Scenes from the MOPS Christmas Party

On Monday, December 12th, we spent the evening celebrating Christmas together at MOPS. We had such a fun night of food, fellowship, crafts, games, and plenty of laughter! What a wonderful way to celebrate such special season!

Lindsey kicked the night off with a reading of the Christmas story from Luke. Such a meaningful way to remind us what Christmas is all about!

Then it was time to get our craft on! The mamas from LIFE group could not agree more!

We had 3 craft stations set up. We made homemade bath salts (not the illegal kind, folks! We're a family affair here!) Jen P. loved shaking up her bath salts!

We also made peppermint marshmallow stir sticks to make our hot chocolate and coffee SOOOO yummy! My favorite were our glitter ornaments! Thanks, Heather, for all of the fun crafts! We could even do these at home for our friends and family!

Then it was on to the Ugly Christmas Sweater Contest! And I must say we had a room full of very ugly and tacky Christmas sweaters! Ladies, you outdid yourselves!

Some were just as ugly coming as they were going!

The winning sweater, as modeled by Stacy P., and the winning sweater's owner, Kendra B. in her lovely kitty sweater (meow)!

Now that the winning sweater was declared, it was time for fun and games! Kimberly put together some of the best Christmas Minute-To-Win-It games and we all had fun playing, laughing, and cheering our MOPS mamas on to victory!

Heather, trying to squash the competition! No fair cheating!

Brittany L. and Amanda L. rocking the Merry Christmas Nutstacker game!

Sheree and Robyn working their hardest to get that darned cookie to their mouth! Not as easy as you think!

Almost there!

We hope you all had a wonderful night at our first Heartland MOPS Christmas celebration! We loved every minute of it (some loved it a little TOO much!)

Merry Christmas from your Heartland MOPS steering team! We can't wait to see what 2012 brings to our MOPS group!

Spiced Dough Ornaments

This is a wonderful activity to make with your kids of any age! Toddlers and even teens love making these wonderfully scented ornaments. And they make your house smell SO GOOD! Just make sure that no one mistakes them for gingerbread and eats them! 

Spiced Dough Ornaments

1 cup ground cinnamon

1 Tbsp ground cloves

1 Tbsp ground ginger

1 Tbsp ground nutmeg

1 cup applesauce

2 Tbsp white glue (I used Elmers)

Food coloring (optional)

A few Tbsp flour

Combine the cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg in a mixing bowl.

Add the applesauce and glue.

Mix ingredients thoroughly, using your hands.
Add food coloring, if desired. (I didn't add any).
Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to about 1/4-inch thickness.
Using cookie cutters, cut dough into various shapes.
Make a hole in the top of each ornament using a drinking straw.
Lay the ornaments out flat to dry at room temperature for 3-5 days, turning over often. OR bake for one hour in a 200 degree oven.
When completely dry, attach a ribbon and hang on your tree!

Christmas Party Date Change!

Hey mamas! We have moved the date of the Heartland MOPS Christmas Party to Monday, December 12th. Don't forget your Teen MOPS items! Don't remember what you were bringing? Ask your discussion group leader! Want to volunteer to bring more items? Call Ome at 837-9346. And don't forget to wear your ugliest and tackiest Christmas sweater, vest, shirt, dress, headgear, whatever! The crazier the better! Prizes will be given to the ugliest sweaters!