Glowdeo

What's that you say?  You've never heard of a Glowdeo?  Well, my friend, you are missing out!

Glowdeo's are the evening events here in Albuquerque during Balloon Fiesta.  The hot air balloons all inflate, but they stay on the ground and "show their colors".  The night we went started out really windy.  We were SO disappointed, as this was the 2nd time we had attended a Balloon Fiesta event (this year), and the first one we went to was cancelled due to weather.  As sunset approached, the winds started to die down, but none of the balloonists were unloading their gondolas or balloons.  We were pretty bummed.  Then, finally, one balloon team got brave.  Here is the first lone, brave balloon to inflate:

We were exited, but didn't want to get our hopes up since we still weren't sure on the weather situation.

Then, just at dusk, it happened.  More balloons started going up.

By the time dark came, we were like kids at a party with larger-than-life party balloons!

Then, the countdowns began over the loudspeaker...

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1...NOW!  ...And instantaneously, all the balloons light up!

I'm tellin' ya...if you've never been to Balloon Fiesta, you MUST add it to your "Bucket List".  There's nothing else like it!

 

Not According To Plan...

Well, my friends...we had QUITE the eventful and uneventful weekend, all at the same time! 

Our plan was to:
1.  Wake up before the crack of dawn to go to Balloon Fiesta. (check)
2.  Get a good parking spot and get to a good sopt on the field (check)
3.  Watch in awe all of the magnificent hot air balloons going up all around us.  (non-check, as the weather was too windy for any of the balloons to go up.)  BOO!  We got up for nothing really.
4.  *Un-expected*:  Boy 1 and I were on the news. :)  We stood behind the channel 4 weather man, Steve Stucker, while he gave one of his reports.  We even got texts from friends who saw us! :)

IN OTHER NEWS...

We had to get rid of our cat, Zeke.  We've had him for over 13 years, but for family reasons, we just couldn't keep him anymore.  Even though he's "just a cat", pets (even obnoxious ones), become part of the family.  He was my companion in college when Darrin was working or was away for long periods of time with the National Guard.  He will be missed. 

We had always told the kids that if Zeke died or we got rid of  him, we would consider getting another dog.  SO...We now have "Gizmo" with us.  If it all works out, we will keep him.  We still have McGee (pictured above with Zeke).  McGee is HYPER, to say the least.  He's jumpy, loves to run around, and will play with the kids for hours on end...and we LOVE him!  Gizmo, on the other hand, is pretty much the polar opposite of McGee.  He's calm, loves to snuggle up next to me, and is content to just follow me around the house as I do "regular stuff".  Here's a picture of Gizmo:

I think he looks like an Ewok. :)

So, as far as the weekend is concerned...things didn't go according to plan, but it was still GREAT!  We will try Balloon Fiesta again this weekend.  Hopefully the weather cooperates!

What did you do this weekend?

Hot Air

YAY!!!  It's "That Time" of year again...Balloon Fiesta!  If you don't know what Balloon Fiesta is, you're missing out!  It's the largest hot air balloon gathering in the world, and it's hosted right here in Albuquerque!  We usually have 600-800 hot air balloons attend this event. 

We're going tomorrow morning, not-so-bright and early.  We usually leave the house around 4:30 am so we can see dawn patrol which looks something like this (picture taken last year):

The trucks with the gondolas and balloons roll onto the giant field at Balloon Fiesta Park and begin unrolling the balloons and filling them with air from giant fans.  You can literally be right next to the balloons like Boy 1, Boy 2, and I last year:

It is truly magnificent to see hundreds and hundreds of balloons launching one after another after another...

If you've never been, ADD IT TO YOUR BUCKET LIST!

Later this weekend, I'll be posting TONS of pictures from tomorrow's fun!!!

Hoarding

Have you ever seen the show "Hoarders"?  It's a show about people who save EVERYTHING, and I mean EVERYTHING.  They have no room in their homes because it's so packed with junk that they think is important.  Often, because of their hoarding, they don't have any more livable space in their home. And the thing is, they've become so accustomed to the clutter, they don't even notice it.  In fact, they value it.

I don't often watch this show because, quite frankly, it grosses me out.

I recently cleaned out my dresser and closet.  There were some great items of clothing that I love, but for one reason or another, I don't wear them anymore, so they have become "closet clutter".  I used my trusty old slogan, "When in doubt, do without" and went to work weeding out clothes I don't wear.  It was time to get rid of the stuff I don't need anymore.

I started thinking about life and how I'm pretty sure that I hoard old feelings, old memories, negative thoughts, etc. and how "cluttered" my heart must be.  And just like the houses on the show "Hoarders" grosses me out, it is quite possible that I have trash in my heart that should gross me out too.  Is there any more livable space in my heart?  The answer is, yes.  There is some livable space in my heart, but I'm sure I can clear out some of the clutter that I have become accustomed to. 

So my challenge to myself is to de-clutter my heart.  I need to work on weeding out unhealthy thoughts, feelings, memories, etc.  I know that I can't ever forget certain things, but I can choose not to focus on them.  I can't erase past hurts, but I can choose to forgive.  I can't take back harmful words/actions directed at me, but I can choose to give someone another chance.  I can choose to label junk, as "junk"...to stop valuing it, and to put it in the trash where it belongs.

Life truly is about choices.  What will you choose?