Merry Christmas from The Sanders Family

Christmas 2015

Our family is growing older and is moving on to a new phase in life.  It has been exciting. 

Tilly:  I turned four years old a few weeks ago.  My favorite things this year were swimming this summer and learning to ride my bike without training wheels.  I stay home with my Mom while the big kids go to school.  I like to go to the park and read books with Mom.  I am excited to go to preschool next fall.

Marlee:  I am six years old.  This year I had fun when I got to watch movies and start piano lessons.  My favorite things are my stuffed unicorn, coloring, reading, and getting presents.  In school my favorite subject is art.  My teacher told my Mom that I am a math whiz.  I got to sing in the Gilbert Youth Chorus during the spring and I got to play soccer during the fall.  I am looking forward to Christmas. 

Karalee:  I am nine years old.  This year I got to play volleyball, soccer and take piano lessons.  I might be able to play basketball next year.  I like sports.  My favorite sport is soccer.  In school I like all subjects.  I really like playing at recess.  I had fun going to sea world and universal studios with my family this year.  It was a fun vacation because we got to stay at my cousin’s house.  I love being in activity days at church.  I am looking forward to playing basketball next year.

Bryant:  I am eleven.  I played basketball during the spring and I played soccer this fall.  I also take piano lessons from my mom.  My favorite things to do are, reading and playing video games.  Math is my favorite subject at school, mostly because it is easy.  I got to play in a whiffle ball league during lunch time with the other 6th graders who signed up.  My favorite vacation this year was camping at Bear Canyon Lake with my family and lots of our friends.  We got to go kayaking.  I am looking forward to junior high and becoming a deacon next year.   

Spencer:  I am fourteen.  This year I got to play co-ed soccer, flag football and basketball for my school.  In football we got to go to the playoffs.  We made it to the semi-finals.  In school I am learning Latin, which I don’t like, and I sing in the choir, which I like.  I think it is pretty cool that I am now taller than my Mom.  I am 5’10”.  I still play the piano and have enjoyed learning some current pop songs this year.  I like to read, play sports, and play video games.  My favorite trip this year was when I got to go to Rocky Point, Mexico during fall break.  It was cool to skim board, ride on the banana boat, and to see sting rays while I was snorkeling.  I am excited to go to mountain man rendezvous and on a stake pioneer trek next year.

Mindy:  I have hesitated to write a Christmas letter this year.  There have certainly been many good, fun, blessed things that have happened in our family…but it has also been a growing year with several hard challenges.  I have not known quite how to express how I’ve felt.  Then I came across this scripture that sums up my feelings for this year, “…the Lord our God did visit us with assurances that he would deliver us; yea, insomuch that he did speak peace to our souls, and did grant unto us great faith, and did cause us that we should hope for our deliverance in him” (Alma 58:11).  I am grateful to have felt the hand of the Lord during both the good times and the hard times this year.  I enjoy keeping up with the kids and their activities and I’m glad I still have Tilly at home with me for another 1 ½ years.  This year I enjoyed date nights with Chad, playing volleyball on Tuesday nights, accompanying various musical numbers, working with the young women in the ward, and vacationing with my family.  I am looking forward to a trip with Chad at the end of this month in celebration of our 15th wedding anniversary. 

Chad:  This year I officially got old.  I injured myself playing flag football in March and didn’t get better like I wanted to.  I ended up with meniscus surgery in October and everyone keeps telling me I am not young anymore.  We had a great time on our family vacations this year in California, Rocky Point, and camping up at Bear Canyon Lake.  I enjoyed playing sports up until my knee surgery so now I enjoy watching my kids play sports.  I am serving in the Elders Quorum presidency and my job continues to keep me pretty busy as well.  Life is good and we have been very blessed this year.