What's better during the holidays than getting cozy by the fireplace?
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What's your favorite room during the holidays? Share a photo of the decorated room your are most proud of and be entered to win a $100 gift card to ! 

Make sure to #bhzholiday to be entered!

Buying a refrigerator isn't as easy as it used to be, but learning the types and models out there that come highly recommended can get you on the right track.

Styles:

Top Freezer: This traditional style is good if you need a lot of space. These freezers are Energy Star recommended, which means they  use much less energy. 

Bottom Freezer: If you store most of your food in the fridge, rather than the freezer, this model gives you easy access!

French Door: This style is very popular now, with its sleek look. It offers better preservation of food, as you only have to open part of the fridge to access what you need. 

Side-By-Side: This style has the fridge on one side and the freezer on the other. With no drawers, you are saved from digging around for your food. This style also offers a built in water and ice machine. 

Built In: Looking for a fridge that meshes into the rest of your cabinets and kitchen design? Built In refrigerators offers flush, custom made looks to make your kitchen look seamless. They are more expensive, but definitely as sleek of a look as you can get!

Luxury Accessories:

Just because you don't need something, doesn't mean you shouldn't have it. Refrigerators these days offer some nice luxury additives that you might want to consider:

• A built-in ice and water dispenser
• Extra door-in-door storage to access frequently used items
• Air purifiers and dual evaporators to keep the fridge smelling clean
• Temperature controls
• Drawers and shelves placed to fit your individual storage needs

Energy Star Certified:

Save energy, save money and reduce harm to the environment! With Energy Star, you can save up to 9% on energy bills. It is recommended to buy a refrigerator in the 16-20 cubic feet realm, to decrease the amount of energy being consumed. 

"An estimated 170 million refrigerators and refrigerator-freezers are currently in use in the United States. More than 60 million refrigerators are over 10 years old, costing consumers $4.4 billion a year in energy costs. By properly recycling your old refrigerator and replacing it with a new ENERGY STAR certified refrigerator, you can save $260 over the next 5 years."

"If all refrigerators sold in the United States were ENERGY STAR certified, the energy cost savings would grow to nearly $700 million each year and 9 billion pounds of annual greenhouse gas emissions would be prevented, equivalent to the emissions from more than 870,000 vehicles."

Learn more about Energy Star approved Refrigerators
For a list of Energy Star certified refrigerators, visit this website.

I have met many wonderful people during the past 12 years as a realtor. I wish all  my loyal clients and their families a happy Thanksgiving and thank you for your continuing referrals and business.

Happy Thanksgiving, 
​-Lou Scirrotto

Nowadays, the holidays keep coming earlier and earlier, but there is no better time to get in the holiday spirit than over Thanksgiving weekend. Friends and families come together and, if you are a citizen of Louisville, you know that coming together as a community is an important tradition as well. Below are some things to enjoy during Thanksgiving weekend in Louisville:

Turkey Trot: The Louisville Turkey Trot is an annual tradition and completely FREE to participants. Beginning at 9 am on Thanksgiving Day, this 5K not only bring the community together and offers a pre-Turkey Day workout, but also collects food and warm clothing for those in need. This run begins at the downtown library and goes through town and open space. Some runners dress up in turkey costumes, others walk and others are in to win! But, whatever your goal, everyone is friendly and welcoming to their small town. After the run, all participants get a winter hat and a Turkey Trot mug to enjoy warm hot chocolate or coffee in downtown participating restaurants. Signing up for the 5K is easy, just follow instructions on The Louisville Turkey Trot. 

Winter Skate: Louisville's outdoor old fashion skating rink opens up Thanksgiving weekend and stays open through February. This small town activity comes complete with a warming shack that houses fire places, hot chocolate and snacks. This is certainly an attraction for young families and children, but adults can't help but enjoy this activity as well. There is something about Louisville's neighborly downtown that can get anyone in the holiday spirit and enjoy childhood pleasures once again. 

Yoga: Need a little Yin to balance out the Yang before your Thanksgiving guests come trudging through, enjoy relaxation while giving back with yoga at the Core Power Yoga studio in Louisville. November 1 through Thanksgiving, this studio hosts a Gratitude Challenge. For every member that completes 15 classes in those days, Core Power Yoga will donate $15 to to Community Food Share. Those 15 classes equate to 60 meals to those in need. The studio also has a great retail rebate during November. Bring in 6 cans to be donated to Community Food Share and receive 30% OFF retail. So get comfy, look cute and give back all at once! And finally, on Thanksgiving Day, visit Louisville Core Power Yoga to find the FREE donation class of the day. If you are new to yoga, interested in signing up, or just want to be apart of the Louisville community, this event is fun and a great workout before your feast! 

Need a little Yin to balance out the Yang before your Thanksgiving guests come trudging through? Enjoy relaxation while giving back at Core Power Yoga studios in and around the Boulder area. If you are feeling that holiday pull to give back to those in need, Core Power Yoga is a great company that promotes a positive community. This yoga community, encourages a healthy  lifestyle with an "open mind and a beating heart, turning doubt into security, strangers into friends and stress into sweat." So, no time is better to get involved with this great company than during Thanksgiving. Below is a list of promotions during November that can be found at participating Core Power Yoga studios.

Gratitude Challenge: From November 1 through Thanksgiving, feed your yoga appetite, while feeding those less fortunate with the Gratitude Challenge. For every member that completes 15 classes in 24 days, Core Power Yoga will donate $15 to to Community Food Share. Those 15 classes equate to 60 meals that will feed and bring a smile to those in need. 

Retail Discounts: Core Power Yoga also has a great retail rebate during November. If you bring in 6 cans to be donated to Community Food Share, you will receive 30% OFF retail. So get comfy, look cute and give back all at once! 

Donation Classes: Get your sweat on before your Thanksgiving feast and enjoy spending the morning with your community at a Core Power Yoga donation class. You don't have to be a member, so bring your friends and practice thanks. All proceeds collected at Donation Classes at participating studios will be donated to a local charity. Donation suggestions are around $10, but feel free to contribute as much as you want! Find participating studios at Core Power Yoga .

Hosted by First Bite, Boulder County Restaurant Week is back Nov. 11-19!

Take the opportunity to experience a 3 course meal at some of your favorite restaurants for only $29. These prix-fixe dinners allow people in the community to go to restaurants that might otherwise be too expensive or to sample delicious dishes that they might not otherwise order. So enjoy great company and even better food all around Boulder County!

To learn more about First Bite and to find a list of participating restaurants, visit below:

First Bite OUR STORY: First Bite is an annual event highlighting the Boulder area dining scene. For one full week, more than 50 of the area’s top restaurants will offer a special three course $29 prix-fixe dinner menu to the community.
The week celebrates our exceptional dining community and will help bring our well-deserved reputation into the national spotlight. We invite you to join us as we celebrate the establishments that make Boulder County the culinary destination it is.
Win a Dinner for Two!Sign up for In the Mix to get local restaurant news and updates and you will be automatically entered into our Win a Dinner for Two contest! We will draw names at random every week beginning October 15 through November 14. Winners will be notified by email.

Mold not only causes damage to your home, but also can make you and your family sick. Most common ailments are allergies and asthma, but, if mold grows too much, it can cause other problems even as severe as cancer. An obvious cause of mold is flood damage, but many homeowners are unaware of the slow build up of mold due to even small leaks. Once you do have damage, it can be very expensive to fix, so it is important to do a few simple steps to help prevent before it gets too damaging. 

Mold is defined as: "one type of fungus, is different from plants, animals and bacteria. Molds are eukaryotic micro-organisms that are decomposers of dead organic material such as leaves, wood and plants. The spores and hair-like bodies of individual mold colonies are too small for us to see without a microscope. When a lot of mold is growing on a surface, it often appears black, blue or green. The color of the mold is determined by the type and is influenced by the nutrient source, surface substrate and the age of the colony."

In order to grow, mold needs water, a food source (such as wood, paper or other organic materials), oxygen and temperatures between 40 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit. 

How can you prevent mold? Keep you house clean and dry. Make sure you have plenty of ventilation and your bathroom and kitchen are clean and areas around the sinks are wiped down. Avoid humidifiers if possible and make sure there isn't excess water in your washer or dryer. For front loading washers, it is recommended to keep the door open to avoid dampness. Also try to secure leaks that may occur in pipes, window wells or on the roof. Mold doesn't start to grow until 24-48 hours after, so if you can get everything dry before that, you have a good chance of avoiding mold growth. 

When addressing how to clean up mold, it is important to first figure out the source of the mold and how big of a problem it is. If it isn't too large of a problem, simple household cleaners can do the trick. If, however, it spans over a large surface area greater than 10 square feet and you can see discoloration or smell an odor, you want to visit the Certified Mold Inspectors & Contractors Institute.

For more information on mold, how to get rid of it and what health concerns can arise, visit Intuitive Environmental Solutions, LLC.  

Colorado University Men's Basketball is underway and the season is prospected to fall into place for a winning season! With only one major exit from lead scorer, Josh Scott, the team still feels strong with other players stepping up. CU's next home game is this Friday 11/11 at 7 pm against Sacramento State!

Learn more about the team and predictions for the year in the article below and get the full CU Men's Basketball  Schedule here!

Season of promise set to begin for CU Buffs men's basketballSingle-post look and even zone defense among CU schematic tweaks
By Pat RooneyBuffZone.com Writer
POSTED:   09/29/2016 09:00:00 AM MDT

Colorado guard Dominique Collier improved his 3-point percentage from .269 to .444 last season. (Cliff Grassmick / Staff Photographer)
​It has been a little more than six months since the Colorado men's basketball walked dejectedly off the floor at the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa, heartbroken by another first-round exit from the NCAA Tournament.
Much has changed for the Buffaloes during the ensuing months — almost all of it for the better.
While leading scorer and rebounder Josh Scott has graduated, ending one of the most memorable careers for a big man in CU history, the Buffs hardly feel like a team scrambling to fill holes as they begin official preseason practices Friday morning.
Former Division II All-American Derrick White is eligible after his transfer season and ready to assume a prominent scoring role. George King is fully recovered from minor foot surgery, ready to build on his breakout sophomore season. And senior Xavier Johnson is back in the mix, eager to get the Buffs back in the Big Dance in his final collegiate season.
This week began with even more good news for the Buffs, as four-star recruit Evan Battey from Villa Park, Calif., made a verbal commitment that has the 2017 class looking like the best of head coach Tad Boyle's tenure. As the week ends and CU embarks on a journey it hopes will end with the program's fifth NCAA Tournament bid in six seasons, here is a look at the plot lines to watch ahead of the Nov. 11 season-opener at home against Sacramento State.
Dom's development
His first season as CU's primary point guard was marked by inconsistency for junior Dominique Collier. While the Denver East product displayed vastly improved marksmanship, improving his 3-point percentage from .269 to .444, his pedestrian 1.32 assists-to-turnover ratio and knack for getting into foul trouble prevented Collier from taking off.
Boyle is confident Collier will make the sort of jump as a floor general this season as he did a year ago as a shooter.
"Dom and Thomas (Akyazili), in terms of that point guard position, are both improved. They both had great offseasons," Boyle said. "You look at the difference in Dom's body from his freshman year to his sophomore year, he made a jump. He's continued to make a jump. He's got some strength and I think he's going to be able to absorb more contact.
"This could be a breakout year for Dom, no question about it. I think he's got the confidence now."
Post play
With Tory Miller coming off the bench to spell Josh Scott and Wesley Gordon last season, the Buffs generally featured two post players on the floor at the same time. Expect Gordon and Miller to man the post solo more frequently this season, given the deep cast of wing players that makes up the team's strength.
"Schematically, it's going be a totally different team to coach this year," Boyle said. "There will be times when Tory and Wes are going to be on the floor together and we'll have that traditional two-post look. But there are going to be times when we don't have Tory and Wes on the court together and we're going to have a different look. That's something as a staff we've talked about. It's going to be different, without a doubt."
The Z-word
Brace yourselves.
Boyle, the man-to-man defense devotee who often treats "zone" like a vile four-letter word, is open to employing a zone defense more frequently this season. Don't expect the Buffs to turn into zone savants like Syracuse, but with the depth of long-armed wing players at his disposal Boyle is willing to adjust to his team's strengths.
"We'll have ability and maybe the need to play a little more zone," Boyle said. "It's something we're looking at. As a coaching staff this offseason we've looked at a lot of different possibilities and we're going to institute some of those. One thing I've got to do a good job of with this team is I've got to be open to playing differently than we've played maybe since we've been here."
Pat Rooney: [email protected] or