Big news in the Palmer Family

The Palmers had 2 arrivals in March:

Baby Maria Elizabeth Morley born to Erin and John on March 14th, 2011! Isn't she beautiful!

Sweet new family:

AND, Elder Matt Palmer, missionary from Japan, came home on March 18th! (He's the one in the middle. They took this in one shot!)

Matt's arrival made the news. You see the huge family with the big flag making a proper raucous? Um, that's not us. So, since we Stewarts are in Phoenix, Erin's in VA and David's in CA. And Maria was born that week, so Mom was out in VA with Erin, Whitney was on a dance company tour to CA, so it was just my dad with his mini flag there to welcome Matt home!!
I mean, yeah Matt, we all wanted you to make more YouTube movies as soon as you got home, but I didn't think you would take us LITERALLY!!!
Can't wait to see you!

A Sparkly Fourth in Santa Fe

In the morning, we got to attend a super-schmantzy 'brunch' at an Art Gallery for all the Opera singers and their Patrons. And their moochable sisters, brothers-in-law, nieces and nephews. We're always up for crashing a schmantzy party!

We almost bought this fine sculpture for Oliver. Seems that human babies aren't the only ones that like to nibble on their toes:

The gardens were sublime, the food was even better. We met lots of interesting people, and eventually the crowds subsided and Erin was able to enjoy her brunch. It was quite the event. Luckily, there were other children there, and Lizzie quickly made a new friend, Effie, who's dad is in a different opera this summer. They're now fast friends and email buddies.

In fact, all the kids ended up making new friends. There were children from Toronto, Italy, and other places, some didn't even speak English. But they all spoke the language of "freeze tag" - tag knows no boundaries.
Later that night, we did some fireworks at Erin's pad. We decided to invite Mom, Dad, and Whitney:
I had fun with some camera tricks:





Then somehow, Ivy managed to stick her sparkler right in Erin's rear end. It burned right through, and from henceforth and forever, Erin will now be known hereafter in this blog as "Sparklebutt."
Eli, Lizzie, and Sparklebutt.
Lizzie, Sparklebutt, and Ivy.

Oliver and Sparklebutt enjoy the lights! ;>
Happy Fourth, and thanks to Sparklebutt for a WONDERFUL AWESOME trip to SANTA FE!!!! We love you!

Santa Fe, Part Dos

We woke up in this magazine-worthy setting: But we had places to go, people to see!


Our schedule is just packed.
First up, horse riding!






Stick 'em up.

On our way to get the tire fixed, we saw this beautiful median, adopted by Cassidy's Landscaping, Inc. Let's keep Santa Fe beautiful! I love the way they used the Yield Sign. So artistic.

Next we went to the Plaza - the bustling center of Santa Fe!Gorgeous, cool, clear weather!

Love the hat.Lizzie made a few new friends as well:

At Gabriel's we ordered in Spanish and watched our guacamole prepared right in front of us!

Now it's opera time: Mozart's The Magic Flute.

The Santa Fe Opera has no walls. You watch the sun set during the show.
Erin was the Queen of the Night - literally, as well as her role title. She's the one in white, center stage - kind of hard to miss...
Here's a close-up of her costume. Bald cap + wig + outrageous Elizabethan dress = a terrifying queen. You better listen to her! Oh, what's that you say? You think this looks familiar somehow? Well, only if you've seen the new Alice in Wonderland...

Here's the Erin we know and love!

And I daresay, we love Santa Fe, too.

Santa Fe: Somewhere over the Rainbow

Our journey to visit Erin in Santa Fe was supposed to be quick and easy. Little did we know she lived somewhere over the rainbow, and to get there, you must prove your worthiness.

We passed the test!!!!

Classics & Creatures! - What a night!

Our concert was last Saturday night - whew! What a great time!

Tia conducts the CCC: Erin enters as the "Dew Fairy" to awaken the sleeping chidren (from Hansel & Gretel)

Erin really did knock the socks off of everyone there! What a star!! We love you, Erin!

Lovely flowers for us at the end of the concert! We have the best choir families in the world. :)

Looking oh so professional!

I loved how one of my friends put it: "There was something so poetic about you sisters growing up singing in children's choirs together, then now to have you conducting the children's choir with your sister soloing with you." It was a sweet experience, and one of the highlights of my musical life, to be sure!