Welllllllll, that was a bust.

Paige got us Groupon tickets to the Arizona Balloon Classic.  From the description, it sounded pretty cool... "more than 50 balloons", fireworks, balloons lit to music, food vendors.  Just the kind of thing for an enjoyable evening with the family.  It sounded like so much fun, Paige invited some friends and their kids, and I invited a guy from work and his wife.  I mean, take a look at the beautiful balloon pictures, and it says right there... "more than 50 balloons."  Fifty.  Five zero.

Ummmmm, yeah.  They barely had enough balloons there to make their logo truth in advertising.  Really, I think we counted a total of about 5 balloons.  Only a factor of 10, but who's counting?

I think we still had a good time though.

The kids got to see a balloon get filled up.

They all got surprised looks on their faces when the giant burners shot flames in the air.  I mean, really?  You would think they would be used to that around our house by now.  I have some parenting ground to make up, apparently.

Sophie was terrified by the noise of the burners.  Every time one went off, she would burrow down and grab whatever piece of you she could.

Luke was clearly entralled by the excitement of seeing soooooo many balloons.  I think he got in a good 90 minute nap.

We did get to see a very pretty sunset.  Of which my phone took a better picture than my actual camera.  Technology blows my mind sometimes.

Then the amazing light show.  This was seriously it, unless you include the one other balloon off to the side that was giving rides to the dizzying height of 50 feet.

If only I had looked at the website and the exhaustive list of balloons that would be participating in this innaugural event, I might have been able to mentally prepare myself for the mind blowing spectacle that was the evening light show...

At least they had deep fried stuff though.  Even if they did run out of meatballs and wings, seeing as that there were only about 10 food vendors for a few thousand people and I waited in line for at least an hour.  Good thing our kids love corndogs!

Our kids did think the skydivers were pretty cool (way too hard to get a picture of) and they did have a fireworks show.

We also discovered a new skill.  You know how sometimes people call Mountain Dew... "Weasel Pee."

Yeah... or Luke.  Kid has pretty good aim.

We handed it to one of our friend's kid (who didn't witness the act) and he was totally excited to finish off the Dew.  Until he felt just how warm the bottle was, and then the look on his face as the realization hit him was absolutely priceless.

A good end to a marginal night.  Sorry we dragged you out there through hours of traffic for a pitiful show.  We did have fun hanging out though...