Holidazzle 2011

Last night was the final night of the Minneapolis Holidazzle parade.  We hadn't done the parade in years, mostly because it is either too cold, or it's snowing, or it's freezing rain.  Not ideal conditions by any stretch but then add 4 children into the mix and you have a recipe for disaster.  But we have had a little break in the weather and friends suggested we go.  When we asked the kids, they had zero recollection of ever going (see...those memories of frozen feet, fighting for a spot on a skyway  in huge crowds are forever burned into my memory) so away we went.
Actually, we went down in shifts because the husband and middle daughter had the opportunity to go to the Vikings game.   AND passes to the Gridiron club.  That's a once in a lifetime opportunity for an adult so she'll have quite the story to tell in school today.  We met up with the boys with the rest of the kids (minus the boy) at Rock Bottom Brewery for dinner before the parade then walked the 2 blocks to Nicolett Mall and LaSalle and managed to find a nice little square for the kids to sit until the parade started.

The husband went to Target and bought a giant box of candy canes and distributed them to everyone around us.

Luckily we didn't have too long to wait before the parade started:

And it really doesn't go on for very long, maybe 20-25 minutes.  I ended up moving back so little kids could see but I managed to get a few of the fun floats (I missed the circus train :-( ) like Pinocchio:

Hansel and Gretel:

The Nutcracker:

And of course Santa:

We could not have asked for a better night.  It was clear low 40s, no snow, no rain.  Just perfect.  I hope this is one of those memories that last them because I'm not sure if the weather will cooperate again.  EVER.

And I'm too old for cold wet feet.  Just sayin'.