Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Merry CHRISTmas

Because I have been not so good horrible at updating this blog, I figured I should get on it while thinking about it!  


My challenge to you this Christmas season is to go beyond what is comfortable.  Stir up someone's heart with Jesus.  Let someone know how much you love Jesus and them.  Let them know what CHRISTmas really is about.  


I just read the Christmas Story, prayed and sang "Happy Birthday" to Jesus at the same family get together.  This may be not out of the ordinary to some of you, however, this specific family gathering, since I can remember,  has only said a quick prayer   ....That's it!  NO talk of Jesus,  let alone the reason we are all gathering.  It always seemed to be about the gifts.  


Let me tell you, I was shaking while reading the story...which, btw, was out of a children's coloring book (that had ages 2-4y on it).  I know that I was uncomfortable that night, but I hope someone else was too.  I hope the holy spirit touched someone who would not have had that chance before.  


So, show love like Christ shows his love for us.  Welcome someone into God's life so he can touch and save theirs!  


Hope this wasn't too deep and I am not going to apologize because it is on my heart and mind.  I hope you all have a blessed Christmas.  May you remember that God is GOOD and he is in control. 


So when you feel out of control; trying to bake cookies, get kids bathed, take down trees, put out gifts at 1:00 am on Christmas morning...take a breath, say a prayer and realize GOD IS IN CONTROL!  AND HE LOVES YOU!!  


Merry Christmas Ladies!! 

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Happy Birthday to you...

To all you December birthday-ers......


Dec. 13- Melissa L.


Dec. 14- Samantha K.


Dec. 26- Cassi S.



Monday, December 6, 2010

Meeting reminder

MOPS Christmas meeting is this Thursday, Dec. 9.  Bring your favorite brunch goodie and be ready to enjoy our mentor moms as they share their Christmas traditions!  


  


-Amber will have the donation box for any toys you have to donate for the Salvation Drive.


-Esther will be taking pictures of the rest of you mamas for the yearbook...so if you haven't had yours taken, bring your smile along with your brunch dish!  


See you Thursday




  

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Toy Drive

Hey there, moms...


  Just a reminder...Amber C. is doing a toy drive for the Rockford and Freeport area.  All the toys she gets will head over to the Salvation Drive to go out to single parent homes and/or low income families who otherwise may not be able to get anything for Christmas.
  So whether you got some great deals on "Black Friday" that you could spare or you have a tug on your heart to go above and beyond to give something, the donation box will be at our Dec. 9th MOPS meeting.  
    The gifts are to be UNwrapped.  So no extra time needed on wrapping!  
Again, thank you for opening your heart at this time of year, that can be filled with so many blessings and yet for some is very painful and empty!  


God Bless You

FHN Tree

What is the best way to enjoy the holidays?? with our family!  So head over to The Freeport Public Library Dec 5th-10th and vote for our MOPS tree!  Enjoy the beauty of our tree and of course...feel free to cast your vote for it as well!

Monday, November 29, 2010

T-Minus ONE WEEK...

So it feels like forever since out last MOPS meeting!  And the end of our MOPS drought is creepin' up on us!  


Next week on December 9, we will be having our final MOPS of 2010!  We will have a laid back meeting with brunch,  LOTS of mama socializing time and an awesome message from one of our mentor moms!  


So keep your eyes peeled for more details and reminders to come soon.....





Thursday, November 11, 2010

Thank you

I can not tell you all enough what a warm and real feeling I get from our MOPS meetings.  You ladies are all amazing!!  I love when people, who do not even know each other, can get together and be transparent...not perfect, but REAL!!!  That is what God wants so why should we want anything less?  I am a better person for having crossed paths with all of you and am very thankful for such a wonderful group of women.   


Thank you ladies and God bless you!!

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Toy Drive

     Ladies...I know that it is hard to get gifts for our own family and friends at Christmas.  But according to the Lord, we are all his children, which means we are all brothers and sisters in Christ!
     There are children out there, in our neighborhoods, that do not get anything for Christmas.  I know we are inundated at this time of the year with fundraisers and donation opportunities, but imagine this child as your own or your child's friend!  What an impact you could make....for a LIFETIME!!
      There is a toy drive that will end on December 5 and you can bring your toys to MOPS or call Amber C. to make arrangements to drop off/ pick up. The toys will be given out in our community (Freeport) and Rockford to low income/single parent homes.  The goal is to fill up the back of a pick-up truck, driven by one of our own moms, Amber C., and donate them to the 12 hour Salvation Drive in Rockford.
        So, when you are scoring those awesome pre-holiday deals, grab a couple extra, knowing what an impact you will be making to an entire family!

Thanks for caring and considering!
    

Monday, November 8, 2010

Come one come all to MOPS....

This Thursday is our next MOPS meeting.     We are going to hear testimonies form three of our MOPS moms about what they are thankful for!  We will also be filling up shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child...so bring in your completed boxes from home.  If you have some empty ones and goodies to put in them, bring those too! 


**Check-in for MOPPETS will not begin until 9:10.  Also, you need to check-in child first, then head down to the nursery.  
**Also, if your have a child going upstairs (2y-Kind.), you do NOT need to check them in downstairs, just head up and check them in in their room!
**Make sure you have a fresh diaper on those babies before leaving them in the nursery.  Ad please take your toddlers potty before you leave them as well.
  
Yummy food provided by zoology and fruit by audiology!


**And we will be finishing up our yearbook pictures this meeting and at our Christmas meeting.  So come ready to smile if you haven't had your picture taken yet :)**


See you on Thursday!! 

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Shoe boxes

We need shoe boxes to fill for our next MOPS meeting.  If you have any laying around and wouldn't mind putting them towards our Operation Christmas Child project, bring 'em in.  It would be greatly appreciated!


Thanks ladies

Monday, November 1, 2010

Happy Birthday to you...

Nov. 1- Nikki K
Go do something for YOU and ENJOY!!


Nov. 16- Heather R.


Nov. 20- Julie M.


Nov.  21- Michelle K.


Nov. 21-  Morgan L.


Nov. 24-  Robyn J.


Nov. 25- Kim N.


Nov. 29- Christy Y.





Sunday, October 31, 2010

...but who's counting

                               55 days until Christmas!

Operation Christmas Child

      At the next MOPS meeting, Nov. 11, we will be putting together boxes for Operation Christmas Child.  If you do not want to put a box together at home with your kids but want to help, just bring in some things that we can put in the boxes.  Also, we need shoe boxes, so bring in those boxes :)
      There is a $7.00 fee per box for shipping. You do not need to pay for a box to fill one, but if you feel you can and want to,  you can make your checks payable to Samaritans Purse.
        You can check out their website at www.samaritanspurse.org/occ for more information and to answer some questions you may have.

Steps...
-decide which gender and age group you are making a box for. (in brochures handed out at the last MOS meeting or at www.samaritanspurse.org/occ)
-stuff the shoebox (or small rubbermaid like container) with age appropriate goodies and necessities
- put your $7.00 donation in the box (remember, you can still do a box without having the money....DO NOT LET THAT STOP YOU)
-wrap your box (wrap box and top seperately so the box can still be opened, but you do not need to wrap it at all) and tape your tag with gender/age group on top of the box
-pray with your children over the box and for the child who will receive it
-bring it to our Nov. 11 MOPS meeting
-smile and imagine how you have impacted a child's life forever

    

Freeport Christian High School info

Informational Meeting
Freeport Public Library
Tuesday, Nov. 9
7 p.m.

Who are we?
Freeport Christian High School is grass-roots effort by a group of dedicated Christians in Freeport to offer local youth a Christ-centered secondary education. Our mission is to teach our young men and women how to apply a Biblical worldview to every aspect of their academic and personal lives.

FCHS is a nondenominational association of Christians and local churches seeking to do God’s will and prepare our youth for a life of discipleship and responsible Christian participation in the ever-changing world.

Where are we now?
·               Target opening date of Sept. 2011
·               Presently seeking seed money for start-up/formation costs
·               Looking for volunteer committee members (operations, marketing, fundraising, church/community relations, prayer team)

Join us on Nov. 9 to find out how you can help and/or how your teens can be a part of this new opportunity.

Let’s make it happen!

Monday, October 25, 2010

MOPS this Thursday

LADIES.....
     Get ready to take notes and warm up your scissors and printers!  IT IS TIME TO COUPON!!!  Angie Nordbrock will give us a lesson in successful couponing. And to continue on the smart spending topic...Kori Mauch will be going through meal planning on a budget!  Two things that will enhance your life AND lower your stress, I am sure!  


MOPPETS check-in begins at 9:15am.  
*****Please have fresh diapers on non-potty trained children and please take potty trained ones to the bathroom before check-in.*****
Meeting is 9:30-11:15am.


I know there has been some mix-up in the food groups, we will all be on the same track next time :).  This week, though,  snacks will be provided by anesthesiology (food) and criminology (fruit)


***And a quick reminder, we will be finishing up pictures for our "yearbook" this week! ***

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

see update..

Check out the updated MOPS reminder.....I made a mistake on the food groups!

MOPS Reminder

It is that time again....

    Three LONG weeks but MOPS is finally here!  Thursday (14th) at Crossroads, Carol Elliott will be talking about anger.  So, come hear her story and learn how to diffuse that anger so you can enjoy your life!

Meeting is 9:30-11:15
MOPPETS check-in starts at 9:15am

Phenomenology brings food
Homology brings fruit

And just an FYI....we will start taking headshots for our "Mom yearbook"

JILL SAVAGE

REMINDER...

Jill Savage is at Park Hills Church tonight.  "Real Mom, Real Jesus" starts at 7:00pm, it is free (donations accepted) and will be a totally encouraging night for any and every mom!  I do not think there is childcare, so you can get ALONE MOM TIME!!  Hope you can make it!

www.jillsavage.org

Monday, October 4, 2010

Today in history...

        Ok....are you sitting down?  I am about to share some amazing American history with you!  On this day in 1990.....Beverly Hills 90210 debuted!  :)
        Don't you totally feel smarter?!  Just felt like I was neglecting the blog and wanted to put something up, feeling goofy today, so this is what you get!  




Have a great week!

Friday, October 1, 2010

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

     Every THREE minutes, a woman in the U.S. is diagnosed with breast cancer.  And it doesn't care how much money you make, the color of your hair, eyes or skin or how old you are! 
      October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, so, make this month a time to be proactive and check yourself.  It's a little thing that can save your life!  
      And, I found this website, www.thebreastcancersite. com.  With every order and click on their site, they raise money to fund women's mammograms!  So, check it out!



HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you...

This is a HUGE birthday greeting to all of you with Birthdays in October.  Hope you get to do what makes you happy and ENJOY!!!


Oct. 1- Elizabeth G.


Oct. 2- Jessica D.


Oct. 16- Jamie E.


Oct. 16- Angie S.


Oct. 18- Sarah S. 
                     
Oct. 19- Angelica E.


Oct. 23- Chelsey H.


Oct. 29- Liz F.

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Ten new uses for...

A Lemon...

1. Sanitize a chopping block. Run a slice of lemon over the surface to disinfect.
 2. Eliminate the browning that occurs when food sits out too long. Sprinkle apple or pear slices with lemon juice before serving, or squeeze a bit into guacamole and give it a stir.
 3. Remove tough food stains from plastic and light-colored wooden cutting boards. Slice a lemon in half, squeeze the juice onto the soiled surface, rub, and let sit for 20 minutes. Rinse with water.
 4. Fade tea stains on cloth. Dilute lemon juice with an equal amount of water. Use an eyedropper or a Q-tip to make sure the juice targets the stain. Thoroughly flush with cool water.
 5. Decorate on the cheap. Fill a glass bowl with lemons for a sunny centerpiece. Or display a row of them along a windowsill.
 6. Relieve a sore throat. Cut a lemon in half. Skewer one half over a medium flame on a gas stove or an electric burner set on high and roast until the peel turns golden brown. Let cool slightly, then mix the juice with 1 teaspoon of honey. Swallow the mixture.
 7. Whiten fingernails. Rub a wedge on the surface of your nails.
 8. Shine the interior of copper cookware. Sprinkle a lemon wedge with salt, then scrub.
 9. Brighten laundry whites. Add 1/2 cup lemon juice to the wash cycle of a normal-size load.
 10. Remove soft cheese or other sticky foods from a grater. Rub both sides of the grater with the pulp side of a cut lemon.


***Information from Realsimple.com***

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Sunday, September 26, 2010

It is that time again...time to make a difference in the world.    
Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse, which blesses children, around the globe, with Christmas gifts and information about the love of Jesus. 
What a great lesson for our children and a wonderful reminder for us on how small this world is and how HUGE God’s love is.
  Collection for OCC is November 12-15.
Some box item ideas...crayons, soap, brush, toothbrush, coloring books, small toys, socks, gloves, pens, hair accessories...the sky is the limit!
  Questions: See Sarah or check out their website
                www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/OCC/ 

Jill Savage

Tuesday; October 12, 2010 at 7:00 pm at Park Hills Church
Jill Savage is an author and speaker who is passionate about motherhood.  She is the founder of “Hearts at Home” and mom to five!  She has been featured in Focus on the Family, Today’s Christian Woman magazine and Family Life Today.
This is a FREE event, but a love offering is being taken, but not required. And is open to ANY mom.  
Hosted by C.H.O.S.E.N Homeschool group

Friday, September 24, 2010

***DISCLAIMER***

Bring what you want for food.  We don't care if it is not homemade,  as long as someone else made it!   :)

Happy Birthday, Rachel S.

Hope you have a fantastic day and get pampered like a queen!!




Food duties

October 14th..
  Phenomenology brings food and Homology brings fruit

October 28th..
  Audiology brings food and Zoology brings fruit











October 28th

We will get a some AWESOME money saving, coupon using, budget sparing tips from Angie Nordbrock!  And a quick course in Meal Planning 101!  Bring your notebook and get ready to jot down some great tips!!  (This is a meeting your husband will never regret).   
 

On October 14th....

...we will get tips on how to tame our "bubbling" emotions before WE ERUPT!!  
     Carol Elliott will share her story and offer us ways to calm down and enjoy mommyhood.  Oh...and make us realize that we are not bad moms for being short fused, we are "NORMAL" moms!
Mount Mamasgonnablowa

YUMMY goodness

This is the yummy recipe that our wonderful mentor mom, Carol, brought yesterday.  It has been requested by many!!  ENJOY!

Up and running, not running so fast though!

    Hello moms!  This will be one of the places for you to come for info about your Freeport MOPS!  What a PHenoMEnal turn out yesterday!!  WOW...God is great AMAzinG ( he IS great too, but that word wouldn't be a big enough description) and so are you ladies!   
    Please be patient while I learn the ins and outs of the "blogging world."  I will have schedules, recipes and meeting info up here soon!  Please email: freeportmoms@yahoo.com with questions.  And check out our Facebook group!    


See you soon!   
Sarah