Month: November 2014
Your family’s guide to Colorado’s ski resorts for 2014-15
Ski/snowboard season is officially upon us but where do you begin with so many great Colorado resorts? Don’t miss our guide to lift ticket prices, where to get discounts and many other important facts when planning your family’s ski vacation. Note: some opening dates may change. Arapahoe Basin Ski Area Season: Open now through early June Information: 888-272-7246; arapahoebasin.com Terrain: 960 acres. 23 percent expert; 37 percent advanced; 30 percent intermediate; 10 percent beginner. 109 trails, 2 terrain parks. Summit: 13,050 feet. Base: 10,780 feet. Vertical: 2,270 feet. Longest run: 1.5 miles. Lifts: 1 high-speed quad; 1 quad; 1 triple; 3 doubles; 2 conveyors. Lift tickets: Single-day window price $67-$87 (last year’s pricing). Discounts and multiday tickets prices v...
What I’ve Learned about Yoga: One Mother’s Attempt to Find Her Toes
I am a late recruit to the practice of yoga. It began as I was trying to get a handle on the whole “mind, body, spirit” thing a few months ago which, as many of you know, is no small task. And if you don’t know it, don’t start thinking about it right now because it will completely occupy your mind and you won’t finish my blog. The interesting thing about yoga is that it makes me feel old, young, out of shape, and invigorated all at the same time. And while I don’t know if I’m completely balanced yet, I am excited that I’m finally wearing yoga pants for their intended use. But I do kind of feel like I was duped the first time I visited my local studio. It wasn’t their fault – I just happened to get there at the wrong time. “Here’s the bathroom,” the owner pointed. “H...
Moms Fight Back: The story of sexual abuse that started this movement
In a world full of abuse, neglect and bullying, there are countless scars. The memories that these scars hold either break us down or inspire us to fight back. I for one, believe in challenging the predators that haunt us and the systems that fail us. Today, I share with you the story of what my daughter went through and the realizations that pushed me to start Moms Fight Back. There have been many challenging events in my life that have influenced me to become the person I am today. The loss of my first husband, a five-year custody battle over my daughter with my drug and alcohol abusing second husband, and the debilitating government regulations for small businesses are just a few of them. But the real reason I started this organization dates back to my daughter’s senior year of high sch...
The death of a dream: my personal hell after discovering my husband’s affair
Trigger warning: This article discusses the aftermath of a spouse’s affair. A fantastic resource is After the Affair: Healing the Pain and Rebuilding Trust When a Partner Has Been Unfaithful. I have been reluctant to talk about my own personal hell for the last six months because it was and is so intensely personal. And devastating. And painful. There are a lot of words to describe hell. I hope that you, dear reader, never get to experience any of them. No one, no NO ONE, deserves the hell my family and I have been through. In the end I have decided to write about it- for my own healing and for anyone else who may be going through something similar. Finding Out About the Affair In June, I found out that my husband had been cheating on me for seven months. He had left me and our...
Denver Deal: Soybu Activewear, Zoo Free Day, Chocolates and More
Last year I didn’t really buy a bunch of presents for family (or friends) and I instead called it the “time spent with Christmas.” I made a point to do something with my loved ones individually. That is why I love FoxMind.com‘s new game Time In A Box. When you give Time in a Box, (MSRP $17.95 for 2 players ages 6 and up) you are offering a child you care about the gift no one else in the world can give them: your time. Inside the box you’ll find 96 activity cards that allow a child to momentarily shift your priorities and focus on doing a special activity together, such as playing a board game; solving a puzzle; starting a family tree; making a blanket fort; or carrying out an act of kindness that will bring a smile to a stranger’s face. Time in a B...
How I’m cutting out the clutter and living my Great Adventure with my family this winter
I spent my final semester of college on a study abroad in the Middle East. Our campus was on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem and we traveled frequently around the region. We floated in the Dead Sea and slept in cabanas by the Sea of Galilee. We roamed through Petra’s ancient wonders in Jordan and we climbed Mount Sinai to witness the sunrise. We marveled at the Great Pyramids and sailed the Nile at sunset. Upon the completion of my studies, I stopped over in Europe with a few of my friends. We backpacked five countries in two weeks and had the time of our lives. One of our final destinations was Switzerland. We stayed at a hostel in Interlaken, the country’s outdoor Mecca. After a day of rafting the mighty Lütschine, we talked late into the night with some fellow travelers. On...
Swirly Twirly Designs Giveaway: Create Your Family’s Own Motto!
Every time I walk into a craft store like Hobby Lobby, I spend time browsing through the signs and pictures, looking for a motto that fits my family. Share. Forgive. Laugh. Be Grateful. Love. Though these generic signs have wonderful messages for any family, I have never found one that perfectly fits mine. It would appear not everyone is equally passionate about growing giant pumpkins. That’s why I was ecstatic to connect with Heather, a married mom of 3 (with one on the way) who lives in Breckenridge. She started Swirly Twirly Designs a few years ago when she searched for items for her daughter’s nursery but couldn’t find exactly what she was looking for. So, she decided to learn how create her own signs and artwork and what started off as...
Soybu Women’s Activewear: Darling fashions and Black Friday deal!
Last spring, Mile High Mamas was thrilled to partner with Soybu activewear to collaborate the grand opening of their flagship store in Greenwood Village next to Trader Joe’s. I fully expected to help them with the launch but didn’t anticipate falling in love with their entire clothing line and now, six months later, I’m fully obsessed! As a self-professed NON-Yogini, I not only adore their yoga line (I practically live in their leggings) but all of their clothes–from dresses to skirts to jackets–are so comfortable and fashionable for busy, active moms. Over these next months, we’ll be on the lookout for our favorite Soybu fashions in this fashion line that is targeted to the Everywoman that exude beauty, strength and balance. Here are some of my to...
What would you change about your body?
If you could change one thing about your body, what would you change? Nearly 50 men, women and children were asked this question and their responses were across the board. Nearly all the adults talked about physical traits such as big ears, acne, a large forehead while the sweet kiddos couldn’t even come up with an answer. “I like my body, actually,” said one darling freckle-faced girl. Another said he wanted “legs like a cheetah so I can run faster” and a girl wished “I can have wings to I could fly.” The video is intended to point out how easy it is to feel self-conscious and insecure about personal appearances, said Jason Y. Lee, co-founder of Jubilee Project, the non-profit organization that made the clip.
Thousands of Colorado high school students refuse to take state tests
Thousands of high school seniors from Boulder to the Denver suburbs are skipping new state-mandated science and social studies tests, the latest flare-up in an escalating battle over Colorado’s standardized tests. The no-shows in some of the state’s highest-performing and wealthiest districts come amid growing anxiety about overtesting, uniting families in liberal Boulder and conservative Douglas County. Supporters of the state’s academic standards and testing can take comfort in one thing: This is not an uprising against testing fourth-graders in math, but instead involves tired, disillusioned high school seniors thinking about college. At nine Douglas County high schools, nearly 1,900 students did not take the tests, more than half of students, according to preliminary ...
Transitioning children to gluten-free diets doesn’t have to be scary with these resources and recipes
Elaine Taylor-Klaus took her daughter Bex off gluten 8 1/2 years ago after a nutritionist suggested the irritable and sensitive girl might have a gluten sensitivity. Within two weeks of eliminating gluten from her diet, Bex, now 18, was a different child. Melissa Berardi’s son Anthony, 5, was wasting away two years ago. He was extremely small for his age, she says, and throwing up constantly. It turned out he had celiac disease. Berardi changed his diet and says Anthony has become a healthy child. Whether it’s for diagnosed celiac disease or suspected gluten sensitivity, many parents are switching their children to gluten-free diets. Busy parents might feel overwhelmed by the thought of a big dietary overhaul for kids already picky about food (and change in general). But going ...
I’m Ever-Grateful to be Vexed
Every time I get a forwarded email from my dad — something about angels watching over me and how I need to squeeze my eyes shut tight, pray two Hail Marys, and make three wishes and then forward it to everyone in my address book if I don’t want to get a menacing phone call the next day — I cringe a little at the possible implications of hitting delete… or losing my friends if I don’t. And then I bow my head in gratitude because it means that not only is Dad very much alive, he’s feeling well enough to send me chain letters. Thank you for thinking of me, Dad. Every time my brother forwards me a text message joke, the kind that makes me cry with laughter but that I can’t repeat to ANYONE in ANY social setting EVER, I curse him a little. Not because o...
