I've been using AI heavily at work for a while now. As part of engineering, it's woven into our day to day — accelerating development, automating processes, and helping us think differently about how software gets built.
But at home, AI has quietly been part of our lives for years too. We've used it to help write stories with the kids, to act as a tutor for tricky math concepts, and even just to brainstorm fun activities. It's become another tool in the toolbox, one that makes learning and creativity easier.
I have a lot of projects to share, but I'll start with this one.
The Problem
Like a lot of families, we get flooded with school emails, newsletters, and sports schedules. Some come from Smore newsletters, others from daycare systems, others from sports apps like TeamSnap and GameChanger. Important info is there, but scattered. By the time I've pieced together who needs to be where and when, I've already lost time I could've spent with my kids.
The Solution
I built a system with Google Apps Script and AI (view the code on GitHub):
- Pull school newsletters automatically (even the tricky Smore ones hidden behind JavaScript)
- Ingest sports calendars from TeamSnap and GameChanger
- Filter out the noise — no daily summaries, no disclaimers, no filler
- Create one clean digest every Sunday in Google Drive, organized by child (Madison, Will, and Max)
- Summarize with AI (ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini) into something I can skim in a minute:
Previous Week
Upcoming Week
Other Important Info
A final calendar style table
The end result is a single source of truth for the week ahead.
Why It Matters
This project isn't about the tech itself, it's about time. AI helps me cut through clutter so I can focus on what's important, being present for my family.
And it's a reminder that AI doesn't have to just live in big enterprise use cases. It can be personal, simple, and incredibly practical.
"AI helps me cut through clutter so I can focus on what's important, being present for my family."
What's Next
I'll be sharing more of these experiments as I go, both at home and at work. Whether it's summarizing medical paperwork, automating chores, or exploring new ways to accelerate engineering, I think it's worth documenting what's possible right now. AI is moving fast, and the best way to understand it is to start applying it.
