Pooler Mothers of PreSchoolers

Open House 2011

2011-08-09T10:42:00.000-07:00

Our 2011 Open House is almost here!

Wednesday, August 24 from 9:30-11:30.

First Presbyterian Church of Pooler

305 HWY 80 SE (near Omlette House)

Pooler, GA 31322

We are excited to see old faces and meet new friends. All mothers with children ages 0-6 are welcome to join Pooler MOPS. Stop by anytime between 9:30-11:30 am to sign up for the new year and secure you spot or just "check us out!". Childcare is not provided at the Open House but you are more than welcome to bring your kids! Invite all of your mom friends!

We have some changes for the 2011-2012 year:

We will meet on the FIRST Wednesday of the month from 9:30am-12noon.

We will have a playdate on the THIRD Wednesday of the month.

Starting in November our group will be meeting at a new location further east on 80.

Fees for the 2011-2012 Pooler MOPS year:

MOPS International Fee- $23.95

Group Fee- $70 (if paid up front), $40 a semester.

Pooler MOPS 2011 School Fair!

2011-01-10T06:29:00.000-08:00

Confirmed Schools for the 2011 MOPS School Fair on Wednesday, February 2nd from 9am-12noon.

-Risen Savior Preschool
-Veritas
-Trinity United Methodist Preschool
-Seventh Day Adventist School
-Effingham Christian Academy
-Maggie's Morning School
-Coastal Montessori
-First Steps Preschool
-West Chatham Elementary
-Pooler Elementary
-Savannah Christian Prep School
-Kicklighter Academy
-Calvary Day School
-Savannah Youth University
-Garrison School of Visual and Performing Arts
-Home School Co-op

MOPS Market 2010

2010-10-24T15:58:00.000-07:00

Our 2nd Annual MOPS Market is almost here!
Saturday, November 6th from 10am-2pm
First Presbyterian Church of Pooler
305 HWY 80 SE

ADMISSION IS FREE!

We have over 20 vendors this year, including:
Classic Kids Clothing

Mary Kay

Blessings Unlimited

Olan Mills Portrait Studio

Babe Sak

Usborne Books

Hairbows 4 Kiddos

Scentsy

Avon

Stella and Dot

Arbonne

Lia Sophia

Buttercup’s Boutique (children’s clothing)

Cozye Pansy (clothing)

Brinna Baby cloth diapers

Renew You Day Spa

G3 Kreations

Chocolate Covered Hushpuppies (children's clothing)

AND Gub Gub's Ice Cream and Coffee!

September 8th is our first meeting!

2010-08-31T18:42:00.000-07:00

We loved meeting the new mamas that made it to our Open House! But we are REALLY looking forward to the new MOPS year! Our first meeting is Wednesday, September 8th at 9:30! If you are not registered yet, no problem! We can't wait to see you!

Pooler MOPS Open House!

2010-08-08T15:19:00.000-07:00

POOLER MOPS OPEN HOUSE

WEDWEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25TH 9:30-11:30 AM

COME ENROLL IN MOMOLOGY:

THE ART AND SCIENCE OF MOTHERING!

Pooler MOPS School Fair!

2010-02-01T15:55:00.000-08:00

We are very excited to be hosting our First School Fair! This is the perfect opportunity for parents to meet representatives from a variety of schools in the Savannah area. From preschools to elementary schools, public, private, religious and homeschool- we have the whole range represented. All are welcome! There is no fee, just stop by between 9:30-11:30 am on Wednesday, February 17th and see what education option is best for your family!

The 2010 School Fair will be at the First Presbyterian Church of Pooler, 305 HWY 80 SE.

Please check back for our growing list of CONFIRMED schools that will have representatives.

CONFIRMED Schools

-Bloomingdale Elementary School

-Carrie Christian, Art Education

-A Class Act Dance Center

-Crossroad Music

-Effingham Christian Academy

-First Christian Academy

-the Home School Co-op

-Maggie's Morning School

-Pooler Elementary School

-Risen Savior Preschool

-Savannah Christian Preparatory School

-Savannah Country Day School

-7th Day Adventist School

-Trinity United Methodist Preschool

-Veritas Academy

-West Chatham Elementary School

See You Next Year!

2009-12-13T18:36:00.000-08:00

We had a great Christmas party this past week and can't wait to see everyone next year! Our first meeting of 2010 will be Wednesday, January 13 at 9:30! We will continue to meet the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month.

Traditions By: Sarah Westcott

2009-11-08T18:43:00.000-08:00

1. Thanksgiving – the kids always made hand-print turkey placecards (you know, trace the shape of your hand on paper and the thumb becomes the face and the other fingers the tail). Each “turkey” got a name and was set up around the table. This was especially important when we used to have 18 or 20 different family members all gathered together for Thanksgiving. Great way to make the kids feel involved, and of course, everyone knew where they were sitting.
2. We always had fruit cocktail to start with at Thanksgiving dinner. I don’t know why, but it was a big deal. In my grandmother’s gorgeous cut-glass fruit-cocktail bowls!
3. Of course, we always watched the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, followed by alternately the great classic Thanksgiving Day movies (Hans Christian Anderson, sometimes King Kong), or football games.
4. We always got to watch the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving special sometime the week before Thanksgiving on TV. It was a big deal, back in the ancient days before VCRs, let alone DVD players and TIVO.

For Christmas, we had lots of traditions leading up to the actual holiday. In the Episcopal church, the Christmas season began on the 1st day of December, or alternately, the 4 Sundays prior to Christmas Day. This is called Advent, and in our tradition, Advent was a big deal. Advent is the arrival, or coming of Christ, and the season of Advent was the time of preparation for the coming of the birth of Christ.
1. We had an advent wreath – an evergreen table wreath that held four candles around the outside circle, and one candle in the center. Each Sunday leading up to Christmas, one more candle was lit, usually at dinner time so we could enjoy the candlelight. It helped mark the time as we got closer to Christmas.
2. We also had an advent calendar. Two in fact. One kind was a disposable kind that you can get in the store, with a picture of some kind and 24 little doors to open, with a picture behind them. As kids, we had such fun searching for each day’s door, and taking turns about which of us could open it and see what was hidden behind the door. Sometimes, the advent calendar had little bits of the Christmas story written behind the doors. Another time, someone gave us advent calendars with chocolate behind each door – that was a treat!
3. Our other advent calendar was a hand-sewn wall calendar in the shape of a tree with hooks on it. On the bottom of the calendar were 24 pockets, with 24 little ornaments hidden in the pockets. Every day, we took one more ornament from that day’s pocket and hung it on the calendar “tree”. Another great and meaningful way to mark the time to Christmas.
4. Our church always had “Lessons and Carols” during Advent, which was a beautiful tradition. We would go on Sunday evening, usually by candlelight, to sing Christmas carols (the traditional, church carols, that is) and usually the choir had special Christmas music as well, and various pieces of the Christmas story, or other scriptures pointing to the birth of Christ, would be interspersed. A great way to learn all the verses to all the Christmas carols.
5. We always set up a crèche, or nativity scene, in our home. My mother had a table top version made of painted porcelain, and we usually set that up at the beginning of Advent as well, as part of our Christmas decorating, as another way to remember the real meaning of Christmas. Sometimes we kept out the Baby Jesus until Christmas Eve, and put him in as part of our Christmas Eve celebration.
6. On Christmas Eve, we always had a formal dinner at home. Usually Roast Beef (rare of course) with Yorkshire pudding and a green vegetable of some kind. Candlelight dinners, grown-up Christmas music. We would always go to church on Christmas Eve. When we were younger, we would go to the early service at 5 or 7 or whenever it was, but once we got a little older, we could go to the 11:00 service, which was always really neat to be allowed to stay up so late. As an adult, I can now imagine how late my parents must have been up after that in the middle of the night wrapping gifts and setting up for the next morning!
7. Before bed on Christmas Eve, we always read aloud The Night Before Christmas, and put out a plate of cookies for Santa Clause. But more importantly, and more meaningfully, even as kids, we always read aloud from Luke Chapter 2, the story of the birth of Jesus, and Matthew chapter 2, the arrival of the wise men. Even as adults, we have kept this tradition and pass it along to our own children. Now, we have included the singing of Christmas carols on Christmas Eve, since our children don’t have as much opportunity to learn them as we did when we were kids.
8. Christmas stockings were a big deal in our family. They were the perfect mix of practical items like new socks and underwear, with fun toys, usually a doll or stuffed animal sticking out of the top, lots of chocolate candy, and the most important two items, the chocolate gold coins and the ripe orange at the bottom of the stocking. Both traditionally signified blessings and prosperity for the new year. And of course, in the era before globalized shipping, an orange in the Christmas stocking represented a true luxury and treat in the middle of winter! Stocking gifts did not all have to fit in the stocking. Frequently there was a pile of “smaller items” surrounding the stocking at the base of the fireplace. These were typically less-expensive items like the lifesaver box, or the pack of socks that just wouldn’t quite fit “in” the stocking, but weren’t really important enough to be a “real” gift. To this day, my favorite part about Christmas gifts is preparing the stockings for my own kids. My husband didn’t really “get it” at first, but he has learned over the years, and has finally mastered the art of properly preparing a Christmas stocking for me too!
9. We always opened all our gifts on Christmas morning – no “one gift on Christmas Eve rule” like some families. We always did the stockings first, often took a break for breakfast, and church, and then finished up afterwards. Frequently, we would then head to my grandparents house to do Christmas #2 with the rest of our extended family, and had another big feast like Thanksgiving and lots of presents. My grandmother only kept a table tree as much as I can remember, but she had one glass ball on the tree with each person’s name, and I can still remember the fun of searching (carefully) the tree to find the special ornament with my name on it. I still have that ornament in my own collection today.
10. Christmas began on Christmas Eve. Everything prior to Christmas day was Advent, or preparation. On Christmas Eve/Day, the Christmas season actually began. Then, following the tradition of “The Twelve Days of Christmas”, we then had 12 days in which to truly celebrate the season. Usually it corresponded with school vacation, and so there always seemed to be lots of parties and activities over that week-plus period. We wouldn’t dream of taking down the Christmas decorations until after Jan. 6. While we didn’t usually get more gifts during that time (except for maybe family and friends we hadn’t seen up until that point) it was still a whole seasonal celebration. Only after 12th night (when we celebrate the Three Wise Men arriving in Bethlehem), did decorations come down and Christmas was officially over.

Pooler MOPS Market Silent Auction Items

2009-11-06T09:38:00.000-08:00

We have hundreds of dollars in donated goods and services!

Buffalo Creek Vacations
2 Night Stay at Bison Overlook Lodge near Asheville, NC. 3 BR/2bath cabin on 65 acre buffalo ranch. Retail value $545

http://www.buffalocreekvacations.com/

Dr. Jay Melvin/Melvin Family Dental
Teeth Whitening Package ($300 retail value)

Erin Salzer Landscape Design:
A custom-designed landscape plan, including site visit, color rendering, planting plan, plant list ready for installation, and one set of revisions. (Retail value $800-$1500)

Savannah Center for Financial Wellness – Sarah Westcott
Gift basket includes a 2 hour coaching session, Dave Ramsey’s The Total Money Makeover, and more. Retail value $300

Baby Gifts 101
Deluxe basket of baby gift items. Retail value $150

The Enchanted Unicorn – Lori Fisher
Carsten's Dinosaur Slumber Bag. Retail value $80

V and Y Designs
Multiple pieces of artisan-crafted jewelry in silver and semi-precious stones.
Retail prices range from $30-$90.

Essential Bodywear, Vicki Teague
½ price bra and complimentary fitting. Gift bag includes a lingerie washing bag and sample wash. Retail value $50.

Scentsy – Sharnell Scheurer:
Gift basket including room spray, car candle and travel tin pack (Value of $16.00)

Pampered Chef – Michelle Husbands:
Gift basket including recipes, cookbook, mini whipper, microfiber towel and $10 gift certificate

Classic Kids – Jenny Boone
Smocked Rosalina Shortall with farm scene in green gingham size 18mo
Retail price $52

Jenny Stinson
Homemade security blanket, Retail value $15

Juice Plus – Beverly Grandison
2 month supply of Fruit and Vegetable Chewable supplements. Retail value: $45

Sunshine Sewing – Sharon Boaen
Casserole Carrier
Retail value $15

Renew You Day Spa
2 gift certificates for 30-minute massages.
Retail value$35 each.

Usborne Books – Naomi Havens
Kid Kit - book and 24 piece train locomotive for kids
Retail value: $16

Premier Designs Jewelry – Elizabeth St. Clair
Cocoa necklace and earrings, with gold plated beads. 15 ½ “ necklace with 2 ½ “ extender with lobster claw closure.
Retail value: necklace $39, earrings $28

One of a Kind Occasion – Kim Zellner
A one-of-a-kind custom scrapbook – just add pictures! Retail value $40.

Genealogy Boutique and Formals
2 gift certificates for store.
Retail value $50/each.

Katie Sharp Photography
45 minute photography session
Retail value: $45

We gratefully thank the MOPS Moms who donated items for our wonderful theme baskets:
Culinary Basket – retail value $75
Movie Night Basket – retail value $45
Christmas Basket – retail value $65
Spa Basket – retail value $80
Chocolate Basket – retail value $45
Creative Memories Basket – retail value $50

ALL Items will have a minimum bid and have the option to "Buy it Now" and you can take it home with you upon payment! Silent Auction will close at 2pm with all payments due within 24 hours. Cash and Check accepted.

Pooler MOPS Market

2009-11-05T17:33:00.000-08:00

Preview of what to see at MOPS Market this Saturday, 10-3 at First Presbyterian Church of Pooler...
Vendors
The Pampered Chef
Usborne Books
The Enchanted Unicorn
Premier Jewelry
Classic Kids
Thirty-One
Mary Kay
Juice Plus
Scentsy
One of a Kind Occasion
V and Y Designs
Crossroads Music School
Miles of Crafts
Noah's Ark Animal Workshop
Baby Gifts 101

October 28th meeting

2009-10-28T19:58:00.001-07:00

Mother-in-law panel! Watch it now!
http://vimeo.com/7316664

October 14th meeting

2009-10-15T10:35:00.000-07:00

In case you missed the October 14th meeting, you can watch the video!

http://vimeo.com/7069380

Fall Events

2009-10-09T18:28:00.000-07:00

We have a very busy fall for our MOPS moms and their families!

Oct 14th and 28th MOPS meetings...bring in an item to add to your DG gift basket for the MOPS Market! Ask your DGL for what theme your table is responsible for!

Oct 16th Ice Cream Social from 6:30-8 pm...bring your whole family and your favorite ice cream topping.

Oct 29th Chik-fil-a Resturant Raid from 5-8pm...bring your family, friends, neighbors, EVERYONE!!!! Pooler MOPS will get a percentage of the sales (if you fill out a card at the entrance!) There will be face painting and balloon animals. Kids can wear non-scary costumes.

Nov 7 MOPS Market from 10 am-3pm...a vendor fair with a silent auction and giveaways! Come, shop all of your favorite home-based businesses under one roof and bid for some great gifts. Get all of your holiday shopping done early, without having to go to the mall and supporting our MOPS group at the same time!

Nov 11 MOPS meeting...Operation Christmas Child boxes will be filled and shipped out! Start collecting small toys to put in the boxes, now!

Pooler MOPPETS Guidelines

2009-08-29T18:49:00.000-07:00

Pooler Moppets Guidelines will be followed in addition to the First Presbyterian Church of Pooler Nursery Policies and Guidelines

- No Child under the age of 6 weeks will be allowed in the nursery

-Children 6 weeks to crawling are encouraged to remain with their mothers, however are permitted in the nursery

-crawlers through 5 years of age are required to attend MOPPETS

-children are to be signed in and out by parent or legal guardian

-children must have MOPPETS registration form filled out and on file with the MOPPETS Coordinator in order to attend

-in the instance that a child comes to MOPPETS without their legal guardian the Caretaker must provide a NOTARIZED permission slip signed by the legal guardian, a $2.00 fee will be implemented, in the event of low staffing, these children will be dismissed from MOPPETS first

-children may be dropped off at 9:15 am and must be picked up by 11:45am

-snacks will be provided

-drinks must be brought and labeled

-diapers will not be provided by MOPPETS

-any special instructions regarding diaper changing will need to be passed on to MOPPETS workers (ie. Cloth diapering)

Open House Pictures Part 2

2009-08-19T15:31:00.000-07:00

Open House Pictures Part 1

2009-08-19T15:25:00.000-07:00

Open House is a Success!

2009-08-19T15:00:00.000-07:00

We had a GREAT Open House! There are now over 40 moms signed up for the coming year! We can't wait to see everyone (even those who have not signed up yet!) at our first meeting, September 9th at 9:30!

MOPS Open House

2009-08-12T19:38:00.000-07:00

OPEN HOUSE

Wednesday, August 19th

Stop by anytime from 9:30-11:30!

We meet at

First Presbyterian Church of Pooler

305 HWY 80

Pooler, GA

Check out our new meeting location, ask questions about our group, talk to other mommies and sign up for the upcoming year! We can't wait to meet you and are excited for "Together on Planet Mom" to start!

***there is no childcare but you can bring your kids! We will have an activity table while you register, etc.

Fees and Dues for the 2009-2010 year

2009-08-08T18:40:00.000-07:00

The first meeting for everyone is FREE!

After your first meeting, all moms need to register with MOPS int. The fee is $23.95 and includes a weekly email, a bimonthly magazine and a great book. This fee is to help MOPS grow all over the world! (none of the money goes to the local groups)

There are two options when paying the dues- pay $5 every meeting or pay $65 for the entire year. We use the money collected from the dues to purchase paper goods, craft materials, expand our group and to pay our MOPPETS workers.

Meetings for the 2009-2010 Year

2009-08-03T11:49:00.000-07:00

Aug 19th- OPEN HOUSE! Drop in anytime from 9:30-11:30 am to see our new location, find out more information and register for the upcoming year!

Sept 9......Life on Planet Mom (overview of MOPS)

Sept 23....Your Mission, if you choose to accept it is...(Family Values and Priorities)

Oct 14...... Co-Pilots (Marital Companionship)

Oct 28..... .Space Invaders?? (Extended Family Relationships)

Nov 11......Giving Back to the Earth (Service projects with kids)

Dec 9........Center of the Universe (Christmas Party)

Jan 13

Jan 27

Feb 10
Feb 24
March 10

March 24

April 28

May 12

Do you have any questions or need more information? Leave a comment! We can't wait to see you!