Super Bowl Lesson Book

Last year at this time, I wrote a post entitled, "Everything I Know I Learned on Super Bowl Sunday", and while I briefly considered recycling that name for today's post, I quickly realized that all I learned from the game last night is that kissing can be repulsive and that even gigantic, multi-million dollar facilities still use the same old lights that were in my elementary school gym.

And they still take 15 minutes to turn on.  Dodge ball, anyone?

But since those two facts don't take many words to convey, I thought I'd shift my focus to my kids' impression of the event, which they admittedly avoided in favor of The Lorax and an all-out war with a set of ill-advised Socker Boppers.

But that didn't stop them from having opinions. 

"Mommy, what is the Super Bowl?"

"It's the last football game of the season.  These are the two best teams this year and they play each other."

"Why is it a bowl?  Is there a Super Plate?"

Come to think of it, why is it a 'bowl'?  Maybe from now on, the boys and I will arrange an annual sporting event to celebrate other kitchenware that deserves attention.  I have a really nice colander that hasn't seen sunlight in several years.

"Mommy, why is there so much food?"

"It's fun for to have appetizers and lots of different things to eat for the Super Bowl.  It's a special occasion."

It's true that less is more.  But sometimes more is even more more.  So for the four adults we had buffalo wings, little smokies and meatballs, chicken strips, shrimp cocktail, hummus and crackers, guacamole and chips, sausage-stuffed mushrooms, fruit skewers and cheesecake shooters for dessert.

"So is it a football holiday or a food holiday?"

Yes.

At the end of the night, and with the "holiday" behind us, we tucked Cael into bed late, but happy that he was able to stay up with the grown-ups.  And we all slept with full bellies, ready to start the day bright and early this morning because my children's internal alarm clocks are atomic in their accuracy.

"Mom, do I have school this morning?"

"Yes, Cael.  But it's still too early.  Go back to your room until your sun light comes on."

"But it's getting light out.  It's morning!"

"Yes, but I'm still tired and have a few more minutes to sleep."

"I guess you shouldn't have stayed up so late on a school night, Mommy."

Perhaps not.  So this year, rather than letting the Super Bowl teach me some new life lessons, I'll remember to look forward to next year's Super Plate, I'll try to prepare less food for the "holiday", and I'll put Cael to bed right on time.  I already have one conscience that works just fine, and it tells me that staying up one hour late won't hurt him just once.

It also tells me that the image of Bar Rafaeli kissing that guy will be in my head until next year's game.



Touchdown, Go Daddy.