About

Hi, I’m Tracy. I’m a mother of two young kids, living in Southwest Florida, making things work on one salary. I don’t profess to be an expert, but I hope some of the tips and tricks I use to trim the budget and keep things beautiful and fun, might help someone else.

I’m new at being a full-time mom, after being a journalist and TV news manager for 17 years. I learn as I go and I’d love for you to join me on the journey.

Those are the basic details. If you want to know more about me and how my life completely turned upside down a few months ago, you can read more below.

At the time I, let’s say, “paused” my career, I had a six figure job working with colleagues I adored in a city that I loved. But my job required working pretty much around the clock and I ached for something else every single day. More time with my kids. At the time, my daughter was 5 and my son 7.

From the time I had my first child I felt like a massive rip had formed inside me, splintering me into two people – the ambitious, hard-working woman my mother raised me to be and a mother who knew deadlines and ratings would never again be as important or gratifying as smiles, giggles and cuddles.

On Monday mornings I would cry in my car on the way to work.

I wasn’t there for my son’s first smile or his first laugh. I saw them in pictures.

Fast forward 7 long years and God offered me an opportunity. My husband got a great job offer that opened a window to a new world. A world where I can take them to and from school every day, shuttle them to gymnastics, soccer and any other sport they want to try. And help them do their homework and limit their screen time. Before, sports often didn’t fit with work schedules and too much time was spent playing video games.

So we flipped the script, packed up and left the city for a down-sized, one salary life. I blush every day with the weight of the blessings that have been bestowed upon me. Time with my children to love and nurture them and try to mold them into courageous and compassionate people. The whole family sits down to dinner together every night. And thrown in for good measure, lots of sunshine and palm trees.

None of this would have been possible without God, the awesome talent of my husband, courage and a little bit of crazy.

P.S. The photo above is from my professional days. Please don’t assume that I wear makeup anymore. Or do my hair. 🙂