Real Live Moms

Welcome to the RealLiveMoms Space. With Windows Live Spaces you can create your own interactive, online scrapbook. Share your thoughts on being a mom, let family and friends see your child’s milestones, display family photos, network with old friends and make new ones. So put your creativity to work and build your own Space. It’s fun, easy and free.

Want to create your own space?
1.       Go to the Windows Live Spaces website.
2.       Enter your Windows Live ID and your password and then click Sign in. If you don’t have a Windows Live ID, just click Sign up for Windows Live! and follow the instructions.
3.       On the Create your Windows Live Space page, type a title for your space. Don’t worry if it’s not brilliant--you can change the title later.
4.       Type a name that will be used as part of the web address for your space. This name doesn’t have to be the same as the title of your space. You can’t change the web address of your space later.
5.       Click Create.
6.       Change the permissions setting for your space or just go directly to your space and get    started blogging, adding photos and more.

Create a profile that includes how much or how little information you want. Share information about yourself, your interests, and your contact information. You can add your e-mail address, age, likes and dislikes, fashion style, pets, a photo and more. 

Plus put your worries at ease – you get to set permissions for each part of your profile. This lets you control who can see the different parts. 

If you make your profile "live," when you change your contact info (like your e-mail address), you won’t have to let all your friends know. Your contacts' address books will be automatically updated with your new information. So simple!

Get started creating your profile:

1.       Sign in to your space and make sure you’re in edit mode (click Edit your space in the upper-right corner of your space).
2.       In the Profile module, click Create profile.
3.       In the Display name box, type the name you want others to see when it appears on a Windows Live website.
4.       Under the Profile column on the left, click the General, Contact info or Social tab to switch between the different types of information in your profile.
5.       In each section of your profile, add the information that you want people to see. If you don’t want to include some information, simply leave it blank.
6.       In each section of your profile, under Permissions, select the permissions level you want.
7.       Click Save.

Share your thoughts on motherhood and keep distant friends and family in the loop by creating a blog. Short for weblog, a blog is an online journal. Funny moments, tearjerkers, even times you thought you’d pull your hair out. Write about anything you want whenever you want. And when your children get older, they’ll gain new insights into their childhood and what being a mom was like for you.

How do you start your own blog?

1.       Sign in to your Space and make sure you’re in edit mode (click Edit your space in the upper-right corner of your space).
2.       In the Blog module, click Add.
3.       Type the title of your entry. Your entry must have a title before you can save it.
4.       If you want, select a category for your entry. Categories help you organize your blog entries by topic.
5.       Type your blog entry.
6.       Format the text the way you want.
7.       If you want to add a picture to your blog entry, click Add photos. Select the photo you want to add and click Upload now.
8.       Click Preview entry to see how your blog entry will look to readers before you publish it.
9.       To save the entry without publishing it, click Save as draft. Or if you want to publish the entry, click Publish entry.

Play video on your space by linking to personal content stored on another website. By using Microsoft Windows Media Player you can show clips of whatever interests you, like baby bloopers, TV shows about moms and raising children, even exciting news stories.

Link to the videos you choose. First, add the Windows Media Player module to your space:
1.       Sign in to your space and make sure you’re in edit mode (click Edit your space in the upper-right corner of your space).
2.       In the address bar of your web browser, add &powertoy=musicvideo to the end of the displayed web address.
3.       In the web browser, click the Go button next to the address line and then wait for your space to reload.
4.       In your space, click Customize.
5.       Click Modules.
6.       Click Other and then click Power Toy: Windows Media.
7.       Click Close.
8.       Click Save.

Next, add the web address of the video clip you want to play and you’re ready to go!
1.       Sign in to your space and make sure you’re in edit mode (click Edit your space in the upper-right corner of your space).
2.       In the Windows Media Player module on your space, type or paste the web address of the clip you want to play. See the instructions at the hosting website for information about determining web addresses for your clips.
3.       Click Save.
4.       To test the clip, click View your space and then click Play

Keep in touch with old friends and make new ones with your Friends list. When you visit other people’s spaces or see their Friends lists, you’ll see display photos representing other people. Then you can invite those people to your Friends list. A great way to find people with similar interests. You can even add notes and tags to your friends to categorize them, like “hockey mom” or “working mom.” 

Want to add someone to your friends list?

1.       Make sure you’re signed in with your Windows Live ID.
2.       Pause your mouse over a display photo or image.
3.       On the menu click Invite to friends list.
4.       Click Ok.

Want to make your own top tens? Create lists of your favourite toys, children’s stores, music, best things about being a mom or your picks for RealLiveMom blogs. Make a list of books you’ve read or a recommended reading list for your favourite hobby. Try adding a link to a web address for the items in your list so visitors to your space can learn more.

To create your own list:

1.       Sign in to your space and make sure you’re in edit mode (click Edit your space in the upper-right corner of your space).
2.  Click Customize.
3.     Click Lists and then click Custom list.
4.       Click Close.
5.       Click Save.

Put your creative side to work and personalize your space. By changing the theme, you can change the font, background colours and images on your space. Experiment with the different themes to find the one that reflects your individuality.

Freshen the look of your space by changing the column layout and moving the content modules (like Blog, Profile, Lists and Photos). Try moving your photo album to a wider column and you’ll have a larger, visually appealing display for your photos. 

If you want to change the theme of your space:

1.  Sign in to your space and make sure you’re in edit mode (click Edit your space in the upper-right corner of your space).
2.  Click Customize.
3.  Click Themes.
4.   Click a category name and then click the theme you want.
5. Click Close.
6.    Click Save.

To experiment with the column layout: 

1.       Sign in to your space and make sure you’re in edit mode (click Edit your space in the upper-right corner of your space).
2.       Click Customize.
3.       Click Layout.
4.       Choose the column layout you want.
5.       Click Close.
6.       Click Save. 

To move the content modules around:

1.       Sign in to your space and make sure you’re in edit mode (click Edit your space in the upper-right corner of your space).
2.       Click and drag the title bar of the module to where you want it on the page.
3.       Click Save.