4th of July Weekend {Pictures}

The 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays. Our little town has fun festivities and there's always so much to do. Plus, my family usually comes to visit.

This year, my parents brought along my niece and two nephews. Little Miss Sunshine absolutely loved having other children to play with. She was so excited about everything going on. It was pretty cute.

We kicked off the weekend with a trip to hubby's parents' farm. The kids love to go out there and experience it all since they live in the Chicago area. It's not something they get to do often! Little Miss Sunshine was very happy to show them everything.

We had a delicious home cooked dinner and then spent time outside keeping the kids entertained! Hubby took them on four-wheeler rides.

And they requested a ride on the old tractor. They wore their bike helmets because they said they would get in trouble if they didn't. Hubby drove slow and everything!

It was a beautiful and cool evening and fun to be outside.

It's always nice knowing that it's a safe place to run around. Lots of open areas to explore without having to worry about cars and what not.

I love this picture of my parents!

I woke up Sunday feeling sick and that lasted all weekend. I was still able to enjoy the holiday though. I just didn't eat much-- which isn't a bad thing!

The festivities began Sunday evening. We started with the kiddie parade. Hubby and I walked with the kids as they scootered and hubby pulled Little Miss Sunshine in the wagon.

They all enjoyed playing at the park after that. Each of them got a free ticket for a ride, so they took advantage of that.

And then it was time to relax a while. All of the grand babies just love Grandma!

We didn't participate in the 5K this year, maybe next year. We started the 4th of July watching the parade.

The older kids got way too much candy! They had a lot of fun and the competition to get to the candy first was fierce!

The kids spent the majority of the day at the celebration in town. They were spoiled by the grandparents!

We tried out a Star Wars volcano toy and it was cool for a couple of seconds. It was like one of those science experiments where you use vinegar, baking soda, and dish soap to make the volcano "erupt".

While we waited for it to get dark outside for fireworks, the kids painted!

I have started painting a little bit and I love it. I'm no artist, but it's really fun and is therapeutic. Here is a piece I'm currently working on.

Once it was dark, we enjoyed the fireworks! The kids had fun playing with their glow sticks and sparklers. Little Miss Sunshine loved the fireworks. She was so excited and Oohing and Ahhing the whole time.

It was a very busy weekend! We had a lot of fun.


How was your holiday? Did you do anything special?

What is Binge Eating Disorder?

A year ago, I would have never thought that my struggle with food would be labeled as Binge Eating Disorder. I imagined bingeing as eating an entire pizza, or a whole cake by yourself-- something I have never done. However, while this is one example of Binge Eating Disorder, it is certainly not the only type of eating that is considered binge eating.

Binge Eating Disorder is not simply overeating either. It was recognized as a medical condition in 2013 and is more common than Bulimia and Anorexia combined. The only difference between Binge Eating Disorder and Bulimia is those with B.E.D. do not purge afterwards or exercise excessively to burn the calories. It can affect both men and women and research suggests that it may run in families.

To be classified as binge eating, an episode generally takes place once per week for a period of three months. A binge eater would eat more than a typical adult during a period of about two hours-- as mentioned before, this doesn't always mean consuming huge amounts like an entire pizza or cake, but simply eating large amounts of food--even if it's several normal amounts of different foods. The binge eater would feel out of control and would feel extremely upset by it.

If you struggle with binge eating, you may be so upset with yourself that you vow to stop but feel a compulsion to binge eat and can't resist it. This leads to more self-hatred. The cycle is shown in the image below. (source)

Binge eating episodes include three or more of the following criteria:

• Eating extremely fast
• Eating beyond feeling full
• Eating large amounts of food when not hungry
• Eating alone to hide how much one is eating
• Feeling terrible after a binge
• Feeling abnormal

Research shows that there is a correlation between perfectionism and eating disorders, including Binge Eating Disorder. Social perfectionism is the feeling that one never meets the expectations of others. This indicates the emotional complexity of Binge Eating Disorder, showing that it is caused by far more than a lack of self control.

Those with B.E.D. are often desperate for a sense of control which also correlates with perfectionism. Food is something that can be controlled and provides an escape from whatever feels "out of control" at the time of the binge. It is an escape from confronting uncomfortable emotions.

Triggers for bingeing can include stress, poor body-image, food, and boredom. Those with B.E.D. have often been lifelong dieters. Dieting or restricting calories during the day may lead to bingeing in the evening. 

Those with B.E.D. may isolate themselves, feel extreme shamefulness and guilt, be self-loathing,  experience anxiety and depression, and be obese. However, not all people with B.E.D. are obese.

How to help someone with Binge Eating Disorder? I think this quote sums it up better than I could myself: 

"Binge eaters feel bad enough about themselves and their behavior already. Lecturing, getting upset, or issuing ultimatums to a binge eater will only increase stress and make the situation worse. Instead, make it clear that you care about the person’s health and happiness and you’ll continue to be there." (source)

A binge episode is often followed with restriction or dieting in an effort to gain control. However, these behaviors are more damaging than helpful for someone with B.E.D.


Hopefully this helps you understand what Binge Eating Disorder is.


Do you have experience with B.E.D., either with yourself or someone you know?