Mamas’ Weekly Event Round-up

August gets me all panicky about school starting, and how I haven’t maximized the summer or gotten nearly enough done. But August has so much to offer: Produce at its peak at the farmer’s market, the last of the summer concerts, fairs and festivals (except, not this week, sorry! Everybody’s gearing up for the Colorado Scottish Festival next week in Highlands Ranch.), and perfect weather for those final days at the pool. Why can’t I just relax and enjoy August?

This is the last weekend for ye olde Renaissance Festival. Also, Rick Springfield is playing at the Hudson Gardens. So. . . And there’s that huge dinosaur thing down at the Pepsi Center. It’s a smidge pricey (by Casa de Jennifer standards), but really amazing.

Naturally, you should check before you go, just in case anything has changed. Go forth, be adventurous, and enjoy!

Five reasons why everyone (even moms) should be on Twitter…by Julie Marsh

Thanks for Julie Marsh of The Mom Slant for sharing her thoughts about Twitter………..

I’m not what you’d call an early adopter. I got my first cell phone as a safety precaution on my grad school commute through the sketchier parts of SE Washington DC. I joined Facebook in 2007, but deactivated my account shortly afterward and only recently reactivated it. I don’t own an iPhone or a Blackberry. I have accounts with BrightKite and Plurk, but I don’t use them.

I finally jumped on board with Twitter after reading secondhand the JnJ Camp Baby tweets about pelvic floors and vaginal prolapse and hair braiding. More than any other social media platform (besides blogging, of course), I’ve embraced Twitter. It’s so simple, and yet it’s so powerful.

Here’s how I use Twitter – and why everyone (even moms) ought to be using it too:

Say it to my face…book?

I consider myself to be rather in-touch with what’s going on around me. I have over 400 “friends” on my personal Facebook Account. I have a bunch of people that I email, instant message/chat, text, or call on a regular basis. I try to stay on top of what’s going on with my friends, and I try to keep them appraised of the situation here.

I call, text, or email important things to top-priority people, and most everything gets shared on my blog at one point or another. On the flip-side, I’m easy to contact. I recently got a new BlackBerry, and she rarely leaves my side. I check email, Facebook, and Twitter from my phone. MY. PHONE. My, how times have changed!

I have pretty much all the communication bases fully covered.

So, imagine my surprise one day when I discover, purely by a random course of events, that one of our closest friends is engaged.

Engaged!?

Did he tell me in the myriads of text messages we’d had going back and forth the day before? No. Did he tell me in an email? No. Did he tell me in one of the phone conversations we’d had that week? No.

A friend of a friend saw it on our friend’s Facebook relationship status.

Now, for those of you unfamiliar with the intricacies of Facebook, you can set a status that will broadcast to everyone, and you can also plug in information that is static on the site. It just sits there for everyone to see if they go to your page (Name, Hometown, Relationship Status, etc.). THIS is where he announced his engagement.

I couldn’t believe it, and because we are such close friends, I’ve given him unending grief about it, too. (His mom is on Facebook, and he claims to have told her before she saw it on there. I can only hope that’s true.)

“I had to learn this information on Facebook!?” I said to him when he finally called me. “I guess I see where I rank…”

I tried really hard to let this slide, to ignore the tenderness of my feelings, but this isn’t the first time this has happened to me.

This situation conjured up feelings from the not-so-distant past. A bunch of things like this have started happening in my circle of friends, and I’m wondering if this trend is here to stay. For example, I found out via Facebook about the birth of a close friend’s baby. Even though we’d been calling and emailing back and forth before her due-date, she opted not to send out a mass email or give us a call. She chose Facebook as her means of communication, and because I have so many friends to sort through on there, I’d missed the announcement until days had gone by. (In all fairness, it’s not her fault I have so many status updates to sort through.) I wished I would have been told directly so that I could have helped them celebrate sooner. Still, I tried to set my feelings aside and be happy to see pictures of her new little one so quickly.

We all have different “types” of friends, so I can understand finding out some of these things if the personal connection isn’t as strong. For example, I’m “friends” on Facebook with people I haven’t seen in 17 years (or longer!). I wouldn’t expect a phone call or a personal email about something that is happening to them, and vice versa. I enjoy reading Facebook statuses about what’s going on in their world.

Of course there are exceptions to these little rules I have in my head. When my dad was in a car accident last year, I put it out onto Facebook, and the overwhelming response I got from people warmed my heart. Things were happening so quickly, and I was glad to have a quick way to keep people updated.

Just the other day, in fact, one of my friends used her Twitter account to alert us about an accident in her family, and I wasn’t the least bit offended. It was a call of action, so to speak, and we rallied around her.

To me, that’s different. As devastating as an accident is, it’s in a different category than a “monumental event” like a birth, engagement, or death. When I find out something monumental about a close friend at the same time as their mother’s best friend’s daughter? I feel less important.

There. I said it.

All this being said, I think I’ve figured it out. I am just as important as I was before to my friends. People are just excited to announce the news to the whole world in the most efficient way possible. Social Media has become the Great Equalizer amongst the recipients of information. I either need to let go of my old way of seeing things or risk having my feelings hurt again and again.

Have Social Media tools like Facebook changed the face of communication, and/or do any of the old-school rules still apply? Do I need to unlearn all the “rules of communication” that are so ingrained in my psyche? And, more importantly, is there an app. for that? 😉

So, what do you think? How do you prefer to send and receive important information?

MobiStories Virtual Mobile Books, Another Way for Your Child Enjoy Reading!

Recently I purchased an iPhone and discovered that my daughter is fascinated by my phone. She enjoys playing kid-friendly games my iPhone which led me to a search for age appropriate books in the form of an iPhone app.

I found a wonderful website called MobiStories, which are virtual mobile books that can be read on iPhones and computers. The book choices are listed on the website and are broken down into age categories. The books can be downloaded straight to your computer and iPhone or a DVD can be shipped to you.

The website is very kid friendly. My 6 year old daughter was able to watch a short preview of several different books on the MobiStories site. We chose the book she wanted and we downloaded it instantly to my iPhone. Now in addition to playing games on mom’s iPhone, she can read books too! Pretty cool!

I have also purchased a book for my 2 year old son, which has caught his attention and keeps him calm for a few minutes. The app really comes is handy when we are patiently waiting on Mac-n- Cheese at a restaurant! The books have not replaced our cherished bedtime stories but it has given my children another way to enjoy reading!

We are pretty happy with this little discovery. It is amazing how far technology has come since I was a child in the 70’s and 80’s when Atari took over my neighborhood! I figure technology will become a big part of my children’s lives so why not embrace it and enhance their learning experiences along the way!

To find the MobiStories app visit your iTunes Store and search under the Education Category or visit their website.

Have you tried any fun iPhone apps with your children? We’d be interested to here about the iPhone apps they like! Click comment below this post to share.

Surviving the aftermath of Denver’s storm

Allow me to dispel a rumor: I did not cause the horrible storm that ravaged Denver last week.

A few so-called friends have accused me of praying it here so as to wipe out my husband’s pumpkin growing season. For those not in the know, I have been christened “The Pumpkin Widow” because I am married to a man who is obsessed with growing The Great Pumpkin.

Or rather, a man who was obsessed because after Monday’s storm, I am sad to say that The Great Pumpkin is no more.

In my defense, my children and I were 65 miles away sunning ourselves on the deck at Devil’s Thumb Ranch.

Oh wait. The storm occurred at night. I think I just blew my alibi.

When I awoke the morning after, I was greeted with a series of increasingly despondent emails from my husband Jamie who had remained behind for work.

First, a picture of golf-ball-sized hail. Then another of our yard showing the accumulation. The final was the heart-breaker: his completely obliterated pumpkin patch. Hundreds of hours of soil-testing, fertilizer-obsessing that he lovingly documented on his pumpkin blog–gone in just a matter of minutes.

Our home was near the epicenter of the action and our entire yard was destroyed as well. Fortunately, our house was spared from major damage but many of our neighbors were not so lucky. My heart goes out to those who are still dealing with the aftermath.

Calm before the storm

Earlier that day, I had received a jubilant email from him stating that his pumpkin’s circumference was already 30 inches around, just two weeks after pollination. The Great Pumpkin was on the cusp of gaining 30-40 pounds per day and was on track to top 1,000 pounds (200 pounds more than his previous season).

Rest assured, The Great Pumpkin lived and died with greatness. And thus it was: The birth of a storm, the death of a dream.

With a moving obituary like that, you can’t say I wasn’t supportive.

Note: In lieu of flowers, please send pumpkin seeds. 🙂

I took 56 pairs of underwear to California

I haven’t counted how many pairs made the return trip.

If all 56 made it back, it was a rousing success. If one or two are missing, I won’t be sad. I can’t even make if from my boys’ bedroom to the washer without leaving a trail of the tighties and the whities.

If more are missing, I’d like to humbly apologize to hotel housekeepers along the I-80 corridor. You’ve probably encountered worse hotel room stragglers than faded Shrek faces on cotton, however. I bet you have some wild stories to tell.

If we gained any? I’ll be gagging myself with a vintage 1982 spoon.

I find vacationing with seven children to be challenging, especially when the plan was to drive over 2,000 miles over the course of 12 days. I started mentally packing for the trip months in advance. It kept me up at night.

So this is how Marco Polo felt when he looked at all that pasta and firecrackers.

My plan for the vacation was to pack a suitcase for each of the first eight days of the trip. After that point, I’d have access to a washing machine and dryer. It would be fine. By that point in the trip, I was going to be sick of having fun and freedom and would crave the drudgery of stain removal.

I labeled the suitcases: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and so on. The idea was it would be much easier hauling the one Saturday suitcase into the hotel, rather than 9 bags for the kids, my husband, and I. This sounds brilliant, no?

In practice, it was less of a success.

Product Review: Wonder Bumpers

Wonder Bumpers by Go Mama Go Designs are the smart sleep solution and for today’s ultra-modern, designer baby nursery.

“Revolutionizing the baby bedding industry, the Wonder Bumpers’ innovative patent-pending design reduces the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), protects your baby’s head and body, and prevents escape artists from climbing out of their crib.”

Redefining the traditional, flat panel baby crib bumper that ties to the crib railings, the Wonder Bumpers are a set of colorful, reversible, padded panels that individually zip to each vertical crib rail. Unlike most traditional bumpers that have to be removed from the crib when the baby learns to pull (for fear the tot will use them as a stepping stool up and out of the crib), the vertical design of the Wonder Bumpers covers the rail from mattress to top rail, with nothing to stand on. In addition, the wrap around design decreases the space between rails, without blocking the airflow.

Made of 100% cotton and polyester fabrics, the panels are a soft, minky fabric in a solid color on one side, and a colorful print on the other. Organic fabrics are not currently offered. Since the panels are reversible, parents can alternate the solid and print for a fun, vibrant look. Two 24″ panels can zip together for wider than average crib rails.

Available in set of 24 bumpers (starting at $99), 38 bumpers (starting at $159), or in a full kit that includes a coordinating swaddle blanket, dust ruffle and crib sheet ($179-$239). Additional panels are sold in two packs, as well as coordinating toddler blankets and pillows.

Our Experience: We received the 24 pack set with sheet, ruffle, and swaddler in a fun turquoise and aqua polka dot pattern that reversed to the luxurious solid white minky. It took 37 minutes to zip 24 rails on our crib. Our crib has 42 rails (instead of 24 or 38 like the sets come in), so we would need to buy two smaller sets, or one larger set plus 2 additional 2-packs to cover every rail. We opted to alternate one white, one dot, one without to. The crib looked amazing, especially with the vibrant colors offset against our son’s black crib. Our two year old noticed the colorful pattern right away, and wanted in the crib.

The crib sheet, while super soft to the touch, fit our standard edition BRU mattress loosely, and ruffle was a low thread count, simple white dust ruffle with aqua trim.

The packaging said machine wash, however there was a sticker on the vinyl bag with directions to hand wash. The mixed messaging was a bit frustrating, but fortunately, you can unzip and wash only the rails that need washing, rather than all of them at once.

The Wonder Bumpers are innovative, safe, easy to put on and take off, and really make the nursery sparkle. It’s a hefty price tag to invest, but rest assured the money is well spent since you will use the rails for the life of the crib and possibly a second child, rather than for only a few months as you would traditional tie-on panels. We can’t wait to decorate the nursery for the new-baby-on-the-way with Wonder Bumpers!

This review was written by one of our Mile High Mama Product Reviewers, Robin M.

Do you have a product you would like to be considered for review? Contact our assistant editor JoAnn Rasmussen, JoAnn@milehighmamas.com.

Mamas’ Weekly Event Round Up

Four words: Colorado Dragon Boat Festival. Head over to Sloan’s Lake and find out what all the fuss is about.

The Central City Opera House offers its family matinee program on Tuesday of this week. Take the kids for a mid-week field trip to see Rinaldo, enjoy the mountains, and get a little culture.

Also, don’t forget that this weekend is Sam’s Mom Heather’s Courage Classic Ride. If you need an incentive to go to Copper Mountain and cheer Sams’s Mom on, Copper is offering free chair lift rides on the American Eagle lift. That’s pretty cool. Please note, that doesn’t apply if you’re one of those crazies who hauls their bike up to the top, only to scream down the hill inside of five minutes. That’s called “skiing,” and it’s a winter sport. In addition to the sweet chair lift deal, Copper is offering bargains on lodging. So, again, I say: “Go. Support Heather. Donate money, cheer her on, feel better about yourself for having done so, and reward yourself with a fun weekend at Copper Mountain.”

Or, donate to Summits for Sam, stay in Denver, and do all sorts of other fun things. See below.

Summer Concerts
Friday, July 24
9:30 am – 10:15 am: Summer Entertainment Series at Clement Park, Clement Park (South Pierce and West Bowles), Littleton. Take the kids out to Clement Park for the morning and enjoy the world percussion performance of Istari.

Noon – 1:30 pm: Noon Tunes, 1300 Block of Pearl, Boulder. This series runs through August 14. Leave it to Boulder to plan a party for lunch time. This week, head out and enjoy Finders and Youngberg.

6:00 pm – 8:00 pm: Concerts on the Square at the Orchard, Orchard Town Center, 14697 Delaware Street, Westminster. Head up north to enjoy this new addition to our list. This week, Tidal Wave performs.

6:00 pm – 8:00 pm: Sounds of Southlands, Southlands Shopping District, E-470 and Smoky Hill Road. Another new addition! This week, Wendy Woo serenades denizens of the southeastern suburbs. A note: Pets are welcome at this venue. Well-behaved pets, that is.

Saturday, July 25
6:30 pm – 8:00 pm: Bear Creek Lake Park Summer Concert, 15600 West Morrison Road, Lakewood (Morrison Road and C-470, roughly). Head out to the lawn by the swim beach at Bear Creek Lake Park for a summer concert with the Tropical Coyotes. The concert is free with $5 admission to the park (or, just plain free if you’ve got a park pass).

7:00 pm: The Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Sweetwater Park, Lone Tree, Denver. The CSO performs an All-American program down in Lone Tree to cap off its free summer concert series.

7:00 pm – 8:30 pm: Summer Entertainment Series at Clement Park, Clement Park (South Pierce and West Bowles), Littleton. Celtic rockers the Indulgers perform tonight.

Sunday, July 26
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm: City Park Jazz, at the Bandstand at City Park Pavilion. This popular series runs Sundays through August 9. Park for free at the Zoo or the Museum, then take the shuttle to the bandstand. Free bike parking is also available. This week it’s everybody’s favorite summer band, Chris Daniels and the Kings.

Tuesday, July 28
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm: Concerts at the Crescent, Crescent Ampitheater, DTC Boulevard and Belleview (just east of Yia Yia’s Euro Café) in the Denver Tech Center. This new addition to our list features fun concerts in a nice little area down south. Bring your own food, but leave Fido at home. This week, pretend you’re at the beach with Tidal Wave. Think Jimmy Buffett, the Beach Boys, reggae, etc.

Wednesday, July 29
6:30 pm: Northglenn Summer Concert Series, E.B. Rains, Jr. Memorial Park, 11701 Community Center Drive (across from City Hall), Northglenn. Northglenn’s World Beat series ends this week, with a final performance by Onda. In case of inclement weather, head across the street to the D.L. Parsons Theater.

6:30 pm: (doors open at 6:00 pm Swallow Hill’s Shady Grove Picnic Series at Four Mile Historic Park, 715 Forest Street, Denver. This week: Wendy Woo and Rob Drabkin. Tickets are $10/adults, $2 kids 12 and under.

7:00 pm: Lakewood Summer Concert Series, 801 South Yarrow Street in the Lakewood Heritage Center, Lakewood. Tickets for most of these shows are $6.00 the day of the show (a little less if purchased in advance), or buy a season ticket package for $37.80 for all six shows. Food and beverages available for purchase. Bring your own chairs or blanket. This week, it’s Sons of the San Joaquin. I don’t think we’re talking that crazy new rapper we saw on David Letterman a while back.

7:00 pm – 8:00 pm: Littleton Historic Museum Concert Series, 303-795-3950, 6028 S. Gallup St., Littleton. This week: John Chandler and the Wichitones.

7:00 pm – 9:00 pm: Bands on the Bricks, 1300 Block of Pearl, Boulder. This one runs through August 12—catch a different band every Wednesday night. This week it’s The Legendary Nikators. And if you’ve been in Colorado long enough, you might know them by their original name. Which I can’t print here, because this is a family blog.

Thursday, July 30
6:30 pm – 8:00 pm:Highlands Ranch Summer Concert Series.Thursdays, through July (except July 2), at Highland Heritage Park, 9651 South Quebec, Highlands Ranch. Under a Blood Red Sky closes out this Highlands Ranch series. As you may have guessed, they’re a U2 tribute band.

6:30 pm: Sounds of Summer, CityCenter Englewood Ampitheater, 1000 Englewood Parkway (at the base of the light rail station). This week, get your jazz fix with the After Midnight Jazz Band.

6:30 pm – 8:00 pm: Banks in Harmony Summer Concert Series, Meadwood Park, 3054 S. Laredo Street, Avenue, Aurora. Runs through August 6th, and concessions are available. This week, Western Flyer performs.

7:00 pm: City of Thornton’s Summer Concert Series. Runs Thursdays through August 6. This week, enjoy Lionel Young at Cherrywood Park, 138th Place and Madison Street, Thornton.

7:00 pm – 8:30 pm: Westminster Summer Concert Series, Westminster City Park, 105th Ave. and Sheridan Boulevard, Westminster. Quemando performs this week. Series runs through August 6.

Summer Movie Programs
Friday, July 24, dusk: Movies at Founders’ Green, Founders Green Park, 29th Avenue and Roslyn Street, Stapleton. This week, get all the excitement you can handle with Journey to the Center of the Earth in 3-D. One of my favorite movies for the 6 – 10 year-old set.

Tuesday, July 28, 7:00 pm: Film on the Rocks, Red Rocks Ampitheater, Morrison. This week’s film is Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade with musical guest World’s Largest Music Lesson. I will confess now my love for all things Indiana Jones. He is to me what Star Wars is to my husband. We’re geeks that way. Tickets are $10 general admission if purchased in advance, $12 at the door; parking is free. Not familiar with the Film on the Rocks series? In short: Live music at the world’s greatest venue, followed by a movie. Best idea ever. Check the website for the complete schedule.

Tuesday, July 28, 10:00 am Summer Movie Clubhouse at the Century 16 in BelMar, 440 S. Teller Street, Lakewood. Tuesdays through August 4, the Century 16 in BelMar offers a different PG or G rated movie for the kids. 10-packs for all 10 movies are available at the beginning of the season for $5, but now it’s pay as you go for a buck a show. This week’s movie is Rugrats in Paris.

Tuesday, July 28 and Wednesday, July 29, 10:00 am: Regal Free Family Film Festival, West Village Stadium, 14225 West Colfax; Greenwood Plaza 12, 8151 E Arapahoe Road; Park Meadows 12, 9355 Park Meadows Drive; Continental 10, 3635 S Monaco Pkwy. Free movies for the family; movies vary by location, so check the website for complete listings.

Wednesday, July 29, 7:00 pm: Ghostbusters, 11000 Colorado Boulevard, at the Thornton Multipurpose Fields. Venue opens at 7:00 pm, movie starts around dusk. Concessions are available.

Wednesday, July 29 and Thursday, July 30, 10:00 am: Kerasotes Free Summer Movie Program, Old Town 14 in Arvada, Chinese 16 at Arapahoe Crossing in Aurora, Southlands 16 in Aurora, Castle Rock 12, Cherry Creek 8, Bowles Crossing 12 in Littleton, and 20 Mile Village 10 in Parker. Doors open at 9:00 am, and seating is on a first come-first serve basis. Series runs through August 6. This week’s film: Hotel for Dogs.

Monday – Friday, 9:45 am: Harkins Kid Summer Movie Program, Northfield Theater, 8300 E 49th Avenue. This movie program runs through August 1st; movies cost $2.00. Adults must be accompanied by a child. Check the website for complete details and movie listings specific to this program.

Happenings and Other Fun Things to Do
Friday, July 24, 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm: Louisville Downtown Street Faire, Steinbaugh Pavilion, 824 Front Street, downtown Louisville. Live music begins around 6:00. Now that Louisville is all “We’re the greatest,” you can rest assured that the Faire is the place to be on Friday night. Food and drinks, vendors, artisans, and stuff for the kids, in addition to the aforementioned live music. . . this is one snappy little to-do. Catch it every Friday through August 14.

Saturday, July 25, 10:00 am – 6:00 pm, and Sunday, July 26, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm: Colorado Dragon Boat Festival, Sloan’s Lake Park on the east side, at 23rd and Stuart, Denver. Dragon Boat races, exhibits, and a full-on festival. Check the website for complete details, including how to get there and where to park when you do get there.

Saturday, July 25 – Sunday, July 26: Buffalo Bill Days, various locations throughout Golden; check the website for details. Buffalo Bill days continues, with festivities on Friday beginning at 5:00 at Parfet Park (10th and Washington), including live music, activities for the kids, and plenty of fun. Over the weekend, don’t miss the parade, a wild west show, mutton bustin’, a car show, and all sorts of other fun activities. A great excuse to get out to Golden.

Wednesdays in July (beginning July 1), 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm: Firehouse Kitchen at the Denver Firefighters Museum, 1325 Tremont Place, Denver. This program is designed to teach kitchen safety, but you get to enjoy firehouse treats at the same time. We all know what great chefs those firefighters are! Take your favorite fire engine fanatic for a little afternoon getaway. $5 per class, or $15 for the 4 week session.

Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, now through August 28, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm: Tebo Train Rides on the Pearl Street Mall, Boulder. Let your little ones (10 and younger, please) hop on the train and get a little tour of the Pearl Street Mall—two whole blocks of it. Adults can ride with their child. Catch the train at the Wells Fargo Bank in the 1200 block of the Pearl Street Mall.

Theater and Music
Tuesday, July 28, 2:00 pm: Handel’s Rinaldo at the Central City Opera House, 124 Eureka Street, Central City. The Central City Opera is offering family matinees at bargain prices: $10 for children 6 – 18, and $15 for adults. These special performances (the first was last week, unfortunately) feature young up-and-coming talent taking the stage. A great way to introduce your child to the opera! The Central City Opera also offers a “Take Your Child to the Opera” option, which includes lunch, a tour of the Opera House, and the opportunity to meet one of the young artists. Check the website for details, or call 303-292-6700 for more information.

Tuesday, July 28, 7:00 pm: KidStage Family Night, CityCenter Englewood Amphitheater, 1000 Englewood Parkway (at the base of the Light Rail Station Bridge, next to the Civic Center), Englewood. Tuesday nights in July, Englewood offers special programming just for kids and their families. This week, be amazed by ventriloquist Wayne Francis and his sidekick Wing Nut.

July 1 – August 15: Colorado Shakespeare Festival, 914 Broadway (on the University of Boulder Campus), Boulder. Get a little culture this summer with one of the best Shakespeare Festivals around. Performances of the great works of the Bard (along with one or two others) run at various times. Check the website for specifics.

Through August 22: Cinderella, Mexican Style at the Denver Puppet Theater, 3156 West 38th Avenue, Denver. 303-458-6446. A charming little twist on a popular tale. Check out the Denver Puppet Theater this summer; tickets are inexpensive ($6.00!), and shows are appropriate for children 3 years and older.

Thursday, July 30 (and every Thursday night during the summer): Music on the Streets in Old Town Arvada, Old Wadsworth and Grandview Avenue. Stroll through Old Town Arvada as live music plays. A lovely way to spend a warm spring evening.

Through September 5: Annie at Boulder’s Dinner Theatre, 5501 Arapahoe Avenue, Boulder. The Broadway musical you love. . . with dinner! Special matinees added for families, so you can bring the little ones and you can all leave singing “It’s a hard knock life. . .” Check the website for show times and ticket prices.

Farmers’ (and other) Markets

Sweet William Market, Founders Green in Stapleton, 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. This summer market runs the last Saturday of the month through September. All the cool kids will be there.

The Farmers’ Markets have been rearranged by region, to improve your shopping experience.

Central:

Saturday, 8:00 am – 1:00 pm. Cherry Creek Fresh Market, 1st Avenue and University (in the Bed, Bath, and Beyond parking lot), Denver. www.coloradofreshmarkets.com

Sunday, 8:30 am – 12:30 pm: Stapleton, 29th and Roslyn, Denver. www.coloradofreshmarkets.com.

Sunday, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm. Old South Pearl Street Farmers’ Market, 1500 Block of South Pearl Street, Denver.

Sunday, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm. City Park Esplanade Fresh Market, East Colfax Avenue and Columbine Street, Denver. www.coloradofreshmarkets.com.

Tuesday, 11:00 am – 2:00 pm: Denver Civic Center Outdoor Market and Café, Colfax and Broadway, Denver. www.coloradofreshmarkets.com.

Wednesday, 9:00 am – 1:00. Cherry Creek Fresh Market, 1st Avenue and University (in the Bed, Bath, and Beyond parking lot), Denver. www.coloradofreshmarkets.com.

South:

Saturday, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm. Highlands Ranch Farmers’ Market, Highlands Ranch Town Center, 9288 Dorchester Street, Highlands Ranch. www.denverfarmersmarket.com

Monday, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm. Tamarac Square, Tamarac and Hampden, Denver. www.denverfarmersmarket.com.

North:

Saturday, 8:00 am – 1:00 pm. Northfield Stapelton, Northfield Stapleton Shopping Center, I-70 and Quebec. www.laughingdogfarms.net

Saturday, 8:00 am – 2:00 pm. Boulder Farmer’s Market, Downtown Boulder on 13th Street between Canyon and Arapahoe 303-910-2236.

Sunday, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm. Orchards Farmers’ Market, 144th Avenue and I-25. www.laughingdogfarms.net

Northwest:

Thursday, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm. 4260 Wadsworth Boulevard, Wheat Ridge. www.denverfarmersmarket.com.

Southwest:

Saturday, 8:00 am – 2:00 pm. Metro Denver Farmers’ Market, Southwest Plaza SE Parking Lot, Wadsworth and Bowles, Littleton. www.denverfarmersmarket.com.

Wednesday, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm. Aspen Grove, 7301 South Santa Fe, Littleton. www.denverfarmersmarket.com

East:
Tuesday, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm. Aurora Farmers’ Market, 333 N. Havana, in the Maya Sports Bar and Grill parking lot. www.denverfarmersmarket.com

Southeast:

Saturday, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm. Lone Tree, Yosemite and Maximus. www.laughingdogfarms.net.

Saturday, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm. Southlands, E-470 and Smoky Hill Road, in the Southlands Shopping Center, Aurora. www.laughingdogfarms.net. Open Saturdays, 9:00 – 1:00 and Thursdays, 10:00 – 1:00.

Sunday, 8:00 am – 1:00 pm. Parker Farmer’s Market, Northwest corner of Parker and Main Street, in the Crossroads Shopping Center. www.laughingdogfarms.net. Runs through October.

Thursday, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm: Southlands, E-470 and Smoky Hill Road, in the Southlands Shopping Center, Aurora. www.laughingdogfarms.net.

To be considered for inclusion in our weekly event picks, be sure to email Jennifer at jennifer@milehighmamas.com

Featured Blogger: Jillian Livingston of Is Dis Normal or Dysfunctional

Mile High Mamas would like to share another blogger with you. This time we have Jillian Livingston of Is Dis Normal or Dysfunctional

What is the name of your blog? How did you choose this name?
Is Dis Normal or Dysfunctional
I came up with this title a long time ago as my husband and I were watching our three boys rapping a song to us from our balcony which overlooks the living room. The boys were dressed like a rock and roll band and as they played their air guitars and sang I looked over to my husband and asked him if he thought dis was normal or dysfunctional.

How did you get started blogging?

I have always been a documentarian, filmmaker, writer and an amateur photographer. The day that Madoff was indicted I woke up and smelled the coffee and went to work immediately. I created a website that would hopefully bring in some money to help pay our mortgage for our new dream home in the countryside. My blog is the perfect venue to house my stories, films and photos and my writing is taking off more than I ever could have expected.

What platform do you use? (I.e. Blogger, WordPress, etc.)

I started with GoDaddy.com and switched to WordPress

What do you wish you had known when you started?

After spending endless hours creating my own website, I still do not understand the HTML code. I am not the most technical person I know and I prefer to stay that way.

There are other people that design websites for a living and I probably should have consulted one from the start. I will say though, that through my learning process I took in valuable information about the basics of website building. It is important to be as informed as one possibly can be to track what the designers are doing for you.

I also am grateful that I did not know that I was embarking on the trendiest path online. If I had known how many mommy bloggers were already out there I probably would never have started.

What blogs do you most admire?

Dooce.com
Aspenpost.net
Grist.org

What is your best tip for moms who are new to social media?

Get a great SEO designer and website designer to help you get started. Study other popular blogs and stay clear and focused on your intention.

Metamorphosis

Guest blogger Janalee Card Chmel is co-owner of MA! motherhood with attitude and is a Denver-based freelance writer. She was shocked at the age of 40 to find out she was pregnant. Follow her journey each month.

So, as I have documented well, this baby was a surprise. Now, as the weeks pass, I recognize that a huge part of my initial reaction to the news came from a fear of change. I haven’t once feared that I was capable of mothering a third child. Lord, let me get my hands on this beebee and mother it! I love being a mom!

No, the deepest fears I’ve faced (and continue to face) come from a fear of change.

But the change is happening. It is upon us. And — dare I say it? — it’s rather exciting!

For example, we have to remodel part of our basement to continue shoe-horning this family into this darling-but-tiny home. Our plan is to gut the 1942 bathroom and surrounding area and turn it into a nice bedroom/bathroom for Delaney and Allie and then turn their current room into a nursery again.

In the last week, the gutting has begun. Our second bathroom has been demolished and reduced to rubble. And, now that the first plaster has flown, the floor has been jack-hammered and the fixtures have been tossed, I am so excited! I can’t wait to demolish the rest! I had feared living through the construction. Now I just want it all ripped out! It will soon be the newest spot in our old home and I may even envy my daughters’ space.

The other fear was our car situation. I drive a 2003 Chevy Trailblazer. To be honest, I have always hated that car. The electrical stuff goes out all the time. When we discovered I was pregnant, though, the idea of a