Granddaughters and Balloons

Got to Albuquerque on  a Friday.  By Saturday we l'arned a thing or two,  (apologies to Mssrs. Rodgers and Hammerstein) and got in on the last days of the Balloon Fiesta. 

Normally ABQ is warm-ish, but three days of rain had cooled things off.  

In fact, we scraped windshield ice. 

So here we are, bundled up.

Paul found us a great spot overlooking the valley, and when the sun came up, the temperature went up and so did 200 balloons.

Some of them got up close and personal.  

A bunch landed in the park we were in, so we got to touch some, too.

Paul and Bethany used the grandparent time to go on an adventure (Sandia Peak tram), and we got some granddaughter time.   

We went to the aquarium.  Yes, in Albuquerque. Don't laugh.  It was pretty nice and big.  

Grace just parked herself in front of each big tank (frequently in a grandparent's lap) and watched.

Alice parked in a different orbit.

 Having not seen the girls for months, we took lots of pictures.  

Princess Grace, the prettiest flower in the garden! 

The bees liked her, too, but the sting didn't last very long.

Dinner (and shopping) in Old Town.

Although Grace has her own cowgirl boots, she had to try on her Dad's for size. 

Grandma Terisa has some too. 

Is this a good-looking family, or what?

 Grace hugging a tree.  It didn't turn out as artsy as we planned, but still cute.

Alice is much happier on the grass than in the sun.

And even happier in Mom's lap.

 

The real reason we came, the main event, was Alice's first (technically second, counting the first literal one) birthday.

Grace gets silly with the hat. 

Pirate-y.  Arr, me matey!

She has a bad example to follow.

Out comes the cake.  Alice is underwhelmed.  At first.

She soon overcomes her shyness.

"Look Grandpa!  Have you ever seen so much chocolate?"

Using all tools at her disposal (no sink pun intended),

she becomes one with the cake.  Actually one and three-eighths, counting the foot...

Mom shows her the satisfying "bury your face in it" method of cake-ology.  

A success all around!

All of our tech-ees gather for a final photo.

 We're always sad to leave this bunch, but I guess that just means we had a good time.  

And another good time coming in December!