Month: December 2014

It’s no wonder they don’t want to leave those play structures!

When my daughter was young, one of our favorite places to play is a local play-area at a Rec Center near us. The indoor play-structure was built with a tree house theme in mind, and all of the tunnels stretch out above the room, like the branches of a tree. It’s great because the parents can stand or sit down below and chat while their kiddos crawl through miles and miles of tubing above. There are many different compartments, most all with windows overlooking the room below. There are different slides throughout so that you can easily get down…only to run around like a crazy person on the squishy floor of the play area and climb the spiral stairs up again. Claire and I went there many times. Our Moms’ Club et there on occasion (more now, in colder weather, since meeting at a p...

Denver Deal: Denver Art Museum, Avalanche Tickets, Redbox, AMF and More

Every year, I make what I call my family yearbook for my kids. It is not really a Christmas present so much as a reminder of all the great things that we did the previous year. I have used several different services for these yearbooks (Collage.com; WalMart Photo, and Mixbook.com). As you look forward to what your plans are for next year – and setting any kind of New Year’s Resolutions, do you look back and see what great times the previous year held? Do you do anything with all those photos in your camera (or do you just post them on social media sites)? Noon Years Eve. The Children’s Museum of Denver hosts their annual Noon Year’s Eve complete with ball drops every half hour. The event has proven so successful – they are hosting the event at the Butterfly Pa...

Denver-area Wild Animal Sanctuary a wild adventure!

The elevated walkway ascends from the Wild Animal Sanctuary gift shop and orientation point. We step up the inclined path, passing above lazing leopards, tigers and mountain lions below, then continue past a green arrow pointing to the Bolivian Lion Complex. The walkway is wide and sturdy and varies between 20 and 40 feet above the enclosures below, where 350 large carnivores roam this little-known, fenced-in Serengeti of the West, only 30 miles northeast of Denver. The height of the walkway is “so the animals don’t feel their territory or personal space is threatened,” explains my guide, Kent Drotar, who has been working at the Wild Animal Sanctuary for six of the 10 years it has been open to the public. This makes the creatures less stressed and more likely to act natur...

Movie Review: “Into the Woods”

Oh, they may not have trucked in superheroes but they had more than their share of flawed protagonists, villains, and, better still, complicated life lessons to impart. The oral folk tales collected and put to paper by the Brothers Grimm weren’t merely enthralling (if chiding), they were road maps for navigating existentially dark forests. Of course, you already know all this. Yet, it’s wonderfully satisfying that in a year that saw X-Men and Avengers and even Guardians, 2014 ends with an ensemble of old-school misadventurers and a few troublesome baddies in “Into the Woods.” Cinderella, the Baker and his wife, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack of Beanstalk fame and Rapunzel make director Rob Marshall’s adaptation of the Stephen Sondheim-James Lapine Broadway music...

Family-friendly New Year’s Eve Celebrations in Denver 2014

Evergreen’s Annual Skate the Lake Winter Festival has been a New Year’s Eve tradition since 1996. Winter Festival offers ice-skating, fireworks, fire barrel bonfires, sleigh rides, food, music and ice games such as pick-up hockey and broom-stick hockey along with games/ activities (face painting), food vendors, music and dancing all on firm ground!  Ice skate rentals are available from the Lake House for $7.00, but quantities are limited. Also, at high noon on New Year’s Day at Evergreen Lake, snow or shine, you too can jump into the cool waters for an invigorating winter plunge.  29612 Upper Bear Creek Road Evergreen, CO. Tickets $20; kids 8 and under are free. http://drive-smart.org/icefest-2 The Children’s Museum of Denver is under construction but the party must g...

Favorite Picture Books of 2014

It’s that time of year again when adults everywhere ask the age-old question: How many shopping days are left? Well, I am here to help with a list of my favorite children’s picture books of 2014. From beautifully written and illustrated to just plain silly, there’s a book for everyone to enjoy this holiday season and beyond. DRAW! by Raul Colon Based on his own childhood, beloved and award-winning artist Raúl Colón’s wordless book is about the limitless nature of creativity and imagination. A boy alone in his room. Pencils. Sketchbook in hand. What would it be like to go on safari? Imagine. Draw… A boy named Leonardo begins to imagine and then draw a world afar—first a rhinoceros, and then he meets some monkeys, and he always has a friendly elephant at his side. Soon he finds himself in th...

He’s been a good boy; I’ve just been a bad mom

I’ve got a Christmas confession to make: I’m not sure there’s going to be anything under the tree for my baby boy to unwrap. No, there’s not a budget shortfall. No, I don’t love his older sisters more than I love him. No, there haven’t been any major toy recalls (that I know about, anyway). Really, it’s just that he’s got everything he needs. And even if we weren’t in the midst of trying economic times, I’d still be loathe to spend aimlessly. He doesn’t need any toys or books or stuffed animals. He’s got plenty of sleepers and strollers already. What the kid needs is diapers and wipes, but that would probably rank just above coal in the stocking. Oh [bleep]. I don’t have a stocking for him either. Besides diapers...

Denver deals: NORAD, Denver Art Museum, restaurants and more!

I Spy Santa The team at North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, keeps track of a sleigh pulled by eight tiny reindeer every December. Before computers, curious kids had to telephone in to find out Santa’s whereabouts. Nowadays, kids everywhere can now track online the big, jolly guy’s route around the world on Christmas Eve, as well as receive updates directly from the North Pole. Even before the big night, children can explore a digital Santa’s Village, play games and watch movies. The command center’s tracking techniques are top-secret, but we’ve learned Rudolph’s glowing red nose gives off an infrared signal that can be detected by satellites. If this doesn’t convince the kids that Santa is on his way, nothing will. noradsanta.org Ea...

Children channel their opinions about toys onto YouTube

A snaggletooth 8-year-old. A middle schooler with a punk rocker bob cut and big earrings. Tween siblings with a penchant for playing. These are among the young power brokers who will determine the toys that will be under Christmas trees this year. At a time when toy sales have stagnated for years at $22 billion, children who review toys on YouTube are wielding increasing influence. Toymakers are courting them for their ability to connect with a generation that views the online video-sharing service as baby boomers do HBO. “Kids trust other kids more so than they would an adult,” says Marc Rosenberg, a Chicago-based toy marketing consultant. Leading the pack of pint-sized YouTube personalities is Evan, 8, who has dimples and a few front teeth missing. With more than 1 billion vi...

Last-minute Gift Guide for Denver Moms

If you are a busy mom-on-the-go, which more than likely you are, there may be a few things still left on your holiday checklist. Just admit it—you haven’t quite finished shopping. Do not fear, Colorado is packed with local, one-of-a-kind gifts that are sure to make your loved ones swoon. Most of these gifts can be shipped to arrive last minute, and those that can’t, no worries. Simply get an envelope, write a lovely note and explain that the recipient of this note will get something very special in the New Year. Today we present to you a  “Last Minute Gift Guide” perfectly picked for the Rocky Mountain Mama.  4Favorites A rug manufacturer that takes children’s artwork and creates an heirloom from the precious pieces, how stinking adorable is that? 4Favorites takes your orig...

18 Best Beef Holiday Recipes: Smoky Cilantro Pesto Beef Crostini, Herbed Beef Tenderloin and more!

We all have our holiday dinner traditions and my family’s is to buy the most expensive tenderloin we can find at Costco and cook it for Christmas dinner. Actually, that’s my wealthy brother’s tradition; my tradition is to be the grateful glutton who devours it!  However, this year we’re not going home to Canada so I have already been seeking out my own delicious tenderloin recipes. There’s nothing quite like have a delicious steak or scrumptious meatball appetizer on Christmas. The Colorado Beef Council is here to help and they have published some of their top holiday picks. Be sure to go to their website for some of these delicious recipes that will make your holiday that much more memorable! Appetizers Beef Pot Stickers Mini Meatballs with Apricot Dippi...

CarMax: How they’re making buying a new car less stressful for families

This post brought to you by CarMax. The content and opinions expressed below are that of Mile High Mamas. Last year, my husband and I decided it was time to trade in my 2003 Honda Pilot for a newer vehicle. We visited a lot of dealerships, test-drove even more vehicles, and I became obsessed with all the bells and whistles of a new SUV…and a vehicle that didn’t have an imprint of my kids’ preschool years (read: a lot of Cheerios). Then we sat on our decision to buy. And sat. And a year later, we’re still sitting because it’s tough to muster up the motivation to buy a new car—regardless of how awesome it is—when you have your previous one paid off (can anyone else relate?). We both decided that 2015 would be our year to begin our search again so when CarMax invited me to come check-out one ...

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