Holiday Parade

Because I am terrible at things like that, I always forget my camera at the most important events: Noella's first Christmas parade, for example. But, because I am lucky, I have friends who bring their camera and send me pictures that they take of my family. Whew! Thanks Jennie!

I am really late on posting this, and really poor on keeping up with this whole blog thing. Last friday, we headed into downtown Hood River to watch a bunch of trucks advertise their businesses by driving down the main street with Christmas lights strung to their bumpers the Christmas parade. Noella, as this was her first parade, thought it was the coolest thing since candy canes (which she more recently discovered and thinks are pretty cool, to say the least). Adam and I, on the other hand, have seen more impressive parades in our day. But, in it's defense, the whole atmosphere of downtown was truly magical. The whole evening, they close main drag, so everyone can spill over into the streets..... There were beautiful lights all around, the communal lighting of the giant town tree, the live Christmas carols afterwards, the hot cocoa, the CANDY CANES! Noella danced her little heart out - they even played Jingle Bells twice (her favorite holiday song so far). She still asks me when we drive into town at night - "No-yeh-yuh go see the pah-wade? No-yeh-yuh wants a candy cane?" I didn't even know anyone liked candy canes. I surely don't.

Noella and Gavin, one of her very first friends. Nate, his daddy, is holding him

I can't tell you how long its been since we've had a family photo taken. See - I'm horrible! Thanks Jennie for giving me some documentation of a very fun night.