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!

Mission Impossible...Almost!!!

Getting my husband to the doctor has been quite the fete. I can't think of a photo that would do justice to the amusement it's been trying to convince him he needs a little medical attention! Nothing serious... just a thorough check-up. He thinks he's invincible and while he does have a very strong constitution and brags about it, it's been more than 5 years. He's really trying avoid the colonoscopy thing... Anyway...we found a doctor that may be able to help! Yea Sara... and Ronda... for encouraging and finding the right person. We both had blood drawn last week for several tests... this doctor comes highly recommended and even has several celebrity patients... sorry Dr. Porter that Mark and I are the country bumpkins of your practice... but just you wait and see what we look like when we feel better.... to be continued!!!

It's Been a While...

Since moving I check email a couple of times a week if I'm lucky and rarely have time to read all the blogs I love. I miss you all just so you know. .... In addition to Mark being the ward mission leader and I as his ward missionary companion, we were also asked to be the committee chairs over activities and music for Trek this summer and I teach Relief Society... oh... and Mark is a Temple worker on Friday mornings. He gets up before 4, is there by 5, works until 11:30, has time to come home and eat and occasionally a quick nap before he's at work at 1. Sometimes I want to cry at how hard he works and yet the blessings of his Temple service are palpabale... what a gift, and true to the Lord's way, it ends up being no sacrifice at all.

Merry-Merry, Happy-Happy and I LOVE Spring!

We had a lovely Christmas and we are planning on a Happy New Year! The children were here on Christmas Eve and we had a wonderful time. We had fondue, (thanks to Terri Davis and all the necessary pots and forks,) and it was a big hit with the children. They asked if we'd be willing to do something early in the day as they wanted to go to a movie in the early evening. Of course we did. I wasn't really excited about it but it turned out very nice. Jill sent a text that read, "Best Christmas ever with you two." Maybe they are finally getting used to their dad's wife. Christmas Day was interesting...to say the least. All our guests, except one, cancelled on us. Mark's mother is the only one who came to dinner... Turns out it was a blessing as we learned some interesting details about what's been happening for her... sad details but details a son needs to know in order to take care of his mother. As this year draws to a close we are looking forward to a new one and fresh starts... I suppose if the truth be known, which is testimony to some of us, because of the atonement which is symbolized by the sacred emblems of the Sacrament at the Supper of the Lord each Sunday, every week is a fresh start! Whew! I love to feel clean! I suppose that's also why I love Spring so much too... a fresh, beautiful, new beginning! Not that it's even close. In fact, the first official day of winter was only a week ago. I guess that just means it's always Spring in my heart! Our love to all! We are so grateful for the light and love you shine into our lives!

Almost Christmas Break....Ahhhhhh!

The students have actually been quite well behaved as the days before Christmas count down. I often wonder what I was really like at their age... I'm sure my memory remembers me more perfect than I actually was... oh my! The two photos are little crafts one of the other 5th grade teachers helped them do... I do the music, she does the art....which really works for me. Because I'm in a portable, I have to find creative ways of displaying their creations... Here's to the construction paper Pointsettias and the colored lamps made with Karo Syrup and food coloring! Luckily the teacher had learned over the years how to minimize the sticky mess and the kids loved licking their fingers. It was not recommended but after one person did the rest followed! Oh those days adventurous days of childhood!