Denver Deal:Give Kids a Smile, CU Basketball, Free Days and More!

I love when I get to tell my friends and family about great deals. I am delighted when someone tells me that I “always know about great deals.” But in a recently conversation, I could not really define the difference between being “cheap” and being “frugal.” Maybe you can help. Make Cheap Chic or Frugal Fun….share the same great deals with your friends too. Show them this blog. Ask them to get the RSS feed. Ask them to join you in one of the free/cheap activities.

Give Kids A Smile

Seeing a happy kid with a fantastic smile just makes my day! This Friday, February 4 dentists will give kids a smile with the Give Kids A Smile Day. This fantastic program, offers free dental care to low income families all across the country! Sign up to find a dentist near you!

University of Colorado Men’s Basketball

Watch the University of Colorado Men’s Basketball team take on Iowa State for only $5! (plus, Papa Romano’s pizza is only $1) The game is at 7 p.m. at the Coors Events Center on the CU Campus in Boulder. Call 303.49.BUFFS for tickets!

Panda Express Firecracker Chicken

In celebration of the Year of the Rabbit, enjoy the new Firecracker Chicken at Panda Express for free on Thursday, February 3! Use the coupon found on their Facebook page. The Firecracker Chicken features chicken, red and yellow peppers, and onions in a zesty sauce. Start your Year of the Rabbit with a BANG!

Home Depot

Let the kids learn DIY projects at no cost to you! Home Depot Free kids workshop this Saturday 9 a.m to 12 noon. This month, in celebration of Valentine’s day coming up – the kids will create their own cute heart shelves.

Performing Arts $10 tickets

Every Tuesday the Denver Center Theater Company will release at least 10 tickets at 10 a.m. for only $10. Funded by the SCFD (Scientific Cultural and Facilities District), this fantastic program allows anyone who has a desire to attend the theater to do so at the cost of less than a movie ticket! You may purchase up to four tickets. Visit the box office or call 303.547.3410 (a $3 service fee may be charged).

FREE DAYS!!!

My daughter reminded me that “free” is my favorite word – and nothing is more fun than free days at the great facilities we have right here in town.

Friday, February 4 – Free day at the Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield

Saturday, February 5 – Free day at the Denver Art Museum

Sunday, February 6- Free day at the Denver Zoo

Email me if you know of any great Denver deals!

Don’t want to miss any of Mile High Mamas’ contests and events? Be sure to sign up for our weekly email newsletter! Be sure to forward these great deals on to your friends.

You can also follow me on Twitter (GeeWhy93). If I find a great deal during the week, I’ll tweet it out

Your opinion: A (Pink) Bone to Pick with the Susan G. Komen Foundation

I was taken aback when I read that the Susan G. Komen for the Cure was canceling their three-day walk for breast cancer in Colorado because, according to their PR agency, “it just didn’t meet financial goals.”

Nevermind the thousands of dollars Denverites have raised in what has became one of our city’s most highly-attended and beloved charity events.

Well, the fundraising giant’s public relations staff will be working overtime over their latest controversy: They are threatening legal actions around any other event and charities that use any variation of “for the cure” in their name.

Isn’t it just swell to think of donor’s funds going to

Calling all campers!

Send us your camp listings

It might be winter, but it’s time to start thinking about summer camps. The March 15 Denver Post LifeStyle section will include listings of hundreds of camps in Colorado and elsewhere.

The submission deadline for new camps is Feb. 18. Camps that were in last year’s list will be contacted to update their information. Send information on whether it’s a day camp or overnight, coed or single-gender, computer camp or other specialty camp. List a few activities and dates, price, address (including county), telephone number, cost, website address and e-mail address. Send listing to: living@denverpost.com, and put “day camp” or “overnight camp” in the subject line.

Questions? Call 303-954-1281. Or go to denverpost.com/summercamps for sample listings.

Photo: Sanborn Western Camps

Mobile-phone programs track steps, beats and calories

No smart-phone application — at least not yet — can accelerate heart rates, inflate muscles or trim waistlines.

To accomplish that, bodies must be moved, not just thumbs, and calories watched.

While apps alone can’t transform a beer gut, they at least offer quite a bit of guidance, and they are legion, offering everything from daily yoga poses to videos demonstrating proper bench-press form.

Applications can be downloaded to a computer or smartphone, and not just the iPhone anymore. These days, app developers write software for BlackBerry and Android operating systems too.

And, given Colorado’s emphasis on

Ski Sunlight as a Family: Manageable and Fun!

Honestly, I didn’t know there was any skiing in Glenwood Springs until last summer when we went to explore. Up top, at the Glenwood Caverns, our guide told us about how the town was a great place for families—with year-round activities—and how his own kids had learned to ski “up at Sunlight.” Our eyes followed in the direction he was pointing, up beyond the red, iron-rich hills to the thickly wooded mountains above. And we thought, Someday, that’d be fun to see.

So we were excited to be invited sooner than later, to experience the Ski Swim Stay package (starting at $89 per person) that’s offered widely in Glenwood. And we came away thinking it was a package we could recommend to anyone. Our family drove up on a Thursday, and enjoyed no traffic, which got us there in under three hours (from Denver), via I-70. You definitely want to take this road at least once—the “most celebrated stretch of highway in the U.S.A.” if you’re to believe the state markers—with its elevated roads that wind along the river, beneath, picturesque, towering cliffs, just before you get into town. And with a dusting of snow? Truly beautiful.

NOTE: Four, count ‘em, FOUR, rest stops are on that stretch of highway. It’s every family’s roadtrippin’ dream! At least at the end….

We settled into the AmericInn, right off 6th Avenue (more on that below) and that night went to eat at the Italian Underground. We returned in time to take advantage of the AmericInn’s fabulous indoor water park, complete with a two-story water slide and generous whirlpool.

Patrons brace for week-long closure of Denver libraries

At least twice a week, James Austin visits the Denver Public Library’s main downtown branch to check out a book, peruse the stacks, browse in the map room — he’s avid about cartography — and in general find some peace and quiet.

So when the library closes Thursday for a week-long, system-wide computer upgrade, the retiree will be somewhat adrift, if only until the Feb. 3 reopening.

“I’ve joked with my wife that I won’t know what to do with myself,” Austin said on a recent snowy afternoon. “It’s just a week, but I’ll still miss coming in. The library is such a part of my routine.”

Austin is not alone in his sentiments.

Each week, the Denver Public Library system gets 78,000 visitors, according to DPL statistics. About

Event Round-up: Alegria, Dinosaur Festival, Flat Stanley & More!

Through Sunday. It’s the last weekend to catch Cirque du Soleil’s “Alegria” before it swoops out of Colorado. The show uses acrobatic feats, crazy contortions and colorful characters to tell its story, a meditation on the passage of time. Playing in Loveland through Sunday, the fanciful show features music from all over the globe, from klezmer to tango to pop. 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. today and Saturday, 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Sunday. Budweiser Events Center, 5290 Arena Circle, Loveland; 970-619-4100. Tickets are $35 to $90, with discounts available for children, students, seniors and military. To buy tickets, call 877-544-8499 or call comcasttix.com. Learn more at cirquedusoleil.com.

Wednesday. Opera Colorado presents a special production of “Hansel and Gretel” just for little ones at the Children’s Museum of Denver. Part of the city’s Czech Point Denver celebration, the kid-friendly performance takes youngsters deep into the forest with Hansel and Gretel—and teaches them a bit about opera along the way. The show is sung in English, too, and edited down to accomodate young attention spans. Space is limited, so show up early to snag a seat. 5-6 p.m. Wednesday. Children’s Museum of Denver, 2121 Children’s Museum Drive; 303-433-7444. Concert is included with museum admission: $8 for guests ages 2 to 59, $6 for 1-year-olds and seniors age 60 and older. Learn more at mychildsmuseum.org.

Saturday-Sunday. Dig for dinosaur knowledge at the Paleo-Explorers Dinosaur Festival at the Colorado Chautaqua. Budding paleontologists can inspect the Hankla fossil collection from eastern Wyoming, plus help build a life-sized duckbill dinosaur. Make and take home casts of a Tyrannosaurus rex tooth and a duckbill vertebrae, too. Hang out with some real paleontologists from the University of Colorado—they’ve got the inside dirt on dinos. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Colorado Chautauqua, 900 Baseline Road, Boulder; 303-442-3282. Tickets are $5. Buy advance tickets and learn more at chautauqua.com.

Thursday. Follow Flat Stanley around the world in “The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley,” the latest children’s production at the Arvada Center. After a bulletin board flattens the three-dimensional Stanley Lambchop in bed one night, Stanley decides to embrace his flatness. It’s pretty cool: He can sneak into rooms under the door, hide easily and even slip into an envelope and travel the globe. He still wouldn’t mind being normal, though, and tries to restore his former 3-D self. The show runs through April 16. 10 a.m. and noon, Mondays through Fridays, with some exceptions—call to check. The Arvada Center, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada; 720-898-7200. Tickets are $8 for general admission, $10 for reserved seating. To buy advance tickets, call or visit arvadacenter.org.

Sunday. Start the Chinese Year of the Rabbit early with the Colorado Chinese New Year Celebration at the University of Denver. (The New Year officially starts Feb. 3.) The afternoon starts with a culture fair, featuring booths from Chinese and Asian Pacific organizations, plus children’s activities and arts and crafts. At 2 p.m. the festival continues with a cultural variety show, including magic acts, folk songs, acrobats and, of course, the famous lion dance. Be sure, too, to check out the exhibit of Chinese art on display throughout the celebration. Noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. The Ritchie Center, University of Denver, 2240 E. Buchtel Blvd. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and children ages 3 to 16. Buy tickets at denverchineseschool.org.

Kathleen St. John

How to recognize depression in teens

Many of us were moved by our recent guest blogger Casey’s story about depression and overdose while pregnant. She was so brave to share her story with the world so that could help others.

I co-own a company that does health education research (and multimedia development around the research – that’s where I come in) and we try to help people in many different areas of health. One of our research scientists, Andrea Dunn, specializes in exercise for the treatment of depression. After having Casey’s post here on Mile High Mama’s, I asked Dr. Dunn to write a follow-up article for us, to help us understand possible signs of depression as our children grow.

Denver Deal:Qdoba, Pei Wei and Breckenridge

Wow! January is almost over already! I think I’m doing well with my New Year’s Resolutions – one of which was to maintain my budget but still try to do a bunch of great stuff! I love to find great deals and share them with you. The kids and I have a “full dance card” this weekend all with items that were a part of this blog. My son relishes the idea that we get to go and do so many things. While my daughter prefers to have days where she can sleep in (she can sleep in until 11 a.m. if I let her) and then spend the remainder of the day in her pajamas. So, I really must look for things we can do “at home.” Maybe you can enjoy your Qdoba and Pei Wei at home – but as for us this weekend? We are on the way to Arena Cross (tickets still available), Snow Sculpture Championships in Breckenridge (totally FREE event) and then on to Echo Mountain for skiing with my 5th grade passport holder! Either way you find your entertainment – have a great week!

Qdoba

Qdoba will celebrate the remodeled Market Street Location (also the previous location of the corporate headquarters) when they reopen on January 31. As part of the re-opening you can celebrate with a $5 meal deal from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday – Friday (1/31 – 2/4). Plus, while you are there (or any other Qdoba location) learn more about the enhanced – easy, rewarding and flexible – Qdoba Rewards.

Pei Wei

Celebrate the first week of the Lunar new year at Pei Wei. Visit Pei Wei on January 25 or 26 and pick up a “resolution card” good for one FREE order of the their newest dish — Korean BBQ (valid Jan. 31 – Feb 6). Korean BBQ blends tangy green apple, fresh red bell peppers and tender, seasoned meat.

Breckenridge Snow Sculpture Championships

The 21st Annual Snow Sculpture Championships return to Breckenridge January 25-30. At the event, four-person teams are assigned 12-foot-tall, 20-ton blocks of snow. Artists achieve finished pieces after hours of work without the use of power tools, internal support structures or colorants – just the ingenuity of the sculptors and a medium that lends itself, if only temporarily, to the persuasion of hand tools. For more information call the Breckenridge Resort Chamber at 877-864-0868 or visit GoBreck.com.

Children’s Museum of Denver

The Children’s Museum of Denver has some great events coming up in the early part of next week. Target Tuesday Nights families can play for FREE the first Tuesday of each month (Feb 1st is the next one) from 4 p.m. to 8. p.m. and Wednesday, February 2nd from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Colorado Opera will help kick off Fairytales and Fables month with a special production of Hansel & Gretel.

Einstein Bros. Bagel Thin

If you have a Facebook account, and you “like” Einstein Bros. Bagels you can get a coupon good for a FREE bagel thin with light shmear with the purchase of a beverage!

Colorado Baby and Kidz Expo

The Colorado Baby & Kidz Expo is January 29 – 30 at the Denver Merchandise Mart Expo Hall from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.. Kids 12 and under are free and click this coupon to receive $2 off an adult ticket. Kids will enjoy jumpies and train rides, live entertainment and more! There will even be a celebrity and kids cooking contest.

Email me if you know of any great Denver deals!

Don’t want to miss any of Mile High Mamas’ contests and events? Be sure to sign up for our weekly email newsletter! Be sure to forward these great deals on to your friends.

You can also follow me on Twitter (GeeWhy93). If I find a great deal during the week, I’ll tweet it out

Win Tickets to Disney Live Mickey’s Magic Show (or use our discount code)

**CONTEST CLOSED. CONGRATULATIONS TO WINNER LYNNE TANDLER**.

Disney Live! presents Mickey’s Magic Show at the Wells Fargo Theatre February 4 & 5, 2011.

Disney Live! presents Mickey’s Magic Show! Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and a host of Disney friends come together with world-class illusionists to perform magic from legendary Disney films right before your eyes. See the Fairy Godmother transform Cinderella’s rags into a beautiful ball gown in a split second; the spectacular levitation of Aladdin’s Princess Jasmine; and the enchanted dancing brooms of Fantasia. Join Donald Duck and Goofy, Alice and the Mad Hatter, and many more for a one-of-a-kind stage show you’ll never forget.

Tickets are $15, $22, $26 VIP, $42 VIP, & $67 VIP Stage-side (service charges and handling fees may apply).

Discount code

Save $5 on Friday, February 4th tickets by entering the discount code FFAMOM at: www.ticketmaster.com/DisneyLiveDenver or 1-800-745-3000.

Contest
Mile High Mamas is giving away 4 tickets for Disney Live! Mickey’s Magic Show on Friday, February 4th at 6 p.m. at Wells Fargo Theatre (in the Convention Center) . Please go here to enter. Contest deadline is January 31, 2011.