Worlds Best Great-Grandpa - And Father

Truly, I have the worlds best father. He, like most fathers, has his moments of being amazing and being frustrating. 
 
As teens, I think every kid thinks their father is the strictest or least understanding but there are SO many memories I have of my father going out of his way to make life wonderful! 
 
My father has the ability to create fun out of anything. He would find scraps that would be garbage to others, and he would make it into something fun. Here is a post with a few activities he has brought or created to our campouts.

Every year when we go camping, he comes up with another thing to keep the kids busy. One year, he made a bungee out of springs. 

Another year, he brought wood scraps and made a swing. One year, he made an adult see-saw with wood scraps. 

He always brings the makings for zip lines and most years, he finds some other activity to create using odd items.  

You can imagine with a father that is so creative, we had some fun as children. I have several fun activities come to my mind. 

My dad created a custom blazer that was similar to a jeep with a hard top that you could sleep in the back on a large bed but still seat many children as we had 8 kids in our family. 

Then, at our annual Easter camping and other trips in the year, the top could come off and he had a roll bar where we could stand and hold on with no top. 

I remember us driving in the wild and coming across a heard of wild horses and we drove near the horses with the wind blowing in our hair feeling free racing with those horses. 

All my rich cousins had the newer cars / jeeps but they all wanted to come in our "home made" blazer as it was custom and more fun. 

My dad taught me that you don't have to have money to buy toys, you can just make your own. 

The other day, I was searching for a picture and came across this picture of my father bouncing in mid-air on a "Mickey Mouse" bounce toy. Imagine my joy when I came across one at a second hand store for $3. 
 
I took it when we visited my grandchildren and my father and his wife were also visiting. My father is such a good sport. Even at 80, he can still get on the ground and play with his great-grand-children and is willing to be silly for the kids. 
 
I just love the video near the top where he got down on the kitchen floor to play cars with one of his many great-grand children and kept her entertained while we got the food ready. 

I am so grateful he is still with us and going strong! I hope we have him for many more years as he is such an influence for good in my children's lives and now my grandchildren's lives.

Thank you dad for the years of fun!