The Mommy Chase

CHD Awareness Week: More Facts About CHDs

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:31:00 +0000

Did you know that congenital heart defects can greatly affect the finances not only of the families involved, but of everyone? In the United States, hospital costs for people with a heart defect were about $1.4 billion in one year. Families and the government share the burden of these costs, which means that all taxpayers are affected. Other costs due to lost wages or work limitations can affect families and businesses as well.

Did you know that people with congenital heart defects are living longer? As medical care and treatments have advanced, infants with heart defects are living longer and healthier lives. Many now are living into adulthood. About one million adults in the United States are living with a congenital heart defect. It is important for children and adults living with a congenital heart defect to see a heart doctor regularly throughout their lives.

Did you know that some congenital heart defects can be prevented?
The cause of most congenital heart defects is unknown. Some babies have heart defects because of changes in their genes or chromosomes. They also might be caused by a mix of genes and other risk factors. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Birth Defects Prevention Study has found that women who are obese, have diabetes, or smoke during pregnancy increase their chances of having a baby born with a heart defect. A woman can take some important steps before and during pregnancy to help prevent congenital heart defects. She can work to get to and stay at a healthy weight, control diagnosed diabetes, quit smoking, and take folic acid daily. These actions can reduce the risk of having a baby with a congenital heart defect.

Sources from www.cdc.gov

Melissa Rich from VanityRich.com

CHD Awareness Week: Current Legislation

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:23:00 +0000

Two states currently have pulse oximetry laws while several other states have current or previous laws. At the federal level, pulse oximetry has been recommended for addition to the uniform newborn panel. State advocacy work is needed to make sure that every state follows that recommendation.

Mentioning these efforts when writing or speaking to lawmakers is helpful. Also consider attaching copies of the bill language from other states as examples for your legislator. Check the Critical Congenital Heart Disease Screening Map for further information about efforts in each state.

Federal Recommendation

The Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Heritable Diseases in Newborn and Children recommended in October 2010 that pulse oximetry screened for CHD be added to the uniform newborn panel.

In April 2011, Secretary Kathleen Sebelius answered that recommendation and gave the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Newborn and Child Screening 90 days to further review any evidence gaps and develop a plan for implementation.

If Secretary Sebelius recommends pulse ox for CCHD, some states will undoubtedly introduce programs without legislation, such is the case in Indiana, where pulse oximetry screening was funded and the Department of Health is developing a program.

In September, 2011, Secretary Sebelius accepted that recommendation for adoption of pulse oximetry screening to the universal newborn panel. This doesn’t mean that states must start screening, but does set up federal support.

States with Laws

Maryland - Final Bill Wording Fiscal Statement

New Jersey - Law

Indiana - As part of House Act 1001, Indiana passed pulse oximetry screening.Pulse oximetry screening is now included in the Indiana code.

The original bill language.

Fiscal statements 1, 2, 3
Indiana Screening Protocols
Indiana FAQ for Professionals

States with Pilot Programs

Minnesota - A pilot program in this state has been under for the past few years, expanding pulse oximetry screening in hospitals.

States with Current Bills

Florida -introduced SB 1052 in December 2011. Track the bill here.

New Hampshire - A bill requiring pulse oximetry screening was introduced in December 2011.

Tennessee - This state introduced bills in the House and Senate.Fiscal Note

Pennsylvania - The James Matthew Mannix Bill was introduced in the State Senate in July 2011.

Missouri - Chloe’s Law was introduced in 2010 and 2011, and also 2012.

West Virginia - HB 4327 was introduced in January 2012.

States with Previous Bills

Nebraska - Bill (Introduced thanks to the advocate work of the Klein family)

Mississippi - Bill

New York - Bill

Source from pulseoxadvocacy.com

CHD Awareness Week: Pulse Oximetry

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:17:00 +0000

"What’s needed is a large-scale formal screening program, similar to mammography or colonoscopy to identify at-risk individuals. We already do this to identify newborns with certain hidden but deadly conditions...Recently, researchers have identified a promising new method called pulse oximetry to screen all babies for heart defects."-Darshak Sanghavi, M.D (from Screening Babies for Broken Hearts

What is Newborn Screening with Pulse Oximetry?

Pulse oximetry monitoring uses a light source and sensor to measure oxygen in the blood.

A soft, wrapped sensor is wrapped around the baby’s foot.
Light passing through the foot measures the amount of oxygen in the blood.
The test is quick (3-5 minutes) and painless. Pulse oximetry monitoring should detect most heart defects.

Why is it important to check babies for heart defects?

If undetected, some congenital heart defects can cause serious or even life-threatening problems. Early detection and early treatment lead to better outcomes.

Why check the blood oxygen level with pulse oximetry?
A low oxygen saturation level may indicate the presence of a heart defect.

What are the benefits of the screening?

Babies are less likely to be sent home with unidentified heart problems – some of which can cause acute, emergency situations or even death. If identified in the first 24-48 hours of life, medical teams are available for diagnosis and treatment of CHDs. Critical congenital heart defects, requiring immediate treatment or repair, can be performed before discharge from the hospital.

Will screening find all types of heart defects?

No current screening tool exists to detect CHDs 100 percent of the time. Pulse oximetry screening should detect most heart defects (those associated with a low blood oxygen level). However, some heart detects may not be found on screening (those not associated with a low blood oxygen level).

What will happen if a baby has a low blood oxygen level?

The pulse oximetry test will be done again. If the level is still lower than expected, then an echocardiogram (sonogram of the heart) will be done. A pediatric cardiologist will ‘read’ the echocardiogram to check for the presence of a heart defect. If a CHD is found, the pediatric cardiologist will start collaborating on those findings and working on treatment options. Most heart defects can be corrected or improved with surgery, procedures and/or medications.

What are the other signs and symptoms of heart defects parents can watch for?

• Baby tires easily during feeding (falls asleep before feeding finishes)
• Sweating around the head, especially during feeding
• Fast breathing when at rest or sleeping
• Pale or bluish skin color
• Poor weight gain
• Sleeps a lot, not playful or curious for any length of time
• Puffy face, hands and/or feet
• Often irritable, difficult to console

Congenital Heart Defects (CHDs) are defects that are present at birth and affect the structure or function of the heart or vessels.

• Heart defects are the most common birth defect.
• CHDs occur in approximately one of every 100 births.
• About 40,000 babies with CHD are born in the US each year.
• Heart defects are the leading cause of newborn and infant death.
• Although some babies will be diagnosed before birth or at birth, sometimes the diagnosis is not made until days, weeks, months or even years later.

To view newly published findings from the German multicenter pulse ox study: http://1in100.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Riede-et-al_Germany-Pulse-Ox.pdf

To view the 2009 statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Heart Association: http://1in100.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/peds.PULSE-OX-STATEMENT_2009-1397v1.pdf

Pulse Oximetry Advocacy Temporary Toolkit:

Interactive screening map with current state legislation, legislation pending and hospitals screening for CCHD:

http://www.cchdscreeningmap.com/

I. INITIAL OUTREACH TARGETS

State Departments of Health

Newborn Screening and/or birth defect surveillance divisions

Hospital Medical Staff – contacts

Pediatric Cardiology
Neonatology
Pediatrics
Nursing
Newborn nurseries/Labor & Delivery

Hospital Administration

CEO
Chief Financial Officer
Medical Director
Nursing Executive Leadership
Patient Safety/Patient Care

Resources from 1in100.org

CHD Awareness Week: What is CHD?

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:42:00 +0000

A CHD means a child is born with an abnormally structured heart and/or large vessels. Such hearts may have incomplete or missing parts, may be put together the wrong way, may have holes between chamber partitions or may have narrow or leaky valves or narrow vessels.

There are many types of congenital heart defects, ranging from those that pose relatively small threat to the health of the child to those that require immediate surgery. Many types of CHDs and the surgical procedures your physician may recommend to correct the condition can be found in the Children’s Heart Foundation’s parent resource book It’s My Heart – Chapter 2.

Some CHDs can be detected pre-birth by a Level II ultrasound or by a fetal echocardiogram. After birth, congenital heart disease is often first detected when the doctor hears an abnormal heart sound or heart murmur when listening to the heart. Depending on the type of murmur, he or she may order further testing such as – Echocardiogram, Cardiac catheterization, Chest X-Ray, Electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) or other diagnostic testing. More information about the diagnostic tests that may be used to identify a heart problem or check the status of a previous surgical procedure can be found in It’s My Heart – Chapter 4.

The warning signs of Congenital Heart Disease in infants and children may include a heart murmur or abnormal heart sound, cyanosis (a bluish tint to the skin, fingernails and/or lips), fast breathing, poor feeding, poor weight gain, an inability to exercise and excessive sweating.

Incidence, Morbidity & Mortality
Congenital heart defects are America’s and every country’s #1 birth defect. Nearly one of every 100 babies is born with a CHD.
Congenital heart defects are the #1 cause of birth defect related deaths.
Congenital heart defects are the leading cause of all infant deaths in the United States.
Each year approximately 40,000 babies are born in the United States with a congenital heart defect. Thousands of them will not reach their first birthday and thousands more die before they reach adulthood.
Each year over 1,000,000 babies are born worldwide with a congenital heart defect. 100,000 of them will not live to see their first birthday and thousands more die before they reach adulthood.

Lifelong Disease
Almost half all children and adults with complex congenital heart disease have neurological and developmental disabilities.
There are an estimated 2,000,000 CHD survivors in the United States.
For the first time, more than 50% of the CHD survivors are adults.
10% of all CHD cases evaluated in an Adult CHD clinic are first diagnosed in adulthood.

Economic Factors
91,000 life years are lost each year in this country due to congenital heart defects.
The cost for inpatient surgery to repair congenital heart defects exceeds $2.2 billion a year.

General CHD FACTS
More than 50% of all children born with congenital heart defect will require at least one invasive surgery in their lifetime.
There are more than 40 different types of congenital heart defects. Little is known about the cause of most of them. There is no known prevention or cure for any of them.
In the United States, twice as many children die from congenital heart defects each year than from all forms of childhood cancer combined, yet funding for pediatric cancer research is five times higher than funding for CHD.

Research Allocations & Impact
Congenital heart defects are common and deadly, yet CHD research is grossly under-funded relative to the prevalence of the disease.
Only one penny of every dollar donated to the American Heart Association goes towards congenital heart defect research.
Of every dollar the government spends on medical funding only a fraction of a penny is directed toward congenital heart defect research.

The NHLBI has stated that Congenital Heart Defects are a serious and underappreciated global health problem.
In the last decade death rates for congenital heart defects have declined by almost 30% due to advances made through research.

Resources from The Children Heart Foundation.

CHD Awareness Week

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:14:00 +0000

CHD Awareness Week kicks off tomorrow! From February 7-14th, The Mommy Chase will be solely dedicated to CHD Awareness. I encourage all of my readers to spread awareness to educate others on CHD and for those who donate $5 to the Children’s Heart Foundation between tomorrow and the 14th, and if you e-mail me a copy of your receipt, you will be entered in a prize drawing to win a delicious Ultimate Red Velvet Cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory. All you have to do is donate $5 to the CHF via and e-mail me the receipt at erica@rememberingcarcar.com. Also, starting tomorrow we’re also going to be wearing red for the entire week. Send me a photo of you wearing red and I’ll post it right here on The Mommy Chase.

Support the CHD Community and spread the word!

Now, this is funny

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 14:37:00 +0000

I'm not a narcissist or a beauty queen, but I'd like to think I'm kinda cute. My lovely husband would say “I'm beautiful”, but he hasn't always felt that way....

Recently, while visiting his parents, Monte came across his Middle School yearbook and brought home. Since I also attended the same school as Monte, I was elated to see the yearbook and to reminisce on those innocent and carefree days of my childhood and childhood friends. While looking through the book I noticed that Monte indicated all of the girls he thought were cute by simply writing "cute" by their names. I just knew Monte had "cute" by my name. I instantly went racing through the yearbook looking for my maiden name. I saw my awful picture and noticed that not only was my name spelled wrong, but that the man that took me off the market didn't think I was appealing to eye back in the day. I didn't have "cute" by my name! Shame on him!

Well, that was some 15 years ago, I guess I'll let him pass. He wasn't really my cup of tea back then either.

New Year: Procrastination

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 15:39:00 +0000

“A year from now you may wish you had started today.” - Karen Lamb

I dropped the ball in 2011. I made too many goals and bite off more than I could chew. A lot of it had to do with the fact that I’m a HUGE procrastinator. This year, I’m going to live by Nike’s slogan and just do it. Also, instead of creating a million goals to execute in 12 months, I’ve shorten my list to my top five reasonable goals. That way I’m not setting myself up to fail, and I have absolutely no excuses – NONE.

Gretchen Rubin, author of “The Happiness Projec t”, created 13 tips for sticking to your resolutions.

1. Be specific. Don’t resolve to “Make more friends” or “Strengthen friendships”; that’s too vague. To make more friends as part of my happiness project, I have several very concrete resolutions like: “Start a group,” “Remember birthdays,” “Say hello,” “Make plans,” “Show up,” and “No gossip.”

2. Write it down.

3. Review your resolution constantly. If your resolution is buzzing through your head, it’s easier to stick to it. I review my Resolutions Chart every night.

4. Hold yourself accountable. Tell other people about your resolution, join or form a like-minded group, score yourself on a chart (my method) -- whatever works for you to make yourself feel accountable for success and failure.

5. Think big. Maybe you need a big change, a big adventure – a trip to a foreign place, a break-up, a move, a new job. Let yourself imagine anything, and plan from there.

6. Think small. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that only radical change can make a difference. Just keeping your fridge cleared out could give you a real boost. Look close to home for ways to improve and grow.

7. Ask for help. Why is this so hard? But every time I ask for help, I’m amazed at how much easier my task becomes.

If you have an especially tough time keeping resolutions, if you have a pattern of making and breaking them, try these strategies:

8. Consider making only pleasant resolutions. We can make our lives happier in many ways. If you’ve been trying the boot-camp approach with no success, try resolving to “Go to more movies,” “Entertain more often,” or whatever resolutions you’d find fun to keep. Often, having more fun in our lives makes it easier to do tough things. Seeing more movies might make it easier to keep going to the gym.

9. Consider giving up a resolution. If you keep making and breaking a resolution, consider whether you should relinquish it entirely. Put your energy toward changes that are both realistic and helpful. Don't let an unfulfilled resolution to lose twenty pounds or to overhaul your overgrown yard block you from making other, smaller resolutions that might give you a big happiness boost.

10. Keep your resolution every day. Weirdly, it’s often easier to do something every day (exercise, post to a blog, deal with the mail, do laundry) than every few days.

11. Set a deadline.

12. Don’t give up if something interferes with your deadline.

13. “Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.” Thank you, Voltaire. Instead of starting your new exercise routine by training for the marathon, aim for a 20-minute walk each day. Instead of cleaning out the attic, tackle one bureau drawer. If you break your resolution today, try again tomorrow.

Wonderful tips! Time for me to get focused!

I wish everyone the best of luck in accomplishing their goals and Happy New Year!

RECAP :: Strike for Hearts Bowl-a-thon

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 13:42:00 +0000

We did it! Not only did we meet our goal — we surpassed it!

Thank you to our sponsors, volunteers, bowlers and donors, who helped make Strike for Hearts a success. With your generous support, you helped to bring awareness to the CHD community.

We had 96 bowlers fantastic bowlers participate in Team Carter's 1st Annual Strike for Hearts Bowl-a-thon to help raise funds for the Children's Heart Foundation. Our goal was to raise $3,000, but thanks to all of our supporters we surpassed that goal and raised nearly $5,000. We couldn't possibly have done this without the help from our community.

Big thanks to our sponsors:

Best Buy

Chick-fil-a

Art of Framing

The Big Top Child Care Center

Weiss

Baked & Wired

Teams

ALTA For Hearts

ALTA <3'S Carter

Bowl So Hard University

Super Bowl

Team Conney

Team Adelphi

Team Sietta

Maravilla Inc

Team Steph

Once again, a huge THANK YOU for all of your wonderful support!

Strike for Hearts

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 12:28:00 +0000

Team Carter's 1st Annual Strike for Hearts Bowl-a-Thon

Saturday, December 3, 2011 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM (ET)

Laurel, MD

On the one-year anniversary of the death of our son, Carter, we would like to ask our entire community to join us in the fight against CHDs. Bowlers, non-bowlers, corporate teams, neighbors and families can get in on the action of this bowling event to raise funds for the Children’s Heart Foundation. Everyone is invited to join the fun with our first annual bowl-a-thon to "strike out" CHDs.

See below to register or download a registration form by clicking here.

There is a six person maximum per team. If you register up to six people, that automatically places you as a High Roller sponsor. Your entry fee includes bowling from 2:00 P.M. - 4:00 P.M., bowling shoes and a T-shirt for each team member.
For sponosorship opportunties please contact Erica Hampton at erica@rememberingcarcar.com.
The Children’s Heart Foundation is the country’s leading organization solely committed to CHD research. Our goal is to raise $3000 for research, educational programs, and advocacy and patient services.

Online Ticketing for Team Carter's 1st Annual Strike for Hearts Bowl-a-Thon powered by Eventbrite

Stretch

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 17:02:00 +0000

"I’m stretching out from where I am, to where He’s taking me"

This year I’ve creating a new chapter in my life and not allowing the vicissitudes of life to get in the way. Not only do I have a new home, I now have a new job in which my start date begins in just a few weeks. I’ve been with my current job for six years and I felt that it was time to move on and now that I have a family now I wanted something with less travel. There were a few people that felt I should’ve been satisfied with what I had, and not that I wasn’t, but how do you expect me to grow if I don’t go anywhere? Yes, the Bible teaches us to be content with what we have, however I don’t believe that God wants His people to be so content that we lose focus on our goals and our mission in life consequently paralyze our own growth. He wants us to prosper in all things! My current job has allowed me to meet some wonderful people, travel to some beautiful places and learned a lot of useful information, but its time for me to face new challenges and more wonderful people and learn more useful information. Unlike the past, I now keep God included in all of the decisions that I make as I walk this journey of life. It’s still too soon to know if any of the decisions that I’ve made were the right ones, but if I happen to hit a bump in the road, or a dead end, that’s when I’ll know that I went the wrong way and that’s okay, it won’t be the first plus, I have an awesome Navigation System that never fails me!

I’m stretching out....

Travis Greene
"Stretch"

Trusting the Lord

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 11:08:00 +0000

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 3:5-6

When things fall through we often concentrate solely on the "bad", without ever noticing the "good" within the situation. A few weeks from today is Moving Day for my family and I. A few weeks from today we were supposed to be moving from our home that was meant for a family of four to a cozy apartment down the street. Notice I said "supposed". Well, earlier this week we were informed that the current tenants renewed their lease, which is understandable, but the fact that we weren't notified until this week wasn't. I just knew since this was management's fault, they would fix this so that we would be in our home in two weeks, but I was wrong.

"I'm depending on You to direct me each day. I trust you so Lord have your way"

Even though this was a HUGE inconvenience for us I decided that I would not let this break me for this was God's will and if He wanted us to be there then this issue would not have appeared.

"In you there is no doubt or nothing unfair"

On my way home from work my husband and I prayed together and ask God for His guidance and will. Although I was disappointed with this whole ordeal I didn't care to remain in disappointment, I didn't care to point fingers, get angry and out of character. Instead, I looked towards the "good" and the signs that God revealed to me:

Yes, this is a HUGE inconvenience for us, but that particular location is not where God wanted us to call "home" and wherever He wants us to be is where we want to be as well.

"I will follow wherever You are"

It's amazing how God works. Out of all of this chaos, there was a light at the end of the tunnel, which led us to place, a place called "home" :)

I'll post pictures soon

Damita
I Will Trust

Memorial Day

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Fri, 27 May 2011 11:47:00 +0000

In celebration of Memorial Day, here are some menu selections that not only look delicious, but shows your patriotism too!

1) Cherry Pie

2) Blueberry Salsa

3) Redskin Potato Salad

4) Hamburger with Double Cheddar Cheese, Grilled Vidalia Onion and Horseradish Mustard

5) Strawberry Salad
6) Blue Lemonade
7) Red, White and Blue Cupcakes
8) BBQ Chicken

Making a Change

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Wed, 25 May 2011 13:47:00 +0000

On Thursday, May 19th, 2011 Maryland's House Bill 714/Senate Bill 786 were signed into law by Governor Martin O. Malley. What does this all mean you ask? This bill helps babies born in the state of Maryland receive the proper screening for Congenital Heart Disease and will kick into law starting July 1, 2011.

I can't tell you how overjoyed I was to hear this great news, but at that same moment, my heart ached for Carter- wishing I had been more aware of this disease and that they had passed this law a little sooner.

BIG THANKS and LOVE to the Easley's, Dr. Martin and anyone else that worked so hard on getting this bill passed. Because of your hard work and dedication many lives will be saved.

Congenital Heart Walk

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Tue, 24 May 2011 11:48:00 +0000

This past Sunday I walked along with 300 other individuals, on the campus of American University on a mission to end Congenital Heart Disease.

We walked, we moseyed, we strolled, I danced (hehe) down the sidewalk to help raise funding for CHD research.

Dr. Mary T. Donofrio who is an advocate supporter for the Congenital Heart Community came out spoke to the crowd.

Team Carter raised a total of $1500. Our original goal was $500. God is GOOD!

Overall, Team Carter along with the help of other teams raised over $68,000 (and counting)...beautiful!

Cinco de Mayo

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Fri, 06 May 2011 11:55:00 +0000

Yesterday of course was Cinco de Mayo and in honor of the celebration I made Avocado Lime Cheesecake, yes, avocado lime cheesecake. Makes your stomach upset just imagining it, but it was actually very good. Think of Key Lime Pie just a tad bit sweeter and a little less tangier. It's more like a pie rather than a cheesecake and a great treat for nice weather

Avocado Lime Cheesecake
courtesy of allrecipes.com

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups cream
3/4 cup white sugar
1 1/2 ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
2 (3 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1 (8 inch) prepared graham cracker crust

Directions

Heat the cream in a small saucepan until small bubbles appear around edges. Remove from heat and stir sugar into the cream until it dissolves. Transfer to a medium bowl, and allow to cool.
Combine the avocado and cream cheese in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add the lime juice and process until smooth, then whisk into the cooled cream mixture.
Fill an ice cream maker with the mixture, and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Spoon into the prepared pie crust. Smooth surface with a spatula. Freeze at least 2 hours in freezer before serving.

True Compassion

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 11:51:00 +0000

“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ Matthew 25:40

Since Easter is coming up, I’ve been reading about the life of Jesus and most importantly His crucifixion and resurrection. In the book of Matthew, chapter 25 versus 31-46, Jesus speaks of compassion and the effect it will have your destiny on Judgment Day. He teaches his followers the importance of caring for one another and how as followers when we should show our compassion to those in need, it’s as we had done the same for Jesus himself.

Earlier this week I had the pleasure of volunteering for Children's Inn, which is a home-away-from-home for ill kids and their families while receiving treatment. We hosted Family Dinner which is allows the opportunity for residencies to meet, mingle and interact with other families who are also facing a serious illness. It was an incredible experience, especially to witness the smiles on the faces of the kids and their families who have faced so much adversity at such an early age. Ironically, I had no idea what this organization was about until the day of the event. I just knew it was kid-focused, so I was game. As I watched a little girl who appeared to be critically sick eat her dinner, I thought about Carter and how this could have been us. Although, we didn’t have knowledge of Carter’s disease before his passing, I still felt a connection with them.

Yesterday, while on my way to work, I thought about how much fun I had at Children’s Inn and then I came across Matthew 25:34-40 while reading the Bible and I thought to myself, as a follower of Jesus I need to be doing a lot more for the less fortunate than I’m doing now. Sometimes we get so wrapped into our own lives and our own issues that we forget that there are real people out there with greater needs than us. So as soon as I arrived in the office I sent an e-mail to Children’s Inn and volunteered my services to them on a monthly basis. It’s such a great feeling knowing that you’re making a difference in someone else’s life. We can make excuses and complain about how we don’t have time for other people’s issues, but we must remind ourselves that Jesus offered up his life for our sins, so what are you offering?

A Happy Marriage for the Royal Couple

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 11:52:00 +0000

The Royal Wedding is just days away and although I've only been married for 2.5 years, we've been together for a total of seven years, so I believe I can give advice on maintaining the happiness inside your marriage. So take a look at my tips, you're also welcome to share some of your own tips for the Royal Couple

You're a team
You're going to argue, you're going to have differences, but always remember that you're both on the same team and your goal is not to win individually, but together!

Be Honest
Whenever an issue arises, don’t keep those feelings bottled in. It won’t erase the problem and it doesn’t make you feel any better. Instead, find the appropriate time to share with your spouse the issue(s) that have been bothering. Most importantly, before the conversation ends make sure you both brainstorm on resolutions to prevent this issue from reoccurring and act on it immediately.

Keep the Love Alive
Sometimes your schedules can be very hectic or after being married for awhile you may tend to neglect your marriage, but always remember to make time for each other and remind your spouse that they are loved each and everyday.

Save the Drama
Sharing your martial problems with family and friends may sometimes seem like a good idea, but can often lead to unpleasant situations. Most people we seek advice from cannot help us and instead, do one of the following: judge us, don’t really want us to be happy, tell us what we want to hear or air our dirty laundry to their friends. Try seeking advice from other married couples that are genuine, good-natured and who want to see your relationship develop and not harm it.

Give Each Other Space
In my house, we each have our own room where we able to go relax or focus on our hobbies. Monte’s room is the basement and mine is the computer room and kitchen. I think it’s important for couples to have their own space, in their home. That way you're still at home, but not up under each other everyday for the rest of your lives.

Happiness: Organization

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 11:11:00 +0000

I apologize as this posting was supposed to out last weekend but the end of the week got a bit crazy for me.

When I’m disoriented, so is my entire world.

Here are useful tips that can help you stay organized and sane

Get a planner
I own a FranklinConvey planner it is a life saver! Before I start my day, when, I write down my schedule for the entire day including tasks, phone calls, deadlines, messages, and appointments. I keep track of all of my tasks for the day and what doesn’t get completed that day, moves over to the next day.

Smartphone
When I don’t have access to my planner, or my calendar on Outlook, there’s always my Evo, which is with me everywhere I go.

Meal Planning
Saves money and headaches

Door Spot Organizer
Helps you to avoid leaving the house forgetting something

Space maker bags
Great place to store out of season clothing

Donate
Have clothing you haven’t worn in years or furniture you’d like to get rid of, why not donate it them to a non-profit organization?

Please visit these sites for more information of organization

http://www.franklincovey.com/tc/

http://www.justorganizeyourstuff.com/

http://tidymom.net/

http://www.containerstore.com/welcome.htm

Remember when you’re not organized, it affects everything around you, so this weekend, make it a priority to give your clutter the boot!

Happiness: Budgeting

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 11:29:00 +0000

Money doesn't solve all your problems, but being financially stable gives you security which allows you to live comfortably. Not everyone will have Bill Gates money, but you don't have to be a billionaire to be financially stable. The key to financial happiness for everyday 9 to 5ers is budgeting.

Budgeting doesn't mean you have to live miserably by eating oodles of noodles each day and collecting every penny you see, but it does mean living within your means which can take to you to the path of possible financial happiness.

Here are some tips to budgeting

Create a personal monthly budget

Bring your lunch to work, it saves you $1000 a year

Before visiting the grocery store, plan your meals.

Base your meals off what's on sale at the grocery store.

Buy generic brands

Use coupons (something I'm still working on)

Find out which days of the week your favorite gas station offers special discounts

Save on your electricity bill by turning off your lights when you leave the room and unplug appliances that aren't in use.

Catch a matinee, it's cheaper

Use google shopping to compare prices on an item before purchasing

Buy Used Items: thrift stores and craigslist.com

Avoid purchasing a new car

Avoid impulsive spending
Purchase a prepaid cell phone

For more information on budgeting, please visit the following links

http://www.mint.com
http://www.daveramsey.com
http://moneysavingmom.com
http://www.coupons.com/

The Happy Meal

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 11:50:00 +0000

Sorry, unfortunately this isn't Ronald McDonald's or my 3 year old's version of an Happy Meal, I'm actually referring to the "Happy Diet." What is the "Happy Diet" you ask? Basically a healthy, balanced diet, that keeps you, well, happy. Research shows that your diet has a great impact on your mood.

According to L.A. Dietian Ashley Korr, R.D., your Happy Diet should consist of...

Regular Snacks
Eating every three to fours keeps your body satisfied and your blood sugar stable.

Less White Stuff
Sugar and white flour can lead to an energy and mood crash. Every meal should have whole-grain carbs, protein and a little healthy fat.

But No Deprivation!
"When you feel like certain are completely off-limits, it's like one awful, unending diet," says Koff.

Variety, and Lots of it
Say no to the same salad for lunch everyday. Our bodies don't want us mono-eating-eating!

Source: GLAMOUR Magazine December 2010

Check out Ashley Koff's website for her product approved list and nutritional plans.

TOP 10 HAPPY FOODS

1. Wild salmon (rich in omega 3 fats and vitamin D)

2. Spinach - (rich in folic acid and soluble fiber)

3. Skim milk - (rich in Vitamin D and B12)

4. Ground flaxseeds (rich soluble fiber, omega 3 fats and folic acid)

5. Blackberries (rich in soluble fiber and folic acid)

6. Omega 3 fortified eggs - (rich in omega 3 fats, Vitamin D and B12)

7. Sardines ( rich in omega 3 fats and Vitamin D)

8. Soybeans - (rich in soluble fiber, folic acid and omega 3 fats)

9. Beans (rich in soluble fiber and folic acid)

10. Brussels sprouts (soluble fiber and folic acid)

Plus an extra for good luck!

11. Sunflower seeds - (rich in soluble fiber and folic acid)

List inspired by Joy Bauer

Not only should you be eating right, but you should also be exercising regularly. Exercise gives you more energy, improves your mood and it is also the cheapest antidepressant around.

Happiness: Positive Energy

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 11:30:00 +0000

"There are gonna be times when you'll have to wake-up and look in the mirror and be your own cheerleader" - Dad

Most people believe that money is the key to happiness, but thanks to celebrities like Lindsey Lohan and Charlie Sheen we all know that that's far for the true. I would love to be a millionaire, but I don't believe being financial stable brings you complete happiness, but I'm sure it helps. This week I want to focus on "happiness" and ways to keep you and your life content.

Today we will focuses on positive energy.

Before you be capable of ever being genuinely happy, you have to have your mind right. That's means eliminating any negative energy consuming your life. Whenever I log on to Facebook, I notice that the people who constantly post negative comments on their status, are the ones who aren't really happy with their lives. No, they didn't come out and actually admit it, but they didn't have to, their status says it all. Take it from me, life can be me really cruel and difficult, but we cannot allow the vicissitudes of it to break us, because then if we do, then it becomes us.

We have to make ourselves become allergic to negative energy and how we do that is by shielding ourselves away from negative places, people and thoughts.

Gotta Have Faith
“You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” Isaiah 26:3 I am a firm believer in Jesus Christ, nothing is possible without Him. Happiness begins and ends with Him, so you can't have access to REAL happiness until you have a relationship with God first.

Stop Allowing Undeserving People in your Sanctuary
Sometimes we allow people with a long track record of letting us down or not having our backs, to have access to our personal life. Do not allow people that re unworthy of your friendship to remain in your place of peace, let them go! Not everyone that you associate with is suppose to be in "inner circle". Remember that Jesus, carefully handpicked his 12 disciples, we should do they same when we pick our friends.

Kill Them with Kindness
My dad always says, "hurt people, hurt people" and in life you will learn that sometimes when people are going through something difficult they tend to take it out on you or may even try to push your buttons. I remember when I used to work in retail, a customer walked up to my supervisor and said something really rude and my boss' response started off as, "I'm sorry that you feel that way...." I can't remember what else she said, but I remember that she kept it positive. She turned a negative into a positive. Yes, the customer was still salty, but at least my supervisor kept her composure. We have to learn to keep that same professional flair in our personal life as well and stop allowing people to have control over us.

Believe in Yourself
If you don't believe in yourself then no one else will.....simple as that!

Take control of your own happiness!

help!

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:40:00 +0000

*UPDATE* Team Carter has surpassed our goal! In just one week we managed to raise over $1300. Words are not enough to truly express my gratitude. My family and I are forever grateful!

As many of you know, on December 1, 2010, my son, Carter, passed away from a congenital heart defect called coronary arteries anomalies. We are starting Team Carter to benefit the Congenital Heart Walk. I would like to ask for your support by either joining the team or sending in your tax-deductible donation today!

Here are just some of the facts: Nearly two million children and adults are living with a congenital heart defect (CHD) in the United States. Each year approximately 40,000 babies are born with a CHD, making it the country’s #1 birth defect. At least 10% of all congenital heart defects are first found in adulthood. Thanks to increases in survival rates, the number of adults living with a CHD raises by 5% a year and adults with CHDs are living longer, fuller lives than ever before. Your support will continue our progress.

The Congenital Heart Walk is a joint effort between the Adult Congenital Heart Association (ACHA) and the Children’s Heart Foundation (CHF)! This effort will raise funds to help both organizations continue their missions.

Fighting congenital heart defects for our family is personal. Please support our efforts by joining the team or making a donation today by clicking here.

Thanks in advance.

Closure

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 12:57:00 +0000

Have you ever watch an episode of Law & Order or Dateline where the Mother of a deceased child is constantly pressing the police, searching for leads, won't stop showing up at the station or calling until she knows something? Well that was me and my relationship with the Medical Examiner's office. The Medical Examiner's Office told me that it will take months until they find out what happened to Carter and as soon as they do, they would call me with the results, but instead of waiting for them I called just about EVERY week. When I had a question I called them, when I had a concern I called them. I called them to the point where I could sense that they were extremely annoyed with me and that's when they informed me about the whole process and how it would take a few months until they received the final results. That didn't stop me from calling. On Thursday, March 3rd, I had more questions for the examiners, so I decided to call and that's when they informed me that the results were no longer pending and that Carter passed away due to his heart defect. The medical term is cardiac arrhythmia from cardiac anomalies. While I'm happy to have some closure, I'm still distraught that we weren't able to detect his heart defect. They can detect if your baby maybe deaf, have down-syndrome, they can even detect a hole in your heart, but they weren't able to detect that the origin of Carter's coronary arteries were not in the correct location.

So strange that on that same day we discovered what had happened to Carter, another family had lost their son to the same condition. His name was Wes Leonard, he played varsity basketball for Fennville High School in Fennville, Michigan. Right after Wes made the game winning shot he collapsed and died on the court from an undetected heart defect.

Picture courtesy of http://health.allrefer.com/

I've learned that this condition is something that cannot be detected through general physical exams and that most people can go throughout their entire life affected by this fatal condition, especially those over 30, while for those that are under 30 and especially athletic this condition tends to be more life threatening. These sudden deaths are becoming more common and causing more parents to push for more thorough physicals in school, for example having an electrocardiogram (ECG) performed, which can measure the electrical activity of the heartbeat and possibly save lives. While I think this is an excellent idea, what about children who are Carter's age, who didn't even get a chance to discover their athletic abilities?

So what do I do now? Now that I'm fully aware of the cause of my son's demise, do I just simply close the book and proceed to go on with my life or do I fight to help someone else's? I think you may already know my answer to that question.

It's March

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 12:06:00 +0000

It's March the month of Spring, and today is my Dad's birthday, 3 months since Carter passed away and 18 days away from his 1st birthday. In the Fall, I had already began brainstorming ideas and themes for Carter's birthday. I thought about clowns, I thought about polka dots and bold colors, to me these things exemplified his personality. Carter was silly like his mommy and loved to laugh. Whenever it was time to wash his face, I knew the only way that would be possible was if I made him laugh, so I would made silly noises and faces and it worked every time, he laughed! I miss those laughs. I was warned that the holidays may be difficult for us to get through, but it's not the holiday's that are the hardest, it's the month of March and every month afterward. I know that they will haunt me with memories of Carter, I just hope that instead of grieving, I'll be able to reminisce of my silly child and laugh.

Slow Cooker

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 11:55:00 +0000

Although I love cooking, there are times where I'm completely tied up or too exhausted, that I dread the thought of spending more than 5 minutes in the kitchen preparing a meal, so what do I do? Well, whenever I get the idea that my day is going to be pretty hectic, and I'm not sure if I'll be able to prepare dinner on time or if I'll even in the mood to prepare dinner,I use my slow cooker. Instead of wasting my money on unpredictable fast food that's typically only good for a day or throwing an unfulfilled tv dinner in the microwave, I spend about 10 minutes preparing a hearty meal for my family with my slow cooker. The night before or even the morning of, I prepare all of my ingredients, drop in the slow cooker and when we come home from work/school dinner is ready to be served. You have no idea how much of a life saver this is. Slow cookers come in all shapes, colors and sizes from stainless steel to zebra print. If you don't already own one run and go get one. Prices for a slow cooker range from $20-$200, but remember you can always stop by your local thrift store.

I use MY SC all year around and you make anything from ribs to fondue by using your SC. One of my favorite SC recipe's is curry chicken and rice. Below is one I like to use.

Curry Chicken and Rice
Ingredients

* 6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (6 ounces each)
* 1-1/4 teaspoons salt
* 1 can (14 ounces) light coconut milk
* 1 teaspoon curry powder
* 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
* 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* 3 green onions, sliced, divided
* 2 tablespoons cornstarch
* 2 tablespoons cold water
* 1 to 2 tablespoons lime juice
* 3 cups hot cooked rice

Directions

* Sprinkle chicken with salt. In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, brown chicken on both sides. Place in a 5-qt. slow cooker.
* Combine the coconut milk, curry, turmeric and cayenne; pour over chicken. Sprinkle with half of the onions. Cover and cook on low for 3-1/2 to 4-1/2 hours or until chicken is tender.
* Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; stir into slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 30 minutes or until sauce is thickened. Stir in lime juice. Serve chicken and sauce with rice; sprinkle with remaining onions. Yield: 6 servings.

Source: Taste of Home

Slow cookers are a must-have for every household. They are convenient and allows you to plan ahead, which save you money and time :)