Category: Friday Favorites

Posted in Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#89}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello! How was your week? We had a good one. It was jam packed as usual, and I swear it took us a couple of days to recover from Halloween. Thankfully, we had no school on Tuesday, so that was definitely a favorite and gave us some time to catch up on errands and household chores!

Today, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika to share my favorites from each day.

Saturday:

Saturday, we went out to lunch before having a pretty relaxing afternoon at home. That evening, Hayden had a basketball game, and cousin Wyatt came to watch him play.

Hadley had a fun overnight at Great Wolf Lodge. While going there was probably a favorite for her, my favorite moment was when she arrived home! Of course, she was worn out and fell asleep on the couch at my brother’s house, but we were happy she was back home.

Sunday:

Sunday was a full and busy day. Again, we had family in town, went to church, and had a Halloween lunch. Then, of course, it was Halloween! Lots of trick-or-treating going on and tons of candy!

Monday:

Monday was a pretty typical Monday, but my favorite part was Hayden’s hyperbole homework. It made me laugh out loud!

Actually, another favorite part of Monday was staying up late to watch the Chiefs win on Monday Night Football. It was nice knowing I could stay up a bit later with no school on Tuesday.

Tuesday:

On Tuesday, I slept until 8:00! That never happens, even on the weekend. After sipping my morning coffee and watching a show, I decided to go to Michael’s to purchase another pencil tree. I got this one last year on sale (on Election Day!) for the sun room. Then, I moved it to my bedroom once we bought our real Christmas tree for the living room. We have a bigger artificial one that we used in the sun room last year. It was on its last leg, so we decided to toss it.

So, this is me–I have up two trees, and the rest of my house will remain full of pumpkins for a couple of more weeks. I just love the glow of a Christmas tree and figure, “Why not?!”

After my successful trip to Michael’s, I put up both pencil trees. One in the office off the living room (until we get the real tree) and then the other one in the sun room.

A few more notes about my favorite tree: its’s currently on sale, last year it sold out in a couple of weeks, teachers get an additional 10% off at Michael’s, and the Michael’s employee at check out said there’s a shortage of trees this year! Consider yourself warned 😉

While I was doing all of that, Hadley went roller skating with her friends!

That afternoon, we met my brother-in-law at a nearby park, so he could take Hayden’s cross country photos. Hayden missed out on the school xc photos when he was out with Covid. I can’t want to see how they turned out, but here’s a sneak peek:

That evening, Hayden had a basketball game which is always fun to watch.

Then, I finished up the day reading my book by the glow of tree.

Here’s what the one in the sun room looks like:

(I used a blanket as a tree skirt until my one from Amazon arrives)

Wednesday:

On Wednesday, I made a pit stop at one of my favorite places: the library! Hayden wanted to read the third Hunger Games book, and I had placed a hold on The Girls in the Stilt House.

That evening, I finished Not a Happy Family on my Kindle, and I enjoyed it.

Thursday:

Yesterday, I had my monthly facial and did dermaplane. It’s my favorite treatment! I had to miss my appointment last month because we were in the thick of Covid, so I was so happy for a little pampering yesterday afternoon (in between shuttling the kids here, there and everywhere!)

Favorite Mom Meme:

Haha! This meme made me laugh..

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

Afters seeing my Halloween post, my aunt remembered this photo of Hadley in my mom’s witch hat! I think this was probably 2012. Such a sweet memory.

One more fave:

Look at this exciting notification I received on my Word Press app! It still blows my mind that so many people stop by and read my posts! This is such a fun community. I’ve only been blogging for a little over two years, and I really do enjoy it, and I’ve “met” so many great people along the way.

Weekly Recap:

This week I had a few posts where I shared the books I read in October, my Amazon purchases over the past month, and a recap of Halloween!

October Books
November Amazon
Halloween Recap

One more thing before I go. Monday is our NJAM link up, and the topic is favorite small shops. I know I will share some of my favorite Etsy finds! This is the perfect time of the year to share these shops, and I try to “shop small” when I can.

We “fall back” this weekend, and I can’t wait!

Thanks so much for reading,

Posted in Friday Favorites, Holidays, Kids

Friday Favorites {#88}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Friday! I spent all of yesterday thinking it was Friday, so I’m glad that Friday is actually, finally here!

I have so much to share this week! As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.

Favorite Picture:

I shared in yesterday’s post about our trip to the orchard to get our pumpkins to carve. We were only there for a short period of time, but I’m glad we made it work!

Favorite Moment:

Hadley was an acolyte for the first time last Sunday. It was sweet to see her take on this role.

Favorite Food(s):

Amy shared her Greek bowl recipe, and I had to try it. Y’all, this dish is so good. I’ve had it three times in the past week. When she says not to skip the homemade tzatziki sauce, she’s not kidding. Fun Fact: I hate yogurt, so I was worried that I wouldn’t like the sauce…it’s so good! So good. (I skipped the tomatoes and olives because I don’t like those. I’m kind of picky about some things 😉

And…these: 🤣 {hashtag: balance}

I shared about this Pinterest Pumpkin Sugar Cookie recipe earlier this week. I made these on Sunday, and they didn’t last long at our house!

Other Faves:

Last Friday was so rainy and cool that we had the first fire of the year. Friday night was so nice. I was in my pj’s early (after the pumpkin patch), we had pizza for dinner, and I watched tv while enjoying a glass of wine. I went to bed pretty early too!

We had our “Spooky” dinner and carved pumpkins on Wednesday which are both favorite Halloween traditions.

Another favorite is seeing the kids do what they love…

Hayden has been having a good time with his new basketball team, and is really growing as a player. Also, I think he really is growing! Hadley doesn’t seem to be a head taller than him anymore!

Hadley had her first performance with her school dance team during halftime of the girls basketball game on Monday. Their routine was so fun, and she had a great time!

My favorite front yard trees are starting to show off! We have some rain coming through today, and I hope the leaves don’t all fall off. I want to enjoy this view for as long as possible.

It’s been Red Ribbon (Say No to Drugs) Week. Hadley has fully embraced the dress up days, and Hayden joined her on Tuesday…”I’m too smart for drugs…” Dress up in your favorite college shirt or your favorite career clothes.

Hadley and friends were so cute on Wednesday…”Travel with your pack drug free.” You and your pack of friends dress alike. Doesn’t every tween girl have black leggings, a black t-shirt, and a colorful tutu on hand?!?

It’s been fun seeing her excited about all of these middle school activities.

Also, Hadley and a couple of friends went to the Fall Festival at her friend’s church on Wednesday. They had lots of fun, and she brought home some candy!

giraffe, elephant, and waffle!

Favorite Mom Meme:

I definitely used to be the mom who would bring the cute homemade treat, but I must have outdone myself during the primary years because once the kids hit intermediate grades, this was me:

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

I think I probably share these around Halloween every year, but I always get a kick out of looking back on what the kids were each year.

Seriously, Hayden still doesn’t know what he will be this year because I keep saying no to “killer clown!”

(Batman and Robin in 2013 are my favorite costumes for the kids!)

Weekly Recap:

I had a busy blogging week. Memes, all about my teaching career, pumpkin cookies and pumpkin fun!

October Memes
Teacher Talk Tuesday
Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
Pumpkin Fun

I hope you have a great weekend and a very Happy Halloween.

Posted in Clothes, Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#87}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Friday! This week has felt like an eternity, but it’s been a good one. I swear it was Wednesday before I felt like I’d caught up from our busy weekend, and now we’re ready for another weekend! I’m not mad about it!

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

Favorite Photo:

There’s nothing better than Keeneland in the fall. We had so much fun with our friends (old and new) last weekend. I was worried it would rain, but the weather turned out to be perfect!

Favorite Moment:

We celebrated the kids’ 1st quarter report cards with the “You are Special” red plate a couple nights this week. We all weren’t sure what to expect with the first quarter of middle school, eight classes, and then being out for Covid/quarantine for two weeks. We expect A’s and B’s, and the kids delivered. Not going to lie…there were a couple of days they had to play major catch up with some missing work, but lessons were learned (literally and figuratively), and they pulled out great first quarter grades.

Favorite Clothing Item:

I have a couple of new favorite clothing items. I saw these boots from Walmart shared on Instagram, and I decided to buy them. I wore them twice last week. Once with this skirt, and new top from Target (I got it in gray and burgundy!), and then also to Keeneland paired with my dress from Amazon (seen in photo above, affiliate link).

*About the boot pricing: For quite a while size 9 were $40. All the sudden, the price, for size 9 only jumped to $70! I sized up to a 9.5 to get the $40 price, and they fit fine. Now, I see that size 9 are $52 while all the other sizes remain $40! Not sure what that’s all about, but I do love them, and I know I will wear them a lot.

I’m also loving this mock turtleneck sweater from Target. I bought it in this pretty coral color, and I wore it to school yesterday!

{please excuse my dirty mirror!)

Favorite Kid Quote:

I’ve previously shared that Hadley took a babysitting class over Fall Break. She now likes to point out possible choking hazards when she sees them! 😂*Also, Hadley had her first real sitting experience for family last Sunday, and she did a great job.

Favorite Food:

I’m still thinking about the sushi from OBC Kitchen last week!

Favorite Mom Meme:

This is 100% me.

Weekly Recap:

This week I had a few posts! I shared all about our busy weekend, my love for the Real Housewives, and my This or That answers for Halloween!

Weekend Wrap Up
Tuesday (TV) talk
This or That: Halloween Edition

I hope you have had a great week. I’m hoping we will make it to the pumpkin patch this weekend. Other than that, Hayden has a basketball game, and that’s about it!

Thanks so much for reading,

Posted in Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#86}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday! This week has been filled with school, activities, and a few other favorites.

After a busy week, I’m going to get right to the link up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.

I’ve ordered my favorite fall Starbucks drink a couple of times recently. I love a London Fog.

Our first post-quarantine activity was seeing Jungle Cruise over fall break. I’d been wanting to see it since the summer, but we never had time. While I was bummed we had to change our tentative Fall Break plans to go out of town, it was nice to be home and have time to do things we don’t normally have time to do.

This movie was so cute and fun, and I’d definitely see it again. We went to our favorite theater with the reclining chairs and full food menu. We all had our fill of popcorn, slushies, and candy. The kids were able to bring friends which was an added bonus!

I made my favorite fall recipe this week: Pumpkin Sausage Penne Pasta. It’s a family favorite this time of the year.

Over break, Hadley and her friend had time to take a babysitting class at the Y. They had a great time and passed the test at the end of class! (Later that evening, Hadley gave me her UK bead necklace to hold and reminded me that it’s a choking hazard for little ones! 😂I guess she was listening at the class!)

Homer snuggles are always a fave.

Hayden wanted me to take this pic because he knew Homer would look silly!

The CATS being 6-0 is definitely a favorite, especially for Hayden and Travis. We all tailgated on Saturday, but Travis and Hayden went to the game. They had lots of fun!

I had to reschedule my hair appointment due to our Covid issues, but I was so happy to see my hair girl on Sunday. There’s nothing better than a fresh cut and color!

Favorite Mom Meme:

This is me:

Bonus Fave(s): Flashback Friday

A few flashback faves:

This was a throwback to my childhood for sure!

The kids in October 2010 is such a fun memory. They used to scoot all over the house in these cars. Hayden has always been the more cautious kid 😉

And, the kids at Keeneland in 2012 is such a fun memory. Start ’em young at the track!

Weekly Recap:

I had two posts this week: our Not Just a Mom link up and a Three Things post about what we’ve each been up to recently.

Not Just a Mom
Three Things

I hope you have a great weekend! I’m excited because one of my college friends is visiting, so we have dinner and Keeneland plans. The kids have a few activities this weekend as well.

See you back here Monday!

Posted in Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#85}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Friday! Even more importantly….Happy October 1st!

I start getting serious about fall on September 1st. The autumnal equinox is September 22nd, but October 1st is the most official day for me because the weather should start cooling off, and the leaves on the trees will start changing soon.

Well, my first favorite is pretty obvious…

…but I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika to share the rest of my favorites this week.

Homer looking so handsome is a favorite. Although I felt like he was judging me during my workout.

*Funny Homer story: When I make pancakes, I always make a couple of little ones to give him. I made some on Wednesday, and put them on everyone’s plates. Well, I turned around and saw him sitting on the rug in the kitchen just looking at me (kind of like in the photo above). He was waiting patiently for his pupcake! I just know it. Hadley and I were laughing, and I can’t believe I almost forgot to make him one.

Another favorite was a visit from my mom’s dog Gus (and my mom). Gus is a good front porch visitor.

My front porch (and other decorations) continue to be a favorite. They bring a smile to my face when I pull up to our house.

Hadley made me this cute note! #shegetsme

Favorite Moment:

Saturday morning was dreary and I was tired. I needed some quiet in the chaos of life, and I loved my morning view.

Favorite Clothing Item:

Even though my Tigers keep losing, I’m loving my new MIZ sweatshirt from Sweet Momma Blair Etsy shop. I bought Hadley a sweatshirt from them last year as well as my KC Chiefs sweatshirt. You should check out the shop!…especially my Missouri and Kansas friends.

Favorite Mom Meme:

Am I right?!

That being said, I’m still fussing at them no matter how many countdowns I give them!

Favorite Amazon Purchase:

Is Hadley my daughter or what? She’s been a trooper this week, and I know she loves a seasonal sweatshirt as much as I do. This one from Amazon is so cute! We ordered her a women’s small, and she’s loved wearing it with shorts and leggings.

One more fave:

We received a couple of sweet porch drop offs. Our friends know us all too well. Hadley said, “Well, mom, the wine must be for you!” Treats for everyone!

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

This 2011 flashback is giving me all the feels. My kids used to love these motorcycles, and Hayden looks “bad to the bone” with his paci and bunny! 😂

I remember he was home sick this day which is why he was still in his pjs. We’d gone outside for some fresh air. Such a cutie!

Weekly Recap:

This week, I’ve shared some memes, my fall decorations (AKA my most favorite post of the year), and the one book I read this month along with what the kids have been reading too!

Monday Memes
Fall Decorations
September Books

I hope you have a great weekend! I’m looking forward to some cooler temps this weekend, and I might even make my first batch of chili! #Imsobasic!

{this post contains Amazon affiliate links…}

Posted in Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#84}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday! I’m so glad that it’s Friday. This week turned out to be more than I expected it to be, so I’m jumping right in to this week’s Friday Favorites.

Here’s a peek at some favorites from the week.

Favorite Pic:

Well, even though the Chiefs lost in a heart breaker Sunday night, my favorite pic from the week is still sweet Homer in his Chiefs scarf!

Favorite Moment:

My favorite moment from the week has to do with all things fall. I finally got a few touches of fall throughout the house, and I’m pleased with how everything turned out.

One of my favorite decorations is still my light up pumpkin that I got at Michael’s last year. I loved it so much that I purchased a second one for our bedroom last year too. This year, I picked up the small autumn berry wreath to add to my pedestal with fall candle.

I tried something different with the kitchen table this year with a new runner, some new cute pedestals from Hobby Lobby and pumpkins from Trader Joe’s.

My front porch is coming right along.

This year, I picked up mums from Trader Joe’s because I couldn’t resist the great price, and they were in cute baskets!

I also ordered the big mums in the planters from the kids’ school, and they arrived this week as well. Lastly, my front porch pillows that I ordered off Etsy seven years ago, needed to be tossed. I ordered this four pack of pillow covers from Amazon and used two for the porch and two for my sun room chairs.

Favorite Kid Quote:

My kids got in trouble earlier this week for not meeting my bedtime curfew for them. After a couple of days of no Xbox, Hayden said, “Mom, the punishment doesn’t really fit the crime.” I laughed and asked where he heard that saying. He said his social studies teacher says that sometimes! Good to know he’s listening at school.

Favorite Clothing Item:

Did you seem my Walmart post this week? So many favorite clothing items that I’m wearing on repeat, especially the crew neck sweatshirts!

Favorite Food:

With the cooler temps this week, I made two of our favorite meals for dinner: Pizza Pork Chops and Shay’s Chicken Tortilla Soup.

Favorite Trader Joe’s Find:

Lauren shared about her Trader Joe’s candles. In all my years going into Trader Joe’s, I’ve never known they had candles. When I went there last week for some of their mini pumpkins and gourds, I asked one of the employees if they had any candles…and she pointed me in the right direction. The Honeycrisp Apple was the only one they had in stock; I picked up two! Y’all, it smells so good!

Favorite Fall Quotes:

I love these quotes:

Just my favorite ways to think about fall!

Favorite Mom Meme:

My Gma sent me this, and I laughed…and can relate!

And this…I feel this one deeply.

Another Fave:

After three rainy days, yesterday was beautiful, and I was able to get out for a walk. I needed the fresh air.

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:

How about this memory from 2011? They look so alike in this pic….I’m either bribing them with a snack, or they might be looking at me like I’m a moron. #itstartedyoung

Weekly Recap:

I had three posts this week! I recapped the weekend, shared our Fall Fun List, as well as What I’ve been Wearing (all from Walmart).

Weekend Top 5
Fall Fun List
What I Wore Wednesday

What are your plans for the weekend? We have a cross country meet on tap and not much else. Remember when I said that last weekend, but ended up super busy? I think this week I actually do mean that we don’t have as much going on…and I’m here for it.

Thanks so much for reading,

{this post contains Amazon affiliate links…}

Posted in Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#83}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hey, hey, it’s Friday! We made it to the weekend. How was your week? We had a good one. This is the time of the year where Travis is very busy with work, so I’ve been extra busy taking the kids here, there and everywhere. It was a pretty normal week, but the kids also had an orthodontist appointment and Homer needed an allergy shot, so I felt like I was just driving from place to place!

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

Favorite Moment:

Hayden’s baseball team celebrated their season last Friday night. Even though we have a couple of tournaments left, they wanted to take advantage of the nice weather, and one of the coaches has a pool in his backyard! The boys ran around and then ate before meeting a pitcher on UK’s baseball team. Alex Degan is also the FCA representative for the the baseball team. He spoke to the kids about his sports career as well as his faith journey. Then, the coaches handed out trophies and awards before they had dessert and an evening swim!

Hayden’s team has been playing with the acronym SAFE in mind. Sportsmanship, Attitude, Fun, and Effort. We are so proud of Hayden because his coaches voted for him to receive the sportsmanship award. Hayden has had so much fun with this team, and any of them could have received that award. What a blessing that Hayden’s coaches saw that attribute in him and celebrated it.

We had a great night hanging out with the team and their families!

Favorite Pic:

I shared in yesterday’s post about Hadley’s troop wrapping up their Girl Scout careers on Sunday. It’s so sweet to see them all together. We all feel like these years have gone by in a blink. The girls deserved to be celebrated, and we had lots of fun doing so while reminiscing about all that they’ve accomplished through the years.

Favorite Food:

I made a quick trip to Trader Joe’s for a few things, and two of my fall favorites were in stock: pumpkin bagels and pumpkin cream cheese. Hadley loves the combo too.

Favorite Kid Quote:

We went to the UK/MU football game on Saturday. Dang it. My beloved Tigers were down early. After I said, “Ugh” Hadley said, “Well, be glad you’re sitting by me… I don’t understand football at all!” 😂 My Tigers made a comeback to tie it up late, but fell to the CATS in the end. I was happy that at least it was a close game!

Favorite Activity:

The UK/MU game was a favorite activity this week. After not being able to attend any games last year, we felt like we hadn’t been to Kroger Field in forever. We’ve been tail gaiting with the same friends, in the same spot for years. Some friends we see often anyway, but others we only see at the games.

I was outnumbered in my MIZZOU shirt…surrounded by CATS fans.

The kids had lots of fun before the game at the CAT walk. Later, Hayden and friends ran into a couple of basketball players, and Hadley took their pic!

Hayden was a crazy CATS fan in the game, and Hadley met up with her friend after the first quarter.

It was a beautiful night for some football. If only my Tigers could have won…

Favorite Mom Meme:

Two words: middle. school. 😅

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

On Wednesday, Travis and I celebrated twenty years of being together. We went on our first day on September 15, 2001. We went for a run on the MKT Trail in Columbia, Missouri followed by dinner at Bambinos.

Christmas 2002

Where has the time gone?!

Weekly Recap:

I had a few posts this week: our Not Just a Mom link up, a day in the life post, and a walk down memory lane for Hadley and her Girl Scout troop.

Not Just a Mom: Morning Routine
Day in the Life
Girl Scouts WRap Up

What do you have on tap for the weekend? We have a busy Saturday with not much on Sunday. I’ll take it!

See you back here on Monday.

Posted in Clothes, Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#82}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Friday! How was your week? Overall, we had a good one. It’s always nice when the week starts off with no work/school on Monday!

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

Favorite Moment:

Hayden has been running for the middle school cross country team. Hayden is definitely running with the big boys…there’s quite the difference in some 6th graders vs some 8th graders! Last Saturday, Hayden ran his first ever 4K (2.4 miles). You may remember that Travis was the kids’ coach for 4th and 5th grades at their elementary school. This is Hadley’s first year not running since she wants to focus on dance, so Travis has been helping Hayden on his off days and during the meets. I know he was so proud of Hayden’s effort. He was the second 6th grader to cross the finish line!

Favorite Clothing Item:

I was clicking around on Walmart looking for this jacket that someone had shared, and purchased this dress on a whim to get free shipping. #math

I wore it the other day to school, and love it. It’s perfect for spring, summer, transition to fall…and it’s only $9!

Favorite Food(s):

Hadley woke up at 10:00 on Sunday and requested IHOP for breakfast. It was a dreary and cool day, and IHOP actually sounded good. We got a round of crepes, pancakes, and French Toast. It definitely hit the spot!

Also, I picked up these frittatas at Trader Joe’s last week, and they are so good. There are two in the box, but I’ve just had one with some fruit a couple of mornings this week. I will definitely buy them again.

Other Faves:

Hayden’s been loving golf, and his first match was last Saturday. He was on a team with two friends, and they scrimmaged another group of three. I hope my kids always have fun in whatever they do, but golf is certainly more recreational for him, and it’s nice to see him just go out and play.

Hayden usually has a weekday race as well as a Saturday race. The weekday races are 3k, and Hayden ran a minute faster than last week’s 3k. While the weather was warm, it wasn’t 98 degrees like in previous weeks. Also, I can tell he’s finding his groove and feeling more confident.

Homer under the kitchen table is a favorite from the week. I moved the basement rug up and put it under the kitchen table, so I think he likes a softer place to rest!

Favorite Mom Meme:

My kids definitely ask for less things now, so my years of saying “No” must be paying off.

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

With the big MU vs UK this weekend, this flashback from 2012 is timely. My kids (especially Hayden) bleed blue now, but at least they were Tiger fans for a while.

2011

Weekly Recap:

This week I shared my (many) Amazon purchases, some of the shows and podcasts I’ve been enjoying as well as how I meal plan. Here are the posts in case you missed one:

Prime Purchases
Watching and Listening
Meal Planning

Also, Monday is our Not Just a Mom link up….

This month’s topic is morning routine. We’d love to have you join us!

Lastly, I’d be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the anniversary of 9/11 tomorrow. The world feels so heavy right now. There are times I feel anxious and sad. I remember feeling that way twenty years ago as well. The years may pass by, but I will never forget that day, how I felt, and the ones who lost their lives when the unimaginable happened.

C/o Fox Baltimore

See you back here on Monday,

Posted in Friday Favorites, Kids

Friday Favorites {#81}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Happy Friday! We made it to the (three day) weekend! I’m ready for it. We had a great week, but I’m ready for some downtime, which I think we will have on Sunday and Monday.

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

Today, I’m sharing some favorites from the week, day by day.

Saturday:

On Saturday, Hayden had his second middle school cross country race of the season. He ran 1.8 miles in the 98 degree heat, and was the second 6th grader to cross the finish line. He’s finding his stride (literally and figuratively) with racing with the big boys. We’re always proud of his effort!

Saturday night, Hadley spent the night at a friend’s house, and Travis was out with friends. Hayden ended his evening reading in bed with his mama! I love that he loves to read, and that he wanted to hang out with me. #wildsaturdaynight

Sunday:

I mentioned in Monday’s post that we had a long Sunday afternoon and late night of baseball. The first game was at 3:30, and his team was down 0-3. They just looked flat. Finally, two kids walked, and it was Hayden’s turn at bat. He had a solid single to center field, and drove in two runs. His team ended up winning and moved on to the next game.

They won that game, and ended up in the championship.

…and they won! It made the hour and a half drive home worth it 😉

His team is comprised of a great group of boys and wonderful coaches. They pray before and after each game, cheer each other on, and have so much fun together. I think we have one more tournament left. This season has been quite the commitment, but Hayden has grown so much as a player, and has had so much fun.

Monday:

Hadley had dance team tryouts for school last week, and on Monday night she found out she made the dance team. We had ice cream on Monday night to celebrate all the middle school milestones and achievements so far this year. (I told her that even if she hadn’t made the team, we would have ice cream because she tried her best and gave 100% of herself in the audition.)

Tuesday:

Thanks to Hurricane Ida, we had tons of rain all day on Tuesday, so Hayden’s cross country meet was canceled. While I wasn’t celebrating the fact that he didn’t get to run that evening, unexpected canceled plans on a rainy evening is always a favorite for me.

Wednesday:

Hayden earned the “You are Special” red plate last week, and Wednesday night was Hadley’s turn to be celebrated for dance. We even had her favorite dinner: salmon and Bob Evans mashed potatoes.

Thursday:

You know I love the library, and I had three books to pick up yesterday. I’m excited to read Yoga Pant Nation, and a friend recommended The View was Exhausting. I’m hoping to have time to read this weekend.

The kids are reading the first Hunger Games book for their reading class at school. They both seem to enjoy it, and Hayden already finished it. He requested book two in the series, so I was able to pick that up as well. I enjoyed the series when I read it a few years ago.

We had breakfast for dinner last night which is always a family favorite.

Other Faves:

The kids both received surprise balloons from sweet friends on the porch recently. Hayden, before cross country tryouts at the beginning of August, and Hadley, before dance tryouts last week. Such a fun surprise!

This sweet pic of Homer is a favorite from the week. He was being such a good boy!

Favorite Kid Quote:

In preparation for the upcoming basketball season, Hayden apparently Googled “ways to quickly grow taller.” He found yoga to be an answer and asked if I knew of any stretches to make him taller.

Then…

On Saturday, when I found Hayden in my bed reading his book, Homer was all snuggled up with him. Hayden said, “Homer and I are in a two person book club…even though Homer can’t read.” 😂

I don’t know where he comes up with these things, but Hayden was on a roll this week!

Favorite Mom Meme:

I can definitely relate to this meme…

Favorite Fall Quotes:

With the calendar officially turned to September, here are a few of my favorite fall quotes:

Tis the season for cooler temps and all things pumpkin!

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

How about this throwback from 2012 during one of the *many* times that Hadley was in timeout! Well, thankfully she doesn’t get in trouble very often now, but she can still roll those eyes…let me tell you!

Weekly Recap:

This week I shared some of the highlights from our weekend, the books I read in August, and a fun This or That post all about fall.

Weekened Top 5
August Books
This or That: FAll Edition

What do you have planned this weekend? Hayden has cross country and golf on Saturday, but we should have lots of downtime on Sunday and Monday.

I’m going to take Monday off from posting, so I will see you back here on Tuesday.

Take care,

Posted in Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#80}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Well, we made it to Friday! This was our first five day week of school, and we handled it pretty well! The kids started to have a little bit of homework this week, so I think middle school is starting to feel real for them 😉

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

I’m sharing a few favorites from the week, day by day.

Saturday:

On Saturday, I stopped by the cross country fundraising car wash. My car was all sparkle and shine after a wash for Hayden and his crew!

We enjoyed the evening at the pool. The kids swam, I read for a bit, and we even had dinner there. It felt like a great summer night!

Sunday:

On Sunday, we were back at the pool for the Back to School Bash. This is a fun event with lots of prizes that are given away. Poor Hadley…there are at least two other Hadleys at our pool, and they both won prizes. When their names were announced on the loud speaker, Hadley thought she won not only once, but twice! Oh well, the weather was great, and it was a good way to wrap up the summer.

Then, we had our neighborhood block party. It was nice to see neighbors, and we kept it simple this year. Instead of people bringing an appetizer to share, we had a local taco truck come by. We really enjoyed our evening with neighbors and friends.

Monday:

On Monday, I tried a new recipe shared by Andrea. Her Bacon Ranch Penne Pasta is definitely a new family favorite and will be in the dinner rotation this fall and winter.

Hayden earned the red plate for starting the school year off strong as well has for effort in baseball and cross country.

Tuesday:

Tuesday was a fun day because the first cross country meet of the season was that evening. Even at 7:00 PM, the feels like temp 98 degrees! The fire department had the hoses going at the finish line for the runners to cool off. Hayden’s team did great and earned 3rd place!

Since we’ve moved up to middle school, that means more (and bigger!) kids running the meets. That combined with the heat, made for a tough race, but Hayden did an awesome job.

Wednesday:

No photos, but on Wednesday night, we grilled out with friends. One of the moms organized a get together for the middle schoolers to hang out, reconnect, and compare middle school notes after the first few weeks of school.

Thursday :

On Thursday, Hayden started playing in a fall PGA junior league. He was so excited. We haven’t been able to make a lot of time for golf, so he’s excited to have that on his schedule this fall.

Favorite Kid Quote:

I have two favorite quotes this week…one from each kid…

I was reminding Hadley of a few things before bed one night this week, and she said, “Mom, I don’t live under a rock. I’m a tween!” Oh….don’t I know it! haha

Yesterday, Hayden was taking forever to get out of the car. I asked him why he was taking so long, and he said, “Mom, when you turn 11 things to start falling apart, and then you move slower.” If I only he knew what it felt like to be 41!

Favorite Mom Meme:

Right?! Things just go missing because of my tweens! Random things!

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

Since yesterday was National Dog day, here’s a throwback to when we first got Homer two years ago:

Weekly Recap:

I had a few posts this week. I shared some funny memes that I saw this month. Then, I linked up for What’s Up Wednesday and Monthly Musings (fall planning and back to school.)

Monday Memes
What’s Up Wednesday
Monthly Musings

I hope you have a great weekend. We have a busy one ahead! I do hope to finish Four Winds this weekend, and share my August books with you next week.