Preparing for guests

This is what I have been doing:

Preparing for guests.

We can't wait.

Parade Video

Baloonies

Yesterday we volunteered to help with the

 Annual APS Parade of Lights

 in downtown Phoenix. 

Somehow we never took the kids to see it.  

And Doug and I have only gone once ourselves.  

We totally enjoyed it when we went 

so we decided to give back a little 

and help make it a success in 2013.

We were assigned and trained as Balloonies.

At the Arizona Center waiting for our transportation.

This is it?  Well it could be worse.
We could have Isaac as our bus driver.
As it turns out we had Richard - and he did pretty good.

In our issued sweatshirts
 and funky light-up hats
 and glowsticks - only my had didn't work.

Doug in uniform including the gloves for us balloonies.

Our wreath balloon -
everyone kept yelling out that it was
A  DOUGHNUT
as we paraded through the streets.

Ready to roll.
My weak sauce replacement flashing headwear.

Other balloons included: Snowman, Cactus, and Elf.

Huge Stocking - some palm trees on a vehicle.

Some APS ornaments, Cacuts with ornaments, and other glowing orb.
And lots of others too!

Doug's job was right up his alley.
Pulling the generator for our lights and
keeping all the cords untangled and plugged in.
He did great too . . . . . . .
until we finished the parade and made that last turn -
it was a doozey!

On the bus after finishing the parade.
We were both beat!
But they drove us back for FOOD!
A slight disappointment there -
sandwiches instead of pizza.

Although we totally
 enjoyed the experience,

 I'm not sure we'll do it again.  

We think there are
too many chiefs who do a lot of talking

 and not enough working.  

But if you ever need
an experienced
  Balloonie -
 give us a call.