Balloon Fiesta 2014

There is only one thing that can make a New Mexican joyfully jump out of bed well before the sun comes up during the first week of October. To wait in the only known 5am traffic jam, To freeze while you wait for the sun to come up. To wander the field with your coffee and green chile breakfast burrito while your 3 year old asks where the balloons are at least 12 times a minute. My friends, this is the stuff Fall in New Mexico is made of. And if you ever find yourself in Albuquerque the first week of October, going to the Balloon Fiesta is a MUST. Even if you have don't have any desire to travel to New Mexico, or if you weren't even aware that New Mexico was a real place, and in fact part of the United States until reading this, you still MUST go!

Some of the childhood memories that stick out to me the most, are the ones where my parents woke us up early, bundled us up, and drove us to Balloon Fiesta Park. I remember sitting on the field drinking my hot chocolate, and waiting in sheer anticipation of daylight, when the sky would fill up with hundreds (not even exaggerating) of hot air balloons. There is nothing more magical than this. Nothing. Even as an adult, it takes me right back to the land of magic when I see the sky filled with balloons. From our new house, I got a spectacular view of the colorful sky every morning this past week. And I totally just about peed my pants with excitement when a balloon flew right over my house! I went giddy fan girl on that balloon, just FYI. Haha.

Because pictures just sometimes don't tell the whole experience, I decided to vlog our morning for memories.


Since the Balloon Fiesta is totally in the hands of the weather, the day we went, it was too windy for the balloons to fly. So here is an idea of why all of us New Mexicans can't get enough!