UM Homecoming Parade

Last weekend was homecoming for our university. We normally don't partake in any community festivities (because we're usually busy or working) but this year I thought it would be fun for the boys to go to the parade downtown. Initially Perry wanted to sleep in and work on my shelves (he's making me a few floating shelves for my living room!) but due to a power outage in Tennessee, a package ordered for use in the parade for one of his customers didn't make it to town on time so he was out and about early Saturday morning trying to get it to where it needed to go before the parade started. Since he was downtown anyways, I quickly gathered up the kids and raced downtown to find a good parking space and met up with him.

 On the way downtown, Hunter and JP were *ecstatic* about going to a parade. Previously the only parade they've been to was the 4th of July parade in Seeley. They've never seen a marching band up close though so I thought they'd enjoy this one more. Granted we did get there about 45 minutes early, they were not excited to sit and wait...

 Once the parade started, they were both really hesitant to step off of the curb to collect candy. A lady next to us helped Hunter a few times by showing him all he had to do was stand there with his bag open and people would just put candy in it. Even still, he was really leery about it. And then there was JP. He wouldn't even get off the side walk without me right next to him. Opening his bag was a struggle too... JP did however warm up to the parade when he saw his pre-school teacher from last year in the parade handing out candy on the other side of the street. Seriously, his face lit up and he yanked on me in excitement! The rest of the parade he was a lot more open about participating.

 Quite a few times I had to gather them and pull them back to the edge of the road as they kept creeping to the middle. 

 Remember how JP wanted a Daniel Tiger cake but mom wanted to make him a Ninja Turtle cake...and then we compromised with this one? Yeah, so just imagine his excitement when he saw Daniel Tiger on a float....

Charlotte on the other hand was delighted at her view from daddy's shoulders. I'm not so sure he was thrilled at her smacking his head in delight when the marching bands came by though...I won't even tell you his reaction when he was flipping through the channels and realized they weren't airing the Griz game, but rather the Cat game...