Made to Crave - Chapter 4: Friends Don't Let Friends Eat before Thinking

I'm sharing the high points that I found in each chapter and then I answer the questions at the end of each chapter with my honest feelings. I'm reading the book on my Kindle, so I don't have page numbers for any of the thoughts I have taken from the book. This has been a journey that has spanned at least a decade for me. I'm not where I want to be, but I'm farther along than I used to be. Walk with me and feel free to share your thoughts. Be kind. Be blessed.

Each of the following points were taken straight from the book. No plagiarizing intended.

·        “Stop, in the name of love, before you break my heart. Think it over.”

·        I wonder how many bad choices and severe consequences could have been averted if that three-word statement had been applied.

·        We must be aware that desperation breeds degradation. In other words, when what is lacking in life goes from being an annoyance to an anxiety we run the risk of compromising in ways we never thought we would.

·        When we determine to get healthy, we will have to give up certain things and change our habits. Doing this can make us feel anxious. That’s why we must have friends to help us remember that what we’re giving up in the short term will help us get what we really want in the long term. If we forget to be self-controlled and alert, we are prime targets for Satan to usher us right away from the new standards we’ve set in our life. That’s degradation.

·        A person committed to getting healthy snacks and suddenly feels it’s urgent to zip by the vending machine and grab some chips and a candy bar just this one time. Be aware and be on guard, sweet sister. Know that these are devised schemes to lure you away from your commitments. Find a friend who can speak rationality into your irrational impulses. A friend who will hold you accountable, speak the truth in love, and pray for you.

·        Genesis 25:29-34 The thing that strikes me about this story is how much Esau gave up for just a few moments of physical satisfaction. He sacrificed what as good in the long term for what felt good in the short term. He gave up who he was in a moment of desperation.

·        Persevering through my breakdown ushered me into a sweet place of breakthrough and suddenly I started seeing tangible results.

·        If you don’t have a friend who is willing to take this journey with you by changing their eating habits, don’t be discouraged. Find a friend who is willing to take the journey with you in prayer. Be honest with her about your emotional struggles and ask her to commit to praying fervently for you and with you.

·        And when you get into possible trouble with temptation, remember to “stop in the name of love.” Let your love for your friends, who are standing with you, and your love for the Lord, who wants you to honor Him in the way you treat your body, make you think it over.

·        The temporary pleasure of one brownie would never be worth me having to tell my accountability partners that I made the choice to mess up. That I made the choice to go back on my commitment… our commitment. That I made the choice to go back to my brokenness and set back all that I’ve attained. That’s a high price for a brownie. Yes, accountability is crucial.

·        But the vast majority of us respond very well to accountability in other areas of life. Consider these scenarios:

o       When you see a policeman checking the speed of passing cars, are you more likely to go the speed limit?

o       When you have a meeting with your boss first thing the next morning, are you more likely to be on time?

o       If you know you will be called upon to share your answers in Bible study, are you more likely to do your lesson?

o       If you are having friends over for dinner, are you more likely to tidy your house?

o       When your bank account is low on funds, are you more likely to slow down your spending?

·        If you answered yes to at least three of these five questions, you are someone who responds well to accountability.

Personal Reflections

1.      When a friend experiences success with healthy food choices and losing weight, do you feel encouraged and inspired by her example, or do you feel discouraged and envious? Its kind of a mixture of both… I’m so happy for them because I’ve watched them struggle with their weight. But on the other side of things I’m so jealous because I’ve been working on me, too, and its not coming off for me like it did for them. Where are my results? Do you communicate your feelings to your friend or keep them to yourself? No, I don’t want to come across and unhappy for them or selfish for me… so I do my best to praise their efforts and not take it personally. I try to get back to work instead of turning back to food to comfort me in my frustration.

2.      Complete this sentence: I do/do not want to invite a friend to help me on my journey to healthy eating because: I do want to invite a friend to join me on this journey. It is so hard to do it all alone. Or to feel alone in your struggles.

3.      If accountability is crucial, what is the biggest challenge you face in making accountability part of your healthy eating plan? Some days I struggle being honest with my partner. I avoid telling portion sizes so I don’t feel so guilty if I’ve had more than I should. Or if I have one bite of a decadent dessert, do I really need to tell them? What about when I’m fixing supper and I lick the spoon… do I need to count that?

4.      If you were to imagine a life-giving experience of accountability, one that empowers you and helps you to feel companioned rather than alone in your struggles, how would you describe that experience? Somewhere I am comfortable being totally honest and not feel judged when I make a bad choice. What kind of person would you want to be accountable to? Right now I find it has to be somebody who is easy to communicate with regularly, but not in my home. What do you hope this person would do for you? Let me vent my struggles, gently remind me when I’ve made a poor choice to not get down on myself but keep working towards my goal. What do you hope they would not do? I can’t have my hubby be my partner because he tries to control my choices. Its not gentle reminders, its “you will do this” kind of statements. I don’t want somebody telling me What to do… these are things I know but struggle to do when I don’t have support/encouragement. How would you determine whether or not the relationship is providing effective accountability? When the partner makes me feel worse about what I’m trying to achieve and how I’m trying to achieve it is when I know I need to back away from that situation.

Made to Crave - Chapter 3: Getting a Plan

I'm sharing the high points that I found in each chapter and then I answer the questions at the end of each chapter with my honest feelings. I'm reading the book on my Kindle, so I don't have page numbers for any of the thoughts I have taken from the book. This has been a journey that has spanned at least a decade for me. I'm not where I want to be, but I'm farther along than I used to be. Walk with me and feel free to share your thoughts. Be kind. Be blessed.

Each of the following points were taken straight from the book. No plagiarizing intended.

·        It took effort, intentionality, sweat equity, and determination. Then it took time and commitment before he ever saw any fruit form his labor.

·        Isn’t that the way it is with many things in life – we want the results but have no desire to put in the work required?

·        I’d catch myself wishing I were thinner and making excuses about my age and metabolism, lamenting the unfairness of my genetic disposition and blah, blah, blah.

·        I was just eating too much of the wrong kinds of foods and felt trapped in a cycle of hunger. I felt hungry all the time. And I felt discouraged and down about my escalating weight yet powerless to make the necessary changes.

·        I was too dependent on food for comfort and saw no need for a long-term discipline plan for my eating. I wanted to eat what I wanted, when I wanted, in the quantities I wanted.

·        Poor choices with food will rat me out every time – if not in my waistline then in my energy level and my overall well-being.

·        This journey will require you to make some tough sacrifices, but I’ve come to look at this process as embracing healthy choices rather than denying myself.

Saturday

1. What thoughts, images, or emotions do you associate with the word plan? A schedule or itinerary, instructions, step-by-step guidelines as to how you are supposed to reach your goal. Are you the kind of person who says, “I love it when a plan comes together!” or are you more likely to say “Planschman, can’t we all just go with the flow?” I love having a plan, and the easier the plan is to follow the better.
2. Are there areas of your life in which having a plan works well for you? I like to have a routine. Like what to do on a school day, how Sunday’s work for our family. For example, in your finances, for vacation trips, accomplishing daily tasks, reaching professional goals, reading through the Bible in a year. In these areas of your life, does having a plan feel empowering or restrictive? Both, at times the plan gives me strength because I know what step to take next. But when something comes along that requires me to change the plan and adapt, I really struggle to make the change necessary and then to get back on track when the time is done. Do your feelings change when the plan is about food, what you will eat and not eat? No, I do really well following my plans for a couple weeks, then something will happen that requires me to change my plans for a day or two and it is nearly impossible to get back on track even though it was “easy” before.
3. “My changing body revealed all my secrets…Poor choices with food will rat me out every time”. What is the relationship between food and secrets? Since I was a kid I would sneak treats when I didn’t think anybody was looking. I would hide a package in the back of a cupboard so I wouldn’t have to share. I would eat it in the bathroom where nobody would see and then hide the evidence. What secrets do you think your body reveals? All of them… all the years of eating things I shouldn’t have and eating more than I needed to survive
4. Choosing a healthy eating plan that works for you may require research, experimentation, and consultation with your doctor or other healthcare professionals. How does the prospect of doing these things make you feelDoes it energize you and help you feel equipped or does it overwhelm you and make you feel discouraged? ? I feel overwhelmed. Eating shouldn’t be this complicated. And I think that is the heart of the matter for me. I want to eat what I want when I want and not worry about metabolism or calorie intake. I hate how long it takes to cook a healthy meal when there is so much convenience foods out there… and even the “healthy” convenience choices have there problems.
5. Lysa described her food plan but emphasized the importance of choosing a healthy plan that works for you. What words or phrases would you use to describe the kind of plan you think would be realistic for you over the long term? Easy, quick, something the whole family will eat, something that is affordable, MUST taste good. On a scale of one to ten, how hopeful are you that you can find a realistic food plan, one that you can grow to love just as Lysa grew to love her food plan. About a 7 – I’ve been on this journey for a long time now. I’m better at it than I used to be, but still find my 2 biggest frustrations are how long it takes to cook food from scratch and how much these healthier choices cost.

Freedom!!!

This song just makes me happy! I want to dance and sing and celebrate! Several years ago, I found an online Bible Study at SettingCaptivesFree.com called "The Lord's Table". This study was a biblical approach to weight loss. It showed me how many times I eat too much or for the wrong reasons to try and satisfy the needs of my heart. I did the study, exercised almost daily and ate in a disciplined manner according to their suggested eating schedule. No counting calories. Just healthy choices, small portions, and eating for the right reasons. I lost 25 pounds that time.

But since then I've had 2 babies and struggled with depression as well as developed sleep apnea and frequent back/hip problems.

I'm back at it again. My family has joined the YMCA. I go as often as I can. I've been there as many as 5 days in a single week! From January 2013-January 2014 I lost 15 pounds that I kept off. I'm currently doing "Made To Crave" online Bible Study at  Proverbs31.org.

I still struggle from time to time, but I get my strength in knowing that God is there to pick me up when I can't do it on my own. I have several people who hold me accountable, both locally and on Facebook. I'll reach my goal eventually. I have faith.

Made to Crave - Chapter 2: Replacing my Cravings

I'm sharing the high points that I found in each chapter and then I answer the questions at the end of each chapter with my honest feelings. I'm reading the book on my Kindle, so I don't have page numbers for any of the thoughts I have taken from the book. This has been a journey that has spanned at least a decade for me. I'm not where I want to be, but I'm farther along than I used to be. Walk with me and feel free to share your thoughts. Be kind. Be blessed.

Each of the following points were taken straight from the book. No plagiarizing intended.

·        Because this wasn’t really about the scale or what clothing size I was; it was about this battle that raged in my heart.

·        Surrender to the point where I’d make radical changes for the sake of my spiritual health perhaps even more than my physical health.

·        Is it possible we love and rely on food more than we love and rely on God?

·        I had to get honest enough to admit it: I relied on food more than I relied on God. I craved food more than I craved God. Food was my comfort. Food was my reward. Food was my joy. Food was what I turned to in times of stress, sadness, and even in times of happiness.

·        God never intended for us to want anything more than we want Him. Just the slightest glimpse into His Word proves that. Look at what the Bible says about God’s chosen people, the Israelites, when they wanted food more than they wanted God: “They willfully put God to the test by demanding the food they craved” (Psalm 78:18). Yikes.

·        God waited until every one from that generation died before He allowed Joshua and Caleb to lead the younger generation into the abundant life they desired with all their heart.

·        Each time I craved something I knew wasn’t part of my plan, I used that craving as a prompt to pray. I craved a lot. So, I found myself praying a lot.

·        One day the victory tasted better than any of that food I’d given up ever could.

1.      Lysa describes her morning ritual with the scale and her failed efforts to eat healthier as a vicious cycle she felt powerless to stop. When it comes to your relationship with food, what repeated behaviors or events describe the cycle you experience and feel powerless to stop? Eating just because the clock says its time or the family is eating, who cares if I’m not hungry. And when I’m not eating, I’m thinking about what needs to be fixed for the next meal of the day.

2.      There are many reasons we have for wanting to eat differently – losing weight, fitting into a favorite pair of jeans, looking good for an important event. What reasons motivate your desire to eat healthier? Looking healthier, sleeping better, being able to run better, my 20^th reunion, wanting to feel sexier for Galen. Do these reasons give your struggles with food a purpose strong enough to help you resist unhealthy eating? Some days it does, some days it doesn’t. How do you respond to Lysa’s statement, “I had to see the purpose of my struggle as something more than wearing smaller sizes and getting compliments from others… It had to be about something more than just me.” I need to make it about being obedient to God first. If I do that, the rest will fall into place.

3.      “I had to get honest enough to admit it: I relied on food more than I relied on God. I craved food more than I craved God. Food was my comfort. Food was my reward. Food was my joy. Food was what I turned to in times of stress, sadness, and even in times of happiness”. Consider your eating experiences over the last few days or weeks. Using the list below, can you recall specific situations in which you turned to food for these reasons?

a.      Comfort when things don’t go the way I wanted them to

b.      Reward When I ran my c25k successfully

c.       Joy When I am in a super good mood I crave sweets

d.      Stress When there is conflict at home or at church

e.       Sadness When Galen and I have a fight or are distant

f.        Happiness When things are going really well

g.      Keeping the same situations in mind, how do you imagine your experiences might have been different if you had relied on God, craved God, instead of turning to food? If I had stopped to pray or read scripture instead of turning to food… or even turned to a trusted friend for support instead of the fridge.

4.      How do you respond to the idea of using your cravings as a prompt to pray? I like the idea of turning to prayer when I have a craving. I’ve tried in the past, but always stopped because the result wasn’t fast enough. How has prayer helped or failed to help in your previous food battles? It has definitely helped when my cravings have been really strong and I’ve made every effort to fast.

5.      Brick by brick (or craving by craving), Lysa dismantled her tower of impossibility and used the same brinks to build a walkway of prayer, paving the path to victory. Brick by brick is an effective way to dismantle something but it also takes time and careful work. In your battles with food, are you more likely to choose a drastic, quick-fix approach or a moderate but longer-term approach? What thoughts or feelings emerge when you consider dismantling your own tower of impossibility one craving at a time? I would choose a longer term approach. I know if I make little steps day by day that eventually the weight would come off and stay off.

Made to Crave - Chapter 1: What's really Going on here?

I have decided to share my study notes from reading the book "Made to Crave" by Lysa TerKeurst. So, what is "Made to Crave"? Here is the description from the website madetocrave.com:

"Has food become more about frustration than fulfillment? Made to Crave is the missing link between a woman’s desire to be healthy and the spiritual empowerment necessary to make that happen. Author Lysa TerKeurst personally understands the battle that women face. In Made to Crave, she will help you:

• Break the cycle of “I’ll start again on Monday,” and feel good about yourself today.
• Stop agonizing over numbers on the scale and make peace with your body.
• Replace rationalization that leads to diet failure with wisdom that leads to victory.
• Reach your healthy goals and grou choose — a book and Bible study to help you find the “want to” in how to make healthy lifestyle changes. w closer to God through the process. 

 This book is not a how-to manual or the latest, greatest dieting plan. Made to Crave is a helpful companion to use alongside whatever healthy eating approach choose — a book and Bible study to help you find the “want to” in how to make healthy lifestyle changes."

I'm sharing the high points that I found in each chapter and then I answer the questions at the end of each chapter with my honest feelings. I'm reading the book on my Kindle, so I don't have page numbers for any of the thoughts I have taken from the book. This has been a journey that has spanned at least a decade for me. I'm not where I want to be, but I'm farther along than I used to be. Walk with me and feel free to share your thoughts. Be kind. Be blessed.



Chapter 1 (Each of the following points were taken straight from the book. No plagiarizing intended)

·        We crave what we eat. So, the cycle continues day after day.

·        The answer will never be found in only learning to modify my choices.

·        However, simply telling me to eat healthier foods that will help me feel full longer doesn’t address the heart of the matter. I can feel full after a meal and still crave chocolate pie for dessert. Just feeling full isn’t the answer to sticking with a healthy eating plan.

·        The object of our craving was never supposed to be food or other things people find themselves consumed by, such as sex or money or chasing after significance.

·        Dictionary.com defines craving as something you long for, want greatly, desire eagerly, and beg for. Now consider tis expression of craving: “How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.” Psalm 84:1-2.

·        Yes, we were made to crave – long for, want greatly, desire eagerly, and beg for – God. Only God. But Satan wants to do everything possible to replace our craving for God with something else.

·        Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world – the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does – comes not from the Father but from the Father but from the world. 1 John 2:15-16  The passage details 3 ways Satan tries to lure us away from loving God: 1. The cravings of the sinful man, 2. The lust of his eyes, 3. the boasting of what he has or does

·        Cravings = trying to get our physical desires met outside the will of God

·        Lust of the eyes = trying to get our material desires met outside the will of God

·        Boasting = trying to get our need for significance met outside the will of God

·        Satan used all three tactics with Eve. “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food (cravings of the sinful man) and pleasing to the eye (lust of the eyes), and also desirable for gaining wisdom (boasting of what she has or does), she took some and ate it. Genesis 3:6

·        Matthew 4:1-11 Again the pattern of temptation is the same: Cravings – Satan appealed to Jesus’ physical cravings for food., Lust of the eyes – The devil promised Jesus entire kingdoms if He would bow down to the god of materialism, Boasting: The enemy enticed Jesus to prove His significance by forcing God to command angels to save Him. But here’s the significant difference between Eve and Jesus. Eve was saturated in the object of her desire. Jesus was saturated in God’s truth.

·        The more veggies and fruit I eat, the more veggies and fruit I crave.

·        We consume what we think about. And what we think about can consume us if we’re not careful.

·        When we feel deprived and frustrated and consumed with wanting unhealthy choices, we too can rely on God’s Word to help us. With each temptation, Jesus, without hesitation, quoted Scripture that refuted Satan’s temptation. Truth is powerful. The more saturated we are with truth, the more powerful we’ll be in resisting our temptations.

·        What we’re craving will always depend on whatever we’re consuming… the object of our desire or God and His truth

Personal Reflection:
One weight loss company personifies craving as a little orange monster that chases us around, tempting us to eat unhealthy foods. Take a moment to reflect on your own experience of craving, recently and over time. Yesterday I struggled with the temptation to eat just because the kids were eating. I wasn’t even hungry but the thought of food was exciting and enticing.

1.      If you could personify craving based on your experience of it, what form might it take? Would it be like the little orange monster or would it take a different shape? Describe what your craving looks like and how it behaves. The creature would have to be something beautiful to tempt me into listening. Maybe a little fairy. It would sugar-coat the temptation and always tell me what I wanted to hear that would make the temptation acceptable.

2.      If you could sit down and have a conversation with this imaginary craving, what do you think it might say to you? What questions would you want to ask it? How do you imagine it might respond? You know you want it. Why shouldn’t you get what you want? Your body is craving it for a reason. You must need something that provides. You worked hard today. You deserve it. I would hope I could ask it for a smaller piece or an alternative that would satisfy my body’s need for whatever nutrient I may be craving. I don’t think that little creature would waver. Why settle for something you aren’t craving?

3.      How do you respond to the idea that God made us to crave? I think its very true. He wants us to want more of Him above all else. Have you ever pursued a craving – a longing, passion, or desire- that made a positive contribution to your life? Yes, right now as lead for the membership ministry. There was something more I desired out of church so when I was given a chance to jump in and make changes I did. What do you think distinguishes that kind of craving from the craving that leads you to eat in unhealthy ways? This craving has a positive impact on my soul. I feel more connected and happier by having satisfied this desire than if I was feeding my mouth.

4.      If it’s true that we are made to crave, how might it change the way you understand your cravings? I need to pay closer attention to WHY am I craving that brownie? Am I hungry? Do I need the anti-oxidents? Or am I trying to fill an emotional need for comfort/boredom? Do you believe there could be any benefits to listening to your cravings rather than trying to silence them? Yes, by laying them out there you can determine what is behind those cravings. Are they put their by God or by my selfish heart. If so, what might those benefits be? If no, why not? If it’s put there by God, then I better find a way to pursue it. And if it’s just my heart being selfish then I need to take control of it.

5.      The Bible describes three ways Satan tries to lure us away from loving God: cravings, lust of the eyes, and boasting. Lysa explains how Satan used these tactics with both Eve and Jesus. Using the list below, think back over the last 24 hours or the last few days to see if you recognize how you may have been tempted in similar ways.

§         Cravings: Meeting physical desires outside the will of God. In what ways were you tempted by desires for things such as food, alcohol, drugs, or sex? Alochol has been a big one on those days when life is going crazy and I’m feeling overwhelmed. It will relax me and I won’t be drinking enough to get drunk. What’s the problem?

§         Lust of the eyes: meeting material desires outside the will of God. In what ways were you tempted by desires for material things – clothing,, financial portfolio, appliances, vacation plans, cosmetics, home décor, electronics, etc? This one isn’t as big of a struggle for me. I am not tempted unless I put myself somewhere that I can be tempted. Like going to a store… I can’t just window shop, I need to buy.

§         Boasting: meeting needs for significance outside the will of God. In what ways were you tempted by desires to prop up your significance – perhaps by name dropping, exaggerating, feigning humility or other virtues, doing something just because you knew it would have been observed by others, etc? I don’t feel that this one is usually a problem. Of the three kinds of temptations, which is the most difficult for you to resist? I think the hardest to resist is cravings Which is the easiest to resist? Its easiest to resist Boasting Why? I have a hard time not allowing myself something I feel I want. Especially when it comes to food/alcohol. But I don’t boast often. I like the way it feels when somebody recognizes something I have or have done but I also don’t like having attention drawn to myself.

§         Jesus quotes the truth of Scripture to defeat temptation. Have you ever used Scripture in this way? What was the result? How do you feel about using this approach to address your unhealthy eating patterns? I like using scripture. I don’t always have them 100% but I know what the Bible says and I use it to give me strength or courage.

 

Christmas 2013 (part 2)

Waited too long to finish my story so I've probably lost some details, but you'll get the gist of it.

My hubby had to work Thursday and Friday after Christmas, but the kids and I were able to stay at my parents. Mom works at an insurance company and needed some help with her computer updates, so she asked if I could come into town to fix things. Roughly 5 hours later, updates were complete. Things that weren't working before started working now! Sadly, mom called me last week that things that were working before weren't working anymore so she was going to have to call the computer guy across the street to come figure things out for her. So, while I was working on the computer, my dad and the kids played Scrabble JR and Hangman and then he took them back to the farm for lunch.

Friday turned out to be a nice day, so after lunch we got bundled up and went out to play in the snow. The wind outside the shelter of the yard was too much for us to want to go to the Old Mill sledding, so dad, being an awesome Grandpa, decided to get out his tractor and build a snow pile beside the barn so we could sled off the roof of the barn! Since the pile was fresh, it was challenging getting up and down the hill, but the kids and I had fun trying! Later that night, my little brother, his fiance and the twins came out to exchange a few gifts. It was fun to spend time with them too. My hubby made it back up, too. I was able to convince my mom to help me make lefse that afternoon and we made Swedish Meatballs for supper.

Saturday the kids and I took Daddy outside to see the kittens (now about 7 months old) and sled down the hill. We had such a good time trying to see who could sled the farthest. That evening I convinced my dad to get out his slides from his years in the navy (1965-69). Galen set up our camera on video and recorded my dad telling his stories. The kids loved seeing the big ships and the pretty sites. Dad spent most of his time stationed in the Mediterranean, so there were pictures from Spain, Greece, Italy, Malta, Pompey, The Rock of Gibraltar and even a few from a short leave to Scotland and Germany.

Sunday we slept in, had lunch, packed up and said our good-byes. On our way home, Galen called his folks and made plans for us to go out to their house on New Years Eve. He also convinced them to set up their slide projector and watch slides from their Newlywed days.

This is what the Holidays means to me. Time with family. Creating memories. Re-creating memories with our kids. Every year I get to share a little bit more of my childhood with my kids as they get old enough to appreciate them. And someday they'll be able to share them with their kids.

Christmas 2013 (Part 1)

I've always looked forward to Christmas. As a kid, i could barely wait until Thanksgiving was over before I started begging my parents to let me put up the Christmas tree. All the memories those ornaments brought rushing back... fun times! Now, as an adult, I am have spent the last 7 years decorating the church for Christmas, too! I love seeing the faces of everybody that first Sunday morning when our 12 foot tree is standing in the main hallway and the decorations in the sanctuary. This year, my "partner-in-crime" and I made 2 new banners to decorate the sanctuary walls.

Our main tree

In the Sanctuary

Last year was the Christmas that wasn't... The day before we were supposed to go to my brother-in-law's house, I got so sick. Not wanting to spoil the holiday for anybody else, I told my hubby to take the kids and go with his parents. I would rest better alone and didn't want to get anybody down there sick. It was a cold, lonely Christmas with an empty house. No visitors because I was sick. And no energy to do anything more than lay around watching movies.

This year was so much better! Other than a minor case of the sniffles, we were healthy enough to go to my parents to celebrate with them and my sister's family. We got there Thursday night and the kids ran off with their cousins to plan a Christmas Program. They only had about 3 hours (minus supper) to practice. We had a Hess family traditional supper of soup (Corn Chowder this year) and appetizers (pigs in a blanket some with cream cheese and jalepenoes). And then it was time for the program. All 4 of my sisters kids (youngest to oldest) each played a Christmas song on the piano. Then, in full costumes, Her oldest was the narrator, her youngest two played Joseph and Mary, Her middle one and JR were shepherds, and my girly was an angel. After their reading of the Christmas story from Luke 2, they sang 2 Carols each with a solo.

Opening presents brought many laughs! My kids had a "Christmas Store" at their school this year. Everything is a dollar. They went to the store and no parents were allowed to help. Each gift was picked out by the child, and wrapped by a helper. My mom opened her gift from JR first. He had given her an orange squeeky pig shaped dog toy! My parents don't have a dog!!! the ironic thing was, my parents were dog-sitting my brother's dog, so JR said it was so grandma could play with Dobee when he was at their house. We all laughed so hard we cried! (You had to be there to truly understand!) Then my dad opened his gift from JR. He received a little California Raisin figure... JR's reasoning was because Grandpa already had 3 in his toy box so he needed this one, too! :) ( original's were on my sister's birthday cake when she was a teenager.) 

Grandpa has a singer, a sax player, a guitar player (I think) and his newest is the one on the skateboard. Image from http://www.thecaliforniaraisins.com/pages/toy.html

The rest of the presents weren't quite as humorous, but all wonderful gifts. To end the evening, I had been given 11 board games/activities from a friend. My dear hubby had suggested wrapping them and then using them like "White Elephant Gifts". We started with the youngest kid, he picked the first game and opened it. We went up to the next, and so on, until all were opened. Games like Don't Break the Ice, Scrabble Jr, Whack a Mole, Cranium Whonuu, Cranium Cadoo, Trivial Pursuit Jr and Activities such as a magic kit and K'nex Roller Coaster. We played several games that night.

Christmas Day was another fun family day. The kids played dress-up and with many of the new games. Galen fixed my Kindle. And then after a wonderful lunch of Roast Beef and the fixings (including lefse) we bundled up and enjoyed the warm weather sledding at the Old Mill State Park. We used to do this nearly every weekend when I was a kid, so it was a blast to take my own kids. My daughter is much like me, not crazy about the speed going down the hill. Instead she parked her self by a tree near the bottom of the hill and hosted "Tree TV", interviewing the sledders when they reached the bottom. JR loved going down the hill... his little legs struggled with the trip back up, but he made it up and down the hill for an hour! Went back to the house for Cocoa and Christmas goodies. Everybody played more board games after supper. All except my poor hubby who had to go home to be to work the next morning.

This post has gotten long, so I'll share the rest of our memories later. Thanks for sticking around! :)