Smart Home

Helllllloooo!

Hope everyone is having a great week!  It is hump day and whew am I a ready to get to Friday.  For some reason, this whole week I have felt so sleepy!! Each morning I just want to go back to bed.  Hopefully I can catch up on sleep this weekend.

Today I want to talk about smart home gadgets.  For those of you who aren't familiar, smart home gadgets are usually lights, doorbells, outlets, thermostats, etc. that can work together and are remotely controlled from any location.  I love the idea of a smart house.  I want everything to work together to make my life simpler, and I want to be able to operate it remotely.  I love to research smart house gadgets and see what newest gadget can do.

We at the Huth house, are just getting started in the smart house game.  Our first purchase was a Zmodo doorbell.

The Zmodo doorbell is a doorbell with a camera. We get notifications to our phone when motion is detected in the doorbell's view.  We also get an alert when someone has rang the doorbell and we have the option of answering it and speaking to the visitor.  You can also record a message to play when people ring the doorbell.  I love this doorbell.  I might watch the feed a little too much, but it gives me a little more sense of security.

The other item we have bought, recently actually, is an iLife robot vacuum. 

I did a lot of research with this, to find a robot vacuum that is as good as a roomba, but less expensive.  this is what I came up with!  We just got it a couple weeks ago but I love it!!!  It works on carpet, wood, and tile.  This one has several settings with different routes it will take as well as a max mode.  You can also set schedules so that it starts every day at a specific time.  I seriously am in love.  I come home to great looking floors.  Our only regret is that we didn't buy a mop one too, at the same time.  

So besides a security system, that's our smart house.  Our next purchase is going to be smart thermostat but I am still doing some research.  Do any of you have any smart gadgets?  I would love to hear what you have and what you think.  OH! also, I just realized iPhone has a home app where you can control all your smart gadgets from your app.  I plan on setting this up soon.  Anything to make life easier!!

Hiatus is Over!

Hello everyone!!! long time no post. :) 

I didn't mean to have a little hiatus from blogging, it just worked out that way.  Sorry to kind of leave it on a negative note but it was good for me to get that out, and then take a little break from it all.  I needed to regroup in this new year.  And now, after someone over the weekend told me to keep blogging (thanks Sammy!) I have decided my break was long enough. :)

So let's talk resolutions.  I know, I know we are half way through February.  But it doesn't mean we can't check in.  Or that you can't start one now!  Mine this year were a little more broad than normal.  And I am definitely a person that slooooowly eases into them.  But hey, at least I am working on it right?!

This year I want to be more educated.  I'm not going back to school or anything like that, but I could stand to watch/read the news.  Something other than fashion or celebrity gossip.  I also have worked at my job almost 6 years.  I have done a lot of different positions and have had to have training for those but now that I am more settled I don't want to stop.  I want to be the go to person for information at work so I plan on completing some more insurance certifications this year.

I want to express my creativity more.  It's not that I am super creative or crafty, but I do enjoy it.  So I want to do some more wine and canvas or string art classes.  I want to sew again.  Maybe start the craft club back up?  I also want to work more with my camera.  Expressing my creativity will give me some "me" time and help with stress.

One of the most important things is I want to be happier.  I am not an unhappy person, but 2017 sucked.  And I want to get back to being happy.  I want to take care of my self, spend time with those I love, buy things I like, and do things I enjoy. 

This leads into my next two.  I want to be a better mom and spouse.  I am always striving for this, but this year I want to focus on our family.  I want us all to have a great year and I want to do whatever I can to make this happen.  I am raising a tiny human that starts school this year and I just want him to be the best he can be.  And sometimes Andy and I get so busy with the day to day, we forget to take time for us.  This year I am focusing on all three of us.

Another thing I want to do is improve my health.  Of course I need to start being more active and lose some weight.  And I plan on making that a priority.  But I also want to improve my mental health as well as physical.  Again, with the taking care of myself.  I will make sure I get every appointment I need taken care of, I will be more regular with hair appointments, massages, chiropractor visits, etc. so that I can improve my health all around.

Two little specific things I am trying to do are 1.) to write down everyday 5 things I am thankful for.  I think especially with the last year and the negatives, it's so important to remember good things happen every day and I am so thankful.  Even if today's was coffee and that I woke up on time. :) 2.) I am going to journal regularly.  I need to get how I feel out.  And since I like to write, journaling seems important. 

So that's it! Very ambitious I know.  But, I also think overall each one will just help me be the best me.  OH and of course, every year I want to get even more organized!

What are some of your resolutions and how are they going?