Hi Bloggin' friends and fam...I am just logging in to give you a preview of my last month on the road. I have been to Sierra Vista, Arizona (Fort Huachuca) just about 15 miles from the Mexican border....to visit Shon and Roxanne and family. I was joined after two weeks by Ray and Brett and Annie's family for the blessing of little Kali Anne Conover, Shon's little angel.

Life with Shon is always an adventure and he took us all to Parker Canyon Lake to enjoy the cool breeze, water and fun. The kids had so much fun with grandpa and Uncle Shon on the lake.This is our # 27 grandchild (the girls are ahead by one now but with the birth of Jared and Lindsay's little boy in Sept. it will be 'even- steven' again) Meet beautiful Kali Anne Conover. We all got together in Utah at John and Melanie's for a (Shon to Afgahnistan) sendoff a month or so ago and while the guys played the girls made Kali's blessing dress. Thanks all you wonderful daughters for helping us get this done. It was pure joy to be there when this one came to Earth. She is delicate and beautiful and so mellow and hugable.

Kali Anne in all her finery. She really is a darling. It was amazing how Cody (big Brother now) grew the day they brought Kali home from the hospital.

It was so fun to have grandpa come for the blessing day. Thanks Annie and Family for bringing him to Arizona. John and Melanie deserve a big Thank you for fitting me in to their vacation and getting me to Mesa too. Life is so precious and children and grandchildren grow up all too fast. I am so grateful to be able to be a part of the grandchildren's lives and special days. I am also thankful for wonderful children and son and daughter-in laws that make me feel welcome and loved while I am with them. Thank you all so very much. Dad and I appreciate and love you all so dearly.

A wonderful Mama

Now I know that you all know how Amazing Carol is but since she gave me her info to help her change her background I have the opportunity to hack in and tell everyone how thankful I am for her. Carol has been many things to me...an inspiration, example, shoulder to cry on, support, friend, confidant someone to giggle with (one of my favorites) and the list goes on. Never would I have thought that I could have been to blessed to have such a great woman in my life. I am grateful to her each and every day of my life for being the kind of person she is. For how much she loves me and most especially for giving me the greatest gift in my life....my Johnny! Thank you for loving me no matter what and walking beside me through the ups and downs of life! I love you, I love you, I love you!

Happy Mother's Day Mama!
Love Melanie

Grandma's on the Move again

What I need is a time travel machine..no a 'twinkler' you know twinkle me from place to place. Christsmas was in Arizona with Shon and Roxanne...then home for a day then dad and I flew to Oregon with Jeff and Katie then off to Utah to see a 'blast off' with Mike's family then home for a few days then off to Elko with Amy for a visit with Brett and Annie's bunch then home again rig-a-jig-jig. Now I am in Utah with John and Mel's fam and we will be back here next weekend to see all the Conover kids that can come give Shon a sendoff for Afganistan. he will be deployed in June. Loved our visit with M&M's fam and Jared and Lindsay....went to a BYU bb game with them and John's fam.....wow, it's been almost 40 years since I sat through a BYU game. I loved it!

crazy g-kids just hanging out at the BYU game.....causing havoc and comotion all around me....and I love every minute of it.

We were in the nose bleed section but it was so fun just beeing there and we could see every lousy call the referee's made :)

Yep, here I really am at the game with Missi and Jared beside me....It was a sold out croud and lots of noise and excitement. I didn't even cry when we barely lost because I was having so much fun and it was such a nailbiter game.

You know me and my camera....we just snap, snap snap....seagulls landing, seagulls taking off!

This is my long-time 'best friend' Linda Kohler and I when they (Bob and Linda) came for a weekend of just hanging out. We love the Kohlers so much....They were here for Valentine weekend.

Are'nt they darling......They send their love to all our kids who are really 'their kids too' they say.

My dolly, Natalie (Jeff's youngest) and her dolly. I was priviledged to stay an extra two weeks with them after Dad had to fly home (back to work...slave driver that I am).

I even got to witness Natalie's first walk across the room....wowie!

Hello Blogging World! So many times I have started to change my Blog and then I get intimidated and make excuses and dash to load the dishwasher or worse yet, I may even fix supper....now that is drastic fear of technology. For Christmas this year I was given an I-Pod and a laptop (well, Ray says it is his really) but my children are determined to get me to move into the 21st century.....I now can listen to music with things in my ears with the best of them...and I can pull up the internet while waiting in the Airport and look cool with all the rest of the travelors. So perhaps there is hope for this grandma and now Annie (I'm visiting in Elko for a couple of days) is helping me learn to change the background of my Blog so I can be 'seasonal' like the rest of you. I do love all the cute backgrounds you use....and yes, I do check your blogs from time to time and love all the updates. I am even thinking of putting some more pictures of our adventures since last Sept.....our most recent adventure began a week agao when we were set apart to be Humanitarian Missionaries for the next two years. WE ARE SO EXCITED!!! We will stay in Twin Falls, live in our own home (I am so thrilled) and serve as coordinators of the Humanitarian Room in the Deseret Industries here. We will be supervising 5-8 other missionaries also called to serve in the HRS. So far it has been a great experience and we look forward to every day. The room is open Tue, Wed, and Thur. from 10am to 4pm so Ray is still working for the Driving School in the off hours and off days. Come see us and spend an hour in the HR anytime. You'll love it!

Day we were set apart

picts are a bit mixed up but this is in the HRoom...we took the fam over after we were set apart to show them what 'gma and gpa would be doing on their mission...the gkids had a fun time pretending to tie a quilt and looking in every nook and cranny.

Bishop White set us apart in the RS room on Sat. Feb. 18...it was so wonderful having this many of our family with us.....we missed the rest of you.

My father and sis joined us that day....Lea is also serving as a Humanitarian missionary now and we love having her in the HR with us.

I loved showing the little ones all the big indrustrial sewing machines I get to us now. Wow this mission is like sewing heaven for me. Truly, Ray and I feel so greatly loved and blessed by our Heavenly Father to have called us at this time to this mission and we will serve Him and His children to the best of our ability.

Aha... Life goes on

My mom passed away Aug. 3, 2009 and I really miss her but I love knowing that she is busy and happy and definitely in HEAVEN. This is my favorite picture.....taken at John and Melanie's home in SLC Mother's Day 2007. We celebrated the birth of our 26th grandchild in August. Amy and Nick welcomed Lorrena Camille (Lorren) to their family. What fun it was to bring Kendra (18 mo.) to the hospital to see her new sister.

I love to capture the moment and this one was truly precious....Kendra just couldn't get enough of holding her newest toy...............................'Lo-Lo'

Then I had a spur of the moment trip to Portland and a few days with Jeff and Katie. What fun...but I was sad that Dad couldn't come too. I got to see Jacob's football practice and Jeff as his coach. Those Conover boys are all the same on the field.....intense! Also I had so much fun sketching Jacob and Sami....they were amazing to sit for me. Now I want to draw all my grandchildren.

After Portland I just had to run to Elko and visit Annie and her family. Here are my next two subjects for drawings. Ben and Conner are not so willing to sit still so I took a million (of course) pictures to choose my subject from.

Now this is truly a picture for a baby magazine.....Conner just can't quit smiling and those big blue eyes......wow! Brett and Annie are busy with these little boys (and Madi and Brooke)

Ray and I are preparing to go on a mission..........hopefully turning in papers the first of the year if things go well. We are excited and working hard to get the house and ourselves ready.