Super Ad Sunday

The Super Bowl, nothing better than getting some food and drinks and sitting with family and friends watching the most anticipated game of the year. Most anticipated, not just for the match-up of two great football teams, but also the commercials and halftime show. I personally love to watch the game even though my Cleveland Browns were not in it, but I love the commercials more.
This year I did not think the commercials were up to par as previous years, but there were some that I really liked and I would like to share those with you.

Clint Eastwood Halftime America:

This commercial was shown at halftime and was just very powerful. Listen to what Clint has to say and I do not think anyone could have delivered that speech better than him.

Volkswagen fat Dog:

I loved this one because it shows that with persistence, self-discipline, and exercise, you can reach your goal, even if the goal is to chase cars. Besides having a good message, it also appealed to my nerdy side with the Star Wars scene at the end, loved it.

Honda CRV Ferris Bueller:

It is Ferris Bueller, how can you not like this one? Well, if you are my Brother-In_Law and have never watched the movie, you might not like it; much less get it.


Doritos Sling Baby:

This one was user submitted and I found it was pretty funny and cheesy.I particularly like the thumb up.


Chevy Silverado Apocalypse:


I hear that a lot of people did not like this one, but I did. I have to admit that I am a fan of post apocalyptic movies and games ( loved Fall-Out) so this ad was brilliant and wonderfully styled. Plus, I always had a feeling that Twinkies lasted forever, now I know.

Let's move from advertising to music and talk about the halftime show. I love rock and metal so I would like that for my halftime show but usually they get groups like the Rolling Stones or Springsteen and that is not a good show to watch at all for halftime and they never tend to get new rock or metal groups to do the show. Well, this year they went with Madonna, I am not a fan of hers at all but I was curious and decided to watch the halftime performance as I do every year no matter who is performing.


The show was beautiful and just artistically amazing; I am not talking about the music, it was typical Madonna with guest spots by LMFAO, Nicki Minaj, M.I.A. (complete with rude gesture) and Cee Lo green. What struck me was the floor and what they did with the video on it that was nothing short of jaw dropping, especially at the end when the field got sucked in and the universe and stars came out, wow. I would say the animations and graphics guys were the highlight of halftime.
But, this is what a halftime show should be like her or not.

What are your thoughts, what were your favorite commercials, did you like the halftime show?

A smile as Big as the Moon.

I just watched this last night, it is a movie about special needs children in 1988 (The kids range from Autistic, ADHD, Bi-Polar, to anger issues) that want to go to Space Camp after one of them brings a flier back from a planetarium. This is a movie that I was actually looking forward to, and I never look forward to a Hallmark movie.

Synopsis from Hallmark:

Mike Kersjes is the name of a real special-education teacher (and football coach), in Michigan. Mike doesn’t talk down to his “special” students. He respects them, and he believes they’re capable of achieving great things.

Mike hears about Space Camp, a competitive education program at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center. Even though it’s designed for gifted science students, Mike decides participating in the summer program would do wonders for the self-esteem of his young students, one especially who wants to be an astronaut.

He faced incredible obstacles in trying to make his improbable dream become an inspiring reality. At first, school administrators refused to buy in. The folks who ran the camp were less than encouraging; they’d never had a group of special ed kids apply before. Trying to raise the money to pay for the trip was a nightmare. The kids even put on a carwash!

But it was after they were finally given the green light that the real challenge began. How to get kids with Down syndrome, Tourette’s, learning disabilities and emotional problems to leave their baggage behind, to coalesce into a team, and to tackle a bunch of extremely smart students from top schools around the country?

After 9 months of rigorous training preparation the class molded itself into a working team where they turned in a performance so startling, so surprising that it will leave you breathless.

Mike Kersjes had an impossible idea. Yet he made it happen. A truly triumphant story of the power of the human spirit.

I want you to keep in mind, this is a movie about kids wanting to go to Space Camp and remember, it is set in 1988 not 2012 so the Space Camp reference is relevant. I personally never saw the appeal of Space Camp but found it inspiring in this movie. The movie stars John Corbett as Mike Kersjes the special needs teacher who, throughout the movie is the only person really pushing for these kids to go to Space Camp (other than the kids themselves). Even his teachers' aid Robin has no faith that these special needs children could ever go to Space Camp.
I know this is supposed to be a movie about the kids, and I really wanted it to be (special needs people are a big part of my life); It would have been nice to see more than thirty minutes of the kids training and learning to become a team and actually performing as one at Space Camp, especially in a two hour movie but, in fact; they were only a driving sub plot to the Teacher wanting so bad for the kids to be thought of as "normal" people and the constant struggle he faces and the obstacles he needs to overcome to get them there. There are a total of three people who really think the kids are worth the shot, a Big Dan (a Burger shop owner), Mike (the teacher), and the President of the school board who just so happens to have a child with Downs in that class. It is a movie about tolerance and belief in abilities rather than what you see on the outside at first glance and this speech from the film sums that up:
"These are basically good kids who've been dealt a bad hand. They live their lives in the margins... Outside of the classroom, not much is asked of them, nor is much expected. Can they try your patience? Yes, they can. And do they sometimes break your heart? Yes, sir, they certainly do. But sometimes, there are remarkable moments, and I've seen this with my own eyes, when more is asked and more is expected of them, and they rise to the occasion, gratefully, gladly, just to remind you of the remarkable power of the human spirit."

Despite being sappy and there really being no conflict or real struggle to get the kI ids to Space Camp, I still enjoyed the movie and it made me smile, plus it is something the entire family can watch on TV, which is very rare these days.
I fully recommend this movie as one to watch with your kids and talk to them afterward about bullys (which I will discuss soon) and kids in their school with special needs,and how they get hurt and have dreams just like everyone else.
If you missed it, the movie will air again on the hallmark channel: 2/4 8 & 10 PM and 2/5 at 2PM.
I would like to end with a quote I like:

It is a fine thing to have ability, but the ability to discover ability in others is the true test. -Elbert Hubbard.

Bottles; which are best for baby?

Dr. Browns Bottle with insert.

I thought I would pass along what works for me and feeding my baby while his mother is at work and I need to use stored breast milk for feeding my little one.
There are so many out there for your baby, which is the best choice?
We have tried many, but none equal the Dr. Browns Bottles in my opinion. First off, the design of the bottle insert (see the photo I took to the left, or look at the website in the link) is what really sets it apart from other bottles out there. What it does is vent air out of the milk and slowly feed it into the nipple; which is said to be more like breast feeding for your child but there are many out there that claim that title. I would however, be inclined to believe them after using it for more than a year. The claim is that this design also helps with colic and gas issues from feeding. We have noticed that it does indeed help with these issues and on top of that it seems to  help with spitting up as well.
Cleanup is also easy. You just take the insert and vent out of the bottle. Both can be cleaned with a bottle brush and the included vent brush. Use a drying rack and you are good to go for the next feeding.
I hope this was helpful to you and I want to know, do you use this bottle? Have you ever tried it, did you like it? What Bottle do you use?

Speaking of bottles, my guy is hungry so I need to get his ready.