MOPs

MOPs

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Chritmas Party - December 2010

Well who can believe that its the time of year where we start exchanging gifts, and making cookies, and taking Christmas card pictures....whew...how did the year fly by so fast?

Our meeting this month was a time to celebrate, have fun, but also give back.  We took the opportunity to make cards for the military.  The cards we made will go to the families of military personnel and they will be able to write their own messages inside and then mail them to family.  We provided the cards, the envelopes, even the stamps, and in the process I think we all remembered what we already knew, but often times forget - the holiday season is about more than the craziness of the commercialized holiday.  It was nice to know that we were helping families with loved ones in the military, giving them a small little piece of their family.

In addition to taking time to make the cards, we also enjoyed some great food, music and gift exchanges.  There are lots of pictures from the night over on our facebook page - please feel free to check it out!

We hope to see you at the next meeting on January 19th; when the topic is Decorating on a Budget!  We are going to have a panel of experts who will give you some tips and ideas of things you can do at home on your own that won't break the bank!

Have a Blessed Holiday Season!!

We will see you in the New Year!!

Danielle Verwey
on behlf of the MOPs/MOMs Steering Team

Shopping on a Budget - November 2010

Ladies, ladies, ladies..... if you weren't able to make it to our October meeting, you missed a great meeting!!  We were privileged to have Diane Ma aka The Coupon Lady join us and provide some very useful information!

There were so many great tips.  Diane gave tips on everything from where to shop, to how to stack coupons (I didn't even know such a thing existed!).  A good way to get started is to look at some of the online sites and blogs that blog all about coupons.  The websites, often tell you who has what on sale, and where to find the coupon to use in order to get the best price.

Here are some highlights from the meeting:
- if you do not currently get the newspaper, check with your neighbors and see if they are willing to give you the coupon section.
- you have to think small to get the bigger and better deals. Buying in bulk is not always the best way to go.   For example if you have a coupon for a $1 off, and you purchase a trial size (if they don't have the size you really want, or the kind you really want), and since most trial sizes do not cost more than $2, you get it for a dollar or sometimes almost completely free.
- if you bring your own bags to Target you get 5 cents off of your order.
- Target will price match, if you can show them the item at another store at a cheaper price.
- if the store has a coupon kiosk make sure to scan your shopper card to receive your personalized coupons.
- if you have the Wegman's coupons (the ones they mail to your house), and they are getting ready to expire (its the end of the week) - they will allow you to use the coupons even if you are not purchasing the item that the coupon is for.  For example the coupons expire on Saturdays, you go in Saturday afternoon and you have a coupon for a $1 off a health & beauty item, but you don't buy any health & beauty items - normally you would just toss the coupon into the recycling when you got home; now you don't have to; give the coupon to the cashier and they will still take $1 off off your order!  Now all of those coupons can be used.
- Wegman's also gives 2 free item coupons each week as long as you spend more than $10, normally if its not something we use, I would just toss the coupon, however you can take those free items and store them in your pantry and then make a donation to a local food bank!
- Bed, Bath & Beyond will accept expired coupons.
- Bye, Bye Baby will accept Bed, Bath & Beyond coupons.
- use the coupon blogger websites, they have done most of the work for you!  They often will tell you which stores are offering the best deals, and even where to find the coupon sometimes.


Check-out Tips:
There are a lot of cashiers that do not like deal with coupons, or multiple orders. Here are some tips for checking out without much hassle.
- look for someone who is smiling, generally they are already in a good mood and won't mind.
- weekend or evening shopping look for a young male (teenager/college age); most times they don't care, they just ring up your items and move along, no hassle.

Couponing Websites:
Here are some of couponing websites and blogs that are worth checking out
- http://hip2save.com - has great posts one of Diane's favorites
- www.forthemommas.com - has a great post for Giant each week
- www.momsneedtoknow.com - has good Acme post each week
- www.coupons.com - printable coupons
- www.smartsource.com - printable coupons

There are many more blogs and websites out there.  Diane Ma will be leading a small group that goes over the fine art of saving.  If you would like more info please contact Alyssa Dourte - Director of Group Life at Christ Church of the Valley.

Have a blessed day!!

Danielle Verwey
on behalf of the MOPs/MOMs Steering Team

Friday, October 22, 2010

Women's Health - October 2010 Meeting

Hi Ladies!!!

I hope you were able to join us for our October meeting, if you were unable to make it, here is a brief recap.

We were blessed to have Ruth Sill a wonderful OB/GYN nurse who has over 35+ years of experience.  Ruth was able to share some of her experiences as a nurse as well as a case manager, and also give us some good everyday tips and things to remember as moms and as women.

A key thing we need to remember as moms is that we have to take time to take care of ourselves.  We remember to get our kids regular checkups, and their shots/vaccinations; but how often do we neglect ourselves because there just isn't enough time.  If we fall ill, we will not be able to care for our children or our spouses, so its very important that we remember to make time for ourselves.

In addition to our physical health, it is also important to take time for our mental health.  There is no shame or guilt in needing to talk to professional about our mental health.  As Ruth pointed out, if we were having stomach pains we would go to see a physician, why is it that when we are experiencing mental pain, such as sadness, unexplained anger, mood swings, we ignore those.  Our mental health is just as important as our physical health.

As mothers we also tend to neglect our exercise and diet, we are often too busy caring for our children. We may grab a quick unhealthy snack, or skip our workouts just because our children have taken over most aspects of our day.  We have to teach our children to have a healthy body image, good nutrition and good eating habits.  What we are showing them by example, they will remember and follow when they can make their own choices.  So even if you feel as though you don't have time to workout or eat a healthy meal, think about your little ones and how they look up to you, and emulate your actions.

The final point that Ruth touched on and in my opinion the most important; was spiritual health.  Just as we are going to start taking time for our mental and physical health, we also need to start taking time for our spiritual health.  Taking a few minutes a day, to do a daily devotional, or read a brief piece of scripture from the Bible, can benefit not only you, but your family as well.  Having a solid spiritual foundation will help get you through the lows and highs that life throws at you.  You will also once again be leading your family by example.  What better example could you set, then showing your children that you have a growing and thriving relationship with our Heavenly Father.

If you have any questions or would just like to talk to someone please send me an email and I will connect you with the right people if I am unable to help you.

Our next meeting is scheduled for November 17th and the topic is Shopping on a Budget!  What a great topic to head into the holiday season!!  We will be doing a coupon exchange during this meeting, so please bring any coupons that you would like to exchange.  We will also be collecting canned goods to donate to the local food bank.

I hope to see you in November!!

Till Next Time,

Danielle Verwey on behalf of the CCV MOPs/MOMs Group

Meet the Steering Team

In case you missed the 1st meting, or you were chatting with friends and missed the introductions - we just wanted to make sure that you knew everyone on the Steering Team, and a little something special about them.

Alyssa Dourte - Coordinator

I’m the mom of 2 boys, Jacob who is 6 and Lukas who is 2.  I’ve been married to Ben for 13 years.  I am the Director of Group Life at CCV and got involved with MOPS and MOMS because of how passionate I am about connecting moms for the purpose of growing friendships and relationships with God. I love the support system and camaraderie the MOPS and MOMS groups provide.





Danielle Verwey - PR

I am the mom of 3 boys, Paul (15), Dylan (6), and Gabriel (2).  I have been with my husband Paul for the last 17 years and its been a fun filled ride!  I currently work full but have the luxury of working from my home office.  We recently moved to Harleysville from Richmond, VA.  It has been a blessing to find CCV and the MOPs/MOMs group.  I wanted to be a part of the group and the steering committee because I love the connection, I love feeling connected to other moms and helping them get connected; hence why I am helping with the PR - specifically blogging.  I love to be "in the know", so this is a great role for me!  I am so excited to be able to share our upcoming events and track our fun memories.

Stay tuned for more Steering Team Updates!

Steering Team Members:
Coordinators:
 - Alyssa Dourte
 - Dena Monastero
 - Megan Reischel
Hospitality:
 - Kristin Rubino
 - Janine Stephans
Discussion Group Leader:
 - Deb Suessmuth
Finance:
 - Rosemary Schroyer
Creative Activities:
 - Becky Baumgardner
 - Michelle Hanna
Publicity:
 - Danielle Verwey
Childcare:
 - Sarah Whitney
Service:
 - Amy Bellaire
 - Rochelle Nesspor
Mentor Moms:
 - Wilma Balent
 - Meg Reimer
 - Leanne Stolpe
 - Jennifer Thompson

Thursday, September 30, 2010

September 2010 - MOPs/MOMs Meeting Recap

In case you missed the September 2010 meeting, here is a recap of the events provided by our MOPs/MOMs Coordinator & guest blogger Alyssa Dourte!


Our first meeting was a huge success thanks to the Steering Team and everyone who attended!  We are so glad you were all there! We had nearly 40 moms attend even on a big back to school night.  An extra special thank you to Kristin and Janine for the wonderful dinner they made for us and the fun “get to know you” games and prizes.  A very special thank you to Becky and Michelle for the beautiful table set up and for introducing us to BeadforLife.  And, a special thank you to Megan for the name tag craft preparation. 

At the September meeting, we had the opportunity to share a meal, meet new friends, and get to know more about old friends.  Steering Team introductions were made and the 2010-2011 Calendar was shared with the group.  We are so excited for this year and we welcome your support and help in any area that interests you! After dinner, introductions, and games, we had the chance to personalize a name tag that goes with the MOPS theme for this year, “The Art and Science of Mothering.” Each name tag includes the number and gender of children that each mom has, which table each mom is assigned to, and the BeadforLife beads each mom chose to decorate it with. Each mom also had the opportunity to leave the meeting with a box from Operation Christmas Child to fill and bring back to the next meeting.  All 50 boxes were taken, thank you!!

If you did not turn in your MOPS or MOMS registration form and fee, please remember to give it to one of the Steering Team members next time you see them or bring it to next month’s meeting on Oct. 20th.

If you weren’t able to be with us at the September meeting, we are looking forward to having you next month, on Oct. 20th, for our Women’s Health meeting!  Bring your friends, bring your Operation Christmas Child boxes, and be ready to see what color table you will be sitting at!

Thanks again for being there last night!

Alyssa Dourte

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Welcome!!!

Hi ladies!!  We are so excited to welcome you back.  We have an exciting year planned, and we are thrilled that you have chosen to spend the 3rd Wednesday of every month with us.

We have a brand new Steering Committee that is eager to help you build relationships with others and to help you have an awesome MOPs experience this year.  We are dedicated to listening to your ideas and insight for this upcoming year.  We want to make this the best experience for you and we hope that you will share all of your experiences with us, we love to hear feedback.

Let me give you a little snap shot of what we have coming up this year:
Sept.: Dinner, Introduction to the Steering Committee and the 2010-2011 calendar, Bead for Life, Samaritan's Purse
Oct.: Women's Health Month
Nov.: Shopping on a Budget
Dec.: Christmas Party, Cookie Exchange, White Elephant
Jan.-June: MUCH MORE!!: Nutrition and Menu tips, Marriage (featuring Brian and Lisa Jones as speakers), Pediatric Safety, Birthday Party Ideas

These are just a few of the wonderful things that the Steering Committee has been working on and planning for this upcoming 2010-2011 year!!

Please join us and bring your friends for our first meeting on September 15th from 7 - 9 PM.  Free childcare is provided.  Come with your appetites because we are going to provide you with a wonderful meal.  There will be time to meet the new Steering  Committee and plenty of time to get to know others.  Also during this meeting we will be offering you an opportunity to look and hopefully purchase some beautiful jewelry from Bead for Life.  Bead for Life is an amazing opportunity to help women struggling in Uganda, this jewelry gives them an opportunity to earn income that they may not have otherwise had.  We will use these beads to personalize our MOPs and MOMs nametags.  At the end of the meeting we will also have boxes available from Samaritan's Purse - Operation Christmas Child.  This is another wonderful organization that provides people all over the world with gifts from us. During the meeting we will provide you with all the information you need regarding both organizations, or if you prefer please use the links above.

MOPs is for all expecting mothers and mothers of children ages birth through kindergarten.  MOMs is for all moms of elementary aged children.  The meetings of these two groups coincide. Registration forms will be available on Sept. 15th, so please come prepared to pay the membership fee of $40.

Once again we want to welcome you back and hope you have a memorable and enjoyable year with us!

In Christ,

Danielle Verwey on behalf of The CCV MOPs Steering Committee