Willow

Just this side of Heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.  When an animal who has been especially close to someone dies, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.  There are meadows and hills for all our special friends so they can run and play together.  There is plenty of food, water, and sunshine and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals that have been ill or old are restored to health and vigor.  Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again just as we remember them in our dreams of days gone by.  The animals are happy and content.  Except for one small thing:  they miss someone very special to them who has been left behind.  They will run and play together but the day finally comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance.  His bright eyes are intent and his eager body quivers.  Suddenly, he begins to run from the group.  Flying over the green grass, his legs carry him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again.  The happy kisses rain upon your face, your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet who was gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross the Rainbow Bridge together...

- Author Unknown

Monday Motivator

"Life's greatest happiness is to be convinced we are loved."

- Victor Hugo

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Tonight I spent a perfectly lovely evening at Abravanel Hall listening to the Utah Symphony!  The concert began with a delightful piece by Haydn.  Then the orchestra played a piece which I think may be a new favorite: Music for the Royal Fireworks by Handel.  As the name implies, this piece was commissioned by King George II of Great Britain to serve as background for a display of fireworks that was planned as a celebration of the end of the War of the Austrian Succession.  I absolutely loved it!  It was full of wonderful fanfares which I always associate with royalty.  It was just the sort of thing one might expect to hear at a royal wedding!  After the intermission the orchestra played The Incidental Music for A Midsummer Night's Dream by Mendelssohn.  This piece was so much fun because it combined instrumental music with solo vocal and choral performances interspersed with actual scenes from the Shakespeare play.  The orchestra was joined by the Utah Symphony Chorus, Resident Artists with the Utah Opera, and various performers from the Utah Shakespearean Festival.  I must admit that I was a little bit disappointed because Brian Vaughn, one of my very favorite actors from the festival, was scheduled to be a narrator and he wasn't able to perform.  However, David Ivers, another one of my favorites, played both Pyramus and Thisbe and it was hilarious!  I was actually laughing out loud, especially during the death scene!  It was a perfect ending to a long week (even though it was only four days).

It Was The Best Of Times, It Was The Worst Of Times...

Tonight I got to see the stage adaptation of one of my all-time favorite novels, A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, performed at Hale Theatre.  I absolutely loved it!  This musical tells the well known story of Sydney Carton, a drunken English lawyer, Charles Darnay, a French aristocrat who renounces his title and fortune, and Lucie Manette, the woman they both love, set against the backdrop of the French Revolution.  The songs are absolutely beautiful, the costumes are opulent, the sets are ingenious, and the cast is superb!  I was absolutely blown away by the actor playing Sydney Carton!  For some reason I have always preferred the dissolute, yet vulnerable, Sydney to the earnest and well-meaning Charles!  I thought Kyle Olsen did a brilliant job portraying Sydney's transformation and I loved his songs "Reflection," "If Dreams Came True," and "The Way It Ought To Be."   I highly recommend this wonderful show!

The Only Way Out Is Down

On a day off from school you can usually find me in a darkened theater with some over-priced popcorn.  Today I was in the mood for adventure so I decided to see Sanctum.  I really enjoyed it but seeing it in 3D was probably not the best choice because at times I felt uncomfortably claustrophobic and short of breath!  An underwater cave exploration team is in a remote cave in Papua New Guinea trying to discover an outlet into the Solomon Sea.  When a cyclone hits the island, five members of the team are trapped in the cave which is rapidly filling with water.  Their only hope of survival is to dive to the unknown outlet.  Amidst all of the awesome special effects there is a complex storyline between the expedition leader and his sixteen year old son which I found to be very compelling.  It is pretty intense but I would recommend it if you like action-thrillers!

Note:  This movie stars Ioan Gruffudd who played Horatio Hornblower in the popular A&E series and Philip Bosinney in The Forsyte Saga on PBS.  He is quite dreamy...

Monday Motivator

"Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure...than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat."

- Theodore Roosevelt

The Kiss of True Love

Tonight I went to see The Sleeping Beauty performed by Ballet West.  I absolutely loved it!  The fairies of Kindness, Joy, Beauty, and Temperament have come to the christening of Princess Aurora to bestow gifts upon her.  Carabosse, the Fairy of Jealousy, is angry that she was not invited to the christening and casts an evil spell on Princess Aurora.  One day when she least expects it she will prick her finger on a spindle and die.  However, the Lilac Fairy has not yet given her gift and lessens the curse so that Princess Aurora will only fall into a deep sleep instead of dying and will be awakened by the kiss of true love.  Princess Aurora pricks her finger on a spindle given to her by the disguised Carabosse on her sixteenth birthday.  The Lilac Fairy casts a spell of sleep on the entire court and places an enchanted forest around the palace.  One hundred years later Prince Desire brings a hunting party into the forest and is shown a vision of Princess Aurora by the Lilac Fairy.  He immediately searches for her and wakes her up with the kiss of true love.  I really loved the individual dances of the fairies but my favorite part of the ballet was when Prince Desire and Princess Aurora dance a beautiful grand pas de deux at their wedding scene.  The costumes and sets were stunning and Tchaikovsky's score was breathtaking!  It was a lovely evening!

Note:  I was reading my nook during intermission (I am a constant reader) and an usher came over to me and wanted to know all about it.  I think I convinced her to get one!!

Bravo Broadway

The Bravo Broadway concert with the Utah Symphony and various Broadway stars is another one I look forward to every year!  Tonight it was amazing because the featured performers were actresses who had both played Elphaba in Wicked!  I wanted it to go on all night!  There were selections from Gypsy, Chicago, Funny Girl, Ragtime, Spamalot, and Phantom of the Opera.  But my favorite part of the concert was when the actresses sang "Popular," "Defying Gravity," and "For Good" from Wicked!  I absolutely love that show and it gave me goosebumps to hear those incredible songs.  Such a great performance!

Learning How to Fall

I didn't have very many parents visit me during parent teacher conferences the past two nights so I was able to finish the February selection for my book club, Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls, sooner than expected.  Once again, this was a book that I didn't think I would enjoy which ended up being very compelling.  In fact, I read much later than I should have last night!  This is the fictionalized story of Lily Casey Smith, the author's maternal grandmother, and the adventures she had living in the Southwest during the Depression.  Lily was a horse breaker with her father starting from the age of six, a teacher who rode over 500 miles by herself to teach in a one room schoolhouse, a wife who helped her husband manage a sprawling cattle ranch in Arizona, a mother to two children, a bootlegger, a poker player, a racehorse jockey, and a bush pilot!  She lived through flash floods, tornadoes, droughts, blizzards, bankruptcy, discrimination, and personal tragedy all with the attitude that you simply get back up on the horse when you fall!  I highly recommend this wonderful story of an indomitable woman!

Mini Cheesecakes

Are you looking for an elegant dessert for this evening?  These Mini Cheesecakes are quick and easy and sure to impress your Valentine!

To make these little bits of deliciousness you will need:

12 vanilla wafers

2 (8 oz) packages of cream cheese, softened

2 eggs

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2/3 cup white sugar

1 (21 oz) can of cherry pie filling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line muffin tin with 12 paper baking cups and place a vanilla wafer in each one.  In a medium mixing bowl beat cream cheese until fluffy.  Add eggs, lemon juice, and sugar.  Beat until smooth and thoroughly combined.  Fill each baking cup 2/3 full with cream cheese mixture.  Bake in a preheated oven for 15-17 minutes.  Cool on rack.  Top with pie filling.

I first made these cheesecakes for a New Year's Eve party many years ago.  I have since taken them to Christmas parties, Super Bowl parties, and showers.  They disappear in minutes so you should probably make a double batch! I will be taking them to a fun gathering this evening!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Monday Motivator

"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength while loving someone deeply gives you courage."

- Lao Tzu

The Show That Made Me Laugh A Lot!

This afternoon I went to see the musical Spamalot at Kingsbury Hall.  It is based on Monty Python and the Holy Grail (with some bits of The Life of Brian thrown in for good measure) and it is absolutely hysterical!  I actually had a hard time breathing because I was laughing so hard!  It tells the story of King Arthur who is given the sword Excalibur by the Lady of the Lake (and her Laker Girls).  He then searches his kingdom for knights to sit at his very, very round table in Camelot (a Las Vegas resort).  He finds the strangely flatulent Sir Bedevere, the astonishingly handsome Sir Galahad, the homicidally brave Sir Lancelot, and the Not-So-Brave Sir Robin.  Eventually God gives them a quest to find the Holy Grail but they run into difficulties:  they are taunted by the French, they meet up with the Knights Who Say Ni who demand a shrubbery before they are allowed to pass, and Lancelot must save Prince Herbert who is being held captive by his father and forced to marry against his will.  In the end King Arthur uses the Holy Hand Grenade to find the Grail under seat D101 in the audience!  I thoroughly enjoyed myself watching this hilarious show!

Bartok Concerto for Orchestra

To cap off a very busy day I attended a performance by the Utah Symphony tonight.  It was absolutely wonderful!  The concert began with pieces by Stravinsky and Shostakovich which I very much enjoyed (for some reason I really love the Russian composers).  After the intermission the orchestra played a piece by Bartok which is a perennial favorite of Utah audiences: the Concerto for Orchestra.  At various times this piece is beautifully melodic, vibrantly stirring, and evocatively atmospheric.  Every section of the orchestra was featured and each performance was flawless!  It was a rather sparse audience tonight but those in attendance gave the orchestra a standing ovation!

Build-A-Bear

Today I took my two favorite people to Build-A-Bear for Valentine's Day!

When Tashena first came to our family, Marilyn and I took her to Build-A-Bear the day after Thanksgiving.  Being in a family was very important to Tashena and she decided everything we did that year was an automatic family tradition, including going to Build-A-Bear.  We have gone every year since then, but last Thanksgiving we were in St. George so we were unable to go!  I thought Valentine's Day would be the perfect time to make it up to them!

Tashena picked out this cute pink puppy!

So Sean picked out the same puppy, only in blue!

Tashena stuffing her puppy.

Sean stuffing his puppy.

Sean giving his puppy a bath (He automatically posed for me).

Tashena getting her puppy all dressed!  Since dogs have four feet, her puppy clearly had to have two pairs of sparkly shoes!

Which meant that Sean's puppy had to have two pairs of high-tops!  I love that the hoodie has openings for the ears!

Tashena is printing out a birth certificate for "Lilly."

Sean is printing a birth certificate for "Bluie."

I don't know who enjoys this tradition more: Sean and Tashena or Aunt Phaedra!

Jazz vs. Suns

It has been an emotional few days for Jazz fans!  After the Bulls game on Wednesday there was a rumor floating around the Internet that Jerry Sloan might be stepping down as head coach.  I wondered if it might be true and then promptly forgot about it.  Yesterday one of my students, who had ESPN on his phone, told me that Sloan had resigned and that there would be a press conference later in the afternoon.  I was absolutely stunned.  I could barely get through my last class and rushed home to see the press conference.  I will admit that I did shed a tear or two.  Jerry Sloan is the only Jazz coach I have ever known and I have the utmost respect for him!  I have met and interacted with him on two occasions and he couldn't have been more charming or friendly.  On both occasions he thanked me for supporting the Jazz.  Today I vacillated between sadness over the loss of Jerry Sloan and excitement over the appointment of Ty Corbin as the new coach.  I anticipated tonight's game against the Phoenix Suns all day and emotions were running high in the ESA.  Ty Corbin got a huge welcome from the crowd and I thought he looked just a bit nervous, which was really endearing.  The Jazz got off to a quick start and soon led the Suns by 15.  Utah had a lot of energy and played as if they were inspired to win for their new coach.  It was a lot of fun for fans to watch and I was thrilled when the Jazz took a 56-44 lead into the half.  It has been a while since since I have felt such positive energy at a game.  After halftime it seemed as if the Jazz just ran out of gas, that the emotions got the better of them.  Once the Suns got the lead in the fourth quarter, the Jazz started missing outside shots and couldn't do anything defensively to stop Nash.  The Jazz enventually lost their first game without Coach Sloan 95-83.

Candy Cane Heart Suckers

As soon as I saw these adorable suckers here I wanted to make them for my niece and nephew.  I found some mini candy canes at Oriental Trading and immediately placed my order.  They were delivered on Tuesday: just in time to make these fun treats for Valentine's Day!

Line a cookie sheet with some waxed paper and place two mini candy canes together to form a heart.  Insert a sucker stick between the candy canes.  Place the cookie sheet in a 350 degree oven and watch carefully!!  I had an unfortunate incident with my first batch!  When the candy canes are just getting a little melty, remove them from the oven and pinch the two candy canes together.  Do this carefully because they will be quite hot.  Mine looked like they were going to break apart but they reformed as they cooled.  After the candy canes have cooled completely, fill them with some melted white chocolate.  Smooth out the chocolate with your finger so it fills in the whole heart and add some Valentine sprinkles.  I put them in the freezer for a few minutes to solidify.

Linking here and here.

Valentine Brownie Pops

Have you seen those cake pops that everyone seems to be making right now?  They look a little too labor-intensive for me but I did find a cute brownie version for Valentine's Day here and I decided to try it.

Simply make a batch of brownies using your favorite recipe (I used a mix).  After the brownies have cooled thoroughly, cut out the heart shapes using a cookie cutter.  Melt a little bit of baking chocolate in the microwave.  Place the ends of some sucker sticks into the melted chocolate and then insert the chocolate covered end into the heart shaped brownies.  Place them on a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper and put into the freezer for a few minutes.  (This step ensures that the sucker sticks will stay put when you dip them - brilliant).  Microwave some more baking chocolate for 30 second intervals until melted.  Dip the suckers into the chocolate until well coated.  Gently tap the suckers to remove excess chocolate and place back onto the waxed paper to set up.  Add any decorative sprinkles that you would like before the chocolate hardens. I'm pretty sure your Valentines will be excited to receive such a decadent treat!  Give them a try!

Linking here and here.

Jazz vs. Bulls

Tonight's game between the Utah Jazz and the Chicago Bulls brought the much anticipated return of my beloved Kyle Korver to the ESA.  Oh how I love Kyle Korver!  I really miss him and the Utah Jazz definitely miss his three-point shooting.  This was a game of conflicting emotions for me.  I really wanted the Jazz to win, but I must admit that I did cheer when Korver got the sweet three-pointer that gave Chicago the momentum near the end of the game.  I was very happy to see Paul Millsap block Carlos Boozer's first shot and knock the ball out of his hands twice during the game but I thought the boos from the crowd every time Boozer touched the ball were a little excessive.  The game ended up being very exciting and intense to watch and I thought the Jazz played surprisingly well against a top caliber team.  Even though the Jazz had more rebounds and more shots than the Bulls, they lost this game at the free throw line ending the night 11-21.  The Bulls got the victory 86-91.

Note:  Did I mention that I really miss Kyle Korver?  It was actually quite painful for me to see him in a Bulls uniform...

Chocolate Covered Cinnamon Bears

Do you need a little Valentine's Day treat for friends or neighbors?  I made these chocolate covered cinnamon bears after finding them here last year and they were a huge hit!  I decided to make them again because I received a request from one of my colleagues!

All you do is microwave some baking chocolate for 30 second intervals until melted, dip the cinnamon bears in the chocolate until well coated, and place on waxed paper until they set up.  Package them up and give to your Valentines (one of these is for you Spencer).

Note:  I am not a big fan of cinnamon bears but when they are covered in chocolate I absolutely love them!

Linking here and here.

Valentine Bark

I found the idea for this bark here.  It is a really quick and easy treat to make for your Valentine.  Just microwave some white chocolate for 30 second intervals until melted.  Spread the melted chocolate onto some waxed paper and add your favorite Valentine candy or sprinkles.  Allow the chocolate to harden and then break into pieces.  Yummy!

Linking here and here.

Valentine Sugar Cookies

When I was a little girl my Mom would always make sugar cookies to celebrate major holidays (most notably Halloween, Christmas, and Valentine's Day) and she would let me and my sisters frost and decorate them.  I have the best Mom!  For some reason Valentine's Day is the one holiday for which I feel compelled to uphold the tradition!  This is my favorite recipe for sugar cookies which I found here a couple of years ago.

2/3 cup shortening

3/4 cup sugar

2 tsp. grated orange peel

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 egg

4 tsp. milk

2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Cream together the shortening, sugar, orange peel and vanilla.  Beat in the egg until fluffy.  Stir in the milk.  Add the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Divide the dough in half and chill for at least an hour.  Roll dough on a lightly floured surface until about 1/8 inch thick.  Cut into shapes and bake on greased cookie sheets for 7 minutes.  Cool and decorate with buttercream frosting.

1 stick butter

3 cups powdered sugar

3 tbsp. milk

1 tsp. vanilla

Cream together until fluffy and add one or two drops of red food coloring to get desired pink color.

Package them up and deliver to your favorite Valentine!

Monday Motivator

"If you have love, you don't need to have anything else.  If you don't have love, it doesn't matter much what else you do have."

- James M. Barrie

Super Bowl Treats

Are you going to a Super Bowl party?  Here is a really quick and easy treat that is sure to impress football fans.

All you do is make a batch of rice krispies treats and cut out some football shapes.  Microwave some baking chocolate for 30 second intervals until melted and spread on each football.  Then pipe some white frosting (I use the ready-made tubes of frosting that let you attach whichever tip you want) for the stripes and the laces. 

Note:  I am not really a Green Bay Packers fan (I am actually pretty ambivalent about the outcome of the game this year) I just didn't have any black curling ribbon!

Jazz vs. Thunder

After defeating the division rival Denver Nuggets last night, I really hoped the Jazz could repeat against another division rival tonight to move up in the standings.  However, the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder turned into the good, the bad, and the ugly!  The first quarter was good.  The Jazz had a quick start making all of their first eleven shots!  Deron Williams took a page out of Earl Watson's book and really pushed the ball inside.  The second quarter was bad.  The Jazz let the Thunder, led by James Harden and Eric Maynor, get back into the game.  The Thunder took a five point lead into halftime.  The third quarter was ugly.  The Jazz were unable to stop the three-point shooting of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook and trailed the Thunder by double digits for the rest of the game.  The Jazz ended up losing their tenth home game of the season 121-105.

Jazz vs. Rockets

Even though they were without the services of Deron Williams, Mehmet Okur, and Andre Kirilenko, the Utah Jazz played a great game against the Houston Rockets.  It was a back and forth battle all night and it was a fun game for the fans to watch.  Jeremy Evans got the crowd cheering with an awesome block and an alley oop dunk from Earl Watson.  It came down to the final six seconds with the Jazz leading 96-94.  Then Kevin Martin scored and was fouled by Al Jefferson to get a three-point play for the lead.  The Jazz had a chance to win but CJ Miles, who ended the night with 18 points, missed a last second three-pointer to give Houston the victory 97-96.  I must admit that it was a disappointing loss but I really enjoyed the game because the Jazz seemed to be playing with a lot more intensity and heart!

Note:  When the Jazz blankets were given away, Emily and I both somehow missed out.  We were very bitter!  Tonight they were throwing some of the extra blankets into the crowd and both of us were able to get one!  Score!