Little Boy Blue

It's a tradition in our little town that every child in kindergarten participates in the Mother Goose parade.  This goes back to even when I was in kindergarten, and I was Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary. I have a picture of me dressed up in my costume, but it's currently stored in my sister's safe deposit box at the bank.  Apparently, it's a real treasure.  :D

When Zach was in kindergarten, he was appointed the Candlestick Maker of the Rub a Dub Dub, 3 Men in a Tub rhyme.

I put a lot of thought into his costume.  Researched candlestick makers . . . bought a sewing machine to make his costume . . . 

Seriously, I chose rubber boots and a leather apron because of the hot wax associated with making candles.  I used my new sewing machine to make the "leather" apron and a cute little peasant shirt and newsboy hat in keeping with the time period.  I thought his costume turned out real cute.  But . . .

I really, really, seriously put way too much thought into it.  :) 
Here are the baker, the butcher, and the candlestick maker.

Zach is my first born child.  He gets the most effort on my part in all his growing up activities and basically exhausts my efforts with regard for the other two! Ha! 

Okay, that's probably not a true statement.  Shane's birthday parties certainly involve more effort than any of Zach's birthday parties.  I think maybe I have learned some shortcuts since Zach was little.

When Alex was in kindergarten, he was selected to be Ole King Cole.

I made his robe and golden shirt and crown.  The red material I used to make the robe came from some red velvet material I had purchased to make a Christmas tree skirt but never got around to making it.  Look at how little he is in this picture!

He was so cute and the kindergarten class uses Alex's Ole King Cole costume every year now.  :)

This year it was Shane's turn to be in the Mother Goose parade. 

I didn't have to create or sew any part of his costume.  :/

Oh well, as I said, I've gotten better at finding shortcuts.  :)
I borrowed the cow horn from my friend.  I bought the hat at a local store.  Here is Shane with his best friend, Colt, who is wearing the newsboy hat from Zach's costume.

The children parade through the school in their costumes going in all the classes to show off their cuteness.  Notice the Ole King Cole walking behind Shane.  :)

Here's the whole group posing together before leaving for the local library.

 Shane and his two best friends pose for a picture.  Aren't they funny!  I love these boys!

Each child said their nursery rhyme at the library, and then got a detailed tour of the library.  Our library building used to be the county jail, and the library books are housed in restored jail cells. 

There's even stairs with 13 steps leading up to the trap door area where they used to hang prisoners.  That area totally fascinated the children.  In the picture below, you can see the trap door underneath the floor that Shane is standing on along with the 13 steps/stairs the children are climbing.

Here are the children in front of the Library.

Let's see if I can remember each nursery rhyme character:  from left to right:  Polly put the Kettle on;  Little Bo Peep;  Mary had a Little Lamb;  Little Miss Muffet;  Jill of Jack & Jill;   Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary;   Queen of Hearts;   Ole King Cole;   Jack Be Nimble;   Jack of Jack & Jill; and my sweet Little Boy Blue.

After the library tour, the children paraded downtown to several businesses and banks where they were given all kinds of goody bags and candy.  Shane racked up more treats that day than he did on Halloween!

The children ended the parade at the two local nursing homes where they said their nursery rhymes and sang a few songs for the residents.

It was a great day.  The children were so precious and sweet.  Each of them could say their rhymes clearly and were not bashful at all in front of everyone saying their rhymes.    :)

And so ends another tradition or rite of passage for . . .

                           the Ferrell boys and me!