I drive by this store almost every day and until it closed about a month ago, the signs on the outside of the store touted the hand painted prices of whatever was on sale that day. 1 Dozen Eggs, 99 cents, Western Family Toilet Paper, 1.99, etc. The grocery store itself was pretty dingy and strangely laid out in rooms, so unless I was really in a pinch, I usually drove the extra block to Albertson’s. I ventured in as they were liquidating their inventory and it was a bit creepy, but I got a couple of pantry staples at a decent price. I didn’t mourn the closing of the store, but then again, I’ve only lived in Provo for 6 months so it wasn’t nostalgic to me at all. Until about a week ago when they pulled those hand painted paper signs off of the building and I saw what was underneath it all. Both local and national brand advertisements from the mid 70’s. The slogans on the wall were the ad campaigns *right* before the ones I remember. I was 3 or 4 when these slogans were used and it was so awesome to see actual ads from that time. I don’t know what will become of that building. (I think a funky bright green dance club complete with a Scottish dude in a Kilt on the sign would be a hit in this college town!) Who knows what it will be or how long those signs will be there. I just knew I had to get a few shots of all the 70’s funky goodness before the building’s fate was decided.

And, being the digital thinker that I am, I got a few shots of the blank sign in the middle of them all…you never know when it might come in handy…

Wow…40. My husband is old. OK, not THAT old, but WAY older than he was when I met him. Not to mention way cuter. He’s always been adorable, but I’m quite enjoying his 40 year old face with the laugh lines and the little bit of gray hair that frames it. I love that all our kids got his smile. Happy birthday, old guy! I’ll meet ya on the other side of 40 in a few years. :p

EVENING BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION UPDATE:

Birthday boy’s adorable smile is a little out of focus, but super cute anyway!
After homemade tacos for dinner came the homemade goodies nestled in those pretty second hand bags: yummy salsa AND strawberry jam (low sugar, of course!).

This may look like a sweet little cupcake, but it’s not! It’s a whole wheat roll baked in a cupcake liner topped with creamy butter. Ken’s not big on sugar, so we tried something different and he loved it. He said ‘Who needs cupcakes? Let’s do this more often!”

Joshua had fun helping with the candles. And poking at the ‘fauxcake’ wondering what the heck it was. He enjoyed a couple of them with honey butter and jam.

Super fun day at home cooking good stuff for the people I love. Great, great day.

I’m not a big journal person. I use my journals more like a therapist. I write everything out, re-read it, look at how petty and stupid I sound and then rip the page out. There are exceptions to that, like the little Moleskine notebook I jot down spiritual thoughts in and the couple of fun patterned or leather notebooks I keep available for design inspiration. My life experience journals end up being my digital scrapbook pages. So, instead of keeping a strictly written journal of my journey to better health, I am starting from the beginning with scrapbook pages. I am starting with images of me at my highest known weight which I thought about blacking out, but whatever! It was my weight. Last summer after travelling 12 hours in the car back from vacation in Idaho my weight was 320. These images were taken a couple days earlier and I am using them as my before photos. I lost 15lbs during the process of moving in the Fall but gained a bit back. March 1st 2010 (when I started reducing calories and walking 4-6 times a week) I was at 308. As of April 1st 2010 I am at 298, which is -10lbs in a month. Not too shabby! Goal for May 1st is to be at 288. More importantly, my size is changing. YAY! I already feel better and it’s not as hard as I thought it might be, so I’m sticking with it. And by posting my progress, maybe I’ll feel more motivated. I can’t believe the number of people who actually care and post encouragement and tips on facebook. I’ve lost some weight and gained some friends. Pretty cool.

Here’s my first page. I’ll take another photo today and start on page 2.
(Credits: Page tab by Celeste Rockwood Jones – all other supplies are my own.)

Journaling reads: Sometimes liking yourself can be a bad thing. Not BAD, but not especially motivating. I don’t have a problem with who I am and I don’t associate what my body looks like with my self worth or my value as a human being in this world. So, when it comes to losing weight I generally have no motivation. I like myself and my kids have a nice soft place to rest their heads. You could say I don’t care, but that would be before. Before I started slowing down, before I moved to a neighborhood with great trails and outdoor activities and LOTS of friends who run and bike and rollerblade with their families and talk about it when they get together. Before my husband started improving his health, before my daughter started dance class. Before I realized life was changing with or without me. So, I’m changing. Not just to be like everyone else and not so I can like myself more, but because I like myself enough to be active and healthy and my weight is holding me back. Now I’m making that BEFORE.

Sometimes Joshua says things that make my heart melt and then there are those things that I want to laugh at but I hold back so that he won’t lose that innocent enthusiasm. Just a couple things lately…yesterday Kelsey said to Joshua ‘Guess what!’ Joshua almost asked ‘What?’ but thought again and screamed ‘No, MOMMY loves me!’ Maybe I say ‘Guess what! I love you!’ too much??? Heh!!

Then today on the way to take James to school Joshua pointed to a house and said ‘Thomas S. Monson was in that house.’ I have no idea why Thomas S. Monson would be in a little shack on Geneva Rd. in Provo, but Joshua insisted. I told him Thomas S. Monson lived in Salt Lake City. He said ‘Well, the boy in my radio in my room told ME to follow the prophet but I don’t know where Thomas S. Monson is so I can’t follow him! That’s why I think he is in that house.’ It pretty much took everything I had not to laugh. So stinkin’ adorable.

Lastly, here’s a layout about his latest idea for church attire…