Past Meetings

2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004

2010 Meeting Details

January 5
Supporting Your Aging Parents
Many families face the challenges of dealing with aging parents. Attorney Mike Rick will give the group an overview of things to consider - legal documents, financial planning, etc. when dealing with a parent who needs you to become their caregiver.

January 19
How to Find a Good Book
Are you stuck in a reading rut? Do you keep going back to the same author over and over because you don't know what else to read? Or have you stopped reading altogether since having kids? Join us to explore new ways to find new and exciting books to read. We will draw from the knowledge of local librarians and discuss ways to find books that you will enjoy while at the same time widening your choice of topics and authors. Bring your list of your favorite books to share as well!

February 2
Sleep Apnea with Dr. Lauer
According to the National Institutes of Health, 12 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea. Consequences of sleep apnea include high blood pressure, memory problems, weight gain, headaches and poor job performance. In children sleep apnea can delay or reduce growth and brain development, cause behavior problems, and decrease school performance. Join Dr. Lauer of Lauer Family Chiropractic to discuss the multiple variables that can cause sleeping disorders and how to manage these variables to get a better night sleep for you and/or your children.

February 16
Oscar Night with the Movie Club
Moms, come dressed to the nines and walk the red carpet with Movie Club! We're celebrating Oscar night early (82nd Annual Academy Awards is March 7th). Put on that cocktail dress you never get to wear...we're talking high heels, glitz and tons of bling (seriously)! Our party will give you plenty of chances to win door prizes, enter drawings, play movie trivia games if you like, and you can fill out an official Oscar ballot. Come enjoy wine, desserts and fun conversation with other movie lovers! Hope to see you on the red carpet!

March 2
Maximizing the Effectiveness of Your Job Hunting Process
Many stay-at-home moms who haven't held professional paying jobs in awhile are now having to go back to work either due to choice or necessity. Many other moms hold paid jobs outside of their homes and are considering a different job or career. Graham Riley, president of Back-2-Work will tell us what to do to prepare ourselves to re-enter the job market or make a job change. If you haven't conducted a job search in this new economy, are unfamiliar with the current job market, are unclear about how to start your search, have no resume, have multiple copies of your resume, are just plain unhappy with your current resume, are frustrated with the progress you have made or are getting multiple interviews, but no job offers, this presentation is for you!

March 16
Remodeling Motherhood - Money, Marriage & Power
Come and join us for a member-led discussion based on a chapter in the new book, "THIS IS NOT HOW I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE: Remodeling Motherhood to Get the Lives We Want Today" by Kristin Maschka, a long-time member and past Board President of Mothers & More. “Money, Marriage and Power” will help us connect with each other by exploring our experiences with money, marriage and power, and discuss how concepts of “my” money, “his/her” money, and “our” money affect how we all think and act.

April 6
Member Appreciation Night
Join us for a fun night of appetizers and camaraderie! Mothers & More will provide the appetizers. Come out to get to know other members better and enjoy a carefree night of socializing. Watch your emails for more information.

April 20
Healthy Eating for Kids
Shannon Seip from Bean Sprouts, the nation's leading hip and healthy kids' café, will share tips, recipes, and ideas on how to make food fun for even the pickiest of youngsters. The Madison-based co-author of the new kids' cookbook, Bean Appetit, has appeared on Martha Stewart Radio and in Family Fun and Kiwi magazines. She will be available after the meeting to autograph copies of her new book, which will be available this evening for purchase.

May 4
Open House - Love & Logic Speaker Kari Wellhausen
Love and Logic is an approach to raising kids that provides loving support from parents while at the same time expecting kids to be respectful and responsible. What more could a parent want? Parent-child relationships are enhanced, family life becomes less strained, and we have time to enjoy our kids instead of either feeling used by them or being transformed from parent to policeman. Kari Wellhausen, certified Love and Logic facilitator, teacher in the Montessori philosophy and currently an MPS teacher, will present techniques used in Love and Logic Parenting that will help in many areas:

   • • Transition times (i.e. getting ready for school/child care or getting ready for bed)
   • • Dealing with children’s poor decisions
   • • Sassiness and arguing
   • • Tattling

Kari will then invite you to ask her how to use Love and Logic techniques to help resolve a current issue you have with your child(ren). This is a meeting you won't want to miss! Here is the flyer.

May 18
The Power of a Purse
What happens to one mother happens to all mothers. No matter what side of the white picket fence we live on, all our lives are impacted by the injustice of mothers living in poverty and abuse, simply because they have the courage and commitment to care for their children. But through our efforts, we can begin to make meaningful improvements in the lives of mothers. You will learn about ALL mother's unique economic risks, statistics about poverty and abuse and how to empower yourself and others. We are sponsoring the Waukesha Women's Center by providing them with purses to distribute to the mothers who are their clients. And while purses alone will not pull mothers out of poverty, it will give them an emotional boost, a shot of confidence and the sense that there are other mothers who care about their well-being.

June 1, 2010
Touch and Go!
This is a "hands on" meeting! Barb Schaich, a certified massage therapist, will teach us proper massage techniques to use so you can give your spouse, significant other, friend, or child a massage. She'll focus on the upper and lower back and the neck - areas where a lot of us carry our stress. You'll also learn the benefits of massage and if you'd like, you will get a chance to practice what you've learned on another participant while Barb provides feedback on your technique. Bring a mat or a pillow - this promises to be a relaxing and fun evening for everyone!

June 15, 2010
Body Sense
How long has it been since you gave yourself a time and space to rejuvenate and reconnect with yourself? Well now's the time! Jennifer Van Rossum, Psychotherapist with Cornerstone Counseling Services, will lead us through experiences that will help to increase awareness of the connection between our body, mind and spirit and how it affects our health, happiness, and the ways we cope. Members will get to experience a "snap-shot" of the group BODYSENSE (as seen in Metroparent Magazine), which Jennifer created just for moms, in which you will get to explore your world though art, movement, relaxation, music, group discussion, literature, and much more. You will leave with a refreshed approach to taking care of yourself, managing stress, and maintaining healthy relationships. Bring a mat or comfortable pillows for some floor work, and come comfortably dressed. (For those unable to be on the floor, chairs will be provided).

July 6, 2010
It's So Easy Being Green
Lynne Bisgrove, owner of Little Green Booties, will share her experiences living a more "green" life, as well as her expertise on you how you can lead a greener life. She'll talk about the benefits of going green; recycling -what, where and what to stay away from; safe plastics, safe laundry, safe toys (lead and other toxins), and give us overall good green practices. If you're in the spirit, wear something green and join us as we learn how we can help create and maintain a greener planet. Green treats will be provided!

July 20, 2010
A Taste of Cooking Club
The BEST part of Cooking Club is sampling your own creations! Come prepared to roll up your sleeves and join in the fun as Laura Kwart Moore and the Cooking Club members show us how to prepare (and then sample) cheese and chocolate fondues. The only thing you need to bring is your appetite!

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2009 Meeting Details

January 6
New Internet Technologies
Are you feeling a little behind the times when it comes to internet networking sites, Podcasts, etc? Larry Duer, Digital Information Technologist for the Alverno College Library, will introduce us to websites and information services such as Face Book, RSS Feeds, Flickr, and Twitter. Find out how to get and listen to podcasts and other such things that are mysterious to the technologically challenged!

January 20
State of the Chapter
Let's kick off the New Year by mixing business with fun. A panel of board members will provide a Chapter update, address topics of concern based on member feedback and host a Q&A session. But this meeting isn't all about business! Bring your favorite dish to share and plan to get to know some of your fellow members. We hope you'll join us as we prepare to make 2009 our Chapter's best year yet!

February 3
Valentine Theme - Date Night Ideas/Chocolate Potluck
Has your relationship with your man become mundane after having children? Is it in need of a date tune-up? If so, this meeting is for you. Please join us February 3rd for a fun, relaxing night as we will be discussing date night ideas (just in time for Valentine's Day) that will help you and your man bring some excitement back in your relationship and rediscover each other.

February 17
Finding the right role – Vocational Personalities
Join career counselor Debra Chomicka in an interactive session about the fascinating theory of vocational personality types. You'll learn about your own type and learn how to apply this new self knowledge to your parenting and career roles, maybe even begin a journey into a new career in the future!

March 3
Managing Your Money
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March 17
Defining Movements of Women
Join Kathryn Gilbert, Associate Professor of Dance at Alverno College, to explore the way you move. Women are defined (by themselves and others) by the way they move. This workshop is designed to build awareness of daily movements and how you might be defined by them. It will also affirm movements that aid in promoting positive self-esteem.

April 7
Member Appreciation Night
Join us for a fun night of appetizers and comraderie at T.G.I. Friday's on Bluemound Road in Brookfield. Mothers & More will provide the appetizers. Come out to get to know other members better and enjoy a carefree night of socializing.

April 21
Spring Open House: Pediatric Specialists Answer Your Questions
This spring we have invited a panel of pediatric specialists, including a pediatrician, an allergist, a pediatric opthalmologist, and a pediatric dentist, to answer the questions you have about your children's health and development. Come to learn, socialize, and promote Mothers & More to the community!

May 5
What About ME?! A Mother's Day Special Topic
Have you heard it lately? The small voice inside that says, "What about me?!" Patty Jackson, Life Coach, former school teacher and mother of four will be presenting the seemingly impossible. How to take care of ME and the kids, and the.... and the... As a mother's day gift, Patty will discuss simple ways to make sure we mothers have our needs, desires and fun tank filled along with being there for our family. "When mama's happy---everybody's happy!"

May 19
Gardening with Sally
Join us while our own Sally Mullholland gives us a 101 on gardening. Sally is a UW-Extension certified Master Gardener! She will speak about soil, flowers, herbs, vegetables and her favorite - ROSES.

June 2
Educational Play and Reading Techniques for Toddlers
Join us to learn new reading and playing techniques that will enrich you and your toddler! Susan Maguire will share techniques for playing and reading with young children that will stimulate their minds and yours, improving the quality of the time you spend together. Susan has many years of teaching experience and a master’s degree in early childhood and special education.

June 16
Local Food Panel: Meet the Farmers!
Come learn about the health and economic benefits of eating "local" food – food that is produced within a few hundred miles of your home. Meet local vegetable and beef/dairy farmers and people from the food industry in order to learn about where your food comes from and how it is raised. You can use the information you learn in this meeting to make decisions about what food choices are best for your budget and your health!

July 7
Recharge Your Batteries
For many mothers R-E-S-T is a four-letter word, and moms may feel like needing rest is a sign of weakness. But Mothers & More offers all moms the opportunity to recharge their batteries, so they can feel refreshed and revitalized. Join other moms for a fun and relaxing evening as we connect with each other by talking about how important it is to take time for ourselves. We will also learn simple ways to de-stress and recharge our batteries.

July 21
Safe Kids
Come join other moms and learn important safety tips from Master Lee of JK Lee Martial Arts. This short class will teach parents how to help their kids be safe with smart tips and training that is recommended by law enforcement and martial art schools.

August 4
All Kinds of Minds
Have you noticed how different children learn differently? How do you learn and remember things? Join us this evening to discuss the 8 systems in the brain that interact to accomplish learning and realize how you can use this information to identify your children's weakness and strengths. We will also discuss "learning differences" and how to help your children use their strengths to improve the performance of weaker areas. This discussion will be based on the book "A Mind at a Time" by Dr. Mel Levine. You can also visit www.allkindsofminds.org for free tips and reading.

August 18
Portrait Photography
Do you want to learn how to take better pictures of your children and family? Join us to learn how to take better portrait and candid shots of your children from professional photographer Andrea Warp.

September 1
Fad Diets
Which diets are based on good science and which are wishful thinking, or worse, dangerous to your health? Healther Mernitz, an Assistant Professor at Alverno who specializes in biochemistry and nutrition, will help us evaluate the science behind some of the popular fad diets and weight loss schemes, practice recognizing and evaluating fad diet claims, and discuss strategies for finding accurate information on diet and health.

September 15
Make Your Money Work (for you)
Member Emily Benavente will talk to us about how to make money work, while we relax....

October 6
Breast Cancer Awareness - Decreasing your risk of disease
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. As mothers we have already reduced our risk of developing breast cancer, but there are many other ways to decrease the risk of developing this disease. Come learn about how to prevent and detect breast cancer. Wear pink! Some fun pink products will also be available.

October 20
Game Night
Join us for a fun night of games and laughter! This month we will be having Game Night at St. John Vianney on one of our meeting nights. Just like our regular Game Nights that we have at members' homes, but hopefully we will have so many attendees that we will have several games going simultaneously! Please bring a snack and a fun game (just think: something other than Candy Land!) and Mothers & More will provide the drinks. We hope you can make it!

November 3
Open House - How to Maintain & Strengthen Healthy Relationships (here's the flyer)
Join us for a fun evening and hear guest speaker Kristina Erdmann, Waukesha County Director of thinkmarriage.org, discuss:

* skills to strengthen your relationship while juggling kids, jobs, volunteer activities, and everyday life;
* how to give your marriage a tune-up and keep it enjoyable; and
* ways to improve communication in your relationship and become a strong team together.

November 17
Craft Night
Bring your unfinished crafts or your best new idea and get crafty with Ann-Marie Bergman and craft club. This will be a great night for getting ahead on the scrapbooking or other project without interruptions!

Our meeting sponsor was Bright Horizons at New Berlin. At Bright Horizons Child Care & Early Education Center, our children are young readers, scientists, musicians, artists & explorers who are encouraged to reach their full potential. Through discovery, language-rich experiences, a loving faculty, & friendships that begin in infancy, children who come to Bright Horizons at New Berlin build a strong foundation for a lifetime of learning. We help children to see the world as an invitation to learn, grow, and live fully and prepare them to approach school and academics with skills, confidence, and the drive to succeed. If you are exploring child care and early education options, we extend a warm welcome to you and your family to contact us and learn more about our infant, toddler, preschool, private 4 year-old kindergarten and school-age programs for learning developed by early childhood education experts. We invite you to visit the community page of our website to connect with other parents through our Mom to Mom blog; explore parent resources, information & activities designed for you and your family on our Growing at Bright Horizons site; and hear from experts pertaining to strategies, tips, resources, & news about current parenting issues through our e-family news. Whether you are exploring child care & early education options for your family or not, Bright Horizons offers you a helping hand in your journey into parenthood. We look forward to meeting you! Annmarie LaBonte, Center Director, berl@brighthorizons.com; www.brighthorizons.com/newberlin

Culligan Water (www.culligan.com) donated the water for our meeting.

December 1
A Taste of Wine Club
Join us as our Wine Club SIG hosts a fun night of wine tasting & food! No matter what your experience or taste in wine, throw on some holiday clothes and come out for some adult holiday fun. Bring an appetizer or bottle of wine to share. Any questions, contact Karen Eidem.

Our meeting is sponsored by Hair & Body Solutions Salon & Spa. We are a full service salon & spa committed to our guests to create a relaxing and comfortable environment to slip away to when you are in need of rejuvenation & relaxation. As 1 out of 110 Reken Elite Salons in the USA, we offer a full line for hair care along with amazing spa experiences. Our massage therapists provide health improving relaxation, therapeutic, maternity & sport massages. The esthetic dept specializes in anti-aging & renewing facials. We also recently launched an entire skin care line for teens. We proudly use Dermalogica Skin Care. Our nail dept provides both natural & artificial nail services. Our pedicure thrones will make you feel like "Queen for the Day" with a variety of healing and beneficial pedicures. Visit our website for money saving coupons at www.hairandbodysolutions.com. We would like the opportunity to serve you and we hope you enjoy your experience as much as we enjoy providing it to you! Truly yours in service, Dawn Panfil, owner, and the entire staff at Hair & Body Solutions Salon & Spa located by Target in Moorland Commons Mall in New Berlin.

December 15
Holiday Party - Around the World in One Night
Come celebrate the season with all of the Mothers & More families. We'll share a meal, good company, and there will be plenty of craft tables and other seasonal activities for all the children. Santa is even going to make an appearance to wish everyone Happy Holidays and pose for pictures with those who are interested. Please see your evite for further details. Please contact Erika McClean with any questions.

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2008 Meeting Details

January 1
No meeting tonight

January 15
Financial Fitness
Help us welcome Financial Consultant, Mark Zalewski, as he gives us tips on how to spend and save money in a smart way. Mark is a veteran in the field and is up to date on all the different ways we can invest today to spend in our later, smarter years.

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2007 Meeting Details