Holiday

This time of year can be very emotional, and we all often fall victim to a little Stress Eating. Well, to help us out, I thought I'd go over a few Holiday Snacking Guidelines. That's right -- these are the regulations that apply during this magical time of year, which help us navigate from October clear until Mardi Gras. Here is a list to help clarify what factors determine whether your food is a meal or not. If you meet the following criteria, your food is NOT a meal. I repeat, your food is NOT. A. MEAL. 1. If you're standing We will inevitably be attending several parties and other social events sure to bring on stress. It's imperative that you remember, then,...

“Wake Up! Wake UP! WAKE UP!!!!” How can I wake up if I never went to sleep? Wait get it together Beven … Momma can’t be tired … It’s the happiest day of the year for every boy and girl in the world and I get to share it with my two boys, Cooper and Carter, and my two girls, Caylee and Carleigh … That’s right, IT’S CHRISTMAS MORNING! The boys lined up like racers in a marathon waiting for Daddy to set up the video camera. When he hit record, the boys sprinted from the room for their designated couch as Caylee Adair skipped just behind with lady like grace. There were laughs and smiles, excitement and cheers, and pure joy -...

Editor's note: this post was a collaboration between two of our contributors, Sarah Joy Hays and Kodi Wilson.  Our South Louisiana communities saw the worst natural disaster in 100 years, the Great Flood of 2016. Five months later, the current status is a sobering one. As you decorate your homes with trees, ornaments and lights, and dive head first into Christmas lists, please take a moment to think of these families and consider their needs this time of year. Many families are finding out they will still be in temporary housing until the spring, while others are finding out they won't even get a FEMA trailer until the first of the year so they can keep rebuilding. Yet others are finding...

Every January, my counseling practice experiences an increase in new clients and appointments. I’ve jokingly come to refer to January as “Holiday Rehab.” Of course, many people do choose January to start therapy as a function of their new resolutions. But equally compelling are the number of people who come with the goal of improving family relationships triggered by holiday tension and stressful holiday interactions. So I’ve compiled some of my best advice that can be applied AHEAD of the holiday to hopefully improve the holiday experience and preserve a little bit of your sanity. Manage Your Expectations If I could pick one thing that I think causes the most disappointment and stress, it would be expectations. Now I don’t mean that...

As we were beginning the Christmas season this year, my son Micah, who is currently 11 years old asked the question we parents attempt to prepare for as our children age. “Is Santa Real?’ Now we all know that every family chooses whether or not to have Santa visit their house. For us, we have always had Santa come complete with leaving milk and cookies (making my husband scarf them down) and sending letters off with our lists every year. For the past couple years, I have been waiting for this question to come but never knew exactly what I would say. Once Micah asked I told him that I needed to think a little while and I would get...