The Power of Community: Why Being A Mean Girl is SO Last Year

So, I am not going to lie, it's 5:39pm and my deadline is 7pm TODAY and clearly I have been putting this one off because... well...camp. I usually plan ahead what I am going to write about because you know, after all- special people such as you are taking time out of your busy life to read what I have to say so I at least owe you that to plan what I am going to share.  But, today again (because we aren't lying to one another) I had no idea what I was going to write about until I opened up my blank document and the thoughts started to flow.  Granted, two hours and twenty minutes before kickoff of preseason game #2 and an hour before my house was filled with all of the lovely ladies that I am lucky enough to do this crazy world of football with.  And that is when it hit me; I am going to write about the power of community and why it is so last year to be mean, judgmental, and quite frankly appear “too good” for the other women that are living this NFL life WITH us.

Ok, I am going to put this out there: there is hands down NOTHING more intimidating than the first day you roll up to your significant others training camp and look around at all of the insanely gorgeous women. If you are anything like me; my first day coming to Rico’s camp three years ago, I truly started to wonder how the heck I was going to make friends, let alone fit in. There are so many stereotypes of what a “WAG” is supposed to be; how we are supposed to act, dress, look, etc and prior to getting to know anyone- I believed what I had heard.  I believed that everyone would be stuck up, I believed that everyone would have more money than they knew what to do with it, I believed that this industry could quite frankly have the potential to change me for the worse and I was scared.

Obviously, I was SO wrong. I have met some of the most amazing women and I truly don't know where I would be in this crazy world without them. Rico and I have been fortunate enough to be with the Falcons for three years so I would say that I now am one of the women who could potentially be intimidating to someone new to the game.  Having said that, I promised myself three years ago that if we were lucky enough to be here for a length of time, I would do my absolute best to make others feel welcome- in whatever way that I could.

All I can say is this; take the chance and reach out, introduce yourself to somebody new or invite everyone over for pizza and wine to watch the game when the guys play out of town.  You don't have to become "besties", but the truth is that we can all use someone to do football season with and being a mean girl is so last year.

Surviving A Day At Training Camp (Kids in tow!)

Hi everyone! I hope that the first week of Training Camp has been smooth sailing and passing quickly. I don’t know why I am always caught off guard by the heat this time of year, because Georgia isn't necessarily known for their “cool summers” and our nickname IS "Hotlanta" but, whatever, any way you cut it- it’s HOT here as I am sure it is everywhere else too.  I find myself complaining about the heat as I sit and watch practice until it dawns on me that I truly have NOTHING to be complaining about because a) I am not the one on the field doing excruciating physical activity b) I am sitting under a tent with more fans, water and snacks than stars in the sky.  Anyway, I am rambling (I guess thats what happens when you have minimal adult conversation in your home for going on 9 days) and what I have written for you this week is a survival guide on what you need to make your day at practice easier & more comfortable for you and your little ones.

Part One: Packing For A Day At Practice

1. Sunscreen; because as aforementioned, it's HOT, and even on an overcast day the chances of getting burnt still exist. I am kind of a freak when it comes to what goes on my Luca’s skin so I personally prefer either Babyganics or Honest Company, but at the end of the day; any sunscreen is better than no sunscreen. Both brands can be purchased at my fav place, Target. Or if you plan ahead (GO YOU!) Amazon has a plethora of options as well that will arrive right to your doorstep.

2. Individual Fan. Even though there are usually fans at practice for family, carseats and strollers get extra stuffy. I bought an awesome clip-on battery powered fan off of Amazon and it has been a lifesaver. There are a lot of options, so choose the one that is best for you but, the brand that I chose is O2COOL ($34.99). It has lasted through all of our offseason travels as well as this past week at camp (and I've only had to replace the batteries once!).

3. Toys. For babies you don't really need a whole lot to occupy them, so I usually bring my Vulli Sophie le Giraffe because Luca loves to chew on her (hellloooo teething) and a lightweight swaddle blanket that we can play peek a boo with or that I can lay out on the ground for him to roll around on. For older kids- I have seen a lot of moms with coloring books, iPads, footballs, etc! This is a tough one because every kid is different so just figure out what is best for you and bring it along but, just make sure you have something!

4. Snacks. Well, because kids get hungry. I know every team is different and some provide snacks, some full meals, some nothing at all. Don't leave the house empty handed in the snack department!

5. An extra change of clothes. There is nothing better than the moment the guys finish practice and make their way over to scoop up their babes BUT, after the papa cuddles, the kiddos are left drenched in sweat, gatorade, and whatever else makes their way onto the jerseys. If you plan to just head home afterwards this may not be as big of a deal but if you plan to run errands or grab lunch with friends, just throw an extra set of clothes into your bag so the kiddos aren't wet (and smelly) for the rest of the day!

We are just about halfway, well, kinda, but positive thinking never hurt anybody! Grace Allen

Camp 101: DON'T FORGET THE ESSENTIALS!

Written by Contributors, Angel Palacios & Grace Allen

Grace Allen

Married to: Ricardo Allen, Falcons

Oh, for the love of camp. No, not your favorite summer camp, or “glamping" with your best girlfriends, but, the, ever anticipated FOOTBALL TRAINING CAMP. If you are anything like me, you feel as if those super anticipated four weeks off are going to magically last forever, and then before you know it, you're packing your mans belongings and sending him away for what you and I (and they) know will be a stress packed few weeks away from home. Saying goodbye to the man of the home is never easy, especially when the kiddos have to say goodbye to daddy too. With the recommendation of a fellow WAG, Angel and I have decided to collaborate to come up with a simplified “Camp Packing List” to make your life (and ours) a bit easier. Take what speaks to you, and leave the rest! Happy packing & happy football season!

1. His Bible (or other form of inspiration)

If your man is strong in his faith, don't let him leave home to face the stressors of training camp without The Word in his bag. To make it even easier on him (and to make it feel like you’re right there with him) use post-it notes, or somehow tab specific verses with notes along the lines of “read this when you need to be encouraged”, “read this when you are tired”, “read this when you need to be reminded of how valuable you are”, etc.

2. Pictures

There is nothing like a photo to capture a memory, or to cause you to feel a certain emotion (just look at my instagram and you'll know immediately how much I cherish capturing everything in picture form:). Print off some of your favorite photos of the two of you, your family, pets, etc. There is a really cool feature with the Walgreens app that allows you to print off your Instagram photos in the perfect,little, Instagram squares (hello efficiency, simplicity and being able to fit more in a locker).

3. Epsom Salt

Lots of long and tiring hours in the heat and sun leads to sore and achy muscles. One of my favorite things to do for R is to run him an epsom salt bath. Sometimes, if I am feeling extra fancy, i’ll add a few drops of Lavender essential oil to help him relax his mind, as well as his body. My favorite brand is Dr. Teal’s, you can pick it up mostly anywhere, but I typically grab it at Target (because who doesn't want an excuse to make a Target run?:) Dr. Teal’s actually makes a bag that is infused with the lavender essential oil, so its a two for one deal!

4. Snacks

If you have ever looked at the schedule for a day of camp, it is structured down to the minute, every minute, including meals. All of the energy that is exerted has to be replaced through food and beverages. I know that the Falcons have an amazing staff that prepares the guys fresh foods during the day, but I don’t quite know what happens at night as far as food and snacks are concerned (and I have a notorious nighttime snacker on my hands). I always send along a box of snacks that are high in protein and carbohydrates, as well as a few guilty pleasure favorites as well. Trail mix, beef jerky, almonds, pistachios, peanut butter pretzels are all great choices. 5. Lucky Items If your guy has any type of superstitious lucky items, don't forget to send them along! Im not going to name any names, but, I know a man that has an extensive collection of superhero socks….and you better believe that a pair, or two, will be making their way to Falcons training camp! xoxo, Grace Allen

Angel Palacios

Married to: Tevin Mitchel, Raiders

Hey y'all! It's that time of the year again! Season is right around the corner!!! I am praying for everyone's safety as we all head to different places and our hubby's head to camp. Can we all just agree that the month they have off is never quite long enough?!

Here's a picture of my babies at the Cincinnati Zoo saying goodbye before we head back to Texas during camp!

As much as we like to complain about them having to leave, Camp is by far one of the toughest sections of the entire season. So what can we do to help?

Pack or send them a fun basket!

1. The essentials

There is no doubt they forgot or lost AT LEAST one thing on this list, so sending these items is a must:

Tooth brush

Tooth paste

Deodorant

Razors

Shaving Cream

2. Family Pictures

Something to put in their locker for motivation, or even just to brighten their day!

3. Favorite Snacks

Of course they can't consume too much junk food, but hey a little pick me up snack never hurt anyone😊

4. Motivation

 My favorite thing to do is write down a list of bible verses that he can reflect on that can help give him a peace of mind even when I'm not around to do so!