Tag: valentine's day

Posted in Friday Favorites, Gift Ideas, Holidays, Kids, Travel

Friday Favorites {#292}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

How was your week? Ours was good overall, but I think being out of town last weekend made me extra tired this week. We had warmer temps and lots of sunshine…proof that spring is around the corner.

As always, I’m linking up with Andrea for Friday Favorites.

Here are a few favorites from the week.

Since Hadley and I were going to be out of town for volleyball, I gave the kids their Valentine’s Day presents on Friday after school.

I got both kids and Trav some candy, and then for Hayden, he always suggests baseball cards as a gift, so I bought him a box at Dick’s Sporting Goods. Also, I bought him a Chiefs keychain for the car, so he didn’t have to use the dealer one anymore. I actually got him an air tag too, so he can keep up with the keys.

Hadley has completely hijacked one of our new living room blankets, so I got her one of her own. After we went to Hadley’s first tournament, we realized she didn’t really have an overnight bag. She often uses a spare backpack, but we purged what she had when we cleaned out her closet. Anyway, some of her friends have this Free People Carryall bag, and when I searched for it, I realized DSG has them…and some colors were on sale. So, on one of our snow days, I went to our local store and bought her one in the “petal” color. When she opened it, she was surprised and said, “Oh…it’s the real thing!” She knows I love a dupe! haha (I love a sale too, apparently!)

Anyway, they kids were surprised and appreciative.

Travis gave me a gift card for a massage, and of course my card had bubble letters.

Saturday was Valentine’s Day, and we were up and out the door to drive to Knoxville. Hadley’s team played in the afternoon wave, and wore their pink shirts for Valentine’s Day.

They played well on Saturday! Hadley’s been working on a little jump serve, and she’s getting there!

That evening, we walked around downtown we saw lots of festive touches.

How cute are these hearts and the red and white lights?

I swear Hadley is going to turn into a taco! She requested Mexican food once she saw that restaurant option, so that’s what we had…and then we went for ice cream. I was full, but she got the red velvet, and it was delish.

We walked back to the hotel which was around the corner from the Tennessee Theater. I’d seen this lit up sign in photos, so it was as surprise to walk right past it.

Sunday, they didn’t play until the afternoon, so we had some time on our hands. It was a really rainy morning, so it was nice to start off slowly. We met friends and had lunch at Tupelo Honey. We’d been to one in Asheville before, and the biscuits were as good as I remembered them to be.

Loved the Bless Your Heart glasses.

The girls dodged the rain to shop a bit, and then we headed to the convention center. They played some tough teams, but overall played well on Sunday too.

Sunday was a very late night that ended with us eating Chipolte (for Hadley – I told you…she’s going to turn into a taco!) and Cava for me…in our hotel room at 9:30 at night. We were so tired!

This was a three day tournament…I’m not sure why (LOL!). The girls made it to the silver bracket on Monday morning. We were down a hitter, so Hadley played all around on Monday. I laugh when my 5’3″ daughter playing front row, but she had some good hits AND a couple of blocks. She was so happy!

We were home by Monday afternoon, so at least I had some time at home on my Monday day off. I unpacked, took a nap, and placed a Kroger order. Overall, it was a good but busy weekend.

Yesterday, I sat in the backseat while Hadley drove us home from school. Her friend was in the front seat, and I was like, “Wow! Times have changed!” haha

Y’all, the Toms ads are targeting me! In the winter, I purchased two pairs of booties (to replace two that I’d had for years) that were on sale, and then, I saw an ad for these mules that were on sale. I ordered the metallic linen color, and they arrived this week. I can’t wait for spring! (Some colors appear to be out of stock, but there is limited sizing on some others…I did size up from a 9 to 9.5)

Yesterday, I didn’t feel like working out, but I decided to do a quick workout. Well, I got a notification that I’d completed my 400th workout! I believe this is my 400th since I started tracking about three years ago. Anyway, it was a pleasant surprise of an accomplishment.

Favorite Mom Meme:

This one depends on the day, but I can certainly relate.

Weekly Recap:

Here are my posts from the week:

Finish the Sentence
Sunday Reflection
Monday Memo
Tuesday Talk
Throwback Thursday

We have lots going on this weekend, but I hope to get caught up on some much needed rest. I also need to take down my (limited) Valentine’s Day decor, I hope to finish a book and watch what’s left of the Olympics.

Posted in Friday Favorites, Holidays

Friday Favorites {#291}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

It’s been a good week once we got back into a routine. I know we just had two (unexpected) weeks off of school, but I’m not mad about the upcoming three day weekend.

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

Here are some faves from the week:

The Olympics!

I’ve planned my evenings around watching the Prime Time coverage, and that means I’ve also been going to bed later than I should. I’ve enjoyed watching as many events as possible, and I always love learning more about the athletes.

Screenshot

I almost missed out on my (half off) birthday discount, but on one of the final days of January, I ordered a Kendra Scott ring that I’d had my eye on. My local store didn’t have it, so I just ordered it online. It arrived this week, and I love it.

Hadley’s club volleyball photos came in, and they turned out so cute.

I’m not sure what took me so long to do so, but I finally bought a couple of bags at Trader Joe’s to haul my groceries in. We do like using the paper bags because we’ll use them for our recycling, but I do like having these bags, and they’ve come in handy for carrying my Kroger and Aldi groceries too.

I went to Walmart on Monday to make a return, and of course I had to look around. How cute are these (salad and dinner) plates? They are the Pioneer Woman brand, so of course they’re cute! I was so tempted to buy them, but I showed restraint. I guess I can always go back!

I’ve shared these Threshold brand candles a couple of times. I have the pink one, and I was placing a Target pick up order, so I thought I’d go ahead and snag a white one. Well, how could I resist the green one?!…and Target had a buy one get one half off sale. These are already reasonably priced, especially for the quality, so I just couldn’t say no.

With the Chiefs not being in the Super Bowl, our Super Bowl traditions were all out of whack. We did still go to my brother’s house, but instead of ordering a cookie cake, I made Valentine’s Day(ish) brownies. They were a hit.

Speaking of Valentine’s Day, my mom gave me these little heart tea lights via my Gma. So festive and cute.

We have a lot going on this weekend, so I went ahead and made our “Valentine’s Day” family dinner last night. Heart shaped chicken nuggets for the win!

Both kids love nuggets, and Hadley loves mac and cheese, so this was an easy meal to make. On a whim, I added some of the Sister Schubert rolls to my Kroger order, and we made little chicken minis!

The Valentine’s Day card for our family tradition continues! I snapped a pic of the kids on one of our snow days, and then I ordered the cards from Shutterfly. I love sending these to family every year.

The way to my heart…

Favorite Mom Meme:

I feel seen! Why is it like this? haha

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:

I’m sure I share this every year, but I loved dressing the kids up for Valentine’s Day when they were younger. This pic is from 2011…their second Valentine’s Day. Pinchy cheek cute.

Weekly Recap:

I’ve still been a busy blogger….

Super Bowl APPS
Olympic Food ideas
Share Our Lives
10 on the 10th
Wednesday Hodgepodge
Olympic Movies

It’s Friday the 13th. Let’s hope it’s a low-key day at school. haha!

Have a great weekend!

Posted in Holidays, Monthly Musings

Monthly Musings: January 2026

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello from the frozen tundra that is Kentucky!

We’re officially home from school for the entirety of the week. We got the call yesterday afternoon that today would be an NTI day, and tomorrow will be a snow day.

Where where has this month gone? It’s already the last Thursday of the month, so I’m linking up with Patty and Holly for Monthly Musings.

This month’s topic is about…winter fun/Valentine’s Day.

1. Describe your winter so far in one word.

Harsh. We rarely get snow in December, and we ended up having three snow days that month. Last weekend, we were supposed to get 12 inches of snow, but instead we got around five inches and some ice…followed by bitterly cold temps. The city roads are trying to recover, and it’s just not happening, especially on the secondary and neighborhood roads.

My little snowman flag is frozen!

2. What winter activities have you never tried but want to?

I can’t really think of anything. I always think the idea of going somewhere to ski in the winter sounds fun, but I think I’d be a nervous wreck wondering if someone is going to break something! I’d be good at sipping a beverage by the fire with a view of the mountain! ha!I think I’d be an “Apres ski” girl!

3. Favorite winter beverage?

A hot cup of coffee. I’ve been on an iced coffee kick, but I switched back to hot coffee this week because the temps have been so cold that I can’t stay warm.

4. Least favorite winter chore?

We love Homer, but I think my least favorite chore is letting him in and out. He often stands at the top of the stairs contemplating going out while letting in the cold air. I am thankful that he doesn’t mind going out on his own because some years he gets “spooked” by the snow on the steps, and we have to take him out on a leash.

5. Soup or chili? Share a recipe if you’d like.

I like both…and I like soup/chili season because both often provide leftovers. On Sunday, I made Shay’s Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice Soup. I wanted to make chili, but finding ground beef proved to be difficult last weekend.

6. Dark chocolate? Milk chocolate? Neither or both?

I prefer dark chocolate. This time of the year, I always think of the little candy assortments that are out for Valentine’s Day.

7. Share your Galentine’s or Valentine’s Day plans.

Valentine’s Day is on a Saturday this year…and I believe it’s President’s Day weekend. I’m sure I will try to make a “special” dinner for the fam or let them choose their favorite foods for dinner like I’ve done in the past. Trav and I always exchange cards, and I get the kids a couple of things.

8. Do you dress festive for Valentine’s Day?

I picked up a gray sweatshirt with a red gingham heart on it at Target a couple of years ago, and that’s about it.

Screenshot

9. Do you make any sweet treats for Valentine’s Day?

The sweet treat is usually whatever candy I get Trav and the kids. Sometimes, we’ll pick up cookies or cupcakes for dessert.

10. What is your love language?

I read that book a few years ago, and my love language is definitely “Acts of Service.”

Well, Valentine’s Day will be here before we know it!

Posted in Holidays, Monthly Musings

Monthly Musings

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Thursday!

Well, it’s the last week of month which means it’s time for all the end of the month link ups.

I’m linking up with Holly and Patty for Monthly Musings.

This month’s topic is how we show love.

1. What’s your love language?

My love language is definitely acts of service. I appreciate it so much when Travis does things for me…anything from making the bed if I don’t have time to running an errand for me or even doing bigger things like planning vacations.

I truly do appreciate it when he helps out in those ways and takes things off my plate. Just yesterday, he came home during lunch to help start dinner in the slow cooker.

2. Favorite love songs?

I like music, but I’m the worst with song titles. I still love the classic Someone Like You as it was our first dance at our wedding. I mostly listen to country music and love Chris Stapleton’s Joy of My Life.

3. Flowers, chocolate or something else?

I love (and appreciate!) flowers and a card….which is what I got for my birthday (along with a nice dinner out and cake, of course!)

4. Favorite romantic movie/rom com?

Oh…there are too many to count. My faves are While You Were Sleeping, Sleepless in Seattle, You’ve Got Mail, and Sweet Home Alabama.

In the past year, I’ve watched all of these with Hadley to show her some of my favorite movies. Just a couple of weekends ago, we watched Sweet Home Alabama. I’d forgotten how much I love that movie.

5. Favorite childhood Valentine’s Day memory?

Oh…I fondly remember class parties for Valetine’s Day, making our Valentine’s Day boxes and giving and receiving Valetines.

The kids had quite a few fun class parties, and I was glad to help out a time or two.

6. How do you celebrate Valentine’s Day?

Our Valentine’s Day is typically pretty low-key. We give each other cards, and then I pick up a few things for the kids.

When the kids were younger, we always made a point to get a sitter to watch them and then we’d go out to eat the weekend before or after Valentine’s Day.

We still try to go out to dinner, but obviously we don’t need a sitter now.

7. Any love or romance traditions?

I truly love the tradition of receiving a card…and Trav writing bubble letters for my name is icing on the cake. haha

8. When do you feel most loved?

I’m sure I feel loved every day, but especially on my birthday and Mother’s Day. Facebook messages, texts, phone calls, and cards are always nice on my birthday. Mother’s Day means a lot to me too, and it’s nice that the kids take some time to show me some love. I really appreciate it.

9. Big night out or chill at home?

At this stage in life, if chilling at home is an option, that’s probably my choice. That being said, I like an early dinner or happy hour and then hanging out at home watching a game or movie.

10. Do you wear red/pink on Valentine’s Day?

I’m not big on either of those colors, but I love a seasonal/holiday sweatshirt. This one from Target was a fun find this Valentine’s Day season.

Screenshot

This was fun…now, let’s turn the page to March.

Posted in Friday Favorites, Holidays

Friday Favorites {#246}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

Well, after a somewhat consistent couple of weeks, this week was an odd one. We had no school Monday for Presidents’ Day, went to school on Tuesday, and then we had NTI days due to snow and cold temps Wednesday and Thursday. As I type this, my district said they’d make the call for today this morning. Besides the wacky school week, Hayden has had the flu! He’s doing better now, but he was pretty sick.

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

Here are some favorites from the week:

Last Friday was Valentine’s Day.

The kids had practice after school, but when they got home, I had a couple of gifts for them. They both got a few odds and ends, but I bought Hayden a quarter zip from Good Good Golf, and Hadley’s main gift was one of these wristlets from Lululemon. They are all the rage with teen girls right now.

I got Trav a card and chocolates, and he gave me a card and some chocolate covered strawberries.

I had to go to Kroger for my prescription, so while I was there I got the kids some candy, their favorite drinks, and a couple of smaller items like Chapstick. I picked up some cupcakes for dessert.

Anyway, it was a low-key evening, but fun to celebrate a bit.

We really didn’t have much going on last weekend which was perfect timing because I was getting over a sinus infection.

A couple of months ago, we were out with friends at a new pizza place in town. We spotted the private room they had and asked about it. We looked ahead at the UK basketball schedule, and booked the room for last Saturday. The fire was going, there were a few TV’s, serve yourself soft drinks, and we had our own waitress. So, we ordered apps, pizza, and drinks throughout the night. For the room, you had to spend $500. We spent a bit more than that, but we divided it among eight families. So, it was just a fun way to get together and watch a basketball game.

On Monday, since we were off of school, and everyone was still healthy, the kids and I ran some errands and then stopped for lunch at Shake Shack. We were only out and about for a couple of hours, but it was nice doing something with them on a day off. As you know, we’ve had a ton of snow days, but we’re usually at home or Hadley will go to a friend’s house to do her school work. Anyway, it was just a nice afternoon.

I know it’s crazy the amount of snow days and NTI days we’ve had, but our winters aren’t usually this active. While I’m ready for spring, the snowfalls have been pretty and you never know what the next year might bring. We’ve had winters with only a couple inches of snow in the past.

Not a favorite but the NTI days saved me from using sick days to take care of Hayden. Also, the pediatrician’s office feels so odd at this age. Seeing the little kids compared to my teenage boy is bittersweet. We’ve gone to the same pediatrician the kids’ whole lives, and when he walked in to see Hayden, he said, “Well, who is this guy?” haha…I don’t think Hayden’s been there since last spring, so I’m sure he’s grown a bit.

Wednesday night Travis and Hadley went to the UK basketball game and had some great seats. I was receiving lots of texts and messages with people spotting them behind UK’s bench. haha

Last weekend, Hadley and I watched Sweet Home Alabama. That’s one of my favorite movies that I hadn’t seen in years, and it was on Hulu. Hadley really liked it.

Speaking of Reese Witherspoon, I also watched her new movie with Will Farrell, You’re Cordially Invited. One of my favorite comedians, Leanne Morgan is also in it. It’s a quirky and funny movie…but I’m glad it was included in my Prime membership, and I didn’t have to pay extra to watch it.

Favorite Meals:

I kept our dinners pretty simple including sheet pan nachos…

…and a new recipe I tried: Bubble Up Pizza Bake…I didn’t get a picture of it as I assembled it and Hadley baked it…but we all loved it. Per Hadley’s request, I actually might make it again next week and add sausage to the pepperoni.

Favorite Mom Meme:

Man, this is so true, but I also know that in less than two years, they can take themselves wherever they need to go!

Weekly Recap:

This week I had a couple of posts:

Tuesday Talk: Skin Care
Thursday Thoughts: THings I Love

I hope you have a great weekend! Next week, our temps are on the rise, so maybe we’ll get back to some kind of normalcy!

Posted in Friday Favorites, Holidays, Kids

Friday Favorites {#245}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday…and happy Valentine’s Day!

How was your week? Ours was odd with a snow day on Tuesday. That meant that Wednesday felt like a Monday again! And, I’m still battling my cold which I think is now officially a sinus infection. I’m hoping this is the end of the sickness at my house!

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

Here are some favorites from the week.

On Saturday, Hayden had his second indoor mile race of the season, and he ran a PR of 4:47.

While Hayden was running, Hadley was playing in a sand volleyball tournament with her friends.

Last Thursday, I (finally) put out a few Valentine’s Day decorations. My Valentine’s Day decor doesn’t really change from year to year, but this little heart vase and flowers were a cute addition to my kitchen island tray. The Hershey Kisses don’t last very long!

On Sunday, Hadley and about ten friends had a Galentine’s Day party. One of her friends hosted and was sweet to ask her to come.

They had lots of fun hanging out, having a few snacks and making their own floral bouquets.

Sunday evening, we went to my brother’s house for the Super Bowl. Obviously, the outcome wasn’t a favorite, but we’re lucky to say it’s a tradition to watch the Chiefs in the Super Bowl these past few years.

Win or lose, getting a cookie cake is a favorite tradition too.

All smiles…before the game! haha

My mom gave me this belated birthday card. My favorite ladies!

…and a belated birthday gift. She has this butter dish from Crate and Barrel. I thought it was neat and pretty, so she gave me one too!

Valentine’s Day Card:

The Valentine’s Day card for family continues. This is a fun tradition through the years.

Favorite Mom Meme:

This…#accurate

Favorite Teacher Memes:

As a teacher, I thought these next two graphics are very relatable for me.

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:

I will always share these pics of my little Valentines…

Weekly Recap:

I was a link up girl this week!

Share Our Lives
Let’s Look
Wednesday Hodgepodge

This three day weekend, we actually don’t have much going on…and I think it’s just what the doctor ordered!

Posted in Holidays, This and That

Wednesday Hodgepodge

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Wednesday!

How is your week going? We’ve had one day of school, a snow day, and then I’m not feeling well. I feel like I have a cold, but I’m hoping it’s nothing more.

I’m linking up with Joyce for her weekly Hodgepodge post.

This week’s questions are Super Bowl/Valentine’s Day themed which is fun.

1. Did you watch the Super Bowl? Did your team win? What’s your favorite game day snack for whatever sport is happening?

Well, we were cheering for our Chiefs, so of course we watched the Super Bowl. Unfortunately, that means we were disappointed in the outcome. While I wasn’t expecting the Chiefs to win…it was just one of those seasons where they scraped by, I didn’t think it would be such a blow out. It felt like everyone wanted us to lose, so I hate that that was the outcome.

We went to my brother’s house, per tradition. Our Super Bowl menu is always pizza, wings, and cookie cake. The cookie cake was still delish, even with the loss.

We really have been spoiled being able to watch so many Super Bowls with the Chiefs playing, win or lose. Hopefully, they’ll be back some time soon.

2. What’s your “superpower”?

I think multi-tasking is my superpower. Not sure you can be a teacher and a mom without being a good multi-tasker.

3. Will you do anything special on Valentine’s Day? If so, do share. Any thoughts on/about this particular holiday? Share a favorite verse or quote relating to love.

Trav and I will typically go out to dinner at some point. I always try to do some type of Valentine’s Day themed family dinner at home on the 14th if our schedules allow. Through the years, I’ve made heart shaped pizza, let everyone choose their favorite dinner item and had a hodgepodge dinner, and we’ve also had heart shaped nuggets and some sides.

Chicken nuggets are on the menu for Thursday or Friday this week.

I think it’s a fun holiday to celebrate, but also not one that should carry too much weight. Travis and I only exchange cards, and I buy the kids a thing or two for Valentine’s Day. I’ve tried to make it special for them through the years.

I also like putting out a few Valentine’s Day touches. I don’t put out a lot, but I only just decorated last weekend. The decorations mainly stay the same from year to year.

Hadley and friends had a Galentine’s Day party last weekend. They made bouquets….and this heart shaped pic of their creations is cute!

My Bible plan for this month has been this one…all about love.

4. Are you a fan of the rom-com genre? If so, what’s one of your favorites? If you’re not a movie go-er, then what about a book you love that features a great love story? How about a favorite love song?

I love a rom-com movie. You’ve Got Mail, Sleepless in Seattle, and While You Were Sleeping are always my “go to” rom-com movies.

I don’t read as many love/chick lit books as I used to. I read The Match last month and thought it was cute.

5. Let’s get creative…write an acrostic using the word L-O-V-E.

My answer to #5 is both fun and also give me a moment to stand on my soap box. From an education standpoint, AI is a problem. AI can also be used for good. At the start of this school year, it was the first time we, as teachers, had professional development on how to use AI. Honestly, it is pretty amazing. I can make a twenty question multiple choice quiz over Romeo and Juliet in about thirty seconds.

Of course, it’s also a curse while trying to get students to write. Just like with plagiarism, I can typically “catch” students who’ve used AI. I’m not perfect as I’m sure some kids have gotten away with it, but for me, I always ask students to cite our textbook with page numbers, so that helps.

So, in our Google waffle, we have “Gemini.” Starting Tuesday, our students will have “Gemini” in their Google waffle too. So, I guess we’re telling the kids it’s ok to use these resources. Of course, just like for teachers, students could benefit from these AI resources…but call me old school…I think they should have to learn to write a paper, provide text evidence, support a claim, cite the text, and write a concluding paragraph.

Hopping off my soap box to share my AI Gemini generated acrostic LOVE poem.

Luminous and bright, a guiding star,

Outpouring of warmth, near and far,

Valuable and precious, a treasure to hold,

Eternal and boundless, a story untold.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

I hadn’t really thought about it, but the current unit for my students is Crazy, Stupid Love with Romeo and Juliet as the main text. The essential question for this unit is “What is true love?” Perfect for February.

It’s been a minute since I’ve had to struggle through Shakespeare with some freshman, but it’s been fun to do so far. Obviously, Shakespeare isn’t everyone’s “cup of tea,” but we have lots of resources.

For Act 1, I read the “bridge text” with my general English 1 students. This is a shorted version with summaries of each scene before a bit of the Shakespeare text. The textbook provides this resource online, so I just print a class set of the act.

Another English teacher shared the PDFs of the graphic novel for Act 2, so we’re reading that this week.

My Advanced students are reading the No Fear version which has the original text on the left and then a modern English version on the right. As we read the No Fear text, we listen from the online textbook. I think this is a great way to tackle the text as we can hear the various characters’ voices…and we can listen on 1.25x speed! It’s worked out nicely so far.

Lastly, another colleague shared the link to the Orlando Bloom on Broadway Romeo and Juliet play. Again, if I had the students watch the play from beginning to end, I wouldn’t be able to hold their attention. So, I’ve used it sporadically. On Monday, we read Act 2 scenes 1 and 2, and then watched the play…Act 2, scene 2 which is the famous balcony scene…”O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?” and…”Parting is such sweet sorrow that I shall say goodnight till it be morrow.”

It’s always interesting to see what students think of Romeo and his impulsiveness with love…Juliet too! I always here, “Ms. White! He just thought he loved Rosaline,” and “Ugh! They’re only 14!” haha!

Hayden and Hadley are reading the play in their Adv. English 1 class too. It’s fun to see the play through their eyes too.

Have a great Wednesday!

Posted in Holidays, Kids, Life Lately

Life Lately

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello!

How is your week going? Ours is…going.

Here’s a bit of our life…lately.

The kids had a big Friday night! They went to the 7th grade dance. Hadley was counting down the days, and we were all shocked that Hayden contemplated going. 😆

I’m not sure what their school did before Covid, but last year there weren’t any dances/mixers. This year, the PTSA has done an awesome job organizing something for every grade level. They had a school wide mixer (dance/game night) one Saturday evening in January, then the 6th graders had a casual after school dance in early February. The 7th graders had the Valentine’s Day dance on Friday night, and then the 8th graders have a more “formal” dance in the spring.

It’s been so nice to see the kids and their friends have these opportunities.

Here they are all dressed up and ready to go.

One of the moms organized a pre-dance get together with appetizers for the kids at a local restaurant. The moms stayed as well, so that we could then get them to the dance. So, from 5:15-6:45, the kids hung out, ate, and we talked them in to a few photos before they headed to the dance from 7-9.

This really is such a great group of kids. I’ve said it before, but Hayden and Hadley have held on to their close elementary friendships and the new friends they made last year have been such an added bonus. We’ve enjoyed getting to know the parents too.

Hayden rode with friends, and I got to drop these lovely ladies off at school.

Hayden texted about a half hour in to the dance asking when it was over. 😂Some of my friends were chaperones and reported back that both kids were having fun. Hadley gave us all the details when she got home, and Hayden actually said he had a good time.

This was such a nice “rite of passage” for them, and I loved seeing every moment.

Go Chiefs!

On Saturday, my mom decorated Chiefs cookies with the kids. I was impressed.

Sunday night was game time.

I picked up some balloons and a cookie cake. We’d ordered pizza the two previous play off games, so we continued that tradition too. Everyone was up late for the big win! We were all so excited.

Valentine’s Day

I think the kids had a pretty good Valentine’s Day. Unfortunately, I’ve been sick this week, so I wasn’t up to make a special breakfast. I did put out a couple of decorations once I got up…

After school, we gave them a few gifts.

I got the kids some candy and donuts. Then, they both got a new alarm clock/sound machine. They both have the same sound machine from when they were babies (seriously – their sound machines are now 13 years old!), and Hayden’s is kind of glitchy. I’m going to put Hadley’s old one in my suitcase, so we always have it on hand for travel. I’ve decided the kids need to start setting an alarm in the morning, so that combined with the sound machine was a good little gift that they “needed.”

A couple of months ago, I picked up a heart necklace for Hadley when Shay had her collaboration with Victoria Emerson.

For Hayden, I also got him this running calendar and Toughness by Jay Bilas. (*I may end up reading it too!) 😉

Then, for dinner, we had heart shaped chicken nuggets and mac and cheese. An easy and delicious dinner made us all happy.

The past couple of years, I’ve made a special weekend Valentine’s Day lunch, but with our already hectic weekend and then V-Day falling on a Tuesday, we made the most of it. Travis and I hope to go out to dinner this weekend.

Have a great Wednesday,

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Posted in Holidays

Happy Valentine’s Day

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Valentine’s Day!

A few festive touches:

I realized I never shared my Valentine’s Day decorations with you, but honestly, they are exactly the same as last year!

I change out the garden flag and door hanger…

….and then add in a few little touches in the living room and kitchen.

The XOXO banner is one I’ve used for a couple of years.

…and that’s about it! I will probably leave the outside things up the rest of February, but take down the inside stuff this weekend.

V-Day photo:

Well, we went from this:

…to this in the blink of an eye…

Every year, I take a pic of the kids and use it for a Valentine’s Day card for family. Most years, I use a snow day pic for the card, but other years, we seem to have more mild temps, so I have to take what I can get.

Here’s our card this year:

…and that’s about it. I bought donuts for the kids for breakfast this morning, and picked them up a couple of gifts and some candy. I’m sure they’ll feel the love 😉

Travis and I were supposed to go out to dinner on Saturday night for an early Valentine’s Day dinner, but I was under the weather. So, we’re hoping to try again this weekend. We’ll see.

Do you have any big Valentine’s Day plans?

Posted in Weekend Top 5

Weekend Wrap Up

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and Happy Monday! How was your weekend? I hope it was a good one. I’m sharing the details of what we were up to from basketball games, to my second vaccine, and Valentine’s Day in today’s Weekend Wrap Up.

Friday:

I got my second vaccine on Friday morning. The line was much longer than when I got my first dose. I think this was due to the fact that they had canceled vaccines due to weather on Thursday. So, there were scheduled and make up appointments on Friday. Also, now some people are getting their first dose while others are receiving their second dose. I still was there and home within in hour which was a win!

In the afternoon, I noticed our basketball goal…Brrrr!!!

Hadley went ice sledding on our street with one of her friends. I think the ice sledding on our street may have been a first! Sledding with snow has for sure happened in previous years, but I don’t know about sledding on ice.

They had lots of fun.

Later that evening, our power went out for 2 hours. We had friends and family who lost power the day before for 12-24 hours, so two hours was manageable although it took a minute for Hayden to realize all the things that need electricity to run….like his Xbox!

Later that evening, the vaccine caught up with me, and I went to bed.

Saturday:

Saturday I was very sick all day. All day. I felt like I had the flu. I had aches, chills, and a low grade fever. I also had very little appetite. Of course, I’ve heard this could happen, but I also know many who had little to no reaction with the first or second vaccine. I was definitely down for the count all day.

Hayden had two basketball games that I missed, and Hadley played with a friend for most of the day, so I was able to rest and get Homer snuggles.

Sunday:

Thankfully, I woke up yesterday feeling so much better. I’ve heard that too..that once you hit 36-48 hours post-vaccine, you are back to feeling normal. I was still tired most of yesterday, but I felt pretty good and was able to carry on with a pretty normal day (and an afternoon nap!)

Sunday morning, we went to church, and then Travis began his quest to find salt for our driveway and sidewalk. We have more inclement weather on the way this week.

After a couple of tries, we got lucky and got two of the last few bags of ice at a Kroger on our way home. ,

Just call me “basic” while shopping at Kroger: ice, bread, milk, and eggs…(and a few other items thanks to the kids!)

When we got home, some of the neighbors helped each other out shoveling driveways as many still were ice covered from last week’s Wednesday-Thursday storm. And, now we are preparing for this:

Kyweathercenter.com

After lunch, and before baseball and dance, we gave the kids their Valentine’s Day gifts and candy.

Then, I prepped the table for our Valentine’s Day dinner.

The plates, napkins, straws, paper hearts, and name tags were all in my Valentine’s Day tub, so I had the table set in a matter of minutes.

Then, Hadley had dance and Hayden went to baseball. While Hadley was at dance, I treated myself to a pedicure before picking her up.

The kids decorated cookies for dessert, and we enjoyed homemade pizza for dinner. Cutting heart shaped pepperonis was way easier than making a heart shaped pizza. It still tastes good though…

Since we went to early church on Sunday, I wasn’t able to make a special Valentine’s Day breakfast. Since we have no school today, I’m going to make Bev’s Cinnamon Biscuit Bake for them this morning.

To end on a funny note, I saw this meme over the weekend and couldn’t help but laugh!

I’m definitely the “It’s already 10pm” person while Travis tends to be more “It’s only 10 pm” haha

I actually had to count on my fingers, but this was my 20th Valentine’s Day with Travis. I’m very blessed if I do say so myself!

Linking up with Tanya and others.

I hope you have a great week. Stay safe and warm!