Super Bowl ’12

I was so happy when Kelly Clarkson rocked the National Anthem at yesterday’s Super Bowl XLII extravaganza.  I had just met her Thursday night when she played a concert here in downtown Jacksonville.  It was my birthday present from my hubbie and Kelly was the cutest thing ever.  She was sporting her new bangs and I asked her about the Super Bowl. She said she was nervous and that she had been practicing A LOT.  Well, it paid off because she was flawless and did America proud.

What else happened at the Super Bowl?  Oh, yes.  The New York Giants beat the New England Patriots, 21 – 17.  It was a close game.  It was a good game.  I know the Giants were favored to win and yada yada yada, but Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is just too cute not to root for.  And just look at this photo of heartbroken Brady being consoled by his supermodel wife Gisele Bundchen.  It was snapped right after he left the locker room.  I just think it’s a sweet moment.  (Next year, Tom!)

And then there was Madonna.  (Madonna.  Madonna. Madonna.  I just can’t stop.)  She put on an amazing halftime show which included her hits “Vogue,” “Music,” “Express Yourself,” and “Like A Prayer.”  She also performed her new song, “Give Me All Your Luvin” and I think I’m the only one in the universe who actually likes the song. Cee Lo Green came out and LMFAO performed  their enormously popular “Party Rock Anthem” with Madonna.  The whole thing was a lot of fun.

The commercials were just so-so this year.  The one that stands out is the only one I actually didn’t see.  (I was giving the kiddies a bath and I totally missed it.  And I could not convince Hubbie to hit the rewind button.)  Well, now I’ve seen it twenty times on YouTube.  It’s David Beckham for H&M.  They were introducing his new clothing/underwear/abs line?  I think I’ll end on this little advertisement.  You’re welcome.

Impromptu Beach Visit

On February 4th.  I like you, Florida.

 

Madonna: “Give Me All Your Luvin” Music Video

Yay!  New Madonna music!  And a music video to go along with it! Is it 1985 again or what?

I’m really loving Madonna’s brand new single, “Give Me All Your Luvin.”  It’s so fun!  (And my son gives it two thumbs up.)  Madonna will perform “Give Me All Your Luvin” (and hopefully some of her mega hits) at this Sunday’s Super Bowl XLVI between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots.

“Give Me All Your Luvin” is available now on iTunes and you can check out the music video below.  I love the look.  It has some vintage 80s pop fun to it, but she keeps it current with rappers M.I.A. and Nicki Minaj as her loyal cheerleaders.  It’s the perfect football theme for Sunday’s game.  And Madonna looks amazing. I love the hot hairdos and the outfits.  Is she really 53 years old?

Sing a Song

Annabel loves to sing.  She had such a blast in December because she would sing every single Christmas carol in the book. She loves to sing along to the radio or to the songs on her Hello Kitty keyboard.  Her favorite time with her GG is when they sing together from a songbook.  She will practice the songs from her preschool music class at home.

And now she has started singing conversations.  It’s the funniest thing.  I will ask her what she did in school and it turns into a song about playing with her friends.  She will draw a picture of a hippo and then walk around the room singing about it.  When she’s playing a board game with her brother, she will sing about every move she makes.  Every time she gets strapped into her car seat, she starts to sing about the last book she read or where we are going.  When we’re at Starbucks, she’ll sing about her love for chocolate milk and strawberry cake pops.

When we’re at home, these original songs will often be accompanied by a living room dance number.  But sometimes she’s just sitting on the couch and will get inspired by our search for a DVD.  She’s cute, that one.

“Glee”: Michael Jackson Episode

I grew up listening to Michael Jackson.  My first album was Thriller. (I still have it.) He left us way too soon, but his music lives on. And now I’m super excited for next week’s Glee!

It’s the much anticipated “Michael” tribute episode and it airs next Tuesday, January 31st at 8/7 c.  Here’s a special sneak peek – straight from the cast!

School Emergency Kit

Today was Pajama Day at Daniel’s school.

All the Pre-K’ers could wear their pajamas to class and there was a special story time with the Principal.  The morning snack was a special treat: Donut holes and juice boxes!  Daniel was on cloud nine!  When we walked into the classroom this morning, we admired some of the other pajama choices. As I gave Daniel a hug goodbye, I saw a little girl wander in behind him wearing her school uniform.

“Uh oh,” I thought.  ”Someone’s parent forgot it was Pajama Day.”

Now, I’m not judging them.  It could happen to anyone.  It could happen to ME.  That is always my small fear. That I forget it’s Pajama Day and Daniel or Annabel give me that sad, disappointed face like I’m the worst Mama in the world.  Or I forget the snack. Or I forget that it’s show-and-tell! So that made me think, I need to create some sort of ‘School Emergency Kit” for the trunk of my car.  I drop my children off at private school every day so this could work well for me.   (I basically live in my car.)

My “School Emergency Kit” would contain:

-  A pair of pajamas (see above.)

- A set of “street clothes” in the school colors for “Non-Uniform” days.

- An extra school uniform (if I think Pajama Day/Non-Uniform Day is on the WRONG day. Whoops!)

- An extra snack.  This should be something that won’t spoil (ie: raisins, fruit chews, something with a long shelf life.) Gross? Maybe.  Smart? YES.

- Some item that has every letter of the alphabet for the show-and-tell days.  This can be an alphabet puzzle or a baggie of alphabet magnets so, if stuck in a pinch, my kid can AT LEAST show an “A” puzzle piece or an “A” magnet.  Again, not ideal, but fulfilling the need.  Note:  The alphabet items should also be a variety of colors so they can also be used for the “bring in something X color” days.

- Check book.  This should probably be in my purse, not a kit in the back of the car, but I can’t tell you how many times I needed a check  for some school photo order or fundraiser and I curse that darn check book sitting in the front drawer of my desk at home.

- Cash. Because then there are the days when the student government or the safety patrols sell sweet treats in the school lobby and I’ve had to say “No” to my kid because I didn’t have a dollar bill on me.

- 4×6 photos of every member of the family including grandparents.  You know what I’m talking about.

- A generic gift in a small gift bag.  Perhaps a picture frame or coffee mug.  This would be for when I forget it’s the teacher’s/teacher’s assistant’s/front desk receptionist’s/etc. birthday (Do people really have these dates on their calendar?)

- A couple of books for when I forget I’m the class “secret reader.”  Note: This could also work for show-and-tell and those “bring a book to share” days.

- A new toy.  This is for the “bring a toy to share” days.  But this can also work if there’s something I forgot that’s not in the kit and I can bribe my child to forgive me with the new toy.  Win-win!

What would be in YOUR kit?  I’m SURE I’m forgetting SOMETHING.

Taylor Swift in “Vogue”

Taylor Swift graces the cover of Vogue magazine’s February issue and here are some of the interview highlights.  Love her!

“I look out at the stadiums full of people and see them all knowing the words to songs I wrote,” says Swift. “And curling their hair! I remember straightening my hair because I wanted to be like everybody else, and now the fact that anybody would emulate what I do? It’s just funny. And wonderful.”

Do you ever lose it and act bratty?  “Yeah, but if I do I usually spend the next four days apologizing,” she says. “I get post-conversation anxiety. ‘I am so sorry if I said something weird. Did I make that weird? I am sorry if I made that weird!’ ”

“…There’s no personal trainer. I love to go hiking because it’s an experience. If I need to gain stamina for a tour, I will run every single night on the treadmill, but I don’t necessarily like being at the gym.”

Swift is working on her fourth album: “There’s just been this earth-shattering, not recent, but absolute crash-and-burn heartbreak,” she says, “and that will turn out to be what the next album is about…”

She looks so beautiful in all the 70s inspired photos.  And even though I’m partial to the curls, her hair looks amazing. February’s Vogue hits newsstands tomorrow, but you can read the entire Taylor article now by clicking HERE.

Phillip Phillips on “American Idol”

American Idol is back in action and my first favorite of the season is Phillip Phillips.

You can’t forget the name, right?  Well, take a listen to his audition below.  I love his voice and I love that he rocks out to a little MJ too.

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus: VIP Access

I was so excited to be invited to attend an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus on opening night!  The theme this year is “Dragons” and we will be attending the show on Saturday when my hubbie is the guest ringmaster. But we could not pass up the opportunity to see some elephants very up close and personal.

Why, hello there!  They were very cute.  Daniel and Annabel were thrilled to be so close to the beautiful creatures.  Some of them are over 40 years old and there was also a 3-year-old baby elephant.  We also saw the horses and Annabel’s favorite, an adorable pony.

We walked through the backstage area where we saw some cool props and motorcycles.  We finished up center stage where the pre-show celebration had just begun!

I was so bummed that Annabel didn’t want to try on one of the sparkly ringmaster coats (there was even a pink one!).

But they both left with the best Circus accessory of all…

I couldn’t resist.

Special thanks to Feld Entertainment and their PR agency for the fun experience.  They also provided my sister site, PopKidsReport.com, with tickets for give-a-way.  We can’t wait to see all the “Dragon” action this Saturday afternoon!  (And I will be keeping my distance from those harmless little clowns.)

*Please note that the Feld Entertainment PR Agency provided me with complimentary tickets to a show as well as an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour.  All thoughts and opinions are always 100% my own and I was in no way compensated monetarily for the PopKidsReport contest or this overview.

Vote “No” to SOPA and PIPA

The poster below discusses the Senate version of the House’s Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). In the Senate the bill is called the PROTECT IP Act (PIPA). SOPA has gotten more attention than PIPA because it was moving faster in the legislative process. But PIPA is just as dangerous, and now it is moving faster.

PIPA would give the government new powers to block Americans’ access websites that corporations don’t like. The bill lets corporations and the US government censor entire websites and cut sites off from advertising, payments and donations.

This legislation will stifle free speech and innovation, and even threaten popular web services like Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook.

And even blogs like this one.

You can sign the petition HERE.

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