Our Hot Air Balloon Ride

We finally had our hot air balloon ride on Tuesday! We had purchased the deal on Living Social over a year ago. We had been trying for months to do it but either the dates didn't work out or it was cancelled due to weather. We finally made it up in the air on Tuesday morning for sunrise. It was pretty cool to float over the vineyards in Temecula, CA. It's very peaceful and quite up in the air similar to parasailing.

We only went about 2.5 miles but went over a 1 mile high in the air. We were in the air for about 1 hour. I am happy we finally got to do it. It was a neat experience and another thing we can check of our list.

Filling the balloon up with air

Almost ready to go. Yes, I am dressed in about 4 layers of cloths since it's super cold in the morning.

Now for the heat to raise the balloon

We made it up just before the sunrise. It was breathtaking.

Our balloon shadow over some fruit trees.

A view of our balloon from inside the basket.

A shot of the area with the other balloons up that morning. Everyone takes photos of the
other balloons since you can't take photos of your own while your in it.

Last but not least - Gnome Adventures of Cambria

Thank you for sticking through all the vacation photos. I did bring the gnome along but sadly I kinda forgot about him. I did take a couple photos.It was a great escape to go up the coast. Just a few hundred miles north and California is a completely different place but in a good way.

A local artist makes these wood mushrooms - perfect for a gnome.

Relaxing

Gnome Adventures: Legoland

Larry and I have talked about going to Legoland for 4 years almost as long as we have been together. We finally went on Sunday with my parents. I have to say it is more for the little kids but we are all kids at heart. We had a lot of fun, we did a couple rides, toured miniland USA and saw the aquarium.  

The entrance

Lunch time - The gnome was in the mood for pizza

Oh No -  A lego shark

The Star Wars exhibit was just done recently. All made from legos.

Larry + gnome + Star Wars characters

White house made from legos

Welcome to mini Las Vegas

Even the gnome looks big

Times Square

Rockefeller Center

Mount Rushmore

This guy is shorter than me!

The gnome underwater

Baby octopus - he is hanging out inside a mug

Nautilus Fish - These guys were really interesting

Larry is the "L" and I am the "O"

Gnome Adventures - Sioux City, IA - home

I went home to Sioux City, IA a couple weeks ago. I went back for a couple reasons - 1st my cousin Krissi graduated college (the same college I went to) and 2nd - to say goodbye to my childhood home. My dad has retired and they are moving out to California. Which means selling the home in Sioux City. I had a wonderful time back home. I know I will always go back, I just don't know how often. Of course to document my trip the gnome came with me to some of my favorite places.

When I come home my parents are always at the airport waiting with a balloon.
This was the 1st thing I saw walking up to meet them.



I mostly took the gnome with me while I ate my way through Sioux City. This is a local pizza place I love.



Pizza and bread sticks. They make their bread sticks with bacon bits on top - yummy :)



A different day we went to Tastee Inn ~ Out. Yes you did read the sign correctly - "Meat To Go"

 

Tastee is a loose meat sandwich. They don't make those out in California.

Krissi and I out on the town to celebrate her graduation.

My family threw a early birthday party for me.

We had Morningside Pizza - another fav pizza place. I guess I really love pizza.

My aunt Nancy, superman (dog) and the gnome.
Hi - Nancy's students :) She met the gnome.

My parents and I.

The homestead

The gnome came along with me while I took hundreds of photos of the house (Inside and out).

My playhouse my dad built me in the very early 80's. He let me pick the color.
Lime green was my fav color back then. I still love green.



Gnome Adventures - Las Vegas

We had a wonderful time in Las Vegas. I actually came home with a little extra money - which for vegas is pretty exciting. I did bring the gnome but he was in the hotel room most of the time. I did get a couple photos of him.

I love the Sugar Factory and had to stop in for something sweet.

Over looking the strip from the New York, New York

I always have to stop by the Bellagio garden area.
Seeing I am artist and love art this was killer.

I took a tons of photos of these glass balloons





Even though we live closer to LA than Vegas we finally had a famous Pink's hot dog in Vegas and not in LA. It was really good and not even a line. The original place in a LA always has a line.

Here we are enjoying the moving walkway ;)