Kisses and badges

Xan is big into giving kisses right now. Big open-mouthed kisses with a little drool, but no one minds. He'll also blow you a kiss if you're special enough. Will is busy with school and keeping up on the latest movies to come to video. On his list right now is "Flushed Away." Daddy says he'll be getting it for him soon. Will's also into wearing the "badge" that my friend Nan gave him - it's one of our Zutter Zisters pins and he insisted on wearing it to school for Show and Tell today. Oh, well ... free advertising, right?

The reason the blog has not been updated lately ...

is because of my status as a Zutter Zister. For those not involved int he scrap world, Zutter Innovative Products has just released two new tools to the industry. Bind-it-All allows scrapbookers to punch and wire bind their own little albums out of chipboard, cardboard, thin plastic, CDs, vinyl record albums, etc. Before, scrapbookers had to buy already-made wire bound albums and just embellish them. This is a big product for the industry and it's made a HUGE hit in the 3 weeks since it had been introduced at the Craft and Hobby Association trade show. The second machine is DreamKuts, which quickly precision cuts pages out of paper or cardstock for the books. Above is a picture of me this past weekend at the Orange County Scrapbook Expo. My friend Nan and I have been hired on to promote the Bind-it-All to the consumers. It's a lot of fun, but also a lot of work!

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!

Yeah ... I would see white, middle-aged to young men in suits strolling around restaurants, Starbucks, Costco - wherever - with their Bluetooth ear piece stuck on their ear, usually later seen getting into their BMW or Cadillac Escalade. I figured that the Bluetooth was a symbol of men who were incredibly important - in their own minds, of course! While this still may be true, I started seeing more women wearing them and figured that they, like their male counterparts, were also needing to display their importance. But that was before ...

This is NOW. I NOW realize that women wearing Blueteeth (Bluetooths?!) are busy, overworked (my own fault!), sleep-deprived mothers who need the ability to drive, answer a 4-year-old's constant questions, search for the checkbook in her purse so she can pay the daycare people, and call her husband to remind him that it is hockey night, all at the same time. Otherwise known as MULTI-TASKERS who managed to lose their current phones' often-used wired handsfree earpiece somewhere in their house, but still can't find it 5 days later!

If you hadn't already guessed, I am now a Bluetooth owner. Here I am with my Bluetooth I got for a bargain at Costco, and, since my current phone was not Bluetooth capable, (plus I was due for a new one, anyway) I got one of the Motorola Razor phones that are so popular right now. It was on sale and also allows me to check my email. I'm enjoying them, but the time I would be saving by being connected is being used up on the learning curve of how to use these things! Where is a 14-year-old electronics master when you need one?!

A sign of the "chilly" weather

While the Midwest and East are encountering sub-zero temps, my spoiled dogs are finding the 45-degree night a bit frigid. Marble has commandeered Ripley's crate (fluffy bed and covered to reduce cool breezes), leaving him and Slade to cuddle together on the beds Daddy forgot to separate. They were good sports about it, but made sure to be back to back, head to toe, so no one, um, got the wrong idea.

Xan's Vacuum Infatuation

While most babies and toddlers run screaming from the vacuum, or at least eye is warily from across the room, Xan love to follow it (and whoever is running it) around the house. The loud noise does not frighten him at all and he just loves to either walk with it or watch it from a nearby vantage point. Like I've said since he was in utero, this is a kid with little fear and I'll end up finding him on the roof one day.

Hangin' Out with Dad

Will and his dad definitely have something in common: The love of sitting in a comfy chair, watching TV.

Rodney's Recovery

I'm sure he's thrilled I am putting this on the family blog, but I know a lot of people are concerned about his welfare, so I'll keep is simple: It's been a week since he had his vasectomy and he is recovering on schedule. It hasn't been much fun for him, but we are both hoping that the pain and inconvenience will pay off in the long run. (BTW, thank you, honey! I love you!)

Lots of scrappy stuff!

I've got quite a few scrappy projects happening so far this year. the major ones:

Zutter Zisters: Together with my friend Nan we are helping a local scrapbook tool designer to market his products, the Bind-it-All and DreamKuts.

Crops2Remember: I, along with three other serious scrapbookers, are planning an April weekend crop for a group of Orange County croppers.

Creating Keepsakes University Bus Tour: Some of you may remember that in May 2005, I got my "Master's" degree in scrapbooking over a long weekend, and that I went on a bus shopping tour of local stores the day before the convention started. Well, the convention is back and Nan and I are helping one of the original bus tour planners organize another bus tour. The event is in June.

For more details, click on the Jessica's Scrap Happenings link.

Xan's Walking!

Xan took his first steps yesterday, but will only do it if he is distracted. As soon as he realizes he's balanced on his own, he slowly gets down on his knees to crawl. He'll be celebrating his 10-month birthday a week from today.