Thursday, October 24, 2013

Holiday Boutique

Holiday Boutique

Beat the Holiday Crowds!
Come out for a unique shopping experience with local vendors and consignors. Raffle tickets sold for door prizes. All proceeds help support MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers)

Saturday, November 9th
 2013 9am to 2pm 

Indian Creek Community Church
12480 Black Bob Rd
Olathe, KS 66062
mopsatthecreek.blogspot.com

Participants:
Pampered Chef, Thirty-One Gifts, It Works, Origami Owl, Mary Kay, Arbonne, Norwex, Scentsy, Usborne Books, Discovery Toys, and more.

Many vendors with crafts, tutus, hair bows, home decor, T-shirt quilts, and more.

Free Admission!

Open to the public!



There are a few spots left for additional vendors. Please contact us at indiancreekmops@gmail.com for more information!

Monday, October 21, 2013

My Favorite Things: Weeknight Meals

Want to try a new restaurant but not sure where to go?
Are you pregnant and not sure what baby products you really need?
Are you unsure of what to cook on a busy weeknight?

What better place to turn than your fellow MOPS moms for ideas?

Our new feature My Favorite Things - will give you some ideas of where to start.
Each month we will feature a different question and recommendations will be listed by other MOPS moms in the group.

This month's feature:
What is your favorite weeknight meal?

  • Tacos - Sara K.
  • Homemade pizza - Carrie M.
  • Tacos - Nicki F.
  • Fajitas or pasta primavera - Jessi C.
  • Spaghetti, tacos, homemade macaroni and cheese - Sarah L.
  • Tacos - Nicole P.
  • Shake and Bake - Lou Ann C.
  • Rice casserole - lots of variations- Rachael K.
Looks like the consensus is Tacos this time!

Want to contribute your ideas for our blog or newsletter? Check your MOPS folder for the My Favorite Things feature!

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Featured Article: Is Your Iron Sharp?


Have you seen it yet?  Your children becoming like the friends they hang around?


My mom doesn’t have any close girlfriends.  Growing up, I never understood that.  And she never understood why I’d always ask her to go to a friend’s house to hang out or beg her to have a friend over to play or spend the night.  I always knew when I grew up, it was going to be a priority to me to have friends.


So from the time 'Z' was old enough to interact with others, I began teaching him that friendships and relationships are the most precious possession you could ever have.  The thing I always told him, and he would repeat back to me, was, “You can never have too many friends.”


Then recently it started happening.  He began acting like the friends he was hanging around.  Hmmm.  Sometimes that was a good thing, sometimes it wasn’t.  I was making lunch one day and a Bible verse followed by a God-thought echoed in my head:  As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)”   You become like the friends you hang around.  Jean, do you spend enough time with Me to act like Me even when you’re not with Me?


Wow.  I realized that I needed to be teaching 'Z' to love everyone but as Proverbs 12:26 says, "The righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked leads them astray." 


I also realized I needed to be more intentional about the time I spend with God everyday.  If it’s just natural that I’m going to behave like whom I spend time with, then I absolutely want to make sure that I spend time with Jesus frequently.  Here are some things that I’m trying to do to make time with Jesus happen:


1. Solving the Problem of Discipline – GO TO BED EARLY OR ON TIME!  Set your alarm and get up immediately.  Kerri A. taught me several years ago that when 'Z', a chronic early riser, wakes, make a rule that he must stay in his room until 6:30am (or whatever time you choose). If I wake at 6:00, 6:15, or even 6:25, that’s the perfect time for a quiet time.  If you have itty bitty ones, carve out your quiet time during their naptime.

2. Solving the Problem of DistractionsGet out of bed, get awake, read and pray aloud.

3. Solving the Problem of Diligence – Leave your Bible or computer open the night before to what you’re going to be reading the next morning.  Schedule it on your calendar.  Be prepared for Satan’s excuses (too tired, too much to do, etc.).  If you miss a day, don’t feel guilty or give up.

4. Solving the Problem of What to Do – Find a devotional Bible or website that matches where you are in life or where you want to be.  It could be a Bible reading plan you find online like www.BiblePlan.org, www.BibleGateway.com, or the devotional thought I’m currently reading every day at www.Proverbs31.org.  There are many great devotional Bibles out there: Mom’s Devotional Bible is a great one published by MOPS and available at www.MOPS.org.

5. Solving the Problem of How to Pray – I use the “A.C.T.S” model of prayer:

  1. A – Adoration – praising God for who He is, not what He’s done
  2. C – Confession – if we don’t confess the sin in our life, why should God listen and be moved by our prayer?  Feeling like your prayers are going nowhere?  Work on confession and watch what happens.
  3. T – Thanksgiving – thanking God for what He’s done
  4. S – Supplication – this is the “prayer request” part


Once I got it through my thick head that having a daily quiet time is something that helps me become more like Jesus – an immediate benefit to my family and friends – and that it isn’t something that’s a to-do list item to be checked off, it became easier.


How sharp is your iron?  Perhaps taking a little time to cultivate your friendship with Jesus is just what you – and your family – needs.
Written by Jean J. 
This was originally published in the MOPS Newsletter in April of 2010.
Used with permission.

Thursday, October 10, 2013

MOPS Cook: Chicken Chili

The weather is starting to get cooler and this Chicken Chili submitted by Nicole P. is sure to warm your family up!  It's made in a crock pot making it easy for a busy mom of preschoolers! 

Photo courtesy of SparkRecipes



Chicken Chili

2 B/S chicken breast
1/3 cup chicken broth
1 small onion- diced
1 cup of corn kernels
2 cups of black beans
1 can of Rotel
1 package of Ranch seasoning
2 Tablesppon cumin
1 Tablespoon chili powder
salt/pepper to taste
8 oz cream cheese
Place chicken, onion, and broth in crock pot, add beans, corn, Rotel, and seasonings--stir seasonings into corn/beans. Place cream cheese on top and cook on low for 6-8 hrs. Before serving, mix cream cheese into chili and shred chicken up. It will be thick, and a little "dip" like, serve with tortilla chips! 


Do you have a recipe you would like to submit to the Indian Creek MOPS blog? Please email it to indiancreekmops@gmail.com

Thursday, October 3, 2013

September Play Date & MNO
We had a great turn out for the Moms Night Out & the Play-date!

Bunco






Fire House Tour






Hope to see everyone at Music with Mar, Parkside Cafe & Jason's Deli 

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

What is Your MOPPET Learning: October

While we are enjoying some time with other mothers, the kids are busy in their classes as well. 

Each month we will post a sneak peak at the MOPPETS curriculum for the 2013-14 year.  

This year the kids will be studying the Heroes of the Bible curriculum which has been a favorite in the past.

All kids in the Monkeys, Otters, Lions, Ostrich, and Giraffe classes will participate in a Bible lesson, craft, game, music, play time, short video related to the Bible lesson, (such as VeggieTales) and snack.

Here is a peek at the curriculum for the month:

October- Miriam and Moses
10/1-Lesson- Miriam Keeps Baby Moses Safe
Story- Miriam, Baby Moses, and the Princess
     Verse- 1 Corinthians 13:4
     Song- Baby Moses
           Peace Like a River

10/15 -Lesson-God can do anything.
Story- Moses crosses the Red Sea
         Verse- Psalm 136:11-12
         Song- Our God helps Us
               My god is so Big

For a list of the entire MOPPETS Curriculum for the year please check out the "About MOPPETS" tab.