Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Review and Giveaway- Crazy Compression Socks

A few months ago I was contacted to review a pair of Crazy Compression Socks.



 I checked out their website and loved how cute the socks were!  I agreed and received the Wall of Diamonds.  Super cute!


I have had a bad running injury and haven't been able to run, so I haven't been able to test them out.  But the other day I  played softball for the first time all season (I still wasn't supposed to because of my leg but we were short on girls and if I didn't play, they'd be penalized).  So instead of wearing my normal purple softball socks, I decided to wear these.  They matched perfectly and I think they really helped.  I was nervous about batting because of the whole running the bases thing but I had no pain and I think the Crazy Compression socks were part of it!

Plain purple on the front

And Crazy pattern on the back!


I read somewhere that compression socks are like hugs for your legs and I totally agree!

Crazy Compression has been generous enough to offer up a pair of socks to one winner (US only)!


 Enter using the Rafflecopter below (and yes, I do double check entries to make sure they were completed!)





( Disclaimer:  Crazy Compression provided me with the product to review but I received no compensation for this post.  As always, the opinions here are my own.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Cast Preview

If you're a Disney freak like I am, you've been watching the growth of the new ride in the Magic Kingdom, the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.  The whole time is was being built, I kept waiting to hear of a cast preview, but it never came.  I was so sad--- I knew it would be months before I could ride it because right now, cast members can only get FastPasses the day of and I'm not patient enough to wait in hours long lines.  But then suddenly yesterday I read that there was a cast preview for yesterday and today!  I was so excited!  So Kory and I headed there today!


The queue is really cute (and I noticed the outside has some fans blowing air to keep it cool)!  First up is a fun game



Then you can run your hand under these animals and the pour out water





Then you head to the inside queue line



Here you can spin the jewels and if you look up at the ceiling, the character that matches the  name on the barrel that you are spinning shows up.  And we learned from another guy in the queue that if you spin all 7 barrels of jewels at the same time then Snow White shows up.







Luckily there was no wait and soon we were waiting right behind the gates


And it was our turn (and yes, the seats are really tiny)


We were off!













Sorry the pics are blurry.  My camera phone isn't so great while on a ride apparently!
 On the way out, you can see the cabin from the front.
The ride was so much fun that we rode it 5 times!  I think the longest we waited was maybe 2 minutes!  We were so, so lucky!

Here's the video of the mine portion if you want to see it


Afterwards we went to get a little snack at Cheshire Cafe..one of the cupcake cups (white chocolate)


And then we decided to head out but stop at Casey's first for corn dog nuggets and fries.

We took the monorail back to the Poly where we had parked and I did a little shopping first.  I picked up two of the new princess mugs and this cute new little "Piece of Magic".  I am obsessed with Cinderella's Carriage and the saying "Happily Ever After"


A fun quick trip to the Magic Kingdom!

Thursday, May 15, 2014

Race #46-- Disney's Princess Half Marathon

 This post has taken me forever to write.  I'm having a hard time being motivated with this whole injury thing.  And this race was definitely my worst and hardest race ever.  I think it was a combo of being injured, only have run twice in the 2 months before (the marathon and the 10k the day before) and the fact that I had just raced the day before.  Oh.  And the humidity was horrible.  But here we go.

Cori and I met  up with Kristin (A Mom on the Run) early on Sunday morning before the race and hung out for a little while before heading into our corrals.

Kristin was in a high corral so she headed there and I was 2 ahead of Cori but wanted to stay with her in the corral so we could chat before the race.  (loved my Rapunzel costume!)



  I was feeling pretty good and wasn't hurting so I decided to run it like I normally would and not go easy (yeah, plan foiled).  






I ran for the first mile straight before starting my run/walks.  Looking at that first mile now, I went out pretty fast (for me)--9:34.  Before I knew it, I was at the Magic Kingdom toll plaza.


By the time I hit the 5k mark, I knew I had gone out way too fast.  My 5k split was 33:02. 





 The famous hill and underpass.


Soon we were running into the Magic Kingdom.  I love running down Main Street with the crowd and then through the castle. 




 It's my favorite part!


I had stopped for tons of pictures and at all of the mile markers at the race last year, so this year I was only going to stop for the ones I didn't have (as long as they had short lines). 

It was so foggy and damp the whole race.



 I didn't think I had a picture with Queen Atta but looking back, I did.  Oh well..no one was in line!


I had to get one with Sofia!  Yes, I am a child and watch her cartoons!

I was really struggling towards the end of the race.  I just wanted to be done.  I was hot and tired.  The months of no training was really affecting me.  My feet hurt.  Kory was waiting for me at the bus stop right before the runners enter Epcot.  I told him to forget watching me finish...I just wanted him to go to the car, get my comfy flip flops and ankle brace and meet me as soon as I was finished.  I did my 2:1s the whole time but they were slower than normal.  Running through Epcot was HARD!

I ran backstage and knew I was almost done (and this is a cool monorail shot)



Finally I saw the finish line and had a huge smile on my face.



 I got my half marathon and Glass Slipper Challenge medals and went to meet up with Kristin.  



Kory met me there and I immediately took off my shoes and socks and put on my ankle brace.  My ankle was killing me and my tibia was starting to ache.  (The pain would be way worse later in the day.)

I was really disappointed in myself about my time but I soon learned that a lot of friends and runners had worse times than they'd hoped for.  The humidity really did us in!  My official time was 2:35:22, 14 minutes over my previous half marathon time.



Although looking at my rankings, I'm in the top fourth for everything so I guess it's not too horrible.


And my Glass Slipper one


Overall, I did have fun, as always!  I just can't wait until I can start training again!