True Love

Special Delivery! A package was delivered to me this morning.  What could it be?  What was inside?  I will tell you what.......
True Love!
I opened the box and.....oh my goodness.........MY FAVORITE THING!
Sea Salt Caramel FUDGE!!!!!

It is so soft.  It is so fresh.  It looks so mouthwatering delicious! I am SO EXCITED! Then I opened the card, and immediately tears filled my eyes.  Who sent me the present?  My older daughter! She is so busy at the Marine Corps and barely has time for herself so taking time to do something this sweet means SO much to me. And she sent FUDGE! She knows me SO well.  When is fudge more than fudge?  When it comes from your daughter and is filled with love.  Thank you my sweet daughter!  The only thing that would make this gift better if you were here to share it with me!  I miss you!  RAH!

Strawberry Deliciousness!

Bright and early this morning we heard the call of the strawberry patch....."Come pick us!  We are ripe and juicy and ready to be eaten!"  Who can ignore the call of the strawberries??? Not us!  We were in the strawberry patch and picking as soon as we got dressed.  Oh my!  The berries are delicious this year! They are the sweetest, most perfectly sized, mouth watering strawberry deliciousness ever!  We picked several peck baskets......

Every single berry is perfect

Every time I walk into the kitchen.....strawberries miraculously disappear

Strawberry Jam making time.  I hope to have at least 26 pints of Strawberry Jam made before the strawberry season is over.  This should be a good start! 

After we are done making jam....we are definitely having strawberries with whipped cream and freshly grated chocolate.......mmmmmmmmm

Does that count as a complete dinner?

I say yes!!!!!!!!!!

Big Butterballs Going Home

Tomorrow Scarlet's Double Doodle Puppies start going to their new homes so today was Puppy Spa day for the pups. Oh my gosh. They are BIG BIG BUTTERBALLS!  They may be the biggest puppies we have had. Normally I just stand up, hold a puppy, and clip the puppy nails with the nail trimmers. I can do it really quickly and have no trouble balancing a puppy, holding the paw and clipping the nails in record time. I tried that same technique today but the puppies were so big and so heavy, I had to sit down with the puppies as one puppy would totally fill my lap.  The nice thing is that because the puppies are a good size, trimming their nails was so easy.  Their paws are nice and big and their nails are so easy to see.  They are also SUPER gentle and every pup just laid down on my lap like a big furry blanket and waited until their spa treatment was finished. I am going to miss them!  After they were all done getting ready for their big weekend, I let them outside to play in the puppy play pen while I made all the puppy care packages.  Of COURSE the puppies did not just sit and look pretty in the play pen.....they immediately undid all the grooming but they did have a blast playing.  Can't deny a puppy a fun romp outside! Puppy work is never done.  Thankfully puppy smiles make it all worth it!

Gasp! Must. Have. CHOCOLATE!

I woke up this morning thinking, "MAN I want some chocolate!"  I mean I really really want some chocolate! I have been so good with my exercise and excellent nutrition but today - all I could think about was how much I LOVE chocolate.  I was pretty good all day.  I ate a very healthy breakfast of crunchy fiber filled cereal.  I ate a very healthy lunch of salad, nuts, lowfat cheese and fat free dressing.  I ate a very healthy dinner of roasted sweet potatoes, baby peas and honey crunch chicken made with 0% Fat Free Greek Yogurt. I mean I am really working the healthy angle here all day long.  I even worked out for 51 minutes straight and THEN lifted weights.  I need a gold star.  I need a reward.  I NEED chocolate!  As soon as I was done eating dinner I thought OH MY GOSH! MAYBE just MAYBE we have one more slice of the sea salt caramel milk chocolate fudge that Mr. Yesteryear Acres got for Christmas. We had put several slices in the freezer to save for later.  I have slowly been emptying our sea salt chocolate fudge stash.  Last month, I ate the last slice.  It was a sad moment.  I thought - MAYBE I missed one slice.  Maybe there is one slice hidden somewhere in the deep recesses of the freezer.  I started emptying the freezer.  My daughter came in the kitchen and said, "What are you......oh never mind".  Even she knew.  I was on the hunt for chocolate.  I got to the very bottom of the freezer and sniff sniff.....no fudge.  Nothing.  I think a tear might have rolled down my face.  As I was closing the freezer drawer, right there, in the tiny recess shelf that sits flush with the door hinge....there was one beautiful slice of Sea Salt Caramel Fudge. HEAVEN!  I ran out the door jumping for joy. I ran to Mr. Yesteryear Acres saying, "I FOUND ONE LAST PIECE OF FUDGE!" Mr. Yesteryear Acres said, "Oh the one in the door?" He put that there for me just in case I ever had a fudge emergency.  Gosh I love that guy!  Good ole Mr. Yesteryear Acres.  Saving that last slice of delicious chocolate heaven just for me!  THANK GOODNESS!

Happy Memorial Day!

Today is a day to give thanks and remember all the men and women who have served our great country. Here at Yesteryear Acres we live each day full of happiness and gratitude. I am so grateful to those who serve and those who have served in the armed forces. The call to serve is a brave and honorable one and I cannot express my deepest appreciation enough. Memorial Day comes but once a year, but I am grateful for those who serve each and every day. Thank you for giving me this chance to live my life happily. Thank you for protecting our freedom.  Thank you for allowing us to live our days full of love and devotion. Speaking of love and devotion... This Memorial Day is also puppy Monday!!! The puppies loved the cooler weather and sunshine today! They gave a special tail wagging romp around the yard for their Memorial Day Thank You! 

Sweet Pea's baby girl says thank you to all the service men and women! 

Sweet Pea's babies are starting to really enjoy their outside adventures

Look at me pounce! 

Oh hey there... You want me to pose like this?

We just love fresh air and the smell of the sweet green grass

They are just little love bugs! 

I like to soak up the sunshine 

We love Memorial Day Weekend! 

Ahhhh now this is the best spot! 

Lets play some more! 

I am dreaming of a tree house 

Mr. Yesteryear Acres gives the best back scratches 

Who says only cats can climb trees?

Happy Monday! 

Sunday Funday

Today we did nothing but have FUN.  ALL DAY LONG.  We had a family fun day that lasted from the moment we woke up until the very end of the day. Every single minute of the day brought endless smiles.

My son Rounding them Up!

Is this how you do it?

There is nothing better than starting your day out with a nice sunny horseback ride

My son could stay out all day long

We have the sweetest horses

Horsey Hugs!

My faithful Horsey Buckwheat

Giddyup!

Then it was time for some Trap & Skeet

Target Obliterated

Mr. Yesteryear Acres ....so happy!

He never misses

My son ....the expert!

There wasn't a clay pigeon left!

Bam! I got them all!

Backyard Fun....Yesteryear Acres Style

The Shooting Sisters

Don't mess with this guy

Pull!

The Master Griller

Barbecue Buddies!

Campfire Night

Who wants s'more?!!!

Ice Cream Season!

Memorial Weekend at Yesteryear Acres can only mean one thing.....It's ICE CREAM SEASON! Each Memorial Weekend we get our trusty ole ice cream maker out and the Yesteryear Acres Ice Cream season officially begins.  We are HUGE ice cream lovers here.  I think it is a family trait! We will be grilling outside, eating back by the pond and then for dessert....non-stop ice cream!!! Mr. Yesteryear Acres has the BBQ ribs on the grill and right by his side is our big ice cream maker churning away. It makes 5 quarts of delicious ice cream at a time and we usually make between 5 and 20 quarts of ice cream in one day.  Did I mention we love ice cream?  This weekend's flavors:

Vanilla Rocky Road with Pistachios

Maraschino Cherry Banana Chocolate Chunk

Coffee Toffee Crunch

and just for Mr. Yesteryear Acres......
a new flavor

Coconut Almond with mini chocolate chips.

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!  Hope yours is ice cream wonderful! I know ours will be!!!!

Nightly ritual

We have a new after dinner ritual here at Yesteryear Acres. Once all the dishes are done and our bellies are full from all the good food, Mr. Yesteryear Acres, my son, my daughter and I go outside and take a few puppies with us for some concentrated one-on-one time.  We have contests to see whose puppy will behave the best, whose is the most snuggly, whose pup learns to play fetch the quickest and so on.  I have to say, it is a lot of fun.  We usually spend an hour lying in the grass, puppies all around, the warm grass underneath us and the blue fading to purple sky up above.  The puppies love the nightly ritual as well.  As soon as I start washing the dinner dishes, the puppies start barking with eager anticipation.  OH BOY! IT IS ALMOST PLAYTIME! It is nice to forget about all the things that need to be done and just relax.  We have time to chat, laugh, get puppy snuggles and have a great end to a busy day.  We have started bringing out our binoculars as we have a pair of Baltimore Orioles that seem to enjoy our evening puppy fun as well as a brilliant Scarlet Tanager. I can't tell you how many times, I just sit in the grass, look out at the wide stretch of green pasture that lies before me and smile all the way to the depths of my soul.  To sit and appreciate nature's beauty is a beautiful, refreshing and rejuvenating thing for the soul.  I am definitely grateful for our after dinner routine.  I couldn't ask for anything better.

The Skort Did It

I would like to sincerely apologize for the impending frost/freeze we are about to experience here in Ohio. This will be the latest freeze we have ever seen.  It is almost Memorial Day and tomorrow morning we will experience wind chill factors in the mid-30's.  Tomorrow night we have a frost/freeze warning.  What is the reason for this late winter weather? What oh what could be the blame for the absence of warm summer breezes?  What brought us to this frigid state?  I can tell you.  It was......the skort!  I finally broke down and bought a few summer items for myself.  I had several things that just didn't fit right and I decided that I would get a few things that fit perfectly. I found the cutest skort and had to have it.  It's a  skirt!  It's shorts! It's both! How perfect!  To make things even better - the skort is made of wicking material to keep you cool and dry in the hottest of weather.  See?  I bought a new skort for REALLY REALLY HOT weather ... and then..........Summer vanished! I apologize for the drastic change in temperatures.  If I had left my winter clothes on my shelves....If I had gone through summer with ill fitting clothes and no skorts....I guarantee we would have a bumper crop of red ripe tomatoes  by now and the sun would be shining.  I will try my very best to reverse this weather. Tonight I will wear my winter pajamas.  Tomorrow I will wear a nice fleece sweatshirt.  AND to really help turn things around, I will put a big stockpot of homemade chicken soup on the stove.  Skort?  What skort?  All I see are sweatpants!

Water Bottle Collection

I am a water snob.  There. I said it.  I am a complete and utter water snob.  I can tell what kind of water I am drinking instantly.  I wish I were NOT a water snob.  I wish I loved all water equally, but alas.....I do not.  There are some brands of bottled water that I really cannot drink.  They taste all plasticky and gross. Same for tap water.  Some are SO chlorinated that I feel like I am drinking a glass of pool water.  We have well water here and it is really good.  Like spring-fed yummy cool refreshing water.  I want all water to taste like that.  I also am super picky when it comes to water bottles.  I don't like water bottles that make my water taste like plastic, or metal, or chemical tasting or not at all water-like. If you saw my collection of water bottles.....ummmmmm....well let's just say I have tried a few and have a small "I wish I liked that water bottle but I do not" collection.  Mr. Yesteryear Acres has tried several times to trick me with water taste tests and every single time I know which glass has which kind of water. I can never be fooled. As hard as I try to like all water....I just can't.  My younger daughter is very green-minded.  She brings her own grocery bags to the grocery store.  She is a big recycler.  She has taken several classes in sustainability and works hard to reduce waste. My affinity for a certain brand of bottled water and the copious amount of bottled water than I consume troubles her.  Well her troubled mind can be put at ease starting today! I have found a solution! I just purchased a GLASS sports water bottle!  It is all glass - even the lip is glass and the best part....my water.....tastes like water!!!!  I am SO in love with my new bottle!  It has a silicone casing on top to reduce the likelihood of breaking and a cap with a small handle.  It is perfect! I can take my new glass water bottle on my workouts, with my doggies, on my bike, on my hikes - everywhere!  No more store water bottles!  I am so excited I found a solution! Who knew one water bottle could bring so much happiness! Yay!

She. Is. Home!

What are the best three words ever?  I will tell you.....
"She. Is. Home!"  YES!  My younger daughter is HOME!  I am SO happy!!!!  She left home after Christmas and has spent her semester abroad in Europe. Oh the tears we cried when she left!  The emptiness!  The missing her SOOOOOOOOO much!  NOW SHE IS BACK!  I got to the airport extra early and of COURSE - her flight was delayed.  I believe I made 3,788 loops around the airport terminal waiting for her flight to arrive.  If you look closely - you might see the wear marks in the carpet!  I checked the status board every 5 minutes like a lunatic.  "In Range" YEA! "Landed" YEA YEA!  "ARRIVED" YESSSSSSSSSSSSSS!  I eagerly watched each person turn the corner hoping it was my daughter.  Finally I saw her.....and she saw me.....and she came running full speed and we hugged and hugged and hugged and the tears of happiness just rolled down our faces.  We made other people at the airport cry.  We were that happy to see each other!  Once we got home, more hugs and more happiness followed.  Mr. Yesteryear Acres gave her the biggest bear hug EVER.  My son gave her a huge hug and the doggies.....well the doggies all went C R A Z Y.  They were so excited.  They were literally crying and whining with happiness.  My daughter was surrounded by doggies in her lap, around her back, on her sides - everywhere.  The house probably couldn't hold any more happiness!  The smile on my face might never leave!  She is HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Monday Puppy Picture Cuteness

Mondays are always busy here at Yesteryear Acres.  On top of all the millions of things on our never-ending "to-do" list - Monday means PUPPY PICTURE CUTENESS DAY!  I usually end up taking somewhere between 800-1000 pictures just to whittle it down to the most adorable ones.  Believe it or not - puppies don't just sit still and wait for you to take the picture.  You have to be quick!  Here are this Monday's Puppy Picture Cuteness.....

Scarlet and McGyver have the SWEETEST Double Doodle babies!

They are already learning how to play fetch

They are pretty good at it too!

They are especially good at pouncing on their favorite fetch toys! 

Taking a nap in the shade is also good fun 

Do you want to play with me?

Sweet Pea's Goldendoodle puppies are getting bigger.

The puppy on the left LOVES Mr. Yesteryear Acres so much. I have over a dozen pictures and she is looking up at Mr. Yesteryear Acres in every single one.

I finally got her to look my way......... and look! She is laughing at me!

She says, "Did you like those pictures? hee hee"

HAPPY MONDAY!"