Monthly Moments

Everyday Life, Friday Favorites, Monthly Moments

Friday Favorites/Monthly Moments: January 2026

Posted on January 30, 2026January 29, 2026 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

This has been an unusual week with online learning days, and today we have a snow day. The roads are improving and the sunshine has been helping, but the mess tends to refreeze overnight and we’ve even had some snow showers too.

Next week will be quite the reality check!

I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for to share a few faves…

…but I’m also taking a look back on the month of January…

I’ve already shared most of these faves in various posts throughout the week. We’ve had lots of time at home thanks to the weather. Trav worked from home on Monday, we made dinners with whatever we had on hand, we’ve played games, read books, watched shows, slept in, done school work, and the list goes on.

I always enjoy writing the yearly recap, but last year I started incorporating the monthly recaps as a fun look back in smaller snapshots. I’m going to continue doing the same this year!

I always want January to be a slow month after the busyness of November and December, and January was overall just what we needed.

Here’s what we were up to in January…

Lots of purging, re-organizing, and refreshing…

In mid-January, we celebrated my birthday by going out to dinner a couple of days beforehand.

Jeff Ruby’s is always a fave…as are bubble letters on my card and a cookie cake.

Hadley had her first volleyball tournament of club season, and they played well overall, making it to the gold bracket on Sunday. She was supposed to have her second tournament last weekend, but it was canceled due to the snow.

We’ve had lots of Homer snuggles…

We finally found a car for the kids. Trav brought it home last Friday night, and they were surprised and appreciative. It arrived just in time for the snow, but they finally were able to drive to their activities yesterday.

January started out with pretty warm weather. To be honest, I wasn’t sure if we’d have any January snow days. Well, joke is on me. As I’ve mentioned we were supposed to get 12 inches of snow last weekend, and instead we got about five…plus some ice. Bitterly cold temps have followed, and many of our roads still haven’t bounced back yet. We had four NTI days, and today is a traditional snow day.

January was good to us.

Weekly Recap:

My blogging streak continued…

Y’all, I’ll be back tomorrow with one more post for January. I did it! I set a goal to blog every day this month, and I made that happen. Thanks for reading!

Everyday Life, Monthly Moments

Monthly Moments: November 2025

Posted on November 30, 2025 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Sunday!

How has your weekend been? Yesterday, we spent most of our time in the car traveling back to Kentucky from KC. We had a good Thanksgiving holiday with family. Today, I’ve gotten groceries, unpacked, organized, and done quite a few loads of laundry. I’m trying to get all my ducks in a row before heading into the three week stretch of school between now and winter break!

Today is the last day of November, so I’m taking a look back on a great month of moments for us.

This month, we saw a little bit of snow…my pumpkins weren’t happy!

I decorated for Christmas a little bit at a time.

Since I knew we’d be out of town for Thanksgiving, I wanted everything up for when we returned. I had a couple new purchases this year including a wreath and ribbon from Target, and this set of trees from Amazon. They turned out cuter than I was expecting!

On a Friday night, the whole fam went to the Kentucky basketball game. We had a great time.

We had many lovely days in November, so I tried to walk when I could in order to get some fresh air, add to my step count, and listen to an audio book.

The kids turned 16!!…and we celebrated with family…

…and friends. Hadley had the sweetest sweet 16 party.

….and we have one new licensed driver! She picked up our dinner last night when we got home, and she picked up my Kroger order this morning. This is what mom dreams are made of!!

One thing I learned quickly while being a mom to twins is that they do things are their own pace…one crawled before the other, one walked and talked before the other and so on. We scheduled Hadley’s driving test a few days after her birthday because she’s shown more interest in driving. Hayden’s appointment is soon. Also, y’all — scheduling two appointments at once is harder than you’d think! You have to get online at 8am (on the dot!) to schedule an appointment three weeks out. Now, the driving appointments haven’t been as cut throat as when we tried to get their permits, but it wasn’t much easier getting their two driving test appointments scheduled. Anyway, soon enough, I will have two who can run my errands. haha

We ended the month with a great Thanksgiving in KC. My cousin always outdoes herself with her tablescape, and the personalized chocolate turkeys that she orders are a fun tradition.

The weather was pretty nice, and it was great to see family.

We ended our visit at the Magic Tree which is a fun tradition.

Yesterday, we drove home in mostly rain, and half of the drive was in the dark. It’s always sad leaving family, but we loved being reunited with Homer and sleeping in our own beds last night. Plus, my to-do list is a mile long today.

Now we’re ready for the December hustle and bustle!

Have a great Sunday!

Everyday Life, Monthly Moments

Monthly Moments: October 2025

Posted on November 1, 2025October 31, 2025 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Saturday!

How was your Halloween? We had a busy day at school…and most of the day our district was without internet. Talk about scary!!

It’s hard to believe that today is November 1st, and October is in the rear view mirror. October has always been one of my favorite months, so I loving looking back on all that we did this month.

First of all…

This month started at the beach on our annual fall break trip to 30A. This was our fourth year, and we had the best time.

Once we returned home, it was time to decorate the front porch…one of my favorite fall things to do.

Hadley and friends had the best time at Homecoming. They did “brunch and bouquets” in the morning followed by getting ready together.

The group took pics before heading to dinner and the dance.

Keeneland in the fall is one of my favorite traditions. Trav tends to go quite a few times for work, but also for fun too. I joined him one afternoon; the weather was lovely, and we were able to hang with our friends.

Hadley’s sophomore volleyball season wrapped up! I’ve loved watching them play.

Last weekend, we went to my niece’s performance in Legally Blonde, Jr., the musical, and it was so fun.

We also made it to the pumpkin patch which is one of my favorite things to do in the fall. We grabbed hot apple cider, apple cider donuts, and pumpkins to carve…

….which we did on Tuesday night.

Thursday night, Hayden went to the UK basketball game with a friend and Hadley and Trav (and one of Hadley’s friends) went to an outdoor concert…Ole 60. Travis definitely won cool dad points for going to the concert…and getting them Taco Bell on the way home. 🤣 They were out late on a school night!

Last night, we had lots of trick-or-treaters which was lots of fun to see.

This month the kids have also had lots of fun going to our school’s sporting events like soccer and football games as well as UK football and basketball games, but they’re out there having fun…and making memories…occasionally sending me pics along the way.

October was a good one, and now we turn the page to November, setting the clocks back an hour and soon, my kids will turn another year older. Bittersweet, for sure!

Everyday Life, Monthly Moments

Monthly Moments: September 2025

Posted on October 2, 2025November 30, 2025 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Thursday!

Well, even on fall break, I guess Thursdays are still my favorite day of the week. That being said, I do wish time would slow down a little.

Speaking of time flying, September is over, so it’s time for me to recap the month.

Here’s a look back on September…

We still had a little pool time in September. Our pool stayed open a couple of weeks after Labor Day.

There were lots of cross country meets and volleyball games.

The volleyball team traveled to Tennessee, and the JV team had a great weekend of volleyball.

School picture day was a success…

My dad came to visit for a few days, and it was nice to see him.

I decorated for fall which is always a favorite for me. I love that we get to enjoy that decor for a couple of months, and now I’m ready for the weather to cool off.

I even pulled out a couple of my favorite mugs.

We did end the month in one of our favorite places…Seaside, Florida for fall break with friends. I will share more on that after we return.

That’s a wrap on September. Like the month of May, I kind of feel like I’m in “survival mode” as we get into our back to school routine. Now, on to October…my favorite month of the year.

Have a great day!

Everyday Life, Monthly Moments

Monthly Moments: August 2025

Posted on August 31, 2025September 30, 2025 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Sunday!

It’s not often that I write a Sunday post, but since it’s the last day of August, I’m sharing a quick recap of the month.

This month seemed to be mostly about back to school and sports while clinging to summer!

Volleyball started for Hadley in early August at the Bluegrass State games.

I finished up moving into a new classroom, and I’m really liking it. I see the kids and their friends a bit more which is a pleasant surprise.

For our back to school dinner, we went to IHOP for the second year in a row. I always get French toast or pancakes (with a side of bacon) when we go there.

Then, it was back to school! The kids have had a great start back to school. They seem to be adjusting to block scheduling just fine and are keeping up with their school work…so far!

I’m adjusting to block scheduling too. I actually really like it…the only thing is I’ve felt like it’s taken me a bit longer to learn student names seeing them every other day.

The kids have continued to get in some driving time. Hadley continues to have more of an interest than Hayden, but Hayden’s been driving too. As expected, there’s less driving time now that we’re back to school.

We did get a new (to us) car after my car was hit a few weeks ago. It’s a good size for both kids to drive too.

I did go to the pool the few chances that I had in August. I will miss reading poolside.

Hayden and I have been watching Royals baseball when we have the chance. They aren’t too far out of the last Wild Card spot, but they’ll have to have a solid September to make the playoffs. We’ll see.

Hayden has has two cross country meets, and he is off to a solid start. He was two seconds off a PR in yesterday’s race. I know he wanted to run faster, but at least he was close to where he left off last season.

Football is back in the Bluegrass State….Trav and Hayden went to the game yesterday, and Hadley tailgated with friends. The weather was perfection, and the CATS pulled out the win.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to join in on the fun…I have a raging sinus infection that’s kept me pretty miserable since Friday. Thankfully, I do think the meds are finally kicking in, and maybe I can salvage the rest of this three day weekend by actually getting out of the house tomorrow! I’m thankful for the time to rest, but I’d hoped to have had a bit more fun this weekend!

I hope you have a great Labor Day, and I will have more posts later in the week.

Everyday Life, Friday Favorites, Monthly Moments

Friday Favorites {#269}: Monthly Moments July 2025

Posted on August 1, 2025July 31, 2025 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!…and happy August 1st. I’m not trying to be negative, but I think August is my least favorite month, but it also does mean a fresh start and routine once school starts, and I do like both of those things.

How was your week? I made the most of my last full week of summer…I spent some time finishing getting my classroom in order, went to Pilates, went to the pool, read, went to a movie and more!

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

….to share a look back on July.

July 1st, Hadley went to Young Life camp in Michigan with lots of her friends.

Hayden and other family members ran the Bluegrass 10k on the 4th of July.

I stayed in one spot to cheer them on!

Our nephew won the race.

We wrapped up the 4th by going to our favorite spot to watch fireworks.

I got lots of pool time in July…which meant I had time to chat with my friends, float in the pool or read.

We celebrated Trav’s birthday when Hadley got back from camp. We got him a few gifts, went out to dinner, and had some Crumbl cookies to celebrate.

As I’ve shared a few times (sorry to be repetitive!), Trav and I went Lake Michigan to celebrate our 20th anniversary that was in June. We made do with what time allowed for us to get away for a few days, but honestly, it was still such a perfect vacation. It was nice being able to drive a few hours to a couple of beautiful towns, and the weather was great with low humidity.

I recapped our two days in South Haven in this post.

We stayed at a bed and breakfast right by the beach, and it was lovely.

We also spent two days in Saugatuck, and I shared all about our time there in two posts. (post one, post two). We stayed at a boutique hotel, spent time in town, got a massage, ate a few delicious meals, and went to the beach.

A couple of weeks ago, we went to Louisville for our nephew’s wedding. They got married on a Friday with a dinner to follow and then a bigger reception on Saturday. It was a great couple of days with family.

In July, both of the kids’ sports started. Hayden’s been going to 6am practices the past couple of weeks, and Hadley’s been busy with volleyball. Her first tournament is this weekend.

I also spent the last couple of weeks at school off and on setting up my new classroom. I’ve worked in my room over ten hours, and Hadley has been such a big help.

Just yesterday, we finished the final bulletin board, and now I actually need to start thinking about actual school stuff like curriculum and syllabi! haha

Overall, July was a good month with lots of summer and family fun.

Weekly Recap:

I had a few posts this week:

I hope you have a great summer weekend!

Everyday Life, Monthly Moments

Monthly Moments: June 2025

Posted on June 30, 2025June 29, 2025 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Monday!

Why do the summer weekends tend to go by just as fast as the ones during the school year? Overall, we had a pretty chill weekend which was just what we all needed.

Today is the last day of June, so I’m sharing this month’s Monthly Moments.

Here’s a look back on June:

June was a weird month with the weather…we had some cool days and many rainy days as well. Then, it was hot…but also stormy. We were poolside when possible, and I will take what I can get.

Hayden played a few rounds of golf which is always fave…

Our niece got married in June, and we went to her wedding in Louisville.

It was a beautiful ceremony and reception, and we had lots of fun.

The kids and I traveled to Kansas City to see my family. We didn’t do a lot, but we did get to hang with family quite a bit which is the best part. We did go to the Royals game which was when Alex Gordon was inducted into the Royals Hall of Fame. We got an Alex Gordon bobble head and watched the fireworks.

Once we got home, we celebrated Trav (a day late) for Father’s Day. Crumbl Cookie, cards, and the “You are Special” red plate…what more could you ask for?!

About ten days ago, the kids got their wisdom teeth removed. Hayden bounced back quickly, and Hadley had a rough go of it with her teeth being impacted, and she ended up needing fluids for being dehydrated. Our friends dropped off dinner and a few goodies throughout that week.

Trav and I celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary. We went out for a sushi dinner and have plans to go out of town for a few days in July.

June has meant lots of yard work. Hayden and friends have been busy mowing yards, power washing and more. I’ve been admiring my hydrangeas as they’ve continued to bloom. They are my fave.

The June days sure were busy…the kids have worked a bit, had morning workouts, cross country conditioning and volleyball open gyms; I’ve had a couple of doctor appointments and have been able to go to Pilates 2-3 days a week.

I will say, it’s felt like no two days were the same…which also means I haven’t really felt in a groove. There’s definitely been some downtime, but not much! Maybe that extra downtime will come in July?

June was a great month, and it’s always one of my faves.

Everyday Life

Monthly Moments: May 2025

Posted on June 1, 2025June 29, 2025 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Sunday!

Also, happy June 1st! May is over, so I’m taking a look back on Maycember. May is filled with lots of fun, but like December, this month likes to try and take me out! haha

May memories:

The Major visited and was able to catch a couple of track meets and my nephew’s baseball game. We were also able to celebrate Major’s birthday a bit early.

Hadley and I traveled to Gatlinburg for her final tournament of club season. The girls had lots of fun, and it was nice having a bit of downtime when they weren’t playing.

We got home from Gatlinburg late afternoon on Mother’s Day, and my front porch looked pretty with flowers and new planters along with the traditional hanging fern baskets. The kids also got me flowers and a card which I appreciated!

Yay! We finished updating the bathroom…and I’m still so in love:

Track season continued with a couple of meets including the regional meet.

Last week, we wrapped up the school year…freshman year for the kids and year 23 for me! Since we didn’t get a Mother’s Day photo, I hopped in the last day of school photo with them.

We celebrated my niece’s birthday on Friday which was a great way to wrap up the week and kick start summer.

Yesterday, Hadley ran in the state meet…earning two medals, one in the 4 x 200 relay and one in the 400m dash. It was a beautiful day for the meet…

…and then she did a quick change and went to the Railbird music festival to catch some of her favorite country artists!

I’d say the biggest highlight of all for both of them this month is — that they both got their driver’s permit!

I’m still trying to get used to this milestone!

May was a really great and memorable month. Now, we’re ready for June and hope to find our summer groove soon!

I’ll be back tomorrow to share the books I hope to read this summer!

Everyday Life, Monthly Moments

Monthly Moments: March 2025

Posted on March 31, 2025March 30, 2025 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Monday!

Well, it’s the last day of March…Can you believe it? We still have one more week of school before spring break, but I think once we get back from break, it will feel like the downhill slide to summer!

Here’s a look back on this month:

Hadley spent lots of time on the volleyball court. She started the month playing in a tournament in Lexington, and then last weekend had a tournament in Louisville. Her team only has two tournaments left in the season, and the girls have been so fun to watch.

This month, indoor track season wrapped up. Hadley ran the 400m at the indoor state track meet, and had a PR. Then, the kids started their outdoor track season, and had their first meet last week with another meet coming up this week.

Hadley had a summer job interview which feels like some kind of rite of passage. She’s excited to earn a little money this summer.

We celebrated St. Patrick’s Day, and I made corned beef and cabbage. My brother and his family joined us for dinner per tradition.

Hayden had fun attending a few Kentucky basketball games including a home game and then some of the NCAA games that were in Lex over the past few weeks.

When we were in Louisville, we tried Swig for the first time, and it was delish.

We’ve enjoyed the sunshine, and I’ve gotten my steps in most days in March. It’s funny to think about all the snow, ice and cold temps in January, but with a bit more time on my hands, I was able to start 2025 strong with quite a few workouts. February…not so much! …but March with some pretty good weather and my desire to listen to audio books helped me get back on track, especially with walking quite a few days a week.

This past weekend, we celebrated my niece who’s getting married this summer. Hadley and I traveled to Louisville on Saturday for the bridal shower.

March was a good month! I’m hoping for some downtime and some more sunshine in April.

What was the highlight of your month?

Friday Favorites, Monthly Moments

Friday Favorites {#247} – February Monthly Moments

Posted on February 28, 2025February 27, 2025 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

How was your week? I hope it was a good one!

Well, this week felt like spring which I think helped it be a good week overall. Something about the sun shining really helped my mood. haha

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

…to share my…

In January, I started this monthly post, capturing the moments from the month, both big and small.

Here’s a look at what we were up to in February.

1. Snow Days:

Well, the snow days continued in February, but the weather wasn’t as bad as it was in January.

We had three NTI days this month, two of which were last week.

While we’ve had quite the winter, and I do love the snow, this week, especially has made me excited for spring.

2. Valentine’s Day

While we don’t go all out for Valentine’s Day, I still send family a card from the kids.

It was nice that Valentine’s Day was on a Friday as we just had some time at home. I picked up a few things for the kids, and Travis and I exchanged cards.

3. Kids’ Activities

The kids’ activities kicked into full gear in February. We started the month in Gatlinburg, TN for Hadley’s volleyballl tournament, and then her team also played in a tournament in Louisville last weekend.

The kids each had a track meet in February as well. I wasn’t sure what to expect with the high school track season, but the couple of indoor meets we’ve been to have been fun. Just like when the kids were 6th graders, being a freshman is a bit of an adjustment.

I remember going to track meets when the kids were in 6th grade and thinking the 8th graders look so old. Well, now I’m comparing them as ninth graders to junior/senior runners. Wow! That being said, I know we’ll blink and they’ll be the senior runners.

4. Chiefs

Well, our KC Chiefs didn’t come out on top during the Super Bowl game, but I love getting together with my brother’s family. The cookie cake was delish, win or lose!

5. Fun with Friends

The kids have had fun with friends this month.

Hadley likes to get together with friends to do their school work on NTI days. One day, after I picked them up, Hadley needed to do a few strides at the track to break in her new spikes. The girls cheered her on.

Hadley went to a Galentines party that one of her friends hosted. She had a great time.

A couple of weeks ago, we got together with friends to hang out at a pizza place and watch the Kentucky basketball game. It was so nice hanging out for a bit.