Junior Rose Parade

On Wednesday, the boys marched in the Junior Rose Parade with their school friends.

We have always been spectators at this annual tradition/event, but last year as we sat on the curb and watched, I told them that next year their school would be in it.  And they were. 

What a fun day it was!

This is the stuff that memories are made of. 

The Big Burn

The deck at the Slater household needed to go. Anyone who was a regular at our household growing up knew that many evenings and summer days were spent out on that deck with a gentle breeze and a view of the Willamette Valley.  But like everything else in life, it's time had come to say goodbye.  Brother Mark and his buddy Jim said that they would take care of it.  Today was declared as the day for the deck to go, and the big burn.  There were 2 massive piles of yard debris from our work party last summer, plus all of the decking wood.  It made for the perfect storm. 

 Burn pile #1.  This was a very impressive fire.  It only took about 1 1/2 hours to burn all of the wood that made up the deck and benches.  Was I freaking out?  Yes.  But Mark had it all under control.

 Oh yah, Mark.  Hot, hot, hot.  Feel the burn!

 This was burn pile #2 which was very large, but ended up with more smoldering due to all of the grass clippings.  Chris was excited that he got to light the fire with a flare.  G'ma was happy for all of the help.

 Yep.  I'm really helping to keep the flames where they belong with my big hose and massive water.

Mark Tebowing with Jim.  Raging fire in the background.  Dorks. 

While we're on the topic of fire, have you seen this video on You-Tube?  It went viral a while back and Dan showed it to the boys.  Nate must have found it again online, because he has memorized Sweet Brown's words.  Ain't nobody got time for that!

There's a new horse (and cowboy) in town!

Remember our neighbor horse, Clyde, from a post back in September?

Well, shortly after that picture was taken, there was some sort of a terrible accident, and Clyde was smashed to bits.  With a little bit of TLC from his owners, Tom and Judy, Clyde was able to make a full recovery (minus some hip and other bits) and a grand reappearance at the curb about a month ago, tucked safely behind his corral made of twigs.  

What fun it was today when a white horse appeared beside him without anyone seeing him make his way there.  A mystery horse.  When neighbor Judy discovered it, she thought we had done it...but we hadn't.  

Chris went out to chat with her about the horse, then returned home, and disappeared into the basement for about 10 minutes.  He came upstairs and had a little cowboy made out of construction paper, markers, and staples.  The perfect sized cowboy. 

"Judy said that she wished Clyde had someone to ride him" he told me.  Chris knew how to solve that problem.  Out he went with his scotch tape and attached him to the back of Clyde.

  I think that this cowboy and white horse companion made Clyde's day. 

 I think that it made Judy's day even more so.