Christmas Wrap 2015

A Belated Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone!  This year our "letter" became more complicated than I thought and thus delayed. I wrote it with the intention of making it somehow into a rap-style video (with the photos attempting the "music"), but none of the boys would help their tech-challenged mother and thought I was too old to even attempt this concept. ;)

So, you will have to read it and use your imagination, with some feigned attitude in the delivery, meant in fun of course. The added photos distract from the overall rhythm, so you may want to skip the photos the first time as you get down with the lyrics. ;) I do hope you enjoy it despite the length. I did! Susan *You can click on the photos to view separately also.


I haven't blogged here for a year;
That wasn't what I planned.
Too many things to do...
I'm sure you understand.

Yet it's Christmas time again,
When I like to write a letter.
Tho' the boys think I'm crazy
I thought of somethin' better...
(Imagine a beat starting!)

Let me tell you 'bout ourselves
Karpiuk is the name;
We may look pretty normal
but we're really half insane.

 The force doesn't work at home...

We got boys in the upstairs,
Young men in the down;
Our little's girl's runnin' wild
Tryin' to boss us 'round.

My hair is falling out-
Scott's had done so long ago.
What's from stress or middle age?
It's really hard to know.

If you don't know what it's like
Well, let me lift the curtain;
For a glimpse of family life,
It'll scare you, that's for certain.

So I'll tell you 'bout the kids-
You'll see what I mean.
It's enough to make a girl
Wanna sleep and try to dream.

Yet with my eyes wide open,
When I'm actually awake.
Working random shifts and hours
I so rarely know the date.

 I'm pretty sure this was my birthday...

... and chances are, this was summer.

Each year sees me draggin'
Further from the "finish line".
I'm always so astounded;
How'd I get so far behind?

Endless laundry, trips to Costco
Reading homework to complete;
Drives to lessons, sorting garbage,
Each week the cycle I repeat.

 And this is just the kitchen...

Time out with friends is rare,
But we can all relate;
A parent-teacher evening
Is what we call a "date"!

Scott is feeling better
With less back pain than last fall.
Tho' to teach the classes,
On his employees does he call.

 Well enough to survive a 4-night sailing trip with the Grade 8's...

A school move this month
To a more visible location.
Now he's looking forward
To heat and AC regulation.

Working less time at the church
Will help to balance health and life.
It's hard to juggle all the duties
When shiftwork does your wife.

We look forward to next summer,
25 years we'll celebrate.
Since our August wedding,
We've not known a restful state.

And now back to the kids,
Welcome to our messy life.
They're still our pride and joy
Despite the random strife.

I'll go through them one by one,
Though the guys don't see the point.
Wonderin' who really cares,
They get their noses out of joint...

Oh well! Here we go-
Each verse my yearly paybacks;
Tho' to be fair I did ask them
To write to me their own facts...

As a network technician,
James installs reams of cable.
He helps pass information;
Just not at our own table.

He denies there is a problem,
Though to us he rarely talks.
We just haven't found the key
For his voice box to unlock.

Tho' he's noisy on his motorbike
Racin' all across the town.
He doesn't seem to give a rip
When he only sees my frown.

"Quit riding in your shorts", I say.
"Put a jacket on!"
"Your skin looks better on your arm
Than plastered on the ground!"

 How I like his arms... intact.

James rolls his eyes and off he goes;
Always a place to be.
Seems he's daily at the gym
To add bulk to his bo-dy.

In the kitchen for wrong reasons,
Making endless protein shakes.
No more evening ice cream bowls;
So many vitamins he takes.

One thing has never changed
When a goal he wants to reach.
He has focus and works hard,
His self he strives to teach.

I wonder when he's moving out;
22 next month he'll be.
How obvious is it to give him
Pots and pans under the tree?

Yet his sarcasm we'd miss-
His mind he speaks to what feels true.
Though he's always pretty easy on
His brother, son number two.

Charles is slow and steady
With three classes every term.
Looking at his GPA
Sometimes makes me squirm.

A criminal justice diploma,
He hopes to earn next year.
But if not he'll just keep gazing
ever deeper in the mirror.

His sweetheart Margarita
Helps him stay on the right track.
A happy couple for 2 years,
Looking forward, never back.

Still working two jobs,
Trying to hold it all together.
No assets but no debt;
He's learning to brave the weather.

Caught cat-napping at work...

Charles was pretty pumped this month

To see Star Wars Christmas Eve;

It reminds him of his childhood,

Lego ships he'll soon retrieve.

 He also liked his Han Solo ice-cube tray.

Yet his car is his new baby;
Receiving regular TLC.
Cruisin' with a car club
Keeps him feeling hap-py.

 Nora's learning special skills...

 This is not his car. :)

Which is good since his health
Has been challenging this year.
Allergies may be the culprit,
Room dust we try to clear.

He'll visit the doctor's office
For shots twice a week.
Tho' he's not sneezing daily
Like his brother, son number three.

Always wired to his netbook,
Tom says he's doing calculus.
Working sums without a pencil
Is quite miraculous...

 Must be his super-powers...

He's really skyping with his girlfriend,
Who's at school in Montreal.
His concentration's lowered;
Did his marks so slightly fall?

 Sophia, home for Christmas.

Yet grade 12's a hectic year;
With a trip to Europe in the spring.
A banquet, suit and photos;
Our wallets feel the sting.

Then there's learning how to drive;
He almost took out the garage.
Scott's back was doing better-
Now he needs a neck massage.

 Thankfully not our garage... or our vehicle.. or Thomas.

I'm feeling kind of stressed
'Bout his school plans for fall.
Maybe "Business" at SFU;
Close by bus, it's in the mall.

But Thomas needs a job,
like meeting students from Japan.
Which he's done the past 2 summers,
Helping English to understand.

He learned guitar this summer-
Just bought one that's electric.
He takes it everywhere,
To the frets his fingers stick.

It's great to hear his music,
Now for fun, not as a chore.
He still enjoys piano;
Like his brother, son number four.

As it seems the pattern,
When Lewis hit grade nine;
There was a change in attitude
And an altered mind.

Staying up late, eating junk,
Skipping meals through the day;
His bedroom door more often closed,
Yet at home he likes to stay.

 New clothes from an older brother.

A curiosity still leads him
To what he wants to figure out.
'Tho the mess he leaves behind,
Sometimes makes me want to shout.

This sign describes Lewis' brain...

Busy with the sound team,
Always a project in the making;
Lewis will bring up his ideas,
Advice is there for the taking.

We love to see his passion
Though it veers into obsession.
'Til something he has mastered,
It's his most prized possession.

It's all about the cube now,
Trying to get the best time.
He's taken it all apart
And cleaned out all the grime.

 Timing himself on the computer...

 Algorithms he's memorizing to solve it.

Once he's bored with that
He'll get back to his K'nex.
Inspired by roller coasters,
His room is full of tracks.

His quad-copter does he fly
When out comes the sun.
Not spying on the neighbours,
Just having boyish fun.

 The Go-Pro view of Barnston Island.

He's quick to share his insights
From experiments he's tried.
When allowed to be there,
Little sister's by his side.

Now in school full-time
Nora's learning the drill.
Grade one is going well
Tho' mornings are rough, still...

In the van she's in the middle,
Tom in front, Lew in back.
Our attempt at peaceful driving-
It's harder to give the guys a whack.

Things are calmer later on
As her energy gets used.
Swimming and now ballet,
The schedule keeps us all confused.

People say she'll keep us young
Tho' that makes no sense to me.
We'll never have an empty nest
With her lively company.

But Nora only has to smile
And her dimples have the power
To join her on the floor
and play away the hour.

This is our main exercise,
or bike riding on the street.
Is this how we'll stay young?
Each year will be a feat...

We give her many choices
While setting limits every day.
There's little room for spoiling
Unless you ask the boys their say!

 No one but Nora ever got a life-size doll...

Nora brings passion to our fam'ly

Life, love and sparkling charm.

Having four older brothers,

She'll never know no harm.

With each family member added,
Dynamics change, and so must we.
New parenting skills and deep breaths
Help us keep our sanity.

Well, it's really not that bad-
I'm just messing with y'all.
Thought this would be more fun
Than a knick-knack from the mall.

For our family we are thankful,
Midst the chaos and the calm.
We hope our children always know
That this love will be a balm...

...to soothe their souls in years ahead
When things are less clear-cut.
Like who sits where at dinner-time,
Of who you know you can trust.

A home is more than just four walls
Or a place to lay your head.
It's where life's lessons are taught,
Discipline and character wed.

Now soon we greet the New Year
With a hope for healthy days;
That God would continue
To bless, and reveal His ways.

That is our hope for each of you
As you seek His face.
Each day is always better
In the shelter of His grace.

To wrap it up, we hope these words
Will give your smile a lift.
Your friendship to our family
Is the best, most valued gift.

Nora's gift to us this year: "A gift of love is what is really special because
Christmas is about.Christmas. I love you Mommy and Daddy."

Merry Christmas! Love, the Karpiuks :)

 Christmas Brunch with Susan's parents.

 And a glimpse of our Christmas evening with all the Karpiuks...

PS I've finally added our vacation photos to Disneyland if you want to check those out on older blog entries. Perhaps I can update this blog a little more often this year. We'll see what the year brings. :)