to feel more and more overwhelming of a task. So, I just kept putting it off.

Nothing like a Covid quarantine in the bedroom to make me finally get to it. On day 5 of my 5 day quarantine, I finally got started. Silly me…I thought it would take a few hours. Well…it actually took a few hours over a few days.

Before:

Here’s the before…

When I took the “before” photo, I was just holding myself accountable…if I’d backed up a few more steps, you’d see quite a bit on the closet floor too. *sigh*

I’d be embarrassed of the “before” photo if I wasn’t so proud of the “after.”

The Process:

Here’s how I (finally!) went about getting organized:

On the first day, I tackled my dresser and chest of drawers. I started with my dresser. I went through my pjs, workout clothes, t-shirts, and socks.
Then I moved on to the chest of drawers and went through seasonal sweatshirts, swimsuits, coverup, and a few other odds and ends.
The next day, I emptied out all the clothes on the shelves on the right side of my closet as well as the shelf below my hanging clothes. I also went through my shoes and purses as well. (At this point, I panic shopped on Amazon and picked up a shoe organizer for under the bed and two boxes with lids for purses. I ended up returning both because I didn’t end up needing them!)
On the third day, I went through hanging clothes and jeans.
Finally, I went through my dresses in the hall closet. Then, I just went back through everything to make sure it was organized.

With each phase, I made a keep, donate, and try on pile. This is the first time in a while that I forced myself to try on things to decide if I still wanted to keep them or not.

My weight fluctuates, and to be honest for over a year and a half was kind of stuck no matter what I tried. I think that was some of my hang up as well with the closet. I wasn’t in a good head space to try things on even in January. I’ve made some progress over the past few months, and I think that helped me want to go through my clothes and get everything in order.

Of course, styles change too! I’ve had some of these clothes for years.

After:

Ta….da….!

…five big trash bags later…

I smile every time I open the closet door now. It’s amazing how overwhelmed I felt every single time I opened the door to get dressed. Not anymore!

I ended up moving the three drawer storage that stuck out of the left side of my closet, and put it in the nook to the right. I have sandals and flip flops in the smaller drawers and then some tennis shoes in the bigger drawer.

Do I still have too many shoes? Yes. But…at least they are now organized.

Little better view side of my closet:

The left side of my closet used to have a scarf organizer that hung down. Remember when decorative scarves were all the rage? I ended up saving a few, but since I don’t wear them often, they are in a basket at the top of my closet.

I ended up hanging a couple beach hats on the left, and I smile when I see them.

Hadley actually had a good idea to maybe add one or two shelves for my bedside pile of books. I think she’s on to something!

Travis was so impressed (Hadley too!) with the final outcome. When Travis asked me what was in some of my drawers, I did get a side eye for having two drawers of pjs. I will not apologize for my love of pajamas!

One more thing I did in my closet…I added a brighter bulb. Just doing that helped lighten up that small space.

Hall closet:

Like I said, when we first moved in, Travis used this closet. Everything I owned basically fit in the bedroom closet. That was almost eight years ago, so obviously I’ve accumulated more throughout time.

Last summer, just moving dresses here helped my closet so much. For years, I was adamant about not wanting to put off season clothes elsewhere, but this was a good compromise. If I want to wear a dress, I know where to go. I also put some of my favorite sweaters on the shelf in this closet too. Otherwise, everything else is in my room.

In the hall closet, I kept three of these storage totes of odds and ends…sentimental t-shirts, or clothes I wore occasionally. I ended up getting rid of enough items to downsize to one of these. I did end up using one for my nicer purses that I don’t use very often. Then, I have one to spare. That being said, I feel like I should only need one of these for occasional clothes. If I haven’t worn it, it should go.

The real MVPs of closet organization:

I purchased these acrylic dividers and used them in both closets. I used them between my jeans and sweatshirts in my closet and between the few sweaters in the hall closet.

On a whim, I decided to buy a few more hangers so they would match. I’ve purchased this set a few times as we’ve transitioned the kids hangers too. They aren’t fancy hangers, but it is something I noticed when I open my closet. The same hangers just make it more streamlined. (I took the “after” photos before these arrived.)

I’ve had these stackable storage bins for almost two years. Like I said, I now use one to store a few pieces of clothes, some purses, and then now I have one spare!

Shew! If you made it to the end, thanks for hanging in there. I’m not sure what it says about me that having this task completed is just about the highlight of my summer.

I’m going to try to stay on top of my closet(s), and donate items that I don’t wear at the end of each season.

This is definitely the smallest closet I’ve ever had. I know it’s “first world problems” to wish for a bigger closet, but a girl can dream!

Do you have any closet organization tips? I’d love to hear them! I need to stay motivated to keep it as neat and tidy as it is now!

I hope you are having a great week.

{Amazon affiliate links. Thanks for supporting my blog.}

Currently

Currently Loving

Posted on July 6, 2022July 5, 2022 by jgalvinwhite

Hello! It’s been a while since I’ve done a “Currently” post, today I’m sharing a few things that I’m currently loving.

Flower:

Peonies are the flower of the summer. I probably spend too much on these, but when Trader Joe’s has them…usually only in June, it’s hard for me to resist!

Food / Drink:

I’ve seen a few people share this salad, and I recently tried it…and couldn’t love it more.

I usually eat half the salad one day and the other half the next day. Often times, I will add some chicken to it to get in some extra protein. It’s so good.

The Truly Margarita pack has been my favorite drinks of the summer.

Strawberry and Classic Lime are my favorite. The Mango Chili really does have a bit of a kick to it.

Products and Polish:

I’m still loving the Dime Beauty products. The best thing about summer is wearing limited makeup, and often times I just have these products on my face day and night.

For my latest pedicure, I chose a new (to me) color: Mexico City Move-mint. Hadley gave me her approval, so it must be “on trend!”

Clothing Item:

This cover up is one of my favorite latest Amazon purchases. It comes in many colors and patterns as well and short sleeve and sleeveless options. I love the style of it, and it’s perfect for the pool or beach.

Book:

I was so excited to read Emily Giffin’s new book Meant to Be. It’s lived up to the “hype” in my opinion; I read it in two days!

What are some things you are loving this summer? I’d love to know.

Amazon

Prime Purchases: July 2022

Posted on July 5, 2022June 30, 2022 by jgalvinwhite

Hello! I hope you had a wonderful holiday weekend. We sure did.

I’m linking up with Tanya for this month’s Prime Purchases. I love this link up because it’s so fun to see what others have purchased.

This month I bought:

The best purchase I made during my closet purge were these acrylic shelf dividers. These bad boys will help my clothes stay organized, and I’m able to see what I have on my shelves a lot easier now! I purchased two six packs and used them all!

During my re-organization, I decided to use all the same hangers. I have now purchased this pack of hangers four times throughout the year. Of course, it would be nice to splurge on the velvet hangers for my closet, but these gray ones at least streamline the look of my closet now. (The kids use them in their closets too!)

I purchased another set of these packing cubes for our July travels. I now have them in blue, gray, and teal.

Travis asked for these wireless earbuds for Father’s Day. He likes the kind that go behind your ears, so he knows they will stay on when he jogs. So far, he loves them.

I purchased these cosmetic bags to divvy up in the family for travel. Hadley can use one for her face products, we will use one for sunscreen, another for phone/watch/Kindle chargers, and more! They are TSA approved too!

This tank is light weight and perfect for summer. It comes in a variety of colors!

When I saw this dress, I had high hopes it would be great for vacay. When it arrived, I was so pleased with the quality, comfort, hemline, and more!

I don’t purchase books very often, but I really wanted to read Emily Giffin’s new book, and didn’t want to wait for library availability. I’ve started it and am enjoying it!

Nothing says summer and Amazon like tank tops, dresses, travel necessities, and a book! What have you Primed lately?

{this post contains Amazon affiliate links…thank you for supporting my blog}

Holidays

4th of July

Posted on July 4, 2022June 30, 2022 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Monday! I’m guessing most aren’t posting today, but since the 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays, I threw together this post of favorites.

This is our “go to” 4th of July breakfast:

Frozen waffles, Cool Whip, and fresh fruit. I’ve been serving it to the kids since they were little.

This meme is definitely me with the kids when they were younger. I’m that mom.

I love pinchy cheek cute kids in red, white, and blue.

My favorite 4th of July family photo…taken in 2015.

Sparklers are always a “must” on this holiday.

….as are fireworks!

We have a favorite spot in Lex to see some of the best fireworks in town.

Homer is usually pretty festive on the 4th as well:

I mean, of course he’s a patriotic pup!

What do you do for the 4th of July? Growing up, we always got together with family. Then, when I was older, I have wonderful memories of watching fireworks by the lake in our neighborhood. Kind of like driving through the Christmas lights at the park, I won’t miss a fireworks display!

I hope you have a wonderful day celebrating.

Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#119}

Posted on July 1, 2022June 30, 2022 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Friday!

#classic

Happy July 1st. It kind of pains me to type “July 1st,” but I also know that we have lots of fun planned this month, so I’m trying to embrace that!

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

Here are some favorites from the week:

Honestly, just having a slower paced week was a favorite. I had tons of errands, but the kids didn’t have many activities. We needed this slower week after so many favorites from the weekend:

Trav time:

lake time:

and concert/friend time:

Another favorite from the week was watching a movie with Hayden. He chose Goonies, and it was good quality time together watching that classic.

Dance and baseball photos arrived this week. I told myself I wouldn’t buy any more, but yet here I am…I swear, take all my money!

With the holiday weekend coming up, here’s a favorite breakfast that I often serve on the 4th:

Favorite Kid Quote:

I was painting my nails, and Hadley said, “Mom, on my wedding day, I’m going to wear Funny Bunny.” (OPI color that I always wear) It was just the sweetest.

Favorite Mom Meme:

My kids do tend to sleep in if they can, so thankfully I don’t have to get up too early in the summer. That being said, Hadley is up most mornings by 8:00 for swim team, so I try to get up 7:15-7:30 to ease into the day a bit.

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:

These cousins don’t get to see each other often, but when they do, they have lots of fun. Here they are jumping into summer vacay in 2017. So cute.

Weekly Recap:

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

With not as much going on this week, I’m keeping today’s post short(ish) and sweet. I hope you have a wonderful holiday weekend. Thanks so much for reading!