A Most Successful Playdate

Well, I think it's safe to say that we had a very successful first playdate of the Fall semester! So many moms and tots showed up to play and everyone had a wonderful time. There were people in the pool, the spa, on the trampoline, decorating cookies, painting, coloring and eating (of course!). I hope we have this great of a turn out at every playdate this year as it was wonderful getting to know new friends and their Moppets.

If you missed out, you need not worry - we'll have information for the next playdate soon! Also, please check out the additional events I've added on the right. We have some important stuff on there.

Reminders for the meeting this week:

1) Don't forget to bring pictures of your child to put on the display board!

2) If you'd like to include a family photo in the holiday newsletter, please email them to Saleama at saleamam@yahoo.com. (They do not need to be holiday photos.)

Now sit back, relax, and enjoy the pictures. See you this Friday! (Note: I've omitted full names in order to protect the privacy of everyone.)

Our first guest has arrived!

Chaos on the trampoline.

He's got his lunch!

Our newest Moppet!

Moms just chit chatting...we're so good at that.

Dane's thinking, "I want that."

Cookie time!

Leilla's getting her feet wet in the spa - some relaxation is in the works!

Here are a couple of our token fishies of the day!

"I get the trampoline to myself!"

Look at this beautiful artwork.

That is a HAPPY face.

Mary's a kid magnet:)

Just chillin' with mom.

Nothin' says Fall like an apple tree, right?

She's ready to rock and roll!

This is Mike, one of our trusty lifeguards:)

Time to munch on some greens.

Look at that cookie!

A good start!

The directions said to draw yourself with your favorite animal - she did it perfectly!

Dane's a stacking fiend!

The party was coming to an end...

I'm pooped!

Look at those eyes. She's having a great time!

Jen - the watchful mom at the deep end:)

A Morning with Joyce Penner: Women and Sex

Yes, ladies, you read that right! The 'S' word was the hot topic at PazNaz MOPS this week as Joyce Penner, R.N., M.N., Clinical Nurse Specialist spoke about ways to embrace our sexuality as moms. Using a very informative hand out as a tool, she journeyed through the "8 Penner P's" with us, giving us tools for keeping the connection with our spouses alive. (Click here for a copy of the hand out). She and her husband, Dr. Clifford Penner, have written a number of books and have put out several DVD's dealing with the topic of healthy sexuality. We are so privileged to have been able to hear Joyce speak as she gave us some very helpful insight into such important, yet often overlooked issues in relationships. For more information about Dr. Clifford and Joyce Penner, please visit their website at www.passionatecommitment.com.

In case you missed the meeting, we announced some of the events coming up, as well as some things that you can participate in as part of the MOPS community. Also, make sure to check out the pictures from last week's meeting below. We had such a nice time!

Here are the announcements from Friday:

• If you are interested in being a part of the Holiday Newsletter, please email pictures of your kids or family members with a holiday greeting to Saleama at saleamam@yahoo.com by October 16. This is open to all moms, mentor moms and steering team members.
• If you'd like to feature your business (or a friend's) in our MOPS Newsletter, please contact Saleama by email to give her the information.
• If we have any writers in the group and you have a story to share, please contact Saleama for a featured article in the newsletter!
• The next playdate is on Friday, October 9. You can find more details in the right column of this blog.
• Please join our Paz Naz MOPS Facebook page! We would love to have you join our discussions and share a little bit about yourself. If you need help finding the page, please contact Kristy Roblee at binx18@aol.com.

Thank you so much!

The lovely table decorations start the day off right!

A very full "Bless Me" table!

There really was no shortage of great food.

Joyce Penner and Debbie Wong.

We have a new baby Moppet! Little Mary Bella. Precious!

Our photo board is off to a good start. Don't forget to bring photos of your Moppets next time so we can see their beautiful faces on the board!

PazNaz MOPS Begins!

On September 18, 2009, Paz Naz had it's first MOPS meeting of the 2009-2010 year. It was a morning of reconnecting with old friends, making new ones, eating great food, sharing laughs and making crafts!

Debbie Wong, our director of Paz Naz MOPS, gave a beautiful talk on the seasons of friendship. She offered helpful hints to help us traverse through friendships in different seasons. I think we all needed to hear what Debbie said. It was also a comfort to listen to other moms in our discussion groups as they shared their own experiences. All in all it was a great time of listening, sharing and digesting. Thanks, Debbie!

We hope you'll come back and visit our blog after each MOPS meeting. In case you miss out on a MOPS meeting in the future, we will post pictures, list upcoming play dates, and summarize the content of the talk given by the guest speaker for that week. It's a great way to stay informed about what's going on with our moms.

Thanks again to all the women on our steering team who make all this fun possible! Please make sure to check out our MOPS info to the right. There are links to some helpful sites like the Paz Naz MOPS Newsletter, MOPS International and MOPS Facebook.