Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. . . I cannot believe I am here, in Person!!!

Here is part of a message I sent one of our kids when they asked "How was the Parade?"
Oh my gosh!! I could not believe I was really there!! We had the BEST SEATS!! Dad and 2 other Missionaries went down  at 4:30 am( just a block from our apartment) and took chairs we had collected from the other Missionaries--and saved 40 seats--roping them off with police tape. And then a few other Missionaries came and relieved them at 6:30 am. (I even had a guy in the Parade come by and say "How'd you get such great seats??--to which I responded--husband came down at 4:30 am to save them!! To which he responded "What a man!!"-- to which I nodded and gave a "thumbs up!!"). Then at 7:30 am Dad came back and helped me carry down the hot cocoa and cinnamon rolls I had made for the group and everyone we had saved seats for arrived by 8:30 am. The parade started RIGHT ON TIME-- 9:00 am-- and since we were pretty close to the starting ( I think it was about 72nd St) we were done by 11:15 am and hauling things back to our apartment building.  THE parade went for 2.5 miles--ending in front of the huge Macy's store (the largest Macy's in the World--9 floors) downtown on 34th Street. It was full of marching bands (one from Texas had 451 band members which includes drum corps, flag twirlers, drill team and those who play instruments) and dance teams, floats and the huge balloons this parade is so famous for. It takes about 25-40 people to walk with each ballon character--beneath it with guide strings tethered to it--to keep it floating and moving--all dressed up in clothing "promoting" the balloons character. AMAZING!! There is NO CANDY THROWN--only confetti--which I  am still picking out of my hair!!  I took so many pics--it overloaded my photo storage and I had to delete some in order to get Santa and his sleigh ( the very last entry in the parade) among my pics!! So fun!! Quite a MEMORY for sure!!

Now I'll share just a few pics--(OK--maybe a few more than just a few😘)  that reminded me of all the things I remember about this parade as I watched it just a few times when I was young. (Grandpa Goff did not like to "tie up the TV" with a silly parade🙄♥️!!)
Now  What a FUN MEMORY WE HAVE TO LOOK BACK ON!!!

Ron and Carol after all the Parade work is done !!

My hands are FROZEN--from taking so many pictures!

Parade theme this year is "BELIEVE"

One of our wonderful Temple Missionaries-

Tim McKenna and his family 

Dad trying to stay warm 

The corner of 66th St and Central Park West Avenue (our  location )

This little gal had a "bird's Eye view for a perch" 

What would starting off Christmas Season be without Charlie Brown??

Hello, Sesame Street 

Paddington  Bear 

Someone behind us shouted out "that Guy's gotta be a NUT to dress up Iike that"!!

It's not a Green Ranger--but this one's for Porter Wilde--Go Power Rangers!!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles--to the Rescue 

 

Hello, Kitty!!

 

Did I mention that this parade is Macy's 90th Anniversary Parade?! 

'

Had to get this one of Angry Birds--for Pierson  Ielo Mumford!!

From "Ice Age" 

And this one's for J. Ray  Mumford

Welcome to Central Park 

That's Tony Bennett--famous singer in the 50's and 60's. He turned  90 this year and was invited to be a part of this 90th year of Macy's celebration

SANTA ARRIVES!! He marks the End of the Parade and will exit the float on 34th  Street at Macy's Grand Entrance !! 

Merry Christmas, Santa!! 

Welcome to Christmas in New York City!!

"Few things in Life match the thrill of a Marathon"~Fred Lebow

Well, I am not sure if ALL of us agree with those words, Mr. Lebow, but many of those who came to NYC this past weekend probably were motivated by your words!! It is so "insane" for me to imagine that many people were excited for this event!! Central Park WAS NOT "recognizable" as there were so many "little and big and huge white tents" set up everywhere there was space--with all sorts of "merchandizing and entertainment" going on--for almost a week!! The beautiful green meadow where people come to relax and play--was jammed with people on Saturday!! But on Sunday--as we looked out to the Park from our apartment building's rooftop garden--it was empty. There were police and security personnel everywhere--and even "choppers" in the sky to keep a "watch" on the crowd.

It was interesting as we left to catch the Subway on Sunday morning to go to Church ( we travel to Queens for our meetings) our road was completely blocked off and closed--so we had to go "thru a gate, past a few policemen, who were checking ID. We had our Missionary badges on and as I went to my wallet to find my Driver's License, my only picture ID, the policeman saw my Missionary tag, and quickly waved me through saying "You are just fine".  Gee, thanks, I always knew these badges were special!! I imagine that the "clean-up crews" have worked through the night to "put the Park back in order"  and resume the normal and regular activities of all that the Park is to everyone!! NOPE--Central Park is "still in Marathon-mode" as there are Closing ceremony-type things to still take place--even though many many people have left this Big City--to return to their homes--and "normal" lives!!
We met up for lunch today (Monday November 7, 2016) with Katie (Johnson) Hansen and her husband Destrie's sister, who RAN the NY Marathon!! Her time was 4 hrs + and she looked great!! Said she wasn't even sore!! Oh man!! That sounded like one "fit" person to me!! The racers are picked by a "Lottery system""-- but their names are only entered after they pay their $255 and their "stats of best time from a previous race" have been verified.  The money is charged only after they are "selected". She knew last March that she had been selected--1 of the 50,000😋--to participate. Then she began her training--running a "half-marathon" every month from March to October.  She said it was a very satisfying experience. Would she try to do it again--an audible "Yes--maybe-- " came out of her mouth!! She was a Very FUN person with a zest for life. Katie Hansen seemed to really enjoy being here as her support and friend. So great to meet up for lunch and enjoy the experience of this "famous race" from their perspective. We caught a few pics with them and I had been to the Park on Saturday afternoon, before the big "Race Day" and taken a few pics of what "transformations" Central Park had taken on for this Marathon venue.

L to R--Destrie Hansen's sister ( the Marathon runner), S Mumford, E Mumford, and Katie Hansen ( outside AG Kitchen in NYC)

Clockwise--Destrie's sister, the Marathon runner, Katie Hansen, S Mumford and E Mumford

Staging area for the "Closing Ceremonies"

Katie Hansen told us that to get into 

" Spectator Seats at the FINISH LINE"-- you had to have a ticket--COST $75! So she saved her "Congratulations" for outside the Park. They getcha comin' and goin'!!

S Mumford with the Entry Headquarters near Tavern on the Green

I've been "corrected" on my numbers for the Entrants in this Marathon--I earlier stated 30,000--but it's more like 50,000! They were started in 4 groups--20 minutes apart-- at the starting point on STATEN Island. The Race "touched" all 5 of the Boroughs. Katie Hansen said the Spectators and Support groups for the Runners were very considerate as they "tracked" their own Runner  throughout the Race. Each entrant had a "tracking number" and that's how you could tell--thru an App on your phone--where they were AND where you needed to be to catch a "glimpse" of them. Each mile--there were "refreshment stations" for the Runners to help keep them "going".. It's been very interesting to be here at this time to see such a "Big Deal" of a marathon.