Heartbeat Magazine February 2015 Edition by Nicole Flothe

POETRY x

Collection

Advice from a Tree BY Ilan Shamir

Stand tall and proud Sink your roots into the earth Be content with your natural beauty Go out on a limb Drink plenty of water Remember your roots Enjoy the view!

A constant reminder. Instagrammer of the Month:

Eric Laxamana @bone_daddy_o_ud Finds beauty in everything around me...just like you do https://instagram.com/bone_daddy_o_ud/

Book a Session A Portrait A Scene & Flowers An Animal

Artist Suzanne Ervin www.semyart.com

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

Letter from the Editor

News, Celebrations, and Giveaways

Heart of Fashion

Challenge Accepted??? & Fiammisday.com

Recipe Corner

13 4

Filet Mignon with Mushroom Wine Sauce

You Asked? We Answered.

How Can I Get More Results?

Lily photographed by MissyKPhotography.com

Cover Girl - Lily & Mini Shoots

Heart of Home & Family

HEARTBEAT MAGAZINE FREE AMAZON GIFT CARD (Retail Value of $25.00)

Enter online at heartbeatmag.com under the Giveaway section.

Healthy Diet & Exercise for a Healthy Heart

Austin Spending Time with Family

Heart of Travel

Cruise Ship Vacations

Finding Hope

WIN it!

A Romantic Valentine Dinner for Two: Filet Mignon with Mushroom-Wine Sauce

Christian Romance by Elizabeth Diaz

Tech Tips & Apps

Travel using your Tech & February Apps

Featured Foundation Chavez For Charity

4 Photo: My Recipes online

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

Letter from the Editor

The final days of February have arrived and we are entering into spring. We had some record cool weather here in Naples, but it didn't snow this year. I've lived in Florida for 20 years and have yet to see snow unless I travel to the north country. Praying for those that have had freezing weather and that spring comes soon for you. My friends at The Clay Place will be having their 5 Painters & a Potter event, March 22nd from 11am5pm. It will be another festive gathering of artists, live music, and a fun way to celebrate the new season. What will you be doing this spring? Be sure to share with us on social media and post your photos!

Send us an email at info@heartbeatmag.com

Advertise with Us! Heartbeatmag.com

This month our giveaway is a $25 Amazon gift card from HeartBeat Connection Magazine! Enter on our giveaway page for your chance to win.

Managing Editor NICOLE FLOTHE Photographer MELINDA NAGY OTERO Photographer JENNY PLOCINSKI Art Director SUZANNE ERVIN Editor CHERYL FLOTHE Cover - LILY Photographer: Missy Kettler

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

CONNECT www.TWITTER.com/Heartbeat_mag FACEBOOK HEARTBEAT CONNECTION facebook.com/heartbeatconnection

With love, Nicole Flothe Managing Editor

This month's cover features Lily at a recent Valentine's Mini Shoot. Photographed by Missy of MissyKPhotography.com. Learn more about our cover girl on page 5.

RESOURCES

Center your thoughts and you will be able to accomplish so much more in life!

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

StylewithLee.com

by Lee Heyward

I have a challenge for you. I challenge you to step into the best version of yourself and lead your own success. I’ve been helping clients do this for the past six years and it’s amazing what can happen. The way you dress has the power to transform your confidence, your income, and your success. If you’re ready to accept this challenge start here: Step 1: Make this Decision EVERY DAY. Step 2: Join me April 17-18 for the Lead Your Own Success Style Retreat and discover how to leverage your image to achieve your goals. If you’re ready to master the art of self-promotion and create an image that instantly portrays you as an expert, let’s talk! www.imageandyourbusiness.com Send an email to me at info@stylewithlee.com.

I will dress to match the success I'm after, not simply for where I am today

The Children's Fashion Blog Outfit and Kid's Style

Fiammisday.com Blogger Simona from Florence, Italy

A fabulous dress from FINGER IN THE NOSE, a brand that I've know for a couple of years and that I like more and more. FINGER IN THE NOSE is a French brand with a rock mood and it's for “all the days.” It's modern, really easy to wear, different, and is worshiped by Fiammetta. And Caesar from COCCOLE BIMBI has included it in the selection of his super curated boutique. The dress is warm and fun, has a perfect fit and allows children to move freely. The cotton jersey is soft and has a very nice special feature, the little hole to thread the thumb and keep the hand warm. I would like it for me and Fiammetta wears it every day. Thanks COCCOLE BIMBI for this wonder from FINGER IN THE NOSE. HAVE A SPECIAL DAY and A SPECIAL FEBRUARY.

Recipe Corner

by Cheryl Flothe

This Filet Mignon with Mushroom-Wine Sauce will be perfect for a romantic dinner for two. It’s not hard to prepare, tastes delish, and looks elegant. Serve it with a tossed salad, fresh green beans, baked potatoes with all the trimmings, his favorite bread, and a scrumptious dessert. To make the dinner extra special, use a tablecloth, put out some sweet smelling flowers, break out your nice dishes, and add some candles. Don’t forget to take a few selfies when dinner is served! Filet Mignon with Mushroom-Wine Sauce Ingredients: 1/2 cup low sodium beef broth 1/4 cup water 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour 3/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1/2 teaspoon bottled minced garlic 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon black pepper Cooking spray 2 (4-ounce) beef tenderloin steaks 1 cup sliced mushrooms 1/2 cup sweet Marsala wine

PHOTO FROM My Recipes Online

Preparation: 1. Heat a large cast-iron skillet or heavy aluminum pan over high heat. 2. Combine first 7 ingredients in a bowl. 3. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add steaks to pan; cook 5 minutes on each side or until desired doneness. 4. Remove steaks from pan, then add mushrooms to pan, and cook 3 minutes or till lightly browned. 5. Remove mushrooms from pan and remove pan from heat. 6. Add Marsala, scraping the pan to loosen browned bits. Reduce heat to medium and return pan to heat. 7. Add broth mixture to pan; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute, stirring frequently, then stir in mushrooms. 8. Serve mushroom-wine sauce over steak when you’re ready to eat. Note: Recipe is from My Recipes online, originally seen in Cooking Light, 11/2014

by Nicole Flothe This is the month of love and sweetness and so I decided to see if my friend, Missy of MissyKPhotography would have a photo that would capture the LILY & HER SISTER ZOE essence of February. Sure enough the heart and photo of Lily was perfect. Missy has a lot of mini photo shoots and these were taken at her Valentine's Shoot. Lily and her parents, Marie and Omar, and little sister, Zoe, love to play hide and seek and swing on the swing set in the backyard. She's loves to joke around, making her mommy laugh so hard she cries. Lily is 6 y/o in kindergarten and loves going to school! Lily is in a jazz and hip hop dance class and plays soccer. She's a fun, active little girl and a great big sister. She is always showing her parents how big her heart is! I was able to interview one of Missy's clients and asked her what she loved about Missy's Mini Shoots: Hi, we've been Missy's clients for the past 4 years. We have done numerous mini shoots as well as full sessions over the years. Missy's vision is fresh and original for her mini shoots and they are getting even more imaginative over the years. Mini shoots offer us a great way to capture special moments and holiday pictures throughout the entire year. It impresses me how many great photographs Missy captures in a span of 10-15 minutes and how much my daughter adores her and follows her lead and direction. We have done mini shoots for Christmas in front of a professionally decorated fireplace, Valentine's Day with an antique bed draped in red hearts, spring photos with a live bunny, a dramatic princess shoot, and more. I always recommend Missy's mini shoots to my friends as an affordable option to receive professional photographs and a great way to be introduced to Missy's style of photography. - Alexia Anastasia

by Shelly Aristizabal of Business Women Connect

Q: How can I get more results? To achieve your Biggest Dreams & Goals you will need to become the person who can do the activities to create results! You may need to adjust your attitude, learn a new skill, get experience, become more educated, or expand your circle of influence. If you want to achieve something bigger you must LEARN & GROW! Feed your mind! You want to think differently, then you need to give your mind the nutritional value it needs to grow! I use my "unproductive time" - driving, working out, household chores, etc. as an opportunity to learn. I listen to CD's, podcast, etc. Try it - you will be amazed at how many good books you can LISTEN to! What's in your CD changer right now? What's loaded on your iPod or mobile phone? What do you listen to when you workout, walk the dogs, garden, travel, or work around the house? Action for Today: What is the most important skill you need to develop in order to achieve your most important goal? Is it time management, leadership, persuasive communication, presentation skills, emotional intelligence, or consistency and discipline? Decide today and then go buy a book or a CD program dedicated to that skill. To learn more visit... www.businesswomenconnect.com or www.shellyaristizabal.com

To learn more about MissyKPhotography visit: http://www.missykphotography.com/ https://www.facebook.com/naplesfamilyphotographer

HEART OF HOME AND FAMILY HEALTHY DIET & EXERCISE FOR A HEALTHY HEART! by Cheryl Flothe February is American Heart Month---time to focus on what keeps us ticking! Did you know that cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in this country and one of every three deaths in the U.S. is due to heart disease or stroke? In today’s high stress, fast food times, we increase our risk of heart disease with every busy moment of our days and every bite of over-processed and unhealthy foods we eat. Today inactivity is prevalent, foods are more processed, and we over-eat, causing a dangerous rise in obesity. While several risk factors such as age, sex, and family history may contribute to heart disease, there is much that can be done to improve your heart health. Heart problems are on the rise and people often say, “It’s too late or too hard to change my habits.” According to an article in the February 2015 Prevention Magazine by Alisa Bowman in the February 2015, people who calculated their “heart age” at http://heartage.me/ were more inspired to make healthy changes to their lifestyle after taking this test than those who simply were given a heart health risk score. In Bowman’s article she focused on several people who tackled their heart-health risk factors due to bad genes, obesity, and stress and changed not only their heart-health, but their overall health through diet, exercise, and stress busting techniques; thus, “reversing” their “heart age” by 10-20 years. Bowman says studies suggest improvements to heart-health can start in a week and plaque can even be reduced in less than two years! It’s not too late to try to save your heart and your health. If you won’t do it for yourself, do it for the friends and family who love you. Here are some tips to decrease your heart disease risk by up to 70% and turn back the clock on heart problems:

1. Don’t smoke: Smoking is one of the top three risk factors for heart disease. If you’re a smoker--quit now, if not, don’t start! Check online for help to stop smoking today at www.cancer.org› Stay Healthy› Stay Away from Tobacco 2. Watch your weight: Obesity is one of the top risk factors for heart disease. It contributes to the risk of diabetes and high blood pressure, big contributors to heart disease. There are many programs for weight loss, but following these tips can help people lose weight and improve their health. 3. Reduce sugar and salt consumption: Processed foods give us more sugar and salt than we need, so try to go natural and homemade, limiting eating out as much as possible. If you do eat out, choose wisely. 4. Watch your fat intake: Remove trans fats and limit saturated fats, as they raise cholesterol. Trans fats are found in fried foods, snack foods (chips, cookies, etc.), fast foods, pastries, etc. Saturated fats are from beef, veal, pork, lamb, whole milk dairy, poultry skin, and coconut and palm oils. 5. Consume mostly whole grains: Replace white rice, bread, and pasta with brown rice or other grains and whole grain bread and pasta. This can be a gradual change with families not used to whole grains. 6. Limit your meat intake: Cut back on fatty beef, lamb, and pork; choosing lean meats, fish, or skinless whitemeat poultry. 7. Choose low-fat dairy foods: Watch for the words “whole milk or cream”on food labels. 8. Use healthy cooking oils: Canola and olive oils are the best. 9. Reduce cholesterol: As stated before; fats in whole dairy, fatty meats, and some cooking oils increase cholesterol.

10. Eat more nuts: Nuts contain nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E, selenium, fiber, phytonutrients, and antioxidants. They can also lower LDL cholesterol. Nuts are good for you, but limit them to 1-2 ounces per day. 11. Increase your fiber: Low calorie, but high fiber foods include fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains. You should also eat more water-soluble foods such as oatmeal, peas, flax seeds, sweet potatoes. 12. Include fish in your diet: Oily fish such as salmon and mackerel have omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. 13. Decrease your food portions: People today eat way more than they need, contributing to the obesity epidemic. Check out the “Size it Right” chart at the bottom of the page. 14. Drink alcohol moderately: One drink a day for women and one or two drinks for men. 15. Improve your hygiene: Surprisingly, poor hygiene (not washing hands properly or poor dental care) can lead to bacterial or viral infections that can cause infections in your heart. 16. Exercise the equivalent of 30 minutes per day, 5 days a week: Exercise strengthens your heart and body, lowers blood pressure and LDL cholesterol, relieves stress, makes us feel better, and burns calories. Start with 10 minutes a day and work up if you haven’t exercised in a while. Taking a walk is a good start.

For more information visit: http://www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/american_heart_month.htm

by Nicole Flothe

Above Austin gets the full treatment. He also loves to make pizza with his sister, Madison. In the picture below he is putting the ingredients on and he is the director. Austin loves to be around his siblings and recently he went with his older brother for a day out on the town. He went to SportClips and enjoyed the special hairstyle that he and Robert got together. Then they went to the store and selected his very first drone that Robert helped fly for him.

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.

by Cheryl Flothe There’s nothing like a cruise to lighten your perspective on life. Each year, over 20 million people all over the world take cruises, and the stories people tell when they return home are so varied---One newly married couple wanted to take a trip with their blended family to help the kids bond. The family spent time together, the kids spent time at the kids’ clubs doing fun activities, and the parents had a honeymoon of their own while the kids were at the clubs. They all went home feeling closer than when they started their trip. Another story was from a daughter who’d spent many years trying to bond with her parents, but they never seemed to click. Over those years she’d taken many cruises and was surprised by her father’s request to accompany her on a Panama Canal cruise after her mother passed away. She and her 80 year old father had a wonderful time talking, touring, eating, and dancing. Now they speak over the phone daily! Everyone has a story. What will yours be? Our Cruise Story: We never really had a honeymoon, so this was it. We sailed from Miami, FL to Nassau, Bahamas for three days and four nights aboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s Majesty of the Seas. In Nassau we wandered the old streets and learned about the history of the islands where Blackbeard and his pirates enjoyed the island life. Colorful sea-life thrived below the surface on our snorkeling cruise and we learned about the wealthy movie stars who lived there. Vibrant shows, adults-only games, and night clubs kept us entertained! The evening before we left Nassau, we dressed up and took a cab to Atlantis on Paradise Island and saw (from the outside) the most expensive hotel suite in the world---The Atlantis Bridge Suite, that Michael Jackson used when he was there. Fish swam from the lagoon to the floor-to-ceiling aquarium as we strolled the dining and gambling rooms and admired the luxurious common areas and lobby. When we returned to the ship, it was almost time to leave Nassau. A raucous pool party on the top deck was going on as our ship and the sister ship next to us sounded their horns and threw off their lines before pulling away from the dock.

(Private Island & Key West photos from Photobucket.com)

Norwegian docked at their private island and took us by launch to enjoy a day with an expansive lunch barbeque, snorkeling, kayaking, swimming, and relaxation. Blue sky and sun warmed us as we spent our last day on a stop in Key West, FL. We took our time wandering the shops, admiring the scenery and quaint old buildings; then stopped for a cool drink and listened to some music. After a leisurely day, we headed back to the ship for a luxurious dinner. We returned to Miami feeling inspired and fulfilled---and wanting to take another cruise! Booking a cruise is easy on the internet; just type in Cruises and sites will come up. I like using Cruises.com. Before booking, decide on your budget, how many people are going, where you want to go, and for how long. It’s that easy! For tips on how to plan, pack, etc. see: http://cruises.about.com/od/cruiseplanning/

(Photos L-R from Holland America’s Eurodam, Norwegian’s Liberty of the Seas, & Celebrity’s Solstice.)

State rooms on cruise lines range from small inside rooms with twin beds or bunks to large suites with king sized beds, decks, hot tubs and more luxury. It all depends on the price! But most everyone has fun towel designs left on their beds each day!

(Photo from Photobucket.com)

We loved sitting high above the crystal clear turquoise water as we ate breakfast each morning. Dinners were elegant, then we had our choice of more casual venues for breakfast and lunch.

(Photo from Photobucket.com)

Pool areas range from simple to elaborate. But, most cruise ship interiors are fairly elegant, as seen in this photo of a sophisticated elevator and balconies towering over the common area below.

She moves out and decides to live with her good friend, her mother disapproves of her choices, and they have a very rocky relationship. A new guy named Jake Raines comes to town and works at her office. He's handsome and charming and begins dating Olivia, but has a hidden past. She has a great work environment as an assistant and a boss that is very supportive. Zig was a character. His booming voice was the tip of the iceberg. He was tall with a heavy frame, and his eyes sparkled with mischief. He was an incredible businessman with a heart of gold. During the story, highlights of how Jake & Olivia's romance bloom and she is faced with many difficult choices. She finds new friends to support her through her troubles and eventually a love and belief in God. Here are a few of my favorite quotes from the book:

“T-I-M-E. I thought I would die from the grief. But each day I woke up, I put one foot in front of the other until I made it to the next day. It took me years to even begin to feel like myself again. The same principle applies to you: time alone will lessen the pain. It may not ever be completely gone, and you will never be the same person you were before this happened, but you will get through this. You are going to be fine.”

by Nicole Flothe It's such a blessing to be able to connect with people on social media. The other day I was in one of my Mom Blogger Facebook groups and saw a post come through about a new author that just published her first novel. I was excited to see if she'd be interested in a book review and she sent me the Christian romance novel.

Finding Hope She wanted independence.

Pastor Dave preached about forgiveness. He shared about the danger of bitterness that grows in a heart that's unwilling to forgive. 1 Corinthians chapter 13. “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Love never fails.” The way to heal is to take one step at a time.

Then life took an unexpected turn. Can Olivia find hope in the midst of her darkest hour? When Olivia Martinelli, a naive nineteen-year-old, moved out on her own, she never could have imagined what direction her life would take. A lifechanging decision, a betrayal of trust, and a painful consequence leave her devastated. Will Olivia find the strength she needs for the journey ahead? The story begins in August 1978 and shares about Olivia's family dynamics. Her Mama's razor sharp tone was familiar to Olivia. The constant criticism over each decision she made had caused Olivia to doubt her ability to make any choices in her life--even the minor ones.

To learn more about the author, Elizabeth Diaz, go to www.elizabethdiazauthor.com. At Just Sayin' Elizabeth Diaz shares about issues that are important to today's Christian moms. From faith, to family, to their favorite fiction. Come join the conversation!

February Apps by Nicole Flothe

Travel using your Tech... by Beth Gatrell Whether you want to get away from the winter weather, or are taking a trip for business, or to visit family and friends, using your tech and getting online is the best way to plan it. Favorite sites, including Orbitz, Expedia, Travelzoo, and Trip Advisor are great places to check for deals on

My daughter's teacher has a report that provides parents with the ability to see how the kids are doing in class. It's great to be able to check it via the ClassDojo app. I also love the power of videos on social media, iMovie is the perfect solution. If you want to play a few fun games then add Trivia Crack and Shades to your collection. ChicSketch is an app I found recently via a fashion website. Professional artists will sketch your photo you provide to them for a small fee and then email you the original. So cute! A few necessary apps are Sheets to edit your excel forms, or update them from your phone. and Find iPhone that we use often to do just what the app says. The last two apps on my list this month are Nike Training to get more exercise routines to stay healthy, and EarthCam to see the view from the Eifell Tower or Hollywood Studios. I may not be able to be at my dream destinations, but I can watch the action.

flights, hotels, and more. All of these sites include free mobile apps that will help in planning your trip and more, including checking in. Many airlines, including Delta and Spirit, will offer specials when booking online, as well as the ability to add or make changes to your reservations. And they offer free mobile apps. If you’re not sure where you’d like to take that vacation, you can check online with each state to see what they have to offer or even check out Google Earth to see just where you’d like to be. You might like sites such as Parents that offer some great trip ideas and The Vacation Brain which asks you specific questions to pair you with the perfect vacation. If you need a place to stay, Hotels.com and Hotels Tonight have you covered. And once everything is booked you may find it helpful to check out Trip It Travel Organizer to keep everything in one place. Happy Travels and be sure to visit us "Into Tomorrow"!

To view more information about iPhone apps visit

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

Featured Foundation

by Nicole Flothe

I saw a post on Facebook about a charity that I hadn't heard of before. My friends at Blue Mangrove Gallery are connected with Chavez for Charity and sell their bracelets in their store. The charity that they support is For the Love of Cats in Marco Island, FL. The money raised goes towards the No-kill cat shelter. Rescuing the abandoned. Nurturing the sick. Saving lives. Operating since 2002. http://www.chavezforcharity.com/blogs/11th-bracelet-project-retailers/16759068-blue-mangrove-gallery Chavez For Charity bracelets donate to great charities. In addition to several national and worldwide recognized organizations, there is our own local not for profit, For the Love of Cats. Charming little stretch bracelets at Blue Mangrove Gallery are $10 with 25% going to designated charities.

The above photo is some samples of Chavez For Charity bracelet designs. When we launched Chavez for Charity in early 2013, our goal was to create a line of fashion accessories that people would love to wear and at the same time allow us to contribute, in a significant way, to charitable causes we care about. What we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t foresee is the impact this collection would have on others or how it would become a catalyst for meaningful, productive and sometimes very personal conversations. We invite you to join the conversation, share your own stories, and help us shine an even brighter light on some of todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most important and necessary charitable initiatives. For more information visit www.chavezforcharity.com or facebook.com/chavezforcharity

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