barefootbeadshawaii

Book Club Monday : What Makes It Rain?

2017-01-09T09:00:00.000-10:00

I am so excited to start a weekly Usborne Books & More Book Club! Today's book is What Makes It Rain. It's a wonderful book about the weather that is perfect for inquisitive preschoolers!

My son loves the flaps and it literally answers so many of their endless questions which is great! If you are a mom of a kid who can talk, you know what I'm talking about. What, Why, When, How, Where. It is NEVER ending. Don't get me wrong, I love that kids are so interested in learning and most of the time I am excited to answer but when it's 5 am and you haven't had breakfast... just stop. Am I right?

Anyways! Let's talk about the book.

Here are FOUR great activities you can do that explore the concepts in the book.

TOP LEFT: The first one is a snowy tree farm sensory bin. We used fake snow in a can but you could use flour, real snow, or even playdough. Then we talked about snow, read the page about snow from the book and let our imaginations run wild.

TOP RIGHT: The second activity is a rain sound sensory bin. I gathered up a bin, some jars, a raining bath toy, and a funnel. We got to work pouring and talking about the sound that rain makes. We also talked about how rain feels, and read the rain page from the book.

BOTTOM LEFT: The third activity is a bit messy but so much fun! We made clouds with shaving cream and a paint brush. I added blue food coloring and then we made prints by smooshing a piece of paper on top and letting it dry. The end result is cloud art that smells like clean shaving cream! ;) You can add snowflakes, rain drops, a rainbow - whatever your child is interested in learning more about after the shaving cream dries. We added snowflake stickers.

BOTTOM RIGHT: The last activity is a science lesson. We read the rain page in the book and talked about clouds and precipitation. Then I put a little bit of shaving cream on top of water and added drops of blue food coloring. Don't put too much shaving cream or it will take FOREVER. As the "clouds" become heavy with water droplets, they begin to "rain". This was really interesting and fun to explore and discuss.

What other weather activities can you think of to go with the book? I would love to see! Enjoy the activities and the questions and conversations that follow.

To purchase the book, click here.

To follow along on instagram and see more great books find me @buildingliteracywithbooks

Usborne Books & More Book Club Monday

2017-01-04T09:27:00.001-10:00

Starting Monday, we will be doing "Book Club Monday" over on my instagram account (@buildingliteracywithbooks) and my facebook page. Join us on the 9th at 9:30 am MST for a fun activity and craft for your preschooler.

This week we will be reading What Makes it Rain, one of our favorites!

My son loves learning about the weather! This book is great for preschool and kindergarten and beyond. Tons of flaps to lift and lots of questions about the weather are answered!

Construction Themed Birthday

2016-12-23T20:11:00.000-10:00

We threw Arlo a construction themed birthday party when he turned 2 and I just realized I never shared the pictures! It was such a fun party and he really loved all the trucks and construction themed things.

I hung up construction signs through the house and a little board that summarized Arlo's favorite things. We had just taken pictures for his birthday so it worked out great to print a few and hang them up as well.

Here is a spread of the food and main decorations. I found a truck table cloth that I knew Arlo would love to tie it all together. I made the signs with big stickers that I got on amazon and mounted them onto yellow and black paper to look like traffic/construction signs. I also got CAUTION tape and made a few decorations with that as well.

I bought little construction toys for the cake decorations. My son was really excited about these and wanted them the moment he saw them on the cake.

I made a chocolate cake and topped it with crushed chocolate cake to look like dirt. The little cupcakes were piped with a "grass" tip to look like landscaping around the site.

I made half of the little cupcake toppers with stickers and I wrote on the other half.

True Life of a BOY Mom

2016-12-19T20:08:00.001-10:00

When I found out I was having another boy last year, I was so excited and a little sad at the same time about all the things I would never get to do with a little girl. The disappointment was fleeting and was quickly replaced by happiness, I love being a boy mom! Two wild boys make the days fly by and my house is NEVER clean.

It has been so much fun to watch my two boys enjoy each others company, entertain each other, and discover new things together. When I hear endless giggles from the other room, it makes me so happy that these two boys are the light in my life.

We had these photos taken a few months ago when my youngest was around 6 months old. Things were tough for a while with my oldest being rough on the little one, sibling jealousy, and just pure exhaustion. The best part about being a mom is knowing that "this too shall pass" and another wonderful moment will arrive.

I love the free spirit, inquiring mind, and imaginative soul that this little one is becoming. He reminds me so much of myself each day and whenever we butt heads, it is because of our similarities. It's worth it in the end. Nothing is more meaningful and fulfilling to me than being a boymom to these two rascals. I love imagining the future and what/who they will become.

I recently read a parenting book that suggested you write down the first 10 words that pop in your head when you think about the things you want your child to become/embody. Then focus on what those words mean to you and how you can achieve/teach them. It was an exercise in truly connecting with our lives and the impact we have on our children. What's more important, worksheets and homework or character and compassion?

My words were:

Compassionate

Kind

Giving

Empathetic

Imaginative

Loving

Understanding

Open Minded

Intelligent

Driven

What would yours be for your child?

Cystic Fibrosis Book Drive

2016-12-15T05:43:00.002-10:00

Have you heard of Cystic Fibrosis? Cystic fibrosis is a progressive, genetic disease that causes persistent lung infections and limits the ability to breathe over time. Part of having the disease is living with hospitilizations, taking a cocktail of drugs to digest your food, taking insulin to treat cystic fibrosis related diabetes, and eating high a calorie diet because your body doesn't absorb nutrients well. It's often called an "invisible disease" because most of the time, you wouldn't know that someone has the disease on the outside.

My husband has cystic fibrosis, and this past year, he spent over 6 weeks in the hospital. He was hospitalized because he contracted the flu and could hardly move as a result. He was hospitalized because he caught a common cold and couldn't recover without a 2 week stay and IV antibiotics. Living with CF means common illnesses aren't so common. A cold could result in a bad infection that robs you of lung function, the flu could cause irreversible damage to your already damaged lungs, and being with your family for birthdays and holidays is never a guarantee.

This year gave me a lot to reflect on and I thought a lot about other patients in the world with cystic fibrosis. Recently I also joined Usborne Books & More because I love their educational books and use them with my children to supplement our homeschool curriculum. One of the best things I have discovered about being with Usborne Books & More is the ability to give back by doing a book drive, or one of their other community programs.

Right now, I am running a Cystic Fibrosis Book Drive with Usborne Books & More to purchase books for the University of Iowa Cystic Fibrosis clinic where my husband was hospitalized as a child. Through their Literacy for a Lifetime program, they will match 50% of all donations.

Want to help? Donate! The goal is to raise enough money to donate over 125 books, or $750.

If we raise $750.00, Usborne Books & More will donate $375.00 in additional books. Can you imagine over 125 new books for those little ones to enjoy? It would be awesome if we could reach our goal and get an additional 40 or 50 books to donate from Usborne Books & More!

Please SHARE with friends and family! No donation is too small.

During a hospitalization, patients sit throught hours of breathing treatments, IV medications, and lung function tests. These books would be such a fun alternative to another tv show or just sitting alone.

(image credit: http://cnnphotos.blogs.cnn.com/2012/05/05/children-affected-by-cystic-fibrosis/?hpt=hp_c4)

The main focus of the book drive: activity books, like doodling pads, coloring and sticker books, and books that can be read again and again.

Consider donating, just $6 is enough to provide 1 book for a child to enjoy.

Thank you for taking the time to read about the book drive!

DONATE HERE

My favorite Usborne Books

2016-12-13T08:45:00.003-10:00

I joined Usborne Books & More a month ago and my kids are already in love with so many of their books. (Me too.)

If you love pop up books, this book is INSANE. The pop ups literally come off the ENTIRE page.

Arlo first heard this book at the Air and Space museum and now he lights up anytime we read it. We got the collection of phonics readers instead of just the single book and I am so glad. All the stories are just as silly and catch his attention.

I actually ordered this for myself but... he loves it too! I actually think it is one of our only fairytale books! The flaps and peek inside pages are super fun and engaging for little hands.

The weather is a constant source of conversation. I got this book to incorporate into our homeschool lessons but I ended up pulling it out sooner to talk about snowflakes. Then later, we pulled it out to talk about lightning. It's a great resource!

This is MY favorite. I got it for a gift, but wish I had kept it! So many fun cards that you can draw on and all of them are animal themed.

Nibbles is a silly picture book about a book monster! Gets the kids giggling and grinning which is MY favorite.

This is the book Arlo brings to me to read the most. His favorite page is the page that talks about digestion. "It goes in my mouth, down my food pipe, into my tummy, through my intestines, then out as poop." You're welcome.

Both my boys love this one! The bright pictures and silly alliteration catch the attention of my 10 month old and 3 1/2 year old. We just got a jobs version that I can't wait to give them for Christmas too.

These are our CURRENT favorites. We have really enjoyed discovering these books! I earned the cost of my kit back in my first 30 days too so basically I got $100 in free books just for signing up. Send me a message if you are interested in learning more. It's a great way to earn a little extra money for your family and even just get a great discount on the books.

Host a party to get free books for your family!

https://www.facebook.com/usbornebookswithkatiekizzier/

2 month old baby

2016-03-31T10:19:00.002-10:00

It's hard to believe 2 months have passed since we brought home our second little man. He is so different from big brother! He sleeps great, eats on a 3 or 4 hour schedule, and is already cooing and bubbly. He loves staring at Arlo and watching him play, his eyes follow him around the room.

My husband and I can't believe how fast he is growing! Did the first one get big so quick? I think time is flying and we are so much busier than we were the first time around.

I love all the little details! Baby feet are so teeny and sweet.

Axel Cody's Birth Story

2016-02-06T15:15:00.000-10:00

Contractions started around 6:30 pm. I started timing them and after 2 hours of pretty good contractions that were only 5 minutes apart, I called the doctor and headed to the hospital. We had gotten a ton of snow and it was still coming down so we didn't want to wait too long.

We got checked in around 11 pm and started walking around the hospital, rocking on the birth ball, and breathing through contractions.

When things got a little rough, I asked to hop in the tub. It was incredible! Seriously one of the best baths I have ever had. I had my choice of essential oils, lights out, and candles everywhere. There were even jets! I spent about an hour in the tub and then it was time to check on baby again.

While we waited for things to progress we studied the "birth fact" wall. Ha ha. It had lots of images and information to keep us busy.

At 6 am my contractions stalled and we took a nap. The nurse started discussing pitocin, breaking my water, etc. I was really hoping to progress on my own, but after 2 hours of rest and very little contractions, we decided to start pitocin at 8 am. By 9 things were still pretty mild so the doctor came in and broke my water. Within about 10 minutes I was in serious labor and ready for some pain relief. It was all I needed to be in full blown labor. Around 10:30 I got an epidural and could finally relax. I went from a 4 to and 8 in that short amount of time! Yikes!

We took a little nap and rested up before I could start pushing. Then around 2 pm I woke up with intense back pain. The nurse checked and said we could start pushing soon but I was a little too numb so we waited until 3 to start. Axel was turned a little and causing some serious pain through my back. I started pushing around 330 and he was born at 4:04 pm.

He was 8 pounds 6.6 ounces and 21 inches long with dark brown fuzzy hair.

We got to hold him for an entire hour before they weighed him or did anything to him. It was awesome.

First cuddles.

He did great and had a really good delivery. I thought it might go a little faster but really I couldn't have been happier. He was healthy and it was over much quicker than my first! The nurses were asking if my first had lots of black hair while I was pushing but Arlo was super bald.

My mom was in town watching my 2 1/2 year old and got to come spend the night with me in the hospital while I was there. It was great. She helped hold him and cuddle and kept us company.

My boys and me! Arlo loved coming to visit and seeing the baby. He got to hold him and hug him and check out the room.

LOVE.

He pretty much just slept the whole time we were in the hospital. It was great!

This kid already loves his binky. He loves to suck his hands too.

I am so in love with little Axel and am already dreaming of days ahead. It's so much fun seeing all the boys together.

Three Sisters / Alderfer Hike

2015-09-28T12:04:00.001-10:00

I have been loving Colorado hiking this year. You could hike everyday and never see all that there is to offer here. I LOVE IT. I have been trying to hit new trails every week, knowing that soon I will be stuck inside and COLD.

Here are a few snapshots of the 3 sisters hike in Evergreen. It is beautiful. We parked at the second parking lot and did a toddler hike. It is an easy flat loop from there and perfect for little legs. There are tons of trails so I would recommend grabbing a map and picking a general trail. It can get pretty confusing if you just start turning and climbing. :)

These views. Colorado is a stunning place full of adventure and opportunity to explore! It's awesome. If you want a more challenging hike, park at the first lot and take a trek. There are a few hikes on that side that are more challenging but still fun and very pretty.

Here is a snapshot of the map.

Click on the link below for the official county webpage with trail maps, directions, and more info.

http://jeffco.us/open-space/parks/alderfer-three-sisters-park/

Baby #2

2015-08-26T12:10:00.000-10:00

Baby #2 is due January 29th. I have mixed feelings about being a mom of 2. I am so excited to have 2 little minions running around, creating shenanigans and making me laugh. I am also terrified that I will never leave the house and that I will become a crazy lady trapped alone with 2 kids under 3. :)

More than anything, I am excited for Arlo to experience the joy of a sibling. I am hopeful that at the very least they will both learn the delicate art of sharing and loving at a young age. Of course I have daydreams of them being best friends and wanting to play together. There are definitely things I hope for, but I value my siblings mostly for the lessons they taught me and the moments we shared as young children. I remember sharing bikes, food, friends, and attention. Siblings are truly a gift that we don't appreciate until we are much older!

Here I am at 16 weeks, definitely bigger than my last pregnancy! This baby comes with morning sickness and fatigue that started early and has seemed to lessen already. Yay for second trimester bliss.

We find out if we are having a boy or a girl in a few weeks and I can't wait!

Happy New Year!

2015-01-05T21:46:00.000-10:00

Happy 2015. I love the beginning of a new year. It feels fresh and exciting. Clean slate. Resolutions. New year, new me. Right?

My resolutions for this year are pretty simple.

-To spend more time as a family outdoors.

-To be a more attentive wife and mother

-To do something new in Denver every month

I love being outdoors and I want Arlo to grow up with the same experiences and enjoyment for nature as I did. I also love the unplugged, distraction free environment it provides for family time.

I don't feel like a bad wife or mother, but we could all be a little more caring and attentive. Am I right? I want to read more books in my son's teepee, go to more sporting events with my husband, and listen and observe more. Life is flying by, I want to soak it all in. Unplug and enjoy my family.

You never know when you might move to a new location in this life. I want to do everything there is to do in Denver before we leave. If we decide to stay forever, I will just be even more prepared for visitors questions about what there is to do in Denver!

What are your resolutions?

Custom Cake Orders

2014-11-27T22:11:00.000-10:00

Now that my mini-me is a little older and taking great long naps, I have decided to start taking custom cake orders. I have had a few orders already and have been enjoying baking again as a profession.

I love staying home with Arlo, but I do miss the constant array of sweets to choose from. Breakfast was chocolate cake, cookies, and truffles for quite a few years. Now I usually eat a granola bar or some yogurt and fruit. Definitely not as exciting, but my pants are a lot easier to pull on...

Here are a few of the cakes I have done recently. Everything is made from scratch.

I have worked out the kinks in my high altitude kitchen and have some great cake recipes to show for it.

The icing is my usual favorite: swiss buttercream.

This is a smash cake I did for a one year old birthday party a few months ago.

Chocolate Flourless Cake for the gluten free and chocolate loving.

Pumpkin spice cupcakes with cream cheese frosting for Thanksgiving this year. Love me some cupcakes.

Go to my baking website for info on how to place an order!

Denver Zoo

2014-06-18T18:02:00.000-10:00

We spent the day at the Denver Zoo today. It was a beautiful day spent outdoors enjoying summer.

The zoo has a really cool new elephant exhibit.

The whole area is Asian themed with a tuktuk and prayer flags. It's pretty neat.

Can't wait to spend many more afternoons strolling the zoo making animal noises with Arlo this year. My in-laws gave us a zoo membership for Easter this year so we can go anytime!

Arlo loves his new stroller! Thanks for my parents for helping us get it for his birthday. We LOVE it!

Married Life

2014-06-16T17:51:00.000-10:00

Yesterday was our 3 year wedding anniversary. We have had an awesome couple of years together!

Life has gotten a little bit busier and a lot more fun!

Weddings are the best, right? Beautiful dresses, lush flowers, and such happiness.

Waiting for the bride. My grandfather who officiated the wedding and my handsome groom.

After 6 years of dating, we finally got married! What a rush of emotion in this moment.

Ready?

Let's do this! What an awesome day. Our whole family was there to celebrate with us and shower us in their excitement and love.

We didn't know we were moving away from Hawaii yet, but my husband found out he got a job on the mainland on our honeymoon. This was the perfect "goodbye" to Hawaii. It was a beautiful setting and the perfect day to marry my best friend.

I will go anywhere with this man by my side. Looking forward to many more years together.

Happy Father's Day

2014-06-15T04:48:00.000-10:00

When my husband and I were days away from having a baby, he was nervous, unsure how to care for a baby, and a total newbie. This is his second Father's Day and you would think he was made for fatherhood.

Riding on Dad's shoulders is one of Arlo's favorite things to do.

These two have so much fun together.

Can you feel their love for each other? I love these photos because I think they speak for themselves and show their relationship so well.

Denver Chalk Art Festival 2014

2014-06-09T19:13:00.001-10:00

I got the chance to visit the Denver Chalk Art Festival this year and it was awesome. If you are interested in art and like to see different styles, this is a great event.

Did I mention there were a lot of people?? Leave the stroller at home, bring your friends, and be prepared for crowds.

One of my favorites!

The artists were in the middle with all of the drawings. They were covered in chalk.

The festival was held in the hip and always happening Larimer Square.

Styles ranged from amateur sketches to full blown re-creations of popular paintings.

A fun, free festival in downtown Denver! If you ever get the chance to visit a chalk art event, I would definitely recommend it! It was pretty amazing to see the possibilities with chalk.

Summer in Colorado

2014-06-04T18:47:00.005-10:00

It's our first summer in Colorado and so far we are pretty smitten.

We like to go to the park and play in the grass and swing on the swings.

Walk around and discover things like sticks, pebbles, and dirt.

We love to play in baby pools and splash at our new water table.

We play hard and take breaks in the sun.

We are also enjoying all the art fairs and fun events downtown.

Summer is here and we are soaking it all in.

Isn't it green and beautiful? I want to enjoy the mountains while they are lush and green before the HOT summer turns it all brown.

The Denver Chalk Art Festival was last weekend. Lots more pictures to come, what a great day to be outside. It was sunny and hot and there were TONS of people.

Baseball Birthday Party Details

2014-05-28T17:52:00.002-10:00

My little babe just turned 1 and we threw a baseball themed birthday party for him. Here are a few of the details from the party.

The food spread: We made everything except the sandwiches, which we ordered from Sprouts.

Little veggie cups with yummy hand cut veggie sticks and ranch in mini solo cups. I dipped some pretzel sticks in white chocolate and rolled them in blue sprinkles for some added color and fun.

Watermelon, honeydew, and strawberry fruit skewers.

The birthday boys baseball cake and some lemon bars made from scratch.

Vanilla baseball cupcakes and hand made cupcake stands. I made the cupcake stands with cardboard rounds that I glued together and covered in brown kraft paper. Then I covered a few cans for the support between tiers. They worked great and were free since I have boxes from the move still. I also made a couple little cupcake flags for the toppers with black paper and a chalk marker.

I made the birthday banner with black card stock and a chalk paint marker. Then we decorated with a bunch of the baseball pictures we took a few weeks ago. They turned out really cute.

I dipped some oreos in white chocolate and added baseball stripes. I also made some decadent fudgy chocolate brownies. So good. My mother in law brought the monster cookies on the bottom tier. They were great. We had a lot of sweets!

We got kettle corn and chips from Costco and my mother in law made her awesome pasta salad.

What an awesome party! We had lots of fun planning and making decorations.

Baseball Birthday Party

2014-05-24T14:10:00.000-10:00

Happy Birthday Arlo! Life has been a little wild and crazy since you came on the scene and we wouldn't have it any other way.

My husband is a huge sports fan and Arlo has already been to a few games, his first game was when I was 7 months pregnant, if that counts. He has been to a few games at Coors Field to see the Rockies and the Sox, we went to a game in DC to see the Nationals and the Dodgers, and there are many more to come I am sure. We decided to throw a baseball party and it turned out to be the perfect theme for a 1 year old!

Here are just a few shots from today. We had such a great time!

My In-Laws came to help celebrate. Arlo loves Grandma and Grandpa!

Arlo had so many friends and family members come out to help him celebrate. Lucky BOY!

Not a huge fan of the cake...

What am I supposed to do with this??

Don't touch MOMMY!

Exhausted and all cleaned up after his cake mess.

No party is complete without presents. Arlo got so much cool stuff. THANK YOU THANK YOU!

Styling in his new hat. What an awesome present.

Arlo loves these super tall boys! They play so well together. We are lucky to have family close by.

I made a photo backdrop wall and it worked great!

Thanks to everyone for coming. We had a great time. More photos to come soon!

Vacation Fun in Washington D.C.

2014-05-22T18:49:00.003-10:00

What a cool city! We took a week long trip to Washington DC to celebrate our babe's first birthday and to getaway for some fun.

This was my awesome travel buddy, my husband. We had a full load of stuff with a baby and luggage, car seat, stroller, etc. It was quite an adventure figuring out how to carry everything through the metro from the airport but we did it!

What a great city for a young family to play tourist in. Tons of open space, interactive museums, and loads of free activities.

Hey guys! Don't you love all this open space??

Walking around Tidal Basin and enjoying a beautiful day in the city.

Serious stuff, politics, and American history.

Lots of cool areas to photograph and plenty to see.

Posing in front of The White House.

First Birthday!

2014-05-13T18:04:00.001-10:00

I have always heard people say that time flies and your kids grow up way too fast. Now I know what they are talking about! My little tiny baby is a toddler! Walking, getting into trouble, and teaching us new ways to have fun!

We took a trip to Washington DC to celebrate and relax. We had an awesome vacation and got to spend some time with family and see the sites. We are having a party for his birthday in a few weeks so we just had a little cake eating on his actual birthday.

He wasn't quite sure what to do until he tasted the frosting.

YUM.

Squishy cake.

All that cake is making me thirsty! Holy cow.

Our happy little family! What a year it has been.

Baking at High Altitude

2014-04-25T19:06:00.000-10:00

I have been in a baking groove the last month and have been enjoying learning to make all of my favorite recipes and some new ones at high altitude.

Like these fabulous lemon bars. Bright, tart, and bursting of Summer.

Brownies anyone? Fudgy, chewy, chocolately goodness.

My husband was awesome enough to let me play in our bakeshop frosting these rose cupcakes last weekend. It feels like SPRING!

Did I mention I got a Belgian Waffle maker for Christmas?? Well, I did and I have been enjoying it LOTS. Homemade blackberry syrup, homemade waffle mix, and fluffy breakfast in minutes.

My Baby Boy is Turning ONE!

2014-04-18T14:47:00.000-10:00

In a few weeks, we will be the parents of a 1 year old. Holy cow. I can't believe a year has flown by. Lots has changed since his birth and we are loving every minute. I may not have been to a movie theater or fancy dinner in a year but I have been to loads of library story-times!

We moved to a new state in December, have made some great new friends, and have been having fun discovering glorious Colorado. Springtime couldn't come soon enough, but now we are loving the warm weather!

Arlo took his first step a few days after he turned 9 months. By 10 months he was getting into everything and walking all over the house. At 11 months, he likes to try to run. We are still mastering speed on two feet, but it's fun to chase him all over now.

We have been hiking, gone to baseball games, climbed the stairs up and down at Red Rocks, and made lots of new friends. He loves being outside and meeting new people.

His favorite things to eat are Wheaties and clementines. He loves bright colored foods and anything he can hold onto. Dill pickles, strawberries, and apple cores are a big hit. Anything that goes on a spoon is a little tricky as he insists on feeding himself...

Every new object is something to touch and play with. A few of his favorite toys: a long shoe horn, curtain rods, and empty boxes. He loves cars, balls, and his red barn. Easy to please.

We are so happy to have a baby that is so good natured and easy going. He really is a great kid. He loves hiking in his backpack carrier, going grocery shopping/flirting with all the ladies, and going anywhere new. I never worry that he will fuss and we will have to leave, he nurses on the go, and naps anywhere. We are a little spoiled! I love it. (Hopefully that didn't just jinx it!)

One of my favorite things about having a baby is watching him grow. He has made our little family feel complete and has made my husband into a great father. Arlo lights up when "dad" comes home from work and loves wrestling and rough housing with him. I feel like a lucky lady to have a husband that is such a natural at being a dad.

BIG LOVE and Birthday Wishes to my almost 1 year old. I hope the next year brings as many fun filled days for you!

We took these photos a few days ago at our local baseball field. It was the first time he was barefoot outside and he was in heaven. Grass, dirt, and baseball chalk.

Hammond's Candy Factory

2014-03-02T08:41:00.001-10:00

We are always looking for fun, free things to do on cold days in Denver and I started looking at free tours you could take. I love candy, chocolate, caramel, you name it. So I was super excited to find that Hammond's Candy Factory in Denver gives free tours for the public. They mostly make hard candies, but they also do chocolate, marshmallows, and caramels, etc. All made by hand. Pretty cool and also kind of crazy.

My grandma and aunt were in town so we decided to go check it out.

I enjoyed seeing the candy making on such a large scale by hand. Those are the huge copper pots that they cook the sugar in. They have a round bottom and they use lots of corn syrup to prevent crystallization. When the sugar is the right temperature they pour it onto cooling tables and then add color.

Once it is cool enough to handle, they pull it on a machine. Then roll it into a log. This picture shows it being wrapped in a candy striped jacket. They were making candy canes. Completely by hand.

Arlo can't believe it either. Crazy hot and hard work. While I enjoyed seeing it all done by hand, I had to wonder if some of the boxing and packaging couldn't be done by machine... What a boring job!

These are their marshmallow eggs. Some have caramel. All wrapped by hand. This lady wraps eggs in foil all day long. Meditative? Or a little mind numbing. They are all wrapped individually and they make a ton!

At the end of the tour they have their retail shop. We had fun picking out a few goodies. I got a few chocolate bars and some fun pink ribbon candy for my nieces. Their ribbon candy is really pretty and I remember loving it as a kid. If you are in Denver and are looking for a fun tour for kids or candy lovers: this is it. It is located off I-25 and 58th st. Easy to get to, plenty of parking, and free for everyone.

Life in the Rockies

2014-02-20T21:19:00.001-10:00

Mid December we moved from wicked hot Tucson to the beautiful Colorado Rockies. Life has been a bit of a whirlwind the past few months. We are finally getting into a routine and feeling like we live here. Here is a little recap of our past few months in our new city.

We visited the Botanic Gardens over the holidays.

Celebrated our babe's 1st Christmas.

Went to a Mammoth Lacrosse game.

We have seen lots of snow!

Experimented with baking at high altitudes...

Drove two full 7 hour days from Tucson to Denver with THIS guy.

Found a few new favorite dishes to cook at home (recipes to come!)

Went to the crazy Casa Bonita.

And learned how to bundle up! Looking forward to discovering more fun things to do in our new city in the mountains.