Hot Air Balloon Festival

As I was waking the kids up at 6:30 on Saturday morning to load them up and drive downtown for the Hot Air Balloon Festival I wasn’t sure if it was a good idea or not.

Then as we walked blocks and blocks (myself 8 months pregnant) I really wondered if it was a good idea.

Then we got there.

And I realized it was a WONDERFUL idea!

Lil’ A was still her her pajamas. And she wasn’t a fan of the big balloons or the loud noise that the fans and the flames make.

Notice everyone in jackets? Except me, in a tank top? Yeah… I’ve been one overheated lady during most of this pregnancy…

She was just not sure.

The sky fills with balloons, it’s no neat!

 

Because there are so many balloons going up, it’s easy to get a very close view of how it all works, start to finish, from VERY up close.

 

 

Once all the balloons were in the air we relocated to wait for the “Wings of Blue” Air Force Sky Diving Team to start their demonstration.

A moment to pause and reflect on this girl’s hair.

How did she get so lucky?!

“Yook Mama! Up daaaair!!”

The team of divers did various tricks as they came down. And they trailed ribbons and smoke. And they always landed RIGHT in the middle of the crowd where we had cleared a circle. So much fun.

This guy had just completed some sky dive over 500 or something…

 

And THEN, on the walk back to the car, we saw a group of kids sliding down this halfpipe.

Well, if they’re doing it. Why don’t we try?!

From up top it looks very high and steep. I was quite surprised that my big kiddos weren’t scared.

What a morning of good quality fun. This city. My family. What a joy.

Evening at Sky Sox

We took the big kids and went to a Sky Sox baseball game with friends this evening. It was a PERFECT summer evening and it was a fun and relaxing night. We did leave our busy toddler at home with a babysitter. It might not have been relaxing had she come along. She can come when she grows up a little…

Even got a pic with Sox the Fox!

Flashback

I cleaned off a very old camera today and I found these gems.

This was 2013, soon after we had to leave Africa. N had just turned 3. This was likely their first of MANY visits to the public library here in Colorado. They wore new winter coats and boots which were certainly a novelty at this point.

Such babies!

What a beautiful thing. Two and a half years later we still don’t take the public library for granted… one of the amazing things about of life in America.

Book Worms and Snuggle Bugs

This is not a rare occurrence in my house in the morning…

One of Her Favorite Things

We recently purchased a bird feeder for our balcony.

It’s pretty much one of her favorite things.

Our tiniest talker now spends half of her day pointing out the window yelling “Mommy! Birdie!!  Two birdies!!” Or “Mommy! Birdies eeeaat beafast!”, “Mommy! Birdies eeeaat lunch!”, “Mommy! Birdies eeeaat niiinner!!”.

It’s pretty much tons of fun.

And now she’s become our resident bird-feeder filler-upper. I give her a tiny cup and taught her to pour slowly and she can do a pretty decent job.

She takes a scoop…

Looks at me…

Says“sllooow” for a reminder…

and then pours (most) of the seed in the right place…

And repeat.

It’s pretty much the cutest thing.

My Boy’s Thoughtful Surprise

Months ago H came up with an idea to build N a dollhouse. His design was rather elaborate and generally I shy away from these sorts of projects. But you had to kill a boy’s creativity, thoughtfulness and generosity. And Mike was willing to tackle it with him.

So away the project went. He had some drawings and I think Mike simplified them. Eventually they bought some basic materials and started building. After a few trips to the woodshop, Mike declared we must now wait for my Dad to come to finish the project. Ha!

Eventually Mom and Dad came out for a visit and of course Poppi worked with H to finish it.

Then came the big reveal!

Sweet boy. They really do love each other.

My Dear Grandma

My dear Grandma passed from this life to the next on May 30th. We are relieved that she is not in pain anymore, and rejoicing that she is reunited after 40 years with her precious Waldo and now seeing Jesus face to face!

She will be missed for these days that we remain on earth, but it will be so very much fun to see her younger and healthy in Heaven one day. What a miracle God’s grace is through Jesus Christ that gives us that hope and assurance!

We visited her at the nursing home whenever we visited Ohio. I am posting pictures from one visit that I remember so clearly. A gorgeous summer day, sitting in front of the building with my dearest family.

Grandma Janet

1926-2015