My review of Baby Foot

You might remember that a few weeks back, I posted in the Facebook group that I had purchased Baby Foot, a product that claims to "make your feet feel as smooth and soft as a baby's foot." I struggle with calluses on my heels and big toes, and general dry and icky feet, and in the past not even pedicures have helped. After a pedicure my feet look better for a few days, and then it's back to their normal cracked, dry state. I read testimonials on the Baby Foot website, as well as reviews and YouTube videos posted from people who used the product and it seemed like the results were pretty incredible, so I wanted to try it out. I was getting ready to go on vacation and wanted my feet flip-flop ready.

I'd heard about Baby Foot from a friend, so I went on their website (www.babyfootusa.com) and ordered their foot peel pack. When I'd read reviews online, many people talked about how hard it was to get a hold of, so I don't know if they've stocked more or I just lucked out when I ordered, because they were in stock with no wait. The receipt told me it would take 5-7 days to process the order, and then ship from there, but I had the product in hand about 4 days after I ordered so I was pretty happy about that.

I read the directions, and got everything ready. The packet comes with two single-use booties that are filled with a solution which Baby Foot calls "17 kinds of natural extracts", including fruit acids, that over the course of 1-2 weeks make the dry skin peel off your feet, leaving you with smooth, baby soft skin.

I'd read reviews that suggested soaking your feet for up to 1/2 hour before you put on the booties, in order to prep your feet, so I did the initial soak. I then put on the booties, using the tape they also give you to secure them to my feet. I then covered my feet and the booties with socks, and put up my feet. You're supposed to leave the booties on for an hour - 90 minutes, and don't plan on walking around while it's working - your feet will squish around in there and it's pretty hard to move around.

Once the time is up, you'll want to wash and rinse your feet well, and then pat them dry. Now you play the waiting game.

My foot, before.

Baby Foot's literature doesn't really give you lots of instructions for the interim until your feet start to peel, but in reading other people's reviews it's suggested that you soak your feet every night. This is a GREAT tip and I think pretty crucial to the success of the peel. Even if you can only soak your feet for 5-10 minutes a night, it will help a lot with the process.

Also - make sure you do NOT lotion your feet. They will get dry, but lotion impedes the process so just soak your feet each night, then pat dry.

One thing I kept reading over and over again, in perusing reviews online, was a variation on: "It seemed like my feet would never peel and then one day, BAM." I have to say, this was my experience as well. I did the treatment on a Monday night, and I had ZERO action until Friday. I was kind of bummed, thinking it wouldn't work for me - - and then I took off my socks and shoes when we got to our hotel in Orlando on Friday night and OMG. Peel city. It was crazy - I didn't take pictures (because, ewwww) but if you want to see what your feel will look like mid-peel, Google the Baby Foot Peel pictures and prepare yourself.

My foot, after

Over the next 7-8 days, my feet continued to peel. The most action happened in the first 2-3 days, then tapered off from there but were still peeling a week later. On the day I write this post, it's been 2 weeks since I did the peel and I STILL have some skin coming off my toes. Incredible.

Here are some Before and After pictures; it's kind of hard to tell, but the I can tell you the difference is AMAZING. The skin on my feet is super soft, and areas of toughness are much better. I still have a small callus on my heels (because they were really bad before - like, deep cracks and everything) but they're 100% better than they used to be. The tops of my feet peeled as well, and that skin is also very soft. I live in the Midwest and our winters are pretty harsh - it gets really dry and my feet pay the price. But after the peel, my feet are soft, supple and and in great shape.

I wouldn't hesitate to do the peel again. They say you can do it every 3-4 months, so I'm going to take really good care of my feet in the meantime (lotion every night, for example, and soaking them in epsom salt at least once a week) but I'm planning on doing the peel again before I go to Disneyland in late May so my feet are great for the summer.

So if you're thinking of doing the Baby Foot treatment, here are my tips for getting the most out of your peel:

* Soak your feet every night. Even 5-10 minutes is great (but if you can do 30 minutes a night, even better).

* If you have a special event, plan on doing the peel at least 2-3 weeks in advance. You for sure don't want to do it a few days before your wedding, for example. I did the peel 5 days before we went on vacation, and in hindsight I should have done it the week before.

* Walking around really helps the process, so make sure you're active as the peel is working.

* Sleep in socks when the peeling starts; trust me on this, it's a lot less icky in your sheets once the skin starts falling off.

* The Baby Foot information says not to peel the skin away once the peeling starts (they suggest just letting it happen and not removing it yourself), but you kind of have to. You don't want to work at it where peeling isn't yet happening but when the skin starts to slough off, you really do need to help it along (otherwise, as previously mentioned - ewwww).

Let me know if you do the peel, and what your results are!

Have a magical day!

I was not provided with compensation for this review. All reviews and opinions are my own.

RSVP - Tonight is the Party benefiting the Princess Project!

Good morning, everyone! Wanted to send out a friendly reminder that tonight, February 25th at 8AM Central is the online Jamberry Party, benefiting the Princess Project.

Please come join us! Here is the link:

https://www.facebook.com/events/730640917033224/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming

I will also be announcing the winner of the "Guess the Disney character and Jamberry nails" game that I posted on Friday!

Hope you have a great day - and hope to see you tonight for the Jamberry party!

Sunday with Friends - Jennifer Dowling

Hello again, here we are at the start of another week. And since it's Sunday, you know what that means: Sunday with Friends!

So without further ado, here is our next Friend - Jennifer Dowling. Jennifer and I are colleagues at Mouse World Travel, and I was able to meet her and her daughter last March. She takes AWESOME pictures and is a super talented photographer.

* Hi, Jennifer! Tell us a bit about yourself.

I am Jennifer from Mouse World Travel. I am a mom of three kids ages 26, 22 and 10 and a new grandmother of a 4 month old.

I have had an interest in Disney pretty much my whole life, but only over the past 8 years have I gone on a regular basis. My first trip was in 1974, right before my 5th birthday, and only the Magic Kingdom was open then. I do have some memories of that trip, one being that I met my favorite character, Winnie the Pooh. I remember Pirates of the Caribbean and I remember the Haunted Mansion. I was also extremely disappointed that I couldn't go upstairs in the castle to see Cinderella's room.

I really wanted to ride Dumbo but it was back in the day where you only got so many tickets for attractions and my parents didn't want to "waste" one on Dumbo. It took nearly 25 years before I actually got on it. Not for lack of trying, either; I had tried a couple of other times but each time the ride would close for weather or some other issue before I got on.

Since my youngest daughter has been born we have gone almost yearly since she turned 2, and sometimes we try to go a second time if we can!

I went on my first Disney Cruise in 2011 and immediately fell in love with it and have been on four cruises, with another one in the books for next year.

* What is your favorite time of year to visit the Disney parks or sail Disney Cruise Line?

I don't really have a favorite time as I will go anytime I can. I think for decor I like the holidays the best. The best trip I took was where we arrived the day of the last Halloween party and attended that, then we cruised for 4 days and came back to the parks full of Christmas decorations. We then attended the 2nd Christmas party of the year. If you could work your trip to include both parties you really are getting the best of both worlds.

I have found my smoothest cruise sailings have been in September and I do like that, but all the cruises have been wonderful and I will go any time of year.

* If you had to pick your favorite attraction at Disney World or Disneyland, what would it be?

Pirates of the Caribbean is my favorite at both parks.

* Tell us a story about one of your favorite memories from your Disney vacation(s).

One year my youngest daughter was not wanting her picture taken. I believe she was 3 at the time. Every time we would stop for a picture she would hide her face or turn around. We made her get one at Epcot where she just scowled the nastiest look and when doing the special effects for the picture we added a Tink and it looks like she is giving Tin a mean and nasty look. We still laugh about that picture.

* If you had a friend visiting a Disney park or sailing on Disney Cruise Line for the first time, what tip(s) would you give them?

Since giving tips is my job, the very first tip I would give them is to book their vacation with a Mouse World Travel Agent!

Thank you for sharing, Jennifer!

(And remember -  if you'd like to participate as well - send me an email to katie@mouseworldtravel.com!)

Have a magical day!

Let's Have Some Fun! (And help a good cause, too!)

Today, I wanted to bring you a little something different; an opportunity to learn about a neat product AND a chance to help others. 

My friend Leslie introduced me to Jamberry nails about 6 months ago, and I think they're pretty cool! If you're not familiar with Jamberry, they are nail wraps (in tons of fun colors and patterns) that you attach to your nails for a fun at-home manicure (called a Jamicure)! Wraps last up to a few weeks on your fingernails, and can last up to 5 weeks on your toes! I really like the Jams (as they're called) and as someone who's inept at doing her own nails, I really like this option. I also like combining the nail wraps with painted nails, to create a fun and unique look.

Leslie and I wanted to bring you a fun game involving Disney and the Jamberry nails, AND also have a component where you could help others, too!

Is anyone familiar with the term Disneybounding? For those who aren't, Disneybounding is when you evoke the look or feel of a Disney character by your clothes, makeup, hair, nails, etc. For instance, instead of wearing a Cinderella costume you could create the look of Cinderella with your hair in an undo, wearing a pair of blue pants and a sparkly tee-shirt, and clear Jelly shoes or slippers. It's all about creating the essence of a character without necessarily wearing a costume.

So with that in mind, below there are 11 pictures of clothes, accessories, and Jamberry nail wraps that evoke the look and feel of some popular Disney characters. Want to pay a game, and have a chance to win a $25 Jamberry gift card? To be entered to win, you must:

 - Guess the character that each picture represents, AND name at least 2 of the Jamberry wraps posted with each character picture. To look up the names of the wraps, visit Leslie's site at http://violetberry.jamberrynails.net/

 - When you have all your guesses, email them to me at katie@mouseworldtravel.com - I'll be taking guesses until Noon central on Wednesday, February 25th.

 - For those who answers all 11 pictures correctly (name of character and at least 2 of the Jams pictured), I'll place your names in a drawing. The one I draw out wins the $25 Jamberry gift card!

Now, remember I told you about a charitable component?  Along with the game, on Wednesday February 25th, Leslie and I will be hosting an online Jamberry party on Facebook where you can learn more about the nails, play some fun games and order them for yourself, if you'd like! To join the event, please click on the link below!

https://www.facebook.com/events/730640917033224/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming

Here comes the fun part - instead of having a traditional hostess, who would earn free wraps based on the sales of the party, we are going to donate the hostess benefits to an AWESOME organization called The Princes Project. Their mission is to "promote self-confidence and individual beauty by providing free prom dresses and accessories to high school girls who cannot otherwise afford them." SO cool, right?! So not only will you be able to purchase some fun Jamberry nails for yourself, you'll also be able to help out a great organization and help these young ladies have a really special and fun prom.

I will remind you on the Facebook group, on Twitter and Instagram, but be sure and RSVP for the party and join us on Wednesday night, February 25th, at 8PM Central!

In the meantime, have fun with the game below and I can't wait to hear your answers!

Have a magical day!

You can also find Leslie at her Facebook group, Violetberry Jams, at https://www.facebook.com/groups/violetberryjams/ and on Instagram at violet.berry.

If you have a product you'd like us all to know about, and would like The Most Delightful Place to host an online party to benefit a charitable organization, please email me at katie@mouseworldtravel.com and let's talk! 

Travel Essentials, Must Haves and Tips!

In my quest to share tips and information with you related to traveling in general, I wanted to give you some tips for travel essentials, must haves, and my personal to-dos. So in no particular order, here are a few ways you can make travel easier, more fun and less stressful!

 * Travel with a mini "get well" kit.

It doesn't have to be large or involved, but think about traveling with a mini get well / first aid kit. I use a small pouch that I got free with a makeup purchase, and include a few bandaids, some antibacterial cream, ibuprofen, aspirin, etc. If you're battling a headache at the airport, or fall and scrape your knee while getting gas, it's nice to have those items at the ready.

(You should also have a larger first aid kit in your car - you can make your own, or many stores like Target and Wal-Mart carry per-assembled ones as well.)

* Speaking of the airport...bring along baby wipes.

Even if you don't have kids with you, you need baby wipes! Stop by the baby care section at your local store and pick up some wipes before you fly. Those airplanes are germ-central, so when you get on the plane take a minute to wipe down your seat, the seatbelt, tray table, etc. No one likes to get sick on vacation (or when you get home!) so a few moments spent cleaning your part of the plane can save your immune system!

* If you're traveling with kids - bring along a few inexpensive new toys to keep them occupied on long travel days.

One of my travel clients did this with her kids, and I think it's a GREAT idea. You don't have to spend a lot (even dollar store items are a hit) but if you pick up a few new items that they've not seen before, the new-ness of the toys can really keep them occupied during long flights or car trips. Consider picking up small toys, decks of cards, new coloring books and crayons, etc.

For a special treat, you could also rent or purchase a movie they've been wanting to see and give the option of viewing that if they have good behavior!

* Chargers - don't leave home without them. And don't pack them in your checked bag!

Most of us travel with at least our cell phones, as well as laptops, iPads, Kindles, etc. Be sure you don't pack the chargers in your checked bag(s), as you'll probably need to recharge before you get to your destination. Most airports now offer at least a few seats at each gate with charging stations nearby; at the Minneapolis-Saint Paul airport, for example, many gates now offer comfortable seating areas with multiple charging stations, so 100 people aren't jockeying for 3 charging spots.

Logo copyrighted RelayRides.com

 * Look into other options for transportation.

Remember, there are other ways to access transportation when you're on vacation, and that doesn't always mean you need to rent a car or take a cab. Check out other options, like RelayRides. RelayRides is a peer-to-peer car sharing marketplace where individuals offer their personal cars up for rent. They carefully vet both the renters and those who are making their cars available, and offer customer support, roadside assistance and liability insurance coverage as well. To learn more, be sure and go to their webite relayrides.com. To access their airport rentals information, please click here!

This is just a short list of some of my tips for traveling...I hope to make this a regular feature on the  blog and would LOVE to hear some of your ideas, too!

I'd like you to share your tips in the comments and on Facebook and Twitter; be sure to use the hashtag #mostdelightfultips so I can see those and share with others!

Have a magical day!

I'm Home!

Hello, everyone! I'm home and we had a GREAT time on the Disney Magic. It was a week of PERFECT weather, awesome food and super relaxation. I'll be bringing you more pictures and information over the next few months but I wanted to check in and at least say hi!

Have a great Monday!

Just Checking In...Hello from Cozumel!

Happy Tuesday, everyone! I'm having a great cruise so far, and I'm celebrating my birthday today in Cozumel. So far we've had lots of nice relaxing time, some fun spa treatments, and a great excursion (more about all that to come later!). We've had lunch, and now are enjoying a nice, leisurely afternoon on the Disney Magic before celebrating tonight with dinner at Palo.

Everything is fantastic - crew is fabulous, our servers are great, and the weather?! As you can see in the picture, it's pretty incredible.

I'll be checking in a few more days during the week, but of course stay tuned when I get home for more in-depth information about the cruise!

Have a magical day!

Let's Chat: With Angela from Nana's Sewing Closet

For today's Let's Chat, I visited with Angela Brown from Nana's Sewing Closet!

I became familiar with Angela because of being friends with her daughter, Leslie. Leslie would post the most adorable pictures of her daughter in her mother's creations and once I started the Let's Chat feature, I knew I wanted to bring you her information so you could check out the dresses for yourself!

So let's get on with the show! Here's my conversation with Angela from Nana's Sewing Closet.

* Your dresses are so sweet and creative, and they capture the spirits of the princesses so well! How did you decide to start making and selling your creations?

Thank you for the kind words. I try to capture each princess inspired dress to represent each character as much as possible, all while following my criteria of everyday wear, washable, breathable but mostly comfortable in the Florida heat. I grew up sewing and being creative but had lost the time and patience. Then along came my first grandchild, a little girl. My daughter (a huge Disney fan) asked if I would create some dresses for her to wear to her first visit to Disney World, and my creative side was reborn. Once she posted pictures of my princess creations we had people asking me to make them for their little girls, and so Nana's Sewing Clost was created.

* Do you have a favorite princess dress to make? What is your most popular seller?

Hmmm...a favorite princess to create, that's tough. I love the simplicity of Snow White and Belle. As far as my most popular seller, that would be hands down any of my Frozen creations. The Anna inspired dress was a huge hit and then they started asking for a Young Anna and Elsa inspired dress, and to date the majority of my sales have been those.

* I LOVE the custom Padme (from Star Wars) dress that you made - GORGEOUS. Do you often get custom requests? What are some of the custom dresses you've made?

I love getting custom dress requests. My creative sets gets to go wild thinking about the character, how I will create it, and then putting it together. My most recent was Padme from Star Wars, I am so glad you love it as well. It was challenging but the end result was very pleasing.

Some other custom creations are the Evil Queen from Snow White, Daisy Duck, Little Red Riding Hood, and Little Bo Peep. Most of the custom requests become a part of my offered line, like Cinderella in rags, Belle's vintage dress, and the Young Anna and Elsa. Custom requests don't have to be Disney. I also do holiday dresses, birthday, school, and the list goes on and on. I love discussing an idea and creating it.

* What character dress that you haven't made is next on your list?

I would love to recreate a Tinker Bell inspired dress. I have recently started making a halter-style dress and I think I will recreate using Tinker Bell from that style. I have also made this halter-style dress using character fabrics which has become a hit with customers.

Another character I would love to create a dress for is Pinocchio. I know he's a boy and wears pants but I think it would make an adorable little dress.

* And for a question I like to ask everyone - who is your favorite Disney character, and/or who do you identify with the most?

I would say my favorite Disney character is Tigger. Fun loving, full of life, bouncy, bouncy...fun fun fun fun fun!

Angela has a special for you, dear readers! From now until February 15th, visit her Etsy store and use code delightful10 for 10% off your order! Thanks so much, Angela!

Nana's Sewing Closet can be found on both Facebook and Etsy; make sure you Follow her AND bookmark her Etsy site!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Nanassewingcloset

Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/NanasSewingCloset

Have a magical day, everyone!

Sunday with Friends - Jillian Slechta

Hello again, here we are at the start of another week. And since it's Sunday, you know what that means: Sunday with Friends!

So without further ado, here is our next Friend - Jillian Slechta.

* Hi, Jillian! Tell us a bit about yourself.

My name is Jillian, I tend to go by Jill outside of work. I am 31 years old. I have been married for 7 1/2 years to my husband. We have one little boy, one dog and a beta fish. We live in Ohio, about 15 miles from Cleveland. I have always been a Disney fan, the first movie I memorized was the Lion King, followed by Aladdin.

* What is your favorite time of year to visit the Disney parks?

I prefer the fall. The weather isn't so hot and sticky and the parks are not too crowded since most kids are in school.

* If you had to pick your favorite attraction at Disney World or Disneyland, what would it be?

Either Expedition Everest or Space Mountain. I love the fast rides. I cannot wait to try the Mine Ride.

* Tell us a story about one of your favorite memories from your Disney vacation(s).

My favorite memory is when I first visited the Magic Kingdom. It was my honeymoon and I had never been to any parks before. My husband had gone several times with his family, but it was all new to me. We walked down Main Street and I saw the Castle and I felt like the happiest person in the park. My heart fluttered and my eyes grew big. It didn't matter that I was 23, I felt 10 and couldn't wait to ride everything, see everything and experience the Disney Magic.

* If you had a friend visiting a Disney park or sailing on Disney Cruise Line for the first time, what tip(s) would you give them?

Pace yourself. Do not expect to be able to do everything in one day, or even one visit. The parks and ships are huge and have so much going on that it is easy to over-plan and put yourself on a tight schedule to try to get it all in. Pick a few "essential" activities and enjoy your vacation!

Thank you for sharing, Jillian!

(And remember -  if you'd like to participate as well - send me an email to katie@mouseworldtravel.com!)

Have a magical day!