November Meeting Re-Cap and Cookie Exchange!

Our November MOPS meeting topic was "Making MOMSENSE out of Advent-Keeping God Numero Uno in our Lives".  Dawson McQuaig, Associate Pastor at Bradfordville First Baptist Church spoke to us about family traditions for Advent, and preparing for Jesus' arrival with our families.  One of his great suggestions was "The Three Trees: Storybook Advent Singles", which is the perfect Easter or Christmas story.  Three Trees is inspired and adapted from a folktale. The Three Trees teaches us the wisdom of letting God determine our destiny and how what can at first appear to be a defeat can quickly become the ultimate achievement when God works through you. It's about the gifts we receive and how often we don't realize blessings in disguise. 

We will be having a MOPS Cookie Exchange on Friday, December 2nd at 7:00 p.m. at Bradfordville First Baptist Church (in the MacMillan Center where we have our MOPS meetings).  Everyone should bring enough cookies to share at the meeting, and exchange.  We will hopefully all go home with some cookies to share with our families!  Please eat dinner first, but save room for dessert so you can try lots of yummy cookies!

Pumpkin Patch!

This past Thursday, we had a MOPS play date at the Faith Presbyterian Pumpkin Patch for a "Pumpkin Patch Tour".  The kids got to get their faces painted (or their hands) with different Halloween patterns, such as a black cat and a pumpkin.  After that, we went to the back of the Pumpkin Patch, where there was a little space set up for story time.  A very nice lady read three stories, one of which required some "help" from the audience with different movements.  The children really seemed to enjoy the stories.  Then, we got to see a real pumpkin vine, where a pretty yellow flower was growing that will eventually grow into a pumpkin! Each child who was there received a Halloween coloring page; a small pumpkin; and a pumpkin sticker.  

Spaghetti Dinner-November 2nd

Just a reminder that we are having a Spaghetti Dinner in the MacMillan Center of Bradfordville First Baptist Church this Wednesday, November 2nd to benefit our MOPS group.  If you are serving and/or bringing food, please get there at 4:00.  Please bring your food in a disposable dish for easier clean up.

Baby Shower for A Women's Pregnancy Center and Fall Craft!

Gifts for the Center!

 Our latest meeting on Tuesday, October 25th was a baby shower to benefit A Women's Pregnancy Center, which is a non-profit organization that provides free and confidential services to women and men facing possible unplanned pregnancy.  The Director (Jamie Brown) and Director of Client Services (Diane Donahue) came to speak to us about the Center, and showed us a short video of how the Center impacted the life of a woman who now works for them.  They were extremely grateful for all of the baby shower gifts, and told us ways that we could help the Center by volunteering.

Stacie did a great job with the Fall Craft-photo wreaths!  She had a table set up with all of the supplies, and was a huge help to everyone making them.  Everyone had a lot of fun making them, and I think they will be a great Christmas gift!

Selecting materials for the photo wreaths

Directors from A Women's Pregnancy Center

A Completed Photo Wreath!

Baby Talk!

Presentation by Cindy Strickland (A Moment Captured) and Preview of October 25th Meeting!

At today's MOPS meeting, we had a great presentation about photography by local photographer, Cindy Strickland.  Cindy Strickland has been photographing families, babies, children, brides, etc. for thirteen years.  She has two boys, and she used to be in MOPS when her boys were young, so she is familiar with the MOPS ministry.

She did a fabulous session on photography, complete with a beautiful slide show, and taught us the twelve elements of a successful art piece or image, as she presented examples of all of the elements.  She also gave us another handout of some general photography tips that I have been reading over, and am finding extremely helpful!

If you would like to see more of her work, you can find A Moment Captured on Facebook at:
https://www.facebook.com/AMCbyCS

or her website at:
http://www.amomentcaptured.com/

At our next MOPS meeting on Tuesday, October 25th we will be having a Baby Shower to benefit A Woman's Pregnancy Center.  We will have food, games, and a craft as we collect items to help out local families in need of support and encouragement as they welcome new lives into the world.  A Woman's Pregnancy Center is a non-profit organization that provides free and confidential services to women and men facing possible unplanned pregnancy, right here in Tallahassee!  You can find out more about it online here:
http://www.awpc.cc/

Remember to check your invitation for the Layette Gift List.  Everything on the list must be new, but the Center also welcomes gently used maternity clothing, baby clothes, baby furniture, and items that are appropriate for babies up to six months. Donation receipts are available to claim a charity tax deduction.

For the craft that we will be doing at the October 25th meeting, Stacie asks that we each bring seven 4x6 pictures.

Please remember that we need to be brainstorming about Fundraising ideas for our MOPS group.  We have scheduled a Spaghetti Dinner at Bradfordville First Baptist Church on Wednesday, November 2nd from 4-6, and a sign-up sheet was passed out for people to volunteer to bring spaghetti, sauce, brownies, and/or help serve the food.  If you weren't at the meeting, but would like to sign up to help, please send an email to mopsbfbc@gmail.com  Also, if you have a fundraising idea, please send an email to the same address just mentioned.

Fire Safety/Fire Engine!

We had a super fun MOPS meeting yesterday! The Bradfordville Fire Department firemen came to speak to us about Fire Safety, and brought a fire engine for the MOPPETS!  After some really yummy food provided by the Candyland Cuties table; and a very relevant devotional by our Prayer and Care mom, Sharon, the firemen answered all our questions about fire safety and gave us some really useful tips such as:

• A fire alarm is only good if it actually works-change your batteries at DST so you won't forget.
• Fire alarms should always be near the kitchen and bedrooms.
• Never leave bathroom exhaust fans on for long periods of time, because lint gathers in them, and they can lock up, causing a fire.
• NEVER leave your house with a washer/dryer or dishwasher running.
• It is best to unplug computers, power strips,  and other appliances before leaving the house in case of an electrical short.
• Always call 911 in the event of a fire-NEVER call the actual fire station, as the firemen may be out speaking to a school or a MOPS group :-).
• Have a home fire safety plan.  Designate a place to meet outside of the house, preferably one that can be seen from a window or the front door so you can just visually check to make sure everyone's out before you head out yourself.
• In the event of an electrical fire, DO NOT put water on it-you could be electrocuted.  Turn off the main breaker to the electricity.
• Make sure your house is properly marked, and give the 911 operator a cross street so that your house can be easily located in the event of a fire.

The MOPPETS workers then brought all of the MOPPETS upstairs so that we could all go see the Fire Engine!!!  The kids got to climb into the truck if they wanted, and learn about the different equipment on the fire truck.  They got to see one of the fireman put on his full fire-fighting uniform, and then they lined up to give him a high five.  Each child received a Tallahassee Fire Department coloring book, and a sticker. The smiles on the kids' faces were priceless (except for one little one who was a little frightened-the fireman DID look a little scary in his full uniform and mask)!  We managed to herd all of the kids to the front of the fire engine to get a group picture.  How adorable are they!?

Our next meeting will be Tuesday, October 11th and a really fabulous photographer with YEARS of experience in photographing infants, children, families, weddings, and any special occasion/event you can think of is coming to speak to our MOPS group about how to spot, look, and take a great picture!  Please bring 1-2 pictures to share.  I have known Cindy for over four years, and she has become not just our family photographer, but a dear friend.  She is a strong Christian woman; has two fabulous boys; and used to be in a MOPS group when her boys were babies.  We are so blessed to have her as a speaker!  

Re-Cap of First Meeting and New Room

We started off the MOPS year with a great breakfast provided by the Steering Committee Team, and getting to know each other.  MOMSENSE, the theme for MOPS this year, was introduced.  Basically, everyone has different parenting strategies, but you just take your mom intuition and combine it with common sense to get MOMSENSE.  We made personalized coffee mugs that can be used as name tags, and so we don't have to waste plastic or styrofoam coffee cups each meeting.

We are looking forward to our next MOPS meeting on September 27th.  There will be a speaker from the fire department for the moms on fire safety, and a fire truck for the kids!  However, to make this meeting happen, we need your support-please come out this Sunday, September 25th at 2:00 to help give the second MOPPETS room a make-over. It needs a fresh coat of paint, and some rugs.  Erin and Melinda worked very hard last Sunday to scrub the walls, cabinets, bathroom, and floor clean.  We need more helpers this Sunday.  Bring your paint brushes/rollers/primer (we'll have a "paint party").  Also, if anyone has any rugs/wall art they are willing to donate to the room it would be greatly appreciated!!!  If we don't get this room ready, we may not be able to have a second MOPS meeting, and I know that the fire engine will be a HUGE hit with the kids!

First MOPS Meeting of 2011-2012!!!

Just a reminder that our first MOPS Meeting of the 2011-2012 year will be this Tuesday, September 13th beginning at 9:15 until about 11:45 at the McMillan Center (South Campus of Bradfordville First Baptist Church).  Come join us for food, fellowship, and fun, and kick off a great new year of MOPS!!!

MOPPETS Registration is Now Closed

Our Pre-Registration was such a success that our MOPPETS registration is now closed due to space restrictions.  Please contact Erin Bearss at mopsbfbc@gmail.com if you would like to be put on our waiting list.  Thank you for making our Pre-Registration such a success!!!

REMINDER! Pre-Registration Sign Up on August 30th!

This is just a reminder that we are having a Pre-Registration sign-up at Bradfordville First Baptist Church on Tuesday, August 30th from  9:30-11:30 a.m.  Please feel free to bring a sack lunch/snacks.  Let the kids play on the playground and sign up for an awesome year of MOPS!!!  The MOPS annual group fee is $90. We have 15 meetings (and many other activities) planned for the year, which comes out to $6.00/meeting.  Payments can be made in 2-4 installments if needed.  


At Bradfordville MOPS, our main objective is to support the well being of the moms in our community.  If our membership fees pose a particular hardship, contact Christie Wildes.


The mandatory annual MOPS International fee is $24. These fees are how we support MOPS International, the organization that provides every MOPS group around the world with the promotional tools and guides, as well as the support and curriculum, we use each year to run MOPS.


Membership benefits include:

• Subscription to MomSense magazine (6 issues per year.)
• Weekly Mom-Email 
• MOPS Reusable Shopping Bag
• MOPS Iron-On Appliques
• MOPS Stickers featuring VeggieTales

Make Your Own Pizza! Day at Pizza Hut

We had a great turnout for "Make Your Own Pizza Day" at the Pizza Hut on Capital Circle NE today!  Six moms and eleven kids participated, and we had so much fun!  Miss Jenith and Miss Stephanie helped the kids make their pizzas.  They got to check out the two big walk-in freezers beforehand, and then took turns making their own personal pan pizzas, and putting them on the conveyor belt into the oven to bake!  It only takes about six minutes to bake the pizzas once they go into the oven.  All the kids had a great time making and eating their pizzas, and the moms had fun watching how excited the kids were!

Sweet Grass Dairy Public Tour!

If you are looking for something fun to do this weekend with the family, head out to Sweet Grass Dairy Farm in Thomasville, GA for their public tour!  On the first Saturday of every month between March and September, they provide a public tour.  Tours start promptly at 9:00 a.m. and the cost is $5.00 per person over the age of two.  Tours normally last an hour and a half to two hours.  On the guided tour, you will have the opportunity to see the goats being milked, learn about their farming techniques, pet and interact with the goats, and taste some of their handmade cheeses.  Due to sanitation restrictions, no one will be allowed in the cheese making area, but a picture presentation is provided to show you the complete cheesemaking process.  They allow ample time to ask questions.  Our family went to this in April of 2010, when my kids were three, and 20 months old and they both loved it!!! Their favorite part was getting to play in the goat pen with the baby goats after the tour. I highly recommend this tour-it is extremely interesting, and very fun for the whole family!!!  For more information, their web site is here: http://www.sweetgrassdairy.com/events/2011/08/06/sweet-grass-dairy-public-tour/

Chick-fil-A Backstage Kitchen Tour!

 Several MOPS moms and MOPPETS met at the Chick-fil-A on North Monroe Street on Tuesday for a "backstage kitchen tour".  Miss Wendy was our Tour Guide, and she handed out backstage passes and hats for all the "tourists".  After a brief introduction to Truett Cathy (founder of CFA) and information regarding his foundation, WinShape, she took us back in two separate groups to tour both the front counter area, and the kitchen, including the big cooler and the freezer.  We got to see where they hand-make their lemonade; mix the biscuits at 5:30 in the morning; the area where they make the salads (all produce is grown from local farms); and we saw them take the raw chicken from the refrigerated table, dip it in the milk bath, and bread it.  If I'm not mistaken, I believe he said the recipe for the chicken sandwiches/nuggets came from Truett Cathy's mother in 1939.  Yes, the chicken patties are not frozen, but made fresh there on-site!  The buns are from a bakery in Thomasville. They get a new truck in every two days of produce, buns, chicken, salad makings, etc.  Even though it is "fast" food, everything is very fresh!  After that, Miss Wendy gave everyone the chance to sample something we may not have tried before: carrot/raisin salad, chicken noodle soup, or coleslaw.  Then, she let each child go behind the counter one by one to make their very own Ice Dream cone!  This recipe too, comes from 1939, and has only been "tweaked" a little bit throughout the years.  Still more treats awaited us-Miss Wendy gave everyone the choice between a CFA cow PEZ dispenser, or a CFA stuffed cow!!!  I think moms and kids alike learned a lot, AND had a great time, thanks to our fabulous tour guide, Miss Wendy!

Pre-Registration Sign Up on August 30th!

We are having a Pre-Registration sign-up at Bradfordville First Baptist Church on Tuesday, August 30th from  9:30-11:30 a.m.  Please feel free to bring a sack lunch/snacks.  Let the kids play on the playground and sign up for an awesome year of MOPS!!!  It is $24.00 for the MOPS International registration fee, and then $6.00/meeting.  The cost of child care is included in the $6.00.  With your MOPS registration, you will receive from MOPS International:

• Subscription to MomSense magazine (6 issues per year.)
• Weekly Mom-Email 
• MOPS Reusable Shopping Bag
• MOPS Iron-On Appliques
• MOPS Stickers featuring VeggieTales

A Very Busy Week!!!

This past week was a very busy weekend for some of our MOPS ladies and MOPPETS!

On Tuesday, several of us met for Tot Time at Trousdell Activity Pool so the little ones could swim and play in the water without getting run over by the big kids.  It was not very crowded, so the moms actually got to visit while the kids swam.

On Wednesday, some moms and kids got together at one of the mom's houses for a fun play date and then went to lunch at Red Elephant to celebrate one of the mom's birthdays.

On Thursday afternoon, some of us met for snowballs at our favorite place, Mardi Gras Snowballs!  We had two first-timers, and I think they both really liked their first snowball!

Friday morning, a couple of moms and children met at the Brogan Museum.  One of the ladies is thinking about joining our group, and I sincerely hope she does, because she and her daughter are a joy to be around, and I know they would love being a part of our MOPS group!

Another fun thing several people participated in last week was the Vacation Bible School at North Florida Christian Church. The theme was "Panda Mania", and it was extremely well-organized, and all the kids had a blast!  One of our MOPS ladies volunteered as a Crew Leader, and even though she worked long hours, she really enjoyed taking care of our MOPPETS that participated, and they were all so grateful to have her there. The closing ceremony Friday night was completely amazing, and it was evident how much time and effort went into VBS there this summer.

We have some fun events planned this week as well:  a backstage kitchen tour at the Chick fil A on North Monroe Street on Tuesday, and a birthday lunch for a mom on Wednesday at Morelia's. Both of these events were distributed as Facebook events, so please RSVP to let us know if you're coming!  They are also on the Yahoo! calendar, which can be found by clicking on the Calendar link from this page.

Fun Station, Jr.

 

Last Friday, several MOPS moms and MOPPETS went to Fun Station, Jr. (previously known as Zoinks) which is a family entertainment center featuring lots of bouncy houses (including two just for the three and under crowd), a huge climbing structure, arcade games, and a small section of cars and a carousel for the little kids to ride on.  The moms got to visit while the kids had a blast!  It's a great place for summer time because the kids can run and bounce off all of their energy while keeping cool at the same time.

There was one arcade game in particular that all the kids loved, because they had the chance to win up to 75 tickets!  I think each child there played that game at least twice!  Here are two playing the game....

And here is one who won a bunch of tickets....

Wakulla Springs

Located just 45 minutes away from our MOPS home (Bradfordville First Baptist Church), there is a state park called Wakulla Springs, home of one of the largest and deepest freshwater springs in the world.  There is a small beach area where the kids can play in the sand, and diving platforms for the brave big kids and adults.  There are River Boat tours which are 40-60 minute which takes visitors on a three mile loop downstream and back among majestic bald cypress trees, elegant wading birds and toothy alligators.  Once in a while, you can even see manatee!  They used to have glass bottom boat tours, but those are very rare these days due to poor visibility.  There is a lodge built in 1937 where you can see “Old Joe” — an 11-foot, 2-inch alligator enshrined in glass.
 
This past Friday a few MOPS moms and kids headed to Wakulla Springs for a morning of sand and water fun!  Unfortunately, due to car troubles, and rain, our morning was cut short, but I think everyone had a great time while we were there.  There is definite interest in returning, because several moms who were out of town wanted to go, so there will be another trip planned there soon!

Story Time at the Northeast Branch Library

Every Thursday, there is a Story Time at the Northeast Branch Library (on Thomasville Road, across from Walmart).  This week, several MOPS moms and kids attended. Story Time usually starts off with Raffi’s “Shake Your Sillies Out”, which all the kids love to dance to, then Miss Caroline (the Story Time leader) takes out “Book Worm” and the kids all try to get a book from Book Worm by yelling “Book!”  Then she reads a couple of books, interspersed with some dancing or finger activities such as “Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, Turn Around”,  “Open, Shut Them”, and “If You’re Happy and You Know it”. One of the last things Miss Caroline does is a puppet show.  These are always a huge hit with the audience.  This week, the theme of Story Time was "Bugs" so Miss Caroline read a few books about bugs, and then did a really cute puppet show with all kinds of bug puppets, including ladybugs, butterflies, spiders, and even a roach!  There was a lot of screaming and squealing from both moms and kids!