Need Your {Businesses and Blogs!}

Welcome, MOPS moms, to our new blogsite! This site is designed to help connect our MOPS moms with each other. We are using this site in place of a newsletter this year and hope you will find it helpful! Feel free to subscribe via email (see sidebar) so you can be updated with each new post.

Businesses
You may have noticed that we are featuring businesses and blogs of our MOPS moms on this site (see sidebar). Supporting other moms' businesses is a great way to support fellow moms who may be working part time or working from home while staying home with their kids.  If you are one of the Woodcrest MOPS moms that has her own business, we would love to include you on our Business Moms list! Just leave a comment on this post with the url of your business and we will add your link to the list (only Woodcrest MOPS moms, please).

Blogs
Also, we thought it would be fun for you to get to know other moms in our groups through their blogs. So if you have a personal blog you would like to share, please let a comment on this post and we will make sure to include it on our MOPS blogroll (once again, Woodcrest MOPS moms only). We would love to include you!

Thanks ladies! We are looking forward to meeting you all at our first MOPS meeting on September 9th!

Meet Krissa | MOPS Assistant Coordinator

I would like to introduce to you Krissa Lusk, our new assistant coordinator of MOPS! Krissa, can you please tell us a little bit about yourself?


My husband, Jason, I live in Eagan with our two kids, Ahriana and Caeden. Ahri is 3 ½ and completely obsessed with Disney princesses.  Caeden is 5 months old and he’s starting to find his voice..if you call a high-pitched screech a “ voice”.  I’ve been working part-time as a nail technician at Lifespa, in the Lifetime Fitness located in Lakeville, for nearly 3 years.  Jason works for Bose as an applications engineer – the same Bose known for its audio systems, however the group that Jason is in has nothing to do with audio.  Jason and I have been married for just over 7 years now and a fun little fact is that we met online!  I don’t really have any hobbies but I do enjoy working out when I find time to do it.  I also like finding fun things to do with my kids outside!  

What's been the most challenging thing about being a mom? 

Wow!  Well, as you all know, being a mom is not the easiest job in the world.  There are lot of challenges along the way but one of the biggest for me is having a husband who travels for work.  He’s been traveling since we were married, but with two young kids in the mix now it definitely brings more challenges.  I think another one that goes along with that is relying on God to guide me in my everyday parenting, and giving me the patience and everything else I may need  to raise my kids to my best ability!

Amen to that! Next, what's the best piece of advice on motherhood you're received?

LOVE your kids to the best of your ability, TELL them you love them a lot, and PRAY for them… TRUST that God is always there to help you along the way! Cherish every stage as much as you can because it goes FAST!

Is there a verse of passage of scripture that you've been encouraged by lately?

A passage of scripture that is a constant reminder for me is Romans 12:2. “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Along other lines...what is your family's favorite weeknight meal? Care to share the recipe (this sounds like a good one!)? 

One recipe we like to make is Chicken Marsala:

½ cup flour

4 boneless chicken breasts(trim, salt and pepper)

3 tbs veg. oil

3 oz pancetta(chopped fine) or you can use bacon

8 oz white button mushrooms, sliced thin

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp.  tomato paste

1 ½ cups sweet marsala wine

1 ½ tbs. fresh lemon juice

3 tbs. unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces and chilled

2 tbs. minced parsley

- Set oven to 200 degrees

-Pound the thicker end of the chicken breasts to match the other ends, pat dry with paper towel, season with salt and pepper, dredge through the flour to coat and shake off any excess.

-Heat 2 tbs. of oil in skillet over med-high heat until just smoking. Add chicken and cook until light brown on both sides, transfer to oven to keep warm.

-Add remaining 1 tbs. oil to skillet and return to med-high heat, add the pancetta and mushrooms. Cook until the pancetta is crisp and the mushrooms are brown.

-Stir in the garlic and tomato paste. Cook until the tomato paste begins to brown. Stir in the marsala, simmer until reduced and slightly syrupy.

-Stir in the lemon juice. Turn the heat to low and whisk in the butter, one piece at a time. Off the heat stir in the parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the sauce over  the chicken before serving

Hope you enjoy!

Meet Jenny | MOPS Steering Team Leader

Tell us a little bit about yourself.


My husband, Todd, and I live in Apple Valley with our 2 kids.  Anna turned 4 in June, and Simon was born last year December (so he is 8 months).  I work part-time as a nurse in the Operating Room at Regions Hospital.  Todd is an aviation planner, which is a hard job to describe.



How has being in MOPS changed your life or helped you be a better mom?


MOPS has helped me form some great friendships and really get to know some of my friends on a deeper level.  It is nice to have other moms to go to who can relate and understand what I am going through.  I have gotten some great advice.  I have also really enjoyed and learned a lot from our speakers and topics.

Tell us about your faith journey and how you can to know Christ.


I came to know Christ at an early age.  We grew up learning about God, going to church, and "doing" Christian things.  I'm grateful for my parents and this upbringing.  However, it wasn't until junior high or even high school that my faith was really tested or that I had to chose it for myself.  Thankfully I had some great Christian friends and a wonderful youth group (where I met my husband) that helped me stay strong.  I chose a Christian college (first Northwestern and then transferred to Bethel).  Todd and I attended a couple different churches after getting married, but finally found Woodcrest 2 1/2 years ago.

What are your hobbies or what do you like to do when you're not being a mom?


Hobbies?  Hmm, I don't really feel like I have time for any.  Ok, every once in a while I get to scrapbook.  I enjoy reading- especially mystery type novels.  We swim in our pool a lot.  And, I love to entertain and host parties.



What is your favorite thing about being a mom?


My favorite thing about being a mom is also probably the scariest thing, which is being able to teach and train my children.  I find it humbling and rewarding that God trusts us to do that.  Almost every night when I tuck my kids in or when I check on them while they are sleeping, I say a prayer for them and for me.  The prayer for them is that they will know and experience both God's love and my love for them.  The second prayer is for me, that I will do my best and look to God for help in raising them to love Him and others.  I also enjoy just getting to see my children grow up.  I remember when Anna was a baby.  I would find myself saying, "oh, I love this stage," and then she would go through another one, and I would say the same thing.  It is so neat to watch them learn and develop their little personalities.  It really does go fast!

Steering Team 2011-2012

We have a great Steering Team that has been working hard this summer to plan on new year!  More information on each of these wonderful ladies is to come, but here is our team!

Coordinator: {Jenny Wright}
Assistant Coordinator: {Krissa Lusk}
Registration: {Anny Engels-Bergh}
Finance: {Abby Smith}

Hospitality: {Amanda Selness}
Service: {Karri Larson}
Fundraising: {Melissa Ho}
Publicity: {Nealy Lanzen}
Crafts: {Annie Torrini}
MOPPETS leader: {Shauna Smith}

Discussion Group Leader Facilitator: {Juliet Mock}
DGL: {Traci Holm}
DGL: {Annie Torrini}
DGL: {Janna Murphy}
DGL: {LaDonna Ver Strate}
DGL: {Abby Velin}

And our wonderful Mentor Moms:
{Mary Timmers}
{Karen Christenson}
{Misty Harper-Anderson}

Kicking Off A New Year!

We're really looking forward to another great year of MOPS! We are currently taking registration forms for the 2011-12 year.

We meet in the Refuge Room at Woodcrest Church in Eagan, MN.  Kick-off is Friday, September 9th at 9:30-11:30am. Don't miss it!

{   Download the 2011-12 MOPS registration form here   }

FALL Schedule	SPRING Schedule
September 9	January 20
September 23	February 3
October 7	February 17
October 28	March 2
November 11	March 16
December 2	April 6
December 16	May 4
January 6	May 18