Merry Christmas

I feel tranquil today; also happy and appreciative. This feels very satisfying. Today is Christmas day and my kids just left a couple of hours ago to spend the day with their dad and his family. This is my first Christmas day without my two children and my first ever Christmas day spending the remainder of the day completely by myself. I actually welcome this alone time. Some of my friends told me that this would be difficult to spend Christmas day without my kids ... well it is different, but I am completely okay with this. I think it is partly due to the fact that my kids are happy and caught up in the spirit of the day ... me too I must say. I did have them all of Christmas Eve --which by the way is my most favorite day of the year--and a couple of hours this morning. Also, I am feeling self-assured right now just because I successfully created a magical Christmas for my family and one that I could afford - nothing overboard - all within the realm of what I believe the deeper meaning of this time of year is. So today I am enjoying my home, the Christmas tree, the fire, the stormy rainy weather, I called all my closest family members and will work on some projects that are meaningful to me.

Merry Christmas!

Winter Solstice

My kids and I went to my friend's winter solstice party tonight. I enjoy going to parties ... any time of year. I like to mingle and try new foods, but I really like listening to other people's stories about whatever is it they are willing to share. I just like to listen and get a glimpse into the lives of others.
... Anyway, have you ever been to a winter solstice party before? this is my third one --same friend who has this celebration every year. This year the winter solstice will occur on Sunday December 21 (tomorrow). I don't recall the exact time but it only takes an instant marking the shortest day or longest night of the year -- depending on how you wan tot look at it. Then from that moment on days get longer and night are shorter until between June 20 and June 23 when this reverses.
Many of the guests at the party took part in a little celebration around the fire pit outside; throughout the evening we each wrote down a piece of paper the thing or things we want to release from our lives and then on a different piece of paper write down what we each invite into our lives. Then we gathered around the fire and released and invited -- placing the papers into the fire. Some people shares allowed. It was lovely!
I wrote:

"I release all energy blocks that are a disservice to me and I invite positive energy to flow through me enhancing all my intentions that serve me".

I know it sounds broad and somewhat ambiguous, but it really does mean something to me.

Happy Winter Solstice!

A Quote for Today: December

In dwelling, live close to the ground.
In thinking, keep to the simple.
In conflict, be fair and generous.
In governing, don't try to control.
In work, do what you enjoy.
In family life, be completely present.
~ Lao Tzu

Investment Club Meeting: December Holiday Party

The investment club had a regular meeting and annual holiday party this evening. Out of the 15 guests from last month's Open House, there were seven prospective new members who attended this regular meeting tonight (first of two meetings they are required to attend). That is such a good feeling to see so many interested -- that tells me we are group offering something very worth while!

At our December meeting we always vote the new officers in for the New Year. I will remain the treasurer. Our current secretary will remain as secretary. We will have a new president and new vice president -- which speaks volumes about the personal growth of these two ladies! ... And we got a lot of business done! I love productive meetings like this one.

Our hostess for this meeting had hidden a Christmas fairy in her living room and for whomever found it she had a gift. I found it! She gave me a book called Green Investing, A Guide to Making Money through Environment-Friendly Stocks by, Jack Uldrich. I'll read it and let you know what I think of it.

And we did a journaling activity this evening. All of the members agreed -- we were pleasantly surprised by how all the guests tonight openly shared their results of this journaling activity.

Altering A Christmas Tradition -- Best Gift Ever

Of course a Christmas tree is must -- every year we put one up in the living room the first Sunday after Thanksgiving and it stays up in until January 2. My December budget has always dictated the sized of the our tree -- usually around 5 feet tall and I gravitate towards a Douglas Fir type tree. Then loading, nearly stuffing, it with white lights and decorate it with silver, gold, red and green ornaments that have been collected over the years. When all is done the Christmas tree looks ... perfect ... in my opinion. Well this year I stepped out of that comfort zone. I didn't mean to and to be honest to felt a little uncomfortable at first. The kids and I were visiting a friend after school a few days ago and it just so happen that her father-in-law had "weeded" some saplings off his property in the mountains and brought her family three trees early in the day. My friend asked if we would like one. Something came over me and I accepted the frail, meager 7' gift -- the kids were thrilled! All the way home all I could think of was how am I going to put lights on this tree? It reminded me of Charlie Brown's Christmas tree only much taller. Well we managed and the tree is adorable. It is definitely not "my" traditional tree. Seeing the kids proud of their tree made the change worth it to me. I am proud of myself too for flowing with this -- observing my uneasiness about this and letting it go. I truly love this tree and it makes it one of the best gifts I have ever received!

A Quote for Today: November

A friend and co-worker sent me an email today - a slide show of a Chinese Proverb. I like what it said very much. Then at the end of this slide show one slide states that this Chinese Proverb originated in the Netherlands. I found that to be perplexing -- odd. Regardless of where if is really from I genuinely like what the message said. So I share it here:

"With money you can buy a house but not a home.
With money you can buy a clock but not time.
With money you can buy a bed but not sleep.
With money you can buy a book but not knowledge.
With money you can buy a doctor but not good health.
With money you can buy a position but not respect.
With money you can buy blood but not life.
With money you sex but not love."

Would you like to find FREE Babysitting?

Have I mentioned yet that I am part of a wonderful community of 16 families who share in babysitting each others' children? Well, a year ago one of my friends asked me if I would like to join a babysitting Co-Op that she was starting. Many of us were doing the "Date Night Swap" deal where we were individually trying to find babysitters to get a day of shopping in, uninterrupted house cleaning done or even a DATE with our husbands every once in a while. If our kids ended up on a "play date" with our friends' kids, we always some how reciprocated with watching their children in return sometime in the near future. Well a real system was put into place when my friend, Shannon, decided to start our babysitting co-op. We meet as a group every two months to discuss business. We each take turns at being the secretary; who takes sit requests and finds families within our group to sit for us. It is all kept "official" with a point system. We all have very similar parenting styles which makes it very nice. It feels really good to have an adult watching my children! And when it is time for the "sitter" to go home it feels even better to leave that $8.00 (I have sometimes had to pay as much as $15.00) an hour in my pocket! And I must add the stronger bounds we have all made are simply wonderful!

You know what, if your are interested in learning how to start your own babysitting co-op, subscribe to my FREE monthly Journal! I will share how to do things like this in my publication!

Jules

Investment Club Meeting: November Open House

Yes! ... Ahh! It was a very success evening and I had such a good time. I really do love being in a group of women where we discuss money; the entire topic and all the that this topic encompasses.

We had 15 women come to our investment club's Open House! That alone I feel is worth celebrating! We have 7 open seats for new members in the club and I have every reason to believe we will fill those seats!

The responses from all the guests were positive and enthusiastic. We do have a process to join. Prospective members must attend at least two regular monthly meetings. We will have a regular meeting next month since we held the Open House in place of our regular meeting.

A Quote for Today: October Poem "A Taste of Mindfulness"

A Taste of Mindfulness

“Have you ever had the experience of stopping so completely,
of being in your body so completely,
of being in your life so completely,
that what you knew and what you didn’t know,
that what had been and what was yet to come,
and the way things are right now,
no longer held even the slightest hint of anxiety or discord,
a moment of complete presence beyond striving,
beyond mere acceptance,
beyond the desire to escape or fix anything or plunge ahead,
a moment of pure being,
no longer in time,
a moment of pure seeing,
pure feeling,
a moment in which life simply is,
and that is-ness grabs you by all your senses,
all your memories, by your very genes,
by your loves,
and welcomes you home,
that is a taste of mindfulness.”

Jon Kabet-zin

Investment Club Meeting: October

We moved our meeting up a week so that we would have more time to plan for our club's Open House we are having in November. I am so excited about this, I can hardly sit still!

I presented the draft changes to our by-laws to the group and the suggestions were all well received by every member.

We will put together a Power Point presentation, hosting food and wine and one of our members is designing our invitations, we will have a hand-on activity, some members will share testimonials! I have such good feeling about the Open House, the prospect of new members and the changes we are making as a group!

A Quote for Today: September

Today I share some of my favorite Oprah Winfrey quotes. Others may have said them too because some of these I have heard similar versions before, but Oprah is quoted as saying these and I resonate with them:

"I believe the every single event in life happens in a opportunity to choose love or fear".

"Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough".

"My philosophy is that not only are you responsible for your life, but doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment".

IRS Debt -- What I Found Out

It is just becoming apparent to me just how many ties and strings (on many levels) there are to unwind when married people go separate ways. This part is beginning to really fascinate me. First of all I am honestly over much of the anger I was feeling that drove me to the decision to divorce my husband. I had made this decision back in September 2007 and told him then too. So I have been unweaving the emotional ties for several months now. I can really take a step back an make observation about the process without the emotional upheaval. I find this prospective interesting. Anyway, we do not have much in assets together, but we do have debt with the IRS. And now I am working on cutting my connection with him on this too. I am happy to pay the IRS my half, but not his. The IRS (so I hear) doesn't see a married couple at two people even after a divorce; if one doesn't pay they go after the x-spouse until the debt is paid in full.

Well, I made a phone call today and told the IRS agent on the phone my situation which is that I had set up a payment plan a few moths ago to pay off our IRS debt. My soon to be x-husband has not paid for his portion of the payment in a timely matter two months in a row and the payment plan is now cancelled. I proceeded to tell her additional personal information and asked how can I get my half separated from his half. Now here is the the most interesting part ... the first IRS agent I spoke with told me there was nothing I could do about this .. she simply said that we were married for those tax years owed and we owe them together. I hung up, yes frustrated ... and you know what I did. I got back on the phone and called the IRS up again. A different IRS agent came on the line. Now I must add that callers get placed on hold until the next available agent comes on the line. I had waited nearly 20 minutes for the first agent and about 15 for the second agent. I proceeded to tell my same story to the second IRS agent and she said that I might qualify for Innocent Spouse Relief and Separation of Liability and Equitable Relief and to fill out form 8857!

Wow! I am so glad I listen to my urge to call back ... something just told me to call back. And yes, I found the form online, filld it out and mailed it in. I'll keep you posted.

Investment Club Meeting: September

We did not have a regular investment club meeting tonight. Instead we all met up this morning to do our community outreach activity volunteering at the Food Bank in Salinas. We packed nearly 300 bags of food -- assembly line style -- that were given out (after we left) to people who need food for the week. While were were there a local news station came to the Food Bank to do a new story and the investment club made it on the 5 o'clock news!

This was really fun helping out. Everyone in the group gained something from this experience. It was amazing to see the huge warehouse full of donated food and to hear about the volume of food that the Food Bank moves each week. I am always fascinated with working systems. I spent time talking to the warehouse foreman asking him about all of that.

Rewarding day!

Nature by the Drop Blending Lab

I scored on a mahogany table today off Craigslist! I needed a dining table because I hosted a Nature by the Drop blending lab tonight and did not have a dinning table.

Holly and I had two ladies come who knew a little about essential oils, but have not come to one of our labs yet. They each made a few items. My 7 year old daughter made herself a spritzer – she loves blending too!

I feel like I want to tell you more about these blending labs. We play an essential oil ice breaker to begin. Usually a new person has no idea what they want to make or what to expect from these labs. There are so many oils to choose from that it can be over whelming. So we purchased a deck of informative cards; each card features an essential oil and describes all the qualities of that particular oil. We each randomly choose a card and share what it says and then smell that oil. It is fun to see everyone light up when they discover they can really use the oil they chose for a particular purpose they happen to be working on lately.

A Quote for Today: August

"The happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything;

they just make the best of everything they have".

~Unkown

Investment Club Meeting: August

This was an exciting meeting for me tonight. I get into one of these spaces where my ideas just come enthusiastically spewing out. Since all members were present, our current president re-opened the subject of increasing membership and taking a new direction for the club... bringing back some of what we used to do, improve on what we currently do and add more to our monthly meetings. This is what got me all jazzed!

This investment club has supported so many women over the last four years -- it is really more than just an investment club. Through this club we educate ourselves, broaden our comfort zones, go within to explore our relationships with money, set goals and achieve them, support each other no matter what pace anybody is at. Since I founded this club, I take great pride in seeing growth in all who have come and gone in the club.. I want more for this club and I want to see more women join and gain.

After long and thoughtful discussions, the group has asked me to make a draft revision of our by-laws to review at our next meeting. We also will discuss holding an open house in November to recruit new members! Yeah!

Things ARE Better Than They Seem

Today was a day where I thought (for about an hour) that my finical situation was worse off than it really was. Reality ... what is it anyway? I have more bills due and past due than I have money in hand today. ... So what I am doing is juggling and stretching the money. My next pay check is still two weeks away. I have items for sale on eBay and Craigslist … not sold yet. I feel like I am pinned tight to a budget. Why dose this feel so boxed-in, heavy and draining?

Then my friend Elsa comes over during the day. Just in general conversation, she just happened to share her thoughts about reality ... she told me that it not real to have a million dollar home, its not real to have interior decorators come in and your home is ready and in order all in one day. Basically I think she was saying it is not real to have an expensive life style at least not now. ... Hmmm ... to think this way actually felt worse to me than thinking about all my past due bills.

Well then, I do not agree with what she said. And I do not agree with what my reality appears to be like today either. I do believe that no matter what economic status someone has money can perceivably create pressure, responsibilities and freedoms too (whole slough of emotions, thoughts and conditions). But you know what? Those feelings, thought and ideas are not coming from the money. I am not sitting here consoling my checkbook because it felt stretched and juggled today. Those feelings and thoughts came from within me! I had to think about where these ideas and feeling where coming from in the first place; to be honest with you I was sounding like my mother.

So I nipped that in the bud. I basically acknowledge my emotions and reminded myself that my life is my life and I have control over my life. I became the observer throughout the day. I reminded myself of all that I am grateful for and all the success in my life. I thanked the money for coming into my life and blessed it as I sent it out again to pay the bills; passing it along to bless someone else’s life.

And the best part is that I sat down and reorganized my budget and saw that I really do have enough money coming in each month (all about cash flow) and my perception around my financial situation changed! Next month will be different! Things are better than they seem and I bet they always are!

My Mission for this Blog: Sharing my Path

So after these past several months, it has become clearer to me what I am doing here; writing entries for this blog. I really do want to share my day to day doings with those who are genuinely interested. I want to share my path of how I make changes in my life to get to where I want to be in all aspect of my life.

Here is a “catch-you-up” paragraph: A few years ago I had read the Power of Focus (written in 2000) by Les Hewitt, Mark Victor Hansen and Jack Canfield. Later I took an online course taught by Les Hewitt. The course was based on the book. I really enjoyed the course, but I kept finding myself saying that his content really speaks more to business owners and to men in general. Basically as a woman who has an entrepreneurial spirit (I always have a project brewing) and a mom of two kids I felt he was not speaking to me and maybe others like me. Anyway, I took his advice and suggestions and tweaked them to fit me better.

Thus, I have six (6) areas in my life to focus on; to plan for, to goal set for, to nurture, to balance, and to simply enjoy. Those areas are: my spiritual life, family life, social life, my health, my financial life and my life style. At the time I took the online course I had written several essential goals for each area. I listed each goal in order of importance and took the top three to in each area to focus on. In another blog entry I will detail how that looks. It is time for me to do this exercise again!

Also I had written a personal purpose/mission statement; Les Hewitt called it a Life Purpose. I just reread what I had written (in 2005 - wow time flies). I’ll share that later too after I amend it.

Later I discovered that Les Hewitt and his wife Fran Hewitt wrote in 2003 The Power of Focus for Women. That is now on my current reading list of books to read.

A Quote for Today: July

This is written in the Hebrew Talmud...

"Be very careful if you make a woman cry, because God counts her tears. The woman came out of a man's rib. Not from his feet to be walked on. Not from his head to be superior, but from the side to be equal. Under the arm to be protected, and next to the heart to be loved."

Nature by the Drop

Holly and I held another essential oil blending today! These labs really are a lot of fun! Today's lab was small with four women sitting around the table blending to their hearts content.

In case you have not read other blog entries titled Nature by the Drop, my friend Holly and I have a little business venture brewing. Holly is teaching me all about essential oils. We have teamed up together and we host blending labs each month in my home. People come over for a few hours to learn about essential oils. Then they make personal products with the oils and other natural organic ingredients.

Investment Club Meeting: July

I would have gone to my investment club meeting tonight, but we cancelled it. It is summer time and too many members are on vacation and we have to have a quorum to have a meeting.

First Loads to the New House

I had some friends help me and we took the first two loads over to the house in Carmel today. I will be gone Friday night and all day on Saturday (bad timing). I’m sure I shared that I got the job as office assistant at my kids’ school. They go to a Waldorf Charter School in Pacific Grove. So as an employee I am required to go to one-day overview training of Waldorf education at the Rudolph Steiner College in Northern California. I am keeping the faith that my move will go smoothly on Sunday and Monday when I return.

A Quote for Today: June

F.E.A.R.

False Evidence Appearing Real

90% of what stops people from realizing their dreams is FEAR

I have heard this said many time in various places. Thought I'd share it here.

Another Successful Yard Sale

I am so happy to be getting rid of so much. I am the type the does not like to accumulate items and I do go through closets on a regular basis, but when moving it really forces me to let stuff go -- I love. I had another yard sale today. This will be the last one because I need to move by the end of the month! Made another $300.00 today, I'd say that was a success! Yahoo!
And I have to add that a very cool thunder storm came through today -- made for a nice way to end the yard sale!

Moving to Carmel

Okay so that was easy! Yahoo! I met with the owner of the house in Carmel. I basically said I wanted to move in and he said okay -- all on a gentle man's hand shake. And I needed that kind of neighborly agreement -- no credit checks and hoops to jump through! The divorce is leaving my financial side of life in a bit of a mess which is completely fixable, but I have to rent now and I certainly am not interested in telling a potential land lord my "story". The way I see it; I have two kids to put a roof over and I will see to it that the rent is always paid regardless of what credit history looks like. And some people just can't get past that credit report.

Anyway, I feel very blessed today! (And must say feeling empowered as well) And the adventure has begun! The house is not available until July 15^th! My kids and I have to move out of our house by July 1^st! But there is studio apartment with a separate entrance down stairs in this house in Carmel and the owner said we can move into that until the 15^th. With everything else falling in to place the way that it did that will work!

Whoohoo!

Investment Club Meeting: June

I went to my monthly investment club meeting tonight. Our current president opened up the discussion about increasing our membership. We currently have five women in the club and our by-laws allow for 12 members. After discussion of this, some of the members like the small group and the rest of us (including me) would like to see more women join. I made some suggestions for changes ... I think everyone will consider. I'll let you know if we implement this changes. I think they are exciting and over all improvements!

We also talked about what will do as a group for community service this year. It looks like we will volunteer at the local food bank in September.

We did not journal this evening due to our journaling leader is out of town.

Moving Day is Nearing

It is amazing how life works. I have been sharing all along that I am getting a divorce -- husband moved out. My kids and I have to move out of our house too because we rent and the owner is putting the house on the market. We have to move out by July 1. I have not yet found a place to move to. I did make a list of all that I want in a house and all the criteria I need in order to make this move a smooth transition.

I did find a house just down the street, that fits my needs, but I would have to have a roommate! I have someone in mind, but I am getting a feeling about it – you know one of those gut feelings. Anyway on the same day I found this house and spoke to the owner another friend calls me up and tells me about a fantastic house in Carmel. A mutual friend lives in the house and is moving out of state. But I really think I want to stay in Pacific Grove, plus I think I found this house down the street. Well my gut feeling keeps gnawing and the idea of moving in the house down the street no longer seems effortless. So I call my other friend back and tell her I want to see this house in Carmel.

I go today to see this house and my friend who lives there – Wow! I am impressed! It is a big house! It is a nice house! … with a view of the lagoon from every room being rented under market value. The house has everything on my list to meet my desires in a house; you know things like a garage, laundry room, at least two bedrooms etc… Now I just have to meet with the owner of the house …

I want to rent this house! I have 20 days left to find a place! … and honestly I am not stressed about.

Nature by the Drop Event

Last night Holly and I had another essential oil blending lab. One of Holly’s dear friends, Mindy, hosted it in her home in the Carmel Valley. We had eight ladies show up to make wonderful blends of their own. I find it rather special to see a group of woman come together to be creative and socialize. So the evening was rewarding on many levels. I am happy to be working on this business venture with Holly and sharing the knowledge about the healing properties of essential oils.

A Quote for Today: May

"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain"! -- Unkown

Leaving for My Son's Third Grade Class Trip

I am leaving first thing in the morning with my son and his 3rd grade class, his teacher and six other chaperones for five days. At our school it is tradition that 3rd grade visit a working farm. We are driving six hours north to a 100 year old family farm called Emandal in Willits, CA. My kids go to a Waldorf inspired charter school and this trip is part of the 3rd grade curriculum; it is at most Waldorf schools. I am looking forward to this change of pace and the experience!

Successful Yard Sale

I had my yard sale today. I took a car load of stuff over to where the community yard sale was happening and I'd say it was quite successful. Nearly everything was sold and I have $300.00 in my pocket -- Yipee! I was done by 1:00pm. It feels really good to have less stuff and know that others are happy to have what no longer needed.

Random Blessings

I was on the internet looking up animal totems -- just something fun to do in the moment – when I came across someone’s idea for random blessings. I have heard different variations of this before but this variation sounds like it would be the most fun to actually do. One of these days (sooner than later) I will do it and let you know how it turns out! In the meantime maybe you want to try it!

So the purpose of these random blessings is to give and receive money. The amount you choose to give away is completely up to you. Remember to keep a light heart about it; spread the blessings because you really want to and expect nothing in return – just as would do when you give any gift.

On a sticky note write a blessing; maybe something like, “May your life be blessed with abundance”, or “May you always be blessed with all that your heart desires”, or you can be creative and think of something simple.

Write as many blessings on sticky notes as you want, then place one sticky note on one dollar or on a five dollar bill (or a higher denomination if you want to). Do this as many times as you wrote blessings. Then find random places in public to hide the blessed money. The key here is to hide the blessing so that people can really find them. If you drop them on the ground, it could look like someone ‘dropped’ or ‘lost’ their money. You really want people to find the blessing and have them feel the effect that it was meant for them.

Suggested places to hide a blessing: inside a newspaper, maybe in the employment section, between books on a library shelf, in a shoe box in the shoe department of a department store, you can carry a glue stick and glue the blessings to a bathroom stall door, a box of cereal or a bag of diapers. Place these blessings anywhere as long as others will easily find them.

Please be mature and responsible and most of all have fun spreading joy!

Looking for a Job ... part II

And this tops the email I received on Monday from a friend about a job!

So, I was at my kids’ school earlier today. It is “soup day” and I was there helping my son’s 3^rd grade class serve homemade soups to other students for lunch when someone from the office came down to the classroom to see me. She whispered that the person who was hired to take the office assistant job in July had just called to say she can not take the job after all and asked if I was still interested!

You bet I am still interested! As a single mom to be this is my interim dream job! I will work the same hours my kids are in school and have the same holiday schedule too!

I immediately contacted a member of the hiring committee and scheduled myself and interview!

Investment Club Meeting: May

I started a women's investment club four years ago. I had always wanted to learn about investing in the stock market and investing in real estate. So I decided to start a club. Three of my friends (after asking many) decided to join me and help start one.

The investment club meets once a month; the second Wednesday of each month. We are structured as a general partnership complete with by-laws. We do have club dues and currently invest in the stock market together with those funds.

Last night was our May meeting. We just started a journaling series (we do many activities around the theme of money besides investing) and I want to share with you the activity we did last night.

Last year, one of the club's members discovered a book called “The Energy of Money,” by Maria Nemeth. As a club we occasionally like to read books together. We have started to explore this book chapter by chapter together. Last night we each wrote and shared our "Money Biographies'. It was fascinating to write about and hear about the negativity around money that we each were exposed to while growing up. We each had positive ideas around money while growing up too. And our stories were so different from each others. Already I can see that the author, Maria Nemeth, is demonstrating that our ideas about money can be debilitating or empowering.

The club will work from chapter 2 at our August meeting.

Looking for a Job ...

So this morning I was pondering on what do to about finding a job. Well, that seems obvious; get the paper and look in the help wanted section, or go to Craigslist and see what might me posted, put the word out to friends that I am looking for work ... blah blah blah. But, I loathe the whole job hunting process; filling out applications and hoping for a job interview and then sitting through a job interview hoping I made the perfect first impression (of course I am qualified otherwise I would not be applying for the position). It is just not in my nature to jump through the hoops. I would rather create a business and my own hoops. I am doing that with my friend. We have Nature by the Drop as a budding side business that I have every reason to believe will blossom into something fabulous. But right now, this month and next and the one following that, I need cash flow from a "job" -- maybe for a year or two at the very most. I will do what ever it takes ... as long as the process to get there is "effortless and easy" as my friend Pam would say.

So how am I going to do that?

The job I really would love to have is the office assistant position that begins in July at my kids' school. That could very well be the dream job of any single mom of elementary aged children -- It is definitely my interim dream job! Well the day I turned in my application I was told they had just filled that position. I was bummed but asked them to please keep my resume because you never know what might happen.

Anyway, I did mention to one of my friends who is a doctor just building her practice that I could help her out in her office ... she is thinking about it ...

So how am I going to do create myself a job effortless and easily? I just will!

* * * * * * * * * *

So you are not going to believe this! I am so excited (I get excited easily, but this is pretty cool)! I left this blog entry about two hours ago to runs some errands. I came home and checked my email. There I find an email from a friend I have not talked to since October so she doesn't even know I am looking for a job or even getting a divorce and someone she knows is looking for a stay-at-home mom who can help sell ad space for her local radio show. I can do that! You bet, I replied to that email! I called her on the phone too -- job sounds very interesting and very flexible. I've got to have flexibility in a job while I have two young children . I am meeting with Deborah on May 27 to talk more about what she is looking for.

Now that was effortless and easy! Yay!

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day!

My nine year old son made scrabbled eggs and orange juice and served me in bed! My six year old daughter brought me flowers from the garden and drew me a picture! And they each presented me with a gift they and made in school!

We went for a bike ride; rode along the bike path which follows the shoreline of the bay.

I truly felt honored and had a wonderful day!

I hope yours was just as blessed!

Today I "Pray to God and Row to Shore"

Some days only appear to be bigger challenges than they really are.

Fact: Today I woke up with a little anxiety knocking at my door. I have $30.26 in my checking account and I do not have a job lined up. What am I going to do about that?

There are others facts about today that I am acknowledging and am grateful for: Today I have a roof over my head, food in the cupboards, PG and E is paid, my children and I are healthy and I am resourceful. And if I really think about it, I am even grateful that I have that $30.26!

But I still need to do something about it! So I choose acknowledge the anxiety, and tell it to go away. It does not serve a purpose today to have any anxiety.

I walked in my first half marathon (13.5 miles) in Sand Diego June 2007 with and organization called Team in Training. I was walking down the highway about 4 miles from the finish line when I looked up to read a huge banner hanging on an overpass. It read: "Obstacles are what you see when you take your eyes off the goal". Wow! It struck me! Could life really be that simple? Do I focus my attention to the hot air, tired feet, the chitter-chatter in my head that wants to doubt, those around me who are struggling or those who are passing me? Or do I remember I have been trained by coaches, I have plenty of water, electrolytes and some carbs with me, I am in a rhythm at a comfortable pace, doing great and with every step I am closer to my goal? It was amazing to experience the two perspectives in an instant. It was a learning moment about perception and attitude. Obstacles are there if I look at them, pay attention to them, focus on them. And they really don't appear to be so important or intrusive if I focus on the goal and the good things around it.

Today all is well – really! I will “Pray to God and row to shore”. This means, I will go through my household belongings and have a garage sale to generate some cash. Meanwhile, I will go look for a job!

Purging and Sorting

I have never liked clutter, yet it has always seemed to build-up around me. I went through a bunch of our belongings. I took four loads to St. Vincent de Paul! I took some of the kids clothes and toys to a local re-sale shop. I found some items I think are worth selling on Ebay. I have sold things before on Ebay it is fairly easy. It is a hit or miss on getting a good price, but at least I don't have the clutter and the items are being enjoyed by others. And I will have some much needed cash in my pocket!

I signed up for a community garage sale I heard about from my friend Holly. The garage sale is set for Saturday, May 17.

Then there is Craigslist, what ever doesn't sell that I think is worth $5 or more I'll put on Craigslist.

No job yet. The job I really would like to have is a part-time office assistant position at my kids' school. But the HR committee told me that they filled the position last week.

Organizing My Household Budget

I pulled out all of my bank statements and receipts all the way back to January 1, 2008 and over the course of three days entered everything into Quicken. I have version 2004. It was installed on my laptop when my laptop was purchased. I knew I needed to take an overview look at my out-going expenses. Remember, I am not employed at this time and I need to know how much money to earn to cover my living expenses: Cash flowing in and cash flowing out; it is like the breath of the household.

Okay, I have calculated that currently a comfortable life style for me and my kids requires earning at least $4,000.00 a month. I will get some child support, but at this point I do not know how much that will be. I do need to find another place to live. The house I am in now is a rental and the owners are putting it on the market. I'll be looking for a new place and decreasing my rent. I need to move by June 30, 2008.

Although my mother taught me all I know about budgeting and I feel I do it very well, I picked up a few books to read up on the latest and greatest in budgeting and financial planning. So over the course of the last six months or so I have been reading. I'll write reviews and tell you more about those books later. And I will also tell you now that I started a women's investment club four years ago ... and I will tell you more about that later too. The books I read were very helpful in planning my monthly household budget. I came up with seven (7) basic groups: 1) Income, 2)Must Have Essentials, 3) Important Essentials, 4) Amusements/Luxuries, 5) Savings, 6) Investments, and 7) Giving Back.

In summary, what this means is that after I entered all of my deposits and receipts, I took a look at my spending habits and determined which expenses are Must Have Essential; the absolute musts like rent, groceries, electricity, auto insurance and so forth. Then I determined what was an Important Essential; important enough to keep, but if I absolutely had to I could eliminate like the cell phone, education costs, gifts during the holidays and birthdays, recreational fees for my kids to play sports and things like that. Next, I determined the Amusements/Luxuries. These things are all about having fun which is very important, but in a crunch I can go without for several months like, dining out, going to plays, weekend outing, vacations, pedicures and so on ... Now you might really feel a pedicure is an Important Essential rather than an Amusement/Luxury or an automobile is an Important Essential rather than a Must Have Essential. Then you would determine what works best for you; what suits your personality and life style. The group called Savings is for saving for those big ticket items that I dream of having like a newer car or taking the kids to Hawaii. The group called Investments will be used for future investing. This is my path to financial freedom and I'll talk about that later. And last but not least is the group for giving back. I want to donate to causes and programs I believe in on a regular basis.

Please note that I am all for and have the mind set to generating more income rather than cutting back. But it is crucial to know where the money is coming from and where the money is going to in order to set goals and plans in place to generate more income.

In an upcoming article, I'll talk about how I divide up the income to feed each group I defined today and share a little about financial goals.

Nature by the Drop

I would like to share with you that I have a little business venture brewing with a good friend of mine, Holly. Holly is teaching me all about essential oils. We have teamed up together and are hosting blending labs each month in my home. People come over for a few hours to learn about essential oils and then get to make personal products with them. Holly and I have been doing these blending labs since last November - just 7 months. We are having so much fun! I am learning a lot from Holly. She is the client educator and I am the business systems woman -- making a great team. Although we are not drawing an income yet, the dream is big and plans are rolling!

We call our blending labs Nature by the Drop. And we are having two labs back to back today!

Won a Raffle Today

Guess what? Today I won the 50/50 raffle at my kids' school’s May Faire celebration! Our school hosts a May Faire every spring and there is always a raffle of some kind. This year I bought $10.00 worth of tickets for the 50/50 raffle and won half the cash in the pot -- $187.50!

And my daughter won a free pass to our local roller skating rink and my son won a pass to play miniature golf!

What a fun day we have had!

First Steps to Grasp the Changes Ahead

I am creating a new life. I am looking forward to it, yet it is change.

I am getting a divorce after 16 years of marriage. My husband moved out of our house about three weeks ago. We decided that he is going to take most of the furniture. I just don't want what we have accumulated over the years. He has moved out but most of his belongings are still here. My kids and I have to move out too. We rent and the house is going to be placed on the market. The kids and I have until the end of June to find a new place (and I may have some opportunities to be creative with that 'deadline'). Anyway, during this transition of dividing up the household, my main my goal now is to spend some time calculating how much money I will need to create each month to run my new household and set a budget in place.

I have my own checking account -- we have already closed all of our joint accounts a few months ago. The bank I bank at offers online banking and I love that feature, but I want to keep track of my money using a program. So another goal I am setting now is to set up my checkbook and track my spending on Quicken.

So that is where I will begin: #1 Set time aside to determine how much money my kids and I need each month to live #2 Set up my bank account information and budget plan on Quicken.