Saturday, my Parents and I took the girls to the annual Balloon Festival in their area. It’s a 3 day event and the hot air balloons launch twice a day at 6:30 am and 6:30 pm. We got there around 3pm and went right to the rides. We actually entered the grounds at the rides and that was all Kayla needed to see. I took them on a few and my Dad did too. They both loved the Fun Slide and then they went to go to the Fun House – a little obstacle course type thing. The kids are visible the whole time and it was all Alysa was asking to do. It had a long tube slide at the end and she wanted that slide in the worst way. You can imagine her devastation when we had to tell her that she was 1 inch too short to go through. My Dad had to take her on the Fun Slide again. She liked this, but it wasn’t the same. And the only other ride she repeatedly asked for was the swings. She couldn’t go on these either b/c they were not kid-sized and she was just too little for those too. She just couldn’t win that day. And of course Kayla didn’t make it any easier b/c once she went through the Fun House, she stayed put. She just went through over and over until all the tickets were used up.

By the time we got done there it was dinner time, so we headed to the field to set up camp with our umbrella, chairs, blankets, etc. We ate dinner and the girls played while we waited for the launch. Of course the launch was delayed b/c of wind and when they finally started launching at 7:30, it got even windier. So less than half the balloons ended up launching. As the winds got stronger, the ones that were inflated couldn’t lift off, and the others couldn’t inflate all the way. It was a shame b/c when they started to launch, the girls were super excited. They never got to see the huge Energizer Bunny (he never got to inflate) and the new, first ever seen, Darth Vader balloon wasn’t able to inflate either. J knows someone who saw it Saturday morning and was told it was an awesome balloon. Bummer. We hung out for a while as the girls got their second wind and danced around the field.

It was also a more stressful day than normal. We went when Kayla was 1 and 2 (last year the weather was bad) and the field wasn’t too crowded, so there was no one close by with food. This year with everyone on their “staycations”, it was PACKED! There was no room to walk and I was so afraid of food spillage from passerby’s or blankets that were just too close for comfort. I was actually happy when people started to leave during the “launch”.

Here are some pictures from our afternoon.

Kayla on the 1st ride of the day


Alysa & Gramps


Alysa & Mommy on the boat


Kayla & Gramps on the Fun Slide


Alysa & Gramps


Waiting for the Fun Maze AGAIN - she went on this about 500 times give or take...


Waiting for the launch


So excited they're finally launching




Evidence of a pretty deflated launch


The Energizer Bunny was trying so hard


Making the most of the launch

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Sunday, I had my Mom give Alysa a trim. As her hair is growing in thicker, we are keeping it shorter so it can get more even. It’s looking so much better. Kayla insisted on having her hair cut too. She has been telling me for weeks that she wants her hair “short like Alysa’s”. Now, I wouldn’t quite go that far, but since she’s (almost) 4 and she has been saying this repeatedly for weeks, I figured, it’s her hair, it’s her choice. [I hated to cut it] So my Mom cut her hair as well. I had planned on cutting it to land at her shoulders, but since her hair curls so much and it’s impossible to straighten it a lot, it lands at her chin (when dry and curled). She looks so cute with it and most importantly, she’s happy with it. J actually likes it too which says a LOT b/c he is definitely not a short-hair guy.

I didn’t take an official before picture (I’m a slacker), but here’s a picture of her a week ago where you can see how long it was. Keep in mind, straightened (and wet) it was about half way down her back, if not longer.

Kayla's hair before:


After...