December 2011

Game On: Jingle Bells & Egg Rolls

By Leigh Dunn (2/4 Mom)

One Christmas Eve years ago, my brother, sisters, and I excitedly ran up the stairs in our home after a candlelight service. We usually had a yummy soup supper and were allowed to open one Christmas gift. There was no soup, however…through all of the hustle and bustle of the holidays, my mom hadn’t gotten around to making supper that year for some reason. We all piled back into our minivan (AKA “Tetanus” due to the massive amount of rust donning the vehicle) and rode around Omaha looking for a restaurant open on Christmas Eve. Lo and behold, the only place open was a Chinese restaurant.



Years later, going out to Chinese food on Christmas Eve became a tradition in my family. We also watched the infamous “It’s a Wonderful Life” and wept when George Bailey realized his life wasn’t all that bad. We dumped out our Christmas stockings first on Christmas morning, before presents were opened. We enjoyed warm orange cinnamon rolls drenched with icing for Christmas breakfast.

After I got married, however, and when little kiddos came into our home, traditions became a bit more “flexible.” We were able to create our own holiday traditions and keep a few from our childhoods. Now we watch “It’s a Wonderful Life” while the kids are sleeping and I’m wrapping last-minute gifts. The Chinese food is a hit-and-miss in this household, as each year seems a bit different, depending on the age of kids, times of meals, etc. I’m learning our traditions may change from time to time.  Sometimes, I’m a little saddened about the nostalgia and child-like awe and wonder I had as a kid.

But when I see my 2 1/2 year old son put his arm around his 1 year old baby sister, while “teaching” her about the stockings and pointing out ornaments and characters in the nativity scene, I’m able to experience that child-like awe and wonder in a whole new way.  Experiencing Christmas as a Mommy and not a kiddo is a blessing beyond measure.

Traditions may come and go. Kids grow up, and things change. But don’t be surprised if the Dunn’s are having some almond chicken and crab rangoon this Christmas Eve. ***

“Mentor’s Favorite Things…”

“My favorite thing to do everyday is take a bath before bed.  I've been doing this every night since the kids were babies (now 23 & 20).  It's my time away from everything and everyone and I spend it meditating and praying to God about what's on my heart.  When the kids were little, I'd wait until they were in bed and then I'd take a 15 minute spa break for myself.  My favorite bath product is Shower Smoothie from Ulta,  You can use if for shampoo (never have), shower gel, or bubble bath.  It comes in a lot of great flavors.  As a mother and wife, we need time for ourselves and that's hard to find sometimes.  I've found that just 15-20 minutes by myself every night reduces the stress and worry from the day.  Also as an added bonus it's nice to go to bed feeling fresh and smelling good.”  - Susan Friesen (1/3 Mentor)

“My favorite time is “anything I don’t have to plan.” As moms, it seems like we plan everything on every day for everyone.  I love to do things where I can just show up and not have to plan out anything, pack anything, or arrange anything.  This means that my husband would pick the day (usually after talking to me about what is on the family calendar first), then he would call the babysitter (I would leave her number by the phone and a post it note) if needed, or arrange the car pool for the older children (with a little guidance), plan dinner for the children (even if it is frozen pizza) and pick the place to take me. It is awesome to go anywhere when you don’t have to plan a thing!  We would celebrate Valentine’s Weekend by getting together with friends and have a pot luck dinner.  Then we would play the newlywed game.  It was always a lot of fun.  A few times, Greg and I would win the “25 point question” because it usually asked something like this… name your wife’s favorite vacation, favorite date, favorite time, etc.  Greg always knew that my favorite anything was anywhere or anything that I did not have to plan.  So if your husband asks you what you want to do?  Just say anything I don’t have to plan! Then relax, have fun and go with what he decides!”  – Patty Cassalia (2/4 Mentor)

Time Out To Cook

Pumpkin Streusel Coffee Cake with Maple Glaze (from Jenifer Conkright and shecooks.org website)

            Cake:

            15 ounce can pumpkin (not the mix or pie filling)

            1/3 cup apple juice

            2 large eggs

            2 tablespoons vegetable oil

            2 teaspoons vanilla extract

            2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

            1 box yellow cake mix

           

            Streusel:

            6 tablespoons butter, melted

            3/4 cup brown sugar

            3/4 cup all-purpose flour

            1 teaspoon cinnamon

            3/4 cup chopped pecans

           

            Glaze:

            1/2 cup brown sugar

            1/4 cup heavy cream

            1/4 cup pure maple syrup

*Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13×9 inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl, combine all cake ingredients except the cake mix with a wire whisk. Once the mixture is well combined, stir in the cake mix. Pour batter into prepared pan. In a separate bowl, combine all streusel ingredients except the nuts. Once combined, stir in the nuts. Crumble with your fingers and evenly distribute over the cake. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. To make the glaze, combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over low-medium heat, stirring frequently. Simmer until the sugar has dissolved and the glaze is thick (about 3-5 minutes). With a large carving fork or skewer, poke holes all over the top of the cake. Pour the warm glaze evenly over the cake and set aside for 30 minutes before serving. This cake is extremely moist and just as delicious the next day (if there is any left!).

Game Stats

Need some holiday reading material? Many of our lovely MOPS moms have their own blogs and have shared the addresses for us. If you have your own blog that you would like to share that didn’t show up on the list, please add it in the comments at the end of this entry. Click on the links below to get to know a new mom and stay connected over the holidays. Thanks for sharing!

1/3 Moms with blogs

Susan Harris: www.notexactlysusiehomemaker.blogspot.com

Gina Hosteter: www.makeroomforjoy.com

Julie Richard: www.andyandjulierichard.blogspot.com

Laura Farrington: www.thefarringonfamily.blogspot.com

Amanda Derby: www.jaderby.blogspot.com

Shae Dalke: www.faithjourneytovietnam.blogspot.com

Tracy Krelle: www.krelles.blogspot.com

2/4 Moms with blogs

Christina Ingraham: www.ingrahaminfo.blogspot.com

Leigh Dunn: www.jasonandleigh.blogspot.com

Becky Sessions: www.sbsessions.blogspot.com

Jennifer Dotzler: www.jandjdotzler.blogspot.com

Emily Dugger: www.babydugger.blogspot.com

Becca Sutton: www.randomhoughtsbybecca.blogspot.com

Kelley Greening: www.daily-sips.blogspot.com

Jana Murphy: www.smpancakes.blogspot.com

Jennifer Riser: www.mrsrizzer.blogspot.com

Kari College: www.keepingupwiththecolleges.blogspot.com

The Christ Community Church MOPS Facebook page has 117 followers. Are you one? Click to join in and see updates and engage on Facebook with your MOPS friends between meetings!

Be A Team Player!

!!!Book Drive!!! We are going to be collecting our books for Compass Ministries for a Christmas project at the December meetings. If you have any gently used books around your home that you would like to share to help start a library for these kiddos, please bring them on the 2^nd(1/3) or 9^th(2/4). This is for K-6^th grade reading level and you can view the Amazon.com wish list to get some ideas or even purchase books. Search for “Compass” and put Omaha, NE in the location field. Encourage your kiddos to pass along some books to other kiddos who don’t have access to the library.

1/3 ladies only!! You will be gathering leftover Halloween candy on December 2^nd. Here are the details: Have leftover Halloween candy that you don’t know what to do with? Compass Ministries uses bags of candy in their after school program year round and could use any you would have to share. Bring any individually wrapped pieces you have to share in snack sized baggies on December 2^nd and there will be a few minutes to bag them during the meeting. Thanks!

Go Play Around Town

(Websites: http://vacation.visitomaha.com/, http://www.visitnebraska.org/, www.MomsOfOmaha.com)

Morning In Bethlehem Saturday, December 10th at Christ Community Church from 10:30am-12:30pm. Free! (A small wrapped gift to the AAA Pregnancy Center is suggested as a donation). Your children will experience an interactive walk through the Biblical setting of Christmas.

Christmas at Union Station 
Durham Western Heritage Museum, 801 South 10th St. Omaha (402) 444-5071

Dickens in the Market - Victorian Christmas 
The Old Market, Omaha 10th to 13th Sts., Harney to Jackson Sts.

Each Christmas season, Omaha's Old Market becomes a Victorian-Era holiday marketplace.  Festive decorations, carolers in Victorian dress, and horse-drawn carriage rides add Dickensian cheer to the festive season each Saturday and Sunday.

Holiday Lights Gene Leahy Mall 12th & Farnam Omaha

A million lights decorate the trees at the Mall from Thanksgiving to early January.

Holiday Wildlights Henry Doorly Zoo - 3701 South 10th St. Omaha

Wander through the Omaha Zoo's winter wonderland. Glimpse at the glittering lights on the trees and bushes, and catch sight of the moving animal images. Make a holiday craft in Santa's Workshop, visit the Touch Tank in the Scott Aquarium and have a snack from Durham's TreeTops Restaurant.

 

Indoor Ice Skating Rinks:

Mid-America Center Ice Arena:

http://www.midamericacenter.com/aren...formation.aspx

Motto McLean Ice Arena in Hitchcock Park:

http://www.cityofomaha.org/parks/par...ties/ice-rinks

Moylan Ice Plex: http://moylaniceplex.com/

Outdoor Ice Skating Rinks:

Eugene T. Mahoney State Park Ice Skating Rink:

http://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/parks/...tmactivity.asp

University of Nebraksa Medical Center Ice Skating Rink:

http://www.unmc.edu/services/bus-fin...ss/skating.htm  

ConAgra Foods Ice Skating Rink (Holiday Season Only):

http://www.holidaylightsfestival.org/icerink.html

Dundee Neighborhood Ice Skating Rink: Free. Happy Hollow Blvd. and Underwood Ave. At your own risk, daylight only, no skate rental or restrooms.

Announcements!!

December 2(1/3) & 9(2/4): Come and enjoy the Christmas season with an extended creative activity!

**See you in January! There will be no meetings at the end of December. Enjoy the holidays!

Pictorial Directory is here!!! Our directory is completed and available online as a password protected PDF file. This includes a birthday list and Discussion Group list. If you would like a printed version, you can take the PDF to a Kinkos and have it printed. When you click on this link, it will take you to the document and you will need to enter the password that you received via email. Enjoy browsing over the lovely faces of our MOPS ladies!!!

Prayer hotline:  Have a prayer need? Please send it to: prayer4mops@gmail.com

MOPPETS

Thank you for serving your 2 days in MOPPETS! It is VITAL that you show up on your assigned days so we can continue to provide a quality program for our children. If you have a conflict, please switch with another MOPS mom and contact Heidi Harner(2/4) or Shantel Crellin(1/3) ASAP of the change. Please refer to your directory or your DGL for contact info. When you arrive at the church, check the posting by the nursery check-in table to find where you have been assigned to help. Thank you for your cooperation! This months assignments are listed below:

December 2 - 1/3  Meeting
Stacey Morgan
Haley Abenchuchan
Kirstin Brummels
Becky Lachin
Christin Schroeder
Tami Tran
Jackie Ryba
Jen Rauscher

December 9 - 2/4 Meeting
Katie Wheat
Laura Farington
Kim Porter
Kelli Hasenjager
Gina Hostetler
Paola Lee
Anne Backer

November 2011

 

Game On: Keeping It Simple

By Christina Ingraham

“Let’s go there! … Awwwww!” - “I did it, I did it!” - “I’m Tangled, I’m tangled!” - “dddeeeeeEEEE!” These statements are not from scenes in the next Disney Pixar movie. To my kids, these are fun “car games.” I’m tangled involves twisting their hands in seatbelts from the unoccupied seats as they both squeal with feigned panic:  “I’m tangled, I’m tangled!” The other games are equally as complex: Let’s go there…Awwww! makes a game of pointing to some obscure landmark and exclaiming, “Let’s go there!” followed by a resounding “Awwww” as we speed past the desired destination. I did it! and DeeeEEE! are simply for the sake of hearing their own voices, I think. To my two and four year old, the best games are the least complicated.

As a mom, I sometimes find myself making things more difficult than they need to be. I have a thing or two to learn from my kids! Why do I even try to go to the grocery store when they are hungry and tired?  Trips like this are doomed faster than I can say, “I swear I’ll never enter a store with you two again!” Surely there is a simple meal I could scrounge from the cupboard or freezer.  And I don’t think I’m alone in regarding the war against clutter a losing battle. Though it is a great feeling to have the entire house tidy at the same time, sometimes I just need to throw everything in a laundry basket and wave the white flag.

Many battles can be averted by planning ahead and organizing (two skills I thought I was good at—before I had kids). Even more so, frustration can be deflated by merely enjoying the simple things. Time I spend creating sidewalk chalk “choo-choo tracks” with Jacob leaves me far more satisfied than time spent trying to keep him from soiling (another) shirt. Playing dance class with Kayla is definitely more enjoyable than burning 3,000 calories as I try to rush everyone to the gym in time for Cardio Kickboxing.

Life as a mother and wife can be complicated, but there are endless ways to simplify. Taking a small step to simplify–whether planning meals ahead or cutting out an extra activity—will reap great rewards. Try doing less and you may find you accomplish more!*

“Mentor's Favorite Things…”

“My favorite thing in this season of life as an empty nester is when one of my kids calls me for no reason other than just to connect…..TO CHAT WITH ME!!!!!!  My husband Bill and I have two children, John(22 and Jane(21) Yes, they are just 12 months apart…so much for John being a miracle baby!! Both are in college and live out of town, so if they call me on my cell phone in the middle of the day, my first reactions is….WHAT IS WRONG?? WHAT DO YOU NEED?? It seems as though they only call when they have some crisis to solve with classes or roommates or car problems or NEEDING MONEY!!! The needing money conversation happens all the time. So, when they call just to say hi and to see what I am up to….Well, it is a mountain top experience! I live for the times when one of them will call and just want to talk…..About anything…..Just like a good friend. I stop everything I am doing and just melt right into the phone listening to the tone of their voice as they share what is going on in their life. Funny stories about friends.  Challenging assignments for hard classes they are taking. Teachers or coaches they really like. Those conversations with college kids really only happen long distance via cell phones. So since I cannot see the smile or the frown on their beautiful face so I linger on each word that comes over the line. Those conversations make my day!!!” –Julie Erickson (1/3 Mentor)

“One of the things I have done with my kids to help them appreciate the blessings in their lives is to write them down.  I have them write down 4 or 5 things they are thankful for and why. (You can write it down for them if they are too young to write).  I then put them in a basket and we draw one blessing out during dinner and that becomes our "topic of discussion" for the dinner table that night.  I have always done this the month of November before Thanksgiving but there is no reason you can't do this at anytime of year.  It is a wonderful way to see into their little hearts and minds and help them develop an appreciation for the blessings in their life!”  -Debi Thompkins (2/4 Mentor)

Time Out To Cook

Italian Sasuage Soup (from Beth Sanchez)
1 pkg (about 1 pound) Honeysuckle White Sweet Italian Sasuage. Cut into 1 inch pieces.
1 (15 oz) can canellini beans (or White Northern Beans) rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cups beef broth
1 (15 oz) can diced stewed tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
*Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Cook the sasuage until it is no longer pink. Stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce and simmer for 20 min. Serve and enjoy!

Game Stats

Which form of communication do you prefer? (Most had multiple perfereces…)

*1^st at 70% - Email               *2^nd at 27% - Text               *Tied for 3^rd at 18% - Phone & Facebook

What is your favorite food on Thanksgiving?

*1^st Everything else – 57%               *2^nd Pie – 31%               *3^rd Turkey – 12%

The Christ Community Church MOPS Facebook page has 116 followers. Are you one? Join in and see updates and engage on Facebook with your MOPS friends between meetings. Click here for the facebook page.

Be A Team Player!

Have leftover Halloween candy that you don’t know what to do with? Compass Ministries uses bags of candy in their after school program year round and could use any you would have to share. Bring any individually wrapped pieces you have to share in snack sized baggies to your next MOPS meeting and there will be a few minutes to bag them during the meeting.

!!!Book Drive!!! We are also going to be collecting books for Compass Ministries for a Christmas project this year. If you have any gently used books around your home that you would like to share to help start a library for these kiddos, please hold on to them to share. This is for K-6^th grade reading level and you can view the Amazon.com wish list to get some ideas or even purchase books. Search for Compass in Omaha, NE for the list. Books will be collected in December. More info to come!!

Go Play Around Town

(Websites: http://vacation.visitomaha.com/, http://www.visitnebraska.org/)

November 15: You are invited to attend the Mom’s Health Expo! Omaha's 4 leading experts in weight loss, nutrition, fitness, optimum health and personal care reveal the secrets to becoming the healthiest you've ever been! Get $72 in FREE GIFTS instantly...just for registering now! Help us raise money for Abide Network so we can improve the lives of children, youth and families in under resourced areas of Omaha together. To attend this special event all we ask is that you make a small $10 donation to Abide Network at the door when you arrive. Click here http://momshealthexpo.viprespond.com/ to register.

November 24, 6pm (Gene Leahy Mall, 14^th and Farnam Streets): - The Holiday Lights Festival will kick-off on Thanksgiving evening with the annual lighting ceremony at the Gene Leahy Mall. At 5:30 pm, pre-show entertainment will begin with The Sarpy Serenaders. The official lighting ceremony begins at 6 pm. Stop by the Shine the Light on Hunger booth to enjoy Swiss Miss cocoa and support Food Bank for the Heartland. Mayor Jim Suttle and a group of children from local Kids Café will lead the crowd in a countdown that will culminate with the illumination of a spectacular display of twinkling lights. http://www.holidaylightsfestival.org/lightingceremony.html

Announcements!!

November 4(1/3) & 11(2/4): Debbie Cornwell (on marriage)

November 18(1/3): Nancy Davies (on discipline)

!!!!November 4, 6:30-9:30pm: Spa & Chocolate Night (Don’t miss this one so mark your calendar!)

Prayer hotline:  Have a prayer need? Please send it to: prayer4mops@gmail.com

MOPPETS

Thank you for serving your 2 days in MOPPETS! It is VITAL that you show up on your assigned days so we can continue to provide a quality program for our children. If you have a conflict, please switch with another MOPS mom and contact Heidi Harner(2/4) or Shantel Crellin(1/3) ASAP of the change. Please refer to your directory or your DGL for contact info. When you arrive at the church, check the posting by the nursery check-in table to find where you have been assigned to help. Thank you for your cooperation! This months assignments are listed below:

November 2 – 2/4 Steering

Michelle Shaughnessey

Cassie Cowles

Michelle Sealock

November 4 - 1/3 Meeting

Becca Sutton

Carolyn Smith

Debbie Sledge

Natalie Mcnair

Anne Greve

Jen Johnson

Kathleen Russell

Angie Timm

November 9 – 1/3 Steering
(9:00-11:30am)

Chris Berkey
Sarah Steenhoek
Susan Harris
Stephanie Lane

November 11 – 2/4 Meeting
Tiffanie Thompson
Brianne Minturn
Jocie Minturn
Amanda Kirkpatrick
Chris Mayne
Kimberly Storm
Laura Haley

November 18 - 1/3 Meeting

Sharilyn Toney

Liz Fogle

Stephanie Heinauer

Courtney Hinze

Kristin Polking

Anne Bauer

Joy Gregory

Cherie Schnack

October 2011

Game On: Life on Mayne Street

By Chris Mayne (1/3 Mom)

“Mommy! Come see what Linky did!”  Those are words that I came to dread over the course of this past summer, after my littlest guy, Lincoln, turned two in May.  It seemed that he had to prove to someone that he really was two, and my 5 year old, Donovan, was usually the bearer of bad news.  Lincoln went on a 3 month run of creating one disaster after another almost daily, from puddles of lotion and globs of Vaseline all over his room to flushing everyone’s toothbrushes down the toilet five minutes before we had to leave for a doctor appointment.  Many of my Facebook friends started to tell me that they looked forward to the latest installment of the “Linky Adventures.”

I have to admit that I don’t always handle these situations with grace and aplomb. I don’t always see the “teachable moment” in a bathroom covered in splashes and puddles of strawberry liquid hand soap five minutes before company is supposed to arrive. And if you have ever woken to find a naked toddler crying outside your bedroom door at 6:30 in the morning after he has raided the refrigerator, let the dogs out of their crates so they could pee on the carpet, and then peed on the carpet himself, then you can totally identify with the MomSense it requires to diaper this child and send him to the naughty corner for his own safety while the chaos he created is attended to, all before I’ve had a chance to wipe the sleep from my eyes.

There are times when as a Mom I feel completely lost, and I secretly envy the mom I see at the mall whose hair is perfect, clothes are stylish, and she somehow managed to convince her kindergartener to wear clothes that match.  I wish I had my mom close by, or even *gasp* my mother-in-law, to lend a hand or just some encouragement on those especially challenging days. But God always provides exactly what I need, and He has blessed me with the love and encouragement of friends (many of them other MOPS moms) who are experiencing similar struggles and older moms who are a few steps farther down the road. They come alongside me and say with a knowing smile, “I remember those days . . .”

I think most of us tend to doubt our Momsense, our God given intuition, common sense, and unique gifts and abilities. But God has equipped each of us to be exactly the right mom for the children He has blessed us with.  I am slowly coming to the realization that God is using my journey as a mom to raise and grow me into the person He wants me to be just as much as He is using me to raise my boys.  I make mistakes as a parent, and I’m not the amazing, all-knowing, perfect person my children sometimes see me as. I’m an imperfect guardian of a precious treasure entrusted to me for a short time.

I’m so excited that another year of MOPS has begun, and I’m looking forward to sharing the next few steps of this journey with all of you as we share encouragement and swap horror stories and figure out this thing called motherhood.*

“Mentor's Favorite Things…”

“One of my favorite Fall/Winter recipes is Beef Stew in my crock-pot. SOOOOO EASY! Make it in the morning and you’re all done cooking for the day. It makes a great leftover meal too. It’s so tasty and so easy. Lots of meat and vegetables! It’s a meal in itself. Just add some crackers and you’re good to go! Brown 1 or 2 packages of stewing meat and put in crock-pot. Then add cans with liquid of the following: 2 French onion soup, 2 corn, 2 peas, 1 carrots, and then a bag of frozen cauliflower.”  -Margie Alford (1/3 Mentor)

“One of my favorite things is a "Blessing Bucket."  I keep a small bucket with a cute notepad and pen next to it on my kitchen table.  When our girls do something "nice" I write it on the notepaper and put it in the bucket.  If they come home and have had a bad day, they can take one out and read it.  My girls are teenagers and I just started it this past year, but I think it would have been fun to do when they were younger.”  -Mary Kubo (1/3 Mentor)

Time Out To Cook

Pumpkin Soup

2 Tbsp. butter

1 cup chopped onion

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 can stewed tomatoes

1 can pumpkin puree, unsweetened

4 cup low sod. can chicken stock warmed

Fresh grated nutmeg

Salt/Pepper

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 scallions, thinly sliced

* In a heavy large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions and cook until tender about 5 minutes. Stir in thyme, stewed tomatoes, and pumpkin puree and bring to a simmer. Stir in warmed stock and return to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Puree soup in 3 batches in a blender. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Stir in cream and return to simmer. Serve with sliced scallion.

Frosted Pumpkin bars (Jody Hemmingson - 2/4 Mom)
4 eggs
1 2/3 cup sugar
1 cup vegetable or canola oil
15 oz. canned pumpkin
2 cup flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda

Frosting:
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter, softened
2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

* Mix together cake ingredients and bake in 9x13 greased pan around 30min, or until set and toothpick comes out clean.  Meanwhile, using electric mixer, mix all frosting ingredients until smooth.  Frost cake once it has cooled. Recipe can be easily cut in half and baked in 8x8 pan.

Game Stats

How many hours do you average on Facebook a week?

Under 5 hours:      67%

5-10 hours:           21%

Over 10 hours:      5%

None:                   7%

The Christ Community Church MOPS Facebook page has 111 followers, 18 more then last month. Are you one? Join in and see updates and engage on Facebook with your CCC MOPS friends between meetings. (Click here to go to the Facebook Page.)

Do you like to dress up for Halloween? 28% said yes! When asked “As what?” here were the responses:

Snow White, Always wanted to be Dorothy and Toto from the Wizard of Oz, Space cadet, Milk cow, Fairy (2 yr. old’s request), Cute and happy things, Witch, Something coupled with Hubby, A bear with my son, Suburban Mom, Tweedle-Dee, Owl, Thomas the Train, Flo from CARS, Changes every year, Something silly or ugly, Anything

Go Play Around Town

It is Vala’s Pumpkin Patch time again, through October!!! (Click here for Vala's website.) You may purchase tickets to Vala's at any No Frills Supermarket in the greater Omaha area. These "SUPERPASSES" are $12.99 each and contain a coupon for $2.50 off a pumpkin and a "Vala Buck" for $1.00. Total value of the SUPERPASS is $16.49! For a listing of store locations, click here.

Want to take your kids to a Saturday matinee movie for $1??  Click here to see how!

For more info of what is happening around Omaha visit: www.visitnebraska.org

Be A Team Player!

Would you like to be a part of a team this year in MOPS? If you have any interest in showing hospitality, assisting with creative activities or submitting a story for the blog, please let your DGL know and she can get you connected with the right person!

Announcements!!

October 7 & 14:  Mentor Panel. Come and hear from our experienced Mentor Moms!

October 21 & 28:  Lisa Brown will be sharing on her “Favorite Things”
November 4: Spa Night (You don't want to miss this, so put it on your calendar!)

Prayer hotline:  Have a prayer need? Please send it to: prayer4mops@gmail.com

MOPPETS

Thank you for serving your 2 days in MOPPETS! It is VITAL that you show up on your assigned days so we can continue to provide quality care for all children. If you have a conflict, please switch with another MOPS mom and contact Heidi Harner(2/4) or Shantel Crellin(1/3) ASAP of the change. When you arrive at the church at 8:45am, check the posting by the nursery check-in table to find where you have been assigned to help. Thank you for your cooperation! This months assignments are listed below:

October 5 -  2/4 Steering

Heidi Green
Brenda Boggs
Emily Dugger
Amanda Zach

October 7 - 1/3  Meeting
Lindsey Bitter
Deana Loibl
Collette Schmidtke
Shauna McCoy
Jackie Ryba
Karrie Kelly
Becky Sessions
Holly Gillespie

October 12 – 1/3 Steering
(9:00-11:45am)

Jessica Beck
Wendy Sewell
Kylie Shada

Courtney Scott

October 14 – 2/4 Meeting

Emily Banks
Shelley Williams
Amanda Derby
Jenifer Burchfiel
Jenny Reid
Sarah Hoegh
Louise Pedersen

October 21 - 1/3  Meeting
Chelsea Little
Hope Preece
Becky Sessions
Kristi Langford
Susan Perkins
Jennifer Doetzler
Nicole Deprez
Nicole Shields

October 26 - DGL Training
Christina Ingraham
Valerie Wallace-Camp
Polly Mock
Yolanda Hardesty