Special Shapes and a movie

There are times, more frequent than we'd like to admit, when Bill and I feel overwhelmed and shortchanged when it comes to the ability to find/create quality family time. Of course a lot of it is of our own doing, but the fact remains, with 5 kids and all our other reponsibilities, time is limited. So yesterday was a nice change-we took the kids to the balloon fiesta in the EARLY morning and then after naps for some and quiet time for others, we took them to see the movie WALL-E. It was a good day and the kids had fun too. Here are a few highlights from the Special Shapes Mass Ascension:

The schools were out on friday and as we were sitting at the Intel tent, the boys saw several of their friends from school. Evan is in G and J's class and Ethan is in E's class.

Another close up of Darth (every time I say it that way I think of our friend Garth)

These 2 bumble bees are VERY popular. They launch them with their hands velcroed together so after they are up in the air they gently turn towards each other and the balloons touch making it look like they are kissing. The crowds always roar and clap. Gregory cracked me up-as he was looking up at them he said 'Bye Honey' in a drone of a voice (like the giant gingerbread man in Shrek 2)...very good play on words I have to say!!

How about the cow jumping over the kids instead of the moon?

Luke was determined that HE could pull the wagon, 'all by myself'. Well, almost by himself.
I like this picture.

This was also key grab/target bean bag drop day on the field. Basically all the regular shape balloons that wanted to participate inflated off the field, positioning themselves in an area to take off from where the wind would take them in the right direction, directly over the field. There were 4 poles that had envelopes attached to them and the pilots would then do what they could to navigate the balloon as close as possible so they could grab the envelope. Various prizes, inlcuding a Honda generator and $4K. There was also a drop the bean bag on the target competetion. It was so neat to look at all the balloons advancing on the field and then some of them just hovered.

Just as we were about ready to leave, Bill overheard someone say there were going to be helicopters landing in the middle of the field. He went and asked a police officer and sure enough, he was told that a BlackHawk helicopter, the Sheriff's Dept helicopter and the police department's helicopter would be landing momentarily. Very cool think to see the military helicopter land and the kids were watching with their mouths open!

Sadly, the days events were overshadowed by a ballooning accident that took the life of a co-pilot and seriously injured the pilot. Ballooning is a very dangerous hobby, in my opinion anyway, and I look back to 1992 when I took my first ever balloon ride and I think 'I must have been crazy'!!! And now I cringe at the very thought of any of our kids ever getting in a

gondola and floating away from us in the ground....whne they are 30, mind you. You just never know when a wind shear might take that balloon into a power line or force it to the ground quickly. Maybe that's something that won't interest any of my 5?