Fish Hat for Chewy
I took a 6 month break from knitting. Mostly while I was growing the blog, our twitter and dealing with 3 kids and a hot summer! No motivation for knitting when it’s so hot out!
ColoradoMoms
Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil Review
My youngest is allergic to everything. I mean EVERYTHING! Milk, Soy, Gluten, Nuts, Citric Acid, Squash, just to name a few. Feeding him is hard these days, but getting easier as more products that are allergy friendly come into the market. I still find myself making the majority of his foods from scratch and often have to heavily modify recipes. One thing that I couldn’t figure out was how to sub butter. Since Chewy is allergic to both milk and soy, there wasn’t anything I knew of that could replace both and still act as butter in recipes. Tropical Traditions solved that problem for me. Coconut Oil! I was nervous at first as my recipe called for softened butter and the oil was, well, oily! I went forward with a recipe that I’ve posted here. Gluten Free Chewy Oatmeal Cookies.
[Recipe] Gluten Free Chewy Oatmeal Cookies
![[Recipe] Gluten Free Chewy Oatmeal Cookies](http://coloradomoms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/DSC_0006-150x150.jpg)
Chewy is allergic to everything. I finally found a cookie recipe that he loves that tastes like real cookies! These are Gluten, Milk, Casien, Soy, Nut free. 
Recipe: Gluten Free Chewy Oatmeal Cookies
Under A Tuscan Sun Designs
Under A Tuscan Sun Designs is owned by my friend Denise. She is an amazing woman! She’s studying to be a nurse, a mom of 3 kids (one who is in the Air Force) and wife to a very loving and dedicated man. She is always posting such inspirational quotes, song lyrics and more. Even when life hands her lemons, she skips the lemonade and makes lemon gelato!
ColoradoMoms Favorite Things
I can’t believe a whole week has FLOWN by! It’s Friday again and time for my favorite things!
This week allrecipes.com has been my new BFF. I wanted to start getting creative about dinners and make them more kid friendly. AllRecipes.com saved the day, er, dinner, many times this week!
[Recipe] Sesame Sauce for Chicken
![[Recipe] Sesame Sauce for Chicken](http://coloradomoms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/sesame-chicken-150x150.jpg)
For chicken, pork and more! This was another hit with my kids. I left out the chili paste and it was still just as yummy and a tad more kid friendly. I cheaped out and baked some chicken nuggets for them, added rice and veggies then poured this sauce on top. Let me know how it turns out for you!
[Recipe] EASY Taco Salad
![[Recipe] EASY Taco Salad](http://coloradomoms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/tacosalad-150x150.jpg)
I made this last night for dinner and the kids gobbled it up! Super super easy to make!
Recipe: EASY Taco Salad
Ingredients
- tortilla chips (you don’t need a full bag)
1 lb ground beef or ground turkey
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 cup salsa
1 can kidney (or black) beans
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional, I left it out)
1/4 ground pepper
1 cup shredded cheese
shredded lettuce
That little…
$#!t! Ooooh boy, he’s lucky his daddy had to work all night so I couldn’t be loud when I found this…
This is only one of the 5 (FIVE!) cushions he colored on. Just last week he drew a nice picture on my off white dining room chair (yes, I’m a masochist for owning such lightly colored furniture with 3 boys). I was in the office, tweeting with Chewy playing with his fake laptop at my feet. He signs “more milk” and goes off. A couple minutes later, he’s back in the office with his bottle and hands me a pen. Uh-Oh.
[Recipe] Baked Potato Soup
![[Recipe] Baked Potato Soup](http://coloradomoms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/bakedpotatosoup-150x150.jpg)
It’s almost fall, so it’s almost time to start making my favorite cold weather comfort food! Baked Potato Soup!
Recipe: Baked Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 12 slices bacon
2/3 cup margarine
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
7 cups milk
4 large baked potatoes, peeled and
cubed
4 green onions, chopped
1 1/4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
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Mint.com
DH and I were looking for a way to track expenses, budget and just get a better grip on where our money is going. Our financial advisor gave us a list of different sites/software to help with household budgeting and Mint.com was on that list. I just signed up, am still feeling around the site, but wanted to share the info with all of you as well. If you use or have reviewed mint.com already, let me know how you like it!
TypeAMom Conference
I’m going! WOOT!!! I had sooooo much fun at BlogHer, but being as it was my first conference for blogging, it was a bit overwhelming. I cannot wait for TypeAMom because it will be a lot smaller and more intimate and the discussion topics seem more focused. I’ve got my ipad charged up, my laptop ready and a new wardrobe (shhhhhh, don’t tell DH!).
Wine and Cheese
Have you heard of them? They had a place in Estes Park and just moved it down to The Orchards in Thornton/Westminster (I-25 & 144th). This place is high class in a super fun and casual setting. I went to the pre-opening with a friend of mine who is good friends with the owner. They have an AMAZING selection of cheeses, wines, pates and more! I snapped this pic with my cell phone of our cheese platter. YUM!
Ding Dong the Birds are GONE!
If you have no clue what I”m talking about, head here… I’ll wait for you to catch up. Why I Hate Nature. Bird Crap, Birds Gone Wild, etc etc…. There, caught up? Good.
ColoradoMoms Favorite Things
It’s Friday, so it’s time to post my favorite things from this week!
1. SodaStream! Check out my review on our SodaStream. We are obsessed with it!
2. KnitPicks.com. I’m starting a knit-a-long of this great Sheldon pattern! I’m naming him HotRod just like our tortoise. I ordered some great colors for him and hoping to start knitting him soon!
5 Simple Smile Tips
My husbands family are all dentists! His Dad, Brother, Uncle and Cousin have a practice in Lakewood, Colorado. I’m constantly reminded about how to keep teeth healthy and bright. Here are five simple things you can do for your child to help keep their smiles healthy and bright.
Mom Bloggers Needed to Test Products ASAP
Mom Blog Testers Still Needed – Help Spread the Word
We Need 1000 Mom Bloggers to test and review a health product on their blog. US Only
Sign up to test this health product
Knitschmidt Cutest Hats on the Net Giveaway
I’ve known Kate for 4 years. She is one of my Bestest friends and the one who introduced me to knitting and yarn. My hubby still blames her for my yarn buying obsession (even though I haven’t knit or crocheted a stitch in 3 months! Eeks!). Her products are of the highest quality and if there is ever anything I see, I say “can you make that?!” and in a week or 2 it’s in my hands! Love it!
Kate is the creator of the original “Who Hat” as seen on our babies here: (no not all these kids are ours, just a couple)
Read more on Knitschmidt Cutest Hats on the Net Giveaway…
Housework Sucks
No really, it does. All those SuperMoms out there who “LOVE” it are liars and cheats. Now I should preface this post with a confession. I have housekeepers. Not the live-in, clean everyday type, but a Mom & Daughter team that comes and rescues me every other week from my messy brood and cluttered kingdom. My husbands co-worker told him, when he first started working for the group, “Have these gals come clean for you. Your wife will love it!” He’s right, I do. And it only took me about 9 months before I stopped cleaning BEFORE the cleaning gals showed up. LOL I had a sickness where I was embarrassed for the people who clean houses FOR A LIVING, to see my house messy. WTH? Yeah, so over that now!
SodaStream – My New Best Friend in the Kitchen
The people at SodaStream very generously sent me their product for review. In the package was the SodaStream in Jet and 9 soda flavors and some water flavors as well! My kids love soda, I know, bad mom, but it’s not like they drink a 50g sugar and caffeine filled soda every day. Now I don’t have to worry about them drinking soda, the soda stream is tons better for them than a lot big name brand drinks.
Read more on SodaStream – My New Best Friend in the Kitchen…
Colorado Walk for Apraxia 2010
My son Brady (nickname is Chewy) has Dyspraxia. Also known as clumsy child syndrome. He has issues with feeding, speech, motor planning, etc. He is delayed about a year in all areas. He doesn’t speak words and only has a handful of signs. This is his speech Apraxia. A good friend of mine (and long time member/contributor to ColoradoMoms) son has the same issues as Chewy. She is the coordinator for the Walk for Apraxia in Denver. You can click this link to join the ColoradoMoms.com team to support Chewy or make a donation. We hope you all will join us in supporting this very worthy cause.
ColoradoMoms Favorite Things
I was going to title this Oprah’s fave things, but thought the peeps at Harpo might get mad and claim copy-write infringement. Whatevs. So now it’s ColoradoMoms Favorite Things. Same as Oprah though. I’m going to give you an unsponsored, totally biased list of what I have been using/loving/crushing each week. I don’t want to just list out the things people pay me to say. I want you to know that this is a list of things I like regardless if they pay me. Wait, can we get them to pay me? I take payment in the form of free shiz and coffee. It’s what I live on.
Five Lessons Every Kid Should Learn
There are five lessons every kid should learn in life. Unfortunately, many kids either don’t learn them until later in life, or at all.
1. Nothing in life is free. I don’t know how many times my kids want to go to McD’s or BK for the “free” toy. Um, no, that toy is $3.99 plus tax, plus my food, plus my time on the treadmill after eating that crap. Not to mention the “why do you always go out to eat” garbage the hubby says to me. “Save money, blah blah blah”. Wait, where was I? Oh yeah, free crap. There are plenty of things the kids want and see either in advertisements, school, etc that they think is totally free. They don’t understand that why someone may offer something for free, there is always, inevitably a catch. Even here, on our own site. I offer free gift cards, toys and more. Are they truly free? Not really. You “pay” me by clicking on an advertisers link on the site, by signing up in our forums, by following me on twitter. Might not be monetary payment, but just as important to a new-ish blogger! So, anyway (sorry, another tangent) tell the kids next time they want that “free” stuff, to earn it. Do chores, don’t whine all afternoon about doing your homework, be nice to your siblings. Those are all ways to “pay” your parents for that “free” crap you want.
Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children Grand Opening
Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children
Grand Opening Week Photo Opportunities and Activities
Denver (Aug. 17, 2010)—The Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children (RMHC), HealthONE’s “pediatric hospital within a hospital,” will mark the grand opening of a campus expansion at Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Medical Center Aug. 19-22 and will begin treating patients Aug. 31. Grand Opening activities include:
Read more on Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children Grand Opening…
[Recipe] Jack Straw’s Meat Marinara
![[Recipe] Jack Straw’s Meat Marinara](http://www.thelegendscatering.com/menus/Menu_6/6_marinara_sauce.jpg)
My dad was a chef. Not by trade, but as long as he was alive, he was in the kitchen making amazing meals. His chili and meat sauces were the BEST! After he passed away, I inherited all of his recipes and my grandma’s. I’ve perfected the meat sauce and am ready to share it with all of you.
Nerfoop Basketball
As part of the Real Parents, Real Reviews for TimeToPlayMag.com, I received a Nerf Sport Nerfoop Basketball Slam to review. Ages say 8+ but even the 2 yr old loves this!
BlogHop ’10
I’m really late in the game, but thought I’d join in the fun!
I’m Emily, Wife to a Doc and Mom of 3 boys and owner of www.ColoradoMoms.com! It started as a forum site for moms and recruited via craigslist way back in May, 2005. I took over in December of 2009 and we’ve now expanded into a blog, forum and shopping site. Soon I will add destination/travel features for those who want to visit Colorado and lots of coupons and savings for those all over the US! Even though the site is ColoradoMoms, I feel like we can cater to everyone.
BlogHer ’10 Wrap Up
Okay, so I wasn’t going to do a big BlogHer post. I figured those of you that were there, already know what happened, those of you that weren’t were probably saying “so what” or “what the heck is BlogHer?”. BUT too many funny and great things happened in NYC. I couldn’t resist. Here is a list of the highlights (and a couple of AWFUL cab rides)
Rubik’s Slide
I can officially say, our house is OBSESSED with the Rubik’s Slide! I have never seen my husband and 2 older kids fight over a game, besides when they fight over the ipad. There, I said it, the Rubik’s Slide is just as popular as Apple’s iPad in this house! It’s true too.
Elitch Gardens Presents KidFest
SpongeBob Squarepants and Dora the Explorer Come to Kids Fest at Elitch Gardens!
What: SpongeBob Squarepants and Dora the Explorer are making very special appearances at Elitch Gardens for Kids Fest! The Nickelodeon characters will be signing autographs and taking photos with fans inside the Elitch Arena on Saturday, August 14 and Sunday, August 15. On both days, Dora the Explorer will be appearing from 12PM until 2PM and SpongeBob will be there from 3PM – 5PM.
The meet-and-greet with Dora and SpongeBob is free with Elitch Gardens’ admission.
As the social and entertainment hub of Denver, Elitch Gardens hosts a variety of concerts and events each season. For more information on Kids Fest and other Elitch Gardens events, please visit www.elitchgardens.com.
When: Saturday, August 14 and Sunday, August 15
Dora the Explorer: 12PM – 2PM
SpongeBob Squarepants: 3PM – 5PM
Where: Elitch Gardens
2000 Elitch Circle
Denver, Colorado 80204
Additional: Photo opportunities available.
Elitch Gardens theme park and Island Kingdom water park has been a gathering place for Colorado’s families and children and the entertainment hub of the community for 120 years. It was home to the first zoo, first theater, first movie house, first symphony orchestra and continues to be the oldest continually operating theme park west of the Mississippi. While much has changed over the years, the one thing that hasn’t changed is Elitch’s commitment to providing treasured memories for families. To celebrate Elitch’s 120th anniversary, we will host a season-long schedule of events to honor the people of the greater Denver region. www.elitchgardens.com
