16 things and Taking Flight

I have a new favorite book.  Really I have two new favorite books.  One of them the fabulous All I Need is Jesus and a Good Pair of Jeans, by Susanna Foth Aughtmon, of Confessions of a Tired Supergirl, which I'm giving away here.  (Winner will be chosen at random tonight... it's not too late to enter!)

My other new favorite, I've had my eye on for a while and purchased it a couple nights ago.  I'm trying to let go of inhibitions and create things.  I think I might just have a teeny bit of art hidden somewhere inside that would love to get out but doesn't really know how.  So one of the things I'm wanting to push myself to do this year is to just do it.  No worries about whether it's right or wrong, good or bad.  Just try new things and experiment and develop my own style.  I started an art journal last week, which was a good start... but I was so intimidated by the blank page that I left it pretty boring.  I like simple, and I think it stated where I was (am), but I feel like I could have added more but was afraid I'd ruin it.  

Anyway, my other new favorite book is called Taking Flight.  Inspirations and Techniques to give your creative spirit wings.  I bought it because I really liked the artwork.  I love collage and want to do more mixed media pieces.  What I didn't expect was to be so encouraged and built up.  I actually cried as I was reading it yesterday morning (and I'm not pregnant.  Tired and needing my baby to sleep more at night, yes.  But this book really touched me).  

And I was so excited to find the author, Kelly Rae Roberts' blog.  Reading the book and her blog, I am finding that we have some things in common.  Her name is Kelly and her sister's name is Jennifer.  My name is Jenny and I have a sister named Kelly!  She apparently has relocated sometime somewhat recently, and our family has made a major move (soon to be twice.. more later) in the last six months.  There were a few other things too, and since I'm feeling so friendly with her, I thought I'd take the 16 things challenge from her blog.  (We're friends, so she was asking me, right?)

So here we go.. 16 random-ish things...

1.  Judah just woke up from a very short nap.

2.  I really wish he'd go back to sleeping through the night like he did for his first eight months.

3.  I really really love coffee.

4.  We're going as a family to see Marley and Me today.  

5.  We've already heard about what happens to Marley.

6.  I really don't know how people in Minnesota survive year after year in these sub-human temperatures (30 BELOW zero here this morning!).

7.  But I'm going to miss this place.

8.  That said, I'm also really excited to get back to the Bay Area.

9.  I wish I'd never stopped taking piano lessons when I was a kid.

10.  Though I would love a little more stability right now, I totally respect and admire my husband's drive, determination and risk taking in following his dreams.

11.  I love to travel.

12.  I also love food.  All kinds.  

13.  My sisters are amazing, encouraging and inspiring.

14.  I also have amazing friends.  I feel so blessed.

15.  I'm very competitive when it comes to playing games.

16.  I grew up as a military brat.  It was hard at times, but I have great memories of a happy childhood.  I love my family.