Beach Vacation: Ocean Isle Inn and Jet Set Vacations

My family and I absolutely love going to Ocean Isle Inn on Ocean Isle Beach, NC. It is so nice to be in a beach town that is relatively undeveloped as far as chains and high rises are concerned. We know we're getting closer as we drive over the bridges and Wilmington and see the USS North Carolina Battleship.

The staff at Ocean Isle Inn is always so welcoming when we arrive. The inn is right on the Atlantic Ocean, one beach north of the southern most beach in North Carolina. Even in the peak of summer, it has such a relaxed, small feel to it because of the non-development out on the island. We all love to swim in the pool, relax in the hot tub, and boogie board at least twice a day so we can experience the beach life to the fullest.

You can rent kayaks, bicycles and other sporting goods at a local store, and they have an amazing ice cream shop that is a must do while there. All of this is within walking distance of Ocean Isle Inn, with the exception of some of the restaurants, unless of course you are feeling rather ambitious. We like to save the longer walks for the walks on the beach.

The next time we take an all inclusive vacation Get-Away we want to try JetSetVacations for our travel booking needs. JetSetVacations.com is a travel wholesaler with 15 years of experience.

Every booking provides you with white glove service which includes a vacation concierge to assist you with your needs while you are on vacation." That is top notch in my book.

JetSetVacations guarantee the lowest rates to Mexico, Costa Rica and the Caribbean. They also specialize in helping those families that travel on a budget.

Learn more and enter to win $1,000 vacation credit and more by participating in the JetSetVacations.com Twitter party Wed., June 15th from 8-9 pm E.T. For more information visit http://bit.ly/ijMbgqGood luck and Great Vacationing!

*This post is part of a sponsored campaign with Global Influence for compensation for my participation. As a Travel Writer, I love learning about new businesses for travel.

Warmly,Carolina Mama

1st Annual: NC Mom Bloggers Beach Conference

You're Invited:

North Carolina MomBloggers Beach Conference

Ocean Isle Inn

Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina

February 24-27, 2011

Thank you to Ocean Isle Inn. This MomBloggers Conference is unique in that it is a small setting where you can connect with other bloggers like yourself and other brands. I am honored to represent Ocean Isle Inn ("OII") as a Brand Ambassador along with Jen @ One Moms World and Chele @ The Bona Fide Life. We are all North Carolina MomBloggers. I have worked with OII for going on three years now. Look how far social media has taken this small Inn on a quiet island in North Carolina!

At the conference, you will meet many of the connections that are North and South Carolina based. However, we encourage Mom Bloggers from any where to attend. This is an opportunity to connect one-on-one with real life bloggers and amazing PR professionals and Brands. Because this is a small conference, space is limited due to the size of the Inn, you will not get overwhelmed with the sheer number of bloggers and brands.

You can expect a warm welcome at the Welcome Reception on Thursday night!

Our sponsors include Raleigh's own, Scandinavian Child, and Capstrat PR. Sponsor page which is growing still. And Charlotte sponsor, Carolina Pad - they know we love words! We are proud to partner with sponsor, Eat.Think.Smile a healthy living snack that launches right here in NC this month. I get to help launch Eat.Think.Smile in Charlotte January 30th. So Charlotte Moms, please let me know if you can make our launch party! I am co-hosting with Maricris @ Zen Mama. We're your Charlotte Hostesses with the mostest, so come join our party! Just let us know! And we'll see you at the conference where Eat.Think.Smile will have an awesome presence. You'll get to try out the product. Think samples, swag! Yes!

This conference is open to all Mom Bloggers, not just those from the Carolinas! We will get to mix and mingle. Learn and grow. Connect and enjoy the Ocean front views! :) We could get a really warm weekend here in the South. After all, old man Winter has been pretty active already. So lets hope by late February, Spring will be peaking through. No matter, the ocean is beautiful and inspirational any time.

Another benefit of this conference is that OII has kept the price very low. In fact, until January 31st, the cost of the three-night stay at the Inn and the Conference and some meals is only $129! That's right a mere $129.00 total. Get your blogging game on at OII with us!

The Inn has generously offered Saturday night after the conference (the 3rd night) in the package. After you check out, enjoy some of these amazing local attractions before you head home.

Register Here. Look forward to meeting you there! Please let us know if you have questions. What Mom Blogging Conferences are you attending this year?

Warmly, Carolina Mama

Best Swimsuits 2010: Lands' End Family Review

Here is my Best Swimsuit Review 2010! Really!

Lands' End hands down has the Best Swimsuits for your Family! We love Lands' End and have for a very long time i.e. before I had a blogging/sponsor relationship with them.

Here one of the Tigers is competing in the Beach Hula Hoop Contest! After much coaxing he agreed and is even smiling about it! He won the Relay Race! :) Back to the cute swim gear!

Here for Big Boys are the awesome and long Swim Trunks! And the matching and protective Rash Guards! This combination saves my Tigers' skin! And they look cool while they are at it!



How awesome does Boulder Mountain Man look! Love it! He loves the generous length on the men's trunks. And he is crazy for these long-sleeved Rash Guards. They look so good and protect to the maximum!



Next meet One Mom's World - Jen and me! We all got to spend time on the beach together this weekend and Jen and I loved our Lands' End Swimsuits. We both chose different suits and we both loved our different styles and colors and that they are both classic suits.

Look at the beautiful colors! Jen's is the beautiful Lands' End Blackberry Tunic Swimsuit!
and mine is a classic Valletta Bandeau Twist in Deep Lagoon! Love this shade of blue! And click the link above to see the other view the model is wearing. She has the removable straps on.


I preferred to take the opportunity to fade the strap lines. And I love this look for me.




The Tigers in their Rash Guards and new trunks head down to the beach for some boogy boarding! I love the quality of Lands' End!



Favorite Things About Lands' End Swimsuits:

1) Quality, quality, quality!
2) All the perks, all the extras
3) Beautiful color choices
4) Love the details
5) The swimsuit stays in place!
6) Lots of variety in every category: mens, women, kids
7) Mine/the Ladies' Feels like Silk!

You know we are here at Ocean Isle Inn for the Miss Lori ACTIVATE Concert Weekend!






*This post is sponsored by Lands' End, the opinions and enthusiasm are all my own! Thank you Lands' End!

Warmly, Carolina Mama

ACTIVATE Concert Ocean Isle Inn Activate with Miss Lori

It have been an incredible weekend here at Ocean Isle Inn!

Today was the Miss Lori ACTIVATE Concert for Kids right beachside here at OII by the pool. So Poolside as well! That is the nice thing about OII is that they are beachside and poolside all in one!

We have been really activating Saturday at Ocean Isle Inn. The whole family has been on the go since about 9 am. We are so excited to be here at Ocean Isle Beach. It is amazing that even during the summer peak, it has such a laid back feel to it, it is not jam packed with tourists, yet there is plenty to do and people to see!

Miss Lori has a great program emphasizing the importance of healthy eating, exercise, and proper rest. It has been wonderful to actually follow that program throughout our weekend here at Ocean Isle Beach. The ocean is so beautiful, the sand and palm trees also. Last night provided an absolutely spectacular sunset.

This morning we had awesome games lead on the beach by Tracy of Ocean Isle Inn! We all loved these!



My boys have on their Lands' End Boys Swim Gear in this picture on the beach. See the two boys on the right side - one in the green rash guard and shorts and the other in the blue rash guard and shorts! That's the Tigers in Lands' End! It is awesome the "Rash Guards!" saved us from the 90 degree heat! More LE pictures to come.

Here is One Moms World and me with Trace of OII and the cool cake he had made for the pool party and "awards night!" tonight. It was really great fun!



Do you know Miss Lori from PBS Kids?! We do and she did an awesome Concert for all! Love the healthy and active lifestyle she is helping promote! We're all about wellness and healthy living!

Stay tuned - Tomorrow is Father's Day and we are planning on Church on the beach! And the Moms are taking the Dads to Father's Day lunch? Know where we're going? Guess!


Warmly,Carolina Mama

2nd Annual Ocean Isle Inn Beach Live-Blogging with Lands' End

Hello Summertime!

It's that time again, we are thrilled to be embarking on our 2nd Annual Ocean Isle Inn Live-Blogging the Beach with Lands' End! We call it

The Best of Carolina


We love working locally with North Carolina's Ocean Isle Inn. And with healthy living fans like Miss Lori formerly of PBS Kids.

We're coming to you live from one of the best beaches in North Carolina! Look out for fashions for Men by Boulder Mountain Man, Women by One Moms World and Carolina Mama and for Children by the Tigers!

Here's a hint, I've test driven mine here in town at the pool and they are a hit! Lands' End swimsuits are like silk with style! They have the best staying power of any other - you know what I mean! Moms really appreciate that! And everyone else too for that matter. :)

Get a preview now and look 40% Off - Really!



Now we're are road-tripping to Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina right now! Tonight is the ACTIVATE Concert with Miss Lori formerly of PBS Kids! We can't wait! I'm like a kid over this! Look for us and join us at our Twitter Party tonight from 6:00-8:00pm EST.

Warmly,

National Mom's Nite Out 2010 Raleigh/Durham Vlog Review

National Mom's Nite Out 2010 Raleigh, North Carolina was all that! Moms young and seasoned gathered to celebrate Motherhood! A special Thank You to Maria Bailey of Mom Talk Radio, Mom TV and BSM Media who created the NMNO!

Here you can see all the Moms, the prizes and the fun!



Thank you to our many sponsors on the National and Local levels: My Little Pony, Dove Chocolatier, Lands' End, Build-A-Bear, Scandinavian Child, Whole Foods, RDU Tennis, Ocean Isle Inn, Hanes Comfort, Green Pea Nursery, Parigi Fashion, Zippity Doos Hair Care, and many more.

Also the amazing planning committee lead by Molly Gold of GOMOM, Inc., Fadra of All Things Fadra, Sue Robinson of Motherhood and Me, and Erin Lane of Marketing to Mama, Amy of Tee Shirt and Jeans Mom and myself. It was a fabulous evening and we could not have done it without each of you sponsors near and far.

Were you able to attend? Will we see you next year for NMNO 2011?!

Warmly,

Join Us @ Ocean Isle Inn ACTIVATE Children's Concert

You know we love Ocean Isle Inn at Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina! And that I relish the partnership of being a OII MomBlogger! This resort is awesome, friendly, and oceanfront! They have great amenities that are well maintained....

So I was thrilled again to be asked to work on a project with OII! Here I am bringing it to you live from Ocean Isle Inn, Ocean Isle Beach, NC!



It was a joy to meet Miss Lori this past February at the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration! And is wonderful, who knew, we would be collaborating right here in North Carolina for the Miss Lori ACTIVATE Concert!



The children are excited and of course, the parents are. It is sure to be a big fun time. And believe me, Ocean Isle Inn knows how to host a great gathering. Remember the OII MomBloggers 2010!

The North Carolina Beaches are the best thing to beat the boredom anywhere! Treat your family to this awesome "Boredom Buster!" *This article published at "Works For Me Wednesday!" Hope you can join us!

Warmly,

National Mom's Nite Out 2010 Raleigh/Durham Fun!

Looking for a break? Looking to win some awesome Mom prizes for you and your family....


Mother's Day is just around the corner and guess what - lots and lots of us Moms are taking the night off tomorrow night, Thursday, May 6th! Really! Check out the NMNO Events Page for a Simon Mall party near you. In the Raleigh/Durham area, Join us here!

Tomorrow night is National Mom's Nite Out all over the country- in a city near you! We are so excited about this 2nd Annual Event for Moms everywhere to take a break.

I think back to a little over a year ago when my cyber moms and friends became real-in-life (RIL) people to me! And what an amazing year it has been. Who knew a year ago, I would be blessed to be a part of the BSM Media Team whose Founder, brilliant, mom-influencer Maria Bailey also founded the NMNO!

Please join us tomorrow night for an awesome night of fun! You can get to know your local Moms and see all of the companies who are connecting with Mom bloggers. Corporations want to know Moms opinions on their products, how do we do family life and more. We are so happy that My Little Pony is key NMNO sponsor this year.



North Carolina companies sponsoring our local NMNO Event are Raleigh's own, Scandinavian Child, Hanes, Ocean Isle Inn and RDU Tennis! These stellar companies support Moms and families. We whole-heartedly love and endorse these companies as well. Thank you for partnering with us.

Did we mention great prizes? Are you joining us for NMNO? What city are you attending NMNO in tomorrow night?

*This post represents the sponsors to the NMNO. The opinions and enthusiasm are all my own. This "Tip" is for all Moms and is published at "Works For Me Wednesday!"


Warmly,

Homeschooling At the Beach and My Vlogger

Here's an up close and personal look at "Homeschooling at the beach!" Seriously, here is Mountain Man and the Tigers holding school while we were all away at the beach earlier this month. Love it!




On this same trip to Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina I captured this photo of Tiger B - with my new Flip Ultra - vlogging our trip on the beach! "His mother's child!" As my mama would say. Is that not adorable. I just love it. And he did a great job.



We had an amazing time at Ocean Isle Inn and at the Ingram Planetarium on Sunset Beach.



At the Museum of Coastal Carolina they have a wonderful interactive Tidal Touch Pool. Exhibits showing the erosion of the beaches. And Carolina Shells display. Much more. The children loved both the Planetarium and the Museum.

Museum of Coastal Carolina



Then we were royally entertained at Cinelli's by Peter and his amazing staff. This is awesome Italian food right on Ocean Isle Beach. In fact, we walked from the Coastal Museum of Carolina to Cinelli's! Thank you Peter and we highly recommend your restaurant. The Pizza for our TweetUp was spectacular! So yes! Go try Cinelli's and tell Peter and Friends Hello!

A sincere Thank You to Ocean Isle Inn, Museum of Coastal Carolina, Ingram Planetarium and Cinelli's Ocean Isle! We appreciate your sponsoring the MomBloggers2010 of Ocean Isle Inn! We're loyal fans! See ya real soon!

***Next Ocean Isle Inn update will have Mountain Man's live vlogging of the Dolphins of Ocean Isle Beach, NC! So great!

Warmly,

Lovely Ocean Isle Inn on OCean Isle Beach, North Carolina

We've been live-blogging here at the wonderful, family-friendly Ocean Isle Inn at Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina. We've seen many local attractions and enjoyed a TweetUp for the Inn along with amazing food by local restauranteur, Cinelli's Italian Restaurant. Thank you to this amazing beach community for hosting the North Carolina Mom Bloggers this weekend.

Here's a snapshot I took this morning beachside....



Have you visited North Carolina's many beaches? How about Ocean Isle Beach?

Enjoy!

Warmly,

Carolina Mama And A Mom Conference

Blessings abound. I'm happy to announce I'll be attending the Type A Mom Conference here in Asheville, North Carolina. I am looking forward to seeing lots of amazing bloggers, writers, speakers and friends. Also, I am looking forward to meeting many contacts I have through Carolina Mama - live and up close and personal - and getting to listen, learn and share ideas about all of the things we mommybloggers do each day!

It is a real privilege to represent these amazing Sponsors who are sending me to Type A Mom Conference.

1) Ocean Isle Inn: One of North Carolina's own, Ocean Isle Inn is one of my sponsors and I will happily be spreading the word about this amazing Oceanfront Inn that is ideal for families or couples just getting away from it all. It is truly top notch. Look for me I'll have special offers that are unbelievable from Ocean Isle Inn and a prestigious Spa... Stay tuned. Thanks Lee and Friends!

2) Lands' End : Lands' End has been a constant in my life. Whether it's the consistent great outfit, quality or a new favorite sweater like the new "Feel Good Sweaters" of BlogHer and the Campaign, or being one of my first Sponsors, I am thrilled to take it to Asheville with my friends from Dodgeville, Wisconsin in mind. Lands' End is a mighty company and I value our working relationship and their trust in Carolina Mama. Thank You Lands' End.

3) The Mom Select Team: Blogging really came to life for me in a personal way this Spring when I met Maria Bailey of MomTalk Radio, MomSelect and MomTV. Not only a Mom and Author, aside from her Professional side, she's a "Mom's Friend!" Each of us Moms on the MomSelectTeam are thankful for the camaraderie we have with Maria. Though she's traveling the country with business, she's settling down on Twitter to talk and keep up with the Moms. Thanks Maria and MomSelect for your Sponsorship.

4) FiberOne Yogurt: You all know, I heart FiberOne Yogurt! i.e. LOVE it! And Zero Guilt! The Tigers do, Mountain Man does. We're fans of all things FiberOne and the FiberOne Yogurt is our favorite go-to healthy snack of choice! I am honored to represent such a health conscious and natural company that is doing good things for families. Thank You FiberOne! Look for me at TypeAMomConf, I'll be the one with Certificates for your own FiberOne Yogurt! Hurry while the goodness lasts!

How awesome is that! I'll be engaged at the Conference as a mom team member for a great North Carolina resort, promoting my favorite quality family clothing company and the most awesome healthy yogurt on the planet! With that lineup, I could win on Survivor! That's all I'd need on an island or in an ordinary day as a stay-at-home-mom!

Thanks again to the most awesome Sponsors in the world! Stay tuned next week for some very real-time Live Blogging, The Mountains of Asheville, North Carolina - TypeAMom Conference!

Warmly,

Winner! And My Tigers Ready For Father's Day

Planning on a little relaxation and peaceful time together this Father's Day.




This picture was taken by Mountain Man while we were vacationing at Ocean Isle Beach earlier this month. Just paradise.

WINNER: The Winner of the Designer Plumbing Outlet Kohler Showerhead is..... Tara @ The 5 of Us! Congratulations Tara, we cannot wait to see your Before and After of your shower. :) Thanks everyone for participating.

Warmly,

Family Is Everything - Wordless Wednesday

G. Frank Hart Photography

Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina

Warmly,