Single Mom Living

I'mmmmmm Baaaaaack!!!

2011-01-06T03:43:00.000-08:00

Just to let you know I was not able to move over to Mompreneur Success as I had hoped so keep coming here for updates and I will let you know when the move will happen. Sorry about the confusion. HAPPY NEW YEAR! 2011 is going to be the best year ever

Dream and Play Big,
Tracey

Just a Reminder !!!

2010-07-30T20:45:00.000-07:00

This is a short post to let you know that I have moved over to Mompreneur Success. I will be Posting over there and hope that you will join me. I am determined to have the Success as a Momand Entrepreneur. Never Never give up!!!

See you over at Mompreneur Success!

Remember Dream Big, Play Big , and Live Big
Tracey

Hey it is me!

2009-04-24T08:41:00.000-07:00

I have been gone for awhile and it is because I have made a decision to be 100% committed to building my online business. So, I have decided to focus on affiliate marketing as one of the business models to increase my income. When I made this choice I joined Affiliatenaire, to learn the best way to start my affiliate marketing business and start making money.
The following post is a guest post from one of my affiliate and Internet marketing mentors, Jimmy D. Brown. Jimmy is the mentor and expert, who leads the Affiliatenaire program.

To maintain integrity, yes, the highlighted titles of the program are my affiliate links. I would appreciate it if you decided that affiliate marketing was something you wanted to do and decided to join this program, that you use my link. However, whether you use my link or not this program is worth joining.

Why I Love Affiliate Marketing - Part 1
By Jimmy D. Brown of "Affiliatenaire"

Do you find yourself "starting" to create your own product
to sell online, but never "finishing" it?

One of the things I love about affiliate marketing is --

** You don't need to create your own products **

Many people find the idea of creating their own products to
be an overwhelming and even paralyzing task.

* I don't have any good ideas!
* I'm not a writer!
* There's too much competition!
* I don't know how to set everything up!
* I can't figure out where to start!
* It's too hard!

These are just a few of the valid reasons many people give
when it comes to not creating their own products to sell.
I'm sure with a few minutes of brainstorming, we could come
up with a list of many more.

With affiliate marketing, you don't need your own products.
You simply promote someone else's already proven successful
offer for a commission.

And, truth be told, even if you ARE a writer and you DO have
lots of ideas and you CAN figure it all out...

** Nobody wants to create new products all the time **

As good as you may be, you don't know everything! Why try
to create a product on every topic imaginable in your
market when you can earn just as much money by simply
promoting someone else's really good offer as one of your
profit streams?

That's why I love affiliate marketing.

You don't need to create your own products.

.........................

Jimmy D. Brown is the author of Affiliatenaire teaching
you how to create big-time affiliate commission checks in
only 1-3 hours each week. Discover how you can get cash in
the bank without a website, experience or even an idea!
Click here to go to Affiliatenaire

.........................

My Sunday Post

2009-03-08T23:37:00.001-07:00

Hey Everyone,
I wanted to make sure that I followed through on my weekly Sunday post. Well, here I am. I have sorted through four business models that I feel will be beneficial to have present cash flow and setting up residual passive income. It feel good to have weeded through all the information i have run into, and have clarity and vision for my business. I am going to share more with you over the next few weeks so that you can see what I have decided and may be one or all business models may be something you are interested in for yourself. Just wanted to jot down a quick note to you all. Have a wonderful week.
Dream Big and Trust Yourself,
Tracey

PS. dare for the week: act as if you are who you want to be. Try it for a day or the whole week and see how it feels.

Blogging Schedule

2009-03-03T04:20:00.000-08:00

I have decided that in order to work on my business models. I had said three days per week but realize that I would not be able to fulfill that commitment, therefore I will be posting once per week to update you on my progress and what is going on with me in general. I hope that you will continue to check in. I have some exciting projects to share with you. If you want to check in with me you can follow me on Twitter. My Twitter user name is traceym09 and you can also go check me out on Facebook
I will talk to you soon. Remember to Dram Big and Trust Yourself.
Tracey

How Our Children Learn

2009-02-26T04:14:00.001-08:00

How powerful is this? This stopped me in my tracks and made me think and review my behavior in front of my daughter and with her. It has a great impact

www.ibelieveinadv.com Children See Children do

Staying Connected

2009-02-24T02:35:00.001-08:00

Hey everyone,
I have been reading a book called "Hold On To Your Kids" , by Gordon Neufeld and Gabor Mate. It is about staying connected to our kids and being the majority influence in our kids life instead of their peers. I really have a great desire to have a continued close relationship with my daughter, as I am sure most parents do.

The book reiterated things we all have heard before, such as, one on one time with your kids in an activity that you can share, sit down meals, knowing who your kids friends are, and forming relationships with their friends parents.

I have decided that my daughter and I are going to have one day for us at least every other week, that is something we want to do. I turn off contact with everything and everyone for at least 24 hours. I know that you are thinking that since we homeschool we are together enough, but there are times where we have distractions. I am working from home building a business, she likes to do her activites, she has play dates, activities outside the house, but this will be focused on hanging out and talking, laughing, watching movies, crafts, taking walks, whatever that we decide on together.

So let's hold on to our kids, and remember we are their role models. Do your best, that is all anyone can ask.

Dream Big and Trust Yourself,
Tracey

Prosperity Affirmation

2009-02-23T15:10:00.001-08:00

Just a quick note. I received this in an email from Manifest Mastermind and was compelled to share. Enjoy!

” I radiate and attract whatever I choose to accept. I now choose to accept the highest and best in life. I now choose and receive the best health, success and happiness. I now choose to accept lavish abundance for myself and all. This is a rich friendly Universe and I choose to accept its riches, hospitality and enjoy them now.”

Dream Big and Trust Yourself.
Tracey

Celebrating My Birthday Weekend

2009-02-22T15:04:00.001-08:00

Hello everyone
I had a great birthday on Friday, rested yesterday after some plans fell through and I am leaving in a little bit to go to the movies with a friend and continue on my Birthday weekend. I am posting my thoughts today about living your dreams . I receive numerous newsletters and today I received some information about persevering and living your dreams. The question asked was "Did I really want to live my dreams or just continue to dream about them?" I thought about that and realized that I can get caught in the whole dreaming thing and forget that I am required to take action, inspired action of course. I am willing to persevere in the face of all odds. I am deciding to be a role model for my daughter, of it is okay to live your dreams. One of my dreams is to travel more, with and without my daughter. I have realized that travel is a big part of my life and my daughter loves to travel and we are going to have to do more in 2009. I have decided that to get the party started, a small step would be to do day trips than progress from there, but we are going to be putting one foot then the next towards living our dreams now of traveling more, and I honestly believe that will lead to more inspired actions and before I know it, there will be more travel in my life and my daughters life. Okay that is all for now, I am off to the movies.
A little quote to ponder. "Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave in a well-preserved body, but rather to slide in sideways, totally worn out, shouting, 'Holy Shit...What a ride!'"

Have a great day and remember Dream Big and Trust yourself.
Tracey

My Posting Schedule and Goals

2009-02-19T02:42:00.001-08:00

Hello everyone,
I am sitting here and first let me say that I wrote this post but it was deleted by accident, so i am rewriting it. Here goes, I wanted to give a schedule for my being active and posting as stated in a previous post.

I will be posting at least 3 times per week, on Tuesday , Thursday, and Sunday. Tuesday will be my share parenting stories day. I am always looking for cute stories or I will be sharing some of my own as I tread through this lovely thing everyone calls parenting, I call it "how much I really do not know". Thursday will be sharing my progress as I use and implement The business model The Niche Blogger, so come with me on my journey. Sunday will be my catch all day and that means that it will be whatever has caught my attention.

Since today is Thursday, I going to give you a progress report. I actually joined The Niche Blogger in November but am finally ready to commit to following it now. i will continue working on finishing with month 1 of steps by the end of this month. As of today I have not made any $, however I can easily see it at the end of the light and I will keep you updated. Okay that is it for now.
Remember Dream Big and Trust Yourself
Tracey

Here I am and what I am doing?

2009-02-16T21:02:00.000-08:00

Hello my fellow mommies and bloggers,
I know that I have been sporadic in my posting, however, I have decided to start a 3 post per week schedule. I believe that it is doable and it provides me a schedule to keep myself accountable. I have decided to partake in a course called The Niche blogger. It is run by a young lady named Amy Bass. I found Amy Bass last year when I ran across her blog
http://www.mydebtfreegoal.com/. Her story was so inspiring that I thought if she could do it then perhaps I could do it too. Then she came out with this wonderful membership site where she has set up a step by step plan to build your own online business blogging. I absolutely love it and she is accessible and my experience with her has been one where she has displayed great integrity. If it is something you have been thinking about, having an online business and working from home or your laptop then check it out. I will keep you updated on my progress as I go through the steps.
If you do decide to try it, yes I am posting my affiliate link and would love for you to use it. Try The Niche Blogger for FREE! Click Here for a FREE 3 Day Trial. However, whether you use my link or not the program is certainly worth it, if you ever wondered how you could make money blogging. Take care and remember to Dream Big and Trust Yourself.
Tracey

I Just Squidoo'd

2008-10-28T05:21:00.000-07:00

Check out my new Squidoo lens about the Nintendo Wii and let me know what you think. We will be getting a lot more new games this Holiday season and I am looking forward to them. it should be a blast on Christmas Day. I hope to get a Wii Fit for Christmas. I have to make sure that I get that list to Santa very soon. As Tigger would say ta ta for now or TTFN.
Dream Big and then Dream Bigger,
Tracey

To Wii or Not Wii, That is the Question?

2008-10-27T22:07:00.001-07:00

Yes, that is one question one mother asks herself as she becomes addicted to the Wii she brought for her daughter. Alright, that mother is me. My daughter wanted one of these consoles that had everyone standing in lines for twenty four hours or more in all kinds of weather. So, she received one and I was concerned about managing her time and usage. However, lo and behold I am the one with the addiction. I love the Wii Game Console. It is much more interactive than other consoles and it is just plain fun!!! I do have a favorite and it is the Wii sports video game. I love Wii sports and have taken a liking to the golf section of this game. I really enjoy all the games on Wii sports but again, my favorite is the golf section. It made me start thinking, why don't I play real golf. Playing Wii Sports has given me a better understanding of the golf game and I felt like I would really enjoy the actual real game.

Alright, it is not quite the same. Yes, you may go ahead and laugh, chuckle or smirk, that I even thought that way, but I was not completely wrong. I went for a lesson and did understand the language, and the objective of golf. I felt more knowledgeable than if I had never played Wii Sports. I do need to actually practice in the real world to get better outside of the Wii game console; but I feel that playing the Wii actually helped me.

I am going to continue to play the Wii and Wii sports, and I am on to a new favorite, but I will be saving that for another conversation between you and I. I am now getting set up for Golf lessons and did find a great book that offered me some really helpful information. It is called Golf Beginners Guide and it gave me some great information from the history of Golf, to what type of equipment I needed and would be best for me to start with, rules of the game, different training that would help, when and where to take different shots, and yes, Golf etiquette.

I am grateful for both the Wii, Wii sports and for real golf and the patient instructors. I am going to keep on playing the Wii and Wii sports and learning the real game, however I may move on to playing the new Wii game Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09. Watch out Tiger, because here comes a hip happening Wii playing, Golf learning mama.

I am a mom, who has learned to love video games and whose sites http://everythingwiistore.com and http://everythinggolfstore.info are signs she is a hip and happening mom.

Where is Tracey?

2008-10-27T22:00:00.000-07:00

Hey there everyone, I have missed you guys. I did do and finish the thirty day challenge and I did not finish in their time frame but finished none the less and I have not made any money as of yet from their challenge. Although I have made some money from Affiliate marketing before. I have not been blogging and taking a break but I am baaaaaaack!!!!!!!! I have been developing some new hobbies, one you may smirk at but it is really fun and one I have wanted to try for awhile now. I will let you know soon. Thank you to all my readers and I look forward to chit chatting with you more regularly. I will talk to you soon.
Dream Big and then Dream Bigger,
Tracey

DOING THE THIRTY DAY CHALLENGE: MAKING MONEY ONLINE

2008-08-18T14:34:00.000-07:00

Where in the heck has Tracey been? I am here learning the best way for me to make money online. Life has been great for me through all the ups and downs . I have had some tremendous gifts or opportunities for growth and healing. I am standing firm on having my own business, being my own boss, working from home and making money online. I am doing the Thirty Day challenge right now with Ed Dale and I am a little behind on the days. I am loving it though . The instruction is so great and opens up a whole new world to maneuvering through the online world.
This is a quote from the site: " In a nutshell... The Thirty Day Challenge is about making your first $10 online. For a full 30 days we are going to be showing you exactly how to start your own Internet business and generate your first income online without spending a dime.

That's right, this is going to cost zip, diddly, nothing, nada, ziltch. The entire training program is free, and you won't have to spend a thing to get your business started and begin making money. No credit card required. I am telling you that I am looking forward to making money online.
If you are interested in making money online then you should check it out. have a great day and I will keep you posted on my challenge. Talk 2 u soon
Dream Bigger and then Dream Bigger!!!
Tra

EARN 1K A DAY!!!

2008-07-19T21:40:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,
Well you are probably wondering where I have been, alright even if you haven't been wondering, I am going to tell you anyway. I have been researching and learning through a forum that is fantastic called Earn 1k a day. Dennis Becker, the same person who wrote 5bucks a day, which I love, has a great forum and everyone is really nice and supportive. They are willing to help and give you an old fashion kick in the butt when you need one. They are the main reason I know that I can make money online and I have actually made two sales from the tips I received there. It may not seem like a lot but when you have been making zero dollars hoping and dreaming about it , it is amazing. I woke up one morning and had an email that said "you got money". I was jumping up and down like a crazy woman.
I am really grateful to Dennis for writing 5 bucks a day and creating the forum Earn 1k a day
There are so many benefits such as:
Access to Instant Cash Generators, where 100's of others pay $9.95 a month.

Access to Sell Your Writing Online, where 100's of others pay $9.95 a month.

Access to Super Simple Marketing, where 100's of others pay $27.00 a month

Access to IM Coaching Club, where 100's of others pay $67.00 a month

License to use LP Genie and the Mini Money Site framework, not currently available anywhere else for any price.

Access to instructional videos showing how to build Mini Money Sites and membership sites, including all the software and framework necessary, not currently available anywhere else for any price.

Access to a closed forum where 100's of like minded internet marketers share and discuss their best ideas, encourage and help others, and learn to grow their business.

Access to a members download area where fresh reports, videos, audios, and software are contributed on a regular basis without regard to cost. Some of the items come with resell rights which can be used for immediate profitable income streams.

I could go on and on about the benefits, but most important are the people that are in the forums. Again, as I said before, everyone is friendly, encouraging, and helpful. Right now you get all these benefits and more for $29.95, but there is going to be a price increase this month I am told.
Check out Earn 1k a day.

I am still in the process of doing my business model and will let you know once I have gone through to completion. Hold me accountable and I will talk to you later this coming week
Dream Bigger and Bigger,
Tracey

Mommy CEO Blog Carnival

2008-06-15T01:31:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the June 15, 2008 edition of mommy CEO carnival. I would like to thank all the people who submitted to the blog carnival. We will be doing it again next month. I am however, changing the name of the blog carnival. I have not decided what the new name will be. There seems to be some confusion about the mommy CEO and I was getting a lot of business and other post that were not right for the blog carnival. I wish I had received more submissions from moms for the carnival but it is a start. THANK YOU TO ALL WHO PARTICIPATED

Elisa presents Extreme? Who, Me? posted at Diary of an Unlikely Housewife.

Alyson LaBarge presents Avoid 'Mom - I'm Bored!' this Summer posted at Three P's in a Pod.

Astrid Lee presents How To Be The Best You posted at World Healing, saying, "As a superbusy mom, who reads blogs, maintains a few, is an artist, is an active Reiki master, and organizes a world healing initiative, well, I need some inspiration at time and focus.

So, I'm sharing here one of my good sources that helps with stamina, vision and focus!
It's a 6-part series of video talks by Wayne Dyer. You'll laugh, think and grow. Enjoy."

Laura presents The Business of Home posted at Grocery Mama, saying, "hope you like it!"

Melanie presents Mommy Guilt posted at Livin' With Me!.

Jane @ Kidzarama presents How We Relax At Our House posted at Kidzarama.

Wendy Piersall presents Important Benefits from Working with a Virtual Assistant Sparkplug CEO posted at Sparkplug CEO, saying, "Plenty more in my archives if you need more material! :)"

HOW DO YOU GET THROUGH A DIVORCE OR BREAK UP

2008-06-14T02:44:00.000-07:00

I have been asked, how did I get through my divorce and I thought I would share with you some steps that I took.
There is a saying that I had to constantly keep in mind, and it was "this too, shall pass". I believe repeating this saying to myself helped convince me that I would eventually get over the hurt. I had to recite this to myself and it took a while, but the pain did go away.

Getting out and about,and being active also helped me a lot. I loved activities that kept me busy and challenged me physically. I actually went back to exploring many of the interests and activities that I enjoyed before marriage, like dance, collaging, and traveling were essential in getting me through tough times.

I decided to develop some new interests, things I had wanted to learn but never seemed to have the time before. There was learning to start my own business, crochet, hike, walking (my favorite). I feel the walking is a good one to get all your pent up physical energy of pain and hurt out. I read more, hung out at coffee bean, and went to movies. I just did whatever I could do to keep my mind busy.

I feel that having one or two good friends to just be with you without asking a lot of questions and who allow you to vent really can be a life saver. I know that there were times I wanted to say how I felt without having to justify my feelings as right or wrong. I did not want advice just a friendly ear to let me know I had been heard.

I would be remiss if I forgot the one important thing and that was prayer. It worked for me; sometimes it was so subtle that I did not realize there were long periods of time I was not sad or hurting, I actually felt okay.

The one thing that I really got was that I was okay just me by myself. It felt really good to be grateful for me, myself. I had always enjoyed being with myself and it was nice to be able to spend time alone and remember who I was. They say that there is are silver linings to everything and for me the time to myself was a blessing.
No matter what happens remember you are okay, just you, and there is always hope.

My New Squidoo Lens

2008-06-02T05:33:00.000-07:00

I have created a new Squidoo lens about one of my favorite ebooks 5 Bucks A day by Dennis Becker. Here is the link to my lens http://www.squidoo.com/5bucksadayreview. This book really turned it around for me along with their forum and the Earn 1K A Day forum. I am now focusing on one business model and will see it through until I am making $5 Bucks a day with it and then move on. If you would like to check it out here is a link to the book Click Here! . Yes it is my affiliate link and I would appreciate if you are reading about it here and want to check it out that you use my link. Thank you in advance. If you get the book Click Here! you will also get lifetime access to the 5 bucks a day forum. If you just want to check out the book without the support of the forum then you can get the 5 bucks a day Jr, for $7.77 Click Here , and then upgrade later if you would like to take part in the forums. Again thank you in advance.
Dream Bigger,
Tracey

Earn 1k A Day

2008-05-23T14:07:00.000-07:00

I have joined a forum called Earn 1K A Day. I am excited about the forum and the people inside. I am sure you have heard you hang out with people doing what you want to do. Just being there I realize that I need to have multiple streams of income. My virtual assistance business plus I have started to do affiliate marketing. The thirty day challenge pre season starts June 1. 2008 and the regular season starts August 1. 2008. I feel with the challenge and the forum and my perseverance I will be successful. They say if you never give up there is no failure. I am sure there will be some challenges but I will use the feedback and continue on. I am committed to living life on my own terms. Working from home with my virtual assistance business and other online businesses, loving, raising and homeschooling my daughter and living my dreams is what I deserve. I will settle for nothing less, no more regrets. I suggest you don't settle either. That is my pep talk to you and myself today. Have A Great Weekend.
Believe Believe Believe Believe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dream Bigger,
Tracey

Tracey's Virtual Assistance

2008-05-20T01:36:00.000-07:00

My Virtual Assistance---Tracey's Virtual Assistance
Hello Everyone,
I have started my own virtual assistance business and my website is at http://www.traceysvirtualassistance.wordpress.com/ . I am working with an author and her publisher Harper Collins. We are getting her book ready for Fall 2008. I have learned a lot and decided to make this official. I am going to work from home and be home to raise and home school my daughter. I am committed to making this work. I found a great quote by:

W.H. Murray
Source: The Scottish Himalayan Expedition
Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness concerning all acts of initiative and creation.
There is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans; that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too.
All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen events, meetings and material assistance which no one could have dreamed would have come their way.
I have learned a deep respect for one of Goethe's couplets: "Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now!"

I am committed to embracing my dreams, living my dreams and living my life on my own terms. I want to raise my daughter and not work outside my home. I have put it out to the Universe and expect there to be help and support. Okay so if you or someone you know needs help with their life or business to make it easier, tell them about Tracey's Virtual Assistance @ http://www.traceysvirtualassistance.wordpress.com/ Thanks and here's to living life on your own terms. Thank You in Advance Universe.
Dream Bigger,
Tracey

My Crochet Update

2008-05-19T17:07:00.000-07:00

MY CROCHET UPDATE:

I am now learning to do a chain stitch. I have been practicing my chain stitches and have made bracelet for my daughter and working on shoe laces. I am posting pictures of the bracelet and chain stitches shoelaces in process. I am going to continue to practice and post my accomplishments.

I AM A MODERATOR

2008-05-19T16:44:00.000-07:00

YAY ME: themomblogs.com Forums
I am a moderator I am a moderator! Hey I am happy to be a moderator over at the mom blogs forums. YAY me!!! It is a great place with a great bunch of ladies, so come on over and join us.
See you over there.
Dream Bigger,
Tracey

Motherhood

2008-05-15T19:12:00.000-07:00

Motherhood: What do I know now that I wish I had known then?
I was asked this question and I thought my answer would make for a great post. I realize that I still don't know a whole lot. However,I wish I would have know that reading the books would not prepare me like I thought. I was still terrified when we took her home. This is definitely on the job training. I tell my daughter that I am still learning and I do not have all the answers, but I am doing my best. My daughter tell me so far so good, right now. If you had told me that I could love another human being as much as I love my daughter, I probably would not have believed you, but WOW I do. I always thought the love of my life would be some man and it turned out to be my daughter. How blessed am I, totally blessed with her love. I fall more deeply in love with her everyday, even through the tantrums, okay not so much, just kidding. :)

Okay that is it for now and you can check out the love of my life here.

CBS Cancelled Moonlight

2008-05-14T01:28:00.000-07:00

Moonlight, the TV show on CBS has been cancelled. They claim to have the Season finale this Friday but it could very well be the Series finale. I am very upset about it, it is one of a handful of shows on that I enjoy. I look forward to Friday nights because of that show. It seems there are some show that are being cancelled, even after you win an award, and pull in 6.5 million more viewers than some other shows with a ton of exposure. There is some discussion that the Network CW may pick it up. Considering that Gossip Girls only has about 2.5 million viewers despite all the advertising, I believe that would be a great idea. I actually called CBS studios this evening and left a message on their comment line about Moonlight. Perhaps I need to start dating and broaden my circle of activities on Friday nights, but still I would tivo or record it. I think it is or was a really good show. I find it had good writing, great actors like Alex O'Loughlin , Sophia Myles, Jason Dohring and very entertaining. Isn't that what we want if we take our time to watch a TV show, to be entertained. There are a lot of new shows that did not make it and with the writer's strike it did not help at all.
This is not a complete list, but just in case you care
Here is a list of the current season's TV series that have been canceled:
ABC Big Shots Cashmere Mafia Men in Trees October Road Women's Murder Club
CBS Cane Jericho Moonlight Shark Viva Laughlin
Fox K-Ville New Amsterdam
NBC Bionic Woman Journeyman Las Vegas
The CW Life is Wild
USA Network The 4400 The Dead Zone

Okay I am done for now
Dream Bigger,
Tracey

Friendship Rant

2008-05-13T14:49:00.000-07:00

Friendships
Today one of my daughters friends was expecting a play date with her. I had made arrangements, because I was having a meeting. Then, today her dad took off and was taking me there to my meeting and she decided she wanted to be with her dad. I contacted my friend but my friends daughter was very upset and I feel really bad. My daughter did not want to go and understood about her friend being hurt but just wanted to be with her dad. I am not upset with her because she is a daddy's girl and usually her dad is at work during this time. However, right now I am having guilt and feeling bad because this other little girl is disappointed. It could be my hormones causing me to get so emotional or who knows. Okay enough, there is my ranting and venting. Talk to you later
Blessings,
Tracey

Online Businesses

2008-05-08T00:24:00.000-07:00

HOW TO FIGURE OUT HAVING A ONLINE BUSINESS!
Hey there,
Where does the time go? The days just got away from me. I am attempting to figure out how to do the online thing and am feeling a bit overwhelmed right now. Do I make authority site or make niche sites? Do I make my own product or become an affiliate? Questions Questions Questions!!!! I do know that I am not quitting, that is the only way that I could possibly fail. I will figure this all out and perhaps the best way is for me to take baby steps, or in my world mini baby steps. I am figuring this out as I am writing this to you. Yeah, I will stop looking at the bigger picture and focus on one thing. After I feel good or comfortable with that particular one thing then on to the next. I have made a decision to do the 90 day challenge to help me establish my online business and have some success. I may have to break down their program to 180 days for me but I can get through it. I will let you know about what it is and I feel that I can utilize the program. Alright, nightie, night
Dream Bigger,
Tracey

Healthy Recipes for kids and adults

2008-05-01T09:51:00.000-07:00

Fruity Recipe that your kids will thank you for time and again.

I was looking for recipes for my daughter and I to cook together because
1. It allows us to spend quality time together
2. It allows us to do some homeschooling with math and health, and nutrition.
3. It allows us to have healthier meals.
I thought I would share this wonderful recipe with all of you. The recipe was found at
www.childrenrecipes.com

This delicious fruit pizza is perfect for all kinds of parties and events. Kids can help make this pizza and they can add their favorite fruits. Everyone will want the recipe for this quick and easy fruity pizza.

FRUIT PIZZA
Ingredients:
1 prepared thin-crust 12" pizza crust
8 ounces. light cream cheese
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Del Monte® banana, peeled and sliced
4 cups assorted fresh fruit, sliced: Del Monte® pineapple slices,blueberries, strawberries, apricots, Del Monte® honeydew and cherries
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup pistachios, chopped
Non-stick cooking spray

DIRECTIONS:
Spray 12-inch pizza pan with non-stick spray. Place crust on pizza pan and bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes. Cool.

Blend cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Spread mixture over cooled crust.

Arrange banana slices in layer over cream cheese mixture.

Arrange remaining fruit slices in circles on bananas. Vary colors and shapes.

Cut into 10 wedges. Makes 5 two-slice servings.Nutritional information per serving:377 calories, 25% calories from fat, 10.5g fat, 12.1g protein, 59.4g carbohydrate, 4g dietary fiber, 425mg sodium, 16mg cholesterol
Used with permission

CREATIVE HOMESCHOOL BLOG CARNIVAL

2008-04-30T00:18:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone,

I am presenting the Creative Homeschool Blog Carnival for 4/30 /2008. I received 11 submissions and I am grateful but, only three were appropriate and noteworthy blog submissions for this 1st edition of our homeschooling carnival. We shall continue on and I hope that we will receive more for the May 30th Creative Homeschool Blog Carnival

Blog Carnival submissions:

Creative Homeschool Blog Carnival 1st edition

Renae presents Dirty Work posted at Life Nurturing Education.

Malia Russell presents I Love You More from Homemaking 911 posted at Homemaking 911.

Tracey presents Managing Your Virtual Assistant Clients While Working At Home With The Kids posted at Tracey's Virtual Assistance.

Thanks for stopping by and if you are reading this think about submitting for the next one.

I am happy to host and I will continue on with this blog carnival. Never give up!!!

Yay!!! for the blog carnival

Dream Bigger,

Tracey

TO LIFE LONG LEARNING

2008-04-28T17:24:00.000-07:00

I am learning to crochet and I found this great video on youtube. Here is to never stop learning, one of things I am instilling into my daughter now. This is one of the reasons, among many that I homeschool. I can see a love for learning, no matter what age you are. I hope to make a project and share with you here, my journey to crocheting. I will post some pictures of my journey and then my finished project. Please be patient:)
Dream Bigger,
Tracey

Blog Carnival

2008-04-21T03:44:00.000-07:00

Hello World and introducing the new Creative Homeschool Blog Carnival
I have started a blog carnival. It is called Creative Homeschool Carnival and you can go to http://www.blogcarnival.com/ to register for our 1st edition. It will be held the 30th of every month, with submissions due by 2pm pst on the 25th of every month. I find that doing the blog carnivals are getting me some new traffic, sometimes slowly and sometimes quickly but always very steady. I am excited and will continue to enter other blog carnivals as well, to continue to introduce my blog to the world of bloggers. I will also be starting a parenting carnival and will make sure that you all have the details for that very soon. If you would like to participate, as stated before please go to http://www.blogcarnival.com/ and look up Creative Homeschool Carnival and submit your blog post. I am excited and looking forward to it.
Dream Bigger,
Tracey

A New Education for Our Children

2008-04-16T13:27:00.000-07:00

I received a great email from http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/ and saw this video.
It is excellent. This is Sir Ken Robinson Education guru who makes an entertaining (and profoundly moving) case for creating an education system that nurtures creativity, rather than undermining it. Sir Ken Robinson is author of "Out of Our Minds: Learning to be Creative," and a leading expert on innovation in education and business. (Recorded February, 2006 in Monterey, CA.)

Please watch!!!!

The 3 F's in our Homeschool

2008-04-12T02:29:00.000-07:00

The 3 F's that make Homeschooling work for my family are
1. Freedom: Homeschooling allows my daughter to choose the things she is interested in and wants to learn . There are of course certain things I think that she needs to know and I incorporate those in a very creative manner or at least I think they are creative. I may have to survey her on that. Okay back to the post. I get to use all types of methods for my daughter to learn the information based upon her learning style and how she and I may be feeling that day.

2. Flexibility: In our house flexibility really refers to our schedule. We have certain things that we have scheduled on certain days and some are weekly and monthly. However we attempt to stay in the flow of the day and if for some reason we decide to do an activity and it is not going well or it could be an off day, ( Don't we all have those), we can adjust the time of day and/or change activities and take breaks to get outside for fresh air. We have options and I am grateful for options.

3. Fun: This is a must for each day. I make a conscious effort to laugh and be present for my daughter throughout our day. I like to schedule my business schedule with many and frequent breaks of unadulterated fun with her. That goes from reading, playing a board game, even a video game, or go outside on a walk for exploring, amongst many others activities.

Within the 3 F's of Freedom a, Flexibility, and Fun, we have a structure that works for us and I am grateful to be homeschooling and have homeschooling as a choice. I love to Homeschool!

Let me know the reasons you chose to homeschool if you care to share. Hope to hear from you.

A Time for Learning Review: A Homeschool Curriculum

2008-04-11T20:03:00.000-07:00

As you already know from the title of this blog, I homeschool my daughter. We heard great things about this resource called time4learning.com and earlier this year when we were homeschooling through charter schools I got an account with time4learning.com. However, before we really got a chance to utilize it, I made a decision to file my PSA and our account was cancelled through the school. I wanted to give it a try but I was not sure how this would work for my daughter. They offer you a free month for a review of the site and decided to take them up on the opportunity, so that I could see how this would work for my daughter before I committed.

I would have to say they we are eclectic homeschoolers but have been eclectic unschooling as of late. She actually used it a very limited amount of time, but my daughter did enjoy her time on
time4learning.com and even ask to get on the site. I do like that she is able to do the work on her own and she feels really proud when she calls me in to say she completed a section of work. The sections are time scheduled and you can set each lesson to go for a certain time limit and they get to go over to the playground. The playground has all types of games that are very very fun and educational. The lessons are so fun for her that it seems like the playground and the lessons are one for her. I would recommend time4learning.com if your child likes to use the computer and is comfortable working on their own. Thank you to time4learning.com for the opportunity to try out their site.
Peace, blessings, and dream bigger,
Tracey

To Burn Out or Not

2008-04-10T19:14:00.000-07:00

I have been experiencing some burn out along with other stresses going on in my life and did a search and found a great article by Carrie Lauth of Natural Moms. It tells me things that I already knew but it was great to be reminded. I have decided that i need to incorporate some yoga and meditation into my life and definitely take some more time for myself. I hope that you enjoy the article and leave me a comment and let me know if you have experienced any burn out yourself.

Mommy Burnout - 6 Ways To Lose It
By: Carrie Lauth
Feeling burnout as a Mom is very common. It does not mean that you are failing as a Mother. It’s mostly due to the isolation that a lot of Moms face in our culture, as well as the over scheduling and overwork that a lot of us deal with. Here are 6 things you can do to prevent burnout and treat it if it comes up.

Find your tribe: Find a support group of like minded Moms. There are neighbors, people you worship with, family, Moms at story time, the park, or anywhere else Moms hang out. It’s extremely important for Moms to have a social network. Talk about your feelings with someone who won’t judge you, and return the favor. Spend time with good friends, and don’t forget to nurture your relationship with your spouse.

Set boundaries: Setting good boundaries isn’t just about limits with your kids. Boundaries are something that protect you from being overburdened with other people’s responsibilities. Learn to say no to things that don’t honor your values, and don’t overextend yourself.

Lose the guilt: Don’t feel like you’re a bad Mom because you feel burnout from time to time. In fact, you are probably a very conscientious Mom who is neglecting her own needs! Be as forgiving and empathic with yourself as you are with your kids, and remember, when you take care of your own needs, you’re in better shape to care for your family. It’s kind of like when the flight attendant tells you to put on your own oxygen mask first in case of emergency!

Take care of your body: Eating poorly leads to fatigue and stress. Nurture your body with healthy foods and avoid excessive caffeine and sugar, which only deplete you. Exercise is also very important because it helps you deal with stress and floods your body with endorphins, the “feel good hormones”. Don’t make excuses! Get moving for 20 minutes a day. It doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. Walking is one of the best exercises you can do. Exercise is also good for the kids because it helps them discharge excess energy that they may have from being inside too much. Spending some time every day in the sun is also a good idea. Sunlight improves mood and helps you sleep better.

Take a break:
Nurture yourself every single day in small ways. Take a hot bath by yourself. Go outside for a few minutes and breathe deeply. Say your prayers, journal, pursue a hobby that you love. Even if all you can do are 5 minute increments, take the time!

Focus on what’s truly important: If you’re feeling overwhelmed, remind yourself that the most important things on your to do list are your children, not the dishes or the dusty blinds. Put everything aside for 15 minutes and just play with your kids. Have fun, laugh together, spend time in nature together, and enjoy life. The rest can wait. Kids have a way of growing up despite us. And keep hugging those babies!

Carrie Lauth and Jen Houck want to help other Moms avoid burnout and have more fun every day with their kids. To get your free report, go to MommyBurnout.com

My Friends and their Blogs

2008-04-10T15:45:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,
I wanted you to view my blog roll and see that I have added three blogs from my friends, http://www.enchantedmusing.blogspot.com/, http://paper2yarn.wordpress.com/, http://www.katsinthebelfry.blogspot.com/, and http://www.maltagirl-shenanigans.blogspot.com/. All of these women are very talented. They knit, crochet, sew and do all the wonderful craft activities along with being great mothers, friends and amazing women. Go over and take a look and enjoy.
Peace and blessings,
Tracey

Trust the Universe and Yourself

2008-04-06T01:59:00.000-07:00

Check out this video about having faith in yourself and the Universe. Enjoy!
Dream Big,
Tracey

Using the Law Of Attraction to Bring in More Money

2008-04-06T01:01:00.000-07:00

I have to say that I do believe that the mind is very powerful and that we play a part in creating the lives we are living. I received the book Law of attraction, by David Hooper and you can too, from the link down below. This is not an affiliate link, just so you know. Read and enjoy the article.

Money doesn’t buy happiness, but it definitely buys our basic needs. And if our basic needs aren’t met, from buying groceries to saving for retirement, we can be overcome with despair. The number one secret to bringing in more money is not squandering more money on buying lottery tickets--it’s the law of attraction. And you already have the law of attraction harnessed within the powers of your very own mind!

The Money is in Your Mind
It’s all too easy for us to assume a “woe is me” attitude about making more money. “I’ll never make more than $100,000 a year--I don’t have a MBA!” “I’ve hit the glass ceiling. I’ve been stuck at this salary for five years!” When you think such negative thoughts, you’re putting the law of attraction in motion--to take away the very thing you want, which is more money!

Rather, you have to use the law of attraction to bring you more money! The very first step is to reprogram your mind. First of all you have to sincerely believe that you deserve to have more money. Put the law of attraction in motion by thinking positive thoughts: “I say yes to receiving more money!” “Beginning this year, I will make more than $75,000 a year!” “I am able to save at least $30,000 for retirement every year!”

The more specific your thoughts are, the more powerful the law of attraction becomes. But be careful and realistic; remember, the law of attraction can seemingly work against you, too. For example, if you say, “I will get $100,000 by the end of this week,” it might come to you by getting in a serious car accident wherein you suffer serious long-term bodily injury--but you win an insurance award! That’s too big a price to pay. Hence the saying, “Beware of what you wish!” That’s the law of attraction.

Of course, you have to back up the law of attraction with practical action, too. You can’t save $30,000 a year toward retirement if you spend all your money on the latest designer fashions, or if you don’t tuck your money away in investments to let it grow. But you also can’t depend only on practical action while completely ignoring the law of attraction and worrying about a “lack” of money--then the universe will put the law of attraction in motion to find ways to deplete your money! the law of attraction in harmony with practical action will bring more money to you than you thought poUtilizingssible!

David Hooper is founder of the Guide for Living Institute, a think tank designed to help people enjoy life. His new book on Law of Attraction is available at Amazon.com or can be downloaded free of charge at www.receivethebook.com.

Finding Me Time

2008-04-05T00:35:00.000-07:00

Hey there,
I am feeling the a little lost in myself. I think it is important to make sure that you take care of yourself and as I write this I have a hard time taking my own advice. Hopefully after writing this I think I will take a little time to myself before I get in the bed. Here a few ideas.
1) take a bubble bath: nothing like sinking into the tub of a warm bath , maybe add a little lavender.
2) take a walk: get outside and smell the the fresh air even in the rain or snow.
3) sit down: get a cup of coffee or tea, sit down, and enjoy or perhaps flip leisurely through a magazine.
4) take a hot shower: this is my favorite and this is probably the one that I will take advantage of after I finish writing.
5)do yoga: I find this one to be awesome. I think that I may want to study yoga and teach.
6)call a friend: to connect and give and receive support.
7)home movie: have some popcorn and watch a movie of your choice without interruption.
8)do a hobby: knit or crochet, the latter I am learning to do slowly but surely.
9) go to movie and dinner: this is great with a friend but even better alone. You can see whatever you want and eat wherever you like.
10)sleep: get a good night's rest and take naps if they work for you.
Okay those are 10 of my ideas. There are 100 and 1000's more, but you only have to pick one, just one. I am off to take advantage of number 4 talk to you tomorrow.
Dream big and be blessed,
Tracey

Follow Your Intuition

2008-04-04T20:36:00.000-07:00

One of my dreams is to work from home. This will allow me freedom and flexibility of my time and schedule. I also want to do something I love, help a lot of people, make a lot of money, and have tons of fun doing it. I am letting myself go for it. I could not think of one reason against myself this time and that was amazing. I am jumping in with both feet and I do not have all the how figured out yet. Seems crazy and okay maybe it is. However, I am willing to do something a little crazy just to shake things up. What I have been doing has not gotten me to where I want to go. I am not saying that you need to do things that will harm yourself or others, but sometimes we need to go against what is comfortable to get moving. If it were up to me I would be analyzing this forever. I would have analysis paralysis. I am now declaring myself CEO ( along with my God) of my business and my life. I will let you know the specifics soon as I get it up and running. I would love to get you feedback. Take care of yourself.

Until next time,Dream Big and then Dream Bigger...Tracey

Learning Life Skills Playing Video Games

2008-04-03T17:18:00.000-07:00

So here is my video game moment. I was playing my daughter's Wii the other night and had what Oprah calls an aha moment. Now mind you I have played her Wii many other times and this never occurred to me. I was playing her Pokemon Battle Revolution game and inside this game are different areas called coliseums. There was one called Sunny Park that I could never seem to win. I was getting frustrated and was giving up at times and then I finally won. I realize now that night that this particular coliseum Sunny Park is now my favorite. I was laughing to myself as I had this thought and was applying it to life and my starting my online business. There are several things that have frustrated me, like getting traffic, monetizing, etc., but I do keep coming back and hopefully some of those things will be my favorite soon. They are not right now

Make Money From Home

2008-04-01T22:28:00.000-07:00

The title Make Money From Home is what I would love to do here online. I would love to be able to continue being at home with my child and make a good living. I want to offer, have, or however I make my money online it has to be of value to myself and to others. I would like to make at least $3000 dollars per month from my online efforts and business. I am not sure what direction that takes me in but I am staying open and receptive to whatever ideas or opportunities come my way. I am just letting my thoughts come out here. I would be so happy to hear any ideas from you out there in blog world and the rest of the world. Okay I am out of here. Talk to you later.
Tracey

Online Cash

2008-03-31T17:03:00.000-07:00

I have made a decision to build an online business, okay, an online empire. I will be discussing the different methods that I choose to use. I will let you in what is working for me and what is not. I am determined to make money online and be able to work from home doing something I enjoy, where I am my own boss, have passive income, and can leave a legacy for my daughter. I hope that what i share can help others who may boogie on over here to check out my blog. Okay talk to you later.
Enjoy,Tracey

2008-03-31T15:18:00.000-07:00

Hey I found this great article and wanted to share with you. Dr Kelly Pryde's website I found spoke to me, in regard to finding that balance with being a woman and then a mother and not the other way around. Here is an article that I thought was apporpiate for how I was feeling .
Enjoy,
Tracey

The Art & Science of Being Self-ful

Driving downtown one day, I happened to notice a bumper sticker that read: "I am Woman. I am invincible. I am tired." Boy, did I laugh when I saw that!! Haven’t we all been there?! As Moms, we live in a perpetual state of busyness. From being on-demand 24-7 and juggling children, home management, work, relationships, and the never-ending to-do lists, we are constantly performing superhuman feats of multi-tasking while we take care of others. We strive to do the invincible…and yes, we are tired.

For many Moms, this state of constant busyness and the overwhelmed, exhausted feelings that go along with it are seen as normal – it’s all part of the mommy experience. However, I’ve learned firsthand that over time this busyness and tiredness can turn into something that experts are now calling Depleted Mom Syndrome (DMS). In DMS, you’re physically and emotionally exhausted, irritable, moody, eating poorly, and you don’t feel like you’re being the Mom you want or are meant to be. Life falls way out of balance and you’re “running on empty.”
The good news is that ”running on empty” does not have to be a way of life – it is preventable and treatable. The solution: invest in you.

Quiz: Are You “Running On Empty”?
Answer the following questions to see if you might be running on empty:
 Do you feel stressed out and “frazzled” much of the time?
 Does your life feel like one big “to-do” list?
 Do you feel like you never have any time for yourself?
 Are you emotionally exhausted, feeling like you have nothing left to give?
 Do you have an unusually low tolerance for frustration?
 Are you irritable and moody much of the time?
 Do you feel guilty about not being the Mom you want to be?

If you answered yes to 3 or more questions, it’s time to re-fuel
and take back your life!

Okay, so you’re probably thinking: “Yeah, yeah. I’ve heard that a thousand times” or “Yeah right, like I have time to invest in myself.” You may even be thinking that investing in yourself is a selfish idea. Most of us, at some level, have adopted the belief that Moms are supposed to be “self-less” – we’re supposed to have a noble and unselfish concern for the welfare of others. The truth of the matter is that being “self-less” is just that – it is a state of being that is without “self.” I don’t know about you, but that’s certainly not a state of being that I want for myself or to model for my children.

If we want our children to be happy and have a strong sense of self-worth, then it is up to us to model that for them. As Moms, we need to appreciate and respect our own self-worth and take the time to be what I call self-ful. Being self-ful does not mean selfish or self-absorbed. It means that you care enough about yourself to look after your own needs so that you can better look after the needs of those around you – especially those of your children.

As a Mom, you are in one of the world’s most demanding and most important jobs. But verging on Depleted Mom Syndrome while you take care of everyone else is not going to get that job done successfully. You are meant for much more than that.

Take the time to be Self-ful. You’ll give yourself, your children, and your family one of the greatest gifts imaginable – a happy, fulfilled and loving mother.

Here are five ways you can get started on being Self-ful:

1. Forget perfect. Go for great. If the words perfect, best, or should exist in your vocabulary, get rid of them! Thinking in these terms will not only rob you of precious energy, but also will put tremendous stress and pressure on you and your family – it leaves little room for mistakes and prevents us from seeing what’s really important. Embrace imperfection and focus on what’s real and important to you. Both you and your family will thank you for it.
2. Take time to recharge and restore. If you don’t already, begin a habit of taking some much needed time for yourself to refuel your physical and emotional energy. Recharging can be anything from a spa treatment to a walk in the park to 10 minutes with a cup of tea and a good book – whatever you need to restore your energy. Just do it!
3. Maintain hormonal balance. Hormonal imbalances play a huge role in the moodiness, fatigue, irritability and “running on empty” feelings many Moms experience. I know you won’t want to hear this one, but yes, nutrition and exercise are the two biggest keys to maintaining hormonal balance! Increasing your protein intake, reducing complex carbohydrates, sugar and caffeine in your diet and taking a multi-vitamin formula designed for women will go a long way in optimizing hormonal balance. Exercise that gets your heart rate up is also an important way to decrease stress hormones and increase the body’s “feel good” chemicals.
4. Speak kindly to yourself. In our quest to do what’s best for our children, we often beat ourselves up and feel guilty when things don’t turn out the way we think they should. When you’re feeling discouraged, remind yourself of all of your successes as a Mom and that you have everything you need to be a great parent. Speak to yourself as you would to your child whose learning something new.
5. Connect with YOU. Being a Mom is a role – it does not define who you are as a person. Take some time to identify and engage in something that will help you connect with your authentic self. Maybe you’ve always wanted to take an art class, play a sport, or start a journal. Whatever it is, take the time to start doing something that is just for you. You’ll be a better Mom and a better you!

© Dr. Kelly Pryde 2007. All rights reserved.

Dr. Kelly Pryde is an entrepreneur, speaker and author in the fields of parenting and self-development. In addition to being a wife and mother of two, Kelly holds a Ph.D. in Psychology and is the president and founder of DreamKids – a company dedicated to celebrating and developing the potential of children and families. Her award-winning research on child learning and development has been published in numerous international journals and her parenting articles have appeared in several magazines. To learn more visit www.dreamkids.ca or www.DrKellyPryde.com.

$5 bucks a day

2008-03-29T16:45:00.001-07:00

The 5 bucks a day jr. is an ebook that really helped me get focused with starting my online businesses. I was and still am the type of person who gets a lot of ideas and tend to flit and dit about between my ideas. By doing this I never got to finish anything and felt this works for others not for me. I also had the perfectionism gene running through me, okay it is still there too but I am circumventing it with the process shared in the ebook. If you share any of these traits or are just curious check it out and let me know what you think

To learn about it, Click Here.

To your freedom,
Tracey

Dealing with Finances

2008-02-29T07:39:00.001-08:00

Hey World,

Dealing with money this month has been tight. I have had to reach out to a community, who I consider close friends for help. I am thankful that they are there. I just had to post because it is really stressful at times. I have been up all night with the exception of 2 hours. My mind has been going crazy. I am very tired right now but my daughter is stirring and that means there will be no rest for the weary until later tonight. Gonna go and see if I can get some coffee and be ready for the new day. Take care

I have decided that here are a few places online to get my financial education started.
http://www.fool.com/ It the Motley Fool website. It has wonderful articles and tutorials to get you started in understanding your money better and growing it and having it work for you.
http://www.bankrate.com/ Again it has wonderful article and educational materials
You may want to check them out yourself if you feel you need a financial tune up. I know that I do.
here's to mo money and mo money
Tracey

My Journey in Building My Online Business

2008-02-25T03:10:00.001-08:00

Hellooooo,

That is it I have gone and done it now. I have made a commitment and resolution to working from home and doing it online. I have been into the freelance area for sometime and now I have decided to really jump into the the online world of blogs, affiliate marketing, and websites. I have some great inspiration from other moms who are also working from home. I figure announcing it to the world will keep me honest and accountable. stay tuned because this is only going to get better. Talk to you soon.
Peace and Blessings,
Tracey

Excited

2008-02-22T10:14:00.001-08:00

Hey everyone,I am so excited about life right now. I have been recording all the ideas that have been popping up for me. I have started the Artist Way with an online group and today is the second day. It has been great so far. I never realized I had so much crap in my mind that is not helpful. I get to do the brain drain or Julia Cameron calls it Morning Pages. I feel that this is going to be a wild ride. I will keep you posted as always. I keep making the choice everyday to listen, trust and act. The act part for me is where the monkey wrench gets thrown in for me. However, like I stated I will keep you posted. Talk to you tomorrow.

Peace and Blessings,

Tracey

Keep Marching On

2008-02-22T10:11:00.001-08:00

I am continuing to follow my intuition to stay at home and develop and build a business or businesses. A part of me that has been based in fear still wants to conform and run out and get a JOB. The writing of that let alone the thinking of that gives me a dead feeling inside. I am committed to working from home and raising my daughter and creating the life of my dreams. I have other avenues to pursue and having the ability to work from home and utilize my computer is a god send. My intuition or as I like to call it my inner knowing is telling me I am going in the right direction. I have faith in that voice inside of me. I hope that I meet some fellow seekers on this road. I am right now from this moment on an entrepreneur. I am committed to that and will not give up unless my intuition guides me elsewhere. I will be checking in later.
Peace and Blessings,
Tracey

7 YEAR OLD PLAY DATE TORTURE

2008-02-15T13:36:00.000-08:00

I often wonder when I was seven did I adore my friends the way my daughter and her friends adore each other. She can't wait for them to come over and then she never wants them to leave. I think back now and I do remember having a friend Michelle, and I thought the sun rose and set with her. At my age though, you are lucky if you have a one or two close friends that are still in your life. I bring this up because when my daughter has a several hours of a wonderful playdate and it has come to an end, her and her friend feel like they are being tortured. The comments range from "We've only had 5 minutes together" to "This is so unfair" to my favorite "It feels like we are being tortured". I am thinking when have we ever talked about torture. Then there is sad, mopey faces and of course usually some tears.
I was thinking that I should start to have playdates with my friends. It just does not seem to have the same innocence when you are my age as when you are seven. If I say Mommy is going on a playdate that conjures up a different set of thoughts, I believe, and none of those thoughts are me playing puppets with my friends or perhaps it does LOL. I am hoping that I can leave my friends without all of the sad and mopey faces tonight when I go to mommy's playdate of Bunco. Anywhoo I will talk to you later. I am off to feed my darling. Talk to you later.
Peace and Blessings,
Tracey

Another Day of Rest

2008-02-13T20:27:00.000-08:00

Hello World,
We are home for another day of rest. I believe that she had a 48 hour bug. Her voice is a little hoarse but other than that we are okay. I will say that she has had three bloody noses in the last six days. I attribute it to the heat being on in the house. I called her docter for teh second bloody nose. It seem to go a long time and he was not worried when I called. This was the on call doctoer because her doctor was on vacation. I am going to be keeping an eye on it. I have begun seriously this journey of building my online empire and being able to work from home and not be bound by anything. As long as I have a lap top I can go whereever, and whenever. I made the decision seriously to work from home and have my own business when I decided to homeschool my daughter. I had been doing freelance stuff but now I want what I see and hear others doing online. I am going to go now and keep you posted. I will talk to you later.
Tracey

I'm baaaaack!

2008-02-12T12:23:00.000-08:00

Hey everybody,
Well being a single mom is still the hardest job and role that I love. My daughter came down with something and luckily we caught it early. We are taking another day of rest today. It must have been a 24 hour bug. We are officially homeschooling and it has been one of the best and most rewarding decisions I have ever made. I absolutely love love being able to see the learning, her own curiousity of different things that interst her, how she gets the information, because she is pretty computer savvy and to see the light bulb moments when she gets something is pretty awesome. She is reading and has been reading since she was 3 or a little before. She is learning her math through everyday encounters. She makes her own books and is learning about sentence structure, practicing her spelling and handwriting. She is amazing. We are in a history club and are studying the Ancients right now. We finished with Ancient South America and she learned about the Incas and their culture, and did her own pictoral presentation. She is doing Science with her own projects too. She is enjoying it and she has a wonderful array of friends and a new penpal in London. I am committing to posting here at least 3 times per week so no more disappearances for me. Talk to you soon
Peace and Blessings,
Tracey

How to have time for me without the guilt?

2006-06-27T19:43:00.000-07:00

I am trying to understand how to let go of this mommy guilt. I feel it is not needed at all. I know in my mind that I need to take care of myself and it is better for my child, but the heart strings get pulled when she is crying and does not want me to leave. I do not want my child to have a sense of abandonment, however I need her to see me taking care of myself so she will know that she needs to take care of herself.
I am not the first nor will I be that last mom to feel this way. I have decided to go get a massage this week with some saved up money and I am going to really enjoy it. It has been two years since my last massage. I was getting them at least twice per month and it was fantastic. I have let my self care go but no more. It is extreme self care for me one baby step at a time. Okay that is it for now. I will talk to you later.

Tracey

Dealing with an ex-husband

2006-06-15T20:02:00.000-07:00

I would like to say that dealing with an ex is easy. Well, NOT. My ex as nice, friendly, and involved as he appears, gives such a false perception to other people.
I am sure he has his own perception and yes there are always two sides to every tale, but this is my blog, let him get his own blog.
So my tale begins where I had scheduled a weekend get away with some friends. I told him at least 6 weeks in advance and asked him if it was possible to schedule a weekend off. He agreed at the time that he would do that.
Fast forward to the weekend I am suppose to leave. I call him to confirm our arrangements. Of course, I know what you are thinking and yes, you are right, he cannot take care of her on Friday. Okay, I agree to leave Saturday morning and meet my friends. He tells our daughter that he will be there in the morning to take her to the aquarium. He tells me he will be there 7:30am. Sleep time comes and goes. I look at my clock and my phone rings at 8:12 am. he then tells me that he cannot get off. So not only am I dissappointed but now my daughter is going to be let down. I decide to take her to the aquarium and he can meet us there and I will go in the afternoon.
Well, yes you are right again, he does not show up until late. I find out that he never scheduled time off and blatantly lied to my face and what is appalling is to our daughter's. I do not understand. He never offerred an explanation once he realized that I had found out that he never requested the time off and lied. Just in case you are wondering how I found out, it was from him and a comment he made in our angry conversation. I just caught him in the lie.
My dilemma is to figure out how to balance my daughter's need to have her father in her life, because to her he is perfect and my need to not have to deal with him and the lying. I feel emotionally abused having to deal with someone who is a habitual liar. I am in the process of finding a solution for myself and my daughter. One where I keep boundaries for myself. There is more to be told but that is all for now. Talk to you soon.

Tracey

I Can't Believe It Has Been So Long!!!

2006-06-12T22:30:00.000-07:00

Well how are you? I am doing well, now. My daughter was sick for two weeks and that was not too fun. I am still attempting to find a more reliable work from home situation. You ask , what were you doing before? I was doing some freelance work for my local YMCA. However, I have made a big decision regading my daughter and her education, I have decided to homeschool her. So I am officially the single, work at home, homeschooling mama. I am confident in my decsion to be at home to raise my daughter. I have also decided to practice what I preach to my daughter. I tell her often, you have to dream big, follow your dreams, trust yourself, and believe in yourself. I have decided to follow this as my mantra. I am dreaming big, following my dreams, trusting myself, and believing in myself. Right now is the time. Right now!!!!!!!!
I am committing to writing on my blog at least once per week. I hope that you hold me accountable. Talk to you soon.

Tracey

My Life: Here it starts

2006-05-08T11:29:00.000-07:00

I have decided to document my life raising my daughter. I am a divorced single mom of a 5 year old. I am starting my own work from home business. I am going to be homeschooling my daughter and taking steps in my other goals and projects. I have a website coming to provide help and a like minded comunity of other single moms all over the world.
I also love to travel, love the beach, good books, sports fanatic--Go Raiders, Lakers, and Dodgers. I love great food, great service and great conversation. Alright that is a start and I shall return and discuss my relationship with my ex and all that entails---drama.

Trust the Journey,
Tracey