Today's schedule looked simple enough.
A birthday party.
Soccer uniform fittings.
A few errands.
No big deal, right?
Wrong.
Anyone raising kids in sports knows that even the simplest day can turn into a carefully coordinated operation.
Today we were at a birthday party watching the clock like it was our full-time job. Not because we didn't want to be there. We were having fun. But we also knew soccer uniform fittings were next, and if you've got six kids, being ten minutes late can throw off the entire day.
So when it was time, we made the rounds, said our thank-yous, gathered everyone up, and headed out right on schedule.
Welcome to life with six kids.
People often ask how we manage sports, activities, a sticker business, school, and everyday life.
The answer is simple:
We don't always.
We just keep moving.
Our biggest source of schedule chaos is DJ and football. Somehow football manages to take over calendars, weekends, vehicles, and occasionally our sanity.
Speaking of vehicles, we recently removed a bowling bag that had been living in the car for three weeks. Dad's truck currently serves as permanent housing for football gear. At this point, we're not sure if the equipment belongs to us or if we belong to the equipment.
The weirdest things found in our vehicles after practices and tournaments?
Water bottles.
One random shoe.
Dirty socks.
Sometimes all at the same time.
And if you're wondering who is most likely to remember something important five minutes before leaving, that's easy.
DJ.
Every.
Single.
Time.
"Mom, where's my mouthguard?"
"Mom, where are my cleats?"
"Mom, do you know where my helmet is?"
No, DJ. I don't.
And that's why the phrase most commonly heard in our vehicle isn't "I love you."
It's:
"Do you have _____?"
Fill in the blank with literally anything.
Water bottle.
Jersey.
Cleats.
Shin guards.
Homework.
A shoe.
At least one child is always missing something.
Not that the other kids are innocent. Analee once showed up without her soccer ball. Which, if you're keeping score, is a pretty important item for soccer practice.
The only reason any of this works is because of the village.
Between football, soccer, bowling, gymnastics, track, and everything else, there are constantly kids who need to be in two places at once. Sometimes we drop one child off, race across town to drop off another, then repeat the process for pickup. Sometimes the schedule works perfectly.
Sometimes it doesn't.
That's where carpools save the day.
The sports-parent village is made up of the people who say, "I've got room."
The parents who pick up your kid when you're stuck somewhere else.
The grandparents who help.
The teammates' families who become friends.
The group chats. So many group chats.
Last count? About five sports group chats and approximately 4,000 unread messages.
As for dinner, we try meal prepping.
Keyword: try.
Reality usually looks more like tacos or frozen pizza while everyone rushes off to their next activity.
Some weekends have us traveling to Pullman, Longview, or Vancouver. Other weekends feel like we're spending more time in the car than at home.
And somehow, somewhere between practices, games, tournaments, uniform fittings, and group chats, Tacoma Sticker Co exists.
Most of our sticker ideas come directly from our kids. They're brutally honest about what's funny and what's not. If a design makes them laugh, we're probably onto something.
Honestly, every sports-parent sticker we've created feels a little too accurate.
Because we're not making them up.
We're living them.
So if you ever see a sports parent checking the time at a birthday party, carrying three sports bags, drinking cold coffee, and asking, "Do you have _____?" for the tenth time that day, just know they're doing their best.
And chances are, they're already planning tomorrow's chaos.
— Ashley & Family
Tacoma Sticker Co
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