As we head into the New Year, I’m thinking of ways to help keep those I love healthy. 
Omega-3 fats are important for children, teens and all of us for so many reasons.   There have been many studies connecting adequate omega-3 fats (easily found in fish oil capsules) with increased learning ability, sharpness and focus. Omega-3’s are part of every cell in the body, including the brain. They help with attention, memory and a balanced nervous system. I buy Nordic Naturals  supplements as I feel they are the purest and most effective. They take an incredible amount of care with their products.

As today’s children and teens become our future, Nordic Naturals wants to be there with them, helping them achieve. They want to challenge tomorrow’s young adults to discover what is most important to them, to inspire good and healthy changes and choices in others and to be an essential part of creating our future.

With their 2013 WHAT’S ESSENTIAL essay scholarship for new and returning college students, young adults can win $5,000 for school!

Applicants for the scholarship will answer the question : “What are the essential components of the education that your generation needs to make a positive impact on the world?”

The one who best answers in 1000-1500 words will receive $5000 towards their college education and a year’s supply of Nordic Naturals’ award-winning Omega-3 products. That’s pretty awesome.

Entries will be judged on communication and style. Academic merit and community service will also be taken into account. 

Students and parents can learn more at WhatsEssential.com and on Facebook.com/nordicnaturals . The competition will run from January 1st–March 31st 2013.

So here’s to a happy healthy New Year to all and to the future leaders, artists and inventors!

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Nordic Naturals, however all opinions expressed are my own. 

 These statements and products mentioned in the post have not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, cure or treat any diseases.

Welcome to the LUCKY ’13 New Years Giveaway Hop hosted by BloggerPR! In order to kickoff 2013 with a BANG, BloggerPR decided to organize an event to celebrate the new year with some amazing prizes! Each of our participating bloggers is giving away a prize valued at $20 or more. This event will run from December 29th until January 12th, which gives you plenty of time to hop down the linky list below. Good Luck & Happy New Year!

With the cold weather approaching and cold and flu season starting, I have a prize that I hope will keep you warm and cozy. It can also work for cooling if that is what you prefer or need. I am giving away an adorable Thermal-Aid Bear which is wonderful for kids of all ages and also a Thermal-Aid Medium Sectional Heating and Cooling Pack.

The Medium Sectional is designed to relieve pain all over the body. It wraps around parts of the body offering more coverage. The Medium Sectional is best used for larger parts of the body like the shoulder, hip, back and much more.
The Medium Sectional is made from all natural ingredients and is the only green heating and cooling pack that you can clean with soap and water and it won’t form mold or fungi.

I really love this as I have fibromyalgia and lower back pain. You can wrap it completely around the area that hurts and it has a bit of weight to it – not heavy, it just feels very soothing. You can also use it for cooling and to help reduce inflammation. For heating, it only takes about a minute or so in the microwave.

The Thermal-Aid Bears are specifically designed to have all the effective qualities of the adult packs but in a child friendly form. These cute bears make it easier to treat children when they need hot or cold therapeutic treatment. The bears are heated and cooled in the freezer and microwave just like the other products and they are 100% natural and washable.

Again, just pop him in the microwave for about a minute and he becomes a cozy soothing friend. Or, pop him in the
freezer for 4 hours if you need him for cooling.

They also have an awesome new Zoo Collection of animals that are all so cute.

Both can be used to help arthritis, fibromyalgia, back/neck, menstrual cramps, carpal tunnel, headaches/migraines, fever & stomach aches.

There will be 2 winners!  One for the Bear and one for the Medium Sectional.  You can put in your comments if you’d like to enter for one or the other or for either one (i.e. you would like to enter for both).

This giveaway is open to the US and Canada.

Just follow the Rafflecopter below and Happy New Year everyone!

Disclosure: I was provided samples to facilitate a review/giveaway but all opinions expressed are my own. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 I got some gorgeous Flowers For Christmas this year. For me, there’s nothing quite like the feeling when you open the door to a surprise stunning bouquet. I know that they don’t last forever. I know that they are ephemeral and fleeting like the first snow of winter, yet I adore them!

This Christmas Cheer bouquet came in a beautiful vase with white roses, red roses, red mini carnations, baby’s breath, and silver ornaments along with delicious smelling greens.  I put them on the dining room table and every time someone would walk by they would get the most delicious smell of eucalyptus and pine. All I can say is that it was a little touch of Christmas every day.

Flowers are something I never ever tire of. Especially in Winter. They always make me smile.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. 

Bailey, Pearl and Baxter

Happy Holidays from the Monkeez!

Who are the Monkeez? They are part of the Monkeez Makes a Difference philanthropic and educational program. The brainchild of teacher and mother Chrysti Carol Propes, this program is designed to empower children to think of others and thus make a difference at home, in school, in their communities and in the world. What we teach our children when they are young really helps create the future.

It all starts with the purchase of a Genuine Monkeez and Friends plush and cuddly character available at MonkeezAndFriends.com and at independent retailers across the U.S. There are over 90 plush designs in all different sizes including monkeys, bears, lions, dogs, cats, pigs, hedgehogs and so many more. There’s really something for everyone and at varying prices from $2.99 to $100.

Each character has a tag with instructions to visit MonkeezAndFriends.com. There, they can enter the code and watch different videos of each charity that partners with Monkeez including Alex’s Lemonade Stand, Best Friends Animal Society and Samaritan’s Purse.

Children can then decide on their favorite charity and Monkeez will donate 10% of the cost on their behalf.

How cool!

What a great way to teach our kids about giving back and paying it forward.
These are concepts that will serve them well throughout life.

What a great gift for any time of year and one that has far-reaching results. Every person can make a difference!

Besides the very cool concept behind the Monkeez, I also want to say how absolutely beautiful they are. Very very well made, easy to clean and super cuddly. They are whimsical and a great idea for kids of any age. 

And, as part of our holiday celebration, you can win your very own Monkeez character here at Strange Daze Indeed.

If you want to order one right now, you can enter the code VALUES in the coupon code box when you check out and get a 20% discount on your entire order. This code is valid through 12/30/12.

One reader will also win their choice of any of the Monkeez Characters in size Small or Medium. They’re so adorable! Check them all out here and remember 10% will go to charity as well.

Just follow the Rafflecopter and Happy Holidays!                  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received samples in order to facilitate my review however all opinions are expressly my own.

 When I was younger, I can remember creating beautiful collages with words, pictures and quotes and sending them to friends. I remember hand painting every birthday card. I remember doing watercolor borders of flowers around my poetry. 

These days, as I grow older, I find I don’t have the time to embellish as much as I’d like to, however, I still enjoy writing and receiving handwritten letters. In this age of email and texting, that’s somehow become more special to me. 

I always try to add something to the letter, whether it be inside or on the envelope, to make it stand out. I have always loved stamps and embossing. I can remember strolling the aisles of Quincy Market in the Faneuil Hall marketplace in Boston and, along with all the delicious food carts, seeing rubber stamp carts where you could buy all sorts of interesting things.

I’ve found a place online that I enjoy, StampXPress. It’s fun to browse through the different stamps they have there. They have date stamps and business stamps as well as novelty stamps, i.e. LIKE/DISLIKE, FAIL! and LOL. What I really like is that you can custom-design your own, which is something I’m going to do to add my personal “stamp” to letters. 

They also have embossers which I always thought made your letters or cards look like you took that extra touch of care with them. I plan to be moving in the Spring and will definitely be investing in a new address or embossing stamp. The prices are very reasonable and shipping is free over $10.00.

I also hope to find time in the New Year to go back to more personalized cards and letters. 
Though email is fabulous for convenience and quickness, it really doesn’t have the same caring touch. Still, I think it would be kind of humorous to custom-make a stamp that says “Sent from my iPhone”. 
   
This sponsored post was made possible by SheHeard. I have been compensated for my time and work on this campaign, however all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.

I really hate harsh chemicals that are so often used in cleaning products. One time I was in my room lying down while the rugs were cleaned, and, after a while, I felt like I couldn’t breathe. Yuck. I had to open every window while we all just left the house and went out for lunch and a movie!

Since then, I try really hard to use green cleaners whenever I can.  It’s a process of trial and error, but, there are good ones out there that clean just as well or better without the harsh chemicals or toxic odors.

I have good friends in New York and was discussing this with them the other day. My friend said that, with children and pets, she was afraid to have her rug cleaned and was just moving furniture over the stains. She told me that, after a while, there were just too many stains to cover up! But, after consulting with eco-conscious friends, she found Green Choice carpet cleaning in New York. 

She told me that they didn’t have to leave the house and that the price was reasonable. Not only that, but they had a good variety of methods and all were safe for her kids and her cats.

I like that. I like that you can have a clean home and feel good about what you choose to clean with. It may take a bit of extra effort, but, it is surely worth it. Good health has no price.

Blood Oath by T.L. Clarke

The battle against pure evil begins. Friendships are betrayed. Rivals bond…and powers collide.

Before I discovered that I was born into a secret society called the Eternals, blood-oath Warriors sworn to track and slay the dark and evil creatures that walk the shadows of the earth, the only major thing that I, I mean we–that’s me, Jessica, Rosalinda, and Zora–cared about was starting our freshman year at Vineswell Academy, the prestigious boarding school for girls.

But that was way before the blinders were cruelly ripped from our eyes and cold reality slapped us on the back of our heads with a chain of not-so-nice realities, like the fact that everything we knew about our mothers was all lies, essentially smoke and mirrors designed to hide their very secretive lives as Circles, women Warriors inside the very deadly world of the Eternal Warriors.

Author T.L. Clarke

I write Preteen/Teen Fiction. I also write Adult Fiction (Paranormal Romance) as my alter-ego Sedona Venez. I’m a  lifelong reader with a fascination with mythology and anything paranormal. When I’m not writing, I can be found watching bad movies, listening to music, and traveling.

BookBlast Giveaway
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 12/27/12

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Hard Act to Follow by Henry Bushkin

“A Hard Act to Follow,” is a non-fiction literary account of Henry Bushkin’s tenure as Johnny Carson’s lawyer, business partner, and friend.  The book gives genuine insight into the ‘Carson behind Johnny’ with candid personal vignettes about the two, during the rollicking years when Johnny was the undisputed king of television.  This is an engaging, eye-opening, anecdote-packed story about a young lawyer and his client, one of the biggest celebrities in the country.  This funny, unfiltered account gives readers a look at the Johnny Carson that none but a select few really knew.

“A Hard Act to Follow” by Henry Bushkin provides a stirring account into Johnny Carson’s world—as told by Carson’s closest confidant.
The New Yorker article by Kenneth Tynan from 1978, included the following question and answer:
Tynan: When you’re at home, whom do you entertain?
Carson: My lawyer, Henry Bushkin, who’s probably my best friend.

Author Henry Bushkin

Henry Bushkin is an experienced lawyer who practices in both California and New York. He currently lives in Los Angeles where his children also reside.

Book Blast Giveaway
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 12/26/12
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. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway