HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Celebrate...
the tradition of giving,
the beauty of the season
and a New Year of peace and happiness!

Wishing you a beautiful Holiday
wrapped in Warmth
touched with Wonder
and filled with Love!

Prematurity Awareness at St. David's

Many thanks to St. David's for promoting Prematurity Awarenss Day! They let the March of Dimes set up a table in the NICU for parents to sign the preemie petition as well as pick up a purple ribbon to show their support for our cause.

Holiday Lights in Town

The Trail of Lights, a family favorite at Zilker Park, opens Sunday, December 14th and runs through December 23rd. Every night from 7 – 10 p.m., families can walk the mile of light displays while enjoying live entertainment. The Zilker Zephyr runs each evening if kids want to chugga chugga their cocoa on the train.

As a tribute to the natural beauty of Austin, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center will illuminate their gardens with thousands of luminarias, twinkle lights and torches from 6 – 9 p.m. on December 13th and 14th. Bring two canned food items for admission, and enjoy a family evening of live music and baffling beauty.

Walking in a winter wonderland…

Free Puppet Show with Live Music!

Third Coast School of Music Together presents a fun children's puppet show with live music! Come see this play, "Iris Saves the Land of Black and White", featuring the Purple Palace Puppets presented by Michael Shay, Heather Jarry, and Laura Freeman.

When: Saturday, December 6th at 4:00pm
Where: Central Market at 4001 North Lamar --more parking available on the 3rd floor on the Heart Hospital Parking Garage

www.thirdcoastschool.com

Prematurity Awareness Vigil

Many thanks to all of those that participated in the Prematurity Awareness Day Vigil that was held on November 12th at St. Edward's. Candles were lit in honor of all babies born premature and a moment of silence was shared by all.

Today is Prematurity Awareness Day!

Premature birth is the #1 killer of newborn babies. Please come light a candle in honor of all babies born prematurely. Listen to parents of a premature baby share their story and stop by the March of Dimes table to learn more about their mission and what you can do to help! Please help every baby have a healthy start!


Premartuiry Awareness Day Vigil
3001 South Congress Avenue
Austin, Texas 78704
512-448-8400
St. Edward's Seal
7:30-8:30pm


~Hot beverages and snacks will be provided~

Happy Birthday, Maddox & Chase!

We would like to send out some very special birthday wishes to Maddox and Chase who are turning 3 today! They were the Ambassador Family for 2008. Here is their story:

“Our lives are not determined by what happens to us – but by how we react to what happens.
Not by what life brings to us – but by the attitude we bring to life. A positive
attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events and outcomes. It is a catalyst – a
spark that creates extraordinary results.”
As we share our story…we hope that this message reflects how we found comfort during our journey and how today we are here to offer hope to families who are affected by prematurity.
In the Fall of 2005, we were pregnant with twins and everything was going as planned -- our lives were perfect! As a first time mom, I did everything I could to ensure a healthy pregnancy. I went to every prenatal check-up, took my vitamins, ate well balanced meals, and read every baby book imaginable. However, our world was turned up side down when my water broke at 23 weeks. I was immediately placed on hospital bed rest for two weeks. During this time I developed an infection as a result of the ruptured amniotic sac and had to undergo an emergency c-section. Our twins, Maddox and Chase were born 15 weeks early (25 weeks) Maddox
weighing 2 lbs. and Chase weighing 1 lb. 9 oz.
Any family who has gone through child birth knows the feelings of fear and anxiety that come along with it, but delivering two babies so early is the scariest thing in the world.
We will never forget seeing our babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for the first
time. Although they were so tiny with red, delicate skin intertwined with tubes and other
medical equipment surrounding their bodies…they took our breath a way…they were
absolutely beautiful. Looking back on that brief moment, we had no idea what the next
three months would mean for our family and the toll it would take on us as husband and
wife.
Once reality set in, we knew there was no turning back. As much as we wanted to hide
under a rock, we knew we had to remain hopeful and positive. We promised each other that
we wouldn’t give up on them…or each other– that we would love t hem no matter what the
future had in store.
We won’t kid you – there were times when we threw our hands up to God because the pain
of seeing our boys suffer was too unbearable. They were on ventilators to help them breath
so their lungs wouldn't collapse and required many other life saving treatments including
blood transfusions and Maddox underwent PDA surgery to close a duct near his heart. During,
Maddox's surgery, time stood still. I remember falling to the floor in tears because the
fear of something going terribly wrong was just too much to bear.
We cried and prayed that this nightmare would end. It was at that exact moment when we learned what it truly feels like to have your heart break. It was painful knowing that we couldn’t help them; that their vulnerable condition was out of our hands and there was
nothing we could do about it. However, there was something comforting about the power we had over our own emotions and we tried our best to remain positive about the future. We relied on our faith, family and friends to help get us through life in the NICU.
Although we had a great support system, we felt alone and isolated especially when so many people in our inner circle were having healthy, full term babies. Going through this journey has taught us a lot about ourselves, our marriage, the power of prayer, the human spirit and the will to survive. We learned not to take life for granted because life can change in an instant.
Today Maddox and Chase are two-years old. They are happy, healthy and full of life. They love story time, birds, puppies and the park. Their favorite thing to do is ride the Zilker Park train…especially if it includes ice cream.
Like many NICU babies, our boys experienced more in three months than most people do in
a lifetime. Witnessing their strength, resilience, and courage taught us more than words can express.

“Seeing my boys endure a three month hospital stay was absolute torture. Our daily visits to the NICU were the saddest and happiest part of my day. Here I am their father and I couldn’t do anything to help them. I was angry, sad and confused all the time. The hardest part was trying to stay strong for our boys and Amy. I felt an immense amount of pressure to hold it together even on days when I felt like my world was falling a part.“
~Henry Medrano, Proud Father of Maddox and Chase

Johnson's Baby Promotes Prematurity Awareness Month!

Johnson’s® Baby will be conducting a fundraising, donation and awareness campaign for Prematurity Awareness Month from November 1, 2008 through December 31, 2008. The key messaging in this campaign is that 1 in 8 babies is born prematurely. Be on the lookout for national advertising, direct mail pieces, in-store displays, a feature segment on Univision and trade ads featuring co-branded messaging. During this period, Johnson’s® Baby will be donating $0.10 to the March of Dimes from every wash, oil, lotion, powder and shampoo sold nationwide, up to a total of $100,000. See the Johnson & Johnson page for more details.

November is Prematurity Awareness Month!

All of our Family Team Captains should have received a purple ribbon in the mail. Please help raise awareness this month by wearing your purple and sharing your story.

March of Dimes and you...together we are the champion for all babies!!

Pumpkin Patch

Still looking for last minute pumpkins or a great place to take pictures? Go the the Red Barn Nursery at Pond Springs and 183. They have the cutest backdrops for lots of pictures and some "boo"tiful pumpkins to decorate.

Sign the Petition for Preemies!

If you have a moment, go sign the Preeemie Petition at www.marchofdimes.com/petition

Where are your Macy's cards?!?!

I am pleased to tell you that all of the Macy's gift cards came on Monday and are being mailed from the Houston office this week. Most of the walkers should receive them by the end of next week. Thank you for your patience and understanding and I apologize for the delay.

Vote for the March of Dimes Now!

Please vote for the March of Dimes!!!!
We get $2 per vote, and they are giving away $80,000! You can only vote once. They do not collect any personal information. So, please go to
http://www.squidoo.com/squidoo-charity-giveaway.
Feel free to share with everyone you know! Click now!

Help Keep MOD on YouTube!

YoutTube featured a March of Dimes video on Septmeber 25, 2008 which focused on the problem of infant mortality. In the video the Goggin family shares their story of premature birth and infant mortality.

However, it only stays there if it remains popular and keeps getting hits. Take a second and visit this link when you have a chance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5P_dFD0J47I. Also, feel free to send this to your friends and post it up on Facebook. The video's name is "Shining a Light on Infant Mortality".

Thanks everyone!!

Rememberance- Septmeber 11th

As we reflect upon the tragic events of September 11, 2001 please take a moment during this day to remember and respect those who lost their lives, as well as those who lost loved ones.

Martha Stewart in Search of Super Moms!

We know our volunteers are super, but we want the rest of the country to know about them too! The Martha Stewart Show is searching for "Super Moms" and we'd like our volunteers to submit an application to be a guest on her program. Just go to The Martha Stewart Show and submit your application.

Urge Senators to Give FDA the Authority to Regulate Tobacco Products

Take Action!
Email Your US Senator in August and urge him/her to cosponsor the "Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act" (S. 625)

To take action copy and paste the link below to your web browser. Finally, click “EMAIL YOUR U.S. SENATOR IN AUGUST”.

http://capwiz.com/marchofdimes/home/

Thanks to hard work by March of Dimes and many other organizations, the US House of Representatives overwhelming approved the "Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act" (H.R. 1108) on July 30, 2008. The issue now moves to the Senate where we need to urge approval of this legislation before Congress adjourns for the year. To assure that there is support sufficient to overcome an expected veto of the bill, at least 67 votes are needed in the Senate. Please email your US Senator and ask that he/she add his/her name as a cosponsor of the "Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act" (S. 625).
According to the US Public Health Service, smoking during pregnancy accounts for an estimated 20-30% of low birth weight newborns, up to 14% of preterm deliveries and some 10% of infant deaths. Enactment of this bill would help reduce smoking among women of childbearing age by restricting deceptive marketing practices, limiting children's access to tobacco products and preventing tobacco companies from misleading women about "reduced risk products."
This measure is an important step towards reaching the goals of the Prematurity Campaign and we ask you to take action immediately!

March of Dimes is the champion for babies.
For more information about the March of Dimes, visit our Web site at www.marchofdimes.com.
© March of Dimes Foundation, 2008
March of Dimes 1275 Mamaroneck Avenue White Plains, NY 10605

Got Questions? We've Got the Answers!

Everyone has questions and we have the answers! Whether you are pregnant, thinking about getting pregnant, or parenting a newborn, you're bound to have questions. Check out this great site that will help you get the answers to all your questions:

http://www.marchofdimesbaby.com/

I love the baby in the background! It is too cute!

Many Thanks to Our Baby Boulevard Sponsors!

Many thanks to Austin’s local area sponsors who helped support this year’s March for Babies. You may not have had a chance to stop by the Baby Boulevard Tent the day of the walk, but we would love for you to stop by their store or website for more details on all the wonderful things they have to offer:

1379 Kids- Athletic Wear for Active Kids! Call 512-474-1379 or visit http://1379kids.com/

Austin Jewish Academy- Welcomes engaged learners Kinder-8th. Call 512-735-8350 or visit http://www.austinjewishacademy.com/

Austin’s Park- Rain or shine, it’s fun entertainment for kids and adults! Call 512-670-9600 or visit http://www.austinspark.com/

Baby Earth- Offer one of the largest selections of baby products on Earth! Call 888-868-2897 or visit http://www.babyearth.com/

Heike Murphy Photography- Capturing maternity, babies, children, and families in memories that will last a lifetime. Please note that our very own Family Teams Sophia Williams of Jadon’s Walk won a $300 photo package and Amy Clark of Annie and Mac won a $200 photo package. Thanks, Heike!! For More information call 512-986-4927 or visit http://www.heikemurphy.com/

Sportball- Teaching kids 15 months – 8 years the skills of 8 different ball sports. Call Marc at 512-573-6664 or visit http://www.sportball.us/

If you or someone you know are interested in a booth space at next year’s Baby Boulevard, please contact Stasia Vance at 512-477-3221, ext 108

Get Your March Of Dimes License Plate!!!

The March of Dimes Texas Chapter is pleased to announce that the NEW March of Dimes specialty license plate is now in production. Help support the Texas Birth Defects Registry by purchasing a March of Dimes specialty license plate for your car today! Together, with the Texas Department of State Health Services, we can ensure every plate purchased helps in the fight against birth defects and gives every baby the chance at a healthy start in life.

Ordering your March of Dimes specialty plate is as EASY as…1, 2, 3!

1.) Visit www.dot.state.tx.us and click "Specialty Plates" under the citizen section.
2.) Click on "Texas Web Online" and click on "March of Dimes"
3.) Download the application and mail to your County Tax Assessor. You will be notified when it is ready for pick up.

How much does a specialty license plate cost?

• $30.00 for a non-personalized plate (6 digits chosen at random)
• $40.00 for a personalized plate

Where do the proceeds go from the sale of the March of Dimes specialty license plates go?

• $22.00 of the proceeds go to the Department of State Health Services for the funding of the Texas Birth Defects Registry.
• The remaining proceeds go towards the state highway fund.

What if my registration is current? Can I still purchase a March of Dimes specialty plate for my vehicle?

• YES! March of Dimes specialty plates can be purchased even if your vehicle registration is current.

March of Dimes on LIVE with Regis and Kelly

March of Dimes National Ambassador Catherine Aboulhouda age 6, and her mom, Susan, joined Kelly Ripa and Regis Philbin last week at the LIVE with Regis & Kelly High Heel-a-Thon held in Central Park to benefit the March of Dimes. LIVE arranged for a special $60,000 donation to the March of Dimes towards our goal to give every baby a healthy start in life. The first-ever (but promised to be annual!) High Heel-a-Thon was a huge success as thousands of spectators gathered in the early morning hours to watch more than 500 contestants prepare for and run a 150-yard mad dash in high heels. Catherine and Susan engaged people at the March of Dimes information booth, and afterwards got to chat with Regis and Kelly at the awards podium. (Photo credit: Copyright Disney-ABC Domestic Television)
For more details visit: http://www.marchofdimes.com/aboutus/22684_30795.asp

Free Lemonade Stands!

A great way to get your children involved in fundraising is to set up a lemonade stand! In 2008, Sunkist anticipates distributing 20,000 free lemonade stands for the Take a Stand® program. Based on eligibility, the free lemonade stands will be distributed on a first come, first served basis and limited to one stand per household. To be eligible for a free lemonade stand, you must register on the Sunkist website starting May 1, 2008, be a child between the ages of 7 and 12 years old, and live in the continental United States or Canada (Sunkist cannot deliver to P.O. Boxes)

http://www.sunkist.com/takeastand/

Distribution of free lemonade stands may end at the discretion of Sunkist, due to undeterminable circumstances. Sunkist incurs the shipping cost for each stand, however, by accepting a free lemonade stand, participants understand that all expenses incurred to run the stand are the sole responsibility of the participant. It is at the participant's responsibility and discretion to donate the money to the charity of their choice Sunkist Take a Stand® program. No purchase necessary.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

Our Lucky Winners Are...

Connie Luna of Luna Family! Connie is our lucky winner of $25.00 in bowling passes! All she had to do to become a winner was attend Bank Day. Yeah!!

Kerri McLaughlin of Team Ava Bean! Kerri is our fortunate winner of a swim party at Emler Swim School! Her name was pulled from the drawing for those Family Teams that raised over $1200. Woo-hoo!

Cynthia Fristoe of Devan's Hope! Cynthia is the big winner of our "date night" package which includes a $100 gift certificate to Gumbo's and 2 tickets to Esther's Follies. Her name was pulled from the drawing for those Family Teams who raised over $1200. Way to go!

We held a drawing in March, April, and May for the Team Captains with registered walkers signed up to walk with their team and $10.00 tied to their name. Here are the fortunate winners who can have a shopping spree on Macy's:
March Winner- Amy Medrano of Team Maddox and Chase- $30 Macy's gift card
April Winner- Ashley McMillan of Ashley's Team-$60 Macy's gift card.
May Winner- Stephanie People's of Miller People's- $150 Macy's gift card

WAY TO GO!!!!

4th of July Celebrations in the Austin and Surrounding Areas

Thursday, July 3rd
Carlos 'n Charlie's- Come by boat or by land to enjoy the firework show. Enjoy the music by Rat Ranch after the show. Call 266-1683 for more details

Dell Diamond – Receive free mini flags at the baseball game that starts at 7:05pm with a tribute to our Armed Forces and fireworks to follow. Dell Diamond is located at 3400 East Palm Valley

Friday, July 4th
The HEB Austin Symphony July 4th Concert and Picnic– This free event is open to the public and will be held at Auditorium Shores. Enjoy the spectacular fireworks over Town Lake and the wonderful sounds of the Austin Symphony Orchestra.

Round Rock Frontier Days – Parade starts at 10:00am with festivities throughout the day. Firework display will be held at Old Settler's Park at dusk. For more details, click http://www.roundrocktexas.gov/home/index.asp?page=631

Lakeway City Park – Parade begins at 8:30am followed by a pageant and family fun festivities throughout the day. Fireworks begin at 9:30pm

Volente Beach- Fireworks start at dusk. Mix 94.7 will be out there. For more details visit volentebeach.com

Cedar Park – Join the festivities from 4:00pm-10:30pm at Milburn Park located at 1901 Sunchase Blvd, free to the public. Fireworks proudly presented by HEB. Call 401-5888

Liberty Hill – Will host many fun activities for the kids! For more information call 476-7774

City of Kyle – Kyle’s Gregg Clark Field fireworks show will begin at 9:30pm. Located at the corner of Center Street and Hwy 150

Red, White and Buda – Celebrate the nation’s birth starting at 5:00pm – Call 295.9999 for more information

San Marcos Summerfest– This free event is open to the public and begins at 4:00pm with a children's parade and costume contest. Fireworks begin at 9:30pm at the San Marcos Plaza 202 North CM Allen Parkway. For more information check out www.summerfestsanmarcos.com

Sertoma San Gabriel Park in Georgetown- Entertainment for the whole family will begin at 11:00am and finish with a "Spectacular Fireworks Finale" at dark.

Dripping Springs- “Fire in the Sky” with family fun, food, and entertainment. For more info call 512-858-5159

July 5th and 6th
Biscuit Brothers Patriotic Hoedown at Symphony Barn- aka: Scottish Rite Theatre in Austin. Tickets on sale now.

Kids Eat Free!

Kids Eat Free!

The last thing I want to do after a long day of work is come home and figure out what I am going to cook for dinner. So, I thought I would share this list of restaurants where kids eat free. You may want to call ahead to verify that they are still offering the free kids meals. Please let me know if there are any other restaurants to add to the list or any that need to be removed.

MONDAYS
Carlos-n-Charlie’s
Double Dave’s Pizza- free lunch buffet for children 4 and under
El Rincon- Pflugerville location 6-9pm
Elsi’s Restaurant- for kids 12 and under from 4-close
Fajita Warehouse
Fish Daddy’s
Gattiland- Moms eat free
Hangtown Grill
Jim’s- 5-9pm
Mama Fu’s- from 6:00pm- 8:00pm
Margaritas- kids eat free all day
Pflugerville Pizza & Wing Pfactory- all day
Pizza Hut Lunch Buffet- kids eat free at lunch
Poke-e-Joe’s Smokehouse 5:00pm-close
Spaghetti Warehouse- well, it’s not free, but it’s only $0.99! (Ages 10 and under)
Texadelphia- 3:00pm-close
TGI Friday’s
Tres Amigos- 5:00pm-close
ZuZu- 6:00pm-close

TUESDAYS
Black Eyed Pea- after 5:00pm for kids 12 and under
Bennigan’s- after 5:00pm
Berryhill Baja Grill
Central Market- 5:00-9:00pm (I believe it is just the North Lamar location)
Chick-fil-a- kids eat free after 5:00pm
Denny’s- 4:00pm-10:00pm
Double Dave’s Pizza- free lunch buffet for children 4 and under
El Rincon- Round Rock location with a clown appearance from 6-9pm
Fajita Warehouse
Fazoli’s- $0.99 kids meals from 5:00pm-8:00pm
Kerbey Lane Café- all day Tuesdays kids 12 and under eat free
La Salsa- 4:00pm-close
McAllister’s Deli- 5-9pm
Nutty Brown Café- 5:00pm-close- $0.99 kids meals and there is a clown from 6-8
Nuevo Leon- all day Tuesday
Plucker’s- Tuesday
Poke-e-Joe’s Smokehouse- 5-close
Red Robin- 3:00pm-close
Rome’s Pizza- 4:00-8:00pm
Sombrero’s Mexican Restaurant- 4:00pm-close
ZuZu- 6:00pm-close


WEDNESDAYS
Central Market- after 5:00pm
Double Dave’s Pizza- free lunch buffet for children 4 and under
EZ’s- after 5:00pm
Luby’s- after 4:30pm
Rome’s Pizza- 4:00pm-8:00pm


SATURDAYS
Iron Cactus- in northwest Austin on Stonelake
Luby’s- kids eat free all day, 10 and under
Texas Land & Cattle- kids eat free from 11:00am-4:00pm


SUNDAYS
Elsi’s Restaurant- kids 12 and under from 4:00pm-close
Moe’s Southwest Grill- all day Sunday, kids 12 and under
Souper Salad- 2 and under eat free, kids 3-5 eat for $0.50 and kids 6-12 eat for $0.99
Zen- kids eat free all day

A New Way to Communicate!

Hello Austin Family Teams!

Welcome to our new blog spot! I am totally new to blogging, but thought it would be a fun way for us to keep in touch! I will be posting events and news about the March of Dimes as well as upcoming activities in Austin. Let me what you think about it or if you have anything you would like for me to post!