Rachel, Senior Writer
Rachel is a native Coloradoan, though originally from the Western Slope. She followed her husband Chris to his hometown of Colorado Springs after having met in engineering school at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO. Together they have four beautiful children, Tommy (2011), Tazzy (2014), Zach (2015) and Zinny (2018). Having a young and active family keeps Rachel on her toes trying to find ways to keep the ship sailing while still meeting all the demands of motherhood. Though Rachel loves her most important role as Mommy most, she also works full time outside the home as a Water Resources Engineer for the Colorado Division of Water Resources. This role helps keep her life centered, bouncing from detailed and complex discussions relating to Colorado Water Law with her husband ( a mechanical engineer) to daycare and preschool drop off and pick up schedules, while being constantly interrupted by the equally complex musings of her 4 year.
Wildfires and our Community: How to Help!
Wildfires are raging across Colorado and the West. Too many of our citizens know all too well the hardship of losing a home to wildfire. But even after a fire is contained, members of...
Motherhood: Respecting Limits, Accepting Help And Maybe A Little Prayer
Motherhood is hard. There are all the things you have to remember all the time. If I have learned anything, it is that there is such a thing as having "baby brain." That sometimes, all the energy you possess is tied up in making a human. That makes you do stupid things.
Being Pregnant: Making the Case To Wait To Announce
Having reached a point where your grief has subsided to intermittent passing thoughts rather than a constant state of pain, technology throws a punch in the form of an algorithm from Facebook-land. A little message pops up to remind you that "5 years ago today you... were just letting everyone know that you "won't actually be having a baby in July, no heartbeat."" And you will get to relive that grief all over again.
Child Care: The Limiting Factor
The struggle to find child care is a constant battle and can cause major stress. It's a challenge to balance a convenient location, the number of facilities you have to pick up and drop off from (why do so few facilities take infants?!?) and the cost of care for multiple children.
Child Care Centers: Bigger Price Tag, More Bells and Whistles
Some child care centers, like the one my kids attend, offer extra curricular classes like dance or martial arts where they bring the instructor into the center to conduct class during the day. I was more than willing to pay extra for this class for the luxury of being able to skip the wait-list for a Saturday morning dance class we could otherwise attend and I not having to drive there. I wish there were more opportunities like that.
In Home Child Care: Lower Cost, Fewer Extras
Costwise, In Home Child Care in Colorado Springs generally ranges from about $125 -$180 per week, per child depending on the operation. This rate often covers the hourly rate, plus any food the child consumes for meals and snacks. It usually does not cover diapers, wipes and formula.
Child Care: Financial Resources
Sometimes however, the main consideration is the hourly rate of childcare versus the hourly rate for the parents. Depending on your situation, sometimes the math just doesn't justify one alternative over the other. Fortunately, there are programs to help when ends don't meet.
Nanny: A Budget-Friendly Option for Large Families
As the employer, you actually need to budget for quite a bit more than the hourly rate. When you hire a nanny as a household employee, you have to pay Social Security and Medicare for that person, as well as unemployment insurance and often payroll services
Our Home Remodel: A Challenge to Change the Current
I love an old house - cozy, sturdy, with its own unique creaks, cracks and character. I also love modern conveniences. When we moved into our new, 1977 built, home last year, I fell...
I Didn’t Need It Anyway: A Challenge To Donate
That's the thing, I didn't need it anyway. It didn't fit because there were too many dishes in their in the first place. Dishes I use maybe once a year. Dishes I was given or collected, but simply added to the stack rather than to replace another one. Too much stuff, everywhere, there is too much stuff.