Magic and Mayhem

This weekend our little town is having its annual festival and the kids and I headed out to walk to Main Street and watch the city parade.

It was raining a bit but we don’t melt so off we went!

Truth be told, I’m not a fan of small town parades because of their preoccupations with throwing masses of cheap junk candy at the children watching, and often throwing it right onto the street so small children run out amongst the fire trucks, oxen, motorcycles, tanks and fire equipment to scramble around for stale penny candy.

(Is this a midwest thing?  I don’t remember ever having candy flung at me when I went to parades as a kid in other parts of the country.)

Anyway….

By the time we got to Main Street it was not so much drizzling as pouring and there was no parade in sight.

We waited.  And waited.  And stood under the eaves of the tire shop and waited some more.

Then I suggested heading home and I volunteered to make my own parade for the kids and fling candy at them myself.  We actually did that once, when we all (okay, mostly me) got fed up with the heat and crowds and mosquitos one 4th of July and I told the kids we could walk back to Grandma and Grandpa’s for their own personal parade.  That one had been a huge hit with lots of laughter.

Much deliberation ensued, until finally it was pouring so much and there was no sign of a parade anyway that the decision was made for us.  Off we ran home!  Or rather, strolled, since even in the pouring rain Jack can be a dawdler!

We got back quite wet!  I sent Victoria in to towel off my camera and she tried it out as Alex and I popped in the back door.

I readied myself for making a parade and told the kids we’d have it later that afternoon.

A little while later we heard the parade starting at last and Anna decided she wanted to go to their parade instead.  Off she went.  Then Victoria decided she wanted to go too and off she went.

Only Jack ended up staying home for Mama’s parade, so we all put on a parade just for him!  I went up to the store and got a bit of better candy and I invited the girls to take part.  Even Alex joined in!

 We had a few costume changes and banged on instruments and such too.  Daddy provided the marching band music from YouTube via his laptop.

Jack loved his parade and Victoria asked if I’d throw her one and toss the candy she got at the city parade at her.  Maybe, but first I need a rest.