Food Addiction

So as I was flipping through the stations tonight I came across "Extreme Makeover:  Weight Loss Edition".  I enjoy any show on health and fitness and weight loss but this one really made my skin crawl.

The first thing that turned me off was the drama that goes on between trainer and client.  The Biggest Loser has some but nothing like this one!   One reason i love DVR...so I can fast forward through all that crap-ola.

Ok...i loved how the trainer pushed this guy to climb the Sears Tower (103 flights of stairs) while he weighed close to 400lbs.  That shows that the human body is capable of much much more than we think!

Ok...so the show apparently is taped in 3 phases.  Phase 1 - they work with the Personal Trainer very closely.  Phase 2-they are on their own.  Well this poor guy found food as a way to cope with a troubled childhood.  He was addicted to food and had been for years.  That is why he weighed 490lbs. During Phase 1 he lost 100 pounds when his trainer was with him.  It was easier.  It wasn't surprising that he gained weight during Phase 2.   Addictions are not cured with exercise.    At the end of the show the drama peaked as the trainer dropped off Wally at the Food Addiction treatment center.  He couldn't look at Wally because he was disappointed that he couldn't help him more.  The trainer was disappointed in himself.  He thought he had given him all the tools he needed to change...and I was just shaking my head.  Did he give him the #1 thing he needed?  Tools to change the way he thinks?  Tools to help him cope with his past that don't involve food?

ABC could have taken a whole different direction with that show.  I sure wish they would have given more time to the addiction part instead of the 'i am a failure'

Color Me Rad

For my 38th birthday I registered my whole family + Sadie in the Color Me Rad race in Columbus, Ga.

Here we are nice and clean !  

Sadie and I stayed together.  Her goal was to run the whole time....something she hasn't done yet.  She was on fire!!

At first I didn't think I wanted to carry my phone.... but it would be reall cool to take pictures during the race so I ran back to the car to get it.  I am so glad I did.  I was able to take pictures after each color station.  There were 5 stations where volunteers would throw colored corn starch all over you.  One station had the color in sprayers(like the ones you use in your yard).  Each station had a different color.

Sadie and I would go slower through the color stations so we would get extra color!

At the finish line a volunteer would had you a final packet of color to be used at the color bombing...where we all gathered together and all throw our color in the air at the same time.

That's isn't fog from mother nature in the background....that's 'color me rad' fog!

We ran with lots of friends....well...mostly walked, jogged, danced....all while Richard was filming with his head cam....can't remember what it's called at the moment!

Rebecca, Sarah and Emily Prestridge....Sadie Walker...Melanie, Rebecca, Rachel, Stewart and Pres. Brown....and the Villamor's.

Here is our official 'after' shot.  We accomplished our goal...to get as much color as we could while exercising together!  This was the best birthday present ever!

Boy Scout

 Look who is a Boy Scout!  This is huge for Nate...those who were his leaders in the past would be shocked.  And the best part....he WANTED to do this.

  We took some time off from Cub Scouts in the 3rd and 4th grade and then Richard saw the benefits of the scouting program and encouraged Nate to start again.  Nate tried a few times to act like he didn't want to go but Richard persisted and won:)  Nate relaxed and started to enjoy himself...and now he is an official Boy Scout!

hug...

Last week Nate gave me a real hug...he actually returned the hug.  He wasn't a stiff board that I was wrapping my arms around.  He actually put his arms around my torso and gave a little squeeze!  It melted my heart and made me smile for a few days after.

Not sure why this happened- was it because he had just gotten back from ice skating with the Young Women?  Could it be the new conditioner he is using on his lovely locks?  Did he get enough protein that day?  I am not sure but it was so nice.  He hasn't returned my hugs for years.  He rarely refuses my hugs but would just stand there like a board.  This time was so different that it actually shocked me.

I sure am lucky to be his momma!

Nice people...

Last Sunday the speaker made the comment: "Only nice people go to heaven"

Nate replied, "Then heaven won't be crowded"

This past Tuesday Nate told me he was "accidentally nice"....ha ha ha.  He was moving a chair at the exact time a classmate was trying to get around it...so it looked like he was being kind and considerate...but we all know Nate and he wouldn't do anything like that when others are watching!

North Georgia Corn Maze

 I got a great deal on tickets to a Corn Maze...something I have always wanted to do....but it was 3 hours away....but that didn't stop us!  The Maze is located near Helen, Ga so we just made a day trip out of it and visited that city as well.  We had a blast.

 They had hay bales where you could jump from one to another.

When you enter they give you a post card with a 'map of the maze'...and 6 or so places you needed to locate to punch your card....dont' know how else to explain that...

 Sophia is punching her card and I am trying to figure out which way to go next.  Reading the map was like reading a foreign language....turn right by the corn stalk and go past the 3rd stalk with 4 ears of corn ....and look for the stalk that is bent at a 38 degree angle then take 5 steps backward....

i found it!

We decided to divide into teams....boys vs. girls?  no...parents vs. kids.  RIchard and I would tear through the maze and yell "we found it!" and then wait to hear Nate and Fia yell, "they found it over here!" and as they were running towards us we would take off in another direction laughing the whole way!  I haven't  giggled that much in a long time!

Well....we let you win Mom.   

When got to the end there was this cool bridge where you could look out onto the whole maze...it was a pretty spectacular sight!

then we went on a authentic hay ride....we were riding with a mom and her 3 year old daughter "Sophia".  They were nice company....well at least I enjoyed them...not sure what Nate is thinking....

And a final picture with the Jack-o-Lantern hay bales....Nate can't contain his excitement any longer.

Villamor Family Christmas

Every year Richard's family gathers at someone's house.  This year we travelled to Pooler, Ga where Butch and his family just moved.  It was the usual Christmas festivities....

 The cousins sang some Christmas carols and did other talent.

 We were able to have all the Villamor children take part.....Richzer, Evan and Ethan via Skype from the Philippines and Babe and RJ via IPhone face-time in California.  They also did talent...

This is all the family trying to do the Dougie dance.  RJ was teaching everyone via face-time on the IPhone. 

 Then we had the annual take-a-picture-in-front-of-the-tree pictures....

Nothing was going to make Nate smile...it was after midnight and he was tired!  and cranky!

Randolph "Boyet" and his wife, Shela and their children Vic and Lourdes

Ronald "Bobet" and My-My, and their children, Femi, Rovic, and Kyla

There was an incident with a nerf gun and we didn;t get a picture of Butch's family....but here is the mother and her boys!

Nate always celebrates his actual birthday while we are with the Villamor's....he enjoyed the attention...and this lovely chocolate oreo cake!

It was a very lovely time.  And I will end with this picture of myself....why?  because it turned out so nice...and I am learning to be vain like Richard...ha ha ha.