Monthly Archives: November 2008

Precious Girls Club: Review and Giveaway

Books, , , ,
Looking for the giveaway?
Enter to win a Precious Girls’ Club goodie bag here!

Created by Precious Moments, the Precious Girls’ A Little Bit of Faith (Precious Girls’ Club) book and and club is for girls from about ages 9-12 and are fun stories and learning tools for young girls.

Precious-girls-screenA Little Bit of Faith is a book about a girl who tries to start a club after she moves to a new town and a new school.  She has a hard time because she is the new girl in school and the kids don’t know her yet.  Katie discovers that a little bit of faith can help her overcome big challenges.

A few things I really enjoyed about the book are:

  • The short chapters make it easy to break into realistic segments whether daily, or before and then again after dinner.
  • The many pictures which keep young reader’s interest.
  • The questions asked in the story are those that reader’s want to answer.
  • The fact that young girls that relate to the story.

About the Precious Girls’ Club:

  • The website is a safe, wholesome environment created for young girls.
  • Precious Girls Club members create their own characters, decorate their rooms, explore the town, socialize, play games and even shop “virtually” using the points they earn on the site.
  • The games reinforce virtues such as helpfulness, kindness, responsibility, loving and caring. In addition to points, many activities award “virtual” virtue charms.

We have two Precious Girls Club goodie bag sacks to give away! Each goodie bag sack includes bracelets, books, stickers and some other stuff, great for girls 6-12 years old.

Leave a comment below having something to do with the book, club website or a girls’ club you or your daughter were/are a part of.

All posts about the Celebrity Solstice preview cruise

Celebrity Solstice, Travel, , , , ,
Celebrity Solstice cruise coverageWhat an amazing cruise!  The lawn, entertainment, food, massage..and so much more.  Looking for a collection of all of the posts & reviews from the Celebrity Solstice preview cruise?  Here they are in descending order.

The Celebrity Solstice cruise: Part 1: Relaxing
Nov. 14th christening of Celebrity Solstice in Fort Lauderdale, FL.
Celebrity Solstice Preview Cruise, Naming Cruise and Ceremony November 14, 08 – Join me!
Getting ready for the Celebrity Solstice cruise.. tomorrow!

The Celebrity Solstice cruise:
Part 1: Relaxing

Celebrity Solstice, , , , , , , ,

Celebrity Solstice deck lounge chairs

In Part 1 of my Celebrity Solstice preview cruise series I am going to tell you how I relaxed on the ship and how you can too.

Boy, the cruise went by so fast.  Among going to executive forums, ship designer forums, PR meetings, and eating I was on the go from dawn till dusk.  I did not sit down at a pool once but I passed them at least three dozen times.
I did however, sit on the lawn. THe Patio on the Lawn is on the highest deck of the ship without roof to obstruct my view of the sky, no hard floor under my bare feet, just soft, plush grass.  After passing through The Lawn I headed for the AuquSpa where I was fortunate enough to get a Swedish Massage.  While waiting for my massage, I was sent to the relaxation room where I gazed out of the ceiling to floor windows and I just happened to be there when the sun was setting so the view was astonishing.  The relaxation room is full of chase lounges each having a plush blanket, pillows and side tables on which you can put your cup of tea or book.  The relaxation room trumped eating a box of chocolate hands down!

Part 2 coming soon

You can read about why I went on the Celebrity Solstice preview cruise here.

The Nov. 14th christening of Celebrity Solstice in Fort Lauderdale, FL.

Celebrity Solstice, , ,

Fort Lauderdale, November 14th, 2008:
Celebrity Solstice christening ceremonyCelebrity Solstice godmother

Violinist Lucia Micarelli and vocalist Antonio Sol performed U2's "Beautiful Day", the song that started the Solstice christening ceremony and ultimately created a vibe in the Solstice theater of excitemen
t, anticipation, and romance. Tonight, Celebrity introduced the Godmother of the Solstice in a ceremony unlike any other complete with an acrobat flying high bringing down the red ribbon for the Godmother to cut.  Before the Godmother cut the red ribbon, the Solstice was blessed by Rabbi Terry A. Bookman and Seaman's Pastor Sverre Tofte

Journalists and VIP's assembled in the ship's
Solstice Theatre where the St. Andrews Pipe Band of Miami ushered in cruise line executives including Celebrity Cruises
President Dan Hanrahan and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Chairman and CEO Richard Fain.  Of the ship, Fain said "The ship speaks for itself — and when she speaks, people fall in love."  I fell in love the moment I saw the Solstice, there's no denying that. 

Sharon L. Smith, the Solstice's Godmother is not a celebrity nor is she a typical public figure however she is one step above in that she is a two time cancer survivor, Professor and biological oceanographer and is the first scientist ever to serve as a cruise ship godmother.


Earlier in the day (November 14th from 12:00pm – about 6:30pm)

I've had such a great time on the Celebrity Solstice cruise so far.  The ship has so many amazing details, venues, and activities.. oh and I can't forget the food.. don't even think about eating salad on this cruise! There are so many options with everything from sushi to Italian to gourmet hamburgers but don't worry, they haven't left the kids out.  There is no doubt that your kids will love the food and every other aspect of the Celebrity Solstice cruise.  I even have photographs of the food to show you. 

Celebrity Solstice is a peaceful, environmentally friendly, relaxing cruise vessel and I couldn't ask for a more beatiful experience as far as the decor is concerned.  Actually as far as everything is concerned.  Because I am here for the Celebrity Solstice naming ceremony and other PR activities, I have been extremely busy with business but able to experience so many parts of the ship which I am going to tell you about in more detail when I arrive back home in Atlanta, Monday evening.

The kids venues are awesome.  I wish I could have brought Sebastian but I seriously doubt that he would have enjoyed the PR forums and dinners I am attending.  There are two kids venues on Celebrity Solstice for two age ranges.  Each venue is very appropriate for the age ranges.  I will tell you about these details when I have more time.  I am typing like a maniac right now because I don't know how much longer I will be connected to the Internet here.

I am on a very short time limit as the internet connection here is VERY unpredictable and has been down most of the day.  I am not able to add photographs to my posts at this time.. sorry!

Go ahead and learn more about the brand new Celebrity Solstice cruise vessel here.

– Alicia

SwissGear Luggage – awesome carry on luggage

Travel, , , , , , , ,

As you know if you've read my last two posts, we are leaving for our Celebrity Solstice preview cruise Friday a.m.  Because I don't want to check baggage for a three day trip I have resided to stuffing a bagillion things in a carry on bag.  Lucky me, I got to try out my new SwissGear bag.  Well, it's not so new I just haven't tried it yet. 

I realized about 10 hours into packing today that "crap, this bag might be too heavy to carry on!"   Carry on bags can only weigh up to 45lbs.
I ran and got a scale and it showed a weight of about 10 pounds with all of my stuff inside the bag!  I knew that couldn't be right so I got the electronic scale and that scale showed 30 lbs.. which is AMAZING considering the size of the SwissGear bag, and the small village I stuffed inside the bag.  I double checked and sure enough, bag and all, the total weight was right at 30lbs.    Back to the first scale for a second.. I will be weighing myself on that scale from now on!

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