Month: November 2015

Denver’s Top Holiday Events and Light Displays

Denver is positively brimming with family fun in December! To help you get the most out of your holidays, we have compiled a list of fabulous ongoing activities and light displays (for one-time events such as festivals or Parade of Lights, be sure to go to our events page.) If you’re looking for the best holiday lights in your neighborhood, check-out The Denver Post’s Holiday Lights Map. What have we missed? Be sure to include your favorite traditions below! Southwest Rink at Skyline Park  Nov. 25, 2015-Feb. 16, 2016  Cost: Free or $2 skate rental Location: Skyline Park Southwest Airlines and the Downtown Denver Partnership invite you to grab your family and friends and head to 16th and Arapahoe in Downtown Denver to the Southwest Rink at Skyline Park. The r...

Hanukkah 101: Traditions, Games and Recipes

Hanukkah is an eight-day Jewish holiday that celebrates religious freedom. This year Hanukah begins on the evening of Sunday December 6, 2015 and ends in the evening of Monday, December 14, 2015. Hanukkah is celebrated in the wintertime, near or around Christmas. Though the proximate occurrence of the two holidays is coincidental, it is interesting in that the story of Hanukkah raises questions about how a religious or ethnic community maintains its identity in relation to a broader culture. The story In 168 B.C.E., the Jewish holy temple in Jerusalem was seized by Syrian-Greek soldiers and dedicated to the worship of Zeus. Then, the Syrian-Greek emperor Antiochus made the observance of Judaism an offense that was punishable by death. He banned circumcision and Sabbath observance and he al...

Holiday spending survival guide: 7 budgeting tips

Since my divorce and crawling my way out of a terrible financial fix (thanks ex-husband!), I budget for nearly everything. There are a few things around the holidays that can send me for a loop so this year, I have tried to be more mindful of what those things are and budget appropriately.  Wrapping Paper – I typically plan my budget for the presents not the wrapping paper. Some malls in the area (or stores) offer free wrapping when you purchase a gift there. Take advantage of that! Cookie Making – depending on the cookies, some are less expensive to make than others. Can you make great cookies with simple ingredients and not a lot of expensive nuts or chocolate? Maybe even do a cookie exchange with friends or neighbors so you don’t have to buy a lot of unique i...

Contest: New Fast-casual BBQ Restaurant Opens (win a $50 gift card)

I’ve been a longtime fan of BBQ but there’s nothing fast about ordering it. In fact, BBQ is best when it’s slow-roasted so waiting a bit longer for quality is part of the expectation. That wait is no longer. CARVE – a new fast-casual concept – is serving up mouthwatering barbecue, cooked low and slow, at their new Denver restaurant. Located at the bustling intersection of Colorado Boulevard and E. Tennessee Avenue, CARVE serves ethically-raised meats, carved to order, and paired with scratch sides made from fresh local and seasonal ingredients. Choices include chicken ($7.95), pulled pork ($7.45), brisket or bunt ends ($8.95), hot link or Kielbasa ($6.45), vegetarian ($6.45) or St. Louis Ribs ($8.95) with a bevvy of traditional side...

Mothers’ Milk Bank: How to Get Involved

  For many new moms, the ability to breastfeed their children is a blessing. Some new moms, however, are unable to breastfeed for a variety of reasons. That was the case for Megan Nelson, a breast cancer survivor and mother of two in Arvada. Megan was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer after the birth of her second son, Luke. After undergoing a double mastectomy, Megan was heartbroken that she could not breastfeed Luke as she had with her first son. In order to give Luke his best start in life, Megan relied on donor human milk from Mothers’ Milk Bank (MMB), a Colorado-based program benefitting women and babies nationwide. Now expecting her third son, Megan plans to feed her baby donor human milk from MMB once again. “Being able to provide my sons with donor human milk ...

Denver Deal: Black Friday!

Maybe my family is weird. After all the Turkey is done, we sit around the table and get out the paper (about the only one I buy each year) to plot the day ahead – Black Friday. My daughter has even joined the fun the last few years – despite her not being a morning person AT ALL. But, with the promise of a Starbucks to start her 4 a.m. day she can handle it.  Target First Tuesday FREE Day. Tuesday, December 1, head over to the Children’s Museum of Denver for FREE admission from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. to check-out the $16 million expansion. Black Friday Festivities: Outlets at Castle Rock – On top of the center’s daily commitment to 30-70% off retail prices – Outlets at Castle Rock’s Moonlight Madness sale promises a fun, family-friendly late-night shopping ...

Five Ways to Make the Most of Your Art Museum Visit with Kids

When I think about taking my kids to art museums, I get excited, and it’s not because my kids are especially well-behaved, and an outing to an art museum promises to be a cakewalk. My kids are the slightly rowdier kind that incite other people, usually gray-haired and prim looking, to make comments like “aren’t they a little out of control” and “maybe you shouldn’t be here.” I’m not a glutton for punishment either, so why does taking my kids to art museums excite me so much? Because kids’ minds are like sponges and in art museums they learn critical thinking skills and develop a visual vocabulary. They also learn about art, history, culture, and even science and math. Perhaps the most important reason is that it’s a fun shared learning experience. So how do you make the most of...

Colorado Family Ski Directory: Welcome to Our New Ski Section!

Mile High Mamas is a top resources for planning Colorado family ski/ride vacations. Due to the deluge of inquiries we receive, we’re thrilled to launch the Colorado Family Ski Directory that focuses exclusively on families–from daily lift ticket prices to the cost of childcare to where to get the best deals. But we’ve taken it one step further! Click the hyperlink for each resort name below for more in-depth details including additional deals, at what ages kids ski free, lessons, family-friendly activities, area attractions for playtime off the slopes and more. This is just the basic information you’ll need to get started. To give you a true taste of Colorado’s winter, follow our adventures as we visit area res...

Activities To Teach “Thankfulness”

It’s the holiday season! What better time is there to teach and encourage thankfulness within your home or classroom. Kids and particularly preschool aged children are notoriously known for being self-centered. Thankfulness, empathy and sharing are all skills that crucial to nixing that preschool aged egocentric behavior, but these are also skills that aren’t inherent, they need to be taught and fostered. Teaching a child how to be thankful doesn’t only result in a child with good manners, but a child who is thankful tends to be happier, more content and less stressed and depressed. Personally, I can say that is true as I feel much happier when I make a conscience effort to be thankful for all my blessings instead of focusing on all the challenges I’m facing. So, what can you do at home or...

Priceless: Man finds out he’s going to be a grandpa

Mom-to-be Alexa Goolsby found the perfect way to announce the news to her dad that he is going to be a grandfather – by playing Jimmy Fallon’s Whisper Challenge where contestants attempt to lip read a sentence. Her parents are wearing headphones in order to block out sounds and once Dad finally figures it out, his reaction is hilarious! 

How you can help the Syrian refugees without leaving Colorado

 The decision to house Syrian refugees in Colorado is a divisive one but whatever your stance, as winter looms, aid organizations are appealing for extra assistance with relief efforts. If you’re trying to wrap your head around ISIS and what is really happening in Syria, this article about how a refugee gets to America (explained by an actual refugee) and accompanying video about Syria’s 4-year-long Civil War are eye-opening. One mom saw and is fulfilling a need. About two months ago, Cristal Logothetis was horrified when she saw a picture of a 3-year-old boy who drowned as his family left Syria. That single image moved her to act. Since then, she has led a successful IndieGoGo campaign and founded a nonprofit, Carry the Future, to help displaced S...

Foodie Friday: Rustic Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

I am a lover of comfort food and cooking shows, thus breeding this delicious recipe. What makes this recipe differ from other Chicken Noodle Soup recipes is the attention to the farm fresh ingredients as well as the humanly raised chicken used. Of course, you can make this without organic ingredients but with them, this is a soup that you can feel good about feeding to your whole family. Note: You may also use your leftover Thanksgiving turkey as a substitute.  Enjoy! [yumprint-recipe id=’89’]  Jessica Fairbanks of Lakewood CO. I am a Domestic Engineer (Stay at home mom) to two crazy little guys (12 months and two and a half) in Lakewood, Colo. Her professional background is in Makeup Artistry and Cosmetics, and she has worked with the Denver Nuggets Dancers, Col...

  • 1
  • 2
  • 4