Eat This or That?

Here are two websites, Smarter Living and Left Foot Organics, that have a food season guide for our area (the second one may not necessarily be for the Pacific NW, but it will give you an idea on when a food is in season). Dawn, our speaker from Nov. 4th, wanted to also add in regards to freezing vegetables rather than storing long term that root vegetables and things like pumpkins and winter squash do store quite well unlike the summer vegetables which have more limited storage times.  If anyone has further questions on nutrition, you are welcome to email Dawn!


The game we played on November 4th came from this article.  Happy reading!

Should Your Family Eat This or That?

Yogurt or applesauce? Burger or hot dog? Find out in this nutritional smack down.

Rolled Flowers from Craft 10/28

Here is a "how-to" on making rolled fabric flowers like the ones we made today for our burlap wreaths!  Just think of the possibilities - some that were mentioned were flowers to put on headbands/clips for our little princesses' hair...pins to make brooches...gift ideas...what a great craft!

October: Falling into Fall

Pumpkin Pie Playdough


1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt 
2 teaspoons cream of tarter
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon veg oil
1 cup water
6 drops red food coloring
15 drops of yellow food coloring

Add oil, water, food coloring and whisk until smooth.  Combine dry ingredients in a non-stick pan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it forms a ball.  Turn onto counter, let cool slightly, knead until smooth.  Dough will keep in a plastic bag for about a week.

A Prayer for Autumn

I pray...

God, I see the cycle of the seasons.

Summer ends and runs into fall,

which gives way to LONG winter,

and then spring.

Autumn is a season of change - 

and it reminds me that I am changing too.

Things I used to need I may need no longer.

Helm me throw off those things that hold me down,

so I might become something new.

This is a time when there is an explosion of color,

and then it starts to get cold again.

This is part of life.

Help me understand

I cannot live in summer forever.

I cannot be growing 

like a garden in the spring all the time

I am made to change

and this season is part of it.

Let me welcome the change.

Let me see the beauty of your earth

as it prepares to speel in the wintertime.

Let me embrace this time of change and become something new.

Amen.

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Yield: about 3-4 dozen cookies
Ingredients:
For the cookies:
3¾ cups all-purpose flour
1½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
¾ cup pumpkin puree
1 large egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the coating:
½ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground ginger
Dash of allspice

Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Whisk to blend and set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.  Blend in the pumpkin puree.  Beat in the egg and vanilla until incorporated.  With the mixer on low speed add in the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated.  Cover and chill the dough for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.  Combine the sugar and spices for the coating in a bowl and mix to blend.  Scoop the dough (about 2½ tablespoons) and roll into a ball.  Coat the dough ball in the sugar-spice mixture and place on the prepared baking sheet.  Repeat with the remaining dough to fill the sheets, spacing the dough balls 2-3 inches apart.  Dip the bottom of a flat, heavy-bottomed drinking glass in water, then in the sugar-spice mixture, and use the bottom to flatten the dough balls slightly.  Recoat the bottom of the glass in the sugar-spice mixture as needed.

Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until just set and baked through.  Let cool on the baking sheets about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  Repeat with the remaining dough.  Store in an airtight container.

October Destinations ~ Pumpkin Patches


Lattin's Country Cider Mill & Farm - 9402 Rich Rd. Olympia
Schilter's Family Farm - 141 Nisqually Cut Off Road SE Lacey
Hunter's Pumpkin Patch and Christmas Trees - 7413 Yelm Hwy. SE Olympia

Upcoming Events:

October 28th - Clothing Exchange

November 18th - Toy Exchange

Next Meetings: 

October 28th

November 4th (back to back with Oct. 28)

November 18th

Moppets Songs

Song we’ll be doing all year:

It’s Fun to Come to Mops (tune of Farmer in the Dell)

It’s fun to come to Mops, it’s fun to come to Mops

With all the other girls and boys, it’s fun to come to Mops.

It’s fun to sing and play, hear stories every day

We make a craft and eat and snack, and then we’re on our way.

God Is With Me (tune Frere Jacques)

God is with me, God is with me, all the time, rain or shine

God is always with me, God is always with me

And I’m fine, and I’m fine

My God Is So Great

My God is so great, so strong and so mighty,

There’s nothing my God cannot do!

      (repeat)

The mountains are His, the rivers are His, the stars are His handiwork, too

My God is so great, so strong and so mighty,

There’s nothing my God cannot do!

Short-term songs:

Moses’ Mother  (tune Ten Little Indians)

Mother put Moses in the basket,  Mother put Moses in the basket

Mother put Moses in the basket, And put it in the river.

Moses floated down the Nile (or river),   Moses floated down the Nile,

Moses floated down the Nile, In his basket boat.

The princess pulled the basket out,  The princess pulled the basket out

The princes pulled the basket out,  And there was baby Moses!

September, 2011

Nature Walk Wreath:  The end product -- a one-of-a-kind door decoration -- is certainly special, but the best part of this project is the "collecting walk." This homemade wreath is an ideal group project -- each family member gets a chance to contribute, and there's no wrong way to do it.

Materials

• Nature objects you've gathered on a walk (dried leaves, acorns, seedpods, pinecones, twigs, etc.)
• Large grapevine wreath (available at garden centers) or individual small ones

• Floral wire
• Glue gun

Instructions

1. Take your family for a stroll through a neighborhood park or any nearby nature spot to gather whatever catches your eye.
2.  Back at home, invite everyone to arrange their finds on a large grapevine wreath, or provide individual small ones to serve as take-home keepsakes.
3. Twigs, stems, and larger items can be woven into the grapevine or secured with floral wire. A parent can affix small items such as acorns or pebbles with a glue gun. Hang the finished product proudly -- it should last until spring.

Apple Pancakes: (serves 4)
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 large apple, cored and sliced thinly
5 large eggs
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of salt

1) Preheat oven to 400.  In a 10-inch oven safe skillet, melt the butter and 2 tablespoons of brown sugar over medium heat.  Add apple slices; cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to brown, about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat.

2)  In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, flour, milk, cinnamon, salt and remaining tablespoon of brown sugar.  Pour batter slowly over cooked apple mixture.  Transfer skillet to oven, and bake until pancake is dark golden brown, sent in the center, and puffed around the edges, about 15 minutes.  Dust with powdered sugar (optional) and serve!

MomSense: Separation Anxiety - For Mom and Child

Whether we welcome it or not, the reality is that moms cannot be with their children twenty-four hours a day. The time comes to drop them off at MOPPETS, or in the church nursery, or at preschool or daycare. Separation can be difficult for both mom and child, but it is an important part of the growing up process.
If you or your child is exhibiting anxiety or having trouble settling into a new routine, try these suggestions to ease the transition:

• Visit his classroom together to meet his teacher and see where he will be staying.
• Plan to arrive at your child’s classroom a few minutes early, so that you’re not rushing when you say goodbye.
• When you drop your child off, don’t linger. Give her a quick hug and kiss, reassure her that you will be back, and leave. Ask the classroom teacher or assistant to give her extra attention and distraction for those first few minutes after you leave.
• If your child is a baby, play peek-a-boo or similar games to reassure him that whenever Mom “disappears,” she always comes back.
• Give your child verbal praise when she exhibits courage or takes those first few steps toward independence (even if your heart is breaking at your “baby” growing up.)
• Leave a lipstick kiss on the top of your child’s hand that she will be able to look at while she’s away from you.
• Don’t fuel an older preschooler’s fears by telling him that you’re scared or uneasy about the separation, even if you are.
• Stay occupied after you drop off your child — get together with a girlfriend on the first day of school, chat with your MOPS Discussion Group or call your mother. Keeping yourself occupied will help pass the time, and the support will do your heart good.
• Take older preschoolers out for a treat after the first day in a new classroom to debrief and celebrate. 
• If you find yourself struggling with letting go, journal through your thoughts — you may be able to better sort through your thoughts, and it will be a wonderful memoir of those special milestones in your child’s — and your — life.

Upcoming Events:

October 28th - Clothing Exchange

November 18th - Toy Exchange

Next Meetings: 

October 7th

October 28th

November 4th (back to back with Oct. 28)

Needs: We still need craft table leaders!  Please consider volunteering to be a part of this fun and creative team.  For more information, please contact Andrea or Kat!

MomSense

Speakers for 2011-2012

Moms, we am looking to see what topics are near and dear to your heart and that you would like to learn about this year at Mops.  Several ideas have been presented, but we want to hear from you, too!  Leave a comment below with your suggestion(s)!

Here are some that we have:
A Mentor Panel
Safety
Self Defense for Women
Being SuperMom (or not)
Different kinds of schooling
Emotions After Pregnancy
Marital Class
Team Parenting (for those that are in the Military or otherwise absent spouse)
Pediatrician
Healthy food on a shoestring budget

We're looking forward to hearing from you!