December 2024

Christmas Carnival Games

Christmas Parade

Beach Cleanup with 808

Gingerbread contest winners at Bryan's work.

Wreaths Across America- National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl)

6th grade Christmas Party

19th Anniversary in Maui

Snuba/Snorkle Molokini Crater

Hiking Haleakala, Waihee Ridge Trail, and Iao Valley

Christmas Party with Aloha Eye Clinic

Bryan works 2-3 days every month at an eye clinic in Maui.

The girls had a blast staying with our dear friends, the Chambers.

When we got back from our trip, we went Christmas caroling.

After we celebrated Christmas in Hawaii, the girls and I flew to Utah for a week. The girls were super excited to be cold, touch the snow, visit cousins, and open presents from grandma and grandpa.

We drove up to Bear Lake with Kim and her family. Kate and Jane couldn't wait for grandpa to pull them behind the 4-wheeler like they saw their Koplin cousins do last year.

We enjoyed 2 days of skiing at Beaver Mountain. This was my first time skiing here and I absolutely loved it.

March 2023

 For the past couple months, I have been training with my friend Toni for the 400/1000 pound challenge. We only got together about 2-3 times a week depending on my work schedule and her kids schedule. Sometimes we added a swim day depending on how sore we were feeling. Toni has way more lifting experience, so it was good for me to be coached on my form. She also pushed me to lift heavier than I've ever lifted. Her goal was to make it on the board at the gym. My goal was to complete the challenge. Ha! I ended up lifting 555 pounds (110lbs bench press, 215lbs squat, 230lbs deadlift). 

My neighbor was in the community theatre musical Curtains. My neighbors and I went to the show to support her efforts and it was such a fun experience! 

Kate had her birthday party with some of her good friends from school at the local ski resort. They went snow tubing and created such fun memories!

For spring break, we traveled to Utah to visit and go skiing with family. Our 15 hour trip turned into a 19 hour trip because I-80 closed down due to high winds. Everyone was detoured to I-70 through the canyon, which made for a really, really long trip. Luckily, it was all worth it because the snow was incredible this year!

We got to visit with our newest nephew/cousin. Stratton and Jenny welcomed a baby BOY earlier this month- first AHLBORN so it is quite a big deal!

We played pickleball with grandma, grandpa, Kim, Zander, and Norah at the church.

We celebrated St. Patrick's day with green cinnamon rolls and skiing at Park City. We threw a bunch of green beaded necklaces in the tree to commiserate their mom being 60% Irish (found out recently with 23&me).

We invited Rachel and her family to decorate sugar cookies.

Kate learned how to successfully backbend kick over with McCartney's help.

Howie is now a daddy! Ruby had 8 puppies at the beginning of the month. Funny story: The plan was to make 1-3K dollars per puppy, but because of inexperience and poor planning only 1.5K was made from 2 puppies. The other 6 were given away for free!

We went to a Maverick Hockey game in Kansas City with some of Bryan's friends from school. We were hoping to see blood and fights. That didn't really happen. Ha!

For date night this month, Jane and I went to get a pedicure and then went to a little art studio in town and painted some gnomes for the garden. I love this one on one time with the girls. So glad we decided to do this. Bryan took Kate to the arcade in town. 

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.

January 2023

We visited the Aquarium and Legoland. It was really cool to see Kansa City mapped out in Legos. It made me realize how much stuff there really is to do in this area! 

We went with our friends to a Cheif's game! So much energy, but it was sure cold that night.

One of my goals this year was to take the girls are dates. Something special with just them. Bryan and I rotate the girls so we take them every other month. This month, I took Jane to the animal shelter and we hung out with the cats for a few hours. It really made us want to adopt, but there is no way Bryan would allow that!

We tested out the little bunny hill near our house called Snow Creek. There are 4 lifts and most of the snow is blown. We got pretty bored after 1.5 hours, but it is a perfect place for someone newly learning OR if you just dropped your child off for the afternoon.

We hardly got any snow, but this picture has ice blocks on the Missouri River. So cold!

Kate went with her best friend Eloise to the zoo.

I attempted to use my broken Polish pottery pieces to make some fun mosaic-looking pots. Kristi gave me a plumeria stem for Christmas, but it did not make it here in Kansas. Ha!