Win a Wii™ Console and Wii Fit Plus™ For Your Family!

I’ll admit it: I have never liked video games. So, when Nintendo contacted me about becoming a Wii Fit™ “Brand Enthusiast” last year I chuckled. Me? Pimp a gaming system?

But then I threw a Wii Fit party. For the first time in my life, I hoola hooped, ski jumped and did yoga without killing myself. And I very quickly became one of the millions of new players enchanted by this innovative and interactive gaming system.

Nintendo recently introduced a fantastic product to get you in shape in the New Year: the Wii Fit Plus. It offers a range of new features and enhancements to help players reinvigorate their workouts, along with exercises and balance games designed to keep them fun. Players will find a new dimension to the Wii Fit experience as they easily set their own customized workout routines or choose 20-, 30- or 40-minute workouts based on how much time they have available. Users will also be able to choose from specialized workout routines that focus on an individual’s personal fitness goals or certain target areas. And with the addition of activities like Skateboarding and Rhythm Kung Fu, players will be using the Wii Balance Board™ accessory in a variety of new and fun ways.

It Wii Fit Plus includes:

* Workouts combine the original Wii Fit activities and selections from 15 new activities and six new strength training and yoga exercises.

* Users can input the amount of time they want to spend on their workouts or select an area for personal improvement, and Wii Fit Plus will suggest a number of diverse activities for them.

* For the first time, users can mix and match which strength and yoga activities they prefer on a given day. The seamless exercise flows make it easier than ever for users to maintain their daily workout routines.

* Users might be asked to run an obstacle course across a series of platforms, zoom across a beach on a Segway® x2 Personal Transporter or flap their arms to help their hilarious chicken-suited characters aim for targets.

* The range of games and customization options will make players want to play every day. They’ll be having so much fun that their workouts will seem to fly by in no time at all.

* Players also can see estimates of calories burned and can even activate a feature that lets them weigh their dogs or cats.

* Wii Fit Plus comes packaged with the Wii Balance Board accessory. For people who already own Wii Fit, the Wii Fit Plus disc will be available for purchase separately.

Mile High Mamas is thrilled to give away a Wii console Wii Fit Plus to one lucky mama! Go here to enter and let us know “How Will You Fit Some Fit In with the Nintendo Wii Fit Plus.” Contest deadline is January 30, 2010. This contest is open to U.S. residents over the age of 18. Winner will be selected at random.

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Weekly Event Round-up: Skating, Honk at the Arvada Center and More!

Saturday-Sunday. It’s the last weekend to catch the Arvada Center’s production of “Honk!”, a lighthearted musical aimed at the whole family. The show is a retelling of Hans Christian Anderson’s “The Ugly Duckling,” with added sly jokes and an updated sensibility. It tells the story of Ugly, a goofy-looking bird who’s the butt of his siblings’ jokes. He winds up on the road, alone — but with his mom in pursuit. By the end, everyone’s learned a little about acceptance, inner beauty and embracing their own weirdness. 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturday, 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Sunday. Arvada Center for the Performing Arts, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada; 720-898-7200. Tickets are $10 each. Buy tickets and find more information at arvadacenter.org.

Daily through Feb. 15. One of the best things about winter is ice skating — it helps make the freezing temperatures worthwhile. Try some urban skating in downtown Boulder at the Ice Rink at One Boulder Plaza. Open every day, even holidays, the rink offers unlimited skating with admission. Lessons and broomball leagues are available, too. On Tuesdays, get a discount on admission and skate rental by bringing a canned food donation. 2-7 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sundays. The Ice Rink at One Boulder Plaza, 1801 13th St., Boulder; 303-209-3722. Admission is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors age 60 and older, $4 for children ages 4 to 12. Kids age 3 and younger are free. Skate rental is available for $3. Visit bouldericerink.com for more details.

Starting Thursday. Outdoor enthusiasts of all ages are welcome at the International Sportsmen’s Exposition at the Colorado Convention Center. A Youth Outdoor Sports Fair will keep the kids busy with free activities, including a catch-and-release fishing pond and an archery range. Meanwhile dozens of exhibitors will be peddling their wares, from adventure vacations to fishing tackle. Between bouts of shopping, take a break with seminars and contests. Noon to 9 p.m. Thursday and Jan. 8, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Jan 9, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 10. Colorado Convention Center, 700 14th St.; 303-228-8000. Tickets are $15 for visitors age 16 and older. Kids age 15 and younger are free with a paid adult.

Daily. Learn all about one of the best winter survival tools, tea, on a tour of the Celestial Seasonings campus. The free tours are offered every day, except major holidays, offering a glimpse of Celestial Seasonings’ production process. Visit the infamous, eye-watering Mint Room, get an eyeful of the factory at work and learn a lot about the homegrown Colorado company. Free tea samples await as well, along with a cafe and gift shop that sells every Celestial Seasonings product. Tours start every hour, on the hour, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays. (The factory is closed for New Year’s Day.) Celestial Seasonings headquarters, 4600 Sleepytime Drive, Boulder; 303-581-1202. Admission is free. Children must be age 5 or older to visit the factory portion of the facility.

-Kathleen St. John

Cutest Kid Photo Contest for December: AMAZING PRIZE TO SKI AND STAY AT KEYSTONE!

CONTEST CLOSED. Stay tuned for details on the winner!

Do you have a cute kid? Well, if you have a kid then of course you do. Every mom thinks her kid is the cutest on the planet. That’s the way it should be of course.

The good news is now your cute kid has the chance to win your family four lift tickets and a one night stay in a 2 bedroom condo in Keystone. Can I get a WOOT WOOT!! All you have to do to enter is submit a picture of your adorable little one doing anything this holiday season. It is that easy! You can even submit more than one photo if you like. I mean some of us have more than just one of the cutest kids in the world:)

This giveaway is good starting anytime February 18th through the end of the season April 12th. Keystone has so many wonderful activities this time of the year just perfect for families. Keystone has Kidtopia festivities going on throughout the season that include Glow Bug Skate Night, NASTAR Family Racing and of course Santa and his Reindeer. The first one starts this next week to celebrate Christmas. The main event you won’t want to miss this upcoming year is The Keystone Kidtopia Festival, February 19th-21st 2010. This festival is designed with your wonderful cute kids in mind. Explore the ultimate Snow Fort at the top of Dercum Mountain, dance to live music in the plaza, ski down the mountain in a glowstick parade, make arts and crafts, go disco tubing and much more. There will be events taking place on and off the mountain, so there is something for everyone.

So what are you still doing here reading this?? Go and enter!! Just click here and upload that winning photo. There is a brief registration process that will take you less than 30 seconds. Contest deadline is January 8, 2010. Good Luck!

*Thank you to Bob Winsett and Leisa Gibson for the use of their photos in this post. A special thanks to Keysone Resorts for providing us with such an amazing giveaway!!

Emmbook for Baby: a Baby Scrapbook for the iPhone

Here is a creative way to share your baby’s picture and more on your iPhone, Emmbook for baby, a scrapbook on the go! This app give the user a convenient way to organize photos, keep track of important activities, events and milestones.

I was supplied with a free promo code to try the Baby Book. I do not have a baby right now, but I did go through the app and review the features. The features include a Diary section where parents can record their baby’s weight/height, feedings, sleep schedule, diaper changes and immunizations and an Events section where parents can record their baby’s firsts, favorites and other important events.

Emmbook was created by two busy parents, Chris McBride and Jennifer Usdan McBride, a husband and wife team who were inspired to create a baby book for the iPhone after their daughter’s birth. I love when new ideas are inspired by the birth of a child! New child, new beginnings, new ideas!

We’ll Be Home For Christmas!

Mile High Mamas will be on hiatus the week following Christmas to spend time with our families. We will still continue to post special events and contests during that time but regular blogging will return on Monday, January 4.

We will also be gearing up for a fabulous kick-off to 2010 with giveaways such as a Wii Console & a Wii Fit Plus, Children’s Museum passes, a ticket to the heralded Chicks Who Click social media conference, a six-month supply of Sara Lee’s healthy and delicious Soft and Smooth products, and ski passes to many of your favorite Colorado resorts!

In the interim, be sure to grab your camera and snap some photographs of your children in action over the winter break. Then, go here to upload your picture. The winner will receive a fabulous ski vacation to Keystone.

Happy Holidays!

Photo taken as Santa did the rounds at Loveland Ski Area.

Weekly Event Round-up: Oliver, Noon Year’s Eve and More!

Saturday-Sunday and Thursday. The Denver Zoo’s Zoo Lights will be extra-special in the coming week, with two parties planned. This weekend the Zoo salutes the first two days of Kwanzaa with two nights of African storytelling and music among the sparkling light displays. Thursday is Zoo Year’s Eve, a family-friendly New Year’s celebration: Along with the lights, enjoy live entertainment and activities leading up to a 9 p.m. countdown to 2010. 5-9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Zoo Year’s Eve, 5-9 p.m. Thursday. The Denver Zoo, 2300 Steele St.; 303-376-4800. Kwanzaa and New Year’s activities are included with Zoo Lights admission: $8 for adults, $4 for children and $6 for seniors. Zoo members save $2 on admission. Children age 2 and younger are free.

Saturday-Sunday. It’s the last weekend to see the Winter WonderLights at the Wildlife Experience before they’re packed up until next year. The holiday display takes visitors down a lighted, sculpture-lined path around the museum, complete with hot cocoa stations. The path leads to Winter WonderVille, a Christmas hamlet with elves, music, live reindeer and Santa and Mrs. Claus. In the theater, the original, animated “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” will be showing, too. 5:30-9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The Wildlife Experience, 10035 S. Peoria St., Parker; 720-488-3300. Admission is $7.95 for adults, $6.95 for seniors and $4.95 for children ages 2 to 12. Children younger than 2 are free.

Saturday-Sunday. Act fast: The Town Hall Arts Center’s production of “Oliver!” ends its run this weekend. Based on Charles Dickens’s “Oliver Twist,” the musical tells the tale of a young orphan boy and his adventures in Victorian London. The show also features famous characters like Fagin and the Artful Dodger, plus some familiar songs: “Consider Yourself” and “Food Glorious Food,” to name a couple. 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sunday. Town Hall Arts Center, 2450 W. Main St., Littleton; 303-794-2787. Tickets are $24-$36 for matinees and the Saturday evening performance, $21-$33 for Sunday night’s show. Student and senior discounts are available. Call to purchase advance tickets.

Thursday, December 31. Little ones get a New Year’s party of their own at Noon Year’s Eve at the Children’s Museum of Denver. The daytime celebration features a countdown and ball drop every hour from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., transforming the museum’s plaza into a miniature Times Square. Each time the ball drops, kids create their own fireworks sounds by jumping on huge sheets of bubble wrap and dancing in a shower of confetti. Inside the museum, live performances, art projects and more keep the fun rolling. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday. Children’s Museum of Denver, 2121 Children’s Museum Drive, 303-433-7444. Admission to outdoor activities is free, general admission applies for indoor events: $7.50 for guests ages 2 to 59, $5.50 for seniors and one-year-olds. Parking is free for museum members and $5 for non-members.

-Kathleen St. John

simplehuman Fingerprint-Proof Rectangular Recycler Review

Don’t you just love finding new products that make your life easier? Well, I do. I am all for anything that helps me to get organized or simplify life. I recently found a website called simplehuman.com. I fell in love with almost every product they offered. I was very excited when I was able to review one of the products from their site. It was the fingerprint-proof rectangular recycler.

This recycling can is perfect for mommies with little kids whose hands leave fingerprints on everything. It is also wonderful for the person who has helping the planet in mind by recycling. The rectangular recycler has two compartments. They are color coded so even a small child can know which side is for trash and which is for recycling. This works well for teaching them early about taking care of the planet through recycling. One side is 16L and the other is 30L, so there is plenty of room for all your trash removal/recycling needs. This recycling can uses standard size trash bags or you can purchase the simplehuman can liners.

The fingerprint-proof rectangular recycler is attractive and comes in fingerprint-proof stainless steel. It is sleek and very space efficient. The design helps it to hug the wall. It has an easy to use foot pedal so you never have to worry about your hands being full with trash. Another unique feature is the Lid shox. Lid shox allows for the lid to shut slowly, so it is smooth and quiet. No slamming here folks! This is so great for those of us with little kids. You never have to worry about little fingers getting smashed. Of course, remember the best part is it is fingerprint-proof. Nothing is worse than having little fingerprints that you have to clean off all the time.

I love simplehuman products! They really do have all kinds of amazing products that fit anyone’s lifestyle and budget. Visit simplehuman.com to see what else you are missing out on. Happy Holidays!

*I received a fingerprint-proof rectangular recycler for review. The opinions expressed in this review are from my experience with this product. This was not a paid review.

Loving our imperfections

When I’m dissatisfied with someone, I can usually trace the feeling to a dissatisfaction with myself.

So, if I could truly love myself, would I more easily love those around me?

I’m critical. Don’t know if I get it from my dad or if I’m hard-wired for it. My dad always wants to make things better — a good trait. But here’s what would happen when I showed him a school project or essay: he’d look at, tell me it was wonderful, and then talk about ways to improve it.

And, at the same time, he’s always been my biggest cheerleader.

My mom, on the other hand, is a supermodel for loving unconditionally. She always acts as if my sisters and I are three of the seven wonders of the world — exactly as we are — in whatever we are doing. Even though she doesn’t give advice, we always find answers to problems when we bring them to her. She just gives the space and confidence to solve our own problems, which we are then empowered to do.

I am fortunate to have had both styles of parental love. But my own style favors my dad’s. As a Critic, self-love has been difficult for me.

Self-love is not encouraged in our culture because we confuse it with self-indulgence. But I believe that unconditional self-love is the foundation for other-love. So what better contribution to humanity can I make than to love myself? Wholly, unconditionally. In this way I will emanate love from my being. I love two people, and they love two people, and they love two people…and so on…

Nintendo and VTech Play Santa to Old and Young Kids!

If you think Nintendo is just for kids, think again!

My family was thrilled to teach residents at Harvard Square Retirement Community how to play the new Super Mario Bros.™ Wii. Nintendo organized this memorable event that gave Denver seniors, their children, their grandchildren and their friends an unforgettable hands-on introduction to the year’s hottest game title. My 3- and 5-year-old showed the residents the ropes at this cross-generational event where the seniors were given Mario™ and Luigi™ branded T-shirts to wear as their families cheered them on.

The game is the latest in Nintendo’s popular Super Mario Bros. game series, which has sold more than 222 million games worldwide since premiering in 1986.

A special thanks to Nintendo for throwing this fun party that brought new meaning to “Granny Get Your Game On.”

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Kudos to VTech Toys for stepping in to help area children! The company worked with Mile High Mamas to provide a toy donation to Arvada’s Santa House for Christmas. Eight lucky children will receive a VTech KidiZoom digital camera valued at $59.99 each.

Daily Deal-Free Aveda Sample Pack

If you’re looking for a few more stocking stuffers for a girl on your list, here is just the thing!

Bring this printable coupon into a local Aveda Salon to get a free sample pack of their Smooth Infusion Shampoo and Condition and Style-Prep Smoother.

You can get this at participating salons until December 31st while supplies last. One per customer.

Email me with any great deals you find!

danielle at milehighmamas dot com

Twitter ID: @denvermetromoms