This weekend we experienced our first Zionsville Fall Festival -- a huge hit with Jackson and Maeve. It was very similar to what we will experience next weekend in Morton -- minus the pumpkins. (And the pumpkin ice cream and the pumpkin pancakes and the pumpkin fudge, etc.)
The parade was highly anticipated at our house. Lots of "Mama, when are we going to the fall festival? Now?!" And then finally, "Wake up! It's fall festival morning!" Jackson and Maeve were both really into the parade and all the waving that was required. They both adopted a Miss America-type wave. Very slow, fingers together. Jackson's was especially pronounced. My grandparents loved a parade; they would have been so proud of their great grandchildren.
And then the real reason one attends a parade -- the candy. As reported in the Zionsville Times Sentinel, the parade chair was cracking down on the candy throwing during the parade this year, "encouraging participants to walk alongside the crowd and had the favors out." Perfect for us -- we never left the curb! Now that is service. This did result in us receiving an extraordinary amount of dum dum suckers, however. It must have been an automatic decision on part of those passing out the candy -- "family of four, two children under the age of four, release two dum dum suckers." Or maybe this was part of the parade chair's handbook. Either way, Maeve was in heaven with those suckers. We ended up with quite a loot bag -- the envy of the neighborhood gang later that evening at a cookout.
(A funny parade side note. A man over the age of let's say sixty, was sitting across the street from us in his lawn chair. Baseball cap on, he was quietly enjoying the parade (or so we thought) until the near end when he spoke up. "Don't forget about us old people. We like candy too." He went on the explain. "I never understand why the realators and politicians target the kids. They're not the ones buying the houses. It never fails to amaze me." And then he went back to minding his business.)
After the parade, Jackson had a blast driving the fire engine carnival rides before discovering the bouncy house/slide/etc. zone, where he and Maeve spent a great two hours. Maeve really held her own in the bouncy house. "I get knocked down, but I get up again." These song lyrics had to be running a loop in her little head. Jackson was a little more advanced sliding down a super fast and fun slide. Maeve would have liked to try it too. Next year, babe.
No part of the festival was wasted on us -- we were even patrons of the craft sale. Jackson somehow spotted from a distance a small Christmas tree at a booth about the time we were selecting a "treat." He negotiated that tree in lieu of a lemon shakeup, smoothie, or snow cone. We couldn't argue. It is a white ceramic tree with gold glitter, and tiny little lights in the shape of birds every brilliant color. It is simply gawdy, but I absolutely love it. Tonight its glow was bright as I walked by his room.
Everyone was exhausted when we got home. Drew turned on college football. Jackson sweetly fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow, and Maeve was so excited from her adventures she chatted away to herself for a good half hour in her crib. I would have loved to know what she was trying to say. Precious.
Personally, I never tire of a good ol' hometown fall festival. We've had our practice, and now we're ready for the big dance next weekend in Morton.
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