Dogwood Festival 2011

Last Saturday (4/2) we took Caleb to the Dogwood Festival parade in Woodville.  We made a weekend trip out of it and all had a good time.  The Dogwood Festival is kinda a big deal in Tyler County!  Growing up, I was usually in the parade (FBC Daycare float for several years before I entered school, then I took twirling from about 1st - 5th grade and we marched/twirled, and in high school I was in marching band and we would always lead the parade....so really, I was only a spectator when I was really little and then the middle school years).  Anyway, I've looked forward to someday taking my own kids to Dogwood and this was Caleb's 2nd year to go, but really his first year to really get to enjoy it (last year he was only about 8 months old).  Although he was pretty tired (parade was during naptime), he had a lot of fun!  Even though it's not exactly the same experience as when I was growing up, I still like to go every year...and thankfully, Rhett entertains me and goes along with it!  It's just a part of where and how I grew up, so it's really just a sentimental thing that I like to do.  :)  I took a ton of pictures, and I apologize for most of them being of the back of Caleb's head...but I was not about to get out into the street to get his face!

Before the parade starts, all the motorcycles and cars (classic and sports cars) that ride in the parade are set up by the courthouse for people to view.  As I have said before, Caleb loves anything on wheels so this was right up his alley.

Looking at the cars and motorcycles with Daddy

Caleb decided to get in a little touch while the owner wasn't looking!

Cool car (even though it's orange!)

Chillin' in the stroller before the parade (I'm surprised I got one where he looks fairly happy b/c he did not want to be in his stroller!)

Four food items we HAVE to get at the parade are freshly squeezed lemonade, pork-a-bobs*, funnel cake, and cotton candy!  I let Caleb try cotton candy for the first time and he wasn't sure at first.  He just licked it and then stared at it.

Then he took a real bite....

Discovered he liked it and shoved it into his mouth!

Mmm, mmm, mmm!!

Of course, he had to pick up various things off the ground...

first, a piece of bark

and then he found a stick and proceeded to hit the ground with it over and over and over.......

He did not let go of the stick the entire time.  Here he is waiting for the parade to start with Daddy (and the stick).

Oooooh!  a real firetruck!! (he pointed a lot)

He helped other kids gather candy, too.  Luckily, he has no clue what candy is yet so he didn't try to keep it for himself.

He even picked up a piece and tried to share with these girls.  What a sweet boy!

watching a gator truck to by...

taking in the sights (with the stick)

picking up candy

watching a little barrel train go by.....

and dancing in the street!  (to the sounds of the WHS marching band)

he got a little tired and decided to take a seat in the road.....

and then he proceeded to lay down........

but he got up for the motorcyles!

parades are great fun for little boys!

and finally, a family pic (yes, we were kinda hot and sweaty!)

* The one really sad thing about Dogwood now is that Rudy the pork-a-bob man does not come anymore.  The Beaumont Fair was moved from fall to spring so he goes there now instead since it is a bigger affair.  There are a few other vendors who sell pork-a-bobs at Dogwood but they are terrible and will never compare to Rudy's!  So, now we have to settle for Wilbur T's barbecue, which is still really good....but we miss Rudy the pork-a-bob man (well, actually we miss his pork-a-bobs!).