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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…}

Posted in Memes

Monday Memes

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello! How was your weekend? Ours was really good. We had a late night Friday night watching Hayden run at an invitational track meet, and another late night on Saturday at the Chris Stapleton concert at Kroger Field.

Y’all- we were up until midnight two nights in a row. I couldn’t complain on Sunday because Travis actually got up at 4am to head to Louisville to meet clients and watch Derby horses workout.

Thankfully, yesterday provided some time to get ready for the week as well as a quick nap! The weather was beautiful for the entire weekend which was such a bonus.

With the month of April wrapping up, it’s time to look at some favorite memes that are both relatable and funny.

1.

Nothing says Monday (especially this Monday) like this meme:

2.

To go along with meme #1…

3.

Y’all! I do thisssss! 😬

4.

Hadley had a candy necklace recently and then I saw this meme 🤣

5.

Kroger pharmacy has changed the process for refilling prescriptions when you call…Instead of pressing 1 or 2 or whatever, I have to say what I want…and I hate it. This is who I am now…

That being said, if I can actually speak to a person, you better believe I’m saying “representative.” 🤣

6.

Pro tip. When Homer wakes up in the middle of the night, I lightly nudge Trav and tell him I “heard something.” It’s not a lie. What I heard was Homer, but hey, while he’s up, he can let Homer out 😉

7.

Relatable.

8.

I definitely do this! Even the first thing I jot down on our running grocery list goes on the list according to where it is in the store. (Produce up top, etc)

9.

My worst nightmare is replying all by accident!

10.

I’m embarrassed to admit to how bad I am at following GPS instructions…

I hope to post pretty regularly this week! We do have lots going on, so I will just take it day by day.

I hope you have a great one!

Posted in Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#110}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Friday. How was your week? Ours had some ups and some downs, and I think we are all looking forward to the weekend…that’s for sure.

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

Here are some favorites from the week:

Favorite Photo(s):

The kids on Easter is a favorite. The tree was blooming so beautifully and the sun was shining. These two really are growing up on me!

The kids had two track meets this week (and one more tonight), and I’m having the best time watching them do this together. It’s super sweet that they will have these memories!

Favorite Moment(s):

We had so much fun at Keeneland on Saturday. It was just so nice to catch up with some great friends and hang out.

I’m so thankful that the egg dyeing tradition has continued. I’m also very thankful that they can do most of it on their own 🙂 Kind of like pumpkin carving…I’m happy to just sit back and relax!

Favorite Food:

Well, what does one do when they have a dozen hard boiled eggs and is the only one who eats them?! They make a week’s worth of chef’s salads!

I packed them in my handy dandy salad lunch container that my mom got me.…

Easy lunch!

Favorite Clothing Item:

I have a darker denim jacket that I’ve had for a few years. When I saw this distressed one that was on sale (for $15) at Old Navy, I jumped on it. It doesn’t seem to be on sale now, but it’s perfect for the days when I need an extra layer but don’t want to wear my heavy winter coat.

I already have this cardigan in “cadet gray”…

…but I purchased it again in this hot pink color. It’s the perfect cardigan for spring. This was my outfit on Wednesday and so many people complimented me on the color. 💓

9,000 4.5 ⭐️ reviews, affiliate link above

Favorite Kid Quote:

Well, I don’t have a kid quote this week…but Hadley’s school chorus had a performance on Wednesday, and I loved hearing the two songs they’d been working on.

Favorite Mom Meme:

The number of times that I come home to find that they’ve left lights on for hours are too many to count.

Other Faves:

I picked up these tulips from Trader Joe’s, and they were showing off in the morning sunlight.

Besides two track meets, Hayden has also had two baseball games. He did an awesome job pitching on Tuesday night.

At Wednesday’s meet, the coaches had the kids run different events. Both of my kids ran the 100m dash which was fun to watch. They’ll admit they are more distance (Hayden) and mid-distance (Hadley) runners, but I love seeing them push themselves and try something new.

Who do you think ran the 100 m race quicker?

By the fourth track meet of the season, I finally figured out exactly what I needed to pack for the two to three hour meet…including my Kindle.

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:

Do you ever see a photo from the past that you clearly remember taking? This is one of them from me. During a very difficult season of life in 2013, I remember asking the kids to sit on the porch and smile, snapping the photo, and counting my blessings. #pinchycheekcute

Weekly Recap:

This week I blogged about a little bit of everything. I recapped the weekend and Easter on Monday, wrote about Keeneland (and what Travis does for a living) on Tuesday, and then shared favorite spring shoes and sandals yesterday.

Weekend/Easter Recap
Tues Talk: Keeneland
Spring Shoes and Sandals

What are your weekend plans? We have a track meet, baseball practice, church and a few other things on tap. See you back here Monday.

Thanks so much for reading.

Posted in Clothes

Spring Shoes and Sandals

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello! Happy Friday Eve! Our weather started off soooo cold this week, but it’s turning the corner with highs in the 70’s and low 80’s this weekend. The warmer weather combined some recent shoe shopping got me thinking about spring shoes and sandals.

I always treat myself to a pedicure over Spring Break, and then I’m annoyed with the cold weather we have off and on in April and May which means I can’t wear my favorite flip flops and sandals.

Today, I’m sharing some recent shoe and sandal finds that are perfect for spring, and some of my tried and true faves as well.

DSW:

Every spring, Hadley’s foot has typically grown enough (she now wears a women’s 7.5) that she needs a new pair of flats for church and Easter. Our Target was picked over, so we ended up at DSW. I always forget how many shoes they have!

After only a few minutes in the store, Hadley chose these ballet flats in the beige color. They are cute and comfy.

Once I knew we were going to Keeneland last weekend and the weather was on the cooler side, I wanted a pair of close toe wedges. I have a variety of booties and a favorite pair of open toed wedges, but thought I’d check out DSW again. I found these and love them. I tried on my regular size 9, and they fit. Well, I compared them to the 9.5, and actually did purchase the 9.5 because they seemed to fit the best.

I wore them to Keeneland on Saturday and church on Sunday, and they are so comfortable. I know they will look great with jeans or white pants too.

I’ve had these Nine West wedges forever…I’m talking at least six or seven years. They are my “go to” dressier sandal option. They’ve been through it all, and when I went to take the pic really noticed how much they’ve been worn.

Here I am wearing them…

So, I have my eyes on this pair at DSW for a replacement. I will see what I may need for spring before buying them, but I saw them in the store and took note!

Target:

Hadley saw these on one of our Target trips, and we picked them up for her to have as a summer option with dresses. She usually has a pair of ballet flats and sandal flip flops, but I thought these were very age appropriate for her. She got them in the cognac color, and she loves them.

She wore them for Easter and gave them rave reviews.

I saw these when we were at Target, but they didn’t have my size. I’m having flashbacks to the 80’s, and I’m sure my mom had a similar pair of these. I’m definitely going to keep them in mind once summer is in full swing.

Amazon:

{Amazon affiliate links…}

While I’m sharing sandals, I figured it’s a great time to share some of my faves from Amazon.

I wear these rose gold slides whenever I can! I bought them last summer because Hadley had them in white from the previous summer. She still wears hers often and they’ve held up beautifully. I did size up to a 10 in these, and that’s a better fit.

40,000 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️rating

Here are Hadley’s white ones and then comfort slides that I have in both white and pink. I purchased both pairs last summer (and sized up to a 10), and they are perfect for the pool or sitting out the ball fields.

Comfort slides 47,000 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️rating

These sandals were the purchase of summer 2021, and I didn’t even buy them until the end of the summer!

It looks like my exact pair isn’t currently on Amazon, but here is a similar option. (with almost 3,000 four star ratings)

I’ve seen so many share the braided heels, and Target has a cute option that goes in and out of stock. I have my eyes on these from Amazon. The memory foam insoles are a selling point for me 😉

I need to go through my shoe sitch ASAP before adding more to the mix. That being said, I know there are some shoes and sandals in my closet that haven’t been worn since before the pandemic!

Hopefully, warmer days are ahead because I’m ready to wear my spring sandals.

See you back here tomorrow for Friday Favorites.