My Grandpa's a Real Cowboy.

He's a cowboy hat wearin', family gatherin', story-tellin', guitar playin',
hard workin' sort of man.

And he can sing a mean, Tex Ritter, Blood on the Saddle.

When I was young, he taught me how to take his cowboy boots off,

and when I was in college, he took me on my first horseback ride up the Alpine Canyon.

In his younger years, and during World War II, he served in the Navy.  He later received his doctorate in History and taught at BYU Hawaii for 25 years.  He's always told me to further my education, and since I've received my bachelors in English, he's strongly encouraged me to get my Doctorate.  

  

He's an expert on Pearl Harbor and the Civilian Conservation Corps.  He's volunteered hundreds of hours of his time teaching drivers safety classes for 55+, and was on the local Red Cross board in his area.  

He loves westerns, collects Louis L'Amour novels, and currently, enjoys teaching school children to read.

Last year, for his eighty-fourth birthday, he went skydiving.

I can't say I know a man whose grabbed life by the horns

and enjoyed the ride as much as he.

It's only appropriate that a cowboy like him deserves

a 'whole mess of fun' for his 85th birthday, right?

Love a cowboy.

My Mom is throwing him a party.  Aren't her invites cute? 

We've had such fun collaborating for our western parties!

Hope your weekend is off to a good start!

Ours is yard work and the Newberg Old Fashioned Festival tomorrow to watch our friends' band play.

Looking forward to a picnic and music in the sunshine!