Grade ONE - Done!

Yup - here is proof she is done with first grade.  And to think that at the beginning of the year I didn't know how I would survive with her at school ALL DAY.  Yet, I did.  And she loved school - so much that as we walked out of the building she sniffled and said "I don't want to leave school."  I pray she always feels that way!!!

Last fall I created some forms for her to fill out to document who she was at the beginning of the year.  I then kept them hidden all school year.  You can read about it in THIS PAST POST.  We even have her hand and footprints!  The end of the year needed to be recorded as well, so I created a similar version to see how she has changed since the beginning of the year!  She LOVED doing them and comparing!!!

After school let out, Kennedy's 1st grade scrapbook club came over for our year end get together.  :)  So I didn't have her Summer Fun Box out yet!  Then she spent the night with her BFF that night...so the box was waiting for her when she returned the next day!

Her Summer Fun Box was filled with all sorts of fun things we will need to have a great time this summer!!  I also set out the framed list of Summer Fun from THIS PAST POST.  I think the box was a hit!

I can't wait to start sharing all our summer fun!!!!

Summer 2012 "Bucket List"

Tomorrow is Kennedy's last day of 1st grade!  Where did the time go?!

I am sooo excited for summer to begin so we can have tons of fun!  Last year I had a simple method for making sure we included fun things and didn't get stuck in a rut.  I made little 2x2 cards and laminated them.  I wrote a fun activity/place to visit on each one with dry erase marker.  Each week we would draw out a few squares and try to incorporate them into my week.  It worked only sometimes.  Often I didn't have the items we needed, we didn't have the time, the weather didn't cooperate, etc.  Kennedy would get super bummed when we didn't complete a square.

This year I decided to try a different approach.  I have seen tons of Summer Activity Ideas and Bucket Lists floating around cyber space.  And I decided to try my hand at making my own!  My original list of ideas was in the 90s!  Oops!  So I had to cut it down a bit!  I realize we may not complete these all but it gives us somewhere to start!

I found an awesome free summer themed digital scrapbook kit over at this site: Just Jaimee  While Jeff took the girls to the dog park this evening I played around and created our print!!!

I am having it printed at Costco in size 12x12.  It will go in a scrapbook frame and we can use a dry erase marker to cross off our activities as we go!   I am so excited to give it to her tomorrow along with her "Summer Fun Bag!"

Have a super summer!!!!

Birthday Decor

 So....I am finally getting around to sharing about Kennedy's party!  For the family that lives out of state - here is what you missed!

For the camping theme I went with the colors orange, red & turquoise.  I was able to print that adorable birthday sign from this great site here at eighteen25 blog.

For the main food table I covered it with burlap and put small logs/stumps around.  Thanks to Jeff for cutting them up for me!  On the one above is a photo of Kennedy just a few months old.

I made edible acorns for a little snack!

We had some outdoor snacks! Grizzly Bears (gummy bears), Snakes (twizzlers rope), Catch of the Day (swedish fish), Fire Logs (pirouettes).  The kids also had hot dogs & chips and we later roasted marshmallows for s'mores.

Quick little display for the table! I took an 8x10 frame, took out the glass and put in some scrapbook paper (that matched the theme colors perfectly!) and adhered a wooden letter "K" to it!

For the mantle I went simple.  I purchased scrapbook paper that matched our themes and colors.  I punched out scalloped circles and regular circles and layered them.  Then I was also able to find some super fun camping/outdoor stickers to place in the center.  I also got a large letter "K" and covered it with matching scrapbook paper.

Here is a close - up.  We were able to re-use these on her thank you cards!

This was just a quick banner behind the food table.  Again, scrapbook paper and then some awesome American Crafts letters!

March 3rd, 2008

With the big day that is tomorrow, I was remembering what today felt like 4 years ago.  I went to my blog post from that day.  Just thought I would share it here again.  (It was when I was using Wordpress!).  Crazy how life can hit you hard out of nowhere, huh?  Little did we know what March 4th had in store....


So here is a repost of March 3rd, 2008:

So…..I just can’t shake the sickies this winter. I spent the last 4-5 days with the nasty flu. So much for last minute plans before the baby arrives!!!! But such is life, right?

Just wanted to share some layouts I was holding back. Hoping for publication but I have hit a major dry spell. So it is time to share them!

You will see I am in love with Making Memories products lately!

This one was really just for fun…lots of pink, a cute photo of my girl and lots of hand sewing!

I just had to document Kennedy’s dinner prayers. I really need to videotape it as well…she squeezes her eyes shut and whispers her prayers…beyond adorable!

These photos have been waiting to be scrapped for over a year! Finally found the perfect papers for them!!!! I am loving these circular papers!
This one was more about the song than anything. I just LOVE the song Gracie by Ben Folds. (Thanks Ryan for burning the song for me!) I cried the first time I heard it and thought of Kennedy. So everytime I sing it I change Gracie to Kenna! Just wanted to document it so I never forget!
And just a fun one with the KI Lace – yum! Kennedy LOVED hanging from this bar at the pool last year…lil dare devil!

AND……………..
I decided to do a little RAK!!!!
I was just RAK’ed twice in the past few weeks. Once by my scrappy friend (and new momma) chickypie a.k.a Emily! Thanks for the scrapping goodies Emily!!!!
And another time by the talented and super sweet Wendy Reed. I am so psyched I get one of her hand made bracelets!!! You have to check out her Etsy shop, Sweet Me Designs…she has THE cutest things! Thanks Wendy!
So, I have decided to have my own little RAK to spread the love!!!
But you have to do a little guessing first!! Since we don’t know the gender of our little baby I decided I would have you all guess the gender as well as the weight and length!! Whomever gets closest will get some fun scrappy goodness from me!
Just post your guesses for GENDER, WEIGHT, & LENGTH here! I will likely not check back in again for about a week – but I will announce the winner here on my blog!!
And I thought it might be nice of me to tell you what Kennedy was when she was born, just to play with your mind! She was 41 weeks mind you! But she was 21 inches 8lbs 5.5oz!
LET THE GUESSING BEGIN!!!!!!!!!!

2 Years Ago

Life has really changed in two years.  For all of us I am sure.  Sometimes we are better off then we were - others times life seems worse.  I know several people who don't like to think about the past - fro various reasons.  But I have learned that going back and revisiting certain seasons in my life is good and healthy for me.  So I am going to share with you what life was like for me 2 Januarys ago. It was a rough few weeks but God showed me a lot and I learned a great deal. (btw, this is really long)

1/15/2010: Friday:  I took a pregnancy test (ok, I took two!).  They were positive!  I remember being thrilled but a bit nervous, too!  Guess who I told first!   KENNEDY!  Which may or may not have been the best choice at the time.  She was at preschool when I took the test.  Jeff was at work.  I was bursting to tell SOMEONE so I told her when I picked her up from school.  We went shopping to get something small to surprise Daddy with the news.  I honestly can't remember what it was!

1/16/2010:  Saturday: I had a migraine. Those nearest me know that when I stress, I get migraines. 

1/18/2010:  Monday: I had another migraine.  (I normally get only a handful a year as I can manage them fairly well.)

1/19/2010:  Tuesday:  My first appt. with my OB, Dr. R!  Because I estimated I was 8 weeks along and due to losing Sam, they scheduled me in to see Dr. R early!  I was so thrilled for the sonogram!  Dr. R seemed a bit surprised that we were pregnant again but was happy for us. At the sono, the tech was quiet. She asked if I was sure I was 8 weeks.  I said it was just a guess and I could be a little bit off.  She said I was measuring only 5 weeks. That kind of threw me...I didn't think I was 3 weeks off.  She looked around a lot and kept measuring.  She eventually said she saw a sac, but no baby.  She tried to reassure me that 5 weeks can be early to see something and I shouldn't worry too much yet.  But I could tell she wasn't so sure.  She and Dr. R told me to come back in a week.  That week was one of the longest of my life.

During that week I talked with God a lot.  I obviously was praying that there would indeed be a baby growing in me next time I went in.  I couldn't imagine walking down the road of saying goodbye to another baby again.  But I also continued to proclaim my trust in God and that his will is good.  Saying that out loud and to myself is one thing, but deeply believing it when things are rough can get hard. Often I prayed for God to give me a sign either way, so I could be prepared at the next appointment.  Meanwhile, we didn't tell anyone else about the pregnancy (or as it was called, possible pregnancy).


1/24/10:  Sunday:  I had another migraine.  It didn't help that Jeff's Auntie Ann was suffering from cancer and had taken a turn for the worse.  Or that Jeff discovered a blood clot in his leg that stretched from his groin to his ankle.  But God doesn't give us more than we can handle.  And I was really feeling like God was telling me this baby was going to be just fine.

1/25/10:  Tuesday:  My 2nd appt with Dr. R.  She was trying her best to seem upbeat, but wanted me to get the sono and then come back and visit with her.  So we went back to the sono.  Each and every sono I had had up to the point had been so exciting!  We were so eager to see our little ones on the screen, watch them move, maybe even hiccup!  Not this time.  We were so hopeful that we would see a little bean in there but also knew this could be devastating.  The tech searched and searched and measured and measured.  But again, no baby.  She did say that my sac was now measuring 6 weeks but she still didn't see ANYTHING in the sac.
We went to visit with Dr. R.  She was very sorry about it all...she said it was likely a blighted ovum.  I didn't know the details of a blighted ovum but went home and researched my heart out.  Dr. R. was a bit confused as to why the sac was still growing, though.  She did say that can happen with a B.O but she asked me to have my blood drawn and levels checked.   Soon after that we went home feeling pretty helpless.

I had so many things shuffling through my head.  Why did I have to and tell Kennedy she would be a big sis when I was going to have to turn around and tell her that she really wasn't?  Why couldn't we have a definitive answer now and not continue to play the waiting game?  Had I missed God in all this?  Why?


1/26/10:  Wedensday: Dr. R's office called with my HcG results.  She gave me numbers that I didn't understand.  She basically said my levels matched someone who would be 6 weeks pregnanct and that I needed to come in Thursday to check them again.  Seriously?!  I was a mess.  A real mess. And surprise!  I got another migraine.

While researching HcG levels and blighted ovums, I found this website: The Misdiagnosed Misscarriage  I was flloored by the information I was reading.  I read story after story of women who had been told they had a blighted ovum, whose levels were just like mine and had been told they had likely already miscarried or that they would soon.  Some went ahead and had D&Cs.  But MANY of the women had amazing stories of their doctors being wrong and them having healthy babies.  I was so confused at this point.  Jeff was doing his best to keep my spirits high but the waiting game was intense.

1/28/10: Thursday: I went into the Dr's office for more bloodwork.  I was feeling pretty bad.  They asked me to come back the next day for one last sono, just in case. This is my blog post from that day: http://danijeffholsapple.blogspot.com/2010/01/gravity.html

1/29/10: Friday:  I went alone to this appointment.  Jeff had already missed enough work and I was pretty sure I knew what the out come would be.  Unfortunately I know WAY too many people who have suffered miscarriages so I was trying to prepare myself for what I felt lied ahead.  Pain, bleeding, more appts.  I just wanted to get the appt done and get home.

I saw a different tech this time.  She looked over my chart and said she would do her best and look really thoroughly.  She had been doing this job for 24 years and she was really good at it, or so she said!  She looked and looked, both outside and inside.  I could tell she was really wanting to find a baby in there.  She said my uterus was extremely tipped, also known as a retroverted uterus.  In all her years in the job, mine was the most tilted she had ever seen. I thought it was interesting no one had ever mentioned that to me before.  Right before she was ready to flip off the machine she asked to try one more time.  She set the sensor on my belly and I saw it!  And I heard it - immediately!  There was a flutterling little heartbeat in there!  And it was pounding away!  My jaw dropped open - she was silent.  I said, "That's a heartbeat, right?" And she whispered "Yes!"  I started crying - she almost started crying!  We were both truly amazed!  I had this intense sense of relief and overwhelming joy!  That was our baby!!!  With a heartbeat of 134!  I was so full of gratitude as I walked the hall to Dr. R's office.

I was beaming when she walked into the exam room and she looked at me and then quickly looked away.  She said, "I really don't want to give you this news, Danielle.  There doesn't seem to be a baby."  I looked at her in shock and then said "But I just saw a heartbeat at the sono."  She looked so confused and and said "What?!"  I told her again and she jumped off her stool!  She said a curse word I won't mention and gave me a huge bear hug!  Apparently they hadn't given her the sono results yet and she had only seen my levels!  I will never forget her reaction and excitement!!!

The rest of the pregnancy was something God continued to use to teach me about him and myself!  He is my rock, He is my shelter, He is my fortress.  Through this I have learned to lean on him more and trust in him fully.

Proverbs 3:4-6    

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;

Isaiah 26:4
Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD himself, is the Rock eternal.

Coll 3:1-2 " Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things."

Psalm 121: 1-2
"I lift up my eyes to the hills-
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of Heaven and Earth."

Psalm 34: 4-6
"I sought the Lord and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears.
those who look to him are radiant;
their faces are never covered with shame.
This poor man called, and the Lord
heard him;
he saved him out of all his troubles."

And now....16.5 months later, our Quinn is a valuable part of our family in the flesh!!!

We thank God daily for this blessing he has given us! 

Polar Express Party

 As I said in one of my last posts, we have been doing MANY fun things found on Pinterest.  When the idea to host a Polar Express Party popped into my head, I had only given myself less than 2 weeks to pull it off.  So I went straight to Pinterest and searched for fun stuff!  If you want to see my Pinterest board about Polar Express, you can find it HERE.:

As with any shindig or holiday, Kennedy wanted to help "decorate." So we had 4 signs to make sure everyone knew they were at the correct place and that they could find the basement theater.  :) Love that girl.

Being that I am who I am, we just HAD to do a craft. Well, not just one craft....THREE crafts.  Yup.  TEN kids on my kitchen floor with paint, glue, buttons....FUN I tell ya! Thank goodness for my mom friends that get their hands dirty and helped out!

Poor Quinn....she wishes she could make a craft too...

It doesn't look too bad afterward, right?!  I just put a vinyl tablecloth down and taped it in place.  It is so nice to just roll up the mess and toss it when they are finished.

These were 2 of the crafts.  Each child was a given a bag as they entered the house.  It contained all the items they needed for the crafts, plus their Golden Ticket and a Silver Bell just like from Santa's sleigh and the movie.  For the first craft, each kid got a bulb ornament.  I had previously written their name and 2011 on the bottom.  I then put brown paint on a plate and walked around so each child could dip their thumb in it.  They stamped their thumb on the ornament once or twice (or ten+ times!) and we let it dry.  While they watched the movie I drew in eyes, antlers and painted red Rudolph noses on each.  The popsicle tree took the most time. Kennedy and I pre-painted the sticks and I cut them to the correct lengths. I basically showed them a model and said "Figure it out - make a tree and decorate it!"  It was funny to see them try to put the pieces together and then glue them.  Decorating is always a blast, too!

This was the last craft.  Each child got a rectangular piece of foam.  I drew what was supposed to be a Christmas light wire on each piece.  On a plate, I had poured various colors of paint.  I walked around and let the kids dip their thumbs in the paint of their choice and press their thumbs to make the lights.  

Aren't my sweeties cute in their matching jammies?!  You know you must wear jammies to a Polar Express Party!  They wear them in the movie!!!

Next up....SNACK TIME! 
I made some homemade hot cocoa in the crock pot...not so good.  But we still had a hot cocoa bar with yummies to put in the cocoa.  I made a cookie dough dip from Pinterest...yuck.  But the kids loved the marshmallow pops, the oranges, the snack mix and eating marshmallows plain.  After the snacks it was movie time!!!  I was so tired by then I forgot to take photos of them actually watching the movie!  Oh well!


And I can't forget! I had printed out a game for the kids to take home and play with their families but I had run out of time to laminate them. Yes. I own a laminating machine.  Go ahead. Call me a dork.  Anyway, my dear mommy friend Janet laminated them while I finished their Rudolph ornaments.  Phew!  That party was a lot of work!  But totally worth it all. And  Kennedy wants to do it all over again next December!  Will it be a new tradition?  Check back next December to find out!

Family Weekend

 Awwww......cousins!
We had a houseful this weekend!  My Uncle Tom from Texas came to visit along with my mom, her husband, my brother, his wife and their sweet girl, Marin. Oh, and Mom brought their dog, Roxie, too!

 There was quite a bit of time spent lounging (and quite a few naps - babies and adults alike).....

 But most of the time it was us watching the kids play and play and play!  There were toys strewn everywhere, sippy cups all around, snack cups dumped here and there, dogs jumping and sneaking in for attention and lots of smiles and giggles!

 Thank you to Tom for all these photos....I am too tired to upload and sort through  mine!  So another post may be coming !

 It is so fun now that both Marin and Quinn are old enough to walk/run and play together.  Marin is completely taken with Kennedy, or "Key" as she calls her! 

Thanks to all my family that made the trip to KC for a visit!  We love you bunches!!!!