Boy! It's been over a year since my last post. Don't think I'm quite a "blogger" yet. It has been a rough year with dad passing away on March 10th. I am relieved however that he is no longer fighting Parkinson's and is at peace now. I miss him so much! Even though he has been very sick the past two years his soul and spirit were always very much alive.

Zoe just turned 7 this past week and had her second piano recital. I am going to attempt to post the video....

Dad turns 65!

It has been a while since I have blogged.  Not that it really matters... I guess it is more of a mental cleansing than anything.  Well, what's been going on other than sickness, sickness and more sickness...?

Dad had his 65th birthday on April 18th.  If any family could pull off a surprise 65th Sponge Bob Birthday party in the beauty parlor of a nursing home it would have to be my family.   Dad was surprised!  Luckily, my grandma got to be there and looked beautiful as usual.  

Until next time....

The Goats

Matthew & CoCo


Zoe outside playing with the goats


Steve and Zoe with the goats


Zoe pouting because she can't sleep with the goats.


Sugar, the easily traumatized goat


The Goats (CoCo - brown, Orbit - black, gray and white, Sugar - white)


Well, I thought I would've posted this long before now but I didn't so, oh well. I haven't even posted our Christmas pictures! Maybe next year.

Anyway, over the Christmas holidays we added three new members to our family...three pygmy goats... CoCo, Orbit and Sugar. Why? Because we're just quite not right in the head and our kids really wanted them.

I had the misconception that goats were really strong and tough. Boy was I wrong! During the first week I had to take Sugar to the vet because, come to find out, she was traumatized by being moved away from her mommy and became dehydrated! What a wuss! They are also rather dumb... they think my German Shepherd Rush is their surrogate mom. They are not afraid of him at all and he is so baffled and now constantly questions his manly doghood. You can just see the puzzlement on his face when he puts up his best front and they don't run.

Zoe really wanted Sugar to sleep with her the first night we brought them home. She told me that she would wear some of her old PJs to bed (not the new ones she just got for Christmas) in case it pooped in her bed. She wasn't concerned with anything else except her new pajamas.

I am planning on taking one of the goats to Zoe's school next week for Show and Share day. Let's hope that it does not get traumatized and I have to force feed it gatorade for 48 hours! I think I'll take Orbit on this little adventure.

All in all, they are pretty cute and easy to take care of and are fun to interact with but... goats are really stupid.

Until next time,

Jen

Zoe's "tooth saga" has created some hilarious memories in the Swafford household. Zoe will only allow one teacher at her school to pull her teeth or if she decides to pull her teeth herself she will do so, but her father nor me are allowed to touch her teeth. Maybe threats of plyers or other torcherous teeth pulling techniques have created this fear but her "list of demands" is quite extensive when it comes to her teeth.

The last two teeth she has lost (her two front teeth) have come out while she was at school and of course got lost. The first one came out on the playground and she lost it amongst all the playground rocks. The second one came out in class and by the time I picked her up that afternoon, she had lost it because she and her friends were "playing with it". GROSS!

So... we've had to write notes to the Tooth Fairy each time explaining the "circumstances". She has graciously accepted our apologies and excuses and awarded Zoe $1 for each missing tooth.

A Christmas Wish from Zoe...

Zoe Swafford - December 17, 2008


"All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth"



Every body Pauses and stares at me
These two teeth are gone as you can seeI don't know just who to blame for this catastrophe!
But my one wish on Christmas Eve is as plain as it can be!
All I want for Christmasis my two front teeth,my two front teeth,see my two front teeth!
Gee, if I could onlyhave my two front teeth,then I could wish you"Merry Christmas."
It seems so long since I could say,"Sister Susie sitting on a thistle!"
Gosh oh gee, how happy I'd be,if I could only whistle (thhhh, thhhh)
All I want for Christmasis my two front teeth,my two front teeth,see my two front teeth.
Gee, if I could onlyhave my two front teeth,then I could wish you"Merry Christmas!"

Grandma's Birthday

Yesterday (November 20th) was my Grandmother's birthday. She was 97 years old. I have posted a pics of her and Zoe. Her name is Lois Green. I am so proud and thankful to have her in my life! Happy Birthday Grandma!