colorado
Baking with Altitude: A Fluffy Obsession
I know thin has always been in but, when it comes to cookies, I want them fat and fluffy. Baking at a higher altitude has complicated that for me. Since moving to Colorado, things are happening that high school chemistry didn’t prepare me for. I’ve had cookies so crumbly that they were barely being held together by a wish and a dream. Sure, I’ve tried adjusting ingredients. I’ve added, subtracted, multiplied, and divided, but my cookies are never fluffy. I shouldn’t need to understand the restrictions of mass and external forces required for space exploration. These are cookies. At the same time, I feel like I’m in chemistry class all again trying to figure out what ingredients and how many to replace before something explodes in my oven. It’s become an obsession ...
National Get Outdoors Day & Fun Fall Adventures
Where can you fish, camp, mountain bike, play basketball, canoe, kayak, win a fishing rod, climb, meet Dinosaur Train’s star Dr. Scott, hula hoop, obstacle race, hang out with Broncos cheerleaders, celebrate Smokey Bear’s 70th birthday party and test drive a Trikke (a three-wheeled carving vehicle) in one day? National Get Outdoors Day in Denver! Mile High Mamas was thrilled to partner with OFF!® as they sponsored Get Outdoors Day, which encourages Americans (especially our youth) to get outdoors. Haven’t had your fill this summer? Don’t miss our guides to getting outdoors: 10 of the best places to camp with kids in Colorado. 11 scenic drives in Colorado this fall. The best places to fish as a family in Colorado. Get kids outdoors at Denver’s...
Family travel: Colorado camping expert offers tips for taking the kids
The title of expert on camping with kids should probably go to Boulder mom Helen Olsson, who authored the aptly titled “Down and Dirty Guide to Camping with Kids” (Roost Books) in 2012. Olsson, an adventurous outdoor enthusiast, spent her childhood camping in upstate New York, and she now spends her summers hitting campsites around Colorado with her brood, ages 8, 10 and 13. The subtitle of Olsson’s book is “How to plan memorable family adventures and connect kids to nature.” It’s also an apt description of this guide that is one part camping primer — filled with tips, packing lists, arts-and-crafts activities, outdoor games and recipes — and one part encouragement and motivation. Here, to inspire your next camping trip is some insight from Olsson, who b...
Living far away from home: Friends are the family you choose
I spend a lot of my time striving to create for my kids the solid foundation my parents gave me. It’s a lot of pressure because I had a great childhood. One of seven kids, there was never a dull moment. Endless memories were made in the house we grew up in and sometimes I wish I could go back and hang out with that motley crew again, just for a day. Or that my kids could. Our house was “the place to be” and on any given day you could show up unannounced to join in on a game of whiffle ball, kickball, basketball or football. Flashlight tag nights at our house were the stuff of small town legend. On a good night, at least thirty kids could be found running after each other in the dark, laughing hysterically until it was time to go home. My sisters taught me everything I needed to...
Child abuse data website now accessible to the public
Colorado has created a website that provides the public with child-protection and child-abuse data for each county, making the state one of four in the nation to make such information accessible to the public. The creation of the website is one part of a series of reforms in Colorado after news reports on problems with the state’s child-protection system by The Denver Post and 9News. “At the end of the day, the goal is to be transparent with the public and to keep our families safe and healthy,” said Julie Krow, the director of the Office of Youth and Families in the Colorado Department of Human Services. “This is something we can’t do alone. We need our community to help us.” California, Arizona and Iowa are the other states with similar websites availa...
The Diva Dash 5K Obstacle Course–Join us with our exclusive discount!
I look at all those marathon and triathlon moms and I think, “good for you but no thanks.” Don’t get me wrong: I’m all for living a healthy, active lifestyle and I work out regularly. It’s just that this old bod of mine has its fair share of wear-and-tear lately and relentlessly pounding the pavement is the last thing it needs to exacerbate more injuries. So, the hardcore events are out and even 5Ks are a bit boring but when I heard about the women’s-only Shape Diva Dash coming to Lyons, Colo. on Saturday, May 10, 2014, I was intrigued. Not only is it for a great cause (proceeds go to the flood victims in this ravaged area outside of Boulder) but it’s all about having a great time as you test your speed, agility, endurance and balance ...
Top Five Memorable Reasons to Spend Spring Break in Steamboat Springs
Once upon a time when I was a Utah-based travel writer, I fell in love with a foreign land of steaming hot springs, world-class mountains, a charming rodeo and 7 miles of multi-use paved trails that wind through downtown along the roaring Yampa River. That was summer in Steamboat Springs and though I’ve lived in Colorado for 10 years, I had yet to visit during the winter. We finally made it happen this week during Spring Break. Five Great Reasons to Spend Spring Break in Steamboat Springs 5) Hot springs. Steamboat isn’t Steamboat without soaking in one of their two natural springs. Strawberry Park Hot Springs’s stone-walled pools 9 miles north of town are in an idyllic forest range and water temperatures range from 102 to 104 degrees. But be warned: clothing is optional after dark. On our ...
Do you think what the Jeffco School Board is doing is shameful?
We are graduates of Jefferson County Public Schools. We are parents of Jefferson County Public Schools students. We are business owners and members of the community. We’ve been room moms. We’ve volunteered at Field Day and music performances. We’ve sat in the stands to cheer our students for their academic and athletic accomplishments. We’ve participated on accountability committees and are veterans of PTA and bond/mill levy campaigns. We believe in the district’s ability to offer a quality education to our children. And yet what we’ve seen going on in Jefferson County Schools over the past several months is deeply troubling. School boards have traditionally been nonpartisan, but that no longer is the case in Jeffco. The result is a school board that app...
Children vaccine debate headed to Colorado House committee
A proposal to make it harder to send kids to school without their vaccines cleared its first hurdle Thursday in a Colorado House committee. The proposal has powerful bipartisan backers, but it sparked intense opposition from some. Colorado is one of 18 states that allow parents and students to opt out of getting required vaccines if they submit a statement of exemption based on religious or personal beliefs. The bill would require parents of students seeking a personal exemption to watch a video that discusses the benefits and risks of immunization to the student. Religious and medical exemptions would not be affected. The House Health, Insurance & Environment Committee approved the bill 9-2 after hours of emotional testimony. Sponsors said the change is needed because of whooping-coug...
5 Favorite Family-friendly Restaurants in Boulder
When you live in a place that’s named “Foodiest Town in America,” dining out becomes a part of the lifestyle. However, when you have two picky eaters in tow, you have to choose your culinary destinations wisely. Will there be enough adult-friendly options for mom and dad? Will there be enough healthy-bland options for the kids? Lucky for us, Boulder gives us a wide-variety of choices – and price points – to keep everyone in our family happy. Here are our top picks: The Southern Sun One of the biggest perks of our yuppy/hippy community is the Sun family. The Mountain Sun opened its doors back in the mid-90’s appealing to the young downtown-hippy crowd with their fancy microbrews and high-quality-no-nonsense good food. When they opened a slightly larger sister pub, The Sout...
Spring Break in Denver 2014–Over 50 Activities Featured!
Staying in Denver for Spring Break? No need to dismay! Whether you want to hunker down indoors, get outside or explore something new, we have you covered with these fabulous Spring Break offerings, categorized by geographic area. Be sure to also check-out Top 10 Family Vacation Ideas for Spring Break in Colorado 2014. CENTRAL DENVER Denver Museum of Nature & Science–The big news at Denver’s favorite natural history and science museum is the brand new addition on the Museum’s south side has added 126,000 square feet and five levels of discovery to the Museum, providing even more space to engage, delight, and spark your imagination. Be sure to also check-out the new exhibit Maya: Hidden Worlds Revealed (Feb. 14-Aug. 24, 2014. Mizel Museum. Rooted in Jewish values that h...
Colorado Spring Break 2014: Copper Mountain
Believe it or not, Spring Break is right around the corner! And why go anywhere when the world comes to destinations like Copper Mountain? Mile High Mamas is pleased to team up with popchips, an official partner of Copper Mountain, to give your family the chance to “pop to the top” and win their Secret Passes. Think: Disneyland’s fast passes where you are able to skip the lift lines. Only this is one of Colorado’s Happiest Place on Snow! Spring Break is a fantastic time to road-trip to the mountains but the drive can sometimes be tedious (think: I-70 traffic snares). Sure, you could stuff the kids with sugar but watch out for when they crash and you’re still in the car. popchips are a family of delicious potato, tortilla, popcorn, and veggie chips popped crisp...
