What do we do in the SuMmErTimE?!!...we "PLAY"

So every summer the Missoula Children's Theatre goes "on tour" to rural communities-to put on a complete musical with the children.

All the way from try-outs, to practices, costumes, cast parties and two performances pretty much takes up the entire week!

This year was Tortoise vs. the Hare (a cute little ditty)

I asked the boys if they were interested in doing it this year.

In fact, they were so interested we decided to come home from California (as planned) and not stay a little bit longer, so they could participate!
I always have to laugh at try-puts because they have the kids line up according to height, and then have them tell their names and grade. Colton was with the 6-9th graders and Sterling was in 4th...they moved Sterling back to his grade and he was part of the fan club chorus (for the hare)

Colton ended up with a speaking part as Oggy Froggy with the reptile gang (for the turtle)

Colton is top, far right, in silver--above

Because Dan and I were in Phoenix for the DeLaFuente's sealing.

Aunt Cara kept the boys and taped their performance. We watched the video for Family Home Evening.

and we were once again happy we spent a week of our summer vacation

"PLAYING in a PLAY"!

Youth Conference 2010

Our stake Youth Conference this year was July 16th & 17th

We went with a SURVIVOR type theme

(Check out the logo below...with the puzzle of pain picts.)

We camped at a ranch bordering Marshall Lake (or lovingly referred to as Swamp)

In Flagstaff
There was plenty of Monsoons to keep the heat at bay...but we still managed some good burns!

Friday evening we spent at the local chapel eating dinner, listening to Tyler Wilkinson (who did "a real hero" movie with Steve Young--we flew him in from St.George)

AND having a dance.

I wish I took pictures BUT I was too busy dancing and playing mafia.

We only ran into mild problems with the YM and YW camping next to each other

(the barbed wire fence separating them helped)

and us lady leaders stayed up until 2:30am chatting the night away--after all no babies to wake us in the middle of the night...ONLY a pack of COYOTES!

The following morning we awoke and separated into tribes-we had wrist bands and water bottles (different colors) with the insignia to separate them all day!

Then it was off to our challenges we had competing against each other all day.

I only got shots of a few of the four challenges.

(our camp view from Marshall Lake)

From the picts. I am absolutely sure you can tell the challenges involved EVERYONE and we got ALLOT of dirty, wet fun in!!!

YES, and we even lost particles of clothing (poor Breanna above!..no shoe the rest of the day)

A SERIOUS CORRAL OBSTACLE COURSE was a MUST!

AND can I say the Steinarts are THE BEST ever?

We delgated to one of our favorite couple friends to plan the whole thing and they ROCKED it!

At the very end of a VERY muddy and VERY dirty and VERY tiring day we wrapped things up in the barn as the rain pitter-pattered on the roof.

We made analogies to each challenge as challenges in our life.

It was a SUCCESS!

Did I mention we were fed super well too? all on a super tight budget--now that is a success!

*Rhett spent the night with Aunt mommy Cara~ and Colton went and spent the day and night at his favorite friend Dallin's house, then he came and joined me on Saturday up in the mountains!

Colton got to ride the rhino with one of our favorite friends Cory Ipson. He took Colton out on a "joy" ride and then offered to let him take it out on his own. My boys do not have my blood of adventure- Colton would not do it even after Cory handed him the keys...CHICKEN!!!and then we got a first class ride home in our friends RV-LOVE IT!