Young boys are tossing around a lacrosse ball with sticks as we pull into the parking lot of Mile High Stadium. Once inside, more kids with sticks sit with their families ready for the action to begin. Many of them in signed Denver Outlaws jerseys. It’s clear lacrosse has caught on in Denver, with young and old alike, and we’re about to find out why.

As we take our seats in the 8th row from the field, I joke with Danny, “this is the closet we’ll ever be sitting to this field.” He laughs in agreement. It’s my first time in beautiful, Mile High Stadium, and it’s a lot to take in. Everything is new to me here in addition to just being in the stadium. Good thing I did a little reading up on the history of lacrosse, otherwise I might be confused by the tom-tom drummer with war paint on his face who helps get the crowd going.

We all stand as the Canadian national anthem is sung for the Nationals who have come to take on the Outlaws. Now it’s time for “The Star Spangled Banner.” I show Reagan how to place her hand over her heart. I always love this part of any sporting event.

Once play starts, it isn’t long before the Outlaws have scored their first goal. And then another, and another. Unlike soccer, the points rack up fast. And the action is just as exciting and fast-paced as I had read. Just as physical too. I’m doing my best to keep up with the ball as it’s whipped from player to player, and I’m following it pretty well. But, as soon as someone shoots (is that the right word for it?) I have no clue where that little orange ball went. The crowd seems to know though and I follow their cue.

Reagan continuously asks me where the game is, even though I’ve pointed out to her several times it’s going on right now down there on the field. She’s more occupied with figuring out how to get on the Jumbotron. Eventually, a camera man does spot her, and she does a dance for him, complete with silly faces. Only this camera isn’t for the Jumbotron, so we’re not quite sure where her antics will end up. But, no matter. She is very pleased with herself.

A bag of popcorn and tray of nachos later, it’s half-time and Reagan is restless. In fact, she hasn’t sat the entire game. We gave it a shot, but at five-years-old, she’s just not ready for the Major Leagues. We decide it’s time to bring our little camera-shy girl home. It would’ve been fun to stick around to the final goal, but, next time we’ll get a sitter. With the Outlaws up 12-2, we’re pretty sure we know how it’s going to end anyway.

Stix is in the concourse area on our way out. The very Outlaw Reagan wanted to meet. He waves at her and she runs to him for a giant squeeze. On the car ride home, I’m peppered with questions about why racoons like to eat garbage. I had read up on lacrosse, but not on the culinary tastes of varmints.

The final score? The Outlaws crushed the Nationals, 15-6 in an exciting home game season-opener!

Valet park your car for free and saunter in for your spa treatment at the Ritz-Carlton, Denver, a two-time recipient of the coveted AAA Five-Diamond award – the first and only in the Mile-High City. Where else can you ex’beer’ience the Mile High Malt Scrub & Microbrew Massage:

“For even the most discerning suds sippers — and spa goers — this massage incorporates two beers from a nearby brewing company, Great Divide. Enjoy an exfoliating Vichy shower experience. Your therapist will then mix Samurai Ale beer into malt, all while you sip on the brew, a full-body malt exfoliation scrub will follow. It doesn’t stop there – a bottle of dark, rich Yeti Imperial Stout is painted over to achieve silky soft skin. The ritual is followed by a moisturizing shampoo and scalp massage along with a second full-body massage using the foam of the Yeti beer mixed with luxurious moisturizers. At once, retreat to our relaxation lounge and take in more beer, if you’d like.”

Or, perhaps you have a taste for another one of their Signature treatments, the Hops N’ Honey Ultimate Pedicure:

“Embracing notes of amber, caramel, oats and honey, this pedicure was created specifically for The Ritz-Carlton, Denver, located in one of the microbrew capitals of the world. This decadent pedicure starts with a scoop of “Hops N’ Honey Me! Bath Ice Cream” to soften and nourish the feet. Then, legs and feet are exfoliated and a caramel foot mask is applied for hydration. A paraffin foot dip is also included before whipped milk and honey lotion is massaged into the feet and legs. Nails are polished as a finishing touch. As an extra indulgence, samplings of three microbrews or herbal teas are served to complete the experience.”

Plan your escape, either alone or with your girlfriends as some of my friends and I did as an early Mother’s Day gift to ourselves. Before our treatments, four of us kicked back on comfy chaise lounges in a peaceful waiting room in our plush, cotton robes and slippers, sipping on tea and catching up. The women’s locker room is equipped with everything you need so you can arrive directly from work or the soccer game, and put yourself together to go out on the town or shopping afterwards.

Our therapists arrived in the waiting room, ready to escort us each to our own room for our treatments. Three of us received The Ritz Carlton Signature Massage, a customized Swedish massage combined with aromatherapy, the other indulged in The Signature Spa Pedicure that begins with a bamboo and lemongrass exfoliation, and ends with a peppermint and tea-tree, acupressure foot massage to ease swelling and inflammation of legs and feet. The low lighting, soothing music and Eucalyptus oil left me not wanting to get up from the table when my massage was over. But, lunch was about to be served for us back in the waiting area.

What I wasn’t expecting, is the delicious dessert tray waiting for us there. The Ritz-Carlton knew our friend, the beautiful Ms. Jenny Ford of Sugar Loco would be there and surprised us with decadent truffles, chocolate-covered strawberries, macaroons, chocolate mint cookies and cocoa almonds. We polished off everything even before our delicious lunch rolled in from the Spa Cafe.

Before your spa day begins, visit The Ritz-Carlton with your family for their special Mother’s Day Brunch. A very special buffet will be prepared by Executive Chef Justin Fields and his culinary staff. The little ones will even have their very own menu kids’ buffet with dishes suited just to their liking. To commemorate the day, an on-site photographer will be there to take a snapshot for you to take home along with a bouquet of flowers you can build yourself from an array of fresh flowers available.

Happy Mother’s Day from Mama Bird and the Ritz-Carlton!

Disclosure: The Ritz-Carlton hosted me for the purposes of writing this review. No other compensation was provided. All opinions expressed are my own and without influence by the Ritz-Carlton.

Growing up in a sports family, I had a lot of exposure to many different fields of play. My father was a gifted athlete who excelled at every sport he tried. Our house was filled with his trophies for bowling, golf, tennis and for the Little League baseball teams he coached that my brothers played on.

His love of sports was passed down to my two brothers and I, and from the time we were old enough to pick up a bat, we all began playing baseball (or softball for me). It was our passion. We soon took on many other sports, many having been taught to us first by my Dad.

Among the three of us, we’ve played nine different sports in city leagues, junior high, high school, some college and after including soccer, football, track, basketball, volleyball, baseball, wrestling, tennis and cheerleading. And no, I wasn’t the cheerleader.

But, there’s one sports field I’ve never set foot on that many of the sports previously mentioned are based on or have elements of: lacrosse. I’ve always had some curiosity about the game, so when the Denver Outlaws invited us to see a game, how could I resist? We’ll be attending their season opener against the Nationals this Saturday, so I decided to do a little reading up on the sport to know what I’ll be looking at when I enter this very new arena for me and my family.

Like many people, I’ve always assumed lacrosse (or lax), originated in Europe or Canada, but that couldn’t be more wrong. Lacrosse is truly the original All-American sport, as it was created by American Indians. The sport was very physical, and used to train warriors for battle. Tribes played lax to settle disputes and many players were injured or even died while playing because of the physicality. Now we have protective gear, but can you imagine the blow it would be to get hit in the head, arms or body with one of those sticks without any protection?

The Indians believed their lax sticks or crosses, were extensions of their owners and had spiritual qualities. These sacred sticks were carefully-crafted and had spiritually relevant figures carved into them. I get it. I kinda felt that way about my tennis racquet too.

The game of lax is fast-paced like soccer, with players passing the ball between them using only their crosses while opponents try to knock the ball from their crosse. Points are scored when a player throws the ball past the goalie and into the opposing team’s goal or net. Played on a grass field, lax resembles soccer or football, while the offensive and defensive play resemble basketball. The physical nature of the sport and many of the skills required also translate to football.

Knowing the history of lax and how many of the sports I love were born out of it, gives me a whole new appreciation for what is now the fastest growing sport in America.

Let the games begin!

Every day since the last day Elitch’s had been open in October, Reagan has asked, “Is Elitch’s open yet? Can we go to Elitch’s?” Even a foot of snow on the ground with more still falling couldn’t dissuade Reagan from a day at Elitch’s; what was wrong with everyone else? My answer that it was too cold outside was never adequate and called for the same question the next day. And the next. And the next. So you can imagine her excitement when the day finally came.

I was excited for her. That’s why it was so hard when we almost didn’t go.

Listening is hard. Especially for five-year-olds. We have lots of time-outs when Reagan’s ears are closed, as we did Saturday morning. And then there was the whining, complaining, screaming and just acting out in general. Not a good thing to do on a day we’ve got plans. So, I did what any mom or dad would do. I took the fun away. No Elitch’s. Painful. For her and me.

And, like many parents, my resolve quickly dissolved after Reagan worked me. She apologized for her behavior, offered to draw a chart of when she’s being good and bad, cleaned her room and smothered me with hugs and kisses telling me I was the best mom in the whole wide world. I know when I’m being manipulated. I caved anyway.

It was already 2pm when we got to our first ride with our friends who arrived shortly before us. Reagan loves the Tea Cups. Luckily, today she had 14-year-old Ben to ride with instead of me. I had forgotten my Dramamine.

The high that day was 59, but that didn’t stop Ben and Reagan from wanting to ride Ship Wreck Falls. I snapped this photo of them right after their plunge down the 50′ waterfall. Everyone looked happy and relatively dry.

So how was it that when I went to find them at the exit, Reagan came walking out looking like a shivering, drowned rat, completely drenched from head to toe, and crying hysterically while Ben was still relatively dry?

Reagan had shut her ears again.

If you cross the bridge at the exact time another boat hits the water – you are bathed in a tidal wave of icy cold water about 20′ high as seen in this video…

After getting out of their boat, Reagan darted up the stairs and across the bridge despite Ben’s warnings to stop. It took us some time to dry out what we could of her clothes under the hand dryers in the bathroom. I bought her a new shirt at the shop directly across the way while she cried hysterically about how cold she was. Poor thing. There was no drying off in the warm sun that day.

TIP: Turns out, that location is discounted merchandise and Reagan’s new souvenir shirt cost only $5.

Later, a skinned knee brought more tears as Reagan tripped in line for the Thunder Bolt. Could be because her shoes were never dry enough to put back on so she was walking in socks when not in the stroller. Two band-aids later (I knew I carried those for a reason) she dried her tears and hopped right back in line.

It was some time after this that Reagan confessed to Ben’s mom that she should’ve listened to Ben and that she needs to listen to mommy too. All was not lost. Maybe my daughter had learned something that day.

Now it was time for my lesson.

Despite no Dramamine, I rode every roller coaster in the park with Ben, and a couple spinning ones against my better judgement, with both Ben and Reagan. Boomerang, Sidewinder, Twister II, Mind Eraser, The Spider and Troika, made for a long, queasy drive home with the window open that night. I was determined not to be the last calamity of the day.

I almost made it too.

Look who I ran into at Emil Lene’s Sirloin House in Aurora.
I think he’s been hanging around here since they first opened in 1958. He fit right in.

How many different ways can you get wet? Disney has imagineered some of the most original and fun water park features ever for their newest cruise ship, the Disney Fantasy.

Setting sail on Disney Fantasy’s Inaugural Cruise with Traveling Moms.com in March, marked my first Disney cruise, and only my second cruise ever. There is so much to do and explore on this 14 deck, 1,115 stem to stern ship, that I’m not quite sure I saw it all. But what I couldn’t avoid, were all the great pools, slides and spray grounds on the top decks and tucked away in adult-only areas. I could literally have packed just swimsuits for daywear and have been happy, even if we weren’t also headed to more water fun at Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island in the Bahamas. But, glad I packed my sundresses anyway for the spectacular evening entertainment, dining and nightlife. And don’t forget Pirate Night, which requires a special outfit all in itself.

Want to see all the ways Disney has come up with to get wet? Let’s start with the AquaDuck, now the second water coaster at sea with the Disney Dream boasting the first one.

While the idea of a water coaster that dips out over the ocean may sound scary, the AquaDuck is really more like a lazy river in a tube, making it age appropriate for everyone.

Ready to take a ride with me on the AquaDuck? A camera on the front of my raft captures the entire ride. Unfortunately, I wasn’t told how the audio would work, or how loudly I needed to speak. The part you may not be able to hear is me pointing out Castaway Cay as we pass by.

Mickey’s Slide is reserved just for kids, which I was sad to discover, because I really wanted to ride it. Look at it. Wouldn’t you?

It sits beside Mickey’s Pool, a two-feet deep, freshwater pool for the little ones and their parents.

Doesn’t this look like fun?! And, oh yes, there are Disney movies and live events playing all day on the giant Funnel Vision LED screen above Donald’s pool, a five-foot-deep family pool at the forward end of the ship. Rockin’ music sets the mood in this most lively area on the upper decks.

Directly behind Mickey’s Pool, is Nemo’s Reef. Younger kids can play in the fountains, pop jets and bubblers in this whimsical water play area inspired by Disney•Pixar’s Finding Nemo. 

Only the Disney Fantasy has the AquaLab, created by Donald Duck’s nephews, Huey, Dewey and Louie.

In the AquaLab, kids can play with a variety of water “experiments” in the form of moving wheels and levers to find the best way to drench the whole family!

Or, parents can escape to the nearby Wading Pool with a soothing fountain feature and shaded lounge chairs while the kids splash each other in the AquaLab.

The nice thing about Disney cruise ships, is that Disney knows the ideal family vacation is one where the adults can have time to themselves too. That’s why the Disney Fantasy has two adults only pool areas.

At the aft end of the ship is the Quiet Cove Pool reserved for adults 18 and older. This varying depth pool features a swim-up bar, the Cove Bar, and adjacent hot tub. Besides drinks, you can also order poolside massages from the experienced massage therapists at the Senses Spa & Salon just inside.

Retreat for a bite to eat or a drink at the Cove Cafe on the other side of the large porthole windows. You’ll also find hot tubs at the port and starboard sides of this adults only area that look out over the ocean and have see-through glass bottoms overlooking the deck below, just for fun.

And far, far away from the noise and bustle of the family pool area, at the very forward end of the ship, adults can enjoy some much needed peace and tranquility at Satellite Falls on the Satellite Sun Deck.

Hot tubs abound on the Disney Fantasy. In addition to the private hot tubs on the decks of some of the private suites, you can also rent an intimate room for a couples massage and then soak in your own private hot tub at the Senses Spa & Salon.

I can’t emphasize enough what a first-class experience it was to sail on the Disney Fantasy. Just imagine the level of service, joyful atmosphere and excitement of a carefree vacation at a Disney Park and transplant that onto a ship that also offers separate experiences for the kids and takes you to exciting ports of call, and you have the Disney Cruise experience. I can’t wait to share it with my family on our next Disney vacation.

Disclosure: Disney Cruise Line hosted me on the Inaugural Preview Cruise of the Disney Fantasy for the purposes of writing this review. No other compensation was provided. All opinions expressed are my own and without influence by Disney Cruise Line.

For more Wordless Wednesday Fun, visit 5 Minutes for Mom.

There were two big reasons why I wanted to make the switch. Number one, I’m a Mac girl. Have been since the 80’s. I wanted iCloud so my phone, laptop, desktop and iPad could be synced. Syncing my old Evo with any of my Apple products wasn’t very successful, even after buying third-party software that was supposed to handle it.

Number two, I wanted Instagram. As a blogger, social media addict and shutterbug, it has been really fun to be able to join the Instagram crowd. But, guess what?

Instagram FINALLY became available for Android, TODAY! Scratch that reason off the list.

The honeymoon between my iPhone and I was quickly over once I realized how many features from my Android phone I would miss.

Enter the HTC Rhyme. I’ve been playing with it for about a week now after being given the opportunity to review it. While reasons 1-6 for why I would trade my iPhone for a Rhyme are common to both the Evo and the Rhyme, reasons 6-9 are unique to the Rhyme and were really the clincher for me.

1. Swype. Makes inputting text faster and easier. Plus, editing text on the iPhone is not as easy as Android, and auto-correct on the iPhone is as much an annoyance as it is a help.
2. Google Voice Actions. Like Siri, you can use voice actions to search, control and communicate. Google’s Voice Actions are faster and more accurate at giving me what I actually need (see reason 3). Voice actions include: send text, navigate to, call, send email, set alarm, listen to (music), map of, go to, note to self, directions to and web search.
3. Google Maps Navigation with voice turn-by-turn directions. There is no navigation system on the iPhone. You can tell Siri where you want to go, but all she’ll do is Google it and leave you to fish through the links and pull up the location on a map. From there, you’ll get step-by-step directions, but they’re so tiny you have to hold the phone directly in front your face to read them. Perfect for driving. The Rhyme wins this one hands down.
4. Gmail. After two months I still haven’t taken the time to research how to access Gmail on my iPhone. Which means, I haven’t accessed my email on it at all yet.
5. Visual Voicemail. Quickly scan the text of a voicemail to see if it’s urgent.
6. Sense. The interface on the iPhone isn’t as customizable and feature-rich as Sense and it drives me nuts that I can’t place things where I want to on the screen.


Depth of field effect & high contrast filter applied. See more Easter eggs in my Flickr set: http://bit.ly/HTCeggs

7. Feature-rich Camera. Not just a pretty purple phone, the HTC Rhyme has a 5MP front and rear-facing camera to die for. You can snap photos in auto or manual mode and adjust just about everything that you could on a DSLR, except aperture. And then there’s a plethora of effects and filters built-in. You can even take seamless panoramic photos, HDR and live action shots with the Action Burst setting – perfect for snapping photos of kids or sporting events. Take video too. The mind boggles with how much I could do with this camera as a blogger. No need to lug around an expensive DSLR, all I’d need is my Rhyme!
8. Docking Station. This is cool. The docking station not only charges your phone, but can become a desktop clock, calendar, photo slideshow and stereo system. That’s right, there is a speaker built right in and it sounds amazing!
9. Charm. How many times have you gone digging through your purse with your phone ringing only to miss the call? The charm is a cute, little, light-up dangle that hangs on the outside of your bag and is connected to your phone so you can quietly see when you have a call and find your phone quickly. HTC has thought of everything.

The HTC Rhyme is FREE right now at Verizon with a two-year contract. Maybe my husband won’t have to wait that long after all for his iPhone.

I hope he doesn’t mind white with a pink Otter Box.

Disclosure: HTC provided me with the Rhyme temporarily for the purposes of writing this review. I was also compensated for my time. However, all opinions expressed are my own and without influence by HTC.

That was me.

Flying to sunny Orlando for a fun-filled, five-day, working vacation with TravelingMom.com in exactly six days. We were invited to preview the brand new Disney Fantasy on its’ Inaugural Cruise.

My first time in Florida.

My first Disney Cruise.

I was so excited to be making this journey! And, I wanted to look good while making it. What girl wouldn’t, right?

While still in my “it’s winter in Colorado” clothes, I mentally scanned my summer wardrobe and knew. There was no way much of what I had worn just last summer was going to fit. This has become a common occurrence since entering my 40′s. But, that’s another post.

Certainly, I would need something easy-to-wear, cool and comfortable. Something that would travel well in my carry-on luggage and I could pull out the next day and slip on without ironing. Something beachy, but elegant. Something that could go from sipping Piña Coladas poolside on the deck to dinner in the Royal Court at night. Something colorful. Something pretty. Something flattering.

I had made my mind up to find a maxi-dress in a coastal print. But where? And when? I had no time for malls.

A surprise email from Fresh Produce saved me: “Would you like to review an item of your choosing from our Summer Collection?”

Fresh Produce? That sounded familiar. I perused their site and found everything I was looking for. It would literally be hard to choose. Cruise wear, casual wear, everyday wear… so many collections, so many colors! In less than 10 minutes I had found the perfect maxi-dress. Catalina in South Beach Blue. No sooner did I say yes than my dress had arrived. Just in time to be packed in my suitcase before my early morning flight. No malls involved.

How appropriate that our first dining experience on the Fantasy was in the Enchanted Garden, because I felt like a princess in my flowing, Catalina cruise dress. And from the compliments I received, I almost believed I was one too. The fit and fabric of this casual dress are fabulous. You’d never know I had been wearing it all day and it never needed ironing.

I love the fact that Fresh Produce is run by a mom entrepreneur and Made in the U.S.A. You can find them in more than 500 independent retailers throughout the US, Canada and the Caribbean. And, of their 25 company-owned retail boutiques, one happens to be located in near-by Boulder. But, with $8 flat rate shipping on all orders in the US, I may just be filling out the rest of my summer wardrobe without ever leaving my house.

Disclosure: Fresh Produce provided me with a dress for the purposes of writing this review. No other compensation was provided. All opinions expressed are my own and without influence by Fresh Produce.