Stylish Nursing Tanks With a Cause

152711925-1.jpg For 20 years, Bravado Designs has been supporting mothers. To mark this incredible milestone, they have teamed up with the amazing designer and new mom, Rebecca Minkoff, to create a fabulous limited edition nursing tank. Who knew a nursing tank could be so stylish?
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Bravado Designs and Rebecca Minkoff have partnered with Baby Buggy to give back. Founded in 2001 by Jessica Seinfeld, Baby Buggy is a non profit organization dedicated to providing New York City families in need with essential equipment, clothing and products for their infants and young children. Bravado Designs has made a significant commitment to help support the work of Baby Buggy through this partnership. 20% of all sales from the Luca and Indy tops will be donated back to Baby Buggy. In addition, Bravado Designs will also donate a new bra or tank to a mother in need for each Limited Edition tank purchased. 
Bravado Designs has chosen to work with Diapers.com as their national retail partner. Diapers.com shares Bravados’ deep and ongoing commitment to supporting new mothers. In fact, Diapers.com has been a long-standing supporter of Baby Buggy’s efforts to help women transition into motherhood with success.
The tank collection will also be available via a carefully curated group of specialty retailers. These are dedicated, long-term partners of Bravado Designs, all of whom share Bravados’ philosophy and commitment to super-serving all mothers. These are:
The Pump Station – Los Angles & Santa Monica
Isis Parenting – Multiple New England locations
Yummy Mummy – New York
Pickles & Ice Cream – Dallas and Houston, Texas
If you’re a new mom, or know a new mom, spread the word about these great limited edition nursing tanks. I don’t know about you, but I felt like a hot mess when I had my babies and wore ugly nursing bras. It would be great to at least look good and feel good about giving back!
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ULTIMATE TRAVEL & LEISURE GIVEAWAY!

TLGB_logo_Blue_green.jpgIf you’re a travel lover (I mean who isn’t), then here at Role Mommy you are in luck! We are proud to be an ambassador this weekend for the Travel & Leisure Global Bazaar℠ that’s taking place September 28-30 in New York City and you can get a chance to win a spot at the event too!
From getting the chance to experience a zipline, to dining on delectable dishes from celebrity chefs, to live performances, authentic merchandise, and more, Travel & Leisure plans to take visitors on a journey around the world at the magazine’s second annual global event.
Simple Life 3.JPGInspired by the night markets in Bangkok and curated by Travel + Leisure® editors, the second annual Travel + Leisure Global Bazaar℠, will take place the weekend of September 28 – September 30, 2012 at The Lexington Avenue Armory in New York City.
The event offers a full line-up of multi-cultural experiences during the three-day showcase of vibrant destinations, fashion and jewelry, food and wine, hotels and cruises, authentic arts and crafts, and live music and performances.
Returning partner and presenting sponsor Delta Air Lines will host the Delta Sky Lounge, filled with wines selected by sommelier Andrea Robinson, along with sweet and savory dishes and an authentic airport arrivals and departures board highlighting all of the programming and performances taking place.
Highlights of the interactive experiences and activities scheduled for this year’s Travel + Leisure Global Bazaar℠ include:
EAT+DRINK
Celebrity Chef Demos & Appearances by José Andrés, Scott Conant, Tim Love, Johnny Iuzzini, Masaharu Morimoto, Michael White, Jose Garces, and Floyd Cardoz
Food Trucks lining the street featuring global street food from Venezuela, Japan, and Greece
Cocktail & Wine Tastings from “Shot-Skis” of BVI’s famed Painkiller, Mexcales from Oaxaca, Mexico & Rums of Puerto Rico to Layer Cake Wines and Wines of Chile
Essential Ingredients from Moroccan Spice Markets; Coffee from Jordan; Sweets from India; and More
SEE + DO
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Zipline, inspired by Puerto Rico’s Toro Verde, the highest in the world
Sand bracelet-making with sand from Florida to Thailand
Face painting and jewelry making with Rapa Nui of Chile
Hand massages with Seabourn Cruises
“Test drive” a FUJIFILM X-Series camera and capture your favorite Global Bazaar moments
Dance, dance, dance with West African Drum & Dance, Manhattan Tribal, Belly Dance Group, Wan Chi Ming Dragon & Lion Dance Team, Flamenco Dance Company, and Hungry Marching Band
Book a special trip with top American Express Travel counselors

SHOP

Hand-embroidered silk scarves and shawls from Central Asia
Bracelets and necklaces handmade in Tibet
Venezuelan hammocks hand woven in Caracas
Lifestyle home accessories and bath & spa products from Istanbul
This year’s event will also feature first-time charity partner Room to Read, which focuses on improving literacy and gender equality in education in the developing world. The organization will host live readings from celebrities, such as Katie Couric. A percentage of ticket sales from the Travel + Leisure Global Bazaar℠ will support Room to Read. Those not in the New York area will still have the opportunity to lend their support to Room to Read by visiting the Charitybuzz Global Bazaar live auction, http://www.charitybuzz.com/auctions/globalbazaar, which will be live through October 10, 2012.
Ticket prices will range from $75 for Saturday and Sunday day sessions, to $125 for Friday and Saturday evening sessions, ages 21+. The Tribe Family Opening on Sunday will welcome guests of all ages with complimentary entry for children ages 0-2; $25 ages 13 and under and $75 for 14 and up. Tickets are available online at Ticketmaster.com and Ticketmaster retail outlets or by phone (800) 745-3000.
For more details and to shop the Global Bazaar sponsored by L’atitude.com visit, www.tlglobalbazaar.com.
Follow the conversation on Twitter with #tlglobalbazaar.
And now is your chance to win tickets to the show. We are giving away tickets to one lucky family of four. Enter below at Rafflecopter and we will let you know if you’re a winner by Thursday, September 27!
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How Do I Love the Emmys? Let me count the ways…

1b62ec4e9c2ad4fa_Emmys-2012-Best-Dressed.xxxlarge_1.jpegLet me just say that as a lifelong television junkie, I happen to look forward to the Emmy Awards each year. I love seeing if my favorite stars will bring home a statue and always love checking out the latest red carpet fashions.
This year did not disappoint. From absolutely gorgeous dresses — my personal fave was Ginnifer Goodwin’s classic embroidered gown — to drop dead funny comedy bits — another LOL moment of the night came from Melissa McCarthy who seemed to be reprising her role as Megan from “Bridesmaids” — sharing why she loves the best actor nominees:

But wait, it gets funnier. Host Jimmy Fallon had the audience in hysterics with a memorial montage that ran during the show honoring him. Josh Groban sang “You Don’t Know You’re Beautiful” as a ballad and had everyone in stitches. And then, ensued a viral Twitter outbreak when he told everyone to tweet that Tracy Morgan had passed out on stage, generating over 25,000 tweets in less than five minutes.
But the true stars of the show were the dresses. Honestly, who could pay attention with the amount of colorful gowns that were parading the stage. From Julianne Moore, Claire Daines and Julie Bowen’s yellow stunners, to Sofia Vergara’s va va voom turquoise sequined dress, color was truly on display throughout the night and the ladies did not disappoint. Take a look…
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The best part of the evening was that some of my favorite stars, friends and former co-workers took home Emmys. From “Amazing Race” host Phil Keoghan — who joined the show’s creators Bertram van Munster and Elise Doganieri on stage to take home the show’s ninth Emmy statue, to director Glenn Weiss, who nabbed an Emmy for directing the Tony Awards, to funnyman Jon Cryer who won best actor in a comedy, it was so great to see that nice guys do in fact finish first.
Best of all, my favorite comedy on TV, “Modern Family” came up victorious on several fronts — winning awards for best supporting actress and actor, best writing and best comedy show. Can’t wait for the new season to begin!
The show also made me realize that I need to watch more cable series — especially “Homeland” and “Veep.” So there you have it — the Emmys in a nutshell. Now it’s time to do some serious TV watching. Let the primetime season begin!

Use Trulia Website and Apps for Real Estate Advice and Listings

Written by Role Mommy Contributor Jennifer Comet Wagner

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I recently attended a party hosted by Trulia, a company that provides a range of real estate services, including a website and apps to people looking to buy or rent a home. I was introduced to the array of helpful tools available through Trulia and was very impressed.
The Trulia website offers more than just real estate listings. Some of the other tools and services offered on Trulia are:
1. An estimate of what your home is worth
2. Information on market trends, crime reporting and school review in many areas
3. Connections to recommended agents
4. Get useful tips for buying and selling real estate through Q&A, advice, blogs and guides.
5. Get notifications when nearby houses are listed or sold, prices are cut and open houses are scheduled.
6. See thousands of home design photos
7. Check out celebrity homes (The party was held in a pentouse that Billy Joel previously owned when married to Christie Brinkley).
Trulia offers apps for the iPhone, iPad, Android and the Kindle Fire. In addition to basic apps there is also a mortage app and apps specifically for rentals.
Michael Corbett, real estate and lifestyle host of Extra and the host of Extra’s Mansions and Millionaires, is a resident real estate expert at Trulia and co-hosted the party. He has written three successful real estate books, his newest one being Before You Buy: The Homebuyers Handbook for Today’s Market.
If you are even thinking about buying, selling or renting a home, check out Trulia. You’ll be surprised at how much you will learn about real estate.
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Jennifer Comet Wagner
The Gamer Generation: Reaping the Benefits of Video Games Book
Connect with your Teens through Pop Culture and Technology Blog
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Supermodel for a Day

large.jpegThere is one thing I absolutely love about being a blogger. Actually, there are lots of things but one of the most amazing things about this journey has been the fact that I have met some of the most inspiring and talented women and men along the way who have accomplished incredible things.
Audrey McClelland, Vera Sweeney and Nicole Feliciano are three of these women. Audrey and Vera are the founders of Getting Gorgeous Events and are drop dead gorgeous when you see them. They are also two of the nicest people you will ever meet on the planet. Nicole is the founder of Mom Trends and she is also stunning and uber stylish (hence the name of her incredibly popular blog).
A few weeks ago, Vera and Audrey said they were looking for a few moms to model fashions during their upcoming Fashion Forward blogger conference that was being sponsored by iVillage and planned to feature panels with some of the most talented magazine editors, entrepreneurs, executives and fashion bloggers who have hit the big time and never looked back.
Since my fashion sense is pretty basic (if it matches and it’s black, I wear it), I opted for the fun stuff. While I am usually one to raise my hand if karaoke is involved, I typically shy away from strutting down the runway type opportunities. But for some reason that day, I was feeling a bit bold and threw my hat into the ring. The next thing I knew, the ladies were asking me for my dress size, shoe size and my favorite designers (I’m pretty simple — Ann Taylor or White House Black Market). And so, a few weeks later, I arrived to find that Audrey had picked out the perfect dress for me…a black and grey leopard print dress from Ann Taylor that was form fitting but stretchy in all the right places. Thanks to my wonderful friend Dawn Sandomeno for sharing this photo of me in front of the iVillage step and repeat — I felt like a red carpet star!
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I had the best day re-connecting with my favorite blogging girlfriends and meeting a few writers who I’ve known virtually but never had the chance to meet in person. All in all, the day was fashionable, fabulous and so much fun. Take a look…

Thank you to Audrey, Vera and Nicole for being incredibly gracious hosts and the ultimate Role Mommies.

Take Back the Kitchen with Alma Schneider

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Fish is brain food! We have instituted “Wednesday is Fish night” and my kids are thrilled now that we have some tasty fish recipes. I experimented with coconut oil and it gave this breaded cod a lovely flavor. Enjoy!
Breaded Coconut Cod with Mustard Orange Sauce
Ingredients
1 lb wild cod fish cut into 4 fillets
3/4 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
one TBS coconut oil
Steps:
1) Wash and dry the cod pieces with paper towel. Bread with crumbs and set aside on a plate.
Heat up the coconut oil in a medium sized frying pan. When oil is melted and starting to smoke a bit, place the cod filets in the pan and cook for 4-6 minutes or until golden brown and almost cooked through (fish will be opaque). Flip and fry on the other side for a few minutes until golden. Remove from heat.
3) Serve fish with mustard orange sauce drizzled on top.
Mustard Orange Sauce:
One TBS orange marmalade
One TBS Dijon mustard
Stir with a fork to combine and set aside in small bowl
For more great recipes from Alma Schneider, visit her at Take Back the Kitchen.

Ingredients for a Perfect Week: Broadway, Nemo & Glee

There are a few things in life that I love more than anything:

A fabulous Broadway musical.
Taking my kids to see a classic animated film that’s now in 3D
Curling up under my grandmother’s blanket to watch “Glee” with my kids

This past week, got to do all three things. Here’s how…
Annie The Musical.png1. Loving a fabulous Broadway musical….ANNIE ON BROADWAY
A few months ago my husband and I went to lunch with two of our good friends and they shared some amazing news with us — their friend is a producer on Broadway and as a result, they got the chance to invest in Annie — yes Annie the Musical. I was so excited for them because I grew up with that show and couldn’t wait to take my kids and see it when it debuted on Broadway.
They then told me more about their friend and how she and I would totally hit it off. They were so right. We met for lunch and I literally started singing showtunes to her as our salads arrived at our table. I loved her bubbly enthusiasm and when the topic switched to Annie, I shared how much I loved that show and wondered if there were any more investments left in the project.
I never imagined I would actually invest in a Broadway show, but I did share the news with my financially savvy husband who was a bit skeptical. The discussions continued for several weeks and then I finally made the decision to do it. You heard it here first… Role Mommy is officially an investor in Annie, the Musical on Broadway and I couldn’t be more excited.. Trust me, I’ll be sharing more, but am so thrilled that my passion for Broadway musicals has come full circle.
“Annie” opens in previews on Broadway on October 3 and tickets are already selling out fast. If you’re interested in seeing “Annie” with a group of 12 or more, click on this link and order your tickets now! Or, if you’d just like to buy tickets for your family, you can click on this link instead or call Ticketmaster at 877-250-2929.
FN3D-sub3(tentative).jpeg2. Taking my kids to see a classic animated film Right after I became a Broadway investor (crazy, I know), I grabbed my son’s hand, we walked down the street and hit the movies where we got to catch a sneak preview of “Finding Nemo in 3D.” When we arrived, we were given super cool 3D clown fish glasses and before we knew it, the movie started. While the 3D concept is pretty cool, what I loved more was remembering all the classic lines from the film. Test your knowledge — who said this?
1. Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming.
2. He’s looking for his son, Fabio.
3. So there was a clownfish, a mollusk and a…
4. We will call him Shark Bait
5. Swim through the ring of fire
6. Mine. Mine. Mine.
7. My name is Bruce. I haven’t eaten a fish in three weeks.
And the list goes on an on. In fact, my son kept looking at me because I literally would say a line before it even appeared on screen. Sure, I saw “Finding Nemo” at least two dozen times, but it is by far, one of the best Pixar movies ever produced (aside from Toy Story and Monsters Inc. – which incidentally will be in theaters in time for the holiday season.
3. Curling up and watching “Glee” with my kids: Sure there are new kids in the school. And sure Rachel is in New York trying to hold her own. And sure, Kurt should not be a super senior. But it doesn’t matter. There is nothing that quite compares to a TV show that breaks into song every 5-7 minutes. I happen to really like Puckerman’s long lost relative Jake who threw a fit when he wasn’t able to finish his audition and then didn’t make the cut because of his anger issues. I also liked the new girl whose overweight mom is the lunch lady. Although she isn’t as dynamic as Rachel — it’s good to see another talented performer join the Gleek-sters. More importantly, I’m so glad my entire family has a show to watch that we all love (well maybe not exactly my husband, who typically naps during that hour), but there are three “Glee fans” in our house who are pretty happy the show is finally back for more.
So there you have it — a great week all around. Here’s to more exciting news ahead — but for now, I better get ready for my son and husband’s favorite past time…youth baseball. Better hit the road before my son throws out the first pitch.

Take Back the Kitchen with Alma Schneider

IMG_1412.JPG This delicious and easy recipe can be prepared in minutes if you stock your pantry right. Enjoy!
Creamy Pasta with Spinach

1/3 lb cooked pasta-preferably angel hair
1 1/2 cups frozen spinach, thawed and sauteed until dry
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 minced garlic cloves
sliced almonds and crushed red pepper
olive oil for cooking
1) Add in 1 tsp olive oil to thawed spinach and saute
2) Push spinach to the side and cook 2 minced garlic cloves in a little olive oil until translucent
3) Add in 1/4 cup heavy cream and stir everything together
4) Add spinach to the pasta and top with sliced almonds and crushed red pepper
For more great recipes from Alma Schneider, visit her at Take Back the Kitchen.

5 Goodies Kids Should Avoid to Maintain a Healthy Set of Teeth

Written by Role Mommy Contributor, Jessica Donnovan.

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Parents want nothing less than the best for their kids. They do not want their kids to make the same mistakes that they did when they were younger. Parents get monstrous when another kid in school hits their baby. They curse the first boy that broke their little girl’s heart. The list goes on, and that list includes having healthy, if not perfect set of teeth. Hence, parents resort to different tactics for how to make their five-year-olds brush their teeth before bedtime, to avoid eating candies, and to find trips to the dentist enjoyable– the last one being the hardest among kids of all ages or people of all generations. This article will identify five foods kids should avoid eating to have healthy set of teeth. It also aims to suggest some alternative foods to satiate the kids’ cravings for such while not compromising their pearly whites.
1. Hard candies and sweets
Kids love sweets. They would exchange anything between the moon and candies, maybe even you. Hard candies mean sugar, and sugar means bacteria. And as long as the candy stays in the child’s mouth, the happier these bacteria are. Not to mention that when kids get tired of sucking the candy, they would start biting and chopping the hard thing, which can cause some teeth problems.
2. Jelly and some sticky foods
Everybody has his own story getting embarrassed in front of a bunch of kids in school or colleagues at work. You talk and talk as the others hide their giggles and wicked smiles because you got something stuck between your teeth. And you remember that piece of caramel candy you had as a finale to your sumptuous lunch. Then you swore you would never eat caramel bars again. But you still do.
Jellies are to be avoided not only to prevent these awkward things from happening but also to avoid trapping bacteria that goes with these sticky foods. Give them alternative snacks like apples but make it a point not to go overboard in citrusy fruits as they demineralize the teeth enamel.
3. Rice, Pasta, and other foods high in carbohydrates
While you need pasta, bread and rice for energy, keep these food intake limited since they also contain starch that sticks to your teeth, hence, bacteria again. This can lead to further damage like tooth decay and gum problems. Although kids are too young to care for carb diet, you may want to opt for whole grain crackers and brown rice as these are safer options. This may be a double whammy if your kid is suffering from obesity.
4. Soda and carbonated drinks
In the modern age like this where children normally feast on junk foods and fast foods on a regular basis, they too find soda the best partner for steamy hot fries and burger. Carbonated drinks are very acidic that it speeds up the erosion of a tooth’s enamel. Keep these drinks on a minimum and let them drink water instead.
5. Sweet juices and energy drinks
Children love sweets even in beverages as aforementioned. Juices contain a high amount of sugar through artificial sweeteners and food coloring that is also not good for the body. Make fresh juices for them when you can and if it is the healthiest drink available in school, make them drink through a straw so that it will not damage the enamel of their teeth.
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Let them practice the habit of regularly brushing their teeth so that no bacteria will linger too long in their mouth. You can also try giving them alternative foods and drinks that are safer for their mouth and body such as water, whole grain crackers, fresh juices and wheat bread. The most important of all is to reach out to them and explain the importance of taking care of their teeth. Anyway, we know that you cannot watch them 24/7.
Author bio:
Jessica is a freelance writer, she’s an aerobic Instructor and a frequent runner. She loves ice creams and cereals. She’s also into almost all types of music genre and knows how to play the guitar. Follow her adventures on her Twitter.

What’s Your “One More”?

By Debi Silber, MS, RD, WHC The Mojo Coach®

So often we set goals for ourselves and look forward to the feeling of success when those goals are achieved. We set the bar high and look forward to the day we can celebrate our accomplishment and for pushing ourselves to a new level of personal or professional achievement. Maybe our goal is to lose 20 pounds, regain our health, improve our business, our financial status or reconnect with loved ones. Regardless of the goal we set, here’s what often happens…
While these goals can inspire us to be, do and have more, we’re often left with a keen sense of disappointment if we fail to achieve them. We feel frustrated, upset, and angry with ourselves as we identify a failure to reach the goal we set as somehow failing ourselves. We may assume that failing to achieve the goal means we’re not capable of change. So often, we also respond to these setbacks by giving in, giving up and staying exactly where we are. So, here’s a thought…
What if instead of setting those lofty goals and only enjoying the feeling of success when we achieve them, what if we took a look at the different areas of our lives we wanted to improve upon and considered another approach. For example, let’s say we want to lose weight, improve our relationships, regain our health, enhance our image or develop a better business, etc.
Then, once we’ve identified what it is we’d like to change, what if we simply committed ourselves to implementing, taking on, doing or trying just one more…
For example, what if you committed to reading just one more page of that inspirational book you picked up. Then, day after day, you simply implemented the “One More Principle” when it came to reading. Can you imagine the feeling of success you’d have over time when eventually you managed to finish the entire book? What if somewhere within that one extra page you read, you were struck by exactly the right words you needed to read at the time? What if that extra page led to a new idea, a new way of thinking, feeling, acting, believing or behaving?
Reading just one more page of a book isn’t a huge commitment but over time, the impact would be profound and the sense of accomplishment would increase your confidence and eagerness to keep moving forward. As far as your health is concerned: What if you committed to eating just one more healthy meal each week. Over the course of a year, that’s an additional 52 healthy meals you’d be eating in exchange for 52 unhealthy meals you would have had, had you not implemented the “One More Principle.” Eating just one extra healthy meal each week (given that we have at least 3 to choose from each day) doesn’t seem like a big deal but exchanging 52 unhealthy meals for 52 healthy ones may just be the thing that gets you to commit to a new way of living.
Maybe that one change leads you to lowering your blood pressure, cholesterol level or getting off of a medication. Maybe that one change reduces your incidence of digestive issues or helps get you back to a comfortable weight and size. Maybe that one change boosts your confidence and inspires to do or try something you were uncomfortable with in the past.
What if this new level of wellness inspires you to then seek out new ways to feel better as you notice an improvement in your mood, level of energy and overall well being? You may notice you’re sleeping better, laughing more and being more productive each day. All of this coming from the idea of simply adding one more…
What if you committed to doing one more minute while doing your usual cardio workout? For example, you’re on your treadmill or going for a walk outside and you simply committed to adding one more minute to your routine. What if that one minute you added was the one minute you needed to come up with a solution to a problem that’s been sitting on the “back burner” of your mind? What if in that minute, you had that brilliant idea or came to a new conclusion about a decision you’ve been putting off?
As far as your relationships are concerned: What if you spent one more minute of focused attention on those you love? Could that extra minute be the one where the dearest people to you feel more loved, valued and appreciated? Could that minute have been the difference where your partner or child opened up about something they’ve been meaning or trying to say and finally felt comfortable enough to share with you? If so, can you imagine the impact adding one minute of focused attention would have in your relationship with your partner, with your kids or with your friends?
As far as your business is concerned; What if you made one more call to get the word out about what you do, took one more minute to speak with your key staff members or spent one more minute showing your clients/customers/patients/students how much you appreciate them? What if in that minute, you learned just what your team needed, cleared up a misunderstanding with a prospect or found out what it is that encourages someone to want to work with you? One minute isn’t a deal but when it leads to a happier staff, better communication and more satisfied clients, it sure is.
What if you took one more minute to appreciate all that you have, all of the blessings you’ve been given and all of the opportunities that have come your way? What if you took one more minute to show your gratitude for the kindness of another person, for the health you’ve been given, for the laughs you shared with another and for beauty that surrounds you? It’s those seemingly insignificant little bits of extra effort, focus, time and attention that over time yield big results. So with this in mind, what’s your “one more?”
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Debi Silber, MS, RD, WHC The Mojo Coach®, founder of www.TheMojoCoach.com is a leading health, fitness, wellness, lifestyle, self-­‐improvement expert and THE secret behind some of the healthiest, most dynamic, energetic and successful people today. Sign up for your “10 FREE Strategies to Get You Lean, Sleek and Sculpted”! (These are complete programs and videos) and take the FREE “Mojo Lifestyle Assessment” to see how you score.