Home for the Holidays

It was great to get away on vacation in November over the Thanksgiving holiday. The trip to Florida was beautiful. No rain or snow all the way down or back driving. No bad weather. Only one day of cold while there, all the rest of our 8 days was filled with mostly blue skies and sunshine.

We took a break from everything! I didn't work out once, but I walked the beach, played shuffleboard and putt putt golf, swam, and even shot some pool. Mostly we just kicked back and enjoyed ourselves. We even got to see dolphins swim by from our balcony, and the sunrises and sunsets over the ocean were breathtaking.

No matter how enjoyable and awesome our vacation was though, it was so nice to get back home.

Home is where my heart is. I love our little town of Owosso, Michigan and all the people in it. Corunna is pretty decent too! Love all the Christmas lights and decorations, and love the support and closeness we have in this tight knit community.

But I love my house too. I live next door to where I grew up and spent all my Christmas's. Traditions that we've instilled in our kids have been memories that will carry on to the next generation.

This year our Abuse Bites Team were invited to participate in the Tree of Lights Parade in Corunna, Michigan. Our theme was Santa's Paws for a Cause to Stop Abuse & Bullying. We won BEST MARCHING/WALKING UNIT, received a trophy, and a $50 check!

The parade's theme was Mardi Gra Christmas. My sister, Sue had just passed away and her favorite color was purple--mine pink--so I bought the balloons in her memory and let them go in the middle of the parade.

We also took the dogs in Christmas Costumes to our local Nursing Home, Pleasant View Medical Care Facility, to visit my mom and others for a time of healing pet therapy.

On Christmas Eve we celebrated Christmas with our family . After a delicious dinner prepared by my loving husband, we all gathered together for several hilarious games to the theme of "Surviving Christmas". After each game, the WINNER got to choose and open one wrapped gift. Some were legitimate gifts (gift cards and such) while many others were hysterical pranks.

I never laughed so hard in all my life.

The first game we filled 5 baby bottles with Mt. Dew to determine who was the biggest sucker. For four of them, you could say, "Christmas Sucked" but for the lucky winner, Sam, she got to grab a present.

Sam Wins!!! She's the Biggest Sucker!

They entered arm wrestling contests, balloon blowing contests, a clothes relay, and a couple of games where you couldn't smile--everyone was ROTFL. I was laughing so hard I was crying.

Typically I'm crying because of the great loss I've suffered with my son, father, and now sister passing away. It felt good to have a fun time, celebrate, and laugh. Laughter is the best medicine that's for sure. And gifts given this time of year help to make it a merrier Christmas.

BUT the best Christmas gift of all is simply this, being with all those that love you and celebrating the birth of the precious Christ Child.

From our Home to Yours... Have a wonderful New Year!

Help Kids Stop Bullying

160,000 kids miss school every day for fear of bullying

1 teen dies every 1/2 hour in the USA from bullying/bullycide

That's why AbuseBites.com CEO Lisa Freeman offers educational workshops to raise awareness, and teach safety, prevention, and healing methods to stop bullying, abuse and violence. Her entire family was bullied in some form, one son nearly bullied to death.

By offering their real life stories of survival along with statistics, and some fun, interactive games, kids, teens, and even adults learn at their level how to defeat the bully without violence, work together as a community, and have a great time doing it!

We don't just put a band-aid on bullying we give kids, parents, educators and everyone everything they need to bring about safer schools, safer kids, and safer families!

Contact Lisa Freeman today @ 989-729-2124 or email @ abusebites@gmail.com

Anti-Bullying Workshops that Save Lives

Lately we've been swamped with emails, phone calls, and letters from parents, schools, and churches to do anti-bullying workshops.

The need to stop bullying and get help is huge.

Last week we did three workshops. We did a back to back entire youth presentation for 7th-12th and then K-6th for the younger students. Wow! Great time! But it hit a nerve in my heart when I heard that even a 2nd grader who had been terribly bullied said, "I want to kill myself."

I had been contemplating if the younger kids should really hear our "bullycide" story about my son, Jeremiah. But I felt led to share it, and now I'm so glad I did.

We never know who might be feeling ready to end their life because they just can't take it anymore. Our workshops can literally save lives.

Another thing that I heard was that people were thankful that we addressed how we "help and love the bully" knowing it's not a person, bullying is an action, and anyone can change, but first we must BE THE CHANGE they can see.

Little kids even came up and said it was a great time. So thankful that we can have fun, play games, and interact with the kids and teens--that's so important.

We don't just tell them a bunch of stuff, we have lived abuse and we have healed from it.

We don't simply put a band-aid on bully, we help others heal in a fun, safe way.

So if you're in need of an antibullying presentation for your school, church, or community--give us a call!

Together we can change hearts and save lives!

989-729-2124