Holidays – Page 7

Tuesday Talk: Holidays

Posted on October 24, 2023October 23, 2023 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Tuesday!

A few week ago, WordPress had a writing prompt: How do you celebrate holidays? I thought it was a good one to write about.

Today, I’m taking a look at how my family celebrates most of the holidays…in calendar order…

Valentine’s Day:

Travis and I have never been big gift givers on Valentine’s Day. He knows I love a card, so I typically get one from him (with his signature bubble letters for my name). We’ve always tried to go out to dinner at some point around that time of the year as our gift to each other.

Once we had the kids, I started celebrating it a bit more because of them. I probably make too big of a deal about it, but I usually give them chocolates and a few small gifts.

I miss the dress up days:

Last year, the kids had a school dance around that time. Hayden was thrilled.

I always enjoy decorating a bit for V-Day too…

One of my favorite traditions is that we always send family a Valentine’s Day card.

St. Patrick’s Day:

Growing up, we’d always have corned beef and cabbage, and that’s a tradition I started carrying on quite a few years ago. My brother and his family come over for dinner, and my dad typically visits us around this time of the year. I don’t do much else for St. Pat’s Day. I can’t remember the last time I’ve been to a parade or anything like that.

I usually make “lucky” pancakes if I remember!

Easter:

I enjoy putting out a few Easter decorations after St. Patrick’s Day.

We always dye Easter eggs a few days before Easter.

We do Easter baskets and find the hidden eggs in the morning…

…before heading to church.

Then, we typically drive to E-town to see Trav’s family.

Mother’s Day:

For Mother’s Day every year, I ask for a card, hanging ferns for the front porch, and for my children to behave. We go to church, and then typically go out to brunch or an early dinner.

Last year, Hadley had a dance competition, but it was still a lovely day.

Don’t blink!

Of course, I call my mom and we always send a gift. Sometimes her birthday even falls on Mother’s Day.

Memorial Day:

Growing up, my dad’s side of the family often got together for Memorial Day, 4th of July, and sometimes Labor Day too. For us, Memorial Day weekend is obviously when the pool opens, so lots of time is typically spent there.

Through the years, we’ve also had ball games, track meets, and other commitments. The past few years, we’ve gotten together with neighbors which is nice.

Father’s Day:

There have been quite a few Father’s Days spent at the ball field, and sometimes we are on vacation. No matter where we are, we celebrate T-rav.

Last year, we went canoeing and had ice cream cake.

I call my dad and usually send him some kind of gift and card. If he’s visiting sometime around his May birthday and Father’s Day, we’ll make a point to grill out steaks and have a nice dinner.

4th of July:

Ah! I love the 4th of July. Again, as a kid, I remember getting together with family, grilling out and watching fireworks.

Of course, when the kids were little, I loved dressing them in red, white, and blue.

Some years we are on vacation, and other years we are at home.

There have been a couple of years Hadley has been at camp, and I’ve missed having her home for one of my favorite holidays.

I typically make red, white, and blue waffles.

If we are home, we typically grill out, light a few low-key fireworks, and then go watch fireworks from our favorite place.

Labor Day:

Labor Day weekend is usually pretty relaxed. With school starting a few weeks before, we typically like having down time at home.

That being said, the pool is still open, so we usually end up there at some point.

The past few years, Hayden has had a cross country meet that weekend, and often times there’s the first Kentucky home football game.

Sometimes, we get together with our neighbors too.

Halloween:

Oh I’ve loved Halloween through the years. Since the kids’ first Halloween, we have had some pretty great traditions. For years and years, we got together with the same crew of friends.

My brother and his family would come over too. They’d come to our house, and we’d have soup or chili before trick-or-treating.

Once the kids hit middle school, they wanted to run around the neighborhood a bit more with school friends, and they started doing that.

I’ve loved their Halloween costumes through the years.

Now, we’re a week out from Halloween, and there hasn’t been any costume talk. I won’t be surprised if Hadley and friends throw something together, but I don’t think it’s on Hayden’s radar. Maybe he’ll help me pass out candy?

Last year was the first year that Travis and I were back sitting on the front porch passing out candy. It was bittersweet, but I guess that’s where we are now.

Thankfully, our pumpkin carving and “spooky” dinner traditions live on!

Thanksgiving:

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Time with family, great food, and no gifts!! When I first moved to Kentucky, I declared that we’d go to KC for Thanksgiving and Christmas as often as possible. From 2004-2008, we didn’t miss a KC Thanksgiving or Christmas. In 2009, we stayed home because the kids were just born. After that, we drove to KC for most Thanksgivings and Christmases. Around 2019, we started alternating between Thanksgiving and Christmas each year.

Anyway, no matter where we are, I love starting my Thanksgiving morning with coffee and the parade.

We either have Thanksgiving at my cousin’s house in Kc…

… or Trav’s aunt’s house in E-town if we stay home.

My sister-in-law hosted us in 2020.

I love a pumpkin pie for dessert on Thanksgiving.

There are no better leftovers than Thanksgiving leftovers. Our tradition is to make turkey rice soup on the Friday after Thanksgiving.

Christmas:

Christmas is a busy time of the year for most!

I always enjoy decorating the house, and usually put out decorations mid-November.

We make the most of December with a few holiday parties, seeing the Christmas lights at the horse park, and baking cookies.

For years, our elf would visit.

Since the kids were little, most Christmases we celebrated early at home because we’d go to KC for Christmas. Trav’s mom has always hosted his family’s Christmas on the 23rd, so when the kids were little, we’d leave a note for our elf to take to Santa asking him to come on the 22nd. Thankfully, this always worked, and we didn’t have any questions from the kids.

I love sending out Christmas cards every year. I love it so much (and have a tough time deciding) that I typically choose a couple of cards to send.

One tradition I love is that the kids still pick out something to give each other on Christmas morning.

Whether it’s a year we stay home or go to Kc, we always go to Louisville on the 23rd and celebrate with Trav’s family. Then, we head to KC on the 24th.

In KC, we spend Christmas Eve at my dad’s cousin’s house and then spend Christmas Day at my dad’s, mom’s and Gma’s houses.

While in KC, we usually make our traditional Christmas cookies, and go see the “magic tree.”

In Lex, we go to church on Christmas Eve and then let the kids open one gift before leaving milk and cookies out for Santa when the kids were little.

Then, we open gifts in the morning, have breakfast and relax most of the day. No matter where we are, we watch A Christmas Story on Christmas day.

New Year’s Eve and Day:

This will probably not come as a shock to anyone, but I’ve never been a big fan of NYE. I miss the days of tricking the kids with a countdown at 9:00!

For many years, we didn’t have tons of plans and the kids would be in bed early with us following not too far after.

Some years, we’ve hung out with neighbors and the past couple of years we’ve had a progressive dinner with friends. It’s nice that the kids can kind of do their own thing while the adults hang out.

Most of New Year’s Day is spent hanging out, watching football, and clinging to the final days of winter break!

Shew! What a fun way to look at an entire year of festivities. At times, life can feel so hectic, but we sure have a lot of fun!

What’s your favorite holiday?

Holidays

ABC’s of Autumn

Posted on September 21, 2023September 20, 2023 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Thursday!

In June, I shared my ABC’s of Summer post, and it was such a fun post to write. So much fun that I’m following the same format to share all about fall just in time for the autumnal equinox on Saturday!

A- autumn: My favorite season…which provides some of my favorite quotes:

B– back to school activities like open house, football and volleyball games. The kids have had a really great start to the school year.

C- cross country: It’s hard to believe that this is Hayden’s last middle school cross country season. He’s had a great season so far.

D- apple cider donuts: I used to only get apple cider donuts when we went to the pumpkin patch, but now I pick them up at Trader Joe’s too!

E- election day: Obviously, elections are important, but having a random Tuesday off in November is great. The past few years, I’ve taken the time to pull our pencil trees out of the attic and put them out in the office and sun room.

F- Fall break: We always look forward to a few days off from school…even better is when we take a trip. We’ve gone to Asheville quite a few times, and last year we had a whole week at the beach.

G-gourds: I can’t wait to decorate the front porch…maybe this weekend?

H- Halloween: Well, gone are the days of the kids in cute costumes. Before the kids, Travis and I would sit on the front porch and pass out candy. Well, last year, we blinked and had come full circle doing the same thing again while the kids ran around the neighborhood trick-or-treating with their friends.

I- I love fall: What more is there to say?

J-jack-o-lanterns: Thankfully, we’ve kept this tradition alive. I always love seeing their creations.

K- Kickoff of Chiefs football: We’re always excited to watch our Chieefffsss!

L- Leaves: Our front yard trees are always so pretty. I wish the colorful leaves lasted more than a month or so.

M– Mums: I always love decorating the front porch in the fall, and the mums are the perfect touch.

…and Mizzou football…is another favorite part of the fall…especially when they are winning. So far, so good!

N-Nutmeg: Rather than drink all the calories of a PSL, I usually just use hazelnut creamer and a dash of nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice.

O- Orchard: My favorite tradition is heading to the apple orchard/pumpkin patch whenever we can find a free afternoon.

P-Pumpkins: I know you didn’t see that answer coming! haha

Q- Quiet, cozy mornings: I always love starting my morning off with some quiet time, but it’s even better in the cooler months…cozy with a candle, a blanket, and a cup of coffee.

R- Raking the leaves: Those leaves are so pretty…and thankfully these kds are big help raking them up.

S- Sweater and sweatshirt weather –nothing better.

T- Thanksgiving: AKA – my favorite holiday.

Start off with the parade, eat some turkey, and end the day with pie! And…no stress of gift giving.

U- UK football: a big part of our fall is spent at Kroger Field cheering on the CATS.

V-Vino! Red wine time! I usually switch to red wine when the temps dip below 70 degrees!

W- Warm days, cool mornings and evenings. While I’d be content with 70 degrees or cooler after Labor Day, that’s not usually the case around here. I’ve embraced warmer days with no humidity and cooler mornings and evenings.

X- eXtra hours of darkness. I’m one of the odd ones who love when we “fall back” and it starts getting darker earlier. (I’m also always ready to “spring forward” in the spring too!)

Y- Yummy baked goods: We do our best baking in the fall….and it’s usually all things pumpkin!

Z-ZZZ: October and November offer a few days off of school to sleep in and have slow mornings. Thanksgiving break has always been my favorite break because it’s just enough time off but not too much to get us out of a routine.

What do you love about fall?

Holidays, Home Decor

Fall Home Tour

Posted on September 19, 2023September 18, 2023 by jgalvinwhite

Hello!

Cue “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!”…

I love fall…it’s definitely my favorite color 😉

Our temps have actually started to cool off a bit which has been so nice, and it got me in the mood to pull out our fall decorations. My plan was to decorate this past weekend, but I actually went ahead and did it the weekend before. It doesn’t take too long and I had an extra hour, so I went for it.

Not much changes through the years, but I always pick up a new thing or two…it’s hard for me to resist when I see a cute pumpkin.

Now, I’ve been able to enjoy my pretty mantle, candles and light up pumpkins for over a week.

When I told Hadley was I going to decorate, she said, “Yay!” I’m raising her right, y’all.

Come on in.

Entryway:

The only thing new in the entry way is I bought some pretty satin pumpkins at Hobby Lobby to put in the glass cloche.

The other decorations I’ve had for a few years.

Living room:

I keep it pretty simple on the trunk and add a few neutral touches including this pumpkin that I picked up last year.

Real talk: This pic is from last year.

As much as I would love for my couch to look neat and tidy with pretty pillows, it doesn’t look this way 90% of the time….and we keep it mostly covered because of Homer.

I still love my grapevine pumpkins…and you can’t go wrong with an Antique Candle Co candle.

I added these cute light up pumpkins from Hobby Lobby to the fire place. Shay shared hers recently, and I was influenced. The cute cat was one of my first ever decorations that I bought years ago, and I still think he’s cute!

I added a few pumpkins to our built in shelves in the living room.

This might sound silly, but when I put out this votive candle holder, I had a flashback to 2004.

I don’t put this out every year, but I found the perfect spot on our shelf. Anyway, I remember picking it up at Walgreens during the first fall at our first house. I know back then that I didn’t decorate to the extent I do now, but I do remember being excited to make our first house a home…even on a tight budget. A few seasonal touches made our house homey. We’ve come a long way, but I still want to have a cozy and inviting home.

Sorry for that trip down memory lane!

Office:

I always swap out the regular pic that’s in this frame for the one of the kids the first time we took them to the pumpkin patch. You know how much I love that tradition!

I still have my “morning pumpkin”pillows that one of my former students made for me.

Kitchen:

I added a few fall touches to the tray on our island. The squishy plaid pumpkin was a find at Hobby Lobby.

The buffet in the kitchen is one of my favorite areas to decorate.

A variety of pumpkins…

…seasonal plates and flowers help make it festive.

I still love the my plates from Target.

I filled up this cute bowl with the rest of the fabric pumpkins.

I shared this peek of the mantle recently…

…but here she is in all her glory. When I was at Michaels, I bought this four pack of candles, and they have a subtle fall touch with the gold leaves on them.

This is the second year that I added lights to the leaves…and I love the glow.

Sun room:

Like the living room couch, I’d love to say that our sunroom stays this tidy, but we usually flip the cushions up, so Homer isn’t tempted to get up there. Anyway, I sit out here the most from September to December, and it’s one of my favorite spots.

I will read, sip my coffee, and enjoy the scent of the pumpkin apple candle. There’s nothing better.

I swap out my regular wreath for this one:

Bedroom:

I have my other Michael’s pumpkin in our bedroom with a seasonal candle.

….and Hadley is still enjoying her neon “Boo” sign that I got her a few weeks ago.

I haven’t decorated my porch just yet, but I’m hoping to get to it this weekend.

Truly, this is my favorite time of the year.

Everyday Life, Holidays

Friday Favorites {#170} and Summer Recap

Posted on August 11, 2023August 16, 2023 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

What a week…I can cross four days of professional development off my list!

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

Before I get into today’s post, I finally picked a gift card winner.

Hadley drew the name from pile, and the winner is…Angela!

I sent you an email last night, so check your inbox!

Thanks again, everyone, for the blogiversary love.

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

The topic is…what’s in my handbag.

If you are a blogger, we’d love to have you join us and share what’s in your handbag.

Now, on to today’s post…

Well, a favorite has been summer, and I can’t believe we’ll be back to school next week! So, I want to take a look back on all the fun we’ve had these past couple of months. Having fun is of course a favorite.

We started the summer with the kids running in the middle state track meet. We always love watching them run.

Hayden ran in a Hoka sponsored race in St. Louis.

We had lots of pool time this summer, but the kids were pretty independent on when they went. There were times I was there on my own, and other times they were there together. I love reading at the pool.

Hadley went to UK volleyball camp and had so much fun.

She also had her dance recital weekend. We love watching her dance, but I think she’s hanging up her ballet slippers for her volleyball sneakers! This will be a different year for her for sure.

Travis and I spent a few days at Julep Farm, and I sure hope we don’t let too much time pass before going there again.

We went Kayaking with friends…

…and celebrated Travis on Father’s Day.

Speaking of celebrating, Travis and I celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary and had a lovely dinner at Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse.

Hayden went to Fripp Island, SC with his friend’s family, and he had so much fun.

Hadley loved every single second of camp…

Hayden ran his first 10k race on the 4th of July…

….and we did sparklers once Hadley got home from camp.

Hadley had fun at the lake with her friend.

We celebrated Trav’s “big” birthday in July.

We tagged along when Travis checked out some horses near Louisville and then went to the outlet mall.

We went out to dinner with some friends…

Hayden went to running camp and loved every minute…

He also played basketball this summer and had so much fun.

Hadley and I spent a few days in Siesta Key, Florida, and it was so relaxing.

The kids got to hang with some of the UK volleyball players.

Volleyball Photo Day. Tommy Quarles | UK Athletics

The kids and I went to KC, and the kids had a great time with family…

…while I met Travis in California for a few days. I always enjoy spending time in Del Mar; I loved capping off summer in one of our favorite places.

This was a different summer for us. Obviously, we did so many things…but it did feel like everyone just kind of did what they wanted to do. I’m still bummed we didn’t get a family vacay, but we have fun planned for fall break; that will be here before we know it!

Of course, we still have lots of summer left even though school is starting. We head back to school soon, but we also have a pretty fun August on tap.

Weekly Recap:

Here are my posts from this week:

Prime Purchases

KC Recap

CAlifornia Recap

Today, I’m finally going to get my classroom put together…I can’t wait to check that off my list.

I hope you have a great weekend!

Family, Friday Favorites, Holidays

Friday Favorites {#166}

Posted on July 14, 2023July 13, 2023 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

How was your week? Ours was really good. It *finally* felt like a pretty normal week. We didn’t really set alarms, stayed up a bit later, Hadley had dance, Hayden had basketball, we had pool time and did a few other things too.

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

Here are some favorite from the week:

Going all the way back to last Thursday…since Hadley wasn’t home for the 4th of July, we took a moment for sparkler fun. The sunset was so pretty too.

Friday was Trav’s birthday!

Friday night, we went out to eat with Trav’s brother and sister-in-law. If gnocchi is on the menu, I often order it!

We were pretty full after dinner, but Hadley convinced us to order dessert. Smiles for everyone.

When we got home, Travis opened his gifts. We just got him a running shirt, socks, and beer mugs because he loves a frosty beer! Overall, it was a really good night.

The next morning, Hadley left for the lake. I’m telling you, she doesn’t let the grass grow under her feet! haha.

She spent the day on the lake and overnight with her friend.

On Sunday, Travis had to work in the morning, but then his family came in town from Louisville, so we could celebrate him. My brother and his family also came over as well as a couple of Trav’s cousins who also live in Lexington.

We picked up fried chicken, and the rest of us made some sides. We had a few desserts including a Bundt cake for the birthday boy!

I also ordered cups from a local vendor…He really appreciated all this attention 😉

We got a quick photo before cake…

After everyone left, I got off my feet and relaxed on the back patio. The sunset was pretty, and the weather was great!

Speaking of the patio…

On the 4th of July, Travis and I went to Walmart to pick up a new couch for the patio.

We’ve had the same love seat for fifteen years…and Homer and #homered it when he was a puppy. This is the same couch we have in the sun room, and Travis noticed it was on sale. We figured we have loved that set for over three years, and it would be nice to have one more spot to sit with a couch vs a love seat.

So, the three piece set is $100 off, and we had to drive to a Walmart about 30 minutes away to pick it up. Hayden helped him assemble it, and we’ve been enjoying it ever since.

We have the cushions it came with , but we also picked these dark gray ones as well.

Hayden’s been playing basketball this summer like usual, but he’s missed a couple of games when he was out of town. So, that’s back on our agenda. It’s a laid back summer league, and fun to watch him play with different kids.

Wednesday night, we watched two episodes of the new Quarterback series on Netflix. Hadley even joined in on the fun! Of course, we’re excited that Mahomes is featured, but it’s interesting to learn about Cousins and Mariota too.

We’ve had some pool time this week. It makes me sad that pool days are already numbered. I’ve been able to go at least twice a week, but Hadley tends to go to the pool the most in our family. haha

Well, I didn’t mean for this to be the case, but lots of my “pampering” appointments lined up this week. On a whim Tuesday night, I decided to get a pedicure. It had been almost two months, so I was ready for a refresh.

I chose “Mexican City Move-mint” again because I like to choose one that I also have the color at home if I need a touch up.

I used my Mother’s Day gift card and had an hour long hot stone relaxation massage on Wednesday…and it was wonderful.

I probably end up getting two massages a year. While I will schedule my facials, hair appointments, and pedicures a few times a year, I usually only get a massage if it’s a gift…so I always appreciate those gift cards.

Then, I had my hair appointment yesterday, and it’s always nice to get fresh highlights and a trim.

Favorite Clothes:

I’ve been wearing this romper non-stop. It’s just easy to throw on with a tank and go.

I got this navy crepe set from SSYS, and I love it. I’ve worn it a few times and can’t wait to wear it more. (It comes in a few colors!)

Favorite Mom Meme:

We laughed when Hadley got off the camp bus wearing a new sweatshirt. She loves a sweatshirt all year long.

Weekly Recap:

I had a couple of posts this week including our monthly Not Just a Mom link up and tons of Amazon faves.

Not Just a Mom

PRime Day Faves

Day in the Life on Insta

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

{this post contains Amazon Affiliate links. Thanks for supporting my blog}

Holidays, Memes

Monday Memes

Posted on June 26, 2023June 25, 2023 by jgalvinwhite

Hello!

I know I probably say it every month, but how is it already the last Monday of the month? Seriously, I’m always sad at the end of June and July. Well, maybe these memes will provide a laugh or two for you.

Before I get to the memes…

On Saturday, Travis and I celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary. Talk about time flying!

I woke up to pretty flowers and a card. Per tradition, he wrote my name in bubble letters and got creative with the #18. haha

On Friday night, we went out to dinner. Hadley snapped our pic beforehand.

We had dinner at Jeff Ruby’s. I guess when Travis made the reservation, he made note that it was our anniversary. So, at the end of our meal, the waiter brought out dessert and snapped our pic. He actually took our photo with a camera and when he brought the bill, he had printed the photo and put it in a card with a note. Well played…bigger tip for him!

I also had him take one with my phone…

After dinner, we walked over to the Infinity Sky Bar at the Marriott for a night cap.

Moving on to the memes…this one is perfect for our anniversary…haha

I guess when we checked in we were there for our steak and sushi appointment!

I’m married to this type of person!

Maybe July will be my “do nothing” month…We’ll see.

When I logged in to my school computer last week, I was met with a similar alert and could definitely relate to this meme.

This happens to me sometimes…and even on the blog. I always cringe when I read my published post that has an error or two. It’s so much pressure being an English teacher…haha

I have to remind myself that the blog is a hobby and doesn’t always have to be perfect.

My kids are in summer mode…and while they’ve kept themselves pretty entertained, this almost applies more to every meal that they consume. They eat non-stop!

This one just made me LOL…and it’s true!

Do you follow Cat and Nat on Instagram? They are so funny.

Anyway, this one is true too! I tend to use the front right burner the most. What about you?

I hope you’ve had a great weekend! I have four more days of summer school. It’s been fine, but it will be nice to cross last week and this week off my “to do” list for the summer.

Thanks for reading!

Holidays, Weekend Top 5

Hello Monday on Tuesday

Posted on June 20, 2023June 19, 2023 by jgalvinwhite

Hello!

I hope your week is off to a great start. So far this summer I’ve had a hard time getting into a blogging routine. I think I feel pulled in many directions more than ever before! *sigh*

Anyway, I still wanted to recap our weekend because we had a good one and a really nice Father’s Day Sunday.

On Friday, I started my morning drinking coffee from my new favorite mug. I was back watching the Today Show rather than looking at mountain views, but it’s always nice to be home.

Honestly, I spent most of the afternoon at school getting ready for the next two weeks of summer school….so nothing exciting there.

Although…since I knew I’d be at school during lunchtime, I picked up Chick-fil-a before getting to school. I tried something new (to me) – the chicken Cobb salad with half avocado lime dressing and 1/2 honey mustard dressing. It was so good.

That evening, Travis and Hayden went to Hayden’s basketball game and then out to dinner.

Our friends had some neighbors over for “movie night,” and Hadley went there around 7:00. I joined them a little after 8:00 after having the other half of my salad for dinner. We were there pretty late and went to bed as soon as we got home.

Saturday morning, I slept until 10! Honestly, I had a hard time falling asleep, so I probably got 8 hours of rest once I finally fell asleep….but 10:00 is unheard of for me. Then, I picked Homer up from groomer.

Travis and kids were gone most of the day, so I finished up with some Father’s Day things and did a few house chores and laundry. I went to Target, the library, and then picked up Trav’s Father’s Day cake.

While at Target, I saw individual cans of Olipop. I feel like influencers used to share this brand all the time, but I never knew they sold it at Target…even better that you can buy individual ones that are already cold. Anyway, the grape flavored one was so good!

Travis and the kids were on their way back in town, so they called me and I met them at Goodfella’s for pizza. It so nice that it’s patio weather right now.

On Sunday, Travis and I were up early. He went for a run, and I drank my coffee and watched tv.

Then, we left the house around 10:15 to make our way to Canoe Kentucky/Elkhorn Creek to kayak with friends.

On the way there, I called my dad to wish him a Happy Father’s Day. I had to time it before golf started! haha

We’ve done this one other time, and that time we were in a canoe. It was nice letting everyone have their own kayak, but that also meant I had to make sure everyone was keeping up/not far ahead or behind. That being said, the water level was pretty low, so I wasn’t too concerned about that. As a matter of fact, in some spots, we wished there was more water. haha

We kayaked for a bit and then make a pit stop. We were with three other families, so it was nice to pitstop and let the kids swim a bit.

Father’s Day photo:

The girls had lots of fun…

….as did the rest of us.

We kayaked about five miles which took around 3 hours.

After our kayak session, we were tired!….and hungry. In the shop, we picked up some drinks and let the kids get some ice cream.

Then, we made our way to West Sixth Farm.

We knew the dads would like a beer or two. They had a food truck, so we got some tacos too.

The perk of having older kids is they all just hung out while the adults chatted.

We were there about an hour before coming home. Everyone showered, and we ordered take out Thai food. Our friends had mentioned it, and we thought that sounded good (and easy!) too.

After dinner we celebrated Travis with cake…(instead of cookie cake, this year, I picked up an ice cream cake from Baskin Robbins)

…and a few gifts.

While Travis and I were out of town, my mom helped the kids with this Father’s Day present.

It turned out so cute.

They spray painted their Sonic drink carrier, made these tags, and picked up some supplies/goodies.

We also got him a new wallet (since he seems to lose his once a year, this is almost a tradition) and some running shorts.

I love this pic from Trav’s first Father’s Day in 2010. Obviously, the kids look much older, but he’s pretty much stayed the same! 😉

The rest of the evening, Travis and Hayden watched a movie, Hadley chilled, and I watched the end of the US Open.

Overall, it was a good weekend and a great Father’s Day.

I hope to find my blogging groove this week, but we’ll just see how it goes.

Holidays, Monthly Musings

Monthly Musings

Posted on May 25, 2023May 24, 2023 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Thursday!

Some months I feel like they seem to fly by, but May sure felt like it lasted forever! That being said, I can’t believe this time next week it will be June! Since it’s the last Thursday of the month, Holly and Patty are hosting their Monthly Musings link up.

This month’s topic is: Celebrating Memorial Day Weekend

Ahh…one of my favorite weekends of the year. Of course Memorial Day has significant meaning as we honor those who lost their lives serving our country.

It’s also the start of summer. The pool opens, alarm clocks can be turned off, grills are turned on, and everyone can enjoy the warm summer sunshine.

1. How are you spending Memorial Day weekend?

Well, tomorrow is the last day of school…and usually I’d be in my pjs by 7:00, but our friends invited us over to grill out/hang on their patio. Saturday, we’ll spend the day at the state middle school track meet. Sunday and Monday we don’t have any official plans, and by that time, I’m sure I’ll be ready to relax. Our pool opened yesterday. We’ve had beautiful weather this week, but it’s only supposed to be mid-70’s the next few days. I’m sure the kids (especially Hadley) will head to the pool Sunday/Monday. I will probably go for a bit as well at some point.

2. Favorite ice cream?

My favorite ice cream is mint chocolate chip!

3. Memorial Day travel or hanging out at home?

We never travel for Memorial Day…it’s always too close to the end of the school year. So, we will be at home when not at the track meet.

4. Burger? Hot dog? or both?

I love a good hot dog. We actually went out to dinner last Friday to a local spot, and I ordered a hot dog with cheese and pickle. It was so good.

There’s another local place called Boonedogs that we’ve been to a time or two, and it’s good as well.

5. Favorite cookout sides?

I love a good pasta salad. I made Shay’s Pepperoni & Bell Pepper Pasta Salad recipe this past weekend, and it’s really good.

This one I found on Pinterest years ago is one I make often as well.

6. White before or after Memorial Day?

For me, I typically wait until after Memorial Day…but that’s not because I’m trying to follow any fashion rule. I prefer to be tan before wearing white. I did wear my white jeans to school yesterday with a bright pink top…but I also made a visit to the Sun Tan City spray tan booth this past weekend.

7. Memorial Day traditions?

We don’t really have any Memorial Day traditions…not like we we seem to have for the 4th of July.

As a kid, I remember my extended family getting together for Memorial Day, the 4th of July, and Labor Day weekends.

I joke that there are two kinds of Memorial Day weekend people…those who do yardwork, and those who go to the pool. Guess which one I’m married to! Plus, since I know I will have pool time in the summer, I’m not rushing to go over Memorial Day weekend when it’s so crowded.

It does seem like most years we grill out with neighbors at some point and go to the pool for a bit.

8. Share a summer recipe.

This Asparagus Fries recipe I found on Pinterest years ago, is a winner. My whole family loves them. This weekend, Travis picked up chicken to grill and came home with asparagus too. He requested this as a side. It’s one of Hadley’s favorites as well.

9. Parades, fireworks or cookouts?

Cook out and pool!

10. Show us your red, white, and blue…

For the patriotic holidays, I always put out a few flags…

…and I miss the days of the kids *willingly* wearing red, white, and blue…but how festive is Homer?

What are your Memorial Day weekend plans? Our weather looks amazing. I’m definitely ready for the weekend!

Holidays, Kids, Weekend Top 5

Hello Tuesday?

Posted on May 16, 2023May 16, 2023 by jgalvinwhite

Hello! How was your weekend? Ours was busy…busier than normal. So busy that I started this post on Friday, and never had time to complete it over the weekend.

I had good intentions of linking up with Holly and Sarah for Hello Monday…but since it’s now Tuesday, let’s just consider this a…

The kids ran in the district championship track meet. Thankfully, the rain held off, and it was great running conditions.

Hadley ran the 4×800 relay, 4×200 relay, 400, and 200. Hayden ran the 4×800 relay, 1600, and 3200. Overall, they had great performances. Hadley improved the most on her 400, and she’s qualified for state in it and some relays. Hayden was still feeling under the weather, but he gave it his all. This season, he has qualified for state in the 800, 1600, 3200 and a relay.

We went straight from school to home for them to change, and then didn’t go home until after 10:00. Friday was just the start of our marathon weekend.

Hadley’s final dance competition of the season was in Louisville this weekend. She had her two large group (line and production) dances on Saturday afternoon, so we left for Louisville around 11:30.

We went straight to the convention center, and she finished getting ready.

They had awards after one of the dances, and then her other large group dance. Then, she had a couple of hours of free time before the other awards. Some family came to watch her dances, so she had time with them. Travis went to check in to our hotel, and Hadley and I grabbed a bite to eat at Qdoba.

We walked to our hotel and were there about an hour. One of her friends was also staying at the Embassy Suites, so they hung out. Then, the adults had time for a happy hour beverage (one of the reasons Travis likes an Embassy Suites!) before walking back to the venue for awards.

Before each dance competition, the girls receive goody bags with snacks and other odds and ends. For this competition, they received these sunglasses. Can you tell they loved them?

Another thing in their goody bag was a little rubber duck, and a note that said “good luck duck” and the studio name. They were to give it to a dancer from another studio as good luck. I thought that was the sweetest idea.

After the awards, it was getting late, so we grabbed some dinner at Mussel and Burger Bar before going back to the hotel. The dinner was good, but we were so tired. Some of the girls hung out for a bit, but the adults were extra tired. Anyway, we got to bed at a decent time.

Sunday morning, Travis went to his mom’s house for a bit. Hayden had spent the night there. The girls slept in, but another mom and I met for the buffet breakfast. We received a pink carnation which was a nice touch!

Hadley got up and started to get ready. It takes her about an hour to do hair and makeup along with getting organized for the day. We checked out and left the hotel and walked back to the convention center.

Hadley had her two small group dances (jazz and lyrical), and they did an awesome job. Her lyrical performance brought me to tears (I was in my feelings this weekend, I guess!)

I’m just always amazed by her. We have no clue where she got her rhythm and grace, but I love watching her shine on stage.

Again, she had family in attendance, so she saw them afterwards before they left. Then, she and I went with her friend and mom to Chipolte for a quick bite to eat before awards.

The girls had such a fun two days…and they really loved those sunglasses!

I can’t believe the competition season is over. This is Hadley’s third competition season, and it’s been my favorite one yet! I know she’s thinking about what she has time for next year. She loves dancing, so we will see.

After the awards, I called my mom (it was her birthday as well as Mother’s Day) as we drove to Trav’s sister’s house for a quick early dinner. Then, we headed back to Lexington. We got home around 7:00.

The kids obliged for one more photo which I appreciate. We’d had a long and busy weekend, but we got the photo.

We all unpacked, and Travis and Hayden went on a bike ride. Hadley went to a friend’s house for a bit.

In Louisville, they’d given me flowers and a card as well as a gift card for a massage and facial. That sounds like the perfect thing to use once school gets out.

I put my flowers in a vase and then spent about an hour on the front porch enjoying the weather and reading a book. It was a great day.

I feel blessed that I got to spend the weekend watching the kids do what they love…run and dance!

Well, today we are home for election day, and let’s just say I can definitely use this time to get caught up on life. Well, truth be told, I probably won’t be caught up on life until June. Eight more days of school! haha

Holidays

Easter Recap

Posted on April 11, 2023April 11, 2023 by jgalvinwhite

Hello!

I hope your week is off to a great start. Before we get too far into the week, I wanted to recap our Easter weekend.

On Saturday morning, I hardboiled the eggs, and then the kids decorated them later in the afternoon. This is the second or third year that I was pretty “hands off” with this activity.

I bought the regular egg dyeing kit, but I also picked up a “marbled” one that was easy (you just add vegetable oil to the cup with the water and vinegar), and the kids had fun decorating.

I always tell them if I wasn’t the only one who eats hardboiled eggs, I’d boil more for them to decorate! haha

(And things like egg salad, etc. that I could make with a bunch are a “hard no” for me!)

This is one of those traditions that I never know how many years it will last, but I’m pretty sure my brother and I decorated eggs even in high school. It’s just something fun to do.

I think they turned out great:

Easter morning, I was the first one up, so I got out the goodies. I think the Easter Bunny hit a homerun this year 😉

The kids did seem to like what they received.

This meme made me laugh…

The kids did find the eggs in about three minutes! There’s only so many places you can hide them in the kitchen / living room area.

Saturday night, I prepped Andrea’s Sausage Square Breakfast Casserole, so all I had to do was bake it Sunday morning.

This was a hit! I will definitely make it again soon…maybe even for dinner one night.

We just kept it simple and had fruit as a side.

Then, it was time to go to church. The weather was absolutely beautiful on Sunday.

The kids obliged for a photo…

…and thanks to our friends, we got a family photo which I always appreciate.

After church, we quickly went home, changed clothes and headed to Elizabethtown to see Trav’s family. His aunt usually hosts Thanksgiving and Easter, and Travis has a huge family. There were 61 family members at Easter, and we were missing a few who are usually there. There’d be over 100 people if everyone showed up!

I had a bit of a headache most of the day, so I appreciated that Travis did the driving. Once we got home, it was time to get organized for back to school.

What are your favorite Easter traditions?