Life is a mashup of toys and gadgets, hobbies and recipes, kids and odd socks, all held together with love and duct tape.

If you haven't seen this new video birth announcement, you should check it out. I can't embed the video, so you'll have to go watch it over there, but it's a brilliant take on the whole birth announcement concept! A bit pricey, but definitely a unique way to give your Offspring v.0.1 some geek cred from the start. I'm not getting a commission for this or anything, but if you're going to order one of these, you might as well use the (case-sensitive) 20% off coupon code (GeekMomMashup20) the nice movie trailer guys gave me. Have fun storming the castle! (Can you name the movie? It's one of my all-time favorites!)

Hello, dear friends, loyal readers, and random lurkers. I am notoriously indecisive (just ask Hubby), and I am having a hard time deciding on a final design for my new blog business card. Since you're all savvy bloggers and internet addicts, I need you to tell me what you think of this design, okay? Please share your honest first impressions in the comments. Thank you, thank you! EDIT (7/21/08): Thanks for all of the wonderful suggestions and comments! I have finally decided on a design, and my new cards are on their way! I'll post the winning design, which incorporates some of your excellent ideas, once they arrive. I can hardly wait to see them for real! [caption id="attachment_288" align="aligncenter" width="400" caption="this is the front of the card"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_284" align="aligncenter" width="400" caption="back of card"][/caption]

Penguin publishing sent me a leftover pre-publication copy of "Savvy," by Ingrid Law, and asked me to help get the word out about an upcoming summer reading program for kids. I had seen "Savvy" mentioned in Reader's Digest, as a "don't miss this" summer read. And since I'm between installments of "Twilight," and finished with "The Host," I was grateful for something else to read in the meantime! I'm only about halfway through, but I'm enjoying "Savvy," so far. It's definitely aimed at a younger audience (ages 9-12), and it's written in a folksy storytelling tone. Here's the quick summary:

For generations, the Beaumont family has harbored a magical secret. They each possess a "savvy" — a special supernatural power that strikes when they turn thirteen. Grandpa Bomba moves mountains, her older brothers create hurricanes and spark electricity... and now it's the eve of Mibs's big day. As if waiting weren't hard enough, the family gets scary news two days before Mibs's birthday: Poppa has been in a terrible accident. Mibs develops the singular mission to get to the hospital and prove that her new power can save her dad. So she sneaks onto a salesman's bus... only to find the bus heading in the opposite direction. Suddenly Mibs finds herself on an unforgettable odyssey that will force her to make sense of growing up — and of other people, who might also have a few secrets hidden just beneath the skin.

I don't know how the story ends, so I can't give anything away about the plot. The book is whimsical and easy to read, with a lilting and sometimes sing-song rhythm. The characters' superpowers will appeal to young readers, who will imagine and wish for their own savvies. In an effort to encourage young children to read, "Savvy" will be available as a free download (pdf file) free online read next week, from July 14-20. If you're looking for something to occupy the kids during the last "Mom, I'm bored" weeks of summer vacation, check it out! Get your free download of Savvy here, between July 14-20, 2008. EDIT: Apparently, the publisher changed the download to a free online version, due to the size of the pdf. If you don't like reading online, or won't be able to finish the book during the free week, you should try printing from within the online viewer/reader. Sorry about that.