Another Great Contest from Rayovac!

Rayovac is on a roll this Summer! Here is another great contest. The best part it involves something that at I do every day. Take photos! So grab the widget, and share with your friends.

Be sure to like them on Facebook too!

Snap, Share & Win! Rayovac Summer Photo Contest:

The Snap, Share & Win! Rayovac Summer Photo Contest will begin August 2, 2010 and will conclude on August 29, 2010. Each week will feature a different photo theme. Eligible contestants will be able to complete the entry form on Rayovac’s website, upload a photo and specify the theme. Contestants may upload 1 photo each week for a maximum of 3 photos. Once photos are posted, viewers can vote for 1 photo a day and add an unlimited number of comments. Contestants and viewers can share the contest with their friends (eighteen years old or older) utilizing the “Invite Friends” button or by sending an email. The photos receiving the most votes for each theme will win prizes. Rayovac Powers Fun, have fun and be creative with your photo entries! All levels of photography welcome!

PRIZES
For each of the three themes there will be:
Grand Prize- a Digital Camera Package, complete with a Photo Printer and Rayovac Rechargeables and a Digital Photo Frame for three of the Grand Prize Winner’s friends.
Second Place Prize- Photo Printer
Runner Up Prize- Digital Photo Frame Keychain.

Phase One: Submit photo entry August 2, 2010- August 22, 2010.
(Week 1: Fun with Water Photo. Week 2: Fun Pet Photo. Week 3: Summer Fun Photo)
Phase Two: Public Vote August 2, 2010- August 29, 2010.
Phase Three: Winners Announced September 8, 2010.

Rayovac Summer Photo Contest Blogger Promotion Rules: http://www.rayovac.com/snapsharewin/rules.html

**“The first 50 bloggers to promote the Rayovac Summer Photo Contest won a prize from Rayovac.” **

Girl Friends

All throughout my high school and college years, I only had a handful of girl friends. Literally, I could count them on one hand. I was not a tom boy, quite the contrary, but most of my closest friends were boys.

I was the first one in my group of friends to get married. D never had a problem with my guy friends. He knew them all and was ok with them. When they got into relationships and married, that is when it all changed. I guess it's harder for women to accept. So we all started drifting away.

So now, I really miss not having girl friends. Yes, I still have my handful, but they all still have young kids and of course, they have to come first. Totally understandable. I have more freedom now that my girls are grown. Girls Night is practically non-existant for me. My girls have their own things going on and when D is working, I'm on my own.

So yeah, I need some friends. Sad, I know. Maybe I can place an ad on Craigslist (KIDDING!) Or maybe I can join this group on I LOVE LUCY

Breyer's Smooth & Dreamy

I am a HUGE sweets freak. Food is over rated, give me my dessert! I live by the mantra of "Life is too short, eat dessert first." Being a sweets-aholic is generally not a good thing, or at least that is what my thighs tell me. So I am very excited to try the new Breyer's Smooth & Dreamy Bars and Sandwiches! I need to have my daily sweets fix, no matter what diet I am on. If I deprive myself for one day, the next day I could probably eat an entire gallon of ice cream. At just 160 calories or less, the Breyer's Bars & Sandwiches may just be the answer! Sweet indulgence without all the calories.

Product Details:

* New Breyers® Smooth & Dreamy bars and sandwiches are indulgently delicious, and have less fat and fewer calories than regular ice cream bars and sandwiches and no artificial flavors or colors.

* The lineup of Breyers® Smooth & Dreamy frozen novelties includes ice cream bars and sandwiches with extra creamy light ice cream and delicious mix-ins.
Smooth & Dreamy Bars and Sandwiches are available in rich flavors like Chocolate Caramel Brownie, Vanilla Caramel Chip, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Chocolate Covered Strawberry, Vanilla Fudge Brownie, and Triple Chocolate Chip. Each bar or sandwich has 160 calories or less and 4-6g of fat per serving.

* Moms need to treat themselves here and there to some much-needed “me” time. Breyers® Smooth & Dreamy Bars and Sandwiches are a great way for moms to reward themselves with an indulgent treat that has fewer calories than regular ice cream.

Breyer's is hosting a sampling event right here in Miami! I'm posting the info for ya'll and maybe I will see you there!


Breyers Smooth & Dreamy Ice Cream Bars and Sandwiches Complimentary Sampling Event
Miami, FL
Dolphin Mall – In front of Ramblas Plaza
Friday, July 23
11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
$1.00 off product coupons will be handed out throughout the event

There is also a daily sweepstakes on the Breyer's site! You get three chances to win daily! So what are you waiting for?
Smooth and Dreamy Wheel of Delights Sweepstakes:

Visit Breyer's to spin the Wheel daily for a chance to win an instant prize
Registers in the Sweepstakes for a chance to win the Grand Prize
Each day, enter your email for one Sweepstakes entry
3 chances a day to win an instant prize!

Day at the spa
Manicure & pedicure
Bookstore gift cards
Maid for a day
Free Smooth & Dreamy
Move Tickets
Sweepstakes Grand Prize - $10,000!
A day with celebrity trainer, Kathy Kaehler
$10,00 cash

Let me know if you win!

 UPDATE:  I had the opportunity to try each variety (except for the strawberry) and although they were all very good, my favorite was the Vanilla Caramel Chip Bar. You would never be able to tell that these were only 160 calories each.  The ice cream was smooth & creamy, not icy and watery.  Full of flavor and a fantastic treat!

*** Breyer's is supplying coupons for me to try the new Smooth & Dreamy Bars & Sandwiches.***

Time for a Rant

I think I'm due for a rant. I believe that I've been good lately. Either that, or I really haven't gotten around to blogging about what has ticked me off lately.

As some of you may know, I am plagued by a few health issues. Although mostly under control, I do have to see my docs on a regular basis. My primary, being one that I see quarterly. Then my OB/GYN & my Cardiologist require annual or bi-annual visits.

I have absolutely no issues with my specialists. I never have long waits and am seen at my appointment time or shortly after. My OB is the best EVER. The whole package. Excellent DR. & surgeon with the absolute best bedside manner. He's not on my insurance so I do pay my deductible oht of pocket but after that, he will write off whatever my insurance does not pay. In my case, it has been way up there.

So on my recent visit to my primary, I sat in the waiting room for almost two freakin' hours. There were people standing inside and out. They took my co-pay when I got there, so that I couldn't escape. The patients in the waiting room just as ticked as I was and threatening to change doctors. I would too... if I could. My doctor is my brother's wife's aunt. Sorta, kinda, family.

Aside from the wait, my rant involves what came next. As I was leaving, the receptionist hands me a sheet of paper and asked me to read it and let her know my thoughts about it during my next visit. So I read it when I get home and became even more livid than I had been earlier.

Basically, the doctor is offering a "concierge program". Yep, you read that right, concierge! For a mere $150 per month you get the following:

*Comprehensive physical exam annually.
Um, am I not supposed to get that any way?

*Increased communication with attention to personal needs.
Will she be cleaning my house? and feeding me bon bons?

*Same or next day appointments with no waiting.
Are you freakin' kidding me? I have to pay for the privelege of not waiting 2 hours to be seen? What makes you think that your time is more valuable than mine?

*Direct personal cell phone & email communication with the Dr.
Guess what? If you don't answer my calls I will go elsewhere. Family or not.

*Continuity of care while hospitalized.
Again, that's part of your job. You get paid an outrageous amount by my insurancefor popping your head in at the hospital.

Everything that I mentioned above is what I expect to receive from my doctors ANYWAY! It's what my other doctors do all the time. Guess what, my OB even called me while on his freakin honeymoon to check on me after the birth of my baby! Get a grip! I might just join that patient revolution and find another doctor. I pay $$$$$$$$ for my PPO insurance annually, I will not pay an additional $1800 per year thank you very much.

Rayovac Powers Your SUMMER!

I always need to have a ton of batteries around during the summer. We have several misting fans that we use at the beach, by the pool or at the park. Living here in Florida we need all the help we can get to keep cool. Unfortunately for us, we also need a nice supply of batteries in the summer because we are smack in the middle of hurricane season. So aside from our summer fun pack, we also have a hurricane stash for our flashlights, radios and of course our misting fans!!! :-))

Which brings me to the following from 5 Minutes for Mom:

Rayovac Powers Your Summer Promotion

Enter for a Chance to Win Fun Summer Prizes and $50 Gift Cards
Rayovac Powers Your Summer Promotion

From June 21st through July 20th, we are empowering families to have fun through the Rayovac Powers Your Summer Promotion.

First, show us you "like" the brand and products on Facebook and together with expert moms at 5MinutesForMom, we will offer up great daily summertime family tips and a chance to win great prizes.

Then access and complete the entry form on Rayovc's website. Simply tell us how you'll power your fun this summer each day for a chance to win prizes ranging from Cameras and Bikes to Camping Supplies and a Summer Supply of Rayovac Batteries! No trick questions here! There is no correct answer to how you and your family add the Power of Fun to your summer! Must be a US resident and 18 or older at the time of entry to enter this Promotion or the Twitter Event.

Rayovac Powers Your Summer Twitter Event
Join Rayovac and 5MinutesForMom for a Twitter Event to support the exciting Rayovac Powers Your Summer Promotion. The Twitter Event will feature more than 20 fun giveaways from Rayovac ranging from a summer supply of Rayovac Batteries to $50 Target Gift Cards.

Rayovac Powers Your Vacation Summer Promotion Twitter Event
Date: Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Time: 7:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. CST
Location: #rayovac
Follow: @Rayovac_Battery, @5minutesformom, @CirclePRMary

I'll see you there! And I'll share my misting fans!


"The first 99 bloggers to promote the Rayovac Powers Your Summer Promotion won a prize package from Rayovac."

I'm losing my touch

I'm afraid to look to see how long it's been since my last post! I had my brother come visit from Colorado and we went to see THE Mouse.

I have always had fabulous luck when renting from VRBO. The owners are always responsive and very helpful. Reviews are usually spot on. This time, I don't know what happened. This was to be a very budget trip for all of us. I found a listing for a great rate and the reviews were pretty good. The photos showed that the house was very modestly decorated but the reviews stated that it was clean & close to the parks. The owner also claims to loan the house to Make a Wish & St Judes, which I am a huge a huge supporter of both.

Let me start with the good.
~ The house is a hop, skip & a jump from the parks. Ten minutes tops!
~ The rates are very reasonable. I say this with a caveat though.

The bad.
~ Vey outdated decor, appliances & furnishings.
~ Not clean. Very dusty. Not very well stocked.
~ Not very good communication from the owner.

The ugly.
~ Roaches!!!

We walk in and are shocked at the condition of the house. The floor was full of dead bugs. Dust on every surface. The kitchen was scary and I knew that I would not use it at all. I tried calling the owner right away but did not get an answer. Panic started setting in. I grabbed the vacuum but it smelled like something died in there. We came to visit Mickey Mouse, I didn't want any mice visiting me!

We decided to go to the park and hope that we would get a call back. About 5 hours later, I finally did receive a call back and the owner offered her other property. After we checked it out, we decided to stay with the 2nd house. Not that it was a 100% but it was in way better shape. None of the TVs in the house had reception though.

Getting my security deposit back was also a mission. Not because of the time, but because of the lack of communication. It's a shame though, because both homes have huge potential if properly maintained.

Which brings me to my major concern. If in reality she does donate the home to the above mentioned causes, I worry about the children occupying the homes in their current condition. Dust & roaches and children with immuno-deficiencies do not mix.

In the owner's defense, she does claim to be be fixing up the home. So just take this as my personal & most recent experience. Like I said before, if in better condition, the location can't be beat.

When Mickey Calls...

... we answer.

Sunday morning we wake up and are trying to figure out what to do. We didn't want to go shopping or see a movie or anything boring like that. So I mentioned that I thought I heard Mickey calling. Danny said that he thought so too. Well, we didn't want to keep the mouse waiting. I popped into Priceline and bid $30 for a 2 1/2 star hotel in the Lake Buena Vista area. I normally don't risk on such a low star rating but it was last minute and just for one night. I hit right away and received the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Lake Buena Vista -East.

Photos courtesy of hiexpress.com

I just wrote up my Tripadvisor review and it should be up soon. I was quite pleased with it, especially for that price. It was very clean, the room was comfy and just about 4 miles to Disney.
Plus the room rate includes free breakfast with hot items as well. The breakfast area was ample and well appointed, which is more than I can say about other hotels. They also offer free internet. Have I mentioned how much I hate paying for internet? Especially at higher end hotels where I am already paying an arm & a leg. Staff was friendly and accommodating too. I wouldn't hesitate staying there for a quick trip and I would recommend it to others as well.

Disney can be very expensive but you can usually find something to fit your budget. When it's just Danny & me, we always go the hotel route. For extended stays anywhere, even non-disney, we will rent a condo or cottage. I'm a big fan of VRBO as ya'll know. Actually, my brother will be here from Colorado in 2 weeks and we are planning a trip back up to Disney. Being a last minute trip and that we are all on a huge budget, we plan on renting a house that will accomodate eight of us. I have rented a home in Orlando in the past and am always very happy with both with the house and the owner. Unfortunately, that owner recently sold his property, so I am in search of a new place. Hopefully, I will have a good review and a recommendation when I return. We will be celebrating not only seeing each other after 3 years, but also Kari's birthday as well as my niece's birthday. We are definitely looking forward to a great experience.

This is not a paid or sponsored review. All opinions expressed are always my own. My full disclosure policy is on my sidebar.

Rayovac Powers Your Vacation!... Big Time!!!

First watch this super cute video and wish that you had a magic wand too. I know I do!

Go to the Rayovac Powers Your Vacation site to enter for your chance to win a 5 day/ 4 night trip to either Walt Disney World in Florida or Disneyland in California! For FOUR people!!! You know that I am all over this!

You can (and should) also join the Twitter party. Ya'll know that I love me a good Twitter Party. This is bound to be a great one!

#Rayovac Power Your Vacation Twitter Event

Join Rayovac and MomSelect for a Twitter Event to support the exciting Rayovac Power Your Vacation- Magic Wand Sweepstakes.

The evening will feature more than 20 GIVEAWAYS from Rayovac ranging from a Summer supply of Rayovac Batteries to Disney Gift Cards.

Date: Wednesday, May 19th, 2010

Time: 7:00-9:00 PM CST

Location: #rayovac

Follow: @ Rayovac Battery, @MomTalkRadio, @CirclePRMary

I'll see you there!!!!

Today Only!

You can get the Entertainment Book for only $12 with FREE shipping today. If you go sign up to save with Cashbaq you get $5 plus a $6 rebate so the book will cost you a buck after rebate & bonus! The $12 price is for today only. Even if you only use a couple of coupons it is worth it! I never use just a couple! :-))

Video Killed the Radio Star.....

I grew up in the 70's and graduated from high school in 1984. MTV was new and all the rage from my freshman and beyond. We would gather at a friend's house (one of the few with cable at the time) after school every day to watch. Yes, I remember seeing Michael Jackson's Thriller, all 14 minutes of it, for the 1st time. How else would we learn how to do the dance??

Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Tyler was a constant during high school as well. When I hear it today, I am taken back to those days. You know, when we all thought that we knew it all. I liked the song. The video? Not so much.

But this "LITERAL" version, I LOVE! Simply because, the lyrics actually go with the video! LOL

Referrals!

Today, I will be posting some of my referral links to my favorite and FREE programs.

Let me start with Groupon. You can sign up to receive Daily Deals for your city plus any city that you frequently visit or are planning to visit. I get deals not only for Miami but for L.A., Vegas, Orlando, NYC & Boston. I love the salon & spa deals, those are the best! It doesn't cost anything to sign up for the e-mails. You might just find something that you like!

I have been using MyPoints since 1999. Points are easy to earn, not only by shopping but also by reading emails, taking surveys and searching the web . I usually redeem my points for gift cards in values from $25 & up. They are prompt to credit points and to deliver your rewards. I recently discovered CashBaq. This is another rewards for shopping site and they also offer coupons on top of their regular rewards. I just bought the Entertainment Book for our trip to Hawaii and the total came out to $4 after rebates. What I like about them is that they automatically deposit your rewards into your PayPal account once you reach just $10. If you don't have an account, they will send you a check.

Sign up for FREE and receive $5 just for signing up!


I also use Mr. Rebates. They give the highest percentage of rebates. They also pay through PayPal or by check. You do have to request payment once you reach $10. Once you sign up, you also get $5 to start you off.

Finally, Swagbucks. This has to be the easiest program out there. I basically just get bucks from searching, hunting, or just get the daily free bucks. I only cash out for $5 Amazon GC. Super quick & super easy! I follow on FB & Twitter to get notification of free bucks as well.

Before I ever shop online, I go through my programs and see which one offers the most cash back. Great deals & cashback, doesn't get any better than that!

Oahu

I started this post a while back to summarize our last trip Hawai'i and also to offer up some tips & suggestion. But in true form, I got distracted. In just 40 days, we will once again have the pleasure of visiting 3 islands in Hawai'i. So you will be subjected to more soon.

In the meantime, here is the last part of our 2007 trip.

We arrive in Oahu for our last four days in Hawai'i. At this point, we could not believe how fast the last 11 days flew by. We are both already dreaming of buying a place in Maui. A place where we can eventually spend our retirement. I guess we'll keep dreaming for now. Unless I win the lottery soon.

Our last 4 days were spent in a vacation rental that I found on VRBO, which was across from Kailua Beach. The unit was comfortable and close to the beautiful beaches of Kailua & Lanikai. The only problem with this unit was that the bedroom window faced the main road and it is right above the home's garage. Whenever the owner opened the garage we felt it. No biggie though. They weren't opening it in the middle of the night or anything. Price-wise, we probably could have done better.

We got up early on our first morning in Oahu and made our way to visit the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial. We arrived at around 6:30 AM and were about 10th in line.I suggest you go early. I've heard that they sell out of tickets sometimes, especially during peak. When I say "sell" out I mean that they have a limited number. There is no charge to visit the memorial or the Visitor's Center. The only charge is for the optional audio tour and for lockers, if you need one. We were on the first boat out and were done by about 9:30 or so.



From the Memorial we went to the Aloha Swap Meet to buy some inexpensive souvenirs. The prices were better than at the shops but almost every booth had the same exact things at the same prices. I'm not a very good haggler, so I left that part to D. If you don't make it to the Swap Meet, the International Marketplace has reasonable prices as well.


We are into historic houses, mansions & castles. So a visit to the Iolani Palace was in order. The history associated with the palace is very interesting. Period furnishings & artifacts are minimal, due to said history. We did the audio tour since we went later in the afternoon and really enjoyed it.

It doesn't take much to make me happy! Matsumoto Shave Ice is my obsession!

Tell me he does not look happy! He loves those shrimp trucks!

One of the reasons that I bought the Entertainment book, was because there was a $40 coupon for the Polynesian Cultural Center. I reserved it online right about the same time that I booked our luau in Maui. Since it was our first time, we chose the Ambassador package because it included a tour guide. We went with the prime rib buffet instead of the Ali'i Luau. More laid back and less crowds! It was the perfect choice for us. The food was quite good and we were able to have a nice quiet dinner. As far as the tour guide, well lets just say that our guide just wasn't quite on the ball. We arrived late to most shows and ended up not getting a good view of most of the shows or we had to stand all the way in the back. Fortunately, our pass included admission for 3 extra days. We took advantage of this option and were able to see what we missed.

Our seats for the evening show were spectacular! We were right in the center, 2nd row. The show itself was amazing. At the time, the show was Horizons, they now have a new production called Ha Breath of Life. I highly recommend the PCC for a fun and interesting day. We are planning on going again this year. Primarily to see the new production.

I have more pictures from this trip here, in case you're interested.

Like I said, we will be returning to Hawai'i soon. I purchased the Entertainment Book earlier this year when it was on sale. The coupon for the PCC is $45. I used CashBaq to buy which brought the total for the book to $4. I have also scored Priceline cars for half the amount of what I had originally booked for. We will once again be staying in condos & cottages. IMHO, this is the only way to go. Or at least, the only way for us.

Stay tuned for Hawai'i 2010

The Big Island of Hawaii

Next up on our trip is the Big Island. We only spent 4 nts here. We split up our stay with 2 nts in Kohala & 2 nts in Volcano. Kona Airport

We flew in to Kona on Island Air. Ok. I have to vent about Island Air. We had confirmed reservations for a 12:30PM departure from Maui since April. At 7AM on the day that we were to fly out, I log on to their website to see if I could check in on line. Imagine my shock when I see us on a 4:30PM departure. I immediately call and they say that they had to reschedule us due to “mechanical problems”. Ok, so this just came up. A last minute delay. We had to check out by 11 AM and return the car . So we would be carless & homeless until 4:30PM so I asked to be put on the now defunct Aloha’s 12PM flight. They told me sorry, can’t place you on Aloha period. Best they could do was the 4:30, the 9:30AM or refund my money. We decided to get our rears in gear & make the 9:30AM. Mind you, at this point it is about 7:30AM & we are in Kihei. Fortunately, we were able to pack, return our condo keys, return the car, and get to the airport in just over an hour. Danny dropped me off at the airport with our bags. A nice man came, checked our bags & checked us in. And we were set. I freaked a bit on the tiny prop plane, but I survived. I later find out that Island Air had stopped flying the 12:30 flight on Sept 2nd, 27 days earlier, and they never notified us!

Out of necessity & because of scheduling, I might have to book with them again this year for our Maui-Kauai flight, we'll see. One funny thing about inter-island flights, the flight attendants walk up the aisle hurling juice cups at you. Then they walk back down the aisle collecting the trash. Then we arrive. Oh, and I really liked the airport in Kona! It's all outdoors. All cutesy and what I would imagine an island airport to look like. I guess it wouldn't be so cute in the rain.

We rented a compact car at Alamo through Costco. they really tried to upsell here. Everything from insurance, gas, & upgrade. We ended up with a free upgrade because they were out of compacts. Maybe they should have paid me for the extra gas charges incurred??? Hmmm.

Bamboo Suite @ Hale Ho’onanea

Our first two nights were spent at Hale Ho’onanea in the Bamboo Suite. The unit was very comfortable and the owner was friendly & informative. a basket with snacks and juice is delivered every day. The view from the lanai was of the ocean in the distance. Since it faced West, we also had a view of the amazing sunsets. I would not hesitate to recommend this House of Relaxation.

City of Refuge

We didn't do a whole lot while here. We did drive around. A LOT. We also snorkeled. A LOT. We visited the City of Refuge and snorkeled at an amazing spot adjacent to the park. We also drove to Southpoint where we watched folks fishing on a cliff in flip flops! Crazy!

Southpoint

Our next two nights would be spent in Volcano. The drive from the Kohala coast to Hilo is an attraction in & of itself. We made several stops on the way including Waipi'o Valley, Rainbow Falls, Boiling Pots, and Akaka Falls to name a few.

Kate's Volcano Places: Kahi Malu

We stayed at Kate’s Kahi Malu in the middle of the rainforest. Outstanding. I can’t say enough about this cottage & about Kate. She is an excellent host and the cottage was stocked with everything imaginable. The cottage had a small fireplace that we did use since it did get pretty cold. We were not more than 5 minutes from Volcano National Park. HIGHLY recommended.

During this time, I risked my life and boarded a freakin' helicopter! Mind you, I had just gotten on an airplane for the 1st time just 2 years earlier. Anyhoo, we took the Fire & Falls tour with Paradise Helicopter. When we arrived, they upgraded us to doors off. What???? Are you crazy? It's enough that I'm getting on the darn thing. But D really wanted to do doors off so they sat me between D & the pilot. I did not move during the entire trip. I was afraid that I would knock D right off or even worse, the pilot! I have to admit though, that the views were AMAZING! I might even be convinced to do it again! Maybe.

A trip back to the Big Island is definitely in our future.

I'll stop here for now. Next up: Oahu

Today's Outing

Total before coupons= $65.24

Total after coupons= $22.73

It might not seem like an amazing deal for the pros, but I am a very happy camper. The Covergirl foundations alone are $13.89 each and the mascara is normally $11.99, so everything else is a bonus!

I also picked up Norton Internet Security at Staples for $49.99 less a $40 rebate. Great deal at $9.99!

April 22nd is Earth Day. Walgreens will refill you ink cartridge for just ONE DOLLAR! I have never done this so at just a buck, it's a great way to try it out!

Oh, and also in honor of Earth Week, I picked up these little beauties at Home Depot yesterday. They were B1G1. Let's see how long it will take for me to kill them!!

Maui 2007

Aloha! As promised, I will be posting details from our last trip to the beautiful islands of Hawaii. Mind you, our trip was in 2007 and some things may have changed since then but you can always get up to date reviews on Tripadvisor.Everything here is just my personal opinion based on my personal experience. So without any further ado...

A visit to Hawaii has been on my bucket list since around the age of six. My cousin & I would play "The Price is Right" and our grand prizes would always be a car or a trip to Hawaii. Oh, and a fur coat because you know, it gets really cold here in S. Florida... but that's another story. Oops, off on a tangent again. Story of my life. We all know I have A.D.D.

Anyhoo, we chose October because the rates appeared cheaper and the crowds would be less. In other words, off-season. We were blessed with fantastic weather during our entire trip. We were away for 20 days total, which included 4 days in L.A. I would not be able to handle a full day of flying, so I chose to break it up. Three days L.A., 7 days Maui, 4 days Big Island, 4 days Oahu, 2 days L.A. I bought and use the Maui Revealed book, which was very helpful. I will just say to use common sense and your own judgment. When I first looked into Hawaii, flights from Miami were running (and still are) about $1K per person. Including airfare, car rentals, gas, accommodations, inter-island flights, tours & activities we spent a total of about $5,500 for all 20 days. We're spending way less than that this year and are going for 26 days!

We flew to and from the mainland on Hawaiian Airlines. We had a very good experience on both flights. Planes were clean & well maintained. Service was good and flights were on time. Can't ask for more.

With all the travel & baggage restrictions, we will be packing much lighter for our upcoming trip. We will be away for 26 days but plan on packing for 7 days max since we will have a washer & dryer available in units during our stays. All toiletries and stuff we purchase once we arrive.

Our first stop was Maui. We rented a condo directly from the owner on VRBO. The best way to save money and get more bang for your buck is by renting a self-catering unit. Meaning a kitchen. Not that I cook or anything during vacation, but we have breakfast in and make sandwiches for lunch. We also stocked up on water, sodas, beer, snacks etc. too. The condo was a 2 BR unit located in the Maui Banyan Condo in South Kihei. The price was the same as a 1 BR and this way I would have a kick out room for when the snoring got to be too much. The unit was very clean and included all the necessary kitchen tools. It is not oceanfront, but if you go out on the lanai and stretch your neck out, you might get a glimpse of the ocean, which is right across the street from the complex.

We rented a car on each island, and in my opinion, you definitely need a car. Alamo seems to have the best prices. You can also check Discount Hawaii Car Rentals. If you are a member of Costco or BJ's, check them for discounts. An added benefit of using them is no charge for a 2nd driver. Also, Costco has the best fuel prices. Don't expect pristine cars from any rental company in Hawaii. At least we didn't see any. The ones that we rented were in decent shape though. I always book the cars as soon as my dates are set and I check for price drops as the trip nears.

So what did we do in Maui?

Well, we spent a lot of time just laying on a beach, snorkeling, reading & sightseeing in general. Here are some of our most notable experiences:

Haleakala Sunrise

While we were still on East Coast time, we were popping awake at around 3 AM. So we took advantage of that on our first few days and headed out to see the sunrise at Haleakala Crater. We had packed our heavy jackets just for this occasion. When I say that it was freezing, I am not exaggerating! This was an AMAZING experience! There are no words to describe the beauty of watching the sunrise while you are looking at the clouds below you! I have some more pictures here.

The next morning, we again woke up early and took the Road to Hana. This took the entire day because we stopped a lot along the way. I wore my Relief Band for the drive. I don't know if I really needed it or not, but I did not get car sick. I guess, it also helped that we had a convertible. We will be doing this & the sunrise again this year. Can't wait!

Old Lahaina Luau

Since this was our first visit to Hawaii, we decided to do a luau. We chose the Old Lahaina Luau, and were not disappointed. The earlier you book, the better your seat. I booked about 6 months out and we had the best conventional seats in the house. I say conventional, because they also have traditional seating. Traditional seating is on mats with no backrest and they are right up front. We were practically right up front as well, only we had back support :-) I found this luau to be very well organized and the staff was really friendly. The food was good and the drinks were plentiful.

We chose to do the Discover Molokini excursion with Trilogy. The crew was top notch and learned everyone's name right away. The vessel only takes out a small number of guests, which allows you more room to spread out. They served breakfast, lunch & ice cream. If the water had been a bit calmer, I would have enjoyed this excursion 100% more. We stopped at 2 sites for snorkeling then we sailed back to Ma‘alaea to the sounds of a crewmember playing the ukulele. I highly recommend Trilogy and if we choose to go out this year, we will definitely go with them! It did not hurt one bit that one of the crew members looked like Matthew McConaughey!

As for dining, we basically lived on Da' Kitchen for dinners. One Big Braddah plate fed both of us and sometimes we had left overs. We also ate at Moose McGilucuddy's, ok for pupu's and drinks. Bada Bing’s, which was so-so, I don't know if they're still in business. Service was lacking here.

This has gotten very long, I'll continue later.
Next up: The Big Island

FREEBIES for 4/09/2010

FREE bagel at Einstein Brothers Bagels. Become a fan on Facebook and print your coupon from the offers tab. Go in tomorrow, get your FREE bagel & Enjoy!

Edit: The coupon states that you can re-use it once a day until 5/22/2010











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Coupon Code BIG8X10

These offers are only good on Friday, April 9, 2010

I promise, I am not a hoarder!

This is a result of 2 Kmart double coupons run and 1 Target run. That 5 coupons per day limit at Kmart sucks! I was able to drag my DH along so that saved me a trip or 2.

Combined total: $25.84 after coupons

I received a $5 Target GC for the Schick & Gillette Purchase

Plus I will receive an $8.99 rebate from Olay

Grand total: $11.85