Old Fashion Christmas

For me the real start to the Christmas season starts with two things, The First Presidency Christmas Devotional, and the annual Christmas parade downtown. We worked hard to get everyone out the door early so we could get a good parking spot - note for next year 6:30 am is better than 7:00 am. We pulled in just after 8 and got a great spot, but it wasn't on the parade route. Grandma and Grandpa pulled in around 7 and got the very last spot.

It was a very cold, brisk morning. GR made a large batch of hot chocolate we stored in our "soccer" thermos, and I loaded up the back with quilts and fleece blankets, fearing the kids would never make it downtown for four hours if the temperatures held in the low 30s.

We started our morning with a lovely breakfast at the local bakery ... the kids all ate cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate. While GR, Anna and I had a more "traditional" breakfast of eggs and hash browns. Note we all still fit in one booth! With how quickly the kids are growing, I doubt this will be possible next time we go in for breakfast.



Alex and Sam were in serious need of haircuts. There hasn't been time to get into have Ann cut their hair, so we stopped in at the local barber shop downtown before hooking up with Grandma and Grandpa to see the Gingerbread house display. This years Gingerbread houses are fantastic! The houses are donated by different members of the community, then placed in categories, judged and auctioned off to benefit the local Boys and Girls Club. It's a serious fund raiser that brings in big bucks for the charity. One of the gals from Diane's church group did a gingerbread house with her "little sister" and their house took 2nd place in their age division! We love walking around and seeing the many, many creative houses. It's always exciting to see houses built by people we know. This year, our friends Jeanie and Jeff did a fantastic Blue Clues house!



The parade was excellent - I'm sure I say that every year. Thankfully mother nature showed mercy on us and the glorious sun came out kept us nice and warm - for a cold day in December - making it perfect parade watching weather for December. Everyone sat in the back of Grandpa's truck with their cups of hot chocolate. They didn't even dig into any of the quilts we brought - something we haven't had to do in many years. Anna spent the first half of the parade in her stroller on the front lines of the parade. She vigorously waved at each participant and yelled "HA!... HA!" to them as they rode past.



This team of eight horses pulling a large wagon was one of the most impressive rigs in the parade:




We finished out our adventures with lunch at a local deli, not downtown.