Fall means PARADES!

I believe I've been to more parades this month and last than I've been to in the last 10 years of my life! It's all due to being in youth ministry and having a son who adores marching bands!

So first we went to two homecoming parades, one being capped off with the football game. We planned on leaving at half-time, predicting two bored (at least) and fussy children would appreciate an exit from the confines of bleachers. But no! Susanna took her evening cat nap amidst the band playing and crowd screaming, and Ben was completely entertained by the former as well as mimicking the cheerleading hand motions. He stayed after the game to hear the drummers to their thing and even got to play one afterwards. What a treat for my little drummer boy! The second parade was in walking distance to our house, and we know about 1/2 of the people who were in it. However, it was only 10 minutes long (max) and that included the firetrucks and police cars that brought up the rear (I'm becoming a parade connoisseur now). But it was a cute 10 minutes and refreshingly small-town. Plus, the 20 seconds of the band going by warmed Ben's heart.

Cute little Vanessa, his friend from church, joined him in watching the dinky parade as well as the third one, the Pumpkin Parade. There was no band in that one, only pumpkins on tractors and kids dressed in costume (thankfully our kids seemed unaware of some scary ones). Anyhoo, we've had our fill for the year!



Well I think this video has finally loaded, we'll see if it works. Not seeing it yet on the preview. It's one of Ben's daily rituals, a march around the house with one of his instruments. Sorry it's not facing the right way! I'll finish off with a picture of my sweet Susanna (or "Girly-girl" as we call her). She's got her favorite fingers! When I look at her sucking them, it looks like such a natural fit...yet I've never seen another kid do it! Maybe there are some out there...and not seeing the picture yet on preview either- going to bed and the sun is going down on my computer anger! (not really but almost!)