When Jenni Comes

Jenni is my firstborn.

She lives in Covington, Washington with her husband Mark and two children, Payton and Sadie.

I miss her more than words can describe.

http://markjenniandthecuteness.blogspot.com/

When Jenni comes to visit --

We all smile a bit more.

My creativity is actually sparked.

Life is just more fun.

This week Mark was away on a business trip so Jenni came here with "thing one" and "thing two." She thought she was coming to help her dad with his new business venture, and ended up helping me plan two weddings besides!

Thanks for coming to our rescue, Jenni. You are the best!

Is this the picture of delight, or what?

A New Kid on the Blog

We began shopping for Audrey's wedding dress right away.

By the way, this one is beautiful on her, but it is not THE DRESS. Who would want to spoil that surprise? Audrey is an itty-bitty size zero and looked radiant in about everything she tried on. She is my little bargain shopper and was more than tickled to find an amazing wedding dress at a great price.

While we were shopping at Abelle's in Orem, Randy received a phone call from Joe. Joe has been dating Emily for about five weeks. He asked if he might visit with Randy. We were just two blocks from his home; Randy invited him to "come on over!" Randy, with a little smirk on his face, told me about the phone call. I went weak in the knees and nearly passed out. This couldn't be happening!

Sure enough! Right then and there outside the bridal shop, Joe asked Randy if he might propose to our daughter.

Joe asked Emily to marry him that very evening. It was a surprise to all of us, including her.

He had even picked the wedding ring out all by himself. It is a beauty!

So... we were back to the bridal shops the very next day!

WHAT I KNOW ABOUT JOE:

He grew up mostly in Montana, son of a cattle rancher.

His grandfather owned a meat-packing company in upstate New York.

He is one of three children.

He served a mission in New Zealand.

He was valedictorian of his high school graduating class.

He attends BYU and is planning to receive his MBA.

He is polite and considerate.

He SPOILS Emily with attention, flowers, concerts, etc.

And I have two VERY twitter-pated girls on my hands. (Yes, the boys are tickled too; they just had to be obnoxious for the picture.)

Bitten by the Love Bug!

Audrey has a best friend. His name is Matthew Taylor.

He's been MY personal favorite "guy friend" of Audrey's since their Junior Prom in 2005 when he gave her a "glass slipper" on a fancy pillow and referred to her as his "princess."

Alta High Junior Prom 2005

High School graduation, 2006.

Before Matthew's mission, 2007

After Matthew's mission, 2009. Hmmm... which one is Matt?

Audrey was reluctant to "get serious". She even tried being apart from him for a while. During this time, I asked her this question, "If you were stranded on an Island with only one person and this person couldn't be a member of your own family, who would you want it to be?" Without a moment's hesitation, she replied, "Matt." Hmmmm....

Gratefully, this "breakup" didn't last long. On March 25, Audrey celebrated her 22nd birthday and received the best birthday gift ever!

Matthew!!

Forever!

It's a Full House

After three years of having a relatively "empty nest" our house is awake and alive again!

Our son Michael has moved into our basement with his wife Desiree, and two-year-old daughter, Evylee. This change will enable him to attend BYU full-time and graduate in a year and a half. No problem.... they are quiet, easy, and Desiree cooks dinner twice a week! I love it!

It is especially FUN to have a little one in the house again!

We just EAT HER UP!

Sweetheart Day 2010

Collier Family Sweetheart Day began with a visit to the Draper Temple to serve as proxies for "sweethearts" who had passed on without the chance of being sealed for time and eternity.

Audrey's boyfriend, Matthew, was such a sport. He was happy to attend with Emily as long as the sealer didn't trick them into getting married "for reals."

Audrey stayed at the house and kept one little Evylee very content.

Then we enjoyed a warm brunch and good times.

CINNAMON ROLLS

(prepare dough the evening before)

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup milk, scalded

1 Tbsp. yeast

1 Tbsp. sugar

1/4 cup lukewarm water

2 tsp. salt

4 cups flour

3 eggs

Add butter and 1/4 cup sugar to hot milk. cool. combine yeast, 1 tablespoon sugar, and lukewarm water. Let stand 5 minutes to soften yeast. Add salt to flour. combine milk and yeast mixtures, and add 1 cup flour. Add eggs and beat well. Continue adding flour gradually, beating until smooth after each addition. Cover bowl and place out of draft until dough rises about triple in amount. Punch down. Cover again and place in refrigerator overnight, or until throughly chilled. When ready for use (dough will keep well up to 5 days) remove from refrigerator . Roll, spread with butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon, and shape while cold. Place on greased pans. Brush dough with melted butter. Let rolls rise until light and puffy. Tis dough can be left to rise for 5 to 6 hours without doing it any harm. Bake rolls at 375 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes. or until desired doneness. Frost with cream cheese frosting: 4-6 oz. cream cheese, 4-5 cups powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 Tbls milk.

QUICHE LORRAINE

(recipe from my BYU roommate, Sandy)

1/2 lb. bacon

1 cup Swiss cheese, grated

1 and 1/4 cups milk or half and half

1/2 tsp. salt

pepper

4 eggs

1 Tbsp. flour

1 Tbsp. melted butter

Cook and crumble crisp bacon. Place in uncooked pastry shell with grated cheese. In a small bowl combine eggs, flour, milk, salt, and pepper. Add melted butter. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 30 minutes or until custard is firm and golden.

A Close Call

It was as if a thick cloud was moving across Randy's vision in his right eye. He tried to ignore it (having no health insurance kind of does that to a person) but while we were in the temple yesterday morning, he had the distinct impression that he needed to see a specialist regardless of the cost. He called the one he had seen before --- out of town. The office referred him to another who was covering --- out of the city (as a rule, ophthamologists don't work on Fridays). Dr. Katzman was on the road back, however, and would meet Randy at the office in an hour or two.

He mentioned after examining Randy's eye, that he was glad he had not put Randy off until Monday. Another day and Randy's three retinal tears would be irreparable. Close call.

By now it was 5:00 in the evening. He rushed to see an eye surgeon at the Eccles Outpatient Center. They have a retinal surgery clinic; sixth floor, suite #630. Dr. Winward performed the procedure right then and there.

For you who might be interested:

A retinal detachment is a very serious problem that almost always leads to blindness unless treated. The appearance of flashing lights, floating objects, or a gray curtain moving across the field of vision are all indications of a retinal detachment. If any of these occur, see an ophthalmologist right away.

As one gets older, the vitreous, the clear gel-like substance that fills the inside of the eye, tends to shrink slightly and take on a more watery consistency. Sometimes as the vitreous shrinks it exerts enough force on the retina to make it tear.

Retinal tears increase the chance of developing a retinal detachment. Fluid vitreous, passing through the tear, lifts the retina off the back of the eye like wallpaper peeling off a wall. Laser surgery is often used to seal retinal tears and prevent detachment.

If the retina is detached, it must be reattached before sealing the retinal tear. Pneumatic retinopexy involves injecting a special gas bubble into the eye that pushes on the retina to seal the tear.

Randy had the gas bubble injected yesterday and will have laser treatment on Monday if all goes well. He is to keep his head upright day and night for the next three days. The retina in eye number two has two holes in it and will need to be repaired to prevent tearing within a couple of weeks.

We are SO grateful for the miracle of modern medicine and for the kindness of two particular doctors who went beyond their normal call of duty.

Noteworthy

Last weekend's Utah Symphony concert was EXHAUSTING but oh, so fun! Here are a couple of "out of the ordinary" happenings that are worth remembering:

Latvian violinist, Baiba Skride, gave a an amazing performance of the Brahms Violin Concerto. On Friday evening, right at the climax of the last movement, the E-string peg on her Stradivarious slipped. She attempted to retune it, but us unable to in a speedy fashion, so she quickly exchanged violins with our concertmaster, Ralph, and resumed playing, ending the work in a glorious fashion. UNBELIEVABLE!

The most memorable event of the evening occurred after the concert. I had spotted President Dieter F. Uchtdorf in the "box" seats during our performance; he is an avid supporter of the arts and I have seen him in many an audience. After the concert as I left the stage and entered the musicians lounge, he was being escorted through by the symphony CEO to meet the new conductor. He walked toward me with a smile on his face and we shook hands. Undoubtedly, he recognized me from my roll in the Orchestra at Temple Square; I was thrilled! I SO admire him. I told him how nice it was to see him, he expressed his delight at the excellence of the concert.

I was Minding My Own Business...

I was driving east on 39th on my way for a post-op visit with the hand surgeon when I spotted a gazillion (I counted over 20) police vehicles to my right. Men with guns and bullet-proof vests were rushing about. Hmmm? I ventured down the road a ways, but had to pull over three more times for blaring sirens. It was more than just a little freaky!

After my doctor's visit (all is well with the hand, by the way) I searched the radio to find the answer to the questions that haunted me. Supposedly, a 70-year-old woman had shot and killed a 34-year-old teacher from the Head Start school and then called 911. That must have been seconds before I drove by!

This is what I read later that day --

Police say teacher was killed by former mother-in-law

Published: Sunday, Jan. 31, 2010 12:58 a.m. MST

WEST VALLEY CITY — Through the cell phone, the popping sounded like a light bulb exploding.

Then the phone on the other end seemed to hit plastic.

The engine was still running.

But there was no response.

The likely scenario, Rod Hernandez thought, was that his fiancee had just been in a crash, hit broadside because she was talking on the phone to him.

The horrific truth was yet to be revealed to him, that Tetyana Nikitina, whom he was going to marry Feb. 14, had been gunned down in her car as she was leaving the school where she worked.

For minutes, Rod Hernandez waited on the phone, not daring to hang up. He left the pork chops he had been cooking and began the drive to the Salt Lake CAP Head Start.

Through the phone, he began to hear sirens, then men talking — paramedics.

He was still on the phone when he arrived to find the area around Nikitina's car cordoned off by police tape.

"I found out she got shot," Rod Hernandez said.

Later, at the hospital, he learned Nikitina, 34, had died.

Unified Police officers arrested Nikitina's ex-mother-in-law, Mary Nance Hanson, 70, on investigation of murder.

Hanson is a concealed weapons permit holder, and her most recent address is in Taylorsville. Investigators found her car parked about a mile away from the crime scene, said Unified Police Lt. Don Hutson.

Police say Hanson fired several shots at Nikitina, then reloaded and fired several more rounds.

...Then there was the phone call — that last one — at 3:27 p.m...

Called to Play

I'm counting my lucky stars! What an amazing week to fill in as a substitute violinist for the Utah Symphony. This is Maestro Thierry Fischer's first concert as its new Music Director. From the moment he joined us for our first rehearsal, it was as if he breathed new life into this organization. It was clear that each musician had prepared well for this first encounter. CLICK HERE to view a news clip from yesterday's rehearsal.

I am so anxious for this weekend's very challenging concert: Shostakovich Festive Overture, Brahms Violin Concerto, and Shostakovich Symphony No. 10. Saturday is Randy's birthday. I was able to acquire two complimentary tickets. Emily will join him for the evening.

The Prayer

Here is our video performance of "The Prayer" (click on green) with composer, David Foster. It's one of my favorite numbers on the Tabernacle Choir/Orchestra at Temple Square new CD "Heavensong".

Our Taping with Andrea Bocelli and David Foster

"Flowers" - What a difference a few days make

"Winter will surely give way to the warmth and hope of a new spring...we must remain steadfast in hope, work with all our strength, and trust in God."

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

photo from passionfruitforgoddesses.files.wordpress.com

On this cold morning, the world outside is covered in snow. What am I to expect? It's still January. My first peak of coming Spring will happen sometime in February when the budding heads of the crocuses in my front yard will fight their way through the crusty snow. These seemingly frail flowers amaze me.

After the "cold chill" of last week's events, I've had an early taste of Spring:

Randy photographed a sweet friend's wedding a few months ago. Her mother realized it might take them a little while to "pay the bill" and asked that we keep the images of that day until they were able to pay in full. Her good husband worked overtime during the holidays. She heard the "bad news" and raced over with $500 of his newly acquired, hard-earned money. I know this was not an easy thing for them to do. Thank you, Laura!

*******************************************

There was a knock on the door. I answered. It was Richard, a man Randy had helped numerous times while serving as bishop who had since moved out of the ward. I mentioned that Randy was still away on a business trip, but that he would be home in a day. Richard handed me an envelope and asked if I would please see that Randy receive it. I was worried that it might be important, so I opened it:

It was a card.... and $200.

To thank you

for the kindness

that you took the time to show,

And to tell you

that it meant much more

than you will ever know.

Your friend,

Richard

With tears of gratitude, I called Randy to share. Randy immediately called Richard to thank him and to let him know that we could NOT accept it. Richard replied, "I need you to..." and explained that he had experienced a break-through with an insurance settlement. He was determined to do something nice for someone else. He heard "the story" on the news and knew just what he needed to do.

Help sometimes comes in ways you'd least expect. Thank you, Richard!

********************************************

Susan expressed her concern and dismay at the bankruptcy news last Sunday at church. I assured her we would be okay. She replied, "Good, 'cause I only have $4 in my pocket!" Later that afternoon, Randy answered the door, then walked into the kitchen with $4 in his hand. "What's this for?" he asked. I knew... and smiled. Thanks, Susan! You warm my heart.

To all of you who have expressed your concern, and love, and prayers.... I love and appreciate you! You have helped more than you will ever know.