What a Way to Kick off Christmas!

Saturday was the kick off for our family's Christmas traditions : The Adolphus Christmas Parade!!

We did this last year also and it was one of those moments that you imagined during those years while trying  to have a baby come true. I literally cried watching the joy on my kid's faces. So it makes it worth waking up at 5:30am right? You're supposed to say YES here people.

The day started off extra special early as our boys woke us up at 5:15 not able to contain their excitement about going to the parade. Christmas is going to be a ball this year! No...really, I wake up super early on Christmas so it will be nice not to have to "accidentally" wake them up.

Then we rode the Dart Train early in the morning from Plano to downtown Dallas. That was fun and the boys really thought that was the coolest.

We walked around the parade route, trying to stake out in the best spot. Which were all taken. Stupid good weather. Of course we immediately then scrounged up the required donuts, coffee, and hot chocolate, which we plowed down after we found a place to stand. Literally plowed them down.

And while we were waiting we got creepy pics with a clown! Yay! Brewerman was thrilled. He also refused to get near the clown. Probably best, as I said before to him, punching him might've scarred the kids. I'm actually shocked Christopher agreed to it. Obviously he was rethinking things once he actually got on his lap.

They even gave out sidewalk chalk, which my kids played with. Without setting down thier hot chocolate and donuts of course. Lil'Guy showed his genius to the world while trying to eat the chalk, and write with his donut. Ha!

Then the parade started!! Of course I have no pics because I was too busy with two scrambling kids, but we got tons of video. It was a ball, and fun was had by all. Though we missed our friends that joined us last year but "they had to move out of state" blahblahblah. Then we caught the train, and after waiting 4 hours for the darned thing to get there, headed to the Dallas Zoo.

Yes I realize how great I look and that my big butt is blocking my oldest child but it was the best pic we got of the day so it's going up. Next time I know to suck in. Or turn slightly to the right...Ha!

This is my favorite picture, thought it shows nothing of the zoo. Lil'Guy said "I do it like you daddy!" (look at the legs). Oh and Brewerman would like to tell everyone he is not carrying a purse, but a backpack. He would hate to lose any masculinity points out there.

We heart the Dallas Zoo. No matter how busy it is it never feels overwhelming since it's so spread out. We got to see Lil'Dude's "Go-grilla" and had lunch while we watched the lions grazing and the females being a mean girl to this one female snuffing them out of their little patch. Man, females are all the same.

Then we went back home and proceeded to take a long nap. We were exhausted. Lil'Guy was being "challenging". So we stayed in, grabbed some pizza, then finally we had to get a pic with Santa, since they were having them at our neighborhood. So we went late and got one of those.

The minute they sat on his lap they were both screaming at him what they wanted for christmas. They were trying to talk over one another and it was all the Santa could do to convince them that they indeed had heard them. As you can see Lil'Guy was less than convinced.

I know. Who knew I was raising giants? I'm pretty sure my kids aren't supposed to look like they could eat Santa.

Oh and yes. That is dried snot on my kid's nose. Don't judge me.