We're the Crew Behind OpsHQ Go
A family of five (plus three dogs and a cat) from the Pacific Northwest who believe life runs better with the right systems.
The Short Version
We're a Pacific Northwest family — two parents, three daughters at various stages of growing up, a chocolate lab, and an orange cat who runs the house. Between school, sports, work, side projects, and trying to actually enjoy weekends, we needed to get better at... everything.
So we did. And now we share what works.
How This Started
It started the way most good ideas do — out of frustration. Too many weeknight dinners that took an hour when we had twenty minutes. Too many camping trips where we forgot something critical. Too many game nights that fizzled because we picked the wrong game.
We started building systems. Testing shortcuts. Figuring out what actually saves time versus what just sounds good on Pinterest. Turns out, when you approach everyday life like a project — with a little research, a little testing, and a willingness to throw out what doesn't work — things get a lot smoother.
OpsHQ Go is where we document all of it.
What We Write About
Games
Board games, video games, and the ones that actually get the whole family playing together.
Hiking & Outdoors
Trail guides, camping gear that works, and adventures you can pull off in a weekend.
Recipes & Kitchen
Meal prep, slow cooker dumps, and kitchen shortcuts for people who'd rather eat than cook.
Dad Hacks
Home organization, tech setups, and practical fixes that save real time.
Family Experiences
Budget-friendly activities, movie nights, road trips, and ways to make memories without breaking the bank.
Time Savers
Automation, routines, and systems that give you back hours every week.
Meet the Family
Dad — The systems guy. If there's a way to automate it, optimize it, or build a spreadsheet for it, he's already done it. Writes most of the tech, gear, and efficiency posts. Probably has too many monitors.
Mom — The quality filter. If Dad's "optimization" makes things harder for everyone else, she's the one who says so. Keeps the recipes practical, the advice grounded, and the family fed.
The Oldest — Recently launched into adulthood. Still comes home for game night. Contributes the "does this actually work for normal people" perspective.
The Middle — The social one. If a hack doesn't pass her vibe check, it doesn't make the blog. Helps with TikTok and knows what's trending before we do.
The Youngest — Still in school, still at home, still the one who finds the best camping spots on AllTrails. Our hiking correspondent.
The Pets — Three chocolate labs who think every hike is for them, and an orange cat who supervises from the couch. None contribute to the blog, but all appear in photos.
Our Approach
We don't write about things we haven't tried. Every recipe has been cooked in our kitchen. Every trail has been hiked by at least one of us. Every product recommendation comes from something we actually own and use.
We're also not afraid of technology. We use every tool we can get our hands on to make life run smoother — from smart home setups to meal planning systems to workflow automation. If it saves 10 minutes a day, we're interested.
The Rules
- Test everything. If we haven't tried it, we don't recommend it.
- Keep it real. No fluff, no filler, no "10 tips" that are really 2 tips stretched thin.
- Budget first. The best solution is usually not the most expensive one.
- Be honest. If something didn't work, we'll tell you. That's more useful than pretending everything is amazing.
Guest Contributors
Sometimes our friends and family pitch in too. You'll see their names on posts — they bring perspectives we don't have (like PNW fishing recipes from someone who actually catches fish).
Want to contribute? Reach out.
Affiliate Disclosure
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Some links on this site are affiliate links — if you buy through our link, we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Get in Touch
Got a hack that changed your life? A trail recommendation? A board game we need to try? We'd love to hear from you.
Meet the owner
Nick Reef
Publisher & Lead Writer (the "Dad") · 10+ years in business
"If a hack saves 10 minutes a day, it earns its keep. If it doesn't, we don't write about it."
Nick is the Pacific Northwest dad behind most of the systems, tech, and efficiency posts on OpsHQ Go. Software engineer by day, parent-of-three by night. Every post is written from first-hand experience — recipes cooked in our kitchen, trails hiked on actual weekends, games played at our table. No rehashed listicles.
- ✓ 10+ years software engineering
- ✓ Pacific Northwest based (Maple Valley, WA)
- ✓ Family of five — three daughters
- ✓ Three chocolate labs and an orange supervising cat
- ✓ Tests every recipe, hikes every trail, plays every game
- ✓ Independent publisher — no corporate sponsors