Parades and Parties

We had a busy day today. Zach’s school was having a Harvest Day Parade (I guess they were being politically correct) and Ty’s class was having a Halloween party. I was attending both so there was a lot to do this morning to get everyone ready.

Costumes were optional for Ty’s party and, if they dressed up, they were supposed to be a character from a book. I’d been asking Ty to check with his teacher all week and he kept forgetting so I finally emailed his teacher who confirmed the costume issue with me on Thursday. Ty wanted to participate so we had to come up with a book character costume pronto. He wanted to be Harry Potter so we scrambled to find what we needed and, when all was said and done, he looked great for a 15-minute costume assembly.

Zach was supposed to be an envelope in his school parade. Each class was representing a different book they’d read and, although I can’t recall the name of the book Zach’s class did, I can tell you it’s about a lady who washes everything, including her mail, and hangs it on the line to dry. So Zach was a piece of mail and had to wear a blue pants and white shirt. All the kids in his class did so they’d look similar. That wasn’t too bad to put together accept that we don’t have a long-sleeved white shirt. He borrowed one from Kara’s oldest son.

So I got the boys off to school and got Dolly and me ready. Dolly is such a girly-girl that she just couldn’t decide what to wear. We were running out of time so she eventually settled for a Halloween shirt and jeans, with a Halloween hair jammie for her pony tail. Can I tell you how difficult she was being just to go to a parade and a short school party? I was ready to pull my hair out. Regardless, we made it out the door and to Zach’s school. There was absolutely no available parking at the school – the parade was taking place on the high school track and there were hundreds of family members there to see it – so we had to park in the shopping center parking lot at the end of the street and walk to the field.

The parade was wonderful and all the kids looked so adorable. They had kids dressed like crayons from the story, “The Crayon Box That Talked” and kids dressed like fish from the book “Rainbow Fish” and kids dressed like characters from Old McDonald’s farm. They were all too adorable and the teachers and parents were very creative with the costumes. It was such a pleasure to watch them all marching and waving. Then the High School marching band performed for a few minutes and it was over. I don’t like it when school events are over; they’re fun.

Then we went home and waited until time for Ty’s class party. We got there at 1:30 on the nose and there were already four other parents there. Even more came in after me. In the past five years that my kids have been going to school, I haven’t seen that many parents show up to a class party. Usually it’s one or two but never the ten that were there today in Ty’s class. I couldn’t help but be impressed at the parent turn out.

So the kids had a couple of activities to do; Dolly got to do some too and she loved it. She even helped Ty color his Halloween find-the-objects picture. She was proud to be a part of it and Ty was proud to show off his little sister. Then Ty’s teacher put out some food and drinks for everyone – chips, muffins, cakes, fun stuff like that – and all the kids ate quietly while working on their pictures. We all chatted and laughed and just enjoyed the time with the kids. When the teacher began handing out the goodie bags Dolly and I headed home. Ty would be on his way home just a few minutes later and we wanted to be home before Ty’s bus got there.

We got home tired but happy. It was such a positive day for all of us, and I loved being with the kids and watching Zach’s parade. The kids like me being there, too. They asked me all week if I was going to be at both activities. I wouldn’t have missed them. The kids are so happy when they see me that it makes me want to burst with pride. I just love their little happy faces. Today’s happiness makes me wonder…what activity will be next for us to attend?

Until next time…peace to all.