1076 trombones in the big parade

or so it seemed....a small town parade will take whomever pays to be in it almost. And so it was a big parade with every highschool band, their bus, their equipment vehicle, and well...everyone!! I was amazed there were still people to be in the audience! but it was fun. I had this initially as one post, but decided the parade pictures were enough for one post!

MK's Brownie troop was in the parade and I got roped (love you girls...really!) into walking with them to help corral kiddos.
Did I mention it was frigid? Like spitting snowflakes frigid! Oh and let's not forget that we had to wear our PJ's....cute for the girls I guess...not so cute for me. PJ's isn't something I would prefer to be seen in by my neighbors let alone a few thousand folks from my town. JOY!
And those flannel PJ pants (had to go actually buy some)...we all know they aren't the most flattering...somehow they manage to make your rear look 5 times it's natural size...(just let me believe that okay? I want no one to burst that and tell me they show actual size)

Well someone in brownie authority land (above our leaders) told us to be there at 11:30 AM for a parade that didn't START til 2pm......so we dutiful brownies met up with our troop between 11 and 11:15 and went to gather with the other troops at the staging area to do their pre-parade brownie stuff. Only a few troops showed to join us to stand in the freezing cold for a few hours...hmmm....and so we sat until the 'smart' troops came around 1:00 to have our pre-parade brownie fun!!! but the girls were so excited they found ways to entertain themselves.....limbo being a favorite...using their scarves!! It was a fun day overall!! Even if I did have to wear unflattering PJ's for all to see!



MK told me on the way to the parade that this was a 'once in a lifetime event' to be in a parade....wonder what she'll say next year?

Mk and her best friend Taylor had matching PJ's...you can't see it in these pictures because they are bundled...but they had matching shirts that ReMaw made them too with their names embroidered on them!! You could see them as they marched as it was a LITTLE warmer and more comfortable to not have on huge coats, and just go with the 4 layers of clothing we had on.

spotting Grandmama and Papa in the crowd!

and wait...look close...there is Daddy waving!
So exciting to see those we knew along the route!

friends from church aka candy beggars :-) ha ha!! Just kidding...well sort of although the men weren't the culprits it was the Moms...who are next to them and not the in picture because I was busy throwing candy at them and fulfilling their every wish (why? because I love them and would hope they'd do the same for me if I was asking them for candy!!!!!!!)

our chauffer - trusty Kelly!! THANKS girl!! She is another brownie Mom who didn't have to wear rear widening PJ's...oh nooooo ma'am....she got to look adorable as always and stand towards the end so she could drive us back to the beginning. This is a picture of her pointing at me and laughing and saying ha ha ha look how cute I look while you look like a flannel polka dotted whale...okay really not, she's way too sweet for that (but I betcha she was at least thinking "oh I'm so glad that's not me out there...weren't you Kelly!!?? -hee hee) and here is our friend/neighbor Dave....he's so fun and crazy!! He is an officer of our local SORBA (Southern Off Road Bike Assoc) chapter and was in their group of riders...yeah I'd like to see him ride that bike off road! friends from church....Courtney and Louis!! Marching not to far behind us with the ROTC units

silly silly girls enjoying every min of their time together while we waited in our warm car for Taylor's parents to finish the parade...we were float #35 and her Mom's cheerleading squad was float #111. So we got to wrap around after completing and still see some floats and of course the Santa at the end!! Then we waited in the car belting out some Christmas carols to the radio and the girls played go-fish with a deck of go fish cards they found in my truck....ha ha....yep I drive a Mama Mobile...when you can find a spare deck of go fish cards....you know you aren't messy you are just 'prepared'

how cute are they walking down Main Street? These two think they'll die without each other and can hardly go a week without seeing one another!! They are So sweet and fun together. I tell MK all the time how very proud I am of the friends she chooses to surround herself with!

That and the SEC Championship sum up our Saturday as we didn't leave the parade til nearly 5pm (yes after arriving at 11am) We were BEAT!