CONTEST CLOSED. CONGRATULATIONS TO WINNERS HJ HAYS AND SERENA MARION.
Believe it or not, Spring Break is right around the corner and Mile High Mamas is partnering with Gold Crown Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)3 public charity founded in 1986 by former NBA great Bill Hanzlik and Colorado business leader Ray Baker.
The prize? We are giving away scholarships to two camps: 1 free entry to Cheerleader Camp ($125 value) and 1 free entry to Multi-Sport Camp ($115 value). The details:
Vegetables
Plan, dream and draw up your vegetable garden plans. Review your seed catalogs (pure eye candy for most gardeners), or search the Web or scan the seed racks in garden centers. New veggie garden? Learn more by signing up for a vegetable class at your area botanic garden or garden center.
• Direct seeding outdoors of radishes, lettuce, spinach, peas and arugula can be done in March, but round up row covers or cold-frame options for extended freeze periods.
The parents of a transgender 6-year-old have filed a complaint with the Colorado Civil Rights Division because Eagleside Elementary School in Fountain has banned the 1st grader from using the girl’s bathroom.
The child, Coy Mathis, was born male but identifies as female. She has attended the school since December 2011.
“This is significant for both Colorado, and nationally,” said Michael Silverman, executive director of the Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund, who is representing the family. “For Colorado, it is the first test of the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act as related to access to bathrooms by transgender students.
A February 2 New York Times opinion piece decried the fact that boys are academically falling behind their girl counterparts. Nothing new there. Girls are apparently getting better grades, graduating in greater numbers from high school and pursuing higher education.
The prevalent theory is that today’s classrooms, curriculum and assessments are not set up for boys. So they disengage.
As parents, we can take part in engaging our boys in their education from the start. I have three boys, so I have thought a lot about what the articles are saying. These are some ideas for parents of boys in Denver (they are great for girls too):
1) Create a fantasy football league, do baseball stats, or otherwise find ways to play with numbers and sports together so that they are doing math without even thinking about it.
There’s a time machine on the third floor of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, and it’s target is the Ice Age. This wild and woolly era of earth’s history hosted some of the most fascinating animals to roam the earth, including our own Colorado backyard. This rich fossil record has been collected into an astonishing exhibit called Mammoths and Mastadons: Titan of the Ice Age.
From now until May 27th, 2013, families can explore the lives—and deaths—of these majestic creatures through hands-on activities and numerous interactive stations. Kids can joust with tusks, touch molars the size of bricks, be immersed in a painted cave, play with pachyderm poo, pose with intimidating life-sized models of ice age animals, and coo over baby mammoth Lyuba. Fun animation stations share facts in short, accessible films the whole family can enjoy.
The possible rules for Colorado’s forthcoming recreational-marijuana industry have begun to take shape, after a marathon meeting of a state task force.
Under proposals endorsed Monday by the state’s Amendment 64 Implementation Task Force, marijuana products would have to be sold in child-proof packaging and not contain any logos or ingredients designed solely to appeal to children. They could not be mixed with nicotine. Marijuana and pot-infused edibles would have to come with labels that would detail the items’ potency and also disclose the pesticides or fertilizers used in cultivation.
I love to go to the frozen yogurt (or ice cream) places when it snows! I recently went with my daughter to TCBY to try out the Double Fudge Brownie flavor. TCBY changes flavors every month and this is one of the new ones. I thought my daughter would be gaga over it as she loooooves chocolate. But she tried it and said “meh” and then proceeded to have regular chocolate. I also just thought it was OK – but still think about the toasted marshmallow from summer. What flavor would you like to see?
Plus, one more week of voting for me (Gretchen Y) at TheNextGreatVoiceTalent.com. (I need thousands of votes). Could you please help?
Chick-Fil-A
Sign up this week for your free Chick-Fil-A breakfast March 4-9, 2013. Beginning Monday, Feb. 25, visit Chick-fil-Aforbreakfast.com to reserve a free breakfast entrée of choice including: Chick-fil-A Chicken Biscuit; Spicy Chicken Biscuit; Sausage Biscuit; Chick-n-Minis (3-count); Chicken, Egg and Cheese Bagel; Bacon, Egg and Cheese Biscuit; Chicken Breakfast Burrito; Sausage Breakfast Burrito; Yogurt Parfait and Multigrain Oatmeal.
Burger King
Through March 10, participating Burger King locations are offering a small coffee – iced or hot – for just 25 cents (unfortunately, it doesn’t include flavors or whip topping).
McDonalds
McDonald’s is celebrating Thank You Thursday this week. On Thursday, February 28 – when you purchase a Quarter Pounder or a Big Mac you can receive a second for just a penny.
Bicycle Village
Two days only, March 2 & 3 Bicycle Village will host their annual Deals on Wheels Bike Sale at their Aurora store. You can save up to 60% off. Their Kids Bike Trade-Up program is awesome. Bring in any kids bike purchased from Bicycle Village (within 2 years) and they will give you up to 40% off purchase price back toward purchase of another (2 wheel only though). Plus you get free lifetime tune-ups and a 30-day performance guarantee!
Arena Cross
ArenaCross is exciting as dirt bikes race around the track flying high and kicking up dirt. Fun for everyone! ArenaCross comes to the Denver Coliseum March 14-17. Kids tickets are always just $10 – but MHM readers can get an extra $5 off adult tickets with promo code: AXFFA (No double discounts. Not valid on Gold Circle Seats. Offer Expires March 14. Not valid for Sunday amateur day. All tickets are $2 more on day of show. Kids 2-12 years old. Service charges and handling fees apply).
Free days this week:
Thursday, February 28 – Hudson Gardens
Friday, March 1 – Botanic Gardens at Chatfield & Four Mile Historic Park
Saturday, March 2 – Colorado Railroad Museum & Denver Art Museum
Don’t forget you can purchase tickets at The Denver Center for the Performing Arts. They offer a limited number of $10 tickets, every Tuesday morning, for shows coming later in the week.
Denver Ski Deals
We have updated our Ski Deals page with all kinds of great new deals! Check it out!
Have a fantastic week!
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 so you can forward these great deals 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.
The Ski Joring & Crystal Carnival, Leadville (March 1 – 3). Ski joring is a competition where a horse and rider pull a skier at a fast pace through a course that features gates, jumps and rings. The skier is timed through the course, and penalties are assessed by missing gates or jumps, and by missing or dropping any of the rings. Additional activities include a children’s parade, Nordic and winter mountain bike races and more.
YMCA of the Rockies Estes Park Family Magic Festival. On March 1-3, family members will witness and learn amazing magic tricks through demonstrations and instruction. Take a peek inside a real magician’s bag and learn tips and trick for your own magic show. Other activities include swimming, roller skating and crafts. All inclusive rates include 5 meals, activities and two nights in a lodge room.
http://www.ymcarockies.org/
Award-winning children’s musician at the Denver Public Library. On March 9, award-winning musician and author Jim Gill is bringing his Family Room Tour to the Denver Public Library at 2 p.m. He will strum energetic rhythms on his banjo while everyone claps, sings, dances and even sneezes along to the silly and inspiring musical games that he creates. This interactive concert is free to the public and suitable for kids birth to three years old. denverlibrary.org; Denver Central Library, B2 Conference Center, Broadway and 14th.
Outdoor Divas Demo Day, Loveland
The Outdoor Divas visits Loveland for a women’s specific demo day on March 7. This is your chance to come and try all the latest womens ski equipment before you buy it. For more information on brands and models which will be available to test, please contact Outdoor Divas. There is no cost to participate, although a drivers license and credit card are required for deposit as is a valid lift ticket. For more information please visit http://www.outdoordivas.com/
ArenaCross. Air! Danger! It’s what makes Arenacross the premier indoor, off-road motorcycle racing championship. March 15-17 this event at the Denver Coliseum will give fans the on-track feel of horsepower and gravity. Fans will be treated to an exciting new competitive format in 2013 with a pair of high-octane 12-lap Main Events during each night of racing on the highly-technical, air-inducing tracks of Arenacross. Fans can also get a one-of-a-kind chance to meet the riders and feel the dirt at the Track Party, full of interactive experiences and the unique chance to see Arenacross up close and personal. http://www.arenacross.com
Torchlight Parade and Fireworks Display, Steamboat Springs. On March 17, the Steamboat Ski & Snowboard School treats tourists and locals to spectacular on-snow parades down the mountain lit only by torches. The parades are in celebration of a holiday or local event throughout the season. In conjunction with the torchlight parades, a fireworks display will illuminate the sky providing a perfect ending to the evening. The best viewing for these free, all ages events is from the Bear River Deck (adjacent to Gondola Square) or from Gondola Square, both at the base of the ski area. For more information please visit http://www.steamboat.com/things-to-do/events/2013/02/torchlight-parade-and-fireworks-display.aspx
Mammoths and Mastodons: Titans of the Ice Age. On Feb. 15, return to the Ice Age at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Marvel at life-size models of awe-inspiring Ice Age animals, fossil tusks and skulls, interactive videos, and hands-on activities. Examine the differences between mammoths—beasts weighing up to eight tons, bearing tusks up to 16 feet long—and mastodons, their shorter, stockier cousins. The 13,000-square-foot exhibition also looks at the role human predation, climate change, and other factors may have played in the eventual extinction of these giants. Tickets will go on sale Feb. 1. www.dmns.org/mammoths
Littleton Youth Ballet will be performing The Wizard of Oz on March 16 and 17, designed to entertain children and adults alike! This magical production features talented young dancers as well as beautiful scenery and costumes. Follow Dorothy and her friends as the journey to the Emerald City and discover that there really is no place like home. The event will be at the Lone Tree Art Center and tickets are $14-21. littletonyouthballet.org
GPS Adventures at the Wildlife Museum. Starting on Feb. 9, the Wildlife Experience opens its newest exhibit, which sets you on a course for hidden treasure… all you need is a GPS unit and a sense of adventure. This life-sized maze exhibition introduces visitors to cutting-edge Global Positioning Systems (GPS) through Geocaching – a family friendly treasure hunting game. More than four million people around the world are on the hunt for over a million hidden treasures. In addition to hidden booty, these geocachers are finding the real treasure: reconnecting with family, community and nature in a meaningful way.
Titans of the Ice Age 3D at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Opens February 15. Titans of the Ice Age 3D transports you back 10,000 years before modern civilization to the beautiful and otherworldly landscapes of North America, Europe, and Asia. Peer through the 3D canvas as dazzling computer-generated imagery brings this mysterious era and its giant animals to life. You will come face to face with saber-toothed cats, dire wolves, and woolly mammoths as they share the land with early humans who both feared and relied upon these majestic beasts. Experience this dynamic chapter in the age-old story of human ingenuity, a “trial by ice” that compelled our ancestors to seek understanding and meaning in nature. www.dmns.org
NEW! Flight of the Butterflies 3D at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Opens February 15. A scientific adventure. A compelling detective story. A stunning sight to see. Flight of the Butterflies 3D is all this and more. Dr. Fred Urquhart spent nearly 40 years working to discover the monarch butterflies’ secret hideaway and solve the mystery of their unique migration path. In this dazzling 3D film, you will experience the inspiring story of this scientist’s passion and see up close the lifecycle of these beautiful creatures. Get a butterfly’s-view of the world as you fly over North America and into the isolated mountaintops in Mexico where you will encounter hundreds of millions of fluttering monarchs. www.dmns.org
Daily. After a popular run in 2012, the Children’s Museum of Denver relaunches its “3, 2, 1 … Blast Off!” exhibit. Created in conjunction with United Launch Alliance, “Blast Off!” teaches kids about the basics of rocket science by letting them build and launch their own rockets. The new version of “Blast Off!” includes two giant-size models of real-life rockets, plus a vaulted ceiling for vertical rocket launches — the previous space allowed only for horizontal flights. Museum members are invited to arrive at 9 a.m. Saturday for a special members-only hour before the museum opens. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Children’s Museum of Denver, 2121 Children’s Museum Drive; 303-433-7444. $9 for guests ages 2 to 59; $7 for 1-year-olds and seniors age 60 and older. mychildsmuseum.org.
Winter Beauty in Denver’s Parks. The Mile High City boasts more than 4,000 acres of traditional parks and parkways, which include 2,500 urban natural acres. In the winter, they take on a wondrous glow, offering opportunities for cross-country skiing, sledding and snowshoeing. Stroll through City Park during this season and take in gorgeous views of the skyline, framed by the Rocky Mountains. Cheesman Park positively glitters in winter, with large snowy expanses stretching out in front of you. Snowball fight, anyone? www.denver.org/what-to-do/sports-recreation/denver-parks-outdoors
Peter and the Wolf. On March 17 at 2:30 p.m., the Colorado Symphony presents kid-favorite Peter and the Wolf, Prokofiev’s fun musical tale in which Peter and a myriad of animals are brought to life by the instruments. Also featured is Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals in an ‘animated’ program perfect for young and old alike at Boettcher Concert Hall. Tickets start at $13. http://tickets.coloradosymphony.org
Disney on Ice Treasure Trove. On April 4-7 at the Denver Coliseum, get tangled up in Disney’s 50th animated feature with Rapunzel and Flynn and enter the worlds of your other favorite Disney princesses –Tiana, Cinderella, Jasmine, Ariel, Sleeping Beauty, Belle, Mulan and of course, the one who started it all, Snow White. Set sail with Peter Pan, the always sassy Tinker Bell and the cantankerous Captain Hook and his pirate pals on an adventure beyond Never Land. Trek the wilds of Africa with Simba, Nala, Pumbaa and Timon as they discover the true meaning of the ‘Circle of Life.’ Tick-Tock! Tick-Tock! Don’t be late to a very important date with Alice and the Mad Hatter as they march with the Queen of Hearts’ Army Of Cards. Be sure to see this show full of memories guaranteed to last a lifetime. http://www.Ticketmaster.com/Treasure
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Also, don’t miss these events from Jeffco parks. LMNC programs are FREE and registration is required unless otherwise noted. Register online or by calling 720-497-7600. Looking for a program for your class, scout troop, or other group? Visit their website or call to learn about group programs.
7 p.m. Friday, March 1 (Pine Valley Ranch Park)
Join Astronomy Team members for an engaging discussion and view of objects classified as nebulae. Tour the historic William Baehr Observatory and, weather permitting, view through telescopes. (Ages 10+.)
Toddler Times: Amazing Antlered Animals
10:15 and 11:15 a.m. Saturday, March 2 (Lookout Mountain Nature Center)
Take a gentle hike, hear a story and make a craft as you learn all about elk and deer. (Ages 2-5, with an adult.)
Toddler Times: Amazing Antlered Animals
10:15 and 11:15 a.m. Thursday, March 7 (Lookout Mountain Nature Center)
Take a gentle hike, hear a story and make a craft as you learn all about elk and deer. (Ages 2-5, with an adult.)
Jr. Astronomers: Celestial Scavenger Hunt
6:30 p.m. Saturday, March 9 (Alderfer/Three Sisters Park)
Kids are invited to a night sky treasure hunt. Join Astronomy Team members for an interactive, engaging look at the night sky with activities, telescopes, games and more. (Ages 6-10, with an adult.)
War of 1812 Program
2-4 p.m. Saturday, March 9 (Hiwan Homestead Museum)
Find the answer to fascinating questions about this important and forgotten conflict, which is often dubbed our Second War for Independence. Pre-registration required.
1 p.m. Saturday, March 16 (Lookout Mountain Nature Center)
The Get Outdoors (G.O.) and Explore Club programs are unstructured, playful nature excursions that feature activities for parents to help their children connect with the natural world. (All ages.)
The following school closures have been reported for Monday, February 25, 2013.
ABC Childcare Center – Opening at 8 a.m.
Academy Charter School – Castle Rock – Closed
Accelerated Schools – Closed
Accounting and Business School/Rockies – 1 Hour Delay, Opening at 10 a.m.
Ambleside School – Opening at 9:55 a.m.
American Academy – Closed
Arapahoe Community College – Opening at 10 a.m.
Aurora Public Schools – One Hour Delay
Ave Maria Catholic School – Opening at 10 a.m.
Belleview Christian School – Opening at 9 a.m.
The first thing you notice when you walk into northwest Denver bar Local 46 is all … those … women. More than 150 of them in all.
The second thing you notice are the four dudes hanging awkwardly out of place in back, next to the freestanding waffle chef. (Mmm, waffles.)
The lady with the mic playfully refers to these guys as “the mother (bleepers),” and she’s not so much being cruel as … literal. After all, if it weren’t for these (and other) husbands and fathers, none of the women here would even be mothers. And almost all of them are.
Here is the Pump and Dump, a new monthly “parentally incorrect” live comedy talk show where moms dish the diaper-doo, and men eat the waffles.
The Pump and Dump lactational spectacular — which plays Local 46 on the last Wednesday of each month, including this Wednesday — is the brainchild of Denver comedian/singer Shayna Ferm and the heretofore oh-so-serious, award-winning actor Karen Slack. The party is hosted by MC Doula, a.k.a. Tracey Tee. (A doula, for those of you who don’t know — meaning men — is a continuous caregiver to a mother during labor.)
Ferm is a Ponderosa High School grad whose (premarital) iTunes musical musings have included frisky titles like “Walk of Shame” and “Lube.” Now she’s a sort-of respectable, married mother of two who came up with the idea for the Pump and Dump in the shower. Not because the shower is a particular source of epiphany. It’s just the only place she gets any quiet time.
The premise: Motherhood is hard. Everything about it. And it’s harder when you are going through it alone. So why not gather a bunch of mothers in a room and laugh (and drink) about it together?
Ferm discovered there was comedy in commiseration “from Day 1,” she said. “You realize that motherhood is the biggest club in the world, and you are now part of it.”
And what’s so funny about it?
“Well, I pumped (breast milk) directly into my lap,” said Ferm.
OK, that’s funny.
The Pump and Dump — which is free — has packed Local 46 from its debut gathering in October. The women sing songs, perform comedy sketches, raffle off prizes and commune about the silliest commonalties that bond all mothers. A recurring improvised sketch has the moms interviewing guest stars who portray the world’s most inappropriate nannies.
“If we don’t make you laugh,” Ferm promises, “you can throw dirty diapers at us.”
A key element is audience participation. Each arriving mother is asked to write down the most messed-up thing her kid did that week.
Turnabout is fair play. Ladies?
Ferm: “Every time I change my daughter’s diaper, she tells me that it tickles.”
Slack: “Our daughter comes into our bedroom buck-naked at 3:30 in the morning, chipper as can be, and says, ‘Mommy, I’m awake!’ ”
Tee: “My kid now knows how to fart on cue. And the messed-up part about that is mom and dad are proud. We think it’s awesome.”
Ferm emphasizes the Pump and Dump is not a self-help group. But if it were, said Tee, “This would be my vision of the perfect support group … the kind where everyone is drinking and laughing.”
That’s not therapy, Ferm added. “It’s a night out.”
Make that an hour out. Because what new mother ever really gets more than an hour to herself anyway? So they keep the program intentionally short and get the moms home early.
But an hour is enough, said Slack, a North High grad. “When you are a new mom, you just need to be with other moms who are feeling the same way that you are right now. It’s realizing you are not on an island.”
And whenever you give a new mom a chance to get out of the house and have a drink, Ferm said, “You had better take it.”
Why, the writing of this story provides these young mothers with the opportunity to do that very thing. So they each pack their kids up and stroller over to Local 46 for an interview, and the photo opportunity that comes with it. For the photo, it is suggested that perhaps the moms should each have drinks in their hands while their five combined kids, all ages 2 and under, run rampant around them. Like in real life.
Local 46 co-owner Niya Diehl whips up a martini, a Guinness and a whiskey.
And they are not prop drinks. It is 11 o’clock in the morning, and the women are not shy about accepting. After all, these are women who have learned how to pour wine with one hand and pour a sippy-cup with the other. They’ve earned a drink.
Women have told the Pump and Dumpers this was their first night out in a year. The response has been so positive, the team is now planning additional shows that will travel to bars in different Denver neighborhoods.
“After a while, you realize that motherhood is all sort of hilarious and impossible at once,” Tee said. “So you have to be able to laugh at yourself,” Ferm added, “or you will never be able to keep your sanity.”
“PUMP AND DUMP: AN EVENING OF COMEDY FOR MOTHERS” Hosted by Shayna Ferm, Karen Slack and MC Doula. 8 p.m. Wednesday at Local 46, 4586 Tennyson St. (Local 46 also hosts the “46 Family Fandango” from 12-4 p.m. Sundays, an anything-goes weekly gathering of parents and children complete with face-painting, storytelling, hula hoops and a full-service bar.) Admission to Pump and Dump is free. local46bar.com.