#DontMessWithTheJuJu

I know I am not the only coach's wife or super fan out there that has their own weekly rituals. Let us not forget that great Bud Light ad to the song "Very Superstitious".....It is only weird if it doesn't work......right😉👍🏼. We all have our own system to prepare for game day.

Despite the craziness of taking care of my four boys and working a full-time job, there are just some things I must get done for game day. Some may say I am overly superstitious....or that maybe I try too hard. I say do not mess with a good thing....aka......#DontMessWithTheJuJu

If we Win...I usually factor in everything that has happened the previous week. If I washed my suburban....you better believe I am going to be washing it again. Don't think I'll be forgetting my team car flags either (my sons will vouch for me on that one.) I've been known to drive right back home if I do. If we tailgated last week....more than than likely we'll be doing it again. Nails painted in team colors for last Saturday's win....yup....I'll be keeping the same game day color scheme for the next one🙋🏼🏈💅🏼✔️.

If we lose....(I hate even thinking about that....I mean let's not even put that out in the universe....right?!???)....but if we do...don't think you'll be seeing me in anything I wore for that game the rest of the season....it's just bad luck👖🙅🏼.

I remember when my husband coached at Colorado, I made peanut butter cookies for my husband's players before every game. When we lost halfway through season....guess who needed to come up with a new recipe🙋🏼🏈🍪.

Other coaches wives on staffs we had worked on have been known to hit the concessions/restroom when things weren't looking great in the game....in hopes that it would help turn the game around. I remember we'd keep sending them back down when we thought it was actually working🍿🌭🚽👍🏼.

So our football season officially starts this Thursday night. I will say, I have complete faith that our coaches have come up with an amazing game plan for the opening game.....and we have a bunch of very good players to execute the plan. I just like to believe that "my system" might also help light up a big fat "WIN" on our scoreboard Thursday night. 

So best of luck to all those coaches' wives and great fans out there who also have their own rituals to help with a winning season. Remember....it isn't weird if it works. Go Jacks💛🐰💙🏈!!

PS......I'd  love to know your traditions as coaches' wives or super fans to be game day ready......

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10 Things You Might Say if You're a Mom of Boys....

If you are a mom of boys you can probably relate to saying most if not all of this list....

1. WHAT HAPPENED!?!?!? Usually said when someone is crying, screaming in pain, or you just heard the sound of something breaking😢😫😤🥊

2. Who clogged the toilet? I swear there must be legos trapped in that thing....why does this always happen in their bathroom?!?!?!🚽🤦🏼‍♀️

3. Did you wash your hands? For some reason boys need CONSTANT reminders🤷🏼‍♂️🕵🏼‍♀️✋🏼🤚🏼

4. What's for dinner? Are you kidding me.....we just had breakfast. Boys eat A LOT!!!!❓🍽🙋🏼‍♂️

5. Keep it in the potty. I am like the toilet Nazi at my house....sorry NO ONE likes cleaning filthy/smelly toilets🚽🤢🙅🏼

6. Don't say poop at the table!!!!! I do not get it.....why do boys like potty talk? I can not stand that word! Anything to do with bathroom talk makes them all roll on the floor laughing hysterically💩🚫🍽

7. BOYYYYS!!! Lets just say there is quite a few selective listeners in the house. I think Snapchat seems to make their ears less likely to hear their mom calling them😫📱

8. Be careful!!!! I say this regularly. This summer, one son alone has had to get three sets of x-rays...... there is truly never a dull moment with boys. They keep me on my toes....or in Urgent care🏥👦🏻

9. WHO DID THIS????? A bump in the wall...wrappers on the floor.....you name it. The mysterious part about it is......no one ever knows how it happened 🤷🏼‍♂️🕵🏼‍♀️

10. No baseball in the house!!! For some reason they have to be reminded of this frequently......when they forget, it is usually followed by #1.......WHAT HAPPENED?!?!?⚾️😳

And Just like that football season begins......

Summer is literally flashing before my eyes. June was largely made up of me living in my vehicle driving my tribe around to activities and summer camps⚾️🏈🏀⚽️🤹🏼‍♀️.

When July 1st hit, we loaded up the Suburban for a little three day getaway. We celebrated that summer football camps were finally over and enjoyed some family time before Daddy starts practice in late July. 

If July seems early, let me explain.....most college football wives have a shorter amount of time together as a family this summer. Due to some new NCAA rules, our players will report on July 25th this year, 9 days earlier than last year when they reported on August 3rd😳📆🏈.

Don't get me wrong....I am itching a little for the football season. Lugging my kiddos to games, tailgating, the anticipation of every snap of the ball, and the excitement of a Win. I can almost here my son telling me to settle down👦🏻😤🙋🏼. I mean come on.....why doesn't everyone stand up on third down????🙄🏈

With Fall camp right around the corner, it is a reminder that another summer is coming to an end. Which, in all honesty, makes me a little emotional. My children are another year older and going on to the next grade level....there are only so many summers all together as a family left😢🏡👶🏼👦🏼👦🏻👦🏼☀️.

So I have to remind myself....slow down mama. Enjoy them....you won't get this time back. I am soon to be a "football widow" once again, but I will do my very best to make the most of these remaining weeks of summer. While my husband is preparing his boys for the next season....I will be preparing our boys for the next school year.....but making sure we have fun along the way👶🏼👦🏼👦🏻👦🏼.

A Coach's Wife During Summer Football Camps

Summer is officially here, and most people outside of this football world probably think my husband has some time off right now. Wrong!!! Summer camps are in full swing. What does that mean to a coach's wife.....

Bye bye husband. Days can literally go by without seeing each other for more than a few minutes. Why? Camp starts early in the morning with hundreds of players from all over coming to be coached up at the university. If it is a team camp, it also ends late at night because the college coaches hang out with the high school coaches at night so they have a good time, and want to keep bringing the team back to the camp year after year. This year my husband is working 19 days of camp in the month of June. We are currently in the middle of a streak of 15 straight days of camp!

Coaches wives literally run the entire show at home and with our families during the "camp season." Much like in the football season.....there is no "extra set of hands." The house, driving kids to summer activities, meals, bath time, books, tucking in, mowing the lawn, anything breaks (fix it), toddler meltdowns (she's on her own)....and the list goes on. I decided yesterday to get the tools out myself and teach our son to finally ride a bike with out training wheels. You name a household task......a coach's wife is probably handling it during camp.

There are also plenty of camps in the summer where our husbands have to travel to evaluate and coach players.....some usually right around Father's Day. This year we celebrated Daddy right around 10pm because he was away at 2 camps that weekend. We could not stay up that late either, because we had our team camp starting at our facilities that very next morning. We still made the most out of the time we got with him. Coaches' wives and kiddos learn to be very understanding and patient. 

Some nights during camp we make our way to the stadium to eat with the campers and our husbands....no matter what's on the menu. Tonight I loaded up four boys and a portable high chair....just to get an hour with him. Seeing those boys running and laughing on the field with their Daddy makes it all worth it.

When that small window of vacation time in the beginning of July rolls around (I am literally counting down the days), we try to make up for lost time-sometimes only being able to get away for a few days. This also may help you understand when that coaches wife you know is suddenly not available. Her husband is back....Daddy is around again....she is making the most of their time together. Because let's not forget.....fall camp is just weeks away, and somehow the players report on July 25th this year (but that's another blog entry in itself!)

A Guide To Swimming In Style

I recently spent a ridiculous amount of time and effort shopping for the perfect swimsuit. I mean seriously........why is it so hard🕰💻🤦🏼‍♀️?!?!?

I love (I mean LOVE) bikinis, but with four boys at the local pool I wanted a suit that while stylish, would not leave me falling out of it as I chased my littlest babe around. My teenager already thinks I am embarrassing enough!! 👙🍈🍈🙈🙅🏼‍♂️

So while I had to say NO to a bikini, I also didn't want one of those suits with the ginormous skirt attached to it. I mean, who wants to feel like they've doubled their age in a swimsuit! I also don't want it to scream mom with kids.....even though I really am a mom with kids👶🏼👦🏼👦🏻👶🏼👈🏼🤷🏼‍♀️.

Thank god for Pinterest, because it led me to amazing web sites with suits that were affordable and cute. My new all-time favorite site for suits is CupShe.com, but I found lots of others great online shops too.

Here are my five, fave one-piece suits for this  summer that are cute and under $25 (many offer free shipping as well!)

Cupshe Somewhere Out There Crochet Swimsuit. I bought this one and LOVE it!!! True to size and was only $21.99 with free shipping. 

Cupshe Petal in Peril Halter Plunging Swimsuit. Only $19.99 with free shipping. Love this print and the open back detail.

Cupshe Happiness is Truth Plunging One-piece Swimsuit $21.99 and free shipping. Love the nautical look to this simple suit with chic plunging details.

ZAFUL Embroidered Cami One Piece SwimwearEmbroidered Cami One Piece Swimwear - Red. Only $23.49.  Also comes in others great colors and love the embroidered flower details.

WhealFeel's Floral Printed One-Piece Swimsuit $20.99. LOVE the Bohemian look on this one!

You can find other great suits for summer following Kimberly Eck on Pinterest the board is called-Swim With Style. Enjoy your summer at the pool. 🌤🏊🏻‍♀️⛱😎

A Coaches Wife During Recruiting

I'll be completely honest. Recruiting is my least favorite part of being married to a football coach. Weeks apart can be pretty lonely and tiring (emotionally and physically.)

In almost 15 years of marriage we have not had much time together in the month of May.....or January for that matter👰🏼🏈💍.

He leaves in search of new players while I handle our home and family. Don't get me wrong....I am used to zone coverage when it's handling our 4 boys. When it's football season, many wives will agree, you're pretty much handling it all anyways👶🏼👦🏼👦🏻👦🏼🏈👰🏼💍.

During the season, however, you actually get to see each other. Maybe it is not a lot....but at least it is sometimes. When he is away  for weeks recruiting, FaceTime (thank god for it) is the only time together we share. My 4 sons and I will squeeze together on the couch for a brief moment in the evening just to say hi and tell daddy about the day at school👶🏼👦🏼👦🏻👦🏼👩🏼‍💻🛋.

During spring recruiting, I juggle my 6, 12, and 14 year old boys in their different sports....with our youngest babe (who is just under 2) on my hip.....or more likely he's probably running around getting into something🤹🏼‍♀️🥅⚽️⚾️🏃🏼👶🏼😳.

Our "dinner times" will consist of the staples that only kids like.....chicken nuggets, corn dogs, PB&J's, and mac-n-cheese. To be 100% real...I eat a lot of cereal during recruiting...just to keep it simple. I know....it is not the healthiest meal....don't judge. I try to work smarter, not harder in regards to "cooking" while dad is away. 💡👩🏼‍🍳

I'll be doing the dishes, cleaning the high chair (3 times a day), folding the laundry, changing the diapers, helping with homework, mediating brotherly quarrels, bathing the little one, driving to practice, shopping for groceries, reading bedtime stories, playing "handyman" (with four boys something will probably need to get fixed at some point), and tucking in kiddos........ALL.....ALONE......Let's just pray no one gets sick. 😳👩🏼‍🔧👩🏼‍🏫👩🏼‍⚕️👩🏼‍⚖️👶🏼👦🏼👦🏻👦🏼🗣📝📚🛒🛁💩🚕🛌🤦🏼‍♀️.

Then there is work. I am a full time nanny to a family with three children, so I can be home with our baby. This can be rough while he's away. My 19 month old's favorite three words right now are hi, please, and no.....which can make things pretty interesting in the conversation department. Not exactly much adult conversation for me when my husband's gone👶🏼👶🏻👦🏻👧🏼.

When he is gone recruiting, with all the hours and miles he spends on the road, I also worry.  This week he left with snow on the ground...not my favorite thing to see in May, especially when you know your husband will be driving 8 hours to find future Jackrabbits. I don't think there's been a single time he's left without a little concern or a tear in my eye👰🏼🙏🏼😢.

So this post isn't to get you to feel sorry for me or any other college football wife.....believe me.....we know it's part of the deal. To find great future players you have to search for them. Plus I've never met a coaches wife who doesn't like to win games.....you need great players to do that......right?? 😉🏈👍🏼

This post is just to let you know the daily sacrifice we make when our husbands are gone for weeks at a time, working hard finding those future players. They are looking to add to our football family.....while we lose time with our own immediate family. 

So bless all the coaches spending all those hours on the road.....but bless those great women they leave behind with their hands full even more.  We are juggling everything because we love our coaches....and our teams. Go Jackrabbits!💙🏈💛🐰💍👰🏼👶🏼👦🏼👦🏻👦🏼

11 Budget Friendly Beauty Buys

Here are my top 11 favorite beauty products you can find at any drugstore or Target. I know all you makeup lovers out there could drop some serious money at a MAC counter. I swear by these inexpensive products.......I know you'll fall in love with them! Look at it this way......more money for shoes🙋🏼💵👠💃🏼‼️

1. Elf Liquid Eyeliner. It goes/stays on beautifully and is ONLY $1.....uhhhhh.....yes, please 👁🙋🏼

2. Elnett Satin Hairspray. There's a reason it's a staple at red carpet events and photo shoots. It works better than other professional brands I have used.

3. Coconut oil. I use it as a deep conditioner. You can also use it with brown sugar as a natural body exfoliate. I have even used on my son as a moisturizer to help with eczema....it helped faster than the expensive creams. There is literally an endless amount of ways you can use coconut oil💆🏼✔️

4. Vaseline. I use it every night on my lashes and they have grown so much. I also use it as an under eye cream at night. It keeps the eyes hydrated and let's face it...if Tyra Banks has claimed to use it...why not try.

5. J.R. Watkins Hand Cream. I have tubes of this all over. I love it because it's non-greasy, but keeps my hands very hydrated. A must when you have small babes and have to wash your hand a lot🙌🏻👶🏼.

6. Burt Bees Tinted Lip Balm. I wear dramatic eyes so my go to is a nude lip color. These are great for adding a little sheer color.....without looking heavy. They look moisturized while adding a hint of color. Great for a more minimal lip....if Rachel Zoe keeps them in her purse....so can I💄👄🙋🏼👜.

7. Elf Baked Highlighter. I love the color moonlight pearls. Great above the brow bone to help lift the eye. It lasts forever and is only $2-3 👁👁.

9.  Elf Lip Exfoliator. Don't apply lipstick on dry lips. Use this before balm/lipstick....I swear by it. At $3, it is definitely a great price and worth trying👄👍🏼.

10. Maybelline's "The Falsies."  My favorite new Mascara!! It lengthens and separates. I am extremely picky about a mascara. It closely reminds me of Lancôme's Définicils but "The Falsies" is about $20 cheaper👁👁💵👍🏼.

11. Charcoal and Black Sugar Mud Mask by Freeman. LOVE this mask. This mask/scrub works together to detox skin. Naturally purifying activated charcoal helps absorb oil and impurities without over-drying. The black sugar helps exfoliate away dead skin cells for softness and clarity. Plus it's great for all skin types.