My Life

A New Start for me!!!!!!!!!!

2006-03-05T12:52:00.000-08:00

Has it really been that long since I have posted here – no way!!!!!! I just love that picture of Faith. We went to the Melting Pot last night and we had so much fun! I did overindulge a little, but it was worth it!

I hope all of you out there in cyber-space have had a great weekend. Mine was pretty good and I will not complain about starting a new Monday.

I am revving up my workouts this week in preparation for my trip to NY and to hopefully lose enough weight to enter the NS contest coming up in 45 days. Yea, that is a tall order being that I am 34 pounds away from goal, but I am going to get as close to there that I possibly can.

It is amazing that with so many diet products and health clubs that America is so overweight. I have been very thin and fit before in my life and the past several years I have really battled and NS has given me a new life and I want to make the most of it.

Please have a wonderful night friends!

God Bless,

Renne'

TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2006-02-11T10:29:00.000-08:00

This is Faith giving me attitude about washing out the pink!!!!
Hello everyone. I have no idea how working mothers do it and I only have one child. So, I work about 50 hours a week, give about 2 hours to Faith's school, do some charity work, try to keep up with my NS post, try to be a good mom, do all the cooking, cleaning, ironing, laundry, etc. I just feel like I go in circles most days. How do most women pull it off? As I sit here and type this, I am looking around my living room and it is a mess. I cannot take a shower yet, because I do not have any clean socks, I have yet to fix lunch and all I want to do is spend the day doing nothing. Yet, if I do not do it, it does not get done! UGH!!!!! Please tell me how all of you do it? I need to get a grip before I go insane. Does anyone else feel like this, or is it just me that gets so overwhelmed with juggling the home and career? Maybe I need to go and see Dr. Phil!!!! Please have a wonderful weekend and excuse my complaining. God Bless, Renne'

I am a nut!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2006-01-21T15:32:00.000-08:00

Oh boy do I love this picture!!!!!!! Go Steelers!!!!!!!!!

Okay, somebody please calm me down. This week has been an emotional roller-coaster. The week started out okay and just kept going down. With my estranged father having a mini-stroke and I cannot even call him Â ugh to my friend and paralegal Carole having 3 aneurysms all around her heart. I am glad that the weekend is here. We were on the run today because I volunteer for the ÂAngel Food MinistryÂ once a month and today was that daySo so, now I am here at home and I do not know what to do because I know there is nothing I can do about my father or Carole (she is not having her first surgery until Tuesday), so my focus has shifted to the STEELER GAME!!!!!!!!

About an hour ago I started to go NUTS!!!!!! I cannot control myself and cannot comprehend that I have to wait another 20 hours!!!!! UGH!!!! I just do not know what to do. This town is absolutely bonkers. I was at the UPMC Hospital last night and my aunt, DH and I all had on Steeler sweat shirts and people were yelling out to us wherever we went. The whole town of Pittsburgh is back and gold. I guess I am not the only nut around here!!!

Anyway, on to more serious things. I have been debating putting up a post about my relationship with my parents and have those of you on the outside give your opinions and insight. I have just had it and I am at my wits end. I just do not know what to do anymore. So, please let me know if you think it would be appropriate to post about that here.

Okay, now that I have rambled on about sooooo many different things, I will get off of here before I bore you further!!!!

God Bless,

Renne'

Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 2006 will be a grand year!!!!

2006-01-09T16:49:00.000-08:00

These beautiful people are my grandparents and my daughter!

Okay, so it is a new year with a new beginning. For me turning 34 will be a good thing, as leaving age 33 behind me is something of an accomplishment for me.

So, when I think about goals and where I plan to at the end of 2006, I feel great expectations. There is so much that I want to change in my life. Obviously I am looking forward to losing the rest of the weight. I is a good feeling to know that I am starting the year with half of the weight gone – YAY!!!! I also want to strengthen my relationship with God, as I feel as if He is calling me to do something and I need to listen. I plan on working harder in the form of dedication and efficiency. I plan on moving my companies in new directions. I would also like to be a better mother, better wife, better friend and a better boss. I also plan on being more accountable to myself and to others, especially to God. I also plan on writing more on my blog, as it is a release for me. As long as the rest of you do not mind my senseless rambling!

Anyway, this is going to be a good year for all of us, as so many of us need more positive things in our lives.

May all of you have a blessed and wonderful 2006! Here's to you!

God Bless,

Renne’

Merry “Christ”mas and Happy New Year!

2005-12-26T19:42:00.000-08:00

Well, I made it through Christmas without being with my parents. As hard as it was – I made it. Christmas Eve was the hardest because for 33 years I have been with my immediate family. I really missed my Nan the most, as she raised me just as much as my own mother, yet she lives with my parents now. Ouch! Anyway, I am okay and I love my parents so very much and cannot wait until they want me again!

My daughter and husband had a great holiday. On Christmas we went to my aunt’s and she and all of the family my parents have turned their backs on welcomed me and mine with open arms! It was such a great feeling to feel loved.

I hope and pray that all of you have had a wonderful Christmas and/or whatever holiday you celebrate.

The pictures are of my gifts that I wrapped for everyone (my passion and only talent besides numbers) and Tom, Faith and I having fun on Christmas Eve and Day.

God Bless,

Renne’

Thanksgiving 2005

2005-11-24T19:24:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone and Happy Thanksgiving. I hope and pray that all of you have had a wonderful holiday. Surprisingly, we were invited to my brother’s house at the last minute, so we did get to spend time with family, albeit a cold family gathering in every sense! Tom and I had a tolerable time, but Faith had a nice time with the other children that she never gets to see, so that made it better! I ate so much food that I feel like I am going to explode!

Anyway, tomorrow is a new day and we only have one more holiday to get through before things go back to normal. I use to love the holidays, but with all the family problems I have grown up in I now understand why people dread the holidays!

I hope all of you have a wonderful evening and a great holiday season!

God Bless,

Renne’

Vacation Day 2 - Disney!

2005-11-03T19:11:00.000-08:00

Hello from Florida! We are having so much fun in Orlando. Today we went to the Magical Kingdom and Faith had a blast. A girl after my own heart, she loved the roller coasters the best. This was our second day away and I already feel better just being away. A couple of weeks ago I had a miscarriage and I did not even know that I was 8 weeks pregnant and I felt like my life stopped. Very strange to have pain, emptiness and such sorrow for a child I never even knew I was carrying. So, today I was able to focus on Faith and God reminded me of how blessed I am that God gave me my miracle baby Faith. WOW!

I hope all of you are having a good week and Friday is a sleep away!

May God richly bless all of you,
Renne’

I am bored...

2005-10-16T09:40:00.000-07:00

Boring… Sitting on my butt and not being allowed to move around is so gosh darn boring. I am in a brace and on crutches due to a foot injury and I am going nuts. I am the type of person that cannot sit in one place for more than 20 minutes and now I have to stay off of my feet for eight more days!!!!! UGH!!!!! I do not watch TV, except for the Steelers and they are on today, so at least I have that to look forward to. However, I am a nut and I watch the entire game on my feet, because I help them play (I am entertaining to watch – AFHV)!!!!! So, I do not know how I am going to watch the game without being on my feet.

Okay, enough of the complaining. I have to be thankful that I do not have a broken bone! I have broken 13 bones in my body in 33 years, so it is refreshing (sort of) to be on crutches and not have a broken leg!!!! The bright side?????

Something else to be thankful of is that I have a peace from God about Wednesday’s doctor’s appointment. I know everything is going to be okay. I am not sure what is wrong with me, but I know it is in God’s hands and that He will see me through this – big or small problem. I have to say thank you to all of you that have offered so much support and prayer to see me through this difficult time. You are great!!!

Well, the game will be on in 15 minutes, so I must go. Please have a wonderful day and a great week.

God Bless,
Renne’

2005-10-04T13:52:00.000-07:00

Good evening. I hope all of you have had a wonderful day today. I cannot comprehend that fall is here and it is October!!!!! Only 28 more days until my vacation and I am so excited.

I thought, since I am home from work, I would try to find some bathing suits that fit. I have been working so hard with the NS diet and I have really been working out really hard too, and I feel like it is starting to show. I look better, I feel better and I actually feel younger. I was sick most of the ladder part of my 20’s and into my 30’s, so I have just felt old and sick for way to long. I just feel like God has given me a second chance at life. I just feel so blessed tonight and so thankful. I feel like God is taking me back to 25 to let me feel young again.

Today I spent the afternoon shopping in my closet, which is actually an unused room of our house. I could never get rid of my clothes for some reason, so I have a wardrobe of size 2 – size 18. It seems like every 3 weeks or so, I have to put away current clothes and get out the older ones!!!! It was quite expensive when I was gaining weight and I put it on so fast, that the clothes I am in now are like brand new!!! Some still have the tags! Since losing the weight, I have only bought two articles of clothing – a pair of jeans and a Steeler sweatshirt. Oh and some bras and underwear too, but that is it because I have all the clothes I need already.

Since I have needed to clean out my closet for a long time, this is fun trying on smaller clothes. I had to make a deal with husband though about the clothes that are too big. He is afraid that I may have to go back on steroids, so he is making me keep some of the larger clothes. The deal is that I keep one bag of one size and I can donate the rest. So, I have 1 bag of 18’s, 1 bag of 16’s and soon to be a bag of 14’s, as now I am between a 14 and 12. More of the 12’s are fitting!!!!! Anyway, I am on cloud 9!!!!! By the way, one of my old bathing suits that fit is a size 10!!!!!!

Anyway, I hope and pray that all of you have a wonderful evening. Know that I keep all of you in my prayers.

God Bless,

Renne’

Back to me!!!!!!!

2005-09-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

Today is a new day.

Well, after a dreadful few days, I think I may be back to my old self! I wrote this huge long butt post to share, but it was so negative and filled with so much complaining; that I decided not to put all of you threw my misery and self pity. Before I go back to my old self though, I do have to tell you about one thing that happened that now is so ridicules that I am laughing instead of crying. Wednesday night I was leaving for work and I was trying to put down my daughter’s window and it would not go down. I turned around to look at it just in time to hear “grind”, whoop and then bam and broken glass. The window fell down inside the door and hit so hard that it crushed it…cute. So, being that I had a seminar Thursday and Friday, I had to get to the dealership (50 miles away) to get a rental for the next day, so off I go. Anyway, while all this other crap in my life was going on, my car was being fixed – right? Sure… I get a call yesterday at my conference that went something like this… “Hon, you need to call Bobby Rahal about your car”. “Why”, I asked. “Your car is fixed, but somebody left it outside for two nights while they were waiting on a new window – don’t get upset – everyone makes mistakes”. I quickly call the dealership to see what was going on, as we have had rain the past TWO NIGHTS! They then inform me that they have it dried out, for some reason I did not believe him, so I asked to speak to the manager. He then told me that by the time I picked up the car, that it would be cleaned, including shampooing the carpet and oiling the leather. Fair enough. I get home from my conference – 35 miles away just in time to get a call that the car is ready. The dealership is 15 miles past where my conference was – ugh! So, I get back in the rental and head north. An hour later I get there and go to check out to see that my warranty covered all the expense, but there was a note from the manager that I have been blessed because instead of a shampoo and leather treatment, I am going to get a 100% bumper to bumper detail because I am so understanding that they did not get to it today… I look at the service gentleman and said, “So, the car did not get cleaned?” He then said that I got lucky because now I get the works and they can schedule me for next week. So, I have to drive 200 miles in one day 50 – 50 – 50 and 50. I said that was unacceptable, as I could pay someone local to do it for the price of my gas. I asked if they could pay someone in my area to do it so I did not have to drive. He gladly said yes and went to the service manger. He returned to say that the service manager said no, as if they were paying for it that I had to bring it up there. I just shook my head and walked away because I was so afraid to explode. So, I went out to my car – I opened the door and almost passed out because of the smell. It smelled like a wet and moldy dog. I then go to the back window and see that there is water EVERYWHERE – all over my CD’s, my daughter’s sweater and there was a puddle in her car seat. Leaves and a couple of small twigs – Oh my. So, I marched back into the dealership and let loose. The service man just looked at me and then another man walked in and asked if he could help me and I asked who he was and he said the general manager of the entire dealership. So, he took me into his office with Keith (the service man) and listen to my story. Oh my goodness, this is priceless… He asked me who told him that the service manager was in, because he left at 4:00 PM. I looked at Keith and said, “Would you like to answer that question?” Anyway, the manager was very apologetic and very upset that Keith told me not one, but many lies. He saw the car and said that he would personally make sure to get to the bottom of it and that he would personally make sure the car was put as close to brand new as possible (it has 21,000 miles) and that he would personally drive it down to me on Tuesday or Wednesday because that would be how long it would take to clean it and dry it out. So back 50 miles home still in a rental car.

Now I am just laughing.

Okay, I am back to being me and the pity party is officially over! Have a great weekend everyone and God Bless,

Renne'

YEA Steelers!!!!!!

2005-09-18T15:25:00.000-07:00

Faith even loves the Steelers!!!!

Well, since the Steelers did so well, I decided to post tonight. I am a Steeler nut. My husband has to hold me down half of the time because I get so out of hand. We have been on a waiting list for four years now to get seats and I cannot wait until the day we finally get some! UGH!

This weekend went way too fast. I have a seminar that I have to attend in the city Thursday and Friday and I am so dreading that. I hate the commute and the totally boring. I have to take so many credits every year to keep my PA and WV banking licenses and so many to keep my title license. It is a pain in the rear. I hate to be away from my office and especially my Beeby.

Anyway, I got a real kick butt exercise in today! I was so pumped, but when I went back upstairs, my sugar was low and I had to eat two oatmeal pies to get it up. It really stinks to be a JD sometimes. I should probably stop complaining so much.

Life is good, weight is down and I am feeling so much better, so REALLY what is there to complain about?

God Bless,
RenneÂ

Friday

2005-09-16T17:14:00.000-07:00

Guess who and guess who?????????
Good evening. This was a busy week for me and I can at least say that I am feeling better – yea!!!!! This week went by way too fast. Faith is finally enjoying school, but she is a little bored with the curriculum. Hopefully it will get more challenging for her soon.

Work was work as usual. We have about 6000 square feet of office space and I have recently downsized, so to make a long story short, I have donated a portion of it to a pilot Christian school that is struggling financially. There are just a handful of kids, yet it is quite amusing… A mortgage company, a title company and a Christian school. Very interesting combination. I have always said that my office could be a reality sitcom on TV and have great ratings. I have even thought about writing a book – too funny. I do love what I do and I am blessed to have my “Beeby” with me every day at work. Blessed, blessed and blessed – I know it.

Anyway, since I am feeling so much better I plan on starting my usual workout back up tomorrow. Faith is with a family member for the night, so guess what that means????? Weekend – no work – no Faith – no getting up at 6:30 – Mommy gets to sleep in on the new mattress!!!!!!

On a good note… I have now lost 28 pounds as of today!!!!! I have been on cloud 9 all day!!!!

All who read have a great night. I am glad you are here!

God Bless,
Renne’

Upset

2005-09-11T19:09:00.000-07:00

I am so upset. A sweet lady that I care about so much just informed me and others that she was molested and sexually abused as a child. I am so angry and I am so lost as to why this happens way too much. It hurts me to know that a sweet and innocent child had to go through this. UGH!!! My anger will not go away. I pray and pray for this person and I pray for the precious children that have to face this unacceptable abuse.

Renne’

A little more about me...

2005-09-10T13:21:00.000-07:00

Onyx Caesar Vonna
This is why I started on a diet and why losing weight is a change of life for me.

I grew up very blessed to be thin and extremely blessed with athletic ability. Even with being so strong and athletic, I usually had a cold and suffered from an extremely weak immune system. I was sick A LOT. Unfortunately I still get sick A LOT.

At age ten I broke my arm from doing gymnastics on the neighbor’s swing set (really stupid) – ouch! Anyway, what should have taken four weeks to heal, took ten and I was very ill. No problem, right? Yes, eight months later I was diagnosed with Juvenile Diabetes (the really BAD type that you hear horror stories about). So, I spent a lot of time being very sick, yet I still did EVERYTHING and I fought hard to be “normal”.

Life goes on and so did mine. Once I left high school and college, my physical activities were like most. I worked and ran five miles a day to keep in shape. Then, two months before I was to marry my husband Tom, at age 25, I was diagnosed with a “female cancer”. My world of fighting back with an illness, to me at the time, felt useless. However that feeling changed very quickly and I fought back. After eight years I feel God has healed me. I feel very blessed.

Now, how I actually got so heavy. I had to take a lot of medicine for a very long time, including several years of steroids, hence the steroid face I have carried around! Anyway, I had been off the medications for a while, but the weight stayed on. I went from a lousy 207 to a lousy 202. So, I kept seeing the NS commercials and I just decided to try it. Well, I am down 21 pounds in 2 months and I cannot be happier. I have more energy and I am working out regularly and so pleased that I am going to get my life back again. The REALLY good news is that I have gone from 5 shots of insulin a day (175 units) to only 2 shots a day and only 40 units!!!! Yes, you did read that right. My doctor is in a state of shock!!!

I feel blessed to be here. I hope that I can support all of you.

God Bless,
Renne’

Hello All!

2005-09-07T10:51:00.000-07:00

I decided to start a blog so I can keep track of my weight loss while on NS. I have done so well thus far, having lost 25 pounds. My photo is my goal weight of 130. I will add other pictures and information as I learn how to use this blogger!

Welcome all and please know that I support you in your weight loss and give you the best of luck.

God Bless,
Renne'