The Gray Family: End of the School Year

Justin is finished with his 8th grade year. He's really anxious for summer and what the summer brings: His DC trip (with his Honor Core class), Youth Conference over in San Pete County, EFY (Especially For Youth) in Provo on the BYU campus for a week, then Scout Camp up at ThunderRidge. He has been earning money this spring for these activities. Our neighborhood is great for finding odd jobs. Yard work and pet and house sitting are plentiful. With a good number of retired couples, they enjoy having some extra help and don't mind paying a dependable "someone" to hire.

Justin's birthday

Erik didn't get to attend college this past semester, but is registered for fall! At SUU! He's happy that his health will allow him to get back into the swing of life. He is also going to move into an apartment with friends. Growing up is what they do. From a mom's perspective, I am thankful he can be a little more independent by moving out of the family home and experience life. I am also ok with it, because it's only 6 miles away. haha The apartments he's moving into are still under construction. Precision is building them for a client! They will be very nice. All 3 story units are designed with a kitchen and 2 living room areas and 6 private bedrooms/bathrooms. Erik is excited.

We had a nice trip up north last week to participate in The American Cancer Society's 100th birthday celebration in SLC. Erik was recognized as one of the 15 or so youth college scholarship recipients. It was an exciting night. We were served dinner and enjoyed their program. Part of the program was quite interesting talking about the funds donated helping with continued research. It was exciting to hear the advances they are making with treatments making it easier on the patients as well as helping more cancer patients have more birthdays. They are also working on funds for the "Hope Lodge" which can help patients and their families have a place to stay for no charge when they are in SLC for appts and treatments. Even if a person might have the insurance to pay for the medical needs... they often don't have the money for travel and overnight expenses and all that goes with it. I know it has drained us... but Heavenly Father continues to bless us in various ways so we have been able to make our trips up north for Erik possible. It has been wonderful to have Steve and Barbie help us out by always opening their home to us when we have needed a place to stay overnight. And Barbie always treats us with a wonderful breakfast, too. Families are a godsend. So the "Hope Lodge" will be wonderful for those who might not have family or friends to stay with. The LDS church has donated the land on 4th East and 100 South or thereabouts. The evening program was also to recognize the many donors and the leadership. It was another "hold back the tears" event. Very impressive! AND so happy for Erik on receiving a scholarship!

Erik and Ashley got summer jobs! They are excited. They can help in the office at Precision since we are so busy... but it's always nice to be hired out for other things. Erik's new job is a desk clerk at the Best Western El Rey Inn and Stratford Inn and Ashley's job is light custodial work with SUU on campus to help out with the Shakespearian Festival. Chris and Hayden are both working a full schedule now for Dennis and Tim with Precision. They both say how nice it is to have them there to lighten the load.

Ashley's outdoor track season went well! She made it to conference in two events. She ran the 5k and the 1500 and PR ed in both! Conference was in Portland Oregon and Dennis was able to see her run inbetween the wedding festivities he attend for Doug and Sarah! How nice was that? That they were on the same weekend and only a 40 minute drive away!? Awesome!

Many of the girls (and guys) did great! What a showing from the SUU T-Birds in the Big Sky Conference. Way to Go!

Justin's soccer season is done. He did well! He's a speedy guy running up and down the field. They played 5 on 5 with a smaller field and smaller goals with no goalies. Different rules and quite fun. Their team ended up in first place rankings but during the playoffs they ended up getting 4th, losing to a team they had beaten several times before. Oh well. They had a lot of fun and had really improved since the beginning of the season.

(Thanks for the M&M's, Grandpa! They melt on my lips not in my hands! hehe)

We are all excited for Camden's little brother to make his arrival in the world! So happy for Brooke that she's having a better pregancy compared to Camden's. Phew! A couple more weeks! Brooke is doing good at taking it easy. Something quite hard to do at times with a two year old! Tim and Brooke are darling parents. It's so much fun to be involved with their growing family. :)

So I finally found a new trampoline for the price and quality that I wanted. Yay! And here's Camden... thinking that the enclosure will be awesome for little ones. So here he is walking around the outside of it all! Oh, brother, little guy! He is cautious though. He takes it slow and steady and is very careful. Haha. He just celebrated his 2nd birthday! What fun we are having being grandparents!

Brooke's birthday. Camden wanting to help blow out her candles with her!

Buddy

Cork

Playmates, Cork and Shadow

Always check the oven before preheating! haha We put the carmel corn in the oven.... out of sight, out of mind!? For Camden's sake so he wouldn't eat too much, but forgot about it later.... haha