2024 has begun! So much pressure is often put on New Year's Day, but something I've been trying to focus on is that each day is an opportunity to start fresh. I didn't have the amazingly productive New Year's Day as I'd hoped, but I didn't let it keep me from getting up and exercising the next day and working to establish other habits. And I had a pretty wonderful month, as you are about to see.
READING: This year, I'm participating in a challenge to primarily read books that were on my to-be-read list prior to this year and which automatically includes books my immediate family and I owned prior to January 1st. So to that end, I read Holding on When You Want to Let Go by Sheila Walsh and started Waymaker by Ann Voskamp. I also have been reading my Bible every day as part of a plan to read the entire Bible in a year.
LISTENING: Dad and I finished The Star That Always Stays by Anna Rose Johnson, and it was such a good coming of age story that I immediately lent it to a friend after finishing it. She also loved it. We then read A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park, which was short but beautiful, and now we're enjoying a World War II historical fiction novel, The Maggie Bright by Tracy Groot. I also listened to Suffer Strong by Jay and Katherine Wolf on Libby.
WATCHING: We finally watched Frozen! We'd heard so much about it for so long, so we watched it on New Year's Day and enjoyed it. Olaf, the snowman, is definitely one of my favorite characters.
MAKING: I crocheted two shawls and two potholder sets. I also started a large counted cross-stitch project of dandelions. I received the kit to make it for Christmas.
CELEBRATING: I passed my driver's test on my first try this month! My examiner was shocked that I used to be bedridden. This month also marked one month since Mom and I started DNRS, so we celebrated with Dad by going to the National Aviary in Pittsburgh and briefly braving the wind and 2° F weather to look at the city from Mount Washington.
Me feeding a rainbow lorikeet at the aviary
STUDYING: I completed Human Biology and Environmental Science and earned 6 college credits, and I began Art History II.
PLAYING: Earlier this month, we were forecasted to get snow, but we couldn't find our sleds from years ago. All the local stores except Target were sold out of sleds, so Dad bought some online before Target opened, and Mom and I picked them up. Mom, Pascal, and I then went sled riding on a neighbor's hill. Pascal kept trying to jump off, so he only went for two rides. However, Mom and I had a blast!
We also had our RC WATT Christmas party this month and had a White Elephant gift exchange. I received a goat yoga game from my mom. I haven't played the game yet, but I'm looking forward to it.
EXERCISING: Mom and I went on a snowy hike towards the beginning of the month and walked at another park later in the month when we had a 60° F day. Otherwise, we have mostly been stuck with exercising inside on the treadmill due to cold weather and ice. I admit that it is a lot harder to find the motivation to exercise on the treadmill in the winter, but this week I decided to run a 5K in April as a way to motivate myself to exercise.
4 comments
Thanks, Mrs. Dean! The classes are pass or fail, but if you took the scores I got, they would convert to As. :)
I’m so happy to read all this wonderful news, sweet Lauren. You’re a licensed driver!! I can remember how thrilling it felt to go somewhere (even just to the corner store for bread) by myself in a car. The sledding looked like great fun. And 6 college credits ✅ I’m going to go out on a limb and say you got an A in them both.
I am excited for Groundhog Day, too! It’s fun and wacky.
Magnificent! I forgot how fun January is! But can’t wait for February and Groundhog Day.