Category: Travel

Posted in Travel

Florida Fall Break Recap

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Wednesday!

Well, we’ve almost been home for two weeks, and I’ve shared about Hayden’s time in Arizona and our pit stop in Tennessee at Dolly’s, and today I’m finally getting to share about our week in Seaside, Florida.

It’s hard to believe, but this is the fifth year we’ve traveled with the same crew and stayed in the same house…and while each year looks different, we’ve mastered some traditions as well.

You won’t be able to tell by this post, but on this trip, I took far less photos than I have on previous ones. The kids are around less (this was the first year they could drive!! We spent a lot of time telling them what time to pick us up from the beach…haha!)…and I guess I can only take so many photos of the pretty water and beautiful sunsets…but I still have lots to share today.

Since we have this week down to a science in regards to planning, ordering groceries, and relying on our strengths and weaknesses, I’m going to do this recap a little differently.

To start, here’s a breakdown of what we did each day:

  • Saturday: We all arrived at various times on Saturday. While we were the last to arrive, we were the first in the house, so we got unpacked while others finished up an Hurricane’s, a restaurant we usually go to on the way in. Then, once everyone was at the house, we unpacked the groceries before going to the beach for sunset. The kids went to Seaside Square for the evening, and the adults hung out at home.
  • Sunday: I slept until 10…and tracked Hayden has he made his way to Arizona. I was exhausted. Every morning started slowly with some reading and a cup or two of coffee. Then, overall, it was a beach day….and the kids even hung at the beach for a couple of hours which made us happy. We caught sunset, and then dinner was hamburgers and hot dogs we grilled out as well as some sides…followed by s’mores. We spent the rest of the evening at home.
  • Monday: We had another beach day which was lovely. That evening, we all headed to Seaside Square for dinner. There are lots of restaurants and food trucks, so everyone just picked what they wanted and met up to eat. The kids were around, but they all found friends who were there and ate with them. We hung out and watched the football game that was on the screens in Seaside before heading back to the house.
  • Tuesday: By the third day of vacay, I typically move a little slower, and that’s how Tuesday was. I hung out at the house for quite a while, and Trav and I went to Seaside around 10:30 or so. We walked around, shopped a bit, and I went to my favorite book store…Sundog Books! After that, we had lunch at Daytrader which we’d never been to before. Then, it was beach time, and I stayed there until sunset which was so nice! All the adults listened to Yacht Rock in preparation for the moms and daughters watching the Yacht Rock themed Dancing with the Stars. It was also “Taco Tuesday” at the house, so we had that dinner while watching DWTS.
  • Wednesday: Wednesday was mostly spent at the beach because the weather was beautiful, and we only had two days left. A couple dads and some of the kids went open water fishing very early in the morning. That evening was the parents night out where we go out to eat. We tried a new (to us) restaurant…The Bay. We got there right at sunset, and there was live music to enjoy while we waited. Dinner was delish, and that evening some of us stayed up and played cards for a bit.
  • Thursday: The forecast for Thursday had called for rain, but everything held off for our last full day. Travis and I took the girls to Seaside, and they got breakfast while we went to Black Bear for coffee and breakfast. Then, I went shopping and also checked back in at Sundog because I was looking for a book that they didn’t have on Tuesday. I did get the book and then a Seaside sweatshirt at another store…so it was a successful trip. When we got back to the house, Travis decided to go to Publix to get a few pub subs, and that was our lunch. I ended up with a slight headache, so I decided to take it easy at the house and finish my book…and I even took a nap. When we packed up to head to the beach for the final sunset of our trip, others were coming back saying how windy it was…and these are the tried and true beach goers! So, it was a bummer to miss the final sunset, but there was no point with the fierce winds (the rain did come the next morning). Thursday night is always eat all the leftovers…and clean out the fridge. We packed up, some finished a puzzle, and the kids ran around with friends and then had s’mores.
  • Friday: Friday morning it was time to head home. We were all up around 6:30 and on the road by 7:30 or so. We snapped one last group photo before leaving.

My friend is so talented, and she made us all cups…but each one had a different “mostly likely to…” Once we got settled on Saturday, we divvied up the cups…and mine was…

Most likely to…make it to three beach sunsets! yep! That’s me. Trav got “most likely to sit in the shade” yes!, Hadley had “most likely to go to Pickles,” which she went to at least three times, and even though Hayden wasn’t there, he got “most likely to bike to the beach” which is very much him.

Now on to the picture portion of my recap:

Great Weather:

We had great weather all week! The lows were in the 60’s, and the highs were in the mid-80’s. The only rain chance we had was Thursday, and it got bumped to Friday when we were leaving. I do think it rained most of the weekend after we left.

That being said, the purple flag was flying most days, and it was no lie…marine life (jellyfish!) got one of the kids and one of the adults on two different days.

Has there ever been a more perfect hat for me?!

The beach was only somewhat crowded our first day, but after that, we had our pick of spots!

Sunsets:

I think the only day I didn’t see a the sunset was our last night due to the winds. Three nights we made it to the beach, and then Monday night, we saw the sunset at Seaside, and Wednesday night at the restaurant.

First night sunset…

Sunset in Seaside…

Slow mornings:

Every morning was slow moving which I appreciated. Many of us started our mornings with coffee on the front screened in porch.

Lots of Reading:

On Sunday, I finished a book, and then Monday, I started…

Wednesday, I started…

By Thursday, I started another book, so I call that a success!

Fave Places:

Some of our fave places include the shopping in Seaside as well as Modica Market, Sundog Books, and Black Bear Bread Co.

So many books I read this year were on display…

This Poptart was delish!

Time Spent in the Square:

The teens were up there quite a bit, and I went there three times…once in the evening, and then twice during the day. It was not crowded at all!

The girls rode the golf cart with us one morning, and we grabbed coffee while they shopped.

The post office is always picturesque and is always a fave.

Travis…always working. haha

Purchases:

Hadley was so thoughtful and excited to show me this purchase…a drawing of the post office that she got for me. She was equally excited that she used her money (she’s a working girl!) to buy it.

On my first trip to Sundog Books, I picked up a couple of stickers for my Kindle as well as a word search book. ( I love word searches!)

On my second trip to the book store, they had the book I was looking for…and I spotted these cute matches that I had to have!

Tried New Places:

For lunch, Travis and I tried Daytrader for the first time. The A/C saved us, but the decor was cute too!

He got a burger, and I got a shrimp bowl; both were delish!

We had the parent dinner at The Bay on Wednesday night. We’d never been there before, and the atmosphere was so nice. We were right on the water, there was a live band, and the food was delish.

Evenings at the House:

As everyone knows, I’m a homebody and even more so in the past few years. I feel thankful to feel “at home” in Seaside and at the house we rent because we’ve been there five years in a row. Also, the kids are at the age where they don’t need us as much, we we enjoyed hanging back at the house, playing games, listening to music, roasting s’mores, etc.

On Tuesday, we did listen to Yacht Rock most of afternoon and at sunset because we were going to watch Dancing with the Stars that evening.

Play Nine is always a fun game to play…

It was a group effort, but one puzzle was completed during the week. Two moms stayed up pretty late finishing it on the last night!

Pool time:

We have two pools in the neighborhood we stay in, and I’ve never been to either…that being said, the teens use them quite a bit.

This could be an album cover! lol

Photo Opps:

You know who loves to take a photo?! Teen girls!! They had three nights were they hit up Seaside and the beach for sunset photos…and they turned out so amazing.

They pack a lot of clothes, and then share with each other! LOL

They got good at asking people to take the group photos. haha

…with the occasional selfie!

Hadley loves the beach!

Great Crew:

We missed Hayden, but this crew had a great time together….no fighting, lots of late nights, lots of laughing, running around, beach time, pool time, golf cart rides and more.

Again, it was a great trip and another year filled with memories. Of course, it was different not having Hayden with us, but he was having a great time with his cousins.

We have this vacation pretty much down to a science…even after the initial Publix delivery, we still almost make some kind of daily Publix run, we let the kids do their thing (with restrictions, of course) and they are good about being back to the house by 8:00, we take multiple trips to and from the beach for those who want to go, we know who wants to get oysters a time or two, we know who is likely to sleep in (that’s probably me!), who likes to go on daily walks (Trav and others), who wants to be at the beach as early as possible, and who wants to catch as many sunsets as possible (again, me!)

We still use the Splitwise app to settle up at the end of the trip, and it’s been an easy way to keep track of expenses.

Other Trip Recaps:

2025 – part 1
2025- Part 2
2024
2023
2022- part 1
2022-Part 2

What a blessing to have a crew who is easy to travel with and oh so much fun!

While Seaside was mostly spared during Hurricane Isaias, the community was closed Friday-Monday with power outages, debris and some damage. I follow a few 30A accounts, and seeing the photos of washed away boardwalks and uprooted palm trees was a sad sight, but it could have been so much worse.

I’m so glad our favorite little town was spared.

Posted in Travel

Pit Stop for Dolly

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Tuesday!

Last week, I shared about Hayden’s trip to Arizona for fall break, and Friday I’d hoped to cover our time on 30A (which is now recovering from storm damage) 😦 ….but I ran out of steam at the end of the week.

That being said, I can’t go out of order, and we had a fun pit stop on our way to Florida, so I’m sharing that today.

I’d heard about Dolly’s Travel Stop, but I wasn’t exactly sure where it was located. Well, friends that were about thirty minutes ahead of us texted that they’d stopped there, and I was happy we hadn’t passed it yet!

Exit 22 on 65 is Dolly’s Tennesseean Travel Stop…and it was everything I’d dreamed it would be and more. haha

Travis might not agree that we needed to spend thirty minutes here, but Hadley and I outvoted him!

The drive leading up to the pit stop was so colorful…

…and that’s one of Dolly’s tour buses in the background.

Inside, the chandelier was made of guitars…

and of course there was all kinds of cute merch.

Even the hallway leading to the restrooms had trunks from her tours…

While Trav and Hadley shopped around, I got in line at Cup of Ambition Coffee.

While only four people were in line in front of me, it did take a bit, but I got my cup of ambition.

How cute is this sign by where I picked up my coffee?

I do have a suggestion for the pit stop…I feel like if all you want is a basic cup of coffee, you shouldn’t have to wait in a separate line…Even though the line in front of me was short, everyone was ordering frappes and complicated drinks that took a while.

On the way out, I spotted The Dream Well for Dolly’s Imagination Library.

And that was about all we had time for, but they have a full service restaurant, live music, and a spot for pups to run around!

Here’s a little more info on Dolly’s Tennesseean Travel Stop if your’re interested.

While the pit stop was a little longer than Trav would have liked, I feel like it was worth it!

It only opened in June, but I’m curious if you have ever been there?

Posted in Kids, Travel

Trip Recap: Arizona

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Thursday!

I will say that this week is flying by…and it’s hard to believe that we’ve almost been home from vacation for a week.

We did our traditional fall break in Florida, but Hayden decided to visit his cousins who live in Flagstaff, Arizona. I don’t have a ton of details because “boys will be boys,” but I’m sharing a few pics today!

Two of our nephews live in Flagstaff…one of them because he runs professionally, and it’s a great place to train, and the other because he followed his brother there once he graduated college and now is a photographer and videographer whose content is amazing!

When Travis realized that one of the nephews was flying back to Louisville at the end of the break, we knew it was great timing for Hayden to visit and have a travel buddy on the way home.

My kids have flown quite a few times, but I never know if they are really paying attention on how to navigate an airport. That being said, when we flew this summer, I did let them lead the way a bit just because at this age, they should know how to make their way through security, find their terminal, download their boarding pass, etc.

That being said, I was a little nervous that Hayden had to connect through Dallas on his way to Flagstaff; I’ve been in that airport a couple of times, and it’s just so big and busy. Hayden’s flight left out of Louisville on the Sunday of our fall break, and Louisville family dropped him off.

He made it to Dallas, and he even navigated riding the tram to a different terminal. Once he was at his gate, I breathed a little easier. His flight to Flagstaff was a bit delayed, but he made it there by 1:00 or so Sunday afternoon.

I did have to text my nephew’s wife to ask what time it was in Flagstaff. In Florida, we were on central time, so I was all thrown off! Flagstaff doesn’t do DST, so sometimes they are two hours behind EST and sometimes three!

Anyway, the weather in Flagstaff was rainy the first couple of days Hayden was there, but that didn’t stop him from having fun with his cousins.

Stetching his legs on a walk after the flight on Sunday…

He became a cat person while in Flagstaff! Don’t tell Homer.

On Monday, despite the rain, Hayden went to Sedona with Josh to hike. I guess we should have packed him a raincoat!

I told Josh that I was glad he sent these pics after they got back to the house. I didn’t really know their plans for the day, so knowing he was climbing on slippery rocks would have had my pulse racing a bit.

He told Josh that this was much better than the beach!

On Tuesday, it was another rainy day, but Josh and Jacob took Hayden to the Grand Canyon (and thankfully they found a raincoat for him)

All smiles…

The last time we’d been to Sedona and the Grand Canyon was 2018 when we planned a trip there after Hayden learned about the Grand Canyon in second grade. Neither Trav nor I had been there either, and it was such a great experience.

It’s a great big world out there…(peep Hayden!)

Hayden sent these pics that he took while they drove around…

This one is so pretty with the trees with the beautiful yellow leaves. I’d shared it on Facebook and a friend asked what the animal was staring Hayden down on the left side of the pic. I hadn’t even noticed it, but that’s my nephew’s dog…maybe he’s part wolf?!

On Wednesday, I think they stayed closer to home; Jacob is training for a marathon, and his wife was working. Hayden went to the gym with Jacob and did some things around the house.

They were to fly out Thursday afternoon, but the flight was canceled due to weather…so they had to regroup. They were able to get the same flight on Friday and they made it to Dallas…but then were delayed. We were driving back from Florida that day, so they had to keep us updated with how the travel was going. After a few delays, their flight arrived in Louisville at midnight rather than 9PM…and Travis picked him up; they didn’t get back to Lex until 2AM. Let’s just say we all slept in on Saturday morning!

I’m proud of Hayden for doing this on his own. He’s never been a big beach person, and we knew this trip would make him happy…and it was good for him to be with his cousins. I hate that they had so many travel issues, but I’m thankful they were on the way back when he had a travel buddy to help him with those hiccups.

Anyway, I’m patting myself on the back for letting go a bit and letting him do something on his own. The kids are at the age where they are ready to figure some of these “close to adulting” things out on their own. I’m also very thankful for life 360 and the American Airline app, so we could help him with whatever he needed. haha

Have a great Thursday!

Posted in Travel

Florida Recap Part 2: Orlando

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Tuesday!

Last week, I shared part one of our time in Florida where we spent a few days at the beach in Siesta Key. Today, I’m sharing part 2…the Orlando edition.

This season, Hadley played on a national team for one of the local volleyball clubs, so we knew all along that her team would go to Orlando for the national AAU tournament. I will say that I wasn’t sure what to expect, and I did have my reservations about the Orlando part of our trip. I just knew the competition would be tough, and the girls were playing up a level so they didn’t have to play over the 4th of July time frame. The first three days were pool play, and the final day was bracket play.

Anyway, I will say, this portion of the trip did exceed my expectations, and they made the most of the opportunity, and we made the most of it as a family.

Wednesday:

We were up very early on the Wednesday we needed to go to Orlando. The teams play in the AM wave or the PM wave, and Hadley’s team was in the AM wave. So, that meant we were up early and on the road by 6:00 to make the two hour drive to Orlando.

Her first game was at 9:00, so she was supposed to be there at 8:15, and we arrived at the Orlando Convention Center right at 8:00.

They had three games that day, and all the games were close, and they were off to a solid start.

Since Hadley’s team had to ref the 1:00 game, I stayed with her, and Trav and Hayden checked into the hotel villa.

We stayed at the Marriott Vacation Club Harbour Lake because one of Hadley’s friends/teammates stayed there a few years ago when she went to the AAU tournament, and they were staying there again. It was nice to have another teammate on the property because I’m friends with her mom, we could carpool, and the girls could hang out together when we weren’t at the convention center.

Trav and Hayden had left to get some food, so Hadley and I got the lay of the land. The villas were so colorful and pretty.

Hadley had placed an order for food, so we walked to one of the pools to pick it up.

The lobby was so pretty too!

We took the food back to the room, unpacked, and lounged around for a bit before heading to the team dinner. One of the parents made a reservation for the team, the coach, and the parents for dinner at Saltgrass Steak House, and the food was delish.

Hayden opted to stay back at the villa and watch soccer, and we brought food back to him.

The girls are all about a photo opp, so we snapped a team pic after dinner.

Then, the girls “twisted” our arm, and we went out for ice cream. This day was actually mine and Trav’s 21st wedding anniversary…and this was our anniversary ice cream, I guess!

Thursday:

We had another early morning on Thursday as the girls had to ref the 8:00 game, and then played three games afterwards.

The AAU tournament had different themed days, and the second day was “pink day.” The girls always seemed to play better in their pink shirts this season. They played so well, and won a couple of games!

All the glitter for pink day!

Midway through the season, one of the hitters on the team had to leave the team, so Hadley was asked to play front row/right side as well as DS in the back. So, for the last five or six tournaments, Hadley played the entire game. She hadn’t played right side since middle school, but she was up for the challenge. My 5’3″ girl got quite a few kills/blocks/tips this season.

One of the moms ordered some fun accessories for the various days. Pink day was the easiest to be decked out on, so we took a family team pic in between games.

Trav and Hayden missed out on the pink day fun. Once Hayden realized the KC Royals were playing Tampa Bay, he asked if they could go to the game. It was an early afternoon game, and the stadium is indoors, so Trav obliged with Hayden’s request. It was about an hour and a half drive there, so it was doable.

Hayden sent me this pic, and I thought he caught a foul ball. Travis and Hayden were sitting just a few rows behind the Royals’ dugout, and Jac Caglianone threw a ball out to the fans, and Hayden got one.

Speaking of Jac…

The Royals did lose, but Trav and Hayden still had a great time.

After the game, Hayden was able to get Isaac Collins and Tyler Tolbert’s autographs, so that also made the trip worth it…at least that’s what Trav had to tell himself on the three hour drive home. Traffic was bad in Tampa at that time, and Orlando traffic always seemed to be horrible!

After games, Hadley and a few teammates hung out and we waited for Trav and Hayden to get back. The girls had a team dinner with their coach, and we just got carry out and watched soccer. The US played really late, so it was nice to stay up and watch them knowing the girls didn’t have to get up early on Friday.

Friday:

Since Hadley’s team didn’t play until the afternoon, we had some time on our hands in the morning. We had a slow morning, and Trav went out and got donuts.

Eventually, Trav, Hadley and I made our way to the bigger family pool for an hour or so.

Then, we moved to the other pool with the slide, and Hayden met us there.

We ordered lunch to eat in the room before going to Hadley’s games.

The team played well again on Friday and got a couple wins.

We didn’t get back to hotel until 8:30, and Hadley and a few teammates requested Raising Canes to eat while watching Love Island. They did that in our friend’s villa while we ate pizza with our friend in our villa.

Saturday:

Saturday was another early morning for bracket play. Trav volunteered to drop the girls off since they had to be there early, and I took a few minutes to enjoy my coffee. I will say that by this time of vacation, I was really missing my at home iced coffees!

The last day was Hawaiian themed, so I was ready to roll…

The first game was a good one that went to three sets.

But, unfortunately they lost 13-15 in the last set! It was truly back and forth the whole time. That meant the season officially came to an end….

The girls were still all smiles, but there were a few tears. This team was scrappy all season, improved so much, and really did have many great finishes in all the tournaments they played in.

I also have to say that Hadley really had a great coach. If you have had kids on any sort of team, you know a coach can make or break a team and a season. I truly appreciate all Hadley’s coach did for the team. She was tough when needed, was always actively coaching, and she really related well to them.

Even I was surprisingly sad for the season to end.

Since we were back to the villa by lunchtime, we had leftovers and then made our way to the pool. All of us had fun on the slides. We just hung out in the pool, I read my book poolside, and Trav watched some horse races on his phone.

Around 4:00, there was lightning nearby, so we had to clear out. While that was a bummer, it was good timing because we needed to start packing, but the kids actually played ping pong for a bit…

…Hadley sent me this pic telling me they were having fun at putt putt, but Hayden was winning. haha!

That evening, we hung out in the villa and packed up.

Trav and I ran out to grab some carry-out from a restaurant in a fun part of town.

We ate dinner at the villa, watched some soccer, and then went to bed by 10:00.

Sunday:

Sunday morning came early when our alarms went off at 3:45 because we needed to leave by 4:30. Surprisingly, everyone got up and moving pretty decently. We had about a 45 minute drive to the airport, and we were on the first flight out at 6:30. The good news is that meant we were at our house close to 9:00!

Home sweet Homer! That Sunday was actually overcast and rainy which was perfect for staying home, unpacking, doing laundry, and napping off and on. I’ve never been more thankful for Kroger delivery!

Anyway, it was a good trip that exceeded my expectations. It had actually been a bit since the four of us had been on a vacation just as a family of four, so it was nice to have time together. Also, a perk of having older kids is just letting them kind of do what they want to do while you do what you want to do. They’ll find you eventually when they need money! ha!

Thanks for following along on our trip!

Posted in Friday Favorites, Travel

Friday Faves {#305}: Florida Part 1

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

How was your week? We spent most of our week getting back on track after being out of town last week. I did lots of laundry, meal planning, grocery shopping, and other odds and ends. The kids had their yearly check up yesterday, and I am almost finished with my closet/dresser clean out. It’s nice to get a couple of things checked off our list.

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

Last week, we spent a couple days at the beach before heading to Orlando for Hadley’s volleyball tournament. Since Siesta Key is one of our favorite places, I’m recapping those days today.

Father’s Day Sunday:

We were up very early (which was honestly, unfortunately, a theme of most days on this trip) on Father’s Day to catch our 9:30 flight from Lexington to Orlando. The flight ended up being delayed a bit, but it was a direct flight, and we landed around 11:30. We had to rent a car and then drive the couple of hours to Siesta Key. Traffic was pretty bad for most of the way, but we arrived at the house we rented by late afternoon.

We typically stay at Trav’s aunt’s house, but her grand-daugther was there with friends during the time we were there.

No problem though because Travis does a good job finding places for us to stay. This house’s name was “White Wake.” It had three bedrooms, and was spacious and really nice!

This was the view in the backyard. The house had a pool and was on the canal which was lovely.

We settled in, unpacked, and even “rested our eyes” for a few minutes before heading to one of our favorite places…The Daiquiri Deck!

We got a drink and a few apps before going to the Siesta Key Market to pick up some grocery essentials.

We went back to the house and hung out for a bit. We decided since we were tired, we’d just eat at the house, so Trav went to Publix to grab some groceries.

I caught the sunset from the backyard, and we had tacos for dinner at home.

It had been a long travel day, so we had a low-key night at the house. College baseball was on as well as soccer, so we all hung out in the living room until going to bed.

Monday:

Three of us slept in on Monday (Trav is always an early riser), but when I got up, I enjoyed my coffee poolside.

Once Travis got back from his walk, he had a morning swim.

Then, we got packed up for the beach. Hayden wanted to go back to the Daiquiri Deck and also look for sandals, so Hadley and I headed to the beach. Trav joined us later.

Of course, it was HOT, but we appreciated the breeze and got in the water when needed.

I love reading with the sound of the ocean nearby.

Mid-afternoon, we headed back to the house, had a late lunch and swam in the pool for a bit. Then, it was time to get ready for dinner.

We went to Owen’s Fish House which is a restaurant in Sarasota that we’ve gone to through the years.

Meet Owen…

Both kids were “adventurous” with their meal selections. Hayden does like seafood, and he wanted to tackle the seafood boil on the menu. It is for two, so I split it with him. He almost mastered cracking the crab legs….almost.

Hadley only likes salmon and cocktail shrimp. She has had lobster bisque before, and liked it, so she said she wanted to try the lobster. She loved it. So, overall, it was a good meal!

We got back to the house, and I took a pic of Trav and the kids as a belated Father’s Day photo.

Hadley will always take a pic! ha!

Trav and I headed to the beach to catch the last few minutes of the sunset. This is always a favorite walk.

We got there just in time.

So so pretty!

We stayed for a few minutes, and as we walked back to the car, the sky was showing off!

Then, kids wanted ice cream, so we picked them up for that. Once back at the house, we settled in for the night.

Tuesday:

We had a very low-key Tuesday. The long travel day Sunday and the sun on Monday had us all seeking the shade. Well, not Hadley…she doesn’t shy away from the UV. haha

Anyway, we had a slow morning, and I spent time by the pool off and on throughout the day. I’d finished a book on Monday, so I was excited to start this one while on vacation…

Later, Trav and the kids went out to lunch, but I stayed home and had leftovers.

Hayden and I watched some soccer…

Then, Trav and Hayden went to get oysters at Siesta Key Oyster Bar…another tradition of theirs.

Before we had taco dinner at the house, I snapped a pic of the kids…

Then, Trav and I headed to Turtle Beach for the sunset. It was about a twenty minute drive, but it’s my favorite beach. It’s a short walk to the sand, and it’s not very crowded.

My favorite view:

We brought chairs and were there for about an hour. It was so lovely.

I collected a few seashells like I always do when we go to the beach. I didn’t snap a pic of them until we get home, but then I added them to this vase I have in our sun room.

Look at all the seashells I’ve collected through the years:

Once back at the house, we spent some time out back…

….while waiting on the laundry to be finished. Then, it was a somewhat early bedtime because we had to leave by 6:00 on Wednesday morning to head to Orlando.

It was a quick couple of days, but I’m glad we made it happen. We’d hoped to go a day earlier, but we had to go to Trav’s cousin’s wedding on that Saturday before Father’s Day. So, we made the most of the time we had at the beach.

Trav and Hayden hadn’t been to Siesta Key since 2020, and Hadley and I went a couple of years ago for a few days. Since our fall break beach tradition, we’ve mostly moved away from beach vacations in the summer since it’s so hot, and we’ve been spoiled by the temps in the fall. That being said, it was nice to have a couple of days in Siesta Key.

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:

Here’s a look back at the first time the kids went to Siesta Key. We drove that very long drive and arrived late at night. They were up early the next morning, and they couldn’t wait to check out the beach. That’s the pic on the left! Hayden was still in his PJs!

One more flashback Friday in honor of the 4th of July…here are the kids on their first 4th of July in 2010. Pinchy cheek cute!

Weekly Recap:

I had a few posts this week in case you missed one:

June books
Monthly Moments: june 2026
Hello, July

I hope you have a great weekend celebrating America’s 250th birthday!

Posted in Travel

Spring Break: South Carolina

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Tuesday!

Today, I’m sharing a quick recap of our few days in the Isle of Palms/Charleston area of South Carolina.

We’ve been to that area many times through the years, and we went last year for spring break. We aren’t big planners for spring break, so going back to an area we are familiar with and one that other friends were going to as well was an easy choice. It was just Hadley and I going since Hayden wanted to hang back and Trav had work, so overall I felt comfortable going on our own.

Since our first Sunday of spring break was Easter, we decided to leave on Monday morning. Hadley was a big help on the nine hour drive…haha.

We arrived in the evening…

…and got settled into our condo.

The weather was gloomy, but we unpacked, got the lay of the land, grabbed some dinner nearby and then just chilled at the condo for the evening.

Tuesday was gloomy too! Ugh. I will say that spring seems to be the diciest time to go to this area…we’ve been many times in the summer and once in the fall, and the weather was fantastic all of those times.

Anyway, Hadley slept in and I took my time having coffee and watching TV. Then, I went for a walk on the beach.

I always love seeing the seashells.

This gate caught my eye…

…as did this bright green house. I don’t remember seeing it last year. This house was “Casa Margarita!”

After I got back, we got ready to head into Charleston and meet some friends. Hadley looked cute dressed and ready to shop on King St.

Once we got to Charleston, we ate at a cafe, walked around a bit…and we even passed the Charleston Library.

These girls were having the best time popping in and out of shops.

My friend and I tried to keep up, but we popped into some shops that caught our eye. I almost bought this Rainbow Row candle, but I resisted.

We were on King Street for about four hours with hundreds of our closest friends. ha! I’d wished we made it down to Battery Park and Rainbow Row, but we needed to get back to my expired parking meter!

That evening, we met the same friends at Sunsets on Shem Creek.

…and let’s just say that the name of the restaurant is appropriate.

Hadley and friends hung out on the dock after we ordered.

Ahh…so pretty.

Wednesday provided another slow morning. Honestly, it was weird being there without Trav and Hayden as both of them tend to get up and moving early. Again, I let Hadley sleep in, and I sipped my coffee on the deck with a view of the water just under those palm trees.

Then, I went for a walk as the sun was rising…

So pretty!

This day was sunny (yay!) and warmer (yay!), but it was oh so windy (boo)!

Hadley needed to get a track workout in, and Trav found this College of Charleston track near Mt. Pleasant last year.

She was ready to run, and I walked a few laps.

Beautiful day for a run (or so she said!)

Then, early afternoon, we headed over to the Wild Dunes area where some of our friends have a condo. Their back patio view is so pretty!

We drove to a part of the property for lunch, and this was our view as we walked to lunch…

And our view as we ate lunch. Again, it was a pretty day, but man it was windy.

On our walk back to the car, we saw this guy…

Back at their condo, Hadley hung with their kids, and I hung with my friend for a bit. We were going to walk on the beach, but seriously…it was soooo windy! This view was pretty, and we turned around and sat by the pool for a bit. The dunes blocked the wind, so the pool area was nice.

Sitting by the pool reminded me of the summer (2013) that we stayed at Wild Dunes over the 4th of July. This is one of my fave pool pics of the kids…

Late afternoon, we headed back to our place, and Hadley napped, and I sat by the pool and read for about an hour.

I did walk for a bit at sunset…

…and then we grabbed pizza dinner…and a pic near the Isle of Palms sign (I’m so glad she humors me).

Unfortunately, I wasn’t feeling well for most of this trip, so we decided to pack up a day early. It was a hard decision to make (especially since Thursday looked like the best beach day), but Hadley understood. We headed home Thursday instead of Friday because one of my friends rode home with us since I wasn’t feeling well.

We made the most of our time, and I hope to get back there again for a proper vacation.

While we were gone, Trav and Hayden went to Gatlinburg, TN for a day/night to hang with family who went there for the week. Apparently, there was a bear on the front porch as they were unpacking, but the neighbor told them about it because they didn’t see it. Then, Hayden saw this bear 😉

Have a great day!

Posted in Friday Favorites, Kids, Travel

Friday Favorites {#297}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

Long time, no talk! Life has been “life-ing” around here, but I’m happy to link up with Andrea for this week’s Friday Favorites.

Here are a few recent favorites…

Last week, Hadley and I spent a few days in Isle of Palms/Charleston, SC. I plan to do a proper recap, but here are a few favorite pics…

Beautiful sunrise…

Pretty walks on the beach…

Dinners as the sun sets…

Happy Hadley!

Shopping on King Street with friends…

Hayden’s baseball photos came in, and I had quite a few favorites including this one…

Last Friday, the weather was beautiful, and I went to my brother’s house to watch the Artemis landing…we sat on the back patio which was nice.

Hadley and friends headed to Keeneland on Sunday. They looked so lovely, and their sunglasses game is strong!

…and Trav was in charge! Hadley had fun with her dad!

Favorite Mom Meme:

Honestly, this now applies to their car too. lol

Short and sweet, but I wanted to write a Friday post since it had been a minute.

I hope you have a great weekend!

Posted in Friday Favorites, Gift Ideas, Holidays, Kids, Travel

Friday Favorites {#292}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

How was your week? Ours was good overall, but I think being out of town last weekend made me extra tired this week. We had warmer temps and lots of sunshine…proof that spring is around the corner.

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

Here are a few favorites from the week.

Since Hadley and I were going to be out of town for volleyball, I gave the kids their Valentine’s Day presents on Friday after school.

I got both kids and Trav some candy, and then for Hayden, he always suggests baseball cards as a gift, so I bought him a box at Dick’s Sporting Goods. Also, I bought him a Chiefs keychain for the car, so he didn’t have to use the dealer one anymore. I actually got him an air tag too, so he can keep up with the keys.

Hadley has completely hijacked one of our new living room blankets, so I got her one of her own. After we went to Hadley’s first tournament, we realized she didn’t really have an overnight bag. She often uses a spare backpack, but we purged what she had when we cleaned out her closet. Anyway, some of her friends have this Free People Carryall bag, and when I searched for it, I realized DSG has them…and some colors were on sale. So, on one of our snow days, I went to our local store and bought her one in the “petal” color. When she opened it, she was surprised and said, “Oh…it’s the real thing!” She knows I love a dupe! haha (I love a sale too, apparently!)

Anyway, they kids were surprised and appreciative.

Travis gave me a gift card for a massage, and of course my card had bubble letters.

Saturday was Valentine’s Day, and we were up and out the door to drive to Knoxville. Hadley’s team played in the afternoon wave, and wore their pink shirts for Valentine’s Day.

They played well on Saturday! Hadley’s been working on a little jump serve, and she’s getting there!

That evening, we walked around downtown we saw lots of festive touches.

How cute are these hearts and the red and white lights?

I swear Hadley is going to turn into a taco! She requested Mexican food once she saw that restaurant option, so that’s what we had…and then we went for ice cream. I was full, but she got the red velvet, and it was delish.

We walked back to the hotel which was around the corner from the Tennessee Theater. I’d seen this lit up sign in photos, so it was as surprise to walk right past it.

Sunday, they didn’t play until the afternoon, so we had some time on our hands. It was a really rainy morning, so it was nice to start off slowly. We met friends and had lunch at Tupelo Honey. We’d been to one in Asheville before, and the biscuits were as good as I remembered them to be.

Loved the Bless Your Heart glasses.

The girls dodged the rain to shop a bit, and then we headed to the convention center. They played some tough teams, but overall played well on Sunday too.

Sunday was a very late night that ended with us eating Chipolte (for Hadley – I told you…she’s going to turn into a taco!) and Cava for me…in our hotel room at 9:30 at night. We were so tired!

This was a three day tournament…I’m not sure why (LOL!). The girls made it to the silver bracket on Monday morning. We were down a hitter, so Hadley played all around on Monday. I laugh when my 5’3″ daughter playing front row, but she had some good hits AND a couple of blocks. She was so happy!

We were home by Monday afternoon, so at least I had some time at home on my Monday day off. I unpacked, took a nap, and placed a Kroger order. Overall, it was a good but busy weekend.

Yesterday, I sat in the backseat while Hadley drove us home from school. Her friend was in the front seat, and I was like, “Wow! Times have changed!” haha

Y’all, the Toms ads are targeting me! In the winter, I purchased two pairs of booties (to replace two that I’d had for years) that were on sale, and then, I saw an ad for these mules that were on sale. I ordered the metallic linen color, and they arrived this week. I can’t wait for spring! (Some colors appear to be out of stock, but there is limited sizing on some others…I did size up from a 9 to 9.5)

Yesterday, I didn’t feel like working out, but I decided to do a quick workout. Well, I got a notification that I’d completed my 400th workout! I believe this is my 400th since I started tracking about three years ago. Anyway, it was a pleasant surprise of an accomplishment.

Favorite Mom Meme:

This one depends on the day, but I can certainly relate.

Weekly Recap:

Here are my posts from the week:

Finish the Sentence
Sunday Reflection
Monday Memo
Tuesday Talk
Throwback Thursday

We have lots going on this weekend, but I hope to get caught up on some much needed rest. I also need to take down my (limited) Valentine’s Day decor, I hope to finish a book and watch what’s left of the Olympics.

Posted in Friday Favorites, Holidays, Travel

Friday Favorites {#283}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

Of course, I’m always team “TGIF,” but something about Fridays in December are just a bit better.

We had a little bit of everything this week from re-entry after Thanksgiving break to a snow day and the kids having busy evenings with activities.

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

This is a super-sized Friday Favorites from Thanksgiving tidbits to festive fun.

Going back to last week, we were in KC for Thanksgiving. We drove a bit after school on Tuesday and finished the rest of the drive on Wednesday. Overall, we had a pretty chill KC visit which was fine by me.

Of course, I had to catch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade on Thanksgiving morning.

My dad’s cousin hosts that side of the family, and there are probably thirty people there…my cousin outdoes herself with the tablescape and place settings.

I always look forward to the personalized chocolate turkey! It’s a fun and sweet tradition!

We snapped some family photos…

My brother and his family were there too!

Can you go to KC without getting BBQ? Per Hayden’s request, we had some for lunch on Friday.

The girls baked cookies…

…and we spent some time with my Gma. When I think of my Gma, I always think of cardinals and Nutcrackers. She has quite the collection of both…and she passed down a Nutcracker to each of the great grandkids.

We also made a visit to the Magic tree which is a fun tradition. It had started to rain, so we had to snap our pics quickly…

GG was in on the fun…

We left around noon in Saturday and drove home mostly in the rain which was no fun. There was actually snow on the ground for quite a bit of our drive through Missouri and Illinois.

Sunday morning me thanked pre-Thanksgiving me because it was nice to sip my coffee by the glow of the Christmas tree.

The Nutcrackers have found a home…

….as did this cookie jar…another hand me down from my Gma. My brother received one as well.

My mom gave my sister-in-law and me one of these cute Christmas trees… I hope I can keep it alive!

Topsys Popcorn in a KC staple, and it’s one of my fave traditions to get some during the holiday season. I don’t think they always do it, but now it’s in some grocery stores there, so my dad picked some up. The crew plowed through it, so I picked up a couple of tubs to bring home.

I shared my Trader Joe’s haul yesterday, and I love this festive bag.

Sunday, I put out our outside decorations. We don’t do much, but we haven’t had light up trees in a couple of years. I purchased a set of two on Amazon, and they arrived just in time. I was pleasantly surprised with them.

They have a battery pack, and I did wonder about turning them off and on every night…but lo and behold when I went to turn them off the first night, they’d gone out…and then they were lit up the next day. So, they must have a timer that I didn’t realize. My version appears to be sold out, but they have a “snow” version.

On a Target run a couple of weeks ago, I picked up the wreath for the mirror as well as a cute pack of ribbon. I decided to tie some on the coffee table tree that I’ve had for years, and it’s the perfect festive touch.

On that same trip to Target, I lucked into finding two of the Christmas icon glasses. I got one tree and one gingerbread man. I wish I’d picked up a couple more because it appears they are sold out.

Classic…cold milk and a couple of Oreos for dessert.

I also use them for iced coffee…so festive and cute.

We had a snow day on Tuesday which was kind of unexpected. The meteorologists were talking about a chance of 2-5 inches of snow, and it was certainly cold enough, but I don’t think I’ve every had a snow day in December!

Our streets were fine by 9am, so I guess the timing was just right with snow covered roads when the buses would be driving their routes.

I actually went to school to set up my tree…This was the one that Hayden put in his room when he was little, but it’s been in our attic. Next year, I need to remember to add a few more lights. The tree skirt, beaded garland (I probably should have gotten two strands), and ornaments are all from Amazon.

One of my favorite food trucks came to school yesterday. I love not having to pack my lunch, and I love the “mozzaroni” sandwich to warm me up on a cold day.

I shared my December book trackers on Instagram. They are saved in a highlight, so feel free to use them and tag me. I love seeing what others are reading.

Favorite Mom Meme:

’tis the season (of life!)

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

This pic is from 2013…and it was the first time the kids went ice skating. We were in KC for Thanksgiving, and we went ice skating at Crown Center which is something we used to do when I was a kid. Like with most things, Hadley hopped right on the ice, and Hayden was a bit hesitant. Their personalities haven’t changed much since then!

Share Our Lives:

We have our last Share Our Lives link up of 2025! We’d love to have you join us!

Weekly Recap:

I had a few posts this week!

Prime Purchases
November books
Tis the Season: Trader Joe’s

I hope you have a fun and festive holiday weekend!

Posted in Travel

Fall Break 30A Recap Part 2

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Thursday!

I forgot to schedule this post this morning which give you a peek into how my week is going haha!

I’m picking up where I left off with part 1 of my recap of the first few days of our fall break in Florida. Here’s a glimpse at the rest of the trip:

Tuesday morning started off slowly. Is there any better way than to start your day on the screened in porch with a cup of coffee?

Then, we headed to Seaside to meet some friends for breakfast…Hadley was our chauffeur…

Last year was our first year going to Black Bear, and it was a must again this year.

I got a bagel, and then we found a spot outside of Modica Market to eat. Trav picked up both up one of their legendary mimosas.

After that, we walked around a bit and shopped. I went into Sundogs Books which is one of my favorite spots in Seaside.

Seaside was far less crowded than in years past which was amazing.

Once we got back to the house, we changed and headed to the beach. Of course, there were clouds most days, but Tuesday was pretty overcast and honestly, that was a great reprieve from the heat.

We were at the beach for quite a while and then went back to the house for a bit before going back for sunset. Unfortunately, it was a pretty cloud covered sunset, but Hadley and friends had fun taking photos.

It was Taco Tuesday for dinner at the house and the moms and daughters watched Dancing with the Stars.

I was up pretty early on Wednesday and decided to take a walk. I love this entry point by our house.

I spotted the boys out fishing.

The water was so beautiful and calm.

One of Trav’s friends lives about an hour from Seaside, and he came in to see Trav and another friend who was in town on vacation. I joined them in Seaside where we sat around and talked and grabbed lunch. Hadley had tried the new “dumpling” place and raved about the fried rice, so that’s what I had for lunch that day.

We got back to the house early afternoon, and I was tired. I tend to “hit a wall” at some point on vacay, and this was that day. I just hung out at the house and read and took a nap. The teens were in and out, and I took them to Publix for cookie dough and whatever else they needed. It was just a chill house day.

On vacay, we choose one night when the adults go out to dinner. So, we got ready, and the girls got ready too because they were headed to the beach for more sunset pics.

Hadley and I snapped a pic…

…before I dropped the girls off at the beach. These friends had the best time that week.

Then, the adults made our way to Watercolor to eat at Fish Out of Water. While we waited for our table, we took a few pics and caught the sunset.

We’d never been to this restaurant before, and it was so nice. I got the low country boil, and it was so good.

Meanwhile…the girls were living their best lives. haha

The kids requested ice cream, so one of the dads picked up ice cream cones at Publix (don’t ask how many times we went to Publix on this trip. lol), and that was everyone’s sweet treat when we got home.

Thursday morning started with coffee and reading. I was starting to panic that I hadn’t read enough on this trip! Going on a trip with a big group means more chatting than reading, apparently…but that’s ok.

A couple of Hayden’s friends rolled into town and one of moms is good about getting pictures. She spotted Hayden on the way to meet the boys who were fishing.

We all made the most of the last beach day, and the weather was beautiful.

I started a new book.

After a few hours, some of us packed up because we wanted to go back to Seaside for a few things. I wanted an iced coffee from Black Bear, and I went back to the book store for a book.

Trav met me there, and we spotted both kids out and about with their friends.

Then, we went to Great Southern and met friends for apps and a drink.

After that, it was time to catch one more sunset…look at the sailboat showing off!

Is it even a 30A vacay without a sunset Seaside shirt pic?!

Big and little girls combined! What great memories they’ll have from these vacations.

The adults rallied for a photo!

…and one with all the kids. We didn’t travel with all of these kids, but our kids are good at finding their friends!

My family obliged for a couple of photos…

…which I always appreciate.

Also, isn’t it amazing how quickly the sky changes as the sun sets? I’m always in awe of it.

We packed up and headed back to the house. None of us look forward to Thursday evening when it’s time to eat all the leftovers in the fridge, do laundry and start packing.

Friday morning we all wanted to leave by 7:30, and we were close to that goal. The kids *begrudgingly* took one more photo. We were all tired from a fun filled week.

The drive home is brutal because Nasvhille traffic is no fun most times of the day. Truly, the drive to Seaside is usually under ten hours, and the trip home is always at least eleven hours! Plus, we lose an hour on the way back.

Anyway, we never know if we’ll be able to pull the trip off year after year, but so far, we’ve made this happen for four years. It’s hard to believe we might only have a couple years left!

Also, my apologies for however many times I typed “sunset.” If it was a drinking game, you’d be under the table!

Thanks for following along, and let me know if you have any questions.