Fun Fundraiser

The school usually has us go to certain restaurants each year, and even more than
once in a year to eat.  A percentage of the profits go to the elementary school.
This time however, we had a delima since the school funraiser and Children's Choice
(which is the afternoon child care provider for Orion)  were having the funraiser at the
exact same night, but different restaurants.  We decided that more people will go to
support the school, so we went to the Childrin's Choice funraiser restaurant.  It was
at the Golden Corral.  It is a fun place to eat, and this one is pretty new and very clean.
Orion had a lot of fun this the photos.  Almost all the photos are courtesy of Orion.

Bowls for soup or Ice Cream

plates and silverware

Now to go load up on all kinds of food.

Orion loves the rice best from the

Chinese food section

food

food

  Any kind of food you would like to eat.

Payson

Michelle

Pa

Addi-Belle

Orion

Ma

Now for Dessert!!

A chocolate fondue maching where

you can get a long stick

and put strawberries

or marshmellows

or pineapples on it.

A cotton candy machine where they make

the cotton candy fresh.

Kids love it.

The finished product of cotton candy.

photos courtesy of Orion.

Balloon Fiesta

We didn't get to go to the actual Balloon Fiesta because when Ma had Wednesday off,
the Fiesta was canceled due to rain and wind.  Then when Pa and Orion had Friday off,'
the weather was still not good enough for the balloons.  They where canceled again.
We were not certain if they were going to be canceled on Saturday but they went and so
 Pa, Orion, Macy, Payson and Addi-Belle drove all around to see them.  Ma had to work.
Every morning, Payson has kept asking to go see the balloons.  He did this for a week.
We kept promising him to go...but since it was canceled so many times he was wondering
if he was really going to see them.  Since the kids had such a great time, we thought we
would try again on Sunday.  Sunday was great.  There were about 500 balloons in the sky.

This is a panarama photo looking west.

It is very hard to get a photo with so many balloons in it.

The balloons start looking like pepper in the sky with the camera.

This photo has about 50 balloons in it.

Looking to the east at the Sandia Mountains.

 We drove to the other

side of the city as the balloons floated that direction.

Looking north east towards the mountain.

We stopped at the Rio Grande River and we were so glad we did.

What a great scene.

This is called "The Spash and Dash"

the balloon touches the river with the basket.

Everyone was excited also to see a horse patrol.

They could not resist petting the horse and talking

to the man.  He was very nice.

The man on horse patrol could not resist a photo.

After pictures like these, we were glad that

we did NOT go to the park. 
The river photos

are so beautiful. 

School Balloon Lift Off

It is a tradition that every year before the official beginning

of Balloon Fiesta, all the elementary schools have a special

Hot Air Balloon Lift Off Day.

This is always on the Friday before the Balloon Fiesta starts.

Everyone meets at the school at least one hour before starting time.

The Balloons begin getting ready at around 7:00

This is a close view and educational experience

especially for those who are not able to attend the

Balloon Fiesta.

 (New Mexico is 2nd in the nation of poverty residents.)

Addi-Belle and Payson are here.  We got here

a little late.  Orion was on time because Pa brought him

to school on his way to work.

We found Orion  talking to one of the pilots.

The pilot gave him a card telling the name of the balloon,

and also the name of the pilot and where he is from.

But ma wanted to get a photo of the three kids,

so they all posed for the shot.  Ha Ha.

The kids gather around to see the balloon crew getting it all ready.

Orion is on the left.  Addi-Belle and Payson are the small ones.

This is a huge fan to blow air into the balloon.

The balloon is very, very, very long.

This is the opening of the balloon.  The fan blows while

there is a flame of fire making the air hot.

Payson was very surprized at how BIG the balloon was getting.

When Payson and Addi-Belle see the Hot Air Balloons in the

sky, they look so small.  But as it is being blown up

it is taller than they are.

The first balloon

look!!

This is the pilot for the second balloon.

He is the pilot that Orion got the card from

The pilot's name is Fredric McAllaster

and he is from Santa Fe, New Mexico.

The name of his balloon is

"Sweet Child "O Mine"

-

The first balloon is behind the second balloon.

The people looks so small next to the balloon.

Up, Up and away.

"Would you like to ride in a beautiful balloon?

Way up in the sky in a beautiful balloon?"

Pa just happen to see a great door on sale,

and we all were a little tired of this one sticking

during the humid season, so Pa splurged and got us a

NEW FRONT DOOR!!

Pa went and got it, and it was quite a chore since

this was the exact time he pulled his bicepts

and could not use his right arm.

We decided that we would keep it in

the garage for a while until Pa could

use his arm a little more.

So when that time came, he went full speed ahead!!

He wasn't certain if he could do it in one day so we were prepared

to have a night with a no door opening.

This is what it looked like as Pa started tearing apart the inside.

This is Pa working on the outside.  It was an enormous

job because the newer door was about one foot wider.

Pa had to also tear away some of the wall.

He did it by himself too.  It was so much work.

Also, the door did not come with handles or locks.

Pa had to purchase these and install them as well.

But this is our new finished door.  Pa

completed it before sunset....

all on the same day.

What an amazing man and hard worker he is.

sorry late posts

I apolagize for the late posts.  I have been behind in everything.
Here are some that will help us try to catch up.

Good Bye Bion

This was on August 13, 2011
Bion is flying back to Salt Lake City to live with his daddy,
Grandma Kristie,  and Grandpa Pitts.
It is the end of summer vacation for everyone in New Mexico.
We are so sad that Bion is leaving.  Everyone loves him so much.

Orion and Bion are looking for the

Southwest plane that is coming

to pick up Bion.

The plane is here, and they just called for

Bion to get ready to board.

Mommy (Macy) is looking very sad.

The Southwest attendant is putting a special

pouch on Bion that holds all his information.

It also holds his airline tickets.

Orion and Bion give each other a huge hug.

They say their good-byes.

Now mommy gives Bion a hug.

Bion is in the airplane.

Orion watches as it gets ready to go.

The plane has backed up from the port.

Bion's plane getting ready for the runway.

Bion is now in the sky flying to

Salt Lake City.

We miss you Bion.

And we love you too.

When we got home,

Payson and Addii-Belle asked where Bion was.

We told them that he went bye-bye in an airplane.

Payson started to cry.

Payson said that he wanted to go in an airplane too.