Family
A (Funny) Family Guide to Hiking With Toddlers: 12 Things You need
One of the things I love most about outdoor actives and small children is that it generally wears them out. Oh, and it makes memories and stuff. Before we had kids, my husband and I were out every weekend on a different adventure. We had the luxury of just hopping in our car and going. We didn’t need to take naps into consideration because we’d nap after our destination hike, or wine tasting. Boy, has that changed. These days hiking is still fun but, it’s more of a three-ring circus kind of fun. Where people cry, and someone almost always falls and gets a face full of dirt. Like anything else with parenting, hiking with toddlers takes some trial runs to finesse it a little. Here’s a few tips on what you’ll need:
12 Days of Toddler Christmas
As Christmas rounds the corner, I find myself officially on the other side of the Christmas magic. That doesn’t mean Christmas has no magic left. It simply means that after the Christmas magic dust has settled to the floor, I have to clean it up. With a broom. Because my three-year old shows the same amount of fear towards the vacuum as I would, if I opened my pantry and found an actual shark inside. The side of Christmas I’m talking about is the day-to-day side: Hey, hey! It’s Christmas! Also, it’s Tuesday! Did you pay the utility bill? I don’t know who wrote the Christmas carol: “Twelve Days of Christmas.” But, I’d be willing to bet both the giver and recipient were adults. Not just because a verse from Twinkle Twinkle Little Star doesn...
Your 2013 Holiday Movie Preview
‘Twas the night before Thanksgiving, and all through the movie-house … Well, you get the picture. Starting Wednesday, movie theaters will be stuffed. And with a very few exceptions, turkeys don’t seem to be on the menu. Far from it. Here are some of the goods film studios — big and indie — are serving up this holiday season. “Black Nativity Writer-director Kasi Lemmons updates Harlem poet Langston Hughes’ 1961 Christmas musical with more than a little help from Jennifer Hudson, Forest Whitaker and Angela Bassett. Jacob Latimore plays manchild Langston Cobbs, sent by his mother to her estranged parents’ home over the holiday. Nov. 27 Philomena Judi Dench enters the Oscar fray with this moving portrait of a birth mother searching for the son taken from her...
Family Volunteer Opportunities: Rake Up Colorado, Serve Up Thanksgiving or Adopt a Safeway Store!
Volunteers of America is looking for families to help rake limited-income seniors’ yards in Adams, Arapahoe, Denver, Douglas and Jefferson counties. Take advantage of this group and family-friendly opportunity to help limited-income seniors with this important fall chore. YOU can make a difference! When: Saturday, November 2nd, 9:0 0.am. – 3:00 p.m. (times are flexible) Where: Limited-income seniors’ yards in Adams, Arapahoe, Denver, Douglas and Jefferson counties Who: You and your family…children of all ages are welcome! What: Volunteers will be assigned to rake leaves at seniors’ yards throughout their service area. Together, the goal is to serve 250 seniors through this one day of service. Sign-Up: To sign-up to volunteer, please call Robin Sikora at...
Events: Old-fashioned Corn Roast Festival, Cirque and More
Old-fashioned Corn Roast Festival. On Aug 23rd, the event will kick off with the annual Corn Shucking Contest, lots of food, fun and entertainment with the New Sensation, 80’s Band. Saturday the 24th starts with the Annual Corn Roast Parade, Corn Eating Contest, Loveland’s Got Talent, Kid Zone activities, with lots more food, fun and entertainment and bands playing all throughout the day in downtown Loveland at 152 East 5th Street. http://www.denver.org Be sure to see Peter and the Starcatcher Aug. 15 through Sept. 1 at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. A grownup’s prequel to the beloved story of Peter Pan, Broadway’s most mayhem-filled evening of madcap fun launches its national tour in Denver. With enormous talent, ingenious stagecraft and the ...
A Taste of Colorado: Win a $50 gift certificate!
Take a bite out of Labor Day by hitting the 30th annual A Taste of Colorado Aug. 30-Sept. 2, 2013 at Civic Center Park. More than 50 of Colorado’s favorite food establishments will be selling a wide variety of small portions to full meals, ensuring that there will be something for every palate. There will be plenty of music, magic, clowns, and puppets on the Comfort Dental KidzStage, and the KidZone features play equipment and hands-on craft activities. Kids and adults also can enjoy carnival rides and games Saturday through Monday. In the Festival of Mountain and Plain area, families can learn about the state’s pioneer past, nature, and the environment. Featured artisans will demonstrate Navajo weaving and culture, spinning, rug braiding, lace crocheting, felting, and quilting, along with...
Events: Cultimate Festival, Heroes Against Hunger and More!
Heroes Against Hunger Summer Block Party. Help fight child hunger On Saturday, August 17th from noon-5 p.m. at the University of Denver Campus Green. Admission is FREE and kids can enjoy carnival games, a bounce castle, and great food, which will cost less than $4. Currently, one in five kids in Colorado struggles with hunger. Chefs Daniel Asher of Linger, Brandon Foster of Vesta Dipping Grill, Jeff Osaka of Twelve, Matt Selby of Corner House and Tyler Wiard of Elway’s will join Cummings to create and serve their favorite dishes. Local farmers, Denver Urban Gardens, MM Local, Source Local Foods, and Whole Foods will set up a farmers market to show off local produce. Community organizations like Cooking Matters Colorado, Produce for Pantries, and Slow Food will give cooking demonstrations. ...
Events: Jefferson County Fair, Back-to-School Fest and More
Jefferson County Fair. August 9-11, the Jefferson County Fair includes carnival rides and attractions, Mutton Bustin’, the Jefferson County Rodeo, Draft Horse Show, Evening of Horses, stage entertainment, Stick Horse Rodeo and more. Admission is free at the Jefferson Count Fairgrounds 15200 West 6th Avenue, Golden, Friday 5 p.m.-10 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Be sure to check the website for specific event times. http://www.jeffcofairinc.org/ Denver County Fair. This annual event Aug. 9-11 celebrates the creativity and personality of Denver, with events, exhibitors, blue ribbon competitions and more. This year they have 14 interlocking indoor pavilions, each with its own exhibitors, vendors, stage demonstrations, entertainment and open competitions. The super-popular Kids Pavilion will ...
It’s summer: Time for crawdad fishing in Denver’s neighborhood streams and ponds
August looms and kids all over Denver are itching for fishing, or anything else to while away the last days of summer. CRAWDADS! — those crustaceans of the shallows that lurk in every slow-moving body of water in town, await their nemeses. One can almost picture them flourishing their pincers in a ‘Bring it on!’ moment. The recommended equipment for crawdad-fishin’ is rather tricky and expensive. Here is your shopping list, Mom: 1) a stick. 2) a string. 3) a paperclip. 4) a hot dog. Seriously, the beauty of crawdad-fishin’ is its simplicity:
Events: History Colorado Center’s FREE celebration, kids learn to golf and more
History Colorado Center. Celebrate Colorado’s 137th birthday on Aug. 1 at the History Colorado Center with free admission to exhibits, including live performances, make-and-take crafts, library “pop in” sessions, $1 hot dogs and more. See special temporary exhibits like Gold!, All Aboard Colorado, and The American Soldier. Visit their website for complete Aug. 1 – Colorado Day information and schedule. Colorado Day celebration includes FREE admission to History Colorado Center and statewide History Colorado museums; starting Aug. 2, children 12 and under receive FREE admission to the History Colorado Center through Sept. 30! Offer includes two children per each paid accompanying adult; adults must register in History Colorado’s free History Buff program to redeem offer. For complete ...
Glenwood Springs family travels across U.S. in new home: an RV
“Everybody pick up 10 things!” Suddenly the RV starts shaking. The door opens and Eddy the goldendoodle bounds out with 8-year-old Maddy Kellogg, her arms laden with dozens of river sandals. Laughter erupts from behind mangled window shades. Minutes later the Kelloggs are sprawled in their tiny and tidy, albeit weathered, home. Seven-month-old Coby crawls across the laps of 18-year-old Grady and 19-year-old Kerry. Toddlers Elly and Emmy slather sunscreen on mom Susie and dad Dan. Brody, a 16-year-old aspiring photographer, talks about his exciting swim through the gnarly Pine Creek hole on the Arkansas River the day before. Kady, 14, beams with pride at making the junior kayak finals at Salida’s storied FIBArk festival. Maddy brags that she can roll a kayak. Cardy, Dally ...
Summer Adventures in the Boulder Area
Mountainous, Organic, Natural, Hip, Green, Fresh Air, Outdoorsy, how would you describe your neighbors to the North? As a mom of three, let me take you through some of the family friendly activities that you must know about. Some things that are just so fabulous you will have to get in your car and find yourself driving this way. Of course, if you prefer to bike, that would be fine too. What do ponies, humongous hay bales, a crazy zip line, sand in crevasses of your body that you didn’t know you had and one extremely large turkey have in common? – Sunflower Farms, of course. Located just south of Longmont, no summer is complete without a trip to this old fashioned farm. There truly is something for everyone to enjoy. My animal lover can’t get enough of feeding the goats. She’s been h...
