(In case you can’t figure this photo out,
this is Hayden playing “peek-a-boo” in my skirt, pretty typical of my day.)

When I first started writing this blog, my goal was to share tips and favorites that help our family out.  And that is still my goal.

But we’ve had a lot going on between launching the blog last October and welcoming little Piper’s arrival 4 weeks ago…now we are doing our best to adjust to this new life!  And it’s NUTTY!  So often throughout the day I use or do something that I think, “Oh I can’t wait to share this on the blog”….

Now if only I could get to the blog!

One reader was super sweet and actually mentioned My Favorite Everything on her blog, Baby To Go the other day, but as I read part of her comment:

“I love to hate My Favorite Everything… because well… this fertile myrtle has had 3 kids in the past two years (in three separate pregnancies) and she must have 700 hours in her day…”

I realized that I still look like I’m super human, which I am SO FAR FROM, I assure you!

I kind of approach life like one would a budget.  You could look at your budget and decide where you are going to cut back, or you can look at it and figure out how to make more money to do all the things you want to do…ORRRR you can do a little of both.  Which is what I do for our family.

A few area’s that I cut back on my “time budget”:

1. I don’t watch that much TV.
2. I am the only person in my book club that does not read, but I still enjoy seeing everyone every 6 weeks!
3. I do not cook from scratch as much as I did pre kids.
4. And I very rarely talk on the phone at home.

A few area’s that I make more for my “time budget”:

1. I put my makeup on in the car, sitting in the driveway. Kids are strapped into their car seats (“read” – CANT MOVE or GET INTO TROUBLE).
2. I worship Trader Joe’s and Costco. Often using something pre-made from Trader Joe’s, it tastes homemade (not store bought) and is typically made from fresh ingredients.  I freeze meat in bulk from Costco, pulling out whatever we need that night, in the morning to defrost. This all let’s me get dinner on the table in under 15 minutes and limits the number of times I go to the store in a week.
3. I normally run major errands once a week on Saturday mornings with my husband which gives us 4 hands to keep track of kids and get more done.  We run a balancing act of “Who’s on first, What’s on second” while we hit the gas station, Costco, groceries, Babies R Us, Home Depot and Target.  Getting home in time for lunch and putting the Littles down for their naps.  Then we each have the 3 hour nap time to do “our own thing”.
4. I online shop 99% of the time.
5. I use my iPhone ALL THE TIME.  I answer emails at 3AM when I’m feeding Piper.  I tweet when I park the car before going into an appt.  I text friends to check in (even though talking is so much more fun, I may never get the chance to talk).  I phone stores and restaurants to let them know I’m on my way and could they meet me outside with my order.  I return calls when I’m in the car or on a walk – double duty.

It’s that last one on the list, “USING MY IPHONE all the time” that leads to the second reason for today’s post.  When I bought my iPhone a WHOLE NEW WORLD opened up to me!  I could visit websites, make online purchases, get directions, find a Starbucks with a drive thru, check emails for 5 accounts – I could run our family, my work and the blog all from my phone, in AN INSTANT! I love it!  The only down fall was that it required so much power. I found I needed to charge it all the time and was so frusterated when I would forget to charge it at night and then try to leave for an early appointment.  My car charger was never as fast as my home charger, and inevitably I would have everything plugged in the kitchen but be tied up with the kids in their room and not be able to get to it….GRRRHHHH.

Then I was invited to an SV Moms Group event at the end of February.  (Forgive me as I was days from having Piper and did not do a wrap up post on the event, but Jen at Tiny Oranges did a fabulous one!!)

There I met the amazing peeps from iGo.  Have you heard of them??  They have quickly become a FAVORITE, as their Charge Anywhere Charger NEVER leaves my side!  I’m not sure how I ever managed before owning one!

Truthfully the charger hung out in the box until the night before I left for the hospital. But that night I just had a feeling that it might come in handy, so I took it out to figure out what I had to do to set it up.

Um….

So easy…

Take it out of the box.

Plug it into the wall to charge.

Start using it to charge a zillion different products.

OK, that last part was a stretch, but you CAN charge just about any camera, MP3 player, iPod, cell phone, gaming devices, blue tooth headsets, etc.  CRAZY!

But the best part isn’t even that you can use it on basically every product in existence, the best part is that it is a “Charge Anywhere” charger. What mom doesn’t want that luxury!?!?!? It means you can charge something in your purse, your diaper bag, at a soccer game, while you’re recovering in bed from a C-section…

(This is mine, at the hospital, charging my phone from bed.  Told ya it never leaves my side!)

Check out their site to learn more about how you can:

1. Charge 2 devices at the same time, from the wall or on the go…
2. Works world wide…
3. Small and compact…
4. Charge from the wall while simultaneously charging the internal battery for on the go…
5. It’s $49.99 (and free shipping over $25) and comes with a charging tip of your choice (different tips can be purchased separately for different products) – great gift idea for a birthday, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day etc…

And you KNOW I’m saving the best for last!!!

YEP!!!!

An AWESOME Giveaway!!  iGo is giving away a “Charge Anywhere” charger to 1 lucky MFE winner!!!  Rules (Comment separately, 1 entry for each):

1. Check out the iGo website and comment with your Favorite product.
2. Follow My Favorite Everything on Facebook.
3. Follow iGo on Facebook.
4. Follow My Favorite Everything on Twitter.
5. Follow iGo on Twitter.
6. Tweet about this giveaway – “@MyFavEverything shares tips to get a few extra minutes in your day. Lovin’ @iGo_Inc ‘s Charge Anywhere Charger! http://ow.ly/1vkx6″

Giveaway ends Thursday, April 15th at 5:00pm PST and is open to US and Canadian residents.

Good luck!  And Happy Thursday Everyone!

(Disclosure: I was given an iGo Charge Anywhere Charger at the SV Moms Group event.  I was not asked or compensated to write this post.  I fell in love with the charger while using it for the week  I was at the hospital and have not been able to put it down since.  I would love for this to become a favorite for you and simplify your life too!)