Month: July 2019

Weekend Getaways for Families Before School Starts

Written by Marybeth Heckler on . Posted in Motherhood.

Summer is well underway and many people are trying to get in as many family vacations as they can before the school bell rings this fall.

If you’ve already enjoyed your major vacation for the year, or you’re just looking for a cheap weekend rest from the weekly grind, there are always quick vacations you can take for just a couple of days.

Here are some of the best weekend vacation spots in Colorado that you can check out this summer before the little ones head back to school:

1. Beaver Creek
If you’re looking for someplace small and off the beaten path, try this location just a few miles outside of Vail. During the summer, the area is perfect for families that like to spend time outdoors. The area is perfect for hiking, biking, fishing, and other activities including mini-golf that can keep the family entertained.

2. Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park
Are you looking for something “outdoorsy” that can get your kids active and into the fresh air while also handling the complaint that this nature stuff is “boring?” Well, try the Glenwood Caverns park. This location has two things going for it. First, you can spend time exploring the beautiful caverns in the area learning about the natural phenomena that went into making them. You can also enjoy thrill rides including a zip line, roller coaster, and giant swing.

3. The Stanley Hotel
Located in Estes Park, this is a beautiful natural area that lends itself perfectly to hiking and exploring. But the real draw for many people is the Stanley Hotel, the inspiration for Stephen King’s Overlook Hotel in The Shining. To keep with this supernatural theme, the hotel also runs ghost tours, which can be a lot of fun for those who don’t scare too easily.

4. Breckenridge
Another small town with lots of charm, Breckenridge is an authentic “western” town that has many quaint and interesting shops and restaurants. It’s a great spot to head out for whitewater rafting and horseback riding in a beautiful location under the amazing Colorado sky.

5. Colorado Gators Reptile Park
You don’t have to head to Florida to check out a really cool reptile park that gets you up close to some amazing animals. This park features alligators, lizards, snakes, and even has a reptile handling class. You can even check out a Hollywood legend in the form of Morris, the alligator from Adam Sandler’s Happy Gilmore.

There are a lot of different options for those who are looking to explore Colorado off the beaten path. Before school starts again this fall, take a weekend and travel with your family for rest and relaxation.

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Whether you’re buying, selling, refinancing, or building your dream home, I’m here to help you explore the many financing options available. Ensuring that you make the right choice for you and your family is my ultimate goal. I am committed to providing my customers with mortgage services that exceed their expectations. Find out more by visiting my website.

Training Your Kids to Be More Independent

Written by Marybeth Heckler on . Posted in Motherhood.

If you’re a parent, you probably read stories online about adult children still living in their parents’ basement and think, “That will never be my kids.” But the fact is, their parents probably thought the same thing at one point.

Possibly the greatest attribute you can give your children is the ability to be independent. But this isn’t something that you start trying to develop in their late teenage years and it’s not a trait that they are going to just pick up on their own.

With that in mind, here are some tips on how to help train your kids from early on to be more independent:

  • Do some soul-searching—First off, you need to determine if you are the biggest hindrance to your child’s independence. Ask yourself, honestly, if you find yourself doing tasks for your child just because it’s easier to do it yourself. If that’s the case, then you will need to change some things in your own life to make sure that you can help them become independent.
  • Chores are a good thing—The next thing you need to do is determine what chores your child can conceivably do at their age. Even smaller children can still be expected to do things like picking up their toys and putting them away. As they get older, tasks such as making the bed, dressing, and brushing their teeth on their own can be added. As they develop more and more responsibility, you can “take the training wheels off” and expect them to do these tasks without being reminded. This establishes early on that you expect them to do things by themselves and that these will eventually have to be done without you having to hound them about it.
  • So is failure—Another thing that parents have to get over is the idea that their children should never fail at something. This is totally unrealistic. We all fail sometimes, and the truly mature adult is the one who can learn from his or her failures and ensure that they don’t follow this same path again. If you are a helicopter parent who swoops in to rescue your child every time it looks like they are going to mess up or fail, then you will probably spend the rest of your life doing just this. Failure isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Independence is something that every parent wants for their children. But in order to make your child responsible, it’s necessary for you to loosen the reins and let them get out there themselves and fail if possible. If you have teenagers and you insist on doing everything for them and protect them from every potential negative consequence, then you may want to go ahead and clean a space out for them in the basement because it might be a while before they get out on their own.

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Whether you’re buying, selling, refinancing, or building your dream home, I’m here to help you explore the many financing options available. Ensuring that you make the right choice for you and your family is my ultimate goal. I am committed to providing my customers with mortgage services that exceed their expectations. Find out more by visiting my website.

Is Your Family Ready to Upsize Their Living Space?

Written by Marybeth Heckler on . Posted in Real Estate.

When the housing bubble burst in the early 2000s, a lot of people realized they had purchased homes that were too big for them. Since then, many people have been skittish about upsizing their homes for fear of taking on more than they can afford.

This is certainly a valid argument, but you should still be able to upsize if your finances and lifestyle allow for it. Here are some things to think about as you decide whether or not upsizing is right for your family.

  1. Determine what you need…and if it is a need—The first thing you want to do is determine just how much house you need. If you are currently in a two-bedroom, two bath home with three or more children, then you are going to have to look at a larger home. However, a family with only one child may be able to live comfortably in a two-bedroom home. Ultimately, think about what you want in your new home that your old one does not have. Then decide if these are absolute must-haves or features you can live without.
  2. Do some financial soul-searching—Take a look at your budget for each month. If you are barely scraping by after paying your bills, then you are going to probably have to stay where you are. But if you are able to put a lot into savings or you have discretionary funds that you can use, then you need to calculate that into what you can afford to buy. Look closely at what you can afford before you start to shop around.
  3. Don’t forget to calculate utilities and other expenses—Remember that a larger house also means a higher utility cost. Use your current utilities cost as a baseline. For example, if you are in a 1500 square foot house and pay, on average, $250 a month in power costs. If you upgrade to a 3000 square foot home, you could see your power bill climb to $500. That’s a big jump that you need to factor in when making your plans. The same can be said for other expenses such as lawn care if you move into a home that sits on a larger lot.
  4. Location can have an impact—Remember that it’s not just about the size of the house, but also about the location. If you buy a 2000 square foot home in one neighborhood, you may be able to get a 2500 square foot home for almost the same cost IF you are willing to move to a less desirable neighborhood. This might mean moving farther away from your work or other social requirements. But if you are willing to make this sacrifice, you may be able to afford a larger home.

If your family is growing and you are in need of a larger house, then it’s time to do some research when it comes to your finances and home needs. If you’re ready to make the move to a larger home, you need to make sure that you can afford it before you decide to commit.

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Whether you’re buying, selling, refinancing, or building your dream home, I’m here to help you explore the many financing options available. Ensuring that you make the right choice for you and your family is my ultimate goal. I am committed to providing my customers with mortgage services that exceed their expectations. Find out more by visiting my website.

Fourth of July Activities Around Denver This Week

Written by Marybeth Heckler on . Posted in Denver.

Summer has arrived, and as those temperatures start to climb all over the Denver area, it’s time to start planning for the biggest event of the summer—Fourth of July!

This year, there are plenty of activities going on during the week leading up to the big day as well as the weekend to follow. Here’s a sampling of what’s on deck so that you can go ahead and make plans for you and your family:

  1. Fireworks—The biggest and most traditional of these events is, of course, the local fireworks celebration. This year, the Independence Eve Celebration will take place on July 3 in Civic Center Park. Besides the fireworks finale, which is always spectacular, the program also features a patriotic concert and light show on the Denver City and County Building. If you are planning to attend, be sure to get there early to get a spot on the lawn as it is first-come, first-served and it tends to fill up fast. There are no reserved “seats” so bring your own lawn chair, beach blanket, and plenty of bottled water. Also, consider using public transportation as parking will be at a premium for this big event.
  2. Sports—If you like a little bit of action with your entertainment, then there are two sports events to look forward to. The first is America’s favorite pastime—baseball. The Colorado Rockies will be hosting the Houston Astros on July 2nd and 3rd. On the 2nd, the team will be giving out handheld American flags as a promotion, and both the 2nd and 3rd will feature post-game fireworks displays. This is a great option if you don’t want to have to fight for a spot at the public fireworks display. But if you want something a little different, now is the perfect time to check out the Denver professional lacrosse team, the Outlaws. They will be playing the Chesapeake Bayhawks at Broncos Stadium on July 4th.
  3. History and Literature—If you prefer your history less American Revolution and more War of the Roses, then you might want to check out the Colorado Renaissance Festival which will be running from June 15th to August 4th in Larkspur. Or, you can also enjoy a Shakespeare in the Park experience which will perform the bard’s comedy As You Like It on July 6th and 7th at the University of Colorado Boulder Theater.
  4. Music—Every year, there are plenty of musical acts that come to the Denver area. For the week of the Fourth of July, Red Rocks will host Zeds Dead, Blues Traveler, and a three-night set from the Avett Brothers. Other concerts coming to the area include Shawn Mendes (July 2nd), Santana and the Doobie Brothers (July 3rd), Melissa Etheridge (July 7th) and City Park Jazz (June 30th and July 7th). There’s definitely something for almost every musical taste in your family.

From traditional events like fireworks and baseball to some unusual choices like jousts and lacrosse, there’s definitely something for everyone this year during Fourth of July week in Denver.

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Whether you’re buying, selling, refinancing, or building your dream home, I’m here to help you explore the many financing options available. Ensuring that you make the right choice for you and your family is my ultimate goal. I am committed to providing my customers with mortgage services that exceed their expectations. Find out more by visiting my website.