Category Archives: Uncategorized

Boulder Families: Here is what’s cooking this weekend!

Posted on by
Reply

There is so much to do this weekend! My family is heading to Hotchkiss for a farm tour & dinner at Ela Family Farms. But the pickings are good down here in town too. Whether you head to the Farmer’s Market, go to BMOCA, head to the Denver Art Museum’s Free day, dance to Dan Zanes, go on a hike, or all of the above it’s sure to be a great weekend!

Be aware of wildlife. There have been bears and muntain lions spotted in town. There is a Supermoon 5/5 @ 9:30pm, where the moon is the closest to earth it will be all year on the same night there is a full moon.

Saturday, May 5 (Happy Cinco de Mayo!)

  • Dan Zanes and Friends at the Boulder Theater. Great kids’ music and a treat to have them in Boulder! Tickets cost $12.50/kids & $25/adults.

  • Denver Art Museum Target FREE day.
  • Nature Journaling and Migration with OSMP. All ages. Free. 9:00 to Noon. You must register ahead of time by calling 303.413.7657.

  • Children’s Storytime at the Main Library. All ages. Free. 10:15 to 11:00am. Ongoing activity.

  • French/English Storytime at the Main Library. All ages. Free. 10:15 to 11am.

  • Colorado Railroad Museum is FREE today.

  • Boulder Farmer’s Market. 8:00 to 2:00pm. 13th Street between Arapahoe & Canyon Blvd. Map. Great opportunity for families to purchase locally grown produce, eat delicious food, listen to live music and so much more! A Boulder kids’ favorite.

  • Boulder Museum of Contemporary Arts [BMOCA] provides FREE guided art activities for kids on Saturdays during the Farmer’s Market. 8:00am to 2:00pm. All ages

  • African Dance and Drum performance at the Canyon Theater of the Boulder Main Library. All ages. Free. 2:00 to 3:00pm.

  • Family Day at CU Museum of Natural History: May’s theme is Running Water: Rivers, Streams and Faucets. Kids with BeetlesAll ages. Free. 1:00 to 4:00pm. Explore the size, shape, color, habitat, taste and behavior of beetles, the most diverse specie on earth! Learn what links all 400,000 species together and sing some Beatles songs as well!

  • Bold Doors Student Art Exhibit. 9:00 to 3:00pm. This is a student art exhibit and kick off event featuring repurposed doors artistically redesigned by students. Sponsored by the Center for ReSource Conservation.

Sunday, May 6

The Daily Groove: We can all use some groove… (Parenting Wisdom)

Posted on by
Reply

Scott Noelle’s Daily Groove inspires me! He supports positive and engaged parenting with his daily hits of wisdom you can get emailed to you. I want to share this incredible parenting resource with all of you. There are so many ways to parent and we are all trying to figure out what works for ourselves, our children, and our whole family. Scott Noelle may strike a chord with some of you. If he does consider heading to his site: enjoyparenting.com

Today’s Daily Groove by Scott Noelle is The Power of Attraction.

Attraction means pulling instead of pushing. The
“pull” of attraction is not physical. You attract by
focusing your mind. Your thoughts have a sort of
“gravity” that pulls matching thoughts, conditions and
events into your awareness and experience.

Today, try this experiment…

Think of *one* characteristic that you really, really
adore and appreciate about your child. Something that
makes you smile when you think about it. Pick a
keyword or phrase to remind you of this trait, and
write it on the back of your hand. (If your child can
read, use a code word or symbol instead.)

The idea is to focus on this aspect of your child as
many times as you can today. But don’t tell your child
specifically what you’re doing — the power is in what
you think, not what you say.

You might also put little reminder Post-it notes in
places like door handles, telephones, the fridge, your
car visor — wherever you frequently look or reach.

After a full day of focusing on this aspect of your
child, review the day and note how it affected your
interactions.

Can you see how, through your intentional focus, you
*created* (attracted) that experience?

See the results of one reader’s experiment:
http://dailygroove.net/power-of-attraction

I hope you enjoy The Daily Groove! If you like it sign up for more like this in your inbox. It wakes you up and gets you ready for your day…

Birth to 12 Years: A short clip of one child’s journey

Posted on by
Reply

Wow! This one is a amazing. It’s makes my eyes misty just thinking of the journey from birth to 12. It all happens so quickly. Reminder to cherish, appreciate, adore every moment–all of them, even the ones that feel toughest–for these are the moments we learn from the most, tell our kids we love them, and be thankful for the journey we are all on together!

Sunscreen: What is safe to put on our family?

Posted on by
1

We are in full sun season! And inevitably the question turns to sunscreen: What’s safe? What DO we want in the sunscreen? What do we NOT want in the sunscreen? I am always concerned about the chemicals we put on our bodies–especially my kids’ bodies. To help us all figure out this conundrum, I contacted New Hope Natural Media/Delicious Living, a magazine that reports on health and wellness, supplements, and many more holistic topics here in Boulder, to ask what they suggest. Below is the response from Jessica Rubino, Senior Associate Editor at New Hope Natural Media.

What To Look For In Your Sunscreen

Ingredients: minerals zinc oxide and titanium dioxide rather than chemicals like oxybenzone. Not only do you avoid potential health risks associated with these chemicals but minerals offer better full-spectrum protection, which protect against UVA and UVB rays.

Protection Ratings: SPFs actually only indicate how much UVB protection you’re getting but not UVA! So make sure the screen tests for UVA protection too (required under FDA’s new regs).

Jessica recommends Badger brand sunscreen. She says it is AWESOME for kids and adults. It uses non-nano minerals. Nanotechnology is another issue because it uses tiny particles to improve consistency of mineral products. But it is unclear the health risks for everyone, but especially kids.

Resources for more research:

  • Newhope360: A list of the top ten sunscreens and much more!

  • Environmental Working Group: Environmental Working Group (EWG) works to protect kids from toxic chemicals in our food, water, air and the products we use every day

So cover up when possible to avoid using sunscreen. If you do use sunscreen consider the tips above when choosing a brand–and yes, many of the good brands turn our skin white and are not the best consistency. Remember that vitamin D is also important to our health, and we get our vitamin D from the sun, so it is always important to balance covering up and soaking in some vitamin D.

What do you do for your family? Any other sunscreen recommendations? What else should we consider?

50 Free Things To Do This Summer!

Posted on by
2

Here is a great list of 50 FREE things to do this summer in the Denver/Boulder area. Most of them are family friendly. Some will surprise even those of us who have lived here for a long time. Others will just be a reminder of things we have been wanting to do, or places we want to revisit–maybe now with kids. No need to pay. Just go. Have an adventure. Try something new. Have fun! What else is should we add to this list?

The FREE list includes:

  • Art Fairs

  • Exhibits
  • Concerts
  • Attractions
  • Tours
  • Day Trips

I would add:

  • Boulder Farmer’s Market

  • Band on the Bricks
  • Live music at 29th Street Mall
  • Pearl Street [playing at the fountain, on the animal statues, at the rocks]

Here’s the link to 50 FREE Summer Things To Do!

A big thinks to http://www.denver.org and @iknowdenver!

Happy Earth Day! and What to do on Earth Day in Boulder…

Posted on by
Reply

This is a day to focus on Mother Earth. How can we help our children become great stewards of the Earth? Great lovers of nature? Explorers & people who ask the important questions about how we will leave the Earth for their children and then next 7 generations or more?

One year we went around our neighborhood and picked up trash and put it in our red wagon. We were all amazed at how quickly we filled the wagon in a neighborhood that didn’t appear to have much trash laying around. Another year we went on a long hike with friends. What do you do to celebrate Earth Day with your family?

Listed below: 1) Things to do in Boulder on Earth Day, 2) Some nature blogs to check out, and 3) A link to the Osprey Webcam so you can spy on those amazing birds [2 eggs].

What to do around Boulder on Earth Day:

  • Denver Museum of Nature & Science SCFD FREE DAY. Celebrate Earth Day all day with DMNS.

  • Denver Botanic Gardens’ SCFD FREE DAY.
  • 11th Annual Wild Earth Day sponsored by Wild Bear Mountain Ecology Center. All ages. 11:00 to 4:00pm. FREE. Scientific speakers, animal demonstrations, and much more.
  • Nature For Kids and Parents: Celebrate Earth Day!. All ages. 1:00 to 3:00pm. Free. Earth is home to billions of people and also home to millions of species of animals and plants.  We can learn to use less and share resources so that wildlife habitats aren’t decreased or disrupted. Join the OSMP for an easy hike starting at the Chautauqua Ranger Cottage.
  • Earth Day Concert: Nature & Songs. Children and parents can join OSMP’s Jeff Kagan, Mark Wesson and Paige Doughty for an Earth Day concert of children’s music, nature education and fun! Music will be appropriate for children ages 3-8 but all ages are welcome! Meet at the Sunrise Amphitheater on Flagstaff Mountain (map here).

  • Wanted: Nature Detectives. 4:00 to 5:00pm. Ages 5 and up. Can you solve a mystery? Search for clues?  Who are they, and how to they do it – the feathered, furred, 6-legged and green beings who live on Flagstaff Mountain?  Are you an investigator who can help us explore these

    Photo - Flagstaff Nature Center

    questions? Flagstaff Nature Center (map here). The Flagstaff Nature Center will be open 1:00 to 5:00pm on Earth Day.Don’t miss the exhibits, fun activities and animal mounts in the Nature Center! Follow this link to learn more about the Nature Center.

Here are some Nature Blogs you might like.

Boulder County Open Space’s Osprey Nest Webcam. Take a live look at these amazing birds. There are 2 eggs in the nest!

How did you spend your Earth Day?

One Book 4 Colorado: A Free Book for Every 4 Year Old! [Get Your Book April 23 through 28]

Posted on by
Reply

From April 23 through 28, every 4-year-old in Colorado is eligible to receive their own copy of the same book to keep. This year’s book is Maybe a Bear Ate It by Robie H. Haris and Michael Emberley. It is a fun, illustrated, easy read and will be distributed at various locations, including Boulder Public Library. Main Library, Meadows Branch Library or George Reynolds Branch Library will have books will be available during storytimes & the library’s regular hours during the week of April 23-28.

For more information on this great program click here.

Boulder Families: Just Because…

Posted on by
Reply

Here are some family oriented resources I like, Just Because…

Wisdom: Surviving Summer an article on how to keep sanity during those long, seemingly endless days of summer. [thanks to Kid Project]

Literature:

  • Magazine: Brain, Child, “The magazine for thinking mothers” is an amazing literary resource magazine for parents [not just mothers!]

  • Book: The Rhythm of Family Life by Amanda Soule, highlights this popular blogger’s focus on family, ritual and the seasons.

Visual Interest: A great wind map that is fascinating to watch [thanks www.designmom.com]. Find link here.

Cultural Opportunity: Dia del Nino at Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art on April 21, 2012 from 11:00 to 1:00pm. Celebrating traditions of Mexico through dance and music, art-making and costumes. Free. More info here or call BMOCA at 303.443.2122.

Green Opportunity: Bike to School Day, April 19, 2012. Register before the day of the event here. All participants are entered to win prizes and get a free school lunch.

Don’t Forget: No School for Kids in BVSD on April 20, 2012.

 

Kids Eat Free in Boulder! [Updated List]

Posted on by
Reply

Monday

  • Larkburger invites kids ages 12 and under to eat FREE every Monday from 4 p.m. to close when an adult spends $9. 2525 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder. 303.444.1487

  • Beau Jo’s Pizza’s Family Night is Mondays. Up to 2 kids eat FREE with each paying adult. Plus there is kids’ entertainment each night. They have gluten-free options. 2690 Baseline Road, Boulder. 303.554.5312

Tuesday

  • Oscar Blues in Lyons offers Kids Eat CHEAP on Tuesday. Kids eat for 99 cents off their kids’ menu. 303 Main Street, Lyons. 303.485.9400
  • Applebee’s offers a close to Kids Eat CHEAP on Tuesdays where kids eat for 99 cents. 1700 28th Street, Boulder. 303.442.8813

Wednesday

  • Up to 2 kids eat FREE with the purchase of an adult meal at the Lazy Dog Sport Bar & Grill on the Pearl Street Mall. 1346 Pearl St., Boulder. 303.440.3355.
  • The Attic Bar & Bistro offers a Kids Eat Free until 7pm. 949 Walnut St., Boulder. 303.415.1300.
  • Wahoo’s Fish Tacos serves up to two FREE kids meals for every $10 adult meal purchased after 4pm on Weds. Kids must be 12 or younger. 2790 Pearl Street, Boulder. 303.473.9072

Thursday

  • What restaurant should go here? Write a comment and I will update this list.

Friday

  • What restaurant should go here? Write a comment and I will update this list.

Saturday

  • Old Louisville Inn offers kids FREE meals with the purchase of an adult meal Saturday & Sunday. 740 Front Street, Louisville. 303.666.9982.

Sunday

  • Centro Latin Kitchen has Family Night each Sunday where Kids under 10 receive a FREE kid’s entrée (choice of any entrée from the Centro kids’ menu) with the purchase of an adult entrée after 5 p.m. 950 Pearl St., Boulder. 303.442.7771.

  • Old Louisville Inn offers kids FREE meals with the purchase of an adult meal. 740 Front Street, Louisville. 303.666.9982.

Everyday Discounts for Kids

  • St. Julien/Jill’s offers free meals for children 3 and under when they eat off the children’s menu. 900 Walnut St., Boulder. 720.406.9696
  • The Taj offers Kids Eat Free under 5. Between 5 and 10 years kids pay 1/2 price for meals. 2630 Baseline Rd., Boulder. 303.494.5216
  • Smiling Moose provides a Free Kids Meal with the purchase of any sandwich, chips, & a drink. Coupon is at the link above. 3223 Arapahoe Ave, Boulder. 303.530.2700.
  • Wild Mountain Brewery offers Kids Eat Free on the first Tuesday of each month. For kids 12 and under with a paying adult. 70 East First Street, Nederland. 303.258.WILD.

Don’t forget to always call ahead to make sure these restaurants are still offering their Kids Eat Free deals as they are subject to change at any time.

If you tried one of the Kids Eat Free! deals, did you like it? Which restaurant[s] are your family’s favorites in the Boulder area? Where are some other great deals for families? Any favorites for the gluten free crowd? Dairy free crowd? I cannot wait to hear the juicy details…

Family Blogs: Travel, Outdoor Adventures, Design, Crafts, Advice, and Much More

Posted on by
Reply

I am sharing some of the great family blogs I follow daily. Take a look. They are witty, insightful, useful, timely, and written by parents like you and me. I am really inspired by those who share their experiences with others!

I use an iGoogle page to manage my blogs. On iGoogle I can use RSS feeds to monitor all the blogs I am watching. Then I can just open one page and see at a glance what is happening on all the different blogs. I click through to what looks interesting. For more info on using iGoogle pages stay tuned for an upcoming blog post or send me an email and I can help you get a page started so you too can share some of these great blogs. 

What family blogs do you like? Do you use a page other than iGoogle to manage a large number of blog feeds?

Design Mom: This is a fun blog by mother of six living in France right now with her family. She takes great photos of her family in dreamy places all around Europe, has great craft ideas, etc…

Mommy Points: This blog is all about collecting travel and hotel points with a focus on family travel. Her tag line: “Giving my family the world [for free] one point at a time.”

Soule Mama: Amanda Soule, mother, writer, editor, gardener, reader. Hard to say what this amazing woman doesn’t do. I think she home schools her kids also, but don’t quote me on that one. This is a delightfully slow and close look at life of a family. Very well written!

Kid Project: This family of four loves to go on outdoor adventures. They keep on the road with their young ones climbing, hiking, and generally enjoying being together.

Improvised Life: This blog is about doing MORE with less…NOT striving for perfection but for personal expression, fun, creativity, and unique solutions. It is about found ideas from every field.

Delicious Baby: Making travel with kids fun! This blog offers city guides, product guides, and travel tips. This mom of three from Seattle makes travel with kids more fun and accessible.

Other Recommended Family Blogs:

Stroller Derby

Parent Hacks

Reboot This Marriage

Homemade Time

Little Coffee Beans [local Boulder blog]

What other blogs do you recommend?