Category Archives: Personal Assistant

Mothers Day Special

A Tracy Helps You Gift Certificate is a Great Mother’s Day Gift

Give a Tracy Helps You Gift Certificate to Your Mom This Mother’s Day

It’s May in Chicagoland, to me, that means lilacs (my fav) ~ May also means Mother’s Day to us Americans.

On Mother’s Day, we honor our mothers with gifts and cards. Flowers seem to be a particularly popular gift.  Many families treat Mom like a queen on Mother’s Day … treating her to breakfast in bed and a day of relaxation by taking over her usual household duties for the day. Many families go out to share a meal together.

Speaking as a mother, and I’m pretty sure I speak for most (if not all) mothers, when I say one of the most wonderful gifts to receive is the gift of time spent with my family. Just spending time together, reminiscing and making new memories together is the best way to spend the day ❤

Everyone needs some free time / me time, especially Mothers. Sometimes, Moms can feel a little guilty about taking some time for themselves in their busy life. There is always so much to get done. While I am taking care of her To-Do List, she can be relaxing without worrying about things not getting done.

While you are making your Mother’s Day plans and choosing the perfect gift for her ~ remember that your Mom deserves to be pampered & treated far more often than just on the holidays. While you are with her this weekend, helping her out with some of those chores around her house, give her a Tracy Helps You gift certificate. It’s like giving her the gift of free time.

This week, in honor of Mother’s Day, I’m offering a special rate for Gift Certificates ~ 3 hour for $50 … contact me 🙂

 

Book Review & Giveaway ~ Faith in Every Footstep by Wesley Banks

~~~ My Thoughts & Review ~~~

Kyle Walker is a rookie musher who has come to Alaska to win -ok- participate in (but he has great confidence!) the Yukon Quest. He and his team of sled dogs come from South Carolina. His Carolina Greys are a breed that is relatively unheard of in dog sled racing. He is a newcomer to mushing as well.

Kyle has an intense, almost instinctual relationship with each of his 13 dogs, but even more so with King, his lead dog. At times throughout the story, it is as if they could read each other’s minds. While his relationship skills with his dogs is top notch, his people skills need a little work. Most of the people he meets along the trail find him awkward, almost bordering on rude. Jenna, one of the official vets for the race, sees something more. She takes the time to get to know him and his dogs a little better and he starts opening up to her about his himself and his rare breed of sled dogs. She senses that Kyle is a diamond in the rough.

Kyle has his own style of training his team, quite different from the other mushers in the race. His technique serves him well as he passes through the various checkpoints, each time gaining a more advanced position.

The author has a style of writing that draws you into the scenes he is describing. It feels as if you are there on the trail with Kyle, seeing and experiencing things through his eyes. He describes some intense scenes where I could start to feel my adrenaline rise and other heart in your throat scenes where I felt all choked up. I could feel the love he has for his team, like his dogs were his family.

Faith in Every Footstep is the first in a series, and the cliffhanger style ending has me looking forward to reading the next book. I gives this book 2 thumbs up and hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

On the eve of one of mankind’s toughest races, accompanied by thirteen of America’s rarest dog breed, rookie musher Kyle Walker only has one thought in mind: win. Discovered in the lowlands of South Carolina, the Carolina grays have traveled over five thousand miles to face off in the 2003 Yukon Quest. But one dog stands above the rest—King.

When an unexpected storm strikes, Kyle Walker and the reigning champion are forced to turn back. Stranded at the checkpoint, Kyle and his dogs find solace in a young veterinarian with auburn hair and keen green eyes—Jenna Maynor.

In this storm another race is forming, one of an Inuit man racing to save his family. Presented with the choice to help, but at the risk of his and his dogs’ lives, Kyle Walker ventures into the unknown in search of a mom and two young daughters.

The Yukon Quest was founded on the premise that a dog driver and his team should be a self-sufficient unit capable of challenging varied terrain and severe weather. But these conditions may prove to be too much, even for Kyle and King.

Available to buy from…
Amazon.com   Amazon.co.uk   Barnes and Noble    Paperback

“As it was perilously gut-wrenching as a reader, it was, at the same time, beautifully written. Seriously, while reading it, I felt the stress and worry for their predicament, but also the quiet calm that Kyle so often exudes.” – Terrill Rosado

“A wonderful story written by a gifted storyteller who used a unique connection between man and dog that drew me into the story and touched my soul.”

“A story of courage, commitment, and determination to do the right thing in the face of adversity. The love shown by the dogs and Kyle is really a beautiful, unending love. The amount intensity that comes from this story will keep you on the edge of your seat and you will not want this story to end. It is well written, articulate and the descriptions of the area and conditions are so clear you can feel them.”

Above reviews from Amazon

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You will fall in love with Ria and Artemis in Faith In Every Footstep

Also Available
Hope In Every Raindrop: A Sled Dog Adventure and Romance (Faith, Hope, and Love Book 2)
Small towns have big stories. That was a lesson Katie’s father taught her years ago. A lesson she’s taken to heart. And right now, Katie is desperate for a big story.

Reeling from the recent loss of her father and with her agent breathing down her neck for the next book, the twenty-one-year-old writer picks a spot on the map and finds herself bound for a middle-of-nowhere town called Bishopville, South Carolina.

Taking a chance on the words of a local grocer, Katie stumbles upon a rare breed of dogs raised by the town doctor and his nephew Kyle. The only problem? Kyle isn’t interested in telling stories–especially not to a big-city girl who can’t seem to sit still. In an attempt to win him over as the clock winds down, Katie finds herself immersed in Kyle’s world, doing everything but writing.

When inspiration finally strikes, Katie is faced with an unforeseen catastrophe and a truth she can no longer ignore. While she has come to love the dogs, the real story may be about Kyle Walker.

Available to buy from….
Amazon.com   Amazon.co.uk   Barnes and Noble  Paperback

About the author
Wesley Banks was born in 1983 and grew up on the west coast of Florida. He graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Civil Engineering. After spending over 7 years building movable bridges from Florida to Washington he decided to focus on his true passion: writing.

Wesley recently moved from Florida to Oregon to get back to the great outdoors that he’s love so much. He lives with his wife Lindsey, and his two dogs Linkin and Story. Most of his time these days is spent writing, with as much rock climbing, hiking, or skiing as they can fit in.

Find the author on the following sites…
Website   Newsletter   Facebook   Twitter   Pinterest   Instagram   Goodreads   Amazon author page

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I received this book through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, I have volunteered to share my review and all the opinions are 100% my own.

NOW FOR THE AUTHOR’S GIVEAWAY

Choose FIVE of these amazing dog books selected by the author
(winners choice)
Printed Books US only / ebooks Worldwide

Ending on Sunday 26th February at 11.59pm EST

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THY Top 10 Blog Posts 2016

Tracy Helps You’s Top 10 Blog Posts of 2016

Top 10 Blog Posts of 2016

It’s that time of year again, reflecting and looking back on the last year while making plans and goal for the next. While reviewing the site stats for my website, these were the top 10 blog posts of 2016.

#1  http://www.tracyhelpsyou.com/lending-a-helping-hand/

#2  http://www.tracyhelpsyou.com/locks-of-love-donation/

#3  http://www.tracyhelpsyou.com/labor-day-weekend-summers-last-hurrah/

#4  http://www.tracyhelpsyou.com/list-helps-stay-organized/

#5  http://www.tracyhelpsyou.com/leap-year-thoughts/

#6  http://www.tracyhelpsyou.com/back-to-school-homeschool-planning/

#7  http://www.tracyhelpsyou.com/back-school-college-bound/

#8  http://www.tracyhelpsyou.com/autumn-fall-decorating-halloween-thanksgiving/

#9  http://www.tracyhelpsyou.com/show-everyone-real-love-valentines-day/

#10  http://www.tracyhelpsyou.com/spring-break-getaway-staycation-clean-week/

Is there a specific topic you’d like to read about? I’d love to hear your suggestions or thoughts 🙂

Tracy Helps You Saves You Time

The Most Wonderful (aka Busiest) Time of the Year

The Holiday season is upon us, and it’s the most wonderful time of the year. There are so many fun things to do, like spending time with family & friends … traveling … going to parties … shopping … wrapping … not to mention, celebrating the actual Holiday.

All these things are wonderful, but can also be stressful. Adding these fun activities to our already busy schedules can sometimes feel overwhelming. You are only one person, and you only have so much time. It’s the perfect time to have a Personal Assistant !! Continue reading

Holiday Card

Holiday Cards & Your Hectic Holiday Schedule

Tomorrow, we flip over another page on the calendar … to the last month of 2016. December is a month full of fun, holiday celebrations, but regular life still goes on. All the normal day-to-day responsibilities don’t necessarily take a break during this “most wonderful time of the year”, which means your schedule is even busier than usual.

In today’s world, most of the mail we receive is computer generated – sometimes its addressed to us by name (computers are smart 🙂 ), but many times it is addressed to “Current Resident”. Companies spend a lot of $$ to send you these advertisements, but most people consider it “junk mail” and toss it.

Most everyone loves receiving Holiday cards. I’m talking about physical, snail-mail cards. It’s fun to check your mailbox each day, hoping to find something for you personally. I think of them as “fun” mail … something I want to open right away. I enjoy reading the Holiday Letter that many people include with their card. It’s a good way to catch up with the happenings in their family, especially for those who are not on Facebook 🙂  I also love getting packages in the mail, many of which are gifts I have ordered online … who doesn’t love seeing the UPS, FedEx, USPS or Amazon truck pull up in front of their house (please tell me you do too, that it’s not just me)?

All that to say, sending Holiday cards are is time honored tradition of the season, but also a time-consuming task to do in an already busy time of year. Tracy Helps You can take this task off your to-do list for you. Whether it’s your personal family cards, or cards sent out to your business clients and colleagues, we can take care of it for you – freeing up some time for you to handle all the other things on your to-do list.

This hectic season is the perfect time to delegate some tasks to your personal / virtual assistant. Time is a valuable commodity! Let Tracy Helps You save you some valuable  time 🙂 Call today!!

Empty Nest

Empty Nest Syndrome ~ My Thoughts

Empty Nest Syndrome … the syndrome part of that phrase sounds apprehensive to me, the entire phrase suggests uncertainty and anxiety.

I think I have been experiencing Empty Nest Syndrome in varying stages since my youngest child graduated from high school. I home-schooled my kids, so, for a long time, most of my days revolved around them and their schedules. That first Fall, Back-to-School, season after Continue reading

Book Review & Giveaway ~ The Goodbye Year by Kaira Rouda

~ My Thoughts and Review ~

Kaira Rouda artfully weaves together the lives and stories of several families facing a time of major change to their lives. The Goodbye Year takes place in well-to-do Crystal Beach, California. It all begins at the welcome back to school meeting for parents. Their kids are starting their senior year of high school. All the parents are beginning to feel the effects of the upcoming “empty nest syndrome”. Unfortunately, this major life change happens to coincide with mid-life crisis’s for these families.

We meet each family in alternating chapters. We get to know their challenges and issues through the eyes of the parents, as well as, their teenagers. Each person shares their point of view of the situations as they unfold and intertwine with each other.

It always amazes me, to learn what goes on behind closed doors. People put on a fake persona to the world, one that seems like they have it all together and can handle everything that life throws at them, but in reality, they are barely hanging on.

The Goodbye Year is full of drama, as you can well imagine, centering on hormonal teenagers, peri-menopausal mothers and mid-life crisis fathers going through a major change to life as they know it.

I really enjoyed this book, and I believe you will too 🙂

Melanie, a perfectionist mom who views the approaching end of parenting as a type of death, can’t believe she has only one more year to live vicariously through her slacker senior son, Dane. Gorgeous mom Sarah has just begun to realize that her only daughter, Ashley, has been serving as a stand-in for her traveling husband, and the thought of her daughter leaving for college is cracking the carefully cultivated façade of her life. Will and his wife are fine—as long as he follows the instructions on the family calendar and is sure to keep secret his whole other life with Lauren, the woman he turns to for fun (and who also happens to have a daughter in the senior class).

Told from the points of view of both the parents and the kids, The Goodbye Year explores high school peer pressure, what it’s like for young people to face the unknown of life after high school, and how a transition that should be the beginning of a couple’s second act together—empty nesting—might possibly be the end.

Available to buy from…

Kindle    Amazon Print   Barnes and Noble   iBooks   Kobo   Google Play

“Rouda deftly examines the difficult transition parents and their children face as they prepare for the end of one life and the beginning of another. Her latest is a compelling story and a thoughtful examination of the nature of change and the importance of working to accept it.” ―Booklist

 “The Goodbye Year is an often hilarious, sometimes heartbreaking, always engaging look at the last year before high school seniors leave their families for good. I devoured it!” -Meg Mitchell Moore, author of The Admissions, So Far Away, and The Arrivals

 “The family dramas and dynamics are things that we can all relate to…”
-Redbook magazine, “20 Best Books to Read Come Spring”

 “Kaira Rouda channels Peyton Place meets The Real Housewives of Orange County with her newest book, The Goodbye Year.” ―Working Mother magazine

About the Author
Kaira Rouda is a USA Today bestselling, multiple award-winning author of contemporary women’s fiction and sexy modern romance novels that sparkle with humor and heart.

Her women’s fiction titles include THE GOODBYE YEAR, HERE, HOME, HOPE, ALL THE DIFFERENCE and IN THE MIRROR. Her bestselling short story is titled, A MOTHER’S DAY. Her sexy contemporary romance series include the LAGUNA BEACH Series, the INDIGO ISLAND Series with a new MALIBU Series launching in 2016.

Her nonfiction titles, REAL YOU INCORPORATED: 8 Essentials for Women Entrepreneurs, and REAL YOU FOR AUTHORS: 8 Essentials for Women Writers (available for free download on her website) continue to inspire.

Kaira’s work has won numerous awards including the Indie Excellence Award, USA Book Awards, the Reader’s Choice Awards and honorable mention in the Writer’s Digest International Book Awards. She lives in Southern California with her husband and four almost-grown kids, and is at work on her next novel.

Find the author on the following sites…

Website   Facebook   Twitter   Pinterest   Google+   Goodreads   Amazon Author Page

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I received this book to review through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, all the opinions above are 100% my own.

NOW FOR THE AUTHOR’S GIVEAWAY

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Book Review & Giveaway ~ Spring Fling Kitty by Rachelle Ayala

~This series from Rachelle Ayala is going on my must-read list~

Heartbreaker Connor Hart, one of the youngest fire chiefs in the country, is planning on marrying Dr. Elaine Woo, a woman who pretended to cheat on him with his best friend many years ago. She bought him a Dalmatian puppy, he gave her a ring—and the women of San Francisco are about to lose their most eligible bachelor.

Artist and poet Nadine Woo is down on her luck. The cast-off half-sister of Dr. Elaine Woo, she doesn’t measure up, according to her strict and distant father. When Nadine and her mother are about to be evicted from their apartment, she gets an interesting offer from her sister. Seems she’s in need of a little help concerning her relationship with Fire Chief Connor Hart.

As soon as Nadine meets Connor, she knows she’s in for a rough ride. Connor is the fireman who rescued her and her little gray kitten, and she’s never forgotten how safe she felt in his arms.

When Nadine takes her sister’s place at a spring fling weekend with Connor, love ignites, and there’s no going back.

Can a spunky little kitty show Connor and Nadine that doing the wrong thing is sometimes right, especially when it comes to love?

Spring Fling Kitty is Book #3 of the Have A Hart Romance Series. It can be read standalone, although characters from the previous books appear here in supporting roles.

Have a Hart Romance Series 
Christmas Lovebirds, Book #1
Valentine Hound Dog, Book #2
Spring Fling Kitty, Book #3

Available to buy from…
Amazon   Barnes and Noble   Google Play   iBooks

“Beautiful romance with a touch of suspense, great combination!” – Amazon review

“A beautiful, heartfelt story. Love saw. Love came. Love conquered. I truly recommended everyone to read this book.”  – Amazon review

About heroine Nadine Woo – “A free spirit is a gift in my eyes. It’s what makes her beautiful. It’s what makes Connor love her. It’s what brings life to this story.” – Corissa Palfrey

About the author
Rachelle Ayala is a bestselling author of contemporary romance and romantic suspense. Her foremost goal is to take readers on a shared emotional journey with her characters as they grow and become more true to themselves. Rachelle believes in the power of love to overcome obstacles and feels that everyone should find love as often as possible, especially if it’s within the pages of a book. Her book, Knowing Vera, won the 2015 Angie Ovation Award, and A Father for Christmas garnered a 2015 Readers’ Favorite Gold Award.

Sign up for her NEWSLETTER to get a FREE surprise book and her latest book news HERE!

Visit her Reader’s Guide HERE

Find the author on the following sites…
Website   Facebook   Twitter   Pinterest   Google+   Goodreads  
Amazon Author Page

Follow the tour

NOW FOR THE AUTHOR’S GIVEAWAY

Win $25 Gift Card or Autographed Paperback of Spring Fling Kitty
(winners choice)
Open Worldwide

Ending on Saturday 13th August at 11.59pm EST

Enter Below and Good Luck !!

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An assistant can be a real lifesaver.

Having an Assistant Can Be a Real Lifesaver

An assistant can seem like a lifesaver because they can save you valuable time. Everyone is busy, their calendars and schedules are full of appointments, events and occasions.

We all get 24 hours in a day. It’s a challenge deciding which activities take priority over the others. You may sometimes wonder “how in the world will I get everything accomplished”? Continue reading