Yesterday, my friend Sarah Hensley at church gave me a recipe for a honey-sweetened chocolate cake that uses avocados rather than butter or oil for the fat. Today, Rachael and I made it and the photos below show the result.  The cake is dense, like a brownie, and really chocolatey.  There is not a hint of…

This week we have learned that our little granddaughter Luna has been accepted into kindergarten at the Jackson STEM Dual Immersion Academy in Alta Dena, CA.  This will allow Luna to be in a Spanish/English immersion program from K – 5th grade, where 90% of the classes are taught in Spanish/10% in English in kindergarten…

I made this recipe today and it was delicious.  I love quinoa because it is so light and takes on the flavor of the spices. I would highly recommend this recipe. I’ve eaten three bowls of chili today and am looking forward to leftovers tomorrow.  Let me know if you try it! Instant Pot Turkey…

Today is my mother’s 100th birthday and I decided to resurrect this piece I wrote a couple of years ago.  It makes me happy to revisit these favorite memories of Mom and they are as true today as they were then. I hold Mom close every day and cherish the love we shared.    I…

Heading back to LA. Trusting Southwest will get us there safely. We had a very productive trip and plan to return in a little less than a month. We are on the plane about to learn how to fasten our seat belts. Happy trails, my friends. I will check back with you tomorrow. By the…

Today, my friend Darrah and I tackled a big trash pile by the side of our house here in Texas as a result of a major porch repair a couple of years back.  Yes, the pile has been there for that long because every time we have been here and looked at it, either the…

This evening we went out to dinner with our friend Jared and tried a new (to us) restaurant in downtown Sherman.  Camino Viejo is right off the square at 110 East Houston Street.  Ray was reluctant to go since we don’t eat pork and often small Mexican restaurants say they don’t use lard but often do. …

Coming to our home in Sherman, Texas is a bit of a Twilight Zone experience.  Not scary in any way, but almost as if we live in an alternate universe.  We forget when we’re in California just how many people we know here, how wonderful this house is and just how much work there is…

I wrote the blog post below two years ago for Rachael’s birthday and, honestly, I don’t think I can improve upon it.  (Besides, I’d forgotten I’d even written it!) I will just add that in those two years, Rachael has grown even more beautiful, inside and out, and I am very proud to be her…