it's almost 2013

As 2012 is coming to a close I thought I would end the first year of my blog the same way I started it, by posting our Woinarowicz family Christmas letter.  We have had an amazing, fun, crazy, busy year with lots of trips, celebrations and major milestones.  I hope that this holiday season has found everyone out there happy, healthy and getting to spend time with the people they love the most.

See you all in 2013

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

The 12 months of 2012

Read to the tune of “The 12 days of Christmas” and see what Cayden and Harper did this year.

 

JANUARY – IN THE 1^ST MONTH OF 2012, THIS IS WHAT WE DID…SETTLED IN TO OUR NEW HOUSE

We finally got to move into our new house in Bismarck Christmas weekend and worked on getting settled in January.  It was like Christmas all over again when I got to see all of my old toys and stuffed animals after such a long time.  I think that Harper was excited too because she got to have her own room and doesn’t have to share with Mom and Dad any more.

FEBRUARY – IN THE 2^ND MONTH OF 2012, THIS IS WHAT WE DID… MOMMY’S VACATION

Mommy and Grandma Shell took a trip to Mexico.  They were gone for a long time and looked funny with their different skin when they came back but they did bring Cayden and I some really great presents.  Plus we got to spend a whole week at home with Daddy. 

MARCH – IN THE 3^RD MONTH OF 2012, THIS IS WHAT WE DID…IT’S STILL WINTER

Mommy baked a LOT of cupcakes.  I think because it was still cold outside and she needed something to do because she doesn’t play with guys like I do or with little ponies like Harper does.  I am not complaining though, they were yummy. 

APRIL – IN THE 4^TH MONTH OF 2012, THIS IS WHAT WE DID…MY FIRST CIRCUS

We got to go to the circus with Cayden’s friend Hunter and his Mommy.  I slept through a lot of it but I know Cayden was so excited by it.  We saw lots of animals and clowns and got fun treats.  Mommy bought me fuzzy, light-up bunny ears that really came in handy for Halloween.  I can’t wait to go back next year!

MAY – IN THE 5^TH MONTH OF 2012, THIS IS WHAT WE DID…WENT TO THE BEACH

Mommy, Harper and I flew on the airplane to North Carolina.  We got to swim in the pool at the hotel, eat fondue (my new favorite way to eat supper), went to the beach to play in the sand and ocean and went to see all the sharks and fishes at the aquarium.  It was a so much fun even though Daddy had to stay home.

JUNE – IN THE 6^TH MONTH OF 2012, THIS IS WHAT WE DID …LOTS OF CELEBRATING

I got to be a cowgirl in Medora!  We were there for Great-Grandma and Grandpa’s 50^th anniversary.  I can’t count that high but we had a good time.  Cayden had fun riding all the horses in front of the stores and even yelled “Yee-haw.”  He made a good cowboy.  Then it was time for my 1^st birthday.  Mommy made me a ladybug party and I got to have so many people at my house.  I’m a big girl now!

JULY – IN THE 7^TH MONTH OF 2012, THIS IS WHAT WE DID…OUR VERY FIRST PARADE

On the 4^th of July, Mommy and Daddy took Harper and I to watch our very first parade.  I never knew that you could get so much candy and it was awesome seeing all the different trucks and tractors.  My favorite part (other than the candy) was the horses though.  Harper like when people came by us playing music so she could dance.  It was so much fun!

AUGUST – IN THE 8^TH MONTH OF 2012, THIS IS WHAT WE DID …A WEDDING IN THE RAIN

Cayden, Mommy, Daddy and I went to North Carolina for cousin Mandy’s wedding.  I got to wear a pretty gold sparkly dress and Cayden had a fun bow-tie.  We didn’t ride our wagon down the aisle but I think we still did a good job as the flower girl and ring bearer, even in the rain. 

SEPTEMBER – IN THE 9^TH MONTH OF 2012, THIS IS WHAT WE DID …CAYDEN STARTED PRESCHOOL

I got to start school this year.  We get to do all sorts of fun things with my new friends and teachers and Mommy and Daddy are proud of me learning to write my letters and numbers.  My favorite part is singing our good-bye song before we leave.  I even sing it to Mommy when she picks me up.

OCTOBER – IN THE 10^TH MONTH OF 2012, THIS IS WHAT WE DID …SUPERHERO PARTY

This month was Cayden’s 4^th birthday.  Everything was Spiderman and superheroes.  Mommy even made me my own superhero shirt.  We all had so much fun playing with his new toys but he doesn’t let me play with them anymore.  We also got to go trick-or-treating this year.  Cayden was spiderman (with great big muscles) and I was a bunny.  Grandma Shell made my bunny costume and I loved wearing it!

NOVEMBER – IN THE 11^TH MONTH OF 2012, THIS IS WHAT WE DID…ANOTHER FUN AIRPLANE

Mommy, Daddy, Harper and I went to North Carolina again.  I got to go fishing with all the boys, I hunted for acorns and I drove Pop’s tractor.  Mommy and Pop got Harper and I Chicago Bears shirts to surprise Daddy the day they played his football team.  I don’t think Daddy liked the surprise or that his team lost but Mommy thought it was really funny!

DECEMBER – IN THE 12^TH MONTH OF 2012, THIS IS WHAT WE DID…HEADING TO NEBRASKA      

After we spend a quiet Christmas at home in Bismarck, I get to go to Nebraska (with Mommy, Daddy and Cayden of course) for cousin Brenda’s wedding.  I usually don’t like to take long trips in the car but I think we will have a good drive.  Cayden and I will have all our fun new toys and movies from Santa so we can keep busy while Mommy and Daddy Drive.

Christmas crafting

This year for Christmas I decided to make a lot of the gifts that I was planning to give and some things that I wanted to have around our house.  There are still some friends whose kids haven't gotten their gift so I won't post a picture of that project quite yet.  Here are three of my favorite craft projects from this season that were all big hits.  And, of course, my new best friend was there every step of the way.

My glue gun was permanently camped out on my kitchen counter for about a month.

1. Harper's bedroom wreath: I wanted to make a wreath for each of the kids' bedroom doors.  They already had a small tree in their rooms with ornaments and lights they picked out themselves but I wanted their doors to scream "IT'S CHRISTMAS!" when you walked down our hallway.  Not wanting to go overboard but not having much for ideas I hit Pinterest.  Being someone who loves to bake and craft, I have to limit my time on Pinterest to only those special occasions when I have something specific in mind and need some ideas.  After about 45 minutes of scouring pictures of wreaths, I came across one fluffy one covered in faux fur.  From that picture, this is what I created for Harper:

The fur wasn't as fluffy as the one on Pinterest but it works well with the big letter (and wasn't quite as messy).  By wrapping small sections of fur around the foam wreath and gluing the strips as I went I was left with a few small sections that needed to be filled in.  Little triangle shaped pieces fit nicely and fluffing the fur a little make the seams less noticeable.  The letter is just a simple wooden letter modge podged with Christmas fabric.

2. Not wanting Cayden and Harper to have the same kind of wreath on their door, I found another idea on Pinterest and then let Cayden have some of the creative design control.  Here is what he chose:

 

The wreath itself is wool yarn wrapped around a foam circle.  Cayden chose the red yarn after he decided that we wanted the peppermint candies on his special decoration.  He LOVES peppermint Hershey kisses, M&Ms and candy canes so his choice in decor was actually very appropriate.  I glued the ends of the yarn on the wreath when I started and then when I was done wrapping it around.  The candy decorations came in groups from Hobby Lobby and the wires stuck into the foam easily.  I did glue some of them in place and used the tight yarn to hold others in place.

 

3. Peppermint Bath Salts: Between secret Santa drawings at work, Cayden's teachers, the kids' daycare and some friends I wanted to give gifts to, this idea was the easiest and got the very best reception. 

 

 

The salts themselves were incredibly easy to make (1 cup Epsom salt, 1/2 cup coarse sea salt; divided in half with red food coloring added to one half and a few drops of peppermint or mint extract added to the other half).  I put each mixture into a Ziploc baggie and cut a small hole in the bottom.  Alternating the two mixtures so that there were different layers I filled a simple canning jar.  Adding a candy cane, a small coffee scoop and a hand written note the finished product turned out rather cool.



 

it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

I LOVE Christmas time!  Seeing lights on houses as we drive through town, seeing Christmas trees through windows, unpacking all my lighted houses, snowmen and 30 (yes, 30...I am using that number in reference to myself and I am not sure I like it) holidays worth of ornaments makes me smile every time.  The best part of all, though, is seeing the look on the kids' faces the first time they see my little village all lit up, seeing the tree completely decorated and seeing our house covered in lights as we drive down our street.  These simple little things make them so excited that it gets me excited to do it every year.  I don't care if people come to my house and think that Santa threw up garland and fake snow everywhere or if they compare the lights on the outside of my house to the Griswolds...as long as it makes Cayden and Harper smile I will keep doing it!  Truth-be-told, I will probably keep doing it long after they think it's fun too.  I.JUST.CAN'T.STOP.MYSELF!