Hot Air Balloons

While I was with Tamara on Wednesday, she mentioned hot air balloons in Frankenmuth. Some how, I forgot about it until I saw Tamara again on Saturday and she mentioned how neat they were because they had gone to see them the previous night. Oh man! I really wanted to take the kids so they could see several hot air balloons launch and float through the air. I checked the web and found out the last night launch would be Sunday night.... then I sort of forgot about it until 6 p.m. Sunday evening. I got excited and told Kevin we needed to go. We told the kids to get back into their clothes, go potty and head out to the car. "Where are we going?" It's a surprise is all I would tell them... then I had to remind myself that it was okay if they speculated the entire way there and that I didn't need to come unglued. I held myself together. Kevin drove his own car because he would have to leave for work. We found a parking spot and made our way to the field. We didn't get lost once. We watched from a hill so that we were out of the way. 

 

All of a sudden, there was Tamara! She told us she and Steve had a spot a little more shaded so we followed her. It was so neat to watch the balloons take shape.

And eventually some got up into the air. After only 5 or 6 launched they all stopped. We couldn't hear what they kept saying because we were so far away from the "grand stand" but I think it had something to do with the wind. It was disheartening to watch the field clear of most of the cars and crews.

Eventually they all came back and inflated their balloons so we could watch them. They let the public get close so they could talk with the pilots. Tamara and Steve took turns with my kids because they wanted signatures from the pilots. It was fun to watch their excitement!

Eventually it got dark and it was so amazing to watch the balloons glow! Totally worth it!

There were some fireworks as well, but the glowing balloon were my favorite part!
We were able to make it back to the van, get everyone in and all our stuff, and make our way back home in the dark. (I have never driven to or from Frankenmuth in the dark.) It was a very late night but at least we were all ready for bed. What a neat event, and so fun to share it with friends.