Young or old, big or small, who doesn't love a real-life fire truck to climb on and explore?!  Erin MOPS is fortunate to have Captain Paul Trumpore from the Knox Fire Department this Thursday, October 24th from 9:30-11:30am.  While we climb on and through the fire truck, he'll show us firefighter tools and gear and explain new fire safety procedures. Additionally, his team will also be bringing the TWO-STORY FIRE SAFETY HOUSE to provide a hands on educational experience and practice escape procedures! All are welcome and encouraged to join us for this FREE and fun event.  Oh, and rumor has it that there will be all sorts of badge stickers and fire safety souvenirs for kiddos, so bring also neighbors, family, and friends....and your camera!  You won't want to miss this!

Fall is here and your kids are on fall break! Come on out to the Fruit and Berry Patch with us this Thursday (Knox County Fall Break) at 10am for pumpkins, hayrides, cider, and the patch's famous fried pies.  There might even be a small corn maze and goat feeding opportunities.  Bring all the kiddos, some neighbors, and maybe a grandparent or two.  Hope to see you there!

www.thefruitandberrypatch.com

MOPS Thurs, October 10th at 9:30am

Hello Everybodeeeee! (Yes, way too much Grover in my life this days.  I need more adult interaction!)

Whether you are starving to discuss new fall reality T.V. or just looking forward to the yummy food and coffee, please join us for MOPS this Thursday, October 10th.  We will be doing a craft, which I'm sure will be something much cooler than the straw flowers pictured above.  In addition to a craft, we'll have discussion questions that help us to get to know each other more and talk about our "beautifully messy" lives.

As always, all children and visitors are welcome and encouraged to attend...and all visitor with children are especially welcome.

If you would like to contribute to our Operation Christmas Child (OCC) collection efforts, please start saving shoe boxes and bring soap, toothbrushes, and toothpaste. We'll also continue collecting school supplies.

Special thanks to last meeting's wonderful speaker, Heather Cockrum! Thanks to her presentation and suggestions, we can get free and almost free stuff for OCC or our own families! Oh, and in addition to her slides and sample meal plans that she provided, she thought this link might be helpful:
http://www.southernsavers.com/2013/10/publix-gas-gift-card-scenario-idea-get-52-for-14/

See you Thursday! Happy Fall Y'all!

Oh, and don't forget to mark your calendars:
October 17th: MOPS outing to Oakes Farm for all things fall: pick your own pumpkin, hayride, corn maze.  http://www.oakesfarm.com/
October 24th: Captain Paul will be bringing a fire truck and the 2-story fire safety building to our MOPS meeting.  Kids will especially LOVE this...and he'll have fire safety stickers and color books.

Thurs, Sept 26th & Donuts

One week from today, we have our next MOPS meeting and our first speaker of the year!  Heather Cockrum has taught money saving strategies and Dave Ramsey budgeting on UT campus and at churches. She'll be talking about how to start meal planning and couponing without it taking a ton of time or becoming a part time job.  With easy to implement strategies, Heather will show us how to make our dollar go further so that we can splurge when we want.

Speaking of splurging, TODAY (Sept 19th) is Pirate Day at all Krispy Kreme locations.  Any buccaneer who enters KK and tells them to "Walk the Plank" (or any other pirate talk) will get a FREE hot, glazed donut.  If you dare, dress up in full pirate attire (or dress your kid up), and you will be rewarded with a FREE DOZEN.  Since MOPS and donuts are forever married, I thought this was necessary on our blog. :)

Hope to see you and your kiddos September 26th! (And feel free to bring snacks and friends.)

Childcare is provided, so please arrive around 9:15am to get the littles settled and be in our meeting by 9:30am.

Psst...friendly reminder about MOPS dues.

1st Meeting: Thur, Sept 12th at 9:30

New or returning moms, we hope you will join us for our first meeting THIS THURSDAY at 9:30am. We meet at Erin Presbyterian Church near Bearden Hill, and you can park on the side of the building next to the playground.  Even if you were not able to come to the Open House in August, you are welcome and invited to come to MOPS.

At this meeting, we will be welcomed by Reverend Stuart, the pastor at Erin Presbyterian.  We will also be making collage nametags and food is always a part of any MOPS event! (Feel free to bring any snack to share and coffee will be provided.)

We will also begin collecting items for Operation Christmas Child (OCC), our main charity.  This week, we will be collecting any and all school supplies that will be used to fill the OCC boxes.  These items include but are not limited to: pencils, small pads of paper, pens, stickers, rulers, crayons, pencil bags, etc. For more information and details on OCC, please check out their website below. 

 ***We will pack and wrap OCC boxes at our MOPS meeting on November 14th

*** If you can, please try to bring your MOPS dues to this meeting ($30 w/out childcare, $35 w/ childcare)

www.samaritanspurse.org/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/

Thanks for Coming to Open House!

Thanks to all of you who came to the Open House on Thursday!!! (And a special thanks to all of our new and veteran childcare workers!)  It was great to see some new faces and to reconnect with some MOPS moms and kiddos from previous years.  We hope that you will be a part of MOPS this year and join our community of fellowship, support, and encouragement.  

Let's celebrate the "Beautiful Mess" that is motherhood!

First meeting**: September 12th at Erin Presbyterian from 9:30-11:30 (please arrive early if you are putting a kid in childcare)

Hope to see you September 12th even if you couldn't be at Open House!

**We meet the 2nd and 4th Thursday of every month during the school year.

OPEN HOUSE!!!

If you are a mom with a child (or children) age birth to 5 years, please join us for the MOPS OPEN HOUSE ! We will be talking about what MOPS is and generally what we do, and as always, there will be food.  Bring your children, too!  There will be all sorts of kid crafts and activities, and childcare is provided for free.  (However, you are also welcome to keep your little ones by your side.) We have a great year planned with speakers, crafts, Mom Night Outs, and a couple ways to give back to our community.  Hope to see you (and your kids) there! And bring along any other Mamas that you know!

WHO: Any mom with children age birth- 5 years old
WHAT: MOPS Open House
WHEN: Thursday, August 22nd at 10:30 am
WHY: Fun, encouragement, support, laughs, fellowship
WHERE: Erin Presbyterian Church (200 Locket Road, Knoxville 37919)
Park near the playground on the side of the church.