Category: Friday Favorites

Posted in Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#210}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

This was a good, solid first full week of summer for us!

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

Here are some favorites from the week:

Honestly, this post might be a bit boring…but that means I’ve been able to get some things done to kickoff summer.

I organized my bathroom, got an oil change, finished some school stuff, the kids had dental cleaning appointments, I got some workouts in as well as a few other things.

A couple of days this week I’ve spent a couple of hours at the pool. It’s been nice to read, chat with mom friends, and relax a bit.

I started a new show on Hulu…Under the Bridge. While watching the first episode, I wasn’t sure if I’d like it, but then I was hooked. I only have two more episodes to go.

I started the week downloading the Habit app just to have some simple goals for the summer.

My daily goals/habits are: workout (4-5 days a week), drink 80 oz of water every day, aim for 100g of protein daily, and read for 30 minutes.

Most of my “to do” list for the summer includes tidying up some spaces. I had three tubs in my bathroom: one for my skincare stuff, one for lotion, air freshener, etc. and then one more for extras like when I buy new shampoo and conditioner but don’t need it for a while.

I decided to put all of my skincare and lotion in this organizer, and then I just have one bin under my sink for extras and things I don’t need very often.

I made it all work, and it’s made my morning and nighttime routines a bit easier.

Hadley came to school with me, and helped me finish up my classroom on Monday. Afterwards, we went to Sonic, and I got a Diet Cherry Limeade with Nerds.

(old pic, but we’ve been on a Sonic kick lately….nothing says “summer” more than a Cherry Limeade)

I love “snack plates” for lunch in the summer.

This orzo pasta salad from Trader Joe’s is so good. One of my favorite lunches from last summer was a thin bagel, just a little veggie cream cheese, thinly sliced cucumbers and a sprinkle of salt. So good!

Finally! My Trader Joe’s finally had peonies. I hope to get another bouquet or two before they are gone for the summer.

I made my book trackers for June, and they are saved in a highlight on Instagram. Feel free to use them to tell me what you are reading; don’t forget to tag me 🙂

Father’s Day:

We still have a little over a week until Father’s Day, but if you need a few ideas, I have been sharing some this week on Instagram. I have them saved in my “Amazon” highlight on Insta.

A few ideas include: smart garage control (Travis received this as a gift for Christmas, and we love it), Adidas sneakers, bird feeder with camera, grilling pans, Kanga cooler (one of Trav’s gifts last year), swim trunks and more.

Now, we need to get shopping for Trav. haha

Favorite Mom Meme:

I wish I didn’t relate to this meme…haha!

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:

This 2016 memory stopped me in my track…They’ll be driving real cars so enough!

Share Our Lives:

Well, it’s already time for our Share Our Lives link up. This month’s topic is: foods to make for someone else.

Weekly Recap:

I had a few posts this week:

Prime Purchases
May Workouts
Wednesday Hodgepodge
Summer Sundays #1

Well, this post was longer than I thought it would be for a “boring” week!!

I should have a Summer Sundays post this weekend too.

Thanks so much for reading, and I hope you have a great summer weekend!

Posted in Friday Favorites, Kids

Friday Favorites {#209}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

Well, the first Friday of summer sure hits different! I was very happy to not set an alarm last night…so that’s definitely a favorite of the week.

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

Here are some favorites from the week:

The kids had the middle school state track meet last Saturday.

When they came out of their rooms that morning, they were “twinning” in their t-shirts from the distance festival in honor of Trav’s dad. As Hadley likes to say, “Twin telepathy!” (while Hayden cringes!)

It was a hot day that started with an hour and a half thunder delay even though we never saw lightning or rain.

This season, Hayden qualified in the 1600, 800, and 3200. He ran the 1600 and placed 8th overall with a PR. He decided not to run the 800 in order to focus on the 3200, but his hip was bothering him. Overall, I know he was disappointed in the day, but I know he did his best.

Hadley qualified in the 200, 4×100, 4×200, and 4×400. She was very close to a PR in the 200, but her relay team shined in all three relays. They set school records in all three relays, and their 4×400 came in 4th out of 65 teams.

It was a long day (we were gone for over 12 hours), but we had dinner out on the way home, and then they let me snap their pic with their medals before we all cooled off, showered, and went to bed.

I can’t believe their middle school track “careers” are over, but I know they will have a lot of fun competing in high school track too.

The kids’ 8th grade promotion ceremony was Tuesday night, and it was a really nice celebration of them and their 230 classmates. It was nice seeing everyone dressed up and supporting each other.

They’ve made some really great friends and some wonderful memories these past three years…but I’m guessing the best is yet to come!

After their ceremony, we went out to dinner with friends, and then they had some ice cream cake.

Wednesday night, a lot of the 8th graders got together for a pool party.

The weather was cooler, so they mostly ran around and played volleyball and pickleball, but it was a fun way to wrap up middle school.

New Fave Find:

Amy has shared about the Chobani, and my Kroger had this flavor. It’s so good!

Yesterday, Travis and Hayden traveled to St. Louis for Hayden to run in the Hoka Distance Festival. He ran in this race last year, and had such a good time. I’d hoped to join them, but with the busyness of this past week and some end of the school year responsibilities, I just couldn’t make the trip happen.

Overall, I think Hayden was pleased with his performance. I think that was his last official race as a middle school runner! Hard to believe.

After his race, they stayed and watched the high school runners and professionals which Hayden really enjoyed last year as well. Hoka puts on a great event that’s a fun experience for the runners.

Fave Follow:

I have a new favorite influencer to follow. @bobbiwiththeeye on Insta! She shares lots of “day in the life” as well as cute and affordable clothes and other products. Go check her out.

Favorite Mom Meme:

This meme is probably the most relatable one I’ve ever seen! I also feel this deeply as a teacher. haha

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:

Look at my little daredevil back in 2015. She was always on the playground doing tricks, and saying “Look mom, no hands!”

Weekly Recap:

I had a little bit of everything this week.

Share 4 Somethings
May Books
Summer Reading
Last Days of 8th grade

What are your weekend plans? I need desperately to get caught up on my life. I want to take this weekend to relax a little but to also get caught up on laundry, empty out my school bag, run some errands, meal plan and more. I feel like I’ve been “winging” it the past couple of weeks, and that’s not my best self!

Hopefully, I can start reading some of my summer books and relax a bit too.

See you back here on Monday!

Posted in Friday Favorites, Kids

Friday Favorites {#208}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

How was your week? Overall, ours was pretty good. It helped having Tuesday off to regroup after a busy weekend.

That being said, the end of the school year activities are in full force, and the alarm clock is officially a nuisance.

Of course, I had some favorites this week, so I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.

Here are some favorites from the week:

Last Friday, was the end of season county championship track meet for our district. So, only middle schools in our district had teams running. Unfortunately, the first half of the meet was rainy. Hadley ran the 4×200 and 400 in the rain, and Hadey ran the 1600 in a steady rain as well.

Hadley was battling some nerves, but both kids ran great. Hayden won the 1600 and 3200 while Hadley placed 6th in the 400 and 7th in the 200, and her relay teams placed 2nd in the 4×400 and 3rd in the 4×200. Her 4×400 relay is in the top 5 in the state.

For the second half of the meet, the rain stopped. Yay!

It was a long meet and a late night, but they collected their hardware before we left.

Hadley was up bright and early on Saturday for volleyball. She got to play libero again, and she was excited for that opportunity. This was the last tournament of club season. They went 3-0 on Saturday, and won their first two games on Sunday which put them in the championship game of the gold bracket.

While they did lose that game, they earned a medal for 2nd place, and went 5-1 on the weekend. It was a great way to end club season.

She’s had the best experience with great coaches and amazing teammates, so it was extra special to end on a high note.

In my Mother’s Day recap, I shared about the ferns we got for the front porch. Travis noticed there was a nest with an egg in one of them on Saturday, and then on Sunday when I took a peek, there were two eggs. Now, there are four eggs!

It wouldn’t be summer without a nest in my fern for a bit!

I’ve had a Sonic diet cherry limeade twice this week. Tuesday, we didn’t have school (definitely a favorite) for election day. It was nice to ease into the day, but we were pretty busy for the rest of the day.

The kids did a workout on my school’s track, and I went to vote. After the workout, we went to Sonic. They got lunch and slushies, and I got a Diet Cherry Limeade. It certainly hit the spot.

A local church brought Sonic drinks to us yesterday as a way to support our school, and we appreciated the love.

Yesterday, Hadley came home with her artwork and pieces from art class this semester. She drew Homer, and a self-portrait and made a cup and coaster as well. I love seeing her creations.

Favorite Clothes:

I’m officially trying to wear some of my favorite outfits the past couple of weeks of school.

I wore a cardigan with the dress below, but had taken it off for the pic.

I told you I’m loving my new Target sandals. I’ve been wearing them often (and see the above three pics as proof!)

Trader Joe’s:

Amy messaged me that Trader Joe’s has their Brazil Nut Body Butter out, and I missed out on it last summer. So, I headed to TJ after school on Wednesday and stocked up! (along with a few other items)

And…how cute is this little plant? It’s the perfect touch for the stand on my island tray.

Favorite Meal:

Well, I don’t have a picture of it, but we had chicken sandwiches the other night, and they were a hit.

It was basically Chick-fil-A dinner at home. I used these chicken patties from Aldi, and then put them on a brioche bun with pickles and CFA sauce. I made waffle fries in the air fryer. It was a quick and easy dinner that everyone loved.

Favorite Mom Meme:

This right here…

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:

Well, in honor the kids having their 8th grade promotion ceremony next week, here’s a flashback to 5th grade graduation three years ago.

Where does the time go?

Weekly Recap:

Here are my posts from the week:

May Memes
Summer Sandals
Middle School Recap

*side note: When I shared my summer sandals post, I mentioned the Instagram Reel that Hadley helped me create. I said if it got 1,000 views, maybe I’d pay her $10 for her time and effort. Well, the reel gained a little traction with more than 1k views. This is a small feat for a small time blogger who rarely posts on Instagram. haha

I guess I better go find some cash!

What are your weekend plans? As I mentioned in Tuesday’s post, it’s been a hard couple of weeks at school. This week has felt really somber and even stressful sometimes as the school year wraps up.

I hope to find some time to relax a bit as we head into the week with 8th grade graduation (cue the tears!) and finish up the school year.

As always, thanks for reading.

Posted in Friday Favorites, Kids

Friday Favorites {#207}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

Fridays in May just hit different. I feel like we’re crawling to the finish line of the school year!

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

Here are some favorites from the week:

The 8th grade dance!

Y’all, I know. I know. I’ve shared lots of dance photos this year, but those were the four cotillion dances. Friday night’s 8th grade dance is the only school dance of the year.

Friday night, Hadley & Co. were ready to mingle with their classmates. The theme was “Vegas” hence the “little black dress” attire. Of course, kids could wear whatever they wanted, but these girls leaned in to black dresses.

I still had store credit, so Hadley got another cute dress from Hello Molly.

They danced the night away, got Chick-fil-A on the way home, and had a great time.

Meanwhile…

Travis and I were with Hayden at a track meet in Louisville. Hayden ran in the “Dream Mile” which is a race with the top 16 middle school milers in the state.

It was a beautiful evening to watch him run.

He has gotten to know most of these guys over the past couple of years from cross country and track. It’s neat to see them chat beforehand, run together, and support each other, while exhausted, at the end of the race.

It was a fast race and the pace was pushed; Hayden had a 4 second PR…4:48 mile.

Mother’s Day was great! After a busy Friday night and Saturday, Sunday was a bit more low-key. I appreciated the gifts, the family time, and then sunshine!

I’m loving my new candles for spring. I think Summer Rose Bud is my favorite.

Favorite Mom Meme:

This has been an issue for quite some time. haha

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:

The end of the school year means field day in elementary schools. I used to love that day.

When I was in the 4th grade, I was on crutches at the end of the year, and couldn’t participate in field day. I was so bummed.

The past few years, my kids have had the middle school version of field day. At least they’ve been able to get outside and have fun for a bit with their friends. They also usually sign years book on that day which is fun.

Flashback to elementary field day.

Weekly Recap:

Here are my posts from the week:

Share Our Lives
Mother’s Day Recap
Wednesday Hodgepodge

What are your weekend plans?

These two have a track meet. I ordered their individual track pics, and when I opened my email, the photographer had also made one of them together!

Hadley has her last volleyball tournament this weekend, and otherwise, we might get outside if the weather allows!

I hope you have a great weekend,

Posted in Friday Favorites, Traditions

Friday Favorites {#206}: Kentucky Oaks

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

Wow! This week feels like it flew by. Honestly, we had less going on in the evenings thanks to some rain, but this week still really seemed like a quick one.

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

Well, I never got around to sharing about the Kentucky Oaks races last Friday, so that’s what today’s blog post is all about!

It’s definitely a favorite tradition.

In true Jen fashion, I like to wait until the last minute to figure out what I’m going to wear.

By now, I have a few fascinators in my collection (and a friend who is always willing to share what she has), but I picked up this bright pink one at Macys on Thursday. My dress is the “Tatum” from Shop Style Your Senses, and my purse and heels are Amazon.

A quick selfie before my friends picked me up.

Travis always goes to the Thurby (Thursday before Derby) races, so he’s already in Louisville.

We met up with him and headed to Churchill Downs. I was very nervous about the weather because our seats were at the first turn and not covered! There were some showers throughout the day, but it ended up being overcast more than rainy.

Midway through the day, there is a “survivors walk” for the Breast Cancer survivors, and pink is definitely the color theme for Oaks.

The “Lily” is the drink of the Kentucky Oaks.

My friend Megan!

Overcast skies and a sloppy track!

After a few races, we walked around a bit and got a bite to eat. After Covid, the food and drinks are all inclusive with the ticket which makes everything so convenient.

We found a covered seating area because it started to rain a bit. Then, we walked around a bit more.

The new paddock area is amazing. We walked around up top…

I didn’t get a picture on my own, but ESPN shared this one on Facebook. The paddock area is really pretty!

After that, we met up with some friends and then made our way to a covered box. One thing about Travis is that he will always figure things out, and he found us some seating where we would for sure stay dry.

We watched the rest of the races, and had a few more drinks and food. They had cheesecake on a stick…but I forgot to get a pic! It was so good.

We snapped a group pic…

…before I placed a bet on Gin Gin in the Kentucky Oaks.

She did not win (win!).

After that race, it was time to head home. We knew traffic would be crazy, and we needed to get home to check on the kids.

The main rain happened right as we were leaving…enough so that Megan and I pulled out our ponchos for the walk to the car. Every year, we get pretty lucky with parking as one of Trav’s clients owns a parking lot right by the track, but it’s still a bit of a walk. This was the first year, I brought some sandals to wear when not wearing heels, and I’m glad I did. I wore my sandals for the walk to and from the car, and that made all the difference in the world.

I wish that I’d gotten a pic of us wearing our ponchos. haha

We navigated traffic and made it home around 8:00. After we checked on the kids, the four of us went out to dinner which was nice. Then, we were ready to be home and go to bed.

I’ve been to Oaks off and on through the years, but I think this was my fourth Oaks in a row. It’s a fun tradition that I’m glad we make happen.

Derby:

Derby on Saturday was so low-key that I don’t even have any photos.

Did you see the photo finish though? What a race!

We took it easy most of Saturday which was so nice. Trav’s boss called with two tickets to Derby, but we were so tired (and besides Thursday and Friday, Travis was in Louisville on Wednesday too). Also, Hayden had a race, so we made the decision to stay home.

Travis watched the races, placed a few bets and made some work calls throughout the day.

After Hayden’s race, we headed to our friends’ house as they hosted a little neighborhood get together.

Overall, it was a low-key day which was very much needed after a long Friday.

Per usual, my mom hosted her Kentucky Derby party back in KC, and had quite the turn out. She’s collected some cute Derby decorations through the years. The pics are always fun to see with the winners and their money and the losers with their loser cups. haha

Oaks and Derby are definitely fun traditions here in the Bluegrass State!

Share Our Lives:

On Monday, we have our monthly Share Our Lives post. This month’s topic is “5 Favorite and Least Favorite Foods.” We’d love to have you join us.

Weekly Recap:

Here are my posts from the week:

Prime Purchases
Teacher Talk Tuesday
Let’s Look

What are your weekend plans?

We have a busy Friday night, but then not too much going on tomorrow. Sunday is Mother’s Day, and I’m hoping we can go to church and maybe out for lunch.

As always…

I hope you have a great weekend.

Posted in Books and Shows, Friday Favorites, Kids

Friday Favorites {#205}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

How was your week? We had amazing weather, but I feel like the temps heated up quickly! It was nice to be outside a bit more, go for walks, and enjoy some time on my front porch.

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

Here are some favorites from the week:

Well, I know I share about track every week, but this really is a fun season (of track…and of life), and I can’t say enough how much I love that track is the one thing they both still do.

Friday night, I got this sweet pic of Hadley cheering Hayden on as he ran the 3200, finishing with a state qualifying time.

Don’t get me wrong…there are many times they don’t get along, but I do think they encourage each other more often than not.

Hadley has had her eye on the prize trying to run a state qualifying time in the 200m, and she’s accomplished that the past couple of meets.

Friday night was a late one, but my mom got this pic of the kids after the meet, and I think it’s a good one!

The last cotillion dance was a fun one! Hadley’s dress was my favorite one she’s worn so far. It’s the “fun is calling” dress from Hello Molly, and it comes in a variety of colors.

The moms of the girls in this group have shared some dress stories…some dresses never arriving, wrong material, not what they ordered, etc.

Thankfully, for these dances, we’ve had lots of luck from Hello Molly and Lulus. (FYI for returns, Lulus will give you a full refund if return within the window of time…but Hello Molly only does store credit. Believe me, I learned that the hard way. haha)

I stopped by Aldi’s for a few snacks, and this “charcuterie party platter” was a hit.

My mom came to visit last week, and we celebrated her birthday a bit early. I was going to order a bundt cake, but I thought an ice cream cake from Baskin Robbins sounded good.

It was pretty and tasted delish.

Smiles and ready for cake…

I shared some new book trackers and added them to my Instagram highlight.

These have been a fun and creative outlet for me.

Feel free to use them to share what you are reading! Tag me if you do. 🙂

Here are a couple that I made for this month:

How cute is my SSYS dress?

I ordered this in early spring, and I was excited to wear it yesterday now that the weather is warmer. It’s the “Taylor” dress, and while sizes do seem limited, there are a few colors. I wear my typical size large, so I think they do a great job running true to size with what they design.

Favorite Mom Meme:

Honestly, I am surprised that I don’t feel like we have more laundry than we do. Sunday continues to be laundry day, and everyone usually has one load. One thing that still is an issue is getting the laundry put away! The kids put their own clothes away, but tend to be on their own timelines for that. haha!

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:

I’m sure I share this every year, but the week of Derby is big around here…even at school…especially elementary schools.

The kids made these hats in kindergarten, and were so excited to show them to me when they got home.

Weekly Recap:

Here are my posts from the week in case you missed one:

Monday Memes
Cotillion Recap
April Books
April Workouts

What are your weekend plans?

We have a slight break from sports this weekend, but today is the Kentucky Oaks, and tomorrow is the “most exciting two minutes in sports” is when the Kentucky Derby horses “run for the roses.”

Have a great weekend.

Posted in Friday Favorites, Kids

Friday Favorites {#204}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

How was your week? Ours was good, but I think the end of the school year fatigue is setting in!

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

Here are some favorites from the week:

Track meets!

Friday night, Hayden ran in a very competitive mile race in Louisville during the Eastern Relays meet.

Hayden came in 3rd with a PR for the mile.

Since I wasn’t there, and Travis is too busy cheering/coaching him, I loved seeing some professional photos of the race.

Hayden sent me this pic which made me smile.

While Travis was with Hayden in Louisville, Hadley was running in a meet in Lexington. She ran the 400 and had a PR as well as the 4×200 which had a state qualifying time. The Friday night track meets can go past 10:00, so we were happy she was finished running by 8:30.

On Monday night, she ran the 100m dash for the first time ever, and won her heat and came in 3rd overall. She was happy with that run.

Over the weekend, she had a volleyball tournament. Her coach had her play libero for the first time, and Hadley was excited for that opportunity. She typically plays back row, but the libero can be subbed in and out with more freedom and gets to play a bit more.

Her team saw some tough competition, but still made it to the gold bracket. They had a fun weekend.

I saw this on Facebook, and loved it. What a cute idea for a book display this time of the year.

My trusty slow cooker that I’ve had for years had to be replaced. The insert cracked quite a while ago, but it was finally time for a new one. I ordered this one for Drew Barrymore’s Walmart line, and so far I like it.

I drink a few protein shakes a week, and I usually stick with the Premier Protein brand. We’ve tried Core Power recently, and the kids like it too. Honestly, the chocolate tastes like chocolate milk…so good, so we ordered a couple of packs from Amazon since our Kroger doesn’t always have it.

Travis and I were able to get to Keeneland yesterday afternoon which was nice. The temps were cool, but the sun was shining…and he “broke even” on the day which is a win in my book. 😆

Remember the Lego flowers I gave Hadley for Valentine’s Day because she thought they’d be cute in her room?! Turns out…Hadley doesn’t like putting the Lego flowers together. My mom saved the day. The bouquet turned out really cute.

Favorite Mom Meme:

Well, this one doesn’t make me laugh…but it is relatable. *sigh*

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:

This pic from 2014 has always been a fave. Hadley having no boundaries…and Hayden wishing she had some!

Weekly Recap:

Here are my posts from the week in case you missed one:

ABC’s of Spring
Wednesday hodgePodge
Monthly Musings

What’s been the best part of your week? See you back here on Monday!

Posted in Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#203}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

This week, I feel like we’ve gotten into more of a routine which has been nice, but we all definitely have school-itis…and are ready for the weekend.

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

Here are some favorites from the week:

The kids’ track season is finally in full swing.

Last Friday night, the kids had their first meet (after the first two modified meets were cancelled) in the cold temps! I had to wear my heaviest winter coat and gloves most of the time!

Per tradition, I got a quick pic before we headed to the meet.

What a night. They ran four races. Hayden had two PR’s and state qualifying times in the 1600 and 800. Hadley ran the 200 and 400 and had a PR and state qualifying time in the 400.

Hadley and I left before Hayden’s last race because it was getting late and she had a volleyball tournament the next morning.

At an invitational meet, the top three athletes in each event get medals. The kids got them earlier this week. Hadley was 3rd in both of her events, and was excited to show me her medals. Hayden’s medals are in the bottom of his backpack, I’m sure.

Hadley’s volleyball team played well this past weekend.

They played on Saturday and Sunday and ended up the runners up in the gold bracket. We still have a few tournaments left, but this club season is close to wrapping up.

The highlight of my weekend was going to my friend Sarah’s wedding. It was so nice to be reunited with friends and celebrate Sarah and her new husband on their big day.

The difference in weather in less than 24 hours was incredible. It was a beautiful day filled with sunshine.

Hadley and Sarah’s daughter have been friends since birth. Their birthdays are five days apart, and they grew up going to the same sitter until they started school.

The boys were busy, so we had a girls’ day at the wedding.

After Hadley’s volleyball games on Sunday, she went to Rupp Arena with friends for the press conference for the new UK basketball coach, Mark Pope. She had a good time.

We had more track this week with beautiful weather on Monday and Wednesday for their meets.

Hadley ran the anchor leg of the 4×100, and they ran a qualifying time for state and were close to breaking the school record.

Needless to say, we’ve had fun watching them run, and the season has just started.

On Wednesday, the kids had their annual checkups. Since they were little, we’ve always gone for ice cream afterwards. They didn’t let me forget this treat.

Last night, Hayden’s coach had the basketball banquet to wrap up the season. While the season has been over for a bit and a few couldn’t make it, it was nice to celebrate the boys one more time.

They ended up in the gym hooping it up at the end, but did let us get one more pic. These boys are a special group for the coach because his first year was as their 6th grade coach, and now he’s the head coach.

Favorite Mom Meme:

Y’all, this week has been hard. While we are in a good routine, we are tired in the morning.

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:

On the left, was the first track meet of the kids’ 6th grade season. Of course they are older and look different, but obviously Hayden has changed quite a bit! They’ve grown into those jackets.

Weekly Recap:

After a slow start to the week, I had a couple of posts towards the end:

DC Part 3
Thursday Thoughts

What are your weekend plans? We have more track and volleyball on the schedule, but I am thankful that we don’t have to wake up super early tomorrow.

Thanks for reading,

Posted in Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#202}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

TGIF! We survived the first week back after break. Of course, it helped that we didn’t have school on Monday! We did have a good week, but it was a rainy one around here.

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

Here are some favorites from the week:

Monday was the Solar Eclipse day, and it was nice to have one more day of break. I guess because of the eclipse, we didn’t have school. One of Hadley’s best friends had her birthday party that day, and these girls had lunch while viewing the eclipse and then enjoying some cake! I think they had a great time.

Meanwhile…Hayden and I kept checking out the eclipse as the sun dodged in and out of the clouds. We were finally able to catch the eclipse a couple of times. Our area was at 96% coverage, and it was neat to see.

I saw this meme on Monday, and it made me laugh!

Hayden was “bored” the other day and organized our fridge. He sent this pic to our family group text:

Of course, I appreciate the effort, but I told him to maybe check out his bedroom too. haha

Also, please don’t judge the White Claw/Truly inventory. Most of these are from last summer. haha

He even unpacked my favorite snacks!

One of the things on my spring break “to do” list was to watch We Were the Lucky Ones on Hulu. I loved the book, and it was one of my Top 5 reads in 2021.

The series is so good, and I’m caught up on the episodes. There are two more to go I think.

Before our DC trip, I bought some new tennis shoes. My back was starting to bother me a bit, and when that happens, I usually realize that my tennis shoes are over a year old. I can say after logging many miles walking around DC and doing some at home workouts this week, I really do like these shoes.

I got mine at DSW, but I couldn’t find them on the website, but found them on the New Balance site.

It’s track season, and I was hoping to be able to say that the kids out running on the track is a favorite but… the first meet was supposed to be on Wednesday, and it was rained out. Yesterday was supposed to be the second meet of the season, but it was also rained out.

Fingers crossed the rain moves out by tonight’s invitational meet.

Favorite Mom Meme:

When they take out the trash without me asking, I know something is up! haha

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:

I feel like I went my whole life without ever hearing about a solar eclipse, but my kids have experienced two in a matter of seven years.

The 2017 solar eclipse was spent making crafts and hanging with friends after school was called off.

No crafts for the 2024 eclipse although now I’m realizing that was a missed opportunity!

Weekly Recap:

I had a full week of posting:

Share Our Lives
DC Recap part 1
Let’s Look
DC Recap Part 2

What are your weekend plans? Besides track on the calendar, Hadley has a volleyball tournament this weekend, and we have a wedding to attend. Thankfully, I think the sun is actually going to shine this weekend.

Thanks for reading,

Posted in Friday Favorites, Holidays, Travel

Friday Favorites {#201}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

Well, the last Friday of break sure hits different.

That being said, I am happy to be home and sleeping in my bed after a few nights away for spring break.

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

Here are some favorites from the week:

This is basically “Friday Favorites: Easter/DC Edition” recapping last weekend and then sharing a couple of pics from our few days in DC.

Easter:

Last Saturday morning the kids dyed a dozen eggs per tradition. They still have a good time doing this…but I’m the only one that eats hard boiled eggs. haha

Saturday evening, we went to our friends’ house for dinner and egg hunt for the kids.

I brought pasta salad and this cute cake from Kroger.

There are plenty of little kids in this group, so the big kids were warned to not hog all the eggs…but everyone had a good time.

Sunday morning, I put the kids’ Easter baskets out. When they woke up, they looked for the eggs, had breakfast, and went through their Easter baskets.

Then, we went to church. My favorite part of Easter service is when the little kids walk down the aisle to flower the cross.

The dogwoods (I think?) were in bloom this year (they weren’t last year!), so we took a couple of pics…

…a family one too…before heading home.

We packed up the car and drove to Charlottesville, VA to pit stop for the night.

On the drive, I made my April book trackers, and saved them to an Instagram highlight. Here’s one of them:

DC:

We were in DC Monday-Thursday, and had a great time. Shew! DC is a lot of work – planning, walking, etc…but we did a lot.

We took a night time monument tour Monday night.

The cherry blossoms were still in bloom, and Hadley snapped this pic on rainy Wednesday.

I’m sure I will recap our trip. We were able to see quite a bit, but, of course, there is still so much more to see and do.

*While we were gone, our area got severe storms with confirmed tornadoes nearby. All is good in our neck of the woods, but others close by lost power and had trees down. I received a few messages; thanks for checking in.

Favorite Mom Meme:

Today, all I’m asking of my kids is that they get their suitcases unpacked! I need to give myself that same pep talk.

Weekly Recap:

This week, I still had a few posts to share:

Prime Purchases
March Workouts
Pinned on Pinterest

Share Our Lives:

On Monday, we’re having our April Share Our Lives post. The topic is Favorite Make Up and Hair Products. We’d love to have you link up and join us.

What are your weekend plans? I’m going to savor the last few days of break. As much as I love a trip, you know I love getting back home. I hope to have some downtime to unpack and get my life in order as we prep to go back to school. That being said, we also have Monday off because of the eclipse.

Spring break…the gift that keeps on giving!