Holiday Picture Post!

Hey all! First, thanks for your sweet notes of congratulations on my news yesterday! I love the support I get out here in Blogland. To answer Vickie's question, I'm due 7/3/11 so I'm currently housing a little firecracker!! Oh, and Jen, I'm not sure you'll get a lot of belly shots from me.. right now, I just look really really thick in the middle!!! :)

Here are some pics from our trip to the Great White North - also known as Michigan.

The chaos that is the Stocking opening!!!

The kiddies..  Clay, Emma, Kate

Me and Timmy on Christmas Eve

Kate and I on the Eve

Sledding!!! Timmy getting ready to push mom down the hill!

No Sledding for me!!! I was the official picture-taker

Official family picture shot on Christmas

The rest are at the ski-hill..  again, no skiing for me, but I was a skiing supporter!! 



xo,js

A Long Overdue Post... and some BIG News!!!

Geez Louise, I've been quite absent lately!!!   The holidays just got the best of me but now I am back from all my holiday traveling and ready to settle in for the winter (ha! I live in AZ!! More like settle in and get ready for the heat in like 4 months!) 

• We got back from Michigan last night. Had an absolute blast. I will post tons of pictures tomorrow once I remember to bring my camera and cord to work.  Luckily, we had no issues whatsoever with travel, which may have been a first for us. It was freezing cold and I spent a good amount of time, inside, under a blanket, napping.. which was perfecto!!
• Back at work today.. seems like it's going to be a pretty dead week, which will be nice so I can get organized and ready for the chaos the beginning of the year always brings. 

Ok, so are you ready for my BIG news??    I've got a BUN in the OVEN!!! Can you believe it??  I'm just at 13 weeks and am soooo freaking excited!!!  Obviously, I've known since around week 4 and let me tell you, it's been a beast to keep in. I'm not good with keeping my own secrets and this one has been really hard. I've hinted at it a couple of times but truth be told, it's one of the reasons I haven't been blogging..  I've wanted to spill the beans forever.  If you don't know my history, this is a huge blessing.  let me fill you in:

2003 - started trying to get pregnant the traditional way..   when that didn't work, started doing the whole taking my temperature, Ovulation Predictor Kits, etc... nothing.
2004 - started working with my OB/Gyn to see if we couldn't jumpstart something. Took Clomid for about 5 months and then did the Clomid Challenge with Super Ovulation for about 3 months..  Clomid should not be taken for more than 3-4 months before moving on..  I ended up with a burst ovarian cyst... OUCH!  Really started questioning whether or not I wanted to put my body through all of this..
2005 - saw a fertility specialist. Was diagnosed with Diminished Ovarian Reserve and told my chances to conceive were a slim 4-6%....  thought about doing IVF and then decided to start the adoption process.
Late 2005 - finished adoption paperwork and waited, waited.. met with 2 birth moms, weren't picked. Devastated.
2006 - moved to AZ. Found out that all of our Adoption paperwork and $$$$ did not transfer across state lines.  Had to start all over. 
2007 - The Great Stull Depression of 2007 - lost our business, lost everything, no money or insurance to do either adoption or fertility treatments. Decided we needed to regroup first and then get to deciding what we wanted to do about a family.
2008 -  decided to have LapBand surgery. Started the 6 month insurance waiting period
2009 - BAM - found out I was pregnant in May...  shocked to say the least...  had a miscarriage at 6 weeks..  sad but hopeful that with my surgery and better health, that the silver lining was that we could at least conceive..
October, 2009 - Lap Band Surgery - you know this story..
May, 2010 - visit with a fertility specialist. Decide that we will go straight to IVF as soon as the summer is over..  Summer over, we kept putting it off and putting it off..
October, 2010 - after reconciling with myself that I really didn't want to do IVF b/c of what it could do to my innards, I was pretty much at peace that I might not ever carry a child.  and then BAM!!!!  was getting ready to head to Chicago for Margo's wedding and realized that I hadn't started my period which was wierd b/c for the past several months, I had had very short cycles (like around 21/22 days long) So, for good measure, took a test and was SHOCKED at the results...  I'm telling you if you don't believe in miracles..  you should. This is a Bona-fide miracle here... 

I was very apprehensive for the first couple of months b/c of my history and just kept hoping for the best everytime I've been to the doctor for an ultrasound. But, there is a Baby Stull in my belly with a perfect strong  heartbeat who likes to shield it's face whenever the ultrasound tech starts to move around the belly. 

For the first couple of weeks, I was pretty sick - but only in the afternoons.. I finally went to see my LB doctor and she wanted to take out ALL of my fluid. Once I started crying and begging her to not, she agreed to take out 1/2 so I went from 9cc to 4.5 which immediately eliminated the vomiting that I had.. it was crazy. Haven't thrown up since. It's actually kind of nice that I can eat a sandwich now without getting stuck!! I'm still trying to be mindful of the lap band rules and so far have really only gained like 4lbs back.  The biggest symptom I have is the extreme tiredness.. I could sleep for hours. Other than that, I'm doing pretty well.  

Ok, gotta run, just wanted to share the good news.. Will keep you posted. I promise I won't be one of those crazy telling you every little detail of my pregnancy people!!! 

Hope you all had a great holiday season and those out East are keeping warm and are able to at least enjoy all the snow!! :)
xo,js

Remember When???

Remember when this past summer when I was a workout queen?? Anyone seen that girl?  If you have, tell her to give me a call b/c this girl has a belly full of jelly lately.  Sure, I've been working out with Kathi 2-3 times a week, but gone are the days when I sometimes did 2x a day and my cardio was through the roof...  please find her!  Pleaseandthankyou.

xo,js

Out of Touch..

Hey all... well, I feel so out of touch lately. I've been basically going through the motions of life lately.  Nothing out of the ordinary happening here.

1. We are in our new house and we love it.  We still have two rooms in which there is no furniture but we'll get there. With moving, Christmas, Christmas travel, we've had a lot of expenses and I just haven't found exactly what I "need" for these rooms!  Here is a pic of the backyard.. it's heavenly.. I can't wait until it's warm enough to enjoy it more.  We have a putting green back there and I quickly realized on Thanksgiving, that putting makes me want to hurl a golf club over the fence and into the wash.. it's so freaking frustrating!!! I could never be a golfer as I don't have the patience!! 

2.  Thanksgiving was pretty low-key, just me and Timmy. We ended up making the full meal, including the turkey.  I did not have one bite of the turkey b/c turkey and Antonio do not get along.  Needless to say, we had a boatload of leftovers that Timmy has enjoyed all week long.  We watched B&M's girls this weekend and this was the scene during the turkey slicing time:

I think the dogs ate more than me that day!!!

3.  I did a little Black Friday shopping but didn't go overboard. I went to Kohls (  there were a bajillion people there!) Target, Old Navy and Homegoods.. I think I ended up with more for me/house than for any of the peeps on my list!!!

4.  We are heading to Michigan in less than 3 weeks and to say that I'm excited is a huge understatement! We haven't spent Christmas up at the lake all together in 4 years..  so fun! I broke down and ordered a new winter coat b/c my others are like blankets on me now!

5. My band is absolutely a pain in the ass lately.  I am having such a hard time keeping things down and today's new development is that whenever I eat anything, it feels like there's a fire in my belly. I have some other health things going on which may be contributing to the pain a little but I have an appointment on Friday and may actually ask for an unfill.  It blows (literally) though.

6.  Even though my band is a bastard lately, I've been doing pretty well on the challenge. I think I'm down around 7 since the beginning. How come I only lose during a challenge?? It's bananas.

Hope everyone is well.  Will make more of an effort to comment and read blogs!! Some of your blogs shut my internet down though when I try to open them at work!  I've been using google reader a lot lately and sometimes can't get over to the actual blog to comment. HOpefully, I'll have something more exciting to blog about next time!!!  Boring is how I roll these days!!!

xo,js

Gobble Gobble...

Hey all - I've been horribly absent from Blogland lately. Just can't seem to get my blo-jo back.  Really, there hasn't been anything too exciting going on to tell you about!

I love Thanksgiving and normally it's one of my most favorite holidays, but this year, eh.. just not feeling it.
Last year at this time, it was my first day of regular food b/c it fell just about 3 weeks after my surgery.  I remember being nervous about not being able to eat much but it all went down just fine. It's so funny to think back at when I was just banded and all the things I "thought" I would never be able to eat, drink, etc.. 

This year, it's just me and Timmy cooking for ourselves. It'll be much different but I'm sure it will be good.  We are having an ongoing battle as to whether or not to actually cook a turkey b/c I know I'll only be able to eat a little and it seems like such a waste and so time-consuming. I would prefer to just get a turkey breast but we'll see!! I do love me some green bean casserole so you can bet that there will be plenty of that. We are going to "party hop" to a few of our friends houses that day so it should be fun.

I always miss my family on Thanksgiving and this year is no different.  I can't wait to see them all in about a month up in the great white north of Northern Michigan for Christmas.

Hope you all have a happy thanksgiving!! Gobble Gobble!!!

**sorry for the blandest post ever.. hope your turkey doesn't turn out this bland!! ***

Eighty is GREAT-y...

Well, I finally hit 80 down yesterday.  I let out a little "yahooo" when I got on the scale in the morning. My weight loss is so slow but I'm at least moving in the right direction!!

This past week or so has been crazy. We have officially moved into our new house and now the unpacking and setting up begins. I haven't been too hungry which might have contributed to my stellar weight loss this past week. 

I'm off work today to unpack. I may take tomorrow off as well or work from home b/c I haven't been feeling too hot and I have a dr. appointment mid-day.   I have to say I'm a super fast unpacker..  now just need to find where my nails and hammer are!

More later!
xo,js

1/2 Marathon - CHECK!

so today was the big day.. the day I have been training for for the past 2 1/2 months - getting up every Sunday, walking a new distance...

We got up at the crack of dawn.. (these 1/2 marathoners mean serious business)

Jen 1, Jen 2 (me) and Jenn3!

Both the Jens are runners but Jen1 wanted to walk the course with me and Jenn3 ran and beat her Personal Record (go Jenn!) and then met up with us around mile 7 and walked the rest of the way with us.  She's a freaking rockstar!!  She also served as group photographer, getting action shots.

We also walked with a woman from work's daughter Courtney. The woman, Mary,  who is 56 was about a mile ahead of us with her other daughter the entire time.. she's also doing the 3-day this upcoming weekend and has more energy than anyone I know!! 



After a couple of trips to the bathroom (who knew they give you a boatload of water in these races!!) we finished just under 4 hours. I do have to say had it been without the two trips to the bathroom, we would have finished around 3:30.. which I would have been happier with but hey, we didn't get picked up by the sweeper van AND we weren't the last ones on the course!!  WooHOO!

Overall, I'm glad I did it.  It wasn't nearly as hard as I thought it would be this morning when I started remembering my lack of training this past week!!  I do have to say that the training walks we did over the past couple of months would have been so much better had we had refreshment stations at each 1.5 mile!!

Tim made a comment that pretty much sums up how I feel about this - "just think Miss Magoo, 2 years ago, you NEVER would have even thought of walking 13.1 miles.. I'm so proud of you"..  I feel the same way about myself today!!  So, what's next?? 

xo,js

Birthdays, Bret Michaels, Bandiversary and Beautiful Brides..

Hey all!! So, it's been a long time since my last post!! I had totally planned on doing a big 1 year Bandiversary blog but life got in the way and time just slipped past me!! So, unfortunately for you, you will get lots of babblings and bullet points.. with some pictures thrown in!!! 

• My Birthday was awesome!!  It's really my favorite holiday of the year and there is no shortage of me lettting everyone know that it's my special day. I mean, it's borderline obnoxious!!!  My girlfriends took me to the State Fair to see Bret Michaels.  I love Bret Michaels, not in a "Oh I think he's hot (because I don't!)" kind of love, but I genuinely love him as a person.  I know he has the whole "Rock of Love" personality scuzziness, but other than that, I think he's a good guy, total survivor, and bad - ass rocker. Plus he lives here in Scottsdale too. Anyways, here are some pics of the night.. super fun!



• My 1 year Bandiversary was on October 29th. I am officially 79 lbs down. I wish it were more but I'm totatlly happy with my progress and I've always known I was a slow loser!! I don't diet, I enjoy life, I still drink (sometimes a little too much beer!) and I know that if I were more disciplined, I'd have lost more but I'm good!  I don't make excuses, I don't blame my lack of weight loss on anything other than the fact that sometimes I indulge and don't exercise as much as I should be. I know that the lapband is not a miracle cure for my obesity, it's a tool and if I dont' use it correctly, it won't work.  Barbara said it best the other day in her blog - stop making excuses and suck it up buttercup!!! Loved it!
• This past weekend, we headed to Chicago for our friends' Margo and Steve's wedding. It was spectacular!! I don't know if I've ever seen two people more in love on their wedding day and a more beautiful bride! There was so much laughter, dancing and love that I'm full on it all still.  I love my friends.  (Deb - I'm sorry we never connected. I'm hoping to be in chicago again soon!)
  
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•  Our move is next weekend.. and we are in serious packing mode!! This weekend we are having a garage sale to hopefully get rid of lots of stuff!  I'm so sorry to the girls I have promised Sisterhood clothes too.. I've been so busy that I've been seriously slacking on getting those packages out. I hope to do it this weekend!!
• I'm meeting Vickie for lunch tomorrow! I'm super excited as I haven't seen her since July! 

Ok, that's all I have for now. I wish I would have more to say on my 1 year but I don't!!  Life is just chugging along.. 

hope you are all well! xo,js



Reflections on my 38th Year...

Tomorrow is the 1st day of the end of my 30s...  and I gotta tell you, life is way better now than it was at the end of my 20s.. (actually everything but the fact that I met my husband when I was 28 and then got engaged at 29 and married at 30)...   We were looking at pictures the other day of about 8 years ago and we decided that we've both aged well..  I attribute most of it to Antonio but I know it's more than that. I live happily, void of much drama, surrounding myself with people that I love and that love me back. I am lucky. I realize this. 
So, on the eve of my 39th birthday, I'm reflecting on my past year..

1.  6 days from my birthday, I had my sugery.  I remember going out for my birthday dinner last year with Joy and Michelle and having a glass of wine (b/c I had googled "can I have a glass of wine during my pre-op" and found Southern Jen's blog!!!) and a piece of meat.. I think that's all I had.  I was worried I'd never be able to eat the same things I loved.  Fast forward to this year, for my birthday lunch with Michelle and Joy on Wednesday, we went to Chipotle.  I had about 1/2 of a burrito bowl and a cupcake.  The only thing different was that last year before my pre-op, I would have eaten the entire bowl, some chips and guacamole and maybe 2 cupcakes.. 

2.  This year I found out who I could count on and they were people that I didnt' expect it from. Many of my  friendships have gotten stronger and I've met some kickass people "on the internet".

3.  My relationship with my husband has had it's ups and downs (mostly due to my BIL's involvement in our lives this summer) but it's made me realize how much I truly and deeply love that man. He's a total pain in the ass at times (as am I!) but together, we work.

4.  Work has been challenging but has always remained the best place I've ever worked. I love the people I work with and some have become some of my closest friends.

5. I've put myself back on the list. I do things for me now, not just for everyone else.  I still am sensitive to other's needs but everyonce in a while, I say NO.

Now, if I could only get rid of the gray hairs and the pimps that have appeared on my chinny chin chin the last couple of days, life would be pretty much near perfect. 

Stay tuned to my 1 year bandiversary blog next week!!WooHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

hope you all have a great weekend!
xo,js

Aches and Pains, Bumps and Bruises...

Ladies (and the very few gents), I am a HOT MESS....   I am walking around looking like I got run over by a truck and then rear ended by the same truck..  why you ask?

Because Sunday, I tried to be Superwoman..

• I walked 12 miles for a training walk - Oy..   wasn't so bad until I hit abut mile 11 and then the bitching commenced..  oh, my legs hurt, oh my feet hurt, oh, I'm getting sick of walking.. blah blah blah..  Thankfully that was the last of the long training walks - we go down from here and then the 13.whatever is in 3 weeks and then this girl is checking it off her list and is dunzo.. 
• I started packing.  I did not lolly gag around.. I bought 6 huge bins from Target and proceeded to pack up all the glass in my kitchen, my entire china cabinet and then purge purge purge.. it's amazing what you can collect in 3+ years..  I made piles for the trash, piles for the garage sale and piles to take with.. I must have kicked said bins at least 3/4 different times and then proceeded to run into many a bin while moving around the dining room, thus the bruises!!
• I shopped - went to Best Buy for a TV, grocery shopping, target, Old Navy.. you name it, I went there.

Usually on my training walk days, I tend to take it easy after I've been out in the hot AZ sun walking for 3 hours or so, but something in me told me I needed to get moving and get packing. Glad I did, but my body hates me for it today. Yesterday was rough..  does it ever get easier?

Friday FIVE - and a major NSV!!!

Happy Friday all!!! I'm hoping that you all have some fun plans for this weekend!! Me, notsomuch!  I don't have anything planned and I like it!  Thought I'd do a quick little five bullet point post to fill you in on some things..

1.  thanks to those that responded to my last two posts - the first about the voting for my Aunt and Uncle's project in memory of my cousin - KEEP VOTING!!!! and the 2nd about the clothes. I'll be packing up some stuff this weekend and hopefully shipping out quite a few boxes to many of you!

2.  Have I mentioned that we are moving in about 3-4 weeks? If not, we are! I'm super excited about it so I think we'll probably start packing this weekend. We are ready for a change and our new house is fantastic!!!  Lots of space for visitors!

3.  Had a little pity party this week which is pretty unlike me.  I was feeling sad about some friendships I have here and putting more effort than I get out of them and consistently feeling as if I'm the back-up friend and I hate that feeling.  I'm pretty much over it, but it still sucks when you feel that way.

4. MY NSV - I got a dress for the wedding I'm going to in Chicago in a couple of weeks!  It's a funny story. I went to Dillards and found two dresses I liked. One was $89 and the other was $189 so I grabbed both in a size 20..  the one that was $189 was not too cute on so I was keeping my fingers crossed that the other would work. I tried on the 20, it was too big, so I walked out, grabbed the 18, again too big. So, I walked out again and grabbed the 16 thinking there's no way this is going to fit and I'm going to be bummed b/c this will be one of those where you are exactly right between the two sizes and I didn't want to have to deal with getting the 18 altered. Miracle of all Miracles, the 16 fit!!!  AND, it still roomy enough that I might have to get it altered a little in the arm holes.  Here it is:  full shot of the dress, close up of the rosettes all over it and then me.. don't mind the hair please!!  Also, bonus is that I already had a pair of pretty comfy peep-toe sling-back wedges that look cute with it. So, all I need is a little pashmina and some big earrings to go with it (I'm thinking hot pink pashmina!) thoughts?

5.  This weekend is another big Training walk - 12 miles.. Oh lord help me..  if you don't hear from me next week, I'm off to the side of the road somewhere crawling trying to get home.

Have a great weekend!
xo,js

Quick Post to get your help on something!

Hi all - 2nd post of the day but I need some favors..

If you look at the top left of my blog you'll notice a place to vote for a project for the Pepsi Refresh Project.
Here's the background: 

My cousin Trevor was killed in action in Iraq in 2003.  His parents (my dad's sister and brother-in-law) and family are building Blum's Landing in his memory.  It will be a B&B for wounded troops and their families to come for a short vacation in beautiful northern Michigan, FREE OF CHARGE. A place for relaxation and healing.

Pepsi donates $250,000 to the two ideas that garner the most votes per month.  Currently, Blums Landing project is ranked at 66th so we have a long way to go!!

You can vote three different ways per day.  AND, you can put it on your Facebook and tell your friends to vote as well.

Thanks in advance for your help!!!

xo,js

Clothes Call..

So, this weekend I decided to finally go through my closet and purge all the stuff that I know does not fit anymore. I have done quite a few purges over the past several months and have shipped quite a bit of clothes out to my girl Amy but for some reason had been hanging onto some other stuff that I could have shipped out as well..   I did keep one pair of "before pants" so when I do hit goal someday in the next year or so, I can see the massive change!  

I do owe some stuff to Angela that I've promised her about 3 weeks ago but slow is how I roll these days.  so that box will most likely go out this weekend!! But, if anyone knows of anyone in need of pants, sweaters, shirts, loungewear in the size 22 - 26 range, let me know (email is jbucky28@yahoo.com). there's too much to post pictures so you'll just have to trust me its in good condition!!  I'll probably donate by next weekend if I don't get any takers!   The bonus in getting rid of all the clothes is all the empty hangers ready for new clothes!

Thank goodness it's my birthday next week and I have some sweet gift cards to use up for shopping!!  I'm pretty much out of anything for bottoms except for Jeans!

have a great day!
xo,js

I have a new boyfriend...

Yes, it's true, I'm cheating on my two main men in my life Timmy and Antonio.  I can't help it. This new boyfriend of mine is so dreamy and not only does he have the looks, but he has the very chill style and most importantly, the voice to make me swoon..  the truth is, I've fallen for Jack Johnson.  We met last night and I can't stop thinking of him...

see how he was looking at me??   He might of felt threatened by the other man in my life who was sitting next to me yawning:

but he just kept on singing those sweet sweet songs right to me. 

Truth be told, he's been wooing me for about a month now, when I was given tickets by the assistant of the President of our company who loves me..  I definitely played hard to get, even thinking that I may not go b/c it was a Sunday night, I was tired, we had been celebrating Timmy's birthday all weekend long. But, the tickets were free and I love me some free shit. AND, they were VIP - 2nd row, dead center, it was a beautiful night and we were meeting our good friends Clay and Nicole there.  He definitely won me over.  I'm hooked and may never come out of this haze..  but, I hear there's another woman(she's on my left below) vying for his attention - this woman shoved her way to the front of the pit and was within 5 feet of him. She may have won this battle for Jack, but I'm not giving up a fight.  She looks menacing doesn't she?? 

We had a great weekend - watched a fantastic Michigan State win over University of Michigan (GO STATE!) and celebrated Tim's birthday with several good friends.  Before I left the house yesterday, I checked myself out in a mirror in my house and was shocked that for the first time in a long time, I didn't see a fat girl, I saw me..  I loved it. So, of course, had to take a picture!!

I went and got a fill today so I'm really hoping that this does me some good and the scale can start moving downwards again. It's so easy to get frustrated with this band!!!  I have never been patient and this whole journey definitely tries my patience.  I now have 9.75 in a 14 cc band. The doctor is so happy with my progress but she needed to talk me down from the ledge when I started bitching about how slow I'm losing!! 

Hope you all had a great weekend!  xo,js

This and That...

Well, it's been another full week since I last posted and there's been a LOT going on! So, I thought I'd do a little bullet point post for those of you still interested! 

• My wrist still hurts like a mo-fo...  I haven't been to the specialist yet b/c I think he's just going to tell me the same thing as the other doctor said - sprained wrist, enflamed tendons - so what's the point?? I admit I have not been good at wearing the brace all the time as I should, but it's a pain in the ass to write and type with it and I have to write and type pretty much all day long!
• My 1/2 marathon training is in full swing. Every week I walk one mile more and every week I say there is NO way I can walk 13.whatever miles...  I'm up to 11 miles this week..  and I will still bitch about it!  everyone keeps saying once I do one, I'll get hooked, but I'm pretty certain that my 1/2 on November 7th will be my first and last!! I would love to run some, but I'm still not there yet!
• I got to spend Sunday afternoon and into the night at the hospital with Michelle this past week.  She has been having lots of stomach issues this past year and everytime she goes to see someone, they say it's acid reflux, all the while, she was convinced it was her gallbladder. A few weeks ago, she had an endoscopy done and everything came back normal. Fast forward to this Sunday. Our friend Joy calls me and asks me if I had heard from Michelle b/c she had just talked to her and she was in a lot of pain. M's husband B had just left to go out of town on a business trip. So, I called Michelle, could tell she had been crying, and I drove over to her house. It took me about 45 minutes to convince her we needed to go to the ER.  So, we packed up little KD, dropped her off at a friend's house and went to the ER, and after about 6-7 hours, blood work, ultrasound, etc.. they admitted her b/c she had a "rogue" stone that was blocking her ducts leading from her liver to her pancreas..  and tons of gallstones in her gallbladder..  I stayed the night at the hospital with her and on Monday morning, Brandon was able to get home and Kennedy was babysat and Michelle was on her way to surgery to get her issue taken care of.  On Tuesday, they took out her gallbladder. They were concerned about damage to her liver so they opted to do two different surgeries on two different days and keep her for 3 nights for observation. Thankfully, she is out of the hospital and back home resting. Her belly looks a lot like mine did almost a year ago after my LB surgery!!  Of course the girl weighs like 95 lbs so it's a little smaller than mine, but the incisions are almost the same!!  If only they would have listened to her last year, things would have not gotten to this point. So, moral of the story, if you firmly believe that something other than what the doctor is telling you is wrong, speak up and keep speaking up until someone listens to you!!  She even wanted to leave the ER on Sunday before anyone saw us b/c she just knew that they were going to tell her it wasn't her gallbladder.  But, luckily, Dr. McHotty (he was hot and I was hooked on every word he said!! ) ran a boatload of tests and got to the root of the problem. It could have been a LOT worse had it not been taken care of.
• I'm heading to Chicago at the end of the month for my friend's wedding and need to get a dress.. I'm still hovering in the plus size section of most stores.  Any advice on where I should look (websites?) I'm most likely going to hit up Nordstrom & Macy's this weekend but any good sites I should check out?

Ok, there's so much more I want to talk about but that will do it!! My weight continues to hold firm at 76 down.. super irritating but I haven't been working out as much as I was - just mainly walking and working out with Kathi - haven't done Zumba in about 2 weeks and I miss it!  I would love to be down 80 by October 29th, which is my 1 year bandiversary.. we shall see... 

xo,js

Brace yourselves...

Clumsy girl is rocking a brace..  wish I had a good story to go with it..  no clue how I sprained my wrist and enflamed my nerves in my hand/wrist.... this weekend, I'll be shopping for my bubble..  wonder if they have those at Tarjay...

Some of you went to Chicago, but this weekend, Chicago came to me!

Ok, while I am still GREEN with envy over the BOOBs weekend, I am so full of love from my weekend with my girls.  They all descended upon Casa de Stull on Thursday at various times during the day and the following 3 days were filled with lots and lots of laughs, craziness and plenty of booze.  I definitely think we toasted Margo's last month or so of singleness in typical fun fashion.  I had a packed house - seriously, my house is not big enough for 10 people but we made it work - but it was all worth it! 

On a side note about BOOBs, you guys all look like you had such a fantastic time! And you all look FABULOUS!!!!  I love seeing all the pics so keep them coming!! 

xo,js

The whole group on Friday night.. 

My Arizona girls got to meet my Chicago girls.

Me and Shannon

Me, the bride (Margo) and Laura D.

Fanny (Jamie), me, Margo, TK (Tracy) and Shannon

TK, me and Shannon

Me and TMac (Tracy) on Saturday night

Laura D, me and Margo

Me and Crazy Angela

all the girls.. saturday night.

Angela, Fanny and me

Poolside Thursday night.. 

Poolside Friday during the day!

me and TK

end of the evening on Friday.. not sure how we are all still standing!!