The Green Bay Packers game against the Chicago Bears looked a lot brighter this NFL season. On Sunday, Dec. 12, Packers’ running back Aaron Jones wore custom-designed cleats, in partnership with the Northwestern Mutual Foundation, to support children battling childhood cancer.

The special NFL program, “My Cause, My Cleats”, raises awareness and funding for causes that are near and dear to players’ hearts. Participating athletes sport a custom cleat design that represents their passions beyond the field on game day, then auction off the cleats at the NFL auction to raise proceeds for their selected charity.

Earlier this year, kids with cancer and their family members submitted their original hand-crafted designs for Aaron’s cleats, from which he personally selected his favorite. This year marks Aaron’s second time partnering with the Northwestern Mutual Foundation for the “My Cause, My Cleats” campaign to support and raise awareness for childhood cancer.

On November 13, Ashley Herman of Marshfield, Wis. was selected as the program’s winner. The 18-year-old cancer hero was invited to visit Lambeau Field in Green Bay with her mom, dad, brother and boyfriend, where Aaron surprised her with the news that he selected her design for his cleats.

“You’re definitely strong and resilient. Never stop fighting,” Aaron shared on a virtual call. “I want you to know that I’m in your corner forever.”

Ashley was surprised and delighted to speak with Aaron about her design and thought process behind the artwork. When selecting her design, Aaron was particularly drawn to the phrase “be the change” on the cleats—a phrase that stuck with Ashley throughout her treatment. “All it takes is one person,” Aaron told Ashley. “And now when I wear those cleats, everyone will see be the change.”

To top off the victory, Ashley was not only gifted a pair of her own custom cleats but also learned she and her family would attend the Packers’ game on December 12 to see her design in action.

Cleats designed by childhood cancer heroes seem to bring a little bit of magic to Aaron’s game. He scored back-to-back touchdowns in Ashley’s cleats to help boost the Packers’ to a 45-30 victory over the Chicago Bears, while, last year, he ran for his longest career touchdown in Ethan Haley’s cleats.

Finding Hope and Courage Through Art

Both art and sports played a large role in Ashley’s everyday life growing up. When she wasn’t in school, she would spend her time painting or sketching or playing volleyball for Columbus High School.

This past winter, however, Ashley was faced with news that would change her life. On Jan. 27, 2021, the Wisconsin native was diagnosed with Stage 2 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma—cancer that affects specialized white blood cells within the body’s immune system, which hinders it from defending against bacteria, parasites, or viruses.

Despite receiving this startling news, Ashley’s perpetual positive attitude kicked in and her first words to her doctors and families were, “okay, what do we do next.” Today, her cancer is in remission.

For Ashley, “My Cause, My Cleats” campaign means more than just winning. She plans to continue to share her story with others battling cancer to help them keep pushing forward and to encourage them to share their own experiences.

Aaron also hopes his participation with the Northwestern Mutual Foundation will inspire others to make a difference. The Foundation, which launched its Childhood Cancer Program in 2012, has worked vigorously to find better treatments and cures, provide family and patient support and offer aid to children who struggle with the long-term effects of treatment. Since its inception, the foundation has contributed over $35 million towards its mission and also funded more than 455,000 hours of research.

In 2022, Northwestern Mutual Foundation’s Childhood Cancer Program is celebrating its ten-year anniversary by continuing to create moments of joy and drive connections amongst those affected by childhood cancer. Learn more about the Northwestern Mutual Foundation’s Childhood Cancer Program here.

If you’d like to hear more about Ashley’s story, watch it now!

We could all use a little extra cash and USDish is looking for one lucky person to watch their fave childhood movies to win big. On the table? The chance to win $1,234 plus a swag bag worth $350 (which includes personalized candy from the decade you were born)!

To enter, head over to usdish.com to start the process and answer questions like your favorite childhood movie genre, remakes of your fave films and which top five flicks you would pick if you one.

photo: iStock

The company has put together a nostalgic list of children’s films from the past 60 years to help applicants pick their top five for the application process. Want to stand out from the crowd? Get uber detailed on answering questions, submit a video and of course, share on social media.

Head to usdish.com to apply by Fri. Dec. 17 at 12:00 p.m. MST.

––Karly Wood

 

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Whelp we’ve made it to Christmas. It’s the time of year where one’s heart should grow three sizes and goodwill should be sprinkled like the curse words you use while trying to find the last-minute gift that your child decided was the gift of the year that you did not buy.

This is also the time of year where grief hits me hard. We recently sat down with our eager three-year-old and asked her what she hopes Santa will bring her. It was a complete fail as her belief in St. Nick is so pure this year her response was: “He knows what I want.” I want to be like, he really doesn’t so if you can help us so we don’t have the repeat of last year—where she asked numerous times who got her this? And then her famous, “Well I don’t like it.”

She keeps us on our toes so we have a backup fund labeled “Vivi” if she decides to give us a list.

But then there is my sweet seven-year-old boy Whit. He doesn’t communicate in the conventional way. I always think of the song from Bandaid “Does he know it’s Christmas time at all?!”

This year, for the first time ever, he marveled at the tree. We’ve tried to set up pictures in hopes of getting some kind of idea of what he wants for Christmas. I’m usually not an organized Christmas shopper. My husband and I have been known to run to Target on Christmas Eve for a last-minute Christmas gift or ten.

I think Whit’s not caring has given me this, “What’s the point attitude.” As I load a virtual cart with things, I think, “Will this be the year?! Will this be the time he acknowledges a gift and plays with it properly?!” Usually, it’s a no and there is always a twinge of disappointment. We have a closet full of gifts we thought would work but have backfired horribly.

Why do we keep them you may be asking? Because as a mom I have this mindset that there is always next year. There’s always next year to try Santa again. There’s always next year to get a Christmas list from Whit. There’s always next year. Then my mind wanders to what if there isn’t ever a year where he cares? What if all the Christmas buying, and therapy to help Whit process any celebration is all done in vain because I’m the mom who can’t let go and accept our reality? I get that way when people ask us for a Christmas list for Whit. He’s possibly into LEGOs, he seems to like to watch us attempt to put them together.

This is the first year that our 3-year-old is 100% sold on Christmas and I’m living up every moment of it but at the same time hoping and praying that maybe this will be the year that Whitman will open a gift, be excited, acknowledge us and play with it. I know that’s a huge hope—I’d take any of that sequence in a heartbeat. We are building our three-year-old a Target and Starbucks for our playroom. While ordering all the supplies and in my excitement, my husband stopped me and said: “I don’t want to ruin this for you but what about Whit?!” I tried to convince him that Whit has been showing interest in pretend play with his sister so fingers crossed. I added a few extra gifts for Whit to keep it even in hopes that maybe this will the year.

So here’s to the mom’s and dad’s who are feeling this too. May this be the year our kids surprise us in the best way, especially in a time where we are told to be happy but we grieve the loss of childhood traditions. May we find new holiday traditions that work for us. It’s not about the presents, I know, but sometimes it feels like it is. It’s about the love we have for each other and a reminder of how far we come in the last year even in the midst of a global pandemic. May this be the year of letting go, seeing the good, and having a little bit of hope.

This post originally appeared on The Althaus Life
Photo: The Althaus Life

 

Lindsey is a mom, wife, and blogger at The Althaus Life. She lives in Ohio with her husband and 2 children. Lindsey is grateful all things and to be able to chronicle her beautifully broken laugh til you cry cry until you laugh life.

Ready to give back? Giving Tuesday is today and plenty of brands are on board to donate to charitable organizations. We’ve rounded up a few to note if you’re looking to support some great causes today!

Citi: Matching donations dollar-for-dollar up to $200,000 for No Kid Hungry. Donate now to have an even greater impact in the fight against childhood hunger.

Cloud Paper: In continued partnership with One Tree Planted, Cloud Paper will be planting one tree for every purchase made on 11/30.

FabKids: Donating 100% of net proceeds from select shoes to Soles4Souls from Nov. 30-Dec. 7.

Keen: Launched KEEN Corps, the world’s largest digital hub for volunteering and community engagement opportunities, powered by Points of Light. Fans can find more than 300,000 unique opportunities with more than 70,000 nonprofit organizations, schools, and other local agencies each year.

KFC: Donating $1 for each KFC Chicken Sandwich sold (including KFC Chicken Sandwich meals) to Blessings in a Backpack to provide weekend meals to children who might otherwise go hungry.

MacKenzie-Childs: Donating 5% of the brand’s total daily sales to World Central Kitchen.

Naked Wines: Naked will donate $10 on all purchases to support a mentorship program focused on advancing the careers of Latino winemakers,  – and 100% of profits from selected packs.

Pottery Barn: Selling bell candles, superhero ornaments, a bear pillow and a cozy chenille throw to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The NAACP Cozy Throw benefits the NAACP. And the Pride Mug and Pride Doormat benefit the Trevor Project.

Senna Case: Donating 50% of the day’s proceeds to Marin Foster Care Association.

STATE Bags: For every product purchased, STATE supports American children and families in need, allocating 5% of its annual revenue to giving efforts around the country including fully-packed bag drop rallies and partnerships like HELP USA for special projects.

Stojo: For every order placed on the site, Stojo will donate a best-selling 12 oz. cup to frontline healthcare organizations, to give thanks and keep them both hydrated and caffeinated (because we could all use a little of that!).

WaterBabies: Partnering with charity: water to raise awareness of the global water crisis and to fund up to 250 water wells in developing countries. With every purchase of a WaterBabies doll, proceeds go towards bringing clean and safe drinking water to families all over the world.

—Sarah Shebek

Featured image courtesy of Karolina Grabowska, Pexels

 

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It’s hard to resist the sweet, sweet goodness that is a Rice Krispies treat. Now you don’t have to feel guilty about enjoying the dessert bliss at breakfast, thanks to a brand new product from Nestle!

Coffee mate Rice Krispies Treats Flavored Creamer packs all the flavors of marshmallow and toasted cereal you’ve been enjoying since your childhood. The drinkable treat pairs well with any style coffee, and let’s be honest––a baked treat on the side.

photo: Courtesy of Nestle

The fun new flavor will hit retailers nationwide in Jan. 2022. While you’ll have to wait a few more months to get your hands on the new creamer, it’s still plenty of time to perfect your Rice Krispies treat recipe to go right along with it.

––Karly Wood

 

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Want to let your little artist express themself but worried about the mess they’ll make in the house? Take it outside! From squirt guns painting to balloon paint bombs, unleash your little Picassos with these fun outdoor painting projects (and don’t forget the baby-safe paint!).

Dart Art

Agnes Hsu via hello, Wonderful 

Drip a little paint into small party balloons, then blow them up, tack them onto a canvas, and give your little artists some darts. They'll love seeing the paint splatter when they hit their mark. Find out more from Northern California Mama Agnes Hsu at hello, Wonderful. Note: You'll need darts and thumbtacks for this project, so we recommend adult supervision.

Swing With It!

Meredith Magee Donnelly via Homegrown Friends

Turn your pint-sized painters into pendulums with this clever art project that lets kids swing and paint at the same time. Get the simple instructions (and a video to show your kids what they can do) at Homegrown Friends.

Paint Like Pollock

Playfully Learning

Jackson Pollock-inspired art may be the perfect paint project for kids. Why? Because all little Pollocks need to do is drip, pour, and splatter globs of baby-safe paint onto a giant canvas floor. Sound fun? Find out more from kindergarten teacher/mom Dana Gorman's Playfully Learning blog.

Load and Shoot! 

Melissa Heckscher

Kids will love this colorful excuse to use water guns ("But it's art, Mom!"). Just fill up a few squirt guns with paint (and water) and let your little ones aim. Get the scoop from Melissa Lennig at Fireflies and Mudpies.

 

Use Your Feet

Melissa Heckscher

Give those little hands a break and let your kids step, slide, and dance their way to painted masterpieces. Young artists will love getting their feet messy and seeing their footprints in action. Head over to Homegrown Friends to get the simple step-by-step instructions.

Pop Goes the Artwork 

Childhood 101

Bubbles! What kid doesn't love them? With this simple project from Christie Burnette of Childhood 101, your little soap artists can use bubble solution (mixed with a little food coloring) to create magical bursts of color.

Hammer Time!

Melissa Heckscher

Let your kids smack a hammer or mallet down on cotton rounds to splatter the "hidden" paint beneath. Young painters will love trying to guess what color will splat with each swing. Get the step-by-step from blogger Michelle at Crafty Morning.

Bombs Away!

Craftulate

They’re going to get paint all over them; might as well get to it, stat! Just fill up a few dozen water balloons with paint, lay down a canvas (or drop cloth), and let your kids stomp, squish, and jump away. Get all the details at Craftulate.

 

Egg-citing Art

Melissa Heckscher

Drip a little paint into hollowed-out eggs and let your kids smash away with this fun project from Growing a Jeweled Rose. Note: To avoid making a stinky art project, be sure to rinse the eggs out before you pour in the paint!

Wrap It Up!

The Chaos and the Clutter

Kids will love becoming a human roller stamp with this whole-body activity courtesy of The Chaos and the Clutter. Just dip your crazy kiddos' bubble-wrapped bodies in paint and let them slam against or roll around on their canvas of choice. Will they make a masterpiece? Who cares! Note: If you'd like to keep your human bubble wrapping on a smaller scale, try this bubble wrap stomp painting project from Mess for Less.

 

—Melissa Heckscher

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Sometimes Halloween just sneaks up on you, and you end up with a slapdash costume that’s just plain awkward. Luckily, you’re not alone! The folks over at the wildly popular site Awkward Family Photos are celebrating costumes gone wrong and uncomfortable Halloween moments with a collection of cringe-worthy photos, and we’re sharing a few of the most hilarious ones. Scroll down to get a taste of the awkward.

 

Be sure to visit Awkward Family Photos for more. We (at SFGATE Mommy Files) also added a few reader pics. Feel free to send in an image to contribute to the gallery at editor@tinybeans.com. Include “Awkward Halloween photo” in the subject line.

Check out Awkward Family Photos children’s book Everything Is Awkward capturing the awkwardness of childhood.

Featured image: iStock 

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Amy Graff is a news producer for SFGATE and writes the site’s Mommy Files blog. She's a mom raising three children in San Francisco. Amy has appeared on dozens of radio and TV shows including Forum (NPR), Good Morning America and BBC. Her writing has also appeared in the Huffington Post, Sunset and San Francisco magazine. 

For your next painting session, challenge your little ones to skip the brushes. Believe it or not, there are countless ways to paint without paintbrushes, using everything from balloons to fly swatters. Your budding artists will get a kick out of these off-the-wall ideas. Keep reading to get inspired.

Pick a Pinecone

No Time for Flashcards

For this simple activity, No Time for Flashcards switches a paintbrush for a pinecone. It’s all about experimenting with the materials and seeing what happens when you roll the pinecone around. At the end of it, you’ve got some pretty cool abstract art too!

Let’s Roll

Childhood 101

Kids can make their own wrapping paper with this cool idea from Childhood 101. Gather up a bunch of different textured items from around the house to make different prints, like bubble wrap, rubber bands and mesh bags.

Brick by Brick

Pink Stripey Socks

If you’ve got a LEGO lover in your family, they’ll be obsessed with this craft from Pink Stripey Socks. They can start by making a design out of blocks, then dip it into paint and stamp it on paper. They can also experiment with using individual bricks as stamps—the sky’s the limit.

Bubble Painting

Artful Kids

Little ones love bubbles, so it’s not surprising that they’d also get excited about bubble painting. Artful Kids has the scoop on three different ways to paint with bubbles. They’re all fun and easy, and don’t require a ton of supplies.

Freeze Paint

Learn with Play at Home

Popsicle painting could be the coolest way to paint… literally. With this simple idea, freezing paint is not only a fun setup process, but it’s pretty easy to clean up, too. It's a perfect project for indoors, but the icy paint also works great on the pavement outside, too! For more info on where to pick up those handy popsicle sticks, head over to Learn with Play at Home.

Crafty Combs

No Time for Flashcards

New combs are the best way to get clean, clear pictures, so be sure to hit up the Dollar Store before trying your own version of this bright idea from No Time for Flashcards. The drop and drag skills needed can be tackled by even the tiniest artist, making this a great weekend project—the whole family can join in on the fun!

Splatter with Swatters

Munchkins and Moms

Art is definitely not what comes to mind when you imagine a fly swatter. But, with the right supplies (butcher paper, tape, a wall and willing swatters) you’ll see creativity flying around in a few seconds flat. You’ll be Lord of the Flies all afternoon. Zip over to Munchkins and Moms for the how-to.

Cotton Ball Crafts

Domestic Mommyhood

The family supply of cotton balls will be in major need of replenishment after trying this project, but it’s worth watching your tiniest creator get in on the action. Ideal for toddlers on up through preschool, using clothespins and cotton balls is an excellent lesson in fine motor skills; and it helps the littles keep colors separate! Find out what you can use if you don’t have a muffin pan handy, over at Domestic Mommyhood.

Bust a Few Balloons

Growing a Jeweled Rose

Pop Art just got literal. To re-create, add balloons to poster board carnival-style, and let the kids pop to it. While this scores pretty high on the mess-o-meter, the fun factor is also sky high. Want to know how it’s done? Artistic mama Crystal explains how to get just enough paint in every balloon over at Growing a Jeweled Rose.

Create with Condiment Bottles

Fun at Home with Kids

Squeeze a little more fun out of the afternoon by mixing up a batch of microwave puffy paint. We love the recipe and tutorial perfected by Asia of Fun at Home with Kids. We really love the condiment bottles that are used as both paint container and applicator, rolled into one.

Sponges as Stamps

Buggy and Buddy

You’ll be pulling a few out anyways, so why not use sponges to make art? Create shapes and characters, or keep it simple with one style. We can’t get enough of the adorable ode to Very Hungry Caterpillar spotted over at Buggy and Buddy.

Use Baking Tools

Mama.Papa.Bubba

There’s nothing cookie cutter about this creative use of everyone’s favorite baking tool. Instant stamp-like prints (perfect for filling in later!), easy handling for little hands and one-step cleanup make this idea from Mama.Papa.Bubba a sweet way to fill an open afternoon.

Use Things that Vroom

Craftwhack

Make tracks for the toy box and pull out the biggest, baddest monster truck, right on down to the teeniest, tiniest sports car, and watch your kids zoom their way into creativity (extra points for making vroom noises while they paint!). Cleaning up the tires may take a little more time, but the twofer on artistic and imaginary play can’t be beat. We like how mom Jeanette over at Craftwhack set up her little painter for an afternoon of colorful tread-burning fun.

Fun with Food

Gabby Cullen

They’ll have a whole new appreciation for veggies after this project. First, slice apples, potatoes, bell peppers, celery (you can even use broccoli!) or any other fresh food you find in the fridge. Then, give each kid their “stamp” and watch as they dip and print. You can even talk about why each print looks just so, adding a little science to their art.

—Susie Foresman & Gabby Cullen

 

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It’s not that different. I know it seems that way from an outside eye, but it’s not. Raising a non-verbal child with autism may appear abnormal to others. In our house, though, it’s the most normal thing in the world.

I get it. There was once a time when I was raising my daughter and my son hadn’t yet entered my life. I know how I saw families raising similar children to the boy who would eventually join us. I remember pity and misunderstanding. In my mind, those in the position that I would unknowingly one day be in myself had been doomed to an incredibly difficult life.

When Lucas was born and eventually diagnosed, that incredibly difficult life never materialized. Sure, raising my non-verbal son is hard at times. Then again, raising my very-verbal daughter is hard at times. If you’re a parent to any child, on or off the spectrum, feeling that another parent has it hard and you don’t is a big assumption. To be completely frank, if you’re a parent and you don’t think that it veers into difficult territory now and again, you’re doing it wrong.

There are so many reasons why having a special needs child in my home isn’t some daily cause of depression. For starters, he’s great. My kid is great. He’s sweet and kind without any overly selfish or aggressive tendencies. Ironically, I credit a lot of that to his autism. His loves and enjoyments are for his own satisfaction. He doesn’t get joy in insulting others or fighting for his own things. He just goes with the flow. After Autism Awareness comes Autism Acceptance. In our house, we’re up to Autism Appreciation.

Then there’s the fact that normal is as normal does. This has always been our life and, to us, it’s normal. We have long searched for ways to better communicate with him. Thanks to picture boards and communication devices, we’ve been able to. I know when he wants pizza. I know when he wants to watch Raffi. We’ve unlocked many of the same doors parents with neurotypical children opened. It just took us a bit longer and the doors we found were partially hidden. 

The biggest reason it’s not so strange for my daughter and me to have a non-verbal child with autism in our house is that it’s not so strange to have a non-verbal child with autism in your house. It sounds basic, but it’s true. I’ve learned that the unique ways my son sees the world are like how the rest of us see it.

If he returns home after a long day of school and the television goes on with his favorite show, he begins cheering. Clapping and yelping with delight, my 10-year-old little man dances around the den; sporadically stopping to tap my chest with an expression that says, “Yo! Look! My show is on!” It’s adorable.

It’s also exactly what I want to do when, after a long day, I return home and my favorite show comes on. Who doesn’t want to jump around cheering? Who doesn’t want to tap everyone in the room so they see? In many ways, this action is exactly the one I, and many others, would take if it wasn’t for these darn social walls many of us have built since childhood.

He repeats sounds and movements that he enjoys. They call this “stimming.” We all do that too. In the case of many, that stim is a song “stuck in your head” or funny-sounding name. We click our pens and tap our fingers. People stim. So does my son. It ain’t no big thing.

Sure, there are some things he does that aren’t connected to me but, as paradoxical as that sounds, that’s actually another similarity. All of us have unique characteristics that no one else in our vicinity can share. We have quirks, habits, and personality traits that are one in a million. He does and I’d like to hope I do. We’re all special. Mr. Rogers said so.

At the end of the day, my kid is a kid. Autism might be a part of his personality, but it’s not his entire being. He’s his own person and that’s why we love him. The old saying might be that “if you meet one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism.” But the better saying would be, if you meet one person, you’ve met one person. It doesn’t get any truer than that.

Krispy Kreme is on a roll! Today the beloved chain launched its first-ever cinnamon rolls to make your breakfast run even sweeter. And yes, there’s one topped with Cinnamon Toast Crunch!

For a limited time you can buy the Original Glazed Cinnamon Roll or the Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cinnamon Roll, topped with your fave childhood cereal and finished with a cereal milk icing swirl. Don’t mind us as we drool all over our screens.

Instead of the traditional frosting, Krispy Kreme opted to use its iconic donut glaze for the rolls. They’re hand-rolled and feature a yeast-raised dough, because the best baked goods always take time. Grab them individually or in a special four pack, in shops and online at participating locations.

Unfortunately for cinnamon roll fans, these babies are only around until October 10. Grab one this week and enjoy it with Krispy Kreme’s fall drinks!

—Sarah Shebek

Featured image courtesy of Krispy Kreme

 

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