♫Balloons & Tunes♫

What an amazing experience this was! We met up with friends for a breathtaking evening at the Hot Air Balloon Festival. We even got to take a tethered ride in one! It was awesome! The whole event was just a gorgeous sight, I can't imagine what it would be like to see the larger festivals-the International Balloon festival in Albuquerque, NM hails 750 balloons in the sky! How spectacular would that be!? We are putting it on our wishlist of places/things to see and take pictures of...(We're not going to discuss the length of that list...) I hope you enjoy these pictures as much as I enjoyed taking them-I was one excited photographer! (And you are officially warned-this is a pic heavy post!-although is nothing in comparison to the 467 pictures I snapped...ahh the joys of continuous shooting, have I mentioned lately how much I love my camera?)

How exciting!?

(Sure, it was tied to some ropes, but I'm cool with that! Actually, I think I prefer it that way!!)

Watching, waiting our turn...

Going up.... :D

Natalie wasn't so sure at first-but she warmed up to it by the end of the ride and wanted to do it again! haha

Haylie, on the other hand, LOVED it...

She is getting so big! And has mysteriously grown some funny ears on top of her head...

Amazing.

“Love of beauty is Taste. The creation of beauty is Art.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Busy, busy, busy!

August has been one busy month! Birthdays, festivals, fairs, trips to the Zoo, visits with friends, you name it, I think we covered it this month! One of my favorite highlights-our littlest bug turned 3! That's right, in her words, she's now "a big girl like her sister!" We did a whole lot of celebrating last weekend because along with our youngest, my sister turned 16, so I had 2 cakes to make! :) I wanted my sister's to be really special because it was her sweet 16, so I did my best to make it nice-I'm still learning-but I think it came out pretty awesome for a beginner!!

                          Headin' out to my Sister's Birthday Dinner!

Fyaaahhhh!! ;)

She really liked her cake!! :) :)

Happy Sweet 16!

Helping blow out her candle!

Happy 3rd Birthday!

My hubby fueling up for the party! Love him. :) And his Charlie Brown mug!

A Day at the Fair

Here we go, here we go, BOOM BOOM!

You ask most people their favorite Holiday and the common responses are Thanksgiving or Christmas. I am not most people. Although I love those holidays, my favorite is Independence Day! Nothing like being downtown on the riverfront for Red, White, and Boom with everyone's radios tuned to the same station, every single person standing to our National anthem, Lee Greenwood singing "Proud to be an American", the National Guard fly over, kids with sparklers and pop-its, and best of all-the Fireworks! I am like a giant 5 year old during fireworks, they are so beautiful, so exciting, and so loud!! My favorite fireworks are those really loud ones that are just meant to make noise, the ones they fill the finale with that explode so loud you can feel them in your chest...those are the best! 4th of July is the greatest!

Catching up...

I have so much to update, I will most likely be making 3 or 4 seperate posts today! The end of June and beginning of July got really busy, really fast! Time has flown by and been filled with great times and great photo opportunities, but has also led to some major neglecting of my blog!
My husband and I enjoy getting outdoors, day or night, and enjoying the many things our City has to offer. One of these things is Waterfire on the River. They set up bonfires in an artistic pattern out on the water and have a jazz band or other entertainment performing on a stage to the side. It is a very relaxed, very enjoyable time. It gives people the opportunity to see our beautiful city at night! Hope you enjoy these pics as much as I enjoyed taking them!

and this pic is another "city nightlife" photo from the Park Street Festival, Saving Jane's last performance! :(

I scream, you scream, we all scream for Jeni's!

My husband and I enjoy going to The Gallery Hop in the Short North Arts District whenever we get the chance... however on this particular "hop" night we weren't going for the art galleries, or even people watching...we were on a mission to get Ice Cream! Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream to be exact! Jeni's has some of the craziest flavors you'll see anywhere, but they are tasteful, and they will let you stand and sample to your hearts content until you find something you like! It is one unique ice cream place and one of our favorites! The flavors are great and we get ours in the fresh made (practically still warm) waffle cones!

The street from the corner where we were standing in line...yes, it wrapped around the side of the building...but with the street entertainment across the street playing bongos it was quite an enjoyable(and seemingly not very long) wait.

Ahh, the sign...we're close!

Some of the interesting (and delicious) flavors you'll find only at Jeni's!

Mmmmm...Intense Lavender and Brambly Berry Flavors....

I have one scoop wildberry lavender, and one scoop honey vanilla bean. He has one scoop pistachio & honey, and one scoop honey vanilla bean. All absolutely amazing, I was shocked at how tasty the pistachio & honey actually was!