Document:

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                                                                EXHIBIT 10.15(a)
                                   "EXHIBIT A"
        FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE M.D.C. HOLDINGS, INC. 401(k) SAVINGS PLAN

WHEREAS, M.D.C. Holdings, Inc. (the "Company") established the M.D.C. Holdings,
Inc. 401(k) Savings Plan (the "Plan") originally effective on January 1, 1992,
and subsequently restated in the Key Trust Company PRISM(R) Prototype Retirement
Plan and Trust, effective July 1, 1998 as provided by the Trustee; and

WHEREAS, the Company, effective as of June 1, 2001, desires to amend the Plan to
allow for monthly entry dates; and

WHEREAS, the Company, effective as of June 1, 2001, desires to amend the Plan to
allow Participants to modify their deferral percentages on a monthly basis.

NOW, THEREFORE,

BE IT RESOLVED, effective June 1, 2001, Section B.6.d(ii) of the Adoption
Agreement is hereby amended to read as follows:

B.      BASIC PLAN PROVISIONS:

6.       ELIGIBILITY:

              d.           ENTRY DATES:

                           Upon completion of the eligibility requirements, an
                           Employee shall commence participation in the Plan
                           (select only one):

                           i        As soon as practicable under the payroll
                                    practices utilized by the Employer, and
                                    consistently applied to all Employees, or if
                                    earlier, the first day of the Plan Year.

                           ii   X   As of the first day of the month following
                               ---  the completion of the eligibility
                                    requirements.

                           iii      As of the earliest of the first day of the
                                    Plan Year, fourth, seventh or tenth month of
                                    the Plan Year next following completion of
                                    the eligibility requirements.

                           iv       As of the earliest of the first day of the
                                    Plan Year or seventh month of the Plan Year
                                    next following completion of the
                                    eligibility requirements.

                           v        As of the first day of the Plan Year next
                                    following completion of the eligibility
                                    requirements (may only be selected if the
                                    eligibility year of service requirement is 6
                                    months or less).
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AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that effective as of June 1, 2001, the Company
amends the provisions of Item C.3 of the Adoption Agreement to provide as
follows:

C.       SECTION 401(k) PLAN PROVISIONS:

3.       CONTRIBUTION CHANGES:

                  a.           Participants may increase or decrease the amount
                               of contributions made to the Plan pursuant to a
                               Salary Reduction Agreement once each:

                               i            Plan Year
                                  ---

                               ii           Semi-annual period, based on the
                                  ---       Plan Year

                               iii          Quarter, based on the Plan Year
                                  ---
                               iv  X        Month
                                  ---
                                v           Other, as specified below (provided
                                  ---       that it is at least once per year):

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that except as amended and restated herein, all
other provisions of the M.D.C. Holdings, Inc. 401(k) Savings Plan shall remain
effective as set forth in the original Adoption Agreement.

   EMPLOYER: M.D.C. HOLDINGS, INC.

   BY:                                                     DATE:
      -----------------------------------                       --------------

   TRUSTEE: KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

   BY:                                                     DATE:
      -----------------------------------                       --------------<PAGE>
                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.16

                             THIRD AMENDMENT TO THE
                              M.D.C. HOLDINGS, INC.
                         DIRECTOR EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

         1.       Plan Sponsor:  M.D.C. Holdings, Inc.

         2.       Amendment of Plan:  The following Third Amendment to the
M.D.C. Holdings, Inc. Director Equity Incentive Plan (the "Plan") is adopted,
effective as provided in paragraph 3:

         SECTION 3.2 OF THE PLAN REGARDING THE GRANTING OF OPTIONS SHALL BE
         AMENDED BY REPLACING THE EXISTING SECTION 3.2 WITH THE FOLLOWING NEW
         SECTION 3.2:

         Section 3.2 - Granting of Options

                  On the first day of each December during the term of this
         Plan, each Eligible Director shall be granted an Option to purchase
         25,000 shares of Common Stock. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence,
         no further Options shall be granted pursuant to the Plan in calendar
         years beginning on and after January 1, 2001.

         3.       Effective Date.  The foregoing Third Amendment to the Plan
shall be effective on the date the shareholders of M.D.C. Holdings, Inc. approve
the M.D.C. Holdings, Inc. Stock Option Plan for Non-Employee Directors (the
"2001 Director Plan"); provided that if the shareholders of M.D.C. Holdings,
Inc. do not approve the 2001 Director Plan prior to December 1, 2001, the Third
Amendment to the Plan shall not take effect and shall become null and void.

         4.       Terms and Conditions of Plan.  Except for the above amendment,
all terms and conditions of the Plan are unamended and shall remain in full
force and effect.

         5.       Execution.   The Plan sponsor  has executed this Third
Amendment as of the ___ day of ___________________, 2001.

                           M.D.C. HOLDINGS, INC.
                           PLAN SPONSOR

                           By:
                              --------------------------------------------------

                           Title:
                                 -----------------------------------------------EXHIBIT 10.72
                                                                   -------------

                               FOURTH AMENDMENT TO
                              EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

         Reference is made to that certain Employment Agreement (the "Original
Agreement"), dated as of December 21, 1998, by and between ANNIE'S HOMEGROWN,
INC. (the "Company"), a Delaware corporation, and Paul B. Nardone (the
"Employee"), and an Amendment made to the Original Agreement, as of August 26,
1999, by and between the Company and the Employee (the "First Amendment"), an
Amendment made to the First Amendment, as of December 13, 1999, by and between
the Company and the Employee (the "Second Amendment"), and an Amendment made to
the Original Agreement, as of August 16, 2000 (the "Third Amendment"). This
Fourth Amendment to the Original Agreement is made as of September 4, 2001, by
and between the Company and the Employee. Capitalized terms not defined in this
Fourth Amendment shall have the meaning given to them in the Original Agreement,
as amended.

                                   BACKGROUND
                                   ----------

         A.  The Company and the Employee entered into the Original Agreement to
define and/or establish the terms and conditions of the Employee's employment
with the Company, including, but not limited to, the duration of his employment
with the Company and the compensation and bonuses to be paid to the Employee.

         B.  The Company and the Employee executed the First Amendment to the
Original Agreement to memorialize their intent to change or otherwise alter
certain terms and conditions of the Employee's employment with the Company,
including the duration of his employment with the Company and the compensation
to be paid to the Employee.

         C.  The Company and the Employee executed the Second Amendment to the
Original Agreement to memorialize their intent to change or otherwise alter
certain terms and conditions of the Employee's employment with the Company, to
reflect the Employee's appointment as the Chief Executive Officer of the
Company.

         D.  The Company and the Employee executed the Third Amendment to the
Original Agreement to reflect the Employee's new base salary and the extension
of the term of his employment with the Company.

         E.  The Company and the Employee now wish to further amend the Original
Agreement as set forth herein.
<PAGE>
                                    AGREEMENT
                                    ---------

         In consideration of the foregoing background, the mutual agreement of
the parties, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and
sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the Company and the Employee agree
as follows:

         1.  Section 3, Duties and Responsibilities, of the Original Agreement,
             as amended, is hereby further amended by adding a new Section 3(d)
             with the following language: "Commencing in 2001 of the Term, as a
             condition of his employment, Employee shall attend a Masters in
             Business Administration program ("MBA") at an accredited university
             approved by the company's Board of Directors. The Company shall pay
             all of Employee's tuition, fees and expenses incurred in connection
             with the MBA program."

         2.  Section 3(b), of the Original Agreement is hereby amended by adding
             the following language to the end thereof: "Notwithstanding the
             foregoing, Employee's matriculation in the MBA Program does not, in
             itself, conflict with the obligations set forth in this Section
             3(b) requiring Employee to work full-time for the Company."

         3.  Section 11(a), Voluntary Termination, is hereby amended by adding
             the following language, to be read as if immediately following the
             last sentence of Section 11(a): "In the event that Employee
             voluntarily terminates his employment with the Company within two
             (2) years of completing the MBA program referenced in Section 3(d)
             above, Employee shall reimburse to the Company for all tuition,
             fees and expenses paid by the Company in connection with the MBA
             program."

         4.  Section 11(b), Involuntary Termination, is hereby amended by adding
             the following language to the end there of: "In the event of
             Employees Involuntary Termination for Cause, while he is attending
             the MBA Program or within two (2) years of completing the MBA
             Program referred in Section 3(d) above, Employee shall reimburse
             while he is attending the MBA Program or the Company for all
             tuition, fees and expenses paid by the Company in connection with
             the MBA program; provided however, that if Employee's Involuntary
             Termination for cause occurs after his completion of the MBA
             Program, Employee's reimbursement obligation shall be reduced by
             1/24 for each full month since the Employee completed such MBA
             Program. In the event of Involuntary Termination, for any reason
             other than Cause as defined herein, Employee shall not be required
             to reimburse the Company of the tuition, fees or expenses paid by
             the Company in connection with MBA program."

         5.  In all other respects, the Original Agreement is hereby ratified
             and confirmed.
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         6.  This Fourth Amendment may be executed in counterparts, each of
             which will be considered an original and each of which will
             constitute one and the same document.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Fourth Amendment has been executed as of the
date set forth above.

                                        ANNIE'S HOMEGROWN, INC.

                                        By: /s/ Neil Raiff
                                            -----------------------------------
                                            Neil Raiff, Chief Financial Officer

                                        EMPLOYEE:

                                            /s/ Paul Nardone
                                            -----------------------------------
                                            Paul B. Nardone

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