SUSAN TAKES MANHATTAN: 2010 Macy's Day Parade

The Macy's Day Parade has made my Thanksgivings so different than they were before. The parade takes priority over a big meal! I LOVE the parade (as long as it's not pouring rain as it was in 2006). This was my 4th time to go and I still say that it is SO much fun and totally worth it. The bonus this year was that my family got to see it for the first time (minus mom, who saw it 2 years ago and stayed in with Shep this year). Everyone loved it...my dad, B&B and of course the boyz! My friend Katie came as well - she just moved here in August so it was her first parade, too!

I think that I have gotten a "system" down for the parade that works really well. Brian and I met on the parade route at about 6:00am. It's early, but it's worth it! We met in mid-town because although we could watch just blocks from my apartment, it is more crowded up there and the trees prevent the balloons from being released to their full height. Plus, in mid-town, I was able to choose a block where we would have access to food, hot drinks, and bathrooms, should anyone need them...in my 'hood it's all residential, so that's not an option. We had a perfect spot!

Brian arrived to the pre-appointed block a few minutes before me and staked off a big section right along the curb - it was perfect. But, when I arrived, a lady who had arrived after Brian started screaming that I couldn't get in front of her. Brian screamed in her face a bit and it was pretty tense for a minute. The lady even went and got the cops and they came over and gave our whole area a talking-to. Apparently this lady had been causing problems for everyone before I got there. Someone up front squeezed over and made space so that she and her daughter could be on the front row and luckily everything was quiet from then on. We reenacted Brian's reaction the rest of the morning - hilarious! Katie arrived not long after I did and then Beth, my dad and the boyz came a little before 8:00am. They probably would have come later, but the cops told us they'd be shutting down entrances at 8:00, so we made some emergency phone calls and told them to get down as quickly as possible!

The waiting actually goes by really quickly. There are lots of people around to talk to and there are random things going on down the parade route to keep you interested and entertained. I brought snack bags for everyone - people puppy chow (hadn't made that in FORever!). Everyone was happy and then the parade started and we all had a ball! The balloons are the highlight - they're awesome- and the adults loved all the celeb sightings as well.

People Puppy Chow!

Katie!

Early birds - perfect spot in front of Starbucks!

And the boyz arrived!

And the parade begins!

Alton Brown, of Food Network, is atop this turkey

Marching band from Blue Spring, MO! We used to play

them in high school football.

This was Jimmy Fallon's float..unfortunately he's

on the other side in this picture. But, you can see

Steve Higgins (his announcer) waving here...he's also

been on SNL which is what I think recognize him from.

These acrobatic guys were pretty cool, too!

The boyz love the Statue of Liberty!
That's Miranda Cosgrove riding with Lady Liberty

Isn't she cute!?

Spiderman was a definite favorite of the little ones

But Buzz was a big hit, too!

I love Beau's hat :)

The Energizer Bunny always reminds me of

Kate, who had to dress up as one in one

of our Junior High assemblies.

Love that I caught Jessica in this pose!
Too cool for the parade?!

But she also stopped to wave at us!

Miss USA

These young gals ran laps around the block
in front of us while we waited for the parade
to start. Their warm-up? There were hundreds
of them from all over the USA.