2011 has been an amazing year for LakeNormanMommies! Our vibrant community covers all of Lake Norman, from Huntersville to Statesville and Denver to Davidson, and is over 1,500 members strong. We came together this year to support one another online as well as in person. Our calendar was buzzing with events this year and our forums were busier than ever.

Our philosophy is that no one should have to pay a fee to make a friend, so we offer free membership to any mother within the community who wishes to join. Members gain camaraderie and support through an online forum that is available 24 hours a day and events around the area where mothers can meet face-to-face and develop real friendships that can last a lifetime. In 2011, we celebrated our fifth birthday and hosted the best Trunk or Treat event in our history. The LakeNormanMommies leadership team organized more than 300 events for our members' children and families, approximately 100 mommies-only events, and close to 80 special events for members of our private support groups.

We believe that, working together, mothers can change the world - one family, one neighborhood, one community at a time. LakeNormanMommies is a connecting force, helping us each to make a difference in our own lives, in our families and in the places we call home. Our forums currently host over 6,000 active topics ranging from generalized support and discussion about household and parenting matters to specialized support for single moms, adoption, children with special needs, club 35 mommies, grief support, PPD support, moms on the clock, and more. Together, we laughed, cried, and celebrated all the ups and downs that motherhood has to offer. We supported each other and we reached out into the community to give support to the members of the greater Lake Norman area.

We would like to thank all of our members, volunteers, partners, and sponsors for helping us grow this valuable community. Because of your unwavering support, we are able to plan bigger and better events and programs for the coming year. To learn more about how you can become more involved with our community, please check out our website at www.lakenormanmommies.com or email admin@lakenormanmommies.com.

The LakeNormanMommies calendar is packed with all sorts of events to keep you and your little one(s) busy this week! Please click on an event below for more information or to RSVP.
All Ages Play Date - Time to chat and play. All ages are welcome!
Toddlers Explore - Come explore some fun-filled activities that will stimulate your toddler's senses. Ages 2-3.

Submitted by: Jks

The LakeNormanMommies calendar is packed with all sorts of events to keep you and your little one(s) busy this week! Please click on an event below for more information or to RSVP.
Looking for other ways to keep busy this week? Check out the Events and Happenings forum for information about events in the community!

Whether you are curled up by the fire with cookies and cocoa or trying to tune out on a long plane ride on your way home for the holidays, there is nothing better than a good book to help you relax! The LakeNormanMommies Book Club is the perfect excuse to slow down and take some time for yourself while still tickling your brain cells this holiday season. Here are our upcoming titles so you can get a jump on your reading list for 2012!

Water for Elephants: A Novel
by Sara Gruen
As a young man, Jacob Jankowski was tossed by fate onto a rickety train that was home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. It was the early part of the great Depression, and for Jacob, now ninety, the circus world he remembers was both his salvation and a living hell. A veterinary student just shy of a degree, he was put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It was there that he met Marlena, the beautiful equestrian star married to August, the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. And he met Rosie, an untrainable elephant who was the great gray hope for this third-rate traveling show. The bond that grew among this unlikely trio was one of love and trust, and, ultimately, it was their only hope for survival.
-- Publisher's description

The LakeNormanMommies Book Club will meet January 26 to discuss this selection. Click here for more details and to RSVP.

Hunger Games
by Suzanne Collins
In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before -- and survival.
-- Publisher's description

The LakeNormanMommies Book Club will meet February 29 to discuss this selection. Click here for more details and to RSVP.

We are looking for ideas for future Book Club dates for the spring! What book would you nominate for Book Club and why? Tell us about your top titles as well as your thoughts on hosting a Book Club event in our Books, Movies & Other Entertainment forum on LakeNormanMommies.


Happy reading, Mommies!

One of our favorite family activities is reading! The other day, as I sat sifting through the chaos that is my child's library, I noticed that we have a plethora of books about reindeer, snowmen, and Santa and a distinct lack of books about Hanukkah. What to do? What to do! Oh dear, time to make a trip to the bookstore. Gosh, twist my arm, what a sacrifice...NOT! We love bookstores almost as much as we love books. So off we went to one of our favorite places of all time. Alas, upon entering the store, I realized the source of our issue. We are impulse buyers. We buy what we see and all we could see was a sea of books that we already have about reindeer, snowmen, and Santa. Where were the books about Hanukkah? The lovely clerk, helpful as always, was quick to point out that she could order something for us if I could give her a few titles. But what titles did I want to order? Unsure of what would be best, I decided to ask an expert. So off I went to email my child's preschool teacher. Miss Barrie is amazing. Within a day, we had our title suggestions! With this list in hand, we headed back to the bookstore to place our order. Yes, yes, I know that this is the information age and everything is available online, but why sit in front of the computer when you have a chance to get out and play at a train table...er...I mean...browse at a bookstore? Play, browse, and order we did and now, a week later, we are curled up on the couch looking over our new additions for the library. Eight additions to the library, to be exact, the perfect number for this particular holiday. Not that we'll read one per night. We're impulse readers just like we're impulse buyers. If we see it, we have to read it.

Want to know what we're reading? Here is Miss Barrie's list of favorite books for preschoolers who want to learn about Hanukkah...

Biscuit's Hanukkah
by Alyssa Satin Capucilli
illustrated by Pat Schories and Mary O'Keefe
published by HarperCollins
Come along with Biscuit as he makes a beautiful menorah to celebrate Hanukkah. It's a great time for stories, songs, food and friends!
Ages 2-6



Eight Wild Nights: A Family Hanukkah Tale
by Brian P. Cleary
illustrated by David Udovic
published by Kar-Ben
With humor and rhyme, a Jewish family celebrates and survives the eight days of Hanukkah. Every Family will relate to this roller coaster of joys and adventures as an assortment of relatives and friends descend on the household.
Ages 5-10

Hanukkah: A Counting Book in English, Hebrew, and Yiddish
by Emily Sper
published by Scholastic
Readers will learn about Hanukkah, as well as how to count all 8 nights in Hebrew and Yiddish! Pronunciation guides help kids say the words, and die-cuts reveal the candles as they are lit each night. Simple graphics and design elements enrich this holiday offering.
Ages 0+



Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah
by Susan L. Roth
published by Penguin Group
Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah,
come light the menorah . . .
Come and join this lovable family of mice at their Hanukkah party! Everyone will enjoy the festival of lights as they sing, dance the hora, play with dreidels, and eat latkes. And the musical score at the end of the book will help youngsters sing the festive song! Susan L. Roth's colorful collages will entice children—young and old—to celebrate this luminous holiday with their entire family.
Ages 3+

Light the Menorah
by Jannie Ho
published by Penguin Group
Light the menorah and celebrate eight days of fun with this interactive book!

It's time to celebrate Hanukkah! From learning the story of the Macabees to making potato latkes and playing dreidel, kids will love reading along with this fun book. A pull-tab on each page allows children to "light" the candles of the menorah.
Ages 3-5

Light the Lights: A Story About Celebrating Hanukkah and Christmas
by Margaret Moorman
published by Scholastic
Emma's parents come from different cultural backgrounds, so every year they celebrate both Hanukkah and Christmas. During Hanukkah, the family enjoys playing dreidel games, making crispy latkes to eat, and lighting the candles of a menorah each night of the holiday. Then Christmas comes. With her parents and friends, Emma has a joy-filled time making sugar cookies, singing Christmas carols, and lighting the lights on the beautiful tree.
Ages 4+

Lots of Latkes
by Sandy Lanton
illustrated by Vicki Jo Redenbaugh
published by Kar-Ben
When mice eat the sugar, the apples have rotted, and the fish aren't biting, what can Rivka Leah's friends bring to her Hanukkah celebration?
Ages 3-8



Mrs. Greenberg's Messy Hanukkah
by Linda Glaser
illustrated by Nancy Cote
published by Albert Whitman & Company
Though it's the first night of Hanukkah, Rachel's family won't really be celebrating until next week. But Rachel wants to celebrate now, so she comes up wtih a good idea: while her parents do errands, she'll visit her neighbor, Mrs. Greenberg, and they can make latkes together. The two head into Mrs. Greenberg's shiny, tidy kitchen and begin grating the potatoes. But Rachel's gratings slide off the table and onto the floor. Before long, Rachel has dropped an egg, spilled the flour, and dribbled the oil. Mrs. Greenberg is exhausted, Rachel's mom and dad are horrified, and Rachel is afraid she's ruined a friendship by making this terrible mess. She is relieved and delighted to find that Mrs. Greenberg thinks it's a wonderful mess--her house hasn't felt so lived-in in years!
Ages 6-8

-- Submitted by Jenny (jks). Originally posted to her blog, Penguins Happen. 

Video submitted by jks.

The LakeNormanMommies calendar is packed with all sorts of events to keep you and your little one(s) busy this week! Please click on an event below for more information or to RSVP.
K14 Morning Playdate - Coffee and conversation for the mommies while the kids play!

Submitted by: Mseymour

The Howe family kicked off the holiday season last weekend with a trip to Zootastic Park to see the Christmas lights. We drove through the park with the windows down, holiday music playing on the radio, two excited boys (Tyler had a friend with him) in the back seat and a 21-month girl who kept pointing and saying, “What’s that?” Not quite the Rockwell Family but not the Griswold’s either!

"Snoodles" Photo courtesy of MommomG

What's the hottest topic on LakeNormanMommies this holiday season? How to keep the kids on their best behavior! Many of our mommies have had elves adopt their families for the holiday season. These little helpers keep an eye on the kidlets and remind them that they need to be nice to stay off Santa's naughty list.

"Chippy" Photo courtesy of Tracy

The elves are extremely creative when it comes to choosing places to sit and observe the holiday happenings. Some are shy and like to hide in the tree, under a bed, or behind pictures. Others are more outgoing and leave messages on the counter spelled out in cereal or take toy cars for test drives at night.

Each elf is an individual and that is no more apparent than in our what did you name your elf thread in the Mommy Forum. Elves in this area have names such as Alex, Clyde, Zoot, Snowflake, Bobby, Snoodles, Susie, Strawberry, Frisbee, Harry, Squirtle, Mr. Magic (a.k.a, JoJo Mistletoe), Apples, Joey, Shelf, Maize, Jingles (a.k.a., Doogie), Elfie, Brownie, Sammy, Frankie, Fritter, Buddy, Jade, Smurf, JoJo, Belsickle, Nicola, Titus, Tinsel, Elvin, Bellshoes, Spunk, Teacup, Christopher, Scout, Mr. Elf, Santa Hat, Jongle, Andy, Reindeer, Maxi, Isabella, Gilbert, Elvis, Kringle, Phil, Spanky, and Ruddy.

Do you have a special visitor from the North Pole who keeps an eye on your kids? If so, what did you name him/her? Is your elf shy or outgoing? Come share your stories with your fellow mommies!

The LakeNormanMommies calendar is packed with all sorts of events to keep you and your little one(s) busy this week! Please click on an event below for more information or to RSVP.
K16 Cookie Exchange - Bring your kids to play and your cookies to share.
K16/K17 Playgroup - Let's get the little ones together to play.
Trivia Night - Join us for one our most popular Mom's Nights Out activities...Trivia!
Christmas in Birkdale - Enjoy some coffee and holiday lights with the mommies.
PPD Playdate - As always, come as you are! Things like showers, "real" clothes, makeup, and brushed teeth are entirely optional. Check the private forum for more details.
Game Night - Join us for a fun Mom's Night In.
Meet and Greet - Let's get together for an early lunch in Mooresville.
There are no official LakeNormanMommies events on the calendar today. Please check out our Events & Happenings forum for information about other events in the area today.

Submitted by: rmc

Ring in the New Year by reaching moms across the nation!

Women make more than 80 percent of all purchasing decisions and control two thirds of the nation’s disposable income. And moms may have the greatest buying power. What mom doesn’t share the latest trends or personal experiences with a business that has provided products or services for her family or herself?

To help you start the New Year with a bang, The Mommies Network is offering the following:
With all new/renewed sponsorship agreements, your business will receive a complimentary blog feature (advertorial to include logo/product image and 500 words). Prepaid agreements receive a 5 percent discount and a complimentary two months on one sponsorship listing. Sponsors also receive 20 percent off event sponsorships. Offer expires Jan. 31, 2012.

The Mommies Network can help your business reach moms across the nation or in your community. We are a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide a safe, secure, free place for mothers to find support and encouragement from other mothers and to empower them to be better women, parents, and community leaders. Through our online forums, our chapters connect local mothers, enabling them to ask questions, seek support, offer encouragement, find volunteer opportunities, and grow as leaders as they volunteer their time with our site. Our organization provides a valuable service to a portion of the population that is nearly always overlooked, overworked, and taken for granted: moms!

For more details on how your business can ring in the New Year with moms across the nation, please contact Jessica Van Dyke at Jessica.VanDyke@TheMommiesNetwork.org.

How are you reaching the greatest buying power in our nation?

When a mommy delivers a new baby or adopts a child, what does she need more than anything? FOOD! So, her friends in the LakeNormanMommies community gather together to feed her and her family! This is called "Storking."

If you are interested in Storking a mommy, wonderful! If you are a master chef and love to cook, or if you're not much of a chef, but you know how to use the microwave or order take-out, all you have to do is sign up to provide a meal! Whenever an eligible mommy brings home a new baby, and she is ready for meals, an announcement is posted in the Mommy Forum. This is where you sign up to volunteer. Our "Joy of Storking" coordinator will contact you with all the details.

Any member who is active on LakeNormanMommies, as evidenced by at least 250 posts, and has accrued a minimum of five posts over a period of 60 days prior to her due date is eligible for this service. We would love to have met you at some events too -- it is a great way to meet new moms, make friends, and begin building your support group -- but that is not a requirement. We do require that you "pay it forward" - meaning that you participate in storking others before you are storked.

For more information about how to become a Storker or to sign up to be Storked, please click here! Remember...the purpose of LakeNormanMommies is to help build relationships and foster community. Storking is a great way to do this!

The LakeNormanMommies calendar is packed with all sorts of events to keep you and your little one(s) busy this week! Please click on an event below for more information or to RSVP.

The holiday season is upon us and what better way to celebrate than with conversation and cookies? The LakeNormanMommies calendar is full of cookie exchanges this year! Click on a link below to RSVP for one of our many cookie exchanges:
Dec. 9 - MOTC Cookie and Ornament Exchange
Dec. 11 - Club 35 Cookie Exchange
Dec. 11 - Cornelius/Davidson Cookie Exchange
Dec. 12 - K16 Cookie Exchange
Dec. 17 - Denver/Sherrill's Ford/Terrell Cookie Exchange and Playdate
Dec. 18 - K12 Cookie Exchange
This is your chance to show off your favorite recipe, build your recipe collection, and enjoy some quality time with your fellow mommies!

And don't miss some of our other favorite holiday traditions: Santa Comes to LKNM, Storytime with Mrs. Claus, Cocoa with Santa, Christmas in Birkdale.