Party and Balloons

We took Joseph to school last Friday for his early birthday party with his 2nd grade classmates.



This penguin did not make it to the party after all.





But, this penguin did.

Joseph's Nana was a TREMENDOUS help in preparing for the party.  She put together about 14 party favors while I did 6.  On Friday morning/noon, pressed for time, I again enlisted Nana's help in cutting card stock and stapling them to make the penguin masks.  And we actually made it to school with minutes to spare.


Along with the penguin favors, we brought
puffles cupcake and a Club Penguin Birthday cake.





Aren't these penguins cute???


                           


After the party, we drove to Natchez, Mississippi for the start of the Great Mississippi River Hot Air Balloon Festival.  We first went to the Natchez side to find the site for the balloon glow, but eventually ended up on the Louisiana side (Vidalia).  We had a bite to eat and, fortunately, had a great view of the river and the other shore while we waited for the hot air balloons.



Joseph "eating" butter on bread.  Ooh, he saw something across the river...

 

Some of the balloons had been inflated!

It turned out that there were also balloons on our side, right in the parking lot.  They were huge.



Joseph with Daddy and Nana





Of course, Joseph with Mommy



The above pictures were the extent of the balloon glow.  I was expecting a more dramatic glow with lots and lots of balloons in one place and with prolonged glow.  As it was, these were the only two balloons on our side of the shore that "glowed," and only for short bursts.  It was still awesome, being that this was the first time for the four of us to see hot air balloons up close.  Joseph actually got bored and asked to go home.  I wanted to stay longer to see the fireworks display, but no such luck.  Brady had to work this weekend, and anyway, we tried to book a hotel three months ago and there was none available.  So, we missed out on the balloon races, which would take place on Saturday and Sunday.


The Mississippi River,
with Mississippi to the left
and Louisiana to the right where the sun set.

Over-all, it was a great day.  Joseph ended the day by "eating" cotton candy as soon as we got home.