Birthday Thoughts & #fbf Hot Air Balloons

For my birthday, dozens of hot air balloons were released from an airfield in New Jersey. Just kidding! These photos are from the annual New Jersey Balloon Festival a few weeks ago, but I am telling the truth that it is my birthday today.

In recent years I have had very mixed feelings about my birthday. I’m, of course, grateful for another year, but do not love getting older. This year, while only 3/4 done, has been full of ups and downs like most years. I started the year off with all positive vibes and I even wrote numerous blog posts about how I was doing this whole positive vibes attract good things way of life. And I still believe that. But, I went through some trying times this year that really brought me down emotionally and mentally that left me not wanting to go on and on about positive vibes and instead wanted to just wallow. Luckily, each time I felt that way it did not last long but I definitely did not stay as positive as I had intended to so far this year. But, there is still time to change that and make this new year of life start off on a good…foot? path? You know what I mean!

Last year, I didn’t make as many big moves/life changes as I wished to, but when I think about it I still did a lot. My blog continued to grow, I fully moved in to my townhouse, I started teaching a new grade. Now, I’m going to reveal a secret that I’ve been keeping from you guys for a while now – I’m moving again. It’s a very long story and had much to do with my ups and downs this year but if all goes well I should be in my new place this fall so there will for sure be lots of new home decor posts coming in due time. I have some big goals for this year – I just need to put them in to action. Wish me luck!

But about the balloons. Every year Quick Check sponsors a hot air balloon festival in NJ. When I was younger, I used to go to the festival with my family and I remember it being so fun. There would be tons of tents with crafts and jewelry and art etc. There would be food and entertainment. And then, we would sit on a blanket and watch them blow up the balloons and take off. I haven’t been in years and this year a few friends and I decided to go see the balloons. Ultimately, we decided not to go in to the festival because my friends had their baby with them and we thought it would just be a little too much. So, we paid for parking and just stayed in the parking lot to watch the balloons. Everyone I talked to who is really familiar with the festival told me that the best spot to view the balloons really depends on which way the wind is blowing. We were incredibly lucky that the wind worked in our favor and all the balloons headed our way!

We got such a good view! Some of the balloons looked pretty low and we were wondering how far they’d make it. Some were so high that we knew they’d go really far. Apparently if a balloon lands in your yard you get a bottle of champagne or something like that. My aunt and uncle used to live nearby and would have Balloon Festival parties where they would have a bbq and watch the balloons go overhead – unless the wind blew them in another direction and then it was just a regular bbq!

It’s funny to take videos of the hot air balloons because they move slowly so in the video it looks like they’re not moving and it’s like a painting! See what I’m talking about below!

I hope you have a great Friday and start to your weekend!