Our Top 12 of 2012

I saw a Christmas card that I totally fell in love with after I had just purchased ours the day before. I vowed to 'recreate' it as a blog post to kick off 2013. I am a day late, but true to my favorite saying, "better late than never"...right?? Well, here it is.

Hope you enjoy taking a quick journey with us as I recap my 12 most favorite moments of 2012, in no particular order:

Mondavi Winery Napa, CA

* Road trip to Napa, California.
January 2012, we made the long trip to Napa to visit a couple of good friends who Steve plays computer games online with. I went in to the trip totally psyched for the wineries and sunshine, but little did I know we'd leave with so much more than that! We met awesome new friends and have gained a whole new understanding and love for each other (I guess 15 hours in the car each way, only stopping for bathroom breaks will do that to ya!!) The wineries in Napa are truly beautiful, and the wine was great. I can't wait to go back.

* Two new babies were added to the "Cohn Clan". My cousin Danny and his wife Cristie welcomed Lailee Gray in January, and my cousin Andrew and his wife Alicia welcomed Makenna Koren in March. Both girls are absolutely adorable and full of personality.

Denali National Park, Alaska

*9 day trip to Alaska. This was seriously the trip of a lifetime. We covered over 1,500 road miles during our trip and did not see even 1/4 of the State! Everything about Alaska is rugged, untouched and adventurous; its a place you can't really explain to someone until they've been there to see it themselves. We tried to do as many activities as possible while we were there: hiking, kayaking, glacier trekking, photo-taking, beer drinking at 9 breweries, cruising on choppy seas, and sleeping in remote cabins without electricity at 6,000' elevation. It was a trip I will not soon forget, and we are hoping to go back (maybe 2013?) to do more activities that we didn't have the time for on this trip.

*Hiking & Snowshoeing. While we didn't get to do as much of both that we'd have liked to do...We did get out a few times this year for hiking and snowshoeing when the weather cooperated. We are really looking forward to a trip to Essex, Montana for snowshoeing in February; hopefully we can get some training snowshoe trips in before we go!

*Hanging out with our nieces. We got to watch Claire and Adina a few times over the Summer and had an absolute blast doing it. They are both growing up so fast, it's fun to see their personality and interest changes.

*Trip to Hawaii. Two weeks before Thanksgiving we got an amazing opportunity for cheap airfare to Hawaii so decided to book it and spend our Thanksgiving on the beaches of Oahu. It was a great week of relaxation, un-plugging, and just getting away from all the hustle of the Holidays. The weather wasn't the best for us, but it was still a great trip and I am very grateful for the opportunity and the chance to see Pearl Harbor and be so immersed in rich history.

*Camping, camping and some MORE camping! We went camping almost every weekend of the summer. We enjoyed 3 days on Orcas Island, complete with a sailing trip on one of the most gorgeous sunny days I've seen in Washington. We camped at our special spot in Darrington for 6 weekends of the summer, and also got in 2 trips to the Leavenworth KOA.

*Steve got a huge promotion at work. I am super proud of his strong dedication and good work ethic that provides the opportunities for him to advance in his career! Additionally we both reached big milestones in our careers - Steve's been at his work for 4 years, and I've been at mine for almost 6! It's not often that one can say that these days with the turmoil in the economy.

The shed before it's roof job.

*More home renovations...This year we didn't do too much work on the house, it kind of got old after doing it non-stop for the first 2 years of our marriage/home ownership. We did accomplish a few small projects, and one major project (which leads the way to more projects!) The major project we completed was a 16'x24' shed built by Steve, with the help of family and friends. We will finally, after nearly 4 years of living here, have a dedicated 'family room' and not an inside garage storage!!! The shed will house all the tools, and boxes, that have been shelved in our downstairs family room. We are so excited to have more space. I already have a plan of exactly how to decorate the new space and will be sharing those pictures and tutorials here in the coming months. Sidenote >> as of November for the first time in 3 1/2 years of marriage we are sans roommates. It's awesome to have a full house to ourselves!! :-)

*Losing 30 pounds and doing two 5k races! I actually lost a little more than 30, but gained a bit back over the last two months; I need to get back on track! ;-) Mostly exercise and some diet changes have got me here, and will keep me going in the right direction. I am about half way to my goal!!

Oktoberfest

*Oktoberfest 2012. We rented a Kabin at the KOA and had one of the funnest weekends of our lives at the Leavenworth Oktoberfest. Our friend Ryan who moved up here from Southern California in 2010 invited a couple of his best friends to join us, it was like we'd all been friends for years even though we'd just met - that does not happen often. I cannot wait to get down to So. Cal to visit Emily & Noelle and the rest of the gang.

*Sary's wedding. My best friend Sarah got married in September and I was her maid of honor. It was a lot of fun helping her plan and design her big day, and it was one of the most beautiful weddings I've been to. The weather was absolutely perfect for an outdoor September wedding, and all the details were just right.