Tag Archives: Families

Boulder Families Kid’s Review: Boulder Opera’s Production of La Cenerentola [Cinderella]

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Screen Shot 2013-05-07 at 2.32.01 PMIn April, Annelies was selected as the Boulder Families Reviewer for Boulder Opera’s production of La Cenerentola. A BIG thanks to Annelies for this thoughtful review!

Hi, my name is Annelies and I’m 11 years old. BRAVO! BRAVA!

What Did You Review? I went to go see Cinderella but in Italian. It was actually called La Cenerentola and it was all opera. There was no one speaking with real voices. In opera they sing really fast and really loud.

What Was It About? It was about Cinderella trying to go to the ball and she does get to go and at the end Cinderella gets married to the prince.

What Was Your Favorite Part? My favorite character was the evil sister Clorinda. She could sing the loudest and she was really funny. She came to the audience and walked around and sang really loud and almost sat on a dad.

What Surprised You About This Opera? All the singers had very different opera voices and I thought that they would have the same voice.

Would You Recommend It To A Friend? I would recommend it to a friend if they liked opera or music or funny plays. It was boring in some parts but still good.

Anything Else You Want To Say? There were a lot of kids even a lot of little kids and they could dance in the aisles. There were also good cookies, cupcakes and water for sale.

If you are interested in upcoming events by the Boulder Opera Company, please visit the Boulder Opera’s website.

Top Family-Friendly Bike Rides in Boulder

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Photo Credit: SMBA

Boulder is a bike town. No doubt. My son is riding with Singletrack Mountain Bike Adventures [SMBA] and were we in for a surprise when we showed up. The kids on the team have nicer bikes than my husband and me combined. Really. 10 year olds with really nice full suspension bikes. But that’s okay, they are getting out to ride together and that is what counts [fancy bikes and all!]. Here are some of Boulder’s top bike rides for kids.

Top Bike Rides for Kids

  1. Valmont Bike Park: Ride the fun trails, try some bowls, learn to ride the stairs, take the downhill courses. The best part about this park [other than it is free] is that it has something for everyone!
  2. Marshall Mesa: This is a tame ride on some rolling terrain. There is some uphill and some downhill, but they are easily walkable if necessary. There are many options here. There are also interpretive signs along the way showing how this area was a coal mining site and the fires that burned here in the past. This ride can be good for many ages and abilities.
  3. Boulder Valley Ranch/Boulder Reservoir: This is great for kids because it is relatively flat, gets them close to a working ranch, and does go by a few ponds. It is open and exposed, so in the mid-day this may not be the best option. This has seemingly endless options for extending the ride for older kids.
  4. Harlow Plats Park: This South Boulder gem has a 1 mile look as well as a shorter loop. It also has a wonderful lake, Viele Lake. Then there is a park for after ride play. Great for young kids!

Boulder Biking Resources:

Upcoming Bike Event: kids bike day

Kids Bike Day at Community Cycles, May 11, 2013

Sunscreen: Keeping Our Kids Safe from Sun AND Chemicals!

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The sun is out in full force these days. Around here we went from winter to spring conditions in what seemed like a day! No longer are we thinking about how to shovel out from the over 46 inches of snow we saw in the Boulder area, but we are turning to the age old question of sun protection. I feel like I have to educate myself again every year!

It doesn’t have to be confusing what we put our skin and our little ones. Here is a Glossary of Terms to help get started:

  • UVA: the rays that cause skin cancer
  • UVB: the rays that are responsible for burns
  • Mineral sunscreens: those containing zinc oxide or titanium dioxide
  • EWG: Environmental Working Group is a consumer group that tests cosmetics, including sun screen to let the public know what’s safe and what’s not
  • SPF: Sun protection factor which is a measurement of the UVB rays only [not UVA]
  • Nanoparticles: EWG states that they are safe in lotion, but not in sprays because nanoparticles can get into your lungs and cause harm.

The most effective protection for UVA is zinc oxide, but it’s tough to put on the kids and leave your skin white and pasty looking. The reason this works so well is it that it reflects the sun and doesn’t allow penetration. But don’t be fooled by companies that use nanoparticles to get sheer coverage because these could be harmful. For more specific information on your sunscreens head to EWG’s Sunscreen Guide.

So What Should a Family To Do? The best thing to do is avoid the sun during the middle of the day. Find shade then and head outside early or late. If you cannot do that then avoid nanoparticles, and use mineral sunscreens. The most effective protection for UVA is zinc oxide, but it’s tough to put on the kids and leave your skin white and pasty looking. The reason this works so well is it that it reflects the sun and doesn’t allow penetration. If you and your kids can stand these sunscreens they are the best.

Delicious Living Magazine recommends the following sunscreen products:

  • Badger SPF 34 Baby Sunscreen
  • Goddess Garden Sunny Body
  • True Natural All Natural Tropical Tan Self Tanner

You can find Delicious Living’s full article on sunscreens here.

Spring Heritage Days at Walker Ranch: Well Worth the Trip for the Whole Family!

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I was not going to do a special post on Spring Heritage Days, but it such a fun event that I decided I needed to go ahead and do it. This is such a treasured Boulder event I wanted to ensure everyone got the message: Go! It’s a great family event! And it’s happening today!

A few times a year volunteers dress up and teach us about what it was like to be a homesteading, pioneering family. Today is that day! Here is what’s happening just up above Flagstaff from 10 to 3 today.

Spring is the beginning of so many new things–garden planting, repairing buildings, bringing baby animals into the world– and that was true for ranch families in the Victorian days also. Join the volunteers at Walker Ranch homestead for a peek into pioneer living in springtime. Smell what’s cooking in the log house, chat with the blacksmith, and do hands-on old-fashioned activities. 

On-Going Activities
Blacksmithing Demonstration Blacksmith Shop
Calf-Roping East of Log House
Children’s Games Field Across from Log House
Laundry West of Granary
Log Hewing and Wood Cutting South of Wagon Barn
Log House Meal Preparation Log House
Butter Churning North of Granary
Field Plowing Field southeast of White House
Live Music Barn Dance Singalong Machine Barn

Special Activities 
Guided Tours 11am; 12pm; 1pm; 2pm In front of Granary
One Room School Session 12noon; 2pm Wheat Barn
Wool Washing 10am-12pm Wheat Barn

Details:

  • 4/28/2013
  • 10:00am to 3:00pm
  • Walker Ranch:  7701 Flagstaff Rd, about 7 miles west of Boulder
  • Free!
  • More details here.

Get Ready, Get Set: Screen Free Week Is Coming…

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Screen Free Week is coming up, April 29 through May 5, 2013. This is the nationally organized week dedicated to getting us all to turn off electronics and commit to play, read, create, and get physically active!

But wait, how could we get along in this world without our multiple gadgets and screens? How many times do you find yourself just checking that last email as you are trying to rush your kids out the door? Let’s take this week and power down! Let’s roll model how to be present and unplug!

I was excited to hear that the City of Lafayette’s Bob Berger Recreation Center is offering kids K-12 a free week pass to the Rec Center if they register and commit to go screen free. More information and to register for the FREE REC CENTER WEEK PASS here.

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Want more information on how to go screen free? Ideas for homes, schools, and communities can be found at screenfree.org. http://screenfree.org or visit them on Facebook.

Boulder Public Library Renovations: Have a Say!

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BPL Reading ImageThe Main Boulder Public Library is slated for some renovations. This is really exciting because it has been over 20 years since they last renovated the space. Have your voice heard! If you want to have a say in how this renovation looks this is the right time to get involved!

The reason I bring it up on Boulder Families is that we are SO lucky to live in a community where our public library system offers incredible programming for families and the entire community. They are an insanely valuable resource for kids and I want to make sure they understand how important they are to Boulder Families.

What can you do?

  • Atttend a meeting: April 18th is the next meeting. They are offering childcare. See their Facebook Page for more details.
  • Fill out a feedback form on their website.
  • Take part in their events and let them know how important they are to your family! Boulder Public Library events

If you value the Boulder Public Library and want to have your voice heard make sure to get involved! I am looking forward to the renovation–it could offer space expansion, additional resources, fun new programming opportunities, etc…

A big shout out to the staff at the Boulder Public Library for being such an integral resources in our community for Boulder Families!

Giveaway: Win a Pair of Tickets to the Boulder Opera’s Production of Cinderella La Cenerentola

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We love give aways! Read on to see how you can win a pair of tickets to this production of Cinderella La Cenerentola. The giveaway is over 4/21, so get your chance to win–see details below.

The Boulder Opera Company is bringing Boulder their first installment in their Children’s Series: Cinderella–La Cenerentola. This is a humorous take on the classic tale, set to upbeat melodies and modern twists.

The Boulder Opera says: Cinderella goes to the ball, bracelets are exchanged instead of glass slippers, mistaken identities make for hilarious escapades, and the quick paced action will make this hour-long show fly by in seconds!

  • Showtimes: Thurs, 4/25 at 10:30am; Saturday, 4/27 at 11:00am & 2:00pm; & Sunday 4/28 at 12:00pm and 3:00pm.
  • Location: Nomad Theater, Boulder
  • Detailed Info: boulderoperacompany.com

Here is your chance to win a pair of tickets to one of these shows! How do you win?

Giveaway Rules: 

1. Leave a comment HERE [Why you want to go. What you may have heard about the production. Really anything you are thinking about taking your child to see this show.]

2. Head to Facebook and “Like” Boulder Families [if you haven't already].

We will draw a name on Sunday April 21, 2013. Good luck, these shows look super fun!

The Intersection of Yoga and Parenting

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DownwardDog-300I love yoga. I don’t do it enough, but I still love it! Yesterday I was at a delicious yoga class at The Little Yoga Studio deeply immersed in sweat and downward dogs, when my mind started to wander. I cherish the time when I give myself the space for my mind to wander -it doesn’t happen a lot these days. All at once the words that yoga instructors have said over the years started to accumulate in my head. They came flooding in. It started with the yoga instructor telling us about her decision to bring Joy back into her life. Joy. Joy? Joy’s honorable. We all want to feel joy, right?

I was joyful, in between praying with all my being that this was not a class that was over 1 hour and wondering how I was going to ask my friend Wendy this question since she seemed to in the moment and engaged any time I glanced over to see if there was an iota of an opening to ask my very important question. It was hot in there, I was seriously sweating, I hadn’t been to yoga in a few weeks, and I know my body sort of turns off after an hour of yoga. I guess I was panicking a bit. I forgot at first how much more than exercise I get every time I am on my mat. But here were all these thoughts about ways of being that were floating around my head.

Back to the intersection of yoga and parenting. The words of past yoga teachers flooded in and it occurred to me how yoga informs parenting. And vice versa. But at this point with a pre-teen boy and a pre-pre-teen boy in my house I was really appreciating how yoga could support me.  I need some support. Some of the words of wisdom that were ringing though my head about how the essence of yoga cold support parenting include:

  • Be kind to yourself. If you need to take a break just take child’s pose or let your family know you need a break [even for a moment just go outside] and accept that it is okay to not be perfect.
  • If you wobble, it’s okay. Think tree pose and life. We will all wobble. It’s okay. Be accepting.
  • Look for joy. We are given many opportunities to find joy in our lives we just need to let them in. Don’t take life too seriously. 
  • Find ease [smile] even when it is tough. It’s not where we stand in times of comfort and convenience, but rather in times of difficulty and hardship that matter! [paraphrase of the MLK quote] Think of how this could transform the act of getting out the door in the morning.
  • Be thankful. Appreciate that you are here on your yoga mat. It’s okay to do something good for yourself. 

There are so many more wise words I have heard and wish to live by, but these are a few of the ways that yoga and parenting intersect.

Add to the conversation. What are the ways you see yoga and parenting intersecting and informing each other? I would love to hear from this amazing, yoga loving community!

Parenting Resources: The Huffington Post Rocks!

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I visit lots of parenting sites looking for good content for Boulder Families and my life. There are lots of them out there. I set them all up to feed to my Google Page so I can check in on them daily and see what is happening in the parenting world. Blogs, newspapers, websites, etc… They are all important to me. I want to give a shout out to the Huffington Post. They curate the best information and offer amazing resources!

The latest resource offered by the Huffington Post is their Stress-less Parenting Site and Online Workshop. They offer information on some of the most important issues in parenting:

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I love these articles. I head here when I need inspiration or words of wisdom. Give them a try and see what you think. You can request to receive information to your email about topic areas that interest you. Simply go to the Stress-Less Parenting site. In the upper right hand corner you can enter your email address and click “get alerts”. You will then be directed to a page where you can decide which areas of the Huffington Post interest you.

It’s simple. Enjoy!

Movies for Kids: How Does a Parent Decide?

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hollywood signRecently I have had a lot of discussions with other parents about movies what movies are appropriate for our kids. This is but a mere portion of the larger discussion on media and technology that we must address as parents. What is a parent to do? How do we make good decisions? We have to use Common Sense!

I will never forget the moment when I let my child who was WAY TOO YOUNG watch The Green Hornet. I let myself get swept away by another parent’s enthusiasm–and my son’s too. I did go with him and not a minute went by that I didn’t want to scoop him up and leave the theater. Maybe I should have. But I didn’t, and it did lead to some good discussions. But I vowed never [this word needs a loose interpretation] to go into another media situation without a better compass.

What I always find most confusing about movies is that the ratings don’t always make csm-logo-apr12sense. They especially don’t make sense if you are comparing a current movie rating with that of an older film. We have a general rule to not let our 3rd and 5th graders watch rated R movies, but some older ones are exempt and make it in the mix. We came to this rule because without a rule we were floating out there in media-land without any compass. Our kids fight it. But it just makes sense to us.

How do we make decisions about what movies our kids can watch? We use discussion with other parents we know we share values. We also lean heavily on Common Sense Media. This is a nonprofit organization that rates movies in a way that I can understand the content and underlying tone. They break things down so that I can ensure my kids aren’t getting the stuff we don’t want and get to watch shows with themes we can live with or are looking for. The break down includes rating by parents and kids in terms of how old kids should be to watch the film, the quality of the film, the overall message, positive role models, sex, violence, language, consumerism, & finally, drinking/drugs/smoking.

Here is an example from the movie, Chasing Mavericks, that we watched on our last family movie night:

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Common Sense Media gives us an opportunity to preview the movie and think about how we will talk about themes in the show that come up. Sometimes we do. Sometimes we just let the message speak for itself.

Where do you get the scoop on what to let your kids watch?