theCRICKETtoy® app for iPhone and iTouch is available now! We are in the process right now of updating theCRICKETtoy® iPhone app and the update should be available within the next 2 weeks. If you purchase theCRICKETtoy® app now, you will automatically receive the update for FREE as soon as it’s available.

     Many folks have been asking us about theCRICKETtoy® app, so I thought I would tell you about it. I’ve made a video demonstrating the features below. Sadly, it’s me talking (it’s kind of what you get when you invent a toy).

     Anytime there is an awkward pause in a conversation, you simply click on theCRICKETtoy® iPhone app and you’ll hear “Chirp. Chirp.” (crickets chirping). It’s that simple.

The key features of our app are:
     • Chirp when you open the app (1 button and you chirp)
     • Chirp on startup can be turned off
     • Choose Your Chirp (9 different chirps to choose from)
     • It’s GREAT for conference calls, meetings & socially awkward friends
     • It looks cool

     We have 9 different chirps, you so you can “Choose Your Chirp” and change it as much as you want. There are fast chirps and slow chirps;dry chirps and grand canyon chirps.

     When you click on theCRICKETtoy® app icon, it immediately chirps! That’s a big deal. 1 button and it chirps. You don’t have to open the app in order for it to chirp. You’ve got a much better shot of chirping in those awkward moments when you only have to push 1 button.

2.0 Update Coming Soon!

     Shake-n-Chirp

     We are taking advantage of the accelerometer on the iPhone. Anytime there is an awkward pause, just shake your iPhone and you will hear “Chirp. Chirp.” (whichever version of the chirps you select). This is a fun, cool feature that we think you will LOVE!!! Buy the 1.0 version today, and receive the 2.0 update with Shake-n-Chirp for FREE as soon as it becomes available.

If you want to purchase theCRICKETtoy® app for the iPhone or iTouch, click here and you will be taken directly to it! Buy it now and start “Saving the Pause!”

Here is a video that I did Saturday night (trying not to wake up my 1 week old son in the next room). It’s riveting, I tell you. Riveting. BUT, it does clearly show you the features of the app and how simple it is to use.

It’s only 99 cents. Go pick one up today! You will LOVE this for every conference call and meeting that you have!

     Why did I create theCRICKETtoy®? Why do I do some of the crazy things surrounding this little gadget? Why do I attempt to be funny, awkward, goofy and sometimes slightly odd? It’s pretty simple really.

Who do I do what I do? Pretty simple...My family

     Sure, I like to work. I enjoy making a living. But really, I like to do those things so I can hang out with the family. So I can snuggle with my girls (like I did this morning with Dakota while Mom took Karis to school). So we can have ‘date days’ and ‘date nights’. So we can play Old Maid. So we can play tickle chase (when I play ‘jaws’ on the piano, they take off running). So I can hang out with my son I’m about to meet at ANY moment. So I can throw a ball with him. So we can have the ‘talks’ that my Dad and I have had throughout our lives that I cherish so greatly.

     The work thing is great. I do LOVE talking about theCRICKETtoy®! I love trying to get the word out (but I really need other people’s help on that). I love working on shirt ideas, blog posts, tweets and trying to come up with some awkward videos. It’s all fun. It certainly is chasing a dream of mine to invent something and follow it through to completion. Don’t get me wrong. It is all a LOT of fun. It’s also extremely stressful at times when you’re starting a business with the next “Pet Rock” at a time that banks don’t want to loan money and people are concerned. BUT…that’s ok. I do this because I want to provide for my family. I want my children to see their Dad chase his dreams. I want them to see as Dad is chasing when he gets lost and when he is in valleys. I also want them to see when Dad is on the top of the mountain. I really want them to see HOW I respond in the valleys and the mountains, for that is the true test of a man. I want them to see how Dad responds to tough times and how he responds in financial windfalls.

     BUT…most importantly, I want them to SEE Dad.

     I can not stress that enough. I want to hang out with my family. I want them to know me. I want them to know that Daddy loves them SOOO much. When I have to go upstairs to work, I often tell them “I do NOT want to go to work. I’d rather hang out with you. BUT..Daddy’s got to make some money so we can have our date tonight.”

     Here are some more photos of WHY I am making and selling theCRICKETtoy®:

     At Dana’s baby shower, all of her friends put their hands on this canvas. Our son has a lot of hands watching over him, praying for him, loving him and being there for him.

     I plan on spending a LOT of time sitting in this chair resting with my son. Praying for him. Talking to him. Resting. And quite possibly praying like crazy that he’ll go back to sleep.

     Dana had each of us (Me, Dana, Karis and Dakota) make a picture/painting for Dawson’s room. There is so much love already for this child, and we haven’t ‘officially’ met him yet. I chose to put my hand print on my picture/painting. His Father is watching over him always. And…yes, our Heavenly Father is watching over him always as well. My goal is to represent God in a way to my son that he trusts and loves God. My wedding ring is in the bottom corner, telling him that Mom & Dad are together and will always be there for him.

     SO….that’s why I’m trying to sell theCRICKETtoy®. Why do you do what you do?

The Ultimate Pregnant Pause Contest

     Our little boy is due this next Sunday, October 11, 2009. But when will he actually be born? Great question. Who knows? I don’t. Do you? I thought it would be fun to have a little contest to see who can guess when our son is going to be born. If you guess correctly, you could win a lifetime supply of theCRICKETtoy® and some other fun prizes!

Grand Prize
     ”Right On the Money”
           If you’re the first person to pick the EXACT time of my son’s birth, you win the Grand Prize:
     • lifetime supply of theCRICKETtoy® (see blog post-it’s 50 of them)
     • T-shirt of your choice
     • A ‘chirp. chirp.’ Chinese Symbol Tattoo
     • Alan Jackson’s Greatest Hits Volume 2 CD with “Right On the Money” on it.
     • Featured Blogger for the day-You get one blog entry on theCRICKETtoy® website to plug your product, your services, your baby pictures, whatever. It’s got to be clean and something I’d let my 6 year old read/see
     • __________________ Mystery Prize (tba)

Almost Grand Prize
          ”That’ll do pig”
     • If no one guesses the exact time, then the closest to the time WITHOUT going OVER wins:
     • lifetime supply of theCRICKETtoy® (see blog post-it’s 50 of them)
     • T-shirt of your choice
     • A ‘chirp. chirp.’ Chinese Symbol Tattoo
     • DVD of the movie “Babe” (that’s a children’s movie about a pig btw. Chirp. Chirp.)

Maxwell Smart Prize
     ”Missed It By That Much”
          Whoever is the closest to the exact time but actually goes over it wins:
     • 10 of theCRICKETtoy®
     • T-shirt of your choice
     • A ‘chirp. chirp.’ Chinese Symbol Tattoo
     • DVD of Get Smart (2008) with Steve Carell, Anne Hathaway and Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson
     • The option to buy as many of theCRICKETtoy® as you want for only $1 each (limit 1,000 of them)

Nice Putt Alice-Does your husband play? Prize
     If you guess the EXACT time, but you are one day early (you say Thursday 3:52PM and he’s born Friday 3:52PM), you win:
     • 10 of theCRICKETtoy®
     • T-shirt of your choice
     • A ‘chirp. chirp.’ Chinese Symbol Tattoo
     • Your choice of 1. DVD of some of the Alice TV show episodes or 2. DVD of Tin Cup (Kevin Costner-GREAT Golf Movie!)
     • The option to buy as many of theCRICKETtoy® as you want for only $1 each (limit 1,000 of them)

Close but a Cigar
     The 2-6th people closest to the exact time without going over will receive:
     • 1 of theCRICKETtoy®
     • A bubblegum cigar
     • A ‘chirp. chirp.’ Chinese Symbol Tattoo
     • A ‘virtual’ pat on the back for almost winning

What are the rules for the contest? Click here

1. Post your guess below (just like mine, but BEFORE November 3)
2. Tweet your guess
@theCRICKETtoy I think your son will be born Tuesday, November 3, 2009 4:54 PM http://bit.ly/kf63L Have you made a guess yet?
3. Please tell your friends (email, Facebook, Twitter, Carrier Pigeon, Messenger Geckos, whatever)

I can see you STARING AT ME... Chirp. Chirp.

     It’s been awhile since we’ve introduced a new t-shirt so I think it’s time!

     This shirt is pink, so probably it’s only for girls. Generalization, but it’s a pretty fair guess. Maybe not…so be it.

     Calvin® is the mascot/character of theCRICKETtoy® company. Calvin is all about awkward. Looking for awkward moments to chirp and sometimes, he gets a little mischievous and creates his own moments of awkwardness and then he gets to chirp. Anywho, Calvin® is on the front of the shirt and he simply says “I can see you STARING AT ME…” Then he says “Chirp. Chirp.”

     It really turned out to be a very cute (can I say cute?) shirt. This shirt is $20, BUT it comes with theCRICKETtoy® for free! Who am I kidding, the shirt is $15 and then you buy theCRICKETtoy® for $5 as a packaged deal. Or…the shirt is $16 and you get a $1 discount on theCRICKETtoy® for $4. Or…yet the even coolest option is that the shirt is actually $30, but you get a $15 dollar discount on theCRICKETtoy® so the combination is $20. Or…yeah..A.D.D.

     Please buy the shirt (buy tons for friends too!). My son is due in 10 days and he could use some diapers (though we’re probably doing cloth diapers-yep..I know..Chirp. Chirp.)

     Did I say “Buy the shirt! It’s Super Cute! Girls will love it! And..just in case any guy reads the shirt a little too slow, you’ve got theCRICKETtoy® that comes with it at that ‘$15 discount when you buy the $30 shirt thing’ to say “Chirp. Chirp.”

I can see you STARING AT ME... Chirp. Chirp.