Balloon Fiesta without Balloons

All year I planned to take JAC and Jesse to the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta but circumstances intervened and we couldn't make the trip.  I was deeply disappointed but I've already started planning our trip to the 2011 Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta.

In lieu of the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, we decided to attend the Shenandoah Valley Balloon Fiesta. Jesse knew how excited I was and agreed to take the long drive after church on Sunday.

The Shenandoah Festival featured monster truck rides, live entertainment, wine tasting and a petting zoo. It did not feature any hot air balloons. The wind was unusually gusting and thus unsafe for hot air balloons. I wished for hot air balloons but JAC's enthusiasm for petting animals relieved my disappointment. I think JAC nearly pet the bunny to death. We had to pull him off moments before he embraced the bunny in a bear hug.

It was fun family outing. We ate bratwursts cooked on the world's largest grill, danced to some live music and of course pet every animal in the petting zoo. This was not my year for hot air balloons but there is always next year.