Category: Kids

Posted in Kids, Throwback Thursday

Throwback Thursday: August 2010

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Thursday!

Y’all, I “hit” the back to school wall yesterday. The day felt so long, and I was just flat out exhausted by the time I got home. The good news is that I’m really enjoying my classes and starting to learn names. Usually, we have this Friday off as a professional development day, and it’s really messing with me that this is a full five day week with students. What’s a girl to do??!

As you know, I’ve been recapping 2010 with the kids in monthly Throwback Thursday posts, and today we’re taking a look at August.

(January, February, March, April, May , June, July)

When I checked my Shutterfly album for August, I literally had 25 pictures…we must have been soaking in the end of summer and I was probably prepping to go back to school.

Like I recapped in June and July, they spent lots of time in the pool on the back screened in porch.

How cute!

The kids were nine months, and sitting up independently was such a game changer.

I vividly remember these onsies…

We spent lots of time with our friends that summer too. The older two are now headed to college and the other three are juniors in high school!

My brother was around a lot that summer, and he plopped his Boston Red Sox hat on Hayden. haha

It was a really good summer…one that I look back on fondly especially now that I am feeling a little nostalgic now that the kids are older and more independent.

That summer was nice because they kids were on a really good schedule taking two solid naps a day and sleeping ten hours (or more) a night. Since they could sit up, they would play with each other a bit, and they started to crawl around this time too.

I truly remember feeling sad about going back to school because I’d enjoyed my time with them. Summers are a taste of being a stay at home mom which I always appreciate….even now that the kids are older.

Posted in Friday Favorites, Kids, School

Friday Favorites: First Day of School

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

Well, we made it through the first few days of school…and I made it through my first full week.

It has been a great start, but to say I’m ready for the weekend is an understatement.

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

Today’s favorites are the first day of school pics…

We had horrible weather on Wednesday morning. We had torrential rains, thunder, lightning, and flash flooding in some areas. That meant our traditional first day of school photos had to be postponed, but I did get this pic of the kids before I left for school…

…and Hadley suggested a selfie of the three of us to send to Travis. He’d been out of town for a few days, and was flying home that morning.

Hadley is my 1st block peer tutor on our “A” days (since we have block scheduling). Isn’t she cute?! (BTW- her first day of school top and sandals are Amazon. Her top is a new purchase, but she got the sandals in the spring and has worn them quite a few times. She rates both a 10/10!)

I saw this our on school library door…such a sweet sentiment.

The weather was cooperating after school, but our front porch wasn’t, so we moved to the backyard for photos. (We have brick front steps, and some of them were crumbling, so those were getting fixed which means we had yellow caution tape up the couple of days they were being worked on)

First day of kindergarten for comparison!

All smiles to be finished with the first day of school. haha

Per (high school years) tradition, we went to IHop for dinner. Honestly, it was raining really hard, and we were tired, but we rallied to make this happen…plus, I didn’t feel like cooking!

In all the years of first day of school for the kids, I really think that’s the first time we’ve had a rainy first day. Oh well, the pics happened eventually.

Favorite Mom Meme:

It’s cliche, but it’s so true. Where is the time going?!

Weekly Recap:

I had a few posts this week…

Share Our lives
Teacher Talk Tuesday
Let’s Look

What are your weekend plans? For starters, I plan on not setting an alarm…and I hope to finish the book I’m reading! Also, I hope to get caught up on my blog reading and responding to comments on my blog. Please bear with me as I get back into my school routine!

Posted in Kids, Let's look

Let’s Look

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Wednesday!

Well, it’s already mid-week, and I’m ready for the first day of school…or at least as ready as I’ll ever be!

It’s the second Wednesday of the month, so I’m linking up with Shay for Let’s Look.

So far this year we’ve looked at…

  • Things we outsource without regret in January…
  • Ways we’ve turned into our parents in February (I missed out on the February post, but I’m sure I’ve turned into them in the best possible ways.)
  • Favorite family vacations in March
  • Hardest thing we’ve ever done in April (I didn’t have a post, but I’d say the hardest (but most rewarding) thing I’ve ever done is raise these kids of mine!
  • Making couple friends in May
  • What I’m making more time for in June (I missed this post, but in June I was probably making more time for getting my life together after the end of the school year…and rest!)
  • Our summer selves in July

This month we’re looking at….things we miss.

Honestly, the first thing that popped in my mind was that I miss this…

pinchy cheek cute little toddlers.

There’s obviously something to be said for embracing each phase of parenthood. As they grow up, it’s fun seeing them interact with others, find their independence, set goals, learn, pass milestones (like driving) and more. That being said, I’m sure I thought parenting was hard back when the kids wouldn’t sleep through the night, or when I barely had five minutes to take a shower, or when they constantly wanted to be held…but I’d definitely go back to that time even just for a little bit.

As I’ve mentioned, this summer was different in a way I wasn’t expecting. I had a bit more time on my hands, and I guess I miss some of the time in the car with them or even them being at home more. Again, this is an exciting phase as well, but it’s been an unexpected adjustment for me.

Another thing that came to mind when thinking about things I miss…is some of the 90’s summer ideas that others have referenced on social media.

  • running through the lawn sprinkler and Slip N Slide!
  • riding bikes and staying out until dinner time
  • the ice cream truck coming down the street
  • friendship bracelets
  • Blockbuster movies
  • hanging out at the mall
  • rollerblading
  • mixed tapes and burned CD’s

Another thing I loved about the 90’s – TGIF shows!

  • Full House
  • Family Matters
  • Step by Step
  • Perfect Strangers

The only resemblance of waiting for shows to come on each week is if kids (these days!) watch a show on one of the streaming platforms with new episodes “dropping” once a week!

Well, now I’m all in my feels…just in time to send my kids off to their junior year of high school. Where has the time gone?!

Posted in Friday Favorites, Kids, School

Friday Favorites {#309}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

Well, I’ve almost made it through my first week of school, and I’m definitely feeling TGIF.

It’s been good to get back in a routine and see my friends and colleagues, but those early alarms have been quite the reality.

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

Here are some favorites from the week…

I was so busy getting back to school this week that I didn’t realize that Tuesday was my 7th blogiversary for Show Me and Sweet Tea. This is still a fun hobby for me, and I can’t believe I’ve been at it for seven years.

(If you’re somewhat new here or have forgotten, the blog has it’s name due to my Missouri roots in the “Show Me” state and then is there anything more southern than sweet tea which highlights my moving to Kentucky, where Travis was born and raised.)

I don’t know if he misses me, but I already miss my breakfast buddy now that I’m back to school. Homer is my sidekick most of the day in the summer.

Hadley and friends went to the Chris Stapleton concert in Cincinnati on Saturday night. Her outfit is linked in Monday’s Prime Purchases post.

Despite the rain delay, they had a great time.

There was a strong line of storms, so Stapleton’s 9:00 start time was pushed to past 10:00. She sent me this pic, and said he was worth the wait!

Stapleton is from Kentucky, and Trav and I went to his concert at Kroger Field here in Lexington a few years ago, and he was amazing.

My mom was in town, and one of her specialties is making these cookies and icing, and then the kids decorate them. They had a good time doing so, and the cookies were delish.

I’ve mentioned that Hayden has been coaching a 5th grade basketball team this summer. We all made it to the last game of the season. His team has come a long way as have his coaching skills. I think it’s been a fun summer for all.

At dinner on Sunday, I gave him the “You are Special” red plate to celebrate his first season coaching basketball.

Hadley and I went to Walmart for some school supplies, and then we went to Target. Well, this tumbler “found” me, and it’s perfect for my “to go” iced coffee.

A quiet classroom to get work done is always a favorite. Many of my favorite school supplies are linked in my Amazon Storefront.

Speaking of school supplies, the first thing I did on Tuesday was organize the school supplies that I’d purchased. Then, I took some time to put everything away and label the tubs for my supplies.

I have some secret snack storage in my classroom for my teens, and I told Hadley she had a $50 budget to get us restocked. She sent me this pic from Kroger, and proudly told me she spent $44. I’m not sure why she didn’t get a shopping cart. haha

Favorite Mom Meme:

Wow…this one is so true!

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:

With school starting next week, you know I always love a trip down memory lane.

Here the kids are on the first day of kindergarten. Now they will be juniors.

Share Our Lives:

Monday is the second Monday of the month, so we have our Share Our Lives link up. This month’s topic is favorite current music. We’d love to have you join us.

Weekly Recap:

Here are my posts from the week in case you missed one:

Prime PUrchases
Currently
Summer Viewing

I hope you have a lovely summer weekend. I have to keep reminding myself just because we’re going back to school doesn’t mean all the summer fun has to end!

Posted in Kids, Throwback Thursday

Throwback Thursday: July 2010

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Thursday!

Well, July is certainly moving right along…and these Throwback Thursday posts always make me realize how quickly time is flying by! ugh.

I’ve been recapping 2010 (January, February, March, April, May , June) and July is up next!

Is there anything cuter than babies looking festive for the 4th of July?!

We went to KC around this time, and the kids were decked out in their red, white and blue.

Here they are at my Gma’s house (their great-grandma) wearing their cute bibs. No drooling on the furniture. haha!

Quality time in the pack-n-play. I really think we only packed one for this trip…

Even when they grew out of the swaddles, they still liked to have their legs wrapped up.

Hayden and Travis reading the newspaper at Major’s house. As you can see, we did bring the bouncer/Exersaucer, and Hadley passed the time that way.

Time with all the KC family…GG, Major, Gma, and my aunt.

I love these black and white photos. Play time on the blanket…and toys at Gma’s house.

On the drive home from KC, we stayed the night at a hotel which was a first. Near the restaurant was a Chili’s or Applebees, and I think this was the kids’ first time sitting in restaurant high chairs!

Looking so big sitting up in the hotel bed. Little did they know that we still had over five hours left in our drive home. The drive from Lexington to KC is around nine hours, and when the kids were little, it would sometimes take 12! So, this pit-stop was a good call on our way home.

Back home hanging out in Hayden’s crib.

Post bath time – looking cozy!

Awe!

At the end of July, Trav and I went to Folly Beach/Charleston, SC to celebrate our five year wedding anniversary. The kids stayed home with family, but of course, we missed them.

I’m sure we did more in July including back yard pool time and walks around the neighborhood, but I clearly took less pictures in July!

Posted in Kids, Throwback Thursday

Throwback Thursday: June 2010

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Thursday!

Another month, and another look back on 2010.

(January, February, March, April, May)

I really loved the summer of 2010. It was my couple of months to be a “stay at home mom,” the kids were able to interact with each other, and they were on a great sleeping schedule!

Lots of tummy time…

More fun with the Exersaucer…and hat wearing.

Hayden loved lounging on the Boppy and snuggling his frog.

Hadley had lots of Boppy time too…and thankfully, around this time, she was coming out of the acid reflux and colic days.

Both kids could sit up unassisted at this point which meant they started to interact with each other more.

That summer, we had lots of play dates with friends. These kiddos are all still in each others’ lives.

Hadley was still a very serious baby, and Hayden was very easygoing.

The “peace, love, twins” onsies were hand me downs from other twins, and I love this picture so much:

Squishy cute!

The inflatable pool on our screened in porch was a fun way to beat the heat in the summer.

Who doesn’t love a hooded towel?

Trav had his first Father’s Day with the kids!

Since the kids could sit up independently, they would just look at each other…

…and I remember all the effort this pic took…two dogs and two kids, but they were all my faves!

Such a sweet month to look back on!

Posted in Friday Favorites, Kids

Friday Favorites {#304}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

I can’t believe I’ve already had two full weeks of summer. I felt like the school year would never end, and of course, now I don’t want the summer to go by too quickly. Surprisingly, so far, most days have moved at just the right pace with some downtime, productivity and other odds and ends.

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

I have quite a few favorites this week…

One thing about teenage boys is they both drive you crazy but also make you so proud. Hayden took it upon himself to reach out to a local basketball league (that he played with for years!) to see if he could help coach one of the summer league teams.

I have to be honest and say that at first I felt anxiety when he told us he was doing this…only because he had to communicate with parents, not be too intense as a coach (ha!), and keep up with the commitment.

One stop at Dick’s Sporting Goods for a whistle, a coaching dry erase board and some cones, and he was on his way.

Of course, I shouldn’t have worried. He’s stayed on top of this responsibility.

Coach White is coaching a fifth grade team, and they are 1-1 after their first weekend of playing. I hope to catch one of his games, but a friend sent me this pic as Hayden was coaching against her son’s team.

Speaking of Hayden, the baseball team had their banquet this week, and Hayden won the “Most Improved Player” for the JV team. What makes this honor even better is that it was voted on by his teammates. We all really enjoyed this re-entry into baseball life more than we thought we would.

I shared in Monday’s post that I’m obsessing over these new candles. I shared the lemon ones, but I also got a box of these pretty blue flowers too.

The lemon box with a Sweet Lemon candle is what’s on my coffee table right now.

I gave my mom one of those watercolor books for Christmas (I purchased it at local store, but I believe it’s this one that I also found online) as she’s pretty creative. She’s been painting quite a bit, and she knows my love of hydrangeas, so she sent me one of her creations. Last week, I was at Target, and found the perfect frame for it.

Speaking of flowers, it’s peony season at Trader Joe’s. Yay!

We had beautiful weather this week which meant I had three pool days!

Hadley’s been out and about and even played pickleball with a friend.

On Monday, we went to my brother’s house for cookie cake and to celebrate his birthday.

My friend texted me a couple of items in the “Aldi Finds” aisle that she thought I’d love, so I went there on Wednesday. While there, I spotted my favorite flavor of Chobani creamer, and it was even a bit cheaper than at Target. I grabbed a couple of them!

Now, on to the fave finds.

Uh…how cute are these icon glass candles? There were quite a few, but I picked up strawberry and gummy bear ones. I’ve been burning the strawberry one, and it’s heavenly!

Then, I also picked up one of these red/white/blue Popsicle icon glasses. There were quite a few options, but I showed restraint and just got this one.

Somehow, it made my morning coffee even better!

It’s not fall, but look at the lovely heart leaf I found by the pool. What a pleasant surprise.

Yesterday was such a rainy day that I let myself be lazy for most of the morning. I’d added Ticket to Paradise to my Netflix list and figured yesterday morning was the perfect time to watch it. This movie might just be a new favorite of mine. I love Julia Roberts and George Clooney, and this movie didn’t disappoint!

Favorite Mom Meme:

Happy summer! (LOL!)

Weekly Recap:

I had a few posts this week if you’re interested:

Weekly REport
Trader Joe’s Haul
Thursday Thoughts

I hope you have the best weekend!

Posted in Friday Favorites, Kids, School

Friday Favorites {#302}: Last Day of School

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

TGIF! Well, this morning my alarm clock is going off one more time as a faculty meeting stands between me and summer break. Yesterday, I cleaned out my room and prepped it for summer, then my school’s graduation was in the afternoon. It was a nice ceremony as always, and it’s hard to believe I will have two graduates in two more years!

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

This post will be short and sweet because your girl is tired, and the only favorite I need at the moment is that…

I wrangled the kids for the last day of school photos in the afternoon…

Truth be told, their summer started a bit earlier than mine thanks to some early finals and exemptions…Hayden did have two finals on Wednesday, but Hadley’s last final was Monday.

Anyway, the last day of school photo tradition had to continue no matter what…

First day of sophomore year…

I joked that we were “marked safe” from sophomore year because truly it felt like a marathon there at the end and we were surviving more than thriving. But, we made it to the finish line.

I was so bitter about being in school in June that I refused to put my June date on the board…Monday-Wednesday this week were known as June 32nd, 33rd, and 34th. haha

Being in school in June should never be an option. I know we had a crazy January/February with two weeks off due to the weather. My frustration is that we left five NTI days on the table that we could have used. I knew once the end of the year got pushed to June, attendance would be spotty…for students and for teachers. We had so many teachers that were out the last three days because they were doing AP grading, there were kids out because families had planned vacations and so on. By Wednesday, I had maybe ten students in every class. We give final exams the last few days, but students can take them early and some teachers give them early. Anyway, I hope we have a better plan for next year.

I know many areas of the country have school into June, but I believe they go back later. I will be back to school on August 5th, and I just know that will be here before I know it.

Favorite Mom Meme:

Ugh!

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:

This sweet memory from 2012 popped up on Facebook, and I love it so much. These kids are all still friends, and the other set of boy/girl twins just graduated high school last week! Hadley is still really good friends with the other little girl; I’m friends with both of their moms. We don’t all see each other like we used to when we taught in the same building, but I love that we’ve watched the kids grow up together.

Share Our Lives:

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

This month’s topic is…emojis used most often. This will be a fun post to read…I love to use an emoji!

Weekly Recap:

Here are my posts from the week:

Monthly Moments: May 2026
Hello, June
Prime Purchases
Summer Reading 2026

I hope you have the best summer weekend. I’m looking forward to not setting an alarm, enjoying the sunshine, and getting my life together after the end of the school year busyness.

Posted in Kids, Throwback Thursday

Throwback Thursday: May 2010

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Thursday!

Well, May sure is moving right along…it’s hard to believe that this weekend is Memorial Day weekend!

What’s also hard to believe is how quickly the years fly by.

I’ve enjoyed taking a look back to 2010 (January, February, March, and April), and today, I’m sharing some snippets of May 2010.

By May 2010, the kids were six months old. I truly remember enjoying this time. They were good sleepers, good nappers, and Hadley’s colic had improved so much. She was a happier baby. They also started sitting up more and were able to have a bit more fun.

Propped up in the bed…what cuties!

They both had little frogs that a friend of mine had given them. Their names were Finn and Fern.

Hadley was very serious during her playtime with Fern.

We celebrated my first Mother’s Day! (Shew! I thought I was tired then. haha!)

Trav’s brother got married, and we traveled a few hours away for the wedding. Hayden wore his onsie with a tie on it, and Hadley dressed up for the occasion too…matching headband and all!

Family photo…

A big milestone was that we started cereal right around Memorial Day weekend. I remember thinking that we had a good routine down, and I didn’t want to really add anything new until school wrapped up. So, we started cereal at the end of the month.

Anyway, cereal and solids were hit or miss for a while.

The kids also had a new fun activity at six months…bouncing around in the jumper.

Oh what fun!

We just had one jumper, so they learned to take turns at an early age 😉

Oh what I wouldn’t give to hold those six month olds one more time!

Posted in Friday Favorites, Kids

Friday Favorites {#299}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

How was your week? Ours was good, but it sure felt long! Also, where are the springlike temps? We’ve been lucky to hit 60 degrees this week!

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

Here are some favorites from the week…

Teacher Appreciation Week is a fave for sure. Every day this week, we’ve received some kind of treat at school…from bagels to coffee to cookies and more.

On Wednesday, I hit the jackpot! So many of my students gave me gifts and notes.

I truly felt the love. And, I don’t need gifts, but of course, that’s so thoughtful of students to think of me and purchase a few things. I really appreciated the notes too. One of the notes was written with the help of Gemini (AI) which actually did make me LOL.

Spring time me thanked fall me because I pulled out this lavender vanilla Antique Candle Co candle to burn. I’d purchased it on sale last fall. I love the spring time scent.

Derby was extra exciting! Golden Tempo, trained by a female trainer, won which was a first for the Derby. It was a thrilling race with Golden Tempo coming from waayyy behind to win!

The Major was in town last weekend. He was able to see Hayden pitch at his game, and he also saw two of my nephew’s games. Of course, we had to take the traditional porch pic…

On Sunday, Hadley baked a cake to celebrate the Major’s birthday a bit early. He doesn’t like the jinx birthdays before they happen (I’m the same way!), so we didn’t sing happy birthday. haha

Her Advanced Foods class is really paying off for all of us.

I went to one of my nephew’s games, and I couldn’t resist a couple of scoops of my favorite ice cream…mint chocolate chip!

Hayden was the starting pitcher in his game the other night! So far this season, he’s been a relief pitcher, so this was a first.

He pitched three innings, and the score was 3-3 at the end of the third. His team ended up winning, so that made the outing extra special.

I shared my May book trackers on Instagram last weekend. As always, I save them in a highlight. Feel free to use them to share what you’re reading. Tag me, and I’ll repost. I always love seeing what others are reading. I need to get my reading act together!

Favorite Mom Meme:

Truly, I would be less crazy if my kids would just do what they need to do when they need to do it!

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:

How about this gem from 2010! My first Mother’s Day. Woah…what a memory!

Weekly Recap:

This week I had a couple of posts:

Prime Purchases
Currently

Share Our Lives:

It’s hard to believe, but Monday is the second Monday of the month. I’ll be co-hosting the Share Our Lives link up, and this month’s topic is…go to lunches on the go.

Mother’s Day:

I share this every year, but I truly do mean it…

I hope you have a lovely spring weekend! We have baseball and volleyball on tap! I wouldn’t have it any other way. These years are flying by!