Two Gadgets Tessa Loves

I’m someone who is always a little late to the party in terms of new gadgets. (Not in terms of a real party. I’ll be early to any event where there are snacks and drinks.) Evidence A: my Instant Pot obsession came about a year after the rest of the country’s did. I still have many questions about the Roomba, and I haven’t ever heard the entire Baby Shark song. (I’ll consider myself lucky.) However, I received the coolest gifts for Christmas, and I feel the need to share them with our Footnote world. The AeroGarden and the Soak Off Gel Polish kit are game-changers for this mama. 

The AeroGarden

When it comes to babies and puppies, I am really good at keeping them fed and watered. However, this skill doesn’t really transfer to fish and plants. I’ve analyzed it a million times, and I’ve decided this is because the plants and fish do not make as much noise when they are hungry and thirsty. If they did, I think they’d be thriving in my house as well. I have always wanted a green thumb. My sister, parents, and grandparents are highly skilled in farming, gardening, and flower growing, but it just didn’t transfer to me. My husband is pretty great at it too, but he needs a partner in order to take his gardening game to the next level.

Since he knows I really have great intentions about growing my own food and flowers, my hubs found a solution. Enter the AeroGarden. We purchased this gadget for my inlaws, and I was so excited for them. Hubs secretly bought me the same thing and surprised me with it on Christmas day.

Reasons why the AeroGarden is perfect for people like me:

1. The garden grows the herbs and vegetables from tiny, mess-less pods.
2. The water and plant food are kept within the unit.
3. There is no dirt therefore, it creates none in my house.
4. The AeroGarden provides its own light.
5. IT TELLS ME WHEN IT’S OUT OF FOOD AND WATER.
6. The garden takes away some of those pesky winter blues.
7. It makes me feel like I can do anything because I’ve managed to keep plants alive.

We put ours together the day after Christmas, and our family can already harvest some of the herbs that came with it. In our kit we received two types of basil, dill, thyme, curly parsley, and mint. When they are fully grown, I cannot wait to switch them out for lettuce and tomato pods.

Things to Know

• The light is very bright. It stays on for 16 hours a day, so make sure to store your AeroGarden some place where the light will not bother you. Apparently, having ours in our living room isn’t the most popular place according to my kids.
• You can also play with the light timing, making sure it’s on while you sleep or while you’re at work. That way, the projected brightness won’t really make much of a difference.

That’s it. The timing of the light is the only issue I’ve had so far. If you are like me and you love the planet, but are bad at keeping green things alive, this AeroGarden is for you. 

The Soak Off Gel Polish Complete Starter Kit

It’s no surprise that I’m not great at keeping up a fingernail routine. While my friends and family boast these gorgeous manicures all year long with nary a chip, I have half painted nails pretty much all year round. I’m a mom of–sort of–young kids. I felt like this gave me an excuse. However, my friend got me the best gift ever. The Soak Off Gel Polish Kit. This gadget allows you to give yourself a shellac manicure from the comfort of your own home. 

Reasons why this is perfect for people like me:

1. Your starter kit comes with everything you need to complete your own manicure, and your polish stays in tact for at least two weeks.
2. When it’s time to remove it, it comes off in one satisfying peel, saving you from the chipped look.
3. You can do this in the time it takes for one Netflix show to start and end.
4. You have an excuse to sit in one place for a little bit.
5. Once you get good at the application/drying process, it will only take you about 20 minutes achieve  the perfect manicure.

Things to know:

• It will take a couple of times to really get this procedure down.
• You’ll need to buy a 50 cent nail buffer to get your nails good and clean before polishing. This will increase your color life by a couple of days and it isn’t included in the kit.
• Your nails will feel sticky when you’re done, but they’re actually good to go after you’ve followed the instructions in the kit.

As someone who never prioritized nails, I wasn’t sure this product was for me, now, I can’t buy new colors fast enough. It’s so fun, and it allows me to pretend I’ve got some of my life together. Hey, it’s the little things, right?

These gadgets are great, and I’m so thankful to have them. What about you? What are you using right now that is making your life a lot easier? We’d love to know!