Ashton wanted to have some friends from dance and friends she knows through dance friends go ice skating with her to celebrate her birthday. So on Saturday before her birthday eleven girls and guys gathered at our house to caravan an outdoor skating rink in a part of Kansas City known as the Crown Center. Of course the temperature was a frigid 9 degrees when we left the house about 5pm. After a couple hours they had had enough fun and were ready to head back to the house for a chicken and rice dinner, games, a movie and then girls spent the night. Great fun was had by all, including Jeff and I. Enjoy the pictures.
Mallory getting all suited up: skates, layers, coat, scarf, hat, gloves.....
Jeff 'holding' Kirsti's hat. Not sure about that look on him! (Really, a flower?)
Most everyone was a little wobbly at first. Left to right: some guy, Mallory, Dacia, Abbi, Stanton.
Jeff and Kenon are a pair! You really never know what these two goofballs will do!
In the area where the rink is located the trees are decorated with lights and there are several large hotels all connected by indoor walkways over the streets.
Mallory and the birthday girl! Nice smiles ladies.
Part of the gang resting on a bench, or is it that they are getting out of wind for a moment? L to R: Dacia (Missionary Kid from Japan who is staying with the Kawases for a season; ATP met her and her family while in Japan last summer; she is doing College Plus now too.), Nicole (Stanton's sister; they are a IHOP family who have been here 5 or so years; Stanton dances at DT but Nicole dances at another studio.), Ashton (an amazing young woman who loves the Lord and loves her friends.), Mallory (an amazing young lady who loves the Lord and brings joy to all those around her.), Hannah C. ( a friend from dance), Abbi (4th oldest Kawase child, dances at DT, went to Japan with Ashton; started College Plus last fall), Kenon (2nd oldest Kawase child, dances at DT, went to Japan with ATP, finishing up at Johnson County Community College in May and transferring to University of Missouri Kansas City, studying Civil Engineering)
Different line up on the bench: L to R: Ashton, Dacia, Nicole, Kirsti (3rd oldest Kawase child, graduated from dance at Dramatic Truth, went to Japan with ATP, started College Plus last fall), Mallory, Hannah C., Abbi, and in the background Dante (new friend to ATP- he is a friend of Stanton, Kimberly, and April's, his family is associated with IHOP but I am not sure how), Stanton (dances at DT, went to Japan with ATP, Nicole's brother, IHOP family who has been here 5 years.)
Cluster of the party out in the middle: L to R-Kenon, Kimberly, Gabe, Ashton, Dacia, Hannah C, Abbi, Kirsti, and Stan. It was hard to photograph with the lighting, the movement, the distance, and all those people who kept getting in between my camera and my subjects.
'Mallory the Beautiful' as she is appropriately labeled in my phone directory.
Ashton and Abbi, precious sisters in the Lord; beautiful young women.
Jeff and Kristian.
Again.
Dante and Ashton.
Dacia, Nicole, Ashton and Kimberly (dances at DT, went to Japan with ATP, started College Plus last fall, lives with April and her family as Kimberly's dad is a US ambassador and her family has now moved from DC to Turkey.)
Dante, Nicole, Gabe ( a new friend of Ashton's, he is a friend of Stanton's, he plans to do FSM-IHOP's school of ministry- in the fall.), April (dances at DT, started College Plus last fall, Kimberly has lived with her family since November. Before that Kimberly lived with another dance family for about 2 years.)
L to R: bottom row-Abbi, Mallory; 2nd row-Dante, April, Ashton, Kimberly, Dacia; 3rd row-Gabe, Kirsti, Nicole; 4th row on top-Kenon.
Added 3 to the picture. Abbi, Mallory; April, Dacia; Gabe, Nicole, Ashton, Kimberly, Stanton; Kenon, Dante, Hannah C., Kirsti.
Same 13, just more goofy! Nice hat Stan. (He took Kimberly's hat from her early in the evening.) I guess if Jeff is wearing Kirsti's hat, Stan can wear Kimberly's.
Back at the house chowing down! These were some hungry people.
Playing school? Not really, playing Mofia which is a killer/detective type group game.
Gathering in the kitchen to sing happy birthday and get cupcakes and ice cream.
The girls not sure of what is going on with the guys. Jeff's hand on the right gives you the clue that a major performance is coming up.
Yes, Jeff, Kenon, and Stanton break into song-may have been some rendition of Happy Birthday. From their faces I think the girls loved it. 
3 major hams!
Kenon gives the grand finale. 
OK, well then. Now let's eat.
19 year old birthday girl.
Wow, this re-lighting candle is fascinating!Hope you got a taste of the great fun we had with this celebration of a beautiful young woman. These are some great kids and they are a joy to 'do life' with. May the Lord bless them and may they run hard after Him!
Love,
Kristian
5 comments:
Great pictures, especially those outside with available/no flash light! It was great to have the "tie-in" with whose-whose: dance, IHOP, friend of friend, etc.
Happy Birthday again!
Love
Papa
You'll have to "upgrade" your blogging ability so that we can SEE and HEAR the three guys "performance" (as in VIDEOS!)
I love it! I feel like we got to be there! Like Dick said, it's great to see pictures of the friends that we haven't already met - that way we have a face to go with the stories that we hear.
I especially love the pix of A&M near the top and the pix of M with the natural lighting (almost no color) - Mallory you have such a beautiful smile!
Love, Moma/Nana
Why do you still have Christmas decorations up on Ashton's b-day (see stockings on the fireplace).
Many happy returns of the day! Best place for get together on dinners, luncheons and tea parties are beautifully located party venue in our city. Well managed tables and sitting arrangements are praiseworthy. Staff is quite attentive towards the needs of guests. Hygiene and cleanliness are another positive factors.
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