ICE! at Opryland

My mom is in town for Thanksgiving and yesterday my sister & I took her to see ICE! at Opryland. We had so much fun!!!!! The display is amazing! If you go be sure to take a hat and gloves, wear a coat. They will give you a parka to wear for additional warmth. It really got me in the Christmas mood. I even went down the ice slide. I was the only adult in the line behind all of these little kids. A year ago I would not have fit between the walls of the slide. Yesterday my butt fit in the groove for the slide. My mom & sis got a huge laugh out of it! Susan On the down side - My mom really surprised me with her support when I first told her I was going to have this surgery. Last night she voiced the opinion I had expected from her all along. We had just got off the phone with my cousin who lives in Kingsport. I have never met his wife but they are coming on Friday to spend the day. My mom was telling me what a sweetheart his wife is and how she has had all of these health problems, etc. She then told me that she (the wife) had lost about 100 lbs a while back - but she did it through willpower, she didn't have surgery. Thanks mom! sigh!

If it ain't one thing its you Mother. You got to love them, you can't kill them.

How true!!

Susan, My seven year old and I did Ice last year on a little mommy and me weekend. He loved it and now they all want to go to the Opryland Hotel to see the decorations. My FIL has been like your mom with my husband, everytime dh tells his dad about his weightloss his dad will say you could have done that on your own you know! It gets really annoying lol. Janie

We are going to see the lights with my cousin on Friday. I have made it very clear to all of my family that I could not have done this on my own, I've tried for 40 years. I have explained to my mom & siblings what all I have gone through these past 5 years to prove to them that the weight was not going to come off without the surgery. I thought my mom understood that. Sometimes she's just in her own little world. Have a Happy Thanksgiving! Susan

Susan, It doesn't matter how you lost the weight, the important thing is that you lost weight and are much healthier because of it. Another thing is the fact that you have a greater chance of keeping it off. It doesn't make you any less of a person because you needed surgical intervention! You shouldn't let it bother you I'm sure you've told your mom just as much too I am wanting to see the lights and the Ice show at Opryland. I think my husband and I are going to go Friday. I have NEVER even seen the lights and I've been in this area most of my life. In fact I haven't done any of the Nashville touristy stuff and I even work in tourism LOL Take care! Enjoy the time with your family this week. April

Oh I meant to ask, do you have to buy tickets in advance for the Ice show?

We bought our tickets after we got there. Because it is completely self guided, you don't have to worry about start times. Have fun! We are going to see the lights on Friday too. I have no idea what time though. Susan

Hi. Well, if you give your mum the benefit of the doubt and go with she was just saying "Not surgery" so you wouldn't wonder what type she'd had, that might help. It did sound a bit like a zinger, though. But that's okay. Mum just isn't up on the facts. Your SIL may have lost 100# through "willpower," but the statistics show she's VERY **VERY** unlikely to be able to keep the weight off. The actual success rate of losing and keeping off 100# is almost nil. So, if she's a nice lady and you like her, when she gains the weight back, you'll be able to give her advice and support. Love Dennie

She did say that my cousin-in-law is gaining her weight back. I don't know just how heavy she is. Mom did say that she is quite heavy so maybe our meeting will open her up to the option of WLS. Also, you'd have to hear the tone my mom used when she made her comment about willpower over surgery. I don't think she even realizes how she sounds. She can be extremely negative and hurtful. If you say anything she gets very defensive and pouty. BTW - my mom has also struggled with her weight all of her adult life and has ALWAYS been very judgmental of other peoples weight. I figure it's just part of who she is and try to let the comments slide off my back. The only time I've really come down hard on her was when she made a comment about my then 8 year old daughter. I let her know that I didn't EVER want to hear her make another comment about my daughter's weight or eating habits! She had caused me enough anguish as a child over my weight and I was not going to allow her to do that to my child. She still makes comments about other people in the family but not my daughter. It's funny, she doesn't make the mean comments about the men in the family, only the females. Anyway, we are having a great visit. I really am enjoying having her here. Have a great Thanksgiving. Susan