Mickey Mouse Parade 2011

We took the kids to Chicago before Christmas to kick-off the holiday season with the parade of 1000 lights or whatever they call it... to us it's the "Mickey Mouse Parade".  This year we got there a little later than anticipated and had some trouble parking (we were stuck in a parking garage that was full for quite some time...round and round, ugh) but eventually made it to the parade.  Barely though, we almost missed Mickey Mouse!  We started to pray with the kids while we circled around in the garage, just asking the Lord to help us find our way to a parking spot and out of that crowded garage.  After about 45 minutes we made it to the exit and Derek decided to pull over on the side of the road to let me and the kids out to head to the parade on our own while he looked for parking.  He pulled over in front of a restaurant and as we started to unpack the stroller and get the kids in, a valet for the restaurant came out and asked if we wanted him to park our truck.  Derek explained that we weren't eating there but going to the parade and the valet wanted to help us out anyway....which of course was a total answer to prayer.  Thank you Lord!  How often does a valet offer to park your car for $10 bucks in the city...and we weren't even eating at that restaurant.  We totally believe it was an answer to prayer.  :)

We've been making our outing to the parade an annual thing with our friends Joe & Kelsey Starkey and their two little girls...which is fun.  We ate at the Rainforest Cafe, which seemed like a great idea to begin with.  Have any of you been there recently?  Well, it's not so much fun when you're adult!  They pack you in tables like sardines, and it's super sticky and humid.  Not what we would call and enjoyable dinner.  Plus, we had limited time since all the kids were always a second away from a complete meltdown...oh the joys of being out late with little ones :)  We laughed our way through it though like always.  I think the trickiest part is finding spots for coats and purses and diaper bags and strollers in the winter in a crowded Chicago restaurant.  I think next year we're making an early start and are also dining in (at the Starkey's condo)! 

thank you daddy!!

rudolph

keeping warm...it was actually like 55-60 degrees out that night believe it or not!

they weren't too sure about the snake
at the rainforest cafe

rigby liked the alligator though :)