Everyday Life

Friday Favorites {#286} Winter Break Edition

Posted on January 2, 2026January 2, 2026 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

Well, all good things must come to an end…or so they say!

Of course, I still have the weekend left, but it’s hard to believe that our two week break is almost over.

I’m linking up with Andrea for the first Friday Favorites of 2026.

I’ve shared some recent tid bits (Christmas Recap post), but today I’m sharing some of the “smaller” favorites of break.

I had time for a few appointments, and it was nice to go during the day rather than after school. I’d missed my monthly facial in November, so I was happy to have this appointment scheduled on the first Monday of break.

I love the Reformer Pilates classes I take in the summer, but unfortunately, the class times don’t work for me during the school year. I was able to go to one class over break which I really enjoyed.

I also decided to try something new…Solid Core. I’d love to find classes that I can take one evening a week to break up my workouts, so I thought I’d try one of these classes. Thankfully, they had an intro class this past Tuesday, and I hung in there…but I’m still sore! haha

I definitely think I will try more classes in the future.

I got a few lovely Christmas gifts, but I think the best thing I received was a new pair of tennis shoes. Travis took Hadley and she picked out these Brooks tennis shoes, and the second I put them on my feet, I didn’t want to take them off. I said, “I feel like they are giving my feet a hug!” I guess I didn’t realize how worn out my other pair had become.

Also, these were a surprise in the sense that I asked for shoes, but I assumed I’d get a gift card…they did a great job picking these out, and I appreciate that they checked my other shoes to know I size up a half a size in tennis shoes.

I’ve put these to good use going on walks and with workouts.

I had lots of time to read, and I finished a book and then I started this one that my mom gave me.

Y’all, I’ve purged most corners of this house! I typically do this in December and June, and it’s felt so good to get rid of things and get organized. On the years we stay home for Christmas, I tend to have more time to purge a little more.

My spice cabinet is looking great…

….as is the office cabinet.

When I was in the basement tidying up, I even organized some of our books by color.

I’ve watched some of my favorite movies. I watched Home Alone with Hayden on Christmas day…

…and You’ve Got Mail with Hadley this week.

I shared that I picked up a pack of three cross stitch ornaments at World Market, and it’s been so fun to complete these mini projects. I found the set on Amazon too, so I placed an order, so I could complete the other three patterns. So far, I’ve stitched four of the six patterns.

The day after Christmas, I ran a few errands, and I tried Dunkin Donut coffee for the first time…yes, you read that correctly! haha

I’ve never had Dunkin coffee. I ordered one of their festive holiday drinks that is probably too many calories, but I loved it. Next time, I will try something more simple.

We baked Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle cookies before Christmas…

…and Peanut Butter Blossoms for NYE!

I’ve loved having “snack plates” for lunch.

We’ve had lots of Homer time!

…which included snuggles on the couch while I sipped my coffee and eased into the days. I will definitely miss waking up without an alarm!

I finished my daily 2025 word search (I love this gift from Trav and the kids last Christmas)

…and I started 2026 completing the first one in my new calendar. (The bookstore where they got mine last year didn’t have one, so I ordered this one…it’s not the same, but it will do!)

I always look back on these stretches of time off and wish I’d done more or accomplished a few more tasks on the list, but I guess it’s also time for rest as we gear up for going back to school. Overall, I’d say it’s been a pretty good break.

Favorite Mom Meme:

It’s going to hurt, but it’s time for these kids to get back to school…haha

Weekly Recap:

Here are my posts from the week!

Today, I have a couple of errands to run, and then it’s time to take down all the Christmas decor. I’m ready for a fresh start!

Also, I’m going to try and post every day in January which means I should have some posts on Saturday and Sunday!

See you then,

Year in Review 2025

Posted on December 31, 2025December 31, 2025 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy New Year’s Eve! Where oh where did this year go?!

Today, I’m taking a look back on 2025!

This year, I started “Monthly Moments” at the end of each month which I plan on continuing in 2026. I loved those little monthly snapshots, so I’m linking those in this post too.

January:

January 2025

January started off with lots of snow….we didn’t go back to school from winter break until January 16! We also celebrated my birthday in January. I appreciated the family time!

February:

February 2025

We had more snow, celebrated Valentine’s Day, the kids had indoor track and Hadley had club volleyball.

March:

March 2025

Some highlights of March were that volleyball continued, Hayden made it to a couple UK basketball games, and we celebrated St. Patrick’s Day.

April:

April 2025

April started in Isle of Palms, SC for spring break.

We celebrated Easter, the kids started outdoor track, and we finally tackled updating our hall bathroom.

May:

May 2025

We finished the hall bathroom update, celebrated Mother’s Day, both kids got their driving permits, we had the last day of school, and Hadley ran in the state track meet.

June:

June 2025

Some highlights from June include pool time, our niece’s wedding in Louisville, going to KC, Trav and I celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary as well as Father’s Day.

July:

July 2025

In July, Hadley headed to camp, and we celebrated the 4th of July. Trav and I traveled to Michigan for a few days, and we went to our nephew’s wedding in Louisville.

August:

August 2025

In August, we soaked up the rest of summer, headed back to school, the kids’ activities ramped up as did tailgating and attending UK football games.

September:

September 2025

September was a somewhat “simple” month focused around school and activities. I even squeaked in a couple more pool days, but also decorated for fall towards the end of the month. School pictures were in for sophomore year, and my dad came to visit.

We ended September kicking off fall break in Florida.

October:

October 2025

October continues to be my favorite month.

We had fall break with friends (for the fourth year in a row) on 30A...

I decorated the front porch, we made it to the pumpkin patch, Hadley went to the homecoming, dance and Trav and I made it to Keeneland in October too.

Yay! We carved pumpkins right before Halloween.

November:

November 2025

November was also a great month with the kids turning 16 as the biggest celebration from the month…

Hadley had a sweet 16 party with friends…

…and she got her license!

We also went to the UK basketball game as a family which made for a fun Friday night.

I even squeaked in decorating for Christmas before we headed to KC.

…and wrapped up November celebrating Thanksgiving in KC with family.

December:

December was a great month too!

My did some fun, festive holiday things, and family came to visit.

Hayden got his license…

We had three snow days in December which is pretty unheard of!

We had a nice Christmas at home in Lexington…

…and we’ve been spending the last few days of the year/break at home getting organized, watching movies, hanging with friends and more.

I love looking back on a year before ushering in a new one, and there was a lot to be thankful for this year. That being said, 2025 was pretty difficult as well…and I’m ready for a better 2026. I’m wishing the same for all of you too.

Happy New Year.

Everyday Life, Monthly Moments

Monthly Moments: November 2025

Posted on November 30, 2025 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Sunday!

How has your weekend been? Yesterday, we spent most of our time in the car traveling back to Kentucky from KC. We had a good Thanksgiving holiday with family. Today, I’ve gotten groceries, unpacked, organized, and done quite a few loads of laundry. I’m trying to get all my ducks in a row before heading into the three week stretch of school between now and winter break!

Today is the last day of November, so I’m taking a look back on a great month of moments for us.

This month, we saw a little bit of snow…my pumpkins weren’t happy!

I decorated for Christmas a little bit at a time.

Since I knew we’d be out of town for Thanksgiving, I wanted everything up for when we returned. I had a couple new purchases this year including a wreath and ribbon from Target, and this set of trees from Amazon. They turned out cuter than I was expecting!

On a Friday night, the whole fam went to the Kentucky basketball game. We had a great time.

We had many lovely days in November, so I tried to walk when I could in order to get some fresh air, add to my step count, and listen to an audio book.

The kids turned 16!!…and we celebrated with family…

…and friends. Hadley had the sweetest sweet 16 party.

….and we have one new licensed driver! She picked up our dinner last night when we got home, and she picked up my Kroger order this morning. This is what mom dreams are made of!!

One thing I learned quickly while being a mom to twins is that they do things are their own pace…one crawled before the other, one walked and talked before the other and so on. We scheduled Hadley’s driving test a few days after her birthday because she’s shown more interest in driving. Hayden’s appointment is soon. Also, y’all — scheduling two appointments at once is harder than you’d think! You have to get online at 8am (on the dot!) to schedule an appointment three weeks out. Now, the driving appointments haven’t been as cut throat as when we tried to get their permits, but it wasn’t much easier getting their two driving test appointments scheduled. Anyway, soon enough, I will have two who can run my errands. haha

We ended the month with a great Thanksgiving in KC. My cousin always outdoes herself with her tablescape, and the personalized chocolate turkeys that she orders are a fun tradition.

The weather was pretty nice, and it was great to see family.

We ended our visit at the Magic Tree which is a fun tradition.

Yesterday, we drove home in mostly rain, and half of the drive was in the dark. It’s always sad leaving family, but we loved being reunited with Homer and sleeping in our own beds last night. Plus, my to-do list is a mile long today.

Now we’re ready for the December hustle and bustle!

Have a great Sunday!

Everyday Life, Monthly Moments

Monthly Moments: October 2025

Posted on November 1, 2025October 31, 2025 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Saturday!

How was your Halloween? We had a busy day at school…and most of the day our district was without internet. Talk about scary!!

It’s hard to believe that today is November 1st, and October is in the rear view mirror. October has always been one of my favorite months, so I loving looking back on all that we did this month.

First of all…

This month started at the beach on our annual fall break trip to 30A. This was our fourth year, and we had the best time.

Once we returned home, it was time to decorate the front porch…one of my favorite fall things to do.

Hadley and friends had the best time at Homecoming. They did “brunch and bouquets” in the morning followed by getting ready together.

The group took pics before heading to dinner and the dance.

Keeneland in the fall is one of my favorite traditions. Trav tends to go quite a few times for work, but also for fun too. I joined him one afternoon; the weather was lovely, and we were able to hang with our friends.

Hadley’s sophomore volleyball season wrapped up! I’ve loved watching them play.

Last weekend, we went to my niece’s performance in Legally Blonde, Jr., the musical, and it was so fun.

We also made it to the pumpkin patch which is one of my favorite things to do in the fall. We grabbed hot apple cider, apple cider donuts, and pumpkins to carve…

….which we did on Tuesday night.

Thursday night, Hayden went to the UK basketball game with a friend and Hadley and Trav (and one of Hadley’s friends) went to an outdoor concert…Ole 60. Travis definitely won cool dad points for going to the concert…and getting them Taco Bell on the way home. 🤣 They were out late on a school night!

Last night, we had lots of trick-or-treaters which was lots of fun to see.

This month the kids have also had lots of fun going to our school’s sporting events like soccer and football games as well as UK football and basketball games, but they’re out there having fun…and making memories…occasionally sending me pics along the way.

October was a good one, and now we turn the page to November, setting the clocks back an hour and soon, my kids will turn another year older. Bittersweet, for sure!

Everyday Life, Monthly Moments

Monthly Moments: September 2025

Posted on October 2, 2025November 30, 2025 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Thursday!

Well, even on fall break, I guess Thursdays are still my favorite day of the week. That being said, I do wish time would slow down a little.

Speaking of time flying, September is over, so it’s time for me to recap the month.

Here’s a look back on September…

We still had a little pool time in September. Our pool stayed open a couple of weeks after Labor Day.

There were lots of cross country meets and volleyball games.

The volleyball team traveled to Tennessee, and the JV team had a great weekend of volleyball.

School picture day was a success…

My dad came to visit for a few days, and it was nice to see him.

I decorated for fall which is always a favorite for me. I love that we get to enjoy that decor for a couple of months, and now I’m ready for the weather to cool off.

I even pulled out a couple of my favorite mugs.

We did end the month in one of our favorite places…Seaside, Florida for fall break with friends. I will share more on that after we return.

That’s a wrap on September. Like the month of May, I kind of feel like I’m in “survival mode” as we get into our back to school routine. Now, on to October…my favorite month of the year.

Have a great day!

Everyday Life, Monthly Moments

Monthly Moments: August 2025

Posted on August 31, 2025September 30, 2025 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Sunday!

It’s not often that I write a Sunday post, but since it’s the last day of August, I’m sharing a quick recap of the month.

This month seemed to be mostly about back to school and sports while clinging to summer!

Volleyball started for Hadley in early August at the Bluegrass State games.

I finished up moving into a new classroom, and I’m really liking it. I see the kids and their friends a bit more which is a pleasant surprise.

For our back to school dinner, we went to IHOP for the second year in a row. I always get French toast or pancakes (with a side of bacon) when we go there.

Then, it was back to school! The kids have had a great start back to school. They seem to be adjusting to block scheduling just fine and are keeping up with their school work…so far!

I’m adjusting to block scheduling too. I actually really like it…the only thing is I’ve felt like it’s taken me a bit longer to learn student names seeing them every other day.

The kids have continued to get in some driving time. Hadley continues to have more of an interest than Hayden, but Hayden’s been driving too. As expected, there’s less driving time now that we’re back to school.

We did get a new (to us) car after my car was hit a few weeks ago. It’s a good size for both kids to drive too.

I did go to the pool the few chances that I had in August. I will miss reading poolside.

Hayden and I have been watching Royals baseball when we have the chance. They aren’t too far out of the last Wild Card spot, but they’ll have to have a solid September to make the playoffs. We’ll see.

Hayden has has two cross country meets, and he is off to a solid start. He was two seconds off a PR in yesterday’s race. I know he wanted to run faster, but at least he was close to where he left off last season.

Football is back in the Bluegrass State….Trav and Hayden went to the game yesterday, and Hadley tailgated with friends. The weather was perfection, and the CATS pulled out the win.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to join in on the fun…I have a raging sinus infection that’s kept me pretty miserable since Friday. Thankfully, I do think the meds are finally kicking in, and maybe I can salvage the rest of this three day weekend by actually getting out of the house tomorrow! I’m thankful for the time to rest, but I’d hoped to have had a bit more fun this weekend!

I hope you have a great Labor Day, and I will have more posts later in the week.

Everyday Life, Friday Favorites, Monthly Moments

Friday Favorites {#269}: Monthly Moments July 2025

Posted on August 1, 2025July 31, 2025 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!…and happy August 1st. I’m not trying to be negative, but I think August is my least favorite month, but it also does mean a fresh start and routine once school starts, and I do like both of those things.

How was your week? I made the most of my last full week of summer…I spent some time finishing getting my classroom in order, went to Pilates, went to the pool, read, went to a movie and more!

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

….to share a look back on July.

July 1st, Hadley went to Young Life camp in Michigan with lots of her friends.

Hayden and other family members ran the Bluegrass 10k on the 4th of July.

I stayed in one spot to cheer them on!

Our nephew won the race.

We wrapped up the 4th by going to our favorite spot to watch fireworks.

I got lots of pool time in July…which meant I had time to chat with my friends, float in the pool or read.

We celebrated Trav’s birthday when Hadley got back from camp. We got him a few gifts, went out to dinner, and had some Crumbl cookies to celebrate.

As I’ve shared a few times (sorry to be repetitive!), Trav and I went Lake Michigan to celebrate our 20th anniversary that was in June. We made do with what time allowed for us to get away for a few days, but honestly, it was still such a perfect vacation. It was nice being able to drive a few hours to a couple of beautiful towns, and the weather was great with low humidity.

I recapped our two days in South Haven in this post.

We stayed at a bed and breakfast right by the beach, and it was lovely.

We also spent two days in Saugatuck, and I shared all about our time there in two posts. (post one, post two). We stayed at a boutique hotel, spent time in town, got a massage, ate a few delicious meals, and went to the beach.

A couple of weeks ago, we went to Louisville for our nephew’s wedding. They got married on a Friday with a dinner to follow and then a bigger reception on Saturday. It was a great couple of days with family.

In July, both of the kids’ sports started. Hayden’s been going to 6am practices the past couple of weeks, and Hadley’s been busy with volleyball. Her first tournament is this weekend.

I also spent the last couple of weeks at school off and on setting up my new classroom. I’ve worked in my room over ten hours, and Hadley has been such a big help.

Just yesterday, we finished the final bulletin board, and now I actually need to start thinking about actual school stuff like curriculum and syllabi! haha

Overall, July was a good month with lots of summer and family fun.

Weekly Recap:

I had a few posts this week:

I hope you have a great summer weekend!

Everyday Life, Monthly Moments

Monthly Moments: June 2025

Posted on June 30, 2025June 29, 2025 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Monday!

Why do the summer weekends tend to go by just as fast as the ones during the school year? Overall, we had a pretty chill weekend which was just what we all needed.

Today is the last day of June, so I’m sharing this month’s Monthly Moments.

Here’s a look back on June:

June was a weird month with the weather…we had some cool days and many rainy days as well. Then, it was hot…but also stormy. We were poolside when possible, and I will take what I can get.

Hayden played a few rounds of golf which is always fave…

Our niece got married in June, and we went to her wedding in Louisville.

It was a beautiful ceremony and reception, and we had lots of fun.

The kids and I traveled to Kansas City to see my family. We didn’t do a lot, but we did get to hang with family quite a bit which is the best part. We did go to the Royals game which was when Alex Gordon was inducted into the Royals Hall of Fame. We got an Alex Gordon bobble head and watched the fireworks.

Once we got home, we celebrated Trav (a day late) for Father’s Day. Crumbl Cookie, cards, and the “You are Special” red plate…what more could you ask for?!

About ten days ago, the kids got their wisdom teeth removed. Hayden bounced back quickly, and Hadley had a rough go of it with her teeth being impacted, and she ended up needing fluids for being dehydrated. Our friends dropped off dinner and a few goodies throughout that week.

Trav and I celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary. We went out for a sushi dinner and have plans to go out of town for a few days in July.

June has meant lots of yard work. Hayden and friends have been busy mowing yards, power washing and more. I’ve been admiring my hydrangeas as they’ve continued to bloom. They are my fave.

The June days sure were busy…the kids have worked a bit, had morning workouts, cross country conditioning and volleyball open gyms; I’ve had a couple of doctor appointments and have been able to go to Pilates 2-3 days a week.

I will say, it’s felt like no two days were the same…which also means I haven’t really felt in a groove. There’s definitely been some downtime, but not much! Maybe that extra downtime will come in July?

June was a great month, and it’s always one of my faves.

Everyday Life

Monthly Moments: May 2025

Posted on June 1, 2025June 29, 2025 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Sunday!

Also, happy June 1st! May is over, so I’m taking a look back on Maycember. May is filled with lots of fun, but like December, this month likes to try and take me out! haha

May memories:

The Major visited and was able to catch a couple of track meets and my nephew’s baseball game. We were also able to celebrate Major’s birthday a bit early.

Hadley and I traveled to Gatlinburg for her final tournament of club season. The girls had lots of fun, and it was nice having a bit of downtime when they weren’t playing.

We got home from Gatlinburg late afternoon on Mother’s Day, and my front porch looked pretty with flowers and new planters along with the traditional hanging fern baskets. The kids also got me flowers and a card which I appreciated!

Yay! We finished updating the bathroom…and I’m still so in love:

Track season continued with a couple of meets including the regional meet.

Last week, we wrapped up the school year…freshman year for the kids and year 23 for me! Since we didn’t get a Mother’s Day photo, I hopped in the last day of school photo with them.

We celebrated my niece’s birthday on Friday which was a great way to wrap up the week and kick start summer.

Yesterday, Hadley ran in the state meet…earning two medals, one in the 4 x 200 relay and one in the 400m dash. It was a beautiful day for the meet…

…and then she did a quick change and went to the Railbird music festival to catch some of her favorite country artists!

I’d say the biggest highlight of all for both of them this month is — that they both got their driver’s permit!

I’m still trying to get used to this milestone!

May was a really great and memorable month. Now, we’re ready for June and hope to find our summer groove soon!

I’ll be back tomorrow to share the books I hope to read this summer!

Everyday Life, Monthly Moments

Monthly Moments: April 2025

Posted on April 30, 2025April 30, 2025 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy last day of April!

Another month, and another recap of some of my favorite moments from the month.

Here’s a look back on April:

Well, technically this was the end of March, but Trav and Hayden traveled to Indy to watch UK in the Sweet Sixteen game. Even though the CATS lost, they still had a good time.

We kicked off April with a tornado warning and Trav’s heart ablation; good news is Trav is doing well. He’s back to running and doing whatever he wants. So far, the ablation has seemed to work although he’s still on medicine for the time being.

Taking cover in the basement in the middle of the night wasn’t on my 2025 BINGO card, but it will be a night to remember. Thankfully, we didn’t have any damage.

I’d say one of the highlights of April was spring break in Isle of Palms, SC. We had such a great time, and it was the perfect spot for Trav to recover from his surgery.

We had a lovely Easter in Lexington. From dyeing eggs to Easter baskets to church to lunch, it was a great day!

My mom visited for a week and was able to see a couple of track meets and my nephew’s baseball games. She was here for Easter as well, so overall, it was a great visit.

My mom and Trav’s mom were there to cheer Hayden on in the Eastern Relays 3200m race a couple of weeks ago. It was a late night, but we had fun.

Right before spring break, we demoed our hall bathroom to give it a major update. We’re making progress and the finish line is in sight!

Track season continued this month. The kids have had quite a few races over a few meets. Hadley continues to run the 200m and 400m with PR’s in both to start the season. She had a slight calf strain, and some PT and dry needling have her back in action!

Hayden’s had a “frustrating” start to the season …just not meeting his time goals, but he’s hung in there. A friend shared a video with the message that “growth isn’t linear,” and that certainly has proven true for him. He finally had a break out week this past week with PR’s in the 1600 and 3200. It’s been good to see a smile on his face! Hard work does pay off!

Volleyball is slowing down a bit. Hadley only had one tournament in April, and it was just this past weekend. Hadley and I went to Louisville last Saturday night, and then I went to her Saturday games. We came home, and then Trav took her to her Sunday games. A friend was sweet enough to send me a couple of videos as well as this pic of her serving.

She’s had a lot of fun with her team, and there’s one more tournament left!

So, that’s a look back on April. One bummer was that I never made it to Keeneland, and I always enjoy going to the spring meet with Trav and friends. It just didn’t fit into the calendar this spring.

What’s a highlight of your month?