September 2013 Newsletter by MOPS-EdmondFPC

SEPTEMBER 2013

ENTS

M O T H E R S O F P R E S C H O O L E R S First Presbyterian Church // Edmond, Oklahoma

WELCOME FROM our 2013-2014 MOPS coordinator katie moore We are mothers and wives. Daughters and sisters. Friends and neighbors. We share a season of life that binds us together: the preschool years. In many ways, we are so similar. Yet, for all that we share, we are also very different. We are boy moms and girl moms. We are younger and older. We breastfeed and bottlefeed. We have four kids, and we have one. We’ve had careers before kids, and we’ve had kids before careers. We are co-sleepers and crib lovers. We always wear babies and never do. We cry-it-out and never have. We are cloth diapers and disposable diapers. We are epidurals and natural childbirth. We are right-brained and left-brained. We are extroverts and introverts. We are early risers and night owls. We are laid back and tightly wound. We are from all over and from right here. I love this about us.

Our differences remind us that there are a million ways to do this thing called motherhood. I don’t know about you, but I need to be reminded that the story of motherhood is as varied as the faces that fill our room. I need to be reminded that I don’t have to fit a certain “mom” mold, but that God made moms in a beautiful REMI array of personalities, N W e will DER: circumstances, interests, be t direct and talents. ory p aking hot You are that reminder. next meeti os I love what we have in ng Sept. common and all that we 27! don’t. Welcome to this crazy little group called MOPS.

YOUR STEERING TEAM & MENTOR MOMS

Your 2013-2014 Steering Team & Mentor Moms are here to serve you. Feel free to contact any of us with any concerns or needs that you might have throughout the year. Are you interested in joining this group of dynamic women? We are still looking to fill the following: CARE & PRAYER, OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES, HOSPITALITY, AND FUNDRAISING. Let your table leader or any Steering Team member know if you would like to serve with us and help make MOPS even better! Coordinator Katie Moore Registration/Finance Jessica Filson Creative Activities Michelle Curran Kristin Newton Discussion Group Leader Patricia Lodge

Discussion Leaders Shauna Austin Kara Hale Danielle Herndon Patricia Lodge Megan Looper Laura Opperman Publicity Teresa Miller

Moppets Leader Kimberly Madero Community Outreach Michelle Boe Sharon Thompson Hospitality Lindsey Malone

M O P S E D M O N D F P C . B L O G S P O T. C O M

Mentor Moms Laurie Ashford Cindy Birdwell Cindy Elass Cheri Fuller Denise Heitman Veta Roberts

10 Ways to Pray for Your

Husband I pray

for my husband’s relationship with God.

I pray

that God would bless my husband.

I pray

for my husband to be a spiritual leader for our family.

I pray

for my husband to love me deeply.

I pray

for my husband to have a heart for his children.

I pray

for my husband to make wise choices.

I pray

for my husband’s emotional, mental and physical health.

I pray

for my husband to prosper at work.

I pray

for my husband’s power to resist sexual temptation.

I pray

that I will show my husband respect, grace and kindness.

mediterranean tuna salad ingredients

directions

1 (15 oz) can of chickpeas, rinsed & drained 2 c. canned white tuna 4 c. shredded lettuce 4 green onions, chopped 3 celery ribs, chopped 1 sweet red pepper, chopped 2 T. olive oil 2 T. spicy brown mustard 2 T. balsamic vinegar 1/2 t. dried basil 1/4 t. salt 1/4 t. pepper 1/2 c. feta cheese (optional)

In a large bowl, combine beans, celery, red pepper, and onions. In a small bowl, whisk the oil, vinegar, mustard, basil, salt, and pepper. Pour over bean mixture, toss to coat. Gently stir in tuna. Serve over lettuce. Sprinkle with cheese, if desired.

teach your baby sign language Sign language is a way to communicate with a baby as young as six months old. Using hand gestures, a baby can communicate, sometimes more than a year before he or she can speak. Baby sign language is a good structured activity to help babies develop mentally. Baby sign language acts as a stepping stone to full speech, giving your baby an opportunity to exercise his or her communication muscles before he or she can fully vocalize. Studies show that babies who have early exposure to signing have larger speaking vocabularies earlier. They even do better years after they have stopped signing. One study states

n Leasrign a

that eight-year-olds who learned baby sign language as infants had an average IQ 12 points higher than non-signers. Research also confirms that signing babies have fewer temper tantrums. A lot of fussiness is caused by a baby wanting something but not being able to communicate his need to you. When your baby can tell you when he or she is hungry, thirsty, need a diaper change, or are hurt, you can meet your baby’s needs more quickly. Babysignlanguage.com is a FREE, online resource where you can take an online class, print off flash cards and watch videos to help you learn baby sign language and teach it to your baby.

place an ad

This is a sample size of ads we are offering in our newsletter this year. For more information, click on the “Sponsor” page of the MOPS blog or e-mail us at mopsedmondfpc@gmail.com

Alfredo’s Mexican Cafe // Kids eat free on Monday nights Applebee’s // One child (12 and under) eats free on Monday with the purchase of an adult meal. Additional children can dine for $1 from the kids menu Buffalo Wild Wings // Kids (12 and under) can select items from the kids menu for $.99 on Monday from 5-9 p.m. Chick-Fil-A // Kids eat free on Tuesday Denny’s // Kids eat free meal deals every Tuesday & Saturday from 4-10 p.m. El Chico // $.99 Kids meal all day Thursday Fazoli’s // $.99 Kids meal option from 5-8 p.m. on Tuesday Freebirds World Burrito // Free kids meal on Sundays Golden Corral // Kids (3 and under) eat free daily buffet with the purchase of an adult meal IHOP // Kids (12 and under) eat free every Tuesday & Thursday from 4-10 p.m. Lotsa Noodles // Kids eat free from 3-9 p.m. Marie Callender’s // Kids (12 and under) eat free meals daily with adult entree purchase Moe’s Southwest Grill // Kids eat free every Tuesday from 5-9 p.m. Nino’s Mexican Restaurant // Kids eat free on Tuesday from 4-9 p.m. Pioneer Pies // Kids (12 and under) eat free Monday & Tuesday from 4:30 p.m. - close Poblano Grill // Kids eat free Monday after 5 p.m. Swadley’s // Kids (10 and under) eat free on Monday from 5 p.m. - close with adult entree purchase Qdoba // Kids eat free on Tuesday after 4pm with purchase of adult meal Red Robin // Kids (10 and under) eat free on Monday Taco Cabana // Kids eat free on Wednesday Texas Roadhouse // Kids (12 and under) eat free with adult entree purchase all day Tuesday TGIFriday’s // Kids (3 and under) eat free with a paid adult on Monday Quiznos // Kids (12 and under) eat free everyday, all day with the purchase of an adult entree BE SURE TO CALL AHEAD TO MAKE SURE THESE DEALS ARE STILL VALID

Read more about the book on our blog: http://mopsedmondfpc.blogspot.com/2013/08/mops-theme-book.html

(or nearly free)

Print out this bookmark and use it while reading The Artist’s Daughter

KIDS eat free

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. EPHESIANS 2:10

Want to contribute an article, recipe, devotional, tips or anything else to the newsletter? Are you interested in writing a guest blog post for the MOPS blog? E-mail us at mopsedmondfpc@gmail.com with your ideas.

SEPTEMBER 2013 1

MYRIAD TWILIGHT CONCERT

LAST DAY OF STATE FAIR // HOT MAMAS 5K

kara woollard

LAST DAY OF DISNEY ON ICE

FIRST DAY OF STATE FAIR

jenny geib

MOPS MEETING ZOOFRIENDS FAMILY NIGHT// PROJECT MOM

PROJECT MOM// LIL’ KICKERS C HOUSE

STEERING TEAM MEETING

alisa nelson

MOPS MEETING H&8TH

OKC READS// KRAZY KIDS DOG SHOW

SMITHSONIAN MUSEUM DAY // PLAZA DISTRICT FESTIVAL

Happy Birthday to MOPS Mommas KARA, ALISA & JENNY

Community events Sept 12 -22 // State Fair of Oklahoma

Sept 15 // Myriad Gardens Twilight Concert

Sept 13 // ZooFriends Family Fun Night

Sept 21 // OKC Reads

8 AM - 9 PM weekdays / 8 AM - 10 PM weekends For more information & schedule, visit okstatefair.com. 5 PM - 8 PM / After hours fun for ZooFriends members and their families. Includes FREE admission to Stingray Bay, various rides, the Sea Lion Show and Keeper Chats.

Sept 13-14 // Project Mom

Features speakers, breakout sessions, vendors, goodie bags & more for moms. Register at projectmom.com.

Sept 14 // Lil’ Kickers Open House

10 AM - 12 PM / Allows children to sample FREE Lil’ Kickers classes and meet the coaches at SoccerCity OKC. Includes inflatables, face painters, Lil’ Kickers mascot and more. More info can be found at soccercityokcity.com. FRIDAYS | 9:30 - 11:30

Mark Your ars calend MOPS MEETING DATES

2013-2014 mopsedmondfpc.blogspot.com

September 13 & 27 October 25 November 8 & 22 December 13 January 10 & 24 February 14 & 28 March 14 & 28 April 11 & 25 May 9

7:30 PM - 9 PM / FREE, family-friendly concerts in an outdoor setting featuring MoeTowne Alex & NightView. 9 PM - 3 PM / Volunteers will talk to kids about their professions and how they use and enjoy reading as adults at the Children’s Garden at Myriad Gardens.

Sept 21 // Krazy Kids Dog Show

9 PM - 3 PM / Allows ages 4-12 to enter their dogs in two categories for a chance to win a trophy at Shannon Miller Park in Edmond.

Sept 22 // Hot Mamas 5K & Baby Parade

1 PM - Baby Parade & 2 PM - 5K Run / Oklahoma’s First women-only run. Register at hotmamasrun.com.

Sept 27 // H&8th

7 PM - 11 PM / Food trucks & live music. For more information, visit h8thokc.com.

Sept 28 // Smithsonian Museum Day

Visit participating museums for free. For more information, visit http://www.smithsonianmag.com/ museumday/

Sept 28 // Plaza District Festival

Noon - 10 PM / Features visual artists, live music, kids art activities, local food vendors and more. More info can be found at plazadistrictfestival.com