Santa Parade and Fireworks

To kick start December we went out as a big family!!  Nana and Pop-Pop included -we loaded up 9 people see what we thought would be a fun Christmas time parade.  Meh.
BUUUT...the fireworks were great.
Well worth the wait.
We parked near Daddy's new workplace and took 2 strollers - double and single to find a good spot. Sometimes it's hard to maneuver strollers and children, but we were glad to have them as seats for tired legs. ...I can't tell you how many times I've thought of plopping myself in a stroller over the past few years....  I stop when I envisioning it breaking upon impact.
Ha.
The parade wasn't really anything great.  Just ho hum.
...Even Mr. Ho Ho Himself wasn't seen until the end.  And he was parading on top of a loud firetruck.
Where's the candy, big man?
...there were some entertainers that passed out candy, but most could not calculate correctly.  We'd get one tiny peice of candy thrown our way.
Thanks....but it's easier for us just not to have anything at all than for my 4 sugar addicts to decide who should be the one to get it......

A good mom is always prepared though, so you know I had a purse-full o' snacks.  I passed them out and we passed the time until the finale.
THE FIREWORKS!
Oh, fireworks...I had forgotten how much I love you.
And how the KIDS loved you!
It had literally been years since I had seen them....pre-Cale most likely.  So....7 years, at least.
Everyone oohed and aaahhhed appropriately except for Megersa.
He was cold.  Honestly MOST the time that kid is in a great, if not super-hyper mode, but NOT when he's cold.  I swear he turns into a blob of unconscionable tears.
He had donned rain boots on instead of snow boots.  (I have since come to realize the rubber keeps out the water, but brings IN the cold, so I can't blame him entirely.  I just didn't cry.  ...cuz I'm a big girl! ;))

I always enjoy experiencing things through my children's eyes.
It's something I said to a girlfriend of mine the other day - you can never really explain the joy that comes with raising kids to someone who doesn't have kids.
...I'm not trying to hop on a soapbox or anything: Please, reproduce at your own risk. 
But can I just say that love for a child cannot be matched ANYWHERE.
Believe it.

HERE'S TO A GREAT START OF THE CHRISTMAS SEASON!!

(*sad above picture of the fireworks does not depict the beauty and wonder of the actual ones.*)