Half-off Deal: Serendipi-Tea in Old Littleton

Have you been to old Littleton lately? Main Street and Curtice are quickly becoming the hottest spot in town! There's nothing you can't do or see in this gorgeous little town that is big on personality. Just a moments drive from Santa Fe Drive or Broadway you're in the heart of the town that I love to call home.

Serendipi-Tea is about one block north of Main on Curtice Street where cozy bungalows beckon you to slow down and step back in time. Serendipi-Tea is bringing a taste of simpler times to all of us suburbanites - and right now you can have your taste for half-off!

Juice in the City is bringing you "$10 worth of tea time pleasures for just $5"! Buy one for you and buy gifts to share! This will be a great afternoon treat to take your daughter for a special mother-daughter day or surprise your mother or grandmother with some quality time over tea!

Want more details? Click HERE, but hurry! This offer is only good through Sunday (6/26/11).

Juice In the City - It's All About the Deals

Moms, don't deny it. We love a good deal.

I love finding a deal that gets me something I already want at a fraction of the price. I adore finding a deal that will make a great gift. My heart flutters when I find a deal that is something fun or extravagant that I would otherwise never consider.

Juice In The City is in Denver and you can be "in the juice" here at Mom In Progress. You'll be getting the low down on deals and pick the ones that are best for you! There are new deals to be had daily, so be sure to subscribe and check out their website to be in the know.

You'll be seeing posts here on deals that I've tried in and around Littleton. Have a local business you want "juiced?" Send me a message!

Until next time... I'm off to sip on another great deal!

Idaho Springs: Quick, Easy, Fun

Most of us with (or without) kids have stopped in Idaho Springs on our way to and from some other mountain destination. Is it taking a leap to guess that you stopped in to eat at Beau Jo's? I don't think so.

Last year we took a chance and made Idaho Springs our final destination. It was accompanied by a drive up Mount Evans, a soak in the hot springs, and yes, dinner at Beau Jo's. This year, we opted to check-out the town and spend most of our time letting the kids swim at the Indian Hot Springs.

Now the first thing you need to know is that you can get a pretty amazing deal if you spend the night at the Indian Hot Springs. The second thing you need to know is that their website makes them look like a way nicer place than they really are. With that said, if you stay in the "lodge" (not the "inn") and stick to the swimming pool only, I think your family will feel pretty comfortable. If you're up for having an interesting experience, you might consider branching out from there.

Part of what makes the Indian Hot Springs such a great deal is that you get pool passes with your lodging - so even if you only stay for one night, you get a pass for the day you arrive and a pass for the day you depart. This was the main attraction for our kids and we did plenty of swimming during our stay.

Walking in the mountain air around downtown Idaho Springs was quiet and relaxing. The small shopping strip takes up less than three blocks but has plenty of unique shops with something for everyone in the family. Our kids salivated over the sweet shops, I found myself meandering through the antique store, and we found a few treasures to take home to commemorate our trip and share a bit of Colorado high country with friends and loved ones.

Our favorites were the Georgetown Valley Candy Company (a bag of their homemade caramel corn quickly became our snack for the drive home), Margie's Place (which had a fun selection of goodies - the kids loved it all!), and  the Soap Shop (organic, eco-friendly, and smells like a dream). For the first time, we branched out beyond Beau Jo's and stopped in at The Buffalo for lunch. We loved it! This isn't exactly health food, but the buffalo steak sandwich was awesome (think Philly Steak) and the onion rings were delicious. Everyone left happy.

Our little guy quickly spotted the beautiful water fall and water wheel just on the other side of I70.

On our next venture, I think we'll stop in at the Argo Gold Mine and Mill and hear more about the history of gold mining in the area. Rafting is another top pick for recreation in the area... hope to have a recommendation for you next year!

Do you have a favorite spot in Idaho Springs? Another little mountain town that is worth exploring? Please share it!

Camping with Kids in Colorado

If you follow me on Facebook or Twitter, you might remember that about a month ago I was very excited about our first camping trip of the season. I was planning all of the details to make the trip go smoothly, create some fun memories, and give myself some room to relax. Although naturally nothing went as planned, I can honestly say that memories were made.

Golden Gate Canyon State Park is said to have some of the best tent camping in Colorado - I concur. This is just one reason why you can't just pack up the car today and hope to find a spot tonight. Reservations are almost a necessity and when you're going with kids you just can't take the risk of driving around trying to find a camping spot (fyi, we made this mistake for the first and last time about a year ago).

To me, Golden Gate is the perfect location for several reasons, not the least of which that it is close to home (less than an hour and a half from south Denver) and because it is a state park has plenty of well-kept accommodations (ie. decent bathrooms).

We scored what I think were the best spots in the whole park - Aspen Meadows sites 24 & 25 - because of their quiet, inner-loop location, and tons of boulders for the kids to climb on and play. We've also stayed at Aspen Meadows sites 18 & 19 before which are also winners, and great if you really want to find some community with other campers.

Kid's relaxing at the camp site

We hiked to "Dude's Fishing Hole" which was an easy and short walk for kids, just slightly uphill on the way back to camp. Skipping rocks & bird watching were our main events, but obviously fishing would suit & in warmer weather I'd bet some wading would be a blast.

Dude's Fishing Hole

On your way in or out, you need to stop at Panorama Point and enjoy the view. If you're only taking a day hike, this would be an awesome spot for having your picnic lunch because it has bathrooms and a covered area. My experience is that some of the lower hiking trails (before you get up to the camping areas) are very exposed and not great for families on a hot sunny day.

Even if you already have your state parks pass, I'd still recommend a stop at the visitor's center on the way into the park. They have a nice display that will pique the kids' interest and give them some extra motivation to make it the rest of the way up to your camping spot!

I'd love to hear about your favorite camping spots close to (or far from) Denver. Leave a comment so we can check them out!

So Much To Do, So Little Time (to write about it)

I've been taking a lot of time to do take advantage of summertime here in Colorado.... the last three weeks have been an awesome mix of over-night adventures and local kid activities. This week, I'll be highlighting a few of the things we've been doing, but for now...

Here's a quick rundown of all the free activities to take advantage of in Littleton:

Tuesdays at 2pm in June: Bemis Public Library has programs just for kids each week

Wednesdays from 10am - 3pm: Farmer's Market at Aspen Grove  (bring some money to buy local or just enjoy the sights and sounds!)

Wednesdays at 7pm: Concerts at the Littleton Historical Museum on the lawn through the end of July

Wednesday evenings: Aspen Grove Family Movie Nights through the end of July ( BYO blanket & plan for a movie under the stars - better for families with older children)

Saturday June 25 is Great American Backyard Campout night! - Get the neighbors together for a fun night right on your block!

Southglenn Library and other in the Arapahoe Library District have other great summer reading programs much like Bemis - click the link to take you right to the listings.

Not quite Littleton & not quite free... Regal Riverpoint movie theater has $1 movies every Tuesday and Wednesday at 10am through early August. A great way to beat the heat - click HERE to search for the theater nearest you!