Those SLC Mormons aren't the only ones who know how to throw a parade!

We throw a pretty mean Veteran's Day parade out here in Gilbert as well.  But come to think of it, since Gilbert is known for having a whole bucket load 'o Mormons, maybe they were behind this one as well?

Well, at a minimum I can try to compete with that Utah Bakker guy's attempt at choking the blogspot servers with random parade pictures!

What better way to celebrate veterans than by recycling!

This poor girl nearly got thrown off her skitterish (is that the right farm lingo?) horse before her mother wisely got her off the crazy beast.

No celebration of  'murica is complete without a biker gang...

...annnnd inappropriately dressed dancing girls.  Levi and Noah were, however, mesmerized.  While their father did his best grumpy old man imitation, muttering about kids these days.  But seriously... zebra shorts, leopard print tops, and red fishnet stockings?  Even Paige commented about it, so I know it wasn't just me.

Darn right...

More dancing girls.  And more mesmerization.  At least these are dressed slightly more appropriately.

The lone tractor in the parade, just for the Utah Bakker guy.  Apparently we aren't as proud of our tractors out here in Gilbert.

And again with the dancing girls.  And back to inappropriate.  And mesmerized.

Spotted my next vehicle.  Not sure what exactly it had to do with a veterans day parade though.

I think this guy just got lost on his way to a furniture delivery, and got stuck in the parade.


Ahhhhh, Levi.  That kid just makes me smile, always with a song in his heart and a spring in his step.  Unfortunately for him, this was the only marching band.  He said his favorite was the trombone (there might be hope yet mom.)

Ummmm, no comment.

The other tractor, but considering what it was scooping in the bucket, it wasn't exactly on display in the parade.

Some guys with some seriously crazy bikes.  Hopefully Levi and Noah filed away some ideas on these so we can build one when they get a little older.

The Wells Fargo stage coach.

Not all of us enjoyed every moment of the parade.  Not sure what the issue even was, but Noah got to spend a few minutes not watching the parade.


While Levi enjoyed more dancing girls.  Seriously???

A whole group of military restoration guys rumbled through with a ton of old (and very cool) vehicles.

(Pretty sure this one ain't exactly regulation.)

 And what parade would be complete without some inappropriately dressed dancing girls?  Wait, I think we already saw some of these...

A bunch of rockcrawlers were in the parade as well.  Unbelievable machines.  You could hear these guys coming a from the staging area of the parade.  While everyone else drove smoothly down the center of the road, these guys were doing full throttle four wheel burnouts down the parade route.  And then stacking their trucks all over each other.  I heard one old lady say "I thought they just had a wreck!"  No ma'am, they are just having fun.

I found them all later hanging out at Campbell Enterprise's shop down the street (and talked to them about putting a cage in my Bronco.)  See here and here and here for the kinds of things these rigs can really do.  Amazing.

And finally, the reason we were really at the parade in the first place.  Ella got a call the night before to see if she wanted to be on the Gilbert Christian School float.

And of course, she was on the opposite side from us, so I had to run across the parade route just to wave and get a picture.

Levi said when he grows up, he wants to be inside the bounce house in the parade.  Don't we all buddy.  Don't. we. all...

And finally, no parade would be complete without the old men with funny hats in tiny little cars, bringing up the rear.

Fun times for all!