Spooktakular Halloween/Fall in Colorado

Looking for something to do this Halloween/Fall?

Check out the Haunted Mines  – with new levels (Level 13 just opened), scares and monsters! Located on the East Side of I25 – across the north entrance to the Air Force Academy. ( Gleneagle/North Gate Exit 156a). You can purchase tickets now ($15 on Fridays and Saturdays, $13 on other Nights – according to their website); online purchasing options are being set up. There is also a discount ($3 or $2 – depending on day of the week) for the Military!

Buckskin Joe’s Town of Terror – October 15th – 18th, 21st – 25th and 27th – 31st. According to their website – not for the faint of heart. This is mostly an outdoor event – dress for the weather/season. Discount Coupons are available on the websiteas well. Located on County Road 3a (Road to the Royal Gorge).

Visit the Colorado Pumpkin Patch – open from September 25th through October 31st. Enjoy straw slides, hay pyramids, tractor rides and a straw maze. According to the website – Costs are $5 on Fridays and $7 on Saturdays. Kids under 2 years are free. Check out the site for directions, times and additional information.

Anderson Farms Corn Maze – Fall Festival2009 from September 19th through November 1st. Check out the 30 acre corn maze, the Sudoku corn maze game, the hay-rides and gem stone mining. You can buy tickets online, get coupons, maps etc. They are located at 6728 CR 3 1/4, Erie, CO 80516. My friend goes there every year – and loves it!

Story time at Barnes and Noble – 1565 Briargate, on October 31st at 11:00 am. Here two Halloween tales – “What was I scared of?” (Dr. Seuss) and “Black Cat Creeping By” (Teddy Slater). Come in Costume! It is free – but please call 719-266-9960 to verify.

Do you have any tips on Fall/Halloween Events in the area?

Colorado Springs Happenings

Think Summer is over and there’s nothing left to do? Think again… things are just getting started! Here are just some of the upcoming events:

September 24th – Coldstone Creamery: 8th Annual “World’s Largest Ice Cream Social” from 5:00pm to 8:00pm, to benefit the Make-a-Wish Foundation. (It’s NEVER too cold for Ice Cream – and this one’s for a good cause!) http://www.coldstonecreamery.com/

September 26th: Eco Festival at the Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site from 10:00am to 3:00pm. For a $3 donation (to benefit Rock Ledge Ranch), you can enjoy exhibitors, music, food, workshops, etc. Check out www.pikespeakcofestival.com

September 29th: Taste of the Broadmoor Benefit Dinner, at 6:00pm. A five-course dinner to celebrate the culinary industry and the Broadmoor Culinary Apprenticeship program. Cost is $150 per person. Call (719)577-5733 for Reservations.

October 3rd: Harvest Festival at the Rock Ledge Ranch. Free Admission! You can tour Rock Ledge House, go on a hay ride, enjoy some food, listen to music, pick a pumpkin (Not everything is free.) For additional information, please call (719)578-6777.

To search for Events, ranging from Food to Music, Attractions to Nightlife, and Restaurants to Festivals, check out  http://www.coloradosprings.com/. Pick your time and see what’s available.

Colorado Springs Summer Events

Looking for something to do in Colorado Springs? Ready to enjoy the summer and have fun? Check out the following:

American Soldier tribute – A photo tribute to the American Soldier – at the Phil Long Expo Center, from Saturday through September 13th. For more info call 867-6635.

Outdoors activities more “your thing”? Check out White Water Rafting Trips. Call 526-5366 for more info. Trips are $40 per person and include transportation, gear and guides.

Enjoy the Colorado State Fair- from August 28th through September 7th at the State Fair Grounds in Pueblo. For tickets, call Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000 or go online at http://www.ticketmaster.com .

From July 8th through the 11th, you can enjoy the 69th annual Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeoat the Norris-Penrose Events Center Arena. The Fort Carson Night is July 8th. Tickets start at $10 for Adults and $7.50 for Children. Call 576-2626, go online at http://www.ticketswest.com or go to any King Soopers Customer Service.

Free entry to National Parks: The weekend of July 18th/19th and August 15th/16th - Entrance Fees to many national parks and monuments in Colorado will be waived.

Fort Carson’s annual Independence Day Celebrationwill happen July 3rd, from 4-10:30 pm at Ironhorse Park. The event is free and the public is invited.

For an Old Fashioned Fourth of July, check out the Rock Ledge Historic Site on July 4th from 9am to 5pm. This includes speeches, carnival games, ice cream, a Civil War encampment, Buffalo Soldier bivouac etc. Solders and retired military get in for half price by showing ID. Regular admission is $2-$6.

Thanks to Nel Lampe and the Mountaineer for compiling this info!

Octuplets – Insanity Redefined

By now everyone has heard about Nadya Suleman and her 14 children. Now we come to find out that she may have used part of the payments she received for a Disability to pay for the Fertility Treatments that added 8 more children to her family, in addition to the 6 children she already had.

On top of that – she is expecting the help of the cash strapped California Government, as well as the general public, by setting up a website, which accepts donations from you. (Taxpayers may have to cover octuplet mom’s  cost)

In my opinion, this is the “best” example of what is wrong with our society – from the selfish, irresponsible behavior of this “mom”, to the Doctor who helped her get pregnant with 8 children, to the system itself, gearing up to pay even more to this women.

Any responsible parent will not have more children than they can take care of.  And try to get foodstamps or help from the Government if you are finding yourself unemployed! Good Luck. None of this seems to apply in this case. This women (N. Suleman) got what she wanted – more kids (never mind she won’t be able to take appropriate care of them), possible additional payments from the Government – allowing her to increase her studentloans even more…and to top it off – the general public will get to pay for her insane behavior.

Maybe we need to ask the Fertility clinic to help this women pay for her children? After all….they were only too happy to help her get pregnant… But the only one being held responsible will be the taxpayer – not this unemployed “Mother”. (In my opinion – she really is a disgrace to all those mothers who are trying their best to take care of their children.)

Dining Out For Life – May 1st

Thank you Zack Littlefield – for bringing this to my attention!

This is a call to Everyone in Colorado - to Dine Out on May 1st, 2008!

Why? Project Angel Heart is having a fundraiser in Colorado. Participating restaurants in Boulder, Denver and Colorado Springs will donate 25% of their proceeds from May 1st. Approximately 350 restaurants are participating – so you can eat out for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner and help Project Angel Heart.

Who are they? Their Mission is to provide: “Meals with love for people living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-threatening illnesses in Denver and Colorado Springs.”

They’ve also been named “Colorado’s Most Outstanding Non-profit Organization” by the El Pomar Foundation.

So – get together with family, friends and colleagues – and ”Dine Out For Life” – check out the participating restaurants; you can dine in Boulder, Golden, Evergreen, Downtown, Capitol Hill, Aurora, Colorado Springs and other places. Why not have fun for a good cause?

Can’t make it on the 1st of May? You can still donate and help a fellow citizen!

Hope to see you – out, about and eating out - on May 1st!

 

This Is Why We Love This Country

This is an unblievable story….

This is an amazing story – and one of the reasons we love the United States!