Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend Expo!

Disclosure: I am participating in the Verizon Ambassadors SE Voices program and have been provided with a wireless device in exchange for my honest opinions about the product.

I had an amazing weekend at Disney! I can't wait to tell you all about it...and it will have to be told in numerous posts! Today I'm going to tell you all about the expo! If you've never runDisney and been to one of their expos you are missing out! It is one of the best race expos out there!

The expo is held in Disney's ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. I got to run in this complex last year during the marathon! It's awesome! This is also where the Kids Races take place.

When we first arrived they had photo opps for each race. I (of course) took pictures for both of my races...the 10K and the Half. My friend Sandi was doing the Half so she jumped in the picture with me!

I always get really excited when I start seeing all the runDisney signs!

Packet pick up was located in a different building from the expo. Since I was doing two different races I also had to pick up my bib in different levels of the building.

Picking up your packet is super easy. You need to make sure to print out your waiver at home (or you can use their computers to print). You locate your bib number on your waiver and that's the desk you pick up your bib from. Luckily we arrived later that afternoon and packet pickup was not crowded at all! We walked in and out in minutes!

TWO race bibs for me!!!! :-)

After getting our bibs it was time to get our race shirts and go to the expo...which was in another building! Disney has no problems requiring you to walk from place to place lol!

We got our race shirts (which the women's sizing this year was awesome) and then we shopped. I headed to the official merchandise first where I got this little guy (and I got the green one...you had a 3/10 chance to get green and a 7/10 chance to get yellow):

And a new magnet to join my others on my car! I was so excited to see the 19.3 magnet since that's what I was running! I also got my "I Did It" shirt which I was unable to get for last year's marathon because they were all sold out.

I also bought some necessities for the race like Body Glide! ;-)

After the expo we headed to dinner. We ate at a restaurant outside of Disney called Bahama Breeze. I got the Fish Tacos and they were amazing!

Then it was time to check in to the hotel. We stayed at Disney's All Star Movies Resort. Check in was fairly easy. We headed to our room and it was past time for me to go to bed. I had a 3 AM wake up call the next morning for my first race of the weekend! I got all of my stuff ready and hit the hay!

This weekend I took over 200 pictures...and all on my Samsung Galaxy S4 phone! I was super impressed with the quality of my pictures this weekend! Some of my friend's pictures during the race were dark and blurry...but mine came out great! I was also so proud to have Verizon service this weekend. My friend has service with a different provider and she had issues posting pictures and texting. But not me! Verizon didn't let me down! I even met a super nice man in our corral before the half. I started talking about how I loved Verizon and he interrupted and said he was glad to hear that. I asked him why and he told me because he worked for Verizon! :-) I've enjoyed being an ambassador for Verizon and hope to work with them more in the future!

QOTD: What's your favorite part of a race expo?

My Top 5 Favorite Things About the Samsung Galaxy S4!

Disclosure: I am participating in the Verizon Ambassadors SE Voices program and have been provided with a wireless device in exchange for my honest opinions about the product.

I've had my Samsung Galaxy S4 for about a month and a half now and I'm absolutely loving it! I've always been an iPhone lover and wasn't sure I would like an Android phone. But I will tell you that I LOVE it! It does so many things! I want to tell you about my top 5 favorite things about this phone!

#1- Swype

Swype is the coolest thing! It makes texting, writing emails, posting on Social Media, etc. so much faster! What is Swype? You basically enter words on the keyboard by sliding your finger on the first and last letter of the word. You only lift your finger in between words. I thought it would take me forever to get used to Swype but it didn't. I LOVE it! Now when I use the keyboard on any other device I try to Swype...and then get frustrated when I realize it doesn't use Swype! 

source

#2- Huge Screen

I love the bigger screen on the Samsung Galaxy S4! I thought the screen on my iPhone 5 was big but now when I look at it it seems so much smaller. The bigger screen makes looking at things on the phone so much easier! And since I'm getting older and my eyesight isn't as good as it used to be...the bigger screen is great!

#3- Widgets

Widgets are so awesome! They basically show an at a glance view of an app's most important info. Widgets customize your home screen panels. I have several set up on my phone. I love the Bible verse of the day, weather, Facebook Status, Twitter, and Calendar widgets!

#4- Back Button

I love having a back button on the phone! Instead of having to go back to the home screen first...all you have to do is touch the back button and it takes you to the last thing you were looking at on the phone! 

#5- Camera 

The camera on this phone takes amazing pictures! It has 13 megapixels! I love that you can use voice commands (smile, cheese, shoot, capture) to get it to take a picture. There are also several different picture modes you can use: Auto, Beauty Face, Best Photo, Best Face, Sound and Shot, Drama, Animated Photo, Rich Tone, Eraser, Panorama, Sports, and Night! It's a lot of fun to play around with the different modes!

So there you have it! My top 5 favorite things about the Samsung Galaxy S4! Of course there are tons of other things I like about the phone! One of them is that it is so fast! Of course that is probably due to Verizon's awesome LTE 4G service!

I know there are things that I haven't even discovered about this phone! I'm having fun learning it all!

QOTD: What kind of phone do you have? What is your favorite thing about your phone?

Introducing Isis Mobile Wallet and Verizon!

Disclosure: I am participating in the Verizon Ambassadors SE Voices program and have been provided with a wireless device in exchange for my honest opinions about the product.

The holidays are upon us and everyone (at least I am) is getting excited about shopping! I can't wait to shop all those Black Friday deals! 

How about making your shopping experience a little easier? Verizon has just launched a new app called Isis Mobile Wallet! 

What is Isis?
Isis is a mobile wallet app that basically allows you to leave your wallet at home! No more carrying around multiple credit cards! All you need is your cell phone and you can shop anytime! 

How does it work?
First you have to download the Isis Mobile Wallet app (available through the Google Play Store) and create an account. Then you enter any of your compatible credit cards and bank accounts that you would like to use. You can tap to pay with your Isis Mobile Wallet at any of the participating stores nationwide (about 20,000) that have the contactless symbol! When you get to the cash register you enter your pin (chosen by you), pick the card or bank account you want to use, and tap your phone to the terminal and it pays! Simple! 

You can also add your loyalty cards (those that junk up your keychain) AND add your special offers, deals, or promotions so that they will always be with you organized and ready!

More Savings!
Isis has partnered up with American Express Serve! You can get all the benefits of an American Express account with no monthly fees if you sign up through Isis! 

How safe is it?
Your wallet is protected by a 4 digit pin that you choose. If you lose your phone you can be assured no one can access your wallet because of the pin. You can also visit My Verizon to have them suspend your wallet in this case of emergency. 

You know the 3 digit CVC numbers on the back of your credit cards? Isis Mobile Wallet's transactions are secure because with each transaction this CVC number changes.

Your privacy is valued by Isis. Isis will never know what you have bought.

Who can use it?
Currently only Android devices are compatible with Isis. You can go to Verizon's website to see a list of the devices that are compatible. You may possibly need to order a free SE SIM Card to use Isis...you can visit MyVerizon.com to order your free one. Isis Mobile Wallet is free to download through the Google Play Store. 

I'm told that Isis will be available for iPhones soon! 

To see Isis Mobile Wallet in action watch the video below!




I can't wait to use Isis Mobile Wallet when I'm out shopping on Black Friday and this Christmas season! I've already got my loyalty card for Toys 'R' Us stored in the app (shhh...don't tell my boys)!

QOTD: What would you purchase with the Isis Mobile Wallet? What feature do you like best?

Meet My New Friend...Samsung Galaxy S4!

Disclosure: I am participating in the Verizon Ambassadors SE Voices program and have been provided with a wireless device in exchange for my honest opinions about the product.

I finally got my new phone as part of being a Verizon Ambassador! It started out a little rocky though. You see I had to be here when the phone was delivered because it required a signature. I work until 2:00 and usually my FedEx man doesn't arrive until around 4. So I thought for sure I would be home. Nope. Mr FedEx came at 12:45 and guess who wasn't here to sign? :-( So I came home and found the note on my door. It said he would attempt delivery the next day...or I could pick it up at the FedEx store after 7PM that night. Well that's a no brainer...I was going to pick it up at the store! I couldn't wait another minute! Problem...the store was in Mobile about 30 minutes away. And it closed at 7:15PM. No problem. I would be there at 7PM sharp! 

Of course then life got in the way. I had a chiropractic appointment at 5:00, the boys still had homework, and dinner was yet to be served. So my sweet, awesome, wonderful husband came to the rescue and went and picked up my phone for me!!!! My hero!

When he makes it home I frantically tear into the box! I cannot wait to see it and hold it! It came in the cutest little box! And it was super shiny and pretty!

But....I was a little scared too. Scared? Why was I scared? Because this girl is an iPhone lover! I was scared to change over to an Android device! The competition! ;-)

I DID love the way it felt and looked in my hand. And I hadn't even turned it on yet!

All I had to do was switch out the Sim Card from my iPhone 5 to the Samsung Galaxy S4. But I soon found out...the Galaxy needed a different sized Sim Card. :-(

It was too late to head to a Verizon store so that became the plan for the next day. 

They were awesome at Verizon! The guy remembered me from when I got my iPhone 5. I told him all about being a part of the Verizon Voices program and he was super impressed. It didn't take him any time at all to get a new Sim Card installed. He even switched over all my contacts for me. AND he gave me a tutorial on how to use the phone since I had no clue! I was very impressed with Verizon's awesome customer service! 

I've had my phone for a few days now and I'm having a blast with it! It's so different from my iPhone but I'm learning! And I'm loving it so far!

Make sure to check back with me as I learn more about my new phone and the things I like and dislike about it. I can't wait to share everything I learn with you!

QOTD: What kind of phone do you use? Samsung users...tell me any tips and/or features I should know about and must have apps!

Verizon HopeLine

Disclosure: I am participating in the Verizon Ambassadors SE Voices program and have been provided with a wireless device in exchange for my honest opinions about the product.

Some of you may have seen my tweet on twitter or my post on Facebook...I am super happy to announce that I have been selected as a Verizon Ambassador!!! I can't wait to share with you everything that I learn about Verizon and their awesome service as well as the new device that I am getting! You'll have to wait and see which new phone I chose! ;-)

Today I want to tell you about an awesome program that Verizon has called Verizon HopeLine.

Since 2001, Verizon HopeLine has connected survivors of domestic violence to vital resources, funded organizations nationwide and protected the environment by donating no-longer-used phones to assist the nearly one in four women, one in seven men and more than 3 million children in the United States affected by domestic violence.

How can you help? Donate your old cell phones! I know I have at least one sitting in my closet. I would much rather it be given to a victim of abuse so that they can feel safer knowing they have a way to call for help. 

You can donate your phones by dropping them at any Verizon Wireless Communications Store. Or you can donate them by mail using the postage-paid label provided by Verizon. 

Verizon also has the HopeLine from Verizon App that you can download from iTunes and Google Play. This app allows you to find the nearest Verizon Wireless Communications Store so that you can donate your used phone. 

The app also gives you tools and resources to take a stand against domestic violence.

Download the app today! And check your home, closet, car, office, etc. for any old phones that you can donate to this amazing cause!

QOTD: What do you do with your old cell phones?