The weather makes me feel a little ripped off.

It is very cool to be seeing snow for the first time in six years.  It is clean and bright and gorgeous. 

But it is so COLD.  Man, it's cold!  I go outside and my fingers hurt.  It makes my face tingle and not in the 'it tells you that it's working' kind of way.  We go all pink-cheeked.   Deep breaths make me cough.

And amidst all my shivery complaints I have to be aware that it was 77 degrees and sunny in Auckland today.  We've traded gorgeous mild summertime for no-fooling-around winter.  Sigh.  (Of course we are all happy to be here.  But come on.  I can't think of anyone who would happily trade 77 degrees for, you know, single-digits.) 

So here is a warm memory of our visit to the Santa parade.

It was sponsored by Farmers, the NZ equivalent of Macy's, and had lots of balloons and floats.

OK, you've all seen parades before so I don't think I need to give you a play-by-play of every bagpipe band to march past (FYI, there were four).  And if you've watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade then Auckland's Santa Parade will seem pretty underwhelming.  So instead I will show you the good stuff:  the reactions of our little guys.

We were lucky to snag a shady spot with a railing that the boys could perch on.  The anticipation leading up to the start of the parade was barely tolerable and our monsters got a little antsy.

But then once it started, all the excitement bubbled over and Arram had to get a lift up.

Look!  It's bagpipes or something!

And a happy young man got to spend a fun afternoon with Mama.

The best moment, of course, was Santa's waving, smiling, and Ho-Ho-Ho-ing arrival.  Here is how that comes across to a little kid.