Category: Weekend Top 5

Posted in Holidays, Kids, Weekend Top 5

Hello Tuesday?

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello! How was your weekend? Ours was busy…busier than normal. So busy that I started this post on Friday, and never had time to complete it over the weekend.

I had good intentions of linking up with Holly and Sarah for Hello Monday…but since it’s now Tuesday, let’s just consider this a…

The kids ran in the district championship track meet. Thankfully, the rain held off, and it was great running conditions.

Hadley ran the 4×800 relay, 4×200 relay, 400, and 200. Hayden ran the 4×800 relay, 1600, and 3200. Overall, they had great performances. Hadley improved the most on her 400, and she’s qualified for state in it and some relays. Hayden was still feeling under the weather, but he gave it his all. This season, he has qualified for state in the 800, 1600, 3200 and a relay.

We went straight from school to home for them to change, and then didn’t go home until after 10:00. Friday was just the start of our marathon weekend.

Hadley’s final dance competition of the season was in Louisville this weekend. She had her two large group (line and production) dances on Saturday afternoon, so we left for Louisville around 11:30.

We went straight to the convention center, and she finished getting ready.

They had awards after one of the dances, and then her other large group dance. Then, she had a couple of hours of free time before the other awards. Some family came to watch her dances, so she had time with them. Travis went to check in to our hotel, and Hadley and I grabbed a bite to eat at Qdoba.

We walked to our hotel and were there about an hour. One of her friends was also staying at the Embassy Suites, so they hung out. Then, the adults had time for a happy hour beverage (one of the reasons Travis likes an Embassy Suites!) before walking back to the venue for awards.

Before each dance competition, the girls receive goody bags with snacks and other odds and ends. For this competition, they received these sunglasses. Can you tell they loved them?

Another thing in their goody bag was a little rubber duck, and a note that said “good luck duck” and the studio name. They were to give it to a dancer from another studio as good luck. I thought that was the sweetest idea.

After the awards, it was getting late, so we grabbed some dinner at Mussel and Burger Bar before going back to the hotel. The dinner was good, but we were so tired. Some of the girls hung out for a bit, but the adults were extra tired. Anyway, we got to bed at a decent time.

Sunday morning, Travis went to his mom’s house for a bit. Hayden had spent the night there. The girls slept in, but another mom and I met for the buffet breakfast. We received a pink carnation which was a nice touch!

Hadley got up and started to get ready. It takes her about an hour to do hair and makeup along with getting organized for the day. We checked out and left the hotel and walked back to the convention center.

Hadley had her two small group dances (jazz and lyrical), and they did an awesome job. Her lyrical performance brought me to tears (I was in my feelings this weekend, I guess!)

I’m just always amazed by her. We have no clue where she got her rhythm and grace, but I love watching her shine on stage.

Again, she had family in attendance, so she saw them afterwards before they left. Then, she and I went with her friend and mom to Chipolte for a quick bite to eat before awards.

The girls had such a fun two days…and they really loved those sunglasses!

I can’t believe the competition season is over. This is Hadley’s third competition season, and it’s been my favorite one yet! I know she’s thinking about what she has time for next year. She loves dancing, so we will see.

After the awards, I called my mom (it was her birthday as well as Mother’s Day) as we drove to Trav’s sister’s house for a quick early dinner. Then, we headed back to Lexington. We got home around 7:00.

The kids obliged for one more photo which I appreciate. We’d had a long and busy weekend, but we got the photo.

We all unpacked, and Travis and Hayden went on a bike ride. Hadley went to a friend’s house for a bit.

In Louisville, they’d given me flowers and a card as well as a gift card for a massage and facial. That sounds like the perfect thing to use once school gets out.

I put my flowers in a vase and then spent about an hour on the front porch enjoying the weather and reading a book. It was a great day.

I feel blessed that I got to spend the weekend watching the kids do what they love…run and dance!

Well, today we are home for election day, and let’s just say I can definitely use this time to get caught up on life. Well, truth be told, I probably won’t be caught up on life until June. Eight more days of school! haha

Posted in Weekend Top 5

Hello Monday

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hey there! How was your weekend?

I’m linking up with Holly and Sarah for Hello Monday to share…

…a recap of our weekend.

Here’s what we were up to this weekend…

I had a few errands to run after school on Friday. Hadley had an after school activity, so after I picked Hayden up, I dropped him off at home and went to Ulta. All I needed was shampoo, so that was a quick stop.

Then, I headed to Trader Joe’s for a few things like flowers, bagels, chips and more.

When I got home, I unpacked and then trimmed my tulips and put them in the vases.

I checked in with Hayden and had a few minutes for an after school snack. I sat on the front porch before going to get Hadley.

Both kids wanted to go to two different sporting events to cheer on their friends. Real talk: I wanted to stay home…haha

That being said, the weather was lovely, and I figured we should take advantage of a free Friday night. Travis and Hayden went to the lacrosse game while Hadley and I went to softball and baseball. These middle schoolers are “playing up” for the high school teams which is my school. So, it was fun for me to see some kids I know as well as the kids’ friends. We watched the varsity softball game followed by the 9th grade baseball game.

Fun fact about me: if a corn dog is on the menu, I’m getting it!

We left the ball fields around 8:30, and Hadley wanted Fazolis for dinner. We were home around 9:00, and Travis and I watched a bit of American Idol. We were a few episodes behind. Around 10:30, we all went to bed, but I read for a few minutes before dozing off.

Saturday morning, I was up around 7:30. I enjoyed my coffee while watching more Idol. I also finished up my grocery list.

After that, I made the bed, washed my face, and headed to the basement for a leg day workout!

Travis and Hadley went to the track to get a workout in. Hayden is currently nursing an injury from the track meet the other day. He hurt himself on the long jump. Ugh. He had to sit out of Wednesday’s meet. Hopefully, he will be back in action soon.

One of my favorite Bodi (Beach body) programs is 21 Day Fix, so I did the lower body workout.

Then, I freshened up a bit to take Hayden for haircut.

Pardon the dusty mirror, but I ordered this quilted top from Shop Style Your Senses over spring break, and this is the third time I’ve worn it. It’s perfect to wear with leggings and especially right after a workout.

After Hayden’s haircut (no pic–y’all know –teenage boys!), we came home, and I changed out my door hanger. In April and May, this jockey silk is my fave to put on the door for Keeneland and then Oaks/Derby.

I made my favorite lunch: avocado toast with egg.

Then, I talked to my mom on the phone, showered, and then talked to my dad on the phone before getting ready for Keeneland.

Teenagers are the best at taking photos…I love this one of Travis and me ready for the races. (thanks to Hadley!)

We had club house tickets, but we walked around a bit and ended up sitting in a box with one of Trav’s friends. It was a HOT day at the track. I’m not complaining…I enjoyed the sunshine for sure.

For the last race, we walked back to the clubhouse area and stood at the rail, so we could make a quick exit to beat traffic. It was a nice “day date” with T-rav.

Once we got home, the kids were hungry, so we went to a fave Mexican restaurant for dinner.

We got home around 8:00, I showered and did a few things around the house. Then, I watched a couple of episodes of King of Queens before bed. It was a great Saturday.

I slept solidly from 10:30-8 (yay!)

I got my coffee and finished reading this book. It was so good, and I highly recommend it!

Then, Travis and I watched more American Idol. Can you tell we were very behind? 😆We wanted to get caught up before Sunday’s live performances.

Then, it was time for my Kroger pick up. I went in Kroger for a gift card and a couple of other things. After we unpacked the groceries, I started some laundry.

Travis and the kids went to the gym. While they were gone, I took a few minutes to pull out a few things from my closet that I didn’t wear this winter, so that I could donate them. Then, I put up my Easter decorations…

….and changed out my cute little ceramic house for my cute little ceramic jockey silk.

Then, I sat on the front porch, and called my Gma. The weather was overcast and so much cooler, but the fresh air was nice.

During that time, Hayden got picked up for a birthday party, and I ate some leftovers for lunch and worked on this blog post.

Before picking up Hayden and his friends, I made a quick stop at Target. Hadley and Travis went out to Keeneland to watch a few races.

Once I got home, I thought about taking a nap, but decided to watch Part 1 (of 2) of Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields. I only have one word for part one: whoa

Usually on Sundays I don’t workout, but this week will be busy, so I figured I’d at least go for a walk. My friend had asked to borrow my book, so I walked it over to her house.

I walked for about 30 minutes. Then, when I got home, it was time for dinner.

Trav grilled out burgers and hotdogs. During dinner, I told the kids that thirteen years ago on April 16, I found out I was pregnant with them. I didn’t know it was twins yet though. (haha!)

Then, it was time to get ready for the week ahead, shower, and finish up this post. We ended the evening with….American Idol. Glad we got caught up in time to start voting!

Shew! That was quite the weekend for sure, but it was a good one!

Happy Monday!

Posted in Weekend Top 5

Hello Monday

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Monday!

How was your weekend?

I’m linking up with Holly and Sarah to tell you all about ours.

We had a three day weekend with no school on Friday. I stayed up a late on Thursday night watching some of the basketball games since I knew I didn’t have school the next day.

Friday was St. Patrick’s Day. I slept in a bit (by my standards!) before getting up and having a couple of cups of coffee while watching tv and reading blogs.

I let the kids sleep in a bit, but then I made our traditional green pancakes for St. Patrick’s Day.

The kids had an indoor track meet in Louisville, so they prepped for that before Travis got home from work around 11. They left, and I decided to get a workout in before driving to their meet. My dad was visiting, so we just decided to drive a bit later and have less downtime at the meet.

This was a USATF meet, and both kids ran the 800. Hadley had a PR while Hayden won his heat and had a PR as well. They run in the 13-14 age group, and there kids from all across the country at this meet.

We watched a couple other races of kids that Travis coaches and snapped a few pics before heading home.

Yes, we spent more time in the car than at the meet. haha

We got home around 4:30 with plans to go to my brother’s house around 6. So, I read a bit, took a quick nap, and showered. Travis and Hayden went to the high school sweet 16 basketball game while my dad, Hadley and I went to my brother’s house.

We just kept it simple and ordered pizza. We watched the UK basketball game, and then headed home. It had been a long day, and I knew I had an early alarm on Saturday morning, so I went to bed at a decent time.

*Ugh* My alarm woke me at 6:45, and I didn’t get a good night’s sleep. I woke up around 3:45 and had trouble falling back asleep. When I did, I felt like my alarm woke me up.

I was moving pretty slowly, and I had to wake Hadley around 7:15 for her volleyball tournament.

Hadley had two early morning “pool play” games. My dad went to the morning games with me while Travis and Hayden headed to Louisville again for track.

Hadley had games at 9:00 and 11:00. Her team had to do scoreboard/line judge during the game in between, so I got another cup of coffee and did my Kroger Clicklist order.

She was finished with pool play around noon, and requested Chipolte for lunch. We picked that up and got word that she didn’t have a game until 4:00 which meant we could go home for a couple of hours.

Hayden was running the 1500m race at the track meet around that time, so Travis was keeping me up to date. He had another PR and ran 14 seconds faster than just two weeks ago. It was so good to hear Trav tell me the results because I know Hayden was nervous before the race.

Hadley’s volleyball team had two afternoon games, and they played so much better than they did in the morning. Maybe they just needed time to wake up that morning 😉 They ended up winning their bracket. It was fun seeing them gain confidence and come together when they needed to.

We got home just in time for the MU game. My brother came over to watch it with my dad and me. Unfortunately, they lost, but they had such a great season. I enjoyed watching that group of guys.

Dinner was whatever anyone could find around the house. Some had leftovers, and I had two bowls of Lucky Charms cereal. Sometimes, cereal is my “dessert” at night.

After a long day, I went to bed around 10.

I was up around 7:30 on Sunday, and by 8:00, I had our corned beef in the slow cooker.

I drank my coffee and started this blog post. Then, it was time for church. After church, Travis picked up our Kroger order.

We unpacked the groceries while my dad, Hayden and my brother watched an F1 race.

Hadley started to make our March cake. While the cake baked, I decided to make lunch that could also be my lunch a couple days this week: taco salad.

After lunch, I watched some of the F1 race, added to this blog post, and made the Irish soda bread.

Then, it was time for the traditional front porch pic with my dad and the kids which is always his request.

Hayden played outside with friends and Hadley went to youth group.

Of course, we watched the UK game which was another tough loss for this house.

Hadley and Layla put the finishing touches on our cake during halftime. {*Hadley was silly this weekend wearing my glasses.}

We enjoyed dinner and cake and then watched a couple more basketball games.

That was about it for our Sunday evening, and we prepped for the week ahead.

Overall, it was a busy and good few days.

We have two weeks until Spring Break. Even Travis is asking me if it’s later than usual this year. I don’t think it is, but it sure feels like it!

Posted in Weekend Top 5

Hello Monday

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Monday!

It’s the best kind of Monday….one where I don’t have to set an alarm!

I’m linking up with Sarah and Holly to share about the weekend.

Here’s a peek at the weekend:

Travis stayed home with Hadley on Friday to take her to the doctor…she had strep…again.

Right after school, I headed to Kroger to pick up her prescription and a few other odds and ends.

I’m telling you …just like last time, even though I feel better, I’m still really tired at the end of the day. So, once I checked on Hadley and get her situated, I took a nap!

Travis picked up pizza for the kids to have for dinner while we went out for our belated Valetntine’s Day dinner.

We went to one of our favorite sushi places, and it was so good.

We weren’t gone too long, but it was nice to go out. The kids have been re-watching Outer Banks since season 3 is coming out soon. They continued to watch tv, and I read on my Kindle. I went to bed around 10 as did Hadley. She really wasn’t feeling well.

Saturday morning, I was up around 7:30 and had some quiet time. Then, I started watching the J Lo documentary on Netflix. Once Hadley was up, she watched it too.

Then, it was time for me to shower and get ready because…

Travis and I were going to brunch with our friends. We went to Carson’s which was a great way to start the day before…

…going to the UK vs. Tennessee game at Rupp. The Cats dominated most of the game, and it was a great game to watch.

Once we got home, Travis and Hayden went to running practice while Hadley continued to take it easy. I finished my Kroger order, put on comfy clothes, and finished watching the J Lo doc with Hadley.

After that, I tidied up around the house before watching some of the Mizzou game. They didn’t have a great game, so I quit watching around halftime.

By that time, Travis had gone out to meet his brother for dinner, and the kids continued watching Outer Banks. Hadley really wanted soup and grilled cheese, so I went to Jason’s Deli to pick up dinner.

While the kids continued to watch Outer Banks, I watched a couple of episodes of NCIS Hawai’i before reading a bit and going to sleep about 10.

I was up around 7:30 and then read for over an hour. I really wanted to finish my book:

Everyone who’s mentioned this book has loved it, and I did too. I can see it being a top read for me in 2023.

I’m loving the Everything bagel from Trader Joe’s, and I toasted one up, and then Hayden and I watched an episode of The Rookie. I love that show, and Hayden started watching it with me this season.

Then, I started to do a few things around the house like take down the Valentine’s Day decorations and clean up the kitchen.

Then, it was time for my Kroger grocery pick up.

After that, the kids played outside most of the afternoon (which I guess offset how much OB they watched this weekend)

Hadley and I were going to bake our February cake, but she was outside with her friends…and I was glad she was feeling better. Strep is a bummer, and she’s been getting it pretty often lately, but with rest and 24 hours after taking meds, she always seems to bounce back. We may be visiting an ENT doc soon to talk about tonsils.

While they were out and about, Travis ran some errands, and honestly, I was lazy. I was so tired. I continue to feel run down, and I’m hoping to continue to turn the corner. My throat even started to hurt…but I told myself it couldn’t be strep. haha I definitely don’t have time for that.

When Travis got home, he did bring me a fountain Diet Coke from Jimmy John’s. A fountain DC is my love language.

I read, watched tv, worked on this blog post, put away some laundry and cooked dinner.

That’s about it. Starting next weekend, I’m not sure the next time we will have a free weekend. So, I decided to embrace the extra down time, let the kids watch more tv than normal, and let us all catch up from the past two weeks of not feeling 100%. We even missed church again, but it’s the third Sunday in a row where someone in our house has not felt well. I’m thankful the weather was so nice yesterday and the kids were able to hang outside with friends.

Today, we have a few things to do including more laundry, prepping Hadley’s dance costumes for competition season, and a few other odds and ends. I’m grateful for this extra day do to the things I probably should have accomplished yesterday!

I hope you had a great weekend.

Posted in Weekend Top 5

Hello Monday

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello! Shew! I feel like the weekend flew by. Overall, it was a good one, and I’m linking up with Holly and Sarah for a little weekend recap and Hello Monday.

This weekend, I did continue with the Bloganuary challenge. On Saturday, I wrote about what color I thought fit my personality, and on Sunday, I wrote about my name as well as how we decided on the kids’ names. I’m really loving the WordPress suggestions for writing prompts. Surprisingly, they have been some of my favorite to write.

Here’s a recap of our weekend:

Right after school, I went and visited my friend who recently adopted a baby girl. It was such a nice visit getting caught up and meeting the sweetest baby.

After getting the kids where they needed to be, I decided to run a few errands, so I wouldn’t have to do that on Saturday.

I went to Bath & Body to pick up a couple of hand soaps, but when I walked, they had a cart of “tester” candles that were 75% off. I couldn’t resist. Obviously, they just have the plain label, but they smell so good…and were only $3.75 each. I also snagged a three wick candle since they were $10 off. It will be perfect for spring.

After that, I decided to pop into Trader Joe’s to pick up a few things. I’ve been going there to get most of our fruit and veggies.

I forgot to take a TJ pic, but my cart looked pretty similar to this old photo.

As I was leaving, I realized the kids and Travis had already had dinner, so I stopped and picked myself up a sandwich to eat when I got home.

I *finally* got got home around 6:45, and I finished up my Clicklist order and then ate my dinner. Then, I picked Hayden up from basketball practice. Once I was home, I put on my pjs and relaxed the rest of the evening. I watched a few episodes of Abbott Elementary with Travis before heading to bed.

On Saturday, I was up around 7:30, but I tried to go back to sleep. I was so tired. I finally got up and decided to write my Saturday post.

Then, I had a couple of cups of coffee before heading to Hayden’s basketball scrimmage. Hadley and some of Hayden’s friends wanted to go, so I picked them all up. We watched the two games before heading home.

Hadley and Travis had running practice while I dropped Hayden and friends off for a birthday party/overnight.

The timing was perfect because my Kroger pick up was ready. I’ve stayed committed to Saturday (rather than Sunday) pick up this year, and it’s made a world of difference having that taken care of earlier in the weekend. That being said, the past couple of weeks, I’m the only one home after grocery pick up…I need to plan that part better, so I have some help! haha

Then, I had the other half of my sandwich for lunch and watched UK game.

I still had a tub of “regular” decor that I hadn’t put out after taking down Christmas decorations, so I did that.

It was cold, but the sun was shining, so I decided go for a walk as my workout.

With Hayden in Louisville at Top Golf and Hadley at Activate Games with her friends, it was just Travis and me at my brother’s house for the Chiefs game.

*Side note* These kids keep us busy, but it dawned on me that it’s becoming more frequent that Travis and I end up being kid free on a Saturday night. That happened in the blink of an eye!

*Sigh* Mahomes with the high ankle sprain…glad for a win, but not sure about next week’s matchup with the Bengals. That being said, we had fun watching the game with my brother and his family.

KC Chiefs Twitter

We got home around 8:00, I showered, got into pjs, and then read while watching football before going to bed.

I was up around 7:30 and definitely needed some coffee. It’s my favorite time of the day though! I seem to watch the Food Network on Sunday mornings. I love watching cooking shows.

I had to wake Hadley and then it was time to get ready for church. After church, we tried a (new?) lunch spot: Which Wich and we got a carry out order. I tried the “Grinder” (salami, pepperoni, provolone) but got it as a salad. It was good.

Once we got home, Hayden and Hadley both had lots of school work to catch up on.

Then, I finished putting the house back in order. I’d been dragging my feet but it really didn’t take long.

This year, I didn’t take pics of where things usually go when I took them down in September because I decided once January arrived, I wanted to move some things around. I kind of just “shopped” my house and moved things around until they looked right (to me).

Two of my favorite spots I styled are in the living room:

…and the kitchen:

It’s nice now that everything is put back where it belongs. Next weekend, I will probably put out my Valentine’s Day stuff, but that’s very minimal.

Hadley was busy with volleyball all afternoon and evening, and Hayden and Travis were gone most of the afternoon too.

I started stuffing 400 envelopes because it’s time for me to mail letters for our credit recovery session that I’m in charge of at school. I did that for a bit and watched a couple episodes of Dream Home Makeover on Netflix.

Then I ran to TJ Maxx to look for a picture frame…found one and some fuzzy socks too!

I stuffed more envelopes, worked on this blog post, and watched football.

Then we had dinner and got ready for the week. I was able to read a bit before bed.

I’m really hoping we get some snow soon. You know I don’t mind winter, but that’s because I want some snow!

What was the best part of your weekend?

Posted in Day in the Life, Holidays, Weekend Top 5

Day in the Life

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Monday!

How was your weekend? We had a really good one. Did you catch my Bloganuary posts this weekend?

I wrote about books that have changed my life on Saturday and memorable gifts on Sunday.

I’ve been wanting to do a Day in the Life post since January is a “slower” month, and decided to do a weekend post…and Saturday so happened to be my birthday.

So today’s post is: Day in the Life: Weekend and Birthday Edition

Ahhh…I “slept in” a bit, not waking up until after 8:00.

I woke up to all kinds of Facebook birthday love including this sweet pic from my niece and nephew:

I scrolled social media for a couple of minutes, and then poured myself a cup of coffee.

I’ve been on a Will & Grace (original) kick lately, and settled in for a couple of episodes before…

…writing my Saturday Bloganuary post.

By that time, we woke the kids because they had running practice (with Travis) at 10:30. **Travis was Super Dad on Saturday –he was Hayden’s personal chauffeur, running him to all the things (running practice, home, basketball practice, home, Transy (local university) basketball game with his team and then a few errands with Hadley…and then home)

Anyway, once they left to run, I read on my Kindle and had some one on one time with Homer.

Then, I washed my face, brushed my teeth, and made the bed. I got ready to …

…head to the gym. Honestly, I almost skipped my Saturday workout, but I also know that I feel better after a workout and there was pasta and cake in my future.

Then, I did grocery pick up and arrived home just as Travis and the kids returned from running.

Hadley helped me unpack the groceries since Hayden had to get ready for basketball practice.

Then, I made lunch. I’d made chicken on Thursday night and added it to some to arugula, parm, EVOO and lemon juice. Easy and delish lunch.

I watched some of the Mizzou game while Homer watched me eat my lunch. I swear…he’s the biggest beggar.

Then, Hadley and I ended up running a couple of “fun” errands. I decided to go to Kendra Scott for my 50% off item, and then Hadley went into a couple of stores as well.

Once we got home, I decided to read a bit more and take a nap. I love an Saturday afternoon nap. Nothing better. Kentucky basketball was on tv too.

**Yes –pencil trees are still up in my bedroom and living room. I always keep them up until my birthday…and sometimes even longer if we have a chance of snow. That being said, they’ll probably come down next weekend.

Then, it was time to get ready for dinner. We timed dinner just right. We picked Hayden up at 6:00 from the Transy game, and then headed to Frank and Dino‘s for dinner. We were a bit early for our 6:30 reservation, but we were able to be seated.

We had calamari, and I ordered the Fagottini Sinatra which is my favorite (pasta filled with mascarpone and parm cheeses and pears and tossed in a Gorgonzola sauce…so good!)

**Bonus – we all had leftovers to take home, so I didn’t have to cook last night!

We were home around 8:00, and I opened my gifts, and we had…

…cookie cake (per tradition). We usually get cookie cakes from Great American Cookie, but Travis got this one from Insomnia Cookies. Besides being delish, I like that it’s a smaller cookie cake…less leftover since I have zero will power! (Hadley put the candles on…no rhyme or reason for six handles…haha)

After cake, we watched some football, and then I went to bed around 9:45. I read my book (I was really wanting to finish my book (The It Girl) this weekend, and I did yesterday. It was really good. Anyway, I read for a bit, before falling asleep before 10:30.

While Hayden was super busy on Saturday, it was still nice to not have too much going on. The past couple of months have been non-stop, seven days a week.

Anyway, it was a great Saturday and a wonderful birthday…and now we have one more day off!

I hope you have a great week.

**linking up with Sarah and Holly for:

Posted in Kids, Weekend Top 5

Life Lately

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Monday.

Well, after a very busy weekend, I’m thankful for a short school week this week.

I’m linking up with Holly and Sarah for:

…to share a little catch up with Life Lately.

We’ve been busy over the past couple of weeks, and here’s what we’ve been up to…

Both Travis and Hayden received all area recognition to wrap up the middle school cross country season which was an honor for both of them.

Hayden (& Travis) have continued with club season. Hadley joined them last weekend in the bitter cold temps as they ran the track at Bellarmine. Our nephew’s club team hosted a memorial run for Trav’s dad. Both kids did great and those races are always fun to watch…even in the cold temps with snow on the ground.

That same Saturday, one of Hadley’s best friends had her 13th birthday party at Kroger Field as the CATS played Vandy. Instead of “Big Blue Saturday,” I joked that it was “Big Brrr Saturday.” 😂 They had a scavenger hunt with 13 clues to do around the stadium. How fun is that? Such a great idea.

One of the clues was a photo with the cheerleader which Hadley thought was so fun.

Hadley’s volleyball season has continued these past few weeks. These girls are so fun to watch! They improve with each game and cheer each other on.

Hadley played one of her best friend’s teams, and it was fun to see her (and her mom!) and catch up.

My brother’s family has a new addition:

Meet Tilly! She’s a cutie.

On Friday night, we went to a charity gala for the Ronald McDonald House. I think we all know what an amazing organization this is, and nothing will help you count your blessings more than hearing the stories of so many thankful families.

We had a wonderful night with our friends for a great cause.

I got this dress from Red Dress Boutique and love it. Green and black appear to be sold out, but red would be perfect for any holiday party you have to attend.

Hadley has these same heels in nude, and I picked up the glitter/gold option. This purse was the perfect touch and holds so much! It’s my new “go to” clutch for sure.

I’m in size large dress, regular size 9 heels

We celebrated the kids as much as possible yesterday. We officially have two teenagers in the house!

…and they didn’t even take a break on their birthday.

Hayden had a basketball tournament (& played three games yesterday)…

…while Hadley had her Winter Showcase for her dance studio.

We were able to go out to dinner and have cake (with cousins) last night.

Shew! Yesterday was non-stop, but the kids had a great day.

What was the highlight of your weekend? See you back here tomorrow!

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Posted in Weekend Top 5

Weekend Top 5

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Monday! How was your weekend? We had a great one filled with some downtime, a cross country meet, the Breeder’s Cup and more.

Today, I’m linking up with Sarah and Holly for Hello Monday…

…to tell you about my:

Here’s a peek at our weekend:

On Friday after school, I had a few errands to run. I stopped by Bath and Body because I was wanting to pick up a few fall candles (hoping they’d have them on sale). Well, there were no fall candles to be found, but I picked up a few winter ones because they were on sale.

I got:

  • Marshmallow Fireside
  • Peppermint Sugar Cookie
  • Snowy Coconut Frost

Then, I stopped by Ulta for shampoo, and then I picked up my Kroger Clicklist order. I was home by 4:30 and felt so accomplished!

We were up sooo early on Saturday to go to Louisville for Hayden’s cross country race. This was his first club race of the season. Travis has been coaching the Lexington group, and it was so fun to watch runners come together for this Middle School National meet. Hayden was running with the 7th and 8th graders, and had an PR for the 4k race. Last year, I remember the weather was so cold for this race. This year, was warm with major winds. Crazy November weather.

The kids stayed in Louisville with Trav’s family, and Travis and I hopped in the car, changed our clothes at McDonald’s and headed to…

…the Breeder’s Cup at Keeneland. We had such an amazing day (and night) with our friends. (More about Breeder’s Cup tomorrow!)

After such a busy Saturday, I was all about “falling back…” Travis was up early on Sunday for work, and I slept in a bit. That being said, by 9:00, I’d changed the sheets on two beds, unloaded the dishwasher, and put up one of my favorite skinny trees.

I will keep this tree here until we get our real one after Thanksgiving. Then, I’ll move it to our bedroom.

A few lights seem to be out, but it makes me happy.

Not only did Hayden run a 4k on Saturday, he then got up early yesterday and ran 6.5 miles yesterday with his cousin. Then, he had an amazing basketball game. It’s always fun watching him do his thing.

Well, this week is off to an odd start. We don’t have school today due to sickness. We were already scheduled to be out tomorrow for Election Day, so I guess they are hoping having today off will give those who are sick an extra day of rest, and I know the custodians are going to deep clean the schools. I will say on Friday that my school had over 30 teacher absences with 18 of them unfilled. So, I’m guessing today’s decision was also due to lack of subs.

Anyway, I hope everyone stays healthy! I know flu and RSV are rampant.

I hope you have a great day,

Posted in Meals and Recipes, Weekend Top 5

Weekend Top 5

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Monday! I hope you had a great weekend. Ours sure seemed to go by so quickly.

Today, I’m linking up with Sarah and Holly for Hello Monday…

to tell you about my:

Here’s a peek at our weekend:

It’s probably a lame #1, but the fact that I was able to come home straight after school on a Friday with no errands or other things to do was a highlight of my day. I was home by 3:45 and had time to workout, tidy up, and get ready for the weekend. The kids had an after school activity, and I picked them up at 5:30. While we were out, we went ahead and picked up dinner to eat at home. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to watch a movie as a family because Travis worked really late. Instead, the kids and I ate dinner and watched a few episodes of The Goldbergs. We’re almost caught up with last season. Anyway, it was just a great way to start the weekend.

The weather on Saturday was perfection, and there were touches of fall everywhere.

I had a few minutes to eat lunch after running some errands and decided to sit out on the front porch and get some fresh air. I had the best fall view.

It was the state cross country meet in Paris, Kentucky on Saturday. Travis had a long day because his 6th graders ran in the morning, and then the 7th and 8th graders ran in the afternoon.

Hayden hurt his IT band while playing on the beach, and he’d been to PT and stretching all week. He didn’t feel 100%, but he felt good enough to run. While Hayden was disappointed with his finish, he still had a PR for the 4k and scored points for his team. The boys finished in the top 10 in the state which is so amazing. They’ve worked so hard, and Travis has done a fantastic job training them this season. I’ve loved watching Travis coach Hayden and the team. We had a fantastic group of 8th grade boys that we’ll miss next year! Overall, it was an amazing season.

Hayden will continue to rehab his injury and run in the post season with Travis as one of his coaches. (More on that, I’m sure as that season gets going!)

We made it to the pumpkin patch yesterday. The weather was overcast, but we headed there right after church and beat the rain. The kids went straight to get hot apple cider and apple cider donuts.

Then, they picked out their carving pumpkins before we headed home.

I remember when we used to spend hours at the pumpkin patch, so they could run around and do all the activities. Now, we probably spend more time in the car getting there than wandering around, but I’m still glad we can make this tradition happen.

Besides the memories, the second best part of the pumpkin patch is picking up the apple cider donuts. Ugh…I had two yesterday, but they were worth it. Back on track today!

This week, I’m trying three new recipes, so I thought I’d go ahead and share those too!

  • Amy inspired me with her lasagna cups. I used to make an appetizer (recipe courtesy of a friend) that used wonton wrappers, and thought I’d give a new recipe a try. I found this Muffin Tin Lasagna Cup recipe on Pinterest, and we had it last night for dinner. They were delish!
  • I saw this soup recipe on Instagram, and I’m going to make it tonight or tomorrow.
  • On Wednesday, I’m going to make Andrea’s One Pot Bow Tie Pasta recipe.

This week’s meal planning feels a little “carb heavy,” but ’tis the fall season.

How was your weekend? Let me know a highlight! Also, what are you eating this week?

I hope you have a good one!

Posted in Weekend Top 5

Weekend Top 5

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello! How was your weekend? Ours was a good one! Friday and Saturday were pretty busy (what’s new?) and then Sunday provided a bit more time to do a few things and prep for the week.

I’m linking up with Sarah and Holly for Hello Monday…

to tell you about my:

We had a great weekend; here are the details:

After school, I picked the kids up, and we got Hayden a haircut. Then, I went to Trader Joe’s. Earlier in the week, I realized that I hadn’t really been in a few weeks and immediately had FOMO on what I may be missing out on with all things fall at TJ.

I did my best to resist:

I’m going to hold off on decorating the front porch until hopefully this weekend. I wanted to get my inside of the house in order before tackling the porch. And…I’m hoping for cooler temps some time soon.

Anyway, I picked up quite a few fall things like pumpkin bagels and pumpkin cream cheese. I will share my haul tomorrow.

Friday night, Hadley and I went to my school’s football game with friends. It was a beautiful evening for football.

Hayden had a cross country meet on Saturday. Travis has been working non-stop, so he met us there just in time to coach his boys.

It was a hot day on a tough course and the first 4k (2.4 miles) of the season. Hayden came in second and the team placed 1st!

We were all so proud of the boys…especially once we found out why Hayden’s watch said he ran 2.7 miles…The high schoolers run before middle school, and when our boys were out there running, I thought it was taking longer it should. Apparently, they didn’t rope off a part of the course to make it shorter for the middle school runners…hence why it took longer and Hayden’s watch said 2.7 miles.

Thankfully, they figured out the course situation before the girls ran.

After the race, Travis headed back to work. Hayden and I hit the road home with a stop at Culvers. I’m not sure how he ran in that heat and still wanted a bacon cheeseburger and milkshake, but that was his request!

While we were at the race, Hadley was with her friends living her best life at the UK game. She had lots of fun.

Saturday evening, we all laid low, had carry out for dinner, and were in bed around 10.

I did get my fall decorations up over the weekend, and I love the coziness of the fall decor. I can’t wait for the temps to get cooler and really feel like fall.

I hope to share a little fall decor home tour later this week. I don’t change much year to year, but I did make a stop at Michael’s on Saturday and picked up a couple of new items.

Yesterday, Hadley and I spent the afternoon cheering on the volleyball CATS. They were playing Nebraska. We try to get to a UK volleyball game or two each season. They are so fun to watch.

After the game, we went and picked up new dance shoes for Hadley. Since Travis was still at work, I had to take Hayden to his basketball evaluations. Then, we had a late dinner and headed to bed.

Sunday morning, I finished a really good book: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. This had been on my list for quite a while, and it was so good.

This week will be a doozy…Travis is still really busy with work, the kids have their regular activities, and I’m running our fall credit recovery session this week after school. We only have a couple of more weeks until Fall Break, and the count down is officially on!

What was the highlight of your weekend? I hope you have a great week.