Tag Archives: eating disorders

Our First Christmas

I know Christmas is about the kids but I think the toy manufacturers must think it is fun to torcher parents! When the kids finished unwrapping all their presents and breakfast was over all we could hear is “Can you open this for me?” This is when the fun really began. If you have not opened any toys lately you should know that it is a lot of work. Do the toy makers do this just to drive parents crazy? One little truck had all sides of the box taped, the truck wheels are wrapped with wire ties holding it … Continue reading →

Our First Christmas

This was going to be our first Christmas as parents and we were very excited. I had a definite plan in my mind about how we wanted to have our Christmas and unfortunately it did not match the way my in-laws expected it to be. They wanted us to come over Christmas Eve and then come back on Christmas day. Now my mother in law had the Christmas Eve celebration the same way every single year. It started at the same time every time; she wanted it to start at 6. Her evening is scheduled that we would go over, … Continue reading →

Understanding the Difference Between Eating Disorders and Disordered Eating

In mid-June I’m speaking at a conference on eating disorders hosted by FINDINGbalance, a non-profit with a unique focus on disordered eating. Theirs is the first national organization dedicated to creating awareness and understanding of EDNOS (Eating Disorders Not Otherwise Specified), like chronic dieting, emotional eating, and organic food obsessions generally viewed as normal in today’s society. As I write in Hope, Help & Healing for Eating Disorders: “It doesn’t take being diagnosed with an eating disorder to realize something is wrong with the way you eat or the way you feel about food. You may not starve yourself continually. … Continue reading →

The Store that Ruined Christmas Dinner

I am mad. Boy am I mad. Late Christmas morning, after the gifts had been frantically opened, the Toyland town was all around the Christmas Tree and the kids were happily settled in to playing with their new gifts, it was time to get Christmas dinner started. The potatoes were already peeled and in the pot, ready to become our famous mashed potatoes that were so good that a friend is still convinced that we put some sort of addictive substance in the recipe to make him crave them in his sleep. The pumpkin pie was already in the fridge, … Continue reading →

A Disney Christmas

It seems like this year Disney’s not rolling out anything special for Christmas. Decorations and celebrations at the parks started at least as soon as Thanksgiving passed, if not earlier, and the Christmas Day Parade filmed at the beginning of December. Holiday-themed posts are rare on the official Disney Parks blog. With Christmas starting so early around Disney, by the time the actual dates for the holidays roll around there isn’t much to report. Even Disney’s televised Christmas special retreads last year’s material. However, that might not be such a bad thing. I loved the premise of “Prep & Landing” … Continue reading →

A Merry Christmas for Pets

For Chihiro and Cole, seeing a rabbit this close is like Christmas My extended family used to have a unique Christmas tradition. As we circled around the living room to exchange gifts, pet-owning relatives handed out special presents to other family members with pets: presents to dog and cat cousins from each other. That’s right: my aunt’s dog Chessie might receive a wrapped bone from my other aunt’s cat Patches. I have no idea how the tradition started; it’s one I remember always being there as I grew up. When my family finally got a cat we were then included … Continue reading →

Christmas in Summer

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve here in Australia. That means the last day for shopping and getting all those last minute food items. Not the ham though, I got that today. It also means I will be busy cooking pork and chicken and making babaganoush. Given a summer climate we don’t go into for roasts dinners on Christmas Day. Years ago we decided to go for what its better suited to the climate and have cold cooked meats and an array of salads. Tabouli is always one of our family’s favorites. But some of the other salads vary. As well as … Continue reading →

Christmas Stories and Quotes, Seen in the Light of Adoption

Our former adoption blogger MJ wrote about the relationship between her faith and adoption. I’ve been thinking about some quotes, Scriptural and otherwise, that have a new meaning for me when seen in the light of our family’s experiences with adoption. Visualizing the Christmas Story can be a bit more intensely real when you think of your child being born in a borrowed house and possibly left there for a day in a cold December. If you have an international family, many of the charity appeals you hear this time of year seem not so far away, but much closer … Continue reading →

Filming the Disney Christmas Day Parade

Growing up, I hoped that one year I could spend my Christmas watching the Disney parade from the sidelines instead of my couch. If I’d ever gotten my wish, my young self would have been disappointed. That is because Disney does not hold their Christmas Day parade on Christmas Day. Instead, they film in nearly a month in advance. Tomorrow the parade you’ll see on your screens was taped on December 3-5. Disney usually announces the dates for their annual taping near the end of October. Those interested in obtaining tickets for the event should keep close watch on the … Continue reading →

Sharing What’s Important

At Christmas time we see lots of people we don’t normally see. Because we live in a tourist area, we often see couples or families on holidays. We also see people brought along by other family members to church for special services, as we had yesterday. At times like these some women manage to convince their husbands who don’t normally attend, to come. Each week I see women at church on their own because their men won’t come. They aren’t interested. Others are on their own, because their family they have been victims of a family pulled apart by unfaithfulness … Continue reading →