Posts Tagged: "thrill"

iFLY Indoor Skydiving

Queen Darlene - November 17, 2017 - Anniversary, Birthday, Business, Christmas, Experiences, Father's Day, Gifts for Him, Mother's Day

I’ve always wanted to skydive but jumping out of an airplane just didn’t make a lot of sense the older I became.

My sister-in-law gave me a gift certificate to iFLY so I could fulfill my dream closer to the ground!

Indoor Skydiving

iFLY is indoor skydiving that simulates true free fall conditions in a vertical wind tunnel.

Their motto of “It’s where the dream of flight becomes a reality” really happened for me!

At age 65 I’m no spring chicken (a phrase my mother-in-law would say) but there have been lots of elderly people who have been brave enough to skydive.

I hoped the wind tunnel would help me decide if I was just satisfied doing a simulation or if I needed to do the real thing. Continue Reading

LOTTO Fun for the Whole Family

Queen Darlene - December 24, 2015 - $20 or Less, Birthday, Christmas, Family, Party Favors, Retirement

Looking for a gift that is inexpensive but creates a “big bang for the buck?” Lottery tickets and scratch offs are fun and easy on the pocket book if you have lots of gifts to buy for Christmas.

A few years ago, my son just started his new job and was digging out of his school loan debts. He wanted to give everyone in the family a Christmas gift, and there are 15 of us.

Braden came up with the idea of purchasing $1 lottery tickets. He placed them inside money envelopes to completely keep the recipient off guard for a better surprise.

At the time, the lottery was sitting at $350 million – one of the largest jackpots in history. It was all over the news making quite a buzz.

The timing couldn’t have been better to give a lottery ticket of this magnitude. Everyone in my family talked about winning and what they would do with the money!

Scented Candles Containing Hidden Jewelry

Queen Darlene - August 27, 2015 - Anniversary, Birthday, Business, Christmas, Housewarming, Mother's Day, Retirement, Teacher Gifts, Valentine's Day

For my sister-in-law Nancy’s 55th birthday, I wanted to surprise her with a gift that would give her a thrill. Jewelry is always fun to receive, but how about one hidden in a candle that you have to burn to find?

I remember as a kid the excitement of finding the prize inside a Cracker Jack box!

During the 1950s & 60s “real” prizes were hidden inside Cracker Jacks instead of paper stickers. I discovered a jeweled ring as one of my hidden treasures and pretended it was my wedding ring!

I remember my kids dumping entire cereal boxes on the kitchen table in order to find the prizes inside. There’s just something exhilarating about finding hidden treasures. Continue Reading

Experience Being a Stunt Pilot or Fighter Pilot for a Day

Princess Diana - May 19, 2015 - Experiences, Gifts for Him

I traveled to Las Vegas and didn’t gamble one single dollar. Instead, I gambled with my life.

stunt-fighter-pilot-experience-thoughtful-gift

Stunt Pilot for a Day

A Hummer pulls up in front of my hotel and drives me to an airplane hanger on the outskirts of the city. Once I check in, I step into my flight suit and zip it up all the way from my crotch up to my neck. Then I flip up the collar because that’s how I roll.

Every stunt pilot has to have a nickname so guess what mine is? PSYCHO.

My flight instructor picks it out, and he gives me me a cool patch that attaches to my flight suit. I guess he thinks that a woman foaming at the mouth to go up in the world’s most advanced aerobatic plane – the Extra 330LC – to do the same stunt moves they do in airshows must be psycho.

So be it because I love my nickname! I’m glad he didn’t nickname me Tinkerbell or Goose. Remember, Goose died in “Top Gun.”

I receive a brief training on what to expect up in the air and an explanation of the types of wild maneuvers and stunt moves I will be doing. The maneuvers have crazy awesome names like hammerhead, barrel roll, and tailslide.