Annual Jr. Orange Bowl Parade.

There are so few things down here that make it feel like the holidays. The weather certainly doesn't and there are so few traditions but without fail every year the Junior Orange Bowl Committee has a parade and every single year without fail we go to it. Sometimes it is magnificent and sometimes it is lacklustre at best but we don't care because we always have fun.

We started going when Lily was 3 or 4 and we haven't missed one since. We normally go with our friends Richard and Shara but this year they couldn't go and it was the first time in 12 yrs that they have missed it. Lucky for us Hollis and the girls were down for the day and they wanted to join us.

A big bunch of crazy happy waiting for the parade.

ATT had a booth set up and were giving away freebies, I took 4 of the girls over to it because they wanted some stuff. On the way back some nosey man wanted to know how come they got so much and I told him because there were so many of them but he pointed out that Rosie had 2 bags and that wasn't fair so I then said she was carrying one for her sister who was sitting down waiting for the parade to start. He looked a little shocked that there was one more so I flippantly said, hey you've never heard of the Von Trapps? He left me alone after that and we took our seats as the parade was about to start.

I think I may have mentioned before that parades in Miami are different than parades anywhereelseintheworld, they have their own unique flair, yeah, that's it, flair. Hollis and I were laughing our bottoms off at some of the oddball stuff that made it into this one. But since we went for the kids I took photos of things that the girlies would want to remember.

Ron Magil from Zoo Miami, if there is a parade anywhere in Miami, Ron and a snake are in it....ALWAYS

I am not sure.

A marching band and this one the girls actually looked happy to be here.

The float from Miami Childrens Hosp. What can I say that hospital holds a special place in my heart.

Oh my that's blurred, the Shriners

More Shriners

This horse was gorgeous but was right on top of me before I saw it.

The actual Jr Orange Bowl float

Arghhh, Pirates

Little Cutie

Gang of bikers, not sure if they were meant to be in it or if they crashed the parade.

The winning float. There never are many floats.

Flag twirlers. These girls were so good.

We had a great time. There weren't as many marching bands as usual which was a shame but it was a good parade. For the first time ever they were throwing things off of the floats and the kids thought it was brilliant. I was appalled at some of the people who would run towards the floats get the goodies then charge back to their seats and then get more. Whats up with you folk? It's cheap crap that you really don't need, stop being greedy. Five days ago it was Christmas and you got beautiful things that you actually wanted not plastic doo-dads with advertising all over it. sheesh. The girls laughed and had fun and thought they were part of the biggest parade in town...that's what counts, well that and spending time with good friends.