Don't forget

Fall festival time is here! October 31 from 9:30 to 11 at Covenant! Bring your kiddos and your spouse and even the grandparents if you want! Kids can wear costumes and we will have games, food, and fun!

Congratulations

We want to welcome Keira Grace to this wonderful world. Keira is the daughter of one of our new MOPS moms Lara Copeland. All is well and I have seen this baby in person...cheeks you you could eat for lunch I swear! Too cute! Big sister Kenli (14 months) thinks she's pretty cool as well!

Must see TV

Stop whatever you are doing tomorrow (Wednesday) at watch Oprah at 4pm. Tina Zahn will be on promoting her new book. We heard her story at MOPS convention and let me tell you, a box of tissues beside the couch will be a good idea. If you have experienced post partum depression or know another mom who has, you absolutely cannot miss this. To get a preview, click HERE and watch the minute long video. It will shake you. This mom was part of a MOPS group before this incident, and her group continues to support her today. She credits MOPS with helping her through the toughest time in her life.

On a brighter note...sorry you have to follow that Kelly...we have another can't miss event on Thursday. Kelly Ingold is having an At Home America party on Thursday from 9:30 to 11:30. Kelly's address and phone number is in the MOPS directory. Kiddos are welcome! Come and go at your convenience!

MOPS Convention 2006 (post 2)

I wanted to share with you just a few highlights of convention. There is no way for me to adequately explain the entire trip. The general sessions (there were 4) were my favorite part in many ways. They brought the community together (the picture below was taken about halfway back...so imagine a room twice that size). You haven't heard anything until you hear 5000+ women singing in unison. The notable music acts were Kim Hill , Nicole Nordeman, and Mark Schultz. Some of the general session speakers were Ken Davis (no one is funnier), Priscilla Shirier who talked about the importance of prayer (great part was about epidurals being sent straight from the throne of God), Wes Stafford from Compassion International, and of course Elisa Morgan and Carol Kuykendall from MOPS International. On top of all this was the unparalelled leadership training we received. We had 4 breakout sessions. These sessions were smaller groups and focused on mothering, leading women, postional networking, and meeting the needsd of the moms in our group (that's you). I hope we have come home a better team and more readily able to serve you in this group.

MOPS Convention 2006

So we finally made it home to some frazzled husbands on Sunday at midnight. What an event! This will most likely be covered over a number of blog entries in the next few days. I don't even know where to begin. Do I start with the amazing leadership training provided? Do I start with the speakers and music? Or maybe the time to bond as a steering team? Maybe I start with the resource fair with programs and resources I didn't know even existed. One thing I know for sure, God's presence was pulsing through that place. More than 5200 women attended convention this year representing more than 4000 MOPS groups from all over the world. We met moms from Arkansas to New Zealand. I will start posting detailed info tomorrow. I know, you are all waiting on the edge of your seats! The anticipation! The excitement! Really...I'm putting together some interesting stuff!

Welcome Back

I have to say, today's MOPS meeting was amazing. The spirit of the mother's, the MOPPET workers, and the kids was astounding. I am so glad we can come together to support each other in this way. While we are glad to be back, we need to remember our sister in Christ, Rachel Whitten, at this time. Her husband has been deployed to Iraq and was injured over the weekend. It was truly a miracle that he was spared. She will be rejoining us in the future, but in the meantime our hearts and prayers will be with her.

Steering Team: Hospitality

Alright. This is me. Heidi Wise. I am the hospitality team leader this year! I am blessed to have a strong team however. I have been a MOPS mom for 4 years and also serve as the Council Coordinator for Topeka, Lawrence, Manhattan, Emporia, and a few other more rural groups. I really hope and pray that we have a great year full of fun and learning! Any feedback you have on this site is much appreciated! I want it to be a product of all of us! See you soon ladies!

Steering Team: Moppets Coordinator

This gal is sooooooo busy I don't even have a picture yet! Anna Walker is the gal we can't do without. If Moppets doesn't run smoothly, our group doesn't run smoothly. Anna has been the teacher in the 4-5 year old room for the past several years, and I understand she was in other rooms before that. She has been guiding and loving our little ones for years. Thanks for your service and your kindness of heart Anna! P.S. If you know of anyone who would be called to serve as a moppets teacher, please contact anyone on steering!

Steering Team: Mentor Mom

Who could possibly ask for a better mentor mom? Joan Speake is that mom we always want to be. Not because she was a perfect mom (which I'm not entirely convinced she wasn't) or because she was (is) always perfectly put together (not convinced that's untrue as well). What makes her such an amazing mentor is her heart. Her compassion and true caring for her children, her husband, her grandchildren , and her MOPS family is something I strive to be everyday. Thanks for always being such a great example for us.

Steering Team: Finance

Kim Thomas is one of those moms who has been a base for the group for years. She was one of the moms that greeted me 4 years ago when I was new to this thing called MOPS. This year she will be directing our finances. We appreciate that even more because he youngest actually went to Kindergarten this year. Thanks for hanging around for one more year Kim.

Steering Team: Small Group Coordinator

Meet Kelly Ingold. She has the most charming Texas accent you have ever heard. Having a discussion with Kelly is truly a pleasure. Kelly has three young boys. Her husband is Casey, the pastor of Covenant Baptist. I have had the pleasure of getting to know Kelly better through this summer. I can tell you that it has truly been a pleasure. Her faith and kind heart go hand in hand. She should have some great questions for us this year to discuss in our small groups!

Sale Alert

This is a sale alert! Dillards will start this morning by making down all items on sale an extra 30%. This is great for kids clothes that are already on sale. We find some of our best deals on shoes and mens clothes however. This sale is only done twice a year. Big find...Polo shirts for less than $20! Suits on sale as well. Gymboree also had major makdowns yesterday. I was able to spend less than $30 and get an outfit for my sister's baby, 6 t-shirts for Parker, and an outfit for Morgan. I mean really, you can't do that well at Walmart! I will try to post the best sales and deals I can find as they become available. If you hear of others, let me know by email or in the comments!

Steering Team: Creative Activities

Meet Michelle Fleming. She is my personal hero. Michelle has...wait for it...6 kids. And not only does she have 6 kids, they are some of the most amazing children. A direct reflection of their mother. She is also one of the most creative moms I know as well. I have taken a peek at the crafts for this year ladies, and I can't wait! Fun stuff you will love to have in your home or give as a gift. She is a Godly woman who is a wonderful role model for those of us who whine about our 3 kids or less!

Steering Team: Coordinator

In next few posts I would like to introduce the steering team. This is Tracy, our fearless leader. She has been a MOPS mom for longer than I can remember! Tracy's family consists of her husband AJ and two of the most darling little girls. Tracy attends and is active in the ministries of Covenant Baptist Church. She brings a rich faith and a warm personality to our group. Thanks for everything you do Tracy!

New Addition

Baby Zachary is HERE! Winter Ball gave birth on August 10 to a bouncing baby boy! He weighed in at a healthy 8 lbs 8.5 oz! We are all soooo happy for you Winter and we can't wait to see Mr. Ball in person!

Registration Days

Its that time of the year again! Time for registration in MOPS! The dates are August 17th and 18th from 10am to noon. We can't wait to see evryone's smiling faces again. The summer is coming an end. I know we all had fun, but its time to settle back into the routine of the fall. Kids back in school, temps getting cooler (I swear it will be happening eventually), and the joy of celebrating motherhood with your friends at MOPS!

Congrats to Denise Meyer! She delivered her beautiful triplets on July 7! They had 2 boys and one girl! The word is that they are perfect and beautiful in every way! Can't wait to meet them Denise. For those of you out there reading, we are still trying to put together meals. Leave a comment and we'll get in touch with you!

mr clean

Winter Ball sent me the funniest email about the discovery of the Magic Eraser. If you haven't tried it...do it NOW. It works on scuff marks, fingerprints, crayons on...welll...anything. Check out this site. There are some hilarious and pratical uses. Good for a laugh and a great way to save a penny. I agree with Winter from personal experience...thanks for the tip Mrs. Ball!

Recipes

One of my favorite things about the MOPS meetings is the amazing food. I love the different ideas people have for their brunch fare. It was recently requested that I post my own Honey Cornbread recipe. If you have a favorite recipe that I can post here please email me! I know of some amazing casseroles, fruit salsas, and salads out there. Come on girls...share!

Easy Version of Honey Cornbread
(I use a scratch recipe but this one works just as well)

1 package Jiffy Cornbread Mix
Milk
Eggs
Honey
Butter

Follow the directions for cornbread on the box adding 3 tbls of honey and 1 tlbs of white sugar to the mix. Bake in an 8x8 pan for time stated on the box. Remove from oven and immediately add a mixture of 1/2 stick butter (melted) and 3tbls honey to top of hot cornbread. Cover loosely. The honey butter will infuse the cornbread and keep it very moist. Allow to sit for at least one hour. Overnight works best.

Fun Summer Game

Water-Balloon Baseball
When the ball's full of water, every hit makes a splash.
From Better Homes and Gardens Magazine

What You Need:
Batter's all wet!
Water balloons; make a lot before the game begins so there's not a break in the action
Baseball bat or whiffle-ball bat
Enough outdoor space for setting up the playing field


Instructions:
1. Divide players into two teams and take turns batting and fielding as usual. Rather than calling strikes, you may want to change batters after a certain number of swings, and switch places whenever all the players on the at-bat team have had a turn at the plate.
2. Give each team a point for every balloon they break.
3. The outfielders won't have much to field, but they can try to tag the runners before they get to base.

I thought this game looked like a BLAST! We will definitely be trying it this summer!

moppet workers and mentor moms

Today was the moppet worker appreciation brunch. WHAT would we do without them. I know...we would have no MOPS. The ministry these women share with our children is invaluable. The time and patience and love these women (and men) give astounds me. We need to feel particularly lucky, because not every group is as blessed as we are. MOPS simply wouldn't run without you. Our mentor mom Joan...no words, simply no words. How could we imagine our lives without Joan having touched them. Thanks for showing us the light at the end of the tunnel. I meant to take a few pics at the brunch this morning and it absolutely escaped me. I really needed a reason to post this picture of Lynda in all of her western garb from convention anyway! You guys are unbelievable. Thanks for sharing and being in our lives.

who knew?

Who knew Marthat Stewart did a kids site and magazine?! I had no idea! I found some of the cutest ideas for crafts, cakes, and parties! Morgan turns 7 this week and I still needed a few extra things for her party. I wish I would have found this site earlier! If any of you have favorite sites, crafts, tips, etc. let me know so that we can share them more easily. Martha Stewart...kids...who knew?

Worth of a Stay at Home Mom

Sorry about the change of backround. I was having issues with the HTML template (blah blah blah). This one should work better! Anyway...

I heard about this story on the news last night and thought you girls might get a kick out of it. This sure makes my $60,000 education seem a little more worth it! My opinion, of course, is that we are PRICELESS! So...when do we pick up our paycheck? Do hugs and kisses count as currency?


Updated: 1:03 p.m. ET May 2, 2005
NEW YORK - The old adage that “a mother's work is never done” remains as true now as ever. Today's stay-at-home moms are learning what their predecessors always knew — they'd be making a lot of money doing their job outside the home.
Just in time for Mother's Day, an informal study conducted by Web site Salary.com shows that stay-at-home moms would earn an average of $131,471 annually, including overtime, if they received a paycheck.
A sampling of the 5.4 million stay-at-home mothers were asked to come up with job titles that fit a general description of their daily routines.

The titles — which reflected the most time-consuming parts of their day — include day-care center teacher, van driver, housekeeper, cook, chief executive officer, nurse and general maintenance worker, the survey showed.
Of course, a stay-at-home parent does not work typical office hours. The hypothetical median salary is based on a 100-hour work week and assumes caring for at least two children of school age.
“The importance of this calculation or this estimate is just calling attention to the fact that being a stay-at-home mom is not a cop out, it's not the woman's way out of the work force and it's not a job of no value,” said Bill Coleman, senior vice president of compensation at Salary.com. “There is a lot of value there, and some would say it's even priceless.”
Salary.com, which tracks what jobs pay, suggested that the annual base pay for a 40-hour stay-at-home mom's workweek would be $43,461. Mothers would earn an additional $88,009 a year for 60 hours of overtime each week.
“I think I should definitely make that much,” said Joanna Butti, who stays at home to care for her twin boys. “It's a hard job.”
Coleman said feedback on the figure was mixed. Some felt mothers deserved more, some less. In general, though, many were pleased to see a figure above $100,000.
“Stay-at-home moms are enthusiastic and upbeat about their jobs, they didn't seem to need external validation,” Coleman told Reuters. “They were also happy that they were getting attention, and that somebody was out there telling the world that what they do is valuable, and perhaps more valuable than one would expect.”
Mothers said you cannot attach a figure to the time spent with their kids.
“I'm giving 150 percent of myself to them many hours a day,” said Debra Miley, who stays home with two-year old daughter Olivia and four-month old son Gregory. “You cannot attach a dollar value to the time that you spend nurturing your child if you're lucky enough to be a stay-at-home mom.”

AMEN SISTERS!!!!!!

What do you think?

So guys, what do you think? Is this a format we may want to use for the future? I think we could make it pretty cool. I think the meeting yesterday went well. The talent was great and the skit was a riot! I don't know the exact figures, but the silent auction went well. Thanks for all the help, especially Tracy and Renae. The auction is always such a huge undertaking. I thought it would be a good idea for us all to read this every once in a while. It is who we are...and I'm proud to be a part of it!

first post

This is a first test post for the Covenant Baptist Church Mother's of Preschooler's group. I hope that this will help with communication and be a fun way to stay in touch!