ahhh...cookies!

Finally...yummy gluten free cookies!  They even look like cookies!  And taste yumm-ers! They'd be great with dried cranberries, too.
Here is the recipe...from Silvana's Kitchen





GLUTEN-FREE SLICE-N-BAKE OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
No need for store-bought refrigerated cookie dough when you have this easy make-ahead recipe ready in the fridge.

MAKES: Twenty 3½-inch cookies 1 cup Silvana’s Kitchen Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour  1 cup gluten-free old-fashioned oats, such as Bob’s Red Mill 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt ½ cup unsalted butter or shortening, at room temperature ½ cup packed brown sugar ¼ cup granulated sugar 1 large egg, at room temperature 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips ½ cup chopped walnuts, optional 1. Preheat the oven to 350º. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking power, baking soda and salt. 2. In a large bowl and using a fork, cream together the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Gradually mix in the flour mixture; stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts, if using. 3. Form the dough into a log and wrap tightly in plastic wrap (if the dough is too soft to handle, refrigerate for about 30 minutes before shaping). Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour, then slice into ½-inch rounds. Place 8 dough slices about 2 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake until golden at the edges, about 12 minutes.



Just keep swimmin'

Denver has a great aquarium!  We visited it last weekend. It was a bright and beautiful day...I think it topped out at 40 degrees, but it was fine --when you were in the sun.

Sean has not been to an aquarium before, so he was not sure about getting so close to the tanks.  Those fish are big! He was not putting his hand out to touch the glass, at first.
 

 There were huge tanks that huge fish swam in. We walked through a tunnel and manta rays swam right over our heads. The shark tanks were very impressive! They looked like they needed some dental work though...teeth stickin' out every which way! They even had those sharks with the saw like head. Called a Saw Shark.--of course! Weird!!

Kameron and Sean

In the very front of the exhibit is an area that recognizes the fish and some wildlife you'd find in Colorado. 

It is kind of a dark picture, but they simulated a flash flood!  The sign says...Danger!  Wet Area!  you can hear thunder and see flashes of lightning and hear the rain falling.  Then a huge amount of water rushes down a slot canyon and splashes up against the glass.  So cool to have this huge amount of water come down at you and not drench you. Joel and Sadie liked that a lot!

 

Slot Canyon Flash Flood Simulation

 

When I was in elementary school I loved to swim!  On the playground with my friends, we would pick our favorite animal and play around like them.  I was an Otter.  Yep.  So I had to try and capture these guys. I got to wondering if they get a little bored in those tanks...their routine looked a bit too repetitious...

 



Kaleb and Sean

 There was a more tropical area with some great parrots and this George-ous tiger! Sleepy but so neat to see up close.


Tiger? at the aquarium?

This little guy is quite lovely, don't you think?  Sadie wants to paint him and I think we can come up with some creative ideas for a picture.  Such great color!  I loved to see how nature isn't just black and white and dull variations of grey.  This little fish just screams...{LIVE} and show everyone how beauty-ous you are ...even if you are little.

collectors memories

This is a Volkswagen Rabbit.  I am not sure if that name is supposed to make you feel like you are speedy and quick... or prey...

I was running, one morning, in our neighbor hood and as I came around the corner I stopped. Have you ever had one of those experiences where you see something and it totally takes you back to the day?  I did.  The Rabbit was the trigger.  I didn't ever drive this little beaut, but my oldest brother and his wife {same color and everything!} did when they were first married. I was probably around 12 or 13 at the time.  {By the way...on the license plate, it says Collectors Car...who'd of thunk?}



 

Ron, Reed and myself with
 the first famous Gibb dog - Chicco

Then my brother sent out some slides that have been hanging around.  Wow! I don't think I have seen most of them. Do you see the 8 track tape player in the background?  I remember listening to "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" on that, with the big ol' earphones, too.  

 

Reed's 2nd Birthday, me - about 5

 

I was about 5 years old in this picture.  I totally remember the dress, pony tails, wallpaper and yes, that is a very chic mustard yellow rotary telephone, thank you very much! There is my little brother Reed...ahhhh...he and I were best of friends when we were little. {At least that is how I remember it.} He looks a lot like my youngest, Sean.

 

 

So many things in this picture.  First of all, I never remember receiving a doll at Christmas, or any other time of my life. {Never really connected with them...but I loved the pool Barbie had.  Thanks Julie!} But here is documentation. I have vivid memories of the white vacuum, foam airplane, and above all the ice cream truck scooter my little brother got.  It came with awesome fake ice cream treats, too.  I loved that thing.  I mostly loved that my little brother loved it and let me play like I was eating that fake ice cream sandwich.

This Christmas must have been the beginning of the gaming experience at my home.  The boys loved board games.  Risk was huge, Monopoly, the occasional Farming Game, and Rook--a card game, but it created much competition so it held it's own.  I watched a lot and played some as I got older. Funny how many times Gary won. {Cheater}  {And he knows it, too.}

 

 Oh how I love looking through those old pictures.  I love how you know they are old, just by the lighting and of course, the hair and clothing styles and furniture.
{orange flowers?!}
 Love It!

 

 

Loveland and Estes Park

I am always  amazed at the ease that children make friends. We visited Loveland Colorado this past weekend and stopped at this great park to let the kids play around.  Sadie spotted the frozen pond and all the geese and was off the second she made it out of the car.

 

Within 3 minutes, she found a friend her age. They were laughing and sharing their bread like they had know each other for a long time!

Is this Mother Goose?!

I was reading in the Book of Mormon this morning and found this great scripture:  This is Mormon, writing to his son Moroni about children and their innocence and sinless state.  "And I am filled with  charity, which is everlasting love; wherefore, all children are alike unto me; wherefore, I love little children with a perfect love; and they are all alike and partakers of salvation."

 

Watching my young children make friends easily and this scripture connected.  Children are filled with Charity, the pure love of Christ, they don't judge, or pretend or fear, they just love and want to share it and play with everyone. 

 

Now to apply that to my life...

I am not fond of slugs but I LOVE the face on this one!

This one room school was here in the early 1800's, notice the granite watering trough and ring hitching post for horses?

 

View of Huge mountains in the distance as you enter into the Estes Park valley.Herd of Elk venturing all around Estes Park.

The have a dam and man-made lake here. It is a smallish lake, in comparison to any in Washington. However, for Colorado, it is a pretty good size.

 

Estes Park is a beautiful little town in a valley at the base of the Rocky Mountain National Park. It has cute tourist shops and great places to hike and roam about it.  I didn't get a chance to get any superb pictures of that, so take a look here at some bing images of Estes Park.