Lagoon

I was able to take Michael to Lagoon (amusement ride part in Utah) TWICE this summer! The first time, Bron was with us and got bored and wanted to leave at 3:00 p.m. (What the HEY?!) Michael still hadn't gotten into Lagoona Beach, so we stayed a few more hours. We finally left between 6-7:00 p.m. with the compromise that I would take Michael back on a cheaper "Bounce Back" pass.
The second time, I got lost on the freeway exit and Michael was laughing and calling it an adventure while I was stressing over it because we were getting FURTHER AWAY from Lagoon with no exit in sight! Argh!
But Michael's good nature was contagious, and I finally saw and exit, relaxed, and laughed along with Michael. I followed him around and told him he could go on anything he wanted. We went on a lot of Dracula's Caslte and Haunted House rides. He also rode the "Wicked" ride (alone... I get dizzy on twisty rides) and we rode bumper cars. The highlight may have been the gasoline car we paid extra for Michael to drive, with me as passenger! (He liked to swerve and brake hard.)
All in all, it was a good experience, and best of all, I think I talked him out of a Disneyland trip in favor of a possible future train ride from Salt Lake to Denver.
Choo, choo!

Bron Wrote this REAL MAN poem!

I really like this poem my 16-year-old son, Bron Bahlmann, wrote, so I'm sharing it with you:

Oh deary me,
How it makes me laugh to see,
The obsession girls all have with Jacob Black,
Tough luck, bad news, he can't love you back.
I'm an author I write books,
So put away your dirty looks,
I know about this stuff,
And I know the news is rough,
But Jacob is a work of fiction,
About that there can be no contradiction,
When you say you love him again and again,
Your claiming your love for Stephanies brain,
Thats really all he is a thought somewere in her head,
You'd be better of loving someone who's dead,
They were real, made of flesh and bone,
But those are things Jacob has never known,
By all means think i'm jelouse and just not as good,
But i'm sorry to say this, jacob doesnt have the priesthood.
He cant bless the sacrament, and cant baptize the dead,
After all, he's a thought in Stephanies head,
I dont look like him and im not a "sexy beast"
I am a human though, and have a brain at least,
I dont have a crooked smile or cool tattoo,
But at least I can look in your eyes and say I love you,
So Edward has eternal life,
So will you if you become my wife,
A temple marriage is something I can share,
Even if im not real strong with lucious locks of hair,
I'm sorry if you want half dead kids, or ones with lots of hair,
All I can offer my future children is scriptures and daily prayer,
So if thats not good enough for you then by all means love Jacob Black,
But sorry to say, he can never love you back.

Washing Dishes Under the Palm Trees

Hey, I got the cool scenery calendars left over from my brother's office, laminated those babies and carefully cut out the palm tree/beach pictures. It helped my project that the calendar cover sported the same palm trees I fell in love with. After cutting them out, I stapled those babies to the wall over my kitchen sink. Ahhhh, the indescribable pleasure of doing dishes is now mine. I mean, my hands in warm water, the swaying palms in front of the brilliant orange sunset... it's what I've always dreamed of!
You can come over and beg for a turn, but I don't know if I can give up the dream vacation I get to go on three times a day!

Don't you have anything BLACK?

I was asked to sing at a funeral. During our two practices, I was accused of looking like a Froot Loop and fruit salad. (This is because of my colorful clothes, in case you were wondering.) The ladies were discussing wearing black or gray to sing the actual song because it's a funeral.
Okay, herein lies an inherent thought process difference. I don't care if I wear bright colors to a funeral. I don't think it's disrespectful in the least. I mean, has the person who died gone on to a better place or not? If so, then let's send them off with color, why don't we?
Anyway, back to the singing ladies' discussion, as they were talking I had my eyes fixed firmly to the ceiling, contemplating the clothes in my closet. I was interrupted by one of the ladies asking, "Shirley, do you even HAVE anything black?"
Startled, I met her eyes. "Well, the last time I went to DI, Michael talked me into buying a black velvet jumper because it felt soft, but it has rhinestone sparkles on the straps and I can only wear it on Fast Sunday because it's a little tight across the tummy."
She rolled her eyes, "Oh, Shirley!"
Hey, I'm volunteering to sing from the kindness of my heart, and I can sing the same in fruit salad or black velvet!