Disney Wonder Day 3: Our Slacker Character Breakfast, Oceaneer Lab’s Red Hen and the Magic of Animator’s Palate

May 4, 2011 By

A Disney Cruise would not be complete without some one-on-one time with the Disney characters. The Personal Navigator (the daily newsletter detailing all there is to see and do on the ship) provides the when, where and with whom of the daily visits with fan-favorites such as Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Captain Hook, oodles of princesses and Captain Jack Sparrow.

Another popular option is the Character Breakfast. Each stateroom is assigned a morning to dine, pose for pictures and get autographs from their favorite characters. Day 3 was our special day.

But we stayed out at the Golden Mickey’s until almost 10 p.m. the night prior. And then there was a one-hour time change so we lost an hour of sleep.

Translation: we never made it to our character breakfast. (Oh, the shame).

Fortunately, the staff was gracious and let us meet the characters just as they were heading out. Here’s a little tip: Don’t try to get Goofy to stand next to Chip because he refused to do it.

I don’t want to stir up any controversy but I suspect there’s bad blood between them.

The weather took a turn for the warmer so I resolved after breakfast at Beach Blanket buffet, we would go swimming.


Hadley’s Favorite Restaurant

Because we had missed the Character Breakfast, I had suggested we try one of the sit-down restaurant for breakfast like Triton’s but was swiftly rebuked by Hadley who proclaimed, “Why would we go anywhere else if we have all the buffet’s wonderful choices?”

The girl doesn’t understand the concept of quality over quantity.

That said, there is a surprisingly great spread of food at the buffet—cheeses, a generous supply of fruits, yogurts, made-to-order omelets, Mickey-shaped waffles, along with fresh doughnuts and all the fixins (i.e. bacon, eggs and sausage) you’d expect.

Our decision to hit the pool early was a wise one. Though the temperatures were still chilly, the pool’s temperature was warm. Without the chaos of the afternoon crowd, my kids were able to play and swim for the first time.

Oceaneer Lab

That afternoon, the kids set sail at Oceaneer Lab while my mother-in-law and I took on the dubious task of relaxing reading and napping in our stateroom (someone’s gotta do it).

When we retrieved the kids three hours later, we had to practically drag them away. The Lab is is a futuristic and fun setting starring a larger-than-life Buzz Lightyear with planetary orbs, sparkling fiber-optic stars and interactive science lab stations, computers, reading area and games.

The age range for the Lab is 3-12 but it is geared to an older set. Six-year-old Hadley was in her element. Four-year-old Bode was among the youngest but he didn’t care. I found him with his Mario Cart posse, bossing the older boys around at every turn.

Hadley’s favorite part of the Oceaneer Lab was participating in Ratatouille Cooking School with an over-the-top, hilarious cookie chef. She paired up with Bode to make chocolate chip cookies that were delivered straight to her mouth from the Ratatouille restaurant magic oven.

Hadley: “But Bode didn’t get any cookies.”

Me: “Why not?”

Hadley: “You know the story of the Little Red Hen? My counselor said if someone doesn’t help make it, they won’t be able to eat it.”

Turns out Bode, in his quest for Mario Cart greatness, abandoned ship partway through and was not allowed to enjoy her spoils. Tough crowd hen house.

Animator’s Palate

Dinner at Animator’s Palate was like being trapped inside a kaleidoscope. Character sketches, maquettes, light boxes, paint brushes, colored pencils and scenes from popular Disney films adorn the black-and-white walls. But at the flash of light, they were transformed into an ever-evolving rainbow light show. As we dined on beef fillet and white chocolate cheesecake, Mickey made a surprise appearance.The children were entranced. I was stuffed.

We all walked away happy.

Buena Vista Theatre

For that evening’s entertainment, we opted to check out the 268-seat Buena Vista Theatre that featured first-run movies like Mars Needs Moms and Tangled. Gnomeo and Juliet was on-tap for the evening and we all loved this movie based loosely on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Only this one had a happy ending.

You couldn’t expect otherwise on the Disney Wonder.

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If you missed it:
*It’s a Wonder Cruising with Disney: A Day-by-day Guide
*Day 0.5: If Getting There is Half the Fun Then I’m in Trouble
*Day 1: Kids Club, Sail Away Party and Fat Kitty Stowaway
*Day 2: Stateroom, Oceaneer Club, Pools, Entertainment & Pyrotechnics, Oh My!
*Day 3: Our Slacker Character Breakfast, Oceaneer Lab’s Little Red Hen and the Magic of Animator’s Palate
*Day 4: Puerto Vallarta, Boogie Boarding and Not-nude Beaches
*Days 5 & 6: Cabo, Lands End, A Brush with Death and a Newfound Love
*Day 7: Farewells & Our Favorite Moment of the Trip

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Disney, Family travel, Humor Tagged With: ,

Disney Wonder Day 2: Stateroom, Oceaneer Club, Pools, Entertainment & Pyrotechnics, Oh My!

May 3, 2011 By

“Home sweet home.”

That is what I referred to our stateroom aboard the Disney Wonder for seven blessed days. Only our home doesn’t have a balcony with ocean views (more than 70 percent of staterooms have them), a door adorned with Mickey, or James, our doting stateroom steward who kept our room meticulously clean.

I have yet to convince my own beloved husband James to follow his fine example.

Sleeping with my kids in the same room is not my top choice but with a curtain partition, bunk beds for the kids and a large comfy bed for Linda and I, it was pretty ideal. The split “bath-and-a-half” design provided us with the convenience of a sink and tub/shower in one room and a sink and toilet in a separate room.

Our stateroom had all makings for a good slumber but I’m a neurotic sleeper and need complete silence. Combine a snoring roommate (who shall remain anonymous) and the creaking of the ship (the only time it testified of its age), I awoke exhausted.

Which is why it made perfect sense to checkout the fitness center.

Disney Cruise Line Fitness Center

The adults-only workout facilities are a part of the Vista Spa & Salon and are open from 6 a.m.-8 p.m. The equipment is state-of-the-art with a complete range of cardiovascular and weight machines and classes. There is also an open-air track for walking and jogging, about 1/3 of a mile in length.

When I worked out the first day it sea, the facility was crowded. On the final day on the cruise, it was a ghost town. After a week of leisure and gluttony, I think my fellow devotees instead opted for the buffet.

LinkPerfect Palo

Speaking of food, it doesn’t get any better than Palo, Disney Wonder’s signature adult-only Northern Italian restaurant. After dropping the kids off at Oceaneer Club, Linda and I indulged in the Champagne brunch. The options included made-to-order entrées, seafood, a selection of international cheeses, fresh breads and pastries, desserts, Champagne and mimosas. Favorites were the Eggs Benedict and strawberry-mint soup.

In addition to brunch, Palo also offers elegant dinners. On our final night, we began with antipasti selections and the choice of six different kinds of pizzas. We moved on to fresh pastas and then came seafoods and meats (my classic beef tenderloin with Gorgonzola sauce redefined tender) and our evening was topped off by chocolate souffle dessert.
Our beloved and adorable Italian waiter Daniel summed up our culinary journey by this statement: “It’s a moment you never want to end.”

He was correct but fortunately for my waistline, it eventually did.

Reservations are required for Palo and there is an additional $20 charge for dinner and brunch.

An Expert Opinion of Disney’s Oceaneer Club

When Linda and I retrieved 6-year-old Hadley from Oceaneer Club, she reported: “I made a friend and we pretended we were Captain Hook on the ship.”

She was referring to Captain Hook’s pirate ship straight from Never Land with a treasure chest-themed television set, lamps that resemble barrels, hanging ropes, wooden planks and a glistening fiber-optic night sky.

“Oh, and Bode? All he did was play Mario Kart and just watch TV,” she snitched.

The Club has a computer lab with child-friendly computers, video games and multiple televisions. In 4-year-old Bode’s own defense, “I had the most fun ever.”

To each his own.

Oceaneer Club is open from 9 a.m. to midnight daily for children ages 3 to 10, no reservations are necessary. Bode preferred The Club (which is more geared to younger kids) and Hadley liked the Oceaneer Lab (stay tuned for that review tomorrow).

Water Play

There are three pools on-board the Disney Wonder: Quiet Cove Pool (an adult-only oasis), Goofy’s Pool and Mickey’s Pool a.k.a. my descent into hell.

Let me explain: My kids are finally getting old enough that they can be relatively independent in shallow waters. Goofy’s Pool had an ideal location with a state-of-the-art, jumbo 24-by-14-foot LED screen that played Disney animated or live-action movies poolside. Unfortunately, at a depth of 4 feet, it is too deep for my kids.

That left Mickey’s Pool. In theory, this is a fantastic pool that features Mickey Mouse’s famous smiling face, a maximum depth of 2 feet and a twisting, one-deck-high yellow slide suspended from an over-sized Mickey Mouse hand.

The problem is 85 percent of the ship’s children think this mouse is the cat’s meow. By afternoon, Mickey’s Pool was absolute bedlam every day and my dreams of relaxing poolside in a chaise with a Pina Colada smoothie were replaced by having to keep a vigilant watch they didn’t get trampled.

The kids still loved it, though. Haddie tore up the slide, we grabbed burgers and fries from Pluto’s Dog House (healthier options were at nearby Goofy’s Galley) and topped it off with soft-serve ice cream. Basically, it was every kid’s dream and every parent’s nightmare.

To each their own, Part II.

Tip: To avoid the crowds, skip swimming in the afternoon and go after breakfast or during the first dining hour (around 6 p.m.) Stay tuned for our favorite moment aboard the Disney Wonder, which happened on our final night in Mickey’s Pool.

On-board Entertainment

Upon returning home from our cruise, I was asked, “Did your kids ever get bored?”

A Disney Cruise is the very antithesis of boredom. Between song-and-dance shows starring our favorite Disney Characters in the Disney Theatre daily to first-run movies like Tangled and Gnomeo and Juliet in the Buena Vista Theatre, magic shows, karaoke, dancing and games, we were never, ever bored.

One of our favorite performances was the Golden Mickey’s, a Disney-esque version of the Academy Awards. We arrived with fanfare: Paparrazi snapping pictures, red carpet and even a “celebrity” reporter who interviewed the little ones. The show combined live-action theatre from talented performances with our favorite clips from Disney films, an emotional tribute to Walt Disney and pyrotechnics.

It doesn’t get much better than that for kids.

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If you missed it:
*It’s a Wonder Cruising with Disney: A Day-by-day Guide
*Day 0.5: If Getting There is Half the Fun Then I’m in Trouble
*Day 1: Kids Club, Sail Away Party and Fat Kitty Stowaway
*Day 2: Stateroom, Oceaneer Club, Pools, Entertainment & Pyrotechnics, Oh My!
*Day 3: Our Slacker Character Breakfast, Oceaneer Lab’s Little Red Hen and the Magic of Animator’s Palate
*Day 4: Puerto Vallarta, Boogie Boarding and Not-nude Beaches
*Days 5 & 6: Cabo, Lands End, A Brush with Death and a Newfound Love
*Day 7: Farewells & Our Favorite Moment of the Trip

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Disney, Family travel, Humor, travel Tagged With: ,

Disney Wonder Day 1: Kids Club, Sail Away Party & Fat Kitty Stowaway

May 2, 2011 By

My least favorite part of cruising is the check-in. Even the most highly efficient system will result in headaches when dealing with an onslaught of 2,400 people.

When our shuttle bus arrived from LAX to the Port of Los Angeles, the process went quickly. The only confusion I had was as we waited for our group number to be called so we could board the Disney Wonder. I glanced over and saw frantic parents high-tailing it to the youth activities registration desk at the terminal.

Prior to the cruise, the Disney Cruise Line sends passengers a very thorough information packet. In the guide, it talks about registering children for the activity centers on the ship but I panicked when I saw the herd charging over to the desk. Were they taking all the spots? WHAT IF IT FILLS UP AND I’M STUCK WITH MY CHILDREN FOR THE ENTIRE TRIP?

Judge me all you want. I’m just expressing what all those frenzied parents were thinking.

Turns out we had no reason to panic. All children have access to the kids clubs and it is not necessary to register for specific activities. Haddie and Bode’s wrists were fitted with Mickey Bands (free but there was a $50 charge if they got lost). The bands provide secure access to the children’s facilities and act as a monitoring device.

Think ankle bracelets for criminals but in one of the happiest places on earth.

Then it was our turn to board. As we walked into the lobby of the Disney Wonder, an overenthusiastic lady announced our names into the microphone. We jubilantly stepped onto the red carpet, relishing in the roar of the crowd (OK, more like six gracious staffers) but we were thrilled that they gave each individual family their own special memory of boarding the ship.

Beach Blanket Buffet

We all have our priorities when cruising and ours was eating (we had not done so since early that morning). The Beach Blanket Buffet on Deck 9 serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and we gorged on classic American and international cuisine. I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of the buffet that had plenty of healthy and non-healthy selections, though I would have liked to have seen more choices in the salad bar.

Gotta make a few healthy choices to offset desserts like these.

Kids Clubs

There are several difference options for kids of all ages aboard the Disney Wonder:

Flounder’s Reef Nursery: Infants and toddlers (ages 12 weeks-3 years) are entertained with toys, crafts, book and games. Disney’s babysitting services services offer the longest operating hours of any cruise company.

Oceaneer Club (ages 3-12): This pirate-themed adventure areas is home to Peter Pan’s Never Land with games, storytelling, video games, musical fun and dancing.

Oceaneer Lab (ages 3-12): Offers exploration with experiment stations, music stations, computers, video games and more.

Edge (ages 11-13): This lounge and interactive play space is set up with plush couches, high-tech entertainment—videogames, televisions and computers—and features guided activities.

Vibe (ages 14-17) is the ultra-cool teen-only hangout patterned after a college dorm with plasma-screen TVs, Internet access, MP3 players, games karaoke and snacks.

There was been a lot of talk (and a bit of controversy) about Disney Cruise Line’s decision to revamp their youth activities program in 2009. While most cruise lines generally create smaller groups with kids of the same age, Disney eliminated age restrictions for kids ages 3-12 and activities are divided up by interest, not age in the Oceaneer areas.

While I liked the idea of Bode (age 4) and Hadley (age 6) being able to participate in the same activities, I was a bit worried Bode would get trampled by the older kids. Turns out, I had no cause for concern (as you’ll see later):

The boy simply migrated to his beloved Wii and life-long friendships with his home boys were born.

Sail Away Celebration

Following the mandatory Assembly Drill, we partied it up with Captain Mickey Mouse and Friends at the Sail Away Celebration on Deck 9. I caught a glimpse at Beatlemania during this 45-minute deck party with Minnie, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Goofy, Pluto and Captain Hook. Confetti rocketed through the sky and my kids joined the countless others in the revelries.

Parent tip: Bring earplugs. And your loudest voice.

Fine Dining, Disney Style
The nine restaurants on the Disney Wonder range from the adult-only fine cuisine at Palo to casual poolside dining at Goofy’s Galley. The ship features a Rotational Dining system that lets you rotate to one of three theme restaurants (Triton’s, Parrot Cay and Animator’s Palate) each night, while your servers follow you from venue to venue.

The good: I have never experienced this level of service on a cruiseship. Our beloved waiters Balwan and Titta always had our preferred beverages and Bode’s booster seat ready when we arrived and catered to our every need. The food was always delicious and the ambiance ever-changing and enchanting.

The bad: There is no flexibility on when and where you eat. There are two assigned seating times at 5:45 p.m. and 8:15 p.m., the latter obviously not desirable for families with young children (5:45 p.m. fills quickly).

On our first night, we were assigned to Triton’s grand dining room with French and under-the-sea cuisine. The children’s meals were varied and always served with a side of vegetables. Hadley devoured steak, shrimp, sea bass and topped it off with a chocolate sundae.

At the end of the meal, she coined the most beloved quote of our entire trip as she groaned in her chair: “Ugh, I’m starting to feel like Fat Kitty” (our very portly cat).

It wasn’t the first time we all felt that way aboard the Disney Wonder.

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If you missed it:
*It’s a Wonder Cruising with Disney: A Day-by-day Guide
*Day 0.5: If Getting There is Half the Fun Then I’m in Trouble
*Day 1: Kids Club, Sail Away Party and Fat Kitty Stowaway
*Day 2: Stateroom, Oceaneer Club, Pools, Entertainment & Pyrotechnics, Oh My!
*Day 3: Our Slacker Character Breakfast, Oceaneer Lab’s Little Red Hen and the Magic of Animator’s Palate
*Day 4: Puerto Vallarta, Boogie Boarding and Not-nude Beaches
*Days 5 & 6: Cabo, Lands End, A Brush with Death and a Newfound Love
*Day 7: Farewells & Our Favorite Moment of the Trip

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Disney, Family, Family travel, Humor, travel Tagged With:

Disney Wonder Day 0.5: If Getting There is Half the Fun, Then I’m in Trouble

May 1, 2011 By

My kids and I have traipsed all over Canada and Colorado without my husband Jamie.

But our Disney Cruise to the Mexican Riviera was different for a couple of reasons:

1) It’s international. And yes, I know some of you consider Canada a foreign country but when you’re raised there, poutine and “eh” are as natural as Marilyn Monroe’s blonde hair (work with me, here).

2) This was my children’s first cruise. There’s a bit of a learning curve when cruising—from check-in at the port to security to registration. It’s all a bit overwhelming for a newbie.

And moms who are accompanying them.

But our speed bumps began long before that when our flight was delayed. (Did I mention that out of 200 flights leaving Denver that morning, ours was only 1 in 4 that had any issues?)

Long ago, I abandoned asking “what’re the odds?” because they are never in my favor.

Fortunately, we arrived at LAX with plenty of time to spare and good thing, too because that is when our next debacle occurred. After disembarking, my bladder-the-size-of-a-pea son raced to the bathroom, after which time, we followed the signs to baggage claim.

And kept following them.

And followed them some more.

I’ve always hated LAX. It’s old, dingy, congested and it is currently being renovated, which only added to the chaos. There were no trains or moving walkways and we walked for about a half hour until we finally arrived at baggage claim.

Only, it turns out it wasn’t ours. We had flown on a friendly jaguar from Frontier (Terminal 5) and had somehow trekked around the airport and ended up in very unfriendly United (Terminal 7).

My mother-in-law Linda had flown from Salt Lake City and was inspired enough to call me at that exact moment to track us down. By the time we high-tailed it back to Terminal 5, I was the final person to arrive on our transport shuttle and was brimming with accusations about the convolted airport.

Until I noticed other people from my same flight had somehow managed to do a straight-shot to the correct baggage claim.

I shut up, grabbed my luggage, consolidated everything I needed into a carry-on (tip: keep your swimsuit and other essentials with you) and sent the rest of our suitcases with the Disney Cruise porter. I was promised the next time we saw them, it would be in our stateroom after 3 p.m.

Relief set in that I would finally be able to enjoy a stress-free vacation. Linda, the children and I lined up to board the bus and that is when I realized I had forgotten my son’s booster seat…

Back at baggage claim.

That would be the second baggage claim we’d been to that day for anyone keeping track.

At that point, I was almost tempted to leave it behind but I had brought it for a reason. Apologetically, I told the bus driver my predicament, she kindly told me to retrieve it and I high-tailed it across the parking lot.

And then I became that person. You know—the one that makes everyone wait.

When I arrived back to the bus, I slunked into my seat beside my daughter, sweaty and humiliated. As we watched the video with Mickey & Co. giving us a tour of the ship, I resolved husbands are kept around for a reason.

And it has everything to do with upping my odds.

In case you missed it:
*It’s a Wonder Cruising with Disney: A Day-by-day Guide
*Day 0.5: If Getting There is Half the Fun Then I’m in Trouble
*Day 1: Kids Club, Sail Away Party and Fat Kitty Stowaway
*Day 2: Stateroom, Oceaneer Club, Pools, Entertainment & Pyrotechnics, Oh My!
*Day 3: Our Slacker Character Breakfast, Oceaneer Lab’s Little Red Hen and the Magic of Animator’s Palate
*Day 4: Puerto Vallarta, Boogie Boarding and Not-nude Beaches
*Days 5 & 6: Cabo, Lands End, A Brush with Death and a Newfound Love
*Day 7: Farewells & Our Favorite Moment of the Trip

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Disney, Family, Family travel, Humor, travel Tagged With:

It’s a Wonder Cruising With Disney: A day-by-day guide

May 1, 2011 By

For Spring Break, Bode, Hadley and I joined my mother-in-law Linda aboard the Disney Wonder to sail the Mexican Riviera and life has never been the same.

I mean, just look at this kid.

Since Disney Cruise Line’s inception back in 1995, I knew I wanted to take my children someday but I must confess, we were not huge Disney fans. Sure, we love most Disney films but we’ve never been to the theme parks and consider Mickey only to be a mouse (and not a god).

But after seven days aboard the 2,400-passenger Disney Wonder, we’re now bonafide mouseketeers. It wasn’t any one thing that made this our favorite vacation ever but rather the culmination of superb service from the 945 crew members, fantastic amenities interspersed throughout the 10 decks, delicious food at the nine restaurants, professional-quality shows, first-run movies like Mars Needs Moms and the simple magic that only Disney can provide.

I’ve been on cruises before that offer wonderful children’s programs but the difference with a Disney Cruise is everything is about the kids. Little girls wandered the halls wearing princess dresses and boys sported Mickey ears. Some families went all-out decorating their cabin doors. Our waitress even patterned our ketchup into Mickey ears.

The Disney Wonder launched in 1999 and many of the reviews I read on TripAdvisor were harsh (too old, not maintained, etc.) While there were times it definitely showed its age (particularly creaking most noticed at night), crews work around-the-clock cleaning and painting.

This old ship (me) should be so lucky to have that kind of TLC.

So, welcome aboard! As you’ll see from Day 0.5, our trip did not start well….

*It’s a Wonder Cruising with Disney: A Day-by-day Guide

*Day 0.5: If Getting There is Half the Fun Then I’m in Trouble

*Day 1: Kids Club, Sail Away Party and Fat Kitty Stowaway

*Day 2: Stateroom, Oceaneer Club, Pools, Entertainment & Pyrotechnics, Oh My!

*Day 3: Our Slacker Character Breakfast, Oceaneer Lab’s Little Red Hen and the Magic of Animator’s Palate

*Day 4: Puerto Vallarta, Boogie Boarding and Not-nude Beaches

*Days 5 & 6: Cabo, Lands End, A Brush with Death and a Newfound Love

*Day 7: Farewells & Our Favorite Moment of the Trip

But you’d better believe it ended much better.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Bode, Disney, Family travel, Hadley, Humor, travel Tagged With:

Because every morning should start with a conversation like this

April 28, 2011 By

Jamie: It’s right on the box, honey.

Me: What is?

Jamie: “Pumpkin seeds, not just for Halloween.”

Heaven help us all.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Humor, Jamie, pumpkins

The Easter That Wasn’t

April 27, 2011 By

As for the belated Easter update, welp, I acquired a cold on Saturday, Jamie had a killer rheumatism attack and Haddie got the stomach flu.

It’s a wonder I’m even alive, much less updating this blog.

Oh, and for anyone keeping track of how many times I’ve been sick this year, don’t bother. I’ve stopped counting.

Our normal Easter celebrations were downsized. We had a simple egg hunt in the morning, smoked brisket for dinner and gorged on Haddie’s bunny cake for dessert (this was her first attempt at making and decorating it by herself). There was no church or cute Easter outfits, just moping around by the parents.



And chocolate. A whole lotta chocolate.

Fortunately we had already done a lot of revelries the week prior that included Easter cookie decorating.
Disclaimer: Don’t ask me how the kids convinced me dolphins should be included in the mix. But think of how much more interesting it would be if a marine mammal somehow delivered Easter spoils instead of a bunny.

We also decorated eggs with Aunt Lisa.

And The Great Pumpkin, of course, made an appearance.


We’ve already shown this is a year-round obsession.
Tune in tomorrow for additional evidence.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Bode, Hadley, holidays, Humor Tagged With:

The Hunt for the Golden Egg & A Mother’s Shame

April 25, 2011 By

My family has been attending our city’s Easter Egg Hunt since my children were toddlers. The Hunt has always been eventful. There was the year when Hadley thought the eggs were balls and launched them in the air.

Oh, and I can’t forget when the organizers setup the course around the playground and Haddie preferred to play on the slide.

Or the time they passed over the eggs and ran in circles.

And then there was last year’s communist society Easter Egg Hunt where each child was only allowed to retrieve five eggs.
But this was our year. There were no quotas, the eggs were scattered on an open field and at ages 6 and 4 respectively, Hadley and Bode are in their prime. My competitive husband Jamie coached them to the point they were getting so riled up that I chastised him to chill out.


We ran into our friend Andrew from church whose toddler was in possession of the elusive Golden Egg that contains a special prize. Every year, there is just one of them placed in The Hunt for each age group and I was curious as to how they scored it.

“We were on the far side of the field when we saw the Golden Egg,” Andrew divulged, “It was sitting next to a 10-year-old boy who looked like he was going to swipe it but we snagged it first.”

Good thing, too. Andrew is an attorney and that kid could have faced repercussions.

When Bode was up to bat with his fellow 4 and 5 year olds, our little thoroughbred was the first off the starting block and snagged an impressive haul of eggs.

Next, it was Haddie’s turn (and this is where it gets ugly).


She was with some older kids–up to age 8– but I knew she would do well. She’s competitive like her dad and most importantly, she’s fast. She lined up and waited for the good word.

Then a lady came up to me and I blame her for my demise. “Do you see it out there?” she hissed. “The Golden Egg is directly in front of you at the other end. If your little girl runs straight, she will grab it.”

The rest is a blur. I spotted the Golden Egg glimmering in the sun and I showed Jack…err Hadley how to navigate the beanstalk to get it. Somewhere in the mix, the signal was given and kids raced to the field. Frantic at missing the start, I gave her a gentle push in the direction of our family’s future.

Only it wasn’t so gentle. Much to my horror, it was a full-blown shove and Hadley landed face-first on the grass.

“That’s OK, that’s OK!” I picked her up and sent her off but by then it was too late. The Golden Egg was clutched from its rightful owners (us) and Haddie only had a half-full basket of eggs to show for her efforts.

And a killer glare aimed right at me.

Next year, I’ll leave The Easter Egg Hunt coaching up to Jamie.

(Originally published at MILEHIGHMAMAS.COM.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Hadley, holidays, Humor, Jamie Tagged With:

A Day in the LIfe

April 21, 2011 By

Yesterday was a hoppin’ day. I snuck out to hike Red Rocks with two of my Colorado Mountain Mamas besties Tina and Christen. It was long overdue.

Like three years overdue.

I tore home, showered, grabbed Bode and his friend Sean and we hightailed it to The Village at Edgewater. I’m posting a review of it in a couple of weeks but the concept for this play area/healthy restaurant/learning center is brilliant.

Bode and Sean played to their heart’s content in the 1,500-square- foot play area and gorged on amazingly delicious kid pizzas, baked French fries and strawberry smoothies while I had the Roasted Chicken Breast Sandwich with Swiss cheese, roasted red pepper aioli, sprouts, and tomato on rosemary foccacia bread.

It was a win-win-win-win situation.

We stopped off at Crown Hill Park on the way home to explore the trail and throw rocks in the pond.
My friend Kristen picked up Sean around 3:30 p.m. and not even 30 minutes later, she emailed me this photo with the caption: “Look at what you did to my son.”

My response?

“Dude, tell him to suck it up. That’s what it’s like every day Chez Johnson. :) ”

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Bode, Humor

Bode: Lord of the Bikes

April 14, 2011 By

The next couple of weeks are horrid with meetings, deadlines and volunteer work but I’d be remiss if I didn’t squeeze in this little gem.

Four-year-old Bode has been ready to ride his bike without training wheels for over a year now.

The problem has been convincing him he’s ready.

From the very moment he rode his first tricycle, I knew biking would be his *thing.* He had a seamless transition to training wheels and loved to perform kamikaze tricks like riding with his feet on the handlebars and swerving around a break-neck speeds.

Basically stuff that gives mothers heart attacks.

We tried to transition him to a two-wheeler late last summer for the sole fact that some of his stunts were not doable on training wheels and he’d often tip over.

But he wanted nothing to do with it.

We didn’t push him on the matter but on Friday night, we had 30 minutes before we needed to be somewhere so I suggested to Jamie he take Bode out for another try.

Five minutes later, Jamie nonchalantly called, “You’d better come out here. He’s doing it.”

He’s doing what exactly? Now let me preface this by saying I was in charge of teaching Hadley to ride her bike, which is exactly why I delegated the responsibility this time around to Jamie. (For those who need the not-so pleasant refresher: It’s Like Learning How to Not Kill Your Child as She Learns to Ride Her Bike.)

Sure enough, I went outside and Bode was riding his bike. Not even 2 minutes after he figured it out, I heard him proclaim, “I want to hop the curb.”

Excuse me?

(Please disregard my high-pitched, squeaky voice in this 15-second video. When experiencing extreme duress or excitement, thus is my fate. :)

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMUxYSO0iVg?hd=1]

And this, my friends, is the difference between mothers and fathers. Had I not been distracted by filming him, I would have rushed out there and prevented him from the potential catastrophe and fall-out of face-planting mere moments after learning.

Jamie, on the other hand? “I figured why not? Best let him figure it out himself.”

And he has. I’ve been shocked how, in just a few days, he’s hopping the curb, as well as learning to start, stop and turn. These things took Hadley months to master (and she still has yet to meet a curb she likes).

On Tuesday, we went for our first ride around the neighborhood and Bode did great in all areas except for one.We live near the top of a large hill so navigating up and down is tricky, especially since some of the downhills also involve sharp turns. I was thrilled to see my little dare devil turn cautious as I helped him around the steep bends. Such discretion gives me hope he’ll survive long enough to celebrate his fifth birthday.

And the hope that he’ll be competing in the 2022 Olympic Games.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Bode, Humor
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