Kopp Stop

DEAR IDAHO,

2010-01-27T15:24:00.000-08:00

It is January 27th. I thought you were just late with the snow delivery.... but now I am beginning to think you forgot. Does FedEx have a tracking system for snow delivery. I am going to Google it.

Pretty sure FedEx lost my snow in transit...

A Season of Wishes

2009-12-25T17:13:00.000-08:00

Many of you know that my niece Hailey had her wish granted by the Make a Wish Foundation, and Highland High School. Her wish? To go on a Caribbean Cruise with her family. They are getting out of the Idaho cold in January and she couldn't be more excited!

See KPVI's news report on her here. Thanks again to all that have been part of this. You can't imagine how much this means to her! This program is amazing. Sick kids grow up so fast, and giving them the opportunity to have a childhood, is priceless.... loves and Merry Christmas!

May All Your Christmases Be Bright

2009-12-16T12:36:00.000-08:00

My favorite Hailey Story....
One CHRISTMAS... little RAE asked for a desk so she could play school with Jo. Apparently she was good, cause on Christmas morning--- there was her NEW DESK, straight out of Santa's Shop. Hailey reported to everyone that it still SMELLED of Santa's workshop...of all things...it wouldn't have been so funny, except the year before she asked for a Barbie dollhouse... the house was SO big that it had to be constructed on site. In the elves HASTE they left a nail from the construction on the floor... elves are sloppy like that. A normal kid plays with their prize, not noticing anything else in the room. Not HAILEY. She immediately found the nail and told everyone that she had heard those SLOPPY little elves in the night, and they had left evidence that they had been there. And, it still SMELLED like elves. Which, I am not sure what elves smell like... wood glue? syrup? candy canes? candy corn? or in this case.... Clinque Happy?

This is Sammy's FAVORITE "Sammy Story"--- she curls up in my arms, bats those long eyelashes and I am sold---- I tell the story AGAIN. When Sammy was born she had a bowel blockage and they took her early by C-Section and immediately did surgery to remove the block. While she was in the NICU I went in to hold her. It was my first time seeing her, and I longed to see those pretty eyes, some kind of acknowledgment that I would in FACT be her favorite aunt. So, I rocked her. Sang to her. Told her stories. I looked up at my big sister, tears welling in my eyes.... What should I do? She was so helpless with all those tubes hanging out of her. Teea smiled, just talk to her like you would talk to a normal kid. So, I do what I do best, I made fun of her. "Sammy" I said... "you are FAR too skinny, awkward looking, and skragaly (a word only I would ever use) You need to put some meat on your bones or NO ONE is going to want to be friends with you!" Finally I gave up. I just sat perfectly still. Didn't move, didn't speak.... just sat there.... still. Then I saw it.... one little eye opened ---that beautiful bright blue eye peered out through those long eyelashes. she spotted me and immediately closed it. TRICK!

Which reminds me of this final story.... when I was home for Thanksgiving break I was playing Hide and Go Seek with Sammy. She hid and I went on the back porch to count. I may have got distracted by the TV and waited a little longer than I should have to come and FIND. Suddenly I hear a little voice that I love so much.... "KALEE..... here is your CLUE". As if the voice wasn't CLUE enough, I walk into the living room to see a pile of blankets with the skinniest little arm sticking out the top. That was in fact, a great CLUE.

Too Old To Be Sliding...

2009-07-01T15:34:00.000-07:00

So last week I slid into second at a city league SLOW PITCH softball game. Apparently I think I am in high school and living out my high school dreams. I don't even know what I thought I was doing. ANYWAYS I got a hott burn on my shin---I have had at least 30 of these in my lifetime. I was just waiting it out when I got a fever. Then on Sunday my leg started throbbing and I looked down....something very important was missing----MY ANKLE. The swelling swallowed my ankle whole. So I grabbed my dear friend Alysa and made her go to the doctor with me. She watched as the nurse scrubbed out the infected wound and grabbed me when I started to faint due to the pain. All and all a pretty great sabbath day!

So.... here are the battle wounds... and what is left of the swelling. Enjoy.

Fancy Nancy

2009-07-01T15:18:00.000-07:00

Sammy just turned four and in honor of her birthday we all acted out her favorite book.

For those who don't know about Fancy Nancy it is about a little girl who feels like everyone should be fancy.

We celebrated by all dressing up and going to Dairy Queen (basically the story line of the book)

It was so cute seeing everyone totally get into character especially SAMMY!
Please note her perfect pose. When I took this photo she was like, "Hold on...."(insert spin) then pose---
I was laughing so hard!

HAPPY 4th BIRTHDAY SAMMY!

Seattle Trip

2009-07-01T15:12:00.000-07:00

Just thought I would give you all a little update.
We went to Seattle in March.... Okay I know I am a little slow on this update. But, we had so much fun. I tried to find local places to eat that we would all love and my greatest find was the pizza. I love me some fresh mozzarella! So great!
And who could forget Tiffany trying to feed the birds with a very very very small french fry that the seagull may have mistaken for her finger.... OUCH!

A Sushi Date

2009-01-21T12:08:00.001-08:00

*Teea did not eat sushi!

Hailey had to go to Primary's yesterday to get her IV checked. So, since we were in SLC we went on over for some sushi. You have not experienced life until you have been poked in the hand for trying to take a piece of an 8 yr olds sushi... For the record, she has an addiction and she ate the most.

On the way home we stopped at a gas station. Kara and I were in different stalls. When I went to flush the toilet I realized I had won the LOTTERY! Okay, really I just asked Kara if she was special enough to get a gold handle on her toilet. Of course I took a picture of her envy towards my gold plated throne!

the fog.............

2009-01-21T10:19:00.000-08:00

12:30pm I returned to my home to find a note on the door

*This note was left my my roommate Christal who was very concerned about my returning home so late on what she supposed was a very "sketchy" night. It was really creepy. So I made Christal come out and take pictures with me.

Um... Bigfoot?

New Year's Eve

2009-01-21T10:13:00.000-08:00

For those of you who may have been curious how I spent New Years....

Prince Charming Figurine --- free with kid's meal
Fireworks--- $1
One scorned friend getting over a breakup---priceless

Christmas Break...

2009-01-21T09:53:00.000-08:00

I know you have all been annoyed by my lack of blogging. I am sorry! So... to make up for it, I will start with Christmas break. I went home, the picture with the huge snowflakes is in front of my parents house in Idaho Falls. Terra got some new shoes and she was really excited to take us all up the mountain. Speaking of excited, Kara and I promised a certain little almost 8 yr old that she could go snowboarding.
She worked so hard and was such a little trooper. Kara and I had so much fun teaching her. Kara may have forgot to tell her that the lift comes to a little hill that they slide off of. I guess she was freaking out, thinking that they may have to jump off. She probably should have thought that one out before she got on the lift. Happy 8th Birthday Hay Bug!

Utah vs. TCU

2008-11-10T15:58:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to give everyone a quick update. I was at the Utah v. TCU game last week and it was amazing! 50,000 fans. Rice-Eccles Stadium was sold out in black. After Utah won the fans stormed the field and they looked like little ants taking over a picnic. I was so glad I got to go. It was a crazy weekend in ISU athletics with a VB game on Thursday, VB, WBB, and MBB all in a row on Friday (I almost died) and FB on Saturday (I did die). I am glad I bit the bullet and went to the Utah TCU game in the mix of everything else. It was totally worth it! Congrats to the 10-0 Utes.

Updates and Girl's Night Out

2008-10-27T11:15:00.000-07:00

So, I haven't updated in awhile. Considering the last post, I am sure you can all understand why. Plus, if you know anything about my job, you understand that this is a REALLY crazy time of the year. But, I did want to say thanks to all of you for your thoughts and your prayers for my family and for me.
Having said that, my dad is doing really well. He is a rock. I am amazed how much better he looks every time I see him. He hasn't gone back to work yet, but he is getting around a lot better. He was up on the roof a couple of weeks ago watching Brendon put re-shingle. Even after Me, Teea, and Kara threatened to tell mom on him... he wasn't deterred.
We wrecked shop on the lawn and ripped up all the dead plants for the winter. It was really fun to get back to work with the family. It's so funny to me that we are all working, sweating and looking horrible and we are having the best time.

This past weekend Teea, Kara, Sam, Hailey and mother came to Poky and we just had to go to the premier of High School Musical 3. Alysa came too, cause we "made" her ---(she totally had her High School Musical panties on.)
Before we went to the movie sammy jo needed a hair cut. She held perfectly still for Alysa to make her hair pretty. She was just so excited and so cute. So, afterwards I was carrying her to the car and she started holding her hair and yelled "wind, you stop...Alysa made my hair". I just thought it was so cute. I couldn't help but giggle.

Okay, so love you all!

Our Daddy's Birthday Present

2008-08-30T23:44:00.000-07:00

So, our daddy... in the prime of his 51 year old mid-life crisis decided that he needed to fulfill his life long dream of having a bike. He stewed about it for weeks before finally talking mother into letting him have one. Oh, what a beauty she.... WAS! Yep, the morning after the big purchase our father awoke at 6:oo AM with the biggest CHRISTMAS DAY SMILE on his face. I can just imagine him in my mind--- "Terri pleassssse lets go for a ride!? I just wanna go on a short 3 mile ride to go check on the horses." So he was a good little boy and worked in the shop all morning. He helped the neighbor kid work on his car... as well as showing everyone in earshot, his NEW BABY. So, what guy wouldn't be excited? This was Saturday, August 23rd, 2008. So, around 3:00 our parents headed off like two little high schoolers.
....Somewhere around 3:45 I got the call that they got in a wreck, I rushed to the Idaho Falls hospital where Teea and Kara were waiting with mother. Dad did not look good.

He had a laundry list of injuries: He had 8 broken ribs, 3 were broken in two places. A broken orbital bone, two cracked vertibrae, cracked shoulder blade, broken colar bone, collapsed lung, and a lacerated spleen.
They rushed him into surgery and removed the spleen. He was on the vent. until Wednesday and he celebrated his 51st birthday on Friday by moving to the 3rd floor of the hospital. He is in really good spirits and has a long recovery but he is really optimistic about it. We just can't believe how blessed we are to have the both of them still with us... yeah, mother--- as stubborn as she is walked away with a couple little scratches on her fist. Its just like her to stare death in the face and most likely punch him. So, thank you for all the fasting, the prayers, and the meals. They are so greatly appreciated! In the words of Sammy Jo "Papa, I pray to Heavenly Father, 'Please Bless Papa'!" Papa says "maybe that is why I am getting better so fast..."
So... hopefully he will come home soon! Please keep our family in your prayers! oh... and happy birthday daddy! So much for a mid-life crisis!

The Answers

2008-06-24T11:51:00.000-07:00

Four Jobs I've Had:
1. Marketing Director
2. Coach
3. Built Cabinets
4. EFY Counselor

Four DVDs I could Watch over and over:
1. The Holiday
2. Best of Chris Farley
3. X-Men
4. LOST

Four Places I've Lived:
1. Idaho Falls, ID
2. Provo, UT
3. Ogden, UT
4. Pocatello, ID

Four T.V. Shows I Love:
1. LOST
2. Bachelor/Bachelorette
3. So You Think You Can Dance
4. Project Runway

Four of My Favorite dishes/foods:
1. Pasta
2. Sushi
3. Steak
4. Mexican

Four sites I visit daily:
1. isubengals.com
2. facebook
3. google
4. myspace music

Four Places I have Vacationed:
1. Denver
2. Dallas
3. New Orleans
4. Portland

Four Things I'd rather be doing right now:
1. Eating Sushi
2. Snowboarding
3. Swimming
4. Playing with my little people

Today...a list of my favorite things

2008-04-23T15:17:00.000-07:00

What I love...
my little people, rain, carmel apple cider, LOST, puzzles, new shoes, new socks, pumas, puppies, independence, cuddling, great powder, laughing with the fam, curling up by the fireplace, reading, movies, mmm sushi, being right (haha), cooking with mommy, building with daddy, plotting with Kara, joking with B, analyzing with T, sushi with my hay bug, reading to sammy jo,
and so many more!

Paramore Concert

2008-04-14T16:08:00.000-07:00

On Saturday in honor of the birth of Alysa, Kara came to town and we all went to the Paramore concert. Okay so I LOVE their music. But, more than anything else---they put on a rip roaring, crowd involving show. Impressive. Granted I did have to dodge teeny boppers everywhere and I may have awkardly interuppted a couple making out in front of me...but it was worth it!!! PS a 12 year old girl overdosed on drugs at the concert and they had to call and ambulance. This ain't no Hannah Montana concert! Considering everything had a great time! Hats off to the girl at the concert with the blue single row sideways mowhawk....LADY LIBERTY??? You made my night, thanks! Happy 24 Alysa Beth!

Terrible Two's

2008-04-10T09:40:00.000-07:00

Teea called to tell me that while Sammy was visiting her grandma she was fascinated by her "putting on her face". After she was done they left the room to go play. As soon as her grandma turned her back Sam had snuck out, climbed up the counter in the bathroom (she is half monkey) and was prettying herself up. She was very proud of her work... This kid has to be entertained at all times, or she finds herself in mischeif. She amazes as well as amuses me. Hey Teea, push to "my June" (that's what Sam calls the month of her birhtday) hopefully she will simmer down when she turns three!

P.A.R.T.Y

2008-04-02T09:54:00.001-07:00

My little Kara Dee turned 19 last week. How fabulous!!! So the whole family made their way back to Idaho for the blessed reunion. A couple of events really put the cherry on top for me.
Hailey and I had a spend over. I was a human jungle gym for Sam and found that she can be very manipulative when it comes to reading books. I watched possibly every church movie that mother owns! Picked up sticks with dad in the yard. Went to "Horton Hears a Who" with the kids. Oh my goodness!! It was my second time watching it and I am pretty sure that I enjoyed it more than the first. My favorite part was that you could hear Brendon laughing over everyone else in the audience. Maybe the movie was just made for our sense of humor. Thinking about it makes me miss my family more. Afterwards we went over and had a little sushi. Me, Kara, and Hailey love sushi!!! Brendon the seafood hater just kinda watched. I still loved having him there though. I just loved being with my family!!! It was such a great time. So happy birthday little sister!!! Love you!

Old Skool is Cool!

2008-01-31T09:57:00.000-08:00

We all know I am getting a little older... lately I have become nostalgic about the cartoons and tv shows of my childhood. So, in honor of those great shows of yore.
These are listed in no particular order.

Chip n' Dale Rescue Rangers
Darkwing Duck
Tailspin
Donald Duck: Honey Harvester
Donald Duck: Snowball Fight
Ducktales
Donald Duck: Applecore
Clarissa Explains It All
Secret World of Alex Mack
Torkelsons
Erie Indiana
Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman
Hey Dude
Flash Forward
Ghost Writer
Reading Rainbow

A moment of silence please...

Every Day Has a Hailey Story

2008-01-09T14:07:00.000-08:00

There are honestly way too many Hailey stories to pick a favorite. But, I wanted to list a couple of notes about her. She recently had a port put in. (you can see it in the picture) This will make hospital visits so much easier for her. The problem is that it is still pretty tender, but I am so proud of her for being such a little trooper. The deal was that Teea said that she could have pink highlites put in for her hospital visit, and boy did she ever work them! So my most recent favorite Hailey story came just after Christmas. She got a Barbie dollhouse for Christmas. The "Elves" had to come and help Santa reconstruct the house on site at the Hillyard home because it was too big to fit in the sleigh. So, I am helping Teea clean up the living room and I find one of the nails on the floor. I pick it up, and told Hailey "look one of the Elves dropped a nail". Her eyes got all big, she grabbed the nail and smelled it..."ohhh...yep, it smells like Elves!" I almost laughed myself to death!

My Favorite Sam Story

2008-01-09T13:55:00.000-08:00

I was scanning through my pictures today and noticed this picture of Sam standing in front of her art work with angel wings on. If this doesn't perfectly match her, I don't know what does. That little girl can get out of anything with her little "PLEAAAAASE". I really can't resist her. So, two stories. #1 She was really proud of the circles that she drew on the wall in the living room of the new house ---It had to be repainted--- #2 One day Teea couldn't find her phone. She called it over, and over again. She located the ring coming from the kitchen cupboard. She opened it, and turned around the lazy susan. Finally she pinpointed the sound in the Carnation Instant Breakfast. The phone was COVERED in powdered chocolate. But honestly, who could get mad at that little face?

Flag Football

2008-01-09T12:31:00.001-08:00

As you all may know I have been playing intramural flag football for the last several years. Well, this year---my senior year---we won regionals in AZ and went on to play in the national tournament in Dallas TX. We did not perform as well as I would have liked but we had a really great time. A big hats off to the Schmidt family who hosted us last minute while we were in town. We had a great time playing with all the children, and we were all agreed that spending time with them, was the best part of our trip! Our flag football team won regionals 3 of the 4 times we attended and went on to nationals in New Orleans, Florida, and Dallas. What a great experience!

T's Bio

2008-01-08T08:31:00.001-08:00

name: T

current status: wrangles children all day.

nicknames: T, Tina Mariena, Tea Cup, Teea Peea

Ninner's Bio

2008-01-07T15:54:00.001-08:00

name: K

nicknames: Ninner, Bear, K-Dawg, Kopper, Miss KaLee, Kay, Wailey KaLee, Loverly

special skills: cooking, starting popular sayings, keeping the family in touch and entertained through the power of the Internet

B's Bio

2008-01-07T13:54:00.001-08:00

name: Beetle

current status: Attends school for Personal Training Certification

hobbies: girls, dancing, making italian food

nicknames: Beetle, B, Brother

special skills: Killer Minnie Mouse Dance Move, consecutive back flips

famous quotes: "Grandma, don't you know I love you so much?", "You gonna get a shot at a bird?"

Pork Chop's Bio

2008-01-07T11:21:00.000-08:00

name: Karrot

current status: attending school to become a personal trainer, lives in Orem

hobbies: running, playing sports, snowboarding, boys, making sarcastic comments, eating pork chops, music

nicknames: kara-dee, ca ca, pork chop, pc, chubs, karbear, chu chu, kong ching fung, carrot

special skills: her wit will own you (watch your back), eating... a lot

famous quotes: "when I sleep I get sooooo hungry...and I have to eat or I get sooooo angry", " you know I have to eat every couple of hours or I get nautious"

Our Little People

2008-01-07T10:27:00.001-08:00

hailey rae: 6...almost 7...thinks she's 15

hobbies: extensive barbie collection, sushi with ninner, decorating, would love to snowboard if aunts would ever take her, trapping animals (she doesn't know why she does it, she just does), numbers, computers, video games, Hannah Montana, the color pink, playing with her little sister

nicknames: rae, raisin nut bran, monkey toes, hay bug

samantha jo: 2 and 1/2

hobbies: super sammy, anything with daddy or papa, drawing on walls...or pretty much everything, pretending (she has a very active imagination!), Dora, dancing, playing with her big sister

nicknames: super sammy, jo jo, josephina, sammy jo

Keeping Track of the Kopp's

2008-01-07T09:56:00.000-08:00

Apparently the Kopp family is awful at keeping in touch. I have taken it upon myself as the second child, (#1 in beauty) to provide an opportunity for our family and friends to see how we are doing. Please hold your applause until the end. So kids, just keep checking here for updates. I hope you enjoy! Love, KaLee