Stinky Sports Gloves

It's that time of the year again and the gloves are getting real stinky. Let's revisit this post from last year...

My son's football gloves REEEEEK when he gets into the car after practice.  It's a horrible sour, stinky smell that could be a weapon of war.

It doesn't help that he usually strips them off all sweaty and stuffs them into his helmet after practice to sit there until the next night.  Soon the smell is all through his helmet and all over his face after a few days.

I try to keep on top of it during the week and pull his gloves out of his helmet, rinse them under water and stuff rolled up newspapers into the bottom.  Prop up with his water bottle and cooler so we don't forget them the next day. (warning: the kids will playfully arrange the fingers to make several rude gestures when you are not looking!)

For a super stinky pair that has been hanging out for awhile, I turn them inside out and really scrub the inside, then flip them to dry normally.  After they are dry, I fill them with baking soda and let sit overnight.  Pour out soda and wear as usual.

For SUPER SUPER smelly gloves, pour in some vinegar to let them fizz up after sitting overnight, then rinse and dry with the newspaper. This is a 2 day process with all the rinsing and drying but well worth it.

Did I Mention I've Joined a Cult?

I did, and I'm not sure how it happened. I guess that's always the way it goes with these things...

It seemed perfectly innocent at first (isn't that what they always say?). Then I realized that this group (the F. M. Clan United) began to take over my life in many little ways... the way I dressed (we're all to wear specific colors with the clan logo), my behavior (shouting and waving my arms around on a daily basis), even when I ate (early dinners and late night snacks only).

They have begun to monopolize enormous amounts of each day and they welcomed me into the fold only to get something from me (money and volunteering are high on the list, especially jobs involving feeding other clan members). I think about them all the time, have little chants they taught me running through my head (I think those are called earworms), I even tolerate the abuse and torture tactics they instill to get me to conform (sitting in the hot sun for many hours at a time without going to the bathroom, eating out of coolers, screaming deliriously at random times, wearing strange badges announcing my clan).

I'm writing this to educate other moms that may find themselves faced with the same group, back away now! Be a stronger woman than I!

The cult I'm referring to is the Pittsburgh chapter of Football Moms, they are a mind sucking, obsessed group that is not to be toyed with! They will take away your time, your life, your will to live. Take this as a warning...

Are You Ready for Some Football???

I feel like my 9 year old is getting so big these days...until I see him swallowed up in his new football equipment! After 3 years of standing firm on our rule of no tackle football before 4th grade, we finally made the leap.

Now, this football thing is not for the feint of heart, our journey began with a camp out at the sign ups beginning at 4:30 am followed by 8 am drills. There have been camps and volunteer sign ups throughout the summer and practices 5 nights a week beginning in the last week of July. This commitment is more involved than any activity I'm currently involved in these days. It's going to be a loooong season.

I guess this is my life for the next few months, just please tell me if I become like those "other" football moms who can talk of nothing else throughout the season...I really hate that.