No, I’m not pregnant. Yet. That seems to be the first thing that everyone asks the minute we say that we have some news to share these days. Slow down, people!
Lately Lucas and I have been talking about our future. We know that one or more children are definitely on the horizon for us; we’re almost ready. But in the midst of talking seriously about starting our own family, it hit us: how can we start a family so far away from family?

It occurred to me this week that this is my third official Calgary winter and I do not own a proper pair of winter boots.  Sure I have some dressier looking calf-high boots, but their tread is just not meant for braving the slippery sidewalks of town, which currently are also covered in heavy snow.  This realization became apparent to me this week especially due to the fact that I started my kindergarten teaching job on Monday and now I walk 11 blocks from the train to school and then 11 blocks back to the train every day. And let’s face it: my old boots from Indiana just weren’t cutting it.  Not only were they …

My poor baby.  And by baby I mean my Neon.  She’s sure had the worst luck in these cold Calgary winters over the last several years.  Last year in -40 with windchill I got a flat tire on the 22X. (And some dude stopped right across from where I was pulled over on the busy highway during rush hour, got out of his van and started taking pictures of the beautiful icy scenery and didn’t even bother to check whether or not I was okay before hopping back into his van and driving away.)
Today she wound up deep in a snowy ditch way out in Blackie.  Where’s Blackie? Exactly.  Way out in the middle of …

So, Lesley handmade me a wonderful scarf & toque set for my birthday this year.
It didn’t occur to me until today, but I’ve never owned a scarf. For that matter, I don’t believe I’ve ever worn one – certainly not within my scope of memory, at least.
Now that I’ve been wearing it for a few days (it got cold this last week), I can’t even fathom how I went my whole life without it. Now every day when I’m walking on my way to work, it’s like she’s there with me – giving me the biggest warmest hug I’ve ever had.
Some mornings when I get to work, I don’t want to take it off; I …

Happy Thanksgiving, Canada! I hope everyone is planning to or has already spent some quality time with family and friends over a feast of delicious food this long weekend.  This is a good time of year to not only stop and think about all of the things you are thankful for, but also to tell those people how much you’re thankful for them, too.  I’ll start by saying how thankful I am for family.  My little immediate family here that consists of Lucas and our boys (the dogs), but also family that we’re far apart from right now, too.  Love to the Karpiuks and Bouthots out in British Columbia and love to the Means, Archer …

Happy October!
It seems like if you blink, several months can just fly right by before you even notice!  Here it is October, and our last post was back in July.  You’ve not missed too much, though there are a few new things going on in the Karpiuk family.
Oliver is still Oliver, and Winston is still Winston.  Oliver has turned six years old today, can you believe it?  Also today happy anniversary wishes go out to my little brother and his wife as well as our friends Joe and Jeri.  Congratulations on your first year of marriage!
Lucas recently switched jobs completely and is now working happily at Shell in web development at their big Shell Canada …