Dry Skin Patrol Stop #1: The Philadelphia Marathon

So, I’m home from our first stop (The Philadelphia Marathon) as a part of the Vaseline Dry Skin Patrol and since I’m writing this post it’s pretty obvious that I made it out of there alive. Well, just barely . . . I can barely walk today. And let me tell you, the girls are taking full advantage of this. those darn kids!

However, the fact that I I traveled 17 hours including a mechanical delay which threatened me from even getting to Philly on-time, slept for only 5 hours the night before the race, braved the freezing morning Philly temperature (well, it felt that way to me), and that I do not exercise at all . . . I’m pretty proud of myself for crossing the finish line without needing CPR. Even my ever-supportive husband said he had his doubts about my survival. great, now he tells me!

Meeting the Dry Skin Patrol & Vaseline Team

I always wonder if the people I work with online are really as nice in person. I mean, anyone can make themselves sound great on an email. However, every single person I met while on this tour stop was amazing. So much so that I feel like I’ve known them for years and it was really sad for me when it was time to say goodbye.

What really impressed me was that the Vaseline Team was professional when they needed to be but also everyday real people when it was time to relax. We talked about engagements, wedding plans, trips to Hawaii, first dates, and friendships. It made me feel so comfortable to be around them and I knew that they would be right there to support me if I fell (literally).

Luckily, I’ll be seeing most of them again on future tour stops and I can’t wait to hang out with them again. Unfortunately, this was the one and only time I would see Phil who was my savior as he tried to get me to Philly on-time despite all the setbacks. Hey, Phil . . . call me if you’re ever in Hawaii!

And of course, I now have two new BFFs . . . Michelle @ The Adventures of Supermom & Kari @ A Giveaway Addicted Mommy. Meeting these cool ladies was definitely one of the highlights of the tour. I really enjoyed hanging out with them and learning more about their amazing lives. This tour would not be the same without them.

My experience with Vaseline Intensive Rescue

One of the main reasons that I do not run . . . or jog . . . or even use a treadmill is that I always seem to suffer from shin splints within 5 minutes of starting. So when our running coach suggested that we rub some Vaseline Intensive Rescue on our shins in a downward motion, I had my doubts. However, during the entire 8k race my shins were pain-free! This made me think that maybe I will start exercising once the campaign is over.

I also used the Vaseline Intensive Rescue all over my body when I got ready for the race that morning just in case there were some close-up skin shots taken and I found that my skin felt great even in the freezing weather. I was a little worried since I know how my skin tends to get tight and itchy when exposed to unusually cold weather and the last thing I wanted was to be scratching my way to the finish line. Not very pretty. In fact, I didn’t even need to re-apply lotion later on in the day. My skin still looked and felt great! I just wished my feet, legs, and butt felt as good.

Spreading the word

While we were running up those famous stairs at the Philadelphia Museum pretending to be Rocky, a man came up to us and said that his wife suffers from dry skin. He asked if we could “rescue her”! How funny is that? So to her surprise and delight, the Dry Skin Patrol approached her and gave her some free samples of Vaseline Intensive Rescue. She was thrilled!

Then on my flight home, the male passenger sitting next to me asked why I had visited Philly. I explained to him that I was a part of the Vaseline Dry Skin Patrol and that we were filming at the Philadelphia Marathon. To my surprise, he said, “Vaseline Intensive Rescue? I use it all the time! I love it!” So I gave him a sample that I had in my bag and he asked for my autograph!

So what’s next?

Next stop . . . the Winternational Ski Competition in Aspen, Colorado this weekend. Yup, I leave again in 3 days! And since it will probably be just a tad bit colder there, it will be a great way to see how my skin holds up. I’m thinking I’m going to need to do a little shopping before then since my Hawaii winter clothes will probably just not cut it there. Especially since Glen won’t be there to give me his jacket! Thanks again, Glen!

To be honest, I’m so glad the Philadelphia stop is behind me. It’s the one event that I (and apparently the rest of my family) was worried about the most. Now I feel like I (and my skin) can conquer anything!

Follow along with the Vaseline Dry Skin Patrol as we attempt to deliver one million good skin days this Winter!

Happy 1st Birthday Kaila!

Thank you for all the support and great birthday wishes as we celebrated Kaila’s 1st birthday over the weekend. It was tremendous success and totally worth the time and effort. However, I have to say that I’m glad that it’s over. Planning a party for 200 guests is not an easy thing to do. The goody bags, favors, and centerpieces were probably the hardest part of the party planning but it all worked out in the end. I just wished I had taken more photos. I didn’t even get one of our family!

I’m not sure how the tradition started but here in Hawaii families celebrate their child’s 1st birthday by hosting huge luaus for all their family and friends to enjoy. Now, being that I’m not really an outdoor kind of gal I opted for a more comfortable, air conditioned environment . . . the Hawaii Okinawa Center.

We had a menu of various Hawaiian foods – Kalua Pig, Lau Lau, Lomi Salmon, Haupia, Poi, Pineapple, Chicken Long Rice, Teriyaki Chicken, and others. The great thing about HOC is that they’ll pack up all the extra food for you to take home. We had the guests make plates to take home but it still looks like we’ll be eating Hawaiian food for a while. It’s a good thing that I love Chicken Long Rice!

The entertainment was great! We had air brushing tattoos complete with sparkles and glitters by Aloha Clowns,  a self-serve ice cream bar complete with all the toppings, and a jumper house. I also put together a slideshow of Kaila’s first year with us using my muvee Reveal program.

However, the highlight of the party was Chris the Clown.

Chris has performed at all my daughter’s birthday parties and is always a big hit. His games are fun for the kids and his humor is entertaining for even the adults. He really knows how to get the audience involved even if they’re sitting at a table in the last row and will have everyone laughing hysterically.

However, the best part was being able to see our family and friends.

With everyone’s busy schedule it’s so hard to get our kids together on a regular basis. In fact, a lot of the guests have never even met Kaila before. This was the perfect opportunity to hang out, talk stories, and just catch up with everyone’s lives.  And I couldn’t believe how big all the kids are getting. I remember when I went to their 1st birthdays and now they’re graduating from high school. Where does the time go?

BlogHer 10 – The People I Met

My very first BlogHer has come to an end and what an experience it was. I was so fortunate to have attended some amazing events, learned from some great seasoned bloggers, met some of my online friends in real life, and even took home some generous swag. Not to mention being able to check out the sites of a city that’s always been on the top of my must-visit list – New York City.

THE FRIENDS

I was so lucky to have had the best roommates anyone could ever hope for. They were fun, considerate, and just great people to hang around with. Thank you Cathi @ Simply Cathi & Debra @ A Frugal Friend. I don’t think I would have made it through those hectic days without you. I will definitely miss our gab sessions that tended to last until the wee hours of the morning.

I was also thrilled to have met some of my online friends in person. Xenia @ Thanks Mail Carrier, Peggy @ Lilfootsmama, Jendi @ Jendi’s Journal, Naomi @ Superdumb Supervillian, Kristin @ Our Ordinary Life, Beth @ The Angel Forever, Jason @ Techy Dad, Deb @ Mom of 3 Girls,  and many more. It’s so amazing that these people were just as wonderful, if not more, in person.

Peggy @ Tales of Li’l Foot (she’s pregnant and definitely glowing!)

Deb @ Mom of 3 Girls, Christina @ Cutest Kid Ever, Beth @ The Angel Forever, Me, Xenia @ Thanks, Mail Carrier

Jendi’s Journal

THE COMPANIES

I never thought of myself as anything more than a mere blogger but these generous companies treated us like we were celebrities. The way they took a real interest in learning about my life, my family, and my opinions showed me just how much influence they feel that bloggers really have. They filled me with inspiration to get my act together and hopefully become a better blogger. And of course, the free gourmet meals and cool swag were pretty cool, too.

(back) Me, Kristin @ Our Ordinary Life, Michelle @ Kolcraft, Simply Cathi
(front) Jennifer @ Momma D and Da Boyz, Debra @ A Frugal Friend

I thought it was especially great to be able to meet in person the various PR people that I’ve worked with numerous times online. It was so cool to actually be able to see their faces and hear their voices instead of reading their emails. They were all so warm and wonderful and I felt like I made some really great friends.

Helen @ Working Mother Magazine, Beth, Debra, Cathi, Me and Reyne @ Toy Industry Association

And here are more photos of the other BlogHer sponsors I had the opportunity to meet:

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

An Island Road Trip

This past weekend we decided to pack up the girls and take a road trip around the island. At first I was a little hesitant. My girls do not always fare well when they’re strapped into their car seats in close proximity of each other for long periods of time. Know what I mean? But we decided to give it a try anyway and it turned out to be such a great experience for everyone!

Here are the highlights:

Hanauma Bay

Makapu’u

Sandy Beach

Windward Ho’olau’lea

Valley of the Temples

Ko’olau Mountains

Giovanni’s Famous Shrimp Truck in Kahuku

An afternoon snack : Shrimp Scampi

Matsumoto Shave Ice

Sunset at Haleiwa Beach Park

It took us 10 hours to complete our adventure!  And even though my back and butt were killing me by the time we got home, it was definitely one of the best family days we’ve had in a very long time. When Girlie Girl was finally tucked into bed, she said, “This was my best day ever.”

This post is also being considered for posting at UpTake.com.

« Previous Page — Next Page »