Don't rain on my parade...or snow either!

We have an Irish dancer in our family. So as you can imagine March is a crazy dancing month for us. We always know that the Saturday before Patty's Day, we will be at the gateway waiting with excitement to see our sweet Lulu float by with her curly locks and kilt. Its a very long parade but that is usually fine by us becaue hey, it's a parades. I usually position the fam right at the end (in front of Bens cookies...although its not Bens cookies anymore). I like sitting her for 3 reason.
1. I can park underneath and not have a long way to walk.
2. I can grab Lily right off the float instead of chasing her down.
3. Those die hard Irish guys in the parade are always plastered by the end and make it so much more enjoyable to watch.
So this year I ship Lily off early to ride down with friends. I pack em' up, lunch- cause sometimes it runs pretty long, wagon- easier I can get 2 kids plus... in that thing, and because it looks a little nippy outside, I throw in blankets and umbrellas. Ryan has gotten out of the parade 2 year in a row. Not sure how, but he has. So I am all alone. Its okay because Mom and Dad are heading down and meeting me there. As I'm driving down I-15 I'm feeling pretty proud of myself. I don't feel like I want to pull out my hair, the kids are happy...hmmm...looks like rain clouds are settling in over SLC.
We get there, stake our claim. Side note... okay lady in the chair. I understand that you and Gramps want to see your grand kids in the parade too but I am a single mom (for the morning) lugging around 4 kids in the rain, who just want to sit in front of your chair. We end up standing behind her and listen to her whine about the crowd. She finally turns to the crowd and says ...fine...I just can't see what I want anyway and storms off. Her husband politely moves her chair and says.
"Do your kids want this spot?"
"Thank you sir."
Mom and Dad call and say "Its snowing up here, give Lily a kiss for us"
Rain
Rain
Rain
falling temps
crying
rain
crying
more rain
Where is Lily's float?
Mommy, I need to go potty. I beg the girls at Roxy to let me use the restroom. So nice of them!
crying (all 4 children now)
Everyone slowly high tails it out of there. At least we have great seats now.
Four kids soaked to the bone, blue lips, red fingers...
Is that snow?
2 hours later...Here comes Lily.
I turn on the camcorder to catch her famous beauty queen smile....
Oh, make that 5 kids crying and soaked to the bone.

I get her off the float and run to the parking garage. They are all soaking and sobbing. I should be crying too but realize insanity has hit because I am laughing my head off. I load them in the car. I don't even realize my fingers are numb until I need to close the umbrellas and take Lily's soaking wig off. I finally do it and we drive home. Hmmm....I can totally handle more kids!
Happy St. Patricks Day All!