Category: Friday Favorites

Posted in Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#79}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hey! We made it to Friday! How has your week been? We’ve had a good one, but we are definitely still working on getting into a new school routine!

Honestly, last week was so nice with all the back to school enthusiasm by all, but this week has been stressful. Our Covid cases have been on the rise (much like everywhere) and many kids are being sent home to quarantine. Lots of my kids’ friends are at home at the moment, and I have held by breath all week waiting for the quarantine phone call from school. Thankfully, we made it through the week without one. (I hope I didn’t just jinx us for next week!)

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

Favorite Kid Quote:

I forgot to share this last week, but I found this note on my desk on my first day back to school. The kids had been up to school with me the week before, and Hadley left this note on my desk. I’m glad she added her last name, or I wouldn’t have known which Hadley left me this note 😉

Also, I’m loving allll the middle school details I’m getting from the kids…especially Hadley. She fills me in on every class when I pick her up from school.

(**One thing I’ve loved so far with the kids starting and ending later than my school, is that I can now usually do pick up after school. I always wished I could do that when they were younger, but now I get that opportunity most days.)

Favorite Food:

I met some friends out last weekend to hang with a friend who was in town. I always love getting together with them when we can, and the food (and friendships!) was amazing.

Last week, I treated the kids to milkshakes after school for surviving the first few days of middle school. They were surprised by the sweet treat.

Favorite Picture(s)

Hadley’s studio did head shots for their competition teams last week. These two photos were the ones I ordered and I love them. I also can’t get over how much older Hadley looks.

Favorite Moment:

Hayden used to be my most organized child…but he passed that organization baton to Hadley last year. The other night, she was getting her binders organized, and ended up helping Hayden…for a small fee. They negotiated, and $8 (one $5 and three crumpled ones) later, Hayden’s binders were as organized as Hadley’s binders.

Favorite Clothing Item:

This blouse has become a favorite of mine. Like most of my wardrobe, it’s versatile. I’ve worn it with shorts, but then paired it with my white denim (and my favorite sandals) for school on Tuesday.

Hadley saw this Rolling Stones shirt at Target a few weeks ago, and wanted it for back to school. She wore it this week, but couldn’t even tell me one song by the Stones 😉 She paired it with the gray ruffle Amazon shorts (women’s xs) that she has in a few colors.

Other Faves:

Hadley loved the fun surprise she found in our front yard celebrating her being on her studio’s competition team again this season.

Baseball photos on repeat continue to be a favorite. Even though Hayden is now running cross country for school, he’s still playing a few more tournaments with his summer team. They got two games in last Saturday, but Sunday was rained out. These are some of my favorite pics from Saturday’s games:

Hydrangeas are my favorite flower, and we have a few bushes in our backyard. My last Trader Joe’s flowers lasted almost two weeks, but then I decided to turn to the backyard to refill my Mason jars.

Kroger is speaking my love language having mums out already. I always wait until mid-September to buy mums and decorate my front porch, but the sight of these brought a smile to my face.

We stopped by to see cousin Wyatt Wednesday night to drop of his birthday presents. Time is flying by. He turned seven yesterday.

Favorite Mom Meme:

This meme made me laugh out loud. I can’t handle the number of times I find the chips without a clip or the boxes not closed! Ugh!

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

I love this photo from 2012. The kids had come to help me set up my classroom and have lunch! Now they are big kids in middle school!

Weekly Recap:

Here are my posts from the week. I enjoyed recapping my trip to southern California with Travis. Then, I chatted about Storyworth and what a great gift it’s been for my mom. Lastly, I shared my makeup purge and reorganization which had been on my “to do” list for a few weeks!

California Recap
Tuesday TAlk: Story worth
Operation MAkeup Organization

Believe it or not, we don’t have much on tap this weekend which is very much needed. We have a break from baseball which gives me some time to get a few other things accomplished and give us all some much needed downtime. Travis is still recovering from knee surgery, but is already off crutches and back to work.

Today, I have school, but we don’t have any students. This day off is always on our calendar, but it definitely feels needed this year to regroup and catch our breath from the start of the year.

What was the highlight of your week?

See you back here on Monday!

{this post contains Amazon affiliate links…}

Posted in Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#78}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello! How was your week? We are definitely in “back to school” mode. There’s no tired like “teacher tired” at the beginning of the school year! I sat down on the couch Wednesday afternoon and accidentally fell asleep! It’s been quite the week with early wake calls and a new routine.

I’m excited to link up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.

Favorite Kid Quote:

Both of my favorite kid quotes came via my mom. She was watching my kids and took Hayden up to school to see the cross country tryout results. Hadley apparently told Hayden to act like he didn’t make the team when they walked back to her car. He did make the team, so we have another fall season full of races.

My mom gave each of the grand kids a card saying she’d treat them to ice cream during her visit. When my nephew Wyatt finished his cup of ice cream, he apparently got up to get back in line. They asked where he was going, and he said, “I have a coupon for a free cone!” haha

Favorite Pic(s):

My favorite photos of the week come from one of my favorite places…our visit to Del Mar, California. We had a great few days there, and I hope to recap the trip next week.

We had a fun afternoon at the race track.

Favorite Clothing Item(s):

Two of my favorite clothing items I took on vacation were new woven sandals and this pretty blue and white plaid dress.

When the dress arrived, it was in a bag that made me think it was a beach cover up! When I pulled it out of the bag, it felt and looked like a dress. I looked back at how it was styled in the Amazon photo, and the girl was wearing it as a dress, with wedges and a purse. I styled it similarly, and I wore it to the track. I’m so pleased with this purchase. It’s great quality, and so cute. I love the split neck hem, the button detail, and seersucker fabric.

I wore the sandals with shorts and with a different dress on a another night. They are so cute and comfy. I’ve worn them the past two days to school. These are definitely a win!

Lastly, Hadley had a “vision” for her first day of school outfit. She found this black t-shirt at Target, but couldn’t find shorts she liked. Then, she looked on Amazon and found these dark pink lines ones (women’s sizes). She’s very picky about shorts and often just wears athletic running shorts, so I was thrilled that these were school appropriate and can be dressed up or down.

As I was typing this post, I realized some of the colors are now on sale. So, we bought two more pairs since the price dropped to from $21 to $12.

Dress // Sandals // Shorts

Favorite Moment:

My favorite moment of the week was getting back to school. I’m so pleased with how the kids have transitioned to middle school which includes a whole new morning routine as well as getting the lay of the middle school land.

Favorite Food:

Our Back to School Brinner was so delish. I made my favorite breakfast casserole as well as some muffins. Yogurt and fruit rounded out the meal. I love breakfast for dinner.

Other Faves:

Trav’s brother is a sports photographer, and he took Hayden’s baseball team’s photos a couple of weeks ago as well as individual photos.

The team photos are amazing…

…and Hayden is killing me looking like a 16 year old!

Speaking of looking 16, Hadley had competition team head shots this week, and she looked so much older to me too!

We wrapped up the summer enjoying ice cream with friends after the last basketball game of summer league. (Hayden’s team came in 2nd place in the tournament!)

Favorite Mom Meme :

I miss the Olympics already, and I certainly feel like I could win gold in this regard:

Weekly Recap:

I had three other posts this week:

Not Just a Mom
Summer Fun recap
First day of school

I hope you have a great weekend! We have baseball on tap this weekend and hopefully some down time to catch up from the week! See you back here next week.

{this post contains Amazon affiliate links…}

Posted in Everyday Life, Friday Favorites, Home Updates

Friday Favorites {#77}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello! Long time, no talk! How’s it going? My blogging break has been much needed, but I sure have missed posting!

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

Here’s what we’ve been up to the past couple of weeks along with some of our favorites.

These bracelets are one of my favorite things to wear lately.

My friend, Amy, sent these to me. She hand makes these custom bracelets. She has so many cute and fun options. Check her out on Instagram (@soulshine.kc)! I know you’ll love anything she makes!

Hadley went to sleep away camp and had the best time! She was so sad last summer when camp was canceled, so she was so excited to go back this year! We were one of the first in line for drop off, and she had a great time with friends, old and new. Camp was definitely a favorite for Hadley this summer.

I loved seeing the photos on Facebook. I missed her, so it was nice to get daily updates and see her smiling face!

Hadley at camp was one of Hayden’s favorite parts of summer (haha!). He also went to golf camp for the first time, and he loved it!

One things that wasn’t a favorite…poison oak! It’s never good when your kid wakes you up at 3 am to tell you he’s itching all over! We aren’t sure where he picked it up, but it sure did spread quickly. Thankfully, we got into the doctor the next day and the steroid meds helped immensely.

We’ve also continued to have lots of baseball this summer. It’s always a favorite watching Hayden and his team play. They have lots of fun together.

Another favorite…we FINALLY got our new basement floors. I shared that our master bath shower leaked down to the basement bathroom and living space in early May, so the floors had to be ripped up. What we had put down when we updated the basement a few years ago was no longer being made, so we found something pretty similar and are really pleased.

The original floors after Travis ripped up the damaged flooring vs the new finished product:

Then, I found this pretty rug at Home Goods to replace our previous area rug. It’s super soft and I love the gray tones.

Another favorite is my new messenger bag. I’ve been wanting one for quite some time. I stopped in a favorite boutique that I hadn’t been to since before the pandemic, and saw this gold toned bag. It was my summer gift to myself for teaching summer school 😉 They had some fun straps and I liked the one it came with, but I got this one (in pic below) from Amazon!

Another favorite is dinner al fresco! The kids were having too much fun playing with friends, so Travis and I ended up having dinner on our back patio by ourselves on Sunday night. Steak and asparagus by Travis…and microwave Bob Evans mashed potatoes by me!

Once July hits, I start thinking about school. I always feel better after I get my room unpacked (which will maybe happen next week?…they are still cleaning my area of the school), buy my desk calendar and lesson plan book.

I decided to try the Happy Planner teacher planner. If you know any teacher, you know we are picky about our planners. I’ve used a variety through the years, and I just thought I’d give this one a try. I was close to ordering one online and then realized Michael’s has some and they were 30 (or 40?)% off…+ my teacher’s discount at Michael’s! I love a good deal.

We are soaking up these last days of summer. We’ve had a couple pool days this week after a three week hiatus. June is our big pool month, then we had vacay, camps, and lots of rainy days that took the pool off our fun list for a bit. The kids have had lots of fun with their friends this summer at the pool. It’s definitely a favorite part of our summer.

Favorite Mom Meme:

Me…all summer long trying to keep up with my kids…vs. my parents in the 80’s (Although, the Major was pretty strict about knowing our whereabouts!)

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

One of my favorite vacation photos popped up in my Facebook memories recently. Siesta Key in 2017…sunset and the kids playing in the ocean.

I still hope to post intermittently over the next few weeks while continuing a little break.

I will share my Sentence a Day for July and what I’ve been reading this month as well once we get to the end of July.

I hope everyone has been enjoying their summer! See you back here soon.

Posted in Friday Favorites, Holidays

Friday Favorites {#76}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello! How was your week? I can’t believe we are in the full swing of July! Up next will be school supply displays. Actually, I think they are already out…but I just close my eyes when I see the words “back to School!”

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

My first favorite for the week:

My traditional red, white, and blue waffles for the 4th! I made them for the kids, and I even had one! So good.

We had a great 4th of July. I spent most of the day unpacking from vacation and going to the grocery store. Travis took the kids to the pool for a few hours in the afternoon. We had steaks for dinner and watched fireworks at our favorite spot.

Then, we shot off a few fireworks and sparklers before heading to bed.

The 4th of July has always been one of my favorite holidays.

Another favorite for the week was Travis didn’t work on Monday, so we decided to celebrate his birthday a couple of days early. We went out to lunch at one of our favorite places and then went bowling at the new Lex Live. We had lots of fun.

We had cookie cake on Tueday (a day early) because we all barely even saw each other on his birthday (Wednesday) because I was with Hadley at her swim meet while Hayden and Travis were at baseball. Anyway, our neighbor bakes cookies and cookie cakes, so I ordered one for Trav’s birthday.

I laugh every time I look at this photo because Homer was desperate to be included in the pic…or maybe he just wanted to get near the cake! (Remember when he ate our anniversary cookie cake last year?! 😂 )

We did presents and cake eating Tuesday evening when Hadley got home from dance.

The cookie cake was so good! The buttercream icing was the best part.

Hadley’s final swim meet of the season was another favorite of the week. She swam her fastest times of the season in all strokes.

I was a bit hesitant about the 8:45 practices during the summer, but with the help of other swim parents, we’ve carpooled and made it work. It’s been a big adjustment after not swimming last summer and now she moved up an age group and swims 50’s. I’m proud of her commitment and determination. Hadley proved that you show up to the things you love…and donut days on Thursdays! 😉

Favorite Mom Meme:

🤣🤣

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

Since I’m on the topic of swim team, how about this flashback to the kids’ first ever swim season in 2017? My oh my how they have grown! Hadley’s swim cap and goggles slay me!

Weekly Recap

I had a few posts this week!

Prime Purchases
Three Things
Isle of Palms Recap

Monday is our Not just a Mom link up!

If you are a blogger, we’d love to have you link up with us for a tour of your home!

We’re thankful for those who read our blogs, so we hope you’ll check out everyone’s posts on Monday! I can’t wait to see what others share!

I hope everyone has a great weekend! Baseball is back for us after having last weekend off. So, we’ll be at the ball fields off and on! Hadley is thrilled 😉

See you back here on Monday!

Posted in Friday Favorites, Travel

Friday Favorites {#75}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Friday! Also…

Or should I say…😂

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

This has been quite the week with lots of favorites.

The kids had lots of fun with friends this past weekend.

Hayden’s on a summer basketball team, and following their game on Friday, we went out for pizza and ice cream with friends.

Hadley spent most of Saturday and Sunday at a pool / slumber party for a friend.

Hayden had two baseball games on Saturday and he and Travis went to the pool Saturday night and met up with some friends.

Sunday, Hayden’s team won in extra innings to move on to the championship game of the tournament.

There’s a grandma on the team who takes the photos with her nice camera. She gets some great shots of all the players and the team.

The dugout photos are some of my faves.

…and another favorite is Hayden’s team won in the championship game!

Right after Hayden’s game, we hit the road for…

Isle of Palms, SC.

We went from 90+ degrees in Kentucky to the sand, saltwater, and sunshine of South Carolina.

We’ve eaten delicious seafood all week!

Shrimp tacos

Hayden and Travis were able to enjoy some oysters…

I always say if I win the lottery, I’m buying a house here!

We often vacation in Siesta Key, Florida, but we head to SC every few years. With the short window between baseball tournaments, it was the perfect getaway destination. The last time we were here was for Fall Break 2018. I love the Charleston area.

2018

A few fave photos from the week:

Family time
Sunshine Sis
Mom & Dad
Surfer Boo
Beach Bums

Favorite Beverage:

I still love White Claws, but Trulys have been my drink of choice this week, & I’ve loved the Fruit Punch variety pack!

Favorite 4th of July Tradition:

We will be home for the 4th of July this weekend, and I will be serving my favorite red, white, and blue waffles for the kids.

Favorite Mom Meme:

Currently me…

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

We were cruising down Middle Street on Sullivan’s Island, and Travis remembered the photo I took (it’s on our gallery wall at home) of the kids in 2013.

While my kids have grown over two feet since then, and the house was definitely updated, some things will never change: they had to be bribed with ice cream for both pics 😂

Weekly Recap

I had two posts this week:

Monday Memes
June Books

I hope you’ve had a great week. We definitely have, & I hope to share more details about our trip soon!

Have a great weekend. If you need me, I will be unpacking and dreaming of the beach!

Posted in Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#74}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hey, hey! Happy Friday. How was your week? We had a pretty good one around here. We had a pretty lazy day on Monday due to lots of afternoon rain, and then Tuesday’s weather was sunny and 70 degrees! We enjoyed the “cool front,” and then the rest of the week has been back to regular summer temps.

The kids were busy with Hadley at daily swim team practices and Hayden attended baseball camp this week.

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

Our first favorite is from last Friday. Travis had the day off and joined us at the pool. The kids also got to swim with their cousins which made for a great Friday!

Also, last Friday night, our nephew ran in the 10k Olympic Trials. While he didn’t qualify for the Olympics, it was still exciting to watch, and we are so proud of him.

Summer means baseball on repeat around here. Hayden in his team warm up jacket is a favorite although he looks like such a big kid!

Of course, a championship ring is a favorite.

Hayden’s team had an awesome weekend and Father’s Day winning in the championship game.

We celebrated our favorite dad last Saturday with dinner out followed by…

milkshakes! They were so good…and definitely something to be shared.

Hadley made Amy’s Lemon Freezer Pie which we ate after the baseball games on Sunday. It’s so easy to make, refreshing and delish.

Like Hayden, Hadley sure is looking like quite the tween. She let me take this pic while we waited for our milkshakes on Saturday.

Big girl status!

…and ready for swim team pics on Wednesday…

Hayden attended baseball camp this week with lots of friends. He had so much fun.

I only get a few pedicures a year, and I try to take Hadley with me once in the summer and right before we go back to school. I know she loves a pedicure, so it’s a summer splurge that we do every once in a while.

Homer is always a favorite…and he was trying to take a bite of my favorite kind of summer lunch…a snack plate!

Nothing says summer like a lemonade stand, and these kids had a successful one earlier this week.

…and…nothing says summer like moms drinking White Claws at trivia night at the pool! We are quite the combo and all know a little bit of everything.

Anniversary flowers are definitely a fave…(and bubble letter cards!)

…and dinner out to celebrate!

Favorite Mom Meme:

Thank goodness for Google!

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:

Since we celebrated our 16th wedding anniversary yesterday, this throwback is timely….

We were in Siesta Key (one of our favorite places) for our 10th wedding anniversary in 2015.

Weekly Recap:

Amazon Prime Days
Day In the Life: On Insta
Father’s Day Recap
Monthly Musings

I hope you have a great weekend. We have a mix of baseball, basketball, birthday parties and more!

See you back here on Monday.

Posted in Family, Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#73}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello! How was your week? We’ve had a great one. I worked two days, we had some pool time, the kids had dance, baseball, and swim team, and I was able to run some errands and cross some things off my “to do” list.

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

My dad visited for a few days which is always a favorite. He was able to hang with us and my brother’s family, see two of Hayden’s tournament games, take Hayden to the driving range, and we went ahead and celebrated Father’s Day.

Dugout laughs with the Major
Driving Range time

For years, we’ve taken a front porch stairs photo (per the Major’s request!), and we always laugh because he’s the hardest one to get to smile. He always says, “I AM smiling!” This visit, he wanted the kids to “smile like Major,” and they nailed it.

Of course, I needed a smiling photo, and then my brother and I hopped in for one.

Seeing Hayden play baseball is always a favorite. He’s having so much fun with his summer team. They are a great group of boys with great coaches.

My favorite flowers, hydrangeas, are starting to bloom…

…but they are showing off at my brother’s house.

My sister-in-law made a couple of pies last weekend, and Layla couldn’t wait to dig in. The pies were delish.

Homer is always a favorite. He loves it that we are home so much in the summer.

Summer nights and just hanging around are a favorite of Hadley’s. My kids kids love to climb this tree in our yard.

Pool time with Layla was another favorite of Hadley’s this week.

Snow cones at the pool are a great way to beat the heat!

Hayden wanted to go to a new restaurant in town, so we ate there on Wednesday after baseball practice. Freddy’s with my fave…

Favorite Mom Meme:

Yep. Summer always magnifies what little control I have around here. 😆

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

Since it’s Father’s Day this weekend, I’m sharing these favorite flashback photos!

In 2013, I had the kids take these pics and framed them for Travis.

And, another flashback…the Major and me in the 80’s…

and in 2005… (Travis and I will celebrate 16 years of marriage next week…which I can’t believe!)

Living away from family can be hard. Luckily, my mom and grandma visited around Mother’s Day, and then we were able to celebrate my dad this past weekend for an early Father’s Day.

Weekly Recap:

Not Just a Mom: Quick Family Dinners
Tuesday Talk: GoodReads
Summer Fun 2021

What are some of your favorites for the week? I hope you have a great weekend. We’ll be at a baseball tournament and celebrating Travis on Sunday!

Amazon Prime Days are Monday and Tuesday, so I will be sharing some Amazon faves on Monday!

Thanks so much for reading.

Posted in Friday Favorites, Kids

Friday Favorites {#72}

Posted on 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…}

Posted in Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#71}

Posted on 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.

jkh_photo

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!

Posted in Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#70}

Posted on 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,