-- Pay it Forward --

One last thing. You may know about Jonathon Archie from my pastletters, but, if not, he's a little boy in a bad situation.

He's my"Pay it Forward" focus this week. Please stop by

http://www.jonathanarchiefund.com/dp.aspx?pgid=148 .

If you can't contribute financially, then please tell a friend.

-- WAHM Talk Radio -- Goofy me! --

I would like to invite you to stop by WAHMTalkRadio and listen. I'm co-hosting again with Kelly, and you can hear how goofy I sound. ;)

And, don't laugh too hard when Nell gets onto the call. She and Ihave become good friends, so the giggling started as soon as she got on.

Seriously, though, the guests this week are fantastic. And,Marie Roker, one of the guests will soon be a ShowMomTheMoneyregular. So, be sure to catch her section. She's awesome! http://www.wahmtalkradio.com

Speaking of Marie, don't miss her telecourse this Wednesday (It's free!) I'll definitely be there - listening and learning. http://smartbeecoaching.typepad.com/money_making_mommas/

Also, just for signing up for Marie's telecourse, you can get access to "The Millionaire Mind" which I really enjoyed. Think about it. If Donald Trump lost all his money and rebuilt himself to be a millionaire, do you think he'd feel successful? Not a chance. His goals are set much higher than that! What is your financial thermostat set to? $200 a month or $10,000 amonth?

Don't limit yourself. Set it high.

Hosting from Hell

I lost alot of my ecourse and newsletter subscribers this weekend over what I'll call my "Hosting from Hell experience". If you tried to visit ShowMomTheMoney yesterday, you saw a message that said "Domain hasexpired". EEK! I renewed it two months ago, but my hosting companydidn't let the domain registry know that. Scary! Thanks to my fantastic work at home mom friends, for letting me know. My computershowed the site just fine, so I would never have known otherwise!This is a HUGE lesson that I'm glad ended well. Be sure to choose wisely when it comes to hosting!

Top 10 Ways to Stay Sane as a Work at Home Mom

Top 10 Ways to Stay Sane as a Work at Home Mom

by Nicole Dean

The other day, someone asked me what it's like to be a work at home mom. I just blinked back at him, my mind blank. How could I possibly describe life as a work at home mom? Only someone who's lived it can understand the juggling act it requires.

Work at home moms have the usual responsibilities of being a mom - folding laundry, scheduling doctor's appointments, helping with homework, reading bedtime stories, and basically being on call 24-hours a day. In addition, there is the conundrum of how to find time to work and answer emails, do networking, update bookkeeping, make phone calls, and more. And, it must fit into a 24 hour day. So, how do we do it? How do we stay sane in the chaos?

It's disclaimer time. I am not the person to give advice on sanity. I'm pretty sure I filed away my sanity last year when I did taxes. I have my days where I say "That's it! I'm getting a regular job!" But, then I talk to my wonderful friend who reminds me of the reality of the real world -- the traffic, the boss who won't let me go to my son's field trip, and the fact that I'd probably have to buy pantyhose again. She manages to slap some sense back into me every time. I hate pantyhose.

Working from home the last few years, I've picked up a few handy tips. They aren't magic beans, that, when planted, will grow you a nanny and a housekeeper, but they can help you to enjoy being a work at home mom just a little bit more.

10. Freezer Cooking! This is my personal life-saver. Spend one day during the week or one day each month assembling meals and your reward is a freezer filled with food. Then, when it's time to make dinner, just grab a healthful, inexpensive meal from your freezer, heat it up and serve. Think about it. Next time you cook dinner, quadruple the recipe and put what you don't eat into the freezer for later. Presto! Magic food will appear in your freezer the next time you need it.

9. Pay it Forward- By helping others, it reminds us that many of our own problems are much smaller than they appear. Whether you donate money, give blood, or volunteer your time, you are setting a beautiful example for your children. Involve your older kids and make volunteering a family activity.

8. Stay Healthy - Dust off your rollerblades, strap a pillow across your bottom and hit the pavement. Or surprise your children and the dog with a nice long walk.

7. Organize, organize, organize! If you're spending hours each week sorting through piles of paper, looking for receipts or "to do" lists, that is wasted time and unnecessary frustration. Sweep the Magic 8 ball, the empty jar of peanuts, the Slinky, and the Snickers wrapper off your desk right now. You can do it!

6. Save Money - As Benjamin Franklin wrote in Poor Richard's Almanac "A penny saved is a penny earned." Work at home moms know how hard it can be to earn a penny. So, do everything you can to save those hard-earned cents.

5. Time Management - Don't let Time Stealers make you work any longer than you need to. When you're sitting in front of your computer or talking on the phone, that is time away from your children. Always remember your "why". WHY are you working from home? If the reason is to spend more time with your kids, then figure out how to make that happen!

4. Learn and Learn some More! - Find a mentor or someone who you like the way they handle their business. Network with other moms who are successful, take online classes, or hire a coach. Invest in yourself and you'll invest in your business.

3. Play with your Kids - Whether you sit down to play a board game, or drive Hot Wheels around the carpet, there's always fun to be had. If you need some ideas, check out http://www.ShowKidsTheFun.com

2. Keep your sense of humor. Laugh every day! Turn off your computer, put in your copy of The Village People "YMCA" (I know you have one) and Dance! Dance! Dance!

And the number one way to stay sane as a Work at Home Mom .....

1. Always remember "The days are long, but the years are short." Although it oftentimes feels like the days drag by as a work at home mom, remember that the years are flying by. It's that reminder that keeps me grounded on days when the projects are heavy and the beach is calling. If you're looking for me, you can find me at the beach!

Nicole Dean is the mostly-sane Mom behind http://www.showmomthemoney.com - helping WAHMs Succeed. If you want to be a successful and mostly-sane work at home mom, too, don't miss Nicole's free tutorial at http://www.showmomthemoney.com/free-tutorial.htm

Note: This article and more are available for reprint with Author bio intact http://www.showmomthemoney.com/articles-available-free-reprint.htm

Free Stuff for WAHMs!

Happy Monday! Summer is almost here and I'm just loving all the sunshine!

My 8 year old is looking forward to summer vacation, too.
He also knows, that, along with all the fun things we do during the summer, he has homework tasks to do every day. (Assigned by Mommy.) He is learning how important education is -- because it's a year-round activity for him, and because he sees me learning, too, by listening to teleseminars and reading books every day.

Are you continuing your WAHM education? I sure hope so! Investing in yourself is key to taking your business to the next level. You ARE so worth it!

If you don't know where to begin, then it's your lucky day! I hit the jackpot and found the best free learning and tools that will help your business -- and I put them all in one place, for you!
Take advantage of one or all of the free offers at ShowMomTheMoney!
http://www.showmomthemoney.com/freecourses.asp

Here's Another Bonus Freebie Just for You -
Are you a Sweetie? Did you know that nice guys and girls finish FIRST? Enjoy this free teleseminar from Alice Seba, compliments of ShowMomTheMoney.com http://www.showmomthemoney.com/sweeties.htm

And I also wanted to let you know about a learning and educational seminar that I'll be participating in Mommy Fest 2005 - May 24-26, 2005 http://www.mommyfest.com

I hope you enjoy all these learning opportunities.
Drop me a note to let me know what you think!
Nicole

PS. If you're really ready to invest in yourself and reach your goals of online success, don't wait another minute. Join MomMasterminds. Between the hours and hours of teleseminars and the mentoring, it's priced ridiculously cheap. I waited six months before joining and really regret not joining sooner. http://www.showmomthemoney.com/MM.htm

More Fun with Kids!

Fun with Kids
Aunt B has gifted us with several new preschool themed activities. Don't miss them:
Dinosaur Activities for Kids
Insects and Bug Activities for Kids
Mother's Day Activities for Kids
Flowers Activities for Kids
Farm Preschool Theme

Big Kids Activities
Lion King
Madagascar the Movie
Robots Movie
A Series of Unfortunate Events - Lemony Snicket

Depression - How to Help Someone you Love

Very often, I get emails from mom friends who struggle with depression. Just as often, I hear from moms who are confused and frustrated because they don't know how to help their depressed spouse. I have struggled with depression many times during my life, so this topic is very important to me.

Betsy Sansby, my friend and very experienced Marriage Therapist must be a mind reader, as her most recent article is about depression. It is, in my opinion, a must read.

Betsy is also the creator of the Ouch Kit which is a tool to help children, teens & adults communicate thoughts and feelings that are bottled up and hard to express. My 8 year old has his own box of cards, and I sure learn a lot about him when he uses them! I gain even more insight when my husband and I exchange cards. Try the online tool at the Ouch Kit to see how the cards work.

Please forward this to a friend.

Thank you to all my valued subscribers

Nicole

What do you do when Someone You Love is Depressed?
Dear Betsy,I think my husband is depressed. In just three months he’s gone from being perfectly normal to being crabby and anxious all the time. He hardly eats and he can’t sleep. Usually, he’s snoring before his head hits the pillow and is the first one out of bed in the morning. This morning he refused to go to work and insisted I call in and make excuses for him. I’ve tried being supportive, but this is getting out of hand. I hate to say it, but it almost feels like he’s choosing to be depressed so he doesn’t have to do anything. What should I do?
Signed,
At Wit’s End

Read Betsy's response in her "Save My Marriage" column here:
http://www.showmomthemoney.com/relationships.asp

Also, don't miss Betsy's Archived Columns columns

Chaos, Clutter, Lost Time and Disorganization END NOW!

Happy Belated Mother's Day, ! I hope that yesterday, you were celebrated for being the wonderful mother you are. If you didn't get what you wanted, then treat yourself to a piece of Free Sterling Silver Jewelry. You deserve it!

Yesterday, we celebrated Mother's Day at a Crawfish Festival. My son and daughter even got to race in the NasCraw Races. They loved it! Neither of their crawfish won first place, but they were laughing so hard that they didn't care!

In this issue:
Time and Organization
Changing your Life, One baby step at a time.

Please forward this to a friend!
Nicole Dean, owner

Time & Organization
As you know my goal right now is to tackle the chaos that is my life. My lack of organization and lack of time management are out of control.

But, I've got to tell you that I am so psyched! Kristine Miller of An Organized Life generously provided her $29.95 teleseminar free to all MomsMasterminds members this month. It was awesome! I need to listen to it a few more times to absorb everything. From planning to setting goals to clutter -- it was all covered, including worksheets. Be sure to check out Kristine's site An Organized Life and definitely sign up for her free newsletter on the main page while you're there.

And, of course, if your online business needs a huge boost, join MomsMasterminds -- and you'll get the $29.95 teleseminar free (as well as a home business tax course, press release course, search engine optimization course and more)!!

Changing your life, one baby step at at time - by Louann Cormier
We all know running a business, homes, families and more are a challenge and a balancing act. No one got good at this overnight. It is all about baby steps! I challenge you to find one thing that you do (or don't do) and change it this month. For example, do you have a habit of...

...getting the mail and leaving it in a pile by the front door...then this month make it a new habit to sort it before you put it down. Throw out the junk, put the bills in their place, put the magazines in the magazine bin.

...running around each night trying to figure out what is for dinner?...then make it a new habit to plan your meals each week.

...leaving dishes in the sink...then make it a new habit to wash them or put them in the dishwasher right away.

The same thing applies to your business. Do you have a habit of
......writing your ideas/phone numbers/contact info/orders on scrap pieces of paper?...then make it a new habit of putting them all in a notebook
....throwing receipts into a pile to deal with later?...then make it a new habit of filing them each day.

Whatever the bad habits are, you CAN CHANGE! Just don't try to tackle EVERYTHING! Just pick ONE habit that you want to change and do it everyday for the next 30 days. I promise you that next month, it will become routine! Then next month pick a new habit to adapt. It's all about BABY STEPS.

Louann Cormier
Spice up your life with Megan's Pantry Gourmet FoodsFundraising - Gift Boxes - Business Opportunities
http://www.mymeganspantry.com
603-485-4559

Louann is a leader in her direct sales business Megan’s Pantry. Megan’s Pantry offers a delicious line of gourmet foods. You can visit her site at http://www.mymeganspantry.com/ or via email at louanncormier@meganspantry.com

Time Management? How do you do it?

Happy Monday!

I'd like to take a moment to congratulate my friend Paula Schmitt, "The All Sports Mom" & one of my columnists on publishing her book! Many of you follow Paula's adventures with her 4 sons and her daughter in her column in the Mom Zone.

I invite you to read her new book entitled Living In A Locker Room: A Mom's Tale Of Survival In A Houseful Of Boys. I know a LOT of you can relate to "Living in a Locker Room". Although my son is only 8, we're already spending countless hours in the company of sweaty boys at practices and games. It's hectic sometimes driving from practice to practice, but we love it!

Working at home is such a dichotomy. On the one hand, we are home so we can spend time with our children. On the other hand, we can't spend time with our children because we are too busy working! It doesn't make any sense!

Like many of you, Time Management is one of my biggest struggles, along with Organization. Both seem to be getting more and more out of hand, the busier I get.So, how do we do it? How do we add time to our days? How do we juggle all the balls in the air without dropping any? How do we work from home and still find time to enjoy our children?

Today, you'll have access to a new section of ShowMomTheMoney that I've been working on, all about Time Management:

Enjoy the articles, and definitely check out the DayPlanners just for Moms. I hope you learn something from the section. I know I learned much putting it together. Come back soon as I'll have more info added.

Drop everything and come by the ShowMomTheMoney Ryze Network and post YOUR biggest questions. The members there know how to help!

Nicole