15 Deliciously Fun March Madness Food Ideas + Links to the Recipes!

Today is the last day of February! That can only mean one thing... Spring March Madness is coming! And in my home, it's a pretty big deal. We watch games, snack, and repeat.


Here are fifteen fun, basketball themed food ideas that are sure to make any game a SLAM DUNK!

Basketball Peanut Butter Dip via Julie's Eats and Treats

Philly Cheesesteak Sliders via Home Made Interest

Easy Basketball Brownies via Confessions of a Sports Mama

Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites via Two Peas & Their Pod

Basketball Pizza Dip via I Heart Arts 'n Crafts

Basketball Breakfast Kabobs via Confessions of a Sports Mama

Jalapeño Popper Pigs in a Blanket via Host The Toast

Buffalo Chicken Nachos via Yellow Bliss Road

Basketball Cupcakes via Confessions of a Sports Mama

Basketball Mini-Quesadillas via Worth Pinning

Bacon Wrapped Smokies via Moms Need to Know

Game Day Buffalo Hot Wings via Ahead of Thyme

Slam Dunk Basketball Cookies via 2 Wired 2 Tired

Jalapeño Mozzarella Sticks via Life's Ambrosia

Pizza Basketball Court via Food Network

Let me know if you end up making any of the recipes. Or be the game MVP by sharing one of your own in our Facebook Group!

Happy March, Sports Mamas!

*** Click HERE to read my Super Bowl food ideas!

DIY Basketball Themed Valentine's Day Box

Up until a few days ago, I thought my days of helping my boys prepare for their school Valentine's celebrations were over. I was feeling a bit sad about it too. They grow up way too fast! But then I read No. 3's teacher's weekly newsletter, and that fear disappeared!


Just like No. 2 did when he was in the fifth grade, he has been tasked with creating a Valentine's Day Box! Here are the rules:

1. Create a box to hold your valentines- it should be big enough to hold valentines from your classmates.
2. You must be able to transport your box to and from school on your own!
3. You can get help from your family, but you must be the creator and be involved in every part of building your box.
4. All boxes must be at school by February 14th.

Winners will be chosen for each of the following categories; traditional, most creative, "green", sports themed, animal themed, book/movie themed. The winners will each receive $500 in bonus bucks which the students can turn in for things such as extra recess! And because No. 3 is MY boy, I'm sure you can already guess what theme he chose... sports, of course!


He decided on making a basketball box. (Click HERE to see the football themed box No. 2 made a few years back).

Want to make one yourself? Here's what you'll need?

• Box (we used one of Coach Hubby's shoe boxes)
• Construction paper (orange, white, and black)
• Wood grain printed duck tape (tan construction paper will work if you can't find any!)
• Markers
• Scissors
• Glue (a glue stick and hot glue)
• Paper towel roll
• Rings from two Gatorade bottles (they will become the rims)

He began by applying the duck tape to the top of the box.

Once the entire top was covered, he used the orange construction paper to cover the sides.

The next step was to draw the lines on the court (half court, 3-point, etc.) We used a black sharpie for that. Quick tip: tracing a paper plate will help avoid wiggly lines!

Now that you have a court, it's time to make your hoops! Unfortunately, I do not have any pictures of the actual process, but here's the finished product.

We made the backboard out of white cardstock. No. 3 wrote the words "shoot me a valentine" on them and glued on a basketball. The pole was made out of a paper towel roll. We simply cut it, colored it black with a sharpie, and glued them together. We then hot glued the Gatorade ring aka rim to the backboard, let it dry for a few minutes, and then glued the entire hoop to the box. He also made a scoreboard using the black construction paper. That's it!


As far as Valentine's cards, I found this super cool idea on Pinterest! I mean seriously, what can't you find on there?!?

(Click HERE for directions including free printable and 3 ingredient slime recipe!)

Happy Valenslime's Day, Sports Mamas! Wishing you love, health, and happiness today and every other day of the year!




*** Update 2/15/19- HE WON!!!!

*** Have a collegiate athlete? Click here for a care package idea!

7 Things I Learned In My First Season as a High School Basketball Mom

No. 1's first season of high school basketball has come and gone. SO bittersweet! The team finished 12-3, earning them the best record in the conference. Way to go, Spartans!

Just like with any brand new experience, I learned quite a bit along the way and thought I'd share it with you all today.

1. It's a big time commitment. Between practices and games, high school basketball is a six day a week sport- every single day except for Sunday. The days are long but the season is short. I'm missing it already!
2. Games are early. Well, Freshman and JV games are. In our area, the Freshman play at 4:15pm and JV plays at 5:30pm which can make it tough for parents to get to each and every game. Luckily for me, I leave work at 3:15pm and didn't miss a game. You may want to keep this in mind if you have a rising Freshman!
3. Cash is a must. As with all high school sporting events, you must pay to watch. Games in our area cost $6 for adults and $5 for students (cash only!), children under 5 and senior citizens are the only ones who get in for free. And of course if you give in and visit the ever so tempting concession stand, you'll need cash for that too. Mmmmm, Chick-fil-A sandwiches!
4. No participation rule. Yep, you read correctly. Coach does not have to put your player in if he does not want to. If your athlete is one of the last ones off the bench, tell them to not take it personally. Only 5 players from their team can be on the court at a single time. Be supportive and tell them to keep working. Hard work really does pay off! (Click HERE to read my post about what to say to your child after each and every game).
5. Volunteers. High school basketball depends heavily on parent volunteers. Each of our home games required 5 volunteers; 2 to help with ticket sales and 3 to help run the concession stand (click HERE for my tips on running a successful concession stand plus a list of the 10 best sellers!). Multiply that number times three home games (Freshman, JV, and Varsity) for a total of 15 volunteers needed per game day. It takes a village!
6. Student Section. You know the group of student fans that sit together to cheer on the home team and cheer against the visiting team. They are awesome if you are playing at home, but beware, they can be brutally frustrating if you are away! If your child is going to play high school ball or ball at any higher level for that matter, they're going to need to have thick skin (as are you!)... especially when they're shooting their free throws at away games!
7. Basketball is family! Many of the Freshman players and their families will stay and watch both the JV/Varsity games and vice versa, even if that means being at the gym for five hours. Hello, bleacher butt! We cheer for each and every player on the team. We help give each others kids rides to and from practice. We buy extra hot dogs at the concession stand for our hungry Sports Mama bffs. We're all in this together!

I hope you all have had, or are still having, a fun basketball season!


#BALLISLIFE




*** Like this post? Click HERE to read 7 things I learned in my first two weeks as a high school football mama!

20 Deliciously Fun Super Bowl Food Ideas + Links to the Recipes!

The big game is tomorrow!


We may not be rooting for the same team or even be able to agree on which commercial is the best. But one thing is for sure, 99.9% of us are looking forward to the food! It doesn't matter whether you're hosting your own party, have been invited to one, or will simply be watching at home in your jammies. Regardless of your plans, you won't want to miss this list of 20 Deliciously Fun Super Bowl Food Ideas.


I've compiled a mix of both savory and sweet game day dishes (along with links to the recipes!) that are sure to score a touchdown! Ready, set, hit... I mean, here we go!

Football Deviled Eggs via Full Thyme Student



Pulled Pork Nachos via Family Fresh Meals

Easy Football Brownies via Confessions of a Sports Mama

Loaded Tater Tot Skewers via Made With Happy



Football Pepperoni Pizza via Eclectic Recipes

Bacon Cheeseburger Meatballs via An Affair from the Heart

Ice Cream Football Sandwiches via The Celebration Shoppe 

Chocolate Strawberry Footballs via Sweet Dreams and Sugar Highs 

Philly Cheesesteak Sliders via Delish.com 

Pigskins in a Blanket via Delish.com

Jalapeño Popper Football Cheese Ball via Peas and Crayons 

Garlic Parmesan Baked Chicken Wings via Evolving Table 



Football Cake via Confessions of a Sports Mama 

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs via Tidy Mom 

Fruit Filled Watermelon Football Helmet via Watermelon.org 



Rotel and Velveeta Queso Dip via Eighteen25 

Cream Cheese Jalapeño Poppers With Bacon via Wholesum Yum 

Crispy Loaded Hasselback Potato Bites via The Comfort of Cooking 

Snack Stadium via Kraft Recipes 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Footballs via Life, Love and Sugar

Have a favorite game day food? I'd love for you to share the recipe in the comment section below or in our Facebook Group! #sharingiscaring

GO RAMS TEAM!!!

*** Click HERE to read my March Madness food ideas!

Sports Mama Tip: 5 Healthy Habits for a Better You!

We are chauffeurs. We are nurses. We are water girls. We are cheerleaders. We are uniform washers. We are photographers. And so much more.


We are Sports Mamas!


And as Sports Mamas, we tend to put our needs last. It's easy to see how and why this happens. To fall into that non-stop "go, go, go" routine. But guess what, Mama? Without you there is no youth athlete. You play just as big a role in their success, if not bigger, than their coaches do.


Here are FIVE healthy habits to help you not only be the best Sports Mama you can be, but to also help you be the best you that you can be.

1. Eat healthier. The key word is healthier. I know first hand just how tough this can be as a Sports Mama. Especially when you're constantly running from work to practice and have no time in between to prepare dinner. Use your crockpot (click HERE for 2 weeks worth of dinner ideas!). Keep bagged lettuce and fresh veggies on hand for quick salads. And when you just can't avoid the drive-thru, try ordering grilled options instead of fried. Grab a bottle of water instead of a soda.
2. Get moving. Get your heart rate up and your blood circulating. Even if only for twenty minutes a day. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, stand more than you sit, walk or run the track at your child's practice. You will not only burn calories by doing so, but will also boost your mood and help improve your sleep quality.
3. Take time out for you. It can be very hard to find me time as a busy Sports Mama. Trust me, I get it! But it is so important that we do a little something for ourselves that makes us happy. Read a book, take a hobby class, get a mani/pedi, have a dinner date with your bff. I recently joined a yoga studio and I absolutely love it! I get an hour all to myself, to stretch, breathe, and meditate. I leave out feeling calm, refreshed, and accomplished.
4. Say no sometimes. Believe me mama, it will be ok. You don't have to be team mom every single season. You do not have to sign your athlete up for multiple, overlapping sports. You do not always have to be the team Uber driver. You are present. You are enough.
5. Rest. Cliché, yes. But oh so important! Sleep boosts your immunity, helps to reduce stress, improves your memory, and may even help reduce the risk of some chronic conditions such as heart disease and depression.

I hope you not only find these tips helpful, but that you also put them into action.


Make time to take care of YOU, mama! And remember, your kids don't want a perfect mom, they want a happy, healthy one.