Catching up Christmas

So, it's "later" now.

As in, things got so very busy here during the holidays crunch.... and then when we finally got a moment to breathe, we got sick. Yes, ALL of us got sick. It wasn't pretty. And during that whole time, I thought to myself, "I will get caught up on the blogs. But later. Not now."

Well, now it's "later". So here comes my catch-up. I like to think of it as trying to be "Mary" from the story of Mary and Martha with the Savior. And I hope I was being Mary, and I was choosing the better part, and trying to be sure that I was all the way THERE with my family during the important moments. And just thinking that I would document it Later.

So, a few weeks ago (ahem).......

Each year our valley has some annual Christmas events. One of them is the lighted Christmas parade. I confess that it is an event that I have studiously avoided. When the older kids were little, I didn't take them (it was One More Thing). When Cameron was in Band, and the Marching Band marched in the parade, I didn't go. (I know -- I was an awful mom. 40 lashes.) I simply sent him off with his Santa Hat and told him to stay warm. For some reason, this parade has notoriously bad weather or cold weather (or both) every year.

With Alyssa and now Darcie in Band, I haven't gone. But Alys is a little more conscious of the fact that this is her senior year of high school. For her, this is The Last Time some of these things are going to happen. Including, the lighted Christmas parade. How could I not ever watch it?

So, like the good mom that I'm still trying to be, I packed up the hats and gloves and blankets and handwarmers (LOVE those things!), grabbed Emma and Brandon & Cecilia, and off we went.

We arrived near the starting point of the parade, and walked right past our band's warm-up spot. I know this picture isn't very clear, but in the center background, above the others, is Alyssa-the-drum-major, (see the gold sash and the white of her Santa hat?) as she's waving her arm to "cut off" the band. What you can't see, is that although it looks like she's standing on something, she's really not. This is Alys jumping up, so the band kids can see her. Yes.... she is that tall, and yes, when she jumps, her waist is at the height of the average band kid's head:

(And no, for those of you still wondering.... she doesn't play basketball.)

Here's Brandon and Cecilia, basking in the glow of a streetlight....

And here comes the band:

... turning a corner... (the front line of kids were dressed as elves)

... playing....

Emma loved the parade. I guess I've been depriving all my other kids of the wonder of this evening.  And the candy-tossers were generous. (Maybe because we were at the beginning of the route?) We quickly ran out of pocket room, and came unprepared. Or so I thought.

Emma is a smart little whip, and that girl pulled off her winter hat, and started using it as a candy collector! She came up with that one on her own. I'm going to have to watch my step with her as she grows up.

So here's just a few of the other entries in the parade. I think you can see why they call it the lighted parade:

and James Bond showed up, too....

It's nice to see that there are still some people out there who remember the reason for the season: