(no title)

Hello Monday

Posted on March 21, 2022March 20, 2022 by jgalvinwhite

Hello! {Monday} How was your weekend? We had a nice three day weekend. All day Saturday I kept thinking it was Sunday. I was so happy to have that extra day. We had a mix of down time, family time, errands, athletics, and more.

I’m linking up with Holly and Sarah to share about the weekend.

With no school, we all slept in a bit. My dad arrived for a visit on Wednesday, so it was nice to have this day off. Per his request, we had breakfast at his favorite spot.

Then, we came home for a bit until it was time for me to take Hadley for a trim. She loves having longer hair and puts off getting a trim. I took advantage of being able to snag a daytime appointment with a recommended stylist. Hadley was pleased with the trim and styling! She looks so much older with straight hair.

We came home, watched basketball, and my brother came over for a few hours.

I actually got an afternoon nap before getting ready for Hayden’s basketball game.

It was the end of the season tournament this weekend, so Friday night was the All Star game.

After his game, we had pizza and watched more basketball and then it was bedtime.

Saturday morning we all slept in a bit. My first task was getting the corned beef in the slow cooker. I actually borrow my sister-in-law’s slow cooker each year to make double the food to feed us all.

I served the kids “Lucky Pancakes” on Thursday, but forgot to share on Friday.

Then, I watched some tv, cleaned up the kitchen, and my brother and nephew came over. Early afternoon, I worked out, and then went to Trader Joe’s.

When I got home, I had a quick lunch, and then went to Hayden’s basketball game. They won and moved on in the tournament.

After his game, we had to take the traditional front porch photo with the Major. #thisishishappyface 😉

I made two Irish soda breads, and they turned out sooo good. I need to make the bread more than once a year. We all love it. The corned beef turned out great as well.

For the kids, dessert was lime sherbet with some ginger ale. I could only find rainbow sherbet, and it was a hit too.

We all hung out and watched basketball. I was so tired, and in bed by 10. Travis and Hayden stayed up later watching all the games.

I heard my dad around 6:30, so I got up because the Major leaves early. He left around 7:00, and I took that extra quiet time to start laundry and do my Kroger pick up order.

The kids slept until almost 10:00. When Hadley got up, she wanted to make waffles. We all benefited from that!

Then, we went Hayden’s basketball game. Unfortunately, his team lost, but he had a great game. At least he was able to end the season on a high note. Now it’s time to juggle middle school track and spring baseball.

I went to Target to return a couple of things, and then I picked up my Kroger Clicklist order. Actually, as I was walking into Target, I got the substitutions text from Kroger. Thankfully, I was able to find what I needed at Target including almond milk, an onion, yogurt, and my liquid foundation.

Everyone helped me unpack, and then the kids headed to Countdown Games with youth group. They “saved the princess” with two seconds to spare!

Once they got home, I did some lunch prep for the week, and then made dinner. I made Andrea’s Creamy Beef Casserole which is a family favorite.

Then, it was time to get organized for the week. Travis helped the kids with math (#nothankyou) while I finished up this post.

It’s Spirit Week this week which has Hadley written all over it! My kids do have testing this week too. I know we will all be happy to see Friday afternoon!

My posts may be a bit more sporadic over the next couple of weeks. This is the week before Spring Break which always proves to be hectic at school. Then, we have next week off, so I will probably just see where the days take me!

Thanks so much for reading,

Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#105}

Posted on March 18, 2022March 17, 2022 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Friday! We’ve had a really great week with great weather! How about you all?

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

Some favorites from the week:

I’m taking us all the way back to last Friday. I picked the kids up from their second day of track tryouts, and we headed to Panera for dinner, per their request.

Kentucky weather, y’all. Their after school tryout started with 50 degrees and sunny and ended with 30 degrees and wind…all in a two hour time frame. They wanted a warm and hearty meal…followed by a cookie. We didn’t yet know the team results yet, but I thought a cookie was a great way to celebrate their effort.

As soon as we got home, I put on my pjs #shocker! Then, Hadley didn’t want to wait for the results to be posted on the school website, so we drove up to school (while Hayden played Xbox haha!) Congrats to both…they made the team!

We woke up to snow on Saturday morning. Apparently, Lexington got around 4 inches!

On Saturday morning the kids up early. Honestly, I even said to them, “Whyyyy are you up already?!” They always sleep in, but I guess not that day. Since we never have time to go out to breakfast unless maybe we are on our way somewhere, I thought we’d go get some donuts.

Travis has picked these donuts up a couple of times, but it was nice to go in order and eat breakfast.

The place is so cute…

…and the donuts are delish. (I had half of one…that was good enough for me!)

Snow on the ground meant indoor batting practice…

With Travis out of town again, I took Hayden to practice, and it was nice to watch him get back in the baseball groove again.

How sweet are these two? Hadley was at a friend’s house, and I turned to the corner to see Hayden and Homer snuggling while watching basketball.

Well, we had a big day on Tuesday. Monday night, we received the call, text, and email that Tuesday would be “mask optional.” While I figured this was coming soon, we were all (teachers, parents, admin) surprised by the spur of the moment notification(s).

I know my kids felt weird going to school without one. I try not to dwell on it, but there really will be long term effects on so many, including our kids. How sad that it feels so foreign to them to show their face and their smile? I reminded my kids that they’d really only been wearing masks to school and not other places besides doctor’s appointments. It was time….far past time, actually, to let them smile. {and…it has been an adjustment for me as well!}

Ice cream at Rupp for high school Sweet 16 basketball games is also a fave.

Another favorite for the week? No school today! This day is often used for snow day make ups. This winter, we had a couple of traditional snow days mixed with some NTI days, but we have enough hours in to use this as a day off. We’re definitely thankful for this three day weekend.

Favorite Kid Quote:

I told Homer to get his paws off the counter. Hadley said, “He’s begging.” Then without missing a beat, both kids starting singing, “Begging. Begging youuu…” (Beggin’ by Maneskin) and started laughing. Hadley said, “That was twin telepathy.” 🤣

Favorite Mom Meme:

I learned a long time ago that even if I think my kids “never will,” they will. That being said, they better come correct real quick!

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:

Oh man…I remember being sooo excited to take them to Disney on Ice at Rupp in 2015. We all had a great time.

Weekly Recap:

Here are my posts from this week!

Not Just a mom: Reading Habits

St. Pat’s Day foods

Travel ideas

What are your weekend plans? Hayden has his end of the season (rec league) basketball tournament. Also, we’ll be eating our Irish meal tomorrow…can’t wait!

Thanks so much for reading.

Thursday Thoughts, Travel

Thursday Thoughts

Posted on March 17, 2022March 16, 2022 by jgalvinwhite

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Did you see my post on Tuesday? It’s not too late to get your corned beef and cabbage in the slow cooker!

Well, after St. Patrick’s Day, all I can think about is Spring Break. After Spring Break, all I can think about is summer 😉

With the weather feeling warmer and the sun shining most days, I’m really thinking about vacations.

Today, I’m sharing my Top 3 vacations. I’ve written more detailed posts on two of them, but today I’m also sharing some of the places on my TT (to travel) list.

Top 3 Vacays

1. Lake Tahoe

We went to Lake Tahoe for our tenth wedding anniversary in 2015. Our anniversary is in June, but we waited until my Fall Break in October to go.

The views were amazing, there was lots to do, and the weather was perfection. I would definitely go back there for sure!

2. Grand Canyon to Cali

A few years ago, Hayden mentioned wanting to visit the Grand Canyon. We thought that was a great idea because neither Travis nor I had been to the Grand Canyon as well. We also figured if the kids were wanting to go, we should. (rather than drag them there one day when they might not be as pumped to go.)

We spent a few days in Arizona before then driving to…

California. Travis knows I love Cali, and San Diego was an 8 hour drive. That seemed doable and a way for us to also hang out at another favorite place…the beach.

This trip meant driving from Lexington to Cincinnati, flying to Las Vegas, driving to Arizona (stayed three days), driving to San Diego (stayed four days), driving to LA (stayed two days), driving back to Las Vegas (for one night) before flying back to Cincinnati and driving home to Lex.

Shew! It was a great trip, and we were gone around 10 days, but we had such a wonderful time.

3. Napa

I’ve never blogged about this trip and could only find a few photos from our trip to Napa in 2008. This was pre-kids when we had lots of time on our hands. We were in California for about eight days. We were in Napa for most of it and then in San Francisco for a couple of days at the end of the trip.

We went to Napa with another couple and had so much fun. I will say that a week in Napa is enough. I love wine, but I swear we went to probably fifteen wineries.

One of our favorite wineries that we stumbled upon was Anomaly. It was quaint, the people were lovely and the scenery was perfection. We brought home three bottles of the wine from there from that trip. One we drank in 2009 when Hadley came home from the NICU, another we shared about six months later when we celebrated our five year wedding anniversary. Then, we took the last bottle with us to Tahoe to drink to celebrate our ten year anniversary. We’ve purchased a few more and been gifted one or two as well which we appreciate.

I couldn’t find the photo, but the next year for our anniversary Travis had one of his friends paint the Anomaly Vineyard from the photo I took. This painting still hangs above our fireplace.

I’ll cherish it always.

Fave Vacay Spots

We kind of have a rhythm with trips. For Fall break, we often head to Asheville.

Here are some posts I’ve shared:

Asheville 1

Glamping

Asheville 2

Asheville is close to us and perfect for a quick getaway.

We’ve glamped…

We’ve hiked…

…and we’ve seen all the sights.

We went to Asheville for Spring break in 2018 (I think) with Hayden’s main requirement being we visit the Biltmore. It was a great trip as well.

For Spring break, we usually go somewhere pretty close. Last year, we went to Nashville to visit the Gaylord Opryland hotel.

We’ve also gone to South Carolina, Indianapolis, and Knoxville for Spring break.

The summer is our bigger vacation of the year. I always wish we could go somewhere warm in the winter, but it’s too hectic with the holidays and often going out of town to see family.

For summer vacation we often go to South Carolina or Siesta Key, Florida.

We’ve been to SC for Fall Break once, Spring Break once, and then summer vacay many times. Hands down the best time to visit SC is in the fall…as long as there isn’t a hurricane happening 😉

Siesta Key is another favorite vacation spot. We are lucky because Trav’s aunt and uncle own a house there. They are generous enough to share it with the family.

As my kids have gotten older and their schedules are busier, it’s hard to plan a vacation too far in advance. So, it’s great to have this option as our “go to” whenever the schedule allows.

Bucket List:

We definitely have a list of places we’d like to travel either as a couple or with the kids.

New York: We actually had our 2020 Spring Break trip planned to take the kids to NYC, but had to cancel it once the reality of the pandemic was setting in. I’d still like to take them there.
DC: This is definitely on our short list for Fall or Spring Break.
Hawaii: Of course, that will be a trip we need to plan for…but I also just can’t get over how long it will take us to actually get there…which means I’ll feel like we definitely need to stay for a good stretch of time.
Nantucket: I don’t know if any of my family is interested in visiting Nantucket, but I sure am.
Pacific NW: This would be another great family vacation.
London, Paris, Ireland: In high school, I went on a ten day (I think) tour of Europe, but I’d love to go back. Hadley would love to go to Paris.
Virgin Islands: I’ve heard such great things about BVI, and I’d love to go.
Mexico…

The last time we were in Mexico was 2005 on our honeymoon.

We look like babies!

I like that we’ve taken our kids to both familiar and new places through the years. While we aren’t world travelers, they’ve certainly seen many parts of the U.S., and maybe we’ll get abroad one day. That being said, when we go to Asheville, Isle of Palms, and especially Siesta Key, they are very familiar with those places and have some favorite restaurants and activities that “we have to do” when visiting.

What places should I add to our “to travel” list?

If only we had more time, energy, and, oh yeah — money (haha!), we’d be able to cross some of these places off our list a little sooner.

See you back here tomorrow for Friday Favorites.

Holidays, Meals and Recipes

St. Patrick’s Day Foods

Posted on March 15, 2022March 14, 2022 by jgalvinwhite

Hello! With St. Patrick’s Day only a couple of days away, I’m sharing a few food ideas.

Listen, we take St. Patrick’s Day very seriously…I’m only like 2% Irish, but I can drink green beer with the best of them! #college

Seriously, I grew up knowing about my Irish and German heritage, but I finally took an Ancestry DNA test only a couple of years ago only to find out that I don’t have much Irish blood!

That being said, I still look forward to the traditional corned beef, cabbage, and Irish soda bread meal that I always grew up enjoying.

Breakfast:

Last year, I made the kids some green pancakes and sprinkled some Lucky Charms marshmallows on top with the syrup. I plan on doing the same this year as well.

Dinner:

I shared about our traditional meal last year, so make sure to check out that post again. I always use two slow cookers to cook two corned beefs because my brother’s family always comes over for dinner too. The Irish soda bread is probably my favorite part! It feels like it’s going to be a lot of work, but really it’s not…and it’s so worth it anyway.

Dessert:

Amy shared some fun St. Patrick’s Day ideas, and I loved the lime sherbet and Ginger Ale idea. I think the kids will love it, so I’m going serve that as an after dinner treat.

This year, I think I’m going to make the traditional feast on Saturday. We’re too busy on Thursday, and I’d rather choose a day where I know we can sit and enjoy the meal.

Go Green:

I guess it’s another thing they’ve kind of outgrown, but I always loved dressing the kids up in green (so they don’t get pinched, of course!)

Do you have any St. Patrick’s Day traditions?

“May your troubles be less and your blessings be more. And nothing but happiness come through your door.” ~Irish blessing

Take care,

Books and Shows, Not Just a Mom

Not Just a Mom: Reading Habits

Posted on March 14, 2022March 14, 2022 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Monday! How was your weekend? We had a super low key Friday night and woke up to 4 inches of snow on Saturday. Thankfully, our Saturday activities were pretty light which gave me time to run some errands and finish my book. I hate springing forward although I know the benefit is that it will be lighter outside longer. I think I just feel like I have so few hours to accomplish things and now I lost one! Oh well…

Today, I’m hosting this month’s Not Just a Mom post with my fellow blogging friends:

So far this year, we’ve discussed:

Favorite bloggers in January
Day in the life in February

This month, we are sharing about reading habits.

So far this year, I’ve read:

January books

February Books

Some of my reading habits are:

1.

I keep a list of books I want to read. I used to use the Notes app on my phone, but I’ve been using the Goodreads app for over a year, and I really enjoy it! I have different bookshelves (chick lit, mystery, bio/auto bio, etc.) to keep my book list organized.

2.

I always have a stack of books to read and at least one book on my Kindle. What if I start reading a book and don’t like it? I want to have a back up book just in case. Also, I keep my Kindle in my purse, so I like to have a book on the Kindle as an option to read while waiting on kids’ practices to finish or any other spare time I may have.

3.

I try to have a cozy atmosphere when read if possible. I will light a candle, grab a blanket, and sip my coffee or glass of wine while reading.

4.

I try to read for a bit every single day. It’s honesty pretty rare for me to have a solid chunk of time to read; that seems to only happen in the summer while at the pool…

…or on vacation.

I at least try to read a bit before bed; sometimes I drift to sleep in only a few minutes, but at least I tried!

On Saturday, I carved out 30 minutes because I knew I wanted to finish my book. I love when I’m able to do that.

5.

I keep track of what I read and set a goal for the year. I always had an idea of how many books I wanted to read in a year, but 2021 was the first year I set a Goodreads goal of 40 books.

I never want reading to feel like a chore, but it’s nice to have a goal in mind. That being said, I’m “behind” for 2022, and I’ve never been behind in reading. Hopefully, I can make up for it over Spring Break, and I know I always read more in the summer.

Reading Habits:

I grew up with two parents who read a lot. My dad always had a stack of books on the side table by his recliner. My mom, a former English teacher, always took us to the library, and of course she loves reading too. {After she retired from teaching, she worked at the public library for ten years!)

When my kids were little, I loved taking them to the library. We’d go at least once a week for story time, and every summer we did the Summer Reading Program at the library. They were always so excited to get the book they earned at the end of the summer.

Once the kids started elementary school, they loved bringing home books from the school library as well.

Hayden has always been my avid reader, and Hadley has to be reminded to read. They’ve enjoyed so many wonderful series like the “Who was” books, Diary of Wimpy Kids, Magic Tree House, Babysitter’s Club, and so many more. Hadley loved graphic novels. (I think they were perfect for her attention span.)

Until middle school, Hayden would read every night. He still loves to read, but now he has homework to juggle or activities that go later into the evening, so he doesn’t read every night.

Last summer, they both read books from the 6th grade reading list because they knew they’d need to start the year earning AR (Accelerated Reader) points. They have to have 20 AR points each quarter. (After reading a book, they take a test to earn the points.)

I hope my reading habits are rubbing off on my kids and that they look back with fond memories of all the great books they read in their childhood.

For the love of reading…

What are some of your reading habits? Do your kids like to read?

We hope you’ll join us next month when we talk about “what’s for lunch.”

Well, this week, the weather is going to feel more like spring, and we only have a four day school week! Yippee!

Thanks so much for reading,

Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#104}

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

Hello and Happy Friday! We made it to the weekend!

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

Some favorites from the week:

Hayden’s team made it to the championship game for the district’s middle school season! While they were better than their record showed, this team came a long way this season. They entered the tournament the 6th seed, and won a close game in the quarter finals two weeks ago. Then, they won the semi-final game by one point and moved straight to the championship. It was a close game as well, but they lost. They definitely took the loss to heart, but they were so fun to watch. Of course, we’re all proud of their effort.

{I love these photos, but my fave is the one of Hadley finding Hayden on the court after the close semi-final win!}

Travis was in California for work, and spent most of his time at Santa Anita track.

On Saturday afternoon, while I was out running errands, I got a few texts about Travis being on TV. Then, I saw my sister-in-law share his interview on Facebook. One of his farm’s stallions had three horses running in the big race, so Travis was interviewed on TVG. So proud of him, and the interview was great. I would have watched it live had I known 😉

Saturday night, Travis was out of town and Hayden was at an overnight. When it’s just Hadley and me, she requests take out Chinese food and a movie. We watched the Clifford movie, and it was so good.

Homer was very concerned about what was happening with these pups!

On Sunday, Hadley had her second dance competition of the season.

Her small group routine came in 4th in their category, and the large musical theater number was the highest scoring routine of the competition.

They are so fun to watch.

My school had a big game this week, and it was sweet watching Hayden watch the big boys play.

Favorite Food(s):

I was proud of myself for meal prepping my lunch this week. On Sunday, I browned some ground turkey and taco seasoning. Then, I put that in a tortilla with eggs, a few black beans and some cheese. I put a few in the fridge to grab for my lunches this week.

One night this week I made a recipe I’d seen on an Instagram reel: Lazy Enchiladas.

You 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. You bake on 400 for 15-20 minutes. So good!

Favorite Quote:

Usually my favorite quotes come from the kids, but Travis had me laughing on Sunday night. I asked him about the TV interview and if he knew what they were going to ask beforehand. He said he didn’t know specific questions, but that he had a general idea of what they may ask. He said he had a few responses prepared because, “That’s what TV, people do, Jen.” 🤣

Favorite Mom Meme:

So many shows and so little time…

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:

Elementary Facebook memories pop up all the time, but this one hit me…and really made me miss the elementary years. This was taken after the Read Across America 3rd grade performance in 2019.

They look so little and cute.

Weekly Recap:

My posts this week included a recap of how I spent my personal day off, many of the errands I run, and all the lists I have on the “Notes” app.

Hello Monday

Errands

Notes app

Hey! Monday is our Not Just a Mom link up, and we’d love to have you join us.

This topic this month is: reading habits

Well, we have a chance for significant snow tonight through tomorrow…and then we “Spring Forward.” hmmm….that just doesn’t seem right!

That being said, this weekend should be a good one filled with baseball, basketball, a few errands, and some downtime.

So, that’s it for me today. Thanks so much for reading.

Everyday Life

Thursday Thoughts

Posted on March 10, 2022March 9, 2022 by jgalvinwhite

Hello! Happy Friday Eve. I hope you’ve been having a great week.

Earlier this week I was updating my “to do” list, and realized how handy the “Notes” app is on my phone.

Then, I got to looking, and I have around 60 different notes on my phone. I’m not sure how they all got organized, but some are in iCloud, some Gmail, and some Exchange.

Here are some of my notes:

Gift ideas: I started doing this a few years ago because once October rolled around family started asking for gift ideas for the kids (who have November birthday and then of course Christmas) I also add in ideas for gifts I may buy the kids, Travis, and family members as well.
Quotes: I love a good quote!
Blog ideas: I still plan my blog posts on a paper calendar, but will keep a running list of ideas that pop up and then just use my calendar to plan.
Trip ideas: This list isn’t super long, but I will occasionally think of a place I want to tell Travis about or just to keep a list of possible vacations.
Ulta: (Remember: I’m not a beauty blogger! haha) When someone shares a product I may want to try in the future, I add it to my list. Also, I have some products I use pretty regularly, and I keep those on that list as well.
House projects: At the first of the year, we usually plan house projects (like this year, we wanted to buy new interior shutters and shades), and I keep an ongoing list on my phone.
Workouts: I usually do beach body workouts, but I even jot down those for ideas on switching things up.
School notes: Lesson plan ideas pop into my head at the most random times, and I will keep ideas on this list.
Books: I’ve been using the Goodreads app for over a year, but I still keep a list of a few books on my phone. I also have a note with the books I’ve read since 2018.
Recipes: I have a few quick recipe ideas that I keep on this note. Rather than Pinterest or a cookbook, I keep a few “go to’s” on this list.
TV Shows/Movies: If I see a show that interests me, I will add it to this list. Also, sometimes I prioritize what I want to watch on this list. We don’t watch tons of movies, but I will make note of ones I’d like to watch as a family. Of course, I add movies to my Netflix, Hulu, Amazon apps, but I still like a list.
Podcasts: I will keep a running list of what I’d like to listen to even though I’m not the best at keeping up with podcasts.
Organization: Usually in October, I make a list of things I need to clean out or organize like the kitchen cabinets, my bedside table, the hall closet, and more. I delete them as I finish up that organization.
Kids’ running and swim times: It never fails that we’ll be at a meet and one of the kids (or Trav) will ask a previous time. They know I’ve got them covered.
Kids’ measurements: When the kids were about five, I made a note and jotted down height and weight at their yearly checkups. It’s always fun to see how much they’ve grown. Also, those measurements come in handy sometimes when I’m ordering clothes for them.
Professional development: We have to complete 24 hours of PD every year. I do most of mine in the summer, and we have a teacher who keeps track of what we turn in. That being said, I keep a list of my hours until I know I’ve been given credit for them.
Goals: I will often update monthly goals on my list. Some goals stay the same like “workout four days a week and drink water,” but some are more specific if I have a goal for the month like “cut back on sweets” or “track what I’m eating.”
OPI faves: I like to keep a list of nail polishes on hand for when I go get a manicure or pedicure. Nothing stresses me out more than when they hand me the big ring of nails for me to choose a color. I’d rather just know what I want!
Trader Joe’s: I will keep a list of my favorites or “go to” TJ items, but I will also add new items that I see that I’d like to try.

My most frequently used note:

This Week List: I have a weekly list that I edit day to day and week to week. On this one list, I include practices, workouts, errands, and things I need to do. I’d be lost without this list.

I also email myself a lot when I think of things that I need to remember to do.

Am I normal? 🤣

Do you use the “Notes” app on your phone? What lists do you keep?

See you back here tomorrow for Friday Favorites.

Everyday Life

24 hours of Errands

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

Hello! I hope your week is off to a great start.

If you read my post yesterday, then you know I felt like I needed some time to get caught up in life!

There are always errands that need to be run. Things were starting to pile up, and I realized I needed to prioritize getting these errands crossed off my list. Sometimes when errands pile up, I even write down on a sticky note the order of errands from closest to home to furthest. Is that what you do? Or the reverse?

Buckle up for this riveting content 😉

Here are all the errands that I ran on Friday and Saturday.

Errands on Repeat:

I needed to go to the UPS store because I had some Amazon returns. The blessing of Amazon is how convenient it is it return unwanted items. I pass no less than five UPS stores on any given day. That being said, if I have a few orders, I usually just wait and go and return a few things at once.

The car wash was another stop for me. I love a clean car. I will say, I think I do a good job keeping the car tidy, but I should probably do better actually getting the car washed. After a road trip or winter weather is always a guarantee for me that I will get the car washed. That being said, I was long overdue for my car to be washed.

I purchased a home decor item that I ended up not loving. I wanted to get it back to TJ Maxx before I lost the receipt! haha

I had a few prescriptions to pick up, so I made a stop at Kroger pharmacy. We have some monthly prescriptions, and sometimes I just use the drive thru, but…

I knew we needed a few odds and ends at home before I made my weekly Clicklist order.

Curbside pick up is about the only good thing to come out of the pandemic. Target pickup comes in so handy! I have no shame in ordering even just one thing for pick up!

About every three months, I end up at Ulta for my fave shampoo and conditioner. Man, I hate paying for this stuff, but I do notice a difference in my hair when I use the “good stuff!”

Saving the best for last, Trader Joe’s! I’ve shared many times that I used to go to TJ’s every few weeks, then every other week, and now I go about once a week for produce items and Chomps for Hayden. (Other times, I buy other faves, but my weekly trip is usually just for the produce.)

Other occasional errands that are often on my list include Walgreens, the library, and the pet store for Homer.

I guess errands have changed a bit through the years…I sure do feel like I run around more now than ever before. I do try to run errands during the week when I can. Even just one stop after school a few days a week helps me not have to run around everywhere on the weekend.

Also, sometimes we divide and conquer. For example, Travis is good about getting Homer’s dog food or picking up a few things from Kroger that I may need.

What are some of your weekly errands? Let me know any time saving tips!

Everyday Life, Me

Hello Monday

Posted on March 7, 2022March 6, 2022 by jgalvinwhite

Hello (Monday!) How was your weekend? Ours was great. Saturday’s weather was gorgeous; Sunday was super soggy! Thankfully, no early alarms were set on Saturday. Travis was in California for work, so I was flying solo all afternoon getting the kids where they needed to be. In the afternoon, Hadley had three hours of dance, Hayden had two hours of baseball followed by a basketball game. Yesterday, Hadley and I spent most of the day at her second dance competition of the season at EKU.

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

Usually, for Hello Monday we recap the weekend, but I’m just sharing all about my Friday. I feel like we went non-stop for the month of February, and I got behind in all areas of my life. With Travis out of town and already feeling behind, I decided to use a personal day to get my life together before a busy single-parent weekend.

Listen, I know how to really live it up. I slept in on Friday…waking up at 6:30 instead of 6:05!

I still had my quiet time and coffee. (Day at home or not, I need the time to ease into the day before the kids get up)

After the kids got ready, I was able to drop them off at school. I know this may sound silly, but any time I have off and they have school, I love taking them to school. I feel like it’s one of those working mom things, and just a simple thing I like to do when I can.

(It’s also why I love the middle school vs. high school schedule. I’m able to pick them up from school, and I rarely was able to do that during the elementary years.)

Then, I headed back home to tidy up, clean up breakfast, and make the bed. Then, I headed to a doctor’s appointment before running some errands.

I had a few Amazon returns,

…and decided to get a manicure. I usually do Funny Bunny, but chose Mod About You this time.

Then, I went to Save-a-Lot for a school errand followed by a quick trip to Kroger.

I decided to get one of my favorite lunches…

…the Harvest Kale Salad.

I brought it home and watched an episode of RH NJ.

Then, I went for about a thirty minute walk,

and read for a bit before picking up the kids.

Also, I was able to cross some things off my list around the house like tidying up my closet, doing some laundry, and getting organized for the weekend.

Was this the most exciting day ever? No. Well, for me…maybe yes 🤣 but it was much needed to get some things accomplished heading into the weekend. I often use the allotted personal days we get for field trips with the kids, Keeneland or Oaks, Field Day, etc. That being said, now that the kids are in middle school, sadly, I don’t need to save those days for school related events. {😭}.

I’ve also learned how much better I feel (which means I’m a better mom and wife) when I take the time to take a step back when I’m feeling overwhelmed or stressed .

We only have 50 days left in the school year. That is so hard to believe!

Well, Travis is back home, and just in time! Yet another action packed week is about to begin!

I hope you had a great weekend,

Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#103}

Posted on March 4, 2022March 3, 2022 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Friday! We’ve had a pretty good week around here, and the best part is that it’s been feeling like spring.

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

I’m breaking the week down and sharing some favorites from each day:

Saturday:

For the first time in forever, we didn’t have to set an alarm on Saturday morning!

Another fave was trying out The Press. I enjoyed my smoothie, and Hadley loved her acai bowl.

Sunday:

The best part about Sunday was watching American Idol. It’s definitely a family fave.

Monday:

Speaking of family faves, I think Shay’s recipe for Frito Pie was delish. It was the perfect Monday meal after a long day. The whole fam enjoyed it.

Tuesday:

Hayden had a mid-day doctor’s appointment which meant that he missed lunch. We hit up Freddy’s before heading back to school. A weekday lunch with Boo is always a fave.

Wednesday:

Wednesday morning was Hadley’s turn for an appointment. We had a few minutes to spare before her school started, so we stopped at Chick-fil-A. A weekday breakfast out with Sis is, of course, a fave.

Also, the weather was beautiful, and Trav grilled steaks for dinner. We were all excited about that.

Thursday:

Thursday was another day of beautiful weather, and it was so nice to come home and see the sun shining through our new shutters.

When we moved in over seven years ago, we got shutters on our family room and office windows and white faux wood blinds on the bedroom windows. Through the years, the kids pulled the strings off their blinds and a few slats were bent, etc. So, we ordered shutters for the five bedroom windows back in late November. They were installed Wednesday night, so I loved seeing the daylight on Thursday afternoon.

Favorite Clothing Item:

I’m still wearing my Walmart pjs on repeat. (top, bottoms)

…and Hayden’s loving his new kicks. He’s been a big Oregon fan for years (big track school!), and Travis ordered him these shoes. He was in need of a new pair before track season begins next week. (He’ll train in his old shoes and these are now his school shoes)

Favorite Kid Quote:

Hayden was on a roll this week. After his doctor’s appointment, we stopped at home to pick up his basketball bag. He saw our neighbor who was working in his yard. Hayden said, “Imagine all the things I could do if I was retired. Instead, I have to go to school.”

Then, we were driving by the kids’ elementary school, and I commented on the car line. He said the elementary years were the “OG years.” haha

Favorite Mom Meme:

With the exception of last weekend, this meme is very true.

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

I always love this 2014 memory. We’d gone to a UK women’s basketball game. The kids stood in front of the Wildcats sign, and I told Hadley to take a few steps to her right! She was definitely the “WILD”one back then!

Weekly Recap:

This week, I shared about the weekend, my February Amazon finds, and the two books I read this month.

Weekend Wrap Up

Prime Purchases

February Books

What are your weekend plans? This weekend includes all the things: basketball, baseball, and dance! (Thankfully, none of them start before noon!)

See you back here on Monday! I hope you have a great weekend.