They Said What?- August 29, 2017

Hey mamas! I haven't written one of these types of blog posts in a while, but the words out of No. 2's mouth (actually written by him) were just too funny not to share!


Monday was the first day of the 2017-18 school year. I have an 8th, 7th, and 4th grader. Holy cow! How did that happen so quickly? As I was clearing off the kitchen table, I noticed a piece of paper with some questions and answers on it. Here's what it said:


What is your goal for this year?


Win football championship


What will you need to do to achieve this?

1. Practice everyday
2. Don't slack at practice
3. Listen carefully
4. Don't goof off
5. Work hard

Who will you need to help support you and in what ways?

1. Coach, to help me understand plays
2. Dad, extra confidence
3. Mom, drop me off

Ha!!! Wait. Really! Is that all he thinks I do?


I just had to share it with my favorite football mamas, via our never ending group chat (which averages a good 300 texts a day- at the very least!). And of course, they chimed in with all the extra things we do that he forgot to mention:

• Pick up
• Nourishment
• Encouragement
• Biggest supporter
• Photographer
• Memory catcher
• Nurturer
• Motivation speaker
• Nutrition counselor
• Donut purchaser
• Watermelon cutter
• Orange peeler
• Banner maker
• Cupcake baker
• Official Febreezer
• Cowbell ringer
• Boo boo kisser

And my absolute favorite...

• Goddess of all things important

I absolutely adore each and every one of them!




What will my boys say (or write!) next? Check back soon to find out!

Sports Mama Tip: How To Slice Oranges Like a Pro!

Oranges are an excellent source of Vitamin C as well as other key vitamins and nutrients. It's no wonder that they are the number one choice of halftime fruit in youth sports!

I wanted to share a few quick tips for making your next run at halftime fruit mama, a piece of cake.


First, the type of oranges. I always use navel oranges. They're large, seedless, easy to peel, and have the perfect balance of both sweet and tart.

I like to cut my oranges into slices, as opposed to wedges or segments. I find that they are easier, quicker, and less messy for the kids to eat this way.


Here's how I do it:


Begin by slicing both ends off of your washed oranges.

Then slice it once down the middle, lengthwise.

You should now have two equal parts. Proceed by cutting each half into slices (lengthwise again).

I can usually get about ten slices out of each orange.

Tada! Easy peasy!


(Side note: I always cut them up the night before so that they will be nice and chilled for the team. Don't forget to bring a plastic bag for the peels!)

Be sure to check back frequently for more sports mama tips!

10 Signs You're Probably a Football Mom

We're a special bunch. I mean, let's face it. It definitely takes a special type of mama to let her child play tackle football.


Here are ten telltale signs that you're probably a football mom...

1. You take your Summer vacations BEFORE the start of the season. Beach trip in August? Where they do that at!? August is for tackling, not building sand castles!
2. Your team colors are the new black! You are constantly browsing store aisle after store aisle for anything and EVERYTHING in them; nail polish, hats, bracelets, sweatshirts. You name it, you've got it. In fact, you have an entire dresser drawer dedicated entirely to football season!
3. You don't eat dinner before 8pm. You're at the football field for two hours every evening. Even if you could eat dinner before practice, why would you? Your player is going to be STARVING afterwards. Why make extra work for yourself?
4. You make your grocery list with your child's teammates in mind. As a matter of fact, you ditched the grocery store all together! You go to Costco to buy all of your fruit and snacks in bulk. How else will you be able to feed the entire small army team?
5. You can slice 10 large, navel oranges in no time. Heck, you can probably slice them with your eyes closed. Just kidding about the eyes closed part. Please don't attempt that!
6. Your car smells like a portable locker room. Shoulder pads + helmets  + gloves + super sweaty kids ... need I say more?
7. You have no free Saturdays from August until November. And you're all good with that. There's not a place you'd rather be than on the bleachers cheering for your kid and their team!
8. Your kitchen cupboard is filled with more water bottles than cups. And you're not ashamed to drink out of them yourself. It's 5pm somewhere, right?
9. You have no voice on Sundays. You were cheering and yelling "HIT HIM!" at the very top of your lungs the day prior. No shame in your game. If you're not their number one fan, who else will be?!
10. You're thirty-something and can still fit into a size youth large. Not really. Not at all actually. But you do your BEST to squeeze into their extra practice jersey on game days. Work it, girl!

Good luck this season, mamas!

Sports Mama Review: Football Ties Vinyl Nail Decals

I recently purchased football nail decals from Etsy.com. I spotted them on Pinterest last year, and had been eyeing them ever since! Shop owner CutecraftycreationUT says "Do you want a salon looking manicure in the comfort of your home? Look no further! These nail decals make a cute manicure in no time! Just paint your nails the desired color, wait for them to dry, apply nail decal and add a top coat!".

For $4 you receive a sheet of 78 ties. I ordered them on a Monday, and received them two days later. Talk about fast shipping!

They came with easy to follow application instructions.

I began by painting my nails first (base coat + 2 coats of color). I made sure that they were completely dry before proceeding with the decals. I then placed one decal on each nail. A few times the positioning was off, so I had to quickly remove and reposition them. I found that using a pair of nail scissors was the easiest way to do this. Out of the four that I repositioned, only one was damaged. Once all of the decals had been placed, I sealed them with a layer of top coat.


Here is the finished product:

Seriously, how cute are they??? I received so many compliments while wearing them!


They lasted a solid three days before beginning to peel. I'm pretty sure they would have lasted longer had I applied more than one layer of top coat. It's all good with me though. I didn't plan on wearing them an entire week anyway!


I've already recommended this product to some my favorite mamas. They are definitely a product all football mamas should have in their spirit stash! I mean, have you tried drawing football laces on your nails freehand before? I have. And let me tell you, it wasn't easy!


Click HERE to order your own! 


Happy shopping!

Sports Mama Review: Create out Loud Cowbell

As previously mentioned, my boys are playing football for a new club this season. A new club means new teammates, new mama friends, new colors, and of course, a NEW COWBELL! I mean, what good is a football mama without her cowbell?!


I purchased the Create out Loud Large Cowbell with Handle from Walmart. The online description says "The Create Out Loud range of noisemakers will help elevate your team spirit to the next level. The customizable cow bell will help you cheer your team on! Add your own unique touch to this cowbell with paint, stickers, markers, stencils, etc.!". The bell is 10" tall and 3" wide. The bigger the better, right!

It is lightweight, yet seems quite sturdy. And best of all, it is LOUD! I haven't tested it at an actual game just yet, but I have rang it quite a bit at home- my kids and puppy must love me! Ha.


To customize my cowbell, I began by covering it with two coats of orange spray paint. (Tip: I covered the handle with aluminum foil prior to spraying, to ensure it stayed black). I then let the paint dry for a solid 24 hours before decorating.

For decorating supplies, I took a trip to my local Michaels. I bought football shaped stickers as well as blue and white markers. Don't forget to use a coupon! I also dug into my craft bin where I was able to find white, sticker letters that I colored blue. I ended up hot gluing the stickers on for an added layer of protection. (I can go a little crazy jumping up and down ringing my bell sometimes).


Here is the finished product!

I'm very happy with how my bell turned out! I will be sure to update my post about midway through the season with how it is holding up.


GO SYC!!!






***UPDATE: Football season ended last week and my bell was still going strong... even after all of the ringing and jumping up and down I did! It was by far THE loudest one in the stands and I received SO many compliments on it. I can't wait to ring it again next season! #icantkeepcalmimafootballmom

Sports Mama Review: Redskins Moms Football Safety Clinic

This past Thursday, I met up with two of my favorite sports mamas and we headed down to Richmond for a football safety clinic hosted by the Washington Redskins Charitable Foundation. It was only $10 to attend, however, preregistration was required as spaces were extremely limited (only 100 to be exact!).


The clinic was held at Bon Secours Training Facility- the same facility that the Washington Redskins hold training camp at!

It was my first time at the clinic, as well as at the park. Upon arrival, we went through a quick security check, signed a waiver, and were given our VIP passes! Woot woot!

Once we received our passes, we were taken to a tent where lunch (wraps, potato salad, pasta salad, and fruit) awaited us. As did these awesome dri-fit tees...

Seriously... how cute are they?!


While we ate, we heard from several different guest speakers. There was a demonstration given by Dick's Sporting Goods employees (who also happened to be former college football players!) on equipment; including how it should fit, optional items for added protection, and the huge strides that have been made to ensure that our players are as safe as possible when on the field.

A couple of former Redskins were in the tent house as well! Super Bowl champion Gary Clarke and fan favorite Chris Cooley shared their thoughts on youth football as well as some of their own personal experiences.

I absolutely loved hearing them share stories of their mothers supporting them throughout their football careers! A couple of quotes in particular really stood out to me:


"Football is the best family a guy can join."- Gary Clarke


"Be present. Be there for your kids. That's what matters most." - Chris Cooley


After we heard from the guest speakers, we moved outside for a 45 minute Heads Up instructional activity taught by a USA Football master trainer.

Yep, that's me in the "break down" position. Don't laugh! We were taught the proper tackling technique (head up) and even ran a few drills. Fun!

The clinic wrapped up at 2pm, but not before we were given these super cute, swag filled bags! I will definitely be rocking mine this season.

We were also given VIP access to stay and watch the players practice. And VIP it was! We were seated right behind one of the goal posts. Say whaaat? Winning!

It was hands down one of the most fun days I've had in a long time. Football, (girl)friends, and food- what's not to like? In fact there was just one negative I can think of... porta-potties. Ugh. Gross!

I will definitely be back next year (even if there still is no indoor plumbing available)! Ha! And I would highly encourage you to attend your home team's clinic as well.


Hail to the Redskins!!!