I’m usually not a big roller coaster fan but I was feeling adventurous at Universal Studios last week and I asked Max (age 10) if he’d ride one with me. Richard has been having problems with his neck and Mason (age 5) was too small so I really needed to talk Max into riding with me if I didn’t want to ride alone. He shook his head no.

I asked him again each time we heard people screaming from the roller coaster. He kept saying no. We passed Revenge of the Mummy and we didn’t know what it was but it seemed to be pretty popular based on the line. Max agreed to give it a try with me as long as we didn’t sit in the first row. I explained to Max that the location of our seat was out of our control. When it was our turn, the lady working there said, “Row 1, please.”

The look on Max’s face was priceless!

I didn’t realize it was a roller coaster, much less one that is in the dark. I do NOT like those types of roller coasters. If I’m going to be afraid, I want to SEE what’s frightening me! Needless to say, I screamed and laughed the whole time. When we got off, Max was also laughing, and said, “That was GREAT!”

I responded, “Max, I’m pretty sure that was WAY hairier than the regular roller coaster, The Rip Ride Rocket. He then enthusiastically agreed to ride it.

Of course, he loved that one, too, and I was very happy that he rode it, knowing he’d have regretted later it if he didn’t.

Turns out it was cheaper to buy season tickets with the Florida resident discount than it was to buy a one-day ticket so we can go back again and Max won’t be afraid to ride the big rides with his Mommy anymore. I can’t wait!! Mason, who is fearless, can’t wait until he’s tall enough to ride the “big boy rides.” I’m going to start mentioning roller coasters when he’s avoiding his veggies at dinnertime.

After getting a late start, and spending many late nights online, I finally finished my Christmas shopping. And, after locking myself in our bedroom all day on Sunday, almost all the wrapping is done, too. What a relief!! This weekend, we’re planning to attend one of the many Florida Christmas boat parades.

Big holiday hugs to all!

Angela

This week’s Masonism:

In the days before we arrived at Universal Studios, I quizzed Mason many times about what to do if he got lost. He’s an adventurous one and, if he sees something that interests him, he’ll make a beeline for it, leaving the rest of us behind. We also rented a stroller, knowing it was far less likely he’d wander off if we had him strapped in. I also used a safety pin to attach a folded piece of paper with our names and cell phone numbers to his shirt.

As we were leaving the park that night, Mason smiled and enthusiastically said, “And I didn’t even get lost!”

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HOW TO REMEMBER, WRITE AND PUBLISH YOUR LIFE STORY! by Angela Hoy
Using Angela’s MEMORY TRIGGERS, recall memories that have been dormant for years, and record those memories in chronological order in your memory notebook. Using the memory notebook as your outline, write your autobiography! **Also works for biographies and memoirs.**