The Benefits of Upgrading Your Windows: Enhancing Comfort and Value

 

Upgrading the windows in your home is not just about enhancing their aesthetic appeal; it's a strategic investment that improves comfort, energy efficiency, and security. In regions with varied climates like Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the choice to replace windows can offer significant benefits in maintaining a comfortable indoor environment and boosting the property's market value. 

Whether you live in a historic townhouse in Lawrenceville or a modern apartment downtown, the right windows can transform your living experience. They not only enhance the visual appeal of your home but also adapt it to Pittsburgh's diverse climate, ensuring that inside, it's always just right. 

As we explore the multitude of benefits that new windows offer, you'll see why this upgrade is not just a change—it's an improvement for a better living.

Christmas is just around the corner!

Believe it or not Christmas Day is just around the corner. So delay no more!! Get out there (or online) and finish your holiday shopping TODAY! Whether it's gifts for a loved one or stocking stuffers I have lots of great ideas for you here and on my main Holiday Gift Guide so be sure to check them all out!

How can you protect your business from crimes and fraud?

Many small businesses are affected by various crimes. These crimes range from burglaries to employee fraud.  The crime against business is not just limited to physical crimes. Cybercrime is also a part of such crimes. Some criminals indulge in malware and phishing. These incidents can be small, but can affect a significant part of the business. Do not let your business be a victim of any kind of crime. Take necessary precautions and also save your business from all odds. 

Holiday "Security Tips" from Master Lock

Just in time for the holidays the good folks over at Master Lock have come up with some great "secuity tips" that everyone should consider. They've covered everything from when you need to let the house-sitter in while you're away to keeping your belongings secure while traveling.

Gifts for the Holidays: Home Edition

One of my favorite places to shop over the holidays for unique gifts for the home is Cracker Barrel. I love shopping the country store that's part of their restaurant when we are dining out as well as their online store too. They have some of the most unique gifts I've ever given!

Electronics & Tech for the Holidays

Ready to shop one of the most popular categories for the holidays with some of the hottest gift ideas? Then check out this awesome line-up of electronics and tech gear!

Maximus Camera Floodlight - Keeping your family safe!

We live in a rural area so there's not a lot of lighting or traffic around our house. Which can be both good and bad. We love the quite area and the country charm, but sometimes that makes us a target too because there's not much for lighting out here at night. And there's not many neighbors close to watch over our house while we are away. That's what lead me to the Maximus Camera Floodlight. I wanted to be able to see who was outside of our house when we were away, and have the extra lighting at night. The lighting part is wonderful because as soon as we pull in the driveway it turns on the floodlight providing us with a well lit area to see when walking from the car to the house. It's also nice because if anyone comes in the detection area at night it will turn on not only getting their attention, but also letting us know via the KUNA app. And now that' I've mentioned the KUNA app I'll tell you a bit about it. The KUNA app is what you use on your phone to receive notifications that the camera has been triggered by motion. Yes this can be the motion of a person or vehicle, but it can also be an animal or strong winds blowing leaves (this actually just happened to me today). The app has a ton of great features that allow you to adjust motion detection and more. There are features that come standard with the app or you can purchase a premium subscription for even more control over your camera settings. You can check them all out below.

Are you ready for Valentine's Day?

Nothing says "I love you" like a soft and cuddly heart. SensaCalm's new Peaceful Pals are that...and more! Peaceful Pals are weighted stuffed animals (3 and 5 lb) that work as stuffed animals and as weighted lap pads. Peaceful Pals like Hannah the Heart are made with cuddle fabric on the front and satin fabric on the back. Perfect for those that like to cuddle up with a stuffed pillow for comfort, or for younger kids that aren't quite big enough for a weighted blanket. My daughter's been enjoying Hannah the Heart on her lap while she's been doing her homework lately and says it really helps her stay focused and not get overwhelmed so much. Now that's something that makes a mamas heart happy. Thinking it might be time to look into a weighted blanket next to help her with her restless nights!

Probably one of the top heart-shaped Valentine's candies are conversation hearts. I think Brach’s® knows this too because they have a wide variety of Conversation Hearts flavors. From tiny to large and berry or tropical fruit to sweet & sour they have it all! These have always been a fun favorite in our house. My daughter likes to try and make funny sentences out of the words on the hearts before she devours them. My husband on the other hand just likes to pop a handful in his mouth and suck on them until they dissolve. No matter which way you like to enjoy your Conversation Hearts be sure to share some with your sweetheart this year on Valentine's Day!

Be sure to check out the Brach’s® website for fun ways you can add an adorable touch of festive Valentine’s Day flair to all kinds of recipes, crafts, Valentine’s Day tablescapes and more!

If Conversation Hearts aren't your thing (which is crazy if you ask me) then you might enjoy something a little different like Cinnamon Lips, Purple Rain Jelly Beans or Cherry Hearts. The Brach’s® Purple Rain Tiny Jelly Beans were such a hit in my house the entire bag was gone in one evening. They come in an assortment of berry, blueberry, blue raspberry and grape flavors and let me tell you they are awesome! Cinnamon Lips and Cherry Hearts pretty much say it all right in their name, and are pretty darn good too. You can find these and many more Brach’s® favorites at many local retailers just in time for Valentine's Day giving.

Whether you’re going on a date or celebrating with your gal pals, this Heart Umbrella is the picture-perfect accessory to add a little love to any photo for an Instagramable moment. Perfect for keeping you dry, or keeping the sun out of your eyes it's an umbrella you'd want to be caught carrying just for the fashion of it!

Fall in love with ShedRain’s Heart Umbrella, only $29.99 and exclusively at Target.com, as THE swoon-worthy item for you and your sweetheart. With a red or white heart-shaped canopy you’ll look stylish, cute as ever, and ready for any romantic occasion.

How about a non-traditional gift for the kiddo you love? Ice Hoop and Drop Dots are just that. Both look and feel like nothing you've ever seen before. We've been playing pretty much daily with the Drop Dots balls we received. They may look like scary hard spiked balls, but they are rubbery in texture so they don't hurt to catch. And the spikes are actually a lot of fun to play with too! Ice hoop is a neat twist on a traditional hula-hoop without the tube-like shape. It does take some getting used to, but once you do it's quite addicting!

Ice Hoop is Kess’ best-selling hoop that boasts patented Film and v-Grip Technology to allow for better grip while hooping. Crafted for performance and style, the proprietary shape of each Ice Hoop is designed to enhance tricks and allow for longer-lasting play.

Drop Dots are Kess’ best-selling bounce balls with a spiky texture that gives them an awesome unique feel while increasing performance in both catchability and grip. Available in Junior, Rainbow, Classic and Mini-sizes.

Speaking of non-traditional. How about cookie dough that's actually OKAY to eat raw!? I know right!! I for one was super excited to learn about Edoughble. Edoughble is ready-to-eat cookie dough that you can enjoy right out of the container. No need to bake it first! Edoughble's edible cookie dough makes all your dessert dreams come true. With real, premium ingredients you can pronounce and a straight from the mixing bowl taste, their cookie dough is simply the best. Their edible cookie dough is 100% safe to eat because they use NO egg, NO raw flour and NO chemical leavener, meaning you can have peace of mind when you need a cookie dough fix.

And just in time for Valentine's Day Edoughble even has a special Be Mine Gift Box for you to enjoy with your sweetie. They even collaborated with Little Bird Kitchen to bring you a gift that will both satisfy the sweet and the spice with limited edition Flamin' Chocolate Chip and This Chocolate is Lit! cookie dough! 

Flamin' Chocolate Chip - A touch of heat in every bite! We have taken Little Bird Kitchen's Milk Chocolate Fire Bites and folded them into our famous original cookie dough. 

This Chocolate is Lit! - Light up your taste buds with this firecracker! Little Bird Kitchen's Fire Syrup adds a sweet, yet fiery kick to our chocolate chip, chocolate dough. You will find yourself saying, "It's hot, but it's sweet, but it's hot."

Be sure to hop on over to the Edoughble website today because this limited edition box won't be around for long!

Of course Valentine's Day wouldn't be complete without a way to make sure the kiddos are safe at home (with or without a babysitter). With the Vivitar Wireless Video Doorbell you can know who is at your door at all times. The Vivitar Wireless Video Doorbell comes equipped with a two-way intercom (speak and listen) for ultimate home protection. Full HD 1080p resolution provides a crisp and clear image of the surroundings whether day time or night time that you can view from your smart phone or tablet. Now you can enjoy your dinner out and not be constantly worried about your kids at home. You can even receive an alert anytime motion is detected letting you know anytime someone arrives/leaves while you're gone. And with the two-way intercom you can even talk to them before they come in contact with your kiddos. Now that's the kind of peace of mind I want when we are away.

Still haven't found just what you're looking for? Be sure to hop on over and check out the other great ideas featured in my Valentines' Day Guide.

This is a sponsored post on behalf of the above mentioned brand. I received product to share my honest and unbiased thoughts. However, all thoughts and opinions stated are my own and are in no way influenced by my partnership with mentioned brand.

D-Link Full HD Pan & Tilt Wi-Fi Camera

If you're looking for a multi-purpose indoor security camera for your house that's packed with features let me tell you about the D-Link Full HD Pan & Tilt Wi-Fi Camera. The D-Link Full HD Pan & Tilt Wi-Fi Camera features 1080p video quality, two-way audio, and has pan & tilt functionality to allow you the ability to see all corners of the room it's stationed in. And these are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to it's features. The Full-HD clarity on the mydlink app is amazing when viewing it on my iPhone 8 Plus. With cloud recording I'm able to even go back and watch recordings if I feel like I may have missed something important too. Set-up is super easy with your current home Wi-Fi network and cell phone. I'm not a tech geek by any means and I had it done in a matter of minutes so we could use it while on vacation. I actually pointed the camera out the window so I could see if we had any deliveries or visitors while we were gone. It worked like a charm too!

Want to know more? Check out the features below then head over to the D-Link website for even more details and a video overview.

Features:
•1080p HD Quality Video– Rich detail and crisp image quality.
•Pan & Tilt Functionality– Cover wider areas of your home with a few simple gestures.
•Two-Way Audio – Have real-time two-way conversations.
•Sound and Motion Detection – Push alert notifications when loud noises or movement is detected.
•Local and Cloud Recording options – Recording based on event triggers and schedules. Store video on SD card or for free for 24-hours or choose a subscription plans to extend retrieval times.
•Wide Angle Viewing – See more with a 114-degree field of view.
•Night Vision – See up to 16 feet in complete darkness with built-in IR LEDs.
•Remote Viewing – View on your iPhone, iPad, or Android devices with the mydlink app.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of the above mentioned brand. I may have received monetary compensation and/or product in exchange for my honest and unbiased thoughts. However, all thoughts and opinions stated are my own and are in no way influenced by my partnership with mentioned brands.

Guardzilla 360 Indoor All-In-One HD Camera

The Guardzilla 360 Indoor All-In-One HD Camera is the first Wi-Fi security camera to deliver 360° live streaming video from your phone. If you compare it to Vivint pricing you can see how it stacks up compared to another service. Swipe your finger across the app screen to see the entire room. No more wondering what's going on in the parts of the room that you can't see, with Ghardzilla you can see (and hear) it all. Other features include a 100dB siren, two-way talk, 360° night vision and motion detection (with phone alerts), geo-fencing and more. With it's simple plug and play system you just plug in the unit, download the app, and connect to your existing Wi-Fi network. The app will guide you through the rest of the set-up process (which is a breeze). From there you'll be able to start viewing your entire room just by swiping your finger across your phone screen. It's really quite amazing how clearly you can see your room. For privacy reasons I opted to not show my own house in my post.

Not sure if this is the right model for you? Check out the Guardzilla website as they have several different options to choose from for both indoors and outdoors.

Keep your family safe this holiday season with EZVIZ

With the holiday season seeming to be hopping into full swing already this year it's the perfect time to think about home safety. For many families Thanksgiving and Christmas means trips out of town to visit family and friends. And that means leaving their homes empty and vulnerable to intruders. It's not something anyone likes to think would ever happen to them, but the reality is in the present day it's a fact of life. And sadly it seems like break-ins and theft are becoming more and more common. Not everyone has the big bucks to spend on high dollar security systems and protection, but that doesn't mean you can't still protect yourself. For us that meant going with a few products from the EZVIZ line.

First off we got the EZVIZ Husky and installed it outside of our house. (Sorry not going to show you where because we did a good job of hiding it.) With the Husky we can monitor and be notified if someone is outside of our house any time day or night. I love this because now my teenage son can't claim he was home on time if he really wasn't - mom now knows better!

Secondly we got the EZVIZ Mini Plus for inside of the house. As I'm sure you all know there's always that chance that your outside camera may miss something, and it can't cover every square inch all the way around the house. So having a back-up plan inside is always a good solution. It's small enough you can hide it pretty much anywhere and it will go unseen. And with motion alerts you'll know the moment anyone enters the viewing range of the camera. This is also nice if you have teenagers that want to try sneaking out. My son wasn't trying to sneak out, but I sure did catch him off guard when he was getting a late night snack from the fridge. I talked to him through the two-way mic and scared him stiff! Well, at least I know it works right?

EZVIZ Mini Plus is a compact indoor camera and can mount almost anywhere with its optional magnet base. The camera offers a 135-degree viewing angle and two-way audio that lets customers talk to people back at home.

EZVIZ Husky offers wide-angle video recording with an IP66 rating. Suitable for outdoors, the camera is dustproof, waterproof and can handle a wide range of temperatures. With a built-in IR sensor, the camera can see objects in the dark up to 100 feet away.

Connect with EZVIZ: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Instagram

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of the above mentioned brand. I received product(s) in exchange for my honest and unbiased thoughts. All thoughts and opinions stated are my own and are in no way influenced by my partnership with mentioned brands.

Nucleus: Connecting families from anywhere!

Have you ever really stopped and thought about all of the new technology that fills our lives these days? I know I sure have. I can remember when I was a teenager how cool I thought I was with my first cell phone. They hadn't been out very long so they were pretty big, and there wasn't a whole lot you could do with them. Fast-forward to present day and now there's actually not very much your phone can't do for you. I will say some technology I feel would have been better off having never been discovered because it's made us lazy when it comes to basic tasks that we can now program our phones to control. However some technology has really been a great benefit to our lives. Take for instance the Nucleus Wi-Fi Intercom. Through the awesome advancements of technology you can talk and see family members in different rooms of the same house, house to house, or mobile to house with an app. Yes I know you can Facetime but not everyone has come into the smartphone stage. Take for instance my in-laws, they have a cell phone but don't use it for anything but calls and texts. And they live several states away so my kids only get to see their grandparents once a year. And that's where Nucleus is going to change our lives! We have a Nucleus unit at home connected to our wi-fi and I'm going to send one of the units out to them to set up on their home wi-fi. Then the kids can not only talk to them, they can also SEE them at the same time! It will be super awesome for my daughter to be able to finally share projects from school with her grandparents in living color instead of having to just describe them over the phone.

You can connect as many Nucleus units as you like between family members which is awesome if you ask me. Of course you don't have to use them to connect with people outside of your home. As I mentioned before you can use them in different rooms of the same house. This is great for me because the boys spend a lot of time working in the garage so I will be able to quickly see and talk to them if they need me to bring something down to them. The part I'm really excited about is by using the app on my phone I can check in on a room of my house at any time day or night. I like this because there are times when I can't make it home before my daughter gets off the bus. With this unit I can watch for her to arrive, and she can also let me know she's home safe.

Set-up is very straightforward and everything you need is right in the box. Simple - which is what I like! After you're set up and ready to go I suggest testing it out with others in your home so everyone is familiar with how it works. It can really be a great and useful tool to have in your home. Plus it has bonus features like the ability to play music, control smart devices, start a call, all with your voice. It's even the first touch-screen device with Amazon Alexa.

In case you're wondering, I have a Nucleus unit in my kitchen to use when I'm cooking. I can tell it to play music, or answer incoming calls from the family all through the use of my voice hands-free!

Have you ever wondered about ways that technology keeps you safe? Check out this handy graphic with lots of great ways! After reading through it myself I've really come to be thankful for how far we've come in this day and age!

Connect with Nucleus: Facebook | Twitter

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of the above mentioned brand. I received product(s) in exchange for my honest and unbiased thoughts. All thoughts and opinions stated are my own and are in no way influenced by my partnership with mentioned brands.

Cell Phone Tracker For Concerned Parents

If you are like most of us your kids are spending most of their lives online. A cell phone tracker is a great way to know who they are talking to, what videos they watch, and even where they physically are. In this article we will look at a new cell phone tracker called PC Tattletale. A friend of mine showed it to me recently and I was really impressed. That is why I wanted to tell you about it.

A Cell Phone Tracker That Is Easy

If you want to put a cell phone tracker on your kids phone you need to know that not all trackers are created equally.  Most of them require you to jail break (iPhone) or root (Android) your phone. This lowers the security of the phone so a cell phone tracker can do its thing. The problem? It will break your phone's (or tablet's) warranty. Plus it is not easy. You need to be very good computers to even do it.

PC Tattletale is a cell phone tracker that does not require rooting or jail breaking the device. You install it just like any other app off the app store. But it works a little different between Android and iPhone. I will share those differences with you here:

PC Tattletale for iPhone

This version does not need any software on their phone. You just need their iCloud account info. If you are like most parents your kids are probably on your own iCloud account which makes life easier. If not get them on it. Tell them they need to back up their phone. Here is what PC Tattletale for iPhone looks like:

D-Link Full HD Ultra-Wide View Wi-Fi Camera

With the increased crime in neighboring cities I've been a little more skeptical about leaving my kids home alone, especially at night. It's not that I don't trust them, because I do. It's just that it seems like anymore you aren't 100% safe no matter where you live. So when I got the opportunity to try out the D-Link Full HD Ultra-Wide View Wi-Fi Camera I was pretty excited. Yes I've used a Wi-Fi Camera before, but nothing like this one. It has a ton of updated features that make it the perfect camera to have in our home. To start with it has a larger viewing area, that makes it easier to see a large amount of our home from one angle. It also is HD so the picture I see on my end is so clear it's almost like I'm there. But my favorite part is the two-way microphone. Now if I need to I can talk to my kids (phone free) at any given moment when they are home alone. With my handy new D-Link camera I can rest a little easier when my husband and I are away from home.

Get that added peace of mind with a D-Link HD Wi-Fi Camera

I can remember back when I was in college and how I always worried about coming home at night in the dark and the house being empty. I even remember one time my house being unlocked and how bad it freaked me out. (Turned out someone else forgot to lock it when they left.) But still it was pretty scary for me barely out of high school. That's one of the reasons I'm glad technology has come such a long way and has things like the D-Link HD Wi-Fi Camera to help alleviate those situations. Now you can place a Wi-Fi camera anywhere in your home and use it to see what's going on 24/7. Even in total darkness you can see up to 16 ft. in front of the camera. I actually put this one in our living room pointed at the front door path. It's perfect for those days that my kids get home from school and I'm not back from running errands yet too. With the smart phone alerts I have set up it lets me know as soon as the camera is activated and I can check to see why and of course make sure my kiddos arrived safely.

D-Link Wi-Fi Baby Camera - Never Miss a Moment

Baby Camera and Free Mobile App Loaded with Features to Ensure Parents Never Miss a Moment!

Holiday Gift Guide: What's Hot for the Holidays from D-Link

D-Link Day/Night Network Cloud Camera (DCS-933L)
The updated D-Link Camera includes a few cool new features, including audio detection, and built-in wireless range extender to easily add more cameras or expand your home's wireless network. With the ability to view up to 15 feet in complete darkness this is perfect for anyone that thinks they may have someone messing in their yard at night, or for teenagers that might try sneaking out after you've gone to bed. We have a neighbor kid that has previously done some destructive things outside our home while we've been away, so this is perfect for placing discretely in the corner of a window pointed out front of our house. I love that I can view what's going on no matter where I am with my iPhone. Definitely gives me peace of mind while we are away.

"Unlock a Cure" with Master Lock & Combination Padlock

 MASTER LOCK LAUNCHES FACEBOOK GAME TO ‘UNLOCK A CURE’ FOR BREAST CANCER 

With more than 141 million casual gamers on Facebook^®*, Master Lock is tapping into the power of the popular social network to challenge consumers to game for the greater good. In honor of National Cancer Survivors Day June 5, Master Lock launched a free game on www.Facebook.com/MasterLock that will generate donations for The Breast Cancer Research Foundation^® (BCRF) according to the level of fan participation. Master Lock will also challenge players to make a matching donation in the hopes of finding a cure and expanding the number of breast cancer survivors. In addition, the company is introducing new pink locking products to raise awareness for the cause and to help ‘unlock a cure."

D-Link DCS-932L Network Camera Review

DCS-932LWireless N Network Camera

The Wireless N Day/Night Network Camera (DCS-932L) offers 802.11n Wi-Fi connectivity, Wi-Fi Protected Setup™ (WPS) for simple three step installation, Motion JPEG, and 20 frames per second (fps) streaming, as well as new infrared illumination technology for night viewing. Featuring simple installation and an intuitive web-based interface, consumers can easily integrate the DCS-932L into an existing network and view the streaming video from a PC, notebook, Apple iPhone^®, Apple iPad^®, or Android™ phone or tablet.