Weekly Report

Posted on July 20, 2026July 19, 2026 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Monday!

How was your weekend? Honestly, I was home quite a bit this weekend, but it was much needed to have some downtime, but to also be productive around the house. The kids were busy, but what’s new?

I’m sharing my monthly weekly report.

I put my own twist on the usual set up of: reading, eating, prioritizing, obsessing, recommending, and treating.

Reading:

Is it even summer if Carley Fortune hasn’t released a book? I’m plowing through Our Perfect Storm. I started it Friday, and I think I’ll finish it today!

Once I finish it, I will only have one book left on my 2026 Summer Reading List…Down with the Shipmans.

Eating:

I know I’ve shared how I love summer “snack plates” for lunch in the summer, but this has been the summer of breakfast. For years, I did intermittent fasting, and really only had coffee in the morning. This year, I’ve started to have a bit of breakfast, but this summer, I’ve taken the time to have a “proper” breakfast which typically includes carb, protein, fruit. It’s just been nice to have the breakfast time. Again, I think finding that I’m having more time on my hands because the kids get themselves where they need to be or are sleeping in even means I have time for breakfast!

Enjoying:

Y’all, if you have Netflix, you must watch Little House on the Prairie. Honestly, it wasn’t even on my radar, and then I watched one episode on Saturday, and I’m hooked! I’ve watched the first four now.

Prioritizing:

With the end of my summer break drawing near, I’m definitely prioritizing pool and reading time. As I’ve shared, I’m either at our pool or my sister-in-law’s mom’s pool at her house. It hasn’t been super sunny the past couple of weeks, but even an hour at the pool or in the pool has been nice.

I’m also prioritizing items on my “summer to do list…” which has included taking photos of the kids’ elementary art and uploading those to a photo book. During the elementary years, I saved their art, and each kid has a “K-2nd” and “3rd-5th” “scrapbook case” in pink and blue.

To be honest, those four cases don’t take up a ton of space, but I still thought a book would be a good idea.

Friday and Saturday I worked on and finished both kids’ K-2nd books. They are hardcover, 8×8 and I used their kindergarten photos for the covers. Maybe this week I can get the 3rd-5th books finished. They also have a few pieces of artwork from middle school, and I’ll just include those at the back of the 3rd-5th books.

Obsessing and ordering:

Y’all, the joy this little rechargeable lamp is bringing me is next level. haha

It’s water waterproof, so it can go in the shower or outside, but I just have it on my bathroom counter. I turn it on in the morning or night when needed…when I take a shower, do my skincare, etc. It will come in handy in the early morning hours when school starts, and I don’t want to turn on the bathroom light and wake up Travis when I get up at 5:50.

I’m ordering/buying school supplies. As much as I drag my feet about going back to school, I do enjoy buying school supplies.

I went to Aldi a couple of weeks ago, and I got this “clipfolio” with a clipboard on the front and a pad of paper inside. It will be perfect to take to meetings. I couldn’t resist the pens either!

I’m trying this planner this year. It’s not necessarily a teacher planner, but I like the size of it, and that it’s not too complicated. (It comes in a smaller size too)

The past few years, I’ve gotten my desk calendar at Target, and that’s where I got one this year. Truly, it’s been this same style for the past few years. It’s a 15 month calendar –not sure why a calendar would start in April, but I just need it for August-May!

Recommending:

I’m definitely recommending all things Five Star Weekend!

I read the book a couple of years ago while in Del Mar, California, and it’s still one of my favorite Elin Hilderbrand novels!

The series on Peacock was OUTSTANDING! I finished it over the weekend, and it couldn’t have been better. Jennifer Garner can do no wrong. I just love anything she’s in…and the supporting cast was top tier!

Last week, I listened to Jenna’s podcast interview with Elin and Jennifer, and it was great. I loved hearing the behind the scenes stuff, and then towards the end, they were all talking about their favorite books, and it was just the best.

Trying:

…not to panic about the end of summer break. Ugh! I still have a couple weeks, but this Friday I have a professional development day all day, and it will be fine, but it just means I need to start really thinking about school.

I’m also trying to get through the annual safety training videos. This task requires more and more each year. I usually complete them while I’m eating breakfast or lunch and chip away at the modules other times. They add more and more every year..this year, there’s SIXTEEN total HOURS of modules…and this year one additional one is playground safety. Not that it was difficult, but WHY does a high school teacher need to complete a module on play ground safety?!

I hope you have a great Monday! Feel free to share with me what you’re reading, eating, enjoying, prioritizing, ordering, recommending, and trying…

Weekly Report

Posted on June 15, 2026June 14, 2026 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Monday!

How was your weekend? Ours was a good filled with most weekend things like errands and chores around the house. I did go to the pool on Friday, and did a Target run as well as some organization. We also watched World Cups soccer games as well as game 5 and the big Knicks NBA win.

Yesterday, Hadley asked me when grocery pick up was, and I was like, “Oh yeah, I need to do that!” I’m already getting “lazy” with my regular mom chores.

Anyway, I’m sharing a little Weekly Report update. As usual, I’m using the template, but also putting my own spin on it in some parts.

Reading:

Y’all, look at my Summer Reading List…

…and now look at my Kindle. FIVE of the books on my list ended up being available this past week, so I’m ready to chip away at this reading list.

I did finish Our Last Summer at the Vineyard this weekend, and I couldn’t have loved it more.

Enjoying/Eating:

I’m enjoying pool days before it gets too hot. Last year, I felt like I barely went to the pool in June because we were busy, but this past week was a little slower paced.

Monday and Tuesday were rainy, but I went to the pool Wednesday and Friday. On Friday, Hadley was working!

I also like finding the right time to go to the pool when it’s less crowded, providing a better chance for a seat with an umbrella. I find that most of the younger kids are gone by around 2:00 because they go early for swim team, or little kids take afternoon naps. I’m not opposed to being at the pool with lots of kids…but it’s just nice going when it’s less crowded with optimal seating selection.

You know I love snack plates for lunch but I’m also enjoying plating up my breakfast and having slow mornings.

Planning:

I’m planning my summer “to do” list. Honestly, my summer list can look similar summer to summer. I always take time to:

Purge/organize closets like the hall closet, my bathroom closet, and my bedroom closet.
Clean up/delete Gmail storage. I keep getting emails that my storage is full. I think all my photos and videos back up on Google, but I only need videos to back up and not the photos. I don’t think there’s a way to make that selection? I use Shutterfly for my photos. Anyway, I need to sit and delete some things to free up storage.
Label blog photos (I get behind on this)
Go through my Amazon lists and delete out of stock items or ones I’m no longer interested in.
Schedule appointments

Then, I end up having other specific tasks like:

Take pics of the kids’ artwork through the years and make a Chat book. (This was on my “to do” list last summer, and I never did it)
Find new bar stools for the kitchen
Figure out Amazon Storefront (Which I think I have this pretty much figured out!)

Obsessing:

I’m currently obsessing about matches….

I blame finding these at Christmastime:

…and now I want seasonal matchboxes…

I light candles every day, and I can of course use a lighter, and I do. That being said, when you can have a cute matchbox sitting out, why not do that?

I found this plaid matchbox at Target a couple of months ago (Joanna Gaines’ Magnolia line), and I wished I bought at least a couple more.

I got on Etsy and ordered this lemon matchbox, and it arrived this week. It is a square box, so the matches are shorter, but it’s still a lovely seasonal touch to the tray on the coffee table. (I ordered from this shop, but maybe the lemon is sold out?)

Organizing:

I’m proud of myself for tackling some of my “to do” list early in the summer. Sometimes, I procrastinate until July!

Years ago, I saw someone share the idea of keeping their skincare in a cleaning caddy, so it’s easy to pull out of vanity or closet and keeps everything organized. I ended up using it more for overflow things, extras, travel supplies, etc. I wanted a way to store things that I needed often in one section, and other supplementary things in a second section.

Hence my Target trip where I purchased two of these Brightroom clear turntable organizers.

Excuse under the sink photo but I’m loving this new system. I have things I/we need most often on the top one and then extra and refills on the bottom one. They just stack on top of each other.

Recommending

Have you seen the show The Four Seasons? Tina Fey was on Travis and Jason Kelce’s podcast, and she was talking about season 2. I realized that I hadn’t watched season 1 even though I’d added it to my Netflix list. This week, I watched season 1 and loved it! What a fun cast!

I can’t wait to start season 2 this week.

Treating:

I treated Hadley to a pedicure. She rarely gets a pedicure, but since she’s still playing volleyball (club season still isn’t over), she opted to get a pedicure rather than a manicure. Well, if she was a getting a pedi, I was too!

If Hadley gets her nails done, she either pays for them or at least pays the tip. This time, I said I’d pay as a treat for good grades (especially while juggling volleyball and track…since November!) and kicking off summer.

Have a great week!

Weekly Report

Posted on May 18, 2026May 18, 2026 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Monday!

Well, in true end of the school year fashion, I’m holding on for dear life which means sometimes the blog goes to the bottom of the “to do” list.

I shared Friday’s post late, and today I’m finally putting the finishing touches on this post. I’d hoped to finish it last night, but we got home late from a long weekend of volleyball, and then I hit the ground running this morning with state testing!

I haven’t shared a Weekly Report in a bit, and I wanted to start the week off with this post, so here we go…

This is only my second “Weekly Report” post, and I think most use it to capture reading, eating, prioritizing, obsessing, recommending, and treating…

I’m putting my own spin on a few of the letters:

Reading:

I was on the library wait list for Meet the Newmans, and I added it to my Kindle a few weeks ago. I finally started it, and I’m about halfway finished with it. I’m really enjoying it!

I needed a new book to listen to, so I just did a search on the Libby app, and this one popped up…bookshop and London…I’m sold! This has been a great read so far too!

Enjoying:

Spring! I love how the grass is green, and we have pops of colors with flowers.

The front yard refresh is coming along.

I will say that the springlike weather is out the window…It’s been in the 90’s today, and that was too hot too fast! I know it’s almost Memorial Day weekend, but I’m not ready to be hot yet.

Packing:

Over the weekend, when I was drafting this post, I was thinking about how I’ve become a pretty good packer. One thing about me is I hate packing, but now I’ve “mastered” the overnight packing situation since we’ve gone out of town for one night pretty often with Hadley’s volleyball season.

I’ve had these clear travel pouches for years (almost four years to be exact!), and they come in so handy.

I use two of them the most often…one for my skincare…

…and the other for travel size items. I love that they are clear, so I can easily see what’s in them or what’s missing.

The larger one with handles, we’ve used to carry all the family chargers in when traveling, so it seems like there are sizes for all kinds of things.

I’m also still loving this silicone mat/pouch combo for travel. I bought it a couple of months ago, and it’s been so handy. I put my curling iron in it, and then it also sits on the counter to protect the counter from heat.

Ordering:

More phone chargers because Hayden can’t seem to keep up with his!

And…more facial towels. I’m officially hooked on these towels. They are soft, absorbent, and biodegradable. I feel so much better using a fresh new towel after washing my face as opposed to a wash cloth.

Recommending:

Remarkably Bright Creatures…both the book...

…and the movie! Sally Field was simply amazing (Lewis Pullman was too!), and I love how accurate the movie felt compared to the book. I know it’s one I’ll watch time and time again.

Teaching:

Y’all, we still have ten days left of school, and I’m trying to finish up Macbeth with my English 2 students. I do love this play, and we only have Act 5 left to read, so the end is in sight (for Macbeth and the school year)…

I’m also reading Night with my Adv. English 1 students. We only have a couple of chapters left to go. This is such a powerful memoir, and it certainly fits the unit focus of Survival, but I wish we didn’t end the year on such a serious note.

Pretty soon all my classes are starting their final projects to wrap up the school year. First, we have to get through state testing on Wednesday and Thursday!

I hope your week is off to a great start.

Friday Favorites, Weekly Report

Friday Faves: Weekly Report

Posted on March 27, 2026March 28, 2026 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

All I have to say is TGIF! We’ve had a busy week with many late nights, and while school has been fine, my students were definitely acting like this is the last week before spring break (which is usually the case), but unfortunately for all of us, we still have one more week left before break!

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

…to share my…

I’ve seen this “Weekly R.E.P.O.R.T” on Tik Tok and Insta, and thought it would be a fun blog idea. I think usually it stands for…reading, eating, prioritizing, obsessing, recommending, and treating.

I’m going to put my own “spin” on it, and for this report, I’m going to focus on…reading, enjoying, purchasing, obsessing, resolving, teaching.

Reading:

I’m listening to The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, and I’m flying through it. I downloaded it last Saturday, and I only have about an hour left in the book. It’s so good…and I love the Kentucky/Lexington references.

It’s a rarity, but at the moment, I don’t have anything downloaded on my Kindle to read. I’m hoping to download a few books this weekend!

Enjoying:

I’ve been enjoying the sunshine and fresh air this week. This past weekend truly felt like summer, and this week, we’ve had more springlike temps. We’ve opened the windows, and I’ve driven with the sunroof open as much as possible. Of course, all good things must come to an end (or at least be paused), as today’s weather is chilly and gloomy!

Purchasing:

Just this week, I realized I needed to get my act together and purchase a few things for the kids’ Easter baskets.

Hayden is getting a t-shirt and baseball cards, and I’ve already purchased this tank for Hadley.

The rest of these items are in my cart (and some are on sale thanks to the Amazon spring sale)

Flip 7 – I always try to add a game to one of their baskets (or something for them to share) that we can play as a family, and I’ve heard this game is fun.
Beef sticks- I still don’t know who Mr. Beast is but teens talk about him, and apparently there are some Jack Links beef sticks with his name on them!
Car items are fun now that the kids have a car….Car putty looks like something they could use based on the times I’ve been in their car. haha
Air fresheners – Hadley just mentioned that the ones they have in their car are now basically scentless, so these will come at a good time.
Medicube– Anything skincare is a good bet for Hadley, and we’ve talked about trying these Medicube toner pads. Maybe she’ll let me try them too!
Fidget balls– These magnetic fidget balls are perfect for Hayden’s basket…and like Hadley’s Medicube toner pads, I’m interested in trying them too!

Obsessing:

Ummm…how cute are my new hats? They are from Moink Custom on Etsy. For quite a while, I’ve wanted a neutral smiley face hat, and even Amazon was no help. I like to wear hats, but sometimes I don’t want to were a hat with sports logo. The “I need a minute” hat is from an idea I saw off another hat that was sold out on a website. I thought it would be a good one for vacation…or really any day. haha

The color and puff paint are perfect on both.

Resolving:

This week, I made a resolution to walk 20 min every day. I’ve kind of been in a funk, and I figured if I could commit to 20 minutes of fresh air every day, that would certainly help!

I made a “reminder” note on my phone, and I went ahead and typed out the rest of the days in March, and I’ve checked the box after my walk each day. Now, some days, I’ve also had time for an actual workout, but mostly this week, I’ve committed to walking. And…most days, I’ve walked longer than 20 minutes.

This week really was hectic, so some days committing to walking meant that as soon as I got home, I walked rather than having downtime before one of the kids’ activities. Other days, I was walking at 8PM to get the walk in. Anyway, I’ve looked forward to these daily walks, and it’s how I’ve listened to so much of my book this week!

Teaching:

This week, my English 2 students finished up unit 3 which means it’s time for them to write their end of unit paper. We’re focusing on elements of argument as they are writing a persuasive letter. Before they began their brainstorm, I put them into groups to read five sample letters. One of my “teaching tricks” is to assign groups based on the playing card I give them. I needed five groups, so students were in groups based on hearts, diamonds, clubs, spades and then aces/jokers were a group.

They read through five different sample letters, and the last letter they were given, they had to use the rubric I will use to grade their letters in order to assign that letter a grade. One of my pet peeves that they hear all about every time they write a paper is when they tell me they’ve lost the rubric I gave them…and I tell them I won’t grade their paper without a rubric.

So, now they’ve seen the rubric, used the rubric to score another paper, and have it to guide them as they write their essay.

Favorite Mom Meme:

Yep. (Although, I will say that TikTok videos taught them how to parallel park! ha!)

Weekly Recap:

I had a fun week of blogging:

Monday memes

Day in the Life: Weekend

What’s Up Wednesday

Monthly Musings

Have a great weekend!