Balloon Fiesta 2013

We sure do love our International Balloon Fiesta.  It really never gets old.  I know I say that every year, but it's still true, so I'm still saying it.  It's simply awesome!  My boys love it too.  You'd think they'd get used to it, but they still excitedly point out balloons floating overhead as we drive to school. 

This year, we drove around the first weekend, following them around a bit from our car, then parked and watched a few come down around us.  A fun new favorite or our family's was the Hummingbird Balloon (see pic).  The following week, we had planned to hit the Thursday morning Mass Ascension, but it was too windy and they cancelled, so we headed out of town to Pagosa instead.  We were just glad we'd chased them a bit that first Saturday.

A fun addition to this year's fiesta was the addition of balloons all around the house, and I'm not talking about the kind you blow up.  Ash and Beck both put crayons to paper and created their own Mass Ascensions featuring some of their favorite balloons.  We also had a balloon park constructed of Legos gracing their bedroom floor for a few days, complete with several Lego balloons.  Balloons, balloons...everywhere you looked.  It was so much fun to see the imaginative things they were coming up with!  

We heart hot air balloons, always:) 

Fall Break in Pagosa

  

Wahoo for fall break!  We were more than ready to head outta town for a few days.  At least I was.  A couple of months ago we started perusing the internet for rentals in both Taos and Pagosa Springs, and this time we chose the latter.  It was a wonderful trip and we all had such a great time!  The boys were in heaven...foosball, football, deer spotting, fire building, hot tubbing, mini golf and everything in between.  Cabins are the best.  Corey and I loved being away from the stresses and pulls of normal day life, and the freedom to just spend time with our little clan.  The stunning fall backdrop for our trip didn't hurt either.  It was GORGEOUS.  Absolutely.  Bright yellow aspens, reddish-brown scrub oak, and evergreen pines galore made it extra special.  As an added bonus, it snowed the first day we were there.  What crazy weather!  We came prepared with all the snow gear though, thank goodness:)  Under Asher's guidance, the boys made a little snowman.  They were bound and determined, despite the wet, inch deep snow and by the time they were finished they were soaked and happy.  By the time we left, the weather was clear, sunny and at about 60.  Whew!

 

We hit the Rocky Mountain Wildlife Park, which was literally two minutes from our cabin.  It was small, but very cool.  They have animals that have been hurt or needed to be taken care of for one reason or another.  We went for the feeding time (well worth it!), and saw the worker feed and tell us all about the Grizzly Bear they have.  Her name is Princess and she was massive and amazing and my favorite!  They also had a gorgeous elk, porcupines, a cougar, some mules, wolves, a bobcat, goats and rabbits.  Such a fun little excursion.

 

We did go to a hot spring pool, Healing Waters, in town.  It was like a giant bathtub.  Ahhhh.  Asher swam around while Beckett saved the lives of Lady Bugs floating on the surface of the water.  One little lady even hitched a ride home in our suitcase, somehow surviving a jaunt in Beck's pocket.

The deer all around the cabin were amazing to spot and watch.  We saw so many, and close enough that they'd stare back at us through the windows.  Ash and Beck loved them, and showed it by yelling, "Bye, deer!!" as we'd drive off from the cabin...surely scaring away every deer within a quarter mile. 

It really was a fantastic trip, in a beautiful local.  I can't wait for the next one!  Maybe next time we can stretch our 4 days into 7, ahhhhh.

School Boy!

Beckett had his first day of preschool...finally (his feelings, not mine). He has been beyond excited to begin preschool, and when Asher started school two weeks before he did, he was downright mad. Really.  He couldn't understand how his school wasn't starting on the same day, and was counting down the days until he was a school kid too.  It's been so good for him and so fun!  He comes home from school telling me about his new friends, and how he dug a really deep hole during 'recess',  that he likes to play in the house, and how someone brought b-day cupcakes with rings in them and he ended up with a pink one instead of his favorite color blue (he was really mad, because "pink is for girls!").  My favorite thing he likes to do is to have 'jobs'.  At preschool, they give the kids responsibilities, ie clean-up manager.  He played clean-up manager at home the other day and vacuumed, and swept the floors, then did a little dusting, and still wanted some more jobs to do.  The biggest shocker?  He actually did a great job!  The little guy was checking his own work and would circle back around with the vacuum to catch any missed specks on the floor. Um, thank you, preschool teachers.  My efforts for the past few years were eclipsed in a couple of weeks by his preschool experience.  Wow. 

Beck is such a little smarty pants, reading, writing (ie. trtl= turtle), drawing.  He's so excited to learn new things.  Today in the car he said to me, "mom, right now I'm studying plants."  He still loves to dress up and really get into character (see pic below...ALL his idea), and his imagination is amazing.  He loves to build and create new things (also, see pic below of weaponry ala Beckett).  Things are never dull, and he asks me to play with him all the time.  In the past couple of weeks, I've been a princess, Sonic,  April from TMNT and a warrior. Keep it up little buddy. 

For the record, the first day of preschool was a killer for me.  I was so sad driving off, and when I looked back and saw two empty car seats, the tears took over.  I even accidentally showed up early to pick him up.  I could've sworn I had the time right but I was a half hour early.  I do actually enjoy running errands, and trying to clean the house all on my own, but at the same time, I miss having a little buddy:(  Maybe preschool is for me too.  Baby steps.