1. I found Badgley Mischka at TJ Maxx. I found a really cute Purple dress, but while it fit in the top it didn't really have a waist and wasn't very flattering on me. It looked like a really cute pruple bag.

2. I'm pissed that I don't get to see the Colts today on regular TV. I'm checking updates online.

3. I've recently decided to not buy small bagged carrots. I've started buying a pound of carrots and then peel and cut them myself. Did you realize that use can get a pound for under $1.00? Not only is it cheaper, but they taste alot better.

4. I am successfully bringing my backyard back to life.

5. I just bought a super cute, pink, cotton sleep dress from Walmart - its Hanes and the proceeds are going to Breast Cancer Research.

6. I'm still working on Thank you cards from the wedding. Yes I'm horrible. I have about 30 or so left. I just got totally burnt out. All the "important" people got theirs during the first wave...

7. I'm going to make Rice Krispies today.... Yeah!! Yes I'm supposed to be watching what I eat...

8. I put some time in on the elliptical machine yesterday.... not enough but it is the first step.

9. I can't wait to watch Mad Men tonight.

10. Poor lil Milo has some sort of eye infection. I have to give him antibiotics, baby aspirins, and put ointment in both of his eyes, which he absolutely hates.

My parents have been divorced since I was in kindergarten. My mother got remarried the summer before 8th grade. They had started dating when I was in 5th grade. My step dad has sons from previous marriages. My step brothers are 24 and 31. The 31 yr old is getting married next weekend. My step dad is making me go, even though I don't want to go. He's laying a guilt trip on me saying that its a "family" wedding and that he (his son) and his soon to be wife attended all my wedding functions. While that is true - 2 hour commute to my festivities and flying from P'cola to STL is totally not the same thing, and its a hell of a lot more expense.

No I'm not being ridiculous, I've actually listed some reasons why I don't think I should have to go:


1. I'm not close to him at all. We don't really have a relationship, we see each other at holidays.
2. His soon to be wife is nice. She did attend my shower and was lovely, but I don't really know her. Funny thing, after chatting it up with everyone at the shower, I sat down at a table with my bridesmaids and there was this girl that was just chatting away with me, and I honestly didn't have a clue who she was. I had to get up and ask my mom who that was. It was her.
3. Brent is coming home this coming weekend, but can't take leave to come up with me. He is going to stay and take care of the dogs.
4. Its hella expensive and I don't really feel like blowing $400-$600 for the tickets, then a hotel, etc. Granted it was more expensive waiting till the last minute. But everything was so up in the air, I didn't have a choice.
5. My step-dad's ex wife and her family is freaking crazy. I'm not joking, its going to be total drama.
a.) they don't like the bride
b.) there is a chance they could talk him out of it
c.) there will be alcohol and alcoholics in attendance

Luckily, after over 2 hours searching all flight options through Orbitz then searching online at every provider, I found the cheapest (this the most decent times) at $391.00.

Now I need to get a new dress this weekend, get my eyebrows waxed, and work out this week.

People don't generally get to know the stages of cancer until they are dropped into it. I will admit, I haven't. Even though, my Great-Grandmother and Grandmother died as a result of breast cancer, I was much much younger when they were diagnosed and the research work that has been done is incredible.

Please take a look at the information below. It outlines the Staging of breast cancer, and the survival rates.

One statistic that I recently learned (watching Oprah) is that 70% of people being diagnosed with breast cancer, had NO family history. 70% that's amazing, because that fact is not widely discussed.

STAGING
Stage 0—Carcinoma in situ
In stage zero breast cancer, atypical cells have not spread outside of the ducts or lobules, the milk producing organs, into the surrounding breast tissue. Referred to as carcinoma in situ, it is classified in two types:

Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS)— very early cancer that is highly treatable and survivable. If left untreated or undetected, it can spread into the surrounding breast tissue.

Lobular Carcinoma In Situ (LCIS)—not a cancer but an indicator that identifies a woman as having an increased risk of developing breast cancer.

Stage I—Early stage invasive breast cancer

In stage 1 breast cancer, the cancer is no larger than two centimeters (approximately an inch) and has not spread to surrounding lymph nodes or outside the breast.

Stage II

Stage 2 breast cancer is divided into two categories according to the size of the tumor and whether or not it has spread to the lymph nodes:

Stage II A Breast Cancer—the tumor is less than two centimeters(approximately an inch) and has to up to three auxiliary underarm lymph nodes. Or, the tumor had grown bigger than two centimeters, but no larger than five centimeters (approximately two inches) and has not spread to surrounding lymph nodes.

Stage II B Breast Cancer— the tumor has grown to between two and five centimeters (approximately one to two inches) and has spread to up to three auxiliary underarm lymph nodes/ Or, the tumor is larger than five centimeters, but has not spread to the surrounding lymph nodes.

Stage III

Stage 3 breast cancer is also divided in to two categories:

Stage III A Breast Cancer—the tumor is larger than two centimeters but smaller than five centimeters (approximately one to two inches) and has spread to up to nine auxiliary underarm lymph nodes.

Stage III B Breast Cancer— the cancer has spread to tissues near the breast including the skin, chest wall, ribs, muscles, or lymph nodes in the chest wall or above the collarbone.

Stage IV

In stage 4 breast cancer, the cancer has spread to other organs or tissues, such as the liver, lungs, brain, skeletal system, or lymph nodes near the collarbone.

5-YEAR SURVIVAL RATE BY STAGE

Stage 0 100%

Stage I 98%

Stage II 88%

Stage IIIA 56%

Stage IIIB 49%

Stage IV 16%

Do you know who this woman is? Well you should, we all should!