Flour Footracks

I am not sure who is playing in the All-Purpose, Pastry, and Bread Flour, but I do remember that Ryan Simmons got a second date out of Kimberly Calder by giving her a basket of Flours.

I love Flours, all types. I love to mix and match flours for different blends of protein, taste, texture, and flour fun.

I love flour, gluten free, gluten full, there is no bad type of flour.

In fact Flour is such a staple in our home we have over 200 lbs of it. Thats a lot of cookies.

Freedom of love...

Freedom and love, how do the two coexist? 2008 was the year of Freedom, 2009 the year of Love. I found this past weekend on our voyage to the less inhabited places of our country that both coexist in perfect harmony. It is such a beautiful reminder that mother nature knows how to adorn her beautiful creation of Earth without unnatural methods, chemicals, and/or mandmade interventions. In blissful harmony she adorns it with wildflowers (red and blue in honor of 4th of July),

 lovely creatures, 

tall trees,

rushing waterfalls, 

mountains, slopes, peaks, and meadows. 

I came to a realization yet again about the nature of our lives this past weekend.  While it is necessary that we train and refine ourselves to become mature responsible adults in this world, there is still something significant in letting go, in letting your hair down, in not showering for a few days, in giving up the cell phone, the blog, the email, the internet. There is something healing in hearing only the sounds of birds, water, wind, rain, and laughter of our friends. There is beauty in spending the unstructured time with family, whether it be Uno, walking the nameless puppy,

 or preparing tasty meals on the campfire. 

There is a profoundness in simplicity. It is sometimes more complex to find simplicity in our lives then to keep them constantly busy. 

I found for many years that I found solace in constantly going, never stopping, always finding one activity to bleed into the next. While this made for a nice way to soak up time, I realized that I never left time to ponder, to reflect, to sit back, and to enjoy the splendor of this magnificent earth.  As I went on with this lifestyle for sometime, I realized I wasn't leaving space in my life for the things that really mattered. Time to just be.

 

This past weekend as we celebrated the birth of our country, and honored of our freedoms I was deeply reminded of the significance of this - time to just be. 

When I was a girl one of my favorite songs was a primary song 'My Heavenly Father Loves Me'. The words are so sweet and tender I want to share them as they run through my mind. 

Whenever I hear the song of a bird, or look at the blue, blue sky, 

Whenever I feel the rain on my face, or the wind as it rushes by,

Whenever I touch a velvet rose, or walk by our lilac tree,

I'm glad that I live in this beautiful earth, Heavenly Father created for me.

He gave me my eyes that I might see, the color of butterfly wings.

He gave me my ears that I might hear, the magical sound of things.

He gave me my life, my mind, my heart; I thank him reverently.

For all his creations, of which I'm a part,

Yes I know Heavenly Father loves me.

Summertime reunions are sweet...

Summertime is wonderful, it's a time we get to visit some of our most favorite people. My dear friend Rebecca Walters has been out and about in the south, NC and Texas, for the last several years building her family.  Since our days at Utah State our visits are few and far between, but so very cherished. She has two little ones, Sydney and Talmage, that make the world a happier place. We got to reunite on Sunday, and now the third (and necessary) approval is complete on my choice of husband. Thanks Rebecca, I do love you!

Several weeks ago we had another sweet reunion. My father was Bishop of the Ledgewood Ward in NJ about 25+ years ago. I was a baby so my recollection is weak, but it turns out that AJ Baerga, now in our Bountiful ward, was baptized in the Ledgewood ward at the age of 16, while Dad Clegg was bishop. Mom and Dad got to visit with AJ nearly 25 years later. What a small world, we love it! 

Connie's Cookie Paradise in Bountiful

It is only suiting that the land of Good and Plenty in Bountiful, UT, is the first home to sell this cookie pillow delights. This is the beginning of a Cookies Baker's Dream. Soon I hope to offer them as you sit on a cloud lavishingly relaxing with a cookie in both hands. As for now the Bountiful Farmers Market is turning out as a sell-out situation on the first go around. Mom and cookies couldn't be happier. I love all you that believe in dreams, they really do come true, one cookie at a time...

and I couldn't do it without my right hand man...

My favorite flavor, although they are all my favorite would have to be the 

TRIPLE PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE.

I stumbled across this recipe on celiac.com, and with a few tweaks and addition of milk chocolate, dry roasted peanuts, and reeses chip, I can't think of a better PB cookie out there. The best part, or the part that doesn't matter to you, it's Gluten-Free. (Sorry for those with Peanut allergies)

Sweet Fathers...

                                                      As I reflect this Fathers Day on the influence my earthly father has had on me, what comes to mind is some of the things he has taught me...

 

Top 10 List of what my father has taught me....

10. To be on time

9. To be self-reliant

8. To memorize Articles of Faith and Scriptures

7. To save and avoid debt

6. To pray alone and with my family

5. To listen to Beach Boys early Saturday Morning.

4. To stretch a dollar in NYC.

3. To be committed to church, work, and school.

2. To give to others that have less.

1. To honor and love my family.

Happy Fathers Day to all you wonderful Fathers!