Last Meeting Highlights

February Meeting Highlights: Gender Babble with Sylvia Rubach was a great way to hear about the differences of the opposite sex. Sylvia says to talk to a man you need to sit side by side and they will open up. Don’t confront them head on. She says understanding gender means to improve relationships and learning to negotiate with the other sex. She recommended these books: On a Clear Day You Can See Yourself by Sonya Friedman, You Just Don’t Understand by Debra Tanner and He Says She Says by Lillian Glass. She was pretty humorous.

New Location: Please note that we now have a temporary new location. We are meeting on the same date and time at Highland Elementary School on Livingston Road temporarily through at least March of 2002. We are looking into other locations for a more permanent location.

Future meeting topics: Next Meeting - March 20, 2002 Discipline with Wanda Turner

Future Meetings: April: Sequencing with Kathy V.

May: Open

Refreshment Hostess: March: Kathy K.

April: Open

Clean-up Crew: March: Volunteer needed

April: Open

Upcoming Events

Mom's Night Out: March: March 7 Holly is hostess at Highland House in Highland on M59 & Duck Lake Rd. RSVP to Holly.

April: Nu is hostess Scrapbooking & Unfinished Project Night - Mar. 27 Scrapbooking nights is typically held on the last Wednesday of the month. JJ will host the next scrap booking night at her home on Wednesday, April 24. RSVP JJ.

Mom/Tot Outings - March: March 22 Easter Egg Hunt Nu has volunteered to hostess this event in her back yard. Please bring 12 filled eggs per child and a dish for kids or adults. In the case of rain we will meet instead on March 27th. RSVP to Nu. April: Open

SMART (Seasoned Moms Actually Relaxing Without Kids) - Club Coffee Chat Seasoned moms interested in getting together without kids? Please contact Michelle B. or Adrienne with interest and/or ideas.

Couples nights/outings - 1st Quarter: Hostess - Nu Friday, March 15th. We will be getting together at Nu’s house for a potluck dinner party with cards and games. Bring a dish/dessert to pass and Nu will provide the beverages. PLEASE RSVP to Nu by March 13th.

General Information

Mothers of the Month (MOM) -To nominate those moms who make our chapter special, fill out a nomination slip at the next meeting. February Who? - Ooops we forgot to nominate someone. Well, the nomination box wasn’t out either. How about if you (yes; you reading this newsletter) take a minute to yourself today or tonight and treat yourself to something chocolaty, rich, or flat our bad for you. You’re a great Mom! You deserve the best!

Avon Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk from Ann Arbor to Detroit Two of our former members, Lisa P. and Christine C., are going to raise money and walk, walk, walk, walk, and walk. Good luck, we wish them the best on their philanthropy.

Reminder: Do something special for your Birthday Club/Secret Sister

Co-Leader Volunteer Needed It's that time of year again- the search for a new co-leader for the term running April 1,2002-March 30 2003. Please call Michele if you are interested in taking over her position. In the event that there are no volunteers, we will be asking for anyone who absolutely does not want to co-lead to please call Michele or Adrienne by the March meeting. Those of you who are thinking, "I'll do it if no one else will", or " I want to do it and I could probably find the time", ..., then please let us know because those names will go into a hat and we will draw the new co-leader from the hat. Please consider co-leading and nominate yourself. Thanks.

Newsletter Donations Thank you Linda for the donation. This provides extra funds for our newsletter. Only three donations can be accepted per month since donations cannot outweigh the cost of producing and distributing the newsletter. Contact Michele B. to make a donation or sign up at the next meeting.

Fundraising/Advocacy/Community Outreach Please save your Colasanti receipts and bring them to the meeting; use Kroger bucks whenever you shop at Kroger, and Mothers & More T-shirts are available for purchase, sizes XL(2). They cost $10.

COLDS...Does Zinc really work? *There have been mixed reports on the effectiveness of zinc lozenges for colds. According to Michael Murray, MD, this may be due to the fact that some forms of zinc aren't effective, or that the lozenges don't contain enough zinc. So check the ingredient list before you buy zinc lozenges. The form of zinc that seems to work best is zinc gluconate. Choose a lozenge that contains between 15 to 25 mg. Be sure to take two lozenges at the first sign of a cold, and then on every two hours for the next 12 hours or so. Noise stress *Chronic traffic noise - even at low levels- can cause stress in children and raise their blood pressure, heart rate and level of stress hormones. All of these things could lead to long term Health problems, say researchers. Other research has shown that chronic noise can have negative health consequences for adults as well. Editors note: This might explain why many people like to "get away to the country for a little peace and quiet" now and then. It's the body's way of saying "I need to de-stress". 11 Excellent Stress Reducers 1. Take good care of your body 2.Get regular aerobic exercise 3. Schedule a relaxing activity every day. 4. Keep a journal. 5. Be assertive. 6. Take responsibility for your life 7. Practice good time management 8. Live by your values 9.Set realistic goals and expectations 10. Develop a forgiving attitude. 11. When you feel overwhelmed, remind yourself of all the things you do well. All of these articles have been taken from the MESSA, Nov 2001 newsletter.