Who am I?

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Hi, I'm Cameron (aka Iffy), a stay at home mother to 4 beautiful children. My family is my life! I am not crafty by nature....but I am learning =D I will share my experiences with you(good & bad) with crafts, DIY, cooking, and life. I say what's on my mind, and remain honest, it's just who I am. Love it or leave it =D So follow me and see my progress as I document my journey, and If All Else Fails....at least you have gained a friend and gotten some great tips or maybe learned something new along the way!

Thursday, August 1, 2013

Yummy Baked Italian Eggplant

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I made these last week and twice since then, yes they are quite tasty. I pinned it on my healthy recipes board HERE but it is so simple, I just winged it from memory.
 
Here is what I did(and you can change it up to give it flavor variety).
1- slice eggplant into 1/4 inch slices
   (I did not salt mine)
2- wisk 1 egg and a splash of water into a small bowl
3- on a medium plate mix 1/4 cup fresh parmesan cheese and 1/8 cup Italian seasoning(no salt variety)
  (Optional-1/8 cup panko bread crumbs)
4- dip eggplant, 1 piece at a time, in the egg, then into your Italian mixture. Make sure you flip your piece to make sure both sides are coated. You may have to push down and help the coating a bit.
5-place your eggplant pieces(not touching) onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. One eggplant took up two cookie sheets for me.
6-place in a preheated 425 degree oven on the middle rack. After 15 minutes, very carefully flip the eggplant over and cook for an additional 15 minutes or until browned. Keep a close eye on it the last 5 minutes. Take out and let cool for 5 minutes or eat immediately with caution.
 
You can eat these alone or as a side dish. Let me know what you think, and I hope you enjoy!
Much love
~Iffy~
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Sunday, June 9, 2013

Revolt Blogger ~ Wink ShapeWear Review

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Wink ShapeWear helps to give the appearance of a slimmer body. Whether you are
in the process of losing weight, have an outfit you want to fit better in, or have just had a baby there is something for everyone-even men. You can check out all of what they have to offer here.
 
I reviewed the Wink Tummy Tucker Tank-in white.
 I had requested a black one as I wear more dark colored clothing and was not informed a white one was being sent. The color doesn't affect the performance of the item, but it was something I noticed right off the bat. The white tank is on sale currently for $45, down from $64.99. So it's a great time to buy if you are looking for a slimming top.
I really like that it comes down pretty love, and actually sits low on the hips which is nice. I was kinda expecting it to just push the fat down and out to wherever the edge was, but it didn't. I was pleasantly surprised at how well it slimmed my sides (aka muffin top). Nothing hung over which was great. The stomach portion seemed to not compress as well as the sides, but still you could definitely see a difference. It was not uncomfortable to wear, and I did not feel like my insides were being squished too tight or that I was being tortured. It also has a nice thick band around the bottom edge which helps to keep it from riding up while you're wearing it, which is another nice feature.
 
Here is the product description "
Slim that tummy, blast that belly with Wink's longer tank top that sits below the hips. This longer tank top compresses lower abdomen area and hips that goes to work, to the club with jeans or just to the gym. Sleek, with a low-cut back, our tank top assures just the right support and flatters every figure. Cool, crisp, and clean. "
 

If you would like to win a Wink ShapeWear Tummy Tucker Tank for yourself,
one will be given away in the Fit Into Summer Giveaway, along with
many other awesome prizes, value at over $1,000. Open to U.S. residents and ends Monday, there will be 3 winners, so hurry over here to enter the simple form & good luck!
Thanks again to Wink ShapeWear.
You can find Wink on Facebook and Twitter.
 
 I was provided a Tummy Tucker Tank for review purposes.
All opinions are 100% honest and mine.
 
~Iffy~
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Friday, June 7, 2013

GreenTime Bags Review

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I received a product to review from GreenTime Bags recently. 


This product is included in
the Fit Into Summer Giveaway (which ends June 10) so there's still time for you to win you very own, along with many other great products. Go HERE to enter.
 
 
GREEN TIME REUSABLE SANDWICH & SNACK BAGS - PRODUCT INFORMATION

• Pvc, Phthalate, lead and Bpa free
• Eliminates the use of 1000s of plastic baggies
• Convenient, stylish and fun way to carry sandwiches and snacks
• Prints available for kids, teens, women and men
• The bags are great for dry or wet snacks.
• Even 24 hours after the food has been put in the bag, the food is as fresh as when it first went in the bag.
• Very easy and convenient to use and care for.
• Machine Or Hand Washable
• The design makes the bags easy to open and keeps the velcro away from the food.
• The design keeps the contents inside of the bag.
• These bags are great for lunches, picnics, family outings, quick trips.
• Made in Wisconsin
 
This is the one I received
I think it's very cute, don't you? It doesn't seal like a zip top bag, but you can put wet or dry items in it. The inside material is soft but looks like the inside of an insulated lunch box, which means if you put something wet (like oranges, berries, sliced kiwi to name a few) in it, then it won't seep through the material and to the outside of the bag or to the contents of the rest of your lunch. It easily washes in the dishwasher too!
These are great for all ages, whether you are taking your food on the go, packing your kid's lunch or snacks for school or camps, or just taking some items to the park or the zoo. It keeps food fresh for 24 hours and they come in a variety of sizes and designs.



 You can even have it personalized with your name in it!
GreenTime Bags is a great addition to green living.
 
Thanks again to GreenTime Bags for participating in the Fit Into Summer Giveaway-enter here.
 
Much Love
~Iffy~
 
All opinions are 100% honest and mine. I was provided a GreenTime sandwich bag for review.
 
 

 

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Guest Post ~ Parenting: Stay Consistent and Avoid Gray Areas

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Good morning, today I would like to welcome Jenny Daniels as a first time guest blogger
on Stay At Home Nation.
 
 
"Making the right choices for your kids is relative. There is not a right way and a wrong, when it comes to parenting there is a lot of gray area. For someone who likes things black and white, I often find myself stuck wondering what the right choice is.

Deciding what is black and white for your family is crucial in avoiding messy gray areas. For example, when will you stop breastfeeding? At what age will the binky go?

We have all seen the parent that is afraid to let go, change is inevitable and should be embraced. Just be prepared for the upcoming changes and stick to your guns. The most important thing your children need to see is consistency. No means no and there shouldn't be a temper tantrum that changes that.

Discuss parenting regularly with your partner; often there will need to be a middle ground. If mom wants bedtime at 8 and dad thinks 9 is appropriate, go with 8:30. If Sarah sees that you are not on the same page as dad, she will learn how to manipulate the situation in her favor.

This may seem like simple advice, but often children look at one parent as the disciplinarian and the other as the nurturer. It is great to have these roles, but it is important that the one who nurtures stands behind the disciplinarian. This is not only for the best benefit of little Sarah, but for your relationship with your spouse as well.

Just as one parent is seen more as the disciplinarian, one is seen as more frugal than the other. It is natural to be attracted to an opposite; otherwise there would be no balance in the world. But teaching Sarah how to handle money is important and finding boundaries with your hubby can help your child to appreciate the value of a dollar. Something as simple as implementing a house rule that nothing extra can be bought without a coupon.

This may seem extremely ridiculous, but kids look for stability and consistency, this goes down to every little detail and if they see a break in patterns they will learn how to work you and this will result in children who have no solid direction.

Being on the same page cannot always be planned for. There are situations that will arise that you never expected. In moments like this, don't make rash decisions. Talk it over with your spouse and come up with a common solution.

An example we recently faced revolved around some holiday shopping. Sarah is now 14 and interested in the tradition of Black Friday shopping with her friends. Men may not understand this, but shopping for deals on Black Friday are sort of a coming of age tradition in our home that isn't unlike your first concert or your first trip around the parking lot in dad's car. However, this particular "want" was met with some resistance from my husband. He thinks the crowds, the long lines and the utter pandemonium of Black Friday make the trip a hassle and a safety concern.  Sarah gets a sort of "Black Friday party" that involves her friends, their laptops and some great online deals. We get the satisfaction that they're safe, and in a controlled environment. Everyone wins.

Whatever your parenting style is, I am sure you have been thinking about it since long before children entered your life. Things may have to be altered in order to stay on track with your hubby. Be open to his ideas, as there is not one right and one wrong.

Thank you Jenny for your parenting advice.
 
Much Love
~Iffy~

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Monday, May 27, 2013

Revolt Blogger ~ Week 12 ~ Bulu Box Review & Revolt Fitness Around Holidays, BBQs, & Birthdays -How to Stay On Track

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I wanted to share with you today a new product, well a new to me product called the BuluBox. It arrives in a cheery orange box and comes with premium samples of fitness or weight loss products depending on which box you choose.
For just $10 a month you get an assortment of items to try out. Every month you get a new assortment of items. Here's a glimpse of what I received for this month.
  I love that one of the items is a full size bottle, and it's a product that I'm excited to try!
 It comes with a description card about what products you have received and what they are for, which is great since most are products you may not have even heard of prior to receiving your Bulu Box.
 
I typically don't find that a chew tastes like what it says, or even tastes good at all for that matter. However this Beauty Burst tasted exactly like mint chocolate and was quite yummy.
It is a collagen chew so it's supposed to help with hair, skin, and nails. This is something I could actually see taking daily.
If you would like to try a Bulu Box for yourself, then you can go here and sign up for subscription

OR

You can enter the Fit Into Summer Giveaway which ends June 10.  It's  valued at over $1000 and there will be three winners chosen at random. To find out more details and to enter to win go HERE.

You can find Bulu Box on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, & Google+
Good Luck!

You might wonder how to stay on track with your diet when the holidays roll around, a barbecue, or birthday parties and I'm going to share with you how to make that possible with the Revolt Fitness program.  You see, Nichole Huntsman made the Revolt  program so that anyone can do it. It is totally customizable and can fit into the busiest of schedules. During the holidays or celebration graduation barbecue's birthday parties (the list goes on) is when most people fall off the fitness wagon. It's easy to indulge or overindulge at certain get-to-gethers & celebrations as people feel it is justified.
With the Revolt fitness program however you don't have to feel like you fell off the fitness wagon. Every week you get a "cheat" day which entitles you to eat whatever you've been craving or missing during your time on the diet. Now you don't want to eat until you are sick, but by all means go ahead have that cookie, have pizza if that's what you want, just don't stuff yourself.
The way you make the revolt program work for you is to simply schedule your cheat days on whatever holiday or occasion you need to celebrate. I think the cheat day is the best part of the program because it really helps you to get what you have been craving during the week and makes that next week easier to stick to. Eventually your cheat days will consist of healthy but not strict diet meals or food items. Say you wanted a smoothie in the morning or a mango for a snack, you can on your "off" or "cheat" day. It's considered cheating but your body will feel better for it in the long run if you try to stay healthy on your cheat days, especially when you avoid processed foods. 
 
That's how Revolt can help you stay on track with your diet around special occasions.
 
To join the next Revolt Uprising or to find out more go HERE
 
Much Love
~Iffy~

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Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Fit Into Summer Giveaway - Valued Over $1000 - NOW CLOSED

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This giveaway is Now Closed. Thank you for all who entered and for all of the wonderful sponsors for participating!
The winners are:
Grand Prize-Jessica D
First Prize-Liz R
Second Prize-Carrie P

Congratulations!
******************************************************************
Fit Into Summer Giveaway!
It's almost bathing suit season, so that means it's time to shape up,
for most of us at least. Well if you've been reading my posts lately, you know I've been doing the Revolt fitness program and losing inches by the week. This giveaway will provide you with a nice head start in the program so you can hit the ground running. 
Check out the fabulous prizes below:
Image Map
  Grand Prize Pack
 
Image Map
  First Place
Image Map
Second Place
  Thank you to all of our wonderful sponsors for making this amazing giveaway possible!
And a special thanks to all the Revolt bloggers participating:
This giveaway will run through June 10, so get your entries in and be sure to tell your friends, since there are multiple winners after all :) Be sure to enter my DaVinci bracelet and charms giveaway
Entry-Form
Good Luck
&
Much Love!
~Iffy~
Stay At Home Nation

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Sunday, May 19, 2013

Giveaway From Hallmark Coppin's Gifts ~ DaVinci Bracelet with 4 DaVinci Beads of Choice ~NOW CLOSED

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This giveaway is NOW CLOSED.
Congratulations to our winner Darcy S.

****************************************************
So I know you have probably all seen those cute bracelets with
the charm beads by now. They seem to be everywhere.
They are the new form of charm bracelets and can be customized to your personal
preference. Some of the ones out there are pretty stinkin expensive though, and while they
are pretty, they are just not in my stay at home budget these days.
The solution:
Isn't it adorable? I think so, in fact the one I received is one of my favorite bracelets. Not only
because I picked the exact beads I wanted, but because each of my current beads
represents each of my four children. Also, they are so affordable,
that I can add more at any time without breaking the bank.
 
They sell various different options for you to show off your DaVinci Beads
such as:
 the toggle bracelet as pictured above
This is the type of closure I have and was a bit worried at first that it wouldn't be secure enough to stay on my wrist, but it has not given me any major problems. From day to day wear it has held on, so to speak, and it has only fallen off once or twice when I was doing laundry or something that has flexed the bracelet(giving the toggle the chance to slip through). So I simply don't wear it when doing laundry now :)
It also comes in the claw clasp
as well as a key chain option
a necklace
earrings
and a bangle bracelet option
These pictures give you an idea of the selection of beads you can choose from too.
But to find exactly what you want be sure to take a look at the entire selection HERE
Hallmark Coppin's Gifts is offering my readers a FREE bead when you purchase four,
just enter the code
FREEDAVINCI
when ordering to get your fifth bead free. There's no expiration to this code, and you can use it for several orders. Great to keep in mind for graduation gifts, birthdays, and holidays!
 
So now onto the giveaway!
Hallmark Coppin's Gifts is giving one of my lucky readers a
DaVinci Toggle Bracelet plus FOUR DaVinci Beads of your choice!
Enter using the Rafflecopter form below. Lots of easy entries, so enter now & tell your friends :)

 
Good Luck!
~Iffy~
 
A special thank you to Hallmark Coppin's Gifts for sponsoring this giveaway.
All opinions are 100% mine and honest. I was provided a DaVinci Toggle Bracelet and four DaVinci Beads for review.
 
Be sure to enter my Fit Into Summer Giveaway - HERE

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Saturday, May 18, 2013

Revolt Blogger ~ Week 11 ~ Now's The Right Time To Join Revolt! Plus An Awesome Giveaway Coming Monday

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OK guys and gals, I don't know if you've noticed but
swimsuit season is quickly approaching. In fact the neighborhood pool
opened today. It makes me a little nervous just yet to slip into a bikini, but it certainly won't be long.
When I first started Revolt, I didn't have all of the equipment I needed,
and felt a little behind to be honest. But now 11 weeks down
and I've gotten into the groove. You just have to find what works best for you & your schedule, like when to workout, and whatnot but once you find it-it's smooth sailing.
The reason I mention this is because the next uprising is just weeks away and now is a great time to join! You can get check out what a typical workout looks like & sign up HERE.
Plus, starting Monday you can get Week 1 Kickstart Guide for free!
Here's what you will have access to:
a 50 page guide
1 week of workout videos(3 different levels)
1 week of meal plans (6 calorie levels)
ALL for FREE!
What have you got to lose? Well if you join Revolt, you'll be losing weight, that's for sure!

Also, starting Monday, we will be kicking off an awesome giveaway, hosted by 16 of our fabulous Revolt Bloggers. So be sure to check back here for more
details and to enter to WIN!
I can't share with you the details just yet, but I can tell you that whoever wins will have a great head start for being another Revolt success story!

Please email me with any questions you may have regarding Revolt & I'll be happy to help.

Much Love
~Iffy~
 


Be sure to enter the Fit Into Summer Giveaway HERE valued at over $1,000 and 3 winners will be chosen June 10, 2013. Good Luck!
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Monday, May 13, 2013

Giveaway For 2 Full Sized Bottles of ENJOY Professionals Luxury Hair Care Products~NOW CLOSED~

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This giveaway is Now Closed. Thank you to all who entered.
Congratulations Jennifer B!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Does your hair need a little help or repair from the harsh effects of coloring your hair, the elements, alcohol based hair care products, or just need a break from all of the sulfates found in most hair products?
Then you need to try ENJOY Luxury Hair Care Products which are sulfate free
and ph balanced. 
I have been bleaching & coloring my hair again for the past 6 months(after a long break, 4 years to be exact pre & post pregnancies and just sheer lack of time to do it).
So getting back into bleaching(my natural black-brown hair) to a light blonde(and various pastel shades along the process), I forgot how harsh these chemicals are to the hair and scalp.  After bleaching, you are supposed to use a ph balanced shampoo to help neutralize the bleach, which I typically hardly ever did.

Until I discovered ENJOY.

I have never had a shampoo or conditioner make my hair feel as soft and healthy, as I do after using the ENJOY Luxury Duo. My hairdresser always says how strong and healthy my hair is, partly because it is thick but also because I have been using ENJOY Luxury shampoo & conditioner.
My scalp is not nearly as itchy after bleaching, and my color lasts a whole lot longer than
if I used a big name shampoo bought at the drugstore.

Why sulfate free, you ask?
Well sulfates are typically added to most shampoo & body wash because it is inexpensive. It
is used as a detergent or degreaser, but it is found to dry out the hair and skin, and can even cause irritation.

Why use  ph balanced and stable hair care products?
I'll let the experts explain-
 "ENJOY knows that pH balanced and stable products are key for optimum hair color retention. Human skin and hair resides in the pH 4.5-5.5 range, but most products on the market are pH 7 or greater. In addition to leaving the hair feeling dry and brittle, the higher pH in these products raises the cuticle and causes hair color to fade shampoo after shampoo. This isn’t the case with ENJOY. To provide long lasting color and complement hair’s natural pH balance, they work hard to insure that their products are pH 4.5-6.0. They also conduct extensive bake tests on the line to guarantee pH stability."

So now are you ready to experience hair care like you have never before?
One lucky Stay At Home Nation reader(with a valid US mailing address)
 will win 2 two full sized bottles of the ENJOY Luxury line.


1 10oz bottle of ENJOY Luxury Shampoo-
 "Soy protein smoothes and hydrates the cuticle while silk protein seals and smoothes the hair. Unique surfactants guarantee thick, luxurious foaming action. This rich cleansing formula can also be used as a luxurious skin wash. Although recommended for all hair types, it’s perfect to smooth and control heavy, coarse or curly hair."

One 10oz bottle of ENJOY Luxury Conditioner-
"leaves hair soft, controllable and smooth. Silk protein and cetyl esters work to smooth, repair and seal damaged cuticle. This rich conditioning treatment can also be used for moisturizing the skin or shaving."

There are so many ways to enter and increase your chance of winning, but you can't win if you don't enter! So enter below by using the rafflecopter form below
and Good Luck!!
 

 
Much Love
~Iffy~
 
Thanks again to ENJOY for participating in this review & giveaway.
To find a salon near you to purchase please visit their website here and click on salon locator.
 
All opinions are 100% mine and honest, I was not compensated monetarily, but I was provided the same products as listed in the giveaway solely for the purpose of my review.
On a side note, I am not a hair color expert or professional, and these are my experiences. Please check with a professional before you color your hair.
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Sunday, May 12, 2013

Revolt Blogger ~ Week 10 ~ Customize Your Revolt Workouts

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If you're like me, you're not big on working out, but revolt has changed my outlook on that. It's more so that I don't know what I'm doing or what would be the most effective work out for my problem area.  When I started Revolt 10 weeks ago I had no idea the names of certain exercises, or how heavy of a weight I should use. I didn't know correct form and I didn't know how many reps I needed it was all just so confusing to me. I didn't know who to ask and didn't have the money to spend on a personal trainer. You've heard me talk about Nicole Huntsman's program, Revolt for many reasons because it really does work.  Not only does she have daily videos showing you what work out to do for that day and what body part you're working on, but now she's added three levels of difficulty to choose from. Level one is beginner, level two is intermediate, and level three is advanced. If you are new to exercising or just starting on the Revolt program, you should start out at level one and then work your way up. If you don't feel like level one was enough of a challenge, then you simply move up to level two or three.  There may even be some exercises that you need a level one while other exercises you can do a level three. The best thing about the program is that you can customize it to your specific needs. If you haven't checked out Revolt yet, I urge you to hop on over HERE and have a look around.
 
Much Love
~Iffy~ 
 

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Monday, May 6, 2013

Revolt Blogger ~ Week 9 ~ A Few Meals During Your Revolt Journey

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So I have realized that I haven't shared any meals with you from the Revolt plan.
So that's what I want to do today.
This week I will share a few meals that you will eat during your Detox week.
(Please note, I am not sharing the recipes. You need to join Revolt to get those :D silly)
So when you start out you will eat a LOT of egg whites,
seriously I had never eaten so many before in my life.
The girls in the community came up with a very yummy way to enjoy your egg whites.
I had just been scrambling them up, until I saw the recipe for the Egg White/Banana Omelet.



And lunch would look something like this Spinach Salad (with carrots and tomatoes)


For the Balsamic Vinaigrette I mixed a packet of the Good Seasons Italian Dressing, then followed the directions with how much oil and vinegar(but I used balsamic instead of white vinegar).


Keep in mind you do get two snacks during the day as well, and after the first week you even get dessert!
Dinner consists of a specific portion of chicken, brussels sprouts, and sweet potatoes.

 
So there ya have it, a sampling of what your first week on Revolt would look like.  Each week, the meals get better, and plus you get desserts added in too! It's really a great program, and Nichole is constantly working on improving the whole Revolt process based on user feedback.
There is also a huge list of substitutions in case you don't like or can't eat a particular food, so you can customize it more to your liking.
Bottom line is - stick to the plan & do the workouts as Nichole has put together and
You Will See Results!
Check out more about Revolt here
 
Much Love
~Iffy~
 
 
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Thursday, May 2, 2013

Revolt Blogger ~ Week 8 ~ How To Get Back On Track When You've Fallen Off? Any Suggestions?

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So yes, it is correct...I am having a hard time staying on track with
this or any diet/fitness plan to be exact. The support of the Revolt community is amazing, but I guess
that would be where my problem falls, because I haven't been on facebook as much as I was when
I first started Revolt. There are so many emails flooding my inbox currently, from every time anyone posts anything on the private fb page, to companies for giveaways, and then comments posted to my blog. It's so hard to keep up with everything at the moment, that on top of taking care of my toddlers (2 & 3 yrs old), then doing homework (with my 8 yr old), then taking my soon to be high school student to a few meetings at the new school for next year and trying to plan & juggle with how jammed packed our summer is going to be with all of his practices and such. PLUS keeping up with the house chores, dishes, cooking, and not to forget loads & loads of laundry.
With all of that I have struggled to keep up with the plan this past week, not to mention there have been some technical issues as Revolt is changing to a new & improved website which just adds to
the confusion for me personally.
I guess I just need a swift kick in the rear, but honestly I'd love to get some feedback on what you do to get back on track with a diet or fitness routine when you have fallen into a rut & trying to juggle everything.
 
Thanks so much!
~Iffy~
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