Kate turns 12

I love this girl. She is crafty, smart, dedicated, and such an introvert. She decided to try out soccer this year, which had its challenges and blessings. It was fun to see her play on a team. She continues taking tennis lessons, ukulele and piano lessons, and is on the math and chess team at school. She loves her reading teacher (Mrs. Major) and checks out a new book from her library every week. Kate has learned to wear contact lenses this year thanks to dads help! She recently started going to YW and has done a few activities without her little sister near by. I've been told she has a "lot of energy"- which is true. I think she bottles all her energy up until the end of the day. Kate is definitely testing the boundaries with her father. She has a tendency to talk back or annoy her sister when he is around. For me, she has been quite helpful. She has started dinner for us, made dinner for us, or made sure we have dinner plans. She has the gift of making good cookie too. Definitely a Koplin trait! 

I feel like I am not ready for her to advance to middle school, but it is coming soon. I am grateful she had 6th grade in elementary school. Kate is ready. She let me know she is ready to go to a larger school and participate in more after school activities. I am just going to miss my sweet little girl who made me a mommy. 

I love you Kate. Happy Birthday!

 

February 2025

Winter 10 U Soccer Season "Thunder Chickens"

Winter 12U Soccer Season "Dominators"

Surfing for Jane in Haleiwa

Flying on a 10-passenger airplane to visit daddy at work and celebrate 

Kate turning 12 years old!

Visiting the famous cat sanctuary. We were told 700+ cats live here. 

Jane fell in love with this one and wanted to bring it back home to Oahu.

There are less than 10 restaurants on the island- you have to make sure you know what days/times they close or you are out of luck!

Manele Bay Beach Park

Sweetheart Rock

Tidepools

Sunset at Manele

Barbeque and roasting s'mores at the beach with our friends Jared, Kendra, and family.

Morning hike with Jared and Bryan. We saw lots of turkey, some deer, but no rams...

Although this picture was taken a couple days later, we celebrated Kate turning 12 at the Adventure Park at the Four Seasons Resort. It hovers over water and is in such a serene location in the forest. 

Happy Birthday Kate! We know you enjoyed the thrill of climbing and 

beating dad at finishing the whole course.

It was so fun to watch our friend Kae do the ropes course.

Coconut Beach

Unreal. Molokai to the left and Maui to the right. You could see and hear all the whales while enjoying the clear, still ocean water.

Look and listen!

Shipwreck Beach

Restored plantation church, Ghost town of Keomuku

As soon as we arrived home from Lanai, we just had to celebrate Kate's birthday. It's a good thing the house was already decorated for her! 

She got a portable desk, Crocs, and a carrier for her Stanley.

Jane volunteered to showcase Germany at her elementary school's Culture Day. Bryan and I both dress up in our Trachten. We gave away pretzels and washable tattoos. Initially, I was a little overwhelmed with Jane's volunteering- because that really means mom is volunteering. But it was such a great activity, and we learned some much about other cultures too.

Braces for this one! She doesn't look very excited to have braces at all! 

Valentines Party for Kate with the YW. She won the cookie decorating contest. Her crafting has really taken off this year!

Howie and June

We found a wonderful family to help with dog watching when we travel. The dogs 

play so well together.

 

Kate's 11!

Kate has really acclimated to living in Hawaii. I am really proud of the confidence she has shown over the past 6 months. This year has been more challenging because she doesn't quite fit in with her environment. That hasn't stopped her from being friendly and helpful to all around. She has found a few good friends this school year, but often thinks about her past friends from Kansas and Texas. She is trying new things: math club, tennis and ukulele lessons, and track. She is always so thoughtful and LOVES to make crafts for others. Her latest crafts are clay earrings that depict fast food, Harry Potter characters, animals, and produce. Kate is driven. She wakes up early on school days to read for 30 minutes. She finished the Harry Potter series, wants to start a dog treat business, and loves to do extra chores around the house for cash. She prefers not to swim in the ocean during the "winter" months, but that hasn't stopped her from winning a friendly competition with her sister as first one in the water! Kate has been amazing at keeping in touch with her friends and family. She sends postcards to her friends in Alaska and Wisconsin; and is often found calling and/or texting her Aunties and Grandparents on her Gabb watch. 

It has been so fun watching her grow into a little tween this year. She has so many gifts and talents. She is so kind and thoughtful towards others. She is determined. I am so incredibly proud of the person she is becoming. Happy Birthday Kate! I love you so very much!

 

February 2024

Living in Hawaii has educated our family about different cultures and holidays. Kate made a dragon in her class to celebrate the Chinese New Year. 

Watching this year's Super Bowl was really fun because we got to see multi glimpses of Taylor Swift, made friendship bracelets, and the Chief's won!!

The girls "heart attacked" the leaders of our church with their activity group.

Kate celebrated her 11th birthday with family and friends. 

We celebrated with an Oreo Ice Cream Cake and Taylor Swift decorations around the house.

The best part of her birthday celebration was playing barbies with Kristi and Jesse. 

My good friend's son, Corbin, visited us while on his deployment with the Navy. We took him on a hike and good ice cream on the North Shore. 

Fun artwork at the Ehukai Pillbox!

Kate celebrated her birthday with some friends from school and church at the Trampoline Park. Everyone played so hard and had a great time!

 Kristi took me on a trail run in Aiea. Of course, we had to take a picture with the H3 in the background!

Kate turns 10!

Kate invited a few of her close friends from school to go snow tubing at Snow Creek Ski Resort for her birthday. I was worried about the weather because it started raining as we took off for Weston, Missouri. Luckily, there was no rain on that side of the river. 

Jane, Emma, Lydia, Kate, Rhealynn, Eloise

As you can tell, the snow is mostly man-made and we had the party just before closing for the season. Kansas City did not have the best "snow" weather this year. Too many stretches of warm days and no rain/snow in the forecast during the cold days. Either way, the girls had fun going down the dirty looking snow paths!

After the girls were tired of tubing, we had a birthday celebration in the cafeteria of the resort. Everyone picked out something to eat and then we had some tropical cupcakes I purchased from Walmart. 

Kate is such a sweet girl. It has been fun to watch her do new things this year. She joined choir at her elementary school. She can often be found hiding in her room making bracelets or crocheting or reading a book. She is able to make macaroni and cheese on her own. She has helped babysit Jane while Bryan and I run errands. She tried out run club, but quickly learned running is not for her. Then she joined acrobatics and has learned all sorts of tricks- cartwheel, back bend, back bend kick over, round off, and some spider move. She made new friends. She learned how to navigate on the computer for her school work. She has excelled musically in piano and singing. I see a future of acting or singing or drama. She is a kind and thoughtful with her friends. She has created a few projects on her sewing machine. Kate always wants to do what is right and is quick to realize when she has made a mistake. We are so proud of her. She is so fun to be with and has such a cute personality. I just love her so much!

February 2023

February was a busy month! I'm pretty sure we had something going on every weekend. 

Kate with her friends Eloise and Rhealynn at school.

We got snow, finally! Pretty sure this was on a Thursday and I had to be at work. None of the weather channels forecasted this, so it was quite a surprise! Thank goodness the whole base shut down, because the hospitals don't close for anything.

It's been a while since I've made a cheesecake. I made this for Bryan for Valentines. I love him and he loves cheesecake. 

School was cancelled for ice on Kate's birthday. Luckily, all our neighbors were able to walk over to our house and celebrate on a whim! She felt loved. (Funny side note: Howie got sprayed by a skunk the night before and came into the house- so it was stinky- we had the windows opened all night and fans to get the stink out before her party. No one noticed the stink!)

Eloise gave her a squishmellow. Mia gave her money. Caroline gave her St. Patrick's hair accessories. Saralain and Callie gave her American Girl books. Kate was grateful for all that were able to come, especially given the ice storm circumstances that made her party a little tricky. Seems like her birthday has involved a snow storm or ice storm over the last 2-3 years.

One of her favorite gifts from grandma and grandpa Koplin.

For President's weekend, we drove to Colorado to ski Keystone. We found the ice castle, ice bar, and ice playground on top of one of the main lifts. 

While we were away for the weekend, we had Howie boarded and neutered. We, or maybe I, didn't want to deal with coordinating studding Howie OR dealing with boarding shelters that do not allow dogs that are unneutered. 

Dates with the girls continues. Kate and I went to get a pedicure. Bryan and Jane went to an arcade in downtown Leavenworth.

Disney on Ice. We've gone to one previously in Dallas and the girls loved it. Thank goodness the production changes each year.

We took our family picture for the CGSC yearbook.