Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#72}

Posted on June 11, 2021August 20, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Friday! How was your week? We had a good one! We are definitely in the summer groove. The past couple of weeks have been full on summer mode, but this week was full with more summer activities than summer “down time.”

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

It was a light blogging week for me because I was at school three days, and my kids were very active this week.

Hayden went to basketball camp with a couple of friends.

Hadley has had swim practice, and then Wednesday night, she had her first swim meet of the season. This year, she’s old enough to swim 50’s, so she has had to learn to do the flip turn and work on the endurance it takes to swim down and back.

She swam in the freestyle, the backstroke, the breaststroke, and the freestyle relay. She always has fun with her teammates, and the coaches are awesome.

Hayden has had lots of summer baseball practice. Travis scheduled a hitting lesson, and cousin Wyatt joined them.

I know my kids are getting big, but seeing their little cousins in comparison, gets me every time!

The highlights of my week have been summer school, and I had a hair appointment.

It has been so great to see students this week! Summer school is typically for credit recovery, but our district has a program that includes activities, speakers, social/emotional wellness practices, credit recovery, enrichment, and electives. Some of the electives like creative writing and gardening sound so fun! Students are at school from 9:00-1:00, so it’s been a good mix of work and then being home early afternoon to enjoy my summer.

On Tuesday, I had a hair appointment, and it was much needed. Of course, I need to get my roots touched up (hello, grays!), but my favorite part is a fresh trim!

I shared some favorites on Instagram this week:

It’s been a year since we freshened up our sunroom, and I can say in the past year, we’ve used it more than we did the first five years we lived here. It didn’t get much use in January and February, but otherwise, we spend lots of time here:

Tuesday, was our “Homerversary.” We’ve had Homer for two years. Since we don’t know his actual birthday, we celebrate on June 8th which is the day we adopted him as a pup! To celebrate, he wore his festive bowtie, and we picked him up some vanilla ice cream to enjoy.

For fun: here’s a puppy pic of Homer on the second day we had him!

My Trader Joe’s flowers typically last a couple of weeks, and last weekend, I purchased some fresh ones and put them around our house. Trader Joe’s really does have the best (and most affordable!) flowers around.

Last Saturday, I picked up a couple of candles from Bath and Body Works. Watermelon Lemonade and Fresh Cut Lilacs are perfect for summer.

Travis and I have loved Mare of Easttown. We watched quite a few episodes last weekend, and hope to watch a few more this weekend.

Favorite Clothing Item:

This Amazon dress is a favorite! I saw it on a Facebook ad a few months ago, and purchased it recently knowing we’d have a few “dress up occasions” in May and June. I’ve worn it twice, with wedges and sandals, and it’s so comfy and easy to dress up or down.

It comes in a variety of colors. It is around $40, but I love to wear dresses because I know I will wear them to church, school, and other occasions. Also, I choose dresses I know I can wear on their own, with a cardigan, with tennis shoes or sandals, and this dress definitely fits that criteria.

Boho Midi Dress

Favorite Mom Meme:

I’m forever on a quest to get my kids to throw their wrappers and trash away as well as find their way to the kitchen sink and dishwasher with their dishes!

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:

I love this 2015 photo of the kids and cousin Wyatt. That summer, I had the flower pallet on our back patio which was a fave! (Hayden lost that top snaggle tooth the next day!)

Weekly Recap:

I only had a couple of posts this week, but they were fun ones. I shared all about Hadley’s dance recital and Hayden’s last spring baseball games. Yesterday, I shared some of my favorite Etsy purchases lately.

Weekend WRap Up

Etsy Lately

Monday is our Not Just a Mom link up. The topic is Quick Family Dinner. We hope you’ll join us!

This weekend, Hayden has a baseball tournament, and I think we will grill out and maybe have time to go to the pool for a bit.

I hope you have a great weekend. See you back here on Monday!

{this post contains Amazon affiliate links…}

Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#71}

Posted on June 4, 2021August 20, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Friday! How was your week? We had a good one! The weather was pretty iffy with two cold and rainy days Wednesday and Thursday. That did mean we were able to get some at home chores accomplished like purge and organize the kids’ closets and dresser drawers! We had some pool time, baseball games, and dance recital practices, and it was a good week overall!

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

Favorite Show:

Have you all seen the Friends reunion?? Friday night, I was home alone and decided to purchase a month of HBO Max to watch it. While I hated spending the $15, it’s cheaper than going to a movie, I’ve been excited to see the reunion, and I may try to watch a couple other shows on HBO before canceling the subscription.

Anyway, I cried within the first few minutes. Just seeing them all enter the set one by one got me! I was about twenty minutes into it when Hadley got home and asked me to start it over! We watched the reunion together and loved it. You can tell they are all so grateful for the Friends experience (I mean, of course it kick started their careers and made the millionaires!), but that they are also friends in real life and genuinely care about each other.

It was so good! I may even watch it one more time.

Favorite Moment

Well, my favorite moment from the week was celebrating a HUGE accomplishment for our nephew. On Friday night, in his third and final attempt, he ran a 10k race in Portland, Oregon with a fast enough time (27:57) to qualify for the Olympic trials in a few weeks!

You know how I’ve shared my kids’ cross country and track stories and said, “Running is the family…” Well, I wasn’t kidding 😉…and I’ve always been clear that my kids don’t get their speed from my side of the family. 😆

Jacob’s determination and grit have been so inspiring through the years. There are so many ups and down in racing, and he never gives up! We are excited to cheer him on (from afar) in a couple weeks when he tries to qualify for the Olympics.

Favorite Food:

I’ve shared this recipe before, but I hadn’t made it in a while. So, I made enough for a couple of lunches this week, and it’s so good.

Unfortunately, Trader Joe’s doesn’t carry the Sriracha Ranch, but I found a pretty good alternative with this Hidden Valley “Secret Sauce.”

Favorite Kid Quote:

Earlier this week, Hayden was trying to convince me to get another dog and said, “But mom! Homer needs someone who speaks the same language has him!” 😂

While that’s a cute thought, it’s a “hard no” for now.

Other Favorite Activities:

Hayden’s spring season is finishing up this weekend, but his summer baseball season already started last weekend. He’s excited to be playing with a mix of new players this summer.

They had fun at their first tournament over the weekend.

I mentioned in yesterday’s post that Travis and Hayden went to the Cincinnati Reds game on Monday. Well, one of the neighbors had the highest bid in a silent auction, so it was a group of dads and sons who went to the game…in a limo and sat in a suite.

Hayden was excited to tell me all about it when they got home. He said the food was “all you can eat” in the suite which was a huge plus for him.

Also, he was excited to show me the bobble head doll that was in the suite…Mike Moustakas! Hayden loved Moose when he was on the Royals (Hayden even chose the #8 for baseball uniforms during those years because he loved Moose so much). Hayden has followed his career since he left the Royals and has been excited that Moustakas is on the Reds, so he can cheer him on a little closer to home.

Hadley and I got in some time at the pool on Monday, so that was fun. We hung out on Tuesday as well for a bit after Hadley’s swim team practice, but Wednesday and Thursday were cold and rainy.

Favorite Flowers:

I picked up peonies at Trader Joe’s last weekend, and they are my favorite.

Favorite Mom Meme(s):

I can relate fully to this:

and…

Right?! I love a good chore chart! I will say that yesterday I asked the kids to empty the dishwasher, and they did so…without having to be asked a second time…and there was no fighting! #itsasummermiracle

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

We have three dance recitals this weekend, so this recital photo from 2019 for Hadley’s hip hop performance is sweet and timely!

Weekly Recap:

Here are my posts from this week:

June Prime Purchases

Currently

May: Sentence a Day

I hope to post a few times next week, but just am uncertain with my school schedule so I’m going to try it post daily in Instagram; I hope you will follow along there 🙂 @showmeandsweettea

Have a great weekend! We have great weather, dance recitals, and baseball on tap!

Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#70}

Posted on May 28, 2021August 20, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Friday! How was your week? Ours was pretty busy…but it was summertime busy. The kids had time to hang out with their cousins one day, Hayden has had baseball, and Hadley has had dance. Our pool opened on Wednesday, so we spent most of the past two days there hanging out. That being said, I’m counting on the accuracy of today’s rainy forecast to cross some more things off my “to do” list.

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

Favorite Food:

Over the weekend, I tried the animal cookie blizzard from Dairy Queen, and it was delish! A “mini” size was all I needed.

I had an evening where it was just me for dinner, so I kept it simple with my favorite Trader Joe’s Havarti Dill cheese, and tried the Trader Joe’s lemon basil pasta, and it was so good! This was a simple summer dinner, and it was delish!

Favorite Activities:

Travis and Hayden were able to play a little golf over the weekend. Hayden was excited to get back to the golf course.

Hayden tagged along with his uncle and cousins to shoot some hoops at UK’s practice facility while his uncle worked for a bit. They had lots of fun.

Of course, the pool is always a favorite summer activity.

Other Faves:

Travis and I took the kids out to dinner on Sunday night for one final end of the school year celebration. With all the hustle and bustle of the end of the school year activities, we hadn’t done anything with just the four of us. We enjoyed at nice dinner at Tony’s where Travis and Hayden split the filet, Hadley ordered the salmon (of course), and I got the carbonara.

I’m not sure why, but many people get their photo on the steps at Tony’s after they eat.

The kids each got the “You are Special” red plate earlier in the week for awesome 4th quarter report cards.

We also cleaned out backpacks, and the end of the year items were a favorite. Hayden’s teacher gave him the bookmark with his name, and a magnet with words that classmates used to describe each other. Hadley had the paper plate that they passed around in class to share kind words about each other.

I love that their year ended on such a high note!

We got to hang out with cousin Wyatt on Tuesday…

before meeting up with Hayden (and other cousins) at a local pizza place, Goodfellas,…that has the best lunch special in town!

We made a quick pit stop at cousin Layla’s Barbie birthday party before dance last night. We can’t believe she’s going to be 4 this weekend.

Lastly, look at how spiffy Homer looks after a day at the groomer’s! He got a bath as well as his nails and coat trimmed! I cracked up when I saw him in his tie! So sweet.

Favorite Mom Meme:

Why tho???!! I swear, bedtime gets more complicated the older my kids get! It was easier when I just put them in a crib, turned off the light and shut the door!

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

In the spirit of summer, the kids after some fun in sprinkler in 2014 is a sweet memory.

Weekly Recap:

Here are my posts from this week in case you missed one!

Monday Memes

May: What I’ve Been Reading

Monthly Musings: Summer Preview

What are your Memorial Weekend plans? The weather is going to be significantly cooler this weekend…just time for a baseball tournament! We are hoping to hang with some neighbors tomorrow night if the weather cooperates.

Travis and Hayden have plans on Monday, so I’m not sure what Hadley and I will do. I hope you have a great three day weekend!

Thanks so much for reading,

Friday Favorites, Gift Ideas, Holidays, Kids

Friday Favorites {#68}

Posted on May 14, 2021August 20, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Friday! We’re in the midst of the craziness of May. On top of school and regular activities, the end of the school year field day, teacher gifts, 5th grade graduation prep (and more!) is ongoing.

We have so much to celebrate in the upcoming days, so I’m embracing the busyness, and trying to enjoy these moments as we wrap up the school year and ease into summer.

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

Sit back and grab your cup of coffee…I have quite the list of Friday Favorites today!

Hayden’s baseball team is on a roll. They’ve won six of their last seven games.

He’s had a couple games this week, and Hayden pitched on Monday night and did a great job.

I love seeing his smile!

Hadley had recital photos last week, and they turned out beautifully.

Mother’s Day was lovely.

Cards are my favorite! One from Hayden, one from Hadley, and one from both!

Church and then…

brunch which was delicious.

Along with the cards and my hanging ferns for the front porch, Travis had these planters made which was a pleasant surprise.

Another favorite from the week was that we were able to get our backyard flowers planted. I also love this new riser that I picked up at the At Home store.

The kids both brought home their clay projects from art class. I will miss all the artwork and projects of elementary school.

Hayden’s dog…he said is Homer.

Hadley’s pastel pup!

Hadley wearing my glasses cracked me up! (and, why does she look 16?!)

A few gifts from Etsty came in this week.

This fun pencil sign for our sitter who just finished up student teaching,

and I purchased another flower pot for a teacher gift.

Field day is always a fave. Hadley’s class helped the younger kids on Wednesday, and she had so much fun. The older kids had field day yesterday. Again, another thing we’ll miss about elementary school.

I have a couple of Amazon finds that I love. This shirt and sandals arrived last week, and I wore the combo to school. I’ve also already worn the shirt with jeans to go out to dinner, and I’ve worn the sandals a few other days as well.

// Babydoll Blouse //

// Sandals //

School outfit this week:

but I did put my cardigan on because my classroom tends to be chilly.

Favorite Mom Meme:

Only two more days of waking the kids up for school before summer begins. The wakeup struggle continues to be real…especially for Hayden.

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

Well, I don’t know why I do this to myself, but in the spirit of field day, here are the kids on the morning of their kindergarten field day!

Weekly Recap:

Here are my posts from this week!

Not Just a Mom: concerts

Let’s Look: Outside

Lexington Top 5

This weekend is suuuuppper busy. We have family visiting, my mom’s birthday, baseball and more! Then, just two days left of the school year.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Thanks so much for reading.

{this post contains Amazon affiliate links…}

Friday Favorites, Uncategorized

Friday Favorites {#67}

Posted on May 7, 2021August 20, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Friday! How was your week? We had a good one! We’ve had state standardized testing this week that both the kids and I have survived, Hayden has had two baseball games, and Hadley has had dance a couple of nights this week. The best part was that they had a couple of free afternoons to play outside with neighborhood kids. Life felt really “normal.” It was nice for them to run around and not be distracted by electronics or have to go to other activities.

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

I’m keeping it pretty simple with three faves from the week.

A favorite has been seeing the kids do what they love. Dance for Hadley and baseball for Hayden. While these activities are going on most weeks, it’s just been nice to see how Hadley’s confidence has developed with each competition, and Hayden has been having fun with baseball. They won an extra inning nail biter last night!

I tried out a new “recipe” after seeing Amy’s breakfast burrito post and then these “carb savvy” tortillas at Trader Joes. On Tuesday night, it was just me for dinner, so I sauteed some peppers and then added in eggs to scramble. I put that on the tortilla with some black beans, shredded cheese, salsa, and guac. It was an easy and delish dinner.

Another favorite was the book I finished. The Wife Upstairs was so good…and the Jane Eyre references made it even better #Englishteachernerd 😉

Also, Hayden loved the first Theodore Boone book by John Grisham, so I picked up books 2 and 3 at the library when I returned The Wife Upstairs. A favorite is definitely that the library is back open for business! It was nice to go in and pick up these books myself! (and another favorite will always be that Hayden loves to read!)

Also, speaking of books. Hayden said his class finished Where the Red Fern Grows. He said the whole class was crying at the end! I didn’t read that book until the 7th grade. I think I may read it again…even though I’m sure I will cry at the end too.

Other Faves:

Other faves from the week include:

the weather being pretty nice and the kids being able to play outside quite a bit with their friends.
Teacher Appreciation Week!
I sat in on 15 AP research presentations, and the seniors did such an amazing job. The future is bright, y’all!

Favorite Kid Quote:

Hayden told me to spell, “I Cup,” so he’s officially ready for middle school with his immaturity level 🤣 #ididntfallforit

Favorite Mom Meme:

Where is the lie?! 😆

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

This memory from 2015 popped up in my Facebook Memories. Sweet Hadley earned the game ball. She was on the same team as Hayden for three years, and it was always so fun to watch them play together.

Weekly Recap:

Somehow I did it again…I had a full week of posting!

Gatlinburg/Dance Competition

Prime Purchases

Currently

Trader Joe’s Haul

Monday is our monthly Not Just a Mom link up. The topic is: concerts you’ve been to/want to go to.

With Mother’s Day this weekend, I know it can be a bittersweet day. I have so much for which to be thankful, but I know what it’s like to feel sad on Mother’s Day.

I hope you have a great weekend! We have a few things on the agenda, but I know one thing I’m not doing this weekend….cooking!…and maybe I can convince someone else to start the laundry?!

Take care,

Friday Favorites, Uncategorized

Friday Favorites {#66}

Posted on April 30, 2021August 20, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Happy Friday! Yay! We made it to the weekend.

This week was a good one, but the weather sure has been soggy the past couple of days! After two later nights with ball games, it was nice to have no scheduled activities on Wednesday night. Then, baseball practice was canceled because of rain last night, but Hadley still had a couple of afternoon and evening activities.

Also, it’s Derby week, so Travis has been busy with work (and fun) while anxiously awaiting Saturday and the fastest two minutes in sports!

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

This week, I’m sharing some favorites from each day!

Sunday:

On Sunday, Hadley had a very early call time for her dance competition. Her team did awesome, and both dances earned gold stars!

The only good thing about at 7:00 arrival time for competition was that meant we were finished in time for brunch. We ate with some of Trav’s family at The Cafe, and the food was really good.

After brunch, we took a few minutes to wander around the farmer’s market/street fair that was right outside.

I purchased this new front door mat, and I love it. Plus, the jockey silk is my favorite color!

I purchased the doormat at a cute booth that had a quick craft opportunity. The owner had plain blocks and a jockey silk stencil, and Hadley (and her cousins) each made one of these cute little decorations.

Monday:

On Monday, Hayden had a baseball game, and I was so excited for these leftovers. I’d made Shay’s Beef and Rice Skillet Supper on Sunday, and the leftovers were even better!

Tuesday:

On Tuesday, my favorite part of the day was watching Hayden play baseball even though the game didn’t end up until really late due to extra innings!

Also, another week and more Trader Joe’s flowers 😂 Peonies are my favorite, so I always snatch them up when I go to Trader Joe’s.

Wednesday:

Honestly, the highlight of Wednesday was having zero activities in the evening. I was in my pjs by 7:00!

Also, I picked up these personalized cups in preparation for a little get together to celebrate Hayden and Hadley in a couple of weeks.

Thursday:

Thursday was such a soggy day, but I was able to meet some friends for drinks and dinner on the covered patio of a favorite restaurant while Hadley was at dance!

Other Faves:

Some other favorites from the week include UK Women’s Volleyball winning the National Championship! This has been quite the headline all week. Every fall, we usually go to one or two UK volleyball games because they are always so fun to watch! Of course, we couldn’t go last fall, but we had fun watching their televised match on Saturday night.

I will say, this exciting news has also been uplifting after hearing the the somber news of the unexpected passing of UK Men’s Basketball player Terrence Clarke. The Lexington community has definitely felt the highs and lows this week.

This is kind of a random favorite, but last Saturday night I forgot to bring my sound machine (and my melatonin!) to Louisville. #doublewhammy I knew I needed some quiet noise to fall asleep, so I downloaded this app, and it was a great substitution for my regular sound machine. What I liked about it was that you can combine noises and then save the noises to your “favorites.” So, I combined white noise with the ocean, and it was just perfect, and now I have it saved for future use if needed.

While picking up my peonies on a quick Trader Joe’s run, I also picked up these Everything but the Bagel potato chips. I’d never seen them before, and I really like them! The good news is that neither of my kids like them, so they won’t be hogging them! 😂

Favorite Mom Meme(s):

I love this meme. It’s so true!

I feel this meme deeply. Something usually has to give!

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:

I love this pic from April 2013. To be honest, I took it after a very difficult week. The most difficult week of my life. I remember taking this photo and counting my blessings (times 2).

Another favorite from this week in 2013…Hadley without a care in the world looking at horses. It’s rare for her to be still, and here she is taking it all in!

Weekly Recap:

I had another full week of posts! Here they are:

Monday Memes

Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

April Books

Monthly Musings

What are you up to this weekend? Saturday is Derby Day, y’all, which is the biggest day of the year around here! Believe it or not, we don’t have any baseball games this weekend, but Hadley does have one final dance competition.

I hope you have a great weekend! I hope to have a post for Monday, but I will have to see how the weekend shakes out.

Take care,

Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#65}

Posted on April 23, 2021August 20, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Hey, hey! It’s Friday! Per usual, it’s been a busy week, and we’ve even had some crazy weather! I can’t believe we only have about four weeks of school left! Of course, that also means the end of the year craziness mixed with an already hectic spring schedule, but summer is on the horizon, and I’m here for it!

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

Here are some favorites from the week:

We’ve seen lots of baseball in the past week. We went to my school’s high school game last Friday night. Then, on Saturday, we watched cousin Wyatt play his game.

Then, Wyatt (and fam!) came to Hayden’s game.

Hayden’s game on Wednesday we postponed due to the freezing temps and snow!

On Friday night, we tried a new gourmet hot dog place. We all love hotdogs (except for Hadley who settled on the chili cheese fries!) I can’t say “no” to a corndog, so that’s what I got, and Travis tried the “Ranch Dog” which looked so good. Hayden had the chili dog. We hope to go back when the weather is warmer and sit outside. The restaurant has such a picturesque setting!

The kids’ service project has been a favorite. They baked and delivered cookies for church members this week.

They also wrote notes to those who were receiving the goodies.

Trader Joe’s flowers continue to be a favorite. I went to TJ on Sunday, and picked up some tulips. They look so pretty in the morning sunlight.

Well, it’s April, but 5th grade photos are in! They turned out so cute, and I love the background.

For perspective, here they are in kindergarten. We’ve gone from toothless grins to braces. #holdme

While snow in April isn’t a favorite, this is April in Kentucky, y’all! *English teacher nerd alert: one of my favorite literary terms to teach is “juxtaposition.” That’s the first thing that popped into my mind when I saw the snow on the beautiful flowers on Wednesday morning.

Favorite Mom Meme:

I feel this meme deeply. Besides always wanting a bite of whatever I have, Hayden always asks for a sip of my Diet Coke, and ends up chugging half the bottle!

I saw this one on Instagram and literally laughed out loud.

{Ramblin’ Mama is so funny!}

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

Since today’s post had so many baseball photos, this 2014 photo of Trav and the kids before their first ever Wee Ball game, is appropriate. It was always fun having both kids on the same team!

Hayden with his hand on his chin is just too much!

Weekly Recap:

I was able to post every day this week! #whoamI ?! Here they are in case you missed one!

Monday Meal

Tuesday Talk: Girl Clothes

For the Love of Reading

Three Things

What are your plans for the weekend? We have a baseball game and Hadley’s dance competition, so those two things will definitely keep us busy. I think the weekend (and next week) looks to have warmer weather which is welcomed after our cold temps this week. See you back here Monday.

Thanks so much for reading,

Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#64}

Posted on April 16, 2021August 20, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Hello! How was your week? We had a great one, but the weather has turned a bit colder with some rainy days. I was busy giving the ACT, so I felt like my week went by pretty quickly, and feel like my weekend “to do” list is pretty long.

Like always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika to share my favorites from the week.

Moment:

My favorite moment for the week was taking these two for their annual exams and having healthy check ups. It’s not lost on me what a blessing it is to have two healthy and active kids!

Per tradition, we made a pit stop for ice cream as a post-appointment (that included middle school shots!) treat.

Kid Quote:

Hayden reached a major milestone at school, and it was so sweet hearing his enthusiasm and sweetness of reaching his goal.

Also, on a funny note, we are a little behind watching American Idol. Hayden loves to watch it with Travis and me. Anyway, last night we were watching the beginning of Tuesday’s episode when Ryan Seacrest said that (my fave!) Wyatt had to go home for personal reasons. Hayden said, “Mom! Check his ‘gram!” (and I did…not specific info–just a post from Wyatt). Kids these days…they can find out the scoop on social media as a “source.”

Photo(s)

Travis and I were able to enjoy a few races at Keeneland to kick off our weekend. The weather was gorgeous, and he even won a couple of bets!

We’ve missed this place. During the spring and fall meets, he goes pretty often for work ( and fun), and I try to join him at least once per meet. Due to Covid, I don’t think I’ve been to Keeneland since April 2019.

Food(s)

We met some friends at a favorite restaurant with an awesome patio. I got the pan-seared grouper, and it was delish!

Another favorite food was Hadley made Paula Deen’s Gooey Butter Cake from the box mix I picked up when we ate at her restaurant in Nashville. It was so good! (Almost like having Paula in the kitchen!)

Clothing Item(s)

We have a couple of new clothing items as faves. We got Hadley this Universal Thread quarter zip-up pullover at Target. It’s the “lemon drop yellow” color, and she loves it. (and, because she’s 11 going on 16, she now realizes she can wear small sizes in the Women’s Department. This is a Women’s XS!) This 1/4 zip has an 80s/90s vibe, and I feel like I probably had a similar sweatshirt in 1991.

I’m loving this new dress from Amazon. It’s perfect for a spring day, church, school, and Keeneland (I’m wearing it in the photo above at the track!). It’s legit good, and the price can’t be beat. It comes in a variety of colors, and I think it’s perfect for any body type!

Other Faves:

You know when you go to the grocery store for milk and eggs, and walk out with milk, eggs, and cute springtime napkins and plates? I saw these on a recent trip to Kroger, and for a $1 each, I couldn’t pass them up! So cute.

Oh, I meant, you know when you go to the grocery store for milk and eggs, and come out with milk, eggs, cute napkins and plates, and Girl Scout cookie mini cupcakes? Again, I’d never seen these before, and picked them up. They’ve been the perfect little dessert to snack on this week, and Hadley has packed one in her lunchbox the past couple of days.

Once Easter is over, I take down my bunny door hanger, and put up my jockey silk door hanger. It’s Derby time in the Bluegrass State, y’all!

I’ve seen the prettiest flowers while out for my walks. Of course, my allergies are trying to kill me, but the flowers sure do look pretty!

As the end of the school year draws near, I was running low on lunchbox notes. I usually just search for lunchbox notes on Amazon because I love trying new ones. These arrived and are so cute. Each one is so pretty, has a sweet saying, and they are card stock quality paper.

Bonus! The insert with information said they are made by Hadley Designs! (Hadleydesigns.com) My Hadley thought that was so fun!

Mom Meme:

This made me laugh! There are plenty of nights where I give up and just tell everyone I’m going to bed and tell them to turn the lights out! haha

On a more “serious” note, I saw this on Facebook, and I can definitely relate. Being a mom is difficult no matter if you stay home or work outside of the home. I’ve been juggling the working mom sitch for eleven years now, so you’d think I’d have a handle on the what I’m doing. Thankfully, Travis is a very hands on dad and super helpful, but my mind never shuts off. I’m always thinking, planning, worrying, doing, and more. The kids are so busy, and we are on the go so much.

To all the moms out there, I see you. Hang in there. It sure does take a village, doesn’t it?

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

I posted this on National Sibling Day in April 2014, and the photo still cracks me up!

Hadley with the hugs…and Hayden wanting no part in it!

Weekly Recap:

Here are my posts from this week in case you missed one!

NOT Just a Mom

day In the Life

Thursday Thoughts: Routines

What do you have going on this weekend? I think we may go to my school’s baseball game, Hayden and Hadley are baking at church, and of course, Hayden has a game!

As always, thanks so much for reading.

{this post contained Amazon affiliate links…}

Friday Favorites, Kids

Friday Favorites {#63}

Posted on April 9, 2021August 20, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Hello! Shew! We made it. I feel like I jumped back into reality with both feet this week. The struggle was real setting my alarm clock, getting dinners made, and getting my people where they needed to be, but it’s finally Friday.

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

Here’s a quick recap of my favorites from the week…

Favorite Kid Quote:

{Sweet Kid Quote}

This moment is technically from a couple weeks ago, but right before Spring Break, Hadley’s teacher emailed me to tell me that Hadley had shared a Google Slides Presentation that she made about her classmates. Each slide had something that Hadley liked or admired about each of her classmates. The teacher shared it with the class and said that everyone loved it. A few students even thanked Hadley for noticing attributes they didn’t think anyone noticed about them. It was a very sweet email, and I was super proud of Sis.

(I’m letting it slide that she apparently emailed it to her teacher at 10:00 PM when I thought she was sleeping!) 😆

{Funny Kid Quote}

This week Hayden was gearing up for his baseball season to start. Hadley’s favorite part of the baseball season is the concession stand. Hayden said, “Well, this year the league’s baseball concession stand is “goat(ed)!” I guess that means they have great food!

Favorite Food:

Speaking of food, I picked up a few bags of Trader Joe’s Salted Inca Corn the last time I was there. They are basically the TJ version of Corn Nuts which are my fave.

*Fun fact: Per tradition, I usually pick up at least one bag of Corn Nuts on any road trip with Travis. He always complains…😂, but he said how much he loves these!

Favorite Moment(s):

Baseball Boo is back! Hayden’s on a new team this year, and had games Tuesday and Wednesday this week!

Here he is ready for Tuesday night’s game…{Homer stayed home!}

Wednesday night, back in action, sporting the black uni!

It’s always fun watching him play….even though it’s meant a couple of late nights this week.

Other Faves:

The flowers I picked up at Trader Joe’s for Easter are still showing off!

The weather has been so pretty this week. I’m still doing my Beach Body workouts, but have opted to walk on Tuesday and Thursday this week. I was feeling like I needed to mix it up a bit, and my walks are the only times I really get to listen to my favorite podcasts!

Favorite Mom Meme:

For my kids, it’s sometimes too much Xbox or iPod, but I can definitely relate to this meme:

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:

Since Easter was the week, Hadley in her bunny ears at Target in 2012 seems very appropriate.

Weekly Recap:

Here are my posts from this week in case you missed one! This week was a mix of Easter, Amazon, and Opryland!

Easter Recap

April Amazon

Opryland/Nashville Trip

Speaking of posts…Monday is our April Not Just a Mom link up! If you are a blogger, we’d love to have you join us. This month’s topic is Favorite Family Memories.

I hope you have a great weekend. We have friends’ birthday parties and baseball on tap (if the rain holds off on Saturday). See you back here on Monday; thanks so much for reading.

Family, Friday Favorites, Travel

Friday Faves {#62} and FBF: Spring Break

Posted on April 2, 2021August 20, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Friday! Usually, Friday means a hectic week is wrapping up, but today, Friday, means Spring Break is almost over. Ugh!

Today, I’m sharing a twist on my normal Friday Favorites posts. I’m still linking up with Andrea and Erika, but this is a special Flashback Friday edition.

Spring Break is always a favorite, so I’m taking a look back on our previous Spring Break trips because those places and those memories will always be favorites for us.

I love Spring Break, and I honestly love being at home. March is always a hectic month, and I know that April-May will be busy with activities and end of school things, so it’s sometimes (always 😉 nice to just be home, relax, unwind, and regroup for the last couple of months of the school year.

Before the kids started school, we never took a Spring Break vacation. We usually had family visit during that time. Once the kids started school, we did make a point to start going somewhere for a few days. What I’ve come to love about Spring Break is we do something different each year. We usually plan to go to somewhere in the middle of break, so we have a few days at home on either side of the trip.

Upon reflection (this post!), I love that we’ve provided our kids with these various opportunities and created so many memories in different places!

Knoxville {2016}:

When the kids were in kindergarten, I was teaching in a neighboring district. We ended up having different Spring Breaks that year (which never happens…and hasn’t happened since as most districts in KY tend to have the same break the first week of April).

Anyway, on the first weekend of my break, we headed to Knoxville because Kentucky was playing Tennessee in baseball, and we knew the kids would enjoy that. We were gone Saturday-Monday, so the kids missed school that Monday. (Kindergarten and already skipping school! haha)

As soon as we arrived, we checked into our hotel and headed to the ball park to watch the game.

That evening, we went to dinner and the kids are all about a hotel pool!

That Sunday, they swam some more, and we hit up some local attractions like the Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster and miniature golf. We went to dinner that night and headed home on Monday.

It was a fun little getaway.

Hilton Head {2017}:

In 2017, I was teaching in the same district as the kids, so we for sure had the same Spring Break 😉 We decided to head to Hilton Head. We love South Carolina. The weather was on the cooler side but perfect for playing in the sand (and the kids braved the ocean!) and swimming in the heated pool at the resort.

Can’t beat sunshine and the ocean.

We ate lots of great food, Hadley and Travis rented bikes one day, (After a fall the summer after kindergarten, Hayden refused to ride a bike for a couple of years. I wish I was kidding!), the kids collected seashells, played in the ocean and the pool, and we had lots of other fun.

One of my favorite family photos!

The beach and the pool can never be beat!

South Carolina is always a great place to visit.

Asheville {2018}:

Spring Break 2018 location came about because Hayden was adamant about visiting the Biltmore. We went to Asheville for four days and three nights. We spent one entire day at the Biltmore wandering around the property and taking the tour. Once it was our turn to enter, we toured on our own. Hayden was mad we didn’t pay for the head sets and guided tour. He’s a history buff!

I would definitely like to go back there again.

On the other days, we hiked a couple of times including to this waterfall. The scenery was stunning.

We always hit up a few breweries…

Of course, the hotel had a pool, and then on the last day, we hiked a bit more before heading out of town.

On our way out, we drove past The Red Rocker Inn. Long story short, Travis took me there after Christmas in 2003. I thought he was going to ask me to marry him. He did not. We didn’t get engaged until May of 2004. 😉

We actually went back there a few years ago and stayed as a getaway for Trav’s 40th birthday.

We always have a great time in Asheville.

KC/Vegas {2019}:

As our summers have gotten more hectic, we don’t always make it to KC to see family in the summer. We decided to go visit family for Spring Break 2019, and then Travis had the idea to leave the kids with my mom and he and I headed to Las Vegas for a few days. Airfare from KC to LV is always cheap, and it’s a pretty short flight.

Well, even with that plan in place, we had an even better surprise. The Kentucky Wildcats would be playing in KC for the Sweet 16 on the day we were to arrive! So, Travis, Hayden, and my mom went to that game…and the CATS won!

Then, Hadley and I joined the three of them for the Elite Eight game on the first Sunday of break. Travis and I weren’t flying out until later that night, so it all working out perfectly.

Once we were inside, my mom and Hadley made their way to their seats while Travis surprised Hayden (and me!) with…

FRONT ROW SEATS!

Hayden was so excited, loved to shake the pom poms, and hoped that Coach Cal would hear his advice.

Well, the game was tied at the end of regulation…and this was Hayden’s face…

Hadley was at the game for all the free swag she could find…and Tyler Herro. He’s still her crush!

I sent Hadley the Herro photo from where we were sitting, and told her he was winking at her.

Unfortunately, the CATS lost in overtime, and Hayden was very upset. I told him not to cry or he’d be the kid that CBS zooms in on, and that’s not the the national TV recognition that he would want!

We all went back to my mom’s, and Travis and I headed to the airport for Vegas.

We landed around 8:00 Vegas time and guess who we saw waiting for his Uber? O.J. Simpson! I spotted him, and Travis didn’t believe me. Then, he was waiting with us as we got our Uber…and it was him.

We were in Vegas for 3 nights and 2.5 days. We hung out by the pool,

went out to dinner,

ate lots of great food, and Travis gambled bit.

The first two nights, we stayed at the Aria and then moved next door to Vdara. Travis White is known for booking multiple hotels on single trip because he either 1. waits to long too book or 2. find a better deal!

On our last night, we went and saw The Beatles: Cirque Du Soleil. It was out of this world amazing. I’m so glad that we saw that performance.

Afterwards, we had a delicious steak dinner and walked back to our hotel before an early wake up call for our flight. Travis White is also known for finding the earliest flights possible!

It was a great trip and the kids had fun with GG while we were gone. We’d just lost our dog Shiloh right before Spring Break and that KC/LV trip was just what we needed to get away.

Spring Break {2020}:

Ugh! Last year, we were supposed to visit NYC. We had our air fare and hotel booked for the week, but of course we didn’t get to go.

Nashville {2021}:

This week, we decided to take the kids to a place that’s been on our list for a couple of years: Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville.

We stayed in the Cascades Atrium section of the resort.

The kids had lots of fun at the Sound Waves park.

and we enjoyed our first Top Golf experience in Nashville.

This Spring Break has been pretty perfect with nice weather in Lexington, fun with neighbors and friends, a few days in Nashville, and still a couple more days left (and Easter!) before we get back to school next week.

What do you normally do for Spring Break?