December 2, 2011 Day 2

The Annual Christmas Day Parade!

So this year was a big treat to watch the parade with our cousins Nolan and Audrey.  Owen was so excited.  He has really started to take on the "big brother" role with them.  It is very cute to watch.  One of the bonuses of the Christmas Parade, is there is not as many people, so the kids get TONS of candy.  Which the kids think is very cool. 

So here is how this works........On the Monday before thanksgiving, Mrs. Graham (the music teacher) sends home a paper to "sign up" to be on the float for the parade.  It goes to all the 5th graders first, then to the 4th, then the 3rd.  As you can see there is only so much room on this float, so not everyone gets to be on it.  So for Olivia, it was VERY important that we send that form ASAP!!! So we got our form in, got our conformation that she was on the float.  All is good........Until she comes home from school the night of the parade and says she really doesn't want to do it because she is not sitting by any of her friends.  I then say, "Well, you signed up and committed to being there so the only polite thing to do is to go."  So, we then bundled ourselves up, put in our hand and foot warmers, left the house at 5:15 because Olivia has to line up at 5:25.  Now, here is where it gets interesting.....I have to find the float (in the dark), find a place to park (and don't forget all the streets are blocked off), and walk with two kids to get Olivia to the float. OH, it is so much fun.  Ok, so after all of that, we got Olivia to her float on time.  Owen and I head down to Aunt Lu-Lu's to get our spot to watch the parade.  The parade is a joy to watch and I hear the kids singing so I know Olivia's float is coming.  I turn my camera on, stand in the street, and as you can see from the picture above, this is how much we saw of Olivia on the float...........awesome....I did not even get to see her singing on the float.  WELL worth it......HA

I then have to high tail it to Drug Mart to pick her up off the float, so I had to walk because of course the parade is still going on and all the streets are blocked off......I finally get to Olivia and ask where she was sitting on the float, she says on the opposite side towards the top.....ughhhhhh.  As I am walking/running to get her at Drug Mart, I went to cross the street, Oh yeah, don't worry I Totally wiped out.  Fell right in front of a parked car.  HAHAHA, Good news was it was people I knew sitting in the car! (Thanks Charlie and Karen for picking me up). 

Busy, cold, exhausting, stressful....But I wouldn't have it anyother way.  This was Olivia's last year to be on this float.  So I am glad she got to do it.  I loved seeing Owen's face light up when he saw the parade.  I realize that this part of life is so short, and I know that someday I will miss the hustle and bustle.