Category: Kids

Posted in Kids, School

So Much to Celebrate

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Well, we’ve had a quite a week. On top of having family in town and celebrating my mom’s birthday, the kids also made the decision to be baptized and had their 5th grade promotion in a matter of a couple of days!

This week has been one full of excitement and wonderful memories have been made.

Baptism

On Sunday, the kids were baptized with other 5th and 6th graders at our church. We had a large class of students scheduled for baptism due to last year’s group not being able to be baptized due to Covid. My kids and seven others were baptized on Sunday.

Before our family came over, I had the kids take pic with the cake I got from a local bakery.

It was beautiful and tasted delicious! (Hadley joked that it looked like a gender reveal cake. 😆 )

Our friends and family enjoyed the cake before heading to the church.

We arrived about thirty minutes before their baptism.

We were so excited for them and their baptism class.

Each baptism candidate had a mentor that they met with over the past couple of months. Together, they read the book of Mark and completed a service project. My kids had terrific mentors and joined forces for their service project. Together, they baked desserts (brownies and cookies) and then delivered them to church members who are unable to attend church right now. It was so great seeing them work together and bring joy to others.

At the baptism, the mentors talked about their mentees and shared about the service projects. It’s always sweet, and a moment of pride, to hear great things about the kids. Believe me, they aren’t perfect, but it’s nice to know they can pull it together when it really matters!

The baptism was live streamed, so out of town family could watch as well.

Thanks to alphabetical order, Hadley was baptized first. Travis and I were able to join them on the stage as they each accepted Christ into their hearts.

I love this moment so much. Hayden waiting for his turn…while Hadley goes first.

The baptism was made even sweeter because they each had a great friend being baptized in their group.

Afterwards, we snapped a few family photos…

I hope they know how blessed they are to have such an amazing support system and family near and far who showed up for them on their big day.

Afterwards, family came back to our house to eat and enjoy one more cake! Since I knew we’d have plenty of people to eat all this cake, I went ahead and ordered them an ice cream cookie cake from Baskin Robbins to celebrate their upcoming 5th grade promotion.

It was so good!

I also had these fun cups on hand with the kids’ first day of kindergarten photo.

5th grade promotion:

As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, the kids’ 5th grade promotion was virtual, so some families decided to get together to celebrate our grads afterwards. We are very blessed with a great group of families who have pretty much been together since kindergarten. We were missing a few families, but we had a wonderful afternoon.

Since I had hosted out of town family and then family after the baptism, I kept up my “hostess with the mostest” title and had the kids’ friends and families over on Tuesday afternoon after the promotion ceremonies.

We decided to grill out, and we all divvied up food, drinks, desserts, and decorations to make the afternoon a success.

One mom brought these fun balloons!

…that we then, of course, made our kids hold for a photo!

These sweet ladies have so much fun together.

These boys are tons of fun too!

I probably would have scheduled the lawn letters anyway, but I definitely went ahead with it knowing all the kids would enjoy them, and they provide a great photo op, obviously!

These years have been the best because of these ladies. I feel so blessed to do life with them!

After we grilled out, the kids ran around, ate delicious cupcakes, and then went up to school to silly string their younger siblings as they left the building on the last day of school. Many of us sat around and chatted late into the evening, and it was certainly a day that I will never forget.

Seeing the kids make one of the most important decisions of their lives and celebrate two major milestones in a matter of days makes me so proud, thankful, and…emotionally exhausted! We’ve had such a wonderful and blessed week.

See you back here tomorrow for Friday Favorites. My favorites from this week are pretty easy to share!

Posted in Kids, School

Last Day of 5th Grade

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Well, they did it! The graduated from the fifth grade. (I mean, what choice did they have? 😆 , but, of course, I’m very proud of them!)

Here’s a little look at their last day of elementary school!

How it started…

August 2015

How it’s going…

Last Day Photos:

We were up and at ’em a few minutes early, so I could take their last day of school pics! We were going to walk to school, but it started to rain a bit, so we had one final car line drop off.

My friend is a teacher at their school, and she sent me these pics of them as they walked the halls and the little kids cheered for them! I was so happy this tradition was able to continue.

Travis and I settled in to watch each of the kid’s promotion ceremonies as the district said there could be no in person ceremony. I was definitely bummed with that decision, but tried to make the best of it.

Hayden’s class went first…

followed by Hadley’s class…

When their ceremonies were over, they could stay or be picked up early. A few families decided to get together to celebrate the kids, so we walked to check our kids out from school.

The weather had improved, so I took the opportunity to walk to get them like I did on their first day of school.

They were so excited to share about their morning, and show me their promotion certificates.

Both kids had straight A’s this quarter, Hadley also won the Positive Attitude Award for her class, and Hayden was recognized for being the only student in his class perfect attendance, virtually and in person, all year as well as a sportsmanship award.

Celebrating the Graduates:

Once we got home, they let me take a few more photos. I used a local yard sign company to decorate the yard to celebrate the occasion. #Ihavezerochill

Hadley loved the signs, and Hayden hated all the attention. 😂

On Sunday, we had some family over to celebrate another occasion, so we had a Baskin Robbins ice cream cookie cake to celebrate the upcoming graduation.

After we got home from school, the kids put up their backpacks, changed their clothes and got ready to celebrate with some friends!

How fun are these balloons? Another mom picked them up for our festivities.

We had a really great afternoon with friends celebrating these awesome kiddos! I hope to share more later in the week.

As I wrap up my end of the school year posts, I have to thank their teachers. We entrusted them with our children, and they thrived under their guidance. They cheered them on, helped them, taught them, championed them, and did so with grace under pressure. They adjusted their teaching style to an online platform to ensure that they were engaged in academic rigor over the past year. Through the years, they also provided them with fun activities and remembered they were kids who wanted to play in the snow and trade Valentine’s Day cards. Hadley wants to be a teacher because of them. Hayden’s confidence has grown because they provided him with tools to be success at school…and in life. I’m forever indebted to their teachers who have given their all to them over the past six years.

Through the years, the school admin and support staff outdid themselves with events like International Night, school performances, spring carnival, family night spaghetti dinner and so much more. They provided the kids with well-rounded, diverse opportunities. They provided a safe place for my kids to grow, learn, and take risks. Again, I’m forever grateful.

I treasured our time at this school. I know my kids have a wonderful foundation in which to start middle school and move on to the next chapter of their lives. I just wish it all hadn’t gone by so fast. As they say, “Don’t blink.”

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Thanks for indulging me with my reflective posts and trips down memory lane this week! I feel pretty emotionally drained but have a very grateful heart!

I’m headed to high school graduation today. I bet the parents of those graduating seniors also wonder where the time has gone.

Have a great day!

Posted in Kids, School, Tuesday Talk

Tues Talk: Reflection: The Elementary Years

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

It’s Tuesday Talk with Erika and Ashley.

For this link up, we chat about any topic, and, well, the end of the school year has certainly been on my mind.

And…

Today is the day. Today, my kids will be finished with elementary school. I blinked and they went from toothless grins to braces, from the babies of the school to the oldest ones that the babies look up to, and from teeny tiny to almost as tall as me.

Where. Did. The. Time. Go?

I’m going to take today to reflect through their elementary years. This post is a mix of “why do I do this to myself?” to “there are so many memories, and this post will provide one place to house them all.” So, here we go…

Reflecting through the years…

Kindergarten:

I remember how excited Hadley was to start kindergarten. I also remember how hesitant Hayden was to start “big kid school.” (That being said, he was adamant that he didn’t want to be in Hadley’s class!)

That whole year was filled with new school experiences.

Memories, Activities and Field Trips:

  • Walking to school
  • Learning to read
  • Pumpkin Patch field trip
  • All about Me posters
  • School lunch!
  • Spring kindergarten performance
  • Ran first ever mile race at the PTA mile/5k
  • 100th day of school celebration
  • They loved their teachers!

1st Grade:

This was a year filled with growth and new school activities. Hayden had “the best teacher ever!” and Hadley loved being her teacher’s helper.

Memories, Activities and Field Trips:

  • More walking to school
  • Field trip to the Living Arts and Science Center
  • 50th day of school celebration
  • Chess club
  • Pete the Cat 1st grade performance
  • Book Fair
  • Hadley clipped down to yellow one day, and rule follower Hayden exclaimed, “Hadley!” as we walked home from school, and she told me she was talking when the teacher was talking.
  • Field Day fun

2nd Grade:

Second grade was their last year in the primary hall of their school. Hadley learned that “boys can be teachers too!” as her teacher, Mr. B. was assigned to the class about a week before school started. Hayden loved the second grade and his teacher’s Safari theme for learning and room decor.

Memories, Activities and Field Trips:

  • Academic Team(both kids)
  • Boosterthon Fun Run at school
  • International Night
  • Derby Breakfast (Hayden’s class)
  • Both kids got braces
  • Family Night: spaghetti and puzzles
  • Valentine’s Day parties
  • Making signs in support of teachers when their retirement was being threatened
  • Student led teacher conferences
  • School carnival
  • Safety City field trip
  • Indoor field day
  • Black History Month celebration: class project and third grade school performance.

3rd Grade:

Third grade was the first year in the secondary wing and the first year earning grades on report cards! Hayden had a few rough patches when his teacher left in October for a district level position, followed by a teacher that lasted less than a week, and then a replacement teacher for the remainder of the year. It took him some time to adjust with the sudden changes. Hadley loved her teacher and really excelled that year.

Memories, Activities and Field Trips:

  • Academic Team (Hadley)
  • PTA movie night
  • Indoor Boosterthon Fun Run
  • Arboretum field trip
  • first KPREP tests
  • Book character dress up day – (Hadley dressed as Pinkalicious)
  • Class science fair
  • Family night: spaghetti and puzzles
  • School carnival
  • Cat in the Hat performances
  • Zoo field trip
  • Girls on the Run
  • Multiplication!
  • Family heritage project

4th Grade:

In the 4th grade, the kids continued to do well in school. Hadley had the same awesome teacher that Hayden had for 2nd grade, and Hayden’s teacher was perfect for him with her love of reading and very structured classroom.

Memories, Activities and Field Trips:

  • Academic Team (Hadley)
  • Cross Country (both kids–with their dad as the coach!)
  • Chorus (Hadley)
  • Field trip to Newton’s Attic
  • Movie Night
  • Recorders for music class!
  • Science Fair – Hayden earned honorable mention and Hadley made it to the district Science Fair!
  • Family Night: spaghetti and puzzles
  • Read Across America week
  • Packed up their belongings for what they thought would be two weeks…but didn’t return to the building before summer break
  • Waving at their teachers as they drove through the neighborhoods
  • Became proficient at Zoom and Google Classroom
  • Virtual Field Day
  • Said goodbye to their teachers and classmates on Zoom

5th Grade:

Their 5th grade year started with more virtual school. Seven months of virtual school to be exact. The kids both had awesome teachers who did an amazing job teaching via Zoom. The kids attended a pod of learners (friends!) two days a week which provided them with structured school, academic support, and social interaction. They *finally* returned to in person learning on March 8 to close out their elementary years in the same building they’d attended since kindergarten.

Memories, Activities and Field Trips:

first day at the pod in August 2020

return to in person learning March 2021

  • Delayed start to the school year
  • Drive through for textbook and supplies pick up
  • Virtual School
  • Pod two days a week
  • Became distinguished with Zoom and Google Classroom
  • Teacher front porch visits
  • Cross country (both kids, with their dad as their coach…again!)
  • Braces again!
  • G/T dance and dance club (Hadley)
  • Learning the flute (Hadley)
  • Return to in person learning in March which included thermal checks, plastic desk partitions, mask wearing, limited interactions at recess, and lunches in the classroom
  • Oldest kids in the school building
  • Field Day
  • Tie dye day and pizza lunch
  • 5th grade promotion

Final Thoughts:

Today, they enter their elementary school building one final time. This year hasn’t been what we expected, but they adjusted, they made the best of it, and they thrived.

Walking them to school provided me with memories and opportunities for conversations to last a life time. Seeing their independence grow each year was both bittersweet and rewarding. We went from kindergarten where we walked them to their classrooms every day for the first two weeks of school to stopping at the crosswalk and letting them finish the walk to the building on their own. (**and many days pulling into carline with minutes to spare! 😆 )

Letting go at each phase feels natural, but sad as I see the time pass by right before my very eyes.

I will forever treasure our time in this amazing school. The teachers and administration did an amazing job kicking starting their educational career.

Dear Hayden and Hadley,

Happy last day of elementary school!

You’ll move on, you’ll continue to learn, you’ll continue to grow, you’ll make new friends, you’ll keep forever friends, you’ll test your independence (& my patience!), and you’ll continue to become the people you are destined to be.

I tell you all the time how lucky you are to have had the teachers, the administrators, the experiences and the opportunities that you’ve had over the past six years. I know you’ll remember these years fondly.

You’ve made dad and I very proud. Keep leading with your heart, keep being kind, and keep putting your best foot forward. I promise hard work, dedication, and kindness will always pay off.

Through the years, I’ve shared some words of wisdom with you; you know your English teacher mom loves a good quote. Some of my faves are:

“Be silly, be honest, be kind.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson,

“Anything is possible. Anything can be.” ~Shel Silverstein

…and…

“You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” ~A A Milne

So, I will wrap up your elementary years with this:

“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.” ~Henry David Thoreau

I hope you have the best last day of elementary school. You deserve it! I know this is only the beginning for the both of you! Keep up the good work!

xo,

Mom

P.S. No, I’m not crying…why do you ask? 😉😢

……………………………………………….

Tomorrow, I hope to share our last day of school photos. We have lots of fun planned for today with my 5th grade graduates!

Thanks so much for reading!

Posted in Kids, School

End of School Year Interview: 5th Grade

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello! How was your weekend? We had a busy but blessed weekend. I hope to share more later in the week.

*Warning!* This week’s theme for posts is all about school…wrapping up the year and the elementary school years. #holdme

I used these questions last year to have the kids reflect on their school year, so I’m using them again this year! I love that I also have an opportunity to share my responses too.

Hayden’s Thoughts:

  • What was the best part of this year? Going back to in person learning.
  • What was your favorite thing about your teacher? She was kind.
  • What was your favorite things to learn about this year? Government and reading Where the Red Fern Grows
  • Who was your best friend? Graham and Jonny
  • What did you like to do at recess? Play 4 square and basketball
  • What is something hard you did? learn at home
  • What do you want to be when you grow up? “Undecided…or maybe a track coach…or a firefighter.”
  • What was something that made you laugh this year? My classmates
  • What was your favorite specials class and why? PE because my teacher is a GOAT
  • What was your favorite school activity or field trip this year? Field Day

Bonus: What is your BEST memory from elementary school? Safety City field trip in 2nd grade

Mom’s Thoughts:

  • I’m proud of you because…you’ve worked so hard to overcome obstacles and have persevered!
  • One of my favorite memories of you this year was: watching you win the district championship cross country meet.
  • It has been fun to watch you: become more independent in your learning and enjoy your favorite subject areas like reading and social studies.
  • Three things I love about you: your loyalty to your friends, your determination, and your sense of humor.
  • An area you grew in was: confidence when speaking.
  • You strengthened our family by: taking on more responsibilities and becoming more independent.

Hadley’s Thoughts:

  • What was the best part of this year? Going back to in person learning.
  • What was your favorite thing about your teacher? She makes learning fun.
  • What was your favorite thing to learn about this year? Long division (#smartypants)
  • Who was your best friend? Elise
  • What did you like to do at recess? Play four square
  • What is something hard you did? Wear a mask during school.
  • What do you want to be when you grow up? Elementary school teacher
  • What was something that made you laugh this year? Miller (a boy in her class)
  • What was your favorite specials class and why? PE because it’s awesome.
  • What was your favorite school activity or field trip this year? Field Day

Bonus: What is your BEST memory from elementary school? Safety City field trip in the 2nd grade

Mom’s Thoughts:

  • I’m proud of you because: you stayed positive this whole year while learning at home, at the pod, and finally at school.
  • One of my favorite memories of you this year was: watching you run cross country, improving with each meet, and placing in the top 5 at the district championship.
  • It has been fun to watch you: be a classroom leader.
  • Three things I love about you: your energy, your generous heart, and your outgoing nature.
  • An area you grew in was: musical performance and playing the flute
  • You strengthened our family by: being helpful and remaining focused and positive.
4th grade responses

I can’t believe tomorrow is their last day of elementary. Where has the time gone?

I hope you have a great week.

Linking up with Tanya and others!

Posted in Friday Favorites, Gift Ideas, Holidays, Kids

Friday Favorites {#68}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Friday! We’re in the midst of the craziness of May. On top of school and regular activities, the end of the school year field day, teacher gifts, 5th grade graduation prep (and more!) is ongoing.

We have so much to celebrate in the upcoming days, so I’m embracing the busyness, and trying to enjoy these moments as we wrap up the school year and ease into summer.

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

Sit back and grab your cup of coffee…I have quite the list of Friday Favorites today!

Hayden’s baseball team is on a roll. They’ve won six of their last seven games.

He’s had a couple games this week, and Hayden pitched on Monday night and did a great job.

I love seeing his smile!

Hadley had recital photos last week, and they turned out beautifully.

Mother’s Day was lovely.

Cards are my favorite! One from Hayden, one from Hadley, and one from both!

Church and then…

brunch which was delicious.

Along with the cards and my hanging ferns for the front porch, Travis had these planters made which was a pleasant surprise.

Another favorite from the week was that we were able to get our backyard flowers planted. I also love this new riser that I picked up at the At Home store.

The kids both brought home their clay projects from art class. I will miss all the artwork and projects of elementary school.

Hayden’s dog…he said is Homer.

Hadley’s pastel pup!

Hadley wearing my glasses cracked me up! (and, why does she look 16?!)

A few gifts from Etsty came in this week.

This fun pencil sign for our sitter who just finished up student teaching,

Pencil Door Hanger

and I purchased another flower pot for a teacher gift.

Terra Cotta Flower Pot

Field day is always a fave. Hadley’s class helped the younger kids on Wednesday, and she had so much fun. The older kids had field day yesterday. Again, another thing we’ll miss about elementary school.

I have a couple of Amazon finds that I love. This shirt and sandals arrived last week, and I wore the combo to school. I’ve also already worn the shirt with jeans to go out to dinner, and I’ve worn the sandals a few other days as well.

// Babydoll Blouse //

// Sandals //

School outfit this week:

but I did put my cardigan on because my classroom tends to be chilly.

Favorite Mom Meme:

Only two more days of waking the kids up for school before summer begins. The wakeup struggle continues to be real…especially for Hayden.

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

Well, I don’t know why I do this to myself, but in the spirit of field day, here are the kids on the morning of their kindergarten field day!

Weekly Recap:

Here are my posts from this week!

Not Just a Mom: concerts
Let’s Look: Outside
Lexington Top 5

This weekend is suuuuppper busy. We have family visiting, my mom’s birthday, baseball and more! Then, just two days left of the school year.

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

{this post contains Amazon affiliate links…}

Posted in Currently, Kids

Currently

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello! I love Currently posts, and decided to join Anne’s Currently link up today!

Consuming:

All my Trader Joe’s faves. Tomorrow’s post is all about my latest TJ haul, but my family loves:

the molasses cookies…

and the Everything but the Bagel chips are a new fave of mine.

Exploring:

Gatlinburg! I shared in Monday’s post the details of my weekend there with Hadley for her last dance competition of the season.

Getting:

Ready for summer. The countdown to summer is on. We have less than two weeks left of school, so the summer plans have begun. Plan #1: not setting an alarm 😉 Honestly, sometimes the summer is just as hectic with dance recital, swim team, baseball, and other activities, but at least we have more downtime and time for fun like going to the swimming pool and going on vacation.

Hoping:

to enjoy the month of May.

As a teacher and as a mom, the month of May is a marathon. Mar-a-thon. While I don’t have papers to grade and final exams to give like I used to, it’s still a busy time of the year for me helping students who are struggling academically. May is literally the end of the finish line for students to raise their grades to earn credits.

As a mom, spring is busy with activities anyway, and now we add in school activities and “to do’s” like field day, end of the year fun, teacher gifts, 5th grade promotion and more. When I think about last May and how sad my kids were not to be able to do the usual end of the school year activities, I continue to be thankful that they are ending their school year in person, with their teachers and classmates, and are able to finish out their elementary years in a building they’ve known for six years. I’m going to try to not be stressed and enjoy these last few weeks of them in elementary school.

Seeing:

my kids grow up right before my very eyes. Let’s just say my May posts may have a theme of nostalgia. With less than two weeks left of elementary school, I can’t believe how quickly these years flew by. What a ride. I’ve seen them grow as learners, make friendships, and blossom into pretty neat little people. I pray for the same journey for them in middle school.

first day of K- I remember taking this photo. It feels like yesterday.

What have you currently been up to? I hope you are having a great week!

Posted in Kids, Weekend Top 5

Hello Monday/Weekend Wrap Up

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello! How was your weekend? As predicted, mine kind of got away from me, but I’m going to do a quick Weekend Wrap Up!

Hadley and I left Saturday to head to Gatlinburg, TN for her final dance competition of the season.

We had a great time, but it was a jam-packed couple of days. We arrived Saturday afternoon, checked into our hotel, and met up with some of Hadley’s dance friends (and their moms!) We rode the skylift to the top of the mountain, and then walked across the Skylift Bridge. It was definitely a memorable experience. My favorite part was the ride down as the views of the Smoky Mountains were really pretty.

Then, Saturday night, we headed out to dinner at the Cherokee Grill and then went to the Gatlinburg Space Needle and checked out the views of Gatlinburg, at night, from the top. Then the girls got some ice cream, and we headed back to the hotel and to bed after a busy day of travel and sightseeing.

Thankfully, we didn’t have to set an early alarm on Sunday because her dance studio had a reasonable call time! We met up with the other mom/daughter combos for breakfast before heading to the convention center. The girls performed their tap and jazz routines, watched the other dancers’ performances, and then wrapped up their block of time with awards.

Hadley and I headed back home right after the awards. Travis and Hayden fared well without us 😉

Here are a few favorite photos from the weekend…

The creek by our hotel.

The view after we exited the skylift.

The Sky bridge…(the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in North America) …

…with glass floor panels at the mid-way point.

Don’t be fooled…they had us take this pic before getting on the lift 😉

On the way down after walking on the Skybridge…

After dinner, we went up on the Gatlinburg Space Needle.

skylift and space needle pics

The girls can always find ice cream!

Sunday’s competition was a really great experience for the girls. We were the only team during out block of time making it a very safe experience, the call time was perfect, and their team had their best performances yet earning “high gold” for both dances.

So that’s a quick wrap up of our weekend. I hope to be back this week for:

Prime Purchases on Tuesday,

Currently on Wednesday,

My latest Trader Joe’s haul on Thursday,

and then I will wrap up the week on Friday with some of my favorites.

Shew, we’ll see if I can make all those posts happen, but I sure hope so! I’m just a girl dreaming of a few more minutes in the day 😉

I hope your week is off to a great start. See you back here tomorrow.

Linking up with Tanya and others!

Posted in Clothes, Kids, Tuesday Talk

Spring and Summer Clothes for Girls

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello! How’s it going? I’ve had such great luck finding some cute clothes and shoes for Hadley lately, so I’m sharing those today while linking up with Ashley and Erika for Tuesday Talk.

I’d share some clothes that Hayden loves to currently wear, but that post would be short, sweet, and include Nike shorts and whatever t-shirt he finds on the closet floor. That being said, I am grateful the kid will put on a pair of khaki shorts or pants without a fight now, and we’ve been blessed with some awesome hand-me-down button down shirts and polos that he’ll wear when needed.

Here are some things Hadley’s been wearing the past couple of months to transition from cold to warmer weather.

Amazon

These pajamas were one of Hadley’s Easter presents. This is her second pair of these pjs, and they have so many cute color options and sayings.

Pajamas

Matilda Jane

I typically turn to Matilda Jane for Hadley’s Easter dress each year. I know their dresses are great quality, will last a while, and Hadley can wear it to church, special occasions, or even summer vacations, so that makes their dresses worth the investment for me.

Oh Joy Dress

Target

Well ladies, some of these items may just work for you! The leopard flats, sandals, and 1/4 zip are from the Women’s Department at Target. haha!

This two piece was another Easter gift purchase, and Hadley already tested it out during our stay at the Opryland Gaylord.

Art Class Bikini Set

Every year, I get Hadley a pair of flats to wear with leggings or dresses because her foot continues to grow! For about two years now, she’s been wearing women’s sizes. These leopard print flats are super cute, and if I didn’t already have a pair of leopard flats, I would have snagged these for myself as well.

{She’s wearing them in the photo above with her Easter dress}

Universal Thread Ballet Flat // Little Girl Cat & Jack Option

Hadley loved the tan strapped version of these from last year. Those still barely fit, so I bought her the next size up with the white strap. Cute, comfy, and affordable!

Ava Skinny Strap Sandal

I’ve shared this quarter zip recently in a different blog post. Hadley saw it and loved the yellow color, and it seemed like a perfect spring option for cool mornings (and chilly a classroom!) Obviously, she can wear this in the fall and winter too. {Looks like the price has dropped a bit, and it’s on Clearance!)

Universal Quarter Zip-Up Pullover

Sis will live in athleisure wear with leggings and joggers. She wore the joggers most of the winter months, and has them in a few colors. She still wears them now in warmer weather with a t-shirt.

All in Motion Joggers

These leggings are super cute and fun to wear with a t-shirt or long sleeves depending on the temperature! They have a side pocket which is a great feature as well.

All in Motion Side Pocket Leggings

Old Navy

Old Navy has so many cute options and great prices. Hadley was so excited when this dress and romper arrived that she tried them on for me and let me take her picture! And yes, she straightened her hair so she looks 16 😭

I had this romper in mind for the kids’ upcoming 5th grade graduation ceremony when I bought it. I wasn’t sure she’d like it, but she sure does! Even if she doesn’t wear it on the last day of school, she will get plenty of wear out of it on other days and occasions.

There are a few color options, and it’s 25% off!

Old Navy Romper // Target Ballet Flats

This cute little dress is only $10. I’m sure I will get her another one before summer because she’s worn this a ton and you can’t beat the price!

Old Navy Dress // Target Sandals

Aren’t girls’ clothes so much fun?! Also, no wonder her laundry pile is twice the size of Hayden’s! haha

Thanks so much for reading! I hope your week is off to a great start.

{this post contained Amazon affiliate links…}

Posted in Friday Favorites, Kids

Friday Favorites {#63}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello! Shew! We made it. I feel like I jumped back into reality with both feet this week. The struggle was real setting my alarm clock, getting dinners made, and getting my people where they needed to be, but it’s finally Friday.

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

Here’s a quick recap of my favorites from the week…

Favorite Kid Quote:

{Sweet Kid Quote}

This moment is technically from a couple weeks ago, but right before Spring Break, Hadley’s teacher emailed me to tell me that Hadley had shared a Google Slides Presentation that she made about her classmates. Each slide had something that Hadley liked or admired about each of her classmates. The teacher shared it with the class and said that everyone loved it. A few students even thanked Hadley for noticing attributes they didn’t think anyone noticed about them. It was a very sweet email, and I was super proud of Sis.

(I’m letting it slide that she apparently emailed it to her teacher at 10:00 PM when I thought she was sleeping!) 😆

{Funny Kid Quote}

This week Hayden was gearing up for his baseball season to start. Hadley’s favorite part of the baseball season is the concession stand. Hayden said, “Well, this year the league’s baseball concession stand is “goat(ed)!” I guess that means they have great food!

Favorite Food:

Speaking of food, I picked up a few bags of Trader Joe’s Salted Inca Corn the last time I was there. They are basically the TJ version of Corn Nuts which are my fave.

*Fun fact: Per tradition, I usually pick up at least one bag of Corn Nuts on any road trip with Travis. He always complains…😂, but he said how much he loves these!

Favorite Moment(s):

Baseball Boo is back! Hayden’s on a new team this year, and had games Tuesday and Wednesday this week!

Here he is ready for Tuesday night’s game…{Homer stayed home!}

Wednesday night, back in action, sporting the black uni!

It’s always fun watching him play….even though it’s meant a couple of late nights this week.

up to bat, pitching, and playing 1st

Other Faves:

The flowers I picked up at Trader Joe’s for Easter are still showing off!

The weather has been so pretty this week. I’m still doing my Beach Body workouts, but have opted to walk on Tuesday and Thursday this week. I was feeling like I needed to mix it up a bit, and my walks are the only times I really get to listen to my favorite podcasts!

Favorite Mom Meme:

For my kids, it’s sometimes too much Xbox or iPod, but I can definitely relate to this meme:

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:

Since Easter was the week, Hadley in her bunny ears at Target in 2012 seems very appropriate.

Weekly Recap:

Here are my posts from this week in case you missed one! This week was a mix of Easter, Amazon, and Opryland!

Easter Recap
April Amazon
Opryland/Nashville Trip

Speaking of posts…Monday is our April Not Just a Mom link up! If you are a blogger, we’d love to have you join us. This month’s topic is Favorite Family Memories.

I hope you have a great weekend. We have friends’ birthday parties and baseball on tap (if the rain holds off on Saturday). See you back here on Monday; thanks so much for reading.

Posted in Books and Shows, Clothes, Friday Favorites, Kids

Friday Favorites {#60}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello!…and Happy Friday! Shew…I made it…It’s the Friday before Spring Break, and I’m ready for it. Only about seven hours remain before I can not set an alarm and not pack a school lunch. I’m hoping to spend the next week recharging, getting caught up on some of my favorite shows, having fun with the kids, and reading a bit more.

Before I can get to break, I’m recapping this week by linking up with Erika and Andrea for this week’s Friday Favorites.

Favorite Photo(s):

Since it was a new experience for us, and I was so proud of Hadley, her dance competition photos are my favorites from the week…

The professional ones are even better 😉

Favorite Moment:

My favorite moment from the week was receiving the kids’ 3rd quarter report cards. Both of them had awesome report card grades which earned them…

the red plate!

For Hadley, we celebrated her grades and dance competition performance. For Hayden, we celebrated grades, basketball championship win and the start of baseball season.

Favorite Food:

I tried a new recipe this week…Shay‘s Easy Shrimp Fried Rice. We devoured it. Easy and delish!

Favorite Clothing Item:

Ok…so I saw Shelby share this Target dress in her Insta Stories recently, and I bought it thinking it could be a good option for Easter. It arrived, and I was soooo pleasantly surprised.

When I went to take this photo, I realized the dress has pockets!!! So, not only is it pretty and flowy, the pockets make me so happy. I can even see myself wearing this to school with a cardigan or denim jacket to “dress it down” a bit.

I saw that the price dropped to just $20, so I ordered the mint one as well.

I finally realized I should tote my mirror to the sun room…best light in the house! duh!

Favorite Kid Quote:

On Monday night, Hadley was tired from all the weekend activities. She begged me to stay home from dance, and I said, “No!” As she left for class she said, “Don’t be surprised if you get a phone call saying I fell asleep in class!” #sassysincedayone

Then, when she arrived home, she came up the stairs and said , “I survived dance, but my dogs are barking!” 🤣 I was like, “Where have you heard that?” She said her dance teacher sometimes says that. Her delivery of the line was exasperated and so funny.

Favorite Mom Meme:

Even worse…I’m trying to get my kids to go to bed and then squeeze my adult life into one hour. I’m always ready for bed…and they never are!

This next meme is so very true!

A couple of funnies this week:

English teacher humor…

One of my colleagues had an extra one of these, so I added it to one of the walls in my classroom.

and…I started a Zoom meeting yesterday with a student to find this as my profile pic…

I’d been #Hadleyed.

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday (Dance Edition)

The competition last weekend has me taking a little stroll down dance recital memory lane…

2016 was the first year at Hadley took dance. She was in kindergarten and took a tap and ballet class. For the recital she was in two ballet routines.

After taking a two year hiatus to try gymnastics, Hadley was back at dance and took Hip Hop.

For her 2019 recital, she was in one hip hop routine.

Last year’s recital was postponed and then videoed in studio at the end of August 2020. In 2020, Hadley took ballet, tap, jazz, and hip hop, so she had four routines (3 costumes) in last year’s dance recital.

This year she’s in ballet, tap, and jazz. She dropped hip hop to do competition because I told her something had to give…and if you’ve seen her Tik Tok moves (she doesn’t have Tik Tok…just looks up the videos), well, you know she’s pretty much mastered hip hop. haha

One More Fave!

The kids opened some fun mail on Wednesday, and to their surprise, they saw that we are on a book cover! A colleague of mine that I taught with at my previous school is now an author in her retirement years. Her latest story includes twins, so she asked if she could use a family photo (from 2014!) for her cover.

I haven’t read it yet, but I sure hope to dive into it soon.

Megan’s Miracles can be purchased on Amazon.

Weekly Recap:

I posted 5 days this week, y’all! That hasn’t happened in a hot minute. Here are my posts in case you missed one!

Monday Memes
Easter Decorations
Just Dance!
Happy Planner

Lastly, with Easter a little over a week away, I thought I’d share my Easter gift ideas for kids one more time.

I still hope to post some next week even though it’s Spring Break, but I guess I will just see where the week takes me!

I hope you have a great weekend. See you soon.

{this post contained Amazon affiliate links…}