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!

Unconditional Love...

Unconditional love - to love others regardless of their behavior towards you. This includes yourself.

This week in Yoga classes the theme has been the 'anahata' or Heart Chakra. Anahata means literally 'unstruck sound'.  They say we can receive inspiration in our 

mind and our heart. I challenged the students to listen more with their heart since it often gets neglected, not giving it enough attention.  The heart speaks softly, as an 'unstruck sound'.  The heart chakra houses 'nada', translated 'the pulse of life'. For an organs that dictates our ability to live, couldn't we benefit from listening to it more.

This leads me to taking my own challenge and listening to what my heart is telling me. My heart yearns to express my love to those I have had the opportunity to care most deeply for, those I only wish to someday love unconditionally...

Disclaimer: I recognize the immensity of the task to list each person with which I have come in contact and with whom I desire to love unconditionally, but I will listen to my heart and mind to recall just a few.

Gods I love: Only one, the supreme being that guides our lives

Husbands I love: Micah

Parents I love: Almon and Janis Clegg

Siblings I love: Diann, Carl, Brenda, Sherlene, Lynette, Caren, Sharon

Family I love: Nick, DeLite, Layne, Randy, Neil, Jeremy, Nate, Nicholas, Daisy, Spencer, Tomina, Naomi, Jenalyn, Rebekah, Carly Ann, Caleb, Max, Kendall, Landon, Asher, Quincy, Emily, Nicole, Trevor, Conner, Porter, Stone, Piper, Cruz, Sixti, Jaxx, Stori, Solei, Axel, Lennox, Karen, Kirt, Alec, Krystal, Megan, Gavin, Vern, Launa, Alene, Grant, Cal, Dennis, Dawn, Janice, Lavar, Evelyn, June, Marie, Melanie, Ty, Debbie, Sue, and the list goes on...

 

Teachers I love: Alan, Jean, Jody, Paula, Marcos, Rama, Lisa, Corena, Mark, God again, personal spirit and so many more

Friends I love: Staci, Anna, Deb, Rebeccah, Sarah, Kellie, Amie, Kimberly, Tamara, Stacia, Rachel, Rachelle, and the list goes on forever....

Yoga Students I love: Carol, Carolyn, June, Kay, Midori, Lisa, Rhonda, Sonia, Janeel, Connie, Morris, Ann, Sue, Janine, Jim, Cindy, Tamara, Leisl, Sherrie, Layton, Kevin, Linda, Sophie, and so many, many, many, many more....

I love you, I seek to love unconditionally, I desire to do more, be more, love more, listen more. From my heart to yours, namaste.

I love bicycles & mothers...

(Singing)I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride my bike.

I love to ride my bicycle, I love to ride my bike...

(belting slowly, annunciating each syllable at the top of my lungs), BI-CY-CLE, I love to ride my bike..... 

These are the words that echo in my mind as I reflect upon my younger years of learning to ride a bike. My brother, Carl, used to sing this little Queen-esque jingle, and then he would end it with calling me Banana legs on behalf of my easily bruised legs.

Do you want the truth about my history with bicycles? Well it isn't much different then my history with men. I grew up on a very busy street, one with few sidewalks, blind curves every way you look, and danger zones on every corner.  Not only was it a busy and dangerous but two experience further tainted my view of my street. In kindergarten I was hit by a truck while crossing the street, due to a truck failing to yield to the bus stop sign.  Not a year later my older sisters friend entered our driveway on a bike too fast from the street. She couldn't take the corner and smashed our rock wall and was nearly killed. Due to this danger my parents decided that riding in the driveway was 

the only thing permissible.  Now granted it was a spacious driveway, but come-on circles in a driveway gets old quick. Adding fuel to the fire, being the youngest of 8, I was lucky to have a less than par hand-me-down for a first bicycle. So not every kids dream to ride an old unfitted bike in countless lame circles on a dangerous street. Now I can see why my brother resorted to a unicycle.

May 2, 2009 changed that. I have finally for the first time in my short 31 years have received a bicycle. I don't have any of the obstacles I had as a child, no dangerous street, no bad incidents as of yet, no driveway circling, and best of all, no lack of not having a cool bike. I almost feel as though I have received everything in life one could hope for. I mean what more could make you whole than a super cool woman inspired bicycle. I now have less awkward legs long enough to reach the petals and no more bruises banana legs.

I love life. I love my bicycle.

Today my bike took me to Yoga class in the am, to lymph drainage massage after, and to Assisted Living Center to see the sweetest old yogies around! Bike has become to me: confidence builder, Yoga promotor(perhaps I should get a sign), leg sculptor, and style producer in her minty green hue.

I am grateful for my legs.

I am grateful for my mother. She teaches to me to focus on what I can do, NOT what I can't do. This makes me happy!

To all green bikes and wonderful mothers everywhere, I love you!

The beauty of men and women....

Hail to all pink bicycle helmets everywhere!  After realizing that my mother-in-law had to search the entire Wasatch front just to find one, I realize all the more how precious the color PINK really is!

So is it true what they say, men and women really are two very different creatures, even from different planets? I have learned from my short 3 1/2 months of marraige, that girls like PINK easy bake ovens, and men like green lawns.  At least this is the case for me.  Currently my two most prized possessions other than my husband: PINK kitchenaid mixer, and PINK helmet. I think the reason I love them so much is because they lead to two of my current favorite activities: baking cookies and bike riding.

Tonight I came from teaching yoga class to find Micah, entrenched in cleaning the garage. Yesterday he set up our patio outside and grilled some dinner. All month he has been working on getting the lawn as lush and green as every other Bountiful yard to keep up with. While it might not seem it, I think this fella' has a real love for GREEN. He might not be green conscious but he sure likes to make his little patch on earth as alive as it comes, chemicals, sprays, endless water and all!  

Connie loves pink, Micah loves green!  I love the differences between men and women, for years I pretended that I wanted to make my cake and mow the lawn too. The truth is I don't want to mow the lawn, I never have wanted to mow (ok, other than that one time in highschool they paid me $40), and I don't think unless I have too, that I ever WILL want to mow the lawn! 

So here is where both elements unite, AKA Pink meets Green and they get along. After Micah completed his garage cleaning extravaganza he utilized his little green turf for mint green Bike and PINK helmet.  Indeed miracles do happen; men and women can live in harmony!

I have come to peace with this knowledge, and I honor that part of me that says 'I don't want to work, I just want to bake cookies all day!'.  I am completely at one with the universal law that says women are great at some things and men are good at others. I am starting to understand why these two creatures from different planets are meant for each other.  After all, I would hate to have a beautiful yard without a beautiful meal waiting inside of the house it is attached too with pretty flowers and fresh baked goodies. 

In fact, I would hate to have to do this whole life thing alone. I am grateful I don't have too. In fact, I think back to single life not far gone and I realize even then I never had to do it alone.  I was never ever once alone. God was always the best man I had in my life, and always will be.  He gives me a life of balance,  helping me at times to get my off my femi-nazi high horse and bring me down to where I should be, Planet Earth.  In fact that father of mine loves me so much he sent a physical reminder of himself to continue to humble me each day.

So pink KitchenAid mixers and pink helmets. Living proof that: 

Dreams can come true, Dreams do come true. Never ever give up hope of your dream!

What will come next in pink? Babies? One can only hope...

So much love to you and pink.