OH, OH...TAGGED AGAIN!

I guess I asked for this one, didn't I? I suggested to Leah that she tag Jodi again when she got one, so here's payback. This tag is called "SEVEN FUN FACTS ABOUT ME," though I don't know if you'll think these facts are fun or not. Here goes:

1. When I was five, I was run over by a tractor. My uncle was driving, I was wiggling around & fell. The back tire ran over me & because I was so tiny, I went in between the lugs of the new tires. Yes people, I used to be tiny. I remember laying on my uncle's couch, then the next was looking up at the dr. in the hospital. I've written about this in my blog before, but anyway, the dr. stitched up my eyebrow (that's why one is lower than the other) & wouldn't charge my parents anything because when my Dad was in high school, he had saved the Dr.'s son's life when he was drowning in a canal. Mom tells me I couldn't walk for 6 months. I don't remember that. Because of that, I've had trouble with my back & neck all my life. About 13 years ago, I had bone taken out of my hip & fused into discs in my neck, then a titanium plate screwed in with 6 screws--apparently to keep my head from falling off--LOL! I don't have good range of motion but I think when I tilt my head, my brains are falling out. That's why I can't remember things & I'M STICKING TO THAT STORY!!

2. I loved to be on my uncle's farm during the summer, swam in the canal with my 2nd cousin & beavers (LOL!), & begged my uncle to let me drive the tractor when they hauled hay. Yes, the earlier mishap with the tractor apparently didn't bother me. Even though I'm OCD, I loved then & now to go to the farm & let the newborn calf's suck my thumb (which ends up they pretty much suck your hand, etc.)--didn't bother me to get slimy, I just washed it off. Other goo drives me crazy. I guess it was their big, brown eyes with eyelashes I would kill to have.

3. As you can tell, from early on I loved to drive. So at around age 9, I learned how to drive a motorcycle--not a big one, but eventually got to a bigger one. From the start, Dad wouldn't cut me any slack. If I fell over, I picked me & the bike up. I learned how to climb hills, drive through thick sand going pretty fast, etc. I got my first driving ticket at the age of 13 for driving without a license, no helmet, no registration, passenger with an underage driver, you name it, it was ticketed. Long story, posted before, but my parents took care of the ticket.

4. I also learned to drive our "Super Jeep" at an early age. My parents have a picture of me jumping the jeep several feet off the ground. We went 4-wheeling all the time & my Mom & sister would get out at dangerous points while Dad & I had a ball! Danger & speed apparently equal fun in my book. Now, I love go carts--the faster the better!

5. I always wanted to be an Archaeologist. I've always been fascinated about the "old" history & love to watch the Discovery Channel, History Channel, etc. If my life were different, I would go back 30 or so years ago & study that in college. BUT, if I had done that, would I still have the 2 great kids that I have (Jodi & Tyler)? What about the 2 sweet grandkids. Maybe it worked out for the best.

6. I LOVE being a Mom & Grandma. I don't think I was a very good Mom to my kids-one reason was because I worked so much. I worked for 22 years at "the phone company" & much of that was mandatory overtime--about 14 hr. days, 6 days a week. Jodi was expected to do a lot. So, thank goodness they treat me so good anyways & I'm so lucky they live so close to me! I'm on permanent disability now so I get to spend lots more time with my grandkids, so hopefully I can be a better Grandma than I was a Mom.

7. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE to travel & if there's a "sugar daddy" out there that would like to take me on trips, here I am!

So, now there you have it. Sordid details you never wanted to know about me. I have already tagged pretty much anyone & everyone that I can think of, but here's a few possibly creative tags: Tyler because even though Shannon has been tagged, he IS the other half of their blog (he's going to KILL me--oh well...), Mom because she's the "better half" of the blog (Dad's going to KILL me too!--oh well...), Madison AND Olivia because they are the sweetest grandkids a Grandma could have & I want to know about them through their eyes & not Jodi's. I don't have 7, but those are the ones I would like to read about for now.

GREAT! I'VE BEEN TAGGED TOO!

Well, thanx to Jodi, I've been tagged. That means I've got to find some pictures that I can share with you, from Google, about myself. Here goes:

Age on my next birthday (seriously, do I have to tell you that??):

If you don't know what this is, it's a B-52 Bomber.

Places I want to visit: (That would take many pictures, because I LOVE TO TRAVEL & have been lucky to have gone to several places--the most recent was Ukraine in October 2007.)

Machu Picchu & Pompeii have been obsessions for a long time.

My favorite thing: Where was this guy when I was working?

My favorite place:



My favorite foods: (NUMMY...)

My favorite color:

The town where I live:

My current/past pet name:

Nickname: (Can you read the name?)

College major:

My first job: (other than babysitting--everybody does that)

(I started working both places about the same time)

My goal for next year: (???)

Now, I get to tag someone. YAY!! Wonder who I will pick...

Shannon because she hasn't posted anything to her blog for a really, really L O N G time

Sean A'lee because she's always asking Jodi what to blog about (ha, ha--got ya!)

Dad because I'm VERY interested in what he would say

O'DELL SEALING

In October, I was so lucky to be able to travel to Ukraine with my friend Rose O'Dell to finalize the adoption of their son, Alex. (I'll go into detail later...) Anyway, tonight they were able to take him to the temple & seal him to their family for time & all eternity. It was a very special thing for me to be allowed to see that happen!

I had a little bit of a scare when I got there though. One thing I just assumed was that when we got the new bar codes on our temple recommends, that it automatically renewed them. That's not the case. I hadn't been back to the temple for a while so when I went tonight, I was shocked to find out that it had expired. The Temple President called my Stake President, who knows me probably too well, & ok'd for me to go through tonight. As I was sitting there in the entry area waiting for the ok, I reflected on how important a recommend is & how I had taken it for granted. I also thought, "You know, this could happen to me when I'm trying to get into the Celestial Kingdom. I need to "renew" my life & my covenants to be eligible for that blessing." First step, renew my recommend this Sunday!

NAME CHANGE

I really didn't like the name on my blog header but have NO creativity so I couldn't figure out what to change it to. After going through several "witty" header ideas, Jodi suggested I put down what Madison & Olivia constantly are telling me. I'm "Goofy Grandma." So, there's the name change...I can't decide if I should be flattered that they think I'm goofy (fun???) or should I pack my bags to head to the mental hospital for being "nuts"?

MADDIE VS CAR

Well, unfortunately Maddie found out today that she's still short. We had just gotten out of the car and started walking to dance class, when her forehead encountered the mirror of the car next to her. OUCH!! She sure wasn't happy. Didn't see that one coming. Poor thing...Jodi picked her up & hugged her tight. Then, when we got across the parking lot, Jodi picked her a flower to help make "it" feel better. The only problem was when she picked it, all the "flower" came off. Maddie laughed, Jodi picked another flower, and the trauma was over. Except, when I told her that maybe the "owie" would turn purple & then she'd match her bedroom. She just glared at me. I guess that was the wrong thing to say???

SLEEPOVERS WITH GRANDMA

Madison has had 2 sleepovers with me so far & they have been so much fun! I love it when she gets to come over & we watch her favorite movie, whichever it is at the time, we eat junk & play Uno. She LOVES Uno & so I bought a new version that she's going to love. It flys the cards at you when you have to draw a card. Can't wait to see her reaction! She even gets to sleep in her very own "special" people room & bed (otherwise, as you can see by the picture, I would end up on the floor). She is BEAUTIFUL when she wakes up, don't you think?

Now, my dilema is that Olivia has been upset that she can't have sleepovers yet till she's potty trained. I've always had that as a VERY comforting thought since she hasn't shown ANY desire to try (again, read Jodi's blog & you'll know what I mean). Olivia is my "trial" granddaughter. For as much as I LOVE HER TO DEATH (death??), she pushes the limit. Well, we had our scrapbook group today at my clubhouse & (suck in breath here...) she pottied 3 TIMES ON THE POTTY CHAIR!!! Holding breath...If she wears big girl panties soon, what can my excuse be? I think my brain will explode from the stress--afraid that again she'll color with permanent magic marker on my bedroom door, wall, recliner, file cabinets, toilet seat--yes there has been disdain for my toilet seat also, or peel the laminate from my entertainment center for the third time, or get chocolate all over my new couches, or scream the high pitched scream that rips my ears right off my head, or...do I need to go on? The funny thing is, she is terrified of my 2 VERY fat cats, just because one of them hisses at her & then run-waddles away. How scarey can a 20 lb. cat that waddles be? Does she look THAT scarey?

DELUSIONS!

My Dad sent this e-mail to me today. Thought I'd pass it on...Delusions are often functional. A mother's opinions about her children's beauty, intelligence, goodness, et cetera ad nauseam, keep her from drowning them at birth. (Hmmm...maybe Jodi ought to read this--check out her blog "Goff Family" below & you'll understand why.)