How I’m Wired; Inspired by Lucky Magazine

I’m always amazed by how much a woman can accomplish in a single day, particularly working mothers. Truly, it’s humbling and empowering, like, heck yeah, we got this! I always feel so incredibly proud to be a woman when I see mom friends in action especially. Which got me to thinking about one of my favorite Lucky magazine features called “How I’m Wired.” I’ve always been fascinated by technology and productivity and in this digital age, I’m endlessly inspired by how different bits of technology like a wireless printer or Apple TV or a goal-setting app help busy women to get ‘er done.

Staci + I sitting under a red heat lamp at Downtown Disney last Friday – I swear this isn’t just a bad Instagram filter. And we’re not Oompah Loompah’s either.

I recently spent some time visiting with my friend Staci, a high school guidance counselor, part-time student, and mom of a near-2-year-old  and this magazine feature sprang to mind almost immediately as I observed: how she kept her home tidy, wrangled her squirmy toddler, and cooked a delicious dinner while I visited. I think what I miss most about such a close friend living so far away is that we can’t talk daily like we used to, so I experienced this glorious inundation of catch-up on all these little bits of useful information and tips that friends tend to share amongst each other.

It’s something I’m interested in and want to share with you via a new series called I don’t quite have a name for, but will just refer to as “How I’m Wired” featuring my friends, family, fellow bloggers and anyone else I learn cool stuff from. Some tips may have a digital slant, but some might not. Because we all have all sorts of little tips, tricks and bits of information to share.

So here’s some of the fun stuff I learned from Staci this past week:

– I can earn 5% back with a Target debit card
I can’t believe I didn’t know this!!! I already have Nordstrom linked to my debit card so I’m familiar with this sort of thing but I’d only ever heard of Target CREDIT cards. I’m ecstatic to learn I can now earn 5% back without having to open another credit card.

– Amazing spicy grilled shrimp recipe
Staci is one of my favorite foodie friends. She always pins the yummiest stuff on Pinterest — casseroles, crock-pot meals, and cheesy things I purposely try to avoid because I know if too many of those types of meals entered my food repertoire I would probably become dangerously obese because I have no self-restraint. Anyway, I enjoyed the fruits of her natural skill for honing in on amazing recipes when she made this recipe along with yellow rice and some simple olive-oil-splashed, salt and peppered grilled peppers and portobello mushrooms. The shrimp is delicious though. Seriously, bookmark that recipe.

– Simplified cleaning
She keeps a roll of paper towels and cleaning supplies easily accessible under EACH SINK of her home. How simple and genius is that? I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve wanted to clean a mirror but not wanted to make the trek ALL the way to my kitchen to dig through my jumbled bucket of cleaning supplies to find the glass cleaner. I also needlessly stress out over needing a separate sponge for cleaning and dishes for things like disinfecting a counter-top after handling raw meat, for example so I was kind of inspired and dumbstruck when she easily pulled out a cleaning wipe and took care of her counters in less than 10 seconds. (I over-complicate cleaning I’m realizing so I can’t even express how eye-opening this was for me, simple though it was.

– Iced mochas are delicious
I’ve cut back a lot on coffee because I was relying on caffeine as a supplement for actual sleep but Staci actually appreciates a good cup of coffee which I find so admirable. And I don’t think I’ve ever met more of a chocoholic than her. Combine the two? Amazing. I can get on board coffee if chocolate is involved.

– Facial Cleansing cloths are timesavers
I religiously wash my face each night, but for emergency situations (like when Brian and I got in at 1:30 AM after an exhausting day at Disney and didn’t want to wake our hosts making too much noise washing up before bed), facial cleansing cloths are perfect. Staci mentioned some great ones she uses for sensitive skin and was nice enough to pick some up and put them out for me (how thoughtful was that?!) which saved me the headache of dealing with makeup removal when I was ready to drop.

– Entertaining a toddler is a variety act
It also requires a lot of advanced preparation. I was endlessly amazed by how perfectly Staci anticipated her son’s needs, pulling fire trucks or granola bars or yogurt in a tube from a diaper bag at the exact moment her son needed distracting during tricky transitions like from the zoo gift shop to the car or the car to the stroller. Speaking of “Go-Gurt,” that stuff is amazing for kids. Travels so well and doesn’t require a spoon. Perfect kid food, per Staci.

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I’m sure I’ll have more to add that I’m forgetting at the moment, but this is just a start. I love learning new tips, tricks, and time savers. Do you have any cool tech, apps, websites, or random tips for something you love? I’d love to hear what it is and why you love it.