MOPS Christmas Party - Pictures

I guess I didn't get as many pictures as I thought. Maybe I should have given the picture taking task to someone else that night.

We had a nice time of relaxing, fellowship and as always when we get together....WAY TOO MUCH FOOD! It was all so delicious but we didn't even make a dent. Those of you who would like to share your recipes please email them to me and I will post them on the blog.

Beth - Don't forget to send me your infamous blueberry pie recipe! :)



Lisa must have been telling an interesting story because she definitely had every one's attention!



Always adorable Melissa with Brooklyn, who was tired of the paparazzi taking her picture.



Tiffany is always willing to give a beautiful smile for a picture! Thanks Tiffany



Natascha looks like such a natural with a baby in her arms. Come on Natascha don't you want another one?

December MOPS Meeting - Photos

We had a wonderful Christmas MOPS meeting a couple weeks ago. Here are some of the pictures I captured.



















Have a Merry Christmas and see you all in the new year!

Christmas Trifle Recipe

This is the recipe for the yummy dessert that Anita Bell brought to the MOPS Christmas Party.

(Picture from Taste of Home website)

Christmas Trifle Recipe

Ingredients
•1-6 oz green maraschino cherries .
•1 (16 oz) carton frozen whipped cream, thawed .
•1-10 oz red maraschino cherries .
•3 medium bananas, firm & sliced .
•2 (3 1/2 oz) packages vanilla instant pudding mix .
•1 (8 oz) can crushed pineapple .
•1-8 inch prepared angel food cake, cut into 1 inch cubes .
•3 1/2 c eggnog, chilled .
•1/4 c sliced walnuts

Directions
•Step #1 Drain pineapple, reserving juice.
•Step #2 Dip bananas in juice, drain & discard juice.
•Step #3 Set aside pineapple, bananas, three red cherries & three green cherries.
•Step #4 In a bowl, whisk the eggnog & pudding mixed for 2 mins or until slightly thickened.
•Step #5 Place half of the pudding in a 4 quart serving or trifle bowl, pineapple, layer with half of the bananas, cherries, cake cubes & whipped topping.
•Step #6 Repeat layers.
•Step #7 Garnish with walnuts & reserved cherries.
•Step #8 Serves 16-20.

MOPS Christmas Party!!!

JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON

Please join us on December 12th for a well deserved "Mom's Night Out Christmas Edition". We will have scrumptious desserts, delicious coffee, and some much needed, time of relaxing fellowship with great friends.

If you have time to make a sample of your favorite dessert, please bring some to the party (and copies of the recipe) to share with everyone. We know this time of year can be very busy so if don't find time to make something, please still join us!

Location: Boggs' House
When: Saturday, December 12, 6:30PM

Email me if you need more information or directions!

Advent Calendar

I've been searching the internet for ideas on making an Advent Calendar (or what we are calling a Jesus Birthday Countdown). I found one I really liked on a website called splitcoaststampers.com . A woman by the name of Beate Johns from the Dayton area posted her step by step instructions on how to put it together. I finished mine and thought it turned out really cute so I thought I would pass along the information. Although it looks like it would take a lot of time I actually got it finished pretty quickly.

These are the supplies I used:

- One 16" x 20" blank Canvas (another idea would be a cookie sheet with magnets)

- 24 metal tins (2" diameter Wilton® favor tins, available at Michaels in the wedding favor section) (I bought these with my 40% weekly coupon and they cost me $12)

- Patterned Christmas Paper

- Coordinating Cardstock

- Number Stamps (you could buy number stickers if you don't have stamps)

- Stamping Ink

- Strong and regular adhesive ("Terrific Tape" and double stick tape)

- Ribbon (optional)

- Paper cutter (my paper cutter never cuts straight so I just used a ruler)

- 24 piece of Velcro (about 1 inch long)

I followed most of her instructions found HERE but her measurements for the spacing of the squares didn't work out right for me. Just make sure you measure to see if everything will fit before you start attaching anything. Her calendar had a little more "bling" to it than mine.





I typed a list of 24 Bible Verses and cut them into strips and put one in each tin. Here are the verses we used:

Day 1 - Isaiah 7:14
Day 2 - Isaiah 9:6-7
Day 3 - John 1:1-3
Day 4 - John 1:14
Day 5 - Micah 5:2-3
Day 6 - Micah 5:4-5
Day 7 - Luke 1:26-28
Day 8 - Luke 1:29-31
Day 9 - Luke 1:32-33
Day 10 - Luke 1:35
Day 11 - Matthew 1:20-24
Day 12 - Luke 1:41-45
Day 13 - Luke 2:1-5
Day 14 - Luke 2:6-7
Day 15 - Luke 2:8-10
Day 16 - Luke 2:11-12
Day 17 - Luke 2:13-14
Day 18 - Luke 2:15-16
Day 19 - Luke 2:17
Day 20 - Matthew 2:1-2
Day 21 - Matthew 2:9-10
Day 22 - Matthew 2:11
Day 23 - Hebrews 1:6
Day 24 - 1 John 4:2



I grew up with a lot of traditions, especially at Christmas. Those traditions are a very special memory from my childhood. Now I want to create special memories for my children with family traditions. Through these traditions I want to teach them more about the most amazing gift you could ever receive......JESUS!

JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON!!!

Holiday Stress

Three Ways to Relieve Stress Before the Holidays Arrive
taken from Familylife.com
written by Susan Yates

Just the other day I was chatting with some friends, primarily mothers of young children. They were already feeling anxious about the holiday events now being scheduled. In addition, they were worried about different family members coming to visit.

Finally one commented, "I just want to get through it. I want it to be over!"

We can all identify with this in some way. It is indeed a sad commentary on our culture and on our lifestyles. What is meant to be a season of celebration has today become a season of stress.

What can we do to alleviate some of the stress and recapture a sense of the true spirit of Thanksgiving and Christmas before they arrive?

Three things will help:

1. Lower your expectations. The media often creates a vision of the holidays as a time of warm family relationships, relatives sitting by the fire roasting chestnuts, children happily giving and receiving, and, of course snow falling everywhere. Families sick with Swine Flu, kids fighting over toys, a dad who isn't there, estranged relatives, a schedule way too full, an unexpected emergency, and the lack of funds are rarely pictured. It is so easy for us to become swept up in what we think it should look like as opposed to the reality. And we tend to think we're the only ones—surely no one else's life is like mine!

We need to define realistic expectations for this coming season. Brainstorm with your husband or close girlfriend. Ask yourself what you can do to obey the great commandments (love God, and love your neighbor) during this season. How can you lower your expectations on relationships and grant grace instead of succumbing to disappointment? How can you prepare your children to understand the real meaning of this season?

2. Simplify your lifestyle. I have found one of the leading causes of stress is that we try to cram too much into these days. We live in a culture that screams, "The more the better!" And yet often less is definitely better. Instead of watching your calendar fill up, go ahead now and block out personal time, couple times, and family times. Then when that really nice invitation comes along, have the courage to say, "I'm so sorry we have a conflict." It is far easier to set boundaries before the commitments start to pile up.

We can also simplify our own traditions. Do you really need to decorate your mailbox because all the other neighbors do? Do you have to give gifts to every family member? Because my husband, John, and I have large families, we've always drawn names for siblings and their spouses. So we each give one gift to one sibling or spouse. Our own five children and their spouses draw names between each other as well. It simplifies gift giving and saves money, too.

3. Determine what you can delete or postpone. You may have a tradition of a cookie bake with girlfriends. But do you really need to do it at this time? Why not postpone it until the end of January when life is not so packed? You'll relieve stress and enjoy it more. Or those couples you do a Christmas event with every year ... why not postpone this gathering until a date in the winter? Look at what you have done in the past and determine what to eliminate this year. Be courageous and eliminate one or two things you usually do and instead declare a family night at home alone. It helps to remember that every time you say "yes" to something, you should say "no" to something else.

This coming season is a time to "Be still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10). We have to be ruthless with our schedules and grant extra grace in our relationships if we want to soak in the miracles of this season.

Late Fees

Just a quick post of some information my husband and I learned over the past week.

Did you know that as of October 1st, 2009, you'll have to pay another $20 if you are more than 7 days late renewing your plates or license. And if you have multiple cars, those late fees can add up quickly.

Here is an example:

The birth date your vehicles are registered under is November 1st.....you have until November 8th to renew your vehicle tags before they charge a $20 fee.

This late fee is also applicable for your driver's license renewal.

Recipe - Scotcheroos

I made a batch of these for Stephanie Albert....ask her how they taste! I thought they were VERY yummy!

Scotcheroos
recipe from Cookie Madness



6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light Karo Syrup
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup butterscotch morsels
1 cup semi-sweet or milk chocolate morsels

Line a 13×9 inch metal pan with non-stick foil or line with regular foil and spray with cooking spray.

Put the cereal in a big mixing bowl and set aside.

Combine the sugar and corn syrup in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat to dissolve the sugar. Mixture will go from foggy to clear.

Remove from heat and stir in the peanut butter. Pour over the cereal and stir well. Press tightly into pan.

In a bowl set over barely simmering water or using a low setting on microwave, melt the butterscotch chips and chocolate chips together. Pour the melted chip mixture over the krispies and let chocolate cool and set. This should take a few hours. You can speed things up by refrigerating, but the bars will be a little harder to slice.

When set, lift foil from pan and set bars on a cutting board. Cut into squares.

Makes 20-24

Devotion - The Struggle

Written by Christie Blackwood ( a guest writer on Internet Cafe Devotions)

A couple days ago my husband and I were each changing a diaper (I would like to take this time to praise my husband as he has still changed more diapers then me up to this point - to all the single ladies...make "will change a diaper" a prerequisite...:). I had just finished explaining to our dear nine month old that if he would just stop struggling and cooperate, things would go a lot faster and smoother and he could be off crawling and chewing on the nearest object in the blink of an eye. Then I heard my husband in the next room also explaining the merit of being "still" while being diapered, to our two year old.

The same kind of thing happened today. My oldest had just finished a "feesee" (freezie) and was covered in purple juice. He wanted to keep playing but I saw the wisdom in getting him cleaned up before he stained his clothes and everything else in reach. It would have been over in probably 4 seconds had he just been still but the power struggle that ensued made the whole process quite longer and more unpleasant. A minute later, all cleaned up, he huffs on his way back to his important toddler schedule of playing with sticks and chasing the dog.

I found myself smiling at my likeness in my child...not physical looks (he looks just like his dad) but in the way he struggles with the things that are good for him and makes the process longer and sometimes, more unpleasant, than necessary.

Don't I do the same thing with my Father?

I fight against trusting Him fully because I'm afraid of what it might mean - what it might take away. I fight against giving up a grudge because it would mean that, in my eyes, justice wasn't done. I fight against giving that extra money because I see all the things I need it for myself.

The Israelites did this too. They fought against the way God wanted to set them free from Egypt ("You're taking us to the desert?!"). They fought against the way He provided for them ("Manna again?!"). They fought against who God gave them as a leader ("Aaron, you lead us!"). They fought against entering their freedom ("The giants are too big for us!"). I read that the trip from Egypt to Canaan actually only takes 3-4 days. Taking into account the number of people and the animals that were with them, it probably would have taken a little longer but I wonder if the forty years of wandering in the desert would have been cut a lot shorter had they not stopped struggling with God, trusted Him and let Him lead?

I can't see the future or the reasons behind a lot of what God does but one thing I do know, is that He tells me not to lean on my own understanding (stop trying to figure it all out) but to trust in Him with my whole heart (Prov.3:4-5). I pray that as I grow in Him, I stop the struggle and let Him do what He wants to do in my life.

I don't want to be left with purple juice on my face..;)

Easy Recipe - Chocolate Covered Toffee

I tried this recipe tonight so I could bring some to the MOPS Zone meeting on Saturday. It was SUPER easy and delicious!

Recipe from In Good Taste


Chocolate Covered Toffee

Ingredients:

40 saltine crackers (about 1 1/2 sleeves)
3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks)
1 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 - 2 cups milk chocolate chips
1 cup chopped almonds

Directions:

1. Line a baking sheet or jelly roll pan with aluminum foil and grease or spay with PAM. Lay saltine crackers in a single layer in the pan.

2. Preheat oven to 400F. Meanwhile, in a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter, stirring constantly. Add brown sugar and stir until combined. Bring to a rolling boil for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and pour butter/sugar mixture over saltines.

3. Bake at 400F for 5 minutes or until bubbly.

4. Remove from oven and before crackers cool, sprinkle chocolate chips over the top. Allow it to set for 5 minutes or until the chocolate chips are melted and spread across the crackers with a knife or large spatula. Sprinkle chopped nuts
across the top, if desired.

5. Let tray cool in the refrigerator for approximately 2 hours, or until candy is chilled. Break into pieces and store in a tin for up to 3 days.

"Right From The Start" Series

I came across a video series presented by Dennis and Barbara Rainey from Family Life. The topic is "A Biblical Approach To Early Childhood Discipline". I watched the first session and thought it was wonderful! I was encouraged and reminded of the responsibilities God has given me as a parent. If you have the time (the first session is about 30 minutes) I would encourage you to check it out.

Here is what the "Listener's Guide" says in the Introduction:



Of all the titles we may be given in life, none is more honorable than parent. That little person who relies on you for the basics of food, clothing, and shelter will also take from you bigger things—like character, integrity, and a spiritual belief system. Your job is huge. And it starts now.

We’d like to fast-forward you to some landmark moments that you will hopefully enjoy in the future—graduations, recognition of achievements at school and on the job, engagements, weddings—moments when your eyes will glisten and your heart will race as you watch your children reap the benefits of their good choices. Their successes will be your blessings. And we hope and pray there will be many. But between now and those future days of reward there will also be countless moments of demand and concern when your parenting skills, and your patience, will be stretched to the limit.

Would you like some help?

We don’t have all the answers, but we have learned a few things in our parenting journey. And we’d like to share some of those with you in these pages and on the companion videos. In particular, we’ll discuss the earliest years of parenting—from the day you bring your bundle of joy home from the hospital to his or her fifth year. Those infant and toddler years set a pattern for all the years that follow. It’s best to get it right . . . from the start.

Click HERE to watch the first session......Let me know what you think about it.

Campfire & Marshmallows

Although my boys have never actually been camping {in the great outdoors}, we camp all the time in our living room. When I came across this craft idea I thought it was perfect for our "camping trips". If you're like me and keep and the empty paper towel rolls, because you know there is something you can use them for.....this is the craft!

I found the instructions for this on familycorner.com. I'm sure they have a lot of other great ideas on their website also. I just haven't have the opportunity to look.

Cardboard Tube Campfire & Marshmallows
by Amanda Formaro

Children love to pretend, so nurture that creative side by making this easy campfire and roasting marshmallows from toilet paper rolls and cotton balls. Your child will love pretending she's roasting tasty treats on an open fire!

What You Need

6 cardboard tubes
brown acrylic or poster paint
large paintbrush
tissue paper: yellow, red and orange (I only used red because I didn't have any orange or yellow at the house)
2 twigs (no way was I going to give my boys twigs so I wrapped long pieces of cardboard with tape)
cotton balls (have a few on hand, I glued 3 set on in one day, but maybe it was just my boys)
white craft glue
hot glue gun

What you do

Paint all cardboard tubes with brown paint and let dry. repeat for a second coat if needed.



Cut tissue paper into three squares for each color. The yellow squares should be a little larger than the orange and the orange should be a little larger than the red.

Glue cotton balls to the ends of twigs for marshmallows.

Arrange cardboard tubes into a pile, you will need three of the tubes to be pointing upward with some room in the center of the pile where the tissue paper will be.

Use a hot glue gun to quickly tack them together, but reinforce with white glue as it holds together better.

Place a square of red tissue paper into the palm of your hand, lay a piece of orange on top of that and a piece of yellow on top of the orange square.

Stick your pointing finger into the center of the yellow square and close your palm around your finger. Hold tissue paper in place and remove your finger.

Put some glue on the end of the gathered tissue that is in your palm and insert it into one of the open cardboard tubes that are sticking up at the top of the campfire pile.

repeat this process for all the other two sets of tissue paper and glue into the remaining two tube that are pointing upward.

For added stability, and to make this easier for your child to carry, glue the entire project to a piece of sturdy cardboard to create a base. You can even create some pretend rocks to go around the campfire!

A little humor to start the day....

Thinking of Having Kids?
Do This 10 Step Program First

Lesson 1
Before you finally go ahead and have children, find a couple who already are parents and berate them about their...

1. Methods of discipline
2. Lack of patience
3. Appallingly low tolerance levels
4. Allowing their children to run wild
5. Suggest ways in which they might improve their child's breastfeeding, sleep habits, toilet training, table manners, and overall behavior.

Enjoy it because it will be the last time in your life you will have all the answers.

Lesson 2
A really good way to discover how the nights might feel...

1. Get home from work and immediately begin walking around the living room from 5pm to 10pm carrying a wet bag weighing approx. 8-12 pounds, with a radio turned to static (or some other obnoxious sound) playing loudly.
2. At 10pm, put the bag down gently, set the alarm for midnight, and go to sleep.
3. Get up at midnight and walk around the living room again, with the bag, until 1am.
4. Set alarm for 3am.
5. As you can't get back to sleep, get up at 2am and watch an infomercial.
6. Go to bed at 2:45.
7. Get up at 3am when alarm goes off.
8. Sing songs quietly in the dark until 4am.
9. Get up. Make breakfast. Get ready for work and go to work (work hard and be productive.)
Repeat steps 1-9 each night. Keep this up for 3-5 years. Look cheerful and together.

Lesson 3
Can you stand the mess children make? To find out...

1. Smear peanut butter onto the sofa and jam onto the curtains.
2. Hide a piece of raw chicken behind the stereo and leave it there all summer.
3. Stick your fingers in the flower bed.
4. Then rub them on the clean walls.
5. Take your favorite book, photo album, etc. Wreck it.
6. Spill milk on your new pillows. Cover the stains with crayons. How does that look?

Lesson 4
Dressing small children is not as easy as it seems.

1. Buy an octopus and a small bag made out of loose mesh.
2. Attempt to put the octopus in the bag so that none of the arms hang out.
Time allowed for this- all morning.

Lesson 5
Forget the BMW and buy a mini-van. And don't think that you can leave it out in the driveway spotless and shining. Family cars don't look like that.

1. Buy a chocolate ice cream cone and put it in the glove compartment. Leave it there.
2. Get a dime. Stick it in the CD player.
3. Take a family size package of chocolate cookies. Mash them into the back seat. Sprinkle Cheerios all over the floor, them smash them with your foot.
4. Run a garden rake along both sides of the car.

Lesson 6
Go to the grocery store. Take the closest thing you can find to a pre-school child. (A full-grown goat is an excellent choice). If you intend to have more than one child, then definitely take more than one goat. Buy your week's groceries without letting the goats out of your sight. Pay for everything the goats eat or destroy. Until you can easily accomplish this, do not even contemplate having children.

Lesson 7
1. Hollow out a melon.
2. Make a small hole in the side.
3. Suspend it from the ceiling and swing it from side to side.
4. Now get a bowl of soggy Cheerios and attempt to spoon them into the swaying melon by pretending to be an airplane.
5. Continue until half the Cheerios are gone.
6. Tip half into your lap. The other half, just throw up in the air.
You are now ready to feed a 9 month-old baby.

Lesson 8
Learn the names of every character from all shows on PBS, the Disney Channel and Noggin. Watch nothing else on TV but shows from these channels for at least 5 years. (I know, you're thinking "what is Noggin?") Exactly the point.

Lesson 9
Make a recording of Fran Drescher saying 'mommy' repeatedly. (Important: no more than a four second delay between each 'mommy'; occasional crescendo to the level of supersonic jet is required). Play this tape in your car everywhere you go for the next four years. You are now ready to take a long trip with a toddler.

Lesson 10
Start talking to an adult of your choice. Have someone else continually tug on your skirt hem, shirt sleeve, or elbow while playing the 'mommy' tape made from lesson 9 above. You are now ready to have a conversation with an adult while there is a child in the room.

Kroger - Donatos Deal

We thank Stephanie Albert for providing this information!




Large Donatos Take-n-Bake pizzas are on sale at Kroger this week for $6. You can freeze them and save them. It saves you $10 a pizza from ordering directly from Donatos.

Note, the pizzas do take a tad longer to bake than most. The directions are on the package.

Fall Finger Painting Idea

I came across this idea on a blog called Somewhat Simple (It was a guest post by Michelle from the blog A Little Tipsy). I tried it today with my 5 year old and it came out really cute so I thought I'd pass it along if you're looking for a new craft idea for the kids.

To see the pictures that go with this post click HERE.

Supplies needed:
• 12 x 12 cardstock
• Craft paints (Red, Yellow, Orange, Brown, Green)
• Foam brush
• Disposable plastic plate
• Hands

Directions:
1. Start by squirting some brown paint on the plate and using the foam brush to paint the non-hairy side your little ones hand and arm brown. Then, place it with the hand spread wide in the middle of the page for form the trunk and the branches of your tree. Wipe arm and hand clean.

2. Choose your next color and squirt it directly over the brown. Mix it a little to give it a somewhat swirly look and paint just the hand this time. Stamp on two to three “leaves” pointing the fingers outward.

3. Repeat with remaining paint colors continuing to squirt and mix the paint and use the hands to stamp. We alternated hands and I wiped them off between each color to minimize the mess.

4. Once the tree has the fullness and coloring you like, dip just a fingertip in the paint to make leaves on the ground beneath the tree. That’s it!! You’re done!

Tips for avoiding swine flu (and other viruses)

This information was provided by Natasha, one of our MOPS coordinators.

Dr. Vinay Goyal is an MBBS,DRM,DNB (Intensivist and Thyroid specialist) having clinical experience of over 20 years. He has worked in institutions like Hinduja Hospital ,Bombay Hospital , Saifee Hospital , Tata Memorial etc.. Presently, he is heading our Nuclear Medicine Department and Thyroid clinic at Riddhivinayak Cardiac and Critical Centre, Malad (W).

The following message given by him makes a lot of sense and is important for all to know...

The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat. In a global epidemic of this nature, it's almost impossible to avoid coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation is.

While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps, not fully highlighted in most official communications, can be practiced (instead of focusing on how to stock N95 or Tamiflu):

1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications).

2. "Hands-off-the-face" approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face (except to eat or bathe).

3. *Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don't trust salt). *H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/ nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don't underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.

4. Similar to 3 above, *clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water. *Not everybody may be good at using a Neti pot to clean nasal cavities, but *blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.*

5. *Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C (Amla and other citrus fruits). *If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.

6. *Drink as much of warm liquids (tea, coffee, etc) as you can. *Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe

Pumpkin Cheesecake

(I found this yummy recipe on http://thelongthread.com/?p=1332)
I haven't made it yet but I'm definitely going to soon!



This is not healthy, but it’s good for a special occasion. I love pumpkin cheesecake and can’t remember the recipe I have used in the past, so this is a combination of several recipes with some of my own ideas and preferences added. I am not afraid to fiddle with a recipe, which can lead to mixed results. But this one turned out pretty well, so here it is.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Make Crust:

1 package of graham crackers (approximately 9 full crackers)
1/2 stick of butter

Combine in a food processor and press by hand into a greased 9″ springform pan. Set aside.

Make Filling:

3 packages cream cheese (8 oz. each), softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 eggs
1 can pumpkin (15 oz.)
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

In a large bowl, combine first four ingredients with an electric mixer. Add remaining ingredients and mix on high speed until smooth and fluffy. Pour mixture into springform pan and tap to get out bubbles. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour and fifteen minutes (possibly longer) until set in the center. When it is set, turn off your oven and crack the oven door to let it cool slowly. I read somewhere that this helps prevent cracking, but mine cracked a bit anyway. The topping will hide any cracks!

Topping:

3 tablespoons melted butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 cup chopped walnuts

Mix together first three ingredients. Then add walnuts and pour over cooled cheesecake. Refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. Serve with fresh cinnamon whipped cream. Now go for a jog. I usually omit that last part.

Mom's Night Out - This Friday!

Just a reminder....
This Friday, October 23rd, is our Mom's Night Out.
We'll be meeting at the church for the Praise and Worship scheduled at 7pm. Come and join Travis Laws, our Worship Leader, the choir, and band for an incredible night of music and ministry.

After the praise and worship we will head to Cracker Barrel for some dessert and fellowship!

Emotional 2nd Meeting

Last Friday was our 2nd MOPS meeting of the year and it was definitely an emotional one. Terri Phillips opened the morning with an incredible devotion. She spoke of how God has used this last year, since she was diagnosed with cancer, to draw her closer to Him and depend only on Him. She shared a great letter that a friend sent to her just when she needed it.

This is God. Today I will be handling ALL of your problems for you. I do NOT need your help. So, have a nice day. I love you.

P.S. And, remember . . .
If life happens to deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle, do NOT attempt to resolve it yourself! Kindly put it in the SFGTD (something for God to do) box. I will get to it in MY TIME. All situations will be resolved, but in My time, not yours.

Once the matter is placed into the box, do not hold onto it by worrying about it. Instead, focus on all the wonderful things that are present in your life now.

Now, you have a nice day.

God

(I tried to find out who wrote this so I could give them credit, but I didn't have any success)

Leah Hobbs shared her testimony about how God has used her to help other mothers after the loss of an infant. She also shared about International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. The Month of October is National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Month and a special day has been designated for families who have experienced loss: at 7pm on October 15th babies who have passed will be remembered all around the world by the lighting of candles for one hour in an International Wave of Light.

To close out the meeting Shelby Wolfe and Jennifer Grossman helped us put together "Giving Jars". The jars are meant to be passed on from friend to friend. Each time filling the jar with a treat and a prayer.

Thank you to all who were able to join us last Friday and we look forward to seeing you all again next month.


Pastor Kim Panzino praying for Melissa Phillips and her 9 day old daughter, Brooklyn


This cutie patootie is Ben, his mom Julie Lester a member of MOPS.


The "Dimensional Divas" working on their Giving Jars.


The "Cosmic Countesses" working on their Giving Jars.


The "Shooting Stars" working on their Giving Jars.

Recipe - Lasagna Rolls

One of our MOPS moms (Billee Jean Butcher) has this awesome blog (http://heartofmykitchen.blogspot.com/) where she posts different recipes she tries with pictures and detailed instructions. I asked her if she'd be willing to share one of her recipes and she was more than happy to do so.

If you're looking for something new to try for dinner (or breakfast or dessert), check out her blog.

Lasagna Rolls (for details and pictures click HERE)

*************
Cheese Mixture:
1 15 oz container of Ricotta Cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
1 egg
garlic salt
Italian seasoning to taste

**************
10 lasagna noodles cooked and drained
pasta sauce

- Drain and cool noodles.
- Working on wax paper, spread cheese mixture 3/4th the way down the noodle.
- Roll and place in baking dish seam side down.
- Cover with your favorite pasta sauce, top with foil and bake in 425 degree oven for 20 mins or until sauce is bubbly.Top with more cheese and bake until golden brown.
- Let sit for 10 mins before serving.

Thanks for the Recipe Billee Jean!

October MOPS Meeting

We hope to see everyone at the October MOPS meeting this Friday, October 9th.
We'll be meeting in the Choir Room again (just follow the stars) at 9:30am.

Our topic of discussion will be....
My Galaxy or Yours?
Relationships with my friends
Come join us to recharge your "mom battery" with some food, fellowship and laughter.


Here's a picture of me (I'm in the middle... so now you know who is writing the blog) with some of my wonderful friends (Anita Bell and Kim Bennett)!

The Bible Through the Eyes of a Child

From Internet Cafe Devotions

A couple of months ago my three-year-old was obsessed with the biblical story of Daniel trapped in a den full of hungry lions. Our night time routine was not complete until we read this particular story. Many times it included some lion roaring thrown in for fun.

My husband and I read the story so frequently that we nearly had each word from the children's Bible memorized.

Before my son's recent obsession, I read this story countless times throughout my life. I heard it in church as a child. Somehow its familiarity over the years had not given me a reason to pause and reflect on such a magnificent story! Think about the lions, the den, and the fear Daniel must have had that night he spent down there.

The more I read the story, the more amazed I became. How could my heart have become so dull to such a testimony of God's mighty power?

Since then, I started to view the familiar Bible stories that I read to my boys differently. I don't read it to them as any other storybook and turn my heart and mind off to their message. Instead, I see God at work in magnificent ways that I had missed before simply because I wasn't looking. God's Word is always fresh when we allow it to be.

There are all kind of stories that will absolutely blow you away when you start to look at them from a fresh, child-like perspective.

Did you realize Jesus actually walked on the water? (See Matt. 14:22-33) You may have read that story many times but have you stopped to visualize what this event must have looked like? Put yourself in that boat. Feel the waves hitting your little boat and watch a Savior approach you as if you were sitting on dry land. Wow!

Have you ever been hungry but felt like there was noting in the house to eat? Put yourself in the sandals of the disciples when they realized Jesus wanted to feed over 5,000 people. (See John 6:1-14) The only food there was five loaves of bread and two fish. Talk about feeling like you need to go to the grocery store!

Yet, Jesus was not limited by a lack of food. When it was all over, everyone ate until their bellies were full and there were leftovers! (Who can't say a hearty "amen" for leftovers!) As I struggle to cook enough food for my family of four, I am affected by this event on an even deeper level.

As a parent, I want to help my children hide God's Word and principles in their hearts. Reading His Word and watching their little minds comprehend its magnificence is inspiring as a parent.

So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:11

Not only does God teach my children something about Himself each time we study it together, He teaches me something, as well.

If you have young children or grandchildren, spend time in God's Word with them. You will be amazed as you watch them grasp the incredible stories that you read. Don't be surprised, however, if God opens up His Word in a new and inspiring way to you like never before.

This article was written by Robyn and published on Internet Cafe Devotions

Would you like fries with that?

I found this recipe on Bakerella (<-- click there for the complete recipe) and it looked so cute I decided to give it a try. They weren't that hard to make but you have to make brownies, sugar cookies AND cupcakes. For some reason only about 5 of my cupcakes turned out. The rest of them fell in the middle. I'm not sure what happened but the same thing happened when I made Caleb's birthday cupcakes. It only happens when I make cupcakes with yellow cake mix and cook them in cupcake liners.

Oh well, my "burgers and fries" turned out really cute and Caleb enjoyed it!

Kids Eat Free

Thanks to Lisa McCoy for this information!


Smokey Bones on Stringtown Road
"Kids Eat Free" * - Mondays from 5pm to 7pm.
* Buy one adult entree, get one kids meal free

Pumpkin Pecan Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Yummy!!! I made these cookies yesterday and they were delicious. If you love the pumpkin and you're looking for a recipe to help jump into the fall season ....this is it! I found this recipe on Bakerella.com.

Pumpkin Pecan Chocolate Chunk Cookies
2 1/4 cup self-rising flour
3 tsp pumpkin pie spice
3/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup chopped pecans
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chunks

* Whisk together flour and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside. (I added the spice to the pumpkin instead of the flour)
* In a large mixing bowl, cream butter.
* Add both sugars and beat until light and fluffy.
* Add vanilla.
* Add eggs one at a time and beat until combined.
* Add flour/spice mixture to sugar mixture in three additions. Alternate with pumpkin in two additions, ending with flour mixture.
* Stir in chopped pecans and chocolate chunks.
* Drop on cookie tray lined with parchment paper.
* Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Makes about four dozen cookies.
* Let cool.










Maple Brown Butter Frosting
3 cups sifted confectioners sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup milk
2 tsp maple flavoring

* Sift sugar and set aside.
* Melt butter over medium heat until golden brown. Watch closely so it does not burn.
* Add butter to sugar, scraping all the butter into the bowl.
* Add milk and maple flavoring. Stir until smooth.
* Spread on top of cookies with an knife or offset spatula.

New Ohio Booster Seat Law

I found this article on NBC4 website.

Every child must be in a car or booster seat unless they’re 8 years old or 4 feet 9 inches tall or taller.

The law goes into effect in October and means that once a child outgrows their safety seat, they move to a booster or combination seat.

“Before this law, here in Ohio, we were required to have a child in a car seat until she was 4 years of age or 40 pounds. Now, all those kids beyond 4 years of age have to be in a booster until they are 8 unless they are 4 feet 9 inches tall,“ said Judy Hirschfield, a passenger safety program specialist.

The reason for the change is that kids who are between the ages of 5 and 8 don’t fit well in a seatbelt made for an adult. The seat gives them a boost.

The booster seat attaches with the seatbelt.

“The lap belt is low on the pelvic bone and the shoulder strap comes right over her shoulder when we have her in the booster,“ Hirschfield said.

The booster can have either a high or low back—both protect children in a crash.

“There is an inclination for the child to put the should belt under her arm or behind her back and then in a crash, she lunges, her body lunges forward and there’s a lot of serious injury,“ Hirschfield said.

Warnings will be given to parents starting in October and citations will be given starting in April 2010 as a second offense.

For more information, click HERE it's a flyer of detailed information about the new law from Nationwide Children's Hospital

Mom's Night Out!!!!!

Our first Mom's Night Out is coming up this Friday, Sept. 25th.

We are meeting at the food court in the church at 8:30 pm (or whenever you are able to get away!)

This event will be REAL casual (pj's allowed!).

Please bring a simple snack or beverage to share.
We will provide games and great conversation.

Our theme this year is community and this is a great way to start building that.

Can't wait to see you there!

Natascha

More Beautiful You

I rarely listen to the radio. We usually have either Boz the Bear or Veggietales in the CD player. About a month ago I was driving to the grocery store (by myself) and was listening to 104.9 on the radio. This song came on that made me smile! I thought to myself, this is what every girl and women needs to hear so I wanted to share it with you! You might have heard this on the radio but have you ever really listened to the lyrics.

More Beautiful You
By Jonny Diaz

LITTLE GIRL FOURTEEN FLIPPING THROUGH A MAGAZINE
SAYS SHE WANTS TO LOOK THAT WAY
BUT HER HAIR ISN’T STRAIGHT HER BODY ISN’T FAKE AND SHE’S ALWAYS FELT OVERWEIGHT

WELL LITTLE GIRL FOURTEEN I WISH THAT YOU COULD SEE
THAT BEAUTY IS WITHIN YOUR HEART
AND YOU WERE MADE WITH SUCH CARE YOUR SKIN YOUR BODY AND YOUR HAIR
ARE PERFECT JUST THE WAY THEY ARE

THERE COULD NEVER BE A MORE BEAUTIFUL YOU
DON’T BUY THE LIES DISGUISES AND HOOPS THEY MAKE YOU JUMP THROUGH
YOU WERE MADE TO FILL A PURPOSE THAT ONLY YOU COULD DO
SO THERE COULD NEVER BE A MORE BEAUTIFUL YOU

LITTLE GIRL TWENTY-ONE THE THINGS THAT YOU’VE ALREADY DONE
ANYTHING TO GET AHEAD
AND YOU SAY YOU’VE GOT A MAN BUT HE’S GOT ANOTHER PLAN
ONLY WANTS WHAT YOU WILL DO INSTEAD

WELL LITTLE GIRL TWENTY-ONE YOU NEVER THOUGHT THAT THIS WOULD COME
YOU STARVE YOURSELF TO PLAY THE PART
BUT I CAN PROMISE YOU THERE’S A MAN WHOSE LOVE IS TRUE
AND HE’LL TREAT YOU LIKE THE JEWEL YOU ARE

SO TURN AROUND YOU’RE NOT TOO FAR
TO BACK AWAY BE WHO YOU ARE
TO CHANGE YOUR PATH GO ANOTHER WAY
IT’S NOT TOO LATE YOU CAN BE SAVED
IF YOU FEEL DEPRESSED WITH PAST REGRETS
THE SHAMEFUL NIGHTS HOPE TO FORGETS
CAN DISAPPEAR THEY CAN ALL BE WASHED AWAY
BY THE ONE WHO’S STRONG CAN RIGHT YOUR WRONGS
CAN RID YOUR FEARS DRY ALL YOUR TEARS
AND CHANGE THE WAY YOU LOOK AT THIS BIG WORLD
HE WILL TAKE YOUR DARK DISTORTED VIEW
AND WITH HIS LIGHT HE WILL SHOW YOU TRUTH
AND AGAIN YOU’LL SEE THROUGH THE EYES OF A LITTLE GIRL




Luke 12:6-7 (The Message)

"What's the price of two or three pet canaries? Some loose change, right? But God never overlooks a single one. And he pays even greater attention to you, down to the last detail—even numbering the hairs on your head! So don't be intimidated by all this bully talk. You're worth more than a million canaries."

Friendships

Why Moms Need Each Other
by Elisabeth Corcoran
From Christian Women Today

I believe that God wants me to have friends that will walk through this life with me. One of the best parts of my life is the amazing friendships I have. I lean on my girlfriends. God provides so much tangible love and support through my friends.

In fact, a while back, I was having a pretty big struggle in my marriage. And two women seemingly dropped into my life just for that season and just for that issue. I am stronger in my relationship with God and in my marriage…due in large part to their support. I have two girlfriends that I’m in an accountability relationship with - we’ve opened up our lives to each other and we pray for each other - because we know the value of living out our lives in community. I even have a friend that cares for me so much that she has helped me try to mend a relationship with a mutual friend. This is what true friends do.

"The rule of the universe," wrote C.S. Lewis to his friend, is "that others can do for us what we cannot do for ourselves, and one can paddle every canoe except one's own". For me, cultivating my friendships is a necessity - and it should be for you as well.

I read recently that the divorce rate is high partly because women are isolated from each other. It mentioned that so many of the things a healthy marriage needs, such as accountability, emotional support and prayer, flow from women’s friendships.

So make the time to develop those female friendships. No matter what season of life you’re in, you’ll need to be creative:

• Start a playgroup-- let the kids run wild while you have lunch.
• Meet at a kid-friendly restaurant or a park in the middle of the week with a girlfriend and her kids.
• Find a church that you love and start attending and plugging in.
• Get in a small group that meets regularly.
• Find a MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group in your area.
• Something I took advantage of last year was my kids’ naptime. I have a few different friends who either aren’t mothers yet or have kids in school - they would come to my house during naptime to catch up or for a more formal study time together (that way, I was accomplishing building my friendships with these women, while not having to leave my house or my husband or the kids one more time each week).
• Other tips: use e-mail; make dinner dates while a sitter watches the kids; send funny or encouraging cards to each other; celebrate special occasions together; just celebrate your friendship together.

All these suggestions simply to say - friends are going to be one of your main lifelines during these years - so find them and work at making them strong. It will be an investment of time that you will never regret.

And if you find yourself in a lonely season friendship-wise, it may mean that you’ll need to take the first step. Most relationships begin because one person took a risk to share their heart with someone. But it will be well worth your effort if you do.

Elisabeth K. Corcoran is the author of Calm in My Chaos: Encouragement for a Mom’s Weary Soul (2001),

Family Fall Fun Idea

Have you ever been to Lynd's Fruit Farms in Pataskla? We took Caleb there to pick his first pumpkin in 2004 (ok, so he was 3 months old, it was more for us). I've wanted to go apple picking with my boys but have never actually done it. This fall we're going to do it, no really I mean it. We have the "u-pick" schedule on our refrigerator and I have the date on our calendar (we're planning to go the weekend of October 3rd because the Red Delicious apples will be ready and those are our favorite)!

My boys are going to love it. If you're thinking about going apple picking this fall and your kids are anything like my 5 year old, you need to check out this movie "Apple Farming for Kids". The Grove City library has it but only in VHS (we still have a VHS player, can you believe it!) If you reserve it online (ask me if you're not familiar with how to do this) you can choose the DVD from another library.

Another thing they have at Lynd's Farm is a Giant Corn Maze.....and I mean GIANT! Here's an aerial picture of it.



I've never been through a corn maze this big and I think my kids might be too young for it but if you have older kids, they would probably love it. They chose a theme this year, "Persian Nights". As you can see from the picture they went to a lot of work to design that maze. They have something new this year for the younger kids, barrel train rides.

So if the weather is nice and you're looking for some "Fall Fun" for the whole family this might be a great choice.

Happy Fall Y'All
(this is my favorite time of year.....I just wish it lasted longer)


**** For those of you who are new to the "Blog World" when you see text underlined and in a different color, that usually means you can click on it to take you to a link/website. For instance at the beginning of this blog "Lynd's Fruit Farm" is underlined and is blue. You can click on the underlined word and it will take you to Lynd's Farm website where there is more information. Hope this helps!

Awesome 1st Meeting!

We had our 1st MOPS meeting last Friday and it was so wonderful to see all the returning moms from the previous year. Then God blessed us even more with some moms that have joined us for the first time! Welcome

Thanks to everyone on the steering team that worked together to make our first meeting so awesome. All of your hard work paid off. We wouldn't be able to have a meeting at all if it were not for our Moppets Coordinator, Winnie and all her dedicated volunteers that helped take care of our children. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!

Natasha explained the Planet Mom vision for our MOPS year and Sue Fuller shared an wonderful devotion (her poem is posted HERE).

Meeting Fee - $3
Delicious snacks
Adorable new babies
Seeds for new friendship planted - Priceless

It was the 1st of many great meeting to come this year. If you weren't able to make it to this meeting we would love for you to join us on October 9th!