The Summer Soccer Camp We Love

This is a sponsored post but all thoughts are my own.

Calling all parents of soccer players! If you are looking for an opportunity to build your child’s soccer skills look no further than Challenger Sports Soccer Camp. One of the best sport related things I’ve done for my oldest, who plays recreational soccer half of the year, is enroll him in Challenger Sports’ soccer camp every summer. He has enjoyed making new friends and playing this sport that he loves while I’ve noticed his skills develop a lot these last several years and I attribute much of that growth to these week long, half-day intensive camps.

Challenger Sports, the largest soccer camp company in North America is coming to a community near you, and bringing over 30 years of coaching experience. Their international staff will work with your players to teach a fun, technical and tactical curriculum that’s filled with training sessions from five of the world’s leading soccer nations.

Challenger’s International Soccer Camp offers instructional camp programs for all age and ability levels! The TinyTykes program, ages 2-5, provides fundamental soccer activities, games, and stories; designed to enhance technical skills along with physical and social development. The Half-Day Camp, ages 5-16, is the most popular program and will provide 3 hours of skill development, games, challenges and competitions each day. The Full-Day Camp, ages 8-18, is a 6 hour program filled with developmental practices, games, competitions and challenges.

Register now for Challenger’s International Soccer camp and get a free international soccer ball, t-shirt, poster, player evaluation and access to TopYa!’s Juggling Club sampler. Register 30 days before camp and qualify for a free International Game Jersey.

Register here–> https://www.challengersports.com/international_soccer/ 

Family Time During The NFL Football Season (Giveaway)

Thanks to NFL Style for sponsoring this post.

If you’ve read this blog or followed me on social media for a while, you know that I love football. I love watching it anytime it’s on, cheering on my favorite NFL team (the Chicago Bears of course), and showing my fan spirit in my Bears gear. Most of all, I love the family time that football brings.

I thought we’d celebrate football Sunday this past weekend with a little Chicago Bears themed fun as we watched our rivals compete in the playoffs on tv. I’m notorious for wearing my Bears gear when the cheeseheads play because I always have to represent!

Though I had plenty of Bears clothes to choose from I went on a bit of a shopping spree on NFLshop.com to get everything our family would need for a cozy afternoon of lounging while we watched the game. My favorite item? This reversible Sherpa Hoodeez I’m wearing in the photo above. It’s so warm and perfect for cuddling up in.

I also might have gotten myself some other gifts including a big Bears blanket and a pretty shiny draft tumbler that’s perfect for taking iced coffee on the go. And of course I picked up shirts for the whole family so I didn’t just treat myself :) Jacob, who only asked for football jerseys this Christmas season, was really excited to get the Khalil Mack jersey. Doesn’t he look so grown up in it?

Luke’s long-sleeved Bears shirt is perfect for this cold weather we’ve been having and who could resist Emma in her adorable tiny Bears t-shirt!? Forget pink…Emma’s colors are definitely blue and orange. I can’t wait to have her ‘tutus and touchdowns’ party because I’m all about pint-sized Bears gear on my little baby girl!

And of course Daddy needed some Bears gear, too. This trapper hat is perfect for our Chicago weather and the snow we had this past weekend!

So once everyone was all decked out in their Bears shirts we pulled out the games and snacks. The boys played an electronic football game and NFL-OPOLY while snacking on pretzels and popcorn held in their giant bowl mugs.

While they played games I went into the kitchen to make some easy appetizers before the game started. I am all about simple football food because I want to be watching the game, not stuck in the kitchen! For this last game I made ham and cheese sliders (topped with a buttery dijon mustard sauce that baked right in to the sweet rolls) and wonton taco cups. Each had very few ingredients and everything came together in less than 20 minutes from start to finish.

Lucas (my pickiest eater) said the sliders were even better than brownies! With as easy as they were to make, and how quick they cooked in our air fryer oven, they will be on the menu again soon! Paired with a side of fruit and cucumber slices they’d even make a delicious lunch or dinner one night.

To make half a dozen, just layer sliced ham and provolone cheese (or any cheese of your choice) in hawaiian rolls or similar type rolls. To make the sauce for the top I melted half a stick of butter and mixed in several spoonfuls of dijon mustard and a sprinkle of garlic salt. If you have poppy seeds or diced onions in your spice cabinet you can add those in as well! Once the sauce was ready I spooned it on to the top of the rolls and put them in my air fryer oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. They came out with perfectly crisped tops and gooey cheese and I set them out for my family on a Chicago Bears 3-tiered serving ladder.

Family. Football. Food. Fun. What could be better than all that?! How about an amazing giveaway courtesy of NFLShop.com? Enter below for a chance to win a $100 gift card! You don’t have to complete all entries to be entered to win but the more entries you have the better your chances to win :) Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

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Autism And The Special Olympics: Our Family’s Journey

It took a while to find the perfect sport for Lucas to participate in. He tried football but would meltdown every time the team intercepted the ball because, no matter how many times we explained the rules, he was convinced they were cheating by taking the ball. Soccer games were spent running around the edges of the field, not even paying attention to the ball’s location. He tried karate as well but the rigid rules just weren’t a fit with Luke’s personality and trying to do the step-by-step katas that other kids were seeming to master so easily just frustrated him. His brain just couldn’t remind his body of the steps fast enough for him to perform the sequence of steps he needed to do.

Eventually we found a few things that he could participate in that were perfect for him. He joined a boy’s hip-hop class (with an inclusion aide) where they slowly worked on one recital piece for most of the year and then spent the rest of the time learning dance moves that they were encouraged to be creative with. Luke joined a baseball team made for kids like him who can’t otherwise play baseball on a team and there are a lot of volunteers and parents on the field with the kids to help. He also discovered a love of gymnastics, which is more of an individual sport with teammates to cheer you on and involves the movement his body so desperately craves.

We originally tried gymnastics at the park district (with an inclusion aide) but they spent most of the time every week waiting in a line to do somersaults and cartwheels. Lucas got bored easily and the waiting was difficult which led to behavior issues but we stuck it out because he loved the sport so much. When I learned about a Special Olympics gymnastics program that was starting up at a local gymnastics place I quickly signed him up.

For years I wasn’t sure if Lucas was allowed to participate in Special Olympics because I didn’t know if Autism “qualified” but it turns out it’s based on the child and not necessarily any specific diagnosis. When Lucas first started on his Special Olympics team I searched online to learn more about what participating as a child who has Autism was like and there was nothing so that’s why I wanted to share a bit about my son’s experience and what I’ve observed.

This is Luke’s second year participating in the Special Olympics. Last year he went to Regionals and the State competition and this year he participated in Regionals and will be headed to the State competition again over the summer for the Illinois Special Olympics “Summer Games”. He competed in only two events last year but this year is competing in all six events available for male gymnasts.

The competitions we have been to are in large areas which may be hard if your child has any sensory processing difficulties. Lucas has SPD but is a seeker so he has no problem with large crowds, bright lights, or loud noises but those that are avoiders may find the competition atmosphere overwhelming. It did seem like our local organization tried to help this situation by splitting the Regionals into AM and PM sessions so all the participants weren’t in the gym at the same time. I think some may benefit from competing just in front of a small group without all the other participants and observers around but it didn’t seem like any of those accomodations were made (which could be because nobody requested them or because that wasn’t an option- I’m not sure.)

I was a bundle of nerves the first competition he went to. Parents are not allowed on the gym floor during competition so I wouldn’t be near him if he needed me. Knowing that he typically melts down when he makes a mistake and with a crowd of people watching my biggest fear is that he would mess up, start yelling, and take off running. Sure enough it happened. He did the wrong jump during the vault event, realized it as soon as he landed, and ran out of the gym. Thankfully he has an awesome coach and staff that are wonderful with him and had learned, by that point in his first year, how to de-escalate the situation by helping him calm down. By the time I got from the upstairs viewing area and found them he had calmed down a bit but by the time he was ready to go back in his group had moved on to another event and he couldn’t do his second jump. I was dissapointed because that seems like something that should be allowed for those that need it. I understand the need to move on when there are a lot of participants that need to have a turn but letting the child go back later to finish the event should be an accomodation that is easy enough to make.

I discovered that, in Special Olympics, all participants get some kind of reward. They have gold, silver, and bronze medals for the three who receive the highest scores in each event but then everyone else receives ribbons. Losing can be extremely difficult for those on the Autism Spectrum so it’s nice that everyone who participates feels like a winner. Some may not like this practice of participation awards but, in this instance especially, I think it’s important for these athletes to be encouraged and rewarded. They may not have won but they put in a lot of hard work!

At this year’s Regionals event Lucas won 3 Gold and 4 Silver medals. You only need to receive one Gold medal in any event to move on to the State competion where you can then compete in everything (even if you didn’t receive a Gold medal in that event.) He is very excited and very proud of his medals. Just look at that bling!

Overall, our experience with Special Olympics Illinois has been wonderful. I wasn’t sure what to expect but it’s been great for Lucas to be a part of. He has developed skill-wise, enjoyed being part of a team, and gained a lot of self-confidence. I’d love to connect with others who have loved ones that are interested in participating in the Special Olympics and am happy to answer questions you may have. You can chat with me on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

Interested in getting your child involved in sports? Check out my guide to help you figure out what sport would be a good fit for them based on their personality, interests, and natural skills! My boys have benefited greatly from participating in sports (which you can read about more here.)

5 Things To Look For When Choosing Swim Lessons

Thanks to Big Blue Swim School for sponsoring this post. As always, all thoughts are my own.

Having tried out swim lessons at about a dozen places, I’m amazed at how different swim lesson programs can be. Considering all the options that are available to families I thought it would be helpful to put together a guide of what things to look for when choosing swim lessons. Things to look for include experienced teachers, ease of scheduling & rescheduling, flexiblity, cleanliness of the facility, and little details that make the lessons more enjoyable for all. I believe these five things will determine the success of the lessons and your family’s experience with the program overall.

I’d recommend taking a free trial lesson before signing your children up for a program if possible so you can check things out for yourself and see if the program is a good fit for your family. I’m also sharing details about Big Blue Swim School which has been our family’s favorite swim lesson school we’ve tried out.

Experienced Instructors

The most important thing, in my opinion, that will determine the success of the swim lessons is having experienced instructors. As someone who taught lessons to kids while I was a high school student, and someone who has taken my own kids to several different places where high school and college students were the main “teachers”, I can attest to the fact that these swim teachers often don’t have much experience. Typically they are just youth who love kids and love swimming and think ‘swim instructor’ sounds like a fun summer job. While my kids enjoyed these weekly “lessons”, they often didn’t learn a whole lot other than the basics. And that’s okay if you are just looking for something to occupy your child’s time but if you want your children to be proficient swimmers, you need instructors who are not only passionate about the job, but have the training and experience to do it.

This is one of the reasons that I love Big Blue Swim School. They employ full-time staff and those teachers go through 100 hours of training to start and then two hours of additional training every week so that they progress as professionals. The training and experience helps the teachers figure out what each child needs to learn. They demonstrate skills and if necessary, adjust how they explain skills, to ensure each kid understands.

Each teacher is truly engaged in finding each kid’s motivation to achieve progress. I saw this first-hand this past weekend when Lucas (my youngest who is on the Autism Spectrum) was having a hard day and was not being the most teachable child. I think many instructors would get frustrated or see a child who was being difficult but his swim instructor at Big Blue Swim School continued to maintain his positive demeanor and took a different approach to his teaching. He found something my child loves (Fortnite) and made a game of the swim lesson to draw in my son. See that smile in the photo above? That was the result of a teacher who entered Luke’s world. I couldn’t tell you what exactly they were talking about because they used all these game terms that I didn’t understand (moms of Fornite obsessed kiddos know what I’m talking about…) but they connected and my boys knew what he was talking about and that’s all that mattered in the moment.

Easy Scheduling & Rescheduling Plus Flexibility

Another factor that is really important in deciding upon a swim lesson program, at least for me as a parent, is a system that makes scheduling (and rescheduling) lessons easy-peasy. As a busy parent I want to be able to do everything online, at a time that is convenient for me. Flexibility is also something that parents will want to consider when looking at swim lesson programs. With my boys in different sports and activities throughout the year, I hate being stuck with swim lessons on a specific day that isn’t easy to change when our simple winter basketball schedule turns into a spring schedule full of baseball and soccer games at different times.

Big Blue Swim School gets how important it is to parents that their scheduling system be easy to use so they make booking swim lessons convenient. They have built their own proprietary software platform that allows families to go online to choose a lesson time that works for all their kids with one click so parents don’t have to come at different times for lessons. The software also allows families flexibility because it lets them log into their account from any device and move lesson times, schedule free make-up lessons, and add additional lessons in just a few easy clicks. They also allow parents the flexibility to start and stop weekly lessons whenever they choose which is perfect for families who go out of town often during the summer or just want to take some time off from lessons. As someone who just had baby #3, and didn’t want to go anywhere for the first couple weeks after we came home from the hospital, I truly appreciate that Big Blue Swim School offers this flexibility!

Clean, Thoughtfully Designed Facility

You’ll want to look for a swimming pool that is, above all, clean. And you don’t want it to just be clean to the visible eye, but you’ll want to know how the facility is cleaned to protect against germs and other bacteria. It’s also important to look at how the facility is laid out, including where parents will be sitting. Will you be able to see your child during the lesson? What kind of experience will you have sitting there each week? (I can tell you from experience that a half hour lesson can seem like eternity if you have to sit in the sauna-like pool atmosphere or have to sit outside in the elements during a lesson.)

Big Blue Swim School prides itself on offering nice, clean facilities for families. Their pools have saline systems and ultra-violet filtration which provide a state-of-the-art defense against waterborne illnesses and harsh chemicals. The floors are carpeted with a special fall-proof, anti-microbial carpet to keep kids from slipping on wet floors and keeps germs at bay. As for the parent viewing area, Big Blue Swim School has a spacious viewing area right next to the pool but separated by a wall of windows so it’s a comfortable temperature for those watching the lessons.

The Little Details Are Considered

While little details probably won’t be the make-or-break deciding factor on which swim lesson program you choose, it definetely will be something you want to consider since you will be making weekly visits. Places that pay attention to the little details show parents that they care about every minute of their visit.

Those that bring young children along to the lesson at Big Blue Swim School will appreciate the train table and coloring area to keep little ones occupied while their siblings are having their swim lesson. They even offer free wifi so parents can work while kids are at their lesson.

I love that Big Blue Swim School thought through all the details of what happens after the swim lessons, too. Changing rooms are plentiful and spacious, there are disposable bags available for wet suits, and they even installed a number of hairdryers so parents could dry their child’s hair before going out into the cold during the winter.

After reading this I’m sure you can see what sets Big Blue Swim School apart from other swim lesson programs. If you are interested in checking out the school, head on over to their website to sign your child up for a free trial lesson here. Big Blue Swim School operates four year-round swim schools in the Chicago suburbs: Niles, Hoffman Estates, Wilmette, and Buffalo Grove. They also have a fifth location opening soon in Chicago’s Northcenter neighborhood.

Football Party Food Bars

Football games are the perfect excuse to throw a party! Fans will not want to miss a minute of the game which is why food bars make the perfect food choice. Not only are they pretty easy to setup and require minimal cooking, but most of the prep can be done ahead of time so the party host can spend their time watching the game and having fun with their guests. I gathered up all the best football party food bars from my bloggy pals into one post just in time for the big game (even though I’m still sad about my favorite team not making it after having such an amazing season…)

Baked Potato Bar

Waffle Bar from Our Potluck Family

Pizza Bar from Building Our Story

Nacho Bar French Fries from Cutefetti

Chips and Dips Bar from Our Potluck Family

Burger Bar

Hot Dog Bar from About a Mom

Taco Bar from Building Our Story

Meatball Sliders Station from A Magical Mess

Mac & Cheese Bar from Building Our Story

Snack Bar from Cutefetti

Team Snack Mix Station for Kids from Diana Rambles

Football “Sundae” Party Bar from Our Potluck Family

And along with your food bar you may want to put together one of these cute drink bars!

Hot Cocoa Bar from Finding Zest

Flavored Soda Station from Crayons & Cravings

Other fun football party posts….

Hosting a last-minute party? You’ll want to read these tips for hosting a simple football watching party.

Every party needs some sweet treats and Finding Zest’s dessert table has lots of ideas you’ll want to grab!

Decorate your front door with these easy DIY football rag wreath.

Grab this printable game day banner from Crayons & Cravings to hang above your food bar table. She also has printable football cups to put your food in.

Still figuring out what to wear for the big game? Show off your love of football with my “I love football” t-shirt tutorial (plus learn why I love the game so much).

Have little ones? Keep kids busy during the game by letting them help make football decorations.

And, for those wondering what team I support, I thought I’d share this photo of my newborn baby girl in her little cheerleading outfit (cheering for the team that should have been in the playoffs). ?

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How To Help Your Child Develop Soccer Skills This Summer

This is a sponsored post but all thoughts are my own.

I know it’s not even February but it’s time to start thinking about summer camp! One of the best things I’ve done for my oldest, who plays league soccer during the winter and spring seasons, is enroll him in Challenger Sports’ soccer camp every summer to help him develop his skills. The camp is one of his favorite weeks of summer!

In the past Jacob has participated in their British Soccer Camp but this year, Challenger Sports has launched a brand new soccer camp that combines the most popular elements of their two camp programs, British Soccer and TetraBrazil. The all new Challenger International Soccer Camp will offer instructional camp programs for each age/ability level! The TinyTykes program will provide 3-5 year olds with fundamental soccer activities, games, and stories, designed to enhance technical skills along with physical and social development. The Half Day Camp for 6-16 year olds is the most popular program and will provide 3 hours of skill development, games, challenges and competition each day.

Want to see if there is a program near you? Check out the list of locations and learn more about this camp here. Register now for Challenger’s International Soccer camp and get a free international ball, t-shirt, poster, skills evaluation and new downloadable coaching app & 20 skills videos! Register 30 days before camp and qualify for a free International Game Jersey!

 

Tailgating Essentials For Families

This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.com.

For sports loving families there is no better way to spend the weekend than watching sports together. While most games are spent home around the television it’s fun to get out and actually go to a game to enjoy the fun in person. Today I wanted to share some essentials for parents who want to take their kids tailgating with them.

Weather-appropriate gear

Living in Chicago means we never know what to expect during football season. It can be a warm day or it can be downright frigid like the last Bears game I went to. Because of this it’s important to check the weather and make sure you pack whatever weather appropriate gear you need from blankets and hand-warmers to ponchos to sun screen and hand-held fans. I’ve learned that anytime we have outdoor activities, if the children are either too hot or too cold, they won’t enjoy the day no matter what we are doing.

Simple football decor

I tend to go all out when I decorate for football season but when you are tailgating you’ll want to keep it simple. A disposable football themed tablecloth and tableware are perfect. You can even add a banner if you want to decorate your tailgate.

Grab and go meals

When you watch football games at home you can grill or slow cook your meal but when you are tailgating you want meals that are easy to grab on the way to the game. One of my favorite sandwich shops, Jersey Mike’s, makes it easy to order online and then pick up a catering box full of sandwiches everyone in the family will love. Even my little picky eater, Lucas, loves Jersey Mike’s sandwiches!

Jersey Mike’s sandwiches

We ordered a catering box with four different sandwiches. We got my favorite sandwich, the Original Italian – a Jersey-style Italian sub full of provolone, ham, prosciuttini, cappacuolo, salami, and pepperoni- on their amazing Rosemary Parmesan Bread. We kept it simple for the kids with a Stickball Special sub, made with provolone, ham, and salami. And then of course we also got the Club Sub and Club Supreme because… BACON. We ordered all the subs with lettuce and then had them put all of the other ingredients on the side so that the sandwiches didn’t get soggy in transit. Plus, with the toppings on the side, everyone can customize the sandwiches how they want to which is perfect for groups. Add cookies and single bags of chips to your order and you have a simple tailgating meal you didn’t have to make… can’t get easier than that! (Learn more about Jersey Mike’s Catering here.)

Games and things to keep the kids busy

Football Sundays can be long and if the kids aren’t into football they may become bored pretty quick. Fun games like bean bags or even bringing a football to toss around can keep them occupied while everyone else is chatting and enjoying their pre-game rituals.

Cooler with cold drinks or a thermos with something hot on cold days

Don’t forget to bring the drinks to go along with those delicious sandwiches! There’s nothing better than a cold drink on a hot day (stock up on that water!) but on chilly days something warm in a thermos may be preferred.

Spiritwear and FanHeads Football Helmets

I’m in my Chicago Bears gear often, whether it’s football season or not, but for live games you’ll want to go over the top and I discovered a new must-have for fans to show their team spirit- FanHeads football helmets! Specially made from a strong and foldable laminate material, these helmets are perfect for wearing and display. They are also weather resistant, lightweight, and comfortable. My favorite feature of these helmets though is that they can be adjusted to four sizes so both kids and adults can wear them. (Learn more and order your FanHeads fan gear here.)

Folding chairs and tables

You’ll want a place to sit while you tailgate so don’t forget to put folding chairs (or camping chairs) in your trunk before you leave home. A folding table is also a nice addition so you’ll have a place to serve food from.

Portable phone charger

Whether you are playing music from your phone or checking your fantasy football player’s stats you’ll likely be draining your phone battery so you’ll want to bring a portable phone charger. This is especially important if your game tickets are on your phone because the last thing you want to do is miss the game because you can’t access your mobile tickets.

What would you add to this list? Chat with me on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

Tips For Hosting A Simple Last-Minute Football Party

This post is sponsored by Tyson Foods, Inc, but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

Football season is a great excuse to get together with friends and family. When it comes to party time I like to pick simple foods and decor that will let me enjoy the company and the football game instead of being stuck in the kitchen for hours. I thought I’d share some of my tips for hosting simple football watch parties that can be put together at the last-minute.

First, and most importantly, let’s chat food because no party is complete without it. I am all about quick snack and meal options and this is especially necessary when trying to put together a last-minute gathering. Plus, easy food choices mean I can spend more time watching the football game and cheering on my favorite teams!

Simple snacks, like popcorn, chips, and pretzels, can easily be placed in bowls nearby where everyone will be watching the game. Another favorite of football fans everywhere- chicken wings- are an easy option when you choose “heat and serve” ones like Tyson® Any’tizers® Buffalo Style Bone-In Chicken Wings and serve them with celery sticks, ranch, and blue cheese dressing. Not only is this a simple option for the host, but finger foods like chicken wings are easy to eat while watching the game (just don’t forget the napkins!) For dessert, I love serving cookies or brownies in the shape of footballs. A little white icing for laces and it’s a quick themed treat!

When it comes to decorations I keep things simple by buying football themed tableware that I pair with my large variety of football themed decor I keep out from August through February. I also love decorating with my team colors (Chicago blue and orange all the way!!) Having football themed party supplies on hand means that you will be ready to entertain guests whenever the opportunity arises.

Another tip I have for hosting a simple football get-together is to have something for the non-fans to do. Personally, I can’t imagine anyone NOT liking football but I know those people exist lol. Adults who aren’t interested in the game will probably just enjoy chatting with each other but setting out some simple games and crafts for the kiddos is always appreciated. The simplest football craft that can be made with materials on hand are stuffed paper bag footballs. Children can draw two large football shapes on paper bags and then staple the edges together, leaving a small opening to stuff the inside of the football with crumpled newspaper before stapling it closed.

What tips do you have for hosting a last-minute football party? I’d love to hear so chat with me on social media- Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Why I Love Football And A Simple T-Shirt DIY

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #FootballFanGame #FiredUpFans

I love the warm summer months but there is one thing I love more….football! (I’m sure you all could have guessed that since I talk about my obsession with football all year long!!) The cool, crisp air of fall means that football season is back and it makes me so happy. I basically spend every fall weekend cheering for my favorite teams (Dr Pepper® in hand of course!), from college ball on Saturday to my son’s football games on Sunday mornings to football all.day.long. on Sundays.

I didn’t grow up as a football fan and actually started watching the games when I was older because it was a chance to spend time with people I cared about. I think what I like so much about football is the comradery between fans of the team. There is just something special about being on the sidelines at the football stadium, or around the tv, cheering on our favorite team together.

Now I enjoy the actual game, and all the technical aspects, just as much as I enjoy the party side of it so it really has become about the total experience for me. Plus, since my son is older, it’s also fun to have someone to talk about football with. I still remember the days of watching football with him years ago when he didn’t really pay attention to it. Now he knows the players and makes sure we don’t miss a single game (not that that would happen since they are all on my calendar…) He also sits there and cheers right alongside me (but typically for the team I’m rooting against, the little stinker!)

Along with never missing a game, I love showing my team spirit and I do so by decorating my house for football season (check out this cute rag wreath I made) and wearing my team’s colors wherever I go (or don’t go seeing that I’m typing this right now wearing head to toe team gear as I sit on my couch). I thought it would be fun to make my own football shirt too so that I could wear it to both my son’s games (when I’m not wearing my cheerleading “coach” t-shirt) and while watching my favorite football teams play. I went with the “football is life” theme that basically describes the months of August through February for me.

The shirt was easy to make and I loved being able to personalize it. To make your own you’ll need a plain t-shirt, iron-on letters and decal, an iron, and a piece of cardboard.

To make the shirt, put the piece of cardboard inside and then cut out your letters and arrange them on your shirt. Making sure they are lined up straight will be the hardest part! Then iron-on the letters and decals according to the directions on the packages. I covered mine with the bottom of the t-shirt and ironed over them, then turned the shirt inside out and ironed the back of the shirt where the letters were. You then will peel the plastic backing off. (Funny story…I was so frustrated with the process because I thought my letters weren’t sticking -since I was seeing the outline peeling off- until I had a friend stop by and point out the obvious…part of the outline would come off and the inner part would stay on. Can I just blame this on pregnancy brain?! I felt so silly that I had spent an hour thinking I had ruined my shirt and was going to have to make a new one.) In the end though it all worked out and I love how it turned out.

Besides decorating my home and showing my spirit with the clothes I wear, I love watching the game with themed foods and parties. We’ve had a number of family football themed get-togethers but one thing remains the same at each of them…I keep things simple! I want to actually be able to watch the game and not be stuck in the kitchen cooking and that’s why grilling is perfect for football parties.

We love our little charcoal grill because, not only is it portable for tailgating, but it sits perfectly on our patio table so we can grill while watching the game. Plus, once we fill the grill with Kingsford® Original Charcoal made from 100% natural ingredients, it gives all the food that authentic grilled flavor you can only get when cooking over a charcoal grill. We make everything from burgers to hot dogs to sausages on the grill, serve them up with a few sides, add in some party appetizers, and that’s it! Paired with the rich, indulgent, one of a kind flavor of Dr Pepper (in the super festive seasonal football cans) it’s the perfect quick, easy, and inexpensive entertaining idea that lets us spend less time preparing food and more time cheering for our team.

Speaking of things that save time on game day…have you tried Walmart’s Online Grocery Pickup service yet? I’ve heard great things about it but have yet to try it myself. I’m definitely going to be utilizing it in the future as the cold weather comes because I love the idea of ordering when it’s convenient for me and then being able to pull up and my order is all ready for me. I get the convenience of Walmart’s amazing selection of products (like everything I got for this game day grilling party) and their low prices without having to leave my vehicle! You should see if it’s available near you and take advantage of it if so!

How do you like to celebrate on game day? Come chat with me and let me know! Find me on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Get Fired Up for Game Day with ideas here.

 

Does Your Child Dream Of Becoming An Olympian? Free Recruitment Clinics With USA Luge

Team USA Slider Search

While we were watching the Winter Olympics this year, Lucas said he wanted to try Luge. Finding sports that are a good fit for my little guy has been difficult so I had briefly looked into Luge since he’d shown interest and was dissapointed that I hadn’t found any place nearby for him to try out the sport. That’s why I am so excited to share about a National recruiting initiative by Team USA Luge and White Castle that is bringing free clinics to youth around the country that let them try out this winter sport.

The Slider Search is an annual grass-roots recruitment program to introduce youth to the sport of luge and identify the next generation of USA Luge team members and Olympians. The series of clinics is open to boys and girls ages nine through 13, and will provide an introduction to luge using wheeled sleds and coaching from National and Olympic team athletes. Top participants from the nationwide tour will be considered for the USA Luge Junior Development team.

The summer and fall tour will travel around the nation to introduce youth to luge in Chicago, Columbus, Minneapolis, Indianapolis, Burlington, San Francisco, Long Island and Salt Lake City. The tour will also make its way to Lake Placid, hometown of USA Luge. At each series stop, participants are taught the basics of riding a luge sled at controlled speeds, including positioning, steering and stopping. Once these skills are developed, athletes take several runs down a paved luge course on wheel-equipped luge sleds and test skills through a battery of fitness tests.

Those who show promise in the summer program are invited to Lake Placid, NY; Park City, UT; or Muskegon, MI, to try luge on ice at a USA Luge sanctioned training site. The top young athletes from this group are selected for the next year’s development team.

Registration is required and can be completed online at http://www.teamusa.org/usa-luge/slider-search. Participants only need to attend one of the many free clinics and everyone in attendance will receive an exclusive White Castle USA Luge Slider Search T-Shirt.

“The White Castle Slider Search is critical to finding luge athletes to represent the United States who will someday go for the gold,” said Gordy Sheer, director of marketing and sponsorships for USA Luge, and 1998 Olympic silver medalist. “A morning or afternoon of trying something fun and new could be the first step down a path to glory.” Over the years, the White Castle USA Luge Slider Search has traveled over 220,000 miles and introduced the sport of luge to more than 20,000 eager young athletes.

For details about USA Luge, the Slider Search program, or to register for a clinic, visit http://www.teamusa.org/usa-luge/slider-search.

 

Our Responsibility To Children Who Play Youth Sports

I’ve shared before how involved my kids are in youth sports and how many benefits to being involved in team sports that I think there are. Sports have helped my boys work on their social skills, learn the importance of teamwork, given them a chance to learn about responsibility, provided a fun means of exercise and produced friendships they still cherish today. All of these skills are vital for kids as they move through elementary school and into junior and senior high. I still believe all the positive things that I’ve written about youth sports before but, after an incident recently happened to my son, I feel compelled to share about the other side of youth sports and also what I believe to be our biggest responsibility as parents, coaches, leagues, and fans.

One day a couple weeks ago, my son and his teammates had just played a soccer game and experienced a lot of dirty play from the other team- pushing, yanking jerseys, tripping, etc- which is really not all that uncommon in youth sports nowadays. My kids have played sports since they were in preschool so I’m aware that there are just some teams that do that more so than others and it’s sadly become pretty commonplace and ignored (at least in the handful of leagues we’ve been involved in).

My concern is how that “dirty play” and “win at all costs” culture leads to further negative physical and verbal interactions. Even in this recreational team my son is on that says they are all about “fun”. When my kid, or any kid, no longer feels safe (whether emotionally or physically) playing youth sports we have a problem.

So back to the soccer incident… My 9-year old son was at the soccer game and it had come to the end of the game where the “losing” team and the “winning” team meet to exchange handshakes and give a quick “good game” to the other side. My son happened to be on the losing team this day and they were bummed (like most kids are when they lose) and the other team was excited (which is completely understandable). One child in particular chose to tease the losing team reminding them they lost instead of saying “good game”. My son responded that it “didn’t matter” who won and this child responded with “you don’t matter” and when my son said “be quiet” this kid purposefully hit my son in the face (hard enough to make my tough, sports playing kid cry).

So of course all the adults in the situation responded to let the child know that was not okay, right? NOPE. When my son’s coach saw him crying and his teammates told the coach what had happened my son’s coach marched him across the field and let the other team’s coaches know that a child on his team had hit my son. The coach did not show any empathy at all and made the boy shake my son’s hand but no apology was given. The other coach then laughed about the situation with a parent on their team and later verbally attacked our coach who had just been bringing the situation to his attention.

Talking to our league’s team mom representative that next morning she’d told me that she’d received a number of complaints about this team’s dirty playing and that the coach of the other team was a league rep who should know better and be held to a higher standard and that the child would be suspended. I also contacted our league commissioner and president of the organization and thought for sure that contacting them would result in a resolution. At first, the league commisioner seemed to be as appalled as everyone else was. Weeks later though they brushed it off and the president even responded to my son’s coach saying he “was more concerned” with the verbal altercation that the two coaches got in after the game, after all the children had left, than my son being hit in the face.

The league’s “code of conduct” states punishment for “physical violence” is one year suspension from all league events but we weren’t even asking for that. All my son and I wanted was an apology and the league to acknowledge that physical violence is not acceptable and to know it will not be tolerated and they will take action when it happens. The league’s actions lead me to believe that a kid who scores goals and a coach who wins games don’t need to apologize for their behavior or receive any punishment at all.

And it’s not limited to this one incident being “swept under the rug” so to speak. Last season a parent on an opposing team was screaming at the umpire during a baseball game because he didn’t like some of the calls he made. The umpire was a teenager. Another season, my son struck out during a baseball game and his coach cussed him out. The worst part is that this kind of thing runs rampant at youth sports games across the country so much so that some leagues had to start putting signs up reminding spectators that it’s “just a game” and these are kids playing.

Our biggest responsibility to our young children who play youth sports is to provide a safe environment for them to learn and play. We cannot allow bullying, violence, or other unsportsmanlike conduct on our field because “it’s just part of youth sports”. It shouldn’t be and it doesn’t have to be something everyone just accepts. This means that we all need to acknowledge that the players are still learning and developing their skills. We need to all realize that umpires and referees are human and make mistakes. We also need to remember that we all have a responsibility to model good sportsmanship and treating each other with respect. Providing a safe environment also means standing up for those who are experiencing unsafe or mentally unhealthy conditions.

From coaches cussing at kids for striking out to parents screaming at umps to leagues defending the actions of their top performers to kids physically harming other kids with rough play and physically hurting others without fear of consequence, the “win at all costs” mentatlity is harming our communities and our children. It’s okay to want to win but it’s not okay to create and foster environments where winning trumps everything else, including the safety of our children.

What do you think? I’d love to hear about your experience with youth sports in the comments below.

Fun Soccer Camp For Kids

Thanks to British Soccer Camps for sponsoring this post.

I sent Jacob off to school in shorts today so I guess it’s time to start thinking about our summer plans. Normally I am so on top of things but this year, not so much. One thing I know for sure though is that soccer camp is on the list because it’s already blocked out on the calendar. Jacob plays league soccer every winter and spring and, for the past few summers, has also participated in a week long soccer camp called British Soccer Camp. This camp week is always one of his favorite weeks of the summer and something he is looking forward to participating in again this year. He has enjoyed making new friends and playing this sport that he loves while I’ve noticed his skills develop a lot these last three years and I attribute much of that growth to these week long, half-day intensive camps.

British Soccer Camps are the most popular soccer camp in the US. With an innovative curriculum that develops skills, speed and confidence in players ages 3-18, The British Soccer Camp provide boys and girls with the rare opportunity to receive high-level soccer coaching from a team of international expert’s right in the heart of their own community. In addition to teaching new skills and improving game performance, each British Soccer Camp provides lessons in character development, cultural education and is the most fun your child can have learning the sport they love!

REGISTER FOR CAMP & GET A JERSEY, BALL, T SHIRT & NEW SKILLS APP AND 20 FREE VIDEOS!

British Soccer Camps have programs for all ages and abilities and feature an innovative curriculum full of skills, drills, and thrills! Register now and you will not only get your free British Soccer game jersey (value $34.95) shipped to you for free immediately, but you will also get their brand new skill development App and 20 videos to help your child practice at home. Your soccer ball, T-shirt & poster will be given out at camp. USE CODE BSC18 at check out to get free shipping.

To Enroll: https://www.challengersports.com/british-soccer/

Has your child participated in a sports camp before? If so, what was their favorite part?

Which Sport Will Be Best For Your Child?

To say that my family is involved in youth sports is an understatement. Between my two boys, they currently participate in football, baseball, soccer, basketball, karate, gymnastics, dance, and bowling (which I guess could be considered a sport since I heard it will be in the Olympics soon!). Life is crazy at times but I let the boys participate in what they want to and have seen the many benefits that sports have brought to our family.

While my oldest is the “play everything” type, my youngest has been a lot pickier about what he wanted to do and it took a lot of trial and error to find what he loves and what he can have a successful experience participating in. Lucas struggled with the concepts of football (in his eyes intercepting the ball was cheating), thought the hour long karate class was boring and had too many rules, and didn’t really enjoy the running back and forth involved in a soccer game (which meant he spent the whole hour just wandering around the field). He does however, love the creativity he can express through dance, enjoy showing off his cartwheels at gymnastics and playing all positions on a baseball field (simultaneously lol). Thankfully we found places that can accomodate his special needs and he is thriving (mom brag alert…. he’s headed to the state competion for gymnastics through the Special Olympics!!)

I thought I’d share some of the things we learned while trying to find the perfect fit for him in hopes that it could help another parent find what works for their child without the years or trial and error we went through. Though he’s on the Autism Spectrum which probably led to some of the issues we’ve had, I think most of these things to think about can be considered for kids of all abilities. Here are some things to consider before choosing a sport for your young child to try:

What do they gravitate to during play?

Next time you head outside pay attention to what your child tends to gravitate to. Do they love playing catch? Are they kicking things around? When indoors, what active things are they doing at playtime? Do they like to wrestle with their siblings? Do they love to dance around the house? Do they pretend to be ninjas? These natural tendencies during play can give you a clue to what sport they might enjoy!

Is there anything they are naturally good at?

Sometimes children show talent at a young age for something and I think that’s definitely a sport to consider if they seem to also enjoy it. For example, my nephew and neice’s brother, who is three, was playing a carnival like hockey game this past weekend and he was hitting the ball into the goal more often than most of the children that played the game even though he was the youngest of the group by about four years. One of the adults joked that he might be a future hockey star, and though he was joking, it did seem that he might have some natural talent when it comes to hockey that may be worth exploring.

What sport is a good fit for their personality?

Sometimes a child’s personality or temperament will help guide what would be (and would not be) a good fit for them. Here are some things to ask yourself:

  • Team sport or individual sport? Does the child play well with others or prefer to play on their own? For example, a child who plays well with others might enjoy a team sport like football but someone who prefers to play on their own may like a solo sport like ice skating or golf.
  • In the spotlight or out of it? For example, a child who likes being in the spotlight may love a sport that is performed in front of an active audience like a ball game, but a child who is shy may prefer a sport that is done without a large crowd like swimming where they are in water and tuning out the people in the stands.
  • Follow the rules or create their own? For example, kids who love rules would like karate where their every step is coordinated while kids who want to be creative would probably enjoy dance more.
  • Competitive or not? For example, a child who loves competition may enjoy a team sport that keeps score like lacrosse and a child who gets anxious during competition may enjoy a sport that doesn’t keep score, like gymnastics or karate.

Have you found a sport your child enjoys? I’d love to hear about your children’s favorite sports in the comments below!

Our Experience At Big Blue Swim School

This post is sponsored by Big Blue Swim School and The Motherhood.

One thing that is really important to me is that my boys learn how to swim, so they’ve taken years of swim lessons. I’ve tried out at least a dozen different places, from park districts to swim schools to gym pools to highschools that hire student teachers, so I feel we have kind of tried it all and have discovered what works, and what doesn’t work, when it comes to swim lessons for my family. Recently we tried swim lessons at Big Blue Swim School and I was really happy with our experience there so I wanted to share about it because it checks so many of my boxes when it comes to what I want a swim school to have.

Big Blue Swim School operates four year-round swim schools in the Chicago suburbs: Niles, Hoffman Estates, Wilmette, and Buffalo Grove. We visited the Hoffman Estates location for our swim lesson and a tour of the facility. There are three main things that set Big Blue apart from other swim schools- their teachers, the flexibility they offer, and the quality of their facilities.

Big Blue Swim School is the only swim-lesson provider that exclusively hires and trains full-time teachers. They also have weekly training which I thought was a great idea because a more consistent and better-trained teacher will always give a better experience. What I liked most about their staff was how they all interacted with the students. It wasn’t just the swim teacher in the water with the child but I felt like the staff worked as a team to teach the children. Throughout the lesson the pool supervisor would come and offer tips to the child based on what he was seeing from the pool deck because it’s a different angle than their swim instructor sees. They also all seemed to encourage the kids and they would call out with words of encouragement when a child was doing a great job which I loved. Overall, the whole team seemed to enjoy their job and it showed through their interactions with each other and with the children.

As a mom, I think my favorite thing about Big Blue is how convenient scheduling is for busy families. They offer more lesson times than any other swim school and they have built their own proprietary software platform that allows families to choose a lesson time that works for all their kids with one click. This means families don’t have to make multiple trips to the pool just because siblings were unable to find a time where they could both swim. The software also allows families to log into their account from any device and track their kid’s progress, move their lesson times, schedule FREE make-up lessons, add additional lessons, and update personal information in just a few easy clicks.

Best of all, you aren’t locked in to a certain day and time which is great when children’s sports and activity schedules change with the seasons. This has been the biggest problem I’ve had with other swim lessons because it was so hard to move to a different schedule when baseball season turned to basketball season and what worked for the previous schedule did not for our new one. Big Blue Swim School really goes above and beyond to make things as convenient as possible for parents!

In addition to a great staff and convenient scheduling, Big Blue Swim School has nice facilities that are clean and family-friendly. They have spacious individual changing rooms which parents of multiple little children will appreciate. The floors are carpeted with a special fall-proof, anti-microbial carpet to keep kids from slipping on wet floors. They also have a viewing area where parents can sit in a comortable atmosphere and watch the lesson. Big Blue provides free WIFI for parents, plus toys and activities for siblings waiting with their parents.

The swimming pool area is nice as well. The pools are shallow and have an open design, allowing swimmers to get in and out with ease. Kids will enjoy the warm, 90-degree water that is gentle on their skin. Big Blue pools also have saline systems and ultra-violet filtration which provide a state-of-the-art defense against waterborne illnesses and harsh chemicals.

Overall, my kids and I loved our experience at Big Blue Swim School. If you are near one of their locations I encourage you to go in for a free trial lesson and check it out. There is no registration fee for swim lessons and, if you sign up now, Big Blue is offering six swim lessons for $60 when you sign up for weekly lessons – a discount of more than 50% on standard prices. You can learn more and sign up for your free trial lesson here.

Do your children take swim lessons?

DIY Football Rag Wreath

I love football season. Whether I’m sitting on the sidelines at my son’s game, cheering on my favorite teams as I watch them on tv or simply have a game on in the background while I work, there is something about football that makes me happy and brings back good memories. In August I get my football decorations out and they stay out until Thanksgiving. Last year I made a rag wreath and I realized that I never featured it here on the blog so I wanted to share it. I made a wreath like this with crepe paper around the holidays back in grade school (1991!) and my mom had kept it for years. Though the crepe paper was a cheap option at the time, it didn’t keep that well, so I figured that fabric was the better choice for this. This wreath can be made using your team colors or embellished with your child’s name and uniform number if you want to make it even fancier but I kept it simple with what I consider “football colors” -brown (the ball) and green (the grass)- along with a white and gold colored fabric to lighten it up, wooden football decorations and a football themed ribbon to hang it.

The wreath is simple to make. You’ll need about six yards of fabric in the colors of your choice, a wire wreath base, a football or team themed ribbon and some football shaped wooden pieces. You can find all of these items at your local craft store.

Cut the fabric into strips that are approximately six inches long and an inch or two wide. Then tie it on to the wire with a knot in the middle of the ribbon.

Continue tying the fabric pieces on the wire, alternating colors.

Once you’ve fully covered one wire you can go around two or three of the others until the wreath looks full.

The next step is to add any embellishments and add a ribbon at the top so you can hang the wreath.

Want more football party ideas? Check out some of my most popular football posts below!

Football Party with Baked Potato Bar

“Concession Stand” Themed Football Party

Easy ways to update your bathroom for football season parties

How We Can Make Sports Fun Again For Our Children

Thanks to The Genius of Play for encouraging this discussion and sponsoring this post.

My boys have been playing sports for years and I’ve written, in the past, about how important sports are to our family. There are many benefits to playing sports like learning the importance of teamwork, learning to be responsible, realizing the importance of practice, getting exercise, learning to lose graciously, and developing friendships. Recently though, I was asked if I considered sports as playtime for kids and I definitely think that sports can count as play, but not always.

When children kick around a soccer ball at recess, sports are play. When kids shoot baskets on the basketball hoop at the end of their driveway, sports are play. When a group of neighborhood kids head to the baseball diamond to play an unorganized game of ball, sports are play. When kids join a recreational sports league that stresses fun over winning, sports are play.

Play is fun so if a child is having fun while playing sports then yes, sports can count as playtime for kids. The problem comes though when sports stop being fun. There recently was a survey done by the National Alliance of Youth Sports that showed that 70 percent of kids in the United States stop playing organized sports by the age of 13 because “it’s just not fun anymore.” To be honest, I don’t think it’s that sports stopped being fun but the expectations that adults put on children and teens that turn sports from play to work. Though Jacob still enjoys playing numerous sports year-round, I sometimes feel like this competition and pressure to perform perfectly has started to show even at his level. Jacob just turned nine and has already been in situations where coaches got angry when they didn’t get a hit, didn’t make a goal or weren’t running fast enough on the field.

This breaks my heart. The pressure young kids are facing to compete, perform perfectly and specialize in one sport are, among other things, causing our children to stop playing sports at a time in their young lives when they really could benefit from the things that sports teach them. The good news is that we, as parents and coaches, can remind our older children of how much fun sports can be and make sports an enjoyable activity like it once was for them.

Here are some ideas we can all do (myself included):

  • We can encourage them to play sports they enjoy regardless of whether they are the best on the field or not.
  • We can encourage them to keep trying when they get frustrated.
  • We can remind them that it’s just a game and if they don’t win that is okay.
  • We can encourage them to get off their screens and go outside to play ball with their friends.
  • We can cheer them on with encouraging words even if they don’t get that hit or make that basket.
  • We can join them outside and play catch or kick around a ball with them.
  • We can enroll them in sports leagues that prioritize fun over winning.
  • We can remind them that the only competition there needs to be is the competition with their past self to try to be better than they were yesterday.
  • We can support the friendships they make through sports.
  • We can remind them that their sports performance does not determine their worth.
  • We can encourage them to develop other non-athletic talents alongside playing sports.
  • We can help children learn to accept their mistakes and help them discover what can be learned through the losses they experience.
  • We can ensure our children have time to play outside of sports.

I believe that if we make sports fun again for our kids, sports will once again become play. So what do you think? Do you consider sports play?

The Genius of Play, a not-for-profit organization that encourages play, recently asked this question (and others) as part of their new Genius of Play video campaign. Here are what some other parents think about the topic:

I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below and I hope you’ll join me in making sports fun again for our kids. Check out the Genius Of Play site for more play related ideas!

Attention Football Parents – Riddell Smarter Football Grant Info

This is a sponsored post for SheSpeaks/Riddell.

Those of you who have been reading my blog for a while know that I love football. I look forward to football season every year and count down the days until it starts. I love watching my favorite Chicago team play it, cheering for the Buckeyes in college football games, and, of course, watching my own son play it.

I’ll never forget the very first year that Jacob played football. When we picked up his gear I remember thinking how tiny he looked in it but I knew that this gear was essential in keeping him safe on the football field which is the most important thing to me as a sports parent.

It’s clear that the game of football is no longer about being the fastest or strongest on the field; but about being the smartest, so I’m thrilled to be partnering with Riddell, a brand that believes in the importance of safety and smarter football. Smarter football means safe tackling, proper nutrition, excellent sportsmanship and maintaining good grades.

Riddell is calling on players, coaches, parents, and fans to take an active role in advancing the game through the Smarter Football Commitment. This initiative invites members of the football community at all levels to join in a movement to create a safer, better sport through the use of “smarter” tactics on and off the field. Riddell believes in this cause so much that they’ve pledged up to $100,000 in equipment grants to select football programs in need of upgraded gear. Multiple grants will be awarded to several deserving programs that best demonstrate how the new product will strengthen their team’s commitment to smarter football. Entries will be accepted through August 31, 2017 with the winners announced during the 2017 football season.

HOW TO APPLY FOR A GRANT: Fans, administrators, coaches, parents, and players can submit their teams via the website at Riddell.com/SmarterFootball through August 31, 2017. To apply, fill out the form to share the details of the football program you are applying for, including the state of their equipment, and how your program practices Smarter Football.

Watch how winning a grant changed things for one team and helped them practice smarter football!

How would your child’s team use this grant if they won?

We Are A Soccer Family

This post is sponsored by Target. I’m a Target Brand Ambassador but all thoughts are my own.

It’s summertime which means we are in the middle of the U.S. soccer season. Growing up in Croatia, soccer (or “football” as it’s known in Europe) has always been an important part of my life. When I was younger we played it on the playground every day and I played club soccer also. Soccer has always been my favorite sport and while I don’t play it any more, I still love to watch it. I’m not alone in my love for the sport. Soccer is the biggest multicultural sport in the world. I am very happy that it has grown in popularity here in the States.

Since I have called Chicago my home for almost 2 decades one of my favorite soccer teams is the Chicago Fire. This summer is extra exciting for Chicago as the MLS All-Star Game is going to be played in Chicago at Soldier Field on August 2nd and four members of the Chicago Fire have been named to the MLS All-Star roster. For those who do not follow soccer this is an event where some of the biggest stars of MLS will face off against Real Madrid from Spain. This will be an epic event and I can’t wait to watch it!

Target recently announced their major investment in U.S. soccer and are the Presenting Sponsor of the 2017 MLS All-Star game. They also became an Official Partner of Major League Soccer, the jersey sponsor for Minnesota United FC and the Official Retailer of US Youth Soccer. Additionally they provided a grant to the U.S. Soccer Foundation.

Target’s move into soccer makes sense because they are the retailer where many families, including mine, gets all of our soccer essentials from. My oldest has been playing soccer since he was 3 years old and now he plays league soccer during the spring and indoor soccer in the winter. Target is our one stop shop for all our needs from shin guards to game day snacks to soccer goals that help kids practice at home.

Target is also where we get our soccer balls. As kids grow they use different size soccer balls depending on regulations of the leagues they are in and Target has all the different sizes in stock. My boy’s love the selection, especially the soccer balls that are neon colored. Can you believe that Target sold one million soccer balls in 2016!? That’s a lot of families playing soccer!

With the MLS All-Star game quickly approaching we are excited and getting ready to celebrate this big event in the soccer world. We found all our party essentials like snacks and decorations at Target. I even bought a shirt for myself and shirts for the boys to show our soccer pride.

I hope you’ll follow along and chat with me Wednesday night as I share our homegating party fun on social media while we watch the big game. If you live in the Chicago area or will be in town for the game, be on the lookout for all sorts of Target sponsored events across the city throughout the week along with awesome in-stadium experiences.

How are you getting ready for the MLS All-Star game?

White Sox Family Sundays

Thanks to the Chicago White Sox for hosting my family at a game.

Looking for something family-friendly to do in the Chicago area? White Sox fans can spend a Sunday afternoon at the Sox field enjoying the baseball game and many fun kid-friendly activities.

Family Sundays, presented by Coca-Cola, cover all Sunday home games in 2017 and feature tickets as low as $5 in the upper level and $15 in the lower level. Plus, parking is available for only $10. The White Sox ballpark experience for kids on Sundays in 2017 also features special kid-focused activities throughout the concourse and the opportunity to run the bases after games (weather permitting).

If your child knows every Sox player’s name then an autograph session is a must-attend! Prior to select games listed here, the first 100 kids (age 13 and under) to enter the ballpark through the Chicago Sports Depot entrance (located near Parking Lot B and Gate 5) at 11:15 a.m. will be given a wristband and directed to the special area where four Chicago White Sox players will sign one item per child. (A regular game ticket is required for entrance but the autograph session is free with purchase of a ticket.) 

Don’t forget to sign your child up for the kid’s club, if they aren’t already a member, for special perks like ball park tours, tickets and more! (There is a paid membership with extra perks but the basic Slugger membership is FREE!)

We had such a fun time at the game last Sunday! It was hot and sunny but the boys enjoyed eating snacks from the concession stand while watching the game and hoping for a foul ball to come their way. They also loved getting some of the players to sign their autograph ball. At the end of the game they even got their own Sox ball and bat which was a special giveaway for the game. (Other theme nights are coming up which you can find on the schedule here.)

Have you ever been to a Chicago White Sox game? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below.

 

Chicago Bulls Basketball Game Ticket Giveaway

Thanks to the Chicago Bulls for sponsoring this post and giveaway.

Calling all basketball fans! You’ll want to check out this kid-friendly event.

Chicagoland families are invited to “Kids Day” at the Chicago Bulls vs. Atlanta Hawks game (April 1st at 4 pm) at the United Center. There will be a pre-game Kids Zone in the United Center atrium featuring a face painter and games. During the game there will be kid entertainment and other fun surprises.

Want to attend? Purchase tickets here or enter to win 2 tickets, courtesy of the Chicago Bulls, following the directions below!

GIVEAWAY PRIZE

2 tickets to the Chicago Bulls game on April 1st

HOW TO ENTER

Leave a comment on this blog post telling me why you want to win

FOR AN EXTRA ENTRY

Share this giveaway on social media and leave the link in a separate comment below

Giveaway ends March 29, 2017 at 11:59pm CST.

Rules: Must be 21 or older and a US resident to enter. Giveaway consists of two (2) tickets valid for the Chicago Bulls game on April 1, 2017. Winner is responsible for all other costs associated with attending the game, including travel and parking. Winner will be chosen at random, notified via email, and will have 24 hours to respond to claim tickets. The Chicago Bulls are responsible for ticket fulfillment.

Basketball Party Appetizer

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SnackBracketPlaybook #CollectiveBias

Are any of you basketball fans? Or married to basketball fans? If so, I bet you or your loved ones have been glued to the television the past week or so. It’s exciting to follow the games and there’s nothing better than watching them with friends and family. As you cheer on your favorite teams you will probably want to snack on something so I wanted to share a snack idea that’s perfect for basketball parties.

For our basketball watch party I recreated a Mondelez recipe for The Big Tournament, Southwestern Fiesta Topper on TRISCUITs, changing it up a bit with the addition of guacamole to the sour cream. (You can find the original recipe along with a video on how to make it here.) This recipe is so simple which is perfect for those last minute parties. It’s also nice because it allows you to spend less time in the kitchen and more time watching the game.

Ingredients needed:

  • TRISCUIT crackers
  • White cheddar cheese (cut into thin slices)
  • Guacamole
  • Salsa
  • Sour cream

To make:

In a small bowl, mix 2 spoonfuls of sour cream with two spoonfuls of guacamole.

Top a TRISCUIT with a slice of cheese.

Add a teaspoon of salsa on top of the cheese.

Top with a teaspoon of the sour cream and guacamole mixture.

For added fun you can put a basketball topper on each appetizer.

You will also want something to drink so what better to pair appetizers with than ice cold Coca-Cola™ or Coca-Cola Zero™?

I love the mini cans and the 8 ounce bottles I found because they are the perfect size for parties!

To add a bit more basketball fun to the table I set out orange basketball napkins and plates. I also made themed straws for the drinks by attaching foam basketball stickers to black and white striped paper straws.

It only took a few minutes to get everything ready. Want to recreate this party idea? Just grab your favorite Coca-Cola drinks and set out a couple easy appetizers and then sit down and enjoy the ball game :)

I found Coca-Cola, Coke Zero and TRISCUITs at my local Jewel-Osco store.

What do you like to snack on while you watch basketball?

 

—————

  • Mondelēz International and Coca-Cola are Corporate Champion and Partners of the NCAA.
  • NCAA and Snack Bracket Playbook are trademarks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
  • © Mondelēz International group © Coca-Cola Zero is a registered trademark of the Coca-Cola Company.

Be The Snack Mom MVP

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #PureLife40pk #CollectiveBias

With spring baseball season just around the corner, I’ve already started planning for what I need to do to have a smooth sports season. From trying on last year’s cleats ahead of time to pulling the bat bag out from it’s winter hibernation in the garage to making sure that I’m stocked up with plenty of water for practices and games- I’m hoping to be more prepared this season than I have been in the past. (So I can avoid an issue like I had last year when I discovered on the first day of fall baseball practice that Jake’s cleats didn’t fit from the spring season that had just ended a few months before!)

My boys play sports year round which means I’m also responsible for team snacks at least once a month or so. That’s just one more thing to think about during our busy spring sports season when I’m balancing the schedules of two baseball teams and a soccer team (along with all of their other activities and school events). This year I decided to buy a small cooler that was the perfect size to hold enough water bottles for the team so that I could have drinks for snack time ready to go.

And because I’m a crazy sports mom I decided to decorate the cooler a bit to show my team spirit :)

Materials needed to decorate the cooler:

  • 1 to 2 cheer bows in the sport of your choice (or thick ribbon in the sport of your choice)
  • Sports themed stickers

Tie the bows on the handle of the cooler and put the stickers on where you’d like to. I used two big cheer bows on the handle, a “baseball” sticker on the front of the cooler, and then put a long scrapbook sticker that looked like the lace of a baseball on the handle of the cooler.

I also personalized the water bottles and had fun sports themed bottles in just minutes.

Materials needed to decorate/personalize the water bottles:

  • Colorful paper
  • Foam sports sticker
  • Scissors
  • Tape
  • Marker (optional for personalizing)

To decorate the water bottles cut strips of paper about the size of the label on the bottles. Tape the paper on to the bottle and add a foam sports sticker to the front. To personalize the water bottles even more you can write the name or initials of each child on the ball of their label.

I also went to Sam’s Club and bought a 40 pack of Nestlé® Pure Life® Water (available in select Sam’s Club stores, ask your Club Manager about getting Nestlé Pure Life Water in your store if it’s unavailable.). I like that I get 40 bottles for the price of 35! Nestlé Pure Life Water is filtered through a 12-step quality process and enhanced with a unique blend of minerals so it tastes delicious and refreshing.

I keep the cooler stocked with water and bags of snacks in the car so now all I have to do the day I’m snack mom is grab some ice or ice packs, stick them in the cooler and head to the game. The cooler sits near the dugout and I’m ready with cold waters and a snack for the kids when they are done playing their game.

How are you getting ready for spring sports season?

Why We Love British Soccer Camp

This is a sponsored post but all thoughts are my own.

Jacob plays league soccer two to three seasons a year and, for the past couple of summers, has also participated in a week long soccer camp called British Soccer Camp. This camp week is always one of his favorite weeks of the summer and something he is looking forward to participating in again this year. He has enjoyed making new friends and playing this sport that he loves. Watching him play, I’ve noticed his skills develop a lot these last two years and I attribute much of that growth to these week long, half-day intensive camps.

Created by Challenger Sports, British Soccer Camps can be found across the US and Canada. Their camps are coached by a team of international experts and have an innovative curriculum that develops skills, speed and confidence in players of all abilities from ages 3-18. In addition to teaching new skills and improving game performance, each British Soccer Camp provides lessons in character development and cultural education. Best of all, this camp makes learning soccer skills as fun as can be!

British Soccer Camp is giving FREE goodies to all who enroll today with the code: CAMP17. Use that code to register for camp and get a free soccer jersey, soccer ball, t-shirt and poster! Find a location nearby and register here: https://www.challengersports.com/british-soccer/

Has your child ever participated in a sports camp over the summer?

 

 

Easy Ways To Update Your Bathroom For The Big Game

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MegaGame #CollectiveBias

The big game is just around the corner and I’m so excited! Though my favorite team didn’t make it very far this year, I am still looking forward to watching the game in a couple weeks. It’s great to spend time with family while cheering the teams on throughout the game.

One fun way to celebrate the big game is to have a football watch party with family and friends. If you are hosting at your house I’m sure you’ve started preparing for it already- from buying the party decorations to cleaning. One area of the home that’s often overlooked when it comes to party planning is the bathroom. You probably clean it but do you do anything else?

This month I chose to do a few simple updates to add a bit of football spirit to our guest bathroom. The first, and most important addition, was making sure that we had enough toilet paper and that it was readily available to guests. The only thing worse than running out of toilet paper while you are a guest in someone’s home is not being able to find another roll after you run out. I like to keep toilet paper readily available so my guests aren’t put in that awkward situation!

I found a great deal on Quilted Northern Ultra Soft & Strong® Mega Rolls and Quilted Northern Ultra Plush® Mega Rolls at my local Target. Not only did I get a $5 Target gift card when I purchased two packs but there is also a Cartwheel offer for 10% off as well. I like the Quilted Northern Mega Rolls because they are 4 regular rolls in one which means they last longer so you can change the roll less often during the big game.

To store the extra toilet paper so it was accessible to my guests, I decorated a basket with ribbon and set it out on the bathroom counter. Your house will be full of people celebrating, and you want to keep your guest space perfect and put together. This basket will help you do that! It was easy to make and I’m including the simple instructions for you to put this DIY decorated basket together in just minutes!

Materials:

  • Basket big enough to fit at least a couple rolls of toilet paper
  • 1 or 2 ribbons in your choice of colors – you can choose your team’s colors, brown and green for a generic football theme, or even add a cute football ribbon if you have one
  • Glue dots or another adhesive that will hold the ribbon on the basket
  • Scissors to cut the ribbon

Directions:

Measure your ribbon to ensure it’s the length it needs to be to go around the top of your basket and then cut the ribbon

Put your glue dots or adhesive along the top of your basket, adding one dot/spot of adhesive about every inch

Carefully wrap your ribbon around the top of your basket, making sure that you are putting it on straight.

If you have two ribbons you will want to wrap your second ribbon around the basket under the top ribbon.

See how easy that was?! You can just add your toilet paper into the basket and you are all set. If you are using Quilted Northern Mega Rolls you may find that the spare toilet paper basket isn’t even touched throughout the party because they are fuller rolls which means less roll changes. Nobody wants their guest to experience a bath tissue run out but you can enjoy the game knowing that you are all stocked up on this essential.

A few other ways to decorate the bathroom include adding in a football themed hand towel, some football themed trinkets, and adding football shaped stickers to things like clear candles and the soap dispenser.

How would you update your bathroom for the big game? However you choose to do it, avoid a MEGA party fumble by stocking up on Quilted Northern Mega Rolls at Target (found in the bath tissue aisles) so there’s less roll changes which gives you more time to enjoy the game!

To find more Quilted Northern inspiration, check out the social hub here.

Fun Giveaway For Parents Of Little Football Fans

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post but all thoughts are my own.

Football season is almost over so I’m trying to squeeze in as much football love on this blog as I can. Today I have an amazing giveaway for parents or grandparents who want to share their passion for football with the special child in their life.

Little fans will enjoy being pushed around in this Game Day Helmet Ride-In Car from Simplay3, a new company by the founder of both Little Tikes and Step2. This push around buggy is ideal for children ages 9 months to 3 years. It’s made of thick, durable plastic and features a sturdy, removable handle that provides smooth maneuvering and allows for easy storage and transport.

What I like most about this ride-in car is that it can be customized to show your team spirit. Helmets can be ordered in your favorite team colors (black, gray, white, red/orange, blue) and feature a football decal. They can also be customized with team decals from your favorite high school, NCAA college or NFL professional team. Even though my favorite team didn’t make the playoffs, I’m still a huge Chicago Bears fan so my favorite custom combo is the blue helmet with the Bears logo.

Parents and grandparents will feel safe knowing this has a seat belt for their child and kids will have fun pretending to steer their little vehicle with the built in football shaped toy steering wheel. There is even a cup holder to store your child’s drink or snack so they can have it within arms length.

Want to win one of these fun helmets for the little one in your life? Just leave a comment with what helmet color and team customization you’d choose! For an extra entry you can share this giveaway on social media and leave a 2nd comment with your link to the share.

Giveaway ends on Super Bowl Sunday – February 5, 2017- at 11:59pm CST.

Rules: Entries will be counted from January 23, 2017 to Super Bowl Sunday, February 5, 2017 at 11:59pm CST. The prize is one Game Day Push About Helmet from Simplay3, valued at $79.99 USD. Prize can’t be exchanged for cash value. Entry open to residents of the contiguous United States who are 18 years of age or older as of the start of this giveaway. Winner will be chosen using random.com and will be emailed. Winner will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen. Prize will be sent to the winner directly from the sponsor of this giveaway. Making Time For Mommy, and the author of this post, are not responsible for any lost or delayed prizes. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning.

 

 

Concession Stand Themed Football Party

This post is written by me on behalf of Tyson Foods, Inc. All opinions are entirely my own. This shop has been compensated by Acorn Influence, Inc. and its advertiser. #ClubTysonFFL

You all know that I love football parties so I’m really excited to share about an easy one I put together recently. This party comes together in about 30 to 45 minutes from start to finish so it’s perfect for those last minute party guests! I decided to go with a red and white colored concession stand theme and serve mostly foods that could be found at a concession stand.

For food, I served hot dogs, chips, chicken wings, popcorn and soft pretzels. I love “heat & eat” foods because they make life easy!

Tyson® Boneless Wyngz and Ball Park® Franks are ready within minutes so they let me spend less time in the kitchen and more time actually watching the football game with my friends and family.

I found both products, along with all the other food, at Sam’s Club so I saved money on everything, too!

To drink I had cola and water. I also made some chocolate covered strawberries for a sweet treat. I used icing to draw white “laces” on the strawberries so they’d look like footballs.

What are your favorite simple football party foods to serve?

20 Gifts For Chicago Cubs Fans

As a Chicagoan I am so excited that the Chicago Cubs won the World Series last night! Jacob, my 8 year old, is a big fan of the Cubs so I thought I’d put together some great gift ideas for all those who love the Chicago Cubs. Click on the images for details/pricing. (This post contains affiliate links.)

Chicago Cubs White Sweatshirt

Warm Chicago Cubs Blanket

Chicago Cubs Earrings

Chicago Cubs Garden Flag

Chicago Cubs Subway Art

Chicago Cubs Winter Hat

Chicago Cubs Jacket

Chicago Cubs Pajamas For Kids

Chicago Cubs Santa Ornament

Chicago Cubbies T-Shirt

Chicago Cubs Alex & Ani Bracelet

Chicago Cubs/Skyline Blanket

Chicago Cubs Girl’s Bow

Chicago Cubs Socks

Chicago Cubs Baseball Tee For Girls

Chicago Cubs Sweatpants 

Blue Chicago Cubs Hoodie

Chicago Cubs Hat

Chicago Cubs Thermos

Chicago Cubs Baby Bib

What other gift ideas do you have for Chicago Cubs fans?

Essentials For Swim Lessons In The Fall And Winter

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Speedo USA but all thoughts are my own.

My boys take swim lessons pretty much year round. In the summer they enjoy the lessons outdoors but during the colder months all of the lessons are moved indoors. I’ve discovered that we need to pack a lot more items during the colder months than we do for summer lessons so I wanted to share them with those of you who may be considering fall or winter swim lessons.

Here are things I consider essentials for indoor swim lessons:

EXTRA TOWELS

My boys always bring two towels each for lessons. One towel they use to wrap around themselves when they are sitting on deck waiting for their turns in the water. Though the pool area is warmer than the temperature outside, remember that the hot sun won’t be beating down on them like it does at outdoor lessons. Since this towel will be soaking wet after lessons, the second towel is used to dry themselves before they get changed back into their clothes.

GOGGLES

In the summer months the boys spend so much time at the pool that their eyes tend to adapt to the chlorine water but in the winter my boy’s eyes seem to be more sensitive. I’d suggest getting a good pair of goggles they can wear in the pool. Make sure to label them with your child’s name so if your child takes them off and sets them down they won’t get lost.

SLIP ON SHOES OR BOOTS

You will want shoes or boots that your child can easily put on after lessons. Avoid shoes that need to be tied or are difficult to get on because there is usually not a dry place to sit in the locker room to tie them. (Trust me- we learned this one the hard way after a couple wet butts from sitting on the floor after lessons!)

HAT

Children will have wet hair after they get out of the pool and you can dry it off as best you can but most likely it will still be damp. Keeping a hat on their head will keep them from catching a cold as they head out into the cold weather.

WATER

I know as a parent I tend to not worry about hydration in the winter as much as I do in the summer but it’s so important to make sure we keep our kids drinking water or sports drinks while they are exercising, regardless of what season it is.

COMFORTABLE CLOTHES

The very best clothes to wear to lessons during the colder months are easy, comfortable clothes. After children get out of the pool they just want to get dressed as quick as possible so pants that they can slip on are great. We love Speedo brand because not only do they make great swimwear but they have a variety of athletic apparel as well.

While perusing the Speedo website a couple months ago I picked out a pair of pants and matching jacket for Jacob to wear to swim lessons. I liked them because they were quick drying and wicked away moisture which I thought was perfect since my kids don’t always dry themselves fully before starting to get dressed (and then they wonder why their clothes seem to be sticking to them…ha!).

I also decided to get him a new pair of swim trunks and a coordinating rash guard. The swim trunks are made of material that dries twice as fast as typical shorts. I also like that both the rash guard and swim trunks protects the skin from the sun’s harmful rays which will be great during summer lessons.

What do you consider essentials during the colder months when your children are swimming? I’d love to hear your tips in the comments below!

Please note: My blog may contain links to other websites. I am not responsible for the privacy policies of those other websites. When you click on a link, your information may be collected by those websites so I encourage you to read their privacy policies.

Affiliate links are not associated with Speedo.

Football Party With A Baked Potato Bar

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #AD #Tailgreatness #CollectiveBias

Football season is one of my favorite times of year and it’s a great excuse to get together with friends and family. This year I wanted to plan a party with a baked potato bar because I love party foods that let me enjoy the company and the football game instead of being stuck in the kitchen for hours. Along with the baked potato bar I’m sharing three of my favorite loaded baked potato recipes and information about Nexium® 24HR which provides all-day, all-night protection from frequent heartburn so I can enjoy my favorite baked potato toppings (even the spicy ones!) all season long. Of course, my love of themed parties means I have to share all the party decorating details and three easy, but delicious, dessert ideas!

DECOR

Walmart has a plethora of football tableware and decorations and I chose to do some quick DIY projects as well. I made a colorful banner that says “Go Team” using some green paper and letter cutouts which I hung from string using cute little clothespins.

Silverware holders can be created out of mason jars with a piece of ribbon wrapped around the top and football shaped confetti at the bottom of the jar. I also made labels for all of the bowls on the table from little wood place settings by adding a football sticker and writing the names of the food on them. BAKED POTATO BAR

I love a good baked potato with the typical butter, cheese, sour cream and bacon toppings but there are so many other delicious toppings out there, too. I set out a variety of choices that would appeal to a number of diets, from vegetarian to meat lovers.

I also included options for every palate- from mild to spicy. I bought condiment bottles so I could offer a variety of sauces including hot sauce, barbecue sauce, ranch dressing and buffalo sauce.



Speaking of spicy…do you avoid spicy foods because they give you heartburn? I used to avoid a number of heartburn inducing foods, knowing that as soon as I laid down I’d be regretting my dinner choices, but now I don’t have to anymore! Just one pill a day and you can get all-day, all-night protection from frequent heartburn with Nexium® 24HR* (*Use as directed. *May take 1-4 days for full effect.)

So now that you aren’t worried about heartburn, I wanted to share three of my favorite baked potato topping combos.

Buffalo Chicken Baked Potato Ingredients:

  • Baked Potato
  • Chicken
  • Buffalo Sauce
  • Blue Cheese Dressing
  • Blue Cheese

Mix your chicken and buffalo sauce together. The more sauce you use the wetter and tangier the potato will be. Once done, cut your potato open and add in the chicken and blue cheese then drizzle with more buffalo sauce and blue cheese dressing.

BBQ Pork Baked Potato Ingredients

  • Baked Potato
  • BBQ Pulled Pork
  • Shredded Cheddar Cheese
  • BBQ Sauce
  • Fried Onions

This baked potato is really easy to make! Slice the baked potato and then put the pulled pork inside. Sprinkle cheese on top and fried onions and then drizzle barbecue sauce on top of your baked potato.

Chili & Cheese Baked Potato Ingredients:

  • Baked Potato
  • Chili
  • Shredded Cheese (or Cheese Sauce)
  • Corn Chips
  • Green Onions
  • Sour Cream

If your fall go-to meal is chili you’ll love this chili topped baked potato. Just add your favorite chili and top it with shredded cheese, green onions, sour cream and corn chips.

SNACKS, DESSERTS & DRINKS

No party is complete without appetizers and desserts! I found cute popcorn containers that had a football design and put popcorn, corn chips and tortilla chips in them. I also used a football serving dish for the dips and set out salsa, cheese sauce and guacamole.

For dessert I made a few different treats with store bought bakery items. To keep with the football theme I used a football shaped cookie cutter to cut football shapes out of brownies and then I used white icing to draw “laces” on them.

I used the excess brownie pieces to make trifles by layering brownies, chocolate pudding and whipped cream in cups and then topping them with green hard candy sprinkles. Since my kids love cupcakes I got some of those and put them in football cupcake wrappers and added brown and green chocolate candies to the top of them.

To drink I offered two options- water and root beer. I tied a festive straw on to the bottles with football themed ribbon.

So now that you are prepared for a football party with decorations and food, don’t forget to take Nexium® 24HR daily for all-day, all-night protection from frequent heartburn so you can enjoy the party and all the football fun!

Nexium® 24HR is the #1 Choice of Doctors and Pharmacists* for their own frequent heartburn. (*Among PCPs and Pharmacists who use a branded OTC PPI) You can find 42 count packages of tablets or capsules at your local Walmart store by the other over the counter medications. Each box has 3 smaller bottles inside with 14 days worth of capsules/tablets.

What foods would you serve at your football party? Whatever you choose, don’t get sidelined by frequent heartburn! Make sure to get ready for tailgreatness and take your Nexium® 24HR daily to ensure you can enjoy all of your favorite party foods.

*May take 1 to 4 days for full effect. Use as directed.

Football Decorations Kids Can Help Make

Thanks to Tampico for sponsoring our afternoon of crafting decorations for football season!

I absolutely love football season. Whether it’s tossing the ball around with my kids, watching Jacob on the field or sitting around the tv on Sunday afternoons cheering for my favorite team from Chicago, it’s a wonderful time of year. Jacob and I did some crafting to get ready for football season and I thought I’d share some of the decorations we made for the house.

The first thing we did was decorate some snack bowls with football themed stickers. We did this to prepare for our various football parties we are going to have this year and because snacks are always better from fun bowls!

Of course we had to have a snack while we were crafting! Popcorn and Mango Punch Tampico were a great combo!

After our snack we decorated some picture frames. Since Jacob plays football we will use these to display pictures of him on the fridge.

For this craft all you need are some colorful cardboard frames and foam stickers.

Once you decorate the frames with the stickers you can add a magnet on the back so that you can hang your picture frame on the fridge. You can then put a picture underneath the frame- either one of your child in their sports uniform or one of your family at your favorite team’s game.

I decided to make a frame as well and decorate it with some scrapbook stickers. I made Jacob one that said “Football MVP”! I love spending quality time with my kids while we craft.

The last thing we made was a paper chain garland. I found some sparkly glitter paper garland pieces that were pre-cut into strips but you can easily cut strips of paper to make some. On the brown colored paper just use a white crayon to draw on some football “laces”. You’ll then use tape to form loops and make a chain.

Once your chain is complete you can hang it anywhere you’d like! We are going to hang our chain garland from our mantle under the television. It’s the perfect decoration because it mixes colors of Autumn with our love of football.

What crafts does your family make together to celebrate your favorite sports season? When you are at the store buying your supplies for your crafts make sure to pick up Tampico juice drink for your family to enjoy while you are creating memories together!

Boy’s Sporty Looks {For Less!}

Thanks to Marshalls for sending me a gift card to do some back-to-school shopping.

When shorts weather came around a few months ago, Jacob began to ask if he could wear basketball shorts as opposed to the jean shorts and plaid shorts he normally wore. Almost every day this summer he wore athletic shorts with his camp shirt or another t-shirt. He loved how comfy they were and that he didn’t have to change in the afternoons for sports practices.

While shopping for back-to-school clothes, I decided to head to Marshalls to find him some more seasonal appropriate athletic wear now that the cooler weather was coming. Though he will probably wear jeans to school most days, I wanted to find some athletic looks that were nice enough for school and that he could easily wear to baseball or basketball practice.

I found some great pants, hoodies, light jackets, t-shirts and even gym shoes. I loved that the athletic brands were all available at a significant discount at Marshalls.

Don’t forget to look for a little something special for yourself, too, moms! I got myself a cute sweater and a pair of gym shoes :)

Tips To Prepare For Your Child’s Fall Sports Season

Disclosure: I’m proud to partner with MinuteClinic as part of their Back to School #GoBackHealthy campaign. As part of my involvement, I have received sponsorship from MinuteClinic for my posts and activities, but all opinions expressed are purely my own.

The end of August means back-to-school season and also the beginning of the fall sports season! The boys start school Thursday and Jacob just had his first football game this afternoon. If you have a child playing sports this fall, read on for tips on how to prepare for the season!

First, find a sport that fits your child. I wrote about this recently when I shared about enrolling Lucas in gymnastics. It took us a while to find a sport he enjoyed, and we had to try numerous other ones that weren’t a good fit, before he discovered his love of gymnastics.

Once you find a sport (or sports) your child wants to try, it’s important that they get a sports physical to make sure they are healthy enough to do the activity. Many fall sports, including football and soccer, are extremely physically demanding and it’s essential that they are given the okay to participate by a doctor. Even if your state or school doesn’t require it, sports physicals are still good to do because they also help to keep immunizations up to date and provide an opportunity to discuss any concerns you may have. (Remember though that the sports physical doesn’t replace a child’s annual wellness physical with their doctor.) MinuteClinic, the walk-in medical clinic inside select CVS pharmacy and Target stores, offers sports physicals every day with no appointment needed for patients 18 months and older. They can even stamp any paperwork your school or league may require.

After getting the okay to participate it’s time to get everything your child needs to participate in the sport. Most leagues should have a list of what you need to purchase and what they will provide. If you have questions about things you can search online or ask your mom friends who have been there, done that! I remember when Jacob first started sports, I had to google the difference between baseball cleats and football cleats because I had no clue which ones were the right ones I needed to buy.

Along with the sports equipment there are a variety of other things you’ll want to keep in your car during sports season. Things like blankets (it gets cold out there in the evenings) and extra equipment (Jake’s football mouth guard always seem to go missing at least once a season) are important to have on hand. You’ll also want to pack snacks and provide plenty of fluid for your child so they stay hydrated.

What tips do you have for preparing for fall sports season? If you need to get your child a sports physical they are currently offering $10 off at MinuteClinic. Their walk-in-clinic is ideal for busy moms because you can get in and out quickly any day that is convenient for you.

While you are there you can also get a variety of other services including your child’s back-to-school vaccinations and acne treatment. Vaccinations for Meningitis, Pertussis and HPV are available. MinuteClinic practitioners will review information about the vaccine, administer it and then provide you with a summary, receipt of vaccination and educational materials. They’ll even send a summary of the visit to your child’s primary care provider if you would like them to. MinuteClinic also offers acne treatment which is perfect for tweens and teens who want to head back to school with clearer skin. They offer personalized consultations and treatment recommendations for all ages, whether a prescription is needed or you are just looking for which over-the-counter medication will clear the acne. When it comes to starting the school year and fall sports season off healthy, MinuteClinic is the place to go!

 

Powering The Dreams Of My Little Gymnast

This is a sponsored post through SheSpeaks for P&G.

About a year ago, Lucas told me that he wanted to try gymnastics. Since we had tried a few different sports that just weren’t the right fit for his special needs, I was excited that he wanted to do gymnastics and enrolled him in our park district’s gymnastics class. The park district provides an inclusion aide for him so he can participate in any programs they offer which lets him try different sports and activities he chooses. The first day he walked into the huge room with all that equipment and space to move I have to admit that I was anxious to see how it would go. My son amazed me though. I was proud to see how well he focused and participated in the different skills they were practicing. Turns out he has found his sport and he loves it!

His favorite things to do in gymnastics are the high beam and the bars. Always a bit of a daredevil, this does not surprise me! Watching him walk across the balance beam earlier this week I noticed that with every lesson he gets stronger and more confident in his abilities. It’s so great to see him working hard at something he loves.

Sometimes he gets upset when he is struggling to learn a skill, like a cartwheel, but I encourage him to keep practicing and not get upset when he can’t do something. We’ve enjoyed watching The Olympic Games this past week and I have used them to remind him that all of the athletes he sees have practiced for years to get where they are. Gymnasts like Gabby Douglas and the rest of the USA women’s gymnastics team are amazing and Lucas dreams of being able to do all those skills some day!

I’m proud to partner with P&G because they are powering the dreams of athletes everywhere by supporting Team USA. From paper towels to shampoos to razors, P&G makes a variety of items my family uses on a daily basis and all can be found at Walmart for an everyday low price. I love their Venus line of razors, including the Venus® Swirl Razor because it helps capture what other razors may miss. Designed with FLEXIBALL™, a water-activated MoistureGlide™ serum, and five individually adjusting Contour™ blades, it leaves me with flawless skin, long-lasting smoothness, and virtually no missed hairs.

 

10 Sports Essentials For Parents

Throughout ten months of the year most of my evenings and weekends are spent cheering on my kids at their various sports- from the baseball diamond to the football stands to the soccer fields to the basketball court, and even at karate, swimming and gymnastics. If there’s one thing I have learned as a sports mom it’s that I need to be prepared for anything. Spring sports are wrapping up for us but Fall sports season will be here before you know it so I wanted to share this list of sports essentials with you so that you have it as you shop for back to school items this summer. Thanks to BODYARMOR for sponsoring this post.

Below you will find the list of items that I feel are essential for sports parents to have. I normally keep most of these items in the back of my van during sports season because you never know what you will need. It’s also helpful to keep most of the items in there so you don’t forget anything important as you run out the door to practice or games. If you buy a small basket or bin to keep all this in it’s easy to find what you need when you need it and to take out if you have to.

Items needed for both indoor and outdoor sports:

Uniform & Gear – Check your child’s league to see what is recommended when it comes to clothing, shoes and gear. Different sports have different cleats, there are different size soccer balls for different ages, some baseball teams require a face mask and some do not, etc. Also, each sport differs in what is provided. Some may provide the whole uniform while others may provide the jersey but you have to buy the pants. It’s always best to check out your leagues website and talk to the coaches before you go shopping.

Snacks – Snacks for both the player and the family are something you are going to want to pack, especially if you have younger children that will be sitting with you. Most of the time the player will just eat something at the end of the practice or game but the family may get hungry while they are sitting there. I typically bring a variety of snacks, including pretzels and animal crackers, in small ziploc bags.

Extra Equipment – It’s always handy to have extra equipment on hand. One thing I’ve found we’ve had to replace mid-game or practice are mouthguards for football. Other things to keep an extra of include baseball mitts, goggles for swimming and shin guards for soccer.

Sports Drinks – Replenishing sports drinks for your player are essential, especially on warm days. I like to bring at least one bottled drink per hour my kids are playing sports and two drinks for every hour if they are playing outside in hot weather.

One sports drink we recently started having Jacob drink during games is BODYARMOR, a premium sports drink with more potassium packed electrolytes, coconut water and vitamins. It has natural flavors, natural sweeteners and no artificial colors, unlike traditional sports drinks. It’s a great choice for young athletes especially, who don’t need all the extra sodium in their diets or the artificial ingredients that come from drinking other sports drinks on the market. BODYARMOR can be found in a number or retailers including Jewel, Meijer and Target here in the Chicago area (find a coupon here) and comes in 8-great tasting flavors: fruit punch, orange mango, strawberry banana, tropical punch, lemon lime, mixed berry, grape and blackout berry. Jacob’s favorite flavor is blackout berry.

First Aid Kit – Cuts and scrapes are bound to happen on the sports field so it’s always handy to keep a first aid kit on hand. Stock it with bandages, gauze, medical tape, antibiotic ointment, cold packs and tweezers.

Items needed for only outdoor sports:

Sun Protection – If you will be outside in the sun for any amount of time don’t forget the sunscreen. You’ll want to put it on your player (and yourself) before the game or practice starts and then reapply it as needed. For parents, an umbrella or pop up tent you can sit under can also keep you out of the sun and cooler on hot days. We bought a small pop up tent from the store that our younger child could sit under during games to keep him in the shade.

Extra Layers – I’ve learned from experience that it’s always important to carry extra clothes in the car because the temperature can change quickly as the day goes on. Numerous times it’s been warm and sunny and everyone was wearing shorts and then by the end of the game everyone had coats on and were trying to stay warm. I like to have a long sleeve undershirt for the player along with sweatshirts and coats for everyone in the back of my van just in case we need them.

Blankets – Blankets are helpful to have to keep warm on colder days but also can be used as a ground cover which is especially helpful when the ground is wet or muddy. I’d suggest bringing two blankets and making sure one of them has one side that’s weatherproof so if you put it on the ground the moisture won’t soak through.

Cooler – On warm days you’ll want to store your player’s drinks (and your’s too!) in a cooler to keep the drinks cold.

Chair – Whether it’s a camping chair or a folding chair you’ll want to have a chair to sit in. Don’t count on there being bleachers everywhere you go because some fields might not have any and you don’t want to have to stand for hours.

I hope this list helps you prepare for and enjoy your child’s sports season! What would you add to my list?

Swim Lessons At British Swim School

Did you know that the number one cause of death for children five years old and younger is drowning? Children with Autism are even more likely to drown, a chilling fact that I’m well aware of as a mother of a child on the Autism Spectrum. I’ve done everything I can to protect my kids and help them learn to swim, enrolling them in numerous swim lessons since they were young. My boys have taken swim lessons at swim schools, at our gym’s pool, through a couple different park districts and at our local high school. When British Swim School asked me if I’d like to try swim lessons there I jumped at the chance to test them out. They are providing complimentary lessons for my children in exchange for me sharing my honest opinion about their swim school.

Last month they started taking the lessons at British Swim School. This swim school has franchise locations across the United States, with a number of locations right here in the Chicago area. They use pools at gyms and other facilities which helps keep the costs lower for parents. Classes are offered for babies as young as 3 months through adults, all separated by age and skill. Instructors work on everything from helping children feel comfortable in the water to water survival skills like floating to different swim strokes.

We are loving our lessons at British Swim School so far and I’ve seen both boys’ skills improve in just four sessions. Their instructor does a great job of keeping the attention of my boys and is very patient with them. I love that he works on skills with them that have been glossed over during their lessons at other places. Things like making sure Jake’s arms brush his ears so he gets the full power of the stroke while he is swimming freestyle and making sure Luke’s pushing his tummy towards the ceiling when he’s working on his float.

My boys are excited to go to swim lessons which means that they enjoy it as much as I like watching them. They love the last five minutes of lessons because it’s “play” time. While they just see it as fun, they are really still learning skills like treading water and holding their breath as they go under to retrieve a toy from the bottom of the pool.

Here’s a video showing some of Luke’s progress. Lucas couldn’t swim on his own at all before we started the lessons and now he can swim to the edge of the pool which is great progress.

Want to enroll your children in swim lessons at British Swim School? There are around 25 locations in the Chicago area including Alsip, Schaumburg, Matteson, Lincoln Park, Tinley Park, Waukegan and the Loop. Find the location closest to you and learn more here.

WIN FREE LESSONS!

I’m offering two readers a month of free group lessons!

Valid at the following Illinois locations: Tinley Park, Alsip, Matteson, Waukegan and Round Lake Beach

TO ENTER:

Leave a comment on this post telling me why you want to win.

For an extra entry, share about this giveaway on social media and share the link in a second comment below.

Giveaway ends June 15, 2016 at 11:59pm CST.

Free To Play Without Worries

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #allfreeclear #CollectiveBias

With two boys I always have tons of laundry but during Spring and Summer they seem to make double or even triple the normal amount of dirty clothes. Last week started baseball and soccer season which means we are outdoors almost every day of the week now and I’m noticing the pile start to grow already. Between sweaty clothes and sports uniforms they go through multiple outfits a day. On days they have swim lessons add some wet clothes, bathing suits and more towels. Muddy practice fields? More dirty clothes. I already feel behind on laundry constantly (that’s motherhood right?) so if this pile gets much larger I may not be able to find my kids anymore lol.

With lots of laundry I’m sure you all can imagine that the last thing I want is to have to wash the laundry a few times just to get the mud and grass stains out. Honestly, I used to stress out every time it was muddy because I didn’t want to worry about having to get tough stains out of their pants. As much as I wanted to be the carefree mom encouraging the boys to slide to home base, go after the soccer ball with all their might, or make that tackle in football, I couldn’t stop thinking about how dirty they would be after practice or a game. Their baseball pant stains are the worst because they are light gray and hard to keep clean. (Obviously a mom did not make that selection!)

Not only did I worry about their clothes on the field but I learned I needed to relax a bit when they were crawling around in the grass, too. There is not a day Lucas comes home from school with clean jeans. His pants always have dirt or grass stains on the knees.

It’s okay though because I discovered a secret product that fights tough stains for me- all® free clear detergent! I know that my laundry detergent delivers a powerful clean and will make their clothes look as good as new once washed. So I let my boys wrestle in the grass and play in the muddy fields because they are only young once. These times of mom letting them enjoy messy play will be special memories they will carry with them to adulthood and hopefully a tradition they will carry on with their own kids.

Is it time for you to let your kids be kids? If you still have reservations I understand but let me help ease your worries…. First, head to the store and stock up on some good detergent. I like all® free clear detergent because it is the #1 recommended brand by dermatologists, allergists, and pediatricians for sensitive skin. It’s hypoallergenic and clinically proven to be gentle on skin which is important to me because Lucas especially develops skin rashes really easily. I’d suggest going to Sam’s Club and getting the bulk container of all® free clear Mighty Pacs® because you are going to want enough to last all season long! I follow the directions on the label and use one pack for normal washes and two packs for heavily soiled washes (you’ll want to make sure you don’t use too much in a load).

Once you have your detergent give it a try and take your kids outside for an afternoon. Every time you want to yell “watch that puddle!” or “stay out of the mud!” just take a deep breathe and take a photo of the fun your kids are having. Better yet? Join them! You’ll be so busy having fun that the laundry will be the last thing on your mind!

So will you join me in letting go of the stress and embracing the freedom to be the mother you always dreamed of becoming? The one that lets kids get messy and have fun without worrying about the dirty clothes pile? I hope so! To further inspire you I encourage you to read stories from other parents here.

Encourage Your Child’s Love Of Soccer Through Camp This Summer

This is a sponsored post but all thoughts are my own.

Do you have a little one who loves soccer? If so, enroll them in soccer camp this Summer! British Soccer Camp is the most popular camp in North America with 150,000 campers!

With an innovative curriculum that develops skills, speed and confidence in players ages 3-18, British Soccer Camps provide boys and girls with the rare opportunity to receive high-level soccer coaching from a team of international experts right in the heart of their own community. In addition to teaching new skills and improving game performance, each British Soccer Camp provides lessons in character development, cultural education and is the most fun your child can have learning the sport they love!

Jacob loved this camp last Summer and he had a lot of fun playing with other kids in our community. I noticed that his skills really developed over the course of the week. It was the perfect start to his Fall soccer season.

Enroll you child in a British Soccer Camp today and get a FREE Water Bottle with code: USFG16 .

Fueling Up On Game Day

(Disclosure: This is a sponsored post but all thoughts are my own.)

We made it through another busy football Sunday. We raced out the door this morning at eight, went through the drive thu for some caffeine, and got Jake to his pre-game practice just on time. By the time the game was starting Lucas had found a friend to play with and we had great seats on the sidelines.

Not more than half way through Jacob’s game and Lucas was already hungry. We gave him a choice of apple slices or pretzels to dip in peanut butter and he chose pretzels first but then changed his mind and picked apples- well really, just the center of the apple slices, and then proceeded to hand peanut butter coated leftovers to me.

Once his tummy was full he was back to his game of tag with his friend and Jake’s game was in the final minutes so my focus was back on him. I like watching him play and seeing how much his skills have grown over the past couple years.

Once the game was over we let the kids play on the playground for a few minutes while I got lunch out of the car. The kids had Uncrustables® Sandwiches, Smucker’s® Fruit-Fulls® Blended Fruit, cheese crackers and juice boxes which I bought from Walmart, our “SNACKATION” destination. Everything was easy to grab on our way out the door and eat on the go. The Uncrustables® were frozen when I put them in the bag but by the time lunch rolled around they were ready to eat which was great and the peanut butter gave them the energy they needed.

Within ten minutes we were back in the car and headed to Luke’s game which was at a field across town. I really love it when they are on the same field but that’s not usually the case. After we got there and unloaded the car again I was ready for a nap but it was time for more football.

This is Luke’s first year playing football and our experience at his games are a lot different. There is a lot more confusion on the field and it’s pretty entertaining. Some of the kids even run the wrong direction (Lucas included). While watching Lucas play, I had to also keep an eye on Jacob who stayed busy playing catch with some of the older kids.

At the end of Luke’s game both were exhausted from running around and it was time to eat again. At this time I was very happy I stocked up on their favorites at Walmart because these boys eat a lot. (And yes, I know they are just going to eat even more as they continue to grow!) Once they were fueled up with Smucker’s® snacks they were ready to go conquer the rest of the day.

 

Worry Free Outdoor Fun

This is a product-sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Puracyn® Plus Duo-Care™ Wound & Skin Cleanser. The opinions and text are all mine.

Today the temperature outside reached 64 in our Chicago suburb. This is very exciting for everyone, especially for active families that will be thrilled to go hiking and biking and play sports outside in the fresh air. For my family this means it is time for baseball, soccer and the playground. This also means it will be a time full of scrapes, cuts and bug bites. As a parent I know this is unavoidable and I hate to see my boys suffer.

To be truly prepared we always have a bag of a few essentials in our vehicles that can help in an emergency. Some of the best things to have in an emergency kit are an instant ice compress, bandages and band aids, extra mouth guards (for football), snacks and Puracyn® Plus Duo-Care™

To keep your team from getting sidelined new Puracyn® Plus Duo-Care™ Wound and Skin Cleanser, the easy first step in first aid that gently and effectively cleans and hydrates minor wounds, wants you to enter the Play to Win with #TeamPuracynPlus Giveaway for the chance to win a  Puracyn® Plus Duo-Care™ Emergency Kit, including a $50 gift card to a sporting goods store of your choice and  Puracyn® Plus Duo-Care™ product. One winner announced each Friday on March 13, 20, and 27. #TeamPuarcynPlus (3 winners total).  It will be the best way to kick start the outdoors activities season.

My kids both play soccer and baseball during which they both get scrapes and usually the scrapes are messy from the field. The easy to use, hands free spray application of  Puracyn® Plus Duo-Care™ thoroughly cleans minor cuts and wounds, eliminating the need for running water in the critical first moments of cleaning a wound.

I also like Puracyn® Plus Duo-Care™ because it is doctor tested and recommended for quick wound treatments and is free of alcohol and steroids. It is so safe that it will not bother them even if it accidentally gets in their eyes or ears. A 4oz bottle can be purchased at Rite Aid and Walgreens for $14.00. It is convenient to carry in your car kit so you will always have  Puracyn® Plus Duo-Care™ in stock for when you really need it.

To learn more about the brand visit www.puracynplus.com and follow the brand on facebook (facebook.com/puracyn) and Pinterest. Another product they have is the Puracyn Plus Foot Wash and Skin Cleanser, a highly effective cleansing solution for healthier feet and wound care. If you or a loved one have diabetes Puracyn Plus Foot wash is essential to help make foot care part of your daily health routine and self care.

We are ready for the warm weather and the outdoors and especially the fun that comes with it. Thanks to Puracyn® Plus Duo-Care™  we will be ready for anything that comes our way. So join in the fun and discover fearless life with Puracyn.

To learn more about the Puracyn® Plus Duo-Care™ , LIKE the brand on Facebook and follow the brand on Pinterest.

This is a product-sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Puracyn® Plus Duo-Care™ Wound & Skin Cleanser. The opinions and text are all mine.


Free Kid’s Clubs For Chicago Sports Fans

Have a child who loves sports? I’ve rounded up all of the FREE kid’s clubs for Chicago teams. Most of these teams also have kid’s clubs with membership fees that offer more options. Know of another free one? Leave it in the comments below!

Chicago Bears: http://www.chicagobears.com/kid-zone/kids-club.html

  • Membership card
  • Welcome letter and Staley autograph card
  • Periodic newsletters and contests throughout the year
  • Invitations to Kids Club events
  • Pro Shop discount
  • Birthday postcard

Chicago White Sox: http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/cws/fan_forum/kidsclub_index.jsp

  • Pack of White Sox Baseball Player Cards
  • Two (2) Upper Level game tickets (to be redeemed online with a promotional code)
  • Membership certificate
  • Two (2) Digital Newsletters
  • Other special ticket and merchandise discounts

Chicago Wolves: http://chicagowolves.com/fans-den/gameday/skates-mates-kids-club

  • One (1) free ticket to one (1) home game
  • Autographed photo of Skates
  • Autographed photo of a player
  • Birthday E-Card from Skates
  • Wolves games & prizes
  • Discounts on Wolves merchandise

Chicago Fire: http://www.chicago-fire.com/club/jsc

  • Membership Card
  • Welcome Gift
  • Special Ticket Offers
  • Monthly E-Newsletter
  • Access to Exclusive Contests
  • Invite to exclusive player autograph session

Time To Start Thinking About Summer Camps

This is a sponsored post but all thoughts are my own.

There is still snow on the ground but I’m already starting to plan for Spring and Summer. I just signed Jake up for baseball and soccer and tomorrow I go to register both boys for summer camp. Since moving recently, I have been looking into all the local sports related activities I can find and came across a fun summer camp that I think both boys will enjoy.

British Soccer Camp is the most popular camp in North America. With an innovative curriculum that develops skills, speed and confidence in players ages 3-18, British Soccer Camps provide boys and girls with the rare opportunity to receive high-level soccer coaching from a team of international expert’s right in the heart of their own community. In addition to teaching new skills and improving game performance, each British Soccer Camp provides lessons in character development, cultural education and is the most fun your child can have learning the sport they love!

As a bonus, if you enroll your child in a British Soccer Camp today you will receive a Free British Soccer Jersey. PLUS – enter code FMG15 and you will get a bonus Challenger water bottle! Register here.

Papa John’s #UpYourDance Challenge

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post.

What’s better than football and pizza?! How about a chance to win tickets to the big game or free Papa John’s pizza? To enter to win one of the amazing prizes Papa John’s is giving away, they are asking folks to show how they’d celebrate if their team scored points.

It’s easy to enter. All entrants have to do is follow @papajohns on Twitter or Instagram, upload their short video on Vine, Twitter or Instagram, and tag it #UpYourDance and #contest to enter to win!

Need some inspiration (or just want to laugh today)? Check out the video gallery of some of the submissions we’ve had so far for inspiration: http://bit.ly/UpYourDance2. I am loving the kids dancing and the one who does the slow dance with the ball.

Of course don’t forget to get some Papa John’s pizza while you are watching football games this season. It’s so delicious! I recommend the chocolate chip cookie pizza dessert as well. Yum!

Tailgating With McDonald’s

(Disclosure: My tailgating party was sponsored by McDonald’s, an official sponsor of the NFL.)

I am so happy that football is back! There is little I enjoy more than spending time with family while watching the Bears (and now my oldest son!) play. It’s a Fall ritual!

Last weekend both my son and my nephew had football games on Sunday morning so we were getting together with family after their games. Twelve o’clock kickoff times aren’t the easiest to get ready for because being gone in the morning, for Church or youth football, means a rush to get some food ready once we get home.

We got to my mom’s house right before the Bears kicked off. Instead of cooking, we tried something new last week and picked up McDonald’s. This way everyone could get what they wanted and it was as simple as running to McDonald’s and picking it up. No cooking involved!

One thing I did add to the list of everyone’s food order was a box of cookies. Did you know that McDonald’s sold their delicious chocolate chip cookies by the box!? I didn’t! I regret only buying one box because, with a group, 2 or 3 boxes (at least!) is a must.

I kept the decorations simple. Just a football tablecloth, a few hanging decorations and a cute centerpiece that held the cookies was all we needed. We had football napkins as well, but no dirty plates or cups to wash. It was a really easy get-together to plan for and both setup and cleanup were easy-peasy.

Since not all of the kids were interested in the football game we made sure to have plenty to keep them busy. Along with playing with some toys upstairs, they played a couple games and spent some time crafting (more on that coming soon!).

They also loved playing with their football figures and Littlest Pet Shop animals that came in their Happy Meals. Overall, it was a great afternoon of football, food and fun.

We can’t wait for the next Bears game and will definitely be tailgating with McDonald’s again!

Want to join in on the fun? Learn about the ways you can earn weekly prizes and enter for a chance to win the ULTIMATE tailgate at mcdtailgate.com.

Earn Money For Your Child’s Team With PearUp

(Disclosure: This is a sponsored post but all thoughts are my own.)

One of my favorite ways to spend Saturdays in the warmer months is to watch my boys play soccer. They’ve played through our local park district, on a private league and are starting weekly indoor soccer classes next week. They love the game, especially when they get to score a goal. They also love the sidelines when they can cheer for their teammates and chat non-stop.

As much as I love my kids playing sports, I don’t like the fundraising that typically comes along with it. For one of Jacob’s teams I had to sell 90 candy bars. Since I hate asking people for money they are all sitting in my fridge still (other than the five or so that I’ve already eaten). That’s $90 worth of money going out of my pocket and chocolate going on my hips.

Are you like me and wish there was an easier way to raise money for your team or group without having to pester your friends and family? Well, there is! PearUp makes sponsorship easy for groups and events looking for support and it is FREE. Here is how PearUp works:

Seeing that kids, like my boys, get a lot out of playing soccer on a team, Ritz Bits wants to help keep leagues going by hosting a “Snack for Your Champion” program using PearUp. Ritz Bits is offering $1000 to teams in exchange for parents completing some online activities. That $1,000 can be used toward team apparel or can simply be a donation to the soccer team for team/league fees. What a great way to reduce costs so more children can play!

Want to see how easy it is? You can support my team or create your own to raise money for apparel or league fees.

Four Benefits Of Team Sports

(Disclosure: I am currently serving as a “Play Ambassador” for Let’s Play. This is a sponsored post, however, the opinions expressed are my own.)

One of my favorite places to be is on the sidelines cheering for my boys as they play sports. This summer Jacob was in baseball and both Jacob and Lucas were in soccer. Fall brings Jacob’s first football season.

Sports offer many benefits including teamwork, responsibility, exercise and friendship. I hope that the boys continue playing sports for years to come. All of the great things that come from playing sports will become even more important as they head into elementary school and then into the teenage years.

Since sports are not a solo activity, one of the main things the boys learn from being on a team is team work and how to get along with others. They can probably kick a ball down the field and score a goal themselves but it’s much more meaningful when they can share the win with a friend. On the baseball field, one person can’t cover all of the bases themselves, they have to throw the ball to a teammate.

Another thing that the boys learn while playing sports is responsibility. They have to practice to get better and they have to make sure they are at practices and games. This is mostly the parents’ job right now but as the boys get older they will have to become more disciplined in making sure that they practice and arrive places on time so they don’t let their teammates down.

Sports are a fun way to get exercise. Running is not something either of my boys enjoy doing but they have to do it when they play sports and then they don’t mind because it’s made to be fun. Running the bases while people in the stands cheer, running down the field after a player who has the soccer ball or running, football under the arm, gives the activity a purpose. As kids get older they tend to become more sedentary in front of video games and tv so it’s good that by their teen years they will already be used to regular exercise.

Best of all, friendships develop while playing team sports. All those hours spent practicing and on the sidelines help the boys develop bonds with other kids. With delayed language and being on the Autism Spectrum, Lucas has not always formed friendships easily as he tends to sometimes be in his own world. This past season of soccer though, I really saw him come out of his shell talking with the kids on his team and laughing with them. This is the greatest thing that has come out of sports and I hope that as they get older they will continue to make new friends through the different teams they’re on.

What benefits have you seen from your children playing sports? If you want more ideas of how to keep children active from childhood to their teen years visit Let’s Play.com. You can also find Let’s Play on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

7 Ideas For An Active Spring Break Staycation

Spring break starts today for my kids. One and a half weeks of time off from school. We were thinking about going away for a weekend but decided to skip it and save the money. Should be an interesting time as I work full-time from home along with running this blog. The boys will probably spend plenty of time in front of the tv but I wanted to share some ideas for getting kids (and their parents!) up and off the couch as well. The following is a guest post from Shana Schneider, fitness expert and founder of FITWEEK, a fitness company dedicated to helping women “turn their week into a fit week.”

Play old school games. Remember things like red light/green light, Simon says, duck-duck-goose, musical chairs, or freeze tag? These are lots of fun, and free! Or, for older kids, go to an arcade. See who has the skills for Pac Man or Skee Ball.

Head to the park. Find a list of all the parks in your city and make a plan to visit as many as you can during the break. As part of the fun, pack a picnic. This way, your kids can still run around outside and you’ll all be ready for a nap afterwards. Check out the playgrounds or the trails, and then when home, place stickers on a map of your city identifying each parks and playgrounds you have visited.

Watch a movie marathon. The key here is to make fitness part of the viewing. Here’s how it could work – assign a character to each family member; that person has to get up and sit down, or do some exercise each time the assigned character comes on the screen. It’s pretty funny to see people randomly get up and down throughout the movie. There’ll be some giggles involved, which can get your abs working, too!

Visit a museum. They usually run walking tours and will often have activities for kids. If you’re in the Connecticut area, check out the children’s museums, which are interactive fun for the whole family. And no one has to worry about not touching the exhibits.

Cook in the kitchen, and use that elbow grease. Do something out of the ordinary like making bread or pizza dough from scratch. When getting those ingredients together, remember no electric mixers allowed.

Learn a new sport or activity. Try yoga for the first time together, or take a dance class. If someone in the family is an expert at a particular sport have them teach the others how to play it.

Host an active video game tournament. If you have a video game console, set up your own family tournament and compete in a different sport each day. Need more people involved? Invite the neighbors or other friends over to join you. Choose from – golfing, tennis, boxing, snowboarding, dancing and the list goes on. You can even divide up the groups so you have adults play one game and kids another. The point is you want to pick games that get everyone moving!

 

Our Big Game Celebration With Gold Emblem Snacks

Football and food are two of my favorite things so when CVS/pharmacy contacted me about sponsoring my next football party I was so excited. Even though my favorite team didn’t make it all the way I was still looking forward to the big game last weekend.

CVS/pharmacy sent me an assortment of products from their exclusive Gold Emblem collection including a variety of nuts and other snacks, cookies, and juices. The morning of the party I went shopping to get the rest of the food, tableware and the decorations. Since I was short on time I decided to keep everything simple and I think everything turned out pretty good.

I am a huge fan of “themed” parties so everything except for a few bowls was football themed. I even had a special centerpiece- a signed Walter Payton football {thanks to my brother for letting me borrow it}!

Check out my little helpers above! We had to represent and wear our Bears football gear! I didn’t really have a favorite team to win until I heard Derrick Coleman’s inspiring story {about being deaf} the week before the game and then started rooting for the Seattle Seahawks to win.

I used little snack cups to display all of the nuts, the trail mix, the popcorn, and the pretzels that CVS/pharmacy had sent me. These snacks were a huge hit with the kids, especially my niece.

Cheese and cracker trays are popular at parties. I decided to try a new type of cheese with white cheddar and chipotle peppers and it was really good.

Spinach dip is healthy because it has spinach in it right? ;) We love to eat ours’ with Hawaiian bread.

We had chips and dip and tortilla chips and dip. I love the taco dip my mom made. It’s a layered dip but she makes it without the refried beans. {Thankfully there was a whole dish full of it on the counter…otherwise what you see in the picture above would have been all mine.}

After eating appetizers the kids played games with their Nana and my sister in law. I was busy watching the game and being disappointed in the commercials. For dinner we had pizza and chicken wings.

 After dinner it was dessert time! There were cupcakes and two types of Gold Emblem branded cookies. After more football it was time to say goodbye and my guests received goodie bags from CVS/Pharmacy.

We had such a fun time and I enjoyed tasting all of the delicious Gold Emblem snacks. My favorites are the Natural Pistachios, Milk Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels and the Cranberry Nut Trail Mix. The line has over 250 products so there is something for everyone, from savory to sweet.

What foods do you like to have at your sports parties?

Celebrating The Winter Games With Preschoolers

The Winter Games are almost here and I’m excited to share some movie selections and a fun craft for preschoolers courtesy of Netflix (disclosure: I am a member of their blogger “Stream Team”).

This will be the first year that my boys will watch some of the games and I am excited for the occasion. I remember following the Olympics when I was younger and enjoyed watching with my family so it’s a tradition I want to keep. I thought this article from Common Sense Media had some great talking points to consider when watching the games with children.

The article above says that watching sports “can be a great chance to point out how everyone’s contribution is key to a team’s success.” For younger kids it’s as simple as pointing out how the “athletes show their support for each other and also how they handle winning and losing.”  All five of these movies I’m sharing about today help encourage conversations about inspiration and teamwork. My boys love Bob the Builder so I’m really excited to cuddle with them on the couch and watch Bob the Builder: The Bobblesberg Winter Games before watching some skiing and ice skating with them.

How about a craft, too? I love these Sportsmanship Metals! Find the directions here.

6 Football Themed Crafts For Kids

I’m excited to watch the Super Bowl this Sunday! Jacob is head over heels in love with football lately so I looked online for some fun craft ideas. Here are some of my favorites (click the links or images for all the details and instructions):

Pennant from Crayola

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Paper Bag Football from No Time For Flashcards

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Football Helmet Printable from Craft Jr

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Paper Football and Field Goal from SheKnows

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Football Footprint from A Teacher At Heart

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Football Snack Bowl from Simply Sprout

Find more football ideas on my Football Party Pinterest board.

Zume Games: Gift Ideas For Outdoor Fun

(Disclosure: I received a game from Zume Games and can’t wait to play it this spring!)

Do you have someone in your life who loves the outdoors? I have some great gift ideas for them! Escalade Sports, a national leader in recreational sporting goods, has a line of outdoor games called Zume Games that put an innovative twist on traditional outdoor games. Zume Games are portable, easy to play, durable and designed for safe play. 

Zume Games’ must-haves include TENNIZ™, DIZK™, and TOZZ™. Here is some more about these fun games:

TENNIZ™

The instant tennis match you can play almost anywhere. TENNIZ is ideal for building skills and having fun. Perfect for kids and beginners or family recreational play, TENNIZ is lightweight, portable and features ultra-quick setup. TENNIZ comes complete with two 21-inch rackets, 2 TENNIZ balls, 12-foot net and convenient carrying case.  TENNIZ is suitable for ages 8+ and is available for purchase online at Amazon.com and Zume-Games.com. SRP: $79.99.

DIZK™

DIZK is a super-tough, soft-touch, great-grip flying disc featuring a unique design to help it fly, float and flex like no other. Its center hole creates more ways to catch and its versatility makes it great for perfecting those flying disk tricks. DIZK is suitable for ages 6+ and is available for purchase at Sports Authority, MC Sports, Sports Chalet and online at Amazon.com and Zume-Games.com. SRP: $14.99.

TOZZ™

TOZZ is a soft-touch, great-grip football that was made to grip it and rip it, allowing you to get more out of your arm. Its center aerodynamic air tunnel helps create an amazing spiral on every throw. TOZZ’s easy to launch, easy to catch design is suitable for ages 6+ and is available for purchase at Sports Authority, MC Sports, Sports Chalet and online at Amazon.com and Zume-Games.com. SRP: $17.99.

Don’t those all sound like so much fun!?