A First Corinthians Christmas- Thanks Gina!

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another cook.

If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love to my family, it profits me nothing.

If I trim the tree with shimmering angles and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties anod sing the choir's cantata, but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.Love stops the cooking to hug the child.

Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband.

Love is kind, even though harried and tired.

Love doesn't envy another's home that has coordinated Christmas china and lots of presents.

Love doesn't yell at the kids to get out of the way, but is thankful they are there to be in the way.

Love doesn't give only to those who are able to give in return but rejoices in giving to those who can't.

Family Identity!

This is a great article about family identity. It goes along well with the idea of traditions and family unity at the holidays. Check it out if you get time--it's hard to go wrong with Focus on the Family!
http://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/building_relationships/celebrating_your_family_identity.aspx

December Meeting!

Well ladies, it's that time again! We hope to see you this Friday from 9-11 for our very laid back, casual December MOPS meeting. It will be coffee shop style (sit wherever you like), with lots of tasty treats and FABULOUS prizes. We will also be making a craft that would easily double as a gift if you were willing to give it away...(hmmm...suspense!) We hope to see you Friday morning for a small break from the hustle and bustle of the holiday season! Blessings and Best Wishes to all our MOMS!

Book Review with Sara!

The ADVENTure of Christmas: Helping Children Find Jesus in our Holiday Traditions - A Mom's Guide
by Lisa Whelchel
Illustrations by Jeannie Mooney
Published by Multnomah Gifts, a division of Multnomah Publishers, Inc.

I recently interlibrary loaned a book I've heard about to help me think of some ideas for Christmas. I've heard about The ADVENTure of Christmas by Lisa Whelchel on Focus on the Family and FamilyLife Today so I thought it could help me. I really like the ideas in this book. The whole idea of the book is that we shouldn't feel bad about getting excited about Christmas and all the things that Christmas brings. We should embrace Christmas and all the traditions because there is meaning behind all the things we do. Lisa Whelchel, who is also the author of Creative Corrections, does a good job giving a brief description of the history and Christian meaning of all the traditions so we in turn can explain to our children why we do what we do. Activities and questions are also given to do with our children so we can enjoy the traditions and focus on Christ during this special time of the year. I really enjoy Christmas so it's good to find a book that isn't about alternatives or complaining about how secular Christmas has become. This book takes what we already do and love and puts Christ in the center of it.

I think a quote from the book best sums it up:"Now it is my desire to lure parents into the hustle and bustle of Christmas and then set them free to join their children in the celebration - guilt-free. On each day of the traditional Advent, the twenty-four days preceding Christmas, we will explore together a different aspect of the Christmas celebration. It's amazing how short a distance you have to go to find Jesus in our present-day symbols and traditions. We will encounter the true meaning of Christmas in such unlikely places as a candy cane, a fruitcake, and the partridge in a pear tree. We will rediscover the significance of Santa Claus, tree ornaments, and even the colors of Christmas."So go find the book and have fun celebrating with your family this Christmas. I know I will be making the birthday cake for Jesus that the author describes in the book. It has lots of symbolism which I love!

Merry Christmas!
Sara Trott

Placemat Discussions

I found these rather tacky placemats at Ross and I LOVE THEM. It isn't that they match my kitchen decor particularly well, and it isn't because they go with any other Christmas decorations in the kitchen. I love them because they prompt wonderful conversation with little kiddos. In addition to wonderful conversation, they make for great quizzing material. While we are waiting for all the food to get to the table or having snack we talk about things like

1. What was Jesus' mom's name again?

2. What kinds of gifts do you think the wise men brought to Jesus? Do you think that is why we give gifts at Christmas time?

3. Do you think Mary was comfy-cozy in a stable?

You get the idea. We talk about the story of Jesus' birth (Christmas) multiple times each day because as he snacks on animal crackers we are talking about what we see on the placemat. I think I'm going to make this a tradition around here....possibly all year long. I could even make my own placemats in an effort to direct table conversation among my kiddos. Hmmm...Just food for thought! Blessings

November Give-aways!

Gina is always so sweet to snag a few photos of our give-aways before they go home with our amazing MOPS moms! Too cute, don't you think? We focused on scrapbooking, photos and other things of that sorts all centered around Planet Family...

November Business Sponsors!

Thank you to P.a.M. Photography for donating a FREE family portrait session! What an amazing blessing to have the opportunity to capture the precious moments in time that only a professional photo shoot can do.Check P.a.M. Photography out on facebook or find find her on the web at http://pamphotographyandmore.webs.com/

November Meeting!

We were thrilled that so many ladies made it to the November meeting where we discussed life on Planet Family. I trust that your Thanksgiving was a wonderful time to be with family and friends while giving thanks to God for His amazing blessings. We really do have so much to be grateful for.

Just a couple of Recaps:
1. We made $178.88 at the Homespun Christmas bazaar. Way to go ladies!
2. A huge thanks to those of you who put together shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child. What a blessing it will be to the children who receive the gifts this holiday season.
3. Don't forget about the first Friday play-date this Friday, Dec. 4th from 9-11 at the Silverton Friends Church!
4. Friday Dec. 4th is the Silverton Christmas tree lighting.
5. Saturday Dec. 5th is the Canyonview Nativity

Those of you who weren't able to be at the November meeting really missed out. Our very own mentor moms shared from their heart about their journeys in motherhood. They answered these questions (plus a few extra tidbits)!
1. What are your fondest traditions, either started or carried on by your own family?
2. What is the most beneficial thing your parent's taught you? What do you hope your kiddos have learned from you?
3. Discuss how your relationships with your kids and/or parents evolved from parent-child to adult-adult.
4. What expectations did you have for your children? How were you flexible if the expectations weren't met or changed?

Discussion Questions:
1. How has transition to motherhood affected your relationships with your parents?
2. What values or traditions have you adopted from your in-law relationships?
3. What are your expectations for the relationship between your child/children and extended family? How do you communicate these expectations?

Lastly, I hope that you all found time to work on your 'I Give Thanks' books with your kiddos and also spent some time completing your leaf project. We would love to post some pictures of what you all did with the leaves. Lesley did an awesome job making a thankful tree and I heard of someone else who chose to hang the leaves from their dining room chandelier.Blessings Ladies!

Homespun Bazaar!

Thank you to those of you who participated in the fundraiser this past weekend. The bazaar was a huge success because so many moms chose to participate by donating their 'homespun gifts'. A giant thank you to those who made crafts, volunteered to set-up or even work at the bazaar on Friday and Saturday. What a blessing! The fundraiser was a HUGE success...

Boring Breakfast Blues--A Cure!

We pretty much rotate through pancakes, waffles, french toast, and eggs for breakfast around this joint, but for some reason 'egg-in-the-hole' is hands-down the favorite. These pictures are of 'egg-in-the-star' and sometimes we make 'egg-in-the-guy', egg-in-the-flower or 'egg-in-the-heart'. I just lightly butter both sides of the bread, cut out a shape with a cookie cutter, and put it in the frying pan. I quickly add an egg, fry on both sides and voila....Egg-in-the-STAR!

Thank you to Gina for taking the time to let us all know what exactly are the times for all the Silverton Halloween events!

2:00 - 4:00pm Halloween Costume Contest at Citizens Bank parking lot next to bank on Main St., sponsored by Silverton Mural Society.

4:00 - 6:00pm Goblin Walk ...All downtown merchants displaying Goblin Walk sign will be handing out treats

7:00 - 9:00pm "Thriller" in the streets - The American Academy of Performing Arts Co. will presenting the second annual Silverton "Thriller" dance onMain St. between First and Second streets. They will perform about four times per hour. MOPS Moms like Enez & Gina will be performing!

7:00 - 9:00pm Fall Carnival = Lots of candy, carnival games, popcorn, apple bobbing, cake walk and more! Costumes allowed (no scary ones please) at Silver Creek Fellowship, 822 Industry Way.

As you can see, there are lots of exciting things going on this Halloween. Hope to see you all out and about tonight with your 'super-cute kiddos'. Be safe and have a Happy Halloween!

Slimy Bath Toys!

Does anyone else's kiddos' bath toys get slimy and nasty? I feel like I clean bath toys CONSTANTLY! And I am pretty stinkin' meticulous even do say so myself. It takes some bleach and a toothbrush to get the yucky stuff off and half the time I end up tossing the toys anyways. The bath toys at your house may not get as gross as ours (because we have well water) but nevertheless I found a much more acceptable solution: RUN THEM THROUGH THE DISHWASHER! I got this little hint from a friend this last week and I feel as though my life has been forever improved upon! Okay so it probably isn't that drastic, but this mama was pleased to find a simpler solution to a household dilemma. Blessings!

Stumped for Dinner?

Mom's Night Out!

This Friday is Mom's Night Out! Please join us for fellowship, snacks (bring your favorite to share), and crafts. We will be working together to create the tags for the upcoming fundraser bazaar at the Silverton Friends Church. Many hands make light work! We can't wait to see you and spend some much needed time RELAXING and VISITING! I believe the time is 7-9 pm! See you all then. Blessings!

Focus on the Family & Plugged In

Undoubtedly many of you have heard of, and read reviews on Plugged In... http://www.pluggedin.com/ . You can link there from the Focus on the Family website, and it offers faith based reviews on music, games and movies. It offers a synopsis of the film as well as any potential oppostions to your faith based teaching at home. I have found it to be a real blessing in deciding whether or not to attend a movie myself or with kiddos as well as checking out whether a movie sounds like a good flick or not! No one wants to spend eight or nine bucks to get into a film that they find offensive and rude only to have to leave early! Check out these faith based reviews before you head to your next movie. Blessings!

October Meeting in photo....

Gina took some great pictures of the October give-aways! Friendship Bread, Great Harvest Bread, Coffee and Muffins, Thai food lunch....all things to encourage being with a friend to develop friendships that will help sustain us on Planet Mom! Never miss a meeting...there are way too many great prizes and a whole lot of fun gals to visit with. Serious props to Annie Schacher (CARE group leader) for blessing her table with some great treats. I think I might make a Halloween BINGO game for my kiddos now! Great idea Annie! I included a picture in case some of you didn't get to see the Halloween BINGO game boards!

October at a Glance!

Our October MOPS meeting proved to be an exciting one! We focused on friendship....being authentic, being a good friend in practical terms, and how our friendships change once arriving on Planet Mom. We had some great give-aways thanks to our October business partners and made some new friends while speed-friending (kind of like speed dating, right?). What a blessing to be able to come together, EAT FOOD, and enjoy the amazing company of other moms! Thanks for taking the time to be there ladies. I just wanted to take a moment to remind us of some of the announcements:

1. Sign up to follow this blog and be entered into a drawing for a FABULOUS prize at our November meeting. Please....I need the encouragment.

2. Check out our MOPS library after the meeting. There are some great books and great magazines. If you find a great book, send me a quick summary & review of it. I would love to put it on the blog so we can all check it out!

3. Dont' forget to be working on your home-made what-nots (crafts, baked goodies, home decor, and the list goes on and on) for the upcoming fundraising bazaar at the Silverton Friends Church. This is a great opportunity to support the MOPS group as well as get your product to be seen. If we all participate this can be a huge success!

4. Bring a wrapped shoe box full of goodies for either a boy or girl ages 2-4, 5-9, or 10-13. Keep the age and gender in mind while shopping for small toys, school supplies and toiletry items. No guns, knives, liquids, lotions, hairspray or anything else that might leak, explode or cause trauma to a child from a war torn country. Please include $7.00 shipping with your box if at all possible. Just a reminder that we will be collecting these at the November MOPS meeting to ensure they make it to their destination by Christmas. What an amazing opportunity to teach our kiddos that it is better to give than to receive. It is also a wonderful way to teach our kiddos empathy and encourage sacrifice and caring. Just a little tidbit: Target's dollar section has great stickers, small toys, crayons, notepads and other items. I'm sure the Dollar Tree is full of great stuff too! Let's all try to participate as much as we are able. Thanks in advance Ladies!

October Business Partners!

We wanted to send out a great big thank you to our October business partners. Let's support these local businesses ladies!

1. Rolling Hills Bakery
2. Gear Up
3. Thai Dish Cuisine

A Look Back at September

Table Decor on Planet Mom! September was an exciting introduction to the new theme of Together on Planet Mom. Each table created a unique version of what Planet Mom looks like in their universe. The posters were splashed with magazine cutouts of things from diapers, sippy cups, and toys to things like purses, high heels and running shoes! It was a wonderful reminder of how much we all have in common on Planet Mom as well as how beautifully different we all are! I laughed out loud as I looked over each poster in preperation for completing and laminating them. I got a sense of each woman in our group and her heart as well as what makes her laugh and cry. I hope you find humor in the posters as you glance at them each week while making small talk at your table. I hope they strike up intriguing conversation about dreams, hopes and daily realities. Blessings!

MOPS Meeting Tomorrow!

Tomorrow is our October MOPS meeting! We can't wait to see you all there and don't forget to bring your idea for the fundraising bazaar. We have such crafty ladies in our group....I can't wait to see what you all have come up with! Blessings...see you tomorrow!

Welcome Isaac Mulkey!

Congratulations to Nate and Michelle Mulkey on the birth of their newest blessing Isaac David Mulkey born at 2:30 a.m. on Oct. 2nd, 9 lbs. 10 oz. and 21 inches long. What a doll!

1st Friday Play-date!

It was such a blessing to see all of you wonderful gals at the play date this morning! The kiddos had a great time burning some energy, the moms got some much needed gab and fellowship time and we all had some terriffic snacks too! Can't wait to see you all next month!

Children's Tylenol Recall!

Hey there all you MOPS moms! We thought you might want to check this link out and see if any of your supply is affected!

http://www.nowpublic.com/health/tylenol-recall-2009-list-infant-and-childrens-tylenol-recall

Book Reviews with Sara Trott!

Radical Womanhood by Carolyn McCulley
http://www.radicalwomanhood.com/

One of the books I heard about and I read this summer was not a parenting book. Surprise! But I do think it has helped me with some of the issues that I face being a mother, a wife, and a woman. The book, Radical Womanhood, covers many of the issues that we deal with as women in today's society. The subtitle of the book is feminine faith in a feminist world, and it does just that. It gives biblical principles that counter the arguments made by feminists in the past and today.

Whether we know it or not, we have all been influenced by the feminist movement. From the roles of men and women to the Mommy Wars, feminism has affected every aspect of our lives. Radical Womanhood gives a good history of how we got here, covering the four waves of feminism and giving the biblical view to the issues feminism has brought out to the open.
The book, and I agree, makes clear that some of the things the feminist fought for were not all bad, but it also points out where it went too far.

I greatly enjoyed the chapter on the history of the home and the chapter describing the fourth wave of feminism. Both subjects I have not thought much about and appreciated learning. As a stay-at-home mom, the chapter on the Mommy Wars was very good and expressed many of the conflicts I faced when deciding to have children. Many of you will see yourself in the pages of this book.

This book is easy to read and not a long, scholarly textbook. It is well written with personal stories the author has gathered from other women to illustrate the biblical principles made in this book. I would highly recommend reading this book to give you an idea of where we come from as woman and what the Bible calls us to.

And remember, you don’t have to buy a book to read it. Check out your library to see if they have it and if they don’t, they can loan it for you from other libraries. Ask your librarian how to do an inter-library loan if you are interested.

Good reading!
By Sara Trott

September Business Sponsors!

Thank you to the following sponsors for donating to Silverton MOPS this month! Without these generous sponsors our meetings wouldn't be nearly as exciting!

Preggie Pops!
What are Preggie Pops?Preggie Pops are naturally flavored and specially formulated lollipops made for pregnant women. For generations, women have sought out certain natural therapies to ease morning sickness. As healthcare professionals, we have developed a solution: convenient, delicious, high quality and all natural lollipops. Preggie Pops offer relief via a combination of essential oils, aromatherapy and our unique delivery system. In addition, our Preggie Pops alleviate dry mouth, provide quick calories and energy during labor, and are an overall soothing and comforting way to address the needs of pregnant women. Preggie Pops are also drug free and healthcare provider recommended.
http://www.threelollies.com/

Fir Point Farms!
Our 35 acre farm features old growth fir trees, acres of sun-drenched flowers, a shaded Nature Trail and stunning views of Mt. Hood. Browse the greenhouses and herb garden, cut your own bouquet from the U-Pick Flower Field, visit with the farm animals and shop in the Country Market full of fresh, local produce, gifts and gourmet food items focusing on the great Northwest.Fir Point Farms is home of the famous Tree-Climbing Goats, Tillamook Ice Cream Cones and the Harvest Festival!
http://firpointfarms.com/

Check it out!

Some fun toddler activities...art, food and more. Check it out!http://fun.familyeducation.com/early-learning/family-learning/33372.html

Congratulations Annie Schacher!

Dan and Andrea Schacher welcomed Spencer Timothy into the world on August 14th at 10:28 pm....6 lbs. 8 oz. and 18 1/2 inches long. What a blessing! Congrats Dan, Annie and Big Sister Marissa.

Upcoming meeting dates and activities!

Be watching for these magnets at our first MOPS meeting. Keep them on your fridge as a reminder of our upcoming meetings and activities...Believe me, you don't want to miss out! There are so many exciting things in store this year. Blessings!

The Power of a Praying Parent

Next to my kitchen sink stands a 'flip calendar' filled with quotes from Stormie Omartian's book, The Power of a Praying Parent. I love staring at it and meditating on the thoughts it shares. The pages of the calendar are swollen from being constantly splattered with water. They are a constant reminder that our kiddos need to be bathed in prayer, not just soap and water. The battle between flesh and blood is real and our children are in the mix.



"We want our children to be known for their goodness. We want our children to be attractive to others because of their purity. This doesn't just happen. It must be taught. And although we can do much to teach our children, the real teacher is the Holy Spirit." -August 10th

Together on Planet Mom MOPS Theme for 2009-10

The MOPS Experience equips women for the joys and challenges of their lives as moms. One key factor in the MOPS Experience is the relationships built within a group. Time and time again, MOPS moms share that the friends they make in MOPS are significant for this season of their life and on into their future. God created us for relationship! It’s one of the defining parts of being human.
However, when you become a mom, all your relationships change. It’s like you have landed on a different planet—Planet Mom—and the relationships on Planet Mom don’t look like the ones on your previous planet. Your relationship with yourself is different—you are a mom! Your relationship with your husband, girlfriends, extended family, community and God have all changed. Many of these changes are positive, some are not. Even positive change requires adjustments on your part.

During the 2009-10 MOPS year, we will explore how to thrive in relationships Together on Planet Mom.

The theme book for 2009-10 is Life on Planet Mom: A Down to Earth Guide to Your Changing Relationships by Lisa T. Bergren. The book is part of the MOPS International Membership benefit. All the moms and Mentors in your group will want to be equipped with this resource as together they learn to navigate the relationships on Planet Mom.

The foundation of being Together on Planet Mom is that God is with us and we are created for relationship with him and each other. We are created to “do life” together. This is definitely true for us as both moms and leaders. The more we draw together in community, the better we are able to thrive as women and moms. And in MOPS leadership, we are better together than individually, which is why the emphasis in MOPS leadership is working together on a team. This life together is underlined in our theme verse for the year, where Jesus promises: “For where two or three come together ... there am I with them.” (Matthew 18:20