Going Green in Grenada

HOLLY VESELENAK

St. George, Grenada had to be my favorite island port, on this cruise.  From the moment we docked and I looked out our balcony window, I fell in love with the tropical vegetation and rainforest like landscape.  It was the day before their national Independence Day and the entire city was alive with color and festivities.  I loved seeing all of the school children dressed in their vibrant green, red and yellow. You could feel the love and pride they feel for their country.

Tom and I participated in the Close To My Heart Grenada Nature and Beach Day excursion. We headed out with all of my Close To My Heart friends and embarked on a roller coaster ride through the beautiful city of St. George. I kid you not! These roads were so narrow, curvy and steep I felt like I was on a never ending roller coaster ride. Tom loved it and I was scared to death we’d hit oncoming traffic. Luckily, our tour guide was a native and new exactly what he was doing. We sat in the back of the bus, so you can only imagine how bumpy it was.

After stopping at a beautiful beach for a nature guide we headed back through St.George to a private beach. Here we relaxed on beach chairs, swam in the breathtaking green/blue Caribbean Sea and enjoyed a wonderful B-B-Que.  This was paradise!!!

"Enjoy Spinny"

JULIE REYNOLDS:
Dominica! The “land of 365 Rivers,” also known as the “Nature Isle of the Caribbean.” We started out this day with a bus ride, during which it’s always fun to get a taste of life in the area. It’s also a “thrill” to experience driving in the area! From island to island, it varies as to what side of the road is driven on, and what side of the vehicle the steering wheel is on . . . a little disconcerting, unless you just give up and don’t worry about any of it – and enjoy the ride. :) Ignore those vehicles that are racing by you, managing somehow not to clip off your side mirrors in the process! As we got closer, it was a little worrisome looking at the river, as it looked pretty low and dry! We wondered if the water be deep enough for what we needed.

Then we arrived at the river and were given our life vests, helmets, paddles and modified inner tubes. As it turned out, the river was just fine for our trip – deep enough to be safe and fun, but not so deep that we were in any danger if we were upended. Guides were there all along the way to help direct us away from rock protrusions at the faster “white water” spots. Enough of those to make it exciting! It was a step outside the comfort zone for this girl, but I had a blast, and I’m so glad we did it.

You had a modicum of control ...well, maybe that’s being a little generous. The paddles were really more to help us move away from rocks than to move us in any desired direction. Kristine’s husband, Pete, wore a helmet cam.  At one point, he said the film was going to be “very spinny.” As I thought more about that, I realized that’s really what this trip is. We get away from our everyday life and work, where we are always trying to maintain focus and work toward goals.  On a trip like this, it’s a chance to take each day as it comes and enjoy it moment by moment. Forget focus – enjoy “spinny.”

First Time and Fabulous

Today's post spotlights two of our first-time incentive trip earners, Directors Roz Bianchi and her Upline, Director Amy Raftery. Here's their take on earning their first-ever trip (but with many more to come!)

AMY RAFTERY:

My husband and I just returned from the most wonderful trip with several of my CTMH coworkers and their guests. We sailed the southern Caribbean on the beautiful Celebrity Summit for 7 days of sun and fun, and made memories we will treasure for a lifetime.

What makes the trip even more special for us is when we were married nine years ago, we had to cancel our honeymoon at the last minute because my husband, an active duty US Marine, got orders to deploy. With the support of my family and other CTMH team members, I was able to earn this trip for us and last week we had our honeymoon!

I am sure that there was a lot of work involved by the CTMH executive team and their staff, so a huge thank you goes out to them for making the trip so very special!  And to Jeanette, a very special thank you for creating such a wonderful family of people who just happen to be passionate about stamping and scrapbooking and for creating the most wonderful company and products with which we can use them to preserve our memories!

ROZ BIANCHI:

My favorite part of trip was connecting with old friends and making new ones—there's nothing like it! I enjoyed the way CTMH spoiled me every evening and included my spouse in the gifts too (cruisers received special gifts every night in their cabin, from his-and-hers CTMH flip flops, to a great damask tote and jewelry roll, to a stunning beaded watch and more!).  It was a big eye opener for Greg to realize how hard I really worked to earn the trip, and now he is inspired to help me earn Costa Rica.

It was great to have personal one-on-one time with all the corporate staff, in such a relaxed and beautiful environment: I walked on the beach with Monica, talked with Brian, visited with Kristine, and then shared dinner with Sheena and Tiffany. I really was relaxed and had a fun time.

I think I was really excited at opening reception to stand next to my upline Amy Raftery and all of the other first time cruisers—there were so many of us; that is very exciting!

I survived the Titou Gorge in Dominica!

MELISSA LAVERTY:
Our itinerary for the Southern Caribbean Cruise was simple – sand, sun, surf. And that’s pretty much what Mike and I did in St. Croix, St. Kitts, Grenada and St. Thomas. But Dominica, nicknamed the "Nature Isle of the Caribbean,” was really the place to explore and take in the unspoiled beauty of the island.

Along with Sarah Paige-Gruber, Rebecca Cross, Dana Kessler, Briana Bostick and our husbands, during our day-long adventure, we fell in love with the island and its people. The highlight was our swim in Titou Gorge, where scenes from Pirates of the Caribbean 2 were filmed. It must have been the prospect of seeing Johnny Depp in the caves that compelled me to jump off a 10-foot cliff into 60-degree water with little room for error. It was one of those “dumbest, but coolest things I've ever done” sort of moments. From there, we swam to and then jumped off a waterfall. Just crazy!

I stopped for a second while shivering, I mean swimming, through the breathtakingly beautiful gorge and looked at the faces of my friends. Every one of them was beaming. Earning a Close to My Heart Incentive Trip isn't easy. It requires hard work, perseverance and commitment. But it’s these shared moments of wonder with people who have become dear friends that make it all worth it. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for us in Costa Rica!!!

The Joy of St. Croix

SARAH PAIGE-GRUBER:
The southern Caribbean cruise was fantastic! This is a little snippet of our vacation.  Sunday was our first stop, the port of St. Croix. Our friends Barbra and Mark Otten invited my husband, Aaron, and me along on a private sailing excursion. We took a taxi from Frederiksted to Christiansted. Barb booked our trip with Captain Dee and her sail boat, "Zulu." We met Capt. Dee and first mate Mason on the boardwalk. We had a wonderful day.

We started with an hour-long sail out to Green Cay Island.  On the way there she taught us a bit about sailing.  Barb and Mark did some rope handling and Barb did quite a bit to help with tacking.  Captain Dee also shared stories and some history about the island with us.

When we reached our destination we all suited up for some snorkeling.  We were the only boat anchored near the island and the five of us would be the only snorkelers around.  Everyone was excited, I was the only nervous one.  Mason was our guide for the snorkeling adventure.  We all jumped in and began our snorkeling tour of the reef.  It was a nice trip, we saw many different fish, lots of colors and different coral.

After about an hour of swimming the shallow waters, we saw an interesting fish on the ocean floor that blended in perfectly into its surroundings. Just then, with all of our attention on the ocean floor out from under some rocks swam a gray fish, I was sure it was a sting ray. I was excited that we would get to see a ray! As the ray swam out, its shape was not quite what I expected. It got longer and longer and when my brain caught up with what my eyes were seeing I couldn't help but yell SHARK! What was swimming out of the rocks was a large nurse shark! It was about 6-7 feet long and big. Big enough to make me put the death grip onto Mason with one hand and my husband with the other. The shark swam away from us and I popped my head out of the water. I won't lie, I was a little hysterical! Everyone was excited. Mason assured me that I was safe, and he told me it was a nurse shark. After that encounter, the boys decided to try to find it again, with no luck. We swam back to the boat, where Captain Dee had prepared a nice lunch for us. Mason then told us that it was the largest nurse shark that he had ever seen! 

After lunch we had a pleasant ride back to shore, where Aaron got to steer the boat back.  Barb and Mark also did a little more work with the ropes as well.

It was a fabulous adventure and I would highly recommend booking a day trip with Captain Dee and the Zulu, if you find yourself in St. Croix!

Cruising: Let's Share the Adventure!

Wishing you calm seas and sunny beaches! This is Kristine, recently returned from an incredible week aboard the Celebrity Summit in the southern Caribbean with more than 200 Close To My Heart cruise earners and their guests. We were fortunate to be spared the difficulties experienced by those aboard the Triumph; our heartfelt best wishes go out to those folks. We hope their future experiences are more like the fabulous time that we had together—but don't take MY word for it, let's hear from some of our Consultant cruisers! To provide you a Consultant's-eye view of what earning a Close To My Heart incentive trip is like, Jeanette asked me to recruit a few revelers to share some thoughts and photos with blog readers. You'll hear from first-time cruise-earners as well as seasoned pros, each with their own take on the work and the rewards of this unique adventure.

To get us started, let's hear from a husband of a cruise earner! If one thing is clear, it's that incentive trip earners have the most fantastic support teams ever. We get to meet these wonderful husbands, moms, daughters, sisters, and friends and it is a constant: the guest is always a great cheerleader of the Consultant's business. We honor and applaud their commitment to their Consultant's passion for Close To My Heart and know the great work they do "behind the scenes." Today, meet Stacey Froemming, husband of Senior Director Shari Froemming of Omaha, Nebraska who has been a consistent trip earner for more than a decade:

STACEY FROEMMING:
Thank you for approaching me about what these incentive trips mean to me personally. It is difficult to boil down what should be pages of memories into a paragraph or two, however, I am sure that the memories we have will fill more than one album. I can't tell you how much fun I have had on these adventures. They do get in your blood, and I am so looking forward to Costa Rica.

Patricia Schultz, in her book 1,000 Places To See Before You Die, closes her introduction by quoting Mark Twain: "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the tradewinds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

How many of us get the privilege to follow in the footsteps of Columbus, Ponce de Leon or Blackbeard? This past incentive reward trip afforded us these privileges, and even more, as we walked through the Fort of Old San Juan, Puerto Rico; visited Christopher Columbus's favorite island, St. Kitts (he named it St. Christopher's after himself); entered St. George Harbor in Grenada; or strolled along the silky sands of Magens Bay in St. Thomas, voted one of the most beautiful beaches in the world?

Each and every incentive trip Shari earns with CTMH brings with it a sense of excitement and wonder as we 'check off' another site on the list from Schultz's book. When we look at the map of the places we have been on her computer, all the magnificent and exotic locales we have visited becomes real. To some that might seem too good to be true, but the reality is that Close To My Heart has given her the opportunity to do exactly what she is made to do: succeed! Close To My Heart is a community, and every year, I get to see CTMH friends as we set off on another adventure.

Enchanting Costa Rica is Calling!

Hello! Monica here and what a whirlwind of a winter I have had! Luckily, I haven’t seen much of cold and snow as I have traveled to events all over the country (and the world) to many beautiful and sunny destinations such as Costa Rica, which is the destination for our next incentive trip in 2014! Our incentive trip qualification period runs from October 1, 2012 through September 30, 2013 and I know that so many Consultants are working hard to achieve this fabulous trip.

I recently had the opportunity to visit Costa Rica to “test the waters” to make sure that every minute of our experience there would be perfect. I can assure you – this enchanting location does not disappoint!  Consultants who achieve this incredible trip will spend 6 nights at the luxurious Westin Playa Conchal Resort, which is located on the North Pacific coast of Costa Rica. It is a world-class beach resort located on 2,400 acres of lush tropical landscape. Sparkling blue pacific waters, volcanic mountains and flourishing rain forests surround the Westin hotel, which was even featured as the top prize to the team that won first place on a recent episode of The Amazing Race. How cool is that?

I was delighted with the Costa Rican culture and the phenomenal people that I met there. The most commonly used phrase that I heard and ended up using many times myself was “Pura vida!”, which literally means “Pure Life”. This saying goes beyond its simple translation though, it really is a way of life in Costa Rica. You’ll hear this Spanish expression in a multitude of ways, from a greeting to a farewell, or as a way to express satisfaction or gratitude. It truly symbolizes the idea of being happy, celebrating good fortune and enjoying life.

The beauty of this destination is breathtaking, with white sandy beaches, stunning wildlife and an amazing ambiance. It was like nowhere else I’ve ever been, and I’ve traveled to many incredible and sensational places in my 20 years with Close To My Heart! This resort has something for everyone because everything is included – yes, everything! If you are one to relax and lounge at the beach, you will be blissfully happy here. If you love the nightlife, there’s a full schedule of entertainment each night at the resort. If you are an adventure-seeker, there are amazing zip lines, the greenest golf course you’ve ever seen, rainforest hikes and other excursions that will let you experience this diverse natural oasis in fashion!

The requirements to earn this land tour are within reach, and to help create some serious momentum in each of our Consultant’s businesses, Close To My Heart just announced a sensational sales campaign that will help propel them straight to Costa Rica. If you are a Consultant, involve your customers, your co-workers, your family and friends and earn some additional incentive trip points while having a blast doing it! If you aren’t a Consultant, but would like to know more about becoming one, visit our website at www.closetomyheart.com for more information!

I am so grateful that Jeanette and Close To My Heart see the benefit and value of investing in Consultants who are willing to work hard. Our incentive trip programs are created to support Consultants and to help them grow their businesses, while earning an amazing vacation at the same time. Set your sights on Costa Rica and join Close To My Heart super stars there for a relaxing, rewarding and all around radically good time in paradise in 2014!

Aloha and Mahalo!

A warm Hawaiian congratulations to our 67 amazing Hawaii cruise earners! Earlier in the month, NCL's Pride of America set sail with some of the "Pride of Close To My Heart" onboard: wonderful top-performing Consultants, a chosen guest, and in many cases, family and friends to share the experience along with our Vice Presidents Monica Wihongi, Kristine Widtfeldt, and Brian Holman. A special shout out goes to our 21 first-time earners! How I hope it was a magical, memorable and "must-repeat" adventure for each of you. Although Hawaii is truly my favorite place on earth, for a variety of reasons, I was unable to attend the cruise—but my, have I enjoyed the stories! To share some highlights, I've asked the veeps to share their thoughts:

KRISTINE

We spent two days on the "big island," with one day in Hilo and the second in Kona. Both days brought sprinkles but that didn't dampen our enthusiasm for the lush forests and beautiful vistas and delicious eats. Our Close To My Heart excursion was an on-the-bus/off-the-bus dance that involved a ton of cool stops, starting with the horticulture gardens, replete with awesome photo ops. Here's Ginni Candelaria making the most of the scenery.

We also saw Rainbow Falls. My husband kinda ignored the sign to stay behind the railing :), so I focused on taking photos of others—like friend Karen Morris, dutifully standing well behind the railing.

We stopped at the famous black-sand beaches of Hilo, courtesy of all the volcanic activity. I have a tradition of always taking a photo of my feet/shoes in an iconic place when I'm on vacation, so here's my customary shot featuring my new walking shoes—before they were destroyed by mud—on that crunchy black sand. 

We also visited Big Island Candy and the Mauna Loa macadamia nut factory, where we all stocked up on local favorite treats. Random trivia: did you know that macadamia nuts are the top crop grown in Hawaii? It's not pineapple, like some folks might think—our guide said pineapple isn't even grown commercially there anymore! Judging by our group, you'd think the biggest export was chocolate—check out Karen Pedersen stocking up on chocolate-covered macadamia nuts to share with loved ones back home (or not, right, Karen?).

The highlight of the day was Volcano National Park, home to Kilauea. She was a little camera shy that morning, and preferred to hide under clouds of mist and steam. Still, we got some great shots at the steam vents (it was like walking on the moon!) off the beaten trail. It was fun to see what everyone REALLY looks like—wet hair, rain ponchos and all—here are Shari Froemming and husband Stacey in all their steam-vent glory, and Shari and I moments before disappearing into a lava tube (watch out, Indiana Jones!)

MONICA

Kauai is my absolute favorite of all the Hawaiian Islands!   This was our final island stop before returning back to Oahu to go home. 

We planned a group excursion to kayak and then hike to a waterfall known as Secret Falls (the Hawaiian name is Uluwehi Falls). Before I begin describing our adventure, you must know that for many days prior to our excursion Kauai had record-breaking rain—more than 36 inches in just two days!  Typically the conditions are much more mild than what we experienced. 

We started out in two-man kayaks, navigating a pretty deep and wide river that was overflowing because of all the rain. That was a pretty intense river! 

Once we made it to our landing point we began our 1 1/2 mile hike up the rigorous paths, which were full of tree roots and massive amounts of mud! We needed to cross several small rivers, which again, because of the rain had risen up to waist-deep water. The current was so strong that we had to hold on to ropes to cross. 

The hiking trails were more challenging than usual, too: the mud was more than ankle deep, and there was so much mud that many of our group decided that it would be easier to walk barefoot!  This "nature walk" had become our very own "CTMH Survivor"! 

Once we reached the falls it was unbelievably amazing.  The rain had caused it to be above 80% of what it normally flows. It was something to behold. I couldn’t resist jumping in. What an amazing photo opportunity!!

After a yummy lunch we all geared up for the long trek back through mud land :). As we headed back down the trail, we did have an unfortunate accident, one of my worst fears realized: our dear friend and Consultant, Lynn Como was injured, dislocating her elbow after a fall. She was quickly helped by many in her hiking group (with a special shout out to Greg Gilbertson, husband of Consultant Margi Gilbertson). 

They were quick to take control of the situation and literally carry Lynn to the kayak where the guide kayaked her out to a place where she could be rushed to the hospital. Gratefully, Lynn is doing better and in fact told everyone at our business meeting the next day that she loved this excursion above any other we have ever offered and would do it again, given the chance! Wow, she is the ULTIMATE CTMH survivor! So happy she is on her way to a full recovery.  

For many, this excursion was scary, hard, exhausting, team building, uniting, fun, funny, spectacular and like nothing we have ever done as a group before.  I’m sure there are many different stories that those who were there could tell and I’m not sure we would do it again, but for me, ultimately it was about being together with the people I respect, admire and love to have adventures with. I’m pretty sure this will be one of those excursions that goes down in Close to My Heart history!  Here’s to all the mud warriors:  I’ll be working on a Convention ribbon to give each of you that says, “I survived the Kauai excursion!”

BRIAN

We started and finished the cruise on the island of Oahu.  As we left our weeklong home away from home, the Pride of America, we boarded two tour buses for a circle island tour. We got to visit the Dole Pineapple Plantation and enjoy pineapple-flavored ice cream. We witnessed the natural wonders of the Halona Blowhole and beautiful Hanauma Bay.  

But for me the highlight of the excursion was our visit to the WWII Valor in the Pacific National Monument including the USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor.  We saw a powerful video of the history of the Pearl Harbor attack and then were escorted to the boat that took us to the USS Arizona Memorial.  It was a solemn experience to see the names of all those who are entombed in the USS Arizona and reflect up their sacrifice. 

It was also touching to see the names of those survivors who chose to have their ashes returned to the USS Arizona after they passed away to be with their fallen comrades.  

As we were viewing the names, I noticed that there was a wreath gifted from Nagaoka City, Japan.  I reflected on the gesture and was reminded of Japan's devastating loss that happened with the earthquake and tsunami one year ago.  It was great to be there with my Close To My Heart friends that share my same love of God, family and country.