When a medical emergency strikes, you need expert care in a hurry. That’s why AdventHealth Littleton provides high-quality, compassionate emergency care close to home. We offer state-of-the-art comprehensive care for the body, mind and spirit — from your first visit and all the way through your recovery.
Learn more at AdventHealth.com/Littleton.
SOUTH DENVER COMMUNITY EGG HUNT
MARCH 30 AT 10A & 12P
GRILLED FOOD / SWEET TREATS / EASTER FESTIVITIES
FREE EVENT / REGISTRATION REQUIRED
EASTER AT THRIVE WORSHIP EXPERIENCES
MARCH 30 & 31 (CHECK WEBSITE FOR TIMES)
A SPECIAL EASTER MESSAGE / ENGAGING WORSHIP
EGG HUNTS AFTER EACH EXPERIENCE
Y O U R H I G H L A N D S R A N C H L E A D E R I N D E S I G N - B U I L D
F r o m f a m i l y g a m e n i g h t s t o e n t e r t a i n i n g y o u r c l o s e f r i e n d s , l e t F B C R e m o d e l h e l p y o u c r e a t e a s p a c e w h e r e m e m o r i e s t h a t l a s t a l i f e t i m e a r e m a d e . A s y o u r l o c a l l e a d e r i n d e s i g n - b u i l d , o u r a w a r d - w i n n i n g d e s i g n e r s a n d p r o j e c t t e a m s a r e h e r e t o p a r t n e r w i t h y o u t o t r a n s f o r m y o u r s p a c e i n t o o n e t h a t y o u ’ l l l o v e .
S C H E D U L E Y O U R C O M P L I M E N T A R Y D E S I G N
C O N S U L T A T I O N T O D A Y !
7 2 0 - 7 4 0 - 0 9 8 4 b u i l d j o y . c o m
Welcome home. However you found us this month, whether you pulled this beautiful book out of your mailbox or picked it up in a coffee shop, we’re glad you’re here.
We exist to help make local connections and build a powerful community through sharing stories of people and businesses of impact.
In this issue and throughout the year, we love to feature lifestyle stories that inspire you to create beautiful interiors, magical backyard spaces, and delicious creations in the kitchen. There’s nothing quite like opening the door to your home and being surrounded by the comforts, the curated photos and surroundings, of everything you love. Yes, please.
But home is so much more, and we are most proud to bring you stories of your neighbors, business owners, entrepreneurs, volunteers, educators, philanthropists, and networkers who are the heart and soul of Douglas County.
This month, we feature a Highlands Ranch family that brings their legacy of sports and faith to our neck of the woods. Molly and Brock Huard have their roots in collegiate basketball and football respectively, and then spent several years in the NFL, before relocating their family to Highlands Ranch during the pandemic. Read about their pursuit to honor their faith and community through the lessons of athletic pursuits. It's more about the "connective tissue" of a relationship than it is about winning.
Every month, we hear from readers who keep this magazine for longer than just the month labeled on the cover. They say they hold onto it for months as coffee table art or an accessory in their home. We feel proud to create a resource that is valued in our community and strive every month to deliver the value you expect. Please send us an email or connect with us on Instagram @highlandsranchcitylifestyle to share your story ideas. We're nothing without you. Thanks for letting us be a part of your home.
Happy March!
JENNIFER STARBUCK, PUBLISHER @HIGHLANDSRANCHCITYLIFESTYLE
March 2024
PUBLISHER
Jennifer Starbuck | Jennifer.Starbuck@CityLifestyle.com
Sonja Nix | Sonja.Nix@CityLifestyle.com
PHOTO EDITOR
Lisa Lord | Lisa.Lord@CityLifestyle.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Dan Buettner
Schowengerdt
Perry
Robinson
Photography by Tyler Schank, Courtesy of UCHealth
1-7: UCHealth partnered with Justin Simmons, an all-pro football player, to learn about making delicious food with fresh ingredients while discussing the importance of prioritizing men’s health, starting with the food we eat. Participants joined for a class at Uncorked Kitchen & Wine Bar, enjoyed their dishes, and engaged with Justin Simmons in a Q&A, all while learning about the MANtenance initiative led by UCHealth.
Exquisite brands. Unparalleled service. Amazing attention to detail.
Local, family owned and operated for over 29 years, we are Colorado’s most complete appliance source, offering every major appliance line to fit any budget.
Call us or visit one of our stunning showrooms. Our appliance experts will walk you through the entire selection process, from browsing, to purchasing, to delivery, offering you the one-on-one attention and advice you’ve come to expect.
Thank you for supporting Colorado’s local businesses.
Louisville | Colorado Springs | Littleton | Glenwood Springs
www.mountainhighappliance.com/
Janice Mullaney joined the FarmBox team to support CEO Rusty Walker's effort to lead FarmBox Foods into the future. A mother of three and a Colorado native, Janice brings an entrepreneurial spirit and a desire to enact positive change worldwide. She takes great pride in cultivating relationships and connecting people. “One of the things I’m excited about is seeing FarmBox across the world and furthering the mission of feeding the world to change lives,” she says. FarmBoxFoods.com
Local nonprofit YANA (You Are Not Alone) announces the launch of its innovative maternal mental health initiative, "Strong Mamas, Thriving Babies." The program aims to empower and support mothers through their journey, focusing on mental well-being and physical health postpartum. Key features of the program include comprehensive peer-to-peer support, educational resources, and community engagement with an integrated care model. YANA'S mission is to ensure no mom ever feels alone or that they aren’t enough. yanamom.com
Nourish is collaborating with Aging Resources of Douglas County and Volunteers of America Meals on Wheels to add clients in underserved areas. They have created 14 new routes, including seven dedicated routes in Douglas County. Nourish Meals on Wheels delivers fresh and delicious meals five days a week, Monday through Friday. With the ability to accommodate diabetic diets, allergies, and meal preferences, Nourish provides the independence and security that allow community seniors to age in place. nourishmealsonwheels.org
Immediately start apologizing that your website or social media aren’t up to date? Or do you inwardly cringe because you don’t feel confident in what you are presenting to the world and it is costing you business?
I help business owners: Hone their messaging
Create captivating visuals Clarify their offers
Show up consistently in their marketing
Feel confident in their brand
Add strategy to social media
Make more money with marketing
We have such amazing, innovative business leaders in our community who are proud to serve you, our residents, with class and quality. We’ve compiled some of our top company picks for the services that might be on your mind this month in an effort to make your lives a little easier.
Tina Christensen @ The Agency theagencyre.com/agent/tina-christensen | 303.335.7060
Ali Marshall - RE/MAX Professionals ratemyagent.com/real-estate-agent/ali-marshall-b0z2hu/sales/overview 303.622.0576
Holly Coors Realtor livsothebysrealty.com/eng/associate/491-a-df1803091612108111/holly-coors 720.323.5959
Denise Archuleta of Archuleta Homes archuletahomes.com | 303.929.9733
Julie and Justin Reddington of Colorado Home Realty coloradohomerealty.com/agents/kathryn-seehusen | 720.226.4168
Dwelling & Domain dwellinganddomain.com | 720.506.2720
Want to suggest a monthly pick?
A Rustic Butterfly arusticbutterfly.com | 720.891.6490
Katie Becker Design katiebeckerdesign.com
Refined Consign and Design refinedcd.com | 720.353.4889
Carla's A Classic Design carlasacd.com | 303.683.0372
Elite Landscape & Outdoor Living denverelitelandscaping.com | 303.795.1717
Four Elements Landscape & Outdoor Living fourelementslandscape.com | 303.519.8710
Kona Contractors konacontractors.com | 720.606.9669
Mosaic Outdoor Living coloradodecks.com | 303.790.9090
Rocky Mountain Outdoor Living rmlandscape.net | 303.960.9264
FBC Remodel fbcremodel.com | 303.227.3636
Kingdom Countertops & Cabinetry kccmilehigh.com | 303.766.5466
C3 Building Group c3buildinggroup.com | 303.253.4679
Paul Davis Restoration of Greater Denver and Douglas County greater-denver.pauldavis.com | 303.322.3328
Story Renovations storyrenovations.com | 720.617.9658
Elk Horn Painting Of Littleton elkhornpaintingco.com/littleton-painters | 720.230.1811
Morrow Flooring morrowflooring.com | 303.993.3391
Out of Sight Closets & Garages outofsightcabs.com | 303.683.8880
Rocky Mountain Shutters & Shades rockymountainshutters.com | 303.534.5454
Valor Roof & Solar valorroofandsolar.com | 303.770.7663
Come discover how you can Live Life Smiling . i-Orthodontics was established with a greater mission than straightening teeth. We were built to change lives.
As a board-certified orthodontist, Dr. Isaac specializes in providing custom, high quality orthodontic treatment for pediatric, adolescent, and adult patients. Our goal at i-Orthodontics is to instill confidence in patients through beautiful smiles.
Come discover how you can Live Life Smiling .
You’ll find this charming plant shop on the west side of Colorado Springs. Run by Lauren and Clay Hapke, the pair hand-selects and sells boutique-style plants for Colorado habitats. They partner with local makers and vendors to stylize the plants with custom pottery, macrame crafts, quirky gifts, and recycled or repurposed pieces. hapkeshortum.com
According to partners Alexandra Gove and Koen van Renswoude, hygge is “both a state of contentment and the opportunity to invite small moments of comfort and connection into your day.” The shop is full of Scandinavianinspired furniture, lighting, and decor. Venture further and you’ll find the hygge coffee shop invites you into moments of comfort and connection. hyggelife.com
On a mission to inspire a next-gen shopping experience, Durango Sustainable Goods curates home and lifestyle goods made out of long-lasting, leading-edge sustainable materials that are good for the planet and for people. Move over fast fashion and polluting plastic; here, shopping becomes a radical act for the planet. durangosustainablegoods.com
1. HAPKE’S HORTUM OLD COLORADO CITY 2. HYGGE LIFE EAGLE-VAIL
Walking into the Huard Family home, two things stand out. The Huards are tall humans, standing 5 feet 10 inches and 6 feet 5 inches. Second, their Christian faith has a more significant presence in their home than their sports legacy.
Molly’s collegiate basketball career foreshadowed many women’s programs today. Her team regularly drew bigger crowds than the men’s team, up to 5,000 attendees. Her coach, Chris Gobrecht, now the women’s basketball coach at The Air Force Academy, animated the side-
“I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO GIVES ME STRENGTH.”
PHILIPPIANS 4:13
The family’s athletic pedigree runs deep, with elite athletes in multiple sports. Molly and Brock Huard met at the University of Washington in the mid-90s. Both were D1 athletes in women’s basketball and men’s football, respectively.
“There may have been some stalking involved,” Brock says.
Molly responded, “He caught my attention when he answered this question in a campus publication, ‘Who is your favorite athlete?’ His answer was Molly Hills.”
Molly grew up north of Seattle. Her dad was a collegiate and minor league baseball pitcher, and her sister was a Huskies basketball player. Brock grew up in Pulluyup, Wash. He is the son of a former collegiate football player, high school football coach, and brother to two other football players. Almost all their nephews play collegiate sports. At UW, they connected over their experience with sport as a community and extended family.
line, bench, and audience. She coached a fast-paced, aggressive, man-to-man defense, which was highly entertaining and different from the strategy on most women’s basketball teams.
After UW, Brock continued to the NFL, with a couple of stints with his hometown Seahawks and as Peyton Manning’s backup in Indianapolis. He has built a post-professional sports career in broadcasting, providing color commentary for UW Huskies Football team’s televised broadcasts and hosting a sports podcast weekday mornings on Seattle radio.
Both Molly and Brock acknowledge the blessing of growing up with athletic genes and nurturing but sports-focused environments. Brock even jokes about their family’s gene-building.
“But sport is not our family identity,” Brock says. “It is what we have been gifted to do, blessed to do, what we love to do, what people have poured into us to do. And we want to give it back.”
Now, the Huard daughters, Haley, a junior, and Macey, a freshman, both over 6 feet tall, play D1 basketball with the University of Montana Lady Griz. Son Titus, already 6 feet 4 inches in 8th grade, is honing his skills as a football quarterback and on the baseball field.
Molly advised her girls when choosing a collegiate program: “Go someplace where girls basketball is important to the community, where there is a full gym of fans to watch the team.”
Their oldest daughter, Haley, chose the University of Montana because she agreed with her mom and found it with the Lady Griz. Middle daughter Macey decided to follow her big sis to Missoula.
Molly reminds her girls, “You are reaping the reward of the pioneers before you in women’s sports. It is so different for women who are college athletes now. Post-collegiate professional sports weren’t on the horizon for most female athletes.” One of the Huard girls hopes to take her collegiate success to the next level. The other feels like collegiate ball will be the end of her playing career.
Molly is thrilled her girls carried on the family legacy in sport. “Elite female athletes build confidence, mental toughness, fortitude, and resiliency; that is hard to find outside of sport,” Molly says.
“Look at the high percentage of CEOs that were women collegiate athletes. It’s astoundingly high.”
As a longtime member of the Seattle sports community, Brock and son Titus attended the 2024 NCAA Football Championship game between the University of Washington
and the University of Michigan. Brock talked about the thrill of returning to that community again, where he met up with old teammates and coaches. Brock didn’t even mention the Huskies’ disappointing loss to the Wolverines.
“It’s not only about the results,” he said. Youth sports is “about development, about community, about the relationships you build. As I’ve gotten older, I understand it isn’t all about the results.”
Brock frequently uses the words “connective tissue” to describe that community. Beyond the anatomical fibers, he means the fibers built into relationships within that community with teammates, coaches, other athletes, and even his listeners on the radio.
The family’s strong Christian faith informs their approach to just about everything. They are guided by Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”
“We have tried to stay grounded and humbled, in that the athletic gifts are solely from Him. Then it’s up to us what we do with them, how hard we work at crafting our sport.“ Brock says.
Molly responds, “Kids would agree this is one of their favorite verses too, and so true. We’re big believers there’s no substitute for hard work, and that often means sacrificing in other areas.”
The home’s picture-window wall and vaulted ceiling, displaying the front range mountains and drawing in the sunshine, are an idyllic environment for the Seattle transplants. They moved to Highlands Ranch in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawn to Valor High School’s Christiancentered education and respected sports programming, this particular home immediately called to them, as the big, blue Colorado skies were a welcome change to the northwest’s heavy clouds.
Denver’s central location makes Brock’s travel much more efficient, and they are committed to supporting Colorado Springs’ faithbased Compassion International. Compassion International aims to eliminate poverty worldwide through individual child sponsorship and frontline church intervention.
Molly, an interior designer by trade, transferred her design acumen into a new business venture called Designify Box. Designify caters to one of the fastest-growing segments of sports fandom: women. These specially curated boxes of accessories take into account the team colors, the style of the wearer, and other details. Designify meets women where they are and what they love: accessories personalized for their team and their style. She offers everything from big Southernstyle bling to understated baseball caps for women in the West. Her University of Colorado box includes licensed logo and mascot options. Designify can personalize boxes for any team - club, high school, collegiate, or professional.
As Molly and Brock raise the next generation of Huard athletes and guide their family to service in the name of God, they also pursue their professional passions that long outlive their playing days. All with the grace and humility their faith asks of them. designifybox.com
What’s the secret to a happy, healthy, and long life? Believe it or not, it’s actually quite simple: There are no secret ingredients, no sizable expenditures, and absolutely zero manufactured elements of any kind. Dive in with us as we share insights from our interview with the internationally renowned Blue Zones Founder, National Geographic Explorer, and award-winning journalist who is revolutionizing the way Americans make choices that can lead to living your best life.
For over twenty years, Dan Buettner has been fully committed to studying the health and longevity of Americans as well as influencing the proper and attainable health-centric environments our communities should embody. What started with identifying five “blue zones” around the world where people are both living longer as well as enjoying a higher quality of life in their elder years has now also evolved into proactively creating eco-systems where our communities engage in setting the standard for clean health.
If you haven’t subscribed to watching “Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones” streaming on Netflix, do yourself a favor and soak up the well-documented views into how Ikaria, Greece, Loma Linda, California, Sardinia, Italy, Okinawa, Japan, and Nicoya, Costa Rica exemplify the basis behind the Blue Zones truth and have since inspired Dan and his team to further extrapolate how we can manufacture healthy blue zone lifestyles in virtually any city and within our homes by way of intentional adaptation.
Most of us are well aware of the “American way of life” we reside in, that being one of convenience in all shapes and forms. We excel in offering the most fast food options in any country. We rank at the top of the most cars per household. We embrace a sedentary at-home lifestyle. And, for many of us, it stems from our childhood to no-fault of our own; comfort foods and Friday night pizza deliveries, complacent recliners and cushy car commutes. In short, however, now more than ever we categorically live in a country where processed foods and ultra-convenience, unfortunately, translate to life-threatening health diseases and a lack of organic joy.
What is the best news of all? All of these characteristics are wildly easy to overcome with effortless, yet conscious pivots to making better decisions with our time, our food, and our focus. Ask yourself: Are you driving or walking? Are you connecting socially? Set your sights on avoiding the majority of processed foods and start eating a largely whole-food and plant-based diet that will (statistically) give you another 10-12 years on your life.
In place of your toaster, keep a fruit bowl on the counter. Create a low-level junk food drawer. Stop buying processed meat, potato chips, sweetened snacks like cookies and candies, and worst of all, sugar-sweet beverages, and start buying more beans, nuts, grains, and tea.
“Am I going to tell you to never have these? No, people deserve to treat themselves. But you’ll do yourself an enormous favor if you just don’t bring those into your home. If you want to go out for those treats, go ahead,” Dan says.
“Simply just don’t bring them home, and you’ll cut out 70-80% of consumption right there.”
Buettner’s first cookbook, The Blue Zones Kitchen, is a fantastic resource featuring ingredients and cooking methods that can increase longevity, wellness, and mental health. The recipes also include lifestyle tips such as proper portion sizes and the best times to eat dinner. Plus, check out his additional seven books that dig deep into the exact foods you should eat to how your circle of friends and family can influence your quality of life.
Who do you hang out with? Happiness is contagious. “The Blue Zone approach is to go through your contact base and think of some friends whose recreation is pickleball, biking, or gardening. Who will care about you on a bad day and have a meaningful conversation? Identify one or two friends who are vegan or vegetarian and show you how and where to eat whole foods. Actively invite them out for lunch, and bring them into your social circle: this will have a bigger, long-term impact on your behavior than any new diet or exercise, and it costs you zero. Plus, there is a ton of data that shows it works, and it’s long-term.”
“We are marketed the idea that if we change our behavior by exercising more, taking the right supplements, trying this longevity or that anti-aging hack, that we will
Follow
lose weight and get healthy, yet it never works for the longterm,” says Dan. The Blue Zones approach is not trying to change your behaviors, it is asking you to change your surroundings…your eco-system.
Every time you go out to eat, you will consume an extra 300 calories that are laden with more sodium, sugar, and oil than eating at home. “Get your hands on a plant-based cookbook, pick a dozen recipes, and cook those with your family on Sundays. If you make the effort to cook it with your family, you will gain the skills and learn to make some good and whole food plant-based recipes.”
And, we would be remiss not to attend to the travelers at heart who would love to indulge in a luxurious resort paired with the facets of an actual Blue Zones destination. Dan highly recommends seeking out Silvestre in Nosara, Costa Rica where the experience offers wellness program ming, fully-equipped kitchens, and outdoor activities that will fuel your inspiration for a healthier life.
Tap into Dan’s wisdom that is creating a new category of places that are not merely the legacy of a healthy culture, but more consciously created by enlightened individuals that are intent on supercharging healthier communities!
MARCH 16TH
Highlands Ranch Town Center
Grab your friends, family, running/walking shoes, and your best Irish costume to celebrate St. Patrick's Day with a festive 5K presented by CU Medicine. Join fellow runners and walkers for a tasty pint from Living the Dream Brewing, an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast, Irish Dancers, and entertainment. Find the hidden golden kettlebell and bring across the finish line to win $100.
MARCH 17TH
The Shindig Bar - Lone Tree
The Shindig Bar (formerly Lincoln Station) celebrates St. Paddy's Day with the live band Dirty Side Down. Throughout the month, the Shindig hosts fun events such as trivia, karaoke, bingo, poker, and local bands. You can also find a small menu of tasty treats, beers on tap, and cocktails, with a daily happy hour from 10 A.M. to 6 P.M.
MARCH 23RD
Park Meadows Retail Resort
Join Park Meadows Retail Resort for a fun-filled Easter Egg Hunt! Get ready to hunt for colorful eggs, face painting, crafts, and enjoy a day of laughter and joy. The littles hunt at 9:15am. (four and under); the bigs at 10:15am (5 to 8 yrs old). The first 250 kids to register will receive an Urban Air pass. parkmeadows.com/en/events
MARCH 28TH - 30TH
Comedy Works Landmark
Emmy-nominated Jon Lovitz is one of the best-known names in comedy for his work over the past 30 years. Most recognized for his time on Saturday Night Live, he has also appeared in films like The Wedding Singer and The Benchwarmers and voiced characters for TV shows The Simpsons and The Critic. Jon’s unique brand of humor and quirky personality are sure to entertain.
MARCH 29TH - 31ST
Play Street Museum Highlands Ranch
Find EGGStra fun at Play Street Museum to celebrate Easter. Friday, 3/29, at 6:30 p.m., Paint & Play EGGstravaganza adds springtime pottery painting to playtime. Enjoy yogurt parfaits and bunny ears at the Easter Bre-EGG-fast Party on Sunday, 3/31, at 9 a.m. Later that morning, at 11:30 a.m., Party with my PEEPS packs playtime with peep-themed crafts and snacks. Reservations required. highlandsranch.playstreetmuseum.com
MARCH 30TH
Northridge Park
Hop on over to Northridge Park for HRCA's annual Easter Egg Hunt. Bring your basket to collect all the goodies to take home and your camera to capture a special appearance by the Easter Bunny. It’s a family event with a hunt for children aged one to nine. Come earlyparking is limited, and the hunt begins at 10:00 a.m. sharp.
