Up, Up, and Away!

Yesterday evening we went to a hot air balloon championship which is held here each year. This was a new experience for all of us, and it was really cool! The actual racing takes place in the mornings, but they have several neat "events" each evening, so we packed a picnic and went to check it out. We got there just in time to see a parachute team make their grand entrance, and then all the balloon action started happening.

SJ enjoyed hanging out in the stroller for a while as we waited for the "mass ascension". This is when lots of the balloons go up together and they kind of stage a "chase".


This Coke balloon was the first one to take off...it was the designated "hare" which all the others would chase.


The rest of the balloons, the "hounds", inflated at different rates and went after the hare.


Watching all the balloons rise and float off into the distance was so surreal and
relaxing...


Hanging out between events...


Seeing the balloons up close was fun...and impossible to capture fully with our camera!


Here's SJ being entertained by LL. She loves to laugh with her big sisters!


After sunset, the balloons inflated on the ground and did a "balloon glow."


Magical!


AG watching the glow