Parade time!

This week is just crazy fun.  Truly, the most fun week of the year.  It just might be more fun than a week at the beach.  Sunday night was Mayberry's fireworks... Monday morning was Laketown's 4th of July parade... Tuesday night was Mayberry's fair parade and the fair continues through Saturday.  Every. single. day. there is a fun event!

We've been to bigger parades, but not better.  For small towns, these two parades are top notch.  Miles of antique tractors, cars and firetrucks... the Fair Queen and all of her princesses.... veterans groups and the Shriners in little cars.  Best of all, they toss out candy.  Lots and lots of candy.  When we first moved to our small town we were told that the children should each bring a sack to the parade to hold their candy.  I admit, I scoffed.  At every previous parade we had been to the children were lucky if they went home with one tiny Tootsie Roll.  Thank goodness my children had heard this advice and were jumping around saying, "A sack?  A sack?  We should bring a sack?!  Let's go get our sacks!".  They ended up filled to the brim.
 
Every year I like to remind my children that the observance of Independence Day is not about candy collecting.  It's about remembering what a momentous decision it was for our forefathers to declare this land a new nation.  It's about remembering how many men died defending our right to independence.  So by golly, when that honor guard marches down the street we rise and put our right hands over our hearts.  If the parade has ten different units who carry the American flag, then we rise ten times.  You clap for the veterans and shout out "Thank you!".  Oh, and don't take candy from the Shriners... they're Masons.  (I kid!  About the candy.)