Thankful Thursday- February 23, 2017

• Early (heck, more like late) Spring temps.  I know it's seems like I'm thankful for the weather week after week, but I truly am. Today's expected high is 74 degrees!!! I didn't even wear a jacket out of the house this morning, just a blouse and a cardigan. I even saw kids at the bus stop in shorts. It's February, people! Amazing! I will definitely be walking to pick No. 2 and No. 3 up from school today, leash in hand. I can't wait!
• Chewy.com. I'd heard good things about them, but never placed an order until Tuesday. And guess what? My ordered arrived Wednesday (the very next day!) at 10:17am! That was WITH their standard shipping. I ordered the Furminator and a bone and was pleased with both. Ginger has been shedding like crazy lately. I'd been given nothing but positive feedback regarding the Furminator and it didn't disappoint. I can't even begin to tell you how much fur I removed with it. And the bone, well let's just say that she literally sat in the same place for an hour and a half going to town on it. I will definitely be ordering from them again!
• Unexpected mommy visits. My mama came up this past weekend! I had no clue she was coming. She loves surprising us. We took advantage of the time with an impromptu barbeque. We had burgers, sausages, hot dogs, filet mignon, corn on the cob, rice, and beans. And chocolate chip cookies. Can't forget the cookies! Hubby also lit the fire pit which we sat around for hours, laughing and making memories.
• 32 year old me. There's a new found confidence you find in your thirties. A confidence that shines bright without even having to try very hard. You learn that you don't need that full face of makeup. A bit of concealer and mascara will do just fine, you're already beautiful. You learn that just because models and celebrities are wearing it, doesn't mean you have to. You are your own fashionista. And if you choose to strut around town with your hair in a bun and in your favorite yoga pants, then by all means, do it girl. You learn that you can feel just as sexy in a nice pair of sneakers as you can in heels. And most importantly, you learn that YOU are the only one responsible for YOUR happiness in life. If I've learned all this at 32, I can't wait to see what 33 has to offer!
• PLAYOFFS!!! Both No. 1 and No. 2's basketball teams are in the playoffs. Woot woot! Both games will be played on Saturday, and it just so happens that I'll get to see them both. I love it when our schedules work out that way! They're both win or go home situations, so I'd appreciate if you could send some good vibes our way. Go Spiders! Go Warriors!

What are you thankful for today?

Sports Mama Tip: Trophy and Medal Display Ideas

My boys have earned quite a few trophies, medals, and ribbons over the course of their short "careers". I didn't want them to just sit around and collect dust nor did I want to spend a fortune to display them.


Here's what I came up with:

For No. 3 who has the smallest of the collections, we purchased this floating white shelf from Home Depot for about $20. It was easy to hang and all mounting hardware was included.

To hang his medals, I used white 1 inch Command Hooks. I wasn't too fond of the idea of drilling a bunch of holes into the shelf. The hooks are inexpensive and damage free. And of course, more can be added as needed.

I love how it all came together. And so did No. 3!


No. 1 and No. 2 have the larger collections and each have a glass display case from Ikea in their bedrooms. They have had them for years now. I like the fact that the shelves are removable. We had to remove one of No. 1's to allow for some of his larger trophies to fit.

I organized each shelf by sport.

As you can see, they hold A LOT.

My goal was not only that they look nice, but more importantly that they serve as constant reminders to my boys that (their) hard work really does pay off!


What do you use to display your athlete's awards? Let me know in the comment section down below!








*** Here is another fun idea from Confessions of a Sports Mama Facebook group  member Jody D.

Click HERE to purchase one yourself! Be sure to join our group for more Sports Mama ideas!

Basketball Emoji Valentine's Day Cards

Valentine's Day is less than a week away! I swear Christmas was just yesterday. (Side note: today's expected high is 65 degrees...in FEBRUARY! What the what? I'm not complaining though!).


Leaving things for the last minute stresses me out, so I thought we'd get a jump start on our Valentine's Day cards. No. 3 is the only one handing them out this year. Sigh. Why can't they stay little forever? I asked a friend of mine to design basketball themed ones for me as choices in the stores are pretty limited, especially for boys.


Here's what he came up with:

How awesome are they (and is he!)? Totally perfect for my boy. Basketball AND emojis...winning! He hit the nail on the head with these.


We printed the cards on cardstock and taped a heart shaped lollipop to each one. The lollipops say "Yes", "Be Mine", "Hug Me", "I'm Yours", "Love Ya" and "Kiss Me". However, No. 3 made sure to not include ANY of the kiss me ones because "that's just weird". Ha!


He can't wait to hand them out to his class!

Or to taste the lollipops either, apparently...


If your all-star would like to hand them out as well, click HERE for the free, printable template.

Happy Early Valentine's Day, mamas!




*** Need some inspiration for a sports themed Valentine's box? Click HERE to see the Washington Redskins box No. 2 made a couple of years ago!

Team Mama Idea: Basketball Post-Game Snacks

None of the previous basketball teams my boys have played on did post-game snacks, but both No. 2 AND No. 3's teams are doing them this season. Yay! This makes the sports mama in me VERY happy.


Here's what I came up with. Super simple, yet they look like I put some extra time and thought into them with the orange bags and labels.

I purchased the bags from Party City for about $3.50 and made the labels myself (click HERE for the printable template). They say "Way to Play!" with a picture of a basketball underneath. You can fill the bags with whatever you'd like, I went with orange (see the theme, here?) Gatorades and Oreos.

They're sure to make wins even sweeter and losses hurt a little less. I also threw a few extra Gatorades and packs of Oreos in my bag for siblings.

Go Warriors! Go Hoyas!








*** Have an early morning game? Click HERE for my basketball breakfast kabob recipe! Or click HERE for my newest post-game snack idea!

10 Truths No One Ever Told Me About Raising Boys

There are some things baby books or people will never tell you. You're just left to learn them on your on. The hard way, sometimes...

1. They will wear the same pair of socks, day after day, if you let them. And then I got smart. No more white socks in our house. You don't own enough pairs of Batman socks to last you a full week. Don't even try it!
2. They think they're WWE superstars. And that their brothers are their opponents. And that couches and beds are their wrestling ring. I think we've been to Home Depot twice in the last year to buy new wood planks to fix No. 3's bed.
3. They will pee everywhere in the bathroom except IN the toilet. On the floor, the shower curtain, the sides of the toilet, the back of the toilet seat...it's all fair game. I was in Heaven when we moved and I no longer had to share a bathroom with them.  I can't even begin to count how many times I've sat in "sprinkles". I will admit though. It does get a tad better with every year that passes (and them being responsible for cleaning up their own messes!). You may just want to take up stock in Clorox...like yesterday.
4. You will become an Uber driver. With no days off. Who works for free. How else will they get to and from football, basketball, and soccer practices?!
5. They make all kinds of weird noises. Noises that come from both their upper and lower body parts. All the time. Especially first thing in the morning. Being married, I'm pretty positive that they will never outgrow this. Sigh. *insert eye roll*
6. They're known to not always tell the truth when it comes to taking showers and/or brushing their teeth. I finally resorted to the "sniff test". Yep, it's exactly what it sounds like. No. 1 is out of this stage now, sigh. Not sure if it's a good or a bad thing.
7. Their feet will smell. Their socks will smell (refer back to number 1 if you forgot why). Their shoes will smell. I'm yet to meet a sneaker ball that actually does what it claims to do. I don't have any tips for you on this one. Sorry! If you do, please let me know. I beg you!
8. A gallon of milk sure doesn't go along way. Remember when you use to actually throw away expired milk? Ha! Not with growing boys. I consider only having to buy two gallons a week a success!
9. The ceilings in your home will feel like they're caving in 99.9% of the time. Why did we even bother buying an outdoor basketball hoop? Dribbling and slam dunking in their bedroom (right above the living room where your parents are watching tv) is so much more fun! It'll eventually become white noise. Pick your battles, mama. Pick your battles.
10. It's not easy. There are days that I am hit hard with mommy guilt. Like the days that I don't feel like cooking and cereal becomes dinner. Or the days that I'd rather take a nap than walk them to the park. Or the days that I yell over something only to realize a few minutes later that it was totally not worth yelling about. But you know what? They still love me. And there is NOTHING in the world more amazing than that!

Basketball Mama Survival Tips

All three of my boys play basketball. In other words, I basically live at the court during basketball season. So, I'd like to think that I've learned a little something over the years.


Here are some of my true,  tried and tested tips for surviving those long days at the gym:

• Get yourself a stadium seat. You know those ones that fasten onto the bleachers and allow you to lean back. They provide much needed back (and butt!) support. If the gym your child is playing in doesn't have bleachers, take a chair. Basketball games can get long, especially if we're talking tournaments.
• Pack snacks. ALL the snacks! Your player will get hungry, siblings will get hungry, and you will get hungry. Why spend $2 for a single bag of chips from the concession stand when you can spend $10 at Costco for a big box of 30?
• Wear comfortable clothing and shoes. You never know when a game will be running behind, go into OT, or result in another game. My go-to basketball mama outfit is usually comfortable pants (yoga pants, leggings, sweats), a tee, a zip-up (in case you get too cool or too warm), and sneakers.
• Research your location BEFORE the game. This is geared more toward travel basketball. Figure out where you're going and how long it will take to arrive. It's always better to be early than late. Also, look into what restaurants are close by should you need to eat in between games.
• Take time to get to know the team. Don't be that parent that only cheers when their "little Joey" makes a bucket because you don't know anyone else on the team's name. Basketball is a team sport. Cheer them all on!
• Febreze! This my #1 survival tip for ALL sports. Their sneakers will stink, your car will stink, their uniform will stink, it will all stink. Do your nose a favor and spray everything! Now!
• Encourage and ENJOY. They're just children after all. YOUR children. Cheer them on after a big win and build them up after a tough loss. Take pictures, record videos, invite family and friends to watch them, buy some spirit wear. They won't play forever.

Good luck to your baller(s)!




Do you have any additional tips that you'd like to share? If so, leave them in the comment section below!




*** Click HERE to read my Football Mama Survival Tips and HERE to read my Soccer Mama Survival Tips***

1 Steal, 2 Points, & 3 Shoe Ties

No. 3 had his first basketball game of the season today! It should have technically been his second game, but last Saturday's was canceled due to the snow.


Third grade is when things start to get a little more competitive. Up until now, it's pretty much all been clinic style-just practices/scrimmages, no real games. He now has a weeknight practice along with a Saturday game. Baby boy is growing on up!


Coach has him running the point (just like his big bros!). He started the game and played three out of the four quarters. He had 1 steal, 2 points, and stopped to tie his shoes 3 times. Ha!

I'd say that made for a pretty good game! They don't keep score at this level yet. One of No. 3's teammates asked Coach who won the game. Coach responded by asking the team if they had fun and learned anything new to which they all shouted, "YES!!!". Coach then answered, "well, we won then!". Awesome!

No. 3 is already looking forward to next week...and so am I. Go Hoyas!!!