This will be my final blog entry for the Broughton band trip. We arrived home safely and our adventure is complete.

Today started at 4:30 AM this morning. We had to get our pod in the lobby and ready to go by 5:40 AM. We left at 6:00 for the airport. Our flight left LAX at 9:00. We landed in Charlotte at 4:30 PM. The bus ride to Raleigh arrived at 8:30 PM. All travelers were tired and very quiet from a week's worth of go, go, go. JR was waiting for the bus when it arrived at the school. He did not look tired at all.

This has been in incredible experience for us as chaperones and especially for the students in the band. They had a huge opportunity, a huge amount of pressure, and they absolutely delivered. I was impressed not just with their performance on the field and in the parade, but also their behavior the rest of the time. I really enjoyed being part of this.

JR has taught these students, especially on this trip, that excellence does not come automatically. It...

Thursday, January 3, 2007. We had a whale of a time today. After a comparatively late breakfast, we journeyed to Sea World in San Diego. The day was cool, but Shamu didn't seem to mind. One of the band members was chosen to greet Shamu close up. That was a treat. Those that sat in the "splash zone" probably wished they had not. Both the Shamu and Dolphin shows were impressive.

From there we went to Seaport Village on the bay. It was even colder with a good breeze, so the band members wearing shorts were ducking for cover. We ate and shopped and headed back to the hotel.

Tomorrow: Back to Raleigh!

Great day yesterday- up early to visit the floats on day after the parade!!  Very cool to view them up close and see what exactly they use!  Potatoes, limes, lettuce, oranges. and a bazillion flowers!!!!  The Tournament of Roses certainly know how to let the public enjoy the whole process from the pre-parade preparations to the post-parade viewings!!

Off to Universal Studios- a first for many of us!!  The backlot tour watching how television and movie magic make the screen was unbelievable!  I can't wait to watch Universal Studios movies and TV shows more closely!!!

I really thought by the end of this trip that Uncle Troy was going to get the award for "Best Purchase in LA" with his Louis Vuitton loafers, but I'm afraid a group of freshman came in number one!  While at Universal, JR was presented an Academy Award from the freshman class.  One of his JRisms, especially to the freshman class is, "its time to take off your diapers...

Having a close-up view of the floats today at the Post Parade Showcase of Floats was wonderful. As we walked by each float, we got to see the intricacies of the designs and notice a variety of new details. Many floats used green apples, oranges, celery, potatoes and much more in addition to the unbelievable array of flowers.

Then off to Universal Studios for a fun-filled day.

A quick poll in the hotel hallway just now yielded the following results for the highlight of the day: The Revenge of the Mummy was the most popular ride (which was “great if you went on it three times”), Water World because it was “fun and interactive”, the Studio Tour where we visited movie and television sets, House of Horrors which was “really cool” and the Jurassic Park ride “just cuz I want to be different”. Several kids also mentioned a mummy who was walking around the park during the afternoon – a great photo op.

Speaking...

Hey folks, we just uploaded a new photo gallery to the Broughton Band web site (www.broughtonband.com).

It includes photos from yesterday's Rose Bowl Parade!

The pictures includes shots from me and Helen McGee, another band parent. Helen got the greatest shot of J.R. smiling, which is somewhat unusual. I mean he was smiling the whole time he passed by our bleachers.

It was obvious that J.R. saw us because, as Cindi points out in a previous blog, we screamed our heads off. I know I was hollering and leading the charge when I wasn't snapping pictures.

I mentioned it to J.R. at dinner on the Queen Mary and he laughed it off saying it was a grimace "because my feet were hurting so much."

I know better, though. Just looking at that picture this morning proved it.

Besides, I've been unable to wipe the smile off my face since yesterday. I'm sure he feels that way, too.

It was so good to eat dinner with the kids last night. I couldn't have...

10.  Everyone getting out to their buses on time (even a few mins. early) without

       a hitch at 4:48am!

  9.  The traffic going to and from the Rose Parade.......NOT!!

 8.   Joselito (the #1 busdriver) and Jody (Colorguard director) keeping Bus 7

       in stitches with their sense of humor!!

 7.  Talking to family and friends on phones that had already watched the kids

      and hearing their enthusiasm on how awesome they were!  We were around

      the 5 mile spot, so it was a good hour and a half  before we got to see them!!

 6.  Hearing that ABC will show the band twice tonight- since the network went

      to commerical at the most unappropriate time!!

 5.  The two hour rest inbetween the parade and our visit to the...

Yes, we were so proud of the band as they marched by our stands today but you should have seen them in their evening attire on the Queen Mary tonight! What a handsome group of young men and women. Cameras flashing, china clinking, dining in elegance (remember, start your silverware from the outside and work in!) and words of praise by JR, what could be a better end to the day?

There was just enough time for a quick stroll on the promenade deck to see the beautiful Long Beach skyline at night. Then a subdued bus ride back to the Hilton to pack up the instruments to FedEx back to Raleigh. Curfew at 9:45----if you can stay awake that long!

We started the day at 4 a.m. Maybe we could have slept in later, but I doubt it.

Today was the reason for coming and we had better be on-time, if not severely early.

We were severely early -- arriving at 6 a.m. for an 8 a.m. parade start.

It was cold, the streets were lined with people burning wood in small backyard stoves, sleeping on air mattresses and selling their own coffee for $2 a cup.

It was a circus atmosphere. Someone from New Orleans said it reminded her of Mardi Gras. I expect that it's similar, but on a smaller scale.

Three hours later, the first sign of the parade arrived in the form of a team of motorcycle officers riding in formation and performing tricks.

Within 15 minutes, the purple and gold could be seen from atop our grandstand perch.

"There they are!" parents yelled. Everyone stood. Cameras snapped and videotape rolled.

As they approached, we all hollered for them and we were greeted by J.R., our band director,...

To watch video from KTLA of the Broughton band marching in the Tournament of Roses Parade early today, visit http://ktla.trb.com/extras/ktla/roseparade2008/video2008.html, or click the link in box at right.

The band can be seen about 2 minutes into Part 2 of the video segments.

My son just said "This is the best day ever". We just got finished watching the rerun of the Broughton Band marching in the Tournament of Roses Parade. You know, the one seen by 400 MILLION people around the world. Broughton proved the truth of their motto "Excellence is our  standard, not our goal"  with perfect lines, excellent sound, and extreme endurance. Not one member dropped out of the 6 mile march.

When the band marched by at our seats at the 5-mile point, they looked fresh and sounded great. The band could hear us cheering for them. JR wore the biggest smile we had ever seen.

They did it. Congratulations!

We are off to the Queen Mary to celebrate. Pictures and maybe a video to follow later.

It is 4AM on the first day of the year. Our boys woke up at 2:45 AM. Uniforms were on by 3:30. They left their room at 3:45 for breakast at 4:00. The bus leaves at 4:50. Since they are so early in the parade (number 9 so don't miss them), they have to get there very early
Last night, excitement filled the air as the band members anticipated today. This morning the kids were all business. If they didn't do exactly as told, they could get left behind. Needless to say, they were just a little nervous.
We sent them downstairs to eat and we won't talk with them again until we get back to the hotel later today. We'll see them march by us soon enough. We leave the hotel at 5:30 AM to get to our seats in time. I heard we will wait there for an hour and a half for the front of the parade to go by us. We can't wait!

3:00am wake up call for Alex and his three roomates room- another mom and I walk in and there is Alex sitting up in the chair!!  "What are you doing!?!?" 

"Woke up around 2am- just in case!!!"

Excitement is everywhere- what a system there is!

Room moms check the kids off when they leave the room, two more parents are at the elevators for another check- once on the elevator there is no going back upstairs.

Breakfast from 4-4:30am- bathrooms downstairs and one more inspection before leaving hotels and boarding the buses.

4:50am- buses roll!!

Over a million people line the 6 mile course just to watch in person- I can only imagine the headache of parking!!!

Broughton High School Band and Colorguard are ready and looking good!!

Here come the tears!!!

cindi

Well, we've learned a lot about how the floats are built, and the thousands of hours that go into making them. We toured the tent of the company that's had the winning float for several years running, and we toured other tents at the Rose Bowl complex.  Many of us have favorites that we're rooting for.

The insiders think the Palmdale Library float will win.  It's got big owls on it, and intricate columns.  Lots of bark and dark colors. They may be right, it's pretty complex.  My personal favorite, and the favorite of those around me, is the 'Rainbird float. They make irrigation equipment, I think. It's got lots of exotic animals - tigers, white peacocks, and leafy canopies.  See if you can see the tigers go by.  Thier eyes have tufts of fur over them, just like a real tiger. But the tufts are made of thistle, cut thin and glued on.  It's amazing how much it looks like fur!

Keep your eyes peeled for the float with the egyptian theme. . ....

Now TODAY was what California weather should be.  Hot, sunny . . . and we were at the beach.  After sleeping in (8:30), we went to Santa Monica Pier.  No real surfers, but you could easily imagine them here. People were frolicking in the surf, so a bunch of our kids ran down to the water -- and promptly ran back out after discovering that the Pacific ocean is cold!  Next they discovered the wild mouse and the ferris wheel, and had more fun.   We had lunch at the end of the pier, sitting in the sun, listening to the street musicians, and watching the street artists.  Definitely a good day.

The South Dakota State band played on the pier at 2, and we all went to listen.  At over 300 members strong, they are the largest band in the parade, if you don't count the consolidated LA schools band. They had a great drumline, and a super brass ensemble who played too.  It really gave the kids a great view of how much fun a college band can...