tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85082239620235469412024-02-19T10:42:18.308-08:00All-Star Team MomI'm just an average working mom to three kids that had the crazy idea to help out as team mom. Come live the trials and triumphs as I share tips, tricks and stories that have helped and are helping me make it through day after day.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8508223962023546941.post-70974870783231266182014-03-11T23:33:00.001-07:002014-03-11T23:33:38.045-07:00Tasty Tuesday: Easy CakeSo we're still adapting to our new crazy baseball schedule with multiple teams and conflicting practice and game times. It rained here and you'd think that it was monsoon weather the way everyone reacted. We needed the rain, but unfortunately it added even more changes to our schedule canceling our opening day ceremonies and rescheduling other events. <div><br></div><div>It's no surprise that I completely spaced on preparing something for the league bake sale that was rescheduled! Since I'm a team mom for two teams, I had to donate two items. It's 5pm on a Friday night and what to do ...what to do... I decided to power on with items in my cupboard without the extra trip to the store. The result? A fun baseball that even my 7 year old helped to create. </div><div><br></div><div>Now I'm not claiming this is an original idea. I'm sure someone somewhere has done this before. I just haven't seen it on a full size cake.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMKgLkkVWxizIdEuwHbxn9famko3O_lcPq4PB5NHmD5jW2SgOLpS3Shx9VXrVzQpnCgdJdn5f7nKYz-zqjYscoYEbBwow99ztxuQ65UbFF8iHSpM7aPWg1zROOznRcSrzc7nYRRjKrX-8M/s640/blogger-image-661813173.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMKgLkkVWxizIdEuwHbxn9famko3O_lcPq4PB5NHmD5jW2SgOLpS3Shx9VXrVzQpnCgdJdn5f7nKYz-zqjYscoYEbBwow99ztxuQ65UbFF8iHSpM7aPWg1zROOznRcSrzc7nYRRjKrX-8M/s640/blogger-image-661813173.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div><div>This a fun and super simple way to make an impactful cake for a team party, game snack or even the league bake sale!</div><div><br></div><div>What you'll need:</div><div>- Two round cakes (either single layer or double layer will work)</div><div>- Two cans of white frosting or approximately 4 cups homemade frosting</div><div>- Red and green M&Ms </div><div>- Toothpicks</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQV4zRqFlqEpUU5m-TAYMN0MsQfDBTFnlU-x2q_SUs5UQ3nqJGZEoaQTCpAY8Q9RzTFRPLZQ69jyfJPrbypC04fWRFNNwPd3eysLYLta9xEkuuaigfL3SMimJMvkInxVw32q1-hNvnc9g5/s640/blogger-image--139014699.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQV4zRqFlqEpUU5m-TAYMN0MsQfDBTFnlU-x2q_SUs5UQ3nqJGZEoaQTCpAY8Q9RzTFRPLZQ69jyfJPrbypC04fWRFNNwPd3eysLYLta9xEkuuaigfL3SMimJMvkInxVw32q1-hNvnc9g5/s640/blogger-image--139014699.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div><div>First ice your cakes once they are cooled. If you aren't familiar with icing cakes, take this slow. It's easy so don't stress - but going slower will help avoid crumbs. Lighter color cakes will make this process easier as the crumbs are less likely to show through your icing. If your cake seems to be particularly crumbly (test this by slowly running your finger around the edge and see if there is crumbling or flaking), freeze your cake for a few hours and ice frozen. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiICtfoJxkikzCPNINclesNGNxdUXIfL93QcitOzAJxyCZC-p3Fl-xshU0mKQKFFtR2Vw_FThJbOVJT0fbzA4zNl8MGSFAEsr9jsIfb7dH8R9SFCmGQs5H636RouZy8EIyMUSRveNnHc8K_/s640/blogger-image-241041843.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiICtfoJxkikzCPNINclesNGNxdUXIfL93QcitOzAJxyCZC-p3Fl-xshU0mKQKFFtR2Vw_FThJbOVJT0fbzA4zNl8MGSFAEsr9jsIfb7dH8R9SFCmGQs5H636RouZy8EIyMUSRveNnHc8K_/s640/blogger-image-241041843.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>This particular cake I had made had some small bubbles that popped and left holes on the top. If you have a crack or holes similar to this, fill with frosting before icing the rest of the cake. </div><div><br></div><div>Spread the frosting evenly around the cake. Each layer should require about 1 1/2 to 2 cups of frosting. When applying frosting to the sides of the cake, make sure to make the layer extra thick - almost 1/8 to 1/4 inch. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg80burnPN624mfjD1xKFupLyc5205hNy34xb4tjswWKquPYFBUY9WIbnZuHxNAINAYGSfV9oO-aIKBXVxwVAPx9mCI_rg-7xGB4SpVH4g3B6ocLLi8PEDUlTuEkxclJaeW9wy_SQAzKH0t/s640/blogger-image-642818110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg80burnPN624mfjD1xKFupLyc5205hNy34xb4tjswWKquPYFBUY9WIbnZuHxNAINAYGSfV9oO-aIKBXVxwVAPx9mCI_rg-7xGB4SpVH4g3B6ocLLi8PEDUlTuEkxclJaeW9wy_SQAzKH0t/s640/blogger-image-642818110.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>Once you are happy with your pretty cake canvases, bust out the M&Ms. My son loved this part! He also loved separating the green and red candies out from the other colors. There may have been a few eaten here or there keeping him entertained. ;-)</div><div><br></div><div>Take a tooth pick and lightly draw lines in the shape of baseball lines in your frosting. These lines should just barely overlap the edge of your cake, but not go all of the way to your plate.</div><div><br></div><div>Take red M&Ms and place along the lines that have been drawn to create the laces on your baseball. Once the laces have been filled in, add the grass to the edges. This is where the thicker frosting layer will come in handy. You will need it to hold the candies in place.</div><div><br></div><div>My son says the best pattern is two across one on top with the M&Ms closer together that they almost start to overlap. I thought space would be better (and help stretch the M&Ms supply!) but after looking at the finished product, I think he may have been on to something. The closesness adds to the grass "effect". </div><div><br></div><div>Mine with space ... </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6uY5fIevfDUAv84OwnYQ7wMWSN3u0JGg1tq1ALuQFof7QOa1oTVugE-nHS7GIWL6NdSMT9CTy95DGjPpUklX-M-P6w0E0uATyBF3BbCcTx2l4ehYiq1beAgp022CGnNKRQFPrRTZ_RZno/s640/blogger-image--2078582272.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6uY5fIevfDUAv84OwnYQ7wMWSN3u0JGg1tq1ALuQFof7QOa1oTVugE-nHS7GIWL6NdSMT9CTy95DGjPpUklX-M-P6w0E0uATyBF3BbCcTx2l4ehYiq1beAgp022CGnNKRQFPrRTZ_RZno/s640/blogger-image--2078582272.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>His without the space ...</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1iUT5O0N2Zt6iRtGMY05Gnl4jSffZSf3ezpCSMjpmMPqvmJiB99VT_Fr4L55giIsC2Eyk-AdO4UB92Z7oASRMBjyOOkPgkLBVgJV4pnV8mF0OkJSQbESv-sD9hrlyG-SjYJk3F09FxXRo/s640/blogger-image--628918975.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1iUT5O0N2Zt6iRtGMY05Gnl4jSffZSf3ezpCSMjpmMPqvmJiB99VT_Fr4L55giIsC2Eyk-AdO4UB92Z7oASRMBjyOOkPgkLBVgJV4pnV8mF0OkJSQbESv-sD9hrlyG-SjYJk3F09FxXRo/s640/blogger-image--628918975.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>I think he did a fabulous job!</div><div><br></div><div>Once you've added your grass you've got yourself a cake for for a little leaguer! </div><div><br></div><div>I think this would be easily adapted for soccer with brown M&Ms or a basketball with orange frosting and brown M&Ms. </div><div><br></div><div>Easy - but impactful!</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMhRlfXehspUtW1x3aeeHHxbX-8SRUYVO8bi63agdp7PaBRS_EVHnG0PT53S1ydDuw8MmhQPYCzAB8zH1JGtl79XmAFAdQ4BVXPNw19dsovpaDtIIw3G5i1E_RdG3Z8PcFyyEE7UfBZ4q5/s640/blogger-image-1292016125.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMhRlfXehspUtW1x3aeeHHxbX-8SRUYVO8bi63agdp7PaBRS_EVHnG0PT53S1ydDuw8MmhQPYCzAB8zH1JGtl79XmAFAdQ4BVXPNw19dsovpaDtIIw3G5i1E_RdG3Z8PcFyyEE7UfBZ4q5/s640/blogger-image-1292016125.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>Happy baking!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8508223962023546941.post-17416712143931736772014-03-03T21:42:00.001-08:002014-03-04T08:36:52.200-08:00Tasty Tuesday: PB&J Baseball Style<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">f you haven't been able to tell by now, I have a love affair with markers - a certified love affair. There is a marker for just about any use these days. </span></div><div><br></div><div>Marry my love of markers with my overwhelming laziness when it comes to fun new snack ideas and low and behold you have our tasty Tuesday treat for this week. </div><div><br></div><div>This week we're transforming an ordinary sandwich into a baseball.</div><div><br></div><div><b>What you'll need:</b></div><div>- Mostly defrosted Smucker's Uncrustables or fixings for your own favorite sandwich creation</div><div>- Wilton food writer food color markers </div><div>- A circular cookie cutter or plastic cup (if not using Uncrustables)</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiaS_ZbwXDKHcEdttz4rKQDeQuYLCGC5dQZBnfITklFcFQR7NzGj1KMxH710YV3p9yz06hwBxFlmiM7dRDm7n-Uh27Xw77gxznD9VBf4ebIeD08TDEx0x14ikfnOXSL3S1eFNHzvwZk3vg/s640/blogger-image-1056949671.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiaS_ZbwXDKHcEdttz4rKQDeQuYLCGC5dQZBnfITklFcFQR7NzGj1KMxH710YV3p9yz06hwBxFlmiM7dRDm7n-Uh27Xw77gxznD9VBf4ebIeD08TDEx0x14ikfnOXSL3S1eFNHzvwZk3vg/s640/blogger-image-1056949671.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>Tip: If you're making a PB&J from scratch, cut the bread first and then add the filling but if you're making a deli meat sandwich, assemble the sandwich before cutting.</div><div><br></div><div><b>Step 1</b></div><div>Cut the bread you are using into circles. If you don't have a cookie cutter that works for you, use a plastic cup.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh95rgth4DiuMUm5Adyki4A35gTGyF3glaqhyVXM6OmYsldUQAppgVqrjvs9AaD6JOVZFJ8WdlY63rmeBLt3jY9YaFKOTShn4yxKOMyVHiVFYDOrWMUbXZVeNMo2RNzAoa2ob2KKkFgY_QB/s640/blogger-image-1690059199.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh95rgth4DiuMUm5Adyki4A35gTGyF3glaqhyVXM6OmYsldUQAppgVqrjvs9AaD6JOVZFJ8WdlY63rmeBLt3jY9YaFKOTShn4yxKOMyVHiVFYDOrWMUbXZVeNMo2RNzAoa2ob2KKkFgY_QB/s640/blogger-image-1690059199.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9vjPgKwbgbrzoko1UvpnqyiNxroILrLZ5B5Wbbt2hzl3rhbwl91YIcFz_4wkyOgSm_Ss65VKl-ji5ugGfSrKVLBBVc8qtowV2EUiMnk6d6a1fi5sUyvxH0klWm3iGF3oKQLd6RIobzzm8/s640/blogger-image--1453573690.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9vjPgKwbgbrzoko1UvpnqyiNxroILrLZ5B5Wbbt2hzl3rhbwl91YIcFz_4wkyOgSm_Ss65VKl-ji5ugGfSrKVLBBVc8qtowV2EUiMnk6d6a1fi5sUyvxH0klWm3iGF3oKQLd6RIobzzm8/s640/blogger-image--1453573690.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>Don't judge me by the Red Sox cup - my husband is the fan... I'm a Tigers fan all the way. </div><div><br></div><div><b>Step 2</b></div><div>Make your PB&J</div><div><br></div><div><b>Step 3</b> (Uncrustables start here...)</div><div><br></div><div>Look at these pretty canvases just waiting to be transformed!</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1kgaYaCglM39FJzhTPbsYwAt3BEuVkoRgDlzjKP1rIlI84y3hjl29uOXKeuiyWijWzqgRr749mf-5k0SEYvqGLpi3jEUhBIcv1wQeCsm1b4ZZ-zIfdX8MpAicJNXkt3qcdF-aRgL5ZZAA/s640/blogger-image-1909431804.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1kgaYaCglM39FJzhTPbsYwAt3BEuVkoRgDlzjKP1rIlI84y3hjl29uOXKeuiyWijWzqgRr749mf-5k0SEYvqGLpi3jEUhBIcv1wQeCsm1b4ZZ-zIfdX8MpAicJNXkt3qcdF-aRgL5ZZAA/s640/blogger-image-1909431804.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>Decide what type of ball you plan to create. Today I'm making baseballs. Use your food color marker to draw lines on your sandwich and poof - you're done!</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuCITJk-bmQJ6ULhgsQ5EnLCbArzCgJCfIsurrD9st3I-lusKiZ5F-KLXjmY3jgw4JfeIgxjt3MwcFO-Fv-rxyqp7TcrHxgaaNtql16FiasVt7csEISMTHBTq11sPVIWtbrsLZhj96qbnB/s640/blogger-image-695729892.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuCITJk-bmQJ6ULhgsQ5EnLCbArzCgJCfIsurrD9st3I-lusKiZ5F-KLXjmY3jgw4JfeIgxjt3MwcFO-Fv-rxyqp7TcrHxgaaNtql16FiasVt7csEISMTHBTq11sPVIWtbrsLZhj96qbnB/s640/blogger-image-695729892.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>These are a fun snack option for game day or an addition to your year end party menu.</div><div><br></div><div>Have fun doodling!</div><div><br></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8508223962023546941.post-28689615818978012022014-03-02T20:03:00.000-08:002014-03-02T20:03:28.983-08:00The Dugout ParentFor those of us parents that have younger kids in t-ball or baseball, you're probably already very familiar with the dugout parent role and the responsibility that goes with it. A dugout parent is the parent that hangs out with the kids in the dugout (didn't see that one coming did you?). Duties include but are not limited to; preparing kids for their at bat, tying shoes, refereeing disagreements, pulling kids down off the fence, tying shoes again, locating lost water bottles-gloves-bats-hats, and locating parents for the kid who just can't wait until after the game to use the bathroom. This by no means is an exhaustive list. You might be surprised what types of things come up in a dugout situation! <br />
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I've seen dugout duty handled a couple of different ways. One way is to have a couple of parents that want to handle dugout duty for the entire season. These parents are usually given the opportunity to volunteer for this role as it's quite a commitment for the season. A rotation schedule should be agreed upon between these few parents ahead of time so they each know what games they are required to cover in the dugout. The second way this could be handled, and my preference to be honest, is to link the dugout duty to snack duty. For the lower age divisions where dugout duty will be required, snacks are still distributed for the games. Parents are notified ahead of time that snack duty and dugout duty days are one in the same. If the parent is bringing snack, they are responsible for dugout duty that day. <br />
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The second option is my preference for a few different reasons. One, it's not as much of a commitment for any one member of the team. Two, it doesn't put so much pressure on a family or parent not to miss a game if they have a reason they must do so. And third, if you know you have snack duty you're pretty on top of things for that game which means you're about 99.9% sure to be at the field that day, making you slightly more reliable to handle dugout duty.<br />
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With all of these things in mind, the dugout can get quite out of control when talking about kids under the age of 8. Here are some helpful (and hopefully some fun) tips to keep the dugout happy and calm when you have dugout duty.<br />
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<strong><u>Keep the Lineup Organized</u></strong><br />
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It's so important to keep the lineup organized in a dugout but it's not always easy. Visual markers and name labels help with this task. <br />
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One of my favorite ways to keep the lineup organized for t-ball specifically, is using t-ball buckets. Click <a href="http://all-starteammom.blogspot.com/2013/06/lineup-organization.html" target="_blank">here</a> to see the post where I go more into detail on those.<br />
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You can also keep your dugout lined up through making magnetic name tags to put on the bench. These printable magnetic sheets make this task easy! Print each player's name on their own magnetic sheet. You can make these as cute or as plain as you would like. Of course mine tend to be out of control and avoid anything plain and verge on chaotic, but they get the job done all the same. These can be stored in the coach's bag for each game. They'll look a little beat up by the end of the season, but they'll get you through. You can buy these gems at your local office supply store or <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Avery-Magnet-Sheets-Inches-03270/dp/B00006HN5Q" target="_blank">here</a> on Amazon.com. <br />
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Another option - make your banner do double duty. Instead of printing one large banner to show your team spirit, try printing pennants instead. Not only do they make great individual keepsakes for each of your players at the end of the season, they also can be handy tools for keeping your lineup organized! Simply hook the pennants on the fence above the bench in name order to give the kids a visual clue of their spot in the lineup.</div>
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<strong><u>Pay Attention to Personalities</u></strong> <br />
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It's no secret that not all kids play well together. For many kids t-ball can be their first experience in a team setting. While playing a team sport is mostly about just that - learning to be a part of a team - it can also be a tense environment for some. For those kids that just have natural conflicts and can't seem to play nice together, make a mental note to keep them separated in the dugout. Hopefully your team manager has already made a note of this and separated them on the lineup, but if not, do what you need to do to put them in different spots on the bench, including getting your manager involved to change the lineup if needed. One important thing to note however, try to be sly when rearranging kids if needed as to not bring any unnecessary attention to the conflict.<br />
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<strong><u>Make Dugout Time Fun</u></strong><br />
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Let's face it, it's not easy for kids to sit still, relatively quiet and pay attention for long periods of time. Dugout time is no different. Kids can often find it pretty dull so they will start to act out. Instead of getting to that point, try making dugout time more fun. <br />
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<strong>The team name game</strong> - Boost team spirit and create a fun game using the player names. Recite the lineup to all of the players sitting on the bench and make it a 'challenge' to remember the order of the lineup. Each time a player goes up to bat have the kids recite the list in order by memory together. It's not a complicated idea, but you might be surprised at how this keeps players engaged.<br />
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<strong>Team cheer</strong> - Give your batter a little extra confidence by rooting him on as he walks up to bat. Coordinate a phrase amongst the team on the bench and have everyone chant it at once. The key here is to not keep chanting over and over as this could ultimately become distracting to the batter.<br />
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<strong>Rock paper scissors</strong> - You know the game. Bust this fun one out where the bench is vs. the dugout parent. This will keep them distracted and sitting without fail.<br />
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<strong>What's happening</strong> - Keep the kids reminded of what's actually happening in the game vs. standing their quietly and just barking orders. Encourage them to cheer after a ball has been hit, or cheer their runner on to home plate. This sounds simple, but it's often forgotten in the chaos of dugout duty. Along with this use proper baseball terminology and have one player on-deck and one player in the hole waiting for their turn to bat.<br />
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If these simple ideas don't work for your team, don't sweat it. Find the formula that works for your group and keep it up. The more fun you make it, the better off you'll be surviving dugout duty!<br />
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Here's to happy dugout time!<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8508223962023546941.post-28704748887073530432014-02-18T21:53:00.001-08:002014-02-18T21:53:09.811-08:00I'm Back!I did with this blog exactly what I said I wasn't going to do when I started it - I stopped posting. How unacceptable for a blog - right? And what a let down to my other mom followers whom I promised I would be a reliable source. Well for all of that I'm sorry. But enough of that - let's move forward!<div><br></div><div>As many moms are drowning in snow drifts, we're full on into little league season here in California. Look for some baseball inspired posts to come first, with other sports mixed in here and there after.</div><div><br></div><div>If you have somethjng you would like addressed, ideas for sports challenges or any other input for the blog - please leave a comment or send me a message.</div><div><br></div><div>I look forward to getting back in the ball game and posting for you once again. </div><div><br></div><div>:-) </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8508223962023546941.post-78573097728479428672013-06-25T23:14:00.001-07:002013-06-25T23:42:08.838-07:00Tasty Tuesday: Watermelon PopsThis week's tasty Tuesday post is fun and healthy. I can barely keep them around when I make them at home and they're fun, easy and portable to take to games. They're especially good for a hot day out on the fields.<br />
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Everything is better on a stick, right? And these watermelon pops have a kick...a few extra electrolytes from a healthy dose of coconut water! </div>
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Team's Favorite Watermelon Pops</h3>
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- Watermelon (I recommend seedless mini-melons for the perfect size triangles and density)</div>
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- Pure Coconut water - about 1c. </div>
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- Flat popsicle sticks </div>
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Step one: Slice watermelon into 1/2 to 3/4 inch slices, and then each slice into 4 pieces (more if not mini-melon) leaving the rind on.</div>
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Step two: Place tiny slices in middle of rind to prep for popsicle stick step.</div>
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Step three: Arrange sliced watermelon in container. I recommend vertical, edge side down to help maximize space and help to soak in coconut water. </div>
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Step four: Pour coconut water into container over watermelon and soak. I soaked about 20-30 minutes to avoid any breakage of the melon. Test the length that you prefer.</div>
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Step five: Place sticks in previously cut holes in the rind.</div>
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Voila - watermelon pops the team will love!</div>
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Happy snacking.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8508223962023546941.post-50878328625979695982013-06-05T23:04:00.001-07:002013-06-05T23:06:04.565-07:00Tasty Tuesday: Celery Cups To-GoSo life happened and Tasty Tuesday is a little more like Tasty Wednesday this week. Better delayed than never!<br />
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Today's Tasty Tuesday snack idea is a little fun, tasty, eco-inspired snack selection that's great for team snack. There's always that fine line of balancing something the kids would like, with something that's fun and easy to transport. And although not every sporting parent leans toward healthy snack options for team snack, it's nice to have a good healthy option in the repertoire. <br />
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Celery Cups To-Go</h2>
What you'll need:<br />
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<li>Peanut Butter or Sunflower Seed Butter (Tip: You should know and have posted publicly whether or not any kids on your team have food allergies. Keep these allergies in mind when preparing snacks.)</li>
<li>Celery</li>
<li>Dried Cranberries, Raisins or Mini-Chocolate Chips (Optional)</li>
<li>Empty water bottles</li>
<li>Scissors</li>
<li>Baking pan </li>
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Start by prepping your water bottle cups. We all need a good use for those old bottles, right? Cut the water bottles almost in half, or about 3.5 inches. I eyeball it. The bottom portion of your bottle will become your portable and disposable snack cup. Wash and dry your cut plastic cups. Set them aside. (Tip: Make sure the bottles you are using aren't sharp when cut. The last thing you'll want is a sharp edge for the littles. Most cut just fine, but it's best to test one and double check. Clean cuts are important too. Lastly, remember your bottle tops are still recyclable!)</div>
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Wash and chop the celery into sticks about a quarter to half an inch longer than the plastic cups.<br />
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Time to assemble. I'm pretty sure you've probably got the idea of what to do from here, but let's go ahead and walk through this for giggles anyway. <br />
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Place about 2tbs of nut butter in the bottom of each plastic cup. If you're super picky about neatness, you could pipe the nut butter into the cups, but really, do we want to go through that extra step and mess if a spoon works just as well? That's a judgment call for you. Go with your preference.<br />
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Place the cut celery sticks in the nut butter toward the center of the cups. It's oh so important at this point to make sure you put the same amount of sticks in each cup. We wouldn't want any off the field challenges over who has the most snack! Placing toward the center into the nut butter will help add stability for transporting to the game. <br />
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Sprinkle about 1tsp of dried cranberries, raisins or mini-chocolate chips into the cup around the celery if you want to jazz the snack up a little. You want a little jazz that will stick to the nut butter surface, don't go crazy here with the dried fruit or add-ins.<br />
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Snacks are complete! Yay! Simple, easy and hopefully crowd pleasing for kids and parents alike.<br />
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Now to transport. We've got a great disposable (still recyclable by the way) container to move our snacks. But how do we take a tray of open snacks to a game? Easy - grab a baking pan. Something with about a two inch lip. Think brownie or cake pan. Arrange the cups side by side in the baking pan and cover tightly with plastic wrap to hold the celery in the cups. Carry this tray stand alone or place atop some ice in a cooler with the juice boxes to keep cool on a hot day. This easy travel method should ensure this yummy snacks makes it into the hands of eager players at the end of the game.<br />
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Happy bottle cutting!<br />
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And remember, drop me a note in the comments below on some fun ideas you'd like to see explored for team snacks.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8508223962023546941.post-44271721788537180832013-06-02T22:03:00.000-07:002013-06-02T22:05:29.733-07:00Lineup OrganizationI originally posted this to Pinterest as an uploaded Pin not linking to anything. It's been pretty popular so I'm dedicating a whole post just to this project. Some really crafty mom somewhere down the line must have come up with this idea to help out her team coach. I was lucky enough that that mom was in our little league and this phenomenon started the year before my oldest son started t-ball. Thank you team mom, whomever you were! <br />
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T-ball is a crazy year of baseball for kids and coaches. The kids are so excited and amped up to be playing baseball. They've got their new equipment - a shiny new bat, a new glove that they can barely close, a new helmet and probably their own softie ball with their name written on it in magic marker. The coaches are in their new team shirt and are trying to capture at least 15 seconds of attention from each minute the kids are with them on the field. And so the season begins.<br />
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One of the bigger challenges in t-ball (or any younger youth sport actually) is keeping the kids organized and ready to play. With so many items to manage the t-ball bucket was born. This nifty customizable project not only helps to carry all of the standard little things (hat, glove, helmet, water bottle) it also provides an extra spot to put the snack at the end of the game and helps keep the lineup straight for the coaches and dugout parent.<br />
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What you'll need:<br />
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<li>2 to 3 gallon painter's buckets (I found ours at Lowe's for about $3.50 each as well as other suppliers)</li>
<li>Letter stickers (all-weather variety works best to accommodate the wear and tear on the field. I used letters meant for a mailbox that I found on sale)</li>
<li>Team color duct tape, or other adhesive decoration</li>
<li>Time</li>
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Get started by setting aside some time one evening, or weekend afternoon, before the season starts. Let me just provide my one warning here - it's much much easier to do this project while the kids are in bed if you want to power through, but it can be fun for them to help spot letters if you need a time filler for their afternoon.<br />
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Arrange your supplies, pull up a comfy chair, pour a glass of your favorite beverage and turn on a show while you begin to assemble. They will take a little time, but they are handy. <br />
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Make sure your bucket is clean and ready for adhesive and then begin.<br />
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With all of the new fun duct tape out there, there's sure to be a color that goes well with your team colors. You can add a little pop of color to the bucket with it by adding stripes, or wrapping the handle.<br />
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If you're lucky enough to have a team named after your local team, you'll probably have a good chance of finding decals in your team's emblem. If not, and you're not happy with any tape you've found out there, try visiting your local scrapbooking store to look for stickers. Sometimes just fun baseball stickers can spruce up the buckets. You can also buy sheets of stickers for each kid on the team to decorate their own bucket after you've added their name.<br />
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These buckets not only keep the lineup in the dugout organized when placed in front of each players spot on the bench, they also help with warm ups and practices providing good visual aids for where the kids should line up, or a target to throw toward.<br />
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Have fun creating your own team buckets! I would love to see how yours turn out or hear about any other ideas that you may have for this project, or other team organization projects. Please post your comments below.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8508223962023546941.post-23083769352197549802013-05-28T23:14:00.002-07:002013-05-29T23:01:17.852-07:00Tasty Tuesday: Simple Snack Cup<div>I'm a self declared super pinner...yep, I admit it! I am a Pinterest addict still to this day. A lot of great inspiration comes to me when perusing pins. </div>
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Today's Tasty Tuesday team snack idea was inspired by a holiday pin where a mom made orange cups into jack-o-lanterns for Halloween. That's awesomesauce right there - so simple, yet cute and creative! We made quite a few of these gems and gave them away to toddler trick-or-treaters at our house this past Halloween. See the original pin that inspired me<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); font-family: '.HelveticaNeueUI'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap;"> <a href="http://pimpmydinner.blogspot.com/2011/10/spooky-healthy-snack.html?m=1" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br>
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We're like 7 months past Halloween and not even planning 2013 costumes yet this year, why was this inspirational to me now for a team snack? Easy - sharpies and fruit cups = fun ball style fruit cups. I'm sure this isn't an original idea, but I haven't seen it anywhere yet. It couldn't get much simpler than this and it's one even younger kids may want to help create. Maybe set them up to create while mom puts her feet up for 5 minutes? I'm sorry - I must have been daydreaming that idea... <br>
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Here is what you'll need.<br>
- Fruit cups with clear tops (I have had best success buying these in bulk to get the clear top style)<br>
- Sharpie or other permanent marker (Be sure not to use washable marker here or it will run once the fruit is chilled)<br>
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Pick fruit cups that match the color of the style of ball you plan to create. Oranges or peaches are great selections for basketball themed cups and pears or applesauce are good choices for baseball themed cups.<br>
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Before the fruit is chilled, draw laces on top of the clear plastic with the appropriate color permanent marker. You run the risk of ink not setting as well if you try to draw the lines on a cup that has been chilled and has some condensation. Before chilling is the way to go.<br>
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Chill the fruit cups and serve. Simple and fun! These make great treats not just for game day snacks, but also for season end and sports themed parties.<br>
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Happy fruit cup decorating!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8508223962023546941.post-48305527029144904842013-05-27T15:49:00.001-07:002013-05-27T15:49:34.364-07:00No Team Snack DramaWhy is it that when we become parents we become naturally more competitive? My child learned to walk before yours, my son is reading three grade levels ahead of his age ... blah blah blah<div><br></div><div>I'd like to think that team sports, at least during the younger years, would be somewhat drama free territory. Yeah right! I was having a conversation with a good friend of mine during soccer season last year regarding snack expectations of other parents on their team. You might think that they were expecting healthy organic options, but no that wasn't it. The parents on the team weren't as much concerned about the nutritional value of the team snacks as they were the presentation of it. See, the first two parents started the precedent of elaborately decorated goodie style bags, complete with toys and favors for team snacks. We have come a long way from orange slices in a bucket, but do we have to go all of the way to elaborate gifts for snack time? </div><div><br></div><div>My friend was explaining her dilemma of not being able to find just that right color of gift bag to use for snacks. She had found some great ribbon, a fun (yet notably junkie) toy but needed a team color bag so she could decorate it with some stickers and have ready in time for the game. Naturally, loving to help like I do, I started hunting for the gift bags for her. Eventually between the two of us we found enough for every player on the team. Whew!! Train wreck avoided...or was it?</div><div><br></div><div>We were on a hunt because the parents expected it - the kids had gotten used to it. But the kids just wanted a snack, plain and simple.</div><div><br></div><div>Here are some handy tips to help avoid snack drama and keeping it simple.</div><div><br></div><div>1) Bring some simple snack items to practices before snacks are expected and assignments for the season begin. Keeping it casual at the start will help set the tone for the season. </div><div><br></div><div>2) Once the season begins, assign yourself to the first snack duty for the team to set an example of what is good to bring. Keep it casual, parents will follow your lead.</div><div><br></div><div>3) If you have a team website post examples of snacks that are good items to bring. Be careful not to turn these examples into rules - nobody wants to be told exactly what to do.</div><div><br></div><div>4) Reserve special treats or toylike items for holidays during the season or a player's birthday. </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Setting an example for your team can go much further than you can imagine. Doing so will help set expectations and keep your snacks on the drama free end of the spectrum.</div><div><br></div><div>Have you been caught in snack team drama? Personalized cookies, over the top presentation? <span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); ">Are you for or against - s</span>ound off below in the comments. </div><div><br></div><div>Happy snacking! </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8508223962023546941.post-3579011841165313622013-05-23T22:45:00.001-07:002013-05-23T22:45:58.445-07:00Team Mom PhilosophyI felt it was worth doing a quick post on the basic Team Mom Philosophy and the background behind being a team mom. <div><br></div><div>Whether you have been waiting for this moment your entire life or you were voluntold and assigned to the position, you need to keep the same end result in mind - make it fun for the kids and simple for the parents. If you make this your mantra, you will make it through any season like a champ!</div><div><br></div><div>Don't get me wrong, if you're doing your job as team parent well, you will have moments of utter frustration but you will also have moments of a great sense of accomplishment. </div><div><br></div><div>Basic rules to follow as you get started:</div><div><br></div><div>- Keep things simple</div><div>- Get organized and stay organized</div><div>- Keep an open line of communication with parents and coaches</div><div>- Be courteous (trust me sometimes this is easier said than done but you can do it!)</div><div>- Plan ahead </div><div>- Make it fun!</div><div><br></div><div>If you do everything for your team with these principles in mind your team will be a happy team come the end of the season. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8508223962023546941.post-87575583435168823892013-05-21T23:05:00.000-07:002013-05-21T23:05:07.042-07:00Tasty Tuesday: Sweet Baseball TreatAs this blog gets under way, I'm striving to make every Tuesday a tasty one by posting snack and foodie ideas for team moms and team parents alike.<br />
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I do promise that I will have healthy snack posts as well, but today starts with a little tribute to baseball. For much of the country baseball is just getting under way, for those of us on the west coast, baseball is just ending. In this limbo area of seasons coming and going, why not post a fun cupcake idea? Cupcakes are great for season end parties and are also fun treats for the team during the season.<br />
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This cupcake idea is one of my favorites. You'll see a combo of two different cupcake decor ideas. One was inspired by a pin on Pinterest using red M&Ms to create red baseball laces on white icing. You can view the inspirational pin <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/6051780719948517/" target="_blank">here</a>. I originally had the thought to just pick the red M&Ms out of a bag and keep the other colors for a sweet treat at home. After that 5 second thought passed, I picked up a bag of only red M&Ms at my local party store. These can also be found at many local candy stores. (Side note, if you do feel you want to sort through the bag and pick the red ones out... consider picking the green ones out as well to create 'grass' cupcakes to go with the baseballs.)<br />
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Arrange the red M&Ms in an arc on each side of the cupcake to create a baseball effect. Easy peasy!<br />
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But wait, that's not all. What I really wanted to share was the fun cupcake topper idea we used for our end of season baseball party. Surely someone on your team (most likely you if you're the team mom) has taken several pictures throughout the season. A simple and inexpensive way to jazz up your cupcakes is to print an action photo of each player on a thick photo paper or card stock and cut around the edge of the shape. Easily attach these to lollipop sticks with a small dab of hot glue and voila - you've got cute, action packed cupcake toppers that the team will love. Each player will enjoy finding their picture and eating the cupcake attached to it.<br />
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Have fun spicing up your team's cupcakes.<br />
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Here's another fun action shot atop a cupcake from a soccer season as well.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8508223962023546941.post-62122323144466305382013-05-19T22:09:00.000-07:002013-05-19T22:15:38.370-07:00Getting Started and Staying Organized (Part 1)
There are a few good tools out there for team moms (and if I can digress here for a moment, I could go with "team parents" if I'm going to be PC...but hopefully any team dads or coaches out there reading this will affectionately know that I care for you as well but will refer to you as a mom more than likely in my posts. Sorry, you're just going to have to deal with it.) So back to the tools... There are some good tools and organizational sites out there now for organizing teams.<br />
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Today I'm going to highlight Shutterfly.com and their share sites. I have personally used Shutterfly share sites for multiple sports teams, and actually liked them so much that I started a personal one to share information on our family with family and friends. Naturally I would pick this site service to share with you first since I am fond of it. But hey, don't get me wrong, it has it's quirks and little things I'd like to fix, just like most things in life, but overall they are worth checking out.<br />
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Some positives about Shutterfly -<br />
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It's free. Seriously, need I say more?<br />
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There's a convenient app for share sites specifically that can be downloaded to your smart phone.<br />
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The calendar and snack schedule are easily downloaded to a smart phone calendar.<br />
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They are super easy to customize. They offer a step by step setup wizard or you can go rogue and design on your own. I'd lie if I said I didn't go rogue.<br />
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There are several colors and styles to choose from. This is both a positive and a negative in my book. There are several preset color and style templates, however, the selection needs to be a little more robust for this bells and whistles mom.<br />
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Functionality. There is a tab and a box to contain anything and everything you would want to include on your site. There is a roster, availability chart, snack schedule (where you can easily assign people or have them sign themselves up (but really, just sign them up...more on that in a later post I'm sure), the schedule, a tile for weather, the homepage with a picture of the week and score tally - and much more. And the best part? All of these are optional! Add or remove those features that fit your team's style and needs.<br />
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And of course what is Shutterfly best known for? No, not the cool Christmas and Holiday cards they have, but pictures - hello! Shutterfly share sites are designed with pictures in mind. It is easy for families to upload pictures and other families to download those pictures if there happens to be a great shot of their All-star making a fabulous play at third, or chasing butterflies in right field.<br />
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Best of all this site is protected! It's available to members and invitees only. Just make sure to offer up membership to those important people in your team players' lives... including doting grandparents.<br />
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What are my share site pet peeves you ask? There aren't many (yet) but my biggest pet peeve with the site is the communication piece and e-mailing. When you check a box that says 'do not e-mail' or if you uncheck a box that says 'e-mail all site members' you'd expect that they wouldn't be e-mailed, right? Or is that just me? Well it's a safe bet that all members on your site will be e-mailed when you change or update anything on the site. That my friends is annoying. **sigh**<br />
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Check out Shutterfly share sites if you are new to Team Mom duty... you won't go wrong.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8508223962023546941.post-80018017648229667912013-05-07T00:09:00.000-07:002013-05-07T00:10:33.247-07:00Neglected no more - Team Moms have a resource!After scouring web pages and blogs high and low to find tips and ideas for team moms, I kept finding I was disappointed that there wasn't one solid resource I could turn to for ideas, or to share my stories and frustrations. I mean let's face it, team mom is not an easy gig and the salary is usually paid with under appreciation and stubbornness. Have no fear - this blog will be your one stop shop for all things team mom related. Tips, tricks and hopefully fun stories! If you have questions or would like to see a post on a specific topic, please feel free to leave me a comment or send a message. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2