Randy in Italy

Randy has been in Italy for the past two weeks helping Drake Busath with his Photo Workshop there. I asked him to email a photo a day. Here is a taste of the images he created.

From Tuscany

"Abandoned"

"Renaissance Man"

"Solitude"

"Heavenward"

"Freedom"

"Cleanliness is Next to Godliness"

"Reverence"

"Tuscan Countryside"

"Passage"

"Hissy Fit"

"Eventide"

Announcing Emily and Joseph

Announcing Audrey and Matthew

This invitation is in the mail. Now on to Emily and Joe's.

The New Studio

It's all finished just in time to house the wedding receptions of our two daughters. Randy is in heaven!

RANDY COLLIER

photographic design

Front Room

Display Prints in Hallway

Sales Room

Dressing Room

Shooting Room

We're ready for business!

Just my Father and Me -

Today I found an afternoon to be with my father - just the two of us. Randy is in Italy and my children are away...

I fed him lots of jello - he loves that; and we listened to and talked music together.

Sometimes he forgets....

The simple things

Where he lives

What to do

What to say

How to live

Who I am

But today I am clearly his daughter. He loves and appreciates me. I love and appreciate him.

It is good for me to remember...

The way he loved my mother above all

How it felt to have my father as a high school teacher

The marvelous musical experiences he afforded me

The beautiful and prophetic priesthood blessings he gave me as a child

His fervent testimony that he so willingly shared

Happy Father's Day, Dad.

I will not forget.

Emergency Surgery at Three Weeks Old

Ethan couldn't keep anything down. Everything he drank came right back up. It reminded me of his Uncle David when he was five weeks old. And Potts when he was a baby! I suspected it was the same stomach condition, Pyloric Stenosis, which is most prevalent with first-born males. The valve at the bottom of the stomach closes up and prevents food from digesting.

And so it was. We took care of Evylee while Michael and Desiree took Ethan to Primary Children's Hospital late Friday night. Surgery was scheduled for Saturday afternoon.

By Sunday evening, he was eating well and was able to come back home to us.

A Celebration - In honor of Grandma Collier's 80th birthday

No one can bake sugar cookies like Grandma

No one can roast a turkey like Grandma

No one can raise three good, kind, loving sons like Grandma

(and one daughter too)

No one can remember everyone's birthday on time like Grandma

No one can smile through adversity like Grandma

So...

We loaded up three cars and drove five hours to Bellevue, Idaho.

(Funny, Randy. Is this your idea of creative photography? *photo of me through a plastic water bottle - my true character shines through.)

To celebrate the 80 years of Grandma Collier's life.

She met the three newest "members" of our family.

Ethan Michael Collier - just two weeks old and the first of this generation to carry on the "Collier" name!

Four generations of Collier men.

Audrey's man, Matthew Cole Taylor

And Emily's, Joseph Dodd Fairbank

It was a double party.

Our nephew, Ben, celebrated his 13th!

Happy 80th, Grandma Collier!

May all your wishes come true!

A Memorial Day Family Tradition

It's a tradition we've observed for over a decade now --

The Collier Family and Friends Annual Softball Game. As our families grow, it just keeps getting bigger and better.

We have a blast!

The young and the young at heart.

The Taylor Family joined us for their first time. I hope they'll come again year after year.

We wear our favorite sports apparel.

Cool! Same Team -- Matching Shirts! (this was NOT planned)

Winning Team (notice who is NOT on it ----- AGAIN!)

"Win as if you were used to it, lose as if you enjoyed it for a change."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

For a change? It's a cruel thing. Softball is a youthful passion of mine. It was my summer-time "life" from grade school on. And yet, for some uncanny reason, it has become the norm for me to be on the losing team -- year after year. Yes, I'm getting a complex...

But oh, what FUN!

And the fun doesn't stop there! We finish up with a hot dog roast back at the house.

Love the racquet, little Evylee!

This year we celebrated Matthew's 22nd birthday. Hope it was a happy one!

It was WAY too COLD to swim this year. But Logan was determined and stayed in until he was blue. (Wish I had a picture.) Way to go Logan! You are a little man after my own heart.

Thanks for the GREAT time and FANTASTIC food, everyone! Here's to next year. Please let me win!