It has been tradition – stemming from our days at the Newman Center – to go to Rapid City’s Festival of Lights Parade the Saturday after Thanksgiving. We’ve been there in balmy weather (hey, it happens) and down right frigid temps. So, when Saturday rolled around and it was windy and the kids were coughing, oh well!! Load em up!
We all worked together to get there on time and jac did a fabulous job of parking close (tricky, believe you me) and putting the kiddie cart together quickly to get us a primo spot in front of the Post Office. If we were to go one block down, all the street lights are off – another year when we’re more ambitious, I say.
We all bundled up, kids in full snow gear (except for Philip who likes to be difficult) and tucked snuggly into the stroller and kiddie cart (Conversation of the evening: what to do when there are four? Another kiddie cart? Make them haul their own selves? Farm them off to ride on floats while we watch? Choices, choices.) It is customary for me to dry our heaviest fleeces (thank you Wyeth family for making such cosy blankies!) and Philip’s blankie for 20 minutes so their nice and toasty. It makes all the difference.
Jac and I got to snuggle up between the kiddos and even got to sit this year. Normally, we stand through the ordeal. We chilled out cheeks on the curb and had the same view as the little ones. Very cool. Even cooler, Jac had brought thermoses of hot cocoa he made and cups for all to take part. My kind of guy.
Our perrenial favorite is the singing toilets sponsored by a pipe fitting service. We always enjoy them. Also high on this years list were the chipmunks (can’t get enough of the “nutty” singing – even better when grown men are dressed as the characters), the Harley dealership and the hord of bedecked motorcyclists and the horses with “yight kwie kwies!!” (that’s “light blankies!” in Tess-speak). So glad we were there to take it all in.
