Book Club Selection- January

Our next selection for book club is Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. We will be meeting at Becca's house. You are welcome to join in during any month! Date TBA

Tuesday Tunes

This one comes from Monica~ Thank you, Monica!

Mommy & Me Monday: Make Minty Marshmallows

Now don't be intimidated by this one. Trust me. Homemade marshmallows are much easier than you might think and they taste SO AWESOME! Your children (and you) will be amazed that you made your own marshmallows. This recipe makes a ton of marshmallows. These would be such a cute little gift packaged with some cocoa mix in a Christmas mug. CLICK HERE for a very detailed (with lots of photos) post about our experience making these two years ago. These are on the top of my Advent TO-DO list this year. As Amber mentioned in her great post with lots of Advent links, you can visit my blog and see all the Advent things we've done in the past. There is a link on the right sidebar in the "Categories" column that says "Advent Activities". Click on that link and it will give you a full list of all my advent posts.

Christmas Party Time!

Glenwood MOPS Christmas Party
Host:Steering Team
Phone: 527-9574
When: Wednesday, December 08 at 06:30 PM
Where:Carla's

The Steering Team would like to invite you to an evening of food, fun and friends. We will be making delicious soups for you to enjoy.

Please bring an appetizer, side dish or sweet treat to share.

We will be having the "Oh So Fun" ornament exchange again this year. Please bring a wrapped ornament ($5.00 or less).

We are also asking for a canned good item to be donated to The Storehouse.

Thanks and Hope to see you all there!!

Glenwood Lights on the Square

Glenwood Lights on the Square Holiday Spectacular
4:30pm-8:00pm * December 2nd
Chamber sponsored After Hours at SUNBRIDGES- Cash bar, Cocoa, Cider and Goodies
Soup Supper at The SENIOR CENTER from 6:00pm-8:00pm ~ good will donation
Santa pays a visit at the SENIOR CENTER
**MOPS of Glenwood will have cookie decorating for the children at The SENIOR CENTER**
Live Music at the SUNBRIDGES and The SENIOR CENTER
Parade of Trees at the Mills County HISTORICAL MUSEUM
A Family Christmas Savanger Hunt- pick up your questions at The SENIOR CENTER
Hayrack Rides in the TOWN SQUARE provided by Garden Treasures
MCCORMICK STATION has Wine Tasting from 4:30pm-8:00pm
MANY of our Local BUSINESSES will be open late to show their customer appreciation, get your holiday goodies and/or services right here in GLENWOOD.

Festival of Trees

Join us for a tour of the Mills County Museum's Festival of Trees on December 4th at 9:00. We will tour the 35+ trees on display at the museum and then enjoy some juice and rolls. You are welcome to bring your kids with you if wanted.

You won't want to miss the MOPS tree and the MOPPETS tree- made with ornaments created by our own little ones!

Please RSVP to Amber at amberloo22@aol.com by December 2nd

Advent & Christmas Countdown activities

An advent calendar contains reminders each day that Christmas is coming. Advent is a term from the Latin word adventur which means "arrival". The advent officially begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas.

Each December, families begin to decorate their homes, inside and out. They get out the special Christmas dishes to use during the holidays. The Christmas photo album is proudly displayed for all to enjoy. The favorite Christmas stories and books are set out. The traditional nativity scene is carefully set up. An advent calendar begins the time of anticipation. The house is filled with Christmas music and the sweet smell of baking. It is truly a time of preparation and joy.

Here are a few of my favorites from the web:

Confessions of a Homeschooler features a easy to make idea. You could make these as simple or as snazzy as you want. Their idea list includes many fun ideas such as Minivan Express and Root Beer Floats.

Martha Stewart has a pretty red and white display. This one did not number the boxes but instead lets the kids choose which one each day that they feel drawn to.
Another Marthat Stewart idea is using baby socks. This is expecially sweet for those who only have little tiny ones instead of bigger kids to do an activity or enjoy a sweet treat.
Such creative ideas and yet easy to make snowflake countdown advent can be seen on Eighteen25. The snowflakes would make a beautiful decoration in any home and also gives a handful of ideas to use for your activities- one of my favorites being "play musical chairs with Christmas music".

What a fun way to count down the days 'til Christmas and helps for those who ask "How many more days" over and over. Check it out at Make and Takes.

Maya*Made features a recycled cardboard tube advent. I love the simplicity of this one...I'm pretty sure this is the one we will make this year. I love the colors of the ice blue and white as well. So pretty for winter!
If you have a house with kidlets who love to craft- this one is for you! Little Christmas trees with treats hiding underneath are found on Ikat bag.

Stitch/ Craft shows us a crafty fabric chain that is made to look like the classic paper chain. Paper slips are inside each link with ideas for each day.

One last spot to spend some time is to check out Laura's blog for a whole bunch of neat Advent activities. Laura and her family made some of the cutest ornaments with some of the Christmas books they read. Be sure to check out her tree at the Festival of Trees this year as well!

RANDOM.ORG - Integer Widget

Random.org has declared Tammie our winner! Thanks for entering and look for your book at our next MOPS meeting!

RANDOM.ORG - Integer Widget: "True Random Number Generator

Min: 1
Max: 4
Result:
3
Powered by RANDOM.ORG"

Happy Thanksgiving

Dear precious Lord,
We bow our heads in heartfelt, thankful prayer;
For all the ways You've blessed our lives
And for Your loving care.
We thank You for the hands
That have prepared this special treat
And pray that You will bless all those
Who have no food to eat.

We're thankful for Salvation's plan
And for Your Holy Word;
And pray we'll help to spread
Your love to those who've never heard.
We're thankful for our freedom
And for churches that are near;
Where we can meet to praise Your Name
And worship without fear.

But still our hearts are saddened
By our brothers who aren't free;
Who suffer death and torture
For their Christianity.
We pray You'll give them strength
And courage as their cross they bear;
And let them know God's family
Remembers them in prayer.

We thank You for heroic troops
Who fight for liberty;
And daily risk their lives
And limbs to keep our country free.
Forgive us of our many sins
And keep us close today;
And bless this food You've given us,
In Jesus Name, we pray.
Amen

As Seen on the Web...

Skip To My Lou offers some great Thanksgiving Conversation Starters that you can print and place around your dinner table.

More can be found on Family Fun.

And now....

Why did the Pilgrims want to sail to America in the spring? Because April showers bring Mayflowers.

What does a space turkey say? Hubble, Hubble, Hubble.

Why was the turkey the drummer in the band? Because he had the drumsticks!

Tuesday Tunes

Mommy & Me Monday: Harvest Blessing Mix & Gratitude Journal Activity

I have two ideas for you this week. I have done both of these in the past, but not for a few years. The first idea is a little Gratitude journal that you make with your family on Thanksgiving Day when everyone is gathered around the table. All you need are some shipping tags (or you could use pieces of cardstock or even index cards), some sticker letters (or you could write the letters with markers), and some ribbon or string to tie the tags together once you are done.

Below you can see ours from 2008. Ahead of time you need to put one letter on each tag, one for each letter of the alphabet. You can also make a "title" tag like I did which says "Gratitude" and the year. Do not attach the tags together yet. At your Thanksgiving gathering, pass out a tag to every person present. If you have fewer than 26 people, some people will get multiple tags. Each person has to write one (or more) thing they are thankful for that begins with the letter on their tag. Then you gather all the tags, place them in ABC order, and tie them together. You'll have a great little keepsake of your gathering that you can look back on in years to come. If you like this idea, don't make it too hard. I think I literally slapped the one shown together about 30 minutes before we went to my mom's house on Thanksgiving Day. Just use what you have on hand to make it work.





Here is a page from the inside to show what a completed tag looks like. Wilma wrote this one!!




The next idea is called Harvest Blessing Mix. I like to make up bags of these to give out as little gifts in November. (Although I have not made them for at least 5 years until this year.) The boys helped me (kind of..........mostly they just ate the pieces that spilled out of the bowl) make these. They will each take a bag to their teachers this week. I'll also give some to my co-workers and we'll pass out some to our relatives when we get together with them on Thanksgiving. Each item in this mix represents an aspect of Thanksgiving. If you would like a copy of the tag I used, please email me and I'll send it to you. Blogger doesn't allow me to upload a document for download, unfortunately.


To make this mix you'll need: Bugles (I have never seen these at No Frills locally, but I did find them at Newman's; Dollar General also has them); orange slices (you could substitute dried fruit, but I LOVE orange slice candy, so that's what I used); pretzel twists; peanuts (or you could substitute sunflower seeds) and candy corn.




Mix it all together in a big bowl and then divide it into individual bags for giving. I like to attach a tag that tells the significance of each item. Here is a list of that if you are interested:


The Bugles represent a cornucopia or horn of plenty; the Pretzels represent arms folded in thanks and prayer; the Candy Corn represents the five kernels per day the Pilgrims were given during the first winter; the Orange Slices represent a successful harvest; and the Peanuts are seeds which represent the potential for a bountiful harvest next season.

Wouldn't you just love to give out bags of these this year? Be sure to save some to munch on yourself! I have the extra orange slices stashed away in a place only I can find!

A Greatful Heart

Turn on the television these days and you’ll find just about every kind of makeover show possible. We seem to be drawn to this makeover madness by our desire for something fresh and new in our complicated, and sometimes disorganized lives.

I’ve recently become aware of a makeover I can do every day. It doesn’t cost a dime. It doesn’t require an expert. And it takes very little time.

Rather than the external makeovers we see on television, this is an internal makeover that starts in my head and moves to my heart. It is initially unseen by the outside world, but if I stay focused on this “inside job” it will eventually become very apparent to those around me.

This might be called an “extreme heart makeover,” because it moves my heart from grumbling to gratefulness.

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I’m pursing this makeover as it pertains to the work I do for my family everyday. I sometimes exhibit an ungrateful attitude in doing these tasks when I forget what blessings the tasks actually represent. This week I'm working on a shift in thinking. I'm considering a different perspective.

As I evaluate all my responsibilities, I’ve discovered I'm thankful for:

■Laundry…because it means that my family has clothes to wear.
■Dishes…because it means that my family has food to eat.
■Bills…because it means that we have financial provisions.
■Making Beds…because it means we have a warm, soft place to rest at night.
■Dusting…because it means we have furniture to enjoy.
■Vacuuming…because it means we have a home to care for.
■Picking Up Toys…because it means I have children to bring joy to my life.
■Homework…because it means my children can learn and progress through life.

Would you like to join me in this exercise? What part of your life seems to be the most overwhelming? What do you grumble about most often? What tasks, responsibilities, or challenges bring about frustration or anger? Once identified, ask yourself what blessing you haven’t been able to see. Now focus on the blessing and thank God for what it means in your life. Watch your perspective change from grumbling to gratefulness in no time flat. The “extreme heart makeover” is available to every person, every home, and every family every day.

I can’t think of a better way to capture the essence of Thanksgiving.

By Jill Savage, founder and CEO of Hearts at Home

As Seen on the Web & a giveaway!

Leave a comment on this post to be entered to win a copy of Generous Kids by Colleen O'Donnell and Lyn Baker.

Amazon says: "This simple book will help parents make giving a fun and fulfilling part of their children's lives through learning the habit of giving. It's an easy-to-read book full of entertaining and practical suggestions, amazing true stories, simple examples, and plenty of "We can do that too!" take-aways for busy moms and dads."

Today on Tip Junkie they featured a post with creative ideas to be greatful. You can read the complete post by clicking here. Thanksgiving is just a week from tomorrow and many of these ideas can be used during the entire month of November if you like.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Thankful Bucket by The Idea Room...I absolutely love this one. The idea is to drop slips of paper into the bucket and then after Thanksgiving dinner, everyone gathers to listen as the slips are read. I think this is a tradition we might have to start this year!

A Thanksgiving Tree Craft from Crafts by Amanda...very simple idea using the handprints of our little ones....you could even use handprints of everyone in your family if you wanted to include grown ups as well.

A Gratitude Advent by Craft Critters....this one offers thanks for the little things we have, as well as the big. Each day has an activity you can do that is very simple and fun. Great ideas to give thanks each day!
Changable Frame from Flamingo Toes...love the idea that you can wipe off and make a new list each day. Instead of embroidery you could also use scrapbook paper like Connie's craft activity we did at our meeting for Halloween.
Life at 7000 Feet gives us a Thankful Turkey Centerpiece. Easy idea that even the youngest members of the family can participate in. The young ones can dictate to mom or dad what they are thankful for and parents can write on the feathers for them.
Now...don't forget to leave a comment to be entered for a copy of the book!

Tuesday Tunes

Mommy & Me Monday: Turkey Handprint Trivets

These would make great grandparent gifts. It would also be fun to make a bunch and use them each year on your Thanksgiving table.

Below you can see most of the supplies used. I traced the boys' hands on the wrong side of some scrapbook paper and cut them out. Instead of doing each "feather" in a different paper, I decided to use a brown plaid paper I really liked for the whole tail. I used my star punch to make feet and a beak (I cut off a star point for the beak) and my heart punch (cut in half) for the wattle. I used a regular size hole punch to punch out an eye. The photo shows everything laid out on the tile before I Mod-Podged it. That's why it looks kind of crooked. The first step was to spread a thin layer of Mod Podge all over the clean, dry tile with a foam brush. Then I laid out the paper pieces and brushed another layer of Mod Podge over the top. After that coat was dry I added stickers to spell each boy's name and the year. Then I put another 2 coats of Mod Podge over the top again to really adhere the stickers. The photo below shows one tile which is mostly dry and the other one still wet. If you try this and have never used Mod Podge, don't worry, it dries clear. I think these turned out SOOOOO cute. I am so happy with them. I will add little felt circles (like the kind you put under furniture) to the back corners. I think I'll also pick up some little plate easels at Hobby Lobby and display these on a shelf in an upright position. They will be fun to pull out each year. I was barely able to fit my 9 year olds' hand on one, so I'm glad I did it this year. He might be too big next year to do this!

Operation Christmas Child

Tuesday Tunes

Mommy & Me Monday: Turkey Candleholders

*Edited to add finished photo- click here for step by step directions from Laura's blog.

Hello! I am super-irritated that once again Blogger did not allow me to post photos in the MOPS blog. However, I WAS able to post them in my personal Blogger blog (go figure!) and so I hope you'll CLICK HERE to link to the post I wrote about a VERY cute project to do with your little one for Thanksgiving. These are super cute, super easy, and would make a SUPER gift for anyone around your Thanksgiving table.

VeggieTales Live!

Veggie Tales Live Presents Sing Yourself Silly at the Bellevue Christian Center November 16th at 2 PM & 7 PM

The Veggies are at it again! Bob, Larry and the whole crew are taking to the stage with the silliest Silly Song Countdown ever! They have prepared the best of the best, the most classic of the classic, and the absolute silliest of the silly. But sometimes silliness just isn't enough! Archie prefers lesson songs, Mr. Lunt wants to sing about food, and Jimmy and Jerry are stuck in the 80's! Everyone wants their turn, and their songs in the show, but there's only so much time! The entire VeggieTales crew will have to learn the importance of sharing to make this show work!

A high-energy song and dance spectacular for the whole family, this show will have you singing along, dancing in the aisles and smiling so hard your teeth will ache! Fan favorites include classic silly songs such as His Cheeseburger, I Love My Lips, The Hairbrush Song, and so many more! So join your favorite singing and dancing Veggies and SING YOURSELF SILLY!

Purchase your tickets in the foyer on Sunday or at itickets.com.

Thursday's Beauty Inside & Out Tip of the Week

Q: "How do you keep eyeliner from smearing throughout the day?"

A: It is a must to "set" the liner with a shadow of the same color. Use a fine tipped brush or Q-tip to cover the liner then a swipe of liquid eyeliner will top it all off! I only use a pencil liner above the lid & shadow under the eye for emphasis!

Tiffany Harger
www.tiffanyharger.myarbonne.com

Website Wednesday

Proverbs 31

Focus on the Family

Dr. Gary Chapman

Crosswalk

Family Life

Tuesday Tunes

Mommy & Me Monday: Pumpkin Pie in a Jar

Hello and Happy November! Hopefully you are not warding off sugar-crazed children while trying to read this post!! Now that Halloween has passed, I am really excited to share several ideas with you in November. I am so glad I have made it through October and am looking forward to doing several fun projects with my boys this month.

I LOVE to make fun little gifts to give others and the blogosphere is an endless source of inspiration for me. I found the idea for this project on Saturday, made it on Sunday afternoon, and we were able to pass out these little pies in a jar to several of the houses where we trick-or-treat each year. The recipe for these can be found at THIS LINK on the Crafting Chicks blog. Their blog is new to me and I immediately signed up as a subscriber. So many fun ideas! I will admit that I mostly made this recipe by myself. My youngest son was at a birthday party and my oldest was doing some work that he needed to get done. Still, they both enjoyed passing these out on Halloween night. We usually take them trick-or-treating to the homes of their classroom teachers, so they were able to spread the Halloween love to their teachers. This would be a great gift to give anytime during the fall. And it tastes REALLY good!!

NOTE: If you make these, try to find the half-pint wide-mouth jars. I had to use the regular mouth ones which are taller and narrower. It worked okay, but it got a little messy when I was putting the filling in and I think that would have been easier with a wider mouthed jar.

The photo above shows one of the jars with the graham cracker "crust" inside. I placed the jars into the fridge for about an hour to let the crust chill before adding the filling and topping. Using the box the jars came in made it really easy to stick them into the fridge.

The photo below shows the jars filled with the three layers: crust, filling and whipped topping. I used a paper towel to wipe off the filling that got on the inside of the jars when I filled them.

To "cuten" up the project, I used my scrapbooking tools and some pretty paper to cut circles that I placed on the lids. I didn't even glue them on, I just put them on top of the lid and screwed the ring on. Then I printed some labels on the computer and attached those to the side of the jar. The final step was using some twine to tie a spoon to the side. I am so happy with how these turned out. This may become a new Halloween tradition for our family. I really want to instill the joy of giving in my boys. While I love gifts and surprises, I get MUCH more enjoyment from giving something unexpected to others than from receiving a gift myself.

Yumminess in a jar!! How cute is that?