Daily Deal-Great Trade-In at Babies R Us

Today is the kickoff to the Babies R Us Great Trade-in Event. Bring your old, out dated items into Babies R Us and recieve a coupon for 25% off the purchase of a new product.

The nice thing about this is you can bring an old stroller you’re no longer using and use the coupon to buy the new carseat you need. You don’t have to buy the same item you trade-in. There is no limit to the number of items you can trade in, however the coupon is only valid the day of trade-in. This offer isn’t valid with any other offer except the Furniture Gift Card offer.

I was looking through the recent ad to see what the Furniture Gift Card offer was and it looks pretty decent. You receive a $50 gift card with the nursery furniture purchase of $399 or more. If you are looking at a more expenisve item, you’ll receive a $100 gift card on a furniture purchase of $699 or more. For example, there is a Baby Cache Uptown Lifetime Crib for regularly priced at $449.99. Combine the trade-in offer with the Furniture Gift Card offer to save $162.00.(remember, you’ll still be paying the $50 out of pocket, but will receive a gift card to use on other purchases). So it’s like paying $287.99 for the crib.

This event lasts until February 20th so you have plenty of time to research before you purchase!

Email me with any deals you find!

Get $90 worth of salon services for only $27!

danielle at milehighmamas dot com
Twitter ID: @denvermetromoms

Mama Drama: Separation Anxiety Blues

Dear Mama Drama:

My daughter just started preschool and cries and clings to me every time I take her. This is her first experience away from me. What can I do to help her adjust?

~Struggling to Separate

(photo credit)

Dear Struggling:

Leaving your child when they are crying and scared is one of the most heart wrenching experiences a parent can have. The multitude of emotions you experience can be overwhelming.

Heading off to school for the first time can also be a scary experience for many children. If they have never been left anywhere like school or day care previously, they have no idea what to expect. Common fears for first time preschoolers are that mom or dad won’t come back, no one will play with them, and they don’t know what to do if they have to go to the bathroom. Many young children are not yet able to express these fears verbally, so instead they cry and cling to mom or dad.

Here are a few ideas to ease your daughter’s anxiety and yours as well:

Arrange a visit to the classroom and teacher(s) before school starts. (It’s ideal to do before the school year, but since you have already started thirty minutes before class should do.) Explore the room with your daughter and the teacher discovering the materials and toys that interest her and allowing her to begin developing a relationship with the teacher.
Use items that she was interested in on your visit together to entice her into the classroom when she comes to school. These transition objects help children move more smoothly from one part of their day to another.
Reassure your daughter you will be back to pick her up. As most preschoolers cannot tell time, you can talk with her about her routine at school and let her know you’ll see her after snack (or whatever the last activity of the day is.)
Take pictures of yourself and other family members in the home to send with her to school. Laminate them (clear contact paper works great, too) so they can hold up over time. My sons loved mom and dad on one side and the brothers together on the other. (Even at seven and ten they like to keep these pictures handy in their backpacks.)
Read books with your daughter about what to expect at preschool. D.W.’s Guide to Preschool by Marc Brown is a great option and includes that very important reminder that the moms and dad do come back!
Speak positively about preschool and the fun things she’ll get to do each day.
Try to stay calm and relaxed yourself. Keeping your anxiety down will help her to feel more relaxed as well.

Daily Deal-Possible Free Lunch at Qdoba

Any of you remember playing MASH as a kid? How does this sound for your life:

You and military man are getting married. When you leave the ceremony you’ll jump in your Backwoods pickup with your trusty pet Flying Squirrel by your side. Enjoy the honeymoon because your life as a mom and your obession with eating candy and cake are no picnic, especially living in a mansion in Lahaina, Hawaii….

Qdoba is introducing their new Craft2 Menu and giving you a chance to ‘craft your life’ with this fun game. Choose your perfect mate, pet, car, and more to find out your destiny. At the end you’ll see what you win from Qdoba.

When I played I got a coupon for a Free Craft2 Meal with the purchase of another one. I’ve seen reports of people getting a free Craft2 Meal with the purchase of a drink or a free drink with the purchase of a Craft2 Meal. There are an assortment of prizes and not everyone wins.

Try your luck and see which coupon you win today for a cheap lunch at Qdoba! *Note-my coupon expired within a couple of days, but you can play everyday if you wish!

Receive 80% off at Restaurant.com thru 1/31!

Grab your coupon for a free bagel and shmear at Einstein Bros!

Email me with great deals you find!

danielle @ milehighmamas dot com
Twitter ID:@denvermetromoms

Don’t want to miss any of Mile High Mamas’ contests and events? Be sure to sign up for our weekly email newsletter!

A New Chapter

We’ve started a new chapter at our house.

Literally.

We’ve started reading Chapter Books to Claire at bedtime!

(Photos provided by The Casual Perfectionist.)

When she turned 4-years old at the end of November, I thought it would be a good time to see how she’d do with a Chapter Book. Moving on to books that are more words than pictures is a big step. These books make you create the pictures in your own mind. Sitting still long enough to get the images to form is a skill, and I just knew she was ready to tackle it.

And, she was!

What books did I decide to use on our maiden voyage to the land of Chapter Books? The Little House on the Prairie series. I loved these books as a child. My school district had a special reading rewards program (RIF = Reading Is Fundamental), and through that program, I collected Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books, amongst others. In addition to the single books I collected, I thought for sure I had the entire set. I could picture the pale yellow box, with the neat little books standing tall.

But, I couldn’t find it in my box of treasures. All I could find was a handful of the pale yellow books, and there were some major gaps in the storyline.

I wasn’t even sure if Claire would like them, so rather than insist on starting at the beginning (with Little House in the Big Woods, for those of you playing along at home), I got out Little House on the Prairie, technically the second book in the series.

She loved it.

Weekly Event Round-up: Snow Sculpture Championships, World Tea Fair and More!

Friday-Sunday. Snow will be flying in Breckenridge this weekend at the Budweiser International Snow Sculpture Championships. Now in its 20th year at Breck, the competition features 12 teams from around the world fashioning giant sculptures out of 20-ton blocks of snow. Judging starts at 10 a.m. Saturday, so the artists will be working furiously tonight to complete their pieces — visitors are welcome to stop by to watch them carving. A panel of artists and patrons select their top three choices, but through Saturday, anyone can cast a vote for the People’s Choice award. Kids can pick their favorites for a Kids’ Choice prize, too. The awards are presented at 3 p.m. Sunday, but the sculptures will stand through Feb. 7. Riverwalk Center, 150 W. Adams Ave., Breckenridge. Attendance is free. For more information, visit gobreck.com or call 970-453-3187, ext. 3.

Sunday. Celebrate tea in all its forms and flavors at the 8th annual World Tea Fair. Held at the Denver Montclair International School and geared toward families, the fair has tea samples and snacks from all over the world on display. Tea expert Judy Williams will offer short lectures on teatime topics like food pairings, the history of tea and the health benefits of drinking it. Demonstrators will show the customs of tea service from nearly a dozen countries, too. Big tea fans can pick up special blends and discounts from the fair’s sponsors as well. 2-5 p.m. Sunday. Denver Montclair International School, 206 Red Cross Way; 303-340-3647. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for kids ages 3 to 17. Admission is free with a 1 p.m. campus tour before the fair. Call or visit www.dmischool.com for more information and to reserve tickets.

Saturday. Catch up on the latest adventures of the “tRUNks” at Buntport Theater. The troupe’s “live comic book” follows the crime-fighting crusade of a small band of superheroes: The Germ, The Volt, Steven Burge and Scott. This week’s episode is based on William Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” but don’t expect a stuffy, classical performance. Instead, be prepared for hilarious hijinks, crazy superpowers and a cliffhanger ending. “tRUNks” runs every other Saturday through May 1. 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday. Buntport Theater, 717 Lipan St.; 720-946-1388. Tickets are $5-$7, depending on a roll of the dice at the door. Wear a superhero outfit and get a $1 discount. Bring cash, the theater does not accept credit cards. For more information, including an episode guide, visit buntport.com.

Through Feb. 7. History exhibit. As of today, there’s just a little more than a week left to catch the Genghis Khan exhibit at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. The exhibit’s been at the museum since October, bringing the ancient warrior-king back to life with treasures from 13th-century Mongolia, including real weapons, jewelry and clothing. Live singers and dancers perform traditional Mongolian music, too, and hands-on activities keep kids engaged. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through Feb. 7. Denver Museum of Nature and Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd.; 303-322-7009. Tickets to the Khan exhibit are $20 for adults and $11 for seniors age 65 and older and juniors ages 3 to 18. Tickets include general admission to the museum. To buy advance tickets, call or go online at dmns.org.

-Kathleen St. John

Winter Park Wrapup + 4-Pack Pass Giveaway!

Over MLK day weekend, my family and I were lucky enough to be hosted by Winter Park resort, as part of a group effort from Colorado Ski Country USA to show off how families can have fun at resorts all over Colorado.

From the get-go I was honest with them about my lack-luster skiing abilities. I mean, seriously – have you SEEN the Terror On The Mountain video? Grace, agility + snow are not words meant to be in my vocabulary.

Luckily, Winter Park has a bunch of other activities for people like me, so Bryan and I did a snowshoe tour while Declan entered his very first day EVER at ski school. (More on that later).

Bryan has been trying to get me to go snowshoeing for YEARS, he was always the more adventurous one of us.

What I learned? I LOVE SNOWSHOEING. It was perfect for me. Tromping around in the snow, requiring pretty much zero skills other than the ability to walk like a duck, and taking photos of nature? PERFECT.

We even saw a porcupine sleeping way up in a tree.

Daily Deal-Printable Subway Coupon

When we travel we tend to stop at Subway or Quiznos to take a break from traditional ‘fast food’ and seem to feel better eating a sub. Occasionally we get coupons in the mail for Subway, but I don’t recall seeing a printable coupon for them.

Here is a coupon for a free 6 inch sandwich when you purchase a 6 inch sandwich of equal or greater price and a 32oz soda. If you drink soda and would normally buy it could be a good deal.

You’ll build your desired sandwich then a coupon will be emailed to you immediately. It only took a minute or two when I did it.

We usually forgo soda when we eat out so I’m not so sure I’d use this coupon. For us a $5 footlong and water is the best route!

There is a slew of printable coupons available right now. Be sure to check out some of these great printable coupons!

Email me with any great deals or events!

danielle at milehighmamas dot com
Twitter ID: @denvermetromoms

Don’t want to miss any of Mile High Mamas’ contests and events? Be sure to sign up for our weekly email newsletter!

Daily Deal-$15 off $15 Purchase at The Limited

You just might have some Christmas money you want to use to splurge on yourself! Print this great coupon and head into The Limited to see what you can find for cheap!

The Limited has a printable coupon good for $15 off any purchase(no minimum purchase except for excluding accesories). If you plan on spending more you can receive $30 off a $100 purchase or $50 off a $150 purchase.

I would stick to the $15 off! The coupon is valid online or in-stores. I just browsed the ‘Final Sale’ section of their website and found plenty to choose from in the $9.99-$14.99 price range! It looks like standard shipping is around $5.95.

Enjoy!

Email me with any Denver deals or free/cheap attractions you find!

Looking for some clothes for the kids? Don’t miss Kid to Kid’s Semi Annual Sale this weekend! Enter for a chance to win one of two $20 gift cards!

danielle @ milehighmamas dot com

Twitter ID: @denvermetromoms

Don’t want to miss any of Mile High Mamas’ contests and events? Be sure to sign up for our weekly email newsletter!

The Complete Scaredy-Cat’s Guide to LASIK

Updated December 2021.

People who’d undergone LASIK were quick to tell me “Nothing to it!” or “Best thing I ever did!” Occasionally, someone would say, “I had to go back in for a tune-up.” or “I had to rest a few days afterward.” But no one ever told me about the procedure itself.

Like I am about to tell you.

1. Decision: Remember when the I, World’s Biggest Chicken, reversed an iron-clad ban on sharp things near my eyes and chose a LASIK provider?

2. Pre-op appointment (7 days pre-surgery): I was greeted by the smiliest optical tech imaginable. Lisa rechecked all the previous measurements on my eye — the laser will be set with these numbers so accuracy is imperative. She then had me watch a 15 minute video.

In the clip, a man who plays a doctor on General Hospital told what I should expect from LASIK. It may or may not not give me the vision I seek. It may cause complications like halos, glare, over- or undercorrection, dry eye, even blindness. It may require a second procedure. Afterward, I signed the forms, hand-writing a paragraph of consent.

My doctor, not stingy with his time, spent 30 more minutes answering my questions and calming my fears.

I paid the bill out of flexible spending funds, thereby fully committing to return next week. Really? Did I REALLY just do this?

Mama’s Night Out at Sephora Redefines a “GHD” (Good Hair Day)

Every other month, Mile High Mamas throws a Mama’s Night Out to bring Colorado’s social media moms together to collaborate and connect.

And to party. Big time.

On Tuesday evening, the Sephora in Boulder hosted a pamper party wherein I experienced an unprecedented transformation. (Spoiler alert: some women equated my metamorphosis to that of Clark Kent.)

But first things first. A Mile High Mamas party is not a party without a great cause. We partnered with charity-minded Mom It Forward and all attendees donated make-up and beauty products to support SafeHouse of Denver, a women’s shelter that serves victims of domestic violence and their children.

As moms, we were deserving of a few indulgences of our own and Sephora invited some of their leading vendors to help us in our primping process. Bare Escentuals and Urban Decay gave make-up demos. Bliss and Nude Skincare both did express skincare consultations. We found out why the Clarisonic skincare cleansing brush is their top-selling item in the world of skincare with mini-facials, and massage therapists from the Boulder Country Club gave 10-minute chair massages.

Ace photographer Aimee Giese took professional headshots of the women and Tiara Training made everyone feel like a princess by distributing tiaras.