Don't Eat That!!!!

My son's focus on our Christmas Baking is all about how things taste.  As soon as the Christmas cookies come out of the oven, he wants to eat them.  This year he said he was very tired of us making Christmas cookies that are so special that he isn't allowed to eat them. He insists that every single year we refuse to let him eat the cookies until they are so old that they are no longer tasty.

"Can I have the wreath?"

NO!!!! 

"What about the Yesteryear Acres snow globe?"
Don't Eat That! 

"What about the Mike and Ike's on the Gingerbread House?"

NO!

"Swedish Fish from the pond?"

Don't Eat The Fish! 

"How about...."

NO!

Don't Eat That!!

Not Frosty!!!!!

Leave the Marine Alone!!!!!!

You can't eat the Nurse Bri Cookie!!!! 

Not the Christmas Bear Sweater!!!!!

....and then it began

Suddenly Frosty was armless

They Holly Wreath was bowless

The cookie carnage had begun

Even the Gingerbread House was no longer safe

Goodbye Licorice roof!

The only thing left was

his cookie to Olive

that is

until

my daughter took her revenge.

Goodbye Olive cookie

Got Milk?

Gingerbread Village

Even though we excelled at making the biggest mess ever, we were able to create our Gingerbread Village and get everything cleaned up before our big Christmas party last night. Our village added just the right touch to our Christmas decorations.

We decided to work in pairs so of course immediately it became a competition. Mr. Yesteryear Acres and my older daughter made shutters for their house.

And a fence, and a pond, and a campfire

Let's not forget their perfectly decorated Christmas tree.

My son and Bri were busy working on their perfectly constructed thatch roof

They even made a snow doodle and snow kitty for their gingerbread house.

My younger daughter and I made a delicious licorice roof 

And we were the first to make a chimney.  My younger daughter constructed the jelly bean stone chimney. I am pretty sure that was the winning touch! 

The completed village

Team Mr. YA and A's House

Team R and A's House

Team A and B's House 

Feel free to vote for your favorite.......

(even though I know it is the middle house!)

We Wish You A Merry Christmas

From the bottom of our Doodle filled hearts, Yesteryear Acres wishes you a Very Merry Christmas.  We hope your day is filled with love and family and four-legged best friends and smiles and hearts and laughter.  Whether you are blessed with a house full of those you love or are sharing your holiday across the miles, may your hearts be full.

Merry Christmas

With Tail Wagging Devotion,

The Yesteryear Acres Family

Merry Christmas Eve

I have been happily surrounded by my family all day long. Mr. Yesteryear Acres woke up with the Christmas Spirit bright and early this morning.  I felt a little tap...tap...tap at 5:54am. "Do you want to get up and go make Christmas breakfast and fresh squeezed orange juice together?" How could I turn down a Christmas happiness request?  Mr. Yesteryear Acres and I headed downstairs to make a big Christmas feast for the family when not 15 minutes later - the electricity went out! I was right in the middle of making orange juice and then...complete darkness.  We had no electricity for hours.  Looks like the big feast was out!  No worries - we all gathered together and had the most peaceful happy family morning. I have never been so happy to have all my family together and electricity or not - our day was perfect. 

"The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other. ~ Burton Hillis

Deck the Halls with.......Cookies!

Our Holiday Baking has begun!  Today was just an awesome day full of yumminess.  As Mr. Yesteryear Acres says......."I LOVE COOKIES!"

My older daughter's Apple Rose Tarts.  Mmmmmm!

Sugar Cookies ready for the big decorating day tomorrow.

Christmas Baking Family Time

I love Thumbprint Cookies!

Mr. Yesteryear Acres favorite - Vanilla Bean Shortbread Cookies

And a little homemade Gnocchi for dinner!

Thank GOODNESS......Christmas Calories don't count!

More tomorrow!

Merry Christmas Eve.....Eve!

Supplies - Check!

Today was the last day of running errands.  I was nominated to make the last warehouse club run and I got every single thing on the list.  With my SUV/sleigh full of yumminess, I headed on home to unload.  We now are stocked and full of all the ingredients we need to make a delicious Christmas season come true.  We have a long list of holiday meals to prepare and I cannot wait.  We are making homemade ravioli (from scratch- noodles and all!), gnocchi, roast beef, cornish hens, cookies, bread, cakes, pies, candies - the works!!!!!!  We will be busy making merry delights in our Christmas kitchen starting tomorrow.  I cannot wait.  Christmas Cookie Season is here!  It is time to start baking!!!! My tummy is ready!

Christmas Portrait Perfection

Today was a wet and dreary day outside.  It was really a miserable muddy mess!  Since there was no enjoyment to be found outdoors, we decided to spend the afternoon taking Christmas Puppy Pictures.  We had so much fun taking the pictures! It was a great puppy picture Christmas day!

The puppies were in the Christmas spirit

and happily posed with the various Christmas props

Okay - the cat is one Christmas prop too many!

Happy Holidays!

And a Holiday kiss for you

and a holiday kiss for you!

Best Christmas present ever

Petunia's Goldendoodle Puppies were in the Christmas spirit too

Hey!  No sticking out your tongue for Christmas pictures!

Who me?????

You better be good for goodness sakes!

Okay.....I'll be good!

 Dreaming of a White Christmas

And that's a Wrap!

Happy Monday!

Tree Decorating Done!

With our afternoon free yesterday, we finally had the time we needed to decorate our Christmas tree.  Being all together and decorating our tree meant even more to us this year.  Last year our older daughter was deployed and a piece of our heart was missing all holiday season.  I remember running to my room and crying my eyes out when I opened her box of Christmas ornaments.  I didn't even want to hang them on the tree, I missed her so much.  I pulled myself together and came downstairs and hung each and every ornament as I knew she would never want the tree to be missing her presence.  This year, we were together and we got to hang all our ornaments as one big happy family. The only tears I shed were tears of complete and utter happiness.

We always have extra help no matter what we do here at Yesteryear Acres

"They just wanted to wait for Santa!"

Our new hand-blown glass ornaments were the perfect addition!

With 6 people decorating the tree, it looked beautiful in record time

My heart smiled when I watched my older daughter hang her favorite ornament.

The tree smiled too.

We got a new special ornament for our Nurse-to-be 

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care

And we know St. Nick will soon be here!

Christmas Happiness......Always