My Much Deserved Girls Night Out in Atlantic City

Last week, I had the awesome opportunity to spend a night in, Atlantic City, NJ.
Crowdtap sent some of it's members, some bloggers, some social media junkies, to stay at a few different casinos, right on the boardwalk.
My itinerary stated to arrive between 3 and 4pm, at, Trump Plaza.

This was the view from my room at Trump Plaza Casino. It was a beautiful view of the beach, especially at nighttime! The one thing that really bothered me most of all was that there wasn't a balcony, and these windows didn't open. There was no fresh air, beach smell, you couldn't hear anything from the beach, it was just silent, and that bothered me a little. I'm not sure why a hotel would have such a gorgeous view but not have windows that open.

This was the nighttime view! Absolutely stunning!! But again, no open windows. 

I don't know, it may be because I'm used to camping, or because I love fresh air, and to hear all the sounds, but, this even bothered me more at night. So, I ended up walking up and down the boardwalk until a little after 4am and went about trying to find some more beauty in this loud, crowded, sometimes sad, casino town. But, more about that later! 

After check in, we went to our room, (I brought my co worker/friend with me, since Atlantic City so generously told us to bring a guest!!), and unpacked, freshened up, and went back downstairs to meet up with the rest of our Crowdtap crew, for, A COCKTAIL PARTY! Yes! Atlantic City, took care of us very well!

We were on the 14th floor, and being the camper chic that I am, I was totally losing it over the absence of a 13th floor. I always swore this was a myth, but here is proof! There really was no 13th floor and I was just, well, floored ;)

Back to the party.....

We found our Crowdtap, Atlantic City party rep downstairs in the lobby, and met a few other fellow, Crowdtappers. That was pretty cool! 

After waiting a bit for a few more to arrive, we hopped aboard Atlantic City's, 24 hour transportation, Jitney. (I loved Jitney! They have stops, all day, all night, and fare is more than reasonable, at $2.25 a ride. (You can save even more if you buy a frequent rider ticket!)

The Jitney van was super clean and comfy and our driver was very sweet, kind and courteous. I was really impressed with this service, and would love to have something similar where I live!

Jitney dropped us off at, The Golden Nugget's H2o bar. Guess what? It was on the roof! H2o was so awesome! Poolside bar, clever, friendly, and funny bartender, (us bartenders have to stick together!).

Once we were past the pool, we were taken onto this uber sweet patio, with some of the most hip lounge furniture, bright reds, and more relaxing than my own bed! 

If that wasn't enough, oh my God! They had this long buffet table set up, with bins filled to the brim with the cutest mini bottles of wine, aluminum bottles of beer, tiny chubby bottles of sodas and waters, and lots of amazing smelling (and looking), food!

This was my first plate! Veggie sliders, cole slaw, potato salad, onion rings, french fries, pickles, cheeseburger sliders, and oh, some delightful chicken and veggies on a stick! I grabbed a second plate, and thought of taking a third, but, I had to think ahead! Walking all night will get a bit tiring if I'm to stuffed. (I would've taken some of the cheeseburgers and chicken to go though!)

I also had a couple of these ;)

After meeting our leaders, (lol, really, we got a chance  to meet couple pretty important people from Crowdtap, and hear a bit about what, Atlantic City has to offer. 

We hopped aboard Jitney again, to take us back to the boardwalk, so we could check out, World Cup Sand Sculpting. 

Amazing, isn't it??

This was one of my favorites, (I drooled over about 3 for sure!)

I have been sharing so many photos, I can't remember which ones I shared and possibly drove people nuts with across my networks, so, I'll lay off some photos for now....

I never realized that there was a World Cup, for sand sculpting, but I am so grateful I was able to witness the beauty behind such a beautiful art!

After snapping tons of pictures, and Instagramming, Tweeting, Pinning, posting and sharing, we walked up on the boardwalk, to start bar hopping.

I am a sucker for appetizers and fancy foods and local foods, and of course, boardwalk food! 

Of course, after a few stops, my phone died and I was in dire need of a charge, so, we went back to Trump Plaza and charged my phone for a bit, and my friend ran down to the casino for a bit.

I ended up watching some tv, and posting more about our trip, and after my phone was charged, I went out on the boardwalk, to try and find something other than closed windows, loud bathrooms, and ladies with their eyes glued to the slot machines, and big bags of change. 

I walked up and down a few times, thinking about going to a few bars to grab some food, but decided to walk on the beach and watch the light and sound show that was right next to Trump Plaza.

The light show was so much fun! I think I misunderstood a bit, and ended up not getting the pictures I really wanted, but I got the end of it for you!
I also found some very cool people, the most memorable was a hilarious 63 year old waitress, who is more badass than any of the  bouncers or security inside any of the casinos I checked out.
I also found something really funny!!

A police sub station for rent! Don't ask me why, but this made me laugh like crazy, I swear some of the other people on the boardwalk were most likely thinking I was an escapee from an insane asylum.
It was the perfect night for sightseeing and beach walking. There was a refreshing breeze, clear skies, plenty of people for people watching, and lots of entertaining personalities to chat with up and down the boardwalk. Very interesting and genuine people for sure!
I realized I would love to come back to Atlantic City, and bring a friend or maybe 5, and have a girls night out, or a moms night out, and dress up like the mobster wives from, Casino, and spend a few hundred at the Blackjack table, wear a cute, little, black dress and put a bunch of jewels in my hair, and smoke a long, fancy cigarette, and have a few martinis.
Then, I want to go hang out at the Margaritaville bar again, and have some fruity drinks with tons of fruit chunks on the side, and be able to feel free for a night! (No kids? Yes, thank you!)
Oh, by the way, the bars don't close til the party is over, which by my observations, weren't until after 3am!
There is also tons of food available for every taste, all night long! and if you're really having a fun girls night out, you can walk on the boardwalk with drinks!!
I'm very much contemplating the wine and cheese festival that is coming up in a couple weeks.......I just may make it.

Laugh at Little Leaks

Everybody has something they don't really want to talk about, publicly, well, almost everybody. (There are always going to be those people who run around, blabbing about every tiny personal issue they or somebody else has ever had)....I don't know what's worse, them, or the people who always yell, "TMI!" lol!
 One of those embarrassing things that nobody seems to want to discuss, is, LBL. Light bladder leakage.
 If you're anything like me, those little internet/text abbreviations, LMAO, are actually real, and throughout a day, you may laugh 3000 times, so hard that it really feels like you just, LMAO'd. But for some of us, it isn't just that, but also a bit of a leak...
It's actually a bit more common than you may think!!
It also doesn't just affect the older generation, but young women can have this dilemma too.
Everything from sneezing, laughing, medications, exercising, pregnancy, disease, illness, and coughing, can cause a bit of a leak. Who hasn't laughed, sneezed or coughed?
Leaks are the most common result of pressure on the bladder.
So, what can we do about this?
Well, for one, you can stop hiding and thinking you're all alone, because you're not.
You can also try kegal exercises! Kegal exercises strengthen  the pelvic floor muscles to fight bladder weakness. (and I've also heard it helps make sex more fun too!)
Another easy way to help with leakage, is to stay hydrated. Drink lots of water! Water is important for many reasons, not just to help with a little leak here and there.
Alcohol, caffeine, and drinks with natural fruit acids, can actually cause more bathroom visits.
The next step to preventing a really embarrassing moment, is grabbing a pack of Poise pads.
I know, you're thinking of those giant, diaper looking things that look way to uncomfortable, and surely, everybody that sees you, will know you're wearing it. NO, it isn't like that at all!
Poise, has microliners, liners, ultra thin pads, the whole way up to Poise Hourglass Pads.
Even the lightest, Poise microliner is 2 times more absorbent than period only liners!!
Poise pads are made with, Super Absorbent Material. (SAM) and they are specially designed to instantly absorb wetness, neutralize odor, and stay 3 times drier than period only pads and liners. (Starting with the liners)
Another cool thing about, Poise, is their social networks and their website. They're very informative, have tons of tips, help, and advice to offer and you may be able to score free samples and coupons from time to time!

**disclosure**
I received a free sample from Poise, through Crowdtap.

IMAX Theaters Presents How to Train Your Dragon 2

Starting this Friday, June 13th, the second chapter of DreamWorks Animation's beloved How to Train Your Dragon franchise is soaring to all IMAX theatres domestically in select engagements.
 The IMAX 3D release will be digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience®, creating a unique environment that will make audiences feel as though they are flying alongside heroic Viking Hiccup and his faithful dragon, Toothless.
 Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, T.J. Miller, Christopher Mintz-Plasse and Kristen Wiig reprise their respective voice roles, joined this time by Academy Award® winner Cate Blanchett, Djimon Honsou and Kit Harington.
 If you would like more information about How to Train Your Dragon 2, please visit Dreamworks Animation's official website here!
You can also click here to check IMAX Theater locations and local showtimes.



**Disclosure** The information in this post has been provided by IMAX.

Are You Prepared for Everything?

If you follow me anywhere, you are probably well aware that I am addicted to these monthly boxes that are filled with radical goodies and special surprises! (I'm always posting pictures and cool stuff I find in these things, and sharing top secret codes for free boxes and $$ off your first box)?? Well, I received an email about this new monthly box that will be starting very soon, and I am super anxious for this one! I am quite possibly more anxious for this box than any other box I have found so far!
I'm sometimes what some people might call, a nutjob, or a conspiracy theorist, (well, I wouldn't go that far, but there are some who would say that....even though a lot of what I say and think, has come true!)
This monthly box will be for the survivalists, the nutballs, the preppers, the fanatics, the spies, the brilliant, the zombie hunters, the doomsdayers, the people who live anywhere where a storm might hit, or anybody who has ever seen a crop circle, chemtrails, nanobot snow, little green martians and everybody in between.
Every month, you will receive a collection of the most essential tools, guides and supplies, delivered right to your door! (That's one of the best parts! You won't need to worry about any drones, the NSA, the CIA, the FBI, AAA, or the pale neighbors who never come outside during the day. (You know, the really, really weird neighbors? The kind who fly around at night after the sun goes down, dressed like bats?)
To help kick off, Survive Monthly's premiere, I thought I'd help prepare you with some survival tips, to make sure you have what it takes to get through anything!
Hopefully you won't ever end up in a plane crash in Northern Canada, in 35 below 0 temps, but just in case you do, I found a few keen pointers, just to keep in the back of your mind...
A compass can be a dangerous tool.... why? Because if you have one, you just might try to use it to direct you to town. The only thing a compass is REALLY useful for, would be as a reflector for sunlight,
DO NOT EAT SNOW!!
You must keep warm! So, you must melt the snow and make it warm, if you feel like surviving. Warm water will help to retain body heat, snow will not.
If you happen to find a plastic, sectional air map, DO NOT use this to walk to the nearest town! (You will probably never find that town) but, you can use this as a ground cover to keep yourself or another survivor, dry,
Once you're done digging around the crash site, and you find the whiskey bottles, you better think before you do what all of us would probably do... DO NOT DRINK the whiskey, no matter how bad it gets, it'll only get much, much worse if you start guzzling the whiskey.
Alcohol takes on the temperature it's exposed to and if it's 35 below, and you do a few shots, you will freeze your esophagus and stomach. Alcohol dilates blood vessels, and this frozen blood will go straight to your heart, resulting in rapid loss of body heat, and hypothermia.
Use the alcohol for fuel for a fire to keep warm, and keep the empty bottle handy, because this can be used to carry water.
If you find any lighters in any pockets, keep them! Even if they don't have any fluid, they will still produce sparks.
Another item you may find on a plane, would be a newspaper. Newspapers have a few uses for survival. They can be used as reading material, they can be worn under clothing for extra warmth, they can be used for fire, or you can make a megaphone and use it as a signaling device.
Some more interesting survival tools are, tampons. Yes, it's true. Tampons can be used for a variety of things, you can use the cotton for a fire, you can open the wrapper, take out the cotton, and use the rope to tie at the end of the plastic wrap to create an air bubble, and use as a fishing bobber! You can also use the cotton to shove into a plastic tube to make a drink filter for heavy sediment water. The cotton in a tampon, is extra absorbent and could be used for a bandage for cuts and scrapes. Oh, and you could also tie a puff of cotton to the end of a skewer and use this as a dart for a blowgun! (So, ladies, remember to remind your husbands or boyfriends the next time they complain about picking up a box of these life savers!)
Condoms have many uses too. Condoms are excellent for water storage, and latex condoms burn! You could use them as a slingshot to hunt small game, or as a rope. (Condoms aren't just for safe sex anymore!)
Never, never, never throw away the bubble wrap that the UPS guy brings inside your packages! Keep that stuff and put it to good use! Did you know, a sheet of bubble wrap is 70% as effective as 3 cotton blankets? Guess what else?? Bubble wrap is way more effective in the wind and rain!
I don't know about you, but, if I was ever to be caught in a sandstorm, I would probably be screaming and running around in circles, rubbing sand in my mouth and eyes, BUT, you are not to do that! What you are to do, is, lie down flat on your stomach, and keep your head down, in the OPPOSITE direction of the wind. (It's also best to cover your head, even if it's just partially)
Found yourself stuck in the desert? Whatever you do, do NOT take off your clothes! You will get scorched beyond repair! More importantly, pick 1 direction and continue on that path. Don't walk a few miles and wonder if you should turn around and go in another direction.You can also suck on small stones to stay hydrated.
If you survived reading this long post, you are in for a real treat! Because I saved some of the best survival tips for last!
Did you know you can get water from dirt? Yes, yes, you can!
All you need to do is, dig a hole in direct sunlight, place a cup, bowl or some sort of tool to catch water, in the hole, grab a tarp and drape it over the hole opening and secure the edges with rocks and sticks. Next, place a light pebble in the middle of the tarp, so it pulls the tarp down into an upside down pinnacle. When the sun hits the tarp, the air trapped inside will heat and evaporate and you will catch the condensation inside your cup!
Did you ever have a campfire that wouldn't stay lit because of the wind? Well, try building a Dakota fire hole! Dig 2 pits, side by side, connected by a tunnel. Build a fire in 1 pit, and the 2nd pit will allow air and oxygen to reach the fire through the tunnel!
If you are ever stuck somewhere with just a body of water and a tshirt, you can eat! Spit fishing is a fun way to grab some tasty treats, usually minnows, any small fish will think of your spit as food. When they come close to you, just use your shirt as a scoop and chow down!
Last but not least, here is a pretty sweet trick to get you out of one of the most horrific jams of all time!
Losing your car or truck keys, inside your vehicle, and not being able to find where they landed. What do you do?
Well, first, grab your shortwave radio, or any AM radio you have on hand, and a calculator. Set your radio to a frequency that doesn't pick up a signal, the higher, the better... turn up the volume, turn on your calculator and angle the calculator and the radio so they almost face each other. You will know when you have the right angle, because you will hear a light buzzing sound. All you need to do, is move your homemade metal detector around the floor and under and in between your seats, and when you hear the buzz get louder, you're in luck!
Ok, so, you survived this far, and I didn't even get to tell you how to start a fire with ice yet. (I'll save that for another time), so, enter the giveaway, and grab yourself a FREE 3 month subscription, to Survive Monthly!!






a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hyland's Baby Teething Tablets and the Obaby App Mothers Day Promo!

What could be any more precious for Mother's Day?
(Well, OK, handmade cards and pretty flowers from your little ones ;)
You can capture all of those adorable Mother's Day moments and make them your own works of art, with the #ObabyHylands promo.
Grab this app for free before May 14th!

Obaby Drops from $4.99 to FREE for Limited Time

Hyland’s Baby Teething Tablets have partnered with the Obaby app to develop a Mother’s Day Pack sponsored by Hyland’s Baby Teething Tablets in honor of Mother’s Day. To correspond with the promotion the Obaby app will be available for free, while the Obaby+ app will be discounted to $9.99 from 5/8-5/14 in the apple iTunes app store.

This special Mother’s Day edition of Obaby includes 22 beautiful new illustrations for celebrating moms. 

Just in time for Mother's Day! 

You can create your own memories with the Obaby app! 

Don't forget to download your free app and share your creations with family and friends, and use the hashatg, #ObabyHylands! 

Unfortunately, I have an Android, but the Obaby app is available for iPad or iPhone. (Things like this make me want an iPhone, I feel like I'm missing out!)

I love editing photos and having such pretty overlays to choose from to make our family photos even more extra special and sweet. 

My Love Affair with Herbal Essences Body Wash

Yes, I may be kind of a geek, and I do sometimes fall in love with simple things and get all giddy and excited over them, that's just me ;)
I recently received a sample of Herbal Essences body wash, through Crowdtap, (my favorite website of them all!!), and from Herbal Essences, and I wasn't forced to write this post, BUT, I felt I had to after the heavenly experience I had with their, Hello Hydration body wash.
I am a sucker for bath and body products, and I grab up all of those beauty subscription boxes and deals on certain websites, so I have been around, if you know what I'm saying :O
I haven't tried this stuff until I received this sample, even though I was fully aware of the new body wash, and had my fair share of P&G inserts that came with coupons for it. I just didn't get around to hunting them down in the small town stores I frequent, and I haven't ordered any online yet... (my other addiction)
I wish the bottle would've been 10 times the size, since it's all now.... but I did save the empty bottle because the scent is so pure and fresh and just a whiff of it makes me remember the lathery, bubbly goodness!!
I don't know where to start here...I guess I'll go with the scent.
First off, it's blue, which is my favorite color! So, that was a huge plus!!
When I opened it, for some reason, I automatically thought of fairies and springtime and clouds and I think I saw a butterfly floating around the bathroom too! It was love at first sniff! I dumped a quarter of the bottle on my yellow body puffy sponge, and that was more than enough to have a layer of suds by my feet! (Which is one of the best feelings in the world to me!)
The whole bathroom smelled so fresh and clean, almost as if I just finished cleaning it myself! (Yes, I'm serious! It lasted for quite some time, and was long enough that I even pretended that I was in there scrubbing after my shower, shhhh!!!!)
Another bonus with this body wash, is the long lasting, moisturizing,tingly, silky feeling you get. I have extremely dry skin, and even I noticed a difference after just 1 use.
My legs are especially dry, (due in part to my RSD) but that didn't stop my Herbal Essences Hello Hydration body wash from making my legs look smooth and not feel so itchy!
I want to buy my favorite blue body wash again, but I think I'm going to try the rest of the scents too!
The other cool thing, possibly the coolest thing, is the price!
Compared to a few other brands I use, this is much more inexpensive and if you didn't know this, you would think it cost more than  the other body washes you may have used!
Oh! I almost forgot! I'm sure you have used their shampoos and conditioners before, right?? Well, these scents go hand in hand and can be fused together for some real delicious scents, way beyond your imagination!! (I love mixing and matching) mixing more, but either way, you go about it, you can't lose!!

Restaurant.com Mothers Day Guide and Pinterest Sweeopstakes

I received a Restaurant.com gift card for the purpose of this review. This post was made possible by Mom Spark Media. Thoughts are my own.

My most favorite Mothers Day gifts have always been the cute, handmade cards my little ones make. My fridge is filled with them, (I get them year round, and I store my collections in those nifty space bags). But those have always been the best presents ever! 

Oh, I almost forgot about those sweet flowers and dandelions that are picked from the yard! (Yes, even the sunflowers and tulips that aren't even ready to bloom just yet...) I do love those a bunch too! 

I'm not sure what my mom would think though, if I were to make her a handmade card at the age of 40, and she has hay fever, so I kind of get stuck each year when it comes to shopping for Mothers Day. Actually, most moms would still love a drawing from their daughters or sons at any age! (I just can't draw very well)

So, what kinds of gifts do you get for mom when you are a grown up?

One of the coolest gifts I have found, is a gift card for her favorite place to eat! If I'm lucky enough, she will take me with! 

Or, I could grab a couple Restaurant.com gift cards, and take her out to eat for Mothers Day and present her with a lovely stick figure drawing! 

I would be happy to give her a night out with her friends too. She loves to go out with her friends from work at the end of the work week, and sometimes has to wait until payday, so this would give her a few extra nights out with friends, on me! 

What could be better than this, you ask? Well, it's funny you asked, because for a limited time, Restaurant.com isn't just running a super deal on gift cards for dining, but now, they include movies too!! 

If your mom is anything like my mom, they love to watch the latest blockbusters in the theater. My mom has this peculiar thing she does, where she can answer any trivia question about any Hollywood news, celebrities, politicians, current events, history, musicians, she's like a real life, walking encyclopedia! But, she loves all kinds of movies, and I think she might love the popcorn too. 

If you are thinking of grabbing one of these awesome deals, you have to do it fast, because this show stopping deal is only available for a limited time!

Restaurant.com has launched, "What Does Mom Mean to You", Pinterest sweepstakes!
In celebration of Mothers Day, Restaurant.com has launched the, "What Does Mom Mean to You?"  Pinterest sweepstakes being held Monday, April 28th through Sunday, May 11th.
Five (5) winners will be randomly selected to win a $500 Mom's Night Out package!
You can find out more details about the "What Does Mom Mean to You" sweepstakes, here!
(Please come back and let us know if you won!!)
 

Restaurant.com is the trusted and valued source connecting diners, restaurants, businesses and communities since 1999. The company offers savings at thousands of restaurants nationwide with nearly 50,000 gift certificate options. The Restaurant.com Independent Consultant program offers thousands of self-employment opportunities to individuals that want to earn money while helping Restaurant.com to expand to more restaurants, businesses and communities nationwide. To date, Restaurant.com customers have saved more than $1 billion through the gift certificate program filling more than 3.5 million tables annually. Restaurant.com is a pioneer in the restaurant deal space and is headquartered in Arlington Heights, IL.

Smartphone and iPad users: download our app - iPhone, iPad and Android

Learn more about Restaurant.com https://sales.restaurant.com/Overview

Find dining deals near you http://www.restaurant.com

Make money with Restaurant.com https://sales.restaurant.com/MakeMoney

I received a Restaurant.com gift card for the purpose of this review. This post was made possible by Mom Spark Media. Thoughts are my own.