Another ELDER GRAY to serve the Lord!

Tyson is getting his mission call out of the mailbox!
Excited and nervous at the same time.

Opening the long awaited mission call!

Tyson is reading his mission call as we as family members anxiously listen. Those gathered were dad, mom, Lindsey, Hyrum, Courtney, Kyle, and Lacey.

The first phone call that he made was to his oldest brother Ryan. Then he made many other phone calls to family and friends.

Elder Gray is THRILLED!

On Wednesday, April 22nd, we were expecting Tyson's mission call to come. Kyle and I were leaving to go mow lawns when our postman (Kirk Allred) flagged us down as we were leaving our neighborhood. He happily gave us Tyson mission call. I was so excited and so grateful for our postman for flagging us down. So, Kyle and I turned around and took Tyson's mission call back to the house. Tyson was at work and so we called and told him it was home waiting for him. We also called Russell to tell him. We were expecting his call that day so we had already planned to gather as a family at 5:00 p.m. (after work and school) for the "opening party." When it was time to open the call, I of course had to put the mission call back in the mailbox to get a picture. It is a very "Kodiak" moment. Well, then we went back into the house and listened and waited as Tyson read his call. "Dear Elder Gray: You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the PERU LIMA EAST MISSION. It is anticipated that you will serve for a period of 24 months. You should report to the Provo Missionary Training Center on Wednesday, July 29, 2009. You will prepare to preach the gospel in the Spanish language." We are very grateful and excited as a family at this time. Tyson will participate in "phased training or split-training" as he will spend three weeks in the Provo MTC and then six weeks in the Peru MTC.

First Counselor

On Sunday, April 19th Lacey was called to be the first counselor in the Laural class presidency. She is such a good girl and very active in the Young Women program. The president is Lauren Field, with Brandy Morris as the second counselor and Amber Arnoldsen as the secretary.

Cowboy quilts

Last Spring for one of our Enrichment classes, Amy McClellan (my neighbor) taught a beginning quilt class. Even though I have been taking her Saturday Sampler class at her store (American Quilting) for four years now, I still wanted to take this class. I always learn something new from her. Well, I had so much fun making the first quilt that I wanted to make another one, but with some changes. As it ended up I always had left over fabric and wanted to make a change or two and so I just kept sewing. I now have four baby boy COWBOY quilts...just waiting for some grandsons to be born (with none on the way though). I now need to change my focus from boy quilts to girl quilts, because we do have one granddaughter on the way.

Spring Break Part 2

You would probably think WINTER when you look at these pictures, but no, it's just SPRINGTIME in Utah.
There was so much snow that our flowering plum tree, with all it's pretty pink blossoms couldn't bare the weight of the heavy snow. We thought that only one of the tree limbs broke, but a few days later after the snow melted off the tree, we discovered that there were two more broken tree limbs. As we drove around town there were SO MANY blossoming trees with broken tree limbs and some were all the way uprooted.

We got THIRTEEN inches of snow on April 16th.

The day after Lacey and I returned home from Colorado we woke up to SNOW. This is not the type of weather that you would expect for SPRING BREAK (well, maybe if you live inUtah). It sure was beautiful though.

Spring Break Part 1

Bronco with his good friend Harry.
Bayli was having so much fun dancing around in her Tinkerbell costume just after she watched her new Tinkerbell movie.Bayli is such a sweet older sister as she helps Bronco on the swing set.

Bronco held on tight as he and Bayli were swinging together.

Lacey was inside watching Bayli and Bronco play outside.

Bronco loves playing with cars and trucks.

Lacey loves to make Bronco laugh.

Ryan, Bronco, Kathi, Bayli, and Lacey.

For Spring Break Lacey and I drove to Colorado to spend time with Ryan and Kathi and their family. They had just visited us the week before, but we had the time so we couldn't resist the opportunity of going to visit them too. We had fun relaxing, visiting, and shopping for shoes for Lacey for Prom. Thanks Ryan and Kathi for letting us come. (April 13-15)

Easter

Kyle found his Easter basket!
Lacey is eggcited!

Aspen found her families Easter goodies.

Tyson has to reach high to get his Easter basket.

HAPPY EASTER to EVERYONE!

No matter how old my children are, the Easter Bunny still hides their baskets and they have to find them.

This year we had a great Family Home Evening lesson on the first Easter. It was one of those lessons where we all gave part of the lesson and then Kyle gave us some great insight that he learned on his mission. I really enjoyed it and I learned a lot. I am grateful for our Savior Jesus Christ and the resurrection.

Colonoscopy

Before the procedure: Russell dressed in his little nightie.
After the procedure: Russell sleeping so well.

On Friday April 10th, Russell had a routine colonoscopy. The doctor did remove three polyps and gratefully the results came back just fine. P.S. I know this may be private information, but hey, I need to record it somewhere.

Stake YCL's

Skit time

In Sunday School some students come prepared to listen and learn and others (Lacey) don't. Don't you just love her red "hooker" boots!
Having too much fun in Sunday School.

Silly girls!

All the Stake YCL's singing, "Shine bright, shine far, where you live or where you are, be a star!"

Some of the YCL's teaching the 1st & 2nd level Young Women some fun camp songs.

They each made their own tie-dyed shirts and they LOVED them.

Singing one of their favorite camp songs, "Mormon Boys," which ends with...marry a righteous Priest!

Lacey is a Stake YCL (Youth Camp Leader) this year. On April 9th we had a Stake First Aid Fair where the Stake YCL's taught first aid, performed a FUNNY skit and taught fun camp songs.

Grandchild #6

Hyrum and Courtney have found out that they are having a GIRL! We are all SO excited!

Were you flattered, mom?

A funny story...

A couple of weeks ago when Kyle (21) and I (49) were at Home Depot buying a new water heater, we were standing at the checkout line. I was standing towards the front of the large cart on one side and Kyle was standing towards the back of the cart on the opposite side. The older employee who helped us was standing back by Kyle and he said to Kyle, " I will get someone to help you load this so your wife doesn't have to help." A few seconds later Kyle moved to my side of the cart and smiled at me as if to say, "Did you hear what he said?" I smiled back at Kyle as if to say, "Yes, I heard." We both laughed. When we were driving away with the water heater all loaded up, Kyle said, "Were you flattered, mom?" We both just laughed again. So, did the employee really think that Kyle and I were married? Did he think that Kyle looked older then what he really is? Was it Kyle's facial hair that day? Did he think that I looked younger then what I am? Did he think that we were just another odd modern couple with a younger husband and an older wife? Who knows, but we got a kick out of it.

Girl's Night Out

The kiddos...Bronco (Kathi's holding him, she isn't a kiddo), Ella, Aspen, and Bayli, watching "The Incredibles."
Lacey & Rylie

Back row: Jessie, Lindsey, Bronco, Kathi, Aspen, Judy, Barbara, Ella, Sarah, & Courtney

Front row: Rylie & Lacey

In February, we had a "Girls Night" and we had so much fun that we decided to do it again while the men were are General Priesthood. We ate some good salad, fresh fruit, rolls, mint brownies, and smoothies. We also played a fun game called "Imaginiff."

General Priesthood

Tyson, Kyle, Russell, Hyrum, and Ryan.
Our Priesthood holders. Aren't they handsome!

Going to General Priesthood with his boys, is one of Russell's favorite events of the year. He REALLY looks forward to this evening twice a year. He realizes what a blessing it is to have sons that hold the Priesthood. He feels so blessed! This year was special because Kyle was home from his mission and Ryan came into town, so Russell was able to go with all of his boys here on earth. This is a time when we miss Tyler's presence. Grandpa Merrill and Alex Plaster also joined our men for this special evening. After the meeting they always go out to dinner. This year, Tyson chose to go Panda Express...his favorite.

What do you do when you "watch" General Conference?

Well, this is what we did this year during General Conference.
Hyrum kept Bayli entertained with his computer.

Bayli's distorted face on Hyrum and Courtney's computer.


Ryan, catching a few Z's.

Russell is also catching a few Z's.

Kyle was "listening" to General Conference in the comforts of his bed.Women can multitask. Kathi was listening to General Conference AND on the computer at the same time.

Tyson, Kyle, and Russell snacking, snoozing, and listening.

We REALLY did listen to the speakers, even though the pictures show otherwise. One of the highlights for us this year was waiting for and then listening to Hyrum's mission president speak in the Sunday afternoon session. President Jose A. Teixeira is now Elder Jose A. Teixeira, a member of the Quorum of the Seventy. His talk was entitled, "Gifts To Help Us Navigate Our Life." He said that, "Spiritual gifts are blessings or abilities given by God to His children. These gifts help us navigate our life toward eternal goals." He used a GPS system as a correlation in our lives. I LOVE general Conference!