POETRY Collection

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Book a Session A Portrait A Scene & Flowers An Animal

Artist Suzanne Ervin www.semyart.com

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POETRY Collection

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

Letter from the Editor 2News, Celebrations, and Giveaways

Heart of Fashion 32015 Holiday Guide& Fiammisday.com

Kitchen Corner 4Save Time In The Kitchen

Heart of Health 5Its A Bug's World by Van Wagner Chiropractic

The Mountain Midwife Book Review 6Author: Laurie Alice Eakes

The Mountain Midwife Book 6Giveaway

You Asked? We Answered. 7 What helps someone to become more grateful for what they have?

Austin Enjoys Fall & Friends 8

Heart of Home & Family 9Christmas from the Heart

Heart of Travel 10Smart Holiday Air Travel

Tech Tips & Apps 12Thanksgiving With Your Tech... & November Apps

Featured Foundation 13Heart of Adoptions Alliance, Inc.

Book a Session A Portrait A Scene & Flowers An Animal

Artist Suzanne Ervin www.semyart.com

239-777-9556*Advertisement

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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.

RESOURCESSend us an email at info@heartbeatmag.com

Advertise with Us!Heartbeatmag.comManaging Editor NICOLE FLOTHEPhotographer MELINDA NAGY OTEROPhotographer JENNY PLOCINSKIArt Director SUZANNE ERVINEditor CHERYL FLOTHECover - Public Domain Pictures

CONNECT www.TWITTER.com/Heartbeat_magFACEBOOK HEARTBEAT CONNECTIONfacebook.com/heartbeatconnection

Letter from the Editor

We spent Thanksgiving with our family and friends this year at my brother's house. It was fun to be with such a large group, 17 in total. There were family recipes that were shared and fun group photos. The kids went for their traditional swim in the pool and did a fun whirlpool that was captured on video for future memories. What kind of holiday traditions do you have? As soon as Thanksgiving is over we like to put out our holiday decorations. This year we completed the task right away. We have our Christmas tree up, our stockings hung, and the outside lights and decor are ready for Santa's arrival. We hope you enjoy your holidays with your family and friends!

This month please enjoy many heartfelt articles and a great giveaway from BookLookBlogger, The Mountain Midwife, by Laurie Alice Eakes. We will be using rafflecopter to give away the book. Learn more on the Heartbeat blog about BookLookBlogger.

Be a contributor or advertise with us, visit our website or send us an email at info@heartbeatmag.com!

With love, Nicole Flothe Managing Editor

This month's cover feature is from photographer, Lorri Lang. A winter wonderland surrounds this little girl in the photo. A great way to kickoff the holiday season!

Lee Heyward - Style with LeeShelly Aristizabal - You Asked & We AnsweredBeth Gatrell - Tech Tip of the Week Cheryl Flothe - Heart of Travel, Recipe CornerHeart of Home & Family

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. - Proverbs 4:23

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by Lee HeywardStylewithLee.com

Fiammisday.com Blogger Simona from Florence, Italy

The Children's Fashion Blog Outfit and Kids' StyleCatya romantic caps are for everyone on every occasion, even for children. They are unique, and, we believe, really suitable for any occasion. Catya is MADE IN ITALY and they put soul in everything they create. From the everyday to special ones, to the very entertaining. To say Catya caps is to say quality, softness, romance, and timeless creations.

We, in short, worship them. I swear, it happens that someone stops us on the street and asks us details about our "pompom." I say "ours" because hats from Catya I also enjoy wearing. Last Sunday, in fact, Fiammetta wore her pompom Catya for an afternoon between animals and friends. Horses, goats, cows, and geese cheered the afternoon with Fiammetta and her friends, and she wore her romantic, super chic and very feminine Catya. The cold was fought, the softness was wrapped, the beauty (of which we need now more than ever) was there before our eyes. We chose a little color for an afternoon on the farm. Hats by Catya can also be implemented in your favorite color and there are also many suitable choices for boys. Here we are---a few pictures of Fiammetta, her day, her Catya cap, and above all, its pompom.

On Style with Lee is a great 2015 Holiday Guide...http://stylewithlee.com/blog/2015-holiday-guide/

Here is a quick list of what should be on your list this year:1. Simple Effortless Style - Book by Lee Heyward2. Vogue The Editor's Eye - A fun look into the world of fashion as an art.3. Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed - Book by Mo Willems - Fun book for any age to remind you to be yourself and have fun in your clothes.4. A Chocolate Shoe! You can't go wrong. Two amazing things in one by the extraordinary chocolatiers at Christophe Chocolatier.5. Aretha Frankensteins Pancakes - Best Pancakes on the Planet! You don't have to be in Chattanoga to get the best pancakes you'll ever taste. This makes a great gift that everyone in the family can enjoy. Don't forget the buttermilk.6. TrakDot - Always know where your luggage is. This is a great tool for those who travel. 7. What Do You Do With An Idea? - Book, Great inspiration for entrepreneurs and kids alike.

8. Packing Cubes keep you organized on a big trip or when you simply go to spend the holidays with family.9. Collar stay punch - An easy and fun way to never run out of collar stays.10. SAXX Underwear Co - You can't buy just anyone underwear, but for the people you can, these are the best.11. A gift certificate to a favorite nail salon makes a great gift.12. Designer Shoe ornaments are always fun to add to your tree.13. Creature Book - by Andrew Zuckerman, great coffee table book.14. "Ugg slippers"---so comfortable!15. A fabulous make up planner from Trish McEvoy to keep you looking great through the holidays!16. A Massage Envy Gift Card keeps you feeling wonderful year round.17. Christmas Bathtime Favorites - Because we always need to pamper ourselves.18. Pyrex Passion by Michael Barber - For the baker who has a vintage Pyrex obsession.

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Kitchen Corner

by Cheryl Flothe

We, in short, worship them. I swear, it happens that someone stops us on the street and asks us details about our "pompom." I say "ours" because hats from Catya I also enjoy wearing. Last Sunday, in fact, Fiammetta wore her pompom Catya for an afternoon between animals and friends. Horses, goats, cows, and geese cheered the afternoon with Fiammetta and her friends, and she wore her romantic, super chic and very feminine Catya. The cold was fought, the softness was wrapped, the beauty (of which we need now more than ever) was there before our eyes. We chose a little color for an afternoon on the farm. Hats by Catya can also be implemented in your favorite color and there are also many suitable choices for boys. Here we are---a few pictures of Fiammetta, her day, her Catya cap, and above all, its pompom.

Photo from Bing Clip-art

Seems like every holiday we get that overwhelmed feeling, like there isn’t possibly enough time to get all that food prepared and on the table! It doesn’t have to be that way if you’re organized and follow some of these tips:

1. Plan your menu(s) well in advance. 2. Choose your recipes and have them handy when you’re ready to cook. 3. Shop for ingredients (preferably they’ll be on sale and you can stock up). 4. Prepare what you can in advance: Vegetables can be chopped and put in zip-locs, pie fillings and sauces (think cranberry sauce) can be made and refrigerated, appetizers can be prepared in advance and frozen, etc. Even the turkey or other meat can be prepared and wrapped for cooking the day before. 5. Freeze or refrigerate foods in the same dishes they will be cooked and served in. 6. Bake breads and cookies weeks ahead. Wrap, freeze, and defrost before use. 7. No fat separator? Put drippings in a heat-proof measuring cup and place in freezer until the fat rises and solidifies on top. Skim off, and your drippings are ready to use in gravies, soups, or sauces. 8. Running out of room on the stove or in the oven? Get creative and use a crockpot or two, your barbeque, or even an electric roaster. 9. Keep mashed potatoes or other side dishes in a crockpot on “warm,” and keep gravy hot in a thermos. You can also use a crockpot to keep cocoa or spiced cider hot for guests. 10. If your turkey’s a little well done, slice and drizzle with a little warmed up chicken broth---it adds moisture and warms the meat. 11. No time to iron your tablecloth? Just iron the sides and corners---the table will be covered with food and plates, anyway. Or put your wrinkled tablecloth in the dryer with a damp hand towel. A lot, it not all of the wrinkles should come out. 12. Too many people in the kitchen? Put them to work filling water glasses on the table, managing the kids, or taking coats at the door. If all else fails, have someone designated to involve visitors in some kind of board game, cards, or other activity.

This year was the first time I prepped my veggies, cooked them, and made the dressing the night before. Then I got the turkey ready to go into the oven, put it in a bag until the next morning, and baked my spice cupcakes. It was such a relief not to have everything to do the next day! After the big meal, I put my leftover turkey and broth in the freezer ready to make enchiladas and turkey pot-pie! I hope some of these tips help free you up to enjoy the season!

Thickbrush Outdoors is family owned and operated and 100% committed to bringing hunters all over the country great products. Our goal is to produce products that help you seal the deal on that hunt of your dreams. Check out our selection and feel free to contact us at thickbrush.com. We can be contacted for orders for your next outdoor adventure. Thank you for visiting and God bless.

by Jared Van Wagner Chiropractor

5The Mountain Midwife by Laurie Alice EakesBook Review by Nicole Flothe

If you watch the television long enough, or read ads, we are told that part of being a good parent or "mom" is providing a clean environment for your children. Apparently, this means sanitizing our homes and the surfaces of our bodies as if you were at a hospital preparing for surgery. If you look long enough you will see phrases such as "certified to sanitize," "kills 99.99% of viruses and bacteria," and "kills West Nile virus." Why do we need to try to kill a virus on our kitchen counters and toilets that is transmitted by mosquitoes? It's because people are trying to sell a product, and they know that these phrases pull on your inner momness that says, "You are a bad mom if you don't buy this."

The fact is that this is a bug's world. Not the creepy crawly, spider world, but smaller than that, and much more diverse. Microbes make up as much as 60% of earth's biomass. There are more microbes in a teaspoon of soil than there are humans on earth. These bugs have evolved with us and many of them are the good guys. They give us a wealth of vitamins, enzymes, precursors, and metabolites that are essential for proper health and human function. You see, it's a complex relationship in which we provide a safe harbor of refuge, usually in the digestive system, in exchange for all of these health benefits. However, that's not at all where the story ends. These bugs also form a close relationship with our immune system. Close to 80% of our entire immune system structure and cells lie within our digestive system. Why? it is a massive interface with the outside world. The surface area of our digestive system, if it were all laid out and flat, would be close to the size of a football field. To put this relationship in terms you can understand, it's like having little undercover agents in the microbe world. Along with the vitamins and enzymes they give us, they are also sharing information about the bad bugs so that we can better keep them out, and kill them if they get in.

In a recent article I read, it reported that urban gut contains approximately 40% less diversity than that of indigenous people living in a remote jungle. In addition, scientists have developed germ-free mice in a lab which they are delivered by caesarean and raised in sterile habitats. These mice only grow to have inflamed lungs, and colon from asthma and colitis, and suffer from other major problems with immunity. In another study, it was shown that the flu virus can be kept in check by a bacteria called lactobacillus5. You see on the microbe football field these bugs have been waging war against each other for much longer than humans have been around. It seems much more logical, then, to get a healthy dose of probiotics during the flu season rather than inject yourself with a product containing 5 different flu viruses, and a slew of other chemicals designed to assault your immune system. So maybe we should be spending less time trying to kill all the bugs, but rather preserving the lives of the ones that protect us, and form strong bonds with the cells of our immune system. We should be nurturing the relationships we

Its A Bug's World

have with these microbes. In other words, we wouldn't burn down the entire forest to hunt a deer. It really comes down to the more sanitizing you do, the more you are harming your health. Make a goal to get outside and play in the dirt. Literally expose yourself to the microbe world, don't sanitize yourself from it. You can clean, you just don't need to be neurotic about it. You can use less aggressive cleansers, and only choose to take antibiotics in cases where it is absolutely necessary. You can eat fermented foods like yogurt and kefir. Further, after you are on a course of antibiotics, you should take probiotics obsessively to restore your normal flora.

Superfood of the Month

Tempeh: Tempeh is fermented whole soy food that originated on the island of Java in Indonesia and is fermented with the mold Rhizopus oligosporus. Tempeh is usually purchased in a cake-like form and can be sliced in a way that is similar to tofu.

Fermented soy foods like tempeh have more bioactive peptides than non-fermented soy foods. Two key storage proteins are broken down by molds, yeasts, and bacteria into peptide fragments that have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and blood pressure-lowering properties. For example, some of the peptides found in tempeh inhibit angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) and are therefore classified as "ACE inhibitors." When this enzyme is inhibited, it is often easier for the cardiovascular system to regulate blood pressure. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of soy peptides found in fermented soy foods can help protect the blood vessels from oxidative and inflammatory damage.

Intake of soy foods (especially whole soy foods) has been associated with improved levels of blood fats in numerous research studies. Replacing meat and dairy with tempeh and other soy products would also help lower our total cholesterol. These nutritional changes, in turn, would lower our risk of several chronic diseases, including cardiovascular diseases.

Jared Van Wagner - Chiropractor7550 Mission Hills Dr Suite 316Naples, Florida (239) 775-6416www.vanwagnerchiropractic.com

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The Mountain Midwife by Laurie Alice EakesBook Review by Nicole Flothe

If you watch the television long enough, or read ads, we are told that part of being a good parent or "mom" is providing a clean environment for your children. Apparently, this means sanitizing our homes and the surfaces of our bodies as if you were at a hospital preparing for surgery. If you look long enough you will see phrases such as "certified to sanitize," "kills 99.99% of viruses and bacteria," and "kills West Nile virus." Why do we need to try to kill a virus on our kitchen counters and toilets that is transmitted by mosquitoes? It's because people are trying to sell a product, and they know that these phrases pull on your inner momness that says, "You are a bad mom if you don't buy this."

The fact is that this is a bug's world. Not the creepy crawly, spider world, but smaller than that, and much more diverse. Microbes make up as much as 60% of earth's biomass. There are more microbes in a teaspoon of soil than there are humans on earth. These bugs have evolved with us and many of them are the good guys. They give us a wealth of vitamins, enzymes, precursors, and metabolites that are essential for proper health and human function. You see, it's a complex relationship in which we provide a safe harbor of refuge, usually in the digestive system, in exchange for all of these health benefits. However, that's not at all where the story ends. These bugs also form a close relationship with our immune system. Close to 80% of our entire immune system structure and cells lie within our digestive system. Why? it is a massive interface with the outside world. The surface area of our digestive system, if it were all laid out and flat, would be close to the size of a football field. To put this relationship in terms you can understand, it's like having little undercover agents in the microbe world. Along with the vitamins and enzymes they give us, they are also sharing information about the bad bugs so that we can better keep them out, and kill them if they get in.

In a recent article I read, it reported that urban gut contains approximately 40% less diversity than that of indigenous people living in a remote jungle. In addition, scientists have developed germ-free mice in a lab which they are delivered by caesarean and raised in sterile habitats. These mice only grow to have inflamed lungs, and colon from asthma and colitis, and suffer from other major problems with immunity. In another study, it was shown that the flu virus can be kept in check by a bacteria called lactobacillus5. You see on the microbe football field these bugs have been waging war against each other for much longer than humans have been around. It seems much more logical, then, to get a healthy dose of probiotics during the flu season rather than inject yourself with a product containing 5 different flu viruses, and a slew of other chemicals designed to assault your immune system. So maybe we should be spending less time trying to kill all the bugs, but rather preserving the lives of the ones that protect us, and form strong bonds with the cells of our immune system. We should be nurturing the relationships we

About the Author

Recipient of the National Readers' Choice Award, Laurie Alice Eakes is the author of nine books and a novella, with four more books and two novellas scheduled for release. She is a writing teacher and speaker and has her master’s degree in creative writing. She also writes articles on writing, including “Writing from the Heart While Writing for the Market” for The ACFW Journal. Visit her website at www.lauriealiceeakes.com Facebook: authorlauriealiceeakes Twitter: @LaurieAEakes

Thank you to Booklookbloggers.com for the opportunity to review this book.

I really enjoyed the story of The Mountain Midwife. I always had an interest when I was younger in becoming an obstetrician. The book opens with a mystery and suspense and intertwines romance, love, and family throughout. Great read!

For nearly two hundred years, women in Ashley Tolliver’s family have practiced the art of midwifery in their mountain community. Now she wants to take her skills a step further, but attending medical school means abandoning those women to whom she has dedicated her life, the mountains she loves, and the awakening of her heart.

Ashley Tolliver has tended to the women of her small Appalachian community for years. As their midwife, she thinks she has seen it all. Until a young woman gives birth to a baby at Ashley’s home and is abducted just as she tries to take the dangerously bleeding woman to the nearest hospital. Now Ashley is on a mission to find the woman and her newborn baby . . . before it’s too late.

Hunter McDermott is on a quest—to track down his birth mother. After receiving more media attention than he could ever want for being in the right place at the right time, he receives a mysterious phone call from a woman claiming to be his mother. Hunter seeks out the aid of the local midwife in the mountain town where the phone call originated—surely she can shed some light on his own family background.

Ashley isn’t prepared for the way Hunter’s entrance into her world affects her heart and her future. He reignites dreams of her own family she has long put aside in favor of earning her medical degree and being able to do even more for her community. But is it commitment to her calling or fear of the unknown that keeps her feet firmly planted in the Appalachian soil? Or is it something more—fear of her growing feelings for Hunter—that make her hesitant to explore the world beyond the mountains?

Ashley's heart thrilled to that

edge of protectiveness

shining through for siblings Hunter hadn't even met.

"You can't run everyone's life," she reminded

herself. She could barely run her own

life.

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by Shelly Aristizabal of Business Women Connect

Q: What helps someone to become more grateful for what they have?

A: Create a month-long gratitude blog!

On ShellyAristizabal.com you will find a month filled with posts on how to be grateful.

What would happen if every day you wrote down 3 - 5 things you are grateful for & WHY. Your life will change for the better, I promise...Try it! Here are 10:

Day 1 Gratitude:Today I am grateful for: 1. My excellent health because it allows me to do everything I need to do! 2. My 4 children, they put a smile on my face. 3. The beautiful trees during Autumn remind me to appreciate the beauty around me!

Day 2 Gratitude:I am thankful for the blue skies that welcome in another day - bringing warmth to my body. I am thankful for the people who will cross my path today - one or more of them could be an angle. I am thankful for the conversation that will impact my destiny - because I believe we could be one conversation away from our destiny!

Day 3 Gratitude: Today I am thankful for the opportunity to travel - I grow from every experience! I am grateful for the people who work for the airlines - pilots, flight attendants, maintenance, mechanics, ticket agents, etc. So happy they do what they do! I am thankful to have the blessing to experience travel to Europe and beyond!!! So happy!

November is synonymous with Thanksgiving in America, and it’s common during this month to hear talk of gratitude and why it’s so important. Adopting a gratitude practice isn’t just something that sounds nice at Thanksgiving -- it’s a lifestyle and mindset choice that will drastically change your life and your business.

Day 4 Gratitude:Today I am grateful for my friend, Linda Sohn - she has taught me the meaning of unconditional friendship. I am grateful for our walk on the beach this morning - it helped to put some things into perspective. I am grateful to live in Naples. It's paradise.

Day 5 Gratitude:"Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it." ~ William Ward

Today I am grateful for art---its beauty enlightens my soul. I am grateful for history - its lessons enlighten my mind. I am grateful for music it truly enlightens my spirit and heart : )

Day 6 Gratitude:Today I am thankful for the abundance of food to nourish my body - keeps me healthy & energized. I am thankful for the clean water readily available for me to drink, bathe, & use for life daily. I am thankful for the farmers who grow, harvest, catch, and deliver the produce & animals we consume - without them, I would be very hungry!!!

Day 7 Gratitude - The 3 R's:I am thankful that my kids have embraced a love for reading and learning - it will take them far in life! I am thankful for my love of writing - it offers me an opportunity to express myself creatively. I am thankful for our educational system, though far from perfect. As a parent, I support my kids to grow and learn at a pace that allows them to reach levels that challenge yet encourages them daily.

Day 8 Gratitude - TechnologyI'm so grateful for technology! It makes the world smaller & faster... I'm thankful for my laptop - I couldn't do my business without it. I'm thankful for my iphone - not sure how I ever lived without it!!! LOL!

Day 9 Gratitude - FSUI am thankful for FSU. The awesome education offered, the faculty, staff, & people who serve the students, the beautiful campus, the friends Nicolas has made, football, and so much more. So proud of my biggest guy - this is a piece of his life that will impact his future in many ways - excited for him and to see what God has in store.

Day 10 Gratitude - Beauty All Around!So I woke up this morning!!! I am thankful for this beautiful new day!!! Just thinking that about a week ago I was visiting Geneva, Switzerland on business. The Swiss Alps in the distance, with their beautiful snow caps, reminded me of my favorite movie - The Sound of Music! We rode through the Alps on the high speed train to Milan, Italy and, once again, I was mesmerized by the beauty all around us! Then I was able to snap this photo from my window seat on the plane taking off from Zurich on my way home. Breathtaking Beauty!

To learn more visit...www.shellyaristizabal.com/blog

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by Nicole Flothe

change for the better, I promise...Try it! Here are 10:

Day 1 Gratitude:Today I am grateful for: 1. My excellent health because it allows me to do everything I need to do! 2. My 4 children, they put a smile on my face. 3. The beautiful trees during Autumn remind me to appreciate the beauty around me!

Day 2 Gratitude:I am thankful for the blue skies that welcome in another day - bringing warmth to my body. I am thankful for the people who will cross my path today - one or more of them could be an angle. I am thankful for the conversation that will impact my destiny - because I believe we could be one conversation away from our destiny!

Day 3 Gratitude: Today I am thankful for the opportunity to travel - I grow from every experience! I am grateful for the people who work for the airlines - pilots, flight attendants, maintenance, mechanics, ticket agents, etc. So happy they do what they do! I am thankful to have the blessing to experience travel to Europe and beyond!!! So happy!

November is synonymous with Thanksgiving in America, and it’s common during this month to hear talk of gratitude and why it’s so important. Adopting a gratitude practice isn’t just something that sounds nice at Thanksgiving -- it’s a lifestyle and mindset choice that will drastically change your life and your business.

Day 4 Gratitude:Today I am grateful for my friend, Linda Sohn - she has taught me the meaning of unconditional friendship. I am grateful for our walk on the beach this morning - it helped to put some things into perspective. I am grateful to live in Naples. It's paradise.

To learn more about Austin and his journey to recovery visit Facebook.com/austinervinhealing. He continues to progress with his nursing care, physical therapy, respiratory therapy, and schooling. We all thank you for your prayers, support, and belief in his recovery.

He recently had some family visit that he hasn't seen since 2011! Guess who came back home to visit Alaska? Uncle Woody and Aunt Rubi!! We haven't seen them since 2011 it's so nice to finally see you again!! We really missed you both!! - Tina & Austin

He celebrated Veteran's Day and went to his Orthopedic doctor's appointment and his TLSO spine brace came in, just in time for Veteran's Day!! He picked out his brace to have the American flag design. He is also sporting his American Flag blanket. On Facebook they posted this photo and on this Veteran's Day we wanted

to extend a heartfelt thank-you to all those who have served our country. We are forever grateful to all of you for your sacrifices. - Love Tina and Austin

Austin has been busy with his school schedule and physical therapy. With the fall season bringing cold weather to Alaska he is all geared up for staying warm.

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by Cheryl Flothe

Thanksgiving and Christmas season is getting so commercialized. This time of year many of us are thinking of The Good Old Days when times were simpler and decorations in stores didn’t come out around Halloween. Thanksgiving’s mostly about the food, but in 2012 the average family spent around $750 on Christmas---many spend more. It seems to be expected that we must buy TV’s, appliances, expensive game consoles, or even cars for loved ones at Christmas! There are ways to simplify the holiday, pare down the cost, and focus on friends and family. It’s time to bring back the heart of Christmas!

Activities & Community: Look in your local paper or online for inexpensive or free seasonal events. Town tree lightings usually have activities, food, music, and fun for the whole family. Also, churches and high schools often put on Christmas programs. Check for locally sponsored Christmas programs like the Nutcracker. The Moscow Ballet’s offering seats from $80-$500, while a local ballet group’s putting it on for $15-$30! Holiday bazaars and craft fairs are a good way to enjoy the atmosphere, share time with friends, and pick up a few gifts. A car ride around town with friends or family to see the displays and lights is always a fun addition to your Christmas memories. Don’t forget to take along a thermos of hot cocoa and some cookies! Lastly, remember people in your community who are in need. Make it a family tradition to volunteer to serve food, gift wrap for an organization like the Salvation Army, or buy a gift or two for people who have less than you do.

Gifting: Set a budget and find ways to cut costs. Shop the sales, especially Black Friday (online) and Cyber Monday. Check out Groupon for some amazing deals. Some families draw names to cut down on spending. One family’s tradition is gifts by category. Each family member gets four gifts: Something they want, something they need, something to wear, and something to read! There are many gifts you can make or buy that don’t cost much, but can be personalized and meaningful: baked goods; hand knitted or crocheted items; personalized calendars; themed gift baskets (pick up containers at Good Will or the Dollar Store); coupon books for “services” such as babysitting, dog walking, back rubs, a home-cooked meal, etc.; personalized framed art, scrapbooks, photo albums, or DVD’s; movie tickets; note cards; and more. Some people set up pre-Christmas exchanges with other families who have gently used toys or clothes to exchange with others, while many pay a visit to a thrift store for gifts at greatly reduced prices. There are also stores such as Plato’s Closet with used sports equipment you can buy at a fraction of the cost. And don’t forget The Dollar Store for some great finds!

Entertaining: Hosting a potluck dinner or dessert party saves you money and lets everyone contribute to the fun. You can also have a potluck breakfast or lunch. To make it fun, each person can bring a gag or small gift to exchange white elephant style.

Home Time: Decorating the house, tree, and yard are wonderful family activities. But, some of my best memories involve sitting near the Christmas tree while wrapping presents with family members and listening to Christmas music or watching a Christmas movie! Baking and decorating cupcakes and cookies with family and friends are memories in the making and fun for all ages. Movie and game nights with Christmas cookies, hot cocoa, punch, and popcorn are a good way to spend time with family and friends during the holidays.

Wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday season!

Many people want to be with family and loved ones for Thanksgiving and Christmas, so it isn’t surprising those are the busiest times of the year to travel. Not only is travel hectic, crowded, and busy; but the weather’s often at its worst in November and December. What can you do to ease your travel woes?

Book Early and Avoid Peak Travel DatesMake your reservations a month or more in advance---you’ll save money, get the best connections, and have less of a chance of being bumped if bad weather affects air travel. It’s better not to fly the week of the holiday, if you don’t have to. And it’s a good idea to fly direct or minimize flight changes.

Fly Early or Late in the DayMost people would rather fly during the day, but you can save money and avoid larger crowds by flying later in the evening or early in the morning.

Pack LightDo a final check of your carry-ons and checked luggage so you don’t find any surprises that must be questioned or thrown away and you aren’t carrying on more than you need. If you plan to bring gifts for friends and family, don’t wrap them, as TSA often visually checks what you have in your bags. Better yet, save space and order gifts to be delivered at your destination and saved for you to open when you get there. You can easily pack gift bags and tags to use when you arrive.

10

Thanksgiving and Christmas season is getting so commercialized. This time of year many of us are thinking of The Good Old Days when times were simpler and decorations in stores didn’t come out around Halloween. Thanksgiving’s mostly about the food, but in 2012 the average family spent around $750 on Christmas---many spend more. It seems to be expected that we must buy TV’s, appliances, expensive game consoles, or even cars for loved ones at Christmas! There are ways to simplify the holiday, pare down the cost, and focus on friends and family. It’s time to bring back the heart of Christmas!

Activities & Community: Look in your local paper or online for inexpensive or free seasonal events. Town tree lightings usually have activities, food, music, and fun for the whole family. Also, churches and high schools often put on Christmas programs. Check for locally sponsored Christmas programs like the Nutcracker. The Moscow Ballet’s offering seats from $80-$500, while a local ballet group’s putting it on for $15-$30! Holiday bazaars and craft fairs are a good way to enjoy the atmosphere, share time with friends, and pick up a few gifts. A car ride around town with friends or family to see the displays and lights is always a fun addition to your Christmas memories. Don’t forget to take along a thermos of hot cocoa and some cookies! Lastly, remember people in your community who are in need. Make it a family tradition to volunteer to serve food, gift wrap for an organization like the Salvation Army, or buy a gift or two for people who have less than you do.

Gifting: Set a budget and find ways to cut costs. Shop the sales, especially Black Friday (online) and Cyber Monday. Check out Groupon for some amazing deals. Some families draw names to cut down on spending. One family’s tradition is gifts by category. Each family member gets four gifts: Something they want, something they need, something to wear, and something to read! There are many gifts you can make or buy that don’t cost much, but can be personalized and meaningful: baked goods; hand knitted or crocheted items; personalized calendars; themed gift baskets (pick up containers at Good Will or the Dollar Store); coupon books for “services” such as babysitting, dog walking, back rubs, a home-cooked meal, etc.; personalized framed art, scrapbooks, photo albums, or DVD’s; movie tickets; note cards; and more. Some people set up pre-Christmas exchanges with other families who have gently used toys or clothes to exchange with others, while many pay a visit to a thrift store for gifts at greatly reduced prices. There are also stores such as Plato’s Closet with used sports equipment you can buy at a fraction of the cost. And don’t forget The Dollar Store for some great finds!

Entertaining: Hosting a potluck dinner or dessert party saves you money and lets everyone contribute to the fun. You can also have a potluck breakfast or lunch. To make it fun, each person can bring a gag or small gift to exchange white elephant style.

Home Time: Decorating the house, tree, and yard are wonderful family activities. But, some of my best memories involve sitting near the Christmas tree while wrapping presents with family members and listening to Christmas music or watching a Christmas movie! Baking and decorating cupcakes and cookies with family and friends are memories in the making and fun for all ages. Movie and game nights with Christmas cookies, hot cocoa, punch, and popcorn are a good way to spend time with family and friends during the holidays.

Wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday season!

by Cheryl Flothe

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Be Prepared Downloading boarding passes and putting airline info on your phone can save time and effort. And it’s a good idea to have a few items with you in your carry-on in case your plane’s delayed and you have to stay in a hotel without your luggage. Additionally, if your flight’s really early in the morning you might get someone to drop you off at a hotel near the airport and take a shuttle the next morning. Allow plenty of time to get to the airport and go through check-in if you drive yourself. Don’t let detours or bad roads keep you from making your flight! To prevent theft, make sure to keep anything of value where it’s not visible from prying eyes. Leaving a set of jumper cables in your vehicle while you’re gone will prove invaluable in case your battery’s dead when you return. And lastly, you might throw in a broom and ice scraper if your car’s stored outside.

Save Money Bottled water after you’ve gone through Security can cost $3.00 or more. I bring a reusable water bottle and fill it at the water fountain. It’s also a smart idea to eat before boarding. And don’t forget to bring some snacks to tide you over on your flight. Meals onboard can cost anywhere from $5.00 to $8.00!

Keep Occupied Bring a book, magazine, laptop, or tablet on the flight. Kids also need a few items to keep them busy. Several airlines have stopped showing onboard movies on domestic flights, but many are switching from their equipment to yours. Check with the airline in advance, as you may need to download the Gogo Video Player App from the Apple store. Then you pay the airline a fee for premium content. Or you can download movies and content of your choice before boarding and save the money.

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Thanksgiving With Your Tech...by Beth Gatrell

Loved ones and friends will soon be gathering to celebrate Thanksgiving! Heading online will give you everything you need to ensure perfect holiday gatherings.

Many sites featuring awesome recipes and ideas to create great dining experiences with appetizers, drinks, desserts, and even leftovers include; Delish,

November Appsby Nicole Flothe

November Apps: With the holidays on us and the festivities starting I've added a few extra exercise apps to my arsenal! Seven, Running, and Sworkit lite are all ways I can keep my figure in shape while enjoying great meals with family! Beneath The Lighthouse, Rop, VoiceChanger, Sing! and Countdown are all new apps my kids have downloaded for fun and entertainment. Ripl is a cool gif app that you can create fun animation or repost ads for business owners and get a few pennies per post when they are viewed. It's a very creative app! Please remember to send in your favorite app and perhaps we'll feature you here if we love it too! Happy Holidays!

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Food and Wine, and Country Living. More great recipes and tips can be found visiting Bon Appetit or Chowhound and many sites also have free mobile Apps for your on the go convenience. If you’d rather just go out, Restaurant.com has a listing of places that will be open on the special day. Have a little fun and download the Thanksgiving Day Emoji App to send cute emojis to your friends and family for the holiday. If you have kids you may want to visit Spoonful or Parents for some kid-friendly recipes that you can add to your feast. And if you’d like to take a kids’ look at the First Thanksgiving, National Geographic Kids has a pretty cool explanation. For even more fun with the kids, head over to Primary Games or Kidz page where they have games, postcards, jokes, crafts, stories, and plenty more. Football fans really enjoy Turkey Day and NFL.com has all you need for the big game day---listings of teams playing on Thanksgiving, fun facts like the history of the Thanksgiving football games, and top plays.

We wish all of our Friends a safe and Happy Thanksgiving, especially those serving our country who are missing this special time with their family and friends! www.IntoTomorrow.com

Featured Foundation

To view more information about iPhone apps visit www.heartbeatmag.com, What's on my iPhone.

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Featured Foundationby Nicole Flothe

A non-profit 501(c)3 organization that promotes adoption education. They are dedicated to assisting families facing an unplanned pregnancy by providing resources and support. In addition, they assist with important information and details involved with international adoption and foster adoption. And for adoption advocates that are willing and able to provide financial support to adoptive families in need, Heart of Adoptions Alliance administers a charitable program, the St. Frances Fund, that allows you to make tax-free donations.

I recently read an article from my friend's Facebook page that was talking about adoption and noticed that the month of November is National Adoption Month. My mother was adopted and I was raised with Grandparents that I knew weren't mine by blood, but by heart. My mom had two sisters growing up and I remember when we would go visit for the holidays and their family dynamics was that everyone was part of the family. I did have to explain to kids that asked my cousin and I if we were sisters that no we were cousins and then once I remember somehow we said my mom was adopted. After her adopted mom passed away she went on to find her real mom. She has found that she now has four other sisters. She hasn't found her real dad yet, but is still wanting to see if she has any other siblings. In life I believe it's not the blood that ties us together its our hearts.

I did a search for Adoption in Naples and Heart of Adoptions Alliance was the first result.

To arrange an adoption is not easy. That’s why Heart of Adoptions, Inc. was formed. They are a dedicated agency of experienced women offering adoption services, with care, concern, and a personal touch.

Deciding to place a child for adoption is not a decision that anyone reaches lightly. They urge you to call and become aware of your options, and what avenues are available to you.

Heart of Adoptions Alliance is a licensed, private adoption agency designed to help create families through adoption. They believe that adoption is a service for children and are committed to placing children in loving, caring homes.

Emerging challenges in Florida adoption demand thoughtful consideration, guidance, and insight by professional and experienced adoption agencies. Their agency brings a full range of experience to this field and implements adoption practices that respect and honor the lifelong issue of adoption for all members of the adoption triad.

Whether you are considering placement of a child for adoption or looking to adopt a child, Heart of Adoptions Alliance, Inc. can help you with your plan. Their caring and professional staff will be happy to provide you with personal and confidential assistance. Call them today for a free consultation at (813) 258-6505 or toll free at (800) 590-1108.

To learn more about this foundation visit www.heartofadoptionsalliance.com.

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