• Rants & Musings

    6 Essential Things You Need as a Soccer Mom

    Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, meaning if you decide to make a purchase via these links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. See my disclaimers for more information.

    My daughters love to play soccer, and both of my daughters play competitively. This means we have soccer at least four to five nights a week all year long. Competitive soccer also means they end up traveling to away games, and we have games during the fall, winter, spring, and summer. Along the way, and over the many years I’ve been a soccer mom, these are the six essential things you need as a soccer mom.

    1. High-Quality Folding Chair

    I prefer to sit in a chair rather than on the ground. It is much more comfortable for me to sit in a chair. Chairs these days have come a long way. You can get a rocker chair or a chair with shade cover. There are so many options. My only suggestion is to ensure you get one that lasts more than one season.

    We’ve gone through many chairs over many seasons, but this GCI Rocker Chair (via Amazon.com) has been popular with many parents!

    2. Sports Umbrella (Sport-Brella!)

    My sports umbrella has been a lifesaver. It is simple to take up and put down. It is the perfect umbrella for any weather. There have been so many soccer games where it has been raining. A sports umbrella is the ideal size for you to sit in your chair under it and stay dry. It is also great for those games that are played in the sun. It provides excellent shade for the games where the sun is beating down on you.

    We’ve had many umbrellas, but we like the Sport-Brella (via Amazon.com) most! It can easily be screwed and staked into the ground and has flaps that fold down around you to keep you shaded and dry!

    3. Insulated Stadium Blanket

    Sometimes, the weather is too cold to sit and watch a soccer game. I always like to have a blanket on hand to wrap around me. If you have kids with you at the game, having a blanket for them is always a good idea. I do like the insulated blankets that fold up small. They fit in the car much better if you need more than one.

    We take two to three blankets to every game, but we always have an insulated blanket similar to this waterproof and windproof stadium blanket (via Amazon.com) that works great!

    4. Insulated Water Bottle

    Your soccer player isn’t the only one that needs a water bottle. Having a water bottle is a good idea if the weather is warm. I don’t know what it is, but the kids who aren’t playing are always thirsty at a soccer game. I always try to have water for everyone in my family at the soccer game with me. Even if you don’t drink it, having water on hand is always a good idea.

    Our kids get a new water bottle every year, and they take it and decorate it with stickers and other fun things that let them differentiate it from their teammates. It’s awesome. Our latest water bottles have been the Owala FreeSip Insulated Water Bottle (via Amazon.com). Our kids love them!

    5. Cooling Towel

    This year, our new item is a cooling towel. Sometimes, our soccer games, especially our local tournament games, are played in the hottest month of the year, July. It can get up above a hundred degrees during a match. So we have discovered these cooling towels. All you have to do is wet it with cold water, wring it out, and wrap it around your neck. It can help cool your athletes down when on the bench or when they have a break from playing. I also like to use it for the kids and me sitting on the sidelines.

    We like these cooling towels (via Amazon.com); they come in a four-pack!

    6. Activity Bag (Great For Younger Kids!)

    If you have little ones with you at the soccer game, it can be hard for them to sit and watch that game. I always like to have a backpack I can grab as we leave the house. I like to put activities in it for them to do. I like coloring books, colored pencils, stickers, and activity books. Anything that can keep them entertained. If you have a little activity bag, it is easier for you to watch the game as a parent.

    I hope all these items can help you have a more enjoyable soccer game. If I have missed anything you feel is essential, please give me your suggestions. I would love to hear from you! I’m always looking for ways to make game days better!

  • Holidays,  Rants & Musings

    Halloween Children’s Books That I Love To Read

    Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, meaning if you decide to make a purchase via these links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. See my disclaimers for more information.

    I advocate for teaching kids to read and helping them develop a love for it. I think it is essential for children to read. In my household, one way to excite my children to read is with holiday books, especially Halloween children’s books. Here is a list of my favorite Halloween children’s books that I love to read to my children or that they now love to read to me! We pull these out at the beginning of every Halloween season and read them repeatedly!

    The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid Of Anything Book Cover

    The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid Of Anything (via Amazon.com)
    by Linda Williams

    This book is entertaining for little kids because they can do actions while you read the book!

    Synopsis: Once upon a time, there was a little old lady who was not afraid of anything! But one autumn night, while walking in the woods, the little old lady heard… clomp, clomp, shake, shake, clap, clap.

    There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed A Bat! Book Cover

    There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed A Bat! (via Amazon.com)
    By Lucille Colandro

    Who doesn’t love the There Was an Old Lady books? I love this book because, like all the other books, the ending is surprising!

    Synopsis: The Old Lady is back, and this time, she’s swallowing a bat, an owl, a cat, a ghost, a goblin…and more! This Halloween-themed twist on the classic rhyme will delight and entertain all brave readers who dare to read it!

    Dem Bones Book Cover

    Dem Bones (via Amazon.com)
    by Bob Barner

    This book is educational. You read about the different bones in the body. The fun thing is that if you know the song, it is fun to sing this book to your kids!

    Synopsis: Sing with a colorful skeleton band in this exuberant rendition of a traditional, most-loved African-American spiritual passed down by word of mouth for generations.

    Frank was a Monster who wanted to Dance Book Cover

    Frank was a Monster who wanted to Dance (via Amazon.com)
    by Keith Graves

    This book is funny! My kids think it is just hilarious!

    Synopsis: Frank was a monster who wanted to dance. So he put on his hat and shoes made in France, opened a jar, and put ants in his pants!

    Bedtime at the SWAMP Book Cover

    Bedtime at the SWAMP (via Amazon.com)
    by Kristyn Crow

    This book has a part the kids love chanting with you as you read! There is also a fun new friend at the end!

    Synopsis: It’s bedtime at the swamp—except somebody’s not ready. Somebody’s still splashing in the water and the mud.

    Shivery Shades of HALLOWEEN Book Cover

    Shivery Shades of HALLOWEEN (via Amazon.com)
    by Mary McKenna Siddals

    This book has a lot of fun rhyming words as you read about Halloween’s different colors!

    Synopsis: What color is Halloween? It’s as green as an “eerie glow, evil grin, vile brew, clammy skin,” and as white as “cobwebs clinging, a misty trail, a skull, a spook, a face gone pale . . .”

    Miss Fiona's Stupendous Pumpkin Pies Book Cover

    Miss Fiona’s Stupendous Pumpkin Pies (via Amazon.com)
    by Mark Kimball Moulton

    I always love to read books with witches. This witch is 400 years old and makes pies for all the kids in the neighborhood. There is a surprise at the end about how she serves it!

    Synopsis: At Halloween, all the neighborhood children look forward to eating the delicious pumpkin pies made by Fiona, an old woman who reminds them of a witch.

    The Skeleton in the Closet Book Cover

    The Skeleton in the Closet (via Amazon.com)
    by Alice Schertle

    This book is my favorite Halloween book of all time. We have two copies! I have read it to my kids so many times that I have memorized it. The kids repeatedly ask me to read this book; they love it so much! The Skeleton in the Closet is an adorable book.

    Synopsis: Bam! Bam! Bam! A skeleton’s knocking at the door. Creak… creak… creak… Now he’s going up the steps — but this skeleton isn’t looking for what you’d expect. Snickers and shivers await readers in this wickedly funny rhyming story that will surely tickle funny bones.

    Every year, I find new Halloween books that I love. For now, this is my list of favorite Halloween books to read with my children. I hope you and your family enjoy these books as much as we have over the years! Until next time, happy reading!

  • Rants & Musings

    How I Love to Lose Track of Time Doing Puzzles

    Do you have that one thing you love to do, and when you do that one thing, you lose track of time? I do! The one activity I can lose track of time doing is putting puzzles together.

    I love to put puzzles together. It is very relaxing for me. Sometimes, when I am putting a puzzle together, hours will go by without realizing it. It’s gotten to the point that when I start putting a puzzle together, I must be very careful because I lose track of time easily.

    I will put together all kinds of puzzles. There are so many puzzles that it is sometimes hard to choose from. Around the holidays, it is fun to put together a holiday puzzle. The kids sit with me and help me when I pull out a puzzle. I love to do any activity if I can get my kids to participate in it with me!

    Puzzles are also great for those long weekends when the kids are out of school. We like to set one up in the living room and work on it all weekend. Sometimes, we will do a large puzzle, such as a 1000-piece one, or a couple of smaller ones for my youngest child.

    Last Christmas, we bought a wooden puzzle. The pieces are cut out of wood instead of the cardboard pieces. The kids liked this one because they had little pieces in the shape of little animals or flowers. The wood puzzles usually come in exotic animals, like elephants or tigers.

    You might think that puzzles can get expensive, and you are right. We like to get our small puzzles from the dollar store. We also pass around our puzzles to other family members, and they, in turn, share their puzzles with us. That makes it less expensive when we can share puzzles with others. Occasionally, we will splurge and buy a nice puzzle, such as the wood puzzle. I am okay with spending a little money on puzzles because they are more educational and creative than other things my kids spend time doing.

    Even though this activity makes me lose track of time and makes me put off doing my household responsibilities, I still do it. Cleaning can always wait. Plus, to me, when my kids help with the puzzle, that is more important than cleaning!

    Do you have a favorite puzzle you like to put together? Is there an activity you like to do that makes you lose track of time? Please share. I would love to hear about it.

  • Rants & Musings

    My Favorite Time of the Year, I Love Fall!

    Happy Fall, Y’all!! I love the fall season! I always tell people that Halloween is my favorite holiday. It isn’t necessarily the holiday itself, but it is the season it is in. There are three things I love about the fall season. I call these my three S’s.

    Sweaters, Scents, and Scenery!!!

    SWEATERS!

    There is just something about wearing sweaters that makes you feel all nice and cozy. I get so excited when the weather turns cold, and I can bust out all my sweaters. This is the number one thing I love about the fall season. I can’t wait to wear my sweaters.

    SCENTS!

    The next thing that screams the fall season to me is the smell. There are many yummy smells at this time of year, from apples to pumpkins. My favorite smell is spiced apple cider. I feel like when I smell these scents, it just makes everything seem so homey! I love to come home from the grocery store when it is cold out and walk into the house, which smells so good. It always puts a smile on my face. It especially makes me happy when my children tell me the house smells so good. That means they appreciate it just like I do!

    SCENERY!

    Where I live, we are very close to the mountains. Every fall, the mountains change from green to orange and red. It is the most gorgeous thing to watch happen. When the leaves start to change, going up the canyon to see the change is amazing. Sometimes, we drive through the canyon; other years, we will go hiking. This is something that we do as a family. You have to love whatever it is that you can get the whole family together and do, especially if you have a teenager!

    My list of favorite things about fall could go on and on. These are just a few things I love once the fall season is here. What are your favorite things to do to bring in the fall season? I would love to hear what you do in your families.

  • A picture of the Harvey family.
    Family

    About Our Family

    We are a perfectly imperfect family. This phrase describes our family perfectly. We have our ups and downs, our good times and bad, but we’re always together and working to be the best family we can be. Are we perfect? No, but at the same time, I think we’re close.

    A Little About Each Of Us

    My name is Brynn. I am a stay-at-home mom. I am an introvert, and I have recently discovered that I am highly sensitive. I love to be at home. My favorite hobbies are reading, cooking, watching movies, puzzles, and playing games with my family.

    My husband, Drew, works in tech; he’s a major geek and works from home. He has worked from home since our firstborn was about six months old. Having a husband who works from home has its ups and downs. Without his computer knowledge, I would never have been able to put this blog together.

    Our oldest child, a son, was born in 2007. He is obsessed with playing video games. When we can pull him away from his video games, he likes to play his drums, play video games, and golf when his dad can get him to agree to go. He has had his fair share of challenges. When he was 18 months old, he was diagnosed with tactile defensiveness. He is susceptible to touch. When he was in second grade, he was also diagnosed with ADHD Inattentive Subtype.

    Our middle child, a daughter, was born in 2011. She is our tomboy and our athlete. She loves soccer. Her passion, though, is art. She loves to draw and make crafts out of anything that she can find. She is a social butterfly. She loves being around people and has so many friends it is hard to keep up with them all. She is the opposite of me.

    Our last child, a daughter, was born in 2014. She is our spitfire. She has so much energy and so much personality that she is the one that keeps us laughing. She is the complete opposite of her sister. She is very much a girly girl. She loves dresses and loves having her hair always done fancy. I am not very good at fancy hair, and she hates that. She loves to dance. She is dancing all the time, even in the grocery store!