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Posted in Let's look

Let’s Look

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello!

It’s already the second Wednesday of the month, so 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 do LL in March)
  • How you plan/do date nights in April

This month, we are looking at: your hometown.

Of course, when someone asks where I’m from, I say Kansas City. It’s just easier than saying, “Lee’s Summit, a suburb of KC.” It’s just easier since I’m living in a completely different state than where I grew up. Also, I didn’t move to Lee’s Summit until I was thirteen, so I do consider both to be my “hometown.”

Kansas City

MISSOURI! Many (out of state) people think that Kansas City is in Kansas. While there is a KCK, it’s small and Kansas City is KCMO.

My dad was a Kansas City police officer for thirty years which meant he had to live in KC. So, my younger years were spent in KC in an area close to where he grew up.

Kansas City really does have so much to offer. There’s nothing better than Topsy’s popcorn or a butter roll from McLain’s. There are so many great BBQ restaurants in KC. While I’m not a huge BBQ fan, we always make a stop per Trav’s request and my kids love ribs!

Growing up, we’d often go to the Plaza for a hamburger and milkshake from Winsteads. We’d also visit Crown Center and the Plaza around the holidays to ice skate and see the Christmas lights.

I spent many summer days at Worlds of Fun and Oceans of Fun with cousins when they’d come to visit.

Of course, KC is a big sports town. There’s nobody more loyal than an KC Royals fan. We waited thirty years in between World Series wins and still showed up for our team through the years.

The same can be said for the Chiefs fans who cheered them on for fifty years in between Super Bowl wins.

Lee’s Summit

Photo c/o https://downtownls.org

We moved to LS at the end of my seventh grade year. My parents found a piece of land that was in KC but districted for Lee’s Summit schools. They built a house and we moved in the spring of 1993. I did struggle with the move more than my brother did because he was still in elementary school. I will be the first to admit (now) that I didn’t really give the move a chance. I really hated my 8th grade year, but I did find a great group of friends once I started high school.

When we moved to LS, it was just starting to boom. When you got off the highway, there were four way stops and a two lane road that took you to our house. Now there are stoplights, three high schools, hospitals, shopping and more.

The one high school in LS was the biggest in the state. I went to it for my freshman year and then the new high school was finished when I was a sophomore. That year, they let the seniors stay together at the old school, so it was just 9th-11th when my high school opened. Lee’s Summit had, and continues to have, a top notch public school system which was a selling point for my parents. There’s even a third high school now. I’m forever grateful for the education that I received. I made so many friends that I met thanks to band (yes, band!).

In the summers, we’d hang at neighborhood pools, get frozen custard at Custard’s Last Stand, have fun at the Homecoming parade in the fall, attend football and basketball games and more. There was a lake in my neighborhood as well as a bigger lake where a few friends lived. We hung out on the dock on many summer nights.

Once I gave it a chance and met the right group of friends, I really did enjoy growing up in Lee’s Summit.

I take my midwestern roots seriously. While I love Lexington, there have been many times I’ve held firm to values and beliefs on how I grew up and was raised when making decisions for my own kids.

I’m grateful that my kids are growing up with KC memories. Hayden cheers for the Royals and Chiefs. My kids know how great a cherry limeade is from Topsy’s popcorn and how magical the Plaza lights are at Christmastime.

“Home” is a relative term I guess. I feel at home when I’m at home, I guess because I’ve made it a point to make our house a home for my kids. But…I’m also at home when I’m in KC seeing family and creating memories for my kids there too.

One of my favorite country songs on the radio right now is Half of my Hometown. These lyrics always stand out to me:

Back roads raise us…
Highways take us…
Memories make us wanna go back…to our hometown.

I’ll be honest, never in a million years did I think I wouldn’t be raising my family where I grew up. I always joke that I moved to KY with Travis because I was “young, dumb, and in love.” Not to take anything away from him; I just mean that I don’t see my forty year old self making that same decision. When you are young, you can take chances like that. I didn’t have anything to lose.

…and sometimes you take a chance…and it pays off. Travis is the best, and we’ve created a really blessed life together.

I do miss “home” though.

Where did you grow up? What’s your best hometown memory? I’d love to know.

Thanks so much for reading!

Posted in Holidays, Tuesday Talk

Tuesday Talk: All About the Oaks

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello!

Last week I mentioned that the first week in May is a busy and festive week around here.

I recently shared my Keeneland post, and today I’m sharing all about the Oaks.

Oaks is the day before the Kentucky Derby. Like Derby Day, there are races all day long, but the main race, the Kentucky Oaks, is for three year old fillies (girl horses).

For Oaks, many wear pink in honor of the breast cancer survivors who walk in the parade before the Oaks race. It’s such a powerful moment to see so many survivors walking together.

If I don’t find a pink dress, I will add a touch of pink with a fascinator. Years ago, if we went to Oaks or Derby, I’d usually wear a fancy hat, but I much prefer a fascinator.

My dress is from Nordstrom, and Amazon for the win for my pink fascinator. (I’d ordered a couple of them and also borrowed a couple from a friend, but Hadley helped me make the final decision)

Travis was already in Louisville, so once I dropped the kids off at school, I headed to pick him up.

I got to Louisville around 11:30, and we were at Churchill Downs by 12:00.

Upon arrival, I was handed the signature drink, the Lily, which was the perfect way to start the day.

For the second year in a row, the ticket was all- inclusive. So, any food or drink is included in the ticket price. Of course, there were still lines for food, but they moved pretty quickly considering the crowd. Also, there were fridges throughout with drinks like water and soda that you could just pick up as needed.

After the first few races, we headed to the paddock to check on one of Trav’s client’s horses who was running.

You have to be a horse owner to get into the paddock, and even then, the pass is for the specific race for your horse. The filly we were there to see was Kneesnhips. Any guesses what the owner does for a living? Then, we headed back to our seats to watch the race (and it was raining just a bit then). She placed 4th.

We stayed in our seats for a bit, but it was only a steady rain for about an hour.

Our seats were in a box (of 6, with friends) that was undercover right near the finish line which is always so fun.

Oaks and Derby make for great people watching, and we always run in to people we know. They said the attendance was at 100,000…and I believe it!

Of course, there are usually more celebrities for Derby, but Kirk Herbstreit (sports analyst) sat right behind us. Then, as we left, I saw Justin Harley (This is Us) walking out with his wife. He did the “riders up” in the paddock before the big Oaks race.

You may remember from my post on Friday, but I was very concerned about the weather. Friday’s weather actually turned out better that Saturday’s weather for Derby. It really just rained from about 3:00-4:00, and then again around 6:15 when we got in the car.

Thurby:

So, for years, Oaks was more for the “locals” (Louisville people) and the Derby was when so many from out of town would come. Quite a few years ago, they started having “Thurby” which is now when most local people go.

Travis and many of his Louisville friends now go for Thurby. Honestly, Oaks and Derby are big work days for him now, so Thurby is a bit more relaxed for him.

Derby:

With a post about Keeneland and now Oaks, it would probably be natural to have a dedicated Derby post. That being said, I haven’t been to Derby in years. Travis had a streak of almost twenty years of going to Derby. That streak came to a halt once we had kids (haha) who usually have activities that day. Plus, Thurby and Oaks are enough. I’m not saying we won’t ever get back to Derby, but he really does a lot for work that entire week, and now has the tradition of watching all the Derby day races on at home while also placing bets and working. It varies year to year, but sometimes we get together with friends. The weather was cooler and rainy this year, so we just hung at home.

My mom actually hosts a Derby party (in KC) every year that I know her friends look forward to each year.

Let me tell you the one person who doesn’t love a long shot–Travis. The horses that placed 2nd and 4th were connected to his farm. While those are pretty good finishes, Epicenter (who placed 2nd) was one of the heavy favorites. Like much of the world, Travis was speechless to see Rich Strike, with 80-1 odds, win.

A Few Derby Facts:

  • Derby is always the first Saturday in May.
  • The horses that run the race are all three-year-old colts.
  • There are 20 horses in the Derby race.
  • The Mint Julep is the signature cocktail.
  • It’s called “run for the roses.”
  • It’s the “most exciting two minutes in sports.”

One thing I wish Lexington would do that Louisville does is there’s no school on Oaks Friday. The city basically shuts down and traffic is probably extra crazy which is why that’s more of a necessity in Louisville than Lex, but it would still be so nice to have that day off.

I never realized until my kids were in school how much the schools (especially elementary) incorporate the Derby into learning and activities at school.

Schools in our district display their “Derby silks.”

There are fun Derby activities like hat making and…

jockey silk coloring.

Most of the elementary schools have activities like Derby races for the kids, learning about horses and jockeys, reading horse books, and more. One year, my kids’ teachers hosted a Derby breakfast at school.

Like most things, it’s fun to see the excitement of the week through a child’s eyes.

It really is a special time of the year. We had a great day. Let me know if you have any questions!

Posted in Gift Ideas, Not Just a Mom

Not Just a Mom: Gift Ideas

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Monday. How was your weekend? We had a really good one. We started with going to the Oaks on Friday (more on that tomorrow)…

….lots of down time on Saturday while watching all the Derby day races…

…and then yesterday was Mother’s Day which of course is a favorite.

Today, I’m co-hosting our Not Just a Mom link up with some of my favorite bloggers:

So far this year, we’ve discussed:

This month, we are sharing about go to gift ideas.

When I think of gifts, I usually think of Etsy for some reason. I often shop there for gift ideas for family and friends.

Etsy:

From sweatshirts to picture frames to jewelry and more, you can find most everything on Etsy. I like to support small shops when I can, and Etsy is easy to search to find what you are looking for.

Here are some of my Etsy posts:

Etsy 1
Etsy 2
Etsy 3

Go to ideas:

My “go to” gift ideas usually include:

  • candles
  • books
  • scarf
  • flowers
  • gift card

Recent gifts:

Last year, for Mother’s Day, my brother and I purchased Storyworth for my mom. It’s been fun getting her weekly responses. I guess it’s time to order the book now, and it will be a fun keepsake to have for years to come.

This year, I sent her a candle from Antique Candle Co. for Mother’s Day.

When I got on their site to pick a candle, I saw they had this gift set option:

My mom’s birthday is soon, and her gift arrived a bit early. She went ahead and opened it. I purchased this seasonal door hanger for her. It’s cute, shipped quickly, and she loves it.

lots of options like this on Etsy

(Shout out to mom for taking these photos of her gifts, so I could share) 😊

What are some of your “go to” gift ideas? I always love a card and a candle or fresh flowers. I honestly really appreciate a gift card to use whenever I have time.

Please join us next month when the topic is: dream travel locations. Ahh…just in time for summer! If you’re a blogger, we certainly hope you’ll join us.

I hope your week starts off right! Only three more Mondays in the school year for us, including today. Summer can’t get here soon enough.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

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Posted in Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#112}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Friday!

The first weekend in May is pretty big around here…today is Oaks and tomorrow is Derby for those of you who know about horse racing. The city of Louisville is the place to be this week.

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

Here are some favorites from the week:

On my way out of Keeneland last Friday, I saw this painted horse with the portrait of Keeneland. This time of the year, there are many different painted horses around town. I’m not sure who painted this one but local students and schools have been painting them, including one at my school.

I know my KC peeps have been spotting painted hearts all around KC. This is our version of that 🙂

We had dinner on the patio on Sunday…this is Homer enjoying the sunshine…and begging for food.

Speaking of sunlight…the Trader Joe’s tulips on the kitchen table were enjoying the morning light.

We’d had the same brand of coffee pot for years…and even had the same coffee pot twice! While our most recent one was only a couple of years old, it kept leaking which caused a coffee stain on our counter. Kristin (@fancythingsblog) shared her new coffee pot recently. When I checked out the link, it took me straight to Drew Barrymore’s line at Walmart. When I saw the price, color options, and confirmed that it was programmable (a must for me!), I decided to go ahead and buy it. She arrived, and she pretty 🤩

You should check out all that Drew’s line has to offer: touch screen toaster, electric kettle, air fryer, slow cooker and more!

Very on brand for me …kids activities are favorites this week

Hadley’s friend shared this photo with her at the dance competition on Friday. There’s Hadley…front and center. These girls did an amazing job.

The kids school winter sports photos finally arrived. The team photos were perfect…the dance team was smiling…the basketball team was not. 😂

We had some major storms roll through town on Tuesday. The game before Hayden’s had a rain delay in the 5th inning. That means his 7:45 game didn’t start until 8:30. We didn’t leave the ballpark until 10:30. Ugh.

That being said, they did have an exciting come from behind win!

lucky number 7 up to bat

Track is starting to slow down a bit. The kids had a meet on Wednesday, and it was a good one!

They were in a few races each. Here’s Hayden running the 3200, and he had another PR. Hadley had an exciting 200m race and came from behind to get 2nd place in her heat.

They are both in relays as well which are so fun to watch. I’ve so enjoyed this track season!

Favorite Clothing Item:

When I knew there was a chance we’d go to Oaks or Derby, I went ahead and ordered this green dress from Nordstrom.

I typically have great luck Nordstrom and finding dresses…and their return policy is so easy, but the shipping was taking a bit longer. Last weekend, I had a free Saturday afternoon, so I checked out a couple of boutiques, but I didn’t have much luck. While in Richmond, there was a shopping center across the street from the boutique I went to, and I popped into JC Penney. We have one in our mall, but I rarely go there.

Well, I found this navy floral ruffle dress, and liked it enough to take home and return later if needed. Well, once I threw on my new wedge sandals and stood in better lighting than the JCP dressing room, I really liked the dress!

Bonus: when the green dress arrived, I liked it too! {Travis has a love/hate relationship with this time of the year: he loves the racing, but hates that his wife buys 10 dresses and keeps two! 😆)

I will probably wear the green one today, but it will be a game time decision. {Unfortunately, I don’t know that it matters much…as I will probably be in my rain coat most of the day *sigh*}

A note about my new wedges from DSW: I’d shared before that these were on my “wish list,” but when I tried on my regular size in the store, I needed a half size bigger which they didn’t have. Then, I tried on these in my regular size, but needed a half size smaller…which they didn’t have. {Only shoe shopping with me can turn into a Goldilocks and the Three Bears story.}

Anyway, as I walked the aisle one more time, I found these which ended up being the cheapest of the three, and they reminded me so much of my tried and true pair that I’ve been wearing for years.

I wore them to Keeneland last Friday, and they were perfect!

Today, will be the real test, but honestly, I should probably just wear my rainboots. Ugh!

Favorite Kid Quote:

Speaking of Oaks and Derby…you know you are in Kentucky when friends drop off fascinator options!

Hadley sent me this text: (lol)

which reminded me of this photo from 2018:

Quite the fashionista

Favorite Mom Meme:

Just in time for Sunday, this meme speaks the truth:

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

In honor of Mother’s Day, here’s my first one as a mom in 2010. We all look more tired now!

For fun…another pic of just them on that same Mother’s Day. This seems like both yesterday and a lifetime ago all at once.

Weekly Recap:

On Monday, I recapped the weekend (which was mostly about my never-ending (but fun) Friday), then I shared my Amazon finds from the month followed by the books I read in April.

Hello Monday
Prime Purchases
April books

Not Just a Mom:

On Monday, we’re hosting our monthly Not Just a Mom link up. If you are a blogger, we’d love to have you join us. This month’s topic is: go to gifts.

With Mother’s Day on Sunday, these sentiments certainly ring true:

I hope you have a great weekend. We have a busy but blessed one coming up!

Thanks so much for reading,

Posted in Books and Shows

April 2022: What I’ve Been Reading

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Well, I was going to share this post last week, but when Hadley got sick, I had to skip a day of posting! #momlife

Anyway, today I’m sharing the three books I read in April. Honestly, I read two them at the beginning of the month during Spring Break. I’ve been a slow reader so far in 2022.

This month I read…

{As always, book summaries are from Goodreads…}

Such a Quiet Place:

Summary:

We had no warning that she’d come back.

Hollow’s Edge used to be a quiet place. A private and idyllic neighborhood where neighbors dropped in on neighbors, celebrated graduation and holiday parties together, and looked out for one another. But then came the murder of Brandon and Fiona Truett. A year and a half later, Hollow’s Edge is simmering. The residents are trapped, unable to sell their homes, confronted daily by the empty Truett house, and suffocated by their trial testimonies that implicated one of their own. Ruby Fletcher. And now, Ruby’s back.

With her conviction overturned, Ruby waltzes right back to Hollow’s Edge, and into the home she once shared with Harper Nash. Harper, five years older, has always treated Ruby like a wayward younger sister. But now she’s terrified. What possible good could come of Ruby returning to the scene of the crime? And how can she possibly turn her away, when she knows Ruby has nowhere to go?

Within days, suspicion spreads like a virus across Hollow’s Edge. It’s increasingly clear that not everyone told the truth about the night of the Truett’s murders. And when Harper begins receiving threatening notes, she realizes she has to uncover the truth before someone else becomes the killer’s next victim.

Quick Thoughts:

I really enjoyed this book. Doesn’t “Hollow’s Edge” sound like a place where there would be trouble?! The plot line with Ruby showing up unannounced immediately caught my attention. There were various layers to the story with many of the characters keeping secrets that are eventually revealed as the plot and conclusion come together. This was a good one.

Rating:

Pack Up the Moon:

Summary:

Joshua and Lauren are the perfect couple. Newly married, they’re wildly in love, each on a successful and rewarding career path. Then Lauren is diagnosed with a terminal illness.

As Lauren’s disease progresses, Joshua struggles to make the most of the time he has left with his wife and to come to terms with his future–a future without the only woman he’s ever loved. He’s so consumed with finding a way to avoid the inevitable ending that he never imagines his life after Lauren.

But Lauren has a plan to keep her husband moving forward. A plan hidden in the letters she leaves him. In those letters, one for every month in the year after her death, Lauren leads Joshua on a journey through pain, anger, and denial. It’s a journey that will take Joshua from his attempt at a dinner party for family and friends to getting rid of their bed…from a visit with a psychic medium to a kiss with a woman who isn’t Lauren. As his grief makes room for laughter and new relationships, Joshua learns Lauren’s most valuable lesson: The path to happiness doesn’t follow a straight line.

Quick Thoughts:

Based on the summary I knew this would probably be a tear jerker. As I started to read it, I kept thinking it sounded so familiar. So much so that I went back and looked at my reading lists from 2018 on, but didn’t see the title. Then, I checked my Good Reads list — I even have a list for “started but didn’t finish” and it wasn’t on there. As I continued reading, I knew that I had started this book…I must have previously quit on it knowing that the story line seemed sad?

Anyway, I started this book on the drive to Asheville and just kept reading. At around page 100, I stopped feeling like I’d read the book before, so that must have been when I quit on it.

I loved how the book was organized with letters from Lauren. There were monthly letters to Joshua for the first year after Lauren’s passing. Also, occasionally, there were letters to Lauren’s father who had passed away when she was twenty years old. The letters to Joshua were heartfelt, bittersweet, humorous, encouraging and more. The chapters that weren’t letters shared about their lives leading up to her death: dating, proposal, marriage, honeymoon, life as newlyweds, her diagnosis and illness progression, and her death.

I cried ugly tears at the end. Good thing I was alone when finishing this book.

Rating:

This book was probably 4.5⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me just because it was such a tear jerker, but it was really good.

The Rent Collector:

Summary:

Survival for Ki Lim and Sang Ly is a daily battle at Stung Meanchey, the largest municipal waste dump in all of Cambodia. They make their living scavenging recyclables from the trash. Life would be hard enough without the worry for their chronically ill child, Nisay, and the added expense of medicines that are not working. Just when things seem worst, Sang Ly learns a secret about the bad-tempered rent collector who comes demanding money–a secret that sets in motion a tide that will change the life of everyone it sweeps past.

Quick Thoughts:

“The Rent Collector is a story of hope, of one woman’s journey to save her son and another woman’s chance at redemption.” This was such a touching book, and I couldn’t put it down. A friend shared in on Facebook, and I immediately added it to my reading list, and I was actually on the library waitlist for a bit.

I think anyone would enjoy this book, but I especially did so as an educator (and lover of reading). I believe it was inspired by real life as far as the people living near a garbage dump in Cambodia.

I can’t imagine living conditions for Sang Ly, Ki, and Nisay in Cambodia. I loved the grumpy temperament of the rent collector, Sopeap. She holds such a powerful gift of being educated and ends up changing Sang Ly’s life. Sopeap’s past could have been its own book and is such a key piece in the plot. This story is beautifully written and as the story continued to unfold and the pieces fell into place, I was in awe. This may be one of my top reads of 2022.

Fave Quotes:

  • “Life will not always be so hard or cruel. Our difficulties are but a moment.”
  • “Peace is a product of both patience and persistence.”
  • “Education is almost always good, especially when it brings us to an understanding of our place in the world.”
  • “In literature, everything means something.”
  • “Stories teach us to not give up hope because there are times in our own journey when we mustn’t give up hope. They teach endurance because in our lives we are meant to endure. They carry messages that are older than the words themselves, messages that reach beyond the page.”
  • It doesn’t matter where you live, Sang Ly, it is how you live.”

Rating:

What have you been reading lately? I’m almost finished a book that a friend suggested, and then I hope to pick up my reading pace just in time for summer!

{this post contains Amazon affiliate links…}

Posted in Amazon

Prime Purchases: May 2022

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello! I hope your week is off to a great start. It’s the first Tuesday of the month, so I’m joining Tanya for her Prime Purchases link up.

This month I purchased:

I don’t think I’ve shared this yet, but I started Invisalign a couple of months ago. I forever feel like I have something in my teeth when I don’t have my aligners in. I’m not sure I’ve ever owned a compact, but I needed one for my purse to check my teeth after eating! This one has an LED light and is perfect to throw in my bag.

I’ve shared before that OPI Funny Bunny is my favorite nail polish. Honestly, Ulta is so hit or miss that I typically order it from Amazon when I’m about to run out.

I ordered more lunch box notes to finish up the school year. I usually order these:

…but thought I’d give these a try (again?…I’m pretty sure I used these same ones at some point for the kids during elementary school.)

My kids still have quite a few smaller hangers, and we are continuing to make the transition to bigger hangers for their bigger clothes. This is my second time ordering this 50 pack of hangers.

I got some new sunnies, and I love them! I have a couple of pairs I wear on repeat, and these are perfect to add into the rotation.

I’ve already shared that I ordered this cardigan in another color. I now have it in “cadet gray” and “violet red”…

…and I love it. This dark pink is the perfect color for spring!

Y’all, I’ve had my eye on this purse for a bit, and bought it this month. It arrived, and I couldn’t love it more.

Mine is a cream color which doesn’t currently seem to be available. There are so many color options, and the price is less than when I purchased mine. I wore it with my dress on Friday to Keeneland. It’s the perfect size for phone, compact, etc. and has an inside pocket where I put cards and cash rather than bring my larger wallet.

I hit up a local boutique on Saturday, and saw this very similar purse (tassel and all!) for $65! I definitely love my Amazon “dupe.”

What about you? What have you “Primed” lately? I’m betting my May purchases include lots of fun things for summer.

See you back here Thursday when I’ll share the books I read in April.

{this post contains Amazon affiliate links…}

Posted in Weekend Top 5

Hello Monday

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello {Monday!} How was your weekend? I’m telling you…it was either 0 or 100 around here these past few days.

I’m linking up with Holly and Sarah to recap my weekend for Hello Monday!

Let me take you back to Friday…

When I tell you that Friday was crazy busy, it was so busy that it was basically planned hour by hour (sometimes by the minutes!)

Months ago, a friend let us know about a surprise party she was planning for her husband with an afternoon at Keeneland, dinner, and then drinks at a favorite bar. Well, I knew Hayden would probably have track meet in the evening and that Hadley had a dance competition that weekend, but I figured we’d at least be good for the afternoon at Keeneland, but the dance competition threw a wrench in those plans. (more on that in a minute)

I will say that I can’t complain because Friday started with a day off for me.

Once the kids were at school, Travis and I tried out a new place in town for brunch. Biscuit Belly was so good!

Dance competitions start on Fridays, but Hadley has always danced on Saturday or Sunday. Well, her small group was scheduled to dance at 5:25 on Friday…in Louisville!

I almost skipped Keeneland, but we had friends coming in from out of town who we rarely see. So, I decided to go to Keeneland for a bit before getting Hadley from school.

The weather was great, and I got about an hour and a half at the track, and was able to see a few friends from near and far.

Then, I picked up Hadley from school, came home to change and get her dance stuff. We stopped at Chick-fil-A because I wasn’t sure when she would get to eat! We hustled as fast as we could out of town and arrived about 40 minutes before her first group performance. I was a little stressed until we were on the highway, and I knew traffic would be ok.

Meanwhile, back at Keeneland… Travis was on a Zoom call from a kindergarten class in California! I told you…he never stops working 😉 One of his client’s kids had to do a presentation about Kentucky, and Travis reported live from the track, and let them watch the 6th race. How fun is that?

Hadley’s small group jazz performance did an awesome job. Then, there was about two hours in between the two dances, so the moms and I walked to a local bar/restaurant for a bite to eat.

We made it back in time to see the large musical theater routine, and the entire group knocked it out of the park.

The awards weren’t until later, so I headed back to Lexington to catch up with Travis and our friends while Hadley got a ride home later. {Travis had been with Hayden at his track meet, and I arrived back to Lexington around 10:00 which was when Travis and Hayden were finished with track. (No photos, but Hayden ran six seconds faster in the mile this week. He was really pleased with his performance.)}

Hadley was texting me telling me about the awards they’d won. They scored platinum and platinum plus in their two routines and won other awards like best choreography, a golden ticket, and the large musical theater performance earned first place overall.

She was soooo happy. This competition season has had its ups and downs, and they really did finish strong. I was so happy for her!

12:30 am and still smiling

I was bummed to miss out on the awards ceremony, but it was great to hang with our friends for a couple of hours before I picked Hadley up at 12:15. It was 1:00 before we were all in bed. Shew! What a day!

I slept until 8:30, and had a very slow morning. Hayden slept until 10, and I woke Hadley at 11. I know we all needed the extra rest, but Hadley woke up not feeling well (again). I’m assuming the very busy Friday caught up with her and strep really did knock her out earlier in the week.

Around lunchtime, I ran some errands and then went to the gym for a workout. I usually do my workouts at home, but I do love the elliptical, so I’ve tried to make that my Saturday workout when I can.

I came home and had some lunch. Then, I tidied up the house a bit and took a quick nap. Hadley still wasn’t feeling well and napped off and on all day. Honestly, you know Hadley isn’t 100% if she naps! She’s been that way since she was little…hardly slows down, so when she does, you know she must need some rest.

I actually drove to Richmond (about 30 minutes away) to check out a boutique. They handed me a watermelon mimosa upon arrival, and I wasn’t mad about it! I was looking for a dress for Oaks, but didn’t find anything I loved.

Once I got back to Lexington, I made a grocery list while Hadley napped again. Then, I had time to read for a bit and then shower.

Hadley woke up, and I made her a grilled cheese. It was the first thing she’d eaten all day. We got carryout dinner for the rest of us from Drakes.

I ordered the Teriyaki Chicken Rice bowl, and it hit the spot.

Then, we all watched our “April family movie” #forcedfamilyfun

We chose (the newer) Adventures in Babysitting, and it was cute.

Everyone was in bed around 10!

Travis was up at 4:00 to head to Churchill Downs to watch Epicenter run. (He’s running in the Derby and is connected to Trav’s farm). Thankfully, I didn’t hear Travis get up that early, and I slept until 8. Then, I placed our Kroger Clicklist order, drank coffee and caught up on some of my blog reading.

Then, I caught up on some of my shows for a bit. Travis got home around 10:30, and I woke the kids up a 11! My kids have always been great sleepers, but I know they were extra tired and needed the rest.

We started laundry and then, I had lunch. This is the second Sunday I’ve made myself a “one eyed sailor” (What do you call it? I know there are other names) and had some apples.

Then, I went to Trader Joe’s to pick up produce items, flowers, and a few other things.

I came home and put the clean sheets on the bed, read my book for a bit with the Royals game on in the background. Well, again, I was tired…I only read a few pages before dozing off.

If you can’t tell, I love naps.

Then, I did all the things for dinner including meal prepping a few lunches and cutting up veggies for the week.

We had dinner outside which was so nice.

After dinner, Hadley iced the Trader Joe’s lemon cake that I made.

Then, it was time for the kids to study for their vocab test, I took a shower, and we ended the weekend watching American Idol.

It was such a great weekend.

{Before I go…a random note to my blogger friends…I read most of my blogs on my phone. For some reason, right now, I can’t comment using my Google account…even when I’ve logged off and back on. Then, if I try to comment using my URL, it says “invalid.” That only leaves me with commenting “anonymously,” and I don’t want to do that. So, I’m still reading so many of my favorite blogs…I’m just unable to comment unless I’m on my home computer which is rare. (If you have a Word Press blog, I read and comment on that app no problem) Anyway, I just know how much it means when people comment, so I wanted to let y’all know that I’m still reading them.}

Mondays can be hard, but we only have three left in the school year after today! Happy May!

Posted in Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#111}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Friday! Raise your hand if you are ready for the weekend. {me!}

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

Most of the favorites this week center around my kids’ activities, but that really is my life most days after school.

Some favorites from the week…

How they do middle school track around here is during the week, the meets are A or B meets with certain events for each meet. So, those meets shouldn’t go past 8:30. Then, the Friday night meets are invitationals where there are more schools (and schools out of our district) and they take the top two athletes for each event. These meets run longer (11:30 PM or so!), but provide a fun atmosphere.

Hayden ran in the invitational last Friday night and ran his fastest mile ever! He’s hit his stride (literally and figuratively) this season. Hadley was there to cheer him on.

On Saturday, we watched cousin Wyatt place in his baseball game. He did great.

Saturday night was the long-awaited Chris Stapleton concert at Kroger Field. It was the first ever concert there, and it was a blast. We saw Chris Stapleton in 2018 at a small venue in Cincinnati. When the Kroger Field concert was planned for Lexington, we jumped at the chance to see him again. Well, this was in fall of 2019 for a spring 2020 concert…which got pushed to April 2021…which got pushed to April 2022. We actually declined our original tickets last year, and then purchased some last week because we didn’t want to miss his performance.

We met up with neighbors (friends) for a few drinks before the concert.

There was an opening act that we missed, but we got there right as (Missouri girl!) Sheryl Crow was singing. She is 60 and fabulous. She played so many great songs.

Then, it was Willie Nelson’s turn. Y’all, he’s 88 years old, and he still put on a pretty good performance.

Then, it was time for Stapleton. He was ahhhmazing! The only bonus of having to wait two years to see him was the fact that he had more songs to play! He played for two hours, and the concert ended at 11.

The weather was perfection, we had great seats, and we ran into so many people we know. I’m so glad that we didn’t miss out on these amazing performances.

Another favorite was the kids in their “Sunday best.” It was “Baptism Sunday” at church, so we loved watching so many friends make such an important life decision.

For Monday night’s track meet, the kids were dodging raindrops…but look at that rainbow…

Unfortunately, we found out that Hadley had strep on Tuesday. She wasn’t feeling well on Monday, but still ran in the track meet. On Tuesday, I let her stay home and ended up taking her to the dr. So, she missed a couple of days of school this week, and her Wednesday track meet. She was bummed about that, but she seems to be doing better now.

Again, more track and baseball this week. Hayden did an awesome job pitching on Tuesday night, and had a PR in the 3200 on Wednesday night. Monday night, Hadley ran the 800 and the first leg of a relay, and did awesome despite not feeling well.

Monday meet for both, baseball for Hayden, and meet for Hayden on Wednesday

Homer snuggles are a favorite when you don’t feel well.

Hadley made me a friendship bracelet. How sweet.

Favorite Kid Quote

I told Hayden not to give in to Homer’s begging. He still fed him a chip. When I looked at him, he said, “Well, at least they are healthy.” 🤣

Favorite Mom Meme:

This meme was made for my kids 😂

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:

There’s nothing better than sleeping littles in pjs. This is from 2013, and so sweet.

Weekly Recap:

This week’s posts started with some laughs, followed by a few outfit ideas in my new white jeans, and then all about vacation planning.

Monday Memes
White Jeans
Monthly Musings: Vacay Planning

What are your weekend plans? We literally have nothing going on this weekend, but we are triple booked for today with day and evening activities.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Posted in Monthly Musings, Travel

Monthly Musings: Vacation Planning and Prep

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Happy Friday Eve! Well, it’s the last Thursday of the month. Isn’t that so hard to believe?!

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

This month’s topic:

1. What trips/vacations do you have planned for the rest of the year?

We will take a summer vacation like usual. Since Hayden won’t be playing summer baseball, we decided to treat ourselves and splurge a bit on a vacay. We’re headed somewhere that needs a passport, and the kids are excited 😉

Then, we will go to KC to see my family at the end of the summer. I’d love to plan another quick getaway in the summer, but we’ll see.

We get a week long fall break this year, so we are thinking about going to Florida in October.

2. Best packing tips?

I’d love to say pack ahead of time, but that’s a great packing tip that I never follow. You would think my “type A” personality would shine while packing for a trip, but that’s definitely not the case.

I always have to have all the laundry finished before I start packing. As we put the clean clothes away, I hold out what we’d like to pack for a trip.

I do use packing cubes (more on that with #3), and I do think they are a great way to keep your clothes together, organized, and sorted by person.

As the kids have gotten older, I’ve started making them a list of what they need to pack, and have them do so. Then, I go through and give approval on what’s in their suitcases.

Leading up to a trip, I start a note on my phone of the random things I want to remember: book, Kindle, charger, sound machine, Melatonin, etc. I keep meaning to create a standard packing list to have on hand when we pack, but I’ve never done it. It would be nice to have a “beach” list, “overnight one night somewhere” list, and “KC” list, etc. Maybe this summer I will get to it!

3. Packing cubes. Yes or no?

Heck yes! I started using these cubes (affiliate link) from Amazon a few years ago and haven’t looked back.

Depending on how long we will be gone depends on how I divide these up. If each kid is bringing their own suitcase, I usually just give them a smaller one to hold their underwear, swimsuit, etc. Hadley has used a smaller one for hair stuff and other odds and ends.

If the kids are sharing a suitcase, they each get a color. I actually only have a gray and a teal set, but as I was working on this post, I made a calendar notification to order another set before our summer trip.

When I use them, I typically use a smaller one for undergarments. Then, I use another for workout clothes and swimsuit and cover-up. I will also use one for pjs and shorts, etc. Because I am an over-packer (more on that with #10), these do help condense what I pack. I still usually have a few things like sweaters if it’s the winter, that don’t go in a packing cube.

Travis doesn’t use packing cubes…not because he’s opposed to them but because he’s just a very efficient packer!

4. Favorite travel outfit?

I guess it may depend on the mode of travel. On an airplane, I like to wear a dress with a cardigan or denim jacket. I typically will also wear sneakers rather than pack those since I tend to have a suitcase that’s always pushing the weight limit!

In the car, I love leggings and a sweatshirt with flip flops.

5. Favorite vacation destination? Why?

I shared this post recently on some of the favorite trips we’ve been on. It’s not that we are world travelers, but it is hard for me to choose a favorite destination. If I’m going for comfort and familiarity, I love our trips to Siesta Key beach. We’ve been many times through the years, and it’s a place my entire family loves.

2020
2015

My heart belongs in Charleston! I love SC.

2018
2021

Of course, other family trips like our trek to AZ and then Cali provide such special memories.

2018
2018

If I could get to San Diego (Del Mar) easily and regularly, then hands down that would be my favorite place.

6. Have you flown since March 2020?

We have. As a family, we flew to Florida in the summer of 2020. Then, Travis and I flew to California last summer. I feel like I’ve flown another time as well, but I can’t remember off the top of my head.

7. Beach or mountain vacation?

As you can probably tell from all of the photos above…I’m a beach girl. I don’t necessarily need to get in the ocean, but I love sitting on the beach (preferably covered by an umbrella), listening to the waves crash, and reading a book.

photo cred: hadley

That being said, we love going to Asheville when we can.

8. Do you prefer to sightsee or relax on vacation?

Well, growing up with the Major provided early wake-up times when we traveled. He’d open the hotel curtains and say, “What?! I let you sleep until 7!?” haha

I always swore when I was an adult that I would just relax on vacation, and at the beach, that’s what we do. Places like Charleston have so much to offer in regards to sightseeing and the beach which I enjoy. Having kids “forced” us to sightsee a bit more. For example, Hayden’s desire to see the Grand Canyon prompted us to plan that trip…and then added on the California beach part as a compromise.

We still hope to take the kids to NYC and DC in the next couple of years as well.

9. Hotel, camping, Airbnb?

We’ve done it all, but to me, vacation means a hotel or a nice house. To be honest, we’ve been so spoiled with being able to stay at Trav’s aunt’s house in Florida, that when we stay at a hotel, even a nice one with a decent size room, I feel so on top of each other that I just wish we had more space. I guess that’s become more of a thought as the kids have gotten older.

Travis always “does his research,” and we’ve always had good Airbnb experiences.

As far as camping goes, well…I’ve only “glamped” for a few nights in Asheville. It was a great experience, and I would do it again, but that’s about as rustic as I get.

10. Overpacker? Underpacker?

I am an overpacker to a fault! I want to have all the options. To be honest, through the years, I’ve gotten really good at packing “just” a couple of pjs, workout options, etc. I still tend to overpack sweaters and dresses depending on the time of the year. I want to do better. Not to psycho-analyze myself, but I guess the fact that I’m a homebody by nature means that I want whatever it takes to make myself feel at home on vacay?

Making a list and the packing cubes both really help me at least try to rein it in.

One more thought…

This wasn’t on the list, but are you the type to unpack as soon as you get home from a trip, or do you let your suitcase sit on the floor for a while?!

Honestly, depending on the time of the year or how we traveled (car/plane), etc. determines where I fall on this. There have been times that my suitcase hasn’t been unpacked for a week. I know, it’s ridiculous. That being said, once we get home from a trip, we always make sure everything is out of the car and in the correct room. The kids tend to get their clothes put up almost immediately (per my suggestion), and I put away snacks (if it’s been a road trip), and always put away my toiletries. So that just means I’m about 90% unpacked once we return home and then my suitcase might linger for a day or two depending on if I have time. (I will say this is a character flaw that Travis wishes I would re-evalute! haha)

Shew! This post has me thinking about summer. I can’t wait for summer travel.

See you back here tomorrow for Friday Favorites.

Posted in Clothes

WIWW: White Denim

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello! How is your week going? We had a busy Monday with school and a track meet. Then, life slowed down a bit when Hadley tested positive for strep! Ugh. I feel so bad for her. She’s on the mend though!

Listen, I’m no fashion blogger, but I have a new favorite pair of pants (white jeans), and I had to tell you about them.

Here is my first ever (and maybe last? haha) ….

I love a pair of white jeans. I had a pair that I wore for years…and then I spilled coffee on them, and they just weren’t the same. Seriously–that was 2019. In 2020, I didn’t care to replace them, and then last spring I bought a random pair of white jeans from Amazon. They were ok, and I made do, but decided to purchase a couple of pairs this spring when Old Navy had a sale.

I purchased the High Waist Super Skinny Ankle Jean…

…and returned them. I still don’t love high-waisted jeans…and while I almost kept them just because I’d gotten them for such a good price, I went ahead and returned them.

I also purchased the Mid Rise Rockstar Super Skinny and these are what this post is all about.

Mid-rise jeans are my jam. Low rise, no ma’am. High rise, apparently not. Mid-rise, yes ma’am!

I wanted frayed look, so I ended up cutting the bottoms off after I wore them a couple of times….like Travis walked in the room when I had the scissors in my hand…and I said, “Don’t ask annnnyyy questions…I know what I’m doing.”

I wore this outfit to church on Sunday. I will repeat it for school and wear sandals.

black tank // white jeans // espadrilles // cardigan

This is one of my favorite spring/summer blouses. It’s lightweight and so comfortable. Pairing it with white jeans and sandals is a great casual but put together outfit option.

blue blouse // white jeans // similar sandals

This lightweight sweater with wedge sandals give a more elevated look for a date night or night out with friends.

(Sometimes, even with the frayed hem, I cuff the jeans just a bit. It’s always good to show the thinnest part of your body…ankles and wrists, ladies! Ankles and wrists.)

Peep homer 🤣

summer sweater // white jeans // old wedges (but these are on my wish list)

A black sweater, white jeans, and leopard flats provide a perfect outfit for work.

(old) black sweater // white jeans // (old) leopard flats from Walmart (but this pair is cute from DSW)

I cuffed the jeans again here to wear with sneakers. When I snapped this photo, I meant to throw on a baseball cap! On the weekend, you will definitely find me in something like this to run errands or go out to lunch. #momiform

Short sleeve sweatshirt (various size/color combos) // white jeans // GG

Ugh, as I went to finish up this post, I realized how limited the stock is on this particular pair of white jeans, but the in stock sizes seem to come and go. That being said, if high-rise are your thing, then the pair I returned may be for you!

Here are some other white denim options at Old Navy:

Also, a few of my clothing items are old/unlinkable….but they are great basics! Can’t go wrong with a lightweight black sweater, leopard flats, and black tank top in your closet.

Nothing says “spring/summer” like a pair of white denim, so I’m hoping you found some outfit inspiration! It was nice to “shop my closet” to round up a few spring outfits.

Also, Old Navy has 25% off with code: BONUS, so now may be a great time to pick up a few things for the warmer weather.

I’m sure fashion bloggers take better photos and clean their mirror, but thanks for sticking with me!

See you back here tomorrow for Monthly Musings.

{this post contains Amazon affiliate links…}