Strange Daze Indeed

Isn't life strange? And wonderful!

$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash #Giveaway – Book Blast!

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We have another amazing Book Blast Giveaway for you. Discover some new reads for summer and make sure to enter to win $100 Paypal Cash or Amazon Gift Card.

Destined for Love Resorts Collection – Thrilling Sweet Destination Romances

 

KEEP ME AT CHRISTMAS by Lucinda Whitney
Can the magic of the season keep them together beyond Christmas?
When Luciana Romano arrives in Hudson Springs, New York, her plan is to complete her restoration job at the museum so she can return home to her family in time for Christmas. But a blizzard grounds all flights, and she finds herself stranded. The DiLorenzo family offers her a place to stay, and she accepts their hospitality. But the unexpected attraction between her and the quiet, good-looking son makes it hard to want to leave.
Jack DiLorenzo is stuck. Managing the family’s Italian café is not what he’d planned to do with his life, but his sense of duty won’t let him quit. When his grandmother invites a Portuguese woman to stay with them, Jack feels something he hasn’t felt for a long time: hope. He knows he shouldn’t get close to Luciana since she’s leaving as soon as the airport opens, but he can’t help himself.
Yet as the magic of the season begins to work on them, he wonders how he can let go of the woman who’s awakened his heart.

AMAZON

 

IF THE SUIT FITS by Sally Johnson
Finding love at the amusement park can be quite a ride.
Becky Perkins has lost her job, her lease, and her car. As a result, she moves back in with her parents and takes the only job she can find: a seasonal position at the local amusement park as a sign spinner. Unfortunately, it includes wearing a foam hot-dog suit.
When she crashes into fellow park employee Hudson Lowell, on her first day, suddenly the job doesn’t seem so bad.
Actuary Hudson Lowell feels the weight of the world on his shoulders with this assignment. The Gainesville Amusement Park has been struggling for years. It’s his responsibility to advise the park owners as to the viability of the park. Going into the deal, the solution seems pretty simple—until he meets Becky.
The more time Becky and Hudson spend together, the more their feelings grow, making it harder and harder for Hudson to be objective about his decision. If the park closes, it will impact the whole town and directly hurt Becky. And how can he hurt the woman he has fallen for?

AMAZON

 

SECOND CHANCE IN PARADISE by Jennifer Peel
A first love that deserves a second chance.
Doctoral student Holland Reeves may have aced every class she’s ever taken, but when it comes to life outside her lab, she finds she has more meaningful relationships with test tubes and pipettes than she does with people. That all changes when a surprise wedding invitation arrives, forcing her to return to the small coastal town of Paradise and the Clairborne Resort, where she left her first dream of being Mrs. Clairborne to begin the dream of becoming Dr. Reeves. There she must face her past and, to her surprise, the only man she ever loved, Porter Clairborne, the prodigal son who has unexpectedly returned.
Together, Holland and Porter must decide if their love deserves a second chance, and if Paradise will finally live up to its name or forever remain a town of broken dreams.

AMAZON

 

KINGS CROSSED LOVERS by Donna K. Weaver
Will their online magic survive when they meet in real life?
Ethan Walters has no time for distractions like romance. Not if he’s going to have the brilliant medical career he’s always dreamed of. But when he’s given a trip to a theme park resort as a college graduation present, he can’t exactly say no. Even if Samantha–the one girl with the power to dismantle his goals–is tagging along.
Samantha Diederik has managed to avoid her high society mother’s manipulations since the woman moved to Europe. Now she’s back and pressuring Sam to move to New York with her. With that battle on the horizon, Sam proceeds with a vacation with her brother and his roommate. She’s crushed on Ethan for years. They’ve only met online, but their hours-long conversations are the highlight of her week. Now she has a chance to find out if the cyber magic she’s felt with him will translate to real life.
And wow, does it ever–with sparks flying! Now all she has to do is find a way to fight off her mother’s machinations while convincing Ethan she won’t destroy his dreams.

AMAZON

 

MARRYING AN ATHLETE by Anne-Marie Meyer
Anna Short’s life has been in a slump ever since her boss and boyfriend—who happened to be the same person—dumped her. Now forced to work at a coffee shop, she’s pretty sure her life can’t go any lower. Enter Michael: her best friend McKenna’s older brother and life-long crush.
Michael Jones is the life of the party. As a Defenseman for the New York Rangers, he’s always had his pick of women and friends. When he mistakenly proposes to the Mayor’s daughter at a party one night, he hightails it out of New York before the media storm hits. He drives to McKenna’s house where he finds her in emotional shambles. Grateful for the distraction her problems give him, he jumps head first into finding a solution.

AMAZON

 

HER BIG FAT DREAMY BILLIONAIRE EX by Victorine Lieske
When McKenna begs them to fake a marriage so they can go with her to a counseling resort designed to help fix her failing one, Anna and Michael agree. After all, the drunken kiss they shared two years ago was definitely in the past. But when they decide to make it their mission to bring McKenna and her husband together, they begin to realize just how good of a team they really are.
Felicity should have suspected something when she got hired to take pictures at a resort in Belize, all expenses paid. When she arrives and bumps into her ex-fiancé, Aiden, she realizes she’s been set up. His grandmother is playing matchmaker and every time she turns around Grams is forcing Aiden and her together. But she can’t fall for him again, it was a disaster last time, and she doesn’t want to repeat the past.
Aiden can’t believe Felicity is at his resort. She broke his heart five years ago, and he’s determined not to allow it to happen again. But one disaster after another keeps forcing them together and he’s sure Grams is behind all of it. He’s just not sure how long he can hold out without pulling Felicity into his arms and confessing that he never really got over her.
Her Big Fat Dreamy Billionaire Ex is a sweet romance, and it is a stand-alone novel.

AMAZON

 

THE TRUST OF A BILLIONAIRE – Michelle Pennington
Can their love survive her secret?
Hannah Rhodes is determined to keep her beachfront property, even though she can’t afford to. But it’s her childhood home and she can’t bear to see it plowed down by the billionaire investor who keeps raising his offer to buy it. When the same man hires her to be his daughter’s nanny—providing her the income she needs to reject his offer—the irony is not lost on her. However, seeing him as a loving, worried father makes it difficult to enjoy her secret revenge.
For Carter Ellis, building his own resort was a massive risk, but worth it to build a new life for his daughter away from his controlling mother. Everything is going to plan except that the owner of the tumbled-down home blocking his resort view and threatening its success refuses to sell. If only his new nanny would stop distracting him, he just might be able to figure out how to solve this problem. Not only is she beautiful and vibrant, she’s helping his daughter bloom. Just when he begins to give in to his feelings, he discovers who she really is.
When their trust is shaken, will Carter and Hannah sacrifice what they wanted most for a chance at something more?

AMAZON

 

MATCHED BY DESIGN by Lindzee Armstrong

Jasmine has finally landed her dream job with a world-famous couture wedding dress designer. All she wants is to make a name for herself in the fashion world, and working on a celebrity’s wedding is a great start. But when the groom gets caught leering at the staff, the bride demands any single designers be taken off the project. No problem—Jasmine quickly invents a fake fiancé. Too bad the bride insists he come to the wedding.

Dr. Isaac Sloan couldn’t save his best friend, so he’s left the army and cut all ties with his past. Now he’s spending his newly inherited fortune to improve the transplant surgery that killed his friend. Following through on the silly marriage pact he made with his childhood crush certainly isn’t in the plans.

When Jasmine runs into Isaac at a coffee shop, he reluctantly agrees to be her pretend fiancé—but only after learning the bride’s dad is the prestigious transplant doctor who’s help he desperately needs. As sparks fly between Jasmine and Isaac, the line between fact and fiction grows very thin. Can they keep the engagement secret, or will the lies unravel their careers?

Coming Soon

 

 

$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Giveaway

Ends 6/22/18

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

 

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Enter to #Win a Bundle of Every Day Optimal #CBD Products – Pain Relief #Giveaway

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I have been given this product as part of a product review through the Chronic Illness Bloggers network. Although the product was a gift, all opinions in this review remain my own and I was in no way influenced by the company.

I’m a firm believer in a few things. 1) Life is not meant to be filled with suffering and stress and 2) If you can find a natural, safe way to help you to enjoy your life more, then go for it!

Have you heard about or tried CBD oil? It’s very popular right now for treating pain, inflammation, anxiety, sleeplessness, and many other issues. It is available online and also through medical dispensaries. Since I have fibromyalgia with a lot of daily pain impacting my life, I was especially interested in trying it.

In case you are wondering, CBD stands for Cannabidiol. Cannabidiol is a cannabis compound with significant medical benefits. While it does not make people feel high, it can be pleasantly relaxing.

There is a growing body of evidence that suggests CBD possesses medical potential for natural relief from : knee pain, shoulder pain, joint pain, pain from arthritis, muscle soreness and tenderness, headaches and migraines.

In my case, I have found that it provided a sense of calm and helped with my muscle and joint soreness. Evidence suggests that CBD is a potent anti-inflammatory, and, since inflammation is the cause of so many diseases, CBD has the potential to help so many. For those with Arthritis, Fibro and similar pain and inflammatory issues I would recommend giving it a try and seeing if it works for you.

So many of my friends use it to help with their pain and anxiety and tell me that it has done wonders for their sleep problems.

So, dear readers, whether you have tried CBD products or are new to them, I have an awesome giveaway for you!

Thanks to the folks at Every Day Optimal CBD, one of my readers will win a bundle of products including:

1 Bottle of CBD Gummies, 1 600mg CBD Tincture and 1 FibroRelief CBD Bottle

Every Day Optimal Products

Entering is simple, just enter via this link and include your email address.

All entries will receive a 10% off coupon code!

All entrants must be 18+ and live in the U.S.

This giveaway will end June 4th.

About Every Day Optimal CBD Oil

Every Day Optimal CBD is the nation’s leading supplier of USA made CBD oil products. Specializing in producing clean, pure, authentic CBD products with absolutely zero THC. All their products are derived from industrial hemp and are free and clear of any heavy metals, pesticides, and contaminants that may be found in other companies’ products. Their unique and powerful line of CBD oil products can be used to treat a wide variety of ailments and promote overall health and wellness. Check them out here.

*CBD oil made from the entire hemp plant is readily available online and is legal in all 50 states, as long as the THC level is less than .3 THC on a dry weight basis, thanks to the Agricultural Act of 2014, AKA the “Farm Bill”.

Life can be stressful enough so why not try something natural to ease your day and allow you to enjoy life to the fullest?

 ENTRY LINK

 

Join Catch by C Space! Give your opinions and earn Amazon Gift Codes!

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This is a sponsored post. I received a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

Have you ever wished you could share an idea or opinion directly with a company you love to create positive change? C Space is a company that helps brands grow by connecting them with their customers, who in turn create impactful insights for their brand. Take this quick and easy survey to see if you qualify!

You’re invited to join Catch by C Space where you will have the opportunity to join online communities and take surveys so that you can directly impact a variety of brands who work with C Space like Bose, Nestle, Walmart, McDonald’s, and Samsung (just to name a few). Whether you’re interested in retail, athletics, and beauty, food, or technology brands there’s a large assortment of research activities to interact with.

In addition to your impact on these companies’ products and services, you will have many opportunities to earn valuable rewards like Amazon gift codes for your participation in online communities and through surveys you take in Catch.

To register for Catch, just answer a few quick questions and you’ll be on your way!

Membership to Catch is by invitation only and spots are filling up fast, so take this quick survey today to see if you qualify: https://bit.ly/2rAyLQz

Join a New Snacking Community and Earn #Amazon Gift Codes!

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If you’re a frequent snacker, Mondelēz (the maker of snack foods) wants to hear from you! Do not miss this opportunity to help usher in dramatic change to the snack industry. See if you qualify here https://bit.ly/2FKcnsK!

Mondelēz has partnered with C Space to create a private online community, for people like you, to give feedback and influence their snack development decisions. The goal of the Snack Talk community is for Mondelēz to gain a greater understanding of the needs and challenges consumers face and to help them decide where improvements can be made to enhance the Snack Talk experience for consumers.

Those who qualify for membership will be invited to join this exclusive virtual community known as Snack Talk. Members will be asked to give their opinions and impressions on a variety of interesting lifestyle and Snack Talk topics. Your feedback will be heard by Mondelēz executives and will make a difference!

 

BENEFITS FOR MEMBERS:

• Fast and Easy: Share your opinions in just 5-10 minutes a week

• Influence: Your ideas will inspire product changes and new developments. How cool is that?

• Advise: Discuss, vote, brainstorm, post photos & take surveys

• Inspire: Help improve Mondelēz products & services

• Earn Rewards: Make your opinions worth something and earn rewards Amazon gift codes

Membership is by invitation only and spots are filling up fast for the Snack Talk community, so take this quick survey today to see if you qualify: https://bit.ly/2FKcnsK

 

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. I received a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

#Win $50 Paypal Cash or Amazon Gift Card – Scarlet Book Blast #Giveaway

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Thrilled to bring you another fabulous Book Blast and Giveaway! Best of luck! Winner will receive their choice of Paypal Cash or Amazon gift card.

Scarlet by Jen Geigle Johnson

The roads in and out of Paris are heavily guarded, but the dead have easy passage out of the city. A ragged old woman transports the coffins of the most recent victims of the guillotine and is waved on unimpeded. Later, the same crone watches five French aristocrats step out of their coffins unscathed. Not beheaded but spirited away to safety by that most elusive of spies: the Pimpernel. Or, as she’s known in polite society, Lady Scarlet Cavendish.

When not assuming her secret identity as a hero of the French Revolution, Scarlet presents herself as a fashionable, featherbrained young widow flitting about London. In truth, this façade is merely a diversion designed to conceal her clandestine work in France. Among members of the doomed French aristocracy, the Pimpernel is renowned for her bravery and cunning. But when tasked with rescuing handsome Comte Matteo Durand, she faces an unprecedented challenge: she is falling in love with the man. If ever there were a time to keep her head, it is now— because in a world brimming with intrigue, she is not the only one harboring secrets. And if Scarlet doesn’t take care, Madame la Guillotine may finally catch up with the Pimpernel.

Praise
“Jen handled her adaptation beautifully, she makes the history of this tumultuous era come alive. Those familiar with The fictional world of The Pimpernel will appreciate her salute to the original and lovers of history will applaud how she makes the French Revolution personal, and intimate.

“She has a beautiful grasp on our innate desire for freedom and infuses that into her story. The plot is heart rending and suspenseful. The romance is toe tingling and the characters are so realistic, for the first time in my life, I felt emotionally connected to Marie Antoinette. With a strong female character you can root for this is one of my new favorite Pimpernel adaptations.”

Excerpt

“I think you look handsome.”
“Well, that is something, but coming from a woman in your current attire, I hesitate to lay much weight to your approval.” His eyebrow quirked as his gaze searched her from toe to headdress. A chuckle escaped. “What can you mean by dressing us in such a manner?”

His incredulity gave her pause to question. She had pushed the ridiculous to its upper limits, hoping their decoy would further dispel any possible suspicion of her involvement in serious rescue attempts from France. And by involving Matteo, perhaps convince a few suspicious minds of his new allegiance to wealth, pleasure, and fashion. “I have a reputation to uphold, my dear.”

“Am I to now share in your love of fashion extremes?” He gestured to the embroidery on his sleeves.

“For France, darling. If we appear thus, we set ourselves as the supreme leaders in fashion. And besides the prince himself, everyone will turn to us.” All true, naturally, but an equally important great disguise and sleight of hand were at play as well.

“And you feel that men of substance, men I would care to influence, will have any respect for me at all? I am wearing purple breeches. Could I not simply wear my usual tan or black?”

 

Author Jen Geigle Johnson

Jen Geigle Johnson once greeted an ancient turtle under the water by grabbing her fin. Other vital things to know: the sound a water-ski makes on glassy water and how to fall down steep moguls with grace. No mountain is too steep for her to climb, yet. During a study break date in college, she sat on top of a jeep’s roll bars up in the mountains and fell in love. She discovered her passion for England while kayaking on the Thames near London as a young teenager.

Now an award-winning author and mother of six, she loves to share bits of history that might otherwise be forgotten. Whether in Regency England, the French Revolution, or Colonial America, her romance novels are much like life is supposed to be: full of adventure. She is a member of the RWA, the SCBWI, and LDStorymakers. She is also the chair of the Lonestar.Ink writing conference.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram

 

 

Giveaway Details
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Giveaway

Ends 5/21/18

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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#Win $50 Paypal Cash or Amazon Gift Card – Book Blast #Giveaway

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Here at Strange Daze Indeed, we’re happy to bring you another wonderful Book Blast and giveaway. The winner can choose an Amazon gift card or Paypal Cash. Best of luck!

A Pirate at Pembroke by Danielle Thorne

Keeping company with a reputed pirate is one thing, but falling in love with him could ruin the eccentric Crestwood family for good…

Sophie Crestwood is never going to catch a husband, and she isn’t even sure she wants one. Her father is a gossip, her mother has her nose in a book, and little Jack has shamefully been dismissed from boarding school. Worst of all, a pirate moves next door into Pembroke Hall.

When Sophie’s sent to a matchmaking party at a neighboring estate, the pirate from Pembroke arrives and distracts everyone from the summer festivities. Unguarded, her feelings about the mysterious Captain Murdock bloom into a trusted friendship that Sophie fears may come to mean more than anyone could ever suspect.

Praise

There have been only a handful of times when a book truly blows me away. This is one of those times. It’s full of emotions from laughter to tears and all in between. There are heroes and villains. There’s mystery, humor, danger, and romance all contained within its pages. As I read, I became fully engaged with the characters. ~D. Pearson

This sweet romance will give you all the feels and keep you turning pages. Romance, mystery and a little humor made this an engaging and satisfying read. ~F. Brown

Excerpt

In one swift, honest acknowledgment she now felt sad. Everything was all wrong, and once again she had put them in a terrible and awkward position. Captain Murdock had already made it clear she should not esteem him so.
She stood up in a rush. He came up off the couch at the same time, like she’d cried out, and reached for her arm to pull her close and keep her from leaving. His soft fingertips brushed her tears away.
“Don’t cry,” he ordered. His tone changed to a firm and resolute timbre. “What will they think when I take you downstairs.” He looked past her toward the violin case. “We are late,” he said but did not move.
Sophie could not move either. The grief in her soul made her want to be pulled through a hole in the floor. Everyone had what they wished for but her. She would not have Leatherbury. She would not have Pembroke. She would not have Captain Murdock.
An unseen chill moved through the room. She put the back of her hand — the hand he had kissed — over her mouth and released a sob as her chest sank. Before she could sniffle or feel mortified at her emotional exhibition, a strong arm went around her waist. Captain Murdock crushed her to him, and she found her face nestled in the center of his perfectly tied cravat.
“I don’t want to get married,” she choked out. “I love… I like… I do admire Mr. Billingham so, but–” She began to cry, horrified to expose such delicate and private feelings before him, but there was no one else to tell. She caught her breath, sniffled, and broke back down again. Murdock said nothing but embraced her, rubbing her arms and stroking her back.
“I did say you were the bravest girl I knew.”
Sophie heard him swallow. He was very warm, radiating heat like stones in the summer sun. She raised her head. Murdock must advise her what to do.
“Jack would tell me to run away,” she croaked. “My parents would have me do the sensible thing and become the mistress of this great estate. What say you, Edward Murdock?”
He looked down at her, his gaze probing. “What does your heart tell you to do, Sophie Crestwood?” His voice was a whisper.
She closed her eyes and took a deep, full breath. Her heart had been screaming the truth at her all along.

Author Danielle Thorne

Danielle Thorne is the author of a dozen books, including five-star classic romance and adventure in several genres. A graduate of BYU-Idaho, she has edited for both Solstice and Desert Breeze Publishing and participated in writing organizations and contests over the years picking up awards and recognition for her work. When not researching or writing fiction, Danielle freelances as a historical non-fiction author for young adults from her home in Atlanta, Georgia. She loves to hear from romance readers through her website and appreciates feedback and reviews. Her next adventure, The Story of Queen Victoria 200 Years After Her Birth, is coming 2018 with Atlantic Publishing.

Website * Twitter * Instagram

 

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Giveaway

Ends 5/17/18

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. The giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Win a Bundle of Gift Cards for Mother’s Day! #Amazon #Target #Outback – #Giveaway #SpoilMom

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Welcome to the Let’s Spoil Mom Mother’s Day Giveaway!

Mothers are incredible and to celebrate this Mother’s Day we’ve teamed up with Everything Mommyhood and a handful of fellow bloggers to bring you this wonderful giveaway!

Did you know that Mother’s Day is only a few weeks away (May 13th!)?  We’re offering a great package in this giveaway, so why not enter to win a bundle of gift cards. I know that’s a present I always love as you can choose whatever you want!

Whether you’re entering for your mom, aunt, grandma, wife, teacher, friend, or for yourself (what, hey, yeah, of course you deserve it!), I wish you the best of luck!

 

Now for the Giveaway!

One lucky reader will win the following prizes ARV $100:

$50 Outback Gift Card
$25 Target E-Gift Card
$25 Amazon E-Gift Card

Open to US residents, 18 and up Only
Void where prohibited
One entrant per IP/email address
Winner will be emailed within 48 hours, winner will have 24 hours to respond or they will forfeit their prize and a new winner will be chosen.

Giveaway begins 4/23/2018 at 12am Eastern and ends 5/7/2018 at 11:59pm Eastern

 

 

Disclosure: Everything Mommyhood is responsible for prize fulfillment and shipment. Outback gift card will be delivered via mail, and Target/Amazon will be delivered via email or mail, winner’s choice. This post is not sponsored in any way. This giveaway is in no way associated or sponsored by Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or any other social media outlets. If you have any questions, please contact EverythingMommyhood@gmail.com.

 

Great New Opp! Join the Sound Space Community and earn Amazon gift cards!

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This is a sponsored post. I received a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

 

Are you a music lover? Whether you’re listening on the go, or at home, if you’re the one in your friend group who is listening to undiscovered artists, or takes the time to listen through a full album, instead of just the singles, you might be in luck.

A major technology company has partnered with C Space to create a private, password protected online community where members will share their music habits and preferences. The Sound Space community is aimed at helping this company gain a greater understanding of the lifestyle and needs of their consumers, so they can improve their current offerings, and create brand new ones.

Do not miss this opportunity to impact and influence the future of a major technology company. This is your chance to help shape their offerings and services! Your ideas will help inspire new features and state of the art advancements. How cool is that?

You can share your opinions in just 5 to 10 minutes a week and easily access the community online, whenever it’s convenient for you, 24/7. You can also earn Amazon eGift cards as appreciation for your valuable contributions throughout the community. Where else will you be able to lend your influence, collaborate with your peers, and earn rewards for your participation?

There are a limited number of spots available in the Sound Space community and they are filling up fast! Click here to see if you qualify and to start making an impact today: https://bit.ly/2HzOMxN

Why Is Sleep So Important for Healthy Skin?

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Quality sleep and skin health go hand in hand while lack of sleep puts a strain on our body. Not getting enough sleep accelerates aging, impairs water balance, changes facial expressions, enhances weight gain, and ruins our skin’s natural beauty. Moreover, stress caused by sleep deprivation triggers elevated levels of cortisol, the so-called stress hormone, which furthers inflammation in the body. The inflammatory response is not good for skin health. Here is how sleep deprivation can damage our skin:

Poor Sleep Worsens Skin Conditions

Not enough sleep activates an increased inflammatory response in the body, which irritates existing skin conditions and sets off added skin sensitivity, intensified reactions for allergic contact dermatitis, increased acne breakouts, and aggravated irritant dermatitis. Immune-related skin conditions, such as eczema or psoriasis, also worsen just because the body, invaded by inflammation, loses its ability to regulate the immune system. Skin begins to itch increasingly exacerbating the symptoms of immune-related skin conditions. Increased itching affects the quality of sleep, and thus we enter a never-ending circle.

Less Sleep Means Poor Water Balance

Our body needs enough sleep to rebalance hydration, a process that allows the skin to recover its moisture while the excess water gets processed for removal. Poor water balance translates into puffy eyes, under-eye dark circles, dry skin, and more visible wrinkles. The puffiness under our eyes says we are not getting enough shut-eye. Water tends to accumulate under eyes, and with the skin so thin there it becomes quite visible. There are ways to reduce swelling during sleep, and you can find some ideas here.

Poor Sleep Undermines Skin’s Natural Beauty

An increased level of stress hormones boosts the number of inflammatory cells in the body. Collagen, a protein essential to our skin’s health and beauty, breakdowns faster in these conditions. Our skin willlose its bounciness, radiance, and translucency and will start looking dull, pale, and even lifeless. On theother hand, collagen replenishes during sleep, and that means less visible wrinkles and a plumperlooking skin. Blood flow to the skin improves when we sleep, which offers our skin that healthy-looking glow and gives us those rosy cheeks.


Enough Deep Sleep Slows Down the Aging Process 

A good night’s sleep is like a fountain of youth for our skin. If we want to look younger for many years, we need to understand the importance of deeper phases of sleep in controlling the aging process. When we get enough deep during the night, our bodies experience a rise in growth hormones production. Growth hormones are essential for repairing cell damage. Cell breakdown, which occurs during the day, is no longer accumulated inside the cell but is reversed overnight in the presence of growth hormones. This way, damaged cells get repaired, and signs of aging become less noticeable. This process can happen when we get enough deep sleep.

Our body longs for quality snooze time because it helps to repair itself and recover from daily stress. Within this context, getting enough quality sleep is essential to our looks. Enough shut-eye means 7 to 9 quality hours each night and less than 6 hours of sleep will likely affect our appearance and, therefore, our skin health.

 

Get your kids to eat more veggies? Yes, with a school grant from Action for Healthy Kids!

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Parents can be a formidable force for change in schools, especially when it comes to starting health and wellness programs. Ensuring that our kids are eating healthier foods, learning about nutrition, and being more physically active in school not only sets them up to learn lifelong healthy habits but, according to a growing body of research, it helps them be better prepared to focus and learn in class. Studies also show when parents are involved in a child’s education, their children demonstrate higher academic achievement, better attendance, better social skills, better-eating habits, increased physical activity and less emotional distress.

Yet, despite wanting to do what’s best for students’ health, many schools lack the necessary resources to implement health and wellness practices that help students eat better and stay physically active. That’s why Action for Healthy Kids (AFHK) has announced a new Parents for Healthy Kids grant just for parents for the 2018-2019 school year. The grants, which are provided through funding from ALDI, are designed for parents, caregivers and parent-groups (e.g. PTAs, PTOs) to lead school-based physical activity and nutrition initiatives and to engage more parents and family members in student and family health.

If you’ve ever thought of starting a school garden, getting kids to eat more fruits and veggies at school lunch, or finding ways to ensure they get more physical activity in and get the wiggles out during the school day so they can better focus in class, then this grant opportunity is for you. If you can think of a way to improve school and student health, AFHK can help you do it. In addition to providing schools with needed funding (grants up to $1,000), AFHK provides grantees with technical support and resources to activate their grants successfully.

Parents can learn more and apply for a grant by April 13, 2018 by visiting ParentsforHealthyKids.org/Grants. While you’re there, check out the resources to help you get involved in school health, and sign up to receive news your family can use to create a healthier school and home, today!

This sponsored post is brought to you by Action for Healthy Kids and coordinated by Wendy’s Bloggers.

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