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Get into Action and #GoProatBestBuy

October 14, 2014 By Debra Pearlstein 5 Comments

I love photography and find action pics thrilling and fun! How wonderful to have snapshots of those crazy and exciting moments you decided to go skydiving, hot air ballooning, or careening down that monster water slide. What about that terrifying rollercoaster you said you would never ever get on? A few friends have GoPro cameras and I was amazed at the shots because they are spontaneous and unplanned.

With all the sports the kids are into and the adventures we get up to, it would be so much fun for the entire family. Whether they’re dashing around on the ice, skiing, snowboarding or rock-climbing, the entire family would love these new cameras providing breathtaking memories. I’ve added these cameras to my holiday wish list.

I love browsing Best Buy online and feel lucky to also have one of their stores nearby where we can check out all the latest cameras and camcorders, including the full life of new GoPro cameras, plus a comprehensive assortment of mounts and accesories. In fact, Best Buy currently has the broadest assortment of action cameras from the top brands.

Check out the specs for some of these babies:

· GoPro HERO4 Black: the most advanced GoPro ever, featuring improved image quality and a 2x more powerful processor with 2x faster video frame rates1, HERO4 Black takes award‐winning GoPro performance to a whole new level.

· GoPro HERO4 Silver: the first-ever GoPro to feature a built-in touch display. Controlling The camera, playing back footage and adjusting settings is ultra-convenient—just view, tap and swipe the screen. With 1080p60 and 720p120 video, and 12MP photos at a staggering 30 frames per second, HERO4 Silver combines powerful, pro-quality capture with the convenience of a touch display.

· GoPro HERO: Featuring high‐quality 1080p30 and 720p60 video, and 5MP photos up to 5 fps, HERO captures the same immersive footage that’s made GoPro one of the best-selling cameras in the world.

12x more powerful processor with 2x faster video frame rates

I’m totally in!

If you’re looking for a unique holiday gift for kids, teens, adults, adventure seekers, sports fanatics, and gadget gurus, GoPro is a great idea! Their new line of cameras with the latest tech let you take authentic and beautiful pics of the experiences that enrich and enliven our lives.

Learn more at www.bestbuy.com/GoPro or visit your local Best Buy to check out the latest cameras in person.

Would this be a great gift for someone in your life? What would you do with a GoPro?

Disclosure: The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.

Win $50 Paypal Cash or Amazon GC – Where There Is Love Book Blast #Giveaway

October 13, 2014 By Debra Pearlstein Leave a Comment

Where There is Love by Mya O’Malley

Mia Dennsi is a very beautiful woman who has experienced a challenging childhood. As an unemployed teacher, Mia accepts a position for home-schooling a troubled, but misunderstood teenager. Mia makes it a priority to help Cassidy overcome her challenges and to reach for her dreams. In the process, Mia experiences some healing of her own as she is faced with issues she must now come to terms with.

Mia finds a rare friendship in Jamie, her caring and attractive neighbor. The relationship starts off as friendship, but will Mia let this healthy friendship bloom into something more or is she destined to a repeat the vicious cycle of making the same mistakes over and over again?

Through the various twists and turns of Mia’s love life, she is forced to make a decision that will affect her entire future. The reader cannot help but root for this character to succumb to true love and happiness.

Amazon

Excerpt

I would have done anything for that girl. Anything. I have dreamed of Mia, I have waited for Mia. I have loved Mia.
I can’t trust Mia.
I can’t get my hopes up again, only to be crushed by her. I couldn’t stand it.
She doesn’t allow herself to be happy. What has happened in her life to cause her to reject the people who love her, who care for her?
I remember the first time I ever laid eyes one her. The way she bumped into me, how embarrassed she was. I swear to this day that she is the most beautiful creature I’ve laid eyes on. Her slim build, dark hair and striking eyes. And that smile, that smile still warms my heart.
I went to see my grandma in Maine for the weekend once I realized that I was falling in love with Mia. My grandmother and I have always been close. She has been there for me through thick and thin ever since I was a child. I grew even closer to her as I was growing up, finding my way in life. For some reason, I always found it easiest to share my feelings with Grandma, the two of us like kindred spirits.
My feelings for Mia scared the life out of me. I told my grandmother that I didn’t want to risk getting hurt again and that Mia seemed so unsure of herself. She offered me a piece of advice that I will hold true to my heart forever: She placed her hand over my heart and said, “Go where there is love, surround yourself with love.” So I did, I went to Mia and tried to tell her how I felt, only to be brushed off with news of Josh coming back into the picture.
I’m happy with Danielle, she’s smart and she’s beautiful. Yeah, I’m going to give this a chance, I would be a fool not to.
But…I think…she’s not Mia. My heart can’t take Mia.
She has the power to hurt me, and I can’t survive that again.

Author Mya O’Malley

Mya O’Malley was born and raised in the suburbs of New York City, where she currently lives with her husband, daughter and three step-daughters. The family also consists of two boxers; Destiny and Dolce and a ragdoll cat named Colby. Mya earned an undergraduate degree in special education and a graduate degree in reading and literacy. She works as a special education teacher and enjoys making a difference in the lives of her students.
Mya’s passion is writing; she has been creating stories and poetry since she was a child. Mya spends her free time reading just about anything she can get her hands on. She is a romantic at heart and loves to create stories with unforgettable characters. Mya likes to travel; she has visited several Caribbean Islands, Mexico and Costa Rica. Mya is currently working on her fifth novel.

Website * Twitter * Facebook * Blog * Pinterest

Book Blast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 11/4/14

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 and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Saving is Easy and Fun with #WMTSavingsCatcher

October 13, 2014 By Debra Pearlstein 6 Comments

I shopped savvy using Walmart Saving Catcher, as part of a sponsored post for Crowdtap #WMTSavingsCatcher.

This used to be me. Sit on the floor surrounded by all the circulars from the Sunday paper and make a note of what was on sale where. Take said list and make several trips to different stores, wasting an entire valuable weekend day, come home exhausted and drop the bags on the kitchen table.

Not fun! Not fun at all. However, a good friend of mine told me how she had been using Walmart® Savings Catcher, so I downloaded the app and read up on it. It almost sounded too good to be true.

Walmart Savings Catcher eliminates the need for price comparisons or asking for price matches. Instead, you do your normal shopping at Walmart, and they will do all the comparison work and refund you the difference if a lower price is found. Walmart Savings Catcher is helping make shopping fun again!

This weekend I took it for a test run and headed out to my local Walmart. I didn’t need to buy too much, but I wanted to check it out for the future. I did pick up some small storage drawers which were a total bargain, Blue Fig and Orange Blossom Dove bodywash I’d been wanting to try, my new favorite K-cups: Gevalia Mocha Latte, and a few other miscellaneous items. I realized I didn’thave to worry about what was going on pricewise at all the other stores. My mind was at peace. It was zenlike.

After the cashier rang me up, I stopped to scan my receipt. If you have the app on your phone, you just scan the QR code on the bottom of your sales slip. Super simple! You can also type in your receipt online.

After I scanned my receipt, the app told me there were 96 competitors found and proceeded to get to work. I was notified I would have the results within 72 hours.

If the Savings Catcher finds a lower advertised price at another store in your area, you’ll get back the difference on a Walmart Rewards eGift Card or a Bluebird by AmEx Card. Right now you can get 2x the Savings Catcher Reward Dollars when you redeem them to your Bluebird Account. There’s no minimum purchase required and you can submit up to 7 receipts per week. You can still use coupons as well!

So, yes, I’ll be spending more time with my friends and family, and less time running myself ragged from store to store. In fact, when I got home from Walmart, I made myself a nice cup of Mocha Latte, sat back on the couch and relaxed. Cheers!

If I do my regular shopping at Walmart, I’ll save time and save the money I get back for Holiday shopping.If you’re like me and you want some more time for yourself, let Walmart do the work and save some money at the same time. Those dollars do add up!

Also, if you try out Walmart Savings Catcher and spread the word, you’ll be entered to win a $2,000 shopping spree at Walmart – and so will your friends! Enter here.

Burt’s Bees Brings Out the Natural Beauty Within

October 12, 2014 By Debra Pearlstein 8 Comments

“These people have learned not from books, but in the fields, in the wood, on the river bank. Their teachers have been the birds themselves, when they sang to them, the sun when it left a glow of crimson behind it at setting, the very trees, and wild herbs.”

― Anton Chekhov

My favorite type of company is one that cares about both the consumer and the planet. One that is in harmony with nature. And, that is the definition of Burt’s Bees. In fact, they began in a beekeeper’s backyard in Maine. Yes, there really is a Burt!

As we approach cooler weather and the holidays, I am geared up for lip balms, glosses and skin creams. These help to gently ease us through fall and winter with its often unforgiving weather. Burt’s Bees products are full of natural ingredients such as beeswax, clary sage, chamomile aloe, pomegranate and willow bark. You will find their ingredients, as well as their packaging, to be simple, natural and responsible. They truly feel that what you put on your body should be made from the very best nature has to offer.

This means that your skin revels in natural simple nutrients with no nasty and complicated chemicals.

This weekend, I took a trip to my local Walmart to check out their Burt’s Bees selection. I love using natural products on my skin whenever possible. Just as it’s important to me to breathe clean air, drink pure water and eat fresh fruits and veggies; it is just as important to me to use natural skincare products. After all, our skin is our body’s largest organ and is a large part of our overall health. What you put on your body is just as important as what you put in it.

On this 30th anniversary,

Burt’s Bees sweet simplicity

surrounds me with joy.

A palette of lip glosses, shimmers and balms,

Brings nature to my mind, my body, my spirit.

At one with the beauty of the earth,

each day is a meditation.

– debra

Here are some of the products I bought. They are all 100% natural.

I was really excited to find two lip balms I hadn’t tried yet. Both are exceptional!

The first is Hydrating Lip Balm with Coconut and Pear. It smells delicious, glides on smoothly and protects my lips with a buttery softness.

Next I picked up a tube of Nourishing Lip Balm with Mango Butter. It smells heavenly! These two will be staples and I’ll carry them with me throughout the colder months. You can also use them under your lipstick!

I also found two lip shimmers I really wanted to try. I’m really into the deeper tones for fall and winter, but, they have every shade you could want.

I bought watermelon and plum. I love the translucent shimmer but they also have enough deep rich color to brighten up my look.

And to top things off, I bought their new Ruby Moon Lip Gloss with soothing sunflower oil and nourishing beeswax. This goes on like a gloss, but also moisturizes and conditions my lips. It’s the perfect lush color for Fall.

Do you like to use natural products? Come celebrate Burt’s Bees 30th Anniversary!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post in partnership with DataRank, however all opinions are strictly my own.

Celebrate Real Beauty with Dove and Dollar General #DGFeelBeautifulFor

October 10, 2014 By Debra Pearlstein 3 Comments

If I had to pick certain things that make me feel beautiful, it might be my oval-shaped face, like a Modigliani painting, the blue-gray eyes I got from my Dad that change like the ocean, that certain twinkle that he always had that I see reflected in my own. Perhaps it would be my smile, gentle and compassionate, or the super soft skin that my significant other calls “magic skin”. It might be my hair which magically transformed from Shirley Temple curls to soft waves falling past my shoulders as I grew up. It is surely my quirky sense of humor.

But, really, what is beauty? The French have a saying “bien dans sa peau” which means comfortable in one’s skin.

To be confident, to be at ease with oneself, to me, that is true beauty. Beauty is a state of being, an essence. It is not whether you are having a good or a bad hair day, whether your body shows scars from all your life experiences, whether you are a teenager with acne or a senior with wrinkles. Beauty is ageless and timeless.

We all have our own unique beauty which includes our special quirks and expressions, what we feel, how we think. Beauty is a whole-being experience.

Right now, Dove and Dollar General have teamed up to celebrate and inspire us to each embrace our unique beauty.

Now through October 19, you can save $2 instantly when you spend $7 on any Dove or Vaseline products in-store!

Also, please join us October 13th at 8p.m. on Twitter for the #DGFeelBeautifulFor Twitter party with @ResourcefulMom. Jump into the conversation by using the hashtag to tell us what what qualities and features you feel the most beautiful for and you’ll automatically be entered for a chance to win one of five, $100 DollarGeneral gift cards! RSVP here!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post with Global Influence, however all opinions and ideas are strictly my own.

$100 Paypal or Amazon GC #Giveaway – Rise of the Blood Masters Book Blast!

October 4, 2014 By Debra Pearlstein Leave a Comment

Rise of the Blood Masters

The continuation of the bestselling young adult fantasy series, the Dragon Stone Saga!

Over 100,000 copies of this series have been sold.

The brave dragon rider, Tallin Arai, continues to fight against the Balborites, a cult of religious fanatics & deadly mageborn assassins wreaking havoc across the continent. Meanwhile, in the east, the dwarf kingdom crumbles into chaos. The dwarf clans go even deeper into civil war, while an even greater danger rises up to destroy the entire kingdom, once and for all. In desperation, the dragon riders and the dwarves turn to the elves and plead for help.

Can they set aside their differences long enough to save their homeland from the Balborite menace? Or will their kingdoms be destroyed?

Purchase on

AMAZON

Autor Author Kristian Alva

Kristian Alva was born into a family of writers and teachers & worked as a staff writer and ghostwriter before publishing her own manuscripts. She currently lives in the U.S. with her family. When not writing, she enjoys reading all genres, especially epic fantasy.

BookBlast Giveaway

$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 10/26/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an iTunes Gift Code or River Street Sweets Gift Card. 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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Prep for the Holidays with Appliances from Best Buy

October 4, 2014 By Debra Pearlstein 15 Comments

I truly love holiday season and one of my favorite parts is having everyone together for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. I am excited to see everyone and to serve new dishes and desserts as well as old favorites.

Although I love cooking, I don’t love unreliable appliances or spending all my pre-holiday time in the kitchen. Holidays can be a hectic time for cooking and entertaining in the days leading up to and including the holidays.

Is it weird that I get excited when it’s time to buy new appliances? I’ve been scoping out some of the latest technologies including induction cooking which is often safer, cleaner and cooler. You can even boil water in less than two minutes and, with induction, spills don’t burn on which reduces clean up time.

Check out the new Frigidaire FGIF3061NF. This Frigidaire range also includes a convection oven which circulates the air in the oven for quicker baking time.

Another great cooking innovation are double ovens that let you cook two dishes at two different temperatures. Not only that, but they still fit within the space of a standard range like the Whirlpool WGG555S0BS. Where have you been all my life?

All of this new tech will allow you to get the food prepared preciesely the way you want it and save you time so you can spend it with the ones you love.

Whether that means tossing a football around in the backyard, watching football, catching up on the latest or just joking around, time with friends and family is time well-spent.

Learn more at bestbuy.com/holidayprep.

Disclosure: The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free, however all opinions are strictly my own.

Save Big on NEXXUS at Walgreen’s starting 10/1!

October 1, 2014 By Debra Pearlstein

I can remember being in high school and getting ready for prom. I was a junior in Boston and my boyfriend was a senior in New York. It was all very exciting and exhilarating. I remember that I absolutely had to have my best friend, Jenn, with me to pick out my prom dress.

We spent hours talking about hairstyles and trying on makeup! When she went to prom the next year, I helped her pick out a gorgeous pink dress and it was just as much fun as when I bought my own!

Since then, college, work and life has taken me away from Jenn, but, eventually we both ended up back in Boston. She is still someone I love to share beauty secrets and tips with. I think we laugh even more than we used to. She calls me when she finds something new whether it’s a shampoo that I just have to try or a new flavor of gelato!

I text her when I am in a store and find a great sale like today!

Right now, starting today, October 1, Walgreens is having a fantastic NEXXUS Beauty Sale.

Since Walgreen’s is right down the street from me, I am always there it seems. Now is a great time to save big on NEXXUS hair products during their exclusive Beauty Sale. I’ve always loved NEXXUS products and consider them to be among the best out there and they are reasonably priced.

I used NEXXUS in high school and I use it today as well. I recently tried their Hydra-Light Shampoo and Conditioner because I wanted to add moisture to my dry hair without having it be weighed down. It has deep-sea minerals and coconut oil and smells lovely. I’m a fan!

You can save $4 on participating NEXXUS hair products at Walgreens stores when you refer this special offer to your friends, or you can keep this offer for yourself and still save $2. This is an offer to buzz about!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post with Global Influence and Walgreens, however, all opinions are expressly mine.

CampusBookRentals Saves You Money!

September 30, 2014 By Debra Pearlstein 10 Comments

Every year around back-to-school time, I find myself recommending CampusBookRentals! With the cost of college these days, any way to save money is a welcome alternative!

campus-book-rental

Textbooks are such a huge expense for students and parents and they often never get looked at after the semester is over. I wish CampusBookRentals were around when I was in college! I would have loved to use the extra funds for concerts, clothes, food and trips to visit family and friends.

Are you or your kids in College this Fall? Here are some perks from CampusBookRentals:

You can save a whopping 40-90% off of bookstore prices.
You get free shipping both ways so it really couldn’t be easier or cheaper (You get a prepaid return envelope).
They have flexible renting periods and awesome customer service.
You can highlight in the textbooks! (Yes, you can underline, make notes, whatever you like!)

And, another great benefit is that with each textbook rented, the company makes a donation to Operation Smile. Operation Smile is a wonderful organization that performs life changing cleft lip surgeries on children whose families could not otherwise pay for it. The long term improvement in quality of life for the children that receive these surgeries is incredible.

CampusBookRentals is one of the pioneers of the textbook rental movement which began in the summer of 2007, so they really do know their business.

Since then, they’ve rented over 1,000,000 textbooks at over 5500 campuses nationwide.

They’ve been mentioned in the New York Times, CNN, the Wall Street Journal and Newsweek and have the largest selection in the nation.

In addition, CampusBookRentals now has a new program, RentBack.

RentBack is a new initiative that lets students rent the textbooks they own – to other students… which is pretty incredible because it makes them 2-4x more money compared to what they’d make through buyback options! (selling their books back at the end of the semester)

You can check it out in this brief video!

Be inventive and do More with Your Dollars!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post for CampusBookRentals, however all opinions are completely mine.

Tea Collection #Giveaway – Your choice! Happy Harvest!

September 30, 2014 By Debra Pearlstein 69 Comments

Welcome to the Happy Harvest Giveaway Hop! Apple cider, pumpkin pie and Halloween! It’s Fall and we always love a reason to celebrate here. This event is hosted by MamaNYC and there are a lot of fun prizes to be won! Take your time and hop around as you will have until October 12! Enjoy and best of luck!

Here at Strange Daze Indeed, it’s time for some new Fall clothes for your favorite little one! We’re giving away anything worth $25 (approximately) at Tea Collection so the choice is yours – boys, girls, it’s all up to you!