WHO WE ARE

Grand Junction, CO December 7, 8, 14, 15, 21

Cross Orchards Historic Site Can’t get enough of The Polar Express? Get in the holiday spirit and visit the Grand Valley Model Railroad Club’s annual Christmas Train Show, featuring model trains, real trains and a ride-on train. Visit with Santa Claus and sip hot apple cider at Cross Orchards Historic Site. This event will take place several times throughout December. museumofwesternco.com

Vail Snow Days

Vail, CO December 12-15

Brace the cold and reward yourself with free concerts by Modest Mouse and The Head and the Heart at Ford Park, in-town and onmountain early season specials, a bonfire, an expo village and more at the four-day festival in the snow! vailsnowdays.com

Craft and Vendor Fair

Grand Junction, CO December 14

Join the Career Center at their holiday bazaar! Purchase gifts for the whole family from more than 40 local vendors. Bring the little ones to take photos with Santa Claus and make gingerbread houses! The event has free admission and will be from 9 to 3 p.m. at 2935 North Ave. cc.d51schools.org/news/what_s_ new/holiday_bazaar

Fruita Parade of Lights and Tree Lighting

Fruita, CO December 14

Embrace the Christmas spirit at Fruita’s Parade of Lights and Tree Lighting! The parade begins at 5:30 p.m. and the tree lighting at 6:30 p.m. This year’s parade theme is Holiday Traditions. fruitachamber.org/ fruita-hometown-christmas

Grand Junction, CO December 14

No, that is not a typo! Santa Cause Run at Las Colonias Park Amphitheater is a holiday 5K run or walk to help fund inclusive playground equipment. The first 300 participants will receive a Santa suit to wear during the race! gjcity.org/residents/ parks-recreation/special-events/ santa-cause-run

Ugly Sweater and Cookie Exchange Painting Party

Grand Junction, CO December 14

Fat Cat Pottery is hosting this festive, fun holiday event in downtown Grand Junction. Wear your favorite holiday sweater and bring cookies to share, along with the recipe! Paint a project of your choice and enjoy snacks and door prizes. The event is $10 plus the price of pottery. fatcatpotterygj.com/event/ ugly-sweater-cookie-exchangepainting-party

The Nutcracker at Robinson Theatre

Grand Junction, CO December 20-22

Enjoy a holiday classic, The Nutcracker, presented by Absolute Dance at Robinson Theatre in the Colorado Mesa University Moss Performing Arts Center. Watch special guest ballerinas perform alongside local dancers. Tickets are available online. absolutedancegj.com/nutcracker

Christmas Eve Torchlight Parade

Telluride, CO December 24

This is a favorite holiday tradition in Telluride for both locals and visitors. Watch from town as skiers and snowboarders cruise down Coonskin and Telluride Trail with torchlights on Christmas Eve, lighting up the side of the mountain. The parade begins at 6:30 p.m. telluride.com/festivals-and-events/ christmas-eve-torchlight-parade

New Year’s Eve Sleepover for 3rd-6th Graders

Grand Junction, CO December 31

Drop off your kids at the Eureka McConnell Science Museum at Colorado Mesa University for a New Year’s Eve sleepover before heading out to your own New Year’s Eve parties! Kids will spend a night at the museum where they will learn about science, have a pizza dinner and black light dance party, watch a movie and celebrate the new year. Register online. eurekasciencemuseum.org

New Year’s Eve Torchlight Parade and Fireworks

Telluride, CO December 31

If you missed the torchlight parade on Christmas Eve, don’t worry. It’s happening again on New Year’s Eve, but this time, there’s fireworks! Skiers and snowboarders will coast down the mountain on Coonskin and Telluride Trail carrying blazing torches, followed by a firework show. telluride.com/festivals-and-events/ new-years-eve-torchlight-parade

JANUARY

Bangs Canyon Trail Run 30K/60K

Grand Junction, CO January 4

This self-supported trail run over the rough terrain of Bangs Canyon will keep runners challenged. Designed to be run in cold, lessthan-ideal conditions, the race beings in two waves – 7:30 a.m. for those doing the 60K race or those who are slower runners, and 8:30 a.m. for normal 30K runners. mesamonumentstriders.com

Montrose Farmers’ Winter Market

Montrose, CO January 4

Kick off the new year at the Montrose Farmers’ Holiday Market and support local artists and artisans from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 421 S. 1st St. in the Centennial Meeting Room. The market occurs every Saturday, so if you can’t make it to this one, try again next week! montrosefarmersmarket.weebly. com/calendar-of-events

Ouray Ice Expedition

Ouray, CO January 5-11

Spend a week-long getaway in Ouray with the Mountain Ascent Association ice climbing the world-famous Ouray Ice Park. Participants will stay in a rental just minutes from the ice park with a group of other climbers. Experience and registration is required, so check out their website for more information. mountainascent.org/event-3074400

Grand Junction Rockestra

Grand Junction, CO January 18

Rock out with the GJ Rockestra for a good cause! The Rockestra is a symphonic rock & roll orchestral experience, playing music from the 50s to the present. Proceeds will help fund the CMU Music Department’s scholarship fund. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. at Robinson Theater inside the Moss Performing Arts Center at Colorado Mesa University. coloradomesa.edu/arts/music/ rockestra.html

Ouray Ice Festival

Ouray, CO January 23-26

Don’t miss the 25th annual Ouray Ice Festival! Spend a chilly few days in the hub of Colorado ice climbing. There will be vendors, gear demos, interactive and educational climbing clinics for every skill level, contests, presentations, music, food, dancing, a silent auction and more. ourayicepark.com/ouray-ice-festival

Borealis Fat Bike World Championships

Crested Butte, CO January 24-26

Head over to Crested Butte for your chance to become the next Fat Bike World Champion! This annual race welcomes all skill levels. There will be free bike demos, a vendor village, fat bike polo, live music, awards, a group ride and free beer! Register online. crestedbuttemountainbike. com/borealis-fat-bike-worldchampionships

Wedding of a Lifetime Bridal Show

Grand Junction, CO January 27

Engaged? Meet with a variety of wedding professionals, from florists, bakers and caterers to DJs, venues and more, at the Wedding of a Lifetime Bridal Show at Two Rivers Convention Center from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. tworiversconvention.com/events/ wedding-lifetime

FEBRUARY

Lake City Ice Festival

Lake City, CO February 8

Spend a wintery day on the ice at the Lake City Ice Park during the Lake City Ice Festival! Play hockey on the town ice rink or spend the day ice climbing at the ice park. Explore approximately 15 routes with 60- to 100-foot pitches with mixed grades WI 3 to 5. All ages and skill levels are welcome to come enjoy the ice! lakecity.com

Snowmass & Aspen, CO February 9

Ski in the Owl Creek Chase, a challenging, scenic ski race from Snowmass to Aspen along the Owl Creek Trail. The 21K classic race begins at 9 a.m. and the 21K skate race begins at 9:30 a.m. aspenspecialevents.com/owl-creekchase

Lions Club Parade and Carnival

Grand Junction, CO February 15

Have some fun for a good cause at the Grand Junction Lions Club Parade and Carnival in downtown Grand Junction. The parade will kick off at 1 p.m. on Main Street and the carnival will begin at 5 p.m. at Two Rivers Convention Center. downtowngj.org/events/lions-clubparade-carnival

Annual Telluride Gay Ski Week

Telluride, CO February 22-29

Explore the excellent skiing and active nightlife of Telluride during Gay Ski Week! Enjoy a jam-packed week full of skiing, meetups, parties, live music, drag, karaoke, a fashion show and much more. telluridegayski.com :

Q+A ON “BALANCE” WITH ANGLELA PADALECKI

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, GRAND JUNCTION REGIONAL AIRPORT

By Naomi Allen | Photo courtesy Angela Padalecki

Spoke+Blossom: What tools/strategies do you implement to create a sense of “balance” in your day-to-day life?

Angela Padalecki: First, I get eight hours of sleep nearly every night. For me, adequate sleep is the most important step to feeling energetic, being productive and avoiding burnout. My husband and I have children and we own a farm. There is always something to do at home, but we don’t let the work get in the way of our sleep. Prioritizing adequate sleep means everyone goes to bed on time, even if we got home late from gymnastics, the laundry isn’t all done or there’s something interesting on TV that night.

Second, I keep a well-organized online calendar that covers all of my work and personal obligations and plans. I spend the first 30 minutes of every week planning. I start with the top priorities for my work and personal life and ensure proper time is scheduled for those items. I pay particular attention to what progress needs to be made on work matters and what I need to accomplish versus delegate. Next, I schedule my workouts. Last, I reschedule anything that no longer fits. Every week starts with a calendar that reflects what I’m committed to accomplishing for the week; I know it’s realistic, and I know it’s far from “everything.”

I promote balance within our airport team in several ways. First, we have clearly defined goals and expectations that focus on the longterm success of the airport. This ensures we’re in alignment about what is most important. Second, we have a leadership meeting every Monday morning and I have one-on-one meetings with each member of my team on Monday afternoons. This allows time for us to check in on progress made the week before, ask for help and set expectations about the weeks ahead. This promotes a culture of collaboration and accountability, including being accountable to having balance in life.

S+B: What challenges do you face in maintaining balance and how do you overcome them?

AP: I tend to be externally motivated and it is hard for me to tell people no — whether it’s a friend who wants to get together, a colleague who wants my help with something they’re working on or my daughter who wants me to pick her up from the bus instead of walk home. As things pop up, they have the potential to derail my week and the work I have planned. There are some things that pop up that warrant rearranging my schedule, but often I overvalue the significance of matters that involve other people and commit time I don’t have to give. This can leave me working late into the night or missing out on things that are important to me but don’t directly affect other people, like exercising. Keeping my schedule well-planned and looking at it before I commit to something gives me a moment to think about what I’m giving up if I say yes to the random unplanned engagement. Thinking about the tradeoff empowers me to say no more often, but this is still an area where I struggle. :