Inside Longmont The Magazine - January 2015

insideLONGMONT.com January 2015

2 insideLONGMONT.comJanuary 2015

January PhotoGolden Pondsby Brian T. Wolf

3insideLONGMONT.com January 2015

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insideLONGMONTTHE MAGAZINE

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Brian T. Wolf

WRITING & PHOTOGRAPHYBrian T. Wolf

Mari Wolf

MARKETING & ADVERTISINGMari Wolf

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COVER PHOTO: Longmont Public Library by Mari Wolf

insideLONGMONT The Magazine is published monthly by Inside Longmont, LLC.

Copyright 2015 by Inside Longmont, LLC. All rights reserved. The entire contents of insideLONGMONT The Magazine are copyrighted and may not be reproduced without the express written consent of the publisher. Inside Longmont, LLC is not responsible for unsolicited materials.


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Feature Stories

In The CommunityAdult Services at the

Longmont Public Library

In The CommunityLongmont Dance Theatre’s

Pre-Collegiate Ballet Intensive Program

Arts & EntertainmentCenter Stage with Theresa Peterson


Contents

Cover Gallery

In The Community: Adult Services at the Longmont Public Library

In The Community: Longmont Dance Theatre’s Pre-Collegiate Ballet Intensive Program

Arts & Entertainment: Center Stage with Theresa Peterson

Arts & Entertainment: “HOPSCOTCH! The Musical”

Family Corner: Why Join a Moms Support Group?

Kids Krafts: Pony Bead and Pipe Cleaner Creations

Happening In Longmont: Open Mic and ArtWalk Fundraiser

Happening In Longmont: Longmont Lights! Holiday Parade

Happening In Longmont: Left Hand Artist’s Group Label Art Show

Happening In Longmont: Boulder County Bombers

iL Non Profit Community

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Cover GalleryWhat better way to start off our January 2015 issue than with a look back at all of our covers from 2014? Every month, we try to share the stories and photos of Longmont that inspire us, and our cov-ers represent many of the things that we have come to love about this community. From the historic buildings like The Townley House to the iconic landmarks like the fountain at St. Stephen’s Plaza, from the landscapes and wildlife you can find in our parks like Golden Ponds and Roger’s Grove to the entertaining events like the Kinetic Sculpture Race and the Rod Festival, there are so many amazing things to experience in Longmont. This gallery of covers provides only a glimpse of what makes this community so great!

This past year, we were very fortunate to have been able to publish covers featuring two different Longmont artists, David Miller and Bob Glassner. Thank you both for the honor of being able to in-clude your works in this gallery. We look forward to showcasing even more talented local artists both on our covers and within our pages in the new year ahead.

Thank you, Longmont, for making our magazine look so good!


Cover Photo by Brian T. WolfSandstone Ranch

Cover Photo by Mari WolfThe Townley House

Cover Photo by Mari WolfLongmont Farmer’s Market

Cover Photo by David MillerMaroon Bells


Cover Photo by Brian T. WolfGreat Blue Heron

Cover Photo by Brian T. WolfKinetic Sculpture Race

Cover Photo by Brian T. Wolf44th Annual Rod Festival

Cover Photo by Brian T. WolfSt. Stephen’s Plaza


Cover Art by Bob GlassnerKitely-Dodd House

Cover Photo by Mari WolfLongmont Christmas Tree

Cover Photo by Brian T. WolfRoger’s Grove

Cover Photo by Mari WolfGolden Ponds Natural Area


One of the driving forces behind why we do what we do is to encourage people to get more involved in the wide variety of activities we have right here in Longmont. In the hussle and bussle of our busy lives, getting out and participating in these activities is made even more difficult when you don’t even know they are available. As we spend time out in the community, uncovering “things to do”, we are constantly amazed by the level and quality of the programs provided by The Longmont Public Library. For many, the vision of a library begins and ends with book shelves and the proverbial “shhh”. How-ever, our library offers so much more to the people of Longmont. This month, we wanted to showcase the various groups, workshops, and education presentations offered by the Library’s Adult Services department.

It should come as no surprise that the Longmont Public Library has several ongoing programs to en-courage reading and group interaction. Currently, the library has two monthly Book Discussion Groups that are open to anyone interested in taking part. There is an afternoon group that meets on the first Thursday of each month at 2pm and an evening group that meets on the second Monday of each month at 7pm. These groups are a great opportunity for people to meet and discuss ideas on a new book every month. “They are not meant to put anyone on the spot,” Bob Nyboer, Head of Adult Services, told us, “just to have a good time discussing a particular book.” The book clubs read both fiction and nonfiction and members of the group even help select which books will be read each month.

In The Community


Thinking about coming to one of the Book Group meetings in February? The next Thursday after-noon group will be meeting on February 5th at 2pm to discuss Nothing Daunted: The Unexpect-ed Education of Two Society Girls… by Dorothy Wickenden. The Monday evening group will meet on February 9th to talk about Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. If you love books and want to meet with other book lovers, here’s your chance! It’s easy, just read the book and then come to the meeting ready to talk.

If, however, you love books, but cannot make it to one of the monthly meetings in person, don’t let that stop you. Did you know that the Longmont Public Library has an Online Book Club program that makes reading a book as easy as checking your email? Look for the link on their website and sign up for any of a dozen differ-ent book clubs, as many as you want. With themes like science fiction, thrill-er, romance, business, and more, there is bound to be something for every reader to enjoy. Once you sign up, the chapters of the current book will then be emailed to you on a daily, bi-week-ly, or monthly basis. There is even an online forum where you can share your thoughts as you are reading the book and discuss with other readers.

Do you have your own book club or are thinking of starting one? Great! The Library can help here, too. They now offer special Books in a Bag kits that are specifically designed for book clubs and can be checked out by anyone. The Books in

a Bag kits, sponsored by the Friends of the Long-mont Library, contain everything you need to host your own book discussion group. Each one in-cludes 10 copies of the book, a series of questions you can use to lead the discussion, and additional information about the author. The Books in a Bag kits can be checked out for up to six weeks, giving everyone in the group plenty of time to finish read-ing the book. And with more than 80 titles avail-able, both fiction and nonfiction, there are plenty of options for any group. Some of the latest titles include The Astronaut Wives Club by Lily Koppel, The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri, Still Life by Lou-ise Penny, and Unbroken: a World War II Story by Laura Hillenbrand. A complete list of books is available online or stop by the Reference Desk on the second floor for more information.


The Library is not just for readers, though, it is for writers, too. There is a New Writers Group that meets every Tuesday and is open to any aspiring writers 18 years and older. It is perfect for anyone who needs that little push in the right direction. The meetings on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month is an “Open Write” session. During this time, each person has an opportunity to share something they have written and the group is able to give feedback and encouragement. It is incredibly helpful to have a regular sounding board while you explore your creative adventure. In addition to this peer-review aspect of the group, on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday the group has a Discussion Session, where speakers come in and offer suggestions on a variety of writ-ing-related topics, such as how to write memoirs, outlining specific genre criteria, and more.

The Longmont Public Library doesn’t just offer pro-grams to develop and grow as a writer, they are also working to create opportunities for writers to show their work, too. This year, starting on April 11 they will be celebrating their 2015 Longmont Library Festival for an entire week. As a part of the Festi-val, they are inviting writers and artists to submit works of fiction, poetry, essays, children’s stories,

Kenneth Wicklund with Longmont’s Parks & Forestry Division presenting a discussion on the Emerald Ash Borer and its effects on Longmont’s ash tree population.


illustrations, photographs, and more for possible inclusion in their 2015 Library Festival Antholo-gy. An editorial committee will review all of the submissions and then choose which ones will ul-timately be published in the Anthology. This is open to Longmont-area residents of all ages and the deadline to submit your work is March 2nd, so start polishing your best work now and get those submissions in! (Be sure to look for more details on the 2015 Library Festival in upcoming issues, too!)

If you need some last-minute help getting your entry prepared for submission, don’t worry, the li-brary has you covered. On February 26, there will be a Pre-Festival Proofreading and Editing Workshop, hosted by local author Bill Ellis called “Boiling Down Your Writing.” Attendees will learn basic writ-ing skills and join local writers in a friendly discussion on top-ics like simplifying your writ-ing, avoiding vague language, and trimming unnecessary words or phrases. This work-shop is free to the public, but limited to only 25 attendees. To register, call 303-651-8472.

Throughout the year, the Longmont Public Library of-fers various workshops and in-formative programs free to the public, thanks to the ongoing support of the Friends of the Longmont Library. One upcoming workshop will delve into the grow-ing need for online networking and understanding how a good online presence can only add your suc-cess in the job market. On Wednesday, January 21, Career Counselor Jane McKean will be conduct-ing a workshop on how to get the most out of the online network LinkedIn and how it can help you find more job opportunities by getting connected. This workshop is designed to remove some of the mystery surrounding LinkedIn and Jane will be there to answer all of your pressing questions.

If you have yet to attend one of the library’s presen-tations, you are missing out on some fascinating

and interactive events. These presentations range from authors discussing their books to experts providing information on historic events or edu-cational topics. For example, be sure to check out a special presentation on Thursday, January 22, when military historian Flint Whitlock presents “Soldiers on Skis,” the story of the 10th Mountain Division during WWII. Then, on February 5, ar-chaeologist Dr. Rebecca Schwendler will detail the findings from her excavation of an old outhouse behind her 1892 home in Lafayette with her pre-sentation, “The Back Side of History.” Now if you are wondering why a person would want to exca-vate a 120 year-old outhouse, just think about this. Back then, what better place could you dispose of

something that you never wanted to be found than in an outhouse? See how 100 uncovered artifacts tell the story of the house’s former occupants and Colorado history. You can find the details on these presentations and more in the future by visiting the Library’s online calendar of events.

As you can see, there are a lot of reasons for adults to visit and explore The Longmont Public Library. With ongoing workshops, discussions, presen-tations, and clubs, there really is something for everyone. To get the latest information on all of their programs and upcoming events, you can visit www.longmontcolorado.gov/library.


When it comes to Longmont traditions, few are as graceful or stunning as Longmont Dance Theatre Academy. Founded in 1998 with a very defined mission and set of goals, LDTA has established itself as the premiere pre-professional dance academy in Longmont. “Longmont Dance Theatre Academy was created with the vision to bring ballet and the understanding of ballet to the community of Longmont,” said owner, Kristin Kingsley. In addition to the beauty of ballet, LDTA has brought a unique program to Longmont call the Pre-Collegiate Ballet Intensive Program.

The first of its kind in Colorado, PBIP was designed “to provide an outstanding training opportunity for Longmont-area students who achieve highly in both balletic and academic pursuits.” By participating in this program, students continue with their high school academics in the mornings while training intensively at LDTA in the afternoons. PBIP is intended to “prepare students for ballet-based degree programs at the collegiate level, for the rigors of a professional ballet career, and for academic collegiate success.”

The idea to create the Pre-Collegiate Ballet Intensive Program first came from ballet instructor Steph-anie Tuley. At the time, Stephanie began to notice that a number of advanced students were growing unhappy with their schedules. For many of them, a typical day included going to school, then attend-

In The Community

Longmont Dance Theatre Academy’s

Pre-Collegiate Ballet Intensive Program


ing an after-school activity, then dance class un-til 8:30pm, then home to do homework. As one could imagine, trying to maintain this schedule five days each week, plus dance classes on Satur-day and Sunday, was taking it’s toll on these teens. All of them were feeling exhausted, and it had even led some to quit dancing because they were burn-ing out. This was clearly becoming a problem and they were determined to find a solution.

The key was to find a way to balance the various aspects of their students’ daily lives. “The stu-dents are really academically focused, but they have this passion for ballet and this passion for dance and performing for their community,” Kris-tin told us. “When we see them at 8:30pm and they are tired and they are here 7 days a week, we realize that what they need as individuals is to have family time, homework time, and just be-ing a person time in addition to ballet time.” The more Stephanie and Kristin thought about it, the more they realized that their needs were similar to the needs of athletes from other sports who were able to combine their athletic training with their academic schedules by utilizing after school pro-grams and elective credits. What if they incorpo-rated the same principles into their dance training programs? Would any Longmont high schools be willing to offer the necessary academic flexibility?

When they first approached Erick Finnestead, the Principal at Silver Creek High School, in the spring of 2012, he was very positive and open to the idea. He recognized that students who were committed to programs similar to this tend to be good stu-

dents as well, focused and driven. In fact, he even suggested that they begin the program that fall, a full year before Kristin and Stephanie had origi-nally intended. Not certain whether they would be able to get this new program up and running in only a few months, but knowing that they had the support of Silver Creek High School, Kristin and Stephanie approached their students about the program to find out what they thought. The over-whelming response turned out to be, “Yes! We’re dying! Please do it!”

And so they did.

Longmont Dance Theatre Academy launched the pilot program for the Pre-Collegiate Ballet Inten-sive Program in the fall of 2012. The program was kept very small that first year, with only 8 stu-dents, and it ended up being very successful. The kids were sleeping more and still getting excellent grades. The only real sacrifice the students had to make was to give up participating in any other after school programs. But this meant that they


could now finish dance classes at 4:30pm and go home. “They get to eat dinner with their families, go to the foot-ball game on Friday nights if they want, and have some-what of a normal teenage experience,” Stephanie said. And while they benefit from having more free time in the evenings, this new schedule also means that they get more hours of training in the studio, too. “They get fif-teen hours during the week and one to six hours on Sat-urday, with Sundays off,” Stephanie informed us.

Following the success of the first year, enrollment in the 2013/2014 school year jumped to 27 students. This year there are 29 students in the program and enrollment for next year is expected to be nearly 30 again. PBIP is open primarily to high school students, with select 7th and 8th graders who are homeschooled and who are deter-mined to be mature enough for the program. Although students do finish their school day early, they are still considered full-time students taking six credits each se-mester. Silver Creek High School continues to be their sister school for the program, however students from Ni-wot High School, Erie, and Longmont High are also now participating, too.

Within only three short years, the faculty at LDTA have created an extensive curriculum that not only challenges the students and helps them grow as dancers, but also exposes them to a broad range of knowledge and experi-ences. It is much more than just the schedule that makes


PBIP such a unique and fantastic program. Of course, ballet is the primary focus of the program with five classes per week, but students also take courses each week in pointe, variations, modern, and composition to both compliment and contrast with ballet. In order to help condition their bodies for the rigors of dance, correct muscle imbalances, and avoid injuries, students also take courses each week that include cross training, yoga, strength training, and cardio. Beyond the classes in dance and fitness, BPIP provides a series of seminars throughout the year on various topics related to dance. Some of the topics covered include cos-tuming, physical therapy, hair and makeup, dance history, and nutrition. These seminars help give students a broader understanding of the complex-ities of dance and performing, while also expand-ing the students’ knowledge about potential career paths in the world of dance that they might choose to pursue after graduation.

A new component of the program that was added to the curriculum this fall to strengthen the bonds of the PBIP community is the Circle of Trust. This addition allows students to cultivate their skills as leaders, mediators, and agents of change. During the first week of classes, students participated in a

series of trust-building activities and listening ex-ercises to get to know each other better. New stu-dents were also assigned a peer mentor who helps guide their them through the PBIP experience by answering questions, giving encouragement, and adding an extra level of support and care. Also as part of the Circle of Trust, students break into three small, student-led “circles” that meet weekly throughout the year to help foster friendships be-tween new and returning students. During these meetings, students will have the opportunity to discuss concerns, resolve conflicts, and celebrate triumphs. In only its first year, the Circle of Trust has already made a difference in the overall stu-dent morale and in their ability to solve problems.

The talent that is being developed at LDTA is sim-ply amazing, and that is especially true for the students enrolled in PBIP. To see these wonder-ful dancers for yourself, but sure to attend Long-mont Dance Theatre’s February Showcase next month and their other upcoming shows later in the spring. For full details and ticket information, you can visit www.longmontdancetheatre.com.


Arts & Entertainment

Center Stagewith

Theresa Peterson

“I’ve been musical my whole life.”

For some that might be an exaggeration, but not for Theresa Peterson. At only three years old she was already taking lessons on the violin, an instrument her grandfather used to play. Not only was she learning to play music at such a young age, she was also performing for audiences both in school and in church. When she was eleven, Theresa was even contacted by a member of the band that played in her church and was invited to play violin on stage with them. Yet throughout this time, while she was establishing a name for herself as an accomplished violinist, Theresa actually had other ideas in mind. “I was always a violinist playing in orchestras in school, but really I wanted to sing,” she said. Unfortu-nately, as we all know it can sometimes be difficult to break the mold people have set for you, and this started out to be the case for Theresa. Everyone saw her as a violinist and not a singer, and therefore didn’t take her dream seriously. Fortunately, she didn’t let other people’s expectations hold her back.


Instead, at age eleven Theresa turned her atten-tion to learning the guitar, seeing it as an opportu-nity to help her sing more. She committed herself to learning the guitar, using every free minute she had to practice. Most days she would come home from school and play the guitar until it was time for dinner. Then play some more until it was time to do homework. Then play even more until it was time for bed. Any time she could, she was holding her guitar. “Once I could play guitar, everyone was finally interested in me singing!” Finally, Theresa was becoming known for playing guitar and sing-ing, not just for playing the violin. Of course, this only fueled her passion for the guitar even more.

During this time, Theresa was also developing herself as a songwriter. Even before she learned to play the guitar, Theresa was writing lyrics for songs with a tune in her head and singing them for others. But once she learned the guitar she be-gan to take her songwriting even more seriously. “I don’t know where the songwriting came from, that’s why I feel like I must be supposed to do it.” Over the following years, her songwriting has changed, but it still most often starts with the lyr-ics. “I have ideas all the time that seem poetic to me, that seem musical,” Theresa explained. “Oh, that line or those two words would be great for a song. My songwriting usually starts with a line with a tune and I try to grow it from that.”

In addition to great lyrics, you will find that many of Theresa’s songs are also very full of emotion. “I think I can write about emotions well. I think I’m in touch with that in myself and not afraid of it.” Tension, heartbreak, these are themes that are often explored in her songwriting. Which means that when life is going too well in the present, The-resa sometimes has to look to her past or even her imagination to find inspiration. “Happiness and smooth sailing don’t make me want to write. I have to find something with a deeper mood to get something musical out of it.”

Originally from Texas, Theresa is still relatively new to living in Colorado, though Colorado is cer-tainly not new to her. “I have always wanted to live in Colorado,” Theresa admitted, having visited Colorado and the Four Corners area many times growing up. After graduating from college with a degree in speech therapy, she specifically looked for a job that would bring her to Colorado. Now she works in Denver as a speech therapist in addi-tion to playing music throughout the area. “I have always had my eye on here.”

Arriving in Colorado and being exposed to the local music scene has been more than she could have hoped for when it comes to collaboration and


inclusion. “I accidentally fell into exactly where I should be right now,” she said. “I feel I should be here because there are so many singer-songwriters out here and there is so much good local music and people who appreciate local music.” Theresa sees the Colorado music scene as being very different from what she experienced in Texas, where she was never able to truly connect with other musicians. Here in Colorado, the music community has been very welcoming, with many artists recommending places for her to perform and wanting to perform with her. “I never expected that at all, but I’m so lucky to be here and to meet everyone that I know.”

This past fall, Theresa was toying around with the idea of starting something for fellow songwriters where they would be able to get together, have a writer’s discussion, and open up a dialogue to find fun ways to collaborate. At the same time, another local musician, Hunter Amabile, was kicking around his own idea of bringing singer-songwriters together to perform live shows together. So, the two de-cided to bring their ideas together. This first began with weekly meetings where singer-songwriters got together to share songs and songwriting, but has since expanded into a new monthly showcase called Singer-Songwriters in the Round. In the Round brings together four artists who take turns performing original songs back to back. Currently, In the Round events are held the first Wednesday of the month at Roundhouse Spirits in Boulder. Theresa has performed at the In the Round show twice now and the event is getting rave reviews. “It’s been amazing and everyone is loving it.”

For the now, Theresa isn’t making many plans for the future. Instead, she is focusing on the present by playing music more, writing more, and connecting with more people in the music community. Like most artists, she looks forward to producing her first album, but doesn’t seem to be in a rush. In the meantime, fans can listen to her self-recorded music online at soundcloud.com/theresapetersonmusic. She freely admits that these are bare bones versions of her songs, and she is perfectly comfortable with that. “I want people to hear my songs.” We want people to hear them too and we highly recommend you give Theresa’s music a listen. Also be on the lookout for her performing locally, including at the Singer-Songwriters in the Round, by following her at Theresa Peterson Music on Facebook.


Arts & Entertainment

After months of following the progress of HOPSCOTCH! The Musical, the time has finally arrived for the production to take the stage. Earlier this month, HOPSCOTCH! debuted to audiences at the Rialto Theatre with performances following at Vance Brand Auditorium here in Longmont and the Lincoln Center in Fort Collins. Over the past several issues, we have taken you behind the scenes and introduced you to a variety of the pieces that went into putting this production together. From the life experiences that helped to drive the storyline to the inspirational lyrics, from the the real life characters to the technical team, it has been a treat to watch it all fall into place.

Before the first curtain was raised, we had the opportunity to visit one of their dress rehearsals and photograph all the emotion and drama as the story unfolded. After getting to know the people be-hind the production and knowing what went into getting it to the stage, it was wonderful to see all of their hard work come to fruition.

If you haven’t read them already, be sure to go back and check out all of our HOPSCOTCH! The Musical articles beginning in the August 2014 issue to see for yourself how the journey to bring this production to the stage unfolded. You can also visit www.hopscotchthemusical.com for the latest information and to get tickets for upcoming shows.

HOPSCOTCH! The Musical


I am sitting down to write this after returning home from the Annual Longmont Area Moms New Year’s Brunch. To the left and the right of me sat women I have known for 6 years. Both joined the group when I started it in 2008, after the birth of my second son. Our kids have grown up togeth-er, although sometimes I don’t realize how much time has passed until someone posts a Throwback Thursday picture on Facebook. When I see the chubby cheeks, the bald heads and the big eyes, I think, “How are those little babies ours?!”

Some of the moms at the brunch had kids in the double digits while others had kids whose ages were still told in months or weeks. We talked a lot about our kids, but we also talked about our lives. No one was interrupted by a little voice, no one had to clean up any mid-meal spills or messes. It was great to catch glimpses of the women as variations of their former pre-kid selves and to also see how motherhood has changed them.

When I had my second child I decided to stay home instead of work full time, as I had with my first. Even though it wasn’t my first time becoming a mom, it was new in a different way. I was no longer a WAHM, I was a SAHM. I didn’t have work colleagues; I had a newborn and a 4 year old. I knew I needed a support group and STAT, because not only was I going stir crazy, I was also feeling alone and inept in my new role. My youngest was 8 weeks at our first playdate and his first playmate was another 8 weeker. They were born 9 days apart.

New moms, if the mental image of two little 8 week old babies holding hands isn’t enough incentive for you to join a moms group, here are my top 5 reasons on why you NEED to find a mom’s group now!

#1 Playdates and Playmates for Your Child

The same kids are in my son’s 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th birthday photos. These kids have grown up, learned to share, climbed, biked, scootered, swung, thrown rocks (“leave the rocks on the ground, please”), thrown tantrums, started talking, started walking, and more together. When my youngest was little we would host weekly playdates at our house. We also attended playdates at other locations in the area. There are so many fun things to do in Longmont and it is always more fun with a friend! Weekly playdates can also give structure to your week, something that is so necessary when your Mondays start feeling like Fridays and you start forgetting what the word “weekend” means.

Family Corner

by Elaine Waterman


#2 Friendship for You

With a young child, it can sometimes take a miracle to get out of the house without forgetting some-thing. Between the diaper bag, toys, books, games, crayons, 3 kinds of snacks, car keys, phone and whatever else you need for a baby/toddler/child, sometimes looking presentable is the last thing on your list. Obviously the people in your mom’s group are moms. They understand and can more easily overlook your bag lady hair (I like to call it my Joan Jett look) and yoga pants (which may or may not have been worn as pj the night before). No need to put up a front, these are your peeps! These women are going through the same things as you are, and it makes it easier to open up, laugh and commiserate over all the wonderful (and sometimes not so wonderful) things that come along with motherhood. Shared experiences are sure ways to create friendships, even if the shared experience is your “worst baby blowout ever.” I know it is hard to get out when you have a little one, but it is NECESSARY! You need mommy playdates too!

#3 Information

WebMD is scary. Everything from Ebola to allergies starts with flu-like symptoms. Sometimes it is better to hop on the moms group FB page, post symptoms, and see what is going around town than it is to do a search online. It’s so great to have the shared wisdom of a group of moms on everything from ill-nesses to breastfeeding, sleep training, introducing solids, local schools, baby carriers, and more. I am lucky to know many women with various points of view, women who are passionate and well educated in many fields. It’s nice to know that you don’t have to know everything about parenting, no mom does, and that we are raising ourselves as parents at the same time we are raising our kids.

#4 Community

If no woman is an island and it takes a village to raise a child, obviously there is something to being in a “community” of moms. Many groups have “Meals for New Moms” programs where meals are arranged for the first two weeks after the delivery of a child. Other groups also have “Babysitting Co-ops” where moms can trade babysitting. I have helped other moms move and run shopping errands to IKEA and Costco if I was already heading there. When my car battery died, I posted it on the Mom’s Group FB page and someone came to give me a jump just a few minutes after posting. These ladies have been life savers over and over.

#5 And the Last Reason Is…

Someday they will grow up and it will be just you again. That sounds like it is light years away, but it’s not. It GOES SO FAST! If you join a moms group when your kids are young and stay connected with the same moms as your kids grow, you will never be alone in your journey. Your New Moms Group turns into a Toddler Group, your Mothers of Preschoolers group turns into After School Elementary Kids or even just Mom’s Nights Outs, your Elementary Group turns into a Moms of Teens Group (I am dreading this stage) which turns into an Empty Nesters Group (some days this stage sounds very appealing). Each stage you can meet head on with women going through the same thing. You will celebrate how times change, how your kids go from surviving because of your love to just needing you a little bit to hardly standing you to moving out to needing you more again but in a different way, etc. Each stage is new, terrifying, unknown, but made less so with the support of other moms.


So how do you find a mom’s group?

Social media - There are lots of Moms Groups in Longmont and the surrounding areas that have active online communities. You can search on Facebook or Meetup for the Longmont Area Moms Network, the Boulder Area Moms Group, the Parents and Peanuts group and The Longmont Creative Moms Co-Op.

Newspapers and local online calendars - Many list New Moms Group meetings in the Area.

Religious organizations - Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS- various churches in the area) and Hearts for Moms (Lifebridge Church) are groups in the Longmont area.

Other organizations - The La Leche League and the Parenting Place also organize their own groups. If you have a special circumstance there may be groups that cater to your needs. Search for groups that specialize in parenting multiples, single moms, working moms, moms of preemies, etc. The Longmont United Hospital and The Family Garden (family-garden.org) facilitate many new moms groups at their locations.

And if you can’t find the perfect group, start your own! That is what I did and I am so thankful for the ladies and kids that I have met and especially thankful for the time we spent laughing and talking at the brunch today.

At our annual brunch we always marvel at how we have survived another year of parenting. Like every year, it was one filled with change, learning, choices, yelling, basking in parental pride, and struggling through days we thought we were the worst parents ever. When I start to think “I don’t know how I survived last year,” I realize, “I DO know.” It is because of these women sitting around me and the community we have built. It really does take a village, not just to raise the child, but also to support the mothers. If you are a new mom, I hope you find your support. If you need further help locating a moms group that is perfect for you please feel free to email me at [email protected].

Elaine Waterman is a Longmont mom and the Head Mess Maker at Discovery Days at the Longmont Museum as well as Paint N’ Party To Go. She has two rambunctious boys, ages 6 and 10 and likes to ex-perience all that Longmont has to offer families. She is also the organizer of the Longmont Area Moms Network, a local moms group that offers playdates for kids and moms. Find them on Facebook and Meetup to connect with other moms and kids.


The previous months of Kids Krafts have focused on crafts you can do with your children. This month’s craft is something that your child can do on their own without making too much of a mess. Feel free to let your child create while you relax with a cup of coffee.

The supplies you will need:

Pony Beads in a bowl or basket5 pipe cleaners (or more if you have them)A broom (to sweep up the pony beads which will inevitably fall on the floor)Optional- hot glue, hot glue gun, googly eyes

Directions

This craft is all about the process. Kids love beading, but beading is hard when using yarn. Using pipe cleaners makes it easier for little fingers to get the beads on. For toddlers it will be challenging enough to occupy a lot of time (you can actually relax with that cup of coffee), but not too challenging. (your relaxation time won’t be interrupted by requests for help).

If you want to turn this into a learning craft, you can tell your child to match the color of the pipe cleaner to the color of the bead. For more complex learning you can even introduce complementary color combinations or color patterns.

Don’t limit the creations. Some kids will turn all the pipe cleaners into bracelets. Others will make monsters. If you want to make monsters, you can add optional googly eyes with a hot glue gun. Some kids will turn the pipe cleaners into fishing rods and try to fish the beads out of the basket. Some will just take the basket of beads and repeatedly dump and refill it not even paying attention to the pipe cleaners. It just depends on their mood and personality.

A cautionary note to you: While enjoying your brief moment of relaxation, please remember that pony beads are a choking hazard. They are also the perfect size to stick inside noses and ears. Pipe cleaners can also poke out an eye. Just remind your child that art supplies are not supposed to go in mouths, noses, ears, or eyes.

Have fun and happy creating!

-- Elaine

Kids Krafts

Pony Bead and Pipe Cleaner Creations


Happening In Longmont

Every other Monday night you will find Andy and Jessica Eppler of The Prairie Scholars hosting an open mic night for local musicians at The Tasty Weasel. On January 5th, The Scholars turned the evening into a full-blown party to celebrate Jessica’s birthday and to raise mon-ey for Longmont’s ArtWalk. It was wonderful to see so many people from the community come out to support the event, and some fantastic businesses did their part too. Throughout the evening, The Tasty Weasel, The Scholars, and Bodacious Eats all donated a portion of their proceeds to ArtWalk and La Momo Meas Bakery donated a delicious cake that raised $5 a slice! To top it all off, many of the best musicians in Longmont turned out to treat the crowd with some awesome tunes. If you missed this party, mark your calendars for next year as we hope this turns into an annual tradition.

Open Micand

ArtWalk Fundraiser

Happy Birthday, Jess!


LONGMONT LIGHTS!

HOLIDAY PARADE

The city of Longmont ended 2014 in style with their final parade of the year, the Longmont Lights! Holiday Parade. This is such a beautiful tradition to witness as dozens of bright and colorful floats bright-en the dark December night, and this year was especially fun with the warm temps we experienced that night. If you weren’t able to make it out to see the parade your-self, or if you simply want to relive the magical evening, here are just a few of our favorite photos from that night. Enjoy!



The Left Hand Artist Group held their 2nd Annual Label Art Show & Music Jam on December 20th. All throughout the evening, original art created by the group members featuring labels from Left Hand and other craft brewers was auctioned off to raise money for The Left Hand Brewing Foundation, which works with the Longmont Community Foundation to help provide financial support to those in need in and around Longmont. Keeping the large crowd in attendance enter-tained all night long were more than a dozen acts who took the stage to perform live music and live poetry readings. It was an amazing night of art and music as well as a wonderful example of how the Longmont community comes together to support those in need. The auction was a huge success, raising $6000 for The Left Hand Brewing Foundation!

Left Hand Artist Group’s Label Art Show


Flat track roller derby returned to the Boulder County Fairgrounds early this year as Longmont’s own Boulder County Bombers hosted their first tournament night. On January 10th, the State Line Roll Out Tournament drew more than 60 skaters from across Colorado and neigh-boring states to compete in three bouts featuring three mixed teams. It was fun to see members of the Bombers competing with and against skaters from other leagues during their long winter break!

Look for more derby action from the Bombers when their 2015 season kicks off later this spring. You can find out more at www.bouldercountybombers.com.

Boulder County

Bombers


Visit www.insidelongmont.comAnd Learn More About

The Caring Non Profits In Our Online

Non Profit Community

The Inn Between strives to help families and individuals who are facing homelessness in our community to be self-sufficient and sustainable - to no longer be homeless. By providing housing and critical services, we work with our residents to develop the skills, knowledge and confidence needed for self-sufficient living.

The Family Garden is a resource hub offering education, inspiration and networking for families throughout pregnancy, birth and early childhood. Many different philosophies and approaches to child birth and parenting are presented without judgment or advocacy for a particular view.


The OUR Center helps people move toward self-sufficiency by unifying community resources. The organization provides emergency services to help people through short-term financial crises and also works in partnership with our clients to develop case plans for those needing longer-term assistance.

Mountain States Children’s Home extends Christian services to wounded children in an effort to meet their physical needs, heal their emotional hurts, challenge their minds, and teach them moral principles in order to reach the goals of reuniting them with their families or preparing them for independence.

Longmont Dance Theatre strives to enliven and to elevate the human spirit by means of dance, specifically ballet. A technique of movement born in the courts of kings and queens, ballet has survived to this day to become one of the most elegant, most adaptable, and most powerful means of human communication.

Inside Longmont The Magazine - January 2015

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Transcript of Inside Longmont The Magazine - January 2015