Tag: Self-care

Posted in Monthly Musings

Monthly Musings

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Thursday !

My kids and I are chugging along on this five day school week. It’s been a major reality adjustment.

I’m linking up with Patty and Holly for the first Monthly Musings of 2025.

This month’s topic is…winter self-care.

1. What do you do to stay warm in winter?

Stay inside! haha

Truly, thankfully, if it is really cold, I don’t usually have to go anywhere. I never wear socks in the house, but if I’m cold, I will wear some fuzzy socks.

Even with our really cold temps last week, we never turned on our fireplace, but we usually do.

Of course, I’ll dress in layers. As soon as I get home from school, I put on a cozy sweatshirt.

A cozy blanket is a great way to stay warm too.

2. Favorite wintertime activity?

Staying inside! (again, haha)

We seem to have more downtime in January and February which means I get more time to catch up on my shows or watch movies.

I always love having a bit more time to read.

3. Any different beauty routines in the winter?

During the winter, I tend to have very dry skin which means I get out any of my favorite body butters.

Right now, I’m using the candy cane one from Trader Joe’s.

I always use lotion after a shower or for dry skin, but when my skin feels dry and itchy, body butter is the best way for me to combat that.

4. Skating, sledding or skiing?

I think I’ve been skiing once, and it was in high school. Growing up, we’d ice skate occasionally at Crown Center. Sledding is fun, but now that the kids are older, they do that on their own.

For years, we’d go tubing with friends at a place outside of Cincinnati, and that was always really fun!

5. Favorite winter recipes?

Chili and soups are my favorite recipes to make. Pasta recipes are cozy, but I will make pasta dishes all year, but I don’t make chili or soups outside of fall and winter.

Beef chili, Chicken chili, Bev’s soup, Turkey Rice soup, Sausage Tortellini soup

6. Favorite winter hot beverage?

There’s nothing better than a hot cup of coffee on a cold morning, and while I don’t usually eat breakfast, a warm breakfast, like an English muffin or waffle will hit the spot.

7. Best winter memories?

Snow days! ….and sledding down my front yard hill.

8. Coldest day that you remember?

I know we’ve had colder days in the past, but we hit negative windchill for the first time this year last week, and it was pretty cold. Homer sometimes refuses to go down the back stairs if there’s snow or ice on the stairs or the ground. Even when we clear the steps off for him, he seems to remember that there used to be snow/ice on those steps! Anyway, for a stretch of about four days, we had to take him out on a leash a few times in the front yard…and then, he decided he needed walked around the block to find the “perfect spot.” Ohh…it was cold taking him on that lap around the neighborhood for a few days.

9. How are you practicing self-care this winter?

Honestly, I’m usually in a pretty good head space in January and February. Those months, especially January, feel like one big deep breath after the hustle and bustle of December.

So having a bit of extra downtime during those months is a nice part of my self-care. I still stick with a routine of my morning “me time.” Even when we had our stretch of time off for the snow and cold temps, I made sure to make my bed, do skincare and shower, get dressed (even if it was just leggings and a sweatshirt), and even put a little bit of make up on. Even as the days ran together, it was good to keep a routine.

10. Flannel sheets…yes or no?

I like them, but we don’t have any on our bed. For Christmas, my mom got Hadley these cute penguin flannel sheets.

Hadley already loves lounging in her bed. Now, she’s extra cozy. That’s a blessing and a curse!

As much as I love all the months, and I certainly appreciate a snow day, mentally, it does end up taking a toll on us, and we are better when we are in a routine and out of the house!

I hope you’ve taken care of yourself this winter!

    Posted in Seasonal, Self-care

    Summer Sundays #2

    Posted on 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?

    Posted in Amazon

    September Prime Purchases

    Posted on by jgalvinwhite

    Happy September 1st! I feel like the month of August flew by….and now I’m ready for September and for it to feel like fall!

    I’m linking up with Tanya today for her monthly Prime Purchases post.

    Well, the theme of this month’s Prime Purchases appears to be: Back to School, Books & Beauty!

    Back to School:

    Hadley needed a new backpack, and both kids needed updated headphones. Then, since the kids will take their lunch a couple days a week to the tutor’s house, I picked up a pack of lunchbox notes! Both the backpack and headphones (gray for Hayden and gold for Hadley) come in a variety of color options.

    lunchbox notes // headphones // backpack

    I started using this brand of desk calendar a few years ago, and love it for my desk at school.

    desk calendar

    I shared in a previous post about our back to school (virtual!) plans. I thought it would benefit Hayden to have a desk in his room. After reading Amanda’s post, I found a similar 39 inch desk for Hayden, but now I can’t even find it on Amazon. I also purchased the organizer for his desk and the baskets for both Hayden and Hadley’s at home school supplies.

    desk organizer // 55 inch desk // colorful baskets

    Books:

    I’m a big fan of the library, so I don’t buy books very often. That being said, the wait list at the library for 28 Summers and The Giver of the Stars is forever long. I mentioned in yesterday’s post, that 28 Summers seems to be the book of the summer, and I didn’t want to miss out! #fomo I’ve heard great things about The Giver of the Stars, so I went ahead and purchased it too, but haven’t gotten to reading it just yet.

    The kids are reading The Indian in the Cupboard at their tutor’s house, so I picked them each up a copy of the book.

    28 Summers // The Indian in the Cupboard // The Giver of the Stars

    Beauty:

    My sinuses are forever acting up typically due to allergies. Also, I tend to wake up with puffy under eyes. My new morning routine while reading emails and scrolling social media, is to use the cool, straight from the fridge, jade roller under my eyes, on my forehead, and on my sinuses. I’ve even rolled it on my temples and on the back of my neck to help alleviate a headache recently!

    And…I’ve been using the Seche Vite base and top coat for over a year. They are both essential to making my at home manicures last. The bottles last quite awhile, but my bottles were running low, so I ordered a new set recently.

    jade roller // Seche Vite base and top coat polish

    So that’s a peek at my Amazon orders for the month of August. After ordering all the back to school stuff, I said to Hadley, “I’m finished ordering from Amazon for a while…” Then, when my books and other few orders started arriving, she said, “Mom, I thought you were finished with Amazon!” I never should have uttered those words! #cantquitamazon #amazonistherealMVP

    October 6th is the next Amazon link up. Make sure to check out Tanya’s post! What have you been priming lately?

    Thanks so much for reading.

    Posted in Health and Fitness, Me, Not Just a Mom, Self-care

    Not Just A Mom: Self Care

    Posted on by jgalvinwhite

    Happy Monday! I survived (and had fun!) at a Girl Scout overnight at COSI in Columbus, OH. More about that later in the week…I’m still recovering from staying up until midnight and sleeping on the floor! (plus losing an hour with Daylight Savings Time!)

    In other exciting news…Y’all, believe it or not, this is my 100th blog post. I can’t believe it! I’ve really enjoyed blogging so far. It’s fun to share about family, school, what I’m reading, what I’m cooking, etc. AND…I love reading other people’s blogs too.

    Linking up with other bloggers led me to reading Lauren’s All About that Mommy Life blog. Last month, I read her Not Just a Mom post for February, and I thought I’d link up with her (and the others) for this month’s post.

    This month’s focus is on self care. I’d say that self care is something most moms struggle with. When you are in the midst of laundry, carpool, grocery shopping, homework, working, etc…it’s difficult to find time for yourself. About three years ago, I made self care a goal of mine. It started with focusing on whole food nutrition and getting a workout plan that works for me which is when I started doing the Lean program. Once I made fitness and whole food nutrition a priority, I started to find other ways to take care of myself.

    (Also, real talk–I’m not perfect–I fall off the eating healthy wagon, but once the calendar turns to March, I really try to tighten up on what I eat and make sure to get some workouts in each week.)

    Workouts/Whole Food Nutrition

    I try to workout 4-5 days a week. The LEAN program I follow incorporates intermittent fasting with carb cycling and tracking macros + workouts. I’m a person who does feel better after a good work out, so I do try to make time for that even with having two very busy kids. Progress not perfection is my focus thanks to this program.

    Also, I love me some McDonald’s French fries and a Diet Coke. Currently, I can’t quit Peanut Butter Patties #girlscoutcookietime and, for me, it’s all about balance. 😃

    Skin Care

    For quite awhile I’ve tried to make skin care a priority. While I don’t buy all the fancy products, I do splurge on a few like my daily moisturizer and night time face cream.

    Also, I can’t believe I’m admitting this…but I was probably in my early thirties before I made it a priority to take my makeup off at bedtime! I realized, “Girl, wash your face!” before it was a thing…or a book! 😉 So, just finally doing that was a step in the right direction and through the years I’ve added other products into my skincare routine.

    Three years ago, I started going to a local med spa once a month. My membership package includes one of the following each month: a facial, a chemical peel, microdermabrasion, or (my favorite!) dermaplane (basically–the esthetician shaves your face!)

    Is my skin perfect? Heck no. Am I in an uphill battle against aging ? Yes! That being said, I feel like I’m being proactive with taking the time to wash my face, use a toner and moisturizers as well as taking care of skin with the facials. Plus, it’s just a treat for me once a month to decompress!

    Manicure/Pedicures

    Before kids, when I had more time and money!, I used to get monthly pedicures and a manicure every two weeks. Now, I save monthly pedicures for April-September, and then get gel manicures 6-8 times a year. I love gel manicures because they last longer (and I always have my nails painted), but, again, I usually get them before spring break, summer vacation, Christmas, etc. Just another form of self care!

    Reading

    A few years ago, we joined a pool in the summer. My kids are older now, so they run around with their friends and are able to swim (so I don’t have to stress about that!) when we are at the pool. So, while they did that, I got back into reading. I’ve always been a reader, but there were years when I was in grad school, raising two babies while working full time that reading for pleasure was put on the back burner.

    Now, I read quite regularly. Last year, I purchased my Kindle which has provided me more opportunities for reading. I keep it in my purse and read while my kids have a practice or any other spare minutes I may have in the day. I am glad that I’ve made reading a part of my daily routine.

    Quiet Time

    I’ve always been someone who needs to ease into the day, and once I had kids that became even more important for me. So, I get up about 30-45 minutes before the rest of my family on the weekdays. On the rare occasion that Travis gets up early and is hanging around the living room, he gets major side eye from me….like “why are you interrupting my ‘me’ time?” 😂I spend those precious quiet minutes sipping my coffee, scrolling through my phone, watching the news, and reading my favorite blogs.

    I need that time to myself to get my mind right for the day. That being said, I need a bit of quiet time in the evening too. I mean, Travis doesn’t get side eye from me at night if he is also in the living room watching a show! It’s just the morning time that I need the time to myself. BUT…it’s also why I’ve tried to be pretty strict about bedtime for my kids (of course, they need sleep too), but I also just need that hour to relax between their bedtime and my bedtime!

    Blogging

    Last, but not least, blogging has turned into a form of self care for me. I enjoy this creative outlet and carving out a few minutes for me to write as a way to express myself each day. I’ve said it before, but I’m pretty introverted and quiet, so this blog is also a way to share my voice, I guess. It’s fun for me to think of content, link up with other bloggers, and continue to grow in this space. I definitely hope it’s something I can keep doing at least three times a week!

    Next month’s Not Just a Mom topic is cleaning routine. Travis may have to write that blog post for me! He’s a cleaning machine! We balance each other out—I like to tidy up while he likes to bust out the broom and the mop!

    I love that my 100th blog post synced up with a post about self care since blogging has become an important part of my life. Thanks so much for your support on my blogging journey so far! I really appreciate it.

    I hope you have a great week.