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Things to do in Colorado

1 In Colorado/ Colorado Springs/ Free stuff/ Things to do in Colorado

Our first “Climb, Soar, Swim, Explore” Event at Chick-Fil-A!

In December, ChickFilA reached out to ask if I would be a part of one of their upcoming Family Nights!

The event was held on Tuesday, January 30th and it was SO.MUCH.FUN!

ChickFila provided little “books” so that each kid could write their own story!  I provided coloring and activity pages. The cow was out to greet everyone and interact with all the guests. Cedric Taylor, the illustrator, was drawing caricatures of all the guests who were there! I read my book two times, to two different groups of extremely engaged and well-behaved children, and did lots of book signings!!

All Luke wanted to do was hang out with the cow! George, Clark and Paul loved helping me with the story by showing each of the animals as I read about them.

Here are some pictures and a video of the night:

Thank you to those who were able to participate in the Family Night! Thank you to Chick-Fil-A too!

It’s not too late to get a copy of Climb, Soar, Swim, Explore for only $10 signed and shipped by clicking on this link!

 

January 31, 2018 By
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6 In Colorado/ Colorado Springs/ Family/ Raising boys/ Things to do in Colorado

Our Saturday adventure at the Siamese Twins!

Saturday was a beautiful, sunny day and we wanted to get out and enjoy it!

We went to Garden of the Gods and found our favorite spot … well, we have lots of favorite spots…so we went to ONE of our favorite spots…the Siamese twins.

Siamese Twins (and can you spot Ted?)

It’s an easy hike, but off the beaten path!

Here are more pictures from our hike around Siamese Twins:

 

My favorite grown man and four little men!

Being outside feeds our souls. We love living in Colorado!

What feeds YOUR soul? Leave me a comment!

January 28, 2018 By
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15 In Colorado/ Colorado Springs/ Food/ Product Recommendations/ Things to do in Colorado

Best places to eat in Colorado Springs

My favorite date nights with Ted include discovering new restaurants!

When we become empty nesters and have more time on our hands, I would love to visit every single restaurant in Colorado Springs (and beyond!).

I could be like Julie in Julie and Julia (I love this movie!)

Julie took a year and cooked her way through Julia Child’s cookbook and wrote about the recipes in her blog.

I could eat my way through Colorado Springs and write about it. And will someone remind me of this in about 15 years when our littlest one is out of the house? Who would like to join me in this future endeavor?!

Also – the year after I try all of the restaurants…

… I will be trying all of the gyms …

… to lose all of the weight!

Anyway …. I haven’t yet tried every restaurant in The Springs. (Not Yet!) But of all the ones we’ve tried so far, here are the ones that keep us coming back.

  1. Cork and Cask – This is an amazing place to come for an appetizer and a drink. The decor is fabulous.

2. Hacienda – Great tex-mex with a fabulous view (if you sit on the top floor).

3. Rabbit Hole – This is an EXPERIENCE! You go down a little staircase in the middle of downtown – and find a delightful restaurant underground!

Dinner with friends at the Rabbit Hole

4. King Chefs Diner – Come wearing your baggy pants because you will be served a BIG breakfast!

This place has two locations. I recommend the original – it’s a tiny castle with only about 20 seats inside. It’s a fun EXPERIENCE! My oldest son loves their burgers (I had a bite and they were amazing!) Another son loves their french toast – it’s delicious too! My favorite thing, though, are their HUGE breakfast burritos smothered in green chili. Food Network called this meal the best breakfast in Colorado and I’d have to agree! (Note – they only accept cash!) Oh, and the coffee is great too!

5. CB Potts – Great burgers (Big Porter Blue is my fav) and a fantastic view!

6. Modern Market – I wrote 7 things I love about this place here.

7. Ivywild – A historic school that has been transformed into several restaurants.

They have a whiskey bar with live music in one section, coffee bar and baked goods in another section, then a full restaurant and brewery in a third section. This place is worth a visit! My seven year old disappeared the last time I was there. I found him sitting at the whiskey bar, chatting with the bartender, snacking on maraschino cherries.                              

8. Pepper Tree Restaurant -This restaurant served the best steaks I’ve ever tasted in my entire life.

I had one of their signature steaks, and my husband had the filet. They were both amazing. It’s the PERFECT spot for a birthday or anniversary. Dinner for two will cost around $100 (not including appetizers, drinks or dessert), but it is OH so good! You should make a reservation because the dining room is small. The restaurant is unassuming from the outside, but once you get inside, the view is beautiful! I love that they cook your steak right next to your table. I honestly can’t wait to go back. How many more days til my Birthday?

9. Restaurant 1858 (Seven Falls) – Dining at this restaurant is a memorable experience.

Park at the Broadmoor (near The Golden Bee).  The shuttle will take you to Seven Falls.  Enjoy a beautiful walk up to the restaurant.  Some of the delicious food at 1858 is Broadmoor is served in a cast iron skillet like they would have used in 1858! I recommend the Chili Con Queso nachos! They were incredible and made from scratch (homemade wild boar chili, chips, cheese and pickled jalapeños … yum!)  Loved our experience there!

10. Shuga’s-This is a fun little date place. You MUST try the Spicy Brazilian Shrimp soup.

11. Carrabbas Italian Grill – I love trying local, authentic restaurants but I keep coming back to this place.

I love the warm bread with the oil (and that special seasoning). I love their house salad. And the chicken marsala just melts in your mouth and has SO much flavor. I’ve ordered the marsala dishes at so many other places and it’s never the same. I’m getting hungry just typing this. Something handy we occasionally use is their carside carryout. I order online, drive up, they bring it out to my car!   If you eat here, sign up for the Dine Rewards Program. You get 50% off every fourth visit. 

12. The Broadmoor Hotel – There are many places to visit at this Historic Hotel.. and each is special for different reasons.

    1. The Broadmoor Brunch is an EVENT and so delicious! The Sunday brunch is about 50 dollars per person, but there’s a similar brunch on Saturday for half the price.
    2. The Golden Bee – Come for the good Irish food, stay for the “sing-a-long” – lyrics provided!

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January 10, 2018 By
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2 In Colorado/ Family/ Motherhood/ My Journey/ Things to do in Colorado

Goals for 2018

I haven’t been good about setting goals for myself in the past, but in 2017 I set 3 goals:

  1. Read 40 books
  2. Launch a blog by September 1
  3. Publish a book by the end of the year

Somehow, 2017 ended up being a year that I did all three! I launched a blog (on September 1), read lots of great books, and published my first book! WOW!!! This goal stuff might actually work! So…

Here are my goals for 2018!

1. Personal Goals

  • Market my book
  • Continue writing –
    • 2 posts per week for this blog,
    • Bible Studies for the Help Club and
    • articles for Homefront Magazine,
    • and write new drafts for my next children’s book
  • explore new places – Aspen, Telluride, Cave of the Winds, Crag, Paint Mines, Wolf Sanctuary
  • Keep learning – podcasts, classes, books, etc

2. Marriage Goals

  • Go on a monthly date with my husband
  • Go on an overnight with just the two of us

3. Motherhood Goals

  • Stay ENGAGED, present with my sons – enjoying each moment (It’s going by so quickly!)
  • Spend one-on-one time with each one

4. Ministry Goals

  • Build relationships with kids and volunteers
  • Invest in current volunteers
  • Personally invite 50 more people to serve

Leave a comment with a goal you have for 2018 (Little box beside the title of this post)!

Don’t forget to subscribe (on the right under my picture)!

 

December 30, 2017 By
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5 In Colorado Springs/ Family/ Motherhood/ Product Recommendations/ Raising boys/ Saving money/ Things to do in Colorado

Best Inexpensive Christmas stocking ideas!

If you are like me, stockings are an afterthought. I put the presents under the tree and then those stockings are hanging there…staring back at me…begging me to stuff them. I’ve usually already spent my Christmas budget on REAL gifts, so I don’t want to spend much on the stocking stuffers. So, I decided to make a trip to the Dollar Tree to see what I could find. Would you believe that I found enough to fill all of my kid’s stockings – for under $10 each!! Here are things I found!

My #1 favorite idea EVER for Christmas stockings:

  1. JOURNAL

Put a journal in your child’s stocking with the following questions (one question per page):

  • What was your favorite book or movie this year?
  • What is one happy memory from this year?
  • What is one thing you learned?
  • What did God do in your life this year?
  • What are you looking forward to in 2018?

After everyone answers the questions, do two things: FIRST: Have each person share their answers and SECOND: Put the journal back in their stocking for the next year.

Not only will we get to reflect on good memories from THIS year as we talk about our answers, but we will also get to look back on all that we’ve learned, relive the happiest memories, and remember what God has done YEAR AFTER YEAR!!!!!

(Can you see why this is my favorite stocking stuffer idea EVER!!!!????)

There are LOTS of options for journals at the Dollar Store – I found a unique one for each person in our house!

 

2. CHAPSTICK OR LIP BALM

It doesn’t seem like we can ever have enough of these. Especially in the winter or dry climate of Colorado!

 

3. PAINT WITH WATER BOOKS

I LOVED these as a little kid and was so pleased to find them at the dollar store for my youngest boys!

 

4. DRAWING BOOKS

My kids enjoy drawing and I was so happy to see that the dollar store had books that will teach us how to draw animals and sea life!

5. BOOKS TO READ

There are tons of books for all reading levels.

 

6. ACTIVITY BOOKS

These are handy for holiday road trips. My kids also keep them beside their beds to work on puzzles when they can’t sleep.

 

7. LEARNING GAMES AND BOOKS!

These are perfect for 3-8 year olds who are just beginning to learn letters and numbers, or who are learning to read and write.

 

8. PUZZLES

Honestly, the puzzles at the dollar store aren’t my favorite, but they do make a simple and inexpensive stocking stuffer. Your kids can do this once, and you don’t have to feel guilty about throwing it away.

9. PLAY MONEY

My kids love to ‘set up shop’ in our house and sell their toys to each other. This gift idea a little too wide for our stockings, but I still wanted to add it to the list because it’s an expensive gift you can put in a gift bag!

 

10. GAMES

There are so many to choose from – Checkers, Mini Jenga, TicTacToe, Card Games, Ball Games and more!

      

 

11. LEGOS

I can’t say what the quality of these are, but I went ahead and put one of these in each of my kid’s stockings so we could try them out.

12. CANDY or SNACKS

They have a ton of snacks from which to choose.

 

 

13. CUP OR WATER BOTTLE

Encourage your children to drink more water by adding a special cup to their stocking.

 

14. HAIR ACCESSORIES

I have four boys, so the only one in our house that uses most of this stuff is ME. However, I grew up with FOUR sisters, and I know how handy it was to have extra bands, bows, clips, combs and brushes!

 

15. CRAFTS

Lots of items to put in the stocking for the child who loves to draw, paint and color!

 

 

BONUS – If you are filling a stocking for your family pet – they have stocking stuffers treats for dogs and cats too!

 

 


 

 

Do you have a favorite item that you add to the stockings in your house? Comment and let me know!

 

December 16, 2017 By
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1 In Colorado/ Colorado Springs/ Faith/ Family/ Finding our place/ Motherhood/ Moving/ Raising boys/ Things to do in Colorado

Our Adventure on Gold Camp Road

Two and a half years ago, when we decided to move to Colorado, I had mixed feelings. Part of me was excited about the new adventure, and part of me felt fear and even dread! I didn’t want to say good bye to all the things and the people we loved. I didn’t know anyone, or much of anything about Colorado! Then I stumbled across this quote:

“Always in the big woods when you leave familiar ground and step off alone into a new place there will be, along with the feelings of curiosity and excitement, a little nagging of dread. It is the ancient fear of the Unknown, and it is your first bond with the wilderness you are going into.” ~ Wendell Berry

Wow. I clung to this quote like I would a favorite Bible verse or security blanket.

Along with the quote was a picture of a tunnel on Gold Camp Road in Colorado Springs. I was determined to one day, find that tunnel, get a picture of it and post the quote.

On Thanksgiving 2017 – this dream finally became a reality!

We have an annual tradition of going out as a family on Thanksgiving morning. We like to spend the morning hiking or exploring. Since we didn’t have any friends or family in town this year, we decided to try to find the tunnel.  We weren’t exactly sure where it was or how far we’d have to hike/drive. Someone sort of told me where it was, and we headed off.

We drove past Helen Hunt Falls and continued up the mountain until the road became a dirt (Lower Gold Camp Road). We continued on this gorgeous road about a mile until – “wah – lah!” There it was, right in front of us. We parked and explored this incredible tunnel. It was everything I had imagined and more. Stunning, spooky, enormous, and picturesque!

 

  

I’m grateful to call Colorado Springs home. I’m glad I was able to move beyond the fear (and the dread) of leaving what was familiar and those we loved to embrace this new adventure! I honestly can’t believe we get to call Colorado home!

 

 

December 9, 2017 By
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5 In Book Review/ Colorado Springs/ Motherhood/ My Journey/ Product Recommendations/ Things to do in Colorado

Climb, Soar, Swim, Explore! The story behind the story.

 



My husband Ted has been working on a book for a couple of years now. One day as we were talking about HIS book, he mentioned that I should write a book. Unfortunately, my first answer was, “I can’t write a book.” (I’m finding this is a pattern with me, and not a good one!)

Nelson Mandela once said,

“It always seems impossible until it’s done.”

That sums up how I was feeling (and how I felt most of the way)

As I continued to think about it, I realized I COULD write a book – a Children’s Book! I’ve been reading children’s literature since I was a child. Because I’ve probably read a million children’s books by now, I can recognize the good ones, the bad ones – and the amazing ones that needs to be read over and over!!

Begin Writing

So… I started writing. I had lots of ideas and wrote some in a journal by hand, typed some on my computer, I even typed ideas into the “notes” section on my phone. Then…I finally had ideas that came together into a ‘story’ that might even work as my first BOOK!

From there, I started sharing it – I read it to my kids and asked for their feedback. I read it to my kid’s classes and asked for feedback. I sent it to friends and family and asked for their feedback. I tweaked and changed and edited until I was ready for the next step:

Finding an illustrator

I reached out to a ton of illustrators and most never returned my calls or emails. The ones who did respond said that they charge up to $20,000 per project. That was not realistic for me.

From there, I said, “God, if you want me to finish this project, you’ll need to help me find an illustrator. Bring the right person across my path.”

In August 2017, we had a neighborhood picnic and a face painter was there. His name was Cedric Taylor. He brought several illustrations with him of examples of what he could paint. His pictures were fun, happy, inviting, and just beautiful – exactly what I was looking for in my book! I wrote down his name and knew he was THE ONE!

I found out that he worked at a local art studio and showed up there one afternoon in early September. I gave Cedric a copy of my manuscript and asked if he would want to work with me.

He called me the next day and said that he would be willing to illustrate the book and already had sketches drawn! We met at 5:30 am at our local YMCA and when I saw the work he had done, I cried. I love how God gives each person gifts that are so different. Cedric’s drawings were incredible. I was amazed how he brought the story to life! We agreed on a price for his work and from there I focused on…

Finding a graphic artist

I happened to remember that one of my new friends in Colorado Springs is in charge of designing and publishing my favorite Bible studies. She uses amazon.com‘s Create Space to self-publish. I reached out to her to see if I could hire her as my book designer to help make this book a reality. She said YES!

So … between my writing, the beautiful illustrations by Cedric Taylor, the incredible design work of Kristall Willis and SO many others who gave ideas, edited, supported the Go Fund Me Page campaign … we have a PUBLISHED book!

This is a fictional story of the Egly boys climbing Pikes Peak and encountering the animals that actually live there. Children will enjoy this adventure story and learn some fun facts about Colorado Wildlife!

A resource to find other avenues to publish is the annual Writer’s Market: A Guide to Getting Published.

December 4, 2017 By
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6 In Colorado/ Colorado Springs/ Motherhood/ Raising boys/ Things to do in Colorado

Cotillion – what is it and why your child would benefit from it!

Last year our family was introduced to Cotillion, and we absolutely loved it!

Why do we love it?

Cotillion teaches:

  • COURTESY,
  • CONFIDENCE,
  • LEADERSHIP and
  • RESPECT!

Tools they can use throughout their life!

Boys and girls who attend Cotillion will also be learning about:

  • good manners,
  • polite conversation,
  • ballroom dancing,
  • etiquette, and 
  • how to make a GOOD first impression.

Regarding Ballroom Dancing, here is why Cotillion teaches kids to dance:

“Dance breaks down inhibitions, teaches physical respect, develops confidence, establishes teamwork and cooperation, reinforces non-verbal and verbal communication, and teaches students how to appropriately interact with the opposite gender in a structured and healthy environment.”

As a mother, I love giving my boys opportunities to build confidence. I want them to know how to handle themselves in uncomfortable situations and how to communicate with people of all ages. I want them to be courteous and use good manners. The Cotillion instructors teach, reinforce and encourage all of those skills in a fun and safe environment!

The Carnegie foundation indicates that over 85% of one’s career success is directly connected to one’s social skills!

Here are some details about the Colorado Springs Cotillion:

What age: For children in 3rd – 8th Grades

When: One evening a week for 6 weeks, beginning in January. Online registration can be done at Cotillion.com (It’s recommended that you register early – class sizes are limited and filled on a first-come, first-served basis.)

This is the schedule for the 3rd-4th grade class:

Introduction to Social Skills
Listening & Conversation
Courtesy & Consideration
Making Good Choices
Table Manners
Final Party / Parents Night
5:15 – 6:30 PM
The Broadmoor Hotel

 

You can register here: cotillion.com

Note: There are discounts for military and educators, as well as need-based discounts. Send them a note if you want info on that!

PS – We find suits we love for our boys at HMKids.com: Search Blazer and Suit Pants!

November 28, 2017 By
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2 In Family/ Motherhood/ Raising boys/ Things to do in Colorado

A Peek into our Week

Sunday

We went to church as a family then to Freddy’s Burgers for lunch.

It was a beautiful day, so we played outside for awhile then Ted built them an amazing fort in the living room, and we climbed in to watch some football.

For dinner I made a delicious Hello Fresh recipe:

Chicken Thighs in Kimchi Sauce with an Asian Pear Slaw and Jasmine Rice

 

Monday

Ted went to work, and I took the boys to LifeTime Gym using a free guest pass. We haven’t been members at a gym since moving to Colorado, and I’m ready to join a gym again. I need to work out a little more regularly, and I want to have a pool and gym that the boys and Ted can use too!

Lifetime is clean, beautiful, has tons of equipment and lots to do. However, the boys (except Luke) didn’t like the kids play area and the Y actually has a nicer indoor pool area than Lifetime.

That afternoon we had some kids over to play and for dinner I made tilapia.

 

Tuesday

I took the boys to Monkey Bizness for a few hours in the morning. It was raining outside, so it was the perfect morning to spend there. The boys were having fun and playing so nicely that I was able to get a little work done while they were playing. We came home to let Luke nap and played outside most of the rest of the day.

 

Wednesday

The big boys got to go to Skyzone with a friend while I did some Thanksgiving prep.

That afternoon Ted came home and we went over to check out our local YMCA. The Y is not fancy, but it has all of the equipment we need, a good variety of classes, and a well-organized child care area. The indoor pools are great – one pool is heated (which I loved!) and another, larger indoor pool had a waterslide! It was the first time Luke swam without me holding onto him (With swimmies)! I wish I had my camera to capture his sweet face. He was so excited to swim all by himself!  The Y is more cost effective than Lifetime and the boys liked it better – so we decided to join there. Plus, we’ll get discounts on campgrounds around the state and sports for the boys!

 

Thursday

A Thanksgiving tradition we have is to go out an explore on Thanksgiving morning. Last year we hiked Helen Hunt Falls and this year we decided to go find this beautiful tunnel I’ve been wanting to find since before we even moved here. WE FOUND IT and it was just as spectacular as I had imagined!!! (It’s near Helen Hunt Falls, further up the mountain on Lower Gold Camp Road.)

Then…I made my very first Turkey!!! It wasn’t a Griswold turkey –  It was delicious!!! I had to google “how to cook a turkey” and the instructions were everything I needed!  I also made a sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes and gravy (my fav), corn, green beans and rolls.

Kathryn’s first turkey

My outstanding prep team peeling LOTS of potatoes!

I asked the boys what their favorite part of the meal was and here are their answers:

George: rolls, turkey, green bean

Clark: corn, turkey and mashed potatoes

Paul: corn, mashed potatoes, rolls

Luke: He was napping when I asked the big boys but my guess would be the rolls since that’s the only thing he ate without being told to ‘take one more bite!’

After the little kids went to bed, George and I went to Target (George is my night owl). I needed a new phone, and if you renewed Thursday night or Friday, you received a $250 store gift card! I was hoping the crowds would be less crazy on Thursday night but I still had a 3 hour wait to get my phone. Thankfully, I could just roam the store while I waited for their text to say it was my turn.

George trying to decide what hat he liked best.

 

Friday

I slept in til 6:40 am! (Thank you, Ted) Luke loves to wake up around 5:30-5:45 lately so Ted took him downstairs so I could sleep a little longer. Then Paul comes in my room at 6:40 with lots of stories to tell. He always has stories.

When everyone was up, we went to the YMCA again to exercise, play basketball, and swim!

The rest of the day was a lazy family day with some backyard games and a movie on the couch.

I also spent some time this week working with the designer to get final edits done for Climb, Soar, Swim, Explore! It’s coming together and looks incredible!

I hope you had a great week and Happy Thanksgiving! Leave me a comment and tell me about your week!

November 24, 2017 By
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0 In Book Review/ Family/ Free stuff/ Raising boys/ Saving money/ Things to do in Colorado

Holiday Gift Guide – Best Gifts for children and teachers!

 

As a former teacher, children’s ministry director, child enthusiast and mother to 4 Adventurous Boys –  I have spent the majority of my life ……….. PLAYING!!

I love finding EXCELLENT Toys and Gifts to stimulate and grow CHILDREN….plus… I do not like wasting money on toys that end up sitting on the shelf!

Using all of my experience, I’ve compiled a guide of the top 10 CHILD and PARENT approved gifts for Children ages 1-10. PLUS – a bonus TEACHER GIFT GUIDE!

Coolest idea ever RIGHT? …Ok well, one of the coolest ideas ever.

This guide will be your BEST FRIEND ( ok COFFEE is your best friend ) during the holidays!!!

We can all use LESS STRESS during the holidays RIGHT … It will Cost YOU ONLY 3 bucks!! … that’s less than a Starbucks latte  ( NO BIG DEAL …) A 3 dollar DE-STRESSOR …YESSSS PLEASE!!

Think of the TIME and HASSLE this book will save you during the holidays …and it will be in your hand about 90 seconds after you:

 A. Find 3 DOLLARS … Dang that’s cheap … should I raise the price?

 B. Click on this LINK   …https://gum.co/NMeTH

OR when you PRE-ORDER my Children’s Book – Climb, Soar, Swim, Explore! You get a copy for FREE!!!!

https://www.gofundme.com/kathrynegly

Thanks for letting me de-stress your holidays!!  Buy the Book Now! … Make a cup of coffee …. sit back and Get that Shopping DONE ….BOOM.
PS…. Hey My 4 Boys ( George Clark  Paul and Luke ) say thanks for spending the 3 BUCKS! They a get a cut and purchase and purchase one of the toys from this handy guide!!!

The Gift Guide Unwrapped:

 

November 8, 2017 By
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