In the US, the leading cause of death is heart disease. People of all ages and backgrounds can suffer from this. I watched family members struggle with heart disease, so it is particularly important to me, not only to support the American Heart Association, but, also, to do what I can to keep myself and my family healthy. I do believe that education can be a wonderful tool for change. The more we understand about how to decrease our risks and eat well, the better our quality of life can become.

We try to stay heart healthy here by cutting down on fats and sodium, by not overeating, by doing cardio workouts and going for long walks. Not only does this help with our cardiovascular system, it also can increase our enjoyment of life.

There was a time that my Mom and I would take a daily walk around the neighborhood and down to the beach. Stopping to see the new flowers, the frog fountain she loved, being out and about, and having wonderful conversations are memories I cherish.

I still keep this routine and include yoga in the mornings to get my body, mind and spirit moving. We eat more veggies, fruits and lean meats. I’ve also added some really wonderful vegetarian meals to my repertoire.

Health is at the forefront of people’s minds, but I know that keeping your family in tip top shape can be a challenge when life is busy. Campbell’s Soup wants you to “Address Your Heart” with Heart Healthy Tips, recipes and more!

You can visit AddressYourHeart.com to get heart-healthy tips, including 21 Campbell’s recipes that are certified by the AHA and product coupons, as well as Facebook.com/campbellskitchen for the latest Campbell’s recipes and offers.

Here, to start you off are 5 of my favorite recipes from the “American Heart Association Certified Recipes”.

They are, in order: Slow-Cooked Chicken & Butternut Squash, Louisiana-Style Chicken, Sausage & Shrimp Skillet, Tilapia & Vegetable Casserole, Pizza Primavera with Cauliflower Crust, and Grilled Bruschetta Chicken. Just click on each picture to get the recipe.

You can also find a list of great Campbell’s coupons and special offers right here.

À VOTRE SANTÉ! Here’s to your health!

Disclosure: I am working with Campbell Soup Company on this post. They have provided assets, however, all opinions are strictly my own.

Laughing Vixen Lounge is hosting the 3rd Supernatural Cares Giveaway and Fundraiser. You’ll have a chance to win a $50 Gift Certificate to Laughing Vixen Lounge and a $30 Gift Certificate to Deep Midnight Perfume Oils.

While this is a Supernatural themed giveaway you do not have to be a fan of the show to want to win these prizes. Both shops offer a wide variety of products to make anyone happy.

In addition to a great giveaway, the shops are also raising money for some great charities. $2 from each Supernatural themed design from Laughing Vixen Lounge and $1 from all other items sold during the giveaway from both shops will be donated to Wildcat Haven and Saved By A Whisker Rescue.

If you are a fan of Supernatural you will find some great designs inspired by the show in both shops. And if you have no idea what Supernatural is (it’s a TV show) that’s OK too. You can use the gift certificates on a wide variety of fun and unique designs. You can enter the giveaway right here at Strange Daze Indeed or you can visit the Laughing Vixen Lounge blog for full giveaway details.

Giveaway is open worldwide and ends March 16th.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

It’s Valentine’s Day and couples everywhere are celebrating love! But, why not show your partner that same love every day and let him know how much you appreciate him?

Daddy & Company has some incredible gifts for the man in your life. Who is Daddy & Company? They’re the offspring of Robert Nickell, the father of four children more than 20 years ago.  Daddy & Company was conceived when Robert, who remarried in 2007, discovered he was about to become a Daddy all over again in 2009!

Not wanting to go through the pains of wearing uncomfortable street clothes while comforting his laboring wife, Robert came up with the idea of creating doctor-like scrubs for himself. It seemed a natural thing for him to do – since Robert is a pharmacist by profession. My Dad was a pharmacist and always wanted to be a doctor, so I can empathize! Daddy & Company has the coolest scrubs around for the Daddy in your life.

Check them out here!

Recently, Daddy & Co. has expanded to include all sorts of wonderful gifts for the expectant, new and expert Daddy including T-shirts, hoodies, gift sets, accessories, mugs, books and more.

Recently, we got to check out Daddy & Co.’s Loungewear.

Look at these awesome pajama pants. If your guy is like mine, they tend to want to be comfortable at home, well, really, at all times!

Love Daddy Pajama Pants

Fun Word Search Pajama Pants

Another new addition to Daddy & Company are the Daddy Boxers. Each pair is 95% cotton and 5% spandex with “I’m The Daddy” in fun letters on the waistband. These also come in Word Search and Love Daddy style as well as Red Hot Daddy Boxers. These are also sexy, comfortable and soft in our opinion.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Chloe Dillard’s life has always been complicated. Her mother is a neurotic romance novelist and her boyfriend, Mathew, has been pressuring her to go “all the way”. But after The Worst Night of Her Life, Chloe escapes on her Senior Class trip to the swoon-worthy city of Paris which takes her mind off her troubles—temporarily. On the final leg of her dream trip, Chloe squeezes in one final run for a last-minute box of decadent pastries. Add a stuck door, subtract a broken four-inch heel from her cute strappy sandals, and Chloe ends up one stuck girl on the bakery shop floor with a sprained ankle. Rescued by the shop owner’s dreamy son with chocolate-syrup eyes, the beautiful city of Paris suddenly becomes Chloe’s personal secret adventure. And even though Jean-Paul, the oh-so-kind La Patisserie shop boy is the gentlemanly guy Chloe has always dreamed of, even he has a girlfriend. The police are tracking her down as a run-away, Mom’s having a nervous breakdown over her daughter’s “disappearance”, and Chloe’s just trying to have a Happily-Ever-After even as her dreams with Matt are swirling down the drain. Could being lost in the city of Paris be just what the doctor ordered? What’s a girl to do in the most romantic city in the world?

Excerpt:

Author Kimberley Montpetit

Kimberley Montpetit once spent all her souvenir money at the La Patisserie shops when she was in Paris—on the arm of her adorable husband. The author grew up in San Francisco, another swoon-worthy city, loves all things Parisian and chocolate and lives in a small town along the Rio Grande with her family. Kimberley has won many awards for her work, including the Southwest Book Award, the Whitney Award, the Arizona/New Mexico Book Award, is a Crystal Kite Finalist (SCBWI) and included in the Bank Street College Best Books of the Year. She once stayed in a haunted castle tower room at Borthwick Castle in Scotland, sailed on the Seine in Paris, walked the beaches of Normandy, eaten in numerous French cafes, ridden a camel in Petra, Jordan, sunbathed on Waikiki, shopped the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, and spent the night in an old Communist hotel in Bulgaria. She adores all baked goodies; brownies, éclairs, donuts, tarts, and pie, and makes a lot of chocolate chip cookies while revising. Kimberley is, of course, hard at work on her next novel(s).

BookBlast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 3/14/14

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, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Camp KIVU is located in the foothills of the San Juan Mountains outside Durango Colorado. For the last 15 years, The KIVU staff have provided a world class experience to the Summer Camp model. Their facilities are resort style, and their adventures give teenagers stories for years to come. Representing over 26 different countries, KIVU has hosted nearly 15,000 students who long to unplug for two weeks and make new friends from across the globe. 

Founder and current President Andy Braner has become an expert on Teenage issues ranging from bullying to the current addiction to technology most students are trying to navigate to date. Braner has written five books on teen issues, curriculum for students to ask hard questions about relationship value, global engagement, and multi faith conversations.

Each summer KIVU hires 150 University staff to come mentor students in the art of relationship building, outdoor adventure, and faith based values. 

Their videos can be seen on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/CampKIVU Their Facebook page is loaded with pictures and videos of current and past campers at http://www.facebook.com/campkivu. 

At KIVU, they are intentional to help students and their families navigate the hardest years of growing up, and with a 20 year track record, all you have to do is see the results. 

If you sign up by April 1, use the code BLOGS2014 and you will receive an immediate $100 off your tuition!

 

Third Daughter by Susan Kaye Quinn Skyships, saber duels, and lots of royal intrigue… and, of course, kissing.

 The Third Daughter of the Queen wants her birthday to arrive so she’ll be free to marry for love, but rumors of a new flying weapon may force her to accept a barbarian prince’s proposal for a peace-brokering marriage. Desperate to marry the charming courtesan she loves, Aniri agrees to the prince’s proposal as a subterfuge in order to spy on him, find the weapon, and hopefully avoid both war and an arranged marriage to a man she does not love. Third Daughter is the first book in the The Dharian Affairs Trilogy (Third Daughter, Second Daughter, First Daughter). This steampunk-goes-to-Bollywood (Bollypunk!) romance that takes place in an east-Indian-flavored alternate world filled with skyships, saber duels, and lots of royal intrigue. And, of course, kissing.   From the author of the bestselling Mindjack Trilogy, The Dharian Affairs is a new series filled with equal doses of action-adventure and romance, meant to appeal to fans of Mindjack.  

NOMINATED for the Illinois Librarian’s “Soon to be Famous Author Project” wherein librarians hope to discover local authors whose “work will jump off the page for readers.”

Author Susan Kaye Quinn

Susan Kaye Quinn is the author of the bestselling Mindjack Trilogy, which is young adult science fiction. The Dharian Affairs trilogy is her excuse to dress up in corsets and fight with swords. She also has a dark-and-gritty SF serial called The Debt Collector and a middle grade fantasy called Faery Swap. It’s possible she’s easily distracted. She always has more speculative fiction fun in the works. You can find out what she’s up to by subscribing to her newsletter (hint: new subscribers get a free short story!) or by stopping by her blog (www.susankayequinn.com).

BookBlast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 3/14/14 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, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Muse Unexpected “We’re Muses. Not vampires, not fairies, not werewolves. We’re Muses.” Sophie was sure her mother had reached an epic level of crazy. ‘We’re Muses?’ She thought Muses were lame, not to mention she found the idea ridiculous. However, Sophie couldn’t explain away her physical transformation that made Anne Hathaway in The Princess Diaries look like a bad Walmart make-over, not to mention why her mood swings triggered an uncontrollable ability to shoot powerful bursts of energy out of her hands. Sophie soon realizes modern day Muses have evolved into powerful guardians of humankind, tasked with keeping mortals on the right path and the original Olympians locked away from the world. But old hatreds don’t die easily, especially for immortal enemies that have an eternity to plot and gather their forces. Well aware of the Fates’ foretelling of another Olympian war, and a young Muse that would rise up as a warrior and defeat them, the Olympians have vowed to either possess Sophie or destroy her. Either way, they will make sure everyone associated with their imprisonment will reap an eternal damnation in the Underworld, leaving the Olympians to restore Mount Olympus and force humankind into a future of never-ending servitude and misery.

  Author V.C. Birlidis V.C. Birlidis was born and raised in Miami, Florida and has always been involved in the arts. He attended the New World School of the Arts and was a member of The Miami Ballet. Mr. Birlidis moved to Ohio to attend college where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in marketing and communications from Capital University. He currently is the Director of Marketing at one of the top midwest advertising agencies, SBC Advertising. He has freelanced as a writer for Outlook News and Tickled Pink Magazine, where he wrote a comical advice column named Ask V. Five years in the making and inspired by the numerous Greek myths his father would utilize as demented bed time stories, Muse, Unexpected is Mr. Birlidis’ first novel. It is the first book in his Muse series.  

BookBlast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 3/7/14 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, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Here at Strange Daze Indeed, I wanted to offer you a prize that includes two of my favorite Valentine’s Day gifts: jewelry and chocolate!

And, not just any chocolate, but, my favorite chocolates. For over 90 years, See’s Candy has been providing delicious chocolates using only the finest, freshest ingredients. They taste like homemade and are mouth-wateringly delectable! They also have over 100 candies and chocolates to choose from. I remember living in California and whenever we passed a See’s store, we would go in for a sample. They would let you try anything! That’s how I developed some of my all-time favorites like the buttercreams, the raspberry truffles and the scotch kisses! 

I got to sample the custom box. This is my favorite because you can pick out every piece in the box whether it’s for yourself or for a gift! My choices included: Dark Buttercreams, Raspberry, Pineapple and Cafe Au Lait Truffles, Apricot Delights, and Cranberry Orange Nougats. I highly recommend them all and the buttercreams are sheer perfection!

As you can see, I am madly, passionately in love with these chocolates and See’s has been kind enough to offer one of my readers the chance to win a $25 giftcard to purchase whatever your heart desires! That is part one of the Valentine’s Day prize!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Lately I’m finding the days seem more stressful.  I often take on more than I actually have time for, and then there are always the unexpected curveballs that life throws your way just for fun – snowstorms, stomach flus, flat tires.

One of the ways I cope with all this is taking a break from it all and playing some fun online games. It’s so nice to have that mental vacation, and I find that when I come back to the problem, I either have a solution or it just doesn’t seem quite as bad.

I don’t know why it feels so cathartic and joyful to bash a bunch of bricks or pop hundreds of balloons, but it does! And there’s no mess and nothing to clean up afterward.

Also, gaming has benefits for the entire family. It can help with learning, with hand-eye coordination and with keeping our minds flexible at any age.

I’ve been enjoying Play2Shop, a fun online community where you can play games, earn rewards and get free stuff!

In addition to all this, Play2shop offers cash back and points for online shopping at over 1,000 partner merchants including stores like Amazon, Macy’s, Sears, Nordstrom, Tiger Direct, Kohls, Toys ‘r Us and more.

Points can also be accumulated at Play2Shop by playing the many games on the site or entering contests. I found the games to be a lot of fun as they run the gamut from arcade games (very nostalgic!)  to puzzle games, card games, strategy and more!

Play2Shop has been kind enough to offer a giveaway ot my readers where one of you will win $50 Paypal cash or an Amazon Gift Card (your choice!) So, simply enter via Rafflecopter below and best of luck to all!

a Rafflecopter giveaway