Aquarium & Botanic Gardens

Again, no pictures of the animals in the aquarium, or the plants at the gardens, but we had a fun day with friends. We rode the train, toured the aquarium (twice), visited the Japanese garden and the Heritage Farm

The boys enjoying the mantas at the aquarium. Dan wore only his best clothes for this outing!

Don't they look like a bunch of unschoolers?

Our beautiful boys

This was going to be a blog about last week's trip to the zoo. But I didn't take any 'zoo' pictures. No animals, no friends on the playset, altho we did see animals, and we met friends there. All I have are a few pictures of our two beautiful boys.

A rare shot of Dan looking at the camera. I don't think he realized I caught this one, but with him, I'll take what I can get! I think Andy was talking, which made the shot easier to get.
Andy washed his hair just a few hours before this picture. Look at those curls!! Proof he's mine after all, because we know those curls did not come from Gary's side of the family! Yes, Andy is blessed/cursed with the curly hair that has shown up during adolescence for every male child in my maternal line for at least five generations. I love the curls! The boys, however, find them not so extra. Dan is fervently hoping that gene skips him.

the Balloon Fiesta

We went to the morning launch at the Balloon Fiesta on Weds this year. In years past, we've always gone to the evening activities, usually the special shapes glowdeos. A week or two before Fiesta, Dan said to me "Mom, did you know there's another whole balloon fiesta in the morning?" I explained that it's the same fiesta, but I prefer to go evenings, not at 6 am when it's freezing cold. He insisted he really had to see a morning ascent. Locals (and the Fiesta planners) call it a "mass ascension" here which makes Gary cringe (he understands NM is a very Catholic state, but really there was only one 'ascension') so I make a point of saying 'ascent' now. Anyway, we went to watch the balloons take off.

It was really a lovely morning. Not as cold as I remembered from my time at Fiestas in years past. And, in a week of changing weather, it was one of the best launches in this year's Fiesta. I took lots of pictures, so I'll post several of our favorites.

As we walked in from the parking area, we saw these balloons. The mostly yellow, brightly colored ones are from a local balloon outfit called Rainbow Ryders, who sell rides up and down the Rio Grande, which means most of them fly over our house. We see several balloons a week from September to May. Just one of the many joys of life in Albuquerque.

The first wave of balloons take to the sky.
A pink house, tho not the one from John Mellencamp's song, I think. It looks a little off balance, don't you think?
We watched this balloon being inflated and launched. It reminded us of JayJay the Jetplane which Dan watched for a time when he was very little.

I like this one with the flames.

Airabelle the Cow is at every Fiesta.

This pig inflated next to us as we watched the jetplane fill up.

Dan insisted I get a shot of this castle balloon in flight. That has got to be a hard balloon to fly -- nothing aerodynamic about a flying castle.

My personal favorite -- I love the colors on this one!

Harvest Party

A couple of weeks ago, we spent Sunday afternoon at a harvest party at Ironwood Farm

I didn't get a lot of pictures -- too busy eating good food and catching up with friends -- but here are a few.

There was wool spinning on a wheel. I didn't try it, but watched a few others give it a try.
The boys tended the fire on the steam tractor to sound the whistle.

Dan & Scotty, with Dominick, whose Dad is an old friend of Chris. The boys had a great time, climbing all over the steam tractor and exploring the farm together.

Dan & Scotty, looking up from the mine shaft over at Scotty's grandpa's house next door. They were up and down in the barrel on a hoist powered by the steam engine at Scott's place.