Puppies Heading Home

This weekend we have sweet Doodle Puppies heading to their new homes.  We have been busy getting together their puppy care packages and the puppies are loving their spa day in preparation for the big weekend.

The Doodle puppies are very good at picking out their favorite toys.  The Doodle Doggies and kitties really like helping too! We have excited families making their way to Yesteryear Acres to pick up their new furry best buddies.  The puppies can't wait.  Puppy weekend is here! 

Celebrate Coffee

Today is National Coffee Day.......As if coffee needed a holiday in order to celebrate its awesomeness.  I am fairly certain if you flip to any single day in the calendar - that day would be coffee day!  I cannot start my day without a cup of coffee.  Mr. Yesteryear Acres always has a perfectly prepared cup of coffee waiting to greet me at the start of each and every day.

This morning I had my Naval Academy Mom coffee waiting for me.

Mr. Yesteryear Acres said my coffee was really sad this morning. It felt as if I were not celebrating National Coffee day to its fullest.  Something was missing.

Then Mr. Yesteryear indicated that Streusel Topped Pumpkin muffins are the perfect complement to his coffee. That certainly would feel celebratory.  

What else could I do?  I mean it IS Coffee Day!!!!!!

I have to admit that mufffins are not on my list of favorite foods.  I am happy to bake them, but I am not a big muffin fan.  So what could I have with my coffee?  What would go well with a nice cup of java? Bagels? Biscuits? Cookies?

OH I KNOW! 

Caramel Apples!

Okay. Okay.  I know caramel apples really don't go with coffee, but it IS a holiday and I might as well celebrate!

Happy Coffee Day!

Reason #7,432

The reasons I love Yesteryear Acres and our life here seem to be endless.  We are so lucky to live a life surrounded by love and tail-wagging devotion.  A day at Yesteryear Acres means...

Watching a Bald Eagle fly by 

(I wish I had something other than my phone to take this picture this morning!) 

Getting kisses from kittens

and having help in the garden.

Quality assurance mangers are readily available 

As are doodle puppies patrolling the perimeter

Quiet times are picture perfect 

and you are never without a best friend or two

and reason #7,432

every day ends with smiles and gratitude

Apple Picking for 2

Looks like I made it home just in time to get our apple picking in!!!! It was a close call on the timing, but Mr. Yesteryear Acres and I were able to pick a little over a bushel basket of apples today.

As long as we got out the ladder- there were still apples left to pick

The weather was perfect for picking!

I like to leave the ladder picking to the expert 

My unique and specialized method of transporting apples to the baskets

Aren't I the best helper? 

Looks like we need a caramel apple night!
I wonder if that counts as dinner?!

Sounds good to me!

Nothing Better

There is simply nothing better than coming home to a house full of Doodle Puppy Love.  Their cute little faces instantly bring a huge smile to my heart.

Birdie's Goldendoodle Puppies are getting so big now 

Time to explore!

"Where are we going Olive?"

"To find Austin!!!!!!"

"Hey Austin.....I found you!" 

"Austin?" 

"I am over here" 

"Hey Olive....Austin won't play with us!" 

"That's because you don't know the secret code" 

"SLURP!"

"See?  That does it every time!" 

"Good one!"

"It worked!!!!"

Now it is Mr. Yesteryear Acres turn to play with Maple's Double Doodle Puppies

"We think you need a bigger lap!" 

"We all want to snuggle at once" 

"Can you help us?" 

"That's better" 

"It is time to line up" 

"We are waiting our turn" 

"One....Two....Three......" 

Kiss time!

Mr. Yesteryear Acres is the best!

Happy Monday Everyone!

Home Sweet I Love Yesteryear Acres So Much Home

After almost four weeks of being away........I AM HOME!  Home Sweet I Love Yesteryear Acres So Much Home!!!!!!! I am so happy to be back!  I missed everything and everyone. When I arrived at the airport, Mr. Yesteryear Acres was there waiting for me with a pseudo Chauffeur sign that had my name on it.  He made it just for me in case I forgot what he looked like.  That Mr. Yesteryear Acres.  He cracks me up.  I have to say, I was given the full special welcome home treatment! He had a huge hug for me, a cup of coffee made just the way I like it AND a dozen roses waiting for me in the car.  Awwwwww.  I think he missed me as much as I missed him.

It was the nicest welcome home ever.

The Doodle Doggies all remembered me and greeted me with tail wags of happiness the second I walked in the door.  The Doodle Puppies were so excited to see me too.  The kitties ran to me as soon as they heard my voice and I have been surrounded by cute lovable doggies and kitties ever since.  Home. Sweet. Home.  My heart is so full of happiness and love.

Out Like a Light

Today was puppy visit day and the puppies had a full day of hugs and kisses and snuggles and lots and lots of play time.  It was pure heaven for them.  They had little kids to chase.  They had laps to snuggle on.  They had so many happy smiling faces to see that the day just flew by. By the end of the day, one by one the puppies all were pretty tuckered out. They couldn't keep their little eyes open one minute longer.

This little guy didn't even wake up to say goodbye to his new family.

He was out like a light.

Right now all the puppies are sound asleep, happily dreaming about next weekend when they get to go to their new homes with their sweet loving families.   Sweet Dreams Puppies.  Now that is one fun day!

Farm Store Fun!

Today my Dad and I finally did some much needed shopping together. We had a long list of things we needed and places to go. We had to make multiple trips to make sure all of our doodles were well taken care of during the day. My favorite stop on the list was the farm store! We absolutely cannot rush through there! On our list we had one of my favorite things that I have only been able to find there... Muscadine Jelly!!!! I love this jelly to the moon and back.... on toast, on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, on bagels, on a spoon.... YUM!! I couldn't even believe it but my jelly was on sale!!! JACKPOT! I added two jars to the cart right away. I also picked up some blackstrap molasses to make cookies and treats later this week. My Dad did a little more sensible shopping while we were there. He picked out new work gloves for me (all the upcoming log chopping is going to require a pair of gloves- or two) AND he helped me pick out a new pair of boots!!! Apparently my old pair I have been wearing are no longer suitable since I wore holes through them late last week. They also might smell a little, and by a little I mean they STINK! When the doodles run away when you take off your shoes that MIGHT be a sign that there is a problem. My Dad insisted that I get new work boots. My Dad needs some major kudos for sitting in the boot section for that long. I THINK if someone were to review the camera footage in the store today, they would say "oh that poor man" as I asked my Dad over and over again "Is this one better OR is this one better? What do you think?" I have to say when I got home and did more doodle chores they were much happier to see me than usual! They all sniffed my boots and wagged their tales. They are doodle approved! Thanks for my new boots Dad!!! And thank you for your everlasting patience! I am so excited to use all the goodies from the farm store! What a fun day! :)

The Doodle Doggies Say Thank You

When my dear sweet beloved younger daughter Amelia heard about her older sister's health crisis, she immediately put in notice at her job and rushed home to Yesteryear Acres to help us out.  She was enjoying success following her own career path and put aside her own trajectory because as always, family is her first priority.  I do not know how we got so lucky to have such wonderful thoughtful children but we are blessed many times over.

Dear Amelia,

Thank you so much for dropping everything to come here

The Doodle Doggies sure do love seeing your happy face every day

And recess with you is so much fun!

We think you are so kissable

And huggable

and lovable

We say THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts

Woof and Tail Wags!

Coming Home Soon

We are just shy of 4 weeks since I left for North Carolina to take care of my older daughter.  When Mr. Yesteryear Acres and I got the call for someone to get to Camp Lejeune as quickly as possible, we immediately dropped what we were doing, our younger daughter left her job to come help us out and we have all been working hard to keep everything running smoothly. I am so proud of my family.  Everyone has been giving their all and despite my long absence, Yesteryear Acres and all the Doodle Doggies and all the Doodle Puppies and Doodle Kittens and the garden and everyone at home are doing really great.  They are doing the very best job ever.  Their loving devotion has allowed me to care for my older daughter and I am happy to report, things are looking up. We finally saw a specialist who was able to determine why my daughter was so ill.  It appears an incident of metal toxicity set off a storm where every one of her organs were systematically attacked. Her blood pressure was very high, her heart function was affected, her kidneys, her skin, her muscular system - everything. Thankfully, she is healing and slowly her systems are returning to normal. Today I started preparing for my trip back home to Yesteryear Acres. I started making meals for her freezer and refrigerator so she can easily heat up her dinners. So far I have prepared Pot Roast, Italian Marinated Chicken Strips, Barley Stew, Cheesy Broccoli Baked Potatoes, Lemon Chicken with Orzo, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Artichoke Pasta with Tomatoes and Olives, Szechuan Chicken and Cabbage, and a double batch of Blackstrap molasses cookies. I am making sure she is all set before I head on home. I want to be certain she will be okay and then....... Yesteryear Acres.....I will be coming home soon!

Doodle Dandy Day Spa

Today I opened the Yesteryear Acres Dandy Doodle Day Spa. Was it on the calendar to groom the doodle doggies, yes. Was that day supposed to be today.... well no. Turns out that our walk today in honor of National Dog Week sparked an extra pizzaz in Truffles step. As in a pizzaz to have selective hearing and chase after that grey squirrel anyways.  When Truffles remembered her name was in fact 'Truffles' and "Come" actually meant to get her butt over here, she came back over to me. However her coat had a little something extra to it. A whole lot of burs. So I had to go ask my Dad to get out all the grooming supplies and trim Truffles right then and there. While I waited for my Dad to get out all the supplies, Blossom volunteered for a little brushing at the Dandy Doodle Day Spa. When you have to open the Spa... might as well make it a treat for as many doodles as you can! :)

Hey Amelia will you brush me please?! 

But with this one because its my favorite  

And I'll just lay like this and you brush... Okay?!

Look how fluffy I am!!! I am even brighter!

Blossom is fluffier than ever now! 

'Innocent' sweet little Truffles. I know that squirrel teased you and then ran up that tree where you could not reach him. It obviously wasn't your fault. It was Mr. Squirrel's.

NO DAD!!!! I was going to leave some fluff on the top!!!!! AHHHH!

Mr. Yesteryear Acres sure likes those clippers!
But now I am all groomed! Bur free and squeaky clean!!

I wonder if there is still time to find that squirrel?

Come on Mr. Yesteryear Acres....Let's go finish that walk!

Happy Doodle Dandy Spa Day!!