November Events

We have lots of fun things planned for November!  All these events are on the MOPS Google Calendar to the right.  More information can be found on our facebook page or you can request more information using the contact form to the right.

November 4 - November Meeting - Feeding Your Mess.  We've invited Kristy Still from Mommy Hates Cooking to speak with us about Menu Planning!  More details here...

November 8 - $55 due for the first annual MOPS Retreat at Shepherd's Fold Ranch. 

November 11 - Leaders Meeting

November 15 & 16 - MOPS Retreat at Shepherd's Fold Ranch.   More details here...

November 18 - Gym Playdate.  Every month we meet for an indoor gym playdate.  Bring your bikes and ride-on toys and let the kids burn some energy while us moms get to chat.

November 21 - Zoo Field Trip.  We're meeting at the Tulsa Zoo one last time before it gets too cold!  Bring a picnic lunch.

November Meeting Preview

We are SO excited about our November meeting!  Our theme this month will be "Feeding Your Mess".

We've invited Kristy Still from Mommy Hates Cooking to teach us all about Menu Planning!  Kristy started her cooking blog after her husband (the cook in the family) changed shifts at work.  She was suddenly in charge of dinner, however, she hated cooking!  Her blog was an attempt to learn to love to cook and to add new recipes to her dull dinner rotation.  Visit Mommy Hates Cooking and tell her how excited we are to have her this month!

In addition to Kristy's presentation, we'll also be discussing the importance of family dinners and how to conquer that dreaded dinner time hour.

Our craft this month will be a meal planning notebook.  Kristy has provided us with her menu planning tools and we'll be putting together a binder to organize it all!

Food will be provided by Rebecca and Heidi's tables : The Cooking Cuties and The Chore Chicks.  Sign up on our facebook event!

After the meeting we'll be meeting at Scoozies for some yummy coneys!

As always, we'll have an awesome door prize to give away!

You will NOT want to miss this one!

MOPS Retreat : We are all a Beautiful Mess

*UPDATE!  Our retreat is being postponed until Spring.  We'll keep you posted on the details.


We're having our first annual MOPS Retreat!  Our retreat will be held at Shepherd's Fold Ranch in Avant on November 15-16.  The cost is $55 and must be paid in full by November 8.

 

 

MOPS Retreat: We Are All A Beautiful Mess

 

 

November 15 Friday

6pm – Arrive, check into cabin(s)

Activities include: dinner and games, evening talks, bonfire and s’mores!

 

November 16 Saturday

AM activities include: breakfast, nature walk, personal time, morning talks,

SFR ropes course staff leading zip-line 

Lunch and free time (kayak, canoe, paddleboat, hike a variety of trails, use of basketball court, sand volleyball court, disc golf course, and archery range) 

PM activities include: afternoon talks, messy beautiful craft,

SFR staff leading low-ropes course and teambuilding activities 

5pm – Closing and depart

 

Talk topics include:

Beautiful Messy Me – presented by Heidi

Beautiful Messy Marriage – presented by Lucia

Beautiful Messy Kids – presented by Kim

 

This is a Tentative Schedule.

 

 

 

 

Print this Registration From and give to Lucia with your $55.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pumpkin Patch

For our October Field trip day we went to Pleasant Valley Farm just outside of Sand Springs. It was only about a 45min drive from Skiatook and it was completely worth it. They have barn animals (horses, pigs, goats, and a cow), a mini corn maze that the kids loved, rubber duck water races, pumpkin chunkin cannon, and a hay ride. The kids and mommies had a blast and we can't wait to go back!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pleasant Valley Farm is located just outside of Sand Springs, OK at 22350 W 71st St S.  Their phone number is 918-248-5647.

Meet Your Leaders!

We have an amazing group of ladies serving on our leadership team this year!  Couldn't have asked for a better team!

My Name is Heidi Gerard. I am the Coordinator for MOPS this year. I married my wonderful husband Blake in 2006 and we have two beautiful children, Mathew is 6 and Samantha is 5. This is my 4th year in MOPS now and I can honestly say it has been such a blessing to me as well as my children. My prayer for this year is for God to use us to reach as many moms as possible and show them that they are not alone.
 

"So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God's will. Then you will receive all that he has promised". Hebrews 10:35-36 NLT

 

 
Meet the rest of the girls!

Rebecca is our Finance Leader and Moppets Leader.  She does an awesome job coordinating our program for your children in addition to keeping up with all our expenses.  Rebecca has been married to her husband, Brian, for 15 years.  They have two boys, ages 1 and 4.  They've lived in Skiatook for 4 1/2 years where they attend First Baptist Church.  She has six siblings and was homeschooled for grades 3rd-12th in her hometown of Moore, OK.  She has a Bachelor's in Accounting from OSU.

Lucia is our Discussion Leader...  "I am very excited to be in MOPS again this year. I am originally from Indiana but have lived in 7 different states over the last 15 years. I have been married to the love of my life Ron for 13 years. We moved to Avant in 2011 and live at Shepherd’s Fold Ranch where Ron is the Executive Director. We enjoy living in the country…and the Oklahoma sunsets over the hill are the best I’ve ever seen! We have 4 beautiful children: Katie is 7, Patrick is 6, Emmitt is 3, and JJ was born January 2013! Our kids attend Hope Christian Academy in Skiatook and we attend two churches: Sacred Heart Catholic Church and Courtyard Church, both in Skiatook.  I love being in MOPS! It has been a great way to meet new women, have friends for my kids, and make great friends!"

 



Marcy is our Crafts Leader.  She has 15 years experience in scrapbooking, including teaching it for 5+ years.  She was also a floral designer for 3 years.  Marcy has been married for 12 years.  She has two kids.  Milly is 4 and Wiley is 2.  She is a military wife and survived her husband's 2 year long deployments.  Due to her family's food sensitivities and allergies, she cooks gluten free, dairy free, soy free, and mammal meat free.  This is Marcy's 3rd year in MOPS.  Marcy does an awesome job coming up with exciting and inexpensive crafts for all our meetings!

Kim is our Publicity and Outreach Leader...  "I'm from Skiatook...born and raised...and I've been a MOPS member for over 4 years.  My husband, Melvin, and I have 3 girls.  Ashlyn is 8 and Lauren and Kaelyn are 5.  I work part time as a PT assistant for a local school system as well as a clinic in Owasso.  MOPS provided the twins and I a fun place to go when older sister was in school.  We've met more than a few life-long friends through MOPS."

Brandi and MaryAnn are our Hospitality Leaders.  These girls do an amazing job setting up our welcome and food tables each month.  They also take the time to coordinate meals for our new moms and make sure each mom feels welcome in our group.  Brandi is married and has one son.  She is an active member of First Baptist Church in Skiatook. 

We also have a MilitaryMOPS Leader.  Contact Heidi for more information.

If you'd like more information about MOPS or need to speak to any of our leaders, please use the contact form to the right.

Why MOPS?

This is an excerpt taken from an interview with Sherry Surratt, CEO and President of MOPS International, in the latest issue of MomSense magazine.  It was written by Carla Foote, the Executive Editor of MomSense magazine and Publishing Manager for MOPS International.

Why should moms be excited about joining a MOPS group?
     You don't have to wonder if you belong in a MOPS group, you do!  You belong.  MOPS is a group that is ready for you.  We have thought through every aspect of the group experience for the mom and the leader, in order to encourage, equip and develop her. It's all woven together.  MOPS impacts loneliness, isolation, depression, it impacts a mom's ability to grow and hope and connect.  My goal for a mom in MOPS is that she will build friendships, that she will grow as a mom, as a wife (if she is married) and as a woman and that she will really realize that she doesn't have to do all of that alone.

What do you want a new mom to know about MOPS?
    I didn't have MOPS when my kids were little.  I didn't even know about it.  And I needed other moms to connect with on a regular basis.  Not just friendships, but mom conversations.  A MOPS group provides a place for you to have intentional conversations with other women - to talk about mom topics and to have friendships with other women who have kids the same age.  It's easy to think that as a mom you'll learn as you go.  But I think you need to be intentional in the early mothering years. Everything is changing so fast that you need to be constantly learning and growing.  And MOPS emphasizes the importance of taking care of yourself as a mom and a woman.

What else does MOPS offer?
     MOPS groups have mentors - older women who provide comforting support.  Mentors have gone before you, have wisdom to share and are praying for you to succeed.  MOPS also provides opportunities for you to grow in leadership.  Many women discover for the first time that they do have leadership ability through their experience in MOPS.

Any other hopes for MOPS?
     I hope a mom would see that MOPS is so impactful that she would invite her friends in the same stage of life who need to come and experience the same thing.  I hope we would be able to support more moms in their mothering and to help them find a place to belong.



You receive a subscription to MomSense when you register with MOPS.  Contact your table leader, coordinator, or use the contact form to the right to get in touch with someone from your local MOPS group.

"Who You Are" video

We wanted to share this video with all of our followers...a very important message.  Sometimes we forget in the day to day chores of motherhood that we actually do have a purpose...each of us important and unique in our own ways.  Each of us called to use our strengths, and even our weaknesses, to work toward the greater good.  Each of us created exactly the way we were intended to be created.  Beautiful.

"You are beautiful.  You are awesome.  And don't you forget it."

 

Video by Greater Collection

October Meeting : Avoiding Mothering Comparisons

We had a great meeting this month!  Thanks to everyone for coming!  Here are a few highlights.

We had over 30 moms again this month!  Many of them new.  We are so excited about the growth our group is experiencing!

We also want to thank everyone who donated the Mac and Cheese for the backpack program. We had a big tub full to take over to Courtyard Church for them to distribute to the kids. Don't forget next month we are asking for Beef Jerky, thank you for your help in supporting a local need!

Cindy did an awesome job sharing some of her photography tips with us.  She taught us how to take our photos from snapshots to portraits and even gave us a few tips on all those crazy settings on our cameras. One of the main tips she shared was how to get a natural looking smile from your child when you are trying to take their picture. Cindy told us to have them sing their ABC's and you will almost always get the perfect smile!

Our discussion today was on Mothering Comparisons.  Lucia provided us with lots of questions to get us talking about the awfulness of comparing ourselves to other mothers and ways we can avoid it. Instead of judging another mom for how put together they look, try encouraging them in some way. Every mom needs encouragement. No matter how perfect and put together they may look on the outside, they are going through the same struggles that we are on a daily basis.

We enjoyed the wisdom of our Mentor Moms, Cindy and Cheryl. They are such a blessing to have in our group and we are truly grateful that they take the time to love and encourage our MOPS moms.

Our craft this month was a Countdown Block.  This one will be very useful in the coming months!  We always need something to look forward to!  Hey, only 28 days until our next meeting!

We had 3 door prizes this month. We gave out a Mini Photo session provided by Cindy Haley from Cindy Kay Photography.  Clydia Mangold from Mango Seed Designs provided a certificate for Plaster Paint and brush. We also gave away a tumbler from our Mops team.

We really did have a great meeting and pray that each and every one of our moms are as blessed by the meetings as we are! God is doing amazing things through Mops this year and we hope that you will come be a part of that.

  

  

 

 

 



Getting to Know YOUR MOPS Blog

We created this blog to be a place where we could share things with all our MOPS members.  We also created it to be a place where you, our MOPS members, could share things with each other.  In the coming weeks we'll be asking for and featuring some of your writing!  If you have an idea for a blog post, contact Heidi or Kim or use the contact form to the right.  We also need your help in providing us with photos for the blog.  If you attend field trips, MNO, meetings, play dates...please snap a few photos and send them to Heidi or Kim.

Here is a quick guide to YOUR MOPS blog!

On the right you'll find more than a few things.  First is the search box.  This allows you to search for specific things on our blog like recipes, posts about meetings, etc. 

After the search box, you'll see our blog archive.  This lists all of our blog posts in order of publishing beginning with most recent.

Next are the links to our affiliated organizations: Hello, Darling! (MOPS blog), MOPS International, and First Baptist Church.  Click on these links and show them some love!

Then, you'll find the contact form and calendar.  Use the contact form to ask questions, voice concerns, make prayer requests, offer ideas, or to rsvp to any of our events.  These messages are always private and go straight to our MOPS Coordinator, Heidi.

Use the calendar to keep up with all our current events.  The calendar is interactive, allowing you to click on each event to view details.  We keep the details simple to honor the privacy of our members.  If you need more information about any event you can use the contact form, contact your table leader, or view the event on our facebook page.

At the top of the blog page, just under the header photo, you'll find "labels".  This is just another way for you to easily find what you're looking for.  Each of our blog posts is labeled with one of the following: About, Meetings, Events, Mom's Night Out, Calendar, BOZ Kids, Moppets, Field Trips, Fundraisers, Outreach, and Recipes.  When clicking on one of these labels at the top of the page you'll be provided with every blog post associated with that label.  More labels will be added as needed.

At the bottom of each blog post (after clicking on the title of the post) there is a form for comments.  We LOVE reading your comments!  Tell us what you think!  There are also buttons for you to share our blog on social networking sites. 

There you have it!  YOUR MOPS blog!

What is MOPS?

MOPS stands for Mothers of Preschoolers and is...

Welcoming to all Women

We've all been placed in this time and place in history, as the tribe of women who are raising the world. And the beauty of it is that we don’t all have to agree with one another but everyone is in and we all need each other.



MOPS provides...

Mentoring

Sometimes we need a wise woman who has been there and done that to bounce ideas off of. That’s why we love our Mentor moms, they have sage advice and willing ears.
 

Leadership Development

You have the ability to do big things. We want to help you gain the confidence to use your voice to change your world.
 

Honest Conversation

Real talk is liberating. It frees us from assumptions that we are alone in our struggles. We value taking a risk and sharing your story in order to heal someone else from their isolation.
 

Relevant Teaching

Really, who needs another tutorial on how to make crepe paper flowers? What we provide is mommy friends who get you, hope-filled insight, and speakers who know we've only had three hours of uninterrupted sleep last night so they better keep it interesting.
 

Creative Activities

Create, imagine, and actually finish a project. We occasionally like to have something "pinteresty" (Yes, that is a made up word. Work with me here.) to make at our meetings. We all need a little time to indulge in a creative endeavor.
 

Childcare

Look, we all love our kids, but let’s be honest: a little break now and then makes us want to be with them even more. We provide a preschool-style experience for your kiddos that they will love going back to.

{taken from mops.org}


MOPS isn't just for "preschoolers"!  We welcome moms of kids of all ages and from all stages of life, but our meetings and play dates are geared for kids pregnancy through kindergarten.  No matter what stage of mothering you're in, we'd love to have you!




 

 

Calendar

Did you know we have an interactive calendar right here on our blog?  You can view events, rsvp, and even print out the calendar!  Click around and get familiar with it!  The calendar can be found to the right of our blog or you can reference this blog post if that's easier!

October Events

We've got lots of fun things going on in October!

October 4 : Fair Day!  We're joining JOY Preschool and heading to the Tulsa State Fair!

October 7 : Monthly Meeting!  Go here for more details.

October 11 : Field Trip to the Pumpkin Patch!  We'll be going to Pleasant Valley Farm in Sand Springs to visit their pumpkin patch.  They have a hay ride, a corn maze, and a pumpkin cannon!  Cost is $3 each.  Additional cost to take a pumpkin home.

October 14 : Free Gym Play Date!  Bring your ride-on toys and bikes for some weather-proof fun! 

October 17-21 : Fall Break!  This would be a great time to meet with your small groups!  Contact your table leader for more info.

October 28 : Mom's Night Out!  Join us for a kid-free dinner at Wild Country Meats in Hominy. 

October 31 : Halloween!  Several community events going on including Trunk-or-Treat at FBC West Rogers.  Their event starts at 6:00pm and is free and open to the public.

All these events are on the calendar.  We use an interactive calendar that allows you to be able to print right from our website!  If you need more details, contact your table leader or use the contact form to the right and we'll get back to you!

Moppets : October with BOZ Preview

Celebrating God’s gift of imagination is the next theme for BOZ Treehouse Time! at MOPPETS. We will explore the world of creative thought with your child, who is just learning to distinguish between what is real and what is pretend. This might already be a timely topic for your family, as fantasy-based costumes and seasonal decorations become more obvious this month.

Craft : Making and decorating Pumpkins

Snack : Sugar Cookies with Orange Frosting and Candy Corn

Bible Verse : God created everything. (1 Corinthians 8:6)

Concept : We are made in the image and likeness of God, the creator.

Check out some fun games at BOZthebear.com!