wearing shorts and sandals in the snow....

 chirping morning birds, stunning blue skies 

It's going to be another beautiful day....

(so I think)

 Cheii and Nana will be joining us at Bam's Confirmation ceremony tomorrow.

So today we're headed to Gallup to pick them up.

What started off as a beautiful day for a drive turned into a very snowy cold drive, 20 minutes outside our arrival into Gallup, NM.

Click the video that Cookie made from the backseat 

☟

When we got to the Ranch, Nana was ready, Cheii was feeling under the weather.

Cheii decided to stay home to recover.

 Plus he didn't want to get the children ill by coming to our house.

It seemed as if, just as quickly as we arrived, we were back on the road towards ABQ.

Amazing climate differences in 138 miles--2 hr. drive.
Likely due to the altitude level of course.

Vanderwagen, NM is 6,514 ft. above sea level
Albuquerque, NM is 5, 000 ft. above sea level

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We made perfect timing back to Albuquerque.
Enough time for
a late lunch--
  a little relaxation--
 before heading to the church for rehearsals this evening.

getting an eye full

This morning we saw this amazing oblong shaped hot air balloon and a couple of regular shaped balloons near the Sandia Mountains.

As you can see, the Sandia Mountains have a cold front enveloping it from the East. 

What a beautiful shot, it looks like an ocean wave roaring over the mountain towards the city.

 Bam got this shot and dozens of other, as the sky was filled with hot air balloons from every angle.

Tomorrow is day nine and last day of the International Balloon Fiesta.

Click the highlighted link above to be directed to their site to see time lapse recording of today and all the previous days of the Fiesta.

While there, you might be able to see the cold front off the Sandia in full motion as well.

Enjoy. It's eye-tastic.....

let the magic begin......

Today is the first day of the annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.

Our big blue skies are filled with hot air balloons of all shapes and sizes. These hot air balloons are what Albuquerque is known for world wide.
During the next nine days our skies will be filled with hundreds of balloons from 7 am to around 10 am during Balloon Fiesta.
We could go to the Balloon Fiesta park and actually see the mass ascension with dawn patrol.
But that requires waking up at 4 am and getting out into bumper to bumper traffic by 5 am.
Although the Balloon Fiesta park isn't the only place you'll get a grand view. Just about anywhere in the city is a good place to spot a balloon afloat.

Its great to be able to see our favorite hot air balloons come back year after year. But it is also great to be able to see something new that we've never seen before.
No where else in the world will you be able to see:

a flying pig........

a stage coach......

 bees holding hands......(Joey and Joelly)

Darth Vader......

a haunted house.....

an angel boy....

or even a scare crow.....

(to say the least)

The International Balloon Fiesta also gives opportunities for volunteering on a chase crew. The chase crew follow the balloon (safely) on the ground. They help to find an open field or parking lot for the balloon to make a safe descent, deflate, fold and put away the balloon and equipment. The pilots are known to have elaborate, generous, special parties, gatherings and breakfast banquets for their crew. Many of the pilots come from other countries to fly here. It is a very expensive and pricey hobby to own and operate a hot air balloon or even more so for a special shaped hot air balloon.
Many of the pilots and peepers come from across the country and over seas. We get many foreigners and tourist to our little city. Albuquerque always rolls out the red carpet and the white gloves of hospitality for all those who visit us during this time.

The International Balloon Fiesta isn't just only during the waking hours though. They also have balloon glows at night. This is where the hot air balloons inflate but they do not leave the ground. The balloons glow from within from the burners. This is a very nice spectacle to witness. Come to think of it, anything Balloon Fiesta is spectacular.

Although today, we are not at the balloon fiesta park, we do look forward to getting out to the park sometime this week. But we are home, watching live coverage of the International Balloon Fiesta on t.v. in our pajamas, warm and cozy....... 

trees and acorns on a school day

Sandia Mountain Learning

Today Fifi is on a school field trip to the Cibola National Forest in the Sandia Mountains.

What a lucky girl to be able to have class in the fresh air and open skies.

She is with her honors science class. I had to miss the opportunity to chaperone because the van is making some strange sounds.

Any how, she is on a PBL (Problem Based Learning) ecological monitoring field trip.

They are examining and studying the trees; measuring in kilometer, the height and distance of the trees on average and in comparison. Then they factor in the annual rainfalls. They also add to the equation the annual forest fires and their affect on the ecology and growth of the vegetation and wildlife habitat. 

They hiked and identified leaves of various species of trees along an open path.
They drew pictures of the area in an eagle or birds eye perspective as if they were high above the tree tops. Then they had lunch in the picnic area of the reserve.

Fifi was excited because it is a rare opportunity for field trips in middle school. It's not like it was when they were in elementary; where they go on field trips often. Although this isn't the first time Princess Fifi has gone to this ecological reserve site. She's been on a similar field trip with her Science class in the 5th grade to the same area Although she says the field trip today was much more interesting and fact filled compared to then. At any rate she gained skill, acquired knowledge and comprehension of the environment and came home with a smile and a pocket full of acorns.