Charlottesville Mothers of Preschoolers

The February 2012 Newsletter is Now Online.

2012-02-09T20:36:00.000-05:00

Our February MOPS Newsletter is now available online. Click here to view.

February 9th Meeting Recap

2012-02-09T20:28:00.000-05:00

Today was "Bring Your Hubby to MOPS day"! We had a great turnout with many husbands joining us for our meeting focused on marriage. I'm sure the promise of a delicious breakfast provided by the Purple Popsicle and Bluebonnet tables helped to convince them as well. Thanks to Pastor Lindsay Sadler of First Baptist Church for opening our meeting and breakfast with prayer this morning.

Today's Announcements:

Congratulations to Dana U. on the birth of a baby girl, Margaret!
Our February Birthdays are Gayle T., Patricia F., Amber Y., and Dana U.
If you signed up to get tickets for Veggie Tales Live!, please bring money for your tickets to our next meeting (February 23). Tickets are $14 per person. Money should be turned in to Kelly P.
The Disney Princesses will be coming to John Paul Jones Arena in March. Talk to Karen L. at the Bluebonnet table if you are interested in going as a group with other MOPS moms and daughters.

Next we had a game of Bingo to give away our On Time Save Time meal. This meeting's lucky winner was Karen L. from the Pink Petunia table.

Five brave husbands played the Name That Couple game. They were all winners, taking home a chocolate treat. Hide it from your wives, guys!

Our special guests today were Kyle and Christine Hoover. Kyle is the pastor of Charlottesville Community Church. Christine is a writer and stay at home mom to their three children. Today Kyle and Christine spoke about the three keys to a prosperous marriage: Time, Communication, and Conflict Resolution.

Kyle began by telling how couples need to make an effort to spend adequate time together. Husbands should ask their wives if they are happy with the amount of time spent together; chances are she would like more. He also says that it is good for the kids if mom and dad get some regular quality time together without them.

He then gave husbands three areas to work on when it comes to time: everyday, weekly, and special times. Everyday involves making the daily effort to show affection and appreciation. Don't put it off for later! Weekly means scheduling a regular time together, typically a "date night". Get a babysitter or trade time with another couple and go out to dinner or get a cup of coffee.

Special times are those one or two times a year that you get away overnight (or hopefully longer!) as a couple. Get the grandparents to watch your kids spend a few days together, just the two of you.

Next we heard from Christine, who wants wives to respond to our husbands when they offer to take us out. Don't feel guilty leaving the kids for a time!

Christine then moved to the next of the three keys: Communication. Men and women communicate differently, with women seeking to connect and share, and men seeking results and goals. Because of these differences, we have different needs. Some things husbands should keep in mind: your wife needs reassurance, and needs to hear that you love and appreciate her on a regular basis. Think of watering a plant; you can't dump water on the plant once and expect it to thrive, it needs regular watering and care throughout its life!

Kyle offered us wisdom on communicating with men; they deeply desire respect. He says that men would rather hear, "You are awesome!" from their wives than "I love you!". They also want to be respected unconditionally, as women want to be loved unconditionally. He wisely advised us to never talk badly about our husbands in public. This can deeply wound a man and can ruin intimacy. A good thing wives can do is ask their husbands how they can show him more respect.

Our final "key" is Conflict Resolution. Good marriages have conflict, the key is knowing how to "fight well". Here are ten guidelines offered by the Hoovers for conflict resolution:

1. Settle the problem the day it occurs
2. Make direct and specific statements; don't over-generalize (avoid always/never)
3. Attack the problem, not the person
4. Don't push "buttons" you know will increase conflict
5. Don't belittle, mock, or refuse to deal with an issue
6. Don't over-talk or dominate the conversation
7. Learn when to take a "time out" from resolving an issue
8. Talk to your partner as if you were in a crowded restaurant
9. Learn to truly forgive
10. Be willing to seek help if you are unable to resolve things on your own

Finally Kyle summed things up by leaving us with the following verse from scripture, 2 Corinthians 13:11:

"Finally, brethren, rejoice, be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you."

If you are interested in attending a Marriage class, the Hoover's Church will be having one on Monday evenings beginning March 13th. Contact Christine Hoover for more information.

Thanks for another wonderful meeting ladies, and thanks to all the wonderful husbands who attended! See you at our next meeting on Thursday, February 23rd.

Top Ten Frugal (and fun!) Valentine Ideas for Kids

2012-02-08T07:30:00.000-05:00

So we looked at some great ideas for showing our husbands some love on February 14th, but lets not forget our kids! Valentine's Day is a great opportunity to make memories and start some traditions with our little ones.

1. Go on a Valentine's Day scavenger hunt! A simple idea for pre-readers is to cut a large heart out of construction paper. Then cut it into several "puzzle" pieces and hide them around your house. When all the pieces are collected help kids put them together and give them a small prize. For those kids that are reading you can do a more traditional scavenger hunt with clues leading them to different areas in your home. The final clue would lead them to a little Valentine gift (stickers, candy, etc.).

2. Make a heart-themed breakfast. Pancakes can be made heart shaped by either pouring batter into a heart shaped mold on your griddle, or putting batter in a squeeze bottle or turkey baster and "drawing" a heart shape in the pan. Then fill in the shape with more batter. Then cook and flip pancakes as usual. For some bonus mommy "points", add chocolate chips! You can also use cookie cutters to make heart shaped toast.

3. Have a Valentine card-making party. Gather some supplies (construction paper, glue, glitter, stickers) and make some beautiful cards for your friends and family. Even little guys can get in on the fun: have them finger paint and then cut heart shapes out of the paper.

4. Valentine's Day is on a weekday this year, so send some love off with them to school. Include a special treat and write them a note to include in their lunch or snack.

5. Buy a pack of red, white, and pink balloons. Blow them up, and after they fall asleep place them in their room. They will wake up to a Valentine surprise! (Note: balloons are a choking hazard so keep them away from babies.)

6. Paper streamers are an inexpensive way to decorate for the holiday; rolls can be purchased for about a dollar. You can hang them straight down from doorways to make a "curtain". Drape them on banisters, or wrap them around your child's chair. There are lots of possibilities!

7. Make a Valentine's Day "mailbox" from a cereal box. Find some instructions here. Fill it up with some treats, cards, etc. for the big day.

8. Check out some Valentine/love themed children's books from the library and have your own story hour. Kids love to be read to.

9. Make a heart-shaped pizza for dinner! My kiddos love pizza, and pizza dough is really easy to make yourself (find the recipe I use here). Add sauce, cheese, and toppings for a special dinner. If you aren't up for making your own, order a pizza and request that they arrange the pepperoni slices in the shape of a heart.

10. Brainstorm with your kids about what they can do to show someone else love on Valentine's Day. Perhaps they can help you make Daddy's favorite dessert, do a chore for a sibling, or color a picture for a grandparent.

Do you have any Valentine's traditions in your family? Any fun activities you want to try this year? We would love to hear about them! Please post in our comments section or share over on our private facebook group.

Top Ten Frugal ways to show your Hubby some love for Valentine's Day

2012-02-03T07:30:00.000-05:00

We show love to our spouses throughout the year, but Valentine's Day is a great excuse to do something extra special for your spouse. And it doesn't need to cost a fortune! Here are ten low or no-cost things you can do for your hubby to show him how much you love him.

1. Does anyone else remember "mix tapes"? Those may be before your time but these days we can make a special CD or "playlist" for our husbands. Download songs that are special to you as a couple and burn them to a CD. Or surprise your guy by downloading music to a new playlist on his phone or mp3 player. Use songs from your wedding, songs from when you were dating, etc. Listen together and reminisce!

2. Write a love letter with the top ten things you love about your husband. To make it extra special you can print it out on nice paper and frame it.

3. Have a living room "picnic". Dinner out for Valentine's Day is nice, but if you are looking to save a little money why not have a romantic picnic at home? Rent a movie, spread a blanket on the floor and have a meal together after the kids are in bed.

4. Make a video of you and the kids wishing Daddy a Happy Valentine's Day. You can email the video to your husband or post it on youtube and put the link on their facebook account. This is especially good for those tech-savvy Dad's.

5. Go on a mini-date to your favorite coffee shop and share a rich dessert. If you want to save money on babysitting find another couple and trade nights with them.

6. Go out for Valentine's lunch or breakfast! This works especially well if you have little ones who are in preschool. Drop them off and meet your spouse at your favorite breakfast place. No sitter needed and you still get some special time together!

7. Make or buy some of your husband's favorite cookies. Wrap up a few, attach a sweet note, then hide them in his car/briefcase/backpack the night before Valentine's Day for a cute surprise.

8. Make a photo slideshow or album using pictures of the two of you over the years. You will both enjoy looking back on your wedding, the day your kids were born, or to that special trip you took.

9. If you and your hubby love hanging out with good friends, consider having a Valentine's Day Progressive dinner. Find two or three other couples and have each one choose a course to host.

10. Have a romantic, candlelit dinner for two at your home. Make his favorite meal, light some candles, and play some romantic tunes in the background. If you aren't into cooking, get takeout from your favorite restaurant.

What are your favorite frugal ideas for Valentine's Day? Please post them in the comments or over on our facebook group. Our next meeting is Thursday, February 9th, and we will be focusing on love and marriage. Our guest speakers will be Kyle and Christine Hoover. Hope to see you there WITH your hubby! Also, be sure to visit the blog again soon for some frugal Valentine's ideas for your kids!

January 26th Meeting Recap

2012-01-28T12:22:00.001-05:00

Our January 26th MOPS meeting featured a panel of our mentoring moms answering some burning questions about life, love, and motherhood! But first let's have some announcements and door prizes.

A warm welcome to our newest Moppet, Karoline! Congratulations to mom Karen L.!

The winner of the On Time Save Time meal was Wendi Z.!

Calm Christian Parenting is returning to First Baptist Church in Charlottesville. They will be addressing "How to Stop Defiance and Sibling Fights" on Monday, January 30th from 7 to 9 pm. This event is free and there is no need to register. Childcare will not be available. There has been an abundance of positive feedback about these events so be sure to attend!

Don't forget that our next meeting on February 9th is "Bring Your Hubby to MOPS Day". Kyle and Christine Hoover will be our speakers and a yummy breakfast will be provided. We have many husbands attending so let yours know he won't be alone!

Jen L. is hosting an Easter card-making party at her home to make cards for sponsor children. The party will be on Saturday, February 4th at Jen's house. If your family sponsors a child come out a make them a homemade card to celebrate the holiday!

Veggietales LIVE! is coming to Charlottesville on Sunday March 11th. If you would like to sign up as part of the MOPS group please contact Kelly P. Tickets are $10 per person.

We had some truly wonderful door prizes at this meeting that were provided by our mentoring moms. Each mentor handpicked items that were special and meaningful to her. Our door prize winners were: Katie S., Sarah M., Christine H., Michelle C., Leah F., Amanda N., and Sara D.

Our featured guests for this meeting were our very own Mentoring Moms! Several of you submitted questions that our moms thoughtfully answered prior to the meeting. Those answers were discussed and elaborated on. These wise women gave us insight into marriage and sex, tantrums, raising boys, leading your child to Christ, and how to "let go" as our children become more independent. Just some of the excellent advice these ladies shared included: "Make your marriage and husband a top priority", "Pray, pray, pray through it!", "Let the small stuff go", and "Try to have a regular time with God and let Him lead you in that area". Thanks so very much to our Mentoring Moms for there open, honest, funny, and poignant advice. You all are truly a blessing to our group!

So what was your favorite bit of wisdom from this meeting? Please feel free to post in the comments. We would also love for you to share any particularly good parenting advice you have received. Thanks for a great meeting ladies! See you in February!

The January 2012 Newsletter is Now Online.

2012-01-13T12:09:00.002-05:00

Our January newsletter is now available online! Click here to view.

Christmas Craftiness: Make a Candle-Holder

2011-12-22T07:30:00.000-05:00

Here is another simple craft to do with the kids: make a candle-holder. You will need: a glass jar, tissue paper (cut into approximately 1 inch squares), Elmer's glue (school glue), water, a paint brush, and a small tea-light candle. Give your child a jar and a bunch of the paper squares. Dump about 2 tablespoons or so of glue onto a plate and mix in about 3 teaspoons of water, stirring the mixture up with your paint brush. Add water until until the mixture has thinned out to about the consistency of poster paint. Brush a layer of the glue-water mixture onto a small portion of the jar, and let your child stick the tissue paper square onto the glue. Repeat this until the whole jar is covered with a layer of the glue and tissue paper. Finally, you will brush another layer of glue over all of the tissue paper. Set the jars in a safe area so they can dry (ours took a few hours). Once dry, insert a tea-light and enjoy!

Gluing on the tissue paper.

Showing off his work!

All covered in tissue paper.

Letting the jar dry. This is an old spaghetti sauce jar.


The finished product!

Be sure to set your candles in a safe place, away from little hands. Also, remember school glue rinses off in water, so keep your finished jars dry. For a more permanent application something like modge-podge would need to be used in place of the glue. Merry Christmas and happy crafting!

Christmas craft with the kids: Make your own Wrapping Paper!

2011-12-20T07:30:00.000-05:00

An easy and fun way to get your Moppet excited about giving gifts (and not just receiving them) is to have them help with the wrapping. If your child loves to paint they will enjoy making their own one-of-a-kind wrapping paper. Grab a large sheet of paper, break out the poster paints and let them get creative. You can give them brushes, sponges, even small cutting from your Christmas tree to dip in the paint and make interesting patterns.

We used newsprint paper which is a nice, not-too-thick paper. After their papers dried I let them tape while I wrapped the gift. They each chose a bow and a gift tag and then we were done! If you try this activity with your kids we would love to see your results over on our facebook group!

Easy way to add a little Christmas fun...

2011-12-16T08:00:00.000-05:00

Looking for an easy way to add a little Christmas cheer to your day? If your kids are like mine, they eat sandwiches almost every day for lunch. A sweet way to surprise them is to use a Christmas cookie cutter and cut a shape into their sandwich. I used a Christmas tree cookie cutter here. For added fun add some cookie sprinkles on the top for "ornaments"!

I hope everyone is having a joyful Christmas season!

The December 2011 Newsletter is Now Online.

2011-12-08T15:42:00.001-05:00

Our December newsletter is now available online here!

Meeting Recap - December 8, 2011

2011-12-08T14:59:00.001-05:00

Our final meeting of 2011 was a fun time of fellowship and getting creative with a paper craft! But first let's have a few announcements:

Our MOPS Bible study begins on Tuesday, January 10th. We will be reading a book on parenting and watching an accompanying DVD. The study meets on Tuesdays at 9:30am at First Baptist Church. Childcare is provided, but pre-registration is necessary. You can register for the study online here. The childcare registration form can be found online here. You will need to fill out the childcare form once per child. We would love to have you join us!
If your childcare needs will be changing for the Spring 2012 MOPS meetings please let your table leader know as soon as possible. We want to use any extra spots for our waiting list mommies.
February 9th is "Bring Your Hubby to MOPS Day". Let your darling husband know now so he can make plans to be there. Be sure to tell him that a delicious breakfast will be provided!
Our next MOPS meeting will be on Thursday, January 12th. We will have a fitness guru (and fellow mom) give us tips on getting and staying in shape and achieving a healthy lifestyle. Our meeting on January 26th will feature our Mentoring Mom panel discussion. Be thinking of questions for these wise women!
If you would like to volunteer for the Hope Community Center's annual clothing giveaway please contact Marianne T. at tolley31@msn.com. Volunteers are needed Friday, Dec. 16 from 3pm until 11pm, and Saturday Dec. 17 from 6am until 3pm at Venable Elementary School. Food and refreshments will be provided.

As a thank you for all of the hard work she does organizing and planning for MOPS, our Coordinator Lauren B. was presented with a gift card to a spa. Thank you so much for all you do for us Lauren!

Our door-prize winners today: Cara B. and Felicia W. won stamp sets. Amber B., Emily K., and Emily B. received MOPS cookbooks.

Finally, today we had a Christmas craft - making beautiful stamped gift tags. Melissa R. coordinated our craft, providing us with stamps, paper punches, ribbon, and other embellishments. There were some really beautiful and creative tags out there today. Thanks so much Melissa for putting this together and we hope you feel better soon!

We also provided Christmas gift bags to our wonderful Moppets childcare workers today. Thanks so much to these devoted women who look after our little ones - we couldn't do this without you.

Thanks everyone for another great meeting. Have a Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year! See you in 2012 for our next meeting!

Reminder - Christmas gift bags for Moppets Workers

2011-12-05T20:51:00.001-05:00

I would like to remind everyone about the Christmas gifts for MOPPETS workers. We will have a gift bag for each worker at Thursday's (Dec. 8th) MOPS meeting. If you would like to contribute something (a small gift, gift card, card, etc.) for your child's workers please be sure to bring it on Thursday. We will also have bags for Nancy (Children's Min. Dir.), Sherry (Assoc. Dir.) and Cynthia (Moppets Coordinator). Thanks!

Room 259 Baby's Breath
Iris D., Frances W., Mary Lou B. and Tracey Y.

Room 263 Daisy's
Phyllis D., Amy M. and Vicki M.

Room 111 Honeysuckle
Lisa G. and Jen S.

Room 113 Sweet Peas
Nichole S. and Claudia M.

Room 110 Daffodils
Melissa M. and Kelly B.

Room 129 Buttercups
Melissa M. and Jane B.

Room 119 Poppys
Billie Jo K. and Lizz K.

2011 MOPS Christmas Party

2011-12-05T19:40:00.001-05:00

On Friday, December 2nd we celebrated Christmas MOPS’ style at our annual Christmas Party! The party began with hors d'oeuvres, punch, and some mingling. We then had a delicious dinner catered by Greenhouse Coffee of Crozet. Finally we had a “white elephant” gift exchange game emceed by the hilarious Bob Byrne. Thanks to everyone who made this evening possible, especially our childcare workers from First Baptist Church!

Playing a table game where the prize is passed left or right.

Beautiful candlelight!

Gifts waiting to be exchanged.

Our delicious dessert table.

Choosing a gift during the "white elephant" gift exchange.

What ever could it be?

A water globe? Light bulb lamp?


Carob chips? Or perhaps a Chick-Fil-A gift card?

Merry Christmas mommies! Hope to see you at our last meeting of 2011, this Thursday, December 8th!

Meeting Recap - December 1, 2011

2011-12-01T15:10:00.001-05:00

The Ornament Table

Today's meeting featured our annual Christmas Ornament exchange! But before we all started fighting over a crazy bird, owls, and a donut to adorn our trees, there were a few announcements and some door prizes:

Nancy Ryalls, Director of Children's Ministry

Happy Birthday to our ladies born in December: Tara K., Kelly P., and Karen W.
Today we had not one but two "On Time Save Time" dinners to give away; congrats to Colleen and Christina E. Kristina took home a delicious cupcake for a door prize. Corie S. won a tea gift set and Elizabeth K. received a book on prayer. Cassie won a cute bag.
Nancy Ryalls, our Director of Children's Ministries, gave us some information about childcare for our Christmas party tomorrow night (12/2/11). Children 4 and under will be on the upper floor of the ECDC building. School age and up will be in the Youth Fellowship Hall. You should have received an email with the exact room assignment for your child. Childcare drop-off begins at 6:15. Nancy asks that you please have your child's security tag when you pick them up at the end of the party. Children will only be released to a parent who possesses that tag. Pizza will be provided for those in the 3 year old and older rooms. If your child is in the 2/3 year old room or younger, you will need to give them dinner before the party. Each older child will get two pieces of pizza; if you think your child will still be hungry beyond that please give them a snack beforehand or send a snack with them. The only doors open (for security reasons) will be the the second floor door at the ECDC and the door closest to the playground that goes to the YFH.
Don't forget!!! We are doing a gift exchange tomorrow night at the Christmas party. Please bring one wrapped gift per couple for a "white elephant" gift exchange. The item can be anything found in your home that you want to give away. It can be silly, fun, nice, useful, whatever you like!
We truly appreciate our childcare providers for MOPS! This is a wonderful ministry of First Baptist Church. To show them our appreciation, and wish them a Merry Christmas, we will be giving each worker a gift bag after our next meeting on December 8th. If you would like to bring something to include in the gift bag for your child's teachers, please bring it to the next meeting.
Hope Community Center’s annual clothing giveaway isscheduled for Saturday, Dec 17, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Venable ElementarySchool Gymnasium. Donations of gently used clothing, shoes, household goods, toys, books andlinens are being accepted at Hope through Thursday, Dec. 15. Hope islocated on 11th St NW, two blocks down from Grady Ave. Volunteers are needed Friday, Dec. 16, from 3 p.m. until 11p.m., and Saturday, Dec. 17, from 6 a.m. until 3 p.m. at Venable ElementarySchool. Venable is located at 406 14^th Street NW. All ages arewelcome to volunteer. Food and refreshments will be provided. For furtherinformation, contact Marianne at tolley31@msn.com.
Marianne T. is looking for childcare for her 3 year old for Wednesdays and the occasional Friday. Please contact her if you or someone you know is available.

Finally we had our ornament exchange! There were so many beautiful ornaments, it was hard to choose whether to keep the one you picked or "steal" someone else's! Some very popular ones included a crazy-looking bird (if you brought that ornament please talk to Anna P. as she really wants one like it!), a donut with a Starbucks gift card, and a cute little owl. Also spotted: a pickle, a snowman made from bells, and a few beautiful snowflakes!

Waiting for a turn.

There were lots of oohs and ahhs!

Gorgeous "earrings"!

A lovely cross ornament.

Anna with that infamous bird!


Everyone with their ornaments.

Thanks to everyone for a great meeting! Hope to see you at our Christmas Party on December 2nd and at our next meeting on December 8th!

Reminders!

2011-11-29T12:45:00.001-05:00

Our MOPS Christmas party is this Friday, December 2 at 6:30. Childcare drop off begins at 6:15. Older kids will be getting pizza but younger ones will need to be fed prior to the party. We will be notified of those exact age groups soon. Also we will be doing a gift exchange, so bring a wrapped gift from your home. The gift can be anything: silly or serious, awesome or ugly! One gift per couple please.
Don't forget to bring a wrapped Christmas ornament to our MOPS meeting this Thursday, December 1. We will be doing an ornament exchange that day.
We are looking for stories for our December newsletter. If you have a favorite cookie recipe and some warm holiday memories surrounding it we would love to talk to you. Please post to our facebook group, or email Kelly Pedone or Allison Bird. We are also looking for those awesomely tacky Christmas decorations that you love to bring out each year. Do you still lovingly set out great Aunt Ida's "scary" Santa figurine? Please post a picture of it on our facebook group, or email Kelly Pedone or Allison Bird with the details.

Meeting Recap - November 17, 2011

2011-11-17T15:33:00.001-05:00

Tea and Thanksgiving was theme of today's MOPS meeting. Several ladies blessed us with testimony of the ways God has worked and is working in their lives. But first we had a few announcements and reminders:

Our MOPS Christmas party is December 2 at 6:30. If you have not rsvp'd please let your table leader know today (11/17/11)! Childcare drop off begins at 6:15. Older kids will be getting pizza but younger ones will need to be fed prior to the party. We will be notified of those exact age groups soon. Also we will be doing a gift exchange, so bring a wrapped gift from your home. The gift can be anything: silly or serious, awesome or ugly! One gift per couple please.
Don't forget to bring a wrapped Christmas ornament to our next MOPS meeting on December 1. We will be doing an ornament exchange that day.
We are looking for stories for our December newsletter. If you have a favorite cookie recipe and some warm holiday memories surrounding it we would love to talk to you. Please post to our facebook group, or email Kelly Pedone or Allison Bird. We are also looking for those awesomely tacky Christmas decorations that you love to bring out each year. Do you still lovingly set out great Aunt Ida's "scary" Santa figurine? Please post a picture of it on our facebook group, or email Kelly Pedone or Allison Bird with the details.
Hope Community Center will be taking donations for a fundraiser soon. Please contact Marianne Tolley for more details.

Next up we had our Guess Who game. Looking for a Mom's Poker group? Emily K. loves to gamble and play poker! Who secretly loves snow boarding, rock-climbing, and mud bogging? Marianne T.! And one of you ladies has managed to get out of seven speeding tickets - hopefully we can find out who you are (and get some pointers on how you managed that) at our next meeting!

We then had a few door prizes. Winner of the On Time Save Time Meal provided by Kathy F. was Allison B. Laura P. took home a cookbook and sprinkles to make some cookies with the kids. In keeping with our theme of "Tea and Thanksgiving", Kelly P., Beate T. and Erin D. took home gratitude journals, and Wendi Z. and Michelle C. won some herbal tea.

Using all of our responses to last meeting's "I am thankful for..." cards, Jenn C. put together a funny and touching slide show. Lots of gratitude out there for coffee, sleep, awesome husbands, sweet children, and the Lord's gift of salvation. Thank you Jenn!

Elizabeth shares about her trip to Israel.

Next we heard from Elizabeth K., who shared with us about her amazing trip to Israel this past summer. She and her husband went on the trip with her pastor from their church in Colorado and several other young adults. She shared some facts about Israel and its population, explaining how this affects the climate of the country.

Beautiful art Elizabeth saw on her trip.

Elizabeth visited several amazing historic sites including the Church at Cana, where she renewed her wedding vows, Bethlehem, Gethsemane, the Temple Mount, and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. They were also able to visit a Palestinian refugee camp, and see first-hand the living conditions there. She emphasized several points including: the Holy Land is truly a "holy mess". The American concept of freedom is unique and precious in this world. And always remember the cost of the cross. What an amazing experience! Elizabeth said now that reading the Bible or taking Communion will never be the same.

Erin D. shares her son Charlie's amazing story.

Next we heard from Erin D., mom to four wonderful children. Today she spoke to us specifically about her fourth child, Charlie. At her twenty week ultrasound of her pregnancy with Charlie, Erin was given the devastating diagnosis that her baby had a rare and lethal genetic disorder. Many babies with this disorder die before they are born. When she received the diagnosis her husband was deployed. Thankfully she had a wonderful, godly physician caring for her and Charlie.

Charlie was born at 36 weeks, and God provided a way for Erin's husband to make it home for his birth. Charlie stayed in the NICU for four months, and now he is surviving and thriving at home! Just last month Erin was able to hear him cry for the first time via an assistive device.

Erin's son Charlie today!

Thank you so much Erin for sharing with us about your precious Charlie!

Mentoring mom, Lee S.

Our final speaker of the morning was Lee S., one of our mentoring moms. Lee's husband has a daughter from a previous marriage that has been absent from their lives for many years. They had no idea where she was living, although they had tried to find her several times over the years. Out of the blue one day Lee's husband Lindsay received an email from her, and over subsequent emails it was discovered that she had been in the same room with him at one point, when she was working as a nurse at a local hospital and he was visiting a patient. God providently brought them together, unbeknownst to Lee and Lindsay at the time. God used that meeting to open a door. Lee and Lindsay are praying that they will be able to re-establish this relationship, and for the salvation of their daughter. Thank you so much for sharing Lee.

Our next MOPS meeting is December 1; hope to see you there!

The Thanksgiving Tree

2011-11-15T15:49:00.001-05:00

This year for Thanksgiving we are trying a new tradition; the Thanksgiving tree. It is a simple idea: you gather some sticks and branches from the yard, place them in a jar or vase to construct a tree, cut out paper leaves, and have your family write one thing they are thankful for on each leaf. You could start on November 1st and have each person do one leaf a day until Thanksgiving. Or if you are just getting started now, do two or three leaves per day. You could even wait until Thanksgiving Day when you are gathered with family and friends and fill out several leaves at once, all decorating the tree that day. This is a very flexible craft. It is also a good way to have a tangible reminder of the many blessings God has provided for us!

For our leaves, I had my kids gather some real leaves from around our neighborhood. I placed them on my scanner and printed out copies onto card stock. I then cut out each leaf and used a hole punch to make a single hole to hang them on the tree. You can download the sheet of leaves here. Four our "tree" I gathered some branches and sticks from our yard and placed them in a glass jar, and dumped some white rocks in to hold the branches up. Another cute idea would be to use acorns as vase filler.

We talked about how God has blessed us and how we should be thankful to Him. This would be a good opportunity to memorize a Bible verse about thankfulness (1 Thessalonians 5:18 is a good one for preschoolers and toddlers). I told them we are writing one thing we are thankful for on each leaf and then they get to hang it on the tree (their favorite part!). By Thanksgiving Day the tree will be filled with leaves. My kids really enjoyed this activity. My two year old just scribbled on his leaves and then I wrote down what he was thankful for (his stuffed doggy). My four year old was thankful for friends and toys (of course!) the first day. Happy Thanksgiving and happy crafting!

Veteran's Day in Charlottesville

2011-11-11T08:52:00.001-05:00

Veteran's Day was made an official legal holiday in 1938. Originally called "Armistice Day", it was created to honor those who served in World War I. Today it is a day set aside to recognize all of our veterans and their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.

What a teaching opportunity for our children! The official Veteran's Day ceremony is held in Washington D.C., but Charlottesville will have its own ceremony today at 11 am on the lawn of the Albemarle County Office Building. You can find more information on the history and purpose of Veteran's Day here. And more information on the Charlottesville Veteran's Day Ceremony here. Thank you so much to our veterans, for your sacrifice and service we are grateful.

Tea and Thanksgiving

2011-11-09T16:46:00.000-05:00

The theme for our November 17th meeting is "Tea and Thanksgiving". We are still looking for some of you who would like to share at the meeting. Tea and Thanksgiving is a time of hearing from our MOPS moms, blessing each other with our stories - it's a sharing time. It can be something that you are learning right now, something you've experienced at another time in your life, just whatever you would like to share with the group. We're giving this sharing time a theme: Thanksgiving. It doesn't mean that you would necessarily have to share about something you're thankful for, but we'd love to hear those kinds of stories too, of course! If you are interested in sharing, please contact Meredith Curs or Kathy Fox.

The November 2011 Newsletter is now online!

2011-11-03T21:12:00.001-04:00

In case you missed it, here is our November MOPS Newsletter for you to download.

Meeting Recap - November 3, 2011

2011-11-03T21:06:00.001-04:00

Today our meeting theme was education. We had a guest speaker, Robin Jackson, as well as a panel discussion on education options in the Charlottesville area. But first we ate a delicious breakfast provided by the Purple Popsicle table. Thanks so much ladies!

"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire." - William Butler Yeats

Our first door prize was the On-Time Save Time meal, won by Ivonne L. Next we played "Guess Who?". Who lived in Europe for 4.5 years and gave birth to her first child in Germany? That would be Erin D. You might have trouble catching up with Emily B.; she ran cross country for the University of Louisville. Wendi Z. earned her Master's Degree in Occupational Therapy from Colorado State University. Lee Sadler has a dog named after Martin Luther. And finally, Christa E. lived in Switzerland from the ages of 8 to 15.

Congratulations were given to Anna P. on the birth of the adorable Carter James! So glad you both could attend the meeting!

Next up were some announcements:

The Harvest Orange Table will be hosting the next Mom's Night Out on November 16th. We will be meeting at 7:30 at the Dunlora Clubhouse. More details to follow here on our blog and on our facebook group.
Don't forget to RSVP for the Christmas Party on December 2 by filling out the sign up sheet at the back table. The cost is $5 per family.
At our December 1 MOPS meeting we will be doing an ornament exchange. Please bring one wrapped ornament.
We welcomed a new mentoring mom, Becky R., to the Yellow Maples table.
Melissa R. is seeking volunteers to help package and load shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child. If you would like to volunteer please send her an email for details on dates and times.

Two more door prizes were won by Christine H. and Marianne T. Congrats ladies!

Jenn C. our MOMS Next Leader

Next up, Jenn C., leader of our MOMS Next table, introduced our guest speaker, Robin Jackson. Robin is the founder and teacher of the Civility School. The school was started two and half years ago. Robin is a former public school teacher and guidance counselor. She started the school after noticing that much of what she did as a guidance counselor was teaching social skills and etiquette. When she herself had children she also realized how difficult it can be for parents to teach kids manners and empathy. Robin teaches with a focus on empathetic intention, etiquette, and manners. Robin believes that children need to be able to pick up on social cues, no matter what situation they happen to be in. A strong sense of empathy allows them to accomplish this.

Robin Jackson of the Civility School

The Civility School teaches children from age 5 and up. Some of the areas they focus on include social and conversational skills, how to make introductions, and how to act in public in certain situations. An emphasis is also placed on dining etiquette, written correspondence, electronic etiquette, interview skills, and being a good family citizen. She asks her students, "Are we making others comfortable and/or their lives more convenient?". Many thanks to Robin for joining us today!

Kelly P. and Christine H. answer questions on our panel.

Finally, we had our MOPS panel discussion on educational options in the Charlottesville area. Jenn C. gave a quick overview of the types of schooling. These include Public schools, Private schools (Independent, Proprietary, Parochial, and Classical), and Alternative schooling (homeschool, unschooling, etc.). Our panel members were Corie S., a homeschooling mom whose children formerly attended public school, Melissa R., a mom whose children attend two different private schools, Kelly P., a homeschooling mom of a preschooler, and Christine H., a mom whose children attend public school. Each mom explained the factors that influenced their choices for their kid's education, including the advantages and the challenges associated with their choices. This was a very informative discussion and we greatly appreciate these moms sharing with us today.

Corie S. and Melissa R. offer their unique insight.

Our next meeting is Thursday, November 17th, and our theme is "Tea and Thanksgiving". Hope to see you there!

November 3 MOPS Meeting Theme: Education

2011-11-01T13:00:00.000-04:00

The theme of our November 3 meeting is "Education". We will be having a panel discussion on educational choices. Do you have any "burning" questions regarding your child's education? Want to know the pros and cons of private school? What a typical homeschool day looks like? What special needs programs can be found in public schools? Our panel will be taking questions and giving their perspective on the educational options available to us around Charlottesville.

So be thinking of those questions! In the meantime, here are a few online resources to get you started:

The Organization of Virginia Homeschoolers

Albemarle County Public Schools

Charlottesville City Public Schools

Albemarle Family's Directory of Private Schools

Update: If you already know of a question you would like to pose to the panel please send it to Jenn Coon. Also, do you have a parenting reference book that you have found to be particularly helpful? We would love for you to bring it to our MOPS Meeting this week. We would like to have a table set up with these books for people to peruse during the meeting. It can be on any topic - discipline, potty training, sleep, reading, education in general, spiritual development, family traditions - you name it! Please be sure to label your book with your name on it so it can be returned to you.

Trick-or-Treating at the Laurels

2011-11-01T08:09:00.000-04:00

On Monday, October 31, a group of MOPS moms took their kids to the Fall Festival at the Laurels, a skilled nursing and rehabilitation center here in Charlottesville. The residents enjoyed visiting with the kids and seeing them in their costumes, and the kids got some yummy treats!

Meeting Recap - October 27, 2011

2011-10-27T15:18:00.002-04:00

MOPS Coordinator, Lauren Byrne

Today's meeting focused on "Traditions". Our delicious breakfast this morning was provided by the Pink Petunia Table. Feel free to provide some of those recipes over on our facebook group ladies! Our guest speaker was Christy Conner, of Portico Church in Charlottesville. But before we get to our speaker we heard some announcements:

Covenant Church of Charlottesville will be having a Fall Festival on Sunday, October 30 from 2-5pm. This is a free event. This year they will have train rides! For more information click here.
Sign-ups have begun for the annual MOPS Christmas Party on December 2nd. Childcare is available! Be sure to sign up at next week's meeting if you missed it today.
We have a meeting NEXT week (Nov. 3) due to holiday scheduling. Be sure to put it on your calendar ladies! Next week's theme is "Education". We will have a panel discussion about educational options. Be thinking of any questions you may have for the panel.
The next Girls' Night Out is tentatively scheduled for November 16th. The Harvest Orange Table will be sponsoring a Dessert Night at the Dunlora Clubhouse. A firm date and more details will be posted on the blog.
The theme for our November 17 meeting is "Tea & Thanksgiving". This will be a time where everyone is invited to share testimony about how God is working or has worked in your life. If you would like to share with the group please email Meredith Curs or Kathy Fox.
For our December 1 meeting we will hold an ornament exchange! Everyone is asked to bring one wrapped ornament - and you will leave with one unwrapped ornament for your tree.

Next we played the "Guess Who" game. Kathy G. won a blue ribbon at a county fair for a sweater she knit - her first one ever. Laurie B. sung a solo at Carnegie Hall when she was a junior in high school. Nancy R. has a street in Charlottesville named after her family - Sadler Street. Who "loves loves loves" Peyton Manning? That would be Amanda N. And who likes listening to 80's music while eating Hershey's Kisses? Nicole J.

Rachel Gerber

We were then blessed by MOPS mom Rachel Gerber as she shared about how God uses motherhood to test and try us, and ultimately make us more holy. It was a beautiful and timely message Rachel, thank you so much for sharing with us.

Christy Conner

Our featured speaker, Christy Conner, then shared with us about the importance of traditions in our families. She shared from the Bible how Old Testament kings of Israel either did or did not follow the traditions of their forefathers and how it affected the nation of Israel. Christy explained that traditions are "an intentional effort to make sure you remember Christ" during the holidays, or really anytime of the year. She gave several good examples of traditions from her own family, including preparing a Passover meal, going for a hike each Sunday after church, or giving a special written blessing to her children on their sixteenth birthday. She recommended a book by Gary Smalley, "The Gift of the Blessing". The handouts she provided for her talk can be downloaded here. Thank you Christy for joining us.

Don't forget our next meeting on November 3rd. See you there!

The Purple Popsicle Progressive Dinner

2011-10-26T10:24:00.000-04:00

The Progressive Dinner was a fun time of food and fellowship for our MOPS moms! Organized by the Purple Popsicle Table, the evening began with a meet and greet at the Dunlora Clubhouse. The appetizers were served at Erin D.'s house. Next up was the main course at Karen L.'s home. And finally the dinner ended with dessert at Meredith C.'s house.

The ladies who attended had a wonderful time and got to eat some delicious food! Here are two recipes from the dinner:

Butternut Squash-Carrot Soup with Ginger

serves 6-8 (makes about 8 ½ cups)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 1/4 pounds peeled and cut-up butternut squash
3 carrots, peeled and chopped, or 1 ½ cups sliced peeled baby carrots
5 cups fat-free low-sodium stock
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste (not needed if regular stock is used)
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ cup half-and-half cream (optional)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish (optional)

1.    Melt the butter in a 6-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and fresh ginger and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the squash, carrots, stock, salt, and ground ginger. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the squash and carrots are tender.

2.    Remove soup from the heat and allow to cool slightly, then purée in batches. Return the puréed soup to the rinsed-out saucepan, add the half-and-half, and reheat over medium high heat just until the soup reaches a boil. Garnish with the cilantro, if desired, and serve immediately.

Cooking Tip:    To use a whole butternut squash for this soup, preheat oven to 375°F. Using a sharp knife, cut a 1 ½ -pound butternut squash lengthwise in half. Scoop out the seeds and then place the two halves cut-side down in a baking dish. Add 1 inch of water. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the pulp is tender. Allow the squash to cool slightly, then scoop out the flesh; you should have at least 2 ½ cups.

Storage Tip:    This soup keeps refrigerated for about 5 days. It can be frozen, before the half-and-half is added, for up to one month.

Approximate Nutritional Information: Serving size: 1 cup Soup
Calories 135; Protein 3g; Carbohydrates 19 g; Fat 6g; Fiber 2g; Sodium 230mg; Vit A 14,224 IU; Vit C 21mg

From: Eating for Pregnancy by Rose Ann Hudson and Catherine Jones

_____________________________________________________________________________

Butter Tarts

Pastry: use your favorite pastry recipe or buy pre-made tartlets from the store (or if you live in the C-ville area and don't want to pay $3.99 for 8 frozen tartlet shells @ Kroger (corner of Hydraulic & 29), buy refrigerated crust, cut out the appropriate size and bake in well greased muffin tins or aluminum foil tartlet pans)

Filling:

2 ¼ cups light brown sugar
¼ cup shortening (butter flavored is best)
2 Tbsp soft butter
¼ tsp salt
1 ½ Tbsp golden corn syrup (here it's either clear or dark... I used the clear kind)
4 Eggs
¾ tsp vanilla
Approx. 1 cup raisins or walnuts or pecans (used pecans)

Line tart tins with pastry. Put 1 teaspoon raisins or nuts into each shell.

Filling: Combine all the ingredients: beat until blended. Neatly spoon 2 tablespoons into each unbaked shell to fill to the brim. Bake at 350 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes or until risen and golden. Let stand in pan for 5 minutes before carefully removing onto rack to cool.

Make 2 dozen 2 2/3 inch tarts.

Thank you to the Purple Popsicles for hosting the dinner!

Join our Blogroll!

2011-10-24T14:05:00.005-04:00

If you are a current or former member of Cville MOPS and would like to have your blog included on our blogroll, please send me your blog's web address or leave the url in the comments. Thanks!

Are You Running Out of Rainy Day Ideas?

2011-10-19T14:11:00.000-04:00

A block "creature".

We have certainly had an abundance of rainy days here lately in the Charlottesville area. And I don't know about you, but play-doh and pillow forts have lost their appeal at my house. We need some fresh ideas for activities to do on these rainy days. Here are a "top ten" list of rainy day activities - a few I have done and several I want to try. Do you have any tried-and-true rainy day activities you would like to share? Or any you would like to try? Let us know in the comments!

1. Go "scuba diving" in the bathtub. This is really just an extended bath in the middle of the day. But it will entertain the little ones for a while and bonus - get them clean!

2. Instead of constructing buildings out of blocks, make different animals and creatures out of them. Give them names and make up a story about them.

3. Have a "snowball" fight with crumpled paper. Wear snow hats!

4. Make pictures with dried beans and uncooked pasta. Kids can glue them to paper, and if your feeling really ambitious, let them paint them when they are done and the glue has dried.

5. Let kids "decorate" their rooms with ribbons. The other day my daughter found my container of ribbons I use to decorate gifts. She used them to decorate her room by placing them on bookshelves, her dresser, draping the long ones around door knobs, etc.

6. Let your preschooler make up a story (or just tell you what happened at school or moppets one day). Write it down for them and then have them draw a picture to illustrate the story. Fun for them and a keepsake for you!

7. Make a card to send to a friend or relative. Fold construction paper in half, then decorate with stickers and such. Put a recent picture of your child in the envelope before you send it.

8. Give them some masking tape and have them make "roads" for their cars to drive on all around the floor.

9. Go to the library. Yes you will have to brave the weather for a few minutes getting from the car to the door but inside there are tons of books to read! And you can check out some books on CD to play in the car.

10. And if all else fails, get in the car, crank up some music, and drive! Also, stop and get yourself some coffee or a milkshake. Guaranteed mood lifter for me!

Calm Christian Parenting Seminar at FBC

2011-10-14T14:37:00.000-04:00

At our last MOPS meeting Lauren mentioned the Calm Christian Parenting seminar being offered at First Baptist Church on November 8th. This event is free and there is no need to register! For more information you can view the flyer here.

The October 2011 Newsletter is now online.

2011-10-14T14:31:00.000-04:00

In case you missed it, our October newsletter is now online!

Meeting Recap - October 13, 2011

2011-10-13T15:51:00.000-04:00

So is your home filled with the delicious smell of homemade apple pie yet? I'm saving mine for this evening but I'm sure it will be excellent! Today's meeting was filled with fun and fellowship as we explored "traditions".

First a big "thank you" to the Harvest Orange table for providing the delicious breakfast this morning. For those that bring breakfast to the meetings; we would love to have the recipes for the dishes you bring. You can post them here in the comments section, or over on our facebook page!

Next we had our "Guess Who" game. We finally found out who had seen George W. Bush in his underwear...Christine H. Mystery solved! Ask her to tell you the story some time, it is hilarious! We also found out that Tara K. is not really a blonde, Amber B. was the editor of her high school literature magazine, Karen W. is a different person when watching sports, Sara D. has traveled to Tanzania, and Katie S. plays sports right handed but writes with her left. Did you know Colleen A. has a doctorate in mechanical engineering? And Kristina P. spent a year of college in England, Michelle P. lived in Slovakia for two and a half years, Cara B. grew up next door to Mickey Mouse (in Orlando!), and Gayle T. is truly a cowgirl at heart and wants to live in the Midwest someday. Yeehaw!

Other announcements: Don't forget, the Purple Popsicle table is hosting a Progressive Dinner on Saturday, October 22 at 6pm. They will meet at the Dunlora clubhouse. For more information or to RSVP please email Jenn L. at jmlljc@gmail.com.

Happy Birthday to our mommies born in October: Nicole J., Erin D., Betsy S., Lauren P., and Nancy R.!

Congrats to our door prize winners! Emily B. won the "On Time Save Time" take home dinner provided by Mere C. Jenn L. and Nicole J. won two tickets each to Martha's Market. Wendi Z. and Amber won some cute bags.

Trick-or-Treating on October 31 has been moved to 3pm. We will be trick-or-treating at The Laurels of Charlottesville, 1165 Pepsi Place.

Our special guest for this meeting was Kristin Smoot. Kristin spoke to us and shared her heart for Poland; specifically the Elim Christian Mission. Elim Christian Mission is a place where "God is being incredible", according to her young son. The Mission feeds, cares for, houses, clothes, and teaches about the love of Jesus to many people in their region of Poland. They have a clothing ministry, serve hot meals, practice "mobile evangelism" via bus, and are all about practical ways to bring the good news of Jesus Christ to the people.

The Mission supports a church, but since 90% of the congregation is unemployed, they needed to come up with a creative way to have financial support. God provided the answer with Nativity Sets. These handmade Nativity sets employ 20 women in the congregation, and teaches them a skill that allows them to stay home with their families while earning a living. If you are interested in learning more about Elim Christian Mission, or if you would like to purchase a Nativity Set, please email Kristin at smootbk@hotmail.com. Thank you so much Kristin for sharing this wonderful way that God is working in Poland!

After our speaker, Lauren B. shared with us that First Baptist Church is hosting a seminar called "Calm Christian Parenting" on November 8, from 6:30 - 8:30 pm. This event is free and there is no need to register. For more information visit www.CalmChristianParenting.com.

A special thanks to Mere C. for providing a printout with some great ideas for daily, weekly, monthly, and holiday family traditions!

Next, we were treated to our first "craft time" of the year, where we made an apple pie to take home and bake! While some of us were pie-making novices, others were experienced bakers. Either way we all had a great time. There were some really beautiful looking pies out there ladies! Great job!

Here is the pie recipe from today's meeting:

Homemade Apple Pie

Ingredients:
1 pack refrigerated pie crust (contains 2 crusts, 1 for bottom and 1 for top)
4 apples, peeled and sliced
1/2 to 3/4 cup granulated sugar
1.5 teaspoons apple pie spice
2 to 4 tablespoons butter
Egg wash (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine apples, sugar, and apple pie spice in a bowl or plastic zip-top bag. Stir (or shake) to coat apples. Layer one pie crust in a pie dish. Layer the apple mixture over the crust. Cut butter into small chunks and layer over apples. Place top crust over the pie filling. Pinch the two crusts together firmly around the edge of your pie dish. (Excess crust may be cut off). With a small knife, make several slits in the top of the pie. Brush with egg wash if desired. Bake in oven for 30 to 45 minutes or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling.

If anybody has pictures of their baked pie (or your family enjoying it) we would love for you to share! Head over to our facebook page to post them.

Thanks for another wonderful meeting!

Fall Family Traditions

2011-10-11T08:00:00.000-04:00

Our MOPS meeting on October 13th will feature some wonderful traditions to do with your family. Dictionary.com defines "tradition" as the handing down of statements, beliefs, legends, customs, information, etc., from generation to generation, especially by word of mouth or by practice. Does your family have any fall-centered traditions? Here are a few to consider:

1. Visit a pumpkin patch and pick a pumpkin for each family member (or one big one for the whole gang!).
2. Go apple-picking, and then make some apple sauce or apple butter.
3. Go for a walk to collect leaves; use the leaves to make a fall craft.
4. Go to a football game, or watch your favorite team on television.
5. Plant bulbs with your children that will flower in the spring.
6. Rake a big pile of leaves and jump in them!
7. Go for on a "hayride".
8. Visit the library and check out some fall-themed books to read as a family.
9. Host a family or neighborhood potluck dinner.
10. Roast some marshmallows and make s'mores!

'Tis (Almost) The Season

2011-10-09T20:19:00.000-04:00

It's never too early to start checking people off of your Christmas list, or is it?

Martha's Market is right around the corner and is the perfect opportunity to find unique gifts in one spot. The Market, organized by The Women's Committee of Martha Jefferson Hospital, brings together more than 65 boutiques from across the country. Items ranging from jewelry and clothing to gourmet food and home decor will be on display at the John Paul Jones Arena from Friday, Oct. 21, through Sunday, Oct. 23. Proceeds from the event help the Women's Committee support many facets of women's healthcare with the primary emphasis on breast health.

Win a chance for a weekend shopping pass for yourself and a friend by leaving a comment. Let us know if you have started your Christmas shopping or if you prefer to wait for it to "feel" more like Christmas and who is the hardest person for you to shop for each year.

The winner will be selected randomly and will be announced at the next MOPS meeting.

Congrats to our winner, Nicole J.! Thanks to all who entered. Check back soon for our next contest!

Fall Favorites: Comfort Food

2011-10-04T15:08:00.000-04:00

When the air turns cool I start craving certain foods; soup being one of those. Butternut squash soup has grown to be one of my favorites. It is warm, creamy, and comforting. You can make up a batch in the afternoon, stick in the crock pot to keep warm, and then go for a walk with your family in the brisk air. Look at the foliage changing color, crunch through some leaves, and then come home to a hot bowl of soup. So what are your family's favorite "fall foods"? Feel free to share your recipes here in the comments or over at our facebook page!

Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients

1 small onion, chopped
1 apple, peeled and chopped
4 tablespoons butter
2 large butternut squash
3.5 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

Cut butternut squash in half, place cut side down on baking sheet and roast at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Allow to cool enough to be handled. Scoop out squash with a spoon and set aside. (Note: you can also microwave the squash halves by placing them cut side down on a plate and cooking on high for approx. 10 minutes.)

In a large saucepan, saute onions in butter until tender. Add squash, apple, broth, marjoram, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Bring to boil; turn heat down and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool down approximately 20 minutes.

Puree squash mixture and cream cheese in a blender or food processor in batches until smooth. (If you have an immersion hand-held blender you can add the cream cheese to the pot and puree it in there.) Return to saucepan, and heat through. Do not allow to boil. Serves six.

Benefit for Jill Robertson

2011-10-01T21:11:00.000-04:00

Jill Robertson is a friend of one of our MOPS members, Elizabeth K. For those of you who attend the Tuesday MOPS Bible study you may remember Elizabeth asking for prayer for Jill and her family. Along with our prayers, here is another way to help:

In the spring of 2010, a Charlottesville High School teacher and mother, Jill Robertson was diagnosed with colon cancer. She immediately had surgery and started six months of chemotherapy. Jill excitedly returned to teaching in December 2010 after completing all of her chemo treatments. In March of 2011, Jill got the devastating news that the cancer had returned and had spread fully throughout her liver and had started to spread to her lungs. At one point, Jill was given two months to live. As of today, Jill’s cancer is incurable and resistant to all chemotherapy.

Jill has been forced to retire from teaching health and PE at Charlottesville High School to fight this aggressive cancer. In addition to teaching, Jill was also a swim coach for the high school and for Fry Springs Beach Club. Jill continues to make Charlottesville her home with her husband, Dan, and 4-year-old son, Luke.

Friends of Jill Robertson are holding a “Circle of Hope Grateful Friends Benefit Concert” at The Jefferson Theater on Thursday, October 6, 2011, in order to raise money for Jill and her family. The proceeds of the benefit will go into the Jill’s Fight for Life Fund. This fund is to help defer medical expenses from Jill’s continuing treatment and medical care. It will also be used for her son Luke’s education. Donations can be made through PayPal at this web address or checks can be made payable to Jill’s Circle of Hope and sent to Rachel Wilson, at 4082 Turkey Run, Charlottesville, VA 22911.

Fun family activities around Charlottesville...

2011-09-30T07:30:00.000-04:00

Looking for a fun family activity this weekend? Check these out...

Western Hoe Down
Saturday, October 1st
3 - 6 pm
MountainSide Petting Farm

Mom and Dads: pack a picnic dinner, bring a blanket or chairs and enjoy areal country Hoe Down at the petting farm with your children. Live music willbe provided to keep everyone in the party mood. Wear your fancy western wearand enjoy a toe "kickin" good time dancing and dining with family andfriends. This is a fund raiser for the animals. October 8 is the rain date.MountainSide Petting Farm. Directions: 141 Blundell Hollow Rd., Afton.From Charlottesville: 64 W to Crozet/250 exit 107, left on 250W to left on151S, proceed 7 miles to Blundell Hollow Rd (Rte 633); make a right turn andlook for our landmark red barn and windmill on your left, just past SunnysideLane. 3-6pm. $10; free for children 2 and under. All ageswelcome. Email: info@mountainsidepettingfarm.com. For details,please click this link. For more info call: 361-0203.

Fall Fiber Festival and Sheep Dog Trials

Saturday, October 1st, 10 am - 5 pm

Sunday, October 2nd, 10 am - 4 pm

James Madison's Montepelier

Come see Fiber Arts, sheep dog trials, sheep breeds display and shearing demonstrations! There are several children's workshops offered where younger festival enthusiasts will take delight in the use of natural fibers to create fun, colorful items to take home. Some projects planned include felted soap, wool dyed with Kool-aid, and a belt woven with just two sticks. The littlest hands will find safe harbor at the coloring table. $5 for adults, 16 and under free. For more information, email fallfiber02@hotmail.com or visit www.fallfiberfestival.org.

Meeting Recap - September 29, 2011

2011-09-29T19:40:00.001-04:00

We had another wonderful meeting of the Cville MOPS! Our morning started with a delicious breakfast provided by the Yellow Maple table. Thank you ladies; it was great! The Purple Popsicle table had invitations set out to all for a Progressive Dinner on Saturday, October 22nd at 6:00pm at the Dunlora Clubhouse; there will be more details about this in a future blog post.

Door prizes were handed out to some lucky mommies! Congratulations to Amanda N. for winning the "On Time Save Time" prize! Amber B. won a cute tote bag, Cara B. won a Seeds Family Worship CD, and a lucky mommy won a bag from Explorations Play Studio.

We all had a good laugh trying to match up the "interesting facts" we provided to the correct mom! Patricia F. is a highly trained Polka Dancer, Sarah M. was once a News Producer for CBN, Ashley B. grew up in a one stoplight town, Jenn L. has injured loved ones with her sleep walking and talking ways, Karen L. broke the national AWANA marathon record in 1995, and Cassie H. loves perusing estate sales and antique shops for those one-of-a-kind items. We sure have a wild and wonderful group of moms in our group! But the big mystery is...which one of us has seen George W. Bush in his underwear? Inquiring minds want to know ladies...we can't wait to find out in October!

Lauren Byrne, our fearless leader, made a few announcements: During the month of October you are encouraged to bring kid's costumes for the Pass-it-on table. Those who bring a costume to pass on get first dibs on the other costumes!

Trick-or-Treating at a local retirement home is being planned for sometime in October. More details to come.

We were then blessed by the testimony of Cara B., who shared how God brought her through the difficult times of losing her precious mom to lung cancer, and receiving an unexpected diagnosis for her son. Thank you so much Cara for sharing with us and inspiring us.

Our speaker today was George Conway, a local author and Presbyterian Minister. George was also the headmaster of St. Anne's Belfield School for 24 years. George shared some insights from his book, "Giving Good Gifts: The Spiritual Journey of Parenthood". He asserted that there are seven spiritual gifts we should strive to give our children to help make them spiritually resilient during the trials of life. He reminded us that not only are we to teach our children, but that they can teach us. And he comforted us by offering that God is always ahead of our children so that they should not be afraid of going where He wants them to. George says that he strives for a purely scriptural point of view when it comes to raising children, and that like the Bereans we should compare things to God's word before we believe them. Thank you George for the insightful talk!

Our next meeting is October 13th and we be learning some of our fellow MOPS moms favorite holiday traditions. We will also be making a yummy treat to take home. See you then!

September 29 MOPS Meeting: We welcome author George Conway

2011-09-26T15:42:00.000-04:00

So what's up next for our MOPS meeting on Sept. 29? Local author George Conway will join us and talk about his recent book, Giving Good Gifts: The Spiritual Journey of Parenthood. Conway is an ordained Presbyterian minister who has spent his professional life as a teacher, counselor, chaplain, coach, and administrator in schools from New England to Virginia. He has served for several years as the headmaster of St. Anne's Belfield School in Charlottesville.

About the book:

"Developing spiritual gifts in children is seen as one of the most important principles of good parenting in this volume. It uses scriptural insights and personal anecdotes to identify seven gifts that parents can give to their children to help them form healthy spiritual identities. It describes how providing children with these gifts enables parents to experience parenting as its own spiritual journey."

Fun (and free!) things to do this weekend in Cville

2011-09-22T14:37:00.000-04:00

Looking for something fun to do with your family this weekend? Here are a couple events that are great for the whole family. And the best part - they are free!

UVA Marching Band Open Rehearsal

Friday, September 23

7:00pm

Carr's Hill Field

Come hear the UVA Marching Band Open Rehearsal at Carr's Hill Field on the corner of Emmett and Ivy Roads. Bring a picnic and watch the UVA Cavalier Marching Band as they prepare for their halftime show. The rehearsal is free and open to the public. Call 434.924.3052 for more information.

WVPT Kids Book Festival

Saturday, September 24
Noon until 4:00pm
nTelos Wireless Pavilion
Come one! Come all! Celebrate the joy of reading at the WVPT Kids' Book Festival! This free family event is filled with games, activities, entertainment, and of course, a free book for all children under 10. Cubby the WVPT Bear will be there, along with all of his friends, so don't miss the fun and excitement of The WVPT Kids' Book Festival. Let's start READING!

September Birthdays and Anniversaries

2011-09-22T13:03:00.000-04:00

Here are our "birthday girls" for the month of September:

Emily B.
Sara D.
Colleen A.
Felicia W.

And congratulations to our ladies celebrating another year of marriage!

Liz H.
Karen L.
Anna P.

Awesome Apples! Five Things to Make or do...

2011-09-21T14:53:00.000-04:00

I just love the Fall! Those first cool days, God's splendor displayed in the changing color of the leaves, and in our area apples start to ripen on the trees. Apples are awesome! They are delicious, healthy, lovely to look at, and at this time of year available in abundance in Charlottesville. Here are five fun things to make or do with apples:

1. Pick them! Take the family on a trip to a local apple orchard for morning of apple picking. Kids will love learning where apples really come from. One local orchard is Carter Mountain Orchard. Be sure to take your camera to capture those memories!

2. Eat them! There are so many delicious recipes using apples. Apple pie, apple butter, apple muffins, pork chops with apples...What is your favorite apple dish? Head over to our facebook group to share your favorite apple recipe!

3. Use them to decorate your home! A bowl filled with apples makes an easy centerpiece for your table. Insert some pretty fall leaves and acorns your kids collect to let them in on the fun. You can also core an apple and insert a taper candle for more festive occasions.

4. Craft with them! Cut an apple in half, dip in paint and go wild! You can stamp inexpensive cotton t-shirts, canvas bags, or tea towels. Let your kids stamp the apples on newsprint and use it for wrapping paper.

Apple print tutorial from CraftyStylish, Photo: Kayte Terry

5. Make your home smell wonderful! Place some apple slices and a couple of cinnamon sticks in a small saucepan. Add water and simmer on low for an inexpensive and easy "air freshener".

So what are your favorite uses for apples? Let's post our favorites (either on facebook or on the comments section of this post). Happy picking!

The September Newsletter is Now Online

2011-09-17T00:01:00.000-04:00

In case you missed it, here is our September newsletter for you to view online!

Summer Photos

2011-09-16T23:46:00.000-04:00

Hello MOPS Moms! Over on our Cville MOPS facebook group we are posting our favorite pictures from this summer. If you are on facebook and would like to join our private group page please click the link above or search for "MOPS/FBC Cville VA" and click "join". Once you are approved you can post a summer pic to the group page! Please join even if you don't have a photo; we will be posting other updates and announcements to our facebook page this year!

Meeting Recap - September 15th, 2011

2011-09-15T18:51:00.000-04:00

Our first meeting of 2011-2012 was held today and it was a great time of food, fun and fellowship! First we enjoyed a delicious breakfast while we got acquainted with our new tables. We welcomed many new moms and got to catch up with friends from last year!

Lauren Byrne, our MOPS Coordinator, introduced our table leaders, MOPS Mentors, and Steering Committee. We have a new table this year for MOMS Next, a group for moms of older children. August and September birthdays were announced, moms with new babies and pregnant moms were congratulated! Nany Ryalls, MOPS Mentor and our Childcare Coordinator, talked to us about Moppetts childcare. She mentioned that a fire drill is planned during Moppetts sometime in November.

We heard announcements from each of our Steering Committee Members. We then played a "Guess Who" game where each member of the Steering Committee wrote one item of interest about themselves on a card. Jenn Coon read the cards and our MOPS moms tried to guess which Committee member it was. We had a bowler, an appearance in Seventeen magazine, and tattooed eyeliner. Do you remember which was which?

A skit was presented showing the many seasons moms can be in. Finally we had some extra time at the end of meeting to socialize with friends! It was a wonderful way to start off our MOPS year!

A New Year

2011-09-11T19:28:00.001-04:00

First meeting of the 2011-12 year is this Thursday, September 16 at 9:30 am. See you there!

B-I-N-G-O

2011-03-25T09:50:00.000-04:00

Looking for a way to keep little ones entertained at the grocery store (which is always preferable to having to chase after them through the produce section)? Simply print out this grocery bingo card (and laminate if you're feeling extra crafty) and let them play while you shop. There's also an "I Spy" version avaiable as well.

Contentment

2011-03-01T12:09:00.000-05:00

Happy March 1! Spring is just around the corner!

In honor of a fresh start and a new month, here's a thought for the day...

image from SherbetBlossom

Fun With Lists

2011-02-25T10:04:00.000-05:00

As the mother of young children, you are surrounded by toys on a daily basis. Many of which you probably wish you could make disappear. But for a stroll down memory lane of some of the playthings you loved as a child, take a look at Time's list of the 100 Greatest Toys of All Time.

It's a Love Story

2011-02-13T15:23:00.000-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day! Celebrate your own love story, no matter how unglamorous it may feel right now!

Super Bowl. Super Snacks.

2011-02-02T15:27:00.000-05:00

Looking for a new recipe to try out for the Super Bowl this weekend? Consider this one for Pizza Dip. (Check out the rest of her site too and just try not to drool over the baked goods!)

Game Night

2011-01-22T10:19:00.000-05:00

Don't forget to add this fun evening to your calendar...

Game Night this Thursday, January 27 at Ashley Blurton's house. Check your email this week for directions and details. Hope to see you there!

Just Dough It

2011-01-11T09:05:00.000-05:00

Stuck inside today thanks to the cold, snowy weather? Check out Tip Junkie for these 7 Recipes for Playdough to Make With Your Kids. Have fun!

Girls Night Out

2011-01-09T17:27:00.000-05:00

GIRLS NIGHT OUT: Thursday, January 13 at FBC.

The Women's Ministry is sponsoring a luau-themed dinner and Nancy Ryalls is speaking. There are already several MOPS moms who are planning to attend and we'd love to have a full MOPS table. It begins at 6:15 and costs $5 at the door. There is no childcare for this event.

RSVP to Lauren or directly to the Church Office.

New Bible Study Starts this Week

2011-01-09T16:57:00.000-05:00

Bible Study starts this Tuesday morning at 9:20. Please register on the FBC website if you have not done so already. This semester's study will be on Covenant: God's Enduring Promises, by Kay Arthur.

Kay Arthur shows that the idea of covenant—God’s enduring promise—is key to understanding our relationship to God. Covenant explores God’s initiatives with humanity by studying His covenants throughout history. Through the process of inductive Bible study, participants will learn what it means to live covenant relationship with God.

Questions? Contact Meredith Curs or Kelly Pedone.

Start Small

2011-01-03T14:35:00.000-05:00

Do you have big organizational goals for 2011, but don't know where to start? Try starting with these five simple tasks. Baby steps, right?

Happy New Year!

2011-01-01T16:56:00.000-05:00

Looking to set some {realistic!} goals for yourself and your family in 2011? Check out this printable goal-setting worksheet from SimpleMom.net and start putting those plans into practice.

Christmas is Coming

2010-12-12T20:32:00.000-05:00

We hope everyone had fun at the Ornament Exchange last Thursday and that your ornament has found a happy home on your tree. We also hope you are enjoying the cookbook. A huge thank you to our fearless leader, Lauren, for creating such a fabulous resource for busy moms.

As Christmas draws closer, here's a great article on Family Traditions that Keep Christ at the Center of Christmas.

Merry Christmas to you and your families!

Ornament Exchange

2010-12-08T11:08:00.000-05:00

Christmas Celebration at tomorrow's MOPS meeting!

Bring an ornament (wrapped) for an exchange.

See you tomorrow!

Hope Chest

2010-12-01T12:44:00.000-05:00

Looking for a way to make a difference in the community this Christmas season? Consider helping support the Hope Community Center's annual "Hope Chest" event.

Specific ways we can help:

Help spread the word- forward this below paragraph about the event to your church, bible study groups, play groups, friends, neighborhood associations...ect.

Clean Out and Give- clean out your house and make room for incoming Christmas gifts. don't forget coats, hats, gloves, scarves, sweaters, blankets, boots, toys and any cold weather clothing. Also furniture and ANY household items.

Cook food/donate drinks/bring snacks- there will be volunteers there from Dec 5-17th, pretty much all day. Just drop the food off at Hope and the volunteers will eat it.

Volunteer- this event can only work if we have lots of volunteers. we will need about 100 volunteers on the 18th and about 10-15 per day leading up to the 18th. it is kid friendly so bring the kids, grab a friend and come fold/organize clothing for families who need it. I will send out dates/times of when MOPS (or bible study) moms will be there volunteering.

"Hope Chest" – this annual clothing, toy and furniture giveaway will take place at the Hope Community Center on Saturday, December 18 from 8 am - noon. The event is open to the public but is specifically to benefit low income and refugee families this holiday season. Donations of gently used clothing, toys, furniture and ANY household items are being accepted at Hope from December 5^th-16^th. (Please see the website at www.hopecommunitycenter.org for daily hours).

Hope is located at 341 11^th St. NW, C’ville. There is also a need for volunteers to help with collections, organization and running of the event from December 5^th-18^th. Businesses are welcome and encouraged to sponsor the event. Activities include children’s games, music and fun for the whole family.

If you would like to financially support Hope, please go to www.hopecommunitycenter.org. For more information about “Hope Chest,” please contact Debbie Lyle at 434-981-4618 or dlyle62@gmail.com.

Food Drive this Week

2010-11-15T11:43:00.000-05:00

We are collecting food at this week's meeting to donate to the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank. This list of suggested items, from the Boston Area Food Bank's website, might be helpful in choosing what to bring. Thanks for supporting this cause!

The Best Foods To Donate To Your Food Drive

Many people in the country eat more calories than they need. But it’s important to realize that, although an overweight person may look well-fed, he or she may be filling up on calorie-dense food that doesn’t contain the nutrients his or her body needs.Take a look at the food groups in the illustrated grocery bag to help guide

you in providing healthy choices.

NOTE: Foods high in fat, oils, and sugar provide calories, but few nutrients.These foods make up a high percentage of many diets because they are inexpensive and easy to obtain. It is therefore important to provide healthful foods for those with limited financial resources to supplement their restricted choices with healthy alternatives.

Fruit & Vegetable Group

Choose cannedor dry fruits and vegetables in an array of colors to ensure consumption of a variety of vitamins and minerals. • Canned vegetables

• Vegetable juice • Diced tomatoes • Tomato juice • Tomato sauce • Spaghetti sauce • Canned fruit

(in its own juice) • Fruit juice (100%) • Dried fruit • Shelf-stable fruit cups

Grain Group

Choose non-perishable whole grains as often as you can for maximum nutritional value.

• Oatmeal • Whole grain crackers • All types of pasta • Low sugar / high fiber

cereal (Cheerios®,

Raisin Bran® , etc.) • Cream Of Wheat® • Whole grain rice

Protein Group

Choose cannedlean meats as a good source of low- fat protein and canned or dry beans as a good source of fiber.

• Canned tuna fish • Canned salmon • Canned chicken • Canned bean soup • Canned baked beans • Dried and canned

beans and peas • Canned chili • Canned beef stew • Peanut butter • Nuts

Milk Group

Choose shelf-stable low-fat dairy products fortified with vitamin D. • Dry milk

• Evaporated milk • Boxed shelf-stable milk

Operation Christmas Child Volunteer Opportunity

2010-11-14T21:40:00.000-05:00

Operation Christmas Child Volunteers Needed!

Drop off dates are this week at Covenant Church on Rio Road in their gym.

Our MOPS group will be helping by packing boxes on Tues, Nov 16th from 5-7pm AND on Wed, Nov 17th from 10-2pm. Please come on one (or both) of these days to give Operation Christmas Child a hand and have fun hanging out with your friends. Let Marianne Tolley know if you can volunteer your time to help put a smile on a child's face this Christmas. If you would like to volunteer but cannot make either MOPS times, here is a list of the other times when volunteers are needed.

Mon, Nov 15th - Mon, Nov 22nd

Mon 10-2
Tues 5-7
Wed 10-2
Thurs 10-2
Fri 4-7
Sat 10-2
Sun 1-6
Mon 10-6

A is for Apple

2010-11-04T18:13:00.000-04:00

Looking for something to do this Saturday?

Greetings from Vintage Virginia Apples!

The Shelton Family and Vintage Virginia Apples cordially invite you to our 10th Apple Harvest Festival on Saturday, November 6, held here at Rural Ridge Farm. We dedicate this day to celebrating the agricultural heritage of Southern Albemarle County and to sharing the world of vintage and heritage apples and fruit trees with our friends and neighbors.

Festival Details

The event runs from 10 AM to 5 PM and is free and open to the public.

We are looking forward to hosting our annual Apple Harvest Festival this Saturday, November 6th. We have a good supply of Winesaps, GoldRush. York Staymans, Virginia Gold and Albemarle Pippins, and smaller quantities of a number of other varieties. The Cove Garden Ruritans will be co-hosting the Festival again this year. They will be making Apple Butter from the classic Ida Red and Stayman apples this year. Also, they will be making Brunswick stew, sponsoring a bake sale, and conducting the hayrides. They will also offer games and prizes for the little ones.

Local musicians will be performing throughout the day, and various craftsmen and artisans will demonstrate and sell their wares.

Vintage Virginia Apples will be offering apples for tasting and for sale and will be pressing fresh cider to be sold by the cup or the gallon. Fresh unpasteurized cider is hard to find these days, and the number of varieties that cidermaker Chuck Shelton uses in our cider produces a wonderful beverage. The day promises to be crisp and hot mulled cider will be available

There will be tastings and workshops throughout the day on a variety of topics. There will be guided tours of Albemarle CiderWorks Cidery and the CiderWorks Tasting Room will be hosting tastings of our four fermented ciders.

Click Here For Directions to Rural Ridge Farm

Activities For The Whole Family

The day will be packed with fun and educational activities for the whole family, craft sales and demonstrations, and of course dozens of our heritage apple varieties for tasting and purchase.

Click Here for Event Schedule

Apple Pie Contest

Perhaps the only more traditional use for apples than cider is Apple Pieand In the Kitchen magazine is joining us (as in years past) to sponsor a contest for the best Apple Pie. The winner gets a $100 gift certificate from Vintage Virginia Apples and publication of the recipe in the online edition of In The Kitchen Magazine. Entries must be submitted by 11:30am the day of the Festival and judging will be done by a distinguished panel of tasters. All pies must be in disposable tins.
Please include the recipe and the variety of apples used.

The pies will then be sold by the slice for the benefit of the CoveGarden Ruritans’ charitable initiatives. The CoveGarden Ruritan Club will be co-hosting the event again this year.

Explorations Play Studio

2010-11-03T11:12:00.001-04:00

The special afternoon class times at Explorations Play Studio for MOPS moms and kids are next week. Please contact Patricia at pdfroehlich@googlemail.com if you have any questions or can't remember which date you signed up for.

There is also a special event going on at Explorations that you might be interested in:

JUMP FOR JOY! portrait session: Sunday, Nov. 14th

Explorations Play Studio and Robert Radifera Photography are coming together to offer a unique portrait experience for your family. This is a great holiday gift idea! Robert will be at the studio all day on Sunday, November 14th, artfully capturing your children jumping for joy!

Cost:$20 for the first child, $10 per additional child/grouping
For example, a family with three children who would like a portrait of each child jumping individually, plus a portrait of the children jumping together would cost $50.

Each family will be provided a private password protected on-line gallery for viewing and ordering. The gallery will include up to 10 images per child/grouping and will expire after 14 days.

Portrait sessions will be running every 10 minutes throughout the day beginning at 8:30 and ending at 5:00. Families with multiple groupings may require two time slots (no extra charge).

Please contact Robert at robert@radifera.com to schedule an appointment and for more information regarding reprint prices.

* Payment is required in advance. All appointments are non-refundable. Payment can be mailed to Robert or dropped off to Nicole at Explorations Play Studio.

CALL (434) 227-0258 TO REGISTER

Mistletoe Market

2010-11-02T11:11:00.000-04:00

On Sunday, November 14, the Junior League of Charlottesville will present the 7th Annual Mistletoe Market at the Omni Hotel from 10am-6pm.

Mistletoe Market is a one day holiday shopping event featuring artisans, craft-makers, and merchants from throughout Virginia and beyond. This year’s event will feature a children’s activity table with free holiday-themed crafts and activities by One Creative Cookie. Stay downtown and eat at Siips! Ticketholder will receive a 5% discount and Siips will donate 5% of food sales to the Junior League of Charlottesville.
Tickets are $5.00 (10 and under are free). To buy tickets, click here! Tickets will also be available at the door the day of the event.

The Sweet Life

2010-10-31T22:24:00.000-04:00

Thanks to all who joined us at our meeting on Thursday. The theme was Loving Our Sweet Lives, and it was sweet indeed. Maria Porter of Charlottesville Cupcakes was our guest speaker, and she inspired us to seek out the goodness in life - and to make some of our own!

Don't forget, we meet again this Thursday, November 4. See you then!

Pumpkin Time

2010-10-27T22:11:00.001-04:00

There are pumpkins everywhere you look this week. Here are some new and easy ways from Real Simple's website to use pumpkin, beyond the usual pie.

Pumpkin Pancakes

Serves 4
Prepare 1 cup dry pancake mix according to the package directions.
Whisk in 1/3 cup canned pumpkin puree.

Pumpkin Milk Shake

Makes 1 milk shake
Blend until smooth 1 cup vanilla ice cream, 1/4 cup milk, 2 tablespoons canned pumpkin puree, 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar, and a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg.

Pumpkin Whipped Cream

Makes 2 cups
Beat together 1 cup heavy cream, 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, and 1 tablespoon canned pumpkin puree until soft peaks form.

Hot Diggity Dog

2010-10-20T17:09:00.001-04:00

Mummy Dogs...

How about these for dinner one night next week, in honor of Halloween?

Ingredients

1 11-oz. package refrigerated bread sticks (12 bread sticks)
12 jumbo frankfurters
Catsup and mustard
Capers

directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Unwrap breadsticks. Stretch each bread stick to 12 inches. Wrap dough around frankfurters, letting the frankfurters show slightly through the bread. Press in capers for eyes. Bake in preheated oven for about 12 minutes or until bread is golden brown. Serve with catsup and mustard. Makes 12 snacks.

Sleep Like a Baby

2010-10-15T21:58:00.000-04:00

Dealing with infant sleep issues? Maybe this is the talk for you!

Dr. Harvey Karp, MD Pediatrician and author of "The Happiest Baby on the Block" Learn about his effective approach to caring for babies Free and open to the entire community. Babies welcome! In an innovative and thought-provoking reevaluation of early infancy, Dr. Karp blends modern science and ancient wisdom to prove that newborns are not fully ready for the world when they are born. Through his research and experience, he has developed three basic principles that are crucial for understanding babies as well as improving their sleep and soothing their senses:

The Missing 4th Trimester

The Calming Reflex

The 5 S's- (Swaddling, Side laying, Shushing, Swinging and sucking) simple steps that soothe and calm baby

Thursday, October 28th from 6:30-8:30 pm

Johnson Elementary School Auditorium {1645 Cherry Ave}

Johnson Elementary is near the corner of Cherry Ave. and Shamrock Ave.

Please RSVP by calling 434-924-9920 or des4v@virginia.edu

Hosted by the UVA Departments of Family Medicine, Pediatrics, and Obstetrics and Gynecology

Greenfield Fall Festival

2010-10-14T13:17:00.000-04:00

Make plans to join us for a morning out at the Greenfield Fall Festival on Monday, October 18.

Admission is $6.00 per person and includes all activities: corn maze, hay maze and climb, hay ride, Farm animals, Kiddie corral, etc. Kids under 1 are free with adult admission.

The farm is located at 2455 Dairy Road in Ruckersville (22968).

Take 29 N all the way past Target to Ruckersville (about 10 minutes).

Take a left on Dairy Road and you'll see the festival on your left.

Parking will be on your right.

Martha's Market

2010-10-06T17:27:00.000-04:00

Head to the John Paul Jones Arena this weekend and visit Martha's Market. The market benefits Martha Jefferson Hospital's Breast Cancer Programs, including free breast health screening days and support for women undergoing treatment. Last year's market raised over $250,000 for the hospital!

There are over 60 vendors from across the United States, selling everything from children's clothes to gourmet food items to home decor and jewelry. Market Hours are:

Friday, October 8, 2010 ~ 9:30 AM – 7 PM

Saturday, October 9, 2010 ~ 10 AM – 6 PM

Sunday, October 10, 2010 ~ 10 AM – 4 PM

Tickets are only $5 and children under 10 are free. See you there!

I Love My Friend-Filled Life

2010-10-03T20:35:00.000-04:00

Missed last Thursday's meeting?

We enjoyed breakfast and fellowship and then spent time focusing on friendship and getting to know the women at our tables. We also created charming little fall fabric pumpkins for our homes, which double as an emergency stash of toilet paper. (Nothing says motherhood like some multitasking!)

See you next time!

Lauren and Miss Eveley model their LOVE tees.

Lee, one of our fabulous mentoring moms, gets in some baby-snuggling.

Fall is here!

Morning Glory

2010-10-01T10:42:00.000-04:00

Are you looking to make the most of your mornings? Thanks to MOPS Mom Jenn Lievers for passing this along...

Inspired to Action has a free (32 page pdf) e-book called "Maximize Your Mornings". This is written by a mom for moms and it shows us how to get into the habit of getting up (biggest step) and getting in your quiet time with the Lord, exercise & day planning, hopefully all before your kids start calling for you. From our conversations at Bible study and MOPS, this seems like something some of us could use help with (I know I do!)

Interested? Visit today and join in the 30 Day Challenge for the month of October.

Friendship Week Continued

2010-09-28T15:40:00.000-04:00

Even adults sometimes need a reminder on ways to make new friends. Here are some helpful hints from an article on About. com. Funny enough, it was originally written for teens, but upon reading over the list you realize the same rules apply, no matter our age.

1) Listen attentively and

2) Give (sincere) compliments

3) Turn off the technology - at least temporarily - and pay attention to those around you

4) Join a club or special interest group

5) Volunteer for a cause you care about

6) Join a study group (Bible Study, anyone?)

7) Laugh - everyone appreciates someone with a good sense of humor

A loyal friend laughs at your jokes when they're not so good,

and sympathizes with your problems

when they're not so bad.

~Arnold H. Glasgow

I Get By With a Little Help from my Friends

2010-09-27T12:27:00.001-04:00

Here are some thoughts on friendship in honor of this week's meeting topic:

I love my FRIEND-FILLED life.

The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, nor the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship; it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when he discovers that someone else believes in him and is willing to trust him with his friendship.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Friendship isn't a big thing - it's a million little things.
Author Unknown

What is a friend? A single soul dwelling in two bodies.
Aristotle

And So It Begins

2010-09-16T20:23:00.000-04:00

Thank you to all who came out for the first meeting of the new MOPS year. It promises to be a year full of learning and laughing. And yes, loving. As in loving life. If you missed the meeting, then we missed you, and look forward to seeing you next time.

Here's a quick look at what you missed...

New tables

Hot coffee

A delicious breakfast

Lots of visiting with friends old and new

A fabulous skit

Door prizes galore

Lots of sweet new babies

And a meeting FULL of new beginnings.

See you soon!

The Countdown Is On

2010-09-13T11:36:00.000-04:00

Only three more days! We can't wait to see you at MOPS this Thursday.

You can drop the kids off to their MOPPETS classrooms beginning at 9:15. Then make your way to the Fellowship Hall and look for the lovely ladies at the Welcome Table. The meeting will start promptly at 9:30 and you'll want to be on time to be eligible for a fantastic door prize drawing.

Questions or concerns? Contact your table leader.

See you soon!

Hungry for Hope?

2010-09-11T00:05:00.000-04:00

Enjoy dinner out and support a great cause! Wild Wing Café Days benefitting the Hope Community Center are September 15 and 29th from 5 -10 pm.

Just tell your server you are there to support Hope and a portion of your bill will go to the center!

Ordinary Acts

2010-09-07T10:35:00.000-04:00

{quotation via here}

Menu Planning Printables

2010-09-05T21:53:00.000-04:00

Does the start of a new school year have you feeling more organized? Looking for a stylish way to show off your menu-planning prowess? Check out these charming designs (including the one above, which you can download for free) at Ollibird.com.

Crazy Love

2010-09-04T12:01:00.001-04:00

Our MOPS Fall Bible Study begins on Tuesday, September 14. We will be meeting with the Sisters' study for the beginning of each meeting and breaking into a small group to study the book Crazy Love.

If you'd like to be a part of this study, please register online at First Baptist's website and email Anna Pulliam (our Prayer and Care Coordinator) at annapulliam@gmail.com so that she may order you a book.

Loving Life

2010-08-12T01:19:00.000-04:00

Mark your calendars!

Our new year of MOPS begins on Thursday, September 16. This year's theme is "Loving Life" and it promises to be a year of fun and fellowship with friends old and new. We can't wait to see you soon!

County Fair

2010-08-02T10:42:00.001-04:00

Looking for something to do this week? Visit the Albemarle County Fair for some old-fashioned family fun in the farmland.

2010 Operating Hours
Tuesday, August 3rd - 4-11 pm Wednesday, Aug 4th - 4-11 pm Thursday, Aug 5th - 4-11 pm Friday, Aug 6th - 4-11 pm Saturday, Aug 7th - 10 am-11 pm Sunday, Aug 8th - 1 pm - 6 pm Admission Prices • Adults $7.00 • Seniors (60+) $6.00 • Children (6-12) $3.00 Children under 6 are free • Children (Under 6) Free

Thought for the Day

2010-07-20T11:01:00.001-04:00

Nothing But Nets

2010-07-16T10:16:00.000-04:00

Check out this wonderful fundraiser by one of our MOPS Moms, Crystal, of Little Bit Funky. She has crafted a gorgeous quilt that will be raffled off. To buy a raffle entry, simply donate $10 to the United Nations' Nothing But Nets initiative, which provides nets to protect families against malaria. According to the UN,

Malaria causes 350 million to 500 million illnesses per year and kills more than one million people – mostly children under the age of five.Malaria is particularly devastating in Africa, where it is a leading killer of children. In fact, there are 10 new cases of malaria every second. Every 30 seconds, a child in Africa dies from a malaria infection. Malaria is also the number one killer of refugees in Africa. Nothing But Nets™ is working closely with the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) to send urgently-needed insecticide-treated bed nets to more than one million refugees in 15 countries.

For all the information about the raffle and loads of creative tips, visit Crystal's blog.

Sports Camp

2010-07-11T21:35:00.000-04:00

Here's the complete info on the Sports Camp being put on by Charlottesville Community Church, led by our very own Christine Hoover and her husband Kyle. Please pass it along to any friends or neighbors who might be interested!

Sports Camp 2010 will be a great week at Charlottesville Community Church that your kids will not want to miss! There will be three fun-filled nights that include learning sports skills in basketball, football, soccer, and cheer/dance, as well as music and snacks…all for a low cost*! The cost includes activities for the week as well as a camp t-shirt! So be sure to invite all of your friends and neighbors. Guest Speakers will include UVa Football Receiver Jared Green and UVa Golfer Carly Truitt.

The whole family will want to join in on Thursday for Champions Carnival night, which will include music from our band, bounce houses, sport highlights from the week, special guest speaker UVa Head Football Coach Mike London, and lots of outdoor fun.

CCC Sports Camp will be held in the evenings of July 26-28 from 6:00-8:00 pm. The Champions Carnival Night will be Thursday, July 29th at 6:00 pm. The Sports Camp will be available for kids who have completed K-5th grade. Sign up by clicking below to use our online form. If you have any questions about the sign up process, the camp or anything else, email us at info@cvillechurch.org.

Click Here to Register Now!

Please note that all parents will be required to sign a release form in order for your child to attend this event. To simplify your check-in process on Monday night, click here to download and review the release form. While completing registration online, you will have the opportunity to electronically sign the form. You will need to complete registration & sign the release for each child you are registering for Sports Camp. The form will also be available at check-in if you don't have a chance to review it and register in advance. If you are bringing a friend, be sure to have the parents fill out the form in advance!

*We will also be offering scholarships for a limited number of campers. Please contact us to find out more about scholarships.

Chocolate Makes Everything Better

2010-07-06T09:11:00.000-04:00

This looks like a fun and easy idea to try with the kids. Although if it smells as good as it looks, they might eat more than they build with...

Chocolate Play Dough

1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup salt
1/2 tablespoon cream of tartar
1 1/2 tablespoon oil
1 cup water

Mix dry ingredients in a medium size pot. Add wet ingredients and stir together over low heat until a ball of dough forms. Remove play dough from pot and knead by hand until dough is smooth and evenly colored. Store in airtight container.

Christmas In July

2010-07-04T15:57:00.000-04:00

Our own Marianne Tolley is chairing this fantastic event for the Hope Community Center. They are accepting donations starting tomorrow, so this week is the perfect time to clean out your home and spread some love to others. For more information, check out their website.

Christmas in July

'Tis the Season'
Santa's elves are arriving at HOPE and they need YOUR help!

Christmas In July is a clothing and toy giveaway that will take place at Hope Community Center on Saturday, July 17 from 8-1. (2009 +750 recipients) The event is open to the public but is specifically meant to benefit low income and refugee families.

Donations of gently used clothing, toys and any household items are being accepted at Hope from July 5-15 from 8am-8pm. A $10 donation will provide lunch for 1 family in need at Christmas In July. Please help us meet our goal of feeding 400 families that day. All donations are tax deductible. There will be food, music, moon bounce, face painting and maybe even santa!!! There is plenty of room for volunteers now through July 17 and businesses are welcome to sponsor the event. Hope is located at 341 11th St NW, Charlottesville.

This year we are going a few steps further. We are not only providing clothing, toys and food for those who participate in this program, we are teaching them to give back to the community who is giving to them. Each recipient of Christmas in July will be given the opportunity to volunteer with HOPE and our partners over 60 days. The program will be used to teach giving, from all sides. Not only will we give love, smiles, food and toys but we will give the gift of teaching, "It is better to give than receive." HOPE is expecting to provide more than +500 hours of volunteering for our community through Christmas in July.

Let us not just give but let us teach giving. Let us build, grow and develop a better community for all. "Give HOPE a Hand". How can you give back?

HOPE gave clothing and toys to more than +5,000 people in 2009. Be apart of this Christmas miracle!

Please let us know how you can "Give HOPE a Hand" for this Christmas in July event!

Who says Santa only comes once a year!!

Volunteering Opportunities

Now-July16th

Volunteers are needed to hang 100's of fliers all over town. Places like the laundry mat, bus stop, public bathrooms, carry out/restaurants, hair/nail salon, coffee shops, library, doctor/dentist office, food bank, department stores, city pools, soup kitchens, daycare centers, EVERYWHERE! Stop by Hope for fliers.

Friday, July 9 from 5-8pm at the C-ville Pavilion

We will be handing out fliers about Christmas in July to everyone at Fridays After Five! Come out to help a great cause AND hear awesome music at the same time. What more could you ask for!

Monday-Saturday, July 5-10th and Monday-Friday, July 12-16th, 9am-8pm

We need LOTS of extra hands at Hope as thousands of donations flood our doors. Volunteers needed for setting up tables/shelves, sorting all donations, folding clothes, sorting clothes into sizes/gender, cleaning/organizing toys, organizing household items, and more!

Friday, July 16th, 2pm-8pm

Volunteers needed at Hope to help set up for the Christmas in July giveaway: hanging banners, hanging signs, setting up tables/chairs, putting up tents, getting everything ready to go for 1,000 or more people.

Saturday, July 17, 7:45am-2:30pm

We need about 150 volunteers to make Christmas in July a huge success. What could be more exciting than seeing a child's face light up after you help them find their favorite toy! Volunteers needed for clothing distribution, helping them find the size they need, helping kids find toys/books, prepare and hand out food/drinks, data entry in computer lab for registration, face painting, helping with puppets, crowd control, moon bounce safety, outside parking lot attendants. Lunch will be provided.

A New To-Do

2010-06-09T14:25:00.000-04:00

I love a good to-do list. Not one that makes you feel overwhelmed, just one that allows you to visualize what you'd like to accomplish - and best of all, check those items off the list once done.

In that spirit, check out these ideas for a summertime to-do list with your kids. For the uber-crafty among us, here are tips on creating colorful and charming ones to hang on the wall. Others might prefer a simple typed list. Or when things are really crazy, a Post-It Note will work just fine.

Need some more inspiration? Here are frugal ideas and a list with tons of links to internet ideas and resources.

No matter the style, it's a great way to brainstorm summertime fun for your family and perhaps even create a memento of the ways you celebrated summer together.

Day at the Museum

2010-05-17T11:19:00.000-04:00

Good news for anyone looking for a summertime outing. The Children's Museum of Richmond is adding a new location in Short Pump, making it an easy day trip from Charlottesville. The grand opening is scheduled for Saturday, June 5. Also of interest, the museum also hosts a special summer series of events at the main location.

Ladies Who Brunch

2010-05-11T15:52:00.000-04:00

Mark Your Calendars...

Our Spring Friendship Brunch will be held on Saturday, May 22 at 10:00 am in the Fellowship Hall.

We'll have a relaxing morning together, with food and fellowship. Please feel free to invite your friends! Bring a breakfast dish and a recipe to add to our MOPS Cookbook.

Hope to see you there!