AM~Erica is Getting a Hang of this Super Bowl Thing

So anyway...

It all built up to last night. All of it. And many (OK...not all...I know) tuned in to watch how the whole thing would finish...

I even learned a couple things about the big event:

A. I learned it is now considered a[n unofficial] national holiday

2. It is the 2nd largest food consumption day only to Thanksgiving

You know what I'm talking about...amm-i-rite?

Yep...it would be the Super Bowl I'd be talkin' 'bout, y'all.

Last year, we were finally having a bit of a get together for it, after several years of either going elsewhere or just doing something small at home with hubby & kiddos. However, even though we had just a few extra people, I couldn't do a whole lot. (read about it HERE)

This year, we understood it would be different. We were heading to the house of some family, but after some crazy things that happened in between, we ended up back home with just hubby & me with the kiddos. It's how it goes. But we wanted to finally kick it up a bit!

Don't forget, we have teenagers. Have you seen the semi-hightened reality-based commercial for KFC where the parents hardly see the kids?

Any of you with teenagers now know this feeling? It's OK to raise your hands...you're in good company here.

It's because of this that my hubby still wanted to do something more for our Super Bowl...even if it was just us with the kids. That...and I've rubbed off on him. (read HERE how I love celebrating everything)

We made plans! But to do what we thought about, we would have to DVR the game & festivities, then just be about 30 minutes to an hour behind. See...Teen Girl had a commitment with the Coterie Theater (reminder on what that's about HERE), and they actually scheduled a playwrights' meeting overlapping the start of the Super Bowl! *sigh* But that wasn't as big of a deal since we were just having our own family living under the same roof...so we didn't have to worry about timing with others.

We planned the food out: barbecue wings, barbecue meatballs, chips, cinnamon soft pretzels, meat & cheese tray, grapes, cookies, candy fruit slices, and M&M's to fill our bellies while the game was going. Yum-my! Amm-i-rite? (trust me...I'm right)

OK...pretzels aren't pictured...but this is the spread on a card table we brought into the living room

Then, hubby & I searched for games & found some to keep the kiddos engaged in the whole experience!

Hubby found a commercial bingo online to be able to print out to play. That was so fun to keep up with as we tried to enjoy the commercials. (our feelings on leaked commercials HERE)

We did the end-of-quarter score grid. That was so fun watching the kids trying to root for the score change in their favor (because we weren't really rooting for a team...there was just one team wanted to win way more than the other).

We also did an ongoing "raffle": the chances were for the drawing depended on what happened throughout the game, commercials & halftime. At the end of the game, one of the "tickets" (slips of paper with the scavenger game item) was drawn & the one who had that item happen got the big prize! I saw it called the Super Bowl Fish Bowl game...but we don't have a fish bowl, so we used a bag. A large bowl would work just as well...

"Fish Bowl (in a bag)" game, End of Quarter Score Grid game & Commercial Bingo

End of Quarter Score Grid game...the final results

We did prizes for these things, too!

Movie candy - EOQ grid prizes; cup & water bottle - bingo prizes; sherpa throw - end of the game raffle draw

No matter what was happening on the screen...the whole family was into it! Yelling at the screen & eating like crazy!

We figured out that...
...we don't need no stinking party!

We just needed to get the stuff together to get everyone in the room involved! Not just involved...but totally interacting...with each other!! Even the teenagers!

It happened, people. And it was awesome!

Even when Lil Guy got up, he was talking about how much fun we had last night! SCORE!

Here was a total blow out of a game...and we had so much to look for, that we had the greatest time!

Next year...whether we have additional peeps over or not, we know how to have to party! And...we need to stock up on more prizes...we needed more last night!

If I can figure out how to get the templates we used for the score grid & fish bowl ticket items, then I'll put it up & update you.

See? I'm FINALLY getting this Super Bowl celebrating thing down! I should dump Gatorade on my hubby for most of these ideas...

Until then, keep celebrating you all!

Stay tuned...

God Bless, AM~Erica

AM~Erica Does Not Want the Preview

So anyway...

As I pointed out the other day (right HERE), there's a big event coming up that a lot folks get into watching!

On Sunday evening, there will be a highly anticipated game shown: The Super Bowl!

It's crazy what all goes into this game & around it! From the hype, to the coverage, to the odds making/bets, the food, the rivalries, the tickets, the travel, the food, the tailgating (except for this year...stupid), the parties...there's a lot that happens, yo!

Hopefully the Chiefs are on the right track to finally get back to the big game soon...but this wasn't the year. *sad trombone* We'll get there...we will! WE WILL GET BACK THERE!!!

*ahem*

That's not what I want to talk about, though...

Part of the excitement of the game is one of the most expensive & entertaining parts:
The Commercials!

Oh man, oh man...I so look forward to the commercials! Oh Yeah!!

The wonder of what the crazy companies did with their 30-second spots worth millions of dollars! (which is totally insane, by the way)

Budweiser usually tops the pack with some crazy-amazing spots! Coke & Pepsi have both had some good ones in the past, Doritos has recently stepped up with fan spots, and there are trading companies, too.  From animals, crazy stunts, talking babies, surprise celebrities, really cool to totally bizarre..to the totally stupid head scratchers...they can go about anywhere.

It was always exciting to see what might pop up on the screen when the game would take a break.

You know what is supposed to be great about those? The element of surprise! These companies paid a ridiculous amount of moolah to have these ideas unleashed onto the world.

However...there's been this phenomena in these recent years, thanks to the interwebz & social media, to get their grubby little eHands all over these bits. Then...they are shared in articles, on Yahoo!, and several other places...and then they go viral before the Super Bowl...and it defeats the purpose.

Because...humans have this ridiculous curiosity & total lack of patience...they begin to share it everywhere. And then the media doesn't want to be left out & they start showing bits of upcoming "surprise" commercials to be ahead of the game (literally & figuratively).

People...that's so annoying!!! And, in my own opinion, feel it's very disrespectful. Not sure if we are trying to use this tactic of "sticking it to the man" because of the amounts spent on them...which is true...but we have this tendency to tear down experiences because we want to be on the other side of the proverbial velvet rope. And we want it to be so customized to us...that the mystery & fun gets lost.

So now, instead of waiting for the surprise of what the commercial might be or who it might be from, we can now see two seconds of the commercial we've already seen because you posted it for everyone just the other day...and now we can go pig out on the food spread on the table & throw our resolutions out the window.

Right?

Why do we do this? My hubby & I hate the early viewings of the Super Bowl commercials. Because they are supposed to be viewed at the time of the Super Bowl! *face palm*

I don't care how funny it is or sweet it is...we will change the channel from that news cast who are gonna be showing any info on the upcoming commercials...or even the commercials themselves. We shun the articles & avoid the shared links! But we end up seeing images from them before we can run. And it really ticks us off!!! Because, we don't see it as a tease...we see it as the start of a ruiner. *Ugh*

Really...what is our obsession with this? We have to know the outcome right now? In our current culture of immediacy & living in the moment...no waiting for anything...
Even though the commercials are finished & ready to be shown...why do we want the outcome before it happens? We don't know the outcome of the Super Bowl. Well...maybe Marty McFly does...but the point is that we don't know...
The Seattle fans WANT the Seahawks to win...
The Denver fans WANT the Broncos to win...(OK, that one nearly made me throw up putting that)
...but we don't KNOW who wins.

I do wish we would wait for the outcome of the experience in its entirety. The whole kit & caboodle!

Now then...if there's a commercial that won't be shown...and we KNOW it won't be shown, then I don't mind taking a gander at it...however...I would be very unhappy if I watched the banned commercial just to see it shown anyway.

Let's all step away from this madness! Let's enjoy the whole event at once, shall we? The first Sunday in February at 5:30...game & commercials...the WHOLE thing! All of it!

Until then...step away from the link, people! Let's all simmer down, relax...and enjoy the experience for what it is...don't give into the temptations of sneak peeks & such. Mm-kay?

Stay tuned...

God Bless, AM~Erica

AM~Erica Sees Why Most Give Up

So anyway...

It's January...amm-i-rite?

We just got into a new year...amm-i-rite?

Even though I'm not one to make resolutions (read more about that HERE), a lot of people do. And a lot of the resolutions have to do with getting healthier, eating better, exercising more, etc. Amm-i-rite?

I'm huge on sales & coupons. If I can price match a few items AND have coupons, that's something that makes my day! It's near nirvana when I have a coupon to use WITH some price match! Save the money, get the stuff. That's how we gotta try to make our dollar stretch while feeding kiddos at home. Know-whaddi-mean?

We pick up a Sunday paper to get the sales ads & coupons. And my hubby & I go thru them to pull out the necessary ads along with the coupon booklets to see what we might be able to save some money on. Once in a while, one of two things happen:

A. There are no coupons to go through that week - a total downer & week ruiner

II. Up to 2 weeks before a big holiday, there is a crazy number of coupons to go thru - week maker

At the turn of the new year, or leading up to it, there are usually about 4-5 coupon booklets chalk-full of whole grain, gluten-free, high fiber, low calorie, fat free foods & drinks, along with vitamins that are right in front of you to encourage you to eat better & attempts to help out your try (again) at living a healthier lifestyle. Save money doing what you resolved to do for the new year!

I made a joke that The Onion should totally have an article about how some poor extreme couponer must now have to give up her chips, soda pop & Twinkies because the coupons have only allowed her to live a dreadfully healthy lifestyle for the new year! If it was done in true Onion style...it would be hilarious!

But what happens in the meantime? Anywhere from 3-6 weeks from starting your new lifestyle, cold turkey, many give up. I always found that interesting, but I think I found a culprit that lends to a multi-layered waterfall of reasons!

A month into the new year, there's another huge event that takes place. It's months in the making & everyone finds out how into the event they will invest themselves depending what it comes down to about 2 weeks before the event. And even if you are invested in it or not, many will still gather for the event with get togethers galore!

About a week before this huge event, the Sunday papers are once again chalk-full of 4-5 slicky booklets of savings! However, these won't contain your fat-free, low-cal much of anything! Instead, you will find where you can save some money on potato & tortilla chips, dips, guacamole, pizza, pizza bites, hot dogs, fried chicken tenders, cheese, salsa, Velveeta, Rotel, M&Ms, "fun size" candy bars, Oreos, 2-liter soda pop, beer...you get the idea...takes those places.

Why?

It's only the 2nd biggest food day, only after Thanksgiving, that gathers such attention...

We prep for the Super Bowl. And when we host or go to a gathering, we plan on eating all the things! And it's so delicious consuming all the things...

Think about it for a moment...
About when do the healthy lifestyle resolutions tend to waiver?

Coincidence? I'm thinking not...
And when you don't get coupons, sales & money savers on the good-for-you stuffs, but instead have the coupons, sales & money savers on the junk that "makes the football party"...I think there's a correlation...

It's no wonder! Look at that!!

So...are you one that tries to keep your health resolutions, take in a Super Bowl party, and then strangely find a way to fall off your healthy life style wagon? This could be your reason...

Just wanted to share this PSA with you...along with my face palm moment that it took so long to figure out...and be amazed at the sneaky-ugly marketing that happens in this short period of time.

OK...are we aware? Good luck keeping up your resolutions...

Oh...and, as much as I love me some football...I will be rooting for the commercials...again. Depending on how much I'll get to watch...but that's another post...for another time...

Stay tuned...

God Bless, AM~Erica

AM~Erica Wants a Sandcastle

So anyway...

Even though I WAS SICK THRU THE BIG GAME, I still enjoyed watching the Super Bowl. I wasn't contagious any more (supposedly), but I kept my distance from company as best as I could.

I did enjoy getting some of my wit back to poke fun at the game, the coaches, the halftime, the power outages, the commercials...so not a total waste. Plus, I even called a few things before my hubby did during the game. See? FOOTBALL IS TOTALLY IN THIS GIRL, RIGHT HERE! *fist bump* Anyone?

So...now that the Big Game is done & over...and Coach Harbaugh came out victorious with his team (*snort* I crack myself up sometimes) we are shifting the focus to the next part of professional football:

The Combine!

You know...the moment when many college (and maybe other) prospects dropped their names into the draft hat & hope to show off their amazing skills to NFL teams in hopes of being chosen & put on an NFL uniform. This is where many drills are run & numbers are taken to compare in hopes of competing to be chosen for a higher place in the draft. Scouts, agents, owners, general managers, and coaches are all trying to see new potential for the game, and hopefully to find good fits for each team.

So, this brings me back to a portion of the Super Bowl that a lot of people look forward to...the commercials! Amm-i-rite?

Overall, there was a major lacking in the commercials this year. A few stood out, but there is one that I want to talk about. And you may know where I'm going with this, but that's OK...

Believe it or not, the commercial was for the NFL Combine!

Do you remember it?

OK...I know it's quite a stretch...but I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CHIEFS' SEASON coming up! The changing of the guard in hierarchy certainly has people pining & jonesing for a better season! Amm-i-rite?

Right in the midst of the fan base recharging, this commercial came out. Even though we desperately need a quarterback...and with John Dorsey (KC's new GM) saying he would take the best player out there, regardless of the position, a firestorm was set off, even if for a couple of days, of what would happen if we landed a "Sandcastle."

With Dieon trying to throw the staff off by changing his name to "Leon", and then totally playing our our quarterback's name (Matt 'Cassle'), a new pheonom was created! And he would be the best player out there, which would totally make sense for him being KC's 1st pick in the draft!

It was crafty. It was creative. And it got KC going even more...

So...it's the combine. We need a quarterback...but with no one (not even Heisman winner, Johnny "Football" Menziel), we need the best out there...

I want a Sandcastle!!! Anything to totally charge us up the way KC Chiefs' fans should be! Let's see who the best of best of anything out there is! And let's git'em!

Stay tuned...

God Bless, AM~Erica
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

** SIDE NOTE: Leon Sandcastle is not who you think it is! It's NOT Dieon Sanders...totally...

People...meet the athletic part of Leon: It's Andre Dawson, the cornerback at Ball State! Still want Sandcastle? I'll take him...

AM~Erica Hopes to Join in the Super Bro HarBowl

So anyway...

I'm trying to get on the mend. However, I DO FEEL YUCKY-YUCK WITH THIS JUNKY-JUNK. I've decided that these next few days, I should turn this nasty strep stuff into a spectacle & call myself...
Cruddy Ew-Ew. (See what I did there?)

All of this came in bad timing, too. I know, I know...when does it ever? But this is for really-realz, yo!

Unless you have lived under a rock...you should know that today is Super Bowl Sunday! And this chic LOVES ME SOME FOOTBALL! (Blame my hubby.)

The last few years, we've just watched with just our family. Seriously...just the hubby, the kiddos, and moi inhaling some wings, nachos, and other tailgating fair while watching the game...well, usually just the commercials. But, if you know me, I wanted to have something bigger one of these days...

Things have been really crazy around here...more than just the sicky stuffs, too. So, we didn't get to plan a get together like I/we had hoped. However, we have a little bit of family coming over...mostly since they won't get to watch at their place. So they get to catch the event & we get to have people over! Woot! We were planning who was bringing what for quite a tailgating spread.

And then...strep happened! GRRRRRRR!!!!!!!

I am really bummed that I couldn't stay for worship last weekend since I hit an exhaustion wall with my cold...then this strep thing hit...and I am contagious until I've had antibiotics set in for 24 hours. Well, this means missing worship for the 2nd week. This bums me out to no end. Seriously. I enjoy going to church. However, I will have antibiotics set in for over 24 hours by the time guests come.

Now, I gotta be a slave driver for everyone else to clean. And a lot needs to be done! Since I've been ill for the last 2+ weeks, I couldn't get a whole lot done. *sigh*

In the meantime, I am hoping to to get to a spot that I can enjoy some of the food, watch a game between the leadership of brothers, and...the commercials!

So...I want to put out a little poll for y'all to join in on. You can just put your answers in the comments, below, here on the post. Are you ready?

Who will be victorious in Super Bowl XLVII?

~ Baltimore Ravens

~ San Fran 49ers

~ Coach Harbaugh

~ New Orleans

~ The commercials

~ I don't care since I don't watch

~ other

OK...off to continue to get well for company. Hope you all have a blessed Sunday! Enjoy the game festivities, whatever it is you're doing!

Stay tuned...

God Bless, AM~Erica (aka "Cruddy Ew-Ew")

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