The Candy Parade (Homecoming)

This is our third year going to the Lafayette Homecoming Parade which the kids call "The Candy Parade." We were surprised the first year when the children were showing up with pillow cases. What are they going to do with those, I thought. They knew the drill. Basically you can get as much candy as you can carry at this parade. The children come prepared. It seems that every person who walks in the parade carries a bag of candy to distribute. The Barney and Kesner children were beyond excited.

Maren's band led the parade. I showed up a little early and parked our family right across from the band so I could get a few pictures. (not sure how Maren felt about that- oh well) She looked so good in her uniform and so happy with her band buddies. 

Annalisa got to hold the mellophone 

Maren and Andrew (Maren's date to the Homecoming Dance)

Waiting for the parade to start

 

   

Unfortunately they started to play after they passed us. But at least I saw Maren marching. 

Love that girl!

Here they come!

Adam brought an umbrella. He saw someone do this last year and thought it was a brilliant idea.

I thought it seemed so greedy to have such a large candy catcher, (I made him stand a little apart from the family) but everyone in the parade seemed to love it. I heard teenagers and adults commenting on the great idea. He stood by a tree and kids on the floats got to practice hitting the umbrella target. When the floats passed he quickly gathered up all the candy that didn't make it into the umbrella. When it got too heavy and nearly ready to break he emptied it and resumed his candy collection. I saw him dumping huge handfuls into children's bags and buckets. Typical Adam. He doesn't even really like candy that much. He gets a lot of satisfaction from giving it away though.

Alec, on the other hand, LOVES candy. He was in heaven.

 Each cheerleader/ football player/etc. dropped a piece into his bag until it got quite heavy.

There's that target practice I mentioned.

Some floats were very cute.

He can barely stand. Ridiculous.

 

Finally he had to sit. 

Andrea Moore dropped in a piece for the greedy little monster.

I hope she was giving Adam a bad time about the umbrella.

 

This was always my favorite part of Halloween- sorting the candy stash.

I did take a lot of this and stick it into the piano treasure chest. It's now full to the top. Thanks guys! (They didn't complain even once. They knew better.)