Month: August 2014

Slain toddler’s memory lives through bicycle project for toddlers

When Jen Charrette watches toddlers scooting around on pedal-less Strider bikes, she feels a grief-tinged happiness. The children remind her of Axel, her 2-year-old son who was slain in a Mexican beach town while the family was wintering there in February 2013. Axel liked nothing better than to push himself along on his Strider — or his “chariot” as his parents called it — as fast as his chubby little legs would take him. “It is bittersweet,” Jen Charrette said about watching other kids on the bikes now. “It mostly just makes me feel good to remember him in that way.” Instead of withdrawing into grief, Jen, her husband, Randy, and their oldest son, Kalden, continue to honor Axel by ensuring other kids learn to enjoy cycling. Through their Axel Project fo...

Teen confession sites: What they are and what parents can do about them

Last week my husband stumbled on a Twitter account that shared “compliments” about local high school students. While many of the Tweets were harmless – “The juniors have the hottest guys” or “Kelly is the sweetest girl I know” – frequently, they veered into more explicit territory, commenting on students’ sexual prowess and worse. Some posts were anonymous; others included Twitter handles or the students’ full names. Then we found another account, this one sharing anonymous “confessions” (many appear to be rumors) from area students. Most of the posts involve drug abuse and casual sex. Many include first and last names and/or the name of the school the “confession” originated from. Few are fit to be reprinted here. Reading through these was enough to make me want to ban both of...

Foodie Friday: Grilled Chicken Paillards with Peach and Arugula Salad

Labor Day, summer’s last hurrah, is a feast day. And mostly — tell the truth! — we tend to overdo it. Ribs, steaks, burgers and hot dogs? Check! Vegetables and other light fare? Not so much. The standard routine amounts to the summer version of Thanksgiving, except that after the meal everyone collapses onto the lawn rather than a couch. Allow me to propose an alternative — a dish that’s simultaneously light and refreshing and substantial: chicken paillard. Paillard is a French culinary term referring to a piece of meat pounded thin, then grilled or sautéed. In this case, we’re going to marinate and grill chicken breasts, then top them off with a peach and arugula salad glorified with a full-fat blue cheese dressing. Where do you find these skinny cuts of chicken? Chances...

“Exasperating” video goes viral when mom announces pregnancy to preschooler

“What were you thinking?” It’s not very often that a 4-year-old responds that way to his mom after she happily announces she is pregnant.  But that’s exactly how Tré reacted to his mom Shanee Gibson Hart from Fort Lewis in Washington. And do you know what else? He claims: “This is exasperating.” Parents these days. Video

Hello Kitty not a real cat? Gretchen reveals her real mom!

I first heard it on the Today show this morning: Hello Kitty is not, in actuality, even a cat. I wondered if my entire life was a lie? Apparently I wasn’t the only one and be sure to check out our beloved Gretchen’s hilarious post about the matter. ====== Late last night, the news broke. The internet went wild. Bafflement ensued. The masses learned Hello Kitty is not actually a Felis catus sporting a Redis Hairbowis near her pointy little ear. Many expressed shock and wonderment at the news. Of course Hello Kitty is a cat. She has ears and whiskers! Next, you’ll be telling us that Goofy is not a kangaroo. It turns out Hello Kitty is a third grader named Kitty White. As I read about Hello Kitty, it slowly dawned on me. I am the mother of Hello Kitty. Of course, there are a few i...

Advanced newborn expert shares 5 must-haves and 5 “nice to haves” for baby’s nursery

I’m a first-time mom. While I’m totally in love with my five-month-old, I can’t stand excessive amounts of baby stuff or the clutter it creates. There seems to be a gadget for everything related to babies. (Hmm-bottle sterilize? Hot water and soap has been working for generations.) You could easily spend a mini fortune and fill every gap of space in your home with baby related items. When it came to baby gear, I adapted the “less is more” philosophy because of…. 1)    My “Type-A” Personality- I like our house neat, clean and organized. Less stuff makes that easier for me. 2)    The Need to Save Money and Space- Enough said. 3)    Our Need for Adult Space & Sanity-At day’s end, I want to drink a glass a wine with my hubby and act like a well-...

Dealing with Anxiety: One Mom’s Double Whammy

My life completely changed this year.  And not the way I thought it would. On December 31, 2013, I toasted the beginning of 2014.  That year had been hard and I felt sure 2014 would be better.  The book that I had been working on for years would finally be released just after the New Year, so how could I not look at the coming months with anything but optimism? Huh.  Stay tuned.

Here Goes Nothin’: lauching into a new career!

We’ve had quite a summer at our house.  Mixed in with some quiet weeks at home enjoying all the swimming Boulder has to offer, we took a month and drove to the east coast to spend some quality time with family.  We didn’t know what to expect but went for it anyway and were not disappointed.  In fact we had the time of our lives, but that’s a story for another day. During the last week of the vacation, we started bracing ourselves for the return to reality.  My husband graduated from grad school this past year, so our future includes very limited funds now that we are unable to live off of education loans.  I’d been looking for work but hadn’t had any luck.  Among other things, our trip was a way to avoid thinking about any of that for a bit. Then I got an emai...

Denver Deal: Sierra Trading Post, Pancakes at Park Meadows, Taste of Colorado & More

When I was in Junior High my friend and I would go to the local pool and pretend we were mermaids. I think I foolishly added it to my then bucket list–“become a mermaid is what I had written.” I knew that was probably not going to happen but I did get to at least check “swim with mermaids” off my list last weekend as my friend and I were in the fish tank at the Denver Aquarium when the mermaid show was happening. I won the opportunity to swim with the fishes at the Denver Aquarium from a Twitter contest sponsored by Mile High Sports Magazine – but you can purchase your chance to swim (kids have to be 6 years old). I’m still pinching myself. Yes, that was real. Taste of Colorado Taste of Colorado will take place at Civic Center Park this weekend. Th...

Labor Day Weekend Kicks Off Deals On Ski/Snowboard Equipment and Passes

Yes, the venerable start to fall means more than just the kids going back to school. It means it’s time to start thinking about snow and all the fun activities that come with it! Labor Day weekend is the kick-off to the ski season – where you can get your season passes, ticket deals and deals on gear. Just like any great sale – the key is all in WHEN you purchase. Most of the season passes will continue to be on sale through Thanksgiving weekend – but the prices will continually creep up. Best deals will be Labor Day Weekend. Denver has a couple great competing sales that start Labor Day weekend. Sports Authority’s Sniagrab (Bargains spelled backwards) and Colorado Ski & Golf’s Ski Rex. Ski Rex is at all Colorado Ski & Golf Locations, Boulder Ski...

A potty training descent into hell and the realization I am not above bribing a mouse

I could write volumes upon volumes of books about potty training the most stubborn kid on the planet. I’m a few years removed from the trauma but believe me,  it was bad. As in we-went-to-seminars-at-the-Colorado-Children’s-Hospital-and-later-to-a-specialist kind of bad. (Read about our descent into hell here). My friend’s recent announcement of how thrilled she was her son was finally potty trained and she only had one in diapers brought back my potty-training-induced anxiety attacks. I would rather sludge through a thousand hours of homework than go back to those dark, dark days. But it wasn’t always dark. In fact, in the beginning potty training was a rather hopeful activity. Sure, we had some failed jump-starts where my daughter demonstrated she was perfect...

Must-watch William Tell Momisms (a.k.a. The Mom Song)

As a mom, do you feel like you say the same things over and and over again to your kids? Turns out, you’re not alone. Anita Renfroe sums up all the things that a mother says to her children in a three-minute song called “Momisms” set to the William Tell Overture. H-I-L-A-R-I-O-U-S!

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