Saturday, May 31, 2014

5am Departure

This morning I was up and out the door at 5:00am.  My son had an early morning flight as this is the big week!  He is off to the Naval Academy Summer Seminar. We finished getting all his stuff packed last night and had a big send off  last home cooked meal for him.  We made sure to have all his favorites.  Oven Fried Chicken....Check! Twice-Baked Potatoes....Check! Fresh Sweet Corn...Check!  I even made a Rhubarb Crisp for dessert. I was lucky to have some fresh picked rhubarb just begging to be made into something delicious.  I made sure my son had his fill because after all - he is a growing boy.  I hope this week at the Naval Academy will be a good one.  He has been looking forward to this week for a really long time.  I won't hear from him again for a week but I know he is in good hands.  Good luck my dear son!  I already miss you! Go Navy!

Friday, May 30, 2014

The Proper Way to Take an Evening Walk

We love our ritual evening hike with the doggies.  The air is just the right temperature and the setting sun provides the most beautiful backdrop.  Little did I know that up until now, we were doing our evening walk all wrong. Tonight, Grits let me know the proper way to take an evening walk.
You start by walking across the beautiful corn field as the sun is setting

Then you stop to take the requisite selfie...
AND THEN
this is where we have been ALL WRONG
Then you go to the pond 
to get a drink........

and plop your whole body right down into the water

That way the water is MUCH easier to reach

Ahhhhhh delicious cold water

Then you rest for a while

Even when your owner starts walking back home

ummmm wait a minute....
I'm coming!!!!!!

Oh it is so fun to dry off in the tall hay field!

And then you romp and play hide and seek all the way home!!!
And that is the proper way to take an evening walk.
Love,
Grits

Thursday, May 29, 2014

Perfect night for a stroll

After dinner tonight the weather was so delightful that I just had to go for a walk.  The sun was setting and the air was nice and crisp. It was the perfect night for a stroll.
All I had to do was spell the word "W A L K"
and instantly I had company.
It is my favorite thing to have company!
It's the doggies' favorite thing too!
We got to the top of the hill just as the sun was setting.
It was a beautiful sunset.
We waited until the sun sank behind the hillside
And then headed on home.
Perfect night.  Perfect Company.









Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Life Loves the Liver

I was so saddened to read that Maya Angelou passed away today. Whenever I heard her speak or whenever I read her beautiful poetry, I felt that she embodied pure love and gratitude. Some of the words she spoke went straight to my heart and soul. I strive every day to be a person who lives by compassion and gratitude. Here are some of my favorite Maya Angelou quotes:

"Try to be a rainbow in someone's cloud."
I love this. Wouldn't it be wonderful if everyone brought a little rainbow of happiness to share everywhere they went? I strive to be that rainbow.

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."
I always try to make people feel the happiness and gratitude that lies within me. I want them to feel that they matter.

"I work very hard, and I play very hard. I'm grateful for life. And I live it - I believe life loves the liver of it. I live it."
This is how I approach every day. I live it.  I love it and I am a liver. I am grateful for every sunrise and every sunset and all the minutes in between.

“I did then what I knew how to do. Now that I know better, I do better.” 
I have made mistakes in my life but it wasn't until I was a little older that I stopped beating myself up for past mistakes.  I embraced the fact that when those mistakes were made, it was the best that I knew how to do at that point in time. To me, what is the defining moment is not the mistake itself. We all make mistakes. We all have things that don't go right. The focus should never be on the mistake itself but what you do with the knowledge that comes from making a mistake. When you know better ----- do better. 

“In all the world, there is no heart for me like yours.
In all the world, there is no love for you like mine.”
This is totally how I feel about Mr. Yesteryear Acres. Every. Single. Day.

“If you are always trying to be normal you will never know how amazing you can be.” 
I have always believed that you should reach deep and be all that you can be. Find the passion that lights the fire in your life.  Find what makes you happy and then go do it. Don't worry what "normal" is.  Be you!

“Ain't nothin' to it, but to do it.” 
I can't tell you how many times this has been the motto of the day. There is no more wasted day than one spent complaining.  If I loathe doing a certain chore or task and complain the entire time I am doing it - where is the joy? The chore needs done regardless. Complaining doesn't make it get done any faster. I just put my head down and do it. Life is what you make of it. Just do it.

“Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer. 
I think this one speaks for itself.  Be grateful. Feel your blessings.  Life loves the liver!


Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Chocolatey Caramel Goodness

Not only did we have my older daughter's surprise arrival at Yesteryear Acres this Memorial Weekend but Chocolatey Caramel Goodness arrived as well!  Nutmeg delivered her chocolate and caramel labradoodle puppies and they are soooo adorable!
We have 5 chocolate cuties
2 Chocolate Girls
3 Chocolate Boys

And 6 Caramel Cuties
4 Caramel Boys
2 Caramel Girls

Aren't they adorable?

You can see they have awesome coats already!

Nutmeg is such a good mommy doggie.  All 11 babies and Nutmeg are doing great.  Happy Chocolatey Caramel Goodness!

Monday, May 26, 2014

Memorial Day & Puppy Picture Monday

Memorial Day is here. In saying, "Happy Memorial Day" I do not take lightly the men and women who gave their lives for our freedom.  I do not forget the sacrifices made so that we, as a nation, can spend Memorial Weekend with the ones we love.  In saying, "Happy Memorial Day", I say it with my whole heart of gratitude for all those serve. I am forever grateful to those who make it possible for us to rejoice and celebrate and remember.
I have never been able to think of the day as one of mourning.....I have rather felt that the flag should be at the peak, because those whose dying we commemorate rejoiced in seeing it where their valor placed it.  We honor them in a joyous, thankful, triumphant commemoration of what they did.  ~Benjamin Harrison
And so in honor of Memorial Day - here is our weekly Puppy Picture Monday - complete with my heartfelt gratitude.
Sweet Pea's Goldendoodle puppies got soooooo much love this weekend

Now that's a lot of doodle puppy love!

The weather was just perfect for playing outside

And getting puppy kisses

Nothing feels more like home than an armful of puppies to love

My very own Marine Lieutenant......<3 p="">

I don't know who had more fun - 
my girls or the oodles of doodles!

Perfect cuddly happiness

Can we keep them all????

Sweet Pea's puppies are expert ear ticklers!
Happy Puppy Picture Memorial Day!


Sunday, May 25, 2014

Happy Memorial Day Weekend

Everybody knows that tomorrow is Puppy Picture Monday so today I am wishing everyone a Happy Memorial Day! We celebrated our Memorial Day in the happiest best way possible- with family! My older daughter was granted leave and gave us a quick surprise visit.  It made our whole weekend.  Reunited!!!!  Our whole family together! Now that is an awesome Memorial Day!
My son really missed his oldest sister.  She missed him too!
This is pretty much how you will find the two of them all weekend long.

Meanwhile the Grill Masters were hard at work

Nothing beats a Memorial Day Campfire dinner!

The weather was perfect for friends

and picture taking

and Re-enacting Family Pictures from years ago
Look how little my son is......NOT!  LOL

Best of friends

We had non-stop smiles all day long!

Mr. Yesteryear Acres parents came to celebrate

Yes - we have a lot of fun together

We went fishing

And some of us just kept the dock company

While others enjoyed the pond activities

Olive loves rowboating

Grits is an excellent paddleboarding doodle!
Of course S'mores were involved!

Campfire night!
HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY
From Our Family to Yours!
And Thank You To All That Serve
“A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.” -Joseph Campbell