Today the world of multimedia is becoming more and more popular and small business and large companies are relying on it more than ever. Multimedia through video, websites, design and photography helps businesses stand out and gain new customers.

How do you begin to enter the world of multimedia? First of all you need to find a reliable company that will produce a high quality product for your business. Richter Studios, a Chicago based firm has been helping companies big and small increase their profits through multimedia. They offer everything from Corporate Video packages to web design including flash, HTML, PHP, CSS, MySQL, XHTML and content management.


The Richter Studios team includes the greatest talents in cinematography, art, design, editing, and producing. Their cinematographers are willing to go to great lengths to get the best result for your company. They have flown in one engine airplanes, filmed from the roof of tall buildings, and traveled all over the world. Deadlines are also important to Richter Studios. They will do everything they can to meet your deadline and produce a high quality product for your business,

If you need a new design for your website, or a Corporate Video you can count on Richter Studios.










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Probably one of the most helpful things that the Hotti Hubby and I have done since becoming parents, is becoming involved in a small group (AKA a home fellowship or Bible Study) through our church. Whether you go to church or not, I would encourage you to gather a group of like-minded people together to share life. Raising a family is hard work and is meant to be done in community with others.

To show how we live life, above is a picture taken at Mr. Smackdown's (my eldest) birthday party last year. Almost everyone from our Home Fellowship was there (including some family member's, too!)

Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another. . . Hebrews 10:25

The women in our small group are the gals that I call when I am having a rough day. Often the solution involves one of us running to Starbucks and allowing our kids to play while we sip our venti mocha's. These are the ladies that I borrow parenting books from, share maternity clothes with, offer potty training tips to, exchange garden seeds, trade date nights with, pick up grocery items for, and most of all pray with. They listen to me and love me, even though my armpits smell, my hair has rats, the PJ's are still on at 1 pm, toys are all over the carpeting, the dishes have fruit flies swarming around them, and my bra isn't on when they come to rescue me.

Currently, we are embarking on a study of parenting together using a resource called Parenting Is a Ministry, founded by Craig F. Caster. What I love about this ministry is that it is free. You can download the parenting workbook and listen to a web cast of each seminar (10 in all). I am hopeful that by the end of the 10th seminar that I will be better equipped to more effectively parent these amazing little people that God has blessed me with.

Already I have been challenged to be in better control of my words and actions. My purpose as a parent is to be a minister to my children. Do you know what minister means? I thought a minister was just a person to spoke about God at church. Nope, we can be a minister. According to Webster's Dictionary it means "one who acts under the orders of another or who is employed by another to execute his purpose." My role and job as a parent is to act as God's minister. Now how do I go about that?

Well, I could tell you, but then you wouldn't have to listen to Session 1!

I will say this, that part of my role as a minister to my children involves my own transformation, and that hasn't been pretty this week! I am finding that God uses my family dynamics to "purge me" of some rather undesirable traits . . . anger, impatience, yelling, and a little bit of selfishness.

Sigh.

Sometimes I wish I didn't like to learn and read so much. Then I could claim ingnorance. But then I would be a boring and rather flat person, and I know that God has created me for so much more.

Oh, and in case you are wondering how my fast is going . . . actually it is going really well. The first two days were HARD! But I am on day 8 today. I am surprised by my energy and excited by the physical changes in my body! I can see my clavicles!







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All+About+Parenting parenting+in+community bible+study home+fellowship parenting+is+a+ministry pastor+Craig+F.+Caster

Potty training can be a long process for some children. Sometimes parents try and try but it seems like their child just doesn't get it, or worse their child has hit a dead end and progress stops.

Dead ends in potty training and lack of interest in going potty could be due to several different reasons. Stress in the home could impact your child's willingness to go to the potty. If you are stressed out about something your child can sense it. This might alter his behavior especially when it comes to potty training. If this happens the best thing to do is just hold off on the potty training until your situation is a little better. Or you can try to do something about your stress. See your doctor if you are in a serious situation that is causing you to lose sleep. If it isn't as serious try some stress relievers. Once things calm down at home your child will be ready to resume potty training.

A change in your child's environment such as a move or a new baby can also cause her to reject the potty. If this happens the best thing to do is wait until your child is ready to resume the process.

If you come down with an illness or injury that prevents you from following through on the potty training process your child might stop telling you that he needs to go potty. The best thing you can do is find help. Get a friend or relative to come over every day and have her help you potty train your child. If you know you will have a short recovery then you can chose to stop potty training and resume once you have recovered.

Don't let dead ends and obstacles come in between you and the potty training process with your child. Always remember never give up. Your child is unique and special and it might take a while to completely get rid of the diapers. Have patience and keep trying. With a little encouragement and determination you will have a diaper free big kid before you know it.

How is your child doing? Do you have some potty training tips to share with all of us? We'd love to hear about your child. Link up and share with us your potty training story

.

Grab the Potty Time Tuesdays Code

<a href="http://www.thehealthymoms.net/search/label/Potty%20Time%20Tuesday"><img border="0" style="margin: 125px auto; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 125px;" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ekMBnfV5uJw/Sanin3qVVMI/AAAAAAAABHc/g2KVEyrh_eg/S155/PottyTimeTuesdays.bmp " /></a><br/>








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Ever want to try a board sport like surfing, snow boarding, or windsurfing? Now you can in the comfort of your own living room. That’s right! Just hop on the iJoy Human Touch Balance Board at home and forget about the swimsuit or snow goggles. I was recently given the opportunity to review this cool product. Now YOU can have a chance to win one! Entry details at the end of this article.

According to iJoy, "no matter the season, no matter the board sport, the motorized Human Touch Board Balance Trainer keeps your legs fresh, toned and ready to carve the slopes, grind a rail or catch a wave. Just hop on and press a button on the infrared wireless remote control and experience the simulated motion of a snowboard, skateboard or surfboard in action."

This board is quite suitable for all fitness levels. My entire family had a lot of fun trying out the board. It provides a unique, and interactive way to get fit at home. The main focus is on core stability and lower body toning. It is certainly a very well built machine. It can be used for mild aerobic training as well. The workout involves your hips, legs, abdominal and lumbar muscles, and obliques. It makes very little noise and requires very little space as well.

You can test your skills by varying the speed of the board – it has slow, medium or fast settings. You can also choose a 15-minute program that intermittently varies the board’s speed for an additional challenge. You wear the remote control on a string around your neck to provide you with complete control of your workout.

For an additional challenge, try adding hand weights. This allows you to work your upper body at the same time or simply increase the resistance for your lower body. I had fun trying to remain stable while attempting squats and alternating balance lunges.

I recommend the iJoy Balance Board as a great piece of stability equipment for the general exerciser. My only critical feedback for the company is that is does not provide guidance on exercises beyond the one standing pose. I ‘m sending them my feedback on this as well. If you enjoy board sports, it’s a great way to keep those muscles in shape in the off-season as well.
All-in-all, by training on the iJoy Human Touch Board, you will definitely gain improved core strength and stability that will help you avoid injury and improve your abdominal and lower body strength and tone as well.

Now, for the fun part – You can win the iJoy Human Touch Balance Board. This product retails for over $400 so this is quite a valuable prize. Here are the entry details. Please do one or more of the following and leave a comment that you have done so.

Please visit PersonalFitCoach.com for contest rules and how to enter.


Until next time, have a safe, happy and healthy week ahead.
Coach Jenn of PersonalFitCoach.com







Discuss this in our forum




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Carbon monoxide is known as the "silent" killer because you can't see, smell nor taste it. Over 1,000 deaths related to carbon monoxide poisoning are reported in the US each year. (Wrong Diognosis.com)

Most families are not aware of this nor do they know how to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. If you suspect that you have a carbon monoxide leak here are some symptoms of exposure to watch out for:

• Shortness of breath
• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Light-headedness

Make sure you get the victim exposed to fresh air right away. Get everyone out of the house and open all the doors and windows. All appliances should be turned off and transport everyone exposed to the emergency room right away. (Carbon Monoxide Poisoning.com)

Follow these simple guidelines from Underwriters Laboratories to protect your family and yourself from carbon monoxide poisoning.

Carbon monoxide leaks are most common when the home is closed up. Usually it is due to a malfunctioning appliance that runs on fuel. Make sure you have a carbon monoxide alarm.

Kidde Battery Carbon Monoxide Detector

Statistically only about 50% of US households have a carbon monoxide detector or alarm in their home. Carbon monoxide related deaths are so high due to the symptoms of exposure being very similar to influenza. Most of the deaths occur at night. Someone in the home isn't feeling very well so he decides to lay down but never wakes up. The only way to prevent that from happening is by installing a carbon monoxide detector.

If you suspect that you have a carbon monoxide leak in your home it is best to contact a professional who knows how to look for leaks. It could be coming from your water heater, furnace or chimney. Have these things inspected at least once a year to prevent leaks. Carbon monoxide could be leaking from your chimney if you see black streaks of soot. If soot is falling down that means there is something wrong higher up. A yearly inspection can prevent leaks from your chimney.

Visit Underwriters Laboratories for more information on preventing carbon monoxide poisoning.






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I again would like to thank everyone for participating in the prayer chain. If you are new to this below you shall find what you can do to help spread the prayer chain and how you can add your prayers. I update the list every Sunday. Please help spread the prayer chain because I should be getting hundreds of new prayers every week. If you know anyone who is in need of prayers pleas add them to the list. If you have any updates on the prayers that are listed let me know by leaving a comment.

If you want to pass this prayer chain along on your blog all you need to do is add the prayer chain button and blog about this once a week. Ask your readers to post their prayer intentions as comments. Then you can either contact us with your prayer request, or post them as a comment on the prayer chain. You can also direct your readers here so they can post their prayer intentions directly to our site. If you intend to list prayers on your site please add your link so we can find those prayers.

I should have hundreds of comments from people that need prayers. I know they are out there. When you say your prayers at night, in the morning, or whenever you pray visit our chain and read the intentions. God is listening.

Here's the latest list.

The mother with the child with Asperger's and Asthma and her son.
_____________________________________________________________________________

For my health, the health of my unborn baby and all pregnant women and their unborn babies throughout the world.
______________________________________________________________________________

Please pray for Baby Stellan. You can visit the link for current updates on how he and his mom are doing.



Update
Baby Stellan was released from Boston's Children's Hospital after undergoing successful surgery on his tiny heart. He and his mother are back home in the mid west. God answers our prayers!

Update 6/18/2009

UPDATE:

Hey, it's MckMama here. Thank you all so very much for your love and concern. We are doing as well as could be hoped, with the exception that sweet Stellan is suffering much from being in so much SVT over the past few days. Thankfully, after I fed him just now, he has finally fallen asleep for literally the first time today.

I will update here when I can, and am sending out a few Tweets here and there so you know specifically how to pray.

ORIGINAL POST:

Hi all, this is MckMama's sister, Hilary.

My sister ended up taking Stellan to the ER this afternoon. As I'm sure you know, Stellan has been having many break-throughs of SVT and performing vagel maneuvers just isn't going to suffice anymore for Stellan's long-term plan.

After a bit of trying, they were able to get an IV into Stellan's foot and successfully converted him by using adenosine. As per Dr. B's orders, they are admitting Stellan into the PICU and will further decide what to do from here. It seems as though some new combination of medicines will need to be tried to keep Stellan's SVT under control.

UPDATE: I just spoke with my sister on the phone (6:30pm central time) and Stellan has flipped back into SVT.

So please join me in praying for healing of Stellan's heart and for peace in the hearts of my sister and her family as they deal with this stressful situation.

Lord, wrap your arms around my sister and her family. Fill them with peace and trust as they travel through this "storm." You are our Comfort, our Shelter and our Healer. We beseech you, Lord, to interevene right now and cause Stellan's heart to beat in the rhythm it was meant to! Help us to keep our eyes focused on You. Amen.

Thank you all!
Blessings,
Hilary

_____________________________________________________________

Comments from readers

"My grandson is on his way back from Iraq and I'm praying for him to return safely. He is due back in the states on January 6th and I'll breathe relief when he's back.

This was his second seven month tour in Iraq as a marine.."

Dorothy from grammology

1>Gracie Martin-age 95,still at home with her family but she has gotten very ill and alzheimers is bad.pray for her family as well.

2.>Pray for my friend linda s.,she is 45 and has lung cancer.She is still trying to work and spend as much time with her 3 grandkids as she can...

3.>Dorothy carter-hurt her back at work and they found what they thought may be tumors on her back during xrays-she is 43 and just had her first grandbaby

4.>Rita b.-strength to be a single mom of 3 and a way to come so that they can get a vehicle for the family.

5.>johnny n.-health problems

6.betty r~simply southern-to get rid of this awful congestion in my chest.been fighting it 2 weeks..little summer also has this,it is rough on her at times.she is only 6 mos old.thank you"

Betty from Simply Southern

"I have one to list..

The family of Barbara C. She just lost her battle with cancer."

Felicia from Go Graham Go!

"i'd also like to add my prayer...

please pray for the soul of Al my neighbor (15 yrs old) who passed away last saturday. (January 10) he had bone marrow cancer."

Liza from hMoms... Check Nyo

"What a great thing you are doing here.

My aunt has a best friend who just got a bad cancer report."

Thanks,
Toni
It Is Nap Time

Update from Toni
Just wanted to say that my aunts friend has found a study that will take her so that is some good news.

I would like to add my moms cousin who has cancer and is not doing well at all. Her name is Mandy. She has a 2 year old and I am sure she would appreciate all prayers for her and her family.

"You are a person with a warm heart!

I want pray for all people who still live in the disaster area of China WenChuan earthquake, Hope they all have warm place to live and warm food to eat!

It's the first Chinese new spring festival after earthquake, I hope they have a happy new year!"

IWalk

"Hi Cascia. I'm the one who won the labor looks gown from your contest. Our baby was born on January 7th, and he is doing really well. But my labor and delivery did not go as planned or as we'd hoped, and I ended up with a partial 4th degree tear from an emergency forceps delivery, other wounds from 4 hours of intense pushing more than 36 hours after my water broke, and an infected abcess/hematoma in the same spot along the tear site. More than 3 weeks after my son's birth, several heavy-duty medications and 3 surgical procedures later, I am just now "out of the woods". But recovery is going to be very slow, and the emotional struggle is starting to get intense now that the physical struggles have lessened. In a week, my mom will be heading home, and I'll be on my own while my husband works. Normally, that would be okay, but with the unique issues from my complications, it is going to be hard. (I can't even sit or walk properly. And certain muscles in that area will need physiotherapy to get back to normal functioning.) Basically, I need healing of body and mind, as well as the ability to fully care for my son and somehow do household things that my husband cannot do with his schedule. (He does a ton and is the best, but his energy and time don't allow for taking care of my entire load.)

My other struggle right now is being able to see and feel all the zillions of positive and good things happening around me right now, and I seem stuck on the negative. I do see God's hand prints all over this situation, especially in the way my maternity doctor has cared for me both physically and spiritually, going above and beyond the normal role of medical physician. So there are many "Ebenezers" I see and cherish. But this journey is still hard, and sometimes finding Jesus beside me in all of this is not easy.

Thank you for praying."

Inkling's Public Blog

Hi, I was wondering if you could add my brother-in-law in your prayers. He found out a couple of weeks ago that he has prostate cancer.

Thanks.

Sue from Stay At Home Mom

Comments from message box

"Hi Cascia, my 60-year-old 2nd-brother has been in ICU since 30Dec08. Chances are 50/50. Let's pray that he will make it thru. Jus me, Wenny of Inside My Bubble Today."
Please pray for Wenny's family. Her brother passed away on January 7.

Hi,I am a mother of 2 boys, Sometimes I'm just overwhelmed with motherhood and most of the time I'd be stressed. Please pray for me.Thank you.

Anonymous (guest): I feel selfish asking for prayers for myself! I am a single Mom with 2 young children with disabilities. I lost my job last year and now my home is going into foreclosure. I am overwhelmed and could use your support and prayers to get me through this! Thank you!

APrayingWifey (guest): Hello..I would like prayer please for a miracle for my husband..as well as for my children,my family and myself.Also would like prayer to find more like minded,God filled friends who love God and their family like I do.I am overwhelmed..new to the blogging thing and nervous..as well as needing prayer for the rest of the attorney fees asap..

If you have prayers you want to add to the prayer chain please leave a comment or message me in the prayer chain box.If you want to promote the prayer chain on your blog all you need to do is blog about it along with our list of prayers and a link back here. You can use the button code to link back to the prayer chain. I made a new button so if you have the old one on your site you might want to grab the new code. When you are saying your prayers at night or whenever you pray don't forget to add the intentions on the Healthy Moms prayer chain.


Visit these blogs to read more prayers across the blogosphere.

Of Course I Could Be Wrong Prayer List
Palm Sunday Catholics and Anglicans Share Prayer
Catholic Fire Prayer Needed for Esther
Sunday Prayer
A Prayer for Palm Sunday
Pray for Christian Jason M.
Pray for Haiti
Pray for Charity


Pray for Summa Mamas
Pray for Farmers
Pray for Ryan
Pray for Becca's Husband
Pray for this girl suffering from depression
Please pray for 7-year old Yair Tuvia ben Michal
Please pray for Jack Cooper's Mother, Mrs. Heinz
Pray for Jerry Kelso's Family
Please Pray for Carter


Please Pray for Emily and Baby Abigail!
Pray for Erin
Pray for KAMERYN HEMBREE You can also visit her Facebook page for more information. http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=70157358667&ref=ts
Please pray for a mother and her unborn child. She is struggling with preterm labor. You can also visit her Blog for more information.
Pray for this young man who was injured in a motorcycle accident.
Pray for JoAnna and Ron You can also visit JoAnna's blog for more information.
Please pray for a woman's grandchildren. Their family is really suffering during these tough economic times.
Please pray for Aiden. Aiden is a little boy who almost drowned in February, 2008. His recovery has been long and hard on his family.
Pray for Baby Ethan.


Please pray for Jesse. Visit her blog for more information.

Pray for Kayleigh and her family.
*Update Kayleigh went home to Jesus on May 10, 2009. Please keep her family in your prayers during this difficult time.

Belief Net's Prayer Circle of the Day

Please Pray for the McCabe Family

This morning I received a text message from a nursery worker saying one of the families from our church lost there house do to a fire. The family happened to be one I have babysat for a couple of years. (Actually posted a picture of the kids a while back on here). I rode by the house minutes ago and the house is gone. Every room was destroyed, so I can image they lost everything. I feel so helpless and so heartbroken that they have to go through this. Please say a pray for them tonight and for the days ahead.

Pray for my husband, Lensey

Today, I ask all the readers for their prayers and positive thoughts. We are believing God to give him favor with men today. I expect a miraculous move of God. Will you guys pray for and expect it with me?

PRAY FOR THE FREEMAN FAMILY!

Pray for the Rine and Pate families

Pray for baby Noah

Have you heard this story?...This is tragic and has stayed with me, please pray for this precious little boy, his family and team of Doctors...pass on the blog address to and help rally prayer warriors everywhere!

www.noahsroad.com
(not sure why the link is not working but please visit anyway and learn his story!)

Pray for Tiffany&Babies 28wks

I asked my new friend, Tiffany, if I could ask you all to pray for her and the 3 miracles she's carrying! She is my neighbors' sister, lives in NC, and is expecting 2girls and 1boy! I'm pretty sure she is at 29 wks tomorrow! The last 2 wks she has been having a lot of contractions and is desperately trying to keep those babies in the oven longer! She has no cervix left so every day is a huge blessing! Please pray for her sanity, thru the ups and downs of this stage of the journey! Peace for her and her hubby. That those babies can stay in for a few more weeks! For a "non-emergency" delivery and the safe deliveries of 3 healthy babies! Thanks so much for praying! We know first hand that God hears these prayers and can and will work miracles!

Pray For Nate Click on his button to learn about Nate's battle with childhood cancer.

Please pray for poor Faith. She spent probably 3/4 of her day crying or whining. I am not sure what is going on with her. If she keeps it up, I will take her to the doctor tomorrow to make sure she is ok. Also pray for patience for me. I spent my morning in tears with her crying in my lap. Her voice is sctatchy from all of the screaming today. I'm off to comfort her again. She is crying in her bed. Ivy League Baby

Please pray for...
On Sunday evening, I learned that my Dad's brother-in-law, my Uncle Joe, had died. It was two months after he had a stroke (my cousin found her Dad on the floor when she came to pick him up for Sunday Mass). I put a prayer request for Uncle Joe and my cousins on the many social networks I participate in: Twitter, Plurk, Facebook, Plaxo and Hi5. And ever since, I have been getting promises of prayer for Uncle Joe from all over the world.
What did the Poor Souls do before the Internet?
Now I have just posted another intention, for "John" (intestinal cancer). This was the friend who played the matchmaker for my sister Mary and her husband. My brother-in-law is taking his friend's grim prognosis very hard. Please pray for him, too.
Wherever you are in the world. Nunblog

Meredith’s story Eight year old Meredith has been in the hospital since April 27th in a medically induced coma. The doctors were baffled for over 3 weeks and didn't know what had caused her seizures and illness.

On May 13, Meredith was diagnosed with Acute Necrotyzing Encephalopathy after being transferred to Cincinnati Children's Hospital the day before.

Please pray for continued strength for Meredith's parents, sister and extended family.

Please Pray for Jessica Hulcy

please pray for Elijah's family... Two weeks ago, I wrote my Saturday post about a little boy named Elijah who has cancer, and I asked for you to pray for him. I do appreciate those prayers that were sent up to the Father on his behalf...Elijah left his earthly home and went to be with the Lord today. I'm sure he's hanging out with Jesus and with the angels

I can't go much into detail my sister in haiti is in dire need of prayer her life may be in danger and my mother is hurting because she can't visit her there pray that my sister will be protected by God's angel both her and her children please ask her to open the doors for my mother to be able to visit my siblings this is really important please pray for her please.

Sister Coreus
Family of God

PLEASE PRAY FOR TJ AND HER TWIN BOYS IN UTERO!

TJ and her husband just found out that the twins she is pregnant with are identical boys that have Twin To Twin Transfusion.
The story starts . . . HERE

and continues . . . HERE

Let her know you are praying for her!

Please Pray for baby Joshua~Update #6
My SIL gave birth to baby Joshua this morning but he is having difficulty breathing on his own so I am asking for prayers that he pulls through and for my SIL that she be at peace while separated from him. He is being taken to a hospital that is 1 hr away from our town. My DH and his family and I are on our way to be with him...I will update as soon as I can TIA


Sorry if this is the wrong place for this post...I am running out the door as we speak..Please forgive me!!

I just spoke to my MIL and Joshua's left lung collapsed last night. They had to put a chest tube in. They were going to try and feed him today but decided to wait. Please continue to pray for my little nephew and his momma! She is an hour away from him and still in the hospital. Thank you all for your prayers!!

Please Pray For 13 Year Old Marcus I received a request to pray for Marcus and ask that all who read my blog to please remember him and his family in your prayers.
He has Chiari I Malformation. Go here to keep up with his progress.

Pray for Raegan - Please.

I do not know this family personally, but her mom and I have corresponded in the past. Mom's a hoot!!

Go over to their blog and check out Miss Raegan who is at Cinncinnati Children's Hospital to fix special needs she had when born in China.

http://mississippizen.blogspot.com/

I'm sure it helps soooo much to know folks are "pulling for ya". She is loved. We all just want her to know this!!

Please Pray for Karli

I have been incredibly blessed in my life. I have a wonderful family, an incredible friend network, and so many other blessings. We have all been blessed with safety and good health, for the most part. In my life, I have known people who had cancer, but it was always an acquaintance, a friend's relative or a relative's friend. It has never been my relative or friend.

Yesterday that changed. Karli is a precious 3 1/2 year old little girl with big eyes and curly hair. Her parents, Chris and Beth, are very good friends of ours and we do many, many things together. The guys play softball while us wives and kids watch, we get together for game nights and scrapbooking and nights on the town and Bunco. They are our close friends. They are also our relatives. Chris and Andy are cousins. So besides doing things as friends, we also see each other for holidays and birthday parties and family celebrations. To say we spend a lot of time together is a bit of an understatement.

Karli woke up with a fever yesterday and Beth brought her into the doctor. After determining the cause of the fever was a bladder infection, the doc decided to check her blood to make sure the infection hadn't gone to her kidneys as well. That's when they discovered that her white blood cells and platelets were very low. A call to Children's Hospital soon had them on their way to the Twin Cities for further testing. Last night it was confirmed that she has leukemia and today they'll continue testing to determine what type and how advanced it is.

Please pray for sweet, active, funny little Karli, her parents Chris and Beth, her older sister Kaitlin and her younger brother Brett. They need all the prayers they can get and I know it will mean the world to them. Thank you.

Please pray for Aria
One of the children I tutor in reading at school, Aria (2nd grade), just lost her daddy today to very early onset alzheimers. She also has a sister named Leah and her mom's name is Laura, and if you could remember them in prayer I would be grateful

Pray For A FriendI would like to ask all those who read here to pray for a friend of mine who was seriously injured today. She fell down a long flight of concrete stairs and was helicopter-ed to a hospital. She is suffering from a cracked skull, brain hemoragging, and five broken ribs. She has two young girls and her 9 year old is actually the one who found her at the bottom of the stairs bleeding from both ears.

Please pray for my Dad
Hi friends, just a quick post with a request that any of you praying types out there please send up a few words on behalf of my Dad, Peter. He has been admitted this afternoon to hospital after being sick all week and having chest pains; tests have revealed he has had a minor heart attack.
I know they said minor, but to me, my siblings and especially my mum, this is major.

Our dad is an amazingly fit and healthy 63 year old guy. The thought of our dad laid up in hospital with a heart attack is inconceivable. Please pray especially for my mum. My dad is her best friend; I know she is freaking out right now. I am flying down to be with them first thing in the morning. Thanks in advance for your prayers. :)

We know that we serve a God who is a God of miraculous healing and mighty things. Please pray for her healing, as well as comfort for her girls and husband at this time.

God bless you all tonight... Hug your families a little extra.

In 2007, Kennedy's friend Ashlyn (who happens to have Down syndrome) was battling Leukemia at the same time as Kenn was. Right after Kennedy finished treatment, we took a trip to Michigan where Ashlyn lives and got a chance to visit her in the hospital.
Ashlyn's mom, Nicki, and I compared notes through our journeys. We kept tabs on each other, prayed for each other and rejoiced as each of our children ended treatment. As we slowly edged further and further away from chemo we took comfort in longer breaks between hemonc visits, our daughters hair growing back and normal life resuming, but as is the case with most cancer moms, the dreaded "R" word - relapse - is never far from our minds.

Yesterday Nicki started living out our worst nightmare. Ashlyn has relapsed. Her Leukemia is back. She is back in the hospital and instead of enjoying their Summer, the McFadden family will spend their days helping Ashlyn fight. Again. I have NO doubt in my mind that she will win. Again.

Please please please pray for Ashlyn!!!! Please pray for her mom and dad and big brothers! Please click on the button above and visit her blog and let them know you're praying! Cancer SUCKS!!!!!!
Life With My Special K's

Prayer Chain Button Code
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I have been thinking a lot about my faith lately. I do this every time I get close to having a baby. My baby's baptism is something that I have been thinking hard about this time. I am kind of scared and nervous about it because we are living in a community that I am still not too familiar with, I attend a church that I don't particularly like, and I don't know anyone who is a practicing Catholic to ask to be my baby's Godparents.

I know that if I pray about it God will show me the way. My parents are coming out in August. I asked them to be the Godparents simply because I don't know anyone else. But that would mean I would have to start taking the Baptism prep classes now. I have two classes that I need to take and our church only offers them once a month. So I would have to take the one in July and the one in August. But I am stuck here on bed rest, and I have to turn in all the paperwork first.

I don't have a problem filling out the paperwork to get him registered for baptism but one of the questions is the baby's birth date. Of course I don't know that yet. I might have to give the lady in charge a call and see what I can do. Maybe I have another alternative.

Dear Lord, Please ease my stress concerning Christopher John's Baptism. Please show me what is best for my baby and let me know that it will all work out. Amen


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Do you want to share your faith with your readers? Write a blog post about your faith, link to Faith Filled Sundays or grab the button code. Then add the link to your blog post to Mr. Linky's.









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Breastfeeding is a wonderful experience for moms to share with their babies, but painful breasts due to dry, cracked nipples, clogged milk ducts, or mastitis (infected breast) can really put a damper on maternal joy! Certain essential oils can be beneficial in soothing skin, reducing inflammation, and fighting infection.

Dry, Cracked Nipples:
A drop or two of Geranium EO or Sandalwood EO diluted 50:50 with rosehip seed oil or virgin coconut oil massaged over breast between feedings. Because residues may be left behind on the skin when your baby nurses, be sure that the essential oils used are supplement grade and safe for internal use like those I linked above.

Clogged Milk Ducts:

A drop or two of Frankincense EO or Lemon EO diluted 50:50 with grapeseed oil (a lightweight carrier oil) massaged from armpit down through clogged area in long sweeping strokes. Follow with a very warm, damp compress like a wet wash cloth if ducts are just clogged without any infection or inflammation present. I found great relief using this method!

Mastitis (Infected Breast):

Breast Blend # 1

3 drops Thyme or Tea Tree EO

7 drops Young Living PanAway EO Blend

1 tsp grapeseed or jojoba oil

Breast Blend #2

3 drops Lemon EO

4 drops Thyme or Tea Tree EO

2 drops Young Living Purification EO Blend

1 tsp grapeseed or jojoba oil

Massage either of these blends on the breasts and under armpits daily. If these blends are too stimulating at night, Lavender EO or Roman Chamomile EO can be diluted 50:50 in a carrier oil for bedtime and overnight use.

For more information about the healing benefits of aromatherapy or to order the pure therapeutic/medicinal grade essential oils featured in this post, please visit my website.

These tips are for educational purposes only and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult your health care provider in the case of severe discomfort or infection.



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It's time once again to reflect on the past week. What were some of the positive things that happened? What really bothered you? Did you laugh? Cry? Stand on your head? Whatever you did this past week I want to hear it. Writing down all the crazy things that happened over the past week is a good way to deal with stress. As our lives get busier and busier along with it is stress. It is time to let it all out so you can enjoy your weekend. Grab the button code, make your blog post and don't forget to leave your link with Mr. Linky!

Sorry this is up so late. I had another busy week and I am trying to get caught up this weekend. Why does this always happen? I can't wait until I am able to hire a virtual assistant. It seems like I spend way too much time during the week checking my e mail. I wish I had someone who would check my e mails and visit all my social networking sites on my behalf. Hopefully someday I will be able to afford to hire someone to do just that. But right now it is just up to me.

This past week I was able to welcome some very talented women to Healthy Moms. I am so excited to see other bloggers sharing their talents and expertise with the readers of this blog. Now I am working on doing a minor face lift to Healthy Moms so that their articles are featured. I don't want any of our visitors to miss out on what our contributing bloggers have to share. Stay tuned.

Now that I have more bloggers helping me out I am hoping to bring the Healthy Moms Dictionary back starting next month. I placed it on the back burner because I've been so busy with other projects.

I've got CMT on right now and Darius Rucker's video, Alright is on and I absolutely love that song, but I think this is the first time I've ever seen the video. I swear this song describes my life right now. And the lyrics help me to remain positive, because "it's alright with me."



This week went by way too fast, just like every week does around here. I survived my first full week on bed rest, although I wasn't very good. I put my 12 year old in charge of the little ones and the house. Although she did do a good job she still can't do everything. I had to help Conan with his potty training and change him if he had an accident. On Wednesday I also took him to get his 2 year old photos taken and we were running out of food so I had to pick something up for the kids to eat. I went to the bank a couple of times and drove the kids to my in laws a couple of times too.

It is hard to really rest when I need to take care of my family. Especially now that Chris is working 10 hour days starting today. I don't think I am going to rest at all today. But when I don't rest I pay for it. I've had several nights where I've been in so much pain that I just could not sleep. I know when I've had contractions too because I wake up covered in sweat.

I'm drinking plenty of fluids and CJ is a very active baby so I am not too concerned. The doctor didn't put me on any medication to stop the contractions so if the baby wants to be born then so be it. I am 33 weeks now so it is pretty close anyway.





I would love to hear how your week went. Join in the fun and don't forget to leave your link!







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