The Parade

A parade that runs through our neighborhood each spring around the time the leaves finally unfold from the trees. Nate and Sean love to watch the parade and they always know where to find the best spot. Right along the edge of the sidewalk!

It's got all the stuff you'd expect at a parade like a color guard, fire engines and antique cars. It's got its fair share of politicians pandering for votes too but we don't pay them much mind. There's almost as many people in the parade as watching it, and the main activity seems to be throwing handfuls of candy at the kids lined up along the roadside.

There's also an interesting multicultural twist. In recent years, a number of dance troupes of people of Central and South American descent have started to join parade. In particular there seemed to be a lot of groups from Bolivia. Their colorful outfits and elaborate choreography add an extra layer of excitement. Somehow they dance their way along along the entire parade route including the uphill portions. It looks exhausting but they never skip a beat.

Sean didn't want to miss a thing. He found a sure-fire way to get a better view: con grandma into hoisting him atop of a newspaper box.

The Big Race

Mom and her dad ("papa") ran a 10K race this morning as part of the local county's Neighborhood Day. Mom had been planning on this for awhile, part of her buildup to the marathon in the Fall. Papa decided to run at the last minute. The took off on a cold, windy, wet morning, down the road and then up a big hill to the finish line. Dad took this picture hoping it would turn out alright because it was tough to keep the lens dry. Nate said that if mom hadn't been trying to pose for the camera that she would have beaten papa! It looks like she lost by about a tenth of a second.

Mom and papa enjoyed a drink and some snacks after the race. Nate and Sean were over at the moon bounce, nearby. They didn't bounce for long though. It was such a rainy day that water leaked into it, but it was still fun watching the escaping air make bubbles on the canvas. We soon took the shivering kids home, and mom was glad she got a ride back in the car instead of having to walk home! She was surprised we made it out to the race.

Spring has Sprung

It finally feels like springtime. The grass is green, the leaves are filling out the trees and the azaleas in the front yard are in full bloom. Sean wanted to go outside as soon as dad got home from work, to hunt for bugs and show off all the nice plants.

Nate wanted to stay in the house and watch a DVD but dad and Sean eventually talked him into coming outside. He was mostly a good sport about it and even posed for a couple of photographs before retreating back to the living room.

They were particularly interested in this great purple azalea completely covered with flowers. This is probably dad's favorite bush. Every year it puts on a spectacular show next to the house for all the neighborhood to enjoy.