Memorial Day - Thank You Soldiers!

What a special day for Zach's birthday - it is a holiday, Memorial Day, and DaU gets to stay home from work.  We had big plans for today - parade, picnic in the park, etc...but rain had other plans.

It just barely started to rain when we got everyone into the car.  We had made a lunch and packed it - just in case - hoping to have a picnic at the Lighthouse Park after the parade.  There was a parade in downtown Chicago - too big.  We decided to hit the parade in Wilmette (a tiny town just north of Evanston) for some hometown feel.  As we're driving to Wilmette, it starts to pour, but as we get closer and closer, it lets up.  As we get situated at the end of the parade route, it again starts to rain, but that barely detracts from our fun.  We watched the whole parade under the relative protection of a building overhang.

Art, Wyatt, Zach watching parade - Z with his beloved Monster Truck he got for his bday

Decorated school bus

Fire truck w/ lights and occasionally sirens

Nana, Art, Wyatt, Zach watching parade

The parade was not long, and we still had plenty of time before lunch, so we showed Nana the Baha'i Temple, the only one in North America, residing here in Wilmette.  It is an impressive structure, and quite beautiful.

We went in to see the inside, which is also quite nice.  They hold a worship service there every day at 12.  You are suppose to be totally quiet inside, which is, of course, a struggle for two little boys.  They did "get" that you have to be quiet.  They would whisper things in their hushed stage voices and shush each other.  A couple a few rows from us nearly exploded with the effort of keeping their laughter in.  After the temple, it was much too wet to go to the playground for a picnic, so we had a picnic of sorts in the front room on the floor.  Not the best ever weather for  Memorial Day celebration, but not bad either.  Thank you to all the soldiers that ensure our freedom.