Flying High, Naturally

Follow that truck!

DH and I won a balloon ride for two through an auction at the gmen's school... two years ago!  I pulled it out and noticed it expired this year, so I called and made our reservation.  Although I'm not quite sure why I bid on it, I don't like heights - AT ALL!  I don't even like walking up the stairs to go down a water slide! 

I blame this fear on my Dad, he doesn't like heights either.  When I was nine, we were at the Notre Dame Cathedral and I was on the balcony looking down.  My Dad?  He was flat up against the building telling me to come away from there, the building is old and it/I could fall at any time!  When we were outside (and safe), I looked up and told him we could have gone even higher... pretty sure he grabbed me and ran!

Pretty sure that started my fear of heights.  Although I did go zip lining while in Hawaii with the family several years ago - but I was a total tree hugger.  Scared to death, but loved it!

It was an absolutely beautiful, sunny day, about 50 something degrees, just a bit windy.  We drove to Boyce, Virginia, about 1.5 hours away.  After we met the pilot, his wife, and the other couple going on the ride, we drove to the field at White Post Restorations to set up the balloon.  We took a peek in the windows of the garage doors at the old cars they were working on, way cool! 

See the orange balloons? We want them looking like that, not flying horizontal, otherwise we wouldn't be going up!  It was a little windy when we got there, we almost weren't able to go.  Luckily, the wind slowed down and we got ready.

Here we are getting the balloon ready to be inflated.  Fans are used to get the air in, much quicker than blowing it up!  I was hoping to take more pictures of it being filled, but I had to come help hold the basket down in case it started to get away!  We also had to be close by to jump in as quick as possible, didn't want to be left behind.

Up we go... I would have filmed it from the beginning, but I was too busy holding on for dear life!  What was I thinking?  Will the bottom fall out of the basket?  Stop moving around!

 

Even DH was a little shaky taking his pictures so I didn't feel as bad.

I loved seeing the balloon shadow behind us.

My dream house?

One thing I noticed was all the dogs barking as we went by.  Found out it was because they can hear the high pitch from the flame.  I thought they just didn't like the balloon, which I guess they really didn't!  The cows just ran away from us.

Good thing it wasn't balloon season.

Higher, higher!  Did I really say that?!

LOVED it and can't wait to go again. 

All good things must come to an end.  Paul took this one as he ran to check on the field gate.

Paul helping bring the balloon down. 

Back on the truck it goes, until next time!  I highly recommend a balloon ride if you ever get the chance and if you're in our neck of the woods, call Bob - he was great!  We were probably up there just under an hour and the time just flew by.  You never know where you're going to land and on this trip, we landed in some one's field.  When his wife met up with us, no one was at home so she drove on through the fields to get us.  As we left the driveway, the owner was pulling in and couldn't figure out what was going on!  Bob thanked him for the use of his field (whether he liked it or not!) and offered him a bottle of champagne or cider.  I think he was in shock and said no thank you!

Perfect ending to a fantastic trip, a beautiful scene of the field we left from.

Oops, a Belated Winner!

 

So sorry, I should have posted this on Wednesday.  My helper was in bed every time I thought about it, so I finally did it Friday night, only to be delayed once again in posting.

Anyway, ANNIE - please send me an email with your info, I have this and another little something for you! 

November TUSAL, Birthdays and a Give-a-Way

Sadly, I didn't add much to my TUSAL glass, so there isn't much to see.

But this picture IS something to see!  DH's Nana gave me this print from their printing company and I wanted to get it framed.  I love the nutcrackers and the colours are so bright.  So as a birthday present from DJ, she framed it for me - doesn't it look great?!  Thanks again DJ, I love it and I think it will be staying up year round because I don't want to take it down!

My "baby" Nathan just had his 6th birthday and it was Iron Man all the way!  He wanted an Iron Man cake and I thought I could make a full size one using my astronaut pan, but that just seemed like a lot of work really hard and I couldn't find any good pictures online.  So instead, I enlarged a picture of his head and made a template of it for the 11x15 cake.   

  Then I got to colour.  As long as you don't look too close, it looks great!

  But it really didn't matter because Nathan loved it!

Happy Birthday Nathan, we love you sooo much! 

Don't forget about the Bead Storage give-a-way, I'm planning on choosing the winner this evening with the help of my assistant.

But it won't be these guys, they're too busy snuggling.

Bad Blogger and Bead Storage... give-a-way!

I am such a bad blogger!  I know I follow a lot of blogs and not everyone posts at the same time, so I really have no excuse.  I'll read them, have something to say, and then get sidetracked and forget to do it.  I'm going to make the effort to comment straight away, no thinking "I'll do it later."  I also think I shouldn't read them on my phone, that's way too distracting!  So for those of you who I follow and may be reading this - you may be pleasantly surprised to hear more from me.

Working on my first piece using beads has been great (even though I didn't finish in time for Halloween!)  Except for the plastic case the beads come in, what a pain.  I can't tell you how many times I have spilled them all over the place, luckily in my box though.

I was shopping in AC Moore and found this wonderful Storage Ring.  The reason I really like it is because you can separate the compartments, or keep them together.   

Although I must say that sliding them together and taking them apart is rather difficult, so I just keep them separated.  I wrote the numbers on the lid and on the bottom, but the numbers have been rubbing off the lid when I pick up the box.  I'm going to just stick with writing them on the bottom and maybe inside the lid.

It looks so much neater using the these containers rather than the plastic cases they came in.  

So, for the give-a-way, please let me know if you're interested in receiving one of these Storage Rings.  You don't have to be in the States to enter and feel free to share about it.  I'm sure I will find some additional goodies to include!  Next Wednesday I'll have Nathan help me pick the winner.

And on a side note - here's Ming and Max helping me sort through beads to make DJ's birthday bracelet last month.  They must have done a good job because she liked it! 

Belated Halloween trick or treating

Here we go, treat or treating with Nathan and friends! 

So sad, he didn't want to be Buzz or Woody this year which means I wasn't Jessie.  The Avengers won and Iron Man was his first choice.

We went over to his friend's house since we're not in a neighborhood.  I loved this house!

What made it even better was that his friend was the Hulk, what a great homemade costume!

 To top the night off, their friend, Captain America joined them!

On our way home, we went to a friend's house and stopped by THE house to go trick or treating.  I think it gets bigger every year.  They give you the white bag and then you walk around filling it with one of everything... full size everything!  This bag was heavier had more than his other trick or treat bag.

Here's what it looks like from the outside of the garage, tubs of treats for all.

Needless to say, Nathan had a great night and is already planning for next year!