birthday girl

Our oldest baby girl is nineteen today. A girl who knows how to light up a room and bring a smile to your face. The one, who growing up, if someone gave her something always thought of her brother and sister and asked if she could have one for them too. The one who's laugh was very contagious. The one who could melt your heart with her pretty eyes and long eyelashes. The one who knew just how to give hugs to make you feel good. The one who was sad when school would end for the summer because "she loves school" and didn't want it to end. The one who loved helping others. The one who is about to go off to college. That one.

The one who we love.

Happy Birthday Rachel!

twenty-three on twenty-one

Twenty-three years ago on this twenty first day of July this little boy made me Mom.

And I couldn't have been more proud. Our little boombotz. The little guy that started our journey of parenthood. The one who looked like a cute little old man, with the serious wrinkle of his forehead. The one who amazed us with his alphabet skills at an early age. The one who could spend hours drawing hot air " ba-lloons" when he was three. The one who showed he could be a big brother twice. The one who reminded us of Howard Cosell with his play-by-play sports announcing. The one who worried the heck out of us when he was eleven, but proved that he was born to take on challenges. The one who always managed to catch the first fish (and the bigger one too) every time he went fishing with his Dad. The one who aced high school and just recently got his college degree.

Yep...that guy is 23 today. We wish we could be together on his birthday, but our hearts are there just the same. We wish him a great big Happy Day!

And you know...there is just something about his 4 day old picture up there that reminded us of this little guy...
Cute hair for goodness sake.

Happy Birthday Austin!

You have been a great gift to us these twenty-three years.

We love you birthday boy!

april 27

Seventeen years ago a little rainbow came into our life. She made an entrance that even Roy. G. Biv himself couldn't have matched. It was a bit like a storm, rolling in and crashing down, drenching us with a tidal wave that we didn't know was coming. But just like a storm, the heavy clouds lifted and the sun shined and we had a little baby girl.

We have a thing for rainbows in our family. We love to spot them after a rain. There have been many over the years that have been significant to moments in our lives. We loved to catch them shining through our stained glass window in our old kitchen. We loved them arching down over our old barn. And the double ones were the best, rising above the pasture and ending somewhere over the mountains. Bright colors bursting against the dark sky.

This girl loves the little bursts of color that sprinkle through her crystal collection hanging in her window. In this house, she gets just a quick splash early in the morning. The best way to start the morning... a little sprinkling of color dancing around her room.

Keep dancing girl. And keep looking at the colors that surround you. I love how you are seeing the world around you, with your eyes wide open, eager to look past any storm... searching for all the rainbows.

Happy Birthday Leah!

a tram ride to remember

I'm wrapping up the big birthday weekend with our tram ride to the top of the Sandia Mountains. We had reservations for dinner at the High Finance restaurant that is at the top of the mountain. We also planned to have a photo shoot at the base of the tram. Mom had requested that we do photos to commemorate her eightieth birthday.

After our early morning at the balloon fiesta and a near city wide search for the perfect Mexican restaurant for lunch, we all made a fast but thorough spruce-up at the hotel. Six women, two bathrooms, last minute choices in outfits... you know where I am going on this. We were running late. We needed to check in at the base of the tram at 4:30 to catch our ride to the top. Our dinner reservations were for 5:30. So, we arrived at the base at 4:00. That is when we did a "divide and conquer" maneuver. One dropped us off and headed back to find a parking space. Two jumped in line to get our boarding tickets. Note: they actually call each trip that the tram makes up the mountain a "flight". The other two of us grabbed Mom and looked for a nice spot to get some photos. One of us was working the camera, while the other worked the sun reflector and posed Mom. She herself worked the posing quite well. We must have made quite an impression because during the "session", a woman who I had noticed had been watching us with a small group of people, came over to me. She asked quietly, to not draw attention, "Is this woman a dignitary of some sort?" and then "Is she someone special like the mayor or something?" I thought for a second, smiled and said... "Well yes, she is someone special. She is our mother and it is her 80th Birthday!" and then added, "My four sisters and I all flew in from three different states to celebrate with her." Isn't that so cool to have someone think that you are some sort of a dignitary! I hope that when I am 80, someone will think that about me.

As we were rushed for time, we snapped at a furious rate and then headed up to be ready for our "flight". It wasn't long before we boarded and were on our way up the mountain. Hang on... it gets a little bumpy!

The birthday girl dignitary herself.
As we got to the top we had a few minutes before it was time for our reservation. We took a few more pictures and enjoyed the view. Clouds were starting to roll in and we wondered if there would be a rain storm like the one the night before. The one we had watched from the balloon field that kept the balloon glow grounded and made for an impressive night of rolling clouds, swirling wind and impressive lightening. (Yes, we did get off the field as the wind nearly knocked our hats off.)

Our reservation time came and went, as there were people sitting at our "especially requested window table." They had finished their dinner, but appeared to have decided to watch the sun go down. After an hour the manager had to kindly ask them to give up the table since they had been sitting there after their dinner for two hours. We finally got seated and the sun was starting to set. And the clouds were starting to roll in.
We enjoyed a very lovely meal and a very lovely rain storm. The lightening was impressive and the rain was torrential. Our great window view quickly became obstructed as people sought shelter from the rain. We stuffed ourselves on dinner and dessert and noticed the hail we had seen appeared to have turned to a light snow. Only in the mountains can you experience weather like that. As we left the restaurant and headed to the other building for our "flight" back down the mountain, we passed this little delightful guy. Someone got a bit creative.
Flights ended up being suspended because the tram was closed down due to the weather. Once it was re-started there were a lot of people waiting for their trip down. We ended up waiting for a long time. Probably an hour and a half or so. Everyone was very tired and the birthday girl had about enough of her birthday that wouldn't end. It was 10:00 by the time our flight had landed back down at the base of the mountain. Phew...I'm just glad we finally got our ride down.

We were happy to spend the weekend with our very "dignified" special person...our Mom.

Happy 80th Birthday to you Mom...I hope this is one you will always remember.
Love to you,

Your daughters.

(in no particular order)

Norma, Janet, Karen, Wanda and Helen

birthday balloons part two

Grab your coffee or whatever your beverage of choice is and sit back, you will be here for awhile. There is just something about a field of 500 hot air balloons and a digital camera. Kind of like your favorite Lay's potato chips...you can't stop at just one.

ONE of the highlights of the fiesta is the "special shape" balloons. They are so darn cute and pretty amazing with all the details that make them... well, special. It is so fun to see them laying out on the ground, all flat and lifeless and wonder what they are. Then as the fans blow air into them and the air is heated up it is so exciting to see their big giant bodies take shape. I don't know how many "special shapes" were there this year, but I did manage to photograph quite a few. I chose some of my favorites to share here. Yep, there were some that I left in the photo folder. Of course, I might want to save something for part three of this balloon weekend.

First up...any guesses? I'll reveal this guy later.

It is fun to see a whole cluster of balloons and then see one little cute shape pop up above the rest.
Like this witch riding her broom.
And then there was this huge Darth Vader.
And this guy with an ugly face.
And then this one with this cute little... tail.
The big clown had a really big nose and that other funny face was peeking out right next to him.
I liked this big yellow fish.
A penguin on holiday. Notice his sandals.
And then there was this zebra. And the monkey's behind him.
Not to be confused by these "zebras". That is actually what they are called and they are all over the field directing the balloons and letting them know when it it safe for them to take off.See the one "ref" is carrying a little zebra in his hand. Some of the outfits were pretty crazy. Unfortunately, I only got a picture of these two that were pretty tame.
Cute as a bug.
This giant rooster had some comical pilots who did a loud cock-a-doodle-doooo, as they floated up into the sky. And from this angle it looks like the rooster is laying a baby chick.
An owl.
A cute lady bug on a sunflower.
This little guy just had a great hair-do.
Sorta like this jack-in-the-box.
Okay... remember the eye balls in the first picture. Come on...turn around...
Why yes...it is Sponge Bob and I guess he doesn't live under the sea after all. Hellooo!
Remember Pepe Le Pew?
The three bees were a crowd favorite. Momma, Daddy and the little baby.
Cute as can bee.
Who do you think this big nose belongs to?
A giant kanga and her babies in her pouch.
And the big foot?
Well, Daddy Kanga of course. We never saw these two get off the ground. Either because the temperatures had warmed up too much or the wind was starting to cause a problem, but they were still so much fun to watch inflate.

So, I think the special shapes are pretty wonderful. We were like a bunch of little kids pointing them out..."Oh, look there's a cow!" There really was a cow, I just didn't get a great shot of him.

It is hard to decide if I like the fun shapes more than the regular balloons.

Really, I think I just like them all. Especially... when there are so many of them at one time and especially, when I was there to share it with the Birthday Girl and my sisters!

balloons for eighty birthdays

My Mom has celebrated a bunch of birthdays so far in her life. Eighty of them have been her own. My four sisters and I flew into Albuquerque last Friday to meet up with my Mom and help her have a birthday weekend she won't soon forget. It was the first time in quite a few years that the six of us have been all together... in the same place. What better way to celebrate your 80th birthday than with a whole bunch of balloons, with your five daughters keeping you on a grueling daily schedule? No better way, I'd say.

We hit the ground running the minute we all landed at the airport. Our first stop was Old Town Albuquerque where we browsed the shops and had a nice lunch at one of the landmark restaurants on the plaza. New Mexico green chili was definitely on the menu. After an afternoon of a bit more browsing the local shops, we checked into our hotel and later looked for a spot for dinner. A nice pizza joint around the corner caught our eye. While there, two singing clowns happened to come in. Even though they were "off duty", a little hint convinced them to sing Happy Birthday to not only our Mom, whose birthday was the next day, but also my sister Helen, whose birthday was that very day! It was an unplanned special surprise.

After dinner, we headed back to the hotel where we had a few surprises for my sister and some good chat time until a few of us could no longer keep our eyes open. Then it was a short night of sleep as our 3:45 wake up time busted us out of our slumber. We were catching the 4:15 shuttle to the balloon field, hoping to beat the early traffic. Happy EARLY morning BIRTHDAY Mom! We made it to the field in time to see the first balloons being blown up. It is always very magical to see this event. We lived in Albuquerque years ago and it had been awhile since I have been to the fiesta. It is quite a sight to see. This year there were about 500 balloons participating in the event. I don't think you can ever get tired of watching hot air balloons decorate the sky.

This is how they look when they first come off the truck. A nice little bundle of colorful silk waiting to be rolled out onto the ground. After they get them all spread out and the ropes in place, they start to fill them with air.

Big fans are aimed at the opening and blow cold air until the balloons are filled. This is one of my favorite parts. I love to see the balloons start to take shape and watch the colors come to life.
I also love to look through to the inside of the balloon and see the top. It reminds me of the kaleidoscopes we saw in one of the shops in Old Town. Soon, they fire up their burners to heat the air, which eventually will lift the balloon up.
Wave after wave of balloons are released into the sky while those waiting to take off are sandwiched together, patiently awaiting their turn.
Everywhere you look it is an explosion of color. The sound of the fans rushing air into the balloons and the heat of the burners warming the crisp air is all around you.
Off they go. Up and around. The first morning was clear and the winds were perfect. The balloons head south after they first go up and as they go higher they eventually circle around making what they call the "Albuquerque Box". It is when conditions are ideal to keep the balloons circling over the field. We got lucky. The winds cooperated and the pilots put on quite a display.
The event starts in the wee hours of the morning so watching the sun come up over the Sandia Mountains is a treat. It is pretty sight to capture the balloons in the fresh morning sun.
I never get tired of seeing all the different colors and patterns on these beauties.
And one of my favorite things to do is snap a photo of them from underneath as they fly over our heads.
Aren't they so beautiful as they sprinkle the sky with color?

We grabbed another balloon watcher to take a picture of all of us together. Here we all are...left to right...Janet, Karen, Mom, Wanda, Helen, and Me.
This was a great first morning of balloon watching. The day had only begun as we continued to birthday it up for the rest of the day.

And the next day...

And the next...

More highlights in part two of what became known as...

Birthday Boot Camp.

Hoorah!

eighteen

A little baby girl came into our world eighteen years ago today. A little girl with soft brown curls on her head, beautiful eyes, a big smile and a very compassionate heart. A little girl who, when given something, would always ask for an extra to take home to her brother. A little girl who loved her little sister so much that one day she exclaimed..."Leah, you are my bestest best friend." A little girl who wanted to help her Daddy so much that one day when she was brushing his hair she said, "there, I fixed all the holes." A little girl who once told her uncle..."when I see you I will get stars in my eyes and that will mean I love you." A little girl who always has a hug for her Mom and Dad. And a little girl who once said she wanted to be an astronaut when she grew up.

That is our girl.

The one with the beautiful eyes, the big smile and the very compassionate heart.

Happy Birthday sweet girl. We love you.

Reach for the stars.

it's time for an austin sandwich

That's what we say when we come in for a double kiss. It means you are really loved and we want to squish you right up between us. The phrase actually goes like this...

"uh oh, it's time... time for an Austin sandwich". The "uh oh" gives the person time to prepare and squish their face up. Kind of like he did in this picture.

Today is the college boy's Birthday. His twenty second. Our first to not be with him... to fix him breakfast in bed. Steak on the grill. Chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. Watch him open his presents and maybe even take a ride in the car.

We love this guy and still like to call him Boombatz and give him hugs. So, to you Austin...Happy Birthday...we LOVE you. We will fix you breakfast in bed when you are here for your vacation. I'll make you a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and we will for sure make you a sandwich! Hold the mayonaise, please.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

late for the party

I've pretty much covered the highlights of the weekend of fun. The days that my sister and son were here went all too quickly and it has taken me a long time to get the highlights posted. I had plenty of interruptions for more wildlife moments, which I will be covering soon. It was hard to stay focused on the weekend highlights and not just skip to the critter action.

So, it is now the middle of July and I think I am starting to show my age. Two weeks on this new road ...

My birthday kicked off the July 4th weekend and it was a great party with extra family around to make it special. We had a great time and I can't believe that I am just now sharing a couple of birthday photos. A little late but that's okay. We had a nice dinner on the 4th, celebrating Independence Day and my birthday, which was a couple of days earlier. My in-laws were there as well as the family and Aunt Helen! My sweet daughters made me a cake. They cleaned out the birthday candle box to get just the right amount of wax and flame!

I blew them all out in one breath. Almost. The cake was delicious and I think they did a great job decorating it with all those candles!

I wonder if this was their inspiration?

I love cake and having people sing to me!