Month: September 2012

Eagle Scout, 15, hit rank with help from troop for special-needs kids

A legion of supporters and a troop for special-needs boys allowed 15-year-old Ricky Newell to beat the odds and earn the rank of Eagle Scout. Newell had dropped out of Scouts twice before, but in 2006 he joined Troop 5280, then a brand-new troop for kids with disabilities. After six months, he joined the more traditional Troop 870 and hasn’t looked back. This month, he was presented his Eagle Scout medal, placing him among fewer than 5 percent of Scouts who earn the highest honor of the Boy Scouts of America. “It’s very hard to explain —

Review: History Colorado Center’s Time Traveler’s Birthday Party Package!

For those families looking for an alternative to the token games and dancing-mascot birthday parties, the History Colorado Center may have the unique solution for you. I had the chance to check out downtown Denver’s History Colorado Center’s Time Traveler’s Birthday Party package (specifically designed for party-goers ages 6-12). Party rooms can be rented for 2-hour blocks on weekend mornings and afternoons and each party includes:

Mix it up–How (and what) to pack in your kids’ school lunches

With the school year well underway, I am once again falling into my robotic daily lunch packing routine. Just like the year my daughter ate only salami sandwiches, she now only eats a half bagel with cream cheese, a cheese stick, a bag of pretzels or Gold Fish crackers, some grapes or apple slices, and a fruit leather or cookie. And let me just say that “eat” is actually just a fantasy on my part because in truth, the fruit and some other things usually come home. My fifth grade daughter says it’s because she doesn’t have time for lunch because there is so much social pressure to get outside for recess – but this is the topic for another blog post.

Mayim Bialik Goes Beyond “Blossom” To Attachment Parent In “Beyond the Sling”

Mayim Bialik, who played the younger Bette Midler in Beaches back in 1988 and was Blossom from 1990-1994, is adding author to her resume with her natural parenting book Beyond the Sling. 

Teacher from Jeffco got $40,000 settlement in breast-feeding case

A Jefferson County charter school settled an out-of-court claim for $40,000 with a teacher who says she was fired for pumping breast milk at work. Former K-8 technology instructor Heather Burgbacher filed an intent to sue Rocky Mountain Academy of Evergreen after she was informed in spring 2011 that her contract would not be renewed at the end of the term. The ACLU of Colorado assisted filing the claim under the Colorado Nursing Mothers Act, a 2008 law protecting a woman’s right to continue breast-feeding after returning to work. According to the terms of the settlement reached Sept. 14, RMAE must pay

Wednesday Wellness with Leslie: 5 Minute Happiness Boost for Moms

The next time you need a natural mood booster, look to the environment. There have been countless studies showing that nature boosts your mood and self-esteem. In fact, people saw the greatest self-esteem and mood changes after only five minutes of light-intensity outdoor activity. Over the years, there has been a large disconnect in our society from nature. We are more industrialized and we don’t spend nearly as much time outside. I know firsthand how much better I feel when I take a midday walk. Just getting away from the office, getting some fresh air, getting some sunlight and allowing my mind to take a break does wonders. If you can carve out as little as five minutes a day to reconnect with nature, I can almost guarantee a shift in your mood. And now that Fall is upon us, it’s ...

Events: Giant Pumpkin Weigh-off, Barnum & Bailey’s DRAGONS & more!

Jared’s 7th Annual Giant Pumpkin Weigh-off and Festival. On Saturday, September 29 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. children of all ages are invited to see the largest pumpkins in Colorado, where it is rumored there will be a record-breaking 1,400-pound pumpkin. In addition to the weigh-off, Jared’s Nursery has many free activities including a Galleria of Ghouls, straw maze, obstacle course, a dog costume contest and a chili cook-off between noon and 4 p.m. Other fun (for a nominal fee) includes face painting, a bouncy castle, petting zoo and pumpkin carving with Master Carver Barry Brown from 1-2 p.m. Jared’s Nursery is in Littleton, 10500 W. Bowles Avenue, starting at 10 a.m. with the junior division, followed by the giant pumpkins at 11 a.m. coloradopumpkins.com The National Wildlife Federatio...

Denver Deal: Art Museum Free Day, Coffee Week, Seasonal Fun & more

I have one kids in elementary school and the other in Junior High. This presents one problem for me. I drive my kids to school. It’s not a super long distance – but enough that it doesn’t make much sense to drive back and forth. Drop one child off. Go back home to pick up the other. Then take her to school. So…we look for things to do for an hour in the morning. I have discovered one of the best things recently at IHOP! We all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day – but now IHOP has a Simple & Fit menu with items that are under 600 calories and sooo darn tasty. I look forward to eating as much as I like spending the one on one time with my kiddo. Consignment Sales Heading into the new school year meas heading back to the mall or even be...

Colorado families will love these frugal fall favorites

Fall weekends are all about foliage, festivals and fun — much of it free. Family events this time of year may include live entertainment, face painting, hayrides, hands-on crafts and more. However, when it comes to beer gardens, fancy food and vendors, expect to pull out your wallet. Here is a roundup of some of the season’s top low-cost destinations.

Sesame Street’s next chapter: Elmo talks back

Elmo, Big Bird and the rest of the “Sesame Street” crew have always talked to kids. Now, they’ll try to have a two-way conversation with their pint-sized audience using Kinect, the motion and voice-sensing controller created by Microsoft. “Kinect Sesame Street TV,” out Tuesday, is not exactly a video game, though it runs on the Xbox 360 video game system. There are no winners and losers, no real rules to follow and no points to score. If you don’t want to play, that’s fine. Just sit back and watch “Sesame Street,” as kids have for the past 43 years. But if you do play, Grover will count coconuts you’ve thrown, the Count will praise you for standing still and Elmo will catch a talking ball if you throw it to him. The episodes presa...

App Spotlight Roundup: 11 Great Apps for Moms and Kids

Do you troll the app store at least once a week looking to add new ones to your collection or are you always looking for great apps that help your kids get excited about learning? I know I certainly do both on a regular basis. Then again, I do admit, I am an app-aholic. We’ve got a great roundup for your today – especially note the first two on the list – both are produced by local developers! If we don’t share your current favorite, please let me know about your latest finds in the comments below!

Why I’m a Bad Mother, Reason No. 47: I blame my kids for my lack of friends

Mini Me has a new Sunday School teacher. She is a sweet lady with six kids of her own and four grandchildren. Mini Me’s class is a rambunctious little group which includes two sets of twins and my chatty daughter who, to my utter horror, can’t manage to keep her dress down in church. I tried making sure that she had shorts on under her dress each Sunday, but that only serves to empower Mini Me more to pull the bows out of her hair, kick off her shoes, and wear her skirt on her head. The last teacher split town with barely a moments notice. (Can’t say that I blame her.) So when the new teacher came along I was hoping this would mean a fresh start for Mini Me and our good family name.

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