It’s her party but I cried cuz I wanted to

June 10, 2010 By

I survived Hadley’s sixth birthday party. Barely.

I decided to forgo a home-based bash and rented out the local sports center in an effort to reduce my stress level.

Oh, how delusional I was.

I am no stranger to event crisis management. I worked as a publicist for many years and was in charge of a huge celebration for Salt Lake City’s symphony hall. At the last minute, the symphony pulled out due to contract disputes. You know: the guests of honor. In a pinch, I got the world-famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir to perform.

A wee bit nerve-wracking?

Hosting a party and entertaining 25 kids at an alternative venue was exponentially more ulcer-inducing.

I had rented out the gymnastics hall for an hour and then planned to take the kids to the adjacent park outside to eat cake and play games. The first glitch came immediately upon arrival when the normally vacant lawn area was flooded with beer-drinking, boom-box-toting revelers.

That was freak-out No. 1.

For those who want to keep track, just know this is the last time I will attempt to enumerate them all.

I sent my husband on a mission to find an alternate venue and he ascertained the east playground was the next best alternative.

We turned our attentions to chaperoning the kids in the gym. I’ll admit I expected them to play tag, cautiously inch across the balance beam and sing Kumbaya. What I did not anticipate: kids launching off the high bar. Scaling the rope swing to the ceiling. Attempting back flips off the vault.

If that was not enough cause for concern, the outside partiers descended upon our space to use the bathroom. A drunken woman even offered to escort one of the kids. That was just prior to the strange boy who wandered in and started playing at the party.

I think he has a future as a “Wedding Crasher.”

I was relieved when we moved outside. Jamie and his sister Lisa had transitioned the presents to the pavilion. When Lisa went back inside to grab her purse a few minutes later, the staffer at the Garrison Street Center had already locked up for the evening.

As we dealt with that fiasco, a few helpful parents and I juggled the 25 kids. When it came time to sing “Happy Birthday,” I realized I was on the wrong side of the picnic table to photograph Hadley blowing out the candles. I raced around the pavilion and as I was passing the end of the picnic table, my purse strap got caught and yanked me back.

Think My Big Fat Greek Wedding when Toula’s headset caused her demise at the travel agency.

I barely made it in time to capture one quick photograph of Hadley with the cake. I chalked it up to just another day living my Murphy’s Law. Really, the worst thing that happened was when I thought I lost one of the children.

Though when you think of it, 1 out of 25 ain’t bad.

Filed Under: birthday, Hadley

It’s Her Party But I Cried Cuz I Wanted To

June 10, 2010 By

I survived Hadley’s sixth birthday party. Barely.

I decided to forgo a home-based bash and rented out the local sports center in an effort to reduce my stress level.

Oh, how delusional I was.

I am no stranger to event crisis management. I worked as a publicist for many years and was in charge of a huge celebration for Salt Lake City’s symphony hall. At the last minute, the symphony pulled out due to contract disputes. You know: the guests of honor. In a pinch, I got the world-famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir to perform.

A wee bit nerve-wracking?

Hosting a party and entertaining 25 kids at an alternative venue was exponentially more ulcer-inducing.

I had rented out the gymnastics hall for an hour and then planned to take the kids to the adjacent park outside to eat cake and play games. The first glitch came immediately upon arrival when the normally vacant lawn area was flooded with beer-drinking, boom-box-toting revelers.

That was freak-out No. 1.

For those who want to keep track, just know this is the last time I will attempt to enumerate them all.

I sent my husband on a mission to find an alternate venue and he ascertained the east playground was the next best alternative.

We turned our attentions to chaperoning the kids in the gym. I’ll admit I expected them to play tag, cautiously inch across the balance beam and sing Kumbaya. What I did not anticipate: kids launching off the high bar. Scaling the rope swing to the ceiling. Attempting back flips off the vault.

If that was not enough cause for concern, the outside partiers descended upon our space to use the bathroom. A drunken woman even offered to escort one of the kids. That was just prior to the strange boy who wandered in and started playing at the party.

I think he has a future as a “Wedding Crasher.”

I was relieved when we moved outside. Jamie and his sister Lisa had transitioned the presents to the pavilion. When Lisa went back inside to grab her purse a few minutes later, the staffer at the Garrison Street Center had already locked up for the evening.

As we dealt with that fiasco, a few helpful parents and I juggled the 25 kids. When it came time to sing “Happy Birthday,” I realized I was on the wrong side of the picnic table to photograph Hadley blowing out the candles. I raced around the pavilion and as I was passing the end of the picnic table, my purse strap got caught and yanked me back.

Think My Big Fat Greek Wedding when Toula’s headset caused her demise at the travel agency.

I barely made it in time to capture one quick photograph of Hadley with the cake. I chalked it up to just another day living my Murphy’s Law. Really, the worst thing that happened was when I thought I lost one of the children.

Though when you think of it, 1 out of 25 ain’t bad.

Filed Under: birthday, Hadley

Summer Lovin’ as The Pumpkin Widow

June 8, 2010 By

Our summer is off to a rip-roarin’ start!

On the first day of our vacation, we went to Lakecrest Park, a new-to-me wonderland where we climbed trees, explored trails, discovered 50 birds nests under a bridge, blew wishing flowers, had a picnic with good friends from church and fished for crawdads.

I just listed a whole bunch ‘o narratives. But this picture?


Defies description.

==================

How much is a good night’s sleep worth to you? I decided NOT $120, which is how much my prescription for cough medicine would have cost me. The doctor said I have a virus that is lasting as long as six weeks for many of her patients. I am 2.5 weeks into it.

Sleeplessness does have one advantage: I have been getting up before the crack of dawn to work out. On Thursday, I took my new road bike for a spin along some great river trails. At one point, I was led on a detour past a busy intersection and I blithely noted the Gunther Tooty “Diner” sign that only read “Die.”

Not even 30 seconds later as I was barreling down a hill, I hit a squirrel.

A sign?

No pun intended.

==================

On Monday, I went for an early-morning hike to Matthews Winters, cleaned my car, did laundry, mowed the lawn, hit the bank, post office, Target and Costco.

This whole summer “break” thing may just kill me.

Though I’ve stayed on top of messes piling up, I hadn’t deep-cleaned my car in months. I spent 1.5 hours just on the interior and after it was done, Hadley made the following observation:

“Wow, Mommy. It looks so nice in here! I think you should clean it like this every week!”

“I’ve got a better idea, Hadley. Why don’t you just stop throwing things on the floor so it will stay clean?”

“I like my idea better!”

=================

Jamie is heading to Scout camp tomorrow and between that, work and Bishopric responsibilities, I have been a single mom lately.

But his biggest time-sucker of all?

Hail netting.

I was initially supportive when he told me he was getting some specialty hail netting from Italy because I did not want to deal with last year’s hail massacre of the pumpkin patch. What I did not anticipate: that it would take ENTIRE weekends and evenings to get in place. And no, I am not exaggerating.

Jamie was in charge of FHE (Family Home Evening) on Monday and the lesson was on the 10 Commandments. He was stumped trying to explain to the kids, “Thou shalt have none other gods before me” so I helped him out with a little analogy.

Here’s a hint: It started with “P” and ended with “kin.”

It did not go over well.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Bode, Hadley, Humor, Jamie, pumpkins

Don’t (Cake)Walk This Way: The Sordid Details of Golden’s New First Friday

June 7, 2010 By

I had a complicated relationship with cakewalks as a kid.

Meaning: I always wanted to win and yet never did.

My family had a glorious staycation in Golden, Colorado last weekend. My trip report and oodles of great giveaways are forthcoming but what cannot wait is my daughter Hurricane Hadley’s introduction to The (Cake)Walk of Doom.

Which is only moderately less death-defying than walking the plank.

I have spent a lot of time in this idyllic town that is nestled between two volcanic mesas and against the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. We stayed at the Golden Hotel overlooking the main drag and gurgling Clear Creek.

On Friday night, we attended the city’s “First Friday,” a newly-minted street fair that occurs on the first Friday of each month. We dined on delicious buffalo burgers from a vendor, watched a magic show, danced in the streets to a live band, indulged in Golden Sweets Ice Cream & Chocolate, rode in a free horse-drawn carriage and topped off our evening at Windy Saddle Cafe where they held a Cupcake Walk for the children.

Twenty-six kids crammed into a circle and each child was given a number to tape to the ground. Like most cakewalks, when the music stops and your number is called out, you’re a winner. But unlike most cakewalks, they had enough cupcakes for everyone; the child just needed to be patient enough to stick around to the end.

Hurricane Hadley lacks patience.

And yes, she gets it Trying to get a group of small children to walk around in a circle is like trying to herd a gaggle of geese. Though they were uncooperative at best, one by one they dropped off as their numbers were called. Halfway through, a vacant number next to Bode was announced. I swiftly plopped him on it and he jubilantly went to claim his reward.

All that remained was Hadley…and about 15 other kids. With each number, her frustration grew. She tried many different methods.

1) The Only Moving When You Were Assured a Number to Step On Method


2) The Take The Number With You Method, which is most effective by subtly dragging it with your foot.

3) The Screaming “GO!” Method


4) And finally, The Dejected “I’m Never Going to Win” Method.

It came down to the very end. There was one number left and she was up against just one boy who was half her size.

“She’s gonna take your son down,” I warned his parents.

I was only halfway joking.

The previous rounds were out of her control but a race to the finish? The Hurricane did not disappoint. When that number was called, come hell or highwater chocolate cupcake with swirly frosting, she was not going to lose this competition. She jubilantly plopped down on that number, did an I am the Champion-esque dance and went to claim her chocolate prize.

All was right in the world until she learned that the little boy who came in very last got to do a special dance and then get his cupcake.

Chocolate and performing in front of adoring throngs of people?

Taking second-to-last place is the new Biggest Loser.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Hadley, Humor

Celebrating My F.D.O.F.

June 3, 2010 By

Because of the looming preschool certificate ceremony….


and this girl’s kindergarten graduation.


I have been cramming in some last-minute hikes to my favorite haunts including Red Rocks at dawn yesterday.


And my favorite secret hike the day prior.


And no, I will not divulge its whereabouts for obvious reasons.


Some call it “Summer Break.”

I called those two days before school got out my “Final Days of Freedom.”

How did you spend your final days of freedom?

===============

P.S. Congrats to my cutie-pie niece Emily who looked gorgeous at her 9th grade graduation party from junior high. Onto bigger and better things.

If you could call high school that.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Bode, Hadley

Blame it all on the cough

June 1, 2010 By

Last week was a sleepless whirlwind due to:

The Cough

I developed a cough and not just any cough. This was a cough-’til-you-puke kind of cough, rendering sleep an impossibility. Sure, I could have gone into the doctor’s office but after my nervous breakdown a couple of years ago, I try to limit my visits to verge-of-death emergencies.

Plus, during Said Nervous Breakdown, I acquired The Good Cough Medicine. You know. The stuff with the goooood drugs.

However, I am one week into it and nothing is working.

The Trip

In the middle of it all, I had a trip to Aspen for the PRSA Travel & Tourism Conference. Picture a room full of hundreds of perky, cute publicists where the ratio of women to men is 10:1.

Basically, it was like my BYU experience all over again.

PRSA shuttled a few fellow travel writers to Aspen and put us up in style. I stayed at the Hotel Jerome, attended conference sessions, sat in between travel industry legends Everett Potter and the travel editor of USA Today during lunch, and attended a kick-butt media mixer at the glorious slope-side hotel, the Viceroy.


(Hanging with Emily of Hula Communications, Jennifer of Colorado Ski Country and Kara of The Vacation Gals.)

After a near-sleepless night, I got up at the crack of dawn to hike the Ute trail with a few other gals.

Marathoner Krista Parry of Park City Mountain Resort left us in her dust.

I am blaming The Cough.

The Big Screen That Wasn’t

Jamie’s brother Chris is visiting this week from Utah so we had him and their sister Lisa over for dinner. Jamie spent the afternoon smoking ribs and the plan was to watch Avatar on the 84″ HDTV.

Until the projector chose this weekend of all weekends to burn out.

And the bulbs can only be ordered online with a minimum 7 days for delivery.

The Memorial Day Blowout

Ever since Jamie’s parents moved away, we’ve felt a bit lost on holidays so we decided to invite some friends and a group of new couples from church over for a BBQ. Many are recently- or soon-to-be married college students who are here for the summer.

It confirmed something I’ve long suspected: we’re old.

And Bode is a woosy.

My dear boy had two meltdowns–one when he was left behind from the expedition to the pumpkin patch. During the second episode, I found him crumbled up in a heap on his bed. When I asked him what was wrong, he gasped, “Dat girl stole my food.”

Who, his sister Hadley? One of the college students?

I went outside for the confrontation and it was none other than my friend Sam’s daughter.

The one who is 9 months old.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Bode, Humor

Glenwood Springs’ Adventure Park On Top of a Mountain

June 1, 2010 By

Take the world’s largest outdoor mineral hot springs pool, add an adventure park built on top of a mountain, sprinkle in the Roaring Fork Valley’s crimson rocks and emerald forests and what do you have?

Glenwood Springs’ matchless Shangri-La.

Conveniently located off I-70 between Vail and Aspen, my family has driven through Glenwood Springs multiple times and often marveled at the tram that appeared to go nowhere. Turns out, the Iron Mountain Tramway soars 4,300 feet up Iron Mountain to a big ol’ somewhere: Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park.

The 135-acre park features guided tours of Glenwood Caverns and Historic Fairy Caves, an alpine coaster, 4-dimensional theater, a laser tag arena, a climbing wall, gemstone sluice box mining, bungee trampolines, a simulated Conestoga wagon ride and more. New this year: The Giant Canyon Swing that launches riders over Glenwood Canyon, 1,300 feet above the Colorado River.

A few of my family’s favorite activities included:

Laser Tag

It was raining when we arrived at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park so we introduced our delighted cowboys to an indoor pursuit: laser tag. This new-fangled shoot-out in an old West setting uses the latest in wireless laser tag technology. With every death announcement, “Nice shot,” our vests would vibrate and my children came one step closer to unleashing their pent-up parental aggressions. For my husband and me, it was all about payback for our many sleepless nights.

Family laser tag is a win-win situation for everyone.

4-dimensional ride theater

I can’t say I’ve seen many movies in 3-D so I was unsure of what to expect at Colorado’s only 4-dimensional ride theater. We were given goofy 3-D glasses, and had the option of watching three short films (Haunted Mine Ride, Snow Ride or TurtleVision) whilst sitting in interactive seats that had us yelping and giggling at every turn whenever we were sprayed or jolted.

Prior to watching each film, we received a safety briefing. Ours was from a staffer whose arm was in a cumbersome cast. He claimed it was from longboarding; I suspect he fell out of his magical 4-D chair.

Glenwood Caverns and Historic Fairy Caves

Glenwood Caverns was named one of “The 10 Great Places to Go Underground” by USA Today. Despite such acclaim, I was hesitant to take my 3 and 5 year old on the 70-minute guided walking tour because any lengthy amount of time in an enclosed space with them is asking for trouble.

Turns out, they loved the tour and my son Bode (the youngest in the group) was given sole control of the hallowed flashlight. Our entertaining guide let our imaginations run wild as he expounded upon formations such as moonmilk, cave clouds, soda straws, cave bacon, stalactites, stalagmites. At one point, he had us stop and listen to the walls of the cave. When we heard nothing, he joked we had just experienced “Hard Rock.”

Evidently, cave tour guides need to have some kind of comic relief.

My two favorite stops were King’s Row, a gigantic room deep in the earth with the most other-wordly cave I’ve ever seen, and “Exclamation Point,” a cliff-side balcony with panoramic views of the Glenwood Canyon and the Colorado River.

Fort WhereAmI Maze

I’ll admit it: I’m not a maze person because when you’re directionally-challenged, the last thing you need are hundreds of options. But my family loved weaving our way through the labyrinth of twists and turns in this fort-style maze. Instead of just trying to find the exit, there was a fun twist to the challenge: we raced against the clock for fun prizes and had to punch our card at each of the four towers, which offered breathtaking views of Mt. Sopris and the Roaring Fork Valley.

The Canyon Flyer

My kids could not get enough of Park City Mountain Resort’s alpine coaster last winter but at $20 a pop, less was definitely more. At Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, riding Colorado’s only alpine coaster is included in the cost of the day pass so we gave our children unlimited access.

And they took full advantage by repeatedly dragging us down the mountain.

The individual cars on tracks race 3,400 feet through the trees and can carry two visitors in comfort. The great thing about the alpine coaster is you can control your speed over the bumps, waves and hairpin turns. Not that it mattered. Both kids demanded we go full-throttle so I screamed like a girl the entire way down.

Good thing I am one.

Accommodations

Sure, there are plenty of lodging options in Glenwood Springs but why stay anywhere else than the Glenwood Hot Springs’ 107-room flagship? Lodge and pool packages start at $139 per room per night and include a room with two queen-size beds, unlimited swimming and continental breakfast.

Just across the street, the Glenwood Hot Springs is the largest mineral hot springs pool in the world and the two pools measure roughly as long as two city blocks. If that is not impressive enough, the hot springs also has two water slides, inner tubes, diving boards and bubble chairs.

I’ve always envied the people sunning themselves around the pool when I’ve zoomed past on I-70. My family went early-May when it was cold, rainy and the lifeguards were wearing winter jackets.

But it didn’t matter. Instead of being on the outside looking in, we melted our worries away in the 104-degree therapy pool, relishing our time in Glenwood Springs’ quintessential cut of Colorado.

Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park Prices: Day pass for an adult is $39, children are $34. See their Web site for Tram-only rates and information about their various cave tours. Go to www.hotspringspool.com for information on the hot springs and lodging.

Professional photo credit: Visit Glenwood. Crummy iPhone pictures: Yours truly. Special thanks to the Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park and Glenwood Hot Springs for hosting my family.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Colorado, Family travel, Humor, travel
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