What is a CMT?

An acronym for my latest project. CMT stands for Children's Music Theater. I've been keeping really busy doing a Children's Music Theater for kids ages 5-11. We are doing a little 25 minute musical called "Stone Soup."

We've been working our tails off for the last two weeks and this is the final week!  We had a dress rehearsal/performance today at Bear Canyon Estates (An assisted living center). It came together really well, and the people there really enjoyed it. We have two more rehearsals before we perform it for all the parents, friends and family on Friday. It should turn out really cute.

More pictures to come, but here are the costumes I made for my kids, and they are standing in front of one of the set panels painted by some of the amazing moms of the kids in our group.

A villager and a traveler

 Cute Sean--in the picture, but too young to be in the play.

Hayden playing with some of our props.  

Everyone in the play has a wooden spoon, so we've got them coming out our ears!!!

Conversations at Church

While the kids were "trying" to be quiet during Sacrament meeting, here are a couple of the things they said to me today.

Sean was playing with some stickers and after he tired of putting them on himself, and his paper, I hear this from Daphne:  "No-no Sean!  Mom, Sean is putting stickers on Heavenly Father's couches!"  (pews)

Anybody who's ever held Hayden knows that you've got to keep a burp cloth close at hand.  The boy is a very proficient "spitter-upper."  Well, he was squirming around, so I set him down to crawl a bit.  He made his way over to the action where the others were coloring, and he, of course, proceeded to spit up.  I was promptly rebuked by Dallin in this manner:

"Mom!  Hayden just barfed on my Book of Mormon.  You are supposed to hold him, Mom, not let him barf everywhere!"  

Oh, of course!  Thanks for the tip, Dallin.

Don't throw the baby out with the dishwater!

Sean wanted to be like Hayden and get a bath in the sink. I think it says something about my wonderful sink that my gigantic two-year-old can fit inside it. 10 inches deep, baby! I love it.

God Bless America

Every Heart beats true for the RED, WHITE, & BLUE

Happy 4th of July! Here are some of our festivities:

Arthur sang with four other men at the flag ceremony for our Tri-Ward breakfast and 5K run.

Then we went to a neighborhood 4th of July celebration that was so fun! They had a cute bike parade, (or stroller, wagon, or people walking dogs, parade). Tragically, we discovered upon our arrival that Dallin's tire was flat, so he didn't get to ride after all. But there were lots of other fun things. Here is Dallin sitting atop the dunk tank.

He and I both got dunked, and it felt great.

The Albuquerque Fire Department sent one of their engines over

and let the kids explore and try on hats, and coats.

Adults, too. Those hats are HEAVY!!!

They also took the kids for a ride around the block in the engine, and later sprayed everybody with the hose. Unfortunately, we missed that part because the kids and Arthur were tired, so we headed home for naps, since it would be a long night.

Snow cones at the neighborhood celebration

Daphne with her good friend Kirra.


Hayden snoozing during all the celebrating.
Doesn't he look patriotic in his attire?

In the evening we drove over to Rio Rancho to visit some friends we met at Cornell. They have a perfect view from their backyard of the Rio Rancho city fireworks show which is a pretty good little fireworks show. I think we enjoyed it more than the kids. They were all pretty tired by the time it was dark enough. But they enjoyed the fireworks we did on the street, and of course, SPARKLERS!

How grateful we are to live in a land where we have so many opportunities and freedoms. Where we can worship how we choose and where there is no lack of food or necessity.
I feel so blessed to live in this land, and grateful for all the soldiers who have given their lives to secure our freedom, and for those who serve our country now. Thanks for making our nation the land of the free!

Slip 'n' Slide

I got this slip 'n' slide on clearance at Target last season for $5!

Cheap, and fun--Yahoooooo!

Hayden loves the water

Love these guys to death.Arthur saw this picture and said,
"Holy cow, Sharee. We have four kids."
I guess it hits ya sometimes.

Although, what's more of a shocker for me is that they are all actually looking at the camera, and 3 of 4 are smiling!  Now that's something to write home about.

Visit to Nona & Grandpa's house

We recently spent some time in Ceres, California with my family. I caravaned out with my family from Grandma's funeral (in UT), while Arthur flew home to squeeze in three days of work. Then he flew out to CA, and spent a week with us and we all drove home after a week of fun with Nona and Grandpa and lots of Aunts and Uncles. We had a blast! As always, I took way too many pictures, and couldn't narrow them down very well. Browse until you're bored.

Hayden and newest cousin Carter at Grandpa Packard's house

Nona & Hayden

Sean & Uncle Nathan running through the sprinklers at the Fruit Barn. Sean doesn't look like he's having a good time, but truly, he's just so focused on the fun that he forgot to smile.

Modesto Farmer's Market
We got some sweet delicious strawberries, and some very tasty onion-garlic roasted almonds. They were awesome.

At the Farmer's Market.
Daphne was looking at the flowers, and the man just gave her this bouquet of yellow daisies. He said it's a marketing ploy: get 'em hooked young.

Sean wearing a smoothie

Camping at Big Basin Redwoods State Park. (the oldest State Park in California.) It was BEAUTIFUL! Lots of redwood trunks to hide in for capture the flag and hide n' seek. The weather was perfect, the food was delicious, and the company couldn't have been better.

We spent a day at Manresa Beach near Santa Cruz. Since moving to Albuquerque, the beach is a novelty for us, and even though it was windy and the water was freezing, we had a great time!

Sean never actually approached the water. He spent his entire day rolling around in the sand. You wouldn't believe his bath water when we got home.

A few of my favorite beach bums

Bathing beauty

Hooray for the beach!

Dallin just trying to outrun the waves. This kept him occupied for at least an hour.

say, "Beeeeach!"

Dallin trying his hand at boogie boarding.

Me and Emma. She was the only one of us who successfully caught a wave. I gave up after 45 minutes of getting pummelled by the ocean. It really takes it out of you.

It was so hot there! We spent a lot of time swimming at people's houses. Here is Hayden loving the water at Grammy's house, with Nona.

Jacob, Emma, and Nathan!
You guys rock.

Grandpa took Daphne on a Grandpa/Granddaughter date to see the ballet Sleeping Beauty performed at Hughson High School, by a youth dance company. She felt very special to go with Grandpa. And they even had cheetos for a snack during intermission. :)

Daphne loves to play Polly Fashions with Aunt Emma as much as she can. One day, she played Polly Fashions with Dallin, Uncle Nathan and Uncle Jacob, and this is what happened:

I think next time, she'll just stick to playing with Aunt Emma.


Thanks for such a great time guys! We love you all and miss you already!