I kiddingly (kind of intending the pun) asked my friend, the goat-farming-guru, if I could borrow a baby goat for my annual grandkids-Nativity picture.  He said, “Sure.  Would you like some other animals?”  Next thing I knew, I had, at my disposal, several hundred choice farm animals, should I desire.

A short-lived break in the frigid weather provided a very sunny morning (the kids were majorly layer-dressed under these costumes and fared quite well, thank-you very much).  We gathered at the Ritchie farm in Brighton just under a barn awning and snapped a few shots.  The animals were so much fun.  Naturally, we never got a shot with all of the kids looking at the same thing or at the camera because they were enoying the goats and cats and sheep and the donkey just like we adults were!  But what a fun fun fun day!

Most embarrassing moment: 

Farmer Wrex handed me the rope which held a donkey on one end and 2 wiley billy goats on the other (I am giving them these labels to make it sound better for me).  Now, they had just been standing there, tied together, but behaving…until he handed me the rope.  “Hold this,” he tells me.  I am standing there looking all “city girl” my kids said.  The second Wrex walked away, the donkey screeched and jerked his head and the 2 goats decided to bolt.  Basically the three animals tried to put me in a strangle-hold.  My whole family, except for my wonderful son, who will now be willed all my earthly goods when I die, were just laughing their heads off, watching me push back on the rope with all my might (with my weany-arms) trying to keep the goats from dragging me to a certain snow-burn death, my shoes just sliding straight backwards to the sound of raucous hee-hawing (my family AND the donkey!).  Rocky saved me.  Still, I am sure I was born to farm.  I would just need different shoes.

Dress-up, anyone?

Yes, I do plan to subject the grandkiddos to this every single year, because it just stinking makes me smile! 

Tonight, I finally get to go through and decide what to do for our Christmas cards (nothing like waiting until that last second, huh?).  And the more chaotic the shot, the more I smile!

What could be more merry and bright than this?…Jeanie

Thumbnails, click for larger image.  Pictured: Guini as Mary, Gemma as an angel, Hunter as a shepherd and Gavin as Joseph.  Averi as an angel, Averi’s daddy goofing around, Hunter corraling his baby goat.  The animals arriving for the photo shoot, and a woolly lamb.

Thanks Wrex and Stefane!!!