Submitted by Megan Vernon, Consultant Service Rep.

1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can tuna fish
¼ cup water
1 cup celery
¼ cup onion
1 cup chopstick (chow mien noodles)
½ cup of cashews (or as desired)

Mix together tuna fish, soup, and water, add remaining ingredients and mix together lightly. Place in 8×8 baking dish or small casserole pan. Cover top with layer of chopsticks. Heat oven to 375ºF and bake for 15 minutes. Serves 4 – 5

Storybooking recipe, tuna

Patti, Jeff, Doug, and Judy’s fabulous adventure comes to an end…

It’s the last day and while it has been an amazing trip, I am ready to get home and hold that beautiful grandbaby of mine and, of course, get back to work and talk with all of you.

Today is a perfect way to end the trip. We have a half day at sea and seven hours in Nassau. The weather is much cooler than in the Caribbean, but it’s perfect. During the morning we went for a late breakfast in the dining room and then up to the top deck for a little golf and ping pong while we wait for the captain to give us the go ahead to depart from the ship.

Today we did a little shopping in Nassau. This was not my favorite place to shop. Make sure you get your shopping done prior to coming to this island. They did offer cute straw bags that I didn’t see at other locations. We spend most of the day visiting a resort called Paradise Island. What a resort! It was huge, the beach was beautiful, and the underground fish tank was awesome. Talk about a great snorkeling location! Yes, they do allow people to snorkel in the aquarium. You can also just rent a beach chair and hang out for the rest of the day.

This is my least favorite evening. It’s time to pack up and get ready to get off the ship in the morning. My advice is to pack light. I have probably seven shirts I didn’t wear and a couple of evening outfits as well.

It’s been an exciting site inspection and I have gotten a lot of information to help make your 2011 TAC Trip Amazing. I hope you will participate in Discovering the Oasis and let Heritage Makers show you and your spouse or guest a great time! Keep working your business consistently to take advantage of every point available.

Company News

Wow! We’ve got some great photos to feature today. After looking through a few blogs I can see that many of you have some great photos that will look great in any project.

Love this picture by Dari Blake. She captured the perfect moment with this boy’s big smile and hands up in the air. It just screams excitement.

http://2010in365bydari.blogspot.com/2010/02/january-31-2010-game-time.html

This black and white photo by Jeremy English would look great on a canvas. And can you believe it was taken with an iPhone? So nice that we live in this digital age when capturing the moments has been made that much easier.

http://absolutecontrast.blogspot.com/2010/03/absolute-contrast-132.html

The angle this photo was taken on is just plain fun and adds a great perspective to the Benson Family Blog.

http://bensonsrblogging.blogspot.com/2010/01/project-365-day-21.html

Kids really do grow up so fast but pictures just like Collette’s help us remember every moment.

http://lettieslense.blogspot.com/2010/03/march-5.html

And we can’t forget the action. Becky Logan really captures the excitement of this basketball game.

http://rwdsproject365.blogspot.com/2010/02/day-50-feb-20-2010_23.html

Thank you, everyone, for sharing your Project 365 blog with us. Your photos look amazing.

Project 365

The open-sea adventures are coming to an end…

Today is our last day at sea. We are heading back home, how sad. We stayed out late last night and were in no hurry to get up and get going. On sea days there is so much going on from early to late. We started the day in the gym again. So far I’ve had amazing food and lost 1 lb. Okay, it depends on which way the boat is rocking.  After the gym, a great breakfast in the Central Park Café, then off to my room for a little work.

By 10:00 a.m., it was time to put on the swimming suit and head out to the adventure areas of the boat. First, we visited the Rock Wall. The line was a little long so I decided against going up. Besides I was saving my arms for the Flowrider, where we headed next. It’s been two years so I was a little nervous. First jump in I didn’t go far enough and bounded right back, yes I was wearing my Heritage Makers T-shirt, a must. Second try I dove right in and stayed on the board. Once I got control, I moved to my knees and was able to sail with no hands. The next trick was a barrel roll. This one took me the entire cruise last time. I was close but hit the top wave and I made my final turn so it was a “wipe out.” Jeff continued to play on the stand up board while I found a nearby lounge chair and book. We spent the rest of the day relaxing.

Tonight is our last formal night and show. It’s lobster night in the dining room. We ordered a little Prime Rib to go with our lobster and shrimp. It was amazing. After dinner we had an hour before our last show, Come Fly With Me. All of the shows have been amazing and I was a little worried about this one because it seemed similar to the one on the Liberty and I wasn’t too fond of that show.

This show is a combination of singing, dancing, gymnastics and acrobatics. Again, it was one of the best shows I’ve seen. The performances and vocals were outstanding. Some amazing stunts and acrobatics were performed. The entertainment on this ship has been exceptional on every level. I’m not sure how a ship this large pulled that off.

This ship holds over 6,000 when it’s at full capacity, which it is on this sailing and I’m amazed that you don’t feel it. There are so many things to do and places to eat that there are no lines, except for the Flowrider. There are always things to do or nothing at all. I know many are worried about taking a cruise because of the motion sickness. Usually, I can feel it the first night and after that I’m good. On this ship I felt no movement for the five days. Not even a little. When we turned to head back to Nassau the waters were a little rougher or I think the captain had to make up some time and you could feel the boat rocking, however it wasn’t bad at all. I’ve also been worried that our cabins were at the very front of the ship and I would feel the movement. I don’t like the front of the ship as a general rule. Again, the cabin has been great and no problems with the movement at all.

After walking through the ship and looking at where our cabins are, I think we have some great locations. We have a few Central Park and Boardwalk balconies that I’m going to recommend we let go and move to ocean view. The Central Park and Boarwalk cabins are a novelty, but they are very noisy. There isn’t much privacy in those areas. Those who have not upgraded from an inside cabin will be just fine as well. These cabins are located in the front of the ship, and of course have no view, but you really aren’t in your room much anyway.

Tomorrow is Nassau in the Bahamas. We are going to tour Atlantis. My brother took his family there and said it was absolutely amazing. I can’t wait to see it.

Company News

The cruising adventures are half over! See what the crew was up to today!

Can you believe it’s half over already? Time really does fly when you are having fun.

This morning we woke up docked at St Maartin, a beautiful island with amazing turquoise waters and a quaint shopping area lining the beach. We are in St Maartin from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., which is plenty of time to tour the entire island, sit on the beach, and shop.

We will be holding our private Flowrider session. Still working on if it will be in the morning before you depart for the island or in the late afternoon when you come back. This is an island that I would not recommend paying for a tour though the cruise line. The island is small and there are plenty of tours offered right off ship. You can rent a moped and venture off on your own or book at 1 ½ hour, 2 hour, or 3 hour air conditioned island tour. These tours range from $15 to $45 .depending on how many people you have going. Downtown is about a mile away or a $3 taxi ride, well worth the $3. Today was very warm and they said unseasonably humid.  

You can rent a lounge chair, umbrella, and a bucket with 5 bottles of beer or 2 mixed drinks for $20 per person. The water was beautiful and the beach was crowded. The nice part is there was fun Caribbean music playing, and plenty of restaurants and bars. There was even a location offering FREE internet in an air conditioned portion of the restaurant. You can also take a taxi to a beach located on the other side of the island. This taxi ride gives you a tour of half of the island and straight to a more private beach. Again, you can catch a taxi just outside the dock. It is a very well organized port. I think they have to be with 5 cruise ships docked on the same day.

I didn’t have the opportunity to shop in St Thomas, but in talking to others the shopping areas are very similar. The main shopping area is located just on the other side of the beach. It’s nice because you can walk between the buildings to get to the shops. These shops seem to offer more clothing locations, including Cariloha an all bamboo clothing store, Linen Galore, Del Sol with its color changing ability, several electronic stores, and plenty of jewelry stores. You can also find the flea market style shopping one block further.

Tonight we dined at the specialty restaurant Chops Grill. This will be the location for our President’s Club dinner. The steak was amazing. I thought the food in the dining room was great, this was phenomenal. I hope you will be a President’s Club member and be invited to join Doug and Chris for this very special evening.

We don’t have a scheduled show tonight, but there is plenty to do on the ship. You know how our group loves Karaoke…they have had some good Karaoke sessions but they offer something call Rock-a-Rokie. It’s Karaoke to a live band. It was awesome!

Husbands Tip—Bring good walking shoes for the shopping and don’t forget to sunscreen your head if you don’t have any hair!

Company News

Today was our first port of call, St. Thomas. I’ve never been here but have heard how beautiful the water is. Everything I’ve heard is absolutely true. When we woke up this morning we were already docked and people were leaving the ship. We were at the port from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. This is our longest day at port. Because of the size of Oasis we are docked at a port that is further from the central tourist shopping area, however it’s only a $4 taxi ride over there.

As we ventured to the other side of the ship to grab a bite to eat before we left the ship, the splendor of the Oasis was very evident. We were parked side by side another ship and the Oasis over powered it in size and splendor.

One of tasks on the site inspection is to find a group tour for us to participate in during our January sailing. St. Thomas seemed like the most logical choice. Doing a little research online I found a charter that offers an all day tour. The charter offers unlimited drinks (soda, beer and mixed drinks), a great lunch, two snorkeling stops, and snorkeling equipment on a 65’ sail boat. Because of the size of our group we would have to charter two ships…not a problem. Our first stop was to a National Park Preserve. The water was amazing and so clear. I stopped bringing underwater cameras with me because the water is never really clear enough to get a good picture. I sure wish I had that underwater camera of Jennifer Zuckers! The water was the perfect temperature and there were so many fish. I saw yellow ones, yellow with black and white strips, dark deep purple with a hint of black, lavender with a gray tail, black, and so many more. We even saw one that looked like the coral on the bottom. We’re not sure what it was but it camouflaged itself so well you really had to look hard to find it even knowing what rock it was on. Did I forget to mention the beautifully sandy beaches that were right next to the coral reef? We stayed there for 1 ½ hours, then back to the boat for lunch.

After lunch we were off to another snorkeling location. This location was not quite as clear but there were plenty of fish, including the captains friendly Barracuda he gave out leftovers to. Nothing like looking under the water to catch a glimpse of it and having it turn and face you and swim towards you. Very sharp teeth! If I didn’t know better I would swear he was laughing at my fear.

What an amazing day! We set sail at 9:00 a.m. and were back at the dock at 4:00 p.m. I talked with the captain and the crew to get their suggestions for our private charter and they said that the location we went to was great, but they would suggest taking our group to the Jost VanDyke in the British Virgin Islands or up to the Virgin Gorda (The Baths). Instead of going to two different locations, we will sail to one great location and beach, spend a couple hours. then sail back to the island in time to do a little shopping. It’s going to be an amazing excursion.

Did I mention that we just happened to have two thirds of the USA Women’s Hockey Team on our sailing? They were a great group of girls and added a lot to the trip. They signed a lot of t-shirts. At the end of the trip, one of them reached in her bag and realized she had her Olympic Silver Metal. She brought it out to show us all. What an amazing day!

Now back on board I’ve covered myself with Aloe! I did great until the last snorkel when it was a little overcast. I have great tan line on my back and chest! Bring plenty of sunscreen.

Dinner tonight was great as always. I selected the surf and turf and tonight was my very favorite dessert on the ship. I’ll give anyone 10 TAC points if you email in the right answer of what Patti’s favorite dessert is by Wednesday @5pm. Send your emails to TAC@heritagemakers.com

Tonight’s show is the headliner show. This show actually changes weekly so whatever we see tonight will not be the same show when we sail in January. Later this evening is the 70’s party in the royal promenade and that means dancing, singing, and a great show by the staff.

Tomorrow is St Maartin from 7:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.!

Company News

After John Travolta’s son died in 2009, Heritage Makers consultant Maria Fontaine made a book about Travolta, his family, and the loss of their son. What Maria didn’t expect was a thank you from the Travolta family.

Below are the letters from Maria to Heritage Makers consultant Lisa Phelps and from the Travolta family to Maria.

Hi.

January 2009 John Travolta lost his son and with a heavy heart I could feel a father’s pain with his beloved son now gone, so I decided to make a book for John and his family. I made a 5×5 book for the Travolta family and I am sending you a copy of his response, the book was titled Jett.
Thanks, MARIA

Company News letter, Travolta

Doug, Judy, Patti, and Jeff continue their fun!

Well, our second day at sea has come and gone. What a great day! The sun was up, the music was playing, and there was plenty to do or nothing at all. It’s up to you!

Here is just a sampling of activities for the day:

Rise and shine exercise classes

Tug-of-war

Ice Skating

Shopping one day sales

Nintendo Wii Fit

Fountain Shows in the Aqua Theater

Men’s Sexy Legs Competition

Pool Games and Sports

Salsa Dance Class

Dodgeball

And, of course, the Flowriders, rock walls, golf course, and zipline were open.

I started today in the gym for an early morning walk. I have to admit this was not my first choice but some of you will understand the lack of sleep I sometimes get. Surprisingly it was refreshing. This was my first trip to the gym and it was amazing as was the spa. One of the nicest I’ve seen on a ship! Guess what ladies, there is no more rushing off to the spa after checking in the first day of sea. You can book all of your spa treatments before you even set sail!

Then it’s off to the Central Park Café for a light breakfast. Since I was up so early I decided that I would go ahead and put on my suit and find me a great lounge chair by the pool. There I stayed for 3 hours until Jeff found me for lunch. He probably saved me from the early cruise sun burn that so many are walking around with. Of course, he had spent his morning trying to master the Flowrider.

Lunch in the dining room with Doug and Judy was great. With so many places to eat we are trying really hard to fit them all in. But the dining room during lunch is a must. I hear they also make a great breakfast; I just never seem to get up that early. I’m going to try to make an effort to do that. However, I also heard that the breakfast room service was good too!

Our show tonight was the Oasis of Dreams. This is the show in the $15 million Aqua Theater. The first of it’s kind. All I can say is amazing! We are three for three on this ship so far. This show had four separate casts; acrobatics, dancers, synchronized swimmers and divers. The performance was great, the diving was great, and the acrobatics were fantastic! I’ve never seen so many muscles. WOW! Then off to a late dinner in the dining room. Tonight it was giant prawns, one of my favorites. The night was still young so we took a stroll down the promenade and came across a session of Karaoke. It was a lot of fun, but not quite the same without our Heritage Makers vocalist. As you know, Patti does not Karaoke but I love to clap along from my own seat. I was even able to restrain Jeff since he was missing his back up singers.

Husbands Corner: Today I spent about 2 hours at the Flowrider.  I’m getting better! One of the lifeguards suggested if we get 8 people to gather we could do a private lesson. I also looked into scuba diving for those of us that would like to get certified. They do it on board in a class of 12. You take the basics on the ship and then do the 2 dives and complete the PADI course in St. Thomas. I’m sure that Patti has told you how great the shows have been and I will back her up on that. They have been fantastic! Hope to see you here in Jan 2011.

Tomorrow is St. Thomas so it’s off to bed. We are checking out a full day snorkeling trip to St. Johns as a group excursion. I’ll let you know how it goes.

TAC Action Step Five—You made 5 calls today and should have your 5 Studio Demos booked. Set a goal to sell a minimum of 5 Club Premier Memberships to NEW clients today. So often we are going back to our existing customer base to offer specials and promotions. Of course. this is important; however it is equally important to continue to build your client base with new members. As you are aware, March thru May we are offering a special incentive on the Consultant Kits. It’s a great time to really build your team. Be sure to keep a balance between personal sales and sponsoring. Your personal sales are what will lead you to new consultant!

Company News

What great adventures Patti, Jeff, Doug, and Judy had today!

It’s Sunday and truly is the day of rest. It’s our first day at sea and I didn’t get out of bed until 12:00 noon when Jeff wanted to go get some lunch! Today we ate at in the Solarium, which is an adult only location on the ship and the dining offers a variety of healthy selections.

We then ventured to the back of the ship to make a future reservation to ride the zip line that sends you flying from deck 14 down to the lower decks. This is a very popular activity and reservations fill up quickly, so this will be one you want to register for the first day. I’ll let you know how it goes.

After a leisurely walk around the ship checking out all the sites, it was back to our room for a quick nap again. Can you believe we slept again until it was time to get ready for the first formal night?

Tonight’s dinner was great. Jeff had a seafood skewer with vegetables and I had Shrimp Cocktail followed by a Beef Medallions with vegetables. For dessert we both went for the strawberry cheese cake.

Judy and Doug enjoying dinner.

Tonight’s show was Frozen in Time, an ice show. On the Liberty this was one of the best shows. It was just as good on this ship, but with a different theme. Imagine ice skating on a moving ship!

After the show we went to check out the Boardwalk, took a ride on the Carrousel, and then a visit to Johnny Rockets for a chocolate milk shake and a root beer float. There was plenty of dancing, karaoke and ship board games going on.

Well, it’s 1:00 a.m. and time for bed so I can get up early enough to get a great lounge chair. Maybe tomorrow we will give the flow rider a try or climb the rock wall. It’s another day at sea so relaxing is the primary goal!

Husband Corner—well this morning I was up early so I could practice on the flowrider, the ship as you may know has two flowriders, one is for surfing and the other for buggy boarding. My form still needs some work, but I had a blast. By the time I was done with that it was lunch time. If you have cruised with Heritage Makers before you might know that I try to eat things for dinner that I would not cook at home. Well I’ve come up with a new challenge for myself and that is to eat at every dinning location on board and I’m happy to let you know that I’ve found the food is very good so far. I’ll keep you posted through out the week.

Company News

Join Heritage Makers President Doug Cloward, his wife Judy, Director of Sales Patti Gardner, and her husband Jeff on an amazing cruising adventure!

We are finally here! Can you believe this ship? It is amazing. Today is Saturday and we are at Port Everglade waiting to board the Oasis of the Sea. We get advanced boarding so we’ll be sure to take lots of great pictures.

Boarding the ship went smoothly and, let me tell you, this ship is amazing. We boarded around 11:00 a.m. and have been walking ever since. Of course, we stopped to get a few bites to eat here and there. I’m trying to type quickly so I can get this first post off before we set sail. So let me give you a brief overview.

When you board, you enter on deck five, the Royal Promenade, which is full of restaurants, lounges, shops and more. The scenery is amazing. There are live plants everywhere. It’s like a floating city.

The rooms are incredible. We are in an outside balcony on deck 10 forward. A little more forward than I would like. I will let you know how the ride is later.

Today we will spend most of our time touring the ship, signing up for shows, and selecting our dining times. This ship offers My Time Dinning. When we come as a group, we will dine together most night but give you the opportunity to dine whenever you would like on other days.

What’s on the Cruise Compass today?

Welcome aboard party

Rockin’ Rhythm Parade

Welcome Aboard Show

Fountain Shows

Dance with Muzik Xpress

Comedy Show

Hairspray Broadway Musical—This is the one we are going to see tonight. I heard it is amazing.

Karaoke Kick Off at On Air

Latin Dance in Boleros

Motown Dance Party at Dazzles

Dining tonight is casual in the Opal Restaurant. We are on My Time Dining, which means we can go whenever we want. We only had to wait a few minutes before we were seated at a table for eight. I had a delicious slow cooked Prime Rib with steamed snow peas, carrots, and sweet potatoes. Jeff ordered the baked Sea Bass with rice and lintels. Of course, he ordered two main dishes…his second was pasta in a mushroom truffle sauce. Simply scrumptious! For dessert we had the peach and blueberry cobbler with vanilla bean ice cream.

Keep following as there is more to come!

Company News