Month: November 2011

Hurry Up and Wait (part 2 of our journey with Asperger’s)

I find it only slightly ironic that I’m revisiting this chunk of time now…at the beginning of the holiday season…2 years later. If you’d like to catch up on this story, click here. So, a quick recap. I’m beginning my DREAM job right when we’ve been told that there may be some “red flags” with Z, our almost 2.5 year old son. And both kids (S is barely 1 years old) are going through a culture shock of

It’s here! Mile High Mamas Holiday Gift Guide. The Baker’s Dozen.

It’s the yearly holiday list of the baker’s dozen of clever, thoughtful and creative gifts for everyone in the family. Black Friday is over (thank goodness) and now it’s time to shop locally. Of course every product or idea on this list is Colorado-based. From coffee and chocolates to theater tickets and donations to charity, please read my favorite picks for the 2011 holiday season. I even included a couple gifts for Fido this year. I always want to include so many more ideas, but I know that I would begin to bore all of you with too long of a list. Again, I’m so inspired by the incredible local entrepreneurs and companies that call Colorado home. From their charity work to their community focus, we are lucky Mile High Mamas to be surrounded by such inspirational people.

Event Round-up: Candlelight Walk, Parade of Lights & More!

Through Saturday. The 36th annual 9News Parade of Lights twinkles its way through downtown, starting tonight. This year’s parade brings a couple of new treats to the lineup: A huge, 42-foot-long tiger balloon and an updated float for Santa and his sleigh. Plenty of familiar favorites will be on-hand, too, including the puppy and Major Waddles balloons and a small army of high-school marching bands. Watch for the Westernaires mounted drill team, Colorado Disc Dogs, Rocky Mountain Rollergirls and traditional dancers from a variety of world cultures. Tonight, the Colorado State University marching band will make a special appearance. 8 p.m. Friday, 6 p.m. Saturday. Downtown Denver, 15th and 17th Streets between Tremont Place and Arapahoe St.; grandstand at the City and County building, Colfax...

Colorado ranks No. 2 in parents declining to vaccinate kids

A new survey puts Colorado second-highest for parents refusing vaccines for their kids, a trend that increasingly troubles state health officials. Vaccine advocates in Colorado said the Associated Press tally of vaccine refusals reflects an abysmal state rate for preventive shots. They said Colorado’s education system makes it too easy to opt out of shots, and a highly educated population is rejecting vaccinations out of too much bad information.

Online Christmas Shopping Haiku

On Cyber Monday Shopping while in pajamas encouraged by all. Nobody will know I fill my baskets with things Probably won’t buy. “Free Shipping!” stores claim. But I must spend hundred bucks? No thank you. Really. Nothing makes me scream

Denver Deal:Photos with Santa, Nothing Bundt Cakes & Cici’s Pizza

I hope you had some great success deal-seeking this last weekend and on Cyber Monday. AT&T Winter Sports Giveaway and Free Photos with Santa Seriously, what could be better than giveaways and photos with Santa? AT&T and the National Sports Center for the Disabled (NSCD) celebrate winter sports season with Winter Sports Giveaways (Free photos with Santa Claus, winter sports gear and the hottest devices and accessories). Friday, December 2 (4 p.m. to 8 p.m.) and Saturday, December 3 (2 p.m. to 6 p.m.) at the AT&T on 16th Street Mall (1001 16th Street) and the following weekend December 10 and December 11 (12 noon – 4 p.m.) at the AT&T Store in Highlands Ranch (1104 Sgt Jon Stiles Dr.). Nothing Bundt Cakes comes to Westminster Help the newest location of Nothing Bundt Ca...

Colorado voter turnout shows high interest in education reform

Near-record campaign contributions, national media attention and large voter turnouts revealed deeper public interest in education in Colorado this year. Mostly stagnant graduation rates and the increasingly costly needs of remediation for those students who decide to pursue higher education have spurred a reform movement offering myriad choices for quick change. Others see the movement as a convenient tactic used by corporate reformers to keep them in a profitable business. In any event, education has caught the public’s attention. “For a long time, urban school boards were left to special interest groups — which weren’t all bad, but people weren’t

Despite popularity, not everyone’s sold on Cyber Monday

Today is supposedly the day when retailers offer their best online deals, with office workers feverishly snatching them up in between spreadsheet reviews and PowerPoint presentations. In 2010, the Monday after Thanksgiving ranked for the first time as the biggest online shopping day of the year, according to market research firm comScore, lending credence to the belief that Cyber Monday is the Internet equivalent of Black Friday. “I’m a big fan of the online deals during this time of year. No Black Friday crowds,” said Falcon resident Al Malchow via Twitter. “I’ll scour the nets extra hard on Monday (today).” But not everyone is sold on Cyber Monday,

Wounded kids learn how to navigate world at Mount St. Vincent Home

By the time a child gets to Mount St. Vincent Home, he or she has been abused, neglected or witnessed abuse. Some have mental illness, and some have been in several living situations. Some arrive with only a plastic bag, filled with a few clothes and maybe a favorite toy. They are scared and afraid they will be rejected again, said the home’s director, Sister Amy Willcott. “We don’t know all of what they’ve gone through,” she said. “We have some pretty darned challenging kids.”

Colorado’s year-round Christmas workshop

When the sun sets and the temperature dips at Santa’s Workshop, the 55-year-old Christmas village and kiddie amusement park nestled in the mountains northwest of Colorado Springs, the last man on site just happens to be the big man on campus. Santa Claus​, played this year for the first time by longtime area resident Phil Tracy, feeds reindeer and llamas before retiring to a single-wide, on-site trailer he calls home. “(Santa) is here any time the park is open,” says general manager Tom Haggard. And as it turns out, Tracy is here when it’s not. Haggard and Tracy’s friendship dates back to their youth, when both worked at Santa’s Workshop

Be the mosquito! (Or, how to take action on issues you care about)

“If you think you’re too small to have an impact, try going to sleep with a mosquito.” Anita Roddick, founder of The Body Shop I believe strongly in the ability of ordinary people to have a profound impact on their community. Not only is that my job as community groups coordinator at the Colorado Children’s Campaign, that is my personal experience as someone who cares about women and children. Laws and policies that we now take for granted, like women having the right to vote, were made possible because moms like you and me spoke up. Your voice matters because decisions about your child’s well-being are too important to be left solely to others. But how can moms and other people who care about kids make a difference?

Miracle mom thankful to be alive to hold new baby

No one, neither patient nor doctor, wants to learn firsthand what “exsanguination” means. But Dianna Cillessen is thankful she stuck around long enough to hear the definition. It means that when surgeons cut into her skin on a September day when she was as good as dead, no blood came out. There was none left. The Arvada mom lost her entire volume of blood minutes after she gave birth to bouncing baby Beau. Then lost it three times over.

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