Temporary image for editorial illustration. Credit: Pinterest. Will be replaced with a personal photo within one week.
⚾ The Chaos That Built Me
For years, it was just me and my kids, navigating the long weekends, early mornings, and endless car rides that come with travel sports. Baseball, basketball, volleyball, softball… you name it, we’ve probably played it (and spilled coffee on the way there).
As a single mom, those days were wild and wonderful all at once. I learned how to pack for a weekend tournament in five minutes flat, how to cheer loud enough for two parents, and how to find peace in a folding chair behind the dugout.
💛 A New Season: Blended Family Life
Recently, life changed, I got remarried and became part of a blended family. ❤️
Now we’ve added soccer to the mix (because clearly, we didn’t have enough sports already!).
Blended families aren’t easy — there are different routines, personalities, and plenty of learning moments, but we’re figuring it out with grace, communication, and a whole lot of humor.
Photo courtesy of Little League International (used for editorial purposes only).
🏆 Marriage in the World of Travel Sports
Our weekends are chaotic to say the least.
Marriage in the travel-sports world looks like:
“You take one kid, I’ll take the other, and we’ll meet in the driveway sometime Sunday evening.”
Our love language? Selfies and text updates from different fields.
It’s not traditional, but it’s ours — and somehow, it works.
🌟 Why I Started Chaos & Cleats
I started Chaos & Cleats as a little reminder that even in the crazy, muddy, coffee-fueled weekends, there’s still so much joy.
The laughter, the memories, the friendships, the moments that remind you why you keep showing up — those are what make it all worth it.
This space is for every mom (and dad) who’s ever loaded a cooler, shouted “Where’s your jersey?” or cheered until they lost their voice. It’s for blended families learning their rhythm, and for anyone trying to find joy in the middle of life’s beautiful chaos.
And through it all, I’m still showing up for me, too.
Even on the busiest weekends, I make it a point to move my body, get that workout in, and remind myself that strength — mental and physical — is built one day at a time.
Because the chaos doesn’t stop, but neither do we. 💪
Photo courtesy of TrueSport / Aspen Institute (used for editorial purposes only).
💬 From the Sidelines
If you’ve ever found yourself driving to a tournament before sunrise, balancing schedules, or just trying to catch your breath between games — you’re in the right place.
➡️ Follow along on Instagram @Chaos_and_cleats for daily chaos, sideline laughs, and quick fitness motivation that fits into real life.
Because life might be messy — but it’s our kind of beautiful. 💛
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