Heartbeat Connection Magazine April 2014 Edition by Nicole Flothe

POETRY x

Collection

Loving Flowers by Nicole Flothe As I look at the petals of the rose, I think of you. As I see each intricate opening, I think of us. As I know it will bloom, I think of our children. Like a flower we have to provide nourishment. Like a rose we blow in the wind, Not having a worry in the world. Our hearts fill with love As we look at our flowers and each other and how much we have cared for them and they have grown. Loving Flowers

Photo by @nicoleflothe

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Artist Suzanne Ervin

www.semyart.com

239-777-9556

Book a Session A Portrait A Scene & Flowers An Animal

Mission: Sharing About Living with Heart. Create * Conceive * Connect

7 Letter from the Editor

News, Celebrations, and Giveaways

Heart of Fashion

Hit refresh when you're on Vacation, Fiammisday.com

Heart of Travel

Key West, Florida

Recipe Corner

Mini Easter Cheesecakes

You Asked? We Answered.

How do I make my dreams come true?

Heart of Home & Family

Exercise Your Right to Family Health

Heaven is for Real

Austin Ervin Saw Jesus

Lifted From Darkness

Author Alexa M. Foster

Celebrate & Sparkle

Month long #SELFIE promotion ends Sat. May 10th! Please take a photo of yourself or friends at their restaurant and post it will to their and post it to their timeline. The winner be awarded with a $250 Gift card! www.fb.com/calistogacafe

3 10

Mini Easter Cheesecakes

Business Women Connect Event

Tech Tips

Earth Day Online & April Apps

Featured Foundation

Kosair Charities

6 Photo by realwomenofphiladelphia.com

Are some companies making a difference in the world? At Heartbeat Connection Magazine we discover the answer. Online, we share exclusive company reviews. Be sure to visit us at www.heartbeatmag.com.

Letter from the Editor

April is a month that I live to the fullest...it's my birthday month, Easter, and several people in my family also celebrate their birthdays. I've been giving Social Media classes at Calistoga's every other Wednesday for Business Women Connect. It has been such an awesome experience to share with others the latest news on online marketing. I attended the first Celebrate & Sparkle event, see page 10 for more details. I went to True Fashionista in Naples with my mother-in-law, Cheryl. She found a beautiful sparkle top all out of sequins and I found the perfect sparkle dress. If you want spectacular clothes, I highly recommend them! This month we have a promotion from Calistoga Bakery Cafe. Post a Selfie taken at the restaurant on their Facebook page and be entered to win a $250 Gift card.

RESOURCES

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Managing Editor NICOLE FLOTHE Photographer MELINDA NAGY OTERO Photographer JENNY PLOCINSKI Art Director SUZANNE ERVIN Editor CHERYL FLOTHE Cover -Jake CONNECT www.TWITTER.com/Heartbeat_mag FACEBOOK HEARTBEAT CONNECTION facebook.com/heartbeatconnection

If you'd like to be a contributor or are interested in advertising, visit our website or send us an email at info@heartbeatmag.com!

With love, Nicole Flothe Managing Editor

This month's cover is a photograph I took of Jake finding his Easter egg on e a hunt provided by his older cousin Alex. He was so happy to be included and knew that he was the oldest so would have to give his sister and younger cousin a chance to get the eggs. Alex created a surprise and color coded the eggs so each kid got the same amount! Perfect!

Start your morning by clearing your mind and think on positive thoughts. It will change your day!

Lee Heyward - Style with Lee Shelly Aristizabal - You Asked & We Answered Beth Gatrell - Tech Tip of the Week Cheryl Flothe - Heart of Travel, Recipe Corner Heart of Home & Family

by Lee Heyward StylewithLee.com

Reduce, reuse, recycle: Make this your motto when you travel. Bring floaty dresses that look chic with flats or sandals during the day but that can be paired with a belt, clutch, and great heels (the only pair you brought!) for dinner out.

Stick with one color palette so that you can cut back on shoes. Bring one skirt and one pair of shorts and change up the look with different tops. Or bring a tunic that can be a cover up/short dress during the day and dressed up with white pants at night. The Children's Fashion Blog Outfit and Kid's Style

Fiammisday.com Blogger Simona from Florence, Italy

Easter just passed, the weather was not so inspiring and although a little sun appeared here and there, it was also a bit cold. Here is an ideal outfit for this cool Spring weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re having, praying for warm and joyful weather. A pair of animal print jeans with elastic waist (comfortable for kindergarten), a sweater (which you don't see here, but there is), the princess shoes with polka dots. A powder colored jacket and the inseparable accessory of those windy days: a scarf. The scarf is actually my mom's (a gift from Aunt Elisa) that I adored, and I immediately wanted to borrow. I know that Aunt Elisa will be very happy. What do you say, will it rain again? - Fiammetta

Calistoga Bakery Cafe will be running a month long #SELFIE promotion! Please take a photo of yourself or friends at their restaurant and post it on their timeline. Winner will be awarded a $250 Gift card! Winner will be announced Saturday, May 10th, 2014. Enter on Facebook at www.fb.com/calistogacafe

by Cheryl Flothe Head to Key West at the southernmost tip of the Continental United States! You’ll feel like you’re in the Caribbean with its warm breezes, festive music, history, quaint old buildings, great restaurants and nightlife. And getting there’s half the fun. Drive along the Florida Keys from Key Largo over the Seven Mile Bridge; fly into the airport; or take the Key West Express boat from Ft. Meyers or Marco Island, Florida. Also, cruise ships regularly dock there.

Key West is 132 miles south of Miami, and only 90 miles north of Cuba! We docked for an afternoon on a Bahama cruise. The beach at Ft. Taylor is popular with families. Getting around is easy and the nightlife is booming!

History buffs will love seeing Ernest Hemmingway’s house, climbing 88 steps to the top of the light house, and touring the caretaker’s residence. The Mel Fischer Maritime Museum has an extensive collection of treasure from shipwrecks off the Florida coast; and the civil war era Fort Zachary Taylor’s cannons are ready to go!

Ernest Hemmingway lived here 1931-1939.

This lighthouse was used from 1848-1969.

Shipwreck treasure at the Mel Fischer Museum.

Fort Zachary Taylor cannon.

Don’t miss the nightly Sunset Celebration on the pier for food, fun, street vendors, and entertainment---a wonderful way to end your day in Key West!

Recipe Corner by Cheryl Flothe

Easter Cheesecakes I saw these cute mini-cheesecakes on a “Real Women of Philadelphia,” Philadelphia Cream Cheese recipe site posted on Face Book the other day. They would be perfect for Easter, but I also think they would work well for other holidays---Christmas with mini decorations; 4th of July with little flags or red, white, & blue jelly beans; Halloween with little pumpkin candies, etc. These little cheesecakes would be a fun baking project the kids could help you with and they’d be so easy to decorate. Happy Easter!

Photo by realwomenofphiladelphia.com

by Shelly Aristizabal of Healthy Living Concierge

Ingredients k k k k k k k k k

1 cup HONEY MAID Graham Cracker Crumbs ¾ cup plus 2 Tbsp. sugar, divided 3 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted 3 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened 1 tsp. vanilla 3 eggs 1 cup whipping cream 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. toasted coconut 54 Speckled malted milk chocolate eggs

Directions: k Heat oven to 325°F. k Mix graham crumbs, 2 Tbsp. sugar and butter until

blended; press onto bottoms of 18 paper-lined muffin cups. k Beat cream cheese, remaining sugar and vanilla with mixer until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Spoon into crusts. k Bake 25 to 30 min. or until centers are almost set. Cool completely. Refrigerate 2 hours. k Garnish each cheesecake with 1 Tbsp. toasted coconut. Shape coconut into a nest shape. Fill each nest with 3 speckled malted milk chocolate eggs. Note: Look for other Philadelphia Cream Cheese Recipes at http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/main.aspx.

Q: How do I Make My Dreams Come True? A: Know Your Why It is time to turn your dreams into reality. Now is the time to plan your future, to reflect on the things you have experienced and how they have affected you. What have you learned from your past experiences? How have you grown? How do you need to continue to grow/ what areas in you life do you need to work on? Have you written down your goals and dreams and put together a plan of action to achieve item? Success is not an accident. People who achieve what they want in life do it by following a very specific recipe. Perhaps they are not even aware that the've taken specific steps, but everyone who has ever created success in their lives, whether consciously or not, has followed more or less the same process... 1. Know your WHY! If the why is big enough the how is easy. 2. Vivid Vision! Create a picture in your mind of what you want - so vivid it seems real! 3. Do something EVERYDAY towards achieving your goals and dreams. 4. Plan of Action. SMART goals, partnering, Do it Afraid! 5. Steady Wins the race. Power of momentum! Don't quit! 6. Enjoy the Journey! "If you can dream it, then you can achieve it. You will get all you want in life if you help enough other people get what they want." ~ Zig Ziglar

by Cheryl Flothe Ever notice that families and people who live together tend to follow similar patterns of health and fitness? Families who eat healthy foods and have more exercise in their lives tend to be more fit and slim, while those who eat more and exercise less often weigh more and have less stamina and strength. It seems that families who focus on healthy living are just plain….well, healthier. They feel better, have more get-up-and-go, and don’t get sick as often. In researching this article I wondered if being fit and healthy would lead to less illness in our lives. The first article I came upon was from Web MD---and it hit the nail on the head, confirming fit and healthy eaters don’t get sick as much. The article, Secrets of Super Healthy People, by Jennifer Soong, went on to state some scientific reasons I’d never thought of. Here are some of the “secrets” to good health:

1. Exercise relieves stress; increases circulation; makes you happier; improves flexibility, stamina, and strength; AND---increases immunity! So get your family moving. 2. Positive people have happier outlooks, less stress, less heart disease, and get sick less often.

6. Reduce stress through relaxation and exercise. Stress is a big contributor to heart problems and other illnesses. Deep breathing and relaxation techniques are helpful. 7. Getting enough sleep helps you to reduce stress, build immunity, and increase concentration. 8. Eating apples and other quercitin rich-rich foods, such as broccoli, onions, and green tea boost immunity. 9. Vitamins D & C do build immunity---the best way to build up your levels are through foods that contain them. Vitamin D rich foods include eggs, milk, and salmon; while Vitamin C comes from fruits and vegetables. If you’d like to read the whole article, here’s the link: http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/features/secrets-super-healthy-people.

3. Support networks help people reduce stress in their lives, increasing a sense of wellbeing and better immunity. Exercise support networks are really helpful when you try to stick to an exercise program. 4. Brush your teeth! Flossing, brushing, and gargling once a day ward off gum disease causing diabetes and heart problems. Also, gargling kills some of the germs in your mouth from colds and other contagious diseases. 5. Wash your hands often! Many communicable germs enter your mouth and nose through your hands and can also spread to those you touch. Using hand sanitizer can also help.

by Nicole Flothe

My nephew, Austin, died for 7 minutes in a car accident in Alaska one year ago. He was revived and we were all told that he would have little ability to survive. He continued to struggle through the healing process and was on the vent for breathing through his mouth. We couldn't speak with him for the longest time. He started to do yes and no eye movements and then they put a trach in to offer him the ability to start speaking over the ventilator. Austin was transferred to Seattle Children's hospital for spinal surgery to secure the spine and during this time continued prayers from family and friends were pouring in. Gifts arrived daily for him and one was a book about a boy that had died and then come back to share his story. After my sister-in-law Tina read through the book there was a picture in the book that showed a portrait of Jesus. Tina decided to ask Austin if he saw this person. Austin said, "Yes," that he saw Jesus. The book Tina was reading was Heaven is for Real. It's a true story of a four-year old son of a small town Nebraska pastor, who during emergency surgery, slips from consciousness and enters Heaven. He survives and begins talking about being able to look down and see the doctor operating and his dad praying in the waiting room. The family didn't know what to believe, but soon the evidence was clear. They've now created a movie about the book. Every now and then, throughout the last half of the book, Colton is shown different pictures of Jesus and asked if they are accurate depictions of what he remembers Jesus looked like. The authors never tell us which pictures Colton looked at. In the end Colton is shown an online picture. “Dad, that one’s right,” he exclaims. It is the Akiane portrait of Jesus. Akiane Kramarik seems to be a child visionary. Growing up in a home with an Atheist mother and a lapsed Catholic father, she apparently began having “divinely inspired visions,” which she translated into poetry and art. By age four (Colton’s age) she was painting and writing poetry. There can be no denying, at least, that she is a prodigy. She appeared on CNN, World News Tonight, and the Oprah Winfrey Show. Forget that she is a child; her work is amazing. She was just eight-years-old when she painted Prince of Peace, her first portrait of Jesus. This is the painting Colton said was right. It is reproduced in the back of every copy of this best seller. I'm heading to see the movie this week.

Facebook.com/AustinErvinHealing

by Nicole Flothe

I had the opportunity to review this book from Booklook Bloggers. I love the ability to choose books that provide a true life story and how someone can go on from a terrible situation into a life full of love and success. There were so many parts of the story that I just wanted her to get up and leave her marriage. One strike is the turning point in my opinion and I've always been an advocate of seeking help. Each page I waited to find out when she would make the decision to leave but the cycle of abuse and then kindness continued. He had a young daughter that she raised as her own and was primarily the caregiver for the child. There were so many twists to her life that at one point I wasn't sure if she would survive.

Throughout all of it, her strength and perseverance comes across. When she is finally able to unshackle herself from the abuse she thrives. More importantly she can look back at the awful times and see how God was still present in her life and would use them in her future. - S. McQuaid Amazon Review

The Epic Transformation from Living the Nightmare to Healing the Spiritâ&#x20AC;Ś

It was definitely a roller coaster ride and I was surprised that she was able to break free. Since I'm a nurse, I have been educated in Domestic Violence and how to see or treat signs and symptoms. One of the things that never occurred in her story was any help from the medical field. She visited the hospital several times for infections caused by her husband's affairs, but being young and naive didn't understand that these were serious issues. The staff treated her unkindly because of her infections and never realized the problem. I wonder how many times in our life we have people we meet and not realize they are in need.

On the outside, Alexa lived the life of a cheerful married woman whose entire life seemed poised for greatness. On the inside, she continued to hide the shadowy secret of a splintered world of torture that she endured for ten years at the hands of the man whose lies she believed.

Since I've read the book I look at my life and thank God for the support and comfort I have from my family and loved ones. It's an eye-opener and perhaps will be a support for those in a situation that need to know there is hope!

When she first met Jim, she was nineteen years old. Immediately captured by his charming personality, Alexa began an ardent love affair with him. What originated as controlling emotional abuse developed into a traumatic depiction of physical and psychological violence, illustrating the intense complexities of love and fury, passion and brutality.

Facebook: Lifted From Darkness

In this touching work of inspiration, Alexa reveals the entangled suffering and sadistic manipulation experienced by living with an abuser, and carries you with her through the shocking events that led to her escape from the chasm of fear and intimidation. Along the way, Alexa exposes the heartbreaking effects domestic violence played on her identity as she moved toward true healing and a life of personal fulfillment and success with a faithful trust in God.

by Nicole Flothe I attended a recent Business Women Connect event here in Naples, it just so happened to be on my birthday so I got to enjoy a night out with lovely ladies and eat delicious food, wine, and be inspired by some awesome speakers. The event was at the Von Liebig Art Center, and provided an evening to ignite women's inner radiance and help fundraise and bring awareness to Make-a-Wish.

I arrived with my mother-in-law, Cheryl, and helped my mom, Suzanne Ervin, set up her table for the event. My mother is an artist and she was displaying her art work and had paid to be a vendor. You can see more of her work by visiting www.semyart.com. Once my mom was set, I then purchased my wine glass. There were so many unique messages of inspiration on them, I chose Empower. The food was amazing, my friend, Amy Giacometti, just recently opened a French restaurant on 5th Ave. in Naples called La Bazenne. They were one of the many food vendors at the event. I loved their yummy savory French Madeleines! The wine was provided by Bleu Provence, and served to anyone who had bought a wine glass. After I sampled the meatballs from Sage Catering and the popcorn from The Popcorn Cellar, I went and browsed the jewelry and purses. For a complete list of vendors visit www.celebrateandsparkle.com.

An invigorating Series of Women Speakers: Allyson Spellman, Shelly Aristizabal, Tina Black, Tamra Nashman & Shemane Nugent! Photo taken by ÂŠ Charlie McDonald Photography

Women purchased wine glasses to help support Make-a-Wish.

Beautiful makeup was provided by Pau Mitchell The School Fort Myers.

Tina Black was the first speaker and she had a way of getting people off their feet and motivating everyone. She shared her story of how she owns three Paul Mitchell Schools in Michigan and Florida, where she holds many roles. She also cocreated the Be Nice Teams now offered in every Paul Mitchell School. WEBSITE: www.tinablack.net Then Allyson Spellman spoke and she shared about herself and her company Unleash Your Voice. She is a former actress, entertainment producer and casting director who worked in various capacities for TV, film and Broadway. She is currently a world-renowned women’s empowerment coach, author, TV guest expert and speaker. Allyson has coached hundreds of women to stop settling for less and start living without limits. She is an expert at shifting women from feeling lost to truly being found. Through the Unleash Your Voice brand, Allyson has developed programs, workshops and tools designed for women to celebrate their authentic voice, true identity and self-worth. WEBSITE:www.UnleashYourVoice.com The third speaker was Shemane Nugent. She has been actively involved in the fitness industry since 1980. An AFAA certified instructor, Shemane has appeared in exercise videos and cable television shows sharing her passion for fitness and helping to inspire people on their paths to happier, healthier living. Recruited by Zumba and Curves, Shemane was instrumental in developing Zumba in the Circuit, an exciting new program that joins circuit training and Zumba Fitness! Mrs. Nugent is the author of “Married to a Rock Star”, and a wild game cookbook she penned with her husband titled “Kill It and Grill It.” She enjoys conducting Zumba Master

Classes to benefit charities. WEBSITE: www.shemanenugent.com I really enjoyed hearing from Tamra Nashman. She is a woman who understands the importance of having an Extra-Ordinary Image! She consults with clients on a daily basis to help people dress for success – to increase both their personal confidence and their bottom line. WEBSITE:www.TamraNashmanSpeaker.com The event was truly spectacular. My friend Shelly Aristizabal was the lady of the night. She was the organizer of the event and so stepped into many roles from taking credit cards for the wine glasses to mingling with the vendors and guests and introducing all the speakers. Also, each person that got a wine glass was entered into a raffle. She would announce the winner by sharing the word on the glass, the color, and how many gems. I won and will be visiting a new restaurant, bha! bha!. Shelly is committed to encouraging others to design and pursue the life of their dreams everyday. You can find inspiration and motivation through published book – “This is Your Year”! WEBSITE:www.shellyaristizabal.com

April Apps by Nicole Flothe

Into Tomorrow's Spring is in the air and it's time to clean... by Beth Gatrell On Earth Day you can learn a lot about how to help save your environment by going online. Earth Day Network is a great place to start with information from all over the world. There you will find the history of Earth Day as well as blogs, news stories, photos, ways to become

This month I chose things that would motivate me and get me moving in the right direction. Bible Verses has been helpful as they offer a series of verses with beautiful pictures to save and share with my kids. Quotes is very similar, but they have different categories. I really love the inspirational ones. Egg A Sketch was perfect for Easter and using my crafty side along with Notegraphy. Twenty20 is a great app to discover photographers that are selling their photos in a unique way. PayPal Here is useful in my business transactions. Nexercise has been fun as I've been getting awards for exercising and keeping up with my friends. Meetup is a great app to see what is happening locally and what events I can check out. Lastly, ClutterRescue is perfect for Spring Cleaning!

involved and so much more. For fun activities, crafts, games, and more take a trip to Enchanted Learning, TinkerLab, DLTK, Ideal Home Garden and Party Current. You can check out how individual cities like Sacramento, Austin, San Francisco, and Cincinnati celebrate and find out where special events are taking place. Search your favorite online source for Earth Day in your neighborhood. And for some Green fun on the go, download Apps like Earth day Fun and The Lorax. Our Free "Into Tomorrow" App is available as well! Happy Earth Day!

To view more information about iPhone apps visit

www.heartbeatmag.com, What's on my iPhone.

Featured Foundation

by Nicole Flothe

While doing some research for my nephew Austin on Spinal Cord Support I came across an article on a Spinal stimulator and its success in allowing nerves to respond in parapelegic people. I also read about this organization called Kosair Charities that just gave a $7.3 million donation to support the University of Louisville in research and development for neurorehabilitiation.

'The support Kosair Charities provides is critical to our advancing the science of rehabilitation in children. We look forward to sharing our findings with the larger neurological physical therapy and pediatric communities.' - Dr. Andrea Behrman Since 1923 Kosair Charities has had one primary mission â&#x20AC;&#x201C; helping children in need. Kosair Charities mission is to protect the health and well-being of children in Kentucky and Southern Indiana by providing financial support for clinical services, research, pediatric healthcare education, and child advocacy.

The newest "Silent Messenger" statue at Family and Children's Place. (5th & Kentucky)

Every day, Kosair Charities helps children receive the medical care they need to be able to walk, run, and dance. Kosair Charities believes one healing step can lead to one more, and one smile can lead to joyous laughter. It is because of Kosair Charities' caring efforts that thousands of Kosair Kids are able to do what they can do. And, just like all kids, they have dreams to pursue.

Over the years Kosair Charities has awarded more than $200 million to serve thousands of children through pediatric organizations or on an individual basis.

https://www.facebook.com/KosairCharities

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Hi, I'm Austin Ervin and I'm recovering from a car accident I had in Alaska. I was diagnosed with AtlantoOccipital Dislocation. I had to have spinal surgery at Seattle Children's Hospital, went to Kennedy Krieger Institute for Rehab and now I have returned to Alaska. I'm on a breathing tube and have to get assistance with moving. My Mommy & Daddy are raising money to help support my care now and in the future. Your donations help with: extra expenses, extra therapies, and so much more. Thanks! Visit www.believeaustin.com

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