A N E W S L E T T E R F O R M O N T G O M E R Y M O M S A N D T H E I R K I D S I N T H E S Y C A M O R E S C H O O L D I S T R I C T

J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 2

appy New Year and Happy January! An interesting tidbit ... The word January is actually derived from the ancient Etruscan

word "Jauna," meaning door. The first of January was originally dedicated by the ancient Romans to their God of doors and beginnings, Janus. In the present day, January is a time for reflection on the past, and setting our goals for the year to come (or shutting the door on the past and opening the door to our future). I am looking forward to closing the door to 2011 and walking into all the bright promise and exciting experiences that lay ahead in 2012!

Best to all of you in the New Year!Regan VanKerckhove

FOOTPRINTS

2011-2012 Board

PRESIDENT Regan Van Kerckhove

VICE PRESIDENT Laura Phillippi

TREASURER Kristen Laughlin

SECRETARY Ashley Werthaiser

MEMBERSHIP Shannon Weinstein

NEW MEMBER COORDINATORS

Anissa Cundall            Jill Branam

NEW MEMBER RECRUITMENT

Chrissy KoppenhoeferLori Suffield

WEBSITE COORDINATOR

Amanda HughesMousumi Sinha

NEWSLETTER EDITOR

Shannon Gantzer

NEWSLETTER LAYOUT

Christine Katzman

COMMUNITY ENRICHMENT

Jenny Carman

ADVERTISING Erika Groppe

CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES

Gloria LinDebbie Kirby

OUTREACH Maria Hardy

MEETING COORDINATOR

Ann Uhlman

HOSPITALITY COORDINATORS

Christina Britton                                                     Kathy Mercurio                                                               

PLAYGROUPS Ruth Richter

PHILANTHROPY Pam McCallen

MOM'S NIGHT OUT

Rebekah Erck                                                                 April Voellmecke

Page 1 Montgomery Moms Newsletter January 2012

f you have a “buddy,” please remember to check in with her periodically and remind her of upcoming events!

New members: You will be receiving an email soon with details of our next New Member Social. We hope all members who are new this year will join us! Our best recruiters are our current members. Please send any prospective members with questions to Jill Branam or Anissa Cundall.

Welcome New Members

President’s NoteH

I

ur monthly general meetings are a great place

to come and unwind with new and old friends! Each month we gather (generally the first Tuesday of the month) at 7:30 p.m. at Terwilligers Lodge in Dulle Park. You collect a nametag, check out the tables listing the current events of the group, grab a drink and some treats, and then do a little socializing. We will begin our meetings at

7:45 with announcements/business from the Board. Presentations will begin at 8, ending with social time at 8:45. Here are the rest of our meeting dates. JAN. 3—Fitness for the Family in the New Year: Ways to get your family involved and making time to stay fit. Rebekah Erck, certified group fitness instructor.FEB. 7—Hands-On Valentine Cookie Decorating. Ashley Ellis,

former MMom who has her own baking business.MAR. 6—Empowering women to “Find Their Inner Sass” and create their best life possible. Shari Goldsmith, women's life coach and mental health therapist.APR. 3—Game Night: Bring a favorite game to play with the group!MAY 1—End-of-Year Cinco de Mayo party!

General Meetings - First Tuesdays

Page 2 Montgomery Moms Newsletter January 2012

O

Activity 1: Story TimeWhat: Story time at the Waterstone Barnes & Nobles by Fields Ertel Rd.When: Wed., Jan. 4, 10:30 a.m.Where: In the children's books section. Cost: Free.

Activity 2: Indoor PlayWhat: Indoor play at Sharon Woods Visitor CenterWhen: Fri., Jan. 20, 10 a.m.Cost: $2.50 per child. A Hamilton County Parks permit is also required. An annual pass can be purchased for $10 and

comes with a coupon or a one-day park pass may be purchased for $3

For both events, no RSVP is necessary; just show up. If you have trouble finding either place, text or call Gloria Lin.

January Children’s Activities

Page 4 Montgomery Moms Newsletter January 2012

PLAYGROUPSPlaygroups have been formed and should be up and running. If you have any questions with your group and need help, please notify Ruth Richter. Groups were formed based on age and scheduling availability. If there was a scheduling conflict, it is possible someone may not have been placed in a group. If you decide that you would now like to join a group or your availability has changed, please let me know. I can keep a list for new playgroup formations or try to incorporate you into a current playgroup. This is a great way to get to know other moms better, and it is a fun social activity for the kids.

PHILANTHROPYWant to make a positive impact on the elderly? Montgomery Moms are being given the opportunity to volunteer at Twin Lakes Retirement Village. Just once a quarter, for an hour, you’ll push a small cart around full of small goods for the residents to buy. We’ll be in the wing of the center for those people who are temporarily or permanently immobile. You’ll go through a short training & a background check. I’m making up a schedule with your specific availability in mind. This is an easy project and a great way to get your kids involved in interacting with the elderly. Contact Pam McCallen to sign up.

OUTREACH: BABY NEWSCongratulations to Melissa and Mike Moeddel on the birth of their son Nathan Joseph, born on November 5th. He weighed in at 8 pounds 13 oz. and was 20 and ½ inches long. He joins big sister Maya and big brother Will. The family is doing great! Thanks to Sara Bruns, Molly Johnson, and Jill Branam for making the family meals! Please email Maria Hardy if you are expecting a baby, so you can take advantage of this wonderful service!

MOMS’ NIGHT OUTAre you ready to party yourself into shape? That’s exactly what the Zumba® program is all about. It’s an exhilarating, effective, easy-to-follow, Latin-inspired, calorie-burning dance fitness-party™ that’s moving millions of people toward joy and health, so ditch the workout and join the party!!! Come Zumba with us on Jan. 25 at 7 p.m. Cost is $6 per person. Drinks and social time afterwards. Hope to see you all there!!! Location: Five Seasons Family Sports Club Cincinnati, 11790 Snider Rd.

Page 5 Montgomery Moms Newsletter January 2012

Book Club Here are the Book Club selections for the 2011-2012 year with tentative dates. Members are welcome to come to as many or as few as work for them. Also please let Lori know if you are able to host a particular month and/or want to be on the email list. We typically meet at a mom’s house, but the host can determine the location and is welcome to pick any place they would like.

JANUARY 31The Postmistress by Sarah BlakeHost: Anissa Cundall

FEBRUARY 28 Olive Kitterage by Elizabeth StroutHost: To be decided

MARCH 27The Angel of Darkness by Caleb CarrHost: To be decided

APRIL 24The Hunger Games by Suzanne CollinsHost: Lori Suffield

MAYThe Immortal Life of Henrietta Lack by Rebecca SklootHost: To be decided

JANUARY BIRTHDAYS

1/7 Rebekah Erck1/20 Anne Horne

Page 6 Montgomery Moms Newsletter January 2012

Dr. Oz’s Green Drink (as seen on the Dr. Oz show, and boy is this yummy!)Submitted by Pam McCallen

(I cut this recipe in half, as the whole thing is just too much for my blender to handle.)

2 c spinach2 c cucumber1 stalk celery½ inch or teaspoon ginger root1 bunch parsley2 applesjuice of 1 limejuice of ½ lemon

Roasted Butternut Squash and Lentils (from Nutrition Action Magazine) Great warm or cold. To keep the flavor intense, don’t add the dressing until you’re ready to serve.

1 c lentils1 lb butternut squash, cut in ½ inch cubes4 T olive oil2 T Dijon mustard1 T red wine vinegar2 T minced red onion1 t honey½ t saltground black pepper¼ c chopped walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 400. 2. In a large pot, bring the lentils and enough

water to cover by 2” to a boil. Simmer until just tender, 18 to 20 minutes. Drain and return to the pot. Cover and keep warm.

3. Meanwhile, toss the squash in 1 T of the oil. Roast on a rimmed baking sheet till tender, about 15 minutes.

4. Whisk together the mustard, vinegar, onion, honey and remaining 3 T of oil.

5. Gently toss with the lentils and squash. 6. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with

walnuts.

Recipes

Page 7 Montgomery Moms Newsletter January 2012

Open 7 days a week, The Wild Hare Salon in Montgomery was voted “Best Hair Color Salon” by Cincinnati A- List

Magazine. The Wild Hare Salon offers organic choices for hair color, makeup, and skin care, along with standard favorites.

The Wild Hare Salon is offering Montgomery

Moms $10 off your first cut/color

combination or $5 off a shellac manicure.

Hair ~ Skin ~ Nails 9430 Loveland-Madeira Road

791-2133

Spinach Pearl Barley Risotto (from Nutrition Action Magazine)

Want more spinach? Stir it in. Don’t like garlic? Use onion instead. Tired of Parmesan? Try gorgonzola or pecorino.

3 cloves minced garlic2 T olive oil1 c pearl barley3 c milk5 oz baby spinach¼ c diced sun-dried tomatoes½ c dry vermouth or dry white wine3 scallions, sliced½ c grated parmesan cheese

1. In a large, deep skillet, sauté the garlic in the oil until lightly golden, 1 minute.

2. Stir in the barley. 3. Add the milk and bring to a boil. 4. Reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring often,

until the milk is absorbed and the barley is just starting to stick to the skillet, about 20 minutes.

5. Stir in 1 cup of water and continue cooking until the barley is tender, 5 to 10 minutes.

6. Add more water, ½ cup at a time as needed, to keep the risotto moist.

7. Stir in the spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, vermouth, scallions, and ¼ cup of the Parmesan.

8. Serve the remaining ¼ cup of Parmesan on the side to sprinkle on at the table.

Recipes