Category: Friday Favorites

Posted in Friday Favorites, Kids, Self-care

Hadley’s Favorite Products

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

Why do the shorter weeks sometimes feel like the longest? It’s been a good week, but I’ve felt a bit “off” not knowing what day is what!

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

Today, I’m switching things up. Rather than share some “favorites” from the week, I asked Hadley to write a post. Recently, I saw a funny reel on Instagram about a mom who said she had to go into her daughter’s room to use the “good” beauty products. Relatable…haha

So, I thought today’s post would be a fun way to share some of her favorite products that she uses almost daily.

I’d say there’s something for everyone…not just for teens!

Here’s Hadley:

My mom is giving me the honor of writing another blog post. I will be showing you guys my favorite products and why I like them.

Here’s the line up:

My mom gets me most of these products at Target or Kroger, but I bet you can get them from Amazon too.

  • Fragrance mist: This is from Bath and Body Works, and I think I have used it for over a year now! Every time I see my friends, they compliment it and everyone always loves it. I use a couple of different sprays, but this is the one I’m using now. These sprays have a light scent, not as heavy as perfume.
  • Dry shampoo: The Bariste brand is my favorite, but the Kroger one works well too. This is perfect when it isn’t quite hair wash day yet and you need something to get you through the day without your hair looking greasy.
  • Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel: This moisturizer is so good, and I don’t plan on changing it anytime soon! You will love it if you like a super light-weight and hydrating moisturizer.
  • Aquaphor: Aquaphor is my ride or die, my forever and always! I use it every single day. It lasts for a while, and it is super easy to apply on the go if you need a little shine or even just something to keep your lips from getting chapped.
  • CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing lotion – This PM moisturizer is also super light-weight and very smooth. I apply this every night at the end of my routine, and it keeps my skin from getting dry.
  • Garnier Cleansing Water – This Micellar water is also my ride or die. I use this for everything…as a toner, to get my makeup off, and to just get all the dirt off my face. You will never catch me not using this on the daily.
  • Covergirl mascara – I don’t know much about mascara and which one is good and which one is bad but this seems to be doing the job! I get compliments on my lashes everyday (it could be my natural long lashes or the mascara) either way I love this mascara and it gets the job done.
  • Dime Blue Facial Oil: My mom first bought this oil over a year ago, and I use it (and Hayden does too when needed) This oil is amazing for when you have a pimple that showed up to the party uninvited! I put this on at night when I have a pimple and when I wake up it’s gone (or at least more under control)! It’s super easy to use, and it has a light blue tint to it…but it soaks in clear. This definitely is the party saver.
  • Glow Recipe serum: I got this serum for Christmas from my grandma, and I love it! I’m almost out so I gotta get me a new one ASAP. I use it both morning and night, and it’s super easy and smooth to rub in and it keeps my skin clean and clear!

So, those are some of my favorite products!

Weekly Recap:

I had a couple of posts this week:

Weekend Top 5
Hadley’s Room Refresh

What are your weekend plans? Hayden has a basketball tournament, and I have a few errands to run as well as a few things on my “to do” list. I guess that’s a pretty typical weekend for us.

I will have a bonus post tomorrow for Share 4 Somethings.

Thanks for reading,

Posted in Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#195}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

How was your week? All I can say is TGIF! I was at school every day this week until 6:00, and then two of those nights I headed straight to Hayden’s basketball games. Let’s just say that I had no trouble falling asleep every night.

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

This is a “red” and “pink” Friday edition of favorites mostly about the Chiefs and Valentine’s Day.

Here are some favorites:

The Chiefs:

Well, of course we’re excited about the Chiefs winning the Super Bowl. It was a frustrating and exciting game.

Per tradition, because my brother and Hayden are afraid to jinx anything…we headed to my brother’s house for Super Bowl Sunday.

My contribution was a cookie cake:

…and cute themed cups…

…that Travis Kelce would approve of…

We had some snacks and pizza while watching the game, and then dove into the cookie cake at halftime…we were definitely eating our feelings.

My brother was desperate to find the Chiefs candle that they got last year after the Super Bowl win. Once we lit it, the momentum shifted…(yay!)

We were thrilled with the outcome.

It’s been fun cheering for the Chiefs these past few years, and even more so hanging out with my brother and his family. Hayden and Connor are next level with their Chiefs craziness.

Of course, the celebration turned to sadness with the heartbreaking events from the parade and rally on Wednesday. It’s gut-wrenching that so many fans, kids included, were at the rally after the parade when another senseless act of violence took place and so many were injured as well as a casualty. My thoughts and prayers go out to my KC community.

Valentine’s Day:

I shared in a previous post how much I love the tradition of sending Valentine’s Day cards to family. I was able to finally get a pic of the kids…even though apparently the sun was pretty bright.

Oh well, it’s the thought that counts.

Once I realized how very late we’d probably all get home on Wednesday night, I decided to go ahead and put out gifts for the kids and Trav’s card on Wednesday morning.

I got a card too…with bubble letters, of course.

It was a card that you can scan the QR code, and the link sent me to a video of the kids saying “Happy Valentine’s Day” which I really appreciated.

Other Faves:

Hadley had a very busy weekend of volleyball, and the team continues to be fun to watch. They ended up in the silver bracket of a really big tournament. So far, she’s had local tournaments which has been so convenient.

Saturday was extra busy going straight from three volleyball games back home to get ready for the third cotillion dance. The theme was Malibu Mingle, so Hawaiian shirts, shorts, and leis were the dress code.

The kids (barely) let me get a quick pic before Hayden left with friends, and Hadley went to a friend’s house to finish getting ready.

She curled her hair, finished her makeup, and accessorized!

The girls were so festive and pretty…

…and ready for a fun night.

The difference in getting a pic of boys vs getting a pic of girls. Girls will stand there and smile…boys will walk off. (My friend dropped Hayden and her son off for dinner with friends…and them walking away was the best she got…haha)

During the dance, I stayed at my friend’s house after the girls left. It was nice to hang out with the other moms and chat. We don’t get to do that very often.

Favorite Mom Meme:

Oh the morning time…their least favorite part of the day…or so it seems.

Weekly Recap:

I had hoped to have one more post this week, but time got away from me. Here are the two posts I shared:

Share Our Lives
Let’s Look

What are your weekend plans?

After a very long week of school, I don’t think I’ve ever been more ready for a three day weekend filled with not much going on than I am for this one.

Thanks for reading,

Posted in Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#194}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

Well, I think we’re getting back into a groove with another full week of school under our belts. The routine is good for us, and we’ve had spring like temps this week…which makes me almost wish it was March!

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

Here are some favorites from the week:

In last week’s Friday Favorites post, I shared that my nephew was running in an Olympic qualifying marathon race in Orlando.

Trav and the kids flew there Thursday night along with other family members.

I’m sure Jacob felt the love and support!

It was a hot one in Orlando, and Jacob has had a nagging hip injury which unfortunately bothered him enough to pull out of the race around mile 16. I can only imagine what it must feel like to train for something, put your whole heart and effort into something, to “fall short” on the big day.

I truly hope he knows how proud we all are of him!

His brother snapped this pic during the race:

The kids and Trav had fun cheering him on. Of course, we wished for him, that he could have run a strong, injury free, race.

While the kids and Travis were away, I had a mix of downtime and productivity.

On Friday night, I got a hot stone massage thanks to a Christmas gift card from Travis and the kids. It was great!

I came home, had a shower, ate a baked potato for dinner, and watched reality TV. I really know how to party!

On Saturday, I made a stop at a nearby cupcake place that I never go to…and picked up a couple of cupcakes. I ate half of each for dessert Saturday night, and then decided to throw caution to the wind and enjoy the other halves while sipping my Sunday morning coffee.

My friend came over for a couple hours on Saturday and a couple hours on Sunday to wallpaper Hadley’s room. I was basically moral support…she definitely knew what she was doing!

On Sunday, I started All the Light We Cannot See, and I was hooked. I enjoyed the book, and I loved this limited series….even though there were differences between the book and the series. I finished the last episode last night.

Jennifer shared how she changes her phone background seasonally, and I took her advice, and headed to Pinterest to find a back ground…and then added one of the photos of the kids to it…and it fits my phone background perfectly now.

Listen, I never know about some of these days unless Facebook tells me, but I do love National Girls and Women in Sports Day. I wasn’t much of an athlete, but I love that Hadley is. She’s tried a bit of everything…always with a competitive spirit and a smile on her face. I love watching both of the kids do what they love.

How cute are these flowers from Trader Joe’s? They would be the prefect Valentine’s Day gift for someone if your Trader Joe’s has them.

Favorite Mom Meme:

Sunday is a big day around here! Go Chiefssss!

Favorite Kid Quote:

On Sunday evening, the kids were asking if they had to go to school on Monday. Well, of course they did (especially after missing school on Friday). Anyway, they said they needed to rest because they were jet lagged 😆

Last time I checked, Orlando is in the same time zone as Lexington!

Sharing Our Lives:

Our new Share Our Lives link up is on Monday. This month’s topic is perfect for Valentine’s Day. We’d love to have you join us.

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

So, this week was the deadline for baby/toddler pics for 8th graders for the yearbook. Also, I took a stroll down memory lane looking for basketball pics of Hayden for the upcoming 8th grade night.

Needless to say, Hayden didn’t care what pic I chose…and would definitely have been content for me not to turn in any pics.

Hadley chose this one…even with the spaghetti on her face. haha

…so I chose this one of Hayden that was taken by my aunt the same time as the pic of Hadley. We were visiting KC and celebrating my dad’s 60th birthday.

Weekly Recap:

I had two posts this week:

Prime Purchases
Currently

What are your weekend plans? Saturday is busy with Hadley’s volleyball tournament and cotillion, and then on Sunday, we’ll be watching the Super Bowl and cheering for the Chiefs.

See you back here on Monday!

Posted in Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#193}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

Shew! We made it through a five day week.

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

Here are some favorites from the week:

Last Friday, I helped supervise a field trip to BCTC (Bluegrass Community and Technical College) for students interested in dual credit opportunities. It was really interesting, and I loved walking around the campus…and of course I enjoyed visiting the bookstore.

On Friday night, while Hadley was at a birthday party, Trav and I thought it would be nice to go out to dinner and let Hayden choose. Well, of all the places, he chose Texas Roadhouse. I think the basketball team had it as one of their meals (burgers and rolls), and the rolls really left an impression on him.

We had a nice dinner, and left with a to go order of rolls.

Hadley had volleyball all weekend, and she was on a different team (a mix of her friends and other teammates). This tournament had some tough competition and around 30 teams. Her team was one game short of the silver bracket…

…but they won the 3rd place bracket on Sunday. We really enjoyed watching this team play.

Their championship game ended right as the Chiefs game was starting…so we hurried over to my brother’s house, per tradition. Hayden was already there. He didn’t come to Hadley’s Sunday games because he didn’t want to risk missing a single minute of the AFC Championship game.

We are so excited to cheer for our Chiefs on Super Bowl Sunday.

Sunday morning, I made chicken tetrazzini for dinner, so we’d only have to warm it up after the Chiefs game. While I was at Hadley’s volleyball games, I texted Hayden to put the lid on the casserole dish that I’d left out on the counter.

When we came home to have dinner, this is what I found in the fridge:

(This is not the lid that I left out for him to use…haha!)

It’s hard for me to get action shots, so I’m thankful for a teammate of Hayden’s dad and the pics he takes:

Our nephew is running in an Olympic qualifying marathon race this weekend, and my friend’s daughter’s girl scout troop was practicing etiquette and made him cards…they were so sweet!

Last night, I had a nice sushi dinner with a friend that I don’t get to see often enough! It was so nice to catch up.

Favorite Kid Quote:

While Hadley is usually my more quick-witted child (she gets that from me ;), the other night Hayden said something funny.

I was in bed reading, and Travis was too. Hayden came in to tell us goodnight, and without missing a beat, he said, “Dad, you are reading?! Uh…you are not mom!”

It’s a pretty rare sighting to see Trav with a book. haha

Favorite Mom Meme:

One word: teenagers!

Weekly Recap:

I had another full week of blogging thanks to Bloganuary:

Share 4 Somethings
Pinterest
Monday Memes
January books
What’s Up Wednesday
Workout Diaries

Speaking of blogging…I might scale back on my blogging schedule and try three days a week for a bit. I really want to find a bit more time to read and also feel less scheduled every minute of the day…and maybe taking out a blog post or two a week will help with that for now. I have a feeling I will continue to post on Mondays and Fridays and then another day (or two) in between.

What are your weekend plans? My weekend is starting off with a hot stone massage, and I can’t wait!

I’ll be back on Monday with my Amazon purchases for the month.

Posted in Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#192}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

TGIF! Well, I made it through this four day work week…It was a good one but weird. Besides getting back in the swing of things after being off for a week, my room was used for testing this week, so I was “displaced” from my room. I’m tired of carrying my stuff around. Also, the kids’ activities are in full swing, so we had some busy nights as well.

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

Here are some favorites from the week:

Snow! The snow we got last Thursday to Friday was so pretty.

This week, we’ve had nothing but rain, so all the snow is gone now.

“How bout those Chieeefffsss?!”

My house was pretty happy with the divisional win on Sunday…and now we get to cheer for the Chiefs in the AFC championship this weekend.

I don’t think I’ve ever made the Trader Joe’s Blondie Bars…

….but I made them last week, and they were so good. I went to Trader Joe’s this week, and I already picked up a couple more boxes.

Hadley is really loving club volleyball so far. This is our first time doing club, and while it’s a commitment, it’s pretty low key compared to other volleyball clubs. She has great coaches and has had so much fun playing with friends.

My #14!

We love watching her team play. Hayden even came for the games on Sunday 😉

These girls took 2nd in the gold bracket last weekend which is amazing!

And…it’s school basketball season for Hayden.

As he walked out the door for his first game on Monday, I kind of did a double take…Why does it look like he could drive himself there?

It’s hard to get action shots in kids’ sports…but #33 is my favorite when he’s on the court.

Favorite Kid Quote:

I told Hadley that I’d read a People magazine article about Trader Joe’s 2024 most popular products and that her favorite Chili and Lime Rolled Corn Tortillas were the favorite snack. She said, “Obviously!” haha…She does love these things.

Favorite Mom Meme:

Hadley got a new Stanley for Christmas…and lost it at volleyball tournament a couple of weekends ago. Ugh.

Weekly Recap:

I can’t believe I’ve kept up with my Bloganuary posts, but I have. Here are my posts from the past week:

Bloganuary: Kroger
Bloganuary: All About Books
Day in the Life: Snow DAy
Tuesday Talk
Bloganuary: Homer
Monthly Musings

What are your weekend plans? Hadley has a volleyball tournament, and of course we’ll be cheering for the Chiefs on Sunday!

I will have a Share 4 Somethings post tomorrow.

Happy Friday,

Posted in Friday Favorites, Uncategorized

Friday Favorites {#191}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

Well, what a week…We had a three day weekend that turned into a week with no school. Well, Tuesday-Thursday were online learning days, but today, with fresh snow and a chance of some ice, we have a good old fashioned snow day!

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

Here are some favorites from the week:

Well…ask, believe, and receive!

It’s not that we got that much snow, but we did get 3-4 inches and frigid temps. My road is still snow packed from Monday’s snow. Then, last night, the snow started up again.

I do appreciate snow days and the extra time off that we’ve had.

It’s been nice knowing ahead of time that we don’t have school, so we don’t have to set alarms in the morning.

While I’ve had school responsibilities, of course, it’s been nice to fall into an at home routine. I’ve had more time to sip my coffee, read, get a workout in, and watch some tv while also juggling school, kids’ activities, and their schoolwork.

On Tuesday, I made the kids “snowman” pancakes for breakfast. They turned out pretty cute:

This is kind of a random Amazon find, but I bought this Jergens “Awaken” essential oils stick after seeing it pop up on my Amazon feed. I’ve put a bit on my wrists and neck every morning, and it’s a really refreshing scent to help wake me up. I’m waiting on the “Sleep” one to arrive. I will let you know how it is once I get it.

One perk of snow days is lunch at home. I love a plate filled with random things for lunch. A new find that I’ve been trying are these “Just Crack an Egg” scramble kits. I’ve tried a couple different ones, and they are so good.

Last week, I made a stop at Walmart and saw this chenille hooded cardigan. I’ve been wanting something to wear around the house (not that you can’t wear this out and about…and now I have given the leisurely week I’ve had), but that isn’t a robe. Even though I love pjs, I get hot, so I usually sleep in a t-shirt and pj pants. So, this is perfect to throw on in the morning or after a workout…as seen below.

It’s in the junior department, so I sized way up to 2XL for a more over-sized fit.

Travis and I finished The Night Agent this week, and we LOVED it.

I’ve also started Fool Me Once, and it’s gotten my attention.

Favorite Kid Quote

Hadley noticed my new pjs and I just looked at her surprised…although I don’t know why because she always notices anything new. Without missing a beat she said, “You can’t be a slick chick with me.” 😆 She is so quick-witted and funny….wonder where she gets that?! 😉

Did I need another pair of pjs? Probably not. That being said, I got them for $20 (with a code), and with snow on the ground, I can’t be stopped with my decisions on flannel pjs!

Favorite Mom Meme:

You’re welcome, kids!

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:

Oh this snow day memory from 2014. Pinchy cheek cute and very creative with their snowman skills.

Weekly Recap:

Here are my posts from the week…including ones from last weekend:

Winter Movies
Bloganuary: Childhood Toy
Hello Monday
The Perfect Snow Day
Let’s Look
Thursday Thoughts

What are your weekend plans? Well, we have more winter weather on the way and bitterly cold temps too. Hadley has a volleyball tournament, so most of our weekend will be spent indoors watching her play.

I hope to keep up with my month of blogging, so I will post more over the weekend.

Stay warm!

Posted in Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#190}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

I made it through the first five day work week of 2024, so needless to say…I’m ready for the (three day) weekend. haha

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

Here are some favorites from the week:

Well, we went back to school last Thursday, but I was sick. Last Friday, I got back in the swing of things in my classroom, but on Monday, I felt this deeply:

My emails and “to do” list were no joke.

Favorite Purchase:

For Christmas, one of my gifts was a gift card to Lululemon which I wasn’t expecting. I don’t typically buy clothes from there, but Landyn had just shared this belt bag, and I had it on my list to buy with Christmas money. Well, I used the gift card which is even better.

I love this style of bag, and the white opal color is so pretty. There’s also a smaller version of the bag.

Favorite Activity:

On Tuesday night, we had some “forced friendly family fun” going to the Kentucky basketball game. They were playing my Missouri Tigers.

While I had low expectations for a Tiger win, it was a pretty good game with a respectable score…so I’ll take it.

You can’t go to Rupp Arena without getting ice cream…even with the freezing temps outside!

Favorite Font:

Papyrus is one of my favorite fonts. Well, on Instagram, Jen Reed was talking about how if you are sharing a story and go to the 4th font from the end, and type “Papyrus,” the writing will change to that cute cursive-y font!

….It’s like magic! haha

Favorite Products:

We were at Target before Christmas, and Hadley pointed out this shave oil and mentioned that some of her friends have it. Later, when I went back to Target, I picked it up for her stocking. Now, we both use it. It’s a fun find…and there are a few different ones.

Another Jen Reed share –she had a promo code for this In Common 4-in-1 Magic Myst. It’s a leave-in conditioner, detangler, smoothing balm and heat protectant. I’ve been using it on my wet hair after a shower, but then I also use a few sprays before curling my hair. It smells so good, and I really love it. It looks like it’s sold out right now, but when it comes back in stock, it’s so good.

Favorite Mom Meme:

This is very relateable…and a couple of nights ago, Hayden ate FOUR pieces of toast…and then asked, “What’s for dinner?” as I was making it!

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:

How are these little cuties…

…thinking about their high school schedules for next year?!?

Weekly Recap:

I’ve been keeping up with my daily blogging goal:

Bloganuary: Gifts
Prime Purchases
Share Our Lives
This or That: About Me
Five Things in My…
Words of 2024

What are your weekend plans? Hadley has a volleyball tournament tomorrow, Sunday is my birthday, and we have no school on Monday…so I’m looking forward to the weekend for sure!

I will have more posts over the weekend in case you are bored and want to read one 😉

Thanks for reading,

Posted in Friday Favorites, Kids

Friday Favorites {#189}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday.

How was your week? Our week had a little of everything: downtime, productivity, activities, school and more.

I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for the first Friday Favorites of 2024.

Here are some recent favorites:

Last week, in my Christmas Recap, I shared that my favorite Christmas gift were these photos of the kids that Trav had his brother take as a surprise gift for me.

Later, my brother-in-law sent me the digital copies of the photos including a link to all that he took.

Travis had the best ones framed, but I love them all.

Both kids:

Hayden:

Hadley:

I love seeing Hadley’s sweet and silly side, Hayden’s focused side, and both of their personalities when they are together.

Over break, Hayden and friends went to a local basketball tournament. One of UK Coach Cal’s recruits was playing, so he was there and the boys got a picture with him.

They also got a quick pic with Reed Sheppard on this way out.

The boys were pretty excited.

Hadley has been asking for a room refresh, and my friend, an interior designer, put together this inspo board, and Hadley opened it on Christmas morning.

Over break, Travis took advantage of having some time off, and painted Hadley’s room after Hadley purged trash and donations. Then, we went ahead and ordered quite a few things including a new bed, bedside tables, and vanity. Hadley and I went out shopping for lamps, bedding, and other odds and ends. Everything we ordered arrived while we were on break, so we’ve continued to put her room together piece by piece.

The rug arrived this week, and it really tied everything together.

We still need to decide on wallpaper and a few other things, but her room is probably 80% finished, and she loves it.

Here’s a sneak peek:

Over break, I wanted to watch The Last Thing He Told Me and Lessons in Chemistry, both on Apple TV.

After Christmas, when I wasn’t feeling well, I settled in to watch them both…Travis watched them with me too.

I’ve read, and enjoyed the books, and I thought both series did the books justice. I highly recommend them both.

I had a few after Christmas purchases, including this sweater/jacket from Amazon. I love the gold double zipper detail.

Also, it seems that this could be dressed up or down. I wore it out to dinner one night with jeans and sneakers. It can also easily be worn with leggings….and I will definitely wear it to school with pants.

Y’all –it’s 49% off and less than $20!

A few weeks ago when we were at Target, these ice cream bars caught my attention. They are so good…10/10 recommend (and a saw a few other flavors at Target too)

Favorite Mom Meme:

It was time for these kids to go back to school!

Weekly Recap:

I started the year off strong with a blog post every day:

2023 Recap
12 months of Dessert
Currently
Bloganuary: Colleges

This weekend I hope to continue Bloganuary with a Saturday post, and then on Sunday I’m sharing my Prime Purchases for the month because on Monday we have our first Share Our Lives (formerly Not Just a Mom) post of 2024.

Share Our Lives:

I always love starting the year off with some (re)-introductions….and a look at the jobs I’ve had will be fun too.

We’d love to you have join us for this link up on the second Monday of every month.

What are your weekend plans? I’ve still felt crummy all week. My sinus infection is better, and I don’t have a fever, but I’ve still felt achy, tired, and run down. I’m not sure what’s going on. I actually had a Covid test on hand, so I went ahead and took that to rule it out…but maybe I have some other kind of lingering virus.

Thankfully, we don’t have much going on this weekend, so I’m hoping to kick this crud to the curb.

See you here tomorrow on the blog!

Posted in Blog challenge, Friday Favorites

2023 Blogging Recap and Fave Posts

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

Wow, this week seemed to fly by. After Christmas on Monday, I spent a couple of days sick with a sinus infection. I’m feeling better now and was a bit more productive yesterday.

Of course, I have to wrap up the year with one more Friday Favorites link up with Andrea (and Erika), but today I’m sharing some of my favorite posts that I wrote this year.

A few stats from the year:

  • Posts: 240
  • Total words: 165,006
  • Average words per post: 690
  • Best day: Friday; Best hour: 8 am
  • Most popular day: March 14 with 928 views

I started this blog as a hobby in August of 2019. I’m always blown away that people read my posts.

Some all time stats include:

  • Views: 332.5k
  • Visitors: 90.9k
  • Post published: 945
  • Countries: Readers in 93 countries have read at least one of my posts. That will never not blow my mind.

While some big time bloggers have my annual views in a day, it’s just been fun to see this blog grow year to year.

I love when readers take the time to “like” or comment on a post. I really appreciate and enjoy interacting with my SM&ST readers.

Favorite posts from 2023:

Last year, I shared my 10 favorites posts. This year, I kept a running list throughout the year of posts I really enjoyed writing and sharing.

I ended up with a list of 20, and here they are in the order that I wrote them.

1.

I loved starting the year participating in WordPress’ Bloganuary (and I think I might do this again this year!)

Two January Bloganuary topics were ones I enjoyed writing.

Books that Changed My Life

2.

Bloganuary: Birthday Cakes…all the cakes I made the kids when they were little and our favorite birthday cakes now.

3.

Tuesday Talk: Slang…keeping up with the cool kids!

4.

Thursday Thoughts: Kids…and the stages of parenting kids when they were little and now as teens.

5.

Let’s Look: Fave Amazon Finds (close to 1,000 views)

6.

Puppy Love - A post all about the dogs I’ve loved in my life.

7.

Greenville, SC trip recap. We loved visiting this town for spring break.

8.

Workout Diaries all about my workouts in April.

9.

All about Oaks and Derby…a favorite tradition in May!

10.

Camp packing list . Since Hadley has gone to camp quite a few summers, this was a fun post of ideas of how she preps for camp.

11.

Not Just a Mom: How We Became Moms Not only did I love writing this post, I enjoyed reading all the other bloggers’ posts who linked up with us.

12.

A travel recap with the 50 states list. This was a blog post that I thought would be a quick one to write. Boy was I wrong! I really enjoyed this trip down memory lane through and all the states I’ve visited through the years.

13.

Hadley’s Hair Tutorial – heatless curls. Hadley showed us step by step how she uses the heatless curlers for her hair.

14.

Friday Favorites/Summer Recap in August. I love a good recap. We had a busy but different summer in 2023.

15.

TV Tuesday: Childhood TV Shows. This was a blast from the past. Also, recently, I’ve found Who’s the Boss? on Hulu, and I’ve loved watching those episodes.

16.

After a week at the beach, I shared a Fall Break Recap. We had fun in the sun with our friends.

17.

Tuesday Talk – All about the Holidays . I loved writing this post and thinking about how we celebrate holidays through the year.

18.

Right before Thanksgiving, I wrote a Thanksgiving Fun post about activities, recipe, tablescapes and more.

19.

I shared all about the Shutterfly ornaments that I ordered with the kids’ Christmas and Santa pics through the years. It was a fun trip down memory lane.

20.

I also had fun with the ABC’s series – summer, fall, winter.

Bonus:

I loved our trip to Julep Farm, and that trip recap is filled with so many pretty pictures and details about that beautiful property and surrounding areas.

Weekly Recap:

A week of recaps…and one more favorite post that I write every year is when I share the books I read and my top 5 favorites…

Christmas Recap + Memes
2023 Books

I have one more “recap” to go! Come back on Monday when I take a look back on 2023 as we kickoff 2024.

Until then…Happy New Year!

Posted in Friday Favorites, Holidays

Friday Favorites {#188}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

How was your week? Ours was a good one, and we’ve started out break just as busy as when we are in school. Hayden has had basketball, Hadley has had volleyball, and we’re trying to squeeze in last minute holiday fun before we run out of time to do so!

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

This is Friday Favorites: Festive Edition!

Here are some favorites from the week:

This is my first ever Pink Lily purchase…how cute is Hadley’s “Merry” sweatshirt?

Over the weekend, my Life in Lilac candle arrived. The gold Holiday Dreams candle is so pretty and festive.

Hadley and friends started off break having the best afternoon on Wednesday. There are close to twenty girls who are all really good friends. One of the moms is a SAINT and organized an afternoon with pizza for lunch, a Secret Santa gift exchange, and then ice skating!

What a sweet group of girls!

They had the best afternoon.

Hadley and I baked our last batch of Christmas cookies yesterday afternoon. Once she got home from volleyball, we made Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle cookies.

They turned out perfectly.

(Hayden and Travis were in Louisville for most of the day at the UK/UL basketball practice before the big rivalry game last night.)

This sweet memory from 2014 popped up…Hayden told me he was wrapping gifts for kids who weren’t getting lots of presents. Such a sweet sentiment…

…and yesterday afternoon, we participated in Operation Secret Santa. We’d never done this before, but you sign up for a shift to shop for kids from the donated items and then deliver the presents.

No photo evidence, but Travis and Hayden were there too; they shopped for two of our five families before Hayden headed to basketball practice.

Let me tell you who is a really great shopper: Hadley White!

She was so good about prioritizing what each kid should receive and keeping it all organized.

We’ll deliver to the five families today.

Last night, after the Kentucky game was over, we *finally* made it to the horse park for Southern Lights.

I think this is the 19th year that we’ve gone to see the lights.

Social Media Faves:

Tis the season for all things festive…

This bookshelf looks right up my alley!

Y’all, this is what my Instagram search looks like. I get sucked into cookie decorating videos…haha.

That being said, I stumbled upon “The Folding Lady” (@thefoldinglady) on Instagram, and her reels are mesmerizing. Check her out!

Favorite Mom Meme:

Relatable….and now I’m sharing my Christmas cards on the blog (see below) before friends and family get them in the mail. I’m just getting it done however I can.

Weekly Recap:

Here are my posts from the week:

Weekend Top 5
2023 Workouts
The ABC’s of Winter

Merry Christmas!

I feel like a theme this year, but especially these past couple of months, has been living day to day and doing my best to get accomplished whatever I can whenever I have time to do so.

Apparently, that “lifestyle” is now applying to my Christmas cards…that finally arrived…yesterday. (*sigh*)

So, I will be working on getting those out today…and I guess most will receive them by December 26. It’s the thought that counts, right?

That being said,

Merry Christmas…

…from my family to yours…

I know the holidays aren’t joyous for all. My thoughts and prayers are with those who are sad, sick, anxious, and/or struggling this season.

I have some posts planned for next week, so see you then!

As always, thank you for reading…and Merry Christmas.