Dear Diary

It's obviously been quite a while since I've done anything on this page. And I'm basically just testing to see if I even know how to still navigate this site. Mark wants us to use our blog as our journal and said he would be more likely to hone his photography skills, a hobby he had in college, ignored for a few decades and decided to begin again, if his efforts were contributing to the family journal. So... it seems that this particular blog is no longer viewed or read since in the beginning when I began blogging it was with family and friends who also began but have since moved on to fancier blogs and/or technology apps. That actually makes this perfect for a journal. Maybe what I really need to do is find an app with colors and features that make it easy to add photos. Hmmmmm. The dilemma! Maybe I'll throw it on Facebook and ask for opinions! So much for this little musing on a Tuesday afternoon!

Learning New Things

I've spent the last few days watching and listening to uplifting messages. One of those messages was a webinar, a "how-to" for something I've been wanting to learn... Better Blogging! Funny how I've always used this blog more as a journal and even declared that several times. I could have had years of experience under my belt if I'd been a little more diligent and seen the potential for influence. I suppose there is a time. and a season for all things. A while back, in our earliest Facebook days, the simple profile had a question about goals or life philosophy or something along those lines. For several years it read, "We want to change the world and we are just crazy enough to believe we can!" I took that down for a while... it's still not on the page but the flame of belief and an idea are now reignited in my soul! That's the surprise! More to come...

Closing One Door and Getting My Feet Wet ... Again

I've basically been out of the "blogging" scene for nearly four years and maybe even longer if you count the infrequent posts prior to stopping altogether. A lot has happened in that time. We moved a couple of times. Mark's employment changed and he is commuting further to work now but he enjoys his opportunity to make a big difference in a growing company and the people he works with. It is rewarding for him and pleasing to me. I LOVE it when my husband is happy. He's always in a good mood, I just love to know he's enjoying the work he does all day long that provides for our family! Perhaps most notably, for health reasons, I retired from the public school system. There are other reasons I'm glad I'm no longer teaching but none of them were as important to us as my health. 
No, I'm not sick with anything. I'm just a little worn for the wear.

Closing the "Teacher" Door

Every school year I got nearly everything that came along, (working on eliminating those limiting beliefs). Twice I fell and injured first one knee and then the other which caused an obvious  increase in my weight and size (that's putting it nicely) which didn't help the knee pain...at all. I lost a little energy every year and even though I worked hard over the summer to gain it back, for some reason I didn't ever quite get back as much as I gave to my work during the year. Many would call it "aging" but I've got a plan. A youthful plan. You'll see!

After living through influenza the prior Christmas holiday break (the doctor told me it was actually the h1n1 version) and suffering neck and back problems from the resulting cough, (threw my neck out and suffered with the most debilitating migraines until the chiropractor got it all lined up again) my sweet husband told me he really thought my life expectancy was being threatened one year at a time. After examining our finances, and praying of course, on June 4, 2014 I walked out of my classroom and school and the only thing I've missed is that "a-ha" light going on in kids' heads accompanied by that "from-ear-to-ear" victory grin!

Old Farm Road - I Love Where I Live!

Today, I'm writing a short post just to get my feet wet again and to experiment with some of the new features that now exist to make my "blog-life" easier... once I understand them, that is! Obviously, I'm not a technology "quick-study" and definitely not a technology native. I do intend to be a real guru before long though!

My husband has missed the blogging most! My intent was really more of a journal where I could add some beautiful pictures and my musings. I would copy and paste it all into a document and wallah... a journal! He LOVED that and felt like it was an important record of our family! Here's for you honey!

Well then, I suppose my feet are damp enough today, figuratively here in this post and literally from this little winter beauty that blew in suddenly this morning! I'll check out a few more things each day for a while and then I have a surprise...!

Rain, Rain, Rain... Love it!

It has rained quite a bit the past week. Nearly every night we've had some kind of storm from the short 15 minute cloudbursts (WOW it's amazing how much rain can come down in 15 minutes) to the night-long thunder and lightening storms. Combine that with the 4th of July and it's a little hard to tell the thunder from the cannons. I do have to say though that God's fireworks (the lightening) are without question the grandest of them all... even the colors... and the way the lightening can light the entire sky... manmade is impressive and fun and even inspiring but pales in comparison! Yup! God wins... as always! And I'm so grateful He's been watering the garden, both flower and vegetable! So kind of Him to help out with that!

Oh My!

WOW!!! I think I'd better laugh about the title and topic of my last post! Everything I wrote was true! Mark loves the Blog/Journal thing! And quite honestly, I think it is a lot more fun than the straight journal! So I just filled out the "I'm a Mormon" profile on Mormon.org and included a link to this blog! I'd better keep it more up to date! That should be motivation to attempt a more frequent if not regular post! That's all for tonight though! Love and Light ....

Blogging Again... Finally!

After a year and a half, I am finally blogging again. Mark has missed the blog posts turned journal entries and asked me to begin again. It's not that I ever meant to stop... so much has happened in the last while... Oh my has it happened! A long, long, loooooong story for sure. AND it's not that I expect anyone to read these.. with so much social media it is way too challenging to keep up with blogs when you can just "tweet" and facebook instantly. This is really all about us and if it is amusing or uplifting to anyone else we are blessed!

So, of the many things, a simple pleasure that brought a lot of joy and blessings for obedience... the annual "obedience garden".

Early spring our stake decided to sponsor a community garden on a plot of land in our stake boundaries that used to be one of the chapels in our stake. It was very old and not up to seismic standards and would cost too much to bring it to that so they tore it down, plowed up the parking lot, planted grass and built a small pavilion. Mostly the dog-walkers enjoyed it because it was only accessible through a small gate.

It is now the host of nearly one hundred 4' x 8' plots that have been tended carefully since early spring. Mark kept encouraging this journal entry this weekend by taking photos of the harvest and repeatedly, though gently, saying, "These are for our family blog/journal." How could I not begin again.

So... here's to a new chapter... a new blogging/journal chapter in the life the The Family Raymond!!!

We hope all are well and happy! We love you so!

The gourds from our garden turned centerpiece for a few days...

Everything else... we've been harvesting and sharing beans and cherry tomatoes for weeks now but just harvested the carrots and onions this weekend. Made tomatillo salsa today... a first and yummy for a couple of novice tomatillo sauce makers!!!

Success...One "Tasteless" Day at a Time!

The outcome of our doctor visit is that Mark and I both have allergies to dairy and gluten with a few other things thrown in there... the irony of the whole thing and the bee in my husband's cap is that his labs were more serious than mine... he was not amused to say the least! He was so sure that he was the pillar of health with a few "tiny" things to work on. Needless to say, I have been amused and not really gloating about it but definitely smiling.

Mark is amazing! He has been following doctor's orders perfectly. He's running again, and avoiding all the no-no foods. What a great example. I, on the other hand, have improved my eating but not to the degree he has...and exercise?...UGH... I think it is the longest 4-letter word in the dictionary! I'm working on it though! Sigh! So.... the reason for the title of this post? Have you ever tried gluten-free food? It is basically tasteless! Bless Mark's heart... we were grocery shopping the other day and after we got the fresh produce he said, "We just need to make one more stop in the taste-free aisle." I had to laugh! It really is pretty tasteless.... and EXPENSIVE!!! Oh my is it expensive! A loaf of gluten free bread is half the size of a regular loaf and costs $5.99! Definitely more than it's worth! I'm trying to figure out how to learn to cook gluten/dairy-free meals that actually taste good! An interesting change in our lives... lots of salads, lots of fruit smoothies, lots of pining for the good old days... but worth the effort to be feeling better!