Oh, that's shiny....and LOOK, a distraction!

her first real pic after being born

LoriAnn and me at the hospital...day 2 (Jen took this one)

sleeping peacefully

pouty lips, learning early

teddy bear with teddy feet ;)

my little angel :)

their Christmas card/birth announcement

So I'm beginning to get really excited about going to Louisiana.  I'm also really excited about giving Xmas present this year, esp since 90% of them are homemade/painted.....does that mean I'm a grown-up???  I hope not.  I took pics of everything, so I'll be able to post them all after xmas. I can't wait to meet my newest niece, but also the chance to spend tons of time with the one that's already here. The things I'm REALLY gonna hate is leaving Stephen and Kira for 3 weeks.  I think Stephen will enjoy the time to relax and play games all day if he wishes, but even if he doesn't, at least he can hope on the phone or video chat and he understands I'm coming back.....Kira doesn't :(  If it wouldn't have been so expensive, I would have brought her with me...  Someone (of course AFTER I booked the tickets) suggested I rent a car for the trip down there and back up.....I can't believe I didn't think about that...and combined it's GOT to be cheaper...or at least the same price and I'd be able to bring Kira.  EPIC FAIL, but oh well....

Let's see...what else was there to talk about?....

Oh, so while I'm down there I'm hoping my parents will start building the cabins.  I hope to contribute some kind of way, either  by helping with construction....or some other creative way.  I'm gonna begin the cabins' website while I'm down there.  And they have a really cute idea: have themed cabins...for different animals/etc related to the Swamp.  I was thinking I could buy some cute signs at Hobby Lobby and paint the name of the cabin on it for when they're built.

The house is decorated for xmas, glad I did it early (for me) so that I could enjoy it while I'm here.  The tree even has 3 different brands of candy canes: Now & Later, Life Savers, and Jelly Belly. 

This morning I woke up and Kira was under the covers.  We've been trying to make her sleep in the new bed we got her at night...I even have it pushed up against the bed.  But last night she bullied her way under the covers....and now I know why....it is FREEZING!  I woke up, my nose was froze.....it was 11 degrees outside and windchill was -5.......can't wait to go to above freezing where it's cold but not so cold that I can't have a fire outside whenever I want.....and believe me...I plan to have a fire almost every night :)  I'm such a pyro....just blame it on the Mitchell side of me....

Snug between me and the couch last night

lunch time....a little warmer with an oversized hoodie :)

Next blog will most likely come from La :)
-Jan

So I think I'm pretty much done....other than some possible small touch up and etc.

Enjoy
-Jan

So, I decided I need a new hobby. Or at least feel like I do.  I've been watching Netflix a lot recently....and two of the movies/shows had something about scrapbooking on it.  When I think about it tho...I don't really know what I could do.  I like to paint, which I've done a lot of in the last year.  I like to draw, play the keyboard (or learn how to better).  I like to take pictures, of course.  But I always feel like I'm missing out on some creative opportunity.  But at the same time I never bring my camera anywhere.  Before I moved my laptop setup in the dining room, I started keeping my camera out at arm's reach...which really seemed to help.  I no longer had to take the time to take it out of the case.  But I had a couple of photo shoots recently and in the case it is again....if I could ever keep this table clean I could have somewhere to set the camera again.

Maybe I just need to have a little fun.  Or remind myself that I do have other things I can do, and go do them.  I've *always" wanted to go walk around town and take pics...but just haven't yet. Maybe I'm just bored because I haven't really had much to do since student teaching finished. 

Oh, I did do some Black Friday shopping.  I wound up staying up on Thanksgiving day....Left for walmart around 5am, went to K-Mart, Hobby Lobby, Big Lots, and Best Buy.  I spent 6 hours shopping!  I had a blast.  I usually don't like shopping, and I didn't really get a lot of stuff, but had fun browsing.  I even got so sit in my car and watch the sun rise...so it was a pretty cool day.

I recently renewed my passion for candles...I know lol, I know....
When I was a teenager I had tons all over my room.  I loved to just light them all and read a book or listen to music.   That brings back memories...

later
-Jan

So I woke up at 5:30 am this morning....went to bed around 11ish.  This is after not getting any sleep in over 30 hours....   So..I finally got up, let Kira out...and even cooked some biscuits!  It was yummy.  After that I did about an hours worth of painting to Stephen's mini: the Obliterator!  The disgusting skin stuff I painted still needs work, but it will be finished after the rest is completed.......so I painted the rest of the legs and shoes red, and started the detail work of adding the black.  I knew this thing was supposed to take a long time, but I feel like I get quite a bit done when I work on it.
 
 

Oh, and then I finished decorating the tree.....the ornaments we had didn't include hooks....so I had to put hooks on all of them, then put on the candy canes.



I've been up for 5 hours....am hungry again...and just a little bored.

But it's okay....I have a triple berry pie to make once Stephen gets up, and hopefully it'll turn out ok :)



Later
-Jan

Messed up sleep schedules are messed up. But no fearrrrrr....today was black Friday, and since I got up Thanksgiving Day around 5:30PM....I decided to stay up all night....go shopping on Black Friday at 5am.....and had an energy drink to keep me awake.  It is now almost 9 and I'm very happy to say I haven't napped today...and hopefully my sleep schedule will return to normal soon.  I know, that was one HUGE run-on sentence....but screw you, cuz I don't care....I'm freakin sleepy!  Almost time that I can go pass out...I can do it.


:D
-Jan

Tonight the gang went to Dave and Busters for Ryan's b-day.  I got a TnTea to drink and got to keep the souvenir glass!  :)   Overall, it was a very fun,relaxing night and my" loot" is pictured here.  :D  The glass from the TnTea, a D&B shot glass, a fuzzy puppy, and a pig pencil sharpener. :)

Learning how to blog from my phone....yay :)    Hopefully there's a pi c attached of a zombie cake I made.

So I've officially joined the group that says 'screw MySpace' and since I only use it for my blog....I will now be able to delete my MySpace account.

This blog is for me to post on the randomness that is my life, so just like life and chocolate: you never know what you're gonna get.

-Jan