Parents Night Out

CALLING ALL COD PARENTS! Do you need a night out without the kids? Or do you have some errands you'd like to get done child-free? COD Youth to the rescue!

The COD Youth Group is hosting Parents Night Off regularly on the first Friday of the month. By providing babysitting for church families, the high school kids will be raising money for camp. Although there will be adults present, the high school kids will be doing all the work - playing with your kids!

Babysitting Rates: $5/hour for each child, Max of $30 for a family
Ages: Infants to 10 years old

Next Night: Friday, October 2nd

RSVP to Angela Collett in the church office at 626-914-4646.
Or Via Email at angelacollett@verizon.net
Please bring your child fed or provide a meal/snacks for them.

Please forward this information to other parents.

GUM visits CalPoly's Pumpkin Patch

CalPoly's yearly Pumpkin Patch Festival is October 17th. I've never been, mostly because between Saturday and Sunday they have over 25,000 guests!! WOW.

But this year I learned they take field trip reservations the week before and you can tour the patch and pick your own pumpkin for just $5 dollars. Any size pumpkin. And you can get as many as you like, $5 each.

This year it didn't work out to match up with a Pint-Size Adventure date, so I took a leap of faith and booked for Monday, Oct. 12th at 9am. Would you like to come? I hope you do! You're going to have to let me know so I can fill you in on patch-day details, so if you'd like to come please email me at ke_osborn@hotmail.com.

For more information on the festival click the link above!

Free Museums Tomorrow

The Smithsonium is hosting Free Museum Day tomorrow Saturday, September 25th. To find out more information, to download your free entry pass, and to find out what local museums are participating click here.

Great Scott at the Glendora Public Library

Just wanted to pass on this information! Maybe we'll see you there?!

Great Scott

Table Assignments are out!

Mentor Mom Judy will host: Kara, Korina, Brenda, Breanne, Monica, Amy, Gillian, Sara R, and Steffani.

Mentor Mom Carol will host: Nancy, Salpy, Elizabeth, Lindsay, Shauna, Andrea B., and Melissa

Mentor Mom Tina will host: Tiffany, Michele, Melissa, Karen, Katie M, Janeen, Yvonne, Abra, and Tashina

There's still more room, so join GUM!

Instant Gratification

Somehow this didn't post back in June, so here it is for your reading pleasure!

A friend of mine posted a small experiment she did with the kids in her house recently, called Don't Eat the Marshmallow. She recently was exposed to this video and when the kiddos saw it they decided to try it too. Take a moment and watch this video now.

Fascinating stuff, right? How many of you have already mentally surveyed your cupboards searching for some marshmallows to try this experiment out for yourself. I'll be trying it with my girls later this afternoon, but since I don't have marshmallows on hand I'll be supplementing some other equally enticing treat, but that's not really the point.

Success. Delayed Gratification. Interesting thoughts, right? Those who were able to understand at 4 the benefits of delayed gratification went on to be successful in other areas. In a world revolving around instant gratification, I thought this required a bit more discussion. What isn't instant these days? We have instant entertainment, instant coffee, instant messages, instant food, instant wealth, instant privilege, instant results. We want instant answers to prayer, instant spiritual maturity, instantly happily ever after.

Success isn't built in an instance. Success takes hard work, discipline, goals, and the day to day of working things out. It often is supported by encouragement and comradery. Sometimes this means daily gratification, but it's hardly ever instant.

As parents are we teaching these truths to our children or are we supplying their every need? Am I modeling hard work for them, or do I expect to be handed everything my heart desires? Sometimes creating success means accepting delayed gratification.

And now I'm not quite sure where I was going with this. So I'm leaving it to you, share your thoughts in the comment section.

Challenge: Read the Entire Bible

Yep, that's what I said. Can you do it? Have you ever read the entire bible? I've tried. Several times. I've tried to do it in one year more than once. But a year is a really long time. And by summer or early fall I'm so far behind I practically give up.

But last night my friend (and yours) Melissa said she did it. In 90 days! I'm so proud of her. And astounded. And skeptical I can do it to. But read the bible in a year is on my list of 101 things in 1001 days. Not only is it on my list, but it's #1. It's a big One. So when she said she did it in 90 days, I was super interested.

So this morning I found this: Haven Ministries: The Bible in 90 Days - Reading Schedule. The whole thing broken up into sections over 90 days. Haven Ministries also has a Bible in 90 Days Blog. The blog isn't live, but you can pull up thoughts from Charles Morris and other Haven listeners. It's only about 30 minutes of reading a day. I can do that (right?).

So here it is. (You knew it was coming right?) I'm challenging you to do it with me. Are you up for it? Are you discouraged? Are you skeptical? Me too. That's why we need to do it together. As I write this I'm reminded of Ephesians 4:16. "From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work."

So here's my plan. I thought about starting on October first, that would give us 3 months and we'd be done by New Years. Just in time for new resolutions. But with all those holidays, I'm a bit worried, so although they give you two flex days included in the 90, I'm going to start September 21st. My goal is to be done by New Year's Eve, but I'm going to aim for Christmas Day.

So. What do you think? Are you up for it? I'm hereby challenging you to join me. If you're up for the challenge, let me know. And even if you don't join me on this journey, would you ask me how I'm doing periodically? There's nothing like a little public accountability to help you reach a goal!

Cooking Ideas from Karen

I know, some of you probably just fell out of your chair. Cooking ideas from, ... KAREN? I know as unlikely as that is, I have a great website I wanted to point you all too.

I saw the movie Julie & Julia a few weeks ago, and was totally uninspired, other than the part about doing something everyday and blogging about it. Don't get me wrong it was a fabulous movie, and I've now watched parts of the Julia special they've been running on PBS a few times. I think she was brilliant and wonderful. But I'm not really a cook. I'm just a fake. I can't make an omelet or any of those wonderful french dishes Julie & Julia made. What I do love to cook with is my slow cooker.

I love my slow cooker (fyi - slow cooker is the actual appliance, crockpot is a particular brand of said appliance). I use it about once a week, sometimes more. It's really boosted my self-confidence in the kitchen and I have several recipes our family simply adores. I've even made cake in my slow cooker (and it was delicious too!)

I love this cookbook I found at Murrietta Hot Springs one of the years we had women's retreat there. A few of the above aforementioned recipes come from it. And then I found this blog, A Year of Slow Cooking. The author, now publishing a cookbook having completed her 365 days of slow cooking, spent a year eating dinner from her slow cooker. She tweaked recipes her family only mildly liked until they became family favorites. She tried new things, flavors, courses, etc. And then she blogged about it daily, writing reviews instructions and improvements along the way.

I've recommended these two sources to many a person who asks about my slow cooking recipes, and then it occurred to me today, some of you might enjoy this knowledge too. I hope you do!

And as an added bonus, here's one of our favorite recipes: Apricot Chicken
4 frozen boneless skinless chicken breast pieces
1 bottle of Russian or Catalina dressing
1 packet of dry onion soup mix
1 jar of apricot preserves

Place frozen chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Mix half the bottle of dressing, onion soup mix and half the jar of apricot preserves in a small bowl. Then pour over chicken. Cook on low 6-8 hours or on high 4-6 hours. Serve over warm rice. (Tip: I love Trader Joe's frozen Jasmine rice. It cooks in the microwave in 4 minutes and comes out PERFECT every. single. time. Shout out here to Amy for tipping me off to this fabulous rice years ago!) Add a veggie or salad and dinner is done.

Variations to mix it up: Instead of apricot preserves, mix in one can of whole cranberry sauce. And you've got Cranberry Chicken. Instead of Russian or Catalina use French dressing. Add a little dry basil and thyme (about a teaspoon of each) to the recipe. For a larger crowd I've added more chicken and more dressing and preserves.

Tim Hawkins Video: Food & Corporate Worship

Came across this today and laughed hysterically. So if you're not friends with me on Facebook (in which case you should be!), here it is for your enjoyment. Tim Hawkins has several funny videos on youtube. He has a song about Delilah that's hysterical, as well as "things not to say to your wife". Let us know which video you like the best.

Grandparents Day

Grandparents day is Sunday September 13th. Now I'm not usually all about the made up holidays. Valentine's Day isn't a big affair for Jon and me. And I prefer appreciation for Jon and I as parents be year round, rather than in May and June. Clergy Day and National Children's Day (both celebrated in October) don't rank high for me. BUT occasionally when I remember I like to do a little tiny something on Grandparents Day.

I'm lucky enough to have both Jon's mom and my parents local. I am constantly reminded what a wonderful blessing and treasure this is, and I like to make sure they know they are appreciated beyond the weekly hugs, phone calls, I Love You's and what not. Here's some ideas to help you celebrate.

ABC & 123 Learning has a great link to the history of the holiday.

Cheerios.com has some question ideas for your kids to ask their grandparents in an interview.

AKidsHeart.com has some printable cards and pages along with a several other ideas and activities.

EnchantedLearning.com has Grandmother and Granfather Books for your young readers to put together about their grandparents. (I hope to do these with my girls this week!)

Do you have any plans for Grandparents Day? Do you have any favorite books about how wonderful grandparents are? We'd all like to know...so leave us a comment!

MNO: Ice Cream Social

You are cordially invited to our first Mom's Night Out of the new year of GUM.

What: Ice Cream Sundaes and Girl Talk!

Where: Yvonne's House

851 W. Carroll Ave

Glendora, CA 91741

When: Thursday September 10, 2009

8:00 p.m.

Come and hang out and have a relaxing night!

Just bring your favorite topping (nuts, sprinkles, whipped cream, oreos, butterfinger, M&Ms, be creative!!) Ice cream, chocolate and carmel sauce provided.

Hope to see you there!

Jackson Polluck Art

Here's the info that inspired my gum art which won me the award titled, "what in the world is that?" for which I am very honored. I think I may have forgotten my acceptance speech and would like to take a moment now to thank the appropriate people. I'd like to first thank my mother and father for always encouraging me to try new things. I'd like to thank the countless art teachers I had over the years for giving me direction and teaching. And I'd like to thank Jackson Pollock and Olivia for inspiring me to create this particular pink bubble gum piece.

Jackson Pollock was an American Abstract Expressionist, and you can read more about him here. This is one of my favorites of his: Jackson Pollock, Number 1

Still don't think you've heard of him? Well, if you have this book, Olivia, by Ian Falconer, its likely you've seen some of Jackson Pollock's art already. In the book Olivia and her mother go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. And upon returning home she recreate's some art on her bedroom wall. Beside's Pollock's art, she also sees several other famous pieces, and what I love about this book is that the piece's are printed with description in the back of the book! Fabulous stuff!!

Moving on.

Why not let your little one create their own Pollock? I know what you're thinking. Are you crazy? Turn my kids loose with a canvas and some paint to throw around? I think not. Well you're in luck. Kuddos to you if you're brave enough to allow this in your home, but around here we settle for this website. JacksonPollock.org The mouse becomes a paint brush. Fast movements leave smaller lines, slower movements big splotches. Clicking the mouse will change the color. My kids both love it. Not only is it fun, but it's easy for those little hands to maneuver and create. My two year old is learning to use a mouse and having fun being a big girl getting to play on the computer. But it's not just art for kids. It's great stress relief for grown ups too!

Here's a few tips, and my latest creation. Once you've navigated to the page, maximize your browser windod and hit the F11 key. This will hide the start and navigation bars. Which is helpful so little ones don't navigate away to other places on the internet. Want to save you're little ones masterpiece to print? Just hit the Print Screen key on your keyboard and paste the image into your computers Paint or Word program, then save as a .jpg picture. The fun never ends because each time you load a new range of colors will be used.

Art for kids, and for you! Enjoy!

September Calendar

Here's the September Calendar:
Gum 013