HOW BLESSED WE ARE.......

Our Family Christmas Party

2009-12-22T21:18:00.001-08:00

We had a fun time together at our annual family Christmas Party! Ty, Brae, and Case are such good sports when Santa arrives. Here are some of the memories we made that night....

Ugly Sweater Contest!

2009-12-19T07:34:00.001-08:00

On Wednesday, we had an ugly sweater contest at school. It was hilarious and we laughed all day long. My mom and dad's sweet friend Evelyn used to wear this sweater at Christmas time. I have to say, she looked beautiful in it. I looked hideous. When we were being judged during the contest, the other teachers were squinting from the glare off of the million or so sequins on my sweater!

NO!!!!! It is not snowing in Porterville!

2009-12-19T07:18:00.000-08:00

So last night Tyler and his best friend Tyler decided to go toilet paper a couple of their friend's houses. Well the war has begun. At 1:30am, our doorbell rang and this is what we found.
I can't really complain too much. I would call this paybacks! I did my fair share of this type of extra-curricular activity not that many years ago!

Veteran's Day 2009

2009-12-06T20:07:00.000-08:00

We had a busy and fun day on Veteran's Day. It was Ty's first parade to march in and the Brae and Case had a fun day too. Thank you mom and dad for spending the day with us too!
Brae and Case at the Christmas Parade
Ty marching
Here comes Burton Middle School
This is Lindsey Ames who is one of my young women. She has babysat the boys for us many times. We are so proud of her being named Veteran's Homecoming Queen!
Tyler and his best friend Tyler ready for the parade!

Family Pictures with the Sanders

2009-12-06T19:34:00.001-08:00

We were able to spend Thanksgiving with the Sanders this year. My mother-in-law made special arrangements to have family pictures taken the day after Thanksgiving. Well, of course it was pouring down rain that morning, so we took "portrait" pictures. I think that they turned out great and I was happy to have some nice family pictures to share with everyone!
The whole family!
My niece Tiffany and I. I love this picture of us together!
Bret's mom and Dad. This picture is almost a miracle...My father-in-law does not do pictures, so we are thrilled to actually have a few with him in them.
This is a picture of the Sanders grandchildren.....
I like this picture of the my new sister-in-law, mother-in-law, and I. Our family feels complete now!
I sure am blessed to have such a wonderful husband and sons!
I love this picture!
Our Boys....

A Day of Quad Riding!

2009-12-06T15:29:00.000-08:00

What a fun day we had together! We took the kids to Hungry Valley in Gorman to quad ride for the day! They had a blast and I got to sit and read my book! Ahhhhh! We need to go more often.
Our boys stopping for a picture on the quads!
Braeden flying over the bumps on the race track!
Tyler jumped on his dirt bike and took off! It is so fun to go on a mommy/son ride with him.
Cason Andrew was hilarious and scared me to death on his borrowed quad. (Thanks Bonnie & Traeger!)

A Fun & Relaxing Weekend

2009-09-04T19:38:00.000-07:00

I had such a fun weekend. My cousin Bonnie and I spent the weekend at my Aunt Laraine's cabin in Camp Nelson. We scrapbooked all weekend and had a great time together. Cason now has his own scrapbook which thrilled him.

The Band is in Town.....or at our House!!!!!

2009-08-23T17:09:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of our three musicians. Tyler is playing the Tenor Saxophone in the Burton Middle School Band and Jazz Band. Brae is going to begin learning to play the trumpet in school. Yesterday Ty and Brae were practicing their instruments and sweet little Cason came out with his "parade trumpet" so he could play with his brothers. The noise was a little unbearable to say the least, but it was cute to watch.

A "New" Boat!

2009-08-23T16:51:00.001-07:00

Wonderful Papa had been telling the boys that he had a boat up in the garage rafters. He got it down and blew it up for the boys. They have been in the boat in the pool non-stop for the last 2 days. It was definately a hit! Thank you Papa!

Clifford the Big Red Dog!

2009-08-21T15:39:00.001-07:00

Today I came home from work to find Clifford the Big Red Dog in my living room. I just wanted to eat him:) Now he is chasing around a little rubber ball in the living room panting like a dog. I hope we can find Cason again soon!

Starting a New School Year!

2009-08-17T20:17:00.001-07:00

Another school year has begun. Tyler had a great first day of 8th Grade. It is just amazing how fast time goes by and what a fun young man he is turning into. Braeden began 4th grade and just loves his teacher Mrs. Stinson. It is exciting to see him be so enthusiastic about going to school. Cason started Kindergarten and just loves everything about it. He loves his "pretty teacher", he loves is new friend Garrin who has "long girl hair". (I told him that wasn't nice to say and his reply was, "Well mom, he does have long girl hair but he's not a girl".) He is so excited and eager to learn too. We are truly blessed. I couldn't wait to get home to hear about the days my boys had had.
Me and my handsome boys!
The boys tolerating another picture session.

My Class.....

2009-08-17T20:10:00.001-07:00

Well...First day done, 179 to go! My first day went well. I always forget from year to year how tiring it is. I wore high heels today and by noon, I was barefoot in my classroom. I think I will take a pair of flip flops to wear tomorrow:) Here is a picture of my new students. Seem like sweet kids, just a little chatty.

Cason Meets his Kindergarten Teacher...

2009-08-14T21:05:00.000-07:00

Cason got to go to school today to meet his new teacher Mrs. Davis. She had them go on a scavenger hunt in the classroom to find hidden monkeys, he found his desk, wrote his name, and even got a present from his teacher. He is so excited about going to Kindergarten and we are so blessed to have him with Mrs. Davis. As we were leaving, Cason ran up to her and gave her a big hug. He told me after we left that he loves his pretty teacher.
Cason and Mrs. Davis
Cason sitting like a big Kindergartener at his desk!

Congratulations Eric and Maria...

2009-08-14T20:35:00.000-07:00

August 8th was a special day for Eric and Maria. They got married in Lake Tahoe and we all were able to be there to share their special day with them. Here are a few pictures from the celebration....
Eric and Maria Sanders...
Bret and Ty...
Bret and I...
Our handsome boys!
Bret's parents...Thanks dad for the picture:)
The whole family...

Family Picture Time....

2009-08-14T19:54:00.001-07:00

My wonderful husband and I...
My amazing mom and sister...I love you both lots!
I am so blessed with a wonderful mom and dad!
The whole family...
Our family...
My sister Shannon's family...
The cousins...
The Sanders boys!

Brae's Birthday Swim Party...

2009-08-14T19:44:00.001-07:00

Brae decided this year that he would wait to have his birthday party until after the pool was built. His cousins came from Utah and so we had a swim party for him at the end of July. Here are a few pictures from his party!

Brae Walking on Water?????

2009-08-14T19:35:00.001-07:00

I thought this was a cool picture and wanted to share it.....

Day 17 of Pool Building....Let the fun begin!!!!!

2009-07-11T08:58:00.000-07:00

Brae having a great time!
Ty Subskating!
Ollie checking things out!
Cason the Scuba Diver!
Jumping in together!

Day 16 of Pool Building....Plaster and Begin Filling

2009-07-10T10:51:00.000-07:00

Here is an picture of the Pool Progress from yesterday. The plaster crew got here at 7am and the pool was beginning to fill by 11:15. The questions have begun...."Mom can we just get in real quick?", "Mom, how about if we just put our feet in?" NOOOOOOOOOO! is the answer everytime. I can't wait to be able to say YES!

Go Angels!!!!!!!

2009-07-06T21:23:00.000-07:00

We had such a fun day together as a family....We took the boys to a suprise Angel's Baseball Game. Before the game, the boys went down to watch the players warm up and were hoping for an autograph. One of the Angels pitchers tossed a ball and Cason got it. Then when Torii Hunter came over to sign autographs, the usher took Cason's ball and had him sign it. I don't think I have seen three boys more in awe. It was too cute! Here are some pictures of our day together....
The boys shortly after they found out we were going to an Angel's game.
The boys in front of Angel Stadium.
The boys watching warm-ups and hoping for an autograph
Mike Napoli, the Angel's catcher walking by
Kendrick, Figgins, and Guerrero warming up
Torii Hunter coming towards us to sign autographs
The boys watching Torii Hunter signing their baseball.
Cason holding his signed ball.
Me and my handsome boys!
Our family!
Cason on the trip home!
Brae on the way home!
Ty on the way home!

Happy 4th of July! We had a great one....

2009-07-06T21:00:00.000-07:00

We had such a fun 4th of July. We went to my mom and dad's house in the afternoon. We barbaqued, the kids swam, and we had a firework show. Here are some of the highlights of our day.....
Ty with his cool "firework enhancing glasses".
Bret and I.
Ty and his scary flashlight face!
Daddy and Ty
Daddy and Case
Daddy and Brae
Cason was so excited for the firework show to begin
My wonderful dad and I BBQing together. I think I impressed him with my skills at the grill:)
Ty flying down the slide
Case loving being on Brae's shoulders
Brae and Case going down the slide together.
Brae & Case with the angel food patriotic cake I made.

Day 10 of Pool Building....Decking

2009-07-03T16:42:00.000-07:00

Today was decking day. At 9am about 10 guys showed up to do the decking. It was an interesting process to watch. They formed where the decking would be with boards and then wheelbarrowed the cement to the backyard. It looked really gray (cement color) to me at first, but now that it has begun to dry, the color is showing up. It was also interesting to watch them stamp the deck to give it a pattern. I love the coping! That is the curb that frames the pool. The construction supervisor said that cleanup is on Monday, inspection is Tuesday, and plaster and fill-up of the pool is Wednesday. All of next week. He told Ty that they would be swimming by Friday or Saturday of next week. I wish you could have seen Tyler's face. A picture was definately worth a thousand words!
Final Result! I love it!!!!!!!
A different view!
A work in progress.....

SLC Bees Vs. Fresno Grizzly Game

2009-07-02T18:08:00.001-07:00

On Tuesday night we took the boys to the Fresno Grizzly vs. Salt Lake City Bees Game. Being Angel fans, it was exciting for the boys to see the players.IT was VERY hot but VERY fun.
Cason had such a great time. He takes baseball very seriously. The highlight of his night was when the Grizzly manager tossed him a baseball. I wanted to keep it in my purse so that it didn't get lost, but he had to hold it in his mitt.
Howie Kendrix...We watched him play for the Angels about a month ago. He just got moved down to Triple A.
Braeden happy to be at a baseball game. It was free Dreyer's ice cream night at the game. You could go to the concession stand and get two containers of ice cream each trip. Brae made 5 trips for a grand total of 10 cups of ice cream. Growing boy!!!!
Part of the SLC Bees team during the National Anthem.
Tyler's good friend Charlie getting an autograph from a Bees player.

Day 8 of Pool Building - Our Beautiful Tile

2009-07-01T16:43:00.001-07:00

I'm so excited! This afternoon the tile was put into the pool. It is so much prettier in person. Friday the coping and decking will be put in. It is getting closer and closer!
A close up of the tile.
More tile pictures!
Looking to the shallow end.

Day 7 of Pool Building-Leveling Backyard

2009-07-01T15:54:00.000-07:00

On Day 7, we had the backyard leveled. I was so glad to see the trenches filled in. Tomorrow is tile...... So exciting! Stay tuned.....
"Look at us in the deep end!"
Brae and Case "swimming"! Our leveled backyard!

A Fun Birthday!

2009-06-29T15:16:00.001-07:00

Here are some pictures of Brae's birthday. We spread it over 2 days because our daddy had to work. Brae had fun playing in the front with the neighbor boys, eating Bubba's Burgers, eating chocolate cake, and buying and building Legos with his birthday money! Here are some pictures of his birthday celebration....
Brae used his some of his birthday money to buy two Lego sets. It has been cute to watch him work so hard to create these. He's never really been into Legos, but has shown an interest lately. We had to take a picture and share!
Brae loved that I found burgers that were named Bubbas. For those of you who know him, that has always been his nickname. As a matter of fact, I believe that Cason thought that that was Brae's name until this year. Anyways, they were great burgers and we had a great time together!
Brae with his birthday cake!
Brae blowing out his candle!
Brae and Cason playing with the neighbor boys on Brae's birthday!

Day 6 of Pool Building....Gunite....It looks like a pool!

2009-06-29T15:02:00.000-07:00

On Day 6 of our Pool Building adventure, the doorbell rang at 6:30am. That is a great way to get you out of bed and get your day started. So, since I was up, I recruited Ty to go running with me while the workers began the Gunite Process.
As Ty and I were running a block over from the house, he said, "Mom, what is that loud noise?". As we got closer to the house, we realized that it was the cement truck that was in front of OUR house. So, sorry to all of our neighbors who I am sure were up bright and early today! It was REALLY, REALLY LOUD!!!!!
Our steps going into the pool. We are having them put in an umbrella plug on the big step (that is what the hole is for).
Our Pool!

Day 5 of Pool Building....Corrections

2009-06-27T22:10:00.000-07:00

Well, for Day 5 of our Pool Construction, nothing happened. Ok, so at about 8am, the electrician came and fixed the corrections that the City of Porterville inspector noted. So, Monday will be gunite day! I will post more pictures after we are gunited! Stay tuned.......

Happy 9th Birthday Braeden Michael Sanders

2009-06-26T08:47:00.001-07:00

Our Handsome Boy
Braeden during his first baseball season (2005)
Braeden at the zoo at the age of 4
Braeden at the age of 4
It is amazing to think that 9 years ago today our Braeden Michael came to us! What a joy you are and such a special part of our family. The way you love your family and your big, kind heart make you so special.
Here are some things that make you special:
*You were our biggest baby boy weighing in at 8 lbs. 13 oz. and 21 1/2 inches long.
*When you were about 30 minutes old, your big brother Ty reached his hand into the warmer and you reached up and grabbed ahold of his pinkie finger. You have looked up to him ever since.
*You have the biggest heart of anyone I know.
*Hugs! Hugs! Hugs! You always have a hug to share. You make others feel special by showing you care.
*You love your family...When someone is upset or in trouble, you are the one that is worried and trying to fix the problem.
*You help to make our family complete....You are the perfect little brother to Ty and the perfect big brother to Case.
So, on your special day, always know how much we love and treasure you. You are precious to us and we are so glad that Heavenly Father sent you to us.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRAE!

Day 4 of Pool Building....Boring!

2009-06-26T08:38:00.000-07:00

So today was a boring pool building day! It was inspection day. So, at about 10am the City of Porterville inspector appeared and took a one minute (literally) walk around the backyard. He then proceeded to pull out his pink slip and write down all the corrections. He wasn't the friendliest guy and was irritated that he couldn't find the pool plans that were hanging on the fence. Like it was my fault!!!!! Anyways, about an hour later another guy was out her fixing the problems and digging more bigger and deeper holes in my backyard. Hopefully, all will be fixed because tomorrow is Gunite day!

Day 3 of Pool Building....Rebar

2009-06-24T18:17:00.000-07:00

Today was Rebar Day. At about 6am, I heard a car door shut and of course, I was out of bed to see who was here. A tall, thin man that looked like Clint Eastwood was carrying rebar strips to the backyard. Well, I was already up, so I decided I might as well start my day. Ty came around the corner and said, "Mom, let's go running!". So we got dressed and off we went.
The man worked from 6am until about 4pm installing the rebar alone and it was only 100 degrees today. Talking about feeling guilty sitting inside an air-conditioned house!!!! Here are some pictures of our pool today....
Rebar....
Rebar....
And more rebar....

Day 2 of Pool Building-Electrical & Plumbing

2009-06-23T18:03:00.000-07:00

Here are Day 2 Pictures. Today they trenched the backyard, put in the electrical and the water lines. We now have a pool pump, filter, and drain pipes in the deep end. Bret and I also picked out our tile, colored bottom, and decking. It is going to be beautiful. We were told today that the pool should be completed and ready to swim in by about the 10th of July. Wow!
What a mess!
Look we have a filter and a pool light!
And.....a pool pump!

Day 1 of Pool Building..... Digging the Hole!

2009-06-23T17:17:00.000-07:00

The Pool Construction is moving along so quickly. On Day 1, they dug the shape of the pool. Here are a few pictures throughout the day.Removing the grass....
Digging the hole....
Ty evaluating the situation....
Our pool! Kind of.....

Happy Father's Day to a Great PaPa Paul!

2009-06-21T10:26:00.000-07:00

So, if you know my father-in-law, you know that when a camera appears anywhere close, he disappears. So when he is least expecting it, I snap a picture. The most recent picture we have of our dad is at Christmas. So Happy Father's Day Dad! We hope you have a wonderful day!

Happy Father's Day Daddy!

2009-06-20T17:48:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day Daddy! Mom asked us why you are the best dad in the world and this is what we said:
Tyler: "My dad is the best because he always encourages me to do my best and remember who I am!"
Braeden: "My dad is the best because he goes to work so we can have a nice home, and toys, and stuff!"
Cason: "My dad is the best because he loves me!"
You are the best daddy to our three wonderful boys. I love to watch you play with them, talk with them, and set a wonderful example for them to follow. I hope you have a special day and remember how much we love you! Happy Father's Day Honey!
I love you! Jen

I Couldn't Ask for a more Wonderful Dad!

2009-06-20T17:44:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day Daddy! You are the best and I hope you know how much I love and treasure you! You are a honest and wonderful man and the example you set for the boys means the world to me. Thank you for loving us, supporting us, and for just being you! I hope you have a wonderful day!

Before and In Progress......

2009-06-10T14:12:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures of what the backyard looked like before this whole process started and today after the curbing (completely taken out by Ty, Brae,and Case) and trees were taken out. Our yard looks huge! It is crazy! We are getting so excited for the digging to begin.
Before..........on June 6, 2009
In Progress..........on June 10, 2009

Brae's 1st Paid Job!

2009-06-10T13:57:00.000-07:00

Here is another cute story about our Sweet Braeden. Today our Yard Guy came to do the yards and take down two trees in our backyard. One of the trees was easily 30 feet tall and I was a little nervous about it coming down. Once it finally fell, Braeden asked if he could go out and help them drag the trimmings around to put in the trailer. We also had old swing set wood that needed to be hauled off. So out went Brae and he worked with the yard guys for about an hour dragging branches and wood to the front yard. I also looked out in the front yard and he was raking up clippings there too. It made me so proud that he was willing to help. After the yard guys were done, Brae came running into my room with the bill and .......$3.00 that he had earned for helping Gonzalo. He was so excited! He later told me he tried to give it back, but Gonzalo made him take it. Isn't that the cutest story? I'm so proud of you Braeden

Did Someone Say a New Swimming Pool?

2009-06-09T17:55:00.001-07:00

WE ARE SO EXCITED!!!!! We have decided to put in a swimming pool and can hardly wait. Cason says it will be ready in 3 days but we are thinking more like 4-5 weeks. Today the boys went out in the backyard with the sledgehammer (scary I know) and started taking out the curbing. Ty did the pounding while Brae and Case put it in the wheelbarrow. I loved to see our boys working together. Stay tuned for more "in progress" pictures to come.
Cason and Brae working together to remove the cement.
Ready, set, hit!!!!!! Way to use those muscles Ty!
Ty and Brae looking very Muscular with the sledgehammer.

How about a kiss Cason?

2009-06-09T17:48:00.001-07:00

Ok, so this is kind of gross but I couldn't resist putting it on the blog. Ollie and Cason have never had a very good relationship you could say. It all stems from Ollie getting kicked numerous times as a puppy by Case. Well, I was excited today to see that Ollie has forgiven him.

Cason's End of the Baseball Season Party.....

2009-06-07T22:52:00.000-07:00

Cason was so cute at his end of the Baseball Season Party. He was so proud of his trophy with his own name on it. He has waited a long time to have his own trophy. He really has a love of the game. He would rather watch a baseball game than cartoons. Is that normal? I guess so coming from our family. GREAT JOB TO OUR LITTLE ALL-STAR!Cason receiving his trophy from Coach Donnie.
Cason couldn't be prouder that he has his OWN trophy!

Brae's 3rd Grade Awards Assembly

2009-06-07T22:37:00.000-07:00

Brae had his 3rd grade Awards Assembly and we are so proud of his progress this school year. He earned Academic Excellence and an award for completing all his reading for the school year. We are so proud of you Brae...now off to 4th grade you go:)
Brae with his 3rd grade teacher Mrs. Yaeger. She is an awesome teacher and Brae has learned so much from her.
Brae receiving his awards during the assembly!

Cason closing another chapter.....Preschool!

2009-06-07T22:16:00.000-07:00

Well Cason is officially done with preschool and it didn't bother him a bit. Now his mommy on the other hand was a whole different story. Here are a few picture of his last days of preschool. We love you Cason and STOP GROWING UP SO FAST!!!!!!!
Cason the night of his Preschool Program. He is so cute, I could just eat him!:)
Cason the morning of his Water Fun Day at Preschool. He was so excited about his surf shirt (Ty has the same one, just bigger:)) and his water shoes. He had a great time and sure didn't come home looking as clean as he went. (The sandbox at preschool was the beach!)
Cason during his Preschool Program.

Our D-Back Catcher

2009-06-07T22:06:00.000-07:00

What a fun baseball season we have had. I almost don't know what to do with myself now that it is over. I don't think there is anything better than watching my boys on a baseball field having the time of their life. Brae loved playing catcher and got to end his last game of the season in that position. Ty loved seeing his brother play the position that he loves so much! Great Job Brae!

A Superstar Daddy!

2009-06-07T21:55:00.001-07:00

For the last 2 years, Bret has played in the Battle of the Badges Softball Tournament. It a charity tournament in which the proceeds go to help a officer's family or to another cause. This year Bret played with his MAGNET unit and they called themselves the Bangers. They won their first three games, but lost their fourth and were removed from the tournament. We had so much fun watching our daddy play and the boys thought it was great to see him on the baseball field instead of them. We are proud of you daddy!
Our Daddy swinging for the fence.
Our Daddy waiting for a pop-fly in right field.

Two Special Ladies....

2009-05-27T12:32:00.000-07:00

We have been truly blessed to have such wonderful ladies to love, care, and teach Cason this past two years. It is amazing how fast the time has gone by and that he is ready to start Kindergarten. (sniff, sniff!) He is so ready, but his mom is not. My dad took this picture of Cason today on his 2nd to last day of Preschool with Miss Rhonda and Miss Gwyn. They are the best!

Mr. Bolt AKA Braeden!

2009-05-26T21:46:00.001-07:00

Braeden had his school play tonight and he played Mr. Bolt. It was a play about weather and he did such a great job!
Braeden as Mr. Bolt during his play!
Braeden and one of his best buddies Logan!

A Wonderful Mother's Day

2009-05-10T15:11:00.001-07:00

I have had such a nice Mother's Day. I woke up to the sweetest letter written by Tyler, a beautifully painted pot with a petunia in it from Braeden, and a darling bracelet made just for me by Cason. Then my sweet husband went and got me two new Willow Tree figurines to add to my collection. The thoughtful gifts meant so much to me. We then went and had lunch with my parents, aunt, uncle, grandpa, and my cousins. We are now home and a nap is sounding like a great idea! Thank you to my wonderful husband and boys for making my day so special! I love you all so much.

"Mom Looked What I Picked For You!"

2009-05-10T15:02:00.000-07:00

Here is another cute Cason story. I got to my mom and dad's house on Friday afternoon to pick up Cason. It had been a long day and I was ready for it to be over. As I got out of the car, Cason was looking through the blinds and waving at me. I walked to the front door and as I opened it, I saw Cason run by and into the kitchen. He came out of the kitchen with these beautiful flowers. He went on to tell me that him and Meme had gone into the backyard and picked these flowers for me. He insisted that I know that he had helped pick them. It meant the world to me and they look beautiful on my kitchen counter. Thank you mom for taking the time to do that for me. I love my Mother's Day flowers.

Happy Mother's Day Mom!

2009-05-10T14:59:00.001-07:00

What a wonderful Mom I have. She is beautiful both inside and out. I treasure her and the example she sets for me to follow. Our boys love her and want to always be with her. You are the best mom and I wish you a special day!
I love you!

A Sad Little Puppy!

2009-05-07T22:19:00.001-07:00

Ollie not very happy about his little cast.
Do you really need to take pictures of me?
So here are some pictures of our sad little puppy. He was trying yesterday to get on Braeden's lap but instead got his toe nail stuck in the metal lawn chair in the backyard. It tore the nail through the skin and he had to go in for a little surgery today. He is on the mend and loving being in the house and held like a baby. The boys are spoiling him rotten. You should see him run across the living room. His one good little stubby front leg still works great!

A Ball Player in the Making!

2009-05-06T23:26:00.001-07:00

I love this picture of Cason Andrew. We got to his game early and so he cooperated and let me take a few pictures of him. I am so proud to be his mommy. He is truly a joy!

It is FINALLY my turn!

2009-05-06T22:49:00.001-07:00

Tonight was Cason Andrew's first Baseball game. He has been impatiently waiting for this night for many years. I loved watching him and boy is he intense as you can see from the pictures. In his division, there are no outs and everyone gets to bat each inning. Here is a our conversation tonight after the game....
Cason: "Mom, did you see me get that ball and run and tag my base?"
Mom: "Yes Cason, you did a great job!"
Cason: "What the heck, I got that kid out and he stayed on the base."
Mom:"Yes you did get him out, but in your games the kids get to stay on the base."
Cason: "Well, the game was a tie, but we did cream those kids."
Needless to say, another competitive Sanders boy. He continues to amaze us, make us laugh, and wear us out all at the same time.
A cute picture of Cason talking with his team mates.
Cason being very intense while on base.
Cason and his buddy Jake. They were having a conversation while Cason was playing 3rd Base. They were comparing their grass stains from sliding on their knees. Too cute!

Happy Birthday to our Cason Andrew!

2009-04-21T21:39:00.000-07:00

What a Special Gift Cason is to our family. He has made us complete and we treasure his sweet spirit.He is definately the 3rd Boy who can run with his brothers....and stay up. Happy Birthday Precious Boy!
Our Big Boy is 5 Today!
One of Cason's many NoNo's. Why is it so funny now?
What a beautiful baby boy you were. Cason at 1 month....
Happy Birthday Cason Andrew...April 21, 2004.

An Easter to Remember!

2009-04-16T22:04:00.000-07:00

What a special Easter we had. We made a quick trip to Utah to be with my sister and her family. We had such a wonderful time. The kids loved the Easter egg hunts, jumping on the trampoline, having an Egg rolling contest, and just being together. It was an Easter that we will always treasure!

Parent Helper? NO.......Auntie Helper!

2009-04-15T12:21:00.001-07:00

This is Dalton's artwork that was hanging outside of his Kindergarten Classroom in the hallway! He wanted a star for the Cat in the Hat's Hat!
Dalton Huntsman after finding all his Easter candy!
Me and my best friend. Everything we do together is fun and I need to come home just to recover from all the laughing we do when we are together!
On the Friday before Easter, I got to be an Auntie Helper in Dalton's Classroom. It was so fun getting to watch his darling teacher be in charge of 20 very busy and hyper Kindergarteners. The best part was that I could just stand back and watch HER be the teacher. The kids got to be "Easter Pigs" and collect the candy that we had thrown on the lawn instead of eggs. Easter Pigs are much messier than Easter Bunnies I learned:) So, what a special time it was for me to watch my precious nephew in his classroom and he was so proud to have his Meme and Mommy there too!

One Fast Flammin Derby Car!

2009-04-06T17:16:00.000-07:00

We had so much fun as a family helping Brae make his car for the Cub Scout Pinewood Derby. What a project it was. Starting with a block of wood and turning it into a "Fast Flammin Derby car" was not as easy as we thought it would be. No 1st place trophy this time, but we sure had fun together.

It's Bragging Time, "Bear" with us!

2009-04-02T21:32:00.000-07:00

What proud parents we are of our boys! Tyler is playing ball for his Junior High and had his second game today. He started at 2nd base and then moved to pitcher. He had one walk, one strike out, and a double. He was also excited that he struck two out while pitching. He has such a huge love of the game. He helped the Summit Charter Bears earn an 11-3 win.
Tyler pitching. Look at the baseball coming in!
Another picture of Tyler playing pitcher!
Tyler batting against a friend of his that played for Terra Bella. The two boys played on the Tigers during Little League.
Tyler getting ready to steal.

Ready, Set, EGGS!!!!!!!!!

2009-04-02T21:18:00.001-07:00

Cason had his Easter Egg Hunt today at preschool. He was so excited this morning and actually got himself out of bed on his own. Thank goodness for Papa again. He went to preschool and took a whole bunch of pictures for us to have. He is the best!
Miss Rhonda & Miss Gwyn trying to keep a ton of preschoolers busy waiting for the egg hunt to begin.
Cason coming out the door of preschool. Look at all those eggs!

Cason found the side of the house as a perfect place to
hunt for eggs. He said he got so many that Miss Rhonda made him share some of his with his friends. That's our kid!

Let the Games Begin....And the craziness!

2009-03-29T18:02:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was Opening Ceremonies for Little League Baseball. Braeden is playing this year. Tyler will be playing Babe Ruth and is currently playing for his Junior High. Cason is getting ready to start baseball with the City of Porterville. So, now you understand the comment "Let the Games Begin....and the craziness!" Brae had so much fun in the Speed throwing contest. He threw 24mph and 31mph. He was so proud of himself. Then he tried the hitting contest. He did really well and had a lot of fun. He is on the Diamondbacks this year and has great coaches. Looks like it is going to be a fun year. Go Braeden! Go Tyler! Go Cason!Look at that level swing!
Swing Braeden, Swing!
Braeden in the "Speed-Throwing" contest.

Fun with Meme!

2009-03-26T22:27:00.001-07:00

When Cason is with his Papa & Meme, his days are busy and full of fun. One of his favorite things to do is run around the backyard like he is in a track meet. How they got him to pose and hold still is beyond me. The pictures that Papa took are too cute to not share!

More fun birthday pictures!

2009-03-17T21:38:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Papa & Meme, I have a whole bunch of pictures from Ty's party. Here are few more of my favorites.
Tyler being a teenager!
Meme with the boys!
Jen and Ty....Look how big he is!!!!!!!!!!!

Party Time!!!!!

2009-03-17T21:23:00.000-07:00

We had a fun time celebrating Ty's birthday! Papa & Meme came over and we had BBQ'd hamburgers & frosted brownies for dessert(Ty's request). It was fun to just be together. Now, the teenager fun begins......
Braeden Michael stopping for a smile:)
PaPa, Cason & Jen
The special birthday boy!
Brae & Ty playing the Playstation.... What they do best!

Happy 13th Birthday Tyler James!

2009-03-15T18:17:00.000-07:00

Happy 13th Birthday Tyler! We are so proud of the young man that you are becoming. Just yesterday, I was holding this precious little baby boy who made me a mommy! It seems that I just blinked and 13 years have passed. I treasure you as my son. You make us so proud by your example and love of the gospel. Most days I wish I could just make time stop so that you would not grow up. I do look forward to seeing you grow into a man and all the many joys we have yet to share with you! I hope you have a day that is as special as you are to us! We love you our very 1st son!

A New Cook in the Family!

2009-03-08T21:34:00.000-07:00

On Sunday evening, we had the missionaries over for dinner. We were having BBQed hamburgers and Braeden wanted to help Bret do the BBQing. He is so excited because he has almost earned his Wolf Ranking in Cub Scouts and this was one of the last requirements that he had to do. So....Here is the new cook in the Family, Braeden Michael! And...the Burgers turned out delicious. One of the missionaries had 3!

It's Official....Cason is Registered for Kindergarten!

2009-03-07T21:33:00.000-08:00

OK...I really have a wonderful husband. After working from 3pm on Thursday until 3am on Friday, Bret went to Buckley Elementary with his lawn chair and a Sports Illustrated (along with every important paper we have to prove that Cason really is supposed to be going to Kindergarten in the fall). You see, there is this insane idea that parents at this school have that they need to line up starting at about 4am for Kindergarten Registration. So...Bret stayed up all night and went and got in line at 5am in order to make sure we got the teacher we wanted for Case. I think I have thanked him at least a dozen time with the response that I need to stop and remember that Cason is his son too! Anyway, we did get Mrs. Davis for Cason and we are thrilled. She is awesome and we are so excited for him. Excited for him, but not sure we are ready to let go! Why is it so hard each time one of the boys moves into the next step in life? Thank you, Thank you, Thank you Bret! You are the best!

The Best Mom in the World!

2009-02-28T12:07:00.000-08:00

I guess I never realized what a wonderful family I came from until I had one of my own. Our family has a special kind of love. One of our greatest challenges as a family has been to have my sister and her family living in Utah. I know other families live far from each other and may think this sounds crazy. For my family though, this has been and continues to be very difficult for us all. This is a special tribute to the woman who leads our family. She is truly the strength, organizer, counselor, supporter, and the best example of what a mother should be. This past week she celebrated her 60th Birthday. I know this was a difficult one for her. Even though we keep telling her that today's 60 is the new 40, it has been hard to convince her. For her birthday, she went to the beach with my Aunt Rainy to visit my Grandpa. She is so cute...All she wanted to do was to buy a kite and have fun flying it for her birthday. So...Happy Birthday Mom! I love you, I treasure you, and above all I appreciate you for being you. You are truly THE BEST!
My beautiful mom with her date. I think he lost his hand!
A special birthday announcement for everyone to see!
My mom and Aunt Rainy flying their new kite.

How Can You Sleep Like That Cason Andrew?

2009-02-21T22:27:00.001-08:00

I had to take a picture of Cason the other night sleeping. One minute he was talking to me and the next he was sound asleep. I thought he looked so funny sleeping this way. These pictures made me smile and I hope they do the same for you!Cason Andrew not having a care in the world!
Isn't he just precious?

A Busy Day!

2009-02-21T22:13:00.001-08:00

I am so excited. I spent about 4 hours today cleaning and redoing my plant shelfs. When Bret said to me the other day, "Honey, are you planning on doing anything with the empty plant shelfs?", I knew it was time to figure out what I wanted to do. They have been empty for about a year. I just didn't know what I wanted to do, so I did nothing. Anyways, they look so clean and organized. The result made me happy. I know, I need to get a life!This is the plant shelfs in my kitchen. They look so clean and organized.
This is my new WalMart bowl!
This is my new WalMart vase.

Cason Doing What Cason Does Best!

2009-02-20T16:16:00.000-08:00

My dad said that I had posted cute pictures of Tyler and Braeden this week, but nothing of Cason. So...he took some pictures of Cason doing his favorite pastime. He loves Fridays because he goes to Papa and Meme's and it's a special day when he gets to take his DS to play with.
This is truly what Cason does best. We do try to control the amount of time he spends playing his DS,but when he does he goes into his own little world.
Wow! He actually paused it long enough for a smile!

Our Basketball Super Star!

2009-02-19T22:00:00.000-08:00

PaPa & MeMe are the best! Tyler had a Basketball Game today at school. He asked Papa and Meme to come and so they did! Cason got to go too! Tyler played well and even made a 3-point shot. Can you tell I am a little proud? Great Job Ty and thank you Dad & Mom! You are the best.
Tyler going for a break-away shot! GO TY!
Tyler playing some serious offense!
Ty and his good friend Drew Berra.
Tyler looking so handsome!

Blue & Gold Cub Scout Dinner

2009-02-17T20:55:00.000-08:00

Tonight Braeden's Cub Scouts had their Annual Blue & Gold Dinner. It is like a birthday party to honor scouting. We had a spaghetti dinner and Braeden performed in a small skit. We were commenting on how he is so confident being in front of people. We were so proud of him! Thank you Meme & Papa for coming and taking these pictures! We love you!
Braeden perfoming his skit!
More skit performing!
Braeden standing with Brother Porter, his scout master and Jeffrey and Mason. They we so cute reading their parts!
Bret, Braeden, and I. I am so proud of this darling boy. He is truly a great blessing in our lives!

I Love These Pictures!

2009-01-20T19:47:00.000-08:00

You know how you take some pictures and they just make you smile! Here are a few of those pictures. Hope they brighten your day too!

Here are all the cousins. This picture was taken when it was about 12 degrees outside. I have never heard so much whining and complaining from six kids all at the same time. But hey.....We got a picture!

Me and my little Sissy. I love her so much! She is truly my best friend. It is quite funny how much we realize that we are alike as we get older...All the way down to water on the windshield!

Our little man bundled up to brave the storm. This whole day we called him Randy from the movie "A Christmas Story". He would say, "I'm not Randy, I'm Cason". It was so cute to watch him try and walk with all the layers on.

Cason and his Daddy. I love this picture of two of my men. Very rarely do I get a picture of Bret where he is not hiding. This was taken on the train ride at Knott's Berry Farm.

A Trip to See the Elephant Seals

2009-01-20T17:40:00.000-08:00

A BIG male elephant seal.

The boys way to close to the seals. I was just stressed out the whole time!

Ty messing with the elephant seal. Typical teenage thing to do!

Our handsome boys!

The cutest baby elephant seal you have ever seen. Too bad they don't stay that way!
We had so much fun just sitting and watching these magnificent creatures. I love doing things like this with my family. How blessed we are to have these opportunities.

The Best Utah Trip Ever!

2009-01-06T21:45:00.000-08:00

This past week has been wonderful. The boys and I spent time with my sister and her family in Utah. With lots of snow and 6 cousins in the house, things got a little crazy (and loud) at times. We had so much fun and even stayed in our pajamas all day one of the days. We took the kids sledding, went to the SLC Planetarium, took the kids to jump on a room full of trampolines, and also served up many buffets (It is like a buffet when you have to feed that many people). I treasure the time I have with my sister. We don't see each other as much as we would like to, but are so blessed to have each other and the time that we do share.

The cousins after a long afternoon of sledding.

Me and my best friend.

Braeden, Ellie, and Sissy getting ready for a trip down the hill.

Me and my boys! I love these boys so much and am so glad I am their mommy!

Sledding races are so much fun!

Cason Andrew & Ellie Afton being the best of friends.

OK...so I became a little obsessed here. Shannon took us to see this herd of elk about five miles from her house. We went three different times. I could have parked and watched them all day. I'm a little wierd, what can I say?

Here is Cason "shooting" the elk with his cousins new play gun. What can I say....A Sanders through and through.

A White Christmas 2008

2008-12-26T17:33:00.001-08:00

The boys were thrilled when it began to snow at GramMary and Papa Paul's house in Placerville. It didn't take long for Brae to start throwing snowballs at anything he could see.

I love pictures of the tree and gifts before the kidos get ahold of them!

Here is another picture of Brae and Case having a great time in the snow. I walked out on the porch to take this picture and saw four deer running down the street. It was quite a treat for a city girl like me.
I hope each of you had a wonderful and memorable Christmas with your loved ones. We wish each of you a 2009 full of happiness and joy!

A Wonderful Christmas Party with my Mom & Dad!

2008-12-26T17:23:00.001-08:00

The Sanders Boys with "Papa Santa"! My children may all need counseling when they are older, but we sure have fun with my dad being Santa. Honestly, how many children can honestly say that their Papa is Santa Claus.

I love my family so much! We had so much fun together at our family Christmas Party.

A Picture Just for Ellie Afton!

2008-12-14T23:23:00.001-08:00

For those of you who know Ellie, you know Belle is her favorite Princess. So....Ellie Bellie, this picture was taken just for you! I love you!

More Disneyland pictures

2008-12-14T23:06:00.001-08:00

This was my favorite part of the parade. The toy soldiers were darling!
What an awesome Papa! My dad waited for about 30 minutes in the Dumbo line with Cason. It was the cutest thing to watch them having so much fun together on the Dumbo ride.
I love this picture of my mom and dad! They were so much help and such good sports! I love you both so much!

Christmas at the Happiest Place on Earth

2008-12-14T22:52:00.000-08:00

OK...So Cason was not crying because he was scared of Pluto and Mickey. He was upset because Ty stepped on his shoe and it came off. We of course had just reached the front of the line after a 10 minute wait to get our picture taken. I didn't care at that point who was crying, we were going to take the picture!
This is when we were all happy!

2008-12-07T21:41:00.000-08:00

I love the Christmas Season....for many reasons! I love to reflect on my Savior's birth and the great blessings I receive through my religious beliefs. I love to look back over the past year and count my blessings of a wonderful husband and boys, health, and the treasured memories with family and friends. I appreciate the lessons I learn from my students as well. Some who have so little have so much to give. I hope this past year has brought you great joy, laughter, and memories that you will always cherish. I wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas!

More Christmas Pictures

2008-12-07T21:21:00.001-08:00

Tyler James....He just loved having his picture taken!

Braeden Michael...always patient with me when I take his picture!

Cason Andrew....Such a busy little body!

My Favorite Time of the Year!

2008-12-07T20:44:00.000-08:00

Here are the boys in front of the tree. It took a lot to get this picture. When I told them to put their faces together, of course they were pushing and shoving each other. I finally got a good one though.

Here is our beautiful Christmas tree. It is so special because the boys helped me decorate it. I love creating Christmas memories like these.

Happy Birthday Beautiful Ellie Belle!

2008-11-01T22:51:00.001-07:00

NOVEMBER 3, 2005.....THE DAY OUR PRINCESS ELLIE BELLE CAME TO US! WE LOVED YOU THEN AND LOVE YOU MORE WITH EACH PASSING DAY!

wHERE HAS THE LAST 3 YEARS GONE? YOU BRING SO MUCH HAPPINESS AND JOY TO OUR LIVES. HAPPY BIRTHDAY PRECIOUS GIRL. WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH!

2008-11-01T21:40:00.000-07:00

OK...so if you know me, you know I hate Halloween! It seems like it is a day of trying to tame wild children from 7am-11pm. My students are wild, my children are wild, and I am just exhausted! To top it off, Bret is working nights right now. I shouldn't complain I guess, Ty went to a friends house and Brae, Case, and I did the trick-or-treating thing. My mom is such a good sport....she came out to the house to help me with the hundreds of trick-or-treaters we get. Overall, it was a fun day! Long......but fun!

Our Yankee Fan.....Braeden Michael

YES!!!!This is our son....Tyler James

Cason Andrew....Our Little Firefighter!

Happy Halloween 2008

2008-10-31T21:22:00.000-07:00

Case knew he wanted to be firefighter a couple of months ago. When we found his costume, it didn't come with pants. Thank goodness for MeMe & PaPa, they found some bib snow pants which worked perfectly. He looked adorable!

Carving Pumpkins

2008-10-28T22:43:00.001-07:00

This is the "after" picture. I think they turned out pretty good and we had a blast creating them.

What a fun Family Home Evening we had. Brae worked so hard on making his Jack-o-Lantern.

2008-10-25T22:51:00.000-07:00

Little PeeWee loved saying he was "more than three" on the sign. He is growing up so fast too!

Braeden Michael is growing so fast. We keep telling Ty to be nice to Brae because he is sure to pass him up in size.

Our Pumpkin Patch Trip

2008-10-25T22:36:00.000-07:00

Ty is getting so tall. He loves the fact that he can almost look me square in the eyes. I just keep reminding him that I am the boss!

I love these boys so much! I treasure the time we are able to spend together as a family!

A Little Bulldog Fan....Cason Andrew

2008-10-25T22:27:00.000-07:00

Case was so good at the Bulldog Game. I just kept feeding him and he was great.

We Love Our Bulldogs!

2008-10-25T21:55:00.001-07:00

We have so much fun at the Fresno State Bulldog games. This was Cason's first game and of course he had to have his hair painted red just like his brothers. Papa Don is such a good sport. We love having him with us at the games.

A New Pink Laptop!

2008-10-07T19:12:00.000-07:00

I am so excited!!!!!For my birthday, Bret & the boys gave me a new laptop....and it is pink too! It is so fun to do lesson plans and write parent notes (for now at least). I wanted to tell my guys that they are the best and I love and appreciate all they do for me! I love you Bret, Ty, Brae, & Case!

Go Dogs!

2008-10-05T12:11:00.000-07:00

Last night we went to the Fresno State vs. Hawaii Football game. This was Cason's first Bulldog Football game. He was so excited! To make it more fun, we found some red hairspray (thanks to it being almost Halloween!) and did up the boys hair. The game was horrible, as we lost in the final 10 seconds, but the boys had a great time. All they did was eat, eat, eat! including 2 bags of peanuts, 2 bags of M&M's, 3 trays of nachos, a lemonade, a bottle of water, and a soda. I think we spent more on the food than we did on the tickets.

Our Cub Scout!

2008-10-02T22:16:00.000-07:00

Here is our darling Braeden at his first Cub Scout Pack Meeting. It was so cute to watch him have such a great time. We are so proud of him!

Our Cross-Country Runner

2008-10-02T21:36:00.001-07:00

We are so proud of Ty. He is running on the Cross-Country team for his school. At there meets they are running about 1 1/2 miles. We are thrilled to see him have the confidence to be involved in sports!

Our 15th Anniversary East Coast Trip

2008-09-26T18:21:00.000-07:00

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

A Day at the Airport

2008-09-25T17:12:00.001-07:00

Brae looking for someone to nail with a dirt clod.
Cason getting ready to run!

As a little girl, my mom and dad used to take us out to the Porterville Airport to watch the fire planes come in and refuel. Now they have passed this tradition on to us. We had so much fun watching the planes. I think the boys had more fun running through the field and throwing dirt clods at each other. SUCH BOYS!!!!

Another season of Football!

2008-09-25T16:59:00.001-07:00

Here is Brae blocking!
Brae plays Center on his flag football team. Here he is hiking the ball!

Our Anniversary East Coast Trip

2008-09-11T23:18:00.000-07:00

Bret & I after our Bulldogs beat Rutgers in New Jersey! GO DOGS!!!

Cason's 1st Day of Preschool as a BIG BOY!

2008-09-11T23:15:00.000-07:00

Yeah!!!! It is my 1st day of preschool! Cason is such a big boy now. He said after his first day of school, "Mommy, you should have seen all those little kids crying for their mommies!" He is so grown up. I hate it!