Team Mama Idea: Personalized Team Spirit Pin WITH PHOTO!

Our home opener is in two days! Being that this is No. 1's Senior season, my football mama BFF's and I are going ALL OUT. We got together for a craft night and made Fatheads (click HERE for a step by step tutorial) and these awesome photo pins!

I just love how they turned out! Don't you?! They are perfect for Homecoming, Senior Night, or any time you feel like showing a little (or a lot) of team spirit. Want to make one yourself? Then just keep on reading. I got you covered, Mama!

What you'll need:

• Cardstock
• Ribbon (you can use as many or as few different colors/patterns as you prefer)
• Photo 
• Pin backs
• Letter and numbers (we used glitter HTV, but you could buy stickers or even write them on)
• Laminating sheets (optional)
• Hot glue
• Scissors

What you do:

• Cut your cardstock into circles. You can use decorative edge scissors, if you'd like.

• Cut out your photo. We used a cup to achieve a perfect circle.

• Laminate your photo. This is not necessary, however, it will help serve as an extra layer of protection! 

• Cut the photo out and hot glue it to the cardstock.

• Arrange and cut the ribbons to your liking. Once you've done that, hot glue them together.

• Hot glue the cardstock onto the front and a pin back onto the back. That's it!

You can also take a break (or several!) and enjoy some yummy grazing food and a cocktail if you'd like. 

YES, PLEASE!

Here's how our fatheads turned out. We used the same photo for both these and the pins.

They are always so fun to make and even more fun to see in the stands! GO SPARTANS!!!

UPDATE- WE WON!!!!!

For more ideas, be sure to join the Confessions of a Sports Mama Facebook Group.

*** Click HERE for my Personalized Football Pins!

Team Mama Idea: Organize a Senior Player/Mama Photo Shoot!

No. 1 is a SENIOR, mamas!!! He was in the sixth grade when I started this blog...CRAZY!

I'm team mama for the Varsity team, and my fellow football mamas and I have been dreading planning for this moment for what seems like the past 4 years. I have an entire board dedicated to Senior season on Pinterest. One of the things I just had to have was a photo of the boys with their mamas!

 

I mean seriously, doesn't it just make you want to smile and cry at the same time?!

Here are my tips for organizing your own:

• Choose a date and time. I chose the same date that the high school was taking their team photos. All of the players would already be there...in their uniforms. If you aren't as lucky, I'd suggest doing it at a practice or before a game (with the approval of the coaches, of course!). 
• Choose a location. Make it unique to your sport! Your team doesn't play outdoors? Take it inside. Don't forget to consider things like lighting and how busy it gets on that day/time.
• Hire a photographer. They don't have to be professionals. Know someone who loves to take pictures? Reach out to them! All they can do is say no. You could even do it yourself by bringing a tripod and setting the timer feature on your own camera (or phone!).
• Invite all the mamas. I asked Coach to send out an email to the team with details. No. 1 also sent a text to the players. Will they all be able to participate? Probably not. But it's worth a shot! They're all riding the emotional roller coaster right along with you. Remember that you will never be able to accommodate everyone's individual schedule, so don't stress too much.
• Set the dress code. Or not. I love a more uniformed look so I asked all of the mamas to wear a white top. Everyone has one somewhere in their closet! Another cute idea would be to wear their jersey, if they have additional ones.
• Enjoy. We all had such a great time; getting to know unfamiliar faces and reminiscing about our boys as itty bitty Freshman. They may not admit it, but the boys were happy to see their mamas too...especially the ones who aren't able to volunteer as much as some of the others.
• Share! I couldn't wait to get the photos back. So I know the other mamas couldn't either. I put them up on our website and shared them to our social media platforms as well. I also plan on having them printed and framed and handing them out at our Senior banquet!

Sending hugs to all of you Senior Mamas out there! Don't forget to join the Confessions of a Sports Mama Facebook Group to connect with thousands of Sports Mamas, just like yourself!

Sports Mama Tip: Another 2 Weeks of Crockpot Dinner Ideas!

Hey Sports Mamas! High School football season is back and so is all of the dinnertime chaos that comes with it! I spent a total of seven hours at the school this past Monday and Tuesday getting players registered, handing out practice uniforms, and getting the storage room back in order. This is No. 1's last year of high school football (I'm not crying, you are), and I want to enjoy every single moment possible!

As mentioned in my last Crockpot recipe post, I love them because they are delicious, quick, and easy. And who doesn't need easy now that we are wearing more hats than ever these days?!

Here is another two week(day)s worth of athlete AND Sports Mama approved crockpot meals! ENJOY!!! 

1. Shredded BBQ Chicken
2. Chicken Adobo
3. Steak Fajitas
4. Queso Chicken Tacos
5. Sausage and Peppers
6. Taco Pasta
7. Ultimate Chili
8. Loaded Baked Potato Soup
9. Pernil (Puerto Rican Roasted Pork Shoulder)
10. Chicken Tortellini Soup

I hope this gives you some ideas for those busy weeknights and that your family enjoys them as much as mine has!

What's your favorite crockpot dinner? Let us know in the comments below or in the Confessions of a Sports Mama Facebook Group!

Track Mama Survival Tips

I thought my days of being a track mama were long gone as No. 2 stopped running years ago. But lo and behold... I'm baaaack! No. 1 ran track for his high school this past Spring. He competed in the 200, 400, and the 4x100 relay. Coach Hubby and I enjoyed watching him race and more times than not, we stuck around to watch his teammates compete in the other events.

Track meets can be super long. Here are my tips to help you be as prepared and comfortable as possible:

• Get your hands on a schedule. Unless you don't mind arriving hours before your athlete's event, of course. As previously mentioned, track meets are long. They literally last hours. The meet may begin at 3pm and your athlete may not step foot on the track until 6. I don't know about you, but I can think of a handful of things still outstanding on my to-do list.
• Dust off your stadium seat. Or cushion. You're going to be doing a whole lot of sitting. Ain't nobody got time for bleacher butt!
• Layers, layers, layers. Weather can be so unpredictable. Especially in the Spring. I remember one specific meet where I began in short sleeves, sipping an iced guava black tea. By the time we were about three quarters of the way through, I was shivering in a hoodie wishing I had my heated stadium seat with me. Brrr!
• Sun protection. Sunglasses, sunblock, and your favorite cap. Because its always sunnier in the stands. 
• Take out some cash for concessions. Your athlete will thank you later. So will your stomach if they are selling those Chick-fil-A sandwiches. And if you're a high school track mama, you will probably need cash to get into the meet.
• Pack your camcorder. Or phone. Many of the events last mere seconds. We recorded all of No. 1's races so that we could watch with him and share with family and friends as well.
• Enjoy every moment. I've said it before and I'll say it again. And again. Time truly flies mama. No.1 is heading into his Senior year. One more year of high school sports. It is so very bittersweet. Take all the pictures, buy all of the spirit wear, cheer as loud and be as proud as you absolutely want to. You will never get this time back with them.

I hope you find this post helpful! To connect with thousands of real sports mamas, just like yourself, be sure to join the Confessions of a Sports Mama Facebook Group!