I am no longer updating this site, but if you're looking for information on clefts, please visit The Cleft Palate Foundation. They provide information about clefts and craniofacial anomalies, parent/patient support groups, and referrals to cleft teams in your area.

The Blogathon is a collection of bloggers from around the world who stay up for 24 hours to blog for charity. Each on their own blog, each for their own charity. The date this year is Saturday, July 28 starting at 9:00 am EST and going until Sunday, July 29 at 9:00 am EST.

Participants in the Blogathon (like me) are sponsored by kind souls (like you) who support the blogger’s charity and give a few of your hard-earned dollars to a very worthwhile cause. All money pledged is paid directly to the charity. Neither the blogger nor the Blogathon gets a penny. At the successful completion of the Blogathon, sponsors receive an email telling them their blogger made it and providing the information on how to pay their pledge. It is done on the honor system so no one will hunt you down to make sure you pony up.

This is my fifth year. For the second year in a row, I am blogging for the Cleft Palate Foundation.

Cleft Lip & Cleft Palate is the most common birth defect in the United States, affecting one out of every 594 newborns. That means over 6,800 babies are born each year with these conditions.

Cleft Palate Foundation operates the CLEFTLINE - 1-800-24-CLEFT - and produces free publications. The CLEFTLINE is an 800-toll free service providing information to callers about clefts and other craniofacial anomalies. Callers can request information about cleft palate/craniofacial teams and parent-patient support groups in their local region.

Now I ask you for two things.

First and most important, I ask you for your money. I have no shame. I’m looking you right in the eyes and sticking my hand out. Please sponsor me. Dig deep into your wallet and your heart and sponsor me. Sponsor the Cleft Palate Foundation and please know that no amount is too small!

Second, I ask for 5 minutes of your time. You must register to sponsor but it’s a quick and painless process with minimal info needed and it’s worth it for the end result. You can choose to remain anonymous if you so desire and I will only know that I received an anonymous pledge.

I can’t say thank you enough to anyone who sponsors me. My gratitude runs deep for you and I appreciate your generosity more than I can express.

Thank you.

Blog: Life is a Byte
Blogging for: Cleft Palate Foundation
Sponsor Me: Click Here

Thank you's:

• James - for practically staying up all night with me
  
• Jamie for listening to me complain about being tired all night
  
• Pandora again, for being an awesome monitor :)
  
• James, Jamie, Lisa, Bill, Nancy, and PizzaManiac for sponsoring me!
  
• And last, but not least, Nancy, Kathy, Lisa, Rafael, and Jeremy at Cleft Palate Foundation/American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Foundation for their support - and for not having me commited.. yet ;)

  Sleep time. *snore*

  ]]> http://cpf.nine2000.com/2006/07/900_i_made_it_1.html http://cpf.nine2000.com/2006/07/900_i_made_it_1.html Blogathon Sun, 30 Jul 2006 09:00:00 -0500 I would just like to point out that I have the coolest Site Monitor in the world. Pandora has done an AWESOME job encouraging me. Blogathon peoples - she deserves a raise ;)
  ]]> http://cpf.nine2000.com/2006/07/site_monitor_of_the_year.html http://cpf.nine2000.com/2006/07/site_monitor_of_the_year.html Misc Silliness Sun, 30 Jul 2006 08:30:17 -0500 A few minutes ago, James said "Do you want to go to bed and let me finish things up for you? You're the one who has to lead the praise service tonight."

  Now he's asleep in the living room.

  And Clio is snoring her loud doggy snores at my feet.

  Traitors.

  ]]> http://cpf.nine2000.com/2006/07/traitors.html http://cpf.nine2000.com/2006/07/traitors.html Sun, 30 Jul 2006 08:09:46 -0500 (or morning)

  Too cute:

  ]]> http://cpf.nine2000.com/2006/07/last_video_of_the_night.html http://cpf.nine2000.com/2006/07/last_video_of_the_night.html Misc Silliness Sun, 30 Jul 2006 07:30:03 -0500 1.5 hours to go. I feel so icky. Nauseous. Almost there.
  ]]> http://cpf.nine2000.com/2006/07/ugh.html http://cpf.nine2000.com/2006/07/ugh.html Blogathon Sun, 30 Jul 2006 07:25:55 -0500 I have ADD, so if I can't find your first post within 10-15 seconds of landing on your site, I'm gone. No matter how cool you are. Sorry :)

  2 hours! My second wind is blowing away and I'm getting sleepy again.

  ]]> http://cpf.nine2000.com/2006/07/dear_bloggers.html http://cpf.nine2000.com/2006/07/dear_bloggers.html Blogathon Sun, 30 Jul 2006 06:49:01 -0500 A couple weeks ago, I found this cool website, fitPod:

  ...the online community for everything fitness and iPod. Learn about new products. Share workouts and wellness techniques. Find new music. Catch the latest iPod and fitness reviews. Create, upload, and share fitLists (fitness playlists). Connect with fellow fitPodders...

  Looking at other people's fitLists is cool. Now if I can just get up the energy to put them on my iPod and EXERCISE!

  2.5 hours to go! Almost there!

  ]]> http://cpf.nine2000.com/2006/07/fitpod.html http://cpf.nine2000.com/2006/07/fitpod.html Sun, 30 Jul 2006 06:25:51 -0500

  
  

  
  

  
  Erm, $105 for 120mgs?!?! It's not THAT cute
  

  ]]> http://cpf.nine2000.com/2006/07/now_i_really_have_seen_it_all.html http://cpf.nine2000.com/2006/07/now_i_really_have_seen_it_all.html Misc Silliness Sun, 30 Jul 2006 05:47:22 -0500 Birthday ideas for James:
  

  
  

  
  
  ]]> http://cpf.nine2000.com/2006/07/someones_birthdays_coming_up.html http://cpf.nine2000.com/2006/07/someones_birthdays_coming_up.html Misc Silliness Sun, 30 Jul 2006 05:22:28 -0500 So, I already mentioned Ctrl-Alt-Chicken, but another one of my favorite video podcasts is Diggnation, which reports the tops stories from Digg.com.

  I just found this funny commercial for Diggnation. Alex Albrecht is ADORABLE!

  Btw, I <3 YouTube.

  ]]> http://cpf.nine2000.com/2006/07/diggnation.html http://cpf.nine2000.com/2006/07/diggnation.html Sun, 30 Jul 2006 04:50:26 -0500 I have to get up and take a shower, so I can lead the praise services at my church. I'm going to be dead. on. my. feet.

  You know what's worse than being sleepy? Sleepy and wired.

  4.5 hours til sleep.

  Ironic - I'm listening to "Wake Up" by Rage Against the Machine.

  ]]> http://cpf.nine2000.com/2006/07/less_than_12_hours_from_now.html http://cpf.nine2000.com/2006/07/less_than_12_hours_from_now.html General Sun, 30 Jul 2006 04:28:23 -0500 Poor Dog. Can't even catch a break.
  ]]> http://cpf.nine2000.com/2006/07/crazy_dog.html http://cpf.nine2000.com/2006/07/crazy_dog.html Misc Silliness Sun, 30 Jul 2006 04:00:24 -0500