I have mentioned before how much I hate to fly.  It takes a lot for me to commit to packing, removing my shoes, getting an x-ray, buying overpriced water, being crammed into a seat, sitting next to a man who smells like washer fluid for 4.5 hours, watching a bad English film and getting tossled about at 30,000 feet.

But, when Nintendo asked me to attend an event in Seattle surrounding the release of the Nintendo 3DS, I didn’t even stop to think about all of that when I told them to count me in.

It’s no secret that my family likes to play games.  All of us.  We have a well-used Wii, apps on our phones, Nintendo DS’s (my son is on his second one) and computer games galore.  We’re on our third Super Mario Bros. Wii game because we play it so much that we actually kill the disc.

There are very few reasons that I would be excited about getting on a plane, but the new Nintendo 3DS is one of them.

And, you know what?  Sitting on that plane was totally worth it.  This is no ordinary game system.  Remember how Wii technology wowed us when it first came out?  Yeah, well trump that.

After a brief presentation by Nintendo COO, Reggie Fils-Aime, in which he clearly stated the 3D technology is not for young children, I was escorted with my group (Team Toad!) to play the amazing AR Games.  I pointed the game system at a card laying on a table, slid the Depth Slider from 2D to 3D and watched as the card came to life.  Out of the table popped a box with a target inside.  Before I knew it, the target was enclosed in a dragon’s mouth and the dragon was coming out of the table.

Before I left for Seattle, I had read a lot of reviews about this particular game.  I didn’t really understand it and I know that if a nationally syndicated columnist can’t use words to describe how cool this is, I know I can’t.  You’re going to have to trust me.  It’s way cool.

After that, we toured Nintendo Headquarters.  A true gem in the scheme of all things green, with a roof covered in plants that help control the building’s temperature and a drainage system that collects rainwater.  The bamboo floors are a rapidly renewable resource and lights run on motion sensors and/or dim when sunshine fills the many windows.  It was interesting and made me proud to be a Nintendo Brand Ambassador.

But, I have to be honest, I couldn’t wait to get back to the games!

I spent the rest of the rainy afternoon trying out:

Pilotwings Resort (loved it, bought it)

Super Street Fighter (my personal favorite, going to buy it and hide it from the kids because I want it all for myself)

Nintendogs + Cats (loved it, bought it)

Steel Diver (saw lots of people buying this one)

Asphalt 3D (so fun and I was the high scorer!)

…and one more game which hasn’t even been released yet.

AR Games and the hilarious Face Raiders are built in to the system.  Did I mention there’s a 3D camera and that you can put yourself into a picture with the game characters, that you can watch 3D videos, create a Mii from a photo, exchange Mii data with your friends and more?  This little game system packs a great big punch.

I am nearly 40 and the Nintendo 3DS is as fun for me as it is for my kids (and when I showed my 76 year old mother a picture of herself playing Face Raiders, she laughed out loud).  This system is all kinds of fun and it will, undoubtedly, impress you with its incredible technology.

Thanks to Nintendo for a once-in-a-lifetime experience and especially for the giftbag with my very own Nintendo 3DS!  Now, if my kids would just give me a chance to play it.

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One of the most inspirational women I know is my sister-in-law.  She is a mother of five, a nurse, wife, friend, sister and breast cancer survivor.

My sister-in-law does not inspire me because she’s a survivor, but because of the journey she took so I would be able to call her one.  I knew a lot of other inspirational women who didn’t survive the disease.

All of them fought hard, through pain, nausea, weakness, hair loss, hospitalizations, infections and surgeries.  The least I can do to honor them is give a little back to their cause.

Each year, I participate in the Komen Race for the Cure, but Hanes has made it possible for me to show my support more than just one day a year.  They have a new program which allows people to design and buy their own shirts to support the fight against breast cancer.

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In early 1999, just after my daughter was born 10 weeks premature, I learned a lot of new words. The hospital has a lingo all its own and when you have a baby in the NICU you get a crash course in anatomy, ailments, monitors and medicine. To be completely honest, before our daughter came along we didn’t even know that NICU stood for Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

It was there where we learned how to take care of our tiny, new arrival. The nurses taught us what to do if her breathing slowed and they showed us how to touch her with firm hands because being gentle startled her.

The NICU is full of science and full of caring. It was where I saw my daughter being tube-fed and it is where I held her skin-to-skin because I was told it would help her grow. It is a place of delicate balance.

It was in the NICU that I first heard of Aquaphor.

I arrived at the hospital one day to find a small jar with a pharmacy label on it. My daughter had been prescribed a mixture of Aquaphor and Maalox to treat her very first diaper rash.

Let’s just say that it wasn’t the only time we used that jar. My little girl was famous for her middle of the night, up the back poops. She didn’t just get a red bottom, but rather a red area stretching from her diaper to her neck.

Now, more than a decade later, I am working in the cafeteria at my kids’ school. I never thought I would wash my hands more than I did when my daughter was in the hospital, but there is something about preparing food for hundreds of children that makes you want to keep your hands clean.

During the school year, especially throughout winter, my hands are more red and cracked than my daughter’s rear-end ever was.

When Eucerin contacted me and asked if I would like to try one of their products, I jumped at the chance to sample their Healing Ointment. This would also be when I slapped myself in the forehead, because I hadn’t thought of using it for my dry, chapped hands.

For the past week I have been putting the Healing Ointment on my hands and feet before I go to bed. In order to get the most out of the product, I have been wearing socks and gloves. I know that seems extreme, but you haven’t seen my dry skin.

And, you know what? You won’t see it. I now have the smoothest skin I can ever remember. After years of spending a lot of money on pricey lotions, it took a week of Aquaphor and some old gloves to heal me.

The generous folks at Eucerin want to heal your skin too. They have asked me to choose two lucky readers to receive an Aquaphor Wonder Set, valued at $33.00, which includes the following:
Aquaphor Lip Repair: Aquaphor Lip Repair effectively relieves dryness and soothes chapped lips so you can smile comfortably. Provides immediate and long-lasting relief for dry lips, seals in moisture and prevents dryness. Fragrance-free, preservative-free, dye-free and appropriate for sensitive lips.

Aquaphor Healing Ointment: Protects extremely dry, chapped, cracked or irritated skin and helps enhance the skin’s natural healing process. The multi-purpose ointment is safe to use on babies’ sensitive skin; it relieves chapped cheeks, treats diaper rash and relieves dry skin associated with eczema.

Aquaphor Gentle Wash & Shampoo: A convenient cleanser that gently cleanses both skin and hair. Enriched with soothing chamomile and provitamin B5, it is specially designed to be gentle for baby’s sensitive skin. Soap-free, fragrance-free, tear-free and pediatrician recommended.
To enter, leave a comment on this post (please provide a valid e-mail address) before noon EST on Friday, October 8, 2010. For an extra entry just tweet a link to this page (add @Momofali to your tweet).
Good luck and happy healing!

*UPDATE*  Congratulations to Amy and Shelly!  Your Aquaphor will be shipped soon!  Enjoy!

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I can’t really begin to tell you how much I love Old Navy. For real. Like I would marry it. You can’t beat the cuteness, you can’t beat the price and you can’t beat the quality. Enough said.

Well, no. It’s not enough said. Because recently, I decided it was time for me to get some new clothes. I didn’t get myself much of anything for fall or winter and had cleaned out my closet which ended up looking like Old Mother Hubbard’s cupboard.

So, I walked into Old Navy with $100.00 and here’s what I walked out with.

This cute, green shirt.

This soft, breezy and super-comfortable skirt.

Three pairs of flip-flops. One gray, one blue and one orange.

Some stylish, cargo-capris.

A cozy, long-sleeved tee shirt.

Two stainless-steel, water bottles…because the two I already have weren’t enough.

And a crisp, white polo shirt.

And, after buying TEN items, I still have some money in my pocket! Which is why I think I want these shoes.What am I talking about? I need these shoes! Right? Right? Good. I’m glad we could all agree.

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