Stay Warm Winter Sport Moms!

When I was a young girl I spent nearly every Saturday, Sunday and some evenings too in (and sometimes under!) the grandstands at my brothers' football and soccer games. I have three older brothers and a Dad whom also was an assistant football coach as well as the head soccer coach at my brothers' high schools. So my mom, younger sister, and I were at every game to cheer them on! I have so many great memories of those past times and I wouldn't trade them for anything.... except maybe some warmer weather! I preferred the indoor sports such as basketball and volleyball. I also loved being outdoors in the Springtime for the baseball games and track and field meets. Bottom line is that I don't like to be cold! I can remember actually crying at some of the football and soccer matches and wondering if my tears would freeze. No matter how low the temperature or how high the snow we didn't miss a game! We were my brothers' number one cheerleaders and I look back on those days with great fondness! 

If I had the chance for a do-over of past football and soccer experiences, I would have loved to have worn a hooded sweatshirt not only for the warmth but because I also love the personalized nature of the designs by Zoey's Attic Personalized Gifts! These are the most awesome hoodies and so perfect for wearing to any sporting event. The sweatshirts can be customized too for whatever sport you need. And they don't just have to say "soccer mom" or "football mom" but can be personalized for brothers, sisters, grandmas, grandpas, or anyone wanting to cheer on a favorite player or team. It's so easy! You just add your custom team colors and wording to the special instructions area when ordering and Zoey personalizes the hoodie for you just the way you want it. There is even a comfy and totally warm fleece blanket for the soccer mom or dad. This blanket can also be customized for any other sport you desire. 

There weren't high school or club hockey teams (only college and professional clubs) back in the old days. However, if there would have been I'm sure my brothers would have played, and I'm also sure I would have wanted a warm hoodie for inside the ice rinks. I love hockey and I love following our St. Louis Blues! Did you know they are celebrating their 50th season? I also freeze when I attend a Blue's hockey game so a custom hooded sweatshirt would be perfect for me! Hint, hint... makes a super awesome Christmas gift!

And when the warm weather finally arrives after the dreadfully cold and snowy winter, Zoey's Attic also has totally cool shirts for the Spring sports too!

Super Bowl Fun!

Cajun Chicken Pasta
Courtesy of Allrecipes.com

Super Bowl XLIX is less than three weeks away! I have no idea which teams will be competing for the championship, but I do know for sure that the St. Louis Rams won't be playing on February 1st at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona! However, I do know there will be many parties and festive celebrations that day! In the past, I have either hosted or attended an annual Super Bowl Sunday Bash, well since I can't even remember when! Typically, as a Super Bowl party host I prefer to select a food theme characteristic of the city of the team I have chosen as my favorite to win the game. So for example, when the NFC Champion New Orleans Saints were my pick against the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV we chose to feature a variety of traditional Cajun foods of New Orleans. Hot Cajun Crab Dip is the perfect appetizer to serve before the main event and you will find a delicious recipe courtesy of Paula Deen and Foodnetwork.com. It's served hot with toast or crackers and is simply divine! I especially like Emeril Lagasse's recipe for Cajun Jambalaya. He is one of my favorite chefs and I was so disappointed when the Food Network dropped his cooking show! I miss his signature catchphrase BAM!, but the good news is you can still find his recipes online at Foodnetwork.com. His Cajun Jamabalya is one you'd definitely want to include on your menu for a New Orleans Cajun themed dinner party. Cajun Chicken Pasta is also a fan favorite. Allrecipes.com has a fairly easy recipe and it's very tasty too! When our St. Louis Rams played for the the Super Bowl Championship about a million years ago we served foods that are well know to midwesterners such as barbecue beef steaks, pork steaks, and hamburgers for the kiddos. Toasted ravioli is unique to the St. Louis area so it was the feature appetizer of the day. St. Louis is also known for its mouth watering Gooey Butter Cake making for an awesome celebratory dessert! The Green Bay Packers may actually be a Super Bowl contender this year and it would be so much fun to repeat the menu from Super Bowl Sunday 2011. The Packers defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers that day at Cowboys AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Being a cheesehead fan made for an easy menu! A variety of savory cheese dips were served for the appetizers and, of course, bratwurst were barbecued and smothered in cheese for the main entree. There's a super website called Packers Everywhere that shares a multitude of Packer fan recipes. It has everything from Brat Bruschetta to a "Green" Bay Veggie tray and so much more! Now we're just sitting on the sidelines waiting to see which teams will be battling for the Super Bowl Championship on February 1st. As of today there are four possible contenders. This weekend the New England Patriots will play the Indianapolis Colts for the American Football Conference Championship and the Green Bay Packers will play the defending Super Bowl Champion Seattle Seahawks for the National Football Conference Championship. Next week when we know the Super Bowl XLIX teams we will pick our favorite and begin planning the menu. I would love for you to stop by and let me know your favorite team and your favorite recipes for Super Bowl Sunday 2015!

Veggie Tray and Brat Bruschetta
Courtesy of Packerseverywhere.com

Football 24/7

Personalized Football Shirts and Gifts

Oh yes, it's football season! Having older brothers meant I spent a lot (really most!) of my childhood at sporting events, and football was definitely a fan favorite for the males in my home! At least in the olden days, before cable TV and all the specialized sports networks, we only had to watch football on the weekend and on Monday nights. Now it's football 24/7!  St. Louis was home to the football Cardinals of the National Football League from 1960-1987. The following year the Cardinals left St. Louis for a new home in Phoenix, Arizona.  After several years of trying to secure another NFL team for St. Louis, the fans were rewarded when the Los Angeles Rams made St. Louis their new home in 1996.  Success followed and our Rams under the leadership of quarterback Kurt Warner won the 1999 Super Bowl Championship! Since the Rams football team arrived in St. Louis the franchise has seen many coaches as well as owners come and go.  The lack of involvement by the current ownership has fans worried for the future of the Rams in St. Louis. But, guess what? We don't have to give all our allegiance to our professional team. There are many local and state high school and college teams to cheer on as well. Of course, we are Mizzou fans here in St. Louis, but many of us also follow other favorite teams such as the fighting Irish of Notre Dame, USC Trojans, and personal favorite Mississippi State Bulldogs! So when the family gathers to watch the many games of the week why not have the kiddos wear one of Zoey's Attic fan favorite personalized football shirts? These fun shirts and other fun football related gifts can be customized with your favorite team colors too! Now how special is that?

Personalized Football Shirts and Gifts

Be A Sport!

All-Star Sports Theme Shirt

It's the last day of September and it seems all the stars have aligned perfectly! That is, if you're a sports fan! I love this time of year when so many of my favorite sporting events overlap. We have the St. Louis Cardinals finishing in first place in the National League Central Division and heading to the NL Division Series later this week. Our hockey team, the St. Louis Blues, has completed pre-season play and the opening game here at home is also this week. Then, of course, we are home to the St. Louis Rams football team. Well, let's just say I like football a lot and follow the home team, but the Rams play so far this year is making it a bit difficult to be an avid fan. We can only hope this week's game will put us back in the winning column. So chances are if you're a sports fan, so are your kiddos. Zoey's Attic has such cute sporting themed shirts for all the little sports lovers in your family. You can choose from a football onesie with leg warmer set for the baby, or an adorable big brother to be baseball style raglan tee to an all-star birthday boy raglan style hockey shirt.  There's even a baseball themed birth announcement pillow and you can customize any shirt with any sport. This option will surely please even the most die hard fans in the family.  So #1 on the sports agenda this week... GO CARDS!


Zoey's Attic Personalized Gifts

Super Sunday

Are you as excited as I am for Super Bowl XLVII?  This year it's being played at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, LA!  If you've never been to New Orleans, make sure you do someday!  The city and it's people are fantastic!  Just wish I had a few tickets for gameday!  Well, I don't see that happening so I will have to enjoy it from my own home which isn't all that bad!  Family and friends will gather for any excuse to eat, eat, eat and of course, watch some football.  This year the Baltimore Ravens will be playing the San Francisco 49ers for the championship title.  Did you know the Ravens' name was inspired by the author Edgar Allen Poe?  Poe was living in Baltimore when his most famous poem, "The Raven" was published.  The Ravens' last Super Bowl appearance was on January 28, 2001 when they scored a 34-7 victory over the New York Giants.  The Ravens' opponent on February 3rd, the San Francisco 49ers' name was inspired by gold prospectors who arrived in Northern California around 1849 during the California Gold Rush.  Ironically, Edgar Allen Poe died the same year in Baltimore.  The 49ers will make its 6th appearance in franchise history at this year's Super Bowl, having won all five times previously.  So who will you be rooting for on Sunday, February 3rd?  We've got a mixed bag of fans, young and old, joining us for the day.  Some will be sporting red, gold, and white shirts favoring the 49ers, while others will be wearing the Ravens' purple, black, gold, and white.  Zoey's Attic has just the perfect football shirts for the kiddos for gameday, and any shirt design can be customized with your favorite team's colors too.  

All-Star Football Shirt