Mops Mops Baby!

Today was the first meeting of the 2010-2011 MOPS year! It all feels very strange and final to me this year, as this my last eligible year to attend. Next year my youngest will enter 1st grade and that is the age limit. This is the start of my 5th year attending at Gateway MOPS! Wow, that makes me feel old! It is strange when I sit and remember that first year and the people I encountered briefly that are my closest friends now. In the short time I have known them, several of them have had additional kids and it is strange to think "hey, we met when our kids were still nursing and now they're in kindergarten!" or "I remember when you GOT pregnant with so and so and now they're in preschool". Strange, I tell you. Three years ago was my first year serving on the steering team and that year I did crafts with my super-creative friend, Sheri. That year we introduced the first "make and take meal" as our first creative activity. Our thinking was that if someone was new, going home with a meal for that day would be a great way to get them to come back! =) I am happy to say that it has become a tradition, and this is the third year of doing this for our first meeting. Last year we even did TWO take home meals! Today we made you-bake pizzas! A you-bake place in town gave our craft gal a great deal on the supplies!

Toppings!!

Here is a shot of some gals in the food line, we rotate tables bringing breakfast.

These ladies on stage are our "Mentor Moms". There is one assigned to each table and it is a great guidance for us newer moms trying to wade our way through the sometimes swampy land of motherhood. They are a great support and encouragment to us! Here they are doing a dance with mops.

A blurry pic of my friend Martina, aka: choreographer! lol

I don't feel bad that they had to be made to do this since I was once made to wear sunglasses and do a routine to "MOPS MOPS BABY", new lyrics set to Ice Ice Baby music!

I've said it a million times and I'll say it again... if you want to enjoy some time off while your kids are well cared for, meet moms in the same stage of life as you...look up MOPS !! It is international, so you just click on the link to find a group in your area. Try it out before you pay because each group is a little different and the costs vary by your area as well. Ours is only $5 a meeting but that's because the steering team works REALLY hard at fundraising and getting childcare volunteers that don't need payment. Each group has a different feel and meeting time, but check it out and don't "mother alone"! =) You'll be glad you did!