At Orkin, they never stop learning. Their new “Bug Wisdom” video series is a reminder that some of life’s biggest lessons come from small places. Bugs are smart, curious creatures – we humans can learn a lot from their ways.
Take the quiz to discover your “Spirit Bug,” and check out all the GIFs to soak in every nugget of wisdom that these bugs have to offer!
I love all thing technology. Anything that makes my life simpler and easier, I'm all for it! Recently, I've been reading about a variety of smart home stuff and it's really sparked my interest. I like the idea of controlling my TV, radio and more directly from my smart phone and computer. Now I have the ability to control my thermostat in the same way. With the introduction of smart thermostats, more specifically, the Honeywell Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat, controlling my home thermostat from anywhere with a few click from my smartphone.
Compatibility
If you are interested in investing in one of these thermostats, you must first determine whether or not your household wiring and system is compatible. Honeywell simplifies your decision process by providing a step by step series of questions to help you determine whether or not your current system will be compatible with the Honeywell Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat.
Installing Your New Thermostat
Once you determine your system is compatible, installation (via my hubby) was quite quick and simple. The directions to install the system were straightforward and if you discover a roadblock along the way, the installation video below was extremely helpful.
Once installation was complete, I immediately set up the weekly temperature schedule.
Wi-Fi Online Access
To easily access control via Wi-Fi, you must first create an account at My Total Connect Comfort which will allow access from my smart phone app. Apps are available for iPhone, iPod, iPad and Android devices.
The Honeywell Total Connect Comfort app is super user-friendly. I can easily adjust the household temperature with my phone. In addition to adjusting the indoor temp, the app allows you to:
View and change the schedule (for thermostats that support this feature)
Utilize the Demo Mode before purchasing a thermostat
View and change heating and cooling system settings
View and set the indoor temperature
View and change system fan (for thermostats that support this feature)
View and change humidifier and dehumidifier settings (for thermostats that support this feature)
View 5-Day weather forecast
View outdoor temperature and humidity (when used with an outdoor sensor)
Access multiple smart thermostats
Access multiple locations if more than one system is registered
View thermostat alerts such as high or low temperature
Automatically upgrade to new features once they become available
To conclude, this is a fantastic thermostat. Although this product is not perfect, on a scale of 1 to 5 stars, I would give it a very solid 5. While it maybe somewhat pricey, it is absolutely the best value currently on the market for smart thermostats and we are completely happy with all of it's functionality.
The American Dream Home is something everyone fantasizes about. Whether it’s a new closet, a larger family room, or simply a place to put all your stuff, there’s always something we want to change about where we live!
What if you could make your home into your Dream Home?
AMERICAN DREAM BUILDERS – a new show on NBC airing on Sunday at 8/7c – and Lowe’s want to make your dream a reality.
Hosted
by famed interior designer and best-selling author, Nate Berkus, AMERICAN
DREAM BUILDERS follows the nation’s top 12 designers and home builders as
they compete to be crowned the Ultimate Dream Builder and take home a $250,000
cash prize. It’s the home competition that will change everything!
From the
producers of Survivor and The Bachelor, don’t miss AMERICAN DREAM BUILDERS,
Sundays at 8/7c, only on NBC.
You
can enter for a chance to win $100,000 in products and services from Lowe’s and
a consultation with the winner of American Dream Builders!
Enter
for a chance to win your dream renovation at www.nbc.com/lowes.
You
will have the opportunity to earn 5 bonus entries when you “Dream It Yourself”!
Upload a photo and description of a home project you are working on and EARN 5
BONUS SWEEPSTAKES ENTRIES.
Finally, follow the show
on Facebook and Twitter for
a chance to win more prizes from American Dream Builders and Lowe’s!
Shortly after celebrating Thanksgiving, it's scary to say, the holidays are just
around the corner. Now, with that said, have you come up with the
perfect gift yet for that coffee lover in your life?? If you haven't,
please let me make a suggestion for you, please buy him/her the Keurig Vue Brewing System, he/she will love it!
The Keurig Vue Brewing System
is not your typical coffee maker! Not only can you make coffee, but you
can also make cappuccino, latte, espresso, hot chocolate, tea and iced
beverages. Essentially, Keurig beverage choices are limitless. What's
great about this brewer is that is uses convenient Vue packs which are
available at a variety of retailers. Each Vue pack contains a premeasured
amount of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate. Just insert the Vue pack and
brewing simply begins with the push of a button.
Removable 74oz. water reservoir with easy fill, flip-top lid
Removable drip tray with adjustable plate
Cord storage
Check out my full review of Keurig's Vue V700 Brewing System HERE.
Fun Additional Accessories
There are certainly a number of accessories that you can purchase for your Keurig brewer, but one of my new favorites is the {Keurig Stainless Steel Travel Mug}. This mug is perfect for home or on the go. It features Contigo® AUTOSEAL®
technology. Leak and spill-proof means you’ll never spill another drop,
and convenient one-hand operation makes this the perfect travel mug for
busy lifestyles.
Fits under all Keurig® K-Cup™ and Vue® reservoir brewers
Patented Contigo® AUTOSEAL® lid technology; press button to sip, release to seal
Leak and spill-proof; automatically seals between sips
Vacuum-insulated technology keeps beverages hot for 4 hours and cold for 12 hours
Double wall stainless steel construction
Holds up to 14 oz. with the lid on
Dimensions: 3.5” wide x 7.8 ” tall x 2.5” base diameter
Why Not Try These Flavors?
Perfect for the Fall and into Winter, why not give Green Mountain Coffee flavors a try, like Pumpkin Spice, one of my all-time favorites!
The sweet, creamy flavors of cinnamon and nutmeg make Pumpkin Spice just
right for fall’s crisper days and cooler nights. This warm, aromatic
flavor is one of several coffees created to reflect the best aspect of
each season.
Not a coffee drinker, why not try, Cafe Escapes' Specialty Flavors such as Chai Latte or Dark Chocolate Hot Cocoa. Both are delicious and adds a nice change to your regular coffee routine, plus, who doesn't LOVE hot cocoa?!!
************************************************************ Buy It
You can purchase the Keurig Vue V700 Brewing System for $229.95 at Keurig.com, at a variety of retailer including Bed, Bath and Beyond, Kohl's as well as other online retailers.
In a household with three very busy body kids and an outdoor cleaning hubby, you can just imagine the amount of {stuff} that makes it into the house daily. Dirt, leaves and just random debris ends up on the floor making it a tough job for any old vacuum. In addition to the daily {stuff} are indoor allergens that could use the assistance of one heavy duty deep cleaning vacuum to help alleviate all these daily battles. Hoover MaxExtract 60 PressurePro Carpet Deep Cleaner, was up for the challenge!
About the Hoover MaxExtract 60 PressurePro Carpet Deep Cleaner (Credit: hoover.com) This MaxExtract® deep cleaner is designed to thoroughly
clean carpets and rugs.
This easy-to-use machine removes water, dirt and grime with
pressurized cleaning, and has heated drying for a fast dry time. Features a
double chamber nozzle to power wash surfaces with even suction across a wide
path, while the automatic detergent system provides the right ratio of
detergent and water for the best cleaning results. Patented Hoover® SpinScrub®
brushes gently loosen dirt and clean all sides of carpet and upholstery fibers,
with an adjustable speed control for various floor surfaces, including a Spill
Pick-Up mode so you don't scrub in spills.
MaxExtract® DualV® Nozzle Technology - we're pulling up a lot of dirty water so your floors dry fast and you'll be back to living on those deep-cleaned floors quickly.
Pressurized Edge-to-Edge Cleaning - a wall of pressurized water that loosens and lifts stubborn stains with constant and relentless spray.
SpinScrub® 60 - counter-rotating brushes engineered to surround carpet fibers, removing dirt at every angle. It's like treating your carpet to a deep, massaging salon shampoo.
Heated Cleaning - powerful motor with forced heated air to help speed dry time.
Auto Conversion Tools - conveniently positioned where they should be - right at your fingertips.
SmartTanks™ System - separate tanks for clean and dirty water, so you can easily fill, empty and rinse each tank individually!
The Test drive by ace and friends
Assembly was super simple but I did need a Phillips head screwdriver to attach the handle to the base and it took less than a minute to do it.
The hose and cord easily wound around the back side for easy storage. The accessories snapped into place and I was ready to roll.
There are many qualities that I enjoy about the Hoover MaxExtract 60 PressurePro Carpet Deep Cleaner. To begin, the majority of the flooring in my home is covered in light carpet. The smallest amount of dirt is easily seen and can work it's way deep into the carpet. I wanted a vacuum that could easily remove this dirt and grime without a lot of scrubbing. The Hoover MaxExtract Deep Cleaner has several spinning brushes that automatically does all the work for me. It worked quite well in getting the spots directly out of the carpet. Yes!
Another thing that I really liked about this vacuum was that the water/detergent and discarded water compartments are easily accessible, easy to empty and then simple to put back into place. Both containers are located on the front of the vacuum and you can see through the clear plastic container when it the detergent compartment needs to be refilled and the dirty water needs to be emptied.
So, how does it sound and does it really work? First let me say, you don' realize how dirty your carpet really is until you deep clean it. It performed very well on the carpet, picking up ALL sorts of YUCK (see right picture above). The vacuum had some weight to it, certainly heavier than a standard vacuum. It was easy to maneuver and I really liked the ability to turn on and off with the simple push of the button. The detergent dispenser was also simple to apply with the push of the lever located on the handle.
To reach the stairs, the manual hose length is long enough to reach the first step landing area. The hose is also perfect for cleaning the sofa, kitchen chairs and more. You have the option of using the vacuum with or without detergent. If you need to just rinse an area with water, you can easily switch to the rinse option. I also liked the ability to remove the top of the dirty water compartment for easy cleanup.
So what are my favorite features:
Super easy assembly
Amazing spin brushes for simple deep clean.
Water extraction was impressive, floor was immediately damp, but dried in about 2 hours.
Manual attachment hose length was just right and allowed for easy cleaning of the stairs to landing area.
Hoover MaxExtract 60 PressurePro Carpet Deep Cleaner in action
I was thrilled that it extracted so much dirt out of the carpet as well as worked perfectly on my kitchen chairs. The manual hose and attachment performed as expected. I really like that ALL of the hose and attachment are housed/stored right on the vacuum itself. It makes for easy accessibility and easy storage. Some vacuums don't have this ability and I have been known to lose an attachment or two. So kudos to Hoover for their design. My only complaint is that the water portion of the detergent bin needed to be refilled rather quickly and the dirty water compartment needed to be dumped out just as fast.
Overall the vacuum was easy to super easy to use and not too difficult to maneuver. My first impression of the unit is quite positive and I expect many years of deep carpet cleaning satisfaction with my Hoover MaxExtract 60 PressurePro Carpet Deep Cleaner Vacuum.
[Product review & giveaway disclosure: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free from the manufacturer of a PR Agency. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." See ace and friends Disclosure Policy HERE.]
