Frozen Peanut Butter Bars

Here is a delicious recipe from the kitchen of Stephanie V, one of our awesome MOPS moms.
Frozen Peanut Butter Bars

Ingredients

1c. Butter or Margarine

2c. Peanut Butter

2.5c Graham cracker crumbs (usually equal to about a bag and a half)

1.75c Powdered Sugar

2c. Chocolate Chips (1/2 semi-sweet, 1/2 milk chocolate)

1/3c Milk

In a large saucepan, melt butter and peanut butter togethere. Mix well. Remove from heat. Add crumbs and powdered sugar, mixing well. Spread peanut butter mixture in a jelly roll pan. Chill.

When the peanut butter layer is firm, melt chocolate chips with milk over low heat. Spread over chilled peanut butter mixture. Chill Again.

So simple to make and I swear they taste just like Frozen Reese's Peanut Butter cups.

THE Sustainer....

"There's no such thing as perfect people,

There's no such thing as a perfect life,

So come as you are, broken and scarred

Lift up your heart, be amazed,

And be changed, by a perfect God"

~Natalie Grant

I believe that God speaks to us in so many ways, through His Word~The Bible, through other people, and through music just to name a few. It is so important that we take the time to be still, and listen to what He is saying to us. The above song lyrics remind me that no matter what crazy things are happening in my life, or how broken I may feel, God is always right here waiting to help me through.

There have been many difficult obstacles and challenges in my life over the past year. I am so grateful for my relationship with Jesus, for I know that He is the only reason that I have managed to deal with the circumstances that have been presented to me. As it says in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (my own para-phrasing), His grace is sufficient.......when we experience challenges, persecutions, and difficulties which make us feel weak, but turn to Christ for help, He will give us strength and help us grow. I thank God daily for His mercy and grace, and for the strength that He has given me this year. I know that there are many more challenges ahead, but with Christ I can do all things (Phil. 4:13).

Friends, remember that no matter what you are facing or going through He is waiting to help you, so 'lift up your heart" to Him, "and be amazed, and be changed" today!

Loree Arthur

How long should that stay in the fridge???

How long can a bottle of ketchup stay in your fridge before it goes bad?   I'm thinking 5 or 10 years, but if you want an expert opinion, go to the web site below.  This site lists all kind of foods and how to keep them fresh longer as well as when to get rid of them.  If you have a question click on the particular picture, and a whole list of stuff appears.............WHAT A GREAT SITE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                 www.stilltasty.com

1st meeting, Sept. 17

Here are some quick photos from our first MOPS meeting this year, held on Thursday, Sept. 17.

MOPS Coordinator Sara Guilfoyle welcoming all the moms at the beginning of the meeting. Sara spoke to us about motherhood. She shared some of her personal blessings and struggles in her journey as a mother of two boys, Patrick and Jaden. She also talked to us about the differences in being a "born-mom" or a "made-mom."

MOPS Hospitality Team Leader Cristi Taylor

Our first yummy brunch of the year!

Daisy sharing a story with friends Jen (on the left) and Andi (on the right).

Table leader Loree chatting with her MOPS friends.

Sherrie listening to a funny story.

Mentor Moms Kelly and Sharon.

Janice looking over all her Welcome to MOPS packet, put together by the MOPS leadership team for every MOPS member.

From Daisy's Kitchen

~Hello ladies! After our meeting last week I thought I'd share two of my favorite recipes with you. There's nothing like a yummy bowl of soup on a yucky day! The first recipe is a simple one. It all goes in the crock pot for four hours. The second takes a little more work, but it's DELICIOUS! It's perfect for company. I hope you enjoy these. I'm always looking for new recipes, so please feel free to share any with me that your family likes. May God richly bless you all! ~Daisy King

Taco Soup

1 lb ground beef, browned

1 diced onion

2 cans Kidney Beans (undrained)

2 cans Pinto Beans (undrained)

2 cans corn (undrained)

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can diced mild chilies

1 package taco seasoning

1 package ranch dressing seasoning

Add it all to the crockpot and cook on high for 4 hours or more.  Stir occasionally. Serve with sour cream and shredded cheese on the side. 

Chicken Avocado Tortilla Soup

3 cloves crushed garlic

¾ t ground cumin

¾ t dried oregano

¼ t chili powder

¼ t pepper

8 cups chicken broth

1 - 14 oz can diced tomatoes

1 – 4 oz can diced green mild chilies

12 corn tortillas, 6 inches wide

1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast

2 T chopped fresh cilantro

Salt

1 avocado

Cheese

1. In a 5-6 quart nonstick pan over medium heat, stir first 5 ingredients until fragrant, about 1 minute. 
2. Add broth, tomatoes (including juice), and chilies.  Bring to boil over high heat. 
3. Meanwhile, stack tortillas and cut into 1/8 inch wide strips.  Add to boiling broth. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Watch for it to stick to the bottom.
4. Rinse chicken and cut into ½ inch pieces.  Peel avocado and cut into small pieces.
5. Add chicken to broth and return to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until chicken is white in center, about 5 minutes.  Stir in cilantro and salt to taste. 
6. Ladle into soup bowls. 
7. Each person can use avocado and cheese to taste.

Praise and Thanksgiving

Hi ladies,

I have had a hard time thinking about what to write on this blog entry. I have so many things going on in my life that I could write about and then it came to me - praise and Thanksgiving. Lately, I have had the opportunity to serve a wonderful family that is in need. I have been able to take them meals, watch their kids, and even clean their house.  Why when I see families struggling do I still envy others?

 It is so hard in these times to be content with what you have. But, God always reminds me and shows me the blessings he has given me - I have 3 beautiful children who are healthy, a husband who loves me and a God who loves me even more. Please remember in these times to pray and help serve those who are struggling, and then look at your own life and give God the Praise for what he has given you! God bless you and your family,

Becky

A little love from the kitchen

Hello Ladies,

Being that the cold weather has approached and the leaves have fallen to the ground, I wanted to share with you my favorite crisp weather zucchini bread recipe. To me, nothing beats the smell of my house when I have a loaf or two of zucchini bread in the oven. The aroma of cinnamon and vanilla fill the room and make my house smell so fabulous and feel so nice and warm. So I'd love for you all to have my family's special recipe and enjoy that same warm joy that this brings to my home.

*Add column 1 to column 2



Column 1

-3 beaten eggs

-1 cup of oil or for healthier option 1/2 cup applesauce, 1/2 cup oil

-2 &1/4 cups sugar

-2 cups grated zucchini

-3 tsp vanilla



Blend together until nice and smooth consistency



*Column 2



-3 cups flour

-1 tsp salt

-3 tsp cinnamon

-1/4 tsp baking powder

-1 tsp baking soda

-1 cup chopped nuts (optional)



Mix together and then add column 1 to column 2 and blend all together until smooth.



Put in 2 9x5 metal loaf pans sprayed with non stick spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.



I've had such an abundant amount of zucchini provided to me over the season that I have felt, at times, I couldn't keep up with it. If that has happened to you, here are a couple of tips you might enjoy.

- after zucchini bread had cooled place in zip lock baggie and put in freezer. It only takes a night to thaw out and be ready for the event you may need it for..i.e. MOPS :o)

- if you don't have time to use the zucchini right away but obviously don't want it to go to waste, grate or shred it all and divide into 4 cup segments and place in zip lock freezer baggies. When ready to use let it completely thaw out and then place on paper towel and slightly squeeze out excess moisture. This way it will not be too watery. When freezing zucchini it's important to remember that it looses a lot of moisture so you always want to double the amount needed so that you will have enough when it comes time for baking.

I truly hope you all enjoy this recipe, and get the use of all of your zucchini that the gardens around us are producing.

Love to you all,

~ Katie Sullivan

Welcome Back!!!

Hi Ladies,
I am sorry our blog has not been updated since JULY! Holy Cow time flies! I have officially taken over the innerworkings of the blog and I am so out of my element. Hence the delay! So, I will do my best. :)

Welcome to another year of MOPS! We are off to a great start and are thrilled to see so many new faces in our group. (Don't worry, returners, we love you MUCH!) We hope that you are ripe and ready for all that this MOPS year has in store for you. We are!!!!

If you have any questions/concerns or thoughts, please let me know. If there is something you would like to add to our blog, please pass it on to me and I will preview and post. :)

Thanks again for joining us and please check our blog weekly for information, posts and pics. (Pics from our first two meetings coming soon!)

Love to you all!
Sara G.

Blog Roll

See over there to the right? Just under the Play date schedule? It says "Blog Roll". That is a resource for you, as a mom. Click on the links to find parent hacks, activity ideas, and other resources for preschool moms.

A few things though, we do not have control of the content on those blogs. They do not represent the views or beliefs of Calvary Community Church or MOPS International. When you visit the sites please represent our community well and if you choose to leave a comment, keep it friendly.

If you know of a blog that might be helpful to other moms, drop Kristin an email. At this time lets keep the links/blogs noncommercial (no selling of things).

Also, if you publish a blog, let us know. I would like to do a listing for MOPS moms that blog (plus we are always looking for people to write content for this blog!).

After all we have been through....

As I was thinking/planning what to write on this very blog, for your reading eyes, I had a few ideas. But, when it all boiled down, what I am dealing with right now, is what is closest to my heart, is the perfect place to start.

As some of you may know I am going back to school in the Fall. I have wanted to get a Masters from the time I was doing my undergrad at WSU (GO COUGS!). After many failed attempts to start school again, God's timing is now. I cannot begin to express the excitement in my heart about beginning this adventure. With school, however, comes a HUGE bill.

Matt (my man) and I have talked about how to pay for this adventure (which he FULLY supports and encourages). I have filled out all the necessary financial aid paperwork, attempted to find any available scholarships, spoken with the church about match grants...done everything I could to find extra money short of robbing a bank....NOTHING. We have read The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey (STRONGLY RECOMMEND!) and committed a year or so to stay out of debt in any and every way possible. Because of that commitment, we decided against taking out a loan. The only other option my husband could see was for him to get another job. He has prayed about it, as have I, and he feels complete peace that that is what God is asking of him at this time. I say 'he feels complete peace' because, as of right now, that is not necessarily a shared feeling. Yes, come next month, when my first tuition payment is due, we have to be able to pay for it somehow. Since I make...NOTHING...I cannot contribute, nor does he want me to get a paying job. That brings us to where we are now.

After all God and I have been through, together and with Matt, you would think I have this trust thing nearly figured out. He is faithful EVERY time, no question! It is the essence of who He is. He has pulled us out of many o' financial pits and done miracles that we have witnessed with our very eyes. Why, then, do I not believe that He will provide the additional amount each month to cover the cost of my school, which we both firmly believe is His will for me in THIS season? Why do I also not believe that he will provide Matt with a second job that still allows me to stay connected to my b-fry and the man of my dreams? Let alone allow him time with the boys who desperately need daddy time? With all the doubts that flood my little brain, he is STILL faithful! He will act out of rich love and power, in spite of me. He knows in due time and after enough time on my knees and in His word that seeds of faith will be planted and they will blossom into oaks of faith. Until then, he plants one seed at a time, reminding me that He too will work it all out.

My seed for the day:
Isaiah 41:10
"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

Thanks, God, for getting me through today and being so patient with me in my struggle to believe.

-Sara

Cleaning Out the Closets

It's summertime. I find that my schedule changes during this time of year. It relaxes and becomes far more flexible, but also fills up with more play dates and fun activities. I don't have to rush my son off to preschool or get out the door for regularly schedules activities. My days are more open, mostly.

I love spending the time at parks and zoos, plugging into MOPS planned play dates and in general soaking up the sun.

Summertime also brings with it a desire to do projects, at least for me it does. There are so many randomly stacked things that appeared over the winter in the garage that we can barely get the cars in. And when we can get the cars in, we are stuck because we can't open the doors!

My closets are overflowing with clothes that are out of style, don't fit or are just plain worn out. My linen closet is unspeakable.

My goal this summer is to clean out. Clean out the things that I don't use, don't want or don't need. Pass things on to other moms, thrift stores or the dump.

Declutter.

My relationship with God has much to declutter as well. How many things have I taken on board that are not benefiting me? Beliefs that have come, not from God, but from "that's how it has always been" or "that's what my parents believed." I have beliefs that cause me to feel guilty for not being perfect. Does that come from God? I don't think so.

I would be the first one to say that learning from others is a valuable thing. Passing on faith from parents to children is one of my top priorities with my son and daughter. But, old stale beliefs need to be tested and tried. Held up to see if they still fit. Are they a product, not of the teachings of God, but of a fad that came through the church (or society)? Do I have a tie-dye faith? Or do I have a classic, never-goes-out-of-style A-line faith? Where do my beliefs come from? The Bible? Society? Movies?

I loved the book The Shack. There were parts that challenged me and my prejudices. Do I believe that it was Biblical? No. But did I inadvertently take on beliefs that are contrary to the Bible?

How much of what I believe have I taken on board by random things in our culture?

The only way to distill my beliefs is to spend time with God and his Word. Letting Him talk to me and asking Him to show me the truths that can be mined only from Him and His Word and to possibly find a mentor in a more mature Christian woman.

Just like I need to spend time going through my closets this summer, I need to spend time with God. Going through my beliefs.

-Kristin

An Epiphany

As I was starting my quiet time today with my lovely 365 daily devotional (thanks Steering girls!) I read about something I have read numerous times, Susan has taught us about and we have heard at church. The Good Samaritan and Who is your neighbor?

In it the writer for the day, Anne Graham Lotz wrote:

"This very day you will encounter someone who needs a word of encouragement or a pat on the back or a helping hand or a heartfelt prayer. And, if you don't reach out to that person, who will? If you don't take the time to understand the needs of your neighbors, who will? If you don't love your brothers and sisters, who will? So, today look for a neighbor in need...and then do something to help. Father's orders.

A person who really cares about his or her neighbor, a person who genuinely loves others, is a person who bears witness to the truth."

The little cherubs that fill our house are the very neighbors I will love on, pray for, pick up, put down (unfortunately) and all that today. I knew all this, this was just a good firm reminder.

When I was reading that, though, I felt like God said "There is a battle going on here but the victory is won"

THERE IS!

There is a battle over self. The times I am MOST frustrated with being home and being a mom and I lack love and patience is when I am trying to get something accomplished and THEY are interfering. It is a battle over my heart...which is divided at this moment between "Who do I serve?" Self or these two boys that divinely arrived (oh yeah, I prayed, begged, prepared and planned for them).

When I read this devotional, my heart knows and longs to be the one to pick them up, love them deeply, shape them, train them...and thankfully that is the bigger part of the divided heart. That self part is dying slowly in this season, but it is NOT going out without a fight. Hence the struggle over my role as stay at home momma!

So, please pray, for the victory to be won with haste and power. For that self to die and stay dead FOR ALL TIME! For a love of others BEYOND MEASURE! For victories in this home with my little knights.

Thanks for praying...it is changing me...little by little.

love to you
Sara

Welcome!!

Hi, Ladies!

Welcome to Summer! I hope you have had a nice last few weeks and anticipate a wonderful next few months as you enjoy all that Summer provides.

I just want to remind you to join us for our play dates. We have had two so far and will have four more. If you want/need an outting, we have them planned, so please come along and join in the fun. You can bring a friend along if you would like. The more the merrier!

Also, I will be adding posts hopefully once a week with notes of encouragement or whatever is on my heart. Please feel free to dialogue with me in the process. If you aren't sure how to do it, email me or Kristin Caldwell and we can help. :)

Love to you!
Sara

Welcome to the Calvary Community MOPS Blog!

We are excited to launch our new MOPS blog! Check here for current schedules, event pictures, MOPS news and heartfelt sharing.

Notice the sidebars. That is where you will find summer play date info (date, time and location). That is also the place that you will find meeting information as we get closer to the start of MOPS in the Fall.

If you are interested in contributing to the blog or have MOPS photos that you would be willing to share please contact Kristin.

In the meantime, enjoy a few pictures from our wrap up MOPS meeting.

photo by Jackie Weber

Photo by Jackie Weber

Photo by Amanda McMahan

Photo by Amanda McMahan

Photo by Amanda McMahan

Photo by Amanda McMahan

Photo by Amanda McMahan