Month: June 2015

Denver Deals: Free Bowling, Giraffe Encounter, Fourth of July

With the Fourth of July just around the corner, there are many fabulous festivals and freebies! Be sure to check-out our guide to celebrating the holiday weekend that includes the Independence Eve Celebration in Civic Center Park, the Cherry Creek Art Festival, the Liberty Run and Firecracker Kids Fun Run, the Park Hill 4th of July Parade, Arvada’s Independence Day Celebration, Colorado Symphony’s Family-friendly Fourth of July, Fireworks at Elitch Gardens Theme & Water Park, Colorado Rapids and Fireworks, Denver Outlaws and Fireworks and more. Free bowling. School is Out so bring the kids In! At Punch Bowl Social, kids ages 15 and under bowl free for 1 hour Mondays – Wednesdays from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.  First come first serve, including shoes. All children...

Top 15 Colorado Vacations and Activities for Summer 2015

Summer has finally arrived. We have been waiting for it since the earliest teases in March. The rains have parted and kids are ready to play. Here are Mile High Mamas’ top 15 getaways and activities for summer 2015. 1. Railroads – All aboard! I have a quite few train buffs in my family. From Hank the Tank to my own dad, we have ridden many of rails in Colorado. The best part of the railway trip is the scenery. Sometimes it’s the most spectacular way to view pieces of Colorado’s various terrains. Here are the lines to ride this summer. Royal Gorge: The train route begins in Cañon City and travels the Royal Gorge Route. Think some of the most breathing-taking canyons in the world; seriously, with the mysterious and mesmerizing Colorado River carving it’s way through time and lands...

Gardening. Or, How I Created a Beautiful Obsession

I still haven’t gotten it right. Every year I toil and till… every year I walk away with some level of disappointment. I sincerely hope this makes you feel better if you too are a wanna-be gardener! Fifteen years in Colorado and I still haven’t figured it out. But I’m closer. One year I discovered compost. Another year, I planted a raspberry bush in faith. Each and every planting season stirs in me this insatiable urge to put dirt in small cups with a variety of tiny seeds. I water them, put them in a sunny place and believe that something is going to grow. The good news? Sometimes it does. Even better news? Three years later that raspberry bush started producing berries! Right on schedule. Now, if I could just get the squirrels to stop eating my pumpkins… One weary gardener to another, he...

Baby+Company’ new childbirth center: meet the midwives

Baby+Company is thrilled to be open in Wheat Ridge, Colorado. Their grand opening welcomed 200+ people into the birth center. If you weren’t able to make it they invite you to stop by for tour and complimentary consultation. In the meantime get to know their team of midwives: Laura Thielke MSN, CNM I am very excited to be onboard with Baby+Company and getting back to where my passion is with natural childbirth. My nursing journey started at The Children’s Hospital on the Oncology/BMT unit where I felt blessed to take care of such incredible children. Following the birth of my first child, I knew midwifery was where I was suppose to end up. After 10 years of working with children, I made the switch to the other end of the life spectrum which has been just as equal of a blessing. As a CU gra...

Fight Boredom on a Budget: At-Home Summer Camp Ideas

Most moms know those first blissful days of summer can quickly turn into chaos as the weeks wear on, temperatures creep higher and higher, and boredom sets in. Here in Colorado, by mid-July the backyard grass is brown, the crowded swimming pools have lost their luster, and parents have started counting down the days until school starts and the house can have some sense of calmness again. Trust me, we’ve all been there. We’re lucky to have amazing summer camps offered throughout Denver, but the costs can add up and take a big chunk out of the family budget. Instead, bring summer camp to your kids with these fun at-home camp ideas. It doesn’t take much to fight boredom and brain drain—gather some supplies, invite a few friends, and enjoy summer without breaking the bank.  Art Perfect fo...

The Mama Sagas: Don’t be conservative with the stool softeners

As anyone who’s gone through it will tell you, preparing for your first childbirth experience isn’t just about setting up a nursery and packing a bag. There are a few (WAY) more important items to have on hand for when the big day arrives. The Mama Sagas is a Denver-based online video series dedicated to empowering moms through shared experiences and expert solutions. With humor, honesty, and raw emotion as our foundation, we’re building a supportive community of mamas who celebrate the beauty of the imperfect moments. Becoming a mom doesn’t happen in 9 months; it happens constantly – and continuously – every day after giving birth. Using our stories to break down stigmas, The Mama Sagas redefines what it means to be Super Mom and celebrates the hero in every woman. Find them on their ...

Family-friendly 4th of July Events in Denver 2015

The Mile High City will come alive with plenty of family-friendly events for Independence Day. Bonus: the holiday is on a Saturday so celebrate the entire weekend long! Independence Eve. July 3, 8 p.m.-midnight. The annual Independence Eve Celebration in Civic Center Park will feature a free patriotic concert, an innovative light show on the Denver City and County Building and a stunning fireworks finale. Lawn seating will be available on a first-come, first-served basis; blankets or low-rise concert/beach chairs are encouraged. Civic Center Park, West Colfax Avenue & Broadway Street, Denver. http://www.civiccenterconservancy.org/event-independence-eve_75.html Independence Celebration at Four Mile Historic Park. July 2, 5-10 p.m. Enjoy a modern take on an old fashio...

Winning Wednesday: Win tickets to Boondocks Food & Fun!

As a part of Winning Wednesday during the summer months, Boondocks Food & Fun will be giving away four passes for one lucky family! Boondocks is one of the area’s premier entertainment destinations. Offering over 8 acres of fun at each location, including bowling, go-karts, bumper boats, miniature golf, laser tag, meeting rooms, event center, Back Porch Grill, and more. What’s fun, new or fabulous at Boondocks this summer? Don’t miss $12 Tuesday & Thursdays: Unlimited Bowling (including shoes), Laser Tag, Kiddie Cove and Video Games;  Outdoor Upgrade is $7 for unlimited Go-Karts, Slick Track, Rookie Track, Jr. Racers, Miniature Golf and Bumper Boats. Does your child have great grades? Tokens are awarded for “A”, “B&#...

Elitch Gardens unveils $2.5M Water Park Addition SlideZilla

What is blue and purple and spits out yellow clovers?  Elitch Gardens Theme and Water Park’s SlideZilla, a $2.5 million attraction that has finally opened thanks to a break in the weather!  Named Best Water Attraction in 2014 by IAAPA, SlideZilla is the first hybrid slide in Colorado and consists of two thrilling custom features – the BehemothBowl and TornadoWAVE. The six-story water hydro-beast accelerates two or four riders through an enclosed tube and into the swirling 24 foot bowl, before unexpectedly plunging 57 feet and cresting the fierce four-story high tornado wave water wall. The ride culminates in an exhilarating splashdown with anyone 48 inches and taller.   SlideZilla joins twelve other aquatic attractions in the Island Kingdom Water Park. Casta...

Denver Deal: Kneaders, Michael’s, Bike to Work Day and More

I don’t know about you – but for me, I love the process of planning a vacation almost better than the vacation itself. I have been planning for months now. We are going to DisneyWorld next week. (Florida actually – we will also go to Universal). Any tips you can give me for fun with my teenage kids? Maybe I will let them go around the park on their own – and I will enjoy “It’s a Small World” all on my own!   Kneaders Bakery & Café will open Friday, June 26 at 7:00 a.m.  To celebrate their Grand Opening, the first 100 customers will receive a complimentary meal of Kneaders famous French toast! With 3 locations in Colorado and over 35 locations throughout the west, Kneaders Bakery and Café specializes in authentic European hearth b...

A Mother’s Movement to Empower Parents in a Legalized Marijuana State

Within the last two years, our rambunctious lanky puppy dog of a boy became a full fledged teenager soaring into High School like a gorgeous, scaly charcoal black dragon with long eyelashes and started hanging around other dragons puffing out sparks of fire and herbal scented smoke rings. Thus began my inner mantra, #shutthisshitdown (scream it out loud, it feels good), a phrase I heard during one of my Sirius comic relief sprints with comedian Demetri Martin, “People Watching.” This he screamed after stepping on a LEGO on the floor. So what’s it like? Having a 15-year-old boy cut from the same cloth as his mother–only the oldest of three boys instead of the youngest of three girls–and more evolved, smarter, braver and more curious?...

5 Things Parents Can Learn from the Movie Inside Out

My family (Tween Son, Teen Daughter, Father, Mother) attended a pre-screening last week for Disney Pixar’s new film, Inside Out, in theaters now. (Disclosure: we were guests at the theater.) Each of us loved the movie, for different reasons. Son liked it for the cartoon-y feel, bright colors, and fast pace. Daughter liked it for pulling on her heartstrings. Father liked it for the multi-layered humor that Pixar is so good at (as in virtually any episode of The Simpson, there is in-your-face kid humor alongside more subtle adult humor). I, the Mother, liked the film because

  • 1
  • 2
  • 5