Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites, Kids, School, Traditions

Friday Favorites {#36}: Back to School Edition and Other Faves!

Posted on August 28, 2020August 20, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

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

Can my first favorite just be surviving this week? 😂 Seriously, it was a doozy filled with school, activities, and more. That being said, I’m very glad that we are back on some kind of schedule. So far, we’ve had one learning day at the tutor’s house and one learning day at home (with me!). The kids really do have a handle on the technology, and thankfully haven’t needed much help. Their teachers are doing such an amazing job, and I know they are putting in long hours to help their students feel welcome and to make their lessons engaging.

We have a pretty free weekend, and I think we all need it to recharge and relax.

For today’s post, I’m sharing some of our favorite back to school traditions as well as some other faves from the week.

Favorite Traditions:

First Day of School: 5th Grade Pics

I shared more about this in yesterday’s post, but we always take a back to school picture (or two) with the chalkboard!

We also take a picture in front of their school sign. We did that again this year as I couldn’t let Covid ruin my five year tradition!

Wednesday was a day at the tutor’s house, and she had a sign for them to hold up for a picture. It’s the 2020 version of my back to school chalkboard!

Back to School Breakfast:

Every year, I have a Back to School Breakfast for the kids. I’ve been reading Andrea’s blog for years, and loved her Back to School Brinner idea, but tweaked it for breakfast. I may move to the Brinner idea next year when the kids start middle school.

The kids seem to enjoy this tradition, and I do too! I feel like traditions like these get us all excited to start back to school.

Books:

For the breakfast, I typically give both the kids a new book. Amazon always comes through with books with their grade in the title!

My big 5th graders!

Cookies:

I started getting the kids these sweet little cookies a couple of years ago. I’ve purchased and taken cookie classes with Maddie of Maddie’s Cookie Co., and her cookies are amazing. I’m always so impressed with her designs, and the cookies are delish!

This year, I got Hayden and Hadley the mini cookies (hoping they will share with mom and dad ) 😉 as well as the backpack cookie with their name.

I even picked up a sweet treat for their tutor. An apple cookie with her name on it.

Flashback Friday:

I don’t know why I do this to myself (😭), but it is fun to look back at the first day of school through the years.

Kindergarten:

1st grade:

2nd grade:

I think this is my favorite back to school photo of them ❤️

3rd grade:

4th grade:

Other Faves:

Other favorites from the week:

Hadley’s dance studio used the month of August to make up for April and May classes. They brushed up on their recital routines in preparation for Wednesday night’s recital.

Their routines (Hadley had hip hop, jazz, ballet, and tap) were videoed, and we will receive a DVD. I hate that we didn’t get to see the performance in person, but I know the DVD will be fun to watch and a 2020 keepsake!

Hadley’s hip hop performance was first, so I snapped a few photos before we headed to the studio.

Then, she had ballet, and then tap and jazz.

It’s always difficult to choose which professional photos I want printed, but I settled on these two to share with family:

I love watching Hayden play baseball. To be honest, we are just lucky to have (finally) had a season. He grew so much as a player and a pitcher this season. He also loves playing short or first, and it’s been so fun to watch his team play. At times, he’s too hard on himself, but I hope that translates into just wanting to continue to be a better player.

His team finished second in the standings for the regular season and then unfortunately lost in the semi-final round of the tournament in a close 3-1 game. There’s nothing worse than little baseball boys bummed after a loss, but Hayden did his part, and I reminded him to celebrate the successes they had as a team this season!

For Sunday’s first round game, Hadley wore Hayden’s jersey from last year. He rolled his eyes when he saw her, but I hope he knows she’s his biggest fan (when she pays attention to the game) 😉

As with the dance pictures, it was hard for me to choose which of the two professional photos to get copies of, so I purchased both! 🤣

The red plate is another favorite tradition in our house. Since school started this week and dance and baseball wrapped up, the kids each had the plate for a meal on Thursday to celebrate their hard work and successes during this past dance and baseball season as well as getting the hang of the 5th grade!

Favorite Kid Quote:

I finished the third season of Selling Sunset on Sunday, and Hayden caught the tail end of the final episode of Christine’s wedding. The wedding was beautiful and over the top. Hayden said, “That’s a wedding? If I was getting married, I would just have it at a church with food.” Boo lives a simple life.

Favorite Sweet Treat:

I made a quick trip to the grocery store yesterday and saw “break and bake” Pillsbury Oreo cookies. So, I made those for Hayden and Hadley as they wrapped up their second day of virtual school. They were delish.

Favorite Mom Meme:

I saw this meme a few weeks ago, and ain’t it the truth?!

Friday Funny

I occasionally play Words with Friends, and my dad wins most games we play. I was winning the latest game, and he said he was sending me to my room if I played on the triple letter! haha For the record, I did win that game!

If you made it to the end of this post, thanks so much for reading! Lots of favorites this week.

What are some of your favorites from the week?

Weekly Recap:

Monday Meal

Virtual School

Back to School Pics

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

Take care,

Family, Friday Favorites, School

Friday Favorites {#35}

Posted on August 21, 2020August 20, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Hey, hey! We made it to Friday. As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, this week has about done me in. Juggling my school life, the kids (and their activities), multiple appointments (doctor, ortho, etc) and more, I’m just drained. It always takes a couple of weeks to get into the “back to school groove,” and, at this point, I’m the only one actually back to school! 😳

I’m happy to see the weekend, and I hope to recharge a bit before Monday.

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

Favorite Pic:

Hayden’s baseball season will be over in the next couple of weeks. I love that Travis helps coach his team. I’m not sure Hayden knows how lucky he is to have a dad who wants to be involved as well as help him grow as a player. This pic is priceless to me. ❤️ (and, yes–they do bump heads sometimes like most father/son relationships…but I tell them to keep it on the field. 😉

Favorite Kid Quote:

Hadley asked Alexa to set a timer for 2:45. Alexa said, “A timer is set for 14:25.” Hadley looked at me and said, “She’s talking Army time.” 😂

Favorite Show:

I’m late to the Selling Sunset hype. I’m almost ashamed to admit it, but I’ve watched two seasons since last Thursday. I love this show. Just enough drama and friendship…plus they show (& sell) amazing homes!

Favorite Book:

Unfortunately, I haven’t had as much time to read lately, but I’m loving 28 Summers. Hopefully I will get it read in time to chat about it in my August book post.

Back to School Favorites:

Last Friday, we decided to get school supplies and back to school clothes. I always take the kids to pick out their supplies. It gets them excited about the school year, and it’s always funny to see Hayden pick things out in five minutes while Hadley spends seven minutes picking out the cutest folder.

Then, we headed across the street to Vineyard Vines. Hayden is pretty low maintenance with clothes, but he likes Vineyard Vines t-shirts and polos. I was going to take him anyway, but VV was having 50% off for teachers and students, so I let him pick out an extra shirt!

I took Hadley to Target this week where she picked out a couple of shirts and a jean skirt to wear on the first day.

I told Travis it was his turn to partake in the Back to School “fun”….so he took them for new shoes on Sunday. They were gone a couple of hours, Hadley called me twice and sent me 15 text messages from Trav’s phone. haha!! Hayden is apparently a high maintenance shoe shopper!

This year, the kids’ school had a drive thru “Meet the Teacher,” so we drove through, picked up supplies, and chatted with their teachers. I am bummed this is how they are starting their last year of elementary school, but the school is definitely making these events as special as possible.

Then, last night, they had a Zoom Open House where they were able to meet all the 5th grade teachers and chat with classmates.

There were a couple of treats in the bag…but mostly textbooks! 😂

Another favorite for me (and probably only me) this week has been getting organized. Hayden’s desk arrived, and Hadley already has a desk. My neighbor went to Ikea a couple of weeks ago, and I asked her to pick me up two of these rolling carts. They are perfect for holding their supplies for school, and can easily be rolled to the kitchen or office if the kids prefer to work there.

Favorite Purchase:

There’s a Bath and Body Works by Vineyard Vines, so after that shopping, we stopped in Bath and Body. I knew their three wick candles were on sale, so I picked up a fall scented one. It’s making me so happy!

Favorite Family Fun :

Cousin Wyatt turned 6 on Wednesday, and we got together for his birthday. For his party, he had a huge inflatable water slide. The kids had tons of fun and were worn out.

I got them to pause for three seconds for a picture!

Hayden meant to wear his sports goggles, but insisted on keeping his regular glasses on while going down the water slide. Later, my brother sent me this pic saying Hayden looked like Squints from Sandlot. I’ve thought that since Hayden picked out those glasses, but it was funny to see the pic for comparison.

and here the cute cousins are in 2015 for Wyatt’s first birthday party. Time flies!

Favorite Food:

Last weekend, I made Andrea’s Peanut Butter Pretzel No Bake Bars. Hadley helped me make them; they were so delicious! They provided us dessert for a few nights.

Favorite Mom Meme:

Guilty as charged!

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

Hadley’s prepping for her dance recital. Her studio is going to video the routines next week while everyone is in costume and “dance ready.” This is Hadley at her first ballet class in 2015. So sweet!

I love when this 2012 pic of Hayden pops up in my Facebook memories…PJ shirt, undies, shoes and a shovel. #pinchycheekcute He was helping dad in the backyard!

Weekly Recap:

August Memes

Tuesday Talk: Teacher Life

Keep 3

Thoughtful Thursday

Now, if you need me, I will be trying to keep my head above water and counting down the minutes to the weekend!

Thanks so much for reading!

Activities, Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#34}: Summer 2020 Top 10

Posted on August 14, 2020August 20, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Friday! I’ve almost made it through my first week back to school which has looked very different than my previous eighteen years in education! I completed online trainings, planned, prepped my room (let’s hope I get to use it soon!), responded to emails, engaged in Zoom calls and meetings, and much more.

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

Yesterday, I recapped our 2020 Summer Fun List activities that the kids individually wanted to accomplish. We were able to cross most things off our “Fun List” that we made earlier this summer. Most of the family activities made it to today’s post as I’m writing about our “Top 10” favorite highlights of Summer 2020.

I feel like this summer was less busy (for obvious reasons), but then again, it seemed like by mid-June, we were out and about a bit more, activities started back up, and I felt like we were kind of busy again. I do feel like we needed this break. While the kids still had things going on, it was definitely a slower paced summer with staying up too late and lots of sleeping in. There are some summers where I feel like I can’t even catch my breath. This summer did not feel that way even though there always seemed to be the underlying stress of the virus. But…we tried our best to make lemonade out of lemons. 😉

Here are our favorite highlights of the summer.

1. Florida Vacation

In June, we spent a little over a week in one of our favorite places: Siesta Key, Florida.

2. Extra Homer Time

Homer loves having us around! We’ve enjoyed this bonus time with him…and apparently that extra time will continue for at least the first six weeks of school 😉 He’s a hit on the class Zoom calls! 😂

Pool update: It was #homered a couple of weeks ago. Thankfully, it’s three layers, so he only punctured the top layer! I’m sure the pool will end up in the trash in a month or so, but I will still use it as much as I can to keep my tan and read a book.

3. Slower Pace

I’d say June was about the same pace as the spring months, but July kicked it up a notch with dance and baseball.

We did enjoy sleeping in since the kids didn’t do swim team this summer. There were nights where it was dark out, and the kids were still outside playing! I had to beg them to come in.

We all had extra time for the things we love: reading, Netflix, Xbox, walks, and more.

A couple books I read this summer, and I’ve been watching *Alone* on Netflix with Hayden lately.

Hadley is the MVP of sleeping in!

We found time to occasionally play games like Monopoly Deal.

I’m probably the queen of pool lounging, but Hadley is the runner up!

4. KC

We were able to make a visit to Kansas City in July. It was nice to see family we hadn’t seen in a while…including my mom’s dog Gus. It was a very low key visit spent relaxing with family, splashing in the pool, playing on the golf course, and playing games like Monopoly and Dominoes.

5. Hiking

We went to McConnell Springs Park and Shaker Village for hikes this summer. We also took walks in the arboretum when it wasn’t too hot outside.

6. Fun with neighbors and friends

Keeping guidelines and social distancing in the mind, the kids ran around with neighborhood friends and rode their bikes a lot.

Hadley went to the lake with her friend one Saturday.

4th of July sparklers with friends is always fun and a favorite.

7. Picking Strawberries

We had our first experience picking strawberries earlier in the summer. I took the kids to Evans Orchard in June. It was a beautiful day, and the berries were delicious.

Strawberries are our favorite summer food.

8. Activities

Again, June included vacation and not many activities. BUT…in July, the kids were able to start back with some to the activities they love like…

Golf. A few times this summer, Travis and Hayden were able to play golf.

…which also included hitting golf balls at a course in KC when we were visiting my family.

Hayden has had a great baseball season where he’s grown as a player, gained lots of experience as a pitcher, and had so much fun with his coaches and teammates.

A couple of weeks ago, Hayden and his friend went to a local 5 day basketball camp. They were gone all day, and had so much fun. We were very impressed with the protocol and procedures of the staff and the camp facility.

Hadley took a few hip hop dance workshops, had her recital pictures taken, and started back full time a couple of weeks ago to make up for April and May classes.

Silly Sis is always smiling.

9. Cincinnati Zoo

I took the kids to the Cincinnati Zoo in June, and we had a great time. It’s about an hour and a half drive from Lexington. We purchased tickets in advance to arrive at a certain time and were able to social distance from other zoo guests. The weather wasn’t too hot, and we were able to see most of the animals!

10. Canoeing

We went canoeing on Elkhorn Creek with friends. It was a six mile trek, but the weather was great, and the water was cool and beautiful. I’d definitely like to make canoeing a summer tradition; it’s a new favorite activity, for sure! Maybe next year, we can try the kayak.

We had a really great summer. I never knew how much we needed the extra downtime (as most summers for us are booked solid), and we sure appreciated it. I can safely say I will always remember the summer of 2020!

A few more faves…

Favorite Mom Meme:

This meme made me laugh and cry at the same time 😉

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

Both of these pics are from August 2017.

I love these pics of seven-year-old Hadley at the beach. Her sass and smile are the best!

I love this cousin pic so much. We had an impromptu photo session thanks to Trav’s brother in August 2017, and this pic is so sweet. All of these cousins are so blessed to have each other!

Weekly Recap:

Back To School Breakfast

Shaker Village Hike

Let’s Look

Summer Fun List Update

Real talk: I’m just as tired at the end of this first week of school (where I was both at home and at school) as the regular first weeks back. I’m going to take the time this weekend to get some rest and spend time with my family in hopes of being recharged ready to start another week of learning, Zooming, planning, and more on Monday!

Thanks so much for reading, and have a great weekend.

Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#33}

Posted on July 24, 2020August 20, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Friday, y’all! This week was certainly filled with end of the summer stuff like appointments, back to school planning, professional development and more!

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

Favorite Moment:

There were a few favorite moments this week, but I will share the first two that popped into my mind.

1.

The kids had their annual vision exam on Monday. Hadley passed again, but Hayden’s prescription changed (again).

He’s been wearing glasses for two years now, and each exam provides an adjustment for his prescription. I had a feeling his eyesight was really worsening (it runs in the family) based on some extra squinting recently, and he’d even mentioned having trouble when up to bat seeing the pitcher release the ball.

Anyway, as the doctor was tweaking his prescription (you know–when they ask, “which looks better, 1 or 2?”) Hayden said, “2.” She then flipped the screen and said, “This is your old prescription.” She then flipped the screen again and said, “This is your new prescription.” Hayden quietly and sweetly said, “Ohhh!” It was a sweet moment…almost like he was relieved. It must have been so much better! 😂

The first year he had glasses he had eye glasses and sports goggles. He really did wear both, but around six months, he just stuck with the goggles. So, last year, with the new prescription, we only purchased new sports goggles. I think he likes that they are heavier on his face and have the strap. Anyway, this year he said he wanted both again. He kind of had to wander around on his own due to COVID restrictions, but chose four very similar styles to what he had a couple of years ago. The pair he ended up choosing (pictured below) remind me of Squints from Sandlot! So cute. They’ll be ready next week.

And…how weird is 2020?!…trying on glasses while wearing a mask!

2.

Hayden’s finishing up Goblet of Fire, and sometimes asks to read aloud to me. He did so the other night, and I kept dozing off. He stopped, woke me up, and said, “What?! Are you not enjoying this?!” 😂

Favorite Kid Quote:

Honestly, the two Hayden instances above were favorite quotes, but I couldn’t stop laughing during Hadley’s eye exam when he saw the numbers in the corner (20, 30, 40, etc) and asked me if the number was Hadley’s IQ!!

Then…

Later that day, I asked Hadley if she had a hair tie for her hair. Without missing a beat, she said, “I have seven!” She tends to wear them on her wrists and ankles (sometimes!) She’s definitely a Girl Scout…always prepared!

Favorite Food:

My new favorite food…or should I say… favorite guilty pleasure is this Cheesecake Factory ice cream.

My dad told me about it a couple of months ago, but our Kroger didn’t have it. When we were in KC last week, he bought a variety of flavors for us to try. Then, I looked at the Kroger app, and Kroger now carries this brand! When I went to the store on Monday, I brought home original, salted caramel, and cookies and cream. My fave is the original.

Favorite Thought:

I saw this on Instagram. It was such a good reminder on the importance of taking care of yourself!

Favorite Clothing Item:

Hadley had been wanting a pair of Birkenstock-like sandals (I refuse to buy her the real deal until her feet stop growing—she’s gone from a women’s size 5 to size 7 in a year!) all summer. Target has some that are similar, but they are never at the store, and for some reason her size isn’t available to ship.

I’m not sure why it took me so long to check Amazon, but they had what she was looking for. She got this pair in white.

I’d seen this pair before and thought they would be good for summer and going to the pool, and they just seem like a great summer sandal that’s easy to wear.

I bought my usual size 9 but think a 10 would be better… that size should arrive today. Hadley’s 7.5 fit her just fine!

Other Faves:

Sipping coffee out of my new mug from my mom. Go Chiefs! #superbowlchamps

While it has been hot, the evenings have provided a decent temperature to go for a walk.

Favorite Mom Meme(s):

I’ve got one serious and one funny meme for you!

This one below is the motherhood truth. Real talk: Monday was rough with my kids…we were busy, we were tired, we had appointments, we had practices, we had no groceries, we had to pick up groceries and on and on. I went to bed Monday night feeling like a bad mom.

But…the rest of the week was much better—even if I had to send a kid to their room a time or two!

And…something funny for you! You know I love my Golden Girls…and I love to sleep…even if it’s not always soundly!

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:

My Gma and mom were cleaning out pics, so I came back with quite a few gems for myself to keep. Including this one…

The banana pic is a fave of my Gma’s. I think she even had it framed at her house for quite a few years.

I’m guessing this was 1982-83 (ish)…

Weekly Recap :

Here are this week’s posts if you are interested and/or missed one!

July Memes

Tuesday Talk: What It’s Like to Have Twins

KC Trip Recap

Family Fun: Games

If you take away anything from today’s post (besides how cute I was in the early 80’s!), you must buy the Cheesecake Factory ice cream! 🙂

Thanks so much for reading! Don’t forget to check out the other ladies’ posts too!

I hope you have a great weekend.

Amazon, Books and Shows, Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#32}

Posted on July 17, 2020August 20, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Hey. Hey. Happy Friday.

This week was a mix of crossing things off my “to do” list, working on school stuff, running a few errands, going to Hayden’s baseball games and much more.

We’re glad it’s almost the weekend.

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

Favorite Moment:

Definitely a favorite moment this week has been seeing some of my family that we haven’t seen in months. It’s been good for all of us.

Favorite Kid Quote:

Wednesday, 8:30 am in the Starbucks Drive-thru: Hadley said she would like a hot chocolate. I looked at her kind of surprised since it was 85 degrees outside, and she said, “Well, I doubt you’ll let me get a vanilla bean Frappuccino in the morning, right?” 😂 Good point.

Favorite Homer Pic:

Homer often hops up on the stool in the kitchen. It’s like he’s bellying up to the bar. He’s so funny.

Favorite Clothing Item:

These pjs I purchased from Amazon are definitely a fave. They are lightweight, comfy, and perfect for summer! I got the “galaxy” color/style.

Speaking of tie dye, Hadley is embracing this style too. She tie dyed a t-shirt with a friend recently, and even tie dyed a pair of socks too. I’m not sure about the socks and sandals looks, but “you do you, girl!”

Favorite Book:

I finished Our Little Lies the other day. My library didn’t have it, so I purchased it from Amazon for my Kindle. I try not to buy Kindle books often, and when I do, they are less than $5. This one was $2.99 and worth every penny. Definitely a great read.

Favorite Mom Meme:

I love to cook…but I struggle with cooking motivation in the summer. This meme definitely applies to me!

Bonus Favorite: Flashback Friday

Facebook continues to bring some favorite gems in “memories.”

This pic is from July 2010. We’d visited family in KC and made it just outside of St. Louis during our car ride back to Lexington. The kids were eight months old and kind of fussy….so we got a hotel room for the night. They were so cute sitting up in the bed with their pacis. The Run DMC onsie was a gift from my brother and one of my favorites.

Then, this pic is from July 2011 when we were in South Carolina. It was the kids first time at the beach. Such a sweet pic. They definitely don’t hold hands anymore!

Weekly Recap

That’s a wrap on this week’s faves. Don’t forget to check out the other ladies’ posts too!

Have a great weekend.

Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#31}

Posted on July 10, 2020August 20, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Happy Friday! For some reason, this week seemed to fly by! As usual, I’m linking up with Erika and Andrea for this week’s Friday Favorites post.

Favorite Kid Quote:

Hayden was on a roll this week.

On Sunday, we met some of Trav’s family for an early dinner. We got home around 6:30. At 7:00 Hayden asked me what was for dinner, and I told him we’d already had dinner. He said, “Well, I need a second dinner. Dinner 1 didn’t ‘qualify.'” haha

Then…

On Monday, Travis took Hayden to his haircut place for a much needed trim. At dinner, Hayden was telling me all about it. He loved it because they washed his hair and had a television. He said, “I enjoyed the experience. By the way…only men can go there!” 😂😂I guess he’s a man now!

Favorite Moment:

In the afternoons, Hadley and I have been reading a bit of Love Does: for kids. It’s been sweet seeing her take interest in the book, tell me her thoughts and ask me questions.

Favorite Day:

Tuesday was Trav’s birthday! So, of course that was our favorite day this week. We got him a few gifts and a cake.

When I shared a couple pics on social media, more than one person asked where the cookie cake was! They know me so well. 😉 I was just trying to be practical when I went into Kroger for the few things I needed (rather than take a trip to the mall to Great American Cookie), and looked at their options. There was one pitiful cookie cake, but Hadley noticed this chocolate one with buttercream frosting. It’s no cookie cake, but it was delicious.

I love this pic of my fave 3.

We grilled out and kept it simple for dinner and shared the cake with Trav’s brother and his boys.

Favorite Food / Snack:

I’m late to the Dot’s Pretzel game. I picked these up the other day at Kroger, and the family plowed through the bag in less than two days. I picked up another bag with my Clicklist order and told everyone to pace themselves!!

Other Favorites:

When Hadley went with me to Kroger to get a cake and cards, she wanted to try the S’mores Frappuccino from Starbucks. It was one of the items on the Summer 2020 Fun list. She enjoyed it, and let me try it too.

Speaking of the Summer 2020 list…Hayden wanted to draw and color more this summer. He’s been doing so almost daily.

Another favorite?! When Hayden gets a haircut! Always so cute…

Hayden begged me to bring Homer to his game last night. Since Hayden had a big ortho appointment yesterday and a very sore mouth, I obliged. Homer made a *brief* appearance for a couple of innings before I benched him (took him home!)😂

Favorite Mom Memes:

Y’all, this makes me laugh and cry at the same time 😉

And this one…😂

Bonus Favorite: Flashback Friday

This pics from July 2013 popped up in my Facebook memories. We were in KC visiting family and my cousin took these pics of the kids. I actually have them on canvas and they hang on our gallery wall.

Weekly Recap:

Here are my posts from this week:

Don’t forget to check out the other ladies’ posts! Have a great weekend.

Friday Favorites, Holidays

Friday (4th of July) Favorites {#30}

Posted on July 3, 2020August 20, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Friday! Even though this has been a “different” kind of summer with some extra downtime at home, I’m still looking forward to this extended holiday weekend.

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

With it being 4th of July weekend, I thought I’d share some of our favorite 4th of July traditions. The 4th has always been one of my favorite holidays.

Red, White, and Blue

I don’t know how many years I have left (this is probably it ;), but I make sure the kids have some form of red, white and blue to wear. I usually look in their closet first to see what they already have, but, of course, places like Old Navy and Target always have cute options for very reasonable prices.

Breakfast:

For as long as I can remember, I’ve made red, white, and blue waffles. It’s as simple as throwing a frozen waffle in the toaster and then topping it with whipped cream, strawberries and blueberries.

For Father’s Day, Hadley wanted to make Travis waffles from a mix using our mini waffle maker. So…we may do that again for tomorrow’s breakfast.

Homer:

Last year, I bought Homer a red, white, and blue scarf. When I put it on him for Memorial Day this year, it was a bit tight. I ordered him a new one from Amazon to wear tomorrow.

Outside Decorations:

I don’t really have anything for inside my home for the 4th, but I always put little flags in our planters and by the front porch. Then, I switch out my usual garden flag for my American flag.

Sparklers and Fireworks:

Some years we are on vacation, but the years we are home, I pick up a few sparklers, snap its, smoke bombs, etc. I definitely keep it simple and pretty kid friendly. I’m not trying to scare the neighbors!

I do love the sparklers at night! So fun and festive.

Then, when in Lex, we head to our favorite spot to watch one of the country club’s fireworks. It’s always an awesome display and in a pretty convenient location.

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

This is one of my favorite family pics from 4th of July 2015. We were settled in and ready to watch our favorite fireworks.

Weekly Recap:

Memes

Monthly Musings and 20 Questions

What I’ve Been Reading

Life Lately

Don’t forget to check out the other ladies’ posts too! I hope you have a wonderful and safe holiday weekend!

Friday Favorites, Homer, Kids

Friday Favorites {#29}

Posted on June 26, 2020August 20, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Hey! Hey! We made it to Friday. As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.

Favorite Moment:

Travis and I celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary this week. We don’t usually do gifts but instead exchange cards and go out to dinner whenever we have an available sitter.

I don’t know why, but from the beginning, Travis has always written my name in bubble letters on my cards. It’s so sweet and something I like forward to. (I hope he doesn’t mind me sharing 😉 Anyway, he brought home my card and a cookie cake. Our family loves cookie cakes and usually pick one up for birthdays and other special occasions.

Sweet treat that almost looks too good to eat 😉

Which leads me to my….

Least Favorite Moment:

Homer ATE THE COOKIE CAKE!!!

Y’all, he is SO bad. (Thank goodness he’s cute)

Because I have no willpower when it comes to a cookie cake, we’d each had a small slice of cake before dinner on Thursday. The cake was covered on the counter and pushed back on the counter. After dinner, we were outside and Hadley came out to tell me about the cake. I cried.

because I love cookie cake
because I was afraid Homer was going to puke all over the house all night long.

We put him in his kennel. He tried to deny he did it, but icing on his nose was proof!

Favorite Activity:

I’m trying to incorporate at least one activity each week for the kids and I to do. I checked our forecast and Wednesday called for pretty mild temps with a high of 80 degrees.

I checked the Cincinnati Zoo’s website for details. Of course, they have new guidelines and the indoor exhibits were closed, but I knew we could at least wander around and check out the animals. The zoo actually had times with a specific number of tickets to be sold for various arrival times. I purchased tickets for the 12:30-1:00 arrival time. Of course, once you are in the zoo, I believe that you can stay as long as you’d like, but at least the arrival of guests is scattered. Also, I knew 2-2.5 hours would be all we’d need to look at the animals.

Cinci is about a 1.5 hour drive, so we left around 10:30, made a stop at Chick-Fil-A for lunch to eat in the car, and drove up to Cinci.

The weather was beautiful and we really were able to keep our distance and see most of what we would have wanted to see.

We’ve been to this zoo a few times. The last time was last year for the kids’ 3rd grade field trip. It was such a fun experience and lots of parents went, so the classes could be divided into small groups of kids. It was easier navigating this time with just my two kids 😉

We started off by seeing the Galapagos tortoises, the Red Pandas, and the Gibbons.

We made a pit stop at the Dippin Dots truck before finding the elephants. The elephants are always my fave!

Then we went to see the giraffes (another of my faves!), and the kids loved seeing the African Painted dogs (I don’t remember seeing them last time), the lions, the bald eagle and hippos.

Last stop was to see the flamingos.

Overall, we had a great day, and I was glad we made the trip up there.

Another favorite activity was dinner out with Travis last night at one of our favorite places: Carson’s Food and Drink.

Favorite Food:

Well, my favorite food should have been the cookie cake…#Imstillbitter

but…the grilled Oscar style salmon for my dinner last night was amazing 😄

And then we stopped by a new (to us) place for a nightcap.

The Kentucky Native Cafe didn’t disappoint with the atmosphere…

or the wine…😉 #roseallday

*both restaurants did amazing jobs with social distancing signs, masking wearing, and tables spread out.

Favorite Pic:

Earlier in the week when I thought Homer was still cute ;), I was looking for him and found him on top of ALL the pillows on my bed.

Favorite Kid Quote:

At dinner the other night, we were having cheeseburgers for dinner and somehow Kobe beef was brought up. Hayden asked if it was somehow connected to Kobe Bryant and we said no. Hadley then said, “People assume Taylor Swift made that one cheese.” I said, “You mean Swiss cheese?” 😂 and we all laughed. Travis asked her if she really thought it was called Swift cheese, and she said, “Maybe…. Maybe not.” 😂

During the same dinner, Hayden, who has been eating mostly soft foods because of his spacers for his braces said, “Wow. I ate that whole meal with just my front teeth!” Way to problem solve, kid! 😉

Favorite Mom Meme:

My hashtag for Hadley often is #sassysincedayone. Also, when people say how much she looks like me, I always say, “Unfortunately, for all involved, she acts like me too!”

Bonus: Flashback Friday

In June 2013, the kids each got their own rooms at our old house. They used to share one very sizable bedroom, and then we put them each into smaller bedrooms. That night, they hugged each other good night and said, “See ya later!” ❤️ Such a sweet Facebook memory.

Weekly Recap:

Here are my posts from this week!

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

Friday Favorites, Traditions

Friday Favorites {#28}

Posted on June 19, 2020August 20, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Whew! We made it to Friday. I spent so much time trying to get my life together this week that I’m exhausted 😉 I feel like this was our first full week of summer (at home) and maybe we are getting into a groove?

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

Favorite Pic:

We sure missed Homer while on vacation. This sweet face greeted us on Saturday when we got home.

Favorite Moment:

We went to Evans Orchard and picked strawberries this week. We’d never done that before, so I thought it would be fun. This is the orchard we usually go to when we pick out our pumpkins and is about a 30 minute drive from Lexington.

The orchard decides how many quarts they have available for picking and at 5:00 posts the quarts for sale ($6/quart and limit 2 per order) on their website for you to pick the next day. Some days they have more quarts for sale than other days. That being said, I set an alarm on my phone for 5:00 Monday to buy the quarts for Tuesday. I know some have mentioned when they have limited quarts they sell out quickly.

Anyway, we arrived around 11:00 on Tuesday and went in to get our purchased quarts. Once we got to the strawberry “patch” we were assigned a lane to stay in to pick our berries. While we were there, there was only one other family. We took our time picking our berries in lane 7 and then went inside to purchase their apple cider donuts. #myweakness I didn’t realize they sold the donuts year round! I was only going to get on 6 pack, but Hayden talked be into buying two packs #twistmyarm

So, I shared these photos on Facebook and had a few people comment that they’d never seen a strawberry patch like this. Like I said, this was our first time going, so I knew no different! Each column of berries spins around, so you can find the best berries. Apparently, strawberries usually grow on the ground. #Imnotafarmer

We got our $6/quart worth!

Favorite Kid Quote:

I don’t necessarily have a favorite kid quote this week, but we did go see my brother and his family for my brother’s birthday. The kids played and had a good time together. They hadn’t really played together for quite some time. It was sweet seeing them run around and have fun together.

Favorite Shows:

Some new (to me) shows I’ve been watching are: House in a Hurry, Good Bones, and Alexa & Katie.

Earlier this summer, I stumbled upon House in a Hurry. Basically, the people are on a time crunch to find a home, so it’s kind of like a quick version of House Hunters. That being said, you get to know the people and their lives a bit more. A couple of episodes had me in tears. One man grew up in a one bedroom apartment with many family members, and he was moving his family to Arizona from California to cut down on his drive time to work, so he could spend more time with this family. Two of his three kids have special needs. Once they found their home, he was in tears with appreciation and relief.

Compare that to another episode where the couple had a $1M budget to move to Florida and the wife came off cold, controlling, and out of touch with reality! So there’s a mix, but seeing that tense episode made me appreciate the even more heart warming episodes that much more.

While in Florida, I stumbled upon Good Bones. I’ve heard of it, but just never watched it. Hayden and I watched some episodes, but then when I got home, I started on Season 1. I really like it.

Lastly, Hadley has always watched Alexa & Katie on Netflix. I knew the premise and had seen that the mom on the show is Tiffani Thiessen who I love from my Saved by the Bell days! Anyway, Hadley started the last and final season, and I watched a few episodes. So, now I’ve started season 1 and Hadley’s been watching it with me. We usually just watch one episode in the morning while having coffee (for me) and breakfast (for her).

Favorite Mom Meme:

Adulting. #amIright?

This meme made me laugh out loud! Thankfully, my kids are good sleepers. In the summer, I used to always threaten Travis to be quiet while getting ready for work as to let the kids sleep as long as possible. As they’ve gotten older (and thanks to sound machines in their rooms), they seem to sleep through most anything until at least 9:00…maybe even later if I’m lucky!

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

This sweet pic popped up my Facebook memories. Isle of Palm, SC. June 2013. Obviously, the hand holding is sweet, but for whatever reason, Hayden holding the little plastic boat slays me!

Flash forward to June 2014 and I planned ahead for a cute beach pic session when we vacationed at Folly Beach, SC. The kids were bribed big time with ice cream…and I’m not ashamed of it!

Weekly Recap

Here are my other posts from this week.

Thanks so much for reading. Don’t forget to check out the other ladies’ posts too! Have a great weekend!

Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#26}

Posted on May 22, 2020August 20, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy FRIDAY! How is it already Memorial Day weekend? I feel like the month of May has flown by! We’ve made it through our final full week of distance learning, and, for that, I’m very thankful!

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

I’m going to start off with my very favorite favorite this week…

My 150th Blog Post:

Y’all, this is my 150th blog post! I can’t believe how much I have enjoyed starting this blog, “meeting” new people, finding other blogs to follow, and also just finding the time to keep Show Me and Sweet Tea going. Thanks so much for following and reading posts that are of interest to you!

Blog Categories:

Speaking of the blog…I feel like a “Big Girl Blogger” because I organized my posts into categories on my site! It took some time to label and move things where they needed to be, but I’m so glad to have that system in place, and I hope it’s easier for readers to find posts that they are looking for. Getting organized is always a favorite of mine.

Favorite Moments:

May is a big birthday month in my family. Both my mom and my dad have May birthdays, just a few days apart. I thought it would be fun to have Hayden and Hadley and their two cousins spell out Happy Birthday to each of them. My sister-in-law took her kids’ pics and sent them to me, and I put them in a collage…and I was able to print the collage at Walgreens to put in their birthday cards.

Hadley FaceTimed my mom on her birthday and put a candle in her waffle with (too much) Nutella and peanut butter. Then, she had GG “blow” out the candle. The kids did the same for the Major on his birthday a couple of days later.

I always say, “Find you a Hadley.” She loves big and has a very generous heart. It was sweet of her to come up with that idea.

Another favorite was the kids’ artwork this week. Their self-portrait needed to include something that they love. I always crack up when Hayden draws himself in his glasses, and Hadley doesn’t miss a detail…look at that scrunchie!

I finished the third and final book in the Peachtree Bluff series. It was such a good read, and I loved this series so much. All three books would be great summer or vacation reads!

Trader Joe’s had some of my favorite flowers when I stopped by there last week.

Favorite Recipe:

Hadley’s Girl Scout troop wrapped up their year with a virtual cookie bake off. Each girl received a sleeve of cookies to use in their baking recipe. On Monday, they had their Zoom meeting and each shared their finished product as well as the recipe with the troop. We modified one of my favorite baking recipes to include the Thin Mint cookies Hadley received. The cupcakes were so delish, and the girls had fun presenting their finished products. Her troop leader is gathering the recipes for a little cookbook, so the girls can have all of the delicious recipes in one place.

Favorite Clothing Item:

It’s been about 20 years since the last time I purchased overalls, but these Universal Thread overalls from Target didn’t disappoint. Real talk: at this point, when I put on these overalls, I’m dressing up! 😂Anyway, I think they will be perfect for the spring and summer months.

Favorite Kid Quote:

I made Hadley’s lunch yesterday, and when I gave it to her, she said, “Is this ‘on the house?'” 😂 I told her that her whole life is “on the house!” I’m not sure where she heard that saying, but it was just funny to hear her say it.

Favorite Mom Memes:

Non-essential stores are beginning to open up around here. I do think our local Home Goods isn’t scheduled to open up just yet, but that’s the one store I’ve really missed visiting during this time of quarantine.

With distance learning wrapping up, I had to share this meme while it was still timely!

Bonus Favorite: Flashback Friday

I think I shared this toddler pic of Hadley in a previous post. Now, Hayden’s teacher has asked for one too for something they are doing next week, so I thought I’d share his too. I miss when they were this little!

And this pic from 2013 popped up in my Facebook memories 😢 They were ready for the pool…I’m wondering if we will get any pool time this summer?!

Weekly Post Recap:

Monday: Pizza Pork Chop recipe

Tuesday: Tuesday TAlk

Wednesday: End of the School year interview

Thursday: Etsy finds

Well, that’s a wrap on this week. Don’t forget to check out the other ladies’ posts too!

I can’t believe this is my 150th post! I really appreciate all of the support along the way.

I hope you have a great Memorial Day weekend!