baptisms

I'm about a week late in posting this one.  Oops.  Last Friday Faith and I met up with one of my uncles, his wife, one of my brothers, and a cousin (plus his friend) at the Mesa temple to do some baptisms for some family members that my uncle has found recently while doing some family history work on one of our family lines.

I haven't done baptisms in forever!  It was fun to go and do them (even if the white jumpsuits are the most UNFLATTERING things in this world...seriously.  I thought I was doing really well with this whole loosing weight thing and looking pretty good!  Nope.  Just kidding.  I still look like a giant beached whale...)

We did 30 names!  I'm so excited to have been able to be a part of doing this for them.  I hope they're ready and accepting of what we're doing for them.  :)

weight loss stats and some pics

Alright folks, I've been doing this whole eat right, loose weight, try to transform my body thing now for eight months.  How about some updates on my current stats??

Curves: 
Date started: 1/2/2013
Pound lost to date: 64.4 pounds
Inches lost to date: 45.8


Myfitnesspal.com
Date started: 12/31/2012
Pounds lost to date: 64.2


Forever Fit
Date started: 8/15/2013
Pounds lost to date: 8


I've lost 64 pounds in 8 months!  And I lost 8 pounds just this week on my new plan with my doctor!


Faith, Julia, and I have started doing a workout DVD a couple days a week at home: Slim In 6.  There are three different workouts progressing in difficulty.  We've been doing the first workout for a couple days, so we decided to do the next workout tonight.

Bad idea.

We both about died.

At one point Faith even said, "I'm broken!"

Here's some pics of us attempting to "Ramp It Up!"  (and dying in the process)  This is only part of the floor exercise portion.  There was a whole 20 minutes before this where we were lunging and squatting, and doing lots of arm exercises.  Julia decided she needed to take pictures of us while she was laying on the sleep, sick, and not participating with us.

travel dreams

I keep having dreams about Kristy and I traveling places.  I've dreamed a few times of us being back in Paris.  Another time, I don't remember all the particulars but we were somewhere different, and last night I dreamed I was visiting her in Italy where she lived in a TINY apartment with 3 other girls.  In my dream last night I only remember being at her apartment waiting for a delivery.  My bags had gotten lost at the airport and they had to be delivered to the apartment.

I think it's time to start planning my next trip!

losing my interest in food

These appetite suppressants sure do a good job at their job.  I get hungry occasionally through the day, but when it comes time to actually eat something (most of the time which I have to force myself to do), after I take a couple bites I loose interest and have to make myself finish because I know I have to have the calories and nutrients.

I'm also changing they way I think about food.  Now, instead of focusing on what tastes the best, I'm looking for what has the biggest punch of protein with the fewest amount of bites I have to take in order to eat it quickly before I loose interest in it.

This is all very new and unusual territory for me.

forever fit

I went to a new doctor this week.  I haven't had a gynecological exam in WAY too long, and I just decided to bite the bullet and get it over and done with.  I found a doctor close to the house and made an appointment.  Then went on Tuesday and got poked and prodded in uncomfortable and awkward places...

When I was looking at their website I noticed they also offer a medically supervised weight loss program called Forever Fit by MD.  Since I've been on a weight loss plateau for the past month I've been looking for a way to kick-start my metabolism and get back on the weight loss track.  So, I decided to give this program a try.  I was intrigued because it's doctor supervised, with weekly weigh-ins, a personalized plan, and there's no contract that I'm locked into.  It's a month to month plan.  I called and made an appointment and had my initial consult on Thursday afternoon.  

I talked with the doctor, and the nurse assistant, for about an hour.  They weighed and measured me and we talked about the different options and which one would work best for me.  Because I've chosen to follow a vegan diet, she said, "You're going to be a challenge.  But that's okay!  Challenges are good!"  LOL

They gave me my plan (about 1300 calories a day), gave me a shot of B-12 in my butt, a prescription of appetite suppressants and sent me on my way.  My weekly weigh-in days are Thursdays, so I'll be interested to see what happens this first week.  

Today was definitely interesting since it was the first day on the appetite suppressants.  I take one pill twice a day (once in the morning and one late afternoon/early evening).  This morning I took my first pill at 9am.  I was still feeling kind of hungry for a little bit after, but by about 10 the hunger went away and stayed away for most of the day.  It was kind of interesting.  I've trained myself to eat every two hours the last 8 months, so my brain is still on that two hour schedule.  Every couple hours my brain was like, "K, it's been two hours.  Time to eat something."  But my stomach was all, "No.  We're good."  It was weird.

So, I ate my breakfast (fruit and a Luna bar), took the first pill at 9am, was still kind of hungry so bought a fruit and nut bar from the vending machine, then the hunger disappeared and I had to force myself to eat lunch.  I went through the whole afternoon without eating anything (weird), then went to the gym after work.  After the gym I was starting to feel a little hungry, but it was time to take my next pill so I did.  Then I went grocery shopping and while shopping the hunger disappeared again.  When I got home I knew I should east something because I hadn't eaten anything since lunch and had just burned a bunch of calories at the gym, but...I wasn't hungry.  So I forced myself to eat a bowl of cereal and now I'm sitting on the couch, blogging.  I feel a little hungry but not as much as I would be normally. It's definitely something I can ignore.  

This is definitely going to be a change.  I'm going to have to break the habit of eating every two hours.  Should be fun to see how the weekend goes...

letters

Here's a picture of what we did today after church:

We wrote fun letters!!

I had the thought today of a couple people I should send a note to.  Those couple turned into 7, and a "quick note" turned into this elaborate art project, but it was really fun!  Mom and the girls helped and we were all laughing and having fun.  We've decided to make this into a monthly thing and we've already started thinking of who we're going to send a letter to next month.  :)

shark week

It's been Shark Week on Discovery Channel this week.

It's a big thing.

In honor of Shark Week, at work we've been playing shark trivia all week and hunting for paper sharks hidden around the office to get the most points for our team.  The prize: a week of being able to wear jeans!  I'm not sure who the winner was (they hadn't announced anyone yet by the time I left), but my team ended up with 33 points.  Not too shabby!

All our paper sharks swimming in our team ocean.

what's in a name

My last name is made up.

No, really.  I'm being serious.

The last name "McLaws" doesn't exist beyond my sixth-great-grandpa.  We're not really sure why.  We don't know when it was changed, or why.  And we can't find any records beyond that particular grandpa that has that last name.  All we know is, it's made doing family history a bit difficult...  (Thanks, Grandpa!)

As part of this weekend's family reunion, Mom composed a poem explaining how and why the name McLaws came to be. (Note: there is nothing legitimate to back this up.  It's all just for fun!)


THE CHANGING OF THE NAMES
or, how the McLaws name came to be

By Sharon Matsen McLaws
7/27/2013

Away yonder land, past the mountains and moors,
Lied the green pastured hills of the Mighty MacDorrs.
MacDorr was the chief of the ancient of clans
He was big, with a beard, and strong muscled hands.

Well, MacDorr had a foe, it was sneaky MacLeary--
His kin? They were cheaters!  They made others weary
Of watching and guarding their cattle each minute,
Lest MacLeary let the cows go, and then they cannae fin' it.

One day after cattle were stolen stolen by Leary,
MacDorr stormed to him, but without gettin' teary,
Said, "MacLeary, you theif!  Give back me my cattle!
You'll hang for this, Jim, till we hear your brains rattle!"

MacLeary said, "Oh, just a minute there, lad,
I've got information you wish you never had--
See, I've been doing some searching on my family tree,
And it turns out we're cousins, so you let me be!"

MacDorr, he was furious!  Madder than hell!
He couldn't imagine what MacLeary would tell.
Leary said, "I've a granny with last name MacDorr!"
Than MacDorr said, "Then I, from this time evermore,

Denounce that last name--no longer we'll be
MacDorr; from now on we are Clan MacElfee!"
Years went on, well, it was hundreds, or more,
And the MacElfee Clan took their cue from MacDorr--

They changed their name this way, and that way, and then
They changed it all sideways, and then back again.
Over the ages it slid and it slod
After every small skirmish or scuffle or nod.

No one could tell who was kin or who wasn't.
For no one could keep track of aunt, uncle or cousint.
MacDorr, sure'n he'd be 'shamed if he knew
What a mess he stirred up--like a relative stew.

Now, today we're not sure when it happened, or why,
But we're reapin' the actions of days gone long by--
From MacDorr to MacElfee, then MacDuff and MacCain
MacGreggor, MacLaughlin, MacTaggish, MacLain,

MacDonald, McEwen, McElrond, McLon,
Till came from those lines a surgeon named John.
He thought, I should stop all this nonsense, and pause,
To make it official, we shall be Clan McLaws.

mclaws family reunion

This weekend we went up North for a couple days for the McLaws Family Reunion in Pinedale, AZ.  It was a short trip, but turned out to be really fun.  The weather was beautiful, being up in the pines was lovely, and we made a lot of fun, new memories (except maybe Steven who ended up twisting his ankle doing the "Kilts on Stilts" competition...)

Showing off the "man shorts" underneath the kilts.

Faith modeling the utilikilts we all got. 

 How many Scots does it take to put up a tent??

 When we arrived, John kept running around picking up sticks for the "the fire"

 J.R. bought a claymore.  "Are we going to pillage?  I have a sword!"

 The family crest we came up with for this weekend!

 Enjoying some Cool Ranch Doritos at the Friday night talent show

 The best MC ever!

 Real Highland dancing!

 Mom composed an original poem to explain how the name McLaws came to be.  It's awesome!

 McLaws family singers.  They were the best of the night!

 Learning how to do a Highland dance

What better way to do a flag raising ceremony than with a cannon??

 Uncle Frank reciting Patrick Henry's famous "give me liberty, or give me death" speech.  

 Cooking breakfast.  Why does food always taste so much better when you're camping??

 Practicing for a repise of last night's song (it was so popular they were asked to do an encore at lunch)

 John had the best seat in the house!

Grandpa McLaws (Grandma ended up staying home because she wasn't feeling well. Mom, Dad, Grandpa, and I stayed at the Overgaard cabin Friday night instead of camping with everyone else.)

 We got some drizzle and a few sprinkles Saturday afternoon.  It was so nice!

 After Steven twisted his ankle :(

 John loves marshmallows!  He found the bag they had in the car and was walking around just smelling them and having everyone else smell them.  "Smell them!  They smell REALLY good!!"

Watching J.R., Papa, and Uncle David play horseshoes out in the drizzle.  Good times!!