Merry Christmas from the Krupkes -- 2019
It’s crazy to think that we’ve been in our Parkhill House for almost 2 years! There are still times where I flick on the wrong light switch out of our Old Orchard House habit, or tire of climbing the 16 stairs rather than 6, but I also love the vents that shoot out warm air on my toes in our bathroom and the baking corner of our kitchen. We love turning on the fireplace, being 2 minutes away from work and 5 from Laidy’s school & Loch’s preschool. It truly is Supercalifragilisticexpealidocious.
Last Christmas break, we were in sunny SoCal visiting my parents and Gerard was nursing a ruptured eardrum. Determined to celebrate his birthday, we got In-N-Out and headed to a movie theater, thinking we were going to see the latest action thriller. Low and behold, he’d Turned Turtle our tickets to Mary Poppins Returns because he knew it was something I would favor over Marvel (or is it DC?). Low and behold, this Jolly Holiday switch-a-roo became the soundtrack to our year, the storyline to Laidy’s dance recital, our theme for Halloween, and now, even our Christmas letter. Thankfully, our musician ears can handle listening to Julie Andrews & Emily Blunt. On repeat. For a solid year now. Can You Imagine That?
January-March of 2019 found us in the thick of Solo Contest (me), Show Choir (Gerard), dance (Laidy) and ear infections (Loch). It may have been a challenge to Stay Awake from the fatigue of the hustle, but we managed to slide into spring break beautifully (and relatively healthy without the need for ear tubes thus far!). We took a road trip for spring break to Decorah, IA to visit our former neighbor friends and show our kids where Daddy went to college. Then, we trekked down to the Quad Cities to see Gerard’s parents. Once we arrived home, we hit the potty training milestone with Loch, and Laidy loved reading to him while we’d wait for...well, you know. Only once (so far) has the toilet been Where the Lost Things Go, having to fish out a toy that Loch thought needed a bath.
The spring season found us enjoying the traditions that have now been set for our family: ICubs Open House, dying eggs to put on the tree in our front yard for Easter, egg hunts, & bulbs blooming. Our end-of-the-year events celebrated Carrie wrapping up her licensure responsibilities and finally, FINALLY(!) earning her Standard Teaching License. I got to meet the Governor of Iowa at a Career & Technical Education (CTE) conference and was recognized for my work in Communications as Norwalk School District’s Communications Coordinator by Iowa School Public Relations Association before handing the job duties to a friend so I could teach full time this year. Laidy had an outstanding Music program performance, dance recital, and Loch nailed his routine for his PreSchool end-of-year program as well. We have been blessed with amazing teachers for our kids and the 2018-2019 school year continued that tradition too. Laidy turned 6 with a Charlotte’s Web themed party (our only deviation from Mary Poppins) where my parents surprised her by bringing my eldest niece and nephew along on their annual road trip from California. Laidy screamed so loud when they walked into the room--you would’ve thought she was on an exponentially large sugar rush from A Spoonful of Sugar!
Summer was full of ICubs games with the Knothole Gang, swim lessons, Science Center camp, & Gymnastics Camp for Laidy. Loch enjoyed the ball games, PreSchool, swim lessons (eventually), family bike rides in the “trailer”, and cozying up to Laidy with a good book. I knocked out 5 grad credits to finish my CTE Authorization to allow me to continue teaching high school photography & a slew of photo sessions. Gerard knocked out some home projects, mainly our guest 1/2bath downstairs, and navigated our road trip down to the Brogla Bash (Gerard’s extended family) in Nashville via a pit stop in St. Louis to see The Arch. I think we can safely say our kids are road-trip warriors (and love time with their cousins)!
The 2019-2020 school year has been a good one thus far in this Fall season. Norwalk High School’s photography program doubled in size from last year in enrollment, so we will see what the 20-21 year will bring to my job description. I enjoy having A Conversation with my principal about the possibilities every now and then as ideas develop-we’ll know more in a few Step(s) In Time. Gerard is enjoying a new colleague at the high school with Show Choir season ramping up and he’s has been asked to conduct a few more honor choirs this year around the state of Iowa. He’s also reveling in a record number of students being accepted into Opus & All State honor choirs. Laidy is thriving in 1st grade while we continued the tradition of her PreSchool class reunion Halloween party. We are steadily deepening our community of families here in Norwalk while also adjusting to a new location of Walnut Creek Church (same church as the last 15+ years, just at the Downtown location now). Loch continues to love all things machine/vehicular/aerodynamic/rail and gets along with Laidy 95% of the time. A Cover Is Not The Book with him, as we struggle with mealtimes and picky eating, so don’t let his dimples totally take you for a song. But, he’ll turn around and do/say the sweetest or funniest thing that lets us know we’re making headway in training his character.
While some days may be a challenge, The Life I (we) Lead is incredibly blessed more abundantly than I thought possible. Underneath the Lovely London Iowa Sky, we are looking forward to what the next year and new decade have in store. We hope this Christmas season Trip(s) A Little Light Fantastic for you as you remember the Light of Christ & His birth and may 2020 bring you joy, good health, and maybe even some relaxing time to go Fly A Kite or Feed the Birds just to keep life interesting and fresh.
Blessings to you,
Gerard (37), Carrie(35), Laidy(6), Loch(3) & Ella(10)
**Words in bold are song titles from Mary Poppins (1964) and Mary Poppins Returns (2018)