“Upscale” Selfies at The Broadmoor?

July 23, 2014 By

I’ve long written about my family’s love affair with The Broadmoor, a glorious AAA Five-Diamond resort in Colorado Springs. I feel honored to be among several esteemed writers who contribute to their glossy, upscale magazine. Their latest edition was published and their PR director sent a few copies I have yet to see because the kids and I are still on our month-long road trip.

Horseback riding Hadley and family canoeing

Jamie took a couple of pictures for me and my jaw dropped when I saw what they published in the table of contents and also on the lead page of my story. He joked, “all the following stories are your typical stock-type photos of beautiful children wearing beautiful clothes in The Broadmoor’s beautiful setting.”

I was asked to write about the Ranch at Emerald Valley, their new wilderness enclave that redefines luxury in a gorgeous mountain setting. The kids had a professional photographer shadowing them most of the day (read: child models) but since they wanted me to write the article through my children’s eyes, we set them loose with a camera and my iPhone to take their own pictures.

And then, I present unto you this:

Nothing like keeping it classy with Bode selfies.

Table of contents

Funny back story: we surprised the kids with this trip by waking them up and telling them we were going that morning. The night before was full of meltdowns. One of Bode’s teeth was falling out and it was sticking straight out like Billy Bob. Knowing he’d be photographed the next day, we were insistent that tooth needed to come out, which for him, was equal unto being sent to the guillotine and it took us 1.5 hours of freakouts/crying/wailing before he let us pull the tooth.

Next time, I’m just tying the tooth to Fat Kitty, yelling “FOOD” and letting it rip.

How’s that for a future Broadmoor feature story?

Filed Under: Bode, Family travel, Humor

Family Travel: Keeping it Real (or really painful)

July 8, 2014 By

I have always loved to travel. The problem is, travel has not always loved me. I once journeyed to France for a wedding, only to get lost and miss the entire celebration.

I built a career as a travel writer by writing a humor column about my mishaps. During a meeting with my editor, I made reference to one of my misfortunes on the trail and he professed, “You mean this stuff really happens? I thought you were making it up because there is no way all that could happen to one person!”

Welcome to my life.

When I had a family, there were understandably even more challenges. While so many writers expound upon their tried and true tips for “The Perfect Family Vacation,” I keep it real. Family travel is about survival. The only two things that keep me sane are my sense of humor and a huge dose of denial. Maybe Prozac would help, too.

Just not Tylenol PM.

I am currently embarking on a month-long, 3,000-mile drive home to Canada with my children and I confirmed that I am the Real[ist] Family Travel Writer. For this trip, I am the solo driver and we groggily awoke at 6 a.m. after a day of revelries and fireworks to hit the road. I wasn’t feeling well so I popped a pain killer in my mouth. A pain killer that turned out to be Tylenol PM.

Click to keep reading. If you dare.

Filed Under: Family travel, Humor

My MIA Status is, Welp, MIA!

July 3, 2014 By

It’s official: I am in my busiest month of the year so posting will be sporadic for the next several weeks. My bestie from Canada is visiting. We’ve been all over creation, threw a Canada Day party and will be doing it again for the Fourth of July before we leave with the kids on Saturday to drive to Calgary. We’ll Stampede it up for the week as we play with family before heading to a glorious lake house in British Columbia for seven days. From there, the kiddos and I will continue our circuitous route to Idaho where we’ll spend time with a couple of former roommates and mission companions, followed by a week in Utah. At least for the kids. I’ll be jetting off to California where I’ll be an ambassador for Skype at BlogHer.

Then, Bode and I will somehow drive home late-July (while Hadley stays an extra week with Grandma in Utah) and plan for Bode’s early-August baptism where family will be descending upon us once again.

FlipKey just named me one of the top 25 family travel bloggers to follow in 2014. Too bad I’m too busy to blog about our adventures. :) It’s all good and I’ll have plenty of stories to share when I’ve resurfaced.

I’ve been posting over at Mile High Mamas so be sure to check me out there–From a Funny Lesson on Attachment-detachment Parenting to our adventures at Brainard Lake Recreation Area last  weekend.

Exploring Brainard Lake Recreation Area

I hope your summer is as wonderful as ours!

XO

Filed Under: Family travel

Go Hawaii: Yes, Please!

June 5, 2014 By

A few weeks ago, the Hawaii Convention and Visitor’s Bureau contacted me and asked for permission to republish my blog post on Maui’s upcountry on their official site, So Much More Hawaii.

Read it here.

Do you think it would seem desperate if I offered to sell everything, move to Hawaii and write for them full-time?

I’m kidding but only sort of.

Filed Under: Family travel, travel

A birthday to remember at The Broadmoor

May 29, 2014 By

If you have done something two years in a row, does that make it a tradition? If so, I’d like to officially declare staying at The Broadmoor our annual Memorial Day/Hadley birthday tradition!

We can all dream, right?

Sure, the weather didn’t cooperate but we still had a fabulous time at this iconic AAA Five-Diamond Resort in Colorado Springs. I mean, how could you not? The gourmet food is divine at The Broadmoor’s elegant restaurants. When we dined at La Taverne on our first day, they brought Hadley a birthday treat.

“But it’s not even my birthday yet,” she weakly protested.
“Yes, but it is your birthday weekend!” our waitress responded.


She never looked back.

Whoopie Pie celebration while bowling at PLAY

“Mom, my goal is to get to Round 10 of the brunch because I’m 10 years old today.”
“You’ll be sick.”
“I know.”

Birthday brunch

Side note: she made it.

Dissection of a birthday girl: cute green dress from Aunt Lisa, cowboy boots for horse camp from Mom, volleyball from Dad, new purse and wallet from the family and some classic books from Aunt Sue.

And nothing says brotherly love like Bode who constructed a birthday “H” for Hadley on Minecraft.

The weekend was non-stop fun. There was Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and hiking Cheyenne Canyon. Then, we were the very first group to participate in The Broadmoor’s new summertime activity, Laser Tag, on the croquet lawn. Uncle Chris joined us for our vacation and the man will become legend in Broadmoor Laser Tag circles because, as one admiring tween stated, “That guy has to be a professional hunter.” Translation: he “killed” us all every time.

I was unsure how laser tag would work outdoors but we were outfitted with paint-balls guns that had CO2 canisters or battery-operated guns for the littles.

Laser tag with Uncle Chris


Is it just me or does Hadley look a little bit too comfortable with that gun?

Everyone had a blast except Jamie who had to leave early when an old pumpkin injury started bleeding.

I wish I was joking.

The pool was, as always, glorious!

Hadley playing the “you have to go down the slide because it’s my birthday” card with Uncle Chris

The highlight of our lives (not really exaggerating) is a poolside cabana but remember that uncooperative weather?  We weren’t able to spend very much time at the pool but still toughed it out.

If you can call anything at The Broadmoor “tough.”

We drowned our inclement-weather sorrows in a lot of food by trying their new Italian Ristorante and Bar Del Lago. With delicious family-style portions, we started with a selection of antipasti and finally stopped two hours later with Bombolini (fried pastries) and Cannoli.
Jamie is not smiling because this was taken near the end of the meal and he was literally too full to try.

Of course, we always pose for family pictures by Cheyenne Lake.


Roast s’mores.

Order room service for breakfast.

And relish every single moment at The Broadmoor as if it is our last.

Room with a view

Happy birthday, Hadley!

Filed Under: birthday, Bode, Colorado, Family travel, Foodie, Hadley, Humor, travel Tagged With: , ,

Colorado Springs: Fat Giraffes and a Cheyenne Canyon hike all my own

May 28, 2014 By

The Broadmoor is a AAA Five-diamond resort that has all the makings of a perfect family vacation with gourmet food, superb service, breathtaking grounds, a fun pool and waterslide and so much more. But during our visit over Memorial Day weekend, the weather did not only fail to cooperate, it was downright irascible (think clouds, heavy rain and hail in the afternoons/evening) and we had to alter our activities.

So, instead of lazily lounging poolside the entire time, we actually left the resort to explore Colorado Springs.

Which isn’t a bad thing.

We hopped on the resort’s complimentary shuttle and headed to nearby Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. As the United States’ only mountain-side zoo, this translates into some steep walking to see the 550 animals but who am I to complain about hiking with views like this?

Their new Encounter Africa exhibit is top-notch and I love that the exhibits at this zoo are really experiential. From the Budgie Buddies Exhibit where you can purchase seed to feed the birds….

…to their famous giraffe exhibit where you can actually feed them and yep, their tongues are kind of creepy.

Side note: The giraffes have gone “green.” The last time we were at the zoo, we fed them crackers but it turned out they were getting too fat so now the zoo sells lettuce.

On Memorial Day, we hopped on The Broadmoor’s complimentary shuttle to Starsmore Discovery Center at the mouth of Cheyenne Canyon.  I regularly hike this area (remember my recent adventures with the bear and the gun-toting Tennessean?) and it is truly one of my favorites. Denver has a lot of great urban hikes but nothing even compares to the Columbine Trail.

I was completely alone at dawn (a rarity on a holiday weekend) and convinced  the family they needed to return with me later that morning to explore. The kids enjoyed the Starsmore Discovery Center’s interesting dioramas, hands-on nature exhibits and programs and I was fascinated by the flood relief efforts (much of the area was badly damaged).

There are three trailheads (lower, mid and upper) that are accessible from the main road up Cheyenne Canyon. Lower Columbine Trail is perfect for families as it moderately winds along North Cheyenne Creek in a red rock evergreen wonderland.

I spy Hadley scaling a precipitous mountain

Hadley won’t go near a rock-climbing wall (I hate them, too) but if there is a rock wall to be free-climbed, she is there. Because really, who needs safety precautions like harnesses and ropes?

Apparently not Hadley. Above is a picture of her mid-climb. A few minutes later, I made her turn back because, though she was doing a great job shimmying up the steep wall, I foresaw big trouble trying to get down.

Basically, I was just trying to save my own hide. And assure she made it to her 11th birthday.

Stay tuned tomorrow for all our fun 10th birthday festivities at The Broadmoor!

 

Filed Under: Colorado, Family travel, Hadley, Humor, travel

Adventures summiting the highest dune in North America

May 22, 2014 By

Visiting the Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve has been on my bucket list but if I’m being honest, it’s closer to the bottom for two reasons.

1) It is located in the middle of nowhere 4 hours southwest of Denver.
2) If you will recall, I hate sand.

So, how exactly does a sand-adverse gal fall in love with a sandbox-on-steroids that is approximately 30 square miles while chaperoning 20 squirrelly fourth graders?

Simply stated: This delicate and complex dune system is breathtakingly wild, remote and awe-inspiring. The 150,000-acre dunes rise 750 feet from the floor of the San Luis Valley on the western base of the snow-capped Sangre de Cristo Range. I’ve never explored anything quite like it.

Hadley’s class spent the morning at the park’s Visitor Center watching a 20-minute movie about the formation of the dunes and then testing out the interactive exhibits like the video microscope, rock/mineral table and lightning tube.

Following lunch, we began our adventure with the intention to climb to the top of High Dune, the tallest in North America. Prior to reaching the dunes, we needed to cross Medano Creek. The length and time that Medano Creek flows depends on the amount of winter snowmelt.  Typically, the creek starts to flow in late March or April, with peak flow in late May but in drought years it dries up much earlier. The water was only a few inches at its deepest but judging from the beach party, I could have sworn we landed in California.

Our creek traverse to the dunes. My favorite picture of the trip

The kids had the time of their lives running, jumping, rolling and flipping in their sandy playground. I was exhausted just watching them (sounding like the old woman that I am).

Jump! (Hadley in blue)

I’ve hiked in numerous circumstances–paved, dirt, shale, boulder fields but never steep and deep sand.  For every two steps we took, we sank and slid back one.

That’s a nice way of saying some people thought they were going to die.

But not Hadley. She went barefoot (not recommended in the summer because the sand gets hot) and I’m telling you that girl of mine was a beast climbing those peaks. She completely blew the other girls (and me) away and after an hour, she was the second person to arrive at the first peak just after J.D., the class athlete.

Steeeeep.

 

Steeeeep Part 2

“She’s like a gazelle,” observed Hadley’s teacher Mrs. Price who, at 7 months pregnant, was quite impressive herself.

First kids to the first ridge–Hadley, J.D., Noel and Terran

Most of the kids from the class made it to that first ridge.

The wind was howling, sand was whipping and we were about to turn back when we had a momentary reprieve from the conditions–just long enough for a handful of the crazies to keep hiking another half-hour and summit High Dune, the tallest in North America.

High Dune Summit Group with Mrs. Price

Dunes for miles

My favorite part of the day was watching Hadley kick butt. My second favorite was going down. On our ascent, we never hiked straight up but instead took indirect zig-zag routes along the ridge lines. Our descent was a straight shot down steep slopes and I’ll be darned if it didn’t feel like I was a kid again as I barreled down a powder playground.

I got a kick out of how competitive the kids were. After we separated from the main group to climb High Dune I surged ahead, knowing full well the kids would be passing me up on the steeps. I overheard J.D. telling everyone, “OK, if Hadley’s mom is first, she won’t count. Does everyone agree?”

NO, I DID NOT.

For the record, I came in fourth.

Not that I was counting.

Filed Under: Colorado, Family travel, Hadley, Humor, travel Tagged With: , ,

Chaperoning at the Great Sand Dunes (but not the gators)

May 21, 2014 By

First, there was Mesa Verde National Park.

Then, there was Spring Kite Farm.

Last week, I chaperoned my third camping trip for Hadley’s class, this time to Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve.

Just look at these views from our campground at San Luis State Park.

There is a lot that goes into pulling off a camping trip with 20 kids. Hadley’s teacher and the chaperones have it down to a science–from our meal planning to pillaging the basement of the school’s Great Hall that is chock full of camping gear (how cool is that?) But something you can’t pre-plan is exactly what we got: snow. And a lot of it. Hadley’s teacher wisely pushed the trip back a day but temperatures were still below freezing at night, causing some parents to panic.

I posted this rant on Facebook: “I totally get that we want our kids to have a smooth-sailing life but when did we become so overprotective that we shelter them from reaching beyond their comfort zones? If it’s too cold, too hot, too dirty, too contentious, or just too hard, we pamper them and bow out citing they can’t handle it. Some of my kids’ shining moments have been when they work through their struggles and realize they CAN do that which they never dreamed possible. ‘Hard’ can be life’s greatest teacher.”

Last summer when Hadley went to overnight camp, she refused to take the warm sleeping bag I told her to and froze her butt off the night they had to sleep under the stars–cried all night. Of course, as a mom I felt horribly for her but my gosh if she didn’t learn invaluable lessons from it and is such a rock star with preparing for the cold now. She was among the hardiest campers in her class.

What I’m saying: suck it up, parents, and don’t be afraid to let your kids tough it out.

The Gators

Another way to toughen them up? Take them to the Colorado Gators Reptile Park and let them hold a real-life alligator.

Note: this challenge does not apply to parents because we need to survive long enough to take care of our tough children.

The gator park was a short distance from the sand dunes but felt like a world away.  This 80-acre ramshackle farm has become an educational sanctuary for overgrown alligators and other reptiles like large pythons, tortoises, iguanas and other exotic animals like peacocks and ostriches. It was a stinky facility but downright fascinating to watch Elvis, a Godzilla-of-an-alligator, gobble a huge hunk of beef like it was a mosquito.

There were plenty of mid-size gators as well. In the middle of them was a comment box for people to submit their complaints. Gotta love gator humor.

Side note: For just $100, you can take alligator wrestling lessons. It’s like they were totally reading my mind.

The Drama

I love chaperoning Hadley’s class camping trips because I see a completely different side of her when she’s in her element with all her friends.

Campfire reading

Piggy back rides with her friend London

Let me tell you, navigating fourth grade is tricky. She has always been equally comfortable hanging out with boys and girls.

But now, the innuendos are starting. She spent some time hanging out with a boy we’ll call Harry. They were having a lot of fun but then another girl (whom we’ll call Andrea) jealously watched the two of them. When they separated, Andrea approached Harry and with a forced casualness asked, “So, do you like Hadley?”

Poor Harry was taken aback and muttered something like “no, we’re just friends” but already the wheels are turning for the clueless boys as the more-mature girls are already jockeying for position.

It’s only going to get better from here, folks.

 Tomorrow: stay tuned for our adventures summittng the tallest dune in North America!

 

 

 

Filed Under: Family travel, Hadley, Humor, travel

Family Travel: 4 family-friendly resorts on Maui

May 2, 2014 By

A room with our favorite view at Napili Kai

One of the advantages of winning a trip to Maui was staying at four resorts. It was also the disadvantage. But despite being on-the-go every two nights, our nomadic lifestyle gave us the opportunity to visit various parts of the island and discover what properties worked best for us.

Each was family-friendly but that was where the similarities stopped. Napili Kai Beach Resort was the most budget-friendly and had our favorite views. All of the accommodations at the Honua Kai Resort & Spa are luxury suites overlooking the world-famous North Kaanapali Beach. Travaasa’s experiential resort in remote Hana was dripping with beauty, relaxation and on-site activities. The Fairmont Kea Lani’s only all-suite and villa luxury oceanfront resort on the white sands of Wailea’s Polo Beach looked like it had been plucked out of a scene from Arabian Nights.

It was the best of four worlds. CLICK TO KEEP READING

Filed Under: Family travel, travel Tagged With:

Maui Family Vacation: Day 7′s memorable coastal walk and luau humiliation to remember

May 1, 2014 By

Wailea Beach Walk at sunrise

We spent our two final days playing in the pool and beach at the luxurious Fairmont Kea Lani in Wailea. Located on the sun-kissed south shore of Maui, this unapologetically upscale resort community is famous for their crescent-shaped beaches and for having the most sunshine on Maui with less than 10 inches of annual rainfall.

Of course, it rained much of the time we were there.

Wailea Coastal Walk. On our final morning, I went on a sunrise run on this popular boardwalk past five white sand beaches, eight world-class resorts and three islands (Lanai, Kahoolawe, and Molokini, the tiny, partially sunken volcanic crater between Maui and Kahoolawe). This 1.5-mile trail was well-maintained and the scenery stunned.

 Hawaiian Canoe Experience. While the boys snorkeled in Polo Beach’s clear waters, Hadley and I signed up for the Hawaiian Canoe Experience.

CLICK TO KEEP READING

Filed Under: Family travel, travel Tagged With:
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