Paris with Amanda & Jon - March 2010

March 6, 2010 we take to the air, headed to Paris to meet up with Amanda & Jon. Who would have guessed that we would once again get to see Paris.   Kevin and I were so excited when the kids asked us to   join them. I didn't think the big day would ever come and   yet here we are on the airplane and headed to France.

We will be staying at the Marriott (just outside of Disneyland Paris). Amanda and Jon have a time share there. Nice. We plan on seeing some sites we saw before so the kids can see them and then some new ones. I am sure whatever we do will be fun. It will be a different season so pictures will be amazing. I am only posting a few pictures as I did a book and you can look at it and see the whole trip....Enjoy.

Why don’t we meet up in Paris?
Spend time together with family and friends,
Let’s stand side by side,

Take a train ride, sail away on a boat on the Seine,

And hope this never ends.

They say it’s beautiful in Paris,

I wonder if that’s really true,

Is it something to do with the weather?

Or something, To do with the view?

Why don’t we meet up in Paris?

Take a train, a boat or a plane,

Make our way to the streets,

Drink coffee, eat baguettes, and sweets

and then do it all over again. So come walk with me and see Paris.                                                                                

Top pictures was taken from the Metro on our way to the Eiffel Tower, we came around a bend and I looked out the window and there it was, I was thrilled that I had time to get this picture.  2nd picture: Amanda and Jon on our way to the Eiffel Tower.  3rd picture: Notre Dame taken from top of the Eiffel Tower.  4th: all lite up-beautiful 5th: I love these horses there are 2 and I took so many pictures of them on both trips.  6th: looking up a tree lined street that we passed. 7th: Amanda & Jon  8th: Kevin and me, and then pictures of horses.....one more of the Tower and off we go.  Jon and Amanda loved the bread in Paris, here Jon is enjoying a sandwich on our way to Notre Dame.

Springtime in Paris is the stuff of songs, daydreams, and romance novels. I found that this is so true. While cruising the Seine River, admiring art at the Louvre and the Musée d'Orsay, and seeing the quintessential Parisian sights of the Arc de Triomphe and Notre Dame, I fell in love. We enjoyed coffee at a café on the Champs-Elysées, had a lunch with fresh bread and cheese in a Paris café. Then topped it all off with an evening ascent up the Eiffel Tower to witness the City of Lights in full glory. What is there not to love…….Paris.

Be sure to look through the Paris Trip book...

Snow in Santa Fe, Beautiful November 2009

Yes I woke-up this morning to snow, snow, snow........love it.

Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta 2009

As the moon sets we arrive at the Fiesta, it is 5:30 and I cannot believe all the people that are here. There is an excitement in the air, it's like being a kid again.

Each fall, pilots, crews and spectators from all over the world come to the Albuquerque Balloon Festival, the worlds largest hot air ballooning event. For nine days during the first week of October, hundreds of colorful balloons float above the city each morning as dawn breaks over the Sandia Mountains. This visual feast is said to be the world's most photographed event. I took so many pictures and am sad as I can only fit a few here.

Mass ascensions, when more than 600 balloons lift off, are held on all four weekend mornings and one day mid-week. They begin at dawn, after the "dawn patrol" examine the morning's weather conditions. Unfortunately this year was a bad year as the weather was windy and overcast. Even so, it was exciting and so beautiful.

I am somewhat disappointed as a lot of the events were cancelled, one such event may be the Balloon "Glowdeos" where the balloons ascend while it is still dark so you see their glow and also the "Special Shape Rodeos" where all the balloons have great shapes (I have posted pictures of a few we saw). It was pretty exciting as we got to walk among the balloons as they were inflated. Kevin did the walking and saw close up views while I stayed back and clicked away.

Each year it is estimated that about 750,000 people come to view this event and believe me there were people on top of people and yet it didn't bother anyone. There was so much going on: food booths, chainsaw wood carvers, car show (pictures in next blog), bands, Ehecatl-Aztec dancers and so much more. I hope to see the "Special Shape Rodeos" and the "Glowdeos" this year but if I don't it's okay, I will be back next year.....Hope you enjoy the pictures.




The monster balloon would not turn....sorry