Welcome to MOPS and MOPS NEXT at First Federated Church!

MOPS/MOPS NEXT stands for Mothers of Preschoolers and into the next step -- Elementary school. We exist to meet the needs of every mom -- moms with different lifestyles who all share a similar desire to be the very best moms they can be! MOPS/MOPS NEXT recognizes that the years of infancy through kindergarten are foundational in a mother-child relationship and are filled with unique needs. MOPS/MOPS NEXT helps moms through relationships estabilished in the context of local groups that provide a caring atmosphere for today's mother of young children. Come join us at Federated to begin your quest to be the mom God intended you to be!

Friday, November 25, 2011

Opportunities to Serve -- List of Options

Here is the list of opportunities that Sonya gave us:

  • Catholic Charities: 601 Grand Ave. Des Moines Contact: Pat Nestvedt at pnestvedt@dmdiocese.org

St Joseph’s Emergency Shelter: 1535 11th Street Des Moines (515) 244-3761

  • Churches United Shelter: 205 15th Street Des Moines (515) 284-5719
  • New Directions Shelter: 3001 Grand Avenue Des Moines (515) 243-7456
  • Evelyn Davis Park: 1500 Forest Ave Des Moines

  • Bates Park: 1495 4th St. Des Moines (515) 237-1386
  • SCAVO: 1800 Grand Ave Des Moines (515) 242-7589

  • Ruth Harbor: 534 42nd Street Des Moines (515) 279-4661
  • Easter Seals Camp Sunnyside: 401 NE 66th Ave Des Moines Contact: Heather Iburg at (515) 309-9774
  • Lutheran Services: 3116 University Ave, Des Moines (515) 271-7411

· Hope Ministries: P.O. Box 862 Des Moines (515) 265-7272 info@hopeiowa.org

  • Meals from the Heartland: www.mealsfromtheheartland.org/
  • Freedom for Youth: 2301 Hickman Rd. Des Moines (515) 282-4822
  • Habitat for Humanity: 2341 2nd Ave Des Moines (515) 471-8686
  • Ronald McDonald House: 1441 Pleasant St. Des Moines (515) 243-2111
  • Wee Ones Ministry: www.saylorvillebaptist.com/ministries/weeones/
  • Caring Meals: www.caringmeals.com
  • Local Food Pantries

Christmas Ideas

  • Adopt a Family
  • Operation Christmas Child
  • Local Assisted Living Center/Nursing Homes: Caroling/Christmas Party
  • Christmas Dinner Donations
  • Salvation Army: Miracle of the Bell
  • Friendship Center: Christmas gifts for inner parents to purchase gifts & food
  • Des Moines Dream Center: food distribution in inner city neighborhoods

Opportunities to Serve -- Recommended Reading

Sonya gave us a FABULOUS challenge on Tuesday to be Families of Service in the home and out of the home! What a great concept! Here is the book that she recommended:

The Family You've Always Wanted
By Gary Chapman

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Working from Home Websites

Here are the websites and information that was given out this AM at MOPS. We hope that this inspires you to work from home!

Here are places to sell items or get items for free:
www.ebay.com
www.etsy.com
www.craigslist.com
www.freecycle.org

Here are the companies that were represented this morning:

Wallypop -- Sarah Reid
cloth diapers, baby slings, and reusable goods for the home and family
www.wallypop.net
sarah@wallypop.net

Norwex -- Jen Chedester
improving quality of life by getting chemicals out of the home
www.jenchedester.norwex.biz
jenchedester@gmail.com

Tracy's Creative Concepts -- Tracy Teachout
Creative Handmade Treasures
www.etsy.com/shop/tcreativeconcepts
www.facebook.com/tracyscreativeconcepts

Creative Memories -- Rachelle Tesser
Capturing Memories for your family
www.mycmsite.com/rtesser
rtesser5@yahoo.com

Vintage No. 35 -- Tricia Hall
Rescue -- Repurpose -- Relove
www.vintageno35.com
cobler_tricia@yahoo.com

Saturday, November 5, 2011

MOPS ON TUESDAY!

WE HAVE MOPS THIS WEEK!! It will be great to see all of you THIS TUESDAY for MOPS in the AM and in the PM!

We will be having a panel discussion in the morning about moms who work from home with ideas of how they make it all work and ways for you to get started in a business for yourself. Then in the evening we will discuss strategies for making working in the home and out of the home work. It will be a fun and informative day! We will even have some moms who work at home bring in some of their handiwork to sell -- so get ready for some early Christmas shopping! Also.... Rachel will be providing an activity for us to do with our kids -- a calendar with a "Countdown to Thanksgiving"!

Don't miss it!! See you then and INVITE A FRIEND!!!

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Play Date THIS WEEK

ATTENTION all moms:

It is time to get out of the house and have another fun MOPS play date!!

Join us on Tuesday, November 1 at 10 AM
at the Jordan Creek Play Place
for lots of fun for the kids and the mommies!

Hope you can make it... invite a friend to join us as well!

Come when you can and leave when you must!

Safety Questions?

If you have safety questions or concerns that we raised at our last meeting with Brandi, please feel free to email her. Here is her contact information:

Brandi Thompson
thompsB3@ihs.org


Also, I have the two Power Point presentations that she showed if anyone would like to see them -- I heard that some may want to see the presentation of the recalled toys.

Let me know!


Sunday, October 23, 2011

Child Safety

We hope to see you all on Tuesday Morning for our next MOPS meeting! We will be hearing from Brandi Thompson of IHS about Child Safety issues (a topic that you requested from last years' survey), then we will be making BOO-BOO Baggies with Feed Corn!

You won't want to miss it!

Don't you think you deserve some mommy time? Come to MOPS to enjoy a great time with great friends and great food!

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Magnify!!

Check out the details about FFC's Christmas event for women:


MAGNIFY!

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Hilton Garden Inn – 8600 Northpark Drive, Johnston

6:30 – 7:00 p.m. – Flexible Arrival
(Reserve your table/seat, munch and chat)

7:00 – 9:00 p.m. Program (Hors d’oeuvres & Dessert)

$20 per person


www.firstfederated.org




Monday, October 10, 2011

Freezer Cooking



Don't miss our next meeting... TOMORROW MORNING OR EVENING... where we will be learning about Freezer Cooking. We will even be making a meal to take home with us and getting a cookbook with several recipes to try out at home!



Bring a freezer-safe 9x9 dish to put your meal in!



INVITE A FRIEND!!

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Courageous



It is not too late to plan a date night with your man for this weekend! I have heard GREAT things about the movie Courageous... check it out! It is great for all parents to see.... My husband even cried in it!



Hope you can check it out then let us all know what you thought!




Wednesday, October 5, 2011

8 Ways to Be a Better Mom to Young Children








1. Make your relationship with the Lord your number one priority. If you’re too busy for God, you’re just plain too busy. Make time for the most important things. You won’t regret it.


2. Get a consistent routine in place. Make your routine simple (maybe even just five or seven things you want to do in the same order every day), write it out, and make yourself stick with it for three weeks. After that, you’ll probably find it’s become somewhat of a habit. Don’t set your expectations too high. If you’ve never had a consistent routine, you’re not going to go from chaos to a regimented schedule in two days. Start small, take baby steps, and make loving and enjoying your children your priority — far above a clean home or strict schedule.


3. Read aloud from a plethora of good books. Look at the pictures together. Talk about the stories. Stop and listen and answer your children’s questions. It’s not about finishing the book; it’s about investing in your children’s lives.


4. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Ask yourself, “What will matter 25 years from now?” and then live your life accordingly.


5. Take advantage of teaching opportunities. It’s amazing the things you can learn and explore together when you’re willing to stop what you’re doing and seize a teachable moment.


6. Praise your children liberally. Do you correct or criticize your children more than you praise them? As parents, it’s our role to guide and nurture our children, but that doesn’t mean we can’t also be their biggest cheerleader!


7. Realize that no mom — however put together she might look — is anywhere near perfect. Stop comparing. Stop feeling guilty. Focus on what works for your family and be okay with the fact that you aren’t gifted in all areas.


8. Don’t give up. Being a mom is hard, hard work. If you’re anything like me, you have days when you feel like you just can’t do it anymore. And I’ve come to learn that I can’t, in and of my own strength. But “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Fabulous websites

What websites do you go to to get great ideas for your family?

Here are a few that we really like:










Share with us which ones you like in the comment section!

Friday, September 23, 2011

Apple Pie Deliciousness!



MOPS Annual


Apple Pie Making Day







You are all invited to join us for our regular morning MOPS meeting on Tuesday, September 27 at 8:45 for our annual apple pie making! It is going to be a YUMMY event with a delicious recipe in store for all of us!




Please bring a pie plate, a knife and a peeler (plus any other things that would make peeling apples easy!).




We will also be hearing from Cindy from Straighten Your Paths about some great organizational ideas for all moms! It will be a FANTASTIC help to organize our cluttered homes and lives! She will have a question and answer time as well!




See you there!!




Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Des Moines Mothers of Multiples Sale!


You will not want to miss this HUGE Annual Sale!



2011 Fall Sale - DMMOM (Des Moines Mothers of Multiples)
at Zion Lutheran Church - 4300 Beaver Ave, DSM

It's not just for multiples!
Double (or triple) the fun, double the clothes, toys and more!
Shop for great deals on baby gear, kids clothes and toys!

Fall Garage Sale September 23 & 24
Friday
8 am - noon
5 pm - 8 pm

Saturday
8 am -- noon

dmmom.bravehost.com

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Only 4 days away

Are YOU ready for our new MOPS year? It begins this Tuesday with a Morning Meeting at 8:45 and an Evening Meeting at 6:45! Come ready to have good food, see good friends, and good fellowship!

See you there!

Friday, August 5, 2011

MOPS Theme 2011-2012



MOPS International’s 2011-12 Theme

MomSense: Bold • Loving • Sensible – equips moms to embrace their mothering instincts and develop their own parenting style while navigating through the myriad of daily mom decisions. Most women wonder:

  • How do I decide what to do when I really don’t know what to do?
  • Should I trust my intuition?
  • With so much available information, how do I discern what’s best?
  • What are the most important family values?

Developing a mothering strategy is somewhat like playing a game — and this year’s theme is appropriately game related. Have fun being a mom! Playing games involves being bold and taking risks, loving those in the game with us and being sensible while figuring out what works and what doesn’t.

Just as in real-life, sometimes in games, unexpected, “chance” events occur, abruptly changing our paths. We must regroup and determine our next steps. Sometimes we follow the instructions of “experts.” Sometimes we follow the advice of trusted friends. Sometimes we decide our “house rules” work best for our family. Teaming together with other moms is a great strategy. Relying on a spouse or mentor can help us play more effectively. And, most of all, developing a strong God-Sense is essential for mothering. Growing as a mom through the analogy of game playing assures every mom gains confidence in her abilities as a mom.

Combining her mom intuition and her common sense helps a woman discover her own unique MomSense.
(Mom Intuition + Common Sense = MomSense)

This year’s theme book, MomSense: A Common Sense Guide to Confident Mothering, delves further into the topic of finesse, one of the elements introduced in last year’s theme book. Finesse involves being the mom God intended you to be while intentionally loving your children and nurturing their growth. Topics addressed in the book include decision making, mom’s intuition and working through specific parenting dilemmas (“Mama Dramas”). MomSense reminds moms that they are the best mom for their kids and that they can develop contentment and confidence in their roles.

The spiritual foundation of the theme is from 2 Timothy 1:7. As you read the whole chapter, you see that Timothy had a strong mother and grandmother who nurtured his faith. Paul exhorts Timothy to use the gifts God has given him in a bold, loving and sensible way. We have chosen to use The Message paraphrase to use words that are accessible to moms who may not be familiar with the Bible, but we encourage leaders to study the passage in their preferred translation as well.

The New Year is Coming

We hope you are all getting excited for the new MOPS year that is coming! We will be starting our new year on Tuesday, September 13! That is just over a month away and our leadership team is busy getting everything ready for you. Here are the dates to keep on your calendar:

September 13 and September 27

October 11 and October 25

November 8 and November 22

December 13

January 10 and January 24

February 14 and February 28

March 13 and March 27

April 10 and April 24

May 8 and May 29

Monday, May 23, 2011

LAST MOPS OF THE YEAR!

We hope you can make it for a VERY SPECIAL MOPS tomorrow -- our last MOPS of the year!!

Come for the food, fun, fellowship and PRIZES!!! NO ONE will leave empty-handed!

If you are able to, bring a picnic lunch and a blanket so we can all continue the fun outside!

Monday, May 16, 2011

Zoo Play Date Tomorrow

Just a reminder that we have the Zoo Play date tomorrow!



We will meet there around 9:30/9:45 -- it doesn't open until 10 so don't worry if you are running behind because we can't go in until 10.






Monday, April 25, 2011

Tomorrow Morning

We have another great MOPS scheduled for tomorrow morning. Sharon will be back to discuss the last section of our MOMOLOGY book and then Tricia's friend will be teaching us about Green Cleaning products! Come... and invite a friend!

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Back yard Adventures Playdate

Join us for a playdate this Tuesday at Backyard Adventures at 9:30! Come when you can and leave when you must!

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Beautiful Girl Books and Dolls

Here is the website for Lisa who came to speak this morning. She did a great job and her work is amazing! Check out her site.. if you want books she is still willing to give a discount... let me know! http://www.thepapersnowflakeco.com

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

April 12 Meeting

COME TO MOPS THIS WEEK! We will have Lisa Cavanaugh, owner of The Paper Snowflake and author of the Beautiful Girl books, coming to speak to us.


The books are targeted to audiences ages 6-10 and are written using core character concepts of honesty, fairness, respect, and responsibility to give lessons of inner beauty and character building. She now has dolls that are the main characters Clara and Mandy to fill a void for playful & affordable dolls that are appropriately dressed to send positive body image messages to girls. All Moms with children ages 0+ are encouraged to come check us out from 8:45-11:15 on Tuesday




See you on Tuesday!!!

INVITE A FRIEND!!



Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Yummy Fun!

We had a YUMMY morning at MOPS today!!!





Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Health and cupcakes


It doesn't sound like the two of those things go together, but they will at our next MOPS -- next Tuesday, March 22 from 8:45-11:15. We will be having Marabel Kersey as our guest to speak on Health Issues for Preschoolers. She is our church nurse and is VERY excited to speak to us.


Then we will be having a Wilton representative from Michael's share with us a hands-on demonstration on decorating cupcakes! YUM! She will have frosting, tips, and bags for each person so we can decorate SIX cupcakes! Please bring a container to take your cupcakes home in.


If you are able to bring in a few extra dollars to help cover the cost of this special morning, we would appreciate it!

Thursday, March 3, 2011

THIS TUESDAY

We are going to have a special speaker this Tuesday! Jolene Philo will be with us. She is an author and speaker from here in Iowa and will be sharing her first-hand experience about "Ten Things Friends can do for Parents of Really Sick Kids". This will go perfectly with our discussion last MOPS about CIRCLES!
Check out her website: www.jolenephilo.com



Weekend event

Are you looking for something to do as a family this weekend?

Check out Kidsfest at the Iowa State Fairgrounds!



http://www.cfiowa.org/Events/Kidsfest.aspx

There are $2 coupons available at Fareway stores!


Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Our February 8th Meeting

Our February 8th meeting will be featuring Susan Geddes of LearningRX. She will be talking about what cognitive skills are and how the lack of those skills negatively affects children’s ability once they hit school age. She will be offering some basic, positive exercises that every mom can do with their child to help develop those skills. It should be a VERY INTERESTING morning! Don't forget to invite your friends to join us... we would LOVE to have them!
Check out their website for more information: www.learningRX.com




Spring Semester Play Dates

We have heard you loud and clear... YOU WANT MORE PLAY DATES! So... here is a list of the days and times of our play dates for this semester! Hope you can make plans to join us!

Wed., Feb. 16: Franklin Avenue Library (Merle Hay Mall) Toddler Story Time @ 10:50AM

Tues., March 1: Downtown Science Center Toddler Town @ 9AM

Tues., March 29: Chuck E. Cheese -- West Des Moines @ 9AM

Tues., April 19: Backyard Adventures @ 9:30AM

Thurs., May 5: Downtown Central Library Toddler StoryTime @ 10:30AM

Tues., May 17: Blank Park Zoo (meet out front of the zoo): 9:30AM

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

SNOW DAY!

We will NOT be having MOPS this morning due to the snow that we saw over night. We have already received emails from some MOPS who will not be able to make it this am, so we will start off the new semester at our next meeting -- January 25.

Monday, January 10, 2011

New Years' Resolutions

Are you the type that makes new resolutions each year? Are you able to keep them for the WHOLE year?

One year I (Sarah) made a resolution that has proven to be one of my husband's all-time favorites: I resolved to make at LEAST one new dinner recipe every month! He LOVED it! I didn't do any thing too crazy with garbanzo beans or calf's liver, but I did make some great dishes that have stuck with us, like a pork, apples and stuffing meal and stuffed shells.

Share with us... what are you resolving to do this year or what was the best resolution that you ever made!

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Welcome back!

We start MOPS again THIS WEEK! Don't forget! Bundle up the kids so you don't miss a great line up for our meeting, including our FFC nurse Marabel Kersey! She will be speaking about Preschoolers' Health.

Since there is snow in the forecast, please check this blog and your email to see if we will be meeting. If Des Moines does not have school, then we will be cancelled. If they do have school, but the roads are messy, check here to see if we will have a meeting. We will make a decision early in the am.