Big and Little

Our big doodle doggies love to go on long hikes and play fetch and swim in our pond and....they really like hanging out with our doodle puppies too! On nice weather days it is fun to have all the puppies outside and a few doodle doggies for them to play with.

Outside time is soooo much fun! 

First thing we have to do is run as fast as we can

to find...... 

our best friend!

and then we go find big doggies to play with 

Hey!  Where are you going now? 

Whew....all this running around is exhausting! 

Ready for Round Two 

So much to do! 

Is it nap time yet?

It is naptime!  

Best afternoon ever!

We are lucky doodles!

Growing Bigger

Birdie's goldendoodle puppies had a huge growth spurt this week as they have been licking their puppy pans clean at each meal time.  They will be old enough for their new families to come and visit them this Saturday as they are finally big enough for company.

They love going outside for recess

Especially when they find cool shady spots 

They are all so adorable!

Eloise's Double Doodle puppies started solid foods this past weekend.  They are amazingly good eaters already!  This week will be their big growth spurt week. We have 3 big butterball puppies and 3 petite puppies and 3 pups that are right in the middle.  It will be interesting to see if the little ones catch up this week.  

One of our butterball girls 

And one of our tiny girls 

All of the puppies, big and small, love going outside to play

And here are our sweet newborn babies that we will be donating.  

We had so many responses, we decided to donate the entire litter. I will be going through all our emails and we will be making our family selections in a few days.  We are so excited to share our love of doggies with others!

Sunday Doodle Calisthenics

Sundays are the perfect day to get a good Doodle Calisthenic workout in.
First up - a nice long warm-up run.....

A couple laps around the hay field should do it!

Time for our next challenge

Everybody follow me. It is time for.....

Burpees!

Jump up!

And hit the ground

Let's see those Pushups!

I don't believe I said snuggle time!

Or group hug time

Hey - am I the only one working out here?

Well...if you can't beat em.....Join em!

Doodle workouts are the best!

Puppy Donation

Every year Yesteryear Acres donates several puppies to families with special needs. We particularly try to match our puppies with families who have someone who has served or is serving in the military that might be in need of a companion/therapy/service doggie. I know what unconditional love and companionship a doggie brings to a family and sometimes that unyielding doggie loyalty can make all the difference.  We also try to match our puppies to families with children who have special needs. Donating puppies to someone who needs a furry best friend is a true passion of mine. My life is spent surrounded by puppies and doggies and happiness and if I can share just a small piece of that happiness, I am more than glad to do so. If you know of any family that is looking for a furry best friend to make a difference in their lives, please let me know.  You can send me an email or message me on Facebook.  We have several puppies that we would like to donate and these puppies will be ready for their new homes on November 8th. These are medium size puppies that have non-shedding coats and will mature to 40lbs. They are sure to bring a lot of love!

But It's Hers

Every Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter, I have to switch my closet's wardrobe for the appropriate weather change.  I have a really small closet space and not much drawer space so I can only fit warm weather clothes or cold weather clothes - not both.  Today I started the changing of the closet task. Of course when I marked this to-do task on my calendar 2 weeks ago it was cold and dreary.  Today it is 80* and sunny.  I appreciate the summer weather wanting to hold on but I still started my project despite the loveliness outside.  Normally I have to box up all my clothes to store them until the weather changes once again.  It is an arduous task and requires heavy lifting and toting my boxes one by one up the attic stairs. Today, I had a thought, "What if I put my summer dresses and clothes into my older daughter's closet?" At first I was besieged by guilt.  I can't do that.... it is her closet. I felt like an intruder.  How could I use my sweet daughter's EMPTY closet????  I realize that she has not lived here for six years but she lives here in my heart and her room is her room. I told my daughter that I was thinking of using her closet. This was her response:

How about I offer it to you........ hey mom why don't you use my closet I never use? And then when I come home..... I keep stealing all your clothes!!?!! :)

Since my older daughter does in fact always steal my clothes whenever she comes home, this sounded like a good deal to me.  I quickly and easily moved all my summer dresses into my daughter's closet.  It took me no time at all to finish switching all my clothes and I didn't even break a sweat. My older daughter is really glad I did it too.  She says, "Now I don't even have to leave my room to go shopping! Thanks Mom!"  Oh noooooo! 

Goodie Bags

The Labradoodle Breeder Conference was not only an awesome learning experience but we got goodie bags too!  Everyone knows I love presents and this year's conference did not disappoint!

I think one of our doodle doggies will look quite dashing in the new yellow bandana!  And all our doodle puppies LOVE teddy bear blankies!  We put one in every single one of our puppy care packages.  Nothing says "I love you" like a teddy bear blankie from home!

I asked my doodle doggies if they liked lobster and they all said yes! This is the best that this lobster will ever look.  Right now I have several doodle doggies trying to see what the inside of this lobster tastes like.  I say...it will taste like stuffing!  I also got a nice set of bells for our back door. I love it when our doodle doggies ring the bell to let us know it is time to go outside.  Training your doodle pup to use the bell is really easy too!  Just have your pup ring the bell right before you go outside.  You will have a bell-ringing doodle champ in no time!

I don't want to see selfish and say this was the best goodie bag item EVER but....This was the best goodie bag EVER!  Look!  Not only is it an awesome insulated cup with a lid AND straw but it is also full of candy!!!! Mmmmmm.  Anyone who knows me knows I LOVE CANDY!  It was hard to take this picture with the candy actually still inside the cup.  

I confess...I am a candy-a-holic.

I am eager to read my moderndog magazine.  I love articles about doggies so this looks great!  I also have quite a few catalogues to get through as well.  The martingale collar and leash was a really thoughtful goodie bag item.  I can always use them!!!!  And doggie treats!  My doggies all say thank you!

Last but certainly not least, I got a bone shaped dog tag with all my information on it.  That way whenever I take one of my doodle doggies walking some place other than Yesteryear Acres, I am all set! Now that was an awesome goodie bag!

Chicago Highlights

I was pretty excited when I found out the Labradoodle Breeder Conference would be held in Chicago.  I envisioned waking up early every morning and taking long walks along the shore of Lake Michigan. I couldn't wait to walk the miles of shoreline and see all the sights. Unfortunately the Pet Expo and Labradoodle Breeder Conference were not IN Chicago.  Even though it clearly said "Chicago" - this is as close as I ever got to the Windy City

I saw it from my car window and then.....I saw it fade from view

Even though I never really saw the Windy City, I did learn a ton and the seminars were terrific! 

We heard lectures on everything from genetics to best breeding practices.  It was definitely worth the long drive. 

I even had time to walk the entire floor of the Pet Expo

My Doodle Doggies were super happy with all the presents I brought home.

There were some strange looking doggies at the Expo!

Even Tiger Doggies!

The best part of the conference is hanging out with awesome friends.  This is my dear sweet friend April. This is the only picture April would let me take of us together. Ironic considering she takes pictures EVERY SINGLE DAY!  She just isn't in any of them.  BUT even though April won't let me take selfies of us together.....

She gave me these doodle slippers!!!!!!! Aren't they the cutest slippers you have ever seen?  Every night when I came back to my hotel room, I put them on right away.  They have now become a travel necessity!  Doodles on my feet!

On my drive home, I saw a windmill farm

It stretched for miles and miles

And a beautiful sky to keep me company all the way home.

Tomorrow I will post doodle doggie present highlights!

So much good stuff!

I Love Her

I want to thank everyone who so thoughtfully have asked about my older daughter and how she is doing.  My older daughter graduated from the United States Naval Academy and now is a 1st Lieutenant in the Marine Corps. She is an amazingly compassionate wonderful daughter and I love her with all my being.  She makes me proud every single day and every single day I miss her. We are a very close family and our family never feels whole without her here with us.  She is much loved and our thoughts are always with her as her thoughts are with us.  Because her safety is my number one concern, I will not be talking about her for quite some time in my blog. I will not be able to give updates or let anyone know where she is, how she is feeling or what she is doing. My daughter is serving her country.  Please keep her and all those who serve in your thoughts. They sacrifice so much so that we can be free. Be safe my sweet daughter! I love you!

I missed them!!!

I missed my cute doodle puppies!  Even though I was only gone three days - they all look like they grew so much while I was away.

Birdie's Goldendoodle puppies surprised me with how well they licked their puppy pan clean.  They love eating their solid food!

This week they will really start to grow!

Our little red Double Doodle boy is such a gorgeous puppy.

He loves to follow us around!

Eloise has a few butterballs in her litter.  Two of her Double Doodle girls are so chunky. They are butterballs of love!

And these three Double Doodle girls are so petite.  Once they start solid foods next week they will start to catch up to their 2 butterball sisters! 

Happy Monday!