Homecoming Parade

My afternoon was headed for perfect until I got a call from Misty stating that tonight we would be attending the Lewisville Homecoming parade. My mood quickly changed since there are few things I enjoy less than parades, and Misty is well aware of this fact. However, my darling wife knowing me better than I know myself, gave me the heads-up while I was at work so that I could mentally psych myself up for it given a 2-3 hour head start.

So we drive to Old Town and we mosey down to the parade route where we setup camp within candy throwing distance. Little did I know just exactly how long the parade would be and how much candy would be thrown. There were no less than 50 vehicles and groups throwing candy much to our children's amazement. I told them to wave and shout and the more they did the more candy was thrown their way. Even Giancarlo started getting into the waving and shouting. The kids were running back and forth grabbing candy within about a 30 foot radius. We were stowing the candy in the stroller which started to sag in the stowage compartment because of all the candy.

We told the kids that they could have candy when we got home, however Giancarlo didn't see it that way. Giancarlo found out that he could contort and twist himself just far enough to reach the candy jackpot, which he did repeatedly. This kid was relentless in his pursuit of candy. We found out that he loves the suckers, but isn't too fond of the Starbursts (probably because the packaging is a little tougher). He found the starbursts valuable as projectiles, but that kid had a death grip on the suckers.

So just before we got home, Misty turns around to the boys and says, Say thank you to your daddy for taking you to the parade." The kids obliged. Then she said "did you know that Daddy doesn't like parades?" To which Antonio replied "WHAT!?" This wasn't a confused type of "what" it was more of an "I can't believe what I just heard, you must be crazy, and I must not have heard you properly, because any idiot with an MBA in Finance can see that on a cost vs. benefit scale we used very little time, got to bond as a family and we are dragging the rear end of the car on the pavement because of all the freaking candy, what's not to like!?" At least that's what I hear when he said it. Misty definitely heard it as well, because she almost wet herself laughing at his response.

I do remember that as we were leaving Antonio said that the parade was awesome. He was right. The length of the parade made it worthwhile, the temperature was just right and I can cross Halloween candy off the shopping list. I will definitely be back next year.