branson mops pm momology april newsletter
DESCRIPTION
For the gals at Branson MOPS PM group. The monthly newsletter for April 2011.TRANSCRIPT
Page 1
I have a love-hate relationship with menu-planning. I love the fact that when I plan out our meals for a week I don’t have to think about what’s for dinner every night. I love that I have all the ingredients I need since our grocery shopping is struc-tured around the chosen menus. I love that we save money when I plan ahead since we only buy what is needed for that week’s meals. But, I hate the time it takes. Dragging out the cookbooks, thinking about what the kids will eat, thinking about what I want to eat, thinking about what my husband’s preferences are, won-dering how many nights of Mexi-can food we can tolerate in a single week, etc. Not to mention, after narrowing it down to seven recipes, there is a shopping list to be made. That involves check-ing what we already have in the pantry, refrigerator and freezer, noting what ingredients we still need and (I admit this is the good part) emailing the list to my husband who shops on his way home from work once a week. (I know, I’m really lucky about that one.) Frankly, it just seems like a lot of effort. However, when I think about the outcome of this effort, I immediately realize that it’s all worthwhile. Planning ahead ensures that my children have home-cooked, nutritious
meals. It makes me feel good to know that their little bod-ies are well-fed. Every mom wants her children to grow up strong and healthy. And good nutrition is an essential part of that growing process. However, I realize that it is not just my children’s bodies that require daily nourish-ment. Their spirits must also be fed and nurtured on a daily basis in order for them to grow into the strong, com-passionate, caring, and sensi-tive men I hope they will someday become. While I may not actually write out a weekly menu for “spiritual meals,” I am going to try to be more intentional about feeding their spirits each day. Some ideas for a spiritual menu-plan include: 1. Finding time each day to help children see the wonder of God’s creation. Whether it is the toad living in our ga-rage, the autumn leaf streaked with a rainbow of colors or the shiny icicle hanging from the eaves, God’s beauty is everywhere. Helping children see and dis-cover it strengthens their connection to God. 2. Practicing the attitude of gratitude. A simple prayer at mealtime and/or bedtime thanking God for all the
blessings he has given can strengthen the spiritual bond between children and God. 3. Slowing down and spend-ing time together. Spirits are nourished when people connect with one another in positive ways. Though moms are never without household tasks and to-do lists, taking five or ten minutes to join children in their play, read a story or just talk can have a big spiritual impact. 4. Discovering the joy of giving to others. Focusing on the needs of those around you can be a won-derful way to create spiri-tual joy. Writing a post-card to a far-away rela-tive, taking homemade cookies to a shut-in neighbor or picking up trash at the local park are all easy ways for children to experience the joy that comes from helping.
What’s on your spiritual menu-plan? Maybe we can swap recipes.
Spiritual Menu Planning
April 2011
Inside this Issue:
Spiritual Menu ~ 1
Penny Saving Tips~ 2
Steering Team~ 3
MOPS PM Sponsors~ 3
Coordinator Corner~ 4
Mentor Minute~ 5
Small Group Leaders~ 5
Tea & Testimony~ 5
Easter Pics~ 6
Parenting Workshop~ 6
Classifieds~ 7
Service Dates ~ 7
Upcoming Events~ 9
Celebrations~ 9
What to Expect~10
Next Next Next Next Meeting Meeting Meeting Meeting
April 12th @ April 12th @ April 12th @ April 12th @ 6:00 pm6:00 pm6:00 pm6:00 pm
Page 2
Penny Saving Tips for Cleaning
Save on Laundry Detergent
Depending on your family situation, this tip can easily save between 25 - 75% on your laundry detergent costs. Your laundry detergent box comes with a convenient scoop, and on the side of the box, recommends the amount you should use per load. Well, the recommended amounts are generally far more than you actually need to get your clothes clean. In reality, you need 50% or less than the recommended amount. Think about it. If you work a 'desk job', how dirty do you think your clothes will be at the end of the day? Likely not very dirty at all. Unless you have kids who tend to get grass stains or roll around in the mud, you should be able to get your clothes clean with about half of what the soap manufacturer rec-ommends. Next time you do a load, put in half of the recommended amount of laundry detergent. You will likely find that your clothes are every bit as clean as if you used the regular amount. If you find that your clothes were still perfectly clean, reduce by a bit more. If you found that they weren't cleaned to your expectations, use a bit more. Experiment to find just the right amount. Personally, I work a desk job and don't get dirty at all. I generally use about 25% of the recommended amount.
Use Less Dish Soap
Many people leave their bottles of dish soap next to the kitchen sink. And why not? It's very convenient when you need a quick shot of soap to wash a pan after dinner or wash your hands before eating. The problem is that this leads to massive amounts of soap waste. Typically, when you tilt the bottle and squeeze, it's hard to use less than about teaspoon of soap, but generally that is 10 times more than is required for the cleaning job at-hand. A better way is to get a spray bottle or pump, and fill it with 10 parts water and 1 part dish soap. Swish it around to make sure they mix well. Put the dish soap bottle away in the cupboard, and leave the spray bottle / pump next to your sink for the quick clean-ups. You'll find that one or two shots from the spray bottle / pump is more than enough to do the small cleaning jobs, and when you plan to do a full sink full of dishes, THEN bring out the squeeze bottle. Once I started doing this, I found that I was using about 1/5 the dish soap that I used to go through. At around $2.50 per bottle of soap, that's a significant saving over time.
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2010-2011
Steering Team
Co-Coordinators:
Mary Blackwood 417.332.7917
Tennille Michel 417.527.1063
Publicity
DeAnna Sheets 417.880.9936
Finance
Melody Alms 417.294.4264
Prayer & Care
April Mulnik 417.527.0091
Hospitality
Amy Wilhoit 417.336.9822
Kami Biedenstein 417.348.0695
Craft Coordinator:
Hollie Holderfield 417.263.0484
MOPPETS:
Jenine Conway 417.239.0632
Kelly Skoglund 404.819.6527
Service:
Teresa Boyd 417.634.0381
Mentor Moms:
Carolyn 417-294-1051
Peg 417.335.2525
Kathy 417.339.4108
Susie 703.220.3012
Have you check out the Branson PM MOPS website?
Visit us online to view past newsletters, registration in-formation, calendar with upcoming dates and more
about our sponsors.
www.bransonmops.com
Gold and Platinum Sponsors Check out our website for more information about these
sponsors:
Page 4
Well, here we are. Nearing the end of our MOPS 2010-2011 year and I feel we are just getting started. We spent the first few months getting to know our small groups, the new gals on the Steering Team and what their job is, and catching up with old friends. Before we knew, Christ-mas was here, snowed out in January, MOPS & POPS in February, Mentors in March, and now April is here. I can say for certain, we are in for some amazing things to end our year. I would love to share with you some highlights of things to come.
First off, Tea and Testimony started the month off right. Peg, one of our marvelous mentors, opened her house to us so that we had a safe, oh so comfortable environment to share and be vulnerable. All three of our speakers opened their hearts and shared how God has moved or is moving in their lives. Each testimony was uniquely different, but God was there in all of them. We got to see God’s amazing timing, “Jesus in the flesh”, and His healing power restore lives.
We are privileged to have Angie Daniels coming to speak to our group at our next meeting. If you have ever heard Angie before, you know she is one amazing mom, has an incredible love for Jesus, and is pouring her faith into her family. She inspires me to not be a “better mom”, but to be real, to invest into my children, and to lead my children by example. I can’t wait to hear what she has for us this year.
Now, I want to give some insight to our May meeting. I think you could ask any MOPS mom “what is MOPS” and you would get a different answer every time. I tried to answer this ques-tion, but I thought it was easier to point to different people in our group to show you what MOPS means to me. MOPS is praying for a mom that has a sick child. MOPS is bringing a warm meal to a family welcoming a new baby, or providing food and taking care of a mom during a re-cent loss of a loved one. MOPS is thanking a fellow mom for taking your kids for the afternoon so you can take a nap/go to the store/go on a date with your husband. I hope MOPS is an op-portunity to build community, friendships, and learn how to be a better mom. We are sur-rounded by incredible women who reach out to those who need a little encouragement, who need to know that mothering is messy; it’s painful, full of worry. It’s also joyful, rewarding, ful-filling, funny, exciting, and fun. Thank you to every mom who has invested in someone’s life this year.
A lot of things happen behind the scenes that never get shared, but impact someone’s life sig-nificantly. This May meeting we hope to share some of these amazing stories of how moms have reached out to other moms and the result is we grow stronger together. I truly believe better moms make a better world. Hope to see you soon.
~Mary Blackwood
Coordinator Corner
Page 5
2010-2011
Small Group Leaders
Small Group Coordinator:
Stacy McNeil 417.336.1111
Small Group Leaders:
Angie Smith 417.443.6050 Larene Thrash 417.348.1911
Maryann Riveros 417.336.8706
Kim Matthews 417.230.6409
Tami Guerin 417.880.7370
Sarah Matthews 417.334.58.12
Sara DeLawder 417.230.2811
Cara Conway 417.331.3001
Lori Larimore 417.337.5747
Adriane Stauffer 417.294.1321
Your small group leaders are here for you, here to guide you, pray for you, and help you feel welcome to our group. If you have any questions or need please don’t hesitate to ask your small group leader or another steering team
member! We want NO MOM
LEFT ALONE!
Mentor MinuteMentor MinuteMentor MinuteMentor Minute In the Springtime of Renewal, let's think about on
whom we are relying. I thought I needed Loy’s
approval, but I had God’s approval. I thought Loy
was my cushion, but it was the Lord.
I’ve known this all along and God let me find the
truth myself and bring it to the front of my mind.
It's so easy to place our efforts on skin and
bones, but, they can fail us. Not on purpose, but
the way we interpret the moment and depending
on our own feelings.
I cherish my relationship with my husband, but I
focused on the wrong one a long time. God has
sent people into our world for many different
reasons, but not as a substitute for Him. Think a
moment about who is the most important in your
life and why.
~Mimi
Peg Welte hosted the 3rd Annual Tea & Testimony as 3 courageous Godly moms shared their stories. New friendships were made, great fellowship, delicious food, and sweet memories! Not pictured ~ Cassie Tallon Fore-man, Adriane Stauffer and Christy Sikora
Tea and TestimonyTea and TestimonyTea and TestimonyTea and Testimony
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Secret Sister Info
If you need to drop from secret sister please contact Kami
Biedenstein at 417.348.0695 or
MOPS Banquet
Momology Talent Show & Karoke Night
The Hospitatility girls are hard at work planning our MOPS banquet! If you are interested in helping
contact Amy or Kami @
[email protected] [email protected]
Making Children Mind Without Losing Yours
A video parenting workshop
presented by Dr. Kevin Leman
Wednesdays for 6 weeks
Starting July 6
7:00-8:30pm
At
First Presbyterian Church
Call: 417-334-3468
A DVD, Workbook and discussion series
$8 per workbook
Free Childcare available
Registration deadline: June 29
Sign up early....limited seating
Easter Pictures with Branson Photo *Book a session from now until Easter to support MOPS and Branson Photo. *Family or children shots! *$10 donation to MOPS gets you a choice of 1- 8 x 10 or 2– 5 x 7s
Contact Lori Larimore at [email protected] or
417-337-5747 to schedule your session!
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Classifieds…….I want…….I have…...I Need E-mail DeAnna Sheets if you have something you would like to place in the Classifieds. “I
needs” will be kept confidential and not published. DeAnna will help find someone who can help
and get what you need to you. E-mail [email protected]
I Have. . .
*Adult Bike (1 red & 1 blue) (Contact DeAnna @ 417-880-9936 or [email protected]) *V-Smile Baby from Vtech (Video Game)
(Contact DeAnna @ 417-880-9936 or [email protected]) *Blue Umbrella Stroller (Contact DeAnna @ 417-880-9936 or [email protected])
*Jogging Stroller (Contact DeAnna @ 417-880-9936 or [email protected]) *BodyBugg Arm Wrap like used on the Big-
gest Loser Contestants to Track Calories
(Contact DeAnna @ 417-880-9936 or [email protected]) *Disney Princess TV (Contact DeAnna @ 417-880-9936 or [email protected]) *Toddler car seat (20-40 pounds) (Contact Tracie @ 417.300.5478 or [email protected]) *0-3 winter girl clothes (Contact Lori @ [email protected]) *3-6 and 6-9 summer girls clothes (Contact Lori @ [email protected]) *9-12, 12-18 winter girls clothes (Contact Lori @ [email protected]) *Gently used women's clothes to give away.
Sizes: 8-12 (Contact Debi @ [email protected] or 417-243-2331)
I Have Continued….
*5t and 6t winter and summer clothes
(Contact Lori @ [email protected]) *Cute Live Bunnies, friendly to kids & have
modeling experience (Contact Lori @ [email protected]) *4 brand new (out of packaging) Linden Street bronze curtain rods (Contact Debi @ [email protected] or 417-243-2331) *Pink and white toddler bed (Contact Larene @ [email protected]) *Ladybug crib set - includes comforter, bed
skirt, sheet, bumper pad, diaper stacker and
1 valance (Contact Larene @ [email protected]) *Disney Princess ride on toy - has a light up mirror, is musical, has a small built in play key-board (Contact Larene @ [email protected]) *"Scrapbooking supplies: albums, punches,
stamps, calendar kit, etc. (Contact Tracie @ 417.300.5478 or [email protected])
I Want. . .
*Medium Size Light Weight Stroller Bigger
than Umbrella Stroller (Contact Amanda @ 417-527-8274)
*Mary Kay Rep that has old stock to sell (Contact Debi @ [email protected] or 417-243-2331)
Women’s Crisis Center Small Group Schedule for Women’s Crisis Center Small Group Schedule for Women’s Crisis Center Small Group Schedule for Women’s Crisis Center Small Group Schedule for Women’s Crisis Center
Crisis center is open to anyone who would like to work each month but the following groups are scheduled to attend:
April 16April 16April 16April 16-Larene/Kim May 21May 21May 21May 21- Angie/Cara Summer Dates Coming Soon
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Do you have kids ages 1st grade- 76th grade? Enroll them in the Barnes & Noble Summer Reading Program
They read 8 books and get one free book from a Barnes & Noble Store. Check out the website for more details:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/summerreading/index.asp
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Congratulations!
Don’t forget to pray for all the pregnant mommies and mommies wanting to be
pregnant!
Birthday Celebrations
April 5 Renea Daniels
9 Courtney Osenga
10 Kelly Skoglund
10 Amy Wilhoit
14 Kathy Morgan
16 Sara Delawder
21 Teresa Boyd 21 Cindy Hall 22 April Deal
28 Aimee Stewart
~Upcoming Events~ April 9th ~ Branson MOPS AM 3rd Annual Spring Carnival Join us at the Life Center at First Baptist Church, Branson from 11:00am-1:30pm. Ad-mission is FREE. There will be games, bounce houses, prizes, food, raffle, vendors, Fire Safety House, DARE Officer and more. Game tickets are 25 cents and raffle tickets are $1. All proceeds from this event will go to benefit Branson MOPS AM (Mothers of Pre-schoolers), Laundry Love and River Rock Ministries. For more information visit www.bransonmops.org.
April 23rd~ Easter Egg Hunt @ Factory Merchant Mall- Join us at Factory Merchants The hunt will begin promptly at 10:30 am. Branson for the Annual Easter Egg Hunt! Thousands of filled eggs will brighten the upper courtyard. All children 10 years and under are invited for a fun-filled Easter Egg Hunt. There will be a designated area just for the toddlers! See you there! April 23rd~ Easter Egg Hunt @ Hollister High School Football Field at 12:30 begins the fun and 1:00 is the Easter Egg Hunt. Supplies provided by Hollister Chamber of Com-merce and New Beginnings Fellowship provides workers and bounce houses. April 23rd~ Easter Express Egg Hunt @ James River- Kids from infant to 1st grade will have a blast hunting for Easter eggs, riding on the Easter Express Train, visiting the baby chick petting zoo, playland, donuts, juice and more! This is a come and go event where the children rotate through the various activities available. 9:00am -12:00 pm
New Arrivals
Shannon Coyle welcomed a sweet baby girl named Kyleigh
on March 30th.
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DeAnna Sheets
Publicity
234 Wilshire Drive
Hollister, MO 65672
Branson PM MOPS
What to Expect at the April Meeting
• SpeakerSpeakerSpeakerSpeaker—Angie Daniels– come be inspired!
• CraftCraftCraftCraft– Rosette Pin
• Refreshments Provided byRefreshments Provided byRefreshments Provided byRefreshments Provided by: Maryann’s Group, Tami’s Group, & Adriane’s Group