Month: July 2016

Outlets at Castle Rock’s Month of Back-to-School Activities and Discounts!

As much as my family is saddened about summer coming to an end, we’re filled with nervous anticipation for the advent of a new school year. New teachers! Friends! Math homework! OK, there are some things that are more exciting than others and sometimes back-to-school shopping can feel overwhelming. So it’s pretty darn cool that the Outlets at Castor Rock is celebrating ‘Kids Who ROCK’ while also focusing on rocking Back-to-School styles. Now through the end of August, the center will host events, special sales and contests designed to help Colorado kids – and their parents – enjoy the final month before school returns. “This is the time of year when parents have to balance tight budgets with the styles their kids love. Our store...

Simple Decorating Tips From a Not-So-Professional Home Decorator

No, I’m not trying to scare off readers with the title of this article – I just want to be real clear in case my advice doesn’t work out so well and moms everywhere come looking for me, yikes. So, now that you’ve been warned, feel free to read on! Fall. Though our long, lovely days are growing shorter they still pose ample opportunity for several quick but beautiful alterations to your home’s appearance. Take advantage of the still-warm weather, leisure time and kids that are back in school. A quick way to liven up a room is by adding some color. Many decorators suggest combining colors opposite each other on the color wheel. I use a variety of greens in our home and have accents in red, rusty reds and oranges. I throw in a teal here and there to bring it all together. Sounds funky, right?...

4 tips for dealing with toddler tantrums

Raising children is tough, especially during a toddler tantrum.  Parents want to minimize the likelihood of these emotional meltdowns and avoid tantrums caused by hunger, over-tiredness or frustration. Even with different parenting styles, tantrums are a normal part of development and preventing tantrums is not going to eliminate them. Just because toddlers throw tantrums doesn’t mean they’re problem children or spoiled children. They’re normal kids coping with difficult emotions.  Naturally you should stop toddlers hitting or hurting others, but their frustrations are real.  They’re expressing themselves with a limited range of self-control.   Kids in the House shares 4 things to help you both get through tantrums together: 1. Keep Your Emotions In Check Duri...

Foodie Friday: Citrus Lime Chicken Kids Will Love

My dear mother-in-law introduced me to this family favorite and I am asked for this recipe every time. It is perfect for dinner parties because everyone can just pick-and-choose what they want to add and serve themselves like Hawaiian Haystacks. Only this is so much better. The secret is in the dressing so make sure not to scrimp when you’re serving it. The fresh flavor tastes like a lovely blast of spring or summer! [yumprint-recipe id=’20’]

Fun Friday: Glow in the Dark Fun!

Every Friday during the summer, we’ll feature five fun activities for kids.  Whether you call it slime, gak, or putty this homemade glow in the dark slime recipe is a fun activity for kids that will keep them occupied for hours.   2. Fairies in a jar. Cut a glow stick and shake the contents into a jar. Add diamond glitter, seal the top with a lid and shake.   3. Easy DIY Projects For Kids – How to make glow in the dark NEON rice for play & learning activities.   4. Glow in the dark Cotton Candy from B Lovely Events.  5. Glow in the Dark Bowling from My Kids Adventures.  6. Glow in the Dark Playdough from tinkerlab. 7. Glow in the Dark Doodle Paint from Growing a Jeweled Rose

Treat Yourself to a Night Out with Denver Date Nite

When’s the last time you had a real date? I’m talking an honest-to-goodness, special evening for just you and your partner. Grabbing dinner on the way to an event with friends doesn’t count. Here’s the thing: My husband and I are really pretty good about setting aside time for ourselves. But we’ve fallen into the rut of going to the same restaurants over and over. Don’t get me wrong, I love the old school Italian joint down the block, but I was ready for something new. That’s where Denver Date Nite comes in. This fairly new company is run by a Denver mom who found herself in the same position a lot of us do … wanting a night out but not sure just what that special night should entail. Denver Date Nite takes care of the planning for a small fee (think concierge) and—the coolest part—surpris...

12 fun events in Denver this week!

It’s the weekend of the county fair, Colorado Dragon Boat Festival,  Denver Days and so much more. Don’t miss these fun Denver-area events and go to our event calendar for additional details.    Arapahoe County Fair at the Arapahoe County Fairgrounds  Jul 28 – 31  Find Fair Fun for Everyone at the Arapahoe County Fair, July 28 through the 31st. Get online discount tickets now for only $10 dollars. It is fun the whole herd with unlimited carnival rides, two nights of fireworks, the rodeo, concerts, barnyard friends, truck and tractor pulls, high-flying dog shows, motorsports, heritage activities and more.    Colorado Dragon Boat Festival at Sloan’s Lake Park  Jul 30  –  31 The Colorado Dragon Boat Festival (CDBF) ...

Silverthorne, Colorado: A Place for Family Fun

Looking for family fun not far from the metro-Denver area? Just up the hill and through the tunnel (Eisenhower) on I-70 lies a “young town with a modern vision,” according to Silverthorne.org. We found that claim to be true. For each of these meals and activities we experienced — including fly fishing, stand up paddleboarding, and dancing at a live concert — I asked my family members (teen daughter, teen son, husband) for a brief review. Below is what we had to say (spoiler: my son steals the show). 3 Places to Play in Silverthorne Fly Fishing* with Colorado Angler I’m one of those hypocritical people who like to eat fish but really don’t like to kill fish. I wanted my kids to have the fishing experience, but I wasn’t too psyched about it for mysel...

Win tickets to the Gateway Park Fun Center in Boulder – fun for the whole family!

Thirteen years ago, my husband and I lived right near Gateway Park Fun Center and would practice at the batting cages when we were first dating.  But this time, we took the whole family, and had a great time! The Gateway Park Fun Center is located on Highway 28, in North Boulder, and is a fun place for both kids and adults.  Attraction options include:  Driving Range, Batting cages, two 18-hole miniature golf courses, Go-kart track for kids and adults (two-seaters permitted on adults track), an arcade and snack bar (all indoors), and a human maze with a scavenger hunt. We tried all of the above, except the driving range this time. The Center also boasts an event center on- site to host corporate events.  The scenery is gorgeous, and you can host parties a...

New immunization rules make it harder for Colorado parents to opt out

A newly updated immunization database created by Chalkbeat reveals that Boulder remains a hotspot for the anti-vaccination movement, students in districts with racial and income diversity are more likely to get their shots and nearly half of schools in the database did a better job this year tracking students’ immunization records. The database, which includes more than 1,200 schools in Colorado’s 30 largest districts, is the largest collection of school-by-school immunization data available in the state. New rules recently took effect that make it harder for parents to opt their children out of shots and lay the groundwork for a more comprehensive state-run database expected to go live next spring. That database, available to the public, will include immunization and exemption rates ...

Deals: Arapahoe County Fair, Elitch’s Pokeman and more!

Somewhere between a chef-inspired multi-course meal and a home cooked supper lies Supper Bell. I have to totally admit – it is BETTER than the way I cook and as good as any chef presented meal – because the meals are amazing. Supper Bell is inspired by Chef Frank Bonanno who made me look like a real cook.  The menu changes weekly and features fresh vegetables and amazing entrees. We tried the Grilled Teres Major steak (so juicy, flavorful and delicious), grilled artichoke (yes, my kids like artichokes), kids broccoli penne (a deliciously creamy cheesy choice the kids wanted more), and topped it off with caramel fudge pecan cake. (OH MY….diet).      Arapahoe County Fair. Save the date for the Arapahoe County Fair, July 28-31, 2016 at ...

Borrow a Colorado State Parks Pass from Your Public Library

Check Out Colorado State Parks is a fairly new program that gives library patrons access to a backpack full of state park fun from your public library. The program has been deployed to many of the participating public libraries across Colorado. Both libraries and state parks promote learning and it is so exciting to see them partnering to offer this program to library goers. When you check out the backpack, you will receive several items that will help you to plan your day exploring Colorado’s many state parks. The backpack includes a state park pass laminated hang tag to use for free entrance, a pair of binoculars, and several guides. There was a Colorado Trees and Wildflowers guide, a wildlife guide, and a state parks guide. We used the backpack to gain access to Roxborough State Park. T...

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