MNO

Moms Night Out tomorrow (Thursday) at 7:30pm at Paisanos. Come for dinner, drinks, dessert, water, doesn't matter just come and enjoy some adult time! Friends are always welcome!

Activity Alert!

Tomorrow is open gym at the Lawrence Community Center. Here is a link with a bit more info.

http://lawrencekids.net/ai1ec_event/toddler-open-gym-2/?instance_id=23550

MOPS Meeting

 

Looking forward to seeing everyone on Tuesday (tomorrow) for our meeting, which starts at 6:30pm.  It is guest day and if you are bringing a friend please let April know. We will be talking about Connection over Comparison. Good stuff!

Email Becky if you have kiddos for MOPPETS.

If you are not going to be at the meeting, please email April.

For those that are scheduled to bring a side dish, veggie, fruit, etc make sure to have everything there and ready by 6:30pm. Any questions about this can be directed to Christine.

We have an extra few weeks for Operation Christmas Child. We will provide more information about it on Tuesday. If you have some shoe boxes around the house please bring them.

See you tomorrow!

Guest Day

Don't forget to invite your friends to our next MOPS Meeting!

Let's talk about....

Love and Logic!

It's been over a week since Sharon came to our meeting to discuss Love and Logic with us and I want to know how it's going! Are you trying stuff? Are you scared to try something? Has it gone terribly wrong? Do you have questions about a technique you have used? Share your stories with us by leaving a comment. This could be really fun...give it a try!

~April

MOPS Meeting

 

 

Tuesday is our next meeting. Our guest speaker will be talking to us about Love and Logic. Here's a little blurb about it from their website...

"Trusted for over 30 years, Love and Logic is a philosophy founded in 1977 by Jim Fay and Foster W. Cline, M.D. It is the approach of choice among leading educators, parents, and other professionals worldwide.
 

The Love and Logic Institute is dedicated to making parenting and teaching fun and rewarding, instead of stressful and chaotic. We provide practical tools and techniques that help adults achieve respectful, healthy relationships with their children. All of our work is based on a psychologically sound parenting and teaching philosophy called Love and Logic."

If you are unable to attend the meeting, please let April know as soon as you can. 

 

If you are bringing a side dish make sure to have it there by 6:30. (Check the calendar HERE)

 

And finally, if your children will be joining us in MOPPETS please email Becky.

Come ready to have fun!

Schaake's Pumpkin Patch

Saturday, October 12 we will be taking an adventure together to the Schaake's Pumpkin Patch. The fun is starting at 10am.  We will meet up at the gate. If you can't make it by 10, don't stress, just come when you can! There are some great things for the kiddos to do and Hy-Vee is going to be there with yummy food. This is a day for the whole family.

Check out Schaake's Pumpkin Patch online HERE for more information and directions. Hope you can join us and as always, bring a friend!

The Good Mother

Love this article I read today.  It reminded me of our theme for the year "A Beautiful Mess".  Check it out!  Here's the link:

http://www.elephantjournal.com/2013/09/the-good-mother/

Blessings!
Amanda

MNO

Zen Zero.
7:30pm.
Monday, October 7th.
Moms Night Out!

Play Date

Play date tomorrow October 4th at Christ Community Church Playground from 3-5! Hope you can join us!

Mama Mouth

Me and My Mama Mouth

Karen Ehman

September 30, 2013
 

“She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.” (Proverbs 31:26 ESV)

The other day my son, a smart preteen, was up to the challenge of washing the dishes. He didn’t give me an attitude when asked. He wasn’t disrespectful. He didn’t drag his feet. So why was I battling the urge to harshly point out how he was doing it all wrong?

Because he wasn’t doing it my way.

He started with the grimy pots, then moved to the plates and silverware. Finally, he had to bubble up more water to spit-shine the glasses. While working, he stacked plastic cups in a pyramid.

Irritation welled up. An unkind reaction was itching to come out. I could easily have let my momma mouth take over: It uses way more water to wash the dishes in that order. Plus the water is filthy now! Stop playing with those cups while you work. You’re so slow.

I wanted to be a control freak. I wanted to fire off the unkind words hidden in my unspoken thoughts: The only way to do the dishes is my way. I see different as wrong. I interpret a preteen being a preteen—with a slight distraction of fun—as “slow.”

But when I unload on junior, or anyone, it has the potential to damage our relationship and plant mental seeds of his mom’s view of him, whether verbalized or implied (lazy, wasteful, distracted, and slow). It does not, as Proverbs 31:26 states, come close to resembling a woman who “opens her mouth with wisdom and speaks with kindness on her tongue.”

It’s better if these potentially frustrating scenarios play out differently. So let’s replay that scene with a Spirit-controlled response.

As I see my son doing the dishes, I can make a mental note to explain how to do it next time in a way that will save water, money, and time. I can praise his efforts, keeping in mind his age and abilities. I can acknowledge his unique method. I saw the clever way you stacked those dishes. You always make work fun.

I can ask myself questions that will help keep my mama mouth in check. Questions like: Does it matter now or will it matter tomorrow? Will it affect eternity? Is God trying to teach me something? Can I pause and praise instead of interrupt and instigate? Is this really an issue that needs addressing? Am I being a control freak? Do I need to let it go?

The interaction wouldn’t damage; it would nurture. It would be wise. Kind. And there would be no lost time, regrets, or need to call in the United Nations peace-keeping forces for intervention.

This mama would be less control-freakish and more Proverbs 31-womanish. It might not come easily—trust me, it usually doesn’t—but with the Holy Spirit, it is possible to speak with kindness.

Dear Lord, may I purpose to temper my words with Your Holy Spirit as I interact with my family today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.


Related Resources
Can you think of a time you blew up at your child and wished you’d had a friend to turn to for advice? Our brand new Encouragement for Today book is just that—a trusted friend sharing God’s peace, purpose and perspective with you in 100 devotions.

Today’s devotion is a sample straight out of Encouragement for Today: Devotions for Everyday Living by the Proverbs 31 Ministries team. Click here to purchase your copy.

Need help with your mama mouth? Visit Karen Ehman’s blog for the free 5-Day “Pause Before You Pounce” Challenge designed to help you control your tongue when you can’t always control the circumstances (and people!) in your home.


Remember
My mouth can be a powerful tool of encouragement or a weapon of destruction.


Reflect
Which of the questions posed in the devotion (Does it matter now or will it matter tomorrow? etc.) do you most need to ask yourself when tempted to over-control?


Respond
Think of an incident from the past where you did not use your words in a way that was kind or loving. Revisit the situation. How could you have spoken in a way that would honor God? Could you have used a different tone of voice? Word choice? Timing?


Power Verses
Psalm 139:4; Psalm 37:30

Taken from Encouragement for Today: Devotions for Everyday Living by Renee Swope, Lysa TerKeurst, Samantha Evilsizer and the Proverbs 31 Ministries Team. © 2013 by Proverbs 31 Ministries. Used by permission of Zondervan. www.zondervan.com.

MOPS Meeting

Tuesday, October 1 is our next MOPS meeting. We will start right at 6:30 will dinner. If you have signed up to bring a side dish make sure it is open and ready by 6:30. If you are not sure when you signed up you can check the calendar link HERE. Click on the MOPS Meeting dates and you will see a list of who is bringing what. 

If you are bringing your children or child please let Becky know as soon as possible so she can get the appropriate child care lined up. Make sure your kiddos come feed, changed, and ready to party! AND please bring a snack item to share for the year with others: goldfish, cheerios, etc.

Pastor Jeff from Christ Community Church will be coming to speak to us about our theme: A Beautiful Mess. We will also break into our discussion groups to get things rolling.

If you are unable to attend please let April know. 

Looking forward to seeing everyone.

Play Date

Play date tomorrow afternoon (Monday) at 3:30pm at the McDonald's at 6th and Wakarusa. Hope to see you there!

Roasted Veggie and Black Bean Burrito

Here is the recipe I made last night for MOPS. What I like about this recipe is that you can make the vegetables ahead of time and then just put the burritos together 15 minutes before you are ready to eat. Other notes, I did not use cilantro nor did I spray the pan (mostly because I forgot). I've also made this with flour tortillas, however it is much better with the wheat.

This recipe is brought to you by...tastykitchen.com


Ingredients:

• 2 whole Sweet Potatoes, Peeled And Cubed Small
• 2 whole Jalapenos Diced
• 1 whole Red Pepper, Diced Small
• 1 whole Red Onion, Diced Small
• 2 teaspoons Olive Oil
• 1 teaspoon Cumin
• 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
• 1 pinch Salt And Pepper
• 1 can Black Beans, Rinsed And Drained (15 Ounce Can)
• ½ cups Fresh Cilantro, Chopped
• 2 teaspoons Fresh Lime Juice
• 2 cups Shredded Cheddar
• 1 package Burrito-Sized Wheat Tortillas Or Wraps (6-10 Count)

Instructions:


In a bowl, toss your raw veggies in olive oil and season with spices. Place in a large baking dish and roast in 425 degree oven for 20 minutes, tossing around halfway through.

Let cool. Add your roasted veggies to a can of rinsed black beans. Add cilantro and squirt of lime juice. Combine gently. At this point, mixture can be stored for later use.

Warm your wheat tortillas or wraps in microwave according to directions on package. Spray a casserole dish with nonstick spray or olive oil spray.

Add two heaping tablespoons of vegetable and bean mixture to center of wrap. Top with shredded cheese. Fold over, fold in sides, place in pan and continue to roll the others. Place into your baking dish, seam side down so that they stay together.

Bake in 375 degree oven for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Baking this way will make the tortilla wrap crisp. For a softer burrito, spray burrito with nonstick spray, then wrap in aluminum foil and bake for same amount of time.

Makes about 6 burritos.

Tip: Premake your burritos and wrap them in aluminum foil. Keep in refrigerator for 3-4 days for a quick lunch or dinner!

First MOPS Meeting

Tuesday marks our first MOPS Meeting and it is going to be filled with fun, food, fellowship, and fantastic people!

We will start promptly at 6:30 with dinner for us moms. (Children will have snacks but will need to come feed.) If you signed up to bring a side dish, dessert, etc make sure to bring those items before 6:30. If you can't remember what you signed up for, you can see the calendar HERE. Just click on Tuesday's MOPS Meeting and it will list who is bringing what. (You can also add this calendar to your calendars and have all the MOPS events right at your fingertips.)

Our meetings will be held in the basement this year in the "Media Lounge". If you walk in the front doors you will see a staircase to your right. Take those down. If you are dropping off children, the MOPPETS Room is the first door on your right. (Please email Becky if you are bringing your children and let her know how many so we can be prepared.) After you drop your children off, follow the sound of music down the hallway to the end. We'll be there to help direct you!

We will do some introductions, create our name tags for the year, meet in our MOPS Teams (hospitality, creative, publicity/social, MOPPETS) and go over the MOPS Handbook. I have attached a copy of the handbook HERE for you to read before our meeting. We will touch on a few key things, but we won't hit it all and it's filled with useful information.

We still have openings for the year so if you have a friend that is interested bring them along. We will have registration forms available.

I'm truly looking forward to this year and all that God has in store for us. Let's "Embrace our Story" and let God use our "Beautiful Mess" to shine for Him!

See you Tuesday!

My husband sent this to me today. I find it funny and true. It comes from wellcommons.com. HERE is the link to see the whole article.

Guys, I Get it Now

• By Megan Spreer
• on September 12, 2013

by Megan Spreer

To the people who had kids before me,
I had no idea just how much was going on in your life after you brought that baby home. My brain couldn’t even comprehend how things changed for you. I would never have guessed that you wouldn’t exactly be stoked to leave behind your sweet newborn to rejoin us for a late night. Or why you seemed to never be listening when we had a conversation. Or why you were so crazy about who you asked to watch your kid. I totally didn’t get it.
In fact, I didn’t get a lot about the things that happen after kids. Such as:

Going out on Saturday night will NEVER be the same
There is almost nothing worse than having to keep it together and care for helpless, tiny people the day after you forgot that you no longer have the alcohol tolerance of a 22-year-old. Reliving your carefree days is so not worth paying for it, times a hundred, the next day with a hangover. No. Not ever. Never again.

Just getting a sitter, isn’t “Just getting a sitter”
With all of the horrible stories of child care providers abusing children, neglecting them and kids getting kidnapped while in their care, finding a babysitter is the furthest thing from easy for a parent to do. Once you find one, add that cost to what you’re already spending for the evening and it’s quite an expensive outing. And that is why parents only go out when it’s super duper special...or they never leave the house.

Communication is spotty
Before kids — I won’t lie — I got annoyed when it took my friends and family hours or sometimes days to call me back or reply to Facebook messages. Now that I’m a mom, I consider it a good day if I EVER respond back to people. If I have free time once the kids are fed, bathed, changed, entertained, asleep, and all of my other obligations are done for the day, I’m doing nothing or going to sleep. It’s not you, it’s me. And me is too tired to put together any more coherent thoughts.

Being oblivious to pop culture
I’m not kidding, I had to Google Olivia Munn yesterday. I read two fashion magazines this month and wanted to yell at the writers for the things they were encouraging people to do and wear. I still am trying to understand men’s fashion in 2013. And don’t even get me starting on “twerking.” When did I become so lame? When did I get this old? Get off my lawn!

Kids aren’t as portable as they seem
The first time we took HJ to a family gathering, it took us an hour to pack the car. Then, when we added another kid to the mix, our prep time increased. If we take them to someone’s home who doesn’t already have little people, we almost need to travel in a bus to carry all supplies. We also have to plan around nap times (which don’t happen at strangers’ homes), little people meal times (They eat at 5 p.m.; NO LATER or bad things happen), and bed times.
So to everyone of you to whom I said stupid things or ignorantly planned something that directly caused a meltdown from hell, I sincerely apologize.

I get it now.

Sincerely,
Larryville (Former Jerk) Mom

Mom's Night Out

Tomorrow (Thursday) we will be headed to Cielito Lindo Mexican Restaurant on New Hampshire for a much needed Mom's Night Out. Come join us at 7pm. Hopefully the weather will be cooler and we can liven up the patio! As always join us for dinner, drinks, dessert, or just for some fun!

Registration

Ever feel this way? Put your needs first and join us this year in MOPS. Registration is still open and we would love to have you join us. Contact us if you would like further information. Hope to see you on September 17th for our first meeting.

Registration Night

Registration Night

Come Register for this coming years (2013-2014) "Beautiful Mess". 

We will have a fun Mom's Night Out catching up.

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

6:30-8:30pm

Come and Go or Come and Stay

Christ Community Church

1100 Kasold Dr, Lawrence, KS

In the Foyer

Registration is $50 for the entire year! What a deal. 

Once you register you will be entered into a drawing and 

you could win one of TWO half price registrations. 

Snacks and dessert will be provided. 

If you are unable to attend the registration night, we cannot guarantee your spot

for this amazing year. So come early and get that paperwork done! 

For the 2013-2014 year our theme is based on Ephesians 2:10

 "For we are God's masterpiece. 

He has created us anew in 

Christ Jesus so we can do the 

good things he planned for us long ago."

Moms live in messes. The toys, crumbs and spit-up are their natural surroundings. Moms often feel like a mess. They are exhausted, under-showered and hormonal. Their past and present circumstances and decisions can leave them feeling inadequate for God's love and purposes. Like they are the mess in question.

A Beautiful Mess reminds moms that beauty can come out of their difficult spots. The grime of raising children brings the beauty of motherhood. The bruises of life can bring God's redemption. Embrace Your Story reminds moms that our past, present and future can be used for good. God knows where each of us has been, where we are today and he has set in motion where we are headed.

We have lots of fun speakers and things planned for this year. It's going to be a fantastic time of learning and growing and just having some fun! Looking forward to seeing YOU on Tuesday night!

Mom's Night Out

We have MNO coming up on Thursday, August 29th at Panera, 7pm. Come join us!

MOPS Kick-Off Picnic

We had a great time at our 1^st Annual MOPS Kick-Off picnic last night! We had a great time catching up with current MOPS moms and even met a few new moms we hope will join the group! Husbands and children joined in on the fun too.

The husband of one of our mentors grilled hotdogs for us, thank you Tom!

The picnic was a great opportunity to reconnect with moms we haven’t seen much during the summer and to get excited about the year ahead!

Some of our sweet little ones!

We have Registration Night next Tuesday, September 3 from 6:30-8:30pm. We hope you will join us for the evening or just drop-in and get signed up for the year. Spots are filling quickly so make sure you come to reserve your spot!

Look forward to seeing you soon! Thanks again to all the moms who joined us last night!

PICNIC!

Check your calendars. Rearrange your plans. We are having a...

MOPS Kick-Off Family Picnic 

and we want YOU to be there! 

Sunday, August 25, 2013

4:30-6:30pm

Christ Community Church

1100 Kasold Dr, Lawrence, KS

At the Playground! 

We will provide hotdogs all we need from you is to come, bring your family, 

a side dish or dessert (if you can), and 

PLAY, PLAY, PLAY.

Invite your neighbors, co-workers, friends. Any family of pre-schoolers are welcome to come!

JOIN US FOR THE START OF AN AMAZING MOPS YEAR!

Interesting article on The Married Man's Mind

Interesting article, ladies! I know I have to work on these things with my husband. http://www.mops.org/inside-the-married-mans-mind

Play Date

Play date at McDonalds on 6th and Wakarusa tomorrow, August 20th at 11:00am. See you there!

Sesame Street

This is a current favorite in our home. The kids love it. Watch out because it WILL get stuck in your head.

Moms Night Out

Monday, August 12th, 7:00pm @ Paisanos

Who's in?

Welcome to Our Blog

Welcome to the MOPS at Night blog. We are gearing up for the 2013-2014 year!

We have several upcoming events that you can check out under our EVENTS page.

Want to know more about MOPS? Check out the WHAT IS MOPS page or visit MOPS.org

Or maybe you want to know what MOPS at Night is all about. Check out the ABOUT US page

Please CONTACT US with any questions.