This year was so much fun. As usual, we kicked off the festivities the Friday before the Fiesta started at the kid's school with Balloons Aloft. Every year a couple of balloons come to each elementary school to lay out the balloons on the field, inflate, and then launch before school starts. The kids look forward to it every year, and we've fallen into the tradition of running to get donuts and chocolate milk afterwards, before school starts. The kids loved it...the balloons, the donuts, and running wild with their friends as balloons float up to the sky. I love that we have unique events like this that make living here special.
Balloon Fiesta itself was also lots of fun for us, particularly because we had company this year. Without fail, most years we hear from friends or family that they want to come, but rarely does it actually happen. But, this year, well, let's just say it happened!! My sister Jen, and her family let us know they were coming a few weeks back. Then, my sister Laurie called and said she'd be here in a couple of days for the Balloon Fiesta too! I couldn't believe it. That's right, not one, but two families coming out to NM. We were thrilled!
The morning after Jen came up, we went to a morning Mass Ascension (it was our fall break also, so kids were home and Cor took the day off). It was fantastic. Loads of balloons bubbling up from the ground all around us. Spectacular. It was cold, but we've definitely had colder BF mornings in years past. Afterwards, we had Blake's breakfast burritos and snuck in some needed naps later in the afternoon. That evening, the boys all headed out to the UNM game and had a great time. Jen and I stayed home with the little buddies so they could get to bed at a normal time (and so we could eat some ice cream and watch t.v.).
Laurie and family arrived that night too (but unfortunately were in a hotel so not as close), and Koleson and Kylin just made it to the game. The boys loved seeing their close-in-age cousins and being able to hang out. We had soccer games the next morning (Go Asher! He had a great game), which was cancelled due to thunder, lightning and rain after about 9:45, so we headed home and regrouped. Laurie's crew were at the Mass Ascension waiting for the go ahead for the balloons, but only one group was able to go up...dang!
We met up with them later at Explora, to get some family time in, and further exhaust all the poor kiddos who'd been up since before dawn. They did great though and had fun playing. We hit Dion's later on for dinner with everyone. It was everyone's second meal there already, but nobody seemed to mind, haha.
The weekend went by SO fast, I can hardly believe it, and now the house seems so quiet without all the cousin fun going on. We miss everyone already and really hope they all come back again soon. It was amazing to have my sisters here in my home to hang out with, I love them and their families and just wish everyone lived closer so these times weren't so rare. But, I'll take what I can get.
Now, on to enjoying fabulous Fall in NM...
