Daily Deal-Feed It Forward

It’s the giving season and Restaurant.com wants you to give-everyday! From now until Christmas you have the chance to give $10 Restaurant.com gift cards to up to 30 people each day!

Here is what they have to say about their Feed It Forward program:

Through Feed It Forward™, you have the opportunity to give from the heart and enrich the lives of people around you through the gift of meals and memories. Give a free $10 Restaurant.com Gift Certificate to 30 different people, everyday until Christmas. Simply choose whom to give to and we take care of the rest.

Give to family. Give to friends. Give to neighbors. Give to anyone who has touched your life, but most of all, give! Thank you for helping to Feed It Forward™.

Click here to start giving away your 30 $10 Restaurant.com Gift Certificates for the day!

There are over 5,000 restaurants to choose from so everyone should be able to find something they would enjoy!

Great printable coupons for you!

Email me with any great deals you find!

danielle at milehighmamas dot com

Twitter ID: @denvermetromoms

Operation Santa – Tennyson Center for Children

Tennyson Center for Children (www.childabuse.org), one of the Rocky Mountain region’s leading treatment and education centers for abused, neglected and at-risk youth, has launched its annual Operation Santa campaign, which runs through Jan. 1.

Operation Santa is Tennyson Center’s way of giving the spirit of the holidays to the more than 100 children and 70 families served by the 105 year-old agency. The program solicits corporate and individual support from the Denver community to fulfill wish lists for children’s toys and gifts, as well as much-needed items that are essential to the success and healing of the children who receive treatment at Tennyson Center.

“This program provides the children and families served by our Center with a little magic during the holidays,” said Bob Cooper, CEO of Tennyson Center for Children. “Many of our children have never experienced a real holiday season. Through the generous donations of our supporters, we are able to put smiles on their faces. I remember one little youngster kept asking for a new video game, and the sponsor drove to three different stores to find it after extensive searches online. The look upon the child’s face was priceless on Christmas morning – pure joy. It is the commitment from sponsors like this that make the difference for our children and families.”

In 2008, Operation Santa served 107 children and 69 families. As abuse rates rise due to the strain on families during the economic recession, Tennyson Center expects that number to increase to more than 125 children and 75 families this year. The Center is in need of corporate and individual sponsors to help bring the magic of the holidays to all of them.

There are multiple ways to become involved in Operation Santa, including:

Create a Soccer Card of your Child on Your iPhone!

Here is a fun app for the soccer star in your life! Soccer cards SKS is an iPhone app that allows you to create soccer cards of your children or favorite player along with recording and sharing stats and photos. I was able to try out Soccercard SKS iPhone app. Coming from a sports background I really thought this app was very useful and fun! I showed it to my husband who collected baseball cards as a kid and this app really caught his interest. I know he will be using it when our son starts grows into playing sports. I could see dads and sons bonding over this app and high school athletes sharing their stats with each other. Soccercard SKS plans to make more apps for different sports. Sign up on the soccer card sks website to get a notice about when the new sports cards arrive. Personally I am looking forward to an app for softball/baseball cards so my daughter can keep track of her stats!

Benefits of soccercard sks iPhone app……

	Download your player’s photo to create their own card shot – change it as often as you like.
	Keep separate stats for players and goalkeepers.
	Keep your player’s stats at your fingertips, for ease of bragging and argument settling.
	Email stats and playing schedule to friends, family and that guy at work who thinks his kid is the only one who’s ever accomplished anything.
	Create as many cards as you like – there’s no limit!

Dora and Diego Personalized DVD Giveaway

THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED! THANKS TO ALL THAT ENTERED:)

I am very excited about this giveaway brought to you by Kideo. I was sent a Personalized Dora and Diego video for review. It was called Dora, Diego and Me. I have a niece that loves Diego. She even dressed up as Diego for Halloween. You can imagine that her mom was so thrilled with that. I could not wait to get the video in the mail and be able to share it with her.

The video arrived and I invited my little niece over for her television debut. I made sure not to tell her anything about it. I started the video and we began to watch. I can not even begin to tell you the excitement she expressed as she saw herself in the video with Dora and Diego. She was definitely in awe! She kept saying “she did not know how she got in the t.v.”. It was so cute to watch her as she got to do all the activities with Dora and Diego.

The video was just like the actual cartoon. If you have ever seen a Jib Jab cartoon on the computer, it is the same concept. You send in a head shot of your child and they place it into the video. Your child will be transformed into Dora and Diego’s friend. They run alongside both of them in all their adventures. Your child will get such enjoyment as they slide down the zip-line or climb the ladder behind Dora and Diego. They even personalize the video with your child’s name. The only thing that disappointed me as a mom, was it was hard to understand my niece’s name when they said it. I can assure you though that my niece did not mind a bit. She was too busy trying to figure out how she got into the television. LOL This video is designed for ages 2-7. It is sure not to disappoint the kiddo in your life!

If you are looking for a great gift idea for your little Dora or Diego lover; this is it!! It is a unique and fun gift for anytime of the year. Kideo videos have won several parenting and family awards. They also have several other videos available including Spider-Man, Barney and Arthur to name a few. The video’s are priced at $29.95 each. To enter visit here and tell me your’s or your child’s favorite cartoon. The giveaway will end on December 12th. There will be five winners chosen. Be sure to tell your friends about this great giveaway just in time for the holidays.

*I was sent one Kideo DVD for review. I received no other form of compensation for my review. The opinions in this review are mine alone based on the DVD I was sent.

2009 Toy of the Year Award Winners

Disney FamilyFun Magazine Unveils the 18th Annual Toy of the Year (T.O.Y.) Award Winners
Children and Parents Test and Pick Their Favorite Toys of 2009

Disney FamilyFun magazine has announced the winners of the 18th annual Toy of the Year (T.O.Y.) Awards, including those toys that earned a highly coveted spot on the Top 10 list. This year’s #1 toy is Invasion of the Bristlebots from Klutz: an activity kit featuring tiny, careening robots kids assemble from toothbrush heads, then use to race, make art projects with, and more. Also among the top winners are Lego’s Feeding Zoo, a 53-piece Lego set that allows young zookeepers to tame their boredom by creating animal exhibits, the kid-invented RipRider 360˚ from Razor, a steel-frame trike that lets kids “drift” and perform full 360˚degree spins as they cruise around, and Green Toys’ Recycling Truck, a 12-inch-long truck made entirely from recycled plastic milk containers.

The 30 kid-and-parent-approved winners appear in the November 2009 issue of Disney FamilyFun magazine, which hits newsstands October 13, and are available on FamilyFun’s Web site, FamilyFun.com/magazine, where you can watch a video of the Top 10 toys in action.

Hundreds of toys were distributed to families across the country for evaluation by children and their parents. Over the course of several weeks, the enthusiastic Disney FamilyFun Toy Tester Families spent hundreds of hours assembling, playing with, and rating this year’s hopefuls on quality, value, and fun factor. More than 375 toys were assessed to create Disney FamilyFun’s list of the 30 best toys of 2009.

“Disney FamilyFun’s Toy of the Year Awards have become the go-to gift guide for reliably fun toys for children ages three and up,” said Ann Hallock, Editorial Director, Disney FamilyFun. “Because our toys are children- and parent-tested, we are able to provide our readers with a diverse roundup of age-appropriate toys that they will approve of and that their kids will love.”

Weekly Event Round-up: Grand Illumination in Downtown Denver, Breakfast with Santa and More!

Holiday celebrations will be in full swing this weekend. Our weekly event round-up includes some great festivities to get you in the Christmas spirit!

Friday. Denver lights up for the holidays at tonight’s Grand Illumination in Downtown Denver. The sparkles start at Union Station: Before the lights go on at 6:30, visitors can sample treats, listen to a choir, work on a craft project and visit with Dinger Claus — the Rockies’ mascot will be in special holiday uniform. Shortly after, the switch gets flipped on the City and County Building’s classic light display, followed by a “Glow Walk” down the 16th Street Mall with carolers and glow sticks. The event kicks off Downtown Denver’s “Winter in the City” campaign, two months of holiday activities, entertainment and special deals. Entertainment begins at 6 p.m. tonight. Union Station, 17th Street and Wynkoop Street. The countdown at the City and County Building, Bannock Street and Colfax Avenue, begins at 6:45 p.m. Admission is free. Visit winterinthecity.com for more information.

Friday-Sunday. The classic holiday movie “A Christmas Story” gets the stage treatment at the Aurora Fox Theatre, starting tonight. Just like the movie, Jean Shepherd’s adaptation tells the story of young Ralphie Parker and his Christmas quest for a Red Ryder BB gun. The Fox has treats planned for opening weekend, too: Tonight, roast marshmallows and meet Santa after the show. On Saturday, adoptable greyhounds from Friends of Retired Greyhounds will “act” in the show, with meet-and-greets before and after the performances. Sunday is special for seniors, with reduced admission and free hot beverages. The play runs through Dec. 20. 7:30 p.m. Fridays, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays. The Aurora Fox Theatre, 9900 E. Colfax Ave.; 303-739-1970. Tickets are $24 for adults, $20 for students and seniors, $12 for children under age 12. Call to buy tickets in advance.

Saturday. The whole family can chill out and be cool at “Jazz for Kids” at the Children’s Museum of Denver. The Saturday Family Showcase features local bass player and composer Michael Friedman. Friedman’s interactive program includes jazzy reworkings of children’s favorites — feel free to snap and hum along. 11 a.m. Saturday. Children’s Museum of Denver, 2121 Children’s Museum Drive; 303-433-7444. Museum admission is $7.50 for guests age 2 to 59, $5.50 for one-year-olds and seniors age 60 and older. Admission to the concert is an additional $1 per person.

Saturday-Sunday. It’s a slightly strange combination, but it works: The Downtown Aquarium presents its annual “Breakfast with Santa” events starting this weekend. Each breakfast buffet includes visits from Santa Claus and Sharkey, the Aquarium’s mascot. Photos are encouraged, especially if Santa decides to take a dip in the giant fish tank. The event runs Saturdays and Sundays through Dec. 13, and every day Dec. 19-24. Seating begins at 8:30 a.m. Downtown Aquarium, 700 Water St.; 303-561-4450. Breakfast is $14.99 for adults and $7.99 for children ages 3 to 12. Children age 2 and younger are free. Call to make reservations.

Friday. Downtown Littleton hosts its own celebration of holiday lights tonight at the 26th annual Candlelight Walk and Tree Lighting Ceremony. Live entertainment and music will line Main Street in preparation for Santa’s arrival. At 6:30, he’ll make his way down the street on his way to light up the town Christmas tree. Be sure to pack a camera — Santa and his reindeer will be posing for photos. Food and toy drives will be set up as well. 6 p.m. tonight. Historic Downtown LIttleton, Main Street. Admission is free. Free parking is available at Arapahoe Community College, 5900 S. Santa Fe Drive, Littleton. Visit downtownlittleton.com for more information.

-Kathleen St. John

Mile High Mamas’ Annual Happy Thanksgiving Wishes!

“What we’re really talking about is a wonderful day set aside on the fourth Thursday of November when no one diets. I mean, why else would they call it Thanksgiving?”

~Erma Bombeck

Enjoy your Turkey Day (and annual stuffing)!

~The Mamas

Editor’s note: I realize baby Maddie is dressed as a peacock. But you try finding a cute picture of a kid dressed up as a soon-to-be-overstuffed slab of meat.

Entertain Your Guests at the Pepsi Center!

Are you having family, friends & out-of-town guests in this week for Thanksgiving but still finalizing some plans? Well, the Pepsi Center has got exactly what you’re looking for!!

With four games in five nights, they are the hotbed for cool entertainment virtually every night this week! Get your fill of Avalanche and Nuggets games, while you treat your guests to first-class entertainment right here in town. It is a great way to have fun and support your local sports teams!

Here is what the schedule looks like for this week: Enjoy!

Wednesday, November 25 – Avalanche vs. Nashville – Arby’s Faceoff 4-pack

Thursday, November 26 – Happy Thanksgiving!

Friday, November 27 – Nuggets vs. New York – Family Night Tickets

Saturday, November 28 – Avalanche vs. Minnesota – Family Night Package

Sunday, November 29 – Nuggets vs. Minnesota – Guys Night Out Tickets

Hey, Guys Night Out tickets! Now there is a great way to say thanks to our husbands for watching the kids while we go “Day After Thanksgiving Shopping”. Just an idea on a way to barter with them 🙂 HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Santa Express Train..A MUST this Holiday Season!!

I have found the perfect way to share all the joy of Christmas with your little ones this year. Imagine this….. You arrive to a train station lit up with Christmas lights. You go inside to the train depot and buy your tickets to board the Santa Express Train. As you board the train, you are greeted by Santa’s helpers; elves of course! They escort you to your seat and bring you hot chocolate and sugar cookies. You look at your kids dressed in their pajamas. Aren’t they adorable? You watch as their eyes light up at the excitement of the anticipated stop at the “North Pole”!

During the train ride to the “North Pole”, beautiful Christmas music plays. You even get to hear Twas’ the Night Before Christmas played over the speakers. It is just like your child’s own version of “The Polar Express”! Upon reaching the “North Pole”, you find Santa himself waiting to welcome your family. There is an adorable little village with lights all around. Just when you think things could not be any more perfect, Santa boards the train. You listen as Santa talks with your little one and presents them with their own Christmas gift. It is a magical moment for young and old alike! When all is said and done, you get to have your picture made with Santa aboard a train back at the station. This is sure to be a favorite of any young child.

Does this sound like something you would enjoy? Well, then you are in luck. The Royal Gorge Route Railroad offers this experience and more for you and your family. I was able to enjoy this with my family this past weekend. We had the most amazing time together. It is such a magical experience to see your child so excited over the joy of Christmas and Santa Claus. While you are aboard the train, be sure to visit the open air car. It is just beautiful. Don’t forget to bundle up first! This will be a family tradition for my family for years to come.

The Royal Gorge Route Railroad is located in Canon City. It is roughly 45 minutes from Colorado Springs and 2 hours from Denver. I can assure you, it is worth the drive! The Santa Express runs November 27th-December 19th at 6:30 p.m. The train ride is approxiamately 1.5hrs. Tickets are $19 for children 3-12 and $29 for adults. Tickets sell quickly, so be sure to reserve your seats to the “North Pole” today!

As a Mile High Mama, become a Royal Gorge Route Railroad Facebook Fan for the inside track, special deals and contests. All new Mile High Mamas who become a fan by Dec. 15, 2009 will have a chance to win a train ride next summer for a family of four. Be sure to say hi! with a comment on the RGRR fan page so they know you’re a Mile High Mama!

In the meantime, visit https://www.royalgorgeroute.com/content/classesofservice/santa.aspx to book your tickets for Santa Express! Hurry and order now so you won’t miss out on the fun! Be sure to check out the other great train rides they offer throughout the year as well.

*My family was allowed to ride the train in order to be able to do the review. I received no other form of compensation other than the ride for the review.

Daily Deal-Black Friday Deals Part 2

You should be able to get a bang for your buck with some of these prices. Remember that just because it’s on sale for Black Friday doesn’t mean it’s the absolute best price. There are SO many deals so this is just a brief highlight of the Walmart, Target, and Kmart deals that I thought were worth mentioning.

Walmart Doorbusters are from 5am-11am

Electronics:

Emerson 32″ LCD 720p HDTV $248
Magnavox Blu-Ray Disc Player $78
Nintendo DS Lite $98
HP Desk Jet F2430 All in One Printer $25
Rock Band Special Edition X Box 360 or PS3 $50
Kodak CD 82 Digital Camera $69(12MP, 3x zoom)
Phillips 4GB MP3/Video $29
Tom Tom One 125SE GPS $59

Toys:

Hungry Hippos, Connect 4, Battleship, Gator Golf $9
Graco Baby Doll Playset $19-includes stroller, highchair, swing, travel diaper bag, baby monitor, and potty
Mega Bloks 100 pieces $9
HotWheels Trick Track Colossial Stunt World $19
26″ Next Mountain Bike $49
Power Wheels $88

Stocking Stuffers-$5

Games-Life, Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader, various others
Crayola Color Wonder Glitter Coloring Set $5
Bratz Doll
Barbie Princess or Candy Glam
Hot Wheels 10pk

Clothes:

Girls, Boys, Infant, and Toddler Character Sleep Sets $3
Family Fleece $7
Boys, Girls, Infant, and Toddler Graphic Hoodies $3
Track Suits-Boys, Girls, Infant, and Toddler $3-Men and Womens $9
Womens Scarfs $3
Reversible Bubble Jackets for Men, Women, Girls, and Boys $7
4-in-1 Winter Jackets for the whole family $15-great deal!
Winter Boots for the family $7
Mens, Womens, Girls, Boys Jeans $9 plus get a free tee
Infant and Toddler jeans $7 plus get a free tee

Home & Kitchen:

Home 600 Thread Canopy Sheets(full, queen, or king) $24
5 piece Card Table and Chairs $24

All Day Friday Deals:

5Qt Digital Slow Cooker $13
12 cup Digital Coffee Maker $13
2Qt Casserole or 9″ Pie Plate $2
Paula Deen 10 piece cookware $89
Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer $139
Brother Sewing Machine LS 2000 $50
Video Games $7, $10, or $25
DVDs $2, $5, $9
IPod Touch 8GB $195 plus get a $50 iTunes giftcard with purchase

Remember that Walmart will price match any competitors ad for the exact item. Might be a good idea to do one-stop shopping!

Target Doorbusters Start at 5:00am

For every purchase of $100 or more get a $10 Target Gift Card until noon. If you have over $200 worth of stuff in your cart and could split it into 2 $100 transactions, I would recommend it so you get $20 in gift cards instead of $10!

Electronics:

Nikon Cool Pics S203 Digital Camera $88
TomTom with case $97
Memorex Home Audio System for iPod(cd player, AM/FM radio, remote) $49.99
RCA Dual Screen Portable DVD Players $88
Sony Blu-Ray DVD player(1080p full HD) $149.99 plus get a $20 Target Gift Card
Select DVDs $3.99 and $5.99

Toys:

MegaBloks 100 piece $9.99
Graco Interactive Smart Baby Doll with stroller, highchair, playard, travel bag, and changing pad $24.97
Doodle Pro $10
Easy Bake Oven $16.99-I still remember when I got mine! So fun!
Transformers Deluxe Action Figures $7.99
Preschool Games $5
Board Games(Balderdash, SceneIt, Uno Spin) $10
Play-Doh Super Rainbow Pack(24 colors) $6.99
Air Hockey Table $49

Home:

Home 700 thread count sheets $30(queen and king with 4 pillowcases)
Flannel Sheet Sets $13.99(all sizes, various brands)
6-ft Norfolk artificial tree $25
Jewelry Amoire $38
Video Rocker Extreme $29.98
George Foreman Super Jumbo Grill $29
Chef Mate Appliances $3-(toaster, sandwich maker, coffee maker, 1.5qt slow cooker)
Chi Flat Iron Straightner $89.99

Clothing

Mens or Womens Fleece Jackets $15
Girls or Boys Fleece Jackets $10
Infant and Toddler Fleece Jackets $8
Women’s Jersey Scarfs $5
Women’s Reversible Puffer Vest $7.50
Men’s Legendary Gold Jean, Khakis, or Dress Pants $8
Boys Legendary Gold Jeans $6
Men or Womens Graphic Tees $5
Girls, Boys, Infant, and Toddler Graphic Tees $3
Mens Merona Sweater $10
Girls, Boys, Infant, and Toddler Sherpa Lined Hoodies $7
Mens or Womens Sherpa Lined Hoodies $10
Sleep Sets for the kids $5
Men and Women Fleece Sleep Pants $5

I said I would be doing a list for Kmart as well, however I’m not seeing a ton of deals that beat Walmart and Target. So here are a couple I noticed:

Nintendo DSi Bundle $169.99(includes 5 games) plus get a $25 Nintendo Gaming Coupon when you purchase any DSI system.
Craftsman C3 Drill $39.99
Craftsman Wet/Dry 2gal Vac $14.99
WeatherHandler 44 pc Emergency Kit $9.99
Doodle Pro Classic $7.99
Sony Earbuds $4.99
iHome Dock $9.99
Women’s, Kids, and Babies Magic Gloves and Holiday Socks $.99
Attention Wool Peacoat $19.99
Lots of stuff marked at 50% off

Visit Ann Taylor before noon to get 40% off your entire purchase!

Looking at these prices you could really get a lot of stuff for very little. Remember it doesn’t matter what you spend-put some thought into the gifts and love!Over the next two days be sure you plan out your trip if you are going to shop Black Friday. Take note of which items you want the most and put those at the top of your list so you run walk to them first!

Be sure to check out all the other Black Friday ads! Have fun shopping!

Two Rustic Pinecone Lamps shipped to your home for approx. $15

Have Free Gifts Delivered to Your Mailbox!

Email me with any great deals!~Thanks!

danielle at milehighmamas dot com

Twitter ID: @denvermetromoms