Our Babies

Love this face...

And this one...

Precious Girls
Hope they made your day like they make ours everyday!

Hugs, Annie

Giant's Baseball and Shopping...Our Two Favorite Things!

After the Easter Tournament wound down Jason and I were able to get out of town to relax. What better way to relax then to partake in our two favorite things...shopping and baseball! We left early Friday morning and headed to the Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto to shop and visit our favorite cupcake shop...SPRINKLES! We had a yummy lunch at Max's and enjoyed walking through all the shops...our favorite was Pottery Barn kids...I could hardly contain myself from buying things and saving them...so cute!

The shopping center is beautiful...

Outside of Sprinkles...

That night after checking into the hotel and changing we headed to AT&T Park to watch the Giants take on the Braves. I love this place. It is the Disneyland of Ballparks. You can just feel baseball and excitement when you walk in. I love the turkey carver sandwiches, the glazed nuts, and the warm hot chocolate, which was much needed in this 50 degree weather! Jason once again, found amazing seats, he has a way of doing this! Even though the Giant's lost we had a blast. It is so nice just to spend this precious time with J, doing what we both love. So blessed!

Go Giants!

View from our amazing seats of my favorite player...Pat "the bat" Burrell

This is how we felt about the score...

We brought the girls home an Easter treat from Sprinkles...cupcakes for dogs, they loved it!
We spent the next day shopping in Union Square, at the Gilroy Outlets and at Casa De Fruta! What a great weekend we spent together!

Hugs, Annie

Warriors Update

Warriors are 17 and 4! They won both games in week 7 against Reedley and finished up 3 and 1 in their Easter Classic Tournament! They were sitting in second place going into their final game on Wednesday morning but they played a tough team. A tough team who also saved their number one pitcher to throw against the Warriors. This is typical, I tell J it should be taken as a compliment, everyone wants to beat the Warriors. The Warriors were so much fun to watch in the tournament. One of their players Anthony Hawkins hit .789 in the tournament with 4 homeruns, 3 triples, 2 doubles and a single. It was unbelievable and so exciting to watch, everytime he came up to bat you wondered what he was going to do next! The Warriors take on Hoover this Wednesday and Friday...fingers crossed that I can report back with good news.

On a side baseball note...I am so proud of my husband. He was asked to coach the North/South baseball game in San Diego this summer. In this game they pick the best players from Northern California and the best players from Southern California to compete in a 3 game series. Not only do they pick the best players...but they pick the best coaches to coach! We will be spending the weekend of June 17th through the 19th in sunny San Diego where J will coach the North team. This is a huge honor for Jason, not everyone gets this opportunity. I am not surprised he was chosen, it is well-deserved.

Hugs, Annie

Taking any opportunity to make kids better...

Wicked

Jason surprised me with tickets to Wicked tonight! What a surprise! We have been to a few plays at the Saroyan Theatre this year, but this one was different. The minute we pulled up we could tell, the parking lot was full. When we started walking inside it was even more apparent, crowds of people, we had to zig-zag in between them all! Every seat was full, people were screaming, and clapping. The singing was amazing, the Wicked Witch had an amazing voice. I loved Glinda the Good Witch, she was hilarious and her character was right up my alley. The stage props and backdrops were out of this world. The talent these actors and actresses have is amazing, 2 and a half hours of non-stop and they did not miss a beat. I loved the whole idea, the storyline, everything. Now I see what the "Wicked" phenomenon is all about! What a great date night, my husband is amazing and so thoughtful, although he loved it just as much as me! What a treat!

Hugs, Annie

Baseball: Week 5 and 6

It's been awhile since I have updated what is going on in Warrior Land! Week 5 of the season the Warrior's took on Madera South and Roosevelt. They lost their first game of league against Madera South by one run. It was a bummer but they came out strong on Friday and beat Roosevelt with a score of 16-2! Week 6 was the beginning of their 2 game series, they played McLane twice. We were at McLane's field on Tuesday and beat them 6-5. On Friday McLane came to Fresno High, after 10 long innings, Fresno High pulled out a 4-3 win! The cherry on top: Madera South had their first league loss on Friday, which means we are tied for first! It felt good to beat McLane 3 times! The Warriors are back at it next Tuesday against Reedley at home! Hope to report back with good news! Good luck Warriors! Hugs, Annie

Jane and Jianna at the Roosevelt game...they brought the luck!

Our Special Visit

"Jianna what do you want for dinner?" Jianna: "chicken." Peg: "That's a possibility." Jianna: "I don't like pastability!" This is just an example of the entertainment we had this past weekend! Jane, Jason's cousin, came to visit. Her husband, Jason, who is a football coach back home in LA, came to watch Fresno State Football practice so Jane decided to bring Jianna to Fresno for the weekend. Our weekend consisted of baseball, The Basque, Doghouse, BJ's and Huckleberry's...in other words, food! Somehow, in the midst of all our eating, Jianna came over and I painted her finger nails bright pink...so fun! We had a great time catching up with Jane and Jason, we have not seen the three of them since the wedding. Jianna is full of personality and spunk. She is extremely smart. She says the darndest things, I wish I kept a journal to record them all! I love hanging out with Jane, she is beautiful inside and out, she is funny and so down to earth. They are wonderful people, we just wish they lived closer! We just can't wait until the next time they come visit. Come back soon!

Hugs, Annie and Jason

Jane and Jianna at the game

Jianna as a flower girl in our wedding (the last time we saw her!)

Noni's 89th Birthday

This is Noni...isn't she adorable? We celebrated her 89th birthday at Plaza Ventana. She is an amazing woman, you would never know she is 89. She works in her yard, cleans her house, and makes dinner for the whole family almost every other week! She loves her grandkids and her great grandkids, it is so special to watch her with the babies, they make her smile. She is full of love, it overflows. We had a great time celebrating her. So thankful for her, her hugs, her smile, her big heart, and her delicious dinners! We love you Noni! Cheers to the next 10 years! Nicholas and Logan...her Nicky

Uncle J with his girls...Hannah and Logan

Love this munchkin...she is full of personality!

The birthday girl with her boys...Ken and Stan Papi!

Love and Hugs, Annie and Jason

Warrior Baseball: Week 3 and 4

I forgot to blog last weeks game so it's a two in one this week! The Warriors are 3-0 in league! Yup, they beat McLane last week, 8-0, Reedley last Tuesday 7-0, and Hoover last night, 2-0! Last Friday we were so lucky to have great company, my sister and Trevor came out to the game, The DeManby's came to watch and brought Noni with them! Everything is that much sweeter when you are surrounded with family! There is nothing that makes me happier than being around people I love so much. As I was standing, watching the game and Jason coach third base, talking with Katie, watching Emily walk Lola with Logan, listening to Luke giggle with Travis and Trevor and catching glimpses of Noni commenting on the game to Michelle and Peggy, I couldn't help but smile. This is the life. It was in that moment I was reminded how blessed I am. I felt the fullfilment of life, and realized in this moment nothing else matters. So thankful for these times, and looking forward to so many more. Gearing up for another week of Warrior baseball, with a beautiful weather forecast in the works. We are headed to Madera on Tuesday to take on Madera South and we have Roosevelt on Friday. Good luck Fresno High!

Go Warriors!

Annie

Me, Emily and Logan
The Demanby Clan...Katie, Logan, Travis and Luke...beautiful family!
Logan and Emily...Lola too! These two love each other so much!
Katie and I...so thankful for our friendship!
My amazing sister-in-law, Michelle, mother-in-law, Peggy and sweet Noni
My sissy and Trevor, love these two and the time we share together!

Lukie, laughing at Uncle J after the game...he lights me up!

Jason and my father-in-law, Ken Papi, he has been at Fresno High for 41 years, AMAZING man!

Jason and I after the win against McLane....my handsome coach!

XOXO, Annie

Maple Creek Elementary Cheer

Here is the girls championship performance! Enjoy!

Hugs, Annie

Clovis West Cheer Showcase

My Riley Girl...one of the best students and cheerleaders I have ever had!
That beautiful group of girls in the picture above are SUPERIOR GRAND CHAMPIONS! That's right, they won first place, best in show, highest score at the Clovis West Cheer Showcase last Saturday! It was an amazing day, the CW gym was jam packed, loud, and full of excitement. You could feel the competition in the air, everyone was in it to win it. Maple Creek was no exception. I told the squad at practice on Wednesday that I knew they would bring home a superior plaque. The way they award the elementary schools is by giving out superior, excellent and so on plaques, with superior being the highest scores. Multiple schools in the division can earn a superior plaque. Therefore I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, Maple Creek would take home a superior. The routine we were bringing and the talent of the girls was nothing but superior. So, I told the girls we needed to win the whole thing, the highest score, best in show. I was not surprised when the girls did just that, but I was ecstatic! The individual talent we have on this team is unbelievable, we were able to feature these girls in tumbling passes, flips, pyramids, full presses and scorpions.Walking away from the CW gym on Saturday was bittersweet, so sweet because the girls earned first place, bitter because this was the last time they would compete together. Out of the 17 girls on the squad, 11 are 6th graders. They will be moving on to Kastner and Clovis West, we will get to sit back and watch them grow as cheerleaders and performers. That's the fun part. I value each one of these girls for the diversity they brought to our squad, they all gelled perfectly together. Not only that, but we have two AMAZING girls from the CW squad who come help coach and coreograph. They are so talented, it takes my breath away. We are so blessed to have them. We have two more performances, Clovis West Spirit Night on Monday and our last Maple Creek Rally next Friday! Each time the girls perform this routine it gets better, I could watch it all day long and never get sick of it. These girls know how to sell and when to put the shine on! The facials, the smiles, the energy they bring; it's contagious. I can't wait to watch them rock it out their last two times! Congrats Huskies!

Hugs, Annie

Baseball: Week 2

Welcome to another week in Warrior land. Fresno High had 4 games last week to finish up their stent in the Central Classic Baseball Tournament. They won both games on Tuesday and Wednesday and lost their game on Thursday. The loss wasn't a big deal because they were 6 and 1 and had already secured a spot in the championship game set for Saturday against Central. Things didn't go their way on Saturday due to numerous obstacles and they lost in the championshop game, but hey, a second place finish isn't bad! On Sunday Jason and his dad help the 3rd annual Texas Hold'em Poker Tournament at Club ONe to raise money for their baseball program. It was a very successful fundraiser thanks to all who came out and played, we are forever grateful to you! The Warriors are gearing up for their game on Friday afternoon. They will be opening league against McLane High at Fresno High at 3:30...would love to see you out there! Hopefully I will report back with good news next weekend!

Go Warriors!

Clovis North Cheer Showdown

On Saturday the cheer squad faced one of the moments they have been working so hard to get to...the Showdown. This is the first year that Maple Creek has participated in the Clovis North competition, we usually just do Clovis West, we thought this would give the girls' more experience. Not only that but these are the days I look forward to all year. There is just something about the atmosphere, the music, the big bows, the smiles, the energy, the anxiety, and the nerves that is so addicting. No matter what my girls' always move me to tears because I am so proud of them. Every year they leave it all out on the floor and this year they did not disappoint, in fact, they raised the bar. They rocked. They nailed it. They were awesome. I am so proud of their hard work and dedication to the team, they are all beautiful girls full of so much energy and charisma. We have two wonderful girls' from the Clovis West's team who come help us coach each and every week, they are amazing. They have been with us for three years and this is their senior year. We are devastated. One just informed us she is in the Smittcamp program and will be going to Fresno State and can coach next year. We are so thrilled. These two girls have become like family, we adore them. We took 2nd place in the Showdown, I am thrilled for the girls. We head to the Clovis West Showcase next Saturday and I can't wait to watch my girls' do it again. They are so much fun! We got this girls!

Cheerfully, Annie

The girls' warming up their pyramid...

Leslie and I...we teach 6th grade together and coach cheer together...

The whole squad

Maple Creek's Trophy!

Leslie, Kari, Sierra and me...our Clovis West coaches!

Baseball Week 1

Fresno High kicked off the season with a bang! They went 4 and 0 in the Central Tournament this week. Their first game was on Tuesday and Jamie and I put together a bag of good luck goodies for the baseball boys. That must have been the trick! We kick off this week on Tuesday followed by games on Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Let's go Fresno High!

Go Warriors! Annie & Jason

The boys' good luck goodie bags...

Celebrating at Doghouse after a win...
Stacy and Charlotte came out to one of the Saturday games!

Stacey's Homecoming!

My friend Stacey came in town for a visit, and it was a great way to get all the girls' and their husbands together for a night out! We went to happy hour at Daily Grill and had some drinks and appetizers before heading over to Campagnia's for their last night open before they were closing the doors (hopefully to re-open soon). We had $100 in gift cards and wanted to make sure we didn't let it go to waste! It was so wonderful to see Stacey; it is easy to forget how much fun we all have together when we are going full throttle on the roller coaster of life. Even though we have all grown so much, gotten married, had kids, established careers etc. it was so nice to realize that some things never change. We still love to reminisce, laugh, build each other up and no matter what we always have each others back. I love these girls with my whole heart, they are the best friends a girl could ask for. Stacey, we will miss you until next time! XOXO!

Hugs, Annie

Mia, Jenn, Me, Stacey and Heather

The whole gang
The Girls...
Heather and Me...Love her to death!

Personal Pizzas, Friendship Bracelets and It's It's: Perfect Recipe for Love!

On Monday night Jason and I were blessed to spend an evening with Logan and Luke Demanby. We told Travis and Katie to get out of the house, just the two of them, and leave their precious cargo with us for the night. Oh what a fun night we had planned. It started with making our own personal pizzas, Logan taught us all how to make a pizza, what goes on first, second and so on. Luke assisted us by sitting on the floor and letting out priceless giggles confirming that we were making a perfect pizza! After we put them in the oven we waited for them to bake and cleaned up some of the mess! After we enjoyed our pizzas we moved on to making friendship bracelets! Don't tell Logan, but these were not as easy to make as I thought they would be! After a few tries I was able to get one to work and it turned out perfect for precious logan...Katie...don't tell me if it already fell apart! Jason even joined in on the fun and made Logan a necklace...purple and gold, of course. After our arts and crafts project Logan had her dessert...an It's It bar...yummy! Luke was such a trooper, he giggled and laughed most of the night and was very happy eating his yogurt drops! Michelle joined in on the fun with us...which made the night that much better! I love these two kiddos so much. They were so well-behaved, so happy, so full of life. Katie and Trav need to take lots of date nights so Logan and Luke can come over more often! They make my heart smile.

Logan spreading her sauce

Two handsome men hanging out...
Popping the pizzas in the oven to cook!
Michelle and Logan about to bite into their pizza.
Before I knew how challenging these bracelets would be...
Luke just hanging out.
Crafting.
The finished product!

Hugs, Annie and J