Category: Home Decor

Posted in Home Decor, Not Just a Mom

Share Our Lives: July 2026

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Monday!

After a dreary weekend, I’m sure hoping we’ll see the sun this week.

It’s already the second Monday of the month, so I’m co-hosting the Share Our Lives link up with some of my favorite bloggers.

So far this year, we’ve discussed…

  • Ways to stay warm in winter in January
  • Binge worthy shows in February
  • Grocery list frequent buys in March
  • Favorite cleaning products in April
  • Go to lunches on the go in May
  • Emojis used most often in June

This month’s topic is…favorite room in your house.

Well, I hope this isn’t cheating, but my first thought was our front porch…Obviously, it’s not a room…but let’s go with that it’s my favorite space…

Besides the living room, I’d say I spend a lot of time on the front porch. It’s covered, so it’s nice to be able to use it even if it’s raining.

I sit on the front porch far more than I do the back patio, and I love drinking my coffee and reading out there.

It’s also a fun space to decorate seasonally with changing out the door hanger, door mat, and garden flag.

I also love the flowers and ferns for spring/summer and then you know I love to add a pumpkin or twelve along with some mums in the fall!

Fall is a favorite time for sure.

Now, of course I have to go off script and share a couple other fave spots…that are actually rooms.

I have a love/hate relationship with our family room because it’s just so narrow. The seating is in a row with a chair/ottoman, couch and another chair/ottoman. I wish it allowed for more conversational sitting…and maybe we’ll figure that out one day. That being said, we’re still in here quite a bit, so I like to make it cozy/comfortable.

Truth be told, it’s Homer’s world and we’re just living in it, so this is what the couch often looks like…

Since he sheds and we don’t want him scratching up the couch too much, we usually have a fitted sheet or blanket on it. We try to make it look nice if we know someone is coming over, otherwise, this is our real life with Homer. haha

I also love a mix of old and new with the trunk and even the table in the front hall.

The trunk is from my dad’s side of the family, and I think it was my great grandmother’s. I bought the mirror from Wayfair a few years ago, and I love it. On the trunk, I have a few odds and ends like a rechargeable lamp, but I also have pictures of my grandparents, and a candlestick made by my great great grandfather on my mom’s side. The stone in the middle is a lithograph stone from my great grandfather’s printing business.

The front hall table is another favorite spot. I’d like to replace it at some point, but it was one of the first pieces Trav and I bought when we got our first home, and it’s been in every home since. Quite a few years ago, I painted it and changed out the hardware, and I still like it. I also like that it’s a spot to decorate with photos, candles, and seasonal decor.

I think both the trunk and the hall entry table provide snap shots of what’s important to me…a mix of old and new, family photos, books, and fresh flowers.

In the living room, the tray is one I’ve had for years, and it includes many of my fave things…flowers, candles, and photos.

It’s been a little over a year, but our hall bath still brings a smile to my face. That update was a long time coming, and I’m so glad we finally did it.

Lastly, as I mentioned in a couple posts last week, we finally found a new rug and new bar stools for the island which have been a long time coming. This little refresh has been just the update we needed. We walk through the kitchen a lot, and it’s funny how the softness of the rug gets me every time. Also, I prefer a stool with a back, so I never sat at the island. Now, I’ve sat there a few times to have my breakfast or work on my computer.

I can’t wait to read about the favorite rooms others share. I’m always interested in homes, home decor, and favorite spaces of others!

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Posted in Friday Favorites, Holidays, Home Decor, Home Updates

Friday Favorites {#306}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

I know I’m going to sound like a broken record over the next few weeks, but summer needs to slow down! I still have a few weeks before I go back to school, but I do feel like I should probably start checking my school email…haha!

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

Since last week’s Friday Favorites post was a recap of our few days in Siesta Key, my favorites list is a bit longer with some faves over the past couple of weeks.

While we were on vacation, it was our 21st wedding anniversary. Once we got home, my mom had sent us a gift…she’d been at a market and spotted a water color painting of the church where we got married in KC! So cool.

Out of town cousins were in town, and the kids had lots of time hanging with them. It’s wild that they are old enough to hang out and not need us…they all hop in the car together and are out on their own. We did crash their “pool party” last Friday night!

On the 4th, the kids were in and out of the house, but we did grill out and then I caught some of the fireworks show in NYC. I love the 4th of July, and in some ways, I’m sad that it’s not the same as when the kids were little. I almost didn’t even go watch fireworks at our local traditional spot, but Hadley wanted to go as did Trav.

The fireworks show was spectacular, so I’m glad we went!

We’d borrowed a few sparklers from Trav’s brother, and Hadley had fun with those when we got home.

After celebrating America’s 250th birthday, it was time to celebrate Trav’s birthday…on Tuesday!

As a family, we went out to dinner…to a pizza/pasta place we’d never been to. It was delish.

Once my nephew was finished with baseball, my brother’s family came over for ice cream cake. Happy birthday, T-rav!

That evening, the sky was so pretty….the pic doesn’t even do it justice.

Fave beverages:

I went to Trader Joe’s last weekend, and I saw this sparkling watermelon juice, and it’s delish.

Amy shared about this flavor of Chobani creamer, and I found it at my Kroger a couple of weeks ago. I just cracked it open, and I like it! I still think S’mores is my favorite, but this flavor is #2, and I will definitely buy it again. It’s great for summer.

House Updates:

As I shared in Wednesday’s post, this summer we had a few “to do’s” that we really wanted to get crossed off our list: finish the landscaping out front, paint the primary bathroom, get a new driveway, find new rugs for kitchen and living room, and find new bar stools for the island. Well, we’ve been busy the past couple of weeks, and the only thing not accomplished now is finding a neutral rug for the living room.

While we were out of town, we had someone paint the bathroom, and we also got a new driveway. Adulting is so fun.

On to the actual “fun” stuff. I almost purchased a rug from Wayfair because they were having a sale, but then I remembered I’d saved this rug on the Walmart app after someone shared it. Well, there were a few in stock locally, so Trav and I went to pick it up on Sunday.

We got it laid out on Tuesday, and I love it. It’s an indoor/outdoor rug like what we had before, but the raised pattern is so soft, and the quality is amazing. It’s a 10/10.

A couple of months ago, I spotted some Pioneer Woman dishes at Walmart, but I didn’t get them. Then, a few weeks ago, I was back at Walmart, and the dishes were marked down, so I couldn’t resist! I bought eight dinner and salad plates as well as eight bowls. In our twenty years of marriage, this will be our third set of dishes….so I feel like this is justified, and each piece was $3-$5. (My Walmart didn’t have the set, but it’s only 12 pieces anyway)

Also of note, so far not a single person in my family has mentioned the new dishes 😂

Also, we still use some Pier One plates that we had on our gift registry, and I don’t think I will ever get rid of those.

You know I can’t say no to a hydrangea dish towel, and Drew Barrymore’s “Beautiful” brand never disappoints.

When I say we’ve been looking for new bar stools, I’m not exaggerating that we’ve been looking off and on for a couple of years. The other ones we’ve had for years were stools, and the fabric on top had seen better days. Most of our “issue” was we just never wanted to spend the money on new ones. I could always find a few I liked…and this time I did want to get a stool with a back. Patience paid off…I found these at World Market a couple of months ago, but Trav and I finally went last Friday when he was off work.

I still wasn’t 100% sure, but once we got them home, I knew we made the right choice.

I love them!

Sandals:

Well, you know since I cleaned out my closet and got rid of things, I couldn’t resist adding some sandals back to my closet. My sister-in-law had these, and my Target had one pair left in my size…I saw that as a sign. They are so comfy, and the “jelly” sandal rage is taking me back to being an 80’s baby growing up in the 90’s.

Book Trackers:

Like I do every month, I shared my book trackers on Instagram. They are are saved in a highlight, so just screen shot, use them, tag me and let me know what you’re reading!

Favorite Mom Meme:

Why do I relate to this so much?!

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:

I’ve shared this pool photo in a previous Throwback Thursday post…

…and here the kids are in 2012. This just popped up in my Facebook memories. We got a lot of use out of that plastic pool!

Weekly Recap:

Here are my posts this week in case you missed one:

Prime Purchases
Florida Part 2: Orlando
LEt’s Look

Share Our Lives:

Monday is our monthly Share Our Lives link up, and the topic is…favorite room in your house. We’d love to have your link up with us…I love seeing other people’s homes, so I can’t wait to read those posts!

I hope you have a lovely summer weekend!

Posted in Gift Ideas, Home Decor

Summer Shopping

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Tuesday!

When I’m out and about running errands, I like to snap pics of cute things that catch my eye…and I’m sharing some of those with you today.

One of my favorite things about summer is having time to run errands whenever I want. Friday, after I cleaned up my classroom for summer, I kicked off my summer break by going to Walmart, Lowe’s and Target. At Walmart, I was looking for some PJs, at Lowe’s I was looking for a bird bath, and at Target, I was looking for my favorite Chobani creamer…S’mores flavor. I had success at all three places!

Here are some of my recent finds…(and my apologies in advance for the number of times I say “cute” or “fun”!)

Homegoods:

While I didn’t buy this pouch, I couldn’t love it more!

How cute are these patriotic finds at Homegoods?

This Laura Ashley bag was less than $20, and I couldn’t resist it. It might be my new school bag, or it’s just a good overnight bag.

These melamine plates stopped me in my tracks. The set of four are just my style!

I’ve used them for my breakfasts lately, and they are a lovely way to start the day.

Walmart:

I love the Joyspun brand, and I have many Walmart pjs. I actually purchased two sets of this ruffle shorts set in the blue and white striped and the green pin dot color way.

Speaking of ruffles, how cute is this ruffle hem tank? I sent a photo to Hadley because I thought it looked like something she might like. She approved, and it was only $20, so I got her the xs. It’s super cute, and I knew she’d get lots of wear out of the blue/white for the 4th and/or Kentucky games!It also comes in “popsicle orange,” but it looked more red/white (to me) in person. There’s a matching skirt as well, but I only purchased the tank.

Aerie:

Ok, Aerie gets me every year…especially in the summer. They have a great sales, and I love their lightweight sweatshirts and shorts.

This was my fave combo last summer:

And, over the weekend, I went to the mall, and got this mockneck sweatshirt in yellow and light blue.

I also got the shorts in black and light blue. I love these types of shorts because they are perfect for summer…running errands, sleeping, lounging or poolside. They can’t be beat.

At Home Store:

I went to our local At Home Store a couple of weeks ago searching for new stools for our island. While I didn’t find any that I liked, I couldn’t say no to this rattan rechargable lamp. The end of our hallway doesn’t have electrical outlets, so I love that rechargable lamps are all the rage! This is the 20 inch lamp, but they also have a 12 inch one. I might just have to go back for it too.

I charged it once I brought it home, and I have the lamp on quite often and haven’t charged it again yet!

World Market:

In the past six months, I’ve become a World Market girl! I just love going and looking around. I’ve found so many cute icon glasses there as well as candles, cards, and holiday decor.

Whenever I see anything in this light sage color, I stop and contemplate buying it!

I love my white Dutch oven that I have had for a couple of years, so I was practical and didn’t get this one…but I love it so much.

This pineapple basket is so fun…perfect for a patio. (I didn’t notice these glasses in store, but I couldn’t love these more!)

If I had a beach house, these lobster jars would for sure come home with me! (There’s a matching serving bowl too!)

I did peruse the the icon glass selection, and resisted, but the palm trees are so fun. The floral glass mugs are too pretty, and the Care Bear tumbler was a blast from the past!

I’d never seen the icon glass canisters, but they are also so fun!

It’s almost Father’s Day, and the “Dino-mite Dad” and “Papa Bear” mugs are too sweet. The tools and mustache icon glasses would be great for a dad who loves bourbon on the rocks!

These pillows add a touch of whimsy, and all could apply to me. haha!

At World Market, I showed restraint and didn’t purchase any of the above items, but I did buy some colorful matches, a graduation card, some butter knives (because, like forks, they seem to disappear around here!), a marble spoon rest, and a votive candle.

I enjoy “window shopping” even when some of these fun finds are hard to resist.

Posted in Holidays, Home Decor

Valentine’s Day Decor

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Thursday!

Well, we’re a few days into February, and we still haven’t gone back to school…I affectionately named these past two weeks “Winter break 2.0″…Yesterday, I did venture up to school because I was “itching” to at least make sure my classroom is ready to go whenever we do head back. I put away my few touches of Christmas, updated my February calendar, made a few copies, and then got the heck out of there. haha!

Anyway, one of the things on my “to do” list was to put out my few festive Valentine’s Day touches, and I did that this past weekend. Most everything is what I’ve had for years, but I did pick up a few new things too.

The mantel in the kitchen is the same as it’s been for quite a few years. I have the wooden “love” sign as well as an XOXO banner.

I saw this wooden serving tray and Michael’s and thought it would be perfect in this little corner of the kitchen. I usually have a cook book in this stand, so that was an easy swap. My friend gave me the cute heart icon candle from Aldi for my birthday, and I added it to a metal pedestal that I have out year round but also added the cute little red and white plate from Target.

Speaking of Target…I have zero regrets purchasing these two pack of tea towels…

I’ve had this little dish for years, and I fill it up with candy.

The coffee table in the living room looks much like it does at Christmas time as I’ve left out a few “winter” touches into February.

I did add in my new pink Target candle…

…here it is with the lid on. So precious.

On the entryway table, I added this little heart dish that I’ve had for years. I got it from Trader Joe’s, and it had a little flower in it originally. Now, I fill it with candy, and this year, I layered it on another Target plate and pedestal.

I’ve had this white ceramic heart for years, but I did get a new plate/art easel at Michael’s. I wanted something a little sturdier, and I love the touch of gold.

This XOXO is another decorative item that I’ve had for years. It sits on the bookshelf in the living room.

Outside, I swapped my “let it snow” flag (I think it did its job!) for my pretty pink and red Valentine’s Day flag.

I love this door hanger. I’ve had it for years, and I think it’s a nice festive touch for February.

Not decor but, but I’m really “leaning” into seasonal coffee mugs. These two are on rotation for February!

I really enjoy putting things out for Valentine’s Day…especially because set up and take down take five minutes each way!

Have a great day.

Posted in Holidays, Home Decor

Festive Finds

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Tuesday!

With my impromptu week off and my quest to refresh a few spots in the house, I’ve been in and out of some of my fave stores – Aldi, TJ Maxx, Target, Home Goods, and Michael’s. I know every year these places must have lots of holiday goodies, but I just saw so many cute things, and I’m sharing those today.

Aldi:

My friend got me a candle from Aldi for my birthday, and now I’m putting it to good use.

So, the next time I went to Aldi, I made sure to go down the “Aldi finds” aisle…and I wasn’t disappointed.

There were other cute candles, various heart shaped bake ware and plates. I think the marble heart was my fave.

Home Goods:

I went to Home Goods to get new bed pillows for Hayden, and while I was there, I took a peek at their Valentine’s Day decor.

The floral heart is such a cute decorative piece…I almost bought it. If I had more storage, I would for sure buy a heart shaped Dutch oven to sit out on my stove top.

How cute is the heart kettle and the colander?! So many cute dish towels too.

Home Goods really had a fun variety of icon glasses…

…and coffee mugs.

I couldn’t help myself, and I did buy the cherry icon glass. I plan on it being a spring/summer glass for me.

Target:

Who doesn’t love Target?! I went to Target to look for a lamp, and while I was there, I scoped out their Valentine’s Day pieces…

I actually have two of the small red/white plates and the dish towels too. I bought them after Christmas, and now it’s been fun to put them out.

How cute is the polka dot ruffle pillow?! Also, I just couldn’t “say no,” and I bought the pink candle with a lid. I figured it would be perfect for February and even into March for a spring/floral color. I might get one of the white ones as well to use later.

The bedding is so cute for a little one…and who doesn’t love a plush heart shaped pillow?

Even the books that were on display and seemed to be love themed.

TJ Maxx:

I did find a lamp that I loved at Target, so I went to TJ Maxx to return a lamp I’d previously purchased. While there, I scoped out their Valentine’s Day stuff. To be honest, they didn’t have a ton, but the dish towels were cute, they had a few mugs, and their pink/red candle selection was strong!

I think TJ Maxx (and Home Goods) have some of the cutest paper products…and I loved the read floral/heart tote. I almost purchased it, but I showed restraint.

Michael’s:

I went to Michael’s to buy some tea light candles, and their Valentine’s Day decor was right when you walk in. They really didn’t have a ton of things, and I could tell they were shifting to spring. That being said, I thought the plates, heart candles, and icon glasses were so cute…as was the bow pillow!

In all my shopping I “only” walked away with the icon glass from Home Goods and a wooden heart from Michael’s…(as well as the two plates and hand towels, I’d bought previously at Target)…

…and one mug at Home Goods and one mug from TJ Maxx.

I’ll show you my few Valentine’s Day decorations later in the week.

‘Tis the season for love!

Posted in Home Decor

House Refresh

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Thursday!

With no school on Monday, I’ve had trouble keeping up with what day it is, but you know I love Thursdays.

I also love getting the house back in order after the holidays which is what I’ve been doing over the past few weeks.

I’ve done a little “house refresh” in a few spots, and I’m sharing those updates today.

Trav and the kids surprised me with these pictures a couple of years ago for Christmas, and one of the frames broke. So, I went to Michael’s and got two new (and bigger) frames to put them in. I have this same frame in the hall bathroom, and it’s my favorite.

We moved a couple of pictures around, and I put the new frames on this wall in our office. I see them every time I’m headed to the kitchen, and I love seeing them on this wall.

I also updated a few frames over the past couple of weeks. I’ve always loved this pic of the kids, but I didn’t like the frame. When I went to TJ Maxx right after Christmas, they didn’t have anything I liked. When I went back a week later, I found not one…

…but two frames that I liked and I updated the pic on the kitchen buffet as well. I also added in these new candle sticks from Target.

Another family pic that I love, but I wanted to change up the frame is on our entry table. I guess I’m into gold frames these days.

My Gma gave Trav this gold horse, and I displayed it in our kitchen cabinet with some Derby cups and an American Pharaoh painting that we had painted for Trav years ago.

I asked for these Sherpa blankets for the two ottomans in our living room, and my mom got them for me for Christmas. The ones we had before we had for years, and they needed a refresh.

I also updated the pillow covers on the living room couch. Thanks to Homer, I don’t do fancy pillows, and I always get neutral color, so it blends in with the Homer hair. The past few years, I’ve picked pillow covers that I wash every once in a while, but then given the low price, I just update once a year or so.

Like Target, I let Home Goods “tell me what I need” when I go in there. After Christmas, I got new canisters for our flour, sugar, and salt. Trav said he never liked our other ones…and I said, “Trav, they were on our wedding registry…which means we had them for twenty years!” haha

These white ceramic ones are perfect.

Every week, I buy a few muffins as a breakfast option for the kids, and I wanted a spot to keep them rather than have the package on the counter all week. How cute is this cloche?! TJ Maxx to the rescue!

While at Michael’s, I picked up some new candles, and put this votive on a cute ceramic pedestal, and I added a mini boxwood wreath that I already had. (I use these on many of my candle holders to add a touch of green.)

Both kids purged their rooms over break which made more space for all the things…and Hadley’s new scallop tray has been perfect for holding a few odds and ends.

There’s something about the start of a new year, purging, organizing, rearranging and putting things back in order that just feels like a nice, fresh start.

Posted in Holidays, Home Decor

Holiday Home Tour

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Tuesday!

I hope your week is off to a great start. We had some snow again yesterday, and a few districts even called off school. We had school though which is fine by me because I’m feeling the end of the semester crunch!

Today, I’m sharing a little “holiday home” tour, and while my decor doesn’t look too different than what I shared last year or the year before that, I did purchase a couple new things, and I’ve actually simplified what I put out a bit.

Most of my main areas look the same like the entry way, Christmas village, and mantel….

This year, I changed up the trunk a bit in the living room. I wanted neutral trees rather than the red, white and green ones I’ve had in the past. Trav suggested I get a wreath for the mirror, and I found the perfect one at Target as well as a couple of packs for festive ribbon.

My coffee table doesn’t change much, but I added ribbon to the tree that I’ve had for years.

It’s the perfect little touch. Also, y’all…

…how cute is this book of matches?!? I was shopping at a local boutique for gifts for family, and saw these and had to have them!

When I was at Michael’s, I bought this plaid candle. I usually have a white candle in there year round, but just thought the plaid was festive.

The office area doesn’t look too different, but usually I put the basket in the basement. This year, I decided to add a red blanket to it and keep the basket upstairs.

The tree is also in the office area, and the middle section seems dimmer than it should be. Ugh! This is our third year with this artificial tree.

(This pic is from last year, and it makes me happier than my current situation!)

One thing that does make me happy is the addition of a couple new ornaments.

Through the years, I’ve wished that I was better about getting ornaments when we travel. The past few years, I have done a better job picking up or ordering ornaments. This year, I got an Isle of Palms one when we went there for spring break. Even though we’d been there a few times in the past, I’d never picked up an ornament. I also got one when Trav and I went to the Lake Michigan area this summer.

I also continued the tradition of ordering ornament using our Christmas card photo as keepsakes for your tree. We were dressed up nice twice this summer for our niece and then our nephew’s wedding, so I had ornaments made to remember those occasions.

I mentioned last week that my Gma gave the kids a couple Nutcrackers from her collection.

They look perfect on the cabinet in the office which is where I keep the couple I’ve picked up through the years. I think you can tell which ones are OG’s and which ones are dupes!

My mom gave me this little tree…

My friends sent me this plant a few weeks ago, and the pop of red is the perfect holiday touch for the fireplace.

I have one of the Christmas tree taper candles in the hall with a few trees and Nativity scene.

The other taper candle is in the kitchen next to the skinny tree. This tree is usually in our bedroom, but I decided to keep it out in the kitchen for now.

My Gma gave my brother and I each a Nutcracker cookie jar, and it looks perfect in this little corner of my kitchen. Also, I used to put a holiday sign on this stand, but this year, I pulled out an old cookbook and added a ribbon.

Also in the kitchen, I wasn’t planning on it, but the little tray was decked in all my favorite red cleaning supplies.

Well, besides the Santa matches, I also bought this cute tea towel at the boutique. I just couldn’t say no (and both of those purchases were very affordable)

The sunroom is one of the areas I’ve simplified. Nobody goes out there in the winter, and if we leave the couch cushions down for long, Homer hops up there. So, I just added a few touches to the tray.

I found this cute pillow on sale, and it was hard to resist.

Overall, outside looks the same. I’ve had the door hanger for years as well as the pillow covers.

I did get this doormat at Target and the plaid rug is from one of my trips to Hobby Lobby.

Some years, we put out Christmas lights, but we haven’t done much the past couple of years. We used to have trees that lit up, but we haven’t had them in a while. This year, I ordered a set of two, and mine are sold out, but there’s a cute snowy set. I got the ribbon at Michael’s, and I love the pink and red.

They look really pretty at night, but it’s certainly not the same as when we put lights on our porch.

So, that’s a little tour of our home. It’s been nice having some downtime in the evening to relax and enjoy the cozy space.

Posted in Friday Favorites, Home Decor, Seasonal

Friday Favorites {#277}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

TGIF!! I had a great week back to school, but not having students on Monday threw me off all week. I never knew what day is was, but I sure do know that today is Friday.

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

This week, my post is all about my favorite fall decorations.

I don’t think I shared a fall decor post last year because most everything was the same as when I shared my 2023 fall home tour.

Just like with that post, much hasn’t changed, but I did move a few things around this year and made a couple of small purchases.

I typically spruce up my front porch mid to late September, but I just didn’t have time to do so before fall break. Trav got the mums right before we left, and then once we got back from the beach, I purchased pumpkins and cornstalks.

I love how it turned out…

I’m still loving the new doormat.

I got “fantasy” pumpkins at Trader Joe’s, and then purchased a couple more at Kroger.

These pumpkin pillow covers were such a pleasant surprise when they arrived. I mean, I ordered them so I wasn’t surprised to receive them…I just mean that I was really pleased with the quality and cuteness!

I usually have different fall pillows here, but I loved these so much that I wanted them to be in a central location. I’d forgotten that I had this blanket, and it’s a nice pop of color between the neutral chairs and pillows.

My living room coffee table tray stays the same year to year.

Fall me thanked summer me when I went to my candle shelf in the hall closet and remembered that I’d purchased an Antique Candle Co “apple butter” candle on sale a few months ago.

I made a couple of small purchases a Michael’s a few weeks ago including this gold metal pumpkin bucket.

I also purchased two of these pumpkin vases because I wanted a little height on the mantel.

This pumpkin votive was the last Michael’s purchase that I made. It’s a nice festive touch on our wine rack in the kitchen.

I have two of these “morning pumpkin” pillows, but they typically go where the new ones go. Anyway, I used one on the chair in the kitchen.

Last weekend, I did make it to Hobby Lobby and found four of the embossed pumpkin plates that I had my eye on. I only see the salad plates online, but this plate is more medium sized…so bigger than a salad plate, but smaller than a dinner plate.

I wanted some new place mats, and these that I found on Amazon are so cute.

These mini pumpkin cocoettes are a few find and so cute.

I don’t do much in the basement, but I decided to use a couple of pillows that I typically put in the sun room down there.

When I was at Hobby Lobby, I picked up two of these fall LED candles to put on the basement bookshelves. I love the glow of them when we’re watching TV in the basement.

In our bedroom, I have one of my favorite raffia pumpkins that I got a Michael’s years ago. Its twin is on the living room coffee table.

One last Hobby Lobby purchase…this cute mug! I couldn’t resist.

I have a few more decorations here and there, but I really only put out a few of my favorite things this year.

Weekly Recap:

I had a few posts last week…and yesterday’s post (Fall break trip recap part 2) went out late yesterday. Ooops!

Prime Purchases
Fall Break Trip Recap 1
Fall break Trip Recap 2

Share Our Lives:

We have our Share Our Lives link up on Monday; we’d love to have you join us.

This month’s topic is go to snacks!

What are your weekend plans? Ours are full of Homecoming festivities! No rest for the weary!

Posted in Clothes, Home Decor

Target Tuesday

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Tuesday!

Target is the real MVP of all the things, and lately, with some purchases, I’ve thought to myself “oh, I should share this!”…so I’m doing that today with a Target Tuesday round up.

Hadley has actually driven me to Target twice since getting her permit…I guess I’m already teaching her my ways! haha

Here are some recent finds that I’m loving:

So, I shared the bathroom update with these pretty white towels that I picked up at TJ Maxx…

…but I knew when I bought them that white probably wouldn’t be practical for everyday towels because, well, my kids still don’t seem to understand not to wipe their toothpaste mouths off with the HAND towel?!

Anyway, Memorial Day weekend, I was absolutely influenced by Landyn when she shared her cheetah pattern bath towels, and I saw that the Threshold brand also had the cheetah hand towel, and I purchased two.

I’m still keeping the white hand towels in the rotation, but I’m loving this neutral with the wallpaper.

…and I did what any rational person would do and I purchased two bath towels as well. We’ve had the same bath towels for quite some time, so I got rid of two and replaced them with these. They are just perfect.

When I purchased the towels, they were on sale, but they are absolutely reasonably priced and great quality.

I’ve already shared this tray, but it’s still one of my favorite parts of our updated bathroom. Online, it comes in three colors, and my receipt says I purchased the white one.

…but it most certainly looks cream to me. I love it…but I don’t think I would call it white.

On the same Target trip, I also picked up this little tray not knowing which tray would work best. I had every intention of returning it, but then I thought it looked so cute on the night stand next to our guest bed. Our guest bed situation is one that “bothers” me in that we don’t have a guest bedroom…just a bed in the basement.

So, I took this opportunity to keep it and put it on the bedside table.

On a second Target trip, I added this room spray and…

….this sweet little scallop trinket dish to the tray. I figured it would be good for jewelry or keys.

Y’all, I have this cute little corner in the kitchen where I usually keep a plant. The problem is that we don’t get a lot of sunlight in that spot, so time and time again, a plant doesn’t survive.

So, I decided to add that to my Target list, and of course Target has everything so, look what I found…this cute little fiddle leaf plant. I think this is just what we need in this spot. But, y’all, twice I’ve almost gone over to water it! I’m used to trying to keep a plant alive over in that little corner! haha

A few months ago, Travis got rid of my plastic cutting boards…he has his reasons, but I was so annoyed. I asked him if he was trying to cut our marriage short! I was truly so mad. Anyway, I saw this cutting board and bought it to replace one of the two that he got rid of on his purging spree.

This doormat continues to be a favorite…

…and was just what we needed to spruce up our front porch.

These wide leg sailor jeans come in so many cute colors. I have them in beige and blue. They are high rise, so I sized up one. When I bought them, they were on sale, but full price for $28 is worth every penny.

I’ve already worn both pairs a few times, and love them.

I wore the blue pair to a graduation party (with this sweater) on Sunday and the senior graduate complimented me on my outfit…enough said!

Ok, I’m not a fan of wearing shorts…I’m a leggings girl all the way. That being said, `Regan (@thebloomingnest) shared these flutter athletic shorts, and I decided to give them a try. I always size up in athletic shorts (just my preference!), and that’s what I did with these. I now have them in navy and black, and I really like them. Again, I got them on sale, but they come in quite a few colors with a $20 price tag. The “All in Motion” brand has been a good one for me.

I was in need of a couple new sports bras and have similar ones from All in Motion in the past. These are comfy and supportive!

Like I mentioned before, Hadley was with me on a couple of these Target trips. She usually has a list, but really all she needed was some more dry shampoo. We always get the Batiste brand, but I hadn’t seen the “brunette” dry shampoo. I guess it doesn’t spray white when you apply it to your hair. What will they think of next?

Have you done Target returns from your car?! This new feature is life changing as well!

So, those are some of my Target finds and faves! What would we do without Target?…especially Target pickup and exchanges! What a time to be alive!

Posted in Friday Favorites, Home Decor, Home Updates, Kids

Friday Favorites {#256}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

Another week down and another weekend on the horizon. I’m ready for it.

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

Here are some favorites from the week:

Last Saturday, I was in Louisville with Hadley for her volleyball tournament, but Travis and Hayden were in Lexington for Hayden’s track meet. He’s kind of hit a “plateau,” not making much progress with this times despite his training, and I know he’s been frustrated.

I shared last week, that he had a PR in the mile and he did the same on Saturday in the 3200m. I can’t tell you how much it seems a weight was lifted off his shoulders having run two really good races and making progress toward his goals. I know not every race will be that way, but he was due, and I was happy when Trav sent this pic and told us Hayden’s time.

I stayed home on Sunday, but a friend sent me a couple of pics and a video of Hadley serving. Thank goodness for the live stream, so I could watch her two games on Sunday.

Y’all, I was influenced by Athena (@lifeandlightstyled)…

How cute is this little rug? I’ve had a black and white checkered one for a few years and I was just thinking how I need to replace it.

Honestly, I still don’t understand Walmart shipping, but I ordered the rug Friday afternoon, and it was on my porch by Friday evening! While I was at it, I ordered the brown striped one too for the fall and winter months.

My Target also had the “hello” door mat that Athena shared, so I placed a pick up order, and my porch refresh was cute as a button by Saturday!

An up close look…

I love a moment for scallops!

…speaking of scallops…When we were at my brother’s house for Easter, I saw this cute little lamp. My sister-in-law had a couple of them, and I thought they were so cute. I’ve always wanted one for our front hall table as there’s no outlet for a traditional lamp. I’d saved a few to an Amazon list, but just never ordered one. This one is from Walmart, and it’s sold out…but she had a third one that she hadn’t really used, and gave it to me! I love it so much.

I tried to find it to link it in case it comes back in stock, but I can’t find it on the website…which is a bummer because I’d love another one.

BTW – she also has this blue and white one that I’ve seen shared as well, and it’s so cute too…and in stock!

Circling back to the front porch, we moved two of the chairs that were in the sun room to the front porch to replace the ones we’ve had for over fifteen years. The lovely weather, the lilac bush, and the swivel chairs have been a great way to spend evenings recently.

We’re making progress on our hall bathroom update. Truly, it’s basically back together, but there’s a few little things to complete.

Trav has been helping our neighbor who has been doing our bathroom update. Well, Hadley was tasked with painting the baseboards…and she understood the assignment. haha

You know I’ll share a whole before and after, but the wallpaper went up this week, the vanity was installed, as were the sconces. The biggest highlight is that we now have a working toilet! It’s the little things over the pretty things at this point!

The mirror is the “chef’s kiss” to this wall.

Remember last week when I shared that Trav and I have been watching Race for the Crown with the races leading up to last year’s Derby?

Well, we sat down to watch episode 4, and in that episode, they were at the Derby draw where the post positions for the races are announced. Trav said, “Remember, I went to that last year? Maybe I’m in this episode.” Well, yep –there he is!

He’s going to be so difficult to live with now…haha!

On Wednesday night, Trav went to a Derby week dinner with work, and he came home with some food and some flowers. He made a big deal about “bringing me home flowers…” even though I’m pretty sure they were just the table center pieces.

I put them in this cute vase that I have, and they smell so great.

Favorite Mom Meme:

I feel so seen!

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:

Today is Oaks and tomorrow is Derby. I don’t think I’ll never not share this pic of the kids in kindergarten. At school, they’d made their own Derby hats.

This pic of Hadley playing dress up with my (borrowed) accessories is so cute too.

Unfortunately, this year I’m not going to the Oaks like I have the past few years. I love that tradition, but with the iffy weather and just a lot going on at school, I opted out this week. Maybe it will work out to go next year.

There’s truly nothing like Louisville and Churchill Downs the first week in May!

Weekly Recap:

I had a couple of posts this week:

Monday Memes
Monthly Moments

Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to finish my post about what I read in April, but I will share that next week!

What are your weekend plans? The kids have a track meet, and you know we’ll be watching the Derby on Saturday.

I hope you have a great weekend.