MOPS at the Park

Monday, November 24, 2008

Like totally 80's Like Tahday -oh my gosh @ like Mops!

Oh My gosh! Like totally like everyone so like did the caveman thing & so completely went like waay completely out and was totally Rad! From, whew, can't do the lingo anymore, to flashdance attire, to swatches and big hair, neon colors from clothes to makeup- it was the 80's at Mops today!

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Mops Night Out

MNO @ Tuscany's was awesome! Who knew Apples to Apples game would be so much fun? Who knew I would have to know how to DRAW at MNO either!!!!!! Whatever game that was, it was all good! Loved the atmosphere in this place! Even got a picture of the guy playing the guitar- great night!
I am putting all these pictures on here- because I think everyone looks beautiful! Even Sherry H.!

The Guitar Man

Sheri, Sherry, Mia, Jen, Cindy & Jessica

Sheri, Christina, Sherry, Kelleye, Jen, Cindy & Jessica

We are ALL looking forward to 80's day at MOPS on Monday!

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Fun Day at Mops- Nov. 10th Meeting

Today was a relaxing day at Mops. One of our Mentor Moms. Ruth Anne (pictured) gave the Devotion today, loved her pictures of her son when he dumped the chow mein chinese noodles in the floor! Did you know that raw pre-boiled-"Ramen Noodles" taste just like Chow Mein noodles- only not?

We also made, decorated & filled little gift boxes for children in an Orphanage.

We have several Birthdays for November,(8)I think. Here are pictures of the first 4 and the next four we will celebrate next meeting! Happy Birthday- Tammy, Amy, Hilary, Lisa, Barabara, Sonya, Stephanie and Carole.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Pumpkin Patch @ DRI on Clack St.

Pumkin Patch Quiz
Can you tell in the picture below which one is the "Real Pumpkin?"

Fall's not breezy enough for ya? Just let these guys give ya a little push on the swing!

It was a good day to gather pumpkins.......Great pictures and do a little hay ride and pumpkin tossing(oh I forgot- the pumkin tossing was a No No !).

Mops has a great group of Moms and really cute kidlets!

Monday, October 20, 2008

MOPS Convention

About 6 women in our group went to the Annual MOPS convention this year. It was a first for most of us and we are already wanting to go back. I can't tell you how much fun we had. I learned so much about myself, my friends, my husband, and our God. Our Lord loves all of us so much and it was never more apparent then this weekend filled with Worship, Workshops, and Fellowship. Next year is going to be even more fantastic. The convention will be held in Nashville and the Gaylord Resort. I hope that we can all go as a group. Here are some photos....

The view from our room. The Gaylord is completely enclosed but you would never know it!

Cheesy pics...I know!

Thursday, October 16, 2008

A Day at the May Farm

We had a Terrific turn-out on Wed. for May Farms! Surprisingly it was really really cold but we had a blast! This is a really cute place to go. They do birthday parties as well. I think the lady that owned the farm said she has about 200-250 animals and believe me, she has got a little bit of everything! She even brought out little baby chicks for the kids to hold. Some got to lead around a baby donkey which was absolutely adorable! They held guinea pigs and pet sheep and a Llama - you name it- it was there! Not to mention we qualified for Nascar in just one lap on the very very fast trailer ride! It was a blast!

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Mom's Night Out

A great night was had by all of us at Coldstone. Lots of ice cream was consumed and lots of good conversation was enjoyed. Hope you can join us next time!

Some wives were nice and even bought some ice cream for their husbands. How sweet!

Mommy Moments

My mommy moment happens at swimming lessons. On the first day of swimming lessons, Tate refuses to get in the water- not even a toe nail. Eventually, the "head" swimming teacher comes up to me and says, "Well, do you want us to just carry him in and let him cry?" Absolutely! So, off we go to conduct a swimming intervention for my four year old. He ends up with his own personal swimming teacher who skillfully, yet unsuccessfully, tries to trick him into enjoying the water. The next day, Tate bolts at the mere mention of entering the pool. Literally- he takes off on a run around the outside edge of the pool. "Don't run, Tate!" the life guard yells. (Yes- they all know his name, today.) I march purposefully toward him, determined not to chase him, and command him to stop in my best low-toned "Super Nanny" voice. After a lap and a half and a "Come to Jesus" meeting in the YMCA restroom, he is convinced to sit near the pool. Finally, on the last day, I decide to try the "You don't have to do it if you don't want to" approach. The result? "Look at me go under the water, Mom! I can go under ten times. I can swim like an alligator! I can swim like a shark! I'm freakin' Michael Phelps!" (Ok- he didn't really say that last thing.)

Maxwell
______________________

I had just sat down to my computer planning to write story about when my oldest was 2 and she was potting training and decided to wet in the church parking lot after Sunday service. When my other daughter who is 19 months old walked in the room. I wasn't paying attention to her because she is supposed to be laying down taking a rest. I was hoping that she would turn back around and go lay down. But no. So I am sitting here logging in to the computer when I look down to see that she had taken her diaper off. She brought me the diaper and gave it to me. I then asked her why she took her diaper off. She just said something that sounded like potty and then proceeded to wet all over the floor. This morning she told me that she had "poo poo" in her diaper and sure enough she did. My Mommy Moment for the day. Potty training time, don't you think?

Cindy

MOPS Testimony

Who needs MOPS?
By Karyl Towell

MOPS was not for me. I had already been in a sorority in college and had no desire to be entangled with another large group of women again. Thankfully, God and my husband knew better and I agreed to go for the sake of our daughter and her yet-to-arrive sibling.
I’ll admit I don’t remember much from the first meeting except for making nametags which, again, reminded me of sorority life. Let’s just say I never got that cute lettering down, even after four years of trying. It’s the second meeting of the year that’s seared on my heart.
The Friday after my first MOPS experience I was in the hospital for surgery after my husband and learned that our second child was no longer to be. It was early in the pregnancy but since we had conceived our kids with help from modern day miracle workers – and this was our last shot at having another child – we had been celebrating with family and friends for some weeks and the loss hit us all hard. Still, the procedure went well and I found that you can still keep a toddler from scaling a bookshelf like it was Mount Everest even when your heart has cleaved in two.
Being super-mommy, super-wife, and just super-super, somehow I thought I could handle going back to my second MOPS meeting ten days later. To give you a full picture of the extent of my insanity I have to tell you it was also September 11, 2006 – the fifth anniversary of my uncle’s death at the Pentagon. Still, I managed to check my daughter in, go to the meeting room, and find my nametag. I had forgotten that we had decorated them with little spongy flower attachments to show how many kids we had. There were “Elizabeth” and “TBA [to be announced]” resting in my hands. I knew then I had nothing left to announce, or, at least, nothing I could bring myself to announce to near-strangers.
At that moment our unsuspecting Hospitality Team Leader came over and cheerfully asked, “how are you?” Well, that was all it took for my thinly constructed façade of I-can-handle-anything to come tumbling down. I began to cry and tell her just how I was: empty of heart and body and selfishly ashamed that I was not strong enough to come and fake it with the other mommies. She took me in hand to pray and found other Steering Team members and a mentor mom to speak with me as well. My grief overwhelmed my embarrassment and I sat quietly accepting their compassion and kleenexes.
The third meeting was probably the hardest one to attend. I think pride is one of the seven deadly sins because it often kills our ability to accept gifts from God’s hands here on earth. Fortunately, I no longer had the energy to be proud and headed back to MOPS. It was a wonderful year; I met friends that I hadn’t had as much fun with since, yes, my sorority days.
More importantly, over the course of that first year, I finally came to understand that it makes no sense to take on mothering preschoolers solo. No one scales the real Mount Everest alone. You go in teams for support and you find guides who have been there before. It’s a daunting, gritty task, but when you stop for a moment and look around, the view is amazing. I will be sad when my daughter and I have to go back down but I know we’ll be ready and energized for our next adventure.