Eating Controversy

Okay, so this is a different type of educational post... Some education along with some of my "soap box" ranting (sorry!).

So, today I have the girls out eating breakfast at a local restaurant and a family (grandma, grandpa, mom and daughter) sit down at the next table. The girl is a beautiful, thin, tall girl of 8 or 9 years. The mother is a bleached platinum blonde, thin and heavily made up appearing to be in her late 30's. I try not to judge or pay attention to what's going on outside of my table of activity with Em & Bethie... But you couldn't miss the girl crying because she wanted eggs and pancakes like my girls, while he mother insisted that she have only fruit and toast. When the mom said loudly "you can't afford to gain a pound", the girl sat silent. I never saw the girl smile again during our time there. And it broke my heart.

The TRUTH about childhood obesity is this...
* Roughly 17% of children ages 2-19 in the U.S. are considered "obese".
* Of those who are obese, the number is higher for males (18% compared to 15%).
* Though not a direct indicator of body fat, most doctors and nutritionists use the BMI calculation to figure obesity. If the BMI is 85-94%, then they are termed as "overweight". If the BMI is 95% or higher, they are termed "obese".
* The highest rate of obesity is actually in the pubertal and post-pubertal age groups (12-19 years).
* Assuring children have a proper diet AND remain active rather than sedentary is the best way to combat childhood obesity.

Did you know?
* Just over 3% of children being treated in the U.S. for anorexia are pre-pubertal girls.
* Girls of highly weight conscious mothers have been shown to be depressed and eat less than other girls at ages as young as 5-years-old.
* Parents are the single most important shaper of a child's body image and eating habits.
* The best way to address childhood anorexia is by creating a healthy eating environment and keeping an active lifestyle together.

See any similarities between the two? I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that the little girl I saw at the restaurant was NOT obese, but is on a path to self-destructive eating habits. What realization for me, as a mother! I will never again talk about my own weight loss needs in front of my daughters!

Until next time....

Shelia

Play Ball...!

Beginning to think we were never going to post again?!  So were we :-)  (JK)  Honestly, it has been extremely busy around these parts... mainly due to ball games and practices.  Yes!  We LOVE this time of year. 

I'll start with the little ladies:  Bethanie is still too young to play organized T-Ball this year, so she has become my resident helper as I coach a youth softball team this summer. (Yes! You read that right!  Me, a COACH!? I'm concerned too...!).

Lucky for me, it's Emmalie's team I'm coaching.  I now have responsibility to teach twelve 2nd and 3rd graders the fundamentals of softball... via machine pitch (ugh!).  I had no say so in the team outside of Emmalie being on it, and I must say I'm very impressed with all the talent that came my way.  I only have one player on the team that hasn't ever played before.  And three are pretty much skilled enough to move to fastpitch already.  The most important thing is the girls are learning while having fun... as am I!

Now, moving on to the baseball side of life!  Dalton is doing a tremendous job at both catcher and left field for his high school baseball team.  He is a powerhouse with a bat at the plate!  With only one more week of his season left, Dalton FINALLY believes he deserved to be on the team.  He has had a great season and is already talking about next year.  The highlights of his season include...

Getting asked to "play up" and be a part of the MHS Baseball "Cancer Awareness Night" games. (Isn't he pretty in pink?!).  It was priceless to hear Bethanie ask why all the "sporty boys" were dressed in "girls clothes"... guessing the pink through her off as being only for girls!

Getting stronger behind the plate... so much that he made a diving catch to close a winning game against a tough Kappaun team!  (Do you notice Dalton's mitt flying by in this picture as he threw it to the side at game's end?!).

Probably the biggest highlight for Dalton came in the final game of today's baseball tournament.  It started with a strong base hit just past the infield.  He quickly stole second base, making it to third with the next hit.  (Seen here running to third).

The minute we saw the smile on Dalton's face, I knew what coach had just told him to do!

And Dalton listened with ease to his coach.  He took a commanding lead off, then he ran.  It threw the pitcher off so bad he over lobbed his throw to the catcher (see the ball in the picture below)!

The catcher couldn't even get up and start moving to the ball before Dalton showed up... successfully STEALING home and scoring the go-ahead run!

I don't know about you all, but I think this picture says it all about how Dalton felt about this highlight moment!  After he got to the dugout, Dalton's coach turned to Tony, Dad and I with the biggest smile of satisfaction we've seen in him all year.  It was a great time for Dalton... after a l-o-n-g day of baseball at the fields.

Devin is also doing well.  But, unfortunately, I don't have any new pictures of him... he's always working these days.  We're proud of his good work ethic and dedication though.

That's all of the updates we have from our wonderful wonderland of life.  Hope everyone has a great end to April... and wonderful start to May!

Shelia, Tony and the Gang

Athlete or BeASt?!?!

There are few words to explain these other than this: WOW! A curve ball hit 320+ over the fence, "out-of-the-park" HOME RUN with two bases loaded... all on the second game of the season! Poor ball had a cut in it where Dalton's bat made contact he hit it so hard. The team meeting Dalton at home plate when he crossed definitely made his game (he even blushed!).



Oh how we LOVE baseball season in this house :)