We had a BIG evening in the BIG Apple tonight! We had burgers at “Big Nick’s.” {meh} But the highlight of the day was going to watch the BIG parade balloons being inflated for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (the world’s largest Thanksgiving parade, BTW)!

Doesn’t this smurf look like he’s leering at the kid?

We’ve never been to the actual parade as a family. Matt and I went once, waaaaay back “b.k.” Based on what we went through this evening trying to find public bathrooms suitable for the kids, the parade is off limits until they’re old enough to hold it for seven hours straight, or their bladders grow to adult size.

But this event was fun, too. Crowded, but amusing. We showed up and entered at around 3:30pm, which seemed to put us just ahead of the main throng. You enter at 79th and Columbus, and go along a fenced-in path, walking in a giant square around the American Museum of Natural History.

Signs in front of each balloon tell you when they first appeared in the parade. This is Hello Kitty’s first year!

The Girl’s favorite balloon? Hello Kitty, of course, who is making her parade debut this year! The Boy appreciated Sonic and Pikachu in his low-key, not-cool-to-be-excited-when-you’re-a-tween way. Which is ironic, because he gets really excited about watching the parade on T.V. every year, still.

We hope all of American friends out there have a wonderful Thanksgiving! We are thankful that you keep checking in on our BIG adventures!

Happy Thanksgiving!