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Posted in Friday Favorites, Kids

Friday Favorites {#108}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Friday! I’m so happy to see Friday.

I feel like I’m limping into the weekend. We went from 0 to 100 between last week and this week. We’ve had two late nights at the ball park and a late night on Wednesday at a cold and rainy track meet. I’m very ready for more spring like weather. Well, joke’s on me…tomorrow’s weather includes some snow flurries!

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

Favorites from the week:

Last weekend, I was at Trader Joe’s and this miniature bouquet of peonies were calling my name.

Last weekend, I started watching Season 2 of The Home Edit. I love this show. It’s always fun to see Clea, Joanna and their team work their magic.

This meme is relatable after watching the first few episodes.

I saw that the ladies shared this on their Instagram. What’s your Get Organized name?

I’m sentimental denim…and this isn’t wrong! It’s very hard for me to throw things away…including my jeans.

Yesterday, Clea shared that she has breast cancer and is undergoing surgery today. She was so eloquent on Instagram stories sharing her journey. Prayers for her during season of life.

I still feel new to Antique Candle Co candles, but I couldn’t pass up the Country Pear scent being on sale. It arrived this past weekend and smells amazing.

Reading has been another favorite recently. I read two books over break. Both were good, but I cried until I had a headache at the end of Pack Up the Moon. I will share both books and whatever else I read this month in my April What I’ve Been Reading post.

The neighborhood kids playing outside was definitely a favorite of the week. Everyone seemed kind of scattered for Spring Break but by Sunday my driveway was full of kids playing basketball and running around. It made my heart so happy.

On Sunday, instead of having a slow cooker dinner (I saved that for Monday), we grilled out since the weather was so nice. The cousins were over and playing with the neighborhood kids, so we decided to make an easy dinner to enjoy outside.

Baseball Boo is back! Hayden had his first game of the season on Tuesday. He looks so cute in his uniform.

Tuesday was soggy, but the rain cleared just in time for the late night game. They played in the cold under the lights, and Hayden was the starting pitcher. It was fun to see him back out there.

The kids’ first middle school track meet was another favorite. The weather for the meet was miserable with a capital M. Mis-er-able. It rained all day long, but they still had the meet.

Let me tell you who loves a track meet…even in the rain. Travis White.

(not kidding) Here is his setting his watch before one of the kid’s races.

I texted him during the day because I’d seen the email from the coaches about wearing black under their uniforms, and he responded that he’d laid everything out and packed bags (snacks, rain gear, extra shoes, etc) during his lunch. This is his skillset, and I am here for it.

I love watching them participate, and I think it’s so fun that they are doing this together.

They both ran the third leg of the 4×800 in the pouring rain.

Then Hayden ran the 1600 and Hadley the 400. They both did an awesome job considering it was their first meet, they were running with 7th and 8th graders, and the weather was horrible.

Hadley said, “I love track!…I’d love it more if it wasn’t raining, but I loooove track.” The best!

Like cross country, I think track teams have so much fun together supporting one another and growing and improving with each and every race.

Favorite Kid Quote:

Travis was telling Hayden about the importance of having a pre-race routine. I said, “Routines are good. Help you stay focused…in life, school, workouts, etc…” Hadley said, “Yeah, like I have a nighttime skin care routine which is important.” 🤣 (She is in the bathroom no less than 22 minutes every night…*sigh*)

Favorite Mom Meme:

OMG…especially at bedtime.

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:

I’m feeling pretty sentimental this baseball season. This is Hayden’s 12-year-old season, and may be his last baseball season (for now? forever?). As the kids get older, it’s time to start making choices, and I do think Hayden’s main focus will be on running in the fall and the spring. We’ll see. With anything, we just want him to have fun, do his best, and know that we will always support him.

Here he is as a 4-year-old before his first ever t-ball game:

….and he had the best teammate: his sister!

Weekly Recap:

I was busy posting this week! It was a good week of this and that: some quick meals, Amazon purchases, Easter decor, and all the details on our few days in Asheville last week.

Monday Meals
Prime Purchases
Easter Decorations
Asheville, NC Recap

Not Just a Mom:

On Monday, the Not Just a Mom crew is hosting our monthly link up.

This month’s topic is: What’s For Lunch

If you’re a blogger, we’d love to have you join us for the link up.

What are your weekend plans? Due to more rain and even colder temps than Wednesday, tonight’s track meet is cancelled. Honestly, we don’t have much on our agenda, and I couldn’t be happier!

See you back here on Monday.

Thanks for reading,

Posted in Travel

Asheville Recap

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello! How has your week been? We’ve been extra busy now that baseball games have started and the kids have had track as well. Just last week, we had very little on our agenda, and now we are back running from one place to the next.

Last week we visited one of our favorite places for a few days of our Spring Break, and today I’m recapping our trip to Asheville, NC.

We typically treat Spring Break as a time to go somewhere nearby. I swear, as a teacher (and I guess as a parent, too), March-May kick my tail. It’s the busiest time of the year for a teacher, and then the kids are busy with sports and activities as well in the spring.

It’s no secret I’m a homebody, but I do love to go somewhere when we have extended time off. I love that we started break in a very lowkey way with just hanging out at home. We were able to do things around the house, run errands, cross things off our never-ending “to do” list and more. Then, it was nice to get away for a few days going to a place we all enjoy and then having a few more days at home before break was over.

We had a couple of appointments on the Monday of break, so we left Lexington around 4:00 and drove about 3.5 hours to Dandridge, TN. We’ve stopped there before, and know it’s a good pitstop. We checked into the hotel, grabbed a quick dinner, and then the kids splashed in the pool for a bit. What is it about kids and an indoor hotel pool? Hard to resist, apparently!

We slept in a bit on Tuesday, grabbed breakfast at the hotel, and then left for Asheville around 10:00.

We arrived in Asheville around 11:30. We didn’t really have any plans, so headed downtown, parked and walked around for a bit.

We’d never been to Rocket Fizz, but we couldn’t resist after seeing all the candy.

I saw this and showed it to the kids…I said, “This is how we used to pass the time on a road trip.” No phones, no movies. Only our imagination, a book, or Road Trip BINGO.

We walked a bit more, and ended up the Mast General Store. It’s not a trip to Asheville unless we stop there. It’s always fun to look around. Often times, we pick up a souvenir or a snack, but we didn’t make any purchases this time.

We walked around a bit more and ended up at Wicked Weed. This is one of Trav’s favorite places, and I don’t think we’ve ever visited Asheville and not eaten there.

Trav got chili, I had a salad, and both kids ordered the pretzels. Hayden had fun with is pretzel!

Technically, our hotel check in wasn’t until 4:00, but we arrived at Grove Park Inn around 2:00, and our room was ready. We’ve stopped at GPI to meet friends once before, but this was our first time staying on the property.

It’s a beaut!

Welcome!

Right when we walked in, we saw this view! While Travis got us checked in, Hadley and I headed outside.

Once we came back in, Hayden was reading about all the history and about all the famous people who’ve stayed at GPI. They have photos all throughout the hotel, and I don’t think Hayden missed the opportunity to look at the photos.

We stayed in the Biltmore Wing. Our room was quite nice with a pretty view and enough space for the four of us.

We unpacked a bit before walking around and exploring the property.

Next stop! The pool. Hayden and Hadley had it all to themselves.

There’s this indoor pool in the Sports Complex along with some other activities. After they jumped in, they both emerged and said, “It’s salt water!” haha

There’s an outdoor pool and then a pool at the spa as well.

FYI: GPI apparently has an amazing spa, but you have to book way in advance. The website suggests 6 months in advance. I’d love to try it some time, but we rarely know what we are doing that far out!

Some of our Lexington friends were stopping in Asheville for the night on the way to their Spring Break destination. We met up with them at Catawba Brewery and enjoyed a beer. The girls hung out and played Racko, and outnumbered Hayden stuck with us!

Then, we walked to Pie.Zaa Pizza to grab a quick dinner. We’d never been to this pizza place before, and the slices of pizza were huge! We took our food to go, and ate at the picnic tables at Burial Beer.

The sun was setting and there was a chill in the air, but the kids had fun playing…

..while the adults enjoyed a beverage.

We ended up staying for a bit and the adults played Racko while the kids hung out.

After that, we went back to GPI. Our friends joined us for a drink while the kids got ice cream. (It was nice that right off the lobby there were a few restaurant choices as well as the market that had snacks, coffee and ice cream.)

I swear I think it was the fact that we were staying in the Biltmore Wing that Hayden got to thinking about our 2018 trip to Asheville and the Biltmore tour that we took. He was adamant about visiting again. I finally relented (who could say no to a boy who wants to take an educational tour?!) and booked two tickets for the 3:30 tour on Wednesday. We went to bed around 10:00 that night after a great first day.

Honestly, I had the worst night sleep ever for a variety of reasons….(not the hotel’s fault!) We still had a slow start to the morning. We hung out in the room for a bit as everyone got ready, and I drank some coffee.

We’ve been to Biscuit Head one other time and wanted to go again. We visited a different location, but the food was amazing just the same.

We were little limited on time due to the 3:30 tour, but wanted to take a little hike. Trav and the kids had previously been to the Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor’s Center for a trail run, and it was nearby. It was a nice two mile hike…In the past, we’ve always hiked where there are more views or even waterfalls, but at least we got out in the fresh air and got some exercise.

When we got back to GPI, Trav and the kids went to the Sports Complex and played ping pong and basketball. While they did that, I sat on the patio and read for almost an hour. It was glorious.

Then, it was time to head to the Biltmore. Travis and Hadley dropped us off.

Hayden obliged for a photo…

…reminiscent of this one from 2018…minus a sister!

The Biltmore is just so magestic!

We had the audio tour where they give you a handheld device. When you get to each room, you press the room number and hear about the details and history of the room.

The entryway:

The dining room:

The tapestry gallery:

My favorite room: the library

Amazing!

Some of the bedrooms:

The pool and kitchen were in the basement. Hayden thinks the pool is so neat! I loved the view from the kitchen.

Once the tour was over, we stopped in the shops to get a fridge magnet. Then, Hayden got a root bear float, and I got a diet coke before Travis and Hadley picked us up. We were there for about an hour and a half.

We went back to the hotel, changed our clothes and headed to one of our favorite places: White Duck Taco. There are two locations, but we always go to the one by the river.

We came back to hotel and that was about it. I was seriously so tired from the lack of sleep the night before. While the kids got ice cream and hung with Travis in the lobby, I showered, read, and watched a bit of tv.

I slept MUCH better on Wednesday night. We all slept in a bit on Thursday. Then, the kids and Trav went for a run while I got us packed up.

Once they got back, we picked up quick breakfast at the market.

Coffee with a view

The kids waited by the fire while Travis checked us out of the hotel.

We got a quick family photo. I love it 🙂

It was nice not to rush. Usually, when we are out of town, we get up and leave ASAP, but we enjoyed the property a bit on Thursday morning. Around 11:00, we said goodbye to the Grove Park Inn and headed for the outlet mall.

I’d mentioned to the kids if we had time that we could stop there before heading home. Hadley, especially, needed some running shorts. Her legs just keep getting longer!

After the outlet malls, we stopped by Hillman Beer for lunch. Travis and Hadley actually ate a few appetizers there the day before while Hayden and I were at the Biltmore.

The atmosphere was great, and the food was delish! I ordered the rice bowl with chicken, and it was amazing. The perfect way to end our trip.

We left around 2:00 and were home around 6:30. Homer is always happy to see us 🙂

You know I love coming home, but we really could have used one more day in Asheville. I think I felt this way because we were staying on such an amazing property. We still wanted to do so many of our “regular” things that it would have been nice to spend one day just staying at GPI and relaxing a bit more. It’s a resort in the sense of having multiple pools, restaurants, shopping, a trail, a golf course, and more.

I’m always so glad we take the kids to a variety of places throughout the year. We tend to go on a bigger beach vacation in the summer, Asheville in the fall, and then somewhere nearby in the spring. Past Spring Breaks have included trips to Indianapolis, Knoxville, Hilton Head, Asheville, KC, and Nashville. While it’s always nice to experience a new place, it’s also comforting going somewhere we all know and enjoy.

Have you ever been to Asheville?

Here are some of my previous Asheville posts:

Asheville 1
Glamping
Asheville 2

It really is a great place, and I love that it’s less than five hours from Lex. Asheville has so much to offer.

See you back here tomorrow for Friday Favorites.

Posted in Holidays, Home Decor

Easter Decor

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello! Today, I have a quick post sharing my few Easter decorations.

I don’t do much at all for Easter, but I love a few touches of bunnies here and there. Unlike fall and Christmas decor, my Easter decorations take me five minutes to put out. This past Saturday, I pulled out a few of my favorite bunnies…which is apparently the only way I know how to decorate for Easter.

This post probably looks pretty similar to last year’s post, but I still thought I’d share!

The chevron bunny door hanger is my fave! Changing the garden flag is always a quick way for me to keep up with the holidays.

peep Homer in the window

Also, once it’s April, I start buying fresh flowers on the regular from Trader Joe’s. Peonies are my fave, and I saw this miniature bouquet and knew it would be perfect on the living room coffee table. The turquoise bunny is another fave that I’ve had forever. My new Antique Candle Co (Country Pear!) candle arrived just in time for spring. It smells amazing.

Two bunnies and the egg plate are in the entryway and living room. The cottontail bunny next to plant was a cute find at Landyn’s store in Nashville that I picked up last Spring Break. I’m glad I got it when I did since she closed her store last fall.

The two bunnies in the eggs were finds at Kroger (grocery store) last year. I usually have faux plants that sit on those pedestals, but I swapped them out for the bunnies.

That’s about it! I love these little touches for Easter, and it was nice to be able to decorate in a matter of minutes!

Tomorrow, I’m recapping our trip to Asheville, so I hope to see you back here!

Have a great day,

Posted in Amazon

Prime Purchases: April 2022

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Happy Tuesday! Well, we survived the Monday after break. The early alarm was rough, but it felt good to get back into a routine. That being said, we had school, and then the kids had track, baseball, and dance. We sure had a busy Monday.

Now, on to Tuesday business. It’s the first Tuesday of the month, so I’m linking up with Tanya for this month’s Prime Purchases post.

This was a pretty light Amazon month. I did actually return a few things like shorts for Hadley, a dress and pair of joggers for me.

This month I bought:

Hayden’s toxic trait is losing at least one water bottle per athletic season. With the ending of basketball season and the start of track season, Hayden needed a new water bottle.

I purchased two of these knowing Hadley may need one as well.

I’m trying to drink more water, and I purchased these straws to go with the tumbler I like to take to school. They come in so many cute colors.

I used this jewelry cleaner for years and then quit buying it for some reason. Recently, I wanted to clean my rings, and decided to purchase this bring again.

Tina (to_mimishousewego on Instagram) shared this cardigan. I purchased the “Cadet gray” color and couldn’t love it more.

It arrived right before we headed out of town to Asheville. I wore it with a tank and leggings on the car trip two and from. It’s perfectly lightweight, comes in lots of colors, and has pockets. I wore it to school yesterday with a tank, a pair of skinny pants, and ballet flats.

Headed home from Asheville

Easter

Did you see my Easter basket ideas post? If you still need a few ideas for your kids, there’s still time to get a few things.

On Sunday, I ordered the rest of what I needed to finish up the kids’ Easter gifts :

  • Racko– I’d never played this game, but others have shared it. So, I included it in my Easter ideas post. Then, when we were in Asheville, we met up with some friends. They brought the game for the kids to play to pass the time at a brewery. They had so much fun playing it. Then, the adults played! I highly recommend it.

I think Hadley will like these bracelets and I loved the Chicken Soup books growing up.

Hadley prefers books with shorter chapters and Chicken Soup books don’t have to be read cover to cover.

Hayden will be receiving yet another water bottle 😅 He’s already lost the one I purchased earlier in the month. Maybe I should encourage him to velcro it to his hands?!

What have you been Priming lately? I honestly think I might order that cardigan in another color, and I have my eye on a pair of sunglasses from Amazon too. I will share next month if I purchase those things.

I hope your week is off to a great start. Hopefully, the alarm will be a bit easier this morning, and we can tackle Tuesday.

{this post contains Amazon affiliate links…}

Posted in Meals and Recipes

Monday Meals

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Monday. Well, *sigh* it’s the Monday after break which always proves to be difficult.

My friend sent me this yesterday and it’s very relatable!

That being said, today also marks the downhill slide to summer!

After Spring Break really is our busiest time of the year. Nothing fills up a calendar quicker than baseball practices and games. Well, of course Hadley also has dance, and now both kids are doing track this spring with meets during the week as well. The good news is that our weekends will now be lighter, but the week days will be booked solid.

I’m sharing some quick and easy meals that I will turn to while making dinners these next couple of months.

I really do try to have something home cooked Sunday-Thursday. Even on a really busy night, I don’t want to do drive-thru if possible.

I’ve shared before that I try to cook something Sunday that will provide leftovers on Monday. Even if we don’t have much on a Monday, I rarely feel like cooking. Tuesdays tend to be Mexican theme, and then Wednesday is often pasta or something can make leftovers on Thursday. This isn’t always my schedule. If don’t have leftovers to serve, I often will do pork loin, brinner, or soup and sandwiches.

With our schedule filling up on week nights, I’m sharing a few meals that I turn to in order to get dinner on the table as quickly as possible.

A few “go to” meals:

  • Andrea’s Creamy Beef Casserole: This meal is a family favorite. We definitely eat this more in the colder weather months, but it’s such a great hearty meal to eat all year long.
  • Lazy Enchiladas: These are so easy and delish. All you have to do is cook taquitos as directed. Then, you pour a bit of enchilada sauce on the bottom of a casserole dish, put the taquitos on the sauce, cover the taquitos with sauce and shredded cheese. Then, you bake them at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes. That’s it!
  • Trader Joe’s Carnitas: I make these at least once a month. Put the carnitas in the slow cooker, cover with salsa verde, and cook on low for 3-4 hours. I then put the meat on half of Trader Joe’s Southwest Chopped Salad while the kids and Travis will put the meat on hard or soft taco shells.
  • Cheeseburger Salad: I actually have been eating this quite a bit for lunch lately. It’s so good!

I brown the turkey in a skillet and then add some taco seasoning and water to let it finish cooking. I add chopped lettuce to the bowl, top with cooked ground turkey, add chopped pickles, a sprinkle of shredded cheese, and then a drizzle (1 Tblsp) of this awesome sauce from Trader Joe’s.

*I get at least three salads out of 1 lb. of meat.

  • Shay’s Frito Pie: I’ve made this a couple of times, and it’s a family fave.
  • Baked Chicken: I’ve shared this recipe many times, and it’s such a good one. I always get two nights out of it, and the chicken is easy to pair with bagged salad or Bob Evans mashed potatoes.
  • Brinner: Who doesn’t love breakfast for dinner?
  • Pork loin: I often buy the Smithfield brand that you just cook in the bag. There are a few flavors, and my family loves these. The only thing is that they do cook for about 45 minutes, so I just need to remember that as far as timing goes.
  • Slow Cooker Fiesta Chicken – I’ve been making this for years! It’s so easy, delicious, and makes so much!
  • With the warmer weather, we’ll grill out when we can.

Other time savers:

  • Rotisserie chicken

Sides:

  • Bob Evans microwave mashed potatoes
  • Bagged salad – Dole chopped Caesar is a fave!
  • Fruit
  • Biscuits or Jiffy cornbread

I’ve been picking up this Bisquick mix recently, and it’s perfect for making a few biscuits quickly.

Shay‘s Simmers cookbook is a perfect resource for having meals ready right when you get home.

What we are eating this week:

Other meals I want to try soon:

I keep tabs open on my phone with recipes I see that I want to try. Then, if I think I will make it again, I will write it on a recipe card.

What are some of your quick “go to” meals? I’d love to add to my list. Sometimes I feel like I’m in a cooking rut. Not to mention, the grocery store can be hit or miss with what they have in stock. I swear, lately my Clicklist order has felt like March 2020. My order this past Saturday had 14 substitutions and 3 items not in stock at all. Also, the most random things are hard to find…cotton balls, for example!

At the start of break, knowing we were headed out of town, I didn’t go to the grocery and it was nice not having to plan for food. It was all fun and games until Friday when the kids complained we were out of food. haha

I hope you had a great weekend! This early alarm on a Monday morning hurt. Ouch.

See you back here tomorrow for Prime Purchases!

Posted in Friday Favorites, Travel

Friday Favorites {#107}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello!…and Happy April 1st.

Well, you know I love a Friday…but dang, today means we only have a few days left of break.

We’ve had a great week of downtime, productivity and activities.

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

…Spring break edition…

Since Spring Break is always a favorite, I’m recapping Spring Break and sharing the favorites from each day.

Last Friday:

Last Friday, Spring Break officially started at 3:30. I picked up Hayden from school, came home and on my pjs. It was a cold and overcast day, so we didn’t make any evening plans. I picked up Hadley at 5:00 from a school event and texted to say, “Don’t make me come inside. I’m in my pjs!” 😂She promptly came out to the car.

I read, we watched basketball games and had takeout for dinner. Truly, this was a favorite way to start break.

Saturday & Sunday:

Saturday and Sunday looked much the same. We were able to sleep in, we watched basketball games, I read my book and did some things around the house. The kids had no sports, and, again, it was just nice to have time at home.

I did run a few errands on Saturday, and Hadley and I went to our favorite nail salon. I got a pedicure while Hadley got a manicure. After I saw her color choice, I did same for my toes!

I seriously don’t think I left the house on Sunday. We tidied up, did laundry, and watched basketball games. For dinner, we had a family favorite…brinner!

Then we watched our March movie: Cheaper by the Dozen. It was cute and very modern day. We all enjoyed it, but I think we all prefer the 2003 version.

Monday:

Monday was busy, busy, busy. We had some errands, had a Target pick up, a stop at the library, and an ortho appointment for Hayden. Then, we came home and packed and left for our Spring Break trip. We drove to near Knoxville to stay for the night.

books for all of us

Tuesday :

On Tuesday, we drove the hour and a half to Asheville. We arrived mid-morning, and got started on our trip. I plan on recapping the trip next week. We stayed at Grove Park Inn, and had a great time.

The kids had fun checking out the property when we arrived.

Wednesday:

On Wednesday, we had an action packed day that included a hike…

and Hayden and I visited the Biltmore. This wasn’t necessarily on our “to do” list since we did that a few years ago, but Hayden was insistent! I couldn’t say no, so he and I went on the tour.

Thursday:

On Thursday, we eased into the day and enjoyed one more day in Asheville.

obligatory family photo before checking out of GPI

We got home around 7:00, unpacked, hung out with Homer (he missed us!), and caught up on American Idol.

The last few days of break will be spent with a little bit more downtime, errands, and getting ready for a busy upcoming week. Next week, of course we have school, but baseball games and track meets begin, and I have a couple of longer school days with the after school tutoring program.

Favorite Food:

We always eat a lot of great food in Asheville (& go to some great breweries), but White Duck Taco Shop is a fave. We eat there every time we visit Asheville.

Favorite Kid Quote:

Travis and Hayden were talking about some of the activities at GPI. Travis looked at Hadley and told her about a cycling class. She said, “You do you, dad.” 🤣 She takes after me and likes to relax on vacay.

Favorite Mom Meme(s):

These memes feels accurate:

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

For memory sake, here are the kids at the Biltmore for Spring Break 2018.

Weekly Recap:

I had a couple of posts this week…memes to make you laugh and a recap of the two books I read in March. Here they are:

Monday Memes
March Books

I know some are finishing up Spring Break while others are just getting started! I hope you have a great weekend.

Thanks so much for reading,

Posted in Books and Shows

March 2022: What I’ve Been Reading

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello! As March wraps up, I want to share the books I read this month.

It was another slow reading month for me, but I enjoyed the two books I read this month.

This month I read…

{As always, book summaries are from Goodreads…}

Lucky:

Summary:

A thrilling roller-coaster ride about a heist gone terribly wrong, with a plucky protagonist who will win readers’ hearts.

What if you had the winning ticket that would change your life forever, but you couldn’t cash it in?

Lucky Armstrong is a tough, talented grifter who has just pulled off a million-dollar heist with her boyfriend, Cary. She’s ready to start a brand-new life, with a new identity–when things go sideways. Lucky finds herself alone for the first time, navigating the world without the help of either her father or her boyfriend, the two figures from whom she’s learned the art of the scam.

When she discovers that a lottery ticket she bought on a whim is worth millions, her elation is tempered by one big problem: cashing in the winning ticket means she’ll be arrested for her crimes. She’ll go to prison, with no chance to redeem her fortune.

As Lucky tries to avoid capture and make a future for herself, she must confront her past by reconciling with her father; finding her mother, who abandoned her when she was just a baby; and coming to terms with the man she thought she loved–whose dark past is catching up with her, too.

This is a novel about truth, personal redemption, and the complexity of being good. It introduces a singularly gifted, multilayered character who must learn what it means to be independent and honest … before her luck runs out. 

Quick Thoughts:

My friend let me borrow this one, and it was a very quick read. I liked how it was organized because each chapter has both current day and then flashback as well. The premise with the lottery ticket and Lucky not being able to share her identity definitely hooked me from the beginning. There were times that I felt sorry for Lucky and kept pulling for her. I was satisfied with the ending for sure!

Rating:

Rock Paper Scissors:

Summary:

Think you know the person you married? Think again…

Things have been wrong with Mr and Mrs Wright for a long time. When Adam and Amelia win a weekend away to Scotland, it might be just what their marriage needs. Self-confessed workaholic and screenwriter Adam Wright has lived with face blindness his whole life. He can’t recognize friends or family, or even his own wife.

Every anniversary the couple exchange traditional gifts – paper, cotton, pottery, tin – and each year Adam’s wife writes him a letter that she never lets him read. Until now. They both know this weekend will make or break their marriage, but they didn’t randomly win this trip. One of them is lying, and someone doesn’t want them to live happily ever after.

Ten years of marriage. Ten years of secrets. And an anniversary they will never forget.

Quick Thoughts:

I’ve seen a few share this book, and I was on the library wait list for a while. Finally, it was available to read on my Kindle. To me, it took a few chapters to get into this book, but definitely by the midway point I couldn’t put it down. There was definitely a creepy and sinister feeling portrayed from the start. A blizzard, a chapel in the middle of nowhere, and a main character with face blindness…I mean, you know there are going to be some twists and turns. There are anniversary letters sprinkled throughout the story, and some of them seemed a little odd to me. About 3/4 of the way through the book, my mind was blown. I wanted to go back and re-read certain parts. This was definitely a great, suspenseful book!

Rating:

I would say a 4, but then a 5 about the mid-way point to the end. So, let’s settle on 4.5 ⭐️ 😉

I’m not sure what my deal is, but I just haven’t prioritized reading as much lately…I’m hoping to pick up the pace in the spring and summer.

The good news is I’ve been able to read more this week which has been nice.

What book are you reading right now? Soon it will be time for me to choose what books I want to read this summer. Can’t wait!

{this post contains Amazon affiliate links…}

Posted in Memes

Monday Memes

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello! Happy Monday. I can’t believe it’s the last Monday in March. This got me thinking…so I counted…only eight more Mondays of the school year. Of course, this is the best kind of Monday…the beginning of Spring Break.

Today, I’m sharing some of the memes that made me laugh this month!

A few favorite memes:

1.

Little kids don’t realize how good they’ve got it…do they?

2.

My phone is always on silent. Always. I guess I check it often enough that I don’t miss much, but I do remember spending money on ringtones. haha

3.

On repeat. My kids feel like it’s a victory if their plates, etc. get put in the sink. How about rinse them off and put them in the dishwasher? Help a mom out!

4.

Gas prices though….whhhhy?!

5.

Like just let me talk to a human, please!

6.

OMG. Hayden White. It’s a blessing and a curse that he has such an inquisitive mind.

7.

I’m having flashbacks to high school. This made me LOL.

8.

Sixteen years and still going strong. haha

9.

This!

10.

I’ve shared before that I’m not a fan of “springing” forward. I swear I’m still all out of whack. That being said, my car clock is always accurate. 🙂 (My dad leaves his microwave as is all year long…He can’t figure out how to change it. haha)

I hope you had a great weekend. Have you had Spring Break yet? Today’s plans aren’t too exciting…We are crossing some things off our “to do” lists and then hope to enjoy the rest of the week.

I’m planning on sharing the two books I read in March later this week…and then hopefully Friday Favorites as well.

Thanks for reading,

Posted in Clothes, Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#106}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello! It’s the best kind of Friday because…Shew!… I’ve almost made it to Spring Break.

This week as been hectic at both school and at home; I’m definitely ready to kick my feet up and relax this evening. I can’t wait.

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

Here are some favorites from the week:

I had my annual mammogram last week and received my “all clear” results this week. Just a friendly reminder to get yourself that appointment!

Not a favorite…I threw my back out on Monday. This is the third time since 2018 that my sciatica has given me trouble. The worst time was the first time in 2018. Then, spring of 2020 and now almost two years later. Monday, after school, I couldn’t wait to get home and lie down flat and rest. It was really hard for me to rest, but I’ve done that when I can this week, and I think (fingers crossed) this isn’t going to turn into a big issue.

Over the weekend, I popped into Trader Joe’s…I stuck to my list, but then I saw this grapefruit scented candle, and knew it would be perfect for spring. It’s a good one!

I really try to use the You are Special plate whenever I can, but I usually end up combining “celebrations.” Both kids had their best report cards yet (7 A’s and 1 B), and they made the track team. So, both were celebrated on different evenings.

It was Spirit Week this week. Hadley dressed up most days, but the both sported their “college” shirts on Tuesday. Why do I feel like I’m going to blink, and I will be dropping them off at college?!

Favorite Kid Quote:

Hadley forgot her running shoes for track practice on Monday. Travis suggested she borrow Hayden’s spare pair…

Look at her response below: haha!

…and…

Wednesday night we were getting caught up on American Idol. The contestant, who ended up earning the platinum ticket, was singing “Signed, Sealed, Delivered,” and Hayden said, “He sings like me…when I’m in the shower.” 😆

I LOL’d!

Favorite Clothing Item(s):

I used to have a chambray shirt but got rid of it at some point. Amy shared her fashion faves recently and I realized I “needed” a chambray shirt again.😉 Target for the win! My Target was out, so I had this one shipped.

I love it. It arrived Wednesday (a little wrinkly), so I threw it on for a pic. I wore it yesterday with my Matilda Jane ruffle pants, and felt so comfy all day.

My sister-in-law was wearing some cute jeans from Loft. I found these (which are similar) and ordered them immediately…using the 40% off code.

They arrived on Tuesday, and I wore them Wednesday. So many of my jeans are skinny jeans, and I wanted a darker pair that was a bit different.

Favorite Mom Meme(s):

Tweens…#amIright?!

This one is relatable as well!

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:

After my dad requested the photo with the kids, he said, “I hope you are saving these.” Of course, that prompted me to take a deep dive into my Shutterfly folders, and I found 2017 thorough ’22.

Weekly Recap:

I had a couple of posts this week:

Hello Monday
Easter Basket Ideas

What are your weekend plans? Spring Break begins at 3:30, and I’m ready.

I should have a couple of posts next week starting with some memes on Monday.

I hope you have a great weekend.

Posted in Gift Ideas, Holidays

Easter Basket Ideas

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello! I can’t believe it, but Easter will be here before we know it!

Today, I’m sharing a few…

For the kids’ Easter baskets, the bunny always leaves candy, and then I fill them with a few “wants” and “needs.” Easter baskets are perfect for flip flops, swimsuits, goggles and anything else the kids will need for summer. Through the years, I’ve also included baseball cards, nail polish, stickers, band aids, and more!

Honestly, I haven’t bought a single thing for the kids yet, but today I’m sharing some ideas for both boys and girls. Basically, I looked through my Amazon purchases from the past year, and these are some of the best purchases that my kids have enjoyed (and I’m sharing a couple of other ideas that will probably end up in their baskets this year!)

Boys:

  • Water bottle: We just had to buy a couple of new water bottles for track season. I’m not sure why water bottles are so hard to keep up with, but it’s a struggle around here!
  • Adidas slides: Since these Adidas slides have 114,000+ 4.5 ⭐️ reviews, I thought they’d be a good gift suggestion. My mom gave these to Hayden has a birthday gift. Hadley sometimes snags them for herself!
  • Glow in the dark net: This glow in the dark net was perfect for a stocking stuffer, so I’m sure it would be perfect for an Easter basket too!
  • Golf balls: These golf balls are great for any sports lover!
  • Theodore Boone books: Hayden LOVES this series. After I picked up the first book for him, he immediately wanted to read the second book. He checked the rest of the series out from the library.

Girls:

  • American Girl Doll “Smart Girl” books: Have you heard of these books? They are perfect for tween girls. We picked up The Care and Keeping of You book a couple of years ago. Then, Hadley has read the Middle School one along with Friendship Troubles and Babysitting.
  • Slides: These slides are SO good. They have 46,000+ four star ⭐️ ratings, and Hadley and I both have them. We wear them all summer long.
  • Bracelet stack: I’m thinking of getting this bracelet stack for Hadley. She loves bracelets!
  • Nail polish holder: How cute is this nail polish holder? It has 19,000 , 4.5 ⭐️ ratings and would be perfect in an Easter basket with some new nail polish.
  • Straws: Another surprising thing tween girls love? Straws! I ordered these and have been using them myself. Hadley has been using them too. (over 14,000, 5 ⭐️reviews)

Both:

  • Racko: I always like to give the kids a game as a “joint” gift. Then, of course, we can play as a family. I’ve seen this game shared a few times, and I thought it would be fun to play with the kids.
  • Bike wheel lights: I saved these bike wheel lights to my Amazon “kids” list for Christmas. I never ordered them, but they have 18,000, 4.5 ⭐️reviews. I think Hadley would think these lights are fun.
  • Bananagrams: I gave this game to the kids for Valentine’s Day last year. It’s so much fun to play as a family, and it’s easy to pack in my purse or when we travel on vacations. (17,000, 5 ⭐️ ratings)
  • Goggles: I’ve purchased this same two pack for each kid for two years, and will do the same this year. They are great quality. My kids end up losing goggles throughout the summer, so I always get the two pack.
  • Wireless ear buds: My mother-in-law got these ear buds for the kids for Christmas. Travis suggested them to her, and the are great quality. (44,000, 4.5 ⭐️reviews)

Here are the ideas I shared last year!

2021 Easter Basket Ideas

What are some Easter basket ideas you have? I definitely need to get a game plan and order a few things. That’s on my “to do” list next week over Spring Break.

See you back here on Friday!

{this post contains Amazon affiliate links…}