Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Register Now for MOPS!!

Registration is now open for MOPS 2013-14!

We are now accepting registration forms for new MOPS members!

We are a fun and welcoming group of mothers with children ranging from birth to 6 years old.


Our group is growing fast so please register early to secure a place for you and your child at Indian Creek MOPS.


To register please  CLICK HERE for MOPS Registration form. 
You can also email us at indiancreekmops@gmail.com for registration information or questions.



We meet on the first and third Tuesdays of the month from 9:00-11:15 during the school year.  A MOPS meeting will consist of a warm breakfast, a relevant speaker, and a fun game or craft.  We would love for you to check us out!

We will not have our regular MOPS meetings this summer but we will be getting together for play dates, mom's nights outs, and other activities.  We would love for you to join us this Summer and at our first meeting September 3, 2013!

Saturday, April 27, 2013

Q & A with MOPS Mentor Mom

With Fathers Day coming up we thought it would be a good idea to reach into our article archive and pull out this awesome one from April of 2009 written by our current Mentor Mom.  Full of great advice! 



Q:  What are some things I can do for my husband to show him I appreciate all he does for the family?

A:  We all know that maintaining a relationship takes time and effort from both parties.  Sometimes we can get so wrapped up in our day to day activities of being a wife and mother that our marriage relationship suffers.  Taking time to do something special for your spouse is well worth the extra effort!  I can tell you from experience that your husband will love you for it!  Here are a number of ideas--some that cost nothing and require very little effort, to some that require spending some money and maybe a little more effort on your part:

1. Give him a big hug and kiss and thank him for all his hard work.  It's even better if your children can hear you thanking their daddy for everything he does for his family!

2. Hide a love note or note of encouragement in his car at night, so when he gets in his car to go to work the next morning, it's the first  thing he sees.

3. Find a scripture that you can pray for your husband.  Write it out on a card and give it to him and tell him you're praying for him.

4. Plan a surprise candlelight dinner one night.  Find a friend who is willing to trade babysitting services for a few hours so   you can accomplish this.  Then do the same for them.

5. Make a list of everything you love and appreciate about your husband--then tell him.

6. If your husband has a job where he can get away for lunch, pack a picnic and  go to the park on a nice spring day.

7. Think of an activity your husband enjoys.  If it's golf, surprise him with a golf outing.  Maybe it's baseball and you could surprise him with Royals tickets.  You get the idea!

8. Cuddle together on the couch after the kids go to bed and watch a TV show or movie that your husband has chosen.

9. Schedule a lunch date with your husband.  Drive to his office, pick him up and take him to his favorite restaurant.

10. Offer to give him a back rub.

11. Your husband will love it if you come to bed in a sexy nightie instead of  your old flannel PJ's!

These are just a few ideas, but when it comes down to it you are the one who knows your spouse the best and what would mean the most to him.  So get creative and do it!

 

Friday, April 19, 2013

Homemade Taco Seasoning


We hope you enjoyed the Homemade Taco Seasoning we made Tuesday at MOPS.
We thought you might like to try it again at home.

Taco Seasoning
1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
14 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Onion Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
1/4 Teaspoon Oregano
1/4 Teaspoon Paprika
1 1/4 Teaspoon Cumin
1 Teaspoon Sea Salt
1 Teaspoon Black Pepper

Mix together.  Brown ground beef or turkey.  Add seasoning and 1/3 cup water.  Simmer 3-5 minutes.  Add to taco shells with desired toppings.
Enjoy!

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Featured Article: Relax Mama


Featured Article: Relax Mama by Alicia C.




Summer is nearly here and I'm more than ready for warm weather and a less busy schedule. When you're really busy and running from one thing to the next it's easy to become annoyed or frustrated with the accidents that happen when you have a preschooler.

I often think of the following incident when it's time for me to just chill out and laugh. I had just taken a shower and put on newly washed jeans before I left to pick up Caylen from Kids Day Out. When I got there, she was still napping. I gently picked her up and snuggled her in my lap while trying to slowly wake her. She finally woke and said she had to go potty. When she got up I realized that she had pee'd on me. It was all over my clean jeans and my recently showered leg. At least Caylen had a change of clothes. I was a little irritated when really I should have been laughing. I laugh when I think about it now. It's moments like these when we need to laugh at the pee upon us and move on.

Summer is a good time to de-stress, but it can bring a wave of panic because the kids are out of school and home with you all day long. You frantically look for every possible activity for your kids to be in so you can remain sane this summer. It's so easy to become overloaded with activities. I urge you to resist that temptation. Let this summer be the one that you allow yourself time to reconnect with your God, your family and your friends. Give yourself permission to not feel like you need to be in competition with other parents about how many vacations you go on and how many activities you have your kids signed up for this summer.

When you're relaxed, you're kids are able to relax. Plan to give yourself a little TLC and put it on the calendar. Here are some ideas: look for a new devotional book or join a summer Bible study, pick out a couple favorite verses and commit them to memory, ask someone to be a prayer partner with you this summer, start praying with your husband. Make a point to get together with friends, without the kids. Start a new exercise class or program.

Set some healthy boundaries for your kiddos when it comes to summer activities that you commit to. Let them be involved in one activity at a time and let them choose it. Then, enjoy the rest of your summer going to the zoo, Deanna Rose, play dates, swimming, picnics, running through the sprinkler, going on nature walks, blowing bubbles, sidewalk chalk, planting flowers, going to the park, library, movies, and a million other options that are non-committal and hopefully stress free. And if your kid pee's on you, it's o.k., you're washable.

Then just soak it all in (no pun intended)... and breath easy.