Just a normal Friday morning on my school playground...

[msmaggie]

...and it wasn't a hoax!  The annual Ballunar Festival is going on at NASA, which is only a block away.  We have balloons land on the playground just about every year, to the kids' delight.  Sometimes they let us bring the kids up for a quick peek.  Fun way to start the day

Priscilla

[Kaybo]

COOL - I got to ride in a balloon a couple of years ago. We were at the park and saw that they were about to lift off so we went over to let the girlies see.  Apparently, the girl that they asked to ride w/ them was only 17 & couldn't get ahold of a parent to sign a waiver so at the last second, they asked me.  Of course, I didn't even hesitate or think of ANY of the things I should have (mainly Dave caring for our girls OR that I would be trapped in a small basket with a COMPLETE strange male!).  It was a BLAST - I had my cell in my pocket - I called everyone "HEY!  Run outside and look up - I am in the hot air balloon waving at you!"  It was great - never knew that the "ground crew" chased you in cars...we even helped put it up!  Then we met them back at the park & they poured champagne over my head!!  Great experience!!

K   

[stoneaxe]

Very cool....years ago when the kids were young we had a ballon pass over the house. We jumped in the car and started chasing it. Lucky for the balloonist and his passengers. The sun was getting low in the sky and he was looking for a place to set down. He was trying to get down in a sand pit near some cranberry bogs...unfortunately for him there were some high power electric lines in the area...he was headed straight for them when I managed to grab the rope and haul him in. Good thing I'm not a lightweight.

[Jim Scott]

Priscilla ~

Great photo - and clearly a treat for your young students!  As a child, I know I would have been wildly excited about seeing a hot-air balloon up close.  Thanks for posting this.

Jim 

[lori67]

I can't imagine how excited the kids must get to see something like that up close.  We used to go to the Adirondack Balloon Festival every year when we lived in NY and my two oldest (who were little at the time) would get so excited.

I love to look at them with my feet firmly planted on the ground.   

Lori

[Brendalu]

I love the Balloon Rally and all of the balloons going up.  They have had the perfect weekend for it!  The kids must have been so excited to have one this close!!  Ballooning was one of my all time favorite hobbies!

Brenda

[leapyrtwins]

Wow!  Very cool!

I was just talking to some colleageues last evening about the Hot Air Balloon Festival in Albequerque, New Mexico (not sure I spelled Albequerque right).

Anyway, it's an annual event in October and it's supposed to be absolutely incredible.  One of my colleagues lives in NM and the other traveled there from Houston, TX this year.

I've wanted to attend the festival for years - hope to get there in October 2010.

Jan

[Kaybo]

Hey Jan~
If you go - let us know.  It is a pretty easy drive from here.  You just have to make reservations pretty early around balloon time.  I have never been there for it but would love to go.  Dave & I were there a couple of years ago right BEFORE the festival.  I had won a trip & it was about to expire but of course, we couldn't use it during that time!  Do you could stand the WHOLE family?   

K   

[msmaggie]

Our little festival is small potatoes compared to the one in New Mexico, but the kids look forward to it every year because balloons nearly always land on the playground or the park next door.  There weren't any big character balloons this year.  I'm wondering if the fact that it got cancelled last year because of Ike had an impact on those who usually attend.  It is such a beautiful sight to see clouds of colorful balloons drifting by.  I would LOVE to go up in one!
Priscilla

[leapyrtwins]

Going up in a balloon was part of the discussion with my colleagues - most said they'd love to - I was more concerned about the balloon getting loose and never coming back down.  Just call me chicken 

Your whole family would be great, Kay.  My kids aren't really interested - teenager attitudes - so if I go, I may just leave them @ home with my parents.  My best friend from college is dying to go, so we intend to start saving for it and hopefully end up in NM next October.  She's got a killer sense of humor - and she's a teacher, like you - you'd love her!

Jan