A Busy Weekend in Saratoga: The Adirondack Balloon Festival

We went to this THREE times last year (only one was successful), but we thought it was so cool that I wanted to take MiniM.E. back at least once.  She hasn't been sleeping well, so there was no way in H-E-double hockey sticks I was waking her up at 4am to drive up for the 6:30 launch, so I thought I'd take her Friday night.

With all the "success" we had last year, I should have known better, but in the spur of the moment it sounded like a good idea.  I planned on driving up right after MiniM.E.'s nap, getting there in about 45 minutes, 15 minutes before the balloons were to inflate, watch them, get back in the car and be home by 7.

Here's what happened instead.

There was a line of cars at my exit.

I took the next one.

Got lost finding the street I was supposed to take.

Turned around and drove past it AGAIN.

Finally found it with 10 minutes to get there on time.

Ran into stopped traffic.

Sat in traffic for 15 minutes with crying toddler.

Decided to turn around and go home.

Toddler screams to see balloons.

Decide to see if it's walkable.

Ask passerby who informs me it's 1.5 miles to the airport.

Park on side street and get wagon out.

Shove crying toddler into wagon and hoof it towards airport determined to get there before balloons.

Walk for 1.5 miles.  No sign of airport.  Lots of cars.

Keep walking. Toddler keeps crying. Start run walking.

Finally see flashing lights at airport entrance and feel relieved.

Realize there is another mile to walk INTO the airport.  Feel like crying too.

BUT we finally made it. 

All was good until I realized there was no way we were ever going to be able to walk back to my car in the dark.  Thank God for husbands!  

While we waited to be rescued...

Unsure if it was worth the wagon ride.

Happiest at the lawn ornaments

Unhappy when one almost hit her in the face

Intrigued by the "I'm sorry" present

Confused.  Not what she was expecting.

Happy again.  And we did get to see some balloons!!

Our attempt to find Bob once he finally got there to rescue us was about as successful as the trip in... but at least I didn't have to walk back five miles to my car!  We'll know better next year.  I hope.

Out and About

I think I may have gotten spoiled by the summertime.  MiniM.E. is pretty much done with our house and all her toys (thank goodness her birthday is only two and a half weeks away!) so we spend as much time as possible outside and at locations other than our house.  I have to take advantage of all the mild weather before it starts getting cold.  As it is, the two hours in the morning where it's below 50 and I don't feel like putting on a hat to take her outside are PRETTY LOOONNNNGGGG... 

Here's what we've been up to:

Swinging at Ben & Jerry's (no ice cream, it was too early!)

Admiring the flowers

At an "old-school" playground

"Look at me!"

Peek-a-boo

pumping!!!

Fall is in the Air

...at least in my foyer.  I might have a slight addiction to Glade Plug-ins and my house smells deliciously like apple cider.  I'm saving the exceptionally fall-scented "Pumpkin Spice" for next month.  The weather hasn't seemed much like fall with temperatures in the 90's last week (right after all the pools and spray grounds closed!) and 50's now.  Add in some rain and it's been a pretty icky couple weeks.

We did squeeze in a playground visit:

Some time in Congress Park:

And a 5k that Bob and I ran in:

sitting in a fire truck wasn't as fun as it looked.

With a playground stop afterwards:

But then during the weekend before last, MiniM.E. really wasn't herself (seen here looking utterly unimpressed with everything):

I had one of my worst "Bad Mom of the Year" moments Monday before last when I took MiniM.E. to the doctor after a couple weeks of extra fussiness to find out she had screaming ear infections in both ears.  Arg.  It was a rough couple days nice, relaxing break to lie on the couch with a cuddly, exhausted, sick toddler (even though I felt awful that she felt awful).  Unfortunately, it took her a while to get back to herself (I'm still not sure she's 100%) and we had a couple play dates we had to leave early and a couple activities that we started last week that she definitely wasn't excited about.  Hopefully this week will be better.

Last weekend we drove to NH for H.'s 2nd birthday party.  Remember his 1st?

We didn't plan much for the weekend since I made the cake this year and it took up a lot of time, but we did get to see my sister's new puppy "Crumpins" (named by MiniM.E.).

MiniM.E. helping to bake the cakes

Hi Crumpins!

THE CAKE!!

A playground break 

At the party

Crumpins in MiniM.E.'s kiddie pool

The Last Weeks of Summer: Saratoga

Fortunately, having an almost-two-year-old means that we're not going back to school, but we do have almost as many extra-curricular activities as a middle-schooler and they all start next week.

We've been trying to make the most of the warm weather and the summer-only activities.  We went to the Peerless Pool a few more times, went to the farmer's market, and spent a whole morning at West Side Rec where MiniM.E. FINALLY enjoyed the spray ground.

Sadly, MiniM.E. is sick, so part of our last empty week is being spent cuddling on the couch... but I don't get enough cuddles these days, so I feel bad for MiniM.E. but I'm secretly enjoying myself.