Corn & Pickles

...no, sadly, that is not the latest pregnancy craving craze!  Those two vegetables, are in fact, the only two (besides green beans) that my kiddo will eat!  Lucky me!  Because of this, I spend a good amount of time trying to hide veggies in his other food (primarily pancakes).  If you have the same problem (like I suspect a few of you do), here is a good recipe to sneak in some pumpkin, some fruit (if you sub applesauce for the oil), and a whole bunch of fiber!  I make these a lot, and they get gobbled up in no time! Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins
(Recipe from Rogue River Rendezvous, 1992)

2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp allspice
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 cups canned pumpkin
1 cup vegetable oil (or sub 1/2 cup with applesauce)
1 cup bran cereal or 1 1/2 cups bran flakes
6 ounces chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees
-In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour and the next 8 ingredients (through sugar), and set aside.
-In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat eggs until foamy; add pumpkin, oil, and cereal, mix well.  Add to sifted flour mixture, stirring only until combined.  Stir in chocolate chips & nuts.  Spoon evenly into greased muffin tins.
-Bake for 30-40 minutes; cool completely before removing.

Not Just A Mom...

Such a great story! Enjoy!

A woman named Emily renewing her driver's license at the county clerk's office was asked by the woman recorder to state her occupation.  She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself.   "What I mean is," explained the recorder, "do you have a job, or are you just a... "Of course I have a job," snapped Emily. "I'm a mother."

"We don't list 'mother' as an occupation... 'housewife' covers it," said the recorder emphatically.

I forgot all about her story until one day I found myself in the same situation, this time at our own Town Hall. The Clerk was obviously a career woman, poised, efficient, and possessed of a high sounding title like, "Official Interrogator" or "Town Registrar." "What is your occupation?" she probed. What made me say it, I do not know... The words simply popped out. "I'm a Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations."

The clerk paused, ballpoint pen frozen in midair, and looked up as though she had not heard right.

I repeated the title slowly, emphasizing the most significant words. Then I stared with wonder as my pronouncement was written in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.

"Might I ask," said the clerk with new interest, "just what you do in your field?"

Coolly, without any trace of fluster in my voice, I heard myself reply, "I have a continuing program of research, (what mother doesn't), in the laboratory and in the field, (normally I would have said indoors and out). I'm working for my Masters, (the whole darned family), and already have four credits, (all daughters). Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities, (any mother care to disagree?) and I often work 14 hours a day, (24 is more like it). But the job is more challenging than most run-of-the-mill careers and the rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money."

There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk's voice as she completed the form, stood up, and personally ushered me to the door.

As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants - ages 13, 7, and 3. Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model, (a 6 month old baby), in the child-development program, testing out a new vocal pattern.

I felt triumphant! I had scored a beat on bureaucracy! And I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable to mankind than "just another mother."

Motherhood...What a glorious career! Especially when there's a title on the door. Does this make grandmothers "Senior Research Associates in the field of Child Development and Human Relations" and great grandmothers "Executive Senior Research Associates"? I think so!!! I also think it makes Aunts "Associate Research Assistants".

Welcome Fall!

Thank you to all of you to helped kick off our 2010-2011 season of MOPS last Friday!  It was so nice to see everyone again, to share some yummy breakfast, and great conversation and fellowship!  I was so caught up in the excitement that I completely forgot to take any pictures...I promise to be better at the next meeting! **Remember to mark your calendars for October 15th!**

I'm not sure about you, when fall officially starts, anything and everything pumpkin enters my mind, but usually the first and most prominent is any type of edible pumpkin treat!  Here is a recipe I found for Pumpkin Pie Pudding, that is actually healthy, and that kids (well, at least mine) love! Oh, and extra bonus, your kiddos get some veggies and they don't even know it! Yahoo!

Pumpkin Pie Pudding

Ingredients

• 2  cups  2% reduced-fat milk
• 3/4  cup  dark brown sugar
• 1/4  cup  cornstarch
• 2  large eggs
• 1  cup  canned pumpkin
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  pumpkin-pie spice

Preparation

Whisk milk, sugar, and cornstarch in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Boil 3 minutes, whisking constantly. Beat eggs with a whisk in a large bowl. Gradually add half the hot milk mixture to the beaten eggs. Return milk-egg mixture to pan. Cook over medium heat 3 minutes, or until thick, whisking constantly. Remove from heat; stir in pumpkin, salt, and pumpkin-pie spice. Spoon evenly into 6 (6-ounce) custard cups. Let cool, and chill for about 30 minutes, or until pudding is set.

Calories: 168
Fat: 3gCholesterol: 77mg
Protein: 5g
Carbohydrate: 30g
Fiber: 1g
Iron: 1mg
Sodium: 214mg
Calcium: 134mg
Tracey Seaman, Health, NOVEMBER 2003

Enjoy! -Liz 

Hello Mamas! Few reminders and announcements to get to our last month rolling. Hope everyone is doing well so far and can’t wait to see you all at our LAST meeting...just sad but looking forward for summer!


***Friends Church/Silverton Christian School is having a Plant Sales since yesterday and will be today as well Sat. starting at 9AM. I’ve seen those plants and they are sure beautiful and bountiful! I can’t wait to get a couple of hanging baskets! Time to dress up our porch/outside and make it cheery considering all the greys and rain. So come on out and boost your mood ;) You help benefit the school!
***Sara our awesome book review mom wants to send a reminder to please bring back books that have been checked out for a while. We will truly appreciate it. Since we missed her last month, we may have our last book review for the year.

***Spring Cleaning Time...pls. don’t forget to donate your stuff for our Annual MOPS Garage Sale to help fund for next year’s MOPS “) And Sign-up to volunteer to set up or help during our Garage Sale.

***Don’t forget to bring your check for our last meeting so you can have that discount rate of a $35.00 rate. Last til’ end of May. Register early!

***We had only 14 surveys filled out. Please make sure to fill one out at our next mtg. I can probably scan our survey and you can have it here on FB and you can mail it to myself, Gina or any other Steering Team (preferably Julie or Lesley).

***Next meeting, come “COMFY”...bring out the Yoga pants! I love em’! Anything comfy is loved.

HUGE THANKS FOR OUR MOPPETS DONATIONS!!! We will do a thank-you luncheon for them along with thank-you gifts. All you moms help make this happen as they make it happen for us by watching our wonderful kids.

THANK YOU & See you all soon! We are excited as always :) GOD bless you all in all you do! All of you are wonderful moms :)

Sisters...girlfriends...

A young wife sat on a sofa on a hot humid day,
drinking iced tea and visiting with her Mother.
As they talked about life, about marriage, about the
responsibilities of life and the obligations of
adulthood, the mother clinked the ice cubes in her
glass thoughtfully and turned a clear, sober glance
upon her daughter.

'Don't forget your Sisters,' she advised, swirling
the tea leaves to the bottom of her glass. 'They'll
be more important as you get older. No matter how
much you love your husband, no matter how much you
love the children you may have, you are still going
to need Sisters. Remember to go places with them now
and then; do things with them.'

'Remember that 'Sisters' can mean other women as well...
your girlfriends, your daughters, and all your other
women relatives too. 'You'll need other women. Women  always do.'

What a funny piece of advice!' the young woman
thought. Haven't I just gotten married?
Haven't I just joined the couple-world? I'm now a
married woman, for goodness sake! A grownup! Surely
my husband and the family we may start will be all I
need to make my life worthwhile!'

But she listened to her Mother. She kept contact
with her Sisters and made more women friends each
year. As the years tumbled by, one after another,
she gradually came to understand that her Mom really
knew what she was talking about. As time and nature
work their changes and their mysteries upon a woman,
Sisters are the mainstays of her life.

Time passes.
Life happens.
Distance separates.
Children grow up.
Jobs come and go.
Love waxes and wanes.
Men don't do what they're supposed to do.
Hearts break.
Parents die.
Colleagues forget favors.
Careers end.

BUT.........
Sisters are there, no matter how much time and how
many miles are between you. A girl friend is never too far away.

When you have to walk that lonesome valley and you
have to walk it by yourself, the women in your life
will be on the valley's rim, cheering you on,
praying for you, pulling for you, intervening on
your behalf, and waiting with open arms at the
valley's end. Sometimes, they will even break the rules and walk
beside you...Or come in and carry you out.

Girlfriends, daughters, granddaughters,
daughters-in-law, sisters, sisters-in-law, Mothers,
Grandmothers, aunties, nieces, cousins, and extended
family, all bless our life!

The world wouldn't be the same without women, and
neither would I. When we began this adventure called
womanhood (MOTHERHOOD), we had no idea of the incredible joys or
sorrows that lay ahead. Nor did we know how much we
would need each other.

Every day, we need each other still.

Mom's Night Out!

Check out the photos on facebook from our last Mom's Night Out! Thanks to Annabeth who planned this fun, game night!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Silverton-MOPS/230861230267?ref=nf#!/album.php?aid=371834&id=230861230267&ref=mf

Garage Sale!

Hey Ladies! We are looking ahead to our Annual Garage Sale coming up this June 17th-19th! This is our primary fundraiser, and the main reason we don't have to charge more than we do. We can all help out by volunteering, donating our used stuff, and shopping. Start a garage sale pile now and be prepared. We will be passing around sign up sheets at the March meeting....put it on your calendars now ladies.