ELIFE Spring/Summer 2018

Old Fashioned

VALUES In Old Town Erie An Interview with John Jacquat

A GREAT WOLF LODGE Adventure Bridal Guide TOP COLORADO VENUES the ultimate wedding guide to: Erie, Louisville Lafayette, Niwot Longmont, Boulder and surrounding towns

What’s the deal with premarital compatibility

KIDS CAMPS SUPER DADS

Mom’s Magic The Other Side of Things A psychic medium’s view

SPRING AND SUMMER ISSUE

find the right

wedding dress

SPECIAL WEDDING SECTION INSIDE

Community means everything.

That’s why I’m proud to be here to help life go right ™– and to support Erie.

If there’s anything you need, call me.

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Guaranteed Rate Affinity, LLC is a registered trademark of Guaranteed Rate, Inc., used under license. Guaranteed Rate Affinity, LLC is a subsidiary of Guaranteed Rate, Inc. NMLS ID # 1598647 (Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org) • AL - Lic# 22374 • AK - Lic# AK1598647• AR - Lic# 111284 - Guaranteed Rate Affinity, LLC 1800 W Larchmont Ave, Chicago IL 60613 773-516-6900 • AZ - Guaranteed Rate Affinity, LLC 6851 E Stone Ridge Pl Tucson, AZ 85750 Mortgage Banker License # 941440 • CA - Licensed by the Department of Business Oversight, Division of Corporations under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act Lic #41DBO-68350 • CO - Guaranteed Rate Affinity, LLC. Regulated by the Division of Real Estate, 773-516-6900 • CT - Lic # MCL-1598647 • DE - Lic # 23968 • DC - Lic # MLB1598647• FL - Lic# MLD1480 • GA - Residential Mortgage Licensee # 55791- 1800 W Larchmont Ave., Chicago, IL 60613 • IL - Residential Mortgage Licensee IDFPR, 122 South Michigan Avenue, Suite 1900, Chicago, Illinois, 60603, 312-793-3000, 1800 W Larchmont Ave., Chicago, IL 60613 #MB.6761236• IN - Lic #34245 & #34244 • IA - Lic #2017-0035 • KS - Licensed Mortgage Company - Guaranteed Rate Affinity, LLC - License #MC.0025481• KY - Mortgage Company Lic #MC386524 • LA - Lic #1598647 • ME - Lic #1598647 • MD - Lic #22715 • MA - Guaranteed Rate Affinity, LLC - Mortgage Lender & Mortgage Broker License MC1598647• MI - Lic #FR0020883 & SR0020884 • MN - Lic #MN-MO-1598647 • MO - Lic # 17-2357• MS - Guaranteed Rate Affinity, LLC 1800 W Larchmont Ave, Chicago, IL 60613 - Mississippi Licensed Mortgage Company, Lic # 1598647 • MT - Lic# 1598647 • NJ - Licensed in NJ: Licensed Mortgage Banker - NJ Department of Banking & Insurance • NE Guaranteed Rate Affinity, LLC. Regulated by the Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance, 773-516-6900 • NH - Guaranteed Rate Affinity, LLC, licensed by the New Hampshire Banking Department - Lic # 21635-MB • NM - Guaranteed Rate Affinity, LLC. Regulated by the New Mexico Financial Institutions Division, 773-516-6900 • NC - Lic #L-173991 • ND - Lic #MB103116 • OH - Lic #MB.804260.000 & Lic #SM.502032.000- 1800 W Larchmont Ave., Chicago, IL 60613 • OK - Lic #MB011369 & Lic #ML011370 • OR - Lic #ML-5569 – 1800 W Larchmont Ave, Chicago, IL 60613 • PA - Licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities Lic #60942 • RI - Guaranteed Rate Affinity, LLC. Regulated by the State of Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation, 773-516-6900 • SC - Lic #MLS - 1598647• SD - Lic# ML.05163 • TN - Lic #134814 • TX - Licensed in TX: Licensed Mortgage Banker - TX Department of Savings & Mortgage Lending • UT - Licensed in UT: Utah-DRE Mortgage Entity License #10371701 & Utah-DFI Residential First Mortgage Notification – Utah Department of Financial Institutions • VT - Lic #7021 & 1351 MB • VA - Guaranteed Rate Affinity, LLC. - Licensed by Virginia State Corporation Commission, License # MC-6753 • WA - Lic #CL-1598647 • WI - Lic #1598647BA & 1598647BR • WV - Lic #ML-35540 & MB-35539 • WY - Lic#3000

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LIFE IN ERIE, COLORADO

ADVERTISING ELIFE magazine offers businesses the most cost-effective way to reach consumers in Erie and its surrounding towns.

Information about advertising is available on the Web at ELIFEmagazine.org Call 212.695.2959 to request a media kit.

SPONSORSHIPS ELIFE magazine supports organizations that make our town a better place to live and work. Submit sponsorship proposals to trisha@ELIFEmagazine.org

EDITORIAL OFFICE 212.695.2959 | trisha@ELIFEmagazine.org ELIFE is published by Ventker Media

www.ELIFEmagazine.org

available at

14676 Delaware Street - Suite 400 - Westminster - (720) 405-2020

www.2020eyevenue.com

Editor-in-Chief Chief Creative Officer Copy Editor Copy Editor Creative Director Art Director Advertising Sales Executives Photographer Contributing Writers

Trisha Ventker Trisha Ventker John Small Amanda Y. Hendrix Trisha Ventker Jonathan Jackson Jonathan Jackson Trisha Ventker Sonya Anderson Lisa Beach Gary Gianetti Lisa Ann Nelson MA LPCC NCC Connie Ruel John Small Thomas Ventker Trisha Ventker Amy Webb

EDITORIAL OFFICE 212.695.2959 | trisha@ventkermedia.com ELIFE is published by Ventker Media

www.ELIFEmagazine.org

ELIFE is published by Ventker Media. All editorial material, including editorial, comments, opinion and statements of fact appearing in this publication, represents the views of the respective authors and does not necessarily carry the endorsement of Ventker Media.

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Editor's Note Now that Easter has come and gone, Spring skiing is winding down, and there are less than two months left in the school year; it is time to set our sights on the Spring and Summer.

John Jacquat, the owner of three local businesses, including Sweets, graces our cover with two of his children. Learn more about John and his businesses in the Q & A with John Jacquat article, including some exciting news about expanding to a new location.

Spring also is the time when you see many people take their exercise routine outdoors. As the days get longer and the weather gets nicer, people tend to want to escape the indoors and sweaty gyms, to take advantage of the great outdoors here in Colorado. In this issue, Gary Gianetti, a talented, local, athletic trainer (and so much more), offers 7 Practical Tips for Safer and Smarter Cycling Along the Front Range. You will also find a listing of Colorado cycling events for 2018, with links to each.

In our parenting section, you can read several great articles. College Ain't for Everyone by John Small may broaden your horizon on other options to college. The Summer Camp article is by our contributor, Amy Webb, who was recently published in The Huffington Post. Her article discusses unique Summer Camps for kids in Colorado. Since Father's Day (June 17th) is not far away, we have a section where Super Dads were nominated. Like many moms, I struggle with multi-tasking.

Lisa Beach brings us a comical take on The Power of Mom's Magic.

Our Spring/Summer issue always includes our Bridal Guide. Check out the the Stylized Wedding at BlueSky in Breckenridge, where the trifecta of Margaryta Danilova Schwery, husband Alex Schwery and father Arnold Danilov teamed up to put on a wedding extraordinaire. Connie Ruel's article, Wedding Traditions - It's Your Day, Do it Your Way!!, provides some great advice for the "Big Day". Since there is a lot more to consider and plan for, like the "rest of our lives", Lisa Nelson provides a list of questions that couples should be asking themselves and some guidance for those seeking to engage a counselor. Check out her article entitled What's the Deal with Premarital Assessments?.

Right now — before the summer travel season is in full swing — is the best time to look at local trips that you can take. Our family had the opportunity to visit the Great Wolf Lodge in Colorado Springs a few weekends ago. Our 11 year old son invited a close friend to join us. Check out the travel section to learn more about the Great Wolf Lodge experience and what makes it so perfect for families.

I hope you enjoy the better weather, and thank you for your readership. we are so honored to offer you ELIFE magazine, one of the most read digital magazines in Colorado.

36

Trisha Ventker is an author, photographic artist, branding and social media expert, publisher of ELIFE and NoCo magazines and retired elementary school teacher. She also finds promoting and bringing local businesses together very rewarding and is the founder of ELIFE and NoCo masterminds, networking groups for small business owners and entreprenuers.

She is best known for her first book Internet Dates From Hell which is self-published by Ventker through iUniverse. It has since had the movie rights to it optioned by Paula Wagner.

Trisha is also one of the first Indie Books authors to have a book optioned for the big screen.

Trisha is originally from New York City, presently residing in Erie, Colorado for the last 11+ years, with her husband and son.

Trisha Ventker TRISHA VENTKER Editor-in-Chief

www.ELIFEmagazine.org

what's inside

LOCAL Q & A with John Jacquat (owner of RWR West Insurance, The Old Mine, and Sweets) Q & A with Jonathan Robert (owner of A New View Painting)

PARENTING College Ain't for Everyone Summer Camps to Keep Your Kids Unplugged and Engaged Super Dads The Power of Mom's Magic

WEDDINGS ELIFE Magazine Bridal Guide Wedding Traditions - It's Your Day, Do it Your Way!!

What's the Deal with Premarital Compatibility Assessments?

HEALTH & FITNESS 7 Practical Tips for Safer and Smarter Cycling along The Front Range Colorado Cycling Calendar for 2018

SELF DISCOVERY Intuition - Time for Energetic Spring Cleaning!

TRAVEL A "Great Wolf" Weekend Getaway

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Kim Krusinski RN is a health specialist and an acute care Registered Nurse with 18 years of experience in complex cardiac care in Northern Colorado.

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Orthodontic clinic separate from pediatric dentistry – a great place for

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Dr. T.C. Hardy is currently one of the leading providers in the state of Colorado for incognito hidden braces (braces on the tongue side!).

As a Board Certified Orthodontist specializing in child, adolescent and adult orthodontics, he will give you the smile you have always wanted.

We live in the 21st century! Why is there so much metal in the mouth still?

At Hardy Orthodontics, our standard is the high quality, Clarity Advanced bracket. Giving you and your children the flexibility to have a clear aesthetic smile when needed (like school photos and weddings) or the option to let the colors really pop! In addition to the esthetics, the quality of the bracket makes for very efficient treatment as well as a bonding procedure that helps keep the teeth strong.

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Namrata Hardy is a Board Certified Pediatric Dentist who specializes in providing oral health care to infants, children, adolescents and individuals with special needs. Dr. Nam believes her role as a health care clinician for children is a

Laser Dentistry: NO SHOTS! NO DRILLS!

genuine privilege and she loves watching her patients grow up before her eyes.

Dr. Nam is committed to fostering good oral habits from a young age and empowering parents and children to take an active role in their oral healthcare. She believes every child is unique, and tailors her approach to meet their individual needs. Dr. Nam believes that positive dental visits from an early age, and regular visits to the dentist are important factors in setting children on

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RESULTS INTEGRITY EXPERIENCE PROFESSIONALISM Sherri has been licensed for 25 years and has an in-depth knowledge of the Northern Colorado region. As a resident in Erie and NoCo, she has developed competitive pricing strategies and is an expert negotiator with world class results.

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KIM CLANCY Kim has been helping families buy and refinance homes for over 17 years. She has extensive mortgage knowledge and spends the time with each person to design the loan that best fits their needs. Kim makes herself readily available ay time to be of service to her clients.

She treats each new homebuyer as ann opportunity to develop a lifelong relationship with and she understands that you are trusting her with one of your life’s biggest accomplishments. Kim is an Erie resident and is actively involved in the Chamber of Commerce, Erie Uplink and several other local business and nonprofit organizations.

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Q & A with John Jacquat Tell us how, when and why you started your businesses (RWR West Insurance, The Old Mine, and Sweets): RWR West Insurance In 2005, I started my career in commercial insurance with a top 10 insurance brokerage. Four years later, I decided that I wanted to have more control in how we cared for both our clients and the team that takes care of them. I started Pure Risk Solutions in Fall of 2009 in a small office condo in Downtown Denver. After about a year, my landlord asked if I might be interested in purchasing the condo. Instead of keeping it in Denver, I began looking move my office closer to home in Erie as we had recently started a family.

We purchased the building at 500 Briggs Street in August of 2011, remodeled the second level, and moved in February of 2012. In June of 2016, I merged Pure Risk and formed RWR West Insurance to provide increased carrier options for clients and additional service support.

The Old Mine In spring of 2013, while attending the first chamber meeting to launch the Erie Brewfest, I met a guy named Mike Yeager, with whom I established an immediate trust. I had worked with several craft breweries on their insurance and had been considering opening something myself which I discussed with Mike when we left the meeting. Over the next few months we got to know each other, our common values, and then Mike shared his concept of The Old Mine. Mike had the hard cider and BBQ recipes, all the logos, and an incredible vision of what the place would look like. Our main goal together was to create a place in Erie for families and folks to go in the center of Erie.

We opened The Old Mine in December of 2013 in the first level of 500 Briggs Street and we are so grateful to provide a place for people to gather for great food, craft beverage, and a community environment.

Sweets In the fall of 2014, my wife and I found ourselves without a tenant at the building next door, 502 Briggs Street.

She had the idea of opening a hometown Ice Cream Shop. We decided to name it Sweets which was our nickname for our oldest daughter. We opened it in January of 2015. It began as a coffee, cafĂŠ, and ice cream shop, but has since morphed back into its original concept. We made a change and began scooping Little Man Ice Cream in January of 2018 and are very excited to continue to be a destination for people in Historic Old Town Erie.

Tell us the funniest story in business: I just feel very fortunate and blessed to have ended up where we are today. All of it is still a bit scary, but also very exciting. Looking back at the different doors that have opened along the way, I do see a bit of humor in it. My wife and I moved to Erie ten years ago so we could split the commutes – one to Denver and one to Loveland. We found the building on Briggs while taking our daughter for a walk in old town Erie so she could see the big trees above her stroller. Also, I met my business partner at The Old Mine at a chamber meeting, going into business together 5 months later and we still have one of those rare partnerships that works.

The Old Mine

Q & A with John Jacquat - continued What is the most challenging aspect about your businesses?

All three businesses present different challenges. For the insurance agency, we have always been in growth mode even though we operate as a client service focused company. There is a constant drive to do better and reach more people and that takes ongoing investment to accomplish. For the other two, we have learned a lot about the restaurant business and have found some great people to help run them and take care of the guests that come through the doors.

What is the most rewarding aspect about being in businesses?

Although the businesses carry different challenges, each one provides the opportunity to earn people’s trust and take care of their needs. This has always been a main motivation for me. They also provide the opportunity to give back and support organizations that support others. We are proud to work with and support Erie UpLink, Local Schools, the Erie Chamber of Commerce, Calvary Church, and other various Non-Profits through The Old Mine’s ‘Mining for Good’ in which we donate 100% of the profits from a given Monday.

Tell us something people don’t know about you: I prefer to be home with my family rather than out and about. I do like to travel. I like going to concerts to see our favorite bands Zac Brown Band and the Avett Brothers. I really try to avoid waiting in lines. Most folks would probably say that I am quiet.

What is the most exciting news you have to share?

Well, we are excited to say that coming soon there will be another neighborhood ice cream shop here in Erie. We are opening a second Sweets at 3120 Vista Village Drive in Vista Ridge and are excited to serve the people in that area.

Lastly, in case I never get interviewed again, I would like to thank my wife Amy, our 3 kids, my parents, my team at RWR, the team at The Old Mine including Mike, Kevin, Brylon and Tom, the team at Sweets including Katy, and also people like my Grandpa Jerry, my brother, Tom, Jason, Scott, Thomas, Chris, Lexi, and Ed.

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Jonathan Robert Owner of A New View Painting

Why did you change professions from a teacher to a business owner?

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I started A New View Painting while I was transitioning to a career as a high school history teacher in 2008. During the financial meltdown of 2008, I was working as working as a purchasing officer and green building coordinator for a local home builder, and could see that the home building industry was in for major financial trouble so I opted to move to a different career as a teacher. I had a young family at the time and knew that my teaching salary alone would not pay all the bills so I decided to start a painting business again. I say again, because painting was my job all through high school, college, and graduate school. So returning to painting was an easy choice - I had all the skills and equipment, so I really just needed to establish a good reputation as a reliable and quality oriented contractor. Believe it or not, I have wielded a paint brush for over 32 years at this point. Wow - that makes me feel OLD!

What’s the funniest story you have to share?

At age 15, I was about 3 weeks into my career as production painter working on new single family homes in the Chicago suburbs. They only let me paint closets because that's were the new guys start. I remember emerging from my last closet in one house, paint dripping off me from head to toe, when my boss jokingly asked me if I managed to get any paint in the closets, or was it just all on me?

Back then, to get a raise, you had to be able to successfully paint all the closets by yourself in one day. Well I made sure I got that raise, and I basically turned myself into a painting machine - rolling and brushing as fast as I possibly could to get all those closets done.

That same summer, I had another interesting event! While painting outside, I was on the roof above the front door. I had just wrapped up the painting, so I had rolled up my heavy drop cloth, and the other painter down on the ground was motioning for me to throw the big heavy drop cloth down. It just so happened that the new homeowner, of slight build, was walking right out the front door when I released the drop-cloth. You guessed it - I hit him square in the back with the drop-cloth, knocked him down flat, his glasses went flying, and I was one nervous teenage painter. Thankfully he was cool about it. I do, however, check before throwing items off of roofs these days - lesson learned.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being in this business?

Over the years, I have been involved in almost all aspects of residential construction from concrete foundations to the last light fixture being installed in a finished house. What I like about painting is the finality, or closure that painting tends to bring to a project. In a relatively short amount of time, a space can be transformed from old and dull to bright and inviting. It never gets old seeing the look on satisfied customer faces when they view the finished painting project. In addition, I really like working with my employees, a team that I have built over the years that are almost like family. I really respect the hard work they put it, and enjoy strategizing how to efficiently tackle numerous projects from week to week. In the end, I am proud to say that I have built my business to become "Erie's Most Referred Painting Contractor"!

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What’s something people don’t know about you?

I grew up in a pretty big family with 5 kids and I was the youngest. My older brothers were wrestlers and soon brought me into the fold by regularly tormenting me. I also really like construction, working on my house, drinking beer, and basically being a "dude". However, I really enjoy the perhaps nerdier, contemplative and philosophical side of life too. In college, I double majored in history and theology, and went on to graduate school to get a Masters Degree in Theological Studies from Vanderbilt University. While I never fully optimized that theology degree, I still enjoy a good deep conversation.

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Do you have any exciting news to share with us?

This year I am celebrating the 10th year of A New View Painting being in business. Erie has been a great place to be in business. If you work hard to deliver quality projects, the neighbors will reward you. My business has grown over the years to levels I had not quite anticipated - even to the point where it made sense 3 years ago to stop teaching and operate the business on a full time basis. In an effort to give back to the people of Erie, I am offering $2500 in painting services for a needy person or family for interior or exterior work. I believe in supporting this fine community, and perhaps a bit of free painting will help someone out. If you would like to nominate yourself or someone else for this $2500 offering - just click here to explain your story.

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College Ain’t for Everyone JOHN SMALL

So, you didn't make any of your top three choices for September's upcoming college school year. So? So what? Many high school guidance counselors and college placement officers dread that fact and subsequent sentiments around this time of year when they have to switch gears or go to contingency plans for the forlorn senior student and of course, the equally disappointed parents. Even the administrators, the principals and such, of most schools, especially the prep schools will have less to say to these unfortunate kids than they would like to, when the

disgruntled kid and unnerved parent want to know what happened. Most school professionals compulsively go to treating the symptom and ignoring the cause of this type of scenario. "There's always the two-year junior college", they find themselves sadly suggesting with no other recourse for the variety of victims. Community College is not always the answer!

Community College is not always the answer!

Perhaps the cause is the cold, hard fact that most students who apply to the upper echelon or elite colleges are simply not ready for that

scholastic step, nor are they college material! Alas, those awful words—not collegematerial! Of course, no one wants to hear that, especially the private school student who has been persuaded (or brainwashed, if you will) for four (if not twelve) years by those same school professionals who push kids into colleges and universities that they presume (or all but know) they won't stay in or remotely succeed, if indeed they make the school of their choice. The acceptance letters go out; their friends get approved and they don't. So, now what do they do? (Other than mope and take the despondency road to graduation, that is.)

The acceptance letters go out; their friends get approved and they don’t. So, now what do they do?

Let's

walk this back, if we dare.

Many if not most private high schools (with college in their scopes) do not offer any sort of trade(s) or vocation curricula for those "not college-material" kids. If not the art or music program in the public sector that is summarily scratched when budgets aren't passed, so too are the shop classes for woodwork, plumbing, electrical, automotive, even cooking and home economics the first to be unconsidered by the private sector. They'd rather focus on accelerated classes with advanced progress status like the honors and Advanced Placement programs, or better yet the most elite—the International Baccalaureate (I.B.) Program—pushing kids to go beyond their ordinary expectations in the classroom.

What's ordinary in today's world?

What’s ordinary in today’s world?

Sure, for the minority of the student body and the image of the school, itself, these programs do the trick! What about the marginally intelligent kid that likes to monkey with his dad's car on the weekend in the family's detached garage, rather than engage on the social media battlefield dissing those who dis you, or perhaps worse, play the inane, violent video games for two straight days (and nights), squeezing in some Book Rags or Cliff's Notes or Trigonometry for Dummies time for their advanced classes' homework.

What about the waitress’s kid who'd rather help her boss's restaurant with innovative menu design for the breakfast, lunch and dinner rushes, not to mention the late-night snack array for the night owl crowd that seems to be growing and requiring a better assortment than just soggy mozzarella

COLLEGE A I N ’ T F O R E V E RYO N E

sticks and dried-out-choke-on chicken wings? What about those students? Where do they go? Bob's Service station up the road or Benny's ItalianAmerican Bistro will only show the young guy and gal the dirty side of life, while they'll waste no less than half a dozen of their formative years changing multiple tires and waiting countless tables for nominal pay and tips at best.Yeah, what about those kids?

What about the marginally intelligent kid who likes to monkey with his dad’s car on the weekend?

After teaching high school for the past 35 years and college classes for the past 20, I can honestly admit that our educational system here in the good old USA is broken, along with so many other established industries across the land. If our children are indeed our future, then why aren't we focusing better on their present? The last thing we need in the college classroom is another ill-prepared student who feels that at 18, he or she is supposed to be taking Introduction to Biology or English 101 or Western Civilization 1 classes at an overpriced, congested college who takes twice as many freshmen as they graduate on average each May, when the spring semester concludes.

Veritable victims do these kids become as the revolving door of higher education spins these

kids back on the streets of the real world now with tens of thousands of dollars in debt and not nearly the diploma or degree they intended a year or so ago!

If our children are indeed our future, then why aren’t we focusing better on their present?

Let's face it folks, just look around you; couldn't we use better tile setters, carpenters, plumbers and electricians in the home improvement/ construction industry?

Couldn't we use better and reasonable fashion designers and culinary experts, or are we merely satisfied with accepting whatever Europe is tired of in the clothing world and the myriad fast food restaurants that seem to spring up all around us like the dandelions

in spring and the inevitable crabgrass in late summer on the best of lawns of any neighborhood.

Couldn’t we use better and reasonable fashion designers and culinary experts?

Public and private schools, therefore should try on some more useful and important vocational classes for the aforementioned students and who knows, they may not only fit but also look good for all involved! Or maybe feast on some shop and cooking classes and see how the educational system's overall digestion improves for everyone.

Enough with the fun-filled analogous metonymy; it’s time to cater (sorry) to the noncollege material students of

this nation with programs that are desirable and promoted as such across the board.

It’s time to cater to the non-college material students of this nation with programs that are desirable and promoted as such

He'll just use his "Wonders of the Ancient World" textbook and stop the devastating deluge decidedly. Good luck with that!

COLLEGE A I N ’ T F O R E V E RYO N E

Remember, college-educated students didn't build the Transcontinental Railroad or the soaring skyscrapers of the greatest cities in this nation.

Or perhaps you'd prefer to call the professor of Ancient History (with his Ph.D. that he constantly reminds his neighbors he has and they don't) across the street when there are no local plumbers to fix the overwhelming leak coming from your water heater in the basement. Dr. Knowitall will stop the water gushing from the broken valve.

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Summer Camps TO KEEP YOUR KIDS UNPLUGGED AND ENGAGED

BY AMY WEBB

>>>

SUMMER CAMPS UNPLUGGED & ENGAGED

Nature Camps AVID 4 Adventure | The quintessential outdoor Colorado camp. Kids learn biking, kayaking, canoeing plus a love of nature … Pre-K-12th grade. Day and overnight options. avid4.com The Thorne Nature Experience | A unique nature camp found only in Colorado. Kids experience a deep connection with nature through hands-on fun educational projects … Pre-K-age 15, Parent-child options also. thornenature.org Colorado Mountain Ranch | An outdoor camp near Boulder that focuses on adventures to build skills and confidence. The type of outdoor camp you remember going to as a child … Ages 7-16. coloradomountainranch.com/summer-camps/ YMCA Santa Maria | the classic overnight summer camp. Younger kids can stay 3 nights while older kids stay 1 week. Includes different activities for different age groups. Teenagers camp in tents and learn survival skills …

Ages 6-16. ymcacampsantamaria.org/csm/camps.html Community Sailing of Colorado | Your kids will experience the outdoors from a different perspective—the water! Camps at Boulder Reservoir teach water safety and sailing skills. Camps for stand-up paddle and windsurfing also available … Ages 5-18. communitysailing.org/sailing-programs/#summer-camps Camp Chautauqua | Play-based learning at its best. Kids enjoy the beauty of the Flatirons in the background as they learn through games, crafts and plenty of hiking … Ages 6-13. chautauqua.com/camp-chautauqua/about-our-camp

Art Camps Rocky Mountain Theater for Kids | With locations in Boulder and Denver, you have options for your budding actor or actress. The kids put on full productions (with full costumes) with professionally-trained staff at their guide … Ages 5-17. theaterforkids.net/colorado_summer_camp Tinker Art Studio | let you child bring out his/her inner artist with camps at this aesthetically pleasing art studio.

Founded by educators and artists. Many different art forms are available—clay, painting, and printmaking …

Ages 5-12. tinkerartstudio.com Stir it Up Cooking School | With these cooking camps your child will learn about healthy eating, knife skills and teamwork. They might just be able to help you make dinner by the end of the camp … Ages 6-15 stiritupcooking.com/summercamps >>>

Peanut Butter Players | Local theater workshops for kids with professional theater staff. Kids put on full performances (including musicals) at the end of the week … Ages 7-16. peanutbutterplayers.com/classes

Farm Camps Growing Gardens | If your child loves to dig in the dirt and has a burgeoning “green thumb” then this is the camp for them. Kids learn how to nurture plants and work with friends … Ages 3-11. growinggardens.org/peace-garden-summer-camps Cure Farms | a great farm opportunity to help kids learn where their food comes from and how to care for animals. Through play and exploration they learn about organic farming and how to work together to accomplish a task … Ages 6-9. cureorganicfarm.com/kidscamp.htm Laughing Coyote | If your child is ready to really learn traditional outdoors skills this camp will teach them all.

These camps focus on traditional skills like scouting, tracking, making tools out of natural elements as well as archery and basketry … Ages 8-12. laughingcoyoteproject.org/summer-camp-18

Unique Camps Renaissance Adventures | If knights in shining armor, quests, and battles are a constant theme in your house, then this is the camp for your kids. Kids work together in teams to solve riddles, follow maps to buried treasure and fight off foes with foam swords … Ages 6-1 . renaissanceadventures.com/kids-camps-boulder-denver/program-types Living Arts School | This school is all about bringing kids back in touch with nature and our roots. Camps focus on a variety of themes such as mythical creatures, fort building, and making terrariums … Ages 3-12. livingartsschool.com/summer-camp Camp Kind | A one-of-a-kind camp that focuses on fostering empathy and kindness in kids. Each week focuses on a different theme and destination such as animals, elderly, babies or homelessness. Kids take field trips to local charities related to the theme and work on service projects … Ages 7-13. campkind.org These camps are among the best at engaging kids in hands-on learning activities and adventures without the use of screen technology. Research tells us that kids who engage with others in more face-to-face interactions have better social skills and empathy towards others. I think most parents would agree that anything that can help put a little more empathy in this world is at the top of my list. Hopefully, your kids can take advantage of unstructured time this summer to engage with friends, learn and have fun.

Amy Webb lives in Erie with her husband and two energetic boys. While her PhD is in Human Development and Family Sciences, her best education in parenting (and life) have been her two boys. While completing her degree, she realized there was not enough research-based parenting and child development information that was easy to understand for the average parent. Much of the research done by university scholars is not easily accessible to parents. With her writing, she hopes to provide thought-provoking and insightful information that will be useful to parents. She doesn’t pretend to be a parenting expert, but rather a translator of research into a parent-friendly format.

"The difference between something good and something great is the attention to detail."- Chuck Swindoll

Anthony Canas

720.517.7942

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s d Da

EAT R G THE MUNITY O T M E IBUTOUR CO R T A S IN DAD

by

Super = a prefix with the basic meaning “above” or ”beyond”

5432 ANY STREET WEST TOWNSVILLE, ST 54321

Dad = father

Tom Ventker

Mike Meador submitted by wife Melanie Meador

A pillar of strength, support, love and discipline for our family A father juggles many roles in life, all designed to improve his life, and the lives of his family. My husband Mike, demonstrates this belief daily. Not only is he an incredible human being and husband, Mike’s an even better father to our boys.

He is a pillar of strength, support, love and discipline for our family. He is extremely dedicated to the boys and expresses that dedication by being highly engaged in all aspects of their lives, from volunteering at their school to coaching them in a variety of sports and everything in between, which he has done from the very beginning. He lost his father far too young but takes great pride in creating memories with the boys that he enjoyed with his father, such as fishing, camping, horseback riding, skiing and so much more.

He leads by example and shows them daily the importance of being good people and giving back to make the world a better place. Max and Manning lucked out to have him as a father and I as my husband and he deserves to be recognized as an outstanding father.

Tedd Taskey submitted by wife Tiffany Taskey

I would like to nominate my husband Tedd Taskey for Dad of the year. Since the day our girls Mia (15) and Kira (12) came into the world they have always been daddy’s girls. They adore him and even came up with their own nick names for him when they were very little. Mia calls him her Sweet Buddy and Kira calls him Love Heart. Tedd wrote and published a children’s book for each of them and dedicated them to his Sweet Buddy and Love Heart.

Mia calls him her “Sweet Buddy” and Kira calls him “Love Heart”

He wakes up every morning to make them breakfast to spend some quality time before they head off to school, as their after HOW TO MANAGE school activities keep them very busy. Both girls ANGER are competitive PARENTAL dancers and he never misses a competition. He comes and cheers them on at every performance and is their biggest fan.

The sweetest thing I think he has done for them since birth is write them letters. They do not know he is doing this for them. He writes multiple letters every year with funny things that happened that year, words of advice, or just to say he loves them. He mails the letters to our home address and has been saving them now for years. He hasn’t decided when he will give them yet, but I think they would make great graduation presents before they head off to college.

By the time they graduate they with both have at least 100 letters from their Dad. 4 years ago Tedd had what he likes to call a “medical incident” also know as a Widowmaker heart attack.

Our girls are so lucky to still have their Dad in their lives. The 3 of them have a special bond like no other.

Tedd’s greatest desire in life is to be a great Dad and I think he is doing a fantastic job!

He neve r misses an opportu nity to s how how mu ch he lo ves us

Brandon submitt

ed by w

ife Brie

Rearick

Fowler

With four kids between the two of us (and all of them going in a million directions), you might guess that a day in the life of our family can look a little overwhelming.

But not for Brandon - from the moment they’re up in the morning to the moment we put them to bed, from breakfast pancakes, to forgotten PE shorts, to never missing a sporting event, play, musical – he never misses an opportunity to show how much he loves us by going above and beyond (even coaching his step-son’s baseball team alongside my ex-husband!).

5432 ANY STREET WEST TOWNSVILLE, ST 54321

No matter what each day brings, Brandon thinks of us first, promoting kindness and respect. When Brandon lost his mom to brain cancer and then suddenly lost his dad to a heart attack 6 months later, he missed them so much. I believe he tries extra hard to be there for his kids, he knows you can’t take advantage of the time you have with your loved ones, especially family. He’s our Dad of the Year!

T.E.A.M. B&B Trey, Evan, Austin, Macy, Brandon, and Brie

Matt Schalk submitted by Lisa Rommelfanger Young

Dedication to his children is something to be noted and appreciated I am nominating Matt Schalk. The dedication to his children I have witnessed for years is something to be noted and appreciated. Matt is a hands on Dad and pushes his children to be the best that they can be. For years I have watched him advocate for his children academically and athletically. Matt can be found at all hours of the day coaching and rooting for each of his children.

His oldest Hayley is setting records Nationally through golf and locally as a Freshman on the Holy Family golf team. His son, Blake is a competitive baseball player who is an amazing pitcher and plays a variety of sports too. His youngest, Jaze, is already hitting a club fiercely and following in this family tradition. I have watched Matt sit on the board for his children’s school, coach their multiple activities, and travel to multiple states cheering and providing his kids with amazing opportunities in the sports they love.

The number of kids whose lives this man has touched is too many to count. I know this as my son is one in a long line of athletes that have been coached by Matt.

Thank you for helping us applaud Dads like him who make a difference in not only their children but other children’s lives too!

My husband and I are proud to call him a friend.

Jeremy Co submitte

d by Lisa

Rommelf

anger Yo

A great ro le model to his ch ildren

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ung

I am nominating Jeremy Coram. I met Jeremy a couple years ago and really do not know him well which is what makes this nomination a little extra special in my opinion. I have to say I felt compelled to nominate him for the times I have been around him though as it is obvious that his children are his everything.

He is very attentive to their needs and puts his wants aside for theirs.

I have seen this on many occasions as we have been at the same social functions. I have watched from a distance as he is silly and plays with his children amidst the adults at the function, tender and caring when one of them has been hurt, or stopping by to say hello on the way home to spend the evening with his children. I have seen him post many fabulous memories that he has created with his children on Facebook too. I commend him for stepping up and being a great role model to his children and our community as a whole.

The most recent event I can speak of was when he publicly posted himself as available with no questions asked to do service for neighbors at no charge as he was saddened by the online fighting he had seen on a social media site.

Thank you honoring amazing Dads and Men in our community. I am honored to have been able to speak up on behalf of Jeremy and my husband and I are proud to call him a friend.

5432 ANY STREET WEST TOWNSVILLE, ST 54321

most e h t s i e H nate o i s s a p m co know I n a m u h

n o n n e r D k Mar d by

submitte

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aela Ha wife Mich

Mark is a family oriented man by nature and it is evident in the manner in which he treats all living creatures. Primarily, the care and love he provides his pets, whether four legged dogs or cats, turtles, fish or numerous birds.

He is the most compassionate human I know in his treatment of animals.

For that I am thankful he is the "DAD" of our animals.

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Originally from Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine, Margaryta came to Colorado in 2007 for a summer job as an international student and pursued her Master’s in Communication in 2009. While here, she met Alex in Estes Park and years later they married. They now have a son.

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Breckenridge Wedding Vendors: Photography: Arnold Danilov Photography Bridal Dress and Formal Wear: Dani West Bridal Venue: BlueSky Breckenridge Decor: Oh My Custom Designs Hair and Make Up: Chateau de Beaute

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WEDDING TRADITIONS - IT’S YOUR DAY, DO IT YOUR WAY!!

by Connie Ruel

WEDDING TRADITIONS - IT’S YOUR DAY, DO IT YOUR WAY!!

by Connie Ruel rickochet DJ ad Over the years, I have catered countless weddings with every kind of theme one could imagine. I’ve experienced outlandish affairs such as a redneck wedding, a Halloween theme, an Italian countryside wedding, an uptown chic service, a mountain top ski ceremony and even a "Rocky Horror Picture Show" wedding – just to name a few. I have seen everything from traditional to borderline bizarre.

Perhaps your own wedding is just around the corner, and you have chosen the venue, the date and the groom or bride, and now you’re thinking that maybe you need a theme.

Where do you start? You want to do something that speaks to who you are as a couple, but you also want everyone attending to have a good time. A great way to get started is by making a list of wedding traditions and deciding which ones to incorporate and which to kick to the curb to fit the theme you may be contemplating. Choosing only the ones that are important to you can involve diplomatically navigating family customs, expectations and norms. The good news is, modern weddings have transformed old traditions into personal interpretations, so the conventions are constantly evolving, loosening and expanding. Don’t get persuaded into doing things that don’t feel like you. Knowing that you can be creative with wedding traditions, to further personalize your day, you can also make the process much more fun!

Here are a few examples of traditions and how they are evolving:

Choreographed Wedding Party Introductions There was a time when it was the norm to spend upwards of 20 minutes announcing each member of the wedding party as he or she entered the room. Though this can be a special way to welcome and thank your closest friends for being part of your wedding day, many couples opt to skip this, especially if it’s a smaller wedding. The benefit is that by removing lengthy introductions, you’ll shave down your timeline, giving you more time to dance and enjoy the party. If you still want to highlight your bridal party, a popular rendition of this tradition is that each “couple” of the bridal party dance their way into the room, announced by the DJ playing high energy music. It gives them the opportunity to exhibit their personal finesse and flair, introducing themselves through dance. The energy livens the party and always gets laugher and cheers.

Cake Cutting or Even Having a Cake This tradition continues to morph as the years pass, with many couples opting to skip the cake-in-the-face-smashing. If that part of the cake cutting ceremony doesn’t feel like you, it’s perfectly okay to skip! Even the traditional cake itself is falling to the wayside. Cupcakes, donuts or other desserts are making a more common appearance, as are dessert assortments to appeal to many palettes. If you are a cake fiend or you’re crazy for pie, go for it! Just know that there is flexibility no matter what you choose.

Bride & Groom Dramatic Exit This tradition can be fun, and another great photo op, but unlike the old days, the bride and groom are probably not heading straight to the airport. This can make your reappearance a little strange, since chances are, you’ll join your guests again for the after party.

Wedding Attire

The expectations of what qualifies as proper wedding party attire are constantly expanding, with countless possibilities. The idea that the bridal party all need to wear identical dresses or suits is changing rapidly.

Not only has it become more common to have dresses of different cuts for different body types, even brides are opting for color and zany designs! Again, let it speak to who you are!

Photo Guest Book

Photo booths are quite the rage these days and fun for everyone, but you can take it one step further and have your guests take their booth snapshots then paste them into your guest book with a quip and signature. Adding printed photos to the guest book creates a more treasured document, rather than a formal book of signatures that may not give you the same warm fuzzy feelings years down the road.

Pre-Ceremony First Look

The tradition of bride and grooms avoiding even a glimpse of one another before the ceremony is getting sidestepped for a practical reason: photos. Photos can take boatloads of time, and by getting a portion done beforehand, you’ll be able to take full advantage of your allotted venue time. Many couples opt to do bridal party portraits and couple portraits prior to arrival at the wedding venue. This is a great way to get a variety of photo backdrops and looks.

Coordinating a first look before the ceremony is also a nice way to share one final moment with your fiancé right before tying the knot. It also increases the amount of time that you get to spend together on your big day, which is really what it’s all about.

So there you have a few of the many traditions to consider when deciding how your day will play out, not even mentioning the bouquet toss, the garter, the first dance, the dollar bill gown, the ring bearer, the scattering of flowers, the rice throw, the “something old, something new…”, etc. The list goes on and on, for these are just a selection of American traditions. There are hundreds of international rites as well as private family traditions. It’s enough to make your head spin!

Don’t let it cause brain damage; just remember, most importantly, at the end of the day, you and your S.O.to-be get carte blanche for which traditions you choose to include. Embrace the cheesy traditions if you think they’re fun! Go completely untraditional, if that’s more your style. There are no hard and fast rules about what makes a wedding special, so go forth and do what makes you happy. Make your wedding the first step to your own traditions!

ABOUT CONNIE Connie Ruel is a restaurateur, wine instructor and private chef as well as author of the recently released "Passions of a Restaurateur- three generations of restaurant stories and the recipes they inspire” www.followtheruel.com

“Chateau de Beaute offers incredible Wedding hair and makeup services. The specialists are unparalleled.

Thank you for the wonderful experience on my Wedding day !”

What’s the Deal with Premarital Compatibility Assessments?

by Lisa Nelson MA, LPCC, NCC

While future brides and grooms are busy planning for the “perfect wedding day”, what preparation is being made for the actual marriage? (You know, the life that happens after the big party and honeymoon are memories?) I had a professor in grad school explain that she’d be happy to help her children pay for a wonderful wedding, and for some premarital counseling as well! She wants the party to be fun – but the marriage to be secure and happy. I plan to do the same for my children. After all, the wedding is a

day, the honeymoon is just a great vacation, but the marriage is for a lifetime!

These days, even though couples are not required to undergo “premarital counseling” with a pastor or priest, many opt for testing and conversations about the issues that matter the most to the individual couples.

Questions like:

?

• • • • • • • • • •

How often do you want to see your in-laws?

Who is in charge of cleaning the house?

How often will you need time to yourself?

How do you feel about conflict?

Do you want children? And if so, are you willing to do the diapering?

How has your family of origin modeled for you to be a great spouse?

How do you feel about financial responsibilities and saving for the future?

What are your goals in this relationship?

What are your expectations in this relationship?

And many more!

While Premarital conversations about these issues can help the couple to have some deep and powerful conversations and allow them each to express his or her wants and needs and perspectives—without judgment. Better to know now that your future wife really doesn't want to live on a 40-acre ranch in Durango that you have always dreamed of retiring to!

Karen and her husband did six sessions of premarital assessments and learned that Karen was more of an introvert than either

she or her fiancé Jorge knew. She learned that she loved to be around people but needed time alone a few hours a week to “recharge her batteries”. Had Jorge not learned this, he would never have understood that Karen’s need for "alone time" was about her needing balance, not needing time away from him. Jorge might have taken this personally had they not learned that Karen would return from her respites refreshed and 100% focused on

their relationship. He has very respectfully given Karen this space. They both see this as a powerful thing to have learned at the onset of their marriage.

Bremen was able to express to his bride-to-be Whitney that if she had an affair, it would be a deal-breaker for him. Whitney did not necessarily see it this way—and they were able to have an important discussion about this issue and have a common understanding of how to handle issues involving intimacy. Whitney was so thankful for this conversation—because as a 22-year-old women who is deeply in love, she couldn’t fathom the idea. They are both profoundly glad they learned each other’s thoughts and feelings on this subject.

Often, counselors will have premarital “packages” that allow the couple to pay up front for 6-10 sessions of conversation and testing to establish ground rules, learn more about themselves, and find common ground with their partners. Often couples learn their strengths as a couple and the areas of challenge that they will need to work on.!

The steps to the process vary by counselor and by the couple, but in general it looks like this:

1 2 3 4

Meet and get to know the counselor Begin to take a few of the assessments in session and between sessions Return to the next session to review the findings of the assessment Have meaningful and impactful conversations!

Both partners leave each session having learned new things and had the opportunity to discuss topics that range from who will vacuum to attitudes about sex and parenting styles. After the beautiful wedding is over and the honeymoon clothes are unpacked, there can be a rude awaking about the reality of marriage. Bewildered couples often enter marriage counseling because they realize, “I don’t even know this person I’m sleeping with”. Premarital work with a professional can help to guide every couple to deepen the relationship—and can often prevent a bad marriage in which there is no real compatibility.

Lisa Nelson is a psychotherapist in Erie and Longmont. She specializes in all things relationship, marriage, difficult teenagers and children, and parenting concerns. www.watershedcounselingboco.com

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WHY In the spring of 2008, a group of health-care and business professionals who shared profound personal experiences with the life-enhancing benefits of essential oils came together with a common vision of bringing a new standard of essential oils to the world.

They asked themselves some defining questions: “What if we could provide the world with a new and powerful wellness alternative?” “What if we could provide this new level of wellness through a mainstream approach to essential oils?”

“What if we could source, test, and manufacture a higher quality of essential oil —more pure and more potent than any other oil available on the market today?”

“What if we, in the most professional manner, could partner with major hospitals, doctors, scientists, and opinion leaders to provide the most compelling authentication of essential oils on the planet?”

They organized a company and named it dōTERRA, a Latin derivative meaning “Gift of the Earth.” The first dōTERRA offering of 25 single oils and 10 oil blends was introduced for sale on April 25, 2008, to the acclaim of essential oil experts and product enthusiasts who immediately recognized the superior quality of dōTERRA therapeutic-grade essential oils. dōTERRA has continued to add wellness products and to expand their essential oils offering as the company has enjoyed tremendous growth since its beginning.

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I always knew moms bordered on superhero status, but I never realized the magical extent of my Mom Powers until just recently. I am practically Harry’s Mother Potter.

The Power of Mom’s Magic

by Lisa A. Beach

Here’s what led to my revelation: I was out shopping the other day and . . . wait a minute. Have I really reached the point in my life where shopping (which used to mean “pleasurable, leisurely excursions to my favorite clothing and book stores”) now means a quick trip to Target to pick up paper towels, cat litter and toilet bowl cleaner?

Anyway, I’m out “shopping” and my cell phone rings.

“Mom, what can I eat for lunch?” asks my 15-year-old son calling from our kitchen.

(Apparently, I possess the ability to see inside our refrigerator from the paper goods aisle in Target.)

“Well, I just bought lemon pepper chicken, provolone cheese and lettuce yesterday, so there’s plenty of stuff to make a sandwich,” I say, as I magically peer into our refrigerator’s deli and produce drawers from six miles away.

“Do we have fresh bread?” he asks-again, still standing in our kitchen.

“I think so,” I reply, as I try to juggle my cell phone, grab a Family-Size Mega-Roll package of paper towels and sort through a stack of coupons. “Why don’t you check to make sure?”

“Where?” he asks in a puzzled voice. (This brilliant question, from the gifted teen taking Honors Chemistry this year.)

“Try the bread box,” I say all-knowingly and with great sarcasm that he doesn’t seem to notice.

“Yep, we’ve got a whole loaf,” he says, almost surprised to have found this new “bread box contraption” heretofore undiscovered in his 15 years on this planet.

“By the way, where’s dad?” he asks, banking on my omniscient powers to unearth my husband’s location at home.

“Well, when I left for Target, he was working on something in the garage,” I explain, channeling my best clairvoyant talents as I gaze into our garage from afar.

That’s when it hit me. I possess tremendous powers in my house – magical powers that allow me to peek through walls and even see across many miles. I know if we’re out of milk, even when I’m not standing in front of the refrigerator with the door open. I know who left the hall light on or the toilet seat up. I know whose turn it is to bring in the trash cans or feed the cat.

And I know when my kids are on their cell phones, even if they are both upstairs in their rooms, not making a sound. (Quiet = teens on screens. Fighting with each other = not on screens. It’s a no-brainer.)

Even my husband does not wield this wily magic that only I possess.

“Where’s the masking tape?” my husband might yell to me upstairs when he’s working on a project downstairs.

“In the kitchen drawer next to the refrigerator, where it’s been since we moved here 18 years ago,” I reply with great authority.

I. Am. Amazing.

Lisa Beach is a freelance journalist and copywriter.

Her work has been published in The New York Times, Good Housekeeping, USA Today Back to School, Parents, Edible Orlando, and more. Check out her writer’s website at www.LisaBeachWrites.com.

 

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Colorado Cycling Calendar 2018


HOW TO CREATE A BUZZ Colorado Cycling Calendar 2018

•SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGEMENT •CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT •BUSINESS COACHING •DIRECT RESPONSE •BRAND AWARENESS •REBRANDING •GRAPHIC DESIGN SERVICES •CONTENT MA RKETING

ACHIEVE GREATER IMPACT THROUGH CREATIVE BRANDING AND MARKETING STRATEGIES. For over 25 years, Trisha Ventker has been developing solutions and implementing methods that make things happen. She started her first business at the age of 20, worked as an educator, speaker, video production manager and photographer for over 25 years. Trisha makes people confront comfort zones in a kind way. “Can’t be done” is not in her repertoire . Trisha has authored three books and has appeared on a myriad of media. Her forte is marketing print, broadcast, and online media outlets. Ventker is a serial entrepreneur and branding expert.

Ventker develops brand strategies with a holistic approach to brand communications so that a company's brand touch-points (corporate identity, product design, web site, retail environment, online marketing, traditional advertising, PR and word of mouth) all work in harmony to create a favorable perception in the mind of the consumer, increasing the chances of positively affecting purchase behavior.

Trisha Ventker's specialty includes how consumers process information, how they attend to, perceive, process and store that information; and how they retrieve and act on previous information from memory. Ventker focuses on the mind, perception, cognitive psychology, human nature and brain science to form a deep understanding of how people think and what makes them do, buy and love the things they do.

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Colorado Cycling Calendar 2018 

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7 PRACTICAL TIPS FOR SAFER AND SMARTER

CYCLING ALONG THE FRONT RANGE

by Gary Gianetti

E

very year, thousands of cyclists are hit by cars or have accidents road. These seven practical A Sneaky WayontotheMotivate Yourself to tips can help you work toward building a happier and healthier cycling educated community.

6. Be Aware and Use Common Sense on StartSidewalks, Busy Roads, Narrow Roads, and Blind Corners Don’t be the person who thinks they own the road. You are on a bicycle and will get run over. You also, most 1. Look Around Not Down (At Your Phone) likely, drive a car. Would you be annoyed if three bikes People always want to be connected. When you ride, were taking up the entire road and you were late to a By Danielle Radden it is like driving. Put your phone away; distracted riding meeting? Be considerate and follow the rules. Bikes are is neither safe nor smart. Turn on your directions to be not supposed to be ridden on sidewalks or in crosswalks. audible; use a “hands free headset” and you will still get Use common sense on narrow roads and ride single file. those alerts that you can answer when you get to your destination.

7. Smile and Have Fun While You Get It Done 2. Wear a Helmet – (Yes, You! Especially Cycling is one of the most liberating things kids and Parents!) adults can get to experience. It is a feeling of freedom On a daily basis, I see parents riding with their kids to that never goes away. We might move to cars and other school. It’s the kids wearing helmets and the parents modes of transportation, but I bet if you think back, aren’t. I always wonder if a parent falls and hits his or riding a bike was one of the best things you learned to her head, will the child remember how to get home or appreciate independence. Many visionary and influential use the cell phone to call 911? Be a responsible parent; people ride bikes. Have fun while you enjoy the thoughts don’t just set a good example; wear a helmet so you can that come to you. The fresh air energizes your brain be safe and smart! along the ride and will always make you feel great when you get home.

3. Review Your Ride to Work Before You Try It Gary Gianetti is a Master of Science and Health, Map out the bike paths you plan to take on any ride.

Fitness, and Nutrition Expert at Healthy Altitudes. He has Here in the Front Range, bike routes can change quickly. lived in Erie for 5 years and enjoys building a healthier Sometimes a path turns into a busy road on which you and happier community through fun, innovative, and might not feel comfortable, or it might not turn out to be mobile health programs. He serves the community with completely safe. Google maps has a “bicycle” function to The Movable Cycling Studio, personal training, health use to find the best bike-friendly roads for your route. coaching, group workouts, and community service involvement.

4. Keep Your Repair Skills Sharp Do you know how to change a flat tire? At least take time to learn the basics. You know where your steering wheel is in a car, where the engine is, and where the wheels are, then why not learn a little about your bike parts too? It will be easier all around and can prevent you from getting stranded at the side of the road. Shops even offer free classes and so does Erie Singletrack Advocates here in Erie.

CYCLING

CYCLE LIFE

5. Be Visible Day and Night Even though we’re in Daylight Saving Time, lights after dark are very important. Get a bright headlight and taillight. There is a company on the market that makes a really cool helmet with a taillight and signals built in (Lumos). Make yourself visible with a lighted vest at night.

In the day, these same headlights and taillights can also increase visibility, especially in strobe mode.

Colorado Cycling Calendar for 2018 April 4/28

Encierro Velo http://coloradogravelgrinderchampionship.com/encierro-velo/details

100 Kilometer and 50 Kilometer timed gravel grinder with full results. Held on twisty, rolling gravel roads north of Monument and west of Elbert, Colorado.

Start and finish at Elbert city park/running track.

Classes: Men and Women, 18-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60+. No equipment based classes.

May 5/3

Biker Pelli http://bikerpelli.com/

Sold Out - Waitlist Only

The largest, most epic multi-day MTB event on the Kokopelli Trail. We host two fully supported trips in May for 3 days and nights and an average of 150 miles of serious trail time. You'll ride, you'll sweat, you'll meet 20 new best friends and never forget the experience. An unforgettable desert trek from Fruita, CO to Moab, UT limited to 100 riders

5/4

18 Hours of Fruita https://18hrsoffruita.com/

One of the most beloved endurance events on the western slope. With a fast and fun singletrack lap located within the “posh environs” of Highline Lake State Park, with its green grass and warm showers, makes this a great race to kick off the season.

5/12

Triple C Bike Ride http://3cbikeride.com/

Early, Fun, Fast and Fully Supported Training Ride Starting in Broomfield, CO. The Triple C Bike Ride is an early season ride on the front range of Colorado, starting in Broomfield, going north to Johnstown and back to Broomfield for an end‐of‐ride celebration. All proceeds from the ride benefit the Rotary Club of Broomfield Crossing Foundation, a 501C3 which provides grants and scholarships in our surrounding community and around the world. Join us for the ride and our goal of Service Above Self.

5/20

McKee Classic Bike Tour http://www.mckeefoundationevents.com/mckee-classic-bike-tour/

The McKee Classic Bike Tour is the first ride of Colorado's season. Held annually the 3rd Sunday in May, this ride is "the most beautiful in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. There are four routes offered with challenging Elevation Gain: 62 metric century, 37-mile, 30-mile, and a 10-mile family fun ride. 100% of proceeds will go to McKee and Banner Fort Collins Nursing Support programs.

Colorado Cycling Calendar for 2018 May 5/26

Iron Horse Bicycle Classic http://www.ironhorsebicycleclassic.com/

Citizens 50 mile tour from Durango to Silverton. This one started it all! Take off with the train, traveling over two 10,000ft mountain passes enroute to the historical mining town of Silverton. There are four aid stations with food and water along the route. There is no technical support on course. 27 miles of the route to Silverton is a closed road.

June 6/2

EROCK Sunrise to Sunset https://www.erockrace.com/

The 2018 Subaru ERock Sunrise to Sunset is designed to offer recreational and competitive cyclists the opportunity to compete in a fun and rewarding 12 hour endurance race on a moderately technical off-road course. Register as an individual or form a team that loves to shred for a memorable day of racing, cameraderie and laughs. Taking place again at the freshly cut trails of the Philip S. Miller Park in Castle Rock, this amazing $30M facility offers the perfect endurance mountain bike venue less than a mile from the Primal Colorado Bike Expo and Subaru Elephant Rock Cycling Festival. The playful and flowy 6.5 mile course is cut into to the hills and drainages surrounding the park and offers ample viewing from the staging area for team members and spectators.

6/3

Elephant Rock Ride https://www.elephantrockride.com/

The Subaru Elephant Rock was founded in 1987 as a small, local ride and has since grown into the largest and one of the most respected community cycling events in Colorado. The 2017 event had more than 5,500 cycling enthusiasts enjoying the spectacular mountain views of Colorado’s Front Range. Ride lengths: 100 miles (century), 62 miles (metric century), 40 miles, 27 mile gravel, 8 mile family ride.

6/3

Guanella Pass Hill Climb (Westbound & Down) https://www.sanitascycling.com/guanella-pass-hill-climb

The Guanella Pass Hill Climb is one of the most scenic routes in all of Colorado.

Riders will leave historic downtown Georgetown and traverse 3,050 ft in just over 11 miles on freshly paved roads. The course winds and twists along with some steeper sections near the finish to make that last surge all the more rewarding. Once again the course will be fully closed to traffic!

6/16

Denver Century Ride http://denvercenturyride.com/

This year's ride will take you past Coors Field and Union Station, through old elegant Denver, on potions of the new 5280 Loop, through city parks and urban trails. For those cycling the full 100 mile route, you'll find yourself climbing Lookout Mountain, coasting along past Red Rocks Park, winding through horse property and enjoying crossing the Cherry Creek Dam Road, closed to everyone but our cyclists. Ride lengths: 100 miles (century), 85 miles, 50 miles, 25 miles.

Colorado Cycling Calendar for 2018 June 6/16

Mountain Top Century Experience Ride http://www.mountaintopcyclingclub.com/experience-ride/

Few cyclist know about this fantastic high mountain road bike ride. There are 50, 75 and 100 mile route options, all with jaw dropping views and climbs. A 100 mile century with over 10,000 feet of elevation gain will take you around Cripple Creek, Victor and Guffey,CO, a 50 mile half century with 4,000 feet of elevation gain and a 75 mile route with 6,000 feet of elevation gain.

July 7/14

Triple Bypass https://triplebypass.org/about/

The Triple Bypass Bicycle Ride is recognized as one of the premier cycling events in the nation. Celebrating its 30th Anniversary, the Triple Bypass takes you on a gorgeous tour through the heart of the Colorado Rocky Mountains from Evergreen to Avon Colorado. Leaving from the Evergreen area, you will travel 120 miles on gorgeous (mostly) closed roads and paths to Avon, Colorado.

7/21

Bob Cook Memorial Mount Evans Hill Climb http://bicyclerace.com/

The Bob Cook Memorial Mt. Evans Hill Climb is an iconic bicycle race that takes place on the highest paved road in the United States. Celebrating it’s 52nd year, it was run for the first time in 1962 and has run consecutively with the exception of 3 times. It was renamed in 1981 in honor of five-time race winner Bob Cook, who died of cancer at the age of 23. This epic climb takes place on the highest paved road in the United States. It’s a 7,000′ of climb from an elevation of 7,500′ all the way up to 14,100 feet.

7/21

Tour de Steamboat http://www.tourdesteamboat.com

The Tour de Steamboat is an annual bicycle event that brings together 1,000 cyclists for a one-day ride through beautiful Northwest Colorado. Names like Rabbit Ears Pass, Gore Pass, Yellow Jacket Pass, Stagecoach, Yampa and Oak Creek dot this incredible route, and 4 mileage options offer something for riders of all ages and abilities. We are a non-competitive event, and participants are encouraged to ride at their own pace and enjoy the majestic scenery in our part of the world! Ride lengths: 116 miles, 66 miles, 46 miles, 26 miles.

7/28

Colorado Park 2 Park Challenge https://copark2park.wordpress.com/

The Colorado Park 2 Park Challenge is a single-day Gran Fondo from Denver’s City Park to Winter Park Resort, climbing three of Colorado’s toughest mountains. Former male and female pro cyclists this year will be setting the course pace and riders will be awarded trophy’s based on your finishing time compared to our pacesetters time.

Colorado Cycling Calendar for 2018 August 8/4

Copper Triangle https://www.coppertriangle.com/

The famous Copper Triangle has long been considered one of Colorado’s classic high alpine rides. Graced with breathtaking scenery, gorgeous roads and three challenging climbs, the i25 Kia Copper Triangle exemplifies cycling in the Colorado Rockies. This spectacular 79-mile loop crests three Colorado mountain passes – Fremont Pass (elevation 11,318’), Tennessee Pass (elevation 10,424’) and Vail Pass (elevation 10,662’). The route incorporates three ski areas, is littered with historic mining outposts as well as Camp Hale, the training ground for the famous 10th Mountain Division. The total elevation gain for the course is 6,500 ft. It’s a great day on two wheels.

8/11

Pikes Peak Cycling Hill Climb http://coloradospringssports.org/index.php/events/pikes-peak-cycling-hillclimb-main/ppchc-main-general-information

The Broadmoor Pikes Peak Cycling Hill Climb Gran Fondo features a noncompetitive fun rides that give cyclists of all abilities a truly unique experience on Pikes Peak - America's Mountain. At an elevation of 14,115', Pikes Peak America's Mountain, is one of Colorado's 54 fourteeners, mountains that rise more than 14,000 feet (4,267.2 m) above sea level, and the highest summit of the southern Front Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America.

8/11

Stonewall Century Ride https://spcycling.org/stonewall-century.php

The Stonewall Century is a challenging road bike ride along one of Colorado's most beautiful scenic highways. We welcome you to come and enjoy some of the best road riding in Southern Colorado. Join us on August 11, and you'll be treated to scenic vistas, friendly volunteers, great feed stations, and steep hills.

The route follows Highway 12, a Colorado Scenic Byway known as the "Highway of Legends". You'll start in La Veta at 7,013 ft elevation, climb to the top of Cucharas Pass (9,945 ft), descend to 8,400 ft then climb to the second feed station at North Lake (8,600 ft). The route descends to the beautiful town of Stonewall and on to the lunch stop in Segundo, where the route reverses and returns, climbing along Highway 12. You'll encounter the back side of Cucharas Pass, which some have called the "Soul Crusher" at 83 miles into the 102-mile ride. The grade on this beast exceeds 10%. Have no fear, the steepest section lasts only one mile and the grade lessens toward the top.

Then you'll enjoy the 17-mile descent into La Veta, where a BBQ dinner and massage tables await you.

8/18

Colorado CF Cycle for Life 2018 http://fightcf.cff.org/site/TR/Cycle/22_Colorado_Denver?pg=entry&fr_id=6957

The CF Cycle for Life is a fully-supported ride with route options of 27, 45 and 68 miles. From breakfast to our cycle post party, you can enjoy fully stocked rest stops every 10-12 miles, bike mechanics for bicycle maintenance and repairs, route marshals to cheer you along the way and plenty of support vehicles to help you complete the ride. This unique event empowers participants to take action and demonstrate their fight in finding a cure for cystic fibrosis in a tangible, emotional and powerful way. The longer routes climb through beautiful Lefthand Canyon while the 27-mile route is mostly flat with breathtaking views of the Rocky Mountains.

Colorado Cycling Calendar for 2018 August 8/26

Golden Gran Fondo https://www.granfondonationalseries.com/golden-gran-fondo/

The Gran Fondo National Series offers not only the hardest Road Racing Series in the nation, but also the most fun! “Come Challenge Yourself” Event Open to All Ride with your friends, Race with your friends. 3 Distances to choose from: Gran Route (91 mi), Medio Route (63mi), Piccolo Route (20 mi). 4 Timed Sections in the Gran Route – Best Combined Time Wins. Custom “Race Winner” jerseys for all Gran Route age group winners. Awards and Prizes for Gran, Medio, and Piccolo (top three by age group). No racing license required

September 9/8

Tour de Cure Colorado http://main.diabetes.org/site/TR/TourdeCure/TourAdmin?fr_id=12337&pg=entry

The Tour de Cure Colorado is an event where no matter what road you take, you will be joining thousands of people from around the country who have the same passion as you to fight diabetes and its burdens. All riders, runners and walkers will be treated to lunch and a fantastic celebration party for all to enjoy.

The Tour de Cure Colorado is bigger and better than ever with options for everyone. Ride lengths: 100 miles, 63 miles, 30 miles, 12 miles.

9/8

Red Rocks Extreme Challenge https://www.deathridetour.com/red-rocks-challenge/about-the-ride/

Red Rocks Extreme Challenge is the toughest and most scenic ride currently through the Colorado Front Range. Participants of the RREC will ride through local landmarks including Dinosaur Ridge and Red Rocks Park, as well as classic mountain towns of Evergreen, Morrison and others. The ride has 4 different mileage courses with the toughest being the EXTREME CHALLENGE a 125 mile & 12,500 feet of climbing- the toughest one-day ride on the Front Range. The 62 Mile Metric Century is no ride in the park with 6,000 feet of climbing. There are also 50 & 30 mile options. The Red Rocks Extreme Challenge will offer some difficult climbs in elevation and beautiful scenery.

Some of the best on the Front Range.

9/29

Tour of the Moon https://www.tourofthemoon.com

Join us for the ICON Eyecare Tour of the Moon, Grand Cycling Classic, on September 29th in Grand Junction, Colorado that showcases the awe-inspiring Colorado National Monument (a unit of the National Park System). The Tour of the Moon was made famous in the 1980’S Coors Classic and later in the Cycling movie AMERICAN FLYERS. The 2018 ride will be limited to the first 2,000 registered participants. The ICON Eyecare Tour of the Moon will donate a portion of all registration fees to One Riverfront and Bicycle Colorado.

The Rocky Mountain Marqutry Guild presents:

Aug 10 - Sept 8

|

FREE admission

Marquetry is an artform creating elaborate images using wooden veneers.

A handful of local artists still practice this ancient skill.

Come see their work and learn the art of marquetry at the Annual Marquetry Show.

The Here with HOPE Foundation is a 501c3 Childhood Cancer Organization. With the support and donations from our community we are able to to provide financial assistance and weekend retreats for our families. Â For more information: www.herewithhope.org

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INTUITION

Time for Energetic Spring Cleaning!

by Sonya Anderson

I

t’s Springtime! What’s your first thought? Yep— spring cleaning, getting rid of the old to make way for the new. It’s a new beginning to the year’s seasonal cycle and time to get rid of the old stale energies that may be causing havoc. Start now and renew your house’s good energy. The first step is simple enough—clear the clutter away. The second step is to do a “space cleansing” which removes “energy debris” (energetic dust bunnies) that has built up over time.

The result is a bright renewed feeling to your home.

Energy debris can be a result of negative emotions, events, prolonged or chronic conditions (such as illness) and stress you have experienced within that space. Your house is like a sponge, whatever happens within the environment smudges onto everything—the walls, furniture, carpet, ceiling and objects (including your interior décor). Energetic debris >>>

collects over time, in corners and tucked-away spaces, requiring a good cleaning at least once year if not more so. One simple yet very effective method of energetic cleaning is by “smudging” your house.

Smudging is a very old tradition that started with the Native Americans and is one of the quickest ways to clean out energetic dust bunnies. Open up all windows.

Starting in the basement, (if you have a one story, then you would start at the very back of the house) light the sage stick. You can find sage sticks at any herbal shop.

Allow the sage stick to really light and give off a decent amount of smoke (one should be able to see smoke).

Next, walk throughout the room reciting something such as a heartfelt prayer, a mantra, an ohm or say something like, “Spirit of the sage cleanse and protect this space.” Take your hand (or feather) and fan the smoke throughout the room. Repeat in every room in the house. Once all smoke clears through the open windows, shut the windows and know in gratitude that your house is energetically clean.

such as ring a bell, clap really loud or laugh really hard. These actions disrupt vibration causing energy to disburse immediately.

Time to sit back and enjoy the rewards of your hard work—a fresh, renewed home ready to receive all the opportunities Spring has in store for you.

In future installments, we will address your questions and requested topics. If your question or request is used in the next column, you will win a free one-hour session with Sonya! Submit your questions for Sonya at scanders@q.com.

A quick energy cleaning can be done at any time. This is useful when something or someone leaves behind negative energy like say from a loud argument. You will need immediate results to disburse the energy until you have time to do something more lasting—

Sonya Anderson is a professional spiritual and intuitive counselor and one of the region’s leading empaths, intuitives, and energy experts. She holds credentials in many of the metaphysical and spiritual disciplines including channeling, psychic detective, mediumship, and medical health intuitive, and is an ordained nondenominational minister, practicing demonologist and Reiki Master. Sonya activated at the young age of 2 and survived a near-death-experience at 16. These experiences give her insight into the challenges of being a psychic child and forged a strong connection with the “unseen.” She brings this unique perspective to solving everyday problems with “otherworldly” insights.

by Trisha Ventker

A “Great Wolf” Weekend Getaway On a late winter weekend, our family decided to avoid the heavy ski traffic on I-70 and made the short drive from Erie to the Great Wolf Lodge. The lodge is conveniently located, less than 90 minutes to the south and about 15 minutes to the north of downtown Colorado Springs.

It was an easy decision to make, since our son had been telling us, for months, about all the fun things to do there. He had heard about it from several classmates. Being able to avoid I-70 on a winter weekend was an added plus. My husband and I decided to have our son (age 11) bring a friend (age 13) along, anticipating that they would be able to entertain themselves and we could get some time to ourselves and much needed R & R. Anticipation grew the closer we got as we decided to play a game to see who would spot the Great Wolf Lodge first.

The last time that we had been to Colorado Springs in 2010, the lodge hadn’t been built. My son, his friend, and I kept looking to the west. Maybe it

was because we were marveling at Pikes Peak or looking at the Air Force Academy.

However, this allowed my husband to be the first to spot the Great Wolf Lodge on the east side of the freeway. You can’t miss it! Nevertheless, we all did, except for my husband. My son and his friend were disappointed that they didn’t win our little game.

That disappointment gave way to incredible excitement as we drove around the lodge to the entrance. The massive waterslides protruding from the building were enough to make them forget about everything else and immediately start talking about getting into their bathing suits.

After unloading the car and walking into the grand entrance, we were treated to a warm welcome at the reception. The staff provided a great overview of the resort and all of the amenities. There were several other families checking in who

My husband and I noshed on the tasty goodies on the welcome plate, which included brie, salami, and cornichons, while enjoying some “kid free”, quiet time. We then decided to explore the resort, walking around to see the various attractions and dining options that were available.

Since the boys had wristbands, we knew that they could get back into the room even if we were not there. As we had built up a bit of an appetite, but didn’t want to eat too much, we decided on a few slices of pizza at “Hungry as a Wolf”. It was quite good, hitting the proverbial “spot”. I had left my purse in our room and my husband had also left his wallet there. However, no problem, as you can just swipe your wristband to pay anywhere in the resort. This is a great feature, since you don’t need to carry unnecessary items with you, especially if you go to the Waterpark.

Hospitality

had kids with birthdays. Each time, all of the staff would do a wonderful birthday chant, putting smiles on all of the kids faces. After completing the checking in process, which included getting our wristbands and signing the boys up for MagiQuest, we made our way to our room. No searching the pockets for the room key or fumbling with it when your hands are full with other items - just swipe the wristband at the door lock to open it. We had a room with two queen beds that was very spacious as well as a great view of the mountains to the west. While my husband and I were still taking in the view of Pikes Peak, the boys had already changed into their bathing suits. Before we knew it, they were leaving and saying “See you later; we are headed to the Waterpark!”. This weekend was off to a great start as things only got better.

Before going back to the room to catch up on some reading, we decided to check out the Waterpark and see if we could spot our son and his friend. To get there, you walk through a large shop that has everything you could possibly need related to swimming, from bathing suits to goggles. So don’t fret if you forgot to pack something, since you will be able to find it here. I was truly surprised at the size of the Waterpark, which includes something for everyone from the splash pool for toddlers, to a wave pool, to four different types of waterslides. Two of the slides are multi-person on two or four person inner tubes. There is a solo slide for speed demons and then there is a set of solo slides where you can race against others, with your elapsed time

displayed at the finish line. You can definitely spend countless hours in this Waterpark, without getting bored. My husband and I split up to see if we could locate the boys. After searching for at least 15 minutes, without avail, we figured that they may have gone back to the room.

As we got off the elevator to head to our room, we ran into my son and his friend. Both were now changed and wearing their Great Wolf Lodge Wolf Pass, which allows them access to various attractions. We barely got a “Hi! We’re off to do the MagiQuest.”, before they ran past us and jumped on the elevator. This was turning out to be much better than I could have ever imagined. The boys didn’t ask or seem to need any parental involvement.

And since everything is well contained within the resort, I felt very comfortable letting them do activities on their own. After a couple of hours, my husband I decided it was time to get the boys to come back to the room so that we could get ready for dinner. I called my son on his cell phone, thankfully there is great reception within the building, and asked him to come back to the room. A few minutes later the two of the arrived, visibly exhausted.

Over dinner, they proceeded to tell us that they were trying to finish the MagiQuest in record time and that this adventure was having them go seek different locations all over the resort.

They were thoroughly enjoying themselves! After dinner, they wanted to check out a few of the other activities and get back to the MagiQuest. My husband and I decided to watch a movie and relax. I eventually fell asleep before the boys had returned. My husband told me the next morning that they didn’t come back until midnight, completely exhausted, but with huge smiles on their face as they had completed the MagiQuest.

Surprisingly, both boys were up early on Sunday morning and ready for more action. We told them that we would meet them in the Grand Lobby at 10 a.m. to have some breakfast. When we met up with them, they told us about the ceremony for completing MagiQuest and becoming a Master Magi that they wanted to be part of. They had already played a round of minigolf and completed the Howler’s Peak Ropes Course. Since we didn’t have too much time and were actually not too hungry after a large dinner, we opted or a quick breakfast at the Dunkin Donuts within the resort. Everyone had a breakfast sandwich - the boys had some shakes, my husband his morning coffee, and I enjoyed their hot chocolate, which has been my favorite for more than 20 years, dating back to my days of living in New York City, where grabbing one on the way to work in the winter became a daily ritual. Off to the MagiQuest ceremony, where everyone that had completed the quest was “knighted” and received a certificate. The boys were now ready to spend some more time in the Waterpark.

Family Fun

with a few other kids their age. Even though they had been there for more than two hours now, it was still difficult to convince them to leave. “Just one more wave!” was the repeated comment. However, all great things must come to an end, and we eventually got them out of the pool, as we wanted to be home by mid-afternoon to meet up with some neighbors, which had been planned long before our trip to the Great Wolf Lodge. Fortunately, it was less than a 90-minute drive home.

Our son and his friend couldn’t stop talking about all the fun things they did and how they definitely want to go back. I’ve got to say that this short weekend getaway was so much more than I had ever expected. Our son and his friend had a fantastic time, being engaged, both physically and mentally, for the entire time of our stay. Best of all - all that without any “electronics” that tend to occupy much of their typical weekends. It was also one of the most relaxing weekends that my husband and I were able to share in a long time.

So, if you are looking for a great place to have your kids entertained while finding relaxation for yourself, I highly recommend a stay at the Great Wolf Lodge.

www.greatwolf.com 9494 Federal Drive Colorado Springs CO 80921 (844) 553-9653

We quickly headed back to our room, so they could change into their bathing suits, while my husband packed our belongings. As my husband and I checked out, the boys were already off to have some more fun in the water. A nice perk of the Great Wolf Lodge is that they let you continue to use their facilities after you have checked out. My husband loaded up the car and set aside a change of clothes for the boys, so that they wouldn’t have to ride back to Erie in wet bathing suits. The two of us relaxed in the Grand Lobby, where you have a large fireplace and incredible views of the mountains. We talked, read and made some phone calls to pass the time. After a couple of hours, we decided it was time to find the boys before they turned into prunes. We found them in the Wave Pool, body surfing

www.2020eyevenue.com