Seasonal

Amazon, Seasonal, Travel

Summer Sundays #4

Posted on June 23, 2024June 21, 2024 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Sunday!

I hope you are having a great weekend.

‘Tis the season for travel! I’m keeping up with my Summer Sunday series to share some of my favorite travel items.

Here are a few of my “go to” items when we travel:

These TSA approved travel bottles are perfect for lotion, shampoo, conditioner, and more.

I bought them two years ago when we went to Mexico, and we still use them.

I bought these clear bags with handles for the same trip, and again, we still use them. We put various things in them including snacks, toiletries, chargers and more.

Hadley loves these cute toiletry bags for a a variety of her needs.

You know I love my packing cubes. I’ve shared them many times before, and we have them in blue, teal, and gray.

You know I don’t leave home without my eye gels! I have been using these, but I still love these gold ones…and they are probably easier to travel with as I can take a few packs with me rather than the jar.

I actually purchased this pack of toothbrushes when I started my Invisalign journey, but they have come in very handy for travel. Everyone in my family has one, and they know which one is their color of toothbrush.

This travel mirror with LED lights comes in handy.

I’m new to these sponges, but I love them. I brought a few with us on our trip to Washington, DC, and I use them at home as well. I liked packing things that when I use them, I throw them away which means I come home with less than I packed!

I bought this belt bag last year, and it’s still one I use especially when we travel. It holds quite a bit, and since it’s a cross body, it’s easy to wear and not have to carry or keep up with it.

This mini speaker isn’t a “must have” for travel, but I got it for Hadley last year (maybe for her birthday?), and it comes in handy for listening to music at the beach or hanging out.

I gave Travis this charging strip in his Christmas stocking a couple of years ago, and it’s great because you can charge so many things at once.

One of the first times we actually used it was spring of 2023 when our power went out. We went to my brother’s house a couple of time to charge everything, and we can do so when we plugged in this charging strip.

This travel bag is great for keeping all of the chargers and cords organized.

We’re off on a fun trip this week, and are using most of these items.

What are some of your travel “must haves?”

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

Books and Shows, Seasonal

Summer Sundays #3

Posted on June 16, 2024June 16, 2024 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Sunday!

…and it’s Father’s Day! I hope all the dads are feeling the love today. I know there are many missing their dads. My thoughts and prayers are with them as I can only imagine how their heart feels today.

As our summer continues on, I’m sharing another Summer Sunday post.

While the summer provides some more time for reading and catching up on shows, my family also seems to watch quite a few movies when we can.

Today, I’m sharing my top 5 faves plus a few more movies that are perfect for summer.

1.

My #1 favorite movie of all time is The Parent Trap…the Hayley Mills version.

I’ve seen this movie a countless number of times, and it’s my favorite movie from my childhood (and it was a classic movie then!)

The Lindsay Lohan version is great too.

2.

A League of their Own is another one of my faves, and my kids love it too. “There’s no crying in baseball!” Classic.

3.

The Goonies is one of my brother’s favorite movies, and I’ve seen it so many times. Just a couple of weeks ago, Hayden was watching it, so I stopped what I was doing to watch it with him.

“Goonies never say die!”

4.

Top Gun (the original) is one of those movies that I remember watching as a teen and feeling like a big kid. It was just more of a grown up movie, but my friends and I loved it.

We enjoyed seeing Maverick a couple of years ago as a family (with some of our friends), and it’s really great too.

5.

I remember watching Overboard at my friend Jeanna’s house when we were kids. We watched it over and over. It still brings me a sense of nostalgia when I watch it.

Other great summer movies:

Here are some other movies that are faves from my childhood (and some of my kids’ faves) that are all around classics to watch in the summer:

Under the Tuscan Sun
Pirates of the Caribbean
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
Jaws
ET
The Sandlot
Stand By Me
Grease
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
Cheaper by the Dozen 2

What are some of your favorite movies?!

Happy watching,

Seasonal, Self-care

Summer Sundays #2

Posted on June 9, 2024June 8, 2024 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Sunday!

Another Sunday, and another summer post.

This week, I’m sharing some things I do for “self-care” in the summer.

Here they are:

1. Quiet Time

My biggest form of self-care all year long is my quiet time in the morning. Unless we have something going on, I probably get more quiet time in the summer because my kids really know how to sleep in.

Now, my coffee time is sometimes on our front porch our back patio; it’s nice to change up the routine.

2. Bedtime/Sleep/Nap

While I don’t tend to stay up super late in the summer, I might stay up until 11:00 instead of 10:00 like during the school year. That being said, I love just going to bed at 10 knowing I don’t have to set an alarm.

That means, that sleeping in (or at least not setting an alarm) is another form of self-care for me.

Also, to me, there’s nothing better than an afternoon nap in the summer!

3. Read

While I make a Summer Reading List, it’s just a guide. It’s ok if I don’t read all of the books, and of course, I will read books not on the list too. It’s just nice to have a bit more time to read, especially when we are on vacation.

4. TV time

That being said, I tend to have more time to watch TV in the summer, so I will get caught up on shows that I’ve fallen behind on or watch series that I haven’t had time to watch during the school year.

This week, I started Under the Bridge on Hulu, and I only have a couple of episodes left.

I also want to finish watching episodes of some of my favorite series like The Rookie and NCIS Hawaii (which got cancelled) 😦

5. Workout

I am pretty consistent with my workouts, and I think it’s important to keep up my workouts in the summer. Honestly, sometimes it’s easier for me to workout during the school year because of having more structure/routine.

I still love my Bodi workouts in my basement, but in the summer, I might go to the gym to use the elliptical, take a class, or go for a walk. Since I usually have more than 30 minutes to spare, I have time to change up my routine.

My goal in the summer is to workout five days a week.

6. Pool time

I still enjoy going to the pool even though my kids don’t need me like they used to. When they were younger, we used to go for three to four hours, and now they stay at the pool if I want to go after a couple of hours.

I enjoy reading, working on my tan, and chatting with my mom friends.

We also like to go to the pool in the evenings when we can. Again, we’ll see friends, have a drink, and enjoy dinner at the pool.

7. Be productive

Now, I don’t get too carried away with productivity…haha…but…I do use the summer to do things that I slack on during the school year. I typically make a list of things I want to accomplish in the summer and chip away at them week by week. The list is usually organizing and cleaning out areas like my closet, the basement, our office cabinet and more. Also, I don’t want to work on school during the summer, but I do find that it’s easier and less overwhelming for me to start the school year when I’ve chipped away at some school tasks in the summer.

8. Not cooking

It’s nice to mentally and physically take a break from the grind of the school year which does include meal planning, meal prepping, grocery shopping and more.

I love when a few hours at the pool turns to dinner at the pool and just hanging out with no definite plans. I love impromptu plans when neighbors get together for a casual patio dinner or dinner out.

Our pool has a great covered patio, and it’s nice to hang out there while the kids play volleyball, swim, and socialize.

9. Get a pedicure

I still don’t get pedis as often as I’d like to, but it’s such a treat when I do!

10. Go with the flow

I feel like during the school year every hour is accounted for, so in the summer, it’s nice to relax our schedule a bit more.

Honestly, we’re still busy, but it’s obviously less than during the school year.

Even our dinners are more relaxed. I do like when we all eat together, but if they kids are out with friends, they can have leftovers when they get home. If I planned on coming home from the pool at 4, but stay until 7:00, that’s ok.

Sometimes, we stretch leftovers to a third day, and I don’t have to cook.

Shew – I might even go wild and not pick up my Kroger order on the weekend. Isn’t that what Mondays are for?

My “type A” personality almost needs permission to chill, and summer is the time to do that.

What does self-care look like for you in the summer?

Seasonal

Summer Sundays #1

Posted on June 2, 2024June 1, 2024 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Sunday!

I know — it’s crazy for me to post on a Sunday.

I’m not sure what my blogging schedule will be in the summer. I’m sure I will post regularly, but just kind of want to “go with the flow” these next couple of months.

Anyway, I thought I’d try to write some summer related posts on Sundays.

For this first Sunday post, I’m sharing some favorite pool/beach bags that I either own or have found.

On Friday, I had my first official pool day which meant I got out my pool bag for the first time this summer.

I shared this pic last summer with some of my “Summer Staples,” and I already know that I will use it a lot this summer too.

Walmart:

So, I picked up this Canvas tote bag from Walmart last summer. It was the perfect size for packing just what I need for the pool. Last summer was the first summer, I wasn’t packing all the things for the kids. Now, when they go to the pool, they typically take what they need, or pack very minimally — Hayden throws a towel over his shoulders, hops on his bike, and that’s all he needs. haha

I loved this bag so much that I took it with me to Florida and California last summer.

Anyway, Walmart has this summer’s version of the tote that comes in a few cute patterns…and it’s only $15!

Scout bag:

We’ve belonged to our pool for eight years, and my first summer at the pool, I saw all the swim team moms with Scout bags.

I ordered one, and it’s still in great shape! I believe mine is the “original” size large. Mine doesn’t have a top zipper, but they do make ones that do zip.

It was perfect for the years I was lugging all the things to the pool…multiple towels, goggles, sunscreen, pool toys and more.

I still keep the bag to use when I do need to bring more things or if we are all going to the lake or the beach.

Bogg bag:

Bogg bags still seem to be all the rage. They come in a few sizes and lots of colors. I know they are nice because they are sturdy and can hold quite a bit.

I don’t have one, but we gave one to a friend for her birthday a couple of years ago.

Target:

I don’t have it, but the “Caning Tote” seems to be really popular this summer.

The brown one was the first one I saw shared as well as the crossbody purse.

The brown tote seems to come in and out of stock, but there’s also yellow and black.

Amazon:

I was clicking around Amazon and saw this beach tote. It’s a good size, water and sand proof, comes in a variety of colors, and has pockets on the inside.

It’s just $22 and has lots of good reviews.

Oh the pool days sure look different than they used to!

I hope you are having a great weekend.

Seasonal, Tuesday Talk

Snow Days

Posted on January 16, 2024January 15, 2024 by jgalvinwhite

Hello from snowy Kentucky!

We finally got some snow yesterday, and it made me so happy.

I’m linking up with Joanne to talk about…

…the perfect snow day.

So, I had this post in mind last week, and thought if I wrote it, maybe Mother Nature would take the hint and throw some snow our way….but then we actually got snow yesterday, so this post is really timely! Anyway, here’s what a “perfect” snow day would look like:

1.

First of all, there would actually be snow…

We’ve had many days off in the past for cold temps, flu, ice…I love a good six inch snow. With that kind of snow, it’s pretty to look at, the kids can play in it, and we can make snow ice cream.

2.

Sleeping in is amazing on a snow day. We’ll take a day off when we can get it, but it’s great to know the night before, so we don’t have to set alarms when we go to bed.

I did love when the kids were little and they’d sleep in a bit and then rush out of their rooms thinking we were late for school. So sweet.

Now, if we we find out the night before, they find out via text like the rest of us.

3.

On an ideal snow day, Trav would be home too. It’s pretty rare for him to miss work due to the weather as it doesn’t take much snow for us to get a day off, so it’s probably ok driving conditions for him.

There have been years where we’ve gotten a lot of snow or ice, and he’s stayed home or come home early.

Although, if he’s home for more than one day, he wants to be productive…and that’s not the energy I’m looking for on a snow day 😆

4.

Snowman pancakes are a tradition on the first snow/ice/day off of the season. I started this tradition when the kids were in preschool, and I plan on carrying this tradition on until they graduate high school!

5.

The kids will get bundled up and go play outside.

While I miss the froggy hats, I am content with the fact that the kids are old enough to dress themselves and go play outside with friends without an adult!

6.

Homer can go outside and have fun too! Part Husky Homer loves the snow. (Once he gets down the back steps…He’s always hesitant to go down the steps the first time it snows!)

7.

Sledding! The kids have logged lots of memories sledding through the years.

It doesn’t take much for them to want to go sledding…

…and sledding is always more fun with friends.

8.

Snow angels are fun too. Well, for them…not for me.

…and who doesn’t love building a snowman?

9.

Hot chocolate after playing in the snow is perfect on a snow day whether you are 4 or 14!

10.

A fire in the fireplace and time to read makes for a perfect snow day for me.

11.

Winter movies (and maybe a nap!) are great on snow days too.

12.

Snow ice cream is a treat when we get lots of snow. We don’t always think to do this one, but when we do, we never regret it!

I will say that snow days now “hit different.” The past couple of years, we had NTI days (non-traditional instruction) where students have homework to do that’s posted online. But…we also had a few days off that were just snow days.

This year, they announced that any snow/ice day will be an NTI day. (unless there are power outages or it just makes sense to have a traditional day off) I really don’t want to be in school any later than we already are, so I can appreciate NTI as an option. Our students got an extra week of summer this past year, and we get a week at fall break, so NTI days are what we need to do to still get out around Memorial Day.

That being said, I hope that teachers strike a balance in what they ask students to do. In general, students shouldn’t have more than three hours total of work per day, and I feel like my kids have had a lot more than that in the past.

I guess we will see how today goes…It’s NTI day #1.

This post also made me a bit nostalgic because sometimes I really do miss when the kids were little…and these snow day memories have me feeling that way.

I know not everyone gets a snow day off, so I don’t take for granted not having to drive in the elements and being able to stay home in my pjs when the weather is bad.

Warmest wishes,

Home Decor, Seasonal

Fall Front Porch

Posted on October 3, 2023September 30, 2023 by jgalvinwhite

Hello!

Well, I felt like I was a little late getting my porch together, but really, it was probably only about a week later than I have done it in previous years.

Every year, the porch looks similar but different. We always buy a couple of cornstalks, a few mums, and lots of pumpkins!

Here’s a peek at the porch:

I’ve had this cute garden flag for years. I love the mix of orange with black and white.

I went to my favorite spot to pick up a variety of pumpkins, but the goose neck gourds came from Trader Joe’s.

The “mum man” comes to my husband’s work, and he always has the best price on mums.

I’ve had these pillow covers for a couple of years, and the jack-o-lantern is from a friend.

On a whim, I recently bought a new black and white plaid rug at Aldi’s, and then I’ve had the door mat and door hanger for years.

I always love pulling up in front of my house this time of the year. ‘Tis the season!

Monthly Musings, Seasonal

Monthly Musings

Posted on September 28, 2023September 27, 2023 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Thursday.

Well, where has this month gone? It’s already time for Monthly Musings.

Today, I’m sharing my answers to Patty and Holly ‘s fun monthly link up.

This month’s topic is Fall/Halloween Fun…

It really is starting to feel like fall around here (at least in the mornings and evenings)…and we finally got some rain yesterday! Hallelujah!

I love writing posts “all about fall,” so this topic is definitely for me!

1. Favorite fall traditions

We love going to UK football games and Keeneland. The pumpkin patch is always the highlight of autumn for me. The kids have been able to carve their own pumpkins for a few years now, and that’s a major milestone. haha

2. How do you celebrate Halloween?

For years and years, we’d trick-or-treat with the same group of friends. As the kids have gotten older, everyone now kind of does their own thing now.

I still try to have a “spooky” dinner a day or two before Halloween.

Last year, was the first year since 2009 that Travis and I were back sitting on the front porch passing out candy rather than walking around with our kids while they trick-or-treated.

They still have so much fun with their friends.

3. Favorite fall recipes?

I make Pumpkin Sausage Penne pasta a few times during the fall season

Of course, we love to bake –pumpkin pie, pumpkin cookies, and pumpkin muffins!

I did try a new recipe this past weekend…Apple Cider Donut Cake was a hit with the fam! I will definitely make this again soon!

4. Favorite fall fashion pieces?

I love when it’s sweater/cardigan weather. I needed to replace the black cardigan that I’ve had for years, so I ordered my favorite Amazon cardigan (again!) in black. I now have it in three colors.

5. How do you decorate for fall?

Pumpkins & candles…obviously!

6. Pumpkin spice?

Sure! I love pumpkin muffins and pumpkin bread. I don’t do Pumpkin Spice Lattes though…too many calories, and I don’t enjoy the taste anymore.

7. Thoughts on candy corn

I don’t mind it. Typically, I only eat it when I mix it with peanuts.

8. Favorite fall/Halloween movie?

It’s not a movie, but when the kids were little, we usually watched It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown as a family, but we haven’t watched it in a few years.

Other movies I think of and try to watch during fall are You’ve Got Mail, Sweet Home Alabama, and Hocus Pocus.

9. Apple pie, pumpkin pie or cider donut?

All of the above. That being said, I don’t know that I’ve ever made an apple pie. We tend to stick with all things pumpkin, and I can’t pass up an apple cider donut.

10. Bonfire, hayride or haunted house?

I like when we can find an evening to do a backyard fire, but it’s definitely not a bonfire. haha

Haunted house? No, ma’am.

I always love this link up. I can’t wait to read everyone’s responses.

Happy fall, y’all!

Seasonal, Traditions

ABC’s of Summer

Posted on June 21, 2023June 21, 2023 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy summer solstice!

We’ve been on summer break for a couple of weeks, but since today is the first official day of summer, I’m sharing some favorites about summer…in A-B-C order…

A- activities: sidewalk chalk (I miss those little kid days!), pool time, movies and more!

B- baseball: I love having baseball on tv and even better is if we catch a game when in KC.

C- camp: Hadley loves her week at camp every summer. If she could go to camp for a month, I think she’d do it! Hayden is going to running camp this summer too.

D- dresses: I prefer dresses, so I embrace the summer weather and wearing them.

E- exercise: I like having a bit more time for exercising in the summer. That being said, I think I’m better about getting workouts in during the school year when I have a bit more of a routine going. I definitely go on more walks in the summer though.

F- fireworks and fire for s’mores. The 4th of July is one of my favorite days of the year. S’mores are definitely a summer (and fall) treat, but we haven’t made any just yet.

G- goggles: This is Hadley’s first summer not doing swim team, but the kids are still usually looking for their goggles.

H- Homer’s “gotcha day” – We always celebrate getting Homer on June 8th…4 years and counting..

I- ice cream: Summer is the best time for a sweet treat.

J- June/July before thinking about school in August. To me, summer is only two months long. Once August hits, I always feel like I need to focus on back to school.

K- Kindle – Of course, I use my Kindle year round, but I love having the time to read at the pool, the beach, or on the patio.

K- Kayak: We went kayaking this past weekend which was fun.

L- lake: We love time at the lake. Last summer, we went to the lake twice (once in KY and once in Missouri) and those were some of our best memories.

M- Margaritas: I enjoy a skinny marg in the summer or the margarita pack of Trulys.

N- nature: Having some extra time in nature and fresh air is always great. We usually find time for a hike or two.

O- ocean (beach) – Most of our summer vacations include a view of the ocean.

P- pool, patio, and peonies: Of course, our main source of entertainment in the summer is going to the pool. We also love patio weather, and then I can’t wait for peony season at Trader Joe’s.

Q- quiet mornings …while the kids sleep in. I’ve always loved my morning times, but in the summer, I usually get more time to myself before starting the day.

R – road trip: We usually hit the road at some point in the summer. Travis and Hayden have already been to St. Louis, Travis and I went to Georgia/NC, and we usually drive to KC at some point in the summer too. Thankfully, now that the kids are older, road trips are easier.

S- strawberries: strawberries are my favorite fruit…even better is when we get to pick them ourselves.

T- Trav’s birthday: It’s almost time to celebrate T-rav.

U- umbrella: I love pool time, but I always try to snag a spot in the shade under an umbrella.

V – vegetable garden: We’ve only planted a garden a few times, but it’s always so fun to see what’s growing. When we were gone just a couple days last week, Hayden was excited to show us what was growing. We’ve pulled a couple of cucumbers, and the green peppers are starting to grow too.

W- watermelon: The best summer side dish.

X – eXtra sunscreen: Of course, I always wear sunscreen at the pool. These are my faves:

Y- yard work (and flowers). While I don’t love yardwork, Travis does! Also, Hayden has done an amazing job mowing the grass (as well as a few neighbors’ yards) this summer. I always look forward to watching the flowers bloom throughout the spring and summer.

Hydrangeas are my fave in our yard.

Z–ZZZ’s extra sleep/sleeping in. It sure is nice not setting an alarm in the summer. Truthfully, while I haven’t had to get up super early like during the school year, we have had somewhere to be most mornings it seems. That being said, it’s still nice to stay up a bit later and ease in to the mornings.

This was a fun to post to write. I might do one for fall, winter, and spring too!

What did I miss? What are some of your faves for summer?

Amazon, Clothes, Seasonal

Summer Staples

Posted on June 8, 2023July 5, 2023 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Thursday!

As I’ve gotten a bit into “summer mode,” I’ve taken note of some of my “must haves” for summer. I’m sharing those with you today!

I picked up this pool bag from Walmart this spring, and I have zero regrets. I’ve used my Scout pool bag for at least five years, but picked up the one at Walmart to use when I just need to pack a few things. So far this pool season, it’s the only one I’ve used as the kids tend to bring what they need in their backpacks…or if you are Hayden, you just throw the towel over your shoulder, and that’s all you need.

I’ve had these sunglasses since last year, and they are the ones I tend to use the most.

I got these for Hadley this year, and…

…she approves!

This cover up is absolutely one of my favorite Amazon finds last season. I have it in light blue and navy.

I bought this pair of Turkish towels last year, and they are perfect. I bring them to the pool the most over any towel because they are long enough to cover the whole lounger, and they dry quickly.

Of course sandals are a summer staple. While I have many sandals, I love my rose gold sandals (and Hadley has them in white). I also picked up these “comfort slides” a couple of summers ago. I have them in pink and white and wear them often. They are perfect for the pool, hot baseball games, and yard work. Plus, they are comfy and cute.

(I did size up a full shoe size in both.)

While I will often wear a ball cap, I have a couple of hats that I love. I got the hat below from Nordstrom almost three years ago. It doesn’t appear to be in stock, but I’ve had this similar Amazon one saved for quite some time.