Hands and Feet Christmas Gift Project

Help Orphans Get Back to a Safe Home:

Here is a last minute idea to a special Christmas service project, and one your kids can be fully involved in.  Our idea this year is to raise funds to donate to the Hands and Feet Orphanage in Haiti. This Fall the orphanage was robbed.  You can learn more at their website:  handsandfeetproject.org (specifically this page: http://handsandfeetproject.org/uncategorized/jacmel-update/)  While the orphanage is restocked and more protection is added, the children are living at other orphanages. 

We would like to help Hands and Feet purchase replacement items and also to possibly help with the cost of a wall around the complex.  Two ideas are a simple donation and a "Jesus gift" fundraiser.

Allowing children to earn their own money to give as a special gift at Christmas is a great way to inspire them to work, to think of others, and to relate in some part to the sacrificial life of Christ.  So, below is a (very incomplete) list of chores that preschoolers can do.  I'm sure you many more ideas or more age appropriate things.

- dusting (socks on hands work great)
- emptying dishwasher
- tidying
- tearing lettuce for a salad, peeling carrots, etc
- gathering up crumbs off a table or floor
- cleaning windows (after Momma sprays them)
- feeding pets
- gathering random clothing articles around house (common in this home) and putting in the laundry basket
- tidying shoe racks or shelves
- wiping counters
- and more!  (Ask moms who have been there, done that)

To make it more personal for your kids, you can visit the Hands and Feet website to view kids' profiles and see pictures of the orphanage.

Because we are a little short on time (and on MOPS meetings), any money you would like to donate, or that your kids earn and would like to donate, can be sent or brought to my house in Peshastin.  There is no minimum amount.  If Junior earns 3 quarters, they can be put to good use in Haiti. :-)  Check back soon for who to write checks too, and a deadline.

This is very last minute, and we can possible do this again, on a larger scale, another time. 

Merry Christmas!
-Anna (548-0308)

Christmas Marketplace - please RSVP

Ladies - Our next MOPS will be upon us so very soon...
At our December MOPS (Dec. 14) we will be having our Marketplace. 
Don't know what the Marketplace is?????  I'll tell you :)
If you are a mom that crafts/creates/or sells something, you are invited to set up a table at our December MOPS to sell your goods.
If this is something you might be interested in, Heidi needs to know...  Please RSVP to her at josh.hill@frontier.com. 

Thanksgiving Pie Fundraiser Auction

Recipe's from Freezer cooking night

Ham & Cheese Braid

1 loaf Rhodes bread dough
1/2 cup or 1 stick butter
1 envelope Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix (not generic)
3/4 lb. thinly sliced ham
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon poppy seeds

Assembly: Roll bread dough out into a rectangular shape so that itsapproximately 1/2" thick. Combine butter and ranch mix. Spread about 5 tablespoons of mixture on the rectangle. Layer ham and cheese down thecenter of the rectangle. Use a pizza cutter to cut strips along eachside of the dough (even numbers on each side). Starting at bottom,take each piece, cross and twist. Continue criss-crossing until yourit is all braided. Brush remaining butter ranch mixture over the top.Sprinkle with poppy seeds. Wrap loaf with plastic wrap and then foil.Label with cooking instructions and freeze.

Cooking Instructions: Unwrap from foil and plastic wrap and set on alightly greased baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap. Let thawovernight in refrigerator. A couple hours before you are ready to bakeplace on counter to let rise. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.


Brown Bag Burritos
▪ 2 lb. ground beef
▪ 2 cans refried beans (I make my own)
▪ 1 1/3 c. enchilada sauce
▪ 1/2 c. water
▪ 1/3 c. minced onion (I use dried)
▪ 1 Tbsp. chili powder
▪ 1 Tbsp. garlic powder
▪ 1 tsp. salt
▪ 1 tsp. dried oregano
▪ 3 c. shredded cheese (cheddar, Mexican blend, whatever)
▪ 20 flour tortillas (burrito-size)
Brown ground beef; drain. Add remaining ingredients (except tortillas). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
Heat 3-4 tortillas at a time. Spoon 1/4 c. beef mixture down the side of each tortilla. (I like to use my cookie scoop for this. Helps me keep everything uniform without any mess.)
Roll up. Wrap each burrito in a paper towel, then wrap in foil. (See my crinkly foil? Because the foil doesn’t really touch the food, it is super easy to save and reuse!)
Refrigerate or freeze. I like to pack them in the tortilla ziplock bag. I can usually fit 10 per bag. Oh, by the way, sure wish I would have looked at the corner of this bag before I bought them. See where it says “Thins?” Not such a good thing for burritos. These tortillas tore too easily. I know I should practice making my own…
When ready to eat, remove foil and microwave for about a minute. The paper towel keeps the burritos moist. If you don’t use a microwave, skip the paper towel and just wrap in foil. Then heat burritos in the oven with foil. For a sit down meal they are nice topped with lettuce, cheese, salsa, and sour cream. If you’re eating on the run, though, just grab and go!

Creative Dance Classes - Start Oct. 17th, 2011

First meeting of the year!

Hey Ladies! Guess what? 

It's that time again.

The first meeting of Leavenworth MOPS is on the

schedule for Wednesday September 14!

PLEASE NOTE: TIME CHANGE. We will be meeting at the Leavenworth Church of the Nazarene at 111 Ski Hill Road but we will be meeting earlier than last year at 9am to 11am! (We hope this time change will be helpful for those moms needing to pick up their chitlins from preschool.)

This year's theme is MomSense. This year MOPS will focus on assuring every mom she can become the mom she's meant to be and by combining her mom intuition and her common sense she will discover her own unique "MomSense".

In a nutshell, MOPS is all about moms getting together to encourage, equip and edify one another on this fun filled road through these crazy times of raising preschool kiddos!

Won't you join us?

If so, get ready for a great year packed with yummy food, practical and quick crafts (did I mention quick? Like even I can do them and finish them before I leave!!) and an amazing line up of speakers who will fill our think tanks with good info. Here are some of the slated topics:

How to fit healthy habits into a hectic lifestyle

Creating lasting and memorable holiday and family traditions

Home Efficiency: How to calm the crazy

Healthy kids are happy kids

Disciplining children in love

Decor for the busy Mama: What is YOUR style?

Keep in mind these topics are still floating and subject to change but most will be in the line up for this year!

Be excited!

MOPS Moms in Leavenworth also have a heart to give back to the community around us as well as the world at large. We also know that mothers of preschool kids have bigger philanthropic dreams than their time allows so we have planned a few activities that allow us to work together and bless others!

If you are new to MOPS and want some more info, check out www.MOPS.org. You can email us at LeavenworthMOPS@gmail.com!

Also, Leavenworth MOPS is on Facebook. Yes, we are that cool. So look us up and friend us so you can get all the great updates and witty quips from time to time!

Well, that's all for now. Have a great rest of your summer and we'll see you in a few weeks!

Love,

THE LAST MEETING OF THE YEAR

This is it for the year, folks! We are meeting this Wednesday at 9:15 for a time of socializing and picking up ideas for ways to keep your kids busy and having fun all summer long. This is also time clean out your bookshelves for a book exchange. You may bring grownup books as well as kid's books. See you at the Nazarene Church on Wednesday.

We do plan on meeting informally during the summer, so be sure to check the blog or your email periodically. We can't go all summer without seeing each other!

There will NOT be a snowstorm-

I am just sure there won't be a snowstorm this time around, so we have re-scheduled Jenn Dean-Hill to come and speak to us on anger management. Jenn is a licensed individual/ family/ marriage counselor from Richland, WA and the mother of two children- ages 13 and 12. She can give us great insight and perspective as one who is on the other side of parenting young children. Please come and bring anyone you can think of who would benefit from this topic - which is everyone, right? You can find out more about Jenn and her work at relationshipremodel.com. Brunch and childcare provided- this Wednesday- check in begins at 9:15.

Don't forget our annual MOPS and POPS night out- THIS FRIDAY- May 13th at the Nazarene Church. The evening begins at 6:00 pm- dinner (for the adults), childcare and lots of fun provided. Suggested donation of $10 per family- but please don't let cost prohibit you from coming. Also- if your spouse can't make it, not a problem- come anyway for a fun night out. Please RSVP with the number of adults and children coming by May 11th. We'll need to know just how much steak to buy and sitters to hire. You can RSVP by commenting on this post or emailing josh.hill@frontier.com. SEE YOU THERE!

CONGRATULATIONS to Holly and Chris Flick on the arrival of precious Sarah Fina Flick born April 30th. Hopefully I can find a picture to post soon- she's a cutie!

Congrats to Sarah Rose (& Family)

Welcome Finnley Robert Rose born April 20th. 7#10oz. 20" long.

We can't wait to meet him!

Also: if you are looking for ways to bless Sarah & her family, check out our Meal Train:

http://www.mealtrain.com?id=mpebo147te7t

April 13th

Come this Wednesday for our annual Easter celebration. We will hear from some of our own moms and participate in a service craft in order to spread the Gospel in one of the most violent and hardest to reach areas in our world. I am really looking forward to seeing everyone! Check in begins at 9:15.

Two announcements and a reminder

FIRST:

Light in the Valley Community Church is looking to hire someone for nursery on Sunday mornings. We're looking for someone who is committed, reliable and has a passion for kids from 9:45-11:45am every Sunday. There is an average of only 2 kiddos in our nursery. You can bring your own children if you'd like to. Please email Whitney at lightinthevalley@gmail.com or call 782-1920 if you're interested. Feel free to pass this along if you know of someone who might enjoy some extra money and loves kids.

SECOND:

Mom's Night Out is staying at the originally scheduled date of March 29th. We'll be meeting at the church in our normal room, and CHILDCARE is (hopefully) PROVIDED- still waiting on some calls back on that one. Cover charge of $5.00 to offset cost of supplies- and please note the beginning time has been changed to 6:30.

THIRD:

There is no MOPS until April 13th! March has five Wednesdays- so sometimes we get thrown off a bit.

It's official...

...spring is here! And with it, all the rain/snow/sleet etc. one can expect. However, with spring always comes the promise of renewal; the small leaves of green poking up out of the dead, grey flowerbeds, soon to be tulips, hyacinth, irises, and daffodils. Every year, I am excited and amazed- and ready. As much as I love snow, the greening up of the ground and the buds on the pear trees get me excited for warm days ahead. Just one of the many reasons I love living in a place with four seasons!

This week at MOPS, we'll be focusing on the home- Creating Our Homes to Be Masterpieces. To me, the idea of a home as a 'masterpiece' means a place comfortable and relaxing to come home to- not just regarding the state of cleanliness/organization, but also the state of the relationships in the home. Maybe it's prosaic, outdated, or too Ozzie-and-Harriet, but I do believe our homes need our attention. Come hear one of our mentor moms, Linny Jones, speak on this topic this week at our regular time on Wednesday. Brunch and childcare provided (last meeting, we found bigger plates for brunch- yay!); check-in begins at 9:15. See you Wednesday.

It's MOPS week!

This Wednesday, March 9th, we'll be hearing from Pastor Jon Vandel about developing and using our gifts based on our personality. It should be informative and fun. As always, brunch and childcare provided. Our Steering Team is working on the next Mom's Night Out- jewelry making! More details to come, but the night is March 29th, so mark your calendars. See you Wednesday.

NEXT MEETING: FEBRUARY 23rd

Come join us this Wednesday for a discussion about creating (and then living within) a budget. Our presenter is Susan Hufman, who spoke last year about creating a will and contingency plan for our families (and we've all done that, right? She may be checking!). She is a great resource and we're looking forward to her insight. As always, brunch and childcare provided. See you at 9:15! Please note our Tea and Textiles night is THIS Thursday. Even if you aren't crafty, come for a fun evening out.

Tea and Textiles; Feb 24th

Our next Ellemeno (Leavenworth Moms' Night Out) will be a evening of learning a new craft (or not, your choice!) and/or working on current ones you already have started. Jodi McDevitt is hosting (for directions, comment and we'll get back to you), and the fun begins at 7:00. We will have knitting/ crocheting experts on hand if you want to learn- and if you do, please contact Heidi and she'll help you decide what you'll need to bring. If you scrapbook, bring some current pages to work on. If you bead, bring your latest project. Knitter? Bring that hat/scarf/sweater that you've been working on for months (years?). If you like to chat and don't feel crafty- come anyway. It's great company.

Also, this Wednesday, the bookstudy group meets to discuss Shepherding a Child's Heart, through Chapter 6, with corresponding chapters in the Parent Handbook. We meet at 9:30 am, Leavenworth Church of the Nazarene; childcare is provided. Come if you're interested in the topic, even if you haven't read the chapters. We know how it goes. See you then!

NEXT MEETING: FEBRUARY 9

Our first meeting in February is traditionally our Valentine's Day meeting. We have many fun things planned- card making, games, and as always, BRUNCH! We also have a speaker sharing some ways to make Valentine's Day special (even though this stage of our lives may make it difficult!). Hope to see you there- check in begins at 9:15.

Hey hey hey- more exchanging on the way!

To add to the previous post, we will also be exchanging children's clothing at the January 26th meeting. Our leftover items will go down the valley to the Cashmere clothing exchange, which you could also personally participate in. Here is the information (Thanks, Annie!):

Children's Clothing Exchange

Saturday, January 29th
Snapdragon Coffee: 207 Mission Street, Cashmere
5pm-7pm
Cost: Free!

How does it work?
Drop clothing off at Snapdragon Coffee the week prior.
Receive one credit for each article of clothing.
Use your credits to "purchase" items. One credit per item.
Any items remaining will be donated to charity.
To avoid chaos, we request adults only. :)

Accepted Items:
Clean and gently used children's clothing.
Sizes: Newborn to 4T
No socks or undergarments.

Clothing Drop-Off Dates:
Monday, Jan. 24th-Friday, Jan. 28th: 7am-3pm
Snapdragon Coffee: 207 Mission Street, Cashmere

Next meeting: January 12

Come join us at 9:15, Wednesday, January 12th at the Leavenworth Church of the Nazarene. Our guest speaker is Jennifer Dean-Hill, a licensed marriage and family counselor, addressing the topic of anger management. As always, brunch and childcare are provided. Also be sure to mark your calendars for our monthly book study, Shepherding a Child's Heart, January 19th. If you have recently cleaned out or are planning on cleaning out your children's toy boxes, we will be holding a toy exchange at our January 26th meeting (gently used and clean toys- more details to follow!), so be sure to keep that in mind. See you Wednesday!