Chicago Christmas 2016 ~ Cookies and a Parade

Each year our church hosts a cookie walk.

While the cookies are always wonderful, this year there was an abundance of truly special cookies, many made by my friend Lois. She is so talented!

Isn't this wee mouse with the maraschino stem tail too cute!

And these little piggies - too cute to eat!

A sweet polar bear

and some darling snowmen as well

Some "Nutter Butter" snowmen and reindeer

A reindeer brownie

And an "ugly Christmas sweater" cookie!

I have to admire them for a while before we eat them ;)

After an absence of a few years, we decided to attend the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival Parade.

Here it comes!

Mickey & Minnie Mouse are always on the first float to turn on the Christmas lights down Michigan Avenue.

It's fun to see the giant balloons from a different perspective.

The nutcracker was my favorite.

Of course it was a very windy night, so they had to be kept close to the ground.

Celebrating the Cubs World Series win.

 My oldest son was happy to see Ben Zobrist and his wife, Christian singer Julianna Zobrist on another float. 

And of course the man of the hour with all his reindeer friends :)

 Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!  But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?  For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.  Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”

~Luke 1:42-45

Blessings, Patti