we took the kids to the Chuy's Parade last weekend. the kids were super excited. although some of the perceived excitement could be due to the syrup we let them consume at our pre-parade breakfast. According to the movie ELF syrup is a very christmas food - According to me Syrup makes for very crazy kids.
i was unaware that this would be the most difficult photo to take.... three kids sitting and waiting for the parade...should have been easy-right!?!
attempt #1
attempt #2
attempt #3
and we give up.
My SIL - Rach - was brilliant and suggested we run the kids around the Capitol lawn since we were an hour an half early. Yes, you have to get there that early to get the good seats - we had prime Congress spots right in front of the capitol....and three antsy kids.
great thing about the capitol lawn is you can run around AND get a good history lesson.
One trip to the bathroom in the capitol building - which included security checkpoint with metal detectors - all belts off and loose change in the bucket - then back to the parade which started FIFTEEN minutes early! We had to run across the lawn and sneak under the rope and cross the street while the parade was coming.
*the key is to just keep going and don't make eye contact with anyone*
it was a great parade- nice and long...
Chuy's puts on a parade every year on partnership with Blue Santa. They have the kids bring new toys and toward the end the whole parade comes to a stop and the kids get to go put their toys in the big trucks spread through out the parade. No photos from this since... well I was making sure my kid got to the truck, put her toy in , did take any other toys, didn't trample anyone, didn't get trampled, and made it back to our spot with out getting stolen. for a parent it's quite an adrenaline rush...for the kids it's the highlight of the parade.
the other cool thing about the parade this year was... my brother-in-law's girlfriend, who we call Swaffy and who works at Chuys, was Queen Creamy Jalapeno! I also did not get a photo of this because Kate was yelling "SWAFFY! SWAFFY!! it's me, kate!!! SWAFFY!" and i was trying to prevent her from running into the parade after the Queen.
it was a fantastic day.
**more photos on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=260872&id=501044426&l=62d46b6baa
