We are catching up our blog with a great big ‘Thank You!’ to February’s Volunteer of the Month, Denise Marrapode!

Denise is currently a stay at home mom to two children, Owen age 3 and Cora 3 months. Her husband, Adam, is an engineering manager at Solidfire in Boulder. Denise and Adam are both originally from Naperville, IL. They went to CU Boulder and have spent the last decade living in the Denver/Boulder area.

Denise joined MOD Moms in August of 2014 when they moved from downtown Denver to the suburbs. Denise is our Director of Current Partnerships. Her role entails advertising for our partners on Facebook and BigTent, our internal communication platform.  Denise keeps track of how often our partners need advertising.  Be sure to give our external Facebook Page a LIKE at https://www.facebook.com/modmomsnorth

Denise joined MOD Moms in August of 2014 and in November of 2015 she became a volunteer. She felt that volunteering was a way to stay in the loop, but also a good way to be active and give back to a community that has given her so much. “I’ve been so fortunate to find a community of moms and friends that have supported me through the trials and triumphs of motherhood. I wanted to help build and support that kind of community for other moms.  I’ve always been happy to support local, growing businesses so I am excited about advertising for our partners. It is always great to see what kinds of things our partners have going on; new specials, exclusive discounts for MOD Moms, events, etc.  Plus, a lot of our members are business owners and MOD Mom partners. I love to support other moms and cheer them on,” Denise tells us.

Denise really enjoy the MOD moms playdates! Her preschooler really loves the playdates at Louisville Mountain Kids. Their family has also enjoyed special events like the Easter Egg Hunt and shopping events at Athleta.

Denise loves spending time with her family in the outdoors, whether it be hiking, skiing or camping. She loves to read, chat with friends and drink coffee. Denise has a masters degree in Elementary Education and an endorsement in Special Education.  While she is not teaching full time right now, she does substitute teach in BVSD on occasion. She enjoys staying home with her children, but hopes to return to the classroom in the future.

Thank you for all that you do to make this a great community, Denise!

The MOD Moms Volunteer of the Month will receive a $25 gift certificate to use at OMNI Resorts, one of the many great MOD Moms partners. The gift certificate can be used at any of the OMNI restaurants, the Mokara Spa or the hotel!

MOD Moms simply cannot function without all of the dedicated, hard-working volunteers who make the events, clubs, playgroups, partnerships and behind-the-scenes stuff happen. Thank you to all of you fantastic women who help make this group a wonderful place!

We are catching up our blog with a great big ‘Thank You!’ to January’s Volunteer of the Month, Cathryn Marsh!

Cathryn grew up in Australia then moved to Texas when she was 12. Her dad was a professor and editor of a chemistry journal. Her mother ran the journal office. Cathryn did her undergrad at Texas A&M, then decided to move to Colorado to pursue my Ph.D. in Economics. She met her husband while doing graduate school at the University of Colorado at Boulder. They moved to the Washington, DC area after she graduated. They got married in Evergreen in 2005 and lived in Virginia until 2014. Their son was born in 2007. They were looking to slow down their lives from the hectic east-coast pace and find a place where “kids can be kids”. They wanted to move while Dylan was still 6 or 7 years old so that they could get settled before he made really close friends (remember, Cathryn had moved at the age of 12).

Cathryn joined MOD Moms shortly after moving. She don’t remember exactly how she learned about MOD Moms, but remembers thinking, “it’ll be nice to meet other women.”…  To this day, her friends back in Virginia are shocked at how quickly she met people out here and made friends.

She originally restarted the Working Moms’ group in October or November of 2014. That was really an accident. Cathryn responded to a discussion thread in BigTent and asked if the group was still active, then set up a happy hour because she got so many responses. She has also been active in Wine Club and hosted a few events, then recently started Weekend Foodie Group for folks who want to get out and try new restaurants on the weekends.

Cathryn tends to gravitate towards clubs that a) help women find balance in their lives and connect with other women who face similar challenges, and b) include kids and husbands. “Why not share our great events with our kids and husbands?,” she states. “It also saves the single moms from needing to get a sitter. And she loves that it gives kids who don’t have siblings a chance to host his/her own party and meet other kids.”

When asked why she volunteers with MOD Moms, “It’s just my nature to get involved. I didn’t really think about it,” Cathryn answered.

Cathryn loves Working Moms, Meal-Planning, Wine, Restaurant, Book, and Weekend Foodies.

It’s hard to find time outside work and raising a child to have hobbies, but she really does try. Since moving back to Colorado, she has spent more time focusing on herself. She really likes to cook. Cathryn did a medically-monitored elimination diet with a dietitian last year and lost a lot of weight. In addition to changing what/how she cooks, it’s also reinvigorated her interest in fitness. She is an avid Pilates fan and have also made great strides in terms of hiking and skiing in the past year. Cathryn also enjoys amateur astronomy and camping.

Thank you for all that you do to make this a great community, Cathryn!

The MOD Moms Volunteer of the Month will receive a $25 gift certificate to use at OMNI Resorts, one of the many great MOD Moms partners. The gift certificate can be used at any of the OMNI restaurants, the Mokara Spa or the hotel!

MOD Moms simply cannot function without all of the dedicated, hard-working volunteers who make the events, clubs, playgroups, partnerships and behind-the-scenes stuff happen. Thank you to all of you fantastic women who help make this group a wonderful place!

We are catching up our blog with a great big ‘Thank You!’ to December’s Volunteer of the Month, Jessica Diamond!

The Diamond Family consists of Jessica, her husband, Jared, Jack (11), Alec (9), Ella (5) and Reece, their boxer. They moved from Columbia, MO to Colorado in late December 2015. The Diamond’s relocated for Jessica’s husband to take a new position with his company in Medical Sales. Their kids currently attend Lafayette Elementary and the Boulder JCC preschool, but will all be transitioning to the new BVSD Meadowlark K-8 school in Erie next year. Together as a family they enjoy skiing and being outdoors in Colorado.

Jessica joined Mod Moms very soon after they relocated to Colorado, but it took a little while to actually get out and start attending events and meeting people. Currently, Jessica volunteers for Mod Moms in several capacities. She works on the Partnership team to help promote new partners that establish relationships with Mod Moms and she gets the word out about their services. She works on the Marketing team and is currently helping establish a new brand feel for Mod Moms to better fit our membership and enhance our website. She assists on the Membership team to welcome new members to the group and answer questions. Jessica leads the recently relaunched Restaurant Club subgroup and Couples Dinner Club subgroup. She serves as a board member for Mod Moms. After living in Columbia, MO for 11 years she had a strong network of women and friends that she relied on every day. After relocating here, she was happy to get involved and start making similar connections.

There are still many groups Jessica have yet to try within Mod Moms. However, she really enjoys Restaurant Club, Cooking Club, Monthly Happy Hour and the ongoing family events throughout the year.

When Jessica is not volunteering, she is also in the process of recently relaunching her business, Simply Perfect Parties – www.simplyperfectpartiesco.com. Simply Perfect Parties is a full-service, boutique event planning and styling business where she helps create memorable moments for all occasions. SPP can help with small details or full events. They do all events from corporate business functions to baby/bridal showers. SPP also specializes in themed children’s birthday parties and have been featured on www.catchmyparty.com. You can find more about Simply Perfect Parties partnership with MOD Moms at https://modmomsnorth.org/our-partners/simply-perfect-parties/  In addition to Simply Perfect Parties, Jessica loves all creative outlets and wishes she had more time for fun, Pinterest projects, she loves to decorate and she also enjoys baking.

Thank you for all that you do to make this a great community, Jessica!

The MOD Moms Volunteer of the Month will receive a $25 gift certificate to use at OMNI Resorts, one of the many great MOD Moms partners. The gift certificate can be used at any of the OMNI restaurants, the Mokara Spa or the hotel!

MOD Moms simply cannot function without all of the dedicated, hard-working volunteers who make the events, clubs, playgroups, partnerships and behind-the-scenes stuff happen. Thank you to all of you fantastic women who help make this group a wonderful place!

We are catching up our blog with a great big ‘Thank You!’ to November’s Volunteer of the Month,

Christy is married to Brandon who has both private equity and technology backgrounds.  You’ve probably seen him running or biking around town getting ready for one of his IronMan (or other crazy races).  Christy and Brandon have three kids, Casseia (11 years old), Tai (10 years old) and Riley (7 years old).  The Watson Family also has a spirited dog named Kona who is a black lab/border collie mix, who is obsessed with chasing balls at the Davidson Mesa dog park. When Christy can find some free time, she loves martial arts – have a black belt in one style – and am trying out new styles now, as well as some yoga and sleeping when she can – ha!

As a family, they love to go on hikes, ski and take vacations everywhere they can.  This year has Seattle, Alaska and San Diego on the calendar.  They moved here a few years ago from Seattle and knew absolutely no one.  Moving with kids across the country can be really hard.  With her real estate business, Christy Watson Homes, she focuses on families who are relocating because she understands how hard it can be and have found ways to make the entire process easier for families who are moving.  Which is so rewarding, knowing she has helped their move go easier, even more “fun”!  You can find out more about Christy Watson Homes’s partnership with MOD Moms at http://modmomsnorth.org/our-partners/christy-watson-homes-keller-williams-preferred-realty/

Christy has been a MOD Mom member for about 1.5 years and originally heard about it from Kris Henderson who started MOD Movers.  Christy has hosted a moms brunch, done some meal trains, co-hosted the coat drive for A Precious Child with Heidi Howard, hosted a mom’s movie night out, and organized a Style Swap last year and this year as well.  She also started up Welcome Bags again with some fab other MOD Moms, calling on our Partner vendors to provide goodies in the bags and then she delivers each one personally. Christy believes in the power of being a MOD Mom so much, she even provides a complimentary Premium Home Warranty with every home purchase (a $410 value) and have been honored to help several MOD families find new homes in our area.

When Christy first joined, it was just to meet other moms and to be part of Kris’ running club.  But, over time, she realized it is much more than just mom meet-ups and discounts.  It’s about supporting each other (the meal trains and sunshine), getting trusted advice from other moms, and being of help wherever she can.  Because being a Mom is hard and it’s so much easier and fun to be a Mom that has the support of other understanding moms.  Not having any family in the area myself, Christy found it’s really important to have a strong group of ladies that she can trust and talk to and she can also help out if they ever need it.

Some of Christy’s favorite MOD Mom activities are: Trunk or Treat, movie nights, MOD Movers, cooking club and Mompreneurs.

Thank you for all that you do to make this a great community, Christy!

The MOD Moms Volunteer of the Month will receive a $25 gift certificate to use at OMNI Resorts, one of the many great MOD Moms partners. The gift certificate can be used at any of the OMNI restaurants, the Mokara Spa or the hotel!

MOD Moms simply cannot function without all of the dedicated, hard-working volunteers who make the events, clubs, playgroups, partnerships and behind-the-scenes stuff happen. Thank you to all of you fantastic women who help make this group a wonderful place!

We are catching up our blog with a great big ‘Thank You!’ to October’s Volunteer of the Month, Heidi Huey!

The Huey Family is a family of four.  Heidi is mostly a Stay at Home Mom, but she also substitute teaches at Louisville Montessori Preschool.  Heidi’s husband, Craig, is an engineer at Seagate in Longmont.  They have 2 children that attend Stargate in Thornton.  The Huey Family loves being outdoors as much as possible.

Heidi has been a MOD Mom for 3 years now.  She was a member for a year or 2 prior, while she was teaching, but needs MOD Moms now more than before due to not teaching.  Heidi is a part of the Welcoming Committee.  She joined the Welcoming Committee, because she needed something to do 🙂 Heidi enjoy sharing with others about MOD Moms.

Within MOD Moms, Heidi loves the Spring Egg Hunt at Nordstrom and the pool parties in the summer at MOD Moms Partner, Lakeshore Athletic Club.  Heidi and her family also designed an incredible Trunk or Treat for the 2016 Halloween Party.  Heidi plays in our monthly Bunco Club and is active in our MomPreneurs Group, which meet twice a month.  She frequents the Monthly Breakfasts at the Huckleberry and the Monthly Member Brunches sponsored by The Staufer Team, https://modmomsnorth.org/our-partners/staufer-team-real-estate/

Heidi loves to cook, garden, fun road trip adventures with her family, skiing, hiking, camping and being in the mountains or outdoors with family and friends.  She has been a teacher of the Gifted and Talented for over 13 years.  She stays active in the GT field with her university at conferences and at their annual summer camp, as well as being an educational consultant/tutor.  This gives her the opportunity to share her education and experiences as an educator and a parent of GT students.

Thank you for all that you do to make this a great community, Heidi!

The MOD Moms Volunteer of the Month will receive a $25 gift certificate to use at OMNI Resorts, one of the many great MOD Moms partners. The gift certificate can be used at any of the OMNI restaurants, the Mokara Spa or the hotel!

MOD Moms simply cannot function without all of the dedicated, hard-working volunteers who make the events, clubs, playgroups, partnerships and behind-the-scenes stuff happen. Thank you to all of you fantastic women who help make this group a wonderful place!

We are catching up our blog with a great big ‘Thank You!’ to September’s Volunteer of the Month, Belinda Campbell!

Belinda’s family consists of Belinda, Keith, and their two girls, Kerrigan(5) and Linden(3) who both attend Primrose. Kerrigan will be starting kindergarten at Peak to Peak in the fall.  Keith is a network engineer for AT&T.  Belinda is a Pediatric Dentist and her practice, Young Dentistry, is also a sponsor of MOD Moms.  You can find out more about Young Dentistry at https://modmomsnorth.org/our-partners/young-dentistry-children/

Belinda joined MOD Moms about 2 years ago. Belinda volunteers as the Director of Weekly emails. Belinda tells us, “I wanted to find a way to be more involved that had flexibility so I could fit it in with my full time job and family. I love that I can work on the email after hours or on weekends but it also keeps me in the loop as to which activities are happening. I look forward to finding more volunteer opportunities with MOD Moms.”

Belinda loves the working moms happy hour, movie club, cookie swap (cooking club) and all the yearly activities that are organized such as the Spring Egg Hunt, Free Movie Events and Holiday Party. “There really is something for everyone, even if you have a crazy schedule!”

Belinda is a pediatric dentist in Louisville and loves the connection she gets with our local families. During her free time (hah! that’s a funny statement), she likes to be a homebody and hang out with her family. Her kids love to swim, play at the local parks and eat! Belinda is not much of a hobby person and am jealous of all you knitters, photographers and otherwise crafty moms out there. They are fortunate to have family in the area and always get together on the weekend for dinner. Belinda’s newest passion at work in the treatment of infants and children with tongue tie that affects nursing, eating and speech. The changes she sees after treatment are remarkable and she is so blessed to be part of these families from the start.

Thank you for all that you do to make this a great community, Belinda!

The MOD Moms Volunteer of the Month will receive a $25 gift certificate to use at OMNI Resorts, one of the many great MOD Moms partners. The gift certificate can be used at any of the OMNI restaurants, the Mokara Spa or the hotel!

MOD Moms simply cannot function without all of the dedicated, hard-working volunteers who make the events, clubs, playgroups, partnerships and behind-the-scenes stuff happen. Thank you to all of you fantastic women who help make this group a wonderful place!