Come with me...

on a journey as we discover what is quite possibly the World's Coolest Treehouse.  It was built by Grandpa Mark and the kids over the summer.  Every Friday, or Grandpa Day as we have affectionately dubbed it, they would spend hours hammering away at this three tiered masterpiece.  Recently, Grandpa added a new feature that has captured our hearts, and our sense of adventure.  You guessed right.  It is a gigantic 18" pipe slide, otherwise know as Great Big Fun.

The slide was not always the engineering marvel which you see before you.  It started out as a a lonely white pipe, and an abrupt 10" drop to the ground.  It was a blast sliding down it, but the landing was somewhat unforgiving.  After having the wind knocked out of them several times, many bruises on elbows, the occasional concussion (it is a face-first slide), and some jammed fingers the kids implored Grandpa to do something about the landing.  This is where a 34 year old crib mattress, decorated with lovely gingham checks, and a foam pad were introduced into the fray.  The landings became much softer, and that is when we decided to make it a competition and started measuring for distance.  Torey flew out of the slide the farthest, Jake had the most finesse, and Taylor was the screamer (who woulda thunk?).  This is the point where Mom showed up.  After determining that the trip down the slide did not force the uh-uh-uh-uh vibratory reaction that one would assume, she was talked into taking a trip down herself.  It was given two-thumbs straight up by the parental authority, and the kids showed much relief.  "Oh good.  We thought you wouldn't approve," they were heard to say.  Apparently, I have taken on the role of fun police, or safety officer at the very least.
When we arrived at Grandpa's today, Sunday, we discovered that Grandpa had made a few more modifications.  The black pipe was added to slow down the landing and ease the kids out of the slide more gradually.  Fun was had by all, parents and little children alike.  It is amazing to think that some scrap wood, hay bales, railroad ties, and a motley assortment of pipe could turn into such fun, all it took was some hard work and a little imagination. 
Jake's face in this picture negates all of the previous discussion about how fun the slide really is, but I wanted you to see what measures they have taken to protect their elbows.  Sweat bands have now been introduced for extra padding on those delicate joints.  You can't say they haven't learned from previous injuries and experiences.  Grandpa has not yet filed for his amusement park license or we would invite you all to check it out.  As for us, we will be sliding until the snow flies, and then we will turn it into the luge!