You know those people who have an aversion to public restrooms?
Bode has the opposite problem. In fact, we often joke he’s like a dog and needs to mark his territory whenever we go. Or, as Hadley so eloquently summarized it:
“The one thing that boy knows how to find is a bathroom!”
But his latest bathroom episode lead to Hadley’s greatest discovery ever. During our visit to YMCA of the Rockies, we were at the playground when nature called for Bode. The Mootz Family Craft and Design Center was adjacent so we walked in there.
A couple of minutes later, I raced out to Hadley screaming, “YOU HAVE GOT TO COME WITH ME, NOW!!!”
The reason for my freakout? I have never seen a craft center quite like this one. I had eventually planned to wander in there with her and expected to see your basic painting or drawing stations but this place was a crafter’s dream with wood and leather crafts, a jewelry area with thousands of beads, ceramics, tie dye with a huge wall of clothing options, silk painting and basket making.
The prices range from $3-$35 per project with most people spending around $15. We dropped $50.
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| Ceramics |
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| Some of the many craft projects |
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| More crafts |
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| Tie dye shirt designs |
Being a dude, Bode isn’t really into crafts but he opted to make a tie dye shirt, something I had never done.
It turned our marvelously well. Here’s a photo I took of him wearing the shirt on our camping trip a couple of days later.
We left YMCA of the Rockies early the next morning so they sent home instructions for washing out the shirt after it had soaked in the dye for 24 hours. I then ran it in the washing machine twice before letting him wear it. Evidently, this was not enough because it turned his shoulders green at the campout. Quite coincidentally, his old swim trunks (seen above) literally split open.
We called him the Incredible Hulk.
But back to Hadley’s crafting utopia at the Craft & Design Center. I encouraged her to select something she would keep forever and so she, of course, selected one of the most expensive items: a mosaic kitty clock.
I was excited for her to attempt something so intricate where a qualified staff could help her out. I don’t know if you’d ever done a mosaic but envision collecting tons of glass shards and piecing them together like a puzzle without a set pattern.
I hate crafting and puzzles so basically, it was my worst nightmare. But I loved working on it with her as she came to life.
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| Then came grouting. I let her tackle that solo. |
But the finished product? Something she will always cherish and her avowal to spend the entirety of next summer at the Craft and Design Center.
My wallet may never recover from her discovery.
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Other details of our stay:
Colorado’s Most Family-friendly Vacation
YMCA of the Rockies: Activity Capital of Colorado!
Colorado’s most affordable family vacation (at Mile High Mamas)
I'm a Canadian-born mom of two, former Denver Post columnist, family travel writer, editor of MileHighMamas.com and 9News contributor. Expert on all things Utah, Denver, family and travel. Lover of laughter and life. Happily married to a man obsessed with growing The Great Pumpkin. 