After the Balloons

After the family watched the balloons fill the sky Saturday morning, and the show was ending, we decided to chase some and see if we could find one landing.

And we did!

I pulled the van right up under this one and Jerry got the shot. Pretty cool, huh?

The boys were thrilled to be so close. 

 This one had just landed and reloaded passengers and launched again. We really wanted to ride in a balloon, but it was $350 per person! So we skipped that part and just enjoyed the show.

 The bee balloon was landing as we passed by and it looked so sad as it drooped. It looked like it just gave up on life.

This one was one of my favorites, so I was excited when we saw it coming down.

This one wasn't launching again, so we got to watch as the crew took it down.

When they were done, the rolled it up and put it in a very small trailer. Jerry and I saw the trailer before the balloon was down and debated whether it would fit inside. I said yes, Jerry said no. I was right! 

 We did other stuff over the weekend, too. I'll post about those adventures later!

Balloon Festival

We packed up the family last weekend and headed to Albuquerque for the world famous Balloon Festival. I have always wanted to go. It's been on my bucket list forever, but I have never been close enough to actually go. So, this year, I knew I would be going. With or without Jerry. (Being married to the military is quite unpredictable) But, hooray! The army freed him for the weekend!
We headed out after Jerry got off work Friday night cause the launch of the balloons is at dawn and there was NO WAY we were getting up that early to make the 4 hour drive. When we got to the hotel, we went straight to bed, knowing it was going to be a early and long day coming.
Up at 5am to head to the field. The traffic was insane! I expected the parking to be crazy, but the line to exit the highway was miles long! So, we found a gas station overlooking the field and settled in with hundreds of other to watch the show.

 

I told the kids to hurry, I wanted a picture with the balloons launching.

But I needn't have worried! Once they started launching...

It seemed like it would never stop...

 It continued until the sky was filled with beautiful, colorful balloons!

Then we started picking favorites.

 See that blue and silver one in the middle? That was Josh's pick.

Trina, of course, picked the butterfly!

 Jamie couldn't choose. There were just too many, but he finally decided it was between the flying bees and this pretty blue one.

These were my favorite.

No, wait! It was these. (See the elephant? Isn't it cute?)

Alright, definitely these.


Ok, fine, I couldn't choose either. They were all so pretty!
But, Jerry's favorite was the black one here. It is a POW MIA balloon, you just can't see that in this picture.



It was an early, cold morning

 But, I wouldn't have missed it for anything!




Even if I couldn't pick a favorite balloon, I can pick a favorite picture from the day. It was this one for sure!

I'm going to have this one blown up and framed for the wall. I absolutely LOVE it!

Even though I have to give Jerry credit for taking it. Good job, honey!


Bucket list...one down, many to go

Christmas

Yes, yes, I know it's only September. But I love Christmas and cannot wait until it gets here. I love the decorating, the smells, the memories. Everything about it! So, when I saw these homemade crystal ornaments on pinterest, I knew I was going to make them with my kids.

I was going to wait until December to make them, but I am impatient and decided we were going to do it now. And we did. here they are!

All it took was boiling water, borax, and pipe cleaners. When we made them and put them into the water, the kids were not real impressed. But when they came out all crystallized, they were so excited that they had made them. They wanted to make more, so Jerry shaped each of our names and the kids made lots more shapes.
The ones that we put into the hot water and let cool off slowly, made big, awesome crystals. When we put others into the cooled off water and let them sit, they formed tiny , beautiful crystals all over. I can't decide which I like better.

I can't wait to put them on the tree with all the twinkling lights and see them sparkle!

Hurry up, Christmas!

1st Day

I sent the kiddos off to school last week. They were so excited!

And nervous. At least Trina was. She was more than ready to be back in public school.
After fighting her all last year during homeschooling, all she wanted was to be in a "traditional" classroom.

And I am left to wonder, "Am I doing the right thing?"

Am I making the right decisions for them?

Last year, I knew it was right to home-school Trina all year and the Josh for the last half. Even through the arguments and fights with Trina, I knew it was the right decision. And when we got to Ft Bliss, I knew that I needed to bring Josh home as well. Josh thrived. He loved it! The attention, the one-on-one time to do his work, being done quickly.

So, when I applied to Harmony School, I wasn't sure if they would get in, so I didn't need to think about it. I knew I didn't want them going to the public schools here. I was all set to home-school both Josh and Trina.
I had signed them up for classes at church, bought all the books they were going to use, was ready to make their schedules.

Then, I got the call letting me know that all three of the kids had been accepted into Harmony. And I jumped at it! I was so ready to have them all in school all day. I was ready for some alone time. So, we bought all the supplies and uniforms and sent them off to the school.

Then, I got home and wondered if I had made the right decision. Should I have home-schooled them this year? What were they going to be learning? What if Trina continues to get teased and picked on? Will Josh adjust to the new school well? Can I handle the phone calls from the school again because Josh might cause disturbances in the classroom? Will Jamie's teachers help him with reading this year or will they leave him behind again?

All these things ran through my mind as I was at home in the very quiet house. But they came home excited and full of stories of their fist day. They were ready for this. They wanted this. So, off they went all week.

After two weeks of school, I am pretty sure I have made the right decision. The teachers are working with me, the kids are doing well, and I am enjoying some alone time.
If I need to, I will be homeschooling again. One of the kids or all three. But for now, I will trust that this is right for our family.

And savor the silence.  :)
At least for 8 hours of the day.
After that, the chaos resumes.
I wouldn't have it any other way.

Vacation Fun

Usually on summer vacation, the kids and I head out for a road trip. We've been to all the contiguous 48 states, seen may of the national parks, and loads and loads of sights. This summer, we decided that it would be too much money for an extensive road trip (gas prices, anyone?). Jerry usually never gets to go with us on our trips, so we decided to just do family this year. I am fine with that. No really, I am. But next summer, watch out cause  I'll be back on the road again! I'm thinking Niagra Falls...

However, until then, I am content with central Texas.

We visited with Great-grandmother at her house on the lake and the boys went exploring.
All those weeds used to be under water. Cedar Creek Lake is about 8 feet low this summer. It made for some fun adventures for the boys and some cool pictures. But rain is desperately needed for the area right now.

 Then Grandmother arrived and after the kids attacked her with hugs and kisses, I made them sit still long enough for a picture.

Cute, aren't they?

Jerry, Grandmother, and Trina went on the 22 mile kayak race Saturday. Trina gave up about 1/2 way through and Grandmother wouldn't leave her, so she also didn't finish. Jerry finally finished after about 8 house on the river. Better them than me I say. Certainly not in 100 degree Texas heat!

The kids were wore out that night and Jamie didn't make it through movie night.

 He fell asleep on Grandmother. I know she hated the hardship, too  :)

Aren't grandmothers great?

Up next, Jerry and I had some time alone together and guess what we did?

Took in a Rangers game, of course!

I couldn't visit Texas without going to see my boys!

 And here's my current favorite, Josh Hamilton, swinging away!

 Go, Josh, go!

 Congratulations, Michael, on your 2,000th hit!

 And they won. WooHoo!!

I absolutely LOVE these lights. I want them right outside my front door.

I'll settle for season tickets to the Rangers. Get on it, Jerry!

Project House

We went "home" this summer to visit family. Just like every summer, it seems. Someday, we will go on a real vacation. Paris, I will visit one day...


But for now, we have lots to do there. My parents gave us their land and house this summer, so Jerry and I decided that it will need to be expanded before we move in. So, while we are in the Army, we are having my dad build onto the house until we get there and can pitch in more.

So, we decided to take these two weeks to help out with the building. Didn't get a lot done on the actual building since it was too hot to even move (100 + degrees everyday).  But we did find an old abandoned house that the owner said we could take apart and use whatever we wanted from it.

Kinds scary lookin', huh?
It leans so much that walking around inside was quite the adventure. Jerry practically forbade me from entering from fear that is was going to collapse at any minute.
Since I was properly put into my "womanly" place, I decided to document the guys working instead of doing actual physical labor.  A shame, I know! 

They decided that the windows and siding needed to come off before working on the inside. It has wonderful wooden floors that I will be installing into my new home. I cannot wait! But first things first...

 Teamwork

 I love a hard workin' man!

Careful!

We did have some fun on the vacation. I will be posting about that soon!