A Rollercoaster Wuss' Guide to Disneyland/Disney California Adventures Part 2: The Funnest Rides

1. Indiana Jones Adventure-This ride has a a lot of hype and it deserves it! This is just the level of scary for me! What a great mood it sets, and there are only small drops, smaller than Pirates of the Carribean so nothing that freaked me out. There are quick turns that jolt you around but those don't bug me. You are never high up so there are no height issues. You ride in a car four across I think for rows. The set and pathos are equal to Pirates and the Haunted Mansion in my book as well so it is in my book the best ride at Disney Land.

It was the only ride Sam couldn't go on which was strange to me, because it was nowhere as intense as the scary rides we went on, and he was allowed on all of those. We asked why there was a higher height limit and it was explained to us that it was because there were no doors on the car and the car you ride in is high up from the ground so it would be dangerous for smaller children it made sense, but why couldn't they just have added doors dang it? I went on this ride 4 times in 4 days

2. Grizzly River Rapids This ride was at Disney California Adventures. When I saw the drop walking past the ride I got nervous but the drop was nothing when you are in it. It is one of those rides with 8 seats in the inward facing circle position with the wheel in the middle to hold onto. I love the social aspect of the seating because it is easy to share in the fun...seeing everyones expressions and talking the whole time. I loved the choppy and fast parts of the water and I loved the drops (two of them) ...I also loved that before you fall the boat slows and stops..so you arent dealing with the speed and drop at the same time, I think that might be what makes me like it rather than be scared by it. On the last day we were there we went on it at night and with the creepy mood in the cave this makes it even more fun. The line is really short after dark so we went on two times in a row. I would have been happy to go more than that if two conditions were different. First the ride makes you VERY wet, second...California is warm in August , but it cools down after dark, so you go around feeling like a walking swamp cooler afterwards. Hence, the short line after dark. If you bring a Poncho this shouldn't be an issue. It was worth being wet though, no question! We rode this one 4 times.
3. Soarin' over California- This one is also in Disney California. The descriptions of this ride made me nervous unncecessarily. I knew that It was an omni-dome (curveed I-max) that makes it look like you are flying over California and I knew I would love that. What made me nervous was that the ride description at the park says "Sudden drops" and someone I talked to made it sound like you are in individual chairs that rise up high. I was picturing those swings they have at some amusement parks where you are being help up by for chains and swung around a pole. That is MUCH worse than any roller coaster I can imagine. Here is the scoop.

There are benches of about 8 people. You are buckled in, The benches are brought up to meet the screen on large tracks so you feel very secure. Heights don't bother me if I feel secure. Your feet dangle and the chairs move very subtley but if you have to close your eyes it wont freak you out. There are no actual sudden drops. Only if you are watching the movie. The first time I rode this ride it made me a little nervous to watch straight on at first, with the fast and high movement on the screen, but by the second time I was quite comfortable and loved it! I rode this one twice. Next blog will be about classics and kid rides and attractions .

A Rollercoaster Wuss' Guide to Disneyland/Disney California Rides Part 1:The Scary Rides

For those of you who havn't gotten enough of my whining on Facebook about being home, here is my Disney Ride Review. I went on some really scary ones and some really tame ones and plenty in between so I feel like I covered a good span. I found as I read reviews and descriptions of rides they left me really confused of how scary it really actually would be for me so I want to make a review that people, who are rollercoaster chickens like myself can understand and maybe even trust. With my first in the series I will concentrate on the scary rides. Before i went on these rides I found some clips on Youtube that showed the rides. These helped me prepare for the rides mentally. If these help you too feel free to click on them to get an idea.


Scary Rides
1. Space Mountain- I was freaked out waiting in line for this mostly because I remembered that when my family went to Disney World when I was 10, my dad was in the bathroom for 10 minutes after he went on that ride. I remember being pleased with myself for having the good sense not to go on it. By holding on for dear life and keeping my eyes shut tight I survived it. I may have felt panic (screamed for a second) for a moment but I was still allive so it became a matter of just getting through it. I wouldn't call it fun, lots of quick turns and big dips but I was glad I went at the end, for no other reason than being able to say that I did it. The endorphins were flowing when it ended as well so major high following. This video is in the light so you can see exactly what you will be doing. In the real ride it is all in the dark with some stars and lights.





2. Twilight Zone's Tower of Terror- Of the three scary rides I went on this was my favorite and the one I thought immediately after, "I would do it again". I was nervous in line but not as nervous as I was with the other rides. It wasnt' the same kind of falling sensation I knew I hated so I was willing to try it. I was scared that it would be the kind of thing that would send me in a panic and for one moment, during the fall I did feel that panic, but then. . . again I was still alive and I realized it was just a matter of getting through it. My eyes again were shut tight and my hands gripped the handles for dear life. It was over pretty quick and it was the kind of fright you laugh or cry at and I laughed. If you hate roller coasters, you might still like this one ok. You are buckled in..there are handles on both sides and you have a floor to push your feet down on which helps a lot. Also, you are inside, with about, 17 other people. There is a point when it shows you how high up you are but that is just the beginning. By the end you do three drops but they go fast. I was untrusting at the end...afraid it wasn't really over yet, but when I realized it was...I was elated. This video is long, you can forward it to the ride part. If nothing else it will help you see how long the falls actually are. But really nothing much to prepare you for but down.





3. Splash Mountain-This one equaled and maybe exceeded Space Mountain in anticapatory fear and as my daughter said of the anamatronic geese, after the ride "The birds didn't help". If you have been on the ride, you know how before you go down the music gets dark and the warnings of the animals get more and more anxious.l Considering this ride is the shortest of the drops, this one freaked me out the most. It could be because it was on the third day of the trip so I had walked past the ride so many times and heard the screams so many times I was pretty tense about the whole experience. I believe at one point before the final drop (there are two small ones before the big one) I even swore with Lincoln right in front of me. But the drop was quick, (three seconds) of course, as I knew it would be. The elation at reaching the bottom was surpreme.





For me, the thing I like about riding "scary" rides is the adrenaline rush I feel when they are over. I feel very pleased with myself for facing my fears and honestly, part of what made the vacation so special to me was facing these fears head on. I got more than fun, I went out on the edge a little and saw what I was capable of. I gained a little more confidence and grew a little. If I go to any Disney Park again, I hope I will do the scary rides again because they made my vacation a little more than just a lot of fun. Next time I need to dare the Thunder Mountain Railroad. I don't know so much about the Matterhorn and California Screaming.

Next Blog Entry: The Funnest Rides
Also to follow: Classics, Kids rides and attractions, False rides, and finally Shows

Running, Priesthood and Parents

What a wonderful and memorable weekend this has been for me.

Saturday was my first 10k. It was the Pioneer Day Special 5k/10k that started on Timpview Drive in Provo, by Timpview High. It went up the "Goliath Hill" and then wrapped around and down Foothill Drive and down some residential streets, coming down the Temple View Drive and past the MTC, then back up Timpview Drive. It was hard for me but I finished and in a time I wasn't embarressed by. I think my next goal is to work on improving my 5K speed. Now that I know I can do both, I just want to improve on it. But I am glad I did it. It feels good to have accomplished it. Not so much physically, I am pretty sore. But it it is a good kind of pain right? My upper back and shoulders especially. I hunched my back apparently. Going up that steep hill...or maybe it was going down hills, made me do strange things to compensate.

Sunday was special because my oldest son Joseph recieved the Priesthood. He was ordained a Deacon by his father and he was assisted in doing this by my two brothers David and Eric, Tim's brother Ben, his Dad Tim and Bishop McIntire. How many times have I day dreamed of this day? One of those snapshots that shall forever remain in the memory book of my mind.

One more great thing about this past week, and probably the most lifechanging of these three events is Tim's dad got a job offer at UVU. He accepted it after much deliberation. I am so happy to have them moving nearbye. I have never lived near either of our parents in the whole 14 years of our marriage so that is special. I am also glad my kids will get to know their grandparents better. I never had that opportunity so it is special to me that my children will. What a HUGE blessing to have them nearby. An even bigger blessing however is that I WANT my in-laws to live nearby. Not everyone is so lucky.

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I'm Back!

I have been so harrassed by a few who shall remain un-named so I will try to re-start this Blogging habbit. I will start with a post about what I have been up to that has kept me so busy.

1. Running- I have kept up the habbit! Yay! I have already run a 5K this year in June and I have a 10K scheduled for July 24th. I am not sure I am ready for it, (especially the Goliath hill that is part of it) but my brother who is also a runner said "Do it!" and has agreed to do it as well. I loved running with him and my other brother's wife in the 5K last month. It is so fun to have that extra support among family. Tim of course is always supportive as well always coming to cheer me on in the races, along with my daughter.

I still love how I feel when I run and hate how I feel when I havn't. I am afraid I am to the point of addiction because if I go too long without running (a whole week is murder) I can tell and I don't like how I feel psychologically. I don't know if that is a good thing or bad thing to be addicted to anything. I guess it is good, if you judge it by its fruits.

2. Hospice Volunteering-What can I say. Very enjoyable and very rewarding. My volunteer supervisors have been wonderful mentors guiding me in my training and experiences. I am so thankful for them, and for those patients who have taught me so much as well. Great learning experiences.

3. Classes- January to April I took an Introduction to Group Psychotherapy class. That was a growing experience and a half. I know because I dreaded it much of the time. Not because it wasn't interesting or enjoyable, but I always came away from class knowing something more about myself, and it wasn't always things I liked. Like that I have a hard time participating in such large group personal sharing and exchange. I think I came out of it having learned a lot about myself and more importantly the subject of therapy. Great class!
Now I taking a class on Intro to Sociology. Interesting, but it is a TV course and it requires me to show great will power when it comes to sitting down and watching it, and reading the texts. Especially with Tim's family here. There is always something more fun to do when they are around, and when they aren't plenty of stuff to catch up on.

4. Tim's family is in town- Usually they come in the middle of July, but this year they came early for a family reunion in the middle of June. It has been wonderful to have more of them. The hard part is trying to do those things I am supposed to be doing on the side...You know...like house work. . and homework mostly. It is worth it to have them here though. A busy life really is a good life.

It has been a great and busy half a year and I hope the rest of the year continues in the same way! I also hope I can pick up this Blogging again. I apologize to those who I havn't been keeping up with or commenting on their blogs. I have been kind of locked out of Blog for a few months. Not sure why. When I just sat down to show Tim and ask for his help it worked. ARRRGHH!

Make that. . two people

I was telling Sam today that noone is always right. I decided to turn it into a spiritual conversation and added
"There is only one person who is always right. . "
Sam quickly answered "Yeah. . . me!"

Christmas surprise!!!

Lincoln came home from school today very excited. He exclaimed "Someone put a surprise present in my back pack!" I asked to see it. Surprise indeed. It was the present I put in there for him to give his teacher. Merry Christmas! I suppose I should have made sure they were all listening when I told them there was a present for their teachers in their back packs. Elisabeth didn't give hers to her teacher either. Now she thinks she should get to have it. HA!

Sunday Switch

Primary is the longest two hours of the week for me. Do you want to know why? Well. . first of all I am the Sunbeam teacher but, you will never guess who my hardest class member is. Sam!! My sweet mild mannered, easy going, smiling Sam. Something happens to that boy in primary. He misbehaves and cries and squirms and just acts out like crazy. I know it is because I am his teacher, but I am his Mom too. . that doesn't effect his behavior the rest of the week.

Ironically my son Lincoln who knows my buttons and pushes them frequently, gets praises from his Primary teacher on an almost weekly basis about how quiet he is and well behaved.

I think they must do some sort of "Freaky Friday" switch or Alfred Hitchcock . "Criss Cross" deal. . . "Lets pretend to be eachother!"

Sam is even an angel in Sacrament meeting. The transition takes place as he enters the Primary room. And the second we get home he is back to his sweet self. . but it does take him a little time to wind back to that. The transition is almost instantaneous both ways.

This is Halloween

My poor kids were bombarded with Halloween movies this last week. One of them was Nightmare Before Christmas and the song "This is Halloween" is now one of Sam's favorites.

I wont list the other movies I showed my kids because I am not sure you wouldn't find me an unfit parent. Nothing R rated. Nothing slasher. Nothing violent. I can't handle that stuff. Just the spooky ghost kinds of stuff. Some were a little scary, but I was careful. . .for my kids. I think my kids have a healthy appreciation for a good creepy horror movie. Lets just say that. Or maybe unhealthy as the case may be. They want MORE! They loved them.

Here are the Halloween Costume pictures you are all looking at the blog to see.
Joe was Abraham Lincoln, Elisabeth was a black cat, Lincoln and Ninja, Sam and Jedi, Tim and I Star Trek people. Tim got all the cool props.

Next are the Jack O' Lanterns. First Tim's

Joe's Jack I' Lantern. . . with Windows!

Sam's Frankenstein

Lincolns's Ninja lantern. See how just the eyes are showing? It was Lincoln's own design.

Here is my attempt at a house

And Elisabeths Cat O'Lantern

And We Think Waxing is Bad .

Joe asked me tonight . . "When Dad shaves, does he use an electric tazer?" Wow! ! ! Now there's an image!

Bye Bye Baby!!!

I would like to announce the end of an era in my life. As of Monday morning, after 11 years of buying and changing diapers I am officially free of them. Sam is potty trained night and day. It occured to me that if he stayed in his diaper in the morning...he kept wetting his diaper. I did an experiment and tested my hypothesis that he wouldn't wet at night if he wasn't wearing a diaper and after 6 nights of no accidents I am rejoicing. YAY!!! I feel like I should have a diaper burning ceremony or something.