New Toy!!

(singing to the tune from The Pointer Sisters)

I'm So Excited... And I just can't hide it...

Ok, a little cheesy, I know… but I AM excited!! I convinced my dear hubby that I just needed a new camera for a cruise we have coming in August. And that I needed it now so I could learn how to use it! I got the Canon XSi with the 18-55 lens kit, and as a special it also came with the 55-250 lens and an extra battery for under $900. (at least before taxes) So I am good to go!! At least until I know more about what I am doing, and what else I am going to (want) need.

Here is a quick photo I took when I was playing with it on Saturday. This is my youngest. He turned 7 yesterday! I can't believe how big he is getting! I don't even want to talk about how old my two older boys are.....

Now, I just need to figure out how to put a slide show here on my blog. That way I can show off any new photos / kits / scrapbook pages... and I really need to update my blog and make it nice and pretty!! This was supposed to be temporary while I figured out what I wanted to do with it... lol... you see how long it has lasted now.

Swine Flu Arggggggg…

I have had it up to about here with this Swine Flu, or H1N1 as we should be calling it. Don’t get me wrong, yes people have died from it, and yes, it is potentially dangerous. I was very concerned in the beginning, but as we know more about it, and there are more facts coming out, I feel better. As of this morning, the mortality rate Internationally is 86/11,168 or .77 %, which is less than 1%. In the U.S. it is 10/6552 or .1526% which is 1/100th of a percent.

But… the people who are still freaking out about it are driving me nuts! I actually had someone close to me tell me that the CDC only lifted their travel ban for political reasons. Can you believe it?? I do not for one second believe that the CDC or WHO would actually do or say something that would potentially put thousands of peoples lives at risk just for political reasons… Thousands of people die every year from regular run of the mill influenza better known as the Flu. I am not going to avoid work because a normal flu bug is going around. I am not going to avoid schools, malls, restaurants, and post offices because people get shot there. I am not going to avoid visiting friends/family in the hospital because of MRSA. I am not going to stay home on a Friday or Saturday night because of drunk drivers.

Most importantly, I sure as hell am not going to miss having the time of my life with my husband and two older sons on a little cruise to Cozumel because of Swine Flu, especially after both the CDC and WHO have officially removed their recommendation that U.S. travelers avoid travel to Mexico. I’ve done my research, there has been no confirmed cases on Cozumel, which is a 45 minute ferry ride from the main land of Mexico. Cases in Mexico have slowed down due to the aggressive efforts of world medical personal. And the cruise is still over 2 months away, I have plenty of time to cancel should the situation change.

So right now I am just dreaming of basking in the sun on the Lido deck with my little fruity umbrella drink delivered by Swen, waiting for the lunch buffet to begin.

Free Chocolate Fridays!! and Freebies too...

I am not a happy camper when I wake up in the mornings... Just ask my DH. Mornings are not my best time. But I get up this morning and go to check email (usually the first thing I do) and what do I find on MSN. A link to free chocolate. It brightened up my day already! Here is a copy of the article, it was on the Smart Spending blog on MSN.

Who knew chocolate could be politically correct?
Apparently, Mars
Snackfood US, maker of M&Ms, Snickers, 3 Musketeers, Milky Way
and other American favorites, does.
The company has launched the equivalent
of a filibuster to draw attention to competitors that substitute vegetable oil
for cocoa butter in their products.
So, what’s in it for you? One of the
biggest chocolate giveaways in history.
Every Friday through the end of
September, you stand a chance of getting a free chocolate bar or candy because
of the Mars Real Chocolate Relief
Act.
Mars initiated the program last week, giving out coupons
for chocolate treats to the first 250,000 people who logged on at
RealChocolate.com on Friday and requested a coupon. The response was so large
that Mars is doubling the chance for free chocolate this week. A half-million
coupons will be given out on a first-come, first-served basis and mailed to
those who qualify. Coupons are redeemable for any full-size Mars chocolate
product and are limited to one per person per week.
What’s the purpose?
According to Mars, federal regulations stipulate that the only source of fat
(except milk fat) in a chocolate product should be cocoa butter. Mars says it uses only
100% cocoa butter and urges consumers to look at labels whenever
they buy chocolate to be sure they’re getting the real thing.
Of course,
while bringing consumers’ attention to chocolate standards, Mars is also trying
to lift spirits in a recession-plagued
nation, describing the promotion as “a massive effort (that) aims
to spread joy across America by giving away as many as 7 million full-size
packages of Mars chocolate.”
All we can say is: Bring it on!

And now on to the freebies... As you may know, Designs In Digital is in the middle of the second annual NDIDDS competition. We are looking for the Next Designs In Digital Design Stars. If you remember, this is how I got in with this wonderful group of women! This year, we have a bunch of very talented ladies competing. Today is the day their round 2 entries go live in the store. Be sure to check them all out, and download your favorites. Each individual download counts as a point towards your favorite kit. You can find all the wonderful entries here:

Designs In Digital - NDIDDS 2009 - Week 2

Just Digi Layouts - NDIDDS 2009 - Week 2

I hope you have a wonderful Friday! and I hope to have a little blog freebie for you this weekend! I have some stuff I have been working on, lets see if I can get it finished.

Monday Monday…

First, I want to say that I hope everyone had a wonderful Mothers Day! Mine was very nice.
(very hard, but nice.) Everyone went out to breakfast (I got flowers and chocolate, who doesn’t love that), then we hung around my MIL’s pool. After, I went home and took a nap. (I know, rough day!! Lol…) I felt guilty not getting any work done, housework or on the computer, but I will tell you, taking a day and just relaxing does wonders for you! Now, lets see if I can get away with this again on my birthday…

Can I say that I really hate Mondays! Having to get up and go back to work just @#$%’s. But I really shouldn’t complain too much, because I am one of the lucky ones to still have my job. The company I work for had 238 employees a year ago in our corporate office. Currently we have 151 here. Most of the rest were let go. The few that left on their own were not replaced. At least not here. Unfortunately, the company I work for has decided that it would be better to let go people here, and hire people in another country to do the work for less money. I don’t believe that is right! But with the economy so bad, I can’t get another job anywhere else, so I am stuck. But today is not the day to get on my soap box!! It is Monday, and I just want to get through the day with my sanity! Hope you have a great one!

I'm Back...

Well, so much for me keeping this up to date! I was shamed into posting today by someone I haven’t even met. Her name, believe it or not, Lori Cameron, and it is her Blogiversary today. I think I am finally ready to come back and devote some time to this blog. What some of you might not know is that right after my last post back in January, my mother unexpectedly went into the hospital. Then it became doctors and tests and more tests and more problems. I ended up losing her, and it really hit me hard. She was never married and I was an only child. So I am sure you can image.

So it is time for some major spring cleaning. Both in my mind and my blog. I am working on a really cute kit right now, called Dragonfly Dreams. The paper pack is up in my store now, and I should have the rest of the kit in by the end of the weekend. This mothers day is going to be very hard, even though I have three absolutely wonderful boys!! Maybe I will be able to hide away at my computer and finish it up. Wanna take a peek at the paper pack? Here it is…

So here I am again, on May 8th, making a resolution to be a better blogger. And I will be, as long as my world doesn't come crashing down on me again! Wish me luck...

ADSR4 & New Releases

I don’t know what I was thinking, but I joined with KathyScraps from Digi Scrap Station, and we entered the Amazing Digi Scrap Race 4. (Like I don’t have enough to do) But I am really looking forward to sitting down to scrap again. And I always seem to do my best work for contests. The first assignment has been posted, and as soon as I get my layout done, I will post here along with my partners.

I have a surprise for February, but I can’t tell you what it is yet. You will just have to keep watch for more clues… I can tell you that I am working on a bunch of new things! I can’t wait!

If you didn’t get a chance to get the Santa’s Digi Sack over at Designs in Digital before Christmas, I have released my It’s A Party Mini Kit, and the matching alpha in my store. The alpha comes in the mini kit, or you can just get the alpha alone. You can just click on the pictures to be brought to the store.

I hope you have a great Monday!! And I will be talking with you soon!

Happy New Year!!

I want to wish everyone a very happy New Year!! I have lots of goals this year, lets see how well I can do on them. If you haven't guessed, one of them is to be a better blogger. Not just a reader, but a writer also. Sometimes I feel like my life is spinning out of control, so I have decided to actually do some things for myself in 2009. There are plenty of things that happen that you have no control over, and life is always throwing curve balls, but I am tired of feeling like I have no say in what happens in my life. I need to take care of myself, and not just everyone else. Which is very hard to do. If anyone has any suggestions, I would love to hear them!

I would love to be able to post a great layout about our wonderful New Years Eve party, but I didn't even pick up my camera all night. We did have a wonderful party, I just don't have any pictures... but I think my MIL does, so I will have to go raid her memory card.

I want to leave you with a gift, it is a coupon for my store at Designs in Digital.