Ecobee3 installation with K wire

As part of our house modernization process, we bought an Ecobee3 Wifi enabled smart thermostat. We hope that this small device will help reduce the size of our utility bill.  The product looks very simple, but it comes with three additional sensors that can be placed in different rooms, and …

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Tips for Traveling with a Baby in Japan - Travel Gears

We traveled with Boyan, our 13-month son last month to Japan (for those who are wondering, yep, he is the main reason why this blog has been so quiet in the past couple of years. :-)) and spent a unforgettable 10 days there. Before I went there, I searched over the …

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Museum and Cultural Tour of Bulgaria in 9 Days - Day 1 (More)

We were quite amazed by the National Archaeological Museum, especially the Thracian treasures. 

The museum is located in the largest and oldest former Ottoman Mosque in Sofia.

Thracian treasures. Can you believe that they were made before the Roman Empire?

Gold jewery

Gold wreath

Gold mask and ring from Thracian …

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How to get a kitty manicure

Speaker: Tom

Dear fellow kitties, I am going to show you how to get a kitty manicure and pedicure.

First of all, let me show you my beautiful finger nails. My mom polishes each and every one of them on a weekly basis. Such weekly pampering is essential for a …

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My First Encounter with Dirty Diaper

Today I have encountered dirty diaper for the very first time in my life and it is not pretty.  While doing routine cleaning of our guest bathroom, I was shocked to discover a stack of dirty diaper deposited in the trash can in our guest bathroom.  I am still struggling …

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Commonly Used Forms for Home Remodeling/Repairs

As a new home owner, we have been going through a lot of home remodeling and repair projects. I found myself often search online for the same set of forms again and again. This post is to record all the forms that I often use and sometimes difficult to found …

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Baby Cloth Shoe - First Attempt

As a busy computer scientist, I don't really get to exercise my inner Martha too much. But I did somehow manage to make my first ever attempt on sewing projects --- baby cloth shoes (as gift for my niece).

Here is the result --- I added the handmade pompom for extra cuteness …

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"It's official: Tom is a Nebelung!"

When Tom (唐唐)was adopted from the animal shelter, his papers listed him as an "American Domestic Long Hair". As new cat parents, we were eager to find out his true breed. We searched and searched online, and identified him as a Chartreux, based on his fur color and …

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Review for Canine Cat Scratcher

Updated on 09/10/2013: It's now only 295 USD, with 100 USD discount!


As a cat and modern design lover, I am always looking for cat items pleasant for both the cats and my aesthetic standard. I had my eye on the canine scratcher for a while, but its …

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Best Chocolate Places in Manhattan

I recently stayed in Manhattan for a few days during a business trip. My colleague and I were looking for places to buy some special chocolate to bring back home. We asked a few locals New Yorker as well as consulted the web for recommendations. Here are the list of …

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Planning a Dream Trip to Italy the Easy Way

Huahai and I have just returned from our first trip together to Italy. The trip itself was wonderful and unforgeable. However, it usually took a lot of planning for such an extensive trip, unless you hire someone else to do it for you or join a tour group.

We usually …

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