[freebies: A Birthday Gift from Me to You ...]

Ok - SOOOO - it's my birthday today and I wanted to give you all something. Lucky for me, Funky Playground Designs has continued it's design contest and there are some cute free kits up!! You have to register, though – so simply have a user name and email addy and you’re good to go.

1. go to www.funkyplaygrounddesigns.com

2. click "gallery" at the top.

3. scroll down to "Capture the Flag"

4. there are PAGES of FREE KITS.

5. Enjoy!!

And thank you for your comments about the Swine Flu ... many of you contacted me privately to share your thoughts and experiences on the subject.

I decided to talk to a family friend, who is a doctor, and get his take on things. He said that there was nothing really to worry about, and that I should be more afraid of going to the doctor's office where people ARE sick, then on the airplane. Apparently, airplanes have very good air filtration - better than going to church, or the mall, or the grocery store.

He also said that the thing he would be more concerned about, would be blood clots. So he gave me instructions to get up and walk around every 1-2 hours - except when sleeping through the night.

In regards to air travel and the Swine Flu, I found this article on CNN and think that it was full of helpful information. Plus, I think I'll purchase one of those masks - just for some added protection.

And my mom - due to a recent flight from my city to Sydney having a 5000ft drop mid-flight, causing the plane to have to land in Hawaii due to 12 injuries on the plane - she was told that this is a VERY rare thing to happen.

So, am I going? Yes. Unless I am told to do otherwise. And I'm starting to get excited ... this is actually going to happen *smile*. Yay!

[freebies: Digi Scrap Freebies ...]

HAPPY EASTER!!!

And what a lovely gift Funky Playground Designs is giving ... They're having a design contest, which means YOU get a BUNCH of FREE kits to download.

I was so excited - they have a "Here We Bowl" kit ... perfect for those bowling pictures I took a while back ... And a scad-load of other ones.

You DO have to be registered there ... not a big deal, just a user name and email addy. I use a hotmail one that I created to give out to all the scrapbooking sites so my personal addy doesn't get spam ever.

Interested??? I can't give you the EXACT link because you have to be registered to get in ... but here's how you find the FREE kits.

1. go to www.funkyplaygrounddesigns.com
2. click "gallery" at the top.
3. scroll down to "Capture the Flag"
4. there are PAGES of FREE KITS.
5. enjoy!!

And on a COMPLETELY different note ... I am feeling overwhelmed with God's timing. Now, I didn't actually get to HEAR the sermon this morning, I was with the 2 year olds - but my hubby was telling me what was spoken and it's EXACTLY what I've been thinking about as of late. I am so excited to download the sermon and learn, reflect, grow ... I'll put the link up when it's ready.

So HAPPY EASTER. He IS risen!

[talk: Time to Save ... and Something Free.]

I'm not a regular watcher of Oprah ... she really does annoy me most times. However, I did watch today - and it was showing stories of young American families losing everything due to our current economy. And it freaked me out.

The continual message seemed to be that everyone WISHED they had SAVED their money when they had it. Most said that they spent frivolously ... and don't we all? A Starbucks here, a manicure there, ... ordering pizza instead of making a perfectly good dinner with what you have in your home. We've all done it - and sure, maybe some are better at budgeting and being stewards of their money - but I think that we would all agree, we live good lives.

And would you not say, that when things get tough, the FIRST thing people do is stop giving? I mean, no longer donating to their World Vision Child or to the local food bank ... or wherever it is that you give. And really - isn't that sad? OBVIOUSLY, there are circumstances where that is the ONLY thing a family can do ... but for most, we won't consciously give up our weekly latte to give the $25 (and a tax receipt ...) to a needy child. We do everything in our power to maintain our own high standard of living, instead of being responsible with what we've been given.

This show has hit me ... many of the people on the show were moms, my age, who had homes and never thought they would be in this situation. Increasing home mortgage interest rates absolutely devistated them. And so, I think that it's a wake-up call to those of us who are a bit ahead of the problem right now. SAVE SAVE SAVE. Be smart, be stewards. Pay off your debts. Don't reward yourself when you owe for something else. Don't believe the lie that it'll make you "happy", that you "deserve" it. Downsize. Do whatever it takes. Because if we get hit as hard as our neighbours to the south, it's imperative that we have SOMETHING in the bank to hold us over.

And would I even dare to say, be generous where you are called to be. Giving is a Godly principle, and I believe it's always rewarded.

Ok. I'm off of my soapbox *smile*. I hope you can tell how passionate I am about this ... I feel that our homes, our children's security, our future is all at a crossroads right now - and we CAN prepare for this ...

I would love to hear if YOU are doing something tangeable to prepare for your family's future, if uncertainty rears it's ugly head. Any tricks that you could share? A special place you get gas? A place that accepts competator's coupons? A better rate on your phonebill? Please SHARE - would love to hear it!

Ok. ENOUGH.

How about something for FREE?? If you're a digiscrapper ... here's a free kit from Shabby Princess. You can find it here.

[digiscrap: Some Layouts & Links to FREEBIES

First things first ... I hunt daily for free things on the Internet regarding Digiscrapping. Some stuff is just garbage (um, sorry 'bout that - but it's the truth). So when I find GOOD stuff, I'll be sure to let YOU know ... It won't be much, but hey - it's FREE, right??

birthday kit
preppy boy kit
street spirit (very urban) kit

spontaneous kit

Now - you may have to be "registered" to the site to be able to download. I have a fake name and address that I use for places I don't visit often *wink*.

And I found THIS site today ... I LOVE "doodles" and how they look on scrapbooking pages. This artist gives her doodles away for free ... BRING IT ON, I say!! If you go to her site, she needs a "password" to download her stuff - and she gives funny little clues as to what that password is. And go to her "older posts" to download past stuff too ...

But I DO have other things I do during the day *grin*. I went to my church to have a Pastor promise the school that we're applying to, that we're not drug dealers, children smugglers or bank robbers. He obliged - so that was a good thing *grin*. Then, off to mail a disk to a friend who's computer is causing her grief. After that, I dropped off the $$ for Mattias' Music Class he's attending in a couple of weeks (Music for Young Children). And if that wasn't enough, to the mall for some Yogen Fruz and a play time at the playground for the boys.

Now - I'm finishing the laundry, starting to prepare dinner for company, gonna shower and prepare for my HH12 Group tonight ... and clean the upstairs bathrooms.

But before I get my rump off of this chair, here are a few layouts. Just because.

click photos to enlarge