IMG_3482, originally uploaded by EuroBoysNh.

Claire rode a segway at the Calgary Stampede….it was manufactured and invented in Manchester, New Hampshire! !!

cotton candy, originally uploaded by EuroBoysNh.

Cotton candy represents the best of the best that life has to offer Andrew and Adam. When they see it they beg and beg for it….it is usually gone in NO TIME!

Oh my…..the Calgary Stampede is HUGE…H-U-G-E….I was STUNNED! It was like Disney world smashed into the Derryfield Fair! It was classy, live entertainment EVERYWHERE, hot, expensive, and did I mention HUGE HUGE HUGE! The boys were impressed and in AWE of the tanks and army paraphernalia. They had HUGE GUNS that the let the boys HOLD!! Um….I did NOT like that…..but, they did. I just thought …”we are 100% not in AMERICA!” I got to see a marching band from Denmark that played “When the saints go marching in” and “YMCA”…I thought that was just COOL. Claire rode a Segway scooter (imported from Manchester, NEW HAMPSHIRE)!!!! I am very very HAPPY that we went during the middle of the week. I can NOT imagine the lines on a weekend. The lines were nuts TODAY! AND>>>> we could not park ANYWHERE near the stampede grounds! THEY WERE ALL FULL at 10am! We had to go downtown and park in Claire’s monthly parking place and ride the commuter train to the grounds. That actually worked out pretty well.

The air fare prices are really really really upsetting me. I feel like we are trapped here and it is getting to me deeply. I simply can NOT believe that the prices have doubled since we moved here 3 months ago. It is sick and stunning at the same time. I am trying to get my head around spending the holidays here and making a new path for ourselves.

I am headed to bed a bit early tonight. I am TIRED!! Want to know why??? The Calgary Stampede Grounds are FREAKING HUGE!!!!

Love to everyone! And today……..I am SO THANKFUL….COMMENTS ARE WORKING
Anne

something is wrong with the blog and people can not comment…………It is making me NUTS! I am going to try to fix it ….so, keep trying throughout the day to comment…even if you just put “test 123″….I upgraded somethings and I don’t think that they are working well (obviously). Also, the teamplate that I use (the orange one) has some bugs….so, I may have to use another one…..which makes me sad…because I LIKE this one!! Anyway…keep trying to comment….I hope to fix it soon!

So, my Calgary Stampede parade experience was a little bit of a let down. It was my fault….100% my fault. I was SO EXCITED….like a little kid!! …I did not sleep well the night before and I was cranky the entire time. To TOP it off, I thought that I left my flip (which I had not) and my camera card (which I did) at home. My day was COMPLETELY thrown off by getting up at 5am …which I NEVER EVER DO! I was disappointed that my friend Tanya could not go at the last minute and the boys were also cranky (surprise)! SO,with all of those lovely elements in place….my cranky pants magically appeared! I felt like a freakazoid with no camera at my FIRST Calagary Stampede Parade! It was the longest parade on the face of  the EARTH! Seriously, they need to cut it down! But, it was really a nice parade…I just was too tired to enjoy it….stinks huh???

I had a really great “pre-parade” time while going to get the seats all set up…and then I sort of crashed.

I am going to make the movie now and upload it. Sadly, I only have ONE photo from the parade that Claire took on her blackberry. I do have some flip video. I will upload that too….just keep in mind during the parade…I am  in a HORRIBLE mood and I don’t say much….P-A-T-H-E-T-I-C!! Live and learn I guess.

So, remember the 750 horses that were in the parade??? Well, Andrew and Adam became OBSESSED with them peeing and pooping! And the SQUEELED at the sight of horses coming so they could see if they would “perform” for them! I was SOOO grossed out! THEN>>>>>they have the huge street cleaners come..in groups of 3 to do intermittent cleaning..and the machines are decorated like HUGE horses and cows. Sort of funny….but, the whole obsession of the horse poop…was SOOOOOO GROSSS!! Little boys……

I did enjoy the bands with every inch of my being…every single one…

Anne

IMG_3357, originally uploaded by EuroBoysNh.

Adam’s face is changing so much. His baby look is quickly fading away and he is moving into a true “little boy” look. Watching him change over the years has been amazing!

I just got HOME! I went down to the parade route at 5am and put our chairs in place! We are RIGHT at a bus stop, so we are taking the bus down. It leaves about 2 blocks from our house! There were a TON of people already down there and in place! I am off to find one more little boy cowboy hat and then off to the Calgary STAMPEDE PARADE! SO EXCITED!!!!

Calgary Stampede Parade Route, originally uploaded by EuroBoysNh.

SERIOUS SERIOUS SERIOUS Paraders!!! There are chairl locked to poles all over downtown Calagry! When Claire got out of work at 5:30 she said that she saw a TON of chairs locked down and spaces reserved for tomorrow’s parade….TOMORROW’s PARADE!

I am so excited about this !!!

I am so excited about going to my FIRST Calgary Stampede PARADE!! I have ALWAYS loved parades. I marched in Mardi Gras parades from 5th-10th grade with the band (super band geek!) and then stopped when I moved to Poquoson, Virgina. I went to my first day of “band camp” at the school and one of the boys told me that that girls do not play the trumphet! SO I QUIT!~!!! Now, mind you…I was a HORRIBLE trumphet player…but, I LOVED IT! Truly loved it! So, the thought of seeing all those bands is just exilerating for me! 40 BANDS!

Anyway…here is the plan. You have to sort of “mark your territory” by 7am. So, Rod (Tanya’s husband)..the one with the accent in the night video…he is going to drop me off downtown at 6:30 AM and I am going to do the “marking”..with chairs and blankets. He is going to come back here and then around 8 or so he will bring down Claire, Andrew, Adam, and Tanya. We are not going to be at the beginning of the parade so it will be 9:00 or so before I see them. They shut down the traiff going into the downtown area around 7:30!

My little plan reminds me of the plans I make on Thanksgiving for Black Friday sales! I don’t know why I love to do this stuff….but, I really do! There are 4000 people, 750 horses, 30 bands, 40 floats…and I am sure it will be PLENTY to make a 4th of July celebration in Canada come off without a hitch!

Tonight I am making cookies and packing our snacks for our wait! This is going to be GOOD!

Anne