MOPS Christmas Party

Hello Ladies!

I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving!

I just wanted to let everyone know what's going on with our Christmas Party next Thursday, the 10th.

We will be having a Christmas Gift Exchange. Bring a gift valued between $5-$10 (no gag gifts, please). We will draw numbers and have a "stealing limit" on the gifts...so don't become too attached to what you get ;o)

We will also have a Cookie Exchange! This is optional, but if you don't bring cookies, you probably won't get any to take home :o) We ask that anyone wanting to participate bring 3 dozen cookies. **Please don't wrap or package cookies as we will be dividing them up onto trays to send home with you. If you aren't a baker or just don't have time in the end...store bought cookies are welcomed in the exchange.

Other than the Gift & Cookie Exchange, plan on enjoying some time chatting and snacking with the other mommas. Feel free to invite friends along for the fun!

Look forward to seeing everyone next week! God bless and have a great rest of your week!

Car Seat Safety - contact information

This posting is long over due. My apologies.

Some ladies were asking for the contact information for the speaker we had come to our last meeting.

So, here it is:
Wanda Vazquez
773-481-1967 (office)
wvazquez2562@hotmail.com
occupantprotection@sbcglobal.net

She also recommended checking out www.buckleupillinois.org for helpful tips and resources

Hosting a Formal Dinner

Hello Mommas!

It's time for MOPS this Thursday, the 19th. (I honestly cannot believe it's almost a week from Thanksgiving!!! Yikes!) Time flies when you're busy :o)

We have the joy of our MOPS Mentor - Robbie - talking to us and sharing her wisdom about something dear to my heart...and stomach; Holiday Meal Planning. Or simply planning, preparing and hosting a formal dinner.

I love to cook and have people over for dinner. Some ladies find this intimidating, especially with small children "in the way". We hope that what Robbie shares will be helpful and ease your mind when it comes to cooking and hosting stress.

Be on the lookout for information about our Final Meeting this Semester! December 10th will be our Christmas party at MOPS and we have some fun things planned.

Give Thanks and God bless you all!

Car Seat Safety

Hello Ladies!

We're breaking away from our normal 2nd & 4th Thursdays of the month during November due to the upcoming holidays.

Our November meeting are the 5th (This Thursday) and the 19th.

This week we have Commander Joe Miranda of the Chicago Fire Department coming to speak with us about car seat safety and proper installation.

It should be an informative presentation and beneficial for everyone regardless of what stage or age your children are.

We look forward to seeing everyone this Thursday! Remember, doors open at 9am and we'll try to begin as close to 9:30 as possible to accomodate our speaker's schedule.

Thanks and God bless!

November MOPS Newsletter

Hi everyone!

So you might have noticed that the October MOPS newsletter did not come together. Jen and I were both traveling and dealing with family issues, so we were unable to get it together this month! So sorry.

But we're back on track for November! The deadline for articles is Monday, October 26th. We need two MOPS members to volunteer to each contribute an article (150-250 words) for the November issue. The theme: Thankfulness and Gratitude.

If you would like to contribute, please email Meghan at mepremohopkins[at]gmail[dot]com.

Children's Items Swap

Just a quick reminder that our next MOPS meeting on the 22nd will be a Children's Item Swap.

If you have gently used clothing, toys, beds, etc. you can bring them to New Life Lakeview and drop them off during the week from 9am-3pm (Mon-Fri). Otherwise, you can bring them the day of the swap.

Along with the item swap, we will also have some MOPS moms and MOPS graduates showcasing their creative talents. Heather will have Tori's Bitty Bows represented and available for sale, Dani Schurman will have slings and wraps... And More!!!

If you know of anyone outside of the group that would like to attend the swap, invite them along! Even if they aren't a mother of a preschooler. All are welcome to this event!

Look forward to seeing you there!
God bless!

Self Defense & Children's Items Swap

Hello October!

Is it me or does it come sooner and faster each year?

It's time for MOPS again this week!

This Thursday, October 8th, we will have a self-defense instructor come and show us some moves and give us tips on how we can better protect ourselves and our families. Should be fun!
**DRESS Comfortably***

Our 2nd meeting in October will be on the 22nd. We will be having a children's clothing/items swap. So bring all the random items you have but no longer want or need and pick up some new-to-you ones! You can bring items to this week's meeting and we'll begin to sort and organize them.

Look forward to seeing everyone Thursday! God bless!

Raising Children in a Christian Home

Welcome to Fall!

We are blessed to have Elisabeth App come speak to us this Thursday, Sept. 24th. Elisabeth is a woman of God, mother of many, pastor's wife and a great speaker. I am excited to hear what she has to say to encourage us as we raise our children.

I'll keep my post short this time.

Come join us on Thursday at New Life Lakeview - 2958 N Damen Ave, Chicago, IL 60618. Doors open at 9am!

God bless each of you!

We're Back!

Hello Mommas!

MOPS is back in season! We kick off our fall semester on Thursday, September 10th!

I am excited to see everyone and begin a new season together!

Our first meeting of the semester will be a "welcome back!" brunch. We'll share some yummy food and get to know the team that is helping coordinate the year.

Doors will open at 9am and we'll begin the meeting promptly at 9:30am. Please enter through the Wellington Avenue side doors. (signs will be posted)

God bless and I hope you have a chance to enjoy this wonderful weather!

August 13 - Holstein Park

Hello Mommas!

This summer has just flown by! I hope everyone has enjoyed their summer and been able to enjoy the sun and cooler summer days.

Our last summer playdate will be on Thursday, August 13th. We will be playing at the park! Join us beginning at 10am at Holstein Park (2200 N Oakley).

In the event it rains, we will have some play time in the gym at New Life Lincoln Park (1110 W Lill, Chicago, IL 60614).

Regular meetings start back in September, so be on the lookout for our new Fall Calendar in a few days!

God bless and have a great day!

July 9th @ Whealan Pool - 11am

Hello Mommas & Friends!

This Thursday we are heading to the pool!

We will be meeting at The Pool at Caldwell Woods (6200 W Devon Ave, Niles, IL).

The pool opens beginning at 11am, so that's when we will gather. There is a small fee per person for admission into the pool ($5 per adult, $3 kids 4-12, 3 and under are FREE).

If you are planning on coming, great! I, Erin, will have my cell phone on me ** 765-404-4139 ** if you need to find us or help getting there. Feel free to invite friends along, mommas and non-mommas alike.

The forecast currently looks clear on Thursday, but in the event of rain, we will meet at New Life Lincoln Park to let the kids play and run in the gymnasium. (1110 W Lill, Chicago, IL 60614). I will send out an e-mail Thursday morning if it is looking like we will be at Lincoln Park instead of the pool.

Look forward to seeing everyone! God bless!

PowerPlay!!!

Hello Mommas! I wanted to let you know about an awesome event happening at New Life Lakeview next week (2958 N Damen Ave, Chicago, IL 60618). Our Summer Children's Outreach (formerly known to most of us as Vacation Bible School) will be next week, Monday through Thursday - June 22-25th.

The name of the game, PowerPlay! This is a sports themed program for children ages preschool to 6th grade (roughly ages 2 to 12). Sign-in begins at 6pm and the program is from 6:30 to 8:30pm. Through the fun of play and sports we hope to share the gospel and God's word with our children.

PowerPlay will end with a bang! On Thursday night we encourage parents to come join the fun for a block party in front of the church building. There will be games, activities, and more all centered around what the children have learned during their time at PowerPlay.

We want to encourage you to enroll your children online at: www.powerplay.rsvpbook.com
Or, you can register your children when you arrive for the program.

If you have any questions, or would like even more information, please contact EJ Lyon and she will happy to answer and help you with anything you have to throw at her. :o) Her e-mail is ejl@newlifechicago.org or you can call the church office to reach her at 773-388-0637

God bless and I hope you're all enjoying your summer!

Summer Playdates

Hello everyone!

It's finally here...summer in Chicago! MOPS is on break until the fall, but we have a few playdates for everyone to get together during the summer. You can check out our summer playdates on the calendar or visit the blog again in the next couple of weeks to get more details about the events.

If you can't make it to the playdates, but still want to get together with some of the other moms at MOPS feel free! If you don't have their e-mail or phone number, send me an e-mail and I will pass along our Summer Contact Sheet so you can reach them or find other people in your neighborhood.

Have a great summer and we'll look forward to seeing you in the fall if not at the next playdate!
God bless!

Calendar

I added a calendar of our summer playdates! It is located at the bottom of this blog. If you have a "MOPS"-related event or an event you think our MOPS group would be interested in, and you'd like me to include it on the calendar, please email me! mepremohopkins{at}gmail{dot}com

Sweet Reflections

The end of our 2008-2009 year of MOPS is almost here. We have 2 meetings left until we celebrate!!
Join us for:

Sweet Reflections!

On May 14th from 10am to 12pm, we will gather together for a wonderful brunch, speakers, and gifts. If you'd like to join us, please send an e-mail to RSVP so we know how many people to expect. We'd love to have as many join us as possible! Contact us at mopslakeview@hotmail.com

Have a great week!

Stress Management

Time for MOPS! This Thursday (4/23) we have the pleasure of welcoming a local chiropractor as our guest speaker. Dr. Karla Miller (or one of her associates, if she is unable to attend) will be speaking to use about stress management.
I think I speak for 99.5% of us when I say that this is something we all can use!
I look forward to seeing many of you again on Thursday!
God bless!

Spring Fling!

Hello!
What a crazy start to Spring in Chicago this has been! Dare I say that it's my fault for my prediction of snow before Easter in a previous posting ? (See my Biblical Eating post on March 4)

MOPS will be this Thursday the 9th! We'll be having fun at our Spring Fling! We'll be playing some games, giving away prizes, eating some yummy food, and just enjoying our time with other moms! It should be a blast!

We hope you can join us for the fun! Feel free to invite other mothers to join us as well!
God bless!

Active Mom's Club

I meant to post this blog entry last week, but life got the best of me. Better late than never, I suppose.

I wanted to let everyone know that we will be having Cassandra Hawkinson from Active Mom's Club come speak to us tomorrow at MOPS! She will be speaking to us about the importance of a healthy, active life and leading us in a brief exercise routine (DRESS COMFY!)

If you would like to know more about Active Mom's Club, you can check out their website at:
www.activemomsclub.com

Look forward to seeing everyone!
God bless!

Biblical Eating

It's Almost Spring!!! I can feel the change in the air, see buds on trees, and enjoy the sunshine! But I must remember, this is Chicago. We could very well have a blizzard before Easter.

Thursday, March 12, is our next MOPS meeting. We will have the joy of welcoming Hope Egan. She will be speaking on the topic of Biblical Eating. Hope will share things that she's learned and tips that she has gleaned in her search for what it means to eat well based upon teaching found in the Bible. Hope has written two books and is in the process of compling a cookbook with all kinds of recipes based up on these principles.

Come out and join the fun! We look forward to seeing you at MOPS!
God bless and again, enjoy the sun!

Fussy Baby Network & MNO

Hello Ladies!
Next Thursday is our next chance to join us for MOPS! We will be having a guest speaker from the "Fussy Baby Network" join us to speak about setting boundaries. This should be an exciting time and a great opportunity to learn some parenting tips that could prove quite useful. :o)

Also, next Thursday night (Feb. 26) we will be having the first MNO of the year! What's, MNO? MNO stands for Mom's Night Out. It's a chance for you to leave the kiddos with their daddy or a sitter and join with other moms for a night out on the town. For this MNO we will be checking out a movie and grabbing a cup of coffee afterwards. If you'd like to join in the fun, contact Thiele for more details at t.generous@gmail.com.

God bless until next time!

Cooking Demo

Well, after a 3 week break MOPS is back in action!
This Thursday we have the joy of having Christina Terrell present to us. She will be giving us some everyday-cooking tips and a few easy recipes. We'll be making some appetizers with her instruction and help and then, when we're all done, we will Eat Them!!!
Feel free to invite other moms to the group to join us for this fun presentation!
Look forward to seeing everyone! God bless!

A Farewell to Jes

After serving faithfully in the role of MOPS Coordinator for the past 1 1/2 years, Jes and her family are leaving Chicago for a much warmer climate. Jes' husband George is employed in a job that is taking the family from Chicago to Tampa, FL beginning next Friday (Jan. 30th).

We are very reluctant to let her leave (as if we have anything to say about it), but sincerly hope that God will bless her in the transition. We know that Tampa is on temporary, and they will likely be going back to their home in Houston, TX after March (with a possible short reprieve in Chicago) - in other words, they will be moving around a LOT in the next few months.

Jes will still remain in communication with us and will give us updates as to what is going on and how things are going. We will miss her.

For the rest of the semester, Erin Sanders will be taking on the role of the Lakeview MOPS Coordinator. Erin is currently the administrator for the group and will do a wonderful job in the interim. She has some large shoes to fill, so please continue to keep her in your prayers. Erin's e-mail is emsanders@hotmail.com should you ever need to reach her. She will also have access to the mopslakeview@hotmail.com e-mail account as well, so you can continue to use this address for any questions or communications.

We have a 3 week break due to where dates fall on the calendar until our next MOPS meeting. Until then, may God bless you greatly! Stay warm!

StageHands

Hello Ladies!
I hope everyone is staying warm!
This Thursday Jen Frahm's friends from Stagehands will be coming to present.
What is StageHands? (No, it doesn't have anything to do with drama or make-up.) StageHands is a company that stages people's homes. Staging is a way of setting up your rooms that makes it more open, appealing, and inviting. Most people opt to do this when they are trying to sell their home, but the principles are the same if you just want a fresh look for your room. They will also give us some keen insights on interior design and layout as well as show us several "before and after" pictures.
You can check out their website at http://www.stagehandhs.com/
Look forward to seeing you soon!


***Don't forget to check out our updated Spring Calendar***

Welcome to 2009!

Hello Mommas!
Welcome to 2009!
We begin meeting again this Thursday, Jan. 8th. Same time (9:30am), same location (New Life Lakeview Cafe').

For our first meeting of the year we have guest speaker Norma Irie. Norma will be speaking to us about sleep issues and habits that we may be facing with our children.
Norma speaks on many different topic regarding Childhood Issues. If you have a specific question that you would like to ask her, you can contact her at nirie@juvenile.org

Look forward to seeing you soon! God bless!