Happy weekend!
It’s been a little while since we last sent a Simply Stated update—three weeks, if you’re counting. We’ve been busy behind the scenes here at Simply2Moms, and I (Anne) am writing this week. Between painting projects and a new weekend pastime, there’s a lot to share.
Let me take you on a short stroll down memory lane to the fall of 1983—my first year of high school and my debut as a JV cheerleader. I loved cheering. We wore black-and-white saddle shoes to stomp in, mid-thigh skirts, and polo shirts with popped collars. It was the ’80s and The Preppy Handbook was everywhere. We also had roomy crewneck sweaters to stay warm. Cheerleading felt a little different back then.
We cheered for soccer, field hockey, and of course, football. Truth be told, I wasn’t especially into sports, so I often didn’t understand what was happening on the field. I was more focused on looking cute and taking cues from the other girls or the crowd—hardly the model of leadership, I know!
Soccer and field hockey were easy to follow, but football confused me. One night I thought I knew what was going on and started a cheer about moving the ball down the field to score—only to discover our team was on defense. I was mortified. Fast forward many years: I’m married to a football fan who patiently taught me how the game works. His enthusiasm is infectious. I may not know every play, but I love cheering at games now, and I always know which way our team is moving the ball.
Have you watched Ted Lasso on AppleTV yet? It’s one of the most genuine, heartwarming, and funny shows I’ve seen in a long time. If you’ve watched it, who’s your favorite character? As much as I love Ted, Roy is my favorite.
Now to recent weekends: after nearly 30 years of talking about it, my family finally has season tickets to Virginia Tech. The bonus is getting to see this sweet girl every week.
AnnMarie’s family has been cheering for the Pittsburgh Steelers for just as long, so both of our lives have a strong football focus—and it shows up on the blog.
Now that I’m attending games every week, my tailgating routine has gotten much stronger. I’ve shared tips on how to pack for a tailgate and added a printable checklist to our VIP Printable Library to help you prepare with confidence.
You don’t have to go to the stadium to enjoy football—watch parties at home are a blast. AnnMarie recently shared ideas for hosting a fun football-themed watch party, and we loved the festive atmosphere she created. One of our favorite decorating tricks is using tiered trays; AnnMarie’s football-tiered-tray ideas make it simple and stylish.
When we aren’t thinking about football, we’re tackling home projects. Here’s the before photo of my kitchen—big changes are planned for this space, and I’m excited to share the renovation as it happens.
We recently made a single, impactful change in our family room that transformed the space. Small updates can make a big difference, and I’ll share more on that as the project progresses.
We also gathered a few inspiring finds from around the web to spark your creativity: a charming fall front porch idea, a delicious cinnamon popcorn snack, a simple cornhusk wreath project, quick dough bowl decorating tips for fall, a pumpkin-chai turmeric bar recipe, and creative gift basket ideas. These simple ideas are perfect for autumn inspiration.
That’s all for this week. We hope you have a wonderful week filled with cozy moments, creative projects, and fun football memories.
