ShoreMOPS Christmas Tea

At our Christmas Tea, we set things up a bit differently. We introduced our new PLATES AND FLATWARE - an upgrade from the paper and plastic we've been using, plus they are more cost effective and less wasteful.

We also printed out cards as a reminder of how special every mother is, and how intentionally God has designed each one of us. (pictured above)



At our breakfast tables, every place setting included a Chapstick® wrapped up in paper like an old-fashioned piece of taffy, and with it was a message about having the courage to TELL YOUR STORY. (pictured on right)

Monday, wear your comfiest clothes and leave your kids in jammies! At MOPS we're celebrating a day of REST! Come ready to get some needed relaxation! View this email in your browser MOPS Christmas Breakfast Community Christmas Dinner - This outreach event, hosted by our Events Coordinator Halley Martinez, was a reality again this year thanks to her commitment and to the generosity and servanthood of many others. more info On Dec. 15th we gathered together to celebrate the GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD - at our annual Christmas Tea! We enjoyed a fabulous breakfast provided by Brownies Squared and our focus was set on having the Courage to Tell Your Story. Donna Chambers, the lead pastor's wife at Shore Fellowship Church, blessed us with an amazing presentation that inspired and provoked our hearts to be braver! To be confident in our uniqueness, to be determined to rest and honor the sabbath, and to accept ourselves as God created us in EVERY stage of our lives. A mom of three young men, she gave us some laughs and left us with hope. We were treated to story time of our own as Donna read from Max Lucado's book You Are Special.  Insecurity is a thief and it will rob you of the destiny God has for you! ~Donna Chambers Get ready for some very exciting MOPS meetings!! We have a Pajama Party on Monday, January 12th, so be brave to REST AND UNWIND!! On January 26th, we will be braving the world of being INTENTIONAL!! And just in time for Valentine's Day, we will explore being PASSIONATE!! Don't miss what's in store for you. See you there! Check our blog or join our members-only group to learn about upcoming Playdates and Moms’ Nights Out!! Remember to check the meal signup list on the ShoreMops Members Group.   Our local MOPS chapter is graciously housed by Shore Fellowship Church in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey. Shore Fellowship provides a number of environments to both members and non-members, and serves its community through many outreach efforts. MOPS International is a country-wide organization for moms of babies, toddlers and preschool-aged children. There are many different groups throughout the states but they all share the same foundation, format and theme. Learn more at www.mops.org Facebook Instagram Website Pinterest YouTube

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Bring Excitement to Storytime

Do your kids love presents? Wanna get your kids excited about reading? 

Try combining the two and see how much fun the entire family gets. 

I actually did this over Christmas with my kids. While my kids love books, they still needed some incentive to start the bedtime routine. Bath, brush teeth, pjs, bed, get out of bed, wake up your sibling, wait for mom to yell "Get back in bed". You know. That routine.

Wrap books and place them in a designated reading location, the floor at the top of the stairs, their beds, your bed, the couch, at the dinner table, etc. Every night have the child open one book/present and together you read it before bed! What a great way to bond and make reading fun and exciting.

So what do I wrap them in? Newspaper, like that free one they throw in your yard every week that I wind up recycling. You can also have them use scissors to cut the newspaper or junk mail. But that's another post for another task. : ) You can wrap them in mismatched wrapping paper. It doesn't have to be specific. If it is a small book, wrap it in plain paper and then have them color a picture from the story you read them. Wrap it in their clothes. They will think this is silly. And it is, because reading can be fun and silly. You don't have to wrap one every night, but do it enough so it is fun and keeps their attention.

So what books do I wrap? Anything age appropriate. Wrap the free book from Chick-fil-a. Wrap the story you have read to them 1,000 times that they know by heart but they still want you to read (Goodnight Moon!). Wrap the library books you checked out for them. Borrow a book from a friend, wrap that one.

I hope this helps you enjoy reading to your kids as much as they enjoy listening to you read.

contributed by Tina Guthman Ishee of ShoreMOPS Steering Team

Make this!

Bakeless Thin Mints 

Melt 8 oz of chocolate, mix in 1 tbs of peppermint extract, and dip Ritz crackers fully into the chocolate, lay on wax paper and decorate with sprinkles... Then try not to eat them all in one sitting!!! These are super fun to make with the kids!

Contributed by Brandi Giordano

A time for everything and a season for every activity

Hi there, beach bathers. Hello backyard bubble blowers. Were you getting comfortable with the long, lazy days of summer? Wish you could soak up the sun a little bit longer? Entering September, October and November brings inevitable changes. A different pace of life. A new routine. Cooler weather. A better wardrobe?

Welcome back to cable-knit sweaters, fleece-lined boots, and pumpkin spice lattes. Put away the outdoor toys. Find your baking sheets. Reacquaint yourself with the fireplace.

Autumn. This is the season of change. The weather is cooling down. Birds are migrating. Trees and foliage are transforming the outdoors with their bright bursts of color. Maybe inside of your home has turned into more of a cozy escape from the cold. (see our fall decorating ideas)

Last year at MOPS, we learned about gardening. Many of us planted seeds and repotted plants and worked diligently (or maybe not so diligently) to bring a harvest of fruits, vegetables and flowers. The gardens we plotted and tended have served their intended purpose. Some of those plants have gone dormant and will resurface in the sunshine next year. Others have dried up and are gone forever.

Every year, nature renews itself. Old things fade away and make room for the new. This is how God has strategically and beautifully designed it. The chilly air brings a promise of fresh starts, new opportunities, and a brand new season.

What does this new season of life look like for you? Summertime activities have gone away. What will take their place? The kids are growing and reaching new milestones. How will your parenting style adapt? Are you ready to try something new?

You are changing too.

Be brave. As we let go of things that we love, it allows us to move forward and step out into unchartered territory. This can be scary, but we must fight the fear of the unknown. We are courageous leaders of our families and we set the tone for our households. Be brave.
Have the courage to try something new.

We hope to see you at Shore Fellowship MOPS,
where we are focusing on how to "be yourself, bravely" and encouraging each other to take the plunge and try something new.

-- Steering Team
at Shore Fellowship MOPS

See our calendar of meetings and events

Our BE YOU, BRAVELY Intro Video!

RECIPE // Homemade Ice-Pops

Just because summer vacation is over, doesn't mean that you can't enjoy an ice pop (or two). With the temps staying high, we are certainly thankful for a snack that keeps us cool.

These ice-pop recipes are all-natural and healthy - some even have veggies in them! A great way to incorporate fruits and vegetables into a picky-eaters diet.

DIY // Custom Grapevine Wreath

Here is a great wreath idea for the gal on a budget (ME!!!!!! and maybe you too?). This interchangeable wreath can hang all year long and can fit every season with just a few small tweaks.

Supplies:

-Grapevine wreath (got this one at AC Moore for $4.99)

-Cardboard letter: last-name initial ($2.99 at AC Moore)

-Floral styrofoam block (AC Moore sells 6-packs for $3.99. Individually they are $3.49 *makes perfect sense, right?* So I just got the 6-pack. I ended up using about 1 1/2 blocks)

-Floral wire, thread, yarn, string, etc.

-Flowers of choice

-Scissors

-Knife

-Glue gun (optional)

Be you, Bravely - Our theme for the year

2014/2015 Meeting Schedule!

Here is the upcoming schedule for our 2014/2015 MOPS year! Be sure to keep an eye out for special dates like the Christmas and Mother's Day Tea, along with play-dates and Mom's Nights Out!